9 November 2023

• Health: A WHO Global TB Report acknowledged India's progress: TB incidence reduced by 16 per cent between 2015 and 2022, against a global average of 8 per cent.
• Governance: The Electoral Trusts scheme, established in 2013, was contrasted with the Electoral Bonds scheme: trusts must disclose both donors and beneficiaries while bonds allow anonymous donations.
• Science: CSIR-CCMB's eDNA method emerged as a practical tool for biodiversity monitoring without disturbing wildlife.
• Geography: The Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project in Arunachal Pradesh suffered a setback when a landslide blocked a diversion tunnel.
• Economy: India has 75,000 startups and ranks third globally after the USA and China; MeitY launched the LEAP AHEAD initiative to provide up to Rs 1 crore in funding support.

GS area: Health (Social Issues, Government Schemes)

The WHO Global TB Report 2023 acknowledged India's progress in reducing tuberculosis. TB incidence in India fell by 16 per cent between 2015 and 2022. The global average reduction was 8 per cent. TB mortality in India fell by 18 per cent during the same period. Treatment coverage improved to 80 per cent of estimated cases.

• India's burden: India still accounts for about 27 per cent of the world's TB cases, with 24 lakh plus cases annually. The burden is the highest of any country.
• PM TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan: the flagship elimination programme. It aims for TB elimination by 2025, five years ahead of the global 2030 target.
• Nikshay Poshan Yojana: provides Rs 500 per month nutritional support to TB patients. Malnutrition and TB are mutually reinforcing.
• TB Mukt Panchayat Abhiyan: engages gram panchayats in identifying and supporting TB patients.
• WHO classification: TB remains a class-one public health emergency globally and is the second largest infectious disease killer after COVID-19.

The 2025 target was ambitious even when set. The decline is real but the absolute burden remains enormous. India needs a sustained 20 per cent annual reduction to meet its own deadline.

Static linkage: Public Health (Society, GS2), Government Schemes.

GS area: Polity (Elections, Governance)

The Electoral Trusts scheme, introduced in 2013 by the UPA government, regulates corporate and individual donations to political parties through a transparent channel. The contrast with Electoral Bonds, introduced in 2017, is the central exam point.

• Electoral Trusts eligibility: companies incorporated under Section 25 of the Companies Act 1956 (now Section 8 of Companies Act 2013), meaning non-profit purpose companies; and individuals or entities resident in India.
• The 95 per cent rule: trusts must pass on at least 95 per cent of contributions received to registered political parties.
• Disclosure requirement: trusts must report both contributors and beneficiary parties to the Election Commission. Full transparency on both sides.
• Electoral Bonds contrast: any Indian citizen or company can buy bonds from specified SBI branches. The identity of the buyer is not disclosed to the public or the Election Commission. Only the political party that redeems the bond knows the amount received.
• Relative use: between 2017-18 and 2021-22, Electoral Bonds raised Rs 9,208 crore while Electoral Trusts raised Rs 1,631 crore.

The Supreme Court was examining the constitutional validity of Electoral Bonds during this period. The transparency argument is that voters have a right to know who funds the parties they vote for.

Static linkage: Elections and Governance (Polity, GS2).

GS area: Economy (Startups, Science and Technology)

MeitY launched LEAP AHEAD in collaboration with Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) and The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) Delhi-NCR. The initiative provides funding support of up to Rs 1 crore to deep-tech startups.

• India's startup context: 75,000 registered startups. Third globally after the USA and China.
• Global Innovation Index trajectory: India moved from 81st in 2015 to 46th in 2021.
• STPI: Software Technology Parks of India, an autonomous body under MeitY established to promote software exports and IT incubation.

Static linkage: Economy (Startups, Science and Technology).

GS area: Geography (Water Resources, Infrastructure)

A landslide blocked the diversion tunnel of the Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project, disrupting river flow downstream. The project is India's largest hydel project under construction.

• Location: on the Arunachal Pradesh-Assam border.
• Capacity: 2,000 MW when commissioned.
• Implementing agency: National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC).
• River: the Subansiri is 518 km long and is the largest tributary of the Upper Brahmaputra. It originates in Tibet.
• History of delays: the project has faced opposition from downstream communities in Assam over flood risk and dam-break concerns. It has been under construction since 2003.

Static linkage: Indian Geography (Rivers, Northeast India), Infrastructure.

GS area: Society (Education, Governance)

Kerala's Literacy Mission launched the Pauradhwani programme in Ernakulam and eight other districts. The programme focuses on scientific aptitude, independent thinking, democratic values and secularism. It covers topics including forest rights, coastal rules, women-centric policies and children's rights.

• Kerala Literacy Mission: established in 1988. Kerala achieved near-universal literacy through the Total Literacy Campaign. The Pauradhwani programme extends literacy from reading and writing to civic knowledge.
• Six-point motto: emphasises equal rights for marginalised sections including tribals, coastal communities and women.

Static linkage: Society (Education, Indian States), Governance.

GS area: Ancient Indian History (Heritage)

A 3,000-year-old geoglyph was discovered near Mudichu Thalapalli in Medchal-Malkajgiri district of Telangana. The geoglyph is 7.5 metres in diameter with a circular design and two triangles. It dates to the Iron Age, around 1000 BCE, and is the first such discovery in Telangana. Researchers believe it may have served as a model for megalithic burial sites.

• Geoglyph: a large design or motif produced on the ground using arrangements of rocks, stones, earth or gravel. The Nazca Lines in Peru are the most famous examples.

Static linkage: Ancient Indian History (Heritage, Art and Culture).

• MiG-21 phaseout: the Indian Air Force continued the gradual phaseout of its MiG-21 fleet, to be replaced by LCA Tejas, Rafale and Sukhoi-30 MKI aircraft.
• Climate change and non-native species: a study in Nature Ecology and Evolution found non-native species fare better than native species during extreme weather events due to higher reproduction rates and adaptability, increasing ecological disruption under climate change.