27th MAY, 2021

NEWS TODAY
NHAI TO OFFER 32 PROJECTS IN NEXT ROUND OF TOLL-OPERATE-TRANSFER (TOT) BIDS
National highway authority of India (NHAI) has evolved different models to monetise public-funded national highway projects.

In TOT Model, the right of collection and appropriation of Fees for projects constructed through public funding shall be
Toll-operate-transfer

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assigned for a pre-determined concession period to concessionaires (developers/investors) against upfront payment to NHAI.
(TOT) model
Operation & Maintenance (O&M) obligations are with the concessionaire till the completion of concession period.

Under BOT, a private entity is responsible for building, designing and operating the road and transferring it back to
Build-Operate- the government.
Transfer (BOT)
Recently, NHAI revised model concession agreement (MCA) under which revenue potential of a project would be

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reassessed in every five years during the concession period as against every 10 years now.

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Engineering,
Procurement, The engineering and construction contractor will carry out the detailed engineering design of the project, procure all
Construction (EPC) the equipment and materials necessary, and then construct to deliver a functioning facility or asset to their clients.
model

40% the Project Cost is to be provided by the Government as Construction Support during the construction period and
Hybrid Annuity the balance 60% as annuity payments over the operations period along with interest thereon to the concessionaire.

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Model (HAM) It is a hybrid of EPC and BOT models.
Toll fee collection is the Government’s responsibility.
Build Lease
It involves building a facility, leasing it to the Government and transferring the facility after recovery of investment.
Transfer (BLT)

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Lease Develop
Here, assets are leased out to the private sector under specific terms, to operate and maintain the asset for the term
Operate Transfer
of the concession period, after which the assets are transferred to the authority.
(LDOT)

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HOME MINISTRY CONSTITUTED A PANEL TO SUGGEST REFORMS THIRD ROUND OF DISCOVERED
ON “OFFENCES RELATING TO SPEECH AND EXPRESSION.” SMALL FIELDS (DSF) LIKELY TO SEE
(IPC), the Committee for Reforms in Criminal Laws is attempting for the first time to define such speech. MORE OIL AND GAS DISCOVERIES
As there is no clear definition of what constitutes a “hate speech” in the British-era Indian Penal Code

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Earlier, Bureau of Police Research and Development had defined hate speech as a Though bids for the third round of Discovered Small
“language that denigrates insults, threatens or targets an individual based on their Fields (DSF-III) are delayed due to Cyclone Tauktae,

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identity and other traits (such as sexual orientation or disability or religion etc.).” it is likely to see more oil and gas discoveries once
Also, United Nations Secretary-General released Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate launched.
Speech which sets out strategic guidance for the United Nations system to address hate About DSF and previous bidding rounds
speech at the national and global level.
Issues with regulating hate speech: It may shrink the space for criticism and dissent, which DSFs are the marginal oil and gas fields owned
by National Oil Companies (NOCs) like ONGC,

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are covered by the human right of a person to free speech and expression.
Legal Provisions of Hate Speech in India OIL which could not be monetized due to various
reasons like isolated locations, small size,
Restrictions imposed by Article 19(2) of the Constitution 
technological constraints etc.
Section 124A IPC penalises sedition
In 2015, government introduced Marginal
Section 505(1) and (2) IPC penalises publication or circulation of any statement, rumour or
Field Policy, to start production at these fields
report causing public mischief and enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes.

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEVELOPS THREE PHASE PLAN TO

and augment domestic oil and gas production.
In 2016, the first bidding round was held for DSF,

MAINTAIN, RESTORE AND IMPROVE LEARNING offering 46 onshore and offshore contract
areas across nine sedimentary basins.
With a more virulent and faster spreading COVID wave, the Ministry of Education has prepared
a 3-phase roadmap to ensure there is no learning loss for the children due to the pandemic. It was India’s first bidding round under new
Need for the Plan open acreage licensing system (under
Urgent need to identify Out of School Children (OoSC) (3.22 crore as per NSSO 2017-18 Hydrocarbon Exploration Licensing
household survey, likely to be increased further due to reverse migration). Policy {HELP}).
Make progress on the New Education Policy target of 100% GER by 2030. About HELP
Three phases of the New Plan to mitigate the impact of the pandemic Also known as the Open Acreage Licensing
First Phase (Maintain Phase): To maintain the education service with closed schools Policy, aims to enhance exploration activities,
through initiatives such as MDM, home learning, identifying and bringing dropouts and attract domestic and foreign investment in
OoSC back to school. unexplored/unallocated areas of sedimentary
Second Phase (RESTORE PHASE): To focus on learning recovery as schools reopen with basins.
packages to help children recover through teachers’ supporting mental well-being of It follows the revenue sharing model with
students, Bridge courses, etc. features like One Single license for conventional
Third Phase (GROW PHASE): To leverage past resources and future resources with focus and unconventional hydrocarbons.
on close tracking of achievements in learning levels and learning outcomes at all stages of
school education.
KERALA TO IMPOSE 52-DAY TRAWLING BAN FROM JUNE 9
Ban on trawling operations during the monsoon is a measure to conserve marine fish resources. About fisheries sector in India
Monsoon is the spawning (release or deposit eggs) season of many fish species. Total fisheries potential of India has been
However, ban is opposed by several fisherman groups as it makes an impact on their income level. estimated at 22.31 million metric tons (in
Trawling is one of the most common methods of fishing. 2018).
Trawl nets are designed to be towed by a boat through the water column (midwater trawl) Of this, the marine fisheries potential
or along the sea floor (bottom trawl). stands at an estimated 5.31 million
Bottom trawls (also known as demersal trawl) are used to catch fish and prawns that live metric tons and the inland fisheries
on or near the sea floor. potential has been estimated at 17
Issues million metric tons.
Environmental: Bottom trawls might result in removal or damage of sedentary living Marine fisheries resources are spread along
organisms (including seaweed and corals). the country’s vast coastline and 2.02
Strained- relations: Bottom trawling by India fisherman in Palk strait has been a major issue million square km Exclusive Economic

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with Sri Lanka, which has banned it back in 2017. Zone (EEZ) and 0.53 million sq.km.
Other measures taken to wean away fishermen from deep-sea trawling. continental shelf area.
Schemes promoting seaweed farming and sea-cage farming. The sector also has a huge employment
Subsidy for conversion of trawler into resource specific deep-sea vessel. potential.

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ALSO IN NEWS

New RBI audit norms
will tap into unutilised
talent pool
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The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) said Reserve Bank's new norms for appointment of
auditors will bring in large number of capable audit firms into the banking and financial auditing works that
will enhance audit quality. 
In April, the RBI came out with the norms for appointment of Statutory Central Auditors (SCAs) and
Statutory Auditors (SAs) of commercial banks, Urban Co-operative Banks (UCBs) and Non-banking Financial
Companies (NBFCs), including Housing Finance Companies (HFCs).

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Railways recorded more than 10% increase in Freight loading as compared to normal year of 2019-20.
Factors
A number of concessions are being given in Indian Railways to make Railways Freight movement very attractive.
Growth in Freight Long term tariff contract with major customers envisages growth and retention of traffic by offering
Traffic of Indian Railway incentive over benchmark.
Schemes such as General Purpose Wagon Investment Scheme (GPWIS), Liberalised Wagon Investment

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Scheme (LWIS), Special Freight Train Operator (SFTO), etc. have been launched.
Freight speed has doubled over last 18 months.

Ricochet Impact
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IMF has warned for Ricochet impact on advanced economies as the Emerging-market nations struggle to
claw out of the pandemic-induced economic crisis can spill over to hurt the developed world.
Ricochet Impact, also known as transfer effect, refers to the negative impact on the one who helps others. 
Today, the risks of increase in interest rates with little or no growth among the emerging nations, can limit
their ability to service debate; hurting the developed nations as well as global supply chains.

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Key findings
In 2020 – one of the three warmest years on record – the global average temperature was 1.2 degrees

World Meteorological
Organization (WMO) annual
climate update report
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Celsius above the pre-industrial baseline.
Every year from 2021 through 2025 is likely to be at least 1oc warmer.
An increased chance of tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean, that Africa's Sahel and Australia will likely be
wetter, and that the southwest of Northern America is likely to be drier.
WMO uses temperature data from multiple sources including NASA and the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

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Global Satellite
communication firms
gets governments
signal booster
The Telecom Engineering Centre (TEC) under Department of Telecommunications made amendments to
the Standards for Interface Requirements for Communications.
It will enable global satellite communication companies like OneWeb (a consortium led by Airtel) and
Elon Musk’s Starlink to offer high-speed broadband services more efficiently to customers in India.
This amendment will allow satellite communications services to use the high-capacity Ka band between 27
Ghz and 40 Ghz for both broadband and broadcasting services like direct-to-home (DTH).
Currently, they are allowed to use only C and Ku bands.

A Lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth and the

Moon are in Straight line in the plane of the ecliptic and
Earth lies between the Sun and the Moon.
The Lunar Eclipse can be of three types:
Total Lunar Eclipse: When Moon is exactly in the
plane of ecliptic with Umbra or inner part of earth
Lunar Eclipse shadow falling on Lunar Surface.
and Super Moon
Partial Lunar Eclipse: When Moon is close to the
plane of ecliptic with Umbra covering only a part of
Lunar Surface.
Penumbral Lunar Eclipse: When moon passes
through the partial shadow of the Earth, i.e. Penumbra. 
Super Moon occurs when during the Full Moon or New
Moon, it is closest to the Earth in its perigee.