Defence and Security
JOINT MARITIME EXERCISE: PASCHIM LEHAR (XPL-2022)

What's the NEWS

• A joint maritime exercise Paschim Lehar (XPL-2022) conducted by the Indian Navy off the West Coast was concluded on 25 January 2022.

• The exercise was conducted over a duration of 20 days with an objective to validate operational plans of the Western Naval Command and enhance Inter-Service synergy among the Indian Navy, IAF, Indian Army and Coast Guard.
• The exercise was conducted under the aegis of FOC-in-C, Western Naval Command.
• The intra-theatre exercise included mobilisation and participation of over 40 ships and submarines of the Indian Navy.
• A variety of weapon firings in a realistic tactical scenario, besides validation of operational missions and tasks under varying settings, were undertaken during the exercise.
• The exercise provided all participating forces an opportunity to operate together under realistic conditions, in responding to contemporary maritime challenges, across the areas of the Command's responsibility.

• In an important milestone in S&T Cooperation between India and France an MoU was signed between CSIR and Institut Pasteur with a scope for cooperation in health research.
• CSIR and Institut Pasteur would be jointly researching and focusing on emerging and remerging infectious diseases and inherited disorders and enable delivery of effective and affordable healthcare solutions not only for the people of India and France but for the global good.
• The MoU provides for developing potential scientific and technological cooperation and networking in advanced and emerging areas of Human Health between scientists and institutes/laboratories of CSIR and Institut Pasteur and its international network.

• Noted Kathakali dancer Milena Salvini of France passed away, the Indian Embassy in France said in a tweet.
• Italian-born Salvini was a regular visitor to India, especially Kerala where she learnt Kathakali, and ran ‘Centre Mandapa', a school for Indian dance forms, in Paris.
• The Prime Minister has expressed deep grief over the demise of noted Kathakali dancer Ms. Milena Salvini.

• Milena Salvini (1930s - 25 January 2022) was an Italian-born French exponent and teacher of Indian classical dance.
• Especially known for her services to Kathakali, in 2019 she was awarded India's fourth highest civilian award, the Padma Shri.
• In 1962, Salvini obtained a two-year scholarship to train in Kathakali at the Kerala Kalamandalam. Upon her return to France, she established a tour by the Kathakali troupe of the Kalamandalam under the auspices of UNESCO.
• Milena Salvini ran ‘Centre Mandapa', a school for Indian dance forms, in Paris.
• Salvini died in Paris on 25 January 2022 at the age of 84.

Health/GSII
IIT Kharagpur creates device for detecting oral cancer

What's the NEWS

• IIT Kharagpur has developed a new highly accurate, portable, yet user-friendly, affordable and non-invasive device for detecting oral cancer in resource-constrained clinical settings.
• The device employs a new method in in differentiating cancerous and pre-cancerous stages of suspected oral abnormalities, as verified by high standard biopsy reports.
• The institution has filed for a patent for the device with which it would be easier to detect potential vulnerable cases early enough during the first examination by a clinician.

• Experts from the Guru Nanak Institute of Dental Sciences and Research in West Bengal supervised the clinical trials, and have established the efficacy of the new method in differentiating cancerous and precancerous stages of suspected oral abnormalities, as verified by high-standard biopsy reports.
• The research has been published recently in the prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), USA.
• This is a low-cost, handheld imaging device to screen oral cancer and precancer based on measured change in blood flow rate of the tissue from thermal imaging and analytics.
• The handheld unit combines various sensors and controllers that feed the measured data to a computer simulation engine to classify normal, precancer and cancer cases in the oral cavity without needing referral to specialised medical centres for resource-intensive diagnostic procedures.

Economy/GSIII
FCRA registration of 6,000 NGOs lapses

What's the NEWS

• The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) registration of nearly 6,000 Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) has ceased to operate from January 1 as the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) refused to renew their application or the NGOs did not apply for one.
• The prominent names whose registration was not renewed include Oxfam India and Missionaries of Charity, a catholic religious congregation set up by Nobel laureate Mother Teresa due to "adverse inputs."
• The Supreme Court asked 6,000-odd NGOs to go back to the government for redressal of their grievances on non-renewal of their Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) registration.

• The FCRA was enacted during the Emergency in 1976 in an atmosphere of apprehension that foreign powers were interfering in India's affairs by pumping in funds through independent organisations. These concerns had been expressed in Parliament as early as in 1969.
• The law sought to regulate foreign donations to individuals and associations so that they functioned "in a manner consistent with the values of a sovereign democratic republic".
• An amended FCRA was enacted under the UPA government in 2010 to "consolidate the law" on utilisation of foreign funds, and "to prohibit" their use for "any activities detrimental to national interest".
• The law was amended again by the current government in 2020, giving the government tighter control and scrutiny over the receipt and utilisation of foreign funds by NGOs.
• FCRA requires every person or NGO wishing to receive foreign donations to be registered under the Act, to open a bank account for the receipt of the foreign funds in State Bank of India, Delhi, and to utilise those funds only for the purpose for which they have been received and as stipulated in the Act.
• They are also required to file annual returns, and they must not transfer the funds to another NGO.
• The Act prohibits receipt of foreign funds by candidates for elections, journalists or newspaper and media broadcast companies, judges and government servants, members of legislature and political parties or their office-bearers, and organisations of a political nature.

Prelims Factoids
Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar -2022
What's the NEWS

• 29 Children have been conferred the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar this Year, selected from all regions of the country for their exceptional achievements in Innovation (7), Social Service (4), Scholastic (1), Sports (8), Art & Culture (6) and Bravery (3) categories.

• The cash prize of Rs.1,00,000/- was given to the awardees of PMRBP 2022.
• The award is given by Ministry of Women and Child Development every year to recognize exceptional achievements of our children in various fields i.e., innovation, scholastic achievements, social service, arts & culture, sports and bravery.
• During the function, PM Modi gave digital certificates to the 61 winners of PMRBP 2021 and 2022 using a Block Chain-driven technology developed by IIT Kanpur under the National Blockchain Project.
• The digital certificates are stored on digital wallets installed on the mobile devices of the recipients.
• The digital certificates issued using the blockchain driven technology are unforgeable, globally verifiable, selectively disclosable and sensitive to user content.
• Block Chain Technology is being used for the first time for giving certificates to the awardees.

Prelims Factoids
CGHS (Central Government Health Scheme)
What's the NEWS

• Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare digitally launched the revamped CGHS (Central Government Health Scheme) website (www.cghs.gov.in) and mobile app, "MyCGHS".

• The Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) is the nodal healthcare provider to Central Government employees, pensioners and certain other category of beneficiaries and their dependents enrolled under the scheme.
• It caters to the healthcare needs of eligible beneficiaries covering all four pillars of democratic set up in India namely Legislature, Judiciary, Executive and Press and is unique of its kind due to the large volume of its beneficiary base and pan India presence providing healthcare through allopathic as well as indigenous systems of medicine.

Government Schemes/GSII
Roadmap and Vision Document for the electronics sector

What's the NEWS

• Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, in association with ICEA, released a 5-year roadmap and Vision Document for the electronics sector, titled "$300 bn Sustainable Electronics Manufacturing & Exports by 2026."

• This roadmap is the second volume of a two-part Vision Document - the first of which titled "Increasing India's Electronics Exports and Share in GVCs" was released in November 2021.
• This report provides a year-wise break-up and production projections for the various products that will lead India's transformation into a US$300 billion electronics manufacturing powerhouse, from the current US$75 billion.
• Amongst the key products that are expected to lead India's growth in electronics manufacturing include Mobile Phones, IT Hardware (laptops, tablets), Consumer electronics (TV and audio), Industrial electronics, Auto electronics, Electronic components, LED Lighting, Strategic electronics, PCBA, Wearables and hearables, and Telecom equipment (see chart).
• Mobile manufacturing that is expected to cross US$100 billion annual production - up from the current US$30 billion - is expected to constitute nearly 40% of this ambitious growth.
• The domestic market is expected to increase from US$65 billion to US$180 billion over the next 5 years. This will make electronics amongst India's 2-3 top ranking exports by 2026.
• Of the US$300 billion, exports are expected to increase from the projected US$15 billion in 2021-22 to US$120 billion by 2026.
• The five-part strategy to reach the US$300 billion goal, based on an "all of the government" approach, sharply focuses on broadening and deepening electronics manufacturing in India.
• The US$300 billion electronics manufacturing comes on the back of US$10 billion PLI Scheme announced by the government to propel forward the Semiconductor and Display ecosystem.
• The government has committed nearly US$17 billion over the next 6 years across four PLI Schemes - Semiconductor and Design, Smartphones, IT Hardware and Components.

Prelims Factoids
Himachal, Haryana to revive Saraswati river

What's the NEWS

• In an attempt to revive the Saraswati river, the Haryana and Himachal Pradesh governments signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the construction of a dam in Himachal Pradesh on 77 acres, near the Adi Badri area of Haryana's Yamuna Nagar district.

• The MoU was signed in the presence of Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal for the rejuvenation of the Saraswati river at an estimated cost of ₹215.35 crore.
• The dam would not only revive the Saraswati river but also help in water conservation in the region. The project would also be of use for Himachal Pradesh as 3.92 hectare metres water per annum would be earmarked for the State for its drinking water requirements, and 57.96 hectare metres for irrigation water demand in project-affected habitations.
• With the construction of the dam, the Saraswati river would flow throughout the year with 20 cusecs water all the time.

KEEP Learning KEEP Evolving
TEAM CL IAS