BRAINY IAS (84594-00000)
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Contents GEOGRAPHY, ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY ...... 7 1. Snow Leopard- Out Of “Endangered” List ...... 7 2. Genetically Modified Crops and Its Impact On Environment ...... 7 3. Geographical Indications ...... 8 4. Climate Resilient Agriculture ...... 10 5. Sardar Sarovar Project ...... 12 6. FAME –India scheme ...... 13 7. Hurricanes/ Tropical Cyclones ...... 14 8. Landfill Collapse...... 16 9. World Food Day – 16th October ...... 17 10. River Linking Projects In India ...... 18 11. Pesticide Regulation in India ...... 20 12. Negative Emissions ...... 21 13. Biochar ...... 23 POLITY AND GOVERNANCE ...... 25 14. Marital Rape ...... 25 15. The Story of Women Reservation Bill ...... 25 16. Altering the RTI Act ...... 28 17. Bitcoin Regulation In India ...... 29 18. Shekatkar Committee report ...... 30 19. Special Status and Special Category Status to States ...... 32 20. Transforming Rural India ...... 33 21. Watershed Component of PMKSY- Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana ...... 35 22. ‘Saubhagya’ Plan For Household Electrification ...... 37 23. Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana (AGEY) ...... 38 24. National E-Governance Plan ...... 39 25. CPGRAMS – Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System ...... 42 26. Feasibilty Of Holding Simultaneous Elections ...... 43 27. Rajasthan Ordinance ...... 45 28. NK Singh Committee Report On Fiscal Responsibility ...... 46 29. Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) ...... 48 30. Infant Mortality Rate In India ...... 49
2 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) 31. Human Development Report (HDR) 2016 ...... 50 32. Report on Tackling hate speeches ...... 51 33. The Departmentally Related Standing Committees (DRSCS), ...... 53 34. Collegium System ...... 54 35. Sex With Minor Wife Is Rape- Supreme Court ...... 56 36. VVPAT and EVMs ...... 57 37. Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) ...... 58 38. Standing Committee Report On Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2016 ...... 60 39. History Of Creation Of States On The Basis Of Language ...... 62 40. Challenges Faced By Elderly In Indian Society ...... 63 SCHEMES AND POLICIES OF GOVERNMENT ...... 66 41. Modernization Of Police Forces (MPF) Scheme 2017 ...... 66 42. Mooting India’s Artificial Intelligence Policy ...... 68 43. Draft Pharma Policy ...... 70 44. Review of National Electricity Policy ...... 71 45. Schemes of Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs...... 73 ECONOMY ...... 80 46. Growth Elasticity of Poverty ...... 80 47. Outcome Budgeting ...... 81 48. Operation “Clean Money” to Clean Shell Companies ...... 83 49. Cess Under GST ...... 84 50. SEBI Tightens The Noose For Credit Rating Agencies (CRAS) ...... 85 51. India’s Slow Growth Rate of Economic Health Indicators ...... 86 52. The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) ...... 87 53. PMJDY And The JAM Revolution ...... 89 54. Financial Inclusion in Rising India ...... 90 55. SEBI Norms for Capital Market ...... 93 56. Public Credit Agencies ...... 95 57. Money Laundering ...... 97 58. Job Creation In India ...... 99 59. Gender Budget ...... 101 60. All About Fiscal Stimulus ...... 102 61. Fiscal Prudence ...... 104 62. Fiscal Deficit: Current Trends ...... 105 63. Employment Trends In India 2017 ...... 108
3 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) 64. Retaining Youth In Agriculture ...... 109 65. Is India Heading Towards Recession? ...... 111 66. Seven Binding Directions In Prakash Singh Vs Union Of India Case ...... 112 67. Non-Performing Assets (NPA) ...... 114 68. IBBI (Information Utilities) (Amendment) Regulations, 2017 ...... 115 69. Agricultural Sector In India- Problems And Measures ...... 117 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ...... 120 70. Bitcoin A Commodity Or A Currency? ...... 120 71. NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) Mission ...... 121 72. Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) ...... 122 73. Case Study – m-Health App ...... 123 74. Digital Revolution In India ...... 124 75. 3D Bioprinted cartilage...... 125 76. India’s Nuclear Policy ...... 127 77. Nobel Prize 2017: All the Winners...... 129 78. WTO’S Amber, Blue, And Green Box ...... 130 79. Circadian Rhythm ...... 132 80. Influenza ...... 133 SECURITY...... 134 81. Crime And Criminal Tracking Networks And Systems (CCTNS) ...... 134 82. Bases of Data Protection ...... 134 83. Gorkhaland- The way forward ...... 135 84. Boosting Defence Through “Make In India” ...... 136 INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS AND GLOBAL ISSUES ...... 139 85. Indo-Pak Relations ...... 139 86. Indo-Japanese Agreements ...... 141 87. India’s Neighborhood First Policy ...... 142 88. India and Bhutan’s Cooperation on Hydropower Projects ...... 144 89. India’s Stand On Bali Declaration ...... 145 90. Poverty Reduction In India Vs Brazil And China ...... 146 91. India-EU relations ...... 147 92. BIMSTEC DMEx ...... 149 93. Ashley Tellis essay, Indo-Pak talks ...... 150 94. Political Scenario In Nepal ...... 151 95. Global Hunger Report 2017 ...... 153
4 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) 96. Has UN Lost Its Relevance? ...... 154 97. DRUZBA 2017 ...... 155 98. Us-Iran Nuclear Issue...... 156 99. Kurdistan Independence Vote ...... 157 100...... B RICS Xiamen Declaration ...... 159 101...... A sia-Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC) ...... 160 102...... A ct East Policy (AEP) ...... 162 ETHICS ...... 164 103...... W hat Is Kantianism? ...... 164 104...... J ohn Rawl’s Theory Of Social Justice ...... 165 105...... W hat Is Meant By Golden Mean? ...... 166 106...... W hat is meant by Existentialism? ...... 167 107...... W HAT IS HEDONISM? ...... 168 108...... I mportance Of Emotional Intelligence In Modern World...... 169 109...... C onsequentialism vs Utilitarianism ...... 170 110...... A ttitude And Behaviour ...... 172 111...... D eporting Rohingyas in India- Ethical or not? ...... 173 112...... A ttitude: Content and Structure ...... 174 113...... V irtue Ethics ...... 179 114...... E thics And Morals ...... 181 115...... R eligion VS Constitution ...... 182 116...... N udge Theory ...... 184 117...... L aw Vs Ethics ...... 186
5 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) 118...... E thical Dualism ...... 187 119...... P ersuasion ...... 188 120...... G ita, Mahabharata and Ramayana ...... 190 121...... L essons From The Life Of Mahatma Gandhi ...... 191 122...... E volution of Indian Philosophical Ethics ...... 192 123...... E thical issues involved in Diplomacy ...... 193 124...... C orporate Social Responsibility ...... 194 125...... C orporate Governance ...... 195 HISTORY, ART AND CULTURE ...... 198 126...... B hakti Movement ...... 198 127...... F olk Dances Of Karnataka ...... 200
6 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) GEOGRAPHY, ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY
Snow Leopard- Out Of “Endangered” List
Relevancy: GS Mains, GS Prelims Sci-tech, Environment, IUCN red list Recently:
The snow leopard, listed as "endangered" by the IUCN-International Union for Conservation of Nature since 1972, was reclassified as "vulnerable". The leopard's population has steadily improved, largely due to effective conservation and awareness programs. It was an endangered species for the last 45 years. A species should be fewer than 2500 in number to be deemed as endangered. According to experts, there are more than 4000 mature adult snow leopards in the wild today. Is this a cause of worry?
There are concerns among wildlife biologists that the protection efforts for the Snow Leopard may be downgraded. India has launched a programme on the lines of Project Tiger for its conservation, covering 128,757 sq. km of habitat in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. An upcoming effort to protect the species at international level includes the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Program. It involves the countries that are home to this animal. Hence the momentum of conservation must not be broken on account of de-listing of the animal from “endangered” status. The threat keeps on increasing if we factor in the climate change challenges, human interference, mining etc. Infact, the conservation efforts must be strengthened by involving the community. The loss of domestic animals due to attack by Snow leopard may be mitigated by moving the grazing grounds away from the habitat of the animal, providing insurance schemes to the farmers (like in Spiti) etc. Genetically Modified Crops and Its Impact On Environment
Relevancy: GS Mains paper III, IV; Optional- Agriculture, Economics Science and Technology, GM crops, GEAC, Regulation for GM crops, Ethical concerns with GM crops Recently:
The Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests submitted its report on ‘Genetically Modified Crops and its impact on environment’. What are GMOs?
7 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are plants, animals or microorganisms in which the genetic structure is altered to introduce specific traits. Plants produced from genetic engineering techniques are called Genetically Modified (GM) crops. Brief on recommendations of the Committee are as follows:
1. Regulatory Framework: a. In India, none of the regulators conduct closed field trials and are solely dependent on the data provided to them by the technology developer. b. This leaves scope for technology developers to fudge the data to suit their requirements. c. The Committee recommended that the government should ensure that the process of field trials carried out in consultation with agricultural universities so as to ensure bio- safety and remove health related concerns. 2. Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC): a. Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) grants approval for release of genetically engineered organisms and products in the environment. The committee observed some deficiencies in its functioning. b. The members of GEAC are mostly from government institutions, and there is no representation from states or from civil society organisations. c. It recommended that GEAC should be headed by an expert from the field of Biotechnology who has an understanding of scientific data and its implication. But presently, it is being headed by top bureaucrats. 3. Status of GM crops: a. Many technologically advanced countries including those of Europe, Japan, Russia, Israel, etc., do not grow GM crops. The reason is lack of safety data. b. In India, Bt cotton is the only GM crop that is cultivated. The committee observed that the overall production of cotton has increased, but the yield per acre has not made much difference. Apart from this, Bt cotton accounts for less than 6% of the total grown area of cotton. 4. Commercialisation of GM mustard: a. The Committee recommended that no GM crop should be introduced in the country unless its effect on the environment and human health is scientifically assessed. b. Although the GEAC had given its approval for commercialisation of GM mustard, the concerns is that there is evidence on adverse impacts of GM mustard since it is an herbicide tolerant GM crop. Geographical Indications
Relevancy GS Prelims, GS Mains pape 3 Mobilisation of resources Rural growth Culture Background
Governments have been protecting trade names and trademarks used in relation to food products identified with a particular region since at least the end of the nineteenth century,
8 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) using laws against false trade descriptions which protect against suggestions that a product has a certain origin, quality or association when it does not. In such cases, the limitation on competitive freedoms which results from the grant of a monopoly of use over a geographical indication is justified by governments either by consumer protection benefits or by producer protection benefits.
Geographical Indication
A geographical indication (GI) is a name or sign used on products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin (e.g. a town, region, or country). The use of a geographical indication may act as a certification that the product possesses certain qualities, is made according to traditional methods, or enjoys a certain reputation, due to its geographical origin. Since the qualities depend on the geographical place of production, there is a clear link between the product and its original place of production. For example: Kanchipuram Silk Saree, Alphanso Mango, Nagpur Orange, Kolhapuri Chappal, Bikaneri Bhujia, Agra Petha So outsiders cannot sell other variety of teas with title/label “Darjeeling”, else they can be punished. Geographical indications are typically used for agricultural products, foodstuffs, wine and spirit drinks, handicrafts, and industrial products. However, a protected geographical indication does not enable the holder to prevent someone from making a product using the same techniques as those set out in the standards for that indication.
Importance
When a product is given GI status, its price increases in international market (because consumers in first world prefer such “exotic” items) It boosts exports and tourism. The poor farmers/artisans from the given region have to face less competition from fake companies selling bogus products. This indirectly leads to sustainable Development especially for the rural community. Allows the community of producers to invest in maintaining the specific qualities of the product on which the reputation is built. It may also allow them to invest together in promoting the reputation of the product. Helps in structuring of the supply chain around a common product reputation. Also in increased and stabilised prices for the GI product, added value distributed through all the levels of the supply chain, preservation of the natural resources on which the product is based. Helps preservation of traditions and traditional know-how.
GI Act in India
Government of India enacted Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act in 1999 (Came into force in 2003). As per this act you have to apply to the Registrar of Geographical Indications.
9 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Intellectual Property Appellate Board shall hear appeals over the decisions of the Registrar of Geographical Indications. Geographical Indications Registry (to keep the GI-database situated at Chennai.) GI can be given to agricultural, natural or manufactured goods originating in the said area. GI rights are community rights as they are not built up by one individual but by a community of persons and also given to an association of persons, producers, organization. Registration of a geographical indication is valid for a period of 10 years (renewable).
International laws and treaties
Under Articles 1 (2) and 10 of the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property, geographical indications are covered as an element of IPRs. They are also covered under Articles 22 to 24 of the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement, which was part of the Agreements concluding the Uruguay Round of GATT negotiations. Proponents of GIs regard them as strong tools for protecting their national property rights. Opponents, however, consider GIs as barriers to trade.
International issues
Like trademarks, geographical indications are regulated locally by each country because conditions of registration such as differences in the generic use of terms vary from country to country. This is especially true of food and beverage names which frequently use geographical terms, but it may also be true of other products such as carpets (e.g. 'Shiraz'), handicrafts, flowers and perfumes. When products with GIs acquire a reputation of international magnitude, some other products may try to pass themselves off as the authentic GI products. This kind of competition is often seen as unfair, as it may discourage traditional producers as well as mislead consumers.
Conclusion
None of the benefits are guaranteed as they depend on numerous factors, including the process and the quality of developing the geographical indications, the inclusiveness and quality of decision making of the GI producers association and quality of the marketing efforts undertaken.
Climate Resilient Agriculture
Relevancy: GS Mains paper I and III; Optional- Agriculture, Economics Climate resilient agriculture, Science and technology in agriculture, crop diversification, Food security Recently:
10 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) The Standing Committee on Agriculture Chaired by Mr. Hukm Deo Narayan Yadav submitted a report on ‘Comprehensive Agriculture Research based on Geographical Conditions and Impact of Climatic Changes to ensure Food Security in the Country’. Key observations and recommendations made by the Committee include:
1) Impact of climate change on agriculture: a. The climate change effects include rising sea levels, and changes in the frequency of rainfall, floods and drought. This affects the yields of major crops. There is a need to find solutions to address challenges in agriculture due to climate change. b. Consequently, research projects under the National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture should be increased. 2) Food security: a. India’s population is estimated to be 1.65 billion by 2050 with 50% of the population living in urban areas. b. The production of foodgrains is estimated to meet the demand by 2050. However, there may be a deficit in the production of cereals (43%) and pulses (7%). c. In addition, due to increased urbanisation and income of households, demand for fruits, vegetables, dairy products, etc. will increase. 3) Crop diversification: a. It recommended that investment should be increased in areas including: developing crop varieties, (ii) fertilizers, and (iii) irrigation facilities. b. Production of oilseeds and pulses should be enhanced. 4) Greenhouse gas emissions: a. Paddy fields are a major source of greenhouse gases in the farm sector. These gases include methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons and carbon dioxide. b. The Committee noted that the reduction of emissions of these greenhouse gases would help India meet obligations under the International Accord on Climate Change. 5) Crop residue: a. The Committee noted that though burning of crop residue is banned, it continues to add to the high levels of pollutants in the environment. b. Around 20% (130-140 million tonnes) of the crop residue is burnt annually in the country. c. Crop residue is burnt instead of being processed due to the following reasons: (i) shortage of agricultural labour, (ii) short interval between crops, and (iii) mechanised farming. d. Eco-friendly utilisation of crop residue should be taken up using new technologies. 6) Rising sea levels: a. Due to rising sea levels significant portion of land is submerged. b. Further, agricultural land and adjoining mangrove forests turn into waste land. c. In this context, the Committee observed that the entry of sea water in agricultural land leads to high salinity in the soil and acute shortage of fresh water. d. The Committee recommended that an action plan be formulated to increase mangrove plantation to act as natural barriers of rising sea levels. e. It further recommended that farmers in coastal areas should be provided seeds, suitable technologies, and support to shift to paddy-fishery farming. 7) Agro-climatic classifications:
11 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) a. Crop patterns are currently influenced by factors such as Minimum Support Prices, and consumption patterns instead of geographical and ecological factors. b. Such influences force farmers to adopt water intensive cropping patterns. c. The Committee recommended that instead cropping strategies should be developed based on agro-ecological regions. d. For this purpose, the Committee observed that 20 agro-climatic regions and 60 agro-climatic sub regions were identified based on: (i) climatic conditions, (ii) local geographic parameters, (iii) land form, (iv) soil type and texture. 8) Availability of seeds: a. Availability of good quality of seeds ensures high productivity of agriculture. b. Share of area sown using certified or quality seeds out of the total area sown is called the seed replacement ratio. c. The Committee stated that this ratio is skewed as 65% of the seed requirement is met by farmers’ own seeds or seeds distributed among themselves. d. It also noted that the private sector contributes to 50-57% of the seed production in India. e. The Committee stated that high yielding varieties of improved seeds need to be developed. f. Further, it recommended that the process of production, procurement and distribution of these improved seeds should be centralised.
Sardar Sarovar Project
Relevancy G.S. Paper 2,3 About The Sadar Sarovar Dam The Benefits of raising the height of the dam Core issue Recently
The Sardar Sarovar dam is the highest dam ever built in India. The height of the dam was recently raised to 138.68 metres, enabling a usable storage of 4.73 million acre feet.
About The Sadar Sarovar Dam
It is a gravity dam built on the Narmada river in Gujarat. It supplies water and electricity to 4 Indian states, i.e. Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra. It was inaugurated in 2017 as a part of the Narmada valley Project, a large hydraulic engineering project involving the construction of a series of large irrigation and hydroelectric multi-purpose dams on the Narmada river.
The Benefits Of Raising The Height Of The Dam
By raising the height of the dam, it will generate more hydro-energy, will extend irrigation and bring drinking water to drought-affected, arid areas of Rajasthan and Gujarat. This might displace close to 20,000 families and deprive them of flood productive agricultural land, and destroy hundreds of acres of biodiverse forest.
12 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) It will provide economic growth in the region
Core issues
Biodiversity o The Narmada valley is one of the most fertile ecosystems in India, with biodiversity and abundant number of fish, birds and trees. o The Narmada estuary, where the river meets the sea, has become increasingly saline because of the decrease in fresh water flow after the dams came up. o By Blocking normal water flow, there will be a negative impact on the biodiversity of the downstream region. o Catching fish has now declined by as much as 75%. Siltation o It is one of the biggest challenges faced by dams worldwide, and constitutes one of the biggest challenges to the long-term success of this dam. o A dam choked with silt creates a river prone to risky situations of potential flooding in the backwaters. o Apart from directly reducing water storage capacity, the siltation also decreases the water capacity due to increased evaporation loss. o As a result, the capacity to generate hydropower is affected. Rehabilitation o Compensation to the displaced has often come in the form of land unsuitable for farming or living, located either on river beds at the risk of flooding, or in rocky areas which cannot be ploughed. o This leaves the once self-reliant people of the valley with no option but to work as daily wage labour and crowd into urban slums. o Resettlement sites lack basic facilities like wells, drinking water pipelines, or grazing land for cattle, let alone schools or road facilities. Erosion o The steep slopes of the Narmada valley are prone to erosion, protected so far because of the dense forests that line the sides of the valley. o If trees are cleared, soil from the denuded slopes will flow unchecked into the river, turning the water muddy.
FAME –India scheme
Relevancy G.S. Paper 2,3 Background About FAME India scheme Recently
The centre is considering to extend FAME- India scheme which promotes electric and hybrid vehicles. The extension will be for another six months.
Background:
13 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) The phase-I of the scheme is being implemented for a period of 2 years i.e. FY 2015-16 and FY 2016-17 commencing from 1st April 2015. The phase was subsequently extended by six months till September end.
About FAME India scheme:
FAME India – Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric vehicles in India – is a part of the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan. The scheme has four focus areas, technology development, demand creation, pilot projects and charging infrastructure. The scheme envisages Rs 795 crore support in the first two fiscals starting with the current year. It is being administered by the Heavy Industries Ministry. The FAME India Scheme is aimed at incentivising all vehicle segments i.e. 2 Wheeler, 3 Wheeler Auto, Passenger 4 Wheeler Vehicle, Light Commercial Vehicles and Buses. The scheme covers Hybrid & Electric technologies like Mild Hybrid, Strong Hybrid, Plug in Hybrid & Battery Electric Vehicles.
Hurricanes/ Tropical Cyclones
Relevancy: GS Prelims, GS Mains paper I, III Physical phenomenon, Tropical cyclones, Hurricanes, disaster management. Recently: Hurricane Irma moved over Florida (US), after having wrought destruction in the Caribbean, killing at least 22 people. Winds of up to 160mph smashed into Camaguey Archipelago on the Cuba's northern coast on Saturday The US National Hurricane Centre upgraded it once again to a Category 5 storm. The strongest Atlantic storm in recorded history has now been downgraded to a Category 4, but remains extremely powerful, blowing sustained winds of 155mph. What is a Hurricane? A Hurricane is a giant, spiraling tropical storms that can pack wind speeds of over 160 miles (257 kilometers) an hour and unleash more than 9 trillion liters of rain a day. These storms are called hurricanes when they develop over the Atlantic or eastern Pacific Oceans. They are cyclones when they form over the Bay of Bengal and the northern Indian Ocean, and they are typhoons when they develop in the western Pacific.
14 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000)
Figure: Cross section of a tropical cyclone/ Hurricane HOW ARE HURRICANES FORMED? Hurricanes begin as tropical disturbances in warm ocean waters with surface temperatures of at least 26.5 degrees Celsius. These low-pressure systems are fed by energy from evaporation of water from warm seas. If a storm achieves wind speeds of around 60 km/hr, it becomes known as a tropical depression. A tropical depression becomes a tropical storm–and is given a name–when its sustained wind speeds top 39 miles (63 kilometers) an hour. When a storm’s sustained wind speeds reach 74 miles (119 kilometers) an hour it becomes a hurricane and earns a category rating of 1 to 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale. A hurricane/ tropical cyclone is akin to a travelling heat engine. It feeds on an incessant supply of latent heat released from condensation in ascending moist air. The reliance on readily available moisture also explains why tropical cyclones can only survive over the warm oceans and invariably weaken once over land. The convergence of air at the lower levels and divergence in the upper air imply a vertical circulation which is schematically shown in the following cross-sectional diagram. What is a Storm surge? These storms bring destruction ashore in many different ways. When a hurricane makes landfall, it often produces a devastating storm surge that can reach 20 feet (6 meters) high and extend nearly 100 miles (161 kilometers). Ninety percent of all hurricane deaths result from storm surges. Torrential rains cause further damage by spawning floods and landslides, which may occur many miles inland. How are Hurricanes categorized? Strong Winds determines the intensity of a hurricane The intensity of a tropical cyclone is measured by the highest sustained wind speed found within it. Once it becomes a hurricane, the relative strength of that hurricane is also measured on a scale based on its greatest wind speed.
15 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) This scale is named the Saffir-Simpson scale for the men who invented it. The scale is listed below. Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale (SSHWS) (You need not remember the exact figures. An idea of wind speed should be there) Scale Central Wind Storm Observed Number Pressure Speeds Surge Damage
Category mb mi/hr feet inches knots meters >=980 74-95 4-5 some damage to trees, shrubbery, and unanchored mobile 1 >=28.94 64-82 ~1.5 homes 965-979 96-110 6-8 major damage to mobile homes; damage buildings' roofs, 2 28.50-28.91 83-95 ~2.0-2.5 and blow trees down 945-964 111-130 9-12 destroy mobile homes; blow down large trees; damage 3 27.91-28.47 96-113 ~2.5-4.0 small buildings 920-944 131-155 13-18 completely destroy mobile homes; lower floors of 4 27.17-27.88 114-135 ~4.0-5.5 structures near shore are susceptible to flooding extensive damage to homes and industrial buildings; blow <"920" >"155" >"18" away small buildings; lower floors of structures within 500 5 <"27.17" >"135" >"5.5" meters of shore and less than 4.5 m (15 ft) above sea level are damaged
Landfill Collapse
Relevancy G.S. Paper 2,3 What is landfill? Issue of landfill collapse Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 Suggested Solutions Recently
National Green Tribunal pulled up the Delhi government and the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) over the Ghazipur landfill collapse that killed two people
What is Landfill?
A landfill site is a site for the disposal of waste materials by burial and the oldest form of waste treatment Delhi generates more than 10,000 tonnes of garbage every day, most of which stacks up in ugly hills, posing environmental and public-safety hazards. Finding new landfills would mean merely relocating the problem. The Ghazipur landfill that crashed last week was more than 50 metres high — almost as high as a 15-storey building Country generates more than 60 million tonnes of garbage every year
16 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016
The 33-year-old dump yard at Ghazipur should have been shut down years ago, or at least immediately after the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, came into force. The rules stipulate that a landfill should not be more than 25 years old. Dump sites in most Indian cities are handling much more waste than they can hold
Suggested solutions
It would be wrong to have an one-size-fits-all solution for the waste problems of urban India. But it is well-established that garbage management becomes a difficult proposition when recyclables, organic wastes and toxic wastes are all dumped together. Segregating waste at source holds the key to effective waste management. The Mysuru City Corporation has mechanisms for decentralised systems, for example, has focused on segregation of trash at source, door-to-door collection, recycling and involvement of non-profits and educational institutions in public awareness campaigns. Similar initiatives are also underway in Panaji and Alappuzha. Delhi, Mumbai — most Indian cities — could begin by emulating these cities in getting their basics right. World Food Day – 16th October
Relevancy: GS Prelims, GS Mains paper II and III Food security, FAO, World Food Day, Agriculture Recently:
FAO celebrated World Food Day each year on 16 October to commemorate the founding of the Organization in 1945. Events are organized in over 150 countries across the world, making it one of the most celebrated days of the UN calendar. These events promote worldwide awareness and action for those who suffer from hunger and for the need to ensure food security and nutritious diets for all. World Food Day is a chance to show our commitment to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 – to achieve Zero Hunger by 2030. It’s also a day for us to celebrate the progress we have already made towards reaching #ZeroHunger. Why should we care about World Food Day and ZeroHunger?
• The right to food is a basic human right. • Investing in sustainable food systems and rural development means addressing some of the major global challenges - from feeding the world’s growing population to protecting the global climate, and tackling some of the root causes of migration and displacement. • Achieving the 17 SDGs cannot happen without ending hunger, and without having sustainable and resilient, climate-compatible agriculture and food systems that deliver for the people and the planet. • Reaching #ZeroHunger is possible: out of the 129 countries monitored by FAO, 72 have already achieved the target of halving the proportion of people who suffer from hunger by 2015; over the past 20 years, the likelihood of a child dying before age five has been nearly cut in half, with about 17,000 children saved every day; extreme poverty rates have been cut in half since 1990.
17 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Ten facts you need to know about Hunger:
1. The world produces enough food to feed everyone, yet, about 800 million people suffer from hunger. That is one in nine people. 60% of them are women. 2. About 80% of the world’s extreme poor live in rural areas. Most of them depend on agriculture. 3. Hunger kills more people every year than malaria, tuberculosis and aids combined. 4. Around 45% of infant deaths are related to malnutrition. 5. The cost of malnutrition to the global economy is the equivalent of USD 3.5 trillion a year. 6. 1.9 billion People – more than a quarter of the world’s population – are overweight. 7. One third of the food produced worldwide is lost or wasted. 8. The world will need to produce 60 percent more food by 2050 to feed a growing population. 9. No other sector is more sensitive to climate change than agriculture. 10. FAO works mainly in rural areas, in 130 countries. We work with governments, civil society, the private sector and other partners to achieve #ZeroHunger.
River Linking Projects In India
Relevancy GS Prelims, GS Mains paper I Interlinking of rivers Problems and solutions
Background Interlinking of rivers was proposed by Sir Arthur Cotton for inland navigation in southern India in the 19th century. The interlinking of rivers programme is a major initiative to create additional storage facilities and transfer water from water-surplus regions to more drought-prone areas through inter- basin transfers. The project is managed by the National Water Development Agency, an autonomous society works under the Ministry of Water Resources. It was established in July, 1982 to execute the scientific studies related to water balance and pragmatic ground for the optimum utilization of water resources of the peninsular river system. It is also assigned with the task of Himalayan Rivers Development Components of National Perspectives. The main objectives of the National Water Development Agency are to study the 3 interlinking river projects to find out the possibilities of the project. The three projects are: o Ganga- Brahmaputra- Cauvery linking or Himalayan River Development o Interlinking of rivers(ILR) o Divert the west flowing rivers to East
Barriers to the ILR project
The feasibility of the project has not been studied in detail, nor have been its sociological, economic and ecological implications.
18 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Loss of biodiversity and forests downstream of a donor river. The government may have to divert money from other areas like education and healthcare to fund this project. The water from a river flowing into the sea is not wasted as many have claimed since it performs a key ecological function. About 84% of the addition to the net irrigated area in the last two decades has come from groundwater and only 16% from canals. Canals running along 10,500 km could displace 5.5 million tribals and farmers. ILR is unwieldy given the inter-state disputes on inter-state rivers like Krishna, Godavari and Narmada. The Himalayan component called for the building of dams in Bhutan. The elevation of peninsular India is higher in comparison of northern plains. The water needs to be pumped from latter to former. This requires huge pumps and power requirements. Construction of dams will be needed on proposed links. This will reduce natural flow, create barrier in free migration of species and harm the ecological ecosystem of the river. Proposed small hydro dams might become un-sustainable due to siltation. Way forward ILR is not a panacea to solve the crisis. Therefore India needs to look other sources for an amicable solution. Water conservation: o Focus on water conservation technologies such as rain water harvesting, sprinkler system, micro irrigation etc. o International collaboration with other countries in water reforms e.g. India's collaboration with Israel in water reforms is a step in right direction. o Creating awareness among people about the judicious use of groundwater. E.g. water ATMs in southern states. Agriculture reconstruction: o Focus on cropping pattern as per agro climatic conditions. o Focusing on HYV crops, R&D in agriculture, bio fortification etc. Livelihood security: o Employment generation opportunities by the government for displaced people through make in India campaign. o Generating spirit of entrepreneurship e.g. MUDRA can be a game changer. Maintaining buffer stocks to be used at the time of crisis. E.g. Shanta Kumar committee to reform FCI can be implemented. o Proper planning to mitigate effects of floods. o Focus on technologies such as cloud seeding e.g. Karnataka's varshadhare project. Conclusion However ILR project should not be dropped in haste requires further debates and discussions and efforts of all the stakeholders to make the project viable while in the meantime the above mentioned steps could be implemented for sustainability. The forward approach could be to develop few links which show highly positive impact in terms of improvements with proper EIA to access the social and environmental due to such projects. Lastly, Government needs to promote alternative methods to augment water resource management in water scarce regions.
19 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Pesticide Regulation in India
Relevancy: GS prelims, GS Mains paper I, II, III Agriculture, Farmers’ distress, Pesticide regulation Recently:
Farmers in Maharashtra’s cotton belt in Yavatmal died with pesticides exposure. India has a weak law to regulate pesticides i.e. Insecticides Act of 1968. Even a dedicated satellite channel of Doordarshan i.e. DD Kisan has failed to educate the farmers on optimum usage of chemical products. Why overdose of pesticides?
1. Greater volumes of pesticides used: Cotton growers are under pressure to protect their investments to rely on greater volumes of insecticides in the face of severe pest attacks. Unscrupulous agents advise the farmers to use higher volumes of pesticides. It should rather bethe duty of government agricultural extension officers to guide and educate the farmers on pesticide use.
2. Spurious pesticides: Bulk of the pesticides sold to farmers today are spurious. This needs enquiry at pan-India level. (This should be similar to the 2003 Joint Parliamentary Committee that looked into harmful chemical residues in beverages and recommended the setting of tolerance limits.)
3. Obsolete Pesticide regulation: The Pesticide regulation in India is obsolete. A new Pesticides Management Bill introduced in 2008 was studied by the Parliamentary Standing Committee, but it is still pending.
4. Hybrids requirements are high: It has been observed by some of the farmers that the hybrids of cotton require more chemicals as they are resistant to pesticides. Need for a fresh law:
Agricultural product exports from India, including fruits and vegetables, have been subjected to import restrictions internationally for failing to comply with safety norms. It is necessary that a Central Pesticides Board be formed to advise on use and disposal of pesticides on sound lines, as envisaged under the law proposed in 2008. This will strengthen oversight of registration, distribution and sale of toxic chemicals. Aligning the new pesticides regulatory framework with food safety laws and products used in health care will make it broad-based. A forward-looking farm policy would minimise the use of toxic chemicals, and encourage organic methods where they are efficacious.
The Pesticide Management Bill, 2008
Proposed as a step towards promoting safe use of pesticides, this Bill seeks to regulate the manufacture, inspection, testing and distribution of pesticides. It establishes a system of licensing as well as the setting up of a registration committee to register pesticides. Highlights of the Bill
It replaces the Insecticides Act, 1968. It defines a pesticide.
20 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) It also sets criteria by which a pesticide is to be classified as misbranded, sub-standard, or spurious. A Central Pesticides Board shall be established to advise the government on matters related to pesticide regulation, manufacture, use and disposal. A registration committee shall also be established to register pesticides. The Bill is also aligned with the Food Safety norms. No pesticide can be registered unless tolerance limits for its residues on crops and commodities are specified under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The Bill establishes a procedure to licence manufacturers, distributors and retailers of pesticides, to be administered by state governments. What does the bill lack?
Definition of pesticide: The Bill defines a pesticide as any substance used to destroy or control pests in agricultural commodities or animal feeds. Pesticides used for non- agricultural purposes, such as health care, are thus excluded from this definition. The Parliamentary Standing Committee has recommended that a broader definition be used. Tolerance limits: The tolerance limits for pesticides are to be specified according to the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. However, the relevant provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act have yet to be brought into force. No penalty for erring officers: The Bill does not specify penalties for pesticide inspectors or analysts who misuse their powers. Penalties be imposed on such government officers along the lines of similar provisions in the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 or the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Negative Emissions
Relevancy GS Prelims, GS Mains paper Climate change, Negative emissions Kyoto protocol, Paris agreement Climate Change reversal To meet the challenges of global climate change, greenhouse-gas emissions must be reduced. Emissions from fossil fuels are the largest contributor to the anthropogenic greenhouse effect, so a reduction in fossil-energy use is a clear priority. No one single technology can solve climate change, but many have been proposed that could contribute to reducing atmospheric CO2. These include geoengineering and “CDR” (carbon dioxide removal). Negative emissions It is a technology that offers partial carbon reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. The term negative emissions mean net removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. When traditional methods of carbon reduction are combined with carbon capture and storage techniques, the resultant carbon dioxide emissions are negative. If applied on a global scale, this could help to reverse global warming. Negative CO2 emissions are generated by: o combining bio-energy production (biomass fuel-power stations, pulp mills and bio-fuel plants) with carbon capture and storage technology,
21 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) o By allowing carbon dioxide to be captured from the atmosphere and remitted back underground.
Methods to achieve negative emissions Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS): o It involves growing bioenergy crops from grasses to trees and burning them in power stations. o Also stripping the CO2 from the resulting waste gases and compressing it into a liquid for underground storage. Afforestation: o It aims at planting trees and also relies on photosynthesis to initially remove CO2 from the atmosphere. o Here storage is achieved naturally that is in timber and soil. Enhanced weathering: o It refers to a chemical approach to remove carbon dioxide involving land or ocean based techniques. o Land based enhanced weathering techniques are in-situ carbonation of silicates eg. Ultramafic rock. Direct air capture (DAC): o Sucking CO2 out of the air and either burying it underground or using it in chemical processes for Industrial purposes or manufacturing. Biochar: o Burning of biomass to create biochar and further adding it to soils where it holds it for thousands of years or centuries. Soil carbon sequestration: o It proposes as a menthod of Geo-engineering to use modern farming techniqyes, grassland restoration, creation of ponds and wetlands to reverse past losses of soil carbon and sequester CO2. Demerits This is a slow to process, and requires a long-term political and engineering program to effect. It is even slower to take effect on acidified oceans. Also negatively, the deep ocean will remain acidified for centuries, and as a consequence many marine species are in danger of extinction. Lastly, scientists are still uncertain how soils will react to a warming world, particularly in areas where water supplies might be at risk. Related International agreements Kyoto protocol: o Kyoto protocol intended the Industrialised nations to reduce their green house gas emission by around 5.2% by 2012. (measured against 1990 levels) o The Protocol is based on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. o Kyoto Protocol is the rigid global treaty with binding limits on GHG emissions. The Paris Agreement: o It was adopted at the COP21 climate talks set a global aim to limit average global surface temperatures to “well below 2C” above pre-industrial levels. o It also says that there should be “efforts” to limit it to 1.5C. Others:
22 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) o Other commitments include the Bali Action Plan (2007), the Copenhagen Accord (2009), the Cancún agreements (2010), and the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (2011) etc. Loopholes in International efforts These agreements are based on the “common but differentiated responsibility” approach to global warming where many countries were allowed to increase pollution. Some also excluded most polluting countries like China and India, which have since become the world’s largest and fourth largest polluters. Also there is lack of funding to developing nations or availability of alternate resources. Conclusion Although plenty of negative emissions technologies have been proposed, none are ready to be rolled out around the world, or, in some cases, even demonstrated to work at scale. To get to net-zero emissions, we need to have some of what are called “negative emissions” technologies, or things which will suck the CO2 out of the air to compensate for the ongoing release.
Biochar
Relevancy GS Prelims, GS Mains paper Biochar, Biosequestration Carbon level reductions Biochar
Biochar is form of charcoal used as a technique for soil amendment process. Biochar is found in soils around the world as a result of vegetation fires and historic soil management practices. Also it is extremely porous in nature. Biochar is highly potent in nature as its life is more than thousands of years. It is derived from extremely fertile Terra preta soils of the Amazon Basin. Biosequestration Biosequestration is the capture and storage of the atmospheric greenhouse gas carbon dioxide by biological processes. It is a key policy concept in the climate change mitigation. It does not generally refer to the sequestering of carbon dioxide in oceans or rock formations, depleted oil or gas reservoirs deep saline aquifers, etc. Properties of Biochar Biochar is a stable solid. It is rich in carbon, and can endure in soil for thousands of years. Biochar is made up from biomass via pyrolysis. o Pyrolysis is a thermochemical decomposition of organic material at elevated temperatures in the absence of oxygen or any halogen gas. Potentials of Biochar
23 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Carbon level reduction: o Biochar can sequester carbon in the soil for thousand or more years, like coal. o This is a carbon-negative technology would lead to a net withdrawal of CO2 from the atmosphere. o It will result into climate change via carbon sequestration. Soil amendment: o Biochar can increase soil fertility of acidic soils (low pH soils), increase agricultural productivity, and provide protection against some foliar and soil-borne diseases. o If biochar is returned to agricultural land it can increase the soil’s carbon content permanently. o It is also suitable as a habitat for beneficial microorganisms. Slash and char: o Results have shown that turning from slash-and-burn to slash-and-char farming techniques in Brazil decreased both deforestation of the Amazon basin and carbon dioxide emission. o Slash-and-burn leaves only 3% of the carbon from the organic material in the soil while Slash-and-char can keep up to 50% of the carbon in a highly stable form. Water retention in soil: o Biochar also improves water quality and quantity by increasing soil retention of nutrients and agrochemicals for plant and crop utilization. o More nutrients stay in the soil instead of leaching into groundwater and causing pollution. . Energy production: o It can be directly substituted for any application that uses coal. o Alternatively it can be used to produce bio-oil and syngas. Conclusion
Current biochar projects make no significant impact on the overall global carbon budget. Although expansion of this technique has been advocated as a geoengineering approach. Potentially, the bioenergy industry might even be made to sequester net carbon if biomass is pyrolyzed to biochar and put back into the soil, rather than being completely burned.
24 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) POLITY AND GOVERNANCE
Marital Rape
Relevancy G.S. Paper 2 Negative effects on society Issues Recently
The Central government has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court arguing against criminalizing marital rape. According to the Government, doing so would “destabilize the institution of marriage, apart from being an easy tool for harassing husbands”.
Negative Effects on Society
This step will be a be a loss for millions of women who face sexual violence from their husbands, as the government is not taking up its responsibility. Statistics also show that couples who have seen such violence among their parents are more likely to experience it themselves, which means that justifying such acts in the name of stabilizing families only perpetuates them
Specific issues from the National Family and Health Survey
Lack of prosecution is only a part of the problem Justifying spousal violence in the name of family only perpetuates it More than four in 10 women who had experienced physical or sexual violence felt that wife- beating was justified under various excuses These figures underline the need for undertaking both legal and social reforms to deal with the menace of sexual violence by husbands against their wives Entrenched patriarchal notions have legitimized such violence, even among women More than 40% women who faced violence by their husbands, think its justified
The Story of Women Reservation Bill
Relevancy G.S. Paper 2 Background Stands of different political parties Women reservation in different countries
Background:
THE JOURNEY SO FAR
25 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) 1974 Report submitted to Ministry of Education and Social Welfare by a Committee on Status of Women in India. Recommends that seats be reserved for women in panchayats and municipal bodies 1993 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments reserve one-third of seats for women in panchayats and municipal bodies Sep 12, 1996 Women’s Reservation Bill introduced in Lok Sabha by Deve Gowda govt June 26, 1998 Bill reintroduced by NDA govt. It lapses as Lok Sabha is dissolved prematurely with Vajpayee govt being reduced to a minority Nov 22, 1999 Bill again introduced by NDA govt. No consensus 2002-2004 NDA govt brings Bill twice in Lok Sabha, could not get it passed May 6, 2008 UPA introduces Bill in Rajya Sabha February 25, 2010 Union Cabinet approves Women’s Reservation Bill March 9, 2010 Bill passed by Rajya Sabha with overwhelming majority. Is yet to be introduced in Lok Sabha
It’s been 20 years since the Bill to grant women 33% reservation in Lok Sabha and state Assemblies was introduced. Despite promises, parties have failed to build consensus for a stronger women’s voice at the top, leading to policies and laws to help fight abuse, discrimination and inequality.
What are the stands of different political parties on the agenda of Women reservations:
Most of the main political parties (BJP, Congress and Left) with the exception of the socialists and caste-based parties (SP, BSP and RJD) are principally committed to the idea of providing 33 per cent reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies. There is a palpable sense of insecurity. Many male politicians believe that the reservation would mean their bastion is gone, since being part of an elected office now involves money, muscle and political power. The demand of the BSP is that a separate quota should be provided for women. i.e. a quota different from the existing SC quota should be given to SC women. The Congress contends that even though women form 50 percent of the population, they should be given atleast 33 percent quota in political institutions.
The following figure shows Women reservation in respective Parliaments of different countries:
26 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000)
27 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Altering the RTI Act
Relevancy G.S. Paper 2, Public Administration optional, Sociology optional Polity, Right to Information (RTI), Crime and RTI, Improving transparency in governance Recently
The government has proposed amendments to the RTI Act that would allow the withdrawal of an application in case of the applicant’s death.
Why RTI Act needs amendments?
The RTI activists are already exposed to violence, all the more so as the Whistle Blowers Protection Act (2011) is not implemented. In most situations, cases aren’t even filed and even when filed action has been paltry. 70 RTI activists have been killed thus far, besides other cases of assault & harassment. Allowing the withdrawal of an application in case of the applicant’s death makes the job of those who file RTIs even more risky. This impunity creates conditions conducive for more violence against the RTI activists. It would also send disturbing signals to the defenders of human rights.
Spread of RTI related violence
The richer states that otherwise have a better track record on crime have seen a larger number of RTI related casualties. A considerable number of cases are from rural India, a clear sign that the RTI has also been active in the village. This is not surprising since RTI mostly fights against the appropriation of public goods by vested interests, which are comparatively stronger in affluent provinces. Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka recording the highest number of RTI related crimes. This prevalence of violence is only proof of the effectiveness of RTI, that makes vested interests and the government nervous.
RTI’s Focus
Exposing corruption: o The nature of the RTI activist’s work is revealing of the character of corruption in India today. o Problems pertaining to land, illegal construction and property disputes are the root cause of most of the cases. o Other issues like illegal mining, including the sand mafia’s activities. Media’s Impact: o Even if no action is taken, the media often publicise the cases and give bad publicity to the offenders. o In some of the most dedicated RTI activists are journalists. o Also, the reasons why small-town journalists are murdered, assaulted & harassed are similar to the RTI activists.
RTI and the political setting
28 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) NGO leaders have played a vital role in this change by touring villages and educate people on how to file RTIs. The RTI activists not only expose corrupt practices and crimes, but also provide alternative leadership at the local level. The RTI Act has indeed empowered young Dalits, Adivasis and members of the minorities. Some of them have become community mobilisers and have been elected sarpanch.
Other issues with RTI
Opacity: o Some of the government agencies (like the PMO) repeatedly refusing to disclose the required information. o The Commission does not have enough power for getting responses to its questions and does not have the mechanisms for following up on whether its orders have been complied with. Pendency: o While it had already reached 7.55 lakh annually in 2015, it rose by 22.67% in 2016. o The number of RTI applications continues to grow & pendency is increasingly becoming a major issue with UP crossing the 48,000 mark. o The number of applications filed could easily decrease if the frequently asked questions are identified and other structural reforms taken up. o Also, the job of Information Commissioner has become a post-retirement sinecure for former bureaucrats who do not necessarily feel the urge of idealism, thereby aggrevating the problem. Training: o Also, the Information Officers do not necessarily get the right training. This calls for streamlining the process. o Universities could include the RTI Act in their train people for making RTIs more proactive
Bitcoin Regulation In India
Relevancy G.S. Paper 2,3 Options For Bitcoin Regulation Type Of Cryptocurrency RBI’s Plan To Regulate Cryptocurrency Other Regulators Options To Regulate Bitcoins In India
India can use GST as a tool to curb the frenzy over bitcoins by taxing their supply. GST demands a certain level of transparency which will ensure that only really serious players will trade in bitcoins. Section 7 of the CGST Act defines ‘supply’ as all forms of supply of goods or services or both such as sale, transfer, barter, exchange, licence, rental, lease or disposal made or agreed to be made for a consideration by a person in the course or furtherance of business. The definition is comprehensive enough to include trading in cryptocurrencies.
29 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Levy of GST on supply of bitcoins and income tax on the profits made on bitcoins is certain to curb their use purely for the purposes of speculation- which seems to be the main purpose behind doing anything in bitcoins today. If the indiscrete generation and supply of bitcoins is not curbed at an early stage, it could spread its tentacles to various parts of the economy.
Types of Cryptocurrencies
There are two types of cryptocurrencies o Fiat and o Non-fiat. Non-fiat currencies are largely in existence today while the fiat ones are blessed by Governments.
RBI’s Plan To Regulate Cryptocurrency
In the past, the RBI has been ambivalent in its thoughts on cryptocurrencies. It has been reported that the RBI is working on a project to develop fiat crypto currencies. This is a welcome measure as the RBI can be extremely prudent in policies regarding cryptocurrencies. They have even thought of a name for it: Lakshmi.
Other Regulators
At this stage, it appears that all it would take to regulate cryptocurrencies in India would be for the RBI, CBDT and GST Council to sit across the table and talk to each other. If this is not done at the earliest, they may be forced to sit down a few years down the line and decide on an action that is bound to be as controversial as it was when it was last done — demonetise crypto currencies.
Shekatkar Committee report
Relevancy: GS prelims, GS mains paper II and III India’s defence policy, Shekatkar committee report, Defence modernization. Recently: The government has accepted some of the suggestions of the Shekatkar Committee. A committee under Lieutinant-General DB Shekatkar was set up last year in order to suggest ways and means to enhance the combat potential of the armed forces and re-balancing defence expenditure. What were the underlying principles for the committee? Addressing military commanders aboard INS Vikramaditya in December 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had advised them to reform their 'beliefs, doctrines, objectives and strategies', emphasising that "at a time when major powers are reducing their forces and rely more on technology, we are still constantly seeking to expand the size of our forces. Modernisation and expansion of forces at the same time is a difficult and unnecessary goal. We need forces that are agile, mobile and driven by technology, not just human valour". Some of the areas the prime minister mentioned where reform was necessary are those of:
30 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) o Defence planning, o Enhanced jointness (interoperability of the army, navy and air force), o Rationalisation of manpower, o Professional military education, o Restructuring higher defence management and o Reforming the defence procurement process. These in turn became the committee’s ‘guiding principles’ for its deliberations. The committee was also guided by the concept of ‘strategic space’ of India’s interest What is India’s strategic space? Strategic space has been defined on the Ministry of Defence website: "India’s size, strategic location, trade interests in a security environment that extends from Persian Gulf in the West, to the Straits of Malacca in the East and from the Central Asian Republic (CAR) in the North to near the equator in the South, underpin India’s security response. In view of the strategic spread, it is essential for the country to maintain a credible land, air and maritime force to safeguard its security interests." Some of the major recommendations of the Shekatkar committee are critically analysed as below: 1. India’s defence objective: The major security objectives upon which the committee focussed, besides the defence of the nation’s borders, were protecting its citizens against wars, terrorism, insurgency, nuclear threats and militant activities, being a net security provider in the Indian Ocean Region, and developing of equipment and technologies that enhance defence preparedness through indigenous research, development and production. To achieve these objectives, the committee drew up 'military' objectives, that are the prevention of war through deterrence, prosecution or military operations to achieve stated/implied political objective(s), provision of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) when called upon to do so. A factor added by the committee to this 'traditional' list was the attainment of a degree of technological and strategic independence. 2. About the other threats that the nation is facing: Besides the collusive and collaborative threats from its two major adversaries, there are other areas viz technological threats such as cyber, space and information warfare; non-contact or non-conventional threats and security in the maritime domain such as India’s maritime geography, its maritime trade, its maritime relations, investments and interests and the prospect of maritime terrorism. The beacon in the latter context is the vision of SAGAR – Security and Growth for All in the Region. 3. About 'teeth-to-tail' ratio: the committee broke the shackles of these being defined only in the context of the three armed forces. It recognised the need to critically examine anyone and everyone sustained out of the Defence Budget. An appropriate teeth-to-tail ratio is one for the entire defence mechanism sustained out of Defence Budget of India (including organisations that function under the MoD such as the DRDO, OFB, DGQA, defence estates, CGDA, BRO, the defence PSUs and the MoD itself). 4. There should be an integrated approach for all forces: The capabilities of the armed forces could be greatly enhanced if there is more jointness both in their training and in the execution of their tasks. An integrated approach towards equipment selection, procurement, stocking and training would all accrue considerable financial savings.
31 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) 5. On defence budget: Keeping a minimum threshold of three percent of the GDP to ensure meeting the expenditures of growing operational requirements. A Defence Planning Board to monitor defence modernisation and budgeting which should be predicated on specific needs should be set up. It also suggested the adoption of a ‘roll on’ plan being explored that would ensure non- lapsability and more efficient uses of resources precluding the existing year end rush of expenditure.
Special Status and Special Category Status to States
Relevancy G.S. Paper 2, 3 Difference Between Special Status And Special Category Status To States Current States With The Special Category Status. Criteria Benefits To The State Difference Between Special Status And Special Category Status To States
There is a huge difference between the terms ‘Special Status’ and ‘Special Category Status’ Special status is guaranteed by the Constitution of India through an Act passed by the two- third majority in both houses of the Parliament, as in the case of Jammu and Kashmir, whereas Special Category Status is granted by the National Development Council (NDC), an administrative body of the government. Special Status empowers legislative and political rights while Special Category Status deals only with economic, administrative and financial aspects. The concept of a special category state was first introduced in 1969 when the 5th Finance Commission sought to provide certain disadvantaged states with preferential treatment in the form of central assistance and tax breaks. Initially three states Assam, Nagaland and Jammu & Kashmir were granted special status but since then eight more have been included (Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Sikkim, Tripura and Uttarakhand).
Current States With The Special Category Status.
Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand
Criteria for a state to be declared as a Special Category State:
Low resource base Hilly and difficult terrain Low population density Sizable share of tribal population Hostile location
Benefits to the State
The benefits that a state gets under the provision of being a 'special state' are -
32 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Preferential treatment in getting Central funds assistance Concession on excise duty, this attracts industries to the state Significant 30% of the Centre’s gross budget goes to the Special category states These states avail themselves of the benefit of debt swapping and debt relief schemes In centrally sponsored schemes and external aid special category states get it in the ratio of 90% grants and 10% loans, while other states get 30% of their funds as grants. Transforming Rural India
Relevancy G.S. Paper 2,3 Rural development in India Employment Generation In Rural Areas Skill Development in India Skill Development and Rural Youth Conclusion Recently
PM has given a new vision of ‘making a New India’, to boost growth in Rural areas of the country.
Rural Development in India
Rural development holds the key to sustainable economic growth and human development. India’s emergence as a global power depends on its ability to tackle the challenge of rural poverty and development effectively. The government’s initiatives for the upliftment of the rural masses. o MGNREGA o Doubling the farmer’s income by 2022 o Swachh Bharat Mission o PM Krishi Sinchayee Yojana o PM Awas Yojana o PM Jan Dhan Yojana o Soil health cards o PM Ujjawala Yojana o E-NAM o PM Fasal Bima Yojana o PM Gram Sadak Yojana With these schemes and the visible progress in these areas, hopes of creating ‘New India’ has increased. It is the rural workforce and Indian agriculturalists who can play the pivotal role in the overall development and well-being of the country. Rural economy, prosperity of Indian villages and self-content requirement of pastoral clusters can only usher in a progressive and modern India. But ultimately, it ought to be underlined that it will be wrong to visualize a uniform and single pattern of farming or rural development methodology in the entire country.
Employment Generation In Rural Areas
33 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Transforming rural India is an imperative to make India a developed nation where youth plays an important role. The PM has often talked about skill, scale and speed, out of which skill is the most important. Previously, three different agencies were responsible for skill development o PM council for skill development o National Skill Development Corporation o National Skill Development Agency Presently, a new ministry was formed who was devoted to Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. Its aim is to prepare a framework for skill development, bridge the gap between demand and supply of skilled labour through vocational education and technical training, develop new skill sets and evaluate and certify the existing skill development programs.
Skill Development in India
The National Skill Development Corporation has a capacity to train 82 million through 159 training partners. A person in an urban area has 93% greater chance of acquiring training than someone in a rural area. Many ministries have been involved in the skil development initiative- department of rural development, ministry of textiles, ministry of micro, small and medium enterprises. One of the biggest challenges faced by the country is not the absence of skill, but the lack of a proper mechanism to train and certify workforce. The wider gap between those who have access to education and skill development opportunities and those who do not, is a challenge that has to be overcome.
Skill Development and Rural Youth
About 69% of population lives in villages.Agriculture is largest employer (48% of its 490 million workforce) but results only in 13% share of GDP. Several challenges prevent India’s rural poor youth from competing in the modern market, such as lack of formal education and marketable skills. The government is making efforts to engage, educate, employ and make rural youth entrepreneurs. Some of the schemes to ensure skill training, capital funds, connectivity and jobs for the country’s rural youth are: o Deen Dayal Upadhaya Grameen Kaushal Yojana (DDU-GKY) . Aim- to make rural poor youth economically independent. . It is a placement linked skill training programme which in partnership with private industries, which is empowering rural youth with skills and giving placements. o ASPIRE . It is a scheme for promotion of Innovation, Rural Industry and Enterprise which has set up a network technology centres, incubation centres to accelerate entrepreneurship and to promote start-ups for innovation and entrepreneurship in rural and agriculture based industry. . Planned outcomes of ASPIRE is setting up Technological Business Incubators, Livelihood Business Indicators and creation of a fund with SIDBI. o PMKVY . Aim- to impart skills to 1 crore people om four years.
34 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) . Post placement is given directly to the beneficiaries through DBT. . Mobilisation, monitoring and post training placement of trainees is to be done through Rozgar melas and Kaushal Shivirs. . It will also focus in imparting skills which are helpful in overseas employment. o Nai Manzil . It is an educational and livelihood initiative supported by World Bank. . It can be availed by school drop outs out of six notified minority communities- Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis and Jains. o USTAAD . Upgrading the Skills and Training in Traditional Arts/Crafts for Development. . Launched by ministry of minority affairs for skill development of artisans and craftsmen of minority communities. . Many hunar hars, shipl utsavs are organised and engagement with knowledge partners like NIFT and NID is undertaken.
Conclusion
It should be dream of every Indian workforce population to be skilled. 12 million people are expected to join the workforce every year. With Make in India as a national dream and acceptance of skill development as a priority for the next decade, reforms will be visible when government integrates skill development, education system and Indian industry. The government has been successful in creating an ecosystem for skill development but still there is a need to make efforts in a sustained manner. Watershed Component of PMKSY- Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana
Relevancy: GS Prelims, GS Mains paper I, III Agriculture, Irrigation, Infrastructure, Sustainable Water use, Watershed component of PMKSY Recently:
The Standing Committee on Rural Development chaired by Dr. P. Venugopal submitted its report on ‘Watershed Development Component’ (erstwhile Integrated Watershed Management Program- IWMP) of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana What is a watershed?
A watershed is an area that separates water flowing into rivers or basins. Management of a watershed involves the rational utilisation of land and water resources, through preventing soil run-off, increasing the productivity of crops, rain water harvesting and recharging of ground water tables. About PMKSY:
The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) was launched in 2015, and is being jointly implemented by three ministries.
35 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) The Ministry of Rural Development undertakes water conservation activities, the Ministry of Water Resources undertakes measures for creation of irrigation sources, and the Ministry of Agriculture promotes efficient water utilisation. The salient observations and recommendations of the Committee include:
Expeditious efforts for completion of projects: o 53% of the net sown area in the country, accounting for 74 million hectares is rain fed, and the watershed development component of PMKSY aims to enhance productivity in these areas through suitable irrigation measures. o The Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP), now part of PMKSY, has been under implementation since 2009. o The Committee noted that between 2009 to 2015, out of the 8,214 projects covering 39 million hectares being carried out, not even a single project has reached closure date as of April 2017. o As per the watershed development project guidelines, projects should be completed in four to seven years. o It recommended that serious efforts should be made to expedite the completion of ongoing projects under the watershed component. Budgetary allocation: o The Committee recommended that in the context of non-completion of projects due to shortfall of funds, the budgetary allocations should be commensurate to the requirements of the projects sanctioned. Coordination with states for better implementation: o Under IWMP, the fund sharing pattern between centre and states was 90:10. o This has changed to 60:40 under the watershed development component of PMKSY. o The Committee noted that this change has made the role of states in effective fund utilisation even more significant. o It added that the delay in completion of projects could be avoided through better coordination with state government agencies and stakeholders. Detailed Project Reports (DPRs): o The Committee noted that DPRs for 1,774 projects had not been prepared. o It also noted lack of quality in preparation of DPRs, such as not taking into account challenges of a geographical location, and ways to overcome them. o It stated that this was because agencies responsible for the preparation of DPRs lacked the required skill sets for such projects. o It recommended that credible, government agencies, with substantial expertise should be involved in the preparation of DPRs. o Local people should also be involved in the process, and DPRs should be place in the public domain to maintain transparency and accountability. Third party evaluation: o Under a new initiative, three agencies have been appointed for monitoring and evaluation of projects in the north, west and north-east regions. o Such an evaluation mechanism will provide much better insights into the functional and ground level aspects of ongoing projects. o It recommended that the process of selection of these agencies for the south and east regions should be expedited since watershed development projects were being implemented across the country.
36 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) ‘Saubhagya’ Plan For Household Electrification
Relevancy: GS Prelims, GS Mains paper II and III Government schemes, Infrastructure, Saubhagya Recently:
The Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi launched Saubhagya scheme for rural household electrification. PM Modi said the situation has now changed and that the nation is moving from a scenario of power shortage to surplus. About the scheme:
Under the scheme- PM Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana (Saubhagya), every household in the country, whether it is in a village or a city or in a far-flung area, will be given an electricity connection. No price will be charged for the poor to get an electricity connection, and the government will go to their houses to give them the connection For 4 crore houselholds, the government is posed to spend Rs 16,000 crore under this project. Background:
Despite the government’s aggressive village electrification programme, the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gram Jyoti Yojana launched in July 2015, under which 78% of 18,000 villages have been electrified, it was realised that the problem of electricity ‘access’ wasn’t resolved. A village is declared to be electrified if 10% of the households are given electricity along with public places such as schools, panchayat office, health centres, dispensaries and community centres. With a large number of household still remaining unelectrified, the scheme aims at ensuring the coverage of households as opposed to only villages. Benefits under the scheme:
Access to electricity to all willing households Substitution to kerosene Improvement in educational services Improvement in health services Improvement in communications Improvement in public safety Increased job opportunities Better quality of life, especially for women, in daily chores The scheme will help India, the world’s third-largest energy consumer after the US and China, to help meet its global climate change commitments as electricity will substitute kerosene for lighting purposes. Lighting in turn will also help in improving education, health, connectivity with the multiplier effect of increased economic activities and job creation. How will it help?
37 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) It has been observed that the electricity distribution companies (discoms) don’t want to supply to the villages even if the electrification has taken place. By providing electricity access to all households with prepaid and smart meters, demand will be created which in turn will force the discoms to supply to these villages. How will it work?
To ensure on the spot registration, mobile applications will be used. While free connections will be provided to below poverty line (BPL) households, even those not covered under this category can avail it by paying Rs500 in 10 instalments of Rs50 each along with their monthly bill. With no subsidy component for monthly electricity consumption, the Gram Panchayat and public institutions in the rural areas will be authorised to carry out billing and collection tasks which have been pain points for the discoms. For those household where the national electricity grid can’t reach, households will be provided with solar power packs along with battery banks. State-run Rural Electrification Corporation is the nodal agency for the scheme. States have also been provided with an incentive of 50% of their loan being converted to grants, if the electrification targets are met by 31 December 2018. How will the beneficiaries be identified?
The beneficiaries for free electricity connections will be identified using Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011 data.
Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana (AGEY)
Relevancy G.S. Paper 2 About Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana (AGEY) Objectives of AGEY About Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) Key features of DAY-NRLM Recently
The Government of India recently launched a new sub-scheme named “Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana (AGEY)” under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).
About Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana (AGEY)
The Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana is started to provide an alternative source of livelihood to members of Self Help Groups (SHGs). The sub-scheme will be implemented for a period of three years from 2017-18 to 2019-20 in 250 blocks in the country on a pilot basis.
Objectives of AGEY
To provide alternative source of livelihood to members of SHGs under DAY-NRLM To facilitate them to operate public transport services in backward rural areas.
38 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) To provide safe, affordable and community-monitored rural transport services like e- rickshaws, three and four wheeler motor transport vehicles To connect remote villages with key services and amenities including access to markets, education and health for the overall economic development of the area.
About Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM)
The NRLM was launched in June 2011 by the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD). The Mission aims at creating efficient and effective institutional platforms of the rural poor, enabling them to increase household income through sustainable livelihood enhancements and improved access to financial services. NRLM believes in harnessing the innate capabilities of the poor and complements them with capacities (information, knowledge, skills, tools, finance and collectivization) to participate in the growing economy of the country. The poor would be facilitated to achieve increased access to their rights, entitlements and public services, diversified risk and better social indicators of empowerment. Under the scheme the rural poor will be targeted through self-managed Self Help Groups (SHGs) and federated institutions will support them for livelihoods collectives in a period of 8- 10 years.
Key Features of DAY-NRLM:
Financial Inclusion Universal Social Mobilisation Community Funds as Resources in Perpetuity Participatory Identification of Poor (PIP) Stabilizing and promoting an existing livelihood portfolio of the poor through its three pillars – ‘vulnerability reduction’ and ‘livelihoods enhancement
National E-Governance Plan
Relevancy G.S. Paper 2,3 About National E-Governance Plan Digital initiatives by the government Objectives of National E-Governance Plan Key principles of National E-Governance Plan Recently
The Government of India approved the National e-Governance Plan (NeGP), comprising of 27 Mission Mode Projects (MMPs) and 8 components in 2006. In the year 2011, 4 projects – Health, Education, PDS and Posts were introduced to make the list of 27 MMPs to 31. Currently, there are 44 MMPs being implemented by the government under e-Kranti.
Digital initiatives by the government
Agriculture digital initiatives
39 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) o Pesticide registration o Information on pesticides o Display on the Web of Seed Testing Results o Geographical Information System (GIS) based interface for price & arrival details o Information on fertilizers/seeds. o Prices and arrival details o District level Agro-met advisories Major mobile applications o Crop Insurance: Famer can learn of insurance premium, notified area etc. on the mobile. o Kisan Suvidha: provides information on five critical parameters- weather, input dealers, market price, plant protection and expert advisories. o India Weather: provides current weather and 4 days weather forecast across the country for more than 300 cities. o Pusha Krishi: provides information on latest technologies to farmers. o Agri Market: Farmer can learn of the prices of various crops in the mandis near him. Major Web portals o Crop Insurance Portal: To provide complete information related to a Crop Insurance scheme being implemented o Farmers’ Portal: Farmers’ Portal is a one stop shop for farmers where a farmer can get information on a range of topics including seeds, fertilizer, pesticides, credit, good practices, dealer network, and availability of inputs, beneficiary list and Agromet advisories. o mKisan Portal: unified platform from where officials and scientists can send targeted text and voice based advisories to the farmers on a host of issues related to agriculture and allied sectors. o Participatory Guarantee System of India (PGS) Portal: for encouraging participatory approach to certification of organic farming in the country. e-Mandi o The Government has launched e-Mandi portal to make procurement of agricultural products smoother and provide competitive remuneration, especially for small and marginal farmers. School Education Mission Mode Project (MMP) o The MMP is focused on Primary, Secondary and Higher Secondary education. It will be a driving force for implementation of National Policy on Information & Communication Technology (ICT) in School Education. Land Records o Major services include real-time availability of land records, issuance of Record of Rights along with cadastral maps, issuance of certified copy of deed, issuance of non- encumbrance certificate, payment of stamp duties etc. o 26 States have computerized their land records and providing computerized copies of Records of Rights on demand. o These states have also placed their land records data in public domain. Aadhaar & Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) o 103+ crore citizens enrolled. 27+ Crore Bank Account seeded with Aadhaar No. 74 Government Schemes are on DBT, where Rs. 1.2 lakh crores transferred through DBT. National Scholarships Portal (NSP) o The portal is a one-stop solution to implement end-to-end disbursement of the scholarship to the beneficiaries.
40 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) o The process includes student registration, application, approval and disbursement. o 76 schemes of 22 Ministries/Departments of the Government are being on-boarded on the portal. Central Excise and Customs o Facilitates trade and industry by streamlining and simplifying customs and excise processes and to create a climate for voluntary compliance. Passport Seva o Project focuses on reforming Passport services in India through simple, efficient and transparent processes from processing of Passport to delivery of services. e-Courts o The services delivered through the e-Courts MMP include Automated case filing, Automated registration of case, Automated workflow for court, Generation of automated cause list, Judicial service centers in all Courts, Automation of Case Management System, allocation of cases, etc. MCA 21 o The major services delivered under the aegis of Ministry of Corporate Affairs through MCA21 include viewing of public records, issue of certified copy of documents, change in registered office, change in director(s), annual filings, application for change of name of a company, incorporation of a company and name allocation to a new company. e-Tourist Visa o Tourists can apply visa online, pay visa fee online and receive e-Tourist Visa online. Around 8.45 lakh e-Tourist Visas have been issued since Nov, 2015. e-District o e-District services have been launched in 555 districts of the country, which delivers various types eGov services at districts. Common Services Centers (CSC) 2.0 o The CSC aims for establishing at least one CSC in each of 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayat (GP) level under Digital India Programme to deliver various G2C, B2C and B2B services online. Mobile Governance o The Mobile Seva platform delivers Government services over mobile devices using mobile applications installed on the user’s mobile handsets. o About 2521 Government departments and agencies at central, state and local levels have been integrated with the Mobile Seva platform. Vikaspedia o It is a multilingual collaborative content creation platform that promotes access and sharing of e-knowledge for empowerment of underserved communities. o Vikaspedia facilitates societal empowerment through provision of relevant information in various domains including Agriculture, Education, Health, Social Welfare, Energy and e-Governance in 22 scheduled languages of the country, besides English. Jeevan Pramaan o Digital Life Certificate for Pensioners scheme known as Jeevan Pramaan envisages digitizing the whole process of securing the life certificate. o With this initiative, the pensioner is no more required to physically present himself or herself in front of disbursing agency or the certification authority. o Jeevan Pramaan is a biometric enabled digital service for pensioners. 16.30 lakh pensioners registered for the scheme.
41 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) e-Hospital – Online Registration System (ORS) o It includes online appointment and registration by new patients, viewing of lab reports, checking the status of blood availability and integration with payment gateway (PayGov). o 43 hospitals have been integrated. MyGov o MyGov aims to establish a link between Government and Citizens towards meeting the goal of good governance. MyGov encourages citizens as well as people abroad to participate in various activities i.e. ‘Do’, ‘Discuss’, ‘Poll’, ‘Talk’, ‘Blog’, etc. o There are multiple theme-based discussions on MyGov where a wide range of people can share their thoughts and ideas.
About National E-Governance Plan
The National e-Governance Plan (NeGP) is an initiative of the Government of India to make all government services available to the citizens of India via electronic media. NeGP was formulated by the Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY) and Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG). The Government approved the National e-Governance Plan, consisting of 27 "Mission Mode Projects" (MMPs) and Tencomponents, on 18 May 2006.
Objectives of National E-Governance Plan
To promote rapid replication and integration of eGov applications. To redefine NeGP with transformational and outcome oriented e-Governance initiatives. To ensure optimum usage of core Information & Communication Technology. To make use of more agile implementation models. To enhance the portfolio of citizen centric services. To leverage emerging technologies.
Key principles of National E-Governance Plan
Security and Electronic Data Preservation. Transformation and not Translation. Integrated Services and not Individual Services. Mobile First. National GIS (Geo-Spatial Information System). Government Process Reengineering (GPR) to be mandatory in every Mission Mode Project. Fast Tracking Approvals. ICT Infrastructure on Demand. Language Localization. Cloud by Default. Mandating Standards and Protocols. CPGRAMS – Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System
Relevancy: GS Prelims, GS Mains paper II, IV, Public administration optional
42 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Public grievance redressal, transparency, accountability, CPGRAMS Background:
For the last several decades several changes have been brought about to improve transparency in the functioning of the government and bring accountability. Cumulatively, these have helped the common man find his groove in a maze of laws and indifference of the lower bureaucracy and the response time for the solution of his or her grievance has improved significantly. However, nothing has revolutionized accountability, transparency and the response time of the government departments than the Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS), brought in by the Modi government. About CPGRAMS:
CPGRAMS is the new hope for redressal of any grievance - related either to the central or the state government. While the grievances related to departments of central government are handled quite efficiently, those pertaining to the states are passed on to the respective state governments. Guidelines have been issued to all the Ministries and Departments of Central Government to ensure that their Citizens' Charter, incorporating list of services, service standards and timelines, are duly uploaded and updated on the respective websites. Web based CPGRAMS has been designed and implemented in all the Ministries and Departments of Government of India. Moreover, a customized software with local language interface has also been designed for the state governments too called CPGRAMS - States. This provides online access to all citizens, including those in Armed Forces personnel, to report their grievances. A Public Grievances Call Centre has also been set up for reminding the Ministries and Departments concerned receiving bulk of the grievances in the Central Government, for expediting action on grievances pending on CPGRAMS for more than two months. As monitoring is done at various levels, there is an unusual hurry on the part of the officials to dispose the complaints as everyone would now know at which end the problem exists.
Feasibilty Of Holding Simultaneous Elections
Relevancy: GS Prelims, GS Mains paper 2, Optionals- Public Administration, Political Science. Electoral reforms, Simultaneous elections in Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies. Recently:
Election Commissioner O.P. Rawat said that conducting Lok Sabha and Assembly polls together would be possible only after necessary changes to the Constitution and Representation of the People Act. Need for holding simultaneous elections:
Holding of simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and state assemblies would:
43 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) (i) Reduce the massive expenditure that is currently incurred for the conduct of separate elections; (ii) Prevent the policy paralysis that results from the imposition of the Model Code of Conduct during election time; and (iii) Mitigate the impact on delivery of essential services and (iv) Reduce burden on crucial manpower that is deployed during election time. (v) Save education department. During elections, the teachers are generally deployed on election duty. Due to this process, the education sector suffers. (vi) Security forces also have to be diverted for the electoral work even as the country’s enemy keeps plotting against the nation and terrorism remains a strong threat. Conditions for holding early elections:
Present legal and constitutional provisions mandate that elections should to be held within 6 months prior to the end of the term of a State Assembly or the Lok Sabha. The Representation of People Act, 1951 permits the Election Commission to notify general elections six months prior to the end of the terms of Lok Sabha and state assemblies. As per the constitution of India, in order to hold early elections to Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies, one of two conditions must be met: (i) a motion for an early general election must be agreed to by at least two-thirds of all members of the House; or (ii) a no confidence motion must be passed by the House, and with no alternative government being confirmed within 14 days of passing a confidence motion. Recommendations of the Law Commission:
The Law Commission of India, which had suggested that elections of legislative assemblies whose term ends six months after the general elections to Lok Sabha can be clubbed together. However, the results of such elections can be declared at the end of the assembly‟s tenure. Recommendations of Niti Aayog:
The Niti Aayog has also favoured conducting synchronised two-phase Lok Sabha and Assembly elections from 2024 in “national interest”. All elections in India should happen in a free, fair and synchronised manner to ensure minimum “campaign mode” disruption to governance, the Niti Aayog had said in its “Three Year Action Agenda, 2017-18 to 2019-20” report, released recently. How is this feasible?
The Election Commission states that for simultaneous elections to be a success, it is imperative that all the political parties need to be on the board. There are changes required in the Constitution and the Representation of the People’s Act. The Assembly elections for Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Odisha are due in mid-2019, along with the next General Election. The Election Commission is of the view that it would be logistically possible to hold the elections together if sufficient time is given to the Commission. Also, there will be requirement of 24 lakh each Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) Machines.
44 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Holding of elections in two phases: The elections to some Legislative Assemblies could be held during the midterm of Lok Sabha. Elections to the remaining legislative assemblies could be held with the end of Lok Sabha‟s term. Schedule of Bye-elections: The Committee also recommended that bye-elections to all seats that become vacant during a year may be conducted together during a pre- determined time period.
Rajasthan Ordinance
Relevancy GS Prelims, GS Mains paper Rajasthan ordinance, Anti-corruption measures
Recently The Rajasthan Government has recently passed an ordinance making it a punishable offence to disclose the names of public servants facing allegations of corruption before the government grants formal sanction to prosecute them. The State government may initiate a move to convert it into an Act during the Assembly session beginning in October 2017.
The Ordinance: The ordinance has highly shielded both serving and former judges, magistrates and public servants in Rajasthan from being investigated for on-duty action without its prior sanction from police investigations. It has took a regressive step by restraining the public and the media from disclosing the identity of government officials until the sanction to proceed with the probe is obtained. The sanctioning authority may take up to six months for taking a decision. While amending Sections 156 and 190 of the Criminal Procedure Code, the ordinance lays down that if the sanctioning authority does not take a decision within six months, the prosecution sanction would be deemed to have been issued. If anyone found violating the restriction on printing, publishing or publicising the names, photographs and details of public servants, judges and magistrates for whom the sanction is yet to be granted, will be punished with two years’ imprisonment and fine, according to Section 5 of the ordinance. The government has reiterated that the new provisions had been made to protect honest public servants acting in good faith.
Other related Constitutional provisions and laws Supreme Court’s ruling in Lalita Kumari’s case, 2014: o The judgment had dealt with both cognisable and non-cognisable offences committed by public servants. o The apex court’s Constitution Bench had held that an FIR has to be lodged and investigation initiated by the police officer on the complaint about a cognisable offence.
45 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) o In the cases of non-cognisable offences, the investigating officer is empowered to initiate a preliminary enquiry and seek the court’s direction to obtain sanction for prosecution. Section 197 of Cr.P.C.: o It provides protection to public servants by making it mandatory for a court to take cognisance against them after getting the government’s sanction.
Loopholes in ordinance This ordinance will protect criminal and corrupt officials according to majority opinion. It would create a cover for wrongdoing by government officials and encourage others to indulge in corruption. The ordinance results in silence of the media and prevent the judiciary from exercising its function of setting the criminal law in motion. Such a provision destroys the objective of anti-corruption legislation, blocks the truth from surfacing, thwarts independent investigation and forewarns corrupt officers. The bill subverts independent investigation of erring bureaucrats and strikes at the core of rule of law. The arbitrary protection against investigation also violates Articles 14 (right to equality) and 21 (right to life) of the Constitution.
Aftermath of the ordinance The People’s Union for Civil Liberties demanded repeal of this ordinance which has made public servants immune against investigation and barred the media from disclosing their names until prior sanction is granted for their prosecution.
Conclusion Anti-corruption legislation in India seems to be in a state of unacceptable flux. Also, the Lokpal Act is yet to be operationalised. It is time the Centre enforced a strong body of legislation that punishes the corrupt, protects the honest, and ensures time-bound public services and whistle-blower safety. Nothing less will be acceptable to the public who demands the end of corruption at grassroot levels.
NK Singh Committee Report On Fiscal Responsibility
Relevancy: GS Prelims, GS Mains paper II and III, Optionals: Economics and Public Administration. Fiscal Responsibility, Fiscal deficit, NK Singh committee report. Recent:
Though the NK Singh Singh headed FRBM Review Committee submitted its report in January 2017 and same was released publicly in April 2017, yet this issue is important from this year’s mains point of view.
46 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) It is important to understand that debt indicates the total outstanding liabilities of the government, while the fiscal deficit indicates new borrowings made in the year, and the revenue deficit indicates what part of these new borrowings have been used to cover revenue expenses. Suggestions of the committee:
1. The Committee proposed a draft Debt Management and Fiscal Responsibility Bill, 2017 to replace the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2003 (FRBM Act). 2. Debt to GDP ratio: The Committee suggested using debt as the primary target for fiscal policy. A debt to GDP ratio of 60% should be targeted with a 40% limit for the centre and 20% limit for the states. It noted that majority of the countries that have adopted fiscal rules have targeted a debt to GDP ratio of 60%. The targeted debt to GDP ratio should be achieved by 2023. This ratio is expected to be around 70% in 2017. To achieve the targeted debt to GDP ratio, it proposed yearly targets to progressively reduce the fiscal and revenue deficits till 2023. 3. Fiscal Council: The Committee proposed to create an autonomous Fiscal Council with a Chairperson and two members appointed by the centre. To maintain its independence, it proposed a non-renewable four-year term for the Chairperson and members. Further, these people should not be employees in the central or state governments at the time of appointment. Role of the Council: The role of the Council would include: (i) preparing multi-year fiscal forecasts, (ii) recommending changes to the fiscal strategy, (iii) improving quality of fiscal data, (iv) advising the government if conditions exist to deviate from the fiscal target, and (v) advising the government to take corrective action for non-compliance with the Bill. 4. Deviations: The Committee noted that under the FRBM Act, the government can deviate from the targets in case of a national calamity, national security or other exceptional circumstances notified by it. Allowing the government to notify these grounds diluted the 2003 Act. The Committee suggested that grounds in which the government can deviate from the targets should be clearly specified, and the government should not be allowed to notify other circumstances. Further, the government may be allowed to deviate from the specified targets upon the advice of the Fiscal Council in the following circumstances: (i) considerations of national security, war, national calamities and collapse of agriculture affecting output and incomes, (ii) structural reforms in the economy resulting in fiscal implications, or (iii) decline in real output growth of at least 3% below the average of the previous four quarters. These deviations cannot be more than 0.5% of GDP in a year 5. Debt trajectory for individual states:
47 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) The Committee recommended that the 15th Finance Commission should be asked to recommend the debt trajectory for individual states. This should be based on their track record of fiscal prudence and health. 6. Borrowings from the RBI: The draft Bill restricts the government from borrowing from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) except when: (i) the centre has to meet a temporary shortfall in receipts, (ii) RBI subscribes to government securities to finance any deviations from the specified targets, or (iii) RBI purchases government securities from the secondary market. 7. Review Committee: The draft Bill requires the centre to establish a committee to review the functioning of the Bill in 2023-24. Question: Keeping in view the current trends in the Fiscal Deficit, compare the objectives and pathways set by the “Draft Debt management and Fiscal Responsibility Bill, 2017” and “Fiscal Responsibility and Budgetary management Act, 2003.
Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI)
Relevancy G.S. Paper 2 About intensified mission Indradhanush Recently
Prime Minister Modi launched the Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) at Vadnagar in Gujarat on October 8, 2017. Through this programme, Government of India aims to reach each child under two years of ageand all those pregnant women who have been left uncovered under the routine immunisation programme. The special drive will focus on improving immunization coverage in select districts and cities to ensure complete immunization to more than 90% by December 2018. Earlier the achievement of full immunisation under Mission Indradhanush to at least 90% coverage was to be achieved by 2020. With the launch of IMI, achievement of the target has now been advanced.
Mission Indradhanush
Mission Indradhanush is a health mission of the government of India. It was launched by Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda on 25 December 2014. It aims to immunize all children under the age of 2 years, as well as all pregnant women, against seven vaccine preventable diseases. The diseases being targeted are diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, poliomyelitis, tuberculosis, measles and Hepatitis B. In addition to these, vaccines for Japanese Encephalitis and Haemophilus influenzae type B are also being provided in selected states. In 2016, four new additions have been made namely Rubella, Japanese Encephalitis, Injectable Polio Vaccine Bivalent and Rotavirus
48 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Infant Mortality Rate In India
Relevancy GS Prelims, GS Mains paper III Economy IMR, Government policies, SRS survey Introduction Infant Mortality Rate refers to the deaths of infants under age of one year per 1,000 live births. Infant Mortality Rate include Pre-natal mortality, Neonatal mortality and Post-Neonatal mortality. Why is IMR important IMR is an important indicator of community health and is sensitive to general structural factors such as socio-economic development and basic living conditions. The same factors that increase an infant’s susceptibility to death – poverty, disease, lack of sanitation, lack of education – are the factors that affect health and productivity of adults as well. Moreover, the biggest improvements in life expectancy and health come from reduction in infant and child mortality. SRS (Sample Registration System) survey findings India has registered a significant decline in Infant Mortality Rate (IMR). IMR of India has declined by three points (8% decline), from 37 per 1000 live births in 2015 to 34 per 1000 live births in 2016, compared to two points decline last year. India also recorded a major drop in birth cohort, which has for the first time come down to below 25 million. India has registered 90000 fewer infant deaths in 2016 as compared to 2015. The total number of estimated infant deaths have come down from 930000 (9.3 Lakhs) in 2015 to 840000 (8.4 lakhs) in 2016. The gender gap in India for child survival is reducing steadily. The gender difference between female and male IMR has now reduced to <10%. The results signify that the strategic approach of the Ministry has started yielding dividends and the efforts of focusing on low performing States is paying off. Among the EAG States and Assam, all States except Uttarakhand have reported decline in IMR in comparison to 2015. The decline is reported as 4 points in Bihar, 3 points in Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand and two points decline in Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Rajasthan. Government efforts Experts attributed the decline of infant mortality from 2000 to 2015 to the creation of the National Health Mission aimed at improving primary healthcare in the country, and the Janani Suraksha Yojana which incentivised institutional deliveries. These remarkable achievements in merely one year is also the result of a countrywide efforts to increase the health service coverage through various initiatives of the Government that includes strengthening of service delivery; quality assurance; RMNCH+A; human resources, community processes; information and knowledge; drugs and diagnostics, and supply chain management, etc. The focus on primary health care and antenatal care [of schemes implemented in 2005] may have caused a persistent accelerated impact [over the past decade].
49 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) The difference between the female and male infant mortality has reduced by more than 10% which has been attributed to the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme launched in January 2015, which is aimed at improving the child sex ratio, early survival of the girl child and girls’ education. Criticism Public health experts point out that the numbers only confirm the downward trend in infant mortality across the country over the past decade. Meanwhile, a large number of children continue to die in India – about 9, 30,000 died in 2015 and 8, 40,000 died in in 2016. The decline is unremarkable as it only confirms the declining trend. Since 2006, IMR has declined by at least two to three points every year and the same has happened again between 2015 and 2016. We are benefitting from technological advancements, perhaps a better vaccination programme, better hospital procedures during childbirth but it does not indicate that social indicators are better. We still have many children with low birth weight and many young mothers. Another significant observation is that that India’s neighbouring countries, which are economically more backward, have fewer deaths. As per the United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation figures of 2015, neonatal mortality – mortality within 28 days of birth – in Nepal and Bangladesh were 22.5 and 23.3 respectively while India’s neonatal mortality was 27.7. India’s social indicators including infant mortality rates are higher than countries such as Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. While social indicators have become better among richer household in India, they have only stagnated or become worse for the poor. IMR in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh have been declining significantly but remain unacceptably high. Human Development Report (HDR) 2016
Relevancy GS Prelims, GS Mains paper II HDI, HDI Report 2016 Recently Human Development Report (HDR) was released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). HDI The Human Development Index (HDI) was first published in 1990, under the guidance of Mahbub ul Haq, a former finance minister of Pakistan, with technical assistance from the Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen. The HDI is a measure for assessing progress in three basic dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, access to knowledge, and access to a decent standard of living. The Human Development Index (HDI) was developed as a metric to assess the social and economic development levels of countries. This index makes it possible to follow changes in development levels over time and to compare the development levels of different countries. The origins of the HDI are found in the annual Human Development Reports produced by the Human Development Reports Office of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
50 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) HDI Calculation HDI is calculated using the following indicators: o Health - Life expectancy at birth o Education - measured by adult literacy and the combined primary, secondary and tertiary enrolment ratio o Income - measured by GDP per capita (PPP US$) The indicators of the three dimensions are calibrated and combined to generate an HDI score between zero and one. Countries are grouped into four human development categories or quartiles: very high, high, medium and low. A country is: o in the very high group if its HDI is in the top quartile o in the high group if its HDI is in percentiles 51–75 o in the medium group if its HDI is in percentiles 26–50 o in the low group if its HDI is in the bottom quartile Latest HDI Report India slipped one position and was ranked 131st among 188 countries on the Human Development Index 2016 released by the United Nations Development Programme. With a human development index value of 0.64, India has been put under the “medium” development category. In 1990, India’s HDI was 0.428 – there has been an over 45% increase in the HDI value. Among the BRICS countries, India came second to China which recorded the highest improvement in HDI value – 48%. Norway topped the list with the highest HDI value (0.949), while Australia (0.939) and Switzerland (0.939) followed. According to the report 1.5 million people worldwide still live in multidimensional poverty, 54% of them concentrated in South Asia. While poverty fell significantly from 1990 to 2015, inequalities sharpened in the region. South Asia also had the highest levels of malnutrition in the world, at 38%, and the lowest public health expenditure as a percentage of the GDP (1.6%, 2014). According to the reports, since 2005, India has introduced many progressive acts, including the right to education, work, information, food and public services. These acts have been marked by their explicit use of rights-based claims and by the design of innovative governance mechanisms that seek to enhance the transparency, responsiveness and accountability of the state. Report praised India’s reservation policy, observing that even though it “has not remedied caste-based exclusions”, it has “had substantial positive effects”. It pointed out that “in 1965, for example, Dalits held fewer than 2% of senior civil service positions, but the share had grown to 11% by 2001
Report on Tackling hate speeches
Relevancy GS Mains paper II Section 66-A Expert committee recommendations, hate speech Polity Recently:
51 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Recommendations of the expert committee constituted by the centre after the Supreme Court struck down the controversial section 66A of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
Expert committee The committee was headed by former Law Secretary T K Vishwanathan. It was set up to study domestic and international cyber laws and propose a legal framework in order to deal with online hate speech and incitement of violence.
Section 66A "Any person who sends, by means of a computer resource or a communication device o Any information that is grossly offensive or has menacing character; or o Any information which he knows to be false, but for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience, danger, obstruction, insult, injury, criminal intimidation, enmity, hatred or ill will, persistently by making use of such computer resource or a communication device, o Any electronic mail or electronic mail message for the purpose of causing annoyance or inconvenience or to deceive or to mislead the addressee or recipient about the origin of such messages, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and with fine." Section 66A provides punishment for sending offensive messages through communication services. These messages may be any information created, transmitted or received on a computer system, resource or device including attachments in the form of o Text o Images o Audio o Video o Any other electronic record which may be transmitted with the message The law targets messages that o Are grossly offensive or menacing o Proffer false information intending to cause annoyance, inconvenience, intimidation, insult, obstruction, etc., o Are intended at deceiving the addressee about the origin of the message The law was amended in 2008 and received Presidential assent on February 5, 2009.
Recommendations of the committee: It recommended for no need to re-introduce Section 66A but strengthen IPC instead. Indian Penal Code, 1860; Prohibiting incitement to hatred: Amend IPC section 153 C to include in communication “spoken or written words, signs, visible representation, information, audio, video, or combination of both, transmitted, retransmitted through any telecommunication service, communication device or computer resource”, an offense which would lead up to 2 years or fine of Rs 5000 or both. Causing fear alarm or provocation of violence in certain cases: Amend IPC section 505A, punishment of any person or group of persons who intentionally, on grounds of religion, race, caste or community, gender, sexual orientation, place of birth, residence, language, disability or tribe, uses any means of communication to communicate, punishable up to 1 year or fine of Rs 5000 or both. Amendment in Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973: create a post of State Cyber-Crime Coordinator (not below rank of Inspector General of Police) and District Cyber-Crime Cell
52 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Amending the Information Technology Act, 2000: Amending section 78 allows a police officer not below the rank of Sub-Inspector to investigate any offence under this Act as young SIs are better equipped and trained in dealing with these crimes.
Specific changes referred by the committee Only that speech should be accounted as relevant which relates to “religion, race, caste, community, sex, gender, place of birth, residence and language.” Online speech would be criminalised “only both, when it advocates hatred and causes the incitement of an offence”.
Conclusion Section 66A was struck down as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court on the ground that it violated the basic freedom of expression of the citizens. There is need to balance the liberty of citizens while tackling the issues of hate speech, online harassment-hatred and national security. The real purpose of the committee would be served only when the Parliament takes actions on these recommendations by keeping in mind the spirit of the 2015 Supreme Court judgement.
The Departmentally Related Standing Committees (DRSCS),
Relevancy GS Mains paper II Indian polity DSC and importance Recently Parliament has recently reconstituted the departmentally related standing committees (DRSCs), which perform three important functions: examine Bills referred to them; select specific topics related to the ministries and examine implementation by the Government; and examine the budgetary outlays of the departments. Introduction A democracy derives its legitimacy by functioning through its elected institutions. Both Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha scrutinise the work of the Government through several procedures. Beyond the visible work in the two Houses, a substantial part of the work is carried out by committees. Their performance affects the overall effectiveness of Parliament as an institution that makes laws, holds the Government accountable, and gives sanction for public spending. The DRSCs were formed in 1993; prior to that, there was no systematic process to examine Bills, and select committees were formed from time to time for some important Bills. Other issues and budgetary demands were not examined in committees. Each DRSC focusses on a set of ministries and, therefore, helps its members build sector knowledge. Currently, there are 24 DRSCs such as the Committee on Finance or the Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture. Each has 21 members from Lok Sabha and ten from Rajya Sabha. Advantages Better management:
53 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) o It is easier to examine a topic in depth by a committee of 30 than by an assembly of 700. o Saves the time of the Parliament as they work continually throughout the year. Expert opinion: o They enable input from experts and those who may be directly affected by a policy or legislation. o For example, the DRSCs often invite comments from the public and call people to testify. Proper consensus: o Being outside direct public glare allows members to discuss issues and reach consensus without worrying about constituency pressures. Others: o Another advantage in the Indian context is that the anti-defection law does not apply to committees — therefore, decisions are not usually made on party lines. o Finally, these committees allow members to focus on some specific areas and build their expertise, which helps them scrutinise issues more thoroughly. o Since they have membership from both the Houses, the body is of a more federal nature
Collegium System
Relevancy GS Prelims, GS Mains paper II Judicial appointmnts Collegium system Recently In a move towards transparency in the elevation, confirmation and transfer of judges, the Supreme Court has begun to upload the decisions of the collegium, and the reasoning behind them, at the time that its recommendations are forwarded to the government. Constitutional provisions
Judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts are appointed by the President under Articles 124(2) and 217 of the Constitution. The President is required to hold consultations with such of the judges of the Supreme Court and of the High Courts as he may deem necessary. Article 124(2) says: “Every Judge of the Supreme Court shall be appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal after consultation with such of the Judges of the Supreme Court and of the High Courts in the States as the President may deem necessary for the purpose and shall hold office until he attains the age of sixty-five years. Provided that in the case of appointment of a Judge other than the Chief Justice, the Chief Justice of India shall always be consulted.” Article 217: “Every Judge of a High Court shall be appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal after consultation with the Chief Justice of India, the Governor of the State, and, in the case of appointment of a Judge other than the Chief Justice, the Chief Justice of the High Court.”
54 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Collegium System
The Collegium system is one where the Chief Justice of India and a forum of four senior-most judges of the Supreme Court recommend appointment and transfers of judges. But it has no place in the Indian Constitution. The Supreme Court collegium is headed by the Chief Justice of India and comprises four other senior most judges of the court. A High Court collegium is led by its Chief Justice and four other senior most judges of that court. The system was evolved through Supreme Court Judgment in the Three Judges Case. According to first judges case o The chief justice of India does not have primacy over executive in the matter of appointment of judges of Supreme Court and High Courts. Second judges case decision o It made the judiciary the ‘de facto’ appointing authority of themselves curtailing the power of council of ministers under Article 74(1). In third judges case, o The nine judge Bench again confirmed that the opinion of the collegiums of judges have primacy in appointing and transfer of judges of higher judiciary. o In light of this decision detailed Memorandum of Procedure was prepared, which took the form of present collegiums system. Memorandum of Procedure (MoP) : o 2015 ruling of the Supreme Court had also paved the way for a new Memorandum of Procedure (MoP) to guide future appointments so that concerns regarding lack of eligibility criteria and transparency could be redressed. o The Bench had asked the government to draft a new MoP after consultation with the CJI. o But more than a year later, the MoP is still to be finalised owing to lack of consensus on several fronts between the judiciary and the government.
Merits of Collegium
It has solved the problem of excessive executive intervention. It also stops the systematic “ Court Packing” practiced by governments, Court Packing- An unsuccessful attempt by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1937 to appoint upto six additional justices to the SC. The collegiums system has provided separation of judiciary from executive.
Demerits of Collegium
It lacks transparency It is inherently secretive It prohibits oversight, due to which there are no checks and balances on the judiciary. Choosing the judges based on undisclosed, criteria has led to increasing democratic deficit. The union government has critised it saying it has created an imperium in imperio(empire within an empire) within the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court Bar Association has blamed it for creating a “give-and take” culture, creating a rift between the haves and have- not’s.
55 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) It is seen as a closed-door affair with no prescribed norms regarding eligibility criteria or even the selection procedure. There is no public knowledge of how and when a collegium meets, and how it takes its decisions.
Conclusion: In order to uphold constitutional values such as judicial independence, our judges were compelled to arrogate to themselves the power to pick their very own. At the very least, they must ensure that those that are picked are truly meritorious: and certainly above “average”. The latest move by the collegium marks a monumental milestone in our judicial history. While it needs to be applauded with all the vigour we have, we also have to be mindful that this is only the beginning, and much more remains to be done. To begin with, the collegium needs to make public its methodology for measuring “merit”. Institutional alternatives to the collegium make no sense, unless one first works out an optimal metric for measuring merit
Sex With Minor Wife Is Rape- Supreme Court
Relevancy: GS Prelims, GS mains paper I, II and IV Indian polity, social issues, child rights, child marriage, girl child, IPC section 375 (exception 2). Recently:
The Supreme Court has held that ‘sexual intercourse’ by a man with his wife, who is below 18 years of age, is rape. As per the Supreme Court, a girl child below the age of 18 cannot be treated as a commodity having no say over her body or someone who has no right to deny sexual intercourse to her husband. It is important to consider the Human Rights of a girl child, the court held. With this decision, the court read down Exception 2 to Section 375 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which allowed the husband of a girl child — between 15 and 18 years of age — blanket liberty and freedom to have non-consensual sexual intercourse with her. The bases of the judgment:
This exception was an anomaly because Section 375 itself mandated that sex with a girl below 18 years of age, with or without her consent, was statutory rape. An unmarried girl child can prosecute her rapist, but a married girl child aged between 15 and 18 could not even do that. The judgment read: “A child remains a child whether she is described as a street child or a surrendered child or an abandoned child or an adopted child. Similarly, a child remains a child whether she is a married child or an unmarried child or a divorced child or a separated or widowed child. At this stage we are reminded of Shakespeare’s eternal view that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet — so also with the status of a child, despite any prefix.
56 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) The court ended the decades-old disparity between Exception 2 to Section 375 IPC and other child protection laws. E.g. Prohibition of Child Marriage Act of 2006, POCSOA- Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and Juvenile Justice Act, all which define a “child” as someone who is below 18 years of age. The clause took away the right of a girl child to bodily integrity and reproductive choice. It had even the effect of turning a blind eye to trafficking of the minor girl children in the guise of marriage. The court criticised the fact that PCMA makes child marriage only voidable, that is, the burden is placed on the child bride to approach a court to declare her marriage a nullity. She has to do this within two years of attaining majority, that is by the time she is 20 years old. What was the government’s stand on the issue?
There were deliberations on striking down exception 2 to Section 375 (rape) of the IPC in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Women and Child Development Ministry after an NGO Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA) run by Nobel Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi moved the court The NGO wanted the Supreme Court to examine the conflict of Section 375 IPC with Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012. The government, in its affidavit had supported the IPC provisions. Fact sheet:
According to 2011 census, 69.5 lakh boys and 51.6 lakh girls were married before their respective legal age. As per the data collected in National Family Health Survey-III, 46% of women between 18- 29 years in India were married before the age of 18. It is also estimated that there are 23 million child brides in the country. Rajasthan has reported the highest incidence of child marriages. Thirteen other States, including Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Karnataka, reported higher percentage of child marriages among boys than the national average. The study highlighted 70 districts as child marriage “hotspots” spread across 13 States, which comprise more than 20 % of the child marriage. Hence criminalising the consummation of a marriage union with a serious offence such as rape would not be appropriate and practical.
VVPAT and EVMs
Relevancy: GS Prelims, GS mains paper I, II, IV Indian Constitution, Electoral reforms, EVM hacking, VVPAT Recently:
The Election Commission has decided to introduce VVPAT (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail System) in upcoming Gujarat Assembly elections. Initially, it was proposed that VVPAT shall be introduced in a phased manner, but now the EC has given an order to cover all voters. This seems to be costly proposition. What are VVPAT machines?
57 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) The Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail is a method that provides feedback to voters. It is an independent verification printer machine and is attached to electronic voting machines. It allows voters to verify if their vote has gone to the intended candidate. Modus operandi of VVPAT
When a voter presses a button in the EVM, a paper slip is printed through the VVPAT. The slip contains the poll symbol and name of the candidate. It allows the voter to verify his/her choice. After being visible to the voter from a glass case in the VVPAT for seven seconds, the ballot slip will be cut and dropped into the drop box in the VVPAT machine and a beep will be heard. VVPAT machines can be accessed by polling officers only. What are the efforts being done by the Election Commission?
The EC has time and again reiterated that EVMs cannot be tampered with. It has made public the findings of inquiries into specific charges of tampering in Madhya Pradesh’s Bhind and Rajasthan’s Dholpur that give a clean chit to the machines. The EC had sought to allay concerns and confront allegations of voter fraud by running through the administrative and technological safeguards instituted to keep EVMs and the voting process tamper-proof. It had also challenged political parties to a hackathon to see if, with these safeguards in place, EVMs could be manipulated. The representatives of only two political parties, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Nationalist Congress Party, bothered to turn up. It is unfortunate that parties have found it worthwhile to cry wolf but refuse to meaningfully engage with the EC when challenged to do so. Third generation, tamper proof EVMs may be introduced. But the EC has so far used the standalone, non-networked machines. The fear with the networked EVMs is that they can be hacked and the vote may be manipulated through a remote computer. This has happened in some other nations through Russian hacking processes using spear- phishing of the electoral officials. EC also took stand to not link he Aadhaar number with the voter ID card in later 2015. This was done to avoid linkage of big data with election data, which can later lead to manipulations. What does the Supreme Court say?
In 2013, the SC had asked the Commission to introduce paper trails in EVMs in a phased manner for the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections. The court held that it is necessary to restore the confidence of voters and bring transparency in the system. EVMs with VVPAT system ensure the accuracy of the voting system. This is because a vote is nothing but an act of expression, which is of extreme importance in a democracy.
Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT)
Relevancy
58 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) GS Prelims, GS Mains paper II Recently
Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi has requested the Union Law Ministry for urgent release of funds, given the “prevailing environment,” to facilitate procurement of VVPAT machines for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. What is VVPAT?
Voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) is a method of providing feedback to voters using a ballot less voting system. VVPAT is intended as an independent verification system for electronic voting machines that allows voters to verify that their votes are cast as intended and can serve as an additional barrier to changing or destroying votes. Under VVPAT, a printer-like apparatus is linked to Electronic Voting Machine (EVM). When a vote is cast, a receipt is generated showing the serial number, name and symbol of the candidate. It confirms the vote and the voter can verify the details. The receipt, once viewed, goes inside a container linked to the EVM and can only be accessed by the election officers in rarest of rare cases. The system allows a voter to challenge his or her vote on basis of the paper receipt for the first time. As per a new rule, the booth presiding officer will have to record the dissent of the voter, which would have to be taken into account at time of counting. The VVPAT system was not manufactured due to doubts on the EVM, but was part of the up gradation of the system. Merits of VVAT:
Instill confidence: o EC has to gain its lost confidence by ensuring a proper way through which one can verify to whom he has given vote to. Enhance transparency: o Though the EC has maintained that the EVMs cannot be tampered with, the use of VVPATs will ensure that there is greater transparency in the voting process. Fair elections and Lesser discrepancies: o Use of VVPAT would result in conduction of fair elections and would result in lesser discrepancies in the whole election process.
Demerits of VVPAT:
Costly affair: o EC wants Rs.3000/- crore for VVPAT and we can very wisely use that much fund for some other developmental project. Logistical challenge: o Installing VVPATs in time for 2019 General elections shall be a Herculean task which requires large number of VVPAT EVMs to install, which require time, cost, and manpower. Reliability: o There are concerns about the reliability of VVPAT system like jamming, running out of ink, etc., which may cause additional troubles.
59 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Conclusion
It is the duty of the ECI to reinstate the spirit of democracy in the system by making the electoral process more transparent, robust and temper proof. As an immediate solution the VVPATs can be introduced in phased manner in the system. Additionally, there is need for capacity building of ECIL and BEL, so that they can manufacture VVPAT EVMs timely.
Standing Committee Report On Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2016
Relevancy: GS Prelims, GS mains paper I, II, IV Women related issues, Surrogacy regulation, Ethical issues in surrogacy Recently:
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare has submitted a report on reviewing the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill. COMMITTEE’S RECOMMENDATIONS
A. On Marital status, nationality and sexuality Broadening the eligibility criteria in favour of the following is recommended:
Live-in couples- considering the modern social milieu in urban centres Divorced women and widows- observing the significance of the reproductive life of women to their social status, the Committee was of the view that they may be pressurised into child-bearing. NRIs, POI (Persons of Indian Origin) and OCI (Overseas Citizenship of India) cardholders- since they cannot be classified as foreigners; a mechanism for their complete background check and a thorough scrutiny of their documents needed. Criticism: The interests and needs of male divorcees and widowers are also overlooked while considering the concerned women for inclusion. This seems to be discriminatory.
B. Infertility After citing international precedents set by the World Health Organisation, domestic laws and settled cases, the Committee recommends in its report that the five-year period of unprotected coitus, as a condition to be certified medically infertile should be reduced to one year. Consequently, the waiting period after marriage for intending couples should also stand reduced. The following observations of the Committee are significant here: o The five-year waiting period is arbitrary, discriminatory and without any definable logic. o The provisions disregard well-indicated reasons of infertility – the current scenario of late marriages and the need to safeguard the reproductive autonomy and the right to exercise choice. The Committee makes a note of the fact that there could be other medical reasons for opting for surrogacy and therefore, it recommends that if medical tests prove that couples have consistently failed to conceive then, that should be enough to support their decision to opt for surrogacy. There shouldn’t be a need to procure a certificate of infertility – infertility remains a stigma, and such tests can cause psychological harm to the couple. The report notes:-
60 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) This is a violation of the basic rights of privacy and reproductive autonomy of the medically infertile persons who whilst maintaining the privacy of their medical problems have the right to surrogacy. The report, however, is silent on whether a couple could opt for surrogacy despite being medically fit for instance in cases where a woman doesn’t want to carry a child due to personal and/or professional reasons. OTHER KEY RECOMMENDATIONS
The committee makes the following recommendations regarding other significant issues relating to The Bill:
1. The mechanism for obtaining the consent of the surrogate: There should be an elaborate mechanism undertaken by a competent authority after medical and psychological counselling. An option of withdrawal should also be there for the surrogate. 2. Surrogacy agreement: The Bill should provide for a registered and legally binding comprehensive surrogacy agreement containing all safeguards such as clauses relating to insurance, compensation, the manner of payment, pre/post delivery care, nourishment etc. 3. Abortion during surrogacy period: The requirement of approval of appropriate authority for abortion during surrogacy period should be done away with. The abortion should be governed by the existing Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971. 4. Second Surrogacy – Provisions for intending couple to avail surrogacy services again, if the child born out of surrogacy is mentally or physically challenged or suffering from fatal illnesses or life-threatening disorders etc. 5. Child rights: There should be a comprehensive provision entailing insurance coverage for the unborn child. Apart from insurance, bank guarantees/FDs should also be there for the emergent situations.The state should take responsibility for the abandoned child born out of surrogacy. 6. Penal provisions: The Bill should have explicit provisions with respect to offences like human trafficking, abduction, sex-selective practices etc. Further, the quantum of punishment under the Bill should correspond to the gravity of offences. Also, the Bill should provide for maximum punishment, which is not provided for. 7. Regulation of ARTs: As there are no separate surrogacy clinics, the regulation of Assisted Reproductive Technologies clinics (governed by The Draft ART Bill, 2014) is needed to make the Bill meaningful. Passing the ART Bill before Surrogacy Bill would be ideal. 8. Preference of compensated surrogacy over altruistic surrogacy: The Committee made bold recommendations and demanded that compensated surrogacy be preferred over altruistic surrogacy. The former ensures that rights of all parties are protected and enforced whereas the latter sees a woman being left without any compensation for her reproductive labour. Further criticism of the Bill:
The Bill allows only Indian heterosexual, legally married couples, married for at least five years and medically certified infertile to opt for surrogacy. Thus, it leaves out the following categories of persons looking to become parents through surrogacy: o Live-in couples o Single persons (including divorcees, widows/widowers etc.) o Members of the LGBTQ community o Foreign couples o Fertile couples
61 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) The willingness and capability to raise a child should be emphasised rather than calling into question the marital status, fertility or sexual orientation of commissioning parents.
History Of Creation Of States On The Basis Of Language
Relevancy GS Prelims, General Studies paper II Linguistic reorganization of states JVP committee, Sarkaria commission Fazl commission, Shah commission Prelude to Emergence of Linguistic States The integration and merger of princely states was purely ad hoc arrangement and there was need for reorganization of states on a permanent basis on account of the haphazard growth of provinces, disparity between various states and multilingual nature of the states. In 1948, the government appointed commission under S K Dhar, to examine the case for the reorganization of states on the linguistic basis. Admitting the importance of the reorganization of states on a linguistic basis, the commission, however, attached more importance to historical, geographical and economic considerations. It favoured reorganization on the basis of administrative convenience rather than linguistic considerations. JVP Committee In December, 1948, committee under Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabh bhai Patel and Pattabhi Sitaramayya (known as the JVP Committee), dismissed the idea of reorganization on a linguistic basis. First Linguistic State In 1953, the government was forced to create a separate state of Andhra Pradesh for Telugu- speaking people following the long-drawn agitation and death of Potti Sriramulu after a hunger strike for 56 days. Thus, the first linguistic state of Andhra Pradesh was created under pressure. Fazl Commission This led to the demand for creation of states on linguistic basis from other parts of country and on December 22, 1953, Jawaharlal Nehru announced the appointment of a commission under Fazl Ali to consider this demand. While accepting Commission’s recommendation to do away with the four-fold distribution of states as provided under the original Constitution, it divided the country into 14 states and 6 union territories under the States Reorganization Act 1956. Diversion of the State of Bombay In 1960, as a result of agitation and violence, the states of Maharashtra and Gujarat were created by bifurcating the state of Bombay. Shah Commission: In 1966, the Parliament passed the Punjab Reorganization Act after an agitation for the formation of Punjabi Subha. This step was taken on the recommendation of the Shah Commission. As a result of this act, the Punjabi-speaking areas were constituted into the state of Haryana and the hilly areas were merged with the adjoining Union Territory of Himachal Pradesh. The problems of linguistic division of states Regionalism:
62 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) o Linguism has promoted local identity. o It has created distinctiveness among people and regional differences have come in the way of national integration. o Extreme sense of regionalism has resulted in parochialism and ethno centricism. Exploitation of people by Politicians: o Language has evoked psychological and emotional feelings among people. o Politicians are promoting the spread of only particular languages through monetary inducements. o They exploit the sentiments of people at the time of election. Erosion of national feeling: o Linguistic loyalty has come in the way of national integration. o People are much concerned about the regional gains, than the interest of the nation. o Thus interstate boundary dispute, river dispute have become common. E.g.: Difference of opinion among people speaking Kannada and Marathi in Belgaum. Emergence of regional Political Parties: o Linguism has resulted in the formation of regional political parties which at the present juncture are playing a crucial role in the formation of government at the centre and also at some states. o This has caused the Problem of political instability in the country. o It has even increased the cost of election. Demand for separate states: o Extreme sense of Linguism has caused linguistic conflicts. o Such conflicts are quite often supported by politicians. E.g: Demand for a separate state by people of “north Karnataka” region. Threat to sovereignty: o Linguism is posing a severe threat to the integrity of the country. o On the basis of language people have become more self-centered without thinking of the progress of the country. Sarkaria Commission: In 1983, Sarkaria Commission was constituted to look in to the language problem in India and suggest measures which made the following recommendations: o Three language formula: It included the implementation of regional language, Hindi and English at the school level education. o English was to be retained as the official language. o Reorganisation of states into administrative units. o Ban on Political parties and other organisations trying to promote Linguism.
Challenges Faced By Elderly In Indian Society
Relevancy GS Mains paper II Elderly Social media as support Introduction
The percentage of elderly people, classified as those above 60 years of age, is expected to go up in India from 8% in 2015 to 19 % in 2050.
63 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) The country now faces the major challenge of how to take care of such a large population of senior citizens – whose number is set to grow three-fold from around 100 million at present to 300 million by 2050. This challenge has been highlighted in a report released by UN Population Fund India titled ‘Caring for our elders: Early response India Ageing Report 2017’. There is rapid rise in the share of the old (60 years or more), and associated morbidities, especially sharply rising non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and disabilities. It matters as many suffering from chronic conditions and disabilities may find it harder to participate in NGOs, Self-help groups and other communication networks. The health system is ill-equipped to deal with surging NCDs; nor is the staff well trained to treat/advise the aged suffering from dementia or frailty, and for early diagnosis and management of conditions such as hypertension. The quality of medical care is abysmal, and hospitalisation costs are exorbitant and impoverishing. Health insurance covers a fraction of medical expenses incurred. Challenges faced by elderly
Failing Health: o The aging process is synonymous with failing health. While death in young people in countries such as India is mainly due to infectious diseases, older people are mostly vulnerable to non-communicable diseases. Economic insecurity: o The problem of economic insecurity is faced by the elderly when they are unable to sustain themselves financially. Many older persons either lack the opportunity and/or the capacity to be as productive as they were. Isolation and neglect: o The elderly, especially those who are weak and/or dependent, require physical, mental and emotional care and support. o When this is not provided, they suffer from neglect, a problem that occurs when a person is left uncared for and that is often linked with isolation. Abuse: o The elderly are highly vulnerable to abuse, where a person is willfully or inadvertently harmed, usually by someone who is part of the family or otherwise close to the victim. Fear: o Many older persons live in fear. Whether rational or irrational, this is a relevant problem face by the elderly that needs to be carefully and effectively addressed. Boredom: o This problem occurs due to forced inactivity, withdrawal from responsibilities and lack of personal goals. Lack of preparedness of old age: o Most people living busy lives during the young and middle age periods may prefer to turn away from, and not consider, the possible realities of their own impending old age. o The majority of Indians are unaware of the rights and entitlements of older persons. Probable solutions
Many of these chronic conditions such as hypertension can be prevented or delayed by engaging in healthy behaviours.
64 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Physical activity and healthy diets can mitigate these conditions. Supportive families and community networks often make a significant difference. Social networking is an emerging trend in the elderly while keep them globally connected and feeling closer to the current generation. Social Networking as support
Social networks are instrumental in bonding together in periods of personal crises, this could compensate for a lack of family support, e.g. widows living alone, and help alleviate morbidity. Research shows the Internet has become an important way to exercise the minds of seniors. A new study tells that when the elderly are trained in the use of social media as well as Skype and email, they perform better cognitively and experience improved health. While their younger counterparts use social media in a “selfie” sort of way, the elderly, who are very sensitive to privacy issues, use it to connect with like-minded individuals. They use it for health information and to connect with others experiencing the same challenges. They have recognized that others alike them are also online and have used it to start discussion groups for life and health issues pertinent to them. Social media provides the opportunity to have and be a friend, to congregate without leaving the house, to never be alone, even when you are the only one in the house. Conclusion
Overcoming loneliness is that much easier through the Internet and social media. As more and more of the population ages and sticks closer to home, the Internet as a support and educational tool becomes ever more important. Technology has greatly ameliorated the potential of our seniors feeling isolated and alone.
65 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) SCHEMES AND POLICIES OF GOVERNMENT
Modernization Of Police Forces (MPF) Scheme 2017
Relevancy GS Prelims, GS Mains paper II, III Governance, Social justice Internal security, Police reforms, SMART Police MPF Scheme 2017
Recently The Government of India (GoI) has approved a Rs 25,000-crore internal security scheme to strengthen the law and order apparatus, modernise state police forces and enhance their capacity to combat terrorism.
Introduction Sustained economic progress needs the solid foundation of good law and order, and for that the police needs to be reorganised, restructured and rejuvenated. Reforms of a fundamental nature are called for as the colonial police must go. We must have a police committed to giving security to the people, protecting the honour of women, upholding the human rights of all sections, being fair to the minorities and sensitive to the poor and tribals, and above all upholding the rule of law.
Challenges in the past Following the 14th Finance Commission recommendations, which increased the state’s share of central taxes from 32 per cent to 42 per cent, the Centre de-linked eight centrally sponsored schemes (CSS) from its support in 2015. These schemes included modernisation of police. But the majority of state governments were disinclined to make any investments in police. As a consequence, modernisation schemes received a setback. Several state police chiefs expressed concern that the battle against Maoists and terrorists of different hues was going to be affected with modernisation grants drying up. Fortunately, the home ministry reverted to the old arrangement whereby funds for modernisation are released every year.
Modernisation of Police Forces (MPF) scheme 2017 The umbrella scheme, Modernisation of Police Forces (MPF), will be implemented between 2017 and 2020. It has been hailed as “one of the biggest moves towards police modernisation in India.” The scheme has special provisions for women’s security, mobility of police forces, logistical support, hiring of helicopters, upgradation of police wireless, satellite communications, crime and criminal tracking network and systems (CCTNS) and e-prisons. The idea is to assist the states to upgrade their police infrastructure, especially in respect of transport, communications and forensic support, to enable them to effectively tackle the emerging challenges.
66 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Out of the total outlay, the Centre will provide Rs 18,636 crore or about 75 per cent while the states’ share will be Rs 6,424 crore. Under the scheme, J&K, north-eastern states and states affected by Left-Wing Extremism will get a boost of Rs 10,132 crore. The umbrella scheme would take care of the current lacunae through the concept of SMART police. New initiatives are being introduced to provide assistance to States for upgradation of police infrastructure, forensic science laboratories, institutions and the equipment available with them to plug critical gaps in the criminal justice system. Police Stations will be integrated to set up a national data base of crime and criminals’ records. It will be linked with other pillars of criminal justice system such as ‘prisons, forensic science laboratories and prosecution offices. The umbrella scheme also provides for setting up of a State-of Art forensic science laboratory in Amravati, Andhra Pradesh and upgradation of Sardar Patel Global Centre for Security, Counter Terrorism and Anti Insurgency in Jaipur and Gujarat Forensic Science University in Gandhi Nagar. Implementation of this scheme would bolster the Government's ability to address challenges faced in different theatres such as areas affected by LWE, Jammu and Kashmir and North East effectively and undertake development interventions which will catalyze in improving the quality of life in these areas and help combat these challenges effectively at the same time.
Concept of SMART Police The Government had in 2014, enunciated the concept of SMART Police. Smartness has two dimensions — external and internal. External o The external dimension refers to the uniform a policeman wears, the way he carries himself, his weapons, the communication equipment on his person, his mobility, response time, et al. o It would, no doubt, enhance his capabilities to respond to and deal with the kind of challenges he is confronted with in his day to day work. Internal o The internal dimension of smartness is far more important. o The police should be strict and sensitive, modern and mobile, alert and accountable, reliable and responsible, tech-savvy and trained. o Mobility should certainly increase, and so do alertness.
Criticism People cannot have a sensitive police under the existing dispensation when the police are answerable to the political executive. What we have today is Ruler’s Police rather what we need is People’s Police. The police have been accused, with fair justification, of being insensitive to the poor and tribals.
Way forward Accountability has to be to the Constitution, the laws of the land and the people of the country.
67 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Reliability would increase only when the police are objective, fair and impartial as it is the state of mind which matters and to achieve that state of mind, police must be freed from the stranglehold of politicians. Technology would definitely be of great help as it would, in fact, act as a force multiplier, but bereft of sensitivity and accountability to the people, its gains would be limited. But these must be followed up by structural reforms in the police. The roadmap for the same was laid down by the Supreme Court in 2006. Institutions like the state security commission, police establishment board and complaints authority must be set up in every state in keeping with the directions of the Court. It is time that the GoI seriously thinks about bringing police and public order in the Concurrent List of Schedule VII of the Constitution.
Mooting India’s Artificial Intelligence Policy
Relevancy: GS Prelims, GS Mains paper II and III Sci-tech, Artificial Intelligence, AI Policy Background:
Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) are a wake-up call to policymakers in India, with every one of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s flagship programs likely to be directly affected within the next few years. With China making rapid progress in AI-based research, it is imperative that India view AI as a critical element of national security strategy. Spurring AI-based innovation and establishing AI-ready infrastructure are thus necessary to prepare India’s jobs and skills markets for an AI-based future and to secure its strategic interests. INTRODUCTION
Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have stimulated fervent interest from both the private sector and governments across the globe, as the possibility of mass-produced consumer product machinery with humanlike intelligence inches closer to reality. AI-based applications today have already touched people’s lives in ways that are often not fully perceived or fathomed. Until now, this subtle proliferation of AI technology has been driven largely by the private sector and has been focused primarily on consumer goods. To better appreciate how AI’s propagation has affected people’s lives, consider the following examples. o Every time someone visits a website, a network of algorithms running in the background processes the data of the user’s online behavior: o analyzing the browsing history and collapsing thousands of data points into an intelligent guess on which products would entice the user, all in order to decide which advertisements to display. o From the intelligent keyboards on smartphones, which reduce a user’s typing burden by anticipating the next words, to the voice-activated assistants in tablets and desktops, capable of following voice commands and completing follow-on tasks, the machines in users’ immediate personal space have become far more intelligent than is commonly realized.
68 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) While there is a substantive body of literature on recent advances in AI and the resulting implications for jobs, skills, and society at large, few analyses have examined the specific impact of AI on India’s emerging economy. The Indian government is aggressively trying to increase human capital on a national scale, with a specific emphasis on its younger population through the Skill India initiative, while seeking to attract global manufacturing to India via its Make in India program. The other part of this modernizing triad is the Digital India initiative: a determined push to expand digital access nationwide. AI will have a direct impact on each of these flagship initiatives of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the immediate future, making it all the more urgent for policymakers in India to take seriously AI’s potential for national strategies and to be on the front line in developing AI technology. The Challenges Facing India’s AI Development
AI-based applications to date have been driven largely by the private sector and have been focused primarily in consumer goods. The emergent scale and implications of the technology make it imperative for policymakers in government to take notice. Early lessons of AI success in the United States, China, South Korea, and elsewhere offer public and private funding models for AI research that India should consider. The sequential system of education and work is outdated in today’s economic environment as the nature of jobs shifts rapidly and skills become valuable and obsolete in a matter of years. Recommendations
For India to maximally benefit from the AI revolution, it must adopt a deliberate policy to drive AI innovation, adaptation, and proliferation in sectors beyond consumer goods and information technology services. Policymakers should make AI a critical component of the prime minister’s flagship Make in India, Skill India, and Digital India programs by offering incentives for manufacturers, creating regional innovation clusters for manufacturing automation and robotics in partnership with universities and start-ups, incorporating market-based mechanisms for identifying the kind of skills that employers will value in the future, and promoting cloud infrastructure capacity building inside India. The National Education Policy must make radical recommendations on alternative models of education that would be better suited to an AI-powered economy of the future. The government should identify public sector applications like detecting tax fraud, preventing subsidy leakage, and targeting beneficiaries, where current advances in AI could make a significant impact. India must view machine intelligence as a critical element of its national security strategy and evaluate models of defense research in collaboration with the private sector and universities. AI technology has enormous potential to shape India’s economic and national security future.
For India to maximally benefit from the AI revolution, it must adopt a deliberate policy to drive AI innovation, adaptation, and proliferation in sectors beyond merely consumer goods and information technology (IT) services. AI technology has enormous potential to shape India’s economic and national security future; in the absence of a specific policy regime, however, India will find it difficult to realize the full power of AI while potentially falling prey to the detrimental effects of AI proliferation.
69 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) India must view machine intelligence as a critical element of its national security strategy. The proposed National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) platform, which would link citizen databases, might be a good pilot candidate for creating a machine intelligence–based platform with both national security and civilian benefits and should thus be taken up on a mission mode. Another possibility is Aadhaar, a platforms-based approach to governance founded on massive data sets, which builds on the possibility articulated in Rebooting India.
Draft Pharma Policy
Relevancy GS Mains paper III Draft pharma policy 2017 Recently The NPPA brought down the prices of life-saving cardiac stent down by over 80 per cent in some instances and capped the prices of knee implants by nearly 69 per cent (for some types), besides several other medicines.
Draft Pharma Policy 2017
The new pharmaceutical policy proposes to balance the need for price control over medicines. Union government will gain a greater role in deciding prices of medicines and medical devices. Pricing authority will regulate only medicines that are specified by the government in the National List of Essential Medicines. The price caps being imposed on patented medicines are reduced. Policy allows pharmaceutical manufacturers to sell their medicines under only under generic names and not under differently-priced brands. Manufacturing of drugs under WHO standards is made mandatory. The policy seeks to bring down the unreasonable trade margins offered by various stockists to hospitals.
National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority
The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), founded in 1997, is a government regulatory agency {set up as per executive order and thus not a statutory body} that controls the prices of pharmaceutical drugs in India. It advices the Government of India in matters of drug policies and pricing. It renders advice to the Central Government on changes/ revisions in the drug policy. It can also cap the prices of a drug and recently it capped the prices of coronary stent.
Draft policy vs NPPA
The Draft, which focuses heavily on prices of medicine, has proposed massive dilutions in the existing framework, which would give more control to the government over the operations of the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), which till now functions as an autonomous body.
70 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) It also attempts to strip the NPPA of some powers, for instance, once the price for a drug is fixed the pricing authority would not be allowed to revise them. The NPPA would also lose its power to cap the prices of in-patent medicines, and would be able to use its “emergency powers” only on the government’s orders.
Outcomes
Positive: o This Policy would significantly contribute to the Ease of Doing Business in the pharmaceutical sector. o The ‘Make-in-India’ programme would also get an impetus by the actions. Negative: o It would push up costs and reduce margins and increase pressure on pricing.
o Some of the steps such as eliminating third-party manufacturing and loan licensing would hit the industry as well as the availability of medicines. o Only multinationals hold patents, which would not be under price control while the rest of the market, which produce cheap medicines would be under price control. o The policy also fails to lay controls over the chemists, this may facilitates the sale of fake drugs. o The policy doesn’t have any mechanisms to boost production standards. o Instead of an appellate authority, it seeks to give bureaucrats more powers on drug controls. o Government takes role of fixing the drug price as direct price control. o This will affects the quality, innovation, and hurts patients as much as it does companies. o It opens the door to lobbying and rent-seeking with all the attendant dangers for competition and for corruption.
Way forward
It will be better if price monitoring focuses on essential drugs, there are about 200. Strict price control measures needs to be avoided and market friendly pricing should be followed. Domestic production of import drugs should be promoted, with better quality and affordability. The government should also consider specific steps against overcharging of prices by the industries.
Review of National Electricity Policy
Relevancy: GS Mains paper III Energy, Electrification, National electricity policy Recently:
71 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) The Standing Committee on Energy (Chairmam: Mr. Virendra Kumar) submitted its report on the Review of the National Electricity Policy on August 10, 2017. The central government had released the Policy in February 2005.
Key observations and recommendations of the Committee include:
A. Achievement of objectives: The aims of the Policy included: 1) access to electricity for all households by 2010, 2) meeting the power demand of the country by 2012, 3) supplying reliable and quality power in an efficient manner and at reasonable rates, and 4) financial turnaround and commercial viability of the electricity sector.
The Committee noted that none of the Policy’s objectives could be met within the stipulated timeline. It pointed out that:
o 4 crore households still need to be electrified; o while generation capacities are adequate, the demand for power has not been fully met due to affordability issues; and o financial condition of the power distribution companies (discoms) has worsened. B. New challenges in the sector: o The Committee noted that the fall in solar tariff and its low gestation period is posing a threat to the economic viability of thermal power plants. o While the growth of solar energy is good for the sector, thermal power has been the primary source of energy in the country and its importance will not reduce in the coming years. o It recommended that development of the power sector should be done in a balanced manner where various sources of energy complement each other. C. Access to electricity: o As per the Policy, the key development objective of the power sector is supply of electricity to all areas, including rural areas. o The Committee noted that a village with 10% electrified houses is assumed to be electrified, as per the definition of an electrified village. o Currently, 99.4% villages are electrified, but more than four crore households in the country still do not have an electricity connection. o It recommended that the definition of village electrification should be changed to declare a village electrified only when all the households of the village are electrified. o Further, no village should be declared as electrified unless at least 80% of the households have an electricity connection. o The Committee noted that the current village electrification policy only caters to below poverty line (BPL) households. o However, there may be above poverty line (APL) families who may not be able to afford getting an electricity connection. o It recommended that the policy be amended to include both BPL and APL households. o The connection charges to APL families could be exempted, discounted or charged in Equated Monthly Instalments. o Further, provisions with regard to (i) the quality of supply and (ii) reliability of supply for reasonable time should also be made. D. Electricity generation: o The Committee observed that in the recent years, the generation capacity in the country has increased.
72 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) o However, the share of hydro power in the total energy mix has decreased from 25% in 2007-08 to 14% currently. o The hydro capacity that was harnessed as of March 2017 is 30% of the hydro power potential in the country. It recommended that states with hydro potential must focus on its maximum development at the earliest. Further, since renewable energy sources are intermittent in nature, hydro power can be used as a balance to support the grid and even out the fluctuations in supply. o Currently, hydro power plants with a capacity of over 25 MW are classified as non- renewable sources. o The Committee noted that the International Energy Agency classifies hydro power as renewable energy since it is derived from natural processes that are replenished at a higher rate than they are consumed. The Committee recommended declaring hydro power as a renewable source of energy. E. Electricity distribution: o The Committee noted that that the economic viability of the whole electricity sector depends on the distribution sector, which is currently the most financially distressed in the country. o The aggregate technical and commercial losses (AT&C) in the country are still high, and are the major reason behind the distressed condition of the discoms. o The Committee also noted that that the concept of AT&C losses is flawed as it disguises commercial losses which unlike technical losses can be eliminated completely. o It recommended that these two components must be segregated. F. Financial health of discoms: o The Committee noted that the total outstanding debt of the discoms was around Rs 4 lakh crore in 2014-15. o The Ujjwal Discom Assurance Yojana (UDAY), launched in 2015, seeks to achieve the financial turnaround of these discoms. o The Committee noted that interventions in the past with similar objectives have failed due to certain reasons. o It recommended that necessary calibrations may be made in the scheme as and when need arises to address any new issues that crop up during its implementation.
Schemes of Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
Relevancy: GS Prelims, GS Mains paper I, II, III and IV, Essay paper Sociology, Public Administration optionals Schemes related to housing and urban poverty alleviation are very important with respect to all the GS papers. The major schemes discussed here are: Smart Cities, AMRUT, Swachh Bharat Mission, HRIDAY, NERUDP, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, DAY-NULM, Rajiv Awas Yojana Recently: Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs celebrated ‘World Habitat Day’ (2nd October) on the theme ‘Housing Policies: Affordable Homes’ in New Delhi. Following are the major schemes of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs: 1. Smart Cities • The Government of India has launched the Smart Cities Mission on 25 June 2015.
73 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) • The objective is to promote sustainable and inclusive cities that provide core infrastructure and give a decent quality of life to its citizens, a clean and sustainable environment and application of ‘Smart’ Solutions. • The focus is on sustainable and inclusive development and the idea is to look at compact areas, create a replicable model which will act like a lighthouse to other aspiring cities. The Smart Cities Mission is meant to set examples that can be replicated both within and outside the Smart City, catalysing the creation of similar Smart Cities in various regions and parts of the country. • Some of the core infrastructure elements in a Smart City would include adequate water supply, assured electricity supply, sanitation, including solid waste management, efficient urban mobility and public transport, affordable housing, especially for the poor, robust IT connectivity and digitalization, good governance, especially e-Governance and citizen participation, sustainable environment, safety and security of citizens, particularly women, children and the elderly and health and education. • The strategic components of the Smart Cities Mission are city improvement (retrofitting), city renewal (redevelopment) and city extension (Greenfield development) plus a Pan-city initiative in which Smart Solutions are applied covering larger parts of the city. • Area-based development will transform existing areas (retrofit and redevelop), including slums, into better planned human settlements, thereby, improving liveability of the whole cities. • Development of well-planned and fully serviced new areas (greenfield) will be encouraged around cities in order to accommodate the rapidly expanding population in urban areas. Application of Smart Solutions will enable cities to use technology to improve infrastructure and services. • Comprehensive development in this way will improve quality of life, create employment and enhance incomes for all, especially the poor and the disadvantaged, leading to inclusive cities. • The implementation of the Smart Cities Mission is done by a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to be set up at city level in the form of a limited company under the Companies Act, 2013 and will be promoted by the State/UT and the Urban Local Body (ULB) jointly both having 50:50 equity shareholding. • After selection, each selected Smart Cities have to set up SPVs and start implementation of their Smart City Proposal, preparation of Detailed Project Reports (DPRs), tenders etc. 2. Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation -AMRUT • The Government of India has launched the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) with the aim of providing basic civic amenities like water supply, sewerage, urban transport, parks as to improve the quality of life for all especially the poor and the disadvantaged. • The focus of the Mission is on infrastructure creation that has a direct link to provision of better services to the citizens. • The purpose of “AMRUT” mission is to (i) ensure that every household has access to a tap with assured supply of water and a sewerage connection (ii) increase the amenity value of cities by developing greenery and well maintained open spaces e.g. parks and (iii) Reduce pollution by switching to public transport or constructing facilities for non- motorized transport e.g. walking and cycling. • Major project components are:
74 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) o Water Supply system, Sewerage, Septage, Storm Water Drainage, Urban Transport, Green Space and Parks, Reforms management and support, Capacity building etc. in that order of priority. o The universal coverage of water supply and sewerage services have first charge in the Mission. • The Mission covers covering 500 cities that includes all cities and towns with a population of over one lakh with notified Municipalities. • Total outlay for AMRUT is Rs. 50,000 crores for five years from FY 2015-16 to FY 2019-20 and the Mission and is being operated as Central Sponsored Scheme. The project fund is divided among States/UTs in an equitable formula in which 50:50 weightage is being given to the urban population of each State/UT and number of statutory towns. • Reforms: The Mission is encouraging and supporting the States in conducting reforms that will improve the financial health of the ULBs, delivery of citizen services, transparency and cut the cost of services. 3. Swachh Bharat Mission • The Swachh Bharat Mission - Urban (SBM-U), launched on 2nd October 2014 aims at making urban India free from open defecation and achieving 100% scientific management of municipal solid waste in 4,041 statutory towns in the country. • The objectives of the mission are mentioned below: o Elimination of open defecation o Eradication of Manual Scavenging o Modern and Scientific Municipal Solid Waste Management o To effect behavioral change regarding healthy sanitation practices o Generate awareness about sanitation and its linkage with public health o Capacity Augmentation for ULB’s o To create an enabling environment for private sector participation in Capex (capital expenditure) and Opex (operation and maintenance) • Components of the mission: o Household toilets, including conversion of insanitary latrines into pour-flush latrines; o Community toilets o Public toilets o Solid waste management o IEC & Public Awareness o Capacity building and Administrative & Office Expenses (A&OE) • The targets set for the Mission, which have to be achieved by 2nd October 2019 include: o Construction of 66.42 Lakh individual household toilets (IHHL); o Construction of 2.52 lakh community toilet (CT) seats; o Construction of 2.56 lakh public toilet (PT) seats; and o Achieving 100% door-to-door collection and scientific management of municipal solid waste (MSW). • To ensure a continuous engagement and higher awareness among the citizens, a participatory approach for implementation of the Swachh Bharat Mission is being planned in form of theme-based Cleanliness drives on regular intervals, which are specific to a sector. • The strategy involves social behavior transformation. 4. HRIDAY • The Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India, launched the National Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) scheme on 21st January, 2015, with a focus on holistic development of heritage cities.
75 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) • The scheme aims to preserve and revitalise soul of the heritage city to reflect the city’s unique character by encouraging aesthetically appealing, accessible, informative & secured environment. • With a duration of 27 months (completing in March 2017) and a total outlay of INR 500 Crores, the Scheme is being implemented in 12 identified Cities namely, Ajmer, Amaravati, Amritsar, Badami, Dwarka, Gaya, Kanchipuram, Mathura, Puri, Varanasi, Velankanni and Warangal. • The scheme is implemented in a mission mode. • The Scheme supports development of core heritage infrastructure projects. • These initiatives shall include development of water supply, sanitation, drainage, waste management, approach roads, footpaths, street lights, tourist conveniences, electricity wiring, landscaping and such citizen services. 5. North Eastern Region Urban Development Programme -NERUDP • It involves financial assistance from Asian Development Bank (ADB), which contributes 70% of the cost as loan to the Government of India. • Funds are released by the Ministry to the participating States on reimbursement basis in the ratio of 90% grant and 10% loan. • The scheme is being implemented in the capital cities of 5 North Eastern States viz. Agartala (Tripura), Aizawl (Mizoram), Gangtok (Sikkim), and Kohima (Nagaland). • It covers priority urban services viz. (i) Water Supply, (ii) Sewerage and Sanitation, and (iii) Solid Waste Management besides capacity building, institutional and financial reforms. • The projects under the NERUDP scheme have been spread over three Tranches and are supposed to be completed by June, 2019. 6. Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana- Housing for All (Urban) • At the slum decadal growth rate of 34%, the slum households are projected to go upto 18 million. • 2 million non-slum urban poor households are proposed to be covered under the Mission. • Hence, total housing shortage envisaged to be addressed through the new mission is 20 million. • All statutory towns (as per Census 2011) and towns notified subsequently would be eligible for coverage under the Mission. • The Mission is being implemented during 2015-2022 and provides central assistance to Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and other implementing agencies through States/UTs for: o In-situ Rehabilitation of existing slum dwellers using land as a resource through private participation o Credit Linked Subsidy external link o Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP) o Subsidy for beneficiary-led individual house construction/enhancement. • Credit linked subsidy component is being implemented as a Central Sector Scheme while other three components as Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS). • In the spirit of cooperative federalism, mission provides flexibility to the States for choosing the best options amongst four verticals of mission to meet the demand of housing in their states. • Process of project formulation and approval in accordance with the mission Guidelines has been left to the States so that projects can be formulated, approved and implemented faster Technology Sub-Mission: • A Technology Sub-Mission external link under the Mission has been set up to facilitate adoption of modern, innovative and green technologies and building material for faster and quality construction of houses. • Technology Sub-Mission also facilitates preparation and adoption of layout designs and building plans suitable for various geo-climatic zones.
76 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) • It will also assist States/Cities in deploying disaster resistant and environment friendly technologies. 7. Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana National Urban Livelihoods Mission NULM • National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM) was launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (MHUPA), Government of India in 23rd September, 2013 by replacing the existing Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY). • The NULM will focus on organizing urban poor in their strong grassroots level institutions, creating opportunities for skill development leading to market-based employment and helping them to set up self-employment venture by ensuring easy access to credit. • The Mission is aimed at providing shelter equipped with essential services to the urban homeless in a phased manner. • In addition, the Mission would also address livelihood concerns of the urban street vendors. • Target Population: The primary target of NULM is the urban poor, including the urban homeless. • Sharing of funding: Funding will be shared between the Centre and the States in the ratio of 75:25. • For North Eastern and Special Category States (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand), this ratio will be 90:10. Guiding Principles: • The core belief of National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM) is that the poor are entrepreneurial and have innate desire to come out of poverty. • The challenge is to unleash their capabilities to generate meaningful and sustainable livelihoods. • The first step in this process is motivating the urban poor to form their own institutions. • They and their institutions need to be provided sufficient capacity so that they can manage the external environment, access finance, expand their skills, enterprises and assets. • An external, dedicated and sensitive support structure, from the national level to the city and community levels, is required to induce social mobilisation, institution building and livelihood promotion. Institution building: • NULM believes that any livelihood promotion programme can be scaled up in a time bound manner only if driven by the poor and their institutions. • Such strong institutional platforms support the poor in building up their own human, social, financial, and other assets. • This in turn, enables them access to rights, entitlements, opportunities and services from the public and private sectors, while enhancing their solidarity, voice and bargaining power. Role of ULBs: • As per the Constitution (74th Amendment) Act, 1992, urban poverty alleviation is a legitimate function of the Urban Local Bodies (ULB). • Therefore, ULBs would need to undertake a lead role for all issues and programmes concerning the urban poor in cities/towns, including skills and livelihoods. Skill development: • NULM would aim at universal coverage of the urban poor for skill development and credit facilities. • It will strive for skills training of the urban poor for market-based jobs and self-employment, facilitating easy access to credit. Street Vendors: • Street vendors constitute an important segment of the urban population at the bottom of the pyramid.
77 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) • Street vending provides a source of self-employment, and thus acts as a measure of urban poverty alleviation without major Government intervention. • They have a prominent place in the urban supply chain and are an integral part of the economic growth process within urban areas. • NULM would aim at facilitating access to suitable spaces, institutional credit, social security and skills to the urban street vendors for accessing emerging market opportunities. • Urban homeless persons who live without shelter or social security/ protection are the most vulnerable class, even while they contribute towards sustaining cities with their cheap labour. • Life on the streets involves surviving continuously at the edge, in a physically brutalized and challenging environment. • There is a need for appropriate policy intervention to address the challenges faced by homeless people, with regard to shelter, social housing and social protection. • Accordingly, NULM would aim at providing shelter equipped with essential services to the urban homeless in a phased manner. Convergence with other schemes: • NULM would place a very high emphasis on convergence with schemes/programmes of the relevant line Ministries/Departments and programmes of state governments dealing with skills, livelihoods, entrepreneurship development, health, education, social assistance, etc. • An alliance strategy will be sought with all concerned departments to promote skills training of rural-urban migrants as a bridge between the livelihoods of the rural and urban poor. • NULM would aim at partnership with the private sector in providing skill training, employment and operation of shelter for homeless. • It will strive for active participation of private and civil society sectors in providing shelter to the urban homeless, skill training and placement of the urban poor and also in facilitating technological, marketing and hand holding support for the urban poor entrepreneurs who want to be self-employed and set up their own small businesses or manufacturing units. 8. Rajiv Awas Yojana • Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY) envisages a “Slum Free India" with inclusive and equitable cities in which every citizen has access to basic civic infrastructure and social amenities and decent shelter. • Mission- Encourage States/Union Territories (UTs) to tackle slums in a definitive manner, by focusing on: o Bringing all existing slums, notified or non-notified (including recognized and identified) within the formal system and enabling them to avail the basic amenities that is available for the rest of the city/Urban area; o Redressing the failures of the formal system that lie behind the creation of slums by planning for affordable housing stock for the urban poor and initiating crucial policy changes required for facilitating the same. • Objectives: 1. Improving and provisioning of housing, basic civic infrastructure and social amenities in intervened slums. 2. Enabling reforms to address some of the causes leading to creation of slums. 3. Facilitating a supportive environment for expanding institutional credit linkages for the urban poor. 4. Institutionalizing mechanisms for prevention of slums including creation of affordable housing stock. 5. Strengthening institutional and human resource capacities at the Municipal, City and State levels through comprehensive capacity building and strengthening of resource networks.
78 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) 6. Empowering community by ensuring their participation at every stage of decision making through strengthening and nurturing Slum Dwellers’ Association/Federations. • RAY is to be implemented in a mission mode and will provide financial support to States/UTs/Urban Local Bodies (ULBs)/Central Government Agencies, hereafter called implementing agencies, for providing housing and improvement of basic civic infrastructure and social amenities in each selected slums. • Rental and transit housing will be admissible under the scheme. • Operation and maintenance (O&M) of assets created under this scheme will also be eligible for funding. • RAY will also extend financial support States for creation of affordable housing stock through public-private partnership (PPP) under the Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP) component of the scheme. • The scheme is also applicable to “urbanized villages” inside the planning area of the city, urban homeless and pavement dwellers. Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP) • The Government approved the scheme of Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP) as part of Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY) on 03.9.2013 to increase affordable housing stock, as part of the preventive strategy. • Central support is provided at the rate of Rs. 75,000 per Economically Weaker Sections (EWS)/Low Income Group (LIG) Dwelling Units (DUs) of size of 21 to 40 sqm. in affordable housing projects taken up under various kinds of partnerships including private partnership. • A project size of minimum 250 dwelling units is eligible for funding under the scheme. (Compiled from Ministry of Housing and Urban affairs website)
79 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) ECONOMY
Growth Elasticity of Poverty
Relevancy: GS Mains paper I, II and III; Economics, Sociology and Public administration optional papers. GEP, CCT, Social sector, Social welfare policies Recently:
The World Bank’s Atlas of Sustainable Development Goals painted a striking image of India’s poverty reduction record in the past 25. India brought out 120 million people from extreme poverty between 1990 and 2013 Over the same period, China reduced the number of people living in extreme poverty from 756 million to 25 million. Between 1995 and 2012, the growth elasticity of poverty reduction for India is just over 0.12. What is Growth elasticity of poverty?
Growth elasticity of poverty (GEP) is the percentage reduction in poverty rates associated with a percentage change in mean (per capita) income. A GEP of 3 implies that a 1% increase in per capita income is associated with a 3% decrease in the poverty rate (proportion of people living on less than $1 per day). There is no doubt that the faster economic growth is associated with faster poverty reduction. Poverty reduction strategies based on economic growth are successful if they bring down the poverty rate significantly. Some countries respond to growth based poverty reduction strategies more relative to others. There are reasons behind this heterogeneity. India’s story vis-s-vis other developing nations:
Brazil, China, Thailand, Mexico etc have fared better than India in reducing poverty. The reasons for their performance have been attributed to the state-sponsored poverty reduction schemes and social welfare schemes. If we compare India with Brazil, large income disparities have diluted the impact of growth rate on poverty reduction. Conditional cash transfers (CCTs):
Conditional cash transfers are said to be effective in such situations. They act not only as social safety nets, but also as an instrument of behavioural change in the households. According to Ferreira and Robalini (2010): The objective of CCTs is to alleviate current poverty while simultaneously seeking to break the inter-generational transmission of poverty by encouraging investment in the human capital of poor children. But the studies also suggest there are huge gaps in the quality of education and health services provided through the CCTs. The underprivileged get poor services and hence the objective of this redistributive justice is lost. Case study: Bolsa Familia
80 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Inequality and poverty have walked hand in hand in Brazil for decades and even centuries, the result of non-inclusive growth models and regressive social policies. In the second half of the 20th century, Brazil has been one of the most unequal countries in the world, with economists coining expressions such as “Belindia – a society consisting of a tiny Belgium of prosperity in a sea of Indian poverty”. For years, the poorest 60 % of the population had only 4 % of the wealth, while the richest 20 % held 58 % of the pie. Ten years ago this month, President Lula da Silva launched the innovative Bolsa Família Program (BF), scaling up and coordinating scattered existing initiatives under a powerfully simple concept: trusting poor families with small cash transfers in return for keeping their children in school and attending preventive health care visits. Ten years after BF has been key to help Brazil more than halve its extreme poverty – from 9.7 to 4.3 % of the population. Most impressively, and in contrast to other countries, income inequality also fell markedly, to a Gini coefficient of 0.527 an impressive 15 % decrease. (World Bank) Gini coefficient:
The Gini coefficient is a statistical measure of distribution, often used as a gauge of economic inequality, measuring income distribution among a population. The coefficient ranges from 0 (or 0%) to 1 (or 100%), with 0 representing perfect equality and 1 representing perfect inequality.
Where the CCTs fail:
Even for health outcomes, research finds that the Brazilian CCT Bolsa Familia has failed to increase child immunisation rates, and has had no impact on health indicators of children between 12 and 36 months. Similarly, the impact of Mexico’s Oportunidades on health outcomes has been inconsistent, owing to variations in the quality of health infrastructure, scarcity of medicine, low level of care, and discourteous treatment by health professionals. Lessons:
Cash transfers are able to act as effective tools and reduce long-term poverty only as long as they are supported by a social infrastructure that facilitates an improvement in outcomes. India’s latest Economic Survey has mooted a Universal Basic Income as a “safety net against health, income and other shocks.” The UBI has been hotly debated on both feasibility and desirability considerations. While the UBI will smoothen the consumption curve temporarily, even the most ambitious cash transfers will fail to reduce poverty permanently, unless they are complemented by a well-functioning social infrastructure that is able to provide quality education, health, and nutrition, across the board. Thus, for CCTs to be successful, a right mix of social services is critical.
Outcome Budgeting
Relevancy G.S. Paper 2 Introduction to budgeting system in India
81 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) About Outcome based budgeting Procedure of outcome based budgeting Conclusion Introduction to Budgeting System In India
One of the leading budgeting technique followed in India at present is the outcome budgeting or outcome based budgeting. It is practiced by most of the Ministries while preparing their budget details and submitting it to the Ministry of Finance for the preparation of the annual budget towards the end of February.
About Outcome based budgeting
Outcome based budgeting is a practice of suggesting and listing of estimated outcomes of each programmes or schemes designed. Outcomes are the end products and results of various Government initiatives and interventions, including those involving partnerships with the State Governments, Public Sector Undertakings, autonomous bodies and the community. An interesting feature of outcome based budgeting is that the outcomes of programmes are measured not just in terms of Rupees but also in terms of physical units like Kilowatt of energy produced or tonnes of steel produced. Also, outcomes are expressed in terms of qualitative targets and achievements to make the technique more comprehensive.
Procedure of outcome based budgeting
Under outcome budgeting, each Ministry presents a preliminary Outcome Budget to the Finance Ministry, which is responsible for compiling them. The Outcome Budget becomes a progress card on what various Ministries and Departments have done with the outlays in the previous annual budget. It measures the development outcomes of all government programmes and whether the money has been spent for the purpose it was sanctioned including the outcome of the fund usage. Outcome budget is a performance measurement tool that helps in: o Better service delivery o Decision-making o Evaluating programme performance and results o Communicating programme goals o Improving programme effectiveness o Make budgets cost effective o Fix accountability o Aid better scheme management
Conclusion
Outcome budgeting makes government programmes more result oriented, instead of outlay oriented. Under outcome budgeting, the document shows physical dimensions of the financial budget indicating the actual physical performance in the previous year, current year and targeted performance during the projected (next) year.
82 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) From 2007-08 onwards, the previous Performance Budget was merged with Outcome Budget. There was only one document, i.e. the Outcome Budget. All Ministries have to prepare outcome budgets to make the budgeting target oriented.
Operation “Clean Money” to Clean Shell Companies
Relevancy G.S. Paper 2 and 4, Optional – Public Administration Corruption in private sector, Shell Companies, Operation Clean Money. Recently
Recently, the central government initiated action against more than two lakh shell companies as a part of Operation Clean Money. SEBI has also identified nearly 331 companies and initiate action against them.
About Shell Companies
Shell companies are typically corporate entities which do not have any active business operations or significant assets in their possession. It is a non-trading company used as a vehicle for various financial manoeuvres or kept dormant for future use in some other capacity. These are suspected to be used as a tool for tax avoidance, tax evasion or money laundering. Shell companies can be used to transfer assets of one company to a new company without having the liabilities of the former company.
About Operation Clean Money
Initiated in Jan, 2017, Operation Clean money (Swachh Dhan Abhiyan) by Income Tax department, is an e-platform to analyse large cash deposits made during demonetization window. It involves e-verification of large cash deposits made during the period from 9th November to 30th December 2016. As part of the initiative, Email and SMS were sent to 18 lakh taxpayers for submitting an online response on the e-filing portal.
Law Governing Shell Companies
In India, there is no specific law relating to “shell companies.” However, some laws help, to an extent, in curbing illegal activities such as money laundering and can indirectly be used to target shell companies o Benami Transaction (Prohibition) Amendment Act 2016 o The Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002 o The Companies Act, 2013.
What Is Dormant Company?
As per Section 455 of the Companies Act, 2013, a company that does not have a significant financial activity or has been inactive can apply to the Register of Companies and obtain the status of a dormant company.
83 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) The company shall be a dormant company on the rolls of the Register of Companies until it follows all the provisions of Section 455. If it fails to do so, the Register of Companies shall have powers to strike of their names from the Register of Companies.
Difference between Dormant And Shell Companies
A dormant company gets its title in two ways: it has chosen to get a ‘dormant’ status from the RoC by way of an application and is in compliance of the requirements of Section 455. Further, in case a company has not filed financial statements or annual returns for two financial years consecutively, the Register of Companies shall issue notice and include it in the register of ‘dormant’ companies. But a shell company is one which is typically suspected of illegal activities.
The Consequences To Be Faced By 2 Lakh Companies
These companies subject to their respective circumstances would have to make an application before the National Company Law Tribunal for restoration, which the NCLT will decide on a case-to-case basis. Cess Under GST
Relevancy G.S. Paper 2, Optional- Public Administration, Economy Indian Taxation, Cess, GST Recently
A new levy called the GST Compensation Cess has been introduced to make better apprehended losses to States in the first five years of GST implementation.
What Is Cess?
The proceeds of the cess will be distributed to loss-incurring States on the basis of a prescribed formula. The Cess has been introduced through the GST (Compensation to States) Act, 2017 and is levied on inter- and intra-State supply of notified goods such as aerated drinks, coal, tobacco, automobiles and the ambiguous category of ‘other supplies’. The schedule to the Act mentions the maximum rates of the cess, which extend to 290%. The levy would be over and above the four GST slabs of 5%, 12%, 18% and 28%.
Constitutional Validity Of Cess
A cess is a levy for a specific purpose which may bear the characteristics of a tax or a fee. Under Article 270 of the Constitution, a cess tax has special privilege as the proceeds can be retained exclusively by the Union and need not be shared with States. The quintessential feature of a cess is that it is levied for a ‘specific purpose’ and the proceeds are earmarked as such. If compensating State governments is considered to be a specific purpose, any general revenue raising measure can be considered to be backed by an earmarked purpose. Once the money is transferred to State governments, it can be used to fund just about any scheme and may even be used merely to adjust the respective State government’s fiscal deficit.
84 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) A cess must have an earmarked purpose and the contributor and beneficiary must be relatable. In the past, cesses were imposed by the Central government to raise finances for specific industries and labour welfare within chosen industries. Further, there is no relation between the persons contributing to the cess and the recipients, the State governments. All these factors make the cess look more like an additional tax or surcharge which becomes problematic as surcharge on the GST is prohibited under Article 271. Section 18 of the 122nd Constitution Amendment Bill, 2014 proposed a 1% additional tax to compensate States but this was withdrawn while enacting the Amendment Act. There is no provision for an additional tax. As per Article 279A(4)(f), the GST Council’s power to recommend a special rate is confined to raising additional resources during any natural calamity or disaster. The cess cannot be justified under such power. The version of Section 18 adopted in the Amendment Act, 2016 merely says that Parliament shall, on the GST Council’s recommendations, provide for compensation to States for a period of five years. It appears that by enacting the cess, Parliament is seeking to do indirectly that which cannot be done directly, which amounts to it being a colourable piece of legislation. Moreover, pursuant to the 101st Constitution Amendment Act, 2016, Article 271 has been amended to state that an additional tax/surcharge cannot be imposed over and above the GST tax rates
Justification of levying tax on the selected bracket
It is doubtful it will succeed if tested under the anvil of the right to equality under Article 14. The goods identified in the Act, such as aerated drinks, coal, tobacco, automobiles and the ambiguous category of “other supplies”, do not form a distinct category or class deserving the liability to pay the cess so as to compensate States. While the sin goods argument is alluring, it is erroneous, looking at misfits such as coal and aerated drinks and the uncovered sin goods including luxury goods, jewellery, gadgets and the like. SEBI Tightens The Noose For Credit Rating Agencies (CRAS)
Relevancy: GS Prelims, GS Mains paper 3 Indian economy, credit rating agencies Recently:
SEBI has proposed a 10 per cent cross-shareholding cap in credit rating agencies along with a slew of measures for tightening the financial and operational eligibility of their promoters. What are the suggestions of SEBI (details)?
The regulator has proposed that no CRA should directly or indirectly, hold more than 10 per cent of shareholding and/or voting rights in another CRA and shall not have representation on the board of the other CRA. Besides, the regulator has suggested greater disclosure requirements by credit rating agencies (CRAs) as well as by companies getting their services.
85 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) The proposed norms are likely to have an impact on global rating agencies such as S&P, Moody’s and Fitch which have significant holdings in domestic agencies besides their direct presence. Further, SEBI’s prior approval would be needed for acquisition of shares or voting rights in a CRA that results in change in control. The requirement would not be applicable for holdings by broad-based domestic financial institutions. What is the objective behind this move?
This initiative has been taken by the SEBI in order to improve the market efficiency and transparency, accountability and governance of the rating agencies. This has also the motive to improve investor awareness about the operations of rating agencies. Another reason behind the move is to prevent rating agencies from resorting to collusion in reaching decisions. But how the rules will solve the problem of “rating shopping” that plagues the business of credit rating in the country is unknown. India’s Slow Growth Rate of Economic Health Indicators
Relevancy G.S. Paper 2, Optional Economy, Public Administration Slow economic growth in India Recently
The pace of economic growth has slowed considerably, with no clear sign of a sharp pullback in the near term GVA growth, the preferred indicator of economic activity, came in at 5.6%, compared with 7.6% in the same quarter last year GDP increased at a modest pace of 5.7% in the first quarter of the current fiscal It now seems difficult for the economy to get close to the RBI’s GVA growth forecast of 7.3% for the current year
Reasons For The Slow Growth Rate Of Economic Health Indicators
The De-stocking of inventory before the implementation of the goods and services tax (GST) Impact of demonetisation However, it is also likely that the softening of economic activity, which started before demonetisation, is still continuing Therefore, it will not be possible, to gauge precisely which factor is affecting growth to what extent
The Main concerns
The main worry for policymakers is that the economy is slowing at a time when global markets are reasonably stable. The commodity prices are within the India’s comfort zone.
Avoiding fiscal stimulus
86 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) It is likely that a sufficiently large fiscal push will help growth in the short run, but there are at least three big problems with this idea o There is no guarantee that it will take the economy to a higher growth trajectory in a sustainable manner o Breaching the fiscal deficit target(by giving fiscal help to economy) yet another time will affect policy credibility and could pose a threat to hard-won macroeconomic stability o The government doesn’t have the fiscal space(means resources) to give a meaningful stimulus at this stage Therefore, Fiscal stimulus is best avoided
Measures To Revive Growth
The recapitalization of public sector banks While the bankruptcy process will help deal with non-performing assets, the government needs to move fast on bank recapitalization It is highly unlikely that a predominantly bank-financed economy will grow as desired when about three-quarters of the banking system is in deep stress
The Way Forward
The government should go all out and use its political capital to push reforms in these sectors, which will improve the ease of doing business There has been virtually no movement on reforms in areas like land and the labour market The government has taken several steps in the right direction, such as the implementation of GST, whichwill help the economy in the medium to long run All this may not lift growth in the next quarter, but will help strengthen the foundation for a sustainable economic recovery The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC)
Relevancy G.S. Paper 2 The insolvency and bankruptcy code initiative Background and other government initiative in this regard Issues related Way ahead Recently
The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) and the Indhradhanush scheme are rolled out by the government. However, the slow pace of its progress in resolving stressed banks is getting to be a cause of concern.
Background:
After the initiation of the concept of “ease of doing business”, the Government passed the most sort after code relating to the bankruptcy and insolvency proceedings.
87 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) In the Budget speech of 2014-15, Bankruptcy Law Reform was identified as a key priority for improving the ease of doing business and that a comprehensive bankruptcy code was necessary meet the global standards and to necessary judicial capacity. The enactment of the ‘The Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code, 2016’ on May 26, 2016 is perhaps the single biggest reform undertaken in India in recent times. Along with the changes in the debt recovery provisions, it will also enable in solving the bad debt problem of India’ which has crippled bank lending. The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC) replaces a fragmented legal framework and a broken institutional set-up that has been delivering poor outcomes for years for creditors and distressed businesses seeking an exit.
The government initiative
Indradhanush plan is a seven pronged plan to revamp the functioning of public sector banks. The IBC, 2016 is the bankruptcy law of India which seeks to consolidate the existing framework by creating a single law for insolvency and bankruptcy. This is to deal with insolvency resolution processes for individuals, companies and partnership firms. The recent Alternative Mechanism is a framework to speed up the mergers of public sector banks. The seven elements include appointments, board of bureau, capitalisation, de-stressing, empowerment, framework of accountability and governance reforms.
Issues
Higher Provisions o Banks should also comply with RBI directions to make higherprovisions for accounts to be referred under the IBC. o A provision is an amount that is put aside in an account to cover a future liability. o Higher provisions could ensure that banks are fully protected against likely losses in the resolution process Insolvency applications o Banks should come forward and file insolvency applications under the IBC, on their own without waiting for regulatory directions from the RBI. o This “pre-default” stage out-of-court restructuring, with very first signs of initial stress can make resolution process faster and simpler. o . Capital infusion o There is a considerable need for substantial additional capital infusion into public sector banks by the government. o This is essential given the scale of NPAs and lower internal capital augmentation of public sector banks. Balance sheets o There is a need for a more concrete plan for public sector bank balance sheets. o This is essential to ensure that banks withstand the losses during resolution. o And also to have enough capital buffers to intermediate well the huge proportion of economy’s savings that they receive as deposits.
Way ahead
88 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) The Government should address the massive re-capitalisation need of banks and soon publicly announce a feasible plan in this regard. However, the developments hint at a need for all these to work together to make a substantial progress in the resolution process. The government has come up with various options for resolving issues like stressed assets, inefficient banks, balance sheet problem, etc. This is crucial to provide clarity to investors and restore confidence in the markets about the banking system. PMJDY And The JAM Revolution
Relevancy G.S. Paper 2,3 About JAM What is required Beyond bank accounts? Lack of producer services Private investment Focus on capabilities Recently
PMJDY and the JAM revolution can link all Indians into one common financial, economic, and digital space. The suggestion of equality as a criterion of governance that is conveyed by this is to be welcomed
About JAM
JAM, deriving from Jan Dhan, Aadhaar and Mobile, combines bank accounts for the poor, direct transfer of benefits into these accounts and the facility of making financial payments through mobile phones. It eliminates the leakage in the transfer of welfare payments and enabling the poor to have bank accounts Aadhaar ensure that benefits reach the poor and enabling them to make payments through ordinary mobile phones. For furthering the latter the government has devised the Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) app.
What is required Beyond bank accounts?
Nationalised banking sector had done very little to extend banking services to the poor Inclusion would entail equal access to opportunities for earning a livelihood. This in turn implies employment opportunities. Having a bank account and access to reliable electronic payments system, is not the same as economic inclusion. Demand for labour exists only when there is demand for goods and services The potential of the JAM trinity for bringing about either of these conditions for economic inclusion is limited. Even when the demand for labour exists, potential workers must be endowed with the capabilities to take advantage of the opportunity offered
89 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Lack of producer services
Economic reforms of 1991 largely focused on liberalisation of the policy regime Ecosystem of production requires access that firms have to producer services ranging from water supply to waste management. It meant to make it easier for firms to produce, exposing them to international competition with a view to increasing efficiency in the economy. Even when producer units employ workers they are poorly capitalised, making it impossible for them to generate producer services themselves. Producer services require large capital outlay, often deterring private firms. Thus the public provision of producer services should be an essential part of public policy.
Private investment
Overall growth had however been maintained, partly through the demand generating impact of public investment. But now even growth appears to be stalling Private investment in India hasdeclined steadily over the past few years. There appears to be a mismatch between the government’s own assessment of its policies and the private sector’s valuation of their worth Data actually point to a steadily slowing economy with growth having been successively lower in the past five quarters.
Focus on capabilities
All individuals must be equipped with the essential capabilities. For this, society must have a minimum, universal health and education infrastructure accessible to all. Recent weeks witnessed governance failure on a major scalein many parts of the country. Delhi’s suburb of Ghazipur a garbage mountain came crashing down, again causing death and disruption. In U.P.’s Gorakhpur district children have died because the hospital is not able to maintain a steady supply of oxygen. Building capabilities require committing resources to building the requisite social and physical infrastructure and investing time to govern its functioning Financial Inclusion in Rising India
Relevancy G.S. Paper 2 What is financial inclusion? Benefits of financial inclusion Scope of financial inclusion Schemes under financial inclusion Conclusion
About Financial Inclusion:
“Financial Inclusion” is the way the Governments strive to take the common man along by bringing them into the formal channel of economy thereby ensuring that even the person standing in the last is not left out from the benefits of the economic growth and is added in
90 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) the mainstream economy thereby encouraging the poor person to save, safely invest in various financial products and to borrow from the formal channel when he need to borrow.
Benefits of Financial Inclusion:
Lack of financial inclusion is costly to society and the individual. As far as the individual is concerned, lack of financial inclusion forces the unbanked into informal banking sectors where interest rates are higher and the amount of available “ I dream of a digital India where funds much smaller. mobile and e-banking ensures Because the informal banking structure is outside Financial Inclusion” – Prime any legislative framework, any dispute between lenders and borrowers cannot be settled legally. Minister Shri Narendra Modi As far as the social benefits are concerned, financial inclusion increases the amount of available savings, increases efficiency of financial intermediation, and allows for tapping new business opportunities. State sponsored universal banking has therefore contributed to greater economic diversification in rural areas than is the case in more competitive banking environments. With structural adjustment programs being introduced in the 1980s and 1990s, financial market reforms swept over many developing countries.
Scope of Financial inclusion:
Scope of the financial inclusion is not limited to only banking services but it extends to other financial services as well like insurance, equity products & pension products etc. Thus, financial inclusion is not just about opening a simple bank account with a branch in an unbanked area. Adding the common man into the mainstream economy has other advantages as well as on the one hand it helps inculcate the vulnerable section of the society to save money for its future and the rainy days, take benefits of the economic activities of the country by participating in various financial products like, banking services, insurance & pension products etc., on the other hand, it helps the country to increase the rate of ‘capital formation’ which in turn, give a push to the economic activities in the economy by channelizing the money from every nook & corner of the country. Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs) are the classic examples for providing easy & affordable credit to poor people and have got written innumerable success stories. This phenomenon of financial inclusion also helps government plug gaps & leakages in public subsidies & welfare programmes as government can directly transfer the subsidy amount into the account of the beneficiary rather than to subsidise the product. One of the most crucial of the several steps taken by the Modi government is JAM trinity- Jan Dhan, Aadhar & Mobile.
Some of the schemes aimed at financial inclusion are discussed as below:
1. Jan Dhan Yojna – With a view to increase the penetration of banking services and to ensure that all households have at least one bank account, a National Mission on Financial Inclusion
91 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) named as Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna was announced by Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi in his independence speech on 15th August, 2014. Within a fortnight of its launch, the scheme entered into the Guinness Book of records for opening a record number of bank accounts. The additional benefits on opening an account under Jan Dhan Scheme is the customer is issued a RuPay Debit Card having inbuilt insurance cover of Rs 1 Lakh. Besides, an overdraft (OD) facility of Rs 5,000/- is granted to the customer for satisfactory operation of account for 6 months. A life cover of Rs 30,000/- has also been granted to customers for opening the accounts up to a certain time period. The scheme has been a great success and the 99.99% households out of the 21.22 crores households surveyed have been covered under this scheme by December, 2016. 2. Insurance & Pension schemes –Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojna and Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojna are the main schemes for providing social security for all citizens, especially the poor and the under-privileged. A) Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojna (PMSBY): It covers the persons within the age slab of 18 to 70 years and a risk coverage of Rs 2 lakhs is provided at an affordable premium of Rs 12 per annum only. As per the date 12th April, 2017, around 10 crore people were enrolled under Pradhan Mantri Suraksha BimaYojana (PMSBY). B) Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojna (PMJJBY): It covers the persons within an age slab of 18 to 50 years having a bank account. The life cover of Rs 2 lakhs is provided to the insured payable in case of death of the insured due to any reason. As on 12th April 2017 3.10 cr person were enrolled under PMJJBY. C) Atal Pension Yojna: This scheme was launched in 2015 and is open to all bank account holders in the age group of 18 to 40 years Beneficiaries can choose different contributions based on the pension amount. Under this scheme monthly pension is guaranteed to the subscriber and after him to his spouse and after their death, pension corpus as accumulated till the age of 60 years is returned to the nominee of subscriber. Central Government also contributes 50% of the contribution subject to a maximum of Rs 1000 per annum. As on 31st March 2017 a total of 46.80 lakh subscribers have been enrolled from Atal Pension yojana with a total pension worth of Rs1713.214cr. D) Varishita Pension Bima Yojana: All those who subscribe to the VPBY from 15th August 2014 to 14th August 2015 will receive an assured guaranteed return of 9% under the Policy. 3. Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojna -- Scheme launched in April, 2015 to provide formal access of financial facilities to Non- Corporate Small Business Sector. The basic objective of the scheme is to promote & ensure bank finance to unfunded segment of the Indian economy. In the Mudra Scheme since beginning till 13th August 2017, total 8crore 70 lakh loan where distributed out of which 6 crores 56 lakh were given to woman. In this scheme 3 lakh 75 thousand crores were sanctioned (1 lakh 88 crores to woman) and 3lakh 63 thousand crores were disbursed (out of which 1lakh 66 thousand crores were given to woman).
92 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) The target for 2016-17 was Rs 180,000cr while sanctioned amount is Rs 180528cr which indicate the success of the scheme. 4. Other Schemes includes Jeevan Suraksha Bandhan Yojana, Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana: Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) and General Credit Cards (GCC), BHIM App. Liberalized policy towards ATMs and White label ATMs. o To expand the network of ATMs, the RBI has allowed non-bank entities to start ATMs (called ‘White Label ATMs’). o The RuPay Cards have significantly increased its market share to 38 per cent (250 mn) of the total 645 million debit cards in the country so far. o The card has been provided to the account holders of PMJDY (170 million). Financial Literacy Centers were started by commercial banks at the request of RBI to give awareness and education to the public to access financial products. o Here, RBI’s policy is that financial inclusion should go along with financial literacy. The launch of direct benefit transfers through the support of Aadhaar and Bank Account is one of the biggest developments that activated and retained people in the newly opened account. 5. Stand up India – launched to extend bank loans between Rs 10 lakhs to Rs 1 crore for Greenfield enterprises set up by the SC, ST & women entrepreneurs and to provide them handholding support. By Mid-August 2017 38,477 people were given loan up to Rs 8,277 crores out of which 31000 were woman and given loan up to Rs 6,895 crores. 6. Venture capital Scheme— In this scheme SC/ST people were encouraged to be Job Provider instead of Job Seekers. Initially in this Scheme loan were provided from 50 lakh to 15 crores which now is changed from 20 lakh to 15 crores. The rate of interest has been reduced from 10% to 8%.
Conclusion: The government is committed to its target of increasing the inclusion of every household in the financial system so that the masses can get all the legitimate benefits arising out of the growth of the country and in turn, the funds mobilised from the people not earlier in the formal channel could also be brought in the formal channel thereby giving the economy of the country an extra thrust to lead the path of growth. SEBI Norms for Capital Market
Relevancy GS Mains paper III SEBI norms, Capital market reforms Sahara scam, Harshad Mehta scam Recently
Securities and Exchange Board of Inida (SEBI) is planning to tighten listing norms to prevent fly- by-night operators from getting listed on stock exchanges. It has come to surface after the government’s ongoing crackdown on shell companies to curb black money.
93 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Specifications under SEBI norms
SEBI norms specify that a company wishing to get listed needs to have o a track record of generating profits and distributing dividends for at least three of the five years preceding the time it goes public o have a minimum net worth of Rs1 crore in each of the preceding three years o have net tangible assets of at least Rs3 crore in each of the three preceding years Any company to be listed cannot make a share allotment in a public issue if the number of prospective allottees is less than 1,000. A grading or rating system for initial public offerings have also been proposed so that investors have a basic idea of the quality of the company they are investing in. This rating can be given by: o a credit rating agency o any external expert o by SEBI itself
Reason behind the new norms
Sebi wants to ensure that companies with stronger business profile and a potential to maintain profitability during the initial years of listing are allowed to go public. The plan is to: o increase the minimum net worth requirement o the proportion of assets held in tangible form o the number of years of profitability o Minimum number of public investors to whom shares are allotted. To avoid capital market scams like Subrata Roy’s Sahara scam and Harshad Mehta scam.
Outcomes of the new norms
Negatively, it might prevent many small genuine businesses or MSMEs from getting listed and raising capital from the public to grow. But it will definitely ensure that only strong, mid-sized or larger companies are able to get listed. Also it will act against shell companies that gain entry to stock markets and become a vehicle for money laundering and tax evasion
Other Recent reforms by SEBI
Higher liquidity of shares: o SEBI insist that companies free up 50% of their stock for investors. o A higher free float will curb promoter ability to put vast sums of money into the market to manipulate stock price. Single broking licence: o Stockbrokers will be allowed to deal in commodities and vice versa. Within a year, a single licence will be allowed for exchanges as well. Options contract: o Allowing exchanges to launch options contracts would deepen the domestic commodity market.
94 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) o It would provide farmers and other participants a new hedging tool, in a more cost- effective manner. Monitoring Authority: o Earlier the capital raised in IPOs could be misused or siphoned off so to ensure transparency in the use of proceeds, all IPOs raising Rs 100 crore or more in fresh equity capital will have to appoint a “monitoring agency”. o Earlier it was mandatory only for IPOs that raised over Rs 500 crore. P notes: o Residents and non-resident Indian (NRIs) are not allowed to take direct or indirect exposure to the market participatory notes (p-notes).
Major capital market scams in the past
Sahara scam o Sahara group became a major financial institution, one of India's largest employers. o Although it has businesses ranging from finance and property to media and Formula One motor racing, beleaguered Subrata Roy's Sahara group has never been very transparent on the source and use of the billions of dollars it has raised from mostly small investors. o Enforcement Directorate probed into possible money laundering. o Allegations were that many of Sahara group's millions of investors are fictitious names. Harshad Mehta scam: o Harshad Mehta was a stockbroker (later known as Big-bull) who issued fake Bank receipts (BR) i.e. he took money and promised to provide Government securities in lieu of BRs which he never did. o He obtained such BR's from tainted small term banks like Bank of Karad and Metropolitan Co-operative Bank. o Thus he was able to collect a pool of cash especially from SBI by fooling a few clerk level operatives to manipulate the ledger books according to his schemes. o He used the money from the BR's to drive up stock prices to extreme and ultimately he dumped some of these stocks in the mutual funds to book abnormally illegal high profits.
Conclusion
There are more than 4,000 listed firms in the country and out of which around 2,000 do not have enough liquidity and are suspected to be involved in dubious transactions or manipulations to show business only on paper. Stern action must be taken against companies that have defaulted and do not have enough liquidity. Most importantly, SEBI should not abruptly put unnecessary regulatory burdens on genuine businesses.
Public Credit Agencies
Relevancy GS Mains paper III
95 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Indian economy Credit registry, Public credit rating agencies Recently . The apex bank, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has formed a high-level task force on public credit registry (PCR) for India. . It has been set up for assessing gaps in India that could be filled by a comprehensive public credit registry. . Report will suggest a roadmap including the priority areas, for developing a transparent, comprehensive and near-real-time public credit registry for India. What is a Public Credit Agency? . These are created for reporting of loan details to its public credit registry by lenders and/or borrowers as mandated by law. . Such agencies are set up by the central bank of India. Why do we need such agencies? . The main idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower and his contracts and outcomes. . These provide credit scores and allied reports and services. . Their analysis reports are used for issuing credit cards and for taking decisions mainly on retail loans. . These are regulated by the RBI under the Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Act, 2005. . Examples of such agencies in India are: o CRISIL o Credit Information Bureau (India) Limited (CIBIL) o Equifax o Experian o CRIF Highmark Merits of PCRs . Improvement in credit culture: o ‘Doing Business 2017’ report indicates that credit information systems impart transparency in the credit market. o Following this, the access to credit improves and delinquencies decrease. o A transparent public credit registry would help the bankers to rely on objective data for making credit decisions. . Beneficial for regular or large borrowers: o Large borrowers get a preference in credit markets due to their existing credentials in the public space. o Because of their established credit history, brand value, and supply of collateral. . Transparency helps small borrowers: o Small and marginal aspirants, start-ups, new entrepreneurs, MSMEs are disadvantaged as they lack many of those desired qualifications for credit. o Transparency of credit information would serve as a “reputational collateral” for such borrowers. o This would not only help promote financial inclusion, but also reward the good borrowers thereby imparting credit discipline.
96 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) . For related payment purposes: o Studies show that public credit registers tap other transactional data of borrowers in many countries, including payments to utilities like power and telecom for retail customers and trade credit data for businesses. . Regulatory purpose: o In absence of any proper regulation, only fragmented images are available of credit behaviour and indebtedness. o PCR will help in getting to a complete picture that is necessary for supervisors and policy makers to assess credit risk of the entire system. Money Laundering
Relevancy: GS Prelims, GS Mains paper II, III, IV Economic offences, Corruption, Money Laundering, PMLA 2002. Defining Money laundering
Money laundering may be defined as “any act or attempted act to conceal or disguise the identity of illegally obtained proceeds so that they appear to have originated from legitimate sources”. Several illegal activities, such as arm trade, drug trafficking, smuggling, prostitution, human trade etc. can generate huge sums of money. Apart from this, corruption, bribery, embezzlement, big ticket scams also lead to accumulation of “dirty money”. Now this money has to be made legal by the fraudsters and scamsters, so that it can be used in a legitimate way. This process of conversion of “black money” into “white money” is known as Money laundering.
As per Section 3 of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) the offence of 'Money Laundering' is explained as under:
A person is indulged in money laundering if he/she: o directly or indirectly, attempts to indulge, or knowingly assists, or knowingly is party, or is actually involved in any process, or activity connected, with the Proceeds of Crime, including its: o Concealment, Possession, Acquisition or use; and Projecting or Claiming it as Untainted Property How the money is “laundered”?
It is a three-stage process:
1. Placement: It is the first stage, during which the black money is generated into the financial system. 2. Layering: In this stage, the money is spread over various transactions so that the origin of the black money may not be traced. Usually, small banking transaction are conducted through multiple accounts, so that the picture becomes obscure for the regulatory authorities. 3. Integration: The money is then integrated into the financial system in such a way that it’s association with the crime is completely obliterated. This money has now become “white”. Cash intensive businesses help in money laundering:
97 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) There are certain businesses which help in money laundering, such as Hawala, Real estate, Gambling, Round tripping, false invoicing etc. Law against Money Laundering in India:
1. PMLA, 2002 2. Anti-money laundering regulations under RI/SEBI/IRDA 3. Recently, the Law Ministry has also come up with a draft Bill on Fugitive Economic Offenders, who commit the crime in India and flee India. (This has been specially formulated in order to prevent cases like Vijay Mallya). Financial Intelligence Unit - India (FIU-IND) under the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance is the central national agency responsible for receiving, processing, analyzing and disseminating information relating to suspect financial transactions to enforcement agencies and foreign FIUs. The Directorate of Enforcement in the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance is responsible for investigating the offences of money laundering under the PMLA. Broad provisions of PMLA, 2002:
To prevent and control money laundering; To provide for confiscation and seizure of property obtained from laundered money; and To deal with any other issue connected with money-laundering in India. What are “proceeds of crime”?
The offence of money laundering as defined under section 3 (punishable under section) of the PMLA, 2002 is attracted only when the laundered property falls within the definition of 'proceeds of crime'
As per section 2 of the PMLA, “Proceeds of crime” include any property derived or obtained
Directly or indirectly By any person as a result of criminal activity relating to a 'scheduled offense' The Interconnectedness of PMLA and 'predicate offence’ / scheduled offence'
The offence of Money Laundering is not an independent crime; it depends upon another crime, which is known as the 'predicate offence' or 'scheduled offence', the proceeds of which are made the subject matter of crime of money laundering. Under PMLA, commission of any offence, as specified in the Part A and Part C of the Schedule of PMLA will attract the provisions of PMLA. Following is a list of ‘predicate offences’:
Part A enlists offences under various acts such as: Indian Penal Code, 1860 (including but not limited to offences against Property such Cheating, Forgery, Counterfeiting, Fraud, murder etc) Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 SEBI, Customs Act, 1955, Foreigners Act, Arms Act, Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, Copyright Act, 1957, Trademark Act,1999, Wildlife Protection Act, 1872, Information Technology Act, 2000, amongst others.
Part B offences (offence under the Customs Act), provided the value of property involved is more than one crore rupees or more;
98 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Part C deals with trans-border crimes, and reflects the commitment to tackle Money Laundering across International Boundaries. Job Creation In India
Relevancy GS Mains paper III, Essay paper Job creation in India
Introduction India has the world's largest youth population comprising around one-fifth of the total world youth population. Indian youth can contribute to higher economic growth if properly absorbed in the labour market. Unemployment rate is the proportion of persons who were available for work but did not get work and are still seeking work. The unemployment rate for the youth in India belonging aged 18-29 years during 2015-16 was 13.2 per cent which was more than 8 times the unemployment rate of workers aged 30+ years (1.6 per cent). The unemployment rate for young females in the youth category was 20.0 per cent which is almost double that of young males (11.3 per cent). Unemployment is higher in urban than in rural areas and for females compared to males. The unemployment rate among young females in urban areas is alarmingly high at 28 per cent for young males it was 11.5 per cent.
Factors behind the Jobless growth Tertiary Sector not absorbent: o In India, growth is attributed to service sector, whereby both employment and wages have seen a rise. o But as figures say, the biggest employing sector in India is the Agriculture sector, employing 45% of the population but contributing 15% to the GDP, whereas Service sector is the biggest contributor to the GDP but employs less than 30%. o IT and Financial services are drivers of service sector growth in last 2 decades however both of these sector are not employment intensive. o Thus contributing to jobless growth in India. Stagnation in manufacturing sector: o Labour –intensive manufacturing sector did not become the engine of growth in India. o Excess rigidity in the formal manufacturing labour market and rigid labour regulationshas created disincentives for employers to create jobs o Industrial Disputes Act has lowered employment in organized manufacturing by about 25% (World Bank Study) o Stringent employment protection legislation has pushed employers towards more capital intensive modes of production, than warranted by existing costs of labour relative to capital. o Therefore, the nature of the trade regime in India is still biased towards capital- intensive manufacturing. Automation: o The nature of Indian manufacturing is not employment-friendly. o Most of them are automated and any employment is highly skilled.
99 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) o Thus they have contributed to growth, but not necessarily to employment. MSME limitations: o The labour intensity of MSME is four times higher than that of large firms but they are not treated well in India as they have poor access to credit and they are plagued by many serious problems which has limited there growth potential. o Impediments to entrepreneurial growth in small firms (such as high costs of formalisation) along with a long history of small scale reservation policy which has prohibited the entry of large scale units in labour intensive industries. Others: o The tax incentives, subsidies, depreciation allowance all are solely linked to the amount invested and not to the number of jobs created. o Sluggish process in education and skill levels of workers.
Way forward The biggest opportunity for generating more employment in manufacturing lies in exporting simpler consumer goods to the world market, an area which China has long dominated, but which it is now likely to exit, as its wages rise. How well we can do this depends upon our ability to compete with others such as Bangladesh, Vietnam. Becoming competitive would involve faster modernization of these industries, which will involve a shift away from labour intensity, but if it allows an increase in the scale of operations, total employment could increase. Small and medium enterprises generate much more employment than large capital-intensive enterprises but we have not done enough to encourage this segment. There are too few middle-sized firms, employing between 100 and say 1,000 workers, and it is these firms that can upgrade technology, increase productivity, and demonstrate competitiveness in world markets. The policies needed to develop this middle group include lowering of corporate tax rates and abolition of incentives that favour more capital-intensive units, better public infrastructure and better access to finance. Start-ups are a new phenomenon and India has made a good beginning in this area. Technically skilled and business-oriented youth should be encouraged to explore the entrepreneurship option, and create jobs, rather than looking for secure wage employment. First of all Labour Laws should be reformed as due to the stringent Labour Laws Corporates in India are preferring Capital intensive mode of Production in a country where labour is abundant . The education system needs to be revamped to create the desired skill-sets. Job Intensive sector like Food Processing Should be promoted. MUDRA scheme should be expanded as it can be a game changer for MSME sector and this sector has a potential to create required jobs in India.
Conclusion It is obvious that no single policy initiative can achieve all the structural changes listed above. Multiple interventions are needed at different levels. Job-creation needs to be an essential axis along which economic and social policies are formulated.
100 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Gender Budget
Relevancy GS Mains paper III, Essay Paper Gender budget, Women empowerment, Equality
Gender Responsive Budget A Gender-Responsive Budget is a budget that acknowledges the gender patterns in society and allocates the money to implement policies and programs that will change these patterns in a way that moves towards a more gender equal society. Gender budget initiatives are exercises that aim to move the country in the direction of a gender-responsive budget. Gender Budgeting Statement (GBS) The Gender Budgeting Statement (GBS) which comprises the gender specific demands for grants, has emerged as an important advocacy tool which reflects on the flow of funds for women and encourages debate and discussions on Gender Budgeting. Need of a Gender Budget Gender Budget Initiatives are attempts to disaggregate the government’s mainstream budget according to its impacts on women and men. It refers to the process of conceiving, planning, approving, executing, monitoring, analysing and auditing budgets in a gender-sensitive way. The gender budgeting exercise would potentially assist and lead to the following empowering measures: o Addressing gap between policy commitment and allocation for women by emphasizing on adequate resource allocation. o Putting pressure and focus on gender sensitive programme formulation and implementation. o Mainstreaming gender concerns in public expenditure and policy. o By being a tool for effective policy implementation where one can check if the allocations are in line with slated gender sensitive policy commitments and are having the desired impact. Merits Improving women’s economic equality. Improving effectiveness, efficiency, accountability, and transparency of government budgets. Revealing discrepancies between what a governments says it is doing and the actual impact of government policies. Offering a practical way for the governments to implement their obligations under international human rights agreements such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Examples around the world Australia: o In Australia, Gender Budgeting significant increase in spending in areas of importance to women. o There was also a five-fold increase in child care places for working women.
101 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Philippines: o In Philippines, there was made a specific requirement that every government agency allocate at least five per cent of its budget to gender and development initiatives. United Kingdom: o In United Kingdom, the government announced that from 2003 onwards the new Child Tax Credit would be paid to the main carer — usually a woman — rather than to the main earner — usually a man. o The group supporting this used the slogan “From the wallet to the purse” (men carry wallets while women carry purses) to argue that giving money to women was more efficient and in-line with government policy on reducing child poverty. South Korea: o In South Korea, a gender budget initiative demonstrated that most of the beneficiaries of training and education programs were leaders or women from women’s organizations. Gender Budgeting in India The first Gender Budget Statement appeared in the Union Budget 2005-06 and included 10 demands for grants. However, in recent budgets the number of demands of grants have been as high as 36. Ten states in India have also introduced gender budgeting but the lack of a standardised nomenclature for the various schemes has made it difficult to replicate or assess them. The budget 2016-17 has a separate gender budget under statement No. 20, mentioned under Expenditure statement. Budget 2016-17 recognizes the importance of gender based budgeting “The rationale of Gender Budgeting arises from the recognition of the fact that the national budget impacts various sections of the society differently.” A separate gender budget statement is also attached as part of the general budget. The Gender Budgetary allocations of the Union Government are reflected in two parts. The first part- Part A includes Schemes with 100% allocation for women while Part B of the Statement includes Schemes/Programmes with 30% to 99% allocation for women. All About Fiscal Stimulus
Relevancy: GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III Economy, Fiscal stimulus, Fiscal policy, Expansionary fiscal policy Recently:
The Central Statistics Office released India’s GDP growth in the April-July quarter, which slumped to 5.7 per cent. This has generated a wave of despondency among the think tanks. Some of them have demanded that the Centre should immediately release a fiscal stimulus to boost the economy. What should be done in order to push the economy? Should duty on petrol be cut or affordable homes be built or banks be recapitalized of cheap loans be lent to the MSMEs. What is a fiscal stimulus?
A ‘stimulus’ is an attempt by policymakers to kickstart a sluggish economy through a package of measures. They may be “monetary” or “fiscal”.
102 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) A monetary stimulus will see the central bank expanding money supply or reducing the cost of money (interest rates), to spur consumer spending. A fiscal stimulus entails the Government spending more from its own coffers or slashing tax rates to put more money in the hands of consumers. Invoking the animal spirits by Keynesians:
Proponents of fiscal stimulus usually cite the legendary John Maynard Keynes to support their arguments. Keynes referred to the consumer sentiment as the “animal spirits” Keynes argued that even small direct interventions by the Government to prop up demand, can have a disproportionately high impact on economic growth due to the multiplier effect. When demand in an economy stays weak for long, businesses stop investing in new projects, unemployment rises, income shrinks and consumer confidence wanes. This prompts consumers to retreat further into their shells. But if the Government intervenes with a fiscal stimulus, and delivers a small steroid shot to consumer spending, it revives business confidence, restarts projects, creates jobs and sets off a virtuous cycle of feel-good, demand and growth. Why is it important?
Stimulus was a bad word in policy circles a decade ago. But it acquired respectability after the US credit crisis of 2008 saw governments across the US, Europe, Japan and China rolling out large fiscal stimulus packages. There’s debate on whether those stimulus packages actually worked. But the Indian one certainly did. India’s fiscal stimulus package in 2008-09 included a blanket 4 percentage point cut in the excise duty rates, ₹20,000 crore in plan spending by the Government, ₹10,000 crore funding for infrastructure finance, export subsidies and a large government order for new buses to replace State public transport fleets. All this, on top of pay revisions for government employees, did prove hugely successful at revving up the economy. GDP growth revived from 6.7 per cent in FY09 to 8.6 per cent in FY10 and to 8.9 per cent in FY11. But the fiscal deficit for FY09 rose to nearly 8 per cent of GDP, from the projected 2.5 per cent. When the stimulus was rolled back growth promptly slumped. Today, as the Centre debates whether or not to launch a stimulus, the trade-off is very similar. Yes, a spending spree on affordable housing or tax cuts on petrol, if generous enough, may rev up investments and spending. But it may cost the Centre its hard-won control over the fiscal deficit, pegged at 3.2 per cent this year. This may attract the ire of rating agencies and put off foreign investors. There’s also the question of whether the economy will take off on its own once the stimulus wears off. Tax cuts on fuel or wider income tax slabs will put more money in a taxpayer’s pocket. The bottomline
For taxpayers, it’s a ‘heads I win, tails you lose’ situation. Unless of course, the stimulus really boosts the economy.
103 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Fiscal Prudence
Relevancy GS Mains paper III Indian economy, Fiscal Prudence, Government budgeting Credit rating agencies, Fiscal deficit targets Recently
A report titled ‘Budget continues gradual fiscal consolidation, targeted public investment’, was recently released by Moody’s concerning India’s fiscal deficit targets. Fiscal Prudence meaning
Fiscal Prudence means being conservative when estimating your revenues but accounting for the unforeseen when estimating your expenditure. It means presenting the most unflattering view of your assets and liabilities. Indian Scenario
In a country like India with mixed economy, government plays a major role in economy from investment to making availability of social goods and from running social benefit programmes to supporting the less developed market of certain goods. In the budget of India for 2017 it would mean the effort of the finance minister in trying to contain the fiscal deficit in spite of everyone else wanting a populist budget. Indian Statistics The gross domestic product (GDP) growth hit a three-year low of 5.7 per cent in the first quarter. The current account deficit (CAD) rose to 2.4 per cent of GDP in April-June. The finance ministry has pegged the fiscal deficit target for 2017-18 at 3.2 per cent of GDP and 3 per cent for the following year. The government hopes to collect over Rs. 19.06 lakh crore from taxes next fiscal. Of this, Rs. 9.80 lakh crore is estimated to come from direct taxes and Rs. 9.26 lakh crore from indirect taxes. Positive Outlook
Moody’s said the Budget provides modest economic support to low-income households, benefits for the infrastructure sector with a boost in public spending and is generally supportive for business with its lower tax rates for micro enterprises and MSMEs. The merger of the previously separate Railway Budget and Union Budget and removal of the designation of Plan and non-Plan spending should improve Budget transparency and support the effectiveness of spending and revenue planning moving forward. The fiscal deficit target implies gradual medium-term fiscal consolidation, driven largely by higher nominal GDP growth and bolstered by improvements in revenue collection. High and sustainable nominal GDP growth will depend on the recovery of the private investment cycle, which in turn will be contingent on the successful implementation of current and future reforms. Concerns
104 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) However, state deficits — which have risen steadily to about 3 per cent of GDP at present from around 2 per cent in 2011-12 could widen, potentially resulting in a higher overall general government deficit than expected. Uncertainty surrounding the final impact of demonetisation and the pending goods and services tax (GST) on state revenues, combined with increases in total expenditure for government employees, point to a risk of fiscal slippage. On the Rs. 10,000-crore capital infusion plan in PSU banks, at a time when the capital level remains precarious and market access to external capital difficult, this is a credit negative for public sector banks. Moody’s and other International organizations flagged “hurdles” to the revenue collection target. The rating agencies also expressed concern over the budgeting of lesser capital of Rs. 10,000 crore for infusion into public sector banks in 2017—18, which they said is “credit negative”. Conclusion
International Organizations expects the government to achieve its targets, based on achievable budget assumptions and demonstrated commitment to fiscal prudence, but also notes that spending commitments are significant and structural hurdles to rapid increases in revenue collection are apparent. The Reserve Bank of India had also cautioned the government against a stimulus package to revive the sagging growth, arguing that breaching the fiscal deficit target will fire up inflation and hurt long-term macroeconomic stability. Also, increasing public spending comes with the threat of stoking inflation and breaching the fiscal deficit commitments, something which the rating agencies are not very comfortable with. Fiscal Deficit: Current Trends
Relevancy: GS Prelims, GS Mains paper III, Optional: Economics, Public Administration, Political Science Indian Economy, Fiscal deficit, UDAY scheme and state fiscal deficit Recently:
The Fiscal Deficit of the state governments has tended to slip out of control. What is Fiscal Deficit?
The difference between total revenue and total expenditure of the government is termed as fiscal deficit. It is an indication of the total borrowings needed by the government. While calculating the total revenue, borrowings are not included. The gross fiscal deficit (GFD) is the excess of total expenditure including loans net of recovery over revenue receipts (including external grants) and non-debt capital receipts. The net fiscal deficit is the gross fiscal deficit less net lending of the Central government. Generally fiscal deficit takes place either due to revenue deficit or a major hike in capital expenditure. Capital expenditure is incurred to create long-term assets such as factories, buildings and other development. A deficit is usually financed through borrowing from either the central bank of the country or raising money from capital markets by issuing different instruments like treasury bills and bonds.
105 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) For better understanding, you can watch my video on YouTube channel BrainyIAS: Fiscal Prudence and States Fiscal Health https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHAA2yNIRj8
Trend of Fiscal deficit:
The 14th Finance Commission has stipulated a limit of 3 per cent separately for the Centre and States — and 6 per cent for the economy as a whole. Centre: Judged by this yardstick, because its fiscal deficit has declined from 3.9 per cent in FY 15 to 3.5 per cent FY16 and FY17; and was further planned to be reduced to 3.2 per cent in FY 18. Thus the centre has performed so far credibly. States: But the states have not been able to perform well. The deficit — which was as low as 2.4 per cent in FY 09 — touched 3.6 per cent in FY16, breaching the 3-per cent limit after nearly a decade. Reasons of widening state fiscal deficits:
UDAY: It can largely be attributed to Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojna (UDAY), a financial and revival package for State-owned electricity distribution companies, to help them out of the financial mess which they were facing. For implementing this scheme, State governments had to borrow money from the market. Farm loan waivers: Now, on top of this measure come announcements of waiver of farm loans by UP (₹36,000 crore), Maharastra (₹30,000 crore), Karnataka (₹8,165 crore) and Punjab (₹10,000 crore). As a consequence, fiscal deficits of these States may overtake that of the Centre. Chances of increasing centre’s fiscal deficit in the near future: The centre may unleash another round of subsidies to woo the electorate or tackle the economic slowdown. If so, it is likely that the Centre’s own deficit may now further increase. The centre has already touched 96 per cent of the budgeted figure at the end of August. The Centre and States together may well end up seriously breaching the limit of 6 per cent under the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act. Bad effects of a large fiscal deficit:
Poor Credit rating: An unacceptably high fiscal deficit, without any mitigating efforts, has lead to a poor rating by the international credit rating agencies. Already, India has been rated in the lowest investment class of BBB. o This is just above the junk status. Alternatively, an out of control fiscal deficit might reduce the sovereign credit rating to junk. Reluctance to investment by foreign players: This is bound to adversely affect the interests of both the Government as well as Indian business, who will find it much more difficult to raise funds abroad and attract investments to India. Crowding out of private sector: Domestically too, a high fiscal deficit will crowd out private investment and possibly lead to the return of inflation in the economy. Now the question is: whether incurring expenditure through unaffordable subsidies is the only option?
Available options:
1. Farm loan waiver: A farm loan waiver is nothing but a poorly targeted subsidy to farmers that transfers liabilities from private books to that of the State.
106 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) It leaves out about two thirds of small and marginal farmers who had to borrow from private informal channels. It also penalises those farmers who diligently paid their debts. The ₹52,000 crores waiver granted to farmers in 2008 hardly addressed the issue because farmer suicides continued unabated. In the 1980s, the Centre coerced public sector banks to run loan melas. A few years later, because the farmers could not pay their debts, VP Singh’s government announced a debt relief package of ₹10,000 crore; it took public sector banks a decade to recover from that hit. 2. Building infrastructure: The same expenditure on building irrigation facilities, roads, warehouses and other infrastructure would help farmers earn higher incomes on a much more durable basis. 3. UBI instead of direct subsidy: Even if a subsidy is required to be given, it would be much more equitable and efficient to distribute it as an outright grant or a universal basic income to all equally placed citizens after taking into account the fiscal space available and after subsuming all other subsidies which the beneficiaries receive from the Government. 4. Reducing interest rates: The Centre too should reconsider any stimulus package it may currently be considering to deal with the recent slowdown in the economy, if this enhances its fiscal deficit. An alternative to such a package would be a reduction in the rates of interest, but that would fall within the domain of the RBI, who would be governed by its own parameters while considering such a move. 5. Reducing tax rates: Only disinvestment and reduction in the rates GST and income-tax are within the control of the Government. Both are good ideas, but reduction in rates would be easier to implement. This measure would put more money into the hands of the people. Why reducing tax rates is the best option?
o Reducing the GST rates will lead to the availability of more capital in the hands of the people. o The economy would as a result benefit from the increase in both private consumption as well as savings. o To meet the new demand, firms would bring into use their excess capacities, and ultimately incur the much needed capital expenditure needed to create new capacities for increasing production and generating employment. o Indeed, the recent reduction of GST rates announced by the FM is a step in the right direction, even though the tax itself continues to suffer from multiple rates and complex provisions. o Indian fiscal history teaches us one important lesson: contrary to taxpayer behaviour in the developed world, in India, whenever income-tax rates have been reduced, revenues have increased. o This is because people report higher incomes: when Indira Gandhi, for example, decreased the maximum marginal rate of income tax from 97.75 per cent in 1974-75 to 77 per cent in 1975-76 and 66 per cent in 1977-78, personal income- tax revenues grew from ₹362 crores in 1974-75 to ₹480 in 1975-76 and ₹542 crores in 1976-77. o Between 1985-86 to1987-88, VP Singh lowered the maximum tax rate from 67.5 per cent to 50 per cent and brought down the number of slabs to four.
107 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) o Roughly corresponding to the period of this reform (between 1984-85 and 1988-89) collections increased from ₹697 crores to ₹1492 crores. o There is hardly any reason taxpayers should behave differently this time. Employment Trends In India 2017
Relevancy GS Mains paper III Employment trends CMIE report Recently The current government’s demonetisation decision may have resulted in the loss of roughly 1.5 million jobs, according to new survey data put out by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE). Statistics While India’s employed force grew from 401 million in April 2016 to 406.5 million in December 2016, it fell to 405 million in the four-month survey period of January through April 2017. The workforce (persons greater than 14 years of age) swelled by 9.7 million to 960 million during January-April 2017. But, the number of employed did not grow, it shrank. India’s unemployment rates (the ratio of unemployed to the total labour force) dropped in January-April 2017. This implies that the stock of persons to be provided with employment has increased. Analysing trends Firstly: o The unemployment rate during September-December 2016 was 6.8% (29.6 million unemployed out of a labour force of 436 million). o In January-April the rate fell to 4.7% (20 million unemployed out of a labour force of 425 million). o 9.6 million fall in the unemployed count is close to the addition to the workforce. o This is like saying that almost the entire new workforce of January-April 2017 did not offer themselves for employment. Secondly: o India’s employed labour force went up during the September-December 2016 period – demonetisation occurred on November 8, 2016. o Longer time-series research could help solve these issues, but posits a few reasons as to why the unemployment rate went down dropped in the quarter after demonetisation. o September-December is a busy season as the kharif crop is harvested during this period and most festivals fall during these months and 2016 was a good kharif crop and this could have kept employment levels high. o January-April is a relatively lean season. o Further, demonetisation could have had its full impact during these months while its impact during September-December was partial. Thirdly: o After the demonetisation of November 8, it was evident to the new labour force that there was a serious dearth of jobs. o This is evident in the drop in the labour participation rate according to CMIE’s research notes.
108 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Reasons Some of the reasons for the declining perception of total hiring in the second quarter of 2017 are an overall sluggish global economy and the threat of new-age digital services such as automation and artificial intelligence reducing dependence on human jobs. The winds of change blowing in India’s IT sector from a technological perspective, is also coupled with political developments in the US, which may lead to uncertainty of the business model on which the industry was founded. Trump’s keenness to retain jobs within the US and clamp down on such outsourcing activity by American companies by bringing in stringent visa norms is expected to lead to operational challenges for Indian IT majors, who have been lobbying with the US government to soften the impact of any potential blow to them. Conclusion The drop in labour participation is in line with CMIE’s observation that new investments have been falling. For a developing economy like India, a drop in labour participation rate is a sign of an economic slowdown.
Retaining Youth In Agriculture
Relevancy: GS Mains paper I, III; Optional- Economics, Public administration, Agriculture Agriculture, employment, migration, distress migration, rural development, food security, FAO, World Food Day Recently:
The World Food Day (WFD) is celebrated on October 16 to commemorate the founding of Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) in 1945. This year the theme is ‘Change the future of migration. Invest in food security and rural development’. Over 150 countries across the world organise events to create awareness on food security and to achieve Zero Hunger Huger by 2030. The need of youth in agriculture:
FAO has called for creating conditions that allow rural youth to stay at home by providing resilient livelihoods to tackle the migration challenge. Creating business opportunities that are non crop based, in food processing and horticultural enterprises can lead to increased food security. Presently, 60 percent of India’s population is dependent on agriculture as a source of employment, but the contribution of agriculture in the GDP is only 17-18%. The reason is that majority of the farmers are adopting traditional methods of agriculture and there is disguised employment in this sector. According to National Sample Survey Organization, 45 per cent of the farmers interviewed wanted to quit farming. The major fact is the declining productivity and profitability, which acts like a disincentive for the younger generation, who later opt to migrate. Trends in migration:
109 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) The FAO estimates that about 763 million people move intra-country due to hunger, poverty, the increase in extreme weather related events and in search of better livelihood opportunities. Approximately one third of India’s population is comprised of internal migrants. The Census of India reports that about 84 per cent migrate within the state and about 2 per cent are inter-state migrants. Most of the migrants are from Eastern and North-eastern states of India. Many of them are seasonal migrants, working for short time and returning to their original state to cultivate their own marginal farms. Various schemes and programmes of the central government:
The flagship programmes like Soil Health Card, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Rashtirya Krishi Vikas Yojana etc are some of the schemes providing support to farming community. Each of these programmes attempts to provide solutions to reduce and mitigate the crisis, either of climate change or failure of crops due to lack of rainfall. The government has set the ambitious target of doubling the farmer’s income by 2022, when the country completes 75 years of independence. Towards achieving this target, the government is reorienting interventions in the farm and non-farm sectors. ARYA:
The most unique initiative is ARYA or Attracting and Retaining Youth in Agriculture. Launched by Indian Council of Agricultural Research it aims at attracting and retaining youth in rural areas through providing sustainable income through value addition, establish market linkages to make it attractive for the younger generation to return to villages. This is being implemented in 25 states through Krishi Vigyan Kendras, in one district of each state. It attempts to showcase working model that IA “economically feasible” for the youth and which has the potential to attract them. While launching ARYA, Prof M S Swaminthan said “Unless productivity or income is increased, farming cannot become an attractive venture for the young”. Agriculture Skill Council of India:
A part of the Skill India programme is: Agriculture Skill Council of India. The main objective is to build the capacity of the agricultural sector and bridge the gap between the labs and farms. It is being done through upgrading the skills of cultivators, agricultural labours and those engaged allied industry supporting agricultural activities. eNAM (electronic National Agriculture Market):
The digital campaigns of the government and the technological innovations can be a step forward to establish a direct link of the farmer with the consumer. This will help the farmer to earn an assured amount. eNAM is a pan India electronic trading portal which links all the existing Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) markets and thus helps create a unified national market for agricultural commodities. Conclusion:
110 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) 25 percent of India’s population is aged between 18-29 years. This demographic dividend needs to be tapped. The government should strive to direct the potential of this youth to work in the farm and food segment, so that food security may be ensured in the nation. Question: Studies shows that majority of the Indian farmers want to quit agriculture as their profession. Trace out the reasons and mention the major programmes of the government in this direction.
Is India Heading Towards Recession?
Relevancy GS Mains paper II Recession Economy Recently
Last week, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development scaled back its economic growth forecast for India to 6.7 percent for the 2018 fiscal year, down from 7.3 percent predicted earlier this year. Other organizations and banks have made similar downward revisions. Many economists are suspecting a recession in the Indian economy.
Recession
Recessions are often a phenomenon of matured market economies. Recession is technically defined as a period of temporary economic decline during which trade and industrial activity are reduced, generally identified by a fall in GDP (hence, negative GDP growth) in two successive quarters. Indian Government has an iron hold over the economy. Government and RBI quickly intervene to maintain the stability of its markets.
Analysis
Unemployment: o India has been undergoing high GDP growth lately, although it has been pretty much jobless, and this was not confined to just the IT sector. o Compared to 930K new jobs created in 2011, only 135K new jobs were created in the year 2016 (1.35 lakh jobs created in India in 2015, lowest in seven years: President). Demonetisation: By November 2016, the government was confident enough to launch the first of two massive economic reforms. The Government’s move was aimed at cracking down on tax evasion, corruption and counterfeiting. But with most of the new bills not yet printed, ATMs ran dry for weeks as account holders stood for days in long lines at banks that gave out only limited withdrawals. Many small, cash-reliant businesses including grocery stores and home-based workshops suffered huge losses or went under.
111 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Demonetization left many farmers, already among the poorest, unable to buy seeds and fertilizer for the sowing season. Goods and services tax: Just when things were returning to normal this year, Indian businesses were hit with a second upheaval on July 1 the replacement of a complex system of cascading federal and state taxes with a single Goods and Services Tax. A badly conceived and poorly implemented GST has played havoc with businesses and sunk many of them," said Sinha, the former finance minister. Unpredictable monsoons: Rural Indian villages and towns, where more than half of the country's population relies on farming for their livelihoods, have fared even worse. Their distress was compounded by two years of poor monsoon rains and drought. Manufacturing sector: Economists are most alarmed, however, by the slowdown in manufacturing and construction. These two sectors many had assumed would do well under a business-friendly government. Instead, both have seen a sharp rise in unemployment. "Major employment creators were the small businesses. They are the ones who have been worst hit," said economist Mihir Sharma of the Observer Research Foundation, a New Delhi- based think tank. FDI, Imports: Foreign investment increased with government moves to open up sectors, imports remained cheap thanks to globally depressed oil prices, and economic growth ticked along at rates above 7 percent. Other problems: Private investment has shrunk as never before in two decades, industrial production has all but collapsed, agriculture is in distress, construction industry, a big employer of the work force, is in the doldrums, exports have dwindled. Economists have said the country needs to maintain 8 percent growth to add enough jobs for some 12 million young people joining the work force every year.
Conclusion
Optimism nevertheless held high upon expectations of good monsoons in the later part of the year and implementation of the 7th Pay Commission award to boost consumption. Both materialized plus bountiful revenues from fuel taxes ensured there isn’t any fiscal stress in financing higher salaries. Still, the government remains upbeat, noting that the latest quarterly growth figure of 5.7 percent was still pretty good compared with how other nations were faring. India has long been considered a darling market for investors, with high rates of growth and a 1.3 billion population that many companies are eager to reach. Just a year ago, the economy jumped 9.1 percent in the first quarter temporarily earning the title of world's fastest growing economy and has rarely dipped below 6.5 percent since 2013. Seven Binding Directions In Prakash Singh Vs Union Of India Case
Relevancy GS Mains paper II, Optional- Public Administration. Polity and governance Introduction
112 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) The need for police reforms in India is long recognized and been almost three decades of discussion by government. In 1979 the National Police Commission (NPC) was set up to report on policing and give recommendations for reform. Very little was ever done on the ground to improve policing or implement recommendations put forth by any of these committees or commissions. In 2006 that the Court delivered its verdict, popularly referred to as the Prakash Singh case, the Supreme Court ordered that reform must take place. The states and union territories were directed to comply with seven binding directives that would kick start reform. Initially, the Court itself monitored compliance of all States and Union Territories. However, in 2008 it set up a three member Monitoring Committee with a two year mandate to examine compliance state by state and report back to it periodically. The Problem
No present established meaning in law or conventions in practice that indicate the limits of political ‘supervision’ and ‘control’ over the police. This has lead to unfettered and undue interference by politicians in the everyday functioning of the police. No rationale system for evaluating police performance against a set of pre-determined criteria. Investigations are poorly mounted, slow, done by inadequately trained and unspecialized staff and frequently subject to manpower deflection into other pressing law and order duties. Subjective appointments, transfers and promotions within the police force that lead to influence peddling and patronage on the one hand and uncertainty fear and de-motivation on the other. Also, there is too much wrong doing by the police and too little accountability, remedy or recompense for victims of abuse of power and criminal behavior. Internal inquiries are lengthy, opaque and do not in general command public confidence. Why seven directives?
The seven directives provide practical mechanisms to kick-start reform. They make up a scheme which if implemented holistically will correct the common ills that create poor police performance and unaccountable law enforcement today. The scheme ensures that: o The police have functional responsibility while remaining under the supervision of the political executive; o Political control of police by the political executive is conditioned and kept within its legitimate bounds; o Internal management systems are fair and transparent; o Policing efficiencies are increased in terms of their core functions and most importantly public complaints are addressed and police accountability enhanced. THE SEVEN DIRECTIVES
Constitute a State Security Commission (SSC) to: o Ensure that the state government does not exercise unwarranted influence or pressure on the police o Lay down broad policy guideline o Evaluate the performance of the state police
113 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Ensure that the DGP is appointed through merit based transparent process and secure a minimum tenure of two years. Ensure that other police officers on operational duties (including Superintendents of Police in- charge of a district and Station House Officers in-charge of a police station) are also provided a minimum tenure of two years. Separate the investigation and law and order functions of the police. Set up a Police Establishment Board (PEB) to decide transfers, postings, promotions and other service related matters of police officers of and below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police and make recommendations on postings and transfers above the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police Set up a Police Complaints Authority (PCA) at state level to inquire into public complaints against police officers of and above the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police in cases of serious misconduct, including custodial death, grievous hurt, or rape in police custody and at district levels to inquire into public complaints against the police personnel below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police in cases of serious misconduct. Set up a National Security Commission (NSC) at the union level to prepare a panel for selection and placement of Chiefs of the Central Police Organisations (CPO) with a minimum tenure of two years. Conclusion
Communities are the main beneficiaries of good policing and the main victims of bad policing. Community and civil society participation in the process is essential if the police is going to be efficient, effective and accountable. State governments therefore need to publicise their initiative to redraft police legislation. This will ensure that the legislation adequately reflects the needs and aspirations of the people in relation to the police service they want.
Non-Performing Assets (NPA)
Relevancy General Studies paper III NPA Sudarshan Chakra approach
Recently Reserve Bank of India (RBI) deputy governor Viral Acharya said Indradhanush, the banking reforms programme announced two years ago, is not enough and should go for a Sudarshan Chakra approach instead. Sudarshan Chakra is Lord Vishnu’s weapon, which, once released, unerringly chops off whatever heads it was meant to chop off, and then returns to the sender.
Four “R” solution
Recognition: o The RBI’s asset quality review has revealed that the gross non-performing asset (NPA) ratio of both public and private sector banks is higher than was earlier thought, but in the PSU banks, it is alarming at about 12%.
114 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) o And this is an underestimate, because it does not include assets that are “stressed” but not yet NPAs. o The market assessment is that when these are brought into consideration, the NPA percentage may increase by up to 6%. Resolution of personal loans: o The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) is a major reform with some Sudarshan Chakra like qualities. o IBC prescribes that the process must be completed within 180 days, extendable by another 90 days at most. If there is no resolution within this period, liquidation must take place. o In June, the RBI directed the banks to file insolvency applications for 12 large accounts that had defaulted on payments, so some liquidations may well take place which will set precedents about realizable values in the event of a liquidation and the variation in these values across projects. o The RBI has also identified another 29 which the banks must first try to “resolve” by mid-December, and file insolvency petitions thereafter if no resolution is possible. Recapitalisation: o The budget provision under the existing Indradhanush programme is clearly insufficient because the NPA situation has turned out to be much worse than expected. o Fitch Ratings has estimated that Indian PSU banks will need as much as Rs4 trillion of capital by end of March 2019 to meet the capital requirements under Basel III. Reforms: o We need reforms that improve governance, upgrade the skill set, and improve the quality of risk assessment within the PSU banks. o The most important reform will be to reduce the government’s equity to 33% in selected PSU banks. o This would allow the stronger PSU banks to raise additional capital from the market, including from possible strategic investors. o Also, the banks would become board-managed companies and the board, including representatives of the strategic investors, would take all the critical decisions, especially regarding the appointment of top management. Conclusion
The scale of the problem is much larger than was thought and the downturn in the economy has also made the need for corrective measures more urgent. We do need a Sudarshan Chakra on reforms, merely dressing up Indradhanush will not do.
IBBI (Information Utilities) (Amendment) Regulations, 2017
Relevancy: GS Prelims, GS Mains paper III Economy, Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI), IBBI regulations, Information Utility. Recently:
IBBI had notified the IBBI (Information Utilities) Regulations, 2017 on 31st March, 2017.
115 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has recently (in September 2017) relaxed norms for information utilities. This has paved the way for Indian companies listed on the stock exchanges to hold 100 per cent of the paid-up equity share capital or total voting power rights in such firms. What are Information utilities? Information utilities are entities that receive and store verified financial information about borrowers and creditors. IU stores financial information that helps to establish defaults as well as verify claims expeditiously and thereby facilitates completion of transactions under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 in a time bound manner. Under the IBC (Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code), the regulator Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) registers and regulates Information Utilities that receive and store financial information in a universally accessible format duly authenticated by borrowers or creditors. An Information Utility will have authenticated, and verified financial information and the obligation will be on all financial creditors, operational creditors and corporate debtors to provide information to the entity. The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) registered National E-Governance Services Limited (NeSL) last month as an Information Utility (IU) under the IBBI (Information Utilities) Regulations, 2017. NeSL has become the first IU registered by the IBBI. This registration is valid for five years from the date of registration. NeSL is owned and promoted by leading public institutions like State Bank of India, Life Insurance Corporation, Canara Bank, Bank of Baroda, ICICI Bank, CDSL, HDFC, Axis Bank, Union Bank of India and NABARD among others. Such IUs, once set up, will help the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) in taking decisions and implementation of IBC. It constitutes a key pillar of the insolvency and bankruptcy ecosystem, the other three include the Adjudicating Authority (National Company Law Tribunal and Debt Recovery Tribunal), the IBBI and Insolvency Professionals. What do these regulations say?
These regulations state that ordinarily a person should not hold more than 10% of paid up equity share capital or voting power of an information utility, while allowing certain specified persons to hold up to 25%. These further provided that a person may hold up to 51% of paid-up equity share capital or total voting power of an information utility till the expiry of three years from its registration. Further, an Indian company, o which is listed on a Stock Exchange in India, or o where no individual, directly or indirectly (either by himself or together with persons acting in concert), holds more than ten percent of the paid-up equity share capital, may hold up to 100% of the paid-up equity share capital or total voting power of an information utility up to three years from the date of its registration.
But, these new provisions are applicable on information utilities registered before 30th September, 2018. The regulation also requires that more than half of the directors of an information utility shall be Indian nationals and residents in India.
116 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Agricultural Sector In India- Problems And Measures
Relevancy GS Mains paper III Agriculture sector problems Economy
Introduction The share of agriculture in the gross domestic product has registered a steady decline yet this sector provides direct employment to more than fifty percent of total workforce in the country and a large proportion of the population depends upon agro-based industries and trade of agriculture products. It is also an important source of raw material and demand for many industrial products, particularly fertilizers pesticides, agricultural implements and a variety of consumer goods contribute significantly to the exports. Causes of Lower growth General Causes o Excessive Pressure of Population on Land . The heavy pressure of population on land is caused by the limited growth of employment opportunities in the non-agricultural sector for rural people and rapid growth of rural population. o Social Environment . The social environment in terms of illiteracy, superstitious attitude and unresponsive behavior towards the new technology is also a major limiting factor to the improvement in the agricultural productivity. o Land Degradation . The increased land degradation is mainly due to the increased use of chemical fertilizers, and low quality of canal water. . This has resulted into loss of nutrients in the land and fall in the productivity levels. o Lack of General Infrastructural Facilities . The economic rural infrastructural facilities are inadequate in terms of availability of road, transportation facilities, electricity and power. o Inadequate Agricultural Capital Formation: . The investment in agriculture as a proportion of GDP has fallen from 1.92 per cent in 1990 to1.31 per cent in 2003. . The depressed capital formation has resulted into low agriculture productivity. Institutional Causes o Defective Land Tenure System . The exploitative practices in terms of excessive rent, insecurity of land tenure and no land ownership rights causes cultivators to share large portion of output with land owners. . This has resulted in lack of resources and interest of farmers to introduce technological improvements and thus increase productivity. o Uneconomic Land Holdings . The average land-holding in India is not only small in size but split into pieces and scattered due to sub-division and fragmentation of land. o Inadequate Credit and Marketing Facilities
117 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) . The percentage share of agricultural credit, in the total credit of all scheduled commercial banks since the early 1990s has fallen compared to the levels, reached in the 1980s. . Thus, a large section of farmers has to depend upon non-institutional credit system (like moneylenders, and traders) that charge exorbitant rate of interest. Technical Causes o Technological Backwardness . The use of high-yield variety seeds and fertilizers is very limited. . Since the early 1990s there has been the weakening of scientific research and extension services by the government. o Increasing Input Cost . The increase in the input cost due to reduction in subsidies for fertilizers and better seeds and increase in cost of power are responsible for the deceleration in the agriculture growth in the recent years. o Inadequate Irrigation Facilities . The Government’s expenditure on irrigation coverage and flood control has witnessed a declining trend during the reform period. Measures to Improve Productivity Effective Implementation of Land Reforms o The land reforms in terms of Zamindari abolition, ceiling and redistribution of land tenurial relations, consolidation of small and scattered holdings, minimum wages of landless labor etc needs to be effectively implemented. Greater Usage of Modern Technology o The components of modern technology in terms of improved seeds, fertilizers and pesticides have to be made available easily to the farmers at fair prices. o In fact a second green revolution is required to distribute these technological inputs including improved variety of seeds to the cultivators. Better Credit Facilities o The timely and sufficient financial assistance is the precondition to improve usage of better technology. o The rural credit system should be developed as comprehensive financial cum service constancy organization that provides financial and farm-related help to the farmers. Restructuring Cropping Pattern o The breakthrough in terms of improved varieties of seeds has to be explored for crops other than wheat and rice. Development of Irrigation Facilities o The greater use of dry and commercial cropping that requires lesser use of water should be encouraged. o The surface-irrigation and water-pumping arrangements should be increased. Development of Research Institutes o The research labs and agricultural universities have to be established, upgraded and sustained. o The problems such as lack of resources, equipments and experts in these institutes need to be addressed immediately. o The weakening of link between laboratory research and application on farm has to be minimized. Betterment of Warehousing and Distribution Services
118 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) o The modern warehousing facilities, transportation system and marketing methods needs to be developed to increase the availability of food to the masses. o The public- private alliance may be encouraged to increase investment in warehousing services. Population Control o Family planning and population control remain national priority as a long term measure. Introduction of Co-Operative Farming and Marketing o The co-operative should be given greater operational freedom and allowed to enlarge their activities including banking and marketing of agro products. Conclusion Unfortunately, one finds a declining trend of investment in the agricultural sector. It is only through an integrated measure of a policy/programme that the challenges facing Indian agriculture can be squarely met. The objectives of government policy should be to develop effective system and provide similar benefits to agriculture as to other sectors.
119 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Bitcoin A Commodity Or A Currency?
Relevancy GS Mains paper III Science and Technology, Bitcoin, Cryptocurrency Recently
In September 2015, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in the United States officially designated Bitcoin as a commodity. Introduction
Bitcoin is a form of digital “currency” which is created and held electronically, on a computer. Bitcoin is the first example of a cryptocurrency, which is produced by people and businesses all over the world using advanced computer software that solves mathematical problems. Satoshi Nakamoto first proposed Bitcoin as a means of payment based on mathematics. Bitcoin is a method of payment or transfer of value that is independent of governmental authorities like central banks that traditionally control money supply and the availability of currency in the global market. Bitcoin is a fixed asset; there is only a total of 21 million coins. Attributes of Bitcoins
Central banks or monetary authorities do not control the number of Bitcoins; it is decentralized making it global. Anyone with a computer can set up a Bitcoin address to receive or transfer Bitcoins in seconds. Bitcoin is anonymous; the cryptocurrency allows users to maintain multiple addresses and setting up an address requires no personal information. Transfers of Bitcoin are immediate and once made, they are final. At the same time, there are limited fees and international and domestic transfers are not subject to foreign currency exchange rates and fees for transfer. What is a Currency?
There is a great deal of debate about whether Bitcoin is a currency. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines currency as: o Circulation as a medium of exchange o General use, acceptance, or prevalence o The quality or state of being present o Something (as coins, treasury notes, and banknotes) that is in circulation as a medium of exchange o Paper money in circulation o A comment article used for barter o A medium of verbal or intellectual expression o Commodities for exchange
120 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Throughout the course of history, many commodities and even some manufactured products have served as currency, examples are gold and silver. Gold and silver were not only used as a medium of exchange, or currencies for thousands of years, they were backing for many paper currencies around the world until only recently. Central banks and monetary authorities around the world continue to hold vast gold reserves and categorize their holdings as “foreign exchange reserves.” Therefore, both gold and silver can be thought of in the same class as Bitcoin. Moreover, over the course of history salt served as a medium of exchange in ancient times. More recently, cigarettes or blue jeans have been employed as currency in certain areas of the world over recent decades. Conclusion
The official definition of currency may leave people more confused about whether Bitcoin is a currency or something else. After all, it certainly meets some of the characteristics in the definition, but not others. The CFTC’s designation came as a response to a Bitcoin exchange that was offering derivative contracts or options on the value of the cryptocurrency. It is hard to categorize Bitcoin because it is so new and different from other assets available to market participants. One thing seems certain, the growth of interest in the cryptocurrency over recent years means that it is an asset that deserves our attention.
NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) Mission
Relevancy GS Prelims, GS Mains paper III, IV IT, Space International Relations Recently
ISRO and NASA are jointly working on the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission to co-develop and launch a dual frequency synthetic aperture radar satellite. Background
NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission is a dual frequency (L & S Band) Radar Imaging Satellite. In this joint mission, JPL/ NASA will be responsible for design & development of L-band SAR, 12m unfurlable antenna, GPS system and data recorder. ISRO will be responsible for design & development of S-band SAR, Spacecraft Bus, data transmission system, Spacecraft integration & testing, launch using GSLV and on-orbit operations. NISAR satellite is expected to be launched during the year 2021. Objectives
Design, Develop and launch a Dual frequency (L and S Band) Radar Imaging Satellite. Explore newer application areas using L and S band microwave data, especially in natural resources mapping & monitoring.
121 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Estimating agricultural biomass over full duration of crop cycle. Assessing soil moisture and monitoring of floods and oil slicks. Coastal erosion, coastline changes and variation of winds in coastal waters. Assessment of mangroves. Surface deformation studies due to seismic activities etc. ISRO and NASA
The two space research organisations singed a framework agreement in 2008 that called for cooperation in the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes. Under the agreement both ISRO and NASA have executed an implementing arrangement for cooperation in NISAR mission, which is valid upto 2034. The arrangement provides scope for joint activities on science and applications of NISAR data after the launch.
Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR)
Relevancy: GS Prelims, GS Mains paper II and III Sci-tech, International relations, Infrastructure projects, MAHSR Recently: India will start work on its first bullet train — the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) — on September 14, with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Prime Minister Narendra Modi laying the foundation stone together. Funded by the Japan International Cooperative Agency (JICA), this project will be the biggest change Indian Railways has witnessed in post-Independence India. Features of MAHSR: The MAHSR debt structuring is also very attractive: a ₹88,000-crore loan at a notional rate of interest of 0.1 per cent to be repaid over 50 years, with a principal payment moratorium of 15 years. The most obvious benefit of MAHSR will be an Indian manufacturing and software ecosystem for the Railways. The Japan external trade organisation or JETRO will be assisting the Indian government in identifying potential areas for ‘Make in India’ localisation. Indian industry will gain further experience in managing large projects. Potential benefits of the project: This project will open up huge job and skilling opportunities, apart from boosting economies all along its route A network of mid- and small-size enterprises will come up to support this manufacturing process and the ecosystem will eventually tap new Indian HSR requirements and export market possibilities. The construction phase will create opportunities for employment for about 20,000 people. After the commissioning of the project, there will be job openings for 4,000 for the operation and maintenance of the line. Further, some 16,000 indirect employment opportunities are expected to be generated. New production bases and townships will eventually expand along the MAHSR. The trickle-down effects of opening avenues for cheaper housing, logistics hubs, and industrial units along the route will benefit smaller towns and cities. Construction activity will boost allied industries such as steel, cement and infrastructure.
122 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) The HSR systems offer reliability of operations, not affected by bad weather or congestion, which impact road and air traffic. Once commissioned, 40,000 commuters are expected to use the service everyday. This will decongest the conventional rail, road, and air traffic between Mumbai and Ahmedabad. What India can learn from Japanese experience? Japan has had Shinkansen, its HSR, for over 50 years now. China has already laid more than 20,000 km of HSR tracks. The districts of Palghar in Maharashtra and Valsad in Gujarat, along with the Union Territory of Daman, will have a great shot at attracting new investments and amenities. The Japanese experience has been quite positive. In areas where Japan has put up the HSR, local government revenue receipts have grown at almost twice the rate compared to areas which do not have HSR connectivity. If this trend works in India, it will be a boon because Palghar, Daman and Valsad are relatively less developed. The safety standards of Shinkansen will be something to learn from. India is already planning to set up an HSR training institute at Vadodara. Expected to be functional by 2020, it will train up to 4,000 individuals in high quality rail technology following Japanese standards, methods and tools. Indian Railways will train 300 of its officials on rail technology in Japan. Conclusion: Not only should India welcome the MAHSR, there should be more concerted efforts to set up new lines in sectors such as Bengaluru-Chennai, Delhi-Chandigarh, Mumbai-Pune, Nagpur- Hyderabad, and Varanasi-Kolkata.
Case Study – m-Health App
Relevancy: GS Prelims, GS mains paper I, II and III Public health, use of technology, improving public health, mHealth App in Jharkhand Recently: A mobile health (mHealth) technology-based application was developed to help rural health- care providers (RHCPs) identify and refer presumptive TB patients to the nearest microscopy centre for sputum examination using mobile applications on their smartphones. The project was implemented in the tribal population of Khunti district, Jharkhand. Result of the project: In India, statistics show that tuberculosis remains a major public health problem accounting for 23% of the global TB burden, and worse still, has a truculent hurdle in terms of reportage of cases. Despite efforts by the Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP), India has up to a third of the estimated three million TB cases that remain unnotified worldwide. Any person believed to show symptoms of TB is usually referred to a microscopy centre, but seldom is there follow-up with the patient. It was found that in addition to connecting the RHCP and labs virtually, the mHealth app was also configured to send a reminder to the patient if he or she failed to visit the microscopy centre within seven days of referral, besides providing counselling messages to the patient. As a result, in addition to enhancing the number of referrals, it also reduced the time taken for diagnosis and treatment initiation.
123 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) RHCPs using the technology referred nearly nine times more presumptive TB cases than other RHCPs. Diagnosis and treatment initiation via the app were eight to nine times more rapid than when it was not used, leading the authors to suggest that innovative mHealth use has the potential for replication across the country, specifically to fast-track the progress made in TB case detection and treatment. With a rapidly expanding mobile user base and the availability of affordable data packages, mobile technology, it is clear, has come to stay in the health-care segment. Digital Revolution In India
Relevancy G.S. Paper 3 Digital Revolution In India Government Initiatives Challenges In Digitizing India Digital Revolution In India
Digital technologies are spreading fast across India and thus making India digital. The current government is acting like a catalyst, speeding up the process to digitize India and ending the digital divide in the country. The digital revolution in India can be seen, as: o Large number of people have access to the internet through broadband. o Google has partnered with 120 railway stations and made them internet enabled and about 15000 people are using it on a daily basis. o Also, there has been an increase in the no of users of mobile computer and laptops. o Government's programs like Digital India and" Bharatnet" to connect village Panchayats initiative has provided impetus to the digital mission, national digital literacy mission has already trained them in digital work.
Government Initiatives
Social digital initiatives o Jeevan pramaan scheme- pensioners can provide digital life certificates o Keeping in mind women’s safety, applications like ‘Nirbhaya app’ and ‘Himmat app’ have been launched that facilitate sending of distress calls. There are also apps for law enforcement agencies, courts and judiciary. o MADAD portal- where Indians living abroad can register consular grievances and get Redressal The health services digital initiatives: o ‘ Digital AIIMS’- It is a project that aims to create an effective linkage between UIDAI and AIIMS o The ‘e-hospitals’ scheme is an open source health management system o ‘mRaktkosh’ – a web based mechanism that interconnects all blood banks of the state into a single network. Governance digital initiatives o ‘UMANG’ – It aims to bring one stop solution to all government services o ‘e-panchayat’, ‘eDistricts’, eOffice; are also some of the services to digitize governance and administration in the country.
124 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) o The Digital India Initiative- This initiative aims to integrate government departments and the people of India by ensuring the government services are made available to citizens electronically by reducing paperwork o ‘National Voters Service Portal’ and ‘ECI-EVM Tracking Services are also bringing about transparency in governance. o PRAGATI- It makes governance in India more effective and responsible addressing common man's grievance and monitoring the functions of state and centre. o The AADHAR scheme and BHIM app are also significant in speeding up the process of digitizing the economy. o TWITTER Samvad- It facilitates communication of leaders with public making them aware of all happenings of government. o DIGITAL LOCKER- It has the digital certificates of academics and personal data which could be shared when necessary other than carrying hard copies of certificates. Agriculture digital initiatives o M-kisan o Farmer portal o Kisan Suvidha app o Pusa Krishi o Soil Health Card app o eNAM o Crop Insurance Mobile APP o Agri Market app o Fertilizer Monitoring App o Digital boost to MGNREGA- it helps the implementation agencies with live data from the worksites, an online and real-time updation of data base, real-time visibility of the data for complete transparency, and location of assets with geo-tagging for easy verification.
Challenges In Digitizing India
Cyber security Infrastruture challenges The challenge of digital literacy when major part of rural indian folk is illiterate Effective database management, skilled professionals , inclusion Proper and effiecient access to connectivity in geostrategic areas with challenging physical features like seven sister states, border states etc Management of e-waste
3D Bioprinted cartilage
Relevancy: GS Prelims, GS Mains paper III 3D Printing, Health and science, Biocartilage printing
Recently:
A team from the Department of Textile Technology at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi has been successful in 3D bioprinting of cartilage using a bioink.
125 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) What is Cartilage?
Cartilage is an important structural component of the body. It is a firm tissue but is softer and much more flexible than bone. Cartilage is a connective tissue found in many areas of the body including: o Joints between bones e.g. the elbows, knees and ankles o Ends of the ribs o Between the vertebrae in the spine o Ears and nose o Bronchial tubes or airways
Cartilage is made up of specialized cells called chondrocytes. These chondrocytes produce large amounts of extracellular matrix composed of collagen fibres, proteoglycan, and elastin fibers. There are no blood vessels in cartilage to supply the chondrocytes with nutrients. Instead, nutrients diffuse through a dense connective tissue surrounding the cartilage (called the perichondrium) and into the core of the cartilage. Due to the lack of blood vessels, cartilage grows and repairs more slowly than other tissues.
About 3D bioprinted cartilage:
The bioink has high concentration of bone-marrow derived cartilage stem cells, silk proteins and a few factors and it supports cell growth & long-term survival of the cells. Millions of people around the world suffer from degenerative joint diseases such as arthritis. This is the first study from India where any 3D bioprinted tissue has been developed in a lab. The chemical composition of the bioink supports cell growth and long-term survival of the cells. The cartilage developed in the lab has remained physically stable for up to six weeks. The silk protein has different amino acids that closely resemble the amino acids present in human tissues. Just like cells are surrounded by proteins inside our body, the cells in the engineered cartilage are also surrounded by bioink that has a similar composition.
126 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Transient cartilage: While the cartilage found in the knee is an articular cartilage that is typically sponge-like and has a huge load-bearing capacity, the ones produced in the lab so far are of a different kind — transient cartilage. Unlike articular cartilage, transient cartilage becomes bone cells and, therefore, brittle within a short time. As a result, the engineered cartilage loses its capacity to bear huge load that is typically encountered in the knee. But the 3D bioprinting approach adopted by the team allows the high concentration of bone- marrow derived cartilage stem cells present in the bioink to gradually convert to chondrocyte- like cells (specialised cells which produce and maintain the extracellular matrix of cartilage). Stem-cell like nature: The scientists developed a well characterised, novel cell line from bone- marrow stem cells. The cell line retained its stem cell-like nature even after months of culturing under laboratory conditions.
India’s Nuclear Policy
Relevancy GS Mains paper II India’s nuclear Policy, Nuclear command authority
Introduction India has its own nuclear doctrine which affirms its commitment to no-first-use of nuclear weapons and not using these weapons against non-nuclear weapon states. The defensive nuclear doctrine has a command and control system under certain political authority.
Land marks of India’s nuclear doctrine Building and maintaining a credible minimum deterrence. A posture of no-first-use: nuclear weapons will only be used in retaliation against a nuclear attack on Indian Territory or on Indian forces elsewhere. Nuclear retaliation to a first strike will be massive and designed to inflict unacceptable damage. Nuclear retaliatory attack can be authorized by a certain political leadership only through NCA. No-use of nuclear weapons against non-nuclear weapon state. In the event of a major attack against India or Indian forces anywhere by biological or chemical weapons. India will retain the option of retaliating with nuclear weapons. Continuance of strict control on export of nuclear and missile related materials and technology, participation in the fissile material cut off treaty negotiations and continued observance of the moratorium on nuclear tests. Continued commitment to the goal of a nuclear-free world through global verifiable and no discriminatory nuclear disarmament. Pillars of India’s nuclear doctrine
No-first–use: o The nuclear doctrine states that India is committed to a no-first-use of nuclear weapons.
127 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) o The theory of deterrence and no-first-use go together. o The first aggressive use of a nuclear weapon will be a confession that deterrence has failed and use of nuclear weapons was the only recourse left. o It is globally recognized that nuclear war between two nuclear powers would not lead to any meaningful military decision beyond appalling losses to both sides. o In these circumstances no-first-use is the most appropriate policy.
Credible minimum deterrence: o The doctrine states that ‘India shall pursue a doctrine of credible minimum nuclear deterrence’. o A doctrine of deterrence is based on the premise that one’s capability to retaliate is adequate enough for the adversary to conclude that a first strike by him will invite retaliation that would cause unacceptable damage. o Hence the adversary will refrain from taking the first strike step. o Deterrence means that the adversary’s thought process is analytical in that he will take into account India’s ability to absorb a first strike and respond, assess the damage of this response, superimpose it on his own aims and objectives and then make a value judgment on whether the risks of a first strike are worth taking or not, in the first place. o The concept of minimum nuclear deterrent will include sufficient survivable and operationally prepared nuclear forces, a robust command and control system, effective intelligence and early warning capability and comprehensive planning and training for operations in line with the strategy and the will to employ nuclear forces and weapons. o The nuclear doctrine envisages a deterrent that has the capability of inflicting destruction and punishment to the aggressor. o The principles of credibility, effectiveness and survivability will be central to India’s nuclear deterrent. o The nuclear doctrine does not quantify the minimum deterrence. o It calls for highly effective military capability. o The nuclear doctrine stresses upon effective, enduring diverse forces which are based upon a nuclear tread of air-craft, mobile land-based missiles and sea-based assets. o The key to the deterrence logic is that all players in the nuclear game abide by its rationality and act accordingly. o Even if one player thinks differently, we run the risk of nuclear weapons becoming instruments of war rather than those of deterrence.
Nuclear command authority (NCA) o On January 4, 2003 India revealed a three tier nuclear command authority (NCA) to manage its nuclear weapons. o This board frame work was approved ion the nuclear doctrine prepared by the national security board set up after the May 1998 nuclear tests. Conclusion Indian's nuclear doctrine is the most responsible doctrine which aims at providing minimum credible deterrent. It provides complete elasticity in deciding; the number of nuclear weapons India should possess and classifies the emphasis on the survivability of the deterrent. Establishment of the NCA will add credibility to India's nuclear posture. Most significant aspect of India's nuclear doctrine is that it is intimately tied up with continued
128 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) commitment to total nuclear disarmament.
Nobel Prize 2017: All the Winners
Relevancy: GS Prelims, General knowledge Science and technology, Nobel prizes Recently:
The Nobel Prizes were bestowed in several categories by Swedish and Norwegian institutions in recognition of academic, cultural or scientific advances. The award is given in the categories of Physics, Chemistry, medicine/Physiology, Economics and Peace. Maximum 3 people can be given a prize in a category. However, it can be more than 3 in “Peace” category. The award cannot be given posthumously. Nobel Peace Prize
The Peace Prize 2017 was awarded to International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) "for its work to draw attention to the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons and for its ground-breaking efforts to achieve a treaty-based prohibition of such weapons". The group formed by Geneva-based coalition of disarmament activists is behind the first treaty to prohibit nuclear arms. Nobel Prize in Literature
The Literature prize was awarded to Kazuo Ishiguro "who, in novels of great emotional force, has uncovered the abyss beneath our illusory sense of connection with the world". The author of seven novels, a short-story collection and screenplays, Ishiguro was born in bomb-hit Nagasaki in 1954, and moved to England at the age of 5. Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
The 2017 prize was awarded jointly to Jeffrey C. Hall (University of Maine), Michael Rosbash (Brandeis University) and Michael W. Young (Rockefeller University) "for their discoveries of molecular mechanisms controlling the circadian rhythm". The award celebrates the study of the tiny biological clocks in every living thing. The three American scientists “were able to peek inside our biological clock and elucidate its inner workings,” the Nobel Prize Committee said. “Their discoveries explain how plants, animals, and humans adapt their biological rhythm so that it is synchronized with the Earth's revolutions.” Nobel Prize in Chemistry
The Chemistry prize was awarded to Jacques Dubochet, Richard Henderson and Joachim Frank "for developing cryo-electron microscopy for the high-resolution structure determination of biomolecules in solution".
129 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Cryo-electron microscopy is a technique that takes accurate and detailed pictures of living things at atomic scales. This is assisting scientists make high-resolution, 3D images that can help in cancer drug research and better understanding of the Zika virus. Jacques Dubochet is a retired biophysicist at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland, Joachim Frank, a professor at Columbia University in New York, and Richard Henderson is a scientist at the British Medical Research Council’s Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, England. Nobel Prize in Physics
The physics prize was divided, one half awarded to Rainer Weiss, the other half jointly to Barry C. Barish and Kip S. Thorne "for decisive contributions to the LIGO detector and the observation of gravitational waves". They received the prize for the discovery of gravitational waves released in the world by violent events in the universe such as the mergers of black holes. Weiss, professor emeritus of physics at MIT, along with Thorne and Barish, California Institute of Technology physicists, pioneered LIGO, or the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, the scientific project that made gravitational wave detection possible. Nobel Prize in Economics
The US economist Richard Thaler was awarded the $1.1 million Nobel Economics Prize for his contributions in the field of behavioural economics (The Nudge Theory). The award-giving body said that Thaler's contributions have built a bridge between the economic and psychological analyses of individual decision-making. WTO’S Amber, Blue, And Green Box
Relevancy GS Prelims, GS Mains paper III WTO subsidies Green box, blue box, amber box International agriculture support
Introduction
In WTO terminology, subsidies in general are identified by “boxes” which are given the colours of traffic lights: green (permitted), amber (slow down — i.e. be reduced), red (forbidden). In agriculture, things are, as usual, more complicated. The Agriculture Agreement has no red box, although domestic support exceeding the reduction commitment levels in the amber box is prohibited; and there is a blue box for subsidies that are tied to programmes that limit production. There are also exemptions for developing countries (sometimes called an “S&D box). Amber box
All domestic support measures considered to distort production and trade (with some exceptions) fall into the amber box, which is defined in Article 6 of the Agriculture Agreement as all domestic supports except those in the blue and green boxes.
130 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) These include measures to support prices, or subsidies directly related to production quantities. These supports are subject to limits: “de minimis” minimal supports are allowed (5% of agricultural production for developed countries, 10% for developing countries); the 30 WTO members that had larger subsidies than the de minimis levels at the beginning of the post- Uruguay Round reform period are committed to reduce these subsidies. The reduction commitments are expressed in terms of a “Total Aggregate Measurement of Support” (Total AMS) which includes all supports for specified products together with supports that are not for specific products, in one single figure. In the current negotiations, various proposals deal with how much further these subsidies should be reduced, and whether limits should be set for specific products rather than continuing with the single overall “aggregate” limits. Blue box
This is the “amber box with conditions” — conditions designed to reduce distortion. Any support that would normally be in the amber box, is placed in the blue box if the support also requires farmers to limit production. At present there are no limits on spending on blue box subsidies. In the current negotiations, some countries want to keep the blue box as it is because they see it as a crucial means of moving away from distorting amber box subsidies without causing too much hardship. Others wanted to set limits or reduction commitments, some advocating moving these supports into the amber box.
Green box
In order to qualify, green box subsidies must not distort trade, or at most cause minimal distortion. They have to be government-funded (not by charging consumers higher prices) and must not involve price support. They tend to be programmes that are not targeted at particular products, and include direct income supports for farmers that are not related to (are “decoupled” from) current production levels or prices. They also include environmental protection and regional development programmes. “Green box” subsidies are therefore allowed without limits, provided they comply with the certain policy-specific criteria. In the current negotiations, some countries argue that some of the subsidies listed in Annex 2 might not meet the criteria of the annex first because of the large amounts paid, or because of the nature of these subsidies, the trade distortion they cause might be more than minimal. Examples of various subsidies are: direct payments to producers, including decoupled income support, and government financial support for income insurance and income safety-net programmes, and other paragraphs. Some other countries are of the view that the current criteria are adequate, and might even need to be made more flexible to take better account of non-trade concerns such as environmental protection and animal welfare.
131 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Circadian Rhythm
Relevancy G.S. Prelims, G.S. Paper 3 Science and technology Nobel Prize in medicine Circadian rhythm Recently:
The 2017 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael W. Young for their discoveries of molecular mechanisms controlling the circadian rhythm. The announcement marked the start of this year’s Nobel season. It is the 108th time the prize has been awarded. About the discovery:
Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael W. Young were able to peek inside our biological clock and elucidate its inner workings. Their discoveries explain how plants, animals and humans adapt their biological rhythm so that it is synchronized with the Earth’s revolutions. Here’s what the Nobel Foundation has to say about today’s prize for understanding the body’s inner clock:
Life on Earth is adapted to the rotation of our planet. For many years we have known that living organisms, including humans, have an internal, biological clock that helps them anticipate and adapt to the regular rhythm of the day. But how does this clock actually work? Jeffrey C Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael W Young were able to peek inside our biological clock and elucidate its inner workings. Their discoveries explain how plants, animals and humans adapt their biological rhythm so that it is synchronized with the Earth’s revolutions. Using fruit flies as a model organism, this year’s Nobel laureates isolated a gene that controls the normal daily biological rhythm. They showed that this gene encodes a protein that accumulates in the cell during the night, and is then degraded during the day. What is Circadian Rhythm?
A circadian rhythm is a roughly 24-hour cycle in the physiological processes of living beings, including plants, animals, fungi and cyanobacteria. In a strict sense, circadian rhythms are endogenously generated, although they can be modulated by external cues such as sunlight and temperature. Circadian rhythms are important in determining the sleeping and feeding patterns of all animals, including human beings. There are clear patterns of brain wave activity, hormone production, cell regeneration and other biological activities linked to this daily cycle. We experience jet-lag because our biological clock takes time to adjust itself to new day-night cycle.
132 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Influenza
Relevancy: GS Prelims, GS mains paper III Sci-tech, environment, H1N1, H3N2, Influenza B Recently: This year the H1N1 virus has been lead to a very high mortality i.e. at 1,873. In the year 2015, 2990 succumbed to the virus. Year 2-16 was relatively benign, with death toll less than 300. Background: H1N1 came into picture in India in the year 2009. But influenza was present in India even before 2009 in the form of H3N2 and Influenza B virus types. Out of these, H3N2 is capable of causing outbreaks as big as H1N1, and yet India does not track H3N2 cases as extensively as it does H1N1. This means that seemingly benign years such as 2016 may probably not be benign at all. Data proves this. For example, a surveillance project for acute febrile illnesses (Febrile relates with fevers), anchored at the Manipal Centre for Virus Research in Karnataka, has found that influenza accounts for nearly 20% of fevers across rural areas in 10 Indian States — fevers that are often undiagnosed and classified as “mystery fevers”. Thus, in the years when the H1N1 burden seemed low in rural regions, H3N2 and Influenza B circulation tends to have spiked. How should the situation be tackled? Surveillance system should be robust. Apart from H1N1, H3N2 and Influenza B cases need to be assessed. Viruses undergo mutations with time. So, India needs to report gene sequencing to global open-access databases. These genetic studies can help understand the lethality of the virus in a better manner. Oseltamivir is the antiviral medication for influenza. But its efficacy is doubtful. Vaccination is the best weapon that India has against this menace. High-risk groups such as pregnant women and diabetics need to be vaccinated as influenza is a more manageable public health challenge compared to mammoths such as tuberculosis.
133 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) SECURITY
Crime And Criminal Tracking Networks And Systems (CCTNS)
Relevancy G.S. Paper 3 India’s internal security, Modernisation of criminal tracking Recently
Speaking at the 10th annual summit on cyber and network security, Minister of state for Home said that there is a huge gap in India’s capability and capacity when it comes to cyber warfare and it is imperative to narrow down this difference to discourage cyber attackers. He said the launch of ‘Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems’ (CCTNS) was a major step in terms of securing the nation.
About CCTNS
It is a police modernisation scheme started in 2009 under the national e-governance project. It was conceived to bring all 16,000 police stations in India under a single network to counter the terror challenge. It will automate Police functions at Police Station and higher levels It will also create facilities and mechanism to provide public services like registration of online complaints, ascertaining the status of case registered at the police station, verification of persons etc.
Objectives of CCTNS
To Improve delivery of citizen-centric services through effective usage of ICT. To Make the Police functioning citizen friendly and more transparent by automating the functioning of Police Stations. To Reduce manual and redundant Records keeping. To Improve Police functioning in various other areas such as Law and Order, Traffic Management etc. To Provide the Investigating Officers of the Civil Police with tools, technology and information to facilitate investigation of crime and detection of criminals. To Assist senior Police Officers in better management of the Police Force. To Facilitate Interaction and sharing of Information among Police Stations, Districts, State/UT headquarters and other Police Agencies. To Keep track of the progress of Cases, including in the Courts. Bases of Data Protection
Relevancy:- GS Prelims, GS mains paper Data protection law, Internal security, consumer protection. Recently,
134 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) A new Bill has been proposed for protecting online data.
What would be the bases of the new data protection Bill?
One of the primary guiding factors for the committee would be the exhaustive report submitted in October 2012 by a group of experts on privacy led by former Delhi High Court Chief Justice A.P. Shah, which was constituted by the erstwhile Planning Commission. Both the government and the court have agreed that this would be the “conceptual foundation for legislation protecting privacy” in the form of the new Data Protection Bill. The new Bill would be based on five salient features: o Technological neutrality and interoperability with international standards; o Multi-dimensional privacy; o Horizontal applicability to state and non-state entities; o Conformity with privacy principles; and o A co-regulatory enforcement regime.
About Justice shah's report(2012):
• The Justice Shah group had emphasised on taking the informed and individual consent of users before the collection of their personal data. • It had proposed giving users prior notice of information practices, providing them with choices, and collection of only limited data necessary for the purpose for which it is collected. • If there is a change of purpose, it must be notified to the individual. • Most importantly, the report proposed access for users to their personal information held by a data controller. • Users should be able to seek correction, amendments, or deletion of inaccurate information. Gorkhaland- The way forward
Relevancy: GS Mains paper I, II, III Linguistic states, Gorkhaland, regionalism, internal security, GTA Recently:
With the interference of the Central government, the 104-day long blockade in the Darjeeling hills ended recently. The blockade proved to be a setback for the economy and livelihoods of the locals. What are the demands of the Gorkhas?
The Gorkhas, a few months back had re-initiated their demand for a separate state from West Bengal. This happened due to the announcement of Mamta Banerjee regarding making Bengali as the official language. This re-ignited the spirit in the Gorkhas for the demand of a separate state on the basis of language. Nepali is the native language of Gorkhas. And language is connected with the identity of any community. What is the need of the hour?
135 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) To mitigate the concerns of the Gorkhas, the center must arrange for a tripartite talk between the Gorkhas, the state and the central government. Apart from this, the dysfunctional GTA (Gorkhaland Territorial Administration), which was set up in 2012 for better administration of the Gorkha Hills, should be re-instated with the help of local leaders, so that the administration and economy can run in a smoother manner. Follow this 8-minute video by G. Rajput sir for understanding the issue completely: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGK8nfB5yAs&t=2s Boosting Defence Through “Make In India”
Relevancy GS Mains paper III Make in India Defence sector Recently
BJP’s project ‘Make In India’ tottered into its third birthday a few days ago. Launched with much ado just four months after Modi took over as the PM, it was projected as both a nationalistic slogan and an economic vision for the nation.
Background
India has the third largest military in the world and is the sixth biggest defence spender. India is also one of the largest importers of conventional defence equipment and spends around 30% of its total defense budget on capital acquisitions. 60% of defence related requirements are currently met through imports. The ‘Make in India’ initiative by the Government is focusing its efforts on increasing indigenous defence manufacturing and becoming self-reliant.
Achievements till now
The Ministry of Defence over the last two years unveiled several products manufactured in India like the HAL Tejas Light Combat Aircraft, the composites Sonar dome, a Portable Telemedicine System (PDF) for Armed Forces, Penetration-cum-Blast (PCB) and Thermobaric (TB) ammunition specifically designed for Arjun tanks, a heavyweight torpedo called Varunastra manufactured with 95% locally sourced parts and medium range surface to air missiles (MSRAM). The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) under Ministry of Defence, cleared defence deals worth more than INR 82,000 crore under ‘Buy and Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion Make (Indian)’ and ‘Buy Indian’ category. The deals include the procurement of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), T-90 Tanks, Mini-Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) & light combat helicopters.
Lacunae in defence sector
136 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) In February 2016, the much-awaited Defence Procurement Procedure 2016 (DPP 2016) was unveiled at the Defexpo 2016 in Goa, but it was evident that the Government had been under pressure to meet that deadline because the all-important chapter on Strategic Partnership (with private entities) was conspicuous by its absence. After inordinately long procrastination (which involved discussions with private entities who had some serious disagreements with the Government vision of the Strategic Partnership model), the final policy was announced on May 31 this year, but some loose ends still remain to be tied up. As far as defence aerospace industry is concerned, Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) has largely been content with license production of foreign aircraft and transfer of technology has not been high on its priority list. Even the Rafale deal involves no transfer of technology while all the offers (F-16/ F-18, Grippen) of setting up aircraft manufacturing lines in India are also very unambiguous about not sharing leading edge technology.
Benefits of strengthening defence sector
Close ties with other nations: o In India, buying sophisticated arms has become a necessity to fight terrorist activities as also frequent incursions by both China and Pakistan. o Both Russia and the US, taking advantage of the situation, are trying to have close defence relation with New Delhi. o Thus, the possibility of South Asian solidarity including Pakistan appears to be a distinct possibility in the near future, while China has also taken an anti-Indian posture in recent times. Enchances economy: o Defence manufacturing would be greatly beneficial in terms of boosting exports and generating employment opportunities. Technology transfer: o The benefits for Indian entities of learning from their foreign partners will include work cultures, management techniques and profit orientation but most of all the tangible benefit would be transfer of technology. o Countries such as France and Israel and also our long-term defence partner Russia would help in this regard in transferring sophisticated technology for starting such projects. o The challenge before the country is to become self-sufficient in the defence sector, except for sophisticated weaponry. Others: o Tie-ups with Third World countries such as Brazil or other countries could be explored to mutual advantage. Conclusion
It is impossible for India to become a major power unless it is a major industrial power first; leading edge capabilities in aerospace and defence production are essential and that is the thrust that ‘Make in India’ needs to provide to India’s defence production capabilities. Technology transfer is thus the key to success for ‘Make in India’ for defence. Defence sector partnerships would have to be located so as to maximise technology transfer which would be a motivation that would militate with the Indian private industry’s profit orientation.
137 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000)
138 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS AND GLOBAL ISSUES
Indo-Pak Relations
Relevancy: GS Prelims, GS Mains paper II International relations, External security, Terrorism, Indo-Pak relations, India and her neighbours, Indo-Pak bilateral relations.
Recently:
The Standing Committee on External Affairs (Chaired by Dr. Shashi Tharoor) submitted a report on ‘Indo-Pak relations’.
Key observations and recommendations made by the Committee include:
1. Border management and security:
India shares 3,323 km of its international border with Pakistan. Some tangible steps need to be taken to strengthen and modernise border security. The Committee recommended that the Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System be completed in a time bound manner. It further recommended that coastal security and surveillance should be strengthened by establishing high level coordination between the Indian Coast Guard and other agencies. These agencies include the Navy, Central Industrial Security Force, Customs, and Ports.
2. Terrorism:
The government should continue pressuring Pakistan to expedite the 26/11 Mumbai attack trials. It further recommended that the military and non-military policy options be spelt out to deal with Pakistani sponsored terrorism. The Committee further recommended that thorough security review of India’s security establishments should be ensured.
3. Jammu and Kashmir:
A part of Jammu and Kashmir has been under the illegal occupation of Pakistan since 1947 and that there is a growing sense of alienation in the Kashmiri youth due to radicalisation and the lack of employment opportunities. The Committee recommended that the government should take measures such as infrastructure and economic development, and preventing radicalisation of the youth, supported by Pakistan.
4. Nuclear and missile programme:
139 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) India and Pakistan have signed an agreement on Prohibition of Attack against nuclear installations. The Committee noted that while both India and Pakistan are nuclear armed states, the nuclear doctrines of the two countries are contradictory. India follows the ‘no first use of nuclear weapons’ policy, and Pakistan does not. Further, there is a growing cooperation between China and Pakistan in missile and nuclear programmes. In this context, the Committee recommended that the government must aggregate its nuclear capability and enhance its deterrence capabilities.
5. Surgical strikes:
The Committee noted that a limited counter terrorism operation (surgical strikes) was carried out by the Indian Army along the Line of Control (LoC) in September 2016. The surgical strikes took place based on intelligence inputs regarding terrorist launch pads across the LoC and overall build-up of terrorist attacks, stemming from Pakistan. The Committee stated that the surgical strikes demonstrate a restrained response, and hence do not indicate a change in India’s policy of ‘strategic restraint’. It recommended that this policy be continued along with diplomatic outreach to highlight terrorism supported by Pakistan.
6. Economic engagement:
The Committee noted three trends in the economic ties between India and Pakistan. These include: (i) trade between the two countries exhibits great potential, (ii) India has maintained trade surplus with Pakistan over the years, and (iii) SAPTA (SAARC Preferential Trade Arrangement) agreement is an important mechanism for bilateral trade. Under the WTO agreement, India had extended the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to all WTO members, including Pakistan. The MFN principle prohibits discrimination among similar products from different countries. However, Pakistan has not reciprocated the MFN status to India. The Committee recommended that efforts should be made to persuade Pakistan to extend MFN status to India. It further recommended that the government must pursue Pakistan for (i) the removal of trade restrictions on land routes, and (ii) allowing transit of Indian exports to Afghanistan through Pakistan. The Committee observed that an Integrated Check Post (ICP) was opened at Attari in 2012 to handle the trade between India and Pakistan. The Committee noted several infrastructural issues regarding the ICP. These include: (i) limited storage space, (ii) lack of mechanised loading/unloading, and (iii) inadequate cargo holding. The Committee recommended that the efficiency of the ICP be improved through technological handling.
7. SAARC summit:
The Committee stated that by blocking major regional development projects, Pakistan has made SAARC dysfunctional. It also noted that in response to Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Nepal withdrew from the proposed SAARC summit in 2016.
140 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) It recommended that the government should undertake constructive engagements to implement the SAARC Regional Convention on ‘Suppression of Terrorism’. Indo-Japanese Agreements
Relevancy: GS Prelims, GS Mains paper II, Political Science optional International relations, Indo-Japan relations, Recently:
India and Japan signed 15 agreements to broad-base their strategic partnership and agreed to strengthen cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region where China is increasing its assertiveness. The Japanese PM laid the foundation of MAHSR (Mumbai Ahmedabad High Speed Railway), which has put the Indo-Japanese bilateral ties on a fast-track. The pacts were inked during the talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe, to give a boost to cooperation in various key sectors, including civil aviation, trade and science and technology. Background:
In 2016-17, India got Japanese investment worth $ 4.7 billion which is 80 percent more than the previous year. Now Japan is the third largest investor in India. India provides visa on arrival facilities to citizens of Japan. India and Japan signed nuclear deal in the last visit of Narendra Modi to Japan. Modi, while addressing a joint press event with Abe, said Indo-Japan ties were not limited to bilateral or regional spheres. The two sides also closely cooperated on key global issues. Shinzo Abe said, “We have just signed a joint statement which will serve as a milestone to open a new era for Japan-India relationship… based on that we will strongly promote Japan-India special strategic and global partnership to drive peace and prosperity for Indo- Pacific region and the whole world.” Following is the complete list of agreements signed between India and Japan:
1. Disaster Risk Management MOC between the Ministry of Home Affairs of the Government of the Republic of India and the Cabinet Office of the Government of Japan aims to cooperate and collaborate in the field of disaster risk reduction and to share the experiences, knowledge and policies on disaster prevention. 2. Skills Development MoC in the field of Japanese language education in India between MEA and MOFA, Japan, to further strengthen bilateral relations and cooperation in the field of Japanese language education in India. 3. Connectivity The India Japan Act East Forum to enhance connectivity and promote developmental projects in the northeastern region of India in an efficient and effective manner. 4. Economic & Commercial Arrangement between India Post and Japan Post on administrative instruction for the implementation of cool EMS service aims at implementing the commercial
141 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) arrangement of ‘Cool EMS’ service between Japan Post and India Post, through which fresh food can be sent from Japan to India in cool boxes for the Japanese expatriates in India. 5. Investment (Gujarat) The India-Japan Investment Promotion Road map between DIPP and METI to facilitate and accelerate Japanese investments in India. MoC between METI and the state of Gujarat on ‘Japan-India special programme for Make In India’ in Mandal Bechraj-Khoraj (in Gujarat), to cooperate in infrastructure development programmes in the Mandal Bechraj-Khoraj region. 6. Civil Aviation Exchange of RoD on Civil Aviation Cooperation, which opens skies between India and Japan i.e. Indian and Japanese carriers can mount now unlimited flights to select cities. 7. Science and technology Agreement for international joint exchange programme between inter- disciplinary theoretical and mathematical sciences programme (iTHEMS), RIKEN and National Centres for Biological Sciences (Simons-NCBS) to establish a ‘Joint Exchange Programme’ to identify and foster talented young scientists from both countries to collaborate in the field of theoretical biology. Joint research contract between the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology (AIST), Japan, and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) to conduct joint research and to establish an international centre named ‘DBT- AIST International CENTER for Translational & Environmental Research (DAICENTER)’ at AIST, Japan, in order to promote science and technology in both. MoU signed between DBT and National Institute of Advanced Science & Technology (AIST), to promote research collaboration between DBT research institutes and AIST in the fields of life sciences and biotechnology. 8. Sports MoU signed on international academic and sports exchange between Indian and Japanese institutes. 9. Academics/Think Tank MoU signed between RIS (Research and Information System for Developing Countries) and IDE-JETRO (Institute of Developing Economies and Japan External Trade Organization) for promotion of cooperation in research-related activities to promote institutional cooperation between RIS and IDE-JETRO to strengthen the capacity of research and effectiveness of dissemination of research findings. Apart from above agreements, the Japanese PM also said that North Korea was a joint challenge for India and Japan. He also said that the supporters of N. Korea’s missile and nuclear programme should be held accountable (Pointing towards the advocates of Pyongyang in Beijing). The Joint statement also mentions about zero tolerance on terrorism, indicating China’s veto on the Jaish-e-Mohammad chief being put on the list of UN-designated terrorists.
India’s Neighborhood First Policy
Relevancy G.S. Paper 2 India and her neighbours
142 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Background: Prime Minister Modi’s new ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, unveiled in 2014, has consequently focused on reaching out to other states to develop partnerships across the region. This balancing strategy marks a departure from India’s unsustainable efforts to insulate South Asia as its exclusive sphere of influence and deny space to any extra-regional actors. Officially, these unprecedented outreach efforts are implicitly referred to as a partnership with “like-minded” countries. According to Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, in its quest for more “people-centric” connectivity projects and a “cooperative regional architecture,” India is “working closely with a number of other international players whose approach is similar.” Challenges from China: China’s inroads into South Asia since the mid-2000s have eroded India’s traditional primacy in the region, from Afghanistan to Myanmar and also in the Indian Ocean. As Beijing deploys its formidable financial resources and develops its strategic clout across the subcontinent, New Delhi faces capacity challenges to stem Chinese offensive in its own strategic backyard. New South Asian partners With the US, India now conducts close consultations on smaller states such as Nepal, Bangladesh, or Sri Lanka. 1. With Japan: In 2015, Japan’s was permanently included into the Malabar naval exercises. Tokyo and New Delhi developed a joint “Vision 2025” plan promising to “seek synergy... by closely coordinating, bilaterally and with other partners, for better regional integration and improved connectivity,” especially in the Bay of Bengal region. The Asia-Africa Growth Corridor, announced in 2016, further highlights India’s willingness to work with Japan to develop alternatives to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). 2. With Russia: In 2014, India and Russia signed an unprecedented agreement to cooperate on developing nuclear power in third countries, with a focus on Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. 3. With Australia: Year 2015 saw the first Australia-India Maritime Exercise (AUSINDEX) off India’s Eastern coast. 4. With European countries: With the UK, India signed a statement of intent on “partnership for cooperation in third countries” with a focus on development assistance in South Asia, and held its first formal dialogue on regional affairs in 2016. With Brussels, Paris, and Berlin, New Delhi has engaged in dialogues about maritime security and the Indian Ocean region, and shared intelligence to bolster regional counter-terrorism efforts. Finally, contrasting with its past reluctance to involve multilateral organisations, India has enthusiastically endorsed the Asian Development Bank’s South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) operational programme for 2016-25, focused on improving connectivity between the subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Short term and long term: Challenges ahead While India and its extra-regional partners develop efforts to consult, coordinate, and cooperate across South Asia, they will also have to prepare for a variety of challenges. First, extra-regional partners will have to continue to recognise India’s predominant role in the region and defer to its security concerns, whether real or imagined.
143 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Second, as the region’s small states play an increasingly sophisticated balancing game, seeking to play off India and its partners against China, closer consultation and coordination will be key. Finally, when it comes to the normative dimension of democracy and human rights, New Delhi and its like-minded friends will also face occasional tensions given their different priorities. o For India, the focus is naturally on the short-term, with economic and security interests incentivising the pragmatic engagement of any regime type in its neighbourhood. o While the West’s liberal interventionist impulse has receded, the US and European partners will, however, continue to privilege a value-based and long-term approach that emphasises pressure on authoritarian regimes. This last challenge is currently playing out in Myanmar, with clashing Indian and Western positions on the importance of the Rohingya refugee issue. Under rising international pressure, Naypyidaw is tilting back to China for support, further complicating India’s connectivity plans across the Bay of Bengal. Similar balancing dynamics can be observed in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and the Maldives, which further highlight how critical India’s global outreach efforts are to its quest to remain influential in its own region.
India and Bhutan’s Cooperation on Hydropower Projects
Relevancy G. S. Paper 2, 3 Indo-Bhutan relations Recently
India is supporting Bhutan's hydropower projects, but a new report finds that these are neither helping the environment nor the economy. The model consists of India supporting Bhutan in building hydropower projects, by providing finance – a mix of grants and loans – and technical support to design and construct the projects. Hydropower has contributed to a steep rise in Bhutan’s debts, and the report notes Bhutan is “among 14 other countries that are fast heading towards a debt crisis.”
Rising Debt of Bhutan and issues related to it
As of July 2017, Bhutan’s debt to India for the three major ongoing projects: Mangdechhu, Punatsangchhu 1 and 2 It is approximately 12,300 crore which accounts for 77% of the country’s total debt, and is 87% of its GDP The cost of the 720 MW Mangdechhu project has nearly doubled in the past two years Both Punatsangchhu 1 and 2, each of 1200 MW capacity have trebledin cost and been delayed more than five years over the original completion schedule
Indian Government Stand on the issue
The Indian government is looking at the proposals of the hydropower committee of Bhutan
144 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) But accepted that it would be difficult to meet many of them, given India’s own power sectorneeds to compete in the same area
Concerns of Bhutan on Indian projects
In a two-day conference in Bhutan,they mention that Bhutan wants more focus of India on issues like hydropower project constructions According to Bhutanese experts, Hydropower projects are critical for the Bhutanese economy And are at the core of Bhutan’s plans for self-reliance ever since the first five-year plans in 1961
India’s Stand On Bali Declaration
Relevancy G.S. Paper 2 About Bali declaration, India’s stand Recently
Recently India refused to sign the Bali Agreement over Rohingya issue which was adopted at the conclusion of the World Parliamentary Forum on Sustainable Development held in Bali. India has a reference to an “inappropriate” violence In Rakhine State from where nearly 125,000 rohingayas fled to Bangladesh which was not in line with the agreed global principles of sustainable development goals (SDGs).
About Bali declaration
It calls on all parties to contribute to the restoration of stability and security, exercise maximum self-restraint from using violent means, respect the human rights of all people in Rakhine State regardless of their faith and ethnicity and facilitate safe access for humanitarian assistance.
India’s Stand On Parliamentary Declaration
India objected part of the declaration by stressing a deep concern on the ongoing violence in Rakhine State of Myanmar. India restated its stance that the purpose of assembling Parliamentary forum was to arrive at mutual agreement for implementation of SDGs which required comprehensive and broad- based development processes. Asserting the Rakhine State violence as “inappropriate” and not consensus-based, India stood at its point. Moreover, country-specific amendment to declaration added at the eleventh hour by selective countries dilute the objective of these Forums which require unity and focused efforts of all the countries.
145 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Poverty Reduction In India Vs Brazil And China
Relevancy GS Mains paper III, Optional- Public Administration, Economy, Sociology Economy, Social Issues, Poverty reduction, Sustainable development goals SDGs Recently
The World Bank’s Atlas of Sustainable Development Goals paints a striking image of India’s poverty reduction record in the past 25 or so years. India extricated 120 million people from extreme poverty between 1990 and 2013. Over the same period, China reduced the number of people living in extreme poverty from 756 million to 25 million. Introduction
The economies of Brazil, China and India are growing faster than many of their counterparts in the developing world. Despite this rapid growth, large portions of the populations in all three nations continue to live in conditions of poverty. Each country has had some success in reducing the numbers of impoverished citizens. But these achievements have come through very different approaches, with each employing a distinctive mix along two basic dimensions: pro-poor growth and pro-poor social policies. A closer look
CHINA o Direct redistributive interventions have not been prominent in China’s efforts to reduce poverty. o Enterprise-based social security remained the norm, despite the dramatic changes in the economy, including the emergence of open unemployment and rising labor mobility. o However, there are signs that this is changing as Gansu Poverty Reduction Programme in China has initiated. BRAZIL o Brazil clearly has a larger capacity for using redistribution to address its poverty problem than China. o In attempting to reduce poverty through redistribution, an important role was played by various cash transfer programs like Bolsa Familia. o These included both noncontributory, unconditional transfers as well as Conditional Cash Transfers (CCTs) targeted to poor families, which have played an important role from the late 1990s onwards. INDIA o The potential for using income redistribution to address India’s poverty problem is far more limited than in China or (especially) Brazil. o Still, there is much hope from social security schemes like National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), Pension schemes, etc. Statistics
146 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) The reduction in poverty per unit of growth in GDP per capita over the nineties to the middle of the last decade was the highest in Brazil (minus 4.3 per cent), compared with minus 0.8 per cent for China and minus 0.4 per cent for India. This difference is, in part, attributable to the fact that Brazil saw a reduction starting out with a high level of poverty as well as inequality. China and India, on the other hand, began with low relative levels of inequalities before embarking on reforms. To factor in economic growth, between 1995 and 2012, the growth elasticity of poverty reduction for India is just over 0.12. By contrast, countries such as Brazil, Mexico, Ecuador, and Thailand — that witnessed relatively low economic growth rates emerge as positive outliers, exhibiting higher growth elasticities of poverty reduction than many high-growth countries, including India. While the growth elasticity of poverty reduction for China is a little over 0.28, the numbers for Mexico and Brazil are 3.28 and 1.14 respectively. India-EU relations
Relevancy GS Prelims, GS Mains paper II International relations India-EU relations BTIA agreement Recently This year, the European Union and India are celebrating 55 years of diplomatic relations. The 14th EU-India Summit, took place in New Delhi on 6 October 2017 to review progress in many aspects of the bilateral relationship and to discuss international and regional challenges.
India-EU relations EU-India cooperation now spans many areas, including foreign policy and security issues, trade and economics, sustainable development and modernisation, research and innovation as well as people-to-people contacts. The 1994 EU-India Cooperation Agreement provides the legal framework for EU-India relations and has boosted political, economic and sectorial cooperation. Since 2000, EU-India relations have evolved significantly, with the formation of the EU-India Strategic Partnership in 2004. Summits, ministerial-level, expert-level and sectoral meetings have further extended cooperation between the European Union and India on a broad range of issues. In addition, regular parliamentary exchanges have taken place, the last one being a triple visit of three committees from the European Parliament to India in February 2017. EU is India’s first trade partner in goods and services and also largest foreign investor with a stock exceeding US$ 81.52 billion as of March 2017. There are more than 6,000 EU companies currently present in India, providing direct and indirect employment to over 6 million people.
EU’s concerns India’s protectionism to automobile sector. India’s Intellectual property regime with the provision of compulsory licensing and manufacture of generic medicine. Domestic source obligation in the multi brand retail.
147 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Duty and tariff protection in areas of wine, spirits and dairy products. Civil nuclear energy generation legislation. Data Security: Based on current standard of protection to data in India the EU refused to grant the status of Data Secure Nation which affects High end business products specifically. European companies doing outsourcing business with countries not certified as data secure have to follow stringent contractual obligations that increase operating costs and affect competitiveness. Also, Vodafone case has threatened EU investors from entering India due to retrospective taxation measures. EU allegations of Human Rights violations concealed funding to NGOs in India and recent legal proceedings regarding Italian marines have brought ties at stand still.
India’s concerns India considers human rights violations as a domestic issue and would wish to handle it within India’s political space. EU’s insistence on including HR provisions into Free Trade Agreement has hampered trade between the two. Given the lack of cohesion among the EU constituents on strategic issues, India prefers establishing bilateral relations rather than dealing with the EU as a whole. The case of the two Italian marines being tried in India was manslaughter has become a festering wound and the EU’s stand on the issue is seen by many in India as a challenge to her sovereignty. EU’s reluctance to provide India with strategic dual use technology has pushed India into a closer huddle with the US and other European countries like France, India therefore, doesn’t see the EU as a reliable partner. EU is characterised by over-institutionalized and over-bureaucratized, which makes it far less attractive as a bilateral partner as compared to less institutionalised regimes such as the ASEAN and SAARC. EU has next to nothing to contribute to her energy demand or other principal security interests. When it comes to India’s desire to find a permanent place on the UNSC, it is not the EU but the existing European permanent members, the UK and France, who bring more value to the table for India. Finally, the on-going Eurozone crisis has greatly undermined India’s confidence in the EU. Also, EU banned the sale of 700 generic Indian drugs.
Positive steps taken On the positive side, as highlighted in the summit’s EU-India Agenda for Action-2020, progress was made in bilateral cooperation in various fields — from foreign policy to outer space : Promise of action that in areas such as water, climate and energy with adoption of joint declarations on the India-EU Water Partnership and a Clean Energy and Climate Partnership. Joint declaration on counter terrorism: o Both agreed to cooperate in countering violent extremism, disrupt recruitment of terrorists and prevent the free passage of foreign fighters. o It also called for the early adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism in the UN. Adoption of The Common Agenda on Migration and Mobility (CAMM):
148 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) o To control and organize migration. o Prevention of human trafficking and promoting international protection are identified as priority areas. o Points of special interest to India on the agenda included easier visa procedures for skilled workers, IT professionals, and business travellers. Italian Marines issue: o Both parties have officially expressed their confidence in the legal processes of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, where the case of the Italian marines, is currently being heard. Infrastructure: o India and the EIB signed the first tranche of a Euro 450-million-loan towards the construction of a metro rail line planned in Lucknow. Investment: o The agenda also called for the “creation of favourable circumstances for investment Bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA): o To enhance the trade relations, both started negotiations on bilateral trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA) in 2007.
Conclusion India EU FTA has a lot of road blocks but it is in benefit of each other. EU will gain market of 1.2 billion whereas India will gain in terms of Technology, Investments from EU. Both are needed to be pragmatic in approach while working on it in future. India’s share in services trade with EU can grow manifold with cheaper imports of European luxury items like cars, wine. European expertise in agriculture, infrastructure and urban management can augment Indian drive in make in India, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan & agricultural research.
BIMSTEC DMEx
Relevancy: GS Prelims, GS Mains paper III, IV Optional – Public Administration Disaster management, BIMSTEC, regional cooperation, case studies in disaster management Recently:
A four day “first” Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, Disaster Management Exercise (BIMSTEC DMEx-2017) concluded recently in New Delhi. This is the first such exercise. NDRF (National Disaster Relief Force) is the nodal organisation for this initiative. Members of the BIMSTEC are Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal. Important issues discussed during the exercise were:
Participation of women in Disaster Response Mechanism, Emphasise on psycho-social-trauma care,
149 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) replication of ICS - The incident command system (ICS) is a management tool employed during disasters and emergency responses to organize and coordinate response operations, Gender consideration during evacuation and rehabilitation, Utility of Civil Military Coordination Centre, Religious aid to motivate the affected people, Importance of maintaining Law & Order in the affected area to avoid human trafficking and other post-disaster crimes were shared by the participants. Importance of the exercise:
Natural disasters know no manmade boundaries and hence countries will have to come together at global and regional levels. This exercise provides a platform for sharing the best practices, methodology and response mechanism amongst the BIMSTEC member nations in the field of Disaster Management.
Ashley Tellis essay, Indo-Pak talks
Relevancy GS Mains paper II Ashley Tellis essay, Indo-Pak talks International relations Recently
Ashley Tellis released a 91-page essay ‘Are India-Pakistan Peace Talks Worth a Damn?’ which sheds interesting light on the U.S. stand on the India-Pakistan problem.
Introduction
Mr. Tellis’s central point is that “the international community’s routine call for continuous India-Pakistan dialogue is not only misguided but also counterproductive”. This is a direct rebuttal of Mr. Aiyar’s eloquently phrased plea that the dialogue should be “uninterrupted and uninterruptable”.
Background
The depressing upshot is that persistent engagement fails to alter the fundamental impediment that has prevented a resolution namely, the inability of the Pakistani Army to accept that it cannot surrender on a range of disputed issues.
Reasons for unsuccessful dialogues
Security competition: o The security competition between India and Pakistan is not “driven by discrete negotiable differences”. o Not only is the dispute over Kashmir “rooted in long-standing ideological antagonisms” but Pakistan also seeks to “exact revenge for past Indian military victories” and “to subvert India’s ascendency as a great power.”
150 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) o Recovering the claimed territory is no longer the only prize; thwarting India’s rise is now the greater reward. Pakistan’s stand: o Underlying this Pakistan attitude to India and, therefore, reaffirming and strengthening it is how the country’s army views its interests. o Even if satisfactory solutions could be devised the Pakistan army will not accept them if the end result dethrones the military from its privileged power in and over the state. Perpetual conflict with India: o It does not provoke either cataclysmic war or categorical defeat which preserves the internal hegemony of the Pakistan Army. It won’t want to give this up. Involvement of China: o Given China’s geopolitical rivalry with India it is highly unlikely that Beijing will ever press Rawalpindi to terminate its terrorism against New Delhi. Involvement of the US: o In America’s case, Washington’s dependence on Pakistan makes it unlikely that it will apply real pressure. o U.S. dependence on Pakistan for its ground and air lines of communication to Afghanistan gives Rawalpindi enormous leverage over the United States. o The chokehold that Pakistan enjoys on the United States, thanks entirely to geography, has thus neutralized Washington’s superior coercive capacity.
Conclusion
A lasting cordiality between India and Pakistan ultimately hinges on the Pakistan Army reconciling itself to India’s strategic superiority within South Asia. At the moment and for the foreseeable future that seems not just unlikely but, arguably, impossible. India’s only choice is to grit its teeth and keep its guard up till something alters but that’s unlikely to be soon. Political Scenario In Nepal
Relevancy GS Mains paper II Political scenario in Nepal Unification of Parties Recently
Recently, Ten Maoist parties and factions in Nepal have united under the banner of the biggest party, Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda. Factors leading to unification
•Human rights violation: o The six different Maoist factions have been demanding that all insurgency-era rights violation cases should be handled by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons. •Large number of deaths:
151 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) o More than 16,000 people were killed during the decade-long insurgency that also displaced hundreds of thousands of others. o The insurgency that started in 1996 ended in 2006 when the Maoists signed a peace agreement with the then government. •Decision of Supreme Court: o In March, Nepal’s Supreme Court barred the country’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission from investigating those cases of human rights violations related to the decade-long left-wing insurgency which were already in the process of being prosecuted. o The decision opened up the prospect that the Maoist leadership and cadres could face legal action for killings and disappearances. o Thus Nepal’s besieged Maoists believe they have to stand together, to avoid being picked off one by one. Consequences for India
For India, the Maoist unification will have disquieting short-term consequences. In 2006, when Nepal’s largely India-brokered peace process began, the Maoists had softened their historic hostility to their western neighbor. Now, though, it is probable the new Maoist alliance will use nationalism to cement together their ranks. Earlier this month, Prime Minister K.P. Oli’s government almost collapsed after Prachanda threatened to withdraw support; the Unification would strength the Hands of Prachanda and will allow him to exercise even greater influence over the course of events. Prime Minister Oli, who has used anti-India polemic to ward off threats from opponents in Nepal’s plains and from the Congress party, is likely to find it hard to resist the temptation to engage in competitive anti-India polemics. Which Would Mean that Most of the mainstream Nepalese Parties would resort to more Anti- Indian Rhetoric in near future, this could further strain the already Fragile Indo-Nepal Relations. Way forward
• The best course for New Delhi will be to avoid provocation and focus, instead, on deepening its strategic engagement with Nepal’s economy and people. • Though greater Chinese involvement in Nepal’s economy and political life is inevitable and geography makes better road and rail links between Nepal and China. • It’s a matter of time New Delhi should focus on securing opportunities through this enhanced regional connectivity, not whipping the tide to try and force it back. • In the midst of the coming battle in Nepal, New Delhi’s best course is to lie low and let the country’s people settle their future.
152 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Global Hunger Report 2017
Relevancy GS Prelims, GS Mains paper III Global hunger index, IFPRI report Malnutrition in India, Government programmes
Recently Annual report on hunger and malnutrition is recently released by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
Global Hunger index report The 2017 Global Hunger Index (GHI) shows long-term progress in reducing hunger in the world. The hunger index ranks countries based on four parameters: o undernourishment o child mortality o child wasting (low weight for height) o child stunting (low height for age) The GHI ranks countries on 0-100 point scale. Zero is the best score (no hunger), and 100 is the worst, although neither of these extremes is reached in practice.
India’s performance on GHI India has shown a “serious” hunger problem and ranks 100th out of 119 countries on the global hunger index while it stood at 97th position in last year’s rankings. However, India has made considerable improvement in reducing its child stunting rate, down 29% since 2000, but even that progress leaves India with a relatively high stunting rate of 38.4. India ranks below many of its neighbouring countries such as China (29th rank), Nepal (72), Myanmar (77), Sri Lanka (84) and Bangladesh (88) while being ahead of Pakistan (106) and Afghanistan (107). India ranked behind North Korea (93) and Iraq (78) but ahead of Pakistan. India has the third highest score in all of Asia, only Afghanistan and Pakistan are ranked worse.
Reasons for India’s bad performance The country’s serious hunger level is driven by high child malnutrition and underlines need for stronger commitment to the social sector. One of the major causes for malnutrition in India is Economic inequality. Due to the low social status of some population groups, their diet often lacks in both quality and quantity. Also Indian mothers generally lack proper knowledge in feeding children which leads to new born infants being unable to get adequate amount of nutrition from their mothers.
Government run programmes to fight malnutrition
153 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Midday meal scheme in Indian schools o It serves millions of children with fresh cooked meals in almost all the government run schools or schools aided by the government fund. o Apart from this Food for Life Annamrita run by ISKCON Food Relief Foundation and the Akshaya Patra Foundation run midday meal programmes, each serving freshly cooked plant-based meals to school children in government and government-aided schools in India. Integrated child development scheme o ICDS has been instrumental in improving the health of mothers and children under age 6 by providing health and nutrition education, health services, supplementary food, and pre-school education. United Nations Children's Fund o India is associated with UNICEF since 1949 and is now in the fifth decade of cooperation for assisting most disadvantaged children and their mothers. o Traditionally, UNICEF has been supporting India in a number of sectors like child development, health, education, nutrition, water & sanitation, childhood disability, etc. National Rural Health Mission o The National Rural Health Mission of India mission aims to reduce infant mortality rate (IMR) and maternal mortality ratio (MMR). o Also it is to provide universal access to public health services, prevent and control both communicable and non-communicable diseases, including locally endemic diseases and provide access to integrated comprehensive primary healthcare.
Conclusion
The on-going efforts by the Government and NGOs are expected to make significant changes in improving the existing situation realted to malnutrition and hunger issues in India. Positively, India has developed and launched an action plan on ‘undernourishment free India’ by 2022. The plan shows stronger commitment and greater investments in tackling malnutrition in the coming years. Has UN Lost Its Relevance?
Relevancy GS Mains paper I International relations United Nations Recently
The 72nd Annual general meeting of the UN was held at UN headquarters at New York, USA in September 2017. The President of the of the UNGA, Miroslav Lajcak, identified the following six overarching priorities for his tenure following his election in September: o Making a difference in the lives of ordinary people o Prevention and mediation for sustaining peace
154 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) o Migration o Political momentum for the SDGs and climate o Human rights and equality, including equal opportunities for genders o Quality of events organized by the Presidency Glorious Past
The Secretary Generals have developed a role as intermediary and manager of peace operations, and brought new techniques to peacekeeping. The United Nations defines human rights or the global community. It played a vital role in decolonisation, affording international recognition to the new countries and helping them improve their economic and social conditions. The United Nations is not a perfect organisation, but it remains true that any nation state can achieve far less in isolation than it can working collectively with other states under UN auspices. Decline in its Stature
The 67-year-old UN's influence has always been limited by the veto power of the five permanent members of the Security Council. Now, however, global technological, financial, environmental, social, religious and demographic forces are further curbing its ability to act and eroding its foundation in the 17th- century concept of sovereign nation-states. The concept of a world of nation-states, which dates to the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648, and the idea that they have a monopoly on international relations and on the conduct of war, is no longer valid. It's been replaced by non-state actors and proxies of states, and public opinion has become the primary center of gravity. Built to help nations defuse conflicts before they escalate to open warfare, the UN is ill- equipped to tackle such transnational challenges in an internet age that can flash financial news and videos across the globe faster than the Security Council can muster a quorum, much less a consensus. The UN decision-making body's paralysis on sore subjects such as Iran's nuclear ambitions, Syria's rebellion, North Korea's errant rocket launches and Palestinian statehood is the main reason for the decline in its importance globally. Conclusion
The UN has not as yet been able to deal effectively with such global economic issues as currency instability, indebtedness, protectionism, and inequitable commercial relations. It the Organization is to realize its potential in the world of the twenty-first century, its members must recognize and resolve a paradox caused by the altered condition of the world. DRUZBA 2017
Relevancy: GS Prelims, GS Mains paper II International relations; India, China, Pakistan, Russia; DRUZBA 2017 Recently:
155 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) The joint exercise DRUZBA 2017 between Special Forces of Pakistan and Russia Armies started in Minralney Vody, Russia. The joint exercise will focus on counter-terrorism operations, hostage and rescue, cordon and search operation. Background:
Pakistan’s ties with Russia have moved past the bitter Cold War hostilities in recent years and the chill in the relations between Pakistan and the US, especially after President Donald Trump warned Islamabad for providing safe havens to terrorists, has further pushed the country towards Russia and China. Last year, Russia held its first-ever military exercises with Pakistan and also started selling weapons to Islamabad. Meanwhile:
China appears to have served a warning to Pakistan against excessive dependence on the Soviet Union in regard to economic or military aid. The warning came in a highly critical report on Soviet aid to India broadcast by Peking Radio on the eve of President Ayub’s visit to the Soviet Union which began on 25th September. Accusing the Soviet Union of “exploiting” the Indian people through her aid, the report seeks to notify that China views with disfavour and suspicion all Soviet aid to developing countries including Pakistan – its firm ally.
Us-Iran Nuclear Issue
Relevancy GS Mains paper 2, Optional- Political Science International relations, US-Iran nuclear deal Recently
US administrations decided to impose a sanction on 18 Iranian individuals and pledged to toughen the enforcement of nuclear deal and increase pressure on Tehran. US under trump may withdraw and disapprove the democratics' agreement with Iran on containment of its nuclear programme by a decade. US-Iran Nuclear Deal
It is not a bilateral pact as in 2015, World Powers and Iran announced long term, comprehensive nuclear agreement. The P5+1 group [a group of six world powers –> Five permanent members of UN and Germany] negotiated with Iran in 2006 with regard to its Nuclear programme. Germany is a member due to the fact that it is the key trade partner of Iran. Iran’s nuclear programs depend mainly upon German products and services. America and its allies will recognise Iran’s right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes as guaranteed by the nuclear NPT. Iran will be allowed to enrich uranium to 3.67% only for generating electricity. It will be monitored by IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency). Iran will be required to reduce its stockpile of enriched uranium from 10,000kg to 300kg. IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) has to access Iran’s nuclear sites.
156 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) If IAEA confirms that Iran has taken steps to reduce its nuclear presence, America and its allies will lift all nuclear related economic sanctions, including oil embargoes and financial restrictions. Present stand of the US Government Present US administration has slapped additional sanctions on Iran over its ballistic missile programme and “Support for Terrorism”. Mr.Trump’s administration endorsed Saudi Sunni bloc’s attempts to isolate Iran. He is trying to align with Saudi Arabia and Israel and continuing to target Iran through sanctions. Mr.Trump had vowed to either kill or negotiate the agreement. Problems for the US
The nuclear deal was reached among seven entities, including the US, Russia, Germany, and Iran. Any unilateral move to withdraw from the agreement would hurt American interests as European countries are keen on expanding economic ties with Iran. Conclusion
The US should keep in mind that Iran could backfire as Iran has already established itself as a rising regional power. To stabilise Iraq, US needs Iran’s help and there won’t be a long lasting peace deal in Syria without Iran’s participation and cooperation. If US is keen to work towards peace and stability in West Asia, it need Iran’s help and should get easy with Iran on the nuclear deal, not to punish it through additional sanctions. Kurdistan Independence Vote
Relevancy G.S. Paper 2 About the Kurds Reactions to referendum Current political status Recently
Iraqi Kurds have recently planned to abide with a proposed referendum on seceding from Iraq.
157 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000)
About the Kurds
The Kurds or the Kurdish people are an ethnic group in the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a contiguous area spanning adjacent parts of southeastern Turkey, northwestern Iran, northern Iraq, and northern Syria. They have historically been oppressed by their respective governments which has fueled the desire for establishing a Kurdish nation that encompasses the Kurdish regions different countries. Kurds constitute the fourth largest ethnic group in West Asia but don’t have a nation of their own. They are scattered in various countries and are a considerable minority in Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria. In Turkey, Kurdish rebels are involved in a civil war for secession, while in Syria they have already established a regional government. Currently, Iraqi Kurds are planning a referendum on secession.
Reactions to the referendum
The Turkish government has ordered a military drill on the Iraqi border, while Iran has also issued a warning. The Iraqi Supreme Court has already asked the Kurdistan Regional Government to suspend the vote, till its legality is settled. Although a Yes in the referendum doesn’t guarantee secession, it has been perceived as a message to the outside world reiterating that there is popular support for independence.
Current Political Status Of Iraqi Kurds
Iraqi Kurds were granted some autonomy after 1991 when a regional government was constituted at Erbil. In recent years, both Baghdad and Erbil cooperated in the fight against the Islamic State. While Baghdad has chosen to ignore such gestures, the current developments makes restarting negotiations essential.
158 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Although independence remains the proclaimed goal of Iraqi Kurdis, Mr.Barzani - who heads the regional administration at Erbil, has often personally signalled a compromise.
BRICS Xiamen Declaration
Relevancy G.S. Paper 2 and 3, Optional- Political Science International Organisation, BRICS, Xiamen declaration Recently
The 9th BRICS summit was recently held in Xiamen City, China from 3rd to 5th September and ended with the adoption of Xiamen declaration. The theme was “BRICS: Stronger Partnership for a Brighter Future”
Xiamen Declaration
Memorandum of understanding was signed between the BRICS Business Council and the New Development Bank on strategic cooperation. BRICS action agenda on economic and trade cooperation o The group agreed to facilitate market inter-linkages as well as infrastructure and financial integration to achieve interconnected development. Condemning terrorism: o Expressing its concerns on the security situation in the region comprising BRICS countries and violence caused by the Taliban, ISIL/DAISH, Al-Qaida and its affiliates, including Pakistan based groups Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad, TTP (Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan) and Hizb ut-Tahrir, the grouping condemned terrorism in all its forms. o It emphasized the need to adopt a comprehensive approach in combating terrorism, which should include countering radicalization, recruitment, movement of terrorists and blocking sources of financing terrorism. BRICS action plan for innovation cooperation (2017-2020) o The group agreed to enhance joint BRICS research, development and innovation in ICT, including the Internet of Things, Cloud computing, Big Data, Data Analytics, Nanotechnology, Artificial Intelligence and 5G and their innovative applications to elevate the level of ICT infrastructure and connectivity in the BRICS countries. Strategic framework of BRICS customs cooperation o The group promoted cooperation in mutual sharing of information, mutual recognition of customs control, and mutual assistance in enforcement to boost growth and promote people’s welfare. UN reform o The group supported the reform of the UN, including its Security Council, with a view to increase the representation of the developing countries so that it can adequately respond to global challenges. o China and Russia reiterated the importance of Brazil, India and South Africa in international affairs and supported their aspiration to play a greater role in the UN. Agriculture o Coordination Center of BRICS Agriculture Research Platform will be established in India.
159 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) o It is a virtual network, which will address the issues of food security and nutrition, adaptation of agriculture to climate change, agricultural technology cooperation and innovation, agricultural trade and investment, and ICT application in agriculture to contribute to stable global agricultural growth and achievement of Sustainable Development Goals. Asia-Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC)
Relevancy G.S. Paper 2, Optional- Political Science International affair, Asia-Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC) About Asia-Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC)?
The AAGC is an attempt to create a “free and open Indo-Pacific region” by rediscovering ancient sea-routes and creating new sea corridors that will link the African continent with India and countries in South-Asia and South-East Asia. For instance, under the AAGC, there is a plan to connect ports in Jamnagar (Gujarat) with Djibouti in the Gulf of Eden. Similarly, ports of Mombasa and Zanzibar will be connected to ports near Madurai; Kolkata will be linked to Sittwe port in Myanmar. The project stakeholders hope the sea corridors will be “low-cost” and have “less carbon footprint” when compared to a land corridor. The idea is to enable economies in Asia and Africa to further integrate and collectively emerge as a globally competitive economic bloc. India is developing ports under the Sagarmala programme specifically for this purpose. Apart from developing sea corridors, the AAGC also proposes to build robust institutional, industrial and transport infrastructure in growth poles among countries in Asia and Africa.
Contribution of Japan and India
Japan’s contribution to the project will be its state-of-the-art technology and ability to build quality infrastructure, while India will bring in its expertise of working in Africa. The private sector of both countries are expected to play a big role by coming together to form joint-ventures and consortiums, to take up infrastructure, power or agribusiness projects in Africa.
Origin of AAGC
The proposal for an AAGC was first mentioned in the joint declaration issued by prime ministers Modi and Shinzo Abe in November 2016. The declaration included their intention to work jointly and cooperatively with other countries to promote development of industrial corridors and networks in Asia and Africa.
Vision of Asia-Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC)
A 30-page booklet, the AAGC vision document was unveiled by the Indian and Japanese government officials at the African Development Bank (AfDB) annual general meeting held at Gandhinagar on May 24. In the first phase, the corridor attempts to link Africa with India and countries in South-Asia including Bangladesh, Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos, say officials. It is just a broad framework for the creation of the project.
160 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) After the Modi-Abe meeting in November 2016, work on creating a vision document for AAGC was entrusted to the three think-tanks: o The New Delhi-based Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), linked to the Ministry of External Affairs; o The Jakarta-based ERIA (Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia) and o The Japanese research organisation IDE-JETRO (Institute of Developing Economies- Japan External Trade Organisation). Apart from the trio, research institutions and individuals from Africa were also invited for detailed consultations at Jakarta on April 21, 2017, at the ERIA headquarters.
Members of Asia-Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC)
Apart from India and Japan, South Africa, Mozambique, Indonesia, Singapore, and Australia sent representatives for the consultation process. Quizzed about China, Anita Prakash, Director General of ERIA, said her organisation represented the ASEAN region and six other countries including China. Moreover, ERIA also has Chinese scholars working for it on this project.
OBOR and Asia-Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC)
Unlike OBOR which entails the development of a land corridor, AAGC will essentially be a sea corridor linking Africa with India and other countries of South-East Asia and Oceania. It is being presented as a “distinct initiative” borne out of a consultative process which would be profitable and bankable, unlike the “government-funded model” of OBOR (One Belt One Road) project. o India is making this process more consultative, because this was one objection India came up with when OBOR was presented. o The centrality of people in Africa needs to brought up front, rather than excessive emphasis on trade and economic relations alone. o Japan’s ability to deliver quality infrastructure will play a major role in developing this corridor
Initial response of African nations to the AAGC vision
The African Development Bank has welcomed the AAGC vision document. “Trade corridors have always existed between Africa and Asia and when PM Modi mentioned this we at AFDB welcome it. It is important because infrastructure is costly and you cannot have infrastructure everywhere. There has to be particular zones where you have to build infrastructure. We are already working on growth corridors within Africa,” said AfDB president Akinwumi Adesina.
Way forward
More studies will be undertaken to list the current demands and challenges of economic, socio-cultural and political partnership pertaining to AAGC. It will bring out the existing challenges and barriers to this project. It will also spell out the cooperation aspects of sustainable growth and development exchange of best practices.
161 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Based on all these aspects, future AAGC studies will make recommendations to the governments of India and Japan and to governments in Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia and Oceania on the way forward for deepening this partnership. Act East Policy (AEP)
Relevancy G.S. Paper 2,3 About Act East Policy Objectives Initiatives Under The Policy Difference Between Act East Policy And Look East Policy Recently
Recently the central government released its new Act East Policy that focuses on India’s extended neighborhood of the Asia-Pacific region.
About Act East Policy (AEP)
India’s Act East Policy focus on Asia-Pacific region neighborhood. It was initially only an economic initiative, but now it has gaines strategic, political as well as cultural dimensions which includes the establishment of institutional mechanisms for dialogue and cooperation. The strategic partnership of India has upgraded with Vietnam, Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Republic of Korea (ROK), Singapore and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and forged close ties with all countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Further, apart from ASEAN, ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and East Asia Summit (EAS), India has also been actively engaged in regional fora such as Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD), Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) and Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA). The Act East Policy has placed importance on India-ASEAN mutual aid in our domestic agenda on manufacturing, urban renewal, infrastructure, skills, trade, smart cities, Make in India and other initiatives. Connectivity projects, cooperation in space, S&T and people-to-people exchanges could become a springboard for regional integration and prosperity. The North East of India has been a priority in our Act East Policy (AEP).
Objectives
To promote economic cooperation To strengthen cultural ties To develop strategic relationship with countries Continuous engagement at bilateral, regional and multilateral levels Enhanced connectivity to the States of North Eastern Region including Arunanchal Pradesh with other countries in our neighborhood. AEP provides an interface between North East India, including the state of Arunachal Pradesh and the ASEAN region.
Initiatives Under The Policy
162 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) The ASEAN-India Plan of Action for the period 2016-20 has been adopted in August 2015 which identifies concrete initiatives and areas of cooperation along the three pillars of political-security, economic and socio-cultural. Connectivity o Some of the major projects include Kaladan Multi-modal Transit Transport Project, the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway Project, Rhi-Tiddim Road Project, Border Haats, etc. o India continues with stepped up efforts to forge closer partnership with concerned regional and Multilateral organisation such as ASEAN, ARF, EAS, BIMSTEC, ACD, MCG and IORA. Culture o On the cultural front, Buddhist and Hindu links could be energized to develop new contacts and connectivity between people. o Building transport infrastructure, encouraging airlines to enhance connectivity in the region, contacts between academic and cultural institutions are in progress. Economy o The ASEAN-India Agreement on Trade in Service and Investments has entered into force for India and seven ASEAN countries from 1 July 2015. o The ASEAN-India Trade Negotiating Committee has been tasked to undertake a review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement. o India has also invited ASEAN member states to participate in the International Solar Alliance which it has co-launched with France on 30 November 2015 at COP-21. Strategic o Closer cooperation in combating terrorism o Collaborating for peace and stability in the region o Promotion of maritime security based on international norms and laws
Difference Between Act East Policy And Look East Policy
Look East Policy: Act East Policy Driven by economic interests Driven by economic and security interests Limited to South East Asia More extended: South East Asia + East Asia Underlines current geopolitics of the region
163 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) ETHICS
What Is Kantianism?
Relevancy GS Mains paper IV Political Science optional Deontological Kantianism vs utilitarianism Immanuel Kant
Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) was a German philosopher who is a central figure in modern philosophy. Kantian theories are based on his studies on moral philosophy.
Deontological ethics
Deontology is concerned with the actions themselves and not with the consequences. It teaches that some acts are right or wrong in themselves, whatever the consequences, and people should act accordingly. Kantianism
Kantianism (or Kantian ethical theory) is deontological, revolving entirely around "duty" rather than emotional feelings or end goals. Kantianism states that truly moral or ethical arts are not based on self-interest or the greatest utility, but on a sense of "duty" and a sense of what is right and fair on a wider level (despite the possible consequences for the individual and their usefulness for others). By focusing about duty, Kant has heralded an approach to ethics which was later adopted by the likes of Gandhi to gain Independence for India. Kant ethical perspective continue to be utilized in many aspects. For e.g. Indian Constitution granting Right against exploitation is an emphasis of Kant perspective of treating humans with dignity and respect. Two very important concepts in this context are the notion of categorical imperative and the idea of good will. Categorical imperative
Kant regards the moral law imposed by practical reason as 'Categorical Imperative'. Categorical Imperative is the internal law imposed by conscience upon itself. In other words, a categorical imperative denotes an absolute, unconditional requirement that exerts its authority in all circumstances, both required and justified as an end in itself. Idea of goodwill
Kant says that there is nothing in the world or even out of it that can be called good without qualification except a good will.
164 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Things, which are intrinsically good, are good even if they exist all alone. Kant claims that, everything else is good only in relation to the good will, which is the ultimate criterion that determines the moral worth of an action. All other things that are usually considered as good like health, wealth, gifts of fortune, talents, intellect etc., are good only in so far as they are used well or used by a good will. Kantianism vs utilitarianism
Kant was opposed to utilitarianism. Utilitarian believed that one should do actions that produced greatest amount of happiness whereas Kant believed that certain types of actions (including murder, theft, and lying) were absolutely prohibited, even in cases where the action would bring about more happiness than the alternative. According to Kant a good person is someone who always does their duty because it is their duty even though they may or may not enjoy it. John Rawl’s Theory Of Social Justice
Relevancy GS Mains paper IV Ethics case studies John Rawl Criticism of John Rawl’s theory of justice John Rawl
John Bordley Rawls(1921-2002) was an American moral and political philosopher in the liberal tradition. His works have influenced famous thinkers like Amartya sen, Thomas Nagel, Thomas Pogge, etc. Social justice
Social justice refers to the just society where equals are treated equally with just allocation of resources. John Rawl’s theory of Social Justice
John Rawl introduced the theory of ''veil of ignorance'' while deciding the rules and regulations for society's functioning. Veil of ignorance means to imagine ourselves in a condition where we don't know our position in terms of caste, religion, gender etc and then take decision. The concept here is that when we don't know our position then it is more likely that we take rational decision for collective benefit of society. Basic principles of his theory
Rawls suggests two basic principles of justice to lest public interest. The first principle is that each person is to have an equal right to the most extensive basic liberty compatible with a similar liberty for others. The other principle postulates that public policies are reasonably expected to be to everyone's advantage and public position and offices are open to all.
165 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) In case of conflict between these principles, the second principle is expected to prevail and give way to the first. Rational decision-making in public administration has to have an ethical framework. These principles provide an operating logic for the determination of public interest by the decision- makers. Other aspects of his theory
The contents of the "social primary goods" specified by Rawls are of particular importance, for the fair distribution of them, namely, liberty and opportunity, income and wealth and basis of self-respect in a society will undoubtedly help to achieve the much needed social justice. Another important aspect of his theory is that while laying emphasis on the equal distribution of the “social primary goods”, he envisages “an unequal distribution” of the “social primary goods” if such unequal distribution is “to the advantage of the least favoured”. In envisaging such “unequal distribution” of the social primary goods to benefit the “least favoured” in the society. Criticism
This theory is highly generalised as to what is justice and tied to carry it to higher level of abstraction rather than in defining in concrete form. According to critics, Rawls' theory is an apology for the status quo insofar as it constructs justice from existing practice and forecloses the possibility that there may be problems of injustice embedded in capitalist social relations, private property or the market economy. Feminist critics took Rawls to task for failing to account for injustices found in patriarchal social relations and the gendered division of labor, especially in the household. Amartya Sen faults Rawls for an over-emphasis on institutions as guarantors of justice not considering the effects of human behaviour on the institutions' ability to maintain a just society.
Related questions for mains
Ideas about a perfectly just world do not help redress actual existing inequality. Comment. What Is Meant By Golden Mean?
Relevancy GS Mains paper IV Ethics case studies Aristotle Golden mean Introduction
In ancient Greek philosophy, especially that of Aristotle, the golden mean or golden middle way or Goldilocks theory is the desirable middle between two extremes, one of excess and the other of deficiency. The golden mean represents a balance between extremes or vices. Finding a moderate position between those two extremes, and will eventually lead to be acting morally.
166 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) However it is not as simple as just applying the virtue, one must apply phronesis (practical wisdom) in order to decide on the best course of action depending on the situation. Phronesis according to Aristotle is gained as we grow up and move away from rules and subsequently allows us to adapt to a more autonomous, person-centered and virtue-centered morality. Aristotle's idea of golden mean can be reflected in his preference for polity as polity is golden mean between oligarchy and monarchy. A Few Examples
Courage is the middle between one extreme of deficiency (cowardness) and the other extreme of excess (recklessness). The mean as concerns fear and confidence is courage: those that exceed in fearlessness are foolhardy, while those who exceed in fear are cowardly. The mean in respect to certain pleasures and pains is called temperance, while the excess is called profligacy. Deficiency in this matter is never found, so this sort of person does not have a name. In the matter of giving and earning money, the mean is liberality, excess and deficiency are prodigality and miserliness. But both vices exceed and fall short in giving and earning in contrary ways: the prodigal exceeds in spending, but falls short in earning; the miser exceeds in earning, but falls short in spending. With respect to honor and disgrace, the mean is “high-mindedness,” the excess might be called vanity, and the deficiency might be called humility or small-mindedness. Importance Of Golden Mean
The importance of the golden mean is that it re-affirms the balance needed in life. Aristotle believed this was the best way to live in society, as extremes of character are unhelpful for example someone who is too assertive can cause for others to lose their confidence. Buddha too preached the concept of the Golden Mean as the Middle path, a moderate way between extreme self-denial and sensual, materialistic self-indulgence. It helps people realise moderation rather than rigid monasticism or its extreme opposites, greed and acquisitiveness. Moderation can also help people develop moral characteristics. What is meant by Existentialism?
Relevancy GS Mains paper IV Existentialism Ethics Philosophy Origin of existentialism theory Existentialism originated with the 19th Century philosophers Soren Kierkegaard and Friedrich Nietzsche, although neither used the term in their work. In the 1940s and 1950s, French existentialists such as Jean-Paul Sartre popularized existential themes. He is regarded as the father of Existentialist philosophy.
167 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Introduction Existentialism is widely considered to be the philosophical and cultural movement which holds that the starting point of philosophical thinking must be the individual and the experiences of the individual. Existentialists generally believe that traditional systematic or academic philosophies are too abstract and away from concrete human experience. Facets of Existentialism A central proposition of existentialism is that "existence precedes essence", which means that the most important consideration for the individual is the fact that he or she is an individual, an independently acting and responsible conscious being [existence] rather than what labels, roles, stereotypes, definitions, or other preconceived categories the individual fits [essence]. The actual life of the individual is what constitutes what could be called his or her ' true essence’ instead of there being an arbitrarily "attributed essence" used by others to define him or her. Thus, human beings, through their own 'consciousness’, create their own values and determine a meaning to their life. Differences with other metaphysical theories What makes this philosophical argument distinct is not its concern with existence overall, but rather its claim that thinking of human existence requires new categories that are not found within conceptual thought during ancient and modern periods of time. Human beings cannot be understood as entities with fixed characteristics or as subjects interacting with a world of objects. Existentialism as a whole cannot be given a finite definition. However, the branches that stem from the foundations of the philosophical entity can be interpreted and applied to answer the object of human existence. WHAT IS HEDONISM?
Relevancy GS Mains paper IV Philosophy optional Hedonism merits and demerits Meaning of Hedonism
Hedonism is a school of thought that argues that pleasure and happiness are the primary or most important intrinsic goods and the proper aim of human life. A hedonist strives to maximize net pleasure (pleasure minus pain), but when having finally gained that pleasure, either through intrinsic or extrinsic goods, happiness remains stationary. Ethical hedonism is the idea that all people have the right to do everything in their power to achieve the greatest amount of pleasure possible to them. It is also the idea that every person's pleasure should far surpass their amount of pain. Concept of hedonism is also found in the Hindu scriptures. Among Indian philosophical schools, Charvaka school (Lokayatmat) advocates the principle of Hedonism. Charvaka school
Charvaka (Cārvāka), originally known as Lokāyata and Bṛhaspatya, is the ancient school of Indian materialism.
168 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) It is considered an example of atheistic schools in the Hindu tradition. Charvakas rejected many of the standard religious conceptions of Hindus, Buddhists and Jains, such as afterlife, reincarnation, samsara, karma and religious rites. They were critical of the Vedas, as well as Buddhist scriptures. Unlike many of the Indian philosophies of the time, Charvaka did not believe in austerities or rejecting pleasure out of fear of pain and held such reasoning to be foolish. It may be said from the available material that Cārvākas hold truth, integrity, consistency, and freedom of thought in the highest esteem. Advantages of Hedonism
It focusses on maximum happiness of an individual. Apart from Hedonism known as “gross sensual pleasure” there is another form which focusses on ‘long lasting sustainable’ pleasure, known as refined hedonism. Examples of Refined Hedonism are: appreciating art, investing in personal relations, cultivating hobbies. Promotes consumerism which is a boost to economy, employment generation. Disadvantages of Hedonism
Hedonists would justify drug abuse as it gives a sense of pleasure, however short lived. Makes a person spendthrift than making him save for the future. Hedonists wouldn’t realize that health and financial prudence gives long term happiness at the expense of short term discomfort. Law of marginal utility is applied to Hedonists that they have to consume more and more to get same amount of pleasure. This, consumerism leads to exploitation of natural resources which is not good for environment and sustainable development. Their never ending greed becomes their need and so on and so forth. For the hedonist, constant pleasure-seeking may not yield the most actual pleasure or happiness in the long run—or even in the short run, when consciously pursuing pleasure interferes with experiencing it. Relevant questions for mains
Q. Charvaka system is a crude form of Hedonism. Comment. Importance Of Emotional Intelligence In Modern World
Relevancy GS Mains paper IV Emotional Intelligence Introduction
The capacity to be aware of, control, and express one's emotions, and to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically is known as Emotional Intelligence (EI). Includes using of emotional information to guide thinking and behavior, and manage and adjust emotions to adapt to environments or achieve one's goals. This is also related to emotional reasoning and understanding in response to the people, environment and circumstances one encounters in his or her day-to-day life.
169 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Emotional intelligence also reflects abilities to join intelligence, empathy and emotions to enhance thought and understanding of interpersonal dynamics. EI is the key to both personal and professional success. However, substantial disagreement exists regarding the definition of EI, with respect to both terminology and operationalizations. Models of EI
Currently, there are three main models to define and measure EI. Ability model: It conceptualizes EI as a set of abilities to do with emotions much like IQ. Mixed model: It conceptualizes EI as a mix of traits and mental abilities or intelligence and emotion. Trait model: It conceptualizes EI as an array of emotional and social traits, eg. “Self-regard”. General effects on a person
Higher EI leads to better social relations of adults and children. Highly emotionally intelligent individuals are perceived more positively by others at workplace. It also improves family and intimate relationships significantly. Higher EI definitely leads to better academic achievement and better social relations during work performance and in negotiations. Having emotional intelligence increases your chances of being more accepted on teams and considered for leadership positions. Results in overall psychological well-being in distressful modern world. Lack of EI
Insensitivity: People who are insensitive are often perceived to not make a good leader. Arrogance: Damages personal life and emotional well-being. Volatility: Volatile people can cause dysfunction in different endeavors of life and often lead to failure. Rigidity: In today’s professional environment, being rigid or inflexible in approach is absolutely harmful. Selfishness: Always thinking about own self first can lead to many conflicts in personal and professional spheres of life. Criticism of EI as a concept
Cannot be recognized as form of intelligence. Confusing skills with moral qualities. Has little predictive value. Consequentialism vs Utilitarianism
Relevancy G.S. Paper 4 Introduction to Consequentialism and Utilitarianism Difference between Consequentialism and Utilitarianism Introduction
Ethics is the study of right and wrong.
170 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) It is also referred to as moral philosophy and analyzes the principles that decide the behavior of an individual or a group. There are many different theories in ethics with consequentialism and utilitarianism being an important one. There are many similarities between these two theories of ethics to make students confused as they tend to equate one with another and often use them interchangeably. This article attempts to highlight the differences between consequentialism and utilitarianism for the benefit of the readers.
Consequentialism
Consequentialism is a theory in ethics that judges people, things and issues on the basis of their outcomes or consequences. Thus, this theory teaches us that we can attain happiness if we can compare the outcome of an action with the beliefs and taboos of the society. Such a theory is of the view that our morality is all about producing good results or consequences. This is a view that has been a subject of debate for long as it expects people to be respectful, obedient, following rules and regulations, god fearing, and not poking their noses in the affairs of others just because of good consequences these actions would bring along. Consequentialists make it binding upon human beings to engage in activities that bring good consequences.
Utilitarianism
Utilitarianism is a special and most popular type of consequentialism. This theory in ethics accentuates on the fact that we should engage in acts that do maximum good to the maximum number of people. This is a theory that believes that all of us want to be happy, but at the same time, try to avoid pain to most of us around us. This theory puts emphasis on goals and the manner in which they are sought to be attained. Whether an act is right or wrong, is dependent upon what and how much good the act has been produced for people. Well being of human beings is at the center of utilitarianism with the theory suggesting of engaging in acts that maximize human welfare. The principles of utilitarianism got boosted by the writings of prominent philosophers such as John Stuart Mill and Jeremy Bentham.
Difference between Consequentialism and Utilitarianism
Utilitarianism was the term that was used to refer to consequentialism till 1960s, but today it is seen more of as a special type of consequentialism. Utilitarianism stresses on maximizing the good for the maximum number of people. Utilitarianism combines the aspects of hedonism and consequentialism. While the greatest good alone is stressed by Consequentialists, utilitarian stresses on the greatest good for the greatest number of people. Consequentialism says that the rightness of any conduct is based upon its consequences.
171 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Attitude And Behaviour
Relevancy GS Mains paper IV Ethics case studies Attitude, Behaviour Attitude
Attitude refers to a psychological tendency that is expressed by evaluating a particular object with some degree of favour or disfavour. "Object" includes people, things, events, and issues. Attitudes are the feelings and beliefs that determine the behavior of the persons. They provide framework for responding in a particular fashion. The attitudes may be positive or negative. The positive attitudes yield favourable behaviour and the negative attitudes yield unfavourable behaviour. Components of Attitude- ‘CAB’
Cognitive Component: o The cognitive component of attitudes refers to the beliefs, thoughts, and attributes we associate with an object. Affective Component o The affective component of attitudes refers to feelings or emotions (e.g, fear, sympathy, hate, like, pleasure) linked to an attitude object. Behavioural Component o The behavioural component of attitudes refers to a tendency or a predisposition to act in a certain manner. Categories of Attitudes
Explicit Attitudes o They are characterized as the attitudes which are the result of conscious cognition, which means person is aware of his or her attitude. o Since self is involved more consciously in it so sometimes it is known as 'self-reported attitude'. Implicit Attitudes o Implicit attitudes are derived from past memories, which are rooted in unconscious cognition. o It just comes out from our self without an intention. Behavior
Behaviour is the range of actions and mannerisms made by Individuals, organisms, systems, or artificial entities in conjunction with themselves or their environment, which includes the other systems or organisms around as well as the (inanimate) physical environment. It is the response of the system or organism to various stimuli or inputs, whether internal or external, conscious or subconscious, overt or covert, and voluntary or involuntary. Effect of attitude on behavior
172 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Various research works suggested that attitudes simply influence behaviour. Attitudes can positively or negatively affect a person’s behavior. A person may not always be aware of his or her attitude or the effect it is having on behavior. A person who has positive attitudes towards work and co-workers (such as contentment, friendliness, etc.) can positively influence those around them. These positive attitudes are usually manifested in a person’s behavior; people with a good attitude are active and productive and do what they can to improve the mood of those around them. A person who displays negative attitudes (such as discontentment, boredom, etc.), will behave accordingly. People with these types of attitudes towards work may likewise affect those around them and behave in a manner that reduces efficiency and effectiveness. The most recent research works suggest that the extent of influence of attitudes on behaviour depends upon various factors like self-awareness, attitude strength, etc. Deporting Rohingyas in India- Ethical or not?
Relevancy G.S. Paper 4 Why India should not deport Rohingaya Muslims? Why India should deport Rohingaya Muslims? Why India should not deport Rohingaya Muslims?
Deporting Rohingya Muslims would be a violation of India's commitments under international law. It will violate the international principle of non-refoulement which forbids states from forcibly returning people to a country where they face the risk of serious human rights violation. This is a recognized customary international law and is binding on India as India is a state party to international treaties that recognizes this principle. India was part of the council that authorized a fact-finding mission after tens of thousands of Rohingyas fled to Bangladesh from Myanmar, following a security operation in which hundreds were killed and raped. Thus, there are risks of abuse and serious human rights violation and India has an international obligation to protect them
Why India should deport Rohingaya Muslims?
Internal security o Terrorist groups can misuse the condition of rohingayas and use them in terrorizing India which is the biggest issue. o Rohingaya muslims were also found in some extremist groups who are fighting against India In J&K. Relationship with Mayanmar o By harboring rohingaya Muslims, the relations between two nations can be jeopardized. o This will result India failing in diplomatic war against China & Pakistan. Unemployment at rise in India o India is still unable to create sufficient job for its own citizens. o Already unemployed peoples blaming the government for the lack of jobs.
173 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) o This may lead to a complete chaos in India. Effect on economy and food supply o According to a World Bank report, India has the most number of peoples who live below the international poverty line of $1.90 a day. o 224 million, more than 2.5 times as many as the 86 million in Nigeria, which has the second-largest population of the poor worldwide. o Indians are poor already. Inclusion of more poor refugees is more than committing suicide. Attitude: Content and Structure
Relevancy G.S. Paper 4 (Ethics) What is attitude? Difference Between Prejudice, Stereotyping, and Discrimination What is Attitude?
An attitude is an expression and psychological tendency of some degree of favor or disfavor toward a person, place, thing, or event (the attitude object). An attitude is an evaluation of an attitude object, ranging from extremely negative to extremely positive. Most contemporary perspectives on attitudes also permit that people can also be conflicted or ambivalent toward an object by simultaneously holding both positive and negative attitudes toward the same object. This has led to some discussion of whether individual can hold multiple attitudes toward the same object. An attitude can be as a positive or negative evaluation of people, objects, events, activities, and ideas. It could be concrete, abstract or just about anything in your environment. Attitude is the evaluation of various aspects of the world. It can be evaluation of an idea, object, action (eg: playing cricket or watching football match etc) or about a person (eg: towards Mahendra Singh Dhoni or Sachin Tendulkar). The attitude may be strong (eg: attitude towards drinking behaviour – people usually have strong opinion for or against drinking) or weak. Attitudes are an important topic of study for social psychologists because they help determine what we do – what we eat, how we vote, what we do with our free time, and so on.
Difference Between Prejudice, Stereotyping, and Discrimination
Prejudice (attitudes), stereotypes (beliefs), and discrimination (actions) are three separate facets of some of our more troubling social behaviors toward one another. Prejudice literally means “prejudgment.” Prejudice is an attitude about another person based on his or her perceived membership in a group. So people use the perceived group membership of another person to provide a ready-made attitude about the person. Attitudes can be positive or negative. A positive attitude toward a brand of milk might lead to purchasing that brand on a regular basis. A negative attitude about snakes might lead to avoidance of snake displays at a zoo. Negative prejudice, or attitudes about members of perceived groups have negative connotations and lead to avoidance.
174 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Where prejudice involves attitudes, stereotypes are cognitions or beliefs. When making a stereotype, a person categorizes others in ways that are overly simplistic based on perceived group membership. For example, the stereotype that professors are absent-minded might be true of some, but is highly unlikely to be true of all professors. Discrimination is behavior based on stereotypes and prejudices. If a person has negative beliefs and attitudes about a perceived group, he or she might act on those beliefs and attitudes in situations such as hiring a new employee. The actions of making hiring based on prejudice and stereotyping are discriminatory. Although laws cannot influence people’s attitudes and beliefs very much, laws can and do help prevent people acting on those attitudes and beliefs in discriminatory ways.
Measurement of Attitude
Attitudes can be difficult to measure because measurement is arbitrary, meaning people have to give attitudes a scale to measure it against, and attitudes are ultimately a hypothetical construct that cannot be observed directly. But still, following the explicit-implicit dichotomy, attitudes can be examined through direct and indirect measures. Whether attitudes are explicit (i.e., deliberately formed) versus implicit (i.e., subconscious) has been a topic of considerable research. Explicit Attitude and Its Measurement: Explicit attitudes are attitudes that are at the conscious level, are deliberately formed and are easy to self-report. For example: Imagine you’re out with some friends and meet someone new. This new acquaintance is wearing a Chennai Superkings jersey, and they happen to be your favorite team. You decide you already like this person and start a friendly conversation. From an attitude perspective, you consciously noticed the jersey and determined that this was obviously someone with which you would get along. Your attitude is at the conscious level, was deliberately formed and you are able to tell someone else about your attitude. Explicit measures tend to rely on self-reports or easily observed behaviors. These tend to involve bipolar scales (e.g., good-bad, favorable-unfavorable, support-oppose, etc.) Implicit Attitude and Its Measurement: Implicit attitudes are attitudes that are at the unconscious level, are involuntarily formed and are typically unknown to us. For Example: Imagine you are out with your friends. You vaguely notice some of the strangers around you but don’t meet anyone. You talk with your friends but feel extremely uncomfortable. Maybe your friend even notices and asks what’s wrong, but you have no idea. In this scenario, it would be possible that one of the strangers near you reminds you of someone from your past that you greatly disliked. Your attitude towards this person is what is making you feel uncomfortable. However, the attitude is at the unconscious level, was involuntarily formed, and you have no idea it’s there, so you couldn’t tell anyone about it. Implicit measures are not consciously directed and are assumed to be automatic, which may make implicit measures more valid and reliable than explicit measures (such as self-reports in which you can do manipulation in self reporting). People can hold implicit prejudicial attitudes, but express explicit attitudes that report little prejudice. Implicit measures help account for these situations and look at attitudes that a person may not be aware of or want to show.
175 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) The stronger an implicit attitude the more likely it is that it will show up in an explicit attitude. Strong attitudes are stable and not easily changed due to persuasion and can therefore help predict behaviors. Implicit measures, therefore usually rely on an indirect measure of attitude.
Structure of Attitude
Attitude has three components as illustrated by the ABC Model: affective, behavioral and cognitive. Three components: Affective / Emotional component (How do you feel about it?) Cognitive component (What do you think about it?) Behavioral component (Are you walking the walk or just talking the talk?) Although every attitude has these three components, any particular attitude can be based on one component more than another. A criticism of the tripartite view of attitudes is that it requires cognitive, affective, and behavioral associations of an attitude to be consistent, but this may be implausible.
ABC Components of Attitude
Affective component: o The affective component of attributes refer to your feelings or emotions linked to an attitude object. o For Example: Suppose Abhishek has ophidiophobia (a phobia of snakes). A snake is an attitude object. Whenever Abhishek is exposed to a snake – whether he sees one or thinks about one – he feels extreme anxiety and fear. This is only one component of this specific attitude. o An attitude that is stemmed from or originally created by an emotion is called an affectively-based attitude. o Attitudes about hot-button issues – such as politics, sex, and religion – tend to be affectively-based, as they usually come from a person’s values. This type of attitude is used to express and validate our moral belief or value systems. Behavioral component: o Behavioral component refers to the way one tends to act or behave when exposed to an attitude object. o For Example: Think about Abhishek and his snake phobia again. We already identified the affective component of his attitude towards snakes – fear and anxiety. How do you think he behaves when it comes to snakes? Most likely, he avoids them whenever possible. If he does see one, he would probably scream or cries. This behavior is the second component of that particular attitude. o The behavioral component of attitudes also refer to past behaviors or experiences regarding an attitude object. o For Example: Think about the question: where does an attitude come from? Sometimes, we are unsure of our feelings about a particular topic. Imagine a friend asks if you like Pizza. Since you don’t regularly eat Pizza and can’t immediately recall what it tastes like, you think back about the times that you have eaten it. You remember that you normally eat all of the Pizza you are given, so conclude that you must like it (or at least, that you don’t dislike it). Because your attitude is determined by observing your own behavior, this is an example of behaviorally-based attitude. Cognitive component:
176 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) o The cognitive component of attitudes refer to the beliefs, thoughts, and attributes that we would associate with an object. Many times a person’s attitude might be based on the negative and positive attributes they associate with an object. o For Example: We have already determined that Abhishek avoids snakes and is scared when he is exposed to them. But, what does he think about snake? It is likely he believes that all snakes are dangerous and gross. Beyond the physical and emotional reaction of his phobia, there is also the cognitive component of his attitude.
Understanding ‘Components of Attitude” with another example in summarised form
Cognitive – our thoughts, beliefs, and ideas about something. When a human being is the object of an attitude, the cognitive component is frequently a stereotype, e.g. “welfare recipients are lazy” Affective – feelings or emotions that something evokes. e.g. fear, sympathy, hate. May dislike welfare recipients. Behavioral – tendency or disposition to act in certain ways toward something. Might want to keep welfare recipients out of our neighborhood. Emphasis is on the tendency to act, not the actual acting; what we intend and what we do may be quite different.
Formation of Attitude
Attitudes form directly as a result of experience and learning. They may emerge due to direct personal experience, or they may result from observation. Social roles and social norms can have a strong influence on attitudes. Social roles relate to how people are expected to behave in a particular role or context. Social norms involve society’s rules for what behaviors are considered appropriate.
Attitudes can be learned in a variety of ways
Classical Conditioning o Classical conditioning theory involves learning a new behavior via the process of association. Classical conditioning helps forming an attitude when a neutral stimulus is paired with a stimulus that naturally evokes an emotional response (Learning through association). o Example: You are driving down a dark and curvy road when you narrowly miss a collision with a large truck that has edged over into your lane. You experience a rapid pulse, sweating palms, and your stomach begins to churn. After this near miss, you continue driving down the road. A few days later, as you approach the same curve, you begin to experience the same reactions (your heart beats faster, your palms begin to sweat) but there are no other vehicles around. o Classical conditioning was made famous by Pavlov and his experiments conducted with dogs: Bell was rung when dogs received food. Food made dogs salivate. o Then, whenever a bell was rung, dogs salivated even when food was not present. o Consider how advertisers use classical conditioning to influence your attitude toward a particular product. In a television commercial, you see young, beautiful people having fun in on a tropical beach while enjoying a sport drink. This attractive and appealing imagery causes you to develop a positive association with this particular beverage.
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Operant Conditioning or Instrumental Learning o Operant conditioning is a method of learning that occurs through reinforcements and punishments for behavior. o Behaviors or attitudes that are followed by positive consequences are reinforced and are more likely to be repeated than are behaviors and attitudes that are followed by negative consequences. o Operant conditioning can be used to influence how attitudes develop. Imagine a young man who has just started smoking. o Whenever he lights up a cigarette, people complain, chastise him and ask him to leave their vicinity. o This negative feedback from those around him eventually causes him to develop an unfavorable opinion of smoking and he decides to give up the habit. o Operant conditioning is distinguished from classical conditioning in that operant conditioning deals with the reinforcement and punishment to change behavior. o Operant behavior operates on the environment and is maintained by its antecedents and consequences, while classical conditioning is maintained by conditioning of reflexive behaviors, which are elicited by antecedent conditions. Observational learning (Observing the people around): o People also learn attitudes by observing the people around them. o When someone you admire greatly espouses a particular attitude, you are more likely to develop the same beliefs. o For example, children spend a great deal of time observing the attitudes of their parents and usually begin to demonstrate similar outlooks.
178 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Virtue Ethics
Relevancy G.S. Paper 4 About Virtue Ethics Origins Of Virtue Ethics Value To Virtue Ethics Right Character In Virtue Ethics Developing Moral Psychology About Virtue Ethics Both teleological and deontological ethical theories are called deontic or action-based theories of morality. This is because they focus entirely on the actions which a person performs. Those theories focus on the question, "Which action should I choose?" Virtue ethics, in contrast, take a very different perspective. Virtue-based ethical theories place less emphasis on which rules people should follow and instead focus on helping people develop good character traits, such as kindness and generosity. These character traits will, in turn, allow a person to make the correct decisions later on in life. Virtue theorists also emphasize the need for people to learn how to break bad habits of character, like greed or anger. These are called vices and stand in the way of becoming a good person.
Origins Of Virtue Ethics
Virtue ethics has not been a very common topic for recent study. It does, however, date back to the ancient Greek thinkers and is thus the oldest type of ethical theory in Western philosophy. Plato discussed four key virtues: wisdom, courage, temperance, and justice. The first systematic description of virtue ethics was written down by Aristotle in his famous work "Nichomachean Ethics." According to Aristotle, when people acquire good habits of character, they are better able to regulate their emotions and their reason. This, in turn, helps us reach morally correct decisions when we are faced with difficult choices.
The Value Of Virtue Ethics
Virtue ethics emphasizes the central role played by motives in moral questions. This is one reason why they can be popular and why they make an important contribution to our understanding of morality. To act from virtue is to act from some particular motivation. To say that certain virtues are necessary for correct moral decisions is to say that correct moral decisions require correct motives. Neither teleological nor deontological moral theories require motives to play a role in our evaluation of moral decisions. Yet, encouraging correct motivations is very often a key component of the moral education of young people. We are taught that we should desire certain outcomes and that we should want to accomplish certain goals by our actions.
179 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) This goes beyond simply obeying the rules or seeking an optimal outcome. Other moral theories share a common difficulty not found in virtue ethics. This is the moral calculation of what actions to take or which moral duties to emphasize. On this matter, virtue ethics can be attractive. Virtue theories promise that once we are successful in creating the sort of person we want to be, arriving at the correct moral decisions will come naturally.
Key Questions Which Virtue Ethical Systems Ask Include:
What sort of person do I want to be? What virtues are characteristic of the person I want to be? What actions will cultivate the virtues I want to possess? What actions will be characteristic of the sort of person I want to be?
'Right' Character Is Not Always Easy in Virtue Ethics
The reality of virtue ethics isn’t as neat and simple as some might imagine. Many common moral decisions may indeed come more easily to a person of the “right” moral character. Yet, the fact of the matter is that many moral dilemmas require a great deal of careful reasoning and thinking. Simply having the right character cannot be enough to make the right decision, likely, much less assured. The fact that rule-based and duty-based ethical systems are complicated and difficult to employ also cannot make a person of good character more likely to make the right choices.
What Is 'Right'?
Another problem with virtue-based ethical systems is the question of what the “right” sort of character is. Many, if not most, virtue theorists have treated the answer to this question as self-evident, but it is anything but. One person’s virtue may be another person’s vice and a vice in one set of circumstances may be a virtue in another. Some advocates of virtue ethics suggest that we determine the right virtues by asking a virtuous person, but that is just an exercise in question begging. Others might suggest asking a happy person, but that assumes that happiness and virtue always coincide. This is by no means an obvious truth.
Developing Moral Psychology
Perhaps a key to understanding virtue theories of ethics is to regard them as ways to approach moral psychology rather than moral epistemology, or knowledge. What this means is that virtue theories should not be contrasted with theories about how to make moral choices, like the teleological theory of John Stuart Mill or the deontological theory of Immanuel Kant. Instead, virtue theories of ethics should be treated as ways to understand how we become moral creatures.
180 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) In addition, how we develop the means by which we make moral decisions and the process by which moral attitudes develop. More importantly, virtue theories may be able to teach us how morals themselves should be taught. This is particularly true in the early years when the more complicated decision-making processes are not yet possible. Ethics And Morals
Relevancy G.S. Paper 4 (Ethics) Difference between moral and ethics Basics Of Ethics
Ethics is a plural noun. Many organizations publish guidelines or codes of conduct that outline their professional ethics. H. G. Fowler famously wrote, “Ethics is the science of morals, and morals are the practice of ethics.” It refers to rules concerning upright behavior. Example: o I wrote a paper on animal ethics, in which I argued that the slaughter of livestock for food on an industrial scale was indefensible. o Maria read her company’s ethics guidelines and signed a contract, signaling her agreement to abide by them for the length of her employment. o The CEO’s ethics violations filled several pages, and he sank lower into his chair as they were read aloud before the board members. o It was an idea that raised ethical questions that continue to challenge the organ- transplantation system. –The Wall Street Journal The discipline of ethics is where you go to study moral principles. Ethics is where you gain knowledge about moral principles, about right and wrong. Morals, themselves, are the practice of this knowledge.
Basics Of Moral
Morals is also a plural noun. Morals refer to principles of right and wrong behavior and the goodness or badness of human character. A person’s morals are informed by the broader rules of ethics. For instance, a person’s moral belief that theft is wrong might stem from the ethical principle of respect for the private property of others. Examples (in sentences): o “My morals prohibit me from murdering people I don’t like,” said Tim. o Children develop their own morals in tandem with a growing awareness of social norms and values as they enter adolescence. o “Jim’s morals are in the toilet,” complained Sandy. o Jessica is thrilled, but her mother, a devout Catholic with a prim disapproval of Tinseltown’s loose morals, fears for her daughter’s soul. –The Washington Post Morals are the way that people exercise their ethics.
181 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Difference Between Moral And Ethics And Trick To Remember It
In practice, most people use morals and ethics interchangeably, so in everyday conversation, you don’t really need to distinguish between these terms. Insisting on their careful use could even come across as pedantic. For professional and academic writing, though, especially if you are writing a paper for a philosophy class, you will need to know the difference between morals and ethics. Morals are individual beliefs and values, and they are informed by the broad principles of ethics. One easy way to remember morals vs. ethics is that morals apply to me, while ethics apply to everyone. A philosophy guru might take issue with these assertions, since those people take issue with almost everything, but at least this mnemonic will help you remember the difference between the words themselves.
Summary
Is it ethics or morals? Ethics and morals refer to attitudes about right and wrong. Ethics are broad principles. Morals reflect individual values and beliefs. Religion VS Constitution
Relevancy GS Mains paper II Ethics of self-fulfillment, Social norms Religion vs constitutions Introduction
Checking political tyranny, protecting the basic interests of dissenting minorities, and saving all citizens from taking decisions now that they might regret later are important objectives of all liberal-democratic constitutions. But the Indian Constitution goes further as it attempts a comprehensive social transformation, to effect a social revolution. Religion appears to be the main target of this attempted transformation. Some concepts
Individual ethics of self-fulfillment: o It is a framework for meaningful living and dying, say, a full life in this world, swarga(heaven) in another world, or freedom from recurrent births and deaths (moksha or nirvana), or obeying the commands of God. By social norms of everyday conduct: o It means rituals and ceremonies of social interaction, but primarily norms governing interpersonal relations with whom one should or should not interact, who one should or should not marry, with whom one should or should not dine, who is to perform which job in society, etc. o Ethics of self-fulfillment and norms of social conduct may be so tightly connected that they form one single system.
182 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) o Or the connection between them may be so loose that they are seen to constitute two separate systems. Ethics and social norms: o In the Abrahamic traditions, the connection between ethics and social norms was forged so tightly that they became part of a single deeply connected system. o And the term ‘Religion’ was invented to refer to this whole. o Thus, if a person chose to be, say, a Latin Christian, he instantly became part of this entire system. o Adopting a particular set of Christian beliefs on salvation went hand in hand with taking part in specific Christian rituals and ceremonies, and entering a web of unequal social relations with non-Christians. o It would be wrong and impermissible for a person with Christian beliefs to participate in non-Christian social rituals or tolerate pagans.
Ethics and social norms In European tradition: o It meant breaking the monopoly of Christianity, presenting options other than dominant Christian ideas of self-fulfillment — pluralisation of ethics. o loosening the connection between ethics and social norms, freeing social norms from Christian ethics, building norms of social equality that transcended religious identities — secularization. o And fighting a church that blocked secularisation and pluralisation. In Indian Tradition: o By contrast, the connection between ethics and social norms remained very loose in the Indian tradition. o Because social norms and power hardly ever dictated the choice of ethics, there was greater innovation, and so ethical frameworks proliferated. o There were always many ethical frameworks to choose from. o People could move freely from one framework to another and sometimes, without any discomfort, participate in several. o And yet, precisely because social norms existed independently of ethics, this very ethical flexibility went hand in hand with great rigidity within social norms. o This is so because hierarchical and fixed caste relations lay at the core of these norms. o Ironically, they even complemented each other; as long as one remained within the caste system, one could choose any ethical framework, any path to self-fulfilment. o Examples o A person could find fulfilment in a loving relationship with Krishna, in achieving swarga, or in liberation from the cycle of rebirth and at the same time follow common norms governing unequal social relations. o A person may quit a this-worldly Vedic ethic in order to lead an ascetic Jain life but all the while continue to belong to the Vaishya caste, and therefore remain enmeshed in hierarchical caste relations. o This was true even for those who became Christians or Muslims; they chose a modified Abrahamic ethic but remained entrenched in the caste system. Religion in India
The term religion was not easily applicable in the subcontinent where ethics and social norms do not cohere into one single whole.
183 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Yet, such is the force and sway of the term ‘religion’ that it has been simultaneously used to refer to two relatively distinct and independent systems of ethics and social norms. This has generated many problems and much confusion. Indian Constitution vs Indian religion
Unlike Europe, where people have to fight for pluralisation of ethics, here we strive to conserve our immense pluralism of ethical religions, to act against any attempt at religious homogenisation or exclusion. This conservative function the Indian Constitution performs. By preventing a tight connection between social norms and ethical religion, the Indian Constitution also ensures that we do not have ‘Religion’ as originally conceived, something as totalising as Latin Christianity had been or Saudi Islam now is. Finally, its main objective is to destroy what is at the core of India’s dominant social religion — its deeply hierarchical caste system. This last feature alone marks it as an instrument for social revolution.
Nudge Theory
Relevancy: GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III, Economy optional Behavioural economics, Nudge Theory, Nobel prize for Economics, Richard Thaler.
Recently: U.S. economist Richard Thaler won the Nobel Economics prize for showing that economic and financial decision-makers are not always rational, but mostly deeply human. Bridging the gap between economics and psychology, Mr. Thaler’s research focuses on behavioural economics, which explores the impact of psychological and social factors on decisions by individuals or groups in the economy and financial markets. The previous US president Barack Obama recruited Cass Sunstein as an adviser and exhorted US government departments to adopt behavioural economic concepts such as nudge. In 2010 the UK Government set up a Behavioural Insights Team, commonly dubbed a “nudge unit”, to develop policies. Administrations in Denmark, Australia, Canada and the Netherlands have also shown an interest.
What is a ‘nudge’?
The “nudge” concept is a relatively subtle policy shift that encourages people to make decisions that are in their broad self-interest. It is not about penalizing people if they do not behave in a particular manner, rather it makes easier for people to take decisions. It is imperative to understand the behavior and psychology behand the decisions taken by people. Thaler says that people hardly take rational economic decisions.
184 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Case Studies:
Governments, worldwide are introducing “behavioural economics” as a part of their governance teams. UK’s Pension policy: The UK government introduced ‘automatic enrolment’ scheme for pension in private companies. This means, that an amount from employee’s salary would automatically be deducted for their future pensions. This also increased the savings of the people. This meant that the people wanted to save money for their retirement, but were aversive to complex procedures and forms. The result was that the enrolment for Pension scheme in private sector increased from 2.7 million in 2012 to 7.7. million in 2016. Organ donation in Spain: Spain is a world leader in organ donations. Citizens are given an opt- out option from automatic enrolment in ‘organ donation’ scheme of the government. There are very few people who opt-out of the scheme. Deep down, in many people, there is a desire for organ donation once they die. This “nudge” by the government makes people take a decision, which would otherwise be cumbersome due to registration procedures.
Criticism of the “Nudge Theroy”
The theory has been criticized for being over-paternalistic. Some people also say that it infringes upon civil liberties. However, an opt out option is always available for the citizens.
“Nudges for India”
In India, we can find many fields where ‘nudges’ can be given by the government. The idea is that these nudges should neither be ‘penalising’, nor sound ‘paternalistic’ for them to be successful. Economic field includes: pension, tax payment, self-exclusion from government subsidies. Social field includes: Swachh Bharat Campaign, each one teach one, organ donation, blood donation, tree plantation. Political field includes: Giving up reservation by ‘creamy layer’, giving up privileges that politicians get as Members of respective legislative bodies. Relevence for India There is much that policy in India can adapt and use from these research findings. Research by a Mumbai-based firm, suggests that using fictionalized photographs of a person getting run over by a train reduced incidences of railway-related deaths significantly at unmanned crossing, something that the railway ministry might consider implementing as a pilot. Such interventions may also encourage large-scale signing up for organ donation, and rework the ‘give it up’ policy for cooking gas subsidy on that basis. Benefits Understanding cognitive biases correctly, and formulating interventions that take into account such biases can have a huge impact on making public-spending more effective. As an added bonus, India can make use of this opportunity to lead the way in pioneering behavioural research in South Asia, focusing on the policy challenges unique to this region. Conclusion
185 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) The nudge revolution encourages the use by government of plain language; favours the design of policies that actually take account of real-world behaviour; and allows the testing of ideas on a small scale before wider implementation. It certainly deserves to be pushed to maximum use.
Law Vs Ethics
Relevancy GS Mains paper IV Law, ethics, Differences
Law
It is defined as a system that enforces set of rules and guidelines to govern social behavior. The law tries to create a basic, enforceable standard of behaviour necessary in order for a community to succeed and in which all people are treated equally. These are ethic codes that people are required to obey. The law outlines a basic standard of behaviour necessary for our social institutions to keep functioning. For example, it protects basic consumer rights.
Ethics
Ethics is a branch of philosophy that aims to answer the basic question, “What should I do?” It’s a process of reflection in which people’s decisions are shaped by their values, principles and purpose rather than unthinking habits, social conventions or self-interest. Our values, principles and purpose are what give us a sense of what’s good, right and meaningful in our lives and serve as a reference point for all the possible courses of action we could choose. On this definition, an ethical decision is one made based on reflection about the things we think are important and that is consistent with those beliefs. While each person is able to reflect and discover their own sense of what’s good, right and meaningful, the course of human history has seen different groups unify around different sets of values, purposes and principles. Christians, consequentialists, Buddhists, Stoics and the rest all provide different answers to that question, “What should I do?”
Law Vs ethics
In general, ethics are moral philosophy where a person makes a specific moral choice and sticks to it, whereas law is a system that comprises of rules and principles to govern a society. Though, ethics are based on the goodwill of law, ethics completely differ in their foundation, basis and purpose. Though, law is a derivative of ethics, law does not focus on promoting social ideas, it merely promotes the convention of a good society.
186 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Laws help shape politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relationships between people. Ethics, being about actions and decisions, helps to shape an individual’s conscience and character. It consists of learning what is right and what is wrong and doing the right thing. The connection between law and ethics depends on perception, because often what is perceived as unethical is usually considered illegal. There is valid punishment for breaking the law whereas there is no punishment for defying one’s ethics. Laws depend on the country, state and the place of the crime but Ethics are universal and can be applied anywhere, all over the world. Law is judged by judicial standards whereas ethical behavior is judged by moral standards. Law directly states of what is right and what is wrong but in ethics a person decides to what is right and what is wrong.
Examples in daily life
Law does not prohibit many acts that would widely be condemned as unethical. For example, lying or betraying the confidence of a friend is not illegal, but most people would consider it unethical. Also, speeding is illegal, but many people may not have any ethical conflict with exceeding the speed limit. So, law is more than simply codifying ethical norms.
Conclusion
Ethics and laws are therefore necessary to provide guidance and stability to people and society as a whole. Though, ethics and law go hand-in-hand, it is a complicated relationship between the two terms.
Ethical Dualism
Relevancy GS Mains paper IV Ethics paper, Philosophy optional Introduction Ethical dualism refers to the practice of imputing evil entirely and exclusively to a specific group of people, while disregarding or denying one's own capacity to commit evil. The consequence of such stance is the creation of an "Us" versus "Them", thereby polarizing social configurations into extremes in a way that mutual understanding between the two "poles" is made very difficult or impossible, since the "Them", the "Other", is demonized, dehumanized. In other words, ethical dualism basically pictures the existence of two mutually hostile entities, the one representing the origin of all Good and the other of all evil.
187 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) It includes ‘polarization’ tendency which attributes evil exclusively to particular group (Origin of all evil) while considering one’s own actions as good (Origin of all good).
Thus it refers to conflict of two opposite ideologies, which clashes with one another to push one’s own agenda and establish supremacy of the group/class of people.
Ethics are the membrane between religion and politics.
Thus dualism in ethics has its repercussion in all spheres, and extreme form of it acts detrimental to society.
Throughout history, the interpretation of events and situation from an Ethical dualism perspective has target different groups of people, such as the nobility, the Jews, the bourgeoisie, the corporate elite, Muslims, and many others. Such dualism tendencies originate owing to differences level of socio-eco index, religious beliefs, form and nature of Government etc. and has been present since earlier period evident in ancient religions – Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity and civilizations such as Greek, Mesopotamia, India (Samkhya vs others).
All these cases were and are characterized by a situation of injustice, which pushed people belonging to a certain group to associate and link such injustice entirely on the group which is perceived to have caused it, thereby leading to a situation of extreme social polarization, where dialogue between groups becomes stiff or impossible. Examples Ethical dualism in Islam is hidden under garb of religion, with Islamic State (Sunnis) refuting Sufi ideologies and considering other religions as immoral.
In political/economic ideologies, where capitalist nations are distorting free market and labour mobility for example US immigration ban and its protectionist nature while advocating liberal standards globally.
Racial discrimination under falsehood of nationalism and supremacy for example Myanmar (Rohingyas), US (Asians and Africans).
Conclusion Ethical dualism is lively visible in contemporary world, but is a hindrance to the progress of Human Civilization. Hence all people should inculcate values like objectivity, tolerance, empathy and compassion to understand and share the feeling of other individuals Persuasion
Relevancy GS Mains paper IV Ethics case studies Persuasion
What is Persuasion?
188 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Persuasion is a symbolic process in which communicators try to convince other people to change their attitudes or behavior regarding an issue through the transmission of a message, in an atmosphere of free choice.
Components of persuasion
Persuasion is a symbolic process: o It takes time, consists of a number of steps, and actively involves the recipient of the message. o Persuasion also involves the use of symbols, with messages transmitted primarily through language with its rich, cultural meanings. o Symbols include words like freedom, justice, and equality; nonverbal signs. o Symbols are persuaders’ tools, harnessed to change attitudes and mold opinions. Persuasion involves an attempt to influence: o People persuade themselves. o One of the great myths of persuasion is that persuaders convince us to do things we really don’t want to do. o They supposedly overwhelm us with so many arguments or such verbal ammunition that we acquiesce. Persuasion involves the transmission of a message. o The message may be verbal or nonverbal. o It can be relayed interpersonally, through mass media, or via the Internet. o It may be reasonable or unreasonable, factual or emotional. o The message can consist of arguments or simple cues, like music in an advertisement that brings pleasant memories to mind. Persuasion requires free choice. o If self-persuasion is the key to successful influence, then an individual must be free to alter his own behavior or to do what he wishes in a communication setting.
Steps to persuade
Establish Your Own Credibility o History of good judgement should be displayed o Expertise in the field o Listening to others o Build strong relationship with the subject Find Common Ground o Explain benefits and advantages o Understand the subject’s views Evidences in favour of your position o Use Stories or imagery or anecdotes to elaborate o Present facts and figures o Use of clear logic and metaphors Connect Emotionally
189 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) o Empathize o Understand emotions
o Demonstrate true commitment o Emotional Intelligence
Examples
A common example of persuasion is the advertising industry. The whole of advertising industry revolves around persuading the consumers to buy their product. This may be done via creating imagery of fear or promises of better future. For example, the health insurance companies play on your fear of poor health and financial insecurity. On the other hand, energy drink companies promise you a better health after using their product. Also, by looking at the great leaders in the history of the world, their power of persuasion is what makes millions give their life for them. When it is done on genuine premises, they create long lasting bond between the leader and her audience. However, if the premises turn out to be false (for example building a wall and making the Mexican pay for it) then the leader is bound to lose his ground.
Gita, Mahabharata and Ramayana
Relevancy GS Mains paper IV Gita Mahabharata Ramayana Introduction
The Bhagvada Gita, Mahabharata and Ramayana and other ancient texts teaches many morals and consciousness that are bedrock to sustain Indian society with plurality and diversity for many years. But in actual, these epics renders priceless teachings about philosophy and devotion that actually can provide solutions to various problems in our life. Gita
Brahmajnana: o It teaches us the way to liberation from all kinds of bondages by the realization of the ultimate happiness through liberation from all kinds of bondages. Karma Yoga: o It also tells us to practice devotional meditation on the name of God, and the practice of one’s own duties without any attachment. Atma-gyana o The Gita also teaches self realisation which enable person do not treat others as superior or inferior to oneself.
190 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Sama-darshina o Meaning value of equal treatment, enable person to see things equally regardless of rich or poor, high or low. Swa-dharma o The lesson of dependence on self-reliance enabled the freedom fighters to fight against to unethical ruling of British and securing self-rule. Mahabharta
Justice o It has taught us that sometimes you have to go against your own family to stand for justice and nothing should come in the way. Forgiveness o Though revenge may provide you with relief but then revenge does not distinguish you from the people who have hurt you. o Forgive and forget if you want to live life peacefully. Problem solving o One of the greatest lessons taught by Mahabharata is that we need to focus on finding solutions to the problems rather than focusing on or creating problems. Half Knowledge Can Prove Dangerous o We sometimes take decisions on the basis of the amount of knowledge we have about that situation and tend to ignore the other side of the coin that can have a significant impact on our decision. o Therefore, we must take decisions only when we have complete information about it. Ramayana
Protecting a Woman’s Honor is a Noble Deed o One should not think twice in helping a women and protecting her honor. o The noble bird Jatayu gave up his life for saving Sita from the clutches of Ravana. The Power of True Dedication o The Ramayana gives another important lesson of true devotion and friendship by the example of the relationship between Lord Rama and his ardent devotee, Hanuman, who did everything he could do for his Lord. Pride Always has a fall o Ravana was a great warrior who was blessed with immortality by Lord Shiva, but it was his pride which took him to his downfall. Lessons From The Life Of Mahatma Gandhi
Relevancy GS Mains paper IV Mahatma Gandhi Ethics case studies Introduction The basic principles, central to Gandhian ideology, are truth, love and non-violence. The whole universe of Gandhian perspective is based on these cardinal principles. He believed that no material advancement can benefit the human society, if it is lacking of the moral base. He gave his ideas and experiences in his autobiography- ‘My Experiments with Truth‘
191 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Valuable lessons Non Violence o One should be completely away from actions, which may hurt others physically or mentally. NonViolence is to bear the distress by oneself to make others happy. Truth o For Gandhiji, truth was equivalent to God. o For our true moral and spiritual growth, it is necessary that we constantly make efforts towards the expansion of our perception of the truth. Celibacy o Abstaining from excessive self-indulgence by thought, action and speech. o Every individual must cultivate a discipline by which we are able to keep the senses under control. Non-Possessiveness o It refers to renunciation of possessions by thought, words and deeds. o One’s possession should be restricted to the level of contentment. o The tendency of limitless possession is a cause of evil. SERVICE TO MANKIND : o That all humans are equal and there are no differences amongst us. o People should stand for unity of life and humans, which was evident by his works for untouchables (calling them harijans). END AND MEANS : o Gandhi was the firm believer that no good can be achieved by following the wrong path and even if someone does bad deeds to achieve good ends, it would be useless as it won't bring mental peace and inner satisfaction. CLEANLINESS: o Gandhi said, "Cleanliness is next to Godliness", o One should not lay stress on just external cleanliness, but inner cleanliness as well, that is, cleanliness of mind and soul, purity of heart with no vices for others. Conclusion Gandhi's ethics are much relevant even today and by adapting his teachings in our lives, we, humans can bring positive changes in personal, national and global fronts. With this, his vision of egalitarian, just and equitable society will come true.
Evolution of Indian Philosophical Ethics
Relevancy GS Mains paper IV Ethics, Philosophy optional Orthodox Schools Heterodox Schools Introduction
Ethics in India is a complex and multi-faceted one, being constituted of divergent and several religious and philosophical traditions. The main schools of Indian philosophy were formalised chiefly between 1000 BCE to the early centuries of the Common Era.
192 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) According to philosopher Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the earliest of these, which date back to the composition of the Upanishads in the later Vedic period (1000–500 BCE), constitute "the earliest philosophical compositions of the world." Competition and integration between the various schools was intense during their formative years, especially between 800 BCE and 200 CE. Some schools like Jainism, Buddhism, Yoga, Saiva and Advaita Vedanta survived, but others, like Ajñana, Charvaka and Ājīvika did not. Orthodox Schools
There are six major schools of orthodox Hindu philosophy are Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Samkhya, Yoga, Mimasa and Vedanta. The Indian term for morality and ethics is ‘dharma’. Dharma comes from the root ‘dhr’, which means to hold together. And thus the function of dharma is to hold the human society together for its stability and growth. Right conduct is essential if the human society is to survive. Its early beginnings have to be traced from the Vedas, particularly the Rig Veda. One of the central ethical concepts of the Rig Veda is ‘rta’, a conception of unifying order or moral law, pervading all things. The concept ‘rta’ has given rise to two other important concepts, the concept of Dharma and the concept of Karma. o Dharma: has got so different and divergent meanings, but generally it is known as duty. o Karma: It signifies that there is a uniform moral law, governing the actions of man and the rewards and the punishments appropriate to their actions. o Upanishadis: Upnishadic ethics is primarily atman centric and intellectualistic. o In this metaphysical realm only we can speak of Upanishadic ethics. o Manusmrti: It subordinated individuality to social structures. o Though individual, one belongs to a family and a sub-caste and he is always taken care by the family in which he is, and so the Hindu social morality is relativistic on several counts. Heterodox schools
Several Sramaṇic movements have existed before the 6th century BCE, and these influenced both the Astika and nastika traditions of Indian philosophy. The Sramaṇa movement gave rise to diverse range of heterodox beliefs, ranging from accepting or denying the concept of soul, atomism, antinomian ethics, materialism, atheism, agnosticism, fatalism to free will, idealization of extreme asceticism to that of family life, strict ahimsa (non-violence) and vegetarianism to permissibility of violence and meat-eating. Notable philosophies that arose from Sramaṇic movement were Jainism, early Buddhism, Carvaka, Ajnana and Ajivika. These rejected the authority of the Vedas and were known as preaching radical skepticism. Ethical issues involved in Diplomacy
Relevancy GS Mains paper IV Ethics case studies
193 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Diplomacy Introduction
Ethics is the study of the moral code of conduct or the ideal behaviour to be sought by the human beings. It provides guidance to the realm of international relations as well. Need for Ethics
Ethics helps to avoid the "Ego Clash" & "Ideological Clash" between two or more nations. For example: The disruption between India & Pakistan relation can be avoided if both take decision based on ethics. Ethics provides the aim of "Peaceful World", "Respect for All" & "Equality" in forming international organizations, declaration & forums. Example is the demand for equality in IMF & UNO shows the demand of adhering to ethics in a way.
Ethical Issues in Diplomacy
Value of human rights Examples are countries providing aid during natural disasters (Nepal earthquake) and Refugee crisis (Jews post WW 2). Sharing the benefits (collective responsibility) of technology and financial resources Examples are the success of Kyoto Protocol, Development programs via IMF, WB etc, Sustainable environment growth, etc. United for World Security Fight against terrorist organizations (Al Qaeda, ISIS), Syria problem, actions taken against save havens for terrorists and terrorist funding. Tolerance and respect towards culture and religion Cultural exchange programs, secular nature of majority of countries, racism against blacks, growing dissent towards Islamic countries Accountability The commitment towards something or the responsibility is to be given due importance in an international relation to ensure the win-win situation for all the stakeholders. Example an irresponsible behaviour of North Korea has raised the concerns of the whole world.
Conclusion
Thus ethics on one hand saves the international relation from disruption and on the other hand it takes care of the welfare of the present and the future generations learning from the mistakes of the past. Ethical temper will act as binding agent for countries apart from economic and political relations in present times of globalised world. Corporate Social Responsibility
Relevancy GS Mains paper IV Ethics case studies
194 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) CSR Introduction
Corporate Social Responsibility Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a phenomenon wherein organisations serve the interest of society by taking responsibility for the Impact of their activities on customers, employees, shareholders, communities and the environment in all aspects of their operations. In other words, CSR is the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the local community and society at large. Ethics Involved
Respect: o As an entrepreneur building a business, you need to gain respect from the people around you and your customers. Honor: o Good companies are a fundamental part of good ethics. o They are also great ambassadors for doing right things for the society. Integrity: o Making sure no one is selling the company's values short to make a quick buck. Customer focus: o A focus on your customers reinforces the responsibility companies have to the market. o Its decisions affect the people, investors, partners and ultimately, customers. o Serving all these people is a part of ethical responsibility. Results oriented: o Ethics factor in results too as working on achievements should be based on moral values and in the context of something that customers need and providing it in the form of CSR. Risk taking: o Organisations that thrive, prosper and grow do so by taking the risks. o Great companies innovate and deliver greater goods to the society in the form of education, sanitation, etc. Passion: o Companies work not only to make profits but have passion for the living and society as well. Persistence: o Persistence is tied to passion for what they are doing and a belief that they are working for the greater good of the society and that they have a role to play in it. Corporate Governance
Relevancy GS Mains paper IV Ethics case studies Corporate Governance Corporate Governance
195 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Corporate governance is a concept which revolves around the appropriate management and control of a company. It includes the rules relating to the power relations between owners, the board of directors, management and the stakeholders such as employees, suppliers, customers as well as the public at large. Sustained growth of any organization requires cooperation of all stakeholders, which requires adherence to the best corporate governance practices. In this regard, the management needs to act as trustees of the shareholders at large and prevent asymmetry of benefits between various sections of shareholders, especially between the owner-managers and the rest of the shareholders. In general, corporate governance corresponds to fair, transparent and ethical administration of a corporation giving maximum benefits to the shareholders. Relation of ethics and Corporate Governance
Ethics is at the core of corporate governance, and management must reflect accountability for their actions on global community scale. Corporate governance is a relatively new term used to describe a process, which has been practiced for as long as there have been corporate entities. This process seeks to ensure that the business and management of corporate entities is carried on in accordance with the highest prevailing standards of ethics and efficacy upon assumption that it is the best way to safeguard and promote the interests of all corporate stakeholders. Also, Gandhi said that commerce without morality is a sin. Many incidents like scams, fraud, tax evasion by big corporate houses in the past and present raise the issues of ethical corporate governance. Ethics Involved in Corporate Governance
Ethical rights and duties existing between company and society - Companies which make the sin products like alcohol, cigarettes and drugs are causing harm to the society. CSR- To contribute to social cause but many companies evade their taxes, use CSR as a platform to promote their business and generate more profit. INSIDER TRADING- Hedge funding e.g. Sri Lankan Businessman Raja Rayhan case in US. SECRITIES FRAUD- Companies buying or selling stocks of a particular company based on false information by that company, which in turn creates problems to the investors. BRIBERY- Management board and auditor nexus helps to evade taxes, giving shares to equity holders. Eg- Satyam scam. Privacy of the employee- monitoring the calls, emails and internet activities of the employee by the management is a breach to the privacy. Gender Equality and Dignity to the Women employee, safety issues, paying high salary and offering high posts on the merit. Public Health and safety-Using harmful substances to excess which causes Cancer. E.g.- Maggies and Breads where carcinogenic materials are present. Unethical Means like VOXWAGON not checking air pollution level, etc. Conflict of Interest- Vijay Mallya fraud, Subrata Roy in Sahara group who cheated 30 million small investors, Sudipta Sen in Saradha Chit fund scam, Ketan Pareho in circular trading and stock manipulation through a host of companies.
Conclusion
196 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Corporate ethics is a must thing to run the governance for the betterment of the society. In India, corporate governance initiatives have been undertaken by the Ministry of of Corporate Affairs (MCA) and the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).
197 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) HISTORY, ART AND CULTURE
Bhakti Movement
Relevancy GS Mains paper I Bhakti movement History optional Introduction The movement started in the 9th century A.D. by Shankaracharya which continued up to 16th century A.D. by a number of Hindu devotees, preachers and religious reformers. Bhakti movement deals with the Indian response to face a new challenge that appeared in the form of Islamic religion. As a matter of fact Bhakti movement was the direct outcome of the emergence of Islam in India. Factors leading to Bhakti movement Evils in the Hindu Society: o The genesis of the Bhakti movement lies in the social evils prevalent in the-then Hindu society. o During the time of Muslim rule in India the Hindu society was full of many social anomalies like rigidity of caste system, irrelevant rituals and religious practices, blind faiths and social dogmas. o The society also suffered from polytheism, segregation, severe economic disparity due to casteism, untouchability etc. o Common men in general had developed an averse attitude towards these social evils and were in need of a liberal form of religion where they could identify themselves with simple religious practices. o Therefore, popular dissatisfaction against the existing social religious evils was a major catalyst behind the spread of Bhakti movement all over India for a long period of time. Challenge from Rival Religion: o In the ancient period Hinduism had to face challenges from new religions like Buddhism and Jainism. o Even some of the prominent rulers of India became ardent followers of these religions. o Even Lord Buddha came to be regarded as the ninth incarnation of Lord Krishna in the Hindu pantheon. o However, the case of Islam was totally different. o The Muslims first arrived in India in the 8th century AD. o Subsequently by the beginning of the 13th century AD they began to rule over the destiny of the Indians. o So it became the religion of the ruling community. o This religion had its own individual characteristics like universal brotherhood, equality of all in the society, absence of any caste system or untouchability, opposition to idol worship and above all, practice of monotheism or oneness of God.
198 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) o Among all these, absolute monotheism or equality of all men greatly appealed to the Hindus, especially the Sudras who were the worst sufferers and had no religious freedom. o There was an absolute need to change the existing system as well as bring radical changes in the fabric of Hindu beliefs. o The Bhakti movement aimed at the purification of Hindu religion and liberation of the people from the monopoly and injustices of the priestly classes. Influence of Sufism: o Sufism is an old religious sect of Islam. o It is a reform movement within the Islamic religion which started in Persia. o It came to India towards the beginning of the 13th century A.D. and with the rise of the Muslim power Sufism became more popular. o Prominent Sufists like Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti, Hazrat Khwaja Nizamuddin Auliya and Naseeruddin Chirag fostered a spirit of reconciliation among the Hindus and Muslims in the medieval society. o The Hindu saints of India were influenced by the liberal approach of Sufism. o The high philosophy of the Vedas and Upanishads were very complicated for the common people. o They wanted a simple way of worship, simple religious practices and simple social customs. o The paths of Gnana marga and Karma marga were difficult for them to practise in day to day life. o So the next alternative was Bhakti marga—a simple way of devotion to get salvation from worldly life. Role of Religious Reformers: o In the words of Srivastav, “The Bhakti movement received its impetus from the presence of iconoclastic Muslim preachers who stressed upon the unity of God, vehemently criticized the Hindu religion and thought and attempted to convert Hindus to their religion by resorting to all kinds of means.” That is why Bhakti movement has often been presented as a Hindu response to the egalitarian message of Islam and its spread among the lower classes of Hindu society. o It was a challenge to the Hindu religious leaders. o They, therefore, felt the urgent necessity of making the dormant Hinduism more active and a living force among the common masses. o Put differently, Bhakti movement was a reply to Islam’s monotheism and egalitarianism by way of a new interpretation of Hinduism. o K.M. Panikkar observes, “The medieval period witnessed many revivalist movements in Hinduism under different sages and saints. They were based on Bhakti which was the outcome of the feeling of escapism which dominated the Hindu mind as a result of the conquest of its sacred places in Islam.” Conclusion The Bhakti movement started in the South in response to the conquest of northern India by Muslim rulers. From 8th century A.D. to 15th century A.D.this movement gathered its momentum in the south. The earliest reformer-saint in South was Adi Shankaracharya who had a unique success. Further, the movement was carried forward by twelve Alwar saints and sixty three Nayanar saints of the South.
199 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) In course of time the saints of Northern India got themselves involved in this Bhakti movement. The period witnessed the emergence of a number of saints and reformers who tried to purge Hinduism of its evils and blind practices. The chief exponents of the movement were Shankara, Ramanuja, Kabir, Nanak, Shri Chaitanya, Mirabai, Ramananda, Namdev, Nimbarka, Madhava, Eknath, Surdas, Tulsidas, Tukaram, Vallabhacharya and Chandidas. Besides, the fifteenth century is generally regarded as the century of tolerance. The character of the age revealed itself for the growth of Bhakti movement. It gave a new dimension, a sense of harmony and a spirit of liberalism to religious belief of the people. The spirit of synthesis manifested itself in the teachings of the preachers. Though the movement originated in the South, very soon North India came under its spell. Its real impact was felt when prominent saints like Kabir, Nanak and Shri Chaitanya spread the ideas of fraternity, equality and love inherent in both the religions. Due to this synthesising attitude Bhakti movement attained tremendous success
Folk Dances Of Karnataka
Relevancy: GS Prelims, GS mains paper I. Art and Culture, folk dance forms of Karnataka. Various folk dance of Karnataka:
Dollu Kunitha: Both men and women of Kuruba community perform this dance. It is performed to welcome the harvest season or during a wedding, birth of a child or sometimes even for death ceremonies. Dollu means drum. Themes include religious stories and social issues. Suggi Kunitha: It is a harvest dance and not based on religious themes. Somana Kunitha: Mother Goddess, the deity of a village is worshipped in this dance. It is performed after Ugadi, the Kannada New Year and before the onset of the monsoon. Dancers wear masks or somas with the colour of the mask indicating the trait of the deity for example, red represents benevolence while yellow or black stand for aggression. It is common to see the dancers go into a trance like state. Kamsale: In this dance, the male members of the community worship Mahadeeswara (lord Shiva). Veeragase: This dance is performed by the followers of Lingayat community. The theme is based on Shaiva Purana. Naga Mandala: This dance portrays the worship of serpent deity. Yaksha Gana: It is a folk theatre cum dance, which has themes based on puranas and mythological stories. The most popular episodes are from the Mahabharata i.e. Draupadi swayamvar, Subhadra vivah, Abhimanyu vadh, Karna-Arjun yuddh and from Ramayana i.e. Raajyaabhishek, Lav-kush Yuddh, Baali-Sugreeva yuddha and Episodes at Panchavati. Bhootha Aradhane: This dance form is popular in the coastal regions. It is performed to show reverence to demi-gods or those who have attained spiritual goals or have rendered self-less service to the community. The Kodavas, who inhabit the Kodagu region have their distinct culture and dance forms:
200 www.brainyias.com BRAINY IAS (84594-00000) Bolak-aat: Kodava men perform this dance after lighting an oil lamp in an open field. A drum called dudi which is in the shape of an hour glass, renders rhythm to the music. Ummatt-aat: Women dance in a circle swaying to a gentle rhythm with brass cymbals in their hands. This dance is dedicated to the river goddess Kaveri, hence a woman representing Kaveri taayi (mother Kaveri) stands at the centre holding a pot filled with water. Komb-aat: Kodavas are a martial race and they articulate their valour and power through this religious dance. They perform martial arts. Wind and percussion instruments provide music in the background.
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