Atmanirbhar Clean Plant Programme

• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has recently approved a significant loan of $98 million aimed at enhancing plant health management in India’s horticulture sector. This initiative is part of the government’s broader Atma Nirbhar Clean Plant Program (CPP), which seeks to improve agricultural productivity and resilience against climate change.

Objectives of the ADB Loan

• Accordingly, the principal aim of the ADB loan is farmers’ increased access to the purchase of the certified disease-free planting materials. This is for improving crop yields, quality, and climate resilience of crops sub-sector as well as regional and international food security.
•  The project covers different horticultural crops such as almond, apple, avocado, berries, citrus, grapes, guava, litchi, mango, pomegranate and walnut.

Key Components

• Establishment of Clean Plant Centers: A minimum of six clean plant centres will be established across India as part of the project. It is noteworthy that these centres will devote to the issue of disease-free foundation materials and that these centres will include sophisticated laboratories for diagnosis.
• Certification Scheme: A sound clean plant certification scheme will be formulated and instituted to complete the process of certifying private nurseries. This will help farmers to have planting materials supplied to them which have no diseases that are devastating to the crops.
• Regulatory Framework Development: The project seeks to develop institutions and policies that will facilitate the implementation of the CPP. This must involve pulling together with private nurseries and agricultural researchers to enhance its application.

Importance of Plant Health Management

• Effective plant health management is vital for several reasons:
• Economic Growth: India is highly dependent on horticulture production as one of the agricultural productions. Hailed as a cheap option, pest control can help improve the health of the plants, produce more yields, and high quality produce to increase the farmers income.
• Climate Resilience: Due to the dangerous effects of climate change that affect agriculture through events such as storms and changes in pest habits, plant health must be safeguarded for sustainable production. The project will assist the farmers to adapt through availing to them resistant planting materials.
• Food Security: This implies that any effort aimed at increasing yield of horticultural crops will directly address food security issues in India. That is why, trying to feed the growing population of Zambia and overall increasing crops yield it is crucial to pay attention to crop health.

Implementation Strategy

• The implementation of this project will be overseen by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, in collaboration with the National Horticulture Board and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. Close consultations with stakeholders—including state governments, growers’ associations, and private nurseries—will be integral to ensure the project’s success and sustainability.

Expected Outcomes

• The expected outcomes of this initiative include:
• Improved access for horticulture farmers to certified disease-free planting materials.
• Enhanced crop yields and quality across targeted horticultural crops.
• Strengthened institutional frameworks supporting plant health management.
• Increased resilience of farmers against climate change impacts.

Conclusion

• The partnership between India and the ADB through this $98 million loan marks a significant step towards transforming the horticulture sector in India. By focusing on plant health management, this initiative not only aims to boost productivity but also addresses critical challenges posed by climate change. The success of this program could serve as a model for similar agricultural initiatives in other regions facing comparable challenges.

 ‘Anna Chakra’

Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi unveiled ‘Anna Chakra’, a groundbreaking supply chain optimisation tool for the Public Distribution System (PDS).

What is Anna Chakra?

·         Anna Chakra is developed in collaboration with the World Food Programme (WFP) and Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer (FITT), IIT-Delhi.

·         The system leverages advanced algorithms to identify optimal routes and ensure seamless movement of food grains across supply chain nodes.

·         An operation of this magnitude involves a complex supply chain, relying on multiple stakeholders starting from farmers to Fair Price Shops.

·         Besides improved efficiency and cost savings, through the streamlined delivery routes reducing fuel consumption, time, and logistics costs, it also provides environmental benefits of lower carbon footprint due to reduced transportation-related emissions.

·         The tool integrates with the Railways’ Freight Operations Information System and the PM Gati Shakti platform, marking a significant technological upgrade.

·         Preliminary assessments across 30 states project annual cost savings of Rs 250 crore with a Rs 58-crore reduction in quantity-kilometer metrics.

Public Distribution System (PDS)

·         The Public Distribution System (PDS) evolved as a system of management of scarcity through distribution of foodgrains at affordable prices. Over the years, PDS has become an important part of government’s policy for management of food economy in the country. 

·         PDS is supplemental in nature and is not intended to make available the entire requirement of any of the commodities distributed under it to a household or a section of the society.

·         PDS is operated under the joint responsibility of the central and state/UT governments. 

·        The central government, through Food Corporation of India (FCI), has assumed the responsibility for procurement, storage, transportation and bulk allocation of foodgrains to state governments. 

·         The operational responsibility including allocation within state, identification of eligible families, issue of Ration Cards and supervision of the functioning of Fair Price Shops (FPS), etc rest with state governments. 

·         Under the PDS, presently the commodities namely wheat, rice, sugar and kerosene are being allocated to states/UTs for distribution. 

·         Some states/UTs also distribute additional items of mass consumption through the PDS outlets such as pulses, edible oils, iodised salt, spices, etc.

·         End to-end computerisation of PDS operations in all states/UTs has resulted in significant progress achieved at the national level in terms of 100 per cent digitisation of Ration Cards, online allocation modules for generation of monthly foodgrain allocation orders up to the Fair Price Shops (FPS), installation of electronic Point of Sale (ePoS) devices, computerisation of supply chain management, online grievance redressal systems and initiation of transparency portals. 

·         Backed by the sustained technological progress, the government launched One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) plan in August 2019 with four states, and by the end of June 2022, ONORC was operational across all 36 states/UTs of the country.

Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS)

·        The Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) is implemented under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013 in all states/UTs. 

·         The Act provides coverage upto 75 per cent of the rural population and upto 50 per cent of the urban population for receiving foodgrains (rice, wheat & coarse grains) under Priority Households and Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY). 

·        The Priority Households are entitled to receive 5 kg of foodgrains per person per month and the households covered under the AAY receive 35 kg of foodgrains per month per household. 

·         Under the TPDS, foodgrains were provided at subsidised prices up to December, 2022. However, from January 1, 2023, foodgrains under the Act are being distributed to eligible beneficiaries free of cost under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana.

National Food Security Act, (NFSA) 2013

• Though the Indian Constitution does not have any explicit provision regarding right to food, the fundamental right to life enshrined in Article 21 of the Constitution may be interpreted to include the right to live with human dignity, which may include the right to food and other basic necessities.

·         Though the issue of ‘food security’ at the household is continuously being addressed by the government since long, through the Public Distribution System and the Targeted Public Distribution System, the enactment of the National Food Security Act, (NFSA) 2013 on July 5, 2013 marked a paradigm shift in the approach to food security from welfare to rights based approach.

·         The Act legally entitles up to 75 per cent of the rural population and 50 per cent of the urban population to receive subsidised foodgrains under Targeted Public Distribution System.

·        About two-thirds of the population therefore is covered under the Act to receive highly subsidised foodgrains.

·        Under NFSA, subsidised food grains are distributed at Rs 3 per kg for rice, Rs 2 per kg for wheat and Rs 1 per kg coarse grains to beneficiaries.

·         As a step towards women empowerment, the eldest woman of the household of age 18 years or above is mandated to be the head of the household for the purpose of issuing ration cards under the Act.

·         The Act is being implemented in all states/UTs, and on an all India basis, out of maximum coverage of 81.35 crore persons, around 80 crore persons have been covered under NFSA at present for receiving highly subsidised foodgrains. 

·        The identification of beneficiaries by states/UTs is a continuous process, which involves exclusion of ineligible/fake/duplicate ration cards and also exclusion on account of death, migration, etc and inclusion on account of birth as also that of genuine left-out households.

 ‘Bleeding eye virus’ 

•  The Marburg virus disease (MVD) outbreak in Rwanda has seen progress, and the World Health Organization (WHO) updated, that the 42-day countdown to declare the outbreak over will begin if there are no new cases.

What is Marburg Virus Disease (MVD)?

• The Marburg virus is a deadly virus that causes Marburg virus disease (MVD), also known as the ‘bleeding eye virus’ because one of its symptoms is bleeding from the eyes.
• The virus can also cause organ failure and death.
• The virus is mainly transmitted from fruit bats, and human-to-human transmission happens through contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person, such as blood, vomit, or saliva.
• The virus is highly contagious and can spread directly through bodily fluids or indirectly by touching contaminated surfaces.

Symptoms of Marburg Virus Disease

• High fever
• Fatigue and body aches
• Watery diarrhea and abdominal cramps (starting around the third day)
• Non-itchy rashes (usually between the second and seventh day)
• As the disease progresses, bleeding starts, usually from the eyes, but can also occur from the nose, gums, and vagina. This bleeding is what gives the virus its common name.
• Other symptoms include confusion and disorientation, which can happen due to the virus affecting the brain. As the disease worsens, it can lead to multi-organ failure, which can be fatal.

The virus is highly contagious.

• Diagnosis: The Marburg virus can be diagnosed using two main tests:
• ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay)
• RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction)
• Treatment: There is no specific antiviral treatment for MVD. Instead, supportive care is provided to help manage symptoms, which includes rehydration, pain relief, and treatment for shock or other complications.

4^th Mekong Ganga Dhamma Yatra to the Buddhabhoomi (India)

• The 4th Mekong Ganga Dhammayatra recently commenced in New Delhi. This pilgrimage involves over 20 Buddhist scholars and eminent citizens from Thailand. It aims to reinforce the cultural and spiritual connections between the Mekong and Ganga civilisations.
• Spearheaded by Dr. Supachai Viraphuchong, the initiative promotes cooperation among nations and marks the significance of Dhamma in addressing global challenges.

Objectives of the Yatra

• The primary aim of the Dhammayatra is to promote the teachings of Dhamma globally. It seeks to encourage conflict avoidance and environmental consciousness. The event encourages collaboration among public and private sectors in both Thailand and India. This partnership is crucial for the declaration of the Century of Dharma.
• The roots of this pilgrimage can be traced back to the time of King Ashoka. He sent emissaries to spread Buddhism across Asia. The current Yatra builds on this legacy. It connects the past with present efforts to unite nations through shared spiritual values
• Dr. Supachai emphasised the importance of compassion and moral living. He believes that material pursuits often overshadow spiritual values. His vision aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assertion that the 21st century is the “Asian Century.” The role of Dhamma is very important in this context.
• The Yatra is organised by BodhiGaya Vijjalaya 980, alongside various Indian partners. These include the Vivekananda International Foundation and the International Buddhist Confederation. Their collective goal is to enhance cultural and spiritual ties between India and Thailand.

Impact on Society

• The pilgrimage promotes a sense of brotherhood among countries along the Mekong River and Ganga. It aims to create a unified front against global issues like greed and sorrow. The teachings of Dhamma serve as a guiding principle for this unity.

Future Prospects

• The Mekong Ganga Dhammayatra sets the stage for future collaborations. It marks the need for shared heritage and cultural exchanges. The potential for a Mekong Ganga Museum has also been suggested to preserve this legacy.

Significance of Dhamma Diplomacy

• Dhamma diplomacy is emerging as a vital tool for international relations. It encourages goodwill and understanding among nations. The ongoing Yatra signifies the commitment to nurturing these ties through mutual respect and shared values.
• This year’s Yatra also commemorates the 97th birth anniversary of King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand. It reflects the enduring impact of his vision on contemporary society. The event serves as a reminder of the importance of cultural heritage in diplomatic relations.

Aravalli Green Wall Project (AGWP)

• At United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) COP16 in Riyadh, India will showcase its innovative Aravalli Green Wall Project (AGWP), a comprehensive initiative to combat land degradation and desertification.

Details on  Aravalli Green Wall Project:

 Aravali Mountain Range:

• It is a mountain range in Northern-Western India, running approximately 670 km  in a south-west direction, starting near Delhi, passing through southern Haryana, Rajasthan, and ending in Ahmedabad Gujarat.
• The highest peak is Guru Shikhar on Mount Abu.
• The Aravalli Range is one of the oldest geological features on Earth, having its origin in the Proterozoic era.
• The Aravalli Range is rich in natural resources and serves as check to the growth of the western desert.

What is Great Green Wall of Africa (GGW)?

• It is a project adopted by the African Union in 2007, initially conceived as a way to combat desertification in the Sahel region and hold back expansion of the Sahara Desert, by planting a wall of trees stretching across the entire Sahel from Djibouti, Djibouti to Dakar, Senegal.

 Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak (2024)

·         Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak (2024), or the Indian Aviation Bill, has been passed in the Indian Parliament. It aims to replace the Aircraft Act of 1934 and update India’s aviation laws to align with international standards and improve the sector''s efficiency. The bill, passed by both Houses of Parliament, seeks to address key issues in India’s aviation sector, including safety, consumer protection, and ease of doing business.

Key Provisions and Objectives of the Bill:

·        Enhancing Safety and Regulatory Oversight: The bill aims to improve safety standards in the aviation sector, ensuring better regulatory oversight and consumer protection in line with global practices.

·        It focuses on setting up stronger governance structures for civil aviation authorities to boost accountability and transparency.

·        Self-Reliance in Aircraft Manufacturing: The bill encourages self-reliance in aircraft manufacturing and maintenance within India, which could help the country become more competitive in the global aviation market.

·        Regulation of Aviation Components: The bill allows the central government to regulate various aspects of civil aviation, including the issuance of licenses for aircraft-related operations (e.g., Radio Telephone Operator Certificate).

·        It also empowers the government to establish rules for civil aviation security and adherence to international aviation conventions.

·        Removal of Redundancies: The bill seeks to remove ambiguities and redundancies in the existing Aircraft Act of 1934, making the system more streamlined and easier to implement.

·        It also includes provisions for penalties, fines, or imprisonment for violations, making enforcement more robust.

·        Emergency Powers: The government is empowered to take emergency actions related to public safety and tranquillity in the aviation sector.

·        This includes the ability to provide compensation for losses or damages in aviation-related incidents, along with mechanisms for appeals against certain decisions (e.g., compensation, licensing, penalties).

·        Repeal of the Aircraft Act, 1934: The bill repeals the Aircraft Act of 1934 and updates the legal framework to better cater to current challenges and future growth in the aviation sector.

Issues Addressed in Parliament:

·        Airfare Concerns: During the debate, MPs raised concerns about rising airfares. In response, the Civil Aviation Minister clarified that airfares in India are deregulated (since 1994) and determined by airlines. However, the government monitors fares and mandates that airlines inform the Ministry before setting prices for specific routes.

·        He also emphasized that the UDAN Scheme (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) is helping to increase accessibility by improving air travel options for more people.

·        Title Change of the Bill: There was a debate over the bill’s title being changed from English to Hindi.

·         The minister explained that the change was made to highlight India’s heritage and culture, and assured that there was no violation of the Constitution regarding language use in lawmaking.

Coconut palms threaten Pacific island ecosystems

• Coconut plantations have led to deforestation on over 80 percent of Pacific atolls, with coconut palms now covering over half of their forested areas.
• Coconut palms throughout the tropics have served as the foundation for human lives and cultures across the Pacific Ocean for centuries.
• However, 200 years of planting by colonial interests transformed the palm from the revered “Tree of Life” to a cash crop monoculture grown on Pacific atolls for a singular purpose — production of coconut oil (copra) for export around the world.
• Coconut palms are valued subsistence crop, now become a monoculture export commodity, replacing native vegetation essential for wildlife habitats, nutrient cycling, and water resources.
• Coconut plantations now cover 58.3% of forest areas and 24.1% of the total land on these atolls.
• Despite declining plantation maintenance, aging coconut monocultures persist, suppressing native vegetation.
• Restoring abandoned plantations offers an opportunity to revive native broadleaf forests, conserving water and promoting biodiversity.
• Diversified agroforestry could balance coconut cultivation with ecological restoration.
• Achieving 55% native vegetation cover on coral islands, coupled with invasive predator removal, could restore vital seabird-driven ecosystems, addressing nutrient and water deficits across 929 affected islands.
• The coconut palm is a tree with a slim and smooth trunk, a crown of leaves, and rounded, green, or yellow fruit.
• Its flowers grow in clusters on a stem; a flowering structure known as an inflorescence.
• The female flowers are larger than the male flowers, and both are found on the same inflorescence. 
• Coconut palms are found in tropical coastal areas nearly worldwide and probably originated somewhere in Indo-Malaya.
• They are the most economically important palm species, coconuts being one of the predominant crops of the tropics.

The Ecological Impact

• Loss of Biodiversity: Deforestation for coconut plantations reduces biodiversity, impacting both terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Deforestation reduces the amount and quality of habitat for many species, leading to population declines, extinctions, and loss of genetic diversity.
• Soil Erosion: Coconut plantations can contribute to soil erosion, particularly on fragile atoll soils. This can lead to the loss of fertile topsoil and degradation of the land.
• Water Scarcity: Coconut plantations have high water requirements, which can exacerbate water scarcity in already arid environments.
• Coastal Erosion: The removal of coastal vegetation, including mangroves and other native trees, can increase vulnerability to coastal erosion and storm surges.

How to balance Economic needs and Environmental protection?

• Integrating coconut cultivation: Coconut-based integrated farming offers scope for improving crop biodiversity and farm productivity. The system involves growing coconut as the major crop coconut, with intercrops, such as vegetable, fruit, spices, fodder and tuber crops.
• Sustainable Harvesting Practices: Embracing coconut residues within a circular economy framework facilitates sustainable development and fosters a regenerative approach to resource management. Coconut residues play a crucial role in a circular economy, offering numerous opportunities for repurposing waste and maximizing resource efficiency. 
• Reforestation: Planting native trees and restoring degraded ecosystems can help mitigate the negative impacts of deforestation.
• Community-Based Management: Empowering local communities to manage their resources sustainably can lead to better conservation outcomes.

What is an Atoll?

• An atoll is a ring-shaped coral reef, island, or series of islets. Over the last 200 years, the pervasive land cover changes profoundly altered ecosystems and hydrologic resources, affecting atoll communities’ resilience to climate change and other environmental stressors.

Conclusion

• Coconut palm and its fruit have been cultivated and consumed in several countries around the world, with production heavily concentrated in the Asia continent and the Pacific Region, mainly in Indonesia, the Philippines, and India. To provide a broader and more effective use of these natural resources, it is essential to face the highlighted challenges by investing in innovative technologies and integrating the entire coconut value chain, from coconut production to residue recovery and processing.

India and West Africa Strengthens Ties.

·        India’s strategic focus on West Africa is a testament to its growing global influence and commitment to fostering strong international partnerships. This focus is driven by mutual interests in economic cooperation, security, and sustainable development. By strengthening ties with West African nations, India aims to enhance its geopolitical presence and contribute to the region’s growth.

Economic Cooperation

·        Trade and Investment: India and West African countries have a good trade relation. as the bilateral relations between India and the countries in West Africa has seen tremendous improvement in recent years as per the figures of 2023, for example investment in India is beyond $98 Billion. Sectors of focus include agriculture, manufacturing and services. India’s focus on trade and investment is in the spirit of making a positive difference to the host economy where necessary, fueling growth, job creation and the vitality of its people and businesses.

·        Development Assistance: India has been a major development partner with the west African countries, providing them concessional assistance in the form of credit line and capacity building. During the India Africa Forum Summit, India has agreed to invest in infrastructure development, health and education sectors. It supports developmental considerations that help the region overcome some of its developmental difficulties and foster desirable and sustainable development.

Security Cooperation

·        Defence Partnerships: India’s defence relations with the West African countries grow, especially in counter-terrorism, maritime security, and building capacity. The Indian government has also entered into MoUs with some of the West African countries toward improving the growing military cooperation. This cooperation is achieved through the participating nations conduct of joint exercises, training activities and armoury, which enhances stability and security in the region.

·        Counterterrorism Efforts: Terrorism continues to be a major problem in West Africa and Boko Haram among other groups have continued to present many challenges. India has been rather involved in extending support to counter terrorism since it affected different countries; it has been assisting by sharing information, training both security personnel and equipment. It assists in countering terrorism and serves to protect the future of citizens living in the region.

Sustainable Development

·        Energy Security: West Africa is endowed with resources which are fundamental to the development of critical metals for deployment of elements of low carbon technologies in India. India has been in partnership with the west African countries in the energy sector, particularly on Renewable energy and energy security. The goals of this cooperation are to advance its agenda and decrease the reliance on oil and gas.

·        Healthcare and Education: In the healthcare and education sectors, India has gained substantial capability to assist and help West African countries. Indian branded drugs are cheap, readily available generics and India sends medical teams to fight diseases such as AIDS, malaria, and Ebola. Furthermore, India extends training and capacity-building for improving the strength in health care and education for the region.

Cultural and Historical Ties

·        India West Africa relations are manifest on many cultural and historical reference points such as India ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam( the world is one family) and West Africa ‘Ubuntu’ humanity towards others. These relationships have developed direct links between the people which have increased instructional interactions and relations.

Conclusion

·        India’s strategic focus on West Africa is a multifaceted approach aimed at fostering economic growth, enhancing security, and promoting sustainable development. By leveraging its strengths in trade, investment, and development assistance, India is poised to play a pivotal role in the region’s progress. This partnership not only benefits India and West Africa but also contributes to a more stable and prosperous global community.

India is facing a severe soil health crisis. How can India Scale Soil Health Management?

·        The India is facing a severe soil health crisis, with nearly 90% of its topsoil suffering from deficiencies in essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. This has significant implications for agricultural sustainability, food security, and climate resilience.

·        The recent Global Soils Conference highlighted this issue and called for strategies to restore soil health. One promising solution discussed is nutrient circularity, which involves recycling urban organic waste to replenish soil nutrients in rural areas.

·         However, existing waste management practices, particularly waste-to-energy (WtE) plants, have faced multiple challenges, failing to adequately address the waste crisis and contributing to environmental harm.

Key Points

·        With its extraordinary capacity to form, store, transform, and recycle nutrients, soil produces 95 per cent of the world’s food. However, 33 per cent of global soils are already degraded, and this trend is accelerating.

·        90% of India''s topsoil is deficient in nitrogen and phosphorus.

·        50% lacks potassium, critical for agricultural productivity.

·        Soil erosion, degradation, and low nutrient content threaten long-term agricultural sustainability.

·        Nutrient Circularity: This approach reduces reliance on chemical fertilizers, enhances soil fertility, and improves cost-efficiency in agriculture (lowering production costs by 15-20%).

·        Scaling Up Nutrient Circularity: To address India’s waste and soil crises, scaling up nutrient circularity is key.

A two-pronged approach is needed:

·        Top-down policy support to incentivize composting and improve quality.

·        Bottom-up demand from farmers and the public for better compost.

·        A more sustainable approach could gradually phase out chemical fertilizers, restoring soil health in both rural and urban areas.

·        Challenges with Current Waste-to-Energy (WtE) Models: Incineration-based WtE plants dominate, but they come with high costs, significant environmental impacts, and high failure rates.

·        In Delhi, 7,250 tonnes of the 11,328 tonnes of waste generated daily is incinerated.

·        These plants emit more greenhouse gases and air pollutants than other power sources, harming public health and the environment.

·        Biomethanation plants face challenges like poor waste segregation and methane leakages.

·        Despite these efforts, WtE plants contribute only 1% of renewable energy generation in India, far behind other renewable sources like solar and wind.

Government''s Failed Policy on Nutrient Circularity:

·        In 2016, India introduced a subsidy of Rs1,500 per tonne for compost sold under the City Compost Policy to promote nutrient circularity. However, the policy failed due to lack of:

·        Quality control (no standards, testing, or certification mechanisms).

·        Public demand for compost.

·        The policy was withdrawn in 2021, and all financial support shifted to bio-methanation.

The Potential of Composting:

·        Composting is a more cost-effective alternative to biomethanation.

·        It can be implemented at various scales, even in small towns.

·        Several cities like Chikkaballapur (Karnataka) and Alappuzha (Kerala) have successfully implemented composting models that transfer urban waste compost to rural farmers, promoting nutrient circularity.

Factors killing soil & solution

·        Farming practices such as tilling break up the soil and destroy its natural structure, killing many of the vital bacteria.

·        Agricultural chemicals can alter the physiological, metabolic and biochemical behaviour of microbiota in the soil. This can disrupt the relationships between plants and microbes, decreasing nutrient bioavailability.

·        Pressures of population growth, food insecurity and agricultural intensification are leading to widespread soil degradation. This degradation can take many forms- degradation, erosion, acidification, salinization

·        Others: Burning of crop residues, land misuse and soil mismanagement and climate change

·        Solution: Replenishment, adopting organic practice (inter-cropping, mixed cropping, practicing crop rotation, Agroforestry, Permaculture, adopting biofertilizers.

India’s Position in the China Plus One Landscape

• The “China Plus One” strategy has emerged as a significant trend in global supply chains, prompting countries to diversify their manufacturing bases beyond China. India, as a key player in this context, faces both opportunities and challenges in capitalizing on this shift.
• However, recent analyses indicate that India has experienced limited success in fully harnessing the potential of this strategy.

Understanding the China Plus One Strategy

• Definition and Importance: China Plus-One strategy refers to the tactics used by global businesses to unworthy the dangers of over outsourcing in China. To optimize adaptability to disruptions including the current trade war, geopolitical risks, and COVID-19, organizations seek to decentralize their supply networks.
• Global Context: Whenever companies look for options to China, countries such as India are seen as potential benefactors because of their large supply of cheap labor and emerging markets. However, a number of structural barriers need to be surmounted in order to harness this opportunity.

India’s Position in the China Plus One Landscape

• Limited Gains Reported: The “China Plus one” strategy has not been very successful in India as stated by NITI Aayog in its repo. Peculiarities which considerably contributed to this situation are the breakdown of infrastructure, the existence of bureaucratic restrictions, and the presence of other members of ASEAN, which have more comfortable conditions for foreign investment.

Challenges Faced by India: 

• Infrastructure Issues: India is still lagging behind in terms of infrastructure for many more years to come to its competitors. Logistical and transport mechanisms adversely affect the smooth flow of stocks and other material.
• Regulatory Environment:  identifies many reasons why nobody wants to invest in the Indian market, including: A complicated tax structure and a variety of bureaucratic barriers that make it almost impossible for a foreigner to open a business in India.
• Labor Costs: India stands to have a large number of employee availability, but unfortunately, the cost of employees is not cheaper like Vietnam and Bangladesh as they are emerging to be next good options.
• Opportunities for Improvement: Despite these challenges, there are strategic opportunities for India to enhance its position:
• Policy Reforms :  It could support the growth of the country’s attractiveness in the sight of foreign investors.
• Investment in Infrastructure: The improvements in transport and logistics facilities are imperative to guarantee the development of manufacturing.
• Skill Development: It is equally important for organisations to encourage the taking of ownership to implement skill development programs to enhance the workforce as per modern manufacturing processes.

Conclusion

• The “China Plus One” strategy presents a pivotal opportunity for India to enhance its manufacturing capabilities and attract foreign investment. However, the country must address its existing challenges to realize significant gains from this trend.
• While recent reports highlight India’s limited success so far, proactive measures in policy reform, infrastructure development, and workforce training could position India as a key player in global supply chains moving forward.
•  The journey ahead requires a concerted effort from both government and industry stakeholders to transform potential into tangible outcomes.

Potential of Subabul seedpods in managing insulin resistance in type II diabetes.

•  Researchers have identified the therapeutic potential of the seedpods from the traditional medicinal plant Subabul in managing insulin resistance related to type II diabetes and developed a marker-assisted fraction and four active compounds from it.
• Subabul or Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit is a fast-growing leguminous tree commonly found in tropical and subtropical regions.
• The leaves and immature seeds are eaten in the form of soups or salad, both raw and cooked, providing a rich source of protein and fibre, leading to its traditional usage in human and animal food by different ethnic communities.
• Originating from Mexico, this small, perennial, woody tree is known as Kubabul (Hindi) and Kantisubabul (Telugu).
• Introduced for cover cropping, fodder, and fuel, it is distributed in Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Tamil Nadu.
• Its protein-rich leaves and seeds are consumed as food, while its wood is used for charcoal, furniture, and paper pulp.

What is diabetes?

• Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces.
•  Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood glucose.
• Hyperglycaemia, also called raised blood glucose or raised blood sugar, is a common effect of uncontrolled diabetes and over time leads to serious damage to many of the body''s systems, especially the nerves and blood vessels.

Types of diabetes:

• Type 1 diabetes
• Type 1 diabetes (previously known as insulin-dependent, juvenile or childhood-onset) is characterized by deficient insulin production and requires daily administration of insulin.
•  In 2017 there were 9 million people with type 1 diabetes; the majority of them live in high-income countries. Neither its cause nor the means to prevent it are known.

Type 2 diabetes

• Type 2 diabetes affects how your body uses sugar (glucose) for energy. It stops the body from using insulin properly, which can lead to high levels of blood sugar if not treated.

RBI introduces AI tool to tackle mule accounts

• As part of the Reserve Bank of India’s continued efforts to prevent and mitigate digital frauds, an innovative artificial intelligence-based model called ‘MuleHunter.ai’ has been developed by the Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH) in Bengaluru.
•  Use of money mule accounts is a common method adopted by fraudsters to channel proceeds of frauds. 
•  This model enables detection of mule bank accounts in an efficient manner. 
•  This will help the banks to deal with the issue of mule bank accounts expeditiously and reduce digital frauds.

What is a mule account?

•  A significant challenge in preventing financial fraud is the use of money mule accounts. 
•  It is a bank account used by criminals to launder illicit funds, often set up by unsuspecting individuals lured by promises of easy money or coerced into participation. The transfer of funds through these highly interconnected accounts make it difficult to trace and recover the funds.
•  A money mule is a term used to describe someone who receives and moves money that came from victims of fraud. Some money mules know they are assisting with criminal activity, but others are unaware that their actions are helping fraudsters.
•  Trans-national criminals create illegal digital payment gateways using mule/rented accounts. These illegal infrastructure facilitating money laundering as a service are used for laundering proceeds of multiple nature of cybercrimes.
• Indian Cybercrime Coordination Center (I4C), under the Ministry of Home Affairs, has advised citizens not to sell/rent their bank accounts/company registration certificate/Udyam Aadhaar Registration certificate to anyone. Illicit funds deposited in such bank accounts can lead to legal consequences, including arrest.
•  The RBI has been taking various measures in coordination with banks and other stakeholders to prevent and mitigate digital frauds in the financial sector. 

How MuleHunter.ai works?

•  RBIH conducted extensive consultations with banks to understand the existing methods and processes employed to identify and report these money mule accounts. 
•  The static rule-based systems used to detect mule accounts result in high false positives and longer turnaround times, causing many such accounts to remain undetected.
• RBIH has developed an in-house AI/Machine Learning-based solution which is better suited than a rule-based system to identify suspected mule accounts. 
•  Advanced machine learning algorithms can analyse transaction and account detail related datasets to predict mule accounts with higher accuracy and greater speed than typical rule-based systems. 
• This machine learning-based approach has enabled the detection of more mule accounts within a bank’s system.
•  A pilot with two large public sector banks has yielded encouraging results. • Banks are encouraged to collaborate with RBIH to further develop the MuleHunter.ai initiative to deal with the issue of mule bank accounts being used for committing financial frauds.