March 02, 2021
MOST IMPORTANT ARTICLES OF THE
DAY – 02/03/2021
IIT-Delhi researchers develop
technology to recycle e-waste
To deal with one of the fastest growing waste streams, researchers at Indian Institute of Technology,
Delhi have developed a zero-emission technology to manage and recycle e-waste to wealth, the institute
said on Monday.
It said a team led by K.K. Pant and his research group in the Catalytic Reaction Engineering Laboratory at
Chemical Engineering Department have adopted a methodology that uses e-waste as an “Urban Mine”
for metal recovery and energy production. Researchers said using their method, e-waste is shredded
and pyrolyzed to yield liquid and gaseous fuels, leaving behind a metal-rich solid fraction. On further
separation using a novel technique, the leftover solid residue yields a 90-95% pure metal mixture and
some carbonaceous materials. The carbonaceous material is further converted to aerogel for oil spillage
cleaning, dye removal, carbon dioxide capture, and use in supercapacitors. The technology is an
outcome of a Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, funded project and
developed technology will cater to the need of “Smart Cities,” “Swachh Bharat Abhiyan,” and
“Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiatives of the government, IIT-Delhi said.
SC exempts hostels, convents
from tax
Bench rejects Kerala’s contention
The Supreme Court on Monday held that residential accommodation for nuns near a convent and
hostels for students attached to educational institutions can claim exemption from paying building tax in
Kerala.
A Bench led by Justice Rohinton Nariman, in a judgment, said a building can be exempted from property
tax if its core purpose is to accommodate nuns and students, not for profit, but to provide them easy
access to their centres of study.
“Nuns are living in a neighbouring building to a convent only so that they may receive religious
instruction there, or if students are living in a hostel close to the school or college, it is obvious that the
1|Page
March 02, 2021
purpose of such residence is not to earn profit but residence that is integrally connected with religious
or educational activity,” Justice Nariman, who authored the verdict, observed.
The court did not agree with the Kerala government’s view that such buildings should be taxed as they
are used for residential purposes, and not exclusively for religious activities.
Section 3(1)(b) of the Kerala Building Tax Act, 1975 exempts payment of tax for premises used
“principally” for religious, charitable or educational purposes or as factories or workshops.
The court snubbed the Kerala government’s stand that exemptions from paying tax contained in a fiscal
statute should be strictly construed and any ambiguity should be interpreted in favour of the State. “If
we were to accept the contention of the State, buildings in which nuns are housed and students are
accommodated in hostels which have been completed after 1.4.1999 and which have a plinth area of
278.7 square meters would be liable to pay luxury tax...” Justice Nariman observed.
Five States have 84% of active
cases
Country registers 106 deaths related to the COVID-19 infiection n 24 hours
With several States in the country continuing to report an increased number of daily new COVID-19
cases, India has reported 106 deaths in the 24 hours till 8 a.m. on Monday with five States accounting
for 86.79% of the new deaths. Maharashtra saw the highest casualties (62). Kerala follows with 15 daily
deaths and Punjab reported seven deaths, the Health Ministry noted in its release.
Twenty States and Union Territories, including Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh,
Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Puducherry, Assam and Manipur, did not report any deaths.
“Six States, Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, have shown a surge in new
COVID cases in the last 24 hours. Also the total number of cases with U.K., South Africa and Brazil
variants of the COVID virus in the country as on date are 213,” the Ministry said.
It added that 15,510 new cases were registered in the last 24 hours with Maharashtra continuing to
report the highest daily new cases at 8,293. It is followed by Kerala with 3,254 while Punjab has
reported 579 new cases. Of the new cases, 87.25% are from these six States.
“The Centre is continuously engaging with the States and UTs manifesting a higher caseload of active
cases and those reporting a rise in the daily new COVID cases. States/UTs have been advised to maintain
a continued rigorous vigil for containing the spread of COVID-19. Need for effective testing,
2|Page
March 02, 2021
comprehensive tracking, prompt isolation of positive cases and quick quarantine of close contacts are
strongly emphasised,” added the Ministry.
Upward trajectory
Currently, eight States are displaying an upward trajectory in the daily new cases — Maharashthra,
Kerala, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Karnataka and Haryana.
India’s total active caseload was 1,68,627 on Monday. India’s present active caseload now stands at
1.52% of India’s total positive cases. Five States account for 84% of the total active cases in the country
and Maharashtra alone accounts for 46.39% of India’s total active cases, followed by Kerala with
29.49%.
Also, 21 States/UTs have reported less than 1,000 active cases. Arunachal Pradesh has reported no
active cases in the last 24 hours and 15 States/UTs have registered more than 1,000 active cases. Kerala
and Maharashtra are the two States with more than 10,000 active cases, while the rest of the 13
States/UTs have between 1,000-10,000 active cases.
More than 1.07 crore (1,07,86,457) people has recovered so far and 11,288 patients have recovered and
been discharged in the last 24 hours.
Of the new recovered cases, 85.07% are observed to be concentrated in six States. Kerala has reported
the maximum number of single day recoveries with 4,333 newly recovered cases. In Maharashtra, 3,753
people recovered in the past 24 hours, followed by 490 in Tamil Nadu.
U.S. trade report flags issues
from ‘Make in India’ policy
The U.S. tried to resolve “long-standing market access impediments affecting U.S. exporters” during
2020 with India, says the 2021 President’s Trade Agenda and 2020 Annual Report — an annual report
submitted by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to Congress, calling India’s policies “trade-
restrictive” and saying the “Make in India” campaign epitomises the challenges to the trade relationship.
“While India’s large market, economic growth, and progress towards development make it an essential
market for many U.S. exporters, a general and consistent trend of trade-restrictive policies have
inhibited the potential of the bilateral trade relationship. Recent Indian emphasis on import substitution
through a “Make in India” campaign has epitomised the challenges facing the bilateral trade
relationship,” the report says.
3|Page
March 02, 2021
The Make in India campaign was launched by Prime Minister Modi in 2014 to incentivise production in
India. The report describes the Trump administration’s revocation of India’s preferential trading status
under the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) program in June 2019 and the ensuing discussion to
achieve a mini trade deal (“package”) throughout 2020. In a section on Digital Service Tax, a Section 301
investigation on India’s DST, which began in June last year, is highlighted. The investigation is ongoing,
as per the report.
WhatsApp’s new policy being
examined: govt.
Delhi HC seeks report in 3 weeks
The Central government on Monday informed the Delhi High Court that it was examining WhatsApp’s
controversial new privacy policy, which is scheduled to come into effect from May 15, at the highest
level.
Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva — who was hearing a petition against the instant messaging platform’s new
policy — granted three weeks time to the Centre to submit a status report on the issue. The court
posted the case for further hearing on April 19.
During the hearing, the Centre said it was in the process of gathering more clarity on the issue and was
seeking clarifications from WhatsApp.
Earlier, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Chetan Sharma, appearing for the Centre, had said: “The
privacy policy offered by WhatsApp to its European users, specifically prohibition of any information
shared with Facebook, while this provision is not present in the privacy policy offered to Indian citizens
— who form a very substantial part of WhatsApp user base. This differential treatment is a cause of
concern to the government.”
The court was hearing a petition filed by advocate Chaitanya Rohilla , who has claimed that WhatsApp’s
new privacy policy violates the right to privacy guaranteed under the Constitution. The plea said the new
policy “virtually gives a 360-degree profile into a person’s online activity” without there being any
supervision of the government.
The plea sought direction to issue guidelines to ensure such change in privacy policy by WhatsApp are
carried out.
4|Page
March 02, 2021
U.S. to keep hard line on China
trade
Document talks about using all tools available to counter ‘coercive’ practices
The Biden administration’s trade agenda will make pandemic recovery a top priority and focus on the
American worker, according to the 2021 President’s Trade Agenda and 2020 Annual Report, an annual
document submitted by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to Congress. The administration will push
for labour standards in its trade agreements, negotiate environmental standards and address China’s
“coercive and unfair” trade practices, the document said.
Impact on workers
“The Biden Administration will review past trade policies for their impacts on, and unintended
consequences for, workers,” it said.
“Workers will have a seat at the table as the Biden Administration develops new trade policies that
promote equitable economic growth by including strong, enforceable labor standards in trade
agreements that protect workers’ rights and increase economic security. The Administration will engage
allies to secure commitments to fight forced labor and exploitative labor conditions, and increase
transparency and accountability in global supply chains,” the report said.
The Biden administration’s trade priorities will also include negotiating and implementing “strong
environmental standards”. It will also seek to promote equitable economic growth through trade.
The impact of trade policy on racial minorities within the U.S. will also be a priority. The new
administration is also likely to follow an aggressive agricultural trade policy.
“The trade agenda will seek to expand global market opportunities for American farmers, ranchers, food
manufacturers, and fishers and will defend our producers by enforcing global agricultural trade rules,”
the report said.
Take on China
China’s “coercive and unfair trade practices harm American workers, threaten our technological edge,
weaken our supply chain resiliency, and undermine our national interests”, the report said.
“The ongoing comprehensive review of U.S. trade policy towards China is integral to the development of
the Administration’s overall China strategy,” it says, committing to using all tools available to counter
practices it calls unfair and harmful to the U.S.
5|Page
March 02, 2021
Addressing human rights abuses against the Uighurs and others will be a top priority for the
administration, as per the report. It will also collaborate with allies to address the market distortions
created by industrial overcapacity issue.
“Key sectors range from steel and aluminum to fiber optics, solar, and other sectors where the Chinese
Government has been a key contributor,” the report said.
Reforms at WTO
The U.S. will work with allies to “ implement necessary reforms to the World Trade Organisation’s
(WTO) substantive rules and procedures to address the challenges facing the global trading system,
including growing inequality, digital transformation, and impediments to small business trade”, the
report said.
“The Administration will work with allies and like-minded trading partners to establish high-standard
global rules to govern the digital economy, in line with our shared democratic values. Where gaps exist
in international trade rules, the United States will work to address them, including through enhanced
cooperation with our partners and allies,” it added.
GST collection rose 7% in Feb.
to ₹1.13 lakh cr.
Gross GST collections in February grew 7% year-on-year to ₹1.13 lakh crore, marking the third
consecutive month of the collections crossing ₹1.1 lakh crore.
Revenues from goods imports grew 15% in the month and revenues from domestic transactions
(including import of services) expanded 5% over February 2020, the Finance Ministry said.
Terming the improved collections ‘a clear indication of the economic recovery and the impact of various
measures taken by tax administration to improve compliance’, the Ministry pointed out that GST
revenues had crossed ₹1 lakh crore ‘fifth time in a row post pandemic’.
Among the major States, Odisha saw the highest surge in GST revenues of 20% in February, followed by
14% in Gujarat, 12% in Jharkhand, 10% in West Bengal and Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu recording a 9%
growth.
“A favourable base effect is likely to result in the CGST collections expanding by 18-23% in March 2021,”
said Aditi Nayar, principal economist at ICRA Ltd.
6|Page
March 02, 2021
Comorbidities list for vaccine
eligibility seen as too narrow
Focus on severe ailments excludes many: experts
The Union Health Ministry’s list of 20 comorbidities that make people in the 45-59 year age group
eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine is seen by some medical professionals as too narrow.
“The list of comorbidities is overly restrictive and complicated. Many conditions, including obesity, have
been left out,” said Dr. Gagandeep Kang, Professor of Microbiology at CMC Vellore.
“The focus seems to be on people with severe diseases and combination of comorbidities,” Dr. Anant
Bhan, a researcher in global health and bioethics in Bhopal said.
Hypertension, a common condition that increases the risk of progressing to severe COVID-19 disease
and even death, alone does not qualify unless it is accompanied by diseases such as diabetes or
conditions such as angina. “The initial focus has been on severe forms of a disease or condition. In a
month or two, we may see less severe forms of diseases included,” said Dr. D. Prabhakaran, from the
Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), Delhi and one of the two members who prepared the list for
cardiovascular diseases.
Across the world, people with comorbidities have been identified as a high-risk group. The risk is higher
in older people with comorbidities. India, as part of the second phase of vaccination, made people aged
over 60 years and those above 45 years with comorbidities eligible to get a vaccine from March 1.
With each comorbidity increasing the chances of severe disease and death, focusing on people with
more than one comorbidity would have been acceptable in case of vaccine shortage. But with millions of
doses of both vaccines available in India, it is not clear why the focus is on diseases at an advanced
stage, said Dr. Giridhara Babu, epidemiologist at PHFI, Bengaluru.
“Large sections of the population don’t even know if they have comorbidities. It would have been better
had we followed the U.K example, which has gone with age bands instead of comorbidities,” Dr. Kang
added.
Diabetes is a major comorbidity resulting even in death in COVID-19 patients. However, only those with
over 10 years of diabetes plus hypertension are eligible for vaccination. Similarly, only those with end-
stage kidney disease and on haemodialysis are included. People with stroke are eligible only if they also
have hypertension or diabetes. Many suffer from stroke from aneurysm or haemorrhage even in the
absence of hypertension or diabetes. While asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have not
been specified, the list includes those using corticosteroids for a “prolonged period” as being eligible.
“Prolonged” is not defined, however.
7|Page
March 02, 2021
Explained: What discovery of a
chariot at the Roman town of
Pompeii means
This chariot, the Pompeii archaeological park says, is “entirely unique in Italy”, because of its state of
preservation and because it is not a chariot used for agricultural products or the activities of daily life.
Archaeologists working at Pompeii have announced the discovery of a large ceremonial chariot, found
with four wheels, its iron components, bronze and tin decorations, mineralised wood remains, and
imprints of organic materials. Near the site where this chariot was discovered, the remains of three
horses were found in 2018.
“This is an exceptional discovery, not only because it adds an additional element to the history of this
dwelling and the story of the last moments in the lives of those who lived in it, as well as more generally
to our understanding of the ancient world, but above all because it represents a unique find – which has
no parallel in Italy thus far – in an excellent state of preservation,” the Archaeological Park of Pompeii
said in a statement.
The excavation of the chariot
It is likely that the chariot was used as a transport vehicle by Roman elites during various ceremonies.
This chariot, the archaeological park says, is “entirely unique in Italy” –– because of its state of
preservation, and because it is not a chariot used for agricultural products or the activities of daily life.
The chariot was spotted during an excavation effort on January 7, when an iron artefact, the shape of
which “suggested the presence of a significant buried artefact”, emerged from the volcanic material.
What happened at Pompeii?
Pompeii was a Roman town in Southern Italy’s Campania region situated along the Bay of Naples. The
town was completely buried by volcanic ash after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE, over 2,000
years ago.
It was not only the residents of Pompeii who were affected (over 16,000 died) –– the eruption also
destroyed the neighbouring town of Herculaneum. Even so, it is due to the tragedy that the town is well-
preserved, and has given archaeologists vast materials to study daily Roman daily life as it was centuries
ago.
Located 8 km from the volcano, Pompeii was a resort town frequented by Rome’s elite citizens and
consisted of villas, cafes, marketplaces and a 20,000-seat arena.
8|Page
March 02, 2021
In “Pompeii and the Roman Villa: Art and Culture around the Bay of Naples”, an exhibit organised at the
National Gallery of Art, Washington in 2009, 142 objects, including sculptures, frescoes, mosaics,
decorative objects, paintings, and rare books associated with Roman-era villas of Pompeii and nearby
areas were displayed. The exhibit focussed on Pompeii as an artistic centre, a place where prominent
Romans occupied seaside villas and spent their time reading, writing and exercising.
When did the excavations at Pompeii begin?
In 1748, King Charles III of Bourbon initiated scientific excavations at the site, after which large parts of
the city were unearthed, and several artefacts and other items of interest discovered: all well-preserved
due to the layers of ash the town was submerged in. But even before the 18th century, the first
excavations began in 1592.
Other discoveries at Pompeii
As per the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, research into Pompeii and Herculaneum so far has revised
scientists’ understanding of the town, the disaster and the sequence of events. Further, the
investigations of those who died have also revealed details of the town’s citizens and a revised
interpretation of a rescue operation launched by the admiral of one of Rome’s navies, Pliny the Elder.
While he died during the mission, his nephew, Pliny the Younger, wrote a letter to historian Tacitus, who
later cited the letter in his work, Historiae, on the first centuries of the Roman empire. In his letter, the
17-year-old gave a first-hand account of the eruption.
Earlier, researchers unearthed a thermopolium, Latin for hot drinks counter, in Pompeii. The snack food
counter was found complete with an image of a Nereid riding a sea-horse, decorative still-life frescoes,
food residues, animal bones and victims who died during the volcanic eruption of 79 CE.
In November 2020, the Italian Culture Ministry announced the discovery of well-preserved remains of
two men, who perished during the volcanic eruption. Archaeologists preserved their teeth and bones,
and the void left by their decomposed soft tissues has been filled by plaster using a well-perfected
casting method by which it is possible to see the outline of their bodies.
9|Page
March 02, 2021
Explained: Why are fuel prices
in Rajasthan, the subject of
Shyam Rangeela’s comedy, so
high?
Rajasthan imposes a higher VAT than many other states. Also, prices in far-flung Sriganganagar, where
the comedian shot his video, are much higher than in Jaipur
Last month, petrol prices in Rajasthan districts such as Sriganganagar crossed the Rs-100 mark, which
became a talking point on social media after comedian Shyam Rangeela made a video at a fuel pump.
The prices of petrol and diesel in Rajasthan are among the highest in the country. The opposition BJP has
blamed the state’s Congress government for pushing automobile fuel prices up to these levels.
Why is the state government being blamed for the high fuel prices?
On September 9, 2018, ahead of Assembly elections, then Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje’s BJP
government had issued a notification bringing the value-added tax (VAT) on diesel down to 18% from
22%, and that on petrol to 26% from 30%.
After Ashok Gehlot’s Congress government came to power, however, VAT on petrol and diesel was
increased to 30% and 22% respectively in July 2019.
Thereafter, through the Covid-19 pandemic, the Rajasthan government repeatedly increased VAT — in
March 2020, from 30% to 34% on petrol and from 22% to 26% on diesel; in April to 36% and 27% on
petrol and diesel respectively; and in May, to 38% and 28% on petrol and diesel respectively.
Following much criticism of the high tax rates, the government finally cut the tax by 2% in January this
year.
How did this increase in taxes impact auto fuel prices in Rajasthan?
Taxes imposed by the Centre and states are a significant contributor to the price of petrol and diesel
that consumers pay. To the base price of the fuel (which includes the cost of refinery processing and
margins, and oil marketing company margins and cost of freight etc) is added excise and cess levied by
the Centre, VAT imposed by the states, and commission to the dealer.
10 | P a g e
March 02, 2021
VAT varies from state to state, which accounts for the fact that fuel is more expensive in some states
than in others. Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh impose the heaviest VAT burdens
among all states in the country. (More on this in the answer to the next question)
With each increase in VAT, therefore, the pump prices of diesel and petrol also increased in Rajasthan.
Prices in Sriganganagar, located in the northwestern corner of the state, very close to the borders with
Punjab and Pakistan, were even higher than in the rest of the state owing to the costs involved in
transporting the fuel from depots to pumps in the district. Premium petrol went past the Rs-100 mark in
Sriganganagar in January, and last month, even normal petrol started to cost that much per litre.
“Earlier we had depots of oil companies in Hanumangarh district, adjacent to Sriganganagar district. But
oil companies closed those depots to save costs. Now fuel is supplied to Sriganganagar from Jaipur and
Jodhpur (about 470 km and 500 km away respectively). As a result, to transport the oil, for every litre, Rs
4 per litre is being charged. That is why the increase in fuel prices impacts Sriganganagar more than
other places in Rajasthan,” Suneet Bagai, president, Rajasthan Petroleum Dealers’ Association, said.
As of March 1, normal petrol cost Rs 97.72 per litre and diesel Rs 89.98 per litre in Jaipur, and Rs 102.04
and Rs 93.95 respectively in Sriganganagar.
What is the VAT imposed per litre on auto fuels in Rajasthan currently, and how does the state
compare with other states in this regard?
According to latest available data from the Petroleum Planning & Analysis Cell at the Ministry of
Petroleum and Natural Gas, the state taxes levied in Rajasthan on petrol is 36 per cent VAT + Rs
1,500/kilolitre (kl) road development cess. For diesel, VAT is 26 per cent + Rs 1,750/kl road development
cess. This translates to state taxes of Rs 26.97/litre on petrol, and Rs 19.96/litre on diesel.
BJP-ruled Manipur imposes the biggest VAT of 36.50 per cent on petrol, and 22.50 per cent on diesel.
Madhya Pradesh, also ruled by the BJP, imposes a VAT of 33 per cent on petrol and 23 per cent on
diesel, and YSRCP-ruled Andhra Pradesh, 31 per cent and 22.25 per cent on petrol and diesel
respectively.
Among the states that impose a lower VAT are Congress-ruled Punjab (24.79 per cent) and Chhattisgarh
(25 per cent), and Maharashtra (25 per cent), where the Congress shares power with the Shiv Sena and
NCP.
11 | P a g e
March 02, 2021
Explained: Advantages of
Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19
vaccine cleared by US
Unlike the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, which store the instructions in single-stranded RNA,
the J&J vaccine uses double-stranded DNA.
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Saturday authorised Johnson & Johnson’s
single-shot Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use, beginning the rollout of millions of doses of a third
effective vaccine that could reach Americans by early next week.
The announcement arrived at a critical moment, as the steep decline in coronavirus cases in the US
seemed to have plateaued, and millions of Americans were on waiting lists for shots. As of Sunday night
(India time), the US had 28.55 million confirmed cases and 512,000 deaths, the Johns Hopkins University
database showed.
J&J has pledged to provide the US with 100 million doses by the end of June. When combined with the
600 million doses from the two-shot vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna slated to arrive by
the end of July, there will be more than enough shots to cover any American adult who wants one.
Dr Anthony S. Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease expert, advised Americans on Saturday to
not concern themselves needlessly over the J&J vaccine’s 72% efficacy rate in the US clinical trial site,
less than the roughly 95% in studies testing the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines.
“Don’t get caught up, necessarily, on the number game, because it’s a really good vaccine, and what we
need is as many good vaccines as possible,” Dr Fauci said in an interview. “Rather than parsing the
difference between 94 and 72, accept the fact that now you have three highly effective vaccines.
Period.”
The J&J vaccine, known as JNJ-78436735 or Ad26. COV2.S., has been developed by Janssen
Pharmaceutica, a Belgium-based division of the company, in collaboration with Beth Israel Deaconess
Medical Center, a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School in Boston. The vaccine is based on the
SARS-CoV-2 virus’s genetic instructions for building the spike protein that it uses to enter human cells.
But unlike the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, which store the instructions in single-stranded
RNA, the J&J vaccine uses double-stranded DNA.
Also, the J&J vaccine is adenovirus-based, which is a more rugged type than the mRNA vaccines from
Pfizer and Moderna. DNA is not as fragile as RNA, and the adenovirus’s tough protein coat helps protect
the genetic material inside. As a result, the J&J vaccine can be refrigerated for up to three months at 2-
8°C.
12 | P a g e
March 02, 2021
Again, unlike the Pfizer, Moderna, Oxford-AstraZeneca (a variant of which is being manufactured under
licence as Covishield by Serum Institute of India) and even the Bharat Biotech (Covaxin) vaccine, the J&J
vaccine is given as a single dose.
On Sunday, a committee of vaccine experts who advise the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and
Prevention were to meet to discuss whether certain population groups should be prioritised for the
vaccine.
J&J began work on its coronavirus vaccine in January 2020, and received $456 million in assistance from
the US government in March. Phase 1/ 2 trials began in July, and in September, the company began
phase 3 trials.
13 | P a g e
March 02, 2021
EXPLAINED - Operation Green & Flood
Recently, the Government of India, while presenting the Union budget 2021, announced that Operation
Green (OG) will be expanded beyond tomatoes, onions, and potatoes (TOP) to 22 perishable
commodities.
Operation Green was originally launched in 2018. The idea was to build value chains of TOP on the lines
of “Operation Flood” (AMUL model) for milk in such a way that will ensure a higher share of consumer’s
rupee goes to farmers and stabilizes their prices.
There were three basic objectives when OG was launched viz. containing the wide price volatility,
building efficient value chains, and reducing the post-harvest losses.
However, a closer examination of the scheme in terms of achieving its objectives reveals that the
progress of OG is in slow motion. Therefore, in order to replicate the success story of the White
revolution, there is a lot to learn from the operation flood.
Objectives of Operation Green
▪ Containing Price Volatility: It should contain the wide price volatility in the three largest
vegetables of India (TOP)
o Tomatoes-onions-potatoes (TOP) are the three basic vegetables that face extreme price
volatility and the government often finds itself on the edge in fulfilling its dual objectives
of ensuring remunerative prices for farmers and affordable prices for consumers.
o For price stabilization, NAFED has to intervene in the market wherever prices crashed due
to a glut, to procure some excess arrivals from the surplus regions to store them near
major consuming centers.
▪ Building Efficient Value Chains: It envisages building efficient value chains of these from fresh to
value-added products with a view to give a larger share of the consumers’ rupee to the farmers.
o In order to fulfill this target, there is a provision of providing subsidy to the Farmer
Producer Organisation (FPO).
▪ Reducing the Post-Harvest Losses: It should reduce the post-harvest losses by building modern
warehouses, cold storage wherever needed, and food processing clusters.
Issues in Operation Green Replicating Operation Flood
▪ Heterogenous TOP: Each commodity under OG has its own specificity, production and
consumption cycle, unlike the homogeneity of milk as a single commodity.
o There are so many varieties of TOP vegetables, grown in different climatic conditions and
in different seasons, making marketing intervention (processing and storage) all the more
complex.
14 | P a g e
March 02, 2021
▪ APMC Barrier: Milk does not pass through any APMC, involves no commissions, and farmers
normally get 75-80% of the consumer’s rupee.
o However, TOP are mostly traded in APMC markets, with layers of mandi fees and
commissions, and farmers get less than one-third of the consumer’s rupee.
Way Forward
In contrast to this situation in the horticulture sector, in the milk sector. Operation Flood (OF)
transformed India’s milk sector, making the country the world’s largest milk producer, crossing almost
200 million tonnes of production by now. In order to replicate the success of Operation flood following
steps can be taken:
▪ Separate Regulating Bodies: There has to be a separate board to strategize and implement the
OG scheme, more on the lines of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) for milk, which
keeps itself at arm’s length from government control.
▪ Planned Strategy: First and foremost is that results are not going to come in three to four years.
Operation Flood lasted for almost 20 years before milk value chains were put on the track of
efficiency and inclusiveness.
o Thus, the need is to give at least a five-year term, ample resources, and be made
accountable for delivering results.
▪ Increasing Higher Processing-to-Production Share: Milk is the least volatile because of the higher
processing-to-production share.
o The AMUL model is based on large procurement of milk from farmers’ cooperatives,
processing, storing of excess milk in skimmed milk powder form during the flush season
and using it during the lean season, and distributing milk through an organized retail
network.
o Thus, the government needs to promote the food processing units in horticulture. In this
context, the announcement in the budget, to create an additional 10,000 FPOs along with
the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund is all promising but needs to be implemented fast.
o Further, to propagate the use of processed products (tomato puree, onion flakes,
powder) among urban and bulk consumers, the government should run campaigns in
association with industry organizations, as was done for eggs.
▪ Need for Market Reforms: The success of operation flood shows that there is a need for market
reforms in APMC, overhauling the infrastructure of existing APMC mandis contract farming, etc.
o The new farm laws intend to carry out market reforms. However, it needs to take into
account the most important stakeholder i.e. farmers in the policy formation process.
Conclusion: The idea behind Operation Greens is to double the income of farmers by the end of 2022.
However, the main challenge is to carry out marketing reforms to enable operation green to flourish on
the lines of operation flood.
15 | P a g e
March 02, 2021
NEWS IN SHORT
1. The Indian economy has emerged out of technical recession as it grew at 0.4% in the third
(October-December) quarter of 2020-21 with improvement in manufacturing, construction and
agriculture. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) had contracted by 24.4% and 7.3% in the April-
June and July-September quarters, respectively, marking a technical recession in the aftermath of
the Covid-19 pandemic. A technical recession is when a country faces a continuous decline for
two consecutive quarters in the GDP.
2. National Science Day (NSD) is celebrated every year on 28th February to commemorate the
discovery of the ‘Raman Effect’ by Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman, for which he was awarded
the Nobel Prize in 1930. The first NSD was celebrated in1987. The Basic Objective is to propagate
the message of the importance of science and its application among the people. 2021 Themeis
‘Future of STI (Science, Technology and Innovations): Impacts on Education, Skills, and Work’.
3. The third and final leg of 11th edition of the Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav 2021 took place at
Murshidabad, West Bengal. Various colourful performances were given by the local artists,
including ‘Baul Gaan’, ‘Alkup Gaan’, ‘Leto gaan’, ‘Jhumuriya’ and Ranpa folk dances. Rashtriya
Sanskriti Mahotsav is the flagship festival of the Ministry of Culture. It has been organized since
2015 with the active participation of Seven Zonal Culture Centres. It was started with an intention
to exhibit the rich cultural heritage of the country in all its rich and varied dimensions namely,
Handicrafts, Cuisine, Painting, Sculpture and Performing Arts- Folk, Tribal, Classical and
Contemporary- all at one place.
4. Government is planning to replace the Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme
(TEQIP) with a new programme MERITE Project. It was started in 2002 by the Ministry of Human
Resources and Development with the assistance of the World Bank and is being implemented in
a phased manner. It aims to upscale the quality of technical education and enhance capacities of
institutions.
5. The Suryakiran Aerobatic Team (SKAT) and Sarang helicopter display team along with the Light
Combat Aircraft (LCA) will perform at an air show at Galle Face in Colombo from 3rd-5th March
2021 as part the 70th anniversary celebrations of the Sri Lankan Air Force (SLAF). This will be the
first performance for the SKAT team outside India since it was resurrected in 2015 with Hawk
Advanced Jet Trainers (AJT). Earlier, the SKAT team toured Sri Lanka during the 50th anniversary
of SLAF in 2001.
16 | P a g e
March 02, 2021
17 | P a g e
