The Hindu Editorial Analysis | 9th October '21

Table of Contents

Turf war | Pioneer

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel was denied entry into Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri.
When a BJP delegation led by leader of Opposition Dharamlal Kaushik was denied entry into Kawardha
This comes as no surprise after Baghel was detained by the UP police for staging a dharna (sit-in) at the Lucknow airport on Tuesday.
This turf war between India’s two major political parties, or two ideologies per se, is exactly what “democracy” speaks against.
The right to dissent, which has been portrayed as “anti-national” in recent times, is one thing but stopping the Opposition leaders from showing empathy to victims’ kin — even if the empathy is politically driven — is an all-time low for any party in power.
Briefly put, ‘democracy’ is the ultimate sufferer while the Constitution stands at the receiving end of this absolute mockery.
The fourth pillar, too, has failed to give due attention to what’s in the interest of the world’s largest and most complex democracy.

If Data Is Poor, Governance Will Be Poorer | ToI

Data has rightly been dubbed the new oil.
Data analytics have become indispensable in the realm of public policy as well, to drive various strategies and governance outcomes.
For example, India in general and Odisha in particular now manage cyclones much more effectively with almost zero loss of lives, largely due to precise monitoring of the cyclone path by IMD, including quite accurate forecasts of the place and time of landfall, wind speed and other parameters.
But the accuracy of models depends on the accuracy of data which, in this case, is ensured by automatic capture of atmosphere data through sensors rather than manual methods.
Use of AI, machine learning and big data analytics on inaccurate data sets can generate only inaccurate forecast models, which will result in poor and misdirected policy-making and implementation.
The Covid-19 pandemic has been a dreadful reminder of this.
Delayed and inaccurate data capture leading to inaccurate modelling of the timing and intensity of the spread of the virus may have cost us human lives.
Across the world, policy responses to the pandemic have relied on data sets such as the number of tests, the number of positive cases and the daily death toll to understand the spread of the virus and its nature.
However, the present data culture in India is riddled with age-old bureaucratic ways that compromise data quality.
The absence of data for migrants during the first lockdown and for deaths due to lack of oxygen during the second wave illustrates its narrow scope.
Such data gaps along with a poor reporting system are of grave concern.
Besides delays due to audit, what is even more problematic is that the system to capture the initial data in villages and panchayats may not be robust even under usual circumstances.
The National Guidelines for Data Quality in Surveys issued by National Data Quality Forum along with the Indian Council of Medical Research and National Institute of Medical Statistics recommend essential checklists and advance monitoring of data quality.
Though this is a step in the right direction for overall improvement of data quality on health indicators, it is not sufficient as all protocols related to data governance and its ecosystems need to be made more robust.
The first step of a systematic data quality strategy requires capturing accurate data.
For holistic and complete data sets, accurate data must be captured at the village, panchayat, district, state and national levels.
Of these, primary data at the village and panchayat level is of utmost importance and significance.
Data must be collected directly from its primary location where it is in its most sacrosanct form.
The second step is to form a taskforce for data quality governance where the states are a party, with the goal of adopting standardised data architectures encompassing not only data capture, but also its integrity, completeness, validity, reliability and timeliness.
As public policy increasingly becomes data-driven and evidence-based, a rich data culture, a complementary data ecosystem and data governance are imminent needs.
Proper and qualitative data governance in an integrated digital system with multiple stakeholders can also address public concerns of privacy and data security.
To sum up, improving the situational knowledge of a crisis through accurate, timely, complete, relevant and continuous collection of data can really improve the way policymakers operate in crisis management and disaster preparedness and mitigation.

Indian Textiles Can Regain Their Sheen | ET

The Cabinet approval for seven integrated mega textile and apparel parks pan-India makes eminent sense.
It would boost value addition on-site, reaping economies of scale and scope, reduce logistical and sourcing expenses, and generally step up sector-specific competitive advantage across the board.
The value chain in yarn, fabrics and ready-mades is scattered and quite fragmented nation-wide.

The proposed mega parks, spread over 1,000 acre and more, would provide facilities for weaving, dyeing, printing, fashion designing and garment-making in one location.
They would have core infrastructure such as incubation centre, plug-and-play facility, and skill development units so as to keep abreast of the latest trends in textiles and apparel.
The export potential in textiles is large.
We need to build a conducive and innovative ecosystem with proactive policy.
The Centre has recently announced ₹10,683 crore production-linked-incentive scheme for textiles.
The textiles parks scheme would have an outlay of ₹4,445 crore, and is slated to provide support for project development in the cluster mode.
The recent move to provide export-oriented units rebate on state and central taxes and levies would also help.
But the fact remains that the share of textiles in India’s export basket has declined, and is now barely in the double digits.
A recent Crisil study says that absent free trade agreements (FTAs) hurt our export performance.
Decent work in the textile parks would gain custom, in today’s world.

Rx Let’s-Not-Take-a-Chill Pill | ET

In April, global pharmaceutical giant Merck — or its Indian division, Merck Sharp and Dohme (MSD) — entered into voluntary licensing agreements with eight generic manufacturers in India to supply its investigational oral antiviral drug for Covid-19, molnupiravir.
The latter are now investigating the implications of the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) approval on the ongoing trials in India.
MSD and its partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics now plan to seek US Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) for the pill, the first oral antiviral medication for Covid-19, as soon as possible and make regulatory applications worldwide.
According to data released this week, molnupiravir could halve the chances of death or hospitalisation for those at risk of contracting severe Covid-19.
Collaboration and quick action were the need of the hour.
And that was exactly what the Indian pharmaceutical sector did to ensure that every possible solution was brought to the country, and that as an essential service, patients and stakeholders are delivered on promises made to them.
There was a time during the earlymid-20th century when India relied heavily on the outside world and global giants for its pharma needs.
A gradual revolution from the mid-20th century onwards changed that. Cut to 2021, and the picture looks very different.
Today, India is a leader in the global pharma landscape, particularly when it comes to formulations.
It is the third-largest producer of pharmaceuticals by volume, and supplies 20% of global exports of generic drugs.
An estimated 40% of generic formulations to the US come from India.
It was the world-class strengths of this home-grown sector that stood us in good stead when Covid-19 hit the world.
The pandemic demonstrated the maturity and reliability of India’s pharma industry as a healthcare partner to the country’ people in many ways.
These were brought about by, among other means, unprecedented government-industry and intra-industry collaboration.
The best demonstration of this was the daily calls and exchange of best practices between the highest levels of pharma companies, and of pharma with the highest levels of the GoI to minimise disruption, innovate on the go, create resilience in the supply chain and, most importantly, work towards solutions.
The latest collaboration between Merck and Indian pharma companies is a case in point.
There were many decisions, risks and bets taken by Indian pharma at the height of Covid’s first wave
Indian pharma stands on four of its biggest strengths — affordability, accessibility, agility and quality.
The sector has the ability to grow not just bigger in size and reach, but also grow deeper in terms of capability, complexity and innovation.
A digital approach in today’s world is important, and the pandemic has highlighted how fast this needs to be accelerated.
How can we create a robust digital healthcare ecosystem with patient experience at its core?
Can consultations, diagnostics, ecommerce, insurance and support, nutrition, wellness and lifestyle management be brought together?
Patients globally have come to trust and rely on Indian pharma.
The industry is expected to grow almost three times in the coming decade, reaching between $120 billion and $130 billion by 2030.
The future roadmap for Indian pharma promises to centre on sustainability, R&D, innovation, upskilling and reskilling.

NEWS

Anshu Malik creates history, becomes first Indian woman to win silver medal in World Wrestling Championships
Tata Sons wins bid for acquiring national carrier Air India
Journalists Maria Ressa, Dmitry Muratov win Nobel Peace Prize
UK reverses its quarantine policy on fully vaccinated Indian Travellers to UK
RBI keeps repo rate unchanged at 4 pc, reverse repo rate at 3.35 pc
PM Modi calls up Fumio Kishida and congratulates him on assuming charge as new PM of Japan
Over 93.90 crore COVID vaccine doses administered in country so far
US Dy Secretary of State Sherman visits Western Naval Command in Mumbai
Process to select participants for NCC Republic Day Camp 2022 is in full swing: Defence Ministry
UPSC selects 31 candidates for Joint Secretary, Director-level posts in various ministries, Govt Departments
Centre is committed to enhancing ‘Ease of Doing Business’ for Film Industry: MoS I&B, Dr L Murugan
At least 50 killed in Afghanistan’s Kunduz mosque blast
China orders increase in coal production to tackle power crisis, resorts to hike in power tariffs
India and Nepal review implementation of ongoing cross-border Railway links and overall bilateral cooperation in New Delhi
Taiwan does not seek military confrontation, says Taiwanese President

ANS

Q.) Which country has claimed that it has overcome the Covid-19 crisis, recording its lowest number of infections this month since the summer last year?