APSC Current Affairs: Assam Tribune Notes by SuchitraACS 14-12-2024

APSC Current Affairs: Assam Tribune Notes with MCQs and Answer Writing (14/12/2024)

For APSC CCE and other Assam Competitive examinations aspirants, staying updated with current affairs is vital. This blog covers most important topics from the Assam Tribune today (14-12-2024). These issues are key for both APSC Prelims and Mains preparation, offering insights into the APSC CCE Syllabus.

APSC Current Affairs: Assam Tribune Notes with MCQs and Answer Writing (14/12/2024)

For APSC CCE and other Assam Competitive examinations aspirants, staying updated with current affairs is vital. This blog covers most important topics from the Assam Tribune today (14-12-2024). These issues are key for both APSC Prelims and Mains preparation, offering insights into the APSC CCE Syllabus.

1. Advancing Northeast Connectivity Through Inland Waterways

GS Paper 3: Infrastructure, Economic Development, and Environment

Introduction

Inland waterways have emerged as a cost-effective, sustainable, and eco-friendly mode of transportation. Recent investments in Jogighopa Multi-Modal Terminal, Bogibeel Passenger-Cargo Terminal, and other projects aim to integrate the Northeast with national and international trade networks, boosting regional development and connectivity.

Key Points

  • Major Projects in Northeast:
    • Jogighopa terminal for multi-modal logistics integration.
    • Pandu Ship Repair Facility and Sonamura terminal for expanded cargo capacity.
    • Dredging of critical waterways to ensure navigational depth.
  • Government Initiatives:
    • 111 National Waterways: Enhanced from only 5 before 2014.
    • Investment of ₹6,000 crore in the past decade, compared to ₹1,620 crore in the 28 years prior.
  • Benefits:
    • Reduced transportation costs by 30-50% compared to road and rail.
    • Boost to eco-tourism and passenger movement.
    • Increased trade connectivity with neighboring countries like Bangladesh and Bhutan.

Prelims Pointers

  • National Waterways Act, 2016: Declared 106 new waterways, including several in the Northeast.
  • Pandu Terminal: Critical for connecting Assam to Bangladesh under Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade (PIWTT).
  • Dredging: Key to maintaining navigational depth for smooth cargo movement.

Mains Pointers

Significance of Inland Waterways in Northeast:

  1. Economic Integration:
    • Connects the region with eastern ports like Haldia, facilitating trade.
    • Enables access to South and Southeast Asia via Bangladesh.
  2. Environmental Sustainability:
    • Reduces carbon footprint compared to road and rail transport.
    • Protects fragile ecosystems in the Brahmaputra Basin.
  3. Boost to Local Economy:
    • Generates jobs in port management and ancillary industries.
    • Facilitates export of regional products like tea and silk.

Challenges:

  1. Hydrological Variability:
    • Seasonal fluctuations in river water levels hinder navigation.
  2. Infrastructure Deficits:
    • Lack of modern ports and storage facilities.
  3. Coordination Issues:
    • Requires alignment between multiple states and central agencies.
  4. Environmental Concerns:
    • Risk of pollution and impact on riverine biodiversity from increased traffic.

Government Initiatives:

  1. Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Routes:
    • Facilitates bilateral trade and passenger movement.
  2. Brahmaputra Waterways Project:
    • Enhances navigation in one of Northeast’s primary rivers.
  3. Sagarmala Programme:
    • Supports development of inland waterways as part of integrated transport corridors.

Way Ahead:

  1. Capacity Building:
    • Train personnel for efficient operation of terminals and cargo management.
  2. Technological Integration:
    • Use satellite-based monitoring to manage waterway traffic.
  3. Collaborative Mechanisms:
    • Strengthen partnerships with Bangladesh and Bhutan for smooth cross-border trade.
  4. Sustainability Focus:
    • Promote eco-friendly vessels and energy-efficient terminal designs.

Conclusion

Inland waterways have the potential to transform the Northeast into a global trade hub while ensuring sustainable development. By addressing infrastructural and ecological challenges, this mode of transportation can unlock unprecedented growth for the region, aligning with India’s Act East Policy and Sustainable Development Goals.

2. Assam’s Push for Green Tourism

GS Paper 3: Environment, Economy, and Sustainable Development

Introduction

Assam is leveraging its rich biodiversity and cultural heritage to promote green tourism, focusing on eco-friendly practices and local community involvement. Initiatives like the development of Kaziranga as a Carbon-Neutral Tourism Zone and the launch of Green Village Homestay Projects aim to position the state as a leading destination for sustainable tourism.

Key Points

  • Recent Developments:
    • Proposal to create sustainable tourism circuits connecting Kaziranga, Majuli, and Pobitora.
    • Homestay schemes in villages around national parks to encourage community-based tourism.
    • Promotion of cycling and electric vehicles in wildlife tourism zones.
  • Tourist Footfall:
    • Over 17 lakh domestic tourists and 25,000 foreign tourists visited Assam in 2023.
    • Targets to increase tourism’s contribution to 10% of Assam’s GSDP by 2030.
  • Key Attractions:
    • Wildlife: Kaziranga, Manas, Nameri, Dibru-Saikhowa.
    • Cultural: Majuli’s monasteries, Sualkuchi’s silk industry, and Satras.

Prelims Pointers

  • Green Tourism: Focuses on minimizing environmental impact and promoting local culture and biodiversity.
  • Majuli Island: The world’s largest river island, proposed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  • Kaziranga National Park: A UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its one-horned rhinoceros population.

Mains Pointers

Significance of Green Tourism for Assam:

  1. Economic Growth:
    • Generates employment in rural areas through homestays and handicrafts.
    • Attracts high-value eco-tourists, boosting local incomes.
  2. Environmental Conservation:
    • Protects biodiversity hotspots like Kaziranga and Manas.
    • Reduces carbon footprint through renewable energy use in tourism infrastructure.
  3. Cultural Preservation:
    • Promotes traditional practices, including weaving and cuisine, enhancing community identity.
  4. Sustainability:
    • Balances tourism with conservation, ensuring long-term ecological and economic benefits.

Challenges:

  1. Infrastructure Gaps:
    • Lack of modern amenities in remote tourist areas.
  2. Overtourism:
    • Environmental degradation in popular destinations like Kaziranga.
  3. Community Participation:
    • Insufficient training and incentives for local communities to adopt eco-tourism practices.
  4. Policy Implementation:
    • Delays in executing sustainable tourism policies and projects.

Government Initiatives:

  1. Green Village Homestay Project:
    • Provides subsidies and training for rural homestay operators.
  2. Kaziranga Carbon-Neutral Zone:
    • Focuses on renewable energy and waste management to achieve carbon neutrality.
  3. Sustainable Tourism Circuits:
    • Development of eco-tourism circuits under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme.

Way Ahead:

  1. Infrastructure Development:
    • Upgrade amenities with eco-friendly designs in remote areas.
  2. Community Engagement:
    • Train local communities in hospitality and biodiversity conservation.
  3. Digital Promotion:
    • Leverage social media and global travel platforms to attract eco-tourists.
  4. Policy Integration:
    • Align green tourism initiatives with India’s National Tourism Policy 2022.

Conclusion

Green tourism presents a sustainable pathway for Assam’s economic growth and ecological conservation. By integrating community involvement, infrastructure development, and innovative practices, Assam can emerge as a global model for eco-tourism, aligning with SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 15 (Life on Land).

3. Assam’s Healthcare Push with New Medical Colleges

GS Paper 2: Governance, Health

Introduction

Assam has undertaken a transformative initiative to strengthen its healthcare infrastructure by establishing new medical colleges in underserved districts. With 15 medical colleges operational and plans for 5 more by 2026, Assam is on track to become a regional hub for medical education and healthcare services.

Key Points

  • Current Status:
    • Recently inaugurated medical colleges in Tinsukia, Kokrajhar, and Nagaon.
    • Ongoing projects in districts like Dhubri and Charaideo.
  • Significance:
    • Adds over 1,500 MBBS seats, addressing the shortage of doctors in rural and semi-urban areas.
    • Strengthens Assam’s doctor-to-patient ratio, currently at 1:1,800, compared to the WHO-recommended 1:1,000.

Prelims Pointers

  • Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY): Supports the establishment of new medical colleges and upgrading of district hospitals.
  • Ayushman Bharat: Universal health coverage scheme benefiting low-income households in Assam.
  • Current Medical Colleges in Assam: Include prestigious institutions like Gauhati Medical College and Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh.

Mains Pointers

Importance of New Medical Colleges for Assam:

  1. Improved Healthcare Access:
    • Expands tertiary care facilities in districts with limited healthcare services.
    • Reduces the need for patients to travel to Guwahati or other states.
  2. Skill Development:
    • Trains a new generation of medical professionals, fostering local employment.
    • Promotes nursing and paramedical education through allied institutions.
  3. Economic Growth:
    • Boosts local economies by creating jobs in healthcare, construction, and allied services.
  4. Regional Leadership:
    • Positions Assam as a healthcare hub for the Northeast, attracting patients from neighboring states and countries like Bhutan and Bangladesh.

Challenges:

  1. Infrastructure Gaps:
    • Inadequate facilities and equipment in newly established colleges.
  2. Shortage of Faculty:
    • Difficulty in recruiting and retaining experienced medical educators in remote districts.
  3. Financial Burden:
    • High costs of establishing and maintaining medical colleges require sustained government investment.
  4. Access Disparities:
    • Tribal and flood-prone areas continue to face barriers to accessing healthcare facilities.

Government Initiatives:

  1. PMSSY: Facilitates the establishment of new medical colleges by upgrading existing district hospitals.
  2. National Medical Commission (NMC): Streamlines regulations for medical education and infrastructure standards.
  3. Assam Health Infrastructure Development Initiative: State-funded program for upgrading healthcare facilities.

Way Ahead:

  1. Focus on Rural Healthcare:
    • Deploy medical interns and graduates in rural areas through bonded service agreements.
  2. Faculty Development Programs:
    • Offer incentives like housing, research grants, and career advancement opportunities to attract faculty.
  3. Digital Health Integration:
    • Leverage telemedicine to connect medical colleges with underserved areas.
  4. Sustainable Financing:
    • Partner with private players under Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) to share costs.

Conclusion

The establishment of new medical colleges is a crucial step toward achieving universal health coverage and bridging healthcare access gaps in Assam. By addressing challenges related to infrastructure and manpower, Assam can set a benchmark for healthcare excellence in the Northeast, contributing to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being).

4. Assam’s Healthcare Push with New Medical Colleges

GS Paper 2: Governance, Health

Introduction

Assam has undertaken a transformative initiative to strengthen its healthcare infrastructure by establishing new medical colleges in underserved districts. With 15 medical colleges operational and plans for 5 more by 2026, Assam is on track to become a regional hub for medical education and healthcare services.

Key Points

  • Current Status:
    • Recently inaugurated medical colleges in Tinsukia, Kokrajhar, and Nagaon.
    • Ongoing projects in districts like Dhubri and Charaideo.
  • Significance:
    • Adds over 1,500 MBBS seats, addressing the shortage of doctors in rural and semi-urban areas.
    • Strengthens Assam’s doctor-to-patient ratio, currently at 1:1,800, compared to the WHO-recommended 1:1,000.

Prelims Pointers

  • Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY): Supports the establishment of new medical colleges and upgrading of district hospitals.
  • Ayushman Bharat: Universal health coverage scheme benefiting low-income households in Assam.
  • Current Medical Colleges in Assam: Include prestigious institutions like Gauhati Medical College and Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh.

Mains Pointers

Importance of New Medical Colleges for Assam:

  1. Improved Healthcare Access:
    • Expands tertiary care facilities in districts with limited healthcare services.
    • Reduces the need for patients to travel to Guwahati or other states.
  2. Skill Development:
    • Trains a new generation of medical professionals, fostering local employment.
    • Promotes nursing and paramedical education through allied institutions.
  3. Economic Growth:
    • Boosts local economies by creating jobs in healthcare, construction, and allied services.
  4. Regional Leadership:
    • Positions Assam as a healthcare hub for the Northeast, attracting patients from neighboring states and countries like Bhutan and Bangladesh.

Challenges:

  1. Infrastructure Gaps:
    • Inadequate facilities and equipment in newly established colleges.
  2. Shortage of Faculty:
    • Difficulty in recruiting and retaining experienced medical educators in remote districts.
  3. Financial Burden:
    • High costs of establishing and maintaining medical colleges require sustained government investment.
  4. Access Disparities:
    • Tribal and flood-prone areas continue to face barriers to accessing healthcare facilities.

Government Initiatives:

  1. PMSSY: Facilitates the establishment of new medical colleges by upgrading existing district hospitals.
  2. National Medical Commission (NMC): Streamlines regulations for medical education and infrastructure standards.
  3. Assam Health Infrastructure Development Initiative: State-funded program for upgrading healthcare facilities.

Way Ahead:

  1. Focus on Rural Healthcare:
    • Deploy medical interns and graduates in rural areas through bonded service agreements.
  2. Faculty Development Programs:
    • Offer incentives like housing, research grants, and career advancement opportunities to attract faculty.
  3. Digital Health Integration:
    • Leverage telemedicine to connect medical colleges with underserved areas.
  4. Sustainable Financing:
    • Partner with private players under Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) to share costs.

Conclusion

The establishment of new medical colleges is a crucial step toward achieving universal health coverage and bridging healthcare access gaps in Assam. By addressing challenges related to infrastructure and manpower, Assam can set a benchmark for healthcare excellence in the Northeast, contributing to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being).

APSC Prelims Practice Questions

Topic 1: Advancing Northeast Connectivity Through Inland Waterways

Q1. Which of the following is a major inland waterway project in Assam?
a) Jogighopa Multi-Modal Terminal
b) Paradip Port Expansion Project
c) Kandla-Bhuj Waterway
d) Chabahar Corridor

Answer: a) Jogighopa Multi-Modal Terminal

Explanation:

  • Jogighopa is a key project aimed at enhancing connectivity in Assam through multi-modal logistics.

Q2. Under which protocol does the Pandu Terminal facilitate trade with Bangladesh?
a) India-Bangladesh Ganga Waterway Agreement
b) Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade (PIWTT)
c) South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA)
d) India-BIMSTEC Transport Treaty

Answer: b) Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade (PIWTT)

Explanation:

  • PIWTT allows trade between India and Bangladesh through inland waterways.

Topic 2: Assam’s Push for Green Tourism

Q1. Which initiative is aimed at achieving carbon neutrality in Kaziranga National Park?
a) Sustainable Tourism Circuits Project
b) Kaziranga Carbon-Neutral Zone
c) Eco-Tourism Master Plan 2024
d) Assam Biodiversity Conservation Program

Answer: b) Kaziranga Carbon-Neutral Zone

Explanation:

  • The initiative focuses on renewable energy, waste management, and eco-friendly practices in Kaziranga.

Q2. Majuli Island is proposed for UNESCO World Heritage status for its:

  1. Cultural importance.
  2. Wildlife diversity.
  3. Being the largest riverine island in the world.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2, and 3

Answer: c) 1 and 3 only

Explanation:

  • Majuli is recognized for its cultural significance and status as the largest riverine island.

Topic 3: Assam’s River Erosion Mitigation Strategy

Q1. Which tool is widely used in Assam for riverbank stabilization?
a) Concrete Dams
b) Geo-Bags
c) Gabion Structures
d) Floating Pontoons

Answer: b) Geo-Bags

Explanation:

  • Geo-bags are sand-filled bags that stabilize riverbanks, offering a cost-effective solution for erosion control.

Q2. The Brahmaputra River is known for which of the following characteristics?

  1. High sediment load.
  2. Braided channel pattern.
  3. Being a perennial river.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2, and 3

Answer: d) 1, 2, and 3

Explanation:

  • The Brahmaputra has a high sediment load, a braided pattern, and remains perennial due to glacier and monsoon water inputs.

Topic 4: Assam’s Healthcare Push with New Medical Colleges

Q1. The Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) supports the establishment of new medical colleges by:
a) Building entirely new campuses.
b) Upgrading existing district hospitals.
c) Partnering with foreign universities.
d) Focusing on private medical colleges.

Answer: b) Upgrading existing district hospitals

Explanation:

  • PMSSY aims to establish new medical colleges by upgrading district hospitals to improve tertiary care infrastructure.

Q2. Which district in Assam does NOT currently host a medical college under the recent initiatives?
a) Tinsukia
b) Kokrajhar
c) Dhubri
d) Kamrup

Answer: d) Kamrup

Explanation:

Kamrup already has Gauhati Medical College, and the recent initiatives focus on underserved districts like Tinsukia and Dhubri.

APSC Mains Practice Question

Q. Discuss the potential of inland waterways in transforming the connectivity and economic landscape of Northeast India. Highlight the challenges and suggest measures to enhance the effectiveness of these waterways. (250 words)

Model Answer

Introduction

The Northeast, characterized by its geographical isolation and rugged terrain, faces challenges in transportation and trade connectivity. Inland waterways offer a cost-effective and eco-friendly solution, with recent investments in terminals like Jogighopa and Pandu showcasing their transformative potential.

Significance of Inland Waterways in Northeast India

  1. Economic Growth:
    • Reduces transportation costs by 30-50% compared to road and rail, facilitating trade.
    • Enhances export of regional products like tea, silk, and bamboo to Bangladesh and Southeast Asia.
  2. Improved Connectivity:
    • Provides an alternative route to landlocked areas, linking Tripura and Mizoram to mainland India.
    • Strengthens regional trade through Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Routes.
  3. Environmental Benefits:
    • Reduces carbon footprint compared to road and rail transport.
    • Mitigates stress on road infrastructure, reducing wear and maintenance costs.
  4. Tourism Development:
    • Boosts eco-tourism along the Brahmaputra, tapping into attractions like Kaziranga and Majuli.

Challenges

  1. Hydrological Variability:
    • Seasonal changes in river depth hinder year-round navigation.
  2. Infrastructure Deficits:
    • Limited modern ports, storage facilities, and dredging capacity.
  3. Environmental Concerns:
    • Risk of pollution and biodiversity loss from increased river traffic.
  4. Cross-Border Coordination:
    • Navigational agreements with neighboring countries like Bangladesh require regular updates.

Measures to Enhance Effectiveness

  1. Infrastructure Development:
    • Expand terminals and ensure dredging to maintain navigational depth.
  2. Technology Integration:
    • Use satellite-based monitoring and GPS systems for route management.
  3. Policy Focus:
    • Align inland waterways projects with national schemes like Sagarmala and state-level development plans.
  4. Community Participation:
    • Involve local stakeholders to ensure sustainable operations and address displacement concerns.

Conclusion

Inland waterways can revolutionize connectivity and economic integration in Northeast India. By addressing challenges and ensuring sustainable practices, these waterways can transform the region into a trade and tourism hub, aligning with India’s Act East Policy and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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