Current Affairs 22 September 2022 – IAS Current Affairs

Current Affairs 22 September 2022 focuses on Prelims-Mains perspective. Major events are :

Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan border conflict

Source: Hindu
GS II: International Relation

What is discussed under the Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan border conflict?

1. What Led to the Clash? 
2. What Is the Road Ahead? 

Why in News?

• In a week, border conflicts between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have killed around 100 people and wounded dozens more.
• Russia arranged a cease-fire agreement.
• The two landlocked nations share a 1,000-kilometer boundary, much of which is contested.
• There have been previous clashes over the distribution of water and land resources.

What Led to the Clash? 

History

• The present conflicts are recreating pre- and post-Soviet period legacies.
• Under Joseph Stalin’s guidance, the borders of the two republics were drawn.

  

• Historically, the Kyrgyz and Tajik peoples shared natural resource rights.
• The subject of boundary delimitation is a legacy of the Soviet period.
• While continuous meetings have attempted to settle the issue, one of the key grounds of contention remains the map that should be used for demarcation reasons.
• Almost half of its almost 1000-kilometre boundary is contested.
• The establishment of the Soviet Union resulted in the large-scale relocation of cattle to collective and state farms, upending the established status quo.
• Unfortunately, there was only so much space available.
• Tajik territory experienced a rise in livestock, and with limited grazing grounds, agreements were struck between the two communities on the use of Kyrgyz territory by Tajik animals.

Current flare-up

• Recent instances have seen groups from both sides planting trees in contested areas and engaging in physical combat using farm equipment as weapons.
• The Ferghana valley is a conflict zone and periodic violent outbursts, with the region, largely populated by Tajiks, Kyrgyz, and Uzbeks, who have traditionally shared common social characteristics, economic activity, and religious customs.
• The fall of the Soviet Union led to the creation of independent farms, which resulted in a significant increase in water consumption patterns.
• Both nations share several water routes with undulating trajectories and flows, disrupting equal water access on both sides. As a result, small-scale disputes erupt almost every year during the critical irrigation season.
• Leaders from both nations have contributed to the prolongation of the war in one way or another by imagining a certain sort of development project with the hope of stabilising their respective countries’ internal dynamics.
• This ‘development project’ is comparable to how the Soviet Union saw modernization, which resulted in the large-scale displacement of nomadic people, adding to the current conflict’s ‘environment driver.’

What Is the Road Ahead? 

• The route to conflict settlement will need opposing parties to agree on a common map.
• The international community must make attempts to resolve the disagreement by involving elders in the communities since elders have historically been utilised to mediate conflicts.
• To stabilise the geopolitical dynamics, the informal small-scale governance systems would need to be developed further by a coordinated effort by the respective nations.

Non-communicable Diseases

Source: Indian Express
GS II: Policies and Developmental Studies

What is discussed under Non-communicable Diseases?

1. Key Highlights of the “Invisible Numbers — The True Extent of Noncommunicable Diseases and What to Do About Them” report
2. What are Non-Communicable Diseases?

Why in News?

• World Health Organization (WHO) release a new report named “Invisible Numbers — The True Extent of Noncommunicable Diseases and What to Do About Them”.
• According to the report, in every two seconds, one person under the age of 70 dies from a noncommunicable illness.
• 86% of these fatalities are in poor and middle-income nations.

Key Highlights of the Report

• Two-thirds of hypertensive persons reside in poor and middle-income nations.
• However, over half of hypertensive persons are unaware of their condition.
• Hypertension now affects around 1.3 billion persons aged 30 to 79.

Major diseases

• Diabetes is one of the most prevalent noncommunicable diseases.

  

• Lowering risk factors can help prevent not only diabetes, but also hypertension, heart disease, and various types of cancer.
• Diabetes causes one in every 28 fatalities, or two million deaths every year.
• Type 2 diabetes accounts for more than 95% of all diabetes cases worldwide.
• Risk factors: 
  • Cigarette use, Unhealthy diet, Unhealthy alcohol use, Physical inactivity, and Air pollution
• Addressing these risk factors might prevent or delay severe ill-health and a high number of fatalities from numerous NCDs.

Cancer

• Cancer kills one in every six people – 9.3 million people each year. 
• 44% of cancer deaths might have been avoided or postponed by lowering health hazards.

COPD

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is responsible for one out of every 13 fatalities (4.1 million persons per year).
• 70% of chronic respiratory disease fatalities may have been avoided or postponed by lowering health hazards.

Effect of COVID-19

• Covid-19 emphasised the linkages between NCDs and infectious illness, which have major implications for NCD care.
• During the first months of the pandemic, 75% of nations experienced disruptions in basic NCD services.
• Exposure to NCD risk variables altered during the Covid-19 epidemic.
• Lockdowns and other public health measures typically resulted in less physical activity, and economic uncertainty meant that many individuals could not afford to consume a nutritious diet.

Breakthrough Agenda Report 2022

Source: Ecnomic Times
GS III:  Environment and Conservation

What is discussed under Breakthrough Agenda Report 2022?

1. Key Highlights of the Report
2. Findings of the Report
3. Recommendations for Leaders to Discuss at the Global Clean Energy Action Forum

Why in News?

• The International Energy Agency (IEA), the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), and the United Nations Climate Change High-Level Champions released the first annual Breakthrough Agenda Report 2022.
• The report focuses on international collaboration to accelerate quicker reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

Key Highlights

Convergence Portal of the MoFPI

Source: PIB
GS II: Policies and Developmental Studies; GS III: Food and Agriculture

What is discussed under the Convergence Portal of the MoFPI?

1. Key highlights of the portal
2. Significance of the Portal
3. Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF)

Why in News?

As part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries launched a convergence module between the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) scheme of the Ministry ofAgriculture and Farmers Welfare, Pradhan Mantri Micro Food Enterprises Upgradation Scheme (PMFME) and Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY).

Key Highlights

• The Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) scheme, the Pradhan Mantri Micro Food Enterprises Upgradation Scheme (PMFME), and the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY) are all combined on the convergence portal.
• To maximise the benefits of these three schemes, a standard operating procedure (SOP) was also developed.
• It strives to promote the idea of ‘Vocal for Local’.
• The convergence site seeks to enable effective coordination across all ministries and agencies, improve access to these programmes, and have a beneficial impact on farmers and small-scale food processing companies.

Significance of the Portal

• The portal will be beneficial to the country’s Food Processing Enterprises, as well as to many sectors of the country, including farmers and small-scale entrepreneurs in the processing industry.

  

• Through this portal, qualified beneficiaries under the PMFME and PMKSY Schemes who get credit-linked subsidies will be able to receive an additional benefit of Interest Subvention at the rate of 3% on the interest rate charged by banks in addition to the 35% subsidy granted under the PMFME Scheme.
• The AIF MIS portal has been upgraded to accept applications from beneficiaries for the convenience of approval of projects under the PMFME and PMKSY schemes.
• Beneficiaries of the PMFME programme will be able to apply directly for the benefit of Interest Subvention on the AIF portal using the PMFME-approved DPR.
• AIF beneficiaries who are entitled to an extra subsidy under the PMFME Scheme can apply at the PMFME MIS portal with the sanction letter under AIF and DPR.

Lifestyle for the Environment (LiFE) Movement

Source: PIB
GS II:  Policies and Developmental Studies

What is discussed under the Lifestyle for the Environment (LiFE) Movement?

1. Key Highlights of the Campaign
2. About Agni Tattva Campaign
3. About Lifestyle for the Environment (LiFE) Movement

Why in News?

• The Nehru Memorial Museum and Library hosted the inaugural ceremony for Agni Tattva – Energy for LIFE, an effort under Sumangalam’s umbrella campaign.
• In collaboration with Vijnana Bharati (VIBHA), the Power Foundation of India organised seminars, events, and exhibitions involving communities, educational institutions, and relevant organisations to raise awareness of the core concept of Agni Tattva, an element that is synonymous with energy and is one of the five elements of Panchmahabhoot.

Key Highlights of the Campaign

• The outreach programme provided a forum for topic experts and professionals to share their knowledge and experiences, as well as to brainstorm ideas for a more sustainable future for all.
• The project addressed various critical issues, including health, transportation, consumption and production, security, the environment, and spirituality.
• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi proposed the LiFE-Lifestyle for the Environment concept during the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow last year.

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