aditya
21:01
Yojana Magazine June 2022 ( English ) PDF
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Monday, June 13, 2022
The HINDU Notes – 13th June 2022
aditya
20:34
📰 ‘Abnormal’ dinosaur egg found in India
Discovery of ‘egg-in-egg’ leads to new link of reptilian and avian evolution
•A team of researchers from the University of Delhi has discovered a unique set of fossilised dinosaur eggs, with one egg nesting within the other.
•While eggs-within-eggs are a rare phenomenon, they are so far known to occur only in birds and never known in reptiles. This discovery brings out newer connections between reptilian and avian evolution.
•The findings, published in the journal Scientific Reports, talk about the “egg-in-egg” phenomenon in a titanosaurid dinosaur egg found at Bagh in Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar district .
•Dinosaurs of the Sauropod family were among the largest land animals that ever lived and widespread millions of years ago in the territory that is now India. Fossils of these animals have been found in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Meghalaya.
52 nests documented
•The Upper Cretaceous Lameta Formation of Central India is long known for its dinosaur fossils (both skeletal and egg remains), and scientists, some of whom were involved in the team reporting the latest findings, documented 52 titanosaurid sauropod nests near Padlya village close to Bagh town in Madhya Pradesh. One of these nests had 10 eggs, one of which was the “abnormal” egg.
•The egg has two continuous and circular eggshell layers separated by a wide gap like that observed in birds. Until this discovery, no egg-in-egg fossil egg was found in dinosaurs and other reptiles such as turtles, lizards and crocodiles.
•It was believed that dinosaurs had a reproductive function similar to that of turtles and other reptiles (unsegmented oviduct) in contrast to segmented reproductive tract of crocodiles and birds with separate regions of membrane and shell deposition.
Sequential laying of eggs
•Though crocodiles have separate regions of shell membrane and mineralised shell deposition, they ovulate and release all the eggs simultaneously like turtles and other reptiles. In birds, ovulation is sequenced and eggs are laid one at a time.
•“The new discovery of an ovum-in-ovo egg, which is characteristic of birds, in titanosaurids argues for a segmented oviduct like in crocodiles and birds, and possible sequential laying of eggs like in birds,” the authors note.
📰 The FATF and Pakistan’s position on its ‘grey list’
Sunday, June 12, 2022
The HINDU Notes – 11th June 2022
aditya
08:40
📰 India is not the fastest growing big economy
A closer look at recent data on GDP shows that the numbers are flawed and recovery is incomplete
•The Provisional Estimates of Annual National Income in 2021-22 just released show that GDP grew 8.7% in real terms and 19.5% in nominal terms (including inflation). It makes India the fastest growing major economy in the world. Further, the real economy is 1.51% larger than it was in 2019-20, just before the novel coronavirus pandemic hit the world. In nominal terms it is higher by 17.9%. These numbers imply that the rate of inflation was 10.8% in 2021-22 and 16.4% between the two years, 2019-20 and 2021-22.
Quarterly growth rates
•This picture implies almost no growth and high inflation since the pre-pandemic year. So, the tag of the fastest growing economy means little. If an economy drops sharply and then rises equally fast to reach its earlier level, that cannot be taken as an indication of a rapidly growing economy.
•The quarter to quarter growth currently may give some indication of the present rate of growth. In 2020-21, the quarterly rate of growth increased through the year. In 2021-22, the rate of growth has been slowing down. Of course in 2020-21, the COVID-19 lockdown had a severe impact in Q1 (-23.8%); after that the rate of growth picked up. In 2021-22, the rate of growth in Q1 had to sharply rise (20.3%). Ignoring the outliers in Q1, growth rates in 2021-22 have sequentially petered out in subsequent quarters: 8.4%, 5.4% and 4.1%. True, the last quarter (January-March 2022) data was impacted by the Omicron-related lockdowns in January and February. It was further impacted in March by the supply disruptions following the war in Ukraine and the severe COVID-19 lockdown in China. Going forward, while the lockdown in China is over, the war-related impact is likely to persist since there is no end in sight. Thus, price rise and impact on production are likely to persist. The rapid rise in prices will impact demand from the vast majority of citizens who are losing out. That will reduce growth further.
Data as the problem
•More worryingly, the issue is about correctness of data. The annual estimates given now are provisional since complete data are not available for 2021-22. They may be better than the second advance estimates released three months ago as more data become available. There is a greater problem with quarterly estimates since very limited data are available for estimating it. So, the data for the fourth quarter of 2021-22 released now is even more problematic
•The first issue is that during 2020-21, due to the pandemic, full data could not be collected for Q1. Further, for agriculture, quarterly data assumes that the targets are achieved. But in Q1, a lot of fruits, vegetables, flowers, milk and poultry products could not come to the market, and rotted and wasted. This is more than 50% of the agriculture output. Thus, the growth rate of agriculture was certainly less than the official figure of 3%.
•Agriculture is a part of the unorganised sector. Very little data are available for it but for agriculture — neither for the quarter nor for the year. It is simply assumed that the limited data available for the organised sector can be used to act as a proxy. In other words the non-agriculture unorganised sector is represented by the organised sector. The data for the full organised sector are also not available so ‘high frequency’ data (listed in the press note) are used. For instance, Goods and Services Tax (GST) collection data are used. But, it is well known that GST is collected almost entirely from the organised sector. In brief: very little data are available for quarterly estimates; and even less is available for the unorganised sector. Since the same method is used to estimate the annual growth rate the errors get repeated.
Errors in total, components
•If better data became available after the shock of the lockdown, and it got used, there should be substantial revision in the previous year’s quarterly data. But if one compares the Q1 2020-21 data in the latest release with the data released in May 2021, the change is 0.3%. Does this imply that the high frequency data used is very well able to predict quarterly GDP? This is unlikely to be the case when a shock is administered to the economy which changes the parameters of the economy. The data remaining largely unchanged implies that the same error is being carried forward.
•The quarterly data is added up to yield the annual total. If a better method was used to estimate the annual data, it should not equal the sum of the quarterly data which as argued above is estimated on the basis of a limited data set. The implication is that the errors in the quarterly data are repeated in the annual data.
•The method using the organised sector to proxy the unorganised non-agriculture sector may have been acceptable before demonetisation (2016) but is not correct since then. The reason is that the unorganised non-agriculture sector suffered far more than the organised sector and more so during the waves of the pandemic. Large parts of the unorganised non-agriculture sector have experienced a shift in demand to the organised sector since they produce similar things. This introduces large errors in GDP estimates since official agencies do not estimate this shift. All that is known is that the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector has faced closures and failures.
•If GDP data are incorrect, data on its components — private consumption and investment — must also be incorrect. Most often, ratios are applied to the GDP to estimate them. But, if the GDP is in error, then the ratios will yield erroneous results. The other main components — government and external trade — may be assumed to be reasonably accurate even though this data is revised over several years.
•Further, the ratios themselves would have been impacted by the shock of the lockdown and the decline of the unorganised sectors. Additionally, private consumption data is suspect since according to the data given by the Reserve Bank of India which largely captures the organised sector, consumer confidence throughout 2021-22 was way below (not marginally lower) its pre-pandemic level of 104 achieved in January 2020. So, consumption could not have come close to its pre-pandemic level.
•In brief, neither the total nor the ratios are correct. Clearly, consumption and investment figures are over-estimates and very likely because the decline in the unorganised sectors has not been captured.
Possible correction
•In the best possible scenario, let us assume that the organised sector (55% of GDP) and agriculture (14% of GDP) are growing at the official rate of growth of 8.2% and 3%, respectively. Then, they would contribute 4.93% to GDP growth. The non-agriculture unorganised component is declining for two reasons: first, the closure of units and the second the shift in demand to the organised sector. Even if 5% of the units have closed down this year and 5% of the demand has shifted to the organised sector, the unorganised sector would have declined by about 10%; the contribution of this component to GDP growth would be -3.1%.
•Based on the above assumptions, the GDP for 2021-22 would have grown by only 1.8%, and not 8.7%, and it would be less than the pre-pandemic GDP of 2019-20 by 4.92%. Clearly, recovery is incomplete and India is not the fastest growing big economy of the world.
📰 The gulf of sensitivity that India will have to cross
Saturday, June 11, 2022
Friday, June 10, 2022
All details about Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Scheme
aditya
18:41
What is the National Health Protection Scheme?
The National Health Protection scheme is the Ayushman Bharat scheme in India. Under this scheme, the government ensures that it will cover over 10 crores of poor and vulnerable families by providing up to ₹5 lakh for each family per year, with secondary and tertiary hospitalization. The Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection scheme will include the already implemented schemes sponsored by the Centra government, Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY), and the Senior Citizen Health Insurance Scheme (SCHIS). This scheme has an easy and simple registration process and the beneficiaries can easily avail of cashless benefits from any private/government hospital in the nation.
The expenditure will be shared between Central and state governments in a specified ratio which is decided by the ministry of finance. The total expenditure will depend on the states or UTs where the Ayushman Bharat-National health protection scheme is implemented and it also depends on what is the actual market-determined premium paid in those states and UTs. Ayushman Bharat-National health protection scheme aims to provide healthcare facilities to 10.74 crore people living in poverty and people in rural areas with low healthcare facilities.
Features of the Ayushman Bharat scheme
Daily Current Affairs, 10th June 2022
aditya
18:30
1) BIMSTEC celebrates its 25th anniversary
•The Secretariat of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) in Dhaka celebrated the 25th Anniversary of the regional organisation on BIMSTEC Day. The evolution of BIMSTEC over the last 25 years from the signing of the Bangkok Declaration on June 6 in 1996, and highlighted milestones such as the establishment of the Secretariat in Dhaka in 2014 and the signature of the BIMSTEC Charter during the Fifth Summit in Colombo on March 30, 2022.
2) Himachal Pradesh becomes the first Indian state to approve a policy for drones
•The Himachal Pradesh government gave nod to a drone policy as it seeks to enable the use of drones and similar technology for different public services in the hill state. The ‘Himachal Pradesh Drone Policy 2022’ was approved by the chief minister Jai Ram Thakur. The policy envisions creating a holistic drone ecosystem built upon the foundation of Governance and Reforms Using Drones (GARUD). With this new drone policy, Himachal Pradesh has become the first state in the country to formally acknowledge the public use of drones.
3) Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya launched new Logo for ‘Ayurveda Aahar’
•The ‘Ayurveda Aahar’ logo was launched by Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, on the occasion of World Food Safety Day. The Ayurveda Aahar Logo will allow for easy identification. Thus, it will help in creating a unique Identity of ‘Ayurveda Aahar’. The logo will also reinforce the quality of Ayurvedic products. As per the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), Ayurveda Aahar is food prepared in line with the recipes or ingredients or processes given in the authoritative books of Ayurveda.
4) ‘Gaganyaan’ India’s first human space mission scheduled to launch in 2023
•India will attain the unique distinction of launching the first Human Space Mission ‘Gaganyaan’ as well as the first Human Ocean Mission in 2023, according to Space and Earth Sciences Minister Dr Jitendra Singh. Testing for both the Space and Ocean manned missions have evolved to an advanced stage, and that the remarkable accomplishment would be performed in the second half of 2023, while speaking at the World Oceans Day festivities in New Delhi.
5) World’s First ‘Right To Repair’ Law For Digital Electronics Passed by New York Legislature
•New York state legislature is a world first, to pass the law for Digital Electronics. The “right to repair” bill enacted by the requiring digital electronics makers to make parts, tools, information, and software available to customers and independent repair businesses. After government pressure to safeguard customers’ rights to repair and refurbish their purchased products, the “Fair Repair Act” was enacted.
6) Assam celebrates Baikho festival for good harvest and rain
•The Baikho festival is celebrated in the state of Assam, which is called as gateway to northeast India. It is celebrated by Rabha tribes of India. The Baikho festival is celebrated annually. It is celebrated to bring in auspicious harvest season and to fill it with abundant crops and good health. This is a celebration of good harvest. It is an ancient tradition. It is predominantly observed by Rabha Tribe. However, people from other communities also harmonise in the celebrations.
7) Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan released books titled ‘Loktantra ke Swar’ & ‘The Republican Ethic’
•Union Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan along with Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting and Sports Anurag Thakur released books ‘Loktantra ke Swar’ and ‘The Republican Ethic, having selected speeches of the President of India Ram Nath Kovind. This is the fourth volume of the series featuring the fourth year of the presidency of Ram Nath Kovind. The compilation includes speeches on a wide range of subjects. E-books were also released on the occasion.
8) NASA’s DAVINCI Mission is set to launch in 2029
•NASA is set to launch a mission called “DAVINCI Mission”. DAVINCI stands for “Deep Atmosphere Venus Investigation of Noble gases, Chemistry and Imaging Mission”. The mission will fly by Venus and explore its harsh atmosphere in 2029. It will be the first mission to study Venus by means of both flybys and descent. Spacecraft is likely to explore layered Venusian atmosphere. It will reach Venusian surface by June 2031. The mission would capture data about Venus, that scientists are trying to measure since early 1980s.
9) Prasar Bharati CEO Mayank Kumar Agrawal assigned additionally as DD Director
•Mayank Kumar Agrawal, director general of Doordarshan and Doordarshan News, has been assigned additional responsibility as Prasar Bharati’s chief executive officer. Agrawal succeeds Shashi Shekhar Vempati, who served as CEO of the state broadcaster for five years. Following permission from Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur, the decision was made to grant the extra charge to the 1989-batch Indian Information Service official until further orders or regular appointment to the post.
10) AR Rahman appointed ambassador of Indo-UK culture platform
•Music Maestro, AR Rahman has been appointed as ambassador of The Season of Culture, which marks the 75th anniversary of India’s independence. It was officially launched, by Britain’s Deputy High Commissioner to India Jan Thomson and Director (India) of the British Council Barbara Wickham. The Season of Culture aims to strengthen India-UK collaboration in the areas of arts, English and education.
11) India’s Krishna Srinivasan to head IMF’s Asia-Pacific dept
•International Monetary Fund, Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva has announced the appointment of Indian national Krishna Srinivasan as director of the Asia and Pacific Department (APD) from June 22. Srinivasan will succeed Changyong Rhee whose retirement from the Fund was announced on March 23.
Vision IAS Weekly Focus Decoding Democracy from Evolution to Threats to Revival PDF
aditya
18:18
Vision IAS Weekly Focus Decoding Democracy from Evolution to Threats to Revival PDF
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The HINDU Notes – 10th June 2022
aditya
18:04
📰 Rhino reintroduction a hit in Assam reserve
Manas National Park rhinos need translocation support, reveals latest census
•The one-horned rhinos of western Assam’s Manas National Park, bordering Bhutan, are expected to have high life expectancy and significant growth in population, the 14th Assam rhino estimation census has revealed.
•But on the flip side, the 500-sq.-km park does not have “a wider representation of calves and sub-adults” to sustain the population structure unless it is supplemented through conservation translocations.
•Manas, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a tiger reserve, had about 100 resident rhinos prior to 1990, but a prolonged ethno-political conflict thereafter took a heavy toll with extremist groups known to have traded the horns of the herbivores for weapons.
•A rhino reintroduction programme under the Indian Rhino Vision 2020 was started in 2006. This entailed the translocation of rhinos from Kaziranga National Park and Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary besides orphans hand-reared at the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation at Kaziranga. The current rhino population in the park was estimated at 40 after the census on April 1 and 2.
•A detailed census report by Vaibhav C. Mathur, the field director of Manas, said the park’s rhinos have a male-female sex ratio of 1:1, arrived at without considering 10 calves and five sub-adults. But such a population may suffer losses if not supplemented through translocations, the report warned. “A suitable strategy to bring in more rhinos from other rhino-bearing areas is required so as to have a wider representation of calves and sub-adults over time,” the census report said.
Speed limit
•Meanwhile, the Kaziranga National Park authorities have restricted the speed of vehicles on the highway adjoining the park to 40 km per hour. This is an annual step taken to prevent vehicles from hitting animals that move out of the park during floods.
•Officials said six sensor-based cameras have been installed at nine designated animal corridors of the park to measure the speed of vehicles and impose fines on those who violate the order.
•The cameras are equipped with automatic number plate recognising system with radar for determining speed, a divisional forest officer said.
•As per the orders of the National Green Tribunal, owners of vehicles that do not adhere to the speed limit will be penalised.
📰 The Indian patent regime and its clash with the U.S. norms
