GS PAPER: II

Armenia-Azerbaijan Dispute Re-emerges

Why in the news?

Recently, Azerbaijan launched an artillery attack on Armenian positions in Nagorno-Karabakh, killing five civilians and wounding dozens more.

• The attack raised concerns of a full-scale war between Azerbaijan and Armenia, which have been locked in a conflict over the mountainous territory for more than three decades.

Background of the Armenia-Azerbaijan issue:

Armenia and Azerbaijan are two neighbouring countries in the South Caucasus region. They have been locked in a dispute over the Nagorno-Karabakh region for decades.

• The region is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, but it is controlled by ethnic Armenians.
• The dispute has its roots in the early 20th century when the Soviet Union established the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region within Azerbaijan.
• In 1988, the Nagorno-Karabakh legislature passed a resolution to join Armenia, despite the region’s legal location within Azerbaijan’s borders. This led to a war between Armenia and Azerbaijan from 1991 to 1994, which left tens of thousands of people dead and hundreds of thousands displaced.
• A cease-fire was mediated by Russia in 1994, but the dispute has remained unresolved.
• There have been intermittent clashes between Azerbaijani and Armenian forces over the years, and tensions have flared up again in recent months.

Analysis:

The Armenia-Azerbaijan dispute is a complex and sensitive issue, with no easy solutions. It is a territorial dispute, a religious dispute, and a political dispute. The leaders of both countries have fueled the issue time and again for their vested political interests.

GS PAPER – III

Operation Sajag

Why in news?

Recently, the ‘Operation Sajag’ was conducted by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) along the west coast.

• During the drill, the ICG conducts extensive document verification and crew pass checks for all fishing boats, barges, and crafts at sea. The ICG also uses this opportunity to educate fishermen about coastal security best practices and to remind them of the importance of reporting any suspicious activity to the authorities.
• Operation Sajag is an important part of the ICG’s efforts to protect India’s maritime borders and to ensure the safety and security of fishermen and other seafarers.

GS PAPER – III

BIMA Sugam Portal

Why in news?

Bima Sugam is a highly anticipated online insurance marketplace that is expected to revolutionize the way insurance is sold and serviced in India.

• IRDAI has appointed a committee for the creation of the platform and now plans to go for requests for proposals (RFPs) soon to appoint a service provider for the platform.
• It is being touted as the “UPI moment” for the insurance sector, and it has the potential to make insurance more accessible and affordable for millions of Indians.

What is Bima Sugam Platform?

• Bima Sugam is a proposed online platform that will act as a single window for policyholders to manage their insurance coverage.
• It will provide end-to-end solutions for customers’ insurance needs, including purchase, service, and settlement.

How will Bima Sugam work?

• Bima Sugam will be a web-based platform that will be accessible to anyone with an internet connection. Customers will be able to create an account on the platform and then start shopping for insurance products.
• Customers will be able to compare different insurance products from different companies on the basis of price, features, and coverage. They will also be able to read reviews from other customers to get a better idea of which product is right for them.

What are its role and utility for customers?

• Enable customers to identify the right insurance scheme for their needs from a maze of hundreds of products and services.
• Facilitate insurance companies to access validated and authentic data from various touch points on a real-time basis.
• Interface for intermediaries and agents to provide services to customers.
• Reduce paperwork and commissions on policies, benefiting customers.
• Reduce the cost of buying policies.

Will the physical mode go?

Bima Sugam will enable customers to open an insurance account and store their policies in this account, thus obviating the need for physical documents.

GS PAPER – I

Three Hoysala temples declared World Heritage Sites

Why in news?

• The Hoysala temples at Belur, Halebid, and Somanathapur in Karnataka were declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites in a move that will bring global recognition with prospects of increase in international tourism to these places.

About the temples

• The Chennakeshava temple at Belur and the Hoysaleshwara temple at Halebid — both in Hassan district — have been on the UNESCO’s tentative list since 2014.
• The Keshava temple at Somanathapur in Mysuru district was appended to the other two monuments under the tentative list and all three were officially nominated by the Centre as India’s entry.
• The Hoysala temples are known for evolving a distinct style that is ornate with temple architecture following a stellate plan built on a raised platform. The material used in temple construction is chlorite schist which is also known as soapstone that are soft and amiable to carving.
• The temples have horizontal friezes and many of the sculptures are signed by artists which is unique in the history of Indian art while the doorways show intricate carvings showcasing the excellence achieved by the artist.

Declaration as UNESCO Heritage sites

• The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) said the coming together of creative genius, architectural eclecticism, and symbolism into this outstanding sacred architecture makes these Hoysalas temples a true work of art and their inscription is an honour for India and the entire world heritage community.
• The site visits covering all three temples in September last year and the monuments were officially inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites during the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
• All three temples are protected by the ASI and the nominations were entered as ‘The Sacred Ensembles of Hoysalas’.

GS PAPER – III

Centre floats new science awards

Why in news?

• Nearly a year after deciding to cut the number of prizes annually awarded by its Ministries, the Union government is set to institute the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar — 56 prizes to felicitate scientists, technologists and innovators.

About the awards

• Akin to the prestigious Padma awards, these awards will not include any cash component; instead, they will likely bestow a certificate and a medallion on the awardee.
• the RVP will comprise three Vigyan Ratna, 25 Vigyan Shri, 25 Vigyan Yuva-Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar and three Vigyan Team awards.
• The new awards will also be open to persons of Indian origin (PIOs), though a maximum of one such may be awarded the Vigyan Ratna, while three PIOs each can be selected for the Vigyan Shri and the VY-SSB. However, PIOs will not be eligible for the Vigyan Team awards.
• The Vigyan Ratna awards shall be for “lifetime contributions along with excellence made in any field of science”, the Vigyan Shri for “distinguished contribution to any field”, and the SSB for “exceptional contribution by young scientists”. The team awards shall be for three or more researchers who have made an “exceptional contribution as a team”.
• There are no age limits for any prizes except the SSB, for which recipients must be 45 years or younger.

 Disciplines to be included

• These prizes will be awarded annually for physics, chemistry, biological sciences, mathematics and computer science, earth science, medicine, engineering science, agricultural science, environmental science, technology and innovation, atomic energy, space science and technology, and a 13^th category, simply called “others”.
• It may be ensured that each domain may be represented. Adequate representation of women may also be ensured.
• The 56 proposed awards are a stark reduction from the almost 300 science prizes that used to be given by Union Ministries.

Other prizes

• In their previous avatar, the prizes also had a significant cash component. The Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar (SSB) awards, given by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) since 1958, now includes ₹5 lakh per winner, as well as a salary perk.
• In fact, the government announced the names of 12 winners of the SSB awards just last week, after a year’s delay. The National Technology Awards, given to teams by the Technology Development Board (a DST entity), also include cash prizes worth ₹25 lakh.

Procedure for Awards

• The awards will be announced annually on May 11, which is National Technology Day, and will be awarded on National Space Day, August 23.
• These are the days on which India successfully conducted its second nuclear test in 1998, and then catapulted the Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram lander on the moon this year.
• The RVP awards, which will commence from 2024, will be given by the President or the Vice President, according to the proposal.
• A committee will be constituted every year, comprising the Secretaries of six Science Ministries, up to four presidents of science and engineering academies, and six distinguished scientists and technologists from various fields.
• The CSIR will coordinate the administration of the awards process for two years, after which it will be taken over by the proposed National Research Foundation.

GS PAPER – III

WHO report on global impact of high BP

Why in news?

• Approximately four of every five people with hypertension are not adequately treated, but if countries can scale up coverage, 76 million deaths could be averted between 2023 and 2050, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in its first-ever report on the global impact of high blood pressure.

About Hypertension

• Hypertension is the most important risk factor for death and disability in India, according to a paper in The Lancet, regional health (Southeast Asia), published late last year.
• It adds that less than one-fourth of hypertensive patients in India had their blood pressure under control during 2016-2020. Though this rate has improved from the previous years’ figures, substantial differences exist across regions.
• The Lancet paper says the 2019-20 National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) reported a hypertension prevalence of 24% in men and 21% among women, an increase from 19% and 17%, respectively, from the previous round (2015-16).
• The India Hypertension Control Initiative, a large-scale hypertension intervention under the National Health Mission, has been recognised for its positive work done within the primary healthcare system.
• The WHO report states that hypertension affects one in three adults worldwide. This common, deadly condition leads to stroke, heart attack, heart failure, kidney damage and many other health problems.
• The number of people living with hypertension (blood pressure of 140/90 mmHg or higher or taking medication for hypertension) doubled between 1990 and 2019, from 650 million to 1.3 billion.
• Nearly half the people with hypertension globally are currently unaware of their condition. More than three-quarters of adults with hypertension live in low- and middle-income countries.

Precautionary measures

• Recommending ways to win the race, the world organisation states that lifestyle changes such as eating a healthier diet, quitting tobacco and being more active can help lower blood pressure. Some people may need medicines.
• Prevention, early detection and effective management of hypertension are among the most cost-effective interventions in health care and should be prioritised by countries as part of their national health benefit package offered at a primary care level.
• The economic benefits of improved hypertension treatment programmes outweigh the costs by about 18 to 1,” notes the WHO.
• Hypertension can be controlled effectively with simple, low-cost medication regimens, and yet only about one in five people have controlled it.