Hindu Notes from General Studies-01

Editorials are covered separately. HINDU NOTES are available free date wise| CLICK HERE

Monsoon brings in its wake vector-borne diseases

News

• With the monsoon setting in after delay of a fortnight from the expected date, there has been a spurt in vector-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue, and chikungunya, which could be life-threatening in some cases and entails huge expenses for treatment.

Beyond News

• Over the years, except in the first six months of this year, the highest number of vector-borne diseases have been reported from five districts, predominantly from tribal localities in Telangana. Officials are gearing up to control the rising number of cases this season.
• Further, 1,697 villages and 75 primary health centres at high risk were identified.
• Methods for controlling mosquito breeding include release of larvivorous fish such as gambusia fish which feed on larvae into water bodies, indoor residual spraying (IRS), use of insecticide treated bed nets, and ensuring that water does not stagnate anywhere.
• Disease management includes detecting the diseases in early stages and providing treatment, strengthening referral services, preparedness for the epidemic.
• Officials and staff from the Health Department responsible for the various activities were selected.

For instance, District Medical and Health Officer, and programme officer at national Vector Borne Diseases Control Programme (NVBDCP) were assigned the task for training medical officers, supervisors, and accredited social health activists (ASHA).

Hindu Notes from General Studies-02

U.S. EB-5 applications to become dearer

News

• The United States has decided to effect a steep increase in the application fee for its Immigrant Investor Visa Programme, EB-5.

Beyond News

• Although a hike was under consideration since January 2017, the U.S. administration kept pushing the decision, at least half a dozen times, until the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) took a final call,after it completed its review of the EB-5 modernisation regulations.
• Under the revised scheme, the application fee for projects under Targeted Employment Areas, will go up to $1.35 million from the current $500,000. The standard minimum investment will also rise to $1.8 million from the existing $1 million.
• As of now, EB-5 could probably be the quickest legal route available for immigrants to get Green Card and permanent residency in the U.S.
• The normal waiting period used to be less than two years, but with India recently reaching retrogression (investors from the country fully utilised the existing cap of 700 EB-5 visas for the October-September fiscal), the waiting period is likely to get longer up to five years or more.
• EB-5 investments that go into various sectors in the U.S., including hospitality and realty, are monitored and regulated by the U.S. Immigration Services and Securities Exchange Commission.
• India has a large number of families and entrepreneurs who are keen to take this route, especially when H-1B visa is under stringent scrutiny. However, the fee hike might cool off the investor interest for EB-5 adoption, opined immigration professionals.
• As per CanAm Investor Services, some 50% of the Indian applicants of EB-5 are either students or parents who want their children to build their career in the US.
• Indian students under EB-5 visa can attend U.S. public elementary, middle, and high school institutions at no cost and can save on university tuition at public universities by paying in-state tuition fees.
• Most EB-5 Indian applications are high-networth individuals, entrepreneurs and students from Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad Kochi, Kolkota, Punjab, Delhi NCR, and Chandigarh.

India shares list of prisoners with Pakistan

News

• India has asked Pakistan to facilitate visas for a medical team to examine Indian inmates in various Pakistani prisons.
• Indian request was made during the exchange of list of prisoners.
• By procedure, the Ministry has declared that India held 256 Pakistani civilian prisoners and 99 fishermen in various Indian prisons, and informed that Pakistan held 209 Indian fishermen and 52 civilian prisoners in its custody.

Hindu Notes from General Studies-03

Core sector growth slows to 5.1%

News

• Growth in the core sectors of the economy slowed to 5.1% in May 2019 led by slowing growth in the coal and refinery products sector, according to official data released.

Beyond News

• The Index of Eight Core Industries saw growth slowing in May from the nine-month high of 6.3% registered in April.The growth in May is the highest since July 2018, not counting April.
• The slowdown was led by the refinery sector, which saw a contraction of 1.5% compared with a growth of 4.3% in the previous month.
• The coal sector also saw growth slowing to 1.8% from 3.2% over the same period. The crude oil sector witnessed a continued contraction for the eighteenth consecutive month in May, with growth contracting 6.96% in that month compared with a contraction of 6.75% in April.
• The natural gas sector remained flat in May, registering zero growth, compared with a contraction of 0.75% in April.
• The strongest performer of the eight sectors under consideration was the steel sector. The sector grew 19.8% in May, up from a growth of 18.97% in the previous month. The fertilizer sector contracted again in May, by 1.03%, compared with a contraction of 4.4% in April.
• The cement sector continued to witness subdued growth, of 2.75% in May, up marginally from the 2.28% seen in April.
• The sector averaged a growth of 13.3% in financial year 2018-19. The electricity sector, further buoyed by increased demand in the summer months, grew 7.23% in May, compared with 5.99% in April.

Money in Swiss banks: India ranked 74

News

• India has moved down one place to 74th rank in terms of money parked by its citizens and enterprises with Swiss banks, while the U.K. has retained its top position, as per data released by the central banking authority of the Alpine nation.

Beyond News

• India was ranked 73rd last year, after jumping from its 88th rank a year ago.
• An analysis of the latest annual banking statistics of the Swiss National Bank (SNB) shows that India remains ranked very low when it comes to money parked by Indian individuals and enterprises in Swiss banks, including through their India-based branches, while accounting for 0.07% of the aggregate funds parked by all foreign clients of the Switzerland-based banks.

82-member rhino protection force deployed in Kaziranga

News

• An 82-member special protection force trained to combat poachers and understand animal behaviour was deployed in the Kaziranga National Park (KNP).
• Among the 82 personnel of the Special Rhino Protection Force (SRPF) are eight women.

Beyond News

• The SRPF is basically a tiger protection force named after the rhino since the threat of poaching is more for the one-horned herbivore. Their job profile includes protecting the striped cat since Kaziranga is also a tiger reserve.
• The Assam government would be paying the salaries of the SRPF members and the amount would be reimbursed by the National Tiger Conservation Authority, which recommended setting up of the special force.
• The process of setting up the special force was started in 2015. The recruits were given the appointment letter in July 2018 after which they were trained at the Forest Guard School in eastern Assam’s Makum.
• The recruits also underwent weapons training at the 9th Assam Police Battalion in Nagaon district.
• The 430 sq.km. KNP encompasses eight ranges under two wildlife divisions Eastern Assam and Biswanath straddling the river Brahmaputra. Of the 82 SRPF personnel, 60 have been assigned ranges under the Eastern Assam Wildlife Division on the southern bank of the river.

5G trials: Chinese official urges India to include Huawei

News

• Calling for India to include Huawei in its 5G trials despite the U.S. government’s opposition to the Chinese telecommunications major, a senior Chinese official said New Delhi must not be “exclusive” in its choice.

Beyond News

• The issue over whether to include Huawei in the 5G trials, which the government has promised to start by September this year, became a centrepiece for talks between Indian Prime Minister and both his Chinese and American counterparts during the recently concluded G-20 summit in Osaka.
• S. President Donald Trump, who spoke specifically about Huawei with Indian Prime Minister, agreed that India and the U.S. must cooperate on research on 5G technologies in the future.
• During Russia-India-China (RIC) talks subsequently, President Xi also suggested that the three countries “expand cooperation in 5G network, high technology, connectivity, energy and other areas.”
• Shortly after being sworn-in as part of the Modi government, Minister of Communications had said that “whether a company is allowed to participate [in the 5G trials] or not is a complex question, including security issues,” indicating that India is yet to take a final call on whether Huawei constituted a security threat.
• Officials have been particularly worried about the potential for 5G networks to be used for mass surveillance, as well as the potential for a foreign agency to disrupt systems run by the high-speed, next generation telecom technology, especially from a company like Huawei, that has connections to the Chinese government.

Panel of CMs to suggest sweeping agriculture reforms

News

• Maharashtra Chief Minister will head a new high-powered committee to recommend structural reforms in Indian agriculture, including changes to the way farmers market their produce, and norms for contract farming and essential commodities.
• It will suggest measures to attract private investment and modernise the agricultural market system.

Beyond News

• The Chief Ministers of Karnataka, Haryana, Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh, and Union Agriculture Minister will also be members of the committee. It will submit its report in two months.
• The creation of the panel was originally announced by Prime Minister at last month’s Niti Aayog Governing Council meeting.
• The committee of Chief Ministers has been asked to “discuss measures for transformation of agriculture and raising farmers’ income.” It will also suggest modalities for adoption and time bound implementation of reforms by States and union territories.
• Up for discussion are two model Acts circulated by the Centre to States: the model Agriculture Produce and Livestock Marketing (Promotion & Facilitation) Act, 2017 and the model Agriculture Produce and Livestock, Contract Farming and Services (Promotion & Facilitation) Act, 2018.
• The panel will also examine various provisions of the Essential Commodities Act (ECA), 1955 and suggest changes which will attract private investment in agricultural marketing and infrastructure. It will also suggest a mechanism for linking market reforms with existing centrally-sponsored schemes such as e-NAM.
• The panel will suggest measures to boost agricultural exports, to upgrade agri-technology, and attract investments in value chains, logistics and market infrastructure.
• They will also leverage farmers’ access to quality seed, plant propagation material and farm machinery from advanced countries.

Finally, aircraft carrier Viraat to be scraped

News

• Over two years after it was decommissioned from service, aircraft carrier Viraat is going to be scrapped, Parliament was informed.
• Efforts to keep it intact by converting it into a museum or other means have not been successful.

Beyond News

• Viraat, a Centaur class aircraft carrier weighing 27,800 tonnes, had served in the British Navy as HMS Hermes for 25 years from November 1959 to April 1984 and after refurbishment was commissioned into the Indian Navy in May 1987.
• It was decommissioned from the Navy in March 2017 at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai.

CLICK HERE TO SEE DATE WISE CURRENT AFFAIRS