Context: 

Recently, the Prime Minister addressed the 23rd Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Heads of State via video conferencing.

Key Highlights of Prime-Minister’s Address:

• Chabahar Port: Prime-Minister suggested expanding the utilization of the Chabahar port for enhanced trade activities following Iran’s inclusion in the SCO group.
• New Delhi Declaration on Terrorism: The New Delhi declaration was signed by the member nations at the end of the meeting stating that the international community must come together to “counter the activities of terrorist, separatist and extremist groups.
• China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC):  He outlined that while executing connectivity projects, it is essential to “respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity” of member countries of the SCO.
• Terror Financing: There is a need to enhance mutual cooperation through the RATS (regional anti-terrorist structure) mechanism of SCO  in dealing with terror financing.
• Afghanistan: India shares its concerns and expectations regarding Afghanistan with those of most SCO countries. 

About Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO):

• The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is a eight-member multilateral organization, established on 15 June 2001 in Shanghai, China by the leaders of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. 
• Origin: Prior to the creation of SCO in 2001, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan were members of the Shanghai Five.
  • Shanghai Five (1996) emerged from a series of border demarcation and demilitarization talks which the four former Soviet republics held with China to ensure stability along the borders.
  • Following the accession of Uzbekistan to the organization in 2001, the Shanghai Five was renamed the SCO.
• Official Languages: Russian and Chinese
• Member states:  Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, Pakistan and Iran. 
• Observer States: Afghanistan, Belarus, Mongolia 
• Dialogue Partners: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Cambodia, Nepal, Turkey, and Sri Lanka.
• Coverage: The SCO’s geographic scope covers 60 percent of Eurasia and represents 40 percent of the world’s population, with a combined GDP accounting for 20 percent of the global economy.
• Chairmanship: The Chairmanship of SCO is by rotation for a year by Member States.

Objectives:

• To strengthen mutual trust, friendly relations and cooperation among young people of SCO member States.
• It seeks to counter western influence in Eurasia.

India and SCO:

•  India was granted Observer status at the July 2005 Astana Summit, and subsequently participated in all SCO forums open to Observers.
• India and Pakistan became members at the Astana Summit, in 2017.

SCO under India’s Presidency:

• The theme of India’s Presidency of SCO is SECURE which stands for – S: Security, E: Economic development, C: Connectivity, U: Unity, R: Respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity and E: Environmental protection,”
• India has made five new pillars for cooperation in the SCO, which include:
  • Startups and Innovation
  • Traditional Medicine
  • Youth Empowerment
  • Digital Inclusion
  • Shared Buddhist Heritage

Organizational Structure:

• Heads of State Council – The supreme SCO body which decides its internal functioning and its interaction with other States & international organizations, and considers international issues.
• Heads of Government Council – Approves the budget, considers and decides upon issues related to economic spheres of interaction within SCO.
• Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs – Considers issues related to day-to-day activities.
• Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) – Established to combat terrorism, separatism and extremism.
• Secretariat: The Secretariat of the SCO serves to implement organizational decisions and decrees, documents (such as declarations and agendas)

Benefits of SCO Membership to India:

• Multi-Pronged Engagement: SCO gives India a singular platform to deepen ties with Russia; monitor and counter the influence of China and Pakistan, and expand economic and cultural cooperation with Central Asian Republics (CARs).
• Connectivity: The lack of adequate connectivity with the CARs has been a major constraint for India. With SCO membership, India’s pending energy projects like the TAPI pipeline, IPI pipeline, can get a much-needed push.
• Energy Resources: The CARs supply around 10 percent of oil and energy to the world. With India being one of the most energy-hungry nations, involvement in the SCO provides it with an opportunity to satisfy its energy requirements through regional diplomacy.
• Counterterrorism: India through the Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS) of the SCO can improve its counterterrorism experience, by working toward intelligence sharing, developing best practices and technologies, extradition arrangements etc.
• Platform to Promote Dialogue among Members: The SCO Charter doesn’t allow any bilateral dispute to be taken up, thereby it may facilitate dialogue between India-Pakistan which has been on hold for years.
• Checkmating China: Being a full member of the SCO, India would be in a position to plan its policy to effectively deal with China’s ambitious initiative of “One Belt, One Road” and “China Pakistan Economic Corridor” (CPEC).
• Strengthening India’s Position: Membership of the SCO would further strength India’s position as a promoter of a multilateral global order.

Challenges: 

• Pakistan entanglement: Alongside India, Pakistan was accepted as a full member. The presence of Pakistan and the dominance of China in the SCO, arguably limit India to a secondary role in the organization.
• Connectivity to CARs: There are differences on the idea of connectivity being put forth by different SCO members. India has its focus on the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), the Ashgabat Agreement, the Chabahar port whereas the rest of the members have embraced China’s BRI. 
• Counter Terrorism: The organization has done little in practical terms to counter terrorism as Pakistan is still indulged in a major proxy war with India. Moreover, SCO has not been able to provide a platform to India in the Afghanistan peace process.
• Minimal Engagement: India does not have a significant standing in the region. For instance, India’s bilateral trade with Central Asia stands at about $2 billion and with Russia about $10 billion in 2017 as opposed to over $50 billion and $100 billion respectively for China.
• Rise of Alternative Multilateral Groupings: Whether the SCO grows into a successful regional forum depends on its ability to overcome bilateral differences between its members and their respective geopolitical calculations. 
  • For Example: The proliferation of other regional undertakings — EAEU, BRI, Greater Eurasian Partnership, CSTO, CICA — will also pose a challenge for SCO.
• Conflicts Among Member Countries of SCO: India-China and Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan share border disputes which hinders cooperation among SCO members.
• Lack of Dispute Resolution Mechanism: SCO lacks a formal mechanism for resolving disputes between member states.

Way Forward:

• Promoting Cooperation based on Principles: To further enhance cooperation within the SCO, India should emphasize the importance of universally recognized international norms, good governance, rule of law, openness, transparency, and equality. 
• Adherence to Charter Principles: India should advocate for strict adherence to the principles outlined in the SCO’s charter. 
• Enhancing the Role of the SCO Summit: India should push for the SCO Summit to assume a central and coordinating role in enforcing sanctions imposed by the council on concerned entities. 
• Establishment of Working Groups: To address the concerns of all entities involved, India should propose the establishment of dedicated working groups within the SCO framework.

News Source: The Hindu

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Alarmed by a rise in leptospirosis cases before monsoons, the civic health department in Mumbai has decided to study the 300-plus patients who tested positive. 

About Leptospirosis:

• It is a contagious disease in animals but is occasionally transmitted to humans in certain environmental conditions.
• Caused by: A bacterium called Leptospira interrogans, or leptospira.
• Carriers of the disease: Wild or domestic animals, including rodents, cattle, pigs, and dogs, water buffaloes, goats, horses, and sheep.
• Misconception: The disease has been called “ili jwara” in Kannada and “eli pani” in Malayalam, both meaning “rat fever”. This usage has fed the common belief that rats are the sole cause of the disease, which is not true.
• Disease Transmission: 
  • The cycle of disease transmission begins with the shedding of leptospira, usually in the urine of infected animals. 
  • According to the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, infected animals can continue to excrete the bacteria into their surroundings for a few months, but sometimes up to several years.
• Which people are at risk?
  • Humans become part of the cycle when they come in direct contact with this urine or indirectly, through soil and water that contain leptospira bacteria. 
  • A person is more likely to contract leptospirosis if they have cuts or abrasions on their skin.
• Symptoms: In milder cases, patients could experience a sudden onset of fever, chills, and headache – or no symptoms at all. 
  • In severe cases, the disease can be characterised by the dysfunction of multiple organs, including the liver, kidneys, lungs, and the brain.
• Major drivers of the disease: 
  1. Extreme weather events like floods and hurricanes
  2. Poor waste management
  3. A high density of stray animals
  4. Faulty drainage systems, and unhygienic sanitation facilities
  5. Contaminated paddy fields
  6. Dirty livestock shelters

Prevention of Leptospirosis

• Leptospirosis control can benefit from a ‘One Health’ approach. 
  • ‘One Health’ is an interdisciplinary approach that recognises the interconnections between the health of humans, animals, plants, and their shared environment.
• Wearing personal protective equipment like gloves and boots while dealing with animals. 
• Sanitary animal keeping conditions.

News Source: The Hindu

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Recently,  the President paid tribute to the freedom fighter Alluri Sitramam Raju at the closing ceremony of his 125th birth anniversary celebrations in Hyderabad.

About Alluri Sitarama Raju:

• He was an Indian revolutionary involved in the Indian independence movement.
• Birth and Early Life: 
  • Born on July 4, 1897, in present-day Andhra Pradesh.
  • He was Deeply disturbed by the sufferings of countrymen under British rule.
• Role as a Freedom Fighter:
  • He is also referred to as Manyam Veerudu (Jungle Warrior), rallied thousands of poor Adviasis and kindled the spirit of freedom among them.
  • Fought against the oppressive Madras Forest Act, 1882.
  • Organized Adivasis against police, forest, and revenue officials.
• Death: Rama Raju was caught and martyred by Britishers on May 7, 1924. His remains are buried at Krishnadevi Peta in Visakhapatnam. 

Rampa Rebellion 

• The Rampa Revolt, also referred to as the Manyam Uprising, was a tribal insurgency led by Alluri Sitarama Raju in the Madras Presidency. 
• Time period: It began in August 1922 and lasted until Raju got arrested and murdered in May 1924.
• Location: The Rampa administrative jurisdiction was located in the hills of what is now the Godavari division of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.
• Flashpoint of the revolt: The Madras Forest Act, 1882 was passed, which restricted the free movement of the tribal communities and prohibited them from engaging in their traditional Podu agricultural system.

Factors leading to the Revolt:

• The British Raj aimed to increase the economic utility of lands in the Godavari Agency, an area known for its abundance of malaria and blackwater sickness. 
• Traditional agricultural practices were hampered when the state acquired control of the forests, mainly for commercial objectives such as products for constructing railways and ships, with no consideration for indigenous people’s necessities.

News Source: The Hindu

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Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana- National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) launched eSARAS mobile App and inaugurated e-SARAS Fulfilment Centre.

About the App

• Conceptualised by: DAY-NRLM, Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD)
• Purpose of the app: 
  1. To provide a more effective platform for marketing the products made by women of self-help groups. 
  2. To promote the spirit of Vocal for Local even further with easier marketing of products prepared by SHG Didis.

The e-SARAS fulfilment centre:

• Managed by: The Foundation for Development of Rural Value Chains (FDRVC – a Not for Profit Company constituted jointly by Ministry of Rural Development and Tata Trust) 
• Purpose: 
  1. It will be used for processing, packaging and shipping of products that customers purchase through the eSARAS Portal and eSARAS mobile App.
  2. It will handle the logistics required to bring an online order to a customer’s doorstep.

News Source: pib

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The popular SGX Nifty is rebranded as GIFT NIFTY and all the derivative contracts worth $7.5 billion, earlier traded in Singapore, will shift to India.

Background: 

• Nifty or Nifty50 is a famous index comprising the top 50 listed Indian companies that trade on the National Stock Exchange (NSE). 
• SGX Nifty is a derivative contract traded on the Singapore Stock Exchange based on Nifty 50 Index. 
• As trade in Nifty 50 futures on the NSE, foreign investors trade on SGX Nifty at the Singapore stock exchange in dollar terms.

About GIFT NIFTY:

• It is the first of its kind trading link, with trading and matching in India and clearing and settlement in Singapore.
• On June 30, trading on SGX NIFTY ceased in Singapore and the entire trading volume and liquidity fully switched to GIFT IFSC. Therefore, it was rechristened GIFT Nifty. 
• Products offered under GIFT Nifty
  • GIFT Nifty 50
  • GIFT Nifty Bank
  • GIFT Nifty Financial Services
  • GIFT Nifty IT derivatives contract.
• Significance: 
  • This is for the first time, India will get an international contract which was earlier exported out of India.
  • It will help Indian markets to increase their reach among global investors, especially those who are not directly engaged with Indian capital markets.

News Source: Indian Express

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Scientists observed a ferocious class of black holes called quasars that demonstrate “time dilation” in the early universe, showing how time then passed only about a fifth as quickly as it does today. 

About Quasars:

• Quasars are extremely active supermassive black holes found at the centers of galaxies. 
• They are millions to billions of times more massive than our sun. 
• These black holes draw in matter with their strong gravitational pull and emit intense radiation, including high-energy particle jets. 
• They are surrounded by a glowing disk of matter. 
• Quasars’ brightness allows scientists to study the early stages of the universe, as they can be observed from great distances.

Findings of the Study:

• In their study, scientists looked at 190 very bright objects in space called quasars. 
• These quasars were from a time about 1.5 billion years after the Big Bang, which created the universe. 
• The scientists compared the brightness of these ancient quasars to the brightness of quasars we see today. 
• They found that certain changes that happen in quasars today happened five times slower in the ancient ones. 
• This tells us that time used to pass more slowly in the early universe compared to now.

News Source: The Hindu

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The Maharashtra government has published the State level findings from the National Statistical Office’s 2017-­18 Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES). 

• The report based on Central sample data is not published by NSO.

About Household Consumer Expenditure Survey (CES):

• It is a Survey intended to collect information on the consumer spending patterns of households across the country, both urban and rural.
• Frequency of survey: quinquennial (every five years)
• Conducted by: National Sample Survey Office (NSSO)
• Utility of the Survey: 
  • The data is used for studies on levels of living in India and for the measurement of absolute poverty, including studies on disparities across States and regions, sectors, socio-economic classes etc.
  • It helps to arrive at the estimates of household Monthly Per Capita Consumer Expenditure (MPCE) as well as the distribution of households and persons over the MPCE classes.
  • It will be used for rebasing the Gross Domestic Product and other macroeconomic indicators such as retail inflation based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
• The last survey was conducted in 2017-18,  however the government withheld the results citing quality issues.
• The ongoing 2022-23 survey is expected to conclude by the end of July this year.

News Source: The Hindu 

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