Current Affairs 27 July 2024

Contents:

1. Budget announces Customs duty exemptions on Targeted Cancer Drugs
2. Are Governors ‘subverting’ federalism?
3. 2nd BIMSTEC Foreign Ministers’ Retreat
4. Agnipath scheme
5. India’s Act East Policy and ASEAN
6. Untreated solid waste pose risk of Public Health Emergency

Budget announces Customs duty exemptions on Targeted Cancer Drugs

Context:

In the Budget 2024-25, the Finance minister announced customs duty exemptions on three targeted cancer drugs.

Relevance:

GS II: Health

Dimensions of the Article:

1. Key Points
2. What are Targeted Cancer Drugs?
3. About Cancer
4. What is the incidence of cancer and mortality in India currently?
5. Why are some cancers on the decline and others continue to rise?
6. Improvement in Cancer treatment

­­­­­­­Key Points:

• Owning to the rise of number of cancer cases in India, the Union Government has decided to exempt customs duties on three targeted cancer drugs — trastuzumab deruxtecan, osimertinib, and durvalumab.  
• The customs duty for these drugs stood at around 10% previously.
• The decision will bring significant relief to Indian cancer patients and make these drugs more accessible, and reduce the overall cost of cancer therapies.

What are Targeted Cancer Drugs?

• Targeted Cancer Drugs are those designed to attack only the cancer cells, leaving the normal cells unaffected. 
• They target specific genetic changes in cancer cells that help them grow, divide, and spread.
• Compared to traditional chemotherapy drugs, these drugs have better outcomes and fewer side effects.
• Newer targeted cancer therapies such as immunotherapy do not target the cancer itself by using any drug. Instead, they train the patient’s immune system to find and attack the cancer cells.

About Cancer

• Cancer is a widely feared disease that leads to many deaths globally, including in India where more than a million people suffer from it annually.
• The mechanisms behind the development, treatment and control of cancer have been extensively studied in the field of biology and medicine.
• In healthy individuals, cell growth and differentiation are tightly controlled, but in cancer, these regulatory mechanisms break down.
• Normal cells have a property called contact inhibition, which prevents them from growing uncontrollably when in contact with other cells.
• However, cancer cells appear to lose this property, leading to the uncontrolled growth and division of cells, resulting in tumors.

Types of Tumors

• Tumors are of two types:
  • Benign 
  • Malignant
• Benign tumors normally remain confined to their original location and do not spread to other parts of the body and cause little damage.
• The malignant tumors, on the other hand are a mass of proliferating cells called neoplastic or tumor cells. These cells grow very rapidly, invading and damaging the surrounding normal tissues.

Causes of Cancer

• Cancer is caused by the transformation of normal cells into cancerous neoplastic cells. This transformation can be triggered by physical, chemical or biological agents called carcinogens.
• These agents include ionizing radiations such as X-rays and gamma rays, non-ionizing radiations such as UV rays, and chemical carcinogens found in tobacco smoke.
• Cancer-causing viruses, known as oncogenic viruses, also have genes called viral oncogenes that can contribute to the development of cancer.
• Additionally, certain genes called cellular oncogenes or proto oncogenes in normal cells can be activated under certain conditions, resulting in the oncogenic transformation of cells.

What is the incidence of cancer and mortality in India currently?

• An estimated 14.6 lakh new cancer cases were detected in 2022, up from 14.2 lakh in 2021 and 13.9 lakh in 2020, as per data from the National Cancer Registry of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) presented in Parliament.
• Deaths due to cancer increased to an estimated 8.08 lakh in 2022 from 7.9 lakh in 2021 and 7.7 lakh in 2020. The incidence of all cancers is estimated to increase to 15.7 lakh by 2025, according to the data.
• One in nine Indians will develop cancer during their lifetime, according to an ICMR study using data from population-based cancer registries.
• One in 68 men will develop lung cancer and one in 29 women will develop breast cancer, according to the study.
• The incidence of cancer is higher among women — 103.6 per 100,000 in 2020 compared to 94.1 among men. Among men, the most common cancers were of the lung, mouth, prostate, tongue, and stomach; for women, they were breast, cervix, ovary, uterus, lung.

Why are some cancers on the decline and others continue to rise?

• The incidence of cervical cancer in India has decreased in the last 50 years from 45 to 10 per 100,000 population, while the incidence of breast cancer has risen, particularly in urban areas.
• This can be attributed to factors such as later marriages, having fewer children, better hygiene and vaccination for cervical cancer, and later age of marriage, having the first child at a later age, not breastfeeding, and a high protein diet for breast cancer.
• Unlike cervical cancer, which can be prevented with HPV vaccination, there is currently no specific intervention for breast cancer other than screening.
• Additionally, the incidence of tobacco-related cancers such as oral and oesophageal cancer is decreasing due to laws that have reduced smoking in public places.
• However, lung cancer remains a concern and is caused not only by smoking but also factors such as indoor fires and air pollution. The survival rate for lung cancer is low and it is often diagnosed in late stages.

Improvement in Cancer treatment

• The success rate for treating various types of cancer is increasing.
• For example, the cure rate for pancreatic cancer has doubled from 3% 50 years ago to 6%. Similarly, the cure rate for prostate cancer has gone from 60% to 100% and for breast cancer it has improved from 50% to 90% with newer treatments.
• However, to further reduce mortality, early diagnosis and prompt treatment are crucial.

-Source: Indian Express

Are Governors ‘subverting’ federalism?

Context:

The Supreme Court of India is set to examine if Governors are ‘subverting’ federalism.

Relevance:

GS-II: Functions and Responsibilities of the Union and the States, Issues and Challenges Pertaining to the Federal Structure, Devolution of Powers and Finances up to Local Levels and Challenges Therein.

Dimensions of the Article:

1. Details
2. Appointment and removal of Governor
3. Position of Governor in Constitutional setup in India
4. What exactly are the options before the Governor in the matter of giving assent to a Bill passed by the Assembly?
5. Takeaways
6. Way Forward

Details:

• Recently, a petition was filed by the Kerala Government over the Governor sitting on crucial Bills and eventually referring them to the President.
• Consequently, the Supreme Court agreed to examine if Governors, by indefinitely sitting on crucial Bills only to eventually refer them to the President.
  • The President has no discretion and entirely depends on the aid and advice of the Centre.
• The top court is set to examine if the Governors are opening the doors for Union interference in the legislative domain of States, thereby subverting federalism.
•  The State of Kerala argued that the Governor has kept Bills pending for two years before reserving seven of them for the consideration of the President.
• The President had subsequently withheld consent to four though none of the seven Bills had dealt with Centre-State relations.

 Appointment and removal of Governor

• According to Articles 155 and 156 of the Constitution, a Governor is appointed by the President and holds office during the President’s pleasure.
• If the President’s pleasure is withdrawn before the end of the five-year term, the Governor must resign.
• As the President works with the assistance and advice of the Prime Minister and the council of ministers, the Governor is effectively appointed and removed by the central government.
• Although the Governor’s duties and responsibilities are state-specific, there is no provision for impeachment.

Position of Governor in Constitutional setup in India

• Appointee of the President: The Governor is an appointee of the President, which means the Union government.
• Although Article 154(1) of the Constitution vests in the Governor the executive power of the State, he is required to exercise that power in accordance with the Constitution.
• In other words, the Governor can act only on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers.
• It is a settled constitutional position that the Governor is only a constitutional head and the executive power of the State is exercised by the Council of Ministers.
• In Shamsher Singh vs State of Punjab (1974), the Supreme Court had clearly affirmed this position.
• Dr. Ambedkar explained the position of the Governor in the Constituent Assembly as follows: “The Governor under the Constitution has no functions which he can discharge by himself: no functions at all.”
• The Sarkaria Commission restates this position in its report, “it is a well-recognized principle that so long as the council of ministers enjoys [the] confidence of the Assembly its advice in these matters, unless patently unconstitutional, must be deemed as binding on the governor”.
• In 2016, a five-judge constitution Bench of the Supreme Court (the Nabam Rebia case) reaffirmed the above position on the governors’ powers in our constitutional setup.

What exactly are the options before the Governor in the matter of giving assent to a Bill passed by the Assembly?

• Assent of the Governor or the President is necessary for a Bill to become law.
• Four options: Article 200 of the Constitution provides for four alternative courses of action for a Governor when a Bill after being passed by the legislature is presented to him for his assent.
• 1] The Governor can give his assent straightaway.
• 2] The Governor can withhold his assent.
• 3] He may also reserve it for the consideration of the President, in which case the assent is given or withheld by the President.
• 4] The fourth option is to return the Bill to the legislature with the request that it may reconsider the Bill or any particular provision of the Bill.
• When such a message is received from the Governor, the legislature is required to reconsider his recommendations quickly.
• However, if the legislature again passes the Bill without accepting any of the amendments suggested by the Governor he is constitutionally bound to give assent to the Bill.

Takeaways

• Giving assent to a Bill passed by the legislature is a part of the legislative process and not of the executive power.
•  Withholding of assent, though an option, is not normally exercised by Governors because it will be an extremely unpopular step.
• Besides, withholding assent to a Bill by the Governor, an appointee of the President, neutralises the entire legislative exercise by an elected legislature enjoying the support of the people.
• This option is undemocratic and essentially against federalism. 
• Practices in UK and Australia: In the United Kingdom it is unconstitutional for the monarch to refuse to assent to a Bill passed by Parliament.
• Similarly, in Australia, refusal of assent to a Bill by the crown is considered repugnant to the federal system.

Way Forward

In our constitutional system, the Governor or the President is not personally responsible for their acts. But when a Governor does not take any decision on a Bill which is put up for his assent, he is not acting in exercise and performance of the duties cast upon him.

-Source: The Hindu, The Indian Express       

2nd BIMSTEC Foreign Ministers’ Retreat

Context:

India recently hosted the 2nd BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) Foreign Ministers’ Retreat in New Delhi earlier this month.

Relevance:

GS-II: International Relations (Foreign Policies affecting India’s Interests, Important International groupings), Prelims

Dimensions of the Article:

1. Key takeaways from 2nd BIMSTEC Foreign Ministers’ Retreat
2. About BIMSTEC
3. History of Formation of the BIMSTEC
4. Significance of BIMSTEC

Key takeaways from 2^nd BIMSTEC Foreign Ministers’ Retreat:

• The meeting focuses on providing an “informal platform to discuss ways and means of cooperating and accelerating action in security, connectivity, trade, and investment within the Bay of Bengal.
• The member states shared multiple ideas including the establishment of Centres of Excellence in member states, focusing on Agriculture, Disaster Management, and Maritime Transport.
• India announced support for cancer research, treatment, and issuance of e-visas for patients of all BIMSTEC states.
• The meeting also highlighted the need for involving the private sector in trade and promoting young entrepreneurs and the importance of connectivity, cyber-security, and countering the trafficking of narcotics and illegal arms.

About BIMSTEC

• The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is an international organisation of seven nations of South Asia and Southeast Asia:
  • Bangladesh
  • Bhutan
  • India
  • Nepal
  • Sri Lanka
  • Myanmar (South-east Asia)
  • Thailand (South-east Asia)
• Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand are the member states dependent on the Bay of Bengal.
• Its members lie in the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal constituting a contiguous regional unity. BIMSTEC not only connects South and Southeast Asia, but also the ecologies of the Great Himalayas and the Bay of Bengal.
• Fourteen priority sectors of cooperation have been identified and several BIMSTEC centres have been established to focus on those sectors.
• The permanent secretariat of the BIMSTEC is in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
• The BIMSTEC uses the alphabetical order for the Chairmanship which has been taken in rotation commencing with Bangladesh (1997–1999).

History of Formation of the BIMSTEC

• In 1997, a new sub-regional grouping was formed in Bangkok under the name BIST-EC (Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand Economic Cooperation).
• Following the inclusion of Myanmar on 22 December 1997 during a special Ministerial Meeting in Bangkok, the Group was renamed ‘BIMST-EC’ (Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand Economic Cooperation).
• In 2004, at the first Summit the grouping was renamed as BIMSTEC or the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation.

Significance of BIMSTEC

• BIMSTEC acts as a platform for intra-regional cooperation between SAARC and ASEAN members.
• Around one-fourth of the world’s traded goods cross the Bay of Bengal every year.
• Important Connectivity Projects related to BIMSTEC
• Kaladan Multimodal Project – links India and Myanmar.
• Asian Trilateral Highway – connecting India and Thailand through Myanmar.
• Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal (BBIN) Motor Vehicles Agreement – for seamless flow of passenger and cargo traffic.

Strategic Significance for India

• BIMSTEC Enables India to pursue three core policies:
  • Neighbourhood First- primacy to the country’s immediate periphery;
  • Act East- connect India with Southeast Asia; and
  • Economic development of India’s North Eastern states- by linking them to the Bay of Bengal region via Bangladesh and Myanmar.
• India has moved from Look East Policy to Act East Policy and Indo Pacific cooperation through its diaspora, culture and connectivity. This has led to India’s goodwill in the region.
• Allows India to counter China’s creeping influence in countries around the Bay of Bengal due to the spread of its Belt and Road Initiative.
• Physical connectivity with BIMSTEC would also help India integrate itself with ASEAN’s Master Plan of Connectivity 2025.
• A new platform for India to engage with its neighbours with South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) becoming dysfunctional because of differences between India and Pakistan.
• BIMSTEC suddenly received special attention as New Delhi chose to treat it as a more practical instrument for regional cooperation over a faltering SAARC.

-Source: The Hindu

Agnipath scheme

Context:

Recently, the Prime minister of India while speaking on the  25th anniversary of the 1999 Kargil War defended the Agnipath scheme and targeted the Opposition for its criticism of the scheme.

Relevance:

GS II- Government policies and Interventions

Dimensions of the Article:

1. What is the Agnipath scheme?
2. What is the eligibility criteria?
3. What happens after selection?
4. When will the recruitment actually begin?
5. How will the scheme benefit the armed forces and the recruits?

What is the Agnipath scheme?

• Under the new scheme, around 45,000 to 50,000 soldiers will be recruited annually, and most will leave the service in just four years.
• Of the total annual recruits, only 25 per cent will be allowed to continue for another 15 years under permanent commission.
• The move will make the permanent force levels much leaner for the over 13-lakh strong armed forces in the country.
• This will, in turn, considerably reduce the defence pension bill, which has been a major concern for governments for many years.

What is the eligibility criteria?

• The new system is only for personnel below officer ranks (those who do not join the forces as commissioned officers).
• Under the Agnipath scheme, aspirants between the ages of 17.5 years and 23 years will be eligible to apply.
• The recruitment standards will remain the same, and recruitment will be done twice a year through rallies.

What happens after selection?

• Once selected, the aspirants will go through training for six months and then will be deployed for three and a half years.
• During this period, they will get a starting salary of Rs 30,000, along with additional benefits which will go up to Rs 40,000 by the end of the four-year service.
• Importantly, during this period, 30 per cent of their salary will be set aside under a Seva Nidhi programme, and the government will contribute an equal amount every month, and it will also accrue interest.
• At the end of the four-year period, each soldier will get Rs 11.71 lakh as a lump sum amount, which will be tax-free.
• They will also get a Rs 48 lakh life insurance cover for the four years.
• In case of death, the payout will be over Rs 1 crore, including pay for the unserved tenure.
• However, after four years, only 25 per cent of the batch will be recruited back into their respective services, for a period of 15 years.
• For those who are re-selected, the initial four-year period will not be considered for retirement benefits.

When will the recruitment actually begin?

• Recruitment will begin within 90 days under the scheme which will bring “all India, all class” recruitment to the services.
• This is especially significant for the Army, where the regiment system has region and caste bases, and with time that will be eliminated to allow anybody from any caste, region, class or religious background to become part of existing regiments.

How will the scheme benefit the armed forces and the recruits?

• The average age in the forces is 32 years today, which will go down to 26 in six to seven years, the scheme envisions.
• It will create “future-ready” soldiers.
•  A youthful armed forces will allow them to be easily trained for new technologies.
• It will increase employment opportunities and because of the skills and experience acquired during the four-year service such soldiers will get employment in various fields.
• This will also lead to availability of a higher-skilled workforce to the economy which will be helpful in productivity gain and overall GDP growth.
• The government will help rehabilitate soldiers who leave the services after four years. They will be provided with skill certificates and bridge courses. The impetus will be to create entrepreneurs.

-Source: The Hindu

India’s Act East Policy and ASEAN

Context:

The External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar recently said that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was the cornerstone of India’s Act East Policy and its Indo-Pacific vision.

Relevance:

GS II- International Relations

Dimensions of the Article:

1. About Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
2. ASEAN’s Objectives
3. About India’s Act East Policy

About Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a regional intergovernmental organization comprising Ten Countries in Southeast Asia.

Members of ASEAN

1. Indonesia
2. Malaysia
3. Philippines
4. Singapore
5. Thailand
6. Brunei
7. Vietnam
8. Laos
9. Myanmar
10. Cambodia

ASEAN’s Objectives:

1. To promote intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic, political, security, military, educational, and sociocultural integration among its members and other countries in Asia.
2. To maintain close and beneficial cooperation with existing international and regional organisations.
3. To promote regional peace and stability through abiding respect for justice and the rule of law and adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter.
4. To accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development for a prosperous and peaceful community of Southeast Asian Nations.

A major partner of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, ASEAN maintains a global network of alliances and dialogue partners and is considered by many as the central union for cooperation in Asia-Pacific.

• The motto of ASEAN is “One Vision, One Identity, One Community”.
• ASEAN is headquartered in Jakarta, Indonesia.
• 8th August is observed as ASEAN Day.
• In 1967 ASEAN was established with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by its founding fathers: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
• Chairmanship of ASEAN rotates annually, based on the alphabetical order of the English names of Member States.
• ASEAN is the 3rd largest market in the world – larger than EU and North American markets.

ASEAN Plus Three

ASEAN Plus Three is a forum that functions as a coordinator of co-operation between the ASEAN and the three East Asian nations of China, South Korea, and Japan.

ASEAN Plus Six

• further integration to improve existing ties of Southeast Asia was done by the larger East Asia Summit (EAS), which included ASEAN Plus Three as well as India, Australia, and New Zealand.
• The group became ASEAN Plus Six with Australia, New Zealand, and India, and stands as the linchpin of Asia Pacific’s economic, political, security, socio-cultural architecture, as well as the global economy.
• This group acted as a prerequisite for the planned East Asia Community which was supposedly patterned after the European Community (now transformed into the European Union).

About India’s Act East Policy:

• India’s ‘Act East’ policy is a diplomatic initiative to promote economic, strategic and cultural relations with the vast Asia-Pacific region at different levels. 
• It was launched in 2014 when Indian economy was relatively robust and its global profile was higher than it was in the decades prior.
• The policy gave a new thrust to intensify economic, strategic and diplomatic relations with countries that share common concerns with India on China’s growing economic and military strength  and its implications for the evolving regional order.
• India’s Act East Policy is closely connected with its long-term vision of developing its Northeastern region (NER) which is considered as a gateway to Southeast  Asia. 
•  ‘Act  East’  and its early avatar, ‘Look East’ are not different; rather, they are two sides of the same coin, representing two different, but continuing phases in the evolution of India’s policy towards the Asia-Pacific region.

-Source: The Hindu, ORF       

Untreated solid waste pose risk of Public Health Emergency

Context:

The Supreme Court expressed concern that the mounting untreated solid waste in the Delhi would lead to a public health emergency.

• It called for strict implementation of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.

Relevance:

GS II: Polity and Governance,

GS III: Environment and Ecology

Dimensions of the Article:

1. What are Solid Waste Management Rules 2016?
2. Highlighted Initiatives in Waste Management

What are Solid Waste Management Rules 2016?

• Replacement and Focus:
  • These rules replaced the Municipal Solid Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000.
  • Emphasis is on waste segregation at the source, manufacturers’ responsibility for disposing of sanitary and packaging wastes, and user fees from bulk generators for collection, disposal, and processing.
• Key Features:
  • Residents must separate waste into wet (biodegradable), dry (recyclable), and hazardous categories.
  • User fees are charged for waste collection, with fines for littering or improper segregation.
  • Encouragement of composting or bio-methanation of biodegradable waste.
  • Municipalities are responsible for collecting segregated waste, ensuring proper processing and disposal, and levying user fees to cover costs.
  • Extended Producer Responsibility mandates that manufacturers of disposables financially support waste management systems.

Highlighted Initiatives in Waste Management:

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Mechanism:

• EPR is a policy approach that holds producers accountable for the entire lifecycle of their products.
• Producers are responsible for product collection, recycling, and disposal.
• Aims to reduce environmental impact by shifting waste management responsibility to producers.
• In 2022, EPR initiatives were implemented for plastic packaging, E-waste, battery waste, and used oil.
• Utilization of market mechanisms expected to stimulate growth in the waste management sector.

Waste Processing Capacity:

• Approximately 76% of the 1.5 lakh metric tons per day (MT/D) of urban waste is processed.
• Notable increase in waste processing capacity since 2014.
• Capacity expansion for solid waste, hazardous waste, bio-medical waste, E-waste, plastic waste, and construction and demolition waste.
• Solid waste processing capacity increased by around 1.05 lakh MT/D under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban).

Swachh Bharat Mission for Solid Waste Management:

• Central assistance provided for solid waste management, including plastic waste management in urban and rural areas.
• Launch of Swachh Bharat Mission Urban 2.0 in 2021 with the goal of creating “Garbage Free Cities.”
• Focus on door-to-door collection, source segregation, and scientific processing of municipal solid waste.
• Emphasis on source segregation, reducing single-use plastic, managing construction-and-demolition waste, and bio-remediation of waste dump sites.
• Swachh Bharat Mission – Grameen Phase II includes solid waste management activities at the village level.

 Waste Management Rules and Guidelines:

• Implementation of various waste management rules and guidelines under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
• Includes Solid Waste Management Rules (2016), Plastic Waste Management Rules (2016), Bio-medical Waste Management Rules (2016), Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules (2016), Hazardous and other wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules (2016), E-waste Management Rules (2022), and Battery Waste Management Rules (2022).
• Guidelines issued for environmentally sound waste management.
• Development of guidelines for the levy of environmental damages/environmental compensation charges based on the polluter pays principle for hazardous waste, E-waste, and plastic waste.

-Source: The Hindu, The Indian Express