Current Affairs Analysis – 21.February.2020

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India ranked 77th on the Sustainability Index as per UN report

Context :

India secured 77th rank on the Sustainability Index and 131st on the Flourishing Index in the UN report that was commissioned by a Commission of World Health Organization (WHO), UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and The Lancet. The report was released by over 40 child and adolescent health experts from around the world. 

Report Highlights :

  • The report considered per capita carbon emissions and the ability of children in a nation to live healthy lives.
  • The flourishing index measured the best chance at survival and well-being for children.
  • The report assessed 180 countries capacity to ensure that their youngsters can survive and thrive.
  • The domains that were considered are educational achievement, growth and nutrition, reproductive freedom, and protection from violence.
  • The Sustainability Index ranked the selected countries on excess carbon emissions compared with the 2030 target. 
  • The report highlighted that the world’s survival is depended on the well being of the children, and their ability to flourish. But no country in the world is doing enough to provide the children a sustainable future.

Indias first private gold mine to be set up in Jonnagiri, Andhra Pradesh

Context :

India’s first private gold mine operation will begin in the last quarter of 2021 at Jonnagiri in Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh.

The land acquisition for the mining project is expected to be completed in the next six months. Geomysore Services India Pvt Ltd is in the process of acquiring the land by negotiating with farmers and completing exploratory mining.

Gold Mine operation :

  • Geomysore company has acquired a mining lease for 1,500 acres in Jonnagiri. 
  • The company has started the land acquisition process for 350 acres. The processing plant will be set up in 10 months to start production. 
  • The company has agreed to pay Rs.10 lakh (will be paid upfront) plus Rs.2 lakh (will be paid in the first year of production as a bonus) for each acre to the farmers. 
  • So far, the company has invested Rs.160 crore into the exploration. It is expecting investments of Rs.300 crore more.

India ranks 35th in 2019 WEFFI list

Context :

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) published Worldwide Educating for the Future Index (WEFFI) 2019. India jumped five ranks and secured 35th rank in the list. 

Worldwide Educating for the Future Index (WEFFI) 2019

  • WEFFI ranked countries that are based on their abilities to equip students with skill-based education.
  • It analyzed the education system from the perspective of skill-based education in areas like problem-solving, critical thinking, collaboration, leadership, creativity and entrepreneurship, and digital and technical skills.
  • India scored 53, based on three categories namely policy environment (56.3), teaching environment (52.2) and overall socio-economic environment (32.2). In 2018, India scored 41.2 and secured 40th rank. 
  • The report highlighted that the decentralized education system is another shortcoming of India’s education policy.

WEFFI :


The WEFFI report and index were commissioned by the Yidan Prize Foundation. It ranks 50 economies, which represent nearly 93% of global Gross domestic product (GDP) and 89% of the world’s population. It analyses the methods a country uses to equip the people aged 15-24 with skills for the future.


Statehood Day of Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh

Context :

On 21st February (1987) two new States of Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh came into being as the 23rd and 24th states of the Indian Union respectively.

Mizoram :

  • The Mizo hills area became the Lushai Hills district within Assam at the time of independence. Further, in 1954 it was renamed the Mizo Hills District of Assam.
  • The growing discontent due to the Mautam famine (1959-1961), the movement began for independence under a Mizo leader named, Laldenga.
  • The Mizo National Front (MNF) under Laldenga’s leadership intensified the movement for secession from Assam when Nagaland was given separate status as a Central Government Administrative Agency in 1957 and statehood in 1963.
  • After signing an accord with the moderates of the MNF the Union Government established Mizoram with the status of a Union Territory in 1972.
  • The Union Territory of Mizoram was conferred the status of a full state after signing of a memorandum of settlement (Mizoram Peace Accord) between the Central government and the Mizo National Front, ending the two-decade-old Insurgency.
  • Mizoram was granted statehood by the State of Mizoram Act, 1986.

Arunachal Pradesh

  • The area of Arunachal Pradesh was integrated into Assam at the time of independence. But the presence of China with an unsettled border made the area militarily important for the government.
  • The area was upgraded to the Union Territory of Arunachal Pradesh in 1972 and was granted statehood by the State of Arunachal Pradesh Act, 1986 in 1987.

Assisted Reproductive Technology Regulation Bill

Context :

Cabinet clears Assisted Reproductive Technology Regulation Bill, aims to regulate IVF clinics.

Overview and key features of the Bill:

  • It would lead to the creation of a national board to lay down and implement a code of conduct for people working at IVF clinics.
  • Determines the minimum standards of physical infrastructure, laboratory, diagnostic equipment and expert manpower to be employed by ART clinics and banks.
  • The bill intends to make genetic testing of the embryo mandatory before implantation for the benefit of the child born through ART.
  • It also seeks to streamline the cryo-preservation processes for sperm, oocytes and embryo.
  • It also proposes to constitute a national registry and registration authority to maintain a central database and assist the national board in its functioning.
  • The bill proposes stringent punishment for those “practising sex selection, sale of human embryos or gametes and running agencies/rackets/organisations for such unlawful practices.

Background :

According to a registry maintained by the Indian Council of Medical Research, there are 1,269 ART clinics in India (as on November, 2019). The number swells up to 1,846 when ART clinics and ART banks are taken together. Maharashtra has the maximum number of ART clinics (266) followed by Tamil Nadu (164), Delhi (113), Karnataka (102), Uttar Pradesh (92) and Gujarat (80).

Need for a legislation in this regard :

The need to regulate the ART services is to protect the affected women and children from exploitation. Registration with the ICMR is a voluntary exercise at the moment because of which many clinics don’t take the trouble and prefer opacity while offering infertility treatment.

Significance:

The major benefit of the act would be regulation of the assisted reproductive technology services in the country. Consequently, infertile couples will be more ensured and confident of the ethical practices in ART clinics.

What is ART? Why it is in demand :

Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), as commonly understood, comprises procedures such as in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), intra-uterine insemination (IUI), oocyte and sperm donation, cryopreservation and includes surrogacy as well.

Social stigma of being childless and lengthy adoption processes have increased the demand for ART in India. It is thus not surprising that the ART industry is expected to grow by a compounded annual growth rate of 10%.

Sources: pib