Hindu Notes from General Studies-02

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Pakistan says its not concerned over India’s plan to stop flow of water

News

• Pakistan is not concerned over India’s plan to stop the flow of its share of water to Pakistan from the Ravi, Sutlej and Beas rivers under the Indus Waters Treaty.

Beyond News

• The response came hours after Union Minister said in New Delhi that India has decided to “stop” the flow of its share of water to Pakistan from rivers under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) after the Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.
• According to Pakistan’s Commissioner for Indus Waters Syed Mehr Ali Shah, as the IWT has already given a right to India in 1960 to use the water of eastern rivers, it is now up to it to do so or not.
• A three-member delegation of Pakistani experts headed completed its general tour of inspection (from Jan 28 to Feb 1) to various hydropower projects 1,000MW Pakal Dul, 48MW Lower Kalnai, 850MW Ratlay and 900MW Baglihar dam at Chenab Basin in India.
• Besides, India, a couple of days before the Pulwama attack, also shared the design data of its three planned run-of-the-river hydropower schemes with Pakistan under the IWT. These included Balti Kalan, Kalaroos and Tamasha hydropower projects which are planned to be constructed at Balti Kalan Nullah and Kalaroos Nullah at the Jhelum basin and Tamasha, a sub-tributary of the Indus river, respectively.
• The reiteration to stop the flow of Indus water to Pakistan comes amid mounting Indo-Pak tension over the Pulwama terror strike that has triggered demands for action against the neighbouring country. India has already decided to revoke the Most Favoured Nation status to Pakistan and mounted a diplomatic offensive to isolate it in the international community.
• There were demands to stop flow of India’s share of Indus water to Pakistan after the Uri terror attack in 2016.
• Under the Indus Water Treaty signed in 1960, the waters of the western rivers the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab was given to Pakistan and those of the eastern rivers the Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej to India.

India, Russia close to inking multi-billion agreement for AK-103 assault rifles

News

• India and Russia are close to concluding an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) for a multi-billion deal to locally bulk manufacture AK-103 assault rifles in the next few months.

Beyond News

• India has signed several multi-billion dollar defence deals with Russiain the last couple of years and more are in the pipeline.
• The Army has recently signed a contract for 72,400 assault rifles from Sig Sauer of the U.S. and another tender for 93,895 Close Quarter Battle (CQB) carbines is in advanced stage of conclusion. These rifles are for frontline troops deployed in forward areas.
• The Army is looking to replace the indigenous INSAS (Indian National Small Arms System) rifles in use with a modern rifle. The AK-103 will be bulk produced by the OFB with technology transfer.
• India recently signed deals for S-400 air defence systems and stealth frigates and one for Kamov-226T helicopters is in an advanced stage of negotiations. The deals are progressing in the backdrop of the looming threat of U.S. sanctions.
• 14 Russian holding companies have now been given rights to do direct deals for after-ales spares and support.
• There is a side dove-tail mounting rail for optical, collimator or night sights.
• These will replace the INSAS rifles in use by the Indian Army.

Paramilitary forces rushed to J&K as Centre anticipates Pakistan’s ‘violent reaction’

News

• The Centre has rushed additional forces of about 10,000 central armed police force (CAPF) personnel and “urgently deployed” them to further fortify the Kashmir Valley amid apprehensions of a reaction from Pakistan to the multiple “indirect and direct actions” taken by the government in the wake of the Pulwama attack.

Beyond News

• One reason cited is the possibility of a violent reaction by Pakistan to Union Minister recent remark that “India will not allow its share of water from the Indus network of rivers to flow into Pakistan.”
• The withdrawal of security cover for separatist politicians in Kashmir as well as the arrest of members of the Jamaat-e-Islami, a socio-religious group, have also contributed to the Centre’s decision to send the additional forces.
• About 65,000 CAPF personnel comprising CRPF, BSF, SSB and ITBP are presently deployed in the Valley, apart from the army and J&K police.
• In at least 16 locations in Srinagar and around the area, CRPF, which had been deployed for “static duties”, was being replaced by the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). A senior CRPF official said this was being done so that the CRPF could be made available for other “law and order duties.”
• MHA said apart from 45 companies of CRPF, 35 of BSF, 10 of SSB and 10 companies of ITBP shall also be arranged.

Hindu Notes from General Studies-03

Ganga basin States stare at three-fold rise in crop failures by 2040

News

• The Ganga river basin could see crop failures rise three-fold and drinking water shortage go up by as much as 39% in some States between now and 2040, says an assessment commissioned by the World Bank and submitted to the Central Water Commission.

Findings

• If there is no intervention, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are likely to see a deficit in irrigation water of 28%, 10%, 10% and 15% respectively in 2040 as compared to the current levels. Madhya Pradesh would see a 39%, Delhi 22% and Uttar Pradesh a 25% deficit in drinking water during the same period, the assessment released earlier this week noted.
• The basin provides over a third of India’s available surface water and contributes more than half the national water use, of which 90% is for irrigation.
• The report is based on a modelling study that simulates river flow, water quality and groundwater levels in the different States and regions within the Ganga river basin.
• To extrapolate, the model considered land use, infrastructure, population, industry and agriculture settings as well as the precipitation and temperature settings.
• The aim of the report was to strengthen the “capacity for strategic basin planning, develop a set of scenarios for the development of the Ganga basin and build a strong and accessible knowledge base.”
• The report on the future of the Ganga basin comes at a time when experts have raised concerns over the lack of adequate safeguards to ensure the river’s health. The government has committed to reduce pollution in the Ganga by 70% by March 2019.
• The Ganga river basin is the most populated river basin in the world and is home to half the population of India, including two-thirds of the nation’s poor people.
• The government was to have operationalised the Ganga law to address the issue of the river’s ecology. The lack of such a law has triggered hunger strikes, mainly by seers in Haridwar, to give effect to the law.
• The Centre however maintains that it has set in motion most of the projects to clean the river and that this will eventually ensure that necessary ecological flow.

Niyamgiri’s Dongria Kondh gird for ‘resistance’ after SC order

News

• With a recent Supreme Court order triggering panic among forest dwellers over possible eviction, Odisha’s Dongria Kondh tribals have resolved to resist any attempt to force them out.

Beyond News

• The issue of possible eviction of tribals, whose applications for regularisation under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, had been rejected, came up for discussion at the festival.
• The Dongria Kondh’s habitations dot the Niyamgiri hills in Kalahandi and Rayagada districts.
• As per official records of the distribution of titles under FRA, 562 claims were received from 591 households under the Kutia Kandh Development Agency, Lanjigarh. Gram Sabhas had approved all 562.
• 310 claims involving 313.80 acres were approved by the District Level Committee and certificate of titles were distributed. Under Dongria Kondh Development Agency, Chatikona and Dongria Kondh Development Agency, Parsoli, of 2,126 applications, Gram Sabhas approved 1,895.
• All applications were approved by DLC and certificates involving 3,088 acres of land were distributed.

Delhiites’ per capita income thrice the national average

News

• The Delhi government’s revenue collection, the per capita income of Delhiites and the percentage of growth of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of the Capital are all estimated to see an upward trend, according to the Economic Survey of Delhi 2018-2019.

Findings

• Economic Survey shows that Delhiites earn about three times the national per capita income. In 2018-2019, Delhi’s estimated per capita income at current prices is ₹3,65,529, while the national per capita income is ₹1,25,397.
• The Delhi government’s tax collection registered a growth of 14.7% in 2017-2018, an increase from the 3.03% growth witnessed in 2016-2017. The government’s non-tax revenue, which includes interest, dividend, profit from investments, service charges, fees and fines, saw a huge 101.23% growth in 2017-2018, after witnessing a decrease of 26.14% in 2016-2017.
• Delhi’s GSDP at current prices for 2018-2019 was estimated to be ₹7,79,652 crore, a 12.98% increase from the previous year. The GSDP at constant prices, using the base year as 2011-2012, was estimated to see a growth of 8.61 % over the previous year to reach ₹6,02,708 crore in 2018-2019.

Warning issued over attacks on internet infrastructure

News

• Key parts of the internet infrastructure face large-scale attacks that threaten the global system of web traffic, the internet’s address keeper warned.

Beyond News

• The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) declared after an emergency meeting “an ongoing and significant risk” to key parts of the infrastructure that affects the domains on which websites reside.
• The attacks could date back to 2017 but have sparked growing concerns from security researchers in recent weeks, which prompted the special meeting of ICANN.
• The malicious activity targets the Domain Name System or DNS which routes traffic to intended online destinations.
• Attacks have a potential to snoop on data along the way, sneakily send the traffic elsewhere or enable the attackers to impersonate or “spoof” critical websites.
• US authorities issued a similar warning last month about the DNS attacks.
• The list of targets included website registrars and internet service providers, particularly in the Middle East.
• DNSpionage hackers appeared intent on stealing account credentials, such as email passwords, in Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates, according to Adam Meyers, vice president of intelligence at CrowdStrike cyber security firm.
• Similar attacks took place in Europe and other parts of the Middle East, with targets including governments, intelligence services, police,airlines, and the oil industry.

Terror monitor keeps Pak. on grey list, seeks action

News

• Condemning the Pulwama attack, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), issued a stern statement to Pakistan to comply with an action plan on terror financing or face further action, according to a decision taken at its plenary session in Paris.

Beyond News

• The week-long deliberations of the 37-member group decided not to remove Pakistan from the ‘grey list’, as Islamabad had lobbied for, but also did not accept an Indian demand to move Pakistan to the ‘black list’ yet.
• The ‘grey-listing’ continued despite a last-minute decision by the Pakistan government to put the Jamaat-ud Dawa (JuD) and the Falah-e Insaniat Foundation, two offshoots of the Hafiz Saeed-led Lashkar-e Taiba on its ‘schedule-1’ list of banned organisations.
• The FATF criticised Pakistan for not demonstrating “a proper understanding” of the terror financing risks posed by “Da’esh (Islamic State), Al Qaeda, Jamaat-ud Dawa, Falah-e-Insaniat-Foundation, Lashkar-e Taiba, Jaish-e Mohammad, Haqqani Network, and persons affiliated with the Taliban,” and told the Pakistani government to show that remedial actions and sanctions are applied as well as demonstrating that its authorities were taking action on “illegal money or value transfer services”.
• Pakistan was put on the ‘grey list’ or watch list of the FATF in June 2018 after a proposal moved by the U.S., the U.K., Germany and France was passed.
• The resolution gave the Pakistani government a 15-month, 27-point action plan on enforcing measures to counter money laundering and financing of terrorist groups (AML/CFT regime).

India to have own DNS for safe browsing

News

• The government will soon roll out a public Domain Name Server, or DNS, for India aimed at providing a faster and more secure browsing experience for Internet users in the country, while ensuring that citizens’ data is stored locally.

Beyond News

• A DNS is a like a directory for the Internet. It helps to convert domain names that are easy for people to remember into IP addresses, which are used by computers/machines to communicate. If the DNS is either slow or fails to work, users will not be able to locate web addresses.
• The main aim of bringing our own public DNS is to ensure availability, particularly for smaller Interest Service Providers (ISPs) who don’t have credible DNS. Bigger ones usually have their own DNS.
• Pointing out that there were other open DNS servers, including Google Public DNS, the government’s system would prevent users from visiting malicious websites.
• The roll-out, which will be executed by the National Informatics Centre the technology arm of the government will be completed in the next four to six months. NIC is already using the public DNS within the government network.
• The ministry, as part of its ongoing awareness campaign for safer Internet, also plans to reach out to end-users to educate them on DNS and how they could shift to an Indian public DNS if they desired.

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