The document discusses India relaxing its population control policies. It provides background on China's one-child policy and the reasons for its implementation and discontinuation. It then discusses India now allowing couples to have up to three children and the challenges in averting unwanted demographic shifts through policies alone.

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Context: Days after China’s census data showed population growth
slipping to its slowest rate since the 1950s, the country has announced it
will now allow three children per married couple.
Please note, five years ago in 2016, it first relaxed its controversial
one-child policy to two.
Firstly, why was one-child policy implemented?
China embarked upon its one-child policy in 1980, when the Communist
Party was concerned that the country’s growing population, which at the
time was approaching one billion, would impede economic progress.
It was enforced through several means, including incentivising
families financially to have one child, making contraceptives widely
available, and imposing sanctions against those who violated the
policy.
China to allow couples to have third child

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Criticisms associated with this policy:
Chinese authorities have long hailed the policy as a success, claiming that it
helped the country avert severe food and water shortages by preventing up
to 40 crore people from being born.
However, the one-child limit was also a source of discontent, as:
The state used brutal tactics such as forced abortions and sterilisations.
It violated human rights, and was unfair to poorer Chinese since the
richer ones could afford to pay economic sanctions if they violated the
policy.
It gave way for enforcing reproductive limits as a tool for social control.
It affected the sex ratio- skewed towards males.
It led to abortion of female fetuses rose and so did the number of girls
who were placed in orphanages or abandoned.
It made China’s population age faster than other countries, impacting the
country’s growth potential.

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Why was it discontinued?
Fears of a rapidly ageing population undermining economic growth
forced the ruling Communist Party to allow two children per married
couple.
What necessiated further reforms?
While the relaxation did result in some improvement in the proportion of
young people in the country, the policy change was deemed insufficient in
averting an impending demographic crisis.
Challenges ahead:
Experts say relaxing limits on reproductive rights alone cannot go a long
way in averting an unwanted demographic shift.
The main factors behind fewer children being born are:
Rising costs of living, education and supporting ageing parents.
Country’s pervasive culture of long working hours.
Many couples believing that one child is enough, and some
expressing no interest in having children.

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Context: The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has launched
the Horticulture Cluster Development Programme (CDP) in order to
promote the export of horticultural produce.
Horticulture is the branch of plant agriculture dealing with garden crops,
generally fruits, vegetables, and ornamental plants.
Cluster Development Programme (CDP):
It is a central sector programme aimed at growing and developing
identified horticulture clusters to make them globally competitive.
Horticulture cluster is a regional/geographical concentration of
targeted horticulture crops.
Horticulture Cluster Development Programme

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Implementation:
It will be implemented by the National Horticulture Board (NHB) of the
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare.
In a pilot phase, the programme will be implemented in 12 horticulture
clusters out of the total 53 clusters selected for the programme.
These clusters will be implemented through Cluster Development
Agencies (CDAs) which are appointed on the recommendations of the
respective State/UT Government.
Objectives:
To address all major issues related to the Indian horticulture sector
including pre-production, production, post-harvest management,
logistics, marketing and branding.
To leverage geographical specialisation and promote integrated and
market-led development of horticulture clusters.
To converge with other initiatives of the Government such as the
Agriculture Infrastructure Fund.

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Expected Benefit:
The programme will benefit about 10 lakh farmers and is expected
to attract an investment of Rs. 10,000 crore when implemented in
all the 53 clusters.

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Horticulture Sector in India:
India is the second-largest producer of horticulture crops globally, accounting
for approximately 12% of the world’s production of fruits and vegetables.
India is a leader in producing fruits like Mango, Banana, Pomegranate, Sapota,
Acid Lime and Aonla.
In 2018-19, Andhra Pradesh followed by Maharashtra and UP were the top
states in fruit production.
West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh were the top States in
vegetable production.
The area under horticulture crops increased to 25.5 million hectare in 2018-19,
which is 20% of the total area under foodgrain, and produced 314 million
tonnes.
Recent steps taken for this sector:
The Ministry has provided an enhanced allocation of Rs. 2250 Crore for the
year 2021-22 for ‘Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture’ (MIDH).
MIDH is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for the holistic growth of the
horticulture sector covering fruits, vegetables, root & tuber crops, mushrooms,
spices, flowers, aromatic plants, coconut, cashew, cocoa and bamboo.

9. Way Forward
There is tremendous scope for enhancing the productivity of
Indian horticulture which is imperative to cater to the country’s
estimated demand of 650 Million MT of fruits and vegetables
by the year 2050.
Some of the new initiatives like focus on planting material
production, cluster development programme, credit push
through Agri Infra Fund, formation and promotion of FPOs
(Farmers Producer Organisations) are the right steps in this
direction.

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Context: The ‘Bell of Faith’ scheme will now be implemented for senior citizens
staying alone in villages.
Previously, this scheme was successfully implemented in a number of urban
households in Kerala.
What is the ‘Bell of Faith’ scheme all about?
It is a safety project conceived under Kerala’s Community Policing Scheme.
It will help elderly citizens attract the attention of their neighbours using a loud,
remote-controlled alarm in emergencies.
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• It has been under implementation in Kerala since 2018.
Significance of the Project:
It sets an example for community participation to ensure the well-being and safety
of the elderly. It can be of great support for the aged during the COVID-19 pandemic
as many live in fear for their health.
Kerala’s ‘Bell of Faith’ for rural elders

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About:
The Gross Value Added (GVA) in the economy shrank 6.2% in 2020-21, compared to a
4.1% rise in the previous year.
Only two sectors bucked the trend of negative GVA growth — agriculture, forestry and
fishing, which rose 3.6%, and electricity, gas, water supply and other utility services (up
1.9%).
GVA for trade, hotels, transport, communication and broadcasting-related services saw
the sharpest decline of 18.2%, followed by construction (-8.6%), mining and quarrying
(-8.5%) and manufacturing (-7.2%).
GDP Growth
Context: India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contracted by 7.3% in 2020-21, as per
provisional National Income estimates released by the National Statistical Office. GDP growth
in 2019-20, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, was 4%.

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Comment
Though this is the bleakest performance on record for the economy,
the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2020-21 helped moderate the damage,
with a higher-than-expected growth of 1.6% in GDP.
This marked the second quarter of positive growth after the country
entered a technical recession in the first half of the year.
GDP had contracted 24.4% in April-June 2020, followed by a 7.4%
shrinkage in the second quarter. It had returned to positive territory
in the September to December quarter with a marginal 0.5% growth.

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Context: Every year, on 31st May, the World Health Organization (WHO)
and global partners celebrate World No Tobacco Day (WNTD).
Focus of WNTD 2021:
The theme for the World No Tobacco Day 2021 is “Commit to Quit”.
The WHO has honoured Indian Union health minister Harsh Vardhan
with Director-General Special award for his efforts to control tobacco
consumption in India.
His leadership was instrumental in the 2019 national legislation to ban
E-cigarettes & heated tobacco products.
World No Tobacco Day

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Socio Economic Burden of ‘Tobacco’:
In India, over 1.3 million deaths are attributable to tobacco use
every year amounting to 3500 deaths per day, imposing a lot of
avoidable socio-economic burden.
In addition to the death and diseases it causes, tobacco also
impacts the economic development of the country.
Smokers face a 40-50% higher risk of developing severe
disease deaths from Covid-19.
As per the WHO study (Published in August 2020) titled
“Economic Costs of Diseases and Deaths Attributable to
Tobacco Use in India”.
It has been estimated that the economic burden of diseases
and deaths attributable to use of tobacco in India was as high
as Rs. 1.77 lakh crores, amounting to approx 1% of GDP.

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Measures towards tobacco control in India:
India adopted the tobacco control provisions under WHO Framework Convention on
Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).
Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003:
It replaced the Cigarettes Act of 1975 (largely limited to statutory warnings- ‘Cigarette
Smoking is Injurious to Health’ to be displayed on cigarette packs and advertisements.
It did not include non-cigarettes).
The 2003 Act also included cigars, bidis, cheroots, pipe tobacco, hookah, chewing
tobacco, pan masala, and gutka.
Promulgation of the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Ordinance, 2019: Which
prohibits Production, Manufacture, Import, Export, Transport, Sale, Distribution,
Storage and Advertisement of e-Cigarettes.
National Tobacco Quitline Services (NTQLS): Tobacco Quitline Services have the
potential to reach a large number of tobacco users with the sole objective to provide
telephone-based information, advice, support, and referrals for tobacco cessation.
mCessation Programme: It is an initiative using mobile technology for tobacco
cessation.
India launched mCessation using text messages in 2016 as part of the government’s
Digital India initiative.

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Decline in Tobacco Consumption:
The prevalence of tobacco use has decreased by six percentage points from
34.6% in 2009-10 to 28.6% in 2016-17.
Under the National Health Policy 2017, India has set an ambitious target of
reducing tobacco use by 30% by 2025.
@tireless.study

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WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control
Governments adopt and implement the tobacco control provisions of the
WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).
It is the first international treaty negotiated under the auspices of the WHO.
It was adopted by the World Health Assembly (apex decision making body of
WHO) on 21st May 2003 and entered into force on 27th February 2005.
It was developed in response to the globalization of the tobacco epidemic and
is an evidence-based treaty that reaffirms the right of all people to the highest
standard of health.
The FCTC’s measures to combat tobacco use include:
Price and tax measures.
Large, graphic warnings on tobacco packages.
100% smoke-free public spaces.
A ban on tobacco marketing.
Support for smokers who want to quit.
Prevention of tobacco industry interference.

18. Context: The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is
attempting to mediate to solve the crisis in Mali.
What’s happening in Mali?
Since 1960, when Mali gained independence from France, there have
been five coups — and only one peaceful transition from one
democratically elected president to another.
Recent coup: Nine months ago, President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita was
overthrown in the wake of mass anti-government protests. Last week, the
announcement of a new cabinet was made that excluded two key military
leaders. Following this, the army has detained the President and the Prime
Minister.
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

19. About ECOWAS:
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It is a regional political and economic union of fifteen countries
located in West Africa.
Established in 1975, with the signing of the Treaty of Lagos.
The goal of ECOWAS is to achieve “collective self-sufficiency” for its
member states by creating a single large trade bloc by building a full
economic and trading union.
It also serves as a peacekeeping force in the region.
Considered one of the pillar regional blocs of the continent-wide
African Economic Community (AEC).
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ECOWAS includes two sub-regional blocs:
The West African Economic and Monetary Union is an organisation of
eight, mainly French-speaking states.
The West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ), established in 2000,
comprises six mainly English-speaking countries.

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It is one of India's biggest cooperative societies which is wholly owned
by Indian Cooperatives.
Founded in 1967 with just 57 cooperatives, today it is an amalgamation
of over 36,000 Indian Cooperatives with diversified business interests
ranging from General Insurance to Rural Telecom apart from its core
business of manufacturing and selling fertilisers.
Objective:
To enable Indian farmers to prosper through timely supply of reliable,
high quality agricultural inputs and services in an environmentally
sustainable manner and to undertake other activities to improve their
welfare.
Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited

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Context: Recently, the Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited
(IFFCO) introduced the world's first Nano Urea Liquid for farmers across
the world.
Nano Urea Liquid :
It is a nutrient (liquid) to provide nitrogen to plants as an alternative to
the conventional urea.
It is developed to replace conventional urea and it can curtail the
requirement of the same by at least 50%.
It contains 40,000 mg/L of nitrogen in a 500 ml bottle which is
equivalent to the impact of nitrogen nutrient provided by one bag of
conventional urea.
Conventional urea is effective 30-40% in delivering nitrogen to plants,
while the effectiveness of the Nano Urea Liquid is over 80%.
Its effectiveness has been tested in over 11,000 farmers’ fields for 94
crops like rice and wheat.
An average 8% increase in yield has been witnessed.
Nano Urea Liquid: IFFCO

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Developed At:
It has been indigenously developed at Nano Biotechnology
Research Centre, Kalol, Gujrat in line with Atmanirbhar Bharat and
Atmanirbhar Krishi.
India is dependent on imports to meet its urea requirements.
Significance:
Improves Plant Nutrition:
It has been found effective and efficient for plant nutrition which
increases the production with improved nutritional quality.
It will boost a balanced nutrition program by reducing the excess
use of Urea application in the soil and will make the crops
stronger, healthier and protect them from lodging effect.
Lodging is the bending over of the stems near ground level of
grain crops, which makes them very difficult to harvest, and can
dramatically reduce yield.

25. Improves Environment:
It will also have a huge positive impact on the quality of
underground water, a very significant reduction in global warming
with an impact on climate change and sustainable development.
Increase Farmers’ Income:
It is easy on the pocket of farmers and will be effective in increasing
farmers' income. It will also significantly bring down the cost of
logistics and warehousing.

26. Context: Recently, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Ropar,
Punjab has developed a first-of-its-kind IoT (Internet of Things)
device – AmbiTag that records real-time ambient temperature
during the transportation of perishable products, vaccines and
even body organs and blood.
The device has been developed under Technology Innovation
Hub – AWaDH (Agriculture and Water Technology Development
Hub) and it's Startup ScratchNest.
AmbiTAG

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AmbiTAG:
This is shapedas a USB (Universal Serial Bus) device.
It is India's first indigenous temperature data logger for
cold chain management.
It continuously records thetemperature of its immediate
surroundings from -40 to +80 degrees in any time zone
for a full 90 days on a single charge.
Most of the similar devices available in the international
market record data only for a durationof 30- 60 days.
It generates an alert when the temperature goes beyond
a pre-set limit.
The recorded data canbe retrieved by connecting the
USB with any computer.
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28. Significance:
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Besides perishable items including vegetables, meat and dairy
products, it can also monitor the temperature of animal semen
during transit.
The device will be made available to all companies involved in
Covid-19 vaccine transportation from production facilities to
the last mile vaccination centers in the country.
It is a push towards Atmanirbhar Bharat as such devices are
being imported by India in a massive quantity from other
countries such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Ireland, and China.
Agriculture and Water Technology Development Hub
AWaDH is a research centre at IIT Ropar established with support from the
Department of Science and Technology (DST) and Science and Engineering
Research Board (SERB) to carry out extensive research in the field of
agriculture and water.

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Cali is the second-largest city in Colombia by area and the third most
populous.
It is the only major Colombian city with access to the Pacific Coast.
Cali is located in the Cauca Valley to the west of the Cauca River.
Why in the News?
The Colombian Army has tightened its control over Cali following the latest
anti- government protests.
Reasons for the protest:
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Protests erupted in Cali and other cities in April over a proposed reform that
would have lowered the threshold at which salaries are taxed.
The government argued that the move was key to mitigating economic
difficulties but many Colombians feared they could slip into poverty as a
result.
The tax plan was withdrawn but anti-government sentiment saw the protests
grow to cover police violence, poverty and Colombia’s health crisis.
Cali

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Context: Manindra Das- the last “foreigner” has walked out of one of the
six detention centres in Assam, leaving about 170 more to be released
from the other five.
Mahindra Das was tagged a ‘D-voter’ in 2015 and later declared a
“foreigner” in a one-sided decision by a Foreigners’ Tribunal in 2019.
Who is a D-voter, or doubtful voter?
Those persons whose citizenship was doubtful or was under dispute
were categorized as ‘D- Voters’ during the preparation of National
Register of Citizens in Assam.
They have not been defined in the Citizenship Act, 1955 or the
Citizenship Rules of 2003.
D-voter, or doubtful voter

32. Who is a declared foreigner?
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A declared foreigner, or DF, is a person marked by Foreigners’
Tribunal (FT) for allegedly failing to prove their citizenship after
the State police’s Border wing marks him or her as an illegal
immigrant.
What is a Foreigners tribunal?
The Foreigner tribunals are set up under the Foreigners
(Tribunals) Order, 1964.
The tribunals are quasi-judicial bodies, to determine if a person
staying illegally is a “foreigner” or not.
Composition: Advocates not below the age of 35 years of age
with at least 7 years of practice (or) Retired Judicial Officers from
the Assam Judicial Service (or) Retired IAS of ACS Officers (not
below the rank of Secretary/Addl. Secretary) having experience
in quasi-judicial works.

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Who can set up these tribunals?
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has amended the Foreigners
(Tribunals) Order, 1964, and has empowered district magistrates in all
States and Union Territories to set up tribunals (quasi-judicial bodies) to
decide whether a person staying illegally in India is a foreigner or not.
Earlier, the powers to constitute tribunals were vested only with the
Centre.
Who can approach these tribunals?
The amended order (Foreigners (Tribunal) Order, 2019) also empowers
individuals to approach the Tribunals.
Earlier, only the State administration could move the Tribunal against
a suspect.

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The technology has been developed under the NIDHI-PRAYAS program
initiated by the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
Vajra Kavach:
Vajra Kavach’s UV (Ultra Violet) disinfection system removes any possible
traces of the disease-causing SARS-Cov-2 (Covid-19) virus from Personal
Protective Equipment (PPE), N95 masks, coats, gloves and gowns.
It enables reuse of PPEs and other materials used by healthcare workers.
It thus protects not only them, but our environment too, by helping reduce
biomedical waste generation. It is also making personal protective equipment
more available, affordable, and accessible.
Disinfection System Vajra Kavach
Context: Vajra Kavach is a simple disinfection process that enables Corona
Warriors to reuse their masks and PPEs.

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NIDHI-PRAYAS:
NIDHI-PRAYAS is National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing
Innovation PRomoting and Accelerating Young and aspiring Innovators &
startups.
The Department of Science & Technology has launched a NIDHI program
under which programmes for setting up of incubators, seed fund,
accelerators and ‘Proof of concept’ grants for innovators and entrepreneurs
have been launched.
Under NIDHI, PRAYAS programme has been initiated in which established
Technology Business Incubators (TBI) are supported with PRAYAS grant to
support innovators and entrepreneurs with grants for ‘Proof of Concept
(PoC)’ and developing prototypes.
PoC is evidence that a business idea works.
A maximum grant of Rs. 220 lakh is given to a TBI for establishing a
PRAYAS Centre which includes Rs.100 lakh for PRAYAS SHALA, Rs. 20
lakh for operational cost of PRAYAS Centre and maximum of Rs. 10 lakh to
one innovator for developing prototype. Funding for ten innovators is given
to the TBI in a year.

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Objectives:
To enable translation of an innovative idea to a prototype.
To provide a platform for faster experimentation and modify
approaches in the idea to market journey.
To generate innovative solutions relevant to local and global problems.
To attract a large number of youth who demonstrate problem solving
zeal and abilities.
To work on their new technology/knowledge/innovation based startups.
To enhance the pipeline in terms of quality and quantity of innovative
startups to the incubators.

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It is a river in the Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, India.
Sources: It springs from the Uttari Nanda Devi Glacier on the Nanda Devi
mountain. It is also fed from the Dakshini Nanda Devi Glacier.
Continuing through the Nanda Devi National Park, it flows into the
Dhauliganga River near the village Rini.
Disaster in 2021:
In February 2021, a flooding disaster occurred all along the river and its gorge
following a landslide, avalanche or glacial lake outburst flood.
Why is it in News now?
Following reports that cracks had developed in glaciers at the origin of
Rishiganga in Chamoli, a team of scientists carried out an aerial survey and
found nothing wrong.
Rishiganga

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It is a national park in Assam.
Formed in 1908 on the recommendation of Mary Curzon, the park is located in
the edge of the Eastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspots – Golaghat and
Nagaon district.
It hosts two-thirds of the world’s great one-horned rhinoceroses.
It is a World Heritage Site.
It is also recognized as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International for the
conservation of avifaunal species.
Much of the focus of conservation efforts in Kaziranga are focused on the ‘big
four’ species— Rhino, Elephant, Royal Bengal tiger and Asiatic water buffalo.
Kaziranga is crisscrossed by four main rivers — Brahmaputra, Diphlu, Mora
Diphlu and Mora Dhansiri.
Why in the News?
The Assam government has approved a proposal to increase the firepower of the
guards of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve and provide commando
training to them. These measures are aimed at preventing poaching.
Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve

40. Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve

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About:
In a bid to extend relief to the Maratha community in the State, the
tripartite Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra
extended the benefits of reservation for the Economically Weaker
Section (EWS) to the Socially and Economically Backward Class
(SEBC).
Previously, the government had decided that the Maratha
community could not take advantage of the 10% EWS category
as Maratha reservation was in force in the State.
Maratha Reservation
Context: Maratha community brought under Economically Weaker
Section (EWS) quota in Maharashtra.
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42. • The Supreme Court, however, scrapped the SEBC
reservation in jobs and education, making it possible for the
State government to extend the benefit of the EWS quota to
the Marathas.
• As per the government resolution, a person fulfilling the
criterion for EWS would be eligible for 10% reservation in
educational institutes, barring minority institutes.
• This would also be applied for State government recruitment.
The resolution said the reservation would be above the
existing reservation.
• It also stated that the benefit would be available from
September 9, 2020, when the apex court brought an interim
stay on the reservation, to May 5, 2021, when the final
verdict was announced.