Consular Access: Kulbhushan Jadhav Case

India has asked Pakistan to grant full consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav at the earliest in "full compliance and conformity" with the International Court of Justice’s verdict on Kulbhushan jadhav case.

• The ICJ in its verdict has ordered Pakistan to make an “effective review and reconsideration” of Jadhav’s conviction and death sentence and also grant consular access.
  
  • Kulbhushan Jadhav (former Indian naval officer) was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on the charges of espionage and terrorism.

Kulbhushan Jadhav Case

• Kulbhushan Jadhav was arrested in March 2016 by Pakistani security forces in Balochistan province after he reportedly entered from Iran.
• He was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on the charges of espionage and terrorism in April 2017.
• India has always maintained that Kulbhushan Jadhav is not a spy, and that Pakistan should provide counsellor access to him as his case pertains to abduction from the Iranian territory.
• In May 9, 2018, ICJ has stayed his death sentence after India had moved a petition before the UN body to seek justice for him, alleging violation of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations by Pakistan.
• During the hearing in the case on February, 2019, India said Pakistan's continued custody of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav without any consular access should be declared "unlawful" as it was an egregious violation of the Vienna Convention.
• Harish Salve, who is representing India and Kulbhushan Jadhav in the ICJ, said Pakistan was using the issue of Kulbhushan Jadhav as a "propaganda tool" without even following the due proper procedure.

Consular Access

• India had demanded consular access to Jadhav under the rules of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 1963.
• The Vienna Convention on Consular Relations is an international treaty that defines consular relations between independent states.
  
  • A consul, (who is not a diplomat) is a representative of a foreign state in a host country, who works for the interests of his countrymen.
• Article 36 of the Vienna Convention states that foreign nationals who are arrested or detained in the host country must be given notice without delay of their right to have their embassy or consulate notified of that arrest.
• If the detained foreign national so requests, the police must fax that notice to the embassy or consulate, which can then verify the person.
  
  • The notice to the consulate can be as simple as a fax, giving the person's name, the place of arrest, and, if possible, something about the reason for the arrest or detention.

Importance of consular access for India in Jadhav case

• Jadhav was awarded death sentence after a secret trial hence there are chances of trial being fake or sham.
• If India gets consular access to Jadhav, it can demolish the Pakistani case by advising Jadhav on the various aspects of the case and can get access to Jadhav's real version of events leading to his arrest.

Source: I.E

Digital Trade

According to a digital trade report released by Hinrich Foundation (a philanthropic organization) and the All India Management Association (AIMA), digital trade is likely to create Rs. 3,331 thousand crore economic opportunity for India by 2030.

• Digital trade encompasses digitally-enabled transactions of trade in goods and services that can either be digitally or physically delivered, and that involve consumers, firms, and governments.
  
  • Example includes purchase of a book through an on-line marketplace, or having an online access to some data.

All India Management Association

• The All India Management Association (AIMA) is the apex body for management in India with over 37000 members and close to 6000 corporate /institutional members through 68 Local Management Associations affiliated to it.
• It is a non-lobbying, a not for profit organisation, working closely with industry, Government, academia and students, to further the cause of the management profession in India.
• It is located in New Delhi.

Key Findings

• The report also predicted that value-added to India’s domestic sectors through digital trade could grow over 14-fold by 2030.
• The export value of virtual goods and services enabled by the digital economy, such as e-commerce, account for $58 billion in 2018-19, making it India’s second largest export sector.
  
  • In such a scenario, it is estimated that India’s digital exports could grow by 238% from today’s levels to touch $197 billion by 2030.
• Digital trade can enable Indian firms to reduce the cost of storing data, improve business practices, generate richer business insights, and enter new markets.
• Digital trade can also facilitate the more efficient management of global supply chains (e.g. tracking of export containers using Internet of Things technology).
• Many countries are adopting digital trade rules that could undermine the digital trade opportunity for India.

Concerns

• India is contemplating an umbrella legislation on data protection. A 10-member expert group headed by former Supreme Court judge B.N. Srikrishna has submitted the draft Personal Data Protection Bill, 2018, to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. The committee has recommended setting up of a data protection authority and placing restrictions on cross-border data flows.
• India is also opposed to joining any global deal on e-commerce with the Prime Minister refusing to sign the Osaka Track, an overarching framework promoting cross-border data flow, at the recently held G-20 summit.
• Many businesses, particularly small and medium enterprises (SMEs), often lack the resources to research international sales opportunities, build global business networks and promote their products overseas.

Steps to be Taken

• To maximise the positive impact of digital trade, issues such as undue red tape on digital enterprises, restricted cross-border data flows, and imbalanced copyright and intermediate liability regulations, need to be addressed.
• Good regulatory frameworks are essential to address issues such as privacy and cybersecurity.
• Minimizing border frictions (e.g. imposition of customs duties on digital goods) and enable open data flows (e.g. creating an internationally interoperable privacy rules system).
• Enabling cross border data flows and clarifying the framework for processing and storing data will be required to further expand the contribution of digital exports.
• The report has suggested that countries should adopt the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Privacy Framework and join the APEC Cross Border Data Privacy Rules System, besides adopting the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Standards, which specify controls to protect personal data.

Way Forward

• There is an opportunity for India to play a leading role, not only at home, but also abroad in pushing for facilitative digital trade rules in its various bilateral and multilateral trade negotiations.

Source: HBL

Sahamati

Sahamati is a new framework developed by Aadhar architect Nandan Nilekani which aims to make bank account operations paperless.

• Sahamati is a Collective of Account Aggregator (AA) ecosystem being set up as a non-Government, private limited company. AA is a process by which information from all of an individual's or household’s accounts are collected in one place.
• The architecture of AA is based on the Data Empowerment and Protection Architecture (DEPA) framework.

Data Empowerment and Protection Architecture (DEPA) Framework

• Data Empowerment and Protection Architecture (DEPA) is a new approach, a paradigm shift in personal data management and processing that transforms the current organization centric system to human-centric system.
• By giving people the power to decide how their data can be used, DEPA enables the collection and use of personal data in ways that empower people to access better financial, healthcare, and other socio-economically important services in real-time while preserving the safety, security and privacy of the user.

Background

• The RBI in 2016 approved Account Aggregator as a new class of NBFC, whose primary responsibility is to facilitate the transfer of user’s financial data with their explicit consent.
  
  • However, currently no such mechanism exists, even if the user wishes to share data.
  • Therefore this AA ecosystem will allow for the seamless sharing of data between financial bodies of all kinds centered around user consent (i.e ‘Sahamati’).
• The main responsibilities of the account aggregator is to provide services based on the explicit consent of individual clients.
• Account Aggregator (AA) is the construct/ framework that provides a digital platform for easy sharing and consumption of data from various entities with user consent. This primarily includes transfer, but not storing, of a client’s data.
  
  • An AA is ‘data-blind’ as the data that flows through an AA is encrypted. Also, an AA does not and cannot store any user’s data – thus, the potential for leakage and misuse of user’s data is prevented.
• RBI and other Financial Services Regulators (FSRs) are providing the required regulatory support and guidance for the rollout of AA.
• The scope of Shamati can be expanded to accommodate other domains such as healthcare and telecom in future.

Need

• Currently, an individual’s data is spread across silos and islands in banks, telcos, healthcare institutions with no framework in place for them to share with their benefactors. This data is essential to help build better products for the individual/entity.
• An individual/entity has to collect, collate and share data themselves either physically or electronically. This is slow, and an expensive exercise.
• There is no framework available to integrate and aggregate them that can provide a full view of an individual/entity’s data.
• Also, there is no framework available that can let an entity access users’ data even with users’ permissions.
• As a result, there is still friction in accessing data and a large amount of data is not effectively leveraged.
• Hence, the transition of ‘data rich society’ to an ‘economic rich society’ is still not happening.

Source: THBL

Special Courts for POCSO Cases

The Supreme Court has directed the Centre to set up special courts to deal exclusively with Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) cases.

• Special courts will be established under a Central scheme (fully funded by the Centre) in each district across the country that had over a 100 cases of child abuse and sexual assault pending trial under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
• The Centre would have to appoint trained, sensitised prosecutors and support persons to deal with the POCSO cases (deals with crime against minor).
• Supreme court has also directed states to ensure there is no delay in Forensic Sciences Laboratories (FSL) releasing test reports in POCSO cases.
• Supreme Court has found that the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), which is mandated to monitor implementation of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, does not have any data on POCSO cases in the country.

Problems in NCPCR

• NCPCR still follows an outdated format of data collection, which only lists out state wise number of nodal officers, special courts, special prosecutors, whether the victim has received compensation, etc.
• It doesn’t collect or maintain district-wise data on POCSO cases before the police or courts, nor does it have disaggregated data as per various sections of POCSO Act.
• NCPCR has started the process of developing a new online tool and format for data collection in 2018 but the portal is still is its testing period.

Pendency in POCSO Cases

• Nearly 1.5 lakh cases under POCSO Act are pending.
• Uttar Pradesh has the most cases pending (over 44,000 )followed by Maharashtra (over 19,000 cases).
• According to National Crime Records Bureau around 89% (in 2016) of the total cases before the courts are pending trial while the pendency rate at the police investigation stage is 31%.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights

• NCPCR was established in March 2007 as a statutory body under the Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005.
• It was set up to protect, promote and defend child rights in the country.

Functions of NCPCR under POCSO Act

• To monitor the implementation of the provisions of the POCSO Act.
• Monitor the designation of Special Courts by state governments.
• Monitor the appointment of Public Prosecutors by state governments.
• Monitor formulation of the guidelines described in the Act by the state government.

Source: IE

Government’s Efforts for Rural Healthcare

According to the latest bulletin of the Sample Registration System, government’s efforts to provide better healthcare to people in rural areas seem to have resulted in them tapping the formal healthcare infrastructure more.

Effect of Better Healthcare Services on Rural Lives

• Fewer children are dying at birth not just in urban areas but also in rural regions.
• The infant mortality rate, widely accepted as a crude indicator of the health scenario of a country, fell from 58% (infant deaths per 1,000 live births) in 2008 to 37% in 2017 in rural areas, while birth rate (total number of live births per 1,000 in a population in a year) came down to 21.8% from 24.4% during the same period in those areas.
• Death rate declined during the decade of 2007-2017.
• The rate of decline in these years has been higher in rural areas (around 14.5%) than in urban areas (10.5%).

Situation of Rural Healthcare

• The latest data on live births, infant mortality and deaths suggests more people in rural areas are visiting doctors than ever before at private and government clinics/hospitals.
• The percentage of live births where the mother received medical attention at delivery either at a government or private hospital rose from 73.1 in 2012 to 81.9 in 2017 at the all-India level.
• Similarly, 47% got attention before their death in 2017, up from 34.6% in 2012. In both events, birth and death, all the 22 states surveyed showed an improvement from the previous time.
• On healthcare indicators Nagaland fares the best, with the lowest death rate and the lowest birth rate.
• The death rate in 29 states and in Delhi for 2017 ranges from 3.6% in Nagaland to 7.5% in Chhattisgarh.
• Nagaland scores well on birth rates, too, sharing the fifth spot with Chandigarh at 13.5%.
  
  • The health indicators of its rural areas are good as well, with the birth rate at 14% against an all-India rural average of 21.8% and the death rate at 4.2% versus 6.9%. The IMR in its rural areas is 7%.

GDP Spent on Healthcare

• At 1.4% of GDP, India spends among the least on healthcare.
• The Centre aims to raise it to 2.5% by 2025.
• The National Health Policy 2017 seeks to hike states’ health spending to over 8%.
• The Centre has made an outlay of ₹64,999 crore for health in FY20, 16% higher than the FY19 revised estimates.
  
  • Of this,₹33,651 crore is set aside for the government’s flagship scheme, the National Health Mission.

Source: Mint

Toxic Metals in Delhi Vegetables Markets

According to National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) study, vegetables grown on the Yamuna floodplain have been found to contain high doses of lead, which, on prolonged consumption, could trigger a range of diseases.

Findings

• The heaviest lead contamination was found in coriander collected from east Delhi.
• Except for cabbage, lead levels were found to be above the standard in all vegetables collected from vendors, with the highest level found in spinach (14.1 mg/kg).
• While the safe limit for lead in vegetables has been set at 2.5mg/kg by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the level of the metal detected in vegetable samples collected from the floodplain ranges from 2.8mg/kg to 13.8mg/kg.
• The study was conducted in February 2019 by the NEERI and the findings were placed before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in May 2019.

Background

• Even though only 2% of the Yamuna’s stretch passes through Delhi, it receives around 70% of the Capital’s polluted water.
• In 2015, the NGT had banned the cultivation of edible crops and fodder on the floodplain saying that such vegetables were highly contaminated. Despite this, the practice continues.
• The source of lead could be industries dealing in automobile parts, batteries, paint and polythene. Various kinds of usage of lead-based compounds may also be potential sources.

Health Effects

• Heavy-metal toxicity can lower energy levels, damage the functioning of the brain, lungs, kidneys, and liver.
• They can also damage the blood composition and other important organs.
• Long-term exposure to these metals could even cause cancer.
• Lead poisoning can lead to mental retardation in children.

National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI)

• National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) is one of the 38 national laboratories of Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) working in various areas of science and technology.
• Its mandate is to conduct and development studies in environmental science and engineering and to participate in CSIR thrust areas and mission projects.
• Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) is an autonomous body under Ministry of Science & Technology, Govt. of India.

Source: HT

Kargil Vijay Diwas

The 20^th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas was observed on the 26^th of July 2019.

• The theme of the 20^th anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas -‘Remember, Rejoice and Renew’.
  
  • The theme reflects the emotion of the countrymen that we remember our martyrs by revisiting their sacrifices, we ‘rejoice’ by celebrating the victory in Kargil and we renew our resolve to safeguard the honour of the Tricolour.

History of Kargil War

• In the year 1999, India and Pakistan signed the Lahore Agreement to mutually resolve the Kashmir issue in a peaceful manner.
• However, the Pakistani troops began infiltrating toward Indian side of the Line of Control (LoC) under Operation Badr, hoping to cut off Indian Troops in Siachen. Indian Army responded by launching Operation Vijay.
• Indian Army released a book titled “Fire and Fury Corps-Saga of Valour, Fortitude and Sacrifice” which documents the courage and bravery warriors and portrays the rich heritage and ethos of the Indian Army to mark the 20^th anniversary of Kargil War.

Source: The Times of India

“Trans Fat Free” Logo

In a letter sent out to food safety commissioners and food business operators, the food authority, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has stated that the food establishments which use trans-fat free fats/oils and do not have industrial trans-fat more than 0.2 gms per 100 gm of the food can display ‘Trans Fat Free’ logo in their outlets and on their food products.

• Since 2018, FSSAI has been pushing the industry to bring down the trans-fatty acids in Vanaspati, edible bakery shortenings, margarine in a phased manner.
• The trans fat content in fats and oils has already been limited to 5%. The regulator is working on further reducing the content to 3% by 2021 and 2% by 2022. The regulation, now, being extended to food products having fats and oils.
• The above commitments have been made after the World Health Organisation called for the elimination of industrially-produced trans fat from the food supply by 2023.

Source: HBL

China’s First Commercial Rocket

Chinese startup Interstellar Glory Space Technology also known as iSpace has successfully launched the country’s first commercial rocket capable of carrying satellites into orbit.

• The 20-metre (66-foot) rocket designed by iSpace named Hyperbola-1 reached an altitude of 300 kilometres (186 miles).
• Two other private Chinese rocket builders, LandSpace and OneSpace, have both failed to launch their rockets into orbit in 2018.
• Once dominated by state research agencies and the military, China allowed private companies to enter the space industry to build and launch satellites in 2014.
• Dozens of Chinese companies are competing for a share in the global space industry which according to Morgan Stanley, is estimated to be worth about $1 trillion by 2040.
• The sector is currently dominated by SpaceX and Blue Origin in the US.
• Chinese startups are mostly focused on building technology to launch microsatellites instead of space tourism like their US counterparts.

Microsatellites

• Microsatellites are typically no larger than a shoebox and are used to monitor crops, weather patterns or disaster sites or used by universities for research purposes.
• They are cheaper to build and easier to deploy than traditional truck-sized versions and their launch has become a lucrative market, currently dominated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)

Source: HT

Securitypedia

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has launched an online encyclopedia called Securitypedia.

• Securitypedia is a website which incorporates a wide range of security related issues, best practices and latest technologies (in the domain of security) available across the world.
• It is not just a static website containing data archives but is more of a dynamic platform where a force member can contribute by writing blogs on relevant security related professional issues.
  
  • Just like Wikipedia, any member could post information or edit articles after citing authentic and verifiable sources.
• As a supplement to Securitypedia, CISF has also developed CISF Tube which is an online video database of all videos relevant to CISF.
• The videos available on CISF Tube enables CISF personnel to learn on various subjects related to their area of functioning.

Source: I.E