• The AIFF's mission is to grow and nurture the sport of football at all levels in India, from grassroots to the professional game.

1. Organizational Structure: The AIFF is structured with various committees, departments, and affiliated state associations, each responsible for specific aspects of football development and administration. It is affiliated with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and FIFA, the international governing body for football.

2. National Teams: The AIFF oversees the national football teams of India, including the senior men's and women's teams, as well as various age-group teams, such as the under-17 and under-19 teams. These teams represent India in international competitions.

3. I-League and Indian Super League (ISL): The AIFF administers the I-League, which is one of the top professional football leagues in India. In addition to the I-League, the AIFF is involved in the organization and regulation of the Indian Super League (ISL), another prominent professional football league in the country. The AIFF has worked to develop a roadmap for the integration of these leagues.

INDIA MIDDLE EAST-EUROPE ECONOMIC CORRIDOR (IMEC)

1. Context 

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently introduced the India Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), an ambitious and transformative project involving India, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, the European Union, France, Italy, Germany, and the United States.
• IMEC aims to strengthen economic integration between India, West Asia, and Europe, promoting connectivity and sustainable development on a global scale.

2. India Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC)

• The India Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) is a proposed rail and shipping corridor that would connect India, the Middle East, and Europe.
• The project is part of the Partnership for Global Infrastructure Investment (PGII), a collaborative effort by G7 nations to fund infrastructure projects in developing nations.
• The IMEC is seen as a potential rival to China's Belt and Road Initiative.
• The Belt and Road Initiative is a massive infrastructure project that aims to connect China to Europe and Africa.
• The IMEC is smaller in scale, but it could still have a significant impact on the global economy.

Image Source: Indian Post English

3. Project Objectives

IMEC has three primary objectives:

1. Facilitating Trade: IMEC seeks to boost trade among participating countries, with a particular emphasis on energy products. It presents a robust response to China's extensive infrastructure network, which aims to integrate the world into its economy.

2. Comprehensive Connectivity: IMEC includes various components such as a rail link, electricity cable, hydrogen pipeline, and high-speed data cable. These elements create a sustainable and extensive network, enhancing connectivity across continents and civilizations.

3. Green and Digital Bridge: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen aptly termed IMEC as "a green and digital bridge," underlining the project's commitment to environmentally friendly practices and digital advancements, aligning it with the global push for sustainable development.

4. Rationale for the Project

IMEC's development is driven by three compelling reasons:

1. Prosperity Enhancement: IMEC is expected to enhance prosperity among participating nations by facilitating the flow of energy resources and digital communications, promoting economic growth and stability.

2. Infrastructure Development: Addressing the infrastructure deficit in lower- and middle-income countries is a critical aspect of IMEC. The project aims to provide the necessary infrastructure for sustained economic growth.

3. Regional Stability: IMEC has the potential to reduce instability and insecurity emanating from the Middle East, providing a platform for diplomacy and cooperation among nations in the region.

Furthermore, IMEC stands out as a transparent and high-standard initiative that operates without coercion, making it an appealing prospect for the involved countries and the international community.

5. Benefits of the Project

IMEC carries significant benefits, including:

1. Increased Trade and Investment: The project is expected to boost trade and investment between the involved countries, promoting economic growth.

2. Enhanced Connectivity and Cooperation: IMEC will foster improved connectivity and cooperation between the regions, creating a more integrated global landscape.

3. Economic Growth: The project has the potential to stimulate economic growth in the participating countries, leading to improved living standards.

4. Conflict Mitigation: IMEC could help reduce the risk of conflict in the Middle East by fostering diplomacy and collaboration.

5. Challenge to Belt and Road Initiative: IMEC presents a formidable challenge to China's Belt and Road Initiative by offering an alternative, transparent, and sustainable model of infrastructure development.

6. The Way Forward

• The India Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) represents a landmark project poised to promote economic integration, trade, and stability among participating nations.
• It also stands as a countermeasure to China's Belt and Road Initiative.
• This ambitious endeavour heralds a new era of international collaboration and development, promising a brighter future for the countries involved and the global community at large.

NIPAH VIRUS

 

 

1. Context

Two people have died and four others are under treatment after contracting Nipah virus in Kerala’s Kozhikode district

 

2. Nipah Virus

• Nipah virus (NiV) is a zoonotic virus that can spread between animals and people.
• The natural host of NiV is fruit bats, also known as flying foxes.
• NiV can also infect pigs and people
• NiV infection can cause a range of illnesses, from asymptomatic infection to acute respiratory illness and fatal encephalitis. The case fatality rate for NiV infection is estimated to be between 40% and 75%
• The symptoms of NiV infection typically appear 4-14 days after exposure to the virus. The initial symptoms are similar to those of the flu, including fever, headache, and cough.
• In severe cases, the virus can cause encephalitis, which is a swelling of the brain. Encephalitis can lead to coma and death.
• NiV can be transmitted from animals to people through contact with infected saliva, urine, or other bodily fluids.
• It can also be transmitted through contact with contaminated food or water. Person-to-person transmission of NiV is possible, but it is rare.
• Nipah virus outbreaks have been reported in several countries in Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, Bangladesh, India, and Singapore.
• The virus has caused sporadic outbreaks, with varying levels of severity

3.Transmission

 

• The first outbreaks of the Nipah virus among humans was reported from Malaysia (1998) and Singapore (1999).
• The virus takes its name from the village in Malaysia where the person in whom the virus was first isolated died of the disease.
• The transmission from animals happens mainly through consumption of contaminated food. According to the CDC, transmission can happen due to consumption of raw date palm sap or fruit that has been contaminated with saliva or urine from infected bats.
• Some cases of NiV [Nipah] infection have also been reported among people who climb trees where bats often roost.
• The animal host reservoir for this virus is known to be the fruit bat, commonly known as flying fox.
• Fruit bats are known to transmit this virus to other animals like pigs, and also dogs, cats, goats, horses and sheep
• Humans get infected mainly through direct contact with these animals, or through consumption of food contaminated by saliva or urine of these infected animals
• Since it was first identified in 1998-99, there have been multiple outbreaks of the Nipah virus, all of them in South and Southeast Asian nations. In Bangladesh, there have been at least 10 outbreaks since 2001.
  In India, West Bengal had seen an outbreak in 2001 and 2007, while Kerala had reported several cases in 2018, and isolated cases in 2019 and 2021.

4. Zoonotic diseases

Zoonotic diseases, also known as zoonoses, are infectious diseases that can be transmitted between animals and humans. These diseases can be caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi, and they pose a significant public health concern worldwide. Zoonotic diseases can be transmitted through direct or indirect contact with infected animals, their secretions, or contaminated environments. Some common examples of zoonotic diseases include:

1. Influenza: Various strains of influenza viruses can infect both animals and humans. Influenza viruses can undergo genetic changes, leading to new strains that have the potential to cause pandemics.

2. Rabies: Rabies is a viral disease that primarily affects mammals, including bats, dogs, and raccoons. It is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected animal and can be fatal if not treated promptly.

3. Salmonellosis: Caused by the bacterium Salmonella, this disease is often associated with contaminated food products, particularly those of animal origin such as poultry and eggs.

4. Lyme Disease: Transmitted by ticks, Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and is commonly found in wildlife, particularly deer. Humans can become infected when bitten by an infected tick.

5. West Nile Virus: This mosquito-borne virus primarily circulates among birds but can be transmitted to humans through mosquito bites, leading to fever and, in some cases, severe neurological complications.

6. E. coli Infections: Certain strains of Escherichia coli (E. coli) can cause gastrointestinal illness in humans. Contaminated food and water, as well as contact with infected animals, can lead to E. coli infections.

7. HIV/AIDS: While the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is primarily transmitted among humans, it is believed to have originated from the transfer of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) from non-human primates to humans, making it a zoonotic disease.

8. COVID-19: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, is believed to have originated in bats and was likely transmitted to humans through an intermediate animal host, highlighting the zoonotic nature of the virus.

5. Way forward

Nipah virus is considered a serious public health concern due to its high mortality rate, the potential for person-to-person transmission, and the lack of specific treatments or vaccines. Surveillance and research efforts are ongoing to better understand and combat this virus. It's essential to stay updated on the latest information and follow public health guidelines if you live in or travel to regions where Nipah virus is known to be present.

 

For Prelims: Viruses, Bacteria, Immunity, Vaccine types For Mains: 1.Discuss the challenges in controlling viral diseases and the strategies employed by governments and international organizations in addressing viral epidemics. Highlight the lessons learned from recent viral outbreaks 2.Analyze the global problem of antibiotic resistance and its implications for healthcare. Suggest policy measures and interventions to combat the growing threat of antibiotic-resistant bacteria

 

 

Previous Year Questions 1.Viruses can affect (UPSC CSE 2016) 1.Bacteria 2. Fungi 3. Plants Select the correct code with the following code A.1 and 2 only B. 3 Only C. 1 and 3 D. 1, 2, 3 Answer (D) 2. Which of the following statements is/ are correct? (UPSC CSE 2013) 1. Viruses lack enzymes necessary for the generation of energy 2.Viruses can be cultured in any synthetic medium 3.Viruses are transmitted from one organism to another by biological vectors only  Select the correct answer using the code given below A. 1 Only B. 2 and 3 C. 1 and 3 D. 1, 2, 3 Answer (A)

 

Source: indianexpress

GENERAL CONSENT FOR CBI

 

 

1.Context

THE ALREADY struck down provision in the Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act, 1946, which made central government sanction mandatory for the CBI to prosecute officers of the rank of Joint Secretary and above, will stand nullified from September 11, 2003, when it was inserted in the Act

 

2.Need for the Consent of states

• CBI is governed by The Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act, 1946, and it must mandatorily obtain the consent of the state government concerned before beginning to investigate a crime in a state
• Section 6 of The DSPE Act (“Consent of State Government to exercise of powers and jurisdiction”) says: “Nothing contained in section 5 (titled “Extension of powers and jurisdiction of special police establishment to other areas”) shall be deemed to enable any member of the Delhi Special Police Establishment to exercise powers and jurisdiction in any area in a State, not being a Union territory or railway area, without the consent of the Government of that State.”
• The CBI’s position is in this respect different from that of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is governed by The NIA Act, 2008, and has jurisdiction all over the country

3.What is general consent for CBI

• The consent of the state government to CBI can be either case-specific or “general”
• General consent is normally given by states to help the CBI in the seamless investigation of cases of corruption against central government employees in their states
• This is essentially consent by default, which means CBI may begin investigations taking consent as having been already given
• In the absence of general consent, CBI would have to apply to the state government for its consent in every individual case, and before taking even small actions

4. Withdrawing the consent

Traditionally, almost all states have given CBI general consent. However, since 2015, several states have begun to act differently.

On March 4 this year, Meghalaya became the ninth state to have withdrawn consent to the CBI  after Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, and Mizoram

Out of these states, Maharashtra has now reversed its decision and restored general consent

 

 

 

Source:indianexpress

ORGANIZATION OF ISLAMIC COOPERATION (OIC)

 

 

1. Context

The pact to establish the SPC was signed during PM Modi’s visit to Saudi Arabia in October 2019, his second in three years. The Strategic Partnership Council essentially aimed to “establish a high-level council to steer the Indo-Saudi relationship”, according to a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) statement.

1. OIC

• The OIC, which was known as the Organisation of the Islamic Conference until 2011, is the second-largest inter-governmental organisation in the world after the United Nations, with a membership of 57 countries spread across four continents. 
• The OIC describes itself as “the collective voice of the Muslim world”, and its stated objective is “to safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony among various people of the world”.
• The OIC has reserved its membership for Muslim-majority countries. 
• The Central African Republic, Russia, Thailand, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and the unrecognized Turkish Cypriot “state” have Observer status.
• The Organisation of the Islamic Conference was established by the First Islamic Summit Conference held in Rabat, Morocco, in September 1969, to marshal the Islamic world after an act of arson at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem that year. The incident had plunged the Middle East into its worst crisis after the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.
• In 1970 the first meeting of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (ICFM) was held in Jeddah, which decided to establish a permanent secretariat in that city, headed by the secretary-general of the organisation. The current secretary-general of the OIC is the Chadian diplomat and politician Hissein Brahim Taha, who took over from the Saudi Arabian Dr Yousef Ahmed Al-Othaimeen in November 2020.

2. OIC and India

• As the country with the world’s second-largest Muslim community, India had been invited to the founding conference at Rabat in 1969, but was humiliatingly ejected at Pakistan’s behest. 
• Then Agriculture Minister Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed was dis-invited upon arrival in Morocco.
• Thirty-seven years later, in 2006, with post-reforms India has come to occupy an important position in the world, Saudi Arabia invited New Delhi to join as an Observer. 
• But India stayed away because of a multiplicity of reasons, not least because as a secular country, it did not want to join an organisation that was founded on the religious identity of nations.
• Again, at the 45th session of the Foreign Ministers’ Summit in May 2018, Bangladesh, the host country, suggested that India, where more than 10% of the world’s Muslims live, should be given Observer status. 
• But Pakistan opposed the proposal. 
• While the OIC is mainly controlled by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, as the only Islamic country with nuclear weapons, has had a powerful say in the organisation from the beginning.
• In 2019, Sheik Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), invited then Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj to address the Inaugural Plenary of the 46th Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers in Abu Dhabi as the “Guest of Honour”.

 

3. OIC stand on Kashmir

• The OIC has been generally supportive of Pakistan’s stand on Kashmir and has issued statements criticising the alleged Indian “atrocities” in the state. 
• However, New Delhi has long been used to combating these statements, and has consistently and forcefully put forward its position.
• Importantly, Pakistan’s position in the OIC aside, New Delhi is hardly friendless in the organisation. 
• India has excellent relations individually with almost all member nations — and this is a reason why it can mostly afford to not take the statements issued by the group as a whole seriously.

4. Recent instances

• The General Secretariat of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) “condemned and denounced” the comments on Prophet Muhammed made by two erstwhile national
• spokespersons of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). 
• Referring to it as part of a “growing spate of hatred and defamation of Islam in India”, it sought that the perpetrators are bought to justice and held accountably. 
• In response, a spokesperson at the Ministry of External Affairs stated that India rejected the OIC Secretariat’s “unwarranted” and “narrow-minded” comments. MEA Spokesperson opined that the views expressed by the two individuals did not reflect the views of the Indian government and that relevant authorities had already initiated strong actions against them.

5. Member Countries of OIC

Source: indianexpress