Daily Current Affairs 9 April 2020 | UPSC Current Affairs 2020

Current Affairs Of Today Are

1) Essential Commodities (EC) Act of 1955

As part of maintaining a smooth supply of essential items in the country, Union Home Secretary, Shri Ajay Kumar Bhalla has written to all State Chief Secretaries to take urgent steps to ensure the availability of essential goods, by invoking provisions of the Essential Commodities (EC) Act 1955. These measures include fixing stock limits, capping of prices, enhancing production, an inspection of accounts of dealers and other such actions.
There have been reports of loss of production due to various factors, especially reduction in labor supply. In this situation, there is a possibility of inventory building/hoarding and black marketing, profiteering, and speculative trading, resulting in the price rise of essential goods. The States have been asked to take urgent steps to ensure the availability of these commodities at fair prices for the public at large.
Earlier, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), with its orders under the Disaster Management Act, has allowed manufacture/production, transport, and other related supply-chain activities in respect of essential goods like foodstuff, medicines and medical equipment.
Further, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Government of India, is authorizing States/Union Territories to notify orders under the EC Act, 1955 by relaxing the requirement of the prior concurrence of the Central Government up to June 30, 2020.
Offenses under the EC Act are criminal offenses and may result in imprisonment of 7 years or fine or both. State/Union Territory Governments may also consider the detention of offenders under the Prevention of Black-marketing and Maintenance of Supplies of Essential Commodities Act, 1980.

Essential Commodities Act

The Essential Commodities Act is an act of Parliament of India that was established to ensure the delivery of certain commodities or products, the supply of which if obstructed owing to hoarding or black-marketing would affect the normal life of the people. This includes foodstuff, drugs, fuel (petroleum products), etc.
The ECA was enacted in 1955. It has since been used by the Government to regulate the production, supply, and distribution of a whole host of commodities it declares ‘essential’ to make them available to consumers at fair prices. Additionally, the government can also fix the maximum retail price (MRP) of any packaged product that it declares an “essential commodity”.
The list of items under the Act includes drugs, fertilizers, pulses, and edible oils, and petroleum and petroleum products. The Centre can include new commodities as and when the need arises, and take them off the list once the situation improves.
Here's how it works. If the Centre finds that a certain commodity is in short supply and its price is spiking, it can notify stock-holding limits on it for a specified period. The States act on this notification to specify limits and take steps to ensure that these are adhered to. Anybody trading or dealing in the commodity, be it wholesalers, retailers or even importers are prevented from stockpiling it beyond a certain quantity.
A State can, however, choose not to impose any restrictions. But once it does, traders have to immediately sell into the market any stocks held beyond the mandated quantity. This improves supplies and brings down prices. As not all shopkeepers and traders comply, State agencies conduct raids to get everyone to toe the line and the errant are punished. The excess stocks are auctioned or sold through fair price shops.
For instance, the Union Government on 14 March 2020 brought masks and hand-sanitizers under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 to make sure that these products, key for preventing the spread of COVID-19 infection, are available to people at the right price and in the right quality.

Source: PIB

2) Biofortified carrot variety developed by farmer scientist benefits local farmers

Madhuban Gajar, a biofortified carrot variety with high β-carotene and iron content developed by Shri Vallabhhai Vasrambhai Marvaniya, a farmer scientist from Junagadh district, Gujarat is benefitting more than 150 local farmers in the area. It is being planted in an area of over 200 hectares in Junagadh, and the average yield, which is 40-50 t/ha, has become the main source of income for the local farmers. The variety is being cultivated in more than 1000 hectares of land in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh during the last three years.
The Madhuvan Gajar is a highly nutritious carrot variety developed through the selection method with higher β-carotene content (277.75 mg/kg) and iron content (276.7 mg/kg) dry basis and is used for various value-added products like carrot chips, juices, and pickles. Among all the varieties tested, beta-carotene and iron content were found to be superior.
National Innovation Foundation (NIF) – India, an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India conducted validation trials for this variety at Rajasthan Agricultural Research Institute (RARI), Jaipur, between 2016 and 2017. In the trials, it was found that Madhuban Gajar carrot variety possesses a significantly higher root yield (74.2 t/ha) and plant biomass (275 gm per plant) as compared to check variety.
The on-farm trials of the variety were conducted over 25 hectares of land by NIF in different states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Assam, Haryana, Punjab and West Bengal which involved more than 100 farmers where the performance of the variety (MadhuvanGajar) was found to be appreciable in term of yield and its other properties.
During 1943, Shri Vallabhhai Vasrambhai Marvaniya found that a local carrot variety that was profoundly used for fodder to improve the quality of milk. He selectively cultivated this variety and sold this carrot in the market at a good price. Since then, he, along with family, is working for the conservation and development of this cultivar. The production and marketing of seeds of the variety are taken care of by his son Shri Arvindbhai and the average sale is about 100 quintals per annum. Around30 local seeds suppliers are involved in the seed marketing of the variety throughout the country, and the production of seeds is being undertaken by Shri Vallabhhai himself with a group of some local farmers.
During the early years of the development of this variety, Shri Vallabhhai selected the best plants for seed production and grew them in a small area for domestic consumption as well as for marketing. Later on, demand for this carrot grew, and he started cultivation on a large scale during the 1950s. He also started distributing the seeds to other farmers in his village and adjoining areas in the 1970s. In 1985, he started selling the seeds on a large scale. The average yield of Maduvan Gajar is 40 – 50 t/ha and had been cultivated in Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan successfully.
Shri VallabhaiVasrambhai Marvaniyawas conferred with a National Award by the President of India at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi during Festival of Innovation (FOIN) – 2017. He was conferred with Padma Shri in the year 2019 for his extraordinary work.

Source: PIB

3) TRIFED to launch a digital campaign in collaboration with UNICEF for self-help groups to ensure Tribal Gatherers carry on their work safely

To ensure tribal gatherers carry on their work safely, TRIFED has collaborated with UNICEF for developing a digital communication strategy for promoting a digital campaign for Self Help Groups (SHGs) involved in this work, highlighting the importance of Social Distancing. UNICEF would provide the necessary support to be circulated to the SHG centers in the form of Digital Multimedia content, Webinars for Virtual training (basic orientation on COVID response, key preventive behaviors), Social Media campaigns (on social distancing, home quarantine, etc.) and Vanya Radio. Additionally, TRIFED has reached out to the Art of Living Foundation’s #iStandWithHumanity Initiative with a Stand With Tribal Families component in providing much-needed food and ration for the survival of the tribal community.
The webinar, for the promotion of the campaign, is scheduled to be held tomorrow i.e. on 9th April 2020. It is aimed to reach more than 18,000 participants and would cover tribal regions across all the 27 States.
A total of 1205 Van Dhan Vikas Kendras (VDVKs) have been sanctioned in 27 States and 1 Union territory involving around 18,075 Van Dhan Self Help Groups. This involves over 3.6 Lakhs, tribal gatherers, in the Scheme. To start with, 15,000 of these SHGs will be promoted as Van Dhan Social Distancing Awareness cum Livelihood Centers’ through a digital training program. The SHGs will create awareness among the community about social distancing and steps to be followed. Do’s and Don’ts Advisories relating to NTFP to be kept in mind during COVID-19, providing suggestive practices for maintaining personal hygiene, adopting cashless practices, among others will be shared.

Source: PIB

4) India Moved to WTO on US Tariffs

Under the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO’s) safeguard agreement, India has sought consultations with the US.

The consultation has been sought on American authorities' decision to increase import duties on derivatives of steel and aluminum products.

Key Points

WTO's Safeguard Agreement

The Agreement on Safeguards (“SG Agreement”) sets forth the rules for the application of safeguard measures under Article XIX of General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994.
Safeguard measures are defined as “emergency” actions concerning increased imports of particular products, where such imports have caused or threaten to cause serious injury to the importing Member's domestic industry.
As per a provision of the Agreement on Safeguards, a WTO member country proposing to apply safeguard measures shall provide adequate opportunity for prior consultations with those members having a substantial interest as exporters of the product concerned.

This is to exchange views on the measure.

India’s Stand

India considers this measure of the US to be a safeguard measure within a provision of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994, and the Agreement on Safeguards.
Therefore, India has sought consultations with the US, under the WTO's safeguard agreement.
India has sought to exercise its right to consult on the specifics of the measures and its right to determine appropriate trade compensation with the US.

According to the WTO:

India reserves the right to raise additional issues and make further factual and legal arguments.
This should be without prejudice to any other remedies provided for under the understanding of rules and procedures governing the settlement of disputes and the covered agreements during consultations.

India looks forward to receiving a prompt reply to its request from the US for a mutually convenient date and venue for the consultations.

General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade

GATT traces its origins to the 1944 Bretton Woods Conference, which laid the foundations for the post-World War II financial system and established two key institutions, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.
GATT signed by 23 countries in Geneva in 1947 came into force on Jan 1, 1948, with the following purposes:

to phase out the use of import quotas
to reduce tariffs on merchandise trade,

GATT became the only multilateral instrument governing international trade from 1948 until the WTO was established in 1995.

The provisions of GATT 1947 were incorporated into the GATT of 1994. The GATT 1994 is itself part of the WTO formation agreement.
The Uruguay Round of GATT, conducted from 1987 to 1994 culminated in the Marrakesh agreement, which established the WTO.

Source: Business Standard

6) Healthcare Institutions Face Cyber Threats

The International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) has warned member countries that cybercriminals are attempting to target major hospitals and other institutions on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19 with ransomware.

The organization also talked about recent changes in the pattern of crime.

Key Points

In an alert sent to 194 nations, including India, Interpol said that the hospitals and institutions had become targets of ransomware attacks.
Interpol’s Cybercrime Threat Response Team had detected an increase in the number of attempted ransomware attacks against key organizations and infrastructure engaged in the virus response.
Cybercriminals are using ransomware to hold hospitals and medical services digitally hostage, preventing them from accessing vital files and systems until a ransom is paid.

The attacks were designed to lock these institutions out of their critical systems in an attempt to extort payments.
Locking hospitals out of their critical systems

Will delay the swift medical response required during these unprecedented times.
it could also directly lead to deaths.

The ransomware appears to be spreading primarily via e-mails, often falsely claiming to contain information or advice regarding the coronavirus from a government agency, which encourages the recipient to click on an infected link or attachment.
Prevention and Mitigation efforts are crucial to stopping the attacks.

Interpol continues to stand by its member countries and provide any assistance necessary to ensure vital healthcare systems remain untouched and the criminals targeting them held accountable.
Interpol also issued a Purple Notice to seek or provide information on modus operandi, objects, devices and concealment methods used by criminals.

Steps Taken by the Government

Alerts received by the Government of India on the threat of ransomware/malware attacks have been communicated to the concerned departments.
Institutions and individuals have been appealed not to open any mail or link on coronavirus data or home remedies unless it is from a trusted source like a government agency.

They were also cautioned about a possibility of e-mail spoofing, where a suspect operating from a remote location would send a mail that would appear as if it came from a known person.

International Criminal Police Organization

Interpol is an intergovernmental organization that helps coordinate the police force of 194 member countries.
Each of the member countries hosts an Interpol National Central Bureau (NCB). This connects their national law enforcement with other countries and with the General Secretariat.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is designated as the National Central Bureau of India.
The General Secretariat provides a range of expertise and services to the member countries.

It is headquartered in Lyon, France
Interpol Notices are international requests for cooperation or alerts allowing police in member countries to share critical crime-related information.

Changed Pattern of Crimes

Interpol warned that with a majority of people working from home due to the pandemic, there was a change in the pattern of crimes.
Following is the change

Fraudulent trade in personal protective equipment and antiviral medicines,
individuals/businesses on reduced income becoming potential targets of loan sharks (Persons who loan money at extremely high-interest rates and often use threats of violence to collect debts).
The lockdown period has made business establishments/factories vulnerable to thefts.

Since more people were at home, the number of burglaries had dropped. But thieves are increasingly targeting factories or business premises that were locked.

Domestic violence cases have risen since the start of coronavirus-related quarantines, with reports showing women and children at greater risk of abuse.
Recent weeks have seen increased online activity by pedophiles (persons who are sexually attracted to children) seeking child sexual abuse material.

This is being intensified by a shortage of moderators who identify and remove offensive material from networks.

Source: The Hindu

7) Sequencing Novel Coronavirus

India has shared nine whole genome sequences of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) with the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID).

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has allowed all national research laboratories to conduct testing for the novel coronavirus.

Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data

GISAID is a public platform started by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2008 for countries to share genome sequences.
The GISAID Initiative promotes the international sharing of all influenza virus sequences, related clinical and epidemiological data associated with human viruses, and geographical as well as species-specific data associated with avian and other animal viruses

This helps researchers understand how the viruses evolve, spread and potentially become pandemics.

It actively promotes the development of novel research tools for the analysis of influenza data by helping developers to facilitate the integration or connection of their tools to analyze GISAID data.

Key Points

So far, 3,086 sequences of the virus isolated from humans have been shared by 57 countries.

With 621, the U.S. has shared the most number of sequences, followed by the U.K. (350), Belgium (253) and China (242).

It has been found that a spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 also known as 2019-nCoV, enables the virus to enter and infect human cells.
Sequencing the genome of SARS-CoV-2 will help understand

where the virus came from.
if there are different strains circulating in India.
how the virus has spread.

Genome sequencing is figuring out the order of Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) nucleotides, or bases, in a genome—the order of Adenine, Cytosine, Guanines, and Thymine that make up an organism's DNA.
On April 2, 2020, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) allowed all national research laboratories including those under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to conduct testing for the novel coronavirus.
According to CSIR

Both the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB, Telangana) and the Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB, New Delhi) have already started sequencing the virus.
The CCMB has both Biosafety Level (BSL)-2 and BSL-3 labs.
The virus is isolated and deactivated in the BSL-3 facility and sequenced in a BSL-2 facility.
Besides sequencing, the virus will also be cultured (grown in cells).

Cell culture is the maintenance and growth of the cells in specially designed containers and under precise conditions of temperature, humidity, nutrition, and freedom from contamination.
This will help in studying the virus and will be useful while testing vaccines and drugs.

Biosafety levels

BSL is used to identify the protective measures needed in a laboratory setting to protect workers, the environment, and the public.
Activities and projects conducted in biological laboratories are categorized by biosafety level.
The four biosafety levels are BSL-1, BSL-2, BSL-3, and BSL-4, with BSL-4 being the highest (maximum) level of containment.

The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research

CSIR was established by the Government of India in September 1942 as an autonomous body.
It is known for its cutting edge R&D knowledgebase in diverse S&T areas.
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has been ranked first in the Nature Ranking Index-2020.

The Nature Index provides a close to a real-time proxy of high-quality research output and collaboration at the institutional, national and regional levels.

Indian Council of Medical Research

ICMR is the apex body in India for the formulation, coordination, and promotion of biomedical research.
Its mandate is to conduct, coordinate and implement medical research for the benefit of the Society; translating medical innovations into products/processes and introducing them into the public health system.
It is funded by the Government of India through the Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.

Source: The Hindu

8) Expert Panel Against Full Repeal of lockdown

An expert committee’s report to the government has suggested that 14th April 2020 is not the right time to fully withdraw the 21-days nationwide lockdown.

The committee was asked to look into the strategy to ease the lockdown restrictions.

21 Days Lockdown

The period of 21 days was chosen due to public health/epidemiological significance and it is supported by scientific data.

The calculations are based on the estimated incubation period of the virus in a human host.
The 21-day quarantine value is derived from interpretations of outbreak data from past and present epidemics and pandemics. For example, the cases of Spanish Flu and Ebola.

Explanation:

In epidemiological terms, 14 days are of the initial incubation period and adding another week, i.e. 21 days is to ensure that residual infection dies out.
It is estimated that being a new strain of coronavirus, its median incubation period (the time between the entry of the virus to the onset of symptoms/ disease) falls within the period of 14 days.
According to a recent study, the median incubation period for COVID-19 is just over five days and 97.5% of people who develop symptoms will do so within 11.5 days of infection.
So, the current period of active monitoring (14 days) recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is well supported by the evidence.

Key Points

Restrictions on the large-scale movement of people across International and State boundaries is critical and should be kept there unless and until the situation gets under control in every State.
The major concern is that a prolonged and stringent lockdown will lead to economic hardships, famine and law and order issues, which may undermine the objectives of both the lockdown and health management.
The committee suggested a withdrawal strategy that should be gradual, phased and calibrated so that it is ensured that the caseload is kept below the capacity of the health-care systems.
Such a phased approach should be operationalized at the revenue district level.

Suggestions

All states should fasten up preparatory work for the predicted and rapid rise of COVID-19 cases as they are expected to exceed the local capacity in some cities.
No relaxation in speedy production and procurement of test kits, ventilators, PPEs for health-care personnel and masks.
The center should release funds and create a national coordination mechanism to distribute them on a need basis.
The center should ensure effective coordination between the States and logistics operators.
Supporting the agricultural sector in production, marketing, storage, and transport.
Ensuring the continuation of modern technological leaps, like rapid innovations and practices which are being introduced in education, judiciary, local business, telemedicine, among others, even after the lockdown ends.

Source: The Hindu

9) China at Top in Global Patent Race

Recently, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has highlighted that China has become the biggest source of applications for international patents in the world.

Key Points

China has pushed the United States from the top position which it has held since the global system was set up more than 40 years ago.

The U.S. had filed the most applications in the world every year since the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) system was set up in 1978.

China filed 58,990 applications beating the 57,840 applications filed by the U.S.

China’s figure was a 200-fold increase in just 20 years.
China’s success can be attributed to the deliberate strategy of advancing innovations and to make the country’s economy operate at a higher level of value.

In the current times, more than half of patent applications, almost 52.4%, come from Asia.
Japan is on the third rank followed by Germany and South Korea.

World Intellectual Property Organization

It is the global forum for intellectual property (IP) services, policy, information, and cooperation.
It is a self-funding agency of the United Nations, with 193 member states.
Mission: To lead the development of a balanced and effective international IP system that enables innovation and creativity for the benefit of all.
Its mandate, governing bodies and procedures are set out in the WIPO Convention, which established WIPO in 1967.
It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

Patent Cooperation Treaty

It is an international treaty with more than 150 Contracting States.
It makes it possible to seek patent protection for an invention simultaneously in each of a large number of countries by filing an international patent application.

Such an application may be filed by anyone who is a national or resident of a PCT Contracting State.
It may generally be filed with the national patent office of the Contracting State or at the applicant's option, with the International Bureau of WIPO in Geneva.
The granting of patents remains under the control of the national or regional patent Offices in what is called the national phase.

PCT is used by:

World’s major corporations, research institutions, and universities when they seek international patent protection.
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and individual inventors.

10) UN Women

The UN Women has urged member-states to include prevention of violence against women in their action plans on COVID-19. It has also called the rise in gender-based violence a “shadow pandemic”.

Other suggestions made by UN Women:

Member states should consider shelters and helplines' essential services.
Helplines, psychosocial support, and online counseling should be boosted, using technology-based solutions such as SMS, online tools and networks to expand social support and to reach women with no access to phones or the Internet.
Police and justice services must mobilize to ensure that incidents of violence against women and girls are given high priority with no impunity for perpetrators.

Why these measures are necessary?

Globally 243 million women and girls aged 15-49 have been subjected to sexual and/or physical violence perpetrated by an intimate partner in the previous 12 months. The number is likely to increase as security, health and money worries heighten tensions and strains are accentuated by cramped and confined living conditions.

How lockdown is worsening the situation?

According to emerging data, violence against women and girls, particularly domestic violence, has ‘intensified’.

As per data compiled by the U.N. body, France has seen a 30% increase in domestic violence since the lockdown on March 17.
In Argentina, emergency calls for domestic violence cases have increased by 25% since the lockdown on March 20 and Cyprus (30%), Singapore (33%) have also registered an increase in calls.
Canada, Germany, Spain, the U.K., and the U.S. have also registered an increase in cases of domestic violence and demand for emergency shelter.

About UN Women: The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women:

UN Women is the UN entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. It was established to accelerate progress on meeting their needs worldwide. In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.
It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system, which focused exclusively on gender equality and women’s empowerment:

Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW).
International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW).
Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women (OSAGI).
United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM).

The main roles of UN Women are:

To support inter-governmental bodies, such as the Commission on the Status of Women, in their formulation of policies, global standards, and norms.
To help the Member States to implement these standards, standing ready to provide suitable technical and financial support to those countries that request it, and to forge effective partnerships with civil society.
To hold the UN system accountable for its own commitments on gender equality, including regular monitoring of system-wide progress.

Source: The Hindu

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