Current Affair 1:

India-Brazil-South Africa Dialogue Forum (IBSA)

 

IBSA is a unique Forum which brings together India, Brazil and South Africa, three large democracies and major economies from three different continents, facing similar challenges. All three countries are developing, pluralistic, multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, multi-lingual and multi-religious nations.

The grouping was formalized and named the IBSA Dialogue Forum when the Foreign Ministers of the three countries met in Brasilia on 6 June 2003 and issued the Brasilia Declaration. India is current IBSA Chair.

Five IBSA Leadership Summits have been held so far. The 5th IBSA Summit was held in Pretoria on 18 October 2011.

India is the incumbent IBSA Chair and will be hosting the 6th IBSA Summit on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in November 2022.

The IBSA Fund is a special feature of IBSA collaboration. The IBSA facility for poverty and hunger alleviation (IBSA Fund) was established jointly by India, Brazil and South Africa in March 2004. It has since its inception, allocated over US $44 million, supporting 39 South-South cooperation development projects in 35 partner countries with the majority being Least Developed Countries.

Current Affair 2:

Government Data Roundup

 

Report 1: National List of Essential Medicines 2022

The National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) is a key dynamic document impacting the health and medical needs of the population. The central aim of this list is to promote the rational use of medicines and ensure their adequate availability. First formulated in 1996, NLEM has undergone revisions in 2003, 2011 and 2015 before the latest revision in 2022.

Below are the criteria for making any changes to the list:

Key Highlights:

1. A total of 384 drugs categorized in 27 drug classes are included in NLEM 2022. Compared to NLEM 2015, 26 drugs are removed, & 34 new drugs are added to this list.
2. Commonly used disinfectant Bleaching powder, and ‘ranitidine’, which is commonly used as a gastrointestinal drug is popular among those removed from NLEM 2022.
3. Four major anti-cancer drugs (bendamustine hydrochloride (leukemia), irinotecan HCl Trihydrate (pancreatic cancer), lenalidomide(myeloma), leuprolide acetate (prostate and uterine cancer), Insulin glargine, and anti-diabetic drug ‘teneligliptin’ are among the major ones to be included in NLEM 2022.

Report 2: National Logistics Policy 2022

Logistics serve as a bloodline to a nation’s economic development. Logistics form the epicentre of the entire trade- both internal and external. However, the high cost of logistics in India is a serious constraint in competing on a global scale.

India’s cost of logistics comes to around 12% of GDP, which is way higher than many developed countries. India has been ranked 44th in the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index 2018. Therefore, to reduce the costs, and make the entire industry efficient, the National Logistics Policy has been launched.

Key highlights:

Four Significant steps under NLP:

• Integration of Digital System (IDS) – Digital integration of seven departments
• Unified Logistics Interface Platform (ULIP) – Real-time exchange of information.
• Ease of Logistics (ELOG) – Promoting accountability and transparency
• System Improvement Group – Constant monitoring of logistic-related projects

1. Estimates indicate that the Indian logistics market would increase in value from $160 billion to $215 billion in the following two years. Accordingly, the NLP aims to bring down the cost of logistics from 16% of GDP to an average of 8% by 2030 and make it comparable to the global benchmark.
2. NLP also focuses on the employability of the logistics sector. It aims to generate an additional 10-15 million jobs in the logistics ecosystem.
3. Focuses on integrating academia and research with industry by creating a Centre of Excellence, and thereby promoting innovation in the logistics sector.

 

Report 3: Draft Indian Telecommunication Bill, 2022

India has the second-largest telecommunications ecosystem in the world. Over 4 million people are employed in the telecommunications industry, which accounts for around 8% of the nation’s GDP. The Indian Telegraph Act, of 1885 serves as the foundation for the current regulatory structure for the telecommunications industry.

Key Highlights:

1. The draft bill consolidates three British-era laws: Indian Telegraph Act 1885, Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act 1933, & The Telegraph Wires, (Unlawful Protection) Act 1950.
2. Over-the-top (OTT) communication services like WhatsApp, Signal, and Telegram are included under the ambit of telecommunication services, making it mandatory for a government license to conduct business like other telecom companies.
3. The Bill stipulates that a user receiving a message sent over telecom services must be aware of the sender’s identity to prevent cyber fraud.
4. As per the draft, the assigned spectrum will return to the Centre’s management if a telecom business that is in possession of it experiences bankruptcy or insolvency.
5. The proposed legislation would streamline the process for mergers, acquisitions, demergers, & other such types of restructuring “by just needing intimation to the licensing body.”
6. The draft bill does away with the provision to obtain views of TRAI before issuing the license to a service provider.

 

Report 4: First Advance Estimates of production foodgrains for 2022-23

The advanced estimate of agriculture production presents a detailed estimation of the production of agricultural products in a financial year and its share in the GDP. The data pertaining to the production of major crops including pulses, foodgrains, oilseeds, sugarcane, jute, cotton, etc., are provided in the report. Data from 2008-09 to 2020-21 is available alongside the estimates for 2021-22.

Key Highlights of the report:

1. The production of Foodgrains in the country for 2022-23 is estimated at 149.92 million tonnes which is less than the target of 163.15 million tonnes. The production during 2021-22 is higher by 5 million tonnes compared to the previous year’s production.
2. Total production of Rice during 2021-22 (fourth advance estimates) is estimated at a record 130.29 million tonnes which is higher than 2020-21’s production by approximately 6 million tonnes.
3. Total Pulses production during 2021-22 (fourth advance estimates) is estimated at a record 27.69 million tonnes, 2.23 million tonnes more than 2020-21.
4. Total Oilseeds production in the country during 2021-22 (fourth advance estimates) is estimated at a record 37.70 million tonnes which is 1.75 million tonnes more than the production of 35.95 million tonnes during 2020-21.
5. Total production of Sugarcane in the country during 2021-22 (fourth advance estimates) is estimated at record 431.81 million tonnes, which is 26.48 million tonnes more than that of 2020-21.

Current Affair 3:

Asian Palm Oil Alliance (APOA)

 

Asia accounts for around 40% of the global palm oil consumption while Europe accounts for 12% of palm oil trade. Indonesia and Malaysia are the biggest palm oil exporters in the world.

India is the largest importer of palm oil in Asia, accounting for 15% of global imports, followed by China (9%), Pakistan (4%) and Bangladesh (2%).

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