Current Affairs 26 June 2024

CONTENTS

1. Srinagar Recognized as a ‘World Craft City’
2. Managed Care Organizations
3. ISRO Completes Final Reusable Launch Vehicle Landing Experiment
4. Didymocarpus janakiae
5. Declining Flamingo Population at Lake Natron
6. Priority Sector Lending

 Srinagar Recognized as a ‘World Craft City’

Context:

Srinagar has been designated as a ‘World Craft City’ by the World Craft Council (WCC). This follows its recognition as part of the UNESCO Creative City Network (UCCN) for crafts and folk arts three years ago.

• Jaipur, Malappuram, and Mysore are the other Indian cities previously recognized as World Craft Cities.

Relevance:

GS I: History

Dimensions of the Article:

1. What is World Craft Council (WCC)?
2. Significance of World Craft City Recognition
3. What is UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network (UCCN)?

What is World Craft Council (WCC)?

• Overview:
  • The World Craft Council (WCC) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization associated with UNESCO.
  • Founded in 1964, the WCC aims to promote the preservation, protection, and development of traditional crafts, fostering economic development through these crafts.
  • World Craft City recognition by the WCC is a prestigious designation awarded to cities that excel in promoting and developing traditional crafts and artisanship.
  • This recognition highlights a city’s dedication to preserving and promoting its unique craft heritage and supporting local artisans.

Significance of World Craft City Recognition

• Global Status:
  • Recognition enhances the city’s status on a global platform, establishing it as a center of excellence for crafts.
• Economic Boost:
  • The designation can stimulate the local economy by attracting tourists, investors, and buyers interested in authentic crafts, thus expanding market opportunities for artisans.
• Cultural Preservation:
  • It underscores the city’s commitment to preserving traditional crafts, ensuring these cultural practices are transmitted to future generations.
• Support for Artisans:
  • Often leads to increased support for local artisans, including funding, training, and opportunities for international collaboration and exchange.
• Innovation and Sustainability:
  • Encourages innovation within the craft sector by combining traditional techniques with modern designs, fostering creativity and sustainability.
• Visibility:
  • The city and its crafts gain greater visibility through international media coverage, exhibitions, and events associated with the WCC.

Criteria for Recognition

• Requirements:
  • To be recognized as a World Craft City, a city typically needs to demonstrate:
  • A rich tradition of crafts and a significant population of skilled artisans.
  • Active promotion and development of craft traditions.
  • Commitment to preserving cultural heritage and supporting sustainable practices.
  • Evidence of innovation and creativity in craft practices.
  • Strong community involvement and support for the craft sector.

What is UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network (UCCN)?

• Overview:
  • The UCCN was established in 2004 to foster collaboration among cities that see creativity as a key element for sustainable urban development.
  • Currently, it encompasses 350 cities across more than 100 countries.
  • The network aims to advance UNESCO’s objectives of cultural diversity and enhance resilience to challenges like climate change, increasing inequality, and rapid urbanization.
• Purpose:
  • The network leverages the creative, social, and economic potential of cultural industries.
  • It promotes a culture of creativity in urban planning and solutions to urban issues.
• Benefits to Member Cities:
  • Recognizes creativity as vital for urban development through partnerships with public and private sectors and civil society.
  • Develops hubs of creativity and innovation, expanding opportunities for creators and cultural professionals.
  • Aligns with the UN agenda of sustainable development.
• Implementation:
  • Objectives are realized at both local and international levels by sharing experiences, knowledge, and best practices.
  • Includes professional and artistic exchange programs, research, and evaluations on the experiences of creative cities.

The Annual Conference of Network Cities

• Purpose:
  • A major event is the annual conference of mayors and stakeholders from network cities.
  • It strengthens ties among creative cities globally.
  • Past conferences were held in Santos, Brazil, and Istanbul. The next will be in July 2024 in Braga, Portugal.
• Membership Monitoring:
  • Every four years, cities submit a Membership Monitoring Report.
  • This report demonstrates commitment to the UCCN Mission Statement.
  • Includes an action plan for the next four years, highlighting achievements, lessons learned, and the impact of the designation.

Indian Cities in the Network

• Notable Cities:
  • Besides Kozhikode and Gwalior, cities like Varanasi (music), Srinagar (crafts and folk arts), and Chennai (music) are part of the network.

-Source: The Hindu

Managed Care Organizations

Context:

A leading healthcare chain in South India has announced its foray into comprehensive health insurance. This new venture will integrate insurance and healthcare provision functions under one roof, emulating a managed care organisation (MCO) model.

Relevance:

GS II: Health

Dimensions of the Article:

1. Managed Care Organizations (MCOs): Background and Development
2. Challenges to MCOs in India
3. Steps to Develop MCOs in India
4. Conclusion

Managed Care Organizations (MCOs): Background and Development

Definition:

• An MCO is a healthcare provider aiming to offer appropriate, cost-effective medical treatment.

Historical Context:

• Origin: MCOs in the US originated from early 20th-century prepaid healthcare practices.
• Mainstreaming in the 1970s: The integration of insurance and service functions to manage costs focused on prevention, early management, and cost control with fixed premiums.
• Evolution: MCOs have diversified and penetrated deeply into the health insurance space, primarily reducing costly hospitalizations and associated expenses.

Development in India:

• 1980s Onwards: India’s health insurance has primarily focused on indemnity insurance and covering hospitalization costs, overlooking the vast market for outpatient consultations.

Challenges to MCOs in India

• Urban-Centric Targeting:
  • MCOs primarily target affluent, urban populations, neglecting rural demographics and hindering Universal Health Coverage (UHC) efforts.
• Informal Outpatient Settings:
  • Significant healthcare occurs in informal settings, lacking standardization and regulation, making integration and management challenging.
• Inconsistent Clinical Protocols:
  • The absence of widely accepted clinical protocols creates inconsistency and reduces quality control.
• High Operational Costs:
  • High costs and unaffordable premiums discourage participation and hinder long-term viability.
• Lack of Consumer-Driven Cost Control:
  • The current health insurance model does not foster consumer-driven cost control, a core principle of MCOs.

Steps to Develop MCOs in India

• Government Partnerships:
  • Collaborate with initiatives like Ayushman Bharat to expand coverage and leverage rural healthcare infrastructure, aligning with the National Health Policy 2017.
• Standardize Clinical Protocols:
  • Advocate for developing and implementing standardized protocols across outpatient settings, working with the National Health Authority (NHA) for accreditation and quality control.
• Utilize Technology:
  • Streamline processes, reduce administrative costs, and offer telemedicine services to bridge the rural-urban gap, aligning with the Committee on Affordable Healthcare for All recommendations.
• Value-Based Pricing Models:
  • Implement models that reward quality care and efficient service delivery, incentivizing cost control in line with NITI Aayog’s suggestions.
• Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs):
  • Leverage government resources and private sector expertise for broader reach and improved infrastructure.
• Data Collection and Analysis:
  • Encourage data collection to track healthcare trends, identify cost-effective treatment options, and improve service delivery across MCO networks, aligning with the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM).

Conclusion

Achieving universal health coverage is a complex challenge requiring multifaceted solutions. Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) can significantly contribute to India’s healthcare landscape by fostering public support and gradually implementing MCOs, alongside adopting comprehensive financial strategies. These steps can help India make substantial progress toward achieving universal healthcare.

-Source: The Hindu

ISRO Completes Final Reusable Launch Vehicle Landing Experiment

Context:

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully completed the third and final Reusable Launch Vehicle Landing Experiment (RLV LEX-03) for the Pushpak vehicle.

Relevance:

GS III: Science and Technology

Dimensions of the Article:

1. RLV LEX-03 Mission Overview
2. Reusable Launch Vehicles (RLVs)

RLV LEX-03 Mission Overview

Mission Summary:

• Deployment and Release: The Pushpak vehicle was launched from an Indian Air Force Chinook helicopter at an altitude of 4.5 kilometers.
• Autonomous Landing: The vehicle autonomously executed cross-range corrections, approached the runway, and made a precise horizontal landing at the centerline.
• Controlled Descent: The high-speed descent, exceeding 320 km/h, was successfully reduced to around 100 km/h using the vehicle’s brake parachute and landing gear brakes.

Technologies and Capabilities Demonstrated:

• Multisensor Guidance: LEX-03 employed multisensor fusion for controlled landing guidance.
• Self-Landing Capability: The Pushpak vehicle showcased its capability to land autonomously, including course corrections during its descent.
• Component Reuse: The mission reused key components from a previous flight, emphasizing the cost-saving potential of reusable launch vehicles (RLVs).

Significance:

• Simulated Conditions: This mission simulated the approach and landing conditions, as well as high-speed descent scenarios, for a vehicle returning from space.
• Algorithm Validation: It validated ISRO’s advanced guidance algorithms for longitudinal and lateral error corrections, essential for future orbital re-entry missions.
• Technological Progress: By testing technologies such as autonomous landing and reusable parts, this mission paves the way for fully reusable launch vehicles, potentially reducing launch costs and increasing space mission efficiency.

Reusable Launch Vehicles (RLVs)

Definition:

• Reusable Launch Vehicles (RLVs) are rockets designed for multiple uses in space missions, unlike traditional expendable rockets where each stage is discarded after use.

Operational Mechanics:

• Multi-Stage Rockets: In a typical multi-stage rocket, the first stage is jettisoned after fuel consumption to lighten the load, while the remaining stages continue to propel the payload into orbit.
• Recovery and Reuse: RLVs recover and reuse the first stage, which uses engines or parachutes to descend and land back on Earth. This stage can be refurbished for future launches, significantly cutting costs.

Current Usage:

• SpaceX (USA): Falcon 9, with over 220 launches, 178 landings, and 155 re-flights as of May 2023.
• Blue Origin (USA): New Shepard conducts suborbital flights and lands vertically.
• JAXA (Japan) and ESA (Europe): Engaged in research on reusable launch systems to lower space access costs.
• ISRO (India): Developed the Reusable Launch Vehicle-Technology Demonstration (RLV-TD) and successfully conducted a landing.

-Source: The Hindu

Didymocarpus Janakiae

Context:

A new plant species discovered in Arunachal Pradesh has been named Didymocarpus janakiae.

Relevance:

GS III: Species in News

About Didymocarpus janakiae

• New Species Discovery:
  • Didymocarpus janakiae is a newly identified plant species found in the sub-tropical forests of West Kameng district, Arunachal Pradesh, at an altitude of 2,300 meters above sea level.
• Naming and Honor:
  • This species is named in honor of Dr. E. K. Janaki Ammal, a pioneering Indian botanist known for her significant contributions to botany, especially in plant breeding, genetics, and cytology.
    • In 1931, she became the first Indian woman to be awarded a doctorate in botany in the US (University of Michigan), breaking gender and caste barriers.
• Taxonomy and Genus:
  • Didymocarpus janakiae belongs to the plant genus Didymocarpus, commonly referred to as stone flower, which is part of the African Violet family (Gesneriaceae).
    • The genus comprises 111 species, 27 of which are found in India, including the newly described D. janakiae.
    • These plants thrive in pristine, undisturbed habitats like moss-covered rocks, reflecting the quality of their ecosystem.
• Population and Threats:
  • With a known population of fewer than 20 individuals located near Bomdila in West Kameng district, Arunachal Pradesh, D. janakiae faces severe threats due to habitat degradation.

-Source: The Hindu

Declining Flamingo Population at Lake Natron

Context:

Experts have reported a steady decline in the population of flamingos at Lake Natron. The decrease is attributed to extreme weather conditions and encroachment, resulting in fewer birds returning to the lake each year.

Relevance:

GS III: Species in News

Dimensions of the Article:

1. About Lake Natron
2. Key Facts about the Great Rift Valley

About Lake Natron:

• Location and Composition:
  • Lake Natron is a salt lake situated on the border between Tanzania and Kenya, part of the eastern branch of the Great Rift Valley.
  • It is designated as a Ramsar site and is known for its unique combination of warm waters, salt, caustic soda, and magnesite deposits, which create ideal conditions for flamingos.
• Hydrology and Features:
  • The lake is primarily fed by the Ewaso Ng’iro River, originating from central Kenya.
  • Notably, Lake Natron has a striking red color, primarily due to its extreme alkalinity.
• Environmental Threats:
  • The lake’s ecosystem is threatened by various factors, including agriculture, pollution, and climate change, which jeopardize its unique beauty.

Key Facts about the Great Rift Valley:

• Geographical Significance:
  • The Great Rift Valley is one of the most extensive rifts on Earth’s surface, stretching across a large part of East Africa. It is part of the East African Rift System (EARS).
  • It extends from Jordan in southwestern Asia to the coast of the Indian Ocean in central Mozambique.
• Countries Spanned:
  • The rift runs through multiple countries, including Eritrea, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Malawi, Zambia, and Mozambique.

-Source: Down To Earth

Priority Sector Lending

Context:

The RBI recently revised its priority sector guidelines to encourage banks to provide small loans in economically disadvantaged districts with low average loan sizes.

Relevance:

GS III: Indian Economy

About Priority Sector Lending (PSL):

• Overview:
  • PSL is a lending mandate overseen by the RBI, requiring banks to allocate a specific portion of their loans to sectors crucial for development or those facing challenges in obtaining loans.
  • The RBI regularly updates the eligible sectors for priority sector lending and adjusts loan limits.
  • Institutions required to provide these loans are identified through regulations.
• Priority Sectors:
  • Agriculture
  • Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)
  • Export Credit
  • Education
  • Housing
  • Social Infrastructure
  • Renewable Energy
  • Others
• Targets Under PSL:
  • Domestic SCBs and foreign banks with 20+ branches: 40% of Adjusted Net Bank Credit (ANBC) or Credit Equivalent of Off-Balance Sheet Exposure (CEOBE), whichever is higher.
  • Foreign banks with fewer than 20 branches: 40% of ANBC or CEOBE, with up to 32% for exports and a minimum of 8% for any other priority sector.
  • Regional Rural Banks and Small Finance Banks: 75% of ANBC or CEOBE, whichever is higher.
  • Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks (UCBs): 40% of ANBC or CEOBE, rising to 75% from FY2025-26.
• Meeting PSL Obligations:
  • Banks can meet PSL targets by extending loans, providing credit facilities, and offering financial products to priority sectors.
  • They can also invest in eligible instruments, such as bonds issued by entities involved in priority sector activities.
  • If targets are not met, banks must deposit the shortfall into the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) with NABARD or other designated funds.
• Priority Sector Lending Certificates (PSLCs):
  • PSLCs are certificates issued against priority sector loans, allowing banks to meet their targets by purchasing these instruments.
  • PSLCs help banks guard against shortfalls and encourage surplus lending to priority sectors.
• Revised RBI Guidelines:
  • New norms discourage lending in districts with high average loan sizes.
  • From FY25, more weight (125%) will be given to new priority sector loans in districts with low loan availability (less than Rs 9,000 per person).
  • In districts with high loan availability (more than Rs 42,000 per person), loans will have a weight of 90%.
  • All other districts will maintain the current importance level of 100%, except for outlier districts with low credit availability or high loan sizes.

-Source: The Hindu