Central Tuber Crops Research Institute releases two new tapioca varieties

• The ICAR-Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (CTCRI) has introduced two innovative tapioca varieties. Named Sree Annam and Sree Manna, these varieties require less nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) than traditional high-yield types. This advancement is crucial in promoting sustainable agriculture practices.
• Sree Annam and Sree Manna are designed to yield between 30 to 40 tonnes per hectare. They require only 25% of the standard NPK fertiliser recommendations. For comparison, traditional varieties need 100:50:100 kg per hectare, while the new varieties need just 25:12.5:25 kg. This reduction in fertiliser input is step towards sustainable farming.
• Sree Annam features a cream rind and dark yellow flesh. Its beta-carotene content enhances its nutritional value. This variety can be stored for a week post-harvest without deterioration. This quality improves its marketability and profitability for farmers.
• Sree Manna has a pink rind and white flesh. It produces a larger number of dense, bigger roots. Additionally, it boasts a higher leaf area and longer leaf retention, which are beneficial for overall plant health and yield.

Benefits:

• The introduction of these varieties aligns with the CTCRI’s focus on climate-resilient agriculture. By reducing the need for NPK fertilisers, farmers can lower their production costs. This will lead to increased profits while also contributing to reduced carbon emissions associated with fertiliser use.
• Both varieties are particularly well-suited for cultivation in Kerala. Their excellent cooking quality and low cyanogenic glucoside content make them ideal for local culinary preferences
• The successful adoption of Sree Annam and Sree Manna can set a precedent for the development of more sustainable crop varieties. This innovation may inspire further research into crops that require fewer resources while maintaining high yields.
• The CTCRI is committed to developing more varieties that enhance food security and farmer income. The emphasis on low-input crops reflects a broader trend towards sustainable agricultural practices
• The advancements in tapioca cultivation reflect a growing recognition of the need for sustainable agricultural practices. The CTCRI’s efforts are paving the way for a future where farming can be both economically viable and environmentally friendly.

 Global Wage Inequality Decreases, But Persistent Gaps Remain, Says ILO Report

• Pay packets around the world rose 1.8 per cent in 2023 and continued their positive trajectory in the first half of the year, rising by 2.7 per cent on the back of a strong post-COVID global recovery, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) said in a report.
•  The report reveals that wage inequality has decreased in about two-thirds of all countries since 2000 at an average annual rate of between 0.5 and 1.7 per cent. Despite this positive trend, significant wage differentials persist worldwide. 
•  The most significant decrease in wage inequality occurred among low-income countries where the average annual decrease ranged from 3.2 to 9.6 per cent in the past two decades.

The need to address wage inequality

• Reducing inequalities and poverty is a major challenge on the path towards social justice. Labour income is the main, if not the sole, source of income for most households in regions across the world. 
• Therefore, what happens in labour markets matters a great deal for overall inequality. The world of work and its institutions have a distinct role to play.
• More than half of the workers in the world are wage earners. This means that reducing wage inequality can contribute significantly to reducing inequalities. 
• While wage inequalities matter, wage levels are also instrumental to ensuring decent and dignified lives for households globally.
• Addressing income inequalities in the labour market, including gender pay gaps and pay gaps suffered by workers in vulnerable situations, is an effective path towards reducing household inequality and poverty. 
• In a context of significant geopolitical instability, this would contribute to fairer societies and reduce social tensions.

Increase in average wages

• From a regional viewpoint, average wages increased faster in Asia and the Pacific, Central and Western Asia, and Eastern Europe, compared to the rest of the world.
• Wage inequality is declining at a slower pace in wealthier countries, shrinking annually between 0.3 and 1.3 per cent in upper-middle-income-countries, and between 0.3 to 0.7 per cent in high-income countries. 
• Moreover, even though wage inequality narrowed overall, decreases were more significant among wage workers at the upper end of the pay scale.
• Preliminary data for the first two quarters of the year indicate that global real wage growth recorded a 2.7 per-cent increase in 2024, the largest gain in more than 15 years.
• Such positive outcomes mark a notable recovery when compared to the negative global wage growth, of -0.9 per cent, observed in 2022, a period when high inflation rates outpaced nominal wage growth.
• Wage growth has been uneven across regions, with emerging economies experiencing stronger growth than advanced economies.

Persistent wage inequality

• Despite recent progress high levels of wage inequality remain a pressing issue. The report shows that globally, the lowest-paid 10 per cent of workers earn just 0.5 per cent of the global wage bill, while the highest-paid 10 per cent earn nearly 38 per cent of this wage bill. 
• Wage inequality is the highest in low-income countries, with close to 22 per cent of wage workers there classified as low-paid. 
• Women and wage workers in the informal economy are more likely to be among the lowest paid. This finding reinforces the need for targeted actions to close wage and employment gaps and ensure fair wages for all wage workers.
• Wage inequality is relevant in all countries and regions. Globally, however, one in every three workers is a non-wage worker. In most low and middle-income countries the majority are self-employed workers, who can only find opportunities to earn a living in the informal economy. 
• Men earn more than women in all country income groups and across the entire wage scale. Among lower and upper-middle-income countries, the gender wage gap is higher at the low end of the distribution (where women are more likely to be employed in low-paid occupations and sectors with high levels of informality), and lower at the top end of the distribution (where a minority of highly educated women earn high wages, possibly in the public sector where pay is likely more equitable). In high-income countries, the gender wage gap tends to be lower at the bottom end of the wage distribution than at the top.

Strengthening wage policies to reduce inequality

• The study emphasizes the need for targeted policies to foster inclusive economic growth.
• Reducing wage inequality requires both strong wage policies and structural support for equitable growth. 
• By addressing these challenges countries can make real progress toward reducing wage gaps and promoting fair, sustainable, economic growth for workers worldwide.

Key recommendations include: 

• i) Setting wages through social dialogue: Wages should be set and adjusted through collective bargaining or agreed minimum wage systems involving governments, workers and employers.
• ii) Taking an informed approach: Wage-setting should take into account both the needs of workers and their families and economic factors.
• iii) Promoting equality, and equal opportunity of treatment and outcomes: Wage policies should support gender equality, equity and non-discrimination.
• iv) Using strong data: Decisions should be based on reliable data and statistics.
• v) Addressing root causes of low pay: National policies should reflect each country’s specific context and address the causes of low pay such as informality, low productivity and the under-valuing of jobs in sectors such as the care economy.
• National strategies should go beyond the realm of wage-setting alone and include a broader range of factors, such as productivity growth – which can be achieved, for example, through the creation of an enabling environment for entrepreneurship and sustainable enterprises, improved access to finance, as well as strong public support for technological innovation and skills development. 
• At the same time, strong and effective labour market institutions and social dialogue can help to ensure that productivity growth translates into wage growth, particularly for those at the low end of the wage distribution. 
• Reducing household income inequality also requires the redistribution of income through a country’s system of taxes and social transfers. 
• The amount of redistribution through taxes and transfers depends on many factors, including the amount of taxes levied and distributed, the progressivity of taxation systems (that is, the extent to which high-income earners pay a larger share of their incomes in taxes), and the extent to which transfers benefit low-income households more than high-income households.
• In developing countries, however, there is relatively limited scope for redistribution through taxes and transfers because of the large share of own-account workers, whose labour earnings are even lower than those of wage workers and who overwhelmingly work in the informal economy

India climbs up eleven slots to be among Top 50 Countries in Network Readiness Index 2024

• India has climbed to 49th rank in the Network Readiness Index 2024. The country was ranked at 60 in 2023. 
• For the third consecutive year, the United States topped the 2024 Network Readiness Index  published by the Portulans Institute, an independent non-profit research and educational institute based in Washington DC.
•  Singapore has once again claimed the second spot, with Finland keeping hold of third place. 
• Movers in the top 10 include Sweden, up to fourth, South Korea rising to fifth, and the United Kingdom moving up to eighth place. Meanwhile, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, and Denmark round off the leader board. 

Network Readiness Index

•  The Network Readiness Index is one of the leading global indices on the application and impact of ICT in economies across the world. 
• In this latest version, ‘Building a Digital Tomorrow: Public-Private Investments and Global Collaboration for Digital Readiness'', the Report maps the network readiness landscape of 133 economies on their performances across four pillars. They are: Technology, People, Governance, and Impact, with each pillar comprised of three sub-pillars, and a further 54 variables.
• Initially launched in 2002 by the World Economic Forum, the Network Readiness Index was redesigned in 2019 to reflect how technology and people need to be integrated within an effective governance structure in order to have the right impact on our economy, society and the environment. 

 This 2024 edition marks the sixth edition of the redesigned model of the NRI. 

India leads in several indicators

• India has not only improved its ranking, but also improved its score from 49.93 in 2023 to 53.63 in 2024. 
•  India leads in several indicators. India secured first rank in ‘AI scientific publications’, ‘AI talent concentration’ and ‘ICT services exports’, second rank in ‘FTTH/Building Internet subscriptions’, ‘Mobile broadband internet traffic within the country’ and ‘International Internet bandwidth’, third rank in ‘Domestic market scale’ and fourth rank in ‘annual investment in telecommunication services.
•  India has ranked second in the group of lower-middle-income countries after Vietnam. As per the report, India has demonstrated significant digital progress, with notable strengths in technological innovation and digital transformation.
• India’s performance in the Index is latest in a string of advancements in the telecommunications sector. 

Tele-density increases in India

•  The Department of Telecommunications has made significant strides in advancing India''s telecommunication infrastructure. 
• Over the past decade, tele-density increased from 75.2 per cent to 84.69 per cent, and wireless connections reached 119 crore. 
• The Digital India has set an example by expanding broadband access to rural areas through partnerships with technology companies, resulting in the sharp rise in internet subscribers from 25.1 crore to 94.4 crore, with a substantial rise in wireless internet usage. 

 Reforms in spectrum management, ease of doing business, and consumer protection have further strengthened the sector.

• Furthermore, India launched 5G services in 2022, rapidly improving its global mobile broadband speed ranking from 118 to 15.
• Now, India aims to position itself as a leader in future telecom technologies with the Bharat 6G Vision. 
• Coupled with investment in emerging technologies, impressive data capabilities and robust telecom infrastructure, India’s performance in network readiness index is a testament to our digital progress and innovation.

India finally joins Riyadh Design Law Treaty after two decades of negotiations

• After nearly two decades of negotiations, the member states of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) adopted the Design Law Treaty (DLT).
• The WIPO treaty marks a major step forward in empowering designers and fostering international collaboration in design.
•  It is called the Riyadh Design Law Treaty in recognition of the city that hosted the final stage negotiations.
• By signing the Final Act of the Riyadh Design Law Treaty, India builds on its progress and reaffirms its commitment to fostering inclusive growth and ensuring equitable access to intellectual property protection.
• Over the past decade, design registrations in India have tripled, with domestic filings increasing by 120 per cent in the last two years.

Benefits of Riyadh Design Law Treaty:

• Designs drive consumer choices by making products attractive to consumers. They are business assets that increase a product’s market value and provide a competitive advantage. 
• The Riyadh Design Law Treaty will make it significantly easier for designers, especially smaller scale designers and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, to register their work.
•  Today, the process for protecting designs varies from one country to another. In some countries, designs are filed as “registered designs”. Registration systems may involve the examination of design applications by the IP office, involving procedures that vary from country to country. 
• Because design rights are territorial and thus limited to the country or region in which protection was obtained, designers must go through the same process in each country or region where they wish to protect their designs.
• • The Riyadh Design Law Treaty seeks to harmonise the procedural frameworks for industrial design protection, improving the efficiency and accessibility of registration processes across multiple jurisdictions.
• It will address that challenge by simplifying protection procedures and eliminating red tape.
• • It introduces several key provisions aimed at benefiting design applicants, including relaxed time limits, the reinstatement of lost rights, the option to correct or add priority claims, simplified procedures for recording assignments and licenses, and the option to file multiple designs in a single application.
• The treaty also encourages contracting parties to work towards implementing electronic industrial design systems and facilitating the electronic exchange of priority documents.

What is WIPO?

• The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) is the global forum for intellectual property policy, services, information and cooperation. 
• The WIPO Convention, the constituent instrument of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), was signed at Stockholm on July 14, 1967, entered into force in 1970 and was amended in 1979.
• WIPO is an inter-governmental organisation that became in 1974 one of the specialised agencies of the United Nations. 
• WIPO assists its 193 member states in developing a balanced international IP legal framework to meet society’s evolving needs. 
• Its headquarters is situated in Geneva.  It provides business services for obtaining IP rights in multiple countries and resolving disputes. 
• WIPO delivers capacity-building programs to help developing countries benefit from using intellectual property.

INS Arighaat

• India has recently made important advancements in its nuclear capabilities with the successful test of the K4 submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM).
• This missile can reach targets up to 3,500 km away and was launched from the INS Arighaat, a nuclear-powered submarine. This test marks a very important moment in India’s defence strategy, enhancing its deterrence capabilities.

Details of the K4 Missile

• The K4 missile is a solid-fuelled SLBM developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). It weighs 17 tonnes and is 12 metres long. With a range of 3,500 km, it can carry a 2,500 kg nuclear warhead. The missile’s two-stage solid rocket motor ensures reliable performance and propulsion.

INS Arighaat – A Key Asset

• INS Arighaat is India’s second nuclear-powered submarine. It enhances the nation’s nuclear deterrent by allowing for underwater missile launches. This submarine can carry either 12 K-15 missiles or four K-4 missiles. This capability extends India’s reach in terms of nuclear deterrence.

Strategic Implications

• The successful test of the K4 missile strengthens India’s nuclear triad, which includes land, air, and undersea capabilities. This triad provides India with a second-strike capability, crucial for maintaining a credible deterrent against potential threats. The K4 missile can cover all of Pakistan and parts of China, thus expanding India’s strategic reach.

Future Developments

• India is also working on the K5 missile, which is expected to have a range of about 5,000 km. This future development will further enhance India’s undersea nuclear capabilities. Additionally, a third SSBN, INS Aridhaman, is under trial and will increase India’s nuclear arsenal.

Regional Context and Challenges

• India’s advancements in nuclear capabilities come amid rising tensions with China and Pakistan. The country is enhancing its military capabilities to counter these threats. The development of hypersonic missiles and other advanced weaponry reflects India’s commitment to maintaining a robust defence posture.

Conclusion

• India’s successful test of the K4 missile from INS Arighaat is milestone in its nuclear strategy. This advancement not only strengthens India’s deterrence but also positions it as a key player in regional security dynamics.

Indian Chemical Council Wins Prestigious 2024 OPCW-The Hague Award

•  Indian Chemical Council (ICC) and Algeria’s National Institute of Criminalistics and Criminology of the National Gendarmerie (NICC/NG) won the 2024 OPCW-The Hague Award.
• It was awarded during the 29th Session of the Conference of the States Parties of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) at the Hague. 
• The OPCW established the OPCW-The Hague Award in collaboration with the Municipality of The Hague in 2014. 
• The Award recognises individuals and organisations that play a significant role in advancing the goals of the Chemical Weapons Convention. The total €90,000 cash prize is awarded to up to three recipients annually.
• This is the first time that the Award recognises the efforts of a chemical industry body.
• NICC/NG is a forensic science institute focused on advancing crime-fighting capabilities by integrating scientific methods into judicial and criminal processes.

Indian Chemical Council

• Indian Chemical Council (ICC) is the apex national body representing all branches of the chemical industry in India such as organic & inorganic chemicals, plastics, petrochemicals & petroleum refineries, dye stuff & dye-intermediates, fertilizers & pesticides, specialty chemicals, paints, etc.
• ICC represents more than 80 per cent of the chemical Industry which is valued at $220 billion.  
• Its members include both Indian companies with a global presence as well as subsidiaries of multinationals.
• It was established as Indian Chemical Manufacturers Association in 1938 by Prafulla Chandra Ray & Rajmitra B.D. Amin, along with a group of Industrialists for promoting the interests of the nascent chemical industry.
• ICC is recognised for its role in promoting chemical safety, compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), and enhancing industry-wide security practices in India. 
• Through initiatives like the CWC helpdesks, ICC has increased industry compliance and facilitated efficient e-filing for chemical declarations. 
•  Additionally, ICC’s ‘Nicer Globe’ initiative has had a substantial impact on chemical transportation safety in India, offering real-time monitoring and emergency response capabilities. 
• ICC has conducted other activities to promote chemical safety and security through its ‘Responsible Care’ (RC) programme. 
• ICC has become a full member of International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA) whose members account for more than 90 per cent of global chemical sales.

Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)

• The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is the implementing body for the Chemical Weapons Convention. 
• The OPCW, with its 193 Member States, oversees the global endeavour to permanently and verifiably eliminate chemical weapons.
• For its extensive efforts in eliminating chemical weapons, the OPCW received the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize.
• To honour this achievement, the OPCW established the OPCW-The Hague Award in 2014 in partnership with the Municipality of The Hague. 
• In 2023, the OPCW verified that all chemical weapons stockpiles declared by the 193 States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention since 1997 — totalling 72,304 metric tonnes of chemical agents — have been irreversibly destroyed under the OPCW’s strict verification regime. This does not mean that chemical weapons do not exist anymore. 
• The headquarters of OPCW is situated in The Hague, Netherlands.

India''s milk output up by 4% to 239.30 mn tonnes in 2023-24: Union Minister

• Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Rajiv Ranjan Singh released Basic Animal Husbandry Statistics 2024 on the occasion of National Milk Day on November 26.
• National Milk Day is celebrated every year on November 26 to honour the Father of white revolution, Verghese Kurien, who was born on this day.

Basic Animal Husbandry Statistics (BAHS)

• The BAHS-2024 is based on the outcomes of the Integrated Sample Survey conducted for the period from March 1, 2023 to February 29, 2024. 
• This survey generates crucial data on the production estimates of Major Livestock Products (MLPs) such as milk, egg, meat and wool, which plays a pivotal role in policy formulation in the livestock sector. 
• This publication includes state-wise estimation of production and per-capita availability of MLPs including insights into the estimated number of animals involved in milk production, poultry egg-laying birds, animals slaughtered, and sheep shorn. 

Milk Production:

• India is the world’s largest milk producer.
• India’s milk production rose nearly 4 per cent annually to 239.3 million tonnes in 2023-24 on better productivity, even as milk output of buffaloes declined 16 per cent annually.
• The milk output of India stood at 230.58 MT in 2022-23. Milk output was 146.3 MT in 2014-15.
• However, the annual growth rate has slowed down in the previous two fiscal years. 
• The per capita milk availability has also increased to 471 gm per day in 2023-24 from 459 gm per day in 2022-23.
• The average growth in India’s milk production has been 6 per cent in the last 10 years as against the global average of 2 per cent. 
• Milk production from buffaloes has decreased 16 per cent in 2023-24 compared to the previous year.
• The top five milk producing states during 2023-24 were Uttar Pradesh with a share of 16.21 per cent of total milk production followed by Rajasthan (14.51 per cent), Madhya Pradesh (8.91 per cent), Gujarat (7.65 per cent), and Maharashtra (6.71 per cent).
• In terms of annual growth rate, West Bengal was at the top (9.76 per cent) followed by Jharkhand (9.04 per cent), Chhattisgarh (8.62 per cent), and Assam (8.53 per cent) as compared to the previous year.

Egg Production:

• The total egg production in the country is estimated as 142.77 billion during 2023-24 and registered a growth of 6.8 per cent growth over the past 10 years as compared to the estimates of 78.48 billion numbers during 2014-15. 
•  The production has increased annually by 3.18 per cent during 2023-24 over 2022-23.
• The major contribution in the total egg production comes from Andhra Pradesh with a share of 17.85 per cent followed by Tamil Nadu (15.64 per cent), Telangana (12.88 per cent), West Bengal (11.37 per cent) and Karnataka (6.63 per cent). 
• In terms of annual growth rate, the highest growth rate was recorded by Ladakh (75.88 per cent) and followed by Manipur (33.84 per cent) and Uttar Pradesh (29.88 per cent).

Meat Production:

• The total meat production in the country is estimated as 10.25 million tonnes during 2023-24 and registered a growth of 4.85 per cent over the past 10 years as compared to the estimates of 6.69 million tonnes in 2014-15. 
• The production was increased by 4.95 per cent in 2023-24 over 2022-23.
• Major contribution in the total meat production comes from West Bengal with 12.62 per cent share  followed by Uttar Pradesh (12.29 per cent), Maharashtra (11.28 per cent), Telangana (10.85 per cent) and Andhra Pradesh (10.41 per cent). 
• In terms of annual growth rate, the highest growth rate was recorded in Assam (17.93 per cent) followed by Uttarakhand (15.63 per cent) and Chhattisgarh (11.70 per cent).

Wool Production:

• The total wool production in the country is estimated as 33.69 million kg during 2023-24 registered a slight growth of 0.22 per cent over last year. 
• Major contribution in total wool production comes from Rajasthan with a share of 47.53 per cent followed by Jammu & Kashmir (23.06 per cent), Gujarat (6.18 per cent), Maharashtra (4.75 per cent) and Himachal Pradesh (4.22 per cent). 

 In terms of annual growth rate, the highest growth rate was recorded by Punjab (22.04 per cent) followed by Tamil Nadu (17.19 per cent) and Gujarat (3.20 per cent)

Japanese Encephalitis in India

• It Japanese Encephalitis (JE) has recently been reported in Delhi. A 72-year-old man tested positive and was treated at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. This case has raised public health concerns and prompted measures to control the spread of the disease. JE is a viral infection that primarily affects the brain, and it is transmitted through mosquito bites. About its transmission, symptoms, and preventive measures is crucial for public awareness.

What is Japanese Encephalitis?

• JE is a zoonotic viral disease caused by the JE virus. It is primarily transmitted from animals, especially pigs and birds, to humans through the bite of infected Culex mosquitoes. The disease is endemic in various parts of India, particularly in rural areas with rice cultivation.

Transmission Cycle

• The transmission of JE occurs in a complex cycle involving wild birds, mosquitoes, pigs, and humans. The virus circulates in birds and is amplified in pigs. Mosquitoes become infected by feeding on these animals. Humans are considered dead-end hosts, meaning they do not transmit the virus to others.

Symptoms of JE

• Symptoms of JE can vary widely. They may start with fever and headache, progressing to neurological issues like meningitis or encephalitis. Other symptoms include disorientation, coma, and paralysis. The severity of symptoms can differ based on individual health and age.

Vectors in India

• Culex mosquitoes, particularly the Vishnui group, are the main vectors of JE in India. They breed in water bodies, especially in rice fields and shallow ditches. The abundance of these mosquitoes increases during the monsoon season, leading to a rise in JE cases.

Diagnosis and Laboratory Confirmation

• Diagnosis of JE involves identifying clinical symptoms and laboratory tests. Key indicators include the presence of JE virus-specific IgM antibodies in cerebrospinal fluid or serum. Other tests include RT-PCR for virus nucleic acid detection and virus isolation from samples.

Current Situation in India

• Since the first reported case in 1955, India has seen rise in JE cases. Recently, there have been over 15,000 cases reported across 24 states. Assam has been notably affected, contributing to nearly 30-50% of cases. The disease is endemic in 355 districts.

Seasonal Patterns

• JE cases often exhibit seasonal patterns. The highest transmission rates are observed during the monsoon months from July to October. Increased rainfall creates ideal breeding conditions for mosquitoes, leading to outbreaks.

Prevention and Treatment

• Preventive measures include vaccination and vector control strategies. The JE vaccine has been included in the Universal Immunisation Programme since 2013. While there is no specific treatment for JE, symptomatic management is essential for affected individuals

India Hosts UN Geospatial Information Meeting

• The India is currently hosting the 13th Plenary meeting of the United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management (UNGGIM) for the Asia-Pacific region. The event is taking place at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi from November 26. This important gathering aims to enhance cooperation among member countries in the field of geospatial information.

Event Overview

• The plenary meeting is organised by the Survey of India (SOI). It has attracted experts from 30 countries, including 91 international delegates. India is represented by over 120 experts. The event will focus on sharing experiences and capabilities in geospatial data management.

Conference Theme

• The theme for this year’s conference is “Geo-enabling the Data Economy for Sustainable Development.” This theme puts stress on the importance of geospatial data in the modern digital economy. The discussions will highlight how geospatial information can support sustainable development goals.

Conference Schedule

• The four-day conference features various focused sessions. Day one includes a regional seminar on “Cadastral & Land Management” and a seminar on “Integration of Geospatial & Statistical Information.” Day two will host a workshop on “Sustainable Operation of the GNSS-CORS Network” and a seminar on “IGIF Implementation.”

Expected Outcomes

• The meeting aims to strengthen ties among member countries. It will also provide a platform for collaboration in geospatial information management. Participants will gain vital information about the role of geospatial data in the digital economy.

Importance of Geospatial Data

• Geospatial data is vital for informed decision-making. It contributes to various sectors including urban planning, disaster management, and environmental monitoring. The integration of geospatial and statistical information will enhance data accuracy and usability.

Future Prospects

• The discussions and collaborations encourageed during this meeting are expected to lead to improved geospatial capabilities across the Asia-Pacific region. This will ultimately support sustainable development initiatives

Nanozymes: A Promising Horizon for Medical and Environmental Applications

• Researchers are expanding the horizons of artificial enzymes — nanozymes — to use them as catalysts for transforming biomaterials for their futuristic use in medicinal and biomedical applications.
• Several complex natural enzymes can act on proteins to generate functional proteins. However, the interplay of nanozymes with proteins has rarely been explored.  
• Scientists are now probing the unexplored roles of nanozymes in biological environments and their interplay beyond small molecule substrates due to their potential prospects in biotechnological and therapeutic interventions. 
• They are also trying to develop next-generation artificial enzymes to overcome the current limitations of selectivity, specificity, and efficiency of existing artificial enzymes.

What are nanozymes?

• Enzymes with intricate structures are powerful biological catalysts designed by nature. Although they perform their action using a high level of sophisticated architecture surrounding their active site, they still have a lot of limitations. 
• Their susceptibility to denaturation, the high cost of isolation and purification, short shelf life, and inability to achieve expected catalytic efficiency due to sensitivity to reaction conditions other than their native environment, significantly impede their applications.
• With the advances in research on artificial enzymes, nanomaterial-based enzyme mimetics called nanozymes have attracted significant attention since their inception.
• Nanozymes are a class of nanomaterials with enzyme-like catalytic activities. Due to their multiple catalytic activities, as well as their good stability, modifiable activity and other advantages over natural enzymes, they have a wide range of application prospects in sterilisation, the treatment of inflammation, cancer, and neurological diseases, and other fields. 
• In recent years, it has been found that various nanozymes have antioxidant activity, allowing them to simulate the endogenous antioxidant system and play an important role in cell protection. 
• Therefore, nanozymes can be applied in the treatment of reactive oxygen species (ROS)-related neurological diseases. 
• Another advantage of nanozymes is that they can be customised and modified in a variety of ways to increase their catalytic activity beyond that of classical enzymes.
• In addition, some nanozymes have unique properties, such as the ability to effectively penetrate the blood‒brain barrier (BBB) or to depolymerise or otherwise eliminate misfolded proteins, making them potentially useful therapeutic tools for the treatment of neurological diseases.
• Nanozymes can be divided into the following four categories according to their catalytic activities: oxidoreductases, hydrolases, isomerases, and synthases.

Findings of the study:

• Researchers from the CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI), working with the support of INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship and WISE Kiran Fellowship of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), investigated the chemistry at the interface of proteins and nanozymes to push the limits of artificial enzymes.
• They probed the crucial role played by manganese-based oxidase nanozyme (MnN) in stitching collagen, a vital structural protein in various biological tissues, through a covalent process known as “crosslinking” to produce biomaterials.
• MnN can activate collagen with the help of oxidase nanozyme and facilitate the covalent crosslinking of its tyrosine residues using only a trace amount of tannic acid under mild conditions, all the while maintaining the protein''s triple-helical structure.
• In another research, the scientists designed a bis-(μ-oxo) di-copper active site installed within the pores of metal-organic framework (MOF-808) to serve as an analogy for enzyme binding pockets and address the persistent challenges of selectivity, specificity, and efficiency in nanozymes.
• Their findings illustrate that while this catalyst-by-design strategy effectively controls substrate dynamics and reactivity, it inadvertently compromises oxidase selectivity when small proteins, such as cytochrome c, which are larger than the pore opening of MOF-808, attempt to access the active site. 
• This work exemplifies the need for careful consideration in the meticulous design of artificial enzymes related to nanomaterials, as the refined balance between desirable and undesirable reactivity in artificial enzymes is crucial for medicinal applications.

91st General Council meeting of National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC)

• Union Minister Amit Shah addressed the 91st General Council meeting of National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) in New Delhi.
• Shah lauded NCDC’s contributions to the cooperative movement, emphasizing its pivotal role in transforming the lives of millions of cooperatives. 
• NCDC has disbursed financial assistance of more than Rs 60,000 crore. 
• Shah said that the success of NCDC is reflected in its ability to positively impact the rural economy and the cooperative sector at large as well.

National Cooperative Development Corporation

• National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), a statutory corporation under the Ministry of Cooperation, was established in 1963 under an Act of Parliament (NCDC Act of 1962) to promote cooperative movement and for economic development through cooperative societies across the country.
• NCDC was established as a successor organisation to National Cooperative Development and Warehousing Board set up in 1956.
• NCDC is a non-equity based promotional organisation created exclusively for planning, promoting and financing of programmes for production, processing, marketing, storage, export and import of agricultural produce, foodstuff and certain notified commodities, on cooperative principles. 
• The NCDC Act underwent change in 1974 to include more business activities like fishery, poultry, dairy, handloom & sericulture and by the amendment, NCDC’s resource base was broadened, thus enabling raising funds from the market. 
• The Act was again amended in 2002 to cover some more areas such as livestock, industrial goods, cottage and village industries, handicrafts, rural crafts and certain notified services like water conservation works, irrigation, animal healthcare, disease prevention, agriculture insurance and agriculture credit, rural sanitation and services pertaining to labour cooperatives. 
• Along with the above, the amendment also enables NCDC to finance cooperative societies directly under its various schemes, on fulfilment of certain stipulated conditions.
• NCDC is able to finance projects in the rural industrial cooperative sectors and for certain notified services in rural areas like water conservation, irrigation and micro irrigation, agri-insurance, agro-credit, rural sanitation, animal health, etc.
• The schemes implemented and activities assisted by NCDC are designed to enhance income and improve livelihood of farmers and economically weaker sections of the society like artisans, weavers, poor rural population including tribals.
• Cooperatives organised exclusively by women are assisted under the scheme introduced for the purpose.
• Apart from activity-based assistance, NCDC also promotes area based projects like Integrated Cooperative Development Project (ICDP) in selected districts. 
• ICDP is a project, which works for the overall development of the people of a district by unleashing the potential of the district through development of various cooperative activities. 
• The management of NCDC is vested in a General Council consisting of 51 members and a board of management consisting of 12 members, who are nominated by the central government. 
• The General Council lays down policy guidelines and the board oversees the general management of NCDC.
• Besides its head office in New Delhi, NCDC functions through 18 regional/state directorates.
• NCDC is one of the implementing agencies promoting the government’s scheme of Formation and Promotion of 10,000 Farmers Producer Organisations (FPOs), which provide for registration and support of new cooperatives as FPOs. 
• It is also an implementing agency for the Formation and Promotion of Fish Farmers Producer Organisations (FFPOs) under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana.
• The Ministry of Cooperation has introduced the Cooperative Intern scheme with NCDC as the implementing agency. The scheme aims to help state and district cooperative banks in aligning with schemes of central government and strengthening of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS).

 Supreme Court junks pleas Challenging ‘Socialist’, ‘Secular’ in Preamble

• The Supreme Court dismissed the pleas challenging the 1976 amendment to the Constitution adding terms ‘Socialist’, ‘Secular’ and ‘Integrity’ to the Preamble.
•  Rejecting the pleas on grounds, including the delay of over 44 years, the Supreme Court said terms like ‘Socialist’ and ‘Secular’ were integral to the Preamble.
•  The words ‘Socialist’, ‘Secular’ and ‘Integrity’ were inserted into the Preamble to the Constitution under the 42nd constitutional amendment moved by the Indira Gandhi government in 1976.
• The order observed Article 368 of the Constitution permitted its amendment.
• The power to amend unquestionably rests with the Parliament. This amending power extends to the Preamble, the bench highlighted.
• While it is true that the Constituent Assembly had not agreed to include the words ‘Socialist’ and ‘Secular’ in the Preamble, the Constitution is a living document, as noticed above with power given to the Parliament to amend it in terms of and in accord with Article 368, it said.
• Commenting on the term ‘socialism’, the order said in the Indian context, it should not be interpreted as restricting the economic policies of an elected government of the people’s choice at a given time.
• The top court said the amendments to the Constitution could be challenged on various grounds, including violation of the basic structure of the Constitution.

Key facts about the Preamble:

• The term ‘Preamble’ refers to the introduction or preface to the Constitution.
• It contains the summary or essence of the Constitution.
• The ideals behind the Preamble were laid down by Jawaharlal Nehru’s Objectives Resolution, adopted by the Constituent Assembly on January 22, 1947.
• The Preamble to a written Constitution states the objects, which the Constitution seeks to establish.
• It also promotes and aids the legal interpretation of the Constitution, where the language is found to be ambiguous. Therefore, for a proper appreciation of the aims and aspirations embodied in our Constitution, we need to turn to the various expressions contained in the Preamble.

Components of the Preamble

• Source of Authority: The Preamble establishes that the authority of the Constitution derives from the people of India.
• Declaration: It declares India to be a sovereign, socialist, secular, and democratic republic.

Objectives:

•  The Preamble aims to secure justice, liberty, and equality for all citizens.
• It promotes fraternity to maintain national unity and integrity.

Adoption Date: The Preamble mentions the date of adoption as November 26, 1949.

Key Terms in the Preamble

• We, the people of India: Indicates the ultimate sovereignty of the people of India. Sovereignty means independence from external control.
• Sovereign: India has independent authority and is not subject to external power. The legislature has the power to make laws, subject to certain limitations.
• Socialist: Achieving socialist goals through democratic means, supporting a mixed economy where both private and public sectors co-exist. Added by the 42nd Amendment in 1976.
• Secular: All religions receive equal respect, protection, and support from the state. Added by the 42nd Amendment in 1976.
• Democratic: The Constitution derives its authority from the will of the people expressed through elections.
• Republic: The head of the state is elected by the people. In India, the President is the elected head of state.

Objectives of the Indian Constitution

• Justice: Ensures social, economic, and political justice through Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles of State Policy.
• Social Justice: Aims to eliminate discrimination based on caste, creed, gender, religion, etc.
• Economic Justice: Ensures no discrimination based on wealth, income, or economic status. Promotes equal pay for equal work and equal opportunities.
• Political Justice: Guarantees equal, free, and fair participation in political opportunities.
• Equality: Ensures no special privileges for any section of society. Everyone is equal before the law and has equal opportunities.
• Liberty: Guarantees freedom to choose one’s way of life, political views, and behavior, within the limits set by law.
• Fraternity: Promotes a feeling of brotherhood and unity among people, fostering dignity and solidarity within the nation.