1. INDIA-UK FTA ON GI TAG (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – IR)

Context:  Recently, the unresolved issue of the UK's demand for a higher level of protection for its GI products from the agriculture sector under the proposed free trade agreement (FTA) with India has gained attention as talks for the pact continue to iron out differences.

Key Points

• India normally provides general protection for violation of GI rules, but the UK is seeking a higher level of protection.
• GI is an intellectual property right. On this subject, under a free trade agreement, normally two countries include rules prescribed in the TRIPS and do not go beyond that.
• India has been advocating for extended protection to other products beyond wines and spirits to prevent misuse of its labels like Basmati rice by other countries.
• The famous Indian goods carrying GI tag include Basmati rice, Darjeeling Tea, Chanderi Fabric, Mysore Silk, Kullu Shawl, Kangra Tea, Thanjavur Paintings, and Kashmir Walnut Wood Carving.
• British GI products include Scotch whisky, Stilton cheese and Cheddar cheese.

Geographical Indication (GI) Tag

• About:  It is a symbol used on items that come from a particular geographical area and have qualities or a reputation linked to that place of origin.
• Nodal Ministry: Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• Tenure: 10 Years
• Regulated By: Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration & Protection) Act, 1999.
• The World Trade Organization’s Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) also regulates Geographical Indications.
• India’s First GI Product: Darjeeling Tea (2004-05)

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2. INDIRA GANDHI PRIZE FOR PEACE (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Governance)

Context: The Indian Medical Association and the Trained Nurses Association of India were recently jointly awarded the prestigious Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament, and Development in 2022, recognizing their significant role as representatives of the COVID-19 warriors in the country.

Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace

• About: The prestigious award, known as the Indira Gandhi Peace Prize, is named after the former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
• Annual Conferment: Since 1986, it has been conferred annually by the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust.
• Recognition of Creative Efforts: This prize also recognized as the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament, and Development, is bestowed by the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust to honor individuals or organizations. 
• Promotion of International Peace: The award acknowledges endeavors that contribute to the promotion of international peace, ensuring that scientific discoveries are utilized for the greater good of humanity, and expanding the scope of freedom.
• Prize: Recipients of the Indira Gandhi Peace Prize are honored with a substantial cash award of 2.5 million Indian rupees along with a citation.
• First Prize was Awarded: Parliamentarians for Global Action in 1986.
• The Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace 2021: NGO Pratham.

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3. LOGISTICS PERFORMANCE INDEX (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: Recently, a crucial meeting was convened under the chairpersonship of Special Secretary (Logistics), DPIIT, MoCI, focusing on Measures Taken and Action Plan to enhance India's Logistics Performance Index (LPI) ranking, bringing together nodal officers from the LPI dedicated cell established in eleven Stakeholder Ministries/Departments.

Logistics Performance Index (LPI)

• About: It is an interactive benchmarking tool that helps countries identify the challenges and opportunities they face in their performance on trade logistics.
• Released by: World Bank
• LPI 2023 Total Countries: 139
• Parameters: (i) Customs., (ii) Infrastructure (iii) Ease of arranging shipments (iv) Quality of logistics services (v) Tracking and Tracing, and (vi) Timeliness
• India’s Rank in 2023: 38th by jumping 6 places in 2023.

India’s Logistics Sector

• Contribution to GDP: 15%
• Logistics Cost: 13-14% of GDP (compared to 7-8% in developed countries).
• Impact on Exports: A 10% decrease in logistics cost can increase 5-8% of exports.
• Sub-National level: The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has been conducting LEADS (Logistics Ease Across Different States) study since 2018 which helps to identify and resolve logistics inefficiencies and improve trade facilitation across supply chains.

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4. ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci & Tech - Diseases)

Context: Recently, the global community came together to observe the World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week, which took place from November 18-24, 2023.

Antimicrobial Resistance

• About: It refers to the acquired resistance of microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites etc., to the effectiveness of antimicrobial drugs utilized for infection treatment. 

oIn this, microorganisms evolve over time, rendering them unresponsive to medications. 

oThis, in turn, complicates the treatment of infections, elevates the likelihood of disease transmission, and raises the potential for severe illness and mortality.

• Causes: Injudicious use of antibiotic, self-medication, industry pollution, untreated disposal of sewage water bodies, etc.
• Threat: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is ranked as one of the biggest global health threats.

Global efforts against AMR: Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (GAP), World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW), Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) etc.

India’s Efforts Against AMR

• National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (2017-21) highlighted the government's success in promoting hand hygiene and sanitation through initiatives like Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Kayakalp, and Swachh Swasth Sarvatra.
• The 2017 National Health Policy provided clear directives on antibiotic usage, restricting over-the-counter access and curbing antibiotic use for livestock.
• Red Line awareness campaign: Urging people not to use medicines marked with a red vertical line, including antibiotics, without a doctor’s prescription.

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5. PM MUDRA YOJANA (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Government Scheme)

Context: The Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister of India recently emphasized that women entrepreneurs are accorded first priority under the Centre's flagship Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana scheme, which offers financial assistance to beneficiaries.

Pradhan Mantras Mudra Yojana Scheme

• About: Initially, Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) offers unsecured loans of up to 10 lakh to small/micro enterprises that are non-corporate and non-farm in nature.
• Launched: In 2015
• Objective: To encourage young people to become 1st generation entrepreneurs.
• Eligible Banks for Loan: Banks, NBFCs, Micro finance Institutions (MFIs) and financial intermediaries as notified by MUDRA Ltd.
• Loan Instruments:
• Shishu: covers loans up to Rs 50,000/-
• Kishor: covers loans above Rs 50,000/- and upto Rs. 5 lakh
• Tarun: covers loans above Rs 5 lakh and up to Rs 10 lakh

Achievements of PMMY

• The Mudra Scheme has generated eight crore new entrepreneurs. 
• The scheme has effectively connected India's microfinance and banking sectors by extending loans to micro-entrepreneurs. 
• Addressing the sub-culture of poverty, the PMMY has rapidly diminished its presence in a short span of time.

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6. PGII (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Internation Relations)

Context: The Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Textiles recently participated in the Investor Forum of the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII) & and Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF).

Partnership for Global Infrastructure Investment (PGII)

• About: It is a West-led initiative for funding infrastructure projects across the world, seen as a counter to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
• Announced: June 2021, during the G7 (or Group of Seven) summit in the UK. In 2022, during the G7 summit in Germany, the PGII was officially launched as a joint initiative to help fund infrastructure projects in developing countries through public and private investments.
• G7 Countries: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.
• Aim: To mobilise nearly $600 billion from the G7 by 2027 to invest in critical infrastructure that improves lives and delivers real gains for all of our people.”

Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF)

• History: The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) was launched by United States (US) in Tokyo at the QUAD summit on May 23, 2022.
• Aim: The framework intends to “advance resilience, sustainability, inclusiveness, economic growth, fairness, and competitiveness” in these economies.

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7. E-BUS SEWA SCHEME (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Government Scheme)

Context: Recently, states and union territories such as Maharashtra, Gujarat, Bihar, and Jammu & Kashmir, among others, have been announced as the initial recipients of electric buses under the PM-eBus Sewa scheme.

PM-eBus Sewa Scheme

• About: Its goal is to improve efficiency in urban transportation and advocate for environmentally friendly practices.
• Coverage: The scheme will cover cities of Three lakh and above population as per census 2011 including all the Capital cities of Union Territories, North Eastern Region and Hill States. 
• Funding: estimated cost of Rs.57,613 crore
• The Scheme has two segments:

oSegment A – Augmenting the City bus services: (169 cities)

oSegment B– Green Urban Mobility Initiatives (GUMI): (181 cities)

• Other green components: The scheme envisages green initiatives like bus priority, infrastructure, multimodal interchange facilities, NCMC-based Automated Fare Collection Systems, Charging infrastructure, etc.
• Support for Operation: Under the scheme, States/Cities shall be responsible for running the bus services and making payments to the bus operators.  

oThe Central Government will support these bus operations by providing subsidies to the extent specified in the proposed scheme.

o

Steps towards E-Mobility in India

• Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles (FAME) scheme
• National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP)
• National Mission on Transformative Mobility and Battery Storage
• Vehicle Scrappage Policy.

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8. RARE EARTH MINERALS (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: Recently, the Indian government announced its initiative to spur innovation in the mining sector by offering grants of ₹5 crore to startups and ₹10 crore to incubators, aiming to boost research and development in the extraction of critical and rare earth minerals.

Rare Earth Minerals

• About: Rare earth elements or metals comprise a group of 17 chemical elements in the periodic table.

oThese elements include the 15 lanthanides, along with scandium and yttrium, which are often found in the same ore deposits as the lanthanides and share similar chemical properties.

• Reserves and Production: China is the leading contributor to rare earth production, followed by Brazil and Vietnam (18% each) and Russia (15%).
• India’s Scenario: India has 6% of the world’s rare earth reserves. It only produces 1% of global output
• Classification of REEs: Light RE elements (LREE) and heavy RE elements (HREE).

Significance of Rare Earth Minerals

• Essential minerals such as Cobalt, Nickel, and Lithium are necessary for the production of batteries used in electric vehicles.
• India, with its ambitious plan to transition a significant portion of its transportation to electric, will have an increased demand for these minerals.
• Cerium, utilized for glass polishing, and lanthanum, employed in car catalysts or optical lenses, represent traditional applications of these minerals.

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9. SEA BUCKTHORN (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy/Environment)

Context: Recently, the Government of India officially granted the Geographical Indication (GI) tag to 'Ladakh Sea Buckthorn,' following the recognition of GI tags for Apricot (Raktsey Karpo), Pashmina, and Ladakhi Wood Carving in the region.

Other Geographical Indication (GI) Tags from Ladakh

• Pashmina,
• Apricot (Raktse Carpo species) and
• Ladakhi wood carvings.

Sea Buckthorn

• About: Hippophaeis the genus of sea buckthorns, deciduous shrubs in the family Elaeagnaceae.
• Globally Distribution: Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) is a plant widely distributed throughout Europe and Asia.
• India: Himalayan region, specifically in dry areas like the cold deserts of Ladakh and Spiti.
• Characteristics: The plant produces small orange or yellow berries that are sour in taste but are particularly rich in vitamins, especially vitamin C.

oSea buckthorn can endure extreme temperatures ranging from minus 43 degrees Celsius to 40 degrees Celsius, showcasing its resilience to harsh conditions, making it an ideal plant for cold deserts.

• Uses: Leaves of sea buckthorn provide protein-rich fodder for animals like sheep, goats, donkeys, cattle, and double-humped camels in cold desert regions.
• The berries of sea buckthorn serve as a crucial food source for various bird species, especially in times when alternative food sources are scarce.
• Due to its versatile applications and ecological significance, sea buckthorn is popularly known as the 'Wonder Plant,' 'Ladakh Gold,' 'Golden Bush,' or 'Gold Mine' of cold deserts.

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10. GTC INDEX (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Social Issues – Education & Skill)

Context: The Global Talent Competitiveness Index has seen India fall sharply down from rank 83 ten years ago to rank 103 in its latest report out earlier this month.

Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI)

• About: The report is a comprehensive annual benchmarking report that measures how countries and cities grow, attract and retain talent.

o It provides a unique resource for decision makers to understand the global talent competitiveness picture and develop strategies to boost their economies. 

• Launched in:  2013.
• Countries: 134 countries.
• Published By: INSEAD
• Two Sub-Indices:  Input and output. The input measures regulatory and business environments, as well as steps being taken to foster talent and retain it. The output side evaluates the quality of talent.

Highlights of GTCI 2023

• Top three positions: Singapore, Switzerland, and the United States.
• Among the BRICS countries: India is ranked 103, marking the lowest position within the group. China leads the BRICS nations at rank 40, followed by Russia at 52, South Africa at 68, and Brazil at 69.
• Others: The report highlights positive advancements in the index among other emerging nations, specifically noting improvements in China, Indonesia, and Mexico.

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