E955e-6 Current Affairs June 2022
E955e-6 Current Affairs June 2022
E955e-6 Current Affairs June 2022
Particulars Features
Curtailing harmful fishing • There would be no limitation on subsidies granted or maintained by developing or least-
subsidies on illegal, unreported developed countries for fishing within their exclusive economic zones (EEZ).
and unregulated (IUU) fishing • Also, technical assistance and capacity building shall be provided to such countries through
for the next four years the WTO Fisheries Funding Mechanism.
Global Food Security • Binding decision to exempt food purchased by the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP)
for humanitarian purposes, from any export restrictions to address food shortages.
E-commerce transmissions like • Members agreed to continue the long standing moratorium on custom duties on e-
music, e-books, films etc. commerce transmissions until the subsequent Ministerial Conference or until March,
2024, whichever is earlier.
Covid-19 vaccine • Temporary waiver of certain requirements under the Agreement on Trade-Related
Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) concerning the use of compulsory licences
to produce covid-19 vaccines for 5 years.
Sanitary and Phytosanitary • The Declaration commits WTO members to launching a work programme to identify new
(SPS) Declaration challenges in the implementation of the WTO's SPS Agreement.
2.4. BRICS
Why in news?
BRICS Leaders adopted the ‘Beijing Declaration’ in 14th BRICS Summit, convened under the Chairmanship of China, in
virtual format.
Highlights of the Summit
• India proposed initiatives: India
called for strengthening of the
BRICS Identity and proposed
establishment of Online
Database for BRICS documents,
BRICS Railways Research
Network, and strengthening
cooperation between MSMEs.
o India will be organizing BRICS
Startup event this year to
strengthen connection
between Startups in BRICS
countries.
• Denial of Safe Haven to
Corruption: BRICS welcomed the
BRICS Initiative on Denial of Safe
Haven to Corruption which
further strengthen anti-
corruption capacity building
through education and training programs and enhance anti-corruption exchanges and cooperation within
multilateral frameworks.
19 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS
About BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa)
• The BRICS grouping aims to promote peace, security, development and cooperation in the world.
• It also aims at making a positive impact on the development of humanity and establishing a more equitable and
fairer world.
• The notion behind the coinage of BRICS was that the nations' economies would come to collectively dominate global
growth by 2050.
• Recently, Iran and Argentina have applied to join the BRICS mechanism. This could be the first expansion of the
group since South Africa was included in 2010.
Opportunities for India in BRICS
• Economic and trade interests: Intra-BRICS trade, while modest, presents opportunities for India in key markets,
including China, which remains an important commercial partner despite security tensions. India also supports the
BRICS goal of shielding members from the economic fallout of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
o Managing relations with China: Groupings like the BRICS and the SCO afford both India and China the opportunity
to “decouple” their strategic contest from the other dimensions of the relationship.
• Multi-aligned foreign policy: Participation in a non-Western grouping balances India’s growing partnerships with
the West.
o India often equates BRICS with its participation in other “Western-led” groupings such as the Quad, which helps
in highlighting its commitment to strategic autonomy and multi-aligned foreign policy.
• Quest for International status: BRICS membership elevates India’s global profile and presents an opportunity to
project India as a truly international player.
Concrete progress made by BRICS
• Establishment of the New Development Bank (NDB) and Contingent Reserve Arrangements (CRA): The agreement for the
establishment of the BRICS NDB as well as CRA worth US$ 100 billion each during the sixth Summit in Fortaleza, Brazil in July
2014.
o NDB, headquartered in Shanghai, has been established with the purpose of mobilising resources for infrastructure and
sustainable development projects in BRICS and other emerging and developing countries.
o The CRA intends to provide liquidity through currency swaps in response to actual or potential short-term balance of
payments crisis.
• IMF reforms: BRICS has succeeded in bringing incremental changes in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) over the years.
The joint efforts of BRICS culminated in the 2010 Reform Proposal on Quota and Governance.
o Subsequently, the quota of the IMF was doubled, with a total 6% share transferred to the emerging and developing
countries. The votes of China, Russia, Brazil, and India was increased and reached a total of 14.18%.
• Increased trade and exports: According to statistics of WTO, the participation of BRICS in global exports more than doubled
between 2001 and 2011, from 8% to 16%. Between 2002 and 2012, intra-BRICS trade increased 922%, from US$ 27 billion to
US$ 276 billion.
• Establishment of wide ranged and multilevel communication mechanisms: The BRICS’ focus has expanded from economic
development to include other issues and cooperation. It has formed a comprehensive communication mechanism through the
leaders’ summit, and meetings of high-level delegates, foreign ministers, financial ministers, and Central Bank Governors.
Issues persisting in BRICS India in BRICS
• Dominant role of China: Presence of China and • India’s notable contribution to BRICS is proposal of the New
Development Bank which was put on the BRICS agenda by India in
the greater role it seeks to assert within the
2012.
group poses major challenge to India. • India also added the Urbanization Forum to BRICS cooperation
o It could use the group as a platform for mechanisms to bring greater focus on intra-BRICS cooperation to
anti-U.S propaganda framed around U.S. learn from each other’s experience in tackling challenges of rapid
sanctions on Russia and broader U.S. urbanization faced by all BRICS members.
hegemony. This would go against India as • India institutionalized the practice of holding BRICS Academic
it seeks to avoid being seen as part of an Forum meetings as preparatory meetings feeding into the Summit
anti-U.S. bloc. agenda by hosting the first such meeting in 2009.
o Lack in upholding commitments to
sovereign equality and territorial integrity: With China challenging the territorial status quo all around its
20 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS
periphery, including along its border with India, and Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, it is increasingly
becoming difficult for the BRICS members to rally around the principles that laid the foundations of this
grouping.
• Bilateral differences: BRICS continues to face the challenges of the lack of a binding ideology and diversity in
terms of socio-cultural and political systems. There are wide disparities among the five nations and also bilateral
differences, posing challenges for intra-BRICS consensus.
• Trade related challenges: India’s total trade with the BRICS countries in 2018-19 stood at $ 114.1 billion and a
majority of this was because of its bilateral trade with China which stood at $ 87.1 billion.
o The reasons for the low trade can be attributed to geographical distance which increases the time and cost to
export.
o Restrictive trade environments is another major reason for low trade with BRICS countries. While the BRICS
economies have significantly reduced tariff rates over the years, import restrictions in terms of non-tariff barriers
exist.
o China’s dominance in terms of trade within the BRICS is another issue for India and forms a hurdle for any
opportunities that India could avail.
• Slow progress on multilateral reforms: BRICS may have raised the issue of UNSC reform but this is more
declaratory in nature than a serious attempt to overhaul the UNSC. Reforms of the global multilateral order has
been put on the backburner.
• Others:
o BRICS economies share some domestic and socio-economic challenges that must be addressed independently of
their group activism, viz. inequality (economic, social and political), corruption, improvements in health care
and education, and human rights.
o With parallel groupings like IBSA (India, Brazil and South Africa) already at work, a major challenge for BRICS is to
neatly manage the overlap in mandates that can arise in such situations.
Road Ahead
• Overcome diversities and seek common interest: The BRICS, through the BRICS-plus framework, can provide a
gateway to alternative liberalisation and economic integration impulses vis-a-vis the developed world.
• Enhance the efficiency of BRICS institutions via contested multilateralism: The rise of NDB like mechanisms will
further elevate the standing of developing countries on the international stage. Such burgeoning multilateral
financial mechanisms, together with the WB and IMF will compete and cooperate in innovation.
• Reprioritising Counterterrorism in BRICS agenda: Despite the divergent foreign and security policy priorities of the
BRICS states, the group unanimously acknowledges terrorism as a serious threat to their national, regional and
international security.
• Strengthening cooperation: There is a greater need to formalise BRICS cooperation on global financial sector
reforms and be assertive in norm-setting that leads to financial flows earmarked for separate needs, such as climate
change mitigation, resilient and sustainable infrastructure, and green technologies.
o The BRICS must support post-pandemic growth and development in emerging countries and push for much
enhanced multilateral efforts by furthering its deep connect with the Global South.
• CDS was created to increase efficiency & coordination among the Armed Forces and reduce duplication.
• Aimed to
o Achieve better results at all levels through effective coordination between the Armed Forces and the Civil
Services.
o Help facilitate inter-service integration and better civilian-military coordination in the Nation's Higher Defence
Organisation.
o Strengthen the process of Joint Planning, Operations and Procurement, thereby making Armed Forces more
effective and efficient.
• CDS does not exercise any military command, including over the three Service Chiefs, so as to be able to provide
impartial advice to the political leadership.
59 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS
Need of CDS
Duties and functions of CDS include
• Better advice to political executive: CDS • To head the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) in Ministry of
rises above inter-services rivalry and Defence (MoD) and function as its Secretary.
provide holistic advice on critical issues • To act as the Principal Military Advisor to Defence Minister on all Tri-
such as joint strategy and planning, Service matters.
weapons procurement, manpower • To function as the Permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff
allocation and joint operations. Committee and to administer the Tri-Service
o Can act as an arbitrator when the organizations/agencies/commands.
Chiefs of Staff express divergent views • To be a member of Defence Acquisition Council (chaired by Defence
on an issue, such as the use of military Minister) and function as the Military Advisor to the Nuclear Command
resources in the battlefield. Authority.
• To ensure optimal utilisation of infrastructure and rationalise it
• Integration of armed forces: CDS is
through jointness among the Services.
principally responsible for getting the • To implement Five-Year Defence Capital Acquisition Plan and Two-
armed forces better integrated rather Year roll-on Annual Acquisition Plans, as a follow up of Integrated
than operating in silos. Capability Development Plan.
o The job includes the creation of new • Bring about reforms in the functioning of three Services aimed at
military commands which integrate augmenting combat capabilities of the Armed Forces.
armed forces to fight together.
• Constantly changing security dynamic: Requires India’s military needs to be efficient in combat and in averting
adversaries, which is achievable only if the military is integrated.
• Prioritizing procurement: CDS can help meet country’s military requirements in a manner that operational
capabilities of forces are not compromised, and at the same time, needs are met with the available monetary
resources.
• Global similarity: Many major countries of the world have created the post of CDS to bring more jointness and
integration in their Armed Forces. These include Italy, France, China, UK, USA, Canada, and Japan.
Challenges
• Other pending reforms might make it less effective: Without other structural reforms, including creation of unified
theatre commands, questions are bound to be raised about the wisdom of appointing a CDS.
• Domination of Army: It is argued that CDS will establish the Army’s domination and other services may be reduced
to a supporting role.
• Balancing procurement requirements in the current procurement ecosystem. For example, while the Air Force is
embarking on a programme for 114 new fighters, the Navy is running a parallel and unrelated procurement
programme. This runs contrary to what the office of the CDS was set up for.
• Gender balance in forces: CDS will have to deal with involving women in the military following the recent court order
barring gender discrimination.
Conclusion
With the creation of CDS, India embarked upon a much-delayed process of integration of the armed forces and the
defence establishment.
CDS holds key to modernization of forces and therefore must be supplemented by other structural reforms such as
indigenous R&D, production of equipment, fostering innovation etc. to improve the future readiness of the forces.
• National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights 6.4.13. NATIONAL TRIBAL RESEARCH
(NCPCR) has published draft guidelines to safeguard INSTITUTE (NTRI)
children in movies, TV shows, social media, OTT
platforms etc. from physical and psychological stress. • The Home Minister inaugurated the NTRI in New Delhi.
o It will work as a premier national level institute
• Key provisions
and nerve-centre of tribal concerns, issues and
o Producers must get a district magistrate's
matters in academic, executive and legislative
approval before including a child in a shoot.
fields.
o Production facilities must make sure that the
o It will provide policy inputs to the Ministry of
workplace is secure and that kids aren't exposed
Tribal Affairs and State Welfare Departments with
to hazardous lighting, irritating chemicals, or
studies and programs to showcase tribal cultural
tainted cosmetics.
heritage under one umbrella.
o A minimum of 20% of child's earnings from the
o It will collaborate and network with other
event must be promptly put into a fixed deposit
institutions and monitor projects of Tribal
account in child's name.
Research Institutes (TRIs), Centres of Excellence
6.4.11. WHO RELEASES WORLD MENTAL (CoEs), etc.
HEALTH REPORT 6.4.14. NATIONAL AIR SPORTS POLICY
Key findings (NASP) 2022
• Almost a billion people, 14% of whom were • Ministry of Civil Aviation (MCA) recently launched
adolescents, were living with some form of mental National Air Sports Policy (NASP) 2022.
health issues in 2019. • NASP is aimed at providing a safe, affordable and
• Globally, 71% of psychosis patients don’t receive sustainable air sports ecosystem in the country.
treatment. o Its vision is to include India among the top air
• Progress towards Comprehensive Mental Health sporting nations by 2030.
Action Plan (CMHAP) 2013–2030 has been slow. o Eleven air sports including Aerobatics, aero
o Adopted by all the 194 members, CMHAP aims to modelling and rocketry, ballooning, parachuting,
promote mental well-being, prevent mental paragliding and para-motoring etc. will be
disorders, etc. promoted.
• 3 key ways to achieve CMHAP • Objective of NASP, 2022
o Focussed investment in mental health o Enable adoption of international good practices in
o Reshaping environments such as homes, safety including but not limited to, air sports
communities, schools, workplaces and health care infrastructure, equipment, operations,
services maintenance and training.
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI): It has been mandated by the Food Safety Standards Act, 2006 for performing
the following functions.
• Framing of regulations to lay down the standards and guidelines for articles of food and system of enforcing various standards.
• Laying down mechanisms and guidelines for accreditation of certification bodies for certification of food safety management
system for food businesses and accreditation of laboratories and notification of the accredited laboratories.
• To provide scientific advice and technical support to Central Government and State Governments for framing the policy and
rules related to food safety and nutrition.
• Collect and collate data regarding food consumption, incidence and prevalence of biological risk, contaminants in food,
residues of various contaminants in food products, identification of emerging risks and introduction of rapid alert system.
• Creating an information network across the country so that the public, consumers, Panchayats, etc., receive rapid, reliable
and objective information about food safety and issues of concern.
• Contribute to the development of international technical standards for food, sanitary and phyto-sanitary standards.
106 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS
Concerns related with food safety
• Inefficient food testing labs: Currently, India has handful accredited labs
about 28 in north, 25 in west, 24 in south and five in the eastern region,
which are very less compared to food products and its demand. Also, these
labs are lacking in required infrastructure and trained human resources.
• Environmental and climate change: Increased climate variability, increased
frequency and intensity of extreme events, use of excessive fertilisers
causing environmental pollution and climate change, which deteriorating
the food quality and resulting to food safety issues.
• New and emerging variants and antibiotic resistance: Due to multiple
mutations there is emergence of new variants of plant disease causing
germs. Also, developed antibiotic resistance are causing threat to food
safety and security.
• Changes in consumer preferences and habits: Lack of awareness regarding
handling and storage of foods in the domestic environment and preference
for processed food with additives and ready to eat food causing major
issues of food safety.
Various initiatives in regard to food safety
• Burden of population and food security: Population
• Eat Right India: It is movement to ensure safe, healthy
growth is an important driver of increased food demand and sustainable food for all Indians with tagline ‘Sahi
and security, but such increased demand directly and Bhojan Behtar Jeevan’ and following initiatives;
indirectly affecting the food safety. o Eat Right Research Awards and Grants
Ways to maintain food safety o Eat Right Creativity Challenge
• Eat Right Campus
• Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP): GMP is a good • Blissful Hygienic Offering to God (BHOG): Encourage
business tool that helps to refine compliance and places of worship to adopt and maintain food safety
performance by the manufacturers/producers. and hygiene in preparation, serving and sale of prasad.
o It is necessary to ensure that • Hygiene Rating of Restaurants: It is a universal system
manufacturers/processors take proactive steps to recognized all over India and provides a single
ensure that their products are safe by eliminating benchmark to rate all fresh food businesses.
contamination and false labelling, thereby protecting the consumer.
• Sanitation Standard Operating Procedure (SSOP): SSOP are written procedures developed and implemented in a
facility to prevent direct contamination or adulteration of the products.
o The facility is required to maintain these written procedures on file, and these must be available to regulating or
government bodies upon request.
• Good Hygiene Practices (GHP): GHP are generally called the prerequisite measures and include an exhaustive list of
measures for staff personal hygiene and training. This ensures that safety practices are used and maintained in food
preparation environment.
• Good Handling Practices: It indicate a comprehensive approach from the farm to the store or consumer, in order to
identify potential sources of risk and indicates what steps and procedures are taken to minimise the risk of
contamination.
• Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP): HACCP is a means of providing assurance about safety of food. In this
each individual step in a specific process of food chain like raw material procurement, manufacturing, distribution,
usage of food products are considered in detail and evaluated for its potential to contribute to the development of
pathogenic microorganisms or other food hazards.
• Food irradiation: It is the application of ionizing radiation to food that improves the safety and extends the shelf life
of foods by reducing or eliminating microorganisms and insects.
Autonomous Car
Imagine an autonomous car with broken brakes going at full speed towards a grand-mother and
a child. By deviating a little, one can be saved. Whom would you choose? (Example of ethical
dilemma involved in creating such decision systems)
AI creates Art
Who will be designated as the author? The company which orchestrated the project, the engineers, the
algorithm, or…we all as a collective race? (Example of absence of responsibility and accountability norms for
machines and robots)
AI in the court of law
The use of AI in judicial systems around the world is increasing, creating more ethical questions
to explore. AI could presumably evaluate cases and apply justice in a better, faster, and more
efficient way than a judge. But will it be neutral, will it uphold human rights and fundamental
values? (Example of an efficient but unpredictable use of AI)