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Feb 23, 2022
GUJARAT: NEW BIOTECH POLICY WITH RS 20,000 CRORE INVESTMENT
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Thursday unveiled the Gujarat Biotechnology Policy 2022-27 with an expected capital investment of “over Rs 20,000 crore”, providing assistance to “more than 500 industries in the state” and creating “over 1.20 lakh new employment opportunities”, according to a press release from the state government.
New Biotechnology Policy of Gujarat:
World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS)
Highlights of Research
Significance of amendment:
Deemed Forests
Jal Jeevan Mission
About RUSA
Gobar-Dhan (Bio-CNG) Plant
Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)
REWARD Project
Saltwater Crocodile
Due Process of Law
New Biotechnology Policy of Gujarat:
- MSMEs with a capital investment of less than Rs 200 crore will be given a maximum assistance of Rs 40 crore with a maximum of Rs 5 crore assistance per annum.
- Mega or large projects with a capital investment of more than Rs 200 crore as well as special projects like “ecosystem empowerment, emerging technologies in challenging areas and of strategic importance” will be given up to 25 per cent of the total capital expenditure up to a maximum of Rs 200 crore, provided in the form of 20 quarterly instalments over five years.
- For large, mega and special projects with capital investment of more than Rs 200 crore, OPEX assistance of up to 15 per cent of the total operating cost up to a maximum of Rs 25 crore per annum will be provided, which includes expenses for power tariff, patent assistance, marketing development assistance, lease rental subsidy, bandwidth leasing, and quality certification.
- According to the state government, it will also provide support to special projects such as preclinical testing, genome sequencing in the private sector, private sector BSL-3 lab-vaccine development and manufacturing and testing and certification laboratories.
- To incentivize industries, the policy will provide 100 per cent reimbursement on electricity duty and 100 per cent EPF assistance to female employees and 75 per cent reimbursement for male employees. To incentivize local hiring, the policy plans to provide assistance to the said employee who has been associated with the applicant company for more than one year of Rs 50,000 (to men) and Rs 60,000 (to women).
- The objective of the new policy is “to make Gujarat competitive in the biotechnology market… and maximize the benefits”, while adding that various stakeholders such as educational institutes, research institutes, start-ups and entrepreneurs were consulted to frame the five-year policy plan.
- The new policy “will promote partnerships between various stakeholders such as NGOs, scientific establishments and industries” and also includes “various financial assistance for technology acquisition, skill development, alternative energy production, quality certification, and bandwidth leasing,” with such provision of assistance not being part of the previous policy.
- Biotechnology is the use of biology to solve problems and make useful products. The most prominent approach used is genetic engineering, which enables scientists to tailor an organism’s DNA at will.
- Biotechnology uses living cells to develop or manipulate products for specific purposes, such as genetically modified foods. Biotechnology is thus linked to genetic engineering and emerged as a field in its own right at the beginning of the 20th century in the food industry, which was later joined by other sectors such as medicine and the environment.
- Biotechnology is particularly important in the field of medicine, where it facilitates the production of therapeutic proteins and other drugs.
- Synthetic insulin and synthetic growth hormone and diagnostic tests to detect various diseases are just some examples of how biotechnology is impacting medicine.
- Biotechnology has also proved helpful in refining industrial processes, in environmental clean-up, and in agricultural production.
- The first molecular and cellular tools of modern biotechnology emerged in the 1960s and ’70s.
- A fledgling “biotech” industry began to coalesce in the mid- to late 1970s.
- Modern biotechnology stands in contrast to older forms of “biotechnology,” which emerged thousands of years ago, when humans began to domesticate plants and animals.
- Humans have also long tapped the biological processes of microorganisms to make bread, alcoholic beverages, and cheese.
- The development of insulin, the growth hormone, molecular identity and diagnostics, gene therapies and vaccines such as hepatitis B are some of the milestones of biotechnology and its alliance with genetic engineering.
- The revolution of the new smart materials hand-in-hand with biotechnology has only just begun. Soon we could have self-healing concrete, plants that change colour when they detect an explosive, clothing and footwear made with synthetic spider web, etc.
- In addition to the genetically modified foods mentioned above, thanks to biotechnology products such as WEMA have been created, a type of crop resistant to droughts and certain insects that may prove essential in fighting hunger in Africa.
- Through bioremediation processes, very useful for ecological recovery, the catabolic properties of microorganisms, fungi, plants and enzymes are used to restore contaminated ecosystems.
- This is the health branch and responsible, according to the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), for the development of more than 250 vaccines and medications such as antibiotics, regenerative therapies and the production of artificial organs.
- It is used by more than 13 million farmers worldwide to fight pests and nourish crops and strengthen them against microorganisms and extreme weather events, such as droughts and frosts.
- The industrial branch works to improve manufacturing processes, the development of biofuels and other technologies to make industry more efficient and sustainable.
- This branch is focused on food production and, for example, it carries out research to reduce the levels of saturated fats in cooking oils.
- This exploits marine resources to obtain aquaculture, cosmetics and health care products. In addition, it is the branch most widely used to obtain biofuels from certain microalgae.
- Its purpose is the conservation and restoration of contaminated natural ecosystems through, as mentioned above, bioremediation processes.
- Also known as bioinformatics it is responsible for obtaining, storing, analyzing and separating biological information, especially that related to DNA and amino acid sequences.
- It reduces CO2 emissions by 52 %, optimizes the use of water and reduces waste and chemical processes thanks to techniques such as recombinant DNA.
- It improves medical diagnosis, reduces infection rates, minimizes the side effects of medications and favours progress in developing countries.
- It favours healthy and sustainable agriculture, it provides more nutritious, toxin and allergen-free food, it limits the use of pesticides and chemicals.
- It prepares a large base for employment generation.
- It enhances the arena of innovation and development.
- The proliferation of laboratory foods could end crop diversity. It may also affect the balance of ecosystems.
- The risks include unforeseen allergies, poisoning of living organisms and modified bacteria escaping from a laboratory.
- Cloning, the modification of the human genome and assisted reproduction are matters of ethical debate and social controversy.
- There are lack of skill sets and lack of laboratories with high-end scientific infrastructure.
- Requirement of ethical and regulatory clearance, make the process long, expensive and cumbersome.
- Discoveries in biotech may help us some of pressing societal issues of our time: cleaning river water, producing life-saving drugs, feeding growing population with nutritious food and helps to clean the air.
- The need for use of Artificial Intelligence based tools and apps of big-data in biology will leverage India's strength in IT and move biotech innovations faster to marketplace. The future of biotech is bright in India. Just what to do her is to provide skill set and innovation as well as encourage the participation of private sector and various stakeholders.
World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS)
- The World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) is the annual flagship Track II initiative of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).
- Over the years, the Summit platform has brought together thought leaders, heads of state and government, scholars, corporates, youth groups, and civil society representatives from across the world.
- The Summit series has established itself as a responsible and an effective platform for mobilizing opinion-makers to identify and advance pioneering actions to address some of the most relevant issues concerning sustainable development.
- Perhaps the only Summit on global issues, taking place in the developing world, WSDS now strives to provide long-term solutions for the benefit of global communities by assembling the world’s most enlightened leaders and thinkers on a single platform.
- The Summit has witnessed numerous partnerships that have promised to strengthen our collective endeavours towards imagining a sustainable and environmentally secure future. The platform has reached out to the global community via exclusive features such as Plenary Sessions, Thematic Tracks, International and Regional Dialogues, Corporate Conclaves, and various exhibitions on clean and green technologies.
- India’s non-fossil energy capacity will reach 500GW by 2030, meeting 50% of the country’s energy requirements by then.
- India will reduce its total projected carbon emissions by one billion tonnes by 2030, reduce the carbon intensity of its economy by 45% by 2030, over 2005 levels, and achieve net-zero emissions by 2070.
- Through Ujjwala Yojana, more than 90 million households have been provided access to clean cooking fuel.
- Under the PM-KUSUM scheme, we have taken renewable energy to the farmers.
- India’s LED bulb distribution scheme, that has been running for over seven years, and has helped save more than 220 billion units of electricity, and reduced 180 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year.
- Bringing e-vehicles to the mainstream through FAME Scheme.
- India is a mega-diverse country. With 2.4% of the world’s land area, it accounts for nearly 8% of the world’s species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has recently recognised India’s efforts. The Aravali Biodiversity Park in Gurugram was recognised an “other effective area-based conservation measures (OECM) site” for effective conservation of biodiversity by IUCN.
- As part of its efforts to combat the climate crisis, India has initiated the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) which aims to build strong infrastructure in areas prone to frequent natural disasters. On the side-lines of CoP26, India also launched an initiative called “Infrastructure for Resilient Island States” for vulnerable island nations.
- To these two initiatives, there is an addition of LIFE – Lifestyle for Environment. LIFE is about making lifestyle choices to improve our planet. LIFE will be a coalition of like-minded people across the world who will promote sustainable lifestyles. Calling them 3Ps – Pro Planet People. “This global movement of Pro Planet People (3-Ps) is the Coalition for LIFE.” These three global coalitions will form the trinity of our environmental efforts for improving the global commons.
Highlights of Research
- When sunlight shines on spilled oil in the sea, it can kick off a chain of chemical reactions, transforming the oil into new compounds.
- Some of these reactions can increase how easily the oil dissolves in water, called photo dissolution. But there has been little data on how much of the oil becomes water-soluble.
- The most important factors in photo dissolution, the researchers found, were the thickness of the slick and the wavelengths of light.
- Longer wavelengths (toward the red end of the spectrum) dissolved less oil, possibly because they are more easily scattered by water, than shorter wavelengths.
- The researchers estimate irradiation helped dissolve from 3 to 17 percent of surface oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill, comparable to processes such as evaporation and stranding on coastlines.
- Oil spills leakage of petroleum onto the surface of a large body of water.
- Oceanic oil spills became a major environmental problem in the 1960s, chiefly as a result of intensified petroleum exploration and production on continental shelves and the use of supertankers capable of transporting more than 500,000 metric tons of oil.
- The unintentional or negligent release of used gasoline solvents and crankcase lubricants by industries and individuals greatly aggravates the overall environmental problem.
- Combined with natural seepage from the ocean floor, these sources add oil to the world’s waterways at the rate of 3.5 million to 6 million metric tons a year.
- Oil on ocean surfaces is harmful to many forms of aquatic life because it prevents sufficient amounts of sunlight from penetrating the surface, and it also reduces the level of dissolved oxygen.
- Crude oil ruins the insulating and waterproofing properties of feathers and fur, and thus oil-coated birds and marine mammals may die from hypothermia.
- Ingested oil can be toxic to affected animals, and damage to their habitat and reproductive rate may slow the long-term recovery of animal populations from the short-term damage caused by the spill itself.
- Damage to plant life can be considerable as well; saltwater marshes and mangroves are two notable shore ecosystems that frequently suffer from oil spills.
- If beaches and populated shorelines are fouled, tourism and commerce may be severely affected, as may power plants and other utilities that either draw on or discharge into seawater at the shore.
- One of the industries most affected by oil spills is fishing. Major oil spills are frequently followed by the immediate suspension of commercial fishing, at the least to prevent damage to vessels and equipment but also to prevent the catch and sale of fish or shellfish that may be contaminated.
- Sorbents are materials that soak up liquids by either absorption (pulling in through pores) or adsorption (forming a layer on the surface). Both these properties make the process of clean-up much easier. Materials commonly used as oil sorbents are hay, peat moss, straw or vermiculite.
- The oil can be recovered, and this prevents waste and further pollution.
- Sorbents, after absorption, become heavier (3 to 15 times their weight), and as a result, they may sink, making them difficult to retrieve and pose a risk to aquatic life in the sea bottom.
- They are most effective in small spills or to manage the leftover traces of a larger spill.
- In this method, the oil floating on the surface is ignited to burn it off. This in-situ burning of oil can effectively remove up to 98% of an oil spill, which is more than most other methods.
- According to Obi et al. (2008), “The minimum concentration (thickness) of the slick on the water surface for any measurable effectiveness of in-situ burning is 3mm. This is because it would be tough (and even nearly impossible) to ignite a layer that is not thick enough.
- The toxic fumes released from the burning can cause significant damage to the environment and marine life.
- The procedure works on relatively fresh spills before the oil spreads to a larger area and decreases in thickness.
- Bioremediation refers to the use of specific microorganisms to remove any toxic or harmful substances. For example, various bacteria, fungi, archaea, and algae degrade petroleum products by metabolizing and breaking them into simpler and non-toxic molecules (mostly fatty acids and carbon dioxide). Sometimes, reagents and fertilizers may be added to the area.
- These phosphorus-based and nitrogen-based fertilizers provide adequate nutrients for the microbes to grow and multiply quickly.
- This process is generally not used when the spill has happened in the deep seas and is gradually implemented once the oil approaches the shoreline.
- It is a time-taking procedure and may even take years, so quicker solutions like using booms and skimmers or sorbents may be used if any urgent action is required.
- The fertilizers have an equally high chance of aiding the growth of unwanted algae, which consumes much of the available oxygen and cuts off sunlight from going to the deeper water levels. This can negatively impact marine life and prove to be counter-productive.
- The simplest method of dealing with the oil spill clean-up operation is to use the vagaries of nature like the sun, the wind, the weather, tides, or naturally occurring microbes. It is used in certain cases when the shoreline is too remote or inaccessible, or the environmental impact of cleaning up a spill could potentially far outweigh the benefits.
- Due to the constancy of these elements, the oil generally evaporates or is broken down into simpler components.
- It is one of the most cost-effective methods.
- It is a highly time consuming and unreliable process and thus needs constant and close monitoring. It should not be confused with ‘sitting down and doing nothing.
- A pivotal factor in cleaning up an oil spill is the location where it has happened. Most oil spills take place far out in the sea, so they are generally left to decompose in the environment naturally. However, as they get closer to the shores, we gradually begin to treat them.
- The treatments follow a general rule: (All distances measured from the shoreline)
- 200 nautical miles and beyond – No treatment is used unless the case is very severe.
- Between 20 and 200 nautical miles, booms and skimmers may be used.
- Between 20 and 10 nautical miles, dispersants are used.
- For areas very close to the shoreline, biological agents are used.
- Recently, the Indian government referred the Biological Diversity Act Amendment Bill (2021) to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC). The Bill was developed to amend certain provisions of the Biological Diversity Act (2002). India was one of the earliest countries to have a biodiversity legislation.
Significance of amendment:
- To reduce the pressure on wild medicinal plants by encouraging the cultivation of medicinal plants, that is, ex-situ conservation of medicinal plants, increasing the farming of medicinal plants, increasing the scope of the AYUSH system.
- Facilitating fast-tracking of research patent application process, transfer of research results by utilizing the biological research resources available in India, without compromising the objectives of the Nagoya Protocol.
- It allows people practicing traditional Indian systems of medicine – vaids, hakims, registered AYUSH practitioners, companies making medicinal products – to continue their business without needing to take permission from the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA)for the use of biological resources.
- The Biological Diversity Act had created a three-tier structure:
- the NBA;
- 29 State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs); and
- more than 250,000 Biodiversity Management Committees (BMC) set up at local self-governing bodies, i.e., gram panchayats and giants and urban panchayats.
- The amendment Bill enables state governments to constitute intermediate level biodiversity management committees at the district level.
- One of the provisions in the amendment is that if a seed company or a farmers’ group has an approval or a right granted under the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Act, 2001 (PPVFR Act), then similar permissions are not needed under the Biodiversity Act.
- The PPVFR Act gives intellectual property protection for seed companies for the seeds they have developed, and also gives rights to farmers for their traditionally conserved varieties.
- Foreign companies might come to India and gain access to biological material or associated traditional knowledge, and then patent them, effectively locking them away under intellectual property products. This was the time of the turmeric patent controversy.
- The bill also exempts cultivated medicinal plants from the purview of the Act. However, it is practically impossible to detect which plants are cultivated and which are from the wild.
- Corporate or foreign interests could use the loophole of permissions given to traditional medicine and use it for commercial purposes, without sharing benefits with the conservers of biodiversity.
- The main focus of the bill is to facilitate trade in biodiversity as opposed to conservation, protection of biodiversity and knowledge of the local communities.
- It is umbrella legislation in that it protects India’s natural resources, flora and fauna, and the traditional knowledge associated with them.
- It is designed for conservation, sustainable use and equitable sharing of benefits.
- The Act also created the three-tier mechanism in the national biodiversity authority, state biodiversity boards and local panchayat-level biodiversity management committees. This structure was put in place to give value to India’s biological diversity and the associated traditional knowledge.
- It facilitates fast-tracking of research, simplifies the patent application process, and decriminalizes certain offences.
- This bill would have been an important opportunity to reconcile the domestic law with free prior informed consent requirements of the 2010 Nagoya Protocol on ABS. However, this has been a missed opportunity as the proposed amendments continue to marginalize biodiversity management committees (BMCs). Their powers have not been enhanced, and the proposed amendments also allow for state biodiversity boards to represent BMCs to determine terms of benefit sharing.
- It provides for the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, the fair and equitable distribution of benefits arising from the usage of biological resources, and related matters.
- The Act refers to the Convention on Biological Diversity, adopted by the United Nations in 1992, which India is a signatory to.
- Without the approval of the National Biodiversity Authority, no organization or person – an Indian citizen or otherwise – shall obtain any biological resource occurring in India, or any associated knowledge for research or commercial utilization.
- If the central government believes that an area rich in biological diversity and resources is being threatened by overuse, abuse or neglect, it shall issue directives to the concerned state government to take immediate measures to tackle this.
- The central government may notify areas as biological diversity sites; recognize any species on the brink of extinction as threatened; designate repositories for different categories of biological resources; and exempt biological resources from falling under the provisions of this Act.
- Nagoya Protocol is formally known as The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization (ABS) to the Convention on Biological Diversity.
- It is a supplementary agreement to the Convention on Biological Diversity. The Nagoya Protocol on ABS was adopted on 29 October 2010 in Nagoya, Japan and entered into force on 12 October 2014.
- The Nagoya Protocol also covers traditional knowledge (TK) associated with genetic resources that are covered by the CBD and the benefits arising from its utilization.
- Under the Convention of Biological Diversity, and the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing to which India is a party, it is mandated that benefits derived from the use of biological resources should be shared in a fair and equitable manner among the indigenous and local communities.
- When an Indian or foreign company or individual accesses biological resources such as medicinal plants and associated knowledge, it has to take prior consent from the national biodiversity board.
- The board can impose a benefit-sharing fee or royalty or impose conditions so that the company shares the monetary benefit from commercial utilization of these resources with local people who are conserving biodiversity in the region.
- Kan, Jungle and Soppinabetta are patches of minor evergreen forests in the Western Ghat region of Karnataka. Kumki constitutes government lands which are adjacent to agricultural lands.
Deemed Forests
- While the concept of deemed forests has not been clearly defined in any law including the Forest Conservation Act of 1980, the Supreme Court in the case of T N Godavarman Thirumalpad (1996) accepted a wide definition of forests under the Act.
- “The word ‘forest’ must be understood according to its dictionary meaning. This description covers all statutorily recognised forests, whether designated as reserved, protected or otherwise for the purpose of Section 2 (1) of the Forest Conservation Act,” the Supreme Court said in its 1996 order.
- “The term ‘forest land’ occurring in Section 2 will not only include ‘forest’ as understood in the dictionary sense, but also any areas recorded as forest in the government record irrespective of the ownership.
- Those lands which had 50 naturally grown trees per hectare will be considered as deemed forest.
- Karnataka ranks fourth among the top five states in terms of increase in forest cover, starting with Andhra Pradesh (647 sq.km), Telangana (632 sq.km), Odisha (537 sq.km), Karnataka (155 sq.km) and Jharkhand (110 sq.km).
- Karnataka’s forest area is about 22.61 per cent of the state’s geographical area.
- The recorded forest area of Karnataka is 43,356.47 sq.km, as per the annual report of the state’s Forest Department for the year 2014-15.
- Based on satellite data, the report puts Karnataka's total forest cover at 38,730 sq.km compared to 38,575 sq.km during the previous survey period, with a growth of 0.4%. Comparatively, India's total forest cover is 7.13 lakh sq.km having recorded a 0.2% (1,540 sq.km) jump from 7.12 lakh sq.km previously.
- The Western Ghats are internationally recognized as a region of immense global importance for the conservation of biological diversity, besides containing areas of high geological, cultural and aesthetic values.
- A chain of mountains running parallel to India’s western coast, approximately 30-50 km inland, the Ghats traverse the States of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat.
- These mountains cover an area of around 140,000 km² in a 1,600 km long stretch that is interrupted only by the 30 km Palghat Gap at around 11°N.
- Older than the Himalaya mountains, the mountain chain of the Western Ghats represents geomorphic features of immense importance with unique biophysical and ecological processes.
- The site’s high montane forest ecosystems influence the Indian monsoon weather pattern. Moderating the tropical climate of the region, the site presents one of the best examples of the monsoon system on the planet.
- It also has an exceptionally high level of biological diversity and endemism and is recognized as one of the world’s eight ‘hottest hotspots’ of biological diversity.
- The forests of the site include some of the best representatives of non-equatorial tropical evergreen forests anywhere and are home to at least 325 globally threatened flora, fauna, bird, amphibian, reptile and fish species.
- Chamba, an Aspirational District of Himachal Pradesh has become the 100th ‘Har Ghar Jal’ District. Chamba is the fifth aspirational district to become ‘Har Ghar Jal’. Other four Har Ghar Jal Aspirational districts are: Bhadradri Kothgudem, Jayashankar Bhupalpalli, Komram Bheem Asifabad (all in Telangana) and Mewat in Haryana.
Jal Jeevan Mission
- JJM aims to ensure assured tap water supply or ‘Har Ghar Jal’ to all rural households by 2024.
- Every rural household has drinking water supply in adequate quantity of prescribed quality on regular and long-term basis at affordable service delivery charges leading to improvement in living standards of rural communities.
- It comes under Jal Shakti Ministry.
- Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, quality-affected villages, Aspirational districts, SC/ST majority villages, water-scarce areas and Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojna (SAGY) villages are prioritized for providing tap water supply.
- In a paradigm shift from earlier water supply programmes, Jal Jeevan Mission focuses on water service delivery and not just building water supply infrastructure.
- The motto of the Jal Jeevan Mission is ‘no one is left out’, thus ensuring every household irrespective of its socio-economic status, gets tap water supply.
- Jal Jeevan Mission strives for the freedom of mothers and sisters from centuries old drudgery of fetching water for household, and improving their health, education and socio- economic condition. The Mission is bringing ‘ease of living and adding pride and dignity to rural families.
- The Central Government has asked the States to ensure provision of clean tap water supply in the remaining schools and anganwadi centers at the earliest to ensure better health, improved sanitation and hygiene for children.
- Jal Jeevan Mission is a ‘bottom up’ approach where community plays a vital role from planning to implementation, management, operation and maintenance.
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- To achieve this, Village Water & Sanitation Committee (VWSC)/ Pani Samiti are being constituted and strengthened; Village Action Plan are developed through community engagement; Implementation Support Agencies (ISAs) are engaged to support village communities in programme implementation and create awareness among people.
- Jal Jeevan Mission, has provided tap water supply to more than 5.78 Crore rural households.
- As a result, today 100 districts in the country are enjoying the benefits of clean tap water supply and Jal Jeevan Mission is on track to fulfil the Government’s resolve to provide tap water supply to every rural household by 2024.
- In Goa, Haryana, Telangana, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Puducherry, Dadar & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, every rural household has tap water supply.
- Many more States like Punjab (99%), Himachal Pradesh (92.5%), Gujarat (92%) and Bihar (90%) are on the verge of becoming ‘Har Ghar Jal’ in 2022.
About RUSA
- Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) is an overarching scheme, operating in mission mode for funding the state government universities and colleges to achieve the aims of equity, access and excellence and exploration.
- RUSA understands that sometimes the most important lessons of life are learnt outside the classroom. So, whether it is upgrading libraries or computer laboratories, promoting autonomous colleges or clubbing them to consolidate their strength and forming cluster universities, this programme realizes that every institution holds the power to enrich lives through top-class education.
- New phase of RUSA targets to reach out the unserved, underserved areas; remote/ rural areas; difficult geographies; LWE areas; NER; aspirational districts, tier-2 cities, areas with low GER etc., and to benefit the most disadvantaged areas and SEDGs.
- The new phase of the scheme has been designed to implement some of the recommendations and aims of the New Education Policy, which suggests some key changes to the current higher education system to revamp and re-energize it and thereby deliver quality higher education, with equity and inclusion.
- Under the new phase of the scheme, State Governments will be supported for Gender inclusion, Equity Initiatives, ICT, Enhancing employability through vocationalisation & skill upgradation.
- States will also be supported for the creation of new Model Degree Colleges. State Universities will be supported for Multi-Disciplinary Education and Research.
- Grants will be provided for strengthening both accredited and non-accredited Universities and Colleges for undertaking various activities including teaching-learning in Indian languages.
- A person with a degree is expected to be awarded a better salary. Educated people benefit from multiple resources such as health and life insurance. In the bigger picture, higher education brings monetary benefits.
- The jobs are changing and so are the educational needs. Students with an advanced understanding of artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques shall be in huge demand in the upcoming years. Therefore, it is critical to invest in higher education and achieve the required skills.
- Higher education can be seen as a personality development tool. During the studies, the students are shifted to their non-comfort zone. This zone teaches them to engage in critical thinking and work out on problems. These improved skills in thoughts and logic make them better people with the ability to solve real-life crises.
- Having highly qualified professors, well-built infrastructure, books, libraries, access to computer systems, and similar other educational needs are compulsory for quality assurance. The higher studies should also offer lessons on morality, ethics, good conduct, behaviour, coexistence, and more.
- Prime Minister recently launched the Swachh Bharat Mission Urban 2.0, with the overall vision of creating “Garbage Free Cities”. The Mission is being implemented under the overarching principles of “waste to wealth”, and “circular economy” for maximising resource recovery – both of which are exemplified in the Indore Bio-CNG plant.
Gobar-Dhan (Bio-CNG) Plant
- The plant has a capacity to treat 550 tonnes per day of segregated wet organic waste. It is expected to produce around 17,000 kg per day of CNG, and 100 tonnes per day of organic compost.
- The plant is based on zero landfill models, whereby no rejects would be generated. Additionally, the project is expected to yield multiple environmental benefits, viz. reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, providing green energy along with organic compost as fertilizer.
- Indore Clean Energy Pvt Ltd, a Special Purpose Vehicle created to implement the project, was set up by Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) and Indo Enviro Integrated Solutions Ltd. (IEISL) under a Public Private Partnership model, with 100% capital investment of ?150 crores by IEISL.
- Indore Municipal Corporation will purchase a minimum 50% of CNG produced by the plant and in a first-of-its kind initiative, run 400 city buses on the CNG. The balance quantity of CNG will be sold in the open market. Organic compost will help replace chemical fertilizers for agricultural and horticultural purposes.
- Municipal solid waste (MSW) is defined as waste collected by the municipality or disposed of at the municipal waste disposal site and includes residential, industrial, institutional, commercial, municipal, and construction and demolition waste.
- With rising urbanization and change in lifestyle and food habits, the amount of municipal solid waste has been increasing rapidly and its composition changing.
- Organizing house-to-house collection of municipal solid wastes through any of the methods, like community bin collection (central bin), house-to-house collection, collection on regular pre-informed timings and scheduling by using musical bell of the vehicle.
- Waste from slaughter houses, meat and fish markets, fruits and vegetable markets, which are biodegradable in nature, shall be managed to make use of such wastes.
- Construction or demolition wastes or debris shall be separately collected and disposed off following proper norms.
- Storage facilities shall be created and established by taking into account quantities of waste generation in a given area and the population densities. A storage facility shall be so placed that it is accessible to users.
- Storage facilities or ‘bins’ shall have ‘easy to operate’ design for handling, transfer and transportation of waste. Bins for storage of bio-degradable wastes shall be painted green, those for storage of recyclable wastes shall be painted white and those for storage of other wastes shall be painted black.
- Manual handling of waste shall be prohibited. If unavoidable due to constraints, manual handling shall be carried out under proper precaution with due care for the safety of workers.
- The biodegradable wastes shall be processed by composting, vermicomposting, anaerobic digestion or any other appropriate biological processing for stabilization of wastes.
- Mixed waste containing recoverable resources shall follow the route of recycling.
- Incineration with or without energy recovery can also be used for processing waste in specific cases.
- Landfills are generally located in urban areas. It is a pit that is dug in the ground. The garbage is dumped and the pit is covered with soil every day thus preventing the breeding of flies and rats. Thus, every day, garbage is dumped and sealed. After the landfill is full, the area is covered with a thick layer of mud and the site can thereafter be developed as a parking lot or a park.
- It is a process of combustion in absence of oxygen or the material burnt under controlled atmosphere of oxygen. It is an alternative to incineration. The gas and liquid thus obtained can be used as fuels.
- Pyrolysis of carbonaceous wastes like firewood, coconut, palm waste, corn combs, cashew shell, rice husk paddy straw and saw dust, yields charcoal along with products like tar, methyl alcohol, acetic acid, acetone and a fuel gas.
- Composting is a biological process in which micro-organisms, mainly fungi and bacteria, decompose degradable organic waste into humus like substance in the presence of oxygen.
- It is also known as earthworm farming. In this method, Earth worms are added to the compost. These worms break the waste and the added excreta of the worms makes the compost very rich in nutrients.
- Say no to all plastic bags as far as possible.
- Segregate the waste in the house – keep two garbage bins and see to it that the biodegradable and the non-biodegradable is put into separate bins and disposed of separately.
- Community storage/collection of waste mechanisms to be made available in flats, multi-storied buildings, societies, commercial complexes, etc.
- Pay adequately for the services provided.
- Create awareness among your community.
- Over 36 crore farmer applications have been insured under PMFBY, with over INR 1,07,059 crores of claims have already been paid under the scheme as of 4th February, 2022.
Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)
- A flagship scheme of the Government of India, PMFBY aims to provide financial support to farmers suffering crop loss/damage arising out of natural calamities. Launched 6 years ago, the scheme was revamped in 2020 enabling voluntary participation of the farmers.
- It also made it convenient for the farmer to report crop loss within 72 hours of the occurrence of any event - through Crop Insurance App, CSC Centre or the nearest agriculture officer, with claim benefit transferred electronically into the bank accounts of the eligible farmer.
- Integration of land records with the PMFBY’s National Crop Insurance Portal (NCIP), Crop Insurance mobile app for easy enrolment of farmers, remittance of farmer premium through NCIP, a subsidy release module and a claim release module through NCIP are some of the key features of the scheme.
- Through its State/District Level Grievance Committee’s, the scheme also enables farmers to submit their grievances at the grassroots level.
- This also includes acknowledging and resolving farmer grievances through IEC activities such as Crop Insurance Week which is celebrated twice bi-yearly, PMFBY Paathshaala, social media campaigns, a toll-free helpline and email communication.
- The scheme has been able to provide financial assistance to the most vulnerable farmers, as around 85% of the farmers enrolled with the scheme are small and marginal farmers.
- The recent announcement by Finance Minister of India Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman during her 2022-23 budget speech on theuse of drones for crop insurance will further strengthen the integration of technology for smooth implementation of the scheme on the ground.
- Actuarial/bidded premium but uniform maximum premium of only2%, 1.5% and 5% to be paid by farmers for all Kharif crops, Rabi Crops and Commercial/ horticultural crops respectively. Premium over and above these limits is shared by the Central and State Governments on 50: 50 bases except in North Eastern Region where it is 90: 10.
- Yield Losses (standing crops, on notified area basis). Comprehensive risk insurance is provided to cover yield losses due to non-preventable risks, such as Natural Fire and Lightning, Storm, Hailstorm, Cyclone, Typhoon, Tempest, Hurricane, Tornado. Risks due to Flood, Inundation and Landslide, Drought, Dry spells, Pests/ Diseases also will be covered.
- In post-harvest losses, coverage will be available up to a maximum period of 14 days from harvesting for those crops which are kept in “cut & spread” condition to dry in the field.
- For certain localized problems, Loss / damage resulting from occurrence of identified localized risks like hailstorm, landslide, and Inundation affecting isolated farms in the notified area would also be covered.
- It is to be noted that the scheme will be launching a doorstep distribution drive to deliver crop insurance policies to the farmers ‘Meri Policy Mere Hath’ in all implementing States.
- The campaign aims to ensure all farmers are well aware and equipped with all information on their policies, land records, the process of claim and grievance redressal under PMFBY.
REWARD Project
- The Department of Land Resources, Government of India has initiated a World Bank supported multistate project namely Rejuvenating Watershed for Agricultural Resilience through Innovative Development (REWARD).
- It is expected to positively influence by promoting resource efficient growth in selected watersheds, investing in human capital at State and National levels, and developing networks of scientific and technical partners.
- The project will enhance productivity and net income of farmers and contribute significantly to Lighthouse India by implementing new science and data-driven approaches for climate resilient watershed management, land resource inventory, land use planning, and precision farming in a range of agro-ecological conditions in participating states.
- The project will directly address key strategic actions around agricultural and rural development, including doubling farmers’ incomes, more crop per drop, water to every plot, soil health, and promotion of entrepreneurship through technical and financial support for better delivery and impacts through improved planning approaches, capacity building, coordination and convergence, and supportive research and development.
- The Government of India has committed to restoring 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030 and doubling farmers’ income by 2023.
- The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) financing will support Karnataka with $60 million (INR 453.5 crore), Odisha with $49 million (INR 370 crore), and the remaining $6 million (INR 45.5 crore) will be for the central government’s Department of Land Resources. The $115 million (INR 869 crore) loan has a maturity of 15 years, including a grace period of 4.5 years.
- Effective watershed management can help enhance livelihoods in rainfed areas, while building a more resilient food system.
- In this context, the new program will help the participating state governments in their efforts to transform watershed planning and execution and adopt science-based planning that could be replicated across the country.
- While a robust institutional architecture for watershed development already exists in India, renewed focus on science-based, data-driven approaches implemented through this project can offer new opportunities for farmers in the face of climate change.
- India has one of the largest watershed management programs in the world. This programme will further advance this progress by developing and applying comprehensive spatial data and technologies, decision support tools, and knowledge exchanges.
- The outcomes are prevention of soil run-off, regeneration of natural vegetation, rain water harvesting and recharging of the ground water table. This enables multi-cropping and the introduction of diverse agro-based activities, which help to provide sustainable livelihoods to the people residing in the watershed area.
Saltwater Crocodile
- The saltwater is the largest of the 23 species of ‘extant’ or living crocodilians. This includes ‘true crocodiles’, alligators and caimans.
- The ‘saltie’ is today found in three locations in India — the Sundarbans, Bhitarkanika National Park and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- It is one of the three crocodilians native to the Indian Subcontinent, along with the mugger crocodile (Crocodylus palustris) and the gharial (Gavialis gangeticus).
- It is also found in Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Australia and the Solomon Islands.
- The estuarine crocodile is infamous globally as a known
- Illegal hunting, habitat loss, and antipathy toward the species because of its reputation as a man-eater continue to put pressure on the population.
- The saltie is also called the ‘estuarine crocodile’ and as the name suggests, is typically found in the brackish water of estuaries. It can also tolerate saltwater in the oceans and can travel long distances over the open ocean, making use of tidal currents.
- During antiquity the species’ range extended from the Seychelles and Kerala, India in the west through to south-eastern China, Palau and Vanuatu in the east. Today, the species is extinct in many of these areas, as well as from most of mainland Southeast Asia.
- IUCN List of Threatened Species: Least Concern
- CITES: Appendix I (except the populations of Australia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, which are included in Appendix II).
- Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I
- Restricted to the Indian subcontinent, Mugger or Marsh crocodiles are generally found in freshwater habitats including lakes, marshes and rivers. They may also be found in coastal saltwater lagoons and estuaries.
- They are an egg-laying and hole-nesting species.
- It preys on fish, reptiles, birds and mammals.
- The main cause of their vulnerable status is habitat destruction, fragmentation, and transformation, fishing activities and use of crocodile parts for medicinal purposes.
- This species of crocodile is already extinct in Myanmar and Bhutan.
- IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
- CITES: Appendix I
- Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I
- They have long and thin snouts which resemble an earthen pot and thus, are called gharial.
- It currently inhabits rivers in the plains of the northern part of the Indian subcontinent.
- The Chambal River on the northern slopes of the Vindhya mountains is known as the primary habitat of gharials.
- The main causes of decline in population include illegal sand mining, poaching, habitat destruction, floods and massive scale fishing operations.
- IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
- CITES: Appendix I
- Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I
- The Crocodile Conservation Project was launched in 1975 in different States.
- The Gharial and Saltwater crocodile conservation programme was first implemented in Odisha in early 1975 and subsequently the Mugger conservation programme was initiated.
- As a result of the programme, the estimated number of the saltwater crocodiles increased from 96 in 1976 to 1,640 in 2012 in India.
- There is a need to utilize manpower, modern technology and funds to conduct a proper survey to find the real time status of the crocodile population in the country. It can be done through geo-tagging the animals so that their movements can be monitored to prevent human-crocodiles' conflicts. Protection of such species is very important for maintaining biodiversity and climate change reduction.
- The Supreme Court had reprimanded the state government for affecting recoveries in violation of its judgments in Kodungallur Film Society (2018).
Due Process of Law
- The due process requires that legal matters be resolved according to established rules and principles and that individuals be treated fairly.
- The origin of due process is often attributed to the Magna Carta, a 13th-century document that outlined the relationship between the English monarchy, the Church, and feudal barons.
- In the U.S. due process is outlined in both the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments.
- The Sixth Amendment adds due process protections to criminal defendants.
- One example of the due process is the use of eminent domain.
- The due process of law doctrine not only checks if there is a law to deprive the life and personal liberty of a person but also sees if the law made is fair, just and not arbitrary.
- If SC finds that any law as not fair, it will declare it as null and void. This doctrine provides for more fair treatment of individual rights.
- Under due course, it is the legal requirement that the state must respect all of the legal rights that are owed to a person and laws that states enact must conform to the laws of the land like – fairness, fundamental rights, liberty etc. It also gives the judiciary to access fundamental fairness, justice, and liberty of any legislation.
- In India, a liberal interpretation is made by the judiciary after 1978 and it has tried to make the term ‘Procedure established by law’ as synonymous with ‘Due process’ when it comes to protecting individual rights.
- In Maneka Gandhi vs Union of India case (1978) SC held that – ‘procedure established by law’ within the meaning of Article 21 must be ‘right and just and fair’ and ‘not arbitrary, fanciful or oppressive’ otherwise, it would be no procedure at all and the requirement of Article 21 would not be satisfied. Thus, the ‘procedure established by law’ has acquired the same significance in India as the ‘due process of law’ clause in America.
- It means that a law that is duly enacted by the legislature or the concerned body is valid if it has followed the correct procedure.Following this doctrine means that, a person can be deprived of his life or personal liberty according to the procedure established by law.
- So, if Parliament passes a law, then the life or personal liberty of a person can be taken off according to the provisions and procedures of that law.
- This doctrine has a major flaw. It does not seek whether the laws made by Parliament is fair, just and not arbitrary.
- “Procedure established by law” means a law duly enacted is valid even if it’s contrary to principles of justice and equity.
- The strict following of the procedure established by law may raise the risk of compromise to life and personal liberty of individuals due to unjust laws made by the law-making authorities. It is to avoid this situation; SC stressed the importance of the due process of law.
POSTED ON 23-02-2022 BY ADMIN
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