DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS ANALYSIS

06 JULY 2022

1 – Money Laundering: 

GS III

Topic – Internal Security of India and Money Laundering related issues

• Context:
• Saeed Khan, a close friend of Shiv Sena MP Bhavana Gawali who was detained by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case last year, has been granted bail by the Bombay High Court.
• How it works:
• The act of making it appear as though huge sums of money earned through illegal conduct, such as drug trafficking or terrorist action, came from a legitimate source is known as money laundering.
• The method “launders” the money to make it appear clean because the proceeds of the illegal action are seen as dirty money.
• It can be summed up by saying that it is the process of making money that comes from one source appear to originate from another.
• The Mafia organisation in the United States of America is where the term “money laundering” first appeared. Huge sums of money have been earned by mafia groups through extortion, gambling, etc., and this money is displayed as lawful money. Money laundering is most commonly referred to as Hawala transactions in India.
• Money Laundering Problems:
• Global issues like money laundering and terrorism financing not only jeopardise security but also undermine the efficiency, openness, and stability of financial systems, which in turn threatens the health of the economy.
• According to the International Monetary Fund, laundering of money generates $590 billion to $1.5 trillion annually, or around two to five percent of the global GDP.
• Money laundering can have disastrous effects on a nation’s economy and social structure, particularly in developing or financially shaky nations.
• How Money Laundering Operates:
• Money laundering is a three-stage technique that masks the illicit activity below what appears to be an honest financial transaction.
• The first phase is when the proceeds of crime are introduced into the established financial system. This is referred to as placement;
• In the second stage, injected funds are stacked and dispersed across a variety of transactions in an effort to conceal their dubious source. This procedure is known as “layering”;
• In the third and final stage, money enters the financial system with the intention of having its initial connection to the crime erased so that the offender or recipient can use it as clean money. This is referred to as integration.
• Money laundering threats are changing:
• Money launderers now have additional entry points thanks to the widespread use of non-cash payment methods like prepaid cards, internet transactions, and mobile payments.
• These new payment methods are susceptible to money laundering activities because of the high transaction speed and the limited face-to-face contact between the person initiating the transaction and the service provider.
• The rising necessity for financial institutions to identify and enrol their customers online is being abused by money launderers.
• The complexity of trade systems is exploited by trade-based money laundering, typically in multinational environments where the interaction of numerous parties and countries makes CDD procedures and AML checks more difficult.
• Globalization’s effects on money laundering:
• Money can flow quickly and easily anywhere in the world thanks to rapid advancements in financial information, technology, and communication. This makes it more important than ever to fight money laundering.
• It becomes harder to pinpoint the source of “dirty money” the farther it penetrates the global banking system.
• It is challenging to calculate the overall quantity of money that undergoes the laundry cycle due to the covert nature of money-laundering.
• The three Fs—finding, freezing, and forfeiting of income and assets obtained via criminal activity—have become increasingly challenging as a result of recent changes to the global financial system.
• These include the “dollarization” of black markets, or the practise of conducting financial transactions in dollars, the broader movement toward financial deregulation, the expansion of the Euromarket, and the rise of financial secrecy havens.
• The financial infrastructure has evolved into a continuously operating worldwide system where “megabyte money” (i.e., money in the form of symbols on computer screens) may go anywhere in the globe with ease and speed thanks to advancements in technology and communications.
• Indian measures to combat money laundering:
• Before the Prevention of Money Laundering Act of 2002 (PMLA) was passed in India, the main statutes that included steps to address the issue of money laundering were:
• The 1961 Income Tax Act
• The 1974 Act to Conserve Foreign Exchange and Prevent Smuggling Activities (COFEPOSA)
• Act of 1976 against Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (SAFEMA)
• Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPSA) Act 1985
• Prohibiting Benami transactions Act 1988:
• Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA)
• PMLA: Prevention of Money Laundering Act of 2002:
• The Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 was passed to outlaw the practise and make provisions for the forfeiture of assets obtained through money laundering.
• The Financial Intelligence Unit-India is required to receive information on such transactions in the prescribed format from banking firms, financial institutions, and intermediaries, as well as to verify and maintain records of all client identities (FIU-IND).
• If a banking business, financial institution, or intermediary—or one of its officers—fails to comply with the Act’s requirements, it gives the Director of FIU-IND the authority to sanction those parties.
• 2015’s Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act:
• by outlining the process for dealing with such income and assets, to address the threat of the black money that exists in the form of undeclared overseas income and assets.
• Amendment to the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act of 2015:
• It intends to broaden the definition of “Benami Transactions” and details the punishment that will be meted out to anyone who engages in one.
• The Prevention of Money Laundering Act gives specific officers of the Directorate of Enforcement the authority to conduct investigations into allegations of money laundering and to seize any associated property.
• Financial Intelligence Unit:
• As the principal national body in charge of collecting, processing, evaluating, and disseminating information about questionable financial activities, it was founded in India in 2004.
• In order to further the worldwide efforts against money laundering and related crimes, the Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND) is also in charge of coordinating and bolstering efforts of national and international intelligence, investigation, and enforcement organisations.
• The Economic Intelligence Council (EIC), which is led by the Finance Minister, receives direct reports from FIU-IND, an independent organisation.
• How to Proceed Ahead:
• Make the general public more conscious of the issue of the underprivileged and uneducated people.
• By doing proper KYC, one is achieving the goal of the KYC Norms.
• Encourage cashless transactions online.
• Implementing modern technologies in networks of illicit money.
• Passing data protection legislation, employing “White Caps,” and allowing bank web audits of money transfers.
• Financial institutions must be required to report suspicious transactions since doing so increases the likelihood that money laundering schemes will be discovered by law enforcement.
• Employees at financial institutions need to be trained to recognise potentially suspicious activities.
• Employees at banks will find more transactions if they can recognise the traits of money laundering transactions.
• To make sure they are conducting business legally, financial institutions should be forced to collect extensive information about their clients. A system like that would make it simpler for banks to identify suspicious transactions.
• Conclusion:
• Big data and artificial intelligence are two equally sophisticated anti-money laundering techniques that need to be used to combat the rising dangers of money laundering enabled by emerging technology. To effectively eradicate the issue of money laundering, both local and foreign parties must collaborate through enhancing data exchange methods among them.

Source – The Hindu

2 – Militancy in J&K taking a new form:

GS III

Topic – Internal Security of India

• Context:
• The insurgency in Kashmir has entered a “secretive and hazardous” phase that has frightened the security forces after a period of “social media glamourization” highlighted by the rise of local leaders like Burhan Wani.
• Background:
• The Treaty of Lahore was signed following the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and the Sikhs’ defeat.
• On behalf of the East India Company, Governor-General Sir Henry Harding signed the deal.
• Gulab Singh obtained control of Kashmir’s land as a result of a treaty; the Dogra dynasty has dominated the region ever since.
• Upon achieving independence:
• Maharaja Hari Singh, a Hindu ruler, oversaw a populace that was about 77 percent Muslim.
• Diversity in culture and pluralism are hallmarks of the state.
• major areas of the state:
• Muslims of the Sunni faith predominate in the hill region’s north.
• Hindus dominate Jammu’s plains.
• Buddhists and some Shia Muslims predominated in the hilly region of Ladakh.
• The geopolitically significant region of Gilgit and Baltistan has borders with China and Afghanistan and is sparsely populated by Shia Muslims.
• Sikhs can be found in the state’s Jammu and Kashmir regions.
• Jammu and Kashmir joining India:
• Hari Singh, the state’s monarch, put off making a choice concerning the future of his state at the time of India’s partition and political integration. In order to maintain his independence, he chose not to join either Pakistan or India.
• The state’s western districts had a revolt, which was followed by an invasion by Pakistan-backed raiders from the nearby Northwest Frontier Province, forcing the ruler to reassess his position.
• Hari Singh joined India on October 26, 1947, in exchange for airlifting Indian troops to Kashmir to combat Pakistan-backed forces.
• According to the Instrument of Accession, the Indian parliament was granted responsibility for matters like defence, foreign policy, finance, and communication, while state governments were required to approve all other laws.
• Except for the region known as Pakistan occupied Kashmir in India and Azad Kashmir in Pakistan, Indian troops drove Pakistani troops out of the valley after their accession.
• Jammu & Kashmir’s state assembly:
• Jammu and Kashmir’s constituent legislature met in 1951 and confirmed the state’s accession to India while also drafting the state constitution.
• “The state is and shall be an integral part of the Union of India,” according to Jammu and Kashmir’s constitution.
• About Kashmir and the UN:
• Mountbatten recommended that the Indian government bring the Kashmir issue to the UN. India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire as a result of the UN’s intervention in Kashmir.
• The Line of Control is the name given to the cease-fire line established in (LOC).
• A UN Military Observer Group continues to document ceasefire violations between Pakistan and India.
• After Pakistan withdrew its forces from Kashmir, which is under their authority, the UN also adopted a resolution calling for a referendum to be held under UN supervision. However, the poll has not yet taken place due to Pakistan’s refusal to withdraw its troops from POK.
• Since Kashmir was annexed by India, the animosity between the two nations has persisted, and this friction has led to instability and underdevelopment in the region.
• Kashmir as a theatre of a war via proxy:
• Pakistan has always attempted to undermine the stability of the Jammu and Kashmir area through military conflict. Whether it was the wars of 1947, 1965, or 1971, Pakistan had incurred significant losses. India played a significant role in the partition of Eastern Pakistan during the 1971 war, humiliating Pakistan.
• After all of these military clashes, Pakistan understood that engaging India militarily directly would not be beneficial.
• In the late 1980s, Pakistan used low-intensity warfare methods to launch a separatist and militant insurgency in Kashmir under the guise of jihad.
• Pakistan utilised the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), a disgruntled organisation of Kashmiris, as a tool for insurgency. Yasin Malik, a JKLF commander who coordinated militancy in Kashmir and called for Jammu and Kashmir’s independence, eventually rejected the use of violence and supported negotiations as a means of resolving the conflict.
• However, with the assistance of Pakistan’s ISI, infiltration across the border resulted in the formation of new terrorist groups in the valley, including Hizbul Mujahedeen, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Harkart-ul-Jehad-e-Islami (Huji), etc.
• The establishment of these terrorist groups in the valley led to ethnic cleansing, which drove many Kashmiri Pandits out of the valley and caused a change in the valley’s population.
• India now faces a serious external security danger from Pakistan’s direct or covert support for and training of terrorist groups in the Jammu and Kashmir area.
• Along with Pakistan’s involvement, the Indian government fell short of meeting the needs of the local populace. Lack of progress, the militarization of the area, and the disputed state election of 1987 all contributed to the militancy in the valley, which led to some state legislators forming armed insurgent groups.
• Therefore, both of these factors—i.e (internal and external). Due to a lack of development, education, and career opportunities, terrorist organisations can easily prey on Kashmiri youth. The youth demonstrations against Afzal Guru’s death and the gathering in support of terrorist Burhan Wani demonstrate the extent of the radicalization in the Kashmir region.
• The ISI’s use of irregular warfare in Kashmir:
• Tribal warfare, tiny wars, and low intensity combat are all examples of irregular warfare. This was done to hurt people’s minds.
• Low intensity war can shape outcomes that cannot be obtained by direct conflict.
• The low intensity battle front in Kashmir is evidently manifested in armed uprising, guerrilla warfare, political upheaval, and war for independence that turned into irregular warfare tactics.
• In Jammu and Kashmir, a proxy war is being waged:
• Propaganda and other nefarious tactics to brainwash valley residents and undermine their trust in India.
• Terrorists from across the border infiltrate and interfere with the valley’s ongoing development projects.
• terrorists are being trained and recruited via information technology.
• internationalise the Kashmir dispute at organisations like the UN and portray India as being prejudiced against one particular religion.
• using locals to provide intelligence Locals are now terrorist organisations’ eyes and ears. They give these groups privileged access to information about military sites, bases, and even refuge.
• As Pakistan’s influence in international forums declines, India has improved relations with other nations like the USA, France, Israel, Germany, Japan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Pakistan has redirected its terrorist assaults on Indian military bases in order to avoid collective retaliation from these nations. Recent attacks in Pathankot, Uri, or on military convoys provide evidence of this. Attacks on military bases to undermine the security system have evolved into a new Pakistani strategy to kill India with a thousand cuts as the country’s security readiness has improved over the past few years.
• The issue of human rights in Kashmir:
• Various foreign organisations, including Human Right Watch and Amnesty International, frequently accuse the Indian armed forces of violating human rights in the valley.
• Human rights violations include:
• Extrajudicial killings
• Disappearance
• Torture
• lack of speech and expression freedom.
• In violation of the National Security Act, detention
• Pellet guns are used carelessly.
• Illegal use of AFSPA powers.
• Kashmir’s Terrorism’s Scope:
• the violence in the valley following Burhan Muzaffar Wani’s engagement with Hizbul Mujahideen.
• 20,000 mourners attended his burial procession.
• A violent demonstration began in the valley.
• The leaders of the separatist movement urged Kashmir to be shut down.
• The mob attacked the security guards and police officers stationed there.
• Burhan Wani was described as a “martyr” by Pakistan’s then-prime minister.
• All of these demonstrate how deeply rooted terrorism is in Kashmir. The central government was obliged to reconsider its Kashmir approach as a result of the glorification of terrorism and such a high level of support.
• Pakistan’s main strategies include inciting the public, disparaging Indian security personnel, and globalising the Kashmir conflict.
• Change in Approach Against Kashmiri Militancy:
• The government began Campaign All-out, an anti-militancy operation, to restore peace in the valley. The security forces were informed of the details and whereabouts of the shortlisted terrorists so they could be chased out of Kashmir.
• Following the attack on February 14, 2019, in which the Jaish-e-Mohammed terror organisation used a suicide bomber to kill over 40 CRPF soldiers.
• After learning about the terrorist camp in the Balakot region, the Indian Air Force launched a non-military preemptive attack in response to this attack. Many terrorist camps were destroyed in this attack.
• Terrorists would be discouraged by this strategy of massive counterattack.
• Other topics include the rehabilitation and resettling of Kashmiri pandits and the valley referendum.
• When Pakistan attacked India in 1947, a UN-mediated referendum was planned to take place right away. But because Pakistan never withdrew its forces from the Kashmir region, the referendum was never held.
• A referendum would not be a workable answer, at least not in the near future, given the changing demographics of Jammu and Kashmir and the radicalised young there.
• The exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the area took place thirty years ago. They are forced to live in their own nation as refugees. Only until the region reaps the benefits of growth and the security situation improves will their resettlement in the area be feasible.
• Details of the human shield:
• A person was employed in 2017 as a shield from stone throwers by being fastened to the jeep’s hood. Human rights advocates from all across the world condemned this incident.
• According to the Geneva Convention, it constitutes a war crime and was called an inhuman act by Amnesty International.
• Security forces can employ more humane strategies that are more equitable and balanced in justice:
• Pellet gun usage:
• Police and the military frequently deploy tear gas, water cannons, pepper spray, and pellet guns as non-lethal crowd control measures.
• Pellet weapons are designed to cause personal injury. They are efficient across a short distance of 500 yards, but they can be lethal when fired at close range and can seriously injure sensitive areas.
• Pellet weapons are not acceptable to human rights campaigners, hence safer alternatives should be used.
• Report of the TNSV Prasad Committee on the use of pellet guns:
• The following recommendations are crucial, made by the MHA’s committee on the usage of pellet guns:
• The most rarest of cases should call for the employment of pellet guns.
• Use non-lethal crowd control alternatives such as tear gas and chilli grenade shells instead of pellet guns.
• In response to a Supreme Court judgement, the administration asked the security forces to employ plastic bullets while taking into account more effective techniques.
• Stone-pelting activity in the valley:
• It is an ISI strategy for crowd mobilisation, and the Hurriyat supports it.
• The actions taken by the NIA against the Hurriyat leader have reduced the frequency of stone-pelting events, which reached a peak in 2016–17.
• Details of the AFSPA:
• The Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) gives armed forces special rights, such as the ability to search and arrest people without cause.
• Additionally, the nature of this is contentious.
• Various Plans and Initiatives by the Indian Government:
• The government has started a number of measures to combat militancy in Kashmir by using development as a tool:
• UDAAN was founded with the intention of educating the valley’s young in skills.
• PM’s development plan for J&K focuses on improving infrastructure for transportation, health care, renewable energy, tourism, and other sectors as well as opening up new employment opportunities.
• Making institutions like AIIMS, IIT, and IIM and building tunnels will cut down on commute time.
• Prioritize creating additional rail links.
• Project Himayat: youth employment and capacity building.
• Project Sadhbhavana is an initiative by the Indian Army to assist youth in forming their dreams.
• Project Umeed: promoting female emancipation.
• Current Situation of Jammu and Kashmir:
• By presidential decree, the clauses that grant the state of Jammu and Kashmir a special status were repealed. The articles 370 and 35A were repealed.
• The state of Jammu and Kashmir is now subject to the provisions of the Indian Constitution.
• dividing the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two independent union regions, Ladakh without a legislature and Jammu and Kashmir with a legislature.
• Disagreement over Siachen:
• After that ceasefire line was formed, there was a military conflict between India and Pakistan near the Siachen glacier in the Karakoram Range.
• “Operation Meghdoot” was launched by India in 1984 to liberate it from Pakistani army. It is the world’s highest battleground.
• Siachen is an area that frequently makes the headlines for the deaths of military soldiers brought on by the region’s severe weather.
• In order to bring causality and correctly guard the borders, technology should be used.
• Therefore, a comprehensive programme that may fill the gap in public trust in the government is urgently needed.

Source – The Indian Express

3 – Comptroller and Auditor General of India:

GS II

Topic – Appointment to various Constitutional Posts

• Introduction:
• The Comptroller and Auditor General of India is a position that is autonomous according to Article 148 of the Indian Constitution (CAG).
• He is one of the pillars of India’s democratic system of government and the head of the Indian Audit and Accounts Department.
• He oversees the nation’s whole financial system at both the federal and state levels as the protector of the public purse.
• In the area of financial administration, it is his responsibility to maintain the Indian Constitution and parliamentary laws.
• Constitutional Provisions for the CAG Office:
• Article 148 broadly addresses the nomination, oath, and terms of duty for the CAG.
• The duties and authority of India’s Comptroller and Auditor General are covered under Article 149.
• According to Article 150, the President may prescribe a format for the Union and State accounts based on advice from the CAG.
• According to Article 151, the president is responsible for ordering the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India’s reports on the Union’s financial statements to be brought before each House of Parliament.
• Article 279: The Comptroller and Auditor-General of India determines and certifies the calculation of “net proceeds,” and his or her certificate is conclusive
• Establishment, Term, and Removal:
• A warrant bearing the President of India’s signature and seal appoints the CAG.
• The CAG stays in office for six years or until they reach 65, whichever comes first.
• He can submit a letter of resignation to the president at any moment to leave his position.
• On the same grounds and in the same ways as a Supreme Court judge, he is likewise subject to removal by the president. In other words, the president has the authority to remove him if both Houses of Parliament pass a resolution to that effect with a special majority, either on the basis of shown misconduct or incapacity.
• To protect and guarantee the independence of CAG, the following provisions have been incorporated in the Constitution:
• He enjoys tenure security and can only be dismissed by the president in compliance with the steps outlined in the Constitution. Therefore, despite being selected by the president, he does not hold office until the president so chooses.
• After leaving his position, he is ineligible for any other post, either with the Government of India or any state.
• The Parliament sets his pay and other service requirements. His pay is on par with that of a Supreme Court justice.
• After his appointment, neither his salary nor his rights with regard to a leave of absence, pension, or retirement age may be changed to his detriment.
• The Consolidated Fund of India is used to cover the administrative costs of the CAG’s office, including all salaries, benefits, and pensions of those employed there. Parliament does not need to approve these costs.
• No minister may speak on behalf of the CAG in the Parliament (both Houses) or be asked to accept accountability for any of his deeds.
• Mission of CAG:
• The Consolidated Fund of India, each state’s Consolidated Fund, and the UT with a legislative assembly all have their accounts audited by the CAG.
• The Public Account of India, the Contingency Fund of India, and the Contingency Fund and Public Account of each state are all audited by CAG for all expenditures.
• All trading, manufacturing, profit and loss, balance sheets, and other subsidiary accounts maintained by any department of the Central Government and the State Governments are audited by CAG.
• When required by relevant laws, CAG audits the revenue and expense of all bodies and authorities that are primarily supported by Central or State revenues, government corporations, and other corporations and bodies.
• His certificate is conclusive in the matter and he determines and certifies the net proceeds of any tax or duty.
• Reports:
• He gives the President and Governor his audit reports on the accounts of the Center and the State, and they in turn will present them to the Houses of Parliament and the State Legislature, respectively.
• He gives the President three audit reports: one on appropriation accounts, one on financial accounts, and one on public undertakings.
• About PAC and CAG:
• He serves as the Public Accounts Committee of the Parliament’s mentor, friend, and philosopher.
• PAC reviews three CAG reports, including the audit reports on public sector undertakings, finance accounts, and appropriation accounts.
• Additionally, CAG supports the committee’s debates by compiling a list of the issues that require the PAC’s immediate attention.
• He also assists in making the committee’s actions and the government’s actions plain to the committee and the witnesses, respectively.
• The role of the CAG can occasionally be that of an interpreter and translator, expressing the viewpoints of the officials to the politicians and vice versa.
• The CAG is still accountable for more things. He must keep an eye on whether the corrective action he proposed has been implemented or not. In situations where action has not been done, he brings the issue to the PAC’s attention.
• Issues facing the CAG:
• No standards have been set:
• If there are well defined conditions for this, independence can be guaranteed. Such criteria would include the qualities that a candidate must have in order to be selected as CAG as well as the selection process. Transparency in the process is necessary.
• Availability Issue:
• Currently, the Cabinet Secretary creates a shortlist for the finance minister to submit before the prime minister, which is how the CAG gets appointed.
• One nominee from that list is suggested to the president by the prime minister. If the president concurs, a warrant bearing the president’s signature and seal is used to appoint the CAG.
• Such a process is flawed because there is a possibility of an interest conflict.
• Diluting Responsibility:
• The Indian government, which is led by the prime minister, is audited by the CAG.
• There is a risk that a “pliable” person could become the CAG if the head of the auditee chooses the person to audit his organisation, which could weaken accountability.
• CAG Report Delays and Reductions:
• Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports have been delayed and are still pending; critics refer to this as being “CAGed”.
• According to a recent response to a Right To Information (RTI) request, the total number of CAG reports pertaining to central government ministries and departments decreased from 55 in 2015 to just 14 in 2020, a decrease of over 75%.
• Changes Required:
• Establishing Independence:
• In order to ensure that the head of their Supreme Audit Institution operates independently and is not influenced by the Executive, whose performance he is required to evaluate and give an audit opinion on attaining the objectives, the majority of nations have passed laws establishing certain qualifications as well as the process of appointment.
• The UK’s Exchequer and Audit Act, as revised in 1983, states that the Prime Minister and the Chairman of the Committee of Public Accounts will jointly choose the CAG, who would then be approved by the House of Commons. Transparency in Appointment:
• An institutional system must be established in India in order to promote transparency and objectivity in the CAG selection process.
• A list of people with these qualifications might be created. After that, a high-level committee may assess the candidates’ personalities and suggest to the president a list of three candidates, only one of whom can be selected.
• Stopping Delays:
• Similar to the citizen’s right under the RTI Act of 2005 to obtain information within a month, auditors should have priority access to documents within seven days; if not, heads of departments should be compelled to offer an explanation for the delay.
• Steps to increase CAG’s effectiveness:
• After the Big Data revolution, the CAG released a Big Data management strategy and opened a Centre for Data Management and Analytics in Delhi, both of which are positive developments.
• The 2017 Commonwealth Auditors General Conference was held at CAG of India. The two conference themes were using technology in public audit and environmental audit. Partnerships between Commonwealth nations for the development of public auditing competence were fostered by the conference.
• The fact that CAG was able to audit the UN headquarters, which involves numerous complicated activities, demonstrates the reliability of Indian CAG.
• Conclusion:
• Reforms at the CAG office are crucial because the CAG helps the parliament and state legislatures keep their respective governments responsible.
• He is one of the pillars of India’s democratic system of government and, as B.R. Ambedkar put it, the most significant position in the Indian Constitution.

Source – The Hindu

4 – Cell Therapy to treat Cancer:

Prelims Specific Topic

• Context:
• Bengaluru’s cell therapy cancer centre is taking shape, and studies are ongoing.
• The team intends to reduce the price of the therapy from its current US $350,000 to $400,000 through trials and developments in India.
• About:
• T-cell treatment, commonly referred to as adoptive cell transfer (ACT), entails removing immune cells from the body and attaching them with receptor molecules that will enable them to fight off malignant cells once the re-engineered T-cells are reintroduced back into the body.
• They are forced to recognise the antigen (protein) present in malignant cells.
• Compared to chemotherapy and radiation therapy, this is different.
• Chemotherapy involves infusing medications into the bloodstream, primarily to stop the spread of cells from the primary damaged tissue or organ.
• Radiation therapy, on the other hand, uses X-rays to eliminate the malignant cells directly in the damaged tissue or organ.
• T-cell therapy is being hailed as ground breaking since certain recent US clinical trials utilising this therapy were fruitful.
• This medication was used to treat patients who were not expected to live more than 2-4 months.
• The results were excellent, with more than half of the patients reporting complete remission. This is a development in medical science.
• However, due to a few other areas of concern, vigilance must be taken:
• T-cells can remain in a person’s body for their entire life and are similar to a living drug.
• Risky side effects of T-cell therapy include cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and an overstimulation of the body’s defence cells, which can lead to fever, hypotension, and other diseases.
• The effectiveness of this therapy on other types of cancer is yet unknown as it has only been tested on people with blood cancer thus far.
• Therefore, despite the fact that this is an excellent advancement in the battle against cancer, additional work needs to be done to guarantee its efficacy and the wellbeing of the patients.

Source – The Indian Express