Current Affairs – August 22, 2024

Context (TH): India’s healthcare sector has transformed from relying on Western treatments to becoming a global destination for medical excellence.

Causes for India’s Success in Healthcare

Investment in Healthcare Infrastructure: Modernizing healthcare facilities like establishing state-of-the-art hospitals and advanced medical technology, has been crucial in enhancing the quality of care.
Heal in India Campaign: To position India as a global leader in health care, emphasising India’s potential to become a premier medical destination through high-quality, cost-effective treatments.
Cost-Effective Medical Treatments has made it an attractive destination for international patients seeking high-quality care.
Growth in medical tourism: This has led to substantial revenue generation and economic benefits. Improved medical services and international marketing efforts have supported this growth.
Make in India Initiative: Aims to boost domestic production of medical devices, reducing reliance on imports and enhancing the affordability and accessibility of medical care within India.

Medical tourism involves travelling to another country for medical treatment, often due to lower costs or specialised care unavailable domestically.
It has become a significant economic driver for many countries, offering patients access to quality healthcare at a fraction of the cost.

Challenges Ahead

High Import Dependency: Heavy reliance on imports raises costs and risks supply chain issues. India imported medical devices worth over $6.24 billion in 2021-22.
Increased Treatment Costs: Imported devices are expensive, inflating healthcare costs. For example, costs for advanced imaging systems and surgical instruments are higher due to import duties.
Limited Manufacturing Infrastructure: Insufficient infrastructure hampers local production growth. For example, lack of specialised facilities delays the production of high-quality medical devices.
Quality and Standards Compliance: Domestic producers struggle to meet global quality standards. For example, recall and quality issues with the blood pressure medicine Valsartan due to impurities.
Regulatory Hurdles can potentially delay market entry and increase costs. The World Bank’s 2021 “Ease of Doing Business” report ranked India 63rd out of 190 countries.

Way Forward

Enhance healthcare infrastructure: Establishing more advanced hospitals and diagnostic centers, like the expansion of Apollo Hospitals and Fortis Healthcare, can improve access to quality care.
Promote Domestic Production of Medical Devices to reduce import dependency.
Improve Healthcare Accessibility: Expanding telemedicine services and mobile health clinics can help provide care to rural and remote populations, as seen with initiatives like eSanjeevani.
Strengthen the healthcare workforce by upskilling through continuing education, such as the National Health Mission’s training initiatives.
Implement and Enforce Quality Standards by strengthening regulatory bodies like the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH).

{GS2 – Vulnerable Sections – Women} Women’s Representation in Leadership Roles **

Context (TH): The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation report (Women and Men in India 2023) points to the lack of women in corner offices.

Women and Men in India 2023 – Key Findings

Inadequate Representation in Corporate Sector:
- Disparity in Senior Management: Only 34,879 women held senior management positions in 2023 compared to 1,86,946 men. Women are underrepresented in Board of Directors as well.
- Growth Disparity: While women’s representation in senior management increased, the growth rate for men was significantly higher.
Growth in Women’s Entrepreneurship:
- Increase in Women-Led Startups: The number of women-led recognised startups has surged and constitute 47.6% of total recognised startups.
- Underrepresentation in Judiciary: Only 14% of women in HCs and around 9% in the SCs.

Challenges

Gender Bias and Stereotypes: Women often face biases that undermine their leadership abilities. A 2021 McKinsey report found that women are viewed as less capable leaders than men despite similar performance levels.
Work-Life Balance: The World Economic Forum (2023) reports that women still handle most childcare and domestic duties, impacting their career progress.
Lack of Representation: As of 2023, only 26% of executive positions in S&P 500 companies are held by women (Catalyst).
Pay Disparities: The 2022 World Economic Forum report shows a 20% pay gap between men and women in similar positions.
Workplace Culture: A 2022 LeanIn.Org survey found that 1 in 3 women experience gender bias, and 1 in 4 feel excluded from critical opportunities.
Impostor Syndrome: Many women leaders doubt their success. A 2021 survey found that 70% of women leaders experience impostor syndrome.

Glass ceiling effect

It is a metaphor for the invisible barriers women and people of marginalised groups face when trying to advance to higher-level positions.
These barriers are implicit biases within organisational structures and cultures, not official company policies.

Glass Cliff

A situation in which women are promoted to higher positions during times of crisis or duress or during a recession when the chance of failure is more likely.

Way Forward

Promote Diversity and Inclusion Policies: Implement policies that ensure diverse hiring and promotion practices and create inclusive work environments.
Support Work-Life Balance: Offer flexible work arrangements, parental leave, and childcare support to help women balance professional and personal responsibilities.
Address Pay Gaps: Ensure equal pay for equal work by conducting regular salary audits and correcting disparities.
Create Transparent Promotion Paths: Make promotion criteria and processes clear to ensure fair opportunities for advancement.
Combat Bias and Discrimination: Provide training to reduce unconscious bias and create a zero-tolerance workplace discrimination policy.
Increase Representation: Set targets and actively work to increase the number of women in senior and executive roles across industries.

{GS3 – Envi – Degradation} Environmental Crisis in the Aravali Range

Context (TH): Aravali range is facing severe threats due to illegal activities, including mining, encroachments, and deforestation, leading to significant environmental degradation.

Recent Findings

Land Use Dynamics: A study published in the journal Earth Science Informatics reveals significant changes in land use within the Aravali range pointing to an increase in the mining area.
Carbon Flux: The study observed high positive rates of carbon flux in regions with high rainfall and protected areas, such as Todgarh-Raoli and Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuaries.
Impact of Protected Areas: The presence of wildlife sanctuaries in the central part of the Aravali range has helped mitigate some of the damage, with these areas showing minimal forest depletion compared to other parts of the range.

Key Challenges in the region

llegal Mining: Particularly in Rajasthan leading to the destruction of vegetation and soil cover, disrupting the area’s biodiversity and depleting groundwater reserves.
Deforestation: There is a decrease in the forest cover in the Aravali range.
Human Encroachments: The growth of human settlements, particularly in southern Rajasthan and Gujarat, has expanded.

Way Forward

LiDAR-Based Drone Surveys: This technology can accurately measure surface topography and detect illegal mining activities, enabling more effective enforcement and management.
Establishment of an Aravali Development Authority: To address the ongoing threats and manage conservation efforts, the creation of an independent authority comprising experts from various fields is suggested.
Ban on Mining: Implementing a comprehensive ban on all forms of mining within the Aravali region is critical to prevent further environmental degradation and protect the area’s ecological balance and biodiversity.

LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology

It uses laser light to measure distances between objects.

LiDAR Technology

By emitting pulses of laser light and recording the time it takes for the reflected light to return, LiDAR can create detailed 3D maps of the environment, which are crucial for applications like autonomous vehicles, surveying, and precision agriculture.

{Prelims – Envi – Species} Purandar Figs

Context (PIB): The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) enabled the export of India’s first ready-to-drink fig juice to Poland.

The fig juice, made from Purandar figs, produced by Purandar Highlands Farmers Producer Company Ltd., was first introduced during SIAL 2023 (food and beverage exhibition) in New Delhi.
It is grown in Purandar taluk, Pune district, Maharashtra it was awarded GI Tag in 2016.
Distinct Features: Bell-shaped, larger in size, with violet skin and over 80% pinkish-red edible pulp.
Taste & Nutrition: Sweet flavor, rich in vitamins and minerals.
Cultivation: Thrives in dry, hilly slopes with well-drained red and black soil.

Fig Trees

Fig trees (Ficus carica) are indigenous to Asiatic Turkey and northern India.
Its major production is in the Middle East; India ranks 12th globally.
Commercial cultivation in India: Maharashtra>Gujarat>Uttar Pradesh (Lucknow& Saharanpur)>Karnataka (Bellary, Chitradurga & Srirangapatna)>Tamil Nadu (Coimbatore).

Physical Properties

It is a deciduous, multi-trunk tree with smooth gray bark that grows to a height of 15-30 feet.
It has large, multi-lobed, dark green leaves and produces small, inconspicuous flowers.
The fruits of the tree, known as syconia, are edible, brownish-purple, and have a high sugar content.

Growing Conditions

It prefers arid and semi-arid environments with high summer temperatures, plenty of sunshine, and moderate water and can survive temperatures as high as 45°C.
The fig wasp (Blastophaga) is essential for pollination.

{Prelims – In News} Central Consumer Protection Authority

Context (TH): The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a penalty on an IAS coaching institute for publishing a misleading advertisement.

CCPA was established in 2020 by Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution under Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
Objectives: To protect and promote consumer rights, prevent unfair trade practices, and address false or misleading advertisements.
It is headed by a Chief Commissioner and has two additional commissioners, one dealing with goods and the other with services.
It can investigate violations of consumer rights, recall goods or withdraw services that are dangerous, hazardous, or unsafe, order refunds for recalled purchases, and discontinue unfair practices.
For misleading advertisements, the CCPA can impose a fine of up to 10 lakh rupees, 2 years in prison, and a product ban of up to 1 year. For repeated offenses, the penalty can increase to 5 years in prison, a 50 lakh rupee fine, and a product ban of up to 3 years.
Consumer grievances can be registered through the eDaakhil portal and the National Consumer Helpline through toll free number: 1800114000 or 1915.

{Prelims – Sci – Bio} TnpB Protein *

Context (TH): ICAR Rice Research Institute and Pennsylvania State University researchers have created a new, ultra-small plant genome editor, half the size of traditional CRISPR proteins.

TnpB Protein is an RNA-guided transposon-associated nuclease and evolutionary ancestor of Cas12 nucleases and is a highly effective tool for plant genome editing.
It is from Deinococcus radiodurans, renowned for its resilience and about one-third the size of Cas9 and Cas12a. It is functionally similar to Cas12a but is more compact.

Advantages

It is much smaller than Cas9 and Cas12a, making it better suited for plant cells.
It has higher editing efficiency in plant genomes and can target areas inaccessible to Cas9.
Its broader target range allows it to reach genomic loci that Cas9 cannot. This is due to its use of the Transposon Associated Motif (TAM) sequence.
It is effective on both monocot and dicot plants and allows precise nucleotide changes with a hybrid base editor. It has potential to enhance traits like yield, disease resistance, and stress tolerance.

Challenges

It requires complex delivery systems like viral vectors or lipid nanoparticles to deliver into cells.
The processing and stability of the specific RNAs required to target DNA sequences can be challenging.
Being a foreign protein, it can elicit an immune response in the host. It potentially limits its effectiveness.
The production and purification of TnpB can be expensive, especially for large-scale applications.
Occurrences of Off-target effects leads to unintended genetic modifications.

ICAR-National Rice Research Institute (NRRI)

It is a premier research facility in Cuttack dedicated to advancing rice cultivation in India.
It focuses on developing improved rice varieties and sustainable farming practices.
Rice varieties: Vandana, Kamesh, Shabhagidhan, Satyabhama, Pyari, Naveen, Rajalaxmi, Satyakrishna.

{Prelims – Sports} Manu Bhaker-Paris Olympics

Context (TH): Haryana’s Manu Bhaker, World No. 5, created history by becoming the first Indian athlete in the post-independence era to win multiple medals in a single edition at the Summer Games in Paris.

Manu is the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal in shooting.
She is the second Indian to clinch two medals in the same edition of the Games after Norman Pritchard (200m sprint and 200m hurdles) in the 1900 Paris Olympics.
She is the fourth Indian to win multiple medals in the Olympics after Pritchard (athletics), Sushil Kumar (wrestling) and P.V. Sindhu (Badminton).