Daily Current Affairs

November 30, 2024

Current Affairs

Israel-Hezbollah Ceasefire Agreement 2024

Context: On November 27, 2024, Israel and Lebanon entered into a ceasefire agreement to end the 13-month-long conflict that escalated in September, 2023. 

Relevance of the topic:

Prelims: Key aspects of Israel-Hezbollah Ceasefire Agreement 2024, Important Locations (Blue line, Litani River), UNSC Resolution 1701. 

Israel-Hezbollah Ceasefire Agreement 2024: 

  • Aim: To restore stability along the Israel-Lebanon border and establish a mechanism to monitor compliance to the agreement. 
  • The ceasefire agreement 2024 closely mirrors the provisions of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 1701 adopted during the Israel-Lebanon War. 
  • A crucial novelty in the agreement is the addition of the United States and France to the tripartite mechanism of Lebanon, Israel, and the UNIFIL that oversees the implementation of UNSCR 1701. 
Israel-Hezbollah Ceasefire Agreement 2024

Key Provisions of the Ceasefire Agreement:

  • Withdrawal of Forces:
    • Israeli forces will retreat south of the Blue Line (a UN-demarcated boundary between Israel and Lebanon) or withdraw from the Lebanese territory they have occupied since October 2023.
    • Hezbollah (a militant group and political party in Lebanon) will withdraw its fighters to the north of the Litani River (river in Lebanon). (It does not call for complete disarmament of Hezbollah in Lebanon)
    • The Lebanese Army will be the sole armed entity between the Litani River and the Blue Line. Lebanon is expected to implement a rigorous supervision of Hezbollah’s movements south of the Litani river to prevent militants from regrouping there. This would be monitored by UN peacekeeping troops, the Lebanese military and a multinational committee.
  • Timeline for Implementation: Both parties have 60 days to withdraw to their respective positions.
  • Conditional Ceasefire: Israel maintains the right to defend itself if Hezbollah violates the agreement (something that the Lebanese government rejects).

UNSC Resolution 1701:

  • The ceasefire agreement 2024 closely mirrors the provisions of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 1701 adopted during the Israel-Lebanon War. 
  • Resolution 1701 was passed by the UN Security Council (UNSC) in August 2006, calling for a full cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.
    • In July 2006, Israel invaded Lebanon after Hezbollah killed some Israeli soldiers and kidnapped others. 
    • The war lasted over a month and resulted in the deaths of over 1,000 Lebanese people and 170 Israelis.
  • This resolution called for:
    • Disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon such that there are no weapons or authority in the country other than that of the Lebanese State.
    • Full respect by both parties for the Blue Line and security arrangements to prevent the resumption of hostilities. 
    • A maximum of 15,000 UNIFIL force strength (U.N. peacekeepers) to monitor the end of hostilities, help secure the area with Lebanese troops.

Israel's stand on the Agreement:

  • Relief for Israeli Forces: Israel's military was fighting a two-front war against Hezbollah in the north and Hamas in Gaza. The ceasefire gives the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) a chance to regroup, resupply, and recover from combat fatigue.
  • Focus on Iran: Ceasefire with Hezbollah allows Israel to redirect its military and intelligence forces towards countering Iran's regional influence. (Hezbollah is considered an Iranian proxy)
  • Isolation of Hamas: Israel is looking to isolate Hamas in Gaza by ending the conflict in Lebanon. The ceasefire provides a clearer strategic focus for the ongoing war in Gaza, where Israel is determined to dismantle Hamas' operational infrastructure.

Regional Implications of the Agreement: 

  • Israel’s Regional Focus: The agreement allows Israel to focus on its operations in Gaza and against Iranian proxies in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen.
  • Impact on Hezbollah: Despite the heavy losses, Hezbollah still has a strong influence in Lebanon's political and social spheres. The ceasefire will give Hezbollah a chance to rebuild its base and infrastructure.
  • Iran's move: Iran's acceptance of the ceasefire is in line with its overall policy of easing regional tensions while maintaining Hezbollah as a strategic proxy.

India’s stand:

  • India has welcomed the cease fire agreement. India has always called for de-escalation, restraint and return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy for peace and stability in the wider region. 
  • India’s interests: 
    • The conflict between Hezbollah and Israel posed a threat to expatriate Indians in Lebanon and in Israel. New Delhi had been calling for de-escalation of tensions and cessation of hostilities. 
    • India had been concerned about the increasing Israeli attacks on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) that has a large number of Indian personnel. 

Conclusion: The Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire agreement marks a temporary halt in hostilities, offering a window for stability along the Israel-Lebanon border. While it mirrors UNSC Resolution 1701, the involvement of international actors like the US and France adds a layer of complexity to its enforcement. 

Challenges in GST Implementation 

Context: Former Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian emphasises the need for simplification of GST structure and rate rationalisation under the current system.

Relevance of the topic:

Prelims: Features of GST

Mains: Challenges in GST Implementation

Features of GST

  • Goods and Services Tax (GST) is a single tax levied on the supply of goods and services across all stages of the supply chain (right from the manufacturer to the consumer). 

GST subsumes multiple state and central taxes: 

  • Excise duty 
  • Service tax 
  • Additional excise duty 
  • Additional Customs duty 
  • States sales tax 
  • Entertainment tax
  • Octroi tax (Entry tax)
  • GST has Dual Tax Structure: 
    • CGST (Central GST) goes to the Central Government.
    • SGST (State GST) goes to the state government, in which the sale is taking place.
  • GST is a destination based tax. During interstate trade, tax is imposed by the state (importing state) in which the consumption takes place instead of the state which supplied the goods/service. 
Goods and Services Tax (GST)

Current Challenges in GST Implementation: 

1. Too many Tax Rates: 

  • There are four primary tax rates (5%, 12%, 18%, and 28%) under GST. Besides this,  there are special rates (0%, 0.25%, 1%, and 3%). Additionally, there are more than 50 different cess rates ranging from 1% to 25% that complicate the tax structure. 
  • Issue: When there are multiple tax rates then there exists a risk of misclassification, as taxpayers try to classify their products or services under lower tax brackets, whereas tax authorities would try to classify them under higher tax brackets. 
  • Solution: Lower number of tax brackets/rates will reduce possibilities of such classification disputes and also increase tax compliance.

2. Revenue Neutral Rate:

  • The revenue-neutral rate (RNR) is the tax rate at which the GST system would generate the same revenue as the pre-GST indirect tax regime. The Aravind Subramanian Committee had recommended an RNR of 15%–15.5%. This was to ensure that the income to the states and the Centre is not eroded in absence of pre-GST taxes. 
  • Issue: India’s GST Council has over the years reduced several tax rates, resulting in the lowering of the average GST rate to around 12% percent from recommended ideal RNR. This has hurt the revenue collections for both the Centre and states.

3. Inverted Duty Structure: 

  • Inverted duty structure refers to a situation where the GST rate paid on inputs received, is more than the GST rate of tax on output supplies.
  • Issue: Persistence of inverted duty structure in sectors (like textiles) has resulted in accumulation of unutilised input tax credit. Such unutilised tax credit has to be carried over to the next financial year, until it can be adjusted against future taxes. This is eroding the working capitals for many small firms.
  • Solution: Correcting the inverted duty structure will lead to a reduction in the requirement of tax refunds.

4. Issues with Exemptions: 

  • Issue: When a good/service is exempted from GST, only the final output is exempted from the tax but the input taxes paid in the process of manufacturing the goods are not refunded. 
  • Solution: Zero rating can be more transparent than exemption, as the taxes paid on inputs and the resulting tax liability can be easily tracked and verified. This can help to reduce the risk of tax evasion and increase the overall effectiveness of the tax system.

5. Rising pendency due to delay in establishment of Tribunals:

  • GST Tribunals are envisioned as specialised bodies to handle disputes related to GST, providing a timely and efficient resolution mechanism. 
  • Issue: Several legal, administrative and constitutional challenges have contributed to the delay in their establishment. Aggrieved taxpayers have to approach the High Court through writ, post receipt of an order from an Appellate Authority. Due to the pending backlog, High Courts are unable to dispose of the matters expeditiously. 

Competition Commission probes into Google

Context: The Competition Commission of India has launched a probe into Google for alleged abuse of its dominant position in the real money gaming (RMG) ecosystem.

Relevance of topic: Prelims: About Competition Commission of India. 
Mains: Role of the Competition Commission of India. 

Background: A complaint was filed by real money gaming (RMG) platform Winzo, arguing that a pilot project introduced by Google allowing fantasy sports apps like Dream11 and rummy games on its Play Store were discriminatory towards other companies in the industry, and created unfair market distortion. 

About Dominant Position: "Dominant position" is a position of strength held by an enterprise in the relevant market domain, for example Google holds dominant position in the app store market.

Key features of dominant position: 

-It allows the enterprise to operate independently of the competitive forces present in the market.

-It enables the enterprise to affect its competitors, consumers and ultimately the market in its favour leading to monopolistic practices.
image 37

Impact of monopolistic practices on consumers:

Monopolistic practices harm consumers by reducing competition, leading to higher prices, lower quality, and less innovation.

  • Higher prices: With fewer or no competitors, a monopolistic company can set higher prices for its products or services without the risk of losing customers. A monopoly can control the supply of a product or service, creating artificial scarcity or flooding the market to manipulate prices and demand.
  • Lack of diversity/ Less incentive to improve quality: The lack of competition can lead to a homogenisation of products, with fewer unique or diverse options available to consumers. With fewer alternatives, consumers might be stuck with lower quality services, as monopolies have less incentive to improve.
  • Privacy concerns/data exploitation: In digital monopolies, like Google, consumers may have less control over their personal data, which can be exploited for profit without adequate alternatives or competition to offer better privacy options.

About Competition Commission of India: 

  • Origin: It is an autonomous statutory body established in 2009 under the Competition Act, 2002.
  • Nature: Statutory, Quasi-judicial body.
  • Aim: To manage and enforce the Act, ensuring fair competition and protection of consumer interests.
  • Objectives: 
    • Eliminate practices having adverse effects on competition.
    • Promote and sustain competition.
    • Promote the interest of consumers.
    • Ensure freedom of trade in the markets of India.
    • Establish a robust competitive environment through:
      • Proactive engagement with all stakeholders, including consumers, industry, government, and international jurisdictions.
      • Being a knowledge intensive organization with a high competence level.
      • Professionalism, transparency, resolve and wisdom in enforcement.
objectives of Competition Commission

Recent achievements of CCI: 

  • DLF Case (2011): This case focused on abuse of dominant position, with CCI penalizing DLF for imposing unfair conditions on buyers. It set a precedent for fair practices in the real estate sector.
  • Cartelisation by Tyre Manufacturers and their Association: Found tyre manufacturers guilty of exchanging price-sensitive data. CCI imposed a penalty of 5% of the average turnover for the last three financial years and issued a cease-and-desist order.
  • Uber Case (2018): CCI's investigation into Uber showcased its adaptability to new sectors, addressing allegations of abuse of dominance in emerging markets.
  • Coal India's Dominance: CCI imposed a Rs 1,773-crore fine on Coal India for abusing its dominant position, addressing anticompetitive behaviour in key industries.
  • Fine on Google (2022): Google was fined Rs. 1337 crores by the CCI as it had engaged in anti-competitive practices by abusing its dominant position in the Android Mobile ecosystem. 
  • Meta case 2024: Recently, CCI fined Meta Rs 213.14 crore for “abusing” its dominant position in relation to WhatsApp’s controversial 2021 update to its privacy policy.

Ex-Post vs. Ex-Ante Competition Regulation

  • Ex-Post regulation:
    • The Competition Act, 2002 operates on an ex-post framework. 
    • This means that CCI can use its powers of enforcement only after the anti-competitive conduct has occurred. 
    • E.g., CCI has fined many MNCs in India who had abused their dominant position.
  • Ex-Ante Regulation:
    • The rapid pace of innovation and growth in digital markets has highlighted the limitations of the ex-post approach which is time consuming and allows offending actors to escape timely scrutiny. 
    • The ex-ante regulatory framework would empower the CCI to proactively identify and regulate large digital platformsbefore they engage in anti-competitive behaviour. By intervening early, the CCI can prevent market failures and promote fair competition.

First Offshore Mineral Auction

Context: The Central government has recently launched India’s first-ever tranche of e-auction for mineral blocks in the offshore areas of India. 

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims- Facts about Critical Minerals, Offshore Mining Initiative, MMDR Act.

Major Highlights of Offshore Mining Initiative:

  • First Tranche of E-Auction: Includes 13 mineral blocks in the Arabian Sea and Andaman Sea, comprising of construction sand, lime-mud and polymetallic nodules and crusts. 
  • Offshore Mining Areas include: Territorial waters, continental shelf, exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and other maritime zones under India's jurisdiction.
  • Objectives:
    • Reduce import dependence of critical minerals.
    • Increase the availability of mineral resources through offshore explorations.
    • Enhance the domestic capability to adopt sustainable mining practices.
  • The development and regulation of offshore mineral resources in India is governed by the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 2002. 
  • Challenges in Offshore Mining: 
    • Higher operational costs and technical challenges. 
    • Environmental risks
      • Marine habitat destruction
      • Disruption in ocean carbon cycling and storage.

What are Critical Minerals?

  • Critical mineral are metallic or non-metallic elements that are:
    • Essential for modern technologies, economy and national security, such as electronics, renewable energy, and defense.
    • Subject to distrution of supply chain, often due to limited reserves, geopolitical issues, or complex processing.

Utility of Critical Minerals:

  • Renewable Energy sector: Graphite, Lithium, Cobalt, and Nickel are key components of batteries for electric vehicles (EVs).
  • Defense and Aerospace: Tungsten, molybdenum, and REEs are used in advanced weaponry, satellites, and aircraft.
  • High-Tech Manufacturing: REEs, Indium, and Gallium are used in electronics, semiconductors, and renewable technologies.
  • Agriculture: Fertiliser minerals like potash and phosphate. 

Critical Minerals in India:

  • Different countries create their own lists of critical minerals based on their individual needs and strategic considerations. In 2023, the Ministry of Mines classified 30 minerals as critical minerals. 
    • The list comprises 30 minerals including 17 rare earth elements (REEs) and six platinum-group elements (PGE). 
    • Ten minerals on the list are 100% import-dependent, including- Lithium, Cobalt, Nickel, Vanadium, Niobium, Germanium, Rhenium, Beryllium, Tantalum, and Strontium.
  • India relies heavily on imports (mostly from China) for critical minerals. The demand for these minerals may more than double by 2030. 

Global Distribution: 

  • China is the world’s largest producer of 16 critical minerals. China is responsible for 60% of global production of rare earth elements. 
china critical mineral production
rare earth reserves

Steps taken by the Government of India: 

1. MMDR Amendment Act, 2023:

  • The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act) is the primary legislation governing the mining sector in India. 
  • The MMDR Amendment Act, 2023:
    • Empowers Central Government to exclusively auction mining lease and composite licence for 24 critical and strategic minerals (listed in the Part-D of the First Schedule to MMDR Act). 
    • Opened mining of critical minerals to private players which was previously limited to public sector undertakings.
    • To boost exploration, Exploration Licence for reconnaissance and prospecting operations has been introduced for 29 deep-seated minerals.

2. Establishment of KABIL:

  • A Joint Venture Company among NALCO, HCL and MECL named Khanij Bidesh India Limited (KABIL) was formed in August 2019. 
  • KABIL's mandate is to ensure India's supply of critical and strategic minerals:
    • Identifying, exploring, acquiring, developing, mining, and processing strategic minerals. 
    • Focus on procuring battery minerals like Lithium and Cobalt.

3. Global Partnerships:

  • India has joined the Mineral Security Partnership with 13 countries, including the U.S., Australia, and Japan aimed to catalyse public and private investment in critical mineral supply-chains globally.
  • India has signed an agreement with Argentina for lithium exploration through KABIL (Khanij Bidesh India Limited).
  • India-Australia has signed the Critical Mineral Investment Partnership for investment in critical mineral projects and for developing supply chains between these two nations.

4. Offshore Mining Initiatives: 

  • Offshore Areas Mineral (Amendment) Act, 2023 introduced transparent and non-discretionary auction process to allocate operating rights in the offshore areas.
  • Deep Ocean Mission to explore the deep ocean to extract polymetallic nodules.
  • National Geoscience Data Repository (NGDR) hosts all exploration related geoscientific data to facilitate the exploration. 

Smog Pollution in North India 

Context: The Indian subcontinent, particularly New Delhi, is gripped with high levels of air pollution (smog). The air quality levels in the region have exceeded World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines by over 50 times posing severe environmental and health risks. 

Relevance of the topic:

Prelims: Photochemical Smog, Sources of Smog, Health impacts of Air Pollution.

Mains: Why does the Indian subcontinent experience one of the highest levels of air pollution?

What is smog?

  • Smog is type of air pollution that reduces visibility. The term "smog" was first used in the early 1900s to describe a mix of smoke and fog. 
  • Today, most of the smog is predominantly photochemical smog. It is produced when sunlight reacts with nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the atmosphere. 

Sources of Smog:

  • Nitrogen oxides (NOx): Emitted from vehicular exhaust, coal power plants, and industrial emissions. 
  • VOCs: Released from gasoline, paints, and cleaning solvents. 
  • Process: Sunlight triggers chemical reactions between nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to produce ground-level ozone and particulate matter — or smog. 
Sources of Smog

Why does the Indian subcontinent experience one of the highest levels of air pollution? 

According to the World Air Quality report, India’s air had 54.4 micrograms of PM2.5 particles per cubic metre on average. The poor air quality persists in Pakistan as well as Bangladesh.  

Natural factors responsible:

  • Himalayas trap the pollutants over the subcontinent and do not allow them to disperse.
  • Low lying topography of Gangetic plains stabilises the air mass over it, further accumulating the air pollutants.
  • Continental type of climatic conditions promote extreme winters in northern Plains spanning across India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The winter inversions promote atmospheric stability, further contributing to air pollution.
  • The presence of the Thar desert also leads to the spread of dust particles in the entire region.

Anthropogenic factors responsible:

  • Emissions from coal-fired power plants, steel mills, and other industrial facilities release large amounts of pollutants, including sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and particulate matter (PM).
  • Traditional brick kilns (prevalent in many parts of South Asia) are significant sources of air pollution due to their inefficient combustion processes.
  • High levels of vehicular traffic, often with poorly maintained vehicles, lead to the release of pollutants such as carbon monoxide (CO), NOx, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and PM.
  • Farmers often burn crop residues (stubble burning) to clear fields, releasing large amounts of smoke, PM, and greenhouse gases.
  • Decomposing organic waste in landfills emits methane (CH4) and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
  • The use of biomass (wood, dung, crop residues) and coal for cooking and heating in rural and low-income urban households produces significant indoor and outdoor air pollution.

What steps India has taken in this regard?

  • National Clean Air Program to reduce the levels of air pollution at both regional and urban scale.
    • Target: Reduction of PM 2.5 and PM 10 levels by 20-30% by 2024.
    • Measures: Stringent implementation of mitigation measures, strengthening air quality monitoring and augmenting public awareness.
  • Clean Air India Initiative to curb air pollution in Indian cities by promoting partnerships between Indian start-ups and entrepreneurs to develop innovative solutions for cleaner air.
    • E.g., Under it, an ‘INDUS impact’ project aims to reduce stubble burning by promoting businesses to make construction and packaging materials using paddy biomass. 
  • Notification of National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS),  National Air Quality Index, Sector-specific emissions and effluent standards for industries to reduce emission of PM 10, SO2 and Nitrogen Oxides. 
  • Promotion of fuel standards: Leapfrogging from BS-IV to BS-VI fuel; ban on pet coke and furnace oil.
  • LPG subsidy under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) to curb indoor pollution.
More steps:https://compass.rauias.com/environment-biodiversity/impacts-air-pollution/

What are the major health impacts of air pollution?

What are the major health impacts of air pollution

Way Forward:

  • For Individuals: Staying indoors, keeping oneself hydrated, using public transport, and avoiding construction sites. 
  • Govt. agencies: 
    • Strict implementation of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to tackle pollution during severe conditions.
    • Temporary stay on new construction projects.
    • Expand infrastructure for producing biomass from stubble waste. 
    • Retiring old thermal power plants, exploring use of Carbon Capture technologies in heavy industries. 
    • Strict fines for violation of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and other environmental laws.  
    • Promotion of public transport and network of metro, e-rickshaws, promotion of car-pooling etc.
    • Increase green cover in urban areas to act as pollution sinks.

Immunotherapy for Cancer Treatment

Context: Despite decades of scientific progress the treatment of cancer remains a formidable challenge. However, research in recent years has brought new ways to combat the disease. 

Relevance of The Topic: Prelims- Key facts about technologies for cancer treatment. 

What is Cancer?

Cancer is a condition of uncontrolled cell growth and division in any part of the body. Cancer occurs when some disruption in the DNA in a normal cell interferes with the cell’s ability to regulate cell division.

  • DNA disruption can be caused by mutation due to certain chemicals or sources of high energy (Sun, X-rays, Nuclear radiation), infection by some viruses and due to certain environmental and lifestyle factors. 
cancer in India

Potential of Immunotherapy for Cancer Treatment: 

Immunotherapy is a type of biological therapy that uses a person's own immune system to fight cancer. It works by helping the immune system recognise and attack cancer cells.

cancer Immunotherapy

Some important types of Immunotherapy for Cancer Treatment, include:

1. CAR-T Cell Therapy:  

  • Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is a type of cell-based gene therapy which involves altering the genes inside T-cells (a type of white blood cell) to help them attack cancer cells. In the therapy, T-cells are harvested from the patient’s blood.
    • Researchers modify these cells in the laboratory so that they express specific proteins on their surface known as chimeric antigen receptors (CAR).
    • These cells are then grown and multiplied in the laboratory and then inserted back into the patient. This genetic modification allows CAR T-cells to effectively bind to the cancer cells and destroy them. 
  • Presently, CAR T-cell therapy has been approved for leukaemia (cancer arising from the cells that produce white blood cells) and lymphoma (arising from the lymphatic system). 
CAR-T Cell Therapy

2. Monoclonal antibodies: 

  • Monoclonal antibodies are immune system proteins created in the lab (artificial antibodies) that are designed to bind to specific targets on cancer cells. 
  • Some monoclonal antibodies mark cancer cells so that they will be better seen and destroyed by the immune system.
Monoclonal antibodies

3. Cancer vaccines/ Injecting induced non-classical monocytes (I-NCMs): 

  • Northwestern University research showed that injecting a specific type of white blood cell (induced non-classical monocytes) into mice was effective in combating cancer.
    • These specialised WBCs (I-NCMs) can be generated/activated through severe infections like COVID-19 or by using certain chemicals. 
    • Once activated, I-NCMs are able to leave blood vessels and migrate to tumours, where they launch an attack on cancer cells. 
  • Mechanism (just for your curiosity): 
    • I-NCMs possess a unique receptor (CCR2) which acts like a specialised antenna to detect signals emitted by certain types of cancer cells or inflamed tissues. These signals guide I-NCMs to the infection site, where they launch an attack. 
    • At the infection site, they recruit other immune cells callednatural killer (NK) cells, which are effective at destroying cancer cells.
      • Natural killer cells are a vital component of the immune system.
      • NK cells directly target and eliminate abnormal-appearing cells, such as cancer cells or virus-infected cells.
Cancer vaccines/ Injecting induced non-classical monocytes (I-NCMs)

However, not all cancers respond to immunotherapy, and even when treatments show initial success, cancer cells can adapt and develop resistance.

Important Technologies for Cancer Treatment: 

S.No. Technology Details 
1.ChemotherapyInvolves administration of drugs that interfere with cell division to slow down the growth of tumours. 

Limitations: These drugs can disrupt the cell division of normal cells too, causing complications. 
2.Radiation TherapyRadiation therapy directs high-energy radiation at the part of the body where a tumour is located. 

Limitations: The radiation process is not perfect and the nearby tissues are often harmed.
3.Image-guided Radiation TherapyForm of radiation therapy that uses imaging techniques to precisely locate and treat cancerous tissue. Allows for higher doses of radiation to be delivered to tumour while minimising exposure to surrounding healthy tissues.
4.Proton Therapy        Type of radiation therapy that uses high-energy proton beams to destroy cancerous cells.Particularly useful to treat tumours located in sensitive areas (brain, eyes and spinal cord) where traditional radiation therapy can cause severe side effects. 
5.Precision MedicineUses genomic information (genetic profile of their tumour) to personalise treatment for cancer patients. 
6.Immunotherapy i. CAR-T Cell Therapy 

ii. Utilising Monoclonal Antibodies 

iii. Injecting Cancer Vaccines 

Government Initiatives for Cancer Treatment: 

  • National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases, and Stroke is a flagship program under the National Health Mission. Launched in 2010, it aims to prevent and control major non-communicable diseases, including cancer.
  • National Cancer Registry Programme (1982) under the Indian Council of Medical Research collects and maintains data on cancer incidence across the country.
  • National Cancer Grid is a network of major cancer centres across India that collaborate to standardise cancer care to improve the quality of cancer treatment.
  • National Cancer Institute at Jhajjar, Haryana has been established as a centre of excellence for cancer treatment and research. 
  • Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana includes coverage for cancer treatment to over 10 crore families.
  • Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme launched in 2020 for domestic manufacturing of oncology equipment and other medical devices. 

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