Current Affairs 09 October 2024

Contents:

1. India contributes for Centre of Excellence for Traditional Medicine
2. Asia’s Largest and World’s Highest Imaging Cherenkov Observatory inaugrated
3. India eliminates Trachoma: WHO
4. AI compute procurement norms relaxed by MeitY
5. Government ensures universal supply of fortified rice
6. Concerns of Maoist influx to Odisha

India contributes for Centre of Excellence for Traditional Medicine

Context:

India, the sixth largest global contributor of core funding to the World Health Organisation (WHO), has now committed to give more than $300 million for the organisation’s core programme of work from 2025 to 2028.

• The biggest chunk of $250 million will be spent on the Centre of Excellence for Traditional Medicine.

Relevance:

GS II- Health

Dimensions of the Article:

1. What is traditional medicine?
2. Why has the WHO felt the need to advance knowledge of traditional medicine?

What is traditional medicine?

• The WHO describes traditional medicine as the total sum of the “knowledge, skills and practices indigenous and different cultures have used over time to maintain health and prevent, diagnose and treat physical and mental illness”.
• “Its reach encompasses ancient practices such as acupuncture, ayurvedic medicine and herbal mixtures as well as modern medicines,”
• Traditional medicine in India is often defined as including practices and therapies — such as yoga, Ayurveda, Siddha — that have been part of Indian tradition historically, as well as others — such as homeopathy — that became part of Indian tradition over the years.
• Ayurveda and yoga are practised widely across the country; the Siddha system is followed predominantly in Tamil Nadu and Kerala; the Sowa-Rigpa system is practised mainly in Leh-Ladakh and Himalayan regions such as Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Darjeeling, Lahaul & Spiti.

Why has the WHO felt the need to advance knowledge of traditional medicine?

• The WHO says 170 of its 194 WHO Member States have reported the use of traditional medicine, and these member states have asked for its support in creating a body of “reliable evidence and data on traditional medicine practices and products”.
• It says the Jamnagar centre will serve as the hub, and focus on building a “solid evidence base” for policies and “help countries integrate it as appropriate into their health systems”.

The WHO has flagged many challenges faced by traditional medicine:

• For instance, national health systems and strategies do not yet fully integrate traditional medicine workers, accredited courses and health facilities.
• Second, the WHO has stressed the need to conserve biodiversity and sustainability as about 40% of approved pharmaceutical products today derive from natural substances.
  • For example, the discovery of aspirin drew on traditional medicine formulations using the bark of the willow tree, the contraceptive pill was developed from the roots of wild yam plants and child cancer treatments have been based on the rosy periwinkle.
• Third, the WHO has referred to modernisation of the ways traditional medicine is being studied. Artificial intelligence is now used to map evidence and trends in traditional medicine. “Functional magnetic resonance imaging is used to study brain activity and the relaxation response that is part of some traditional medicine therapies such as meditation and yoga, which are increasingly drawn on for mental health and well-being in stressful times,”
• Fourth, the WHO has said traditional medicine is also being extensively updated by mobile phone apps, online classes, and other technologies. The GCTM will serve as a hub for other countries, and build standards on traditional medicine practices and products.

-Source: The Hindu, The Indian Express       

Asia’s Largest and World’s Highest Imaging Cherenkov Observatory inaugrated

Context:

The Major Atmospheric Cherenkov Experiment (MACE) Observatory has been inaugurated at Hanle, Ladakh.

Relevance:

GS-3 Science and Technology, Space Technology

About MACE:

• MACE is the largest imaging Cherenkov telescope in Asia.
• It is located at an altitude of ~4,300 m and is also the highest of its kind in the world.
• The telescope is indigenously built by BARC with support from ECIL and other Indian industry partners.
• The inaugural of MACE Observatory was a part of the Platinum Jubilee year celebrations of the DAE.
• Significance:
  • The telescope will place India in the forefront of cosmic-ray research globally.
  • It will allow us to study high-energy gamma rays, paving the way for deeper understanding of the universe’s most energetic events.
  • The MACE project plays not only in advancing scientific research but also in supporting the socio-economic development of Ladakh.
  • Students were encouraged to explore careers in astronomy and astrophysics.

-Source: PIB

India eliminates Trachoma: WHO

Context:

The World Health Organization (WHO) has now recognised that India has successfully eliminated trachoma.

Relevance:

GS II: Health

Dimensions of the Article:

1. Details
2. About Trachoma
3. What are Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD)?
4. Government’s efforts regarding NTD

Details:

• The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognised India has successfully eliminated trachoma, a bacterial infection that affects the eyes, as a public health problem.
• India received a citation from World Health Organization South-East Asia at the 77th Regional Conference for eliminating Trachoma.
• India is the third country in South-East Asia Region to reach this important public health milestone.

About Trachoma:

• Trachoma is a devastating eye disease caused by infection with the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis.
• Repeated infections in childhood lead to scarring of the inner side of the upper eyelids, resulting in inward turning of the eyelid margin, with the eyelashes touching the eyeball. This is a painful condition known as trachomatous trichiasis – if left untreated, it can result in visual impairment and blindness.
• Spread:
  • The infection spreads from person to person through contaminated fingers, fomites and flies that have come into contact with discharge from the eyes or nose of an infected person.
  • Environmental risk factors for trachoma transmission include poor hygiene, overcrowded households, and inadequate access to water, and sanitation facilities.
• Elimination:
  • To eliminate trachoma, WHO recommends the SAFE strategy [1] to achieve elimination of trachoma as a public health problem.
• Progress against trachoma and other neglected tropical diseases is alleviating the human and economic burden that they impose on the world’s most disadvantaged communities.
• The 2021–2030 neglected tropical disease road map targets the prevention, control, elimination and eradication of 21 diseases and disease groups by 2030.

What are Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD)?

• Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs)– a diverse group of communicable diseases that prevail in tropical and subtropical conditions in 149 countries – affect more than one billion people and cost developing economies billions of dollars every year.
• Populations living in poverty, without adequate sanitation and in close contact with infectious vectors and domestic animals and livestock are those worst affected.
• Seven of the most common NTDs can be found in a number of countries—primarily in low- and middle-income countries of Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
• Controlling the vectors (e.g., mosquitoes, black flies) that transmit these diseases and improving basic water, sanitation, and hygiene are highly effective strategies against these NTDs.

The NTD Crisis

• NTDs such as dengue, lymphatic filariasis and visceral leishmaniasis (Kala-Azar) afflict 1 billion people worldwide, and yet, are not prioritised in the public health narrative in many parts of the world.
• India bears the largest burden of NTDs in the world, accounting for 40 per cent of the global lymphatic filariasis disease burden and almost a quarter of the world’s visceral leishmaniasis cases.

Government’s efforts regarding NTD

• In recent years, the government has made concerted efforts to address the nation’s NTD burden, especially visceral leishmaniasis and lymphatic filariasis which were slated to be eliminated by 2020 and 2021 respectively.
• India has already eliminated several other NTDs, including guinea worm, trachoma, and yaws.
• Measures taken include Mass Drug Administration (MDA) for lymphatic filariasis prevention in endemic districts and Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) to control the breeding of sandflies that transmit visceral leishmaniasis.
• The Accelerated Plan for Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis (APELF) was launched in 2018, as part of intensifying efforts towards the elimination of NTDs.
• A WHO-supported regional alliance established by the governments of India, Bangladesh, and Nepal in 2005 to expedite early diagnosis and treatment of the most vulnerable populations and improve disease surveillance and control of sandfly populations (Kala-azar).

-Source: The Hindu

AI compute procurement norms relaxed by MeitY

Context:

The Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) has relaxed some provisions in its norms to procure computing capacity for artificial intelligence (AI) solutions.

• The relaxations was on account of a reduction in the annual turnover requirement for companies looking to set up such data centres, and on the computing capacity itself. 
• The decision is part of the Rs 10,370 crore IndiaAI Mission.

Relevance:

GS III: Science and Technology

Dimensions of the Article:

1. IndiaAI Mission
2. Key Highlights of India’s Artificial Intelligence Market
3. Challenges Anticipated for IndiaAI Mission

IndiaAI Mission

Overview: The IndiaAI Mission is a major initiative aimed at building a robust artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure in India. It focuses on enhancing the nation’s capabilities in AI technology, improving data quality, and supporting indigenous AI development. The mission seeks to create an environment conducive to AI innovation and ethical practices while fostering collaboration between industry, academia, and startups.

Key Objectives:

• Establish AI Computing Infrastructure:
  • Build a high-end AI computing ecosystem with over 10,000 Graphics Processing Units (GPUs).
  • Procure 300 to 500 GPUs initially to kickstart the project.
  • Provide essential computing power to Indian startups and researchers.
• Development of Indigenous AI Technologies:
  • Create Large Multimodal Models (LMMs) and foundational models with over 100 billion parameters.
  • Focus on priority sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, and governance.
  • Develop datasets covering major Indian languages.
• Enhance Data Quality:
  • Develop a unified platform to provide seamless access to quality non-personal datasets.
  • Support startups and researchers with high-quality data resources.
• Support AI Startups and Research:
  • Provide streamlined funding access for deep-tech AI startups with approximately Rs 2,000 crore allocated.
  • Foster industry collaboration and support impactful AI startups.
  • Expand AI education with undergraduate, master’s, and Ph.D. programs, and establish Data and AI Labs in smaller cities.
• Promote Ethical AI Practices:
  • Develop guidelines and frameworks to ensure responsible AI practices.
  • Include indigenous tools for project assessment and ethical evaluation.
• Create an AI Marketplace:
  • Establish an AI marketplace to facilitate resource sharing and collaboration among AI stakeholders.

Financials:

• The Union Cabinet approved the mission with a budget of Rs 10,372 crore.
• Close to Rs 2,000 crore has been earmarked specifically for developing foundational models and AI infrastructure.

Significance:

• GPU Utilization: GPUs are crucial for training large-scale AI models and are essential for advanced applications such as machine learning, modeling, media analytics, and cloud gaming.
• Socio-Economic Impact: The mission aims to address critical challenges in various sectors and drive large-scale socio-economic transformation through AI.
• Talent and Innovation: By attracting top talent and fostering industry collaboration, the mission seeks to position India as a global leader in AI technology.

Key Highlights of India’s Artificial Intelligence Market

• Growing AI Adoption:
  • Government Initiatives: The National AI Strategy and the National AI Portal, along with programs like AI for All by NASSCOM, are accelerating AI adoption across sectors.
  • Sector Integration: Key sectors such as healthcare, finance, retail, manufacturing, and agriculture are increasingly integrating AI technologies.
• Significance of Data:
  • Data as a Resource: Clive Humby’s assertion that “data is the new oil” highlights the importance of AI-driven data analytics.
  • Enhanced Insights: Companies leverage AI for valuable insights, operational improvements, and innovation.
• Supporting Initiatives:
  • Digital India and Make in India: Initiatives like these, along with Smart Cities Mission and GI Cloud (MeghRaj), are driving AI adoption.
  • Global IndiaAI Summit: Hosted by India, this summit promotes AI advancements and collaboration.
• Active Research Community:
  • Institutional Contributions: Institutions like IITs, ISI, and IISc are actively involved in AI research and development, contributing to the global knowledge base.
• Emerging AI Clusters:
  • Major Cities: AI clusters are forming in cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Chennai, Pune, and the National Capital Region (NCR).
  • Bengaluru’s Role: Known as the “Silicon Valley of India,” Bengaluru has a thriving ecosystem with over 2,000 active startups, significant IT exports, and strong AI research, including over 400 patents annually.
• Investment Opportunities:
  • Agriculture: AI-powered precision farming and crop monitoring offer significant productivity gains.
  • Finance: AI-driven fraud detection, risk assessment, and customer service automation are in high demand.
  • Healthcare: AI presents opportunities in predictive diagnostics, personalized treatment, and drug discovery.
  • Retail: Technologies like recommendation engines and chatbots are transforming the retail sector.

Challenges Anticipated for IndiaAI Mission

• Ambitious GPU Objectives:
  • Procurement and Deployment: Building a computing capacity of 10,000 GPUs is ambitious. Timely procurement and deployment are crucial.
• High Costs and Availability:
  • Cost Barriers: High costs of GPUs, such as Nvidia’s A100 chip costing up to USD 10,000, pose barriers for smaller businesses.
  • Availability Issues: Accelerating the acquisition and integration of GPUs is essential.
• Dataset Limitations:
  • Diverse Data Needs: Effective AI model training, especially for Indic languages, requires diverse and adequate datasets.
• Skilled Workforce Shortage:
  • Talent Gap: There is a shortage of skilled AI professionals, and efforts are needed to bridge this gap.
• High Deployment Costs:
  • Infrastructure Investments: The cost of deploying AI solutions, particularly in manufacturing, involves significant capital investments, which may hinder widespread adoption.
• Infrastructure Needs:
  • Cloud Computing: Advanced cloud computing infrastructure is necessary for scaling AI applications. Current efforts like AIRAWAT are steps in the right direction, but comprehensive facilities are still lacking.
• Ethical and Security Concerns:
  • Bias and Ethics: Ensuring ethical use and avoiding biases in AI models are critical.
  • Data Security: Handling sensitive personal data raises concerns related to data security and privacy.
• Environmental Impact:
  • Energy Consumption: AI and data centers significantly increase global energy consumption. Data centers currently account for 1% to 1.3% of global electricity demand, projected to rise to 1.5% to 3% by 2026.
  • Cooling Needs: Increased data processing generates more heat, requiring powerful cooling systems.
  • Water Usage: The demand for water resources for cooling data centers adds to environmental concerns.
• Geopolitical and Technological Restrictions:
  • Export Controls: Geopolitical tensions and export control regulations can restrict access to essential AI technologies and components.

-Source: The Hindu, The Indian Express       

Government ensures universal supply of fortified rice

Context:

The Government recently approved the continuation of the universal supply of fortified rice under all central schemes, including Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) in its present form till 2028.

Relevance:

GS III- Indian Economy, Public distribution system

Dimensions of the Article:

1. What is rice fortification?
2. Need of rice fortification
3. What are the standards for fortification?
4. Advantages
5. Issues with fortified food
6. About Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana

What is rice fortification?

• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) defines fortification as “deliberately increasing the content of essential micronutrients in a food so as to improve the nutritional quality of food and to provide public health benefit with minimal risk to health”.
• The cooking of fortified rice does not require any special procedure.
• After cooking, fortified rice retains the same physical properties and micronutrient levels as it had before cooking.
• Fortified rice will be packed in jute bags with the logo (‘+F’) and the line “Fortified with Iron, Folic Acid, and Vitamin B12”.
• Various technologies are available to add micronutrients to regular rice, such as coating, dusting, and ‘extrusion’.
• The last mentioned involves the production of fortified rice kernels (FRKs) from a mixture using an ‘extruder’ machine.
• It is considered to be the best technology for India.
• The fortified rice kernels are blended with regular rice to produce fortified rice.

Need of rice fortification

• India has very high levels of malnutrition among women and children.
• According to the Food Ministry, every second woman in the country is anaemic and every third child is stunted.
• Fortification of food is considered to be one of the most suitable methods to combat malnutrition.
• Rice is one of India’s staple foods, consumed by about two-thirds of the population.
• Per capita rice consumption in India is 6.8 kg per month.
• Therefore, fortifying rice with micronutrients is an option to supplement the diet of the poor.

What are the standards for fortification?

• Under the Ministry’s guidelines, 10 g of FRK must be blended with 1 kg of regular rice.
• According to FSSAI norms, 1 kg of fortified rice will contain the following: iron (28 mg-42.5 mg), folic acid (75-125 microgram), and vitamin B-12 (0.75-1.25 microgram).
• Rice may also be fortified with zinc (10 mg-15 mg), vitamin A (500-750 microgram RE), vitamin B-1 (1 mg-1.5 mg), vitamin B-2 (1.25 mg-1.75 mg), vitamin B-3 (12.5 mg-20 mg) and vitamin B-6 (1.5 mg-2.5 mg) per kg.

Advantages

• Fortified staple foods will contain natural or near-natural levels of micro-nutrients, which may not necessarily be the case with supplements.
•  It provides nutrition without any change in the characteristics of food or the course of our meals.
•  If consumed on a regular and frequent basis, fortified foods will maintain body stores of nutrients more efficiently and more effectively than will intermittently supplement.
•  The overall costs of fortification are extremely low; the price increase is approximately 1 to 2 percent of the total food value.
•  It upholds everyone’s right to have access to safe and nutritious food, consistent with the right to adequate food and the fundamental right of everyone to be free from hunger

Issues with fortified food

• Fortification and enrichment upset nature’s packaging. Our body does not absorb individual nutrients added to processed foods as efficiently compared to nutrients naturally occurring.
• Supplements added to foods are less bioavailable. Bioavailability refers to the proportion of a nutrient your body is able to absorb and use.
• They lack immune-boosting substances.
• Fortified foods and supplements can pose specific risks for people who are taking prescription medications, including decreased absorption of other micro-nutrients, treatment failure, and increased mortality risk.

About Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana:

• It is considered as world’s largest food security scheme, aims at ensuring sufficient food for the poor and needy during the coronavirus crisis.
• It was announced as part of the first relief package during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Part of the scheme, the food needs to be provided to all the beneficiaries under public distribution system (TPDS) for Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and priority household (PHH) ration cardholders.
• As per updates, the eligible beneficiaries will receive 5kg of foodgrains and 1 kg Gram per month.

Eligibility 

• Families belonging to the Below Poverty Line – Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and Priority Households (PHH) categories will be eligible for the scheme.
• PHH are to be identified by State Governments/Union Territory Administrations as per criteria evolved by them. AAY families are to be identified by States/UTs as per the criteria prescribed by the Central Government:
• Households headed by widows or terminally ill persons or disabled persons or persons aged 60 years or more with no assured means of subsistence or societal support.
• Widows or terminally ill persons or disabled persons or persons aged 60 years or more or single women or single men with no family or societal support or assured means of subsistence.
• All primitive tribal households.
• Landless agriculture labourers, marginal farmers, rural artisans/craftsmen such as potters, tanners, weavers, blacksmiths, carpenters, slum dwellers, and persons earning their livelihood on daily basis in the informal sector like porters, coolies, rickshaw pullers, hand cart pullers, fruit and flower sellers, snake charmers, rag pickers, cobblers, destitutes  and other similar categories in both rural and urban areas.
• All eligible Below Poverty Line families of HIV positive persons.

-Source: The Hindu, The Indian Express       

Concerns of Maoist influx to Odisha

Context:

Anti-Naxal operations in neighbouring Chhattisgarh has raised concerns of Maoist influx from Chhattisgarh to Odisha.

• The Odisha government has also raised three battalions of the Odisha Special Striking Force (OSSF), comprising ex-servicemen, to engage in anti-Maoist operation.

Relevance:

GS3- Internal Security- Left Wing Extremism

Dimensions of the Article:

1. Trend in Maoist / Naxalite insurrection
2. Radicalization
3. Types of Radicalisation
4. Left Wing Extremism (LWE)
5. What is Naxalism in India?
6. Causes of Naxalism in India:
7. Government Initiatives to fight LWE
8. Way Forward

Trend in Maoist / Naxalite insurrection

• The Maoist insurrection which began first as the Naxalite movement in the 1970s and then intensified since 2004, following the merger of two prominent insurgent groups, remains a mindless guerrilla-driven militant movement that has failed to gain adherents beyond those living in remote tribal areas either untouched by welfare or are discontents due to state repression.
• The Maoists are now considerably weaker than a decade ago, with several senior leaders either dead or incarcerated, but their core insurgent force in south Bastar remains intact.
• The recourse to violence is now little more than a ploy to invite state repression which furthers their aim of gaining new adherents.
• While the Indian state has long since realised that there cannot only be a military end to the conflict, the Chhattisgarh government’s inability to reach out to those living in the Maoist strongholds remains a major hurdle, which has resulted in a protracted but violent stalemate in the area.

Radicalization

• Radicalization is a process by which an individual or group comes to adopt increasingly extreme political, social, or religious ideals and aspirations that reject or undermine the status quo or contemporary ideas and expressions of the nation.
• The outcomes of radicalization are shaped by the ideas of the society at large; for example, radicalism can originate from a broad social consensus against progressive changes in society or from a broad desire for change in society.
• Radicalization can be both violent and nonviolent, although most academic literature focuses on radicalization into violent extremism (RVE).
• There are multiple pathways that constitute the process of radicalization, which can be independent but are usually mutually reinforcing.
• Radicalization that occurs across multiple reinforcing pathways greatly increases a group’s resilience and lethality.
• Furthermore, by compromising its ability to blend in with non-radical society and participate in a modern, national economy, radicalization serves as a kind of sociological trap that gives individuals no other place to go to satisfy their material and spiritual needs

Types of Radicalisation

1. Right-Wing Extremism – It is characterized by the violent defence of a racial, ethnic or pseudo-national identity, and is also associated with radical hostility towards state authorities, minorities, immigrants and/or left-wing political groups.
2. Politico-Religious Extremism – It results from political interpretation of religion and the defence, by violent means, of a religious identity perceived to be under attack (via international conflicts, foreign policy, social debates, etc.). Any religion may spawn this type of violent radicalization.
3. Left-Wing Extremism – It focuses primarily on anti-capitalist demands and calls for the transformation of political systems considered responsible for producing social inequalities, and that may ultimately employ violent means to further its cause. It includes anarchist, maoist, Trotskyist and marxist–leninist groups that use violence to advocate for their cause.

Left Wing Extremism (LWE)

• Left Wing Extremism (LWE) organizations are the groups that try to bring change through violent revolution. They are against democratic institutions and use violence to subvert the democratic processes at ground level.
• These groups prevent the developmental processes in the least developed regions of the country and try to misguide the people by keeping them ignorant of current happenings.
• Left Wing Extremists are popularly known as Maoists worldwide and as Naxalites in India.

What is Naxalism in India?

• A Naxal or Naxalite is a member of any political organisation that claims the legacy of the Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist), founded in Calcutta in 1969. The term Naxal derives from the name of the village Naxalbari in West Bengal, where the Naxalite peasant revolt took place in 1967.
• It creates conditions for non-functioning of the government and actively seeks disruption of development activities as a means to achieve its objective of ‘wresting control’. It spreads fear among the law-abiding citizens.
• Naxalism is considered to be one of the biggest internal security threats India faces.
• The conflict is concentrated the Eastern part of the country, particularly an area known as the Red Corridor spread across the states of Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh. o Some districts of Kerala, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh etc are impacted by Naxalism.
• Naxal violence is related to the intensity of the feeling of people of their deprivation and their commitment to take revenge against those who are believed to be responsible for such denial.
• Currently, the main supporters of the movement are marginalized groups of India including Dalits and Adivasis, who believe they have been neglected by the government.
• Further, Naxals support Maoist political sentiments and ideology.

Causes of Naxalism in India:

• Mismanagement of Forests: It is one of the main reasons for the spread of Naxalism. It started with the British government. The monopolization of the forest started with the enactment of various forest laws. The integration with the wider world led to an influx of a new class like moneylenders. The administrative machinery became more exploitative and extortionate at functional level.
• Tribal policies not implemented well: Even during the post-Independence era, the government was not able to stop the process of the tribal alienation and their displacement caused by large projects. Even the issues of food security were not fully sorted out. Consequently, Naxalism made inroads in Orissa and other states.
• The Growing inter and intra-regional disparities: Naxalism attract people who have poor livelihood like fishermen, farmers, daily labourers and bamboo cutters. The government policies have failed to stem the growing inter and intra-regional disparities. The poor people think that Naxalism can provide solutions to their problems.
• Absence of proper Industrialization and lack of land reforms: The half-hearted implementation of land reforms by the government has yielded negative results. The agrarian set up has not been defined in the absence of proper implementation of survey and settlement. This further damaged the agriculture production and the rural economy. Absence of proper industrialization has failed to generate employment for rural people leading to dissatisfaction with the government. It is also one of the causes behind Naxalism.
• Geographical Terrain: Naxalism thrives in areas covered with forests. It helps them fight against the police and the army by waging Guerrilla warfare.
• Middle Class Youth: The educated youths have been the largest supporters of the Naxalist movement as the maximum of the youths involved in the movement are medical and engineering graduates. Universities have turned up to be a pitch for the creation of radical ideologies.

Government Initiatives to fight LWE

1. Greyhounds was raised in 1989 as an elite anti-naxal force.
2. Operation Green Hunt was started in 2009-10 and massive deployment of security forces was done in the naxal-affected areas. It decreased Naxal affected areas from 223 to 90 districts in 9 years.
3. LWE Mobile Tower Project envisioned to improve mobile connectivity in the LWE areas, the Government in 2014, approved installation of mobile towers in LWE affected States.
4. Aspirational Districts Programme was launched in 2018, it aims to rapidly transform the districts that have shown relatively lesser progress in key social areas.
5. Police Modernization Scheme plus fortification of police station in areas affected by Naxal movements. Assistance in training of State Police through the Ministry of Defence.
6. National Policy and Action Plan 2015 is a multi-pronged strategy in the areas of security, development, ensuring rights & entitlement of local communities etc
7. Special Infrastructure Scheme for funds to the States of Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha to raise Special Task Force to combat LWE.
8. Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Scheme: Under this the central Govt. reimburses security related expenditure to the LWE affected state Governments.
9. Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 has been amended to strengthen the punitive measures.

SAMADHAN Doctrine

SAMADHAN doctrine is the one-stop solution for the LWE problem.

It encompasses the entire strategy of government from short-term policy to long-term policy formulated at different levels.

• S- Smart Leadership,
• Aggressive Strategy,
• M- Motivation and Training,
• Actionable Intelligence,
• D- Dashboard Based KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) and KRAs (Key Result Areas),
• H- Harnessing Technology,
• Action plan for each Theatre, and
• N- No access to Financing.

Way Forward

• Good governance – Analyzing the loopholes in the present strategy and developing a coherent national strategy to end the menace.
• Dialogue – Between the Naxal leaders, and the government officials can be a way to work out a solution.
• Generate more employment and increase wages – insecure livelihood and unemployment in the areas have left the people with little option but to join the Naxals.
• Ending the political marginalization of weaker sections – Weaker sections of the society, the schedule castes and schedule tribes still face discrimination from the upper class making them a soft target for the Naxals.
• Remove disparity – Economic disparity and the growing distance between rich and the poor is one of the main problems that has contributed to the growth of Naxalism.

-Source: The Hindu, The Indian Express