Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 15 February 2015

:: National ::

Malnourishment high among children of migrants: study

The level of malnourishment is high among children whose parents migrate in search of livelihood. Inherent malnourishment in mothers, lack of food and nutrition security, feeding and dietary practices and illnesses are some of the reasons identified for high levels of malnourishment.
A study ‘Understanding hunger and malnutrition among high migrant communities’ conducted in south Rajasthan by Aajeevika Bureau and EdelGive Foundation has revealed that more than half the children were underweight in those communities where migration was high. Stunting or retarded growth was reported in 53 per cent of the children with 28 per cent of them severely so; 33 per cent are wasted (debilitated growth) with over 9 per cent of them severely so and one-fourth severely underweight. South Rajasthan — broadly Udaipur division — is a semi-arid region with a largely tribal population which owns small land holdings. Small land holdings are unable to help them sustain a livelihood which results in high levels of migration.
Each panchayat, where the study was done, had 550-600 migrants. The study was done in four panchayats in one block — two had high levels of migrations and the other two low migration.
The sample of 884 households, which had less than three children, was picked up from 13 villages.
A total of 695 children under the age of three were weighed and measured as were 607 mothers. The median BMI (body mass index) of mothers was 18.1 with 58 per cent having a BMI of less than 18.5. An analysis has suggested inter-generational transfer of under-nutrition. When the mother is under-nourished, children are 1.8 times more likely to have severe malnutrition.
Also, less availability of food items, small land holdings resulting in low produce and caring practices caused malnutrition. Roti was the only food item eaten by children daily and more than 60 per cent had access to it. Only 58 per cent were breastfed, and less than one per cent had daliya (porridge) which is supposed to be highly nutritious.
The study further shows that children of migrating families were less likely to be enrolled at the anganwadi centres where the government provides supplementary food to pre-school children. Importantly, the anganwadi centres were less functional in areas with high migrating population.
When a mother goes for work, the primary caretakers are grandparents in 57 per cent of the cases, father in just 4 per cent and elder brother in 5 per cent.

:: International ::

US condemns Denmark shooting, calls it ‘deplorable'

The White House denounced the deadly shooting in the Danish capital of Copenhagen as “deplorable”, pledging help needed for the investigation into the double attack which claimed at least one life.
“The United States condemns today’s deplorable shooting in Copenhagen,” National Security Council spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan said in a statement, offering condolences over the death of a Danish man killed in the first attack.
“We have been in close contact with our Danish counterparts and stand ready to lend any assistance necessary to the investigation,” she added.
Three police officers were injured in the shooting that took at a cultural centre place on Saturday, where French Ambassador to Denmark Francois Zimeray and Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks were participating in a meeting under the name of “Art, Blasphemy and Freedom of Expression”.
At least one person was killed and two policemen injured in the second attack near Copenhagen’s main synagogue.

:: Business & Economy ::

Hindalco bags Kathautia coal mine

On the second day of coal auction, Hindalco Industries walked away with a coal mine in Jharkhand. Coal Secretary Anil Swarup confirmed the development saying that “Kathautia mine goes to Hindalco at Rs. 2,860 (per tonne).”
Kathautia closed at Rs. 2,860 which means Rs. 228 crore per annum and Rs. 6,800 crore for 30 years.
Companies like Monnet Ispat & Energy, Ultratech Cement and Rungta Mines were in the race for the mine.
GMR and Reliance Cement bagged one mine each on Saturday for an estimated Rs. 1,375 crore and Rs. 798 crore respectively.
“GMR Chhattisgarh Energy won the Talabira-1 coal block inOdisha,” Mr. Swarup has said. GMR pipped Adani Power, Essar Power, Sesa Sterlite and others by bidding at Rs. 478 per tonne to get the mine.
Anil Ambani-led Reliance Cement beat Hindustan Zinc (HZL) and OCL Iron & Steel to bag the Sial Ghoghri coal mine in Chhindwara district of Madhya Pradesh. After the Supreme Court cancelled allocation of 204 mines in September, the government decided to auction the blocks. It is putting up 19 blocks on sale in the first tranche.
After clearing the technical bidding stage, entities from Reliance, Adani, Essar, GMR, Vedanta and Aditya Birla groups became eligible to bid or two blocks — one in Odisha and the other one in Madhya Pradesh.