ECONOMY

 

1. Coronavirus lockdown | E-commerce firms can’t supply non-essential goods, says government

- The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) clarified that supply of non-essential goods by e-commerce companies will remain prohibited during the lockdown.

- MHA had revised its guidelines issued under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, to allow the States to decide on the additional public activities to be allowed from April 20 in non-hotspot zones.

- The Confederation of All India Traders issued a statement claiming credit for the exclusion of e-commerce companies. Accepting the objection of the CAIT, the MHA excluded the permission granted earlier and now e-commerce can trade only in essential commodities.

About Disaster Management Act, 2005:

- The Disaster Management Act, 2005, (23 December 2005) No. 53 of 2005, was passed by the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Parliament of India on 28 November, and the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Parliament, on 12 December 2005.

- It received the assent of The President of India on 9 January 2006. The Disaster Management Act, 2005 has 11 chapters and 79 sections.

- The Act extends to the whole of India. The Act provides for "the effective management of disasters and for matters connected there with or incidental thereto.

- The Act calls for the establishment of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), with the Prime Minister of India as chairperson. The NDMA may have no more than nine members including a Vice-Chairperson. The tenure of the members of the NDMA shall be five years.

- The Act under Section 8 enjoins the Central Government to Constitute a National Executive Committee (NEC) to assist the National Authority. The NEC is composed of Secretary level officers of the Government of India.

- All State Governments are mandated under Section 14 of the act to establish a State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA). The SDMA consists of the Chief Minister of the State, who is the Chairperson, and no more than eight members appointed by the Chief Minister.  State Executive Committee is responsible (Section 22) for drawing up the state disaster management plan, and implementing the National Plan.

- The Chairperson of District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) will be the Collector or District Magistrate or Deputy Commissioner of the district. The elected representative of the area is member of the DDMA as an ex officio co-Chairperson.

- The Section 44–45 of the Act provides for constituting a National Disaster Response Force "for the purpose of specialist response to a threatening disaster situation or disaster" under a Director General to be appointed by the Central Government.

 

Link: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/coronavirus-lockdown-e-commerce-firms-cant-supply-non-essential-goods-says-indian-government/article31380752.ece

 

2. Economy in lockdown: On India’s worst-case scenario

- The pandemic induced ‘Great Lockdown’ has forced the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to junk all its previous projections for economic output in 2020.

- Forecasting the sharpest contraction in world output since the Great Depression of the 1930s, the IMF slashed its projection by 6.3 percentage points from its January forecast for 3.3% growth to a 3% decline. In contrast, the recession of 2009-saw world output contract by a mere 0.1%.

- IMF slashed China’s forecast to a growth of 1.2%, citing data on industrial production, retail sales, and fixed asset investment that, it said, suggested a contraction of about 8% in the first quarter.

Indian Scenario:

- On India, the IMF has cut its projection for growth in the fiscal year that started on April 1, from January’s 5.8%, to 1.9%.

- This again appears predicated on the fund’s baseline scenario that assumes that the pandemic would ‘fade in the second half of 2020’, allowing containment efforts to be unwound and economic activity to normalize.

- Another key assumption by the IMF’s economists is the availability of policy support to nurture the revival once activity restarts.

- Jettisoning its storied fiscal conservatism, the fund’s chief economist, Gita Gopinath, has advocated ramping up a broad-based and coordinated stimulus once the disease has been contained, a measure that would help avoid the errors of the Great Depression years when premature efforts to prune budget deficits prolonged the downturn.

Suggestion: In this context, India’s fiscal measures pale in terms of scale when compared with what several other nations have undertaken. Given the size of the informal sector in India as well as the anticipated prolonged disruption in labour supply even in more formal parts of the economy, the Centre needs to proactively commit to a substantial stimulus package in order to ensure that once the economy reopens, it has the legs to run.

About IMF:

- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is an international organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., consisting of 189 countries working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world while periodically depending on the World Bank for its resources.

- Formed in 1944 at the Bretton Woods Conference primarily by the ideas of Harry Dexter White and John Maynard Keynes, it came into formal existence in 1945 with 29 member countries and the goal of reconstructing the international payment system.

- It now plays a central role in the management of balance of payments difficulties and international financial crises.

- Countries contribute funds to a pool through a quota system from which countries experiencing balance of payments problems can borrow money.

- Not all member countries of the IMF are sovereign states, and therefore not all "member countries" of the IMF are members of the United Nations.

 

HEALTH

 

1.  If WHO has limitations, these have been imposed on it by nations, says Shashi Tharoor

- The World Health Organisation (WHO) is grappling with its greatest crisis, faced with criticism over its initial response to the COVID-19 pandemic and with a funding cut from the United States.

- The WHO was established in 1948 and there has not been a worldwide pandemic with this kind of devastation that has come across its path. Something like this is calamitously challenging for the WHO.

- The decision of the United States to withhold funding at this peak time will only weaken it. The U.S. contributes something like 15 per cent of the WHO budget.

Problem with WHO:

- One of the institutional challenges for any UN body is that it tends to be beholden to its most powerful member states. The UN itself in many ways reflects the dominance of certain countries, particularly of the Security Council. That is simply the way in which an organisation of member states is structured.

- Early comfort levels with Chinese actions and some of their statements before they finally on March 11 declared a pandemic.

Actual Culprit:

If we have to blame somebody, we have to blame Beijing for having done the wrong thing, tried to supress the news, tried to conceal information, and taken no effective steps in the beginning to prevent the virus from spreading, and then misled the WHO, rather than blame the WHO principally for merely mirroring what the Chinese were saying.

Problem with members:

- The governments of the world actually want UN agencies to be beholden to governments, for the most part. When they fail to assert enough independence and autonomy, the same governments start making these agencies a scapegoat.

- Had global governance been working as effectively as it should have, the world would have identified the corona virus as soon as it emerged, the WHO would have sounded a global alarm early about its dangers, and the world would have collectively identified and publicized the best practices that should have been adopted by all countries to prevent and limit the spread.

- If we elect WHO heads who are allowed to challenge countries, for example as a matter of authority they can go and see for themselves independently if the assurances they are getting from governments are valid or not. All of these things require a certain dilution of a national government’s prerogative and that is something governments have proven reluctant to do.

Suggestions:

- Strengthening the autonomy of these institutions is important and that is how independence of heads of institutions, and by extension of the institution itself, becomes a key factor.

- The second is certainly preparation to cede a certain authority, that yes a government may provide its own views to the WHO, but if the WHO independently decides it wants to verify things for itself, governments as a price of being a member of the WHO should not have the authority to deny a visa or travel permission.

About WHO:

- The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health.

- Its main objective is ensuring "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health."

- It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, with six semi-autonomous regional offices and 150 field offices worldwide.

- The WHO was established in 7 April 1948, which is commemorated as World Health Day.

- It provides technical assistance to countries, sets international health standards and guidelines, and collects data on global health issues through the World Health Survey.

- Its flagship publication, the World Health Report, provides expert assessments of global health topics and health statistics on all nations.

- The WHO also serves as a forum for summits and discussions on health issues.

Link: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/coronavirus-if-who-has-limitations-these-have-been-imposed-on-it-by-nations-says-shashi-tharoor/article31382742.ece

 

2. Spare monkeys the virus, say biologists

- Feeding monkeys during the COVID-19 pandemic could have profoundly negative effects in the long-term, such as helping the SARS-CoV-2 virus mutate and infect primates, biologists have said in a note, advising caution.

- A principal scientist at the Salim Ali Center for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON), said it was well documented that viruses and endoparasites could transmit between humans and primates.

- Monkeys in a non-urban setting do not require any feeding from humans to survive. They are smart enough to adapt and search for food on their own. There are laws in place, which clearly outlaw the feeding of wildlife. It is the enforcement of such laws, which is lacking.

About Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History:

- The Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON) is a national centre for information, education and research in ornithology and natural history in India.

- It was inspired by and named in honour of Salim Ali, the leading pioneer of ornithology in India.

- It is an autonomous organisation established in 1990 as a public- NGO partnership between the MoEF&CC, and the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) under the Centre of Excellence Scheme and registered under the Indian Societies Registration Act.

- Its headquarters are at Anaikatti, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. SACON is associated with the Ministry of Environment and Forests.

- SACON's mission is "to help conserve India’s biodiversity and its sustainable use through research, education and peoples’ participation, with birds at the centre stage".

Link: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/coronavirus-spare-monkeys-the-virus-say-biologists/article31383234.ece

 

4. A shot of hope with a game changing vaccine

- Over the initial phase of the national lockdown, India reported a 20-fold increase in confirmed SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 cases (468 to >10,000), and a 36-fold increase in deaths (9 to 330). The case-fatality of 2% to 3% is indicative of the large number of deaths India can expect.

- Union Health Minister, Harsh Vardhan, asserted that lockdowns and social distancing are the most effective “social vaccines” available to fight the pandemic.

What is a social vaccine?

- A social vaccine is a metaphor for a series of social and behavioral measures that governments can use to raise public consciousness about unhealthy situations through social mobilisation.

- Social mobilisation can empower populations to resist unhealthy practices, increase resilience, and foster advocacy for change.

- The effectiveness of a social vaccine is determined by the extent of dissemination and uptake of accurate information about personal infection risk and methods to reduce the risk through consistent core messages disseminated through a variety of means.

- A social vaccine addresses barriers and facilitators of behaviour change, whether attitudinal, social, cultural, or economic, and supplements information, education, and communication (IEC) with targeted social and behaviour change communication (SBCC) strategies.

Examples:

- Uganda and Thailand used these strategies effectively during the HIV/AIDS pandemic to bring down the incidence of HIV infection, before highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) was introduced in 1995.

- They demonstrated how an effective social vaccine helped “flatten the curve” till effective treatments were discovered that dramatically reduced mortality, viral loads and infection transmission.

Lessons from HIV pandemic:

- The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that causes the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is believed to have made the zoonotic jump from monkeys through chimpanzees to humans in Africa as early as the 1920s.

- From 1981 till December 2018, around 74.9 (range: 58.3 to 98.1) million people worldwide were HIV-infected, and around 32.0 (range: 23.6 to 43.8) million died (43%, range: 41 to 45%) from AIDS-related illnesses.

- Widespread fears of contagion rendered many infected people homeless and unemployed. Many were denied access to care.

- Stigma, discrimination and violence towards infected individuals, their families, social groups (sex-workers, gay men, drug users, truck drivers, migrants), and even health workers, were common. Criminalising sex-work and injecting drug use followed.

- Conspiracy theories, misinformation and unproven remedies were widely propagated. The blame game targeted world leaders and international agencies. The preparedness of health systems, societal prejudices and socio-economic inequities were starkly exposed.

LINK: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/a-shot-of-hope-with-a-game-changing-vaccine/article31383184.ece

 

5. Focus on the curve: On India’s COVID-19 numbers

- There is some evidence the growth in total cases was slower than during the preceding comparison period — 16% versus 28%. These data, and others indicating a slowing pace of case doubling, must be viewed against the backdrop of vastly different testing rates among States.

Experience of different states:

- Delhi has ramped up tests per million people and also reported a higher percentage of positive cases, compared to populous West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh, which have done far fewer tests and yet find a higher share of positive cases.

- Kerala has managed to test, trace, quarantine and treats effectively, preventing new infections.

- The highest prevalence can be mapped to States with high economic output or significant urbanisation, or both, such as Maharashtra, Delhi and Tamil Nadu.

Concerns:

- Given the uncertainties surrounding the long-term effects of SARS-CoV-2 on people, including medical outcomes for those who have recovered from severe infection, India’s COVID-19 strategy has to focus on testing, containment and treatment on the one hand, and distress alleviation for vulnerable sections on the other.

- From a medical perspective, it has laid bare the inadequacy of the public health system to roll-out enough tests in all States, to determine where containment measures would achieve the best outcomes, and also to provide intensive treatment for acute respiratory illness.

Way Forward:

- Looking ahead, the need for testing can only grow when a phased exit strategy is attempted. The testing data generated by all laboratories should be complete and shared in real time transparently by the Centre to aid policy-making.

- As psychologists are pointing out, the response to HIV testing over two decades ago dramatically improved when people saw hope of treatment, got access to tests and were protected against stigmatisation and xenophobia.

-This would apply in good measure to COVID-19. Flattening the curve will require clear messages on preventive health, and steps to help people maintain strict quarantine where indicated without suffering economic losses, and carry out regular surveillance testing and symptom monitoring.

Link: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/focus-on-the-curve-the-hindu-editorial-on-indias-coronavirus-numbers/article31383171.ece

 

INTERNATIONAL

1. Karzai welcomes India’s involvement in talks

- Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai has welcomed the American gesture to bring in India into the ongoing negotiation for sustained peace in the war-torn country.

Recent Visit to India:

- During his visit to Delhi in January, Mr. Karzai had also pitched for India’s support to the U.S.-Taliban and intra-Afghan dialogue process in meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

- The development is significant as it came days after a six-nation talk on the Afghan scenario was held which had excluded India.

- India has maintained that it wants the intra-Afghan dialogue to be conducted on the basis of “Afghan-owned and Afghan-led” process though it has not yet formally opened up to Taliban. India was represented by its envoy to Qatar during the February 29 peace agreement between the United States and the Taliban.

Link: https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/karzai-welcomes-indias-involvement-in-talks/article31383623.ece

 

SOCIETY

1. Islamophobia is rising in India, says Organisation of Islamic Cooperation

- 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has criticised what it called growing Islamophobia in India.

- The statement came on the same day Prime Minister Narendra Modi had clearly said that “unity and brotherhood” must be the response to the coronavirus, which does not see “race, religion, colour, caste, creed, language or borders before striking.”

- In another specific statement, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) reacted to reports, which the government denied, that COVID-19 patients were religiously segregated at a hospital in Ahmadabad.

About Organisation of Islamic Cooperation:

- The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation is an international organization founded in 1969, consisting of 57 member states, with a collective population of over 1.8 billion as of 2015 with 53 countries being Muslim-majority countries.

- The organisation states that it is "the collective voice of the Muslim world" and works to "safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony".

- The OIC has permanent delegations to the United Nations and the European Union. The official languages of the OIC are Arabic, English, and French.

About USCIRF:

- The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is a U.S. federal government commission created by the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998.

- USCIRF Commissioners are appointed by the President and the leadership of both political parties in the Senate and the House of Representatives.

- USCIRF's principal responsibilities are to review the facts and circumstances of violations of religious freedom internationally and to make policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and the Congress.

- It has been criticized by some journalists due to current chairman Tony Perkins' connection to the Family Research Council and the perceived right-wing bias of its members.

Link: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/islamophobia-is-rising-in-india-says-organisation-of-islamic-cooperation/article31383624.ece

 

GEOGRAPHY

1. Rain may hit wheat quality, say farmers

- Rain accompanied with hailstorms in a few parts in Punjab in the past 48 hours has triggered fear among farmers that the standing wheat crop’s quality will be affected and it will delay harvesting further causing heavy losses.

- Wheat is at ripening stage now and hence rain spell could delay the harvesting by a few days.

- Harvesting has already started in Punjab, but it is yet to gain momentum. Punjab is expecting a bumper wheat production that could cross 182 lakh tonnes this year, according to the State Agriculture department.

About Wheat Crop:

- It requires temperature between 10-15°C (Sowing time) and 21-26°C (Ripening & Harvesting) with bright sunlight.

- It required rainfall around 75-100 cm.

- Soil Type: Well-drained fertile loamy and clayey loamy (Ganga-Satluj plains and black soil region of the Deccan)

- Top Wheat Producing States: Uttar Pradesh > Punjab > Madhya Pradesh > Haryana > Rajasthan.

India is the second largest producer after China.

LINK: https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/kolkata/rain-may-hit-wheat-quality-say-farmers/article31383946.ece

 

CULTURE

1. Address Kartarpur damage

-  India requested that Pakistan should address the deficiencies that led to the toppling of certain structures in the holy Kartarpur Sahib complex during an storm .

- India has urged Pakistan that in deference to the sentiments of the Sikh community, the deficiencies, which led to the damage to the newly constructed structures, is urgently rectified and remedied.

- Kartarpur Sahib is in the midst of year long festivities associated with the 550th birth anniversary Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism and has emerged as a major centre of Sikh pilgrimage in Pakistan .

About Kartarpur Sahib:

- Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, also called Kartarpur Sahib, is a gurdwara in Kartarpur, located in Shakargarh, Narowal District, in the Punjab province of Pakistan.

- It is built on the historic site where the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak, settled and assembled the Sikh community after his missionary travels and lived for 18 years until his death in 1539.

- It is one of the holiest sites in Sikhism, alongside the Golden Temple in Amritsar and Gurdwara Janam Asthan in Nankana Sahib.

- The gurdwara is also notable for its location near the border between Pakistan and India. The shrine is visible from the Indian side of the border.

 - Indian Sikhs gather in large numbers on bluffs to perform darshan, or sacred viewing of the site, from the Indian side of the border.

- The Kartarpur Corridor was opened by Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on 9 November 2019, the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and just days before the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak.

- This historic moment officially allowed Indian Sikh pilgrims rare visa-free access to the site in Pakistan.

- It is also claimed to be the largest gurdwara in the world.

Link: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/address-kartarpur-damage-source/article31383452.ece