9 May 2023

• Health: WHO declared COVID-19 is no longer a Public Health Emergency of International Concern after more than three years.
• India-Maldives: The foundation stone was laid for a Coast Guard harbour at Uthuru Thila Falhu atoll.
• Social security: PMSBY and PMJJBY completed eight years. Together they cover 50 crore beneficiaries.
• Climate: India faces climate displacement risk for 600 million people from extreme heat by 2030.
• Buddhism: The Global Buddhist Summit was held in New Delhi with Dalai Lama participation.

GS area: Governance, International Relations (Health)

The World Health Organisation declared on 5 May 2023 that COVID-19 is no longer a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. The PHEIC designation had been announced on 30 January 2020.

• What a PHEIC is: A Public Health Emergency of International Concern is the highest level of alert under the International Health Regulations (2005). It requires member states to coordinate their response.
• Transition, not end: Ending the PHEIC does not mean COVID-19 has disappeared. The WHO noted it is moving toward endemic status.
• India's preparedness infrastructure:
  • INSACOG: Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium for variant surveillance.
  • National Biopharma Mission: Accelerates biopharmaceutical development.
  • Ind-CEPI Mission: India's contribution to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations.
  • Mission COVID Suraksha: Supported domestic vaccine development.
• Key lessons for India: Invest in healthcare infrastructure, improve primary health centre quality, enhance ASHA worker compensation, and maintain strategic medicine reserves.

Static linkage: International Health Regulations, WHO, public health governance (International Relations/Governance).

GS area: International Relations (Neighbourhood First)

The foundation stone for a Coast Guard harbour at Uthuru Thila Falhu atoll was laid. This is one of India's largest grant-in-aid projects in the Maldives.

• Previous Indian assistance: India has gifted the Maldivian National Defence Force a Dornier maritime patrol aircraft, a patrol vessel and a coastal radar system.
• SAGAR vision: India's Security and Growth for All in the Region policy guides its Indian Ocean engagement.
• Neighbourhood First: India's foreign policy doctrine prioritises South Asian neighbours.
• Strategic sensitivity: The Maldives lies along India's critical sea lanes of communication. China's "String of Pearls" strategy has included presence in the Maldives.
• Challenges in the relationship: Political instability in the Maldives, the "India Out" campaign, cancellation of the GMR airport development (2012) and the Marao naval base contract (2018).

Static linkage: Neighbourhood First, SAGAR, Indian Ocean (International Relations).

GS area: Governance (Social security schemes)

The Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana and the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana were launched on 9 May 2015. They completed eight years.

• PMSBY:
  • Target group: 18 to 70 years.
  • Coverage: 2 lakh rupees for accidental death or full disability; 1 lakh for partial disability.
  • Premium: 12 rupees annually.
  • Enrolment: Over 34 crore beneficiaries.
• PMJJBY:
  • Target group: 18 to 50 years.
  • Coverage: 2 lakh rupees for life insurance.
  • Premium: 330 rupees annually.
  • Enrolment: Over 16 crore beneficiaries.
• Atal Pension Yojana (APY): Also launched in 2015. For 18 to 40 year olds. Government-guaranteed minimum pension. Contribution-based. Over 5 crore enrolments.

Static linkage: Social security, financial inclusion, Jan Suraksha schemes (Economy/Governance).

GS area: International Relations (Cultural diplomacy)

A Global Buddhist Summit was held in New Delhi. The Dalai Lama participated.

• India's advantage: 97 per cent of the world's Buddhist population lives in Asia. India is home to 7 of the 8 major Buddhist sites globally.
• Buddhist Circuit: India is developing a tourism circuit connecting Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar, Lumbini (Nepal) and other sites.
• China comparison: China has invested in Buddhist temples abroad, established the World Buddhist Forum and uses cinema to promote its narrative of Buddhist heritage.
• India's gap: Ancient sites at key locations remain in disrepair. India loses Buddhist tourists to Thailand and Cambodia, which have invested heavily in visitor infrastructure.

Static linkage: Cultural diplomacy, soft power, Buddhist sites (International Relations/Art and Culture).

GS area: Environment (Climate change, India)

An ESCAP study noted that extreme heat could displace 600 million Indians by 2030.

• India's warming: Annual mean temperatures have risen by about 0.7 degrees Celsius since 1900. The global average is 1.1 degrees.
• Why India warms more slowly overall: Aerosol concentration from industrial and agricultural pollution partially offsets greenhouse warming. This is not a benefit: aerosol pollution causes separate health harms.
• Heat stress on labour: The RBI report estimated 34 million job losses from heat stress by 2030.
• Asia-Pacific finding: The region accounts for more than half of global greenhouse gas emissions. Regional temperatures increased faster than the global mean over 60 years.

Static linkage: Climate change, heat stress, India's warming trends (Environment).

• Samarth Ramdas (1608-1681): Hindu saint and philosopher. Influenced nationalist thinkers including Tilak and Hedgewar. Authored the Maruti Stotra. Historical evidence for his being Shivaji's guru is disputed.
• Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology (CSTT): Established 1961. Creating technical dictionaries in 10 underrepresented languages including Bodo, Santhali, Dogri, Kashmiri, Konkani, Nepali, Manipuri, Sindhi, Maithili and Sanskrit. Five thousand words per language across 15 disciplines. Aligns with NEP 2020's multilingual education goals.
• START (ISRO): Space Science and Technology Awareness Training. An online programme by ISRO for postgraduate and final-year undergraduate students in astronomy, astrophysics, heliophysics, aeronomy and instrumentation. Applications via the Jigyasa portal.