India's
urgent need for police reforms.
The George Floyd incident in US and the ensuing
protests in US against racism & police brutality has necessitated the need
to reform India’s own police system.
Issues faced by Police in India.
Overburdened: Police work under incomprehensible
pressure as they are understaffed. India had (in 2017) 131 police officers per
1,00,000 people; that is lower than the sanctioned number (181) and UN
recommended number (222)
Slow filling of vacancies in Police which further
aggravates the understaffed situation. More than 5 lakh vacancies exist in
police forces as of Jan 2020.
They are poorly paid when compared to their
counterparts in developed countries
Poor Living Conditions: Police infrastructure is perennially underfunded, and,
with some notable exceptions, there are few efforts to improve them.
Political Control: They are usually beholden to corrupt and venal superiors.
Prejudiced: Many policemen, like the rest of Indians, carry prejudices—hidden
and not-so-hidden—which make their performance uneven and unfair.
Police Abuse: There are complaints against the
police including unwarranted arrests, unlawful searches, torture and custodial
rapes.
Not Citizen friendly: Interactions with the police
are generally considered frustrating, time-consuming and costly
Weak Investigations: Well over 50% of cases filed by
the police (nearly 80% in rape cases) end up in acquittals. One of the reasons
is that Police often prioritise law & order over investigative matters
Structural issues: 86% of the police force are constables, who have no growth
path other than a single promotion (to Head Constable) before they retire. This
pushes them to adopt corrupt pathways thus reducing the credibility of Police.
Low Public Trust: A study by Centre for the Study of
Developing Societies (CSDS) found that less than 25% of Indians trust the
police highly (54% for the army).
Lack of Uniformity across India: Policing in India
is a state subject which means there is significant variation across states.
Resource Crunch: Between fiscal 2011 and 2015,
states spent 4.4% of their budgeted expenditure on policing on average but this
has reduced to 4% over the 2015-19.
Frequent Transfer often leads to dilution of accountability
of Police actions and inability to implement long-term reforms
Way Forward
The Model Police Act of 2006 was circulated to all
the states but many of its fundamental principles that remains unfulfilled.
There is a need for state to implement it in letter & spirit (considering
the evolved scenario)
·
There is a need
to separate law and order from investigation.
·
There is a need
to have an independent complaints authority to inquire into complaints of
police misconduct.
·
To check against
such abuse of power there has internal accountability to senior police
officers, and independent police oversight authorities.
·
To increase the
funding of Police so as to better their infrastructure which reduces the
incentives for corruption.
·
Sensitization of
Police when dealing with public especially during sensitive issues like rape
and dowry.
·
Modernisation of
Police Forces in the light of growing cyber crimes
·
Decriminalization
of Politics: These reforms are not implemented due to lack of political will,
which in turn could be linked to the growing criminalization of politics.
KVIC
taps with Indian Palm Industry to boost employment opportunities.
Khadi and Village Industries Commission
(KVIC) launched a unique project at Dahanu in Palghar district of
Maharashtra, a state with more than 50 lakh palm trees. Under the project,
Neera and Palmgur will be produced in India. Neera and Palmgur have huge
potential to create employment in the country.
Aim:
The project aims to promote Neera
as a substitute to soft drinks. It is aimed to generate self-employment to
Adivasis and traditional trappers.
Highlights:
·
KVIC has
distributed tool kits for extraction of Neera and making palmgur to 200 local
artisans who were given 7 days of training by KVIC.
·
A tool kit of
cost Rs.15,000 that comprises perforated moulds, canteen burners, food-grade
stainless steel Kadhai, and other equipment like knives, rope, and axes for
extraction of Neera will be provided.
·
The project aims
to provide direct employment to 400 local traditional trappers.
·
India has
abundant palm fields in many states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Daman and
Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar.
Note:
·
In India, there
are approximately 10 crore palm trees. Also, a wide range of products like
candies, milk chocolates, palm cola, ice-cream and traditional sweets can be
produced from Neera, provided it is marketed properly. Currently, Palmgur Neera
worth Rs.500 crore is traded in the country. The turnover is expected to increase
manifold with commercial production of Neera.
Indian Sports Ministry to establish Khelo India State Centres of
Excellence.
The Ministry of Sports is to establish
Khelo India State Centres of Excellence (KISCE) under the Khelo India Scheme.
The aim is to enhance India's Olympic performance.
Highlights:
·
Under the move,
one KISCE is to be identified in every state and Union Territory (UT), with an
effort to create a robust sporting ecosystem in India.
·
In the first
phase, the Ministry of Sports has identified state-owned sports facilities in
eight states of India.
·
The 8 states are:
·
Karnatka
·
Odisha
·
Kerela
·
Telangana
·
Arunachal Pradesh
·
Manipur
·
Mizoram
·
Nagaland
The 8 centres will be given a grant based on the
actual amount finalized as per the requirement indicated after a comprehensive
gap analysis study.
The sporting facilities that are to be upgraded to
KISCE:
ü Sangey Lhaden Sports Academy, Itanagar, Arunachal
Pradesh
ü Jaiprakash Narayan National Youth Center, Bangalore,
Karnataka
ü GV Raja Sr. Secondary Sports School,
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
ü Khuman Lampak Sports Complex, Imphal, Manipur
ü Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Aizawl, Mizoram
ü State Sports Academy, IG Stadium, Kohima, Nagaland
ü Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneshwar, Odisha
ü Regional Sports School, Hakimpet, Telangana.
World
Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is observed on 17 June.
World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is
observed on 17 June. The day is aimed to promote public awareness of
international efforts to combat desertification.
Theme:
The theme for 2020 World Day to
Combat Desertification and Drought is "Food. Feed.Fibre. - the links
between consumption and land". The theme is focuses to change public
attitudes which are the leading driver of desertification and land degradation.
History:
During the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, challenges like desertification, along with
climate change and
the loss of biodiversity, were identified to achieve
sustainable development. In 1994, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)
established the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
UNGA declared 17 June as World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought by
passing the resolution A/RES/49/115.
In the year 2007, the UNGA declared 2010-2020 as the
UN Decade for Deserts and the fight against Desertification to mobilize global
action to fight land degradation.
Sustainable
Gastronomy Day is observed on 18 June.
Sustainable Gastronomy Dayis observed on 18
June. The day focuses on the world's attention on the role that sustainable
gastronomy can play. The day also aims to reaffirm that all cultures and
civilizations are contributors and crucial enablers of sustainable development.
Sustainable
Gastronomy:
Gastronomy is sometimes referred to as the art of
food. It refers to a style of cooking from a particular region or local food
and cuisine. Sustainability is the idea that something like agriculture,
fishing, or even preparation of food is done in a way that is not wasteful of
our natural resources and can be continued into the future without being
detrimental to our environment or health.
Sustainable gastronomy means cuisine that considers where the ingredients are
from, how the food is grown and how it gets to markets every day, and how it
lands on the plates.
History:
On 21 December 2016, the UN
General Assembly (UNGA) adopted its resolution A/RES/71/246 and designated 18
June as an international observance, Sustainable Gastronomy Day.
The aim is to acknowledge gastronomy as a cultural expression related to
natural and cultural diversity. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic across the globe,
sustainable gastronomy aims to celebrate seasonal ingredients and producers,
preserving wildlife, and the culinary traditions are more relevant than ever.
Cheap Sanitary Napkins available at Jan Aushadhi Kendras.
Jan Aushadhi Suvidhi Sanitary Napkin is made
available in more than 6300 Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushdhi Pariyojna, PMBJP
Kendras across the country at a minimum price of Rs.1 per pad. The market price
of the similar Sanitary Napkins is around Rs.3 to Rs.8 per pad. over 3.43 Crore
pads have been sold till 10 June 2020 at Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi
Kendras. The social drive comes in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Background:
From 4 June 2018 to 10 June 2020
over 4.61 crore Sanitary Napkins has been sold at Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya
Janaushadhi Kendras. After the revision in the prices on 27 August 2019, over
3.43 Crore pads have been sold till 10 June 2020 at Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya
Janaushadhi Kendras.
It should be noticed that menstruation and menstrual
practices still face some social, cultural, and religious restrictions which
are a big barrier in the path of the menstrual hygiene management. In rural
areas, girls and women do not have access to sanitary products or they do not
opt for them as most of these items available in the market are a bit costly.
This step has ensured ‘Swachhta, Swasthya and Suvidha’ for the underprivileged
Women of India. This step was taken by the Union Department of Pharmaceuticals
to ensure "Affordable and Quality Healthcare for All."
Fifth state of matter observed by the scientists for the first
time in space.
The fifth state of matter has been observed by the
scientists for the first time in space.
A team of NASA Scientists recently unveiled the first results from
Bose-Einstein condensates (BEC) experiments aboard the International Space
Station (ISS).
In space, the particles are free from manipulation from any of the Earthly
constraints.
This observation has offered unprecedented insight that can help in solving
some of the quantum universe’s most difficult questions.
Key
takeaways
·
A breakthrough
of ‘Fifth State of Matter’
·
Creating a fifth
state of matter within the physical confines of a space station is no easy
task.
First bosons, the atoms that have an equal number of protons and electrons, are
cooled to absolute zero with the use of lasers to clamp them in space.
·
The slower the
atoms move around, the cooler they become.
·
As the atoms
lose heat, the magnetic field is introduced to keep them from moving and each
particle’s waves expand.
·
Cramming plenty
of bosons into a microscopic ‘trap’ causes their waves to overlap into a single
matter-wave; this property is known as quantum degeneracy.
·
The magnetic
trap is released for the scientists to study the condensate.
However, the atoms begin to repel each other which cause the cloud to fly apart
and BEC becomes dilute to detect.
·
The microgravity
aboard ISS has allowed them to create BECs from rubidium on a far shallower
trap than on Earth.
·
This gave the
vastly increased time to study the condensate before diffusing.
Important value additions.
Bose-Einstein
Condensates (BEC)
BEC are formed when the atoms of certain elements
are cooled to near absolute zero (0 K or – 273.15°C).
At this point, atoms become a single entity with quantum property, whereas each
particle also functions as a wave of matter.
Scientists have believed that BECs contain vital
clues to mysterious phenomena such as dark energy which is unknown energy
thought to be behind the Universe’s accelerating expansion.
These are extremely fragile and the slightest interaction with the external
world is enough to warm them past their condensation threshold.
Because of this condition, it becomes nearly impossible for scientists to study
BECs on Earth as gravity interferes with the magnetic field required to hold
them in place for observation.
BECs in terrestrial lab generally last a handful of milliseconds before
dissipating while aboard ISS, those lasted more than a second.
Studying BECs in microgravity has opened up a host
of opportunities.
Applications range from:
Studying gravitational waves
Spacecraft navigation
Searches for dark energy
Tests of general relativity
Prospecting for subsurface minerals on the moon and
other planetary bodies
The existence of Bose-Einstein condensates (BEC) was
predicted by an Indian mathematician Satyendra Nath Bose and Albert Einstein
almost a century ago.
Rubidium
·
It is a chemical
element with the symbol Rb and atomic number 37.
·
It is a very
soft, silvery-white metal in the alkali metal group.
·
It cannot be
stored under atmospheric oxygen, as a highly exothermic reaction will ensue,
sometimes even resulting in the metal catching fire.
·
It is used in
fireworks to give them a purple color.
·
It has also been
considered for use in a thermoelectric generator.
·
Vaporized 87Rb
is one of the most commonly used atomic species employed for laser cooling and
Bose–Einstein condensation.
Drug
Dexamethasone found to cut death rates among critical Covid-19 patients.
Researchers leading a major clinical trial in the UK
recently announced that the drug dexamethasone had been found to reduce death
rates by one-third in the most severely ill Covid-19 patients.
Important value
additions
Dexamethasone
·
It is a
corticosteroid, an easily available medicine.
·
It prevents the
release of substances in the body that cause inflammation.
·
Its effects are
frequently seen within a day, and last for about three days.
·
It is used when
there is any inflammation in the body due to infection or injury.
It has been used for years by sportspersons to hasten their rehabilitation from
injuries and recover from infections.
·
It is on the
World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA’s) list of prohibited substances.
Athletes are, however, barred from using dexamethasone only during competition.
It will not be considered a doping offence if it is detected prior to a
competition.
SEBI
eases Fund-raising norms for firms.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)
has further eased fund-raising norms for firms.
Key
takeaways
SEBI has allowed companies to make two qualified
institutional placements (QIPs) with a gap of just two weeks between them.
The earlier regulations mandated a minimum gap of
six months between two such issuances.
Promoters can also increase their stakes in their companies through
preferential allotments by up
to 10% without triggering an open offer.
The cap was earlier set at 5%.
SEBI has, however, allowed this relaxation only for
the current financial year.
The twin moves would help in enhancing liquidity in
the market while promoters could also acquire shares at a time when valuations
were quite low compared with the historic highs.
India
9th largest recipient of FDI in 2019 reports UN.
UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) reported
that it was the world’s 9th largest recipient of foreign direct investments
(FDI) in the year 2019 in its World Investment Report 2020. India has received
$51 billion in foreign investment in 2019.
Highlights:
·
As per the
report, the global FDI flows are forecast to decrease by up to 40% in 2020
against $1.54 trillion in 2019.
·
Teh COVID-19
pandemic has hit hard the FDI to developing economies in Asia. It has been
projected to decline by up to 45% in 2020.
·
As per the forecast, India’s large market will
continue to attract market-seeking investments to the country.
·
India has received $51 billion of FDI inflows
in 2019 against $42 billion of FDI received in 2018.
·
Among the "developing Asia” region, India
stands among the top five host economies for FDI.
·
Global FDI flows are forecast to decrease by
up to 40% in 2020, from their 2019 value of $1.54 trillion.
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