Daily News Digest 9 Feb 2024

Table of content

• Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PM-MKSSY)
• Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP)
• Grapes Experiment
• Blue Economy 2.O
• Personally Identifiable Information
• Global Cancer Burden

Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PM-MKSSY)

Time to Read :🕑 3 Mins

Why in news?

Cabinet approved the “Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PM-MKSSY)”, a Central Sector Sub-scheme under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada.

About Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PM-MKSSY)

• The scheme will run for four years starting from FY-24, incentivising fisheries and aquaculture microenterprises through performance grants for improving fisheries sector value-chain efficiencies including 
  • Creation and maintenance of jobs.
  • Incentivising micro and small enterprises through performance grants for adoption and expansion of fish and fishery product safety are the other main objectives of the programme.
• Further, on insurance, the scheme proposed a one-time incentive to the willing farmers against purchase of insurance with a farm size of four hectares of water spread area and less.
• The 'one-time incentive' will be at the rate of 40 per cent of the cost of premium subject to a limit of Rs 25,000 per hectare of water spread area of the aquaculture farm.

Intended Beneficiaries:

• Fishers, Fish (Aquaculture) Farmers, Fish workers, Fish Vendors or such other persons directly engaged in fisheries value chain.
• Micro and Small enterprises in the form of Proprietary Firms, Partnership Firms and Companies registered in India and Societies.
• FFPOs also include Farmers Producer Organizations (FPOs).

Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP)

Time to Read :🕑 3 Mins

Why in news?

Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP) has faced a definite setback after an important town in Myanmar was captured recently by a rebel group.

About Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP)

• This transit aims to provide alternative access to Kolkata by Sittew port-kalanda River to Myanmar River, Zorinpui road in Mizoram north east region and the rest of the country. 
• The implementation is controlled by IWAI and funded by the Ministry of external affairs for this project.
• It provides a strategic link to the North-East, thereby reducing pressure on the Siliguri Corridor. 
• The Kaladan project has two major components: Waterways component and road component. 
• The biggest potential of the project lies in developing the NE, where the goods from North-East India can be directly transported through sea instead of taking it through roadways from other ports in India.

Grapes Experiment

Time to Read :🕑 3 Mins

Why in news?

The GRAPES-3 experiment observed a new feature in the cosmic-ray proton spectrum at 166 TeV while measuring its energy range from 50 TeV to slightly above 1 PeV.

About GRAPES-3

• The GRAPES-3 experiment located at Ooty in India started as a collaboration of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India and the Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan. 
• GRAPES-3 (Gamma Ray Astronomy PeV EnergieS phase-3) is designed to study cosmic rays with an array of air shower detectors and a large area muon detector. 
  • It aims to probe acceleration of cosmic rays in the following four astrophysical settings. These include acceleration of particles to, 
  • (i) ~100 MeV in atmospheric electric fields through muons.
  • (ii) ~10 GeV in the Solar system through muons.
  • (iii) ~1 PeV in our galaxy through nuclear composition of cosmic rays.
  • (iv) ~100 EeV in the nearby universe through measurement of diffuse γ-ray flux.

Objectives of the GRAPES-3 Experiment, Study of,

• The origin, acceleration and propagation of >1014 eV cosmic rays in the galaxy and beyond.
• Existence of “Knee” in the energy spectrum of cosmic rays.
• Production and/or acceleration of highest energy (~1020 eV) cosmic rays in the universe.
• Astronomy of multi-TeV γ-rays from neutron stars and other compact object.
• Sun the closest astrophysical object, accelerator of energetic particles and its effects on the Earth.

Blue Economy 2.O

Time to Read :🕑 11 Mins

Why in news?

The recent interim budget emphasized environment-friendly development through the promotion of the blue economy.

What is blue economy?

• While the term blue economy can simply refer to economic activities related to the sea and the coasts, it is generally understood to have an element of sustainability in it. 
• The European Commission defines it as “all economic activities related to oceans, seas and coasts. It covers a wide range of interlinked established and emerging sectors.
• The World Bank says the blue economy is the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of the ocean ecosystem.

Interim Budget propose to do about blue economy

• FM said, a scheme for restoration and adaptation measures, and coastal aquaculture and mariculture with integrated and multi-sectoral approach will be launched.
• Restoration and adaptation will ensure the health of the oceans is not harmed while carrying out economic activities. 
• While aquaculture is a broad term that refers to the farming of aquatic plants and animals, mariculture refers to rearing and harvesting marine creatures in saltwater.

India blue economy recent policy

• A draft policy framework on India’s Blue Economy was first released in July 2022. 
  • According to PIB, the policy document contained “key recommendations on National Accounting Framework for Blue Economy and Ocean Governance, Coastal Marine Spatial Planning and Tourism Priority, Marine Fisheries, Aquaculture and Fish Processing. 
    • Manufacturing, Emerging Industries, Trade, Technology, Services and Skill Development, Logistics, Infrastructure and Shipping, Coastal and Deep-Sea Mining and Offshore Energy and Security, Strategic Dimensions and International Engagement.
• According to budget, the Finance minister also announced the setting up of 
  • Five integrated aqua parks.
  • The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) would be stepped up to 
    • Enhance aquaculture productivity from the existing three to five tonnes per hectare. 
    • Double exports to Rs 1 lakh crore.
    • Generate 55 lakh employment opportunities in the near future.

Blue Economy significant for India 

• For a country like India, diversity in terms of fish and other ocean produce, and multiple tourism opportunities, the blue economy is highly significant.
• Unique Maritime Position: 7517 km long coastline and has 12 major ports and 187 non-major ports. India’s Exclusive Economic Zone is over two million square kilometres.
• Provide Value addition to existing sectors: like in trade, in shipping, in deep-sea minerals, aquaculture and fisheries and marine-related technologies.

Challenges to Blue Economy

• Climate change: Some of the negative effects of climate change in these sectors include decreased productivity of fisheries, ocean acidification, increase in water temperatures, rise in sea level, and extreme weather events.
• Marine plastic pollution: Globally, various forms of plastic, which are highly persistent and contain toxic chemicals, constitute three-quarters of marine debris. When plastics get physically fragmented, they release potentially harmful chemicals, like Bisphenol-A (BPA), in the water column, which enter the marine food chain.
• Organisational framework in India: Relating to granting permissions, leasing, evaluating and  monitoring offshore activities.
• Legislation for Blue Economy (draft policy framework on India’s Blue Economy was prepared by the Ministry of Earth Sciences in 2021).
• Economic classifications: Existing economic classifications struggle to distinguish ocean-based activities due to limitations in the System of National Accounts (NAS).

Indian initiatives for blue economy:

• Draft National Policy for India’s Blue Economy released by  Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).
• India is party to various multilateral agreements/arrangements including Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), Indian Ocean  Rim Association for Regional Co-operation (IOR-ARC), BIMSTEC etc. to strengthen the Blue economy.
• Umbrella scheme “Ocean Services, Modelling, Application,  Resources and Technology (O-SMART)” for implementation  during the period from 2021-26.
• Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) signed between India and  other countries like Norway, Bangladesh, Iceland, Indonesia etc to promote bilateral cooperation in the field of Fisheries.

Way Forward:

• To establish a Nodal Agency: this entity would be in charge of bringing together the many Blue Economy sectors.
• In order to further investigate the minerals, a periodic investigation of the ocean floor on a variety of characteristics must be conducted.
• Create a new national map and data policy that strikes a compromise between the growing demands for data security and openness regarding offshore regions, the EEZ, and the continental shelf.
• Utilizing technology can help prevent resource depletion and marine pollution.
• Promote private investment in fields including ocean energy, aquaculture, and marine biotechnology, among others.

Personally Identifiable Information

Time to Read :🕑 5 Mins

Why in news?

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs recently fixed a critical data leak vulnerability in its online portal, 11 months after a cybersecurity researcher reported it to CERT-In.

About Personally Identifiable Information

• PII is any data or information maintained by an organisation or agency that can potentially be used to identify a specific individual. 
  • This could include information such as Aadhaar, PAN, voter identity, passport, date of birth, contact number, communication address, and biometric information.
• The constituents of PII vary depending on an individual’s home country. However, non-PII in tandem with additional information can be used to identify an individual. 
  • Non-PII information includes photographic images (especially of the face or other identifying characteristics), place of birth, religion, geographic indicators, employment information, educational qualifications, and medical records.
• All this information can be used to identify individuals accurately. And while access to one set of PII may be enough to compromise online security, access to multiple databases can be used to identify and target individuals.

What is the difference between sensitive and non-sensitive PII?

• Non-Sensitive PII is publicly available information and can be stored and transmitted unencrypted. This includes information such as zip code, race, gender, and religion. They cannot be used to accurately identify an individual.
• Sensitive PII, when exposed, can be used to identify individuals and potentially cause harm. Some of the most important components that constitute sensitive PII are stored by employers, government organisations, banks, and other digital accounts used by individuals.

The risks of PII exposure?

• Cyberattacks and weaknesses in digital infrastructure can lead to the exposure of citizens’ PII.
  • Threat actors can gain access to exposed PII and misuse it to launch targeted attacks on individuals. 
    • These attacks could range from phishing attacks with messages curated with PII information, to fraudulently opening bank accounts, and siphoning funds from accounts allotted to beneficiaries of government welfare programmes. 
• Threat actors may also use such information to obtain cellular connections, credit cards, and compromise the security of an individual’s digital accounts.

Has your PII been compromised?

• In 2023, reports emerged that a bot on Telegram was returning the personal data of Indian citizens who registered with the COVID-19 vaccine intelligence network (CoWIN) portal for vaccination purposes. 
• A similar data breach was reported when an American cybersecurity company said that the personally identifiable information of 815 million Indian citizens, including Aadhaar numbers and passport details, were being sold on the dark web.
• A data breach was also reported in the RailYatri platform in January 2023. 
• According to a report from Resecurity, 67% of Indian government and essential services organisations experienced over a 50% increase in disruptive cyberattacks. 
  • Furthermore, a survey of 200 IT decision-makers noted that 45% of Indian businesses experienced more than a 50% increase in cyberattacks.

Way forward

• Look for HTTPS in URLs when visiting unknown websites. 
  • The “S” stands for secure and is used by legitimate websites to secure collected information from unsecured connections. 
  • Some browsers may also use a lock symbol in the URL bar to signify that a website is secure.
• Use a VPN when accessing sensitive information using public networks. 
  • A VPN helps protect PII and other vital data by securing your online connection from prying eyes on public networks.
• Keep a tab on your PII like Aadhaar, passport, PAN, Voter ID, and other important proofs of identity. 
  • Avoid sharing or accessing images or details of identity documents through unknown devices. 
• Avoid sharing personal information on social media platforms.
• Keep a tab on your bank account transactions, credit cards, and credit score; a hit in the score could mean your PII has been misused to procure credit cards in your name.

Global Cancer Burden

Time to Read :🕑 9 Mins

Why in news?

The World Health Organization's cancer agency, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), released the latest estimates of the global burden of cancer ahead of World Cancer Day.

India and Cancer Estimates

• According to the latest estimates of the global burden, the burden of cancer cases in 2022 rose by 20 million new cases globally. 
• India reported 1,413,316 new cases, with a higher proportion of female patients — 691,178 men and 722,138 women.
• Breast cancer had the highest proportion in the country, with 192,020 new cases, accounting for 13.6 percent of all patients and over 26 per cent in women. 
  • The approximation reflected the global estimates that ranked female breast cancer as the second highest reported, with 2.3 million cases worldwide.
    • In India, breast cancer was followed by lip and oral cavity (143,759 new cases, 10.2 per cent), 
    • Cervix and uterine (127,526 new cases, 9 per cent), 
    • Lung (81,748, 5.8 per cent).
    • Oesophagal cancers (70,637 new cases, 5.5 per cent). 
  • 916,827 cancer deaths reported in India alone in 2022. 
  • The estimates included the deaths of 470,055 men and 446,772 women in the country.

Global and cancer estimates

• According to WHO, globally, lung cancer was the most commonly occurring, with 2.5 million new cases or 12.4 per cent. 
  • Female breast cancer ranked second (2.3 million cases, 11.6 per cent)
  • Colorectal cancer (1.9 million cases, 9.6 per cent), 
  • Prostate cancer (1.5 million cases, 7.3 per cent)
  • Stomach cancer (970,000 cases, 4.9 per cent).
• Further, about 9.7 million global deaths due to cancer were reported in 2022.
• The IARC also found that about one in five people develop cancer in their lifetime, killing one in nine men and one in 12 women.
• In Asia, tobacco usage contributed to lung cancer emerging as the most common type of cancer. 
• In India, lip, oral cavity, lung and oesophagus cancer were the four leading types of cancer for men. 
• For women, it was breast, cervix, uterine cancer and ovarian cancer.

A past study assessing the cancer burden in Asia

• A recent study assessing the cancer burden in Asia, published in The Lancet Regional Health, found that India alone accounted for 32.9 per cent of global deaths and 28.1 per cent of new cases of lip and oral cavity cancer in 2019. 
  • This was on account of the widespread consumption of smokeless tobacco (SMT) such as khaini, gutkha, betel quid and paan masala in South Asian countries like India, Bangladesh and Nepal. 
  • Worldwide, SMT is responsible for 50 per cent of the oral cancer burden.
  • The study warned that in the absence of enforcing SMT control policies, such as imposing taxes or implementing regulatory mechanisms, it could increase the risk of not just oral cancer but also esophageal and pancreatic cancer.
• According to a study published last year in The Lancet Global Health, India accounted for 23 per cent of deaths that occurred due to cervical cancer globally, equivalent to one in four cervical cancer cases being reported in the country.
• According to another Lancet study, in India, cervical cancer’s five-year survival rate was 51.7 per cent. 
  • However, survival rates in India are lower compared to high-income countries such as the United States, whose five-year survival rate for cervical cancer was 66.7 between 2012 and 2015.

Observation of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) (WTO's cancer agency)

• The IARC projected that the cancer burden in 2050 will increase by 77 per cent from the 20 million cases reported in 2022 and reach 35 million new cases. 
  • The rapid rise in the cancer burden is owing to multiple risk factors such as tobacco, alcohol, obesity, and air pollution. 
  • The vulnerability of these risk factors is influenced by socioeconomic development, which determines exposure.
• According to the study in the journal Annals of Oncology pointed out, the Countries with the highest HDI are expected to have an additional 4.8 million new cases predicted in 2050 compared to the figures reported in 2022.
  • High exposure to risk factors such as smoking, poor diet, obesity and a lack of exercise causes a higher incidence of certain cancers in developed countries. 
  • However, the burden is rising in developing countries as well.
• According to WHO, The proportional increase in incidence is most striking in low HDI countries (142 per cent increase) and medium HDI countries (99 per cent). 
  • Likewise, cancer mortality in these countries is projected to almost double in 2050.