<img src="https://discussion.policharcha.in/1583660737301" alt="International Women's Day" style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>

Throughout the history, there have been many women who broke barriers and overcame constraints to make the world a better place. From social work to politics, from being a CEO to a sports person, from the field of science to the place we call home, women have excelled in every sphere.
This International Women’s Day, we honour some women who inspire many to break barriers like they did. Bringing you stories of invaluable works of some of the women we call Shero.

<ins>Dr. A. Seema</ins>

<img src="https://discussion.policharcha.in/1583660860936" alt="Dr. A. Seema" style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>

Nari Shakti Award winner, Dr. A. Seema, a scientist at Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology, Kerala, came up with a chip-embedded-bra that can detect breast cancer. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in India, and what’s more frightening is that 50 percent of the patients do not survive.
According to one stat, every 30 minutes a woman in India dies due to breast cancer. Looking at the situation, Dr. Seema and her team at CMET started working on this project in 2014. Finally after much efforts, they invented a Bra that has embedded chips of dimension 1mm-1mm-1.5mm (length-width-depth), called as probes.
These probes help in producing thermal images of cancerous cells, if any and thus identify the cancer at initial stages. The test takes 15-30 minutes to complete after which information from the probes is extracted.
Dr. Seema says that they have struck a number of targets in single stroke. The product is cost effective and can be available to common public at an affordable price of INR 200. It is also radiation proof and can be used by women of every age group. Till now the other option was Mammography, which was advisable for women above the age of 40 only. The mammogram machine costs more than 3 crore, whereas this new system can come under only 8000 rupees.&nbsp;
No doubt it is a magnificent invention, especially in a developing country like India where women health is not taken proper care of.

<ins>Thinlas Chorol</ins>

<img src="https://discussion.policharcha.in/1583661052132" alt="Thinlas Chorol" style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>

Raised in the beautiful terrains of Takmachik, Ladakh, Thinlas Chorol was born to a farmer family who later got awarded with Government’s Nari Shakti Awards, and UN’s Women Transforming India in 2018. After class 10th, she joined SECMOL’s (Student’s Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh) travel agency, Around Ladakh with Students (ALS) where her job was limited to guide the tourists to monastery and cultural places.
When ALS had stopped functioning, Thinlas got depended on freelancing but it did not help her case as the prejudice of ‘woman not being able to endear a physically demanding job’ was still letting most of the jobs slip out of her hands.&nbsp;
Thinlas did not step back and decided to pursue a mountaineering course at Nehru Mountaineering Institute in 2007, and subsequently took a diploma in wilderness and leadership skills at National Outdoor Leadership Skills.
Finally, She hit back with all here experience, qualification, and knowledge, and founded Ladakhi Women’s Traveling Company, which is owned and operated solely by women.
Her pioneering work allowed her to empower many rural young girls and needy women to get employment. Soon her company became favorites among female tourists. Today, LWTC constitutes of 30 women personnels who share different roles in the organization.

<ins>Dr. Shweta Rawat</ins>

<img src="https://discussion.policharcha.in/1583661168923" alt="Dr. Shweta Rawat" style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>

Dr. Shweta Rawat was awarded with National Award Young Woman Showing Excellence through Application of Technology for Societal Benefits by the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind on the occasion of National Science Day on February 28.
She has a PhD in Anthropology from University of Delhi, and is currently working for the Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPAS), DRDO as scientist.
Alongside her team, Dr Rawat has developed a full body protector called Prabla, specific to female anatomy. So far women personnel have been subjected to use heavy and oversized full body protectors designed for men. Her team collaborated with Rapid Action Force (RAF) to develop this gear for the female troops deployed in riot control work.&nbsp;
Anthropometric data was used while designing these gears and it ensures protection of vital organs and covers all vulnerable parts of the female body like the rib-cage, back of the arm, inner calf, thigh and groin. The gear also has specific properties, such as anti-stab, anti-puncture, flame retardant and acid resistance. The gear is available in all sizes and uses the same material as that used in male body protectors. It is designed to better suit the female body and provide the female troops with higher flexibility, mobility and comfort.

<ins>Kamala Surayya</ins>

<img src="https://discussion.policharcha.in/1583661258889" alt="Kamala Surayya" style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>

Regarded as “the mother of Modern Indian English Poetry” by The Times, Kamala Surayya was born in the Malabar district of British India (today’s Kerala) in 1934. She was a poet and a writer who brought up the issues of female experiences about menstruation, puberty, sexuality, child marriage, and infidelity. She touched the issues which existed but were unacknowledged. Her honesty made it difficult for the society to digest her content but she continued to be herself, unapologetically.
Kamala had picked up the zeal to become a poet at a very early age. It was in 1960s when she began making her name known, courtesy of popular works like The Summer in Calcutta, The Descendants, and various poems in Malayalam language. It was then she started using her popular pen name, Madhavikutty.&nbsp;
In 1973, in a series of columns in Malyalam, together considered as her autobiography, Ente Katha (later published in English as My Story), Kamala produced her ‘best work’ as well as something, which in her words ‘ruined her life’. The autobiography is considered today a classic for its openness and daringly bold nature, but at that time became a controversial subject.
The situation was such that Kamala had to shift to Maharashtra from Kerala. Seeing the outrage she famously quoted, “people are not hurt but they are pretending to be hurt in order to prove their innocence”.&nbsp;
She was nominated for Nobel Prize in Literature in 1984, and has received many honors, notably Kendra Sahitya Academy, Pen Asian Poetry Prize, and Asian World Prize for Literature.&nbsp;
Kamala converted to Islam in 1999. She died in 2009 at the age of 75.

<ins>Durgabai Deshmukh</ins>

<img src="https://discussion.policharcha.in/1583661397632" alt="Durgabai Deshmukh" style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>

Durgabai Deshmukh is hailed as the mother of social work in India. She was a skilled lawyer, a prominent freedom fighter, an advocate of women's rights, and a propagator of social welfare.
She was born on July 15, 1909, in Andhra Pradesh, to a middle-class family. At 8 years old, she was married off to a wealthy zamindar. At 15, with the support of her father and younger brother, she divorced her husband.
In 1921, when Gandhi visited Kakinada for a Town Hall gathering where she arranged a meeting between him and the local Devadasi and Muslim women community to discuss their plight. Subsequently, Deshmukh quit school, protesting against the imposition of English in education and vouched to wear only hand-spun khadi along with her family.&nbsp;
She was arrested from 1930 to 1933, spending a year in solitary confinement. During her time in prison, she was exposed to unfair treatment of women in prison and decided to pursue criminal law. She was accepted in Madras Bar in 1942 and fought to curb the wrongful convictions and unjust treatment of women in prison.&nbsp;
As a member of the Constituent Assembly, she defended women's property rights under the Hindu Code Bill. She also advocated the establishment of family courts. She was inducted in the Planning commission as an incharge of social welfare.
Deshmukh became the first chairperson of the Central Social Welfare Board (CSWB) in 1953 and the National Council on Women's Education, established in 1988. She also founded Andhra Mahila Sabha that still functions today with 28 branches including colleges, schools, and hospitals. She has been awarded Padma Vibhushan, UNESCO Award for outstanding work in the field of literacy, Nehru literacy Award and Paul G. Hoffman Award, among others.

Her excellence is Our progress - Celebrating #OurShero on Women's Day

<img src="https://discussion.policharcha.in/1582095222757" alt="Nihali language. Critically endangered." style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>

<ins>Nihali</ins>
<ul>
<li>Nihali is the spoken language of the tribe Nihal, which is situated in Jalgaon Jamod Tehsil on the border of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.</li>
<li>According to UNESCO, it is among the 42 critically endangered languages in India with around 2,000 speakers.</li>
<li>Nihali is considered to be a language isolate which means that it does not belong to any of the major language families, making it one of the most unique languages in the Indian subcontinent.</li>
<li>Though the people of Nihali tribe have rich folklore with their own versions of Panchatantra and songs that tell the story of Ramayana, the language does not have a script, making the preservation of the language a difficult task.</li>
<li>Due to less exposure among children, it faces threat of extinction. Moreover, Nihali speakers often mingle with and marry speakers of Korku, Marathi, and Hindi. There is a possibility that Nihali will be lost in the next two generations.&nbsp;</li>
<li>The language is protected under the Protection and Preservation of Endangered Languages of India scheme as it has less than 10,000 speakers.</li>
<li>A tri-lingual dictionary with Nihali-English-Hindi translations of up to 2,000 words is being prepared by the linguistic department of Deccan College Post Graduate and Research Institute in Pune.</li>
</ul>

<img src="https://discussion.policharcha.in/1582095618019" alt="Tulu language. Vulnerable." style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>

<ins>Tulu</ins>
<ul>
<li>Tulu is a Dravidian language whose speakers are concentrated in two coastal districts of Karnataka and in Kasaragod district of Kerala.</li>
<li>Kasaragod district is called ‘Sapta bhasha Samgama Bhumi (the confluence of seven languages)’, and Tulu is among the seven. The Census 2011 reports more than 1.8 million native speakers of Tulu in India.</li>
<li>The Tulu-speaking people are larger in number than speakers of Manipuri, Bodo, and Sanskrit, but still it does not find a place in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India.</li>
<li>According to UNESCO Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger, Tulu belongs to the vulnerable category as it is spoken by children as mother tongue but only in their homes.</li>
<li>The oldest available inscriptions in Tulu are from the period between 14th and 15th century AD.</li>
<li>There used to be some confusion regarding the script of Tulu language which closely resembles Malayalam, but according to new research it was found that Tulu language possessed its own script before Malayalam script even existed. It is now believed that Malayalam script got developed from Tulu script as the latter language predates the former one by more than a thousand years.</li>
</ul>

<img src="https://discussion.policharcha.in/1582120366125.jpg" alt="undefined" style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>

<ins>Jarawa</ins>
<ul>
<li>Jarawa is an Ongan (South Andamanese) language spoken by the Jarawa tribe of the Andaman &amp; Nicobar Islands.&nbsp;</li>
<li>The language has been tagged as critically endangered by UNESCO under its Atlas of Endangered Languages.</li>
<li>About 99% percent of its speakers are ethnic and have an estimated population of not more than 400.</li>
<li>It enjoys the status of an official language in the Andaman Islands.</li>
<li>The term Jarawa means ‘stranger’. The tribal people call themselves Aong which means ‘people’.</li>
<li>The language does not have a script, and has existed orally since the ages.</li>
<li>There are no dialects or varieties, though it is closely related to its neighbouring language, Onge.</li>
<li>It is an agglutinative language. It has a system of 9 vowels and 26 consonants.</li>
<li>The syntax follows Subject-Object-Verb pattern and the noun is always placed before an adjective.</li>
<li>It doesn’t have tenses so the tribal people manage to understand it by judging the context of the conversation.</li>
</ul>

<img src="https://discussion.policharcha.in/1582184603373.jpg" alt="undefined" style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>

<ins>Toda</ins>
<ul>
<li>Toda language belongs to the Dravidian language family. Dravidian family includes 73 languages spoken by a population of 222 million spread across southern India, Sri lanka, parts of Pakistan, and Nepal.</li>
<li>Toda language is indigenous to Toda tribe, who reside in Nilgiri and Kundra Hills in Tamil Nadu. Todas are traditionally pastoralists and breed a kind of water buffalos.</li>
<li>Although the phonology of the language is the most varying among the Dravidian languages, Toda is a non-literary language, meaning that it does not have a script.</li>
<li>Toda has 14 vowels and 37 consonants which is most in the Dravidian language family.</li>
<li>The language is spoken by almost 3000 people, and comes under the critically endangered category according to UNESCO report.</li>
<li>There is a high possibility of the language becoming extinct as it faces cultural oppositions from assimilating into social environments.</li>
<li>The Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL), Mysore is engaged in the protection, preservation, and documentation of languages spoken by less than 10,000 people across the country, under the Protection and Preservation of Endangered Languages of India scheme, which includes Toda also.</li>
</ul>

<img src="https://discussion.policharcha.in/1582200410953.jpg" alt="undefined" style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>

<ins>Rangkas</ins>
<ul>
<li>Rangkas is one of the extinct languages of India that was spoken by the Rangas community of Uttarakhand. The language belonged to the family of Sino-Tibetan and West-Himalayish languages.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Rangkas is one of the five languages hailing from the Himalyan belt that were declared extinct by UNESCO. The other four are Ahom, Andro, Sengmai, and Tolcha.</li>
<li>Its prominence lied in the nearby areas of Indo-Nepal border (Mahakali Valley) and in Dharchula, Munsyari, Johar Valley, and Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand. It was declared extinct in the early 20th century.</li>
<li>There are no proves of any script and dialects related to the language.</li>
<li>Some alternate names of the Rangkas are as Canpa, Johari, Saukas, Chyanam and Kyonam.</li>
<li>About 1000 people belonging to the Rangas community still live in the villages of Pithoragarh, but they no longer speak their mother tongue.</li>
<li>It is believed that the Rangas community joined the Kumaoni people, and subsequently adapted the Kumaoni language and culture.</li>
</ul>

<img src="https://discussion.policharcha.in/1582210667136.jpg" alt="undefined" style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>

<ins>Kolami</ins>
<ul>
<li>Kolami is a tribal language which belongs to the Kolami-Naiki sub family of Central Dravidian languages.</li>
<li>It is mostly spoken in the states of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Telangana. Census 2011 boasts a speaker base of around 1,28,500 people for this language.</li>
<li>It is spoken by Kolam tribe which is a scheduled tribe in India and listed in Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.</li>
<li>According to UNESCO, children no longer learn the language as mother tongue in their homes, therefore it has been classified as a definitely endangered language.</li>
<li>It is believed to be heavily influenced from Telugu, a South-Central Dravidian language spoken in Andhra Pardesh, Telangana, and Puducherry.</li>
<li>Kolami is also known as Kolme, Kolamboli, Kulmi, and Kolamy.</li>
<li>There are notably three dialects of the Kolami language, which are Eastern Kolami, North Western Kolami, and Central Kolami.</li>
<li>Prof. Sathupati Prasanna Sree, an Indian linguist, has been working for preserving minority tribal languages within India and created a unique script for the Kolami language that consists a total of 74 characters.&nbsp;</li>
<li>One can find folk songs, poems, and stories related to the tribal language on the internet.</li>
</ul>

<img src="https://discussion.policharcha.in/1582274367138.jpg" alt="undefined" style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>

<ins>Bonda</ins>
<ul>
<li>Also knows as Remo, Bonda language is spoken by the people of the Bonda tribe in Jeypore Hills, west of Machkund River in the Malkangiri district of the state of Odisha.&nbsp;</li>
<li>It is a Munda language and belongs to the Austro-Asiatic language family.</li>
<li>The language does not have a script.&nbsp;</li>
<li>According to linguist George Van Driem, in 2007 there were around 2,500 native speakers of Bonda.</li>
<li>According to the UNESCO report, the language is considered to be severely endangered which means that the language is spoken by grandparents and older generations; while the parent generation may understand it, they do not speak it to children or among themselves</li>
<li>Due to the absence of a script, the children of the tribe are not exposed to Bonda, instead they learn Odia in schools and as a result use it for daily communication as well.</li>
<li>As per the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, the Bonda tribe is a part of particularly vulnerable tribal groups.</li>
</ul>

More to follow

The endangered languages of India

<img src="https://discussion.policharcha.in/1580819757984" alt="Need for green politics. " style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>

An approach which picked pace in the late 20th century Europe, Green Politics, or Ecopolitics, advocates that sustainable development, ecological balance, among other things, must be a political party’s top priority while devising policies.
India is evolving in every subsequent five-year-plan. Today, we are experiencing the 17th Lok Sabha, and we have come a long way from the political, environmental, social, and economic practices that were used when India had just gotten her independence. We have seen growth and increase in per capita income, industry, trade, living standards and other areas.
This has come at a cost, most of which has been paid by the environment. It is true that at the time of independence, we were faced with more pressing concerns like poverty, food security, and unemployment, hence it is a no brainer that most of the policies formulated by the Government were more focussed on the above mentioned issues and not on the sustainability of these policies with the environment.
It is notable that India, a country having over 2500 political parties, have only a few, five of which we could find, Green Political Parties. Many political parties with varied ideologies present people with a manifesto or a grand narrative about the policies they will implement if they get voted to power, but all of them have given a low space to sustainable development.

<img src="https://discussion.policharcha.in/1580820023312" alt="Political parties must keep environment a top priority while devising policies." style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>

On the pretext of global climate meet, when we see people, even children like Greta Thunberg, take up the cause of climate change, it becomes imperative for a country of more than 1.3 billion people to have a Government, or at least a national party, which is critical towards environment while framing policies.
Most of us might think that India, where a substantial size of the population lives below poverty line, has other more important areas to think about rather than the issue of environment degradation. Our country has issues like inequality, gender discrimination, heath, and education, which need more attention than the issue of environment.
Moreover, on the face of it, all the above issues seem to be contradictory with environment, but in reality they are rather go hand-in-hand.
<ul>
<li>Those in poverty have a higher chance of experiencing ill effects of climate change due to increased exposure &amp; vulnerability. Climate change can lead to more droughts, famines, and various weather anomalies which are bound to impact the vast agrarian population of India, and push them further into traps of poverty and inequality.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Our consumerist approach towards environment has also consequences on gender equality as has been well documented in the field of eco-feminism.</li>
<li>A degraded and polluted environment is also an encroachment on our fundamental right i.e. Right to Life which comes under Article 21 of the Constitution.</li>
<li>Climate change and environmental pollution will also affect the health of the citizens which will increase the number of sick days, and thereby resulting in absenteeism from school colleges and work places. Therefore, having a negative impact on education and economy.</li>
</ul>
This list of such kind of inter-linkages are non-exhaustive, unlike our fossil fuels!&nbsp;

<img src="https://discussion.policharcha.in/1580820237258" alt="Green politics is the need of the hour." style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>

What the need of the hour is a Green Party which can give us a direction and lay down a path for policies which are in harmony with the nature. Even if not voted to power, a green party can at least bring all these issues to the forefront in state and national politics. They can take a cue from Arne Næss philosophy of deep ecology. Rather than focussing on divisive politics, we need to buck this trend and work towards the politics of inclusion with the environment and with our fellow beings.
Being one of the top greenhouse gas emitter, India is committed to implement sustainable ways to generate energy and tackle climate change. The current union government, backed by several state governments, is working to make India greener and healthier, but do you think that it is time to invest more into Green Politics?&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Is the future of Indian politics GREEN?

<img src="https://discussion.policharcha.in/1580473781073" alt="Election to the Delhi legislative assembly" style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>

Several surveys and opinion polls have showed AAP as the front runner to secure a majority in the Delhi Assembly Election 2020. The mandate of the people seems to be going in one way, but some factors like having a strong Chief Ministerial candidate, dedicated voters, electors’ intent to have different leaders at the state and national level, and the silent majority will somewhat have a vital impact on the final result.
Silent majority refers to the electors who support CAA and NRC, but do not express their support.&nbsp;
A - AAP is confident that people of the capital will elect it for a second term because of the pro-public work done in past 5 years. Cheaper electricity, free water supply, strengthening of health sector, and improved education services definitely put AAP as favourites. Mr. Kejriwal has already proved his mettle as CM. Electors’ intent to have different ruling parties at the state and national levels is also a positive sign for AAP. The factors not favouring AAP are the silent majority and Congress’ ability to take back its dedicated vote share.&nbsp;
B - BJP has never secured less than 32% of the votes in any Delhi assembly election thanks to a dedicated set of voters. The silent majority must account for a large portion of this set, but if that is not the case, then BJP can expect an increase in the vote share. BJP has not announced a CM candidate yet. Mr. Tiwary is in front of the line, but he is not perceived as the best choice to be elected as the CM. Therefore, how BJP will fare in these elections rest on the shoulders of Congress. If INC manages to take back their vote share, then it would benefit BJP and hurt AAP.&nbsp;
C – Congress is going as an underdog to these elections. Its hopes lies on the fact that it finished the 2019 Lok Sabha election in Delhi at second place with 22.5% of the votes polled, one place ahead of AAP (18% vote share). Moreover, Congress’ comeback in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharastra, and Jharkhand will give impetus to the party workers to work tirelessly. In INC’s case, the non-silent majority can play a major role as it has seamlessly opposed CAA and NRC. Congress had lost its dedicated vote share to AAP from 40% in 2008 to 24.5% in 2013 to a mere 9% in 2015. After the death of former CM Mrs. Dikshit, INC also lacks a leader who can be portrayed as CM face.&nbsp;
So, it all comes down to whether Congress can take back its dedicated vote share from AAP, and can pitch for a hung assembly or play a king maker, perhaps?

The ABC of Delhi Election 2020

<img src="https://discussion.policharcha.in/1580450035547" alt="The Gateway of India" style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>

The revolution that led to India getting her independence from the hands of British laid the foundation for a sovereign, democratic, and republic State set-up. On the fifteenth day of August, 1947, we had announced India as a sovereign State, and started the journey towards materialising the idea of the Republic of India. Subsequently, a drafting committee was constituted to frame the Constitution of India. After almost three years of deliberations, the Constitution was adopted on 26th January, 1950, making India a democratic republic.&nbsp;
These basic features are also enshrined in the Preamble, <a href="https://policharcha.com/article/nation/6ab530ef-8f28-4d94-8ce5-3eda2750f20b/the-preamble-for-we-the-people" target="_self">which gives vitality to the Constitution.</a>&nbsp;
In India, we practice Popular Sovereignty which means that the head of the State is elected by the people. Therefore, the President is not the sovereign, rather his/her powers are derived from the real sovereign i.e. the people.
Republic means that the head of the state has a limited tenure. We do not have a monarch in India, hence the office of the President is not inheritable. Article 56 of the Constitution talks about the tenure of the President.
We needed to declare ourselves a Republic because we had adopted the British Parliamentary form of Government without adopting its monarchy. To do away from the British form of government, we declared ourselves a Republic.&nbsp;

What it means to be a Republic State?

<img src="https://discussion.policharcha.in/1593780821545" alt="A look at India's Mental Healthcare Act. Suicide. Sushant Singh Rajput" style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>

The most astonishing trait of the world we live in, the 21st Century World, is the connectedness, often superficial, but nonetheless connectedness. The people of the modern world are always ‘linked’ together, considering the rapid advance of globalisation, social media, multilateralism, and soft power.
One can celebrate 4th of July sitting in New Delhi, another can keep a fast on Navratri while living in Germany. On the other side, we also come together to stand up against matters like global hunger, climate change, and racism, but this connectedness, time and again, goes down the drain when it comes to mental health and peace. The life is fast paced, and people do tend to become a part of the rat-race, but the ultimate reality is, at the end of the day, decent mental health is imperative to healthy functioning in the, and of the society.
Most of the people at some point in their lives can be characterised with a form of mental illness, and it is nothing to be ashamed of, but to be sought professional help about, or at the least be talked about.
Speaking of India, a country where mental illness is widely considered to be a taboo, unrealistic, or just a first-world problem, it comes with no surprise when we see that a substantial number of suicide gets committed in the same country.
Not acknowledging the problem neither helps in the present, nor gives solutions for the future; in contrast, it makes the situation even worse.&nbsp;
Anybody can get diagnosed with mental illness, it is not a first-world problem, but it is prevalent worldwide. Suicide is the highest stage of mental illness where an individual thinks he/she has no alternative left, except to succumb to death.&nbsp;
Released last year, World Health Organisation's Global Health Observatory report suggests that India’s suicide rate (number of suicides per 1,00,000 people) was 16.3 in 2016, ringing alarm bells in the ears of concerned authorities and law-making bodies.

<img src="https://discussion.policharcha.in/1593781069612" alt="WHO's report on number of suicides" style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>

At 16.3 per 1,00,000 people, India's total suicide number more than that of the South-East Asia region, and the world. Female suicide rate at 14.7 is almost double than the world average at 7.7, and male suicide rate at 17.8 is more than that of South East Asia and the world. These are some unfortunate numbers.
In the 21st century, Southeast Asia is regarded to be at the frontline for delivering on the aspirational Sustainable Development Goal of a one-third reduction in the number of suicide deaths by 2030. With around 18 percent of the world's population living in India, addressing suicides in India is imperative to make a global difference in the burden of suicides.
In India, suicide is defined as an act of an unnatural death, the idea of which is originated in the concerned person itself, and the reason for taking one’s own life may or may not be specified. Global Burden of Disease study estimated that there were 2,30,314 death because of suicide in India, and according to the National Crimes Record Bureau (NCRB), suicide accounted for 133,623 deaths in India in 2015.
Attempt to die by suicide is defined as a nonfatal and self-injurious behavior with an intent to die. Attempts to die by suicide can be classified into: (i) severe, leading to incapacity, and (ii) non-severe, with full recovery in the short term.
According to Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, “No person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to procedure established by the law.” While the Constitution covers the right to life or liberty, it does not include the ‘right to die’. The attempts at taking one's own life are not considered to fall under the purview of constitutional right to life.

<ins>IPC Sec 309 - Criminalisation of suicide attempt</ins>
Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) clearly states, “Whoever attempts to commit suicide and does any act towards the commission of such offence, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year or with fine or both.”
Historically, the religious institutions asserted great deal of influence over the matters of the State, especially in the cases of life and death. This led St. Augustine in fourth century BCE to frame legal declaration where suicide attempts were criminalised, considering the suicide being a sin and an act against the will of God.
The modern world - post enlightenment and renaissance - brought major socio-cultural changes in the society, especially after French revolution, which established the modern democratic nation based on liberty, equality, and fraternity. These qualities diversified and modernised the attitude towards suicide and attempted suicide. Nineteenth and twentieth century saw developed countries to repeal criminalisation of attempted suicide, but some countries continue to treat suicide attempt as a criminal offense, or at least as a social offence.
Two major kinds of arguments are generally put forth for criminalisation of suicide attempts, though in the contemporary political and socio-cultural times, these have been challenged.&nbsp;
First is rooted in the religious belief that only God has the right to dictate the end of life of a person, and it is perceived to be a sinful activity, punishment worthy, if a person attempts otherwise. Traditionally, suicide has been deplored by every major religion around the globe, and in Hinduism, the most practiced religion in India, death by suicide does not lead to achievement of salvation (Moksha).
The second argument for criminalisation is the belief that law can act as a deterrent against other such attempts in the society.&nbsp;
The criminal prosecution, and the imposition of custodial &amp; financial penalties on those convicted of suicidal behaviour constitute an insult to human dignity. In a large majority, suicidal behaviour is typically a symptom of psychiatric illness, or is an act of psychological distress, indicating that the person requires assistance in his personal and psychological life, and not punishment by fine and/or imprisonment.&nbsp;
India is carrying the legacy of Indian Penal Code from the times of British Raj Regime, which ironically, Britain itself got rid way back in 1961 after decriminalisation of attempted suicide, but it seems that India is still hooked on to British Raj's archaic laws which were meant to be bounded on natives treated like slaves.&nbsp;
Delhi High court in a landmark judgment of 1985 had commented that “the continuance of Section 309 IPC (criminalising suicide) is an anachronism unworthy of a human society like ours.”
Mentally ill people are incapable to take decisions rationally or on their own, and mental illness lasts for a protracted period leading to a poor quality of life, and in the worst case, suicide.

<ins>The Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 - Decriminalisation of suicide attempt</ins>&nbsp;
Taking a progressive step, the Indian Parliament had passed the legislation called the Mental Healthcare Act in 2017 which defines “mental illness” as a substantial disorder of thinking, mood, perception, orientation, or memory that grossly impairs judgment or ability to meet the ordinary demands of life, mental conditions associated with the abuse of alcohol and drugs."&nbsp;
This is “an Act to provide for mental healthcare, and services for persons with mental illness and to protect, promote, and fulfill the rights of such mentally ill persons during delivery of mental healthcare services and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.”
This act rescinds/revoked the existing Mental Healthcare Act, 1987, which had been widely criticised for not recognising the rights of a mentally ill person, and paving the way for isolating such dangerous patients.&nbsp;
This act gives right to every person to access good quality, convenient, affordable, and accessible healthcare services. It protects mentally ill people from inhumane treatment along with access to free legal services. The act also empowers every mentally ill person to make an advance directive towards the way she/he wants to be treated for the requisite illness, and have a right to nominate her/his representative which has to be vetted by a medical practitioner.

<img src="https://discussion.policharcha.in/1593781829161" alt="The Mental Healthcare Act, 2017" style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>

Section 115(1) of The MHCA says, “Notwithstanding anything contained in section 309 of the Indian Penal Code any person who attempts to commit suicide shall be presumed, unless proved otherwise, to have severe stress and shall not be tried and punished under the said Code.”
The act also constitutes the directives for law enforcement agencies; police officer in-charge shall report to the magistrate, if the officer has reason to believe that a mentally ill person is being ill-treated or neglected. It also imposes a duty on a police officer to take under protection any wandering person, who will further get examined by medical authorities. Based on the authority’s report, the person either gets admitted in a mental health establishment, or be taken to her/his residence or to an establishment for homeless persons.
Under the act, a person with mental illness shall not be subjected to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) therapy without the use of muscle relaxants and anesthesia. Furthermore, ECT therapy will not be performed for minors.
Part 2 of Section 115(2) of MHCA 2017 states that “The appropriate Government shall have a duty to provide care, treatment, and rehabilitation to a person, having severe stress and who attempted to die by suicide, to reduce the risk of recurrence of an attempt to die by suicide.”

<ins>Guidelines to Healthcare Insituions</ins>
Healthcare professionals in any hospital can use the following steps to manage a person who has attempted to die by suicide:-
<ol>
<li>Assessment and triaging in the emergency room</li>
<li>Stabilise the patient medically and/or surgically by providing necessary treatment</li>
<li>Medico-legal case registration, and depending on the severity, admission if required</li>
<li>Mandatory psychiatric referral for required assessment (making a diagnosis and assessing the severity of stress and suicidal intent), and treatment</li>
<li>Inform the patient regarding Section 115 of MHCA 2017</li>
<li>Inquiry by the health team and police regarding Sections 108, 109, and 116 IPC</li>
<li>Discharge planning and follow-up care with medical, surgical, and psychiatric teams as per guidelines.</li>
</ol>

Once a patient is admitted in a general hospital following an attempt to die by suicide, emergency triaging and necessary medical or surgical management are mandatory to stabilise the person wherever required. The psychiatric team have to ascertain whether the event is a deliberate self-harm, or injury, or an attempt to die by suicide. To ascertain the severity of stress and the intent objectively, the psychiatric team may administer the perceived stress scale and the suicide intent scale on a patient, irrespective of the lethality of the incident. The psychiatric team has to inform the person and the caregivers about Section 115 of MHCA 2017. The police will get involved to ascertain the application of abetment laws.
The Section 94 of the MHCA 2017 allow the person who has attempted suicide to be treated at a general hospital for emergency purposes, but the person has to shift to mental health establishment within 72 hours.

The steps towards the decriminalisation of suicide in India are commendable, but were long overdue. Decriminalisation will reduce the trauma and potential prosecution in the aftermath of a suicide attempt. The new Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 is supposed to change the fundamental approach on mental health issues. It will provide for a sensible patient-centric health care, instead of a criminal-centric one. It cost us the death of a famous actor to start a conversation regarding mental illness, but it is never too late to talk about the things that matter.

Mental health & suicide; a look at India’s Mental Healthcare Act

<img src="https://discussion.policharcha.in/1593475932277" alt="India bans 59 Chinese apps" style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>

Data is considered to be the new oil in today’s age. If you have the data, you have the power. The power to formulate policies, to tackle an adverse situation (like a pandemic), to strengthen a delivery system, to support a propaganda, or even to take down a country in the times of uncertainty.
China has been accused by many countries to strengthen its interest by using the data it collects through its apps and service providers (the case of Huawei’s 5G technology). India, home to more than half a billion internet users, can be considered as an ocean of data where, given the appropriate resources, anyone can take a dive, and use the data to one’s benefit.
Many of the Chinese apps, especially TikTok, have come under the scanner for their unlawful techniques to collect data, and the potential misuse of the same. At a time when relations between India and China are at their worst, a digital cut-off was on the cards.&nbsp;

<ins>Background</ins>
The Indo-China clash in Galwan Valley, Ladakh had sparked protests amongst Indians towards the use of Chinese goods and services. With hashtags like #BoycottChina trending on twitter, many restored to burning effigies of Chinese leader Xi Jinping, and destroying Chinese goods. Many Government agencies also appeared to take part in this by trying to distance themselves from the neighbouring country.
Soon after the clash, the Indian Railways cited "poor progress" to terminate a project with the Beijing National Railway Research and Design Institute of Signal and Communication Group. The Bihar Government recently cancelled tenders for a mega project, while the Maharashtra Government has put three Chinese deals worth Rs 5020 crore on hold.
Now, the Central Government has responded to the Chinese side with a “#DigitalAirStrike”, which is the name given to the move by many Twitteratis owing to the Chinese connections of the apps that have been blocked. The ban also comes two weeks after 20 Indian soldiers were killed, and 76 were wounded in the violent clash with their Chinese counterparts in Ladakh along the Line of Actual Control.
A list of the banned apps is as follows :-&nbsp;

<img src="https://discussion.policharcha.in/1593476374347.jpg" alt="undefined" style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>


In a press release on Monday, the Ministry of Electronics and IT invoked its power under section 69A of the Information Technology Act to block 59 apps with Chinese affiliation (See picture attached), claiming that the listed apps “are engaged in activities which is prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order.”
The Ministry said that they have received many complaints from various sources including several reports about the misuse of some mobile apps available on Android and iOS platforms for stealing and surreptitiously transmitting users’ data in an unauthorized manner to servers which have locations outside India which ultimately impinges upon the sovereignty and integrity of India.
The Ministry reported that the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-IN), an office in the Ministry of Information technology dealing with cyber security threats, had also received many complaints from citizens regarding the security of data and breach of privacy impacting upon public order issues.&nbsp;
Incoherence with such complaints, the exhaustive list of apps provided by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre and Ministry of Home Affairs, and not to mention the strong discourse in the public spaces to take strict action against these Apps, the Ministry has taken this move to protect the public’s privacy, according to the official press release.

<ins>Impacts of the Ban</ins>
The ban sends a message about the shift in policy towards China. Gone are the days when India used to appease her neighbour in the hope that China will extend its helping hand towards us. It is about sending a message that our integrity and sovereignty are of paramount importance to us. We will put India first, even at the cost of irritating a neighbour.
On the flipside though, some apps which are on the list are very popular in India, especially Tiktok with 119 million active users from the sub-continent. Other social media platform like Likee, Helo, and Bigo Live were also up and coming platforms attracting a lot of Indian users. These users will now have to look for substitute platforms.
Probably the more concerning impact of this sudden banning is that most of these platforms, more specifically TikTok, had a popular community of “creators” who earned their livelihood creating content on these apps, and for many, it was the only source of income. Along with it, many of these apps have offices and employees in India, where few thousands of jobs could be at stake.&nbsp;

<ins>How will the ban be enforced?</ins>
A notification is to follow, instructing internet service providers to block these apps. Users are likely to get a message saying that the access to these apps has been restricted on the request of the Government.
However, while this will definitely impact apps like TikTok and UC browser, which need a live internet feed to function, users might still be able to use apps which are already downloaded, and do not need the internet. The further download of these apps might not be possible, as it is most likely that Google Play Store, Apple App Store, and others of the like, will block these apps.&nbsp;

This action has been taken in a specific context of national security and specific strategy, and can be considered as a warning to other big Chinese businesses in India, and even to China itself.&nbsp;

A new form of retaliation in this digital age; 59 Chinese apps banned by the Govt

<img src="https://discussion.policharcha.in/1593253714373" alt="Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre" style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>

The Centre has recently created the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) to provide potential private players with a level playing field to use the Indian Space infrastructure.
The creation of IN-SPACe is part of the reforms aimed to boost private sector participation in a range of space activities. It is supposed to help create a convincing environment for private players through encouraging policies and a friendly regulatory environment. The endeavour is to reorient the Indian space sector from the supply-driven module to a demand-driven one, thereby ensuring the optimal usage of India’s space assets.
IN-SPACe will independently evaluate and approve space-related activities in the country, and more specifically will regulate the activities of the private players in the sector. The decisions made by the board of IN-SPACe which is supposed to have representation from the industry, academia, and Union government, will be final and binding to all stakeholders.
MoS for Atomic Energy &amp; Space, Jitendra Singh added that this is something new that has been done in the area of space, and the two organisations (ISRO and IN-SPACe) will supplement each other in the kind of work that they both do.
ISRO Chairman, K Sivan pointed out that the need to introduce new policies, and revamp the outdated ones is to make the system more efficient.
ISRO will remain the basic body that decides what missions are to be undertaken, while the new body fills in the gaps which was much needed according to many experts. This will allow ISRO to focus more on research and development (R&amp;D) of new technologies, exploration missions, and human space flight.
Experts have been demanding for the private sector involvement in the country's routine space activities, such as the launching of existing communication and earth observation satellites, a move which is supposed to free up resources for critical scientific exploration.
The Space sector can play a catalytic role in the overall technological advancement of the country, and expand India’s industrial base. This announcement will not only accelerate the growth of this sector, but also provide the opportunity for large-scale employment in the technology sector.
India is already an important player in the global space economy. Being one of the few countries with advanced capabilities in the space sector, with these new reforms, the sector will receive new energy and dynamism, helping the country leapfrog into the next stage of space activities.

Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre

<img src="https://discussion.policharcha.in/1593152586264" alt="The Coronil Controversy" style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>

Patanjali, which has become the face of Ayurvedic medicine and treatment in India in recent times, on Tuesday has released an Ayurvedic medicine that supposedly treats the novel Coronavirus. Giving a rise to a murky controversy, the company has claimed that ‘Coronil and Swasari’ cure COVID-19, and has shown 100% favourable results during clinical trials on affected patients at Patanjali Yogpeeth in Haridwar.&nbsp;

<ins>Patanjali’s Claims</ins>
Baba Ramdev on Tuesday vouched for a Coronil tablet, which provides a cure without any side-effects. Patanjali has claimed to have tested 100 coronavirus positive patients in its testing facility. The company maintains that the Ayurvedic tablet contains several ayurvedic minerals &amp; herbs, and has apparently shown a 100 percent recovery rate within 7 days of treatment with the medicine. The treatment showed weaker IL-6 response implicating lesser chance of cytokine storm, according to Patanjali’s report.
Acharya Balkrishna, a close aide to Baba Ramdev and the CEO of Patanjali Ayurved Limited, has said that the company had put a team of scientists at work in December 2019 itself, after the outbreak of the pandemic.
The ‘Corona Kit’, which the company claims can also be taken as prevention for corona, is being sold at just Rs 545, and the kit will contain medicines for 30 days. It has also launched an e-commerce app which allows customers to get the medicine delivered within 2 hours of order placement.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<ins>Response from Government</ins>
The Ministry of AYUSH took cognizance of Pathanjali’s claims, and has asked the Ayurved company to provide “at the earliest" the composition and other details of the medicine. The Ministry also ordered the firm to stop advertising the product until the "issue" is examined.
The Ayush Ministry also requested the concerned state Licencing Authority of the Uttarakhand Govt, to provide the approval details of the alleged ayurvedic medicine treating COVID-19.
To make things murkier, the License Officer of Uttarakhand Ayurved Dept has gone onto say, “as per Patanjali's application, we issued them license. They didn't mention coronavirus, we only approved license for immunity booster, cough &amp; fever. We'll issue them a notice asking how they got permission to make the kit (for COVID19).”
Patanjali, according to the state licensing authority (SLA) of Uttarakhand, which falls under the Ministry of AYUSH, had applied for the approval of the medicine on 10th June, and the department followed standard procedure and approved the drug on 12th June. Dr YS Rawat, Joint Director, SLA, Uttarakhand claimed that the approval was considerably simple as the drug contains ashwagandha, giloy, and tulsi, which are known for their immunity-boosting properties, and treating cough &amp; fever respectively.
It is also important to note that products which boost one’s immunity also known as Immuno boosters are not cures to the novel coronavirus, and neither are vaccines for the virus. It only strengthens one’s immunity which does not necessarily mean that the person will not be affected by the virus.&nbsp;

<ins>Legal Action</ins>
Ramdev’s Pathanjali can be charged under the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954 if proved guilty of a false claim. The firm is under the scanner for allegedly promoting a product having properties of “magical remedy”, and can be charged under Section 4 of the Act, which bars “misleading advertisements”.

Balkrishna tweeted that it was a communication gap that has created such confusion and the firm has submitted the requested reports, which prove corona curing abilities Coronil’s to the Ministry.&nbsp;
We can only wait for the Ministry of AYUSH to conduct a detailed investigation and come out with the final report to see if Indian Ayurvedic giant has figured out what the world has been searching for, or is it just another hoax which tricks the common man into consumerism.

The Coronil Controversy

<img src="https://discussion.policharcha.in/1592998045821" alt="Centre aims to reform power sector, but why are some states opposing?" style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>

The Ministry of Power (MoP) has released the draft of the Electricity Amendment Bill 2020 amid the Coronavirus pandemic. The proposed amended version of the Electricity Act is brought to address the systemic problems the power sector has been facing for a long time.
After failed attempts in 2014 and 2018 due to protests from employees and states, the Modi Government is trying again to implement sweeping structural reforms. The draft bill had emerged on 17th April, with the Central Government asking stakeholders to respond to the Draft Bill within 21 days, and this period was further increased till June 2nd.
Although according to the MoP, the new electricity act will address the “critical issues weakening the commercial and investment activities in the electricity sector”, there has been opposition from many states, experts, and working professionals from the sector.

<ins>Key amendments proposed in the draft electricity amendment bill 2020</ins>
<ins>Establishment of the Electricity Contract Enforcement Authority (ECEA)</ins>: While there are several provisions provided for the sell and purchase of electricity in the current Electricity act, there are no provisions dealing the with issues regarding power purchase agreements (PPAs), which are executed for sale and purchase of electricity, or contracts relating to transmission. The Centre, through this proposed amendment, sets to establish the ECEA, which will adjudicate on matters regarding specific performances of PPAs between a generating company and a licensee, or between licensees.
The ECEA shall have exclusive power and jurisdiction to adjudicate on the matters related to performance of obligations under a contract pertaining to sale, purchase, or transmission of electricity. However, the Enforcement Authority will have no jurisdiction on any dispute involving tariffs.
The Amendment seeks to avoid a situation that was created in Andhra Pradesh after the change in Government. The existing authorities that are the APTEL, CERC, and SERCs under the Electricity Act, 2003 do not have the judicial authority over the enforcement of contracts, unless the matter are related to tariffs, licencing, metering or other related matters. Considering the importance of a robust and supervised contractual obligation and the fear of implementing agencies not honouring contracts, a body, which keeps constant vigilance, is reassuring to all existing and future stakeholders.&nbsp;
<ins>Phasing out of Cross-subsidies</ins>: When a group or subgroup consumes power at a subsidised rate, due to various reason of economic inequality, and need etc., there are some losses that take place, and these losses are made up by charging the other group for power at a higher rate; this is essentially how cross-subsidisation works. In India, the farmers are generally charged at a lower rate, while Industries at a higher rate. The new bill, if passed, grants for fixing of tariffs at the cost of supply, which does not account for cross-subsidies. It also puts up direct benefit transfers to the farmers of India from the state, in order to support those who cannot afford power at the market cost.
Although, it reduces the cost of power for industries, and thus their cost of production, this provision has been heavily criticized by experts and state officials.
The first problem is that the cost of supply of power to the farmer is higher, because of the longer power lines and lack of infrastructure. Thus, after the amendment, the farmer needs to pay more from their own pockets until the direct benefit transfers arrive. The question, therefore is, in such a catastrophic economic condition, will a farmer of India be able to pay upfront when he barely manages to feed his family?
The other question that experts have asked is about the efficiency of the direct benefit transfers. The Indian administrative system has been proven to be inadequate and inefficient, especially in terms of direct benefit transfers. The Centre has also shoved the burden of such transfer to the State Governments, which have barely stayed afloat financially in dealing with the pandemic, and even in such situations, the Centre, in multiple cases, has failed to provide relief, or even payout GST debts to respective states. In such a dire financial condition, direct fund transfer instead of cross-subsidies seems to financially strangle not only the state governments, but also the poor farmers of India.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
<ins>The Distribution sub-licensee and Franchisee:</ins> The draft amendment bill also drives through the idea of privatisation, especially in the distribution of electricity. It proposes that distribution licensees, with the permission of the relevant State Commission, can recognise and authorise a person as "distribution sub-licensee" for the purpose of distributing electricity on its behalf in a particular area in its area of supply. However, the original distribution licensee will remain the licensee, and will ultimately be responsible for ensuring the quality of the distribution of electricity in its area of supply. It is also proposed that such distribution sub-licensee is not required to obtain a separate license.&nbsp;
The New Amendment only eases the burden of distribution licensees, and promotes some form of demographic specialisation. According to the MoP, this is supposed to drive down the cost of power procurement and cost of operation. On the contrary, historically, similar moves of privatisation have failed, even when only urban agglomeration had been taken up by private companies. For example in Mumbai, where most of the urban areas have private electricity providers, the end cost for customers has not been reduced, and prices have only risen which attracted several protests. Odisha, which was the only state to include rural areas to have private distributors in the past, has failed massively, and the entire distribution is again back to the Government.&nbsp;
&nbsp;It is not the first time that privatisation of the power sector has been pushed for, even the 2003 Electricity Act called for privatisation in the generation and distribution of electricity. Although, there have been a lot of investments in the generation of power, there is a lack of such drive when it comes to the distribution of the generated electricity. The Bill, thus, does not seem to address certain basic problems before implementing such a frontline solution.&nbsp;
<ins>Push for Renewable Energy</ins>: There is a mention of a National Renewable Energy policy in the projected legislation itself which surely pushes for cleaner energy use. The Amendment, via an insertion, delegates the Central Government with the power to prepare and notify a National Renewable Energy Policy “for promotion of generation of electricity from renewable sources”, in consultation with State Governments. The policy also mandates the purchase of a certain percentage of power by DISCOMs from renewable sources. This also assures power generators and incentivises the use of renewable sources for power generation.&nbsp;

<ins>Centre - State controversy</ins>&nbsp;
States like West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Bihar, amongst others have publicly spoken up about the new Electricity Amendment Draft Bill 2020. The Bill has had mixed responses, being opposed by many state ministers and officials, while few independent power bodies have supported it. Chief Ministers, including YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, and Mamata Banerjee have publicly criticised the bill for dismantling the federal polity and increasing central control over the sector. With bodies like the ECEA, centralisation of state electricity regulatory commissions’ powers, and NLDC undermine the already existing state agencies.&nbsp;
YS Jagan Mohan Reddy also commented on the direct fund transfer being a progressive policy, but the practicality of this solution seems far-fetched with the current situation of the state treasuries.&nbsp;

<ins>Can the Centre make laws on issues regarding electricity?</ins>
Laws are made regarding various subjects by the Centre and the states. For an effective policy making, and to ensure robust Centre-State relations, the Constitution of India provides for a three-fold distribution of legislative subjects between the Centre and the states. The Schedule 7th of the Constitution pertains to the Union List (List-I), State List (List-II), and Concurrent List (List-III), which contain subjects on which the Centre, states, and both can make laws respectively.
While ‘Taxes on the consumption or sale of electricity’ is in the State List, ‘Electricity’ (as a whole) finds a place in the Concurrent List. If a subject belongs to the Concurrent List, the Centre shall consult the states to make any new law or to propose any amendment to the existing law regarding that particular subject.&nbsp;

The Power Sector of the Indian economy had deep-rooted problems right from the start, and to solve those problems, multiple acts which have been passed by various governments in the past, but none have solved some of the basic problems fully, and only have implemented half-hearted solutions, which made the problem more complex. This new bill, with some of its provision, seems to be a step towards the right direction but, a structured roadmap to bridge the gaps between the existing problems and proposed solutions is what is needed, to mend the Indian Power Sector.

Centre aims to reform power sector, but why are some states opposing?

<img src="https://discussion.policharcha.in/1591874537527" alt="India Australia sign agreement to boost military interoperabilty" style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>

India and Australia have recently signed a deal, getting access to each other’s military bases. This deal comes at a time when diplomatic tension between Australia and China is escalating, and the latter is already at a stand-off over international border issue with its neighbour India. The deal, as the Foreign Ministry of India has claimed, is going to clear the way for more military exercise and exchange in the Indo-Pacific region.
The Mutual Logistic Support agreement strengthens the military cooperation between the two countries, and helps build military interoperability. The agreement allows the Australian military to use Indian bases for maintenance work, refuelling, and replenishment of supplies. Similarly, also allowing the Indian Military to use Australian bases. This partnership helps both countries to have strong control over the Indo-Pacific region.
The agreement was signed in a virtual summit held between Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart, Scott Morison. The India Australia Virtual Summit, a first of its kind, saw a few more agreements between the two countries which call for collaborative work.&nbsp;

Apart from the Mutual Logistic Support agreement the countries also signed the following :-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>Comprehensive Strategic Partnership agreement</li>
<li>Australia-India Strategic Research Fund to promote innovative solutions for responding to and treating Covid-19.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Framework arrangement on Cyber and Cyber-enabled critical technology cooperation allowing them to work together in the digital economy, cyber-security, and critical &amp; emerging technologies.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Agreement on agriculture and related activities - Agriculture was identified as an important pillar of both the economies with shared challenges and climatic conditions.</li>
<li>Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on mining and processing critical and strategic minerals – Co-operate on new technologies for exploration and extraction of minerals including Australian rare earth metals used for electronics, governance, vocational training, and water management.</li>
<li>Joint declaration on ‘Shared Vision for Maritime Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific’ - The two sides announced a roadmap to harness opportunities and meet challenges together as comprehensive strategic partners.</li>
</ul>
<ins>India and other countries</ins>
India also has a similar logistic support agreement with the United States of America called the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA), and other such agreements France, Singapore, and South Korea.
The LEMOA signed between India and the USA also allows both countries to have access to each other’s designated military facilities for refuelling and replenishment. This pact between the USA and India was to balance out China’s growing economy, and military weight in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), and contain China’s growing influence beyond IOR.

<ins>The Quad to counter China?</ins>
The recent deal between Australia and India along with the LEMAO increases the strength of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or the Quad. The group, which includes Australia, India, Japan, and the United States of America, is seen as a regional counterweight to China which wishes to decrease and neutralize the Chinese sway in the region. India now already has logistic support agreements with two of the countries, and with India communicating with the Japanese ministry, a similar military deal between the two seems to be inevitable, making it only a matter of time.&nbsp;
While the Indian army is locked in a standoff against Chinese forces in Northern parts of the country, Australia’s frictions with China are also growing. Australia’s push for an international review into the origins and spread of the novel coronavirus drew opposition from China. It is this common concern over China which allows for many bilateral treaties between the two countries, to put pressure on the Chinese influence over the Asia Pacific region.&nbsp;
A reaction from China in the near future can be expected, especially because of its ongoing disputes with both countries.

India Australia sign agreement to boost military interoperability

<img src="https://discussion.policharcha.in/1587790673207" alt="Foreign currency" style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has released <a href="https://dipp.gov.in/sites/default/files/pn3_2020.pdf" target="_blank">Press Note No. 3</a> (2020 series), reviewing the current FDI policy with the clear objective to ‘curb opportunistic takeovers/acquisitions of Indian companies due to the current COVID-19 pandemic’. The amendment is framed such that investment from all entities that are either residents or citizens of a country sharing a land border with India can come through the Government Route only.
The amendment also obstructs any citizen of Pakistan or an entity incorporated in Pakistan from investing in defence, space, atomic energy, and sectors/activities prohibited for foreign investment.
Foreign Direct Investment or FDI is an investment made by an individual or a firm into a business incorporated in a foreign country. It is identified as when an investor establishes business operations or acquires assets in a foreign business. In India, FDI is allowed in sectors under two routes - Automatic route, where the foreign entity does not have to seek permission from the Government of India to invest in Indian businesses, and Government route, where approval from the Government is essential to make the investment.&nbsp;
Investors from Pakistan and Bangladesh were already liable to seek Government approval for investment in the country prior to the amendment, and neighbouring countries other than China, namely Myanmar, Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka are not a major investors in India. Therefore, it is safe to assume that the decision taken by GOI is aimed at investors from China.
Additionally, the policy decision was taken by the Government of India after the People’s Bank of China raised their stake in HDFC, the largest housing mortgage provider in India, to 1.01 percent, and it is likely that the decision was taken by the Government of India to counter the possibility of China buying undervalued shares of companies listed on the Indian Stock exchange.
In the wake of the economic slowdown due to the pandemic, China is taking proactive steps to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Q8-CCeJpGs&t=20s" target="_blank">strengthen its hold</a> on the economies where firms are susceptible to hostile takeovers due to losses incurred due to the pandemic.&nbsp;
Spokesperson from the Chinese Embassy, Ji Rong, has cited that China’s accumulated investment in Indian economy is over 8 billion USD in multiple sectors ranging from infrastructure, electronics, and automobile, and is key for the development of Indian Industries.
The embassy has also included in their statement that the revision in the FDI policy is clearly discriminatory to Chinese investors, especially in time where governments of various countries should band together to ensure resumption of economic activity in economies negatively impacted by spread of coronavirus.
China has accused India of not adhering “to the consensus of G20 leaders and trade ministers to realize a free, fair, non-discriminatory, transparent, predictable and stable trade and investment environment, and to keep our markets open”.
The real question is - Is it really fair and transparent when a country seizes an opportunity to increase its presence in a foreign country when the whole world is fighting against a deadly virus which has already infected more than 28 lakh people, and claimed the lives of almost 2 lakh people worldwide?
The Indian Foreign Ministry has not addressed these allegations so far but the policy decision taken by India is similar to policies implemented by Australia, Japan, and United States of America, as well as some countries in Europe to avoid opportunistic takeovers and acquisition in such a time for their economy.
FDI equity inflows in India stood at $36.79 billion during April-December 2019.
Highest Equity FDI inflow was recorded in Service Sector at US$ 6.52 billion, followed by Computer Software and Hardware sector at US$ 6.34 billion at second, and Telecom sector at $4.29 billion at third.
Country wise, during FY20, maximum equity FDI inflow was noted from Singapore ($11.65 billion), followed by Mauritius ($7.45 billion), Netherlands ($3.53 billion), Japan ($2.80 billion), and USA ($2.79 billion).

India revises FDI policy, possibly to curb growing Chinese presence

<img src="https://discussion.policharcha.in/1587039667791" alt="Convalescent Plasma Therapy for Covid-19" style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>

Inspired by the positive results that the Convalescent Plasma Therapy showed while being used in several previous pandemics like Spanish Flu (1918), Diphtheria (1920), SARS (2003), H1N1 Flu (2010), MERS (2012), and Ebola (2018), the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has decided to hold the clinical trials of plasma therapy in the upcoming couple of weeks, and hence called for the participation of hospitals and research institutions.
The ICMR plans to conduct trials for Convalescent Plasma Therapy in which the plasma of a recovered person will be injected into the sick patient, and Plasma Exchange Therapy in which the entire plasma of the sick person will be replaced with that of a recovered one.
The treatment idea is in the trends across the globe and several countries are looking forward to it. Researchers have found that in China ten infected patients saw significant improvement in their conditions after being treated with the plasma therapy.&nbsp;
Plasma is a yellowish fluid part of our blood that contains antibodies. Antibodies, mainly constituted of proteins, are the first to fight against any foreign pathogen intruded inside our body. Since we have not encountered the novel coronavirus before, it is tough for our body to respond against the virus effectively. Because of a relatively weaker immunity, aged people and those with previous medical conditions are struggling to beat the infection caused by Covid-19. Therefore, in order to help push their bodies to generate a strong immuno-response, the antibodies of the recovered patients can prove to be of great help.&nbsp;
The procurement of the plasma will be according to the WHO guidelines set for plasma donors in 2014. Accordingly, the donors, without being forced, will be asked to donate their plasma, which would be then tested for potential complications like infections and suitability before being transferred into the body of a suffering patient.&nbsp;
Notably, the ICMR does not recommend plasma therapy as a treatment option for COVID-19 right now. Besides, Kerala has become the first state to receive approval from the ICMR to hold plasma therapy trials on its own.
The national and international organisations around the world are busy in conducting researches aimed at developing a vaccine for the cure of ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp;
While it seems that the vaccine will not be arriving anytime soon, epidemiologists have recommended a few medicines which are being brought under use for the purpose. As recently, Hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malarial drug has been in the news, whereas other drugs like Ivermectin (an anti-parasitic), and Remdesivir (an anti-viral used in HIV) are also under trials. It is to be noted here that the efficacy of these medications has come under contention as well as their various potential side-effects.&nbsp;
Anyway, in the plasma therapy, we have got an option which unlike a vaccine may not provide a permanent solution but surely a temporary relief in the fight against COVID-19.

Convalescent Plasma Therapy for Covid-19

<img src="https://discussion.policharcha.in/1586782715721" alt="How technology is used to curb the Covid-19 menace." style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>

In the wake of the Covid 19 pandemic, a lot of countries around the globe have turned to the technology companies for providing necessary information and services which would eventually help them in dealing with the coronavirus outbreak. The technologies such as big data, cloud computing, supercomputers, artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, 3D printing, thermal imaging, and 5G are proving their worth and efficiency to the world in coping up with the 7.8 billion people on the Earth. Moreover, the traditional methods of increased hygiene, self &amp; forced quarantines, and enforced global travel bans also rely on technology, but how technology is doing its magic?
The AI-powered helmets that can automatically record the temperatures and display information of the pedestrians on a virtual screen using facial recognition. This high-tech headgear is also equipped with an infrared camera which produces sound if anyone has a fever in the 16ft radius of the police officer in China.&nbsp;
Death proof Robots are also landing in the battlefield against coronavirus, saving lives of medical workers by delivering medications, patrolling &amp; cleaning infected areas, leading patients in exercises, and even performing dance numbers to give a dose of entertainment to quarantined patients in China.
To limit the spread of coronavirus effectively, Danish company UVD Robots are going to ship self-driving disinfection Robots to Chinese hospitals which are capable of disinfecting and killing viruses and bacteria autonomously, using ultraviolet light without exposing medical staff to the risk of infection.
“As members of the global community, it will be irresponsible of us to sit on the fence, panic, ignore facts, or fail to act. We need to take action now'&nbsp;
These words by the founder of Alibaba, Jack Ma suggest that the private sector should perform its social duty in the welfare of society alongside the Government, especially in the times of global pandemic, thus keeping aside their profiteering motives.
The worst corona outbreak outside China has been experienced by Italy which is also battling the pandemic with the help of technology, or to be precise, Additive Manufacturing, better known as 3D printing. Lonati Spa, a local 3D printing firm redesigned a Venturi Valve utilising a 3D printer which connects oxygen masks to the respirators used by the coronavirus patients suffering from respiratory difficulties.&nbsp;
The White House Office of Science and Technology is also seeking assistance from more than 60 tech companies including Facebook, Twitter, Google, IBM, Apple, Uber in harnessing data related to location and movement of the users to effectively track the coronavirus patients and the ones who seem to develop symptoms of the disease using the health information available in their smartphones. By integrating location data with disease, researchers can estimate the rate of community transmission and anticipate about where the disease might spread next. The appropriate data obtained from researchers would allow the health officials to allocate the human and economic resources at the next hot-spot of the coronavirus outbreak.&nbsp;
Facebook has launched co-location maps which use data about mobility to forecast where different groups of people are likely to cross paths. Subsequently, the researchers can rank which communities are most at risk, and therefore make recommendations.&nbsp;
We are living in a highly globalised world where information flows at the speed of 5G across the continents. Unfortunately, fake news also travels at the same speed or even faster in the time of crisis. To combat the spreading of fake news or misinformation regarding Covid-19, many tech companies are introducing new tools to share reliable information to encounter myths. Chinese tech giant, Tencent, launched a myth-busting platform called ‘JiaoZhen’ which helps in discerning the fact from myth. Ping An's ‘AskBob’ is a doctor's AI assistant which offers a one-stop portal for virus related updates and advice.
Facebook rolled out a new coronavirus information centre on top of the news feed that would give regular updates on Covid-19 directly from credible sources such as WHO and CDC. Every post related to the coronavirus will be scrutinized through the network of 55 fact-checking websites which would also downgrade the feed if the claim is found false. Twitter also updated its safety policy by banning the tweets which could place people at higher risk of transmitting Covid-19 because of encouraging 'false or ineffective treatments, preventions and diagnostic techniques'.
The first thing most countries are doing or have done in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic is to lockdown the affected areas, and limit the mobility of people as much as possible. This has affected the production in factories badly, disrupting the whole supply chains in the world, and thereby leading to a shortage of essential medical equipments. In China, the private sector corporations such as Alibaba, Baidu, Tencent, Xiaomi came ahead to fill the vacuum of supply chain logistics of materials including surgical masks, disinfectant, protective suits, and safety goggles for the front line medical workers. Many corporations have donated large amounts of healthcare, edible, and other kinds of supplies to the affected areas along with setting up the makeshift assembly lines to produce additional masks and disinfectants.&nbsp;
Chinese companies did some extraordinary work in developing infrastructure for the infected patients when the number of patients increased suddenly. Notable examples were the construction of two - 1000 bed and 1600 bed - hospitals in under 10 days in Wuhan. The State owned corporations made sure that there will not be any disruptions in power supply to key facilitates. Huawei, a telecom company which is alleged of spying the foreign nationals for the Chinese government through its newly developed 5G technology, according to US Department of State, has jointly set up a 5G-enabled remote video diagnostic centre with Chinese telecom companies, enabling medical professionals to conduct remote online consultations with potential patients.&nbsp;
Alibaba is committed to a policy of reaching to every house possible in the affected areas at the time of crisis with its grocery chain HEMA (Freshippo), which is opened for ‘only business’ and not ‘profiteering’ from the consumers, hence keeping the prices of commodities at the lowest and the stocks available. Its logistics arm teamed up with dozens of others to create a 'Green channel' for fast and safe delivery of medical items. Its foundation donated testing kits, surgical masks, protective suits, and face shields to the poor countries hit with the Covid-19.
The Distilleries in the western world are adding sanitizer to their ranges of rum and whiskey, and handing it out free. The Scottish brewery, BrewDog has also gone into sanitizer production whereas Pernod Ricard, a French beverages company, donated pure alcohol.

<ins>India's case - Start-ups at the forefront</ins>
In India’s case, the graph of infected patient has now started to grow upwards and these trends definitely do not signal for a pleasant future in anyway. The demand for testing kits is rising and the Government has already sought help of the private sector in producing kits on a large scale. Government resources are already crumbling in the initial stages of the pandemic with the problems like heavy shortages of ventilators, irregular supplies of mask, personal prevention equipments for doctors, face shields, &amp; other medical supplies, not having sufficient infrastructure such as appropriate number of beds and quarantine centers for suspicious patients, under production of thermal scanners and testing kits.
To reduce the burden on the public health care system, ICMR had narrowed down the testing criteria to just those who travelled from affected areas, and the relatives of those people who have come in contact with them but this process is not proving sustainable in fighting the pandemic. In the country of 48,000 ventilators, majority of them already occupied, private resources and private sector involvement is not only a requirement but a necessity.
Country's progress can be measured by how easily new innovations can come up in the market during the time of crisis. A slew of Indian homegrown startups came up to the surface in the market providing the range of solutions from prevention mechanisms and testing to monitoring and manufacturing medical equipment in their efforts to combat Covid-19.
OneBreath, a Bengaluru - based startup has developed some affordable and portable ventilators, targeting the rural area where these facilities are not still readily accessible. To keep the diagnosed patients engaged at home and quarantine facilities, startup named DayToday has developed a care management programme that would cater their post-diagnostic activities such as health checks, diets, and follow up tests, thus reducing the burden on the healthcare system.
Dozee’s device can perform medical-grade remote monitoring of a vulnerable patient's heart health and respiratory rate along with other vital parameters at their homes, in make-shift ICUs, or also in hospitals that are short of health workers. Backed by Bill Gates foundation, the startup is going to produce around a lakh pieces per week to meet the demands from the health industry which is its highest priority.&nbsp;
A tool developed by Sequoia-backed Qure.ai can automatically read and interpret chest X-ray scans for Covid-19 in seconds which would help the clinicians to measure how much the patient's lungs have been affected and enable them to monitor disease progression more effectively. Another startup, Log 9 backed by Sequoia is on the government's E-marketplace, made a device that can completely neutralize Covid-19 pathogens from the surface of masks, hospital PPE, and medical equipment in just 10 minutes.&nbsp;
Bengaluru based Vee Technologies and Sona College of Technology together are developing two apps; first, 'Corona-scan' which would help health officials to map the individuals who are in close proximity with an infected person, and second, 'Corona-support' which helps the health authorities to get the accurate information about positive cases.
In the fight against pandemic, the most crucial thing is to save the lives of health workers and doctors who are combating at the forefront and protect them from getting infection. For that, Sawai Mansingh Hospital in Jaipur is conducting trials on a humanoid robot which would perform activities like delivering medicines and food, measuring temperature, sanitising the hospital premises where Covid-19 patients are getting treated, screening the people entering quarantine facilities and collecting garbage from patients rooms.
Kerala-based startup Asimov Robotics developed a three-wheeled robot that can be used to assist the patients in quarantine facilities and isolation wards.&nbsp;
Reliance foundation, owned by billionaire Mukesh Ambani, has developed India's first state-of-the-art facility, a 100 beds Centre at Seven Hills Hospital in Mumbai, fully dedicated to the treatment of positive Covid-19 patients. It is also producing around a lakh masks per day and personal preventive equipment. Reliance also announced to provide free fuel at its petrol pumps for emergency vehicles.&nbsp;
Personal Care and hygiene products giants like Hindustan Unilever, Godrej, and Patanjali are reducing prices and ramping up the productions of goods to meet the demands. Automobile manufacturer Mahindra &amp; Mahindra is using its assembly lines to produce ventilators instead of automobiles.&nbsp;
Diageo India is going to produce hand sanitizer in massive scale in its 15 manufacturing units in order to fill up the supply line along with donating 1.5 lakh face masks to five state governments.&nbsp;
Testing the sufficient amount of samples is the biggest challenge for India right now which has to be increased in the next few days which requires testing kits on a mass scale. India's first indigenous Covid-19 testing kit developed by Mylab Discovery Solutions got validated by National Institute of Virology, Pune last month and it is planning to ramp up the production of testing kits taking upto 2 Million per week which will reduce the shortage of kits in the country.
In the hour of need, both State-owned and private companies, whether a giant or a start-up, have joined hands to combat the spread of the Coronavirus.&nbsp;

Private firms lead the fight as technology comes to rescue

<img src="https://discussion.policharcha.in/1586336067206" alt="FATF blacklist" style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>

In a move to avoid giving India an upper hand in the upcoming meeting of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), which is an international organisation to keep a check on a country’s activities like terror financing and black marketing, Pakistani Government has ordered three months detention for Omar Saeed Sheikh after a Pakistani high court acquitted him of the charges.
Omar Saeed has recently seen his death sentence overturned by the Sindh High Court in Pakistan. The high court had not only struck down the murder charges, but also commuted his sentence to 7 years in prison which has already been served, thus making him a free man.
Omar Saeed and three others had been serving in prison since 2002 in the case of kidnapping and murdering a US journalist, Daniel Pearl, a correspondent for The Wall Streets Journal who was investigating the ongoing terrorist activities in Pakistan after the 9/11 attacks in USA.

<ins>Background:-</ins>
A British born and alumnus of the London School of Economics, Omar Saeed boasts of a glorious reputation in the field of terrorism. He, along with Masood Azhar, and Mushtaq Zargar, was released by India in 1999 after a flight IC-814 carrying 155 passengers was hijacked. He is supposed to have strong connections with Al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups.
Pakistan scrambled under pressure and detained Saeed as it realised that India, which is already pushing hard to get Pakistan into the ‘blacklist’ of FATF, would definitely raise this issue on the forum’s table in June.&nbsp;
Pakistan is already under FATF’s ‘grey list’ and has received a stern warning for strict actions from the other members of the forum in February.&nbsp;
Earlier in 2018, Pakistan was put under the FATF ‘greylist’ after not being able to effectively curb terror funding in the country. It was given the deadline till September 2019 to complete some tasks, which included shutting down funding to terrorist groups like the Taliban, al-Qaeda, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and the Jaish-e-Mohammad, and tightening laws and banking security norms which deal with them.&nbsp;
Pakistan was judged to complete only four of the tasks given to them in November 2019. Giving Pakistan another chance, the FATF extended the deadline till February 2020, and asked the country to “swiftly” complete the tasks.&nbsp;
Subsequently, in the recent meeting of the FATF in Paris in February, when Pakistan's inaction towards cutting down on terror funding was again discussed, it was noted that even after an aged timeline, the Pakistani Government had not been effective in completing the action plan set out for it by the FATF previously. The FATF summary report included that Pakistan needed to continue working on few specific areas, including demonstrating that it is “identifying and investigating” all terror financing activity in the country, freezing the funds of all designated terrorists, and its prosecutions resulting in “effective, proportionate, and dissuasive sanctions” against all terror entities in Pakistan.
Out of 27, Pakistan is yet to fulfil 13 recommendations of FATF. It is highly unlikely that it will manage to get out of grey list which requires the support of 12 members.&nbsp;
It will be a sight to behold if Pakistan joins Iran and North Korea in FATF blacklist though it is not probable, because China, Malaysia, and Turkey openly back Islamabad, and according to the rules, support of three members is enough to escape from getting blacklisted.
&nbsp;
<ins>What are these lists?</ins>
FATF or the Financial Action Task Force is an independent inter-governmental body which seeks to safeguard the global financing system so that it cannot be used by terrorist and anti-social elements.
The organisation recognises two sets of countries through the documents it releases every year.
The first set includes countries which are to be “black-listed” (the FATF does not use it as official terminology) which is for “countries or jurisdictions with such serious strategic deficiencies that the FATF calls on its members and non-members to apply counter-measures.” The second set consists of the countries in the “grey-list”, which identifies nations with “strategic weaknesses” to curb money laundering and terror financing, but get a second chance as they have shown diligence in sticking with the action plan devised by the FATF. For the second category countries, “FATF calls on its members to apply enhanced due diligence measures proportionate to the risks arising from the deficiencies associated with the country.”
‘Blacklist’ and ‘Greylist’ are the terms used in media which FATF officially describes as “High-risk jurisdictions subject to a Call for Action” and “Other monitored jurisdictions” respectively.&nbsp;
Currently, only two countries are on this “black-list” of the FATF, namely Iran and North Korea.&nbsp;
Till Pakistan is in the Grey-list, it will continue to face trouble in receiving financial aid from the likes of IMF, World Bank, European Union, and Asian Development Bank which can have a detrimental effect on the already-sinking economy of Pakistan.

Case of Omar Saeed & FATF talks; Pakistan playing In & Out

<img src="https://discussion.policharcha.in/1585915221806" alt="Mother nature" style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>

With over 50,000 death globally, more than a million positive cases, and hundreds of million in a lockdown, the COVID-19 has indeed taken the world at its helm. Uncountable job losses, livelihoods crushed, business’ premature death, and economies under a gloomy sky; there is no quantification of how much loss the mankind will have to bear, but there is someone, who, in the meantime, is reaping benefits even in a time like this, and that is – the Mother Nature.
From clean water sources to dramatic fall in pollution level, Coronavirus pandemic has impacted environment positively. The UN’s Environment Programme Chief, Inger Andersen said, “Nature is sending us a message with the coronavirus pandemic and the ongoing climatic cries.”
Global industrial activities are ramping down due to the ongoing lockdown faced by various countries of the world. This has led to manufacturing sites, mines and various industries being shut, and vehicles and transportation system to come to a halt as if on-a-strike. Consequently, the graph of the emission level of harmful Hydrocarbons, Oxocarbons (CO2 and CO), and Nitrous oxides have dipped considerably.
According to the revelations by China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Wuhan - from where the virus had originated and which is also a major industrial hub - has recorded a 21.5% decline in the city’s air pollution levels amidst the lockdown.&nbsp;
A report in Carbon Brief stated that key industries in China were operating at much lower levels than during the lockdown. The oil refinery in Shandong province was operating at the lowest level since 2015, also average coal consumption at power plants reached a four-year low accounting for a 36% drop in consumption. As a result carbon dioxide emissions were reduced to 25%, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, an independent air pollution research organisation.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Many other regions are also observing significant environmental benefits as a consequence of the coronavirus outbreak.
Italy, after shutting down a huge portion of its economy, has seen a reduction in industrial activity across the economically vibrant northern swathe which has resulted in a decline in nitrogen dioxide emissions over the Po valley. Meanwhile, because of the shutdown of cruise and cargo ship traffic around Italy’s canal city Venice, the schools of fish are returning to the Venice lagoon and canals for the first time in decades.&nbsp;
New York also registered a 50% decline in carbon monoxide level which is primarily caused due to car emissions. The researchers at Columbia University also established that traffic level has reduced to 35% as compared to the data a year ago.
In the case of India, which has 6 of its cities ranked among the 10 most polluted cities of the world according to World Air Quality Report from IQAir, the Air Quality Index is shifting down from the red mark to green.&nbsp;
In Delhi, particulate matter (PM2.5) dropped by 30% from 165ug/m3 on March 21, a level considered as unhealthy, to 64ug/m3 on March 29, a level considered as moderate. The decreasing pattern of pollution is the same in 90 other cities where the air quality levels range from ‘good’ to ‘satisfactory’ currently. India also recorded for the lowest average level of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution in this spring season.&nbsp;
Welcoming reductions in pollution, environmentalists have asked the Government to accept it as a ‘wake-up call’ and stop its ‘obsession’ with ‘development’ at the cost of the environment.
The manifestation of positive impacts of Coronavirus on our environment is proving that nature really needed a break from us and since we were not ready to cooperate, nature took it itself.

Covid-19 - A break for the Mother Nature

<img src="https://discussion.policharcha.in/1585810148587" alt="How different countries dealt with Coronavirus." style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>

After seeing a many-fold increase in cases of the COVID-19 or Coronavirus worldwide from late February to early March, WHO chief Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared the virus a pandemic on March 11th, 2020, intimating the world about an impending global crisis.
Presently, the total number of reported cases of COVID-19 is about to reach a million, accounting for more than 47,000 deaths. Although the mortality rate from COVID-19 is on the lower side when compared with past pandemics, the major concern that many experts share is the exponential rate at which it is increasing. The world is at a race against the virus, and what the administrations of different countries are doing to curb the spread of the virus will have a long term impact on the world.&nbsp;
In the fight against Coronavirus, different countries are at different stages and have implemented various kinds of policies to flatten the curve. In the current scenario, where a working vaccine has not been developed, minimizing the effect of the virus seems to be the only option. Considering every country has different demographic, socio-political, and economic conditions, a one-size-fits-all method will not do any good, therefore let us look at how some countries around the world have approached the issue.

<ins>CHINA</ins>
China had its disadvantages in being the starting point of the pandemic, so for countries following, it is important to study the Chinese outbreak. Probably the biggest criticism the Chinese Government has faced is of blinding the world and even their citizens of information from early whistleblowers.
Eight doctors in Wuhan, after noticing a patient with a Pneumonia that was not being cured with normal treatment, discovered this novel strain of the virus and published a report in early December 2019. The reaction of the Chinese Communist Democratic Party, however, was rather authoritative, as it effectively silenced the threat, and tried to paint a picture of normalcy. When in January the virus made headlines, President Xi Jinping called for resolute efforts and drastically came down with policies to stop further spread.
Wuhan went on a complete lockdown on January 23rd. Similar restrictions were imposed on 15 other cities in Hubei province, locking down and restricting the movement of more than 60 million people to avoid community transmission. Fighting the virus became a national priority, and the Government reallocated a huge chunk of the country’s health care system to fight the battle against the virus. More than 20,000 medics flew from various parts of the country to Wuhan and other cities of Hubei. The Government specifically built new facilities for patients and not only addressed the problem of shortage of beds, but also isolated patients of coronavirus from other patients.
Testing, which has been a point of difference for many countries in how it is done or rather how much it is done, was made free for anyone who showed symptoms of the infection. Although these methods were effective, with WHO declaring the Chinese policies to be a model for others, they also faced criticism. People have criticized the Chinese lockdown to be rather draconian with party members forcing people to be inside, as reports came out which claimed that people were not able to even get basic necessities for survival.
The questions here are whether a lockdown with violation of human rights is the right thing to do? Is it actually possible in other liberal democratic countries? Yet the world has something to learn from the expedited way in which the Chinese administration has operated, as time is of the essence in this fight.

<ins>ITALY</ins>
It was only astonishing to see a country with world-class medical facilities crumble in a matter of a few weeks when the virus hit Italy. The health care units, simply put, were overburdened with the number of patients testing positive and showing symptoms. The country has now over 10,000 deaths, out of the more than 1.1 lakh infected people, due to the virus, and a significant reason for it can be linked to the late implementation of policies like the lockdown and social distancing.
One of the major problems that Italy faced was scepticism of recognising the impending crisis. The systematic inability of leaders to listen to experts was highlighted in this case. In dire conditions, it is common among politicians and even with general people to listen to their inner circle, but in such a situation of uncertainty, it is important to overlook that temptation and absorb the knowledge within the pockets of expertise.
Another important lesson that one can learn is to avoid partial solutions. The Italian Government started with locking down only a small portion of the country and then gradually issued multiple decrees to increase the lockdown area until it applied to the entire country. Although in normal times it can be an apt solution, in a case where one does not know what will happen in the next few days, such a solution facilitated the spread.
Italy, rather than following a preventive procedure, followed the virus. As Northern Italy was put under lockdown, there was a mass exodus of people to Southern Italy which brought the virus to places it was not present before. The lack of coherent procedures to stop the chain of transmission led to a flash flood of patients, drowning the health care system, leading to deaths and a crisis that could have been prevented. Apart from the administrative failure, experts also point to the demographic makeup of the Italian population. With the second-largest percentage of people over the age of 65, the population was more perceptible to critical cases, further causing the curve to rise rather vertically.

<ins>SOUTH KOREA</ins>&nbsp;
As of 2nd April, with close to 10,000 cases, South Korea is one of the top 15 countries for the total number of cases. Health experts point to an important fact in the Korean data i.e. the country has been able to reduce the number of new cases and effectively flatten the curve, which something that even developed countries of Europe and America have failed to do.
So, it becomes important to study how this massive task was achieved by the Korean administration, and that too without locking down entire cities.
One very important reason Korea was able to swiftly roll out policies to curb the spread was its preparedness. It made sure they had enough ventilators, health care professionals, masks, and other necessary items that are required to control and treat positive cases. This level of preparedness gave them a head start, which other countries did not have because of negligence.
Social distancing as a principal was widely propagated by various modems, with the Government issuing daily press releases and automated messages. Transparent information also helped, with the Government assessing possible infected places and publishing lists, which allowed the citizen to take calculative measures.
Mass testing has also been key in reducing the number of daily cases. Innovative testing measures like drive-through tests encouraged people to get tested and allowed the Government to see their target. This recognition of target allowed to dispense needed facilities wherever required.
Contact tracing was also introduced, in which officials through the use technologies were able to see if people were flouting quarantine regulation. If a patient tested positive moved around, people within the area who might have contacted the individual were alerted via message. These swift and early actions go to further prove the importance of speed in the fight against the virus.&nbsp;

<ins>USA</ins>
As the propaganda war continues between the USA and China, China can’t wholly be held responsible for the spread of the virus in the USA. It cannot cover up the mistakes that the Trump administration has made. Latency seems to be a deep pit, from which it can be difficult to come out of, and America seems to have fallen into that pit, because of several reasons which point toward negligent governance.
The American citizens were left blind to the scale of the looming medical catastrophe that has now taken place, because of an administration which tried to paint the picture of normalcy in the country and now is struggling to stand back up. The country lost a whole month according to leading epidemiologists, as there was a lack of a robust system of testing. When in February the problem was realised by the Government, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) took another two weeks to fix the test. Yet they continued to follow the policy of restrictive testing. This restricted community surveillance and identification of early local hotspot which could have been quarantined to limit the mass spread of the virus. While at the start of this lost month, when the Government could have rallied for the effective working of organisations and agencies responsible, the President was dismissive of the threat to public health and the economy. He went on record to say, “It (Coronavirus) is going to disappear. One day — it’s like a miracle — it will disappear.”&nbsp;
By early March, when the Federal Government finally decided to expand testing, it was too late. With early lapses, containment was not an option, rather the mitigation of harm is what America could hope for. Now the number of cases has risen to more than 2,00,000, which is the highest in any country.
Due to existing intensive care facilities, the mortality rate is low. The economy is stuttering and everyday life, in most parts of the country, has come to a halt. It is interesting to see how one of the world’s richest countries, with the most highly trained scientists and infectious disease specialists, gave away their chance in containing the virus, because of bureaucratic inefficiency and lack of leadership at multiple levels.&nbsp;

<ins>JAPAN</ins>&nbsp;
Japan was one of the first countries to be hit by the coronavirus outside of China, yet in recent data, it is one of the least affected countries among the developed nations with a little over 2300 cases. It is puzzling health experts.
The looming question is has Japan dodged a bullet or is it about to be hit? The Government contends that it has been aggressive in identifying clusters and containing the spread which makes the overall per capita infection low. Government suggests over 80% of the positively tested patient were restricted from spreading the virus.
Although schools were closed, normal life in Japan has continued. Tokyo rush-hour trains remain packed and restaurants remain packed, but experts have criticized the fact that Japan has tested a limited number of patients.
Kenji Shibuya, a professor of King’s College London and former chief of health policy at the WHO, sees two possibilities on where Japan was able to contain the virus; by focusing on outbreak clusters, or that there are outbreaks yet to be found, and according to him both are possibilities.&nbsp;
The proximity of Japan to China might have helped Japan to raise alarms in the early stages of the countries outbreak. Secondly, Japan also might have some in-built advantages, such as cultures where handshakes and hugs are less common than other countries. It also has the rates of hand-washing above those of Europe. Cases of seasonal flu and influenza have also been in decline for seven straight weeks which might suggest that the Japanese have taken to heart some basic steps to stop infectious diseases.
Japan, even after increasing testing capacity, has been using only 5% of it. Japan has tested about 15,000 people and has an infection rate of 5.6%, compared to 18% in Italy. Japanese officials seem to be very confident with their testing mechanism, yet experts think it can later cause a problem for Japan.
Should Japan see a jump in, it is better prepared than many peers. It has 13 hospital beds per 1000 people, which is the highest among G-7 countries and more than triple than that of Italy, the USA, and the U.K, according to World Bank data. With Prime Minister Abe, promising to do everything to end the coronavirus outbreak, there continue to be a suspicion among health experts that there lies an impending outbreak of the virus in Japan behind the veil of promising data.

<ins>INDIA</ins>
As India reaches 2000 positive cases, it has already implemented a nationwide lockdown.&nbsp;
<a href="https://policharcha.com/article/nation/7f528f28-b343-4632-8832-bc8d889bd032/coronavirus-the-case-of-india" target="_blank">(Read India's case in more detail)</a>&nbsp;
Demographic attributes seem to be a huge disadvantage for India in fighting against a virus that takes no time to transmit, so the lockdown can be an effective way of breaking that chain.
Another point for which the Government has been applauded is the early screening facilities for people travelling from affected countries. One major question that is being asked is, why is India, with a population of more than a billion, testing so less? As seen in Italy, USA, and even China to an extent, low testing can be linked to an exponential rise in the number of cases in the coming stages.&nbsp;
In India, testing has been largely restricted to people with travel history or people who have known individuals in their close family circle with travel history.
Private modes of testing have been expensive which is not conducive for a poor country like India. India has some of the lowest numbers of tests conducted for every million people, compared to other countries. This can prove detrimental as India enters some of the crucial weeks in the fight against the virus.
With the lack of mass testing data, it also becomes difficult to assess the target groups and areas which delays the Government in taking a much needed action. Along with this, the lack of health facilities across India can also lead to a large number of avoidable deaths, as even today there is a crisis of proper protective gear for health officials who are at the ground level.
The ratio of the population to the number of beds is also less, at 0.55 beds per 1000 of the population, and 5.18 beds per 1000 of the elderly population, in government hospitals. This national figure is also not consistent in all states, with some states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand lying even below these figures. Private hospitals although exists, they are largely inaccessible to a majority of the population.
So without a coherent and consistent action plan by the Government within the next few days over and above the lockdown, it can prove to be a disaster for the country and take it, as in PM Modi's words, "21 years back in time."&nbsp;

As the world continues its battle against the first wave of COVID-19 virus, in China about 5 to 10 percent of recovered patients who previously tested negative on retest have been tested positive. Although virologists think it is highly unlikely that patients who have recovered recently will be affected by the virus again, there remains a level of uncertainty, and with that, a fear of a second wave. In such a situation, for countries like India, which are in their early stages of the outbreak, and for European countries, and America for whom it is judged to be too late, to protect themselves from a probable second wave or even any other pandemic that might occur in the future, there are important measures and lessons to learn. Implementation of these measures can be crucial in deciding whether a country is crushed or is able to survive this pandemic.

Covid-19 - The case of different countries

Already world is dealing with Covid19.

But China is using this 'opportunity' to engage in creating complications across its borders, whether land with India or sea, in South China Sea.

Now it has fulfilled Bangladesh's long term demand of reduction in tariffs, and that too by 97%! The timing couldnt be perfect.

Where is China headed to?

How realistic is our this thought that we should Boycott Chinese Products in response to the Dragon's aggression across the border?

Wallet vs Bullet

Is there anyone who feels Nirmala Sitharaman is doing a good job and she is not one of the worst FM we have had in our history?

Even eligible ? 

What's your take on PM Modi's latest message on Aatmanirbharta "Self-Reliance"?&nbsp;
Is this going to catapult Indian economy on top?

We know that we are in middle of a crisis but what is being done now, had it been done in the past few years, wouldn't it have been better?
Make in India, Startup India, Digitak India were all initiatives but then why did not they bore fruitful results.

It has always been said of Modi Government that their intention is always good but the implementation is not?

Self-Reliance

As we all are aware about the "Vande Bharat Mission" Exercise, known as the World's biggest expatriation exercise of the world, taking off today. What ae your opinions on this?
Do you think this is the correct step, correct timing to start something like this as we already know that the COVID19 cases in India are soaring rapidly. This expatriation might bolster the Pandemic and could give catastorphic results. I am sharing some of the main points below.
1. The mission is all about bringing stranded Indians from abroad.
2. 64 flights over 1 week to repatriatestranded Indians.
3. 14,800 Indians from 12 countries to be brought back in phase1.

Is it the correct step and time for THE REPATRIATION EXERCISE of the Indians from U.A.E?? 

would like to know what you feel is the setting root for such crimes?

I am more than active on twitter and it has actually helped me to find out more from different perspectives and do research. In India right now internet is provided at a very cheap rate for everyone , so less than thankfully many labourers have the connection. Now a new trend which has commenced is low grade small movies from few production houses like fliz,gupchup etc where in they have started to show similar adult movies or porn being a welcomed route. It just doesn't need any acting skills and their is nothing in it except of the scenes and they are readily available over the net. Mixed with the languages used in songs and movies along with individual albums these days, that is degrading the humans and more so the females.
Isn't it the time to get in some strict actions in place now as even many such other atrocities like domestc violence and rapes have always played a key role in degrading the life of woman in our nation. ?

Boys locker room

There has been a lot of discussion on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/pmcares?source=note&epa=HASHTAG" target="_blank"><a href="/hashtag/pmcares"><a href="/hashtag/pmcares"><a href="/hashtag/pmcares">#pmcares</a></a></a></a> .Some say it is a replica of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/pmnrf?source=note&epa=HASHTAG" target="_blank"><a href="/hashtag/PMNRF"><a href="/hashtag/PMNRF">#PMNRF</a></a></a> and others are questioning its transparency and use.
Some Facts:
1. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/pmnrf?source=note&epa=HASHTAG" target="_blank">#PMNRF</a> was introduced to bring back people displaced from Pakistan and contribute a small portion towards medical treatment. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/pmcaresfund?source=note&epa=HASHTAG" target="_blank"><a href="/hashtag/pmcaresfund">#pmcaresfund</a></a> is just about <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/covid19?source=note&epa=HASHTAG" target="_blank"><a href="/hashtag/covid19"><a href="/hashtag/covid19">#covid19</a></a></a>.
2. Relief funds set up state government don't fall under CSR Donations - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/companiesact?source=note&epa=HASHTAG" target="_blank"><a href="/hashtag/companiesact">#companiesact</a></a> Act,2013. Ironical when the party which placed it now questions it knowing that it will need an amendment to change it.

3.Contribution of funds to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/sdma?source=note&epa=HASHTAG" target="_blank"><a href="/hashtag/SDMA">#SDMA</a></a> will be taken as <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/csr?source=note&epa=HASHTAG" target="_blank"><a href="/hashtag/CSR"><a href="/hashtag/CSR">#CSR</a></a></a> Expenditure. Why are some states complaining and politicising it rather than asking the corporates to contribute under it and avail <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/csr?source=note&epa=HASHTAG" target="_blank">#CSR</a> Benefits under prevailing law??
4. States get 41% share of the revenue under 15th Finance Commission so it's time they chip in because the way I see, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/pmcares?source=note&epa=HASHTAG" target="_blank">#pmcares</a> is doing what it is supposed to.
5. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/pmcares?source=note&epa=HASHTAG" target="_blank">#pmcares</a> will be audited by independent auditors. <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/pm-cares-to-be-audited-by-independent-auditors/articleshow/75112792.cms?fbclid=IwAR0UARVDu33NvYzBfgDSwwyDeGFBtcuXcIydiFX9vVbbwLTZon8BF5TL_lA" target="_blank">https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/pm-cares-to-be-audited-by-independent-auditors/articleshow/75112792.cms</a>

Isn't it high time we forget the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/religion?source=note&epa=HASHTAG" target="_blank"><a href="/hashtag/religion">#religion</a></a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/party?source=note&epa=HASHTAG" target="_blank"><a href="/hashtag/party">#party</a></a> based bias and unite as a nation. Or does it require more <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/covid19?source=note&epa=HASHTAG" target="_blank">#covid19</a> deaths for us to finally stop politicising everything?

When will we unite as a nation by keep religion and politics aside?

India is one of the fastest growing major economies in the world, has the largest young workforce, most densely populated country (and the largest consumer market).&nbsp;

BUT is it sufficient?

As, on the other side:
1. We are still lacking the basic infrastructure to support large scale manufacturing. As we are still largely dependent on our service sector and primary sector, and have over the years grown in these two primarily ,leaving our manufacturing capabilites underdeveloped ?

2. Is our young huge workforce "skilled" also?

3. Do we have simple Economic, Labour &amp; Corporate laws in place to permit easy entry, exit &amp; working of the firms/corporate?

4. Are our Income tax laws favourable for foreign countries for setting up manufacturing facilities in India?

5. Do we have proper transportation network for movement of goods within india and for export outside india? Like: Dedicated freight corridors, Developed Ports, ICDs (Inland Container Depots) etc.

6. Are our export clearances easy &amp; whether our FTP(Foreign Trade Policy) is really making impact for increasing exports?

Where is China headed to?

Wallet vs Bullet

Even eligible ?

Self-Reliance

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