GS PAPER: II

Strained ties in India-Maldives relations

Why in the news?

• An online war of words set off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s posts pitching for tourism in the Lakshadweep islands has dramatically escalated into a diplomatic row between India and the Maldives, worsening the already strained relationship between the Indian Ocean neighbours.
• The row get intensified when India expressed serious concerns through diplomatic channels, against the backdrop of travel industry players suspending bookings to the island nation and Indian users and celebrities trending the ‘boycott Maldives’ hashtag in protest.

What is ‘India First’ to ‘India Out campaign?

• The Maldives is a key maritime neighbour of India in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), located 300 nautical miles from the Indian mainland (West coast) and 70 nautical miles from the Minicoy Island in Lakshadweep. The country’s location holds significant strategic importance to India, especially amid China’s growing engagements in the region.

• Although Maldives-India ties have been mostly cordial over the years, there was a noticeable tilt towards China during the presidency of Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) leader Abdulla Yameen from 2013 to 2018. It was under Mr. Yameen that China included the Maldives as a part of its Belt and Road initiative (BRI).
• Bilateral ties improved significantly when Ibrahim Mohamed Solih of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) took over the reins from Mr. Yameen in 2018.
• Aiming to reset ties with “one of its closest bilateral partners,” Mr. Solih adopted an ‘India first’ foreign policy to establish a closer relationship with India in the areas of defence, security and economics. The Maldives “makes no apology” for close ties with India.
• However, the growing proximity between New Delhi and Male and high-level military exchanges sparked concern in certain quarters, leading to an ‘India out’ campaign spearheaded by the Opposition. The critics of the Solih administration alleged that the government was compromising the sovereignty of the island nation and “allowing Indian boots on the ground.” The Opposition sharpened its attack after the government signed the Uthuru Thila Falhu (UTF) deal with India in 2021 to jointly develop the National Defence Force Coast Guard Harbour.
• The anti-India campaign emerged as the main poll plank in the 2023 presidential race under the leadership of former pro-China Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen.
• Amid strong anti-incumbency sentiment and differences in the ruling coalition, Mr. Muizzu built on the ‘India out’ campaign to persuade voters. He promised to remove Indian troops from the Maldives shores and balance trade relations, which he claimed were heavily tilted in India’s favour.
• He opted to pursue a new foreign and domestic policy after falling out with his mentor Mr. Yameen.He refused to be labelled pro-China and maintained that he was “pro-Maldives”, saying his government wouldn’tallow Indian, Chinese, or any other country’s military presence in the archipelago. He, however, signalled his intentions to build strong ties with Beijing, highlighting the benefits of Chinese assistance to the Maldives.

Withdrawal of Indian soldiers

• In his first address to the nation after taking oath, Mr. Muizzu insisted on the withdrawal of Indian soldiers from the Maldives as he pledged to safeguard the sovereignty and independence of the Maldives. The President’s remarks that the country “will not have any foreign military personnel” grabbed headlines in India, viewed as an attempt to officially turn the compass from his predecessor’s ‘India First’ policy to an ‘India Out’ policy.
• Then New Delhi urged the Maldives to look at the presence of its military personnel in the “proper perspective.” New Delhi maintained that about 75 soldiers were stationed in the Maldives to maintain and operate the Dornier aircraft and two helicopters gifted to the nation by the Indian government for humanitarian operations and providing medical support.
• The new President, however, made another formal announcement on this matter following his meeting with PM Modi on the sidelines of the UN’s COP28 climate summit in the UAE in December, claiming that Mr. Modi had agreed to his demand. While statements issued by the two governments didn’t mention any such agreement, sources in the Indian government countered the claim, saying the discussions on the issue were still “ongoing” and under the consideration of a core group set up after the Modi-Muizzu meeting.
• Male’s hesitance to maintain defence ties with New Delhi was again evident from the absence of a Maldivian government representative in the latest round of the Colombo Security Conclave held in Mauritius last month. The maritime security group was set up in 2011 to promote a safe, secure, and stable Indian Ocean and includes Sri Lanka and Mauritius as members, besides India and the Maldives.
• Time line

Revocation of water survey pact

• The Muizzu government caused a stir in political and strategic circles with its decision to revoke a key 2019 agreement with India for conducting surveys in Maldivian waters.
• The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for hydrographic surveying, signed during PM Modi’s state visit to the islands when President Ibrahim Solih was in power, backed the commitment of the two countries to maintain close cooperation in defence and maritime security.
• The pact emerged as a symbol of strong defence ties, with the Maldives National Defence Force and the Indian Navy carrying out three joint surveys in 2021, 2022, and 2023. Critics of the Solih government, however, had expressed their reservations and claimed that the agreement was detrimental to national security.
• Getting Indian hydrographic ships out of Maldivian waters appears intended to aid China’s marine surveys of the surrounding seas.

 

GS PAPER – II

Swachh Survekshan Awards 2023

Why in the news?

• Recently Indore and Surat were named the joint winners of the cleanest city award, while Maharashtra bagged the top spot among states in the Union government’s annual cleanliness rankings for urban areas.

Theme

• The theme of the cleanliness survey 2023 was “Waste to Wealth”, while for 2024 it is “Reduce, Reuse and Recycle”.

About the ranking

• This was the seventh year in a row that Indore was named the cleanest city in the Swachh Survekshan Awards. Surat, which has been in second place behind Indore for the past three years, won the top award for the first time.
• Both cities had 100% door-to-door collection of waste, 98% segregation at source and 100% remediation of dumpsites. Both cities were tied at the top place among cities with a population over 1 lakh.
• Of the eight rounds of annual awards since 2016, this was the first time that two cities shared the top prize. Navi Mumbai was named the third cleanest city.
• With 89.24% door-to-door collection and 67.76% source segregation, Maharashtra was awarded the cleanest state. In second place, Madhya Pradesh has 90.59% door-to-door segregation and 54.1% source segregation.
• Chandigarh won the award for the city having the best safety standards for sanitation workers
• Varanasi was named the cleanest ‘Ganga town’. Sasvad in Maharashtra was named the cleanest city among those with population below 1 lakh. Mhow Cantonment was named the cleanest cantonment in the country.

Bottom ranking states:

• Arunachal Pradesh,
• Mizoram,
• Rajasthan,
• Nagaland
• And Tripura were ranked the bottom five states.

Parameters of measurements

The rankings take into account:

• door-to-door collection of waste,
• segregation at source,
• cleanliness of public areas,
• clean water bodies and citizens’

Top 10 big cities (over 10 lakh population)

2023

1. Indore (same rank in 2022)
2. Surat (same rank in 2022)
3. Navi Mumbai (same rank in 2022)
4. Visakhapatnam (same rank in 2022)
5. Bhopal (rank 6 in 2022)
6. Vijayawada (rank 5 in 2022)
7. Greater Hyderabad (rank 10 in 2022)
8. Pune (rank 9 in 2022)
9. Raipur (rank 11 in 2022)
10. Pimpri Chinchwad (rank 19 in 2022)

 

GS PAPER – I

India’s longest sea bridge

Why in news?

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate India’s longest sea bridge, the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), or the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewri-Nhava Sheva Atal Setu, to Navi Mumbai. 

About the Bridge

• The PM had laid its foundation in December 2016.
• It is a 21.8 km, six-lane bridge that has been constructed for more than Rs 17,840 crore.
• It is India’s longest bridge, with about 16.5 km over the sea and 5.5 km on the land.
• The estimated cost of this project is Rs 17,843 crore.

Reduce travel time

• Atal Setu is expected to alleviate traffic on existing entry points to Mumbai, thereby enhancing overall connectivity.
• MTHL can also ensure seamless connectivity from the mainland to the upcoming Navi Mumbai airport in Panvel.
• For daily commuters between Navi Mumbai and Mumbai, the bridge can reduce travel time by 30-45 minutes during peak traffic hours. 
• The MTHL is also expected to strengthen connectivity between Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), playing a pivotal role in stimulating urban and industrial development. 

 

GS PAPER – I

National Mission For clean Ganga and sewage policy

Why in news?

• The national mission for clean Ganga, the central nodal agency responsible for abatement of pollution in river Ganga and its tributaries
• It has assumed new powers under which it may now permit the discharge of treated sewage and effluents that conform to the prescribed “norms” into the river and canal or water bodies.

What is the new notification?

• The NMCG, which comes under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, issued a notification to amend the river Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities Order, 2016.
• Through this notification, the NMCG has added a new provision in the sub-paragraph (1) of paragraph 6 of the 2016 order, giving it powers to allow discharge of treated sewage, which conforms to the norms prescribed under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, into river or any other water bodies.
• According to the new provision, the NMCG may “permit the discharge of treated sewage, which conforms to the norms prescribed under the Act, into the river, canal or water bodies after exploring the option of its direct reuse for purposes such as agricultural use, industrial use, etc.

What is the contradiction and solution?

• The new provision is contrary to the existing provisions of paragraph 6 of the 2016 order that deals with prevention, control and abatement of environmental pollution in Ganga and its tributaries
• “No person shall discharge, directly or indirectly, any untreated or treated sewage or sewage sludge into the river Ganga or its tributaries or its banks,” stated the order.
• The NMCG has added a new proviso in sub-paragraph (2) of paragraph 6 of the 2016 order.
• According to the new proviso, the NMCG may “permit the discharge of treated trade effluent, which conforms to the norms prescribed under the Act, into the river, canal or water bodies after exploring the option of its direct reuse for purposes such as agricultural use, industrial use, etc.”

What is national mission for clean Ganga?

• The National Ganga council implemented the national mission for clean Ganga.
• This mission becomes registered society on August 12,2011 under the societies Registration act 1860.
• It is a government of India project to alleviate pollution of the Ganga River by giving technical and financial help.

 

GS PAPER – II

Fight against cervical cancer

Why in news?

• The government is set to roll out a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign for girls in the 9-14 years age group.
• It is a significant step that can reduce the incidence of cervical cancer, the second most common cancer in women in India.

Condition women:

• After breast cancer, cervical cancer accounts for second largest number of cases among women aged between 15 and 44.
• Over 12 lakh women in India suffer from cervical cancer while 77,000 women die of disease every year.
• Over 95% of cervical cancer cases are caused by Human papillomavirus which can be prevented by safe and effective vaccine.
• Giving HPV vaccine for adolescents and screening women for cervical cancer are clear strategy for prevention according to world health organisation.

Recent steps taken for preventing cancer:

• The cost of the HPV vaccine developed in 2009 is high, but now wit serum institute of India, Pune, making donations under its CSR initiative the cost of vaccine has reduced.
• Now FPAI is focusing on prevention strategies and promotion of HPV vaccination among girls and screening of women for cervical cancer along with the treatment for precancerous lesions.
• The FPAI planned to raise Rs.1 crore for the campaign, Race to erase cervical cancer.
• Through the campaign, the FPAI will administer HPV vaccination to over 20,000 women and girls through its 40 branches across the country.

 

GS PAPER – III

Review of Loan apps

Why in news?

• RBI governor Shaktikanta Das said the central bank has shared a whitelist of lending apps with the centre.
• The union ministry is expected to soon take action against illegal loan apps that are not on the list.

What was found in investigation?

• In a two-part investigation published on November 20-21 it was reported how dubious loan apps advertise on Instagram and Facebook, and, despite whatever filters the platforms claim to use, many such apps, including those red-flagged by the government, continue to offer their services.
• It had also reported that the RBI initially did not have a whitelist of registered loan apps, or even a negative list which is updated.

What is the problem?

• Over the years, fraudulent firms have mushroomed on the back of rapid growth in digital lending. While there are no official estimates, industry players said the illegal lending market could be at least $700-800 million.
• Around a dozen cases since 2020, where some of those caught in the trap of illegal loan apps had allegedly died by suicide.

Steps taken:

• RBI had sent a list of “valid” lending apps.
• “The RBI has been working on a list of valid lending apps for a while, but has sent us a new list of loan apps that are being used by registered entities like banks and NBFCs after your report came out.