Daily Factly Articles – 15/04/2022

Geography

First Long Range Forecast (LFR) : IMD

• GS1
• Art and Culture

In News

• Recently, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) released its first Long Range Forecast (LFR) stating that the monsoon would be normal this year.

About IMD It is an agency of the Ministry of Earth Sciences.It is the principal agency responsible for meteorological observations, weather forecasting and seismology.It is also one of the six Regional Specialised Meteorological Centres of the World Meteorological Organisation.IMD releases the long range forecast in two stages in April and June.

Major highlights of the report

• This is the fourth consecutive year that the IMD is predicting normal rainfall.
  • The seasonal rainfall is considered normal when it is 96-104 per cent of the LPA. 
• It estimated that rainfall will be normal or above normal in most parts of the country, except the North-East, Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir.
• The southwest monsoon rainfall during June to September will be normal, and quantitatively, it will be 99 per cent of the Long Period Average (LPA) which is 87 cm.
• LPA baseline: Till last year, the average of the period between 1961 and 2011 was taken as the LPA.
  • This year, in a routine revision that happens every decade, the LPA baseline has been changed to 1971-2020.
• Overall decrease in rainfall: The all-India annual rainfall which includes rainfall received in the entire year not just during the monsoon months has decreased from 117 cm to 116 cm.
• State wise assessment: According to this year’s monsoon forecast, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Sikkim are expected to receive normal to above normal rainfall.
  • J&K, Haryana and the rest of the North-East are likely to receive below normal rainfall.
  • Rainfall over the Northeastern region has been on the decline since the 1950s, particularly in the past three decades.
  • With the shifting of rainfall, the otherwise dry and arid west-central India regions covering Kutch-Saurashtra, Rajasthan and parts of west Madhya Pradesh are reporting a higher number of wet days than normal.
• Wettest months: July and August remain the wettest months of the year, accounting for 70 per cent of the season’s total rainfall, with June and September accounting for 15 per cent each.
• There have been instances in the past like 1974-1975, 1999-2000 and 2010-2011 when La Nina conditions prevailed over two years.
• The decadal variability between 1901 and 2020 shows the southwest monsoon rainfall underwent a dry epoch between 1901 and 1921.

Reasons for variation in Rainfall

• The decrease in the seasonal rainfall is due to the natural multi-decadal epochal variability of wet and dry epochs of India’s rainfall.
  • The monsoon season rainfall shows an epochal behaviour, wherein the monsoon can shift between dry and wet epochs (30-to-50-year periods) in certain decades.
• The other factor is the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), which is likely to remain in its neutral phase till June and later turn negative, which will not be good for the monsoon.
  • It is defined by the difference in sea surface temperature between two areas (or poles, hence a dipole) a western pole in the Arabian Sea (western Indian Ocean) and an eastern pole in the eastern Indian Ocean south of Indonesia.
• The prevailing La Nina conditions will continue till at least the first half of the monsoon season.
  • La Nina is the abnormal cooling of the sea surface temperatures observed over the equatorial Pacific region.
  • It is known to favour the Indian monsoon.
  • The land heating this year has been good and the existing La Nina conditions will favour a good monsoon.

Significance of Rainfall for India 

• With India’s agriculture being primarily rain-fed, the southwest monsoon is vital for kharif crops.
• About 78 percent of the country’s gross cropped area is supported by monsoon rainfall.
• Besides agriculture, the key driver of the country’s economy, India’s reservoirs and sectors like transport, aviation and power are also monsoon-dependent.

Long Period Average (LPA)

• LPA of rainfall is the rainfall recorded over a particular region for a given interval (like month or season) averaged over a long period like 30years, 50-years etc.
•  It acts as a benchmark while forecasting the quantitative rainfall for that region for a specific month or season.
• This is an international practice to verify the seasonal rainfall once in a decade.
• The LPA is revised, if required, depending on any variations observed from the rainfall data obtained from the network of rain gauges.

Source:IE

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Health

Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM)

• GS 2
• Health

In News

The National Health Authority (NHA), the implementing agency for the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), has extended an open invitation to all interested parties for sharing their Expression of Interest (EoI) in developing innovative solutions aimed at building a national digital health ecosystem for India.

About 

• This collaborative approach will not just help speed up the development but also will help in making digital public goods available to public and/or private entities. Interested parties shall provide these solutions as a service at no cost to public and/or private entities.

About Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission

• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare formulated the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission with the aim to provide the necessary support for the integration of digital health infrastructure in the country.
•  This visionary initiative, stemming from the National Health Policy, 2017 intends to digitise healthcare in India.

ABDM Components

• Health ID:
  • It is important to standardise the process of identification of an individual across healthcare providers. 
  • It will be used to uniquely identify persons, authenticate them, and threading their health records (only with the informed consent of the patient) across multiple systems and stakeholders.
• Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR)
  • It is a comprehensive repository of all healthcare professionals involved in delivery of healthcare services across both modern and traditional systems of medicine. Enrolling in the Healthcare Professionals Registry will enable them to get connected to India’s digital health ecosystem.  
• Health Facility Registry (HFR):
  • It is a comprehensive repository of health facilities of the country across different systems of medicine. It includes both public and private health facilities including hospitals, clinics, diagnostic laboratories and imaging centres, pharmacies, etc.
• Personal Health Records (PHR):
  • It is an electronic application through which patients can maintain and manage their health information (and that of others for whom they are authorised) in a private, secure, and confidential environment. 
  • The citizens can get a longitudinal view of the personal health record by creating and linking the health ID with the visited health care facilities.

Aims and Objectives 

• It aims to develop the backbone necessary to support the integrated digital health infrastructure of the country. 
  • It will bridge the existing gap amongst different stakeholders of the Healthcare ecosystem through digital highways.
• It aims to create a seamless online platform that will enable interoperability within the digital healthcare ecosystem. 
• It aims to give impetus to open and interoperable standards in the digital health ecosystem. 
• It aims to significantly improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and transparency of health service delivery overall. 
  • Patients will be able to securely store and access their medical records (such as prescriptions, diagnostic reports and discharge summaries), and share them with health care providers to ensure appropriate treatment and follow-up. 
• It aims to provide choice to individuals to access both public and private health services, facilitate compliance with laid down guidelines and protocols, and ensure transparency in pricing of services and accountability for the health services being rendered.

Limitations/Concerns

• Digital Divide: This could lead to exclusion of digitally illiterate and unconnected remote, hilly and tribal areas. 
• Data Breach/Privacy issues: The lack of a data protection bill could lead to the misuse of data by private firms.
• Huge requirement of skilled labours: Need for skilled manpower in the digital domain versus the latest computer skills.
• Inadequate Primary Health Care data: Lack of infrastructure and staff at primary level.
• Issue of interoperability of systems built by different states & the central repositories.

Way Forward

• India’s public health system has to be strengthened and rejuvenated 
• Data protection measures will have to be robust to preserve personal information.
• It should be made transparent and easy to understand for the public.

Source:TH

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Indian Economy

Production-Linked Incentive Scheme for Textile Sector

• GS 3
• Indian Economy & Related Issues

In News 

Recently,The government approved 61 applications of companies with an investment potential of over Rs 19,000 crore under the production linked incentive (PLI) scheme for textiles.

About PLI Scheme in Textile Sector

• Government approved PLI Scheme for Textiles products, namely MMF Apparel, MMF Fabrics and Products of Technical Textiles, for enhancing India’s manufacturing capabilities and enhancing exports with an approved financial outlay of Rs 10,683 crore over a five-year period. 
• Types of Investment : The scheme has two parts
  • Part 1 where minimum investment is Rs. 300 crore and minimum turnover required to be achieved for incentive is Rs.600 crore
  • Part-2, where minimum investment is of Rs. 100 crore and minimum turnover required to be achieved for incentive is Rs. 200 crore. 
• The investment period is 2 years, and the incentive will be paid for 5 years after the first year of post-investment operation. 
• Segments 
  • The PLI Scheme for textiles aims to promote the production of high value Man-Made Fibre (MMF) fabrics, garments and technical textiles.

Why so much importance to Man-made Fibre?

• Definition:
  • Manmade fibres are made from various chemicals or are regenerated from plant fibres.
  • Examples of manmade fibres are: 
    • Polyester; 
    • Polyamide – (nylon); 
    • Acrylics; 
    • Viscose, made from wood bark; 
    • Kevlar, a high-performance fibre; and 
    • Nomex, a high-performance fibre
• Importance of Man-made Fibre in World Market:
  • 80% of the total Chinese textile export was man-made fibre ­based.
  • 70% of the total global fibre manufacturing and consumption, 70% is man-made fibre related, while in India it is just about 35%. 
• Where does India stand?
  • Textile industry is the second largest employment generator in the country, next only to agriculture. In the last decade, close to Rs. 203,000 crores have been invested in this industry with direct and indirect employment of about 105 million people, a major part of which is women.
  •  Despite the industry being deeply affected by the lockdown, it has shown a remarkable recovery with a positive contribution to growth, as reflected by IIP, of 3.6 percent during April- October 2020.

What are Technical Textiles?

• The Technical Textiles segment is a new age textile, whose application is in several sectors of the economy.
  • They are used in sectors like infrastructure, water, health and hygiene, defence, security, automobiles, aviation, etc. 
• They improve the efficiencies in those sectors of the economy. 
• The government has also launched a National Technical Textiles Mission for promoting R&D efforts in technical textiles and their applications. 
• PLI will help further, in attracting investment in this segment.

Significance 

• The PLI Scheme will provide an immense boost to domestic manufacturing, and prepare the industry for making a big impact in global markets in sync with the spirit of Atma Nirbhar Bharat.
•  It will also help attract more investment into this sector.
  • The PLI Scheme for Textiles will lead to fresh investment of more than Rs.19,000 crore, cumulative turnover of over Rs.3 lakh crore will be achieved under this scheme and will create additional employment opportunities of more than 7.5 lakh jobs in this sector.
• The scheme would directly benefit the states of Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Odisha, as these were states where the textile sector is already growing. 

• Leveraging Economies of Scale, the scheme will help Indian companies to emerge as Global Champions in the Textile Sector.
  • It will incentivise the companies to grow more as higher the turnover, more is the incentive.
• The scheme will also pave the way for the participation of women in large numbers.

Criticism of the Scheme

• The scheme will not impact traditional textile segments such as jute or cotton. 
• Separate schemes will be required for them.
• It has minimum investment thresholds and select product lines and hence targets a limited number of players.

Conclusion and Way Ahead

• The Scheme can give a boost to AtmaNirbhar Bharat and must be quickly rolled out.
  • For this timely rollout of the final list of covered products is required.

About Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme

• The Finance Minister announced the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Schemes across 13 key sectors.
  • It will create national manufacturing champions and generate employment opportunities for the country’s youth. 
• The aim is to give companies incentives on incremental sales from products manufactured in domestic units.
• It also invites foreign companies to set units in India along with encouraging local companies to set up or expand existing manufacturing units.

Source:TH

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International Relations

Controversy over the China-Solomon Islands deal

• GS 2
• India & Foreign Relations

 In Context

Recently leaked document has revealed that the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific has reached a deal with China which outlines an unprecedented level of security cooperation. 

• This is the first deal of its kind for Beijing in the region. 

What are the contents of the proposed deal and why are they controversial?

About the deal 

• The document titled ‘Framework Agreement between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of Solomon Islands on Security Cooperation’ was leaked through social media. 
• It created a huge controversy domestically as well as internationally because it has the potential to disturb the established security mechanisms in the South Pacific region. 
• The document explicitly enables Beijing to send its “police, armed police, military personnel and other law enforcement and armed forces” to the islands on the latter government’s request, or if the former sees that the safety of its projects and personnel in the islands are at risk.
• The document also provides for China’s naval vessels to utilise the islands for logistics support. 
• There have been speculations in the wake of this revelation that China might be building its next overseas naval base in Solomon Islands after Djibouti, which was also incidentally referred to as a logistics support base.

Reasons for the Solomon Islands’ increasing proximity to China

• Solomon Islands’ inability to manage domestic ethnic conflicts led to close security relations with Australia, which is the traditional first responder to any crisis in the South Pacific. 
• The Solomon Islands had cultivated strong ties with Taiwan, which ended with the emergence of the current government in Honiara.
• In 2019, the new government headed by Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare switched Taiwan for China. 
  • This was supposedly after Beijing offered half a billion U.S. dollars in financial aid, roughly five times what Taiwan spent on the islands in the past two decades.
• The switching of diplomatic relations along with the general dissatisfaction with the government, led to widespread Opposition protests and riots in Honiara in November 2021.
  • The government has also notably mentioned that the move is aimed at diversification of its security partnerships, taking aim at its longstanding security dependence on Australia.

Why is China interested in the Solomon Islands?

• Competition
  • The Pacific islands are among the few regions in the world where China has competition from Taiwan for diplomatic recognition. 
    • China considers Taiwan to be a renegade territory awaiting reunification, and opposes its recognition as an independent state on the international stage. 
    • Hence, any country which has to officially establish relations with China will have to break diplomatic ties with Taiwan. 
      • The Solomon Islands was one among the six Pacific island states which had official bilateral relations with Taiwan. 
    • However, in 2019, the Solomon Islands, along with Kiribati, switched allegiance to China. 
    • This has left only four regional countries backing Taiwan, mostly belonging to the Micronesian group of islands which are under the control of the U.S.. 
• Vote banks
  • The small Pacific island states act as potential vote banks for mobilising support for the great powers in international fora like the United Nations.
• Large maritime Exclusive Economic Zones 
  • These states have disproportionately large maritime Exclusive Economic Zones when compared to their small sizes, the reason why these ‘small island states’ are also seen as ‘big ocean states’. 
• Reserves 
  • Solomon Islands, in particular, have significant reserves of timber and mineral resources, along with fisheries. 
• Strategically 
  • But more importantly, they are strategically located for China to insert itself between America’s military bases in the Pacific islands and Australia.
    • This is especially significant in the current scenario, given the emergence of the AUKUS (Australia, the U.K. and the U.S.) which seeks to elevate Australia’s strategic capabilities vis-à-vis China through Anglo-American cooperation. 

What does this mean for the established geopolitical configuration in the region?

• The Pacific islands, in the post-World War II scenario, were exclusively under the spheres of influence of the Western powers, in particular the U.S., U.K,France and the regional heavyweights, Australia and New Zealand.
  • All of them have territorial possessions in the region, with the three nuclear powers among them having used the region as a nuclear weapons testing ground. 
• The smaller island nations of the region are heavily dependent on them, especially Australia as it is a resident power. 
• This established power structure in the region is being increasingly challenged by China through the steady displacement of Taiwan and the cultivation of economic and political clout. 
• Its proposed deal with the Solomon Islands has added a security dimension to its fast-growing profile in the region. 
  • Australia has reacted with boosted finances, and by extending its current security mission till 2023 when the islands will host the Pacific Games.
  • The U.S. has responded by considering reopening its embassy in Honiara after a long 29-year gap. 
  • New Zealand has shed its typical restraint about China and has criticised it for attempting to militarise the Pacific islands.
• However, it is to be noted that China’s rise in the South Pacific is not without opposition. 
• AUKUS is a recent example of how the established powers are reacting; although, to what extent they can mobilise individual governments against China is questionable.
•  Significant discontent has been brewing within and among the Pacific island states against China’s economic inroads and its adverse impact on their vulnerable economic and political systems. 
• The geopolitics of the region is undergoing an unprecedented flux in tandem with the larger shifts in the Indo-Pacific, suggesting an intensification of regional great power rivalry and domestic volatility for the Pacific island states in the coming years.

Conclusion 

• Dismissing the prospects for any foreign military base, the government of Solomon Islands affirmed the finalisation of the draft of such a deal. 
• The deal is not yet signed and it is not fully known whether the provisions mentioned in the leaked document are present in the final draft.

About Solomon Islands,

• It is a country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of a double chain of volcanic islands and coral atolls in Melanesia. 
• The Solomon Islands is part of the ethnically Melanesian group of islands in the Pacific and lies between Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu. 
• The islands, which were initially controlled by the British Empire during the colonial era, went through the hands of Germany and Japan and then back to the U.K., after the Americans took over the islands from the Japanese during World War II.
• The islands became independent in 1978 to become a constitutional monarchy under the British Crown, with a parliamentary system of government.
• English is the official language, but Solomon Islands pijin is the lingua franca. There are over 80 different local languages plus dialects.
  • About 95% of the population is Christian.

Source:TH

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International Relations

20th India-France Joint Staff talks held in Paris

• GS 2
• India & Foreign Relations

In News 

The 20th edition of India-France Joint Staff talks was held in Paris, France. 

About India-France Joint Staff talks

• It is a forum established to enhance defence cooperation between both the nations through regular talks at the strategic and operational levels.
• The two-day talks focused on new initiatives that fall within the umbrella of the existing bilateral defence cooperation and strengthening of ongoing defence engagements between both the countries.

India-France Relations 

• Strategic Partnership
  • India and France have traditionally had close and friendly relations. 
    • In 1998, the two countries entered into Strategic Partnership which is emblematic of their convergence of views on a range of International issues apart from a close and growing bilateral relationship.
    • The areas of Defence & Security cooperation, Space cooperation and Civil nuclear cooperation constitute the principal pillars of our Strategic Partnership with  France. 

• New areas of cooperation
  • India and France are increasingly engaged in new areas of cooperation like  security in the Indian Ocean region, climate change including the International  Solar Alliance, and sustainable growth and development among others.
•  Space Cooperation
• India and France have a rich history of cooperation in the field of space for  over 50 years with ISRO and the French Space Agency (CNES) carrying on various  joint research programmes and launch of satellites. 
• Civil Nuclear Cooperation
  • An agreement on civil nuclear cooperation was signed between India and  France on 30 September 2008 during the visit of the then PM to France.

• Economic Cooperation
  • Both India and France have important bilateral investments & trade and   commercial cooperation. 
  • France has emerged as a major source of FDI for India with  more than 1,000 French establishments already present in India with a total  turnover of US $ 20 billion and employing around 300,000 persons.
  •  France is the 9th largest foreign investor in India with a cumulative investment of USD 6.59 billion  from April 2000 to December 2018. 
• Blue economy
  • Both nations have inked a roadmap to enhance their bilateral exchanges on the blue economy and forge a common vision of ocean governance based on the rule of law and cooperate on sustainable and resilient coastal and waterways infrastructure. 
    • Blue Economy and coastal resilience are a common priority for India and France.
• Defence:
  • An agreement for building six Scorpène submarines in India with French help was signed in 2005.
  • Joint exercises between the air forces (Garuda series) and the armies (Shakti) were instituted in 2003 and 2011, respectively.
  • The government-to-government agreement for 36 Rafale aircrafts has taken place. 
• Culture 
  • Indian culture enjoys a wide following amongst the people of France. 
  • The  International Day of Yoga has been organised by the Embassy of India in Paris and  other cities of France since 2016 and has received wide acclaim and press  coverage. 
  • Year long celebrations have also been organised to commemorate 150th  Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, 550th Birth Anniversary of Shri Gurunanak Devji . 

Source:PIB

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Facts in News

Sovereign Debt

• GS 3
• Indian Economy & Related Issues

In News 

The Sri Lankan government decided to default on all its sovereign debt worth $51 billion as it awaits financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). 

What is Sovereign Debt?

• Sovereign debt refers to the debt issued or accumulated by any government.
• Governments borrow money to finance the various expenses that they cannot meet through their regular tax revenues. 
  • They usually need to pay interest on such debt along with the principal amount over time although many governments simply choose to borrow fresh debt to repay existing debt. 

• Historically, governments have tended to borrow more money than they could actually repay in order to fund populist spending.
• Features 
  • Governments can borrow either in their local currency or in foreign currency like the U.S. dollar. 
    • Governments usually find it easier to borrow and repay in their local currency. 
    • This is because governments with the help of their central banks can easily create fresh local currency to repay debt denominated in the local currency. 
      • This is known as debt monetisation and it can lead to increased money supply which in turn causes prices to rise. 
  • Debt denominated in foreign currency, say the U.S dollar, is difficult to repay as one depends on consistent flow of U.S. dollars into the economy.

Source:TH

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Facts in News

Grammy Awards

• Miscellaneous

In News 

The 64th Annual Grammy Awards were held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

• This was the first time a Grammy Awards ceremony was held in Sin City.

About 

• A Grammy Award is any of a series of awards presented each year in the United States by either the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences or the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences. 
  • Each year, record companies and academy members submit entries for consideration. NARAS voting members select five nominees for each award, with each voter casting a ballot only in their field of expertise.
• The first Grammy Awards ceremony was held in Los Angeles in 1959, and 28 awards were presented.
• They  are meant to recognize spectacular work in the music industry.
  • The name Grammy is an homage to the gramophone and its revolutionary impact on the music industry.

Source:IE

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Facts in News

Puthandu

• GS1
• Art and Culture

In Context 

• People from the Tamil community celebrated Puthandu  on April 14 2022
•  Interestingly, along with Tamilians across the world, many other Indian communities also celebrate their traditional new year around the same time — Vishu in Kerala, Bihu for those in Assam, Baisakhi in Punjab, and Pohela Boishakh in West Bengal.

About Puthandu 

• It is celebrated on the first day of Chithirai (Tamil month) and it also marks the beginning of the Tamil New Year.
• It is also commonly known as Varsha Pirappu. 
• It is also celebrated by the members of the Tamil community in Sri Lanka and those located elsewhere in the world.
•  It marks the arrival of the spring season. 
• It falls on the same day almost every year according to the Gregorian Calendar. 
• History & Significance of Puthandu:
  • Mythology says that Lord Brahma created the universe on the day of Puthandu. 
  • Tamil people believe that the beginning of the new year brings new hopes and dreams. 
  • They celebrate the day with family and friends and enjoy a great feast with high pomp and excitement. 
  • They visit temples wearing new clothes and offer prayers to God to receive blessings for their family.

Source:IE

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Facts in News

Vaquita porpoise

• GS 3
• Species in News

In Context

According to the United States Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) Vaquita porpoise is nearing extinction and immediate measures are needed to save the remaining population .

• The population of the species declined 98 per cent in two decades.

About Vaquita porpoise

• The vaquita porpoise is the world’s smallest cetacean and the most endangered marine mammal. 
• It has the smallest range of any whale, dolphin or porpoise, and only lives in a small 1,500 square-mile area in Mexico’s upper Gulf of California, near the town of San Felipe. 
• It has a rounded head and black patches around its mouth and eyes.
  •  It only measures up to five feet in size.
•  It has been listed under the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List as ‘critically endangered’. 
• Threats :
  • The vaquita population has been declining precipitously for decades due to bycatch in gillnets set to catch shrimp and fish, including totoaba — a large, endangered fish that is threatened by illegal fishing for international markets 
    • Totoaba is also protected under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
  • The Mexican government is failing to effectively enforce several environmental laws and as a result has caused the near extinction of the vaquita porpoise. 
    • Approximately only 10 vaquita remain.

Source:DTE

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