Why in news ?

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) for cooperation in agriculture & allied sectors was signed between Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar and Fiji’s Minister of Agriculture, Waterways & Environment, Dr. Mahendra Reddy.

Key Points

• India and Fiji share a cordial and friendly relations based on mutual respect, cooperation and strong cultural & people-to-people ties.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Fiji and first Forum for India Pacific Islands Cooperation(FIPIC) have given a new boost to India’s engagement with Fiji and Pacific region.
• In the lines, signing of this MoU will further strengthen the multi-faceted cooperation between both the countries.

Cooperation between countries

Food and agriculture are closely associated to climate change. Both countries are cooperating to deal with global challenges in agriculture. Amid the covid-19 pandemic, India have distributed about 7 tonnes of seeds of 14 varieties of fruits and vegetables to Fiji as a grant for livelihood restoration of communities who were affected by Cyclone Yasa.

Why in news ?

Rubber Board has started field trial of world’s first GM (genetically modified) rubber in the state of Assam.

Key Points

• GM Rubber was developed in biotechnology laboratory at Rubber Research Institute of India (RRII) in Puthuppally, Kottayam.
• It was planted at Rubber board’s Sarutari research farm in Guwahati.
• Rubber Board launched field trial of GM Rubber in Assam a decade after Kerala Government denied permission for the same because of its adverse impact on environment.

Background

GM Rubber is the second genetically modified crop for which field trial has started after Bt. Cotton. Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) had allowed to open field trials of GM rubber in 2010 at Chetchackal, Thombikandom, in Kottayam

Why in news ?

As per recent study in Punjab, adoption of BT cotton in Punjab has resulted in net economic and environmental benefits.

About BT Cotton

BT cotton is a genetically modified organism (GMO) or genetically modified pest resistant plant cotton variety. It produces an insecticide to combat bollworm. BT toxins are insecticidal to larvae of moths, butterflies, cotton bollworms, beetles and flies. Commercial cultivation of BT cotton (Bacillus thuringiensis cotton) began in 2002 after Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) approved it. Its cultivation was started in 2002 in western and southern parts of the country. It was introduced by joint venture between Monsanto and Mahyco. India grew the largest GM cotton crop in 2011 at 10.6 million hectares.

BT cotton in Punjab

BT cotton was released for cultivation in Punjab in 2005. Even before it was released, 72% farmers were growing BT Cotton on 22% of cotton area

Why in news ?

Recently, Shyam Sundar Jyani, a Rajasthan-based climate activist, has won the prestigious United Nations’ Land for Life Award for his environment conservation concept, Familial Forestry.

• Familial Forestrymeans transferring the care of the tree and environment in the family so that a tree becomes a part of the family’s consciousness.

Why in news ?

A 50 kWp solar rooftop in Solan, Himachal Pradesh was inaugurated under Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) of the MInistry of Power.

• The project further reinforces the ‘Go Green’ Initiative of the government envisaged in the Urban Distribution scheme.

About IPDS:

Launch:

• December 2014.

Nodal Agency:

• Power Finance Corporation Ltd. (PFC), a Navratna Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) under the administrative control of the Ministry of Power.

Objectives

• 24×7 Power supplies for consumers.
• Reduction of AT&C (aggregate technical and commercial) losses.
• Providing access to power to all households.

Why in news ?

World Olympic Day is observed on June 23 across the world to embrace all through pure Olympic values.

Key points

• This day signifies the Olympic Games which is held every four-year featuring summer and winter sports competitions.
• During the event, thousands of athletes from world take part in several competitions.
• Athletes participate in sports activities like runs, music, exhibitions, and educational seminars on this day.

India’s Vaccine Policy needs Clarity

Syllabus- General Studies 2(Governance)

Issues relating to quality of life: livelihood, poverty, hunger, disease and social inclusiveness.

Context

India’s vaccine policy appears to be one of experimentation. Despite several modifications, the final policy as articulated by the Prime Minister on June 7 continues to lack clarity in its intent, design, funding and outcomes. In seeking to pursue conflicting objectives, the policy architecture is complex, difficult to implement, and could be a nightmare for accountants.

What is the current policy?

After much loss of time, the final policy has the following elements:

• the stated objective is universal access to free vaccinations in all government and accredited facilities;
• The design for achieving the objective is creating a dual market under which the Central government will procure 75% of the total quantity manufactured, leaving the residue for commercial sale.
• The funding will be a mix of public finance and out-of-pocket expenditure.
• The outcome is to ensure that all 95 crore adults are fully vaccinated by the end of this year.
• The policy has two caveats related to pricing and volume of sales.
  • While Covishield and Covaxinare supplied to the Central government at ₹150 per dose, the price for a consumer in the private market is capped at ₹780 for Covishield, ₹1,145 for Sputnik V and ₹1,410 for Covaxin.
  • To avoid cornering of vaccines by corporates and enable medium and small hospitals to participate in vaccination, the Central government will specify hospital-wise and State-wise quotas for private sales.

Based on the quota allocated, the said hospitals will procure the vaccine directly from the manufacturer or use the option of the National Health Authority portal, if accredited.

Comparison with policy followed under Universal Immunisation Programme

• The Central government indicates the quantity required, the delivery schedules and the rates as per global tender, and supplies quality, ready-to-use vaccines to the States to be provided free.
• The manufacturer is left to dispose of excess quantity, if any, in accordance with market forces and without interference from the government.
• Under this system, the government has negotiated incredibly low prices due to the volume of its orders.
• In view of its wide reach, the private sector’s participation, catering to the better-off sections which have the ability to pay, has averaged 5%-15% depending on the vaccine.

Current status of procurement

It is estimated that the Central government has procured and placed advance purchases for 79 crore doses for ₹12,405 crore (including ₹1,485 crore from PM CARES).

• The State governments in May procured 2.6 crore doses incurring ₹810 crore, while the private sector (nine corporate chains and 300 hospitals) procured 1.2 crore doses.
• Selling at ₹1,000 per dose of Covishield and an average of ₹1,400 for Covaxin, the household expenditure on vaccines comes to about ₹1,332 crore.

The total number of people who got vaccinated by June 21 with a single dose was 23.2 crore and with two doses was 5.05 crore.

• Of the total 190 crore vaccines required for covering the eligible population with two doses and 83 crore already secured for supply till year-end, the gap is 107 crore.

Confusion points of policy–

• First level of policy confusion-In the absence of spelling out the population segments that the government proposes to cover, it is unclear whether the 75% procurement cap refers to the stocks manufactured or by implication the eligible population. Clarity on this is important.

If it is 75% of the population to be covered, the policy assumes that 24 crore people have the ability to pay such high prices for a vaccine.

• Second policy confusion is determining from where the 24 crore-paying population is to come from for buying the vaccine at the rates laid down by the government.

The inequity this policy will generate between the rich and poor, urban and rural is embedded and will be hard to justify, besides clouding the actual requirement of vaccines for the government to administer.

Concerns:

• The ‘two steps forward, one step backwards’ policy fix has given rise to another set of issues.
• Piecemeal orders increase investment risk for a company.
  • Besides, delivering and processing small orders by multiple small entities (private hospitals) located in remote areas would further add to costs impacting the price at the point of delivery.
• The small and medium private hospitals that have the reach in Tier 2 towns and rural areas do not have deep pockets to buy such costly vaccines.
  • Given vaccine hesitancy, heightened by a constrained ability to pay, the mutating virus and constant shifts in vaccine dosage and periodicity due to emerging evidence, the additional burden of organising quality assurance all add to the risk.

• Differential pricing and dual markets provide wrong incentives and result in:
  • Unhealthy competition,
  • Illegal charging for vaccines in government facilities,
  • Siphoning, diversion and leakage of the free vaccines to the private markets.
• Wherein large swathes of the country it is the government doctors that double up as owners of private enterprises.

Solution

• There is a need to simplify the policy with the government as the sole procurer.
• Implementation must be in accordance with district-level micro plans incorporating the public and private sector, to cover target groups as specified in accordance with epidemiological data.
• The objective has to be to restore normalcy, kick-start the economy, start schools and ensure people’s well-being.

Question- India’s covid vaccine policy needs to address both the challenges of affordability and accessibility across all sections of the society. Comment.

Article-https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/indias-vaccine-policy-needs-clarity/article34894911.ece

Syllabus– General studies paper 2 (international relations)

Context-

Russian president vladimir putin has recently asserted that the indian prime minister, narendra modi, and the chinese president, xi jinping, are “responsible” enough to solve issues between their countries, while underlining the need to debar any “extra-regional power” to interfere in the process.

Implications on india- russia ties-

• By this remark, russia expects india to give up all efforts to reverse beijing’s encroachment strategies.
• The remarks can only be seen as reinforcing china’s claim that the quadrilateral or quad isaimed at containing china’s influence in the indo-pacific region.
• Russia’s continued criticism of the indo-pacific and the quad suggests thedivergent perspectives of india and russia on how to deal with china’s rise to global prominence.
• While india needs russia’s partnership for its defence needs, india cannot endorse the russian perspective on the indo-pacific and the quad
• The russian attitude toward china’s growing power and influence will be the touchstone of russia’s relations with india.
• Russia has rejected the indo-pacific construct in favour of the asia-pacific on the ground that the first is primarily an american initiative designed to contain both china and russia.
• With the rise of populist nationalism amidst the decline of globalisation, the resolution of the sino-indian boundary dispute appears a difficult task.

Background of indias balancing strategies-

• Following the disintegration of the union of soviet socialist republics (ussr), india soon realised russia was much weaker than the erstwhile ussr and incapable of helping india balance potential threats from beijing.
• On the other hand, russia began to cast moscow as the leader of a supposed trilateral grouping of russia-india-chinaagainst a u.s.-led unipolar world.
• Russia became an early proponent of the ‘strategic triangle’to bring together the three major powers.
• India’s fear of the unipolar momenttoo made it easier for india to become part of this initiative.
• But china’s dismissive attitude toward indian capabilities, coupled with an emergingchina-pakistan nexus, prevented the success of this trilateral.
• India, instead,invested its diplomatic energies in rapprochement with the united states.
• Thus, india decided to get integrated in the economic order it once denounced.
• Economic liberalisation also allowed india to buy sophisticated weapons froma wider global market that included suppliers such as israel and france.
• As the logic of intensive engagement with the west was effectively established,strategic partnership with the u.s. was a logical corollary.
• India has been searching forother major powers to balance against china as it does not have the sufficient means for hard balancing.
• India has deepened its ties with japan and australia in a way that is close to soft balancing.
• among all of india’s balancing efforts, the stupendous growth in ties with the u.s. has been the greatest source of concern for china which views the india-u.s. rapprochement as

Way forward for india – russia ties-

• While other powers such as france, australia, japan and russia will have an impact on the emerging maritime structures of the indo-pacific region, it is the triangular dynamic between india, china and the u.s. that is going to be the most consequential.
• Russia is yet to realise that it will gain immensely from the multilateralism that the indo-pacific seeks to promote.
• Being china’s junior partner only undermines moscow’s great-power ambitions.
• Given russia’s preoccupation with ‘status’ rivalry with the u.s., russia’s view of india-china relations seems understandable.
• But there is a danger in permitting it to harden into a permanent attitude as an increasingly pro-beijing russia might adopt more aggressive blocking of india’s policy agendas.
• That is why india is particularlyinterested in a normalisation of relations between washington and moscow.
• The normalisation of relations between the u.s. and russia will help india steer ties among the great powers.

India – china ties-

• Non-alignment, painful memories ofcolonial subjugation, opposition to great-power hegemony, and strong beliefs in sovereignty and strategic autonomy has been the key influencers in shaping india’s and china’s engagement with each other as well as the western world.
• but this has begun to change as beijing is asserting its hegemony over asia.
• In such circumstances, multilateral forums such as the russia-india-china (ric) grouping and brics (brazil, russia, india, china and south africa)have little practical value for indian diplomacy.
• Without china’s reciprocity, options before india are limited.
• The response cannot be just symbolic or rhetorical. The absence of any material evidence of reciprocity is bound to doom an attempt at sino-indian rapprochement.

Conclusion-

China is undoubtedly the most powerful actor in its neighbourhood but it cannot simply have its way in shaping asia’s new geopolitics.

Question-

Why in news ?

The Vice-Chief of the Naval Staff has inaugurated the construction of the second frigate of the Krivak or Talwar stealth frigates. These are being built with technology transfer from Russia by Goa Shipyard Ltd(GSL).

About:

• Krivak or Talwar stealth frigates are a series of frigates and guard ships (patrol boats) built in the Soviet Union, primarily for the Soviet Navy since 1970.
• Purpose: They are primarily used to accomplish a wide variety of naval missions. Such as finding and eliminating enemy submarines and large surface ships.
• Indian Navy currently operates six Krivak class frigates weighing around 4,000 tonnes in two different batches. Such as
  • The Talwar class,The upgraded Teg class.

Why in news ?

The Hayagriva Madhava Temple Committee in Assam has signed a MoU with Turtle Survival Alliance India, Help Earth, and Assam Forests Department to conserve the Black Softshell Turtle.

As part of the pact, a Vision Document 2030 was also released. The document aims to raise at least 1,000 black softshell turtles by 2030.

About Black Softshell Turtle (Nilssonia nigricans):

• Black Softshell Turtle is a species of freshwater turtle. It is found in India and Bangladesh.

Distribution:

• Brahmaputra’s drainage and Near Temple Ponds in Assam
• Bangladesh (Chittagong and Sylhet)

• IUCN Status:Critically Endangered
• Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: It does not enjoy legal protection.

Significance:

• Temple Ponds in Assam conserve Turtles based on religious grounds.
• At the Bayazid Bostami shrine in Chittagong, Bangladesh, the black softshell turtle is known as mazari(inhabitant).

Threats:

• Hunted for turtle meat and cartilage in regional and international markets.