18 May 2023

• Health: WHO reported nearly 5 million deaths globally from antimicrobial resistance in 2019. India could see 2 million AMR deaths annually by 2050.
• Economy: Cabinet approved the IT Hardware PLI Scheme 2.0 with a 17,000 crore rupee outlay.
• Governance: ICMR and Ministry of Ayush agreed to cooperate on integrative medicine research.
• Conservation: Assam's Bura Chapori Wildlife Sanctuary recovered 16,000 bighas from illegal encroachers.
• Banking: RBI proposed a shift to Expected Credit Loss provisioning for banks.

GS area: Science and Technology (Health, Global governance)

The WHO's AMR report found that antimicrobial resistance caused nearly 5 million deaths globally in 2019.

• India's risk: Projected 2 million or more AMR deaths annually in India by 2050.
• Most vulnerable: One in five AMR deaths globally involves children under five years of age.
• Economic cost: Could cost the global economy 100 trillion US dollars by 2050.
• India's challenges:
  • High burden of communicable diseases driving antibiotic use.
  • Over-the-counter sale of antibiotics without prescription.
  • Limited laboratory capacity for resistance surveillance.
• Government response: India's National Action Plan on AMR is being updated for 2022-2026.
• Global initiative: One Health Quadripartite (FAO, UNEP, WHO and OIE) coordinates the cross-sectoral response recognising that AMR affects human, animal and environmental health simultaneously.

Static linkage: AMR, One Health, WHO (Science and Technology/Environment).

GS area: Economy (Industrial policy, Electronics)

The Cabinet approved IT Hardware PLI Scheme 2.0 with a budgetary outlay of 17,000 crore rupees.

• Products covered: Laptops, tablets, all-in-one personal computers, servers and ultra-small form factor devices.
• Scheme structure: Production Linked Incentive, where manufacturers receive cash incentives based on incremental sales over a base year.
• Electronics CAGR: India's electronics manufacturing achieved a 17 per cent compound annual growth rate over 8 years.
• Policy context: India aims to become a global electronics manufacturing hub, reducing dependence on Chinese imports and creating export capacity.

Static linkage: Make in India, PLI schemes, electronics manufacturing (Economy).

GS area: Governance (Health, Schemes)

ICMR and the Ministry of Ayush signed an agreement to enhance cooperation in health research for integrated medicine.

• Scale of traditional medicine: Approximately 50 per cent of people globally use complementary or traditional medicine.
• National Ayush Mission (2014): Promotes the integration of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) systems into mainstream healthcare delivery.
• WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine: Established at Jamnagar, Gujarat. India's contribution to the WHO's global traditional medicine agenda.
• BISM degree: The Bachelor in Integrated System of Medicine is being offered by universities that integrate Ayurveda and modern medicine into a single programme.

Static linkage: Ayush, health governance, WHO (Governance).

GS area: Environment (Biodiversity, Conservation)

The government cleared approximately 16,000 bighas of land from illegal encroachers at Bura Chapori Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam.

• Location: Sonitpur district, Assam, on the south bank of the Brahmaputra.
• Ecosystem: Part of the Laokhowa-Burachapori ecosystem. Functions as a buffer zone for the Kaziranga Tiger Reserve.
• Declaration: Notified as a wildlife sanctuary in 1995.
• Key species: An ideal habitat for the Bengal Florican, a critically endangered bird species.
• Government action: Opening a traditional animal migration path connecting the sanctuary to Orang National Park.
• Significance: Floodplain habitats between Kaziranga and Orang allow wildlife to move between protected areas. Restoring this corridor is critical for genetic connectivity.

Static linkage: Wildlife corridors, Kaziranga, Assam biodiversity (Environment).

GS area: Economy (Banking regulation)

The RBI proposed shifting banks from the incurred loss model to an Expected Credit Loss (ECL) approach for loan-loss provisioning.

• Current model (incurred loss): Banks set aside provisions only after a loan has already shown signs of stress or default. The provision is backward-looking.
• ECL model: Banks must estimate expected losses on their entire loan portfolio from the moment a loan is issued. The provision is forward-looking.
• Three stages:
  • Stage 1: No significant increase in credit risk. Normal provisions.
  • Stage 2: Significant increase in credit risk. Higher provisions.
  • Stage 3: Objective evidence of impairment. Full expected loss provisioned.
• Banks' request: Banks sought a one-year extension for implementation due to data and modelling challenges.
• Significance: ECL provisioning makes banks more resilient to shocks because capital buffers are built before losses materialise.

Static linkage: Banking regulation, NPA management, RBI (Economy).

• Khasi Hills matrilineal system: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) restricted Scheduled Tribe certificates for those adopting paternal surnames. Khasi, Jaintia and Garo tribes practise matrilineal inheritance. The youngest daughter (khatduh) inherits all ancestral property. Khasis are predominantly Christian and celebrate the Nongkrem Dance and Shad Suk Mynsiem festivals.
• ASTR for telecom fraud: The Department of Telecommunications' AI and facial recognition tool uses Convolutional Neural Network models for facial encoding with a 97.5 per cent matching threshold. Detects multiple SIM cards registered on one face.
• Meri LiFE App: Ministry of Environment launched this youth engagement app. Five themes: Save Energy, Save Water, Reduce Plastic, Sustainable Food and Healthy Lifestyles. Part of the Mission LiFE global initiative.