Context: 

The projections for national immunization coverage for 2022 from WHO and UNICEF have recently been made public.

Key Highlights: 

Inclusion in India: 

• Current status: In 2022, India had 93 percent of its 22.5 million babies covered, against surpassing the previous pre-pandemic best of 91% recorded in 2019,  from the 85% recorded in 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO).
• Protection: A group of combination vaccines known as DPT protects against the three human infectious illnesses diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus.
• Doses: For kids under the age of 7, this vaccination is given to them in three doses.
• Benchmark in evaluation: When evaluating how well nations are doing at providing children with normal immunization services, the coverage of this vaccine is frequently employed.

About Diphtheria, Pertussis and Tetanus(DPT)-

• Diphtheria:It is a serious infection caused by strains of bacteria called Corynebacterium diphtheriae that make a toxin.
  • Mode of spread:The  bacteria spread from person to person, usually through respiratory droplets, like from coughing or sneezing. People can also get sick from touching infected open sores or ulcers.
• Pertussis:Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a very contagious respiratory illness caused by a type of bacteria called Bordetella pertussis.
  • Mode of Spread:The bacteria that cause whooping cough spread easily from person to person through the air. When a person who has whooping cough sneezes or coughs, they can release small particles with the bacteria in them.
• Tetanus: Tetanus is an infection caused by a bacterium called Clostridium tetani. Spores of tetanus bacteria are everywhere in the environment, including soil, dust, and manure.The spores develop into bacteria when they enter the body.
  • Mode of Spread:Unlike other vaccine-preventable diseases, tetanus is not spread from person to person.The spores can get into someone’s body through broken skin, usually through injuries.

News Source: The Hindu

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Context: The merchandise exports shrank by 15.1 % in the first quarter of the current financial year. This is against the backdrop of a record feat of $450 billion of merchandise exports in the year 2022-23.

Trends for the last three months-In April and May, exports of goods slowed by 12.6% and 10.2%, respectively. However, with a 22% drop in June, they fell the most in 37 months. Last month’s total exports of $32.7 billion were the lowest since October 2022.

Reasons for the Dip in Exports:

• Global Slowdown:  Slowdown in major economies, including the US and Europe.
• Inflationary pressure and tightening monetary policy stand has affected the manufacturing and business in major economies of the world.
• Base Effect: The year 2022-23 witnessed a huge surge in merchandise exports amounting to $450 billion.The current year amidst a global slowdown is showing decreasing trends due to base effect.
• Reduced Demand: Due to a slowdown there is reduced demand  for engineering goods. While some markets in Latin America, West Asia, the region of North Africa, and portions of Europe have seen demand, the majority of other markets have experienced muted demand.
• Petroleum exports: It saw the sharpest plunge of 33.2% in the first quarter, that this was largely driven by the reduction in global oil prices.
• Exports of engineering items:It has recently made up a sizable portion of India’s total exports, decreased by more than 4% in May to $9.3 billion. 
• Way Ahead:
  • Goal for 2030: Under the new Foreign Trade Policy, our overall goal for exports is to reach $2 trillion by 2030, with services and goods each making up a trillion dollars.
  • Course correction: We must set multiple goals rather than move with a single goal in light of the World Trade Organization’s forecast for slower growth in global trade in 2023.

News Source- The Hindu.

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Context: 

• Recently, the President of India presented the “Bhoomi Samman” 2023 at a function organized by the Union Ministry of Rural Development in New Delhi.
• State Secretaries and District Collectors will get awards, along with their teams, for their successful implementation of the Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP).

Significance: 

Modernising Land Records-The Foundation of Governance: 

• The center of governance is thought to be the Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP).

Cooperative Federalism among the Center-States: 

• The assessment method is mostly based on the reports and inputs that the States/UTs have supplied about the computerization and digitisation of land records.

Digitization’s Effect on Land Records: 

• Faster resolution of court proceedings involving land disputes .This will lessen the GDP loss brought on by projects getting delayed owing to litigation involving land conflicts.

Increasing Government Programme Effectiveness:

• The standardisation and interoperability of the information contained in land records might be advantageous to departments like Agriculture and Farmer Welfare, Chemical and Fertiliser, PDS, Panchayati Raj, and Financial Institutions.

Reaching Digitization Goals: 

• In India as a whole, the Department of Land Resources has reached its 94% digitalisation goal.
• By March 31, 2024, it is intended to have completely digitized all of the country’s land records across all districts.

Wayforward for Land Digitisation-

• Increasing State Coordination and Cooperation: Harmonising and streamlining of land laws, procedures and sharing of best practices.
• Utilizing Sufficient Resources and Capability: Provide training and capacity building on the use of modern technology and tools for land record management to the relevant officials and personnel.
• Transparency:Ensure that the process of land surveying, digitization, verification, and titling is transparent and accountable.
• Increasing stakeholder awareness and participation: Encourage  participation and involvement of all stakeholders in the process of land record management.

News Source- PIB  

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Context:

Rudragiri hillock, unveils a fascinating combination of prehistoric rock paintings from the Mesolithic period and exquisite artwork from the Kakatiya dynasty

About Rudragiri Hillock:

• Location: Rudragiri Hillock is located amidst the Eastern Ghats.
• These served as living quarters for people during the Mesolithic age around 5000 B.C., and they bear witness to the luminous rock paintings of that era.
• Two natural caves are located at the southern end of the hillock which exhibit exceptional murals from the renowned Kakatiya kingdom.
  • Murals are large-scale artworks that are typically painted or applied directly onto walls, ceilings, or other large surfaces. 

Caves:

• The first cave presents a narrative mural portraying the intense battle between the Vanara brothers, Vali and Sugriva. 
• In the middle cave, a grand sketch of Hanuman, accompanied by sacred symbols of the conch (Sankha) and the fire altar (Yagna Vedi), captures visitors’ attention.

Image Credits: The Hindu

• The third cave houses the prehistoric rock paintings from the Mesolithic era.

Mesolithic­ Era:

• The Mesolithic Age, also known as the Middle Stone Age, was the second part of the Stone Age.
• Spread: Rajasthan, south of the river Krishna, central and eastern parts of India, and also in southern Uttar Pradesh. 
• Time Period: In India, it spanned from 9,000 B.C. to 4,000 B.C. 
• Characteristics:
  • This age is characterized by the appearance of Microliths (small bladed stone tools). 
  • The Mesolithic Age was a transitional phase between the Paleolithic Age and the Neolithic Age. 
  • The people of this age lived on hunting, fishing, and food gathering; later on they also domesticated animals.

News Source: The Hindu

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Context: 

The Election Commission of India introduces digital time vouchers for political parties to avail airtime on Doordarshan and AIR.

About DigitalTime Voucher:

• A DTV is a digital token that represents a certain amount of airtime on Doordarshan or All India Radio. 
• These vouchers can be redeemed by political parties at designated Doordarshan or AIR centres in exchange for actual airtime.
• Each political party shall be given time Vouchers of different denominations of, 5 minutes and 10 minutes, equal to the total time allotted to it for telecasts on Doordarshan and broadcasts on AIR. 

Significance:

• This reflects the Commission’s commitment to leveraging technology for the betterment of the electoral process and ease of all stakeholders.

Background: 

• The scheme was initially notified on 16th January 1998, and holds a statutory basis under Section 39A of the R.P. Act, 1951. 
• Equitable Base Time:
  • Each National Party and Recognized State Party receives a base time allocation.
  • The base time is distributed equally among the eligible parties.
  • The allocation is applicable to both DD and AIR.
• Additional Time Allocation:
  • The additional time allotment is based on the parties’ poll performance.
  • Performance criteria: Last assembly elections in the respective states/union territories or the last general elections to the Lok Sabha.
  • Parties with better performance receive additional time.
  • The allocation is specific to DD and AIR.

News Source: PIB

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Context: Recently, in July, 2023, all seven of Earth’s continents have experienced extraordinary extreme weather events.

About Extreme Weather Events

• Definition: When the weather conditions show significant differences than the usual weather, this is termed as extreme weather or severe weather. 
  • The extreme weather conditions may last for a while or sometimes it may take just one or two days to become normal. 
• Impact: According to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), extreme weather, climate and water-related events caused 11,778 reported disasters globally, leading to more than two million deaths and USD 4.3 trillion in economic losses between 1970 and 2021.
  • Over 90 per cent of the reported deaths worldwide occurred in developing countries.
  • In India, 573 disasters occurred between 1970 and 2021, that claimed 1,38,377 lives, 

• Types of Extreme Weather Events

Extreme Weather Events are influenced by many factors

• Anthropogenic Factors: Human activity is causing rapid changes to our global climate that are contributing to extreme weather conditions.
  • When fossil fuels are burned for electricity, heat, and transportation, carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that traps solar radiation, is released into our atmosphere.
  • These greenhouse gas emissions and land use change were a key factor in extreme climate change events around the world.
  • Climate change has increased the instability in the atmosphere, leading to an increase in convective activity — thunderstorms, lightning and heavy rain events. 
  • Cyclonic storms in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea are also intensifying rapidly and retaining their intensity for a longer duration due to global warming.
• Global Warming: Global warming is the long-term warming of the planet’s overall temperature.
  • It can contribute to the intensity of heat waves by increasing the chances of very hot days and nights. 
  • Warming air also boosts evaporation, which can worsen drought. 
  • More drought creates dry fields and forests that are prone to catching fire, and increasing temperatures mean a longer wildfire season.
  • It increases water vapor in the atmosphere, which can lead to more frequent heavy rain and snowstorms.
  • It causes sea level to rise, which increases the amount of seawater, along with more rainfall, that is pushed on to shore during coastal storms. 
  • That seawater, along with more rainfall, can result in destructive flooding.
  • It causes climate change, which poses a serious threat to life on Earth in the forms of widespread flooding and extreme weather.
• Natural Climate Patterns: El Nino is a natural climate cycle that occurs every three to seven years, characterized by warmer than usual ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific. 
  • This phenomenon, known as the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), has far-reaching effects on weather conditions across the globe.
  • This warming disrupts the normal atmospheric circulation, leading to changes in weather patterns worldwide. 
  • The warmer waters cause the Pacific jet stream to move south of its neutral position. With this shift, areas in the northern U.S. and Canada are dryer and warmer than usual.
  • The changes in climate due to El Niño mean more natural disasters for climate-vulnerable countries to contend with amid a climate crisis that is already decimating lives. 
  • La Nina: It represents a cooling effect, with colder ocean temperatures in the equatorial Pacific.
  • During La Niña events, trade winds are even stronger than usual, pushing more warm water toward Asia. 
  • This tends to lead to drought in the southern U.S. and heavy rains and flooding in the Pacific Northwest and Canada
• High Atmospheric Winds: The jet stream is found where the cold air from Earth’s poles meets with warm tropical air. 
  • These winds help to continue and control the weather system from west to east in the northern hemisphere and from east to west in the southern hemisphere. 
  • Sometimes these winds bring unpleasant weather with them which may lead to the formation of a tornado.

Extreme Weather Events in India

• In India, the year 2023 has witnessed a series of unprecedented climatic phenomena, indicating a disturbing new normal caused by climate change.
  • Onset of 2023 was marked by scorching temperatures that shattered a 123-year-old record in February.
  • Cyclonic Event: Arabian Sea witnessed the formation of cyclone Biparjoy, which lasted a staggering 13 days, becoming the longest-duration cyclone since 1977.
• According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), India experienced extreme weather events on 314 of the 365 days in 2022. 
  • HUman Lives Lost: Erratic weather conditions expose millions of Indians to climate disasters, kill thousands every year and increase economic hardships by eroding farm productivity.
  • The events claimed 3,026 lives and damaged 1.96 million hectares (ha) crop area.
• IPCC assessments in 2023 also provided convincing evidence that global warming is triggering severe climate-related occurrences like non-stop rainfall.
• Financial Implication: India is already losing 3-5% of its GDP due to climate change and this number could rise to as much as 10% if the warming is not limited to below 2 degrees Celsius.”
• Shift in monsoon patterns: It is characterized by prolonged deficit rainfall periods followed by intense downpours occurring over a few days. 
  • This pattern has been strengthening over the past several decades. 
  • The combination of warmer temperatures, increased moisture in the air, and the southwest monsoon’s impact is resulting in heavy rainfall concentrated within a short span of time.
  • Recent heavy rainfall in northern India can be attributed to the interaction between a low-pressure weather system known as the western disturbance and the southwest monsoon. 
  • According to a report byIndian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar, the frequency of extreme weather events such as floods and heatwaves is projected to rise manifold in India in the future due to climate change.

Image Credit: TOI

Way Forward

• Climate Resilient Infra For Cities: Implementing strategies to lessen the effects of flooding is necessary when creating flood-resistant infrastructure and cities. 
  • Important techniques include proper urban design, efficient drainage systems, floodwater storage facilities, and flood-resistant construction materials.
  • Urban areas must incorporate efficient waste management systems, green areas, and renewable energy sources to lower carbon emissions and improve sustainability.
  • Cities must also incorporate climate resilience into their long-term urban development plans to adapt to shifting climatic trends. 
• Himalayas: A Safety First Approach: This strategy entails establishing reliable monitoring systems that use cutting-edge monitoring tools, including satellite imaging, ground sensors, and remote sensing.
  • Strict land-use rules must stop construction on perilous slopes and locations susceptible to flooding.
• Adopting Greener Alternative: Move beyond fossil fuels, by keeping fossil fuels in the ground and cleaning up pollution.
  • Switching to clean energy, by setting ambitious climate goals, removing barriers to clean energy, and electrifying our economy.
  • Protecting climate forests, promoting climate-smart agriculture, and stopping the petrochemical buildout.
• Strengthening early warning systems: Need for improved forecasting techniques, smarter infrastructure design, and adopting a safety-first philosophy to lessen the effects of catastrophic catastrophes.
  • Efficient and reliable forecasting methods are essential to warn communities and authorities about oncoming extreme weather occurrences. 
  • Satellite images, localised doppler radars, weather models, and data analytics are examples of modern meteorological technology that can assist in predicting rainfall patterns more accurately, identifying possible flood-prone locations and offering timely warnings.
• Collaborative Strategies: Collaboration between government, academic institutions, engineering firms, urban planners, and local communities is required if we are to address the problems caused by extreme weather occurrences. 
• Climate Justice: Centering environmental justice and expanding access to clean energy in every community.
• Local Solution: Need for micro-action plans at the local level to identify vulnerable areas and develop customized disaster management strategies.
• Awareness: Campaigns for public education, evacuation strategies, and community training programmes ensure that locals are prepared for flood situations and can act quickly to save themselves and be effective first responders. 

News Source: The Hindu  

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Context:

• Niti Aayog has recently released the report  ‘National Multidimensional Poverty Index: A Progress Review 2023’.

What is multidimensional poverty?

• Multidimensional poverty encompasses the various deprivations experienced by poor people in their daily lives – such as poor health, lack of education, inadequate living standards, disempowerment, poor quality of work, the threat of violence, and living in areas that are environmentally hazardous, among others.

Need of Multidimensional Approach:

• Consideration of non monetary poverty: Monetary and non-monetary measures of poverty are needed to better inform the policies intended to address the needs and deprivations faced by poor populations.
• Delinking economic growth and poverty: Economic growth does not always reduce poverty or deprivation and is not strongly associated with a reduction in other deprivations, such as child malnutrition or child mortality.
• Multidimensional aspect of poverty: Poverty is attributed to other factors like poor health, nutrition, lack of adequate sanitation and clean water, social exclusion, low education, bad housing conditions, violence, shame, disempowerment and much more. 
• Targeted Poverty reduction strategy: The greater the availability of policy-relevant information on poverty, the better equipped policymakers will be to reduce it. For example, an area in which most people are deprived of education requires a different poverty reduction strategy from an area in which most people are deprived of housing conditions.

Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI):

• Definition: The global MPI is an international measure of acute multidimensional poverty covering over 100 developing countries. It complements traditional monetary poverty measures by capturing the acute deprivations in health, education, and living standards that a person faces simultaneously.
• Released by: The global MPI was developed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI).
• Indicators– Three broad indicators are measured which are health, education and standard of living, which are further subdivided into 10 sub-indicators, (kindly refer the schematic for more information.)

Global MPI Highlights with respect to India:

• Absolute poverty  reduction: Deprivation in all indicators declined in India and the poorest States and groups, including children and people in disadvantaged caste groups, had the fastest absolute progress. India saw a remarkable reduction in poverty, with 415 million people exiting poverty within a span of just 15 years (2005/6–19/21).
• Nutrition deprivation: People who are multidimensionally poor and deprived under the nutrition indicator in India declined from 44.3% in 2005/2006 to 11.8% in 2019/2021, and child mortality fell from 4.5% to 1.5% in the same time period.
• MPI value: India was among the 19 countries that halved their global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) value during one period – for India it was 2005/2006–2015/2016.

National Multidimensional Poverty Index by Niti Ayog:

• Based on the latest National Family Health Survey [NFHS-5 (2019-21)], this second edition of the National MPI represents India’s progress in reducing multidimensional poverty between the two surveys, NFHS-4 (2015-16) and NFHS-5 (2019-21).
• Indicators under NITI aayog MPI: Under the three broad indicators of health, education and living standards ,three dimensions are represented by 12 indicators such as nutrition, school attendance, years of schooling, drinking water, sanitation, housing, bank accounts among others.

Key highlights about the report:

• Decline in Multidimensional poor: India has registered a significant decline of 9.89 percentage points in the number of multidimensionally poor, from 24.85% in 2015-16 to 14.96% in 2019-2021. 
  • About 13.5 crore people came out of multidimensional poverty during the period, assessed by identifying “acute deprivations in health, education and standard of living” using United Nations-approved parameters.
• Fastest decline in Rural areas: rural areas witnessed the fastest decline in poverty from 32.59% to 19.28%, primarily due to decrease in the number of multidimensionally poor in States such as Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Rajasthan. 
• States with Least multidimensional poor: Delhi, Kerala, Goa and Tamil Nadu have the least number of people facing multidimensional poverty along with the Union Territories. 
• States with highest multidimensional poor: Bihar, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh top the chart where the percentage of total population who are multidimensionally poor is high.
• Poverty in urban areas: Multidimensional poverty in urban areas during the same period saw a decrease from 8.65% to 5.27%. 
• State with largest decline: Uttar Pradesh registered the largest decline in the number of poor with 3.43 crore people escaping multidimensional poverty.
• MPI Value: Between 2015-16 and 2019-21, the MPI value has nearly halved from 0.117 to 0.066 and the intensity of poverty has reduced from 47% to 44%. 
• SDG Target: India is on the path of achieving the SDG Target 1.2 (of reducing multidimensional poverty by at least half) much ahead of the stipulated timeline of 2030.

Significant achievements: 

• Health: Schemes like Poshan Abhiyan and Anaemia Mukt Bharat have contributed to reduced deprivations in health.
• Sanitation: Initiatives such as Swachh Bharat Mission and Jal Jeevan Mission have improved sanitation across the country.
• Clean cooking fuel: The provision of subsidised cooking fuel through Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) has positively transformed lives, with a 14.6 percentage points improvement in cooking fuel deprivations.
• Banking: The percentage of people lacking access to banking reduced from 9.66 per cent to 3.69 per cent.
• Power supply: Deprivation went from 12 per cent to 3.27 per cent
• Other welfare measures: Initiatives like Saubhagya, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), and Samagra Shiksha have also played a major role in significantly reducing multidimensional poverty in the country.

Significance of national Multidimensional Poverty Index:

• Understanding poverty intricacies: India’s adoption of the national MPI marks a significant milestone in understanding the complexities of poverty and creating inclusive solutions. 
• Targeted intervention: By estimating the MPI at the district level, the country aims to prioritize reaching out to the most vulnerable communities through targeted efforts on specific indicators and dimensions. 
• Policy formulation: The results and findings of the index provide valuable insights for policymakers and the wider community, facilitating progress towards achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (Agenda 2030) and reducing multidimensional poverty.

Way Forward:

• Equality of opportunity: The equality of opportunity needs to be increased through good quality and universal public provision of essential amenities and social services. 
• Focusing on women and Scheduled Tribes: The low participation of women in the labour market and the slow progress among Scheduled Tribes is a major concern.
• Speedy Development of Infrastructure: Since the private sector is not attracted to make adequate investment in infrastructure, public investment needs to be stepped up for its development.
• Accelerating Human Resource Development:. Human resource development requires greater investment in educational facilities such as schools to promote literacy, technical training institutes and vocational colleges to import skills to the people. 
• Give a voice to oppressed groups: Bias against caste and gender needs to be tackled first of all by providing a greater voice to traditionally oppressed and suppressed groups.
• Harnessing the power of technology: Technology has helped in reducing some of the access barriers in India, particularly in relation to access to information. Policymakers should focus on making technology cheaper and deepening its penetration.
• Widening access to quality basic services: A two-tier system has been created, with largely privatized quality education and health care for those who can pay, and a large population left to fend for themselves with very poor quality public services.
• Access to Credit: Availability of credit to the poor on easy terms can create the conditions for small farmers gaining access to productive resources.

Poverty Estimation in India:

• Several committees have been formed to study and propose methodologies for poverty line estimation based on either calorific consumption or per capita consumption expenditure.
• VN Dandekar and N Rath committee(1971):The committee recommended that the poverty line should be based on expenditure that would provide 2250 calories per day for both rural and urban areas, moving away from the previous emphasis on subsistence living.
• Alagh Committee(1979): The Committee constructed a poverty line for rural and urban areas by considering nutritional requirements and consumption expenditure.
• Lakdawala Committee(1993): The Committee proposed a poverty line based on the consumption pattern of the poor, as reflected in the Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (CPI-IW) and Consumer Price Index for Agricultural Labourers (CPI-AL).
• Tendulkar Committee(2009): The committee shifted away from calorie consumption-based poverty estimation, recommended a Uniform Poverty Line Basket (PLB) for both rural and urban areas and included private expenditure on health and education in poverty estimation.
  • The current methodology for poverty estimation is based on the Tendulkar Committee.
• Rangarajan Committee(2012): The committee reviewed international poverty estimation methods and explored how they could be linked to eligibility for various poverty elimination schemes.

News Source: The Hindu 

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