13 September 2014

Answer ALL the questions in 200 words

Q1. What are the likely challenges faced by relief agencies and rescue workers post floods in inhabited regions. Explain the role of government in managing these challenges. (GS PAPER III- Security and Disaster Management: Disaster Mangement)

http://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/nppa-directs-pharma-firms-to-resolve-shortage-affecting-j-k-114091201147_1.html

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/fears-of-epidemic-rise-as-flood-waters-recede/article6406768.ece

Ans: Natural calamities like floods, earthquakes, cyclones etc. pose a serious threat not only to the existing order of the affected communities, but also seriously hamper the rescue operations undertaken by the state machinery in the aftermath. A case in point is the recent floods in Jammu and Kashmir. An unprecedented calamity of recent times, it has brought to light the challenges faced by relief agencies and rescue workers post the floods.

Land connectivity is disrupted and all land routes of transport are blocked by the overflow of water and heavy rains. Communication links also become defunct as telephone, mobile and internet connectivity are disrupted. In this regard, it thus becomes difficult to undertake rescue operations with limited means of air and water transport available at the disposal of the state.

There is a lack of co- ordination among various relief agency like NDRF, Army, local authorities to optimize relief effort in numerous instances.

Supply of food and clean drinking water to the people stranded in flood affected areas is a major hurdle for the relief and rescue workers.

As outbreak of diseases and epidemics is an important concern when the water recedes, it becomes imperative that essential medicines such as malaria drugs, anti-venom, along with rabies vaccine, rabies immunoglobulin and albumin injections are easily made available. A scarcity of these could pose another threat to the success of relief operations.

A dearth in the number of volunteers and relief workers may also occur, in which case, the Army dutifully steps in to bridge the gap.

Grant of relief funds and ex gratia to the affected communities is at times delayed, which further exacerbates the plight of the people hit by the floods. It delays their journey towards recovery and normalcy.

Lack of rehabilitative areas in a zone suffering under the pressure of floods is also a significant hurdle in the rescue and relief activities.

Provision of burial sites for dead people and animals. Lastly, besides material amenities, it is equally significant to boost the morale of the

victims of natural calamities. Often the importance of counseling to manage public

emotion can go a long way in bringing back hope in the lives of the affected.

The role played by the government in managing the aforementioned challenges:

Weather forecast and flood warning systems must be upgraded to caution the general public of the chance of a natural disaster in high rainfall and flood prone areas.

Restoration of infrastructure and road networks around the flood affected areas. Also, establishing temporary transport routes such as wooden bridges are undertaken to speed-track rescue operations. Re-establishing communication links is done at the earliest. Social media can play a pivotal role in rescue operations due to its widespread outreach.

Establishing close contact with the workers on the ground and coordinating the operations undertaken by national and state agencies as well as voluntary organizations.

Timely distribution of food packets and safe drinking water as well as essential medicines is also high on the list of priorities of the government. Passing orders to the pharmaceutical companies to bridge the gap on priority are being undertaken, as is evident by the recent order of NPPA (National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority) to companies to increase supply of essential drugs and submit compliance reports within limited time.

Mobilization of relief workers at the state and national level to tackle the issue of low manpower. In the face of such large scale destruction, all agencies must work in sync.

The relief package must be made available to the affected people at the earliest. In addition to rescue operators, counselors should be appointed to attend to those suffering psychologically from the impact of floods.

Conclusion: The challenges posed by calamities of such large scale destruction can be countered by smooth and synchronized functioning of the disaster relief cell, governmental agencies and voluntary organizations.

Q2. Write a note on Creative Productivity Index and India’s position in it. (GS PAPER III- Economic Development)http://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/india-14th-among-22-asia-pacific-economies-114091300052_1.html

Ans: The Creative Productivity Index is a new index launched by the Asian Development Bank and Economist Intelligence Unit. It is designed to give policymakers a tool to measure progress in fostering creativity and innovation in 22 Asia-Pacific economies (plus those of the US and Finland, for comparison purposes). Japan and the Republic of Korea topped the list as countries most efficient in the Asia and Pacific region at turning creative inputs into tangible innovation. Myanmar, Pakistan, and Cambodia, by contrast, are ranked as the least efficient innovators.

The Creative Productivity Index differs from existing innovation-related indices by focusing on how efficiently countries turn their creative inputs into innovation outputs rather than just the absolute level of creative inputs. This allows countries to seek the most effective—and affordable—innovation investments. It also captures elements of creativity that are more relevant in less developed countries, such as agricultural innovation.

On the input side, creative productivity is measured on three dimensions - the capacity to innovate, incentives to innovate, and how conducive the environment is for innovation. The output side measures innovations by considering both conventional indicators such as the number of patents filed, as well as a broader set of measures on knowledge creation.

India ranked 14th on list of 24 economies on Creative Productivity Index. It falls within the range of medium status. While India ranked lower on the input side at 15, compared to its overall performance, the output side showed significant improvement with a rank of 13. This implies that output delivery has greater efficiency compared to innovation on the input side. Regulatory hurdles, red tape and corruption considerably hinder the possibility of private sector to invest in innovation in India. Following deficiencies, if diagnosed, can help us increase our creativity productivity:

a) Agriculture – small size of average land holdings with lack of adequate irrigation systems implies high weather dependency and low farm mechanization.b) Physical capital and industry – investments in infrastructure to contain the rual-to-urban migration. Rurban mission can be a corrective reform. Overlapping and redundant labour laws. c) Human capital – tertiary education is sound but more investments in primary and secondary education along with skills enhancement is needed.

Conclusion: This is an opportune time for India to put to use its rich demographic dividend.

Q3. Examine recent immigration policies of some European countries and their impact on Indian nationals.(GS PAPER II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations-Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora)http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/cambridge-university-vc-opposes-antiimmigrant-policy/article6406762.ece

Ans: As the world globalizes, with significant milestones in economic development, trade, investment etc., boundaries and borders are blurred to allow freer flow of goods as well as people. However, excessive influx of foreigners has posed a challenge to the resident workforce of the host countries. This in turn has led to the drafting of stringent immigration policies, often putting the migrants at a disadvantage.The anti-immigrant tone of the policies of most European countries stems from widespread political as well as public opinion against immigration. Proponents of such sentiments opine that the open-borders policies of the European Union, particularly Britain,France and Austria are diminishing local culture and costing jobs.

The glaring instances of the same are as follows:

Swiss voters recently approved a measure that tightens immigration quotas despite threats of penalties by the EU, though the vote was close.

France's anti-EU National Front party, which supports limits on immigration, won control of up to 15 municipalities in elections.

Britain is facing legal action by the European Commission over attempts to limit welfare benefits to immigrants.

German government has set up a panel to find ways to cut down on "benefit tourism" in cities that complain they are overwhelmed by unemployed east Europeans arriving not to work but to take advantage of the country's health care, schools and welfare.

Leading political parties in Austria consider their anti-immigration stance as the result of open backlash from the citizenry against outsiders.

In this tumultuous atmosphere, immigrants in general, and Indians in particular face several problems: Immigrants can be exploited for their cheap labor; Developing countries may suffer “brain drain” as the limited resources they spend in

educating their students amount to very little if that talent is enticed to another country. (The UK for example is often accused of actively hiring medical staff from developing countries).

Immigration can become a social/political issue, where racism can be used to exploit feelings or as an excuse for current woes of local population;

Where there is a perception that immigrants and refugees appear to get more benefits than local poor people, tensions and hostilities can also rise;

Concerns about illegal immigration can spill over to ill-feelings towards the majority of immigrants who are law-abiding and contributing to the economy;

Many die trying to flee their predicament, and this can often make sensational headlines giving the appearance that immigration is largely illegal and “out of control.”

Conclusion: Popular public opinion in European countries like UK though is not totally against the immigration of students. The number of students applying to study in British universities like Cambridge remain steady, despite UK’s recent immigration curbs. There has been a fall in the number of applicants from other countries. However, Indian students continue to flock to colleges and universities in Britain in pursuit of better avenues of higher education. This stability is indeed an encouraging signal of improving the present situation of unease.

Q4. What are the current Good Manufacturing Practices, or cGMP followed in pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries? What is their importance? Explain. (GS PAPER III- Economic Development)

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/furore-in-canada-over-defective-apotex-drugs-made-in-india/article6406710.ece

Ans: cGMP refers to the Current Good Manufacturing Practice regulations enforced by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It provide for systems that assure proper design, monitoring, and control of manufacturing processes and facilities. Adherence to the cGMP regulations ensures the identity, strength, quality, and purity of drug products by stipulating that manufacturers of medications adequately control manufacturing operations. 

This includes:

establishing strong quality management systems, obtaining appropriate quality raw materials, establishing robust operating procedures,

detecting and investigating product quality deviations, and

maintaining reliable testing laboratories. 

This formal system of controls at a pharmaceutical company, if adequately put into practice, will help in preventing instances of contamination, mix-ups, deviations, failures, and errors. The quality of drugs is, thus, guaranteed.

The cGMP requirements are flexible in order to allow each manufacturer to decide individually how to best implement the necessary controls by using scientifically sound design, processing methods, and testing procedures.  The flexibility in these regulations allows companies to use modern technologies and innovative approaches to achieve higher quality through continual improvement. The "c" in cGMP stands for "current," requiring companies to use technologies and systems that are up-to-date in order to comply with the regulations. Companies such as Ranbaxy in the past and Indian branch of Canadian generic drug manufacturer, Apotex recently failed to comply with cGMPs mandated by FDA.   

cGMPs are the base minimal requirements that need to be adhered by any drug manufacturer. At the macro level, several pharmaceutical companies undertaken comprehensive methods to ensure quality of drugs produced that exceed the requisite minimum standards. While the latter does not assure transparency, cGMPs effectively act as an even gauge scale for multiple companies.

Importance:

Break from convention: While the conventional technique of testing involves a

minute sample space that fail to incorporate lacunae at the manufacturing level, cGMPs assess the progress of production by scrutinising almost every entity involved in the production process.

Built-in quality: cGMPs ensure that quality is built in the design and process. Good infrastructure: cGMPs call for facilities that are in good condition. Accounting for accuracy: Equipment that is properly maintained and calibrated is

ensured by cGMPs. Employee Credentials: Employees who are qualified and fully trained, and processes

that are reliable and reproducible, are instances of cGMPs provideing consumers the benefit of expertise.

Conclusion: cGMPs are fairly inclusive and consumer-friendly directives that exceed the benchmarks set by other national and international regulatory authorities (eg. Health Canada, the Canadian regulator). Pharmaceutical firms and industries focused on biotechnology adhering to the directives laid down by the FDA, particularly cGMPs, have a wider market of prospective customers.

Q5. Write a note on regenerative medicine and its applications. (GS PAPER III- Technology)

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/japan-first-to-implant-ips-stem-cells/article6406754.ece

Ans: Regenerative medicine is a branch of translational research in tissue engineering and molecular biology which deals with the process of replacing, engineering or regenerating human cells, tissues or organs to restore or establish normal functions. This field holds the promise of engineering damaged tissues and organs by stimulating the body's own repair mechanisms to functionally heal previously irreparable tissues or organs. It uses a combination of several technological approaches that move it beyond traditional transplantation and replacement therapies. These approaches may include the use of stem cells, soluble molecules, genetic engineering, tissue engineering, and advanced cell therapy.

Regenerative medicine also includes the possibility of growing tissues and organs in the laboratory and safely implanting them when the body cannot heal itself. The cells for a regenerated organ, if derived from the patient himself, will solve the twin problems of shortage of organ donors and organ transplant rejection.

Applications:

Novel Methods of Insulin Replacement and Pancreatic Islet Cell Regeneration for Diabetes : Therapies such as bone marrow stem cell transplantation, can increase accessibility by providing a permanent solution and reducing the financial burden caused by the purchase of insulin.

Autologous Cells for the Regeneration of Heart Muscle After Myocardial Infarction and Cardiomyopathies : Autologous cells injected directly into the damaged portion of the heart can avoid immune rejection and bring down treatment costs substantially.

Immune System Enhancement by Engineered Immune Cells and Novel Vaccination Strategies for Infectious Diseas e : Engineered immune cells and novel vaccination strategies can improve an individual's ability to fight infections and to combat new strains of common diseases like tuberculosis, hepatitis, malaria and HIV/AIDS, particularly in children.

Organ regeneration: Induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS) cells — which have the potential to develop into any cell in the body — that had originally come from the skin of the patient.

Alleviat ion of mobility related symptoms : Cord blood stem cells injected intravenously have the ability to migrate to the area of brain injury and perform repair. Also, an infusion of cord stem cells in children can help overcome several nervous disorders including cerebral palsy. The research for the same is underway.

Conclusion: The field of regenerative medicine is one of fast growing innovation that propounds significant leaps in various areas of medicine and surgery including, but not limited to, organ transplantation. It holds a promise of improved healthcare in the years to come.

Q6. Critically comment on India’s Look East policy. (GS PAPER II- International Relations)

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/the-benefits-of-a-multipolar-world/article6406683.ece

Ans: In its bid to woo potential markets and strengthen strategic as well as military alliances in Asia, India has undergone a subtle transformation in its foreign policy approach. As opposed to the conventional ideology of non-alignment, India has identified the urgent need to forge closer ties with its eastern neighbours to carve a niche of its own in a multilateral world order. Friendly relations with smaller nations such as Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar, ignored or overlooked in the past, have highlighted a landmark development in India’s eastern overtures. These overtures, though, are characterised by strong undercurrents with Asian giants like China and Japan.

Pros:

India’s Look East Policy has gathered substantive strategic and economic weight. There is greater need of cooperation between neighbours as never before in the face of sectarian violence that is fast gaining ground all over the world, particularly in South and West Asia.

Economically, the partnership between India and other ASEAN nations has grown by leaps and bounds. Investment to the tune of $35 billion and $20 billion by Japan and China respectively, indicate greater involvement of Asian players in India’s economy. India has taken a slew of steps to galvanise relations with the economically vibrant region of East Asia, which includes the setting up of an Indian mission to the ASEAN in Jakarta, and the decision to set up an ASEAN-India Centre for Trade and Investment.

While trade and investment remain the core of the India-ASEAN engagement, the two sides have opened new vistas of cooperation on cross-cutting security issues and imbued bilateral ties with the much-needed strategic depth. The festering tensions in the South China Sea have lent an added urgency to the strategic dimension of the relationship.

With the economies of India and the ASEAN growing and their energy needs going up, another area that is bringing the two sides closer is the pursuit of maritime security and enhanced cooperation in combating terrorism and piracy. India has consistently pitched for freedom of navigation, which has received across-the-board endorsement from ASEAN nations and East Asia. On these trans-national issues, India is not only active on the ASEAN track, but has also been a proactive participant in shaping discourse on these issues in the ASEAN Regional Forum and the East Asia summit process.

India has vigorously backed fast-tracking a host of connectivity projects that will quicken regional integration and has supported the Master Plan on ASEAN Plus Connectivity (MPAC). The conclusion of negotiations for an ASEAN-India Transit Transport Agreement by 2015, the Tamu-Kalewa-Kalemyo sector of the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway, the extension of this highway to Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, its further linkage with ports in ASEAN countries and its integration with models like Special Economic Zones are some initiatives that will further strengthen the ties among neighbours.

Cons:

In its attempt to build better economic ties with China and Japan, India may inadvertently get engaged in a power struggle between the nations. The conflict in East China sea between the two is a glaring example of difference. Should tensions increase, India could well be tied in a diplomatic dilemma of the highest order.

The north-eastern states of India are still reeling under the effects of discrimination from the mainland in the field of education, employment and public amenties. India must first address regional conflicts in tandem with border disputes involving China before moving forward on its Asian agenda.

A complicated equation exists between China, Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia, South Korea and other regional nations. India, an outsider to these regional differences, cannot remain on a neutral standpoint for too long. It will have to shift its priorities should the need arise.

The nexus between the East and the West needs to be well understood. India’s activities in Asia are closely followed by its western allies and bilateral relations in the region may have negative ramifications if not executed with finesse. The close contact between China and Russia, though initiated to counteract the unilateral challenge from USA, should be treated with caution as it poses a problem for Japan, one of India’s closest allies.

Conclusion: Diplomacy should entail continued dialogue to foster warmer ties and maintain the mutually beneficial relationship between all players involved. India must do away with postures and policies that could drag it into unnecessary tussles which involve no interests for the country. The recent endeavour to Look East and Link West is a step in the right direction to sustain better relations with all global entities, without monopolizing a singular region or nation.

Q7. Explain the technology used in Google Street View project. (GS PAPER III- Technology)

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/now-giza-pyramids-on-google-street-view/article6406684.ece

Ans: Google Street View is a feature available in Google Maps, Google Earth and Google Maps for mobile that allows users to explore the world through 360-degree street-level imagery. It has been used to showcase many significant places of tourist attraction throughout the world, including the Pyramids of Giza, the Taj Mahal in India and several spots in Europe and North America.

Technology:

The Street View team captures images by means of a camera fixed to a car that automatically records its surroundings. In case of difficult terrain, other means such as trekkers are employed to obtain images on foot. Other platforms for image collection are the Trike, the Trolley, and the Snowmobile.

Once the photographs have been taken, they go through computer processing to make them ready for showing on Google Maps.

All the individual photos that have been collected by the cameras are taken and "stitched” together to make the 360-degree panorama that is seen on Google Maps.Then cutting-edge face and license plate blurring technology is applied to help ensure that passers-by in the photographs can't be identified.

Google Street View is also open to private individuals who wish to garner a larger viewership for their property. However, Google solely decides the criteria for selection.

Conclusion: The new age technologies such as Google Street View provide new avenues for tourism and the same can be exploited by countries that wish to boost their tourism industry. The quality of images is almost equivalent to the real structure. This innovation can go a long way in bringing people from all over the world closer still in their love for travel.