Month: September 2023

Environment & Biodiversity Science & Tech

Orphan Diseases in India

Post author By balancedreport
Post date September 12, 2023

Health discussions often revolve around common ailments, such as diabetes, which affect a significant portion of the population.
However, amidst these well-known health issues, there are numerous rare/ orphan diseases that, though infrequent, can have devastating consequences for patients and their families.

Orphan diseases: what are they?

Rare diseases, often known as orphan diseases, have a low prevalence rate, typically affecting one person out of every 10,000 people.

Problems

Difficult Diagnoses: Diagnoses of rare diseases can be difficult, especially for young medical professionals who may have little experience with them. Due to their rarity, many healthcare practitioners might not have encountered these illnesses during their training.
Lack of Research: In the past, research efforts have been minimal due to low prevalence. Many uncommon diseases lack scientific understanding and efficient treatments since there aren’t as many cases to study.
High Treatment Costs: While improvements in medical research have resulted in the creation of therapeutics for some rare diseases, these medications frequently come at astronomical costs. These expenses, seen from an Indian perspective, might range from Rs 1 million to Rs 20 million annually, rendering them out of reach for many.

India’s Initiatives and Progress

Raising Conscience These difficulties have started to be addressed by increased knowledge of uncommon diseases and improvements in genetic diagnostic methods. More cases are being found and accurately diagnosed as awareness grows.
Regulatory incentives have been implemented by a number of nations, including India, to entice pharmaceutical companies to spend money on research and development for untreated diseases. Orphan medications have grown more popular as a result of this.
Patient-Driven Initiatives: In India, patient associations and organisations are actively supporting the study and treatment of uncommon diseases. The Dystrophy Annihilation Research Trust (DART), which is carrying out clinical trials for Duchenne’s muscular dystrophy, is one such instance.
Initiatives taken by the government: The National Policy for Treatment of Rare Diseases is beginning to take effect. It intends to address uncommon diseases such cystic fibrosis, haemophilia, lysosomal storage disorders, and sickle-cell anaemia that are common in India.

Lessons Learned from Leprosy

Incidence Reduction: After years of successful attempts to reduce its incidence, leprosy, which was previously common in India, is now regarded as a rare disease.
Benefits of Research: Leprosy research has the potential to improve society as a whole. For instance, research on artificial antibiotics has indicated a possibility to stop the spread of leprosy to family members.
Government Goals: Research findings could help the government reach its goal of eliminating leprosy in India by 2027.

Conclusion

Unique healthcare issues brought on by rare diseases have gone unaddressed for a long time.
The situation for patients with rare diseases in India is progressively becoming better, though, because to recent advancements in diagnosis, research, and patient-driven initiatives.
There is optimism for improved diagnosis, treatment options, and cost as regulatory support and knowledge of these disorders increase, which will ultimately improve the lives of individuals affected.

Source: https://www.biospectrumindia.com/features/73/22713/rare-diseases-need-not-be-neglected-anymore-.html#:~:text=The%20commonly%20reported%20rare%20diseases,and%20certain%20forms%20of%20muscular

Governance

VSKs (Vidya Samiksha Kendras) for the Management of Educational Data

Post author By balancedreport
Post date September 12, 2023

The Ministry of Education is leading the creation of Vidya Samiksha Kendras (VSKs) across Indian states as part of the National Digital Education Architecture (NDEAR).

What are VSKs, or Vidya Samiksha Kendras?

VSKs are information storage facilities created to compile data from numerous educational initiatives and programmes managed by the Ministry of Education.
These repositories seek to improve decision-making in the field of education by streamlining data administration, fostering data analysis, and doing so.

Key VSK Components:

Complete Information: VSKs will compile information from many educational initiatives, such as:
Centres at the national and state levels: At the national level, VSK operations are situated on the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT) campus in the Central Institute of Educational Technology building. These operations are managed by the international IT firm Ernst and Young.
Advisory Role: Nandan Nilekani, a former chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), co-founded the non-profit organisation EkStep, which offers guidance on the implementation of the VSK project.
Data entry is currently done manually and is accessible for download in Excel format. However, there are plans to automate data entry through the integration of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). This change will allow for smooth data integration and communication between various systems at the federal, state, and local levels.
Centres at the national and state levels: At the national level, VSK operations are situated on the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT) campus in the Central Institute of Educational Technology building. These operations are managed by the international IT firm Ernst and Young.
Advisory Role: Nandan Nilekani, a former chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), co-founded the non-profit organisation EkStep, which offers guidance on the implementation of the VSK project.
Data entry is currently done manually and is accessible for download in Excel format. However, there are plans to automate data entry through the integration of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). This change will allow for smooth data integration and communication between various systems at the federal, state, and local levels.

State-Level Projects

Each state has received funding from the federal government ranging from two to five crores for the creation of VSKs. These grants cover both human resources and pre-configured open-source gear and software.
States Taking Action: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Jharkhand are among the states that have already started setting up these technological platforms.

Advantages of VSKs

Data Analysis and Correlation: The main goal of VSKs is to make correlation possible for data analytics. VSKs work to integrate multiple data points with large amounts of data from numerous educational programmes in order to draw valuable conclusions.

Case Study Scenarios:

Attendance Patterns: Investigating possible connections between student dropout rates and attendance data.
Impact of Mid-Day Meals: Examining whether regular mid-day meal distribution increases school attendance in some areas.
Student Improvement Tracking: Tracking students’ development over time using information from regular assessments to personalise instruction.
Maps showing schools’ locations will be made possible by VSKs using demographic data to calculate the Gross Access Ratio. This knowledge can aid in the planning of higher education based on demand and future projections, support industrial clusters in determining skilling needs, and influence the creation of new schools.

Source: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1843168

International Relations

A fatal earthquake occurs in Morocco

Post author By balancedreport
Post date September 12, 2023

Morocco was the victim of a terrible earthquake that caused extensive casualties and destruction.

Specifics of the Moroccan earthquake

Shallow epicentre: The epicentre of the earthquake occurred around 70 km southwest of Marrakech, close to the village of Ighil. With different depth estimations, it was thought to be relatively shallow.
Higher Energy: Compared to deeper quakes, shallow earthquakes are usually more deadly since they are more energetic.

Major Factors

Tectonic convergence: An intricate plate boundary that connected the African and Eurasian tectonic plates in a northward convergence caused the earthquake.
The Moroccan High Atlas Mountain range’s oblique-reverse faulting at a shallow depth was the cause of the earthquake, according to the USGS.
Classification of Faults Oblique-slip faults, which develop in regions of compression when tectonic plates converge, have traits of both dip-slip and strike-slip faults.

Why talk about this?

Low Seismicity: Due to the low seismicity rates around the northern edge of the continent, earthquakes are uncommon in North Africa.
Historical Potency: This earthquake, which caught Morocco off guard, was the strongest ever recorded in the mountainous area.
Construction flaws: A lot of Moroccan buildings, particularly those in rural and older cities, are not made to survive powerful tremors.

An earthquake is what?

An earthquake is a severe shaking of the ground brought on by underground movement.
It occurs when two earthen bricks unexpectedly slip past one another.
This causes seismic waves, which propagate through the earth and cause the ground to tremble, to be released as “elastic strain” energy.

What specifically triggers earthquakes?

As we all know, the crust of the earth is broken up into tectonic plates.
Plate borders, which are composed of faults, are the edges of the plates.
The tectonic plates continuously travel slowly past one another and collide with one another.
The plates’ rough edges cause them to become glued to one another while the rest of the plate continues to move.
When the plate has shifted sufficiently and one of the faults’ edges unsticks, an earthquake occurs.
The epicentre, which is located just above the hypocenter on the earth’s surface, is where the earthquake begins, which is located below the surface of the planet.

Source: https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/08/africa/morocco-6-8-magnitude-earthquake-intl-hnk/index.html

Economics Environment & Biodiversity

The Legacy of India’s Reforestation: A 200-Year Experiment

Post author By balancedreport
Post date September 10, 2023

The lengthy history of tree planting in India, which spans more than two centuries, provides insightful insights on the effects of various methods for recovering forests.

India’s Plantations in the Colonial Era

British inclination: The East India Company and eventually the British Crown ruled India starting in the middle of the 18th century. During this time, British officials focused on India’s forests to supply their sizable timber requirements for shipbuilding and railway sleepers.
The 1865 Indian Forest Act The Indian Forest Act of 1865 was passed by the British in order to guarantee a consistent supply of high-yield timber trees including teak, sal, and deodar. This law restricted local people’ rights to extract resources other than grass and bamboo and even prohibited cow grazing. It also turned numerous woods over to the state. Some Indian communities turned to burning down woods as a response.
Increase in Teak Monocultures: Teak expanded quickly because it thrives in India’s hot, humid climate and is valued for its strong wood. This resulted in the displacement of indigenous hardwood trees like sal and the conversion of pristine meadows and open scrub woodlands into teak monocultures.
Exotic tree species were introduced for use as fuel, fodder, and lumber, including eucalyptus, European and North American pines, and Australian acacia trees. Wattle’s invasion of this ecologically vital region began with its introduction in the Nilgiris district of the Western Ghats in 1861.
Changes to Ecosystems: These alien species, particularly wattle and pine, started to supplant native flora, which had an effect on the ecosystem and way of life of the surrounding areas. These difficulties were made worse by the disappearance of native oak and sal trees, which were crucial for a number of reasons.

Studying Previous Tree Plantation Efforts is Important

Regeneration Techniques Natural forest regeneration techniques have historically increased biodiversity, decreased carbon emissions, and provided chances for subsistence.
Initiatives to Expand Global Tree Cover: Past initiatives have also shown how important it is to distinguish between carbon offsetting and replanting for timber production. The latter frequently entails planting quickly expanding trees to provide timber and validate carbon credits for emission reductions.
Sustainable Practises: Planting trees to produce firewood and timber on farms and bare land reduced pressure on natural forests and supported their recovery.
Unintended Consequences: The unplanned introduction of exotic species can result in the spread of invasive species and the encroachment of alien species on the land and resources of the host communities.

India’s current restoration efforts

Indian Dedication: Under the Bonn Challenge, a global project aimed at restoring degraded and deforested landscapes, India has committed to restoring around 21 million hectares of forest by 2030.
Focus on Single Species Plantations: India has concentrated on planting single species like eucalyptus or bamboo, which grow quickly and increase tree cover, in order to meet the National Forest Policy aim of a 33% forest cover.

Environmental and human health effects

Concerns regarding Native Americans: It may be harmful to rural and indigenous cultures to deforest grassland habitats because they are by nature devoid of trees. Village councils are granted management authority over traditional forest areas under the Forest Rights Act of 2006.
Species at Risk of Invasion: Continued foreign tree planting puts people at risk for the introduction of new invasive species, just like the wattle invasion two centuries ago.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/india-was-a-tree-planting-laboratory-for-200-years-here-are-the-results/article67273574.ece#:~:text=in%202022%3A%20study-,For%20more%20than%20200%20years%20India%20has%20experimented%20with%20tree,communities%20and%20the%20wider%20environment.

Art & Culture Culture of India

Amazing Nataraja Statue: A Celebration of Chola Art

Post author By balancedreport
Post date September 10, 2023

The tallest statue of Lord Shiva in his dancing form in the world, the 27-foot Nataraja statue, is waiting for the G20 leaders in New Delhi’s Pragati Maidan.
The sculptors can trace their ancestry 34 generations back to the Cholas.

The Nataraja Work of Art

Created by talented craftsmen from Swamimalai, Tamil Nadu, using an eight-metal alloy (ashtadhatu).
It was transported across the nation on a 36-wheel trailer and weighed about 18 tonnes.

The statue’s design draws inspiration from three revered Nataraja idols:

Thillai Nataraja Temple in Chidambaram.
Uma Maheswarar Temple in Konerirajapuram.
Brihadeeswara (Big) Temple in Thanjavur (a UNESCO World Heritage Site).

Nataraja and the Cholas

The Cholas were the ones who first built all three of the temples that served as inspiration for the Bharat Mandapam Nataraja statue.
The Cholas, who governed most of peninsular India between the ninth and eleventh centuries AD, were renowned for their support of the arts and culture.
Throughout the Cholas’ geographical expansion, their art and architecture blossomed.

Shiva’s significance as the Lord of Dance

From the Vedic god Rudra, Lord Shiva transformed into Nataraja.
Shiva is a complicated god who embodies both nefarious and beneficent traits.
Shiva is represented as Nataraja, the Lord of Dance, as both the destroyer and the guardian.
He is credited with creating a wide variety of dances, from serene to ferocious and orgiastic.

Symbolism of Nataraja

Nataraja is frequently shown surrounded by a fiery aureole or halo, which stands for the circumference of the globe.
He has four arms and lengthy dreadlocks that symbolise the power of his dance.
He is holding an agni (fire) in his upper left hand and a damru (hand drum) in his upper right.
Under his foot, a dwarf-like figure stands for deception.
The ‘abhayamudra’ (gesture to assuage fear) is made by Nataraja with his front right hand, while he points with his front left hand to his raised feet.
Nataraja usually has a tranquil smile on his face, which symbolises the duality of life and death despite its complicated connotation.

Lost Wax Technique

The age-old “lost-wax” casting technique, which originated during the Chola era, was used to produce the 27-foot Bharat Mandapam Nataraja statue.
This technique has been used for at least 6,000 years.
A wax model must be made, covered with a particular soil paste, heated to dissolve the wax, and then the soil paste is removed, leaving a hollow mould that must then be filled with molten metal.
The Cholas perfected this method, which is regarded as the height of metallurgical craftsmanship.

Source: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/39328

Uncategorized

Incremental Cash Reserve Ratio (I-CRR) to be abandoned by RBI

Post author By balancedreport
Post date September 10, 2023

On September 8, 2023, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced that the Incremental Cash Reserve Ratio (I-CRR) would be phased out.
This action was taken in an effort to eliminate excess liquidity brought on by events like the return of Rs 2,000 notes to the banking system.

RBI’s Choice

After reviewing the situation, RBI made the decision to end I-CRR gradually.
The goal of the central bank’s gradual release of the impounded funds is to prevent abrupt shocks to the system’s liquidity and maintain the smooth operation of the money market.

How to Interpret the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR)

Before exploring Incremental Cash Reserve Ratio (ICRR), CRR is a crucial idea.
Banks are required to keep a particular percentage of their deposits and liabilities with the RBI in liquid cash.
CRR is an essential weapon in the RBI’s toolbox for controlling the flow of liquidity throughout the economy and serves as a safety net when the banking system is under pressure.
Banks must currently maintain 4.5% of their Net Demand and Time Liabilities with the RBI as CRR.

I-CRR

On August 10, 2023, the RBI implemented I-CRR as a temporary tool to absorb excess liquidity.
On the growth in their Net Demand and Time Liabilities (NDTL) between May 19, 2023, and July 28, 2023, banks were required to maintain an I-CRR of 10%.
From the beginning of the next week on August 12, 2023, it became effective.
In addition to the normal CRR, the RBI is authorised to apply an extra metric known as the Incremental Cash Reserve Ratio (ICRR).
When the financial system is experiencing an excess of liquidity, ICRR is used.
In essence, ICRR requires banks to deposit even more liquid cash with the RBI than is necessary for compliance with CRR.
This helps to monitor and regulate liquidity in the banking sector on a more comprehensive level.

Motive for I-CRR

Due to events including the reintroduction of Rs 2,000 banknotes, the RBI’s transfer of surplus funds to the government, a rise in government spending, and capital inflows, there was an excess of liquidity.
In July, the RBI’s daily liquidity absorption totaled Rs 1.8 lakh crore.
Maintaining pricing and financial stability required managing excess liquidity.

Impact on Liquidity Conditions

It was anticipated that I-CRR would remove excess liquidity from the banking sector worth more than Rs 1 lakh crore.
On August 21, it temporarily changed the liquidity of the banking system from surplus to deficit.
The lack of liquidity was a result of several factors, including GST outflows and dollar sales by central banks.
However, starting on August 24, the liquidity situation returned to excess.
The RBI removed Rs 76,047 crore of extra liquidity from the system on September 8.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/business/Economy/rbi-decides-to-discontinue-i-crr-in-a-phased-manner/article67284514.ece#:~:text=While%2025%25%20of%20the%20I,released%20on%20October%207%2C%202023&text=The%20Reserve%20Bank%20of%20India,CRR)%20in%20a%20phased%20manner.

Economics

Digital fare payments with the Nation First Transit Card

Post author By balancedreport
Post date September 10, 2023

The “Nation First Transit Card” was introduced by State Bank of India (SBI) to make it simple and convenient to pay for digital fare.
The card is intended to improve commuter experiences by enabling digital ticketing for several forms of transport and parking on a single card.
Through the use of a single card, the Nation First Transit Card seeks to simplify consumer travel and digital fare payments for parking, water ferries, metro, and buses.
Allows for both retail and online business payments, offering flexibility.
Powered by the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) and RuPay systems.

The National Common Mobility Card (NCMC)’s most important details

Launched on March 4 of this year.
Enables SBI users to use their debit cards as transportation in places that accept it for buses and metro rail.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI)-established Nandan Nilekani committee is credited with developing the idea.
An endeavour to promote cashless transactions and a centralised payment system for commuters by the Indian Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
Utilises the RuPay platform, created by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), to provide a uniform contactless transit solution.
Transforms smartphones into interchangeable transport cards for metro, bus and suburban railway services. Operates as an automatic fare collection system.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/business/sbi-unveils-nation-first-transit-card-for-digital-fare-payments/article67281490.ece

Science & Tech

Earth-like Planet Found by Japan in Kuiper Belt

Post author By balancedreport
Post date September 8, 2023

Possible proof that our solar system has a “Earth-like planet” has been found by two Japanese astronomers.
It is thought that this mystery planet once existed in the Kuiper Belt, an area of the circumstellar disc beyond Neptune’s orbit that is made up of objects from the outer solar system.
Like planets, the Kuiper Belt revolves around the Sun.

What is the Kuiper Belt?

The Kuiper Belt, also known as the Edgeworth-Kuiper belt, is a flat ring of small icy bodies orbiting the Sun beyond Neptune’s orbit.
Gerard Kuiper, a Dutch-American astronomer, first hypothesized its existence in the 1950s.
Millions of ice objects, also known as Kuiper Belt objects (KBOs) or trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs), are found in this belt.
It is seen as a holdover from the early solar system’s existence.
Many short-period comets with orbits around the Sun of less 20 years are considered to originate from the Kuiper Belt.
Small icy bodies like comets, asteroids, and dwarf planets make up the majority of it.
One of the most well-known objects in the Kuiper Belt, Pluto, which was once categorised as the ninth planet, was reclassified as a dwarf planet by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in 2006, in part because of its position within the belt.

The Results of Astronomers

According to the Japanese scientists, the size of this new planet, if it exists, would be 1.5 to 3 times that of Earth.
The discovery disproves earlier theories of a far-off “Planet Nine” and suggests that there may be a planet within the Kuiper Belt that is closer to Earth.
The astronomers postulate the existence of an Earth-sized planet as well as a number of trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) on distinctive orbits that would act as observational indicators of this hypothetical planet’s disturbances.
They predict that this planet might be tilted at around a 30 degree angle and could be located anywhere between 200 and 500 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun. Pluto’s distance from Earth is 39 AU for reference.

Source: https://m.economictimes.com/news/science/there-is-an-earth-like-planet-ninth-planet-near-neptune-in-our-own-solar-system-find-japanese-scientists/articleshow/103456551.cms#:~:text=Synopsis,times%20the%20size%20of%20Earth.

Economics

Measurement Problems with Unemployment in Developing Economies

Post author By balancedreport
Post date September 8, 2023

India’s unemployment rate, which was 6.1% in 2017, was the highest ever recorded, according to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS).
The 2021–22 PLFS showed a decrease to 4.1%, which is still higher than unemployment rates in certain major economies, such as the US, where rates ranged from 3.5% to 3.7% between July 2022 and July 2023.
Given their radically dissimilar economies, comparing the unemployment rates of India and the United States is complicated.

What Is Unemployment?

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) defines unemployment as the state of not having a job but being actively looking for one.
The ratio of unemployed persons to the labour force is known as the unemployment rate, which might fall if the economy doesn’t create enough jobs or if people give up looking for work.

India’s Measurement of Unemployment

Social conventions in underdeveloped nations like India may restrict job seeking options.
According to a 2009–10 National Sample poll Organisation (NSSO) poll, many women who participate in domestic work would work if there were openings in their households, but they are not counted as unemployed since they aren’t actively looking for work.
India’s informal labour sector, where people perform a variety of jobs all year long, makes measuring unemployment there challenging.

Different Classification Metrics

In India, two key classification methods are the Usual Principal and Subsidiary Status (UPSS) and the Current Weekly Status (CWS).
Even if a person worked in a supporting function for longer than 30 days, UPSS still considers them to be employed.
If a person worked for at least an hour on one day within the previous week, CWS considers them to be employed.
Since finding job over a year is more likely than doing so in a week, UPSS often produces lower unemployment rates than CWS.

The effect of the informal economy

In agrarian economies, unemployment rates are lower in rural than in urban areas due to the low threshold for identifying people as employed.
Although definitions may “underestimate” unemployment, they aim to capture the specifics of the informal economy.

The Effect of Lockdown

The lockdown in March 2020 caused significant economic disruption in India, although the PLFS unemployment numbers did not immediately reflect this.
If someone lost their job during the shutdown but worked for the majority of the preceding year, UPSS status may still count them as employed.
Shorter reference periods for CWS criterion result in larger unemployment rates, but when aggregated over multiple periods, they may not accurately reflect the lockdown’s long-term effects.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/business/Economy/how-unemployment-is-measured/article67278546.ece

Governance

Battery Infrastructure VGF Scheme

Post author By balancedreport
Post date September 8, 2023

A viability gap funding (VGF) programme worth 3,760 crore recently received clearance from the Union Cabinet, advancing the development of battery energy storage systems (BESS).

Battery Infrastructure with VGF

By providing financial support of up to 40% of the capital cost in the form of VGF, this programme seeks to develop 4,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of BESS projects by the years 2030–31.
It is anticipated to reduce the price of battery storage, increasing its usefulness.
The plan, which makes use of renewable energy sources including solar and wind power, intends to give the general public access to safe, dependable, and affordable electricity.

How would it function?

The programme aims to achieve a levelized cost of storage (LCoS) of between $5.50 and $6.50 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) by providing VGF support.
Thus, it would make using stored renewable energy a practical solution for controlling the nation’s peak power demand.
Five stages of the VGF disbursement will correspond to major BESS project milestones.

Infrastructure and Consumer Gains

Distribution firms (Discoms) will get a minimum of 85% of the BESS project capacity in order to guarantee consumer advantages.
This approach minimises waste and optimises the use of the transmission network, improving the integration of renewable energy into the electrical grid and obviating the need for expensive infrastructure modifications.
By encouraging healthy competition and the expansion of the BESS ecosystem, this strategy attracts significant investment and creates opportunities for allied businesses.

Source: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1955113