AYUSH
7^th International Day of Yoga (IDY)

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about 7^th IDY highlights +and IDY genesis + about WHO M-Yoga app)
What's the NEWS

• The seventh edition of International Day of Yoga (IDY) was observed across the world in solidarity, both through limited physical events, and at the homes of people where COVID restrictions continue to apply.
• Prime Minister addressed the Nation on this occasion, emphasising the role of maintaining Health and well-being in our lives, especially as the world reels under COVID pandemic.

7^th International Day of Yoga (IDY) -highlights

• Yoga has played, and will play in the years to come in the adoption of a more holistic view of personal well-being, both physical and mental also enshrined in this year's theme (#YogaforWellness).
• The Prime Minister also launched the "mYoga" application, developed by the Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, Ministry of Ayush in partnership with the World Health Organisation.
• The application will contain training and practice videos and audios based on Common Yoga Protocol which can be used by all-with the objective of promoting one world, one health.
• Another noteworthy feature was the observance of IDY in more than one lakh villages through Arogya Foundation of India and Common Service Centres.
• The Arogya Foundation had been training its volunteers in batches since May for IDY and today they accomplished the feat with the help of the wide network of Ekal Vidyalayas across the country.
• The IDY programme organised by Arogya Foundation through its Ekal Abhiyan reached to more than 18 thousand villages in UP and to more than 8 thousand villages each in MP, Himanchal Pradesh and Jharkhand. States like West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, J&K, Bihar and Assam also witnessed this activity in more than 4 thousand villages

WHO M-Yoga

• The Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi launched ‘WHO M-Yoga' App while addressing on the occasion of 7^th International Day of Yoga. M-Yoga app will provide many
• M-Yoga app will help in spreading Yoga world over and will contribute to the efforts of ‘One World,One Health'.
• The Ministry of AYUSH and the World Health Organization (WHO) had jointly undertaken a project in mid 2019, focussingon mobile-Yoga.
• It envisaged the concept of the ‘Be Healthy, Be Mobile' (BHBM) under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to achieve Universal Health Coverage by 2030.
• Be Healthy, Be Mobile (BHBM) initiative is a global partnership led by WHO which supports the scale up of mobile health (m-Health) technology within the scope of the National Health system to combat non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
• In order to achieve the above objectives, a memorandum of understanding was signed in July, 2019 between WHO and the Ministry of AYUSH.

The m-Yoga project focused on four areas:
(1) Common Yoga Protocol for GeneralWellness;
(2) Yoga for mental health and resilience;
(3) Yoga for Adolescents; and
(4) Yoga for pre - Diabetics.

• Building upon this, a requisite handbook and mobile applications were to be developed by Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (MDNIY) in consultation with the WHO technology partners.
• The work on the handbook is in the final stages and the currently launched app is available in two of the six official languages of the UN i.e English and Hindi.
• In this work, Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (MDNIY) played a pivotal role to facilitate preparation of Common Yoga Protocol

International Day of Yoga

• It is celebrated every year on 21 June to raise awareness worldwide about the benefits of Yoga in daily life.
• Yoga brings balance between body, soul, and mind. It helps us to understand the purpose of life and how to survive in the changing environment.
• On 11 December, 2014, United Nations General Assembly declared to celebrate International Day of Yoga on 21^st June every year by resolution 69/131.
• It was declared by the call of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he addressed United Nations General Assembly on 27 September, 2014 and asks for adopting 21^st June as an International Yoga Day to get all the benefits of yoga to the people around the world.
• Finally, it was declared on 11 December, 2014 by the United Nations General Assembly.
• First time in history it happened that the initiative of any country has been proposed and implemented by the UN within 90 days.
• UN General Assembly, announced to celebrate the International Yoga Day on June 21 and more than 170 countries supported the Yoga Day proposal.
• 21^st June suggested as International Day of Yoga because 21^st June is the longest day in the Northern Hemisphere has much significance in different parts of the world

The Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga

• It is an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Ayush, Government of India.
• It is the nodal agency for Planning, Training, Promotion and Coordination of Yoga Education, Training, Therapy and Research.
• The Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga is a Government of India initiative with a mandate to promote the yoga culture and spread the yoga philosophy nationwide.
• The functioning of the Institute is under the Ministry of Ayush.
• The Institute is mandated to promote Yoga philosophy and facilitate training and advanced research on the subject.
• MDNIY has been organising Yoga Mahotsav annually since 2016.
• Yoga Mahotsav is a curtain raiser for International Day of Yoga to sensitize the masses regarding celebration of IDY.
• Common Yoga Protocol and Yoga DVD for International Day of Yoga, celebrated on June 21, were prepared by the Institute in consultation with the eminent Yoga Experts and the officials of various Ministries, Govt. of India.

Defence
WORLD HYDROGRAPHY DAY
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about World Hydrography Day + about Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC)
What's the NEWS

• Commander-in-Chief Andaman & Nicobar Command (CINCAN) participated in commemorating the Centenary of the World Hydrography Day on 21 Jun 2021.
• The occasion is celebrated by the Hydrographic fraternity of the Indian Navy every year through a series of coordinated events at the respective Commands to spread awareness of hydrography and its contribution in ensuring safe navigation at sea as well as to showcase achievements and contributions of the Indian Naval Hydrographic Organisation.
• The theme for the event this year is "100 years of International Cooperation in Hydrography".

Hydrographic Survey Unit at Port Blair

• The CINCAN appreciated the yeoman service by the Indian Naval Hydrographic Organisation in capacity building initiatives among littorals in the Indian Ocean Region through hydrographic surveys and providing world class training to personnel from friendly foreign nations.
• The surveys help in augmenting the Sagarmala project under the NITI AAYOG for sustainable development of A&N Islands.
• The Hydrographic Survey Unit at Port Blair under HQ ANC is responsible for the surveys around the A&N Islands and is fully equipped with state-of-the-art equipment for the conduct, analysis and preparation of reports of hydrographic surveys.
• HSU (PBR) participates in various joint operations with the Indian Army and Indian Air Force within the Andaman and Nicobar Command.
• The Unit has successfully conducted surveys for RCS 3.0 - UDAN, the prestigious Government of India project under regional connectivity by playing a vital role in identifying suitable sea plane landing sites at four locations in the Andaman group of islands at Shaheed Dweep, Swaraj Dweep, Hut Bay and Long Island, which will boost regional connectivity and tourism.
• Indian Navy hydrography ships Sutlej from Southern Naval Command and Nirupak from Eastern Naval Command are currently deployed for hydrographic survey in Andaman and Nicobar Islands since April 2021.
• These ships utilise state-of-the-art Multi-beam Bathymetric Data Acquisition Systems to survey and update navigational charts of the A&N Islands. All Covid protocol measures were followed by the personnel present at the event.

The Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC)

• It is the first and only tri-service theater command of the Indian Armed Forces, based at Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a Union Territory of India.
• It was created in 2001 to safeguard India's strategic interests in Southeast Asia and the Strait of Malacca by increasing rapid deployment of military assets in the region.
• It is commanded by a three star officer from Navy, under whom officers and men from all three services (Navy, Air Force, Army) work.
• It conducts bi-annual coordinated patrols (CORPATs) with the navies of Thailand and Indonesia, the annual SIMBEX maritime exercise with Singapore, and the biennial Milan multilateral naval exercise.
• It also patrols India's exclusive economic zone to suppress gun running, narcotics smuggling, piracy, and poaching, and conducts maritime surveillance, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR).
• It provides logistical and administrative support to naval ships which are sent on deployment to East Asia and the Pacific Ocean.

World Hydrography Day

• It is celebrated every year on June 21. People across the world celebrate this day to acknowledge hydrography and its importance to human endeavours.
• Hydrography refers to the measuring and characterization of the physical features of oceans, seas, coastal regions, lakes, and rivers.
• Hydrography also forecasts the changes observed in water bodies with time and the analysis helps in ensuring navigation safety along with the implementation of maritime operations.
• In 1921, the International Hydrographic Bureau was founded to aid government dialogue on safe navigation, performance standards, and maritime environmental preservation. Later, in 1970, it was renamed to International Hydrographic Organization (IHO).
• In 2005, the IHO proposed a World Hydrography Day, which was later approved by the United Nations General Assembly
• The day intends to provide an international platform to the IHO - to laud its efforts and to encourage the governments of different nations to collaborate with it.
• On this day, countries from all across the world join hands to acknowledge the importance of IHO and to create awareness about the need for safe navigation.

Recommended video
https://youtu.be/RidOBIbsCR8
Governance
Proposed Amendments to the Consumer Protection (E-commerce) Rules, 2020

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 - highlights)
What's the NEWS

• For the purposes of preventing unfair trade practices in e-commerce, the Central Government had notified the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 with effect from 23 July 2020.

e-commerce entities ( lack of regulatory oversight)

• It was observed that there was an evident lack of regulatory oversight in e-commerce which required some urgent action.
• The rapid growth of e-commerce platforms has also brought into the purview the unfair trade practices of the marketplace e-commerce entities engaging in manipulating search result to promote certain sellers, preferential treatment to some sellers, indirectly operating the sellers on their platform, impinging the free choice of consumers, selling goods close to expiration etc.
• Additionally, conventional flash sales by third party sellers are not banned on e-commerce platform. But, certain e-commerce entities are engaging in limiting consumer choice by indulging in "back to back" or "flash" sales wherein one seller selling on platform does not carry any inventory or order fulfilment capability but merely places a "flash or back to back" order with another seller controlled by platform.
• This prevents a level playing field and ultimately limits customer choice and increases prices.
• To protect the interests of consumers, prevent their exploitation and encourage free and fair competition in the market, the Government of India is sharing a draft of the proposed amendments to the Consumer Protection (E-commerce) Rules, 2020.
• The proposed amendments aim to bring transparency in the e-commerce platforms and further strengthen the regulatory regime to curb the prevalent unfair trade practices.

The proposed amendments are as follows

• To ensure compliance of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and Rules, appointment of Chief Compliance Officer, a nodal contact person for 24x7 coordination with law enforcement agencies, officers to ensure compliance to their orders and Resident Grievance Officer for redressing of the grievances of the consumers on the e-commerce platform, has been proposed.
• This would ensure effective compliance with the provisions of the Act and Rules and also strengthen the grievance redressal mechanism on e-commerce entities.
• Putting in place a framework for registration of every e-commerce entity with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) for allotment of registration number which shall be displayed prominently on website as well as invoice of every order placed the e-commerce entity.
• Registration of e-commerce entities would help create a database of genuine e-commerce entities and ensure that the consumers are able to verify the genuineness of an e-commerce entity before transacting through their platform.
• To protect the interests of consumers, mis-selling has been prohibited i.e selling goods and services entities selling goods or services by deliberate misrepresentation of information by such entities about such goods or services.
• To ensure that consumers are aware about the expiry date of the products they are buying on the e-commerce platform all sellers on marketplace e-commerce entities and all inventory e-commerce entities to provide best before or use before date to enable consumers to make an informed purchase decision.
• To ensure that the domestic manufacturers and suppliers get a fair and equal treatment on the e-commerce platform it has been provided that where an e-commerce entity offers imported goods or services, it shall incorporate a filter mechanism to identify goods based on country of origin and suggest alternatives to ensure fair opportunity to domestic goods.
• To ensure that consumers are not adversely affected in the event where a seller fails to deliver the goods or services due to negligent conduct by such seller in fulfilling the duties and liabilities in the manner as prescribed by the marketplace e-commerce entity, provisions of Fall-back liability for every marketplace e-commerce entity have been provided.

Defence
EU-INDIA JOINT NAVAL EXERCISE

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about the exercise)
What's the NEWS

• On 18-19 June 2021, the EU and India conducted a joint naval exercise in the Gulf of Aden.
• The exercise involved Indian Navy frigate INS Trikand, EU NAVFOR Somalia - Operation Atalanta assets, including Italian frigate Carabiniere (Atalanta's flagship) and Spanish frigate Navarra, French frigate Surcouf and French amphibious assault helicopter carrier Tonnerre.

Know! more about the exercise

• The exercise was based on the scenario of an anti-piracy operation. It included cross-deck helicopter landings, complex tactical evolutions at sea, live firing, a night-time joint patrol and a naval parade in the high seas off the coast of Somalia.
• The EU and India are committed to a free, open, inclusive and rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region, underpinned by respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, democracy, rule of law, transparency, freedom of navigation and overflight, unimpeded lawful commerce, and peaceful resolution of disputes.
• They reaffirm the primacy of international law, including the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
• In January 2021, the EU and India launched a dialogue on maritime security and agreed to deepen their dialogue and cooperation in this domain.
• The Indian Navy has been providing escort to World Food Programme chartered vessels, coordinated by EU NAVFOR Somalia - Operation Atalanta.
• The Indian Navy has previously participated in the Shared Awareness and Deconfliction (SHADE) conference, co-hosted by Operation Atalanta, whose assets conducted several joint exercises with Indian vessels in the past.
• The EU and India intend to strengthen their operational cooperation at sea, including joint naval exercises and port calls, and to protect the sea-lanes of communication.
• They also intend to boost maritime domain awareness in the Indo-Pacific through mutual coordination and exchanges.
• The EU and India reaffirm their interest to enhance their cooperation in the field of maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region.

Science & Technology
DST promotes a scientific approach to Yoga on 7^th International Yoga Day

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about SATYAM)
What's the NEWS

• The importance of Yoga for Improving Heart Health was highlighted at a webinar organized on the occasion of International Yoga Day.
• There is a connection between health, mind , heart and yoga & meditation can greatly help us in living a healthy and balanced life
• A webinar organized by DST under Science and Technology of Yoga and Meditation (SATYAM).
• The meaning of yoga and its role in human well-being and elaborated on the efforts of DST in this direction through SATYAM.
• It is important to understand the science behind Yoga for long term mental and physical well-being and said that now the time has come when along with science, technology should be added in yoga and meditation.
• DST initiated a specialized programme ‘Science and Technology of Yoga and Meditation (SATYAM)'.
• SATYAM is aimed to investigate the effect of Yoga and Meditation on physical and mental health and well-being as well as on the body, brain, and mind in terms of basic processes and mechanisms.
• More than 100 projects have been supported under SATYAM and around 40 research papers have been published in peer reviewed journals. More than 70 institutions are associated with SATYAM programme.
• Dignitaries from different parts of the world participated online in a month long ‘International YOGACON 2021' supported by DST under the Science and Technology of Yoga and Meditation (SATYAM) Program.
• DST's celebration of the International Yoga Day with multiple activities can help popularize a scientific approach to Yoga among people.

Science and Technology of Yoga and Meditation' (SATYAM)

• Department of Science and Technology (DST), in 2015, conceptualized a new research program- ‘Science and Technology of Yoga and Meditation' (SATYAM)- under its Cognitive Science Research Initiative (CSRI).
• As Yoga and Meditation are interdisciplinary endeavors that interface with Neuroscience, Medicine, Psychology, Philosophy, and so on, therefore an interdisciplinary approach is needed to converge different & diverse disciplines as well as approaches & methods in the study of yoga and meditation.
• Thus comprehensive research on yoga and meditation is expected to address various challenges confronting physical and mental health.
• This new programme is aimed to foster scientific research on the effects of yoga and meditation on physical & mental health and on cognitive functioning in healthy people as well as in patients with disorders.
• Basic themes being covered under SATYAM include, among others, (1) investigations on the effect of Yoga and Meditation on physical and mental health and well being, and (2) investigations on the effect of Yoga and Meditation on the body, brain, and mind in terms of basic processes and mechanisms.
• Scientists/academicians with research background in ‘Yoga and Meditation' and having regular position are invited to participate in this initiative.
• Practitioners actively involved in yoga and meditation practices are also encouraged to apply in collaboration with academic and research institutions of repute.
• The project is tenable for a maximum period of three (3) years.

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