1. Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe's two-day visit to India
Tags: International Relations
Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe made a two-day visit to India on 20 and 21 July 2023, during which several important agreements were signed between the two countries, which is considered very important in terms of relations between the two countries.
An Overview of the news:
- Delegation level talks were held between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sri Lankan President on 21 July 2023 in New Delhi.
- This year both the countries are celebrating the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations. Apart from this, the Tamil community of Indian origin is completing 200 years of its arrival in Sri Lanka.
Agreement on vision document to strengthen economic partnership:
- During the talks, a vision document has been adopted to take the bilateral economic partnership between the two countries to a new level.
- Through this, both the countries will increase mutual cooperation in tourism, energy, trade, higher education and skill development. Through this vision, it has been decided to strengthen maritime, air, energy and people-to-people connectivity among people.
India's Long Term Commitment:
- To get Sri Lanka out of the economic crisis, India will increase its economic activities through more investments there.
Economic and Technological Cooperation Agreement (ETCA):
- Both the countries have decided to start negotiations on the Economic and Technological Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) at the earliest. This will open new avenues of bilateral trade and economic cooperation.
Agreements signed for UPI launch in Sri Lanka:
- India's UPI will be able to make payments in Sri Lanka. For this, India's UPI technology has now been accepted by Sri Lanka as well. This will also help in increasing fintech connectivity.
- Prior to this, France, UAE and Singapore have adopted this app-based service for payment of money.
Connectivity to enhance bilateral cooperation:
- Both countries have decided to increase air connectivity. Along with this, it has also been decided to start passenger ferry services between Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu and Kanke-Santurai in Sri Lanka.
- The resumption of flights between Chennai-Jaffna is helping in increasing people-to-people contact between the two countries.
- Along with this, both the countries have also agreed to investigate the feasibility of the land bridge.
Cooperation in Energy Sector:
- Both countries have decided to expedite the work of connecting the electricity grid to enhance energy cooperation.
- Under this, both the countries have decided to conduct a feasibility study to give a realistic shape to the possibility of building a petroleum pipeline between the two countries.
- In this context, India has already provided petroleum products to Nepal and Bangladesh through pipelines.
2. Japan becomes second Quad partner to sign semiconductor agreement with India
Tags: International Relations
India and Japan recently signed an agreement to jointly develop the semiconductor ecosystem, strengthening their partnership and resilience in the global supply chain.
An Overview of the News
The memorandum signed by Union Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnav and Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yasutoshi Nishimura covers various areas of cooperation.
This marks Japan as the second Quad partner after the United States to collaborate with India to enhance the semiconductor industry.
The agreement covers various areas of cooperation, including semiconductor design, manufacturing, device research and talent development, with the aim of ensuring a robust and reliable semiconductor supply chain.
To facilitate efficient cooperation, the two countries will set up an "implementing organisation" to promote government-to-government and industry-to-industry partnerships.
Recognizing Japan's Semiconductor Expertise
Japan holds a significant position in the semiconductor industry with nearly 100 semiconductor manufacturing plants, making it one of the top five countries with a strong semiconductor ecosystem.
The projected growth of the semiconductor industry from US$650 billion to US$1 trillion requires talent development in multiple locations around the world, and Japan sees India's complementary strengths as a valuable opportunity for mutual benefit.
Japan has expertise in critical semiconductor elements such as raw wafer materials, chemicals, gases and chip manufacturing equipment and display technologies.
By transferring this knowledge and expertise to India, both countries aim to achieve significant milestones in the semiconductor industry.
About Japan
It is also called Nihon or Nippon and is an archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean in East Asia.
It is made up of four main islands Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu and Honshu is the largest island of Japan.
Its highest mountain is Mount Fuji.
It is the third largest economy in the world after the United States and China.
Capital - Tokyo
currency - yen
Prime Minister - Fumio Kishida
3. Cough syrup kills six children in Cameroon
Tags: International News
Cough medicine has killed six children in the African country of Cameroon in the past months. In this context, the World Health Organization (WHO) has sought help from the Indian authorities to find out where it was prepared.
An Overview of the news:
- The UN health organization WHO issued a warning on 19 July 2023 that the recent deaths of six children in Cameroon may be linked to a cough syrup sold under the name Naturcold.
Toxic chemical called diethylene glycol:
- A large amount of a toxic chemical called diethylene glycol has been found in this cough syrup.
- According to the World Health Organisation, the amount of diethylene glycol in the medicine should not be more than 0.1 per cent, but its quantity has been found up to 28.6 per cent in Naturecold.
Fraken International (England) mentions:
- The manufacturer's name on the bottle of the drug is Fracon International (England), but health officials in the United Kingdom have told the WHO that there is no company with that name in their country.
- After this WHO has contacted Indian authorities and requested to talk to Indian drug manufacturers and find out where this drug is being manufactured.
These medicines have also been related to India:
- Over the past few months, several cases of toxic chemicals in cough medicines have been reported, some of which have been related to medicines made in India.
- In the year 2022, more than 300 children in Gambia, Uzbekistan and Indonesia were reported to have died due to cough medicine. In most cases the drugs were manufactured by Indian companies.
Strict rules apply on these drugs in India:
- In May 2023, the Government of India had issued an order that cough medicine to be exported would have to take a certificate. Which will be issued after very stringent tests and this test will be done in a government laboratory.
- The Ministry of Commerce had issued this directive in May, which has been implemented from June 1.
India's $41 billion pharmaceutical industry:
- The $41 billion pharmaceutical industry in India is one of the largest drug manufacturers in the world.
- But for the past few months, India's pharmaceutical industry has been embroiled in international controversies as people have died due to drugs made in India in Gambia, Uzbekistan and the US.
- In the year 2023 itself, poisonous elements were found in some medicines in Marshall Islands and Micronesia, but there was no case of death.
India leading in manufacturing of cheap toxic chemicals:
- Many medicines of the world are manufactured by different companies of this type of cheap toxic chemicals, but in three out of four cases, the medicines are manufactured in India.
4. Ground water law implemented in 21 states and union territories
Tags: National News
On 20 July 2023, the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti informed the Parliament that 21 states and union territories have implemented the Ground Water Act.
An Overview of the news:
- In this law, provision has been made for rain water harvesting. In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti Bishweshwar Tudu informed that the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti has prepared a model bill to enable all states and union territories to enact appropriate groundwater laws.
States implementing rain water harvesting model:
- According to the ministry, the 21 states/UTs which have so far implemented groundwater laws on the lines of the Model Bill include Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Goa, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Nagaland, Odisha, Punjab, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Bengal, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Lakshadweep and Puducherry.
Tap water to 60% rural households in SC areas:
- Under this, tap water has been provided to 60 percent rural households in Scheduled Caste (SC) dominated areas.
- Out of 2,18,06,280 rural households in SC-concentrated/dominated habitations, 1,32,64,760 have been given tap water connections.
Extensive use of groundwater in agriculture:
- India is mainly dependent on groundwater for irrigation and it is using a major part of the total global amount of groundwater. Because about 70% of food production in the country is done with the help of tube wells.
Ground water crisis:
- This excessive dependence of agriculture on ground water is giving rise to the ground water crisis. There is a need for a comprehensive action plan for groundwater conservation.
- In this context, in the 'World Water Development Report' in 2018, UNESCO had described India as the world's largest groundwater user.
5. Deliberations in the 19th CGRFA Session
Tags: International News
The 19th session of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (CGRFA) is being held in Rome, Italy from 17-21 July.
An Overview of the News
The meeting was held at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome.
Topics for discussion: Delegates and observers will focus on three main themes in the session: a review of work on the impact of biodiversity on nutrition and human health, access and benefit-sharing for food and agriculture, and digital sequence information for food and agriculture.
Director General of FAO - Qi Dongyu
About CGRFA
It is the only permanent intergovernmental body that addresses all components of biodiversity for food and agriculture.
It was established in 1983 with the aim of reaching an international consensus on policies for the sustainable use and conservation of genetic resources for food and agriculture and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from their use.
The commission has 179 member states, making it a globally representative organisation.
India is one of the member states actively involved in the initiatives of the Commission.
The intergovernmental body guides the preparation of the Periodic Global Assessment of Genetic Resources and Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture.
It is responsible for developing global plans of action, codes of conduct and other policy tools, and overseeing their implementation.
Important achievements of the Commission include the establishment of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA), which is an important step towards promoting sustainable agricultural practices and ensuring the equitable availability of genetic resources for future generations.
ITPGRFA:
ITPGRFA, or the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, was adopted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations on 3 November 2001. Its main objectives are as follows:
Recognizing the important role of farmers in maintaining crop diversity, which is vital to feeding the world's population.
To establish a global system that provides farmers, plant breeders and scientists access to plant genetic resources for agriculture.
Ensuring that the benefits derived from the use of these genetic resources are shared by the recipients with the countries where the resources originated.
6. Events in China: Discussion on the conservation of the Hoolock gibbon
Tags: Environment International News
The meeting took place in Haikou, Hainan province of China from 7 to 9 July. It was organised by the Global Gibbon Network (GGN).
An Overview of the News
Hoolock Gibbon: The only ape of India
Previously, scientists believed that there were two species of ape in India: the western hoolock gibbon and the eastern hoolock gibbon.
A recent study by the Hyderabad-based Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology reveals that India is home to only one ape species, the Hoolock gibbon.
Features of Hoolock Gibbon
Belonging to the Hylobatidae family, the hoolock gibbon is one of 20 gibbon species on Earth.
Known for their energetic vocal performances, the population of these apes is estimated to be around 12,000.
They are the smallest and fastest species of apes, exhibiting high intelligence and strong family bonds.
Distribution and Accommodation
The hoolock gibbon is native to tropical and subtropical forests in the southeastern part of Asia, including Bangladesh, northeastern India, parts of Myanmar, and southwestern China.
In India, they are unique in the Northeast between south of the Brahmaputra River and east of the Dibang River.
Hoolock gibbon populations face a number of threats, including deforestation for infrastructure projects, habitat destruction, hunting for meat, and human encroachment.
Conservation Efforts
To protect Hoolock gibbons, conservationists have proposed setting up dedicated gibbon wildlife sanctuaries on the lines of Assam.
Legal protection, limited infrastructure development in their habitats and efforts to control human encroachment and poaching are also necessary.
Conservation Status
Since the 1990s, the Hoolock gibbon population has declined significantly, leaving all 20 gibbon species at high risk of extinction.
The IUCN Red List maintains the previous classification, with the eastern hoolock gibbon classified as vulnerable and the western hoolock gibbon as endangered.
Both species are included in Schedule I of the Indian (Wildlife) Protection Act, 1972.
Global Gibbon Network (GGN)
Established in 2022 in Haikou, China, GGN aims to protect singing gibbons and their habitats, which are an integral part of Asia's unique natural heritage.
GGN envisions promoting participatory conservation policies, legislation and actions for gibbon conservation.
7. Surat Diamond Bourse: World's largest office complex
Tags: National News
The Surat Diamond Bourse has also surpassed the Pentagon office complex of the US Department of Defense as the world's largest office complex.
An Overview of the news:
- The full functioning of the Surat Diamond Bourse will give a boost to the dynamism and growth of the diamond industry.
- The exchange will serve as a hub of trade, innovation and collaboration, boosting the country's economy and creating over 1.5 lakh jobs.
Inaugurated by the Prime Minister on 21 November:
- Surat Diamond Bourse will start functioning from November 21, 2023. The official inauguration will be done in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
90% of the world's diamonds get their final form in Surat:
- Surat is famous for producing 90 percent of the world's diamonds. According to the Union Ministry of Finance, 14 out of 15 diamonds in the world are finally cut in Surat.
Borse Cost:
- This office complex has been built at a cost of more than Rs 3,000 crore. This Diamond Bourse has been constructed in 6.7 million square feet.
Chief Architect:
- The office complex was designed by Manit Rastogi, founding partner of architecture firm Morphogenesis, who was commissioned following an international design competition.
Complex Structure:
- The Surat Diamond Bourse consists of nine interconnected buildings connected by 24 feet wide spine corridors. Each of these buildings is 15 floors high including the ground floor.
- Each office ranges from 300 to 75,000 square feet in size.
- There is also a 2 million square feet parking area in the basement of the exchange.
Largest group of professionals in the world:
- The complex of 4,500 diamond trading offices is spread over 35.54 acres and can house 67,000 diamond professionals including cutters, polishers and traders.
Security Arrangements of the Bourse:
- The facility has provision for highly secure campus security checkpoints, CCTV surveillance, control room, public announcement system and under car scanners at the entry gates at all entry and exit gates.
IGBC Accredited:
- The Diamond Bourse has been designed to be eco-friendly and has also been given a platinum ranking from the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC).
Design in harmony with nature:
- The shape of the central spine circulates air through the funnel structure to the entire structure, as well as lowering the indoor temperature by circulating chilled water beneath the radiant cooling floor.
- All the offices overlook the landscaped court, designed on the concept of "panchtatva" – the five elements, air, water, fire, earth and sky – which is approximately 200 feet wide and 300 feet long.
Facilities available in the office premises:
- The bourse has many facilities like safe deposit vaults, conference hall, multi-purpose hall, restaurant, bank, customs clearance house, convention centre, exhibition centre, training centre, entertainment zone, restaurant and a club with security plans.
8. India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway
Tags: International News
The India-Myanmar-Thailand (IMT) Highway is a regional connectivity project covering approximately 1,360 km (845 mi) that aims to connect India, Myanmar and Thailand.
An Overview of the News
The project was proposed by former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and approved in 2002. Its construction began in 2012 and is being implemented in several phases.
The Ministry of External Affairs in India, in collaboration with Myanmar and Thailand, is responsible for project implementation, with funds allocated from the Ministry of Finance.
The highway starts from Moreh in Manipur, India, passes through Myanmar and ends at Mae Sot in Thailand. The India-Myanmar Friendship Road is the first section connecting Tamu/Moreh to Kalemyo and Kalewa.
India's contribution to the project includes the construction of 69 bridges along with access roads on the 74-km Kalewa-Yagyi road section and the 70-km Tamu-Kyygon-Kalewa (TKK) road section in Myanmar.
About Thailand
It is officially known as the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam, located on the Indochinese peninsula in Southeast Asia.
It is bordered by Myanmar and Laos to the north, Laos and Cambodia to the east, and Malaysia and the Gulf of Thailand to the south.
On the western side, it is bordered by the Andaman Sea, and also has maritime borders with Vietnam to the southeast and Indonesia and India to the southwest.
Capital- Bangkok
Official language - Thai
Emperor - Vajiralongkorn (Rama X)
Prime Minister - Prayut Chan-o-cha
About Myanmar
Capital - Naypyidaw
Official Language - Burmese
President - Myint Swe (Acting)
SAC President and Prime Minister - Min Aung Hlaing
SAC Vice President and Deputy Prime Minister – Soe Win
9. TCRM Matrix Framework unveiled by NITI Aayog to enhance technology assessment and innovation
Tags: National News
NITI Aayog released the Techno-Commercial Readiness and Market Maturity Matrix (TCRM Matrix) framework for promoting innovation and entrepreneurship in India on 18 July 2023.
An Overview of the news:
- The TCRM Matrix Framework released by NITI Aayog is a pioneering assessment tool developed to revolutionize technology assessment, foster innovation and encourage entrepreneurship in India.
- This action plan paper highlights the historical evolution of the Technology Framework, including the Technology Readiness Level (TRL), Commercialization Readiness Level (CRL), and Market Readiness Level (MRL) scales.
- By building on the core principles of these frameworks, the TCRM Matrix Framework presents an integrated assessment model that provides deep insights and actionable intelligence to stakeholders at every stage of the technology development cycle.
- The Action Plan paper provides clear guidelines for integrating the TCRM Matrix framework within the wider innovation ecosystem.
- By doing so, policy makers, strategists, academics and investors can harness its full potential and drive meaningful change.
- Adoption of the TCRM Matrix framework requires a comprehensive analysis and contextualization within specific national and regional innovation scenarios.
- The launch of the Techno-Commercial Readiness and Market Maturity Matrix (TCRM Matrix) framework is a milestone for India's innovation and entrepreneurship landscape.
National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog:
- On January 1, 2015, a new institution NITI Aayog was formed in place of the Planning Commission, envisaging maximum governance, minimum government, emphasizing the spirit of 'cooperative federalism'.
Composition of NITI Aayog:
- Chairman: Prime Minister
- Vice President: Appointed by the Prime Minister
- Governing Council: Chief Ministers of all States and Lieutenant Governors of Union Territories.
- Regional Council: The Prime Minister or his nominee presides over meetings of Chief Ministers and Lieutenant Governors to address specific regional issues.
- Ex-officio Membership: Up to four members of the Union Council of Ministers nominated by the Prime Minister.
- Ad-hoc Membership: Two ex-officio members by rotation from leading research institutions.
- Chief Executive Officer: Secretary to the Government of India who is appointed by the Prime Minister for a fixed term.
- Special Invitees: Experts in various fields nominated by the Prime Minister.
10. President conferred Bhoomi Samman 2023
Tags: Awards National News
On July 18, 2023, Indian President Draupadi Murmu presented the "Bhoomi Samman" 2023 at a function organized by the Union Ministry of Rural Development at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi.
An Overview of the news:
- The awards were received by the State Secretaries and District Collectors along with their teams who have shown excellence in achieving completion of major components of the Digital India Land Records Modernization Program (DILRMP).
Honor to the secretaries of nine states and officers of 68 districts:
- Officers of the team of total 68 districts including nine secretaries of Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Bihar, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Tripura and West Bengal were honored at the Bhoomi Samman-2023 function held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
Most awards to Odisha and Madhya Pradesh:
- Among these, 57 officers from 19 districts of Odisha, 35 officers from 15 districts of Madhya Pradesh, who received maximum awards, were awarded Bhoomi Samman by the President.
Digital India Land Records Modernization Program (DILRMP):
- DILRMP was launched by the Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj in August 2008 for the digitization of land records.
Objective of DILRMP:
- Modernization of land records management,
- To reduce the scope of land/property disputes,
- Increase transparency in the land records maintenance system and
- To facilitate eventual move towards guaranteed adjudication rights for immovable properties in the country.
Main components of DILRMP:
- Change of land ownership;
- Digitization of maps and integration of curriculum and spatial data;
- Survey/Re-survey and
- Computerization of all land records including original land records.
Rural development is necessary for overall development:
- Speaking on the occasion, President Murmu said that it was necessary to accelerate rural development for the overall development of the country, as the livelihood of the majority of the rural population depended on land resources.
- Transparency will increase with the digitization of a comprehensive integrated land management system in rural areas.
Benefits to come:
- Digitization of land records and its linkage with various government departments will help in proper implementation of welfare schemes.
- Now this document will be protected from damages caused by calamities like flood and fire.
- This will reduce the time wasted by the administration and the judiciary in disputes related to the land of a large population of the country.
- Through digitization and information connectivity, the energy of people and institutions, which used to be spent in resolving disputes, will now be used for development.
Land Parcel Identification Number:
- Under the Digital India Land Information Management System, a unique Land Parcel Identification Number is being provided, which can be used like an Aadhaar card.
- This number will be helpful in making and implementing new welfare schemes along with proper use of land.
- Linking e-courts with the land records and registration data-base would have many benefits.
- Digitization of land will bring transparency in administration.
- Unethical and illegal activities related to land will be curbed.
- Now getting land related information in a free and convenient way will have many other benefits.
