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Mar 25, 2022

FASTAG RELATED CHALLENGES All fee plazas on National Highways are equipped with FASTag system except for following stretches, due to extremely low traffic such as Sundra Gunjangarh and Khuiyali plaza on Munabao- Tanot section of National Highway number 25E. About FASTag
  • FasTag is a radio frequency identification device (RFID), which comes as a reloadable tag that ensures seamless movement of a vehicle on the run-on highways.
  • The device has to be registered with Central Clearing House (CCH) operators and the bank account first. And then, it needs to be placed on the vehicle’s windscreen.
  • When the vehicle passes through a toll plaza, the sticker or tag is auto-scanned and payment is instantly deducted from a prepaid account linked to the tag.
Benefits of FasTag?
  • Saves time – A special lane dedicated for FasTag users means it saves time.
  • Ease of payment – A user can avoid carrying cash for the toll transactions.
  • Seamless movement – The non-stop vehicular movement means lower fuel cost.
  • Online Recharge – Need not to stand in a queue to recharge the tag. Users can recharge a FasTag online through credit card/debit card/ NEFT/RTGS/net banking.
  • SMS alerts – There is a provision to alert the users through SMS about their toll transactions, low balance, etc.
  • Online Portal – A user can sign up on the online portal and use it to recharge, lodge complaints or check what’s latest.
  • Validity – Validity of 5 years means that the tag is making life easy for users, as it has to be reissued only once every five years.
  • Environmental benefit – Implementation of FasTag has reduced air pollution and use of paper.
  • Social benefit – There’s a drastic change in the toll plazas, as toll payment hassles are minimized and highway management system has improved.
  • Economic benefit – The FasTag has also reduced the efforts in managing the toll plazas.
  • Further by offering an ambulance service connected to the same, it encourages people to use an online recharge than to queue up at the plaza. Moreover, it makes is easy for the ambulance to locate a user on the highway by means of GPS tracking.
  • FASTag is used as a wallet and payment mechanism is being leveraged in other business applications and areas too, such as buying fuel at petrol stations and parking tickets among others. 
  • The convenience and reliability this payment option offers cannot be ignored and soon manned or illegal parking will become a thing of the past.
  • FASTags can be used for enabling car-maintenance services also, wherein with just scanning the RFID on them, the amount to pay gets automatically deducted.
FASTag-Related Challenges Stolen, Lost, or Damaged Tags
  • Since the card is affixed to your windscreen, it can be easily misplaced, damaged or stolen. This is a common challenge faced by a lot of FASTag users.
Double-Deduction
  • It’s possible for the toll fee to be deducted twice from your account. Mostly, this happens due to a technical glitch.
Possible Technical Glitches
  • Another major issue faced by FASTag users is that the tag stops working. In such cases, the RFID scanner might not detect your tag.
Blacklisted FASTag
  • If you fail to maintain adequate balance in your FASTag wallet, your account will be blacklisted. If you pass through a toll with a blacklisted tag, your transaction will be declined, and you’ll have to pay by cash.
  • FasTag can be wrongly charged – Due to technical flaws, at times, a FasTag user may be wrongly charged. And, the user is only left with the option to report the matter as soon as he/she comes to know about it and ask for reimbursement.
  • FasTag may face malfunction or damage – A user can report about the same and ask for a replacement.
  • FasTag faces the issue of discipline at all most every toll plaza – Vehicles without the FasTags enter the designated lane while the ones with FasTags wait for their turn, behind these vehicles.
  • Same lane for electronic toll collection (ETC) and very important person (VIP) – There should be a dedicated ETC lane at every toll plaza. Not having a dedicated ETC lane means the purpose of FasTag fails as it causes a delay in the journey of FasTag users.
  • Despite FASTag the waiting time has not reduced and traffic is still moving extremely slowly at toll booths.
Measures need to be taken
  • Loss of FASTag: You can immediately notify the issuing agency or the bank about the theft or loss. They can then block the account and help you get another tag.
  • Unauthorized Deductions Through FASTag: You can get assistance from the bank; your tag account is registered in case of such unauthorized deductions. By going to your FASTag customer portal, you can register a claim for a double deduction of the toll amount, and you can apply for compensation for the same.
  • Blacklisted FASTag: Always ensure that your account has sufficient balance so that you can travel worry-free.
  • Mandate for implementation of Interface Control Document (ICD 2.5) at all fee plazas on National Highways:
    • Penal action on defaulting bank/fee plaza operating agency/concessionaire.
    • To enable near-real time processing of FASTag transactions at fee plazas on National Highways
    • Instant SMS to FASTag users on user fee transactions
  • Service Level Agreement (SLA) parameters for issuer banks:
    • Provision to resolve customer complaints related to overcharging, double deduction, unauthorized transaction, etc. in a time-bound manner
  • Creating a co-branding ecosystem that makes the one with the best customer service win.
  • Having more and more agencies for recharging and providing support on FasTags.
  • Highway Saathi (www.highwaysaathi.com), an initiative by Metro Infrasys, is one such step in this direction. It brings various recharging platforms together for FasTags and the local ones.
Road Ahead
  • FASTag is clearly a great idea and one of its main aims is to reduce the waiting time at toll booths and prevent wastage of fuel due to crawling and idling. As per some reports, the annual loss due to such fuel wastage is around Rs 15,000 crore, more than the toll collected every year.
  • However, with the advantages outnumbering the challenges of using FASTags, India should effectively address the latter and continue to ride the global digital wave.  As the country is looking at industrial ecosystems to be seamlessly connected, FASTags with the appropriate solutions to effectively manage them, power the country’s goal to go digital.
NAVAL TECHNOLOGY ACCELERATION COUNCIL (NTAC) MEETING Recently, Naval Technology Acceleration Council (NTAC) the apex body of the Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO) held its meeting at New Delhi. About Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO)
  • The Draft Defence Acquisition Policy 2020 (DAP 20) envisages Service Headquarters establishing an Innovation & Indigenisation Organisation within existing resources.
  • The NIIO is a three-tiered organisation.
    • Naval Technology Acceleration Council (N-TAC) will bring together the twin aspects of innovation and indigenisation and provide apex level directives.
    • A working group under the N-TAC will implement the projects.
    • A Technology Development Acceleration Cell (TDAC) has also been created for induction of emerging disruptive technology in an accelerated time frame.
  • Indian Navy already has a functional Directorate of Indigenisation (DoI) and the new structures created will build upon the ongoing indigenisation initiatives, as well as focus on innovation.
  • Maker Village is a unique incubator which provides everything necessary for a hardware startup to innovate, design, and build a product.
  • The SIDM is the apex body of the Indian defence industry with a role as an advocate, catalyst, and facilitator for the growth and capability building of the defence industry in India.
 Significance
  • Aiming to achieve self-reliance in aerospace and Defence sector the government of India announced setting up of two Defence industrial corridors with one situated in Uttar Pradesh and the other in Tamil Nadu.
  • The NIIO puts in place dedicated structures for the end users to interact with academia and industry towards fostering innovation and indigenisation for self-reliance in defence in keeping with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Indian Naval Indigenisation Plan (INIP) 2015-2030
  • The Indian Navy’s foray into indigenisation began over five decades ago with the design and construction of warships in the country.
  • Today, forty-eight of its state-of-the-art ships and submarines are under construction in Indian shipyards, both public and private, a clear reflection of the Indian Navy’s enduring support to India’s indigenous warship building endeavour.
  • While much has been achieved in our pursuit of indigenisation over the past decades, the time is now ripe for launching into a new phase of self-reliance by manufacturing technologically advanced equipment within India, in pursuance of the Government of India’s vision of ‘Make in India’.
  • Recognising this, the Indian Navy has embarked upon an initiative to evolve a guideline document, the “Indian Naval Indigenisation Plan (INIP) 2015-2030”, to enunciate the need for developing various advanced systems for its platforms. This document supersedes the Indigenisation Plan published in 2008 for the period 2008-2022.
  • This document is aimed to enable indigenous development of equipment and systems over the next 15 years. It attempts to formulate the requirements of Indian Navy and lists out the equipment which can be taken up for indigenisation in the coming years.
  • It is expected that release of this plan would further synergise Indian Navy’s relationship with the industry and encourage all sectors of industry to come forward and participate in indigenous development of weapons, sensors and other high-end equipment for the Indian Navy, thereby making the nation self-reliant in this vital domain of defence technology.
Need for Naval Indigenisation
  • According to a study conducted by Navy, India has achieved an indigenisation of 90 per cent in the float segment. In the move segment, India has achieved 60 per cent of indigenisation and just 30-40 per cent in the fight segment.
  • In the past, the Indian Navy had to acquire military technologies through import. Requisite expertise also had to be created for their operation and maintenance.
  • Development in the field of naval systems is inherently technology intensive and requires substantial investment of time, money and resources.
  • The Navy’s roles and responsibilities have expanded significantly over the years, in response to changing geo-economic and geostrategic circumstances. In order to meet the entire spectrum of challenges, our force structure planning is dictated primarily by capabilities to be achieved, threat perceptions, prevailing maritime security environment, emerging technologies and availability of funds.
  • The problem for New Delhi is that even though foreign defence companies are willing to collaborate with Indian manufacturers, they are reluctant to transfer cutting-edge technologies. Equally worrisome, however, is the suboptimal capacity of Indian firms to acquire and absorb foreign technology.
Advantages
  • The new plan attempts to formulate a structured process to develop systems by specifying technologies and broad requirements catering for new induction platforms in the Navy such as Vikramaditya, Teg Class frigates, Fleet Tankers, Naval OPVs and Scorpene Submarines.
  • In addition, the plan also caters to requirements for aviation and diving equipment for the first time.
  • Advanced computing technologies today enable autonomous systems to identify and strike hostile targets, a phenomenon that has led to a growing interest in ‘intelligent’ naval combat systems. The advent of data-driven decision making in naval systems is fuelling efforts to combine AI with analytics and cloud computing.
  • Maritime forces are charting a move away from the diagnostic to the predictive space—shifting from the management of data to actual decision-making, powering decision-cycles of combat systems.
  • AI provides the technology to augment human analysis and decision-making by capturing knowledge that can be re-applied in critical situations. It seeks to alter human intervention from ‘in-the-loop’ controller to ‘on-the-loop’ thinker who can focus on a more reflective assessment of problems and strategies, guiding rather than being buried in execution detail.
  • AI, however, really implies an inherent ability for a combat system to take targeting decisions. It’s worth emphasising that maritime forces, including many in the Navy, remain skeptical of autonomous weapon systems with independent targeting capability.
  • Directed Energy Weapons offer a number of advantages, including cost-effectiveness and an ammunition supply limited only by the weapon’s power source. Energy weapons also fire at the speed of light, is virtually silent, and can limit collateral damage.
  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are a source of enduring interest because of their ability to remain on station for extended periods and provide crucial data in real time.
  • There will be a reduction in fiscal deficit.
  • National Security will be provided against its porous borders and hostile neighbours.
  • Employment will be generated and helps India to become global power.
  • Fire of nationalism and patriotism will be ignited with the strong sense of integrity and sovereignty among the Indian forces.
  • It keeps intact the technological advancement and expertise and encourages spin-off technologies and innovation that often stem for it.
  • This will enable them to leverage the domestic markets as well as aim at global markets. Besides helping in building domestic capabilities.
  • Favourable government policy promotes self-reliance, indigenisation, and technology upgradation.
  • India’s extensive modernisation plans with an increased focus on homeland security and growing attractiveness as a defence sourcing hub.
Challenges Faced by Indian Navy
  • India’s precision ammunition manufacturing technology remains underdeveloped. Efforts to establish joint ventures for precision-guided munitions (PGM) manufacturing haven’t found much success, owing principally to the lack of capital investments necessary for such ventures.
  • The precision attack and targeting capabilities of Indian Armed Forces are currently limited to laser-guided bomb (LGB) kits attached to dumb bombs on Air Force jets.
  • The increasing usage of precision bombs and missiles in Indian naval and air weapon systems hasn’t done much to expand India’s indigenous manufacturing capabilities. Despite considerable efforts, New Delhi remains dependant on the import of smart munitions.
  • The more complicated task will be the development of UUVs, where Indian engineers will need to fully comprehend demands that future operations are likely to place on underwater autonomous platforms’ ISR sensors, and command and control systems. The bottom-line objective for India’s R&D community will be to extend operational awareness within the battle space without assistance from manned systems and human decision makers.
  • The relationship between Indigenisation and Logistics poses a dilemma. On the one hand there is the national priority to be self-reliant and achieve transfer of technology and indigenisation to the maximum cost-effective extent. On the other hand, is the reluctance of Indian industry to develop what the Navy needs unless it finds it profitable to do so. This requires that the Navy's 'order quantity' be large enough and there be assurance of 'repeat orders' to justify the development costs incurred by Industry.
  • The Navy, being small, cannot make its 'order quantity' large enough to permit economies of scale. The assurance of 'repeat orders' is governed by the system of 'lowest tender' whenever a repeat order is to be placed. Indigenisation in hi-tech has taken longer than expected. In low-tech areas, the enthusiasm for indigenisation has tended to erode every time an indigenous substitute fails at sea.
  • The essential problem with Indian naval shipbuilding is the lack of funds. Also absent is a level playing field between the public and private sector, with authorities tending to favour the former.
  • The bureaucracy’s excessive interference in naval shipbuilding is another flaw in the system. This was seen in a recent tussle over the “strategic partnership model” of Project-75I, in which the navy refrained from supporting an ineligible public-private bid.
  • Shipbuilders must also contend with the long gestation periods between initial design and construction, leading to frequent changes in construction layout. Associated challenges include the requirement of large financial resources, gross deficiencies in meeting economies of scale, insufficient levels of local industry support in ancillaries, lack of compatible indigenous propulsion and power generation systems, and limitations in design and capacity.
  • The Indian shipbuilding industry suffers from a lack of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). Countries such as Korea have taken active measures to stimulate FDI in the sector such as cutting corporate taxes, providing tax incentive packages, along with low-cost plant sites and rent-free land lease in Foreign Exclusive Industrial complexes.
  • India’s system insists on obtaining multiple clearances covering land acquisition, environmental clearance, power and water and other utilities, from various departments, thereby creating a deterrent for investors.
  • In India, there is limited investment in R&D in ship designing and innovation, yet shipbuilders must compete against established yards in Korea and China. For Indian industry to catch up with international players in ship automation and technology, New Delhi must take a leaf out of South Korea’s playbook. Since the 1980s, Seoul has promoted university-industry R&D activities which have resulted in various collaborative initiatives.
  • A majority of Naval fleet ships, submarines and aircraft are ageing and timely replacements are a necessity to maintain the minimum force levels. The tasking of Indian Navy has been unprecedented over the last two years with the changing maritime equations in the Indo-Pacific.
  • The delays in replacing old platforms have multiple effects on the overall scheme of things as they demand more resources for maintenance and are not very effective in their desired roles.
Steps Taken
  • Indian Navy has been at the forefront of indigenisation with a fully functional and dynamic Directorate of Indigenisation. Additionally, a technology Development Acceleration Cell (TDAC) has been created under NIIO to focus on innovation.
  • Major initiatives towards Indigenisation include industry outreach programmes (conducted at Ahmedabad, Bhubaneswar and Coimbatore) and the proposal set up a center for Indigenisation and Self-Reliance (CISR).
  • TDAC also engages with the academia and industry in addition to channeling in-house naval innovations. An online monthly interaction with the industry in coordination with the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) has also been instituted.
  • Deep tech startups are also being recognised as 'lnnovation Industry Partners' and are provided handholding to better understand naval requirements.
  • To engage young minds in premier educational institutions the 'Indian Naval Students Technical Engagement Programme' (IN STEP) provides a five-month online internship to work on naval problem statements. An 'open challenge' under IN STEP was announced during the NTAC meeting and will be undertaken in partnership with SIDM and BharatShakti.in. A MoU was signed between the three organisations to this effect.
Road Ahead:
  • For India, the main technological challenge is to reduce the imported content of indigenously produced naval sensors and weapons. While there are plans to build future naval technologies under the ‘Make in India’ initiative, it is unclear if an outright indigenisation approach to technology will be effective.
  • IN has ambitions to acquire and develop technologies in many crucial areas. Going forward, military scientists will need to show progress with high-definition radars, infrared seekers, precision munitions and energy weapons. It will be important to build these weapons under license, for which both government and private industry will need to spend more on research and development. The critical task will be to expand research and development to a level where India maritime technological initiatives become self-sustaining.
A RESURRECTION OF THE BBIN MVA Recently, the much-anticipated Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal Motor Vehicles Agreement (BBIN-MVA) finally took a step forward, as the stakeholder countries congregated to actualise one of the long-pending connectivity aspirations of South Asia. Project Background
  • South Asia is one of the least integrated and connected regions of the world. Intra-regional trade is around five per cent of the total trade of South Asian countries. This lack of connectivity and integration has long been accepted as one of the biggest contributors to the sub-optimal utilisation of the region’s economic potential.
  • Cargo movement between countries in the region is mostly through transhipment arrangements at the border points. Issues like procedural delays, infrastructure bottlenecks (particularly parking and warehousing facilities and the security of the cargo in such facilities), corruption, governance issues, etc. further compound and complicated the issues.
  • Replacing the large-scale transhipment operations with easy movement of vehicles across the borders via a motor vehicles agreement between the countries was the need of the hour that has the potential in effectively bypassing many of these hurdles.
  • Therefore, on 15th June, 2015, the BBIN MVA Framework Agreement was signed by these countries and draft protocols (separately for cargo and passenger vehicles) are being finalised for its implementation.
  • While political will in the region is mostly enabling at this point in time, the countries are likely to face several implementation challenges in making this intent at the highest level a reality.
About Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal Motor Vehicles Agreement (BBIN-MVA)
  • The Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal (BBIN) Initiative is a subregional architecture of countries in Eastern South Asia, a subregion of South Asia. It meets through official representation of member states to formulate, implement and review quadrilateral agreements across areas such as water resources management, connectivity of power, transport, and infrastructure.
  • India proposed a SAARC Motor Vehicle Agreement during the 18th SAARC summit in Kathmandu in November 2014. Due to objections from Pakistan, an agreement could not be reached. India instead pursued a similar motor vehicle agreement with the BBIN.
  • The BBIN Motor Vehicles Agreement (MVA) was signed on 15 June 2015 at the BBIN transport ministers meeting in Thimpu, Bhutan. The agreement will permit the member states to ply their vehicles in each other's territory for transportation of cargo and passengers, including third country transport and personal vehicles.
  • Each vehicle would require an electronic permit to enter another country's territory, and border security arrangement between nations' borders will also remain. Cargo vehicles will be able to enter any of the four nations without the need for trans-shipment of goods from one country's truck to another's at the border.
  • Under the system, cargo vehicles are tracked electronically, permits are issued online and sent electronically to all land ports. Vehicles are fitted with an electronic seal that alerts regulators every time the container door is opened.
  • The agreement will enter into force after it is ratified by all four member nations. The agreement has been ratified by Bangladesh, India and Nepal. The lower house of the Bhutanese parliament approved the agreement in early 2016, but it was rejected by the upper house in November 2016.
  • In 2016, India approved $1.08 billion for construction and upgrading of 558 kilometres (347 mi) long roads that join Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal. The project will receive 50% funding from Asian Development Bank. The project is scheduled to be completed by 2018. It is estimated that this project will increase the regional trade by 60% while that with rest of the world by 30%.
Need for BBIN
  • The cost of trade between these countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal) is very high because of numerous reasons like 
    • Inadequate infrastructure at border crossings
    • A plethora of paper-based procedures
    • Restrictive policies and regulations
    • Inefficient logistics for cargo handling
  • The geography of the area is complex and therefore compounds the issue. Bhutan and Nepal are landlocked mountainous countries with difficult connectivity. Only one road in India connects the north-eastern states with the mainland, and it passes through the narrow Siliguri Corridor, the Chicken’s Neck.
  • The potential of trade between these 4 countries is huge. The trade between the BBIN countries grew six-fold between 2005 and 2019. But still, the potential remains massive at 93% for Bangladesh, 50% for India and 76% for Nepal.
  • Currently, there is a lot of documentation procedure required for the trade between these countries.
  • At some borders, customs officials examine 80-100% of all the goods that pass through. If countries adopted advanced risk management practices, consignments could be cleared far more quickly.
  • World Bank analysis finds that under the MVA, a truck travelling from Agartala in India’s northeast to Kolkata port will take 65 % less time and be 68 % cheaper.
  • The early implementation of the BBIN MVA can lead to shorter transport routes, quicker travel times, and lower costs, in addition to a smaller carbon footprint.
Relevance of the subregion and BBIN
  • Geographically placed in a categorical and unambiguous setting, the South Asian expanse has always helped itself to create a distinct niche of cynosure in the wider global Asia. In this underpinned notion, the increasing presence of several new geopolitical players and stakeholders, who have had their own set of interests, have explored several new embedded narratives of the region, including the concept of sub-regionalism.
  • The BBIN has been envisioned as a similar growth quadrangle that has attempted to address the complementarities of the domain, with the utilisation of mutual assets like rivers, energy, infrastructures, solidified through a common framework of guidelines.
  • Since there are only a few members, the process of addressing the diversities seems to be faster with a comparatively lower cost of investment.
  • Such cooperation also appears to be non-exclusionary in nature as they do not compete with the larger regional arrangements, of which they might be a member as well.
  • There is also a transfer of skill and technology from the more developed countries to the lesser developed countries through the spillover effect, which facilitates the up-gradation of skill sets and local labour force amongst all the partners.
  • Furthermore, such sub-regional concepts also help in developing the backward and forward linkages in the national economy, thereby acting as a catalyst for triggering development in other parts of the economy as well.
  • BBIN as a potential thread of growth, it is primarily a coordinative architecture that operates through the ‘Joint Working Groups’ (JWG) comprising of the official representation from each of the members to formulate, implement and review quadrilateral agreements. The area of focus involves water resource management, connectivity of power grids, multi-modal transport and freight and transport infrastructure.
  • BBIN holds tremendous potential in bringing about an incremental boost in every sphere of development, from political, to economic and cultural. This idea must bring in the realisation that the process of coming together is inevitable for the collective growth of the four BBIN countries and also the region as a whole.
  • Even though the initiative is often perceived as primarily India-centric by the other members because of her gigantic size and economic prowess, these countries are largely eager to enhance consolidation within the sub-region, preserving their own social, economic, political, and cultural identity. This strategic thought process is the product of the sensed necessity of stronger ties, essential for stability in this region.
  • The constructive consequences of such a feasible partnership will not only pave the way to establish transport corridors but also will facilitate the flow of trade. Here, the relevance of the Motor Vehicle Agreement (MVA) is justified, and to understand whether it can address the sector-specific concerns or not.
Significance of BBIN
  • The agreement was created ‘for the Regulation of Passenger, Personal and Cargo Vehicular Traffic between Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal and to boost economic growth in the region.
  • The TIR (Transports Internationaux Routiers) Convention must be taken into account, which will boost trade and regional integration across South Asia. TIR will help India to integrate Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, as well as Thailand.
  • The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has been proactive since a long time to incorporate stability in this particular aspect, with the provision of technical and knowledge support. All the four countries have been suggested to take the full advantage of ‘tourism potential’ with rich natural and cultural attractions, including many of the world’s major Buddhist sites.
  • It is very recent that an amount of US$ 57. 5 million have been approved by the ADB Board of Directors in the form of grants and loans for the South Asia Tourism Infrastructure Development Project, to establish new and improved infrastructure along with the traditional services for key tourism sites in the four countries.
  • If this sector brings about enhancement with the help of this investment, it would inevitably bring about an increment in the capacity of sector agencies for the sustainable management of these historical sites. At the same time, there would also be sound involvement of the local people here, with the local communities, which again would signify a bottom-up approach of integration.
  • It seems relevant to mention here the same kind of aspiration by China as well, which has tried to focus on the tourism sector in South Asia with the help of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). There are thousands of Chinese tourists who come into these countries every year, either for a pilgrimage or for vacations.
  • The probable rail connection would simply add to this trend. For instance, the bilateral trans-border rail connectivity between India and Bangladesh through Haldibari, 75 kilometres away from Chilahati across the border in Nilphamari district, has been refurbished after 55 years.
  • In such a scenario, the idea lies in the integration if all the four countries in developing a separate tourism sector of their own with flow of Chinese tourists and also the other tourists from the rest of the world in accessing more economic benefit. This is especially true for the landlocked countries of Nepal and Bhutan, whose major part of the national economy is generated from tourism.
Exploring A Country Wise Perspective India:
  • From the Indian perspective, the BBIN MVA will, most significantly, ease the movement of goods from mainland India to its Northeast economic centres, namely Agartala (Tripura), Guwahati (Assam), and Shillong (Meghalaya) along with the cross-country routes. Poor infrastructure, difficult terrain, insurgent politics, and geopolitical constraints have thus far kept the Northeast region underdeveloped and isolated for many years that can have better access with such progresses.
Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal:
  • The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority and the Inland Waterways Authority of India, through the BBIN can work together, beyond the bilateral dynamics that it shares. The economic benefits of this initiative will inadvertently support Bhutan and Nepal as well, through port connectivity, addressing their landlocked nature. Similarly, the transit rights shall also be recognised that remain in a deadlock.
Advantages
  • The World Bank’s Connecting to Thrive report finds it is about 15–20 percent cheaper for an Indian company to trade with Brazil or Germany than with adjoining Bangladesh.
  • Although trade between the BBIN countries grew six-fold between 2005 and 2019, the unexploited potential remains massive, estimated at 93 percent for Bangladesh, 50 percent for India and 76 percent for Nepal.
  • At present, around 22 documents and 55 signatures are needed to trade between Bangladesh and India. In Bhutan, importers need to submit their documents to different authorities 86 times on average, while exporters need to do so 74 times.  
  • Cutting down the physical inspection of goods can reduce delays.  At some borders, customs officials examine 80-100 percent of all the goods that pass through. If countries adopted advanced risk management practices, consignments could be cleared far more quickly.
  • The early implementation of the BBIN Motor Vehicles Agreement (MVA) can lead to shorter transport routes, quicker travel times, and lower costs, in addition to a smaller carbon footprint.
  • The digitization and automation of customs and other procedures can also lead to faster and more transparent clearances. Digitization has the added advantage of enabling countries to harmonize their data, facilitating data exchanges and allowing traders and government officials to take evidence-based decisions.
  • While many South Asian countries are moving towards digitization, the United Nations Global Survey on Trade Facilitation and Paperless Trade finds that if this is implemented fully, trade costs can come down by as much as 40 percent.
  • BBIN agreement will promote safe, economically efficient and environmentally sound road transport in the sub-region and will further help each country in creating an institutional mechanism for regional integration.
  • BBIN countries will benefit from mutual cross border movement of passengers and goods for the overall economic development of the region.
  • The people of the four countries will benefit through the seamless movement of goods and passengers across borders.
  • It will bring the wave of faster development for India’s North-eastern region and bring them close to mainstream Indian territory. It will also provide a structured gateway for India’s Act East Policy as well and bring the country closer to South-East Asian and East Asian Nations socio-economically, politically and culturally too.
  • On the infrastructure front, an integrated multimodal transport network will go far in promoting the smoother movement of goods. Stronger efforts are needed to move freight onto rail networks and inland waterways to make the most of the multimodal nature of marine containers.
 Possible implementation challenges
  • Effective implementation of the BBIN MVA requires addressing a number of challenges such as infrastructure deficits, particularly in designated border posts, harmonisation of regulations and customs procedures.
  • While they can be addressed through enhanced investment and better regulations, a number of on-the-ground political economy factors are to be addressed. For example, there are apprehensions among small transport operators and truck owners. They think that the implementation of the BBIN MVA will favour large logistics companies who enjoy economies of scale and will drive the smaller ones out of business.
  • Such apprehensions emanate from one of the provisions of this Agreement, which states that only containerised cargo carried by trucks, trailers, etc. will be allowed to move from one country’s territory to another country’s territory. Furthermore, each government will be required to prepare a list of authorised operators that would be exchanged among them for the purpose of cargo movements.
  • In addition, there are issues with cargo insurance as every vehicle plying in the territory of another country should have a comprehensive insurance policy. At present, such a policy of a country among the parties to the Agreement is not recognised in another country.
  • The Agreement allows carrying return cargo to its home country as it will significantly reduce the cost of transportation. This will help popularising it among the transport operators. However, local transport bodies, particularly those in Bangladesh and Nepal, are opposing this provision as they think that it will adversely affect their business.
  • Most likely, most of the export cargoes from these countries to India will be carried by containers coming from India. Part of this apprehension stems from imbalances in trade volume from and to India to these countries.
Proposed Solutions
  • Inland Container Depots (ICDs) are to be constructed at strategic locations to avoid loading and unloading at roadsides near the border posts and they should be designated as customs clearance points. They should be equipped with necessary infrastructure such as quarantine office with required testing facilities, uninterrupted internet connectivity, along with wide approach roads, parking facilities with restrooms, warehouses and cold storages so as to ensure off-border clearance of cargoes.
  • As in the case on Nepalese cargoes transiting through India, electronic cargo tracking system (ECTS) should be implemented in all cargoes, which will be plying as per the provisions of the BBIN MVA.
  • Small trucks should be allowed to take advantage of the BBIN MVA, provided they are covered and can be tracked as per ECTS. There should be a balance between large and small containerised/covered cargoes, which will be allowed to take advantage of the BBIN MVA. For that purpose, there should be some reservations for small truck owners as authorised operators. In addition, there should be mutual recognition of vehicular and cargo insurance policies.
  • In case of return cargoes from Bangladesh and Nepal to India, they should be allowed to operate from designated ICDs. Exports from these countries to India should be carried out from their origins to designated cargoes in small trucks and then they are to trans-shipped to large, containerised Indian cargoes.
  • Public and private sector investment should be encouraged to facilitate the modernisation of the transport sector for standardisation of vehicular dimensions including axel load and emission standards. Existing truck owners should be provided with appropriate financial incentives for a smooth transition towards using containerised cargoes.
  • Over time, the provisions of the BBIN MVA should be aligned with those of the TIR (Transports Internationaux Routiers) Convention of the International Road Transport Union. That will further facilitate seamless cargo movement among these countries by reducing the number of physical checks and paper works. Provisions of the TIR Convention take care of issues like customs duties, insurance, tracking, liabilities, etc. India is a party to this Convention and it should encourage and support Bangladesh and Nepal to join it.
  • In short, while infrastructure deficits for effective implementation of the BBIN MVA are being and can be addressed through investments including public-private partnerships, they are not sufficient. On-the-ground political economy factors are to be addressed through innovative, customised solutions so that local stakeholders can realise how beneficial it can be for generating employment and other opportunities for their livelihood security.
Conclusion
  • All these programmes would be successful, in these trying times of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the world is trying to recuperate its economic and connectivity aspirations, only with all the members and stakeholders being on the same page of agreement.
  • South Asia has witnessed the failure and stagnation of regional and subregional organisations in the recent past as well because of the lack of cooperation in upholding a common vision. However, time seems to be ripe to engage in micro-level projects like the BBIN, beginning from the Track 1 level, manifesting the visions that have been in the pipeline for operationalisation for years now.
FUNDS IN CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Recently, year-wise details of CSR amount and expenditure incurred on major CSR activities in various States/UTs by CPSEs under the Ministry of Steel presented in Lok Sabha. How did CSR start in India?
  • CSR has been intrinsic to Indian culture since ancient times. The concept of CSR has been visible in Mauryan history as well where philosophers like Kautilya emphasized ethical practices and principles while conducting business.
  • CSR was informally practised in ancient times in the form of charity to the poor and disadvantaged. Indian scriptures have also mentioned the importance of sharing one’s earning with the deprived section of society. In India, religion has also played a major role in promoting the concept of responsibility of businesses and citizens towards nature, animals and disadvantaged sections of the society.
  • India being an agro-based country after the independence, followed such an economic model that the village as a unit was self-sufficient in every sense. The traders, farmers and the artisans ensured that there was enough employment, food and shelter for every individual of the village. No individual would go hungry or shelter-less. The community was strong enough to look after each other as well as the biodiversity around them.
  • With the advent of the industrial revolution, industrialist families such as Tatas, Birlas, Modis, Godrej, Bajajs and Singhanias supported and spent huge amounts for public welfare under their CSR expenditure, by setting up foundations, educational institutions and healthcare organisations.
  • The concept of trusteeship provided by Mahatma Gandhi further imprinted CSR in the DNAs of Indian business leaders of the time. According to this concept, capitalists should act as trustees (not owners) of their property and conduct themselves in a socially responsible way.
  • The evolution of CSR has been very intrinsic to the cultural development and evolution of Indian society. This is why it was not very difficult for India Inc. to accept mandatory CSR law.
What Is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)?
  • Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a self-regulating business model that helps a company be socially accountable to itself, its stakeholders, and the public. By practicing corporate social responsibility, also called corporate citizenship, companies can be conscious of the kind of impact they are having on all aspects of society, including economic, social, and environmental.
  • To engage in CSR means that, in the ordinary course of business, a company is operating in ways that enhance society and the environment instead of contributing negatively to them.
  • Corporate social responsibility is a broad concept that can take many forms depending on the company and industry. Through CSR programs, philanthropy, and volunteer efforts, businesses can benefit society while boosting their brands.
  • As important as CSR is for the community, it is equally valuable for a company. CSR activities can help forge a stronger bond between employees and corporations, boost morale, and aid both employees and employers in feeling more connected to the world around them.
  • For a company to be socially responsible, it first needs to be accountable to itself and its shareholders. Companies that adopt CSR programs have often grown their business to the point where they can give back to society.
  • Thus, CSR is typically a strategy that's implemented by large corporations. After all, the more visible and successful a corporation is, the more responsibility it has to set standards of ethical behavior for its peers, competition, and industry.
Who is eligible for CSR?
  • The CSR law, or more popularly known as the CSR mandate, which came into effect from April 2014, applies to every company registered under the Companies Act, 2013, and any other previous companies law qualifying following conditions.
    • Having a net worth of rupees five hundred crores or more, or
    • Having a turnover of rupees one thousand crores or more, or
    • Having a net profit of rupees five crores or more, during a financial year.
  • During the immediately preceding financial year we shall establish a Corporate Social Responsibility Committee of the Board involving three or more directors, out of which at least one director shall be an independent director.
  • Provided that a company is not required to appoint an independent, it shall have in its Corporate Social Responsibility Committee two or more directors.
What is the Role of CSR Committee?
  • Formulate and recommend to the Board a Corporate Social Responsibility Policy,
  • Recommend the amount of expenditure to be incurred on the activities and
  • Monitor the Corporate Social Responsibility Policy of the company from time to time.
What Board will do?
  • The Board of every company shall
    • Approve the Corporate Social Responsibility Policy for the company and disclose contents of such Policy in its report and also place it on the company’s website,
    • Ensure that the activities as are included in the Corporate Social Responsibility Policy of the company are undertaken by the company,
    • Ensure that the company spends, in every financial year, at least 2% of the average net profits of the company made during the three immediately preceding financial years, where the company has not completed the period of three financial years since its incorporation, during such immediately preceding financial years.
  • Provided that the company give preference to the local area and areas around it where it operates, for spending the amount kept for Corporate Social Responsibility activities:
    • If a company contravenes the provisions shall be punishable with fine which shall not be less than fifty thousand rupees but which may extend to twenty-five lakh rupees and every officer of such company who is in default shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or with fine which shall not be less than fifty thousand rupees but which may extend to five lakh rupees, or with both.
Is CSR compulsory for companies in India?
  • India became the first country in the world to make CSR compulsory. In India, Corporate Social Responsibility has been made mandatory through provisions under Section 135 of the Companies Act, 2013. According to the law, a company needs to spend at least 2% of their average net profit made during the 3 immediately preceding financial years for CSR activities.
Recognition of CSR activities in India
  • CSR initiatives by India Inc. is officially recognised by the government of India through National CSR Awards.
  • The Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India has instituted National Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Awards to recognize companies that have made a positive impact on the society through their innovative & sustainable CSR initiatives.
  • The objectives of the National CSR Awards include:
    • Recognize the companies that have positively impacted both business and society by taking a strategic approach to CSR through a collaborative program.
    • Recognize the companies that are leading transformation by integrating sustainability in their core business model.
    • Recognize companies for implementing measures for conservation and sustainable management of the biodiversity and ecosystem in the value chain.
    • Identifying innovative approaches and employing applications and technologies that will help to build robust CSR programs to further the cause of inclusive and sustainable development.
Funding in Corporate Social Responsibility
  • The amount under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is allocated and utilised by various Companies in accordance with the broad framework provided by the Government under section 135 of the Companies Act, 2013 (‘Act’) and Companies (CSR policy) Rules, 2014, as amended from time to time.
  • The Act, inter-alia, stipulates that companies exceeding the threshold limits, as specified in the Companies Act, 2013, have to allocate at least 2% of their average net profits of the company made during the three immediately preceding financial years for CSR activities.
  • The Board of a company is empowered to plan, decide, execute and monitor CSR activities of the company. Schedule VII of the Companies Act indicates the activities that can be undertaken by the companies, which, inter alia, include Health care, Education and Rural Development Projects, etc.
  • Further, the first proviso to section 135 (5) of the Act provides that the company shall give preference to local areas and the areas around it where it operates. No funds are received from State Governments under CSR.
What is new as per the Companies Amendment Act, 2019?
  • If the company fails to spend such amount, the Board shall, in its report made specify the reasons for not spending the amount and, unless the unspent amount relates to any ongoing project referred transfer such unspent amount to a Fund specified in Schedule VII, within a period of six months of the expiry of the financial year
  • Any amount remaining unspent shall be transferred by the company within a period of thirty days from the end of the financial year to a special account to be opened by the company in that behalf for that financial year in any scheduled bank to be called the Unspent Corporate Social Responsibility Account, and such amount shall be spent by the company in pursuance of its obligation towards the Corporate Social Responsibility Policy within a period of three financial years from the date of such transfer, failing which, the company shall transfer the same to a Fund specified in Schedule VII, within a period of thirty days from the date of completion of the third
Activities Included by Companies in Corporate Social Responsibility Policies
  • Eradicating hunger, poverty and malnutrition, ‘promoting health care including preventive health care and sanitation including contribution to the Swach Bharat Kosh set-up by the Central Government for the promotion of sanitation and making available safe drinking water.
  • Promoting education, including special education and employment enhancing vocation skills especially among children, women, elderly and the differently abled and livelihood enhancement projects.
  • Promoting gender equality, empowering women, setting up homes and hostels for women and orphans; setting up old age homes, day care centres and such other facilities for senior citizens and measures for reducing inequalities faced by socially and economically backward groups.
  • Ensuring environmental sustainability, ecological balance, protection of flora and fauna, animal welfare, agroforestry, conservation of natural resources and maintaining quality of soil, air and water including contribution to the Clean Ganga Fund set-up by the Central Government for rejuvenation of river Ganga.
  • Protection of national heritage, art and culture including restoration of buildings and sites of historical importance and works of art; setting up public libraries; promotion and development of traditional art and handicrafts;
  • Measures for the benefit of armed forces veterans, war widows and their dependents;
Training to promote rural sports, nationally recognised sports, paralympic sports and Olympic sports
  • Contribution to the prime minister’s national relief fund or any other fund set up by the central govt. for socio economic development and relief and welfare of the schedule caste, tribes, other backward classes, minorities and women;
  • Contribution to incubators funded by Central Government or State Government or any agency or Public Sector Undertaking of Central Government or State Government, and contributions to public funded Universities, Indian Institute of Technology (IITs), National Laboratories and Autonomous Bodies (established under the auspices of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Department of Science and Technology (DST), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology) engaged in conducting research in science, technology, engineering and medicine aimed at promoting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Rural development projects
  • Slum area development - For the purposes of this item, the term `slum area’ shall mean any area declared as such by the Central Government or any State Government or any other competent authority under any law for the time being in force.
  • Disaster management, including relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction activities
  • Following Shall not be Considered as CSR Activities
    • Contribution of any amount directly or indirectly to any political party shall not be considered as CSR activity.
    • The CSR projects or programs or activities that benefit only the employees of the company and their families shall not be considered as CSR activities in accordance with section 135 of the Act.
Role of CSR in India
  • India is a vast country with a huge population density. It houses the largest number of people living below the poverty line. This is why there is always a shortage of resources and fight for it.
  • Most numbers of polluted cities in the world are in India. This has a major impact on the health of the people living in the country.
  • In lieu of these social issues, India is a welfare state. The government keeps taking initiatives to aid the poor of the country. Education, health, clean environment, safe place of work has all been recognised as fundamental rights of citizens as per the constitution of India. However, there are always gaps in the government service, which is why often it is unable to benefit all the poor people at the ground level at the right time.
  • The CSR law works towards filling these gaps. With its expertise in organisational skills, a CSR initiative works in an efficient manner, ensuring that the beneficiaries are affected precisely at the right time. It helps in the holistic development of a society.
  • Other than this Corporate Social Responsibility also plays a major role in maintaining the communitarian spirit of the country. It encourages participation from all sections of society.
  • It indulges different kinds of organisations in a collaborative framework with a common goal of development. It encourages in developing the spirit of nationalism among the capitalists as well as the community.
  • CSR plays a major role in addressing the mental health of the office going young population of the country. CSR initiatives of a company allow employee participation, which in turn, can work wonders for team building, inculcating leadership and imbibing a sense of responsibility. The happiness factor is a bonus to this.
  • It also plays a major role in bringing about financial inclusion, social inclusion, education and behavioural change among people of India. While the government can formulate policies for various issues, it is CSR that brings about acceptance of the laws among people.
  • Corporate Social Responsibility has an opportunity to support the innovative minds of the country as per the law. It can, therefore, support various start-ups in India who can generate more employment as well as solve the social problems of the country. Most importantly, it encourages the youth to take more risks to work to fulfil their dreams along with others and contribute to national development.
  • Corporate social responsibility is a hard-edged business decision. Not because it is a nice thing to do or because people are forcing us to do it… because it is good for business.
Why Should a Company Implement CSR?
  • Many companies view CSR as an integral part of their brand image, believing that customers will be more likely to do business with brands that they perceive to be more ethical.
  • In this sense, CSR activities can be an important component of corporate public relations. At the same time, some company founders are also motivated to engage in CSR due to their convictions.
What Is the Impact of CSR?
  • The movement toward CSR has had an impact in several domains. For example, many companies have taken steps to improve the environmental sustainability of their operations, through measures such as installing renewable energy sources or purchasing carbon offsets.
  • In managing supply chains, efforts have also been made to eliminate reliance on unethical labor practices, such as child labor and slavery.
  • Although CSR programs have generally been most common among large corporations, small businesses also participate in CSR through smaller-scale programs, such as donating to local charities and sponsoring local events.
Why is CSR important?
  • It improves customers' perception of your brand.
    • It's increasingly important for companies to have a socially conscious image. Consumers, employees, and stakeholders prioritize CSR when choosing a brand or company, and they hold corporations accountable for effecting social change with their beliefs, practices, and profits.
    • What the public thinks of your company is critical to its success. By building a positive image that you believe in, you can make a name for your company as being socially conscious.
    • To stand out among the competition, your company needs to prove to the public that it is a force for good. Advocating and raising awareness for socially important causes is an excellent way for your business to stay top-of-mind and increase brand value.
  • It attracts and retains employees.
    • Consumers aren't the only ones drawn to businesses that give back. Sustainability strategy is a big factor in where today's top talent chooses to work.
    • The next generation of employees is seeking employers that are focused on the triple bottom line: people, planet and revenue.
    • Coming out of the recession, corporate revenue has been getting stronger. Companies are encouraged to put that increased profit into programs that give back.
  • It increases your appeal to investors.
    • By demonstrating a developed CSR program and initiatives, your company is bound to become more appealing to both current and future investors. CECP's influential 2021 Giving in Numbers report shows that investors play a growing role as key stakeholders in corporate social responsibility.
    • Almost 80% of surveyed businesses were open to providing them with data and considering their perspectives on sustainability. Just like customers, investors are holding businesses accountable when it comes to social responsibility.
    • At the same time, a company that takes CSR seriously signals to both investors and partners that it's interested in long-term as well as short-term gain. CSR goes hand in hand with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) metrics that help external analysts quantify the company's social efforts, and becomes a key factor for investors' consideration and continued interest.
4 Types of Corporate Responsibility A Business Can Practice Environmental efforts:
  • One primary focus of CSR is the environment. Businesses have large carbon footprints, regardless of size. Any steps a company can take to reduce its footprint is considered good for both the company and society.
Philanthropy:
  • Businesses can practice social responsibility by donating money, products or services to social causes and non-profits. Larger companies tend to have plentiful resources that can benefit charities and local community programs; however, even as a small business, your efforts can make a difference. If you have a specific charity or program in mind, reach out to the organization. Ask them about their specific needs and whether a donation of money, time or your company's products would best help them.
Ethical labor practices:
  • Companies can demonstrate CSR by treating employees fairly and ethically. This is especially true of businesses that operate in international locations with labor laws that differ from those in the U. S.
Volunteering:
  • Participating in local causes or volunteering your time (and your staff's time) to community events says a lot about your company's sincerity. When your company does good deeds without expecting anything in return, you express concern (and support) for specific issues and social causes.
What are the Benefits of CSR for Companies?
  • CSR can be beneficial to a company in several ways. The first is by improving its brand image. When customers or clients see evidence that a business is socially responsible, they tend to respond positively.
  • The second benefit is improving employee morale. Morale tends to be higher at companies that invest effort and resources into ethical and socially responsible behavior.
  • The third involves appealing to new talent. Modern employees often choose purpose-driven and environmentally conscious companies over financial benefits.
  • Lastly, CSR-active companies attract investors and partners. A company that is willing to invest in long-term policies and improvements offers security to potential investors.
How do you monitor CSR?
  • There are a few key ways to measure CSR. The first is to break CSR goals into categories, such as philanthropy, labor practices, and environmental efforts.
  • To track the success of these investments, look for measurable key performance indicators.
  • The monitoring of Corporate Social Responsibility activities requires careful attention to how issues are changing in order to be ready to quickly adapt.
  • Digital media monitoring can help companies involved in socially responsible practices to make these changes useful for strategy.
  • Transparency and full disclosure are key to creating a stronger, more efficient social business. And thanks to social media culture, companies recognize the need for a stronger and more public social responsibility strategy. Social media spotlights new business for companies that show a sustainable lifestyle. All the more reason to create a strong corporate social responsibility strategy.
  • It is important to maximize the coverage of your efforts using social media channels, blogs, but also your inbound channels such as employee meetings, board meetings and press briefs. The important thing in a Digital CSR strategy is always having a long-term vision, listen and learn, innovate, and also encourage users to take part in it.
Is CSR successful in India?
  • The CSR mandate is a celebrated law in India. Year over year, the companies have spent more than 2% of their net profits over CSR. The businesses have moved beyond signing cheques for charitable causes and are taking an active interest in causes such as skill training, healthcare, ethical business operations, environmental sustainability among others. More than 50,000 crore rupees have been spent on CSR by March 2019 since the enactment of the CSR law.
  • However, it has been observed that the amount spent is concentrated in a few states, leaving out the states that require more development in India.
  • Additionally, the sector-wise spending too is not linear with some sectors taking away a larger share of the funds than others. This has brought about discrepancies in national development.
  • Additionally, government interference sometimes causes a slowdown in CSR projects. This is a major contradiction of the intent behind the law. In order to make the CSR law a success and optimally utilise the CSR funds for the social and economic development of the country, these loopholes need to be addressed.
Scope of CSR in India
  • CSR of a company is managed by the brightest minds. A company who is spending a large amount of its funds wants to always ensure that their money is spent well, out of force of habit. In order to achieve this, it is executed by learned and experienced people. Therefore, it has a huge responsibility and scope for the future.
  • While India is growing at a rapid pace, it is not doing very well in the field of research. Investment in research in education, technology, medicine, space technology, policy formulation and so on is required to encourage indigenous solutions for indigenous problems. CSR can become a cause of revolution in the field of research. India suffers from the problem of brain-drain. CSR has the potential to prevent that from happening.
  • CSR can play a significant role in addressing the problem of interoperability among government agencies. This will, in turn, improve the efficiency of government services.
Building a Socially Responsible Business
  • While startups and small companies don't have the deep financial pockets that enterprises have, their efforts can have a significant impact, especially in their local communities.
  • When identifying and launching a CSR initiative, involve your employees in the decision-making process. Create an internal team to spearhead the efforts and identify organizations or causes related to your business or that employees feel strongly about.
  • You'll increase engagement and success when you contribute to something that matters to your employees. Involving your employees in the decision-making process can also bring clarity and assurance to your team.
  •  Consumers deserve to share in the good feelings associated with doing the right thing, and many surveys have found that consumers are inclined to purchase a sustainable product over a conventional alternative. Announcing these benefits is a win-win from both a commercial and sustainability perspective.
Way Forward
  • CSR has an opportunity to encourage the informal sector as well as the citizens to indulge in social as well as national development. It can work towards helping the citizens of India realise and act upon their fundamental duties and thus educate the population on being responsible citizens.
NITI AAYOG RELEASES SECOND EDITION OF EXPORT PREPAREDNESS INDEX 2021 NITI Aayog, in collaboration with the Institute of Competitiveness, will release the second edition of the Export Preparedness Index (EPI) 2021. NITI Aayog's Export Preparedness Index
  • The Export Preparedness Index ranks all States and Union Territories (UTs) on the basis of their export readiness and performance.
  • EPI 2021 is based on four main pillars:
    • policy;
    • business ecosystem;
    • export ecosystem; and
    • export performance.
  • The index can be used by States and UTs to benchmark their performance against their peers and analyze the potential challenges to develop better policy mechanisms to foster export-led growth at the subnational level.
  • The first was launched in August 2020—demonstrates the Government’s continued commitment towards promoting competitive federalism wherein each state can identify their export opportunities and challenges and subsequently establish context-specific strategies for ensuring a conducive export ecosystem.
Methodology
  • EPI intends to evaluate the readiness of the states in terms of their export potential and their performance. The main goal of the index is to encourage competition across all Indian states to:
    • bring favourable export promotion policies
    • ease regulatory framework to prompt subnational
    • promotion of exports
    • create necessary infrastructure for exports, and
    • help in identifying strategic recommendations for improving export competitiveness.
  • The structure of EPI consists of four pillars and 11 sub-pillars to enable precise and fair assessment of all the Indian States and UTs.
  • The four pillars and the rationale behind selection of each of them are given below:
Policy:
    • A comprehensive trade policy provides a strategic direction for exports and imports. This was incorporated to estimate whether a state has introduced enabling policy measures to steer export-led growth.
    • It also highlights the exact measures and policy mechanisms that states have adopted to enable exporters to be competitive.
    • The weightage of this was 20 per cent (10 per cent for Export Promotion Policy and other 10 per cent for Institutional Framework.
Business Ecosystem: 
    • An efficient business ecosystem can assist states attract investment and create an enabling infrastructure for individuals to initiate start-ups.
    • This pillar tells about the core infrastructure facilities and how states fare in terms of creating such an ecosystem.
    • The pillar handles the multidimensional aspects of developing a successful business ecosystem such as labour, innovation, power, IT, logistics, banking and so on.
    • It has four sub- pillars, which are business environment, infrastructure, transport connectivity and access to finance, having a weightage of 10 per cent each.
  • Export Ecosystem:
    • This pillar aims to assess the business environment, which is specific to exports. It takes into consideration indicators that emphasize the research and development infrastructure, and the trade support available to the businesses in the states.
    • This has three sub-pillars: export infrastructure, trade support and R&D infrastructure with weightage of 10 per cent, 5 per cent and 5 per cent, respectively.
Export Performance: 
  • This is the only output-based pillar and examines the reach of export footprints of States and Union Territories.
  • It focuses on two sub-pillars: growth of exports and export diversification, having a weightage of 10 per cent each.
  • India is a vast and diverse country as states were categorised according to their sizes and their geographical outreach.
  • In order to make export readiness fair, states were segregated into three categories:
    • Major States (Coastal and Landlocked),
    • North-Eastern and Hilly States, and
    • Union Territories/City States/Small States, based on the area to account for the spatial variations across states.
  • The calculation steps included:
    • Indicator Selection and Data Collection
    • Dealing with Missing Values
    • Data Transformation
    • Aggregation
  • The final framework of the EPI was based on essential feedback from states, UTs and organizations like Export-Import Bank of India (EXIM Bank), Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) and Directorate General, Commercial Intelligence, and Statistics (DGCIS). The data was primarily provided by State Governments. For some of the indicators, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), DGCIS and Central Ministries were consulted.
Key Findings
  • Overall, India has scored an average of 39 on the index indicating the tremendous potential it holds towards transforming into an export-based super economy. When the average is broken down into pillars and sub-pillars, a much clearer picture emerges.
  • The highest scoring pillars were both policy and business ecosystem, while the export ecosystem was the least scoring pillar.
  • It was seen that most of the Coastal States are the best performers. Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu occupy the top three ranks, respectively. Six of the eight coastal states feature in the top ten rankings, indicating the presence of strong enabling and facilitating factors to promote exports.
  • In the landlocked states, Rajasthan has performed the best, followed by Telangana and Haryana. Among the Himalayan states, Uttarakhand is ranked the highest, followed by Tripura and Himachal Pradesh. Across UT, Delhi has performed the best, followed by Goa and Chandigarh.
  • There is a high scoring range amongst Indian states on the EPI with Gujarat having the highest score of 75.14 and Jammu and Kashmir with the lowest score of 12.27. Gujarat stood first with a strong display in various sub-pillars such as export promotion policy, business environment, and Infrastructure.
  • Export Promotion in India Faces Three Fundamental Challenges
    • intra- and inter-regional disparities in export infrastructure
    • poor trade support and growth orientation among states; and
    • poor R&D infrastructure to promote complex and unique exports.
Steps Taken to Achieve Better Export Preparedness
  • Steps such as ensuring the participation of exporters in important trade fairs and buyer–seller meets, dissemination of information like market studies, design trends, export trends, standards and specifications, and trade enquires across exporter networks have facilitated the states to achieve better export preparedness.
  • The report also highlights that export orientation and preparedness are not just restricted to prosperous states. Even emerging states can undertake dynamic export policy measures, have functioning promotional councils, and synchronize with national logistical plans to grow their exports.
  • There is a need to highlight crucial strategies to address these challenges: a joint development of export infrastructure, strengthening industry-academia linkages, and creating state-level engagements for economic diplomacy.
  • The strategies could be supported by revamped designs and standards for local products and by harnessing the innovative tendencies to provide new use cases for such products with adequate support from the Centre.
Conclusion
  • The EPI reported that Indian states performed well on average across the sub-pillars of Exports Diversification, Transport Connectivity, and Infrastructure. The average score of Indian states in these three sub-pillars was above 50 per cent.
  • Moreover, with low standard deviation seen in export diversification and transport connectivity, the averages are not skewed to the higher side by a few over-achievers. However, Indian states should also focus on other key components to improve export competitiveness.
  • To achieve the target of making India a developed economy by focusing on ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, there is a need to increase export from all the states and UT. Thus, EPI offers invaluable insights on how states can attain this goal.
Additional Information About NITI Aayog
  • The NITI Aayog (abbreviation for National Institution for Transforming India) serves as the apex public policy think tank of the Government of India, and the nodal agency tasked with catalysing economic development, and fostering cooperative federalism through the involvement of State Governments of India in the economic policy-making process using a bottom-up approach.
  • Its initiatives include "15-year road map", "7-year vision, strategy, and action plan", AMRUT, Digital India, Atal Innovation Mission, Medical Education Reform, agriculture reforms, Indices Measuring States’ Performance in Health, Education and Water Management, Sub-Group of Chief Ministers on Rationalization of Centrally Sponsored Schemes, Sub-Group of Chief Ministers on Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Sub-Group of Chief Ministers on Skill Development, Task Forces on Agriculture and up of Poverty, and Transforming India Lecture Series.
  • It was established in 2015, by the NDA government, to replace the Planning Commission which followed a top-down model. The NITI Aayog council comprises all the state Chief Ministers, along with the Chief Ministers of Delhi and Puducherry, Lieutenant Governors of all UTs, and a vice-chairman nominated by the Prime Minister.
  • In addition, temporary members are selected from leading universities and research institutions. These members include a chief executive officer, four ex-official members, and two part-time members.
Objectives
  • To evolve a shared vision of national development priorities, sectors and strategies with the active involvement of States.
  • To foster cooperative federalism through structured support initiatives and mechanisms with the States on a continuous basis, recognizing that strong States make a strong nation.
  • To develop mechanisms to formulate credible plans at the village level and aggregate these progressively at higher levels of government.
  • To ensure, on areas that are specifically referred to it, that the interests of national security are incorporated in economic strategy and policy.
  • To pay special attention to the sections of our society that may be at risk of not benefiting adequately from economic progress.
  • To design strategic and long-term policy and programme frameworks and initiatives, and monitor their progress and their efficacy. The lessons learned through monitoring and feedback will be used for making innovative improvements, including necessary mid-course corrections.
  • To provide advice and encourage partnerships between key stakeholders and national and international like-minded think tanks, as well as educational and policy research institutions.
  • To create a knowledge, innovation and entrepreneurial support system through a collaborative community of national and international experts, practitioners and other partners.
  • To offer a platform for the resolution of inter-sectoral and inter­ departmental issues in order to accelerate the implementation of the development agenda.
  • To maintain a state-of-the-art resource centre, be a repository of research on good governance and best practices in sustainable and equitable development as well as help their dissemination to stakeholders.
  • To actively monitor and evaluate the implementation of programmes and initiatives, including the identification of the needed resources so as to strengthen the probability of success and scope of delivery.
  • To focus on technology upgradation and capacity building for implementation of programmes and initiatives.
  • To undertake other activities as may be necessary in order to further the execution of the national development agenda
Features
  • NITI Aayog is developing itself as a state-of-the-art resource centre with the necessary knowledge and skills that will enable it to act with speed, promote research and innovation, provide strategic policy vision for the government, and deal with contingent issues.
  • It is supported by an attached office, Development Monitoring and Evaluation Organisation (DMEO), a flagship initiative, Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and an autonomous body, National Institute of Labour Economics Research and Development (NILERD).
  • NITI Aayog’s entire gamut of activities can be divided into four main heads:
    • Policy and Programme Framework
    • Cooperative Federalism
    • Monitoring and Evaluation
    • Think Tank, and Knowledge and Innovation Hub
COUNCIL OF FOREIGN MINISTERS OF OIC STARTS MEETING IN ISLAMABAD Recently, the 48th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) opened in Islamabad. History of OIC
  • The Organization is the collective voice of the Muslim world. It endeavours to safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony among various people of the world.
  • The Organization was established upon a decision of the historical summit which took place in Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco on 12th Rajab 1389 Hijra (25 September 1969) following the criminal arson of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem.
  • In 1970 the first ever meeting of Islamic Conference of Foreign Minister (ICFM) was held in Jeddah which decided to establish a permanent secretariat in Jeddah headed by the organization’s secretary general. Dr. Yousef Ahmed Al-Othaimeen is the 11th Secretary General who assumed the office in November 2016.
  • The first OIC Charter was adopted by the 3rd ICFM Session held in 1972. The Charter laid down the objectives and principles of the organization and fundamental purposes to strengthen solidarity and cooperation among the Member States.
  • Over the last 40 years, the membership has grown from its founding members of 30 to 57 states. The Charter was amended to keep pace with the developments that have unraveled across the world.
  • The present Charter of the OIC was adopted by the Eleventh Islamic Summit held in Dakar on 13-14 March 2008 to become the pillar of the OIC future Islamic action in line with the requirements of the 21st century.
  • The Organization has the singular honor to galvanize the Ummah into a unified body and have actively represented the Muslims by espousing all causes close to the hearts of over 1.5 billion Muslims of the world.
  • The Organization has consultative and cooperative relations with the UN and other inter-governmental organizations to protect the vital interests of the Muslims and to work for the settlement of conflicts and disputes involving Member States.
  • The Member States of the OIC face many challenges in the 21st century and to address those challenges, the Third Extraordinary Session of the Islamic Summit held in Makkah in December 2005, laid down the blue print called the Ten-Year Program of Action. It successfully concluded with the close of 2015. A successor programme for the next decade (2016-2025) has since then been adopted.
About Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)
  • The OIC, which was known as the Organisation of the Islamic Conference until 2011, is the second largest inter-governmental organisation in the world after the United Nations, with a membership of 57 countries spread across four continents.
  • The OIC describes itself as “the collective voice of the Muslim world”, and its stated objective is “to safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony among various people of the world”.
  • The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation has 57 members, 56 of which are also member states of the United Nations, the exception being Palestine. Some members, especially in West Africa and South America, are—though with large Muslim populations—not necessarily Muslim majority countries. A few countries with significant Muslim populations, such as Russia and Thailand, sit as Observer States.
  • The OIC has reserved its membership for Muslim-majority countries. The Central African Republic, Russia, Thailand, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and the unrecognised Turkish Cypriot “state” have Observer status.
  • The OIC has permanent delegations to the United Nations and the European Union. The official languages of the OIC are Arabic, English, and French. It maintains various affiliated, specialized, and subsidiary organs within the framework of OIC Charter.
  • The member states had a collective population of over 1.8 billion as of 2015, with 49 being Muslim-majority countries. This accounts for just under a quarter of the world's population. The collective area is 31.66 m km.
  • The new programme OIC-2025 is anchored in the provisions of the OIC Charter and focuses on 18 priority areas with 107 goals. The priority areas include issues of Peace and Security, Palestine and Al-Quds, Poverty Alleviation, Counter-terrorism, Investment and Finance, Food Security, Science and Technology, Climate Change and Sustainability, Moderation, Culture and Interfaith Harmony, Empowerment of Women, Joint Islamic Humanitarian Action, Human Rights and Good Governance, among others.
  • Among the OIC’s key bodies: the Islamic Summit, the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM), the General Secretariat, in addition to the Al-Quds Committee and three permanent committees concerned with science and technology, economy and trade, and information and culture.
  • There are also specialized organs under the banner of the OIC including the Islamic Development Bank and the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, as well as subsidiary and affiliate organs that play a vital role in boosting cooperation in various fields among the OIC member states.
General Secretariat
  • It was established by the First Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers, held in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in Muharram 1390H (February 1970).
  • The General Secretariat comprises a Secretary General who is the Chief Administrative Officer of the Organisation and such staff as the Organisation requires.
The Secretary General
  • The Secretary General is elected by the Council of Foreign Ministers for a period of five years, renewable once only. The Secretary-General is elected from among nationals of the Member States in accordance with the principles of equitable geographical distribution, rotation and equal opportunity for all Member States with due consideration to competence, integrity and experience.
  • The Secretary General assumes the following responsibilities:
    • bring to the attention of the competent organs of the Organisation matters which, in his opinion, may serve or impair the objectives of the Organisation;
    • follow-up the implementation of decisions, resolutions and recommendations of the Islamic Summits, and Councils of Foreign Ministers and other Ministerial meetings;
    • provide the Member States with working papers and memoranda, in implementation of the decisions, resolutions and recommendations of the Islamic Summits and the Councils of Foreign Ministers;
    • coordinate and harmonize the work of the relevant Organs of the Organisation;
    • prepare the programme and the budget of the General Secretariat;
    • promote communication among Member States and facilitate consultations and exchange of views as well as the dissemination of information that could be of importance to Member States;
    • perform such other functions as are entrusted to him by the Islamic Summit or the Council of Foreign Ministers;
    • submit annual reports to the Council of Foreign Ministers on the work of the Organisation.
Criticism
  • OIC has been criticised by many Muslims for its lack of real engagement and solutions for Muslim countries in crisis. It is said to have made progress in social and academic terms but not politically.
  • In 2020, Pakistan's Minister of Foreign Affairs SM Qureshi criticized OIC for its stand with regards to Kashmir issue, stating with Pakistan might consider to call a meeting of Islamic countries that are ready to stand with them on the issue. This comment invited immediate retaliation from Saudi Arabia, where the latter forced Pakistan to repay 1 billion dollars from the 3 billion dollars loan it had taken in 2018 and by also ending its oil supply credit.
The OIC and India
  • As the country with the world’s second largest Muslim community, India had been invited to the founding conference at Rabat in 1969, but was humiliatingly ejected at Pakistan’s behest. Then Agriculture Minister Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed was dis-invited upon arrival in Morocco.
  • Thirty-seven years later, in 2006, with post-reforms India having come to occupy an important position in the world, Saudi Arabia invited New Delhi to join as an Observer. But India stayed away because of a multiplicity of reasons, not least because as a secular country, it did not want to join an organisation that was founded on the religious identity of nations.
  • Again, at the 45th session of the Foreign Ministers’ Summit in May 2018, Bangladesh, the host country, suggested that India, where more than 10% of the world’s Muslims live, should be given Observer status. But Pakistan opposed the proposal.
  • While the OIC is mainly controlled by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, as the only Islamic country with nuclear weapons, has had a powerful say in the organisation from the beginning.
OIC’s position on Kashmir
  • The OIC has been generally supportive of Pakistan’s stand on Kashmir, and has issued statements criticising the alleged Indian “atrocities” in the state. However, New Delhi has long been used to combating these statements, and has consistently and forcefully put forward its position.
  • Importantly, Pakistan’s position in the OIC aside, New Delhi is hardly friendless in the organisation. India has excellent relations individually with almost all member nations — and this is a reason why it can mostly afford to not take the statements issued by the group as a whole seriously.
Changing terms of OIC with India
  • After building close ties with powerful members such as UAE and Saudi Arabia, India has been confident of riding over any statement by the grouping.
  • India has consistently underlined that J&K is an “integral part of India and is a matter strictly internal to India”, and that the OIC has no locus standi on the issue.
  • In 2019, India made its maiden appearance at the OIC Foreign Ministers’ meeting, as a “guest of honour”.
  • The OIC includes two of India’s close neighbours, Bangladesh and Maldives. Both countries privately admit they do not want to complicate their bilateral ties with India on Kashmir.
Significance of OIC for India
  • OIC’s growing economic and energy interdependence with India has become important in recent times.
  • Individually, India has good relations with almost all member nations. Ties with the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Arguments in favour of India’s membership at the OIC
  • Second largest Muslim Community: Though India is neither a part of the Muslim world nor a Muslim majority state in statistical terms, yet it hosts the second largest community of Muslims in the world. Countries like Thailand and Russia are observer members, despite having a significant minority Muslim population.
  • West Asian Diaspora: There are also some eight million Indians in West Asia, who contribute to these economies as well as cultural richness.
  • Co-operation in Strategic and economic matters: Apart from a large diaspora, India is the third largest economy in the world and one of the biggest importers of hydrocarbons like gas and oil. West Asia and `India’s growing economic and energy interdependence makes it difficult for the former to ignore the latter.
  • Countering Pakistan: India’s deepening ties with Islamic world could act as a bulwark to prevent Pakistan from using the secretariat and OIC forum for its own propaganda.
Challenges faced by India in OIC
  • OIC’s stance on Jammu and Kashmir: It has been generally supportive of Pakistan’s concerns over Jammu and Kashmir. With regards to this, the OIC has been issuing statements criticizing alleged atrocities and human rights violations in the state.
  • Presence of Pakistan: Pakistan has always objected India’s entry into the group, stating that any country wishing to get observer status should not be involved in any dispute with an OIC member state.
  • Position on Israel: OIC condemns any arbitrary steps by Israel which undermine the international efforts to reach the two-states solution and achieve peace. Though traditionally, India has been a supporter of the two-State solution, its deepening relation with Israel can be a challenge.
Road Ahead:
  • According to its charter, the OIC aims to preserve Islamic social and economic values; promote solidarity amongst member states; increase cooperation in social, economic, cultural, scientific, and political areas; uphold international peace and security; and advance education, particularly in the fields of science and technology.
  • In safeguarding the true values of Islam and the Muslims, the organization has taken various steps to remove misperceptions and has strongly advocated elimination of discrimination against Muslims in all forms and manifestations.
OPTICAL FIBRE NETWORK CONNECTIVITY As on 28.02.2022, recently implemented BharatNet project to provide broadband connectivity to all the Gram Panchayats (GPs) in the country through an optimal mix of media (OFC/ Radio/ Satellite) a total of 5,67,941 km Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) has been laid. About Bharat Net
  • BharatNet Scheme has been launched by the government of India under the Digital India program in order to provide high-speed digital connectivity of the internet in rural areas at a very affordable price. This high-speed digital connectivity will be provided through optical Fibre.
  • It is the world’s largest rural broadband connectivity project. Through this scheme, the citizens in rural and remote areas will get broadband services at affordable prices. Around 2.5 lakh gram panchayats and 6 lakh villages of the country will be covered under this scheme by 2021.
  •  Other than that, through this scheme B2, B services are also provided in a non-discriminatory manner. This scheme has been launched with the vision to transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy. Through the implementation of the BharatNet Scheme internet connectivity infrastructure for gram, Panchayats will be established.
  • BharatNet network is monitored through centralised Network Operating Centre (NOC) and its reports are being monitored on a regular basis. Further, for real-time monitoring, a Mobile App has been developed. This is a GIS based monitoring system for capturing monitoring data at field level with smartphones.
  • The infrastructure created under BharatNet project is a national asset, accessible on a non- discriminatory basis to the Service Providers, and the same can be utilized for provisioning of broadband/internet services through Wi-Fi Hotspots, Fibre to the Home (FTTH) connections, leased lines, dark fibre, backhaul to mobile towers, etc.
Genesis
  • On 25 October 2011, the Government of India approved the National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) initiative, later renamed as BharatNet, to connect all 250,000-gram panchayats in the country covering nearly 625,000 villages, by utilizing the existing optical fibre network and extending it to the gram panchayats.
  • To achieve this, Bharat Broadband Network was incorporated as a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) on 25 February 2012 under Companies Act of 1956. Between 2011 and 2014, the project did not take off as planned, and only 350 km of optical fibre, out of 300,000 km optical fibre network needed for Phase-I, was laid.
  • The BharatNet project picked up pace under the Digital India initiative after Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power, he renamed the project as the "BharatNet", made several changes to expedite the project, significantly enhanced the BharatNet funding to several billion dollars under the Digital India, set ambitious time-bound implementations deadlines, appointed government public sector units (BSNL, RailTel, and PowerGrid Corp) for the swift implementation and monitoring, and to bypass the right of way issues for laying the optical fibre cable network the existing government-owned roads, rail lines, and power lines were used.
  • BharatNet collaborated with other government entities such as C-DOT, Telecommunications Consultants India Limited and National Informatics Centre for the design and rollout plan of BharatNet NOFN Project.
  • BharatNet assigned the execution work of network roll out to several other Government of India Public Sector Units, namely BSNL, RailTel and Power Grid Corporation of India. Project was rolled out as a collaboration between the Union Government (to provide broadband connectivity at sub-district Block-level), state governments (optical fibre to gram panchayat level) and private sector companies (Wi-Fi hotspots in each village and connections to the individual homes).
BharatNet And Its Services
  • Through the BharatNet Project connectivity is provided to service providers like TSPs, ISPs, MSOs, LCOs, and government agencies so that they can extend their services from block to gram panchayats. This project is basically a middle mile network between block to gram panchayat. Through this project the following services are offered to government agencies and service providers.
Bandwidth
  • Using GPON technology point to point and point to multipoint bandwidth from block to gram panchayat is offered. All the service providers and government agencies who want to provide services to the gram panchayat level can connect to BharatNet at the block location. The service provider has to provide its services to the end customer in the gram panchayat using its own technology. This Bandwidth is offered at affordable and attractive prices in order to promote the digital ecosystem
Dark Fibre
  • Dark fiber service can also be utilized by service providers on the new cable which is laid by BBNL between the block and gram Panchayat. This cable is called an incremental cable. The incremental cable is offered between the fiber point of interconnect and gram Panchayat. There are 15000-gram panchayats where dark fibre is available. This fibre is offered at very attractive and affordable rates of Rs 2250 per fibre per km per annum
Objective of BharatNet Scheme
  • The main objective of BharatNet Scheme is to provide internet connectivity in rural and remote areas. Through this scheme all the families living in rural areas will be able to get broadband connectivity which will ease their life. BharatNet scheme is also going to improve the standard of living of rural citizens.
  • The citizens can avail all kinds of online services through the implementation of this scheme. This scheme will also bring transparency in the system. Students living in rural areas can also take online classes through this scheme which will help them in achieving success.
Features Of BharatNet Scheme
  • BharatNet scheme has been launched by government of India
  • This scheme has been launched under digital India program
  • Through this scheme high-speed digital connectivity of internet in rural areas is provided at very affordable prices
  • This high-speed digital connectivity will be provided through optical Fibre
  • BharatNet project is the world largest rural broadband connectivity project
  • Through the implementation of these schemes the citizens in rural and remote areas will be able to get broadband services at affordable prices
  • Around 2.5 lakh gram Panchayat and 6 lakh villages of the country will be covered under the scheme by 2021
  • Through this scheme B2B services are also provided in a non-discriminatory manner
  • This scheme has been launched with a vision to transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledgeable economy
  • Through BharatNet scheme internet connectivity infrastructure for gram panchayat will be established
BharatNet Phase-I (Completed: Dec 2017)
  • BharatNet Phase-I, across 13 states and UTs was completed in December 2017 with the Phase-I union government funding share of ?110 billion.
  • It connected 100,000-gram panchayat, covering 300,000 villages by laying 300,000 km of optical fibre network. 13 states and UTs in this phase were: Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Delhi, Goa, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Manipur, Meghalaya, Puducherry, Sikkim and West Bengal.
  • To provide the last mile connectivity for the 100,000-gram panchayats in Phase-I, contracts were signed to connect 30,500 village panchayats by Vodafone, 30,000 village panchayats by Reliance Jio. 2,000 by Vodafone and 1,000 by Idea Cellular, these Wi-Fi hotspots were activated after connecting BharatNet fibre optics OLT to commercial operator's cell phone base stations.
BharatNet Phase-II (Target: March 2023)
  • BharatNet Phase-II, will connect the remaining nearly 145,000-gram panchayats covering 325,000 villages through an additional 1 million km of optical fibre.
  • Phase-II commenced with the union government funding share of ?340 billion, with the current 250 km per day pace of optical fibre network roll out which needs to be raised to 500 km per day to achieve the completion target of March 2019.
  • DoT will invest ?107.43 billion (US$1.4 billion) on BharatNet in Northeast India, including erecting 6,673 towers to connect 8,621 villages at the cost of ?53.36 billion (US$700 million) and additional 4,240-gram panchayats by satellite broadband connectivity.
Benefits
  • BharatNet will provide more employment opportunities, improved service delivery (online e-gram panchayat services, e-governance, e-education, e-health, e-medicine, e-grievances, e-agriculture, e-citizen, etc.), and an impetus to the Make in India, Digital India and Startup India initiatives.
  • As per study by the ICRIER, every 10% increase in the usage of internet in India will add ?4.5 trillion (equivalent to ?5.4 trillion, US$70 billion or €64 billion in 2020) leading to a 3.3% increase in GDP of India, a number that will go up after the completion of Phase-II in March 2019.
  • By the end of BharatNet Phase-II in March 2019, the total current fibre optical network will grow by 100% to 10 million kilometres. This 100% increment in the fibre optic network would result in several hundred percent increment in the internet usage when in addition to 625,000 villages (each with minimum 100 Mbit/s), 2,500,000 government institutions and 5,000,000 households will also be connected to the BharatNet broadband by the time it is completed.
  • Passive optical network architecture brings fibre cabling and digital signals to the homes, using the point-to-multipoint communication design that enables a single optical fibre to serve multiple premises.
  • The GPON standard differs from other passive optical network standards in that it achieves higher bandwidth and higher efficiency using larger, variable-length packets. GPON offers efficient packaging of user traffic, with frame segmentation allowing higher quality of service (QoS) for delay-sensitive voice and video communications traffic.
  • Optical fibre technology provides high bandwidth, low maintenance, and a scalable network but requires time to roll out the physical network. End-to-end encryption is used to ensure data security in this shared network.
  • There is enough precedence that PPP models can create value in projects of strategic importance. India has witnessed tangible results in PPP for ports, Mumbai and Delhi metros and a score of health-related partnerships in the southern states.
Challenges Related to Bharat Net
  • There are many issues with the design and implementation framework of BharatNet, but the issue that threatens to turn BharatNet into a white elephant is the cost which has gone into BharatNet, without getting the appropriate results.
    • The current budget for the BharatNet project is Rs 30,920 crore. The original deadline to complete BharatNet phase -1 was October 2014, though as per an RTI response, it was actually completed in December 2017. As per the same RTI, phase-2 is still in progress and has missed multiple deadlines.
  • The delays in its implementation have a cascading effect on the lived realities of rural citizens. One of the original omissions in the scope of BharatNet is that provision for last-mile connectivity of Gram Panchayats was made quite late, specifically in July 2017. By May 2017, around 1,10,000 Gram Panchayats were service ready, but lack of provision for last-mile connectivity has led to a delay in the operationalisation of BharatNet in these GPs.
  • News reports indicate that only 5,010 GPs have commercial broadband connections. Till 31 October 2018, the average data consumption on these connections was 660 MB, an extremely low number. This is all the more worrying, because BharatNet, by design, is supposed to be revenue-neutral by 2024.
  • The problem stems from how the Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL), instead of being a monitoring and planning authority, has also taken up all the responsibility for implementation. A main reason for the delay in implementation of Phase-1 was that implementation was done through three PSUs: BSNL, Railtel and PGCIL.
  • The parliamentary standing committee on IT, in its evaluation report on BharatNet, highlighted that despite having expertise in working with optic fiber technology, the performance of the three PSUs has not been up to the mark contributing to the delay in implementation.
  • What is more worrying is that BSNL and PGCIL have been retained for Phase-2, without any penalty for non-performance or any revised action plan on how they will improve.
  • In Phase-2, the situation has been remedied somewhat, with private sector participation being encouraged and two states, Punjab and Bihar, are implementing BharatNet through private sector agencies.
  • In the standing committee report, penalty clauses have been proposed for private players for non-performance, but not for PSUs, potentially creating an unequal playing field. With all the work that has been imposed on BBNL for implementing BharatNet, the fact that as of 2018, the existing working strength is just 43.19 per cent of the total sanctioned working strength highlights a particular challenge of state-led implementation.
Solutions for better implementation of BharatNet
  • The solution here could be to reshape the mandate of BBNL and review the role that the State should play in infrastructure creation for BharatNet. BBNL should function as a coordinating authority, rather than performing full implementation functions.
  • In the parliamentary committee report, it has been observed that a lack of single window clearance for work related to BharatNet has contributed to a delay in implementation, due to issues such as right of way, availability of land, clash with existing infrastructure work and the multiple agencies involved in both implementation and giving permissions. This is a function where BBNL can contribute and help with coordination.
  • In terms of implementation, we can look at some models which have been adopted in other countries. In Australia, the Australian Broadband Guarantee (ABG) program was started in 2007, in response to data which showed that internet services were not available for rural and remote areas.
  • A one-time incentive payment was offered to internet service providers to supply broadband services in eligible areas. The services were divided into three basic tiers, ‘entry’, ‘threshold’ and ‘value-added’.
  • The program was ended in 2011 after it was found that the number of underserved premises in Australia had fallen from over 9,25,000 at the start of the program to 1,60,000. This was attributed to both the program itself, as well as the demand created for commercial internet services through the functioning of the program.
  • Estonia follows a model where communications undertakings, are invited to provide universal service in a designated area. The price for the service is to be fixed by the State, and there is a provision to compensate the undertaking for any losses incurred in providing universal service.
  • The United States follows a model where broadband services are included within a Lifeline program, which has been running since 1985 which provides discounted phone and internet service in poorer communities.
  • In the 2016 Lifeline Modernisation Order, the Commission included broadband as a support service in the Lifeline program. The program provides participating households with a $9.25 per month credit to use for internet access. However, the program has been scaled back in 2019, with some measures such as extra subsidy for tribal households being capped.
  • In India, we can perhaps look at the model of how when there was a need to expand access to banking services for people in rural areas, the State had stepped in by imposing a specific mandate for banks to open a specified number of new branches in rural and underserved areas if they want to expand.
  • We can also learn from some of the models discussed above, where the State either incentivised private service providers to create infrastructure or provided a subsidy to citizens in underserved areas to drive demand.
  • The argument here is not that the State has no role, but that the State's resources and expertise would be better employed in creating, enabling regulation and facilitating coordination. The State can always step into infrastructure creation, in areas which may get left behind even after implementing some of the models suggested above.
An alternate approach that can also be explored
  • An alternate approach would be to have an independent entity with expertise, owned by the government, that uses funds from the Broadband Infrastructure Fund, builds state of the art digital networks and works on the business model of leasing out fibre and infrastructure to the internet service providers.
  • This model, pioneered in the UK by BT Openreach, has been successfully used in a number of European countries like Spain, Portugal, France and Switzerland.
Way Forward
  • Optic fibre communication and satellite communication are the leading technologies that are revolutionising the world of telecommunications. Bharat’s need for internet connectivity is extremely urgent, both for accessing State services and information as well as for personal consumption.
  • As the government announces a National Broadband Mission, one hopes that the name change is not merely cosmetic, and also carries with it an updated strategy and implementation design which can create the infrastructure needed for people to have access to a better quality of life.
Additional Information Dark fibre
  • It is an unused optical fibre that has been laid but is not currently being used in fibre-optic communications. Since fibre-optic cable transmits information in the form of light pulses, a ‘dark’ cable refers to one through which light pulses are not being transmitted.
  • Companies lay extra optical fibres in order to avoid cost repetition when more bandwidth is needed.
  • It is also known as unlit fibre.
PRESIDENT OF INDIA'S MESSAGE ON THE EVE OF WORLD TUBERCULOSIS DAY The President of India, on the eve of World Tuberculosis Day, which is observed every year on March 24, has said, on this day in the year 1882, Dr. Robert Koch announced the discovery of the bacteria that causes TB. It paved the way for diagnosis and cure of this deadly disease. About World Tuberculosis Day
  • World Tuberculosis Day is commemorated annually on 24 March.
  • Each year we commemorate World TB Day to raise public awareness about the devastating health, social and economic consequences of tuberculosis (TB) and to step up efforts to end the global TB epidemic.
  • The date marks the day in 1882 when Dr. Robert Koch announced that he had discovered the bacterium that causes TB, which opened the way towards diagnosing and curing this disease.
  • World TB Day is a day to educate the public about the impact of TB around the world.
  • SDG target 3.3 calls for, by 2030, ending the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases.
  • World TB Day is one of eleven official global public health campaigns marked by the World Health Organization (WHO), along with World Health Day, World Chagas Disease Day, World Blood Donor Day, World Antimicrobial Awareness Week, World Immunization Week, World Malaria Day, World No Tobacco Day, World Hepatitis Day, World Patient Safety Day and World AIDS Day.
  • This will put the spotlight on TB under the theme - 'Invest to End TB. Save Lives to convey the urgent need to invest resources to ramp up the fight against TB and achieve the commitments to end TB made by global leaders.
Findings of WHO on World Tuberculosis Day
  • On the eve of World TB Day (March 24), the World Health Organization has highlighted the urgent need for national, international and global stakeholders to invest at least US$ 3 billion annually in the Southeast Asia region to avert nearly 4.5 million new tuberculosis cases and prevent more than 1.5 million deaths from the disease by 2025.
  • After Covid 19, tuberculosis is the second-most infectious killer in the world, claiming 4,100 lives daily.
  • In 2020 tuberculosis caused an estimated 1.5 million deaths globally, up from 1.4 million in 2019. In the Southeast Asia region, estimated tuberculosis and TB-HIV mortality increased by nearly 10 per cent in 2020—over 700,000 lives lost—a trend that is likely to continue, if not worsen, unless urgent action is taken.
  • A total of 1.5 million people died from TB in 2020 (including 214 000 people with HIV). Worldwide, TB is the 13th leading cause of death and the second leading infectious killer after COVID-19 (above HIV/AIDS).
  • In 2020, an estimated 10 million people fell ill with tuberculosis (TB) worldwide. 5.6 million men, 3.3 million women and 1.1 million children. TB is present in all countries and age groups. But TB is curable and preventable.
  • In 2020, 1.1 million children will fall ill with TB globally. Child and adolescent TB is often overlooked by health providers and can be difficult to diagnose and treat.
  • In 2020, the 30 high TB burden countries accounted for 86% of new TB cases. Eight countries account for two thirds of the total, with India leading the count, followed by China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh and South Africa.
  • Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) remains a public health crisis and a health security threat. Only about one in three people with drug resistant TB accessed treatment in 2020.
  • Globally, TB incidence is falling at about 2% per year and between 2015 and 2020 the cumulative reduction was 11%. This was over half way to the End TB Strategy milestone of 20% reduction between 2015 and 2020.
  • An estimated 66 million lives were saved through TB diagnosis and treatment between 2000 and 2020.
  • Globally, close to one in two TB-affected households face costs higher than 20% of their household income, according to latest national TB patient cost survey data. The world did not reach the milestone of 0% TB patients and their households facing catastrophic costs as a result of TB disease by 2020.
  • By 2022, US$ 13 billion is needed annually for TB prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care to achieve the global target agreed at the UN high level-meeting on TB in 2018.
  • Funding in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) that account for 98% of reported TB cases falls far short of what is needed. Spending in 2020 amounted to US$ 5.3 billion less than half (41%) of the global target.
  • There was an 8.7% decline in spending between 2019 and 2020 (from US$ 5.8 billion to US$ 5.3 billion), with TB funding in 2020 back to the level of 2016.
  • Ending the TB epidemic by 2030 is among the health targets of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
About Tuberculosis
  • Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by bacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) that most often affect the lungs. Tuberculosis is curable and preventable.
  • TB is spread from person to person through the air. When people with lung TB cough, sneeze or spit, they propel the TB germs into the air. A person needs to inhale only a few of these germs to become infected.
  • Tuberculosis (TB) is a potentially serious infectious disease that mainly affects the lungs. The bacteria that cause tuberculosis are spread from person to person through tiny droplets released into the air via coughs and sneezes.
  • Once rare in developed countries, tuberculosis infections began increasing in 1985, partly because of the emergence of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. HIV weakens a person's immune system, so it can't fight TB germs. In the United States, because of stronger control programs, tuberculosis began to decrease again in 1993. But it remains a concern.
  • Many tuberculosis strains resist the drugs most used to treat the disease. People with active tuberculosis must take many types of medications for months to get rid of the infection and prevent antibiotic resistance.
TB infection (latent TB)
  • An individual can have TB bacteria in their body and never develop symptoms. In most people, the immune system can contain bacteria so that they do not replicate and cause disease. In this case, a person will have TB infection but not an active disease.
  • Doctors refer to this as latent TB. An individual may never experience symptoms and be unaware that they have the infection. There is also no risk of passing on a latent infection to someone else. However, a person with latent TB still requires treatment.
TB disease (active TB)
  • The body may be unable to contain TB bacteria. This is more common when the immune system is weakened due to illness or the use of certain medications.
  • When this happens, the bacteria can replicate and cause symptoms, resulting in active TB. People with active TB can spread the infection.
  • Without medical intervention, TB becomes active in 5–10%Trusted Source of people with the infection. According to the CDC, progression occurs within 2–5 years in about 50% of these people.
  • The risk of developing active TB is higher Trusted Source in:
    • anyone with a weakened immune system
    • anyone who first developed the infection in the past 2–5 years
    • older adults and young children
    • people who inject recreational drugs
    • people who have not previously received appropriate treatment for TB
Symptoms
  • Latent TB.
    • You have a TB infection, but the bacteria in your body are inactive and cause no symptoms. Latent TB, also called inactive TB or TB infection, isn't contagious.
    • Latent TB can turn into active TB, so treatment is important.
  • Active TB.
    • Also called TB disease, this condition makes you sick and, in most cases, can spread to others. It can occur weeks or years after infection with the TB bacteria.
  • Signs and symptoms of active TB include:
    • Coughing for three or more weeks
    • Coughing up blood or mucus
    • Chest pain, or pain with breathing or coughing
    • Unintentional weight loss
    • Fatigue
    • Fever
    • Night sweats
    • Chills
    • Loss of appetite
  • Tuberculosis can also affect other parts of your body, including the kidneys, spine or brain. When TB occurs outside your lungs, signs and symptoms vary according to the organs involved. For example, tuberculosis of the spine might cause back pain, and tuberculosis in your kidneys might cause blood in your urine.
Causes
  • Tuberculosis is caused by bacteria that spread from person to person through microscopic droplets released into the air.
  • This can happen when someone with the untreated, active form of tuberculosis coughs, speaks, sneezes, spits, laughs or sings.
  • Although tuberculosis is contagious, it's not easy to catch. You're much more likely to get tuberculosis from someone you live or work with than from a stranger.
  • Most people with active TB who've had appropriate drug treatment for at least two weeks are no longer contagious.
  • HIV and TB
  • Since the 1980s, tuberculosis cases have increased dramatically because of the spread of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. HIV suppresses the immune system, making it difficult for the body to control TB bacteria. As a result, people with HIV are much more likely to get TB and to progress from latent to active disease than people who aren't HIV positive.
Multidrug-resistant TB
  • Anti-TB medicines have been used for decades and strains that are resistant to one or more of the medicines have been documented in every country surveyed. Drug resistance emerges when anti-TB medicines are used inappropriately, through incorrect prescription by health care providers, poor quality drugs, and patients stopping treatment prematurely.
  • Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a form of TB caused by bacteria that do not respond to isoniazid and rifampicin, the 2 most effective first-line anti-TB drugs. MDR-TB is treatable and curable by using second-line drugs. However, second-line treatment options are limited and require extensive chemotherapy (up to 2 years of treatment) with medicines that are expensive and toxic.
  • In some cases, more severe drug resistance can develop. TB caused by bacteria that do not respond to the most effective second-line anti-TB drugs can leave patients without any further treatment options.
  • MDR-TB remains a public health crisis and a health security threat. Only about one in three people with drug resistant TB accessed treatment in 2020.
  • Worldwide in 2018, the treatment success rate of MDR/RR TB patients was 59%. In 2020, WHO recommended a new shorter (9-11 months) and fully-oral regimen for patients with MDB-TB. This research has shown that patients find it easier to complete the regimen, compared with the longer regimens that last up to 20 months. Resistance to fluoroquinolones should be excluded prior to the initiation of treatment with this regimen.
  • In accordance with WHO guidelines, detection of MDR/RR-TB requires bacteriological confirmation of TB and testing for drug resistance using rapid molecular tests, culture methods or sequencing technologies.
  • Treatment requires a course of second-line drugs for at least 9 months and up to 20 months, supported by counselling and monitoring for adverse events. WHO recommends expanded access to all-oral regimens?
  • By the end of 2020, 65 countries started using shorter MDR-TB treatment regimens and 109 had started using bedaquiline, in an effort to improve the effectiveness of MDR-TB treatment.
  • Over time, some TB germs have developed the ability to survive despite medications. This is partly because people don't take their drugs as directed or don't complete the course of treatment.
  • Drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis emerge when an antibiotic fails to kill all of the bacteria it targets. The surviving bacteria become resistant to that drug and often other antibiotics as well. Some TB bacteria have developed resistance to the most commonly used treatments, such as isoniazid and rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane).
  • Some TB strains have also developed resistance to drugs less commonly used in TB treatment, such as the antibiotics known as fluoroquinolones, and injectable medications including amikacin and capreomycin (Capastat). These medications are often used to treat infections that are resistant to the more commonly used drugs.
Risk factors Weakened immune system
  • A healthy immune system often successfully fights TB bacteria. However, several conditions and medications can weaken your immune system, including:
    • HIV/AIDS
    • Diabetes
    • Severe kidney disease
    • Certain cancers
    • Cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy
    • Drugs to prevent rejection of transplanted organs
    • Some drugs used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease and psoriasis
    • Malnutrition or low body weight
    • Very young or advanced age
Traveling or living in certain areas
  • Your risk of getting tuberculosis is higher if you live in, emigrate from or travel to areas with high tuberculosis rates. Areas include:
    • Africa
    • Asia
    • Eastern Europe
    • Russia
    • Latin America
Other factors
  • Using substances. IV drugs or excessive alcohol use weakens your immune system and makes you more vulnerable to tuberculosis.
  • Using tobacco. Tobacco uses greatly increases the risk of getting TB and dying of it.
  • Working in health care. Regular contact with people who are ill increases your chances of exposure to TB bacteria. Wearing a mask and frequent hand-washing greatly reduce your risk.
  • Living or working in a residential care facility. People who live or work in prisons, homeless shelters, psychiatric hospitals or nursing homes are all at a higher risk of tuberculosis due to overcrowding and poor ventilation.
  • Living with someone infected with TB. Close contact with someone who has TB increases your risk
Complications
  • Without treatment, tuberculosis can be fatal. Untreated active disease typically affects your lungs, but it can affect other parts of your body, as well.
  • Tuberculosis complications include:
  • Spinal pain. Back pain and stiffness are common complications of tuberculosis.
  • Joint damage. Arthritis that results from tuberculosis (tuberculous arthritis) usually affects the hips and knees.
  • Swelling of the membranes that cover your brain (meningitis). This can cause a lasting or intermittent headache that occurs for weeks and possible mental changes.
  • Liver or kidney problems. Your liver and kidneys help filter waste and impurities from your bloodstream. Tuberculosis in these organs can impair their functions.
  • Heart disorders. Rarely, tuberculosis can infect the tissues that surround your heart, causing inflammation and fluid collections that might interfere with your heart's ability to pump effectively. This condition, called cardiac tamponade, can be fatal.
Prevention
  • If you test positive for latent TB infection, your doctor might advise you to take medications to reduce your risk of developing active tuberculosis. Only active TB is contagious.
Protect your family and friends
  • If you have active TB, it generally takes a few weeks of treatment with TB medications before you're contagious anymore.
  • Follow these tips to help keep your friends and family from getting sick:
  • Stay home. Don't go to work or school or sleep in a room with other people during the first few weeks of treatment.
  • Ventilate the room. Tuberculosis germs spread more easily in small closed spaces where air doesn't move. If it's not too cold outdoors, open the windows and use a fan to blow indoor air outside.
  • Cover your mouth. Use a tissue to cover your mouth anytime you laugh, sneeze or cough. Put the dirty tissue in a bag, seal it and throw it away.
  • Wear a face mask. Wearing a face mask when you're around other people during the first three weeks of treatment may help lessen the risk of transmission.
Diagnosis
  • During the physical exam, your doctor will check your lymph nodes for swelling and use a stethoscope to listen to the sounds your lungs make when you breathe.
  • The most commonly used diagnostic tool for tuberculosis is a skin test, though blood tests are becoming more commonplace. A small amount of a substance called tuberculin is injected just below the skin on the inside of your forearm. You should feel only a slight needle prick.
  • Within 48 to 72 hours, a health care professional will check your arm for swelling at the injection site. A hard, raised red bump means you're likely to have TB infection. The size of the bump determines whether the test results are significant.
Results can be wrong
  • The TB skin test isn't perfect. Sometimes, it suggests that people have TB when they don't. It can also indicate that people don't have TB when they do.
  • You can have a false-positive result if you've been vaccinated recently with the bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine. This tuberculosis vaccine is seldom used in the United States but is widely used in countries with high TB infection rates.
  • False-negative results also can occur.
Blood tests
  • Blood tests can confirm or rule out latent or active tuberculosis. These tests measure your immune system's reaction to TB bacteria.
  • These tests require only one office visit. A blood test might be useful if you're at high risk of TB infection but have a negative response to the skin test, or if you've recently received the BCG vaccine.
Imaging tests
  • If you've had a positive skin test, your doctor is likely to order a chest X-ray or a CT scan. This might show white spots in your lungs where your immune system has walled off TB bacteria, or it might reveal changes in your lungs caused by active tuberculosis.
Sputum tests
  • If your chest X-ray shows signs of tuberculosis, your doctor might take samples of your sputum — the mucus that comes up when you cough. The samples are tested for TB bacteria.
  • Sputum samples can also be used to test drug-resistant strains of TB. This helps your doctor choose the medications that are most likely to work. Getting results of these tests can take four to eight weeks.
Treatment
  • If you have latent TB, your doctor might recommend treatment with medication if you're at high risk of developing active TB. For active tuberculosis, you must take antibiotics for at least six to nine months.
  • The exact drugs and length of treatment depend on your age, overall health, possible drug resistance and where the infection is in your body.
Most common TB drugs
  • If you have latent tuberculosis, you might need to take only one or two types of TB drugs. Active tuberculosis, particularly if it's a drug-resistant strain, will require several drugs at once. The most common medications used to treat tuberculosis include:
    • Isoniazid
    • Rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane)
    • Ethambutol (Myambutol)
    • Pyrazinamide
  • If you have drug-resistant TB, a combination of antibiotics called fluoroquinolones and injectable medications, such as amikacin or capreomycin (Capastat), are generally used for 20 to 30 months. Some types of TB are developing resistance to these medications as well.
  • Some drugs might be added to therapy to counter drug resistance, including:
    • Bedaquiline (Sirturo)
    • Linezolid (Zyvox)
  • Completing treatment is essential.
  • After a few weeks, you won't be contagious and you might start to feel better. Don't stop taking your TB drugs — you must finish the full course of therapy and take the medications exactly as prescribed by your doctor.
  • Stopping treatment too soon or skipping doses can allow the bacteria that are still alive to become resistant to those drugs, leading to TB that is much more dangerous and difficult to treat.
  • A program called directly observed therapy (DOT) can help people stick to their treatment regimen. A health care worker gives you your medication so that you don't have to remember to take it on your own.
  • This is the most important step you can take to protect yourself and others from tuberculosis. When you stop treatment early or skip doses, TB bacteria have a chance to develop mutations that allow them to survive the most potent TB drugs. The resulting drug-resistant strains are deadlier and more difficult to treat.
  • TB drugs are not given directly to patients; they are provided under supervision, called Directly Observed Treatment, Short-course (DOTS) therapy. This is because, like every chronic disease, TB drugs are to be taken only till the symptoms subside.
  • Medicines should not be continued after that. The treatment thus needs a patient-centric approach. Under this system, ‘Treatment supporters will keep the drugs and the patient has to visit every day and take the drugs from them.
Vaccinations
  • In countries where tuberculosis is more common, infants often are vaccinated with bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine. The BCG vaccine isn't recommended for general use in the United States because it isn't very effective in adults. Dozens of new TB vaccines are in various stages of development and testing.
Are there any side-effects of TB drugs?
  • Any drug if taken for a longer time can cause nausea
  • Common side-effects and remedies:
  • Itching - Use of moisturizer or coconut oil can help
  • Gastritis – Avoid taking TB drugs on an empty stomach; always take them after food
  • Blurring of vision – where green leaf appears red to the patient; any change in colour should be immediately reported to the medical officer, who will direct to an ophthalmologist.
  • Some TB drugs cause Hearing loss and thyroid disorder which may cause joint pain.
  • All side-effects will settle in two months until our body gets adjusted to it. Continue taking medication until advised by doctor.
Who is most at risk?
  • Tuberculosis mostly affects adults in their most productive years. However, all age groups are at risk. Over 95% of cases and deaths are in developing countries.
  • People who are infected with HIV are 18 times more likely to develop active TB (see TB and HIV section below). The risk of active TB is also greater in people suffering from other conditions that impair the immune system. People with undernutrition are 3 times more at risk. Globally in 2020, there were 1.9 million new TB cases that were attributable to undernutrition.
  • Alcohol use disorder and tobacco smoking increase the risk of TB disease by a factor of 3.3 and 1.6, respectively. In 2020, 0.74 million new TB cases worldwide were attributable to alcohol use disorder and 0.73 million were attributable to smoking.
Is Tuberculosis Curable?
  • If the patient takes the right drugs for the right duration without any interruption, yes. TB is completely curable. But if there is no proper adherence to drugs, then the patient can even die of the disease.
Why the Treatment for TB takes so long?
  • For complete cure, the patient should strictly take TB drugs for a minimum of six months; based on the type of TB, this treatment period may be longer as well.
  • This is because the bacterium Mycobacterium Tuberculosis progresses slowly, divides very slowly and it takes a long time for it to progress from a mere infection to TB disease. This is why long therapy is needed.
  • Even if the culture results obtained after two months of taking the drugs are negative, the metabolically inactive latent bacilli can harm the patient when they become active.
  • If the drug levels are not maintained regularly, whenever the latent bacteria become active, there are bigger chances of relapse. Hence the drugs need to be consumed for a longer period, so as to avoid any such instance.
Can Tuberculosis relapse?
  • Around 10 to 12% of recovered patients can catch TB again; this is called Relapse TB/Recurring TB and is most seen in smokers, alcoholics, and people with uncontrolled diabetes. Undernourishment is another reason.
  • This is why even after completion of treatment, post-treatment follow-up is given where patients visit every six-month up to a period of two years, even if there is no symptom.
  • If any TB symptoms are seen during this period, the patient should immediately approach the doctor.
  • Relapse TB is also curable
Is there any correlation between Tuberculosis and COVID-19?
  • So far there is no evidence of the direct relation between COVID-19 and TB. Only area of curiosity is increasing number of Extra Pulmonary TB cases. Wherever there are more COVID-19 cases, more extra pulmonary TB cases are being reported.
  • COVID-19 had a major impact on the National TB Programme, since the patients stopped visiting or couldn’t visit hospitals due to the pandemic and resultant lockdowns. There were serious impacts since the resources and personnel allotted for TB were diverted for COVID-19 work.
  • Even the symptoms were the same for both the disease – cough. Hence in the initial stage of COVID-19, Government of India issued a circular where the patients who report any symptom of COVID should also be tested for Tuberculosis and vice versa.
  • Despite that, diagnosis of TB came down drastically. Even when people had cough, they stopped visiting hospitals due to fear of getting COVID or getting isolated. This in turn paved the way for spreading of infection to other family members too. Many patients suffered during the Pandemic, which even caused several deaths among TB patients, said the doctors of NTI.
Global commitments and the WHO response
  • On 26 September 2018, the United Nations (UN) held its first- ever high-level meeting on TB, elevating discussion about the status of the TB epidemic and how to end it to the level of heads of state and government. It followed the first global ministerial conference on TB hosted by WHO and the Russian government in November 2017. The outcome was a political declaration agreed by all UN Member States, in which existing commitments to the SDGs and WHO’s End TB Strategy were reaffirmed, and new ones added.
  • SDG Target 3.3 includes ending the TB epidemic by 2030. The End TB Strategy defines milestones (for 2020 and 2025) and targets (for 2030 and 2035) for reductions in TB cases and deaths. The targets for 2030 are a 90% reduction in the number of TB deaths and an 80% reduction in the TB incidence rate (new cases per 100 000 population per year) compared with levels in 2015. The milestones for 2020 are a 35% reduction in the number of TB deaths and a 20% reduction in the TB incidence rate. The strategy also includes a 2020 milestone that no TB patients and their households face catastrophic costs as a result of TB disease.
  • The political declaration of the UN high-level meeting included four new global targets:
    • treat 40 million people for TB disease in the 5-year period 2018–2022;
    • reach at least 30 million people with TB preventive treatment for a latent TB infection in the 5-year period 2018–2022;
    • mobilize at least US$ 13 billion annually for universal access to TB diagnosis, treatment and care by 2022;
    • mobilize at least US$ 2 billion annually for TB research.
  • As requested in the political declaration:
  • WHO finalized and published a Multisectoral Accountability Framework for TB (MAF-TB) in 2019? WHO is supporting countries to adapt and use the framework to translate commitments into actions and to monitor, report, and review progress, with the engagement of high-level leadership, all relevant sectors, civil society and other stakeholders.
  • In 2020, a progress report of the UN Secretary-General to the General Assembly was developed and released with the support of WHO.
  • Examples of high-level leadership on multisectoral accountability include Presidential or Head of State End TB initiatives and formalized mechanisms for the engagement and accountability of stakeholders in India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Philippines and Viet Nam as well as national campaigns to drive progress such as the Race to End TB.
  • WHO is working closely with countries, partners and civil society in scaling up the TB response.
  • Six core functions are being pursued by WHO to contribute to achieving the targets of the UN high-level meeting political declaration, SDGs, End TB Strategy and WHO strategic priorities:
  • Providing global leadership to end TB through strategy development, political and multisectoral engagement, strengthening review and accountability, advocacy, and partnerships, including with civil society;
  • Shaping the TB research and innovation agenda and stimulating the generation, translation and dissemination of knowledge;
  • Setting norms and standards on TB prevention and care and promoting and facilitating their implementation;
  • Developing and promoting ethical and evidence-based policy options for TB prevention and care;
  • Ensuring the provision of specialized technical support to Member States and partners jointly with WHO regional and country offices, catalyzing change, and building sustainable capacity;
  • Monitoring and reporting on the status of the TB epidemic and progress in financing and implementation of the response at global, regional and country levels.
Government of India’s Support for TB Patients
  • Each and every TB drug and diagnosis of TB is free of cost, especially in the public sector. Patient need not spend anything. People should come forward and avail themselves of the facilities being provided by the government, free of cost. Even if the patient gets diagnosed in a private hospital, the treatment and benefits are the same.
  • Financial support is basically provided to ensure a nutritious diet for the patients. High protein diet helps to bring down the adverse effects caused during the treatment and Govt. provides this support to take care of the patients and help them complete the treatment without fail.
  • Government also provides incentives to Treatment Supporters, who usually are in charge of providing and monitoring the drug intake by patients.
  • The patient prefers, he or she can take the treatment in private hospitals as well, but under proper supervision so that they complete the course of the treatment.
  • In the private sector as well, Govt. provides incentives in the form of honorarium to private doctors and nursing homes.
  • In 2020 India launched a “Jan Andolan”, or people’s movement, against tuberculosis. We need to intensify community engagement in planning, monitoring and implementing national tuberculosis programmes, ensuring that tuberculosis services are close to where people live and work and sensitive to their needs.
  • The Stop TB Partnership has also called for an urgent and substantial increase of funding to fight tuberculosis in order to meet the goal of eradicating the disease by 2030. The year 2022 is critical for the global fight against the disease.
  • All projections show that the world is not on course to meet the 2018 United Nations high-level meeting’s TB targets set for 2022. TB is an infectious and deadly airborne disease with drug-resistant variants. Each untreated TB infection can lead to 15 more infections per year.
National TB Elimination Program
  • The National TB Programme (NTP) was launched by the Government of India in 1962 in the form of District TB Centre model involved with BCG vaccination and TB treatment. In 1978, BCG vaccination was shifted under the Expanded Programme on Immunisation.
  • In 1993, the WHO declared TB as a global emergency, devised the directly observed treatment – short course (DOTS), and recommended to follow it by all countries.
  • The Government of India revitalized NTP as Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP) in the same year due to some flaws in earlier programme. DOTS was officially launched as the RNTCP strategy in 1997 and by the end of 2005 the entire country was covered under the programme.
  • RNTCP has released a ‘National strategic plan for tuberculosis 2017-2025’ (NSP) for the control and elimination of TB in India by 2025. According to the NSP TB elimination have been integrated into the four strategic pillars of “Detect – Treat – Prevent – Build” (DTPB).
Detect
  • The first objective of NSP is to find all drug sensitive TB cases (DS-TB) and drug resistant TB cases (DRTB) with an emphasis on reaching TB patients seeking care from private providers and undiagnosed TB cases in high-risk populations (such as prisoners, migrant workers, people living with HIV/AIDS, contacts etc.).
  • Early diagnosis and treatment of TB cases in the community is an important step in TB elimination, which will help in decreasing the risk of transmission of disease to others, poor health outcomes, and social and economic hardships of the patient and their family.
Treat
  • Next step under the programme is initiation and sustaining all TB patients on appropriate anti-TB treatment wherever they seek care, with patient friendly system and social support. Provision of free TB drugs in the form of daily fixed dose combinations (FDCs) for all TB cases is advised with the support of directly observed treatment (DOT).
Prevent
  • With the objective of preventing the emergence of TB in susceptible population various measures are indicated as:
    • Scale up air-borne infection control measures at health care facilities
    • Treatment for latent TB infection in contacts of bacteriologically-confirmed cases
    • Address social determinants of TB through intersectoral approach.
  • Build
    • Health system strengthening for TB control under the National Strategic Plan 2017-2025 is recommended in the form of building and strengthening enabling policies, empowering institutions and human resources with enhanced capacities.
  • NIKSHAY: To facilitate TB notification, RNTCP has developed a case-based web-based TB surveillance system called “NIKSHAY” for both government and private health care facilities. Future enhancements under NIKSHAY are for patient's support, logistics management, direct data transfers, adherence support and to support interface agencies which are supporting programme to expand the reach.
  • Nikshya  poshak yozana: It is centrally sponsored scheme under National Health Mission (NHM), financial incentive of Rs.500/- per month is provided for nutritional support to each notified TB patient for duration for which the patient is on anti-TB treatment. Incentives are delivered through Direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme to bank accounts of beneficiary.
India TB Report 2021
  • Reporting of tuberculosis (TB) cases in India went down by 41 per cent between 2019 and 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the World Health Organization's 2021 Global TB report.
  • India, followed by Indonesia (14 per cent), the Philippines (12 per cent) and China (8 per cent) were the top four countries that contributed most to the global reduction in TB notifications between 2019 and 2020.
  • About 16 countries, including these four, together accounted for 93 per cent of the total global drop in notifications.
  • The report revealed that the number of people newly diagnosed with TB and those reported to national governments fell to 5.8 million in 2020 from 7.1 million in 2019.
  • In March 2021, an analysis by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare revealed that notification of TB cases in India reduced by 25 per cent between January and December 2020 because of the lockdown and diversion of resources for Covid-19 control measures.
  • In 2019, the number of cases reported was 24.04 lakh, a rise of 12 per cent from previous years. It reduced by 25 per cent to 18.02 lakh cases in 2020.
  • It showed that the Covid-19 pandemic reversed years of global progress in tackling TB.
  • Nearly 1.5 million people died from TB in 2020 (including 214,000 among the HIV positive). The increase in TB deaths, the first in more than a decade, occurred mainly in the 30 countries with the highest burden of TB, including India, and also in 2020 than in 2019.
  • The major reasons were due to disruption in access to TB services and a reduction in resources and people struggling to seek care in the context of lockdowns, as in many countries, human, financial and other resources were reallocated from tackling TB to the Covid-19 response, the report said.
  • The WHO models and projections suggest that the number of people developing TB and dying from the disease could be much higher in 2021 and 2022.
  • There was also a reduction in the provision of TB preventive treatment. Some 2.8 million people accessed this in 2020, a 21 per cent reduction since 2019. In addition, the number of people treated for drug-resistant TB fell by 15 per cent, from 177 000 in 2019 to 150 000 in 2020, equivalent to only about 1 in 3 of those in need, the report said.
  • Moreover, 2020 also saw a drop in global investment for TB diagnostic, treatment and prevention services, from $5.8 billion to $5.3 billion -- less than half of the global target of $13 billion annually by 2022.
  • Funding in the low and middle-income countries that account for 98 per cent of reported TB cases remains a challenge. Of the total funding available in 2020, 81 per cent came from domestic sources, with the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russian Federation, India, China and South Africa) accounting for 65 per cent of total domestic funding.
  • However, the report also noted some successes. Globally, the reduction in the number of TB deaths between 2015 and 2020 was only 9.2 per cent -- about one quarter of the way to the 2020 milestone of 35 per cent.
  • Globally, the number of people falling ill with TB each year (relative to population) dropped 11 per cent from 2015 to 2020, just over half-way to the 2020 milestone of 20 per cent.
  • The report calls on countries to put in place urgent measures to restore access to essential TB services, double investments in TB research and innovation.
What can be Done?
  • Lack of access to tuberculosis services and limitations in resources affect reporting of infections. There is a need to ensure accurate and timely diagnosis of TB. Genomics is changing the face of healthcare in therapy areas, and whole genome sequencing has given breakthrough solutions in identifying right pathogens and timely diagnosis of the disease.
  • Nutritional support to TB patients and families, financial incentives to patients and providers, health system strengthening, and linking patients with existing social and financial support systems of the government, etc.
  • Addressing poverty, malnutrition, urbanization, and indoor air pollution.
  • To address gender and other equity issues, special efforts by engaging concerned departments and agencies will be prioritized.
National Airborne Infection Control guidelines will be implemented at high-risk centers
  • Government of India should declare TB as a public health emergency and combat it in a campaign mode.
  • Increase budgetary provisions (at present, it is only 3%) and launch a national TB campaign engaging ambassadors at regional level to increase visibility.
  • Rebrand RNTCP (name/logo/slogan) to minimize the stigmatization.
  • Engage diverse stakeholders, especially elected representatives and civil society, and establish intersectoral coordination.
  • Empower and engage TB community – TB patients must not be seen as passive recipients of care, and they should be made key stakeholders at all stages of planning, decision making, implementation, and monitoring.
Way Forward
  • India has played a critical role in vigorously adopting novel strategies and expanding its diagnostic capacities, active case finding efforts, digital technologies, TB preventive treatment, shorter and simpler regimens, nutritional benefits for patients, etc. India’s TB programme is going beyond medical interventions to address the social determinants of TB and create an enabling environment for TB control. These will help minimise access barriers to diagnosis and treatment.
  • TB continues to be a critical national priority and India is firmly and steadily taking steps to End TB by 2025. I am confident that our Project GATIMAN will provide the much-needed impetus to actions on ground in the states and accelerate TB elimination efforts across the country.






POSTED ON 25-03-2022 BY ADMIN
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