Read Current Affairs
- For the first time, the elusive rusty-spotted cat has been spotted playfully roaming the jungles of Purulia district in West Bengal.
- About the Rusty-Spotted Cat:
- World's Smallest Cat: It holds the title as the smallest and lightest wild cat species in the world.
- Scientific Name: Prionailurus rubiginosus
- Habitat: The rusty-spotted cat is found in dry deciduous and semi-deciduous forests across northern and central India, as well as the Western Ghats, Kachchh, Rajasthan, and parts of peninsular India, and even in Nepal and Sri Lanka.
- Population in India: India is home to approximately 80% of the species’ total population.
- Physical Features:
- Size: It weighs less than 1.5 kilograms, roughly half the size of a typical domestic cat.
- Coat: Its fawn-grey coat is adorned with distinctive rusty spots on its back and flanks.
- Head and Eyes: The cat has a short, rounded head with two white streaks running along the inner edges of its eyes. The large, expressive eyes range in colour from greyish brown to amber—an adaptation to its nocturnal lifestyle.
- Limbs: It has relatively short legs, and the soles of its feet are black.
- Tail: Its moderately long tail is more rust-colored than its body and is unmarked.
- The Economic Survey 2024-25 has cautioned that excessive financialisation could harm India's economy, particularly given the potential risks for a low-to-middle-income country like India.
- About Financialisation:
- Financialisation refers to the growing dominance of financial motivations, markets, instruments, actors, and institutions in both domestic and global economies. It marks a shift where financial tools and market mechanisms take center stage in economic decision-making, impacting firm management and the distribution of capital worldwide.
- Essentially, financialisation signals a movement away from traditional industrial activities, such as manufacturing, toward financial practices like asset trading, management, and speculation. This shift changes how the economy operates on both macro and micro levels.
- Key Impacts of Financialisation:
- Shift in Sectoral Balance: The financial sector gains more prominence compared to the real economy, which includes sectors like manufacturing and agriculture.
- Income Redistribution: It leads to a transfer of income from the real economy to the financial sector, exacerbating inequality.
- Wage Stagnation: As financialisation grows, wage growth in the real sector stagnates, contributing to rising income inequality.
- Financialisation works through three key channels:
- Changes in Financial Markets: These include the structure and operations of financial markets themselves.
- Behavior of Corporations: Non-financial firms increasingly adopt financial strategies in their operations.
- Economic Policy: Shifts in policy also encourage financialisation, altering the landscape of economic governance.
- In sum, while financialisation may drive short-term gains in financial markets, its long-term consequences could have serious repercussions, particularly for economies like India’s.
- The Economic Survey 2024-25 has emphasized the need for strict front-of-package labeling regulations, highlighting the significant role ultra-processed foods (UPFs) play in deteriorating both physical and mental health.
- About Ultra-Processed Foods (UPFs):
- UPFs are food products that have undergone extensive industrial processes, transforming them from their original form. These foods typically include a wide range of ingredients not found in home kitchens, such as artificial flavors, preservatives, sweeteners, emulsifiers, and other additives aimed at improving flavor, texture, and shelf life.
- Excessive consumption of UPFs has been linked to a variety of chronic health conditions, including cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and colorectal cancer.
- Characteristics of UPFs:
- High Levels of Sugar, Fat, and Salt: These ingredients are often added to make the food more appealing, but they contribute to various health issues such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.
- Low Nutritional Value: While calorie-dense, UPFs tend to lack essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
- Extensive Use of Additives: UPFs typically contain synthetic substances that aren’t found in traditional or minimally processed foods.
- Highly Palatable and Convenient: Designed for easy consumption and taste appeal, these foods can encourage overconsumption.
- Common Foods Classified as UPFs:
- As per the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), a range of foods fall under the UPF category, including commercially produced bread, breakfast cereals, cakes, chips, biscuits, fries, jams, sauces, mayonnaise, ice creams, protein powders, peanut butter, tofu, frozen foods with additives, and processed dairy products like cheese, butter, and paneer.
- Additionally, many culinary ingredients like cooking oils, refined sugars, salt, and spices are also considered UPFs due to the use of cosmetic additives such as artificial colors and emulsifiers in their processing.
- By calling for better labeling and awareness, the Economic Survey aims to reduce the adverse health impacts of UPFs, making it easier for consumers to make informed choices.