DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS ANALYSIS

28^th December 2021

No.	Topic Name	Prelims/Mains
1.	ABOUT THE GRAP	Prelims & Mains
2.	ABOUT THE FCRA	Prelims & Mains
3.	DETAILS OF THE NITI AAYOG HEALTH INDEX	Prelims & Mains
4.	ABOUT THE NATO	Prelims Specific
5.	DETAILS OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL	Prelims Specific

 

1 – ABOUT THE GRAP:

GS III

Topic – Environmental Conservation related issues

• What exactly is GRAP:
• The GRAP is a set of emergency measures to be implemented based on air quality to control pollution.
• The Supreme Court approved it in 2016.
• Environment Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority drafted the plan.
• It’s only useful in an emergency.
• Because the plan is incremental, the measures indicated must be followed as the air quality deteriorates from poor to very poor.
• The plan’s overview is as follows:
• In Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Rajasthan, 13 different authorities must work together to implement the strategy (NCR areas).
• The EPCA, which was mandated by the Supreme Court, sits at the head of the table.
• EPCA holds a meeting with representatives from all NCR states before imposing any measures, and a decision is made on which steps should be implemented in which town.
• The Commission on Air Quality Management is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving air quality.
• In October of this year, the ‘Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjacent Areas Ordinance 2020’ was passed.
• The Commission will take the place of bodies like the Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan pollution control boards.
• It will have the authority to issue directives to these state governments on air pollution issues.
• Composition:
• It will be a long-term organization with more than 20 members.
• Chairperson: A government official with the level of Secretary or Chief Secretary will preside over the meeting.
• Jurisdiction:
• In matters of air pollution, the NCR will have exclusive jurisdiction, comprising territories in Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan, and will collaborate with the CPCB and ISRO, in addition to the various state governments.
• Source – The Hindu – 28/12/21 – Page Number 3

2 – ABOUT THE FCRA:

GS III

Topic – Indian Economy

• Background:
• An NGO has petitioned the Delhi High Court to be exempted from the Union Home Ministry’s March 31 deadline for opening an FCRA account with an SBI branch in New Delhi.
• What exactly is the problem:
• The Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) was amended in 2020, making it mandatory for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to open a bank account in Delhi.
• However, many organizations who are unable to acquire foreign money have been hampered as a result of this.
• The new laws are affecting many NGOs, as they are preventing philanthropic activities during the pandemic.
• Amendment to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Regulations, 2020:
• It aims to make it illegal for ‘public servants’ to receive any foreign funding.
• It proposes that NGOs utilize foreign funding to cover administrative expenditures by reducing their utilization of foreign funds from 50% to 20%.
• Its goal is to “prevent any transfer of foreign contribution to any association or person.”
• It suggests that all office-bearers, directors, and other important functionaries of NGOs or groups qualified to accept foreign funding be required to have Aadhaar cards.
• It aims to give the federal government the power to hold a short inquiry and order organisations that have received FCRA permission to “not use the unutilized foreign contribution or receive the remaining share of foreign contribution.”
• Also, the use of foreign monies for administrative purposes should be limited.
• This would have an impact on research and advocacy groups that rely on the funds to cover administrative expenditures.
• Source – The Hindu – 28/12/21 – Page Number 1

3 – DETAILS OF THE NITI AAYOG HEALTH INDEX:

GS II

Topic – Health related issues

• Context:
• The fourth edition of Niti Aayog’s state health index for 2019-20 has been issued.
• The NITI Aayog, the World Bank, and the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry commissioned the “Health Index” as part of a report.
• In the most recent index, the following states performed well:
• Kerala has won for the fourth year in a row.
• Uttar Pradesh is at the bottom of the list.
• Tamil Nadu is ranked second, while Telangana is ranked third.
• Mizoram came out on top among smaller states in terms of health, while Nagaland came in worst.
• Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu were placed first and second, respectively, among union territories, and Andaman and Nicobar was ranked last.
• The following is how the states are ranked:
• The Health Index score is calculated using data from a vast number of variables organized into three categories: health outcomes, governance and information, and key inputs and processes.
• Parameters like neonatal mortality rate, under-5 mortality rate, and birth sex ratio are examples of health outcomes.
• Institutional deliveries and average occupancy of top officials in important positions intended for health are examples of governance.
• Significance:
• The Health Index was created as a mechanism to use cooperative and competitive federalism to accelerate the pace at which health results are achieved.
• It would also be used to “nudge” States and Union Territories (UTs) and Central Ministries to place a considerably larger emphasis on output and outcome-based annual performance measurement than is currently the case.
• The Index’s annual publication and dynamic availability on the public domain are expected to keep all stakeholders informed about the achievement of Goal 3 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Source – The Hindu – 28/12/21 – Page Number 1

4 – ABOUT NATO:

Prelims Specific Topic:

• The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was founded on the 4th of April, 1949, by the United States, Canada, and many Western European states to offer collective protection against the Soviet Union under the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty).
• The company’s headquarters are in Brussels, Belgium.
• NATO is a political and military alliance whose principal objectives are to defend its members collectively and to maintain a democratic peace in the North Atlantic region.
• “An attack against one ally is considered an attack against all allies,” according to NATO’s Article V, which specifies that “an attack against one ally is considered an attack against all allies.”
• NATO’s Forces:
• While NATO has a military and civilian headquarters as well as an integrated military command structure, it only possesses a small number of forces and assets that are solely its own.
• Until member countries agree to take on NATO-related activities, the majority of forces remain under full national command and control.
• NATO Decisions:
• Because all decisions are made by consensus, a “NATO decision” is an expression of the collective will of all 30 member countries.
• Source – The Hindu – 28/12/21 – Page Number 11

5 – DETAILS OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL:

Prelims Specific Topic:

• About the NSC of India:
• The NSC of India is a three-tiered body that monitors strategic political, economic, energy, and security problems.
• The National Security Counsel (NSA) oversees the NSC and serves as the prime minister’s top advisor.
• Ajit Doval is the current National Security Advisor.
• It was established in 1998 and is responsible for all aspects of national security.
• The Strategic Policy Group (SPG), the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB), and the National Security Council Secretariat make up the three-tier organization of the National Security Council.
• The Cabinet Secretary chairs the SPG, which is the primary platform for inter-ministerial coordination and integration of pertinent information.
• The NSAB conducts long-term analysis and offers viewpoints on national security matters.
• Function:
• It is part of the Prime Minister of India’s executive office, mediating between the executive branch of the government and the intelligence agencies and advising leadership on intelligence and security problems.
• Members:
• It is made up of the Ministers of Home Affairs, Defence, External Affairs, and Finance.

• Source – The Hindu – 28/12/21 – Page Number 10