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Focus Articles 4 Economic Slowdown USA-Iran Conflict

Polity & Governance 14 National Population Register Supreme Court’s verdict on J&K clampdown Minority Educational Rights Dissent - A ‘Symbol of a Vibrant Democracy Karnataka & Maharashtra Boundary Issue Commissionerate System All India Judicial Service Kerala Assembly’s resolution against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 Article 131 Nagpur Resolution Good Governance Index (GGI) SDG India Index and Dashboard 2019 Death Penalty in India Private Property as a Human Right

Schemes, Bills & Acts 13 Atal Bhujal Yojana Mgnrega Trends: Fewer Jobs and Wider Demand-Supply Gap National Nutrition Mission of India CACS and e-BCAS:e-governance initiatives

International Relations & Developments 37 India and Malaysia: Trade Tensions Issue of Kashmir at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resignation by Russia’s Government Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement: India and France U.S & China Phase One Trade Deal India and Sweden cooperation in Polar Science Henley Passport Index

Economy 43 RBI’s Operation Twist Nominal & Real GDP Retail Inflation Current Account Deficit (CAD) Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council Mineral Laws (Amendment) Ordinance 2020 National Infrastructure Pipeline Private Participation: Passenger Trains Supervisory Action Framework (SAF) Gold Hallmarking Green clearance for onshore and offshore oil and gas exploration Bank Deposit Cover MDR on Digital Payments

Environment, Ecology & Disaster Management 57 India state of forest Report 2019 Australian Bushfires Slump in Solar Power Sector CRZ Rules Eased for ‘Blue Flag’ Certification Monsoon decided history of Indian subcontinent Zero Waste City - Thiruvananthapuram Case Study of Zero-waste cities: Seoul Swachh Survekshan 2020 Survey IMD Report: The Statement on Climate of India in 2019 IMD Revises dates for onset and withdrawal of Monsoon Seismic Hazard Microzonation Green Credit Scheme SC’s Judgement on transfer of Community Resources Open-loop scrubbers Genome of Indian cobra sequenced Miyawaki Method of Afforestation Case Study: Reviving Biodiversity Debris-covered Himalayan Glaciers Migratory Birds at Chilika Lake Increase in Crocodile Population Freshwater Turtles Rehabilitation Centre Flamingo Festival in Pulicat

Social Justice & Development 74 Infant Mortality in India NCRB Crime Report, 2018: Summary Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2019 Bru - Reang Refugee Repatriation Agreement National Policy For Rare Diseases 2020 Fast Track Special Courts: Rape and POCSO Act Cases Grading on Gender Equality Basis Higher prevalence of mental disorders in South India Integrated Road Accident Database (IRAD) Women, Business and the Law 2020

Internal Security & Defence 86 Chief of Defence Staff Revised Guidelines for International Mutual Legal Assistance AFSPA extended in Nagaland BrahMos Missile India successfully test-fires QRSAM system Operation Sankalp Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre

Science & Technology 94 Coronavirus Carbon-based nanostructure removes heavy metals from water GSAT-30 Brahma - Brain Template Shape of Sun’s corona Accurately Predicted Herbicide pollution to be Detected by Carbon Dots Goldilocks zone Indian Space Flight Centre H9N2 Virus NASA’s Artemis mission

Art, Culture & Diversity 100 Nepal’s Seke Language Periyar Role in Vaikom Satyagraha Swami Vivekananda Classical language(s) in India Tulu Language Gurdwara Nankana Sahib National Mathematics Day - Birth Anniversary of Srinivasa Ramanujan Moghalmari Monasteries Earliest Sanskrit Inscription Found in South India

PIB Corner 108 National Animal Disease Control Programme Purvodaya-Accelerated Development of Eastern Region State Energy Efficiency Index 2019 National Stock Exchange (NSE) Knowledge Hub Saksham

Mains Sample Questions 112

1 I Articulate Letter from the Editor’s desk

“START” WHERE YOU ARE “USE” WHAT YOU HAVE “DO” WHAT YOU CAN!!

Dear Aspirants, About Jatin Verma

I am delighted to bring the first issue of my Current Jatin Verma has dedicated himself to the esteemed Affairs Magazine with Unacademy. As I have been profession of teaching to fulfill his aspiration of making bringing out the Current Affairs magazine for UPSC education more accessible, affordable, & alluring. Civil Services exam aspirants since July 2018, I am sure my past experience as the news analyst for UPSC He has been teaching on Unacademy Plus ever since CSE Exam will surely help the aspirants. it’s inception. He was the one to revolutionise The Hindu Daily News Analysis (DNA ) with it being the most The gravity of Current affairs for any competitive popular of his courses in the online educational arena. exam is ever increasing and it has also become an indispensable part of Civil Service Examination from This has earned him a student follwership of more than Prelims, Mains & Interview perspective. 4.76 Lakhs on Unacademy itself.

Current Affairs is a dynamic and undefined part of the UPSC Syllabus that puts aspirants in a dilemma thinking how, where, and what to study for IAS preparations.

The monthly magazine compilation by me will unriddle the “what, where and how” of current affairs preparation for UPSC.

What? Our magazine strictly sticks to the fundamental needs of the exam by eliminating unessential subject matter and focusing on Analysis and important facts that are critical from CSE perspective.

Where? Our insightful magazine covers issues from various reliable resources such as PIB, THE HINDU, INDIAN EXPRESS, LIVEMINT, YOJANA, EPW, KURUKSHETRA etc.

How? Our detailed analysis on core topics will help students to build a rational and balanced view points.

“This magazine will never miss out on facts, debates and critical analysis from various experts”.

2 Focus Articles | 4 Economic Slowdown What the economic data says The growth in the quarter from July to September had Comparing indicators for the first seven months of this slipped to 4.5%. This was the lowest level recorded in financial year with the past, there is an indication that six-and-a-half years, with the 6.1% nominal GDP growth the current slowdown is closer in nature to what was (real growth plus inflation) coming in as the slowest in a faced as far back as 1991 — the year India liberalised. decade.

• The International Monetary Fund (IMF) had already • A slow and steady dip in growth: Compared to the pared India’s growth estimate for this year to 6.1% previous quarter when growth clocked 5%, the 4.5% in October from its earlier forecast of 7%. It is now rate was not a dramatic downswing, but capped off expected to slash it further with the country in the a slow and steady dip in growth over six quarters in midst of a significant economic slowdown”. a row.

• Is this slowdown a result of a cyclical phenomenon • Fixed investment slumped to 1%, private or has it been driven by a structural malaise arising consumption growth halved year on year, from deficiencies in the economic framework? and manufacturing activity contracted by 1%. • Industrial output shrank 3.8% in October, the second straight month of contraction belying expectations that festive demand may revitalise Connecting the Dots production activity. The Assam Accord (1985) • Falling exports: In September, India’s trade deficit • What Is an Economic Slowdown? slipped to a seven-month low of $10.9 billion as exports and imports witnessed the steepest fall in • An economic slowdown occurs when the rate of three years. Merchandise exports shrank 6.57% to economic growth slows in an economy. $26 billion, while imports dropped 13.9% to $36.9 billion. • The rate of economic growth or decline is calculated by determining the percentage change • The 12.2% decline in electricity generation: in GDP from one period to another. Electricity generation is a good barometer of • What is a cyclical slowdown? demand generated by all economic activity, not just industrial production. Less economic activity, less • The economic growth of any country is driven will be electricity generated. by a virtuous cycle of savings, investment and exports. • The GST revenue during September, 2019 has declined by 2.67% in comparison to the revenue • A cyclical slowdown is a period of lean economic during September, 2018. activity that occurs at regular intervals. Such slowdowns last over the short-to-medium • The mess in the credit system: It reflects both the term, and are based on the changes in the business cycle. overhang of bad debts of banks and the erosion of non-banks after the collapse of the aggressive • What is a structural slowdown? lender, Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Limited. Bank credit growth is expected to hit a 58- • A structural slowdown, on the other hand, is a year low in 2019-2020. more deep-rooted phenomenon that occurs due to a one-off shift from an existing paradigm. • High Retail & Food inflation - Retail inflation has hit a 40-month high of 5.54% in November, more than • The changes, which last over a long-term, are double the 2.3% recorded a year ago. Food inflation driven by disruptive technologies, changing demographics, and/or change in consumer hit 10%, led by vegetables (think of onions) and behaviour. pulses.

• In such a scenario, a monetary and fiscal stimulus • Falling tax revenues: In 2018-19, tax revenue was won’t be enough to revive the economy. Fixing short by about ₹1.5 lakh crore. But this was not such problems would require the government to reflected in the planning for the 2019-20 Budget. undertake some structural policies. The revenue shortfall for the Centre for 2019-20 will be even larger than last year — around ₹2 lakh crore. • The best example in this regard would be the reforms that were carried out to address the crisis in 1991. • Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF) relative to GDP at current prices: a steady fall has been visible in GFCF since 2011-12, when it was 34.3%. Assuming an Incremental Capital Output Ratio (ICOR) of 4, this meant a fall of nearly 1.4% points in the potential growth rate.

5 I Articulate • Impact of demonetisation: Connecting the Dots The Assam Accord (1985) • Small businesses and the MSME sector badly hit: The Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy The economic growth of any country is driven by a reported that 1.5 million jobs were lost in the virtuous cycle of savings, investment and exports. unorganised sector during January-April 2017, Of all the three, investment is considered to be the just after demonetisation. This led to reverse key driver of growth. To quote the Economic Survey migration to villages. This further led to a (2019), investment, especially private investment, is the ‘key driver’ that drives demand, creates substantial increase in demand for capacity, increases labour productivity, introduces MNREGA work. new technology, allows creative destruction, and generates jobs. The investment rate as measured by • Agriculture runs mainly on cash, and is mostly Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF) as a percent of tax-exempt. The farm economy was hit by the GDP is showing a declining trend. sudden withdrawal of cash from the system during demonetisation.

• Fall in household savings rate: Savings by • Hasty Implementation of GST: household sector – which are used to extend loans • Sourcing from MSMEs took a hit as bigger for investment – have gone down from 35% (FY12) companies preferred to purchase from to 17.2% (FY18). Households, including MSMEs, suppliers who could provide GST receipts. make 23.6% of the total savings in the GDP. • In other cases, imports were preferred over sourcing from small Indian companies who • The dismal state of the rural health sector has barely qualified under the GST net. already been revealed in the Economic Survey 2018- 19. About 60 per cent of the Primary Health Centres • Entire supply chains were disrupted. have only one doctor while 5 per cent have none. Only 20 per cent fulfil Indian Public Health standard • Structural issues with GST norm. With a meagre spending on healthcare, • Multiplicity of tax rates how does the government hope for a rise in labour productivity? • High tax rates on automobiles, and building and construction material caused further slowdown in • Unemployment crisis: The National Sample Survey these sectors. Office’s (NSSO) job survey for the year 2017-18 had shown a jump in the unemployment rate to over 6 • Banking misgovernance: The Nirav Modi case percent, a 45-year high. of PNB, and PMC bank ’s case are yet another instances where all checks have failed: internal Worries about India entering a phase of stagflation, controls, board, concurrent auditors, statutory where growth and employment are low but inflation is auditors and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). This high. Any further spike in inflation, that takes it closer to has dented depositors’ confidence. or over the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI’s) tolerance limit of 6%, will take the option of cutting interest rates for • Cyclical reasons for the slowdown: low growth is spurring growth out of the equation. further damaging balance sheets, and deteriorating balance sheets are bringing down growth. The GDP is falling considerably and was 4.5% in the second Analysing the slowdown quarter of 2019-20. India’s current economic slowdown is due to a combination of two underlying trends. • The 2008 global financial crisis: The first wave — the Twin Balance Sheet crisis, encompassing banks 1. There is the short-run cyclical slowdown due and infrastructure companies — arrived after the to significant fall in demand for automobiles, global financial crisis. These problems were not consumer durables and housing. addressed adequately.

2. There is the more serious structural slowdown of • The collapse of IL&FS in late 2018: The second long-term fall in investment and savings rates. wave came from the collapse of a credit boom, led by NBFCs, and centered on the real estate sector. The IL&FS default was also a result of the delay in Major reasons of the slowdown the rolling out of various infrastructure projects.

• Jobless growth: The increasing inequality • As a result, the economy now confronts a Four associated with jobless growth meant that mass Balance Sheet (FBS) problem — the original two consumption demand did not rise as expected with sectors (i.e. Corporate & Banks), plus NBFCs and rapid GDP growth. real estate companies.

Focus Articles | 6 • Falling investments: Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF) as a per cent of GDP is showing a declining Economic definitions: trend. Fixed capital formation refers to the process of a firm increasing its stock of fixed capital. • Falling gross domestic savings as a per cent of GDP • Fixed capital can also be referred to as Property, which declined from 32.7 per cent in 2011 to 29.3 per Plant, and Equipment (PP&E). For example, cent in 2018. if a firm builds a new factory or invest in new machines, this will be an accumulation of fixed • Falling exports: During the same period, exports as capital. a per cent of GDP also declined from 24.5 per cent to 19.6 per cent. Gross Domestic Saving is GDP minus final consumption expenditure. It is expressed as a • Declining savings due to decline in wage growth: percentage of GDP. Gross Domestic Saving consists Rural wage growth has declined from 27.7 per of savings of household sector, private corporate cent in FY14 to less than 5 per cent in FY19. The sector and public sector. corporate wages have also exhibited a single-digit growth in FY19 compared to a double-digit growth a The incremental capital output ratio (ICOR) is a few years back. The declining wages could also lead frequently used tool that explains the relationship to a slowdown in consumption, which is what the between the level of investment made in the economy is experiencing now. economy and the consequent increase in GDP.

• Declining consumption: The declining sales and • ICOR=Annual Increase in GDP/ Annual piling inventories are forcing companies to cut Investment​ down production. The cutting down of production has driven the unemployment rate from 5.6 per • For example, suppose that country has an cent in July 2018, to 7.5 per cent in July, 2019. incremental capital output ratio (ICOR) of 10.

• A longer period of low inflation rate: It has • This implies that Rs. 10 worth of capital declined from 10.03 per cent in FY13 to 3.41 per investment is necessary to generate Rs. 1 of extra cent in FY19. The low inflation rate would be a production. relief to the consumers, but a prolonged period of falling prices is not good news for the economy. • Furthermore, if the country’s ICOR was 12 last Low inflation rate depicts weakening of demand year, this implies that country has become more that would discourage fresh investments and job efficient in its use of capital. creation. What is household savings rate Supply side challenges: The household savings rate is the difference between a household’s disposable income and • Crowding out of private sector: government ‘s expenditure. borrowing is crowding out private investment. • The overall savings rate is the amount an organisation or a person places in the savings • Liquidity crisis: The gross non-performing asset account or a similar tool as a percentage of total ratio of banks may increase to 9.9 percent by disposable income. September 2020 from 9.3 percent in September 2019, according to a Reserve Bank of India (RBI) • Household sector, the largest contributor to report. It has led to banks shying away from lending. savings in the economy.

Policy related slowdown : • Households include resident households • With the collapse of new projects and many and unregistered micro, small and medium existing ones getting stuck after the introduction of enterprises (MSMEs). Real Estate Regulation Act, or RERA, • Savings are indicative of how much the people • Anti pollution BS VI norms are putting burden on of a country are likely to invest because more automobile sector. savings, more investment.

• Ailing telecom sector: A Supreme Court decision • Households contribute more than half the backing the telecom department’s stance on total savings in the country, followed by private including revenues from non-core items in the corporations and the public sector. definition of adjusted gross revenue (AGR) while calculating government levies, has put a Rs 1.3 lakh crore burden on telecom companies.

7 I Articulate Govt. initiatives to check slowdown: asset fund, as the government continued with firefighting measures to pull the economy out of a • National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP): the six-year low growth rate. government has identified sectors such as power, railways, urban, irrigation, mobility, education, • Repo Rate reduction: For the fifth consecutive time digital and health sectors for bulk Rs 105-lakh-crore this calendar year, the central bank cut the repo investment under NIP. rate by 25 bps and the reverse repo by 25 bps (100 bps = 1 percent). • These projects are over and above the Rs 51 lakh crore spent by the centre and the states in the • RBI carried out the first phase of ‘Operation Twist’, last six years. when it sold short-term securities worth Rs 10,000 crore and bought long-term securities worth the • The Centre and states’ contribution to the same value. This operation involves buying and National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) would selling government securities simultaneously in be 39 per cent each as well as 22 per cent by the order to bring down long-term interest rates and private sector. The govt. expected the share of bolster short-term rates. the private sector to increase to 30 percent by 2025. • Measures for better transmission of changes in policy rates: All the floating rate loans of banks, • Under NIP the government has also identified effective April 2019, shall be benchmarked to an Rs 2.5 lakh crore port and airport projects, Rs external rate, like the RBI repo rate or the yield on 3.2 lakh crore digital infra projects, Rs 16 lakh Government of India Treasury bills. crore irrigation, rural, agri and food processing projects, and over Rs 16 lakh crore infra projects • Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (amendment) including mobility projects. Act 2019: Government has amended IBC to ensure timely admission of insolvency cases and • Reduction in the corporate tax: Base corporate tax completion within the newly set deadline of 330 for existing companies has been reduced to 22 per days (it was 270 days earlier). The resolution plan cent from 30 per cent, and to 15 per cent from 25 under the corporate insolvency resolution process per cent for new manufacturing firms incorporated will also be binding on the Centre, State and local after October 1, 2019, and starting operations authorities. before March 31, 2023. It will support the business environment and competitiveness. • The government has been taking steps to increase the capacity of National Company Law Tribunal • Bank Mergers: The government has unveiled a (NCLT) and increased its benches from 10 to 15. Also mega plan to merge 10 public sector banks into four 26 new members have been added taking the total as part of plans to create fewer and stronger global- strength to 52. sized lenders. The merger of public sector banks can help streamline and strengthen the banking sector. • Codification of labour laws: The Labour Ministry is in the process of codifying the 44 central Labour • Disinvestment: The government kicked off a Laws that exists at present in 4 labour codes. The blockbuster disinvestment plan, lining up the sale four codes include — Code on wages, Code on of five public sector units (PSUs), including majority industrial relations, Code on social security and stakes in bluechip oil company Bharat Petroleum Code on safety, health and working conditions. It Corp Ltd (BPCL) and Shipping Corporation of will increase ease of doing business. India. Also on sale will be a 31% stake in Container Corporation of India (Concor) along with Way forward management control. Fixing the core crisis afflicting India’s financial entities, creating a sense of certainty and predictability about • Bank Recapitalisation: The Union government will India’s policy direction, and structural reforms could infuse Rs 70,000 crore into public sector banks provide some salve to the bleeding economy. (PSBs) in 2019-20 to strengthen and enhance their lending capacity. • Two critical policy moves required: • Recapitalisation will involve two legs — first, • First, a countercyclical policy should increase banks will subscribe to bonds floated by the growth rate to its current potential of 7%-7.5% government. Countercyclical steps like tax cuts and higher public spending are required. • In the second leg of the government will infuse that money into public sector banks, bankers • Then structural reforms should raise the said. The same method was adopted last year potential growth itself to above 8.5% if India is for giving capital to banks. to attain a size of $5 trillion by 2024-25. Reforms in taxation matters labour, land and other • Rs 70,000 crore package for the exports and real restrictive laws are needed. estate sectors, including setting up of a stressed

Focus Articles | 8 Immediate Measures to be taken Medium and long-term interventions • Infrastructure investment: Roads, water-shed • More capital expenditure needed: Complementary development, logistics chains such as warehouses, fiscal stimulus, in the form of additional public cold storage, grading and sorting facilities will not sector investment, may prove to be more effective. only give succour to agriculture and rural sector but However, given the fiscal deficit constraint, there also mitigate rural stress. is limited flexibility for increasing centre’s capital • Revitalisation of PPPs with appropriate and expenditure directly. enforceable risk allocation will be helpful here.

• Rationalisation of the personal income tax rate: • A massive increase in rural public expenditure, A reduction in personal income tax will hit the including in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural government’s revenue collection initially, but the Employment Guarantee Scheme to provide public move would also provide citizens with more room works as well as in social spending would provide to spend. immediate relief. The multiplier effects of such spending would generate more employment, • Urban affordable housing, social housing and incomes, consumption and, therefore, investment infrastructure: House building activity provides over time. employment in numbers. There will be an increase in the demand for steel and cement and this will • Switching to large scale labour intensive start a virtuous cycle. industries: The country will have to switch to large scale labour intensive industries and should • The banking sector can be pushed to give loans specialise in their production and exports. Textiles, to this sector, if necessary with higher collateral apparels, leather, handlooms and handicrafts should insistence. be focused for jumpstart the exports bringing down the trade deficit. • GST reforms: Further reform in GST requires the GST Council to gain confidence in revenue • Investment in the production side of the economy performance and that requires stabilizing the through disinvestment: The Centre must rework all technology platform. the subsidy schemes and cut down its expenditure for investment. The stake sales in PSUs and • Reducing the number of tax rates is important monetisation of land will be helpful. and it should begin by getting rid of the 28% category altogether and transferring them to • Tackling NPAs: The need of the hour is to facilitate the 18% slab. credit flow and address the challenge of non- performing assets (NPAs). • In the next stage, the 12% and 18% categories can also be merged at 15%. This will simplify the • A new asset quality review (AQR-2) to get tax system into two rates. a more honest recognition of the magnitude of stressed assets, and further strengthening the • Including the petroleum products and IBC. electricity in the GST base. • Creation of special resolution mechanisms for • It is important to have a strong technical two sectors: Real estate and power. secretariat comprising administrators, economists, accountants and lawyers to advise • Investment in the small scale manufacturing: the GST Council based on rigorous research. People who are seeking to leave low productivity agriculture – those who are unemployed or under- employed – should be given technical training and • Conditional financial devolution to states: With be encouraged to set up businesses. the Finance Commission’s award being round the corner, it is an opportune moment to insist on • Boost Export & MSME Sector: The MSME sector conditionalities to be complied with by the states accounts for around 45% of total manufacturing as a condition precedent to devolution. output and 43% of total exports of the country.

• Bringing credibility back to data: The government • Implementing Gujral committee is working to make sure that any kind of recommendations for MSMEs: The Gujral inappropriate methodology to calculate economic committee had recommended a differential data will be addressed gradually. corporate tax regime and tax deduction for export turnover for the MSME exporters for a • Incentivise monetary policy transmission by limited period of five years. Banks: The RBI should develop the ability to push • A new definition of MSME by raising the money into the hands of the final borrower. For this, had said that the levels of capital investments RBI needs to incentivize lending to non-banks but defining such industries are too low at present consistent with their risk profile. and they need to be increased by at least 50%.

9 I Articulate • The current classification marks enterprises with an investment in plant and machinery of • On the credit front: The time is now ripe to bring up to ₹ 25 lakh as micro, up to ₹ 5 crore as small down the government’s stake below 50% in state- and up to ₹ 10 crore as medium enterprises. run lenders in order to distance the Centre from banking. • Labour reforms: Labour reform is required for enabling large scale employment, Similarly, a richer • Reducing health burden: It is not an variety of contracts with benefits of social security insurmountable task to have universal healthcare for workers is required for longer employment. because cutting expenditure in other areas like defence can make funds available for healthcare • Land reforms: Cleaner titles of land, simultaneous which is of much more immediate importance. land transfer along with registration, technology based mapping and quicker land subdivision are • Rationalisation of subsidies for energy, water and required for enabling long-term lease of land and fertilisers: subsidies are to be withdrawn to have ease doing business in agriculture & construction. climate-sensitive agriculture and free crop choice. Instead of these subsidies, a DBT transfer to the • Reducing the high tax burden on telcos and farmers will take away the likely opposition to the encouraging investments in broadband withdrawal of these benefits. infrastructure and 5G - Telcos are currently taxed between 29% and 33% of their revenue which needs • Skill development: All the industries should be to be lessened. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of mandated to take in large numbers of apprentices, India (TRAI) may simultaneously examine the merits even if means the government pays part of the of a “minimum charge” that operators may charge internship payment. This will mitigate problems of for voice and data services to curtail their losses. skilling.

• Judicial reforms: Judiciary should understand the • Aiding the unorganized sector: If the fiscal deficit economic importance of a judgment. All the laws is allowed to rise further, extra resources can be have come in a manner that it gets stuck in courts used to boost incomes in the unorganised sectors — whether it is IBC, arbitration or GST disputes. through greater public investments.

• Increasing number of judges: With a huge • Improving banking governance:The need of the backlog of cases in the top court, the hour is to also vastly improve the database and government had recently increased the upgrade skills available to the RBI so that analytics strength of its judges from 31 to 34, including can be used to detect common ownership, sectoral the Chief Justice of India. exposures, et al.

• Strengthening current mechanisms: There is a need to strengthen the mechanisms like National Mission for Justice Delivery and Legal Reforms, Infrastructure Facilities for Judiciary, e-Courts Mission Mode Project, Strengthening of Access to Justice etc.

USA-Iran Conflict US President Donald Trump’s decision to authorise a drone strike that killed Iran’s most powerful military commander Qasem Soleimani has escalated tensions between the two nations.

• In response, Iran launched 15 missiles on US targets in Iraq, crating a war like situation in the region.

US Strategy Iran’s strategy • It is forcing Iran back to the bargaining table • Iran has seen staggering inflation rates and for a “better deal” that takes into account not devaluation of their currency. just Iran’s nuclear ambitions, but its missile program and regional behaviour as well. • Having fought a losing battle on the economic sanctions front, they decided to open a new • It might help an impeached President Trump front - Military strikes against oil tankers and in an election year to divert attention from his facilities. domestic woes and mobilise political support.

Focus Articles | 10 Iranian response to the assasination: • The reason Iran is treated as an exception to the rule among NPT signatories—the • Iran conducted ballistic missile attacks against US rest of whom are legally allowed to enrich military bases in Erbil and the Ain al-Asad base in uranium and reprocess plutonium—is western Iraq. its past transgressions in developing nuclear facilities without informing • The Iranian government also registered its protest the IAEA and conducting research on the with the Swiss Embassy in Tehran. Switzerland development of nuclear weapons. is the “Protecting Power” of the United States’ interests in Iran. • Of the four recent nuclear-weapon states, three (India, Israel, and Pakistan) never • Switzerland represents the interests of the signed the NPT; North Korea withdrew US in Iran because the US itself does not have before moving toward nuclear weapons. an embassy there. Iran’s interests in the United States, on the other hand, are represented by • 2006: the US, Russia and China joined Britain, the Pakistan Embassy in Washington. France and Germany to form the P5+1 group of nations trying to persuade Iran to curb its • The 1961 and 1963 Vienna Conventions on nuclear program. Diplomatic Relations: “If diplomatic relations are broken off between two States, or if a • 2009: Under President Barack Obama, the US mission is permanently or temporarily recalled… conducted extensive one-on-one talks with he sending State may entrust the protection of Iran’s top nuclear negotiator. its interests and those of its nationals to a third State acceptable to the receiving State, • 2015: The Iran nuclear deal (formally the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) was signed • Responding to President Donald Trump’s threat between Iran and the P5 (the five permanent to attack Iranian cultural sites, Iran said that US members of the UN Security Council) plus threatens to commit again new breaches of JUS Germany and the European Union. COGENS. • Under the deal, Tehran agreed to limit its • JUS COGENS or ius cogens, meaning nuclear program in return for relief from “compelling law” in Latin, are rules in the US and other economic sanctions. international law that are peremptory or authoritative, and from which states cannot • 2016: Iran slowly re-entered the global banking deviate. system and began selling crude oil and natural gas on the international market. • According to the Vienna Conventions on the Law of Treaties of 1969 and 1986, a treaty is void • 2018: The United States unilaterally withdrew if it breaches jus cogens rules. from the JCPOA objecting to Iran’s ballistic missile program and its involvement in • Iran has pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal it regional conflicts. signed with six major powers, but would continue to cooperate with the UN nuclear watchdog IAEA. • E3 nations Britain, France, Germany, and the European Union reaffirmed their commitment to the JCPOA soon after the announcement. About Iran’s nuclear program and the nuclear deal Salients features of JCPOA: • Uranium enrichment capacity: Iran’s current capacity of 19,000 gas centrifuges would be • Iran has been a non-nuclear weapon state reduced by more than two-thirds to 6,104, out party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of of which just over 5,000 would actually be Nuclear Weapons (NPT) since 1970. enriching uranium.

• 1980s: After the Islamic Revolution, Iran • Fordow underground enrichment plant: This established an undeclared nuclear weapons cavern under a mountain near the city of Qom program called the AMAD project. would be used only for non-military research.

• 2003: Under international pressure, Iran • The enriched uranium stockpile: Iran’s halted the program, and signed an Additional stockpile of LEU would be reduced from its Protocol to its NPT safeguards agreement, current level of about 7,500kg to 300kg, a giving the International Atomic Energy Agency reduction of 96%. (IAEA) greater powers in verifying the program.

11 I Articulate • Research, development and future enrichment Concerns capacity: There would be limits on the R&D work Iran could do on advanced centrifuges, • A tit-for-tat between the U.S. and Iran could easily so that it could not suddenly upgrade its go out of hand and this, in turn, puts the entire Gulf enrichment capacity after the first 10 years region, the world’s largest supplier of hydrocarbons, of the agreement and bring its breakout time at risk and with it, the already fragile global down from one year to a few weeks almost economy. overnight. • The heavy water reactor at Arak: Iran would • Blow to renegotiation of nuclear deal: The attack remove the reactor core and fill it with has already killed off even the possibility of concrete. renegotiating the nuclear deal. Iran might see this as • Inspections: Iran will ratify in 2023 the IAEA’s an act of war like any sovereign country would do. Additional Protocol, which allows short-notice inspections of undeclared facilities in Iran and • Probability of another needless war: It is which it is now voluntarily implementing. unfortunate that the U.S., which is struggling to get out of Afghanistan after 18 years of war, which • Investigation into past activity: Iran has destroyed the Iraqi state 17 years ago, turning parts agreed a “road map” with the IAEA officials of the country into fertile ground for jihadists, is by which it would provide access to facilities triggering another conflict in the Muslim world. and people suspected of involvement in past experimental work on warhead design, • Resurgence of IS: A full-scale war between USA- managed by a centralised and covert unit, Iran could trigger multiple attacks across the region, mostly before 2004. destabilizing it further, cause heavy casualties and help the jihadist groups such as al-Qaeda and the IS • A new UN security council resolution and regroup and re-emerge. the arms embargo: The JCPOA will be incorporated into a new security council • Instability in Iraq: It is likely to destabilize Iraq, a resolution intended to replace and supersede country with a caretaker government convulsed six earlier sanctions resolutions imposed on by nearly three months of youth protests against Iran over its nuclear programme. undue foreign interference by both Iran and the U.S. In a worst case scenario, Iraq could turn into the • Sunset clauses: The number of Iran’s first- new Syria. generation centrifuges and on the research and development of more advanced ones, are • Oil sector as target: This may involve resumed set to end in 2025, but Iran’s total enrichment attacks on oil tankers and other low hanging but capacity (less than a third of what it was prior high value economic targets, particularly in the oil to the deal) will remain where it is now until sector. Global oil prices have already seen a 4% rise 2028. within hours of the incident.

• Other key limitations last even longer. Until • Emergence of a new Proxy Front - Russia has 2030, the level of enrichment is restricted already declared support for Iran after the to 3.67 percent—far below the 90 percent assaasination. There is danger of extension of needed for weapons-grade uranium cold war where Russia and China would certainly intervene.

About International Atomic Energy Implications for India: Agency (IAEA) • A rise in our oil import bill: Considering India • Widely known as the world’s “Atoms for imports more than 80% of its oil requirements, Peace and Development” organization within any increase in crude oil price is always a cause for the United Nations family, the IAEA is the concern. international centre for cooperation in the nuclear field. • Difficulties in oil supplies: Tehran has promised to retaliate, and one place is particularly vulnerable: • The Agency works with its Member States the Strait of Hormuz, off Iran’s southern coast. The and multiple partners worldwide to promote channel, which is only 21 miles wide at its narrowest safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear point, is the only way to move oil from the Persian technologies. Gulf to the world’s oceans.

• The safety of an estimated eight million expatriates in the Gulf may be affected.

Focus Articles | 12 • Rise of inflation in India: Any increase in the price any potential follow-on agreements possible tomorrow. of crude oil will also impact the wholesale price index (WPI) inflation commensurately. Crude oil and • India has to do some tough-talking with USA about its products have a weight of 10.4% in the WPI. our own long-term security and energy concerns in the immediate and extended neighbourhood (Iran • Fiscal stress: Increase in oil price can also pose and Russia included). a challenge for the government on the fiscal side, and the assumption made for the upcoming Union • India can leverage its strong ties with P5 countries Budget. (namely France, Russia, the United Kingdom, China and the United States) and significant players of • Affecting US-Taliban peace process: Iran the region like France and Russia to constructively supported by Russia has the capacity to influence intervene and curb tensions. the U.S.-Taliban peace process in Afghanistan, a neighbouring country. It can have security • India should also prepare an emergency plan for the implications for India. safe evacuation of its expatriates in case of conflict.

• Radicalization in India: After Iran, India has perhaps • Trump faces a Senate impeachment and re-election the largest number of the world’s Shia population and Iran has its parliamentary elections next month. and the possibility of some of them being These factors would, hopefully, limit their options radicalised by this event cannot be ruled out. to low-intensity skirmishes.

• Indian investments in Iran like the Chabahar port would now become more vulnerable.

• Challenge for India’s Middle East policy: Delhi EU launched Dispute Mechanism will also be under pressure to take a fresh look at its regional policy that sought to overcome the • Britain, France and Germany the three multiple contradictions in the Gulf by trying to be countries, which signed the international friends with all. agreement in 2015 along with the U.S., Russia and China, said in a letter to the European Union’s foreign policy chief that they had no choice but to trigger the deal’s “dispute mechanism,” given Iran’s ongoing transgressions.

• The three, rejected Tehran’s argument that Iran was justified in violating the deal because the U.S. broke the agreement by pulling out unilaterally in 2018.

• However, pressure on Iran from Europe does not mean sanctions will automatically be Source: sustainabledevelopment.un.org slapped on the Islamic Republic. Way forward: • The Europeans stressed that they want to resolve the impasse through constructive • The regional actors should work towards crafting diplomatic dialogue and made no threat of fresh solution to their long-standing issues sanctions in their statement. collectively. • They also specifically distanced themselves • Renegotiating nuclear deal: the United States from sanctions imposed by the U.S., which should marshal international support for a plan Washington has said is part of a “maximum to apply the agreement’s limitations on uranium pressure” campaign against Tehran. As they enrichment and plutonium separation either hope to bring Iran back into full compliance regionally or internationally for a long period of with its commitments. time. Under JCPOA’s dispute resolution mechanism, • Washington could also encourage joint countries have 30 days to resolve their problem, ventures for uranium enrichment and other though that can be extended. If it cannot be nuclear fuel cycle activities involving other solved, the matter could be brought before the countries that would provide added assurance U.N. Security Council and could then result in the that Tehran’s nuclear program remains civilian. snapback of sanctions that had been lifted under the deal. • Finally, the United States must live up to its obligations to the deal today in order to make

13 I Articulate Polity & Governance | 14 National Population Register • In the process, details of those “whose citizenship is doubtful” will be entered with a comment • The Union government proposes to update the suggesting further inquiry. existing National Population Register (NPR), coupled with the passage of the Citizenship • National Identity cards: Section 14A of the (Amendment) Act, 2019. The fears about an NPR- Citizenship Act, provides for issue of National NRC have brought lakhs of people onto the streets Identity cards to Indian citizens. An NRIC is to be in protest. the base for the issue of National Identity Cards.

Background • The RGI (Registrar General of India (RGI) under the • The data for the National Population Register was Home Ministry) has already begun a pilot project in collected in 2010 alongwith the houselisting phase over 1,200 villages and 40 towns and cities through of Census of India 2011. 5,218 enumeration blocks, where it is collecting various data from people. Digitisation of the • Now it has been decided to update the National updated information has been completed. Population Register along with the Houselisting phase of Census 2021 during April to September 2020 in all the States/UTs except Assam. What kind of data will NPR collect? • The NPR will collect both demographic data and • The center has allocated a budget of Rs 8,754 crores biometric data. for census 2021 and Rs 3,941 crores for updating the NPR. • There are 15 different categories of demographic data, ranging from name and place of birth to About NPR education and occupation, that the RGI is supposed • Rule 2(l) of Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and to collect in the NPR. Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003 define Population Register as - “Population Register means • For biometric data it will depend on Aadhaar, for the register containing details of persons usually which it will seek Aadhaar details of the residents. residing in a village or rural area or town or ward or demarcated area (demarcated by the Registrar • Apart from this, in a test run going on across General of Citizen Registration) within a ward in a the country, the RGI is seeking details of mobile town or urban area;” number, Aadhaar, PAN card, Driving Licence, Voter ID card and passport (in case the resident is Indian). • It is a register of residents of the country with demographic and biometric details. • It is also working to update the Civil Registration System of birth and death certificates. • The NPR is being prepared under provisions of the Citizenship Act 1955 and the Citizenship • In the 2010 exercise, the RGI had collected only (Registration of Citizens and issue of National demographic details. In 2015, it updated the data Identity Cards) Rules, 2003. further with the mobile, Aadhaar and ration card numbers of residents. In the 2020 exercise, it has • A usual resident for the purposes of NPR is a person dropped the ration card number but added other who has resided in a place for six months or more, categories. and intends to reside there for another six months or more. • Registering with the NPR is mandatory, furnishing of additional data such as PAN, Aadhaar, driving • Objective of the NPR is to create a comprehensive licence and voter ID is voluntary. identity database of every usual resident in the country. The database would contain demographic • No document is being asked for or being verified as well as biometric particulars. against the details provided.

• Getting entered in the NPR is mandatory for all • The NPR manual states that in cases where date residents irrespective of whether they are Indian or of birth or age was not known, the enumerator foreign nationals. could help the respondent by “stimulating her/ his memory” with reference to historical events or • The particulars of every family and individual found will have to estimate her/his age by using your best in the Population Register shall be verified and judgment. scrutinized by the Local Registrar.

• And, once the details are recorded in every local (village or ward), sub-district (tehsil or taluk), district and State level, there will be a population register at each of these levels. Together, they constitute the National Population Register.

15 I Articulate Difference between NPR and Census

NPR Census

Population Census is the The Office of the Registrar total process of collecting, General & Census compiling, analyzing or What is Commissioner describes otherwise disseminating NPR as “a register of usual demographic, economic and residents of the country.” social data pertaining, at a specific time, of all persons in a country or a well-defined part of a country.

The data collected through the census are used for administration, planning and Better targeting and delivery policy making of benefits and services under Utility the government was one of the Census data is also used for early objectives of the NPR. demarcation of constituencies and allocation of representation to parliament, State legislative Assemblies and the local bodies.

Data for the NPR was first The last census was in 2011, and When collected in 2010, and updated the next will be done in 2021 in 2015. (and will be conducted through a mobile phone application)

It is generated through house- Census is an exercise carried to-house enumeration during out under the Census Act, Methodology the “house-listing” phase 1948. Census data is based on of the census, which is held self-declaration made by the once in 10 years. persons without verification.

The NPR is a mechanism outlined in 2003 Citizenship Census is an exercise carried Legislation Rules framed under the out under the Census Act, Citizenship Act, 1955 1948. Census data is based on Therefore, these Rules have self-declaration made by the a coercive element, as they persons without verification. penalize non-cooperating persons with fines and penalties.

Polity & Governance | 16 Authority Both these processes are carried under the supervision of a single office : the Office of the Registrar General of India and Census Commissioner.

Why does the government want so much data? Way forward: • A central authority: It is recommended that India • Efficient Internal Security Management: Illegal may create a set up a central authority for the migrants can pose security challenges to India. NPR purpose of identification and determination of will help in identifying them. statelessness and illegal migrants. • Nearly 80 countries have acceded to the 1954 • Need Based Policy Making : Every country must UN Convention on the Status of Stateless have a comprehensive identity database of its Persons. Many of them have additionally set up residents with relevant demographic details. It national determination procedures for helps the government formulate its policies better citizenship. and also aid national security. • Stateless persons: As the Indian government currently has the on-going projects of Aadhar and • Targeted Delivery: It will help target government NPR, it is recommended that a separate category of beneficiaries in a better way, but also further cut ‘stateless persons’ be added to the data collection down paperwork and red tape in a similar manner involved in these two projects. that Aadhaar has done. • Awareness campaigns: Holding nationality • Streamlining data of residents across various campaigns or nationality verification camps so that platforms: With NPR data, residents will not have more people become aware of and determine their to furnish various proofs of age, address and other citizenship. details in official work. It would also eliminate duplication in voter lists. • Establishing the burden of proof: The Indian authority delegated with this responsibility could • Data as a public good: The Economic Survey 2018- adopt the concept of ‘shared burden of proof’ in 19 has said data must be treated as a public good, the case of stateless persons, asylum seekers and which can be used for social welfare and also refugees. be monetised to ‘ease pressure on government finances,’ but cautioned that privacy implications of anonymised information needs to be factored in. Supreme Court’s verdict on J&K clampdown Concerns with NPR: The Supreme Court has ordered the government to review “forthwith” any existing orders that restrict • Data Misuse - There might be voter targeting by basic rights and free movement in Jammu and Kashmir. political parties and fears of societal fragmentation & rise of communalism on making the data public. • The court upheld the freedoms of free speech, expression and trade or business on the Internet • Privacy issue:NPR intends to collect a much larger as fundamental rights to be constitutionally amount of personal data on residents of India. India protected. still lacks a data policy for safeguarding personal • It, however, refused to express any views on data. whether the very access to the Internet is a fundamental right or not. • Resource Burden - Pan- India exercise likewise would be highly resource intensive. Background • The Supreme Court order came primarily on a • NPR and Aadhaar: Deduplication issue public interest litigation (PIL) by the editor of Kashmir Times, Anuradha Bhasin, challenging the • The data captured for NPR would be sent to UIDAI lockdown in the state. for “de-duplication”. • In case of discrepancy between Aadhaar and NPR • Suspension of telecom and Internet services in data, the latter would prevail. the Valley are in place since August 5 following the abrogation of the special status of the erstwhile • Connection with National Register of Indian State under Article 370. Citizens (NRC): The NRC will contain the details of the persons after “due verification made from” the • India tops the list of Internet shutdowns globally. NPR.Several states have opposed it. The ongoing shutdown in Kashmir is the longest ever in any democratic country.

17 I Articulate exercisable not only where there exists present FACTOID danger, but also when there is an apprehension of Legal backings of communication shutdowns danger. The Information Technology Act, 2000, the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), 1973 and the Telegraph Act, • Section 144 has often been used to block 1885 are the three laws that deal with suspension of communication overriding various safeguards in the Internet services. IT Act. Despite the 2017 rules, the government has often used the broad powers under Section 144. • Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, along with the Information Technology • Survive the test of proportionality: It also lays down (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking for that any reasonable restriction on fundamental Access of Information by Public) Rules, 2009 rights, be it an Internet ban or a Section 144 order, provide for a mechanism to block information will have to survive the test of proportionality, that from public access through any computer is, the restriction should be proportionate to the resource by a direction from the Central necessity for such a measure. Government or any officer specially authorized in this behalf. • There should not be an excessive burden on free speech even if the complete prohibition is imposed, • Section 144 of CrPC gives power to a District and the government has to justify the imposition of Magistrate, a sub- divisional Magistrate or such prohibition and explain why lesser alternatives any other Executive Magistrate on behalf of will be inadequate. the State Government to issue an order to an individual or the general public in a particular place or area to “abstain from a certain act” or “to take certain order with respect to In its present form, as held in Anuradha Bhasin case, certain property in his possession or under his the doctrine of proportionality demands scrutiny at management”. various levels.

• This means the fundamental right of peaceful 1. Legitimate action: It requires the state to show assembly provided under Article 19 of the the Court that the basic aim that the restriction Constitution is curtailed by the administration. seeks to achieve is legitimate.

2. Least restrictive: The state must demonstrate that it has chosen the least restrictive measure Key takeaways from the SC judgement: possible to achieve its purported objective.

The uses of the Internet as a medium for free speech 3. A rational nexus: The state must establish as well as for trade and commerce is constitutionally that there exists a rational nexus between the protected: The SC declared that the freedom of speech limitation imposed and its purported aim. and expression and the freedom to practice any profession or carry on any trade, business or occupation Therefore, the basic crux of the test is to confirm over the medium of internet enjoys constitutional that the government in pursuit of a legitimate aim protection under Article 19(1)(a) and Article 19(1)(g). has treated people’s fundamental rights with the greatest care and attention possible. • The restriction upon such fundamental rights should be in consonance with the mandate under Article 19 (2) and (6) of the Constitution, inclusive of the test of proportionality.

• Although the court stopped short of ruling that access to Internet is a fundamental right, it said that the Internet as a medium is used to exercise other fundamental rights.

• Every order imposing a restriction should state the reason, the exigency that necessitated it and the features that make it clear that it is the least intrusive measure.

• Section 144 & ‘abuse of power’: Repetitive orders under Section 144 CrPC was an abuse of power.

• The power under Section 144 Criminal Procedure Code, being remedial as well as preventive, is

Polity & Governance | 18 Connecting the Dots on the Internet: The resolution affirmed that the same rights that people have offline must A case for Right to Internet access as a also be protected online, in particular freedom fundamental right: of expression, which is applicable regardless of frontiers and through any media of one’s choice • Lifeline for people: and includes the Internet. • Technology-based gig economy: thousands ofdelivery workers for Swiggy, Dunzo and Amazon and the cab drivers of Uber and Ola Minority Educational Rights depend on the Internet for their livelihoods. The Supreme Court has said that the Govt can regulate the appointment of teachers in minority institutes, it is • Promotion of the right to education: not a violation of Article 30. Internet is a mode of ac cess to education for students who do courses and take exams online. FACTOID Constitutional provisions: - Right to Cultural and • Access to transport and healthcare: for Educational Rights (Article 29 and 30) millions of urban and rural people; it is also Article 29 of the Constitution of India “Protection of a mode to access to transport and e-health interests of minorities” care for those who avail of health services online. 1. Any section of the citizens residing in the territory of India or any part thereof having a • Means for business and occupation distinct language, script or culture of its own for small and individual-owned enterprises shall have the right to conserve the same. which sell their products and services online, especially those staffed by women 2. No citizen shall be denied admission into any and home-based workers. educational institution maintained by the State or receiving aid out of State funds on grounds • Mobile and broadband Internet shutdowns only of religion, race, caste, language or any of impact women, girls and marginalised them. communities more disproportionately than others. Article 30 of the Constitution of India “Right of minorities to establish and administer educational • Economic loss: Around 4,196 hours of institutions”. internet blackouts in India cost the economy close to $1.3 billion in 2019, said 1. All minorities, whether based on religion or a 7 January report by UK-based research language, shall have the right to establish and firm Top10VPN. administer educational institutions of their choice. • The Kerala High Court judgment in Faheema Shirin R.K. v. State of Kerala & Others: It has held 2. In making any law providing for the compulsory ‘Right to Internet Access’ as a fundamental right. acquisition of any property of an educational The Court declared that the right to have access institution established and administered by to the Internet becomes part of the right to a minority, referred to in clause (1), the State education as well as the right to privacy under shall ensure that the amount fixed by or Article 21 of the Constitution of India. determined under such law for the acquisition of such property is such as would not restrict or • Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human abrogate the right guaranteed under that clause. Rights states that “everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right 3. The state shall not, in granting aid to includes freedom to hold opinions without educational institutions, discriminate against interference and to seek, receive and impart any educational institution on the ground that it information and ideas through any media and is under the management of a minority, whether regardless of frontiers.” based on religion or language.

• The Human Rights Council of the UN have found that the right to access to the Internet is a fundamental freedom and a tool to ensure the right to education.

• The 2018 Human Rights Council of the United Nations Resolution on the promotion, protection and enjoyment of human rights

19 I Articulate Background: interest must necessarily apply to all educational institutions, whether run by the majority of the • West Bengal Madrasas Service Commission minority. Such a limitation must necessarily be read Act, 2008: It came into force for the purpose of into Article 30. recruitment of teachers including Headmasters/ Headmistresses of recognised non-Government • Government regulations cannot destroy the aided Madrasahs in West Bengal. minority character of the institution or make the right to establish and administer a mere illusion. • Several petitions were filed in the Calcutta High Court challenging the validity of the law, • It further held that the status of linguistic minority contending that the government, which funds is to be determined in the context of states and not or provides aid to the minority institutions, India as a whole. can formulate guidelines for appointments of teachers but cannot itself appoint them. • The supremacy of 19(1) (g): TMA Pai judgment removed the restriction for an individual to start an • The high court declared the Act educational Institution. One is no longer dependent unconstitutional, saying it was violative of on creating a Charitable Institution to start a Article 30 which stated that all minorities Professional College; the rights flow directly from shall have the right to establish and administer Article 19(1)g. educational institutions of their choice. • P.A. Inamdar & Ors. vs. State of Maharashtra • The verdict of the high court was eventually case,2005: The Supreme Court delivered a challenged in the top court by teachers who unanimous judgement by 7 judges declaring that were appointed under the new law. • State can’t impose its reservation policy on The SC Judgement minority and non-minority unaided private colleges, including professional colleges. • A two-judge bench of the top court upheld the Act saying the selection of teachers and their • Up to the level of undergraduate education, the nomination by the panel was not violative of the minority unaided educational institutions enjoy rights of minority educational institutions. total freedom.

• Such institutions cannot claim to have absolute • Graduate and Post Graduate education cannot be right in deciding appointment of teachers and imparted by any institution unless recognized by it can be regulated by a government to ensure or affiliated with any competent authority created excellence in imparting education. by law, such as a University, Board, Central or State Government or the like. Key takeaways of the SC Judgement • Reference to TMA Pai Foundation case: Ensuring equal treatment between the majority and the minority institutions Dissent - A ‘Symbol of a Vibrant Democracy’ • The essence of Article 30(1) is to ensure The Supreme Court, in a series of judgments, equal treatment between the majority and had recognized dissent as a “symbol of a vibrant the minority institutions and that rules democracy” and held that a country becomes a jail if and regulations would apply equally to the citizens are made to move under the “scrutinizing gaze” majority institutions as well as to the minority of the police. institutions. Importance of Judgements The judgments are very crucial amid the recent Connecting the Dots crackdown by law enforcement authorities on the free Various Court Judgements on Minority Educational movement of peaceful protesters and detention of Rights dissenters against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC). Pai Foundation case: 2003 Meaning of Dissent: • The right of religious and linguistic minorities India is a constitutional democracy based on the under Article 30(1) cannot be such as to people’s right to call state power to account. A override the national interest or to prevent distinguishing feature of any democracy is the space the Government from framing regulations in offered for legitimate dissent, which cannot be that behalf. Thus right under Article 30(1) is not trampled by any executive action. absolute. • The Right to Dissent is an important way of • Any regulation framed in the national expressing one’s view, and on many of its most

Polity & Governance | 20 important constituent elements. Karnataka & Maharashtra • Dissent means “a strong difference of opinion on a particular subject, especially about an official Boundary Issue suggestion or plan or a popular belief”. Recently Maharashtra Chief Minister appointed 2 Ministers as coordinators to oversee the government’s • Disagreeing with each other is a fundamental efforts to expedite the case related to the boundary human trait. There is not a single individual who issue with Karnataka which triggered a response from does not disagree with something or the other all Karnataka. the time. Background: • Constitutional basis: Right to dissent derives its • In 1957, as per the implementation of the States legitimacy from Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution Reorganisation Act, 1956, Maharashtra stated its which provides for freedom of speech and objection to Marathi- speaking areas being added expression. to Karnataka.

Right to dissent at international level • It claimed an area of 2,806 square miles that • Article 7 of the Declaration on Human Rights involved 814 villages, and three urban settlements explicitly recognizes that ‘Everyone has the right, of Belagavi, Karwar and Nippani with a total individually and in association with others, to population of about 6.7 lakh, all part of the Mumbai develop and discuss new human rights ideas and Presidency before independence. principles and to advocate their acceptance.’ • The villages are spread across Belagavi and Uttar Kannada in north-western Karnataka, and Bidar and Connecting the dotsConstitutional provisions: - Gulbarga districts in north-eastern Karnataka — all Important Judgements w.r.t Dissent bordering Maharashtra. 1. Kharak Singh case: In 1962 the Supreme Court said that the restrictions cannot be imposed Movements and protests • The Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) — launched on free speech and dissent on the basis of the in 1948 — spearheaded the movement in Karnataka. “personal sensitiveness”. • The period between the 1960s and 1980s saw 2. The Shreya Singhal judgment: As per the violent protests and frequent lockdown of Belagavi judgement, “protected and innocent speech” city, and tension on the border. cannot be curtailed on vague grounds that it was “grossly offensive” or “causes annoyance or inconvenience”. What offends, annoys or Initiative to resolve the issue: Mahajan Commission: in 1966, the Centre announced inconveniences one may not have the same setting up a one-man commission under Meher Chand effect on another. Mahajan to look into border issues between Karnataka (then Mysore state) and Maharashtra. 3. Bhima-Koregaon violence case: The apex court highlighted that the voices in opposition cannot • While Maharashtra reiterated its demand, be muzzled by persecuting those who take up Karnataka sought areas in Kolhapur, Sholapur and unpopular causes. Sangli districts from Maharashtra, and Kasargod from Kerala. 4. 2017 Privacy judgment: In Justice K. S. Puttaswamy vs Union of India the Supreme • The commission rejected Maharashtra’s claim over Court of India said that “neither life nor liberty Belagavi city while recommending transfer of about are rewards conferred by the State”. 260 villages in the border to Maharashtra and about 250 villages in Maharashtra to Karnataka.

• Maharashtra rejected the report as inconsistent Dissent is the safety valve of democracy: and an unfair application of its own principle. Karnataka, however, agreed to the report. The free flow of opinions and ideas is essential to sustain the collective life of the citizenry. An informed Maharashtra’s basis of contiguity, relative linguistic citizenry is a precondition for meaningful governance. majority and wishes of the people Thus, individuals who assert causes which may be unpopular to the echelons of power are yet entitled • Maharashtra’s claim over Belagavi and surrounding to the freedoms which are guaranteed by the areas was based on Marathi-speaking people and Constitution. linguistic homogeneity. It claimed Karwar and Supa where Konkani is spoken by citing Konkani as a dialect of Marathi.

• Its argument was based on the theory of village

21 I Articulate being the unit for calculation and enumerated This system essentially splits a district in two parts linguistic population in each village. from the point of view of policing. The part of the city that forms large urbanised • Historical fact of revenue records in these Marathi- settlement becomes a geographical area where the speaking areas are also kept in Marathi. following system operates:

Karnataka’s viewpoint: • Police responsibilities : Police responsibilities of • Karnataka has argued that the settlement of District Superintendent of Police get transferred to boundaries as per the States Reorganisation Act is the Commissioner of Police. final as the issue would reopen border issues that have not been contemplated under the Act, and • Law and order to the Police Commissioner: Along that such a demand should not be permitted. with this, the powers of the District Magistrate (DM), the Sub-divisional Magistrates and the • The States Reorganisation Commission vested Executive Magistrates in the area of crime and Belagavi with Karnataka. law and order also get transferred to the Police Commissioner. • Historical backing: Karnataka also points out that when Congress, which redrew its circles on For the rest of the District, however, both the District linguistic basis in 1920, included Belagavi in the Magistrate, his subordinate magistrates and the District Karnataka Provincial Congress Committee. Superintendent of Police retain their police powers.

Current status of the linguistic movement Necessity of reform • Preference towards national parties: If the • Needs to be seen primarily from the prism of the delimitation exercise that redrew the constituency forces of urbanization and the resultant changes map realigned local politics, changing preferences that must be operationalized to answer urban towards national parties and emergence of English challenges. — seen as a gateway to better job prospects — has • Distribution of total task: Additionally, it ought to be hit the linguistic movement in recent times. seen in the light of the total administrative burden that the district system is burdened with and the • The agrarian politics along the Krishna river bank in way it ought to be distributed so that the total task Belagavi district has also put the merger issue on is performed with the greatest efficacy. the backburner. Finally, and not of least significance, is how this • Karnataka declared Belagavi its second capital, arrangement maximizes accountability in the prevailing holds its winter session at the newly constructed socio-economic context of Uttar Pradesh in which it Vidhan Soudha, changed the name of Belgaum to operates. Belagavi and also held the World Kannada Summit there — all in the last 15 years. How Urbanization creating need for reforming the Commissionerate system? • In 2004, Maharashtra approached the Supreme Urbanization gives rise to a differentiated strain of Court for a settlement under Article 131(b) of the crime and law and order Constitution. Karnataka has questioned the suit. • The cover of a large and dense population, greater With one of the judges recusing, the court has to set anonymity, social disorganization, concentration up a new bench. of wealth and larger degrees of consumerism and materialism. Way forward Following cooperative federalism: The Inter-state • A much larger variety of activities encourage new Council (ISC) should be leveraged to iron out the strands of criminal behavior, modus operandi and differences on the issue. The NITI Aayog’s Governing the growth of organized crime. Council can also be helpful in resolving the issue. If unchecked such issues can prove to be detrimental for • The visibility provided to cities and the larger the unity and integrity of India and give rise to negative human and material harm that can be caused have aspects of sub-nationalism. concentrated terrorist activities, drug trafficking, human trafficking and cybercrimes in cities. Commissionerate System Recently, reports emanating from Lucknow indicated that the Uttar Pradesh government was actively contemplating the setting set up of police commissionerates for the two large cities of Lucknow and Noida. About commissionerate system Today, besides these two fresh entrants, there are 71 cities across 15 states in the country that have adopted this administrative arrangement.

Polity & Governance | 22 Arguments in favor of the system All India Judicial Service • Improve response time: It is a matter of concern The Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, an independent among the police services that the present system think-tank, in its report titled, ‘A primer on the All India where permissions are sought from the magistrates Judicial Service - A solution in search of a problem?’ on many operational issues adversely impact demonstrated that many of these issues have been efficiency and response time. “incorrectly diagnosed”.

• Sets accountability: Responsibilities in the • AIJS are cadre of judicial officers below High Courts current system get divided between two arms of recruited through a national level exam. the district governance system. In difficult law and order situations (if things go awry) a blame • Article 312: As per the recommendation of the game emanates in which actual culpability of the Swaran singh Committee, the AIJS was included in governance machinery is difficult to apportion. the constitution. • The DM still carries a huge workload on account • Presently, the recruitment to the subordinate of the enormous developmental thrust that level judicial officer is conducted by the state governments have attempted through a vast governments with the State High Courts. array of schemes that must be reached to the remotest corners of the district, a task that requires • The idea for AIJS was first proposed by the 14th undiluted attention. Report of the Law Commission of India in 1958, aimed at creating a centralised cadre of District Arguments against the system Judges that would draw better talent. It is common knowledge that earlier attempts to introduce this change saw stiff opposition from the IAS • Even NITI AAyog in its ‘Strategy for New India @ 75’ lobby prevented the political leadership from taking the pitched for AIJS. plunge.

• Police already very powerful: The common Need for All-India Judicial Services argument advanced by the IAS lobby has been that • Huge vacancy in lower judiciary the police in UP is already very powerful. Giving • More than 5000 posts are vacant in the lower them more power may create an environment of judiciary across various states . fear among people. • Delay in recruitment • States often delay the exams due to lack of • Police enjoys less public confidence: The police do resources not inspire public confidence and people generally bring their grievances to the magistrates. • Lack of finances with the state governments • The state governments fail to provide • System not successful everywhere: The system reasonable salaries, rewards and compensation, has worked with reasonable satisfaction in states it results in compromising the merit. with high literacy rates and a vibrant civil society. Uttar Pradesh has been a laggard on both these • Discretion of a narrow body parameters. • The process of selection of a judge is left to the discretion of a small collegium often the system Way forward is questioned • However, the mere provision of autonomy and

greater powers to the police through a police • Unrepresentative: Study shows that women commissionerate is not likely to act as a magic judges constitute barely 9% of the current working wand that will deliver safer and better-policed strength in high courts of the country. cities.

Objections to All-India Judicial Services as per the • It is undeniable for the delivery of good governance Vidhi report to counter-balance autonomy with transparency • Weakens separation of power and accountability. • Article 235- the High Courts have control over the state judiciary. With AJIS the independence • In the western democratic world, the of the judiciary would be undermined. commissionerate operates under the directly elected Mayor and the City Council with a high • Problem of local language degree of openness and public sharing of police • The proceedings of civil and criminal courts are actions and performance. to be conducted in a language prescribed by the respective State governments • It does not require great acumen to conclude that without the tools of accountability, autonomy to • The AIJS officers would find it difficult to adapt public institutions is most likely to generate high themselves with the local language which would levels of illegal behavior, abuse of power and the affect the justice delivery system. miscarriage of justice.

23 I Articulate • Problem of local laws • The local laws and customs which varies widely purpose. across the country. • Article 365 of the Constitution makes it • The AJIS officers will find it difficult to manage mandatory for the state governments to follow the affairs. and implement the directions of the Central government, failing which the President can hold that the state government cannot Kerala Assembly’s resolution carry on. against the Citizenship • Article 131: When there is a dispute which (Amendment) Act, 2019 arises between the States of India or between Kerala Governor has termed the resolution passed by a the StateGovernment and the Union special session of the Assembly demanding the Centre Government then it is the jurisdiction of rescind the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) as the Supreme Court under Article 131 of the “unconstitutional and insignificant”. Constitution that gives it the power to resolve these kinds of disputes. Background: • Kerala is the first state to take the legislature Center’s upper hand: route to register its opposition to the Citizenship • Citizenship comes under union list. It is a (Amendment) Act (CAA). subject on which Parliament can form rules for the entire country. • The resolution says that the CAA is against the “secular” outlook and fabric of the country and • The constitution leaves the entire law of would lead to religion-based discrimination in citizenship to be regulated by law made by granting citizenship. Parliament.

• At least seven states, including Bihar, have since • However, as far as exercises such as the NRC announced that they will not implement the CAA. and NPR are concerned, it will be difficult to go ahead without the cooperation of the state Union government’s response: Citizenship was an governments. issue that figured in the Citizenship” is listed at serial no. 17 in List 1-Union List in the Seventh Schedule of What are the options for the opposing states? the Constitution of India and hence the State had no role in it. Under Constitutional provisions the state • Only remedy for them is to move the Supreme governments have to implement the Act. Court invoking its original jurisdiction under Article 131 of the Constitution by filing Original Connecting the Dots Suit against the Union of India and ask for What are the constitutional provisions? striking down the Citizenship Amendment Act. • The Seventh Schedule of the Constitution divides the subjects on which the Centre and states can make laws under the Union, State Concerns: and Concurrent lists. • Impact on the idea of Cooperative Federalism: These recent developments can lead to further • The subject of citizenship, naturalisation and worsening of centre-state relation can negate the aliens (foreigners) finds mention exclusively idea of cooperative-federalism. in the Union List which contains a total of 97 subjects. • Regionalism, like subnationalism, is a persistent presence in Indian politics. Attempts to impose the • Articles 245, 246 and 256 — that deal with the Centre’s will at the cost of regional sentiments have enactment of laws and demarcation of powers provoked extreme anxiety in the past. for the Union and the states — assert that every state is obliged to implement rules made by Way forward Parliament. • Strengthening cooperative federalism: The Union government needs to also abide by the • Article 265: The first part of the Article says Constitution’s spirit, and respond sensitively to the the executive power of every State shall be so federal pushback. exercised as to ensure compliance with the laws made by Parliament and any existing laws which • Respecting the right of states to register there apply in that State. dissent via resolution: The Centre needs to engage with the dissenting states and listen to • The second part explains that the executive their legitimate concerns about the Act and the power of the Union shall extend to the giving of proposed National Register of Citizens. such directions to a State as may appear to the Government of India to be necessary for that • Taking the route of participatory legislative

Polity & Governance | 24 framework: In 2014, the Government of India Nagpur Resolution brought out a Pre-Legislative Consultation Policy The ‘Nagpur Resolution- A holistic approach for (PLCP). The Union govt. may use the MyGov.in empowering citizens’ was adopted during the portal for soliciting public opinion on CAA. Valedictory session of the two-day Regional Conference on ‘Improving Public Service Delivery – Role of • Using the platforms like ‘Zonal Council’ to resolve Governments’, in Nagpur, Maharashtra. the dispute and arrive at a solution. About the conference Article 131 • The conference was organized by the Department Kerala government has moved to the Supreme Court of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. It has (DARPG), Government of India, in collaboration become the first state to challenge the CAA law. with the Government of Maharashtra and the Maharashtra State Commission for Right to Public It has filed a petition under Article 131 of the Services. Constitution and asked for the law to be declared unconstitutional and in violation of Articles 14 (equality • On earlier occasions also, Shillong Declaration and before law), 21 (protection of life and personal liberty) Jammu Resolution have been adopted for good and 25 (freedom of conscience and free profession, governance. practice, and propagation of religion). Various initiatives taken by the Government: Article 131 of the Constitution To achieve the mantra of ‘Minimum Government The Article vests the Supreme Court with original Maximum Governance’ initiatives taken are: jurisdiction over disputes occurring • Discontinuation of interviews for junior level posts, 1. between the Government of India and one or more launching of portals, self-attestation and en-masse States; or promotions, among others.

2. between the Government of India and any State or • The role of IT and e-governance in bringing States on one side and one or more other States on transparency and efficiency in the system – The the other; or Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has started Fastag system at tolls. This has led to rise 3. between two or more States, if and in so far as the in per day toll collection by Rs 13 crore per day dispute involves any question (whether of law or resulting into collection of Rs 81 crore per day now. fact) on which the existence or extent of a legal right depends. • Grievance redressal system has been made more responsive and prompter. • Provided that the said jurisdiction shall not extend to a dispute arising out of any treaty, agreement, • The grievances lodged with the Government have covenant, engagement, sanad, or other similar gone up from about 1.5 lakh in the beginning to instrument which, having been entered into or about 16 lakhs now. executed before the commencement of this Constitution, continues in operation after such • This has been due to the prompt and time-bound commencement, or which provides that the said response by the Government. Also, the telephonic jurisdiction shall not extend to such a dispute. feedback system has been introduced by the Department. Connecting the Dots Original jurisdiction under Article 32 vs. Article 131 • The entire format of PM Excellence Awards has been changed in recent years and it is now based on The original jurisdiction of a court means the power to implementation in priority programmes. hear a case for the first time, as opposed to appellate jurisdiction, in which the court reviews the decision of a • Mentioning about the Prevention of Corruption lower court. Act that was passed, which is committed to zero tolerance towards corruption but shall protect the • Unlike the original jurisdiction under Article 32 honest and sincere officers. (which gives the top court the power to issue writs, etc.), the jurisdiction in Article 131 is exclusive, • 20 states have passed the Right to Services Act. But meaning it is only the Supreme Court which has this awareness needs to be generated about the right to authority. Under Article 226, the High Courts too public services. have the power to issue writs, directions etc.

25 I Articulate Resolve of the conference Objectives The Conference resolved that Government of India, • To provide quantifiable data to compare the state of the Government of Maharashtra, the Maharashtra governance in all states and UTs. State Commission for Right to Public Services and the participating State Governments shall collaborate to: • Enable states and UTs to formulate and implement suitable strategies for improving governance • To empower the citizens • By policy interventions for better service • Shift to result oriented approaches and delivery through timely updation of citizens administration. charters, implementation of enactments and benchmarking standards for continuous The GGI takes into consideration ten key improvement. Governance sectors: • By adopting a bottom-up approach to bring massive improvements in quality of grievance redressal and reduction in timelines of grievance redressal.

• To adopt a holistic approach of systemic public grievance reforms through improved mapping, formulation of monitoring matrix, data collection and evaluation in quality of grievance redressal.

• To provide an enabling environment for States and Ministries/ Departments of the Government of India for creating web portals and to adopt a holistic approach for improved service delivery through digital platforms. Source: Indian Express • To focus on dynamic policy making and strategic decisions, monitoring of implementation, Indicators selected appointment of key personnel, coordination and evaluation.

• To achieve a sense of common identity by exchange of technical expertise in the areas of Improved Service Delivery between the paired States under the Ek Bharat – Shresht Bharat Program.

• To work towards long-term engagements in the areas of Improved Service Delivery for Empowering Citizens through greater cooperation between the DARPG and the participating States. Source: www.jatinverma.org • To ensure timely publication of Good Governance Index to identify the quality of governance in 10 sectors especially those pertaining to welfare and • The Governance Sectors are measured on total 50 infrastructure at the Union, State and District indicators. Various principles have been kept in levels. mind while selecting the indicators, i.e. it should be easy to understand & calculate, citizen-centric The Nagpur Resolution points that the future of the & result driven, leading to improved results and country depends upon conversion of knowledge into applicable to all states and UTs, among others. wealth. Therefore, the government should adopt the mantra of ‘Reform, Perform and Transform’. • Different indicators are given different weightage under one Governance Sector to calculate the value of GGI. Good Governance Index (GGI) Good Governance Index was launched by Ministry • The states and UTs are ranked on all indicators of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions on the separately, at the same time composite ranking is occasion of Good Governance Day. also calculated for these states and UTs under their • A nation-wide comparative study of States on respective groups based upon these indicators. governance carried out by the Government of India in the Good Governance Index (GGI), is an exercise to incentivise States to competitively deliver on public services to the citizens.

Polity & Governance | 26 Comparative study of States: sensitivity towards the last man in the queue • Tamil Nadu has ranked first in the study. Its are important for job satisfaction. strength has been the ability to ensure stable and smooth delivery of services without much ado. • Performance audit of public servants should be done at regular intervals as the social and • BIMARU States: national commitment are important for any civil • Rajasthan, a “BIMARU” State, has finished servant. within the top 10 in five sectors, Madhya Pradesh in four and Uttar Pradesh in three. • Administration is the strength of our country • In agriculture and allied sectors, almost all the and civil servants are important stakeholders “BIMARU” States are within the top 10 category. and play the role of an engine, so their • In human resources development, U.P. and leadership role is very important. Bihar have performed well. • In the composite ranking, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh are ranked fourth and ninth, Though Good Governance Index (GGI) requires fine respectively. tuning and development, the Government has made • The key message is that these northern an attempt to address the problem of the absence of a States can catch up with others in due course credible and uniform index for an objective evaluation of time, if the political leadership shows the will of the States and Union Territories. to overcome historical obstacles and stays focused on development. SDG India Index and • Some indicators — farmers’ income, prevalence of Dashboard 2019 micro irrigation or water conservation systems and NITI Aayog released the second edition of the inflow of industrial investment — have been left out. Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) India Index, which comprehensively documents the progress • The indicator, “ease of doing business” has been made by India’s States and Union Territories towards given disproportionate weight in the sector of achieving the 2030 SDG targets. commerce and industries, to the virtual exclusion of growth rate of major and micro, small and medium enterprises. Key findings-

Based on the Root Cause Analysis of grievances • India’s composite score has improved from 57 in and as a step towards Good Governance, government 2018 to 60 in 2019. has planned certain initiatives to be acted upon during 2019-24. These initiatives include: • The maximum gains been made in- • Goals 6 (clean water and sanitation), • Review & Rationalization of Pension Rules, 1972 • Goals 9 (industry, innovation, and infrastructure) and • promotion of Digital Life Certificate • Goals 7 (affordable and clean energy).

• e-PPO and its integration with Digi Locker • All three states that were in the ‘Aspirant’ category (with score/s in the range of 0–49)—Uttar Pradesh, • Real-Time Monitoring of Family Pension of CAPF Bihar and Assam—have graduated to the ‘Performer’ Martyrs. category (50–64).

• Five states—Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Connecting the Dots Goa, and Sikkim—moved up from the ‘Performer’ Ingredients of Good Governance category to the ‘Front Runner’ category (65–99).

• Positive approach, transparency, corruption- • Kerala achieved the first rank in the composite free system, fast track decision making SDG Index with a score of 70, followed by Himachal and social sensitivity are essential to good Pradesh at 69. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Tamil governance. Nadu ranked at the third position with a score of 67.

• Build collective team spirit and humane • The biggest improvers since 2018 are UP (which has approach towards the subordinates is the most moved from the 29th position to the 23rd), Orissa important quality of successful leaders. (23rd to 15th), and Sikkim (15th to 7th).

• Understand the spirit behind the law, the • Bihar improved its score from 48 in 2018 to 50 in independent and impartial decision making 2019, it still has a long way to go in achieving the within the domain of law. targets.

• Development-orientated approach and

27 I Articulate Connecting the Dots • The Index plays a key role in driving the SDG About SDG India Index- agenda in India. The results of the ranking is highly • It has been developed in collaboration with publicised through the media. the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), United Nations in India, • It raises awareness on SDG on many levels – within and Global Green Growth Institute and launched by government, media, researchers, and civil society NITI Aayog. organisations. In many States/ UTs, post the release of the Index report, SDG reviews were initiated. • India is the first country in the world with a government-led, sub-national measure of progress • Some governments instituted high-level on Sustainable Development Goals. committees to oversee SDG adoption. • The Index also push SDG localisation in some • A composite score is computed in the range of States/ UTs to the next level where district-level 0–100 for each State/UT based on its aggregate monitoring is initiated, thereby promoting healthy performance across 16 SDGs, indicating the average competition among the districts. performance of every State/UT towards achieving 16 SDGs and their respective targets. Limitations- • The Index does not measure indicators of SDG 17 • Classification criteria based on SDG India Index owing to the unavailability of suitable data at the Score is as follows: State/UT level. However, a qualitative assessment • Aspirant: 0–49 of the progress under SDG 17 has been included. • Performer: 50–64 • Front Runner: 65–99 • Full set of the NIF could not be included due to the • Achiever: 100 unavailability of data at State/ UT level.

• If a State/UT achieves a score of 100, it signifies it • The indicators and data from State/UT statistical has achieved the 2030 national targets. The higher systems and non-government sources have not the score of a State/UT, the closer it is towards been included, to ensure data comparability and achieving the targets. uniformity across them.

• A case can be made to assign unequal weights to certain indicators.

• However, equal weights have been assigned, given the normative assumption that all SDGs are equally valuable.

• For some indicators, data for all States/UTs are not available. In computing the Index, “null” has been Source: un.org/development/desa/disabilities assigned to these States/UTs and they have not been included in the computation. Significance - • The SDG India Index acts as a bridge between these • While the latest values of the indicators have mandates, aligning the SDGs with the Hon’ble Prime been used, most of them are from between 2015 Minister’s inspiring call of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, and 2018. Sabka Vishwas, which embodies the five Ps of the global SDG movement • The indicator set for SDG India Index 2019-20 is larger (100 indicators) compared to SDG India Index 2018 (62 indicators), therefore the two indices are strictly not comparable. There are 40 indicators which are common across the two indices. Further, given the comprehensiveness of the agenda, benchmarks will undergo continual change to meet the aspirations of the SDGs.

The SDG India Index2019 is available on an online dashboard, which has cross-sectoral relevance across policy, civil society, business and academia. The SDG India Index 2019 will also help highlight crucial gaps related to monitoring SDGs and the need for improving statistical systems at the National/State/UT level.

Source: UN DESA Sustainable Development

Polity & Governance | 28 Death Penalty in India the concerned judgment, if available. President Ram Nath Kovind rejected the mercy plea of death row convict in the 2012 Nirbhaya gang-rape case. • Only when a majority of the judges conclude Delhi court subsequently issued a fresh death warrant that the matter needs hearing should it be listed to hang all four convicts in Tihar jail on February 1. — as far as possible, before the same Bench. Background: • The top court in its 2017 verdict had upheld the FACTOID capital punishment awarded to them by the Delhi About ‘mercy petition’ High Court and the trial court. • Article 72 of the Indian Constitution deals with the power of President to grant pardons, • The supreme court had recently dismissed review to suspend, remit or commute sentences in petitions by all four and curative petition of one certain cases. accused. • Under this article, President alone has the sole • A curative petition is the last constitutional remedy authority to grant mercy petition in criminal available to a person whose review petition has cases on the aid and advice of the council of been dismissed by the Supreme Court. ministers.

• Also, Article 161 of the Indian Constitution Connecting the Dots grants power to the Governor to grant pardons, Curative Petition: to suspend or remit or commute sentences of The concept of the curative petition first evolved any person convicted of any offence against any from the judgement of the Supreme Court of India law relating to matter to which the executive in Rupa Ashok Hurra vs. Ashok Hurra and another power of the State extends. case (2002) on the question whether an aggrieved person is entitled to any relief against the final judgement/order of the Supreme Court, even after the dismissal of a review petition. Judicial review of mercy power • The limitations of judicial review over exercise of • It is meant to ensure there is no miscarriage of powers under Articles 72 and 161 of the Constitution justice, and to prevent abuse of process. have been delineated in Maru Ram v Union of India by the Constitution Bench. It has been observed • A curative petition is usually decided by judges that all public power, including constitutional in chamber, unless a specific request for an power, should not be exercised arbitrarily or mala open-court hearing is allowed. fide.

• A party can take only two limited grounds in a • In Epuru Sudhakar & Anr. v. Govt. of A.P. & Ors., curative petition- the apex court said that it is well settled that the • One, he was not heard by the court before exercise or non-exercise of pardon power by the the adverse judgment was passed, and President or Governor, as the case may be, is not immune from judicial review. • Two, the judge was biased. Connecting the Dots • A curative plea, which follows the dismissal of Supreme Court’s stand on Capital Punishment: review petition, is the last legal avenue open for • In the case of Jagmohan Singh v. State of convicts in the Supreme Court. U.P which was the first case dealing with the • question of constitutional validity of capital • The court ruled that a curative petition can be punishment in India, The SC upheld the entertained if the petitioner establishes there constitutionality of the death penalty and was a violation of the principles of natural held that deprivation of life is constitutionally justice, and that he was not heard by the court permissible for being recognized as a before passing an order. permissible punishment by the drafters of our Constitution. • The SC has held that curative petitions must be rare rather than regular, and be entertained with • Bachan Singh vs State of Punjab, the Court held circumspection. that capital punishment will only be given in rarest of rare cases. • A curative petition must be accompanied by a certification by a senior advocate, pointing out substantial grounds for entertaining it.

• It must be first circulated to a bench of the three senior most judges, and the judges who passed

29 I Articulate The process: • Once the Sessions Court has awarded death sentence to a convict in a case, it must be confirmed by the High Court.

• Under appellate jurisdiction of the supreme court the matter can then be heard by the apex court. If it confirms/upholds the death sentence, the convict may file review and curative petitions to the Supreme Court.

• If this also fails the accused has the option of submitting a ‘mercy petition’ to the President of India and the Governor of the State.

Private property is a human right: Supreme Court The Supreme Court has held in a judgment that a citizen’s right to own private property is a human right and the state cannot take possession of it without following due procedure and authority of law as India is a welfare state.

Case before the court • The Himachal Pradesh government forcibly took over four acres of land of Vidya Devi (located in Hamirpur district) 52 years ago to build a road. • • The appellant being an illiterate widow, coming from a rural background, was wholly unaware of her rights and entitlement in law, and did not file any proceedings for compensation of the land compulsorily taken over by the state.

Doctrine of Adverse possession • Given the nature of Indian State, i.e. Welfare State, it is not in line with the spirit of constitution to employ legal means such as Doctrine of Adverse Possession to grab the property of its own citizens.

• The top court referred to the “doctrine of adverse possession”, under which a person who is not the original owner becomes the owner because of the fact that he has been in possession of the property for a minimum of 12-years, within which the real owner did not seek legal recourse to oust him.

What Supreme Court said? • Ordering the state to pay her ₹1 crore in compensation, the Supreme Court noted that in 1967, when the government forcibly took over land, right to private property was still a fundamental right under Article 31 of the Constitution.

• The Supreme Court reminded the government that though property ceased to be a fundamental right with the 44th Constitution Amendment in 1978. Nevertheless, Article 300A required the state to follow due procedure and authority of law to deprive a person of his or her private property.

Polity & Governance | 30 31 I Articulate Atal Bhujal Yojana • Promotion of efficient and equitable use of ground water resources and behavioural change at the Prime Minister has launched Atal Bhujal Yojana to community level. conserve groundwater in seven states facing acute water shortage and urged farmers to opt for less water Why a scheme for groundwater? intensive crops. Water Availability in India • It aims to improve ground water management • India accounts for 16 per cent of the world’s through community participation in identified population living in less than 2.5 per cent of the priority areas in seven States, viz. Gujarat, Haryana, global area, and has just 4 per cent of the global Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, water resources. Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. • According to Water and Related Statistics 2019 • Initiative is taken by the Department of Water report published by CWC, the annual replenishable Resources, River Development & Ganga groundwater resources in India (2017) are 432 BCM, Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti. out of which 393 BCM is the annual “extractable” groundwater availability. • It a Central Sector Scheme with a total outlay of Rs.6000 crore to be implemented over a period of 5 • Fifteen states account for about 90 per cent of the years (2020-21 to 2024-25). groundwater potential in the country. • It adopts a mix of ‘top down’ and ‘bottom up’ • With the population rising, demand for water will approaches in identified ground water stressed increase manifold in coming years. According to blocks in seven states, representing a range of the CWC, per capita availability in the country will geomorphic, climatic and hydrologic and cultural decrease from 1,434 cubic metres in 2025 to 1,219 settings. cubic metres in 2050. Objective • Water-scarcity in river basins: Among these are • Institutional strengthening for improving ground the basins of the Indus (up to the border), Krishna, water monitoring networks and capacity building of Cauvery, Subarnarekha, Pennar, Mahi, Sabarmati stakeholders at different levels which will enhance and east-flowing rivers, and west-flowing rivers of ground water data storage, exchange, analysis and Kutch and Saurashtra including Luni. dissemination.

• Improved and realistic water budgeting based on an By CWC benchmarks, a water-stressed condition improved database and preparation of community- happens when per capita availability is less than 1,700 led Water Security Plans at Panchayat level cubic metres, and a water-scarcity condition when per capita availability falls below 1,000 cubic metres. • Implementation of Water Security Plans through convergence of various ongoing/new schemes of the Government of India and State Governments to Connecting the Dots. facilitate judicious and effective utilization of funds Key Concerns related to groundwater for sustainable ground water management. • Water crisis affecting lives and livelihoods- NITI • Efficient use of the available ground water Aayog reported 600 million people facing high to resources with emphasis on demand side measures extreme water stress, 200,000 people die every such as micro-irrigation, crop diversification, year because of inadequate access to groundwater. electricity feeder separation etc. By 2030, India’s water demand will be twice the available supply. Significance • It will strengthen the institutional framework • Depleted groundwater levels in various states like for panchayat led participatory groundwater Punjab & Haryana due to water intensive crop management and behavioural change for production. sustainable groundwater resource management with primary focus on demand side management. • Among the states where at least 100 wells were monitored, the highest depletion has been in • Source sustainability for Jal Jeevan Mission in Karnataka (80%), Maharashtra (75%), Uttar Pradesh the project area with active participation of local (73%), Andhra Pradesh (73%), Punjab (69%). communities. • Intensive, and unregulated groundwater pumping • It will contribute towards the goal of doubling the in many areas has caused rapid and widespread farmers’ income. decline in ground water levels as well as reduction in the sustainability of ground water abstraction • Improved water use efficiency on a mass scale and structures. improved cropping pattern. • The current annual groundwater extraction is 249

Schemes/ Bills / Acts | 32 BCM, the largest user being the irrigation sector. poverty and livelihoods initiatives. • The number of over-exploited units has increased to 1,186 in 2017, from 839 in 2004. • To deepen democracy at the grass-roots by strengthening the Panchayati Raj Institutions • The problem of reduction in ground water (PRIs). PRIs have role in planning and availability is further compounded by deteriorating implementation under MGNREGA. ground water quality in some parts of the country. • To improve transparency and accountability • The increasing stress on ground water due to in governance. over- exploitation, contamination and associated environmental impacts threaten to endanger the Salient Features of the MGNREGA Act: food security of the nation. • Adult members of a rural household may apply (to the local Gram Panchayat) for Way Forward: employment if they are willing to do unskilled • Micro-irrigation: Farmers need to be made aware manual work. of conservation of rain water and of choosing alternatives crops for cultivation and move towards • The Gram Panchayat after due verification will micro-irrigation. issue a Job Card to the household as a whole.

• Every village should prepare a water action plan, • Employment will be given within 15 days water fund and make use of the funds through of application for work by an employment different related state and central schemes. seeker.

• Villages with low groundwater levels should prepare • If employment is not provided within 15 days, a water budget and should be encouraged to grow daily unemployment allowance in cash has to crops accordingly. be paid.

• Liability of payment of unemployment Mgnrega Trends: Fewer Jobs and allowance is of the States. Wider Demand-Supply Gap • At least one-third of persons to whom work is Jobs generated under the Mahatma Gandhi National allotted work have to be women. Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) have shown a dip compared to last year after July. • Disbursement of wages has to be done on a weekly basis and not beyond a fortnight.

• Panchayat Raj Institutions [PRIs] have a principal role in planning and implementation.

Connecting the Dots • The different categories of permissible The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment works are as follows: Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005: 1. Water Conservation 2. Drought Proofing (including plantation and • Mandates: To provide 100 days of guaranteed afforestation) wage employment in a financial year (FY) to 3. Flood Protection every rural household whose adult members 4. Land Development volunteer to do unskilled manual work 5. Minor Irrigation, horticulture and land development on the land of SC/ST/ -BPL/IAY • The objectives: 6. Land reform beneficiaries Rural connectivity • To ensure social protection for the most vulnerable people living in rural India. • Work should ordinarily be provided within a 5 • To ensure creation of livelihood security for km radius of the village or else extra wages of the poor through creation of durable assets. 10% are payable.

• To strengthen drought-proofing and flood • Social Audit has to be done by the Gram management in rural India. Sabha.

• A rights-based legislation for the empowerment of the marginalised communities.

• To strengthen decentralised, participatory planning through convergence of various anti-

33 I Articulate A Brief about the MGNREGA trends: Some Initiatives to streamline MGNREGS: • There was a record number of households • NREGAsoft: It is a local language enabled workflow demanding as well as employment provided under based e-Governance system to capture all the the flagship rural public works programme in the FY activities under MGNREGA at Center/State/ 2018-19. District/Block and Panchayat level.

The Chart shows the total number of households • GeoMGNREGA: It uses space technology to develop whose demand for work was registered by the gram a database of assets created under MGNREGS panchayat authorities concerned and also the number using technological interventions like mobile based that were actually provided work. photo geo-tagging and a GIS based information system for online recording and monitoring.

• Annual Master Circular: A master circular was issued in 2016 which consolidated 1039 advisories that had been issued since the inception of the programme.

• Tweaking the wage & material ratio: The 60:40 wage and material ratio was mandated at Gram Panchayat (GP) level. This often leads to non- productive assets being created simply because 60 per cent has to be spent on unskilled wage in a GP. To address this without diluting 60:40 principles, the wage and material ratio of 60:40 was allowed at the district level rather the GP level.

Source: Indian Express • Emphasis on Individual Beneficiary Schemes: A very • The current year has witnessed a clear dip in the large number of Individual Beneficiary Schemes person-days of employment under MGNREGA, (IBS) like goat sheds, dairy sheds, 90-95 days’ work which is visible after July. in Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Gramin (PMAY-G), wells, farm ponds, vermi-compost pits, water soak Reason given by the government official pits etc have been taken up over the last five years. • Above-normal monsoon: This meant there was lower demand for MGNREGA work • Increased accountability: Various citizen centric • Demand supply Gap: The gap between the number mobile Apps like Gram Samvaad Mobile App and of households demanding MGNREGA work and JanMnREGA (an asset tracking and feedback the number who were provided work has been the app for MGNREGS assets) have been developed, highest in 2019-20 which aim to empower the rural citizens by • This indicates that even if demand fell, supply of providing direct access to information and improve work fell even more. accountability to the people.

Other Possible Reasons: • Lack of funds. National Nutrition Mission of India According to a recent data given in Parliament by • Uses of hardware machine in rural infrastructure Ministry of Women & Child Development, the State development. governments and the Union Territories utilised a mere 30% of the funds released under the Poshan Abhiyaan, • Administrative apathy in job-creation. or the National Nutrition Mission, since it was launched in 2017. • Lack of awareness among the job-seekers. • Barring Mizoram, Lakshadweep, Himachal Pradesh • Migration from rural to urban areas for better job and Bihar, none of the governments used even half opportunities. of the sum granted in the past three years.

• Trends of Job shift in rural areas from agriculture • Out of a total of ₹4,283 crore disbursed by the based activities towards service oriented work. Centre to different States and Union Territories, ₹1,283.89 crore was utilised until October 31, 2019, • Members of the PRIs are not aware of their rights or only 29.97% of the funds granted. enshrined in the MGNREGA Act.

Schemes/ Bills / Acts | 34 The worst five performers were: The five best performers were:

* Punjab (0.45%) * Mizoram (65.12%)

* Karnataka (0.74%) * Lakshadweep (61.08%)

* Kerala (8.75%) * Bihar (55.17%)

* Jharkhand (13.94%) * Himachal Pradesh (53.29%)

* Assam (23.01%). * Meghalaya (48.37%)

• The Comprehensive National Nutritional Survey, released by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in October, showed that 35% of children under the age of 5 are stunted and in this age group, 17% are wasted (low weight for height) and 33% underweight (low weight for age).

Connecting the Dots About the ‘e-BCAS Project: Training Module’ National Nutrition Mission (The Poshan Abhiyan) • It is aimed at helping more than 1.5 lac employees of various stakeholders by migrating from manual • The Poshan Abhiyaan is aimed at improving process of training to digital platform. nutritional outcomes among pregnant women, lactating mothers and children by reducing the • The objective of the e-BCAS project is to make level of stunting, underweight, anaemia and low all the activities in the BCAS transparent, user- birth weight by 2022. friendly, and efficient and above all • It is meant to benefit more than 10 crore people and was launched after a Cabinet decision Benefits of the CACS and e-BCAS on December 1, 2017, with a total budget of • It reduces human intervention systematically and is ₹9,046.17 crore for three years. a part of e-governance initiative. • 50% of the funding is through budgetary support, which is further divided into 60:40 • The two projects are meant to enhance security. between the Centre and the States, 90:10 for the north-eastern region and the Himalayan • It improves the ease of doing business at airports. States and 100% for the Union Territories without legislature. • It will make all the activities transparent, user • The remaining 50% is from the World Bank, so friendly and efficient. the Centre’s total share will be ₹2,849.54 crore.

Although, the National Nutrition Mission (NNM) had a slow start but is now picking up and the utilization of funds is expected to rise over the years.

CACS and e-BCAS:e-governance initiatives The ministry of Civil Aviation launched the Biometric enabled Centralised Access Control System (CACS) and ‘e-BCAS Project Training Module.

About the Biometric enabled Centralised Access Control System (CACS) • It aims to digitize the employee movement process at the airports. • This multi-layered security system encompasses the uniqueness of the Airport Entry Permit (AEP) users.

Source: jatinverma.org

35 I Articulate Schemes/ Bills / Acts | 36 Schemes/ Bills / Acts | 37 India and Malaysia: Trade Tensions Significance of India’s move: Trade policy as a foreign policy tool Trade tensions between India and Malaysia have • As India’s economic clout grows, New Delhi is aggravated with India’s latest move to restrict palm oil creating its own version of sanctions for countries imports from the latter. seen as unsympathetic to its concerns and core interests. Background: • India-Malaysia ties turned bitter as the latter gave • However, India’s move cannot be strictly deemed shelter in 2016 to radical Islamic preacher Zakir as “sanctions” but the aim is to limit imports from Naik, who is wanted by Indian counterterrorism Malaysia and shift imports to Indonesia. agencies. • On 4 September, India decided to raise customs duty on the import of refined palm oil from Malaysia Connecting the Dots to 50% from 45% for six months. About CECA and CEPA • Speaking at the UN, Malaysian prime minister • CECA stands for Comprehensive Economic Mahathir Mohamad alleged that India had “invaded Cooperation Agreement while CEPA stands and occupied” Kashmir and asked it to resolve the for Comprehensive Economic Partnership issue with Pakistan. Agreement. • Later he said that India’s Citizenship Amendment Act would deprive some Muslims of their • Both are types of economic agreements citizenship. This way he is attacking India’s core between India and other countries such as interests. Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand ( signed CECA) and Japan, Sri Lanka, and South Korea What measures has India taken so far? (signed CEPA). • India’s top vegetable oil trade body, Solvent Extractors’ Association of India, told members to • CECA deals with tariff reductions and the stop buying Malaysian palm oil at the behest of the elimination of all items that are considered to be government. listed tariff rate quota items. • New Delhi moved palm oil from a list of freely • CEPA additionally deals with the terms of trade imported items to a restricted category. investments and services. • This means traders would need special permits to import the product. • CEPA is more significant compared to CECA. • There are basically three categories under which one can import items, open, restricted About India-Asean free trade pact and prohibited. • In 2003, India and ASEAN signed a Framework • Palm oil and palmolein are not under the Agreement on Comprehensive Economic prohibited category. So imports will not be Cooperation between to establish an ASEAN- stopped. India Regional Trade and Investment Area, which would provide a basis for subsequent FTAs How do India’s import curbs impact Malaysia? covering goods, services and investment. • Palm oil is crucial for the Malaysian economy as it accounts for 2.8% of gross domestic product and • The India-ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement 4.5% of total exports. (AITIGA) was signed in 2009 and it is this that both sides have agreed to review. • Malaysia is the world’s second-largest producer of palm oil after Indonesia.

• India is the world’s biggest edible oil importer and Malaysia is India’s main supplier of refined palm oil.

India-Malaysia trade relations • India and Malaysia signed the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) in 2011 building upon the 2009 India-Asean free trade pact.

• Malaysia is India’s third-largest trading partner in ASEAN.

• India’s exports and imports with Malaysia stood at $6.4 billion and $10.8 billion, respectively in FY19.

• Palm oil imports from Malaysia jumped in recent months as it has a duty advantage over Indonesia under CECA. Source: weforum.org

38 I Articulate Issue of Kashmir at the United decided to review some of its decisions taken in the past. It has released political prisoners and restored Nations Security Council (UNSC) 2G connectivity to select places; it has also taken one For the second time since the government’s decision on group of envoys to Srinagar and Jammu, and is making Article 370 in August last year, China raised the issue of plans for 36 Cabinet Ministers, who have not visited the Kashmir at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) region yet, to travel there. recently, prompting a protest from New Delhi. These measures, however, must not come in sporadic Response of government of India manner, but must be comprehensive. Only when all • In its response, the government said that Beijing communications are restored, all political prisoners should refrain from bringing a bilateral issue freed and added security restrictions removed can the into the UNSC, and accused China of working at real task of healing in J&K even begin. Pakistan’s behest.

• New Delhi’s response also pointed to the Resignation by Russia’s overwhelming majority of Security Council Government members being opposed to the Chinese reference Russia’s government unexpectedly resigned after on conditions in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), which President Vladimir Putin proposed sweeping resulted in a lack of consensus for any kind of constitutional changes that could allow him to extend statement at the end of the meeting. his rule. • Medvedev, a long-time Putin ally and former • India’s case rests on the 1972 Simla accord, where president, announced his resignation. India and Pakistan agreed to resolve the Kashmir issue bilaterally. • Mikhail Mishustin was appointed Prime Minister subsequently. • China’s repeated raising of Kashmir is unconstructive and will impact the India-China President Vladimir Putin had proposed changes to the bilateral relationship if it continues. country’s Constitution - a move that would make it possible to extend his rule after his term as president • It is also unlikely to push the government, which ends in 2024. has already defied several international calls from friendly countries, into lifting restrictions or rolling Background back its measures in Kashmir. • Putin, has led the country for more than 20 years, the longest since Soviet authoritarian leader Josef • Given that New Delhi has refrained from raising Stalin. similar issues over Tibet, Xinjiang or Hong Kong, it is unfair on the part of Beijing to take its concerns to • Since 1999, Putin has continuously been in power, the international stage. either as prime minister or president. He was re-elected in March 2018 for another 6-year term, Response of other nations on resolution which expires in 2024. Besides France and the US, UK, Russia and Germany also joined in along with other members to block • Under current law, the President is limited to two Beijing’s attempt to get an outcome. consecutive terms.

Way ahead for India Amendments proposed • While China’s move may be unwarranted, it is yet • Putin has proposed amending Russia’s Constitution another reason for New Delhi to take heed of the to give more power to parliament, while curbing the continuing and unprecedented criticism of its powers of the president. actions in Kashmir. • Through the amendment, lawmakers would be • China may have found no takers for a statement, allowed to name prime ministers and cabinet but the fact that it was allowed to raise the issue at members, currently a power that lies with the the UNSC cannot be brushed away. president.

• India cannot maintain the duality of insisting, on • The president would, however, continue to hold the one hand, that Kashmir is a bilateral issue and, on to the right to dismiss them, as well as the on the other hand, rejecting all bilateral talks with power to name top defence and security officials. Pakistan. A nationwide referendum would be conducted to confirm the changes. • At some point, the government must push for normalization of ties with Pakistan as well as for the • It is also proposed to make the state council, a body lifting of restrictions in Jammu and Kashmir. which currently serves in an advisory role to the president, more powerful. In the past few days, it seems the government has

International Developments | 39 Concerns years, incorporates provision for automatic renewal • Observers believe that after the constitutional and a monitoring mechanism through a Joint changes come into force, Putin would shift back Working Group. to the prime minister’s chair, effectively securing his future in power through re-elections, while • Skilled workers, students and academics from India redistributing some of his powers with lawmakers. and France could soon be able to live and work in each other’s countries. • Putin remains popular with many Russians who believe his rule provides the country stability, but • France, however, is yet to ratify the pact, awaiting he is also criticized for silencing critics and the the French parliament’s consent. press. • New Delhi’s demand for skilled Indian workers to be allowed to work in Europe: In 2016, India and the EU had FACTOID agreed to hold a high-level dialogue on migration and Executive branch in Russia mobility on a regular basis to reach an agreement on the • The Prime Minister is appointed by the matter. President with the approval of the Duma and is • The two sides had also agreed on an EU-India first-in-line to the presidency in the case of the common agenda for migration and mobility at the President’s death or resignation. 13th India-EU Summit held in Brussels, in March 2016, to increase bilateral cooperation. • Historically the role of Prime Minister has been very much subservient to that of the President. • It has been a major sticking point in talks with However, this situation changed in March European officials under the umbrella of a long- 2008 when Vladimir Putin stepped down as negotiated free-trade pact, titled the India- President – as he was constitutionally required European Union Bilateral Trade and Investment to do – and became Prime Minister while the Agreement (BTIA). First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev European countries’ objection stepped up to the Presidency. • Migration is a hot political issue in Europe, so they have been emphasizing economic needs-based • In May 2012, Putin returned to the Presidency mobility of workers to plug, what they determine, as and former President Medvedev became Prime specific skills gaps. Minister in an exchange of roles. • The EU has usually insisted that the entry of workers will depend on the state of demand (of The President workers and professionals) rather than as an • The constitution of 1993 provides strong powers automatic economic right. for the President.

• The Law on Presidential Elections requires that U.S & China Phase One Trade Deal the winner receives more than 50% of the votes The USA and China have signed a trade deal but key cast. issues of trade disputes are still unresolved.

• If no candidate receives more than 50% of the Phase one trade deal: vote, the top two candidates in term of votes • China has pledged to purchase at least an must face each other in a run-off election. additional $200 billion worth of U.S. farm products and other goods and services over two years, above • Under the original 1993 constitution, the a baseline of $186 billion in purchases in 2017. President was elected for a four-year term, but in November 2008, the constitution was • Two countries also reaffirmed commitments not to amended to make this a six year term. devalue their currency for competitive advantage.

• The President is eligible for a second term • To narrow down trade deficit: The deal will provide but constitutionally he is barred from a third better protection to American companies that have consecutive term. long complained about thefts of their intellectual property and trade secrets. It will help in narrowing the trade deficit with China before the election in Migration and Mobility Partnership the USA. Agreement : India and France • Agricultural export: China has promised to buy an additional $12.5 billion in US agricultural products The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister has in year one, and then $19.5 billion in year two and in given its approval for the ratification of Migration and return USA has promised to reduce tariff on $120 Mobility Partnership Agreement between India and billion in Chinese products from 15% to 7.5%. France. • China has promised to buy: soybeans, wheat, Background: cotton and pork. • The Agreement is initially valid for a period of seven

40 I Articulate Background permanent station Himadri in the Arctic for the • In 2016 Trump laid out plans to counter unfair trade purposes of scientific research. The station has practices from China and reviewed moves to apply been used to carry out a variety of biological, tariffs under sections 201 and 301 of the 1974 Trade glaciological and atmospheric and climate science Act. research projects in the last decade.

• In 2017 USA called for tighter tariff enforcement in • The collaboration between India and Sweden in anti-subsidy and anti-dumping cases. polar science will enable sharing of the expertise available with both Countries. • In 2018,Trump ordered 25% tariffs on steel imports and 10% on aluminum from all suppliers - not just China. Connecting the Dots • In July 2018, US President followed through on The Arctic is a polar region located at the months of threats to impose sweeping tariffs on northernmost part of Earth. The Arctic consists of China for its alleged unfair trade practices. the Arctic Ocean, adjacent seas, and parts of Alaska, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Northern Canada, • The dispute escalated after Washington demanded Norway, Russia and Sweden that China reduce its $375 billion trade deficit with the US, and introduce “verifiable measures” About the Arctic Council for protection of Intellectual Property Rights, • The Arctic Council is an intergovernmental technology transfer, and more access to American ‘forum’ to promote cooperation in regulating the goods in Chinese markets. activities in the Arctic region. It is much more informal grouping. • Over the 18 months that have followed since, the two countries have been embroiled in countless • The Council was established by the eight Arctic back-and-forth negotiations, a tit-for-tat tariff war, States — the countries whose territories fall introduced foreign technology restrictions, fought in the Arctic region — through the Ottawa several WTO cases, consequently leading US-China Declaration of 1996. trade tensions to the brink of a full-blown trade war . • The eight Arctic States — Canada, Denmark, • So far, the US has slapped tariffs on US$550 billion Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and worth of Chinese products. China, in turn, has set the United States — are the only members of tariffs on US$185 billion worth of US good. the Arctic Council.

Way forward • Besides them, six organisations representing • Since China still didn’t give ground on some of the indigenous people of the Arctic region the most important issues for America such as have been granted the status of permanent demands for cuts to state subsidies. Further talks participants. on this issue should be continued under the phase trade deal. • All decision-making happens through consensus between the eight members, and in • Furthermore, future talks should be on these line consultation with the permanent participants. like IP protection and forced technology transfer which are point of contention and still remaining. • The Arctic Council does not prohibit the commercial exploitation of resources in the Arctic. It only seeks to ensure that it is done in a India and Sweden cooperation in sustainable manner Polar Science The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Commercial and strategic interests has been apprised of the Agreement on cooperation • The Arctic region is very rich in some minerals, in polar science between Ministry of Earth Sciences and oil and gas. (MoES), India and Ministry of Education and Research, Sweden. • With some parts of the Arctic melting due to About India’s polar science research: global warming, the region also opens up the • India and Sweden are both signatories to the possibility of new shipping routes that can Antarctic Treaty and Protocol to the Antarctic reduce existing distances. Treaty on Environmental Protection. India’s involvement in the Arctic • Sweden as one of the eight “Arctic States” is one • The Himadri research station, located in Ny of the Member State in the Arctic Council whereas Alesund, Svalbard in Norway, about 1200 km India has the Observer Status in the Arctic Council. south of the North Pole, was started in July 2008. • India is one of the very few countries to set up a

International Developments | 41 • The Goa-based National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research (NCOAR) is the nodal organisation coordinating the research activities at this station.

The Indian Antarctic Programme is a multi-disciplinary programme under the control of the National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India.

Research stations set up by India in Antarctica: Till now • Dakshin Gangotri (1983-84) • Maitri (1988) • Bharati (2015)

Henley Passport Index Japan has the world’s strongest passport; Afghanistan, at rank 107, the weakest. The Indian passport is closer to the bottom, ranked 84th in the world, according to the latest edition of the Henley Passport Index, widely acknowledged to be the most reliable of such rankings.

About the Index • Published by: Henley & Partners.

• The index lists the world’s passports “according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa”.

• The ranking is based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), a trade association of some 290 airlines, including all major carriers.

• The index includes 199 different passports and 227 different travel destinations. The data are updated in real time as and when visa policy changes come into effect.

• Japan has been topping the Index for three straight years; according to the 2020 index.

42 I Articulate Schemes/ Bills / Acts | 43 RBI’s Operation Twist • The idea is to lower the long-term yields to something,more tuned to the RBI. In three financial manoeuvres termed as Operation Twist, RBI has moved to help banks lower interest rates • As the transmission to the market did not take and boost the economy without impacting its balance place in the last policy term, when the repo rate was sheet. reduced, Operation Twist has been used to guide rates. What is Operation Twist? • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) made an announcement for the simultaneous purchase and sale of government securities under ‘Operation How do bonds work? Twist’. • Consider a bond that is issued by a company or • An open market operation (OMO) is where the government for Rs.100 with a coupon of 7% for a RBI buys and sells securities to infuse or absorb period of five years. liquidity in the system. • This implies that every year, the issuer will • But when the RBI does the same on both sides, it pay interest of 7%, while the principal will be is different as amounts are the same which means refunded after the bond matures. that overall liquidity does not get influenced at all. • What drives the bond market is the fact that • RBI is doing this by buying the long term securities bondholders are free to sell their bonds before (which is the 10 year one). On the other hand, it sells maturity. various papers with short term securities (which is less than one year). • The face value of a bond is what it sold for initially. Since they are transferable through sale • Now that the RBI buys 10 years papers, the demand in the bond market, their value fluctuates. for the same goes up leading to an increase in price or decline in yields. The opposite happens when it • The returns accrued by holders is measured by sells short-term paper which banks buy, it increases the yield, which is the rate of interest paid as the yield as supply increases ,thus reducing the coupons. prices. • Yield is calculated as the coupon divided by • Operation Twist normally leads to lower longer- the value of the bond. It is multiplied by 100 to term yields, which will help boost the economy by be expressed in percentage. In effect, yield = making loans less expensive for those looking to (coupon/value)*100) buy homes, cars and finance projects, while saving becomes less desirable because it doesn’t pay as In the example considered above, if the face value of much interest. the bond fell to Rs.80, the yield would rise to 8.75%, that is (7/80)*100). Correspondingly, if the value • This attempt to sell short term and buy long term is rose to Rs.120, the yield would drop to 5.83%, that is essentially aimed at helping out the government to (7/120)*100). meet its borrowing requirement at a slightly lower cost. • It should be noted that even if the value of a bond fluctuates, the amount that can be Purpose for Conducting Operation Twist redeemed after the term of maturity is reached is the face value, which is Rs.100 in this case.

• Bond yield is inversely proportional to its current value. The greater the yield, the lower the current market price of the bond.

Bond yields as an economic indicator As investors sell government bonds, prices drop, and yields increase. A higher yield indicates greater risk. If the yield offered by a bond is much higher than what it was when issued, there is a chance that the company or government that issued it is financially stressed and may not be able to repay the capital. Source: jatinverma.org

44 I Articulate Advantages of Operation Twist • The interest rate for the long term investment will financially stressed and may not be able to repay the come down so the investor will take more loans for capital. long term investments.

• Address the worries of lack of transmission of repo Advantages of Operation Twist rate cuts. • The interest rate for the long term investment will come down so the investor will take more loans for • The flow of money will increase in the country, and long term investments. aggregate demand in all sectors of the economy will boost. • Address the worries of lack of transmission of repo rate cuts. • The overall increase in productive activities will further create jobs in the economy. • The flow of money will increase in the country, and aggregate demand in all sectors of the economy will boost. How do bonds work? • The overall increase in productive activities will • Consider a bond that is issued by a company or further create jobs in the economy. government for Rs.100 with a coupon of 7% for a period of five years.

• This implies that every year, the issuer will Government securities (G-Sec) are tradeable pay interest of 7%, while the principal will be short and long-term bonds issued by the central refunded after the bond matures. government, which are sold to raise funds to finance various schemes and meet expenses. By buying and • What drives the bond market is the fact that selling these securities the central bank controls the bondholders are free to sell their bonds before money supply in an economy. maturity.

• The face value of a bond is what it sold for Nominal & Real GDP initially. Since they are transferable through sale The National Statistical Office (NSO) released the in the bond market, their value fluctuates. first advance estimates of the national income that projected growth in India’s GDP at market prices for • The returns accrued by holders is measured by 2019-20 at 4.98% in “real” terms, the lowest since the the yield, which is the rate of interest paid as 3.89% in the global financial crisis year of 2008-09. coupons. • This is the first time since 2002-03 that nominal • Yield is calculated as the coupon divided by GDP growth has been in single digits. the value of the bond. It is multiplied by 100 to be expressed in percentage. In effect, yield = About NSO (coupon/value)*100) The National Statistical Office (NSO) headed by a Director-General is responsible for conduct of large In the example considered above, if the face value of scale sample surveys in diverse fields on all India the bond fell to Rs.80, the yield would rise to 8.75%, basis. Primarily data are collected through nation- that is (7/80)*100). Correspondingly, if the value wide household surveys on various socio-economic rose to Rs.120, the yield would drop to 5.83%, that is subjects. (7/120)*100). About GDP and other related terms • It should be noted that even if the value of • Nominal GDP: It is the market value of the goods a bond fluctuates, the amount that can be and services produced at current prices within redeemed after the term of maturity is reached a country for a given period usually a year. is the face value, which is Rs.100 in this case. Nominal GDP, therefore, is the market value of goods and services produced in an economy, • Bond yield is inversely proportional to its unadjusted for inflation. current value. The greater the yield, the lower the current market price of the bond. • Current Prices: The prices at which goods and services are being sold within a country during Bond yields as an economic indicator a year. As investors sell government bonds, prices drop, and yields increase. A higher yield indicates greater • Real GDP: It is the nominal GDP adjusted for risk. If the yield offered by a bond is much higher changes in price levels at constant prices with than what it was when issued, there is a chance respect to the base year. that the company or government that issued it is

Economy | 45 • The debt stock (numerator) can keep going up so • Constant Prices:The price which measures long as it does not exceed the nominal increase in the value of a country’s goods and services in GDP (denominator). relation to a base year taking into consideration the inflation. • That equation changes in a low nominal GDP growth scenario. • Real GDP growth thus measures how much the production of goods and services in the • It will even Impact the state’s finances. economy has increased in actual physical terms during a year. Nominal GDP growth, on the other • Impact on the job creation in the economy hand, is a measure of the increase in incomes resulting from rise in both production and • Sharp slide in growth recorded by two employment- prices. intensive sectors, construction and manufacturing.

• GDP deflator is a measure of general price • Government expenditure has been the only source inflation as it measures the changes in prices of support, but shortfalls in revenue limits the for all of the goods and services produced in an headroom even here. economy. Single-digit nominal growth: Concern or Exception. • The only time India had as many as three consecutive years of single-digit nominal GDP growth was from 2000-01 to 2002-03,

Impact of low nominal - GDP on the economy • The nominal growth in those three years were 7.62% On corporates (2000-01), 8.2% (2001-02) and 7.66% (2002-03). A • In the past, listed companies have seen their repeat looks unlikely as of now, given rising food and turnover double in 5 years or so, which comes fuel prices, especially in the last three months or so. with a nominal year-on-year growth of 14-15%. • The current real GDP growth of 4.98% is higher than • If the nominal growth is 7-8%, the same the 3.8%, 4.8% and 3.8% respectively of those three doubling would take 9-10 years. years.

• The producers usually gain from either higher • The ongoing efforts by the government to revive output or higher prices.However in 2019-20, growth and investment activity, things should not only is real GDP growth expected to be the hopefully improve from the coming fiscal. lowest in 11 years, but also the implied inflation is just 2.6%. Retail Inflation • Reduced capacity to pay Retail inflation shot to a five-and-a-half-year high • Households and firms generally look at the of 7.35% in December, breaching the central bank’s “topline” as in how much their income has tolerance limit of 6%. grown relative to the previous year. • The CPI inflation is also known as retail inflation. Its • However in the current fiscal gpp increase basket comprises items of consumption including of 5-6 % year on year and an equal rate for food, fuels, services like education, health, housing inflation may curtail the income growth among others. figures. What the data says: On Government • Consumer food price inflation has hit 14.12 per cent • Shortfall in revenue year-on-year in December 2019, the highest after it touched 17.89 per cent reached more than six years • NSO’s latest projection of nominal GDP for ago in November 2013. 2019-20 is only Rs 204.42 lakh crore, which is Rs 6,58,374 crore below the Budget estimate. • The central bank’s forecast is that inflation will be 4.7-5.1% during October-March. • Breach of government’s fiscal target • It was expected given the seasonality of vegetable • As against the original target of 3.3%, the prices, rising prices of meat and fish (9.57%), Centre’s fiscal deficit will work out to 3.44% of egg (8.79%), milk (4.2%) and spices (5.76%) also GDP in this fiscal. contributed to the acceleration in retail inflation.

• Concerns Debt to GDP ratio: • December inflation was the fastest increase since July 2014. • High nominal GDP growth also makes the government’s debt seem more manageable. • India’s economic growth slowed to a six-and-a-half- year low of 4.5% in the September quarter.

46 I Articulate • The gross savings rate in India has declined sharply • Repo rate cut: For the fifth consecutive time this from 34.65% in 2011-12 to 30.54% in 2017-18, led by calendar year, the central bank cut the repo rate the household sector. by 25 bps and the reverse repo by 25 bps to boost investments. (100 bps = 1 per cent). Background: • Under the flexible inflation targeting framework • Palm oil import ban: The government banned the adopted in 2016, RBI accords primacy to the import of RBD (refined, bleached and deodorized) objective of price stability, while simultaneously palmolein and palm oil by moving these from the focusing on growth when inflation is under control. “free” to “restricted” category.

• The amended RBI Act, 1934 also provides for • The government is also under pressure to open up an empowered six-member monetary policy imports of skimmed milk powder, following a more committee (MPC) to be constituted by the Central than doubling of domestic prices to Rs 300-320 per Government. The MPC determines the policy kg in the last one year. interest rate required to achieve the inflation target. Concerns: • Inflation targets: India adopted ‘Consumer Price • Stagflation fears: Along with slowing growth, inflation target’ of 4% in 2016 for the next five more-than-desirable inflation raises the spectre of years under the monetary policy framework. The stagflation (where inflation rises even as output and consumer inflation target for RBI until March 31, employment fall) 2021, is 4% with an upper tolerance level of 6% and lower limit of 2%. • Challenge for monetary policy committee (MPC): Galloping inflation could not only constrain Reasons behind high inflation: the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) from further • The rise in food inflation is driven largely by the monetary easing but may also force it to rethink its damage to the kharif crop from floods & prolonged accommodative policy stance. If RBI raises rates in unseasonal rains from September to early the backdrop of lower savings, then it is a serious November. situation.

• These excess rains have, however, helped recharge groundwater aquifers and fill the country’s major FACTOID dams to near-full reservoir levels, thereby boosting ‘Consumer Price Inflation’ (CPI) or retail inflation: plantings of the winter/ spring rabi crop due for This index is linked to consumer prices or prices of harvesting from end-March. retail goods. The CPI is like your shopping basket.

Inflation may stay above the target for a long period, • It is calculated by the Central Statistics Office the following are the reasons: (CSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme • Prices of pulses may remain elevated in the coming Implementation (MOSPI). months: Prices of pulses depend not just on the rabi output, but also on how deftly the government • The Base Year of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) manages its food stocks. 2012.

• Mismanagement: Government took time to import • It is now compiled as urban households and onions shows it has been slipping on its food rural households linked CPI. This is relevant management off late. because the consumption patterns vary vastly in urban and rural India. • Infrastructural inflation: Telecom tariff hikes, cement price increases and the fired-up global • The new CPI has five sub-groups including crude oil prices will keep up the pressure. food and beverages, fuel and light, housing and clothing, bedding and footwear. • Global upswing in food prices: The UN Food and Agricultural Organisation’s Food Price Index (base • The weightages differ for the rural and urban year: 2002-04 = 100) averaged 181.7 points in baskets. For example, the urban basket has a December 2019, the highest since the 185.8 level of much higher weightage to housing related items. December 2014. • Unlike the WPI, this is more relevant to an • The inflationary pressure caused by escalating trade individual’s daily expenditure. wars around the globe is driving global prices up. • There are some common components in both Govt. steps: baskets—such as fuel and food articles. • Onion import: Public sector trading firm MMTC has contracted to import 6,090 tonnes of onion to • CPI focuses mainly on end consumption linked boost domestic supply and ease prices articles whereas the WPI as a mix of both.

Economy | 47 • Current account deficit: Current account deficit Wholesale Price Index: This index looks at the when the value of imports is higher. change in wholesale prices. Changes in bulk prices of items in the WPI basket may not affect you or • Current account surplus: Current account is said your spending directly but ultimately this trickles to be in surplus when the value of exports is greater down to retail prices as well. than that of imports. • It is published by the Office of the Economic Adviser In the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Ministry of Commerce & Industry.

• The base year for the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) is 2011-12

• The biggest group in the WPI basket is manufactured goods (64.9%). There are many sub-groups in this category; some of the main ones are chemical and chemical products, basic metals, alloys and metal products, food Source: jatinverma.org products, machinery and machine tools and Reasons for Contraction in CAD in India: India’s textiles. CAD is facing contraction from $19 billion in the second quarter of 2018-19 to $6.3 billion during the • Around 20.12% of the basket consists of primary corresponding period of 2019-20. articles; this includes food articles such as cereals, meat, fish, fruits and vegetables. It also • Lower trade deficit includes non-food articles such as cooking oil, • Net services receipts have increased by 0.9%. cotton, jute and minerals. • Modest growth in exports • Movement in global oil prices and related • The next big group is fuel and power (14.91%) concerns: Due to supply glut the prices of oil have and this includes elements such as electricity, remained subdued. mineral oils and coal. Items such as kerosene, * Geopolitical factors diesel, liquefied petroleum gas and petrol also * Economic considerations of the Organization of fall in this category. the Petroleum Exporting Countries * Tensions in West Asia A new “WPI Food Index” is being compiled by combining the “Food Articles” under “Primary Articles” in WPI and “Food Products” under “Manufactured Products” in WPI.

Globally, food price index is being released by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

• The FAO Food Price Index is a measure of the monthly change in international prices of a basket of food commodities.

• It consists of the average of five commodity group price indices (Cereal, Vegetable Oil, Dairy, Meat and Sugar) weighted with the average export shares of each of the groups for 2002- Source: Livemint 2004. • Contraction in CAD: Good or Bad • Low Growth leading lower imports: Most of the Current Account Deficit (CAD) India’s imports is for self-consumption, so the According to RBI, India’s current account deficit (CAD) contraction in CAD means less imports is a sign reduced to 0.9% of GDP in the second quarter of 2019- of weak demand. It does not reflect better trade 20 from 2% in the first due to a lower trade deficit. India, position. maintains a high current account deficit with a high fiscal deficit. • During slowdown : Contraction in CAD is bad for the economy. However, Contraction in CAD is good What is CAD? during a normal year. Import rises when the growth • CAD is a record of all trade, net transfers and picks up.Contraction in CAD due to better trade earning transactions of a country with the rest of policies and export competitiveness is good for the the world. economy.

48 I Articulate RBI should monitor the value of the rupee and intervene for future spectrum auctions – in recent years, to reduce its appreciation due to a lower CAD and net supply of spectrum has been higher than demand, positive capital flows. and as per latest available data, 30 per cent of total spectrum put up for auction remains unsold. Thus, a consolidated market could potentially put Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) downward pressure on both spectrum demand and In a major setback to the telecom sector, the Supreme spectrum pricing, which would negatively impact Court rejected a petition filed by telcos seeking a the government’s revenues, review of its October 2019 order that had upheld the government’s definition of what constitutes adjusted • Hampers investment: It will lead to companies gross revenue (AGR). further shying away from investing in operational infrastructure, which could further worsen quality • Telcos will now have to pay around Rs 1.47 trillion, of services for consumers. Also rolling out of 5G which includes interest, penalties, and interest on services will be hit. penalties by January 23. • Ripple effects of a telco shutting down will be felt • The operators are evaluating a further course of across the banking sector still struggling under bad action including curative petition to challenge loans. Thursday’s review ruling and approaching the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to seek a Suggestions/Way-Forward relief on the payment deadline. • There are suggestions that the government should give up its demand of interest and penalties (around Background 75 per cent of the AGR dues are on account of • The tussle over the definition of AGR had started penalty, interest, and interest on penalties). when operators migrated to a new revenue-sharing system offered by the government in 1999 under • The money now required to pay punitive interest, which they agreed to share a certain percentage of penalty and interest on penalty which forms nearly revenue with the government. 75 percent of AGR (adjusted gross revenues) dues would have better served the ‘Digital India’ mission • Bharti Airtel and other telecom operators of the country. had challenged the way the department of telecommunications (DoT) calculated AGR, based • Government should also undertake a review of the on which they pay licence fees and spectrum current regulatory regime, especially its position on charges. licence fees, spectrum usage charges, and pricing.

• The 24 October court order upheld the • Note: For further details on Telecom Sector government’s definition of revenue, which defined related concerns and suggestions please refer our AGR as all revenues of a licence holder including November’s edition. those from non-core telecom operations such as rent, dividend and interest income. Goods and Services Tax (GST) • The October verdict also made non-telecom companies holding licences for internal Council Breaking the tradition of consensus-based decisions communications and signalling liable to pay licence in its 37 earlier meetings, the Goods and Services Tax fees on their entire revenue, even if they do not (GST) Council voted for the first time in its 38th meeting offer consumer-facing telecom services. held on December 18. The proposal to have a higher single rate for lotteries went through by a majority, with Concerns/impacts 21 votes in favour. • Further stress in the sector: This order has added to the stress of the telecom industry is reeling under About the first GST Council vote a debt of over ₹4 lakh crore and has been seeking a • In the 38th meeting, Kerala’s Finance Minister relief package from the government. pushed for voting on the proposal for a uniform rate for lotteries. • Heavy taxes: Telecos already are heavily taxed as they pay 18% goods and services tax (GST) and 3-5% • A total of 21 members of the GST Council voted in of the adjusted gross revenue as spectrum usage favour of a uniform rate; seven voted against, and charges and 8% as licence fee to the government. three members abstained — paving the way for a single 28% rate effective March 1. • An erosion of value and further consolidation of a three-player industry: The telecom sector is • Currently, a GST rate of 12% is levied for state-run moving towards an oligopolistic structure, with lotteries and 28% for state-authorised lotteries. three players accounting for more than 90 per cent market share

• A consolidated market is likely to be less conducive

Economy | 49 — a concern that made most states rule out an Background facts: immediate rate hike in the last Council meeting, • Goods & Services Tax Council is a constitutional even as they were in agreement over a broader body for making recommendations to the Union overhaul of the GST structure. and State Government on issues related to Goods and Service Tax. Every attempt should be made to keep the tradition of consensus alive. However, the rules allow voting and • The GST Council is chaired by the Union that tradition is not part of the rulebook. Finance Minister and other members are the Union State Minister of Revenue or Finance and Ministers in-charge of Finance or Taxation of all Mineral Laws (Amendment) the States. Ordinance 2020 The Union Cabinet has approved an ordinance to • Article 279A of the Constitution of India deals amend two laws the Mines and Minerals (Development with respect to constitution of GST Council and and Regulation) Act, 1957 and the Coal Mines (Special its mandate. Provisions) Act, 2015 to ease mining rules, enabling foreign direct investment in coal mining. • As per Article 279A (1) of the amended Constitution, the GST Council has to be • It will open up the coal mining sector completely, constituted by the President within 60 days of enabling anyone with finances and expertise to bid the commencement of Article 279A. for blocks and sell the coal freely to any buyer of their choice. • As per Article 279A (4), the Council will make

recommendations to the Union and the States ◊ Until now thre were restrictions on who on important issues related to GST, like the could bid for coal mines. Section 11A of the goods and services that may be subjected Mines and Minerals (Development and to or exempted from GST, model GST Laws, Regulation) Act provided that the central principles that govern Place of Supply, threshold government can auction coal and lignite mining limits, GST rates including the floor rates with licences only to companies engaged in iron and bands, special rates for raising additional steel, power and coal washing sectors. resources during natural calamities/disasters, ◊ The companies also needed prior experience of special provisions for certain States, etc. mining in India to bid for the blocks. ◊ This effectively limited the potential bidders to a select circle of players and thus limited the GST Council voting rules value that the government could extract from • As per the Constitution (One Hundred and First the bidding. Also, end-use restrictions inhibited Amendment) Act, 2016, in case of a voting, every the development of a domestic market for coal. decision of the GST Council has to be taken by a majority of not less than three-fourths of the • The ordinance puts an end to captive coal block weighted votes of the members present. auctions in future and will have to be adopted in the upcoming Budget session. • Weightages: The vote of the central government has a weightage of one-third of the total votes cast, • The move is aimed at achieving self-sufficiency and the votes of all the state governments taken in the coal sector by ending the government together have a weightage of two-thirds of the total monopoly thus promoting “competitiveness”. votes cast in that meeting. Need • The move was overdue considering that the country • Odds are stacked in favour of the Centre in the spent a huge ₹1,71,000 crore in coal imports last normal course: As of now, out of the total 30 states year to buy 235 million tonnes. and Union Territories (excluding Jammu & Kashmir), 20 are ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party or its • Although, 100 million tonnes was not substitutable, allies. This essentially means that a vote in the as the grade was not available in India, but the Council could largely be an academic exercise — balance 135 million tonnes could have been unless a number of the BJP’s allies switch sides. substituted by domestic production had it been available. Concerns • Jolt to cooperative federalism: GST Council is an • Coal India has been tasked to produce one billion excellent federal institution. With a departure from tonnes by 2023-24 but production would have the consensus approach having been made, there fallen short of demand and so, there was a need to could be more instances of voting exercises going introduce private players in coal mining. forward. • The ordinance was also required for auction of 46 • Bottlenecks in GST reforms: Differences of operational iron ore mines whose leases expire in opinion are likely to crop up on proposals to raise March 2020. rates, especially of the lower slabs, in the future

50 I Articulate Concerns • The opening up of coal mining would effectively end Coal India’s (CIL) monopoly status. It will have to be • The state government is allowed to set up ensured that CIL is not compromised the way BSNL special courts for such trials. has been by the opening up to private players. 2016 amendment to the Act- Benefits • The amendment allowed transfer of captive • Large investment in mining will create jobs and mining leases not granted through auction. set off demand in critical sectors such as mining equipment and heavy commercial vehicles. • BENEFIT: Transfer of captive mining leases, granted otherwise than through auction, • The country may also benefit from infusion of allowed for mergers and acquisitions of sophisticated mining technology, especially for companies and facilitate ease of doing business underground mines, if multinationals decide to for companies to improve profitability and invest. decrease costs of the companies dependent on supply of mineral ore from captive leases. Reducing the time taken for approvals of mining leases and also easing the procedures for clearances will Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015- essentially democratise the coal industry and makes it • The objective of this act was to empower the attractive for merchant mining companies, including government to allocate the coal mines on multinationals such as BHP and Rio Tinto, to look at the basis of competitive bidding to ensure India. continuity in coal mining operations and promote optimum utilisation of coal resources. About Mines and Minerals (Development and • This act provided that there shall be no end use Regulation) Act, 1957- restrictions on the eligibility to participate in • The Mines and Minerals (Regulation and the auction, other than for Schedule II & III coal Development) Act (1957) is an Act of the mines, in which mines will be auctioned only for Parliament of India enacted to regulate the end use in power, steel & cement sectors. mining sector in India. • The act empowered the Central Government • This act is applicable to all minerals except to appoint a Nominated Authority under a minor minerals and atomic minerals. Mining person with joint secretary rank to conduct minor minerals comes under the purview of auction/ allotment and vesting and transfer of state governments. all interests, rights and titles of these coal mines in the successful bidder. • It details the process and conditions for acquiring a mining or prospecting licence in In February 2018, the Govt had ended the India. monopoly of Coal India Limited: • It was amended in 2015 and 2016. Opening up commercial coal mining for Indian and foreign companies in the private sector, the Cabinet 2015 amendment to the Act - Committee on Economic Affairs had, in february • The amendment was proposed to bring 2018, approved the methodology for auction of coal transparency to the allocation of mining licence mines/blocks for sale of the commodity. process by auctions. • The government described the move as the • A fixed percentage to the revenue of any mine most ambitious reform of the sector since its has been allocated to the development of the nationalisation in 1973. area around it, to be called a District Mineral Foundation. • The auction on an online transparent platform an ascending forward auction whereby the bid • The licences have a validity of 50 years, parameter is the price offer in rupees per tonne, compared to the previous 30 years. which is paid to the State government on the actual production of coal. • There is no renewal of licences, only re-auction. • There shall be no restriction on the sale and/or • Notified minerals like iron ore, limestone, utilisation of coal from the mine. manganese, and bauxite, does not require a prospecting licence. • Public sector undertaking Coal India was so far the lone commercial miner in the country for • The amendment makes illegal mining, over four decades. The company accounts for trespassing and violation of norms, cognisable 84% of India’s coal output. offences punishable by 2 years imprisonment and/or fine.

Economy | 51 National Infrastructure Pipeline The government unveiled a ₹102 lakh crore national infrastructure pipeline to boost the infrastructure.

Background • The finance ministry had set up a task force headed by Economic Affairs Secretary to prepare a road map for the “national infrastructure pipeline” from 2019-20 to 2024-25 under the ₹100 lakh crore infra plan.

• In line with the government’s vision to make India a $5 trillion economy by 2024-25.

About the National Infrastructure Pipeline(NIP) • Project status: Out of the projects included in the national infrastructure pipeline. • 43% are under implementation.

• 33% are at conceptual stage.

• 19% are under development.

Source: The Hindu

Source: jatinverma.org • Share of investments: Source: PIB India • Central government and State governments would have an equal share of 39% each in The government move will help regain the health of the the NIP. infrastructure sector simultaneously helping financial • The private sector share will be around 22%. sector to recover. Further infusion of private sector will • The share of private investments is expected re energize the economy. to increase to 30% by 2025. Private Participation: Passenger • Focus Area: • The other major focus areas are roads (19% Trains and railways (13%), urban (16%) and rural (8%) Niti Aayog and Indian Railways have come out with infrastructure, and irrigation (8%). a discussion paper ‘Private Participation: Passenger Trains’ for running 150 trains on 100 routes by private • Social infrastructure, including health and operators, envisaging an investment of ₹22,500 crore. education, will get 3% of the capital expenditure. Background The Railway Board had last year formed an empowered • The digital communication and industrial group of secretaries, headed by Niti Aayog CEO expenditure will each get 3% of the capital Amitabh Kant to chalk out the modalities of the bidding expenditure. process and take other decisions to fast-track awarding of bids to private players. • Agriculture and food processing infrastructure will get one per cent of the planned capital expenditure.

52 I Articulate About the Niti Aayog’s Proposal • The Niti Aayog has identified 100 routes, including • The guidelines of SAF include threshold limits Mumbai Central-New Delhi, New Delhi- Patna, for asset quality, profitability and capital Allahabad-Pune and Dadar-Vadodara. adequacy.

• The operators could be domestic or international • SAF envisages, in the initial stage of entities, deterioration in the financial position, self corrective action by the management of the • It has split the 100 routes into 10-12 clusters. UCBs themselves.

• Each bidder would eligible for award of maximum • It is similar to the Prompt corrective active three clusters. framework, imposed on scheduled commercial banks. • The private operator will have right to collect market-linked fares. Possible action to be initiated by the RBI: Self-Corrective actions of the UCB’s Benefits of awarding rail routes to the private players • The privatisation of train operation will help in • UCBs will be asked to submit a board-approved introducing modern technology and rolling stocks action plan to correct the situation like with reduced maintenance. • Reducing net NPAs below 6%, Restoring the profitability and wiping out the • It would provide world-class service experience accumulated losses. to passengers and also help in reducing the supply • Increasing capital adequacy ratio to 9% or demand deficit. above within 12 months.

• It will be provided flexibility of class composition • The RBi might ask the board of the UCB to review and halts. the progress under the action plan on quarterly/ monthly basis and submit the post-review progress Privatising even a part of a highly-integrated set-up report to the RBI. as the railways, although beneficial, can be a complex regulatory process. • The RBI may also seek a board-approved proposal for merging the UCB with another bank or converting itself into a credit society if CAR falls Supervisory Action Framework below 9%. (SAF) The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to impose • RBI can impose restrictions on declaration or restrictions on urban cooperative banks (UCBs) for payment of dividend or donation without prior deterioration of financial position. approval if any one of the risk thresholds is breached. Background • Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative (PMC) Bank • Restrictions on issuances of fresh loans and collapsed due to its huge exposure to Housing advances carrying risk-weights more than 100% on Development and Infrastructure Group companies, incurring capital expenditure beyond a specified totaling Rs 6,226.01 crore. limit and on expansion of the balance sheet.

• The central bank had earlier found irregularities • Issue of show-cause notice for cancellation of in PMC Bank, including major financial violations, banking licence may be considered when continued failure of internal controls and systems, wrongdoing normal functioning of the UCB is no longer and under-reporting of its lending exposure. considered to be in the interest of its depositors/ public.

About the revised Supervisory Action The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has also asked urban Framework(SAF) cooperative banks (UCBs) to report exposures of ₹5 • Under the provisions of the Banking Regulation crore or more to a central repository, within a month of Act, 1949, RBI is entitled to assess the financial end-of-quarter. position of a bank and issue directions/ instructions thereunder. • The banks need to submit the data on large exposures within 30 days from the end of the • The supervisory action framework was first quarter to RBI. Banks may put in place appropriate introduced in 2014. systems to be in readiness to submit the return on a • The Reserve Bank of India had introduced the more frequent periodicity. supervisory action framework to better manage stressed urban cooperative banks.

Economy | 53 What to report? Gold Hallmarking • The central bank said the reports filed by The Union government through a notification has made cooperative banks will comprise three sections; hallmarking of Gold jewellery & artefacts mandatory in • Exposure to large borrowers India giving a period of one year for its implementation • Reporting of technically or prudentially written- i.e. till January, 2021. off accounts • Reporting of balance in current account • It will make compulsory (at present voluntary) for all the jewelers selling Gold jewellery and artefacts • RBI has also restricted UCBs from offering large to register with BIS & sell only hallmarked Gold corporate loans through several changes to lending jewellery & artefacts (at present only 40%). norms last month. • Penal action will be taken against jewelers for • RBI slashed single and connected borrower violation of mandatory hallmarking norm. The exposure for UCBs penalty would be Rs 1 lakh to five times the value of • Hiked the priority sector lending (PSL) target the commodity and also one year imprisonment. • Specified a portfolio mix for at least half of their loan books • An awareness campaign on mandatory hallmarking for jewelers and common consumers will be Cooperative Banks organized at various locations across the country. • Co-operative banks, which are distinct from commercial banks, were born out of the concept of • BIS is also planning to outreach the consumers co-operative credit societies where members from through social media and other forms. a community band together to extend loans to each other, at favorable terms. • The reasons for the one-year implementation period is to ensure that • Credit co-operatives (or co-operative banks) are broadly classified into urban or rural co-operative • Jewelers registration process can be completed banks based on their region of operation. Urban and jewelers/retailers get time for clearing their old/ co-op banks are classified into scheduled and non- existing stock scheduled banks. • Additional A&H centres can be set up by private Difference between cooperative and scheduled entrepreneurs at various locations where demand commercial banks arises and priority shall be given to districts where such centres are not present. • There are three key points of difference between scheduled commercial banks and co-operative Importance of Hallmarking banks. • The purpose of making hallmarking mandatory • Unlike commercial banks, UCBs are only partly for Gold Jewelry and Artefacts is to ensure that regulated by the RBI. While their banking operations consumers are not cheated while buying gold are regulated by the RBI, which lays down their ornaments and get the purity as marked on the capital adequacy, risk control and lending norms, ornaments. their management and resolution in the case of distress is regulated by the Registrar of Co- • The consumers are better informed about the operative Societies either under the State or purity of Gold which will now be in only 3 caratage Central government. (earlier 10) i.e. 14, 18 and 22 and corruption is removed. • Unlike commercial banks which are structured as joint stock companies, UCBs are structured as co- operatives, with their members carrying unlimited liability.

• While there is a clear distinction between a commercial bank’s shareholders and its borrowers, in a UCB borrowers can double up as shareholders.

In the event UCBs fail, deposits with them are covered by the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation of India up to a sum of ₹1 lakh per depositor, the same as for a commercial bank.

54 I Articulate Hallmark on Gold Jeweler now has following four marks:

Purity in carat and Assay centre’s Jewellers identification

BIS Mark Fineness (e.g.22K916) identification mark Mark

India is the largest importer of gold, which mainly caters to the demand of jewellery industry. In volume terms, the country imports 700-800 tonne of gold annually.

According to World Gold Council data, India’s cumulative gold demand declined to 496.11 tonne during the first nine months of 2019 from 523.9 tonne in the year-ago period. In 2018, gold demand stood at 760.4 tonne.

Green clearance for onshore and Changes made: • While public hearings, even for category A projects offshore oil and gas exploration are frequently exempted if they are offshore, the The Environment Ministry has exempted oil and gas new amendments demote exploratory projects to firms, looking to conduct exploratory drilling, from the category of ‘B2’. seeking an environmental clearance. • This means it will be conducted by the States • The clearance is for both on-shore and offshore concerned and will not require an EIA. drilling explorations and the process is an • Developing an offshore or onshore drilling site as a ecologically-intensive exercise that involves digging hydrocarbon block will however continue to merit multiple wells and conducting seismic surveys a “category A” treatment, the Ministry notification offshore. clarifies.

Scenario earlier: The move is part of a larger process of decentralization Until today, even exploratory surveys have merited the by the Centre in that it seeks to farm more regulatory highest level of environmental scrutiny called category actions to State and local units. ‘A’ that required project proponents to prepare an environment impact assessment (EIA) plan. Concerns raised by environmentalists 1. Changes will lead to lax oversight of the onshore and offshore oil and gas exploration projects. The Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification of 2006 had made it mandatory to get 2. Environmental degradation: The offshore drilling an environmental clearance for all new projects, operations can possibly affect fish, lead to a build- their expansion, modernization and change in up of heavy water contaminants, disorient whales product mix. and sea life that rely on sonar for navigation and exacerbate the risk of oil spills. This implies that environmental clearance had to be acquired before beginning construction work or preparation of land by the project management, In 2019, the ONGC and the Vedanta group were except for securing the land. granted permission to conduct exploratory oil surveys in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and this Environment Impact Assessment (EIA): had led to protests led by the Opposition DMK and The EIA notification has three categories — A, B1 and the Congress, which argue that the exploratory B2. drilling will lead to destruction of agricultural fields 1. The projects under category A require in the Cauvery delta. environmental clearance from MoEF&CC.

2. Category B1 projects get the environmental The government in 2019 relaxed rules that incentivizes clearance from the state/union territory companies conducting oil exploration surveys in Environment Impact Assessment Authority less-explored oil fields to keep a greater share of (SEIAA). revenue if they chance upon viable hydrocarbon blocks. This has led to a spurt in interest in oil and gas 3. Projects under category B2 also get exploration with the Cauvery basin registering a spurt environmental clearance from the SEIAA. But, in activity. B2 category projects do not require an EIA report and are exempted from holding public consultation.

Economy | 55 Bank Deposit Cover • In India it stands at a pathetic 0.7 per cent, while Australia has it at 3.7 per cent, the US at 4.4 DICGC has proposed raising cover from the current ₹1 per cent, and Brazil at a fairly respectable 7.4 lakh to ₹3 lakh-₹5 lakh. per cent. Background: Way forward • The government is vetting a proposal from For Central Bank the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee • Strict Governance Corporation (DICGC) to increase the deposit • The role of independent boards in fostering a insurance limit. Following the incidence of fraud compliance culture. at the Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative Bank • By establishing the proper systems of control, (PMC Bank). audit and distinct reporting of business and risk management. • Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC) is a wholly owned • For Customers subsidiary of Reserve Bank of India. • Diversification of investment basket: Customers should not put their money in one account. • It was established on 15 July 1978 under the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee The government assurances for 100 % is needed Corporation Act, 1961. for bank deposits like it assures customers of Life Insurance Corporation. • It is established for providing insurance of deposits and guaranteeing of credit facilities. MDR on Digital Payments • DICGC insures all bank deposits, such as In a meeting with CEOs of Public Sector Banks, the savings, fixed, current, recurring deposit for up Finance Minister announced that the Merchant to the limit of Rs. 100,000 of each deposit in a Discount Rate charges on Rupay credit cards/UPI bank. QR codes for businesses with over ₹50 crore annual revenues will be waived off from January 1, 2020. • It does not provide insurances to • The Merchant Discount Rate is the percentage • Deposits of foreign governments and of central/ of the digital transaction that a merchant pays to State governments. banks. This cost is often passed on to the customer. • Deposits of State Land Development Banks • All shops, business establishments and companies with the State co-operative banks. with an annual turnover of ₹50 crore or more have been mandated to offer these modes of payment to • Inter-bank deposits. customers. • Deposits received outside India and those • RBI and banks will absorb these costs from the specifically exempted by the Corporation with savings that will accrue to them on account of the prior approval of the banking regulator. handling less cash as people move to these digital modes of payment.

Need for increasing insurance cover for bank deposit: • The government has already amended the Income Tax Act and the Payments and Settlement • Loss of depositor’s trust in the banking system: Systems Act — in order to implement the budget • FRDI Bill- it had a clause that said bank announcement. depositors would have to “share part of the cost of resolution of a failed bank”. Criticism • Payments Council of India said an MDR waiver • PMC Crisis-Capping of withdrawal limit during would hurt companies in the payments system. the crisis led to the hue and cry among the • It argued that the cost should be borne by the public. government instead of banks, which would have no incentive to promote digital payments without • International precedent MDR revenues. • Comparative insurance figure rises to Rs 42 lakh & Rs 12 lakh respectively “If we compare India The decision to choose RuPay and UPI as the platforms with BRICS group of countries like Brazil and which will not attract MDR is made to promote Russia. home-grown digital payment pathways over those • India also fares utterly poorly when the amount promoted by foreign companies, including VISA insured is seen as a percentage of per capita and MasterCard. income.

56 I Articulate Schemes/ Bills / Acts | 57 India state of forest Report 2019

Recently, The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change released the biennial “India State of Forest Report (ISFR)” 2019.

• The report is published by the Forest Survey of India(FSI) which has been mandated to assess the forest and tree resources of the country including wall-to-wall forest cover mapping.

• The ISFR 2019 is the 16th report in the series, the first being the report of 1987.

• Up to the year 1999, the forest cover mapping used to be done largely by visual interpretation method. In the year 2001, a complete switch over to digital interpretation based approach was adopted.

Source: Research Gate Key findings of the report- Source: frienvis.nic.in 1. Forest cover-

• The total forest and tree cover of the country is 80.73 million hectare which is 24.56 percent of the geographical area of the country. • Objectives of the biennial forest cover • As compared to the assessment of 2017, there mapping- is an increase of 5,188 sq. km in the total forest and tree cover of the country. • To monitor forest cover and changes therein at the National, State and District levels. • Total forest cover in the country as per the current assessment is 7,12, 249 sq km. which is • To generate information on forest cover in 21.67% of the total geographical area of India. different density classes and changes therein. • The nation’s tree and forest cover has largely hovered from 21-25% and is short of the • To produce forest cover and other thematic National Forest Policy, 1988, which envisages maps derived from it for the whole country. 33% to be under such cover.

• To provide primary base layer for assessment of different parameters including growing stock, forest carbon etc.

• To provide information for international reporting.

• Recorded Forest Area: The area recorded as forest in the Government records

58 I Articulate Source - DTE • Top three states showing mangrove cover increase • The increase in the forest cover has been observed are Gujarat (37 sq km) followed by Maharashtra (16 as 3,976 sq km and that in tree cover is 1,212 sq. km. sq km) and Odisha (8 sq km).

• Range increase in forest cover has been observed 3. Total growing stock of India’s forest in open forest followed by very dense forest and • The total growing stock of India’s forest and TOF is moderately dense forest estimated 5,915.76 million cum of which 4,273.47 million cum is inside the forests and 1,642.29 million • The top three states showing an increase in forest cum outside. cover are Karnataka (1,025 sq. km) followed by • There is an increase of 93.38 million cum of total Andhra Pradesh (990 sq km) and Kerala (823 sq km). growing stock, as compared to the previous assessment. • Area-wise Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest • There is an increased growing stock of 55.08 million cover in the country followed by Arunachal Pradesh, cum inside the forests and 38.30 million cum Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Maharashtra. outside the forest areas.

• In terms of forest cover as a percentage of total 4. Extent of bamboo bearing area geographical area, the top five States are- • The extent of bamboo bearing area of the country • Mizoram (85.41%), has been estimated 16.00 million hectare. • Arunachal Pradesh (79.63%), • There is an increase of 0.32 million hectare in • Meghalaya (76.33%), bamboo bearing area as compared to the last • Manipur (75.46%), and assessment of ISFR 2017. • Nagaland (75.31%). • The total estimated green weight of bamboo culms is 278 million tonnes, slowly an increase of 88 • Decline of Forest Cover in North Eastern Region million tonnes as compared to ISFR 2017. • Total forest cover in the North Eastern region is 1,70,541 sq km, which is 65.05% of its 5. Total carbon stock in country geographical area. • The total carbon stock in the country’s forest is estimated 7,124.6 million tonnes and there an • There has been a decrease of forest cover to the increase of 42.6 million tonnes in the carbon stock extent of 765 sq km (0.45%) in the region. Except of country as compared to the last assessment of Assam and Tripura, all the States in the region 2017. show decrease in forest cover. • The annual increase in the carbon stock is 21.3 • The management of the forest has suffered in million tonnes, which is 78.2 million tonnes CO2. the recent past due to pressure on land, decreasing cycle of shifting cultivation, 6. Wetlands within forest areas exploitation of forest for timber and lack of • Due to the importance of wetlands, FSI has carried scientific management strategy. out an exercise at the national level to identify wetlands of more than 1 ha within RFA. • Forest Cover in Tribal Districts • There are 62,466 wetlands covering 3.8% of the area • The total forest cover in the tribal districts is within the RFA/GW of the country. 4,22,351 sq km, which is 37.54% of the geographical area of these districts. Critical Aspects- • Since Independence, a fifth of India’s land has • There has been a decrease of 741 sq km of forest consistently been under forests. The population cover within the Recorded Forest Area/ Green has increased more than three times since 1947, and Wash (RFA/GW) in the tribal districts and an from 1951-80, a total 42,380 sq km of forestland was increase of 1,922 sq km outside. diverted — some 62% of it for agriculture. And yet, the country’s forest cover continues to hover just • There has been a decline in tree cover inside over 24.56%. forests due to tribal populations getting “land titles” (patta) and there has been a rise in • The FSI uses satellite images to identify green trees outside the forest area due to an increase cover as forest, and does not discriminate between in tree plantation and afforestation activities. natural forests, plantations, thickets of weeds such as juliflora and lantana, and longstanding 2. Mangrove cover commercial crops such as palm, coconut, coffee, or • Mangrove cover has been separately reported in even sugarcane. the ISFR 2019 and the total mangrove cover in the country is 4,975 sq km. • In the last two years alone, added region under the dense forest category are all fast-growing • An increase of 54 sq Km in mangrove cover has plantations — not detected by satellites in the been observed as compared to the previous sapling stage, but considered dense forests once assessment of 2017. they’ve grown.

Environment & Disaster Managerment |59 • In the 1980s, satellite imagery mapped forests on a scale of 1:1 million, and thus missed details of land units smaller than 4 sq km.

• The significantly refined 1:50,000 scale now scans patches as small as 1 hectare (100 m x 100 m), and any unit that shows a 10% canopy density is considered ‘forest’.

• Over the last one and a half decades 15,920 sq km of Source: NASA Earth Observatory dense forests have become non-forest areas which is the conversion of non-forest areas to dense forest Causes of forest fires: every two years. Since 2003, a total of 8,369 sq km • High temperatures and severe drought: Record- of non-forest have become dense forest. breaking temperatures, extended drought and strong winds have converged to create disastrous • A decade later, while the FSI claimed an fire conditions across New South Wales (NSW) and impressive biennial overall jump in dense forest Victoria (VIC). cover but actually wiped out nearly thrice as much of dense forest between 2015 and 2019. • 2019 hottest year:

Therefore, The forest data is less than the sum of its parts. After four decades of surveys, it is probably time for the FSI to consider reporting India’s green cover under more explicit categories, including plantations, orchards etc.

Australian Bushfires Australia is ravaged by the worst wildfires seen in decades, with large swaths of the country devastated since the fire season which began in July.

• A week-long state of emergency in response to the Source: NASA Terra and Aqua data and Australian escalating disaster was declared by state. govt bureau of Meteorology

• Australia, where the summer starts around October, • Dry lightning accompanied with severe drought is known to be the most fire-prone of all continents. was responsible for starting a number of fires in Victoria’s East Gippsland region. • The biggest fires burn along stretches of the eastern and southern coast, where most of the population • Heatwaves: heatwave in December broke the lives. record for highest nationwide average temperature, with some places under temperatures above 40 Impact of Australian forest fires: degrees Celsius (about 113-120 degrees Fahrenheit). • 28 people have been killed - including four Strong winds have made the fires and smoke spread firefighters - and an estimated 10 million hectares more rapidly. (100,000 sq km or 15.6 million acres) of bush, forest and parks across Australia has burned. • Climate change: Climate change have aggravated the impact of natural disasters. Weather conditions • Loss of biodiversity: Around half a billion animals are growing more extreme, and for years, the have been affected by the fires across NSW, with fires have been starting earlier in the season and millions dead. spreading with greater intensity. • Almost a third of koalas in Australia’s New South Wales region may have been killed in • Driest inhabited continent: Almost 70 per cent deadly bushfires. of its area comprises arid or semi-arid land, with • Species living in niche environment are facing average annual rainfall less than 350 mm. threat of extinction. Australian forest fires and Indian Ocean: • Worst smoke pollution: Australian capital Canberra • Aggressive positive IOD: The Indian Ocean Dipole with air quality rated the third worst of all major - often called the “Indian Niño” because of its global cities on 3rd January. similarity to its Pacific equivalent - refers to the difference in sea-surface temperatures inopposite • Plumes of Black carbon have travelled for more parts of the Indian Ocean. than 7000miles causing harm to human health and aggravating climate change. • IOD either aids or cuts off moisture supply to

60 I Articulate Australia, depending on whether the western Indian • Crisil report estimates that India will only be able to Ocean is cooler or the eastern. install 59 GW of solar capacity by 2022. • Positive IOD:During a positive IOD phase, the west Indian Ocean warms up anomalously Concerns: (creating lower pressure and wet climes) • The Capacity Utilization Factor (CUF) of solar power relative to the east (higher pressure and a dry projects is less than thermal, hydro, nuclear, wind phase, towards the Australian side). and biomass power projects.

• Delayed monsoon withdrawal from India: The • Delayed payments: Power distribution companies south-west monsoon in Asia typically ends (discoms), which are mostly owned by state between June and September every year and governments, have been delaying payments to those winds then leave the region and move south. plants supplying solar power. However, this year SW monsoon rainfall continued till late. • Weak investor sentiments: Public and private sector banks too are reluctant to lend. Conditions • Way forward: to borrow from Centre-owned financial institutions • Traditional Aboriginal practices: Burning like the Indian Renewable Energy Development undergrowth which reduce the bushes that can fuel Agency Ltd and the Power Finance Corporation, are bigger blazes. In this practice grasses are burnt but not conducive and foreign funds are difficult under trees around them are left undamaged. It has also current regulations. reduced greenhouse-gas emissions from wildfires • Overall, the large-scale solar sector requires Rs in the north by 40 percent. These are also known as 1,20,000 crore investment to meet its 60 GW preventive fires. large-scale capacity instalment. (The remaining 40 GW is to be met by rooftop installations.) • Reducing greenhouse gases emission - The IPCC report recently concluded that global CO2 • Solar plants’ inability to run at full capacity: This emissions must drop 45 percent by 2030 - and is happening because discoms prefer to buy power reach “net zero” by 2050 - to cap temperature rise from cheaper sources. This despite the Union at 1.5°C. government’s assurance that power produced by solar plants will be bought even if it is costlier. Over the past half century, the number of hot days and very hot days each year has steadily increased. • Governments’ insistence that plants sell power to It would be tragic if this scientific insight is ignored. discoms at unreasonably low tariffs. Long-term prosperity for Australians and a future for its charismatic animals can be secured only through • Goods and services tax (GST): Since many projects policies that foster environmental protection. were calculated without taking the tax into account, GST became an additional burden and turned the projects unviable. Slump in Solar Power Sector • Blocked reimbursements: State governments There has been a huge slump in capacity addition in refused to pay and instead approached the India’s solar power sector in the past two years — from Appellate Tribunal For Electricity. 9.4 gigawatts GW in 2017-18 to 6.5 GW in 2018-19 and just 2.9 GW in the first half of 2019-20. • Improper tax provisions: GST tax solar projects assuming 30 percent of the sector’s cost as About India’s renewable energy targets: ‘services’ and 70 per cent as ‘goods’. But • A target of installing 175 GW of renewable energy ‘services’ are just 10 percent of what the capacity by the year 2022 has been set, which sector does. includes 100 GW from solar, 60 GW from wind, 10 GW from bio-power and 5 GW from small hydro- • Additional import duty: In 2018, India also imposed power. a 25 per cent duty on imports of solar cells and modules. This was done to give a boost to domestic • India has installed 31 GW of solar capacity, 17 GW manufacturers, but it only increased project costs. is under construction and tenders for 35 GW have been floated. • Policy changes: Of the total 63.9 GW solar and wind capacity for which tenders were floated in 2018- • The Government has set a target of installing 40 19, 31 per cent was cancelled, 26 per cent under- GW of grid connected rooftop solar capacity in the subscribed, 10 percent delayed and only 34 percent country by year 2022. auctioned for development.

• The central and state governments have embarked • Land acquisitions are a major worry for large-scale on initiatives like rooftop solar projects, solar parks, solar projects. standalone mini-grids for rural electrification and off-grid applications such as solar cookers, lanterns But policymakers should ill-afford to ignore it given that and others for producing maximum solar power in solar installations constitute nearly 60 per cent of the India.

Environment & Disaster Managerment |61 country’s RE energy mix under its Paris commitments. About Blue flag certification The government has to work on framing effective • The ‘Blue Flag’ beach is an ‘eco-tourism model’ measures and implementing those as efficiently and marks out beaches as providing tourists as possible. Only then can it achieve its target of and beachgoers clean and hygienic bathing generating 100 gigawatt of solar power by 2022-end. water, facilities/amenities, a safe and healthy environment, and sustainable development of the CRZ Rules Eased for ‘Blue Flag’ area. Certification • It is run by international, non-governmental, non- The Environment Ministry has relaxed Coastal profit organisation Foundation for Environmental Regulation Zone (CRZ) rules that restrict construction Education (FEE). near beaches to help States construct infrastructure and enable them to receive ‘Blue Flag’ certification. • It was first started in France in 1985 and has been implemented in Europe since 1987. Since 2001 it has • The Blue Flag certification requires beaches to been implemented in areas outside Europe when create certain infrastructure — portable toilet South Africa joined. blocks, grey water treatment plants, a solar power plant, seating facilities, CCTV surveillance and the • The certification is accorded by the Denmark-based like. Foundation for Environment Education, with 33 • However, India’s CRZ laws don’t allow the stringent criteria under four major heads for the construction of such infrastructure on beaches beaches, that is, and islands. • (i) Environmental Education and Information • (ii) Bathing Water Quality • Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate • (iii) Environment Management and Conservation Change (MoEFCC) has selected 12 beaches across and the country to compete for Blue Flag Certification. • (iv) Safety and Services. Environment Ministry embarked on Blue Flag project in December 2017. • Japan and South Korea are the only countries in south and southeastern Asia to have Blue Flag • 12 Beaches Selected are being developed by beaches. the Society for Integrated Coastal Management (SICOM), in accordance with Blue Flag standards. • Spain tops the list with 566 such beaches; Greece SICOM is an Environment Ministry’s body working and France follow with 515 and 395 Blue Flag for management of coastal areas. beaches.

Monsoon decided history of Indian subcontinent A recent study by researchers at Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur (IIT-KGP) has revealed that abrupt changes in the Indian monsoon in the last 900 years decided the course of human history in the subcontinent.

Findings of the study: Role of the climate in socio-economic conditions in the Indian subcontinent

It highlights three phases in the 900-year stretch — Medieval Climate Anomaly from 950 CE to 1350 CE, Little Ice Age from 1350 CE to 1800 CE and Current Warm Period from 1800 CE till today.

Source: MoEF&CC

The Centre had approved new CRZ norms in 2018 to regulate development activities in coastal zones along India’s over 7,500 km of coastline. It streamlined Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance procedures and allowing development activities in coastal rural areas and temporary tourism facilities in beaches.

Source: globalwarmingsolved.com

62 I Articulate • It highlights strong monsoon during Medieval novel and practical idea implemented successfully by Climate Anomaly and Current Warm Period and Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation(TMC). phases of weak and strong monsoon in Little Ice Age. Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA)- • Deficient rainfall led to the collapse of the • GAIA is a worldwide alliance of more than Mansabdari system, started by Mughal emperor 800 grassroots groups, non-governmental Akbar, in the late 17th century. organizations, and individuals in over 90 countries.

Historical facts • It advances successful, community-driven • The mansabdari system was an improvement waste solutions through systems change and over the systems of tribal chieftainship and policy advocacy. feudalism; was a progressive and systematic method adopted by Akbar in 1571 to reorganize • Their efforts focus on three initiatives: his army within the fold of despotic monarchy. • Promoting zero waste • Reducing problematic waste streams like • The gazetted imperial officers of the state were plastic styled as Mansabdar’s. • Putting an end to the ineffective and hazardous practice of burning waste • The broad outlines of the system have been given by Abul-i-fazl in the Ain-I Akbari. Key findings of the report- • Green Protocol is an innovative concept by TMC to • Mostly the recruitment of the mansabdars was reduce the use of single-use plastics. made on the recommendation of the mirbakshi • This multi-sector initiative started off with who presented the person to the emperor. a regulation on plastic carrier bags and later expanded to a blanket ban in 2017 that includes • Under the mansabdari system, different non-woven polypropylene bags. numbers which could be divided by ten were used for ranking officers. • Under its decentralised system, households are encouraged to manage kitchen and garden waste at • The mansabdari system put an end to the home. jagirdari system within the territories under the • To support these efforts, TMC offered subsidies direct control of the imperial government. to households for setting up residential composting and biodigesters or • No portion of a mansab was hereditary, and a biomethanation facilities. mansabdar’s children had to begin afresh. • Alternatively, households can pay authorized service providers for handling organic waste, or • Similarly, drought interspersed with violent utilise TMC-operated composting facilities. monsoon rains sounded the death knell for the Khmer empire of south-east Asia in the 15th • The entire process of waste management in the city century. now is based on the principle of proximity which ensures the least amount of displacement of waste. • Several dynasties, such as the Sena in Bengal, Bulk generators or commercial establishments, Solanki in Gujarat in the mid-13th century and meanwhile, are required to take responsibility for Paramara and Yadav in the early to mid-14th century their own waste. – all of which flourished during abundant rainfall — declined during the dry phases of Indian summer • TMC runs a resource recovery centre which is monsoon (ISM). operated by Clean Kerala Company, a state-owned enterprise that processes low-value plastics for • Recent phases of human history: From the road construction and recycling. beginning of the 19 century, the changes in the ISM became more abrupt with a rise in atmospheric • The Anti-Littering Enforcement Team (ALERT) temperature that coincides with the dawn of the launched by the civic body ensures that citizens do Industrial Revolution. not litter public places or water bodies. • The team functions 24 hours under the watchful eyes of a patrolling squad which Zero Waste City - comprises officials belonging to the Thiruvananthapuram corporation’s health wing. An investigative report released by Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) accompanied by a • The public is also empowered to alert the squad data report by Greenpeace East Asia showed that the if they come across instances of waste dumping strategy of sector-wise waste management has been a at night.

Environment & Disaster Managerment |63 • The information about the Solid Waste • The Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Management (SWM) service delivery is also system: Allows the information on a discharge to made available to the citizens through the Smart be checked through an electronic tag, and fees are Trivandrum application. charged according to the waste volume. • Besides providing periodical alerts on collection of segregated dry waste, the app also helps Volume Based Waste Fee System users locate the SWM infrastructure such as the An attempt to reduce the quantity of waste and nearest material recovery centre or community increase the rate of recycling. composting/biogas plants. • Residents pay different fees for the bags depending Thiruvananthapuram’s decentralised model of on the size and the regions in which they reside. managing the waste — at source — as far as possible is also the lesson for other parts of the country and the • While enjoying a free service for collection of world, where waste-to-energy plants are failing because recyclables. The law requires that residents of the lack of segregation. properly sort out their waste and imposes fines of up to approximately $1,000 for violations of the It is also clear that if segregation is not done, then any garbage disposal rules. effort towards management will be reduced to mere displacement finally resulting in burning or burying. Bans on problematic plastic items In this situation, segregation at source becomes the • Seoul’s plastic-free policy initiatives: local imperative of successful solid waste management environmental groups are leading several strategies. campaigns to phase out plastic products, including plastic cups and straws, plastic bags, food This is where Thiruvananthapuram has become a delivery containers, and plastic laundry covers. pioneer to treat the waste at its source or proximate The groups organise online and offline campaigns, to its source. This model of waste management, and encourage business participation through which incentivizes segregation at source and in-situ concluding a voluntary agreement, reaching out to management mitigating the negative impacts of waste various entities such as coffee shops, restaurants, on the environment, human health and the economy is wholesale businesses, traditional markets, hotels, the only way ahead for developing countries. and movie theatres.

• To reduce the number of plastic bags discarded Case Study of Zero-waste cities: after grocery shopping: Later in 2010, the Seoul government also allowed major grocery store chains Seoul, the capital of South Korea has turned out to to replace single-use grocery bags with multi- be the best in recycling among ten zero waste cities. purpose plastic bags that can be later used as litter Strong policy instruments and strict implementation bags in the area. have played a key role in achieving the best results. • Extended Producer Responsibility on Waste Management in Seoul: manufacturers: • Seoul has the most rigorous waste recycling programmes in the world. • In 2003, an EPR was imposed on manufacturers, which replaced the deposit refund scheme and • The world-class solid waste management (SWM) held the manufacturer responsible for the costs of legislation and initiatives include: managing their products at end of life. ◊ A volume-based waste disposal fees (VBWF) system • The EPRs’ coverage was also extended to include ◊ A deposit refund system paper packs, plastic containers, scrap metals ◊ Extended producer responsibility (EPR) (including steel cans), glass bottles, large and small ◊ Bans on problematic plastic items and packaging home appliances, discarded fluorescent lamps, and used batteries. This dramatically improved supply • In Seoul, all food waste disposal is charged based and demand situation. on the volume or weight, depending on the method each municipality chooses among Swachh Survekshan 2020 Survey Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) • Standard bag system: The standard bag system is announced the results of the first and second quarters one in which a discharger buys a standard plastic of the Swachh Survekshan 2020 survey. bag to dispose of food waste. The fees are collected • A national-level survey of cleanliness of cities will in proportion to the amount of food waste through begin from January 4, leading to the final Swachh the cost of purchasing the bags. Survekshan 2020 rankings. • The chip or sticker system: Requires a discharger to buy a payment chip or sticker and attach it to a collection container to be picked up.

64 I Articulate IMD Report: The Statement on Climate of India in 2019 The year 2019 was one of extremes — heat, cold, rain and cyclones — for India, killing a total of 1,562 people. The previous year, total deaths caused due to similar weather vagaries was 1,428.

This was stated in a weather summary titled the ‘Statement on Climate of India during 2019’ released by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Death due to extreme climate: Source: pib.gov.in Key findings- • The rankings, being conducted in a league format for the first time, were split into three quarters (April to June, July to September and October to December 2019) and different categories based on the population of the city.

• Indore and Jamshedpur have topped the cleanliness charts for two consecutive quarters among cities with over 10 lakh population and with 1 lakh to 10 lakh population respectively.

• Kolkata remained at the bottom of the ranking of 49 major cities across both quarters as West Bengal did not participate in the nationwide exercise.

About Swachh Survekshan- Source: IMD • Swachh Survekshan is a ranking exercise taken up by the Government of India to assess rural and urban areas for their levels of cleanliness and active Concerns: implementation of Swachhata mission initiatives in • Neglection of climate-friendly construction: Last a timely and innovative manner. year, in Odisha for instance, winds blowing at more than 140 kilometres per hour ripped off roofs and • The objective of the survey is to encourage large window frames in modern houses. scale citizen participation and create awareness amongst all sections of society about the • The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs does importance of working together towards making have guidelines for climate-friendly towns and cities a better place to live in. construction. But planners in coastal cities and towns rarely pay heed to its provisions. • Additionally, the survey also intends to foster a spirit of healthy competition among towns and • For farmers, such climate vagaries mean cities to improve their service delivery to citizens, disruptions in the entire cropping cycle. towards creating cleaner cities and towns. • Non-co-operation between states: This year, Maharashtra and Karnataka bickered over opening the gates of the Almatti dam on the Krishna. By the time the two states agreed over the amount of water to be discharged from the dam, the damage was already done.

• Floods are causing the maximum casualty: This is one area that we must focus on, developing early flood warning systems for cities. However, the management on ground-based on those warnings Source: pmawasyojana.in has to be quick and adequate as well.

Significance- Way forward: Climate change is a phenomenon that This survekshan not only encourage citizens as well as states policymakers will increasingly be called to factor while and stakeholders to do their bit for the cause of ‘swachhata’ but also contribute to accelerating the pace of achievement drawing up projects in areas as diverse as agriculture, of our collective dream of a ‘Swachh Bharat’. urban planning, water resources and disaster management.

Environment & Disaster Managerment |65 • Increasing climate resilience calls for efficient Significance rainwater storage and use. The revision will help the IMD track the monsoon better and improve “impact-based” forecasts. • Cooperative federalism: It also demands cooperation between states that share a river basin. • For Agriculture & Farmers: This would help IMD to issue advisories for farmers to help them plan their sowing accordingly. IMD Revises dates for onset and • Information about the Spatio-temporal withdrawal of Monsoon distribution of rainfall that will be more helpful The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has for farmers. decided to revise the normal onset and withdrawal dates for the monsoon in some parts of the country this • A timely onset of rainfall followed by a year. prolonged break in the rains would mean that • The changed dates are expected to be announced the sown seeds would not benefit. in April, when the IMD makes its first forecast for the monsoon. • Delaying the harvesting of Kharif crops like rice: Crops that need transplantation, such as About Monsoon dates in India: rice, require advance knowledge about the • The four-month southwest monsoon season, which arrival of rain. brings as much as 70 per cent of the country’s annual rainfall, officially begins on June 1, with the • Changes required in sowing strategy: Though onset over Kerala, and ends on September 30. the total monsoon period (four months-June- September) may still be the same, but farmers • It takes about a month and a half after onset on would have to change their sowing strategy the Kerala coast to cover the entire country; and according to the new dates. about a month, beginning from the northwestern parts of the country on September 1, to withdraw • For water management: Water management completely. agencies, for example, those managing the dams in the central plains, would now be prompted to Case for revision preserve and hold on to some water until later in • Too old to follow: The fact is that we cannot use the the month. climatology of 1940s for informing people about the weather in 2020. • For energy efficiency

• Changing Precipitation Patterns: IMD data shows • Heat action plans: several cities execute heat that over several previous years, nearly 95 per cent action plans — just ahead of the monsoon of monsoon precipitation in 22 major cities of the would have to factor in the need to be prepared country had happened over a period of just three to for longer periods of heat. 27 days. • Cooling action plans: The power grid can, for • Changing patterns of regional variations in rainfall: example, have a more realistic planning for Areas that have traditionally received plenty of peak periods of electricity consumption in rainfall are often remaining dry, while places that certain months. are not expected to get a lot of monsoon rain have sometimes been getting flooded. The four-month south-west monsoon is extremely crucial for India’s economy as it irrigates over 50% of • Climate change could be one of the factors the agricultural land. Therefore, IMD’s decision to revise driving these changes, but there could be other dates for monsoon onset and withdrawal will help in reasons as well. boosting agricultural growth and overall economic growth of India.

The main question before IMD: Seismic Hazard Microzonation • The south-west monsoon which provides over The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) said the impact 75% of the annual rainfall over India has been of high-intensity earthquakes can be greatly reduced consistently arriving late and taking longer time through seismic hazard microzonation of vulnerable to withdraw from different parts of India. As a areas and putting in place adequate mitigation result, rains are spilling over to mid-October. measures. • An ambitious project of the ministry is aimed at • The entire revision aims to know how the seismic hazard microzonation of major Indian cities monsoon trough and the monsoon rain itself and areas falling under high-seismic Zones IV and V. are related in September and October. Is it still monsoon if the trough has retreated but rainfall • Such areas vulnerable to earthquakes include all is occurring over some parts of India? north-eastern states, Delhi, the Kutch region in Gujarat and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

66 I Articulate • Ministry plans for phased seismic hazard Reforestation: Present system microzonation of important cities with a population • The industry benefiting from the razed forest land of at least half a million. need to replace with appropriate non-forest land .

• So far, micro-seismic mapping of Sikkim and eight • It also must pay the State Forest Department the cities Bengaluru, Delhi, Kolkata, Guwahati, Jabalpur, current economic equivalent called Net Present Ahmedabad, Dehra Dun and Gandhidham has been Value of the forest land. completed. • The Forest Department’s responsibility to grow appropriate vegetation that, over time, would grow Seismic microzonation is defined as the process of into forests. subdividing a potential seismic or earthquake prone area into zones with respect to some geological and Issues geophysical characteristics of the sites such as ground • Industries find it hard to acquire appropriate non- shaking, liquefaction susceptibility, landslide and forest land, which has to be contiguous to existing rockfall hazard, earthquake-related flooding, so that forest. seismic hazards at different locations within the area can correctly be identified. • Corpus of about ₹50,000 crore for afforestation is lying unspent with the States. • Microzonation of a region generates detailed maps that predict the hazard at much smaller scales. About the Green credit scheme Need of microzonation: • The scheme allows agencies private companies • Better understanding and planning: This will help or village forest communities to identify land and authorities to better understand the areas which begin growing plantations. are more prone to seismic hazards and adopt mitigation measures accordingly. • After three years, they would be eligible to be considered as compensatory forest land if they met • The earthquake effects depend on ground the Forest Department’s criteria. geomorphological attributes consisting of geological, geomorphology and geotechnical • An industry needing forest land could then information. Hence, to mitigate, it is required approach the agency and pay it for parcels of to understand the impact of different forested land. geomorphological attributes. • The land will be transferred to the Forest • Absence of Prediction model: There is no reliable Department and be recorded as forest land. prediction model for earthquake, in that case it becomes very important to adopt preventive Opposition to the scheme measures and have a well planned mitigation • It does not solve the core problems of measure put in place. compensatory afforestation.

• Focus on mitigation and resilience: Japan is • It creates problems privatising multi-use forest the best example of how effective and well- areas as monoculture plantation plots. implemented mitigation measures helped its citizens. Citizens of Japan live in peace despite • Forests are treated as a mere commodity without Japan falling in the high seismic zone and any social or ecological character. vulnerable to frequent earthquakes. • Seismic by-laws: Civil engineers in Japan are The FAC believes that such a scheme will encourage completely aware of seismic laws and more plantation by individuals outside the traditional focus is given to aggressive retrofitting of forest area and will help in meeting international vulnerable structures and new structures are commitments such as sustainable development goals designed with seismic resilience. and nationally determined contributions.

For having a successful mitigating measures in place, it is necessary to religiously adhere to building by-laws and retrofitting of structures should be aggressively taken up, particularly high rise buildings, bridges, hospitals, schools and other major infrastructure.

Green Credit Scheme Forest advisory committee has proposed to outsource one of its responsibilities of reforesting to non- government agencies and forests to be traded as a community.

Environment & Disaster Managerment |67 SC’s Judgement on transfer of • The two types of scrubbers are being used Community Resources widely; The Supreme Court has held that the government has • Closed-loop scrubbers retain the sulphur no right to transfer “invaluable” community resources emissions for safer disposal at port. like village water ponds for commercialisation of the property. • Open-loop scrubbers release pollutants back into the sea after turning the sulphur dioxide • The judgment came on a plea by activist-lawyer into sulphuric acid. Jitendra Singh against the transfer of village ponds’ sites of Saini Village in the National Capital Region • However, it has strict guidelines for discharge of to some private industrialists by the Greater Noida wash water from exhaust gas cleaning systems. Industrial Development Authority. • The wash water must meet strict criteria, so that discharge wash water should have a pH of no less Key points from the judgment: than 6.5. Essential to Safeguard Article 21: • A Bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Surya Kant Implication on shipping industry observed that protection of such village commons • Uncertainty around the sustainability of open-loop is essential to safeguard the fundamental right scrubbers continues to escalate in the shipping guaranteed by Article 21 of our Constitution. industry. • Countries like China has already banned the open • These common areas are the lifeline of village –loop scrubbers. communities, and often sustain various chores and • Capital expenditure for scrubber installation is provide the resources necessary for life. high although it recovered from fuel cost savings in the future. Exploited for long: • The court said the State cannot divest villagers of their existing source of water even if it promises to Genome of Indian cobra sequenced provide them an alternative site where the water body can be replicated. An international team of researchers have reported that they have sequenced the genome of the Indian cobra, in • Such an attitude would display “a mechanical the process identifying the genes that define its venom. application of environmental protection”. Need • The court further said, there is no guarantee • Accidental contact with snakes leads to over that the adverse effect of destroying the existing 100,000 deaths across the world every year. water body would be offset and people would be compelled to travel miles to access the alternative • India alone accounts for about 50,000 deaths site. annually, and these are primarily attributed to the “big four”:the Indian cobra (Naja naja), common • Setting aside the Tribunal’s order, the apex court krait (Bungarus caeruleus), Russell’s viper (Daboia ordered the authorities and the industrialists to russelii), and saw-scaled viper (Echis carinatus). remove all obstructions and restore the water bodies within three months. • Venom is a complex mixture of an estimated 140-odd protein or peptides. Only some of these constituents are toxins that cause the physiological Open-loop scrubbers symptoms seen after snakebite. But antivenom There has been a huge increase in the use of open-loop available today does not target these toxins scrubbers in ships in just last one year, even as a debate about their viability in mitigating sulphur emissions • The existing anti-venom efficacy varies against the from ships has also escalated. venom of the Big 4.

• According to GlobalData, there are currently 3,756 • While the common antivenom is marketed against vessels with scrubbers installed, compared to just the saw-scaled viper and the common cobra, it 767 in 2018. fell short against some neglected species and also against one of the “big four”- the common krait. About scrubber in ships • Scrubbers or Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems (EGCS) are used to remove particulate matter Genome sequencing is ostensibly the process of and harmful components, such as sulphur determining the complete DNA sequence of an oxides (SOx) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) from organism’s genome. This entails sequencing all of the exhaust gasses generated as a result of an organism’s chromosomal DNA as well as DNA combustion processes in marine engines, to contained in the mitochondria and, for plants, implement pollution control. in the chloroplast.

68 I Articulate Significance of the Genome sequencing in evolving • The Miyawaki afforestation method has been new antivenom adopted in 15 places with the support of the • High-quality genomes of venomous snakes will Nature’s Green Guardians Foundation (NGGF), an enable generation of a comprehensive catalogue of NGO in kerala. venom-gland-specific toxin genes that can be used for the development of synthetic anti-venom of Significance: defined composition. • The Miyawaki method of afforestation has revolutionised the concept of urban afforestation • It will help in targeting the 19 specific toxins in the by turning backyards into mini-forests. snake venom that will lead to a safe and effective antivenom for treating Indian cobra bites. • It will help increase the green cover in India and can also help to meet Paris climate deal targets which • This high-quality genome allowed us to study involved increasing carbon sequestration in India various aspects of snake venom biology, including and ultimately to tackle climate change issue. venom-gene genomic organization, genetic variability, evolution and expression of key venom The success by individual initiatives, the Kerala genes. government has decided to employ the Miyawaki method of afforestation to add a green cover on • Challenges government office premises, residential complexes, • It wouldn’t address the huge volume and variety of school premises, and puramboke land in Kerala. snakebites in India, as In India bites from 60 of 270 species of Indian snakes are known to kill or maim. Case Study: Reviving Biodiversity • These big 4 species are not found in northeastern The Afforestation drive undertaken by Madhya Pradesh India but the region reports a significant number of Forest Department has resulted in the plantation of 70 snake bites. That implies we need new kinds of anti- lakh sapling of threatened tree species which have high venom against species here. traditional value.

• The krait in Punjab produces a venom chemically • Madhya Pradesh, according to the India State of different from the krait in South India. Forest Report, 2019, has the largest forest cover of 77,482.49 sq. km in the country. • The Sind krait from western India is over 40 times more potent than that of the Spectacled cobra, • Of the 216 naturally occurring tree species in the making it the most toxic Indian snake. There is no State, 32 face the threat of extinction. mechanism effectively neutralise the venom of this species as well. Significance: • A Paradigm Shift - A marked shift from the British- • “Sequence information of the genes that code era focus on high-value timber to indigenous for venom proteins is very important for the species having traditional value, to revive production of recombinant antivenoms. However, biodiversity, support livelihoods and combat there is a very long way to go from genomes to climate change. effective anti-snake venoms.” • A bulwark against climate change - Given the drive is compliant with IUCN guidelines, and the Miyawaki Method of Afforestation nature of chosen species to withstand adverse • Kerala Government has decided to replicate the climatic factors, it will go a long way in adaptation concept of Miyawaki forests in areas which have and mitigation efforts of India to combat Climate suffered floods, landslides and soil erosion. Change.

• This method promotes natural vegetation on land • Reaping Biodiversity Services - The threatened destroyed by natural calamities and due to human species include Bija, which along with an economic activities. facet of timber and fodder, also have medicinal value. Same is the case with Tinsa (Curing Fertility • The concept involves raising indigenous and native issues in women), Salai (For Extraction of Resin trees in dense plantations which have their benefits and Gum), and Dahiman (utility in cases of in floods prone areas etc. hypertension)

• Background: • Participatory Management - It plans to revive the • ‘Miyawaki forests’ is a highly successful technique, traditional wisdom as well as boost livelihoods with pioneered by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki. the involvement of locals, in line with the State Forest Policy, 2005 and State vision document. • By promoting natural vegetation on land destroyed by natural calamities and man-induced mistakes along the coastline of Japan, Miyawaki managed to raise mini-forests.

Environment & Disaster Managerment |69 Way Ahead Research team computed the sub-debris melting of the • Information, Education, and Communication glacier by interpolating the collected data as a function campaign to raise awareness about the importance of thickness of the debris and averaging over debris of such threatened species. thickness distribution over different parts of the glacier. This is to be contrasted with the conventional method • Regular monitoring to check the progress of such where the collected data is interpolated as a function of Plantation drives. elevation.

• Policy support to the institutionalist livelihood The new method introduced by the group worked of locals in line with the ethos of Joint Forest better at estimating the dynamics of the glacier than Management. the conventional method.

Post-Independence, the evolution of Indian Forest policy has laid stress on the involvement of the local Migratory Birds at Chilika Lake population in the conservation efforts. The traditional A record 1,105,040 migratory birds belonging to 184 species are a source of livelihood for the locals. E.g. species have arrived in Odisha’s Chilika lake according Gums and Raisins serve as raw material for many to the annual bird count conducted by the Chilika products Wildlife Division on January 5, 2020.

Findings of the Annual Bird count Last year, Debris-covered Himalayan Glaciers • The rare species Great Knot were sighted after five A study of the Satopanth glacier in order to model the years in the Chilika lake . melting of debris-covered glaciers has been carried out by a group of Indian researchers. • The Nalabana island or Nalabana Bird Sanctuary inside the lake, continued to be the most favoured • Their new method gives a better estimate of the destination for the birds. glacier’s melting than existing ones. About Chilika Lake • Studying debris-laden Himalayan glaciers is • Chilika Lake is the largest internal saltwater lake in important from the point of view of how climate Asia. change affects them. • Migratory birds usually start arriving at Chilika • About 20% of Himalayan glaciers are debris-laden, in November as it is a comparatively hospitable and their dynamics are very different from the ones alternate habitat compared to the extreme freezing without debris cover. conditions in their natural habitats in Siberia, China, Japan and other countries in the northern About satopanth hemisphere. • Satopanth glacier is located in Garhwal in Central Himalaya, in Uttarakhand. • The birds often frequent open wetlands which have enough fish, prawns, frogs, snakes and molluscs • It is the origin of the river Alaknanda, one of the two main tributaries of the Ganga. The other tributary Reason for the increased arrival of migratory birds: is Bhagirathi, which originates from the Gangotri • Availability of open space, following the eviction of glacier. large tracts of illegal prawn cultivation inside the wetlands. • These two rivers join at Devprayag, around 70 km upstream of Rishikesh. Downstream of Devprayag, the river is called Ganga.

Effect of debris on glaciers • In glaciers without a debris cover, the rate of melting increases as the elevation decreases.

• However, in glaciers covered with debris, the thick cover partially insulates the glacier from the warm exterior and thereby slows down the melting.

• The thickness of the debris cover, by and large, increases as the glacier flows down. This works against the general trend that the lower elevation, the higher the rate of melting.

• Matters are further complicated because the thickness of the debris cover is not uniform but fluctuates randomly.

70 I Articulate The increase in the number of birds visiting Chilika Conservation efforts in India for the Lake is believed to be a good sign for bird conservation migratory birds programmes in India.

The Government of India is providing financial and technical assistance to specialized institutions Increase in Crocodile Population like Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural The population of the saltwater or estuarine crocodile History (SACON), Wildlife Institute of India (WII), (Crocodylus porosus) has increased in the water bodies Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) etc. of Odisha’s Bhitarkanika National Park from 1,742 for conducting various studies for monitoring crocodiles to 1757. populations of important bird species and their habitat. The important studies relating to the About Saltwater or Estuarine Crocodile status of birds, including migratory birds, and their • Out of the 3 crocodile species found in India, the habitats in India are: saltwater crocodile is the largest of all.

1. Monitoring migratory birds of Keoladeo • The other being the Gharial and Mugger crocodile. National Park, Bharatpur by WII, BNHS and SACON Distribution • Mostly present in the Eastern coast of India. 2. Migratory Movements of Birds at Point Calimere by BNHS • A large population is present within the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary of Odisha 3. Satellite Tracking of Bar-headed Geese and while smaller populations occur throughout the selected Ducks between Pong-Dam, Himachal Sundarbans. Pradesh and their breeding grounds by BNHS • The saltwater crocodile is present within the 4. A study on migratory birds in Bhitarkanika mangrove forests and other coastal areas of the Wildlife Sanctuary by WII Andaman and Nicobar Islands in India.

5. A study on birds of Trans-Himalaya by WII Major Threats to saltwater crocodile • Illegal hunting for its meat and eggs, as well as for its 6. Migratory Movements of Birds of Uttar Pradesh commercially valuable skin.

7. Status and distribution pattern of Himalayan • Habitat loss and habitat alterations. birds including migratory by WII • Negative attitude towards the species make 8. Heronries of Southern India by BNHS conservation measures difficult to implement.

The important steps taken for protecting migratory Conservation status birds are given below: IUCN Red List: Least Threatened. Wildlife Protection Act (WPA), 1972: included in the (i) Rare and endangered species of birds, including Schedule 1, according highest protection. migratory birds, are included in Schedule-I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 thereby according Crocodile Conservation initiatives in India them the highest degree of protection. • In 1975, the Union Ministry of Forest, Environment and Climate Change, in collaboration with the (ii) Stringent punishments have been provided for United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 for violation had started a crocodile breeding and rearing project of the provisions of the Act. in Dangamala within the Bhitarkanika Park.

(iii) Important habitats of birds, including migratory • Sixteen crocodile rehabilitation centres and birds, have been notified as Protected Areas under five crocodile sanctuaries - National Chambal the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 for better Sanctuary, Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, conservation and protection of birds and their Satkosia Gorge Wildlife Sanctuary, Son Gharial habitats. Sanctuary and Ken Gharial Sanctuary were established between 1975 and 1982. (iv) Financial and technical assistance is provided to the State/UT Governments for protection and • A Crocodile Breeding and Management Training management of Protected Areas. Institute was set up in Madras in 1980 to train managers of crocodile stations. (v) Wildlife Crime Control Bureau has been established for the control of illegal trade in wildlife • This has helped in increasing the crocodile and its parts and products. population from 96 in 1975 to 1757 in 2019.

Environment & Disaster Managerment |71 Freshwater Turtles Rehabilitation Flamingo Festival in Pulicat District authorities conducted the Flamingo festival Centre at Pulicat Lake, Andhra Pradesh in the first week of January. A first-of-its-kind rehabilitation centre for freshwater turtles has been inaugurated in Bihar’s Bhagalpur forest • The number of birds arriving this year is expected division in January 2020. to be much higher than the usual due to abundant rains this year. Need for rehab centre for freshwater turtles • The Turtles were found severely wounded and sick The Flamingo Festival, 2020: when rescued from smugglers by rescue teams. The • The three-day Flamingo festival is an annual event rehab centres will play a significant role in treating held at Pulicat lake and Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary. these animals. • It is held to promote tourism in Pulicat and Tamil • It will help them maintain proper upkeep before Nadu. returning to their natural habitat. • 9,000 to 12,000 Migratory birds from Siberia visit Threats to the freshwater turtles Pulicat during the winter season for breeding. • Due to habitat fragmentation and loss through dams and barrages. • More than 40,000 flamingos can be seen in action this year at the Pulicat lake. • Pollution. • Birds like Black-tailed godwit and Kentish plover, • Illegal poaching, which are rare visitors, have also arrived at the lake

this time. • Accidental drowning through fishing nets and threats to their nesting habitats. • The lake supports a rich biodiversity and high biomass of fishes, prawns, crustaceans, • The turtles have come under serious threat coelenterates and planktons. primarily for two reasons • About 75 bird species visit the sanctuary, of which • Food- Turtles are being frequently targeted for meat 30 bird species are migratory. due to the prevailing belief that it gives an energy boost and keeps various diseases away. • The other feeding migrants that can be spotted are • Flourishing pet trade- the hard-shell turtles, pelicans, painted storks, open-billed storks, grey especially spotted ones are in high demand in south herons, cormorants, white ibises, spoonbills, egrets, east Asia. reef herons, and spot billed ducks. Significance of the turtle in the ecosystem • Scavenging dead organic materials and diseased fish. Nellapattu Bird Sanctuary: • Biggest habitat for birds. • Controlling fish population as predators. • It is an important breeding site for spot-billed pelicans (Pelecanus philippensis). • Controlling aquatic plants and weeds. • Nelapattu has two major plant communities, Barringtonia swamp forests and southern dry • They are also described as indicators of healthy evergreen scrub. aquatic ecosystems. • It is located 20 km north of the Pulicat Lake on the Andhra Pradesh-Tamil Nadu border.

Pulicat Lake: About turtles in India • Pulicat Lake is the second largest brackish water IUCN status: Turtles like Assam roofed turtles and lake or lagoon in India after Chilika Lake. River terrapin are classified as Critically endangered . • It is located on border of Andhra Pradesh and Indian Wildlife Protection Act (1972): Turtles are Tamil Nadu situated on the Coromandel Coast placed in the schedule 1 of the wildlife protection in South India. act which provides absolute protection.

72 I Articulate 74 I Articulate Infant Mortality in India State Wise performance: According to the latest India’s Sample Registration Over 600 babies died at six major hospitals across System, Goa, Puducherry, Kerala and Manipur saw the Rajasthan and Gujarat in December last year. lowest infant-mortality rates in 2016, while Madhya India has the most child deaths in the world. In 2017, Pradesh, Assam, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh saw the UNICEF estimated 8,02,000 babies had died in India. highest, in that order. All four leading States have traditionally been high spenders on healthcare. • The death toll of children dying from Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur • Gender gap in India for child survival: Male babies crossed 100. have an IMR of 35 deaths per 1,000 live births, while female babies have an IMR of 39 per 1,000 live • Over 70 children had died in a matter of days at births. Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur. • The rural-urban difference: In comparison to 2015, the rural-urban difference narrowed by one point Background facts: (16 to 15). The rural IMR declined by 3 points (41 to • The infant mortality rate (IMR) – is the 38). number of deaths per 1,000 live births of children under one year of age. Reasons Behind IMR • The rate for a given region is the number The main reasons for Infant Mortality in India as per of children dying under one year of age, the Registrar General of India (2001-03) are perinatal divided by the number of live births conditions (46%), respiratory infections (22%), during the year, multiplied by 1,000. diarrhoeal diseases (10%), other infectious and parasitic • The infant mortality rate (IMR) in the diseases (8%) and congenital anomalies (3.1%). country currently stands at 33 per 1,000 live births. Lack of education in the mother, malnutrition (more than half of Indian women are anaemic), age of the • Neonatal mortality rate (NNMR) – is the mother at the time of birth, spacing, and whether the number of deaths per 1,000 live births of child is born at home or in a facility also determine IMR. children between 0 and 28 days of age. The neonatal mortality rate of India has dipped from 25 per 1,000 live births in 2016 to 24 in 2017.

• The under-five mortality rate (U5MR) – is the number of deaths per 1,000 live births of children under five years of age. It was 39 per 1,000 live births in 2017.

Source: cbps.in

• Malnutrition of Mothers: 58% of women who are • Significance of IMR: The factors that impact breastfeeding are anaemic, compared with 50% of the IMR reflect the well-being of a nation. women who are pregnant and 52% who are neither Environmental and living conditions, rates of illness, pregnant nor breastfeeding. health of mothers and their access to quality pre- • Prevalence of anaemia among women has seen and post-natal care contribute to infant survival little improvement in 10 years, witnessing a rates. rather small decline from 55% in 2005-06 to 53% in 2015-16, acc. to the National Family • India continues to show impressive decline in Health Survey (NFHS-4). infant deaths: IMR substantially declined over the period from 79 per 1,000 live births in National • Poor vaccine compliance: According to the Health Family Health Survey-1 (NFHS-1) (1992-93) to 41 per Ministry, the vaccination cover in India after several 1,000 live births in NFHS-4 rounds of Intensified Mission Indradhanush (MI) and the original MI, now stands at 87%. 33 lakh children • Between 2014 and 2017, India’s IMR has declined continue to miss out on some or all vaccinations by 15.4%. every year.

• A major reason for this achievement is the • Lack of education in mothers: According to a increase in the number of institutional UNICEF factsheet on child mortality in India, “… deliveries. In 2005, only 38% deliveries were Children born to mothers with at least 8 years of taking place in hospitals; but now, more than schooling have 32% lesser chances of dying in the 79.8% are institutional deliveries. neonatal period and 52% lesser chances in the post-neonatal period, as compared to the illiterate mothers.”

75 I Articulate • Underage mothers: It also notes that infant and • Poor sanitation: Consumption of contaminated under-five mortality rates are highest among drinking water, improper disposal of human excreta, mothers under age 20. lack of personal and food hygiene, and improper disposal of solid and liquid waste have been the • Male domination: Women have negligible major causes of high infant mortality rate and high reproductive rights due to prevalent patriarchy in levels of malnutrition. Indian society. • Policy related Intervention Failures • Infection risks in a non-institutional birth: • The National Rural Health Mission, launched in According to the National Family Health Survey-4, 2005, set India’s IMR target as 30 deaths per only 78.9% births in India happen in a facility. This 1,000 live births by 2012. However, we have still means 21.1% or about 54 lakh births in a year still not been able to achieve in 2017 the target set happen outside of a facility where hygiene levels for 2012. can be low, sometimes without the help of a trained • The uptake of the Janani Suraksha Yojana has health worker. been lesser across States having lower literacy rates. • Poor health expenditure: As per the National • Stretching the ICDS system thin: The Health Profile 2019, between 2009-10 and 2018-19, infrastructure of ICDS centres is often terrible, India’s public health spending as a percentage of which prevents them from delivering essential GDP went up by just 0.16 percentage points from services. 1.12% to 1.28% of GDP, and remains a far cry from the ◊ Anganwadi and ASHA workers are underpaid, 2.5% GDP health spend that has been India’s target overworked, and undertrained. for some years now. ◊ Absenteeism and vacancy rates are incredibly high in certain states. • Abysmal state of Public Hospitals in India: In ◊ Primary health centres which ASHAs are linked India, there is one government doctor for every are ill-equipped. At times, these health centres 10,189 people (the World Health Organization do not even have a gynaecologist. (WHO) recommends a ratio of 1:1,000), or a deficit of 600,000 doctors, and the nurse:patient ratio is • Underachievement by the Poshan Abhiyaan: 1:483, implying a shortage of two million nurses. The focus of the scheme was to reduce stunting in children aged between 0 and 6 years from • Poverty: The vast majority of the worst-performing 38.4 per cent to 25 per cent by 2022. The aim states on infant mortality rates are in the poorer of Poshan Abhiyaan is yet to be met, and there states of north-central and eastern India, although are only two more years to achieve the same. there are some high-risk districts in richer, more developed states such as Andhra Pradesh and Govt. Initiatives Gujarat. • Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY): The PMMVY is targeted only at women delivering • State-wise disparities: A study using data from their first child. A cash amount of ₹6,000 is 1983-84 to 2011-12 showed that per-capita spending transferred to the bank account of the beneficiary on health in the Indian States was the biggest in three instalments upon meeting certain predictor of infant mortality, followed by female conditions including early registration of pregnancy, literacy and urbanization. having at least one ante-natal check-up and registration of child birth. • Lack of health awareness and illiteracy: While it does help in setting up healthcare infrastructure, • Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan: the willingness of people to access this Health ministry launched an innovative scheme to infrastructure is crucial. On this count, southern provide free health check-ups to pregnant women States like Kerala and Tamil Nadu outperform, at government health centres and hospitals by because of widespread literacy. private doctors.

• The transport infrastructure of a State: the longer • “LaQshya” (Labour room Quality improvement people take to reach hospitals when their infant is Initiative): The Union Health Ministry recently sick, the higher the risk of death. announced the launch of LaQshya, a programme aimed at improving quality of care in labour room • Demographics: For example, tribal communities in and maternity operation theatre. Odisha have high rates of malnutrition, a big cause of infant mortality. • The National Health Mission is conceived as the primary tool to reach health targets: maternal • High fertility rate: High infant mortality rates are mortality ratio (MMR) of less than 70 deaths per the result of high fertility rates. Fertility doesn’t 100,000 live births, neonatal mortality rate (NMR) need to be higher to offset those losses, it needs of 12 deaths per 1,000 live births and under-five to be lower to avoid those losses. Better access to mortality rate (U5MR) of 25 deaths per 1,000 live health care for example will lower infant mortality. births.

Social Justice & Development | 76 Way forward • Shifting expenditure and efforts away from a • District wise approach: It is important to note narrow focus on family planning--a euphemism for that India experienced the highest reduction in population control--to core health priorities such mortality rate in the period 2005-2016 by focussing as communicable diseases, drug availability, and on targeted districts. Therefore, to achieve the human resource deployment. SDG-related mortality goals at the district level, it needs to intervene more rigorously than ever. If India is to achieve its SDG targets across gender, wealth and caste, it needs more attention directed • Ensuring that women go to hospitals to deliver towards infant and maternal health policies, or 2030 their children: Focus should be increased on the will–once again–see India falling short of its health Janani Suraksha Yojana, which has had a great targets. impact on infant mortality since it began in 2005.

• Strengthening the National Rural Health Mission, NCRB Crime Report, 2018: pregnant women received better care and newborn Summary immunisations improved. Recently, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) published the annual Crime in India Report 2018. • Improving mothers’ health: India has less than 15 years to halve its MMR from 130 per 100,000 • It was published with provisional data, as five live births to under 70, in order to meet a global States — West Bengal, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target--MMR Meghalaya and Sikkim — did not send clarifications lower than 70 by 2030. sought by the NCRB.

• Making Poshan Abhiyan a success by Improving Salient features of the report ICDS: • Crime on the rise: According to the bureau, overall • Using Integrated Child Development Services- crime in India increased 1.3% in 2018 compared Common Application Software extensively for to 2017, with more than 50 lakh cognisable crimes furthering of the objectives of the ICDS getting registered. Scheme. It is DNA of POSHAN Abhiyaan. • Crime rate per lakh population was down to 383.5 in • The government needs to invest in training 2018 from 388.6 the year before. and retaining quality early childhood care workers, fix the crumbling infrastructure of • Registration of crime: The 2018 data shows an many Anganwadi centres, and deal with the increase of 1.3% in registration of crime cases accusations of wasted resources compared to 2017. and widespread corruption • Crime against SC/STs: The incidents registered • Empowering Ashas: building a low cost under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes technology-enabled solution for empowering related Acts saw a decline from 6729 incidents ASHA workers by educating her though reported in 2017 to 4816 in 2018. innovative mobile learning platforms. Incentive packages for Ashas in order to motivate them. • Women and children among the more vulnerable: rate of crimes against women rose from 57.9 to 58.8, • Strengthening Primary health centres (PHCs) and crime rate against children from 28.9 to 31.8. through the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM): The Mission envisages strengthening • ‘Crime Against Children’ during 2018 were PHCs by allotting a second doctor to address Kidnapping & Abduction (44.2%) and cases under the shortage of manpower, and by providing for the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences adequate drug supply and equipment through the Act, 2012 (34.7%) including child rape. The crime Rogi Kalyan Samitis (RKSs) or other resources. rate per lakh children population is 31.8 in 2018 in comparison with 28.9 in 2017.” • Ensuring sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights for women (SRHR), which are fundamental Key data of the report: for family planning and the overall well-being of Crime against women: individuals. • Crime against women: Cruelty by husband or his relatives (31.9%) followed by assault on women with • Increasing public fundings: To reach the 2025 intent to outrage her modesty (27.6%) constituted target of spending 2.5% of GDP on health, the the major share of crimes against women, the National Health Policy mandated states to increase report said. their health spending on primary care by at least 10% every year. • Uttar Pradesh topped the list with 59,445 cases, followed by Maharashtra (35,497) and West Bengal • Education of girls, avoiding early marriage and (30,394). ensuring gender equality.

77 I Articulate • The conviction rate in rape-related cases stood at Delay in forensic reports: if the report gets delayed, the 27.2% even though the rate of filing chargesheets chargesheet too is delayed. was 85.3% in such cases. Prison statistics: Of the 4,66,084 prisoners as of • Among union territories, Delhi recorded the December 31, 2018, 1,39,488 (30%) were convicts and highest number of rapes at 1,217 in 2018. over 69% (3,23,537) were undertrials. Less than 1% comprised detenues and other inmates. • NCRB data also points to offenders being known to victims in a whopping 94% of cases. From • Overcrowded jails: The occupancy rate in prisons 223 cases of rape with murder in 2017, the count has grown from 113.7% to 117.6%. This is largely due increased to 291 in 2018. to increase in number of undertrials. • Undertrials: Of the 4,66,084 prisoners as of • Reasons: It is possible that inclusion of death December 31, 2018, (30%) were convicts and over penalty for punishment against rape encourages 69% were undertrials. Less than 1% comprised the perpetrator to kill the victim. detenues and other inmates. ◊ The number of undertrial prisoners increased Suicides report from 2,93,058 in 2016 to 3,23,537 in 2018, • Farm suicides:The NCRB’s Accidental Death and or 10.4%. Suicides in India 2018 report said that 10,349 people ◊ Uttar Pradesh had the highest number of working in the farm sector ended their lives in 2018, undertrials at 75,206, followed by Bihar (31,488) accounting for 7.7 % of the total number of suicides and Maharashtra (26,898) at the end of 2018. in the country. ◊ Nearly 2,000 children were living in jails in • The total number of people who committed suicide India along with their imprisoned mothers, as of in 2018 has increased by 3.6% from 2017. December 31, 2018.

Cyber crimes: As many as 27,248 cases of cyber crimes Pendency in police investigation: National average were registered in 2018, up from 21796 cases in 2017. is 28%. Pendency rate is calculated as cases pending investigation at the end of the year as a percentage of The number of sedition cases have doubled across the total cases registered for investigation in the same year. country, as compared to 2016, while civilian deaths due to police action, according to the data, have dropped Judicial pendency-Justice delayed: The conviction drastically from 786 in 2017 to 112 in 2018. rate in Indian Penal Code crimes has touched 50% after three decades. Unrest has grown among India’s youth: Protests led by students nearly doubled between 2014 and 2018, and a • But the criminal justice system is still failing to up lot of it moved to north Indian states. Kerala continued its game when it comes to crimes against women. In to lead the charts with 214 incidents of “rioting” by rape cases, the conviction rate is just 27%. students alleged by the police under Sections 147-151 of • Police have claimed a high chargesheeting rate the Indian Penal Code. of 85% in rape cases. But courts are failing rape survivors by being able to dispose of just 11.3% of Political killings: West Bengal is the state that recorded cases brought to trial. the maximum political killings in 2018. Analysis of the report Encounter deaths: Among states, the most number • Crime rate is a better indicator as it takes the size of of civilian deaths, too were reported from Jammu and the population into account. A state like UP would Kashmir in 2018 unlike in 2017, when the highest number always have a higher number of crimes, but its rate of deaths were reported from Haryana (431 deaths), is low because of high population. followed by Chhattisgarh (51 deaths) and then J&K. • Higher crime rate may not always indicate poor law Corruption Cases: Maharashtra recorded the highest and order: A police force registering higher number number of corruption cases for three years in a of crimes will show a higher rate on its books than a row—2016 to 2018 but the conviction rate in 2018 was force refusing to register FIRs. abysmally low at 15%. • Economic slowdown and a recurring water crisis • Pendency of corruption and vigilance cases in in rural belts : it is generally seen that stressed court was as high as 93%. sectors see more law and order issues. In 2016 there was a massive spike in agrarian riots which had a • Lenient Departmental action: NCRB data shows backdrop of farm crisis. that 18 officials were dismissed from service and only two awarded major punishment in 2018. • Some States are better than others in tracking and registering crimes: It is also a reflection of the fact • Freedom of reporting corruption cases: Over 930 that crime reporting, follow-up and subsequent cases were registered in 2018 in Maharashtra, while steps in trial and punishment are much better Uttar Pradesh registered just 84 cases. undertaken in these states like Kerala.

Social Justice & Development | 78 • Better reporting could also perhaps explain why there is a 15% increase in the total crimes against FACTOID women across all States, but the fact that this About National Crime Records Bureau number went up by 66% in a large State such as • The NCRB is an Indian government agency Uttar Pradesh must be cause for concern. responsible for collecting and analysing crime data as defined by the Indian Penal Code (IPC) • Crimes against women fell 20.8% in Delhi: The fall and Special and Local Laws (SLL). in these numbers, corresponding to the general increase in crime, could reflect the outcomes of • NCRB is headquartered in New Delhi and is better gender sensitisation in the capital region. part of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

Way forward: • NCRB was set-up in 1986 to function as In order to explore more precise and effective solutions a repository of information on crime and to criminal justice issues, NCRB must first take criminals so as to assist the investigators in steps towards ensuring the accuracy, reliability and linking crime to the perpetrators. comprehensiveness of these reports. • It was set up based on the recommendations of • Disclosure of concealed data: The government the National Police Commission (1977-1981) and must proactively provide data on important issues the MHA’s Task Force (1985). instead of furnishing data under unnecessary crime heads. About the report • The annual data for ‘Crime in India’ is furnished • Handling student activism: They indicate a failure by the 36 states and UTs and 53 metropolitan by the Centre and the states in addressing the cities, which have a population of 1 million (10 concerns of those in the 18-30 years age group. lakh or more as per population census 2011) Notably, the National Youth Policy, launched in by respective State Crime Records Bureau’s February 2014, proposed a holistic ‘vision’ for the (SCRBs) or Crime Investigation Departments youth to help them achieve their full potential. (CIDs).

• Handling corruption: The only dampener for a • The NCRB compiles and collates the data and corrupt public servant is his naming and shaming in presents it in the form of this report. the media following arrest. It would bring down his morale from indulging in corruption. • The idea is that such data collection would help the government formulate its policies • Strengthening undertrial review committees better in tackling crimes. (UTRCs) for undertrials: Set up in every district, UTRCs deliberate and recommend the release of undertrial prisoners as also of those convicts who Annual Status of Education have undergone the sentence or are entitled to be released due to bail or remission granted to them. Report (ASER) 2019 The Report- At least 25% of school children in the 4-8 age group do not possess cognitive and • Tackling Rape cases: the degree of legal punishment must be calibrated to correspond with numeracy skills as per his/her age. This has led to the degree of crime to achieve the best results. massive learning deficit at a very early stage. Punishment must be speedy for deterrent effect. • ASER surveyors visited almost 37,000 children between 4 and 8 years in 26 rural • Judicial reforms, if taken seriously, expeditious and effective justice can see alleviate the plight of the districts across 24 States. victims. • They asked each child to do a variety of tasks The goal of the government should be better testing cognitive skills — sort images by colour governance and crime prevention. and size, recognise patterns, fit together a four- piece animal puzzle — as well as simple literacy and numeracy tests.

• Social and emotional development was tracked through activities using cards with faces showing happiness, sadness, anger and fear. Key Findings- • The survey shows that among Class 1 children who could correctly do none or only one of the tasks requiring cognitive skills, about 14% could read words, while 19% could do single digit addition.

79 I Articulate • However, of those children who could correctly do • The National Early Childhood Care and all three cognitive tasks, 52% could read words, and Education curriculum framework talks about 63% could solve the addition problem. developing skills related to sequential thinking, predicting patterns, observing, reasoning and • SER data shows that children’s performance on problem solving in the preschool stage. tasks requiring cognitive skills is strongly related to their ability to do early language and numeracy • These cognitive and early language skills are highly tasks. correlated with the child’s ability to acquire further • The ASER report shows that a large number of language skills. factors determine the quality of education received at this stage, including , • Among the cognitive tasks administered in ASER • The child’s home background, especially the 2019 (seriation, pattern recognition and puzzle) mother’s education level; only 23.8% children of grade one in government • The type of school, whether anganwadis, schools could do all three tasks compared to 43.1% government schools or private pre-schools; and in private schools. The child’s age in Class 1. 2. Pre-school learning • The report also found that a classroom in a could • The private sector keeps children longer in pre- include students from a range of age-groups, school and exposes them to school-like curricula skewing towards younger children in government even before they entered school. schools. • 14% of children in anganwadis could recognise • More than a quarter of Class 1 students in letters, compared to 52.9% in private pre-schools; government schools are only 4 or 5 years old, and younger than the recommended age. The ASER data shows that these younger children struggle more • 12.9% of children in these private preschools than others in all skills. were already reading words (something they are supposed to learn in grade one) compared to 2.9% • Permitting underage children into primary grades in anganwadis. puts them at a learning disadvantage which is difficult to overcome. • Children in anganwadis do worse than private pre-school children on cognitive as well as early Analysis of the ASER report language tasks such as picture description. 1. Home factors- • Mother’s education correlates with child’s school • For instance, while 23.4% of private pre-school and ability- children could do all three cognitive tasks, only • The report says that among children in the about half (12%) of the children in anganwadis early years (ages 0-8), those with mothers who could do them. had completed eight or fewer years of schooling are more likely to be attending The findings of ASER 2019 make a clear case for anganwadis or government pre-primary classes. strengthening these early childhood education centres ◊ Whereas their peers whose mothers had so that they implement appropriate “school-readiness” studied beyond the elementary stage are more activities. A case can also be made for streamlining likely to be enrolled in private LKG/UKG classes. the curriculum at the pre-school stage so that all pre- schools focus on activities that build cognitive and • 30% of government school grade one children, early literacy and numeracy skills. These will aid further in the ASER 2019 sample, had mothers who had learning. never been to school compared to only 12% of grade one private school children.

• Home learning environment • Children who go to private schools come from relatively affluent backgrounds. • They also tend to have more educated parents. This affords them certain advantages which are not available to children who are from less advantaged families and are more likely to attend government schools.

• Some baseline abilities • Children are supposed to be exposed to activities that build their cognitive abilities and early literacy and numeracy skills.

Social Justice & Development | 80 Bru - Reang Refugee Repatriation • An amount of Rs 1.5 lakh will be provided to each family of the Bru refugees to help them in Agreement constructing their own houses and that the amount The agreement, allowing 30,000 Bru tribals to will be disbursed under Pradhan Mantri Gramin permanently settle in Tripura, was signed between the Awaas Yojana (PMAY). Centre, the state governments of Tripura and Mizoram, and Bru-Reang representatives in the national capital. National Policy For Rare Diseases Background: 2020 • The Brus spread across Tripura, Mizoram and parts The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of southern Assam & the Chittagong Hill Tracts in published a ‘National Policy For Rare Diseases 2020’. Bangladesh are the most populous tribe in Tripura. • Among other measures, the policy intends to • Also known as Reangs, they are ethnically kickstart a registry of rare diseases, which will different from the Mizos, with their own distinct be maintained by the Indian Council of Medical language and dialect. They form one of the 21 Research (ICMR). scheduled tribes of Tripura. • In Tripura, they are recognised as a Particularly Background Vulnerable Tribal Group. • Broadly, a ‘rare disease’ is defined as a health condition of low prevalence that affects a small • The Reang refugees were earlier living in Mizoram number of people when compared with other and the Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh. prevalent diseases in the general population.

• In 1997, the Bru National Union passed a resolution • Rare diseases include genetic diseases, rare demanding an autonomous district council, which cancers, infectious tropical diseases, and was opposed by the Mizoram government and the degenerative diseases. Young Mizos Association (Mizo Zirlai Pawl or MZP). • As per a report, over 50 per cent of new cases • The autonomy movement: In 1997, the Bru National are reported in children and these diseases are Liberation Front allegedly killed a Mizo forest guard. responsible for 35 per cent of deaths in those below The killing was followed by ethnic riots, forcing the age of one, 10 percent of deaths between the over 30,000 Bru villagers to flee Mizoram and seek ages of one and five, and 12 per cent between five shelter in Tripura, where they have been staying and 15. since then. • India does not have a definition of rare diseases: It • More than 40,000 Brus have been living in six is because there is a lack of epidemiological data refugee camps in northern Tripura’s Kanchanpur on their incidence and prevalence. Also there is no sub-division. universally accepted definition.

• According to a 2018 agreement between Mizoram • In India, roughly 450 rare diseases have been and Tripura government, the Bru tribals had to recorded from tertiary hospitals, of which the most settle in Mizoram, but only 327 family went in two common are Haemophilia, Thalassemia, Sickle-cell years as nobody was interested to go to Mizoram. anemia, auto-immune diseases, Gaucher’s disease, and cystic fibrosis. • Most of the Brus declined the Centre’s rehabilitation packages citing insecurity and poor • Out of all rare diseases in the world, less than five living conditions in Mizoram and had demanded per cent have therapies available to treat them. the creation of an autonomous council for the community as a precondition for vacating the relief The need for such a policy camps. • The policy was created on the direction of the Delhi High Court in response to writ petitions About the agreement: As per the agreement, the for free treatment of such diseases, due to their refugees will settle in Tripura and will be given aid for “prohibitively” high cost of treatment. their rehabilitation. • There is difficulty in collecting epidemiological data, • The Bru tribals would now be included in Tripura’s which in turn impedes the process of arriving at a voter list as per the agreement. disease burden, calculating cost estimations and • The Centre has announced a package of Rs 600 making correct and timely diagnosis, among other crore for the settlement of the tribes in Tripura. problems.

Financial assistance to Brus: • Many cases of rare diseases may be serious, chronic • The Bru refugees will get a 40 by 30 feet plot along and life-threatening. with a fixed deposit of Rs 4 lakhs, cash assistance of Rs 5,000 per month for 2 years and free ration.

81 I Articulate About the Policy • It has mentioned some measures, which include • It recognises forms of penetration other than creating a patient registry for rare diseases, arriving penile-vaginal penetration and also criminalises at a definition for rare diseases that are suited to acts of immodesty against children. India, taking legal and other measures to control the prices of their drugs and developing standardised • The Act defines a child as a person under the protocols for diagnosis and management of the age of 18 years. However, this definition is a treatment. purely biological one, and doesn’t take into account people who live with intellectual and • There are three categories of rare diseases — psycho-social disabilities. requiring one-time curative treatment, diseases that require long-term treatment but where the • According to the Act, every crime of child sexual cost is low, and those needing long-term treatments abuse should be reported. If a person who has with high cost. information of any abuse fails to report, they may face imprisonment up to six months or may • Some of the diseases in the first category include be fined or both osteopetrosis and immune deficiency disorders, among others. • The law presumes all sexual acts with children under the age of 18 is sexual offence. Therefore, • The assistance of Rs 15 lakh will be provided to two adolescents who engage in consensual patients suffering from rare diseases that require sexual act will also be punished under this law. a one-time curative treatment under the Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi scheme. • Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act, 2019 was passed with more • The beneficiaries for such financial assistance stringent provisions - would not be limited to Below Poverty Line (BPL) • Under this terms like Child Pornography, families, but extended to 40% of the population Using Child for Pornography etc.. are clearly eligible as per the norms of the Pradhan Mantri Jan defined. Arogya Yojana, for their treatment in government tertiary hospitals only. • It has also broadened the ambit of Aggravated Penetrative Sexual Assault • State Governments can consider supporting which now includes: (i) assault resulting in patients of such rare diseases that can be managed death of child, and (ii) assault committed with special diets or hormonal supplements or during a natural calamity, or in any similar other relatively low cost interventions (Diseases situations of violence. listed under Group II). • Further now even Death Penalty can be • Keeping in view the resource constraints, and given to convict of Aggravated Penetrative a compelling need to prioritize the available Sexual Assault. resources to get maximum health gains for the community/population, the Government will • It adds two other offences for storage of endeavour to create alternate funding mechanism pornographic material involving children. through setting up a digital platform for voluntary These include: (i) failing to destroy, or individual and corporate donors to contribute to delete, or report pornographic material the treatment cost of patients of rare diseases. involving a child, and (ii) transmitting, displaying, distributing such material except for the purpose of reporting it. Fast Track Special Courts: Rape and POCSO Act Cases Need: 1023 Fast Track Special Courts will be set up for Speedy • Incidents of rape and gang rape of minor girls below disposal of Rape and POCSO Act Cases under National age of twelve years and similar heinous crimes Mission for Safety of Women by Central Government. against women have shaken the conscience of the entire nation. Therefore, the offences of rape and gang rape of women and children require Connecting the Dots effective deterrence through fast and time bound The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences completion of trial relating to sexual offences. (POCSO) Act, 2012: • To bring out more stringent provisions and • It was enacted to provide a robust legal expeditious trial and disposal of such cases, Union framework for the protection of children from of India enacted the Criminal Law (Amendment) offences of sexual assault, sexual harassment Act, 2018 which brought in following changes - and pornography, while safeguarding the • Increased the minimum punishment for rape of interest of the child at every stage of the judicial women from seven years to ten years. process. • Rape and gang rape of girls below the age of 12

Social Justice & Development | 82 years carries minimum imprisonment of twenty cultural and mindset change but also encourage years and is extendable to life imprisonment or top authorities like vice-chancellors and directors death, earlier it was 10 years. to take all possible action to recruit, retain and • Rape of girls below the age of 16 years is promote more women in the STEM (science, tech, punishable with imprisonment of twenty years engineering, mathematics and medicine) sector. or life imprisonment, earlier it was 10 years. • The project aims to engage, mentor, partner and Setting up the Courts: support institutions for achieving global best • The government has started setting up of Fast Track standards for gender equality. Special Courts (FTSCs) as a part of National Mission for Safety of Women (NMSW). • The ratings — gold, silver and bronze — to STEM (science, tech, engineering, mathematics and • This would be based on pendency of subject medicine) institutes will be based on cases obtained from various High Courts (1,66,882 • The number of women occupying science numbers as on 31.03.2018) for time bound trial faculty positions in the institute, and disposal of pending cases related to rape and • How well the institute recognises contributions POCSO Act by women scientists and • The number of women fellows sent to Indian • Out of 1023 FTSCs, 389 Courts have been proposed Academy of Sciences and Indian National to be set up exclusively for POCSO Act related Science Academy. cases in Districts where pendency of such cases is • Other parameters will include PhD awardees more than 100. among women • How many women scientists returned after a sabbatical National Mission for Safety of Women: • It aims at giving a credible response to emerging • Gold grade is for institutes where beacons of situations of crimes against women, especially gender equality achievement and role models exist. minor girls. • Silver grade is for those which have identified • It focuses on time bound implementation of challenges and demonstrated impact. measures with tangible impact on women’s safety. • Bronze grade recognised institutes which are working to promote equality. • It caters at improving coordination by Stakeholder Departments; Justice, MHA, • While 20 institutes, including some Indian WCD,School Education, Health, Deity, Legal Institutes of Technology (IITs) and National Affairs, Information & Broadcasting. Institutes of Technology (NITs), have signed up to be part of the pilot, the grading system will eventually • It aims at improving monitoring at mission be rolled out across all institutes — over 90 — level of the time bound prosecution and funded partially or fully by the ministry. investigation in cases of rape and other matters related to women safety. FACTOID About Knowledge Involvement in Research Advancement through Nurturing (KIRAN) Grading on Gender Equality Basis • The programme is aimed at providing The ministry of science and technology will grade higher opportunities to women scientists who had educational institutions and research institutes that it a break in their career primarily due to family funds on gender equality from this academic year. responsibilities.

About the ratings: • The programme includes women-exclusive • The policy has been modelled after Athena SWAN schemes and encourages them to foster their (scientific women’s academic network), a charter career by undertaking research not only in that recognises and celebrates good practices in science & engineering but also for societal higher education and research institutions towards benefit besides making a career through the advancement of gender equality in the UK. entrepreneurship and training in intellectual property management. KIRAN supports • Knowledge Involvement in Research Advancement around 500 women every year in R&D, societal through Nurturing (KIRAN) division at the applications of S&T and training on Intellectual department of science and technology (DST) will Property Management. give the ratings to institutions in collaboration with the British Council. • Two new components, viz. ‘Mobility’ and ‘KIRAN Overseas Fellowship for Women in STEM’ have Objective: been initiated in 2016-17. • Ratings like these will not only bring about a

83 I Articulate Higher prevalence of mental • This is very important from the perspective of treatment of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) in the disorders in South India context of India, where human rights violations in According to the first comprehensive estimates of the name of addiction treatment are often reported. disease burden attributable to mental health from 1990 prepared by the India State-Level Disease Burden Health Action Plan by WHO- Initiative and published in the Lancet Psychiatry, Tamil • WHO’s comprehensive mental health action plan Nadu, Kerala, Telangana, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh 2013-2020 was adopted by the 66th World Health account for a higher prevalence of mental disorders Assembly. that manifest primarily during adulthood in depression and anxiety. • It focuses international attention on a long- Key findings- neglected problem and is firmly rooted in the • The study finds that roughly one in seven Indians, or principles of human rights. 197 million people, suffered from mental disorders of varying severity in 2017. • The four major objectives of the action plan are to: • These include depression, anxiety disorders, • strengthen effective leadership and governance schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, idiopathic for mental health. developmental intellectual disability, conduct • provide comprehensive, integrated and disorders, and autism. responsive mental health and social care services in community-based settings. • The contribution of mental disorders to the • implement strategies for promotion and disability adjusted life year (DALY) — the sum of prevention in mental health. total years of life lost and years lived with disability • strengthen information systems, evidence and — has doubled between 1990 and 2017 increasing research for mental health. from 2.5% to 4.7%. • Each of the four objectives is accompanied by one • Mental disorders were the second leading cause or two specific targets, which provide the basis for of disease burden in terms of years lived with measurable collective action and achievement by disability (YLDs) and the sixth leading cause of Member States towards global goals. disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) in the world in 2017. • A set of core indicators relating to these targets as well as other actions have been developed and are • In total, 45.7 million people had depressive being collected via the Mental Health Atlas project disorders, as one in three years lost due to a mental on a periodic basis. disorder was due to depression. This was followed by anxiety — a total of 44.9 million people suffered Mental health is integral to living a healthy, balanced from it and it accounted for the loss of 1 in 5 years. life. Emotional and mental health is important because it’s a vital part of your life and impacts your thoughts, • The study also found that more women than men behaviors and emotions. It plays an important part in suffered from depression (3.9% women vs 2.7% the health of our relationships, and allows us to adapt to men), anxiety (3.9% of women vs 2.7% men) and changes in our life and cope with adversity. eating disorders (0.3% in women vs 0.1% in men).

• The prevalence of conduct disorder (1% men vs Integrated Road Accident Database 0.6% women), autism spectrum disorders (0.5% in men vs 0.2 in women), and Attention-Deficit (IRAD) Hyperactivity Disorder (0.6% in men and 0.2% in The government launched a central accident database women) were substantially higher in males than in management system that will help in analysing causes females. of road crashes and in devising safety interventions to Mental Health care law in India: reduce such accidents in the country.

• The Mental Healthcare Act (MHCA), 2017, is enacted About IRAD with an aim to promote and protect the rights of • The IT tool, known as the Integrated Road Accident and improve the care and treatment for people Database (IRAD), has been developed by the Indian affected by mental illness in India. Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M) and will be implemented by the National Informatics Centre. • The Act purportedly includes substance use disorder (SUD) specifically in the definition of • The project costs ₹258 crore and is being supported mental illness itself. by the World Bank. How it works • The Act lays down various rights that include, • Around 30,000 tablets would be distributed to among others, protection from cruel, inhuman, police personnel across the country to record data or degrading treatment in any mental health on accidents establishment.

Social Justice & Development | 84 • The IRAD mobile application will enable police personnel to enter details about a road accident, Way ahead: along with photos and videos. Equal participation of women and men is critical for economic development of a country and no country • A unique ID will be created for the incident. can achieve its full potential without that. Achieving gender equality(SDG-5) is not only the right thing to do • An engineer from the Public Works Department or but it is also good for a country’s economic growth and the local body will receive an alert on his mobile development. device.

• He or she will then visit the accident site, examine it, and feed the required details, such as the road design.

• Data thus collected will be analysed by a team at IIT-M, which will then suggest if corrective measures in road design need to be taken.

• The IRAD will be improved on the basis of the learning from the trial, following which it will be rolled out across the country.

Women, Business and the Law 2020 Women, Business and the Law (WBL) 2020 is a World Bank Group project which collected unique data on the laws and regulations that are restricting women’s economic opportunities.

About the Index: • The laws and regulations affecting women’s economic inclusion in 190 economies are analyzed in this index.

• It is composed of eight indicators which Mobility, Workplace, Pay, Marriage, Parenthood, Entrepreneurship, Assets, and Pension.

Performance of various countries: 1. Economies scored a perfect 100 —Only eight economies scored perfect 100 viz Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Latvia, Luxembourg, and Sweden. These countries have ensured equal legal standing to men and women on all the eight indicators of the index.

2. The global average was 75.2 : there is a slight increase from 73.9 compared to previous index released in 2017.

3. The report highlighted,No economy in East Asia and the Pacific, Europe and Central Asia, or Latin America and the Caribbean were among the top reformers.

India’s Performance: • India is placed 117th among 190 countries.

• It scored 74.4 on par with Benin and Gambia and way below least developed countries like Rwanda and Lesotho.

85 I Articulate Schemes/ Bills / Acts | 86 Chief of Defence Staff • The United States has such a post named as Outgoing Army chief General Bipin Rawat has been chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC). appointed the country’s first Chief of Defence Staff The committee includes members of the chiefs of (CDS), effective December 31. the United States Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, • The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister and National Guard. had approved to create the post of Chief of Defence Staff in the rank of a four-star General with salary Need for CDS in India and benefits equivalent to a Service Chief. The underlying rationale for appointing a CDS is to separate management and command of the Armed Perks and retirement Forces. • CDS will have salary and perquisites at par with the • Better coordination among the three Services: three services chiefs. • India is the only major democracy in which the • The Centre notified the retirement age for the CDS Armed Forces Headquarters is outside the apex as 65 years, which will be three years more than the governmental structure. retirement age of the three service chiefs. • The CDS office will help in planning, Background of CDS in India- procurement, training, budgeting, and logistics • Colonial India had a commander-in-chief, who among the Army, Navy and IAF. headed the British Indian army. The commanders of the navy and air force were his subordinates. • Removing the fragmented approach: Our entire military power will have to work • After 1947, the post of a tri-service chief was in unison and move forward. All the three shelved and the president was made the supreme (Services) should move simultaneously at the commander of the armed forces. same pace.

• The defence ministry was made the chief link • Resolving problems with Chairman, Chiefs of Staff between the government and the armed forces. Committee (CoSC) post- CoSC is a toothless office because of its structure as a “figurehead”. • Civilian control over the military: Pakistan’s Role of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) misadventures with military coups made the Fundamentally, the CDS will perform two roles, as the civilian leadership even more keen to ensure the single point military advisor to the Defence Minister separation of army and politics. and as head of the Department of Military Affairs (DoMA). • The Indo-China war triggered a reassessment in civil-military relations with the setting up of • First role: The CDS will act as the principal military committees where military officers could take part adviser to the defence minister on tri-Services in decision making. The armed forces were also issues. given a free hand in tactical matters. • The three Chiefs will continue to render advice to the defence minister on matters pertaining • After Kargil war: The clamour for a chief of defence exclusively to their service. staff returned again after the Kargil war of 1999, where the lack of coordination between the army • The CDS is also vested with the authority to and the air force was criticised. provide directives to the three chiefs.

• The Kargil Review Committee (KRC) came up with • He has no military command over the other the proposal of CDS in 2000 for the first time and services and can only advise the government on called for apex decision-making and structure and matters that concern all three services. coordination between among the three services. • The second role: Additionally, the CDS will lead the • Naresh Chandra committee recommended for the Department of Military Affairs (DoMA) dealing with Appointment of a Permanent Chairman, Chiefs of the three services. Staff Committee (CoSC), There was no consensus • CDS will enjoy the rank of Secretary within the on the creation of the post of the Chief of Defence DoD and his powers will be confined to only the Staff (CDS) revenue budget.

• The government created the Integrated Defence • CDS is vested with the authority in prioritising Staff (IDS) in late 2002 in preparation for the post. inter-service procurement decisions as However, this has remained yet another vague Permanent Chairman-Chiefs of Staff department. Committee.

• In India, there is a post named as the Chairman, • The CDS as the PC-COSC would administer all Chiefs of Staff Committee (CSC). The senior-most tri-Services organisations including the among the three Service Chiefs are chosen as head Strategic Forces Command that function under the of the committee Nuclear Command Authority.

87 I Articulate • While the CDS does not enjoy any command Right now, the political leadership has led the way, authority, in its capacity as DoMA, it will wield and one hopes that the military and bureaucratic control over issues governing promotions, leadership will follow suit. The success of the reform travel, appointments to key posts, and overseas measures would lie in the ability to carry out structural assignments. transformation with minimum turbulence.

Why the dual role- A chief as well as an adviser? - There is a need for the CDS to act as a bridge between the Revised Guidelines for International political leadership and the military instrument, which Mutual Legal Assistance has to encompass the shaping of the military through long term plans that are guided politically. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued Revised Guidelines for Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Functions of CDS- Matters in December 2019. • Promoting joint manship: This ‘single-point military adviser’ will be able to analyse the operational strengths and weaknesses and the Mutual Legal Assistance: interdependence of each of the services on the • Mutual Legal Assistance is a mechanism other to meet the complex emerging challenges in a whereby countries cooperate with one nuclear environment. another in order to provide and obtain formal assistance in prevention, suppression, • Conceptualize and implement the transformation investigation and prosecution of crime of the forces into theatre commands. to ensure that criminals do not escape or sabotage the due process of law for want of • Optimize defence economics and make evidence available in different countries. expenditure more effective as CDS will also be in charge of defence procurements under the revenue • India provides mutual legal assistance in budget. criminal matters through Bilateral Treaties/ Agreements, Multilateral Treaties/Agreements • CDS will be member of Defence Acquisition Council or International Conventions or on the basis and Defence Planning Committee: His role is to of assurance of reciprocity. ensure that acquisitions do not exceed capital allocations. • It will be confined to the acquisition matters Background: exclusive to each service. • In order to streamline the process of rendering/ seeking such assistance, MHA had issued • The Department of Defence (DoD) will continue guidelines regarding investigation abroad & issue of to control the procurement of big-ticket items Letters Rogatory (LRs) in 2007 & regarding Service such as warships or fighter aircraft, of Summons/Notices/ Judicial process on the persons residing abroad in 2009. • As the head of the Department of Military Affairs (DoMA) dealing with the three services. • Further India has entered into Mutual Legal • As head of department, the CDS will now be Assistance Treaties/ Agreements with 42 answerable to Parliament. countries and is signatory to various international conventions i.e. UN Convention against corruption, • Function as the Military Adviser to the Nuclear UN Convention against transnational organised Command Authority. crime etc.

• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is the International best practices: China’s military designated ‘Central Authority’ for India. Generally, reforms assistance is sought and received in the form • As part of its modernisation drive, China of Mutual Legal Assistance Requests/Letters has already slashed its army strength by Rogatory and Service of Summons/Notices/Judicial three lakh troops. documents on persons residing abroad.

• Plus, it has a head start in integration Need of Guidelines: with the PLA, PLA Strategic Support • The transnational nature of crime and digital Force, PLA Rocket Force, PLA Navy and explosion has blurred geographical boundaries for PLA Air Force much better integrated criminal activities. under Beijing’s Central Military Commission. • Availability of evidence and criminals outside the sovereign jurisdiction of countries has necessitated the transformation of scope and nature of conventional investigation.

Security | 88 Significance: • The revised guidelines provide step-by-step or search premises without a warrant; and guidance to the investigation agencies for drafting ban the possession of firearms. and processing Letters Rogatory / Mutual Legal Assistance Requests and Service of Summons, • Any person arrested or taken into custody Notices & other Judicial Documents. may be handed over to the officer in charge of the nearest police station along with a report • By incorporating various legal and technological detailing the circumstances that led to the developments in the recent years, it aims to make arrest. the documentation in this regard more precise and focused as well as compliant with International What is a “disturbed area” and who has the requirements. power to declare it?

• The guidelines have also taken into account the • A disturbed area is one which is declared by concerns raised by various courts for prompt notification under Section 3 of the AFSPA. and timely responses in service of documents on persons residing abroad. As an initiative, the revised • An area can be disturbed due to differences guidelines have provisions for service of documents or disputes between members of different on authorities of foreign country preferably within religious, racial, language or regional groups or 10 days of receipt of request in respect of offences castes or communities. committed against women and children. • The Central Government or the Governor • Training in mutual legal assistance in criminal of the State or administrator of the Union matters has also been taken up for investigators, Territory can declare the whole or part of the prosecutors and judicial officers. State or Union Territory as a disturbed area.

Over the decade, there have been substantial • A suitable notification would have to be made changes in International Cooperation based on in the Official Gazette. new legislations, regulations & conventions and amendment in procedural laws all over the world • As per Section 3, it can be invoked in places including India. These changes necessitated the need where “the use of armed forces in aid of the for comprehensive review of existing guidelines to keep civil power is necessary”. them abreast the modern era requirements. • The Ministry of Home Affairs would usually enforce this Act where necessary, but there AFSPA extended in Nagaland have been exceptions where the Centre The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has declared the decided to forego its power and leave the entire State of Nagaland as a “disturbed area” for six decision to the State governments. more months, under the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) which empowers security • The notification declaring Manipur and forces to conduct operations anywhere and arrest Assam as “Disturbed Areas’ has been issued anyone without prior notice. by the State governments. For Nagaland, the notification is issued by the MHA. • The AFSPA has been in force in the Northeast since 1958. Nagaland acquired statehood in 1963. Which States are, or had come under this Act? • It is effective in the whole of Nagaland, Assam, Manipur (excluding seven assembly About AFSPA constituencies of Imphal) and parts of • The Act came into force in the context of Arunachal Pradesh. increasing violence in the Northeastern States decades ago, which the State • The Centre revoked it in Meghalaya on April 1, governments found difficult to control. 2018. Earlier, the AFSPA was effective in a 20 km area along the Assam-Meghalaya border. • It gives the armed forces the power to maintain public order in “disturbed areas”. • In Arunachal Pradesh, the impact of AFSPA was reduced to eight police stations instead • They have the authority to prohibit a of 16 police stations and in Tirap, Longding gathering of five or more persons in an and Changlang districts bordering Assam. area, can use force or even open fire after giving due warning if they feel a person is in • Tripura withdrew the AFSPA in 2015. Jammu contravention of the law. and Kashmir too has a similar Act.

• If reasonable suspicion exists, the army can also arrest a person without a warrant; enter

89 I Articulate AFSPA in Nagaland • In a notification, the MHA said the central About Naga issue government is of the opinion that the area • The NSCN-IM has been fighting for ‘Greater comprising the whole state of Nagaland is in such a Nagaland’ or Nagalim — it wants to extend “disturbed and dangerous condition” that the use of Nagaland’s borders by including Naga- armed forces in aid of the civil power is necessary. dominated areas in neighbouring Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, to unite 1.2 • Nagaland has been under AFSPA for almost six million Nagas. decades now and it was not withdrawn even after a framework agreement was signed on August 3, 2015, Framework Agreement signed with the by Naga insurgent group National Socialist Council NSCN-IM of Nagaland (Isak Muivah) General Secretary Thuingaleng Muivah and government interlocutor • It was signed between NSCN(IM) and govt. of R.N. Ravi in the presence of Prime Minister India in 2015. But the details about it were not Narendra Modi. shared.

• Fall in insurgency: According to Home Ministry • In 2018, the government informed data, violent incidents have fallen from 77 in 2014 to Parliamentary Standing Committee on 19 in 2017, while extremists’ killing slid from 296 to Home Affairs in Rajya Sabha that it signed 171. a framework agreement with the National • The Home Ministry has underlined that Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah incidents of insurgency in northeast region (NSCN-IM) after it agreed on a settlement down by 96 per cent from the levels recorded within the Indian federation with a “special in 1997. status.”

• Concerns: The decision to maintain the status • Article 371A, which guarantees special quo in Nagaland regarding coverage of AFSPA, constitutional status to Nagaland, could a law slammed by many civil society groups as also be extended to Naga-inhabited areas in “draconian”, comes even as the insurgency has neighbouring Manipur, Assam and Arunachal shown a declining trend in the state. Pradesh.

• The Nagas had now reached a common understanding with the government that boundaries of any State will neither be changed nor altered.

• The challenge for the govt. is to provide Naga sense of identity without acceding the claims on territories of other states.

BrahMos Missile The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) carried out two successful tests of the latest variant of the BrahMos missile, one from the land platform and the other from air.

About test- • Test has validated the ship attack capability of the Air-Launched Cruise Missile(ALCM).

• During the test, the missile was gravity-dropped from the fuselage of a Su-30 and the two-stage missile’s engine fired up. The missile propelled towards a target ship at the sea, destroying it with pinpoint accuracy.

• This was the third air-based test of the missile and marked the completion of the integration of BrahMos missile with the Sukhoi-30 MKI aircraft.

Source: Indian Express

Security | 90 • After it is fired, the missile guides itself by some combination of gyroscopes and accelerometers, GPS, organic active radar homing, and infrared homing optics.

BrahMos has undergone development through the early 2000s till date. Its land-to-land, submarine-fired and now air-fired variants have been developed stage by stage. Each new version has something additional compared to the previous version.

India successfully test-fires QRSAM system The Quick Reaction Surface to Air Missile (QRSAM) system was flight-tested from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur from a base off Odisha coast.

• It is the seventh-test that took place and with this mission, the developmental trials of the weapon Source: jatinverma.org system have been successfully completed. About BrahMos- • An amalgam of the names of the rivers Brahmaputra • It is likely to be inducted into the armed forces by and Moskva, BrahMos is being produced by 2021. BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture company set up by DRDO and Mashinostroyenia of Russia in 1998.

• The first version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was inducted into the Indian Navy in 2005, meant to be fired from INS Rajput.

• BrahMos is a cruise missile, meaning it can be guided towards a predetermined land- or sea-based target. The BrahMos is the fastest supersonic cruise missile in the world.

• With a capability to attain speeds 2.8 times that of sound (Mach 2.8), BrahMos is classified as supersonic cruise missile.

• A newer version under development is aimed at flying at speeds greater than Mach 5. These are called hypersonic cruise missiles.

• The missile operates on a ‘Fire and Forget Principle’ and carries a conventional warhead weighing 200 to Source: jatinverma.org 300kg. About QRSAM system- • It is developed in association with Bharat Fire and Forget Principle: Electronics Limited and Bharat Dynamics Limited • A type of missile guidance which does not for the Indian Army. require further guidance after launch such as illumination of the target or wire guidance, • This missile is an all-weather, all-terrain surface- and can hit its target without the launcher to-air missile equipped with electronic counter being in line-of-sight of the target. measures against jamming by aircraft radars.

• Information about the target is programmed • The missile can be mounted on a truck and is stored into the missile just prior to launch. This can in a canister. include coordinates, radar measurements (including velocity), or an infrared image of • It uses solid-fuel propellant and has a range of 25- the target. 30 km.

91 I Articulate • QRSAM is a compact weapon system and is mobile. • Indian Navy warships and aircraft were deployed to It has a fully automated Command and Control establish presence, provide a sense of reassurance System. to the Indian merchantmen, monitor the ongoing situation and respond to any emergent crises • The missile system comprises of two four-walled radars apart from the launcher both of which Indian Navy continues to monitor the situation in the encompass a 360-degree coverage. Gulf region and is maintaining a presence in the region to ensure the security of our sea borne trade and the safety of Indian Flag Merchant Vessels transiting Operation Sankalp through the region. A press statement was released by the Ministry of Defence regarding Operation Sankalp. Indian Cyber Crime About Operation Sankalp: • Indian Navy had launched Maritime Security Coordination Centre Union Minister for Home Affairs recently inaugurated Operation in June 2019 which was named the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) and Operation Sankalp and aimed at ensuring the safety also dedicated National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal and security of Indian Flag vessels in the Gulf region to the nation. This state-of-the-art Centre is located in through the Strait of Hormuz. New Delhi.

Strait of Hormuz: • It will be set up under the newly created Cyber and • The Strait of Hormuz lies between the Persian Gulf Information Security (CIS) division of the MHA. and the Gulf of Oman. About I4C scheme: • It provides the only sea passage from the Persian • The scheme to setup I4C was approved in Gulf to Gulf of Oman and thereby to open ocean. October 2018 at an estimated cost of Rs. 415.86 crore – to deal with all types of cybercrimes in a comprehensive and coordinated manner.

• The I4C will assist in centralizing cyber security investigations, prioritize the development of response tools and bring together private companies to contain the menace.

• At the initiative of the Union Ministry for Home Affairs (MHA), 15 States and UTs have given their consent to set up Regional Cyber Crime Coordination Centres at respective States/UTs.

Need for the scheme: Asia is the region most targeted by cyber-attackers, resulting in significant economic losses. As the region continues to play a key role in the global economic market, these cyber threats are expected to increase. Over 460 million people in India currently use the internet, leaving them vulnerable to online criminals – both individuals and organized syndicates.

Components of the scheme: The scheme has following seven components: Source: bbc.com • The operation is being progressed in close (i National Cybercrime Threat Analytics Unit. coordination with all stakeholders including (ii) National Cybercrime Reporting Portal. Ministry of Defence, Ministry of External Affairs, (iii) Platform for Joint Cybercrime Investigation Ministry of Shipping, Ministry of Petroleum and Team. Natural Gas and DG, Shipping. (iv National Cybercrime Forensic Laboratory Ecosystem. Need of Launching the Operation: (v) National Cybercrime Training Centre. • In the backdrop of deteriorating security situation (vi) Cybercrime Ecosystem Management Unit. in the Gulf region between U.S and Iran especially (vii) National Cyber Research and Innovation after Iranian forces shot down a US military drone Centre. flying over the Strait of Hormuz; the Indian navy was compelled to start Maritime Security Operation code named Op SANKALP in the Gulf Region.

Security | 92 National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal: • National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (www. cybercrime.gov.in) is a citizen-centric initiative that will enable citizens to report cybercrimes online through the portal.

• All the cybercrime related complaints will be accessed by the concerned law enforcement agencies in the States and Union Territories for taking action as per law.

• This portal was launched on pilot basis on 30th August, 2019 and it enables filing of all cybercrimes with specific focus on crimes against women, children, particularly child pornography, child sex abuse material, online content pertaining to rapes/ gang rapes, etc.

• So far, more than 700 police districts and more than 3,900 police stations have been connected with this Portal.

Advantages of portal • After successful completion, this portal can improve the capacity of the law enforcement agencies to investigate the cases and will improve success in prosecution.

• This portal also focuses on specific crimes like financial crime and social media related crimes like stalking, cyber bullying, etc.

• This portal will improve coordination amongst the law enforcement agencies of different States, districts and police stations for dealing with cybercrimes in a coordinated and effective manner.

MHA is committed to provide and create an ecosystem for dealing with cybercrimes in a comprehensive & coordinated manner.

In future, this portal will provide for Chabot for automated interactive assistance system to the public for guidance on cybercrime prevention and how to report incidents on the portal.

93 I Articulate Schemes/ Bills / Acts | 94 Coronavirus (hydrochloric acid and nitric acid). An outbreak of novel coronavirus (nCoV) in Wuhan, China, which has also spread to Thailand and Japan, Significance: has stoked fear across the world. So far, 41 casualties More than four crore people in rural India drink water including two deaths have been confirmed in China’s contaminated by heavy metals, fluoride, arsenic, and Wuhan City. nitrate. The technology can be helpful in resolving India’s water purification problem. About the virus: • Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses • India’s 42 rivers have at least two toxic heavy metals causing illnesses from the common cold to more beyond the permissible limit, says a research severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory conducted by Central Water Commission. Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). A novel • West Bengal is the worst-affected with 39 per cent coronavirus is a new strain that has not been of India’s affected population living in that State. previously identified in humans.

• Common symptoms include fever, cough, and Connecting the Dots breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, the infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute Nanostructures are structures that range respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even between 1 nm (molecular scale) and 100 nm in at death. least one dimension.

• Mode of Transmission: Coronaviruses are • Most are synthetic and can be engineered to considered to be transmitted between animals and wide range of physical properties. humans. SARS-CoV was transmitted from civet cats • Nanosurfaces, cylindrical nanotubes, and to humans. nanospheres are common nanostructures. • Air transmission- by coughing and sneezing. • Carbon nanostructures include various low- • Through contact- such as touching or shaking dimensional allotropes of carbon including hands. carbon black (CB), carbon fiber, carbon • Touching an object or surface with the virus on nanotubes (CNTs), fullerene, and graphene. it, then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes. CNTs, and graphene have very unique • Fecal contamination. properties. CNTs can be categorized into semiconducting or metallic according to their Carbon-based nanostructure atomic structure. removes heavy metals from water Uses: Nanocomposite carbon-based substrates Simultaneously removing heavy metals such as arsenic, are a large group of materials promising for chromium, cadmium and mercury from wastewater medicine and various biotechnologies, for hard with very high efficiency now appears possible, thanks tissue implantation, constructing biosensors to the work of researchers at the Indian Institute of and biostimulators or micropatterned surfaces Technology (IIT) Bombay. for creation of cell microarrays for advanced genomics and proteomics. About the experiment: • The team tested the ability of the structure to About heavy metals adsorb heavy metals in industrial effluent over a • The term heavy metal refers to any metallic range of pH conditions (pH 2-13). chemical element that has a relatively high density and is toxic or poisonous at low • The Marigold-like structure is nanostructure made concentrations. Examples of heavy metals of carbon that has high specific surface area, include mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), arsenic optimal porosity and pore volume. (As), chromium (Cr), thallium (Tl), and lead (Pb). • The carbon-based nanostructure that the team fabricated shows 80-90% adsorption efficiency for all the four heavy metals studied. GSAT-30 Recently the nation’s latest communication satellite, How it purifies water? GSAT-30, was sent to space from the Guiana Space • When the water containing the heavy metals comes Centre in Kourou. in contact with the nanostructure, the majority of adsorption first takes place in the micropores. About GSAT-30: • The 3,357-kg satellite will replace INSAT-4A which • Since the heavy metals chemically react and bind was launched in 2005 and marks the first mission of to the surface of the nanostructure, they do not the year for Indian Space Research Organization. leach back into the water. They can be recovered by treating the nanostructure with mild acid • The high-power satellite is equipped with 12 normal

95 I Articulate C band and 12 Ku band transponders. The unique US and Canadian brain templates for anatomical configuration of the satellite will provide flexible details for surgery and treatment of Indian patients. frequency segments and flexible coverage. • Brahma can be used for research and later can be • In a flight lasting over 38 minutes, European validated for clinical use for surgical procedure. This Ariane-5 space vehicle released GSAT-30 in an template will be available for academic use free of initial elliptical geosynchronous orbit. charge.

• The development of the Indian brain template will • Arianespace, the European launch service be helpful to achieve a more accurate and precise operator, said it has now sent 24 Indian allocation of brain regions in neurosurgery. communication satellites to orbit over the last 30 years. • It uses the brain’s stress levels and pH for early • The APPLE experimental satellite of 1981 was identification of brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s its first Indian contract. disease, Parkinson’s disease, depression and • It last launched another replacement satellite schizophrenia. - GSAT-31, in February 2019.

Applications of GSAT-30 GSAT-30 will provide -

• DTH (direct to home) television services

• Connectivity to VSATs (that support working of banks) ATMs, stock exchange, television uplinking and teleport services, digital satellite news gathering and e-governance applications.

• The satellite will also be used for bulk data transfer for a host of emerging telecommunication applications. Source: anatomy.co.uk Though the human brain is highly different in shape • The satellite will provide communication services and size between individuals and basic demographics, to Indian mainland and islands through the Ku according to scientists. Research was focused to band and wide coverage over Gulf countries, a large develop the population specific brain template to number of Asian countries and Australia through understand this variability. the C band. The brain has huge complexity and brain functionality Why foreign launch? is not completely understood till date. It will be • ISRO hired a foreign launcher as GSAT-30 is much immensely important to conduct multimodal brain heavier than the 2,000-kg lifting capacity of its study to understand psychiatric disorders such as geostationary launch vehicle GSLV-MkII. depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorders.

• As for the newer and more powerful GSLV-MkIII that can lift up to 4,000 kg, the space agency plans Shape of Sun’s corona Accurately to save the two or three upcoming MkIIIs mainly for Predicted its first human space flight Gaganyaan of 2022 and Solar physicists from Centre for Excellence in Space two preceding crew-less trials. Sciences (CESSI), IISER Kolkata, have succeeded in predicting the shape of the Sun’s corona at the time of Brahma - Brain Template the annular eclipse. A team of scientists at the Neuroimaging and Neuro Spectroscopy Laboratory (NINS) of the National Brain • This is the second successful prediction, counting Research Center (NBRC), Manesar, Haryana, has the last solar eclipse that was viewed from South developed a brain template, Brahma, which will show America on July 2 this year. intrinsic details about the anatomy of the Indian brain. • The earlier prediction differed slightly from the actual image, this time, it has been pretty About Template Brahma & Its significance- close to the real thing. This was imaged by NASA • Brain template is a gross representation from and European Space Agency’s space-based various brain images to understand brain Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) functionality in diseased conditions. using the LASCO instrument.

• Brahma will be a crucial guide for Indian brain • The Predictive Solar Surface Flux Transport model scientists as doctors have so far relied solely on developed by the CESSI team can predict the shape of the corona well in advance.

Science & Technology | 96 from water hyacinth were found to be selective and extremely sensitive for detection of the herbicide- Pretilachlor could detect even very small quantity of the herbicide.

FACTOID Common water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes): An aquatic plant native to the Amazon basin and is often a highly aggressive invasive species outside its native range.

Pretilachlor: Synthetic selective herbicide and is used to control Source: enchantedlearning.com annual grasses, broad-leaved weeds and sedges in Technology & Process rice and works by inhibiting cell division. • They had used inputs and made the prediction 43 days ahead of the eclipse. Herbicide pollution: Herbicides are frequently used in the chemical • The only way to verify these models is to either control of weeds in various crops and so they are have photographs taken during the eclipse which more frequently detected outside the agricultural captures the Sun’s corona or use space- or ground- areas, contributing to the risk of environmental based instruments which use an artificial disc to contamination. occult the Sun’s surface to make the faint corona Carbo Carbon dots: visible When if a nanoparticle is less than 10 nanometer we call it a dot or nano-dot. Carbon dots are able to • The only option was to use a coronagraph with an give green fluorescence under UV light. occulting disc. • Since this was an annular eclipse with a ring of bright solar surface visible, the corona was not directly observable. Goldilocks zone NASA has reported the discovery of an Earth-size planet, named TOI 700 d, orbiting its star in the • The researchers used the images generated by the “Goldilocks zone”. space based coronagraph instrument LASCO on board the SOHO satellite. • Because the only functional one in the world Connecting the Dots is in Hawaii in Mount Mauna Loa which has Goldilocks zone been having bad weather. Also it was night in • A habitable zone, also called the “Goldilocks Hawaii when the eclipse happened. zone” is the area around a star where it is not too hot and not too cold for liquid water to exist Significance- on the surface of surrounding planets. • This gives advance knowledge and a large window of preparedness for space weather driven by • Our Earth is in the Sun’s Goldilocks zone. If coronal magnetic fields. Earth were where the dwarf planet Pluto is, all • Space weather consists of the varying its water would freeze; on the other hand, if conditions such as solar wind and is different Earth were where Mercury is, all its water would from weather on earth. boil off.

• It helps to deal with the situation when the About TOI 700 d: dynamic events on the Sun can affect Earth’s • TOI 700 d measures 20% larger than Earth. outer atmosphere and our technologies, leading to disruption in communication and navigation • It orbits its star once every 37 days and receives an networks (GPS). amount of energy that is equivalent to 86% of the energy that the Sun provides to Earth. Herbicide pollution to be Detected • The star, TOI 700, is an “M dwarf” located just over by Carbon Dots 100 light-years away in the southern constellation • Researchers from Assam have made use of the Dorado, is roughly 40% of our Sun’s mass and size, commonly found invasive plant water hyacinth to and has about half its surface temperature. produce carbon nanoparticles. • Two other planets orbit the star — TOI 700 b, which • These nano-particles can be used for detecting a is almost exactly Earth-size, probably rocky, and commonly used herbicide- Pretilachlor. which completes an orbit every 10 days, and TOI 700 c, the middle planet, which is 2.6 times larger than • The carbon dots or carbon nano-particles produced

97 I Articulate Earth, is probably gas-dominated, and orbits every Biotechnology Information (NCBI), H9N2 viruses are 16 days. found worldwide in wild birds and are endemic in poultry in many areas. However, they are somewhat • The find was confirmed by the Spitzer Space neglected. Telescope, which sharpened the measurements that TESS had made, such as orbital period and size. • According to a recent report by NCBI, H9N2 viruses could potentially play a major role in the emergence Significance of the discovery: water is a necessary of the next influenza pandemic. ingredient for life so when scientists search for the possibility of alien life, any rocky exoplanet in the • The first case globally was reported from Hong habitable zone of its star is an exciting find. Kong in 1998. A total of 28 cases in China have been reported since December 2015. Cases continue to • NASA said future missions may be able to identify be reported mainly from mainland China and Hong whether the planets have atmospheres and, if so, Kong. even determine their compositions. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), • Very few such Earth-size planets have been found with avian influenza viruses circulating in poultry, so far, including some by NASA’s Kepler mission, there is a risk for sporadic infection and small clusters and this one is the first such discovery by TESS. of human cases due to exposure to infected poultry or contaminated environments. Therefore, sporadic Indian Space Flight Centre human cases are not unexpected. The Indian Space Flight Centre will come at site at Human infections rare Challekere in Karnataka’s Chitradurga district. • H9N2 virus infections in humans are rare, but likely under-reported due to typically mild symptoms of About the Space Flight Centre the infections. • The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has proposed a ₹ 2,700-crore master plan to create • The virus has, however, spread extensively among top infrastructure that will house its Human Space poultry populations. Surveillance for influenza Flight Centre (HSFC). viruses in poultry in Bangladesh during 2008-2011 found H9N2 virus to be the predominant subtype. • Currently, HSP work is split across various centres. First case in India • Apart from all this work, Challakere will also host • The virus was picked up during a community-based work related to crew and service modules of the surveillance study in villages of Korku tribes in spacecraft that carries the astronauts and mission Melghat district of Maharashtra. control. • In the process, they identified A (H9N2) virus • The Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC) is a body infection in one boy. The child had fever, cough, under Indian Space Research Organisation to breathlessness, and difficulty in feeding for two coordinate Indian Human Spaceflight Programme. days after illness, and was fully immunized with treatment. • The agency will be responsible for implementation of the Gaganyaan project. • The child was not exposed to poultry.

H9N2 A call for surveillance Indian scientists have detected the country’s first case According to NIV scientists, H9N2 viruses have been of infection with a rare variant of the virus that causes observed in poultry in India several times. Now, avian influenza, or bird flu. identification of the first clinical human cases of H9N2 virus infection highlights the importance of systemic • Recently, US Centers for Disease Control and surveillance in humans and animals to monitor this Prevention (CDC) and scientists of the National threat to human health. Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, have reported avian influenza A (H9N2) virus infection in a 17-month-old boy in Maharashtra.

The A (H9N2) virus • H9N2 is a subtype of influenza A virus, which causes human influenza as well as bird flu.

• The H9N2 subtype was isolated for the first time in Wisconsin, US in 1966 from turkey flocks.

• According to the US National Centre for

Science & Technology | 98 NASA’s Artemis mission • China landed two rovers on the surface, which includes the first-ever landing on the Moon’s far NASA wants to send the first woman and the next man side in 2019. to the Moon by the year 2024, which it plans on doing through the Artemis lunar exploration program. Artemis Program • With the Artemis program, NASA wishes to demonstrate new technologies, capabilities and business approaches that will ultimately be needed for the future exploration of Mars.

• For the Artemis program, NASA’s new rocket called the Space Launch System (SLS) will send astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft a quarter of a million miles away from Earth to the lunar orbit.

• The astronauts going for the Artemis program will wear a newly designed spacesuits, called Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit, or xEMU with features like advanced mobility and communications .

NASA and the Moon • The US began trying to put people in space as early as in 1961. Eight years later, on July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first human to step on the Moon as part of the Apollo 11 mission.

• Armstrong along with Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin walked around the moon for over three hours, doing experiments and picking up bits and pieces of Moondust and rocks.

• Apart from the purpose of space exploration itself, NASA’s endeavour to send Americans to the Moon again is to demonstrate American leadership in space, and to establish a strategic presence on the Moon, while expanding the US global economic impact.

Moon exploration • In 1959, the Soviet Union’s uncrewed Luna 1 and 2 became the first rover to visit the Moon. Since then, seven nations have followed suit.

• In 2009, the US began a new series of robotic lunar missions with the launch of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS).

• In 2011, NASA began the ARTEMIS (Acceleration, Reconnection, Turbulence, and Electrodynamics of the Moon’s Interaction with the Sun) mission using a pair of repurposed spacecraft and in 2012 the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) spacecraft studied the Moon’s gravity.

• Apart from the US, the European Space Agency, Japan, China, and India have sent missions to explore the Moon.

• The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) recently announced India’s third lunar mission Chandrayaan-3, which will comprise a lander and a rover.

99 I Articulate Schemes/ Bills / Acts | 100 Nepal’s Seke Language Periyar Role in Vaikom Satyagraha Recently, The New York Times reported that the “near- Vaikom satyagraha is a metaphor for social justice, extinct” Nepalese language Seke has just 700 speakers where periyar’s leadership played a pivotal role. around the world. Of these, 100 are in New York, and roughly half of these 100 stay in one building in the city. Background • According to the prevalent caste system in Kerala About Nepal’s Seke Language: and the rest of India, low-caste Hindus were not • According to the Endangered Language Alliance allowed to enter the temples.In Kerala, they were (ELA), Seke is one of the over 100 indigenous not even allowed to walk on the roads that led to languages of Nepal. the temples also.

• In the Kakinada meet of the Congress Party in Endangered Language Alliance (ELA): 1923, T K Madhavan presented a report citing the Founded in 2010, the Endangered Language Alliance discrimination that the depressed castes’ people (ELA) is a non-profit based dedicated to supporting were facing in Kerala. linguistic diversity and endangered languages in New York City and beyond. • It was after this session that movements against untouchability needs to be promoted.In Kerala, ELA’s unique network of researchers, activists, and a committee was formed comprising people of students documents the speech, stories, and songs different castes to fight untouchability. of immigrant, refugee, and diaspora communities, bringing it to a wider audience. • The committee chaired by K Kelappan, comprised of T K Madhavan, Velayudha Menon, K Neelakantan Namboothiri and T R Krishnaswami Iyer. • In recent years, Seke has been retreating in the face of Nepali, which is Nepal’s official language and is • In February 1924, they decided to launch a ‘Kerala considered to be crucial for getting educational and Paryatanam’ in order to get temple entry and employment opportunities outside villages. also the right to use public roads for every Hindu irrespective of caste or creed. • As per UNESCO, roughly 57 per cent of the world’s estimated 6,000 languages are safe, about 10 per Significance of the Vaikom Satyagraha: cent are vulnerable, 10.7 percent are definitely • It became a first struggle for human rights in India It endangered, about 9 per cent are severely became a laboratory for testing important methods endangered, 9.6 percent are critically endangered such as Satyagrahas. and about 3.8 per cent of all languages are extinct since 1950. • Instilled rationality among the masses.

• As per the Endangered Languages Project (ELP), Role of periyar in Vaikom Satyagraha there are roughly 201 endangered languages in • Unrelenting Leadership India and about 70 in Nepal. Further to signify their • The satyagraha began on March 30,1924 with the importance UN declared 2019 as the International active support of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Year of Indigenous Languages. Committee(KPCC).

• The KPCC wrote to Periyar pleading with him to Endangered Languages Project (ELP) lead the satyagraha. As he was then the president of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee, Periyar • It is a worldwide collaboration between handed over temporary charge to Rajaji before indigenous language organizations, linguists, reaching Vaikom on April 13, 1924. institutions of higher education, and key industry partners to strengthen endangered • He was part of every consultative meeting, peace languages. committee, campaign party, etc., including the eight-member deputation constituted to meet the • The foundation of the project is a website, Diwan. which was launched in June 2012. • Every major personality who came to Vaikom met • The goals of the ELP are to foster exchange of with Periyar this included Swami Shraddhananda information related to at-risk languages and of the Arya Samaj,Rajaji met Periyar,Sree Narayana accelerate endangered language research Guru and Gandhi. and documentation, to support communities engaged in protecting or revitalizing their • From that date to the day of the victory languages etc. celebrations, November 29, 1925, he was in the thick of the struggle giving it leadership at a critical juncture.

101 I Articulate Countering orthodoxy through Rationality Success of Vaikom Satyagraha • Usage of wit and folk logic to punch holes in the argument of the orthodox. • The satyagraha ended in partial victory in November 1925: three out of four streets were • Speeches of periyar reported by the secret police thrown open. and the press make for interesting relevance today . • Final victory came 11 years later with the Travancore Generated mass support Temple Entry Proclamation of 1936. • Mobilization of masses in the villages around Vaikom. No wonder,Kalyanasundara Mudaliar, the great journalist and labour leader, called Periyar the Vaikom • Periyar campaigned tour stretched to Veerar, the hero of Vaikom, even at the time of the Thiruvananthapuram and even further to Nagercoil. struggle.

Periyarist vs Gandhian view Differences Periyar Gandhi

Gandhian approach of caste discrimination was reformative in Periyar was against Brahmanism, nature. Gandhi supported ancient the Hindu religion. classification of Hindu society into four varnas (BKSV). Caste System He established the idea of Self- For him Varna system reflects Respect marriages for non- dharma (moral obligation) and brahmins, marriages conducted the division of labour which without priests or religious vows. is essential for the better functioning of a strong and moral society.

Gandhian socialism is the branch of socialism based on the Socialism He preached a crude kind of nationalist interpretation of the socialism devoid of any religious theories of Mahatma Gandhi. affiliation. Gandhian socialism generally centres on Hind Swaraj or Indian Home Rule authored by Gandhi.

Periyar was a strong proponent for women’s education and gender Emancipation of equality. He insisted that women Mahatma Gandhi played a crucial women have the right to choose their life role in the emancipation of partners and also to walk out of women in India by inspiring and a failed marriage. He said that encouraging them to get involved bearing a child too is, ultimately, a in the political movement woman’s choice.

Idea of India Vouched for Dravidian land, Gandhiji wanted a united India a separate country for South without discrimination of religion Indians. and community.

Diversity, Art & Culture | 102 Swami Vivekananda Vishishtadvaita, and Dvaita. January 12 is the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, the famous Hindu spiritual leader and • It is a Sanskrit word meaning “end of intellectual from the late 19th century. knowledge”, a compound of two words “Veda” meaning “Knowledge” and “ Anta” meaning In his honour, the government of India in 1984 declared “End”. his birthday as National Youth Day. • Its essence is the philosophy of eternal living About Swami Vivekanand which leads to “Self- Realization”. • Vivekananda was born in Kolkata on January 12, 1863, as Narendra Nath Datta. • From an early age, he nurtured an interest in Western philosophy, history, and theology, and Classical language(s) in India went on to meet the religious leader Ramakrishna At the recently concluded 93rd edition of the Akhil Paramhansa, who later became his Guru. Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan, a resolution • He remained devoted to Ramakrishna until the was passed demanding the declaration of Marathi as a latter’s death in 1886. ‘Classical’ language.

Role of Swami Vivekananda ‘Classical’ languages and their classification • An important religious reformer in India, Swami Vivekananda is known to have introduced the • Currently, six languages enjoy the ‘Classical’ status: Hindu philosophies of Yoga and Vedanta to the Tamil (declared in 2004), Sanskrit (2005), Kannada West. (2008), Telugu (2008), Malayalam (2013), and Odia (2014). • Through his speeches and lectures, Vivekananda worked to disseminate his religious thought. • According to information provided by the Ministry of Culture in the Rajya Sabha in February 2014, the • He preached ‘neo-Vedanta’, an interpretation of guidelines for declaring a language as ‘Classical’ are: Hinduism through a Western lens, and believed in combining spirituality with material progress. ◊ High antiquity of its early texts/recorded history over a period of 1500-2000 years. • Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose had called ◊ A body of ancient literature/texts, which is Vivekananda the “maker of modern India.” considered a valuable heritage by generations of speakers. • After Ramakrishna’s death, Vivekananda toured ◊ The literary tradition be original and not across India, and set after educating the masses borrowed from another speech community. about ways to improve their economic condition as ◊ The classical language and literature being well as imparting spiritual knowledge. distinct from modern, there may also be a discontinuity between the classical language • Chicago address and its later forms or its offshoots. • Vivekananda is especially remembered around the world for his speech at the Parliament of How are the Classical languages promoted? the World’s Religions in Chicago in 1893. The Human Resource and Development Ministry noted • The speech covered topics including universal the benefits it provides once a language is notified as a acceptance, tolerance and religion. Classical language:

• Ramakrishna Mission in 1897 “to set in motion • Two major annual international awards for a machinery which will bring noblest ideas to the scholars of eminence in classical Indian languages. doorstep of even the poorest and the meanest.” • A Centre of Excellence for studies in Classical • In 1899, he established the Belur Math, which Languages is set up. became his permanent abode. • The University Grants Commission is requested • He preached ‘neo-Vedanta’, an interpretation of to create, to start with at least in the Central Hinduism through a Western lens, and believed in Universities, a certain number of Professional combining spirituality with material progress. Chairs for the Classical Languages so declared.

• Vedanta initially was connotation for the Upanishads comprising the Brahman Sutras and the Bhagavadgita.

• There are many schools of Vedanta including the well propagated schools of Advaita Vedanta,

103 I Articulate Tulu Language About the Nanak sahib Gurudwara There are demands for Tulu, along with other deserving • Nankana Sahib is a city of 80,000 in Pakistan’s languages, to be included in the Eighth Schedule of Punjab province, where Gurdwara Janam Asthan the Constitution in order to substantially materialise (also called Nankana Sahib Gurdwara) is located. the promise of equality of status and opportunity Significance of Nanak Sahib Gurudwara or Janam mentioned in the Preamble. Asthan About Tulu language • The shrine is built over the site where Guru Nanak, • Tulu is a Dravidian language whose speakers are the founder of Sikhism, was believed to be born in concentrated in two coastal districts of Karnataka 1469. and in Kasaragod district of Kerala. • Cluster of tourism:Nankana Sahib has several • Kasaragod district is called ‘Sapta bhasha Samgama other important shrines, including Gurdwara Patti Bhumi (the confluence of seven languages)’, and Sahib, Gurdwara Bal Leela, Gurdwara Mal Ji Sahib, Tulu is among the seven. Gurdwara Kiara Sahib, Gurdwara Tambu Sahib — all dedicated to stages in the life of the first Guru. A case for Tulu to be included in the Eighth schedule • The Census reports 18,46,427 native speakers of • The Janam Asthan shrine was constructed by Tulu in India. Maharaja Ranjit Singh, after he visited Nankana Sahib in 1818-19 while returning from the Battle of • The Tulu-speaking people are larger in number than Multan. speakers of Manipuri and Sanskrit, which have the Eighth Schedule status. • There is also a Gurdwara in memory of Guru Arjan (5th Guru) and Guru Hargobind (6th Guru) Guru • Robert Caldwell (1814-1891), in his book, A Hargobind is believed to have paid homage to the Comparative Grammar of the Dravidian or South- town in 1621-22. Indian Family of Languages, called Tulu as “one of the most highly developed languages of the Role in Gurudwara reform movement Dravidian family”. • During British rule, the Gurdwara Janam Asthan was the site of a violent episode when in 1921, • The Yuelu Proclamation, made by the UNESCO at over 130 Akali Sikhs were killed after they were Changsha, The People’s Republic of China, in 2018, attacked by the Mahant of the shrine. says that the protection and promotion of linguistic diversity helps to improve social inclusion and • The incident led to the passing of the Sikh partnerships. Gurdwara Act in 1925 that ended the Mahant control of Gurdwaras. Advantages of being included in the Eighth Schedule • Tulu would get recognition from the Sahitya • In 2014, Pakistan had a memorial for the Akademi. massacre built. • Tulu books would be translated into other Until Independence, Nankana Sahib’s population had recognised Indian languages. an almost equal number of Muslims, Sikhs, and Hindus, which since Partition has been predominantly Muslim. • Members of Parliament and MLAs could speak in Tulu in Parliament and State Assemblies, respectively. National Mathematics Day -

• Candidates could write all-India competitive Birth Anniversary of Srinivasa examinations like the Civil Services exam in Tulu. Ramanujan National Mathematics Day is celebrated every year on • Placing of all the deserving languages on equal 22nd December in memory of Great Mathematician footing will promote social inclusion and national Srinivasa Ramanujan. solidarity. It will reduce inequalities within the country to a great extent. Background India has a lot to learn from the Yuelu Proclamation. • In 2012, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Placing all the deserving languages on an equal footing declared December 22 as National Mathematics will promote social inclusion and national solidarity. Day.

Gurdwara Nankana Sahib • The Dev Patel-starrer ‘The Man Who Knew Infinity’ (2015) was a biopic on the mathematician. India was recently concerned about the safety of devotees stranded in Gurdwara Nankana Sahib as • His genius has been regarded to be at par with angry mob had surrounded it due to communal mathematical geniuses like Euler and Jacobi from problem. the 18th and 19th centuries.

Diversity, Art & Culture | 104 About Srinivasa Ramanujan Moghalmari Monasteries • Ramanujan was born on 22 December 1887 into A study of inscriptions on clay tablets recovered from a Tamil Brahmin Iyengar family in Erode, Madras recent excavations at Moghalmari have confirmed the Presidency (now Tamil Nadu, India), at the residence presence of two monasteries - Mugalayikaviharika and of his maternal grandparents. Yajñapindikamahavihara. Moghalmari is a Buddhist monastic site of the early medieval period in West • He lived in a small traditional home on Sarangapani Bengal’s Paschim Medinipur district. Sannidhi Street in the town of Kumbakonam. Importance of findings • Seeking mathematicians who could better • The monasteries at Moghalmari date from the understand his work, in 1913 he began a postal 6th century CE and were functional until the 12th partnership with the English mathematician G. century CE. H. Hardy at the University of Cambridge, England. Recognizing Ramanujan’s work as extraordinary • The inscriptions are in Sanskrit and the script is especially pertaining to Infinite series, Hardy a transitional phase between later north Indian arranged for him to travel to Cambridge. Brahmi and early Siddha Matrika. • At the age of 31, Ramanujan was one of the youngest • The first name Yajñapindikamahavihara, implying members of Britain’s Royal Society and the first etymologically ‘a place of sacrificial offering’ is of Indian to be elected a Fellow of Trinity College, special significance. The second name on the seals, Cambridge University. Mugalayikaviharika, bears a phonetic resemblance to the modern name of the site, Moghalmari. • In 1919, ill health [now believed to have been hepatic amoebiasis (a complication from consistent Evidence from travelers episodes of dysentery)] compelled Ramanujan’s • Archaeologists and historians point out that famous return to India, where he died in 1920 at the age of Chinese traveler Xuanzang, who visited India in 32. the 7th century CE, referred to the existence of ‘ten monasteries’ within the limits of Tamralipta. His Contribution However, he did not refer to any specific name or • Though he had almost no formal training in pure location. mathematics, he made substantial contributions to mathematical analysis, number theory, infinite series, and continued fractions, including solutions Earliest Sanskrit Inscription Found to mathematical problems then considered in South India unsolvable. The Epigraphy Branch of the Archaeological Survey of India has found the earliest epigraphic evidence for the • During his short lifetime, Ramanujan independently Saptamatrika cult. compiled nearly 3,900 results (mostly identities and • It was recently discovered in Chebrolu village in equations). Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh. • Many were completely novel; his original and highly Saptamatrikas: unconventional results, such as the Ramanujan • Saptamatrikas are a group of seven female deities prime, the Ramanujan theta function, partition worshipped in Hinduism as personifying the energy formulae and mock theta functions, have opened of their respective consorts. entire new areas of work and inspired a vast amount of further research. • There are references of Saptamatrika worship in the early Kadamba copper plates and the early • He had worked out the Riemann series, elliptic Chalukyas and Eastern Chalukya copper plates. integrals, hypergeometric series, and the functional equations of the zeta function. • The new discovery predates them by almost 200 years. The story of Srinivasa Ramanujan is a 20th century “rags to mathematical riches” story. In his short life, Chebrolu Inscription details: Ramanujan had a wealth of ideas that had transformed • It is the earliest Sanskrit inscription to have been the 20th century mathematics and which continues to discovered in South India. shape mathematics of the 21st century. • Before this discovery, the Nagarjunakonda inscription of Ikshavaku king Ehavala Chantamula issued in the 4th century A.D. was considered the earliest Sanskrit inscription in South India.

• The inscription is in Sanskrit and in Brahmi characters and was issued by Satavahana king Vijaya in 207 A.D.

105 I Articulate • It records the construction of a prasada (temple), a mandapa and consecration of images on the southern side of the temple by a person named Kartika for the merit of the king at the temple of Bhagavathi (Goddess) Saktimatruka (Saptamatrika) at Tambrape ( the ancient name of Chebrolou).

• The verification of all the available records proved that the Chebrolu inscription of Satavahana king Vijaya issued in his 5th regnal year – 207 A.D. — is the earliest datable Sanskrit inscription from South India.

• The place also yielded another inscription in Prakrit language and of Brahmi characters and belongs to the 1st century A.D. This is the earliest epigraphic reference to Mutts and records the gift of a cloister mandapa and chaitya to the bhavatho (Lord) of the Gadasa Mutt by a person hailing from Tabaava.

Archeological Survey of India (ASI) • Founded in 1861, it is a government agency attached to Ministry of Culture and is responsible for archaeological research and conservation and preservation of agricultural monuments in India.

There are many such ancient monuments and structures across the country that lack protection but could contain a treasure trove of information and so Archeological Survey of India (ASI) strives for conservation and preservation of such historically important monuments and inscriptions.

Diversity, Art & Culture | 106 Diversity, Art & Culture | 107 108 I Articulate National Animal Disease Control • Nationwide Artificial Insemination Programme (NAIP) Programme • Nationwide Artificial Insemination Programme for Government of India has launched National Animal 20,000 bovine per district for 600 districts in the Disease Control Programme to control FMD & country was recently launched by the Government. Brucellosis. • Under NAIP, more than 11 lakhs Artificial Inseminations (AI) have been done across India. • The world’s largest ever vaccination programme • It is one of the largest such programmes with aims to provide unique Pashu Aadhar to 535 million 100% central assistance for undertaking breed animals. improvement. • In future, this will be expanded across all the • More than 11 Lakh artificial Insemination is breedable bovine population of 600 districts so done under Nationwide Artificial Insemination that India achieves 70% artificial insemination (AI) Programme for breed improvement. coverage.

National Animal Disease Control Programme FACTOID • It is mission mode approach for eradication of Foot Artificial Insemination: and mouth Disease (FMD) & Brucellosis. • Artificial insemination (AI) is the process of collecting sperm cells from a male animal and • A financial outlay of Rs. 13,343.00 crore is disbursed manually depositing them into the reproductive for five years (2019-20 to 2023-24) for vaccinating tract of a female. 100% cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat and pig population for FMD and 100% bovine female calves of 4-8 • Artificial insemination is commonly used months of age for brucellosis. instead of natural mating in many species of animals to obtain better breeds and increase • It is done to prevent loss of Rs. 50,000 crores to the productivity. Government exchequer and also to increase the economic output of farmers. Purvodaya-Accelerated FACTOID Development of Eastern Region Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD): Ministry of Steel in partnership with CII and JPC • It is a highly contagious viral disease of many is organising the launch of Purvodaya-Accelerated wild and domestic cloven-footed mammals and Development of Eastern Region through an animals. Integrated Steel hub, in line with government Vision for focused development of the Eastern • In swine, the disease is characterized by States. vesicles on the feet, snout and in the mouth. Background: • Horses are resistant. The Eastern region of India, is extremely rich in resources like coal , bauxite. It enjoys locational • It has continued to cause major losses in advantage due to the presence of major ports such livestock-from loss of productivity than as Paradip, Haldia, Vizag, Kolkata. mortality. However the states lag behind other states in terms Brucellosis: of GSDP per capita and Human Development Index • Brucellosis is a zoonotic infection caused by (HDI). the bacterial genus Brucella. It is also known as undulant fever, Malta fever, and Mediterranean About Integrated Steel Hub fever. • The proposed Integrated Steel Hub, encompasses Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, • Humans are accidental hosts and bacteria West Bengal and Northern Andhra Pradesh. are transmitted from animals to humans by ingestion through infected food products, • The Integrated Steel Hub would focus on 3 key direct contact with an infected animal, or elements: inhalation of aerosols. ◊ Capacity addition through easing the setup • It is the most common zoonotic infection and of greenfield steel plants. has harmed the productivity of the livestock. ◊ Development of steel clusters near integrated steel plants as well as demand centres. ◊ Transformation of logistics and utilities infrastructure which would change the socio-economic landscape in the East.

PIB Corner | 109 Benefits of Integrated Steel Hub FACTOID • Development of eastern India Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) ◊ It will play a significant role in overall • The Government of India has set up Bureau socio-economic growth of Eastern India, thus of Energy Efficiency (BEE) on 1st March 2002 reducing the disparity between the East and under the provision of the Energy Conservation other regions of the country. Act, 2001. ◊ It would enable the eastern belt to add more than 75% of the country’s incremental steel • The mission of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency capacity envisioned by the National is to assist in developing policies and strategies Steel Policy. with a thrust on self-regulation and market ◊ This would also be accompanied by social principles with the primary objective of infrastructure in the form of cities, schools, reducing energy intensity of the Indian hospitals, skilling centres etc economy within the overall framework of the Energy Conservation Act, 2001. • Steel sector ◊ It would enable swift capacity addition and • This will be achieved with the active improve overall competitiveness of steel participation of all stakeholders, resulting in producers both in terms of cost and quality. accelerated and sustained adoption of energy ◊ In addition to increased steel capacity, this efficiency in all sectors. hub would also help enhance best-in- class value addition capabilities. Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy (AEEE) • AEEE is a policy advocacy and energy • Multiplier effect in the economy efficiency market enabler with a not-for-profit ◊ Creation of world-class logistics and utilities motive. infrastructure would also spur development of other manufacturing industries across sectors. • It is the only organisation in India which works on creating awareness about energy efficiency • Job Creation:Growth of steel industry through as a resource. such a hub would lead to significant employment opportunities across the entire value chain, creating over 2.5 Million jobs in the region.

In India’s march towards a $5 trillion economy, the 5 National Stock Exchange (NSE) Eastern states can play a major role where steel sector can become the catalyst in the growth of established Knowledge Hub steel industry, thus improving the HDI standards and The government inaugurated the National Stock GDP of the eastern India. Exchange (NSE) Knowledge Hub in New Delhi.

About the National Stock Exchange (NSE) Knowledge State Energy Efficiency Index 2019 Hub The government has released here the ‘State Energy • It is the Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered learning Efficiency Index 2019’. ecosystem that will assist the banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) sector. About State Energy Efficiency Index 2019 • The State Energy Efficiency Index 2019 incorporates • The Knowledge Hub created by NSE will fill in these qualitative, quantitative and outcome-based gaps using the AI and machine learning. indicators to assess energy efficiency initiatives, programs and outcomes in five distinct sectors • The NSE Knowledge Hub will enhance skills and – buildings, industry, municipalities, transport, help academic institutions in preparing future- agriculture, and DISCOMs. ready talent for the financial service industry.

• A total of 36 states and union territories have been • It is also available on mobile and attempts to bring assessed based on their efforts and achievements together world class content and learners through in policy and regulation, financing mechanisms, this state- of- the- art and future- ready platform. institutional capacity, adoption of energy efficiency measures and energy savings achieved.

• It tracks the progress of Energy Efficiency (EE) initiatives in 36 states and union territories based on 97 significant indicators.

• The index is developed by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) in association with Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy (AEEE).

110 I Articulate Artificial Intelligence in India • International Centers of Transformational What is Artificial intelligence? AI (ICTAI) with a mandate of developing and deploying application-based research. Private • AI refers to the ability of machines to perform sector collaboration is envisioned to be a key cognitive tasks like thinking, perceiving, aspect of ICTAIs. learning, problem solving and decision making.

• Initially conceived as a technology that could Saksham mimic human intelligence, AI has evolved in ‘Saksham’, an annual one-month long, people-centric ways that far exceed its original conception. fuel conservation mega campaign of Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA) under • With incredible advances made in data the aegis of Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas is collection, processing and computation power, launched on 16th January. intelligent systems can now be deployed to take over a variety of tasks, enable connectivity • It has an aim to reach nook and corner of the and enhance productivity. country with the message of fuel conservation, Greener Environment and better Health. According to the NITI Aayog’s report “national strategy for artificial intelligence” focuses on 5 • PCRA has been creating awareness amongst the sectors. general public about the need for fuel conservation and adopting tips for saving fuel. • Healthcare: increased access and affordability of quality healthcare ‘Saksham’ is strengthening its footprint as a flagship Fuel Conservation mega campaign program of the • Agriculture: enhanced farmers’ income, country. increased farm productivity and reduction of wastage,

• Education: improved access and quality of education,

• Smart Cities and Infrastructure: efficient and connectivity for the burgeoning urban population

• Smart Mobility and Transportation: smarter and safer modes of transportation and better traffic and congestion problems.

Challenges for India in deploying the AI in mass scale 1. Lack of broad based expertise in research and application of AI.

2. Absence of enabling data ecosystems – access to intelligent data.

3. High resource cost and low awareness for adoption of AI.

4. Privacy and security, including a lack of formal regulations around anonymisation of data.

5. Absence of collaborative approach to adoption and application of AI.

Government Initiative in Promoting research in AI: • Centre of Research Excellence (CORE) focused on developing a better understanding of existing core research and pushing technology frontiers through creation of new knowledge;

PIB Corner | 111 112 I Articulate MAINS SAMPLE QUESTIONS Q9. Though India has been able to decrease its Child Mortality significantly, Q1. How the rising tension between US the number is still the highest in the world. and Iran is going to impact Geo-Political Discuss the reasons behind it. Also discuss Scenario in the middle east. Do you think the steps taken by the government to deal the growing tension is bound to hurt with the issue of Child Mortality. India’s interest ?

Q10. Health and nutrition not only play Q2. What are the major causes for a vital role in making human life dynamic, the economic slowdown India is facing capable and prosperous, but it also has currently ? What reforms need to be the potential to empower, develop and brought in to deal with the slowdown ? strengthen the nation. Discuss.

Q3. ‘Dissent is a symbol of vibrant Q11. Discuss the reasons behind high democracy’. Discuss inflation prevalent in retail sector in India. How it can have multiplier effect on other Q4. In the era of growing digitisation, sectors of the economy ? Discuss the do you think the time has come when steps taken by the government in this right to internet should be regarded as a regard. ‘Fundamental Right’ ? Discuss in the light of recent Supreme Court judgement. Q12. The GST council can prove to be detrimental in fuelling the idea of Q5. The rising conflicts between the cooperative federalism in India. Critically states may give rise to negative form of Analyse. sub-nationalism and prove detrimental to India’s unity and security. Discuss Q13. What are the issues plaguing the statement in the light of Karnataka - Indian Railways. Do you think privatisation Maharashtra boundary issue. of Indian Railways can help in revamping the sector ? Q6. Throw light upon the crisis prevalent in Indian Judiciary System. To what extent the bringing of ‘All India Q14. Indian Monsoon has proved to be a Judicial Services’ can help in dealing with detrimental factor in deciding the history the crisis ? of Indian Subcontinent. Analyse.

Q7. Does Death penalty help in stopping Q15. Why the land slides are more crime ? Justify your stand using suitable frequent and devastating in Himalayas data. Do you think a vibrant democracy like than in Western Ghats ? Discuss. India has no place for Capital Punishment ? Critically Analyse. Q16. Use of artificial measures like smog tower to counter air pollution can Q8. MGNREGA, despite facing only bring temporary relief. Addressing several setbacks due to corruption and the issue require holistic approach and Administrative inefficiency, has been able coordination at multiple levels. Discuss to give a boost to rural economy. Critically with a suitable example. Analyse.

Mains Sample Questions | 113 Q17. Most of the fresh water sources Resistance and avert risks possessed by it. in India are contaminated. In the light of recently released Composite Water Q25. Transformation of India’s Management Index by NITI Aayog, analyse conventional economy into digital the short term and long term impact on economy is possible only when we are water pollution in India. Also suggest able to create a force of digitally literate measures to address it. citizenry. Comment. Also discuss how ‘National Broadband Mission’ can play a Q18. “The Transgender Persons pivotal role in spreading digital literacy. (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019 undermines the rights of the individuals it seeks to protect”. Critically examine.

Q19. Regulating Medicines and medical devices in India is be the first stepping stone towards ensuring affordable healthcare service in India. Analyse the statement in the light of ‘Draft Medical Device Regulations’ proposed by GOI.

Q20. The menace of Drug abuse in India is much more serious than generally thought. Analyse the statement in the light of ‘National Survey on Extent and Pattern of Substance use’. Also suggest both long term and short term measures to counter the issue.

Q21. The impact of ‘PM Ujjwala Yojana’ on Indian society has been deep and diversified. Examine. (Pg 88)

Q22. The increasing rate of crime against children suggests that stricter laws have limited role in controlling crime. Analyse the statement in light of POCSO Act.

Q23. The most important lesson that India can learn from western countries in terms of Human Resource management, is to treat its senior citizens as a ‘valuable resource’ and not as a burden. Comment

Q24. The overuse of antibiotics seems to have created more problem than it has solved. Comment. Suggest measures to address the issue of Anti microbial

114 I Articulate