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Prelim Bits 03-09-2019

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September 03, 2019

Costs of wasted food to the global economy

  • A new report “Reducing Food Loss and Waste” has been released  by World Resources Institute (WRI)’ and ‘Rockefeller Foundation’.
  • It quantified that nearly one-third of the food produced each year goes uneaten, costing the global economy over $940 billion.
  • The uneaten food is responsible for emitting about 8% of planet-warming greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

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  • It put forward a ‘Global Action Agenda’,
  • It calls on governments, companies, farmers and consumers to collectively overcome world’s food loss problem.
  • Some of these actions include developing national strategies for food loss and waste reduction,
  • Creating national public-private partnerships,
  • Launch supply chain initiatives,
  • Reducing small-holder losses and
  • Shifting consumer social norms.
  • According to the report most of the food loss happens,
  1. “Near the farm” predominantly in lower-income countries.
  2. “Near the plate” predominantly in higher-income countries.
  • Using FAO data of the UN, the report concluded that,
  1. Roots and tubers are the food group that face the maximum wastage, at over 62%.
  2. Fruits and vegetables follow, with over 41%.
  • Fruits and vegetables make up the largest share of total annual food loss and waste as a proportion, by weight, of all the food.

India’s interim government in 1946

  • On September 2, 1946, the Congress party formed the interim government led by Jawaharlal Nehru.
  • It was the only cabinet in India’s history in which arch-rivals Congress and the Muslim League shared power at the Centre.
  • The interim government functioned with a great degree of autonomy, and remained in power until the end of British rule.
  • After which it was succeeded by the ‘Dominions of India and Pakistan’.
  • Starting with Cripps mission in 1942, a number of attempts were made by colonial authorities to form an interim government.
  •  In 1946, elections to the Constituent Assembly were held following the proposals of the British Cabinet Mission dispatched by ‘Clement Attlee’.
  • In that election, the Congress obtained a majority seats and Muslim League consolidated its support among Muslim electorate.
  • ‘Viceroy Wavell’ subsequently called upon Indian representatives to join the interim government.
  • A federal scheme had been visualised under the ‘Government of India Act of 1935’.
  • But this component was never implemented due to the opposition from India’s princely states.
  • As a result, the interim government functioned according to the older ‘Government of India Act of 1919’. 
  • The Muslim League initially decided to sit out of the government.
  1. 3 of the 5 ministries reserved for Muslims were occupied all non-League Muslim representatives and
  2. 2 posts remained vacant.
  • However, after Lord Wavell agreed to allot all 5 reserved portfolios to the Muslim League if it agreed to cooperate, the latter finally joined.
  • On September 26, 1946, Nehru declared the government’s plan to engage in direct diplomatic relations with all countries.
  • In November 1946, India ratified the ‘Convention on International Civil Aviation’.
  • In April 1947, the US announced the appointment of its ambassador to India.
  • Embassy level diplomatic relations with the USSR and the Netherlands also started.
  • After Partition was announced on June 3, a dedicated cabinet sub-committee was formed to deal with the situation on June 5.
  • Later, on June 16, a special cabinet committee aimed at tackling the administrative consequences of Partition was created.

Professor Emeritus

  • Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has recently asked some of its Professors Emeriti, including historian Romila Thapar, for CVs to “review their position”.
  • Emeritus’ (female equivalent ‘Emerita’) is a Latin word that literally means a ‘Veteran soldier’.
  • Worldwide, ‘Professor Emeritus/Emerita’ is the title bestowed upon an eminent retired academic in recognition of their work and distinguished service.
  • In India, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has a ‘Scheme of Emeritus Fellowship’.
  • It is “to provide an opportunity to the superannuated teachers who have been actively engaged in research.
  • According to the UGC, eligibility for the fellowship “will be based on the quality of research and published work contributed by the teacher in his/her service career.
  • The awardee (superannuated) can work under this scheme with a well-defined time-bound action plan up to the age of 70 years or up to 2 years (non-extendable) of the award whichever is earlier.
  • No extension under the scheme is admissible and hence the proposal should be well defined with a time-bound action plan.
  • In JNU, the departments (called ‘centres’) propose names for Professor Emeritus.
  • The JNU website currently lists 25 Professors Emeriti.
  • Across the world, institutions  such as the MIT, Harvard and Oxford etc. have long lists of Professors Emeriti, who are considered to add to the prestige of the university.

 

Source: PIB,  The  Indian Express

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