Current Affairs – August 09, 2024

{GS1 – Geo – HG} Tribal Communities in Andhra Pradesh

• Context (TH): Porja, Bagata, and Konda Dora tribes in Andhra Pradesh suffer from severe shortages of electricity and clean water.

• These tribes have significantly contributed to the construction of the Lower Sileru Hydro-Electric Project (LSP) on the Sileru River.

Bagata/ Bhakta Tribe

• Located in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, these communities primarily engage in farming.
• They speak Oriya (dialect), Telugu, and Adivasi Oriya, and worship Hindu deities alongside tribal gods.
• Dhimsa is a popular dance by Bagata tribes. Their dances are collectively known as Sankidi Kelbar.

Porja Tribe (Palanquin Bearers)

• Designated as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), they practice Podu (shifting cultivation).

Konda Dora/ Pandava Dora Tribe

• They reside in the Konda Kamberu ranges of the Eastern Ghats, spanning Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.
• They originally spoke Kubi/Konda but now use a mix of Telugu and Odia.

Read more > TRIFED , PM-PVTGs Development Mission

{GS2 – Governance – Initiatives} Guidelines for Organ Transportation

• Context (TH): India’s health ministry issued its first Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for transporting human organs covering road, rail, and waterways.

Organ Transplantation in India

• India is the world’s third-largest country for organ transplants.
• While the overall number of transplants has significantly increased from 2013 to 2022, deceased donor transplants still account for a relatively small portion.

New Guidelines for Organ Transport

• Priority transportation: Airlines and other transportation modes must give priority to organ transport, including priority take-off and landing.
• Green corridors: A green corridor (route clear of traffic congestion) for organ transportation by road.
• Security: Strict guidelines which includes security measures and personnel protocols.
• Organ box specifications: Guidelines on the proper packaging and handling of the organ box.
• Temperature control: Strict regulations to maintain optimal temperature conditions during transport.
• Medical escort: Requirements for qualified medical personnel to accompany the organ during transport.
• Clear responsibilities: For airport, railway, and road authorities in facilitating organ transport.
• Training: Of personnel involved in organ transport, including security, medical, and transportation staff.
• Performance indicators: To be established to measure the effectiveness of the guidelines.
• Regular review mechanism: Based on feedback and experience.
• Guidelines for the public: On how to assist in organ transport, if needed.

Significance of Organ Transport Guidelines in India

• Increased Organ Utilization time: Prioritises organ transport, reducing time for organ viability. For instance, a green corridor ensures rapid transportation, increasing the chances of successful transplants.
• Reduced wastage: Efficient transport minimizes organ damage, reducing discarding of organs.
• Improved survival rates: Faster organ delivery to recipients leads to better patient outcomes.
• Reduced waiting times: Streamlined processes reduce waiting times for patients in need of transplants.
• Clear protocols: Provide a standardized framework for organ transportation, ensuring consistency.
• Efficiency: Standardized procedures optimize resource utilization and reduce errors.
• Transparency: Enhance public trust in organ donation and transplantation.
• Ethical considerations: Emphasize ethical practices, reassuring the public about the process.
• Inter-agency cooperation: Effective collaboration between health, transportation, & security agencies.
• Efficient resource allocation: Coordinated efforts optimize the use of available resources.
• Accountability: Clear responsibilities and accountability mechanisms are established.

Way Forward

• Dedicated lanes: To be implemented for organ transport vehicles on major highways, similar to the system used for emergency vehicles in some countries. For example, Green corridor in Hyderabad.
• Advanced real-time traffic management: To optimize routes and reduce travel time.
• Dedicated air ambulances: Kerala has invested in developing air ambulance services, especially in remote areas, to improve organ transportation.
• Real-time tracking: To monitor progress and identify potential delays.
• Drone technology: Use of drones in remote areas or for delivering critical supplies.
• Training programs: For medical personnel involved in organ retrieval and transport.
• Skill development: Enhancing the skills of transportation staff in handling and transporting organs.
• Public Awareness: About the importance of organ donation and the role of organ transportation.
• Early identification of donors: India can adopt Spain’s model of early identification of potential donors and efficient coordination among healthcare providers.

{GS2 – MoC – Schemes} Nandini Sahakar Yojana

• Context (PIB): The Minister of Cooperation recently provided details about the Nandini Sahakar Yojana.

• Objective: To support women cooperatives in undertaking business model-based activities under the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) purview.
• Eligibility: Any cooperative society with at least 50% women as primary members and a minimum of three months in operation.
• Assistance is provided in the form of credit linkage for infrastructure term loans and working capital, along with subsidies or interest subvention from other government schemes.
• There is no minimum or maximum limit on financial assistance for projects under women cooperatives.
• It provides 2% interest subvention on its rate of interest on term loans for new and innovative activities and 1% interest subvention on term loans for all other activities.

{GS2 – Polity – Bodies – Statutory} National Commission for Minorities (NCM)

• Context (PIB): Minister of Minority Affairs spelled out the judicial powers of NCM in the Lok Sabha.

• NCM is a statutory body established in 1993 under the NCM Act,1992.
• The term ‘Minority’ in this act means a community notified as such by the Central Government.
• In 2014, Jains were notified as the sixth minority community. Initially, there were Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Zoroastrians (Parsis).

Composition

• Consists of a Chairperson, a Vice- Chairperson and five Members, nominated by the Central Government from amongst persons of eminence, ability, and integrity.
• Each member holds office three years from the date of assumption of office.

Functions

• Evaluate the progress of the development of minorities under the Union and States.
• Monitor the working of the safeguards provided in the Constitution and in Central and State laws and make recommendations for their effective implementation.
• Look into complaints regarding deprivation of rights and safeguards of the minorities.
• Conduct studies, research, and analysis on the issues relating to the socio-economic and educational development of minorities and suggest appropriate measures.
• Make periodical or special reports to the Central Government on any matter pertaining to Minorities.

Judicial Powers

• As per section 9(4) of the NCM Act of 1992, NCM have all the powers of a Civil Court in respect of:
  1. Summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person from any part of India and examining him on oath.
  2. Requiring the discovery and production of any document.
  3. Receiving evidence on affidavits.
  4. Requisitioning any public record or copy thereof from any Court or office.
  5. Issuing commissions for the examination of witnesses and documents; and
  6. Any other matter which may be prescribed.
• The judicial powers of NCM are similar to that of NCSC and NCST except for point (vi) wherein the NCSC and NCST the provision is “any other matter which the President may, by rule, determine”.

{GS2 – Polity – IC – Citizenship} Recent Amendments to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019

• Context (TH): The Union government has amended Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 guidelines on documents required to prove foreign origin.

• Applicants for citizenship now need to provide documents from the State or Union government or quasi-judicial authorities in India, in addition to those from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, or Pakistan.
• The addition of ‘etc.’ in the Schedule 1A gives government officials discretion to process applications with incomplete documents.
• Local priests or reputed community institutions can now issue certificates to certify an applicant’s faith.

{GS3 – IE – Taxation} Removal of GST on Insurances

• Context (IE): Opposition leaders demanded the withdrawal of GST of 18% on life insurance and health insurance premiums.

• Medical inflation (14% towards the end of last year) and high premiums make health and life insurances less affordable.

Justification for imposing GST

• Doubts around Premium Reduction: Lowering the GST might not help customers, as insurance companies points the rise in their overall costs.
• Revenue Generation: GoI earned over Rs 20,000 crore from GST on all insurances during the last three financial years.

Argument for withdrawing GST

• High premium costs: Frequent premium hikes and medical inflation reduced renewal rate of policies.
• Highest GST Rate: GST on insurance is the highest in the world. It will deter IRDAI’s  goal of “Insurance for All by 2047”.
• Global Best Practices: Singapore and Hong Kong have no GST or VAT on insurance.
• Stimulating Insurance Penetration: Reduced costs can encourage more people, especially in rural areas, to buy insurance.

Read More > Insurance Sector I GST

{GS3 – IE – Urbanization} Urban Development in Himalayan Towns

• Context (TH): Himalayan towns require a development model tailored to their unique environmental and socio-economic contexts to ensure sustainable urbanisation.

• The Indian Himalayan Range (IHR) saw a decadal urban growth rate of over 40% from 2011 to 2021.

Key Challenges in IHR Towns

• IHR towns like Srinagar, Guwahati, Shillong, and Shimla struggle with managing sanitation, waste, and water due to outdated planning models (guided by land-use principles).
• Severe staff shortages, with a 75% deficit in human resources, cripple effective city governance.
• Unchecked urban sprawl leads to the encroachment of open spaces, forests, and watersheds, as seen in Srinagar, where water bodies are overtaken by real estate.
• High-intensity tourism (7.9% annual growth, 2013-2023) and unsustainable infrastructure development put immense pressure on resources (land and water).
• Environmental issues like water scarcity, deforestation, land degradation, biodiversity loss, and pollution are worsening under this pressure.
• Changing precipitation patterns and rising temperatures further disrupt life in the region.

Necessary Actions

• Climate-Resilient Planning: Urban planning in IHR should focus on climate resilience, with consultant-driven efforts and vulnerability mapping (geological and hydrological) for each town.
• Local Involvement: The planning process should adopt a bottom-up approach, involving local communities in decision-making.
• Urban Financing: The Finance Commission should boost urban financing for the IHR, increasing intergovernmental transfers to urban local bodies from current 0.5% to at least 1% of GDP.
• Focus on Sustainability: Prioritize sustainability through eco-centric planning processes and promote ecotourism for long-term benefits.

{GS3 – S&T – BioTech} Drug-Resistant Fungal Infection

• Context (TH): The rise of drug-resistant fungal infections caused by Trichophyton indotineae (ring worm/jock itch) is becoming a significant health challenge.

• Trichophyton indotineae was first identified in India in 2019.

Challenges

• Misuse of Topical Steroids: Excessive use exacerbates resistance, making infections harder to treat.
• Misdiagnosis: Often mistaken for eczema or other skin conditions, leading to delayed and ineffective treatment, worsening individual conditions, and increasing community risk.
• Drug Quality: Poor quality of drugs lead to suboptimal dosing and treatment failure.
• Side Effects: Alternative antifungals can cause gastrointestinal issues, liver toxicity, and drug interactions.

Way Forward

• Accurate diagnosis: Clinical examination and laboratory tests (Fungal cultures, molecular diagnostics).
• Awareness: Inform healthcare providers/patients about the risks and management of drug-resistant infections and follow preventive measures (keeping skin dry, avoid sharing personal items).
• Comprehensive skin care and proper hydration are crucial for treatment efficacy.
• Follow prescribed treatments, maintain a healthy lifestyle, and boost immunity.

{Prelims – In News} August Kranti Day

• Context (IE): The nation celebrated August 8 as the August Kranti Day or Quit India Movement Day to commemorate the Quit India Movement, which called for the withdrawal of British forces from India.

• The Quit India Movement was launched on August 8, 1942, under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi.

{Prelims – Sports} Vinesh Phogat and Weigh-in Controversy

• Context (IE): Vinesh Phogat’s plea for the silver medal was accepted by Court of Arbitration for Sports.

• India’s ace wrestler Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the gold medal bout at the Paris Olympics after failing to meet the 50 kg weight limit on the second day of weigh-in.
• Wrestling competitions were held on a single day with just one weigh-in.
• However, the United World Wrestling (international governing body for amateur wrestling), changed the format in 2017 to a two-day system to prevent extreme weight cutting.

United World Wrestling’s (UWW) Rules

• UWW rules require athletes to make weight on all competition days.
• Wrestlers must weigh in on the morning of their competition on both days.
• The limit is strict, with no tolerance for excess weight on the second day.
• Failure to meet weight on either day results in disqualification and will be ranked last.
• Injury Exception: If an injury occurs on Day 1, the athlete is exempt from the second weigh-in and retains their results. Injuries after Day 1 still require the second weigh-in.