For PCM Circulation INDEX
GS - PAPER - I ANTI-DEFECTION LAW & ROLE OF SPEAKER EARTHQUAKES IN INDIA # Parliament 35 #Important Geophysical phenomena04 SAANSAD ADARSH GRAM YOJANA (SAGY) MALABAR REBELLION OF 1921 # Legislature Powers 37 #Modern Indian history07 US PAUSE ON H1B VISA: IMPACT ON INDIA MAMALLAPURAM TRADE LINKS WITH # International Relations 40 CHINA AND OTHER COUNTRIES # Indian Culture 10 RIC TRILATERAL MEET 2020 # Global Groupings 43 ARCHEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA # Indian Culture 13 BANNING CHINESE IMPORTS: IMPACT IN INDIA SEABED 2030 PROJECT # Bilateral Relations 45 # Resource Mapping 14 INTERSTATE MIGRANT WORKERS - LEGAL GS - PAPER - II STRUGGLE # Social Justice 48 EXPANSION PROPOSAL OF G7 GROUP # International Institution s17 PM CASES FUND IS NOT A PUBLIC AUTHORITY UNDER RTI ACT UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME # RTI 50 # Welfare Schemes 20 AP GOVT TO REISTRATE ITS STATE ONE SUN ONE WORLD ONE GRID ELECTION COMMISSIONER # Global Groupings 23 # Judgement & State Election Commission 52
WHO WILL RULE INDIAN OCEAN AMID RESERVATION IS A NOT A FUNDAMENTAL GEOPOLITICAL SHIFT? RIGHT # Indian Culture 24 # Supreme Court Judgemen t54
INDIA - NEPAL RELATIONS INNTER LINE PERMIT TO ASSAM # India and Neighborhood relations 28 # Sixth Schedule 56
VAN DHANYOJANA CIVIL SERVICES BOARD # Government Schemes 29 # Role of Civil Services 58
INDIA’S NON-PERMANENT SEAT AT THE INDIA - AUSTRALIA VIRTUAL SUMMIT UNSC # Bilateral Relations 60 # International Institution s31
Aram.Academy.IAS aramias_academy aramias_academy aimcivilservices aramiasacademy.com AFGHANISTAN PEACE PROCESS AND INDIA JAL JEEVAN MISSION # International Relations 63 # Government Schemes 101
OPEN SKIES TREATY QUANTUM COMMUNICATION # International Relations66 # Technology 105
DECARBONIZING TRANSPORT IN INDIA GS - PAPER - III # Environmental Pollution 107 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN INDIA # Information Technology 68 NEED FOR A COMPREHENSIVE CYBERSECURITY STRATEGY HYDROPOWER IN INDIA # Cyber Security 109 # Energy 72 ‘COUNTRY OF ORIGIN’ ON GEM PORTAL SIXTH MASS EXTINCTION OF SPECIES # Portal 113 # Environmental Conservation 75 GROWING PRIVATE ROLE IN SPACE NEAR-EARTH OBJECTS (NEOS) # Space 116 # Space 78 DRAFT ENVIRONMENT IMPACT RISING FOREX RESERVES AMID ASSESSMENT NORMS 2020 COVID-19 ECONOMIC CRISIS # Environment Impact Assessmen t120 # External Sector 80 ECONOMIC STIMULUS PACKAGE FOR SELF FLATTENING THE CLIMATE CURVE RELIANT INDIA # Environmental Conservation 83 # Indian Economy 124
THE DEBATE OVER GM SEEDS IN INDIA BAD BANKS - BENEFITS AND CONCERNS # Biotechnology 86 # Bank 127
PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP IN INDIA SOCIAL STOCK EXCHANGE # Infrastructure 89 # Stock Market 130
KISAN CREDIT CARDS CONSOL BONDS # Direct and Indirect farm subsidies 91 # Government Bonds 132
GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP ON ARTIFICIAL APMC REFORMS - A CRITIQUE INTELLIGENCE (GPAI) # Agri Marketing134 # Information Technology 94 GS - PAPER - IV LAND USE DEGRADATION # Environmental Degradation 96 ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS (JUNE 5TH WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY) REFORMS IN INDIA’S COAL SECTOR # Ethics 136 # Energy 98 PANDEMIC: IMPACT ON WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT #Ethics 138
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GS - I - Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc., geographical features and their location - changes in critical geographical features (including water bodies and ice -caps) and in ora and fauna and the effects of such changes. & GS - II Disaster and disaster mana gement. 1. EARTHQUAKES IN INDIA
Context: An earthquake of magnitude 2.1 was detected near Delhi recently. It was the eleventh minor earthquake recorded in and around Delhi since May, the most powerful of which happened to be of magnitude 3.4. About an Earthquake Measurement of Earthquake It is shaking or trembling of the earth surface Richter scale causing energy to release suddenly. The magnitude scale is known as the Richter scale. An earthquake can range from a faint tremor The magnitude relates to the energy to a wild motion capable of shaking building released during the quake. apart. The magnitude is expressed in Minor tremors caused by gentle waves of absolute numbers, 0-10. vibration within the earth s crust occur every Mercalli scale few minutes. The intensity scale is named after Major earthquakes, usually caused by Mercalli, an Italian seismologist. movement along faults, can be very The intensity scale takes into account disastrous particularly in a densely populated the visible damage caused by the area. event. Earthquakes themselves may cause only The range of intensity scale is from 1- restricted damage in the regions of occurrence, 12.
but their aftershocks can be very catastrophic. An aftershock is an earthquake of the smaller magnitude that occurs after the main shock. They are also known to cause Tsunami waves . Earthquakes are by far the most unpredictable and highly destructive of all the natural disasters. It not only damages and destroys the settlements, infrastructure etc. but also result in loss of lives of men and animals Earthquake-prone zones in India The Indian subcontinent has suffered some of the deadliest earthquakes globally, with more than 60% of its land area prone to shaking of intensity VII and above on the Modi ied Mercalli Intensity scale. The Modi ied Mercalli (MM) intensity, which measures the impact of the earthquakes on the surface of the earth, broadly associated with various zones
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The Himalayan belt is particularly susceptible to earthquakes exceeding 8.0 magnitude, with Jammu and Kashmir considered extremely vulnerable. Apart from these regions, the central-western parts of India, particularly Gujarat and Maharashtra have also experienced some severe earthquakes. Bureau of Indian Standards, based on the past seismic history, grouped the country into four seismic zones, viz. Zone II, III, IV and V. Of these, Zone V is the most seismically active region, while zone II is the least. The current division of India into earthquake-prone zones does not use Zone I. A total of 768 earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 and above were located by the National Seismological Network from 2017 to January 31, 2020 There were 226 earthquakes in 2017, 203 in 2018, and 309 earthquakes in 2019. Earthquakes of magnitude 4 and above nearly doubled from 78 in 2018 to 159 in 2019 Causes of earthquakes Plate Movements: Folding, faulting and displacement of rock strata, up warping and down warping of crust are some of the main causes of earthquakes. Volcanic eruptions: The violent volcanic eruptions put even the solid rocks under great stress. It causes vibrations in the earth s crust. But, these earthquakes are limited to the areas of volcanic activity such as the circum-paci ic ring of ire and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Forces within the earth: Gaseous expansion and contraction within the earth can cause stress in strata which build up over time and is released suddenly in the form of earthquakes. Exogenic forces: An earthquake may also be caused due to landslide and collapse of cave or mines etc. which can cause a sudden release in energy. Man-made causes: These may range from dam building, mining, dredging, road building, drilling etc. Effects of the earthquakes Damage to property: When an earthquake occurs, all buildings from cottage to palaces and stronger skyscrapers are greatly damaged or totally destroyed. Loss of lives: Duration of tremors of an earthquake is normally of only a few seconds, but thousands of people may die in this short period. More than 25,000 people died in Gujarat earthquake of 2001. Floods: Flood may result as an indirect consequence of an earthquake due to dam or levee failure. Changes in river courses: Sometimes river channels are blocked or their courses are changed due to the impact of the earthquake. Tsunamis: Tsunamis are extremely high sea wave caused by an earthquake. Soil liquefaction: Soil liquefaction occurs when, because of the shaking, water- saturated granular material (such as sand) temporarily loses its strength and transforms from a solid to a liquid. Landslides and Avalanches: landslides and avalanches may be triggered due to an earthquake.
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Fires: Earthquakes can cause ires by damaging electrical power or gas lines. It may also become dif icult to stop the spread of a ire once it has started.
Conclusion Earthquakes is a natural disaster which are not predictable. The only solution to minimize the loss of lives and properties is the effective preparedness against the earthquake.
Practice Question
Assess India’s vulnerability to Earthquak e
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2. MALABAR REBELLION OF 1921
Context: A new ilm project, Variyamkunnan, on Variyamkunnath Kunhamed Haji, the main protagonist of the Malabar Rebellion of 1921 who was executed by the British has sparked a controversy. Malabar Rebellion of 1921 Malabar Rebellion of 1921 was the culmination of a series of riots by Moplahs (Muslims of Malabar) in the 19th and early 20th centuries against the British and the Hindu landlords in Malabar (Northern Kerala). The resistance which started against the British colonial rule and the feudal system later ended in communal violence between Hindus and Muslims. The Moplah Rebellion or the Malabar Rebellion was an extended version of the Khilafat Movement in Kerala in 1921. Why does the rebellion still stoke passions? The Malabar Rebellion (also called the Mappila or Moplah Rebellion by the British) broke out in the southern taluks of Malabar in August 1921. By the time the government troops captured Haji in January 1922, the rebellion had izzled out. It largely took the shape of guerrilla-type attacks on janmis (feudal landlords, who were mostly upper caste Hindus) and the police and troops. Mappilas had been among the victims of oppressive agrarian relations protected by the British. But the political mobilisation of Muslims in the region in the aftermath of the launch of the Khilafat agitation and Gandhi’s non-cooperation struggle served as an opportunity for an extremist section to invoke a religious idiom to express their suffering, while working for a change in the oppressive system of administration. There were excesses on both sides — rebels and government troops. Incidents of murder, looting and forced conversion led many to discredit the upri sing as a manifestation of religious bigotry. Moderate Khilafat leaders lamented that the rebellion had alienated the Hindu sympathy. Variyamkunnath Kunjahammed Haji Haji, who was one of the three most important rebel leaders, was the face of the rebellion. British of icers viewed him as the “most murderous”. Born in 1866 in a family with relatives involved in one of the Mappila “outbreaks” or “outrages” in the 19th century, he was familiar with the commemoration of shaheeds
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(martyrs) who fought against the tyranny of landlords and their helpers, mostly upper caste Hindus in the region. There were several such outbreaks in the region during the 19th and early 20th centuries. The main actors of the outbreaks were individuals on suicide missions. The Khilafat movement launched in 1919 provided a fresh stimulus to the grievances of Mappilas. Now their sense of local injustice was sought to be linked with the Pan-Islamic sentiments created in the aftermath of the collapse of the Ottoman Empire that rendered the Ottoman caliphate irrelevant. Haji was among those in the Malabar region inspired by the zeal of the agitation. During the rebellion, he led many attacks on individuals, including Muslims, who had been loyal to the British. Some contemporary accounts, however, deny that he favoured conversion of Hindus. The rebellion that united Savarkar, Ambedkar & Annie Besant Vinayak Damodar Savarkar was one of the irst ones to describe the Moplah rebellion as an anti-Hindu genocide through his semi- ictional novel Moplah, which became hugely popular when it was published in 1924. Even Dr. B.R. Ambedkar has provided a detailed account on the rebellion in Pakistan or The Parition of India’ and it isn’t a glowing one. It was the result of the agitation carried out by two Muslim organisations, the Khuddam-i-Kaba (servants of the Mecca Shrine) and the Central Khilafat Committee,” Ambedkar wrote. Agitators actually preached the doctrine that India under the British Government was Dar-ul-Harab and that the Muslims must ight against it and if they could not, they must carry out the alternative principle of Hijrat. The Moplas were suddenly carried off their feet by this agitation. The outbreak was essentially a rebellion against the British government . The aim was to establish the kingdom of Islam by overthrowing the British government. Dr. Ambedkar further noted that the forces behind the rebellion declared Khilafat kingdoms. The Hindus were visited by a dire fate at the hands of the Moplas. Massacres, forcible conversions, desecration of temples, foul outrages upon women, such as ripping open pregnant women, pillage, arson and destruction— in short, all the accompaniments of brutal and unrestrained barbarism, were perpetrated freely by the Moplas upon the Hindus until such time as troops could be hurried to the task of restoring order through a dif icult and extensive tract of the country. It took more than four months for the British to control the rebellion. The of icial records show 2,266 killed, 1,615 wounded, 5,688 captured, while 38,256 surrendered during military engagements. Theosophist and one of the most respected igures in India’s struggle for freedom during the 20th century, Annie Besant, who had presided over the irst ‘Reform Conference’ in Malabar in the spring of 1921, also wrote in detail about the event. The fourfold programme was begun formally on August 1, 1920; Swaraj was to be attained in a year, and on August 1, 1921, the irst step was taken in the Malabar Rebellion; the Musalmans (Moplas) of that district after three weeks of preparing
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weapons, rose over a de inite area in revolt, believing, as they had been told, that British Rule had ceased, and they were free. Impact of the protests The rebellion of Mappilas inspired by religious ideology and a conception of an alternative system of administration — a Khilafat government — dealt a blow to the nationalist movement in Malabar. The fanaticism of rebels, fore grounded by the British, fostered communal rift and enmity towards the Congress. The exaggerated accounts of the rebellion engendered a counter campaign in other parts of the country against ‘fanaticism’ of Muslims. The traumatic experience of the uprising also persuaded educated sections of the Muslim community in Malabar to chalk out ways to save the community from what they saw as a pathetic situation. The community’s stagnation was attributed to religious orthodoxy and ignorance. The thrust of the post-rebellion Muslim reform movement in Malabar was a rigorous campaign against orthodoxy.
Practice Question
Though Malabar rebellion started as a resistance against British, ended
with communal colours. Elucidate.
Aram.Academy.IAS aramias_academy aramias_academy aimcivilservices aramiasacademy.com 3. MAMALLAPURAM TRADE LINKS WITH CHINA AND OTHER COUNTRIES
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the second India-China “informal summit” would usher in “a new era” in ties that had seen “increased stability and fresh momentum” after the irst summit between him and President Xi Jinping in Wuhan last year. Highlights of the summit India and China agreed to set up a high-level economic and trade dialogue mechanism to go into trade, investment and services.The mechanism would include Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and China’s Vice-Premier Hu Chunhua. Among one of the important developments was China's assurance that it will sincerely act upon China is India’s largest trading partner while India is China's the massive trade de icit between India and 11th largest trading partner. In a China. President Xi has said that China is ready decade to 2017-18, India’s exports to to take concrete measures to reduce the trade China rose by $2.5 billion. In the de icit, which currently stands at a whopping same period, China’s imports in India $57 billion, which the other country justi ies as rose by $50 billion, and India has the difference in their production capacities. been raising the issue with Beijing for Another considerably de initive statement was several years. China's appreciation of Indian concerns regarding the Regional Comprehensive Economic Par tnership (RCEP). President Xi has assured that India's concerns over RCEP will be duly discussed. Although both Modi and Xi emphasised on the importance of having a rules-based global trading system, the Indian prime minister clari ied to China that a deal should be balanced and equitable. Xi also talked about the need for enhancing defence cooperation. Defence cooperation between the two giants is largely limited to training, joint exercises and other professional interactions. Even though China is looking to position itself as a top arms dealer, joining the ranks of the US, Russia, Germany and France, India is unlikely to be a buyer because of obvious con lict of interest, originating from their own border dispute plus continued Chinese support to the Pakistani military. The unilateral liberalization of e – TV for Chinese nations will enhance people – to – people exchanges between the countries. This will also encourage Chinese tourists to choose India as a tourist destination The leaders have agreed to promote and exchange mutual learning among the countries The Chinese President urges to take the 70th anniversary of their diplomatic relations next year to conduct broader and deeper cultural people to people exchanges. India-China Relationship: Evolution India-China ties have seen a turnaround over the past three decades, since Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s 1988 visit to Beijing, to be speci ic. Since then, the countries have decided to strengthen ties in areas that were not constrained by structural issues. Economy was the chosen ield, as in the early 1990s, India, following China’s footsteps, started liberalising its economy. Trade ties between the two countries
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boomed over the years (it touched $95 billion last year), though it’s largely skewed towards China as the latter was fast emerging as an industrial and technological powerhouse. The border has been largely peaceful during this period. Even when the Chinese and Indian militaries were in a standoff in Doklam at the India-China-Bhutan tri-junction in the Himalayas in 2017, both governments were careful enough not to let the situation spiral out of control. That the Doklam incident was followed by the irst informal summit in Wuhan in 2018 between Mr. Modi and Mr. Xi, with an aim of dialling down tens ions and rebooting ties, showed how New Delhi and Beijing look at each other. They don’t share the antagonism of conventional wisdom. The Mamallapuram summit should be seen against this background Challenges before India is to deepen the tactical engagement with China There are structural problems in ties — the boundary dispute, the Pakistan factor, and historical mistrust. The conventional understanding of the India-China relationship is centred around these challenges. An Indian military exercise in Arunachal Pradesh had irked the Chinese. And China hosted Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in the same week that Mr. Xi is visiting India. However, India -China ties have hardly been unidimensional. Arguably, India and China are still in a tactical engagement, not in a strategic partnership. But it’s a tactical engagement with depth, not a short-term foreign policy adjustment. The challenge before Mr. Modi and Mr. Xi is to deepen this further, and for that they should not allow strategic glitches dictate terms for a bilateral partnership. What lies ahead? There are four constituents in the multidimensional India-China partnership that can take ties to the next level. Economic cooperation- China is keen to make investments in India, especially in building infrastructure and ifth generation technology architecture. India, on the other side, wants greater market access in China, and action by Beijing to address the trade imbalance. Pillars of an emerging world order- Both countries see the unilateral world order in decline, and are champions of multilateralism. Security and stability in Asia, which is billed to be the 21th century’s continent, is in the common interests of both countries, and they are already cooperating on global issues like tackling climate change. China had shown in the recent past that when it comes to deal-making and tackling international pressure, the Pakistan card is negotiable. When India is patient, has the international opinion in its favour, and is cautiously bargaining for China’s action against Pakistan, Beijing has taken U-turns on its “iron friend”. Last year, it agreed to Pakistan being placed on the FATF grey list, after India offered support for China’s vice-chair push at the FATF. China removed its technical hold on the declaration of Masood Azhar as an international terrorist. If it’s driven by realism, India should actually engage with Pakistan, which will not only calm down its borders but also weaken China’s Pakistan card.
Aram.Academy.IAS aramias_academy aramias_academy aimcivilservices aramiasacademy.com There has to be a doctrinal consensus in India’s foreign policy thinking.India should perhaps learn from both China’s rise and its engagement with the U.S. post Nixon’s visit. For decades, China hid its strength, bid for time. It was building capacities without letting external strains to derail the process. Way Ahead India should also turn the focus to its rise and building capacities, not on con licts and rivalries. If it’s driven by such a broader but a realist vision, India could expand the avenues of deep tactical engagement with a powerful China. As the saying goes, a nation can pick its friends, but not its neighbours.
Practice Question
Discuss the cultural relationships with china in ancient times?
Aram.Academy.IAS aramias_academy aramias_academy aimcivilservices aramiasacademy.com 4. THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA (ASI)
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), under the Ministry of Culture, is the premier organization for the archaeological researches and protection of the cultural heritage of the nation. Maintenance of ancient monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national importance is the prime concern of the ASI. It was founded in its current form in 1861 by Sir Alexander Cunningham with the help of the then Viceroy Canning. Besides it regulate all archaeological activities in the country as per the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. It also regulates Antiquities and Art Treasure Act, 1972. For the maintenance of ancient monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national importance the entire country is divided into 24 Circles. The organization has a large work force of trained archaeologists, conservators, epigraphist, architects and scientists for conducting archaeological research projects through its Circles, Museums, Excavation Branches, Prehistory Branch, Epigraphy Branches, Science Branch, Horticulture Branch, Building Survey Project, Temple Survey Projects and Underwater Archaeology Wing. Functions of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) It conducts archeological exploration and excavation regularly It also keeps developing epigraphical research, setting up and reorganization of site museums and training in archaeology Development of cultural and eco-tourism integrating with the monuments Preservation, conservation and environmental development of centrally protected monuments and sites, including World Heritage Monuments and antiquitie Conducting Research and Training in different areas of Archaeology Maintenance of gardens & development of new gardens surrounding centrally protected monuments and sites Implementation of the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act (1972) Regulate all archaeological activities in the country as per the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. There are at present more than 3650 ancient monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national importance. These monuments belong to different periods, ranging from the prehistoric period to the colonial period and are located in different geographical settings. They include temples, mosques, tombs, churches, cemeteries, forts, palaces, step- wells, rock-cut caves, and secular architecture as well as ancient mounds and sites which represent the remains of ancient habitation.
Practice Question
Safeguarding the Indian art and heritage is the need of the moment. In this context discuss the role of archaeological survey of India.
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5. SEABED 2030 PROJECT
Context: Announcing a new milestone in the history of marine exploration, an international collaboration of researchers said on June 21 that it had inished mapping nearly one- ifth of the world’s ocean loor. About Seabed 2030 Project Seabed 2030 is a collaborative project between GEBCO and the Nippon Foundation with the aim Seabed to facilitate the complete mapping of the global The seabed (also known as the ocean loor by the year 2030 seafloor, sea floor, or ocean floor) is the bottom of the ocean, The global initiative is collaboration between no matter how deep. Japan’s non-pro it Nippon Foundation and the All floors of the ocean are known General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans as 'seabeds'. (GEBCO). As per its website, GEBCO is the only intergovernmental organisation with a mandate to map the entire ocean loor, and traces its origins to the GEBCO chart series initiated in 1903 by Prince Albert I of Monaco.
Aram.Academy.IAS aramias_academy aramias_academy aimcivilservices aramiasacademy.com The Project was launched at the United GEBCO Nations Ocean Conference in 2017, and GEBCO's aim is to provide the coordinates and oversees the sourcing and most authoritative publicly- available bathymetry of the world's compilation of bathymetric data from different oceans. parts of the world’s ocean through its ive It operates under the joint auspices of centres into the freely-available GEBCO Grid. the International Hydrographic Seabed 2030 consists of four Regional Centers Organization(IHO) and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic and a Global Center. Commission (IOC) (of UNESCO). The Regional Centers are responsible for It is a non-profit making organisation championing mapping activities, assembling which relies largely on the voluntary and compiling bathymetric information and contributions of an enthusiastic international team of geoscientists collaborating with existing mapping initiatives and hydrographers. within their regions. The Global Center is GEBCO's work is directed by a responsible for producing and delivering global Guiding Committee and supported by GEBCO products. sub-committees on ocean mapping and undersea feature names plus ad Significance of the project hoc working groups. In the past, satellites and planes carrying These committees meet on a regular basis. altimeter instruments have been able to provide GEBCO has its origins at the large swathes of data about the ocean loor. beginning of the 20th century. Find The Seabed 2030 Project, however, aims to out more about GEBCO's history obtain higher quality information that has a from the initiation of the chart series minimum resolution of 100 m at all spots, using in 1903 to the present day. equipment such as deep-water hull-mounted sonar systems, and more advanced options such as Underwater Ve hicles (AUVs). For this, the project aims to rope in governments, private companies, and international organisations to acquire data. The advanced sonar technology and advent of new technology such as underwater drones and robots is also speeding up the mapping process. On the occasion of World Hydrography Day, it has announced the inclusion of 14.5 million square kilometres of new bathymetric data in the latest GEBCO Grid. Nearly a ifth of the world’s entire ocean loor has now been mapped, with the new data equating to an area twice the size of Australia. Significance of Study The knowledge of bathymetry, the measurement of the shape and depth of the ocean loor is instrumental in understanding several natural phenomena, including ocean circulation, tides, and biological hotspots. It also provides key inputs for navigation, forecasting tsunamis, exploration for oil and gas projects, building
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offshore wind turbines, ishing resources, and for laying cables and pipelines. This data becomes highly valuable during disaster situations. According to an expert who spoke to Science Magazine, thanks to the previously mapped sea loor, scientists in Japan were able to reconstruct the forces behind the destructive 2011 Tohoku earthquake. Importantly, the maps would also ensure a better understanding of climate change, since loor features including canyons and underwater volcanoes in luence phenomena such as the vertical mixing of ocean water, and ocean currents which act as conveyor belts of warm and cold water, thu s in luencing the weather and climate. Climate change has impacted the low of these currents, and more knowledge about them would help scientists create models forecasting the future behaviour of the climate, including sea-level rise. A map of the entire global ocean loor would also help further achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal to conserve and sustainably use oceans, seas and marine resources. The need for a bathymetric base map of the southeastern Indian Ocean also became particularly evident in the search for the Malaysia Airlines light MH370, which disappeared 8 March 2014. Conclusion The project gains importance in the context of negotiations over UN Sustainable Development Goal (Goal 14 - to conserve and sustainably use the oceans) due to be completed by 2020.
Practice Question
What you mean by Poly metallic Nodules? In this context analyse seabed 2030 project.
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GS II - Important International institutions, agencies and fora - their structure, mandate.
6. EXPANSION PROPOSAL OF G7 GROUP
Why in News: Former US President Donald Trumpwanted to postpone the G7 Meet calling the existing Group of Seven (G-7) club a “very outdated group of countries”, that he wanted to include India, Russia, South Korea, and Australia in the group. About the Group of 7 The G-7 or ‘Group of Seven’ are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
It is an intergovernmental organization that was formed in 1975 by the top economies of the time as an informal forum to discuss pressing world issues.
Canada joined the group in 1976, and the European Union began attending in 1977
The G-7 was known as the ‘G-8’ for several years after the original seven were joined by Russia in 1997. The Group returned to being called G-7 after Russia was expelled as a member in 2014 following the latter’s annexation of the Crimea region of Ukraine.
Since his election in 2016, President Trump has suggested on several occasions that Russia be added again, given what he described as Moscow’s global strategic importance.
The G-7 does not have a formal constitution or a ixed headquarters. The decisions taken by leaders during annual summits are non-binding.
The rise of India, China, and Brazil over the past few decades has reduced the G-7’s relevance, whose share in global GDP has now fallen to around 40%.
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Mandate of G7 G-7 and G-20 Initially formed as an effort by the US and The G-20 is a larger group of countries, its allies to discuss economic issues, the G- which also includes G7 members. 7 forum has deliberated about several The G-20 was formed in 1999, in challenges over the decades, response to a felt need to bring more Such as the oil crashes of the 1970s, countries on board to address global the economic changeover of ex-Soviet economic concerns. bloc nations Apart from the G-7 countries, the G-20 Many pressing issues such as inancial comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, crises, terrorism, arms control, and China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Russia, drug traf icking. Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, and Turkey. About G-7 summit Together, the G-20 countries make up The G-7 nations meet at annual summits around 80% of the world’s economy. that are presided over by leaders of As opposed to the G-7, which discusses a member countries on a rotational basis. broad range of issues, deliberations at the The summit is an informal gathering that G-20 are confined to those concerning lasts two days, in which leaders of the global economy and financial member countries discuss a wide range of markets. global issues. In the short span of its existence, the G20 The host country typically gets to invite has provided a degree of confidence, by dignitaries from outside the G-7 to attend promoting open markets, and stimulus, the Summit. preventing a collapse of the global The groundwork for the summit, including financial system. matters to be discussed and follow-up India is slated to host a G-20 summit in meetings, is done by the “sherpas”, who 2022. are generally personal representatives or members of diplomatic staff such as ambassadors. Last year, the G-7 summit was held on August 24-26 at Biarritz in southwestern France, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was invited to attend as a special guest of French President Emmanuel Macron
Limitations of G7 Poor performance: The success or otherwise of multilateral institutions are judged by the standard of whether or not they have successfully addressed the core global or regional challenges of the time. For instance, The G7 failed to head off the economic downturn of 2007-08, which led to the rise of the G20. Absence of response to contemporary issue: The G7 has not covered itself with glory with respect to contemporary issues, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, the challenge of the Daesh, and the crisis of state collapse in West Asia. Failure to ful il its commitment: It had announced its members would phase out all fossil fuels and subsidies, but has not so far announced any plan of action to do so. However the G7 countries account for 59% of historic global CO2 emissions (“from 1850 to 2010”), and their coal ired plants emit “twice more CO2 than those of the entire African continent”.
Aram.Academy.IAS aramias_academy aramias_academy aimcivilservices aramiasacademy.com Unequal representation: There are no G7 members from Africa, Latin America or the southern hemisphere. Internal con lict: Internally the G7 has had a number of disagreements, most recently when President Trump clashed with other members over taxes on i mports and action on climate change at last year's summit in Canada. Competition from emerging economies: It faces a challenge from fast-growing emerging economies, like India and Brazil who, though represented in the G20 group of economies, are not members of the G7.It has been suggested by some global economists that these economies will outstrip some of the G7 nations by 2050.
The Way Ahead The rise of India, China, and Brazil over the past few decades has reduced the G7’s relevance. Thus, inclusion of emerging economies like India, South Korea, etc. may extend the support to establish equal levels for each country at global level. The proposed expansion may also help G7 to be a more representative institution than current G7 and subsequently to establish an equal platform at global level The expansion would recognize India’s place amongst the world’s richest nations, and acknowledge its global voice.
Practice Question
Co mpare and contrast G7 group with G20 group. By highlighting the challenges faced by G7 group, analyze the need for expansion of the same.
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GS II - Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections. & Inclusive growth and issues arising from it. 7. UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME
Why in News: The ongoing crisis is creating changes that could end up dividing society into pre- and post-COVID-19 days. Many consider a universal basic income (UBI) programme to be a solution that could mitigate the looming crisis caused by dwindling job opportunities.
Concept of Universal Basic Income Universal Basic Income (UBI) is a programme for providing all citizens of a country or other geographic area/state with a given sum of money, regardless of their income, resources or employment status. The main idea behind UBI is to prevent or reduce poverty and increase equality among citizens. The essential principle behind Universal basic income is the idea that all citizens are entitled to a livable income, irrespective of the circumstances they’re born in. Supporters of this scheme include Economics Nobel Laureates Peter Diamond and Christopher Pissarides, and tech leaders Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk. Countries across the world, including Kenya, Brazil, Finland, and Switzerland, have bought into this concept and have begun controlled UBI pilots to supplement their population. Economic Survey (2016-17) has suggested replacing all current cash transfers schemes like MGNREGA, PMJSY etc.with universal basic income. Features of UBI 1. Universality: UBI is a universal scheme in nature. It means UBI is not targeted so all citizens of the country will receive the payment of cash without any discrimination. 2. Periodic: Money will be distributed to the bene iciaries at a ixed interval i.e. monthly/yearly.
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3. Direct Cash Payment: The bene iciaries will get the cash directly into their account. So they won't get anything in kind of cash i.e. vouchers for goods or services. 4. Unconditional Scheme: It means one need not prove his or her unemployment status or socio-economic identity to be eligible for UBI. So social or economic positions of the bene iciary/individual are not taken into consideration. 5. Individual Bene iciary: In this scheme each citizen (or adult citizen) is considered as the bene iciary rather than each household. Why India needs UBI Widening economic inequality: While the Indian economy continues to grow, the much touted trickle down impact of economic development seems elusive to the poorer sections of our society. For instance, According to Oxfam’s report, India's top 10% of population alone holds 73% of the wealth. Higher risk of poverty: There is a real risk of the bottom quarter of Indian families being left behind completely. The poorest 10% of Indian families earn a mere Rs 5,000 a month Issue of Unemployment: Even before the pandemic, India was struggling to ind enough opportunities for more than a million job aspirants who were entering the job market each month. Targeting error: The identi ication of intended bene iciary still remain a challenge in India. The UBI’s universality features would help to overcome this challenge Effective tool: The 2016-17 Economic Survey and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had once proposed quasi-basic income schemes that leave out the well-off top quartile of the population as an effective means of alleviating poverty and hunger.
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Benefits of UBI 1. Fight against poverty: As UBI provides secured income to all individuals, it can be considered as effective tool to ight against poverty in India 2. Better targeting: As all individuals are targeted, exclusion error (poor being left out) is zero though inclusion error (rich gaining access to the scheme) is 60 percent. 3. Tackling the unemployment: With Industrial Revolution 4.0 on the rise, there is an increase in the automation leading to loss of many white and blue collared jobs. UBI can act as a sort of security net for the millions of people who will be left jobless by the tech revolution. 4. Insurance against shocks: This income loor will provide a safety net against health, income and other shocks. 5. Women empowerment: Those who suffer domestic abuse, mainly women, become trapped in violent situations because they don’t have the means to leave them. UBI would make leaving an abusive partner easy, and would unleash the potential of countless people trapped by domestic violence. 6. Administrative ef iciency: A UBI in place of a plethora of separate government schemes will reduce the administrative burden on the state. Limitation of UBI in India 1. Poor iscal capacity: Covering a large population may lead to drainage of iscal resources which are required for capital investments in India like upgradation of Railways, Electricity, combating climate change, Renewable energy, etc. 2. Unintended consequences: There is no guarantee that the given cash will be spent on productive activities, health & education, etc. It may be spent on tobacco, alcohol, drugs, and other luxury goods etc. 3. Injustice to the poor: Universality principle will be seen as unjust to the poor as payments will be made to those who are rich. This will not be accepted by all. 4. Moral hazard: There is a strong possibility that free cash to the poor can make them lazy or it may reduce the incentive for work. 5. Structural challenges: Not all habitations have been covered by the banks and a lot of time and energy is spent in access banking services physically. Economic survey also points to JAM (Jan Dhan, Aadhar and Mobile) system as a prerequisite for a successful UBI implementation. 6. Implementation challenge: Centre-State negotiations on cost sharing for the programme could delay its implementation. Way Ahead With almost 90% of India’s workforce in the informal sector without minimum wages or social security, micro-level circumstances will be worse in India than anywhere else. One way to ensure their sustenance throughout these trying times is the introduction of unconditional regular pay checks at maximum universality, at least till the economy normalizes.
Practice Question What are Universal Basic Income? Do you think it is feasible to implement the Universal Basic Income Programme in India? Give your views with suitable arguments.
Aram.Academy.IAS aramias_academy aramias_academy aimcivilservices aramiasacademy.com GS - II - Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests ONE SUN ONE WORLD ONE GRID 3. ONE SUN ONE WORLD ONE GRID
Context: The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has issued a request for proposal for developing a long-term vision, implementation plan, road map, and institutional framework for its One Sun One World One Grid (OSOWOG) programme. Background Back in 2018, speaking at the inauguration of the second edition of Global RE-Invest meet, PM Modi had stressed on the importance of solar with his slogan, ‘One World, One Sun, One Grid.’ The vision behind the OSOWOGmantra is “The Sun Never Sets” and is a constant at some geographical location, globally, atany given point of time. With India at the fulcrum, the solar spectrum can easily be dividedinto two broad zones viz. far East which would include countries like Myanmar, Vietnam,Thailand, Lao, Cambodia etc. and far West which would cover the Middle East and theAfrica Region. India has already initiated the International Solar Alliance (ISA) which aims to deploy over 1,000 GW of solar generation capacity globally and mobilise investment of over $1 trillion towards by 2030. The ISA, a treaty-based inter-governmental organization headquartered in Gurgaon, was established following the Paris Declaration as an alliance dedicated to the promotion of solar energy among its member countries. India is already expediting ISA's plan to set up the World Solar Bank (WSB) with a capital of USD 10 billion. One Sun One World One Grid The idea is to utilise solar power when the sun is not shining in other parts of the world by building a common transmission system. Through this initiative, India plans to build a global ecosystem of interconnected renewable energy resources that can be seamlessly shared for mutual bene its and global sustainability. It has been taken up under the technical assistance program of the World Bank. MNRE says the initiative is planned in 3 phases which also comprises the work for the selected consultant, as follows: Phase I (Middle East-South Asia-South East Asia (MESASEA) interconnection): Indian grid interconnection with Middle East, South Asia and South East Asian grids to share renewable energy resources including solar to meet electricity needs. The consultant will assess the renewable energy potential of countries by 2030 and assess readiness of the infrastructure, among other tasks. Phase II (interconnection of solar and other renewable energy resources rich regions): MESASEA grid getting interconnected with the African power pools to share this clean power. Consultant will have to identify 2 or 3 cross
Aram.Academy.IAS aramias_academy aramias_academy aimcivilservices aramiasacademy.com border projects to be initiated within next 1 or 2 years, one each in the Middle East, South East and Africa regions. Phase III (global interconnection): To achieve the OSOWOG vision by institutionalizing it into full operations. Significance of having OSOWOG: This is by far one of the most ambitious schemes undertaken by any country and is of global signi icance in terms of sharing economic bene its. An interconnected grid would help all the participating entities in attracting investments in renewable energy sources as well as utilizing skills, technology and inances. Resulting economic bene its would positively impact poverty alleviation and support in mitigating water, sanitation, food and other socioeconomic challenges. Further, the propose d integration would lead to reduced project costs, higher ef iciencies and increased asset utilization for all the participating entities. It will allow national renewable energy management centres in India to grow as regional and global management center. This also comes in the backdrop of the US withdrawal from the Paris climate deal and China’s attempts to co-opt countries into its ambitious One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative, a programme to invest billions of dollars in infrastructure projects, including railways, ports and power grids, across Asia, Africa and Europe. It has become India’s calling card on climate change and is increasingly being viewed as a foreign policy tool. This move, during the time of the Covid-19 pandemic, gives India the opportunity to be seen as taking a lead in evolving global strategies. Way Ahead The move is the key to future renewable-based energy systems globally because regional and international interconnected green grids can enable sharing and balancing of renewable energy across international borders. It allows grabbing opportunities to learn quickly from global developments and share renewable energy resources to reduce the global carbon footprint and insulate the societies from pandemics. Source: RSTV Related Article: Flattening climate curve
Practice Question
India aims to have 275 GW from renewable energy by 2027. In the light of the statement discuss the signicance of One Sun One World One Grid Project.
Aram.Academy.IAS aramias_academy aramias_academy aimcivilservices aramiasacademy.com GS - II - India and its neighborhood - relations. 8. WHO WILL RULE INDIAN OCEAN AMID GEOPOLITICAL SHIFT?
Context: Even as the India-China land border tensions mount, the Indian Ocean, too, is heating up. The geopolitical narratives emanating from the Covid-19 outbreak have led to a severe blame game between the US and China. The impact of this is felt in the Indian Ocean too. Significance of Indian Ocean Region The geo-political signi icance of the Indian Ocean stems from the fact that it is a centre piece in the wider Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The Indian Ocean is third largest water body of the world that has vital sea lanes of communication crisscrossing it and which feeds Asia’s largest economies. Around 80 per cent of the world’s seaborne oil trade passes through the choke points of this ocean and therefore it literally connects the east to the west. The varying system of governance in the area determines the outline of the regional security architecture. The relations between nations both intra and extra regional shapes the complex matrix that de ine the overall architecture. Changes in political thought processes and any alteration in relations could alter the security scenario of the region. There has been a gradual to an accelerated expansion of maritime forces and their capabilities in the region.
The growing presence of extra regional powers and nuclear capable nations has further altered the existing security framework. This is affecting the existing military balance and the impending imbalance could create a new architecture that could affect the prevailing security scenario. The economic upsurge of some nations and stagnation/slowdown of others is throwing up challenges that could affect the regional and international markets.
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Thus the combination of economic growth and slowdown, military expansion, increasing demand for natural resources, demographics combined with the geo- political situation, increased presence of nuclear capable actors and variances in regional structures of governance, highlights the geo-political signi icance of this area. China’s interest in Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean Rim’s (IOR’s) infrastructure and connectivity is a critical investment opportunity. Undoubtedly, China leads the show. It is the main initiator and promoter of infrastructural development in the region From the ports of Mombasa in Kenya to Chittagong in Bangladesh, Chinese investments have engulfed the region. However, the sustainability of the region is to be determined by its ability to collaborate with other member countries of the IOR. For instance, Sri Lanka had once desired to revoke Chinese presence on its much hyped Hambantota port. Chinese lagship project the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is overlapping with the IOR’s strategic frame in many ways The Gwadar port in Pakistan’s Balochistan province is a sensitive geo -strategic outpost. It is pivotal for at least two segments of the BRI, viz the Maritime Silk Road and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). It is also among the most controversial ports from India’s perspective. India sees the CPEC, which traverses through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, as violating its sovereignty. Also, India keeps a soft corner for Balochistan, which is engaged in a freedom movement to separate from Pakistan. India has, however, invested heavily in developing the Chabahar port, which lies in the Sistan and Baluchestan province of Iran. It is situated merely 70 km away from Gwadar. However, American sanctions on Iran have often interrupted India’s engagements in Chabahar. They have also adversely affected the prospects of the Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline for an energy dependant India. - US development in Indian Ocean In the Indo-Paci ic, and particularly the IOR, the US has become an increasingly unpredictable strategic partner. It has failed to deliver an alternative infrastructure roadmap. For instance, the New Silk Road project launched by the US in 2011 — though originally proposed in the 1990s as a potential follow-up to military withdrawal from Afghanistan Even America’s withdrawal from the Trans -Paci ic Partnership (TPP) was heavily criticised by the Indo-Paci ic nations for its potentially predatory and non-reciprocal prescriptions The region is already a de ining constituent of the Free and Open Indo-Paci ic (FOIP) strategy being pursued by the US, but it did not yield any concrete geo-economic and geo-strategic assurances. China, on the other hand, rejects the FOIP strategy, which it sees as an effort to contain its rise, even as it maintains its own strategic interests in the region.
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Strategic partnerships Connectivity issues in the IOR are not con ined only to American, Indian or Chinese stances. They also depend on how the strategic interests of other stakeholders, including Japan and Russia, evolve. Japan, along with the US and Australia, is India’s partner in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (or the Quad). The Quad is a strategic alliance viewed to be positioned against China’s rise in the Indo-Paci ic region. Russia, on the other hand, seems to be getting an even closer access to the IOR countries via the evolving BRI infrastructure in Central Asia. Thus, the Indian Ocean riparian countries were compelled to shape their foreign policy vis-à-vis Chinese aid and BRI investments — both of which were incentivising. These countries are cooperative, not confrontational, with China. They seek convergences, not divergences, with the Chinese investment roadmap. Opportunity for India By any geographic, demographic, or historical standards,India could be the net security provider in the IOR. No one else can help sustain a stable strategic environment in this region. This entails a political commitment that necessitates heavy investments in naval infrastructure. Though India takes the lead in naval surveillance and counter-piracy measures, its naval modernisation programme still needs a boost. India ought to strive and formally reposition itself as a net security provider in the IOR. Adopting a differentiated foreign policy postured to engage all stakeholders — viz, the US, China, Russia and Japan — but not prioritise any of them, will help. India need only invest into its military-strategic assets in the IOR to the extent that it grows economically. However, neither Japan nor the US can offer India an economic prowess comparable to what ‘strategic coopetition’ with China can do. If India is hesitant to collaborate with China on infrastructural development, it must offer an alternative project for the bene it of IOR riparian countries. This may be done jointly with Japan, but will require a robust roadmap and huge inancial commitments. The Way Ahead India’s strategic vision for the IOR is based on the initiative named Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR). SAGAR has the potential to provide solutions to India’s maritime security challenges. It can forge a consultative mechanism aimed at strengthening India’s geo-strategic outreach. Source: The Hindu Business line Related Articles: SAGAR Initiative
Practice Question
Given the threat of terrorism in maritime domain discuss the geo-political signicance of the Indian Ocean?
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GS - II - India and its neighborhood - relations. INDIA - NEPAL RELATIONS 9. INDIA - NEPAL RELATIONS
Context: The Nepal government’s decision to pass the constitutional amendment ratifying a change in its maps that include Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura, territories that India controls, marks a decidedly new phase in ties. Back ground Nepal is an important neighbour of India and occupies special signi icance in its foreign policy because of the geographic, historical, cultural and economic linkages/ties that span centuries. India and Nepal share similar ties in terms of Hinduism and Buddhism with Buddha’s birthplace Lumbini located in present day Nepal. The two countries not only share an open border and unhindered movement of people, but they also have close bonds through marriages and familial ties, popularly known as Roti-BetikaRishta. The India-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1950 forms the bedrock of the special relations that exist between India and Nepal. Areas of cooperation India is Nepal’s largest trade partner and the largest source of foreign investments, besides providing transit for almost the entire third country trade of Nepal. Indian irms engage in manufacturing, services (banking, insurance, dry port), power sector and tourism industries etc. Nepal being a landlocked country, it is surrounded by India from three sides and on e side is open towards Tibet which has very limited vehicular access. India-Nepal has undertaken various connectivity programs to enhance people-to- people linkages and promote economic growth and development. MOUs have been signed between both the governments for laying electric rail track linking Kathmandu with Raxaul in India. India is looking to develop the inland waterways for the movement of cargo, within the framework of trade and transit arrangements, providing additional access to sea for Nepal calling it linking Sagarmath (Mt. Everest) with Sagar (Indian Ocean). Government of India provides development assistance to Nepal, focusing on creation of infrastructure at the grass-root level. The areas assistance include infrastructure, health, water resources, and education and rural & community development. Nepal lies in sensitive ecological fragile zone which is prone to earthquakes, loods causing massive damage to both life and money, whereby it remains the biggest recipient of India’s humanitarian assistance. India and Nepal shares multiple multilateral forums such as BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal), BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) NAM, and SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) etc.
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Diplomatic Low in Indo-Nepal Relations
Relation between India and Nepal was on a downward curve since 2015 when Nepal put out its draft constitution and alleged economic blockade by India. With PM Oli back in power in 2018, the India’s outreach to the new government in Nepal was quick — announcing new connectivity and development projects.
Issues over Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura, territories that India controls, marks a decidedly new phase in
ties.
While the issue is an old one, it resurfaced in 2019 when New Delhi published new political maps to re lect the changes following the decision on August 5 to reorganise the State of Jammu and Kashmir, and Nepal objected to the depiction of disputed
territory. In 2000 and 2014, India and Nepal agreed to hold talks about Kalapani and Susta, without much success. Matters snowballed when India’s Defence Minister inaugurated a surfaced road over the territory; when Nepal protested, Indian Army Chief, General Naravane, suggested it was at the “behest” of China. At the base of the rift is the lack of diplomatic maneuvering to allow a step back from the brink. Regardless of the truth of those accusations, or who is more responsible for the downslide in ties, the speed with which the constitutional amendment was passed has left little space for diplomacy now. That the vote was unanimous should also inform New Delhi of the futility of casting Mr. Oli alone as the ‘villain’ of the piece. Way Ahead It is necessary the two nations resolve their issues through dialogue lest they face more serious consequences. The Modi government has in the past not linched from taking tough measures, including the 2015 blockade that severely affected India’s land-locked neighbour. The Oli government, which seeks to build its legacy by overturning what it calls “unequal” agreements made by the monarchy, could also cause a security nightmare for India if it opens up other parts of their long boundary, and reverses old commitments on open and unsecured border posts. Both sides moved quickly to manage the fallout of border iring by Nepali police on a group of Indians that left one dead. The same alacrity is needed to manage the fallout of Saturday’s amendment vote, on the once celebrated “special” relationship between the two countries. Source: The Hindu Related Article:Kalapani issue.
Practice Question
Time has come for India and Nepal to build a contemporary relationship that will have great signicance for South Asia.
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GS - II - Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections. & GS III - Inclusive growth and issues arising from it. - VAN DHANYOJANA 10. VAN DHANYOJANA
Context: Van DhanYojna ensures livelihood for tribals amid pandemic. Tribes in India: India, one of the biggest low-middle income country has 8.6% of tribal population. Even after seven decades of independence, India is inding it dif icult to bridge the gap that exists between tribal and non-tribal population. A large proportion of the tribes are hunter gatherers who collect the forest produce for their livelihood. Two -third of the population is depend on the primary sector.
Minor Forest Produce and tribal livelihoods Minor Forest Produce (MFP) is a major source of livelihood for tribals living in forest areas. The importance of MFPs for this section of the society can be gauged from the fact that around 100 million forest dwellers depend on MFPs for food, shelter, med icines and cash income. It provides them critical subsistence during the lean seasons, particularly for primitive tribal groups such as hunter gatherers, and the landless. Tribals derive 20- 40% of their annual income from MFP on which they spend major portion of their time. This activity has strong linkage to women’s inancial empowerment as most of the MFPs are collected and used/sold by women. MFP sector has the potential to create about 10 million workdays annually in the country. Van DhanYojana The Van Dhan Scheme is an initiative of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and TRIFED. It was launched on 14th April, 2018 and seeks to improve tribal incomes through value addition of tribal products. The scheme will be implemented through Ministry of Tribal Affairs as Nodal Department at the Central Level and TRIFED as Nodal Agency at the National Level. At State level, the State Nodal Agency for MFPs and the District collectors are envisaged to play a pivot role in scheme implementation at grassroot level.
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Locally the Van DhanVikasKendras are proposed to be managed by a Managing Committee (an SHG) consisting of representatives of Van Dhan SHGs in the cluster. Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of Performance of this scheme India (TRIFED) Hill broom project: The hill broom project is one It was established in 1987. It of the biggest success stories of the Van functions under the DhanYojna, launched to ensure that van dhan, or administrative control of the forest wealth, stays in the hands of forest dwellers, Ministry of Tribal affairs. by providing local platforms for processing, value addition, marketing and sale of minor forest The basic objective of the produce. TRIFED is to provide good A few years ago, tribal communities in Langleng, price to the products made or one of Nagaland’s poorest districts, used to sell collected from the forest by their unique hill broom grass for just Rs. 7 a kg. the tribal people. Today, by making the brooms themselves with support from the Van DhanYojna, they now earn Rs. 60 a broom, making four or ive brooms from a kg of grass. Broom grass coming from the hills is in demand because it is much sturdier and iner quality, but it was the middlemen and traders who were making all the money. The Van DhanVikasKendras (VDVKs) enabled people to start making the brooms themselves and hence increased their income. Tribal Enterprises: 1,205 tribal enterprises employing 3.6 lakh people through 18,000 self-help groups have been set up under the scheme. About Rs. 3.5 crore worth of sales have taken place through these platforms. Range of value added products: The products range from hill brooms, wild honey, candles and ointments made of rock beeswax, bamboo bottles, aloe vera soaps and gooseberry wine in the north east, to hawan [incence] sticks, mohaladdu and, amlamurabba [preserved gooseberries] in Maharashtra and Rajasthan, and tamarind blocks, dried tendu leaves, processed mahua, lac bangles and eco-friendly leaf plates from Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh. Conclusion The Van DhanVikasKendras will be important milestone in economic development of tribals involved in collection of MFPs by helping them in optimum utilization of natural resources and provide sustainable MFP-based livelihood in MFP-rich districts. Source: The Hindu Related Article: Recognition of Forest Rights Act, 2006.
Practice Question
A vision for tribal development also upholds the dignity of the tribal population. In this context to what extent Van Dhan Yojana will help the tribal to realize the sustainable future.
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GS II - Important International institutions, agencies and fora - their structure, mandate. - INDIA’S NON -PERMANENT SEAT AT THE UNSC 11. INDIA’S NON-PERMANENT SEAT AT THE UNSC
Context: India was elected to the UN Security Council as non-permanent member with 184 of the 192 votes for a two-year term starting January 1, 2021. United Nation Security Council The United Nations Charter established six main organs of the United Nations, including the Security Council. It gives primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security to the Security Council, which may meet whenever peace is threatened. All members of the United Nations agree to accept and carry out the decisions of the Security Council. While other organs of the United Nations make recommendations to member states, only the Security Council has the power to make decisions that member states are then obligated to implement under the Charter. Non-permanent seats at the UNSC The UNSC is composed of 15 members: ive permanent members — China, France, Russian Federation, the United States, and the United Kingdom — and 10 non- permanent members who are elected by the General Assembly. The non-permanent members are elected for two-year terms — so every year, the General Assembly elects ive non-permanent members out of the total 10. Sharing of seats:These 10 seats are distributed among the regions of the world: ive seats for African and Asian countries; one for Eastern European countries; two for Latin American and Caribbean countries; and two for Western European and Other Countries. Of the ive seats for Africa and Asia, three are for Africa and two for Asia. Also, there is an informal understanding between the two groups to reserve one seat for an Arab country. The Africa and Asia Paci ic group takes turns every two years to put up an Arab candidate. Elections for terms beginning in even-numbered years select two African members, and one each within Eastern Europe, the Asia Paci ic, and Latin America and the Caribbean. Terms beginning in odd-numbered years consist of two Western European and Other members, and one each from Asia Paci ic, Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean. The current non-permanent members of the Security Council are Belgium, Dominican Republic, Germany, Indonesia, and South Africa, all of whose terms end this year; and Estonia, Niger, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Tunisia, and Vietnam, whose terms end in 2021. India’s term: India begins its term in the beginning of 2021, and will hold the position until the end of 2022.India’s term on the 15-member Council will be it’s eighth. India has earlier been a non-permanent member of the Security Council in 1950-51, 1967-68, 1972-73, 1977-78, 1984-85, 1991-92 and 2011-12.
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Role of non-permanent members in the work of the Security Council Under the terms stipulated by the UN Charter, the right of veto of the permanent members of the Security Council is restricted, i.e. it does not apply in cases of a procedural nature. In such a situation, the support of nine members is needed for the Security Council to make a decision, regardless of whether they are permanent or non-permanent members of the Security Council. The non-permanent members possess “collective right of veto”, where UNSC decision does not receive support if at least seven non-permanent members of the Security Council vote against its adoption, regardless of the support of all its permanent members. The monthly presidency of the Council is held in turn by all member states, in alphabetical order. The country holding the presidency of the Council in a given month usually proposes the content of thematic debates where non-permanent members get chance to draw attention to issues important to them in the sphere of international peace and security. Measures taken by the Security Council in relation to global crises are usually initiated by the permanent members. The non-permanent members, play an important role in matters concerning their respective geographic regions and thematic issues. The importance of non-permanent members is increased when a large group of non- permanent members of the Security Council presents a united position on a given issue that is on the Council’s agenda. With regards to resolutions, political documents and organisational issues, incorporating the most important issues during informal meetings gives non- permanent members a chance to protect their interests. Significance of India’s membership According to some experts, India's latest induction into the Security Council comes at a moment where there appears to be signi icant polarisation between the ive permanent members, with Russia and China on one side, and the US, the UK, and France on the other. India, however, continues to enjoy strong bilat eral relationships with all ive states, thereby providing a rare opportunity for the country to take on a unifying role at the high table. Prior to the election, India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador TS Tirumurti stated India's inclusion “will help bring to the world our ethos that the world is one family – Vasudhaiva Katumbakam,” underscoring the need to reform multilateral systems to re lect the current geopolitical realities. India's new position will also enable it to lobby for an expansion of the UNSC towards staking a claim to become a permanent member – something that it has long sought. Ahead of the vote, India had launched a campaign brochure which highlighted its demand for transparency in mandates for UN peacekeeping missions and push for the India-led Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism . Achieving this would depend on how India will conduct diplomacy in the global body, build alliances and raise issues that go beyond the interests of the big ive.
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Way Ahead The Security Council is one of the most important multilateral decision-making bodies where the contours of global geopolitics are often drawn. India should avoid the temptation of taking sides at a time when the Security Council is getting more and more polarised. To serve its interests and push for its agenda of multilateralism and reforms, India should adopt value-based positions that are not transactional, aspire for the leadership of the non-permanent members of the Council and be the voice of the weaker nations. Source: The Hindu Related Articles: UNSC Reforms
Practice Question
A permanent seat at UNSC for India would ensure stability in Indo-pacic region. Elucidate.
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GS II - Parliament and State Legislatures - structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these. 12. ANTI-DEFECTION LAW & ROLE OF SPEAKER
Context: The Anti Defection law which aimed to curb defection has again come to limelight owing to its misuse in Manipur legislative assembly. Background The uncertainty in the numbers in the 59-Manipur member Assembly has been due to several defections in the last three years, beginning with former Minister T. Shyamkumar’s shift of allegiance from the Congress to the BJP in 2017. This enabled the BJP, wit h only 21 MLAs, to form the government with the support of the NPP, the four member Naga Peoples’ Front, an independent and an MLA belonging to the Trinamool Congress. The defection by Mr. Shyamkumar who went on to become a minister in the ruling cabinet was not ruled on for disquali ication for three years, before the Supreme Court intervened, stripping the minister of his post and banned him from entering the Assembly in March 2020. Subsequently, the Speaker disquali ied him. Seven more MLAs from the Congress had defected to the BJP since 2017, and the Speaker has yet to rule on their disquali ications. Recently, only a select number of these seven, and most of whom had not gone back reportedly to the Opposition-fold were allowed by the Speaker to vote in the Rajya Sabha elections. Thus role of the Speaker who has the authority to decide upon defections has been utilised by ruling parties to engineer defections without inviting immediate disquali ication. Need for Anti defection law The anti-defection law address the perceived problem of instability caused by democratically elected legislators in India's Parliamentary System of Government shifting allegiance from the parties they supported at the time of election, or disobeying their parties' decisions at critical times such as during voting on an important resolution. Anti-Defection Law The Tenth Schedule was inserted in the Constitution in 1985 by the 52nd Amendment Act. It lays down the process by which legislators may be disquali ied on grounds of defection by the Presiding Of icer of a legislature based on a petition by any other member of the House. A legislator is deemed to have defected if he either voluntarily gives up the membership of his party or disobeys the directives of the party leadership on a vote. This implies that a legislator defying (abstaining or voting against) the party whip on any issue can lose his membership of the House. The law applies to both Parliament and state assemblies. Any question regarding disquali ication arising out of defection is to be decided by the presiding of icer of the House.
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Exceptions under the law: Legislators may chan ge their party without the risk of disquali ication in certain circumstances. The law allows a party to merge with or into another party provided that at least two- thirds of its legislators are in favour of the merger. In such a scenario, neither the members who decide to merge nor the ones who stay with the original party will face disquali ication. Role of judiciary in Anti defection cases Originally, the Act provided that the presiding of icer’s decision was inal and could not be questioned in any court of law. But, in KihotoHollohan case (1993), the
Supreme Court declared this provision as unconstitutional on the ground that it seeks to take away the jurisdiction of the SC and the high courts. The court held that while deciding a question under the 10th Schedule, the presiding of icer should function as a tribunal. Hence, his/her decision (like that of any other tribunal) was subject to judicial review on the grounds of mala id es, perversity, etc. But, the court rejected the argument that the vesting of adjudicatory powers in the presiding of icer is by itself invalid on the ground of political bias. However, it held that there may not be any judicial intervention until the Presiding Of icer gives his order.
Issues regarding role of speaker related to defections
There is no time limit as per the law within which the Presiding Of icers should decide on a plea for disquali ication. The courts also can intervene only after the Of icer has made a decision, and so the
only option for the petitioner is to wait until the decision is made.
There have been several cases where the Courts have expressed concern about the
unnecessary delay in deciding such petitions. In a few cases, there have been situations where members who had defected from their political part ies continued to be House members, because of the delay in decision-making by the Speaker The Speakers has started taking an active interest in political matters, helping build and break go vernments. The Speaker belongs to a political party therefore; their judgment can be partial. When the politics demanded, Speakers were either quick to pass judgment on defection proceedings or delayed acting on them for years on end. Earlier a misuse was also seen in context of Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh legislative assemblies which was even testi ied by later on judgements by honourable courts.
SC directive on this issue
In the Manipur Defection case, the SC said that the 10th Schedule is crucial for a healthy democracy. Rigorous application of the anti-defection law under the 10th Schedule of the Constitution is crucial to the maintenance of a healthy democracy. The court had set an outer limit of three months to decide cases. The speaker is the guardian of the 10th Schedule, but to address accusations of partisan behaviour, the court had recommended the establishment of a permanent tribunal. The tribunal headed by a retired Supreme Court judge or a former chief justice of a high court will decide defection cases expeditiously. Way Ahead Apart from ixing a time frame or appointing a permanent tribunal, a nonpartisan behaviour is desired from the speaker for ful illing the real objectives behind the Anti Defection law.
Practice Question
Though the role of speaker is being criticized for exorbitant powers vested, it is essential to leading a democracy. Critically analyze the statement.
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GS - II Separation of powers between various organs dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions. & Parliament and State Legislatures structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these. - SAANSAD ADARSH GRAM YOJANA (SAGY) 13. SAANSAD ADARSH GRAM YOJANA (SAGY)
Context: A study commissioned by the Ministry of Rural Development has observed that the scheme has not made any signi icant impact and that in the current format it is not achieving the desired purpose. Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) SAGY popularly known as ‘Saanjhi’ was launched by PM Narendra Modi under the Government of India on 11th October 2014. SAGY is a development programme project focusing mainly on the social and cultural development of the villages. Under this yojana, each member of the parliament is responsible for developing the institutional and physical infrastructure in three villages each by the year 2019. Saansad Aadarsh Gram Yojana was established with an aim to develop three villages by 2019 followed by the development of ive Adarsh Grams by the year 2024. It also aims at achieving objectives apart from infrastructure development along with developing various model villages. Objectives of Saansad Aadarsh Gram Yojana Leveraging the leadership, capacity, commitment and energy of the Members of Parliament (MP) to develop model Gram Panchayats Engaging with and mobilizing the community for participatory local level development. Converging different government programmes and private and voluntary initiatives to achieve comprehensive development in tune with people’s aspirations and local potential.
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Building partnerships with voluntary organisations, co-operatives and academic and research institutions. Focusing on outcomes and sustainability. Identification of villages MPs can select any gram panchayat, other than their own village or that of their spouse, to be developed as an Adarsh Gram. The village must have a population of 3000-5000 people if it is located in the plains, or 1000-3000 people if located in hilly areas. Lok Sabha MPs can choose a village from their constituency, and Rajya Sabha MPs from the state from which they are elected. Nominated members can choose a village from any district of the country. MPs which represent urban constituencies can identify a village from a neighbouring rural constituency. Key features Gram Panchayat would be the basic unit for development. It will have a population of 3000-5000 in plain areas and 1000-3000 in hilly, tribal and dif icult areas. In districts where this unit size is not available, Gram Panchayats approximating the desirab le population size may be chosen. The planning process in each village will be a participatory exercise coordinated by the District Collector. The MP will play an active facilitating role in this exercise. Ministry of Rural Development will be nodal Ministry coordinating and monitoring the Scheme closely to ensure its ef icient implementation. Funding No new funds have been allocated for the Yojana. Resources may be raised through: Funds from existing schemes, such as the Indira Awas Yojana, Pradhan Man tri Gram Sadak Yojana, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, and Backward Regions Grant Fund, etc., The Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS), The gram panchayat’s own revenue, Central and State Finance Commission Grants, and Corporate Social Responsibility funds. Implementation A Village Development Plan must be created for each Adarsh Gram. While each village will develop a list of activities to be carried out, based on its own resources and requirements, possible activities have been listed in the guidelines for the scheme. For example, Adarsh Grams can work towards providing universal access to basic healthcare facilities, promoting diversi ied livelihoods through agriculture related livelihoods and skill development, providing pension for all eligible families, housing for all, and promoting social forestry. Assessment of Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana A study which was conducted as part of the Fifth Common Review Mission (CRM) for “independent assessment” of the progress of various programmes and schemes of the Rural Development Ministry has observed that the Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) has not been able to achieve the desired objectives and failed to make a signi icant impact.
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Major Findings: Since the launch of the scheme only 1,855 gram panchayats have been selected across ive phases, with only seven in Phase 5. Model villages under the scheme are hit by lack of interest and funds. In many of SAGY villages, the MPs did not give any signi icant fund from Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS). In Arood village of Khandwa district in Madhya Pradesh, the team found that out of 118 activities planned in 2014, only about “60 per cent… have been achieved and the rest are pending for lack of fund”. The concept of SAGY has not percolated down to ield of icials due to lack of accountability and political will. Even villages declared as Adarsh Grams in some districts were found yet to be declared Open Defecation Free. In some cases, where MPs have been proactive, some infrastructure development has taken place, but the scheme has not made any perceptible impact. Lesser convergence of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with MPLAD was observed in few villages. The study expressed concern over the quality of roads constructed under schemes of state governments and maintenance of rural roads under central Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). Progress of work was better in the Gram Panchayats where the MP has taken keen interest and allocated substantial amounts from MPLAD. A village in Bhilwara Rajasthan was found to be very urbanised due the various development schemes taken up at the initiative of the Ex-MP. Way Ahead The report recommended that the Ministry of Rural Development may review the scheme for enhancing its impact. It has urged the Centre to frame a “National Rural Road Policy” to ensure uniform norms of construction and maintenance, irrespective of whether the road belongs to a state scheme or PMGSY. The Centre should examine if the Finance Commission can provide funds for maintenance of rural roads, as many states have requested that the Centre should share the cost of maintenance.
Practice Question
A development model based demand driven is far better than supply driven. In this context discuss the role of Saansad adarsh gram yojana in achieving demand driven development model.
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GS II - Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian Diaspora. 14. US PAUSE ON H1B VISA: IMPACT ON INDIA
Context: The US administration recently said it was extending the 60-day ban on immigration and non-immigrant worker visas till the end of 2020. Popular work visas including the much-coveted H-1B and H-2B, and certain categories of H-4, J, and L visas shall also remain suspended until December 31 About the worker’s visa In order to ill a vacuum of highly-skilled low-cost employees in IT and other related domains, the US administration issues a certain number of visas each year which allows companies from outside the US to send employees to work on client sites Of these work visas, the H-1B remains the most H-1B and H-2B popular among Indian IT companies. H-1B visas are for the The US government has a cap of 85,000 total H-1B employment of skilled visas for each year. Of this, 65,000 H-1B visas are workforce who possess university issued to highly skilled foreign workers, while the degrees and experience in a rest 20,000 can be additionally allotted to highly certain domain. skilled foreign workers who have a higher These applicants, if approved, are education or master’s degree from an American granted a period of three to six university. years. Dependents are admitted as H- Apart from the H-1B visas, the US government also 4. H-4 spouses may work in some issues L1 visas which allows companies to transfer instances. highly skilled workers to US for a period of up to The H2B visa is designed to allow seven years. H-2B visas allow food and agricultural U.S. employers to bring non- workers to seek employment in the US. professional foreign workers to Suspension of non-immigrant worker the U.S., so they can work in non- agricultural temporary jobs, such visas as those in the tourism and Since it was started in 1952, the H-1 visa scheme hospitality industry. has undergone many changes and revisions to An H-2B is admitted for the allow or disallow certain categories of skilled validity of petition plus a workers in the US, depending on the economic maximum of 7 days prior to the validity date of the petition and up situation of the country. to 10 days after the expiration The technology boom coupled with the arrival of date. the internet and low-cost computers in developing H-2B visa holders are allowed for nations such as India and China saw a large number one year, with renewal for two of graduates willing to work at relatively low costs years. in the US, a win-win situation for both the employer and the employee. However, it has since often been criticis ed for sending low cost workers to the US at the expense of domestic workers. In January 2017, after taking over as the president of the US, Trump had hinted that the low-cost workers were hampering the economy and undercutting jobs of citizens. The US had then hinted at reforming the “broken” H-1B visa system.
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Trump seized the opportunity provided by the economic contraction due to Covid-19 by irst banning the entry of non-immigrant workers till June 23, and then extending it till December 31. In his executive order extending the ban, Trump said that while under normal circumstances, “properly administered temporary worker programs can provide bene its to the economy,” the extraordinary economic contraction created due to Covid-19 posed a threat to the US workers. Impact of the move Since the ban is effective immediately, the processing of all new H-1B, H-2B, J, and L visa categories stand suspended. This means those who do not have a valid non- immigrant visa as of June 23, and are outside of the US, will not be allowed to enter the country until December 31. Workers in essential services in the food sector have been given some reprieve, and their entry shall be decided by the consular of icer of immigration services. H-1B, H-2B, J and L visa holders, and their spouse or children already present in the US shall not be impacted by the new worker visa ban
Impact on Indian IT Companies Indian IT companies are amongst the biggest bene iciaries of the US H-1B visa regime, and have since 1990s cornered a lion’s share of the total number of visas issued each year. As of April 1, 2020, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) had received about 2.5 lakh H-1B work visa applications, according to of icial data. Indians had applied for as many as 1.84 lakh or 67 per cent of the total H-1B work visas for the current inancial year ending March 2021. Apart from the suspension of these work visas, the executive order signed by Trump has also made sweeping changes to the H-1B work visa norms, which will no longer be decided by the currently prevalent lottery system. The new norms will now favour highly-skilled workers who are paid the highest wages by their respective companies. This could result in a signi icant impact on margins and worker wages of Indian IT companies which send thousands of low-cost employees to work on client sites in the US.
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Though the large Indian IT companies have cut down their dependency on H-1B and other worker visas by hiring as much as 50 per cent of staff locally, they still rely on these visas to keep costs in check. Indian IT companies also offer subcontracts to Indian nationals already present in the US with valid H-1B visas. Bangalore-based Wipro spends as much as 20 per cent of its revenue to subcontract Indian workers with valid H-1B visas Conclusion Human rights bodies, in particular those working among immigrant communities, have slammed the Trump administration's decision to suspend certain non - immigrant work visas until at least the end of the year. The ban on issuing H -1B, H- 2B, J-1 and L-1 visas will harm employers, families, universities, hospitals, communities, and delay America's economic recovery.
Practice Question
Protectionist measures are increasing globally. In this context discuss the impact of New Visa regime of US over India.
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GS II - Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests
15. RIC TRILATERAL MEET 2020
Context: India participated in the virtual meeting of the Russia-India-China grouping on June 23. About RIC Grouping RIC as a strategic grouping irst took shape in the late 1990s under the leadership of Yevgeny Primakov as “a counterbalance to the Western alliance. Primakov, a Russian politician and diplomat who was also the prime minister of Russia from 1998 to 1999, is credited with the idea for RIC. The group was founded on the basis of “end[ing] its subservient foreign policy guided by the U.S.,” and “renewing old ties with India and fostering the newly discovered friendship with China.” But the idea of meeting at the leader’s level on a more sustained basis has only surfaced over the past couple of years. The three sides had done so last year at the G-20 meeting in Argentina, where there was also a focus on the trilateral summit between the United States, India and Japan, called JAI (Japan, America, and India). And on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting in Kyrgyzstan, the leaders agreed to meet again in Osaka during the G-20 Summit. The RIC meeting this year is only the third heads of state meeting of the group in 12 years, which speaks to the state of the play among the three countries in nurturing this strategic grouping. Nonetheless, in the current period of geopolitical transition, there is an effort to renew and rebuild some of these old initiatives as a way to counter the U.S. -led world order. Significance of RIC Grouping The trilateral unique and important is the convergence of geography, foreign policy philosophy, and economic ascent within the group. All three countries are world powers with signi icant interests in the Eurasian and Asia-Paci ic strategic spaces. Unlike economic powers like Japan or the countries of the European Union, their foreign policy is independent. Each is committed to the creation of a multi-polar world order based on respect for international law, multilateralism, and collective decision-making. The three also have strong ties binding them, though these are somewhat uneven. India, for example, has close political relations with Russia but little to show by way of bilateral trade or investment. By contrast, India-China trade is booming, but the bilateral political relationship could be better. As a result of all these factors, a grouping whose strongest binding factor is political and strategic has tended to adopt a hands-off approach to key regional problems
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Challenges in RIC The mismatch within the trilateral stems from the way each relates to the United States. Russia and China would like to use the trilateral to send a signal to Washington that they are unhappy with its bloc-like approach to the Asia-Paci ic. India, on the other hand, is decidedly wary of alienating the U.S., at this juncture. There is also an imbalance stemming from the fact that only Russia and China are permanent members of U.N. Security Council. What this means is that Moscow and Beijing are content to involve India in discussions on global issues at the RIC leve l only to the extent necessary to buttress their own arguments with Washington at the UNSC. Indeed, India’s growing strategic partnership with the United States, Japan, and Australia con licts with the RIC’s goals and objectives of seeking to undermine Washington’s role in the Indo-Paci ic. India has traditionally avoided taking sides in international politics, especially between the great powers, preferring its traditional nonalignment. But China’s rather hostile attitude towards India in recent years is increasingly forcing Indian decision makers to confront what China’s growing power has come to mean for India. Even though Russia has remained an old friend for India, New Delhi seems to realize that Moscow is increasingly under stress to follow China’s dictates. Even on issues such as the Jammu and Kashmir, which China raised at the UN Security Council, Russia preferred taking a middle position, not supporting India’s stand entirely for fear of offending China. It seems that while relations with India are important but for Moscow, its ties with Beijing are far more important and takes precedence over every other relationship.
Recent Trilateral Summit The meeting took place in the backdrop of ongoing border tensions between India and China, which has resulted in the irst army casualties in 45 years. Since the special meeting was held to mark 75 years of the victory over the Axis powers, Jaishankar began by reminding both Russia and China that 2.3 million Indian troops had helped the Allies win the Second World War. While the trilateral meeting forecloses the possibility of raising the tensions since bilateral matters are not discussed Russia has publicly supported India’s aspirations to be a permanent member of a reformed and expanded United Nations Security Council. However, China has never backed India’s demand, with only an anodyne phrase that it supports India’s larger role in the United Nations. The Way Ahead Overall, India’s strategic goals appear to be increasingly incongruent with that of Russia and China. While there is merit to India engaging both Russia and China, it cannot mask the fact that there are growing tensions within the RIC grouping.
Practice Question
Though India focuses on groupings like the Quad and the JAI, India's involvement in RIC is also essential for West Asian stability. Comment.
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GS II - Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting Ind ia’s interests & GS III - Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment.
16. BANNING CHINESE IMPORTS: IMPACT IN INDIA
Context: Following the recent clashes with Chinese troops in Ladakh in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed, there has been a growing clamour in the country to boycott goods from the neighbouring country. However, the development has caused an alarm among various industry bodies that are concerned about the adverse impact in the event of a blanket ban on exports in several sectors. India’s dependence on Chinese imports China accounts for a sizable portion of India’s top imports, especially where intermediate products or components and raw materials are concerned. It has also been the top exporter of products like electrical machinery, equipment and their parts, nuclear reactors, organic and inorganic chemicals, fertilisers as well as vehicles, their parts and accessories. In several cases, China’s contribution is much higher than the second-largest exporter countries of these products to India. The neighbouring country also accounts for 45 per cent of India’s total electronics imports. A third of machinery and almost two- ifths of organic chemicals that India purchases from the world comes from China, according to the Confederatio n of Indian Industry. Automotive parts and fertilisers are other items where China’s share in India’s import is more than 25 per cent. Several of these products are used by Indian manufacturers in the production of inished goods, thus thoroughly integrating China in India’s manufacturing supply chain. For instance India sources close to 90 per cent of certain mobile phone parts from China. Even as an export market, China is a major partner for India. At $15.5 billion, it is the third largest destination for Indian shipments.
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At the same time, India only accounts for a little over two per cent of China’s total exports, according to the Federation of Indian Export Organisation (FIEO). Ban on Chinese imports: Impact on Exports Industry associations, from pharmaceuticals to telecommunications and automobiles, are of the view that a “knee-jerk” offensive against China till alternative vendors are inalised or domestic capacities are built will hurt the economy, including the country’s exports. Banning the imports of raw materials from China without which products over here cannot be manufactured will make things dif icult There are strategic and key inputs that Industry use from China (raw materials) due to which our exports are more competitive For instance, of the nearly $3.6 billion worth of ingredients that Indian drug- makers import to manufacture several essential medicines, China catered to around 68 per cent. India is considered one of the largest pharma industries in the world, and accounts for a considerable portion of imports of inished formulations by other large economies like the US. While pharma consignments from China have unof icially been stopped at ports in India, and are expected to be cleared after thorough checks, a ban could create shortages of medicines both for India’s domestic and export markets. Across sectors from pharmaceuticals to telecommunications and automobiles, industry associations have been speaking up against a complete boycott of Chinese imports. What are the alternatives in this situation? According to FIEO’s, the decision to boycott non-essential products made in China can be left to the individual, while trade-related measures like raising duties on cheaper raw materials imported from China would be better than an outright embargo. This would still allow access to crucial ingredients in the short- term while India looks to build self-reliance or maybe switch to alternate trade partners. An analysis by CII shows that countries like the US, Vietnam, Japan, Mexico and certain European countries could be tapped as alternate import sources for some critical electronic, vehicular and pharmaceutical components as well. It is likely that the costs of the raw materials from these alternate sources will be higher and may get passed on to consumers if the manufacturers cannot absorb them.
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The government’s “Atmanirbhar” focus is expected to help ministries handhold industries where self- reliance needs to be built. Some measures, like the decision to push bulk drug parks in India, have to be executed. India has been able to reduce its import dependence in the mobile sector through a long- term focus on building self-reliance in manufacturing some of the crucial components required to make them. According to FIEO, this approach can be replicated in other sectors like electronic and telecommunication where there is a need to encourage Indian investments as well as Foreign Direct Investments through iscal incentives. While an increase in tariff can be one way to achieve it (import substitution), the more effective strategy would be to provide an ecosystem that addresses the cost disability of Indian manufacturing leading to such imports. Import substitution manufacturing should attract interest subvention on credit, offsetting inland freight disadvantage besides equalization of import tariff from free trade areas Exporters will also have to minimise their impact through strategies that involve a focus on other advanced and emerging markets and by also exploring countries that are currently experiencing a high anti-China sentiment The Way Ahead India will need to look into the totality of its trade with China and Hong Kong and implement certain short- to long-term plans to reduce its dependence on them.
Practice Question
Discus the challenges associated with the banning of Chinese imports.
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17. INTERSTATE MIGRANT WORKMEN ACT 1979
Following the novel coronavirus pandemic, the nationwide lockdown announced on March 24 at short notice has caused immense distress to migrant workers around the country.Those working in the ield of labour welfare have recalled a 1979 law to regulate the employment and working conditions of inter-State migrants, but feel that the lack of serious implementation has led to their rights being ignored. Interstate Migrant Workmen Act 1979 The Act seeks to regulate the employment of inter-State migrants and their conditions of service. It is applicable to every establishment that employs ive or more migrant workmen from other States; or if it had employed ive or more such workmen on any day in the preceding 12 months. It is also applicable to contractors who employed a similar number of inter-State workmen. The Act would apply regardless of whether the ive or more workmen were in addition to others employed in the establishment or by the contractors. It envisages a system of registration of such establishments. The principal employer is prohibited from employing inter-State workmen without a certi icate of registration from the relevant authority. The law also lays down that every contractor who recruits workmen from one State for deployment in another State should obtain a licence to do so. Beneficial provisions for inter-State migrants The provision for registration of establishments employing inter-State workers creates a system of accountability and acts as the irst layer of formalising the utilisation of their labour. It helps the government keep track of the number of workers employed and provides a legal basis for regulating their conditions of service. As part of the licensing process, contractors are bound by certain conditions. These include committing them to providing terms and conditions of the agreement or any other arrangement on the basis of which they recruit workers. These terms include “the remuneration payable, hours of work, ixation of wages and other essential amenities in respect of the inter-State migrant workmen”. The wage rates, holidays, hours of work and other conditions of service of an inter- State migrant workman shall be the same as those extended to other workmen in the same establishment, if the nature of their work is similar. In other cases, it would be as prescribed by the appropriate government. In no case, shall the wages be lower than what is prescribed under the Minimum Wages Act. Challenges in its implementation Almost no state seems to have implemented this law in letter and spirit. The primary reason for this seems to be the onerous compliance requirements set out in the law. It not only requires equal pay for inter-state workmen, but also requires other social protection that would make their employment signi icantly more expensive than intra-state workmen.
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Since the Act is barely implemented, it exists as another law that potentially provides rent-seeking opportunities to enterprising government inspectors while failing in its main objective. Another consequence of weak implementation is the absence of government preparedness and the consequent failure in preventing genuine hardships for vulnerable groups. It also highlights the lack of state capacity to enforce such provisions. To implement this law alone, government inspectors would not only have to maintain records of inter-state workmen, but also verify whether all the other requirements regarding wages, allowances, accommodation and health care are complied with. The onerous requirements set out in this law incentivise contractors and employers to under-report inter-state workmen rather than to register them. Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2019 As part of the government’s efforts towards consolidating and reforming labour law, a Bill has been introduced in Parliament called the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2019. The proposed code seeks to merge 13 labour laws into a single piece of legislation. The Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979, is one of them. The proposed law seeks to repeal 13 Acts such as the Factories Act, Mines Act, Dock Workers’ Act, the Inter-State Migrant Workmen Act, and other enactments relating to those working in plantations, construction, cinema, beedi and cigarette manufacture, motor transport, and the media. Regarding inter-State migrant workers, the Act includes them in the de inition of ‘contract labour’. At the same time, an inter-State migrant worker is also separately de ined as a person recruited either by an employer or a contractor for an establishment situated in another State. The Code contains provisions similar to the 1979 Act regarding registration of establishments, licensing of contractors and the inclusion of terms and conditions on hours of work, wages and amenities. Further, both the old Act and the proposed Code e nvisage the payment of a displacement allowance and a journey allowance to inter-State migrant workers. Way Ahead Even though the Code seeks to preserve many of the protections and rights given to inter-State workers, trade unions feel that it is always be tter to have a separate enactment. The unprecedented distress and misery faced by migrant workers due to the current lockdown has drawn attention to a bene icial legislation dedicated to their welfare. Law must be rationalised to remove requirements that disincentive formalisation. A pragmatic approach is required to ensure that employers and contractors have incentives to come forward and register labourers without being worried about punitive action or impractical social safety requirements.
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Practice Question
Interstate migration makes up for a key source of income for the low- income household in India. The pandemic effect left migrants continue to face barriers in their destination States. In this context discuss the provisions provided in Interstate migrant workers act, 1979 in ensuring their safeguard.
Practice Question
Along with the prevention of exploitation of inter-state migrant workmen the Portability of government schemes will improve the livelihood of workmen. Explain.
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18. PM CARES IS NOT A PUBLIC AUTHORITY UNDER RTI ACT
The Prime Minister's Of ice (PMO) has refused to disclose details on the creation and operation of the PM CARES Fund, telling a Right to Information applicant that the fund is “not a public authority” under the ambit of the RTI Act, 2005. About PM CARES Fund PM CARES Fund is a public charitable trust. It has been set up keeping in mind the need for having a dedicated fund with the primary objective of dealing with any kind of emergency or distress situation, like posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and to provide relief to the affected The Prime Minister is Chairperson (ex-of icio) of the PM CARES Fund and Minister of Defence, Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of Finance, Government of India are ex-of icio Trustees of the Fund. The Prime Ministers as the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of PM CARES Fund has the power to nominate three trustees to the Board who shall be eminent persons in the ield of research, health, science, social work, law, public administra tion and philanthropy. All the Trustees of the PM CARES Fund act in a pro bono capacity The primary objectives of the PM CARES Fund Trust are:- 1. To undertake and support relief or assistance of any kind relating to a public health emergency or any other kind of emergency, calamity or distress, either man-made or natural, including the creation or upgradation of healthcare or pharmaceutical facilities, other necessary infrastructure, funding relevant research or any other type of support. 2. To render inancial assistance, provide grants of payments of money or take such other steps as may be deemed necessary by the Board of Trustees to assist the affected population. 3. To undertake any other activity, which is not inconsistent with the above Objects. PM CARES Fund accepts voluntary contributions by individuals/organizations as well as contributions as part of CSR from Companies/Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs). However, contributions lowing out of budgetary sources of the PSUs are not accepted. All contributions towards the PM CARES Fund are 100% exempt from Income Tax under Section 80(G) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 for those who opt for the old tax slabs. Any contribution made to the PM CARES Fund by any Company or a PSU shall qualify as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) expenditure as provided under the Companies Act, 2013. PM CARES Fund has received exemption from operation of all provisions of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010. Public Authority under RTI Act The section 2(h) of the Act de ines a “public authority” as “any authority or body or institution of self-government established or constituted (a) by or under the Constitution; (b) by any other law made by Parliament;
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(c) by any other law made by State Legislature; (d) by noti ication issued or order made by the appropriate Government It also includes any (i) body owned, controlled or substantially inanced; (ii) Non-Government Organisation substantially inanced, directly or indirectly by funds provided by the appropriate Government. Implications of this move: For a trust which is created and run by four cabinet ministers in their ex -of icio capacities, denying the status of ‘public authority’ is a big blow to transparency and not to mention our democratic values. The name, composition of the trust, control, usage of emblem, government domain name everything signi ies that it is a public authority. By simply ruling that it’s not a public authority and denying the application of RTI Act, the Government has constructed walls of secrecy around it. The Way Ahead Since the trust was created, lakhs of public and private sector employees have donated a day’s salary to it, with some of them claiming that this deduction was done without their explicit consent. Many public sector units and corporate entities too have made donations because of a proviso allowing uncapped corporate donations that would qualify as corporate social responsibility (CSR) expenditure. At the very least, RTI requests that seek to understand how funds are being received and how they are being disbursed so far should be seen as legitimate. Also, more needs to be done by the government to publicise donations to the more accountable NDRF which allows for a transfer of funds to States.
Practice Question
In a democracy citizens have a right to know about the actions of government. In the light of the above statement critically analyze the role of Right to information act in ensuring India, a vibrant democracy.
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19. AP GOVT TO REISTRATE ITS STATE ELECTION COMMISSIONER
Context: The Supreme Court refused to stay an Andhra Pradesh High Court order striking down an ordinance which cut short the tenure of the State Election Commissioner from ive to three years. Background: Just days before the local body polls were to be held, the SEC of Andhra Pradesh postponed the elections, citing the COVID-19 outbreak. The State government approached the Supreme Court, but the court declined to interfere. Having exhausted its legal remedy, the government should have waited for the ongoing ight against the disease to be over. The Chief Minister and the YSR congress chief levied an allegation that the SEC, an appointee of his predecessor N. Chandrababu Naidu, postponed the polls to prevent a sweep by the YSR Congress. The State government of Andhra Pradesh got the Governor to issue an ordinance to cut the SEC’s tenure from ive to three years, and amend the criterion for holding that of ice from being an of icer of the rank of Principal Secretary and above to one who had served as a High Court judge. This automatically rendered Mr. N. Ramesh Kumar continuance invalid. The High court has issued stay against the ordinance which was further upheld by the Supreme Court. Constitutional Provision of SEC: The Constitution of India vests in the State Election Commission, consisting of a State Election Commissioner, the superintendence, direction and control of the preparation of electoral rolls for, and the conduct of all elections to the Panchayat s and the Municipalities (Articles 243K, 243ZA). The provision for the SEC was given under article 243K of Indian Constitution. Article 243K: 1. Elections to the Panchayats, the superintendence, direction and control of the preparation of electoral rolls for, and the conduct of, all elections to the Panchayats shall be vested in a State Election Commission consisting of a State Election Commissioner to be appointed by the Governor. 2. Subject to the provisions of any law made by the Legislature of a State the conditions of service and tenure of of ice of the State Election Commissioner shall be such as the Governor may by rule determine: Provided that the State Election Commissioner shall not be removed from his of ice except in like manner and on the like ground as a Judge of a High Court and the conditions of service of the State Election Commissioner shall not be varied to his disadvantage after his appointment 3. The Governor of a State shall, when so requested by the State Election Commission, make available to the State Election Commission such staff as may be necessary for the discharge of the functions conferred on the State Election Commission by clause ( 1 )
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4. Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the Legislature of a State may, by law, make provision with respect to all matters relating to, or in connection with, elections to the Panchayats.
Status of SEC with respect to the Central election commission The provisions of Article 243K of the Constitution, which provides for setting up of SECs, are almost identical to those of Article 324 related to the EC. In other words, the SECs enjoy the same status as the EC. In 2006, the Supreme Court emphasised the two constitutional authorities enjoy the same powers. In Kishan Singh Tomarvs Municipal Corporation of the City of Ahmedabad, the Supreme Court directed that state governments should abide by orders of the SECs during the conduct of the panchayat and municipal elections, just like they follow the instructions of the EC during Assembly and Parliament polls. Article 243-O of the Constitution bars interference in poll matters set in motion by the SECs; Article 329 bars interference in such matters set in motion by the EC. Only after the polls are over can the SECs’ decisions or conduct be questioned through an election petition. These powers enjoyed by the SECs are the same as those by the EC. Challenges: Although state election commissioners are appointed by the state governors and can only be removed by impeachment, in the last two decades many have struggled to assert their independence. Appointment of the State election commission was based on the state legislation which needs to be uniform across India. The political interference in the appointment and the functioning of the State Election Commission needs to be checked. No separate secretariat for the State Election Commissions to ensure autonomy, and free and fair local body election. The funding of the SEC should be made from the non-votable part of the consolidated fund.
Practice Question
Efcient functioning oocal governmentslies in the independence of state election commission. Elucidate
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20. RESERVATION IS NOT A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT
Context: Right to reservation is not a fundamental right, observes SC judge. In February 2020, the Supreme Court ruled that there is no fundamental right to claim reservation in public jobs and no court can order a state government to provide for reservation to SC/STs. Reservation in India: Reservation in Indian law is a form of af irmative action whereby a percentage of seats are reserved in the public sector units, union and state civil services, union and state government departments and in all public and private educational institutions, except in the religious/ linguistic minority educational institutions, for the socially and educationally backward communities and the Scheduled Castes and Tribes who are inadequately represented in these services and institutions. The reservation policy is also extended for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes for representation in the Parliament of India. Reservation was enacted to ensure adequate representation of backwar d classes in the public services. A corollary to adequate representation is “sharing of state power”, and the same was accepted as an objective of the provision in the IndraSawhney (1992) judgment. Sharing of state power by the downtrodden was necessary because at the time of independence, the administration had been controlled by one community or a few communities only, as Ambedkar pointed out before the constituent assembly. Constitutional provisions: Article 14 of the Indian constitution provides for “The State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth.” “Equal protection of Law”, on the othe r hand means, that among equals, the law should be equal and equally administered. That like should be treated as like. Or in other words, persons differently circumstanced need not be treated in the same manner. For example ‘Equal protection of Law’ does not mean that every persons shall be taxed equally, but that persons under the same category should be taxed by the same standard. The guarantee of “equal protection” thus is a guarantee of equal treatment of persons in “equal circumstances” permitting differentiation in different circumstances. Article 15(4) reads as follows: “Nothing in this article or in clause ( 2 ) of Article 29 shall prevent the State from making any special provision for the advancement of any socially and educationally backward classes of citizens or for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.” Article 16(4) of the constitution of India which provides for reservation reads as follows: “Nothing in this article shall prevent the State from making any provision for the reservation of appointments or posts in favour of any backward class of citizens
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which, in the opinion of the State, is not adequately represented in the services under the State.” The Constitution was amended by the Constitution (77th Amendment) Act, 1995 and a new clause (4A) was inserted in Article 16 to enable the government to provide reservation in promotion. Reservation to promote Social equality: Reservation policy was added in the constitution to correct the historical injustice faced by backward castes in the country. It also provides a level playing ield for backward section as they cannot compete with those who have had the access of resources and means for centuries. It also ensures adequate representation of backward classes in the services under the State thus promoting social equality. Reservation is not a fundamental right: Once something which has so far been recognised as a matter of policy (Reservation) is acknowledged as a guaranteed fundamental right, each individual claim to secure the 'enforcement' of such right will open a loodgate for indeterminate, uncertain and vacuous claims. The Supreme Court ruled that article 16 imposed a duty on the State to make reservations but "Article 16(4) is an enabling provision and confers a discretionary power on the State to make reservation. E.g., in 1988, in P & T SCs and STs Employees' Welfare Assn. v. Union of India the Supreme Court categorically ruled that it was not open for a member of SCs/STs to move a court to compel the Government to provide job reservations because Article 16(4) was merely an enabling provision. In Mandal case Judgment all the nine Judges uniformly agreed that Articles 16(4) and 15(4) are couched in enabling language and represent an empowerment of the State to pursue the goals of substantive or genuine equality. None of these Judges even indirectly indicate that these clauses can themselves be construed as aspects of the fundamental right to equality and thus be enforceable in a court of law.
Practice Question
Critically examine the reservation system in promoting social justice in a diversied country like India.
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21. INNER LINE PERMIT TO ASSAM
Context: The Supreme Court refused to stay a 2019 presidential order that excludes Assam from the Inner Line Permit system and asked the Centre to respond to two petitions challenging the order What is ILP? The Inner Line Permit is a document required by foreigners or non-local Indian citizens to enter places designated “protected areas”. It covers the whole of Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, most of Nagaland, lately Manipur was added and certain pockets of Assam. Origin of ILP: The concept originates from the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act (BEFR), 1873. The policy of exclusion irst came about as a response to the reckless expansion of British entrepreneurs into new lands which threatened British political relations with the hill tribes. The BEFR prohibits an outsider’s — “British subject or foreign citizen” — entry into the area beyond the Inner Line without a pass and his purchase of land there. On the other hand, the Inner Line also protects the commercial interests of the British from the tribal communities. After Independence, the Indian government replaced “British subjects” with “Citizen of India”. The main objective of the ILP system is to prevent settlement of other Indian nationals in the states in order to protect the indigenous population. Relation between CAA and ILP The Citizenship Amendment Act, which provides citizenship to refugees of six minority communities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, provided they have entered India on or before December 31, 2014, will not apply to the areas under Inner Line Permit. Amid protests against the Act, the Adaptation of Laws (Amendment) Order, 2019, issued by the President, amended the BEFR, 1873, extending it to Manipur and parts of Nagaland that were not earlier protected by ILP. The widespread fear in the North East is that populations de ined as indigenous to the region will be culturally and physically overrun by migrants as a result of the amended citizenship law. To address the problem, the Centre had introduced geographical exemptions in the Citizenship Amendment Bill for tribal-dominated Sixth Schedule and Inner Line Permit areas. It even extended the Inner Line Permit regime to the state of Manipur and Dimapur in Nagaland overnight. While the exemptions had quietened the protests in most states, protests in Assam escalated, since most areas in the state are not covered by the exemptions. What is the petition? Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) and All Tai Ahom Students’ Un ion (ATASU) petitioned the Supreme Court against the Presidential order.
Aram.Academy.IAS aramias_academy aramias_academy aimcivilservices aramiasacademy.com The original BEFR included the then Assam districts of Kamrup, Darrang, Nowgong (now Nagaon), Sibsagar, Lakhimpur, and Cachar, the petition said the order took away the Assam government’s permissive power to implement the ILP. It is a well-known fact to the Central government that the state of Assam is facing tremendous problems due to the in lux of illegal immigrants and under such a situation, bringing Adaption of Laws (Amendment) Order 2019 so as to deprive the state of Assam from the applicability of Section 6B(4) of the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 is a sheer violation of the Articles 14, 21, 29, 325,326 and 355 of the Constitution of India. The President passed the order for amendment under Article 372 (2) of the Constitution, although as per Article 372 (3), he has the power to do so for only three years from the date of enactment of the Constitution, that is till 1953. The students' unions have sought an inner-line system in the state to protect them from the effect of CAA especially from those who have come from Bangladesh. They want the implementation of ILP saying that under the BEFR, it was very much prevalent in some undivided districts. Groups such as the AJYCP have long been campaigning for long for implementation of the ILP in Assam. SC’s View A top court bench comprising Chief Justice SA Bobde and Justices AS Bopanna and Hrishikesh Roy told the petitioners that it cannot grant an interim stay on the order without hearing the Centre’s stand.
Practice Question
What is Inner line permit? Discuss its signicance in promoting the welfare of tribal community.
Aram.Academy.IAS aramias_academy aramias_academy aimcivilservices aramiasacademy.com 22. CIVIL SERVICES BOARD
Context: Punjab government notifying Civil Services Board providing for ixed tenure of IAS of icers has left Congress leaders in the state upset. What is Civil Service Board? As per a state government noti ication dated June 2, CSB will be headed by Chief Secretary, with Personnel Secretary, and either Financial Commissioner (Revenue) or Home Secretary (who so ever is senior in the pecking order) as its members. The board provides for the state to follow Centre’s guidelines on giving a ixed tenure of at least two years for cadre of icers. They cannot be transferred before that and if anyone recommends their transfer then the board will examine and effect it. The inal authority is the Chief Minister. Origin of CSB The noti ication is based on an order issued by the Union ministry of personnel, public grievances and pensions on January 28, 2014, when the Manmohan Singh- led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government was in pow er. It was aimed at providing stability of tenure and checking political interference. Punjab is the 20th state to adopt these rules. The Supreme Court had directed the Centre and the states in November 2013 to constitute the CSBs to decide posting of senior administrative, police and forest service of icers on a two-year ixed term. As per rules, all states should have a civil services board to decide on transfers and postings of the bureaucrats. The rules mandate the civil services board to submit an annual report on January 1 to the central government about the date of the meetings held by them and also to upload the same on the website of the concerned state government or union territory in public domain. How do they see the board to be lending officers supremacy over them? If any of icer is to be transferred before completing his minimum tenure, the board will record the reasons for the transfer, will seek views from the concerned of icer and then give a judgement on whether the tenure of the of icer is to be ended mid- way. The inal authority will be the CM. What is the government’s argument in its favour? It says if the of icials have a ixed tenure they will be able to provide better administration. They will also feel safe and try to stick to the rules instead of pleasing political bosses. It says every of icial requires 3-6 months to get into the groove at his new place of posting. If he stays there for two years, it would mean better delivery and stable tenure to people. What is the issue? Previous government led by former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had refused to follow the guidelines on the argument that appointment and transfer of IAS of icers are a prerogative of the state.
Aram.Academy.IAS aramias_academy aramias_academy aimcivilservices aramiasacademy.com If their term is ixed, it had argued, it will not only create functional and administrative problems, but also overstep the authority and jurisdiction of the state government. The political leadership of ruling party in the state has usually always had a say in postings and transfers of district of icials in the state. Akalis have been known to lend supremacy to its leadership over bureaucrats in the state. But ever since Congress government has taken over, the grouse of its leaders has been that they do not get a due respect in their own regime. The district of icials allegedly make them wait and do not listen to them while Akalis were still getting the respect and honour from these of icials. This has led to several confrontations in the past. With the ixed tenure rule and Chief Secretary’s board having all power to examine a recommendation for a transfer, the leaders feel their in luence has been reduced to a naught and all power handed to the CS.
Practice Question
Discuss the role of Civil Service Board in having a Politically neutral bureaucracy in India.
Aram.Academy.IAS aramias_academy aramias_academy aimcivilservices aramiasacademy.com 23. INDIA- AUSTRALIA BILATERAL VIRTUAL SUMMIT
Context: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold his irst virtual bilateral summit on June 4, as he hopes to expand the strategic partnership with Australia in the backdrop of China's renewed efforts to step up aggression in the Indo-Paci ic region. Background India and Australia has shared a cordial relation with each other since a very long time and has witnessed an increased commitment in recent past. Multiple engagement in ields such as bilateral trade, strategic relations, student exchange programs, similar commitments towards sustainable development has made this relationship all the more dynamic. Australia and India for the irst time established diplomatic relations in the pre- Independence period, when the Consulate General of India was irst opened as a Trade Of ice in Sydney in 1941. India-Australia relations touched a historic low when the Australian Government condemned India’s 1998 nuclear tests. The relations since then has witnessed a signi icant thaw and when in 2014, Australia signed a uranium supply deal with India, the irst of its kind with a country that is a non-signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, in recognition of India’s “impeccable” non-proliferation record it became evident what type of relation Australia wanted with India. India Australia relations India is the 5th largest trade partner of Australia with trade in goods and services at $ 29 billion representing 3.6% share of the total Australian trade in 2017-18, with export at A$ 8 billion and import at A$ 21 billion. India’s main exportsto Australia are Re ined Petroleum, medicaments, Railway vehicles including hover-trains, Pearls & Gems, Jewellery, made up t extile articles, while our major imports are Coal, copper ores & concentrates, Gold, vegetables, wool & other animal hair, fruits and nuts, lentils and education related services. The Indian community in Australia has the population of nearly half a million (2.1 % of the population), and another over 1,50,000 persons of Indian descent immigrated from other countries (Fiji, Malaysia, Kenya and South Africa). India is one of the top sources of skilled immigrants to Australia. India and 62 other countries have backed a draft resolution led by Australia and the EU to 'identify the zoonotic source' of Covid-19 and its 'route of introduction' to humans. Australia supports India’s candidature in an expanded UN Security Council. Both India and Australia are members of the Commonwealth, IORA, ASEAN Regional Forum, Asia Paci ic Partnership on Climate and Clean Development, and have participated in the East Asia Summits. Australia and India conducted AUSINDEX, their largest bilateral naval exercise, and there are further developments on the anvil, including Australia’s permanent inclusion in the Malabar exercise with Japan.
Aram.Academy.IAS aramias_academy aramias_academy aimcivilservices aramiasacademy.com Virtual summit The summit is happening also amid new tensions between China and Australia over Canberra’s call for a global inquiry into the origin of the coronavirus. Australian PM Scott Morrison has described India as a natural partner. The two sides at the meet are expected to conclude agreementsto develop reliable supply chains in key strategic sectors, including medical goods, technology and critical minerals, besides a mutual logistics support pact for the two navies. A new education partnership is also on the agenda to help overcome Australian universities’ dependence on Chinese students. Australia is looking to expand agricultural exports to India, including of barley, as China imposes trade barriers. It is expected that the ‘Mutual Logistics Support Agreement’ will be signed during the summit that should enhance defence cooperation and ease the conduct of large- scale joint military exercises. Strategic Initiative India and Australia, as fellow democracies with a shared interest in the protection and preservation of freedom of navigation and over light in the Indo-Paci ic, are natural partners in this regard. This could involve the cooperative use of their respective island territories in the Indian Ocean for strategic purposes. India’s Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Australia’s Cocos (Keeling) islands are well - positioned to offer signi icant advantages for both countries. These islands are located near strategic chokepoints and trading routes, with the Andaman and Nicobar Islands near the straits of Malacca, while the Cocos Islands lie in close proximity to the Indonesian straits of Sunda, Lombok, and Ombai-Wetar. Together, these st raits are the entry and exit points between the Indian and the Paci ic Oceans. In the current geopolitical competition in the Indo-Paci ic, these islands can provide advantages for strategic, practical, and signalling purposes. India-Australia collaboration thus sends a strong political message across the Indo- Paci ic, sending a message of deepening strategic trust between two key players of the Indo-Paci ic. Challenges India’s trade de icit with Australia has been increasing since 2001-02.A particularly signi icant rise in the de icit was recorded in 2011-12, just after the negotiations for an India-Australia Free Trade Agreement was launched; it is also a contentious issue in the ongoing RCEP negotiations which India left. The two countries are also discussing a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), however, the progressis currently stalled. The strategic relationship between the two countries is currently underdeveloped, despite strong converging interests. One challenge in the relationship comes from differences in priority theatres, with India’s in Indian Ocean and Canberra’s in the Paci ic. If New Delhi de ines the Paci ic as its secondary area of interest, then for Canberra the Indian Ocean is its second sea.
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Capacity limitations on both sides mean there is a challenge in deploying resources in secondary areas of interests.
Way Ahead
It may be prudent too for New Delhi and Canberra to elevate the ‘two plus two’ format for talks from the Secretary level to the level of Foreign and Defence Ministers. But beyond the realpolitik of strategy, is the managing of cooperation in areas that matter to the lives of the people of the two nations: health, food and education.
Practice Question
The India- Australia relationship has grown in strength with rapid strides in all areas of trade, energy andmining, science & technology, information technology, education and defence. Elucidate.
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GS I - Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present - signicant events, personalities, issues.
24. AFGHANISTAN PEACE PROCESS AND INDIA
Recently the United Nations Secretariat held a meeting of what it calls the “6+2+1” group on regional efforts to support peace in Afghanistan, a group that includes six neighbouring countries: China, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan; global players the United States and Russia, and Afghanistan itself. India was conspicuous by its absence from the meeting on April 16, given its historical and strategic ties with Afghanistan, but not for the irst time.
India-Afghanistan Strategic ties India & Afghanistan have a strong relationship based on historical & cultural links. Since time immemorial, people of Afghanistan and India have interacted with each other through trade and commerce, peacefully coexisting on the basis of their shared cultural values and commonalities. In 2011, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Afghanistan President Karzai signed the historic Strategic Partnership Agreement, which was Afghanistan’s irst such agreement with any country. India enjoys tremendous goodwill amongst the people of Afghanistan and it has made large scale investments in order to help stabilize the war-torn country and rebuild its institutions. India has funded construction of highways, hospitals, hydropower projects, construction of the Parliament building in Kabul, etc. Three major projects: The Afghan Parliament, the Zaranj-Delaram Highway, and the Afghanistan-India Friendship Dam (Salma dam), along with hundreds of small development projects (of schools, hospitals and water projects) have cemented that position in Afghan hearts nationwide, regardless of Pakistan’s attempts to undermine that position Afghan Peace Process and India The Afghan peace process comprises the proposals and negotiations in a bid to end the ongoing war in Afghanistan. The war began in 2001 between the Taliban, which is the main insurgent group ighting against the Afghan government and American troops; and the United States. India’s Engagement: In December 2001 the Indian team led by special envoy Satinder Lambah arrived in Germany’s Petersberg hotel near Bonn, where the famous Bonn agreement was negotiated, to ind no reservations had been made for them at the of icial venue. In January 2010, India was invited to attend the “London Conference” on Afghanistan, but left out of the room during a crucial meeting that decided on opening talks with the Taliban. In 2020, the reason given for keeping India out of regional discussions on Afghanistan was ostensibly that it holds no “boundary” with Afghanistan; but in fact it is because New Delhi has never announced its support for the U.S.-Taliban peace process.
Aram.Academy.IAS aramias_academy aramias_academy aimcivilservices aramiasacademy.com India’s Stand The biggest concern for India has to be the fact that other major powers such as United States, Russia, China, Pakistan and others stakeholders in the Afghan con lict seemed to have gone ahead to work out a deal with the Taliban while India feels left behind and has a stated policy of not directly negotiating with the Taliban. In fact, when the US invaded Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks, one of its primary objectives was to overthrow the Taliban government which had sheltered the Al Qaeda. Initially, the US managed to throw the Taliban out of power but today it has regrouped and emerged with greater potency to target western forces and the Afghan civilian government and it nearly controls 50-60% of Afghan territory. It is with these changing ground realities and stark realisation that the US started negotiating with the Taliban. In return, Taliban is looking to snatch power from the civilian government and bring back the Sharia law, whereas, Pakistan gets to retain its strategic depth in Afgh anistan vis-à-vis India by using the Taliban as its proxy to create a stronger base for anti-India terror out its such as the JeM and LeT. But it is ironic that the US and Russia are failing to realise the previous damage that the Taliban has caused to them. It was the Taliban which sheltered the Al Qaeda that carried out a series of terror attacks against western targets and it was the core members of Taliban who played a key role in defeating the Soviet Union with the covert support of Pakistan. So since Pakistan and Taliban cannot be trusted with the task of stabilizing Afghanistan, India’s stand has been that the peace process has to ‘Afghan -led, Afghan-controlled and Afghan-owned’. What are India’s options? India’s options are quite restricted because it doesn’t have much of a leverage to in luence the developments in Afghanistan to its favour. The goodwill and soft power that India has earned through its developmental assistance could be easily lost if the Taliban were to return to power. India must also pursue opportunities to ful il its role in the peace efforts in Afghanistan, starting with efforts to bridge the Ghani-Abdullah divide, and bringing together other major leaders with whom India has built ties for decades. It would be an utter tragedy if the Taliban were to enter the government in Kabul as the U.S. deal envisages, to ind the opposing front collapse as it did in 1996. The conversation India’s External Affairs Minister had with the U.S.’s Special Envoy, where they discussed India’s “engagement” in the peace process, appears to open a window in that direction. An understanding between Iran and the U.S. on Afghanistan is necessary for lasting peace as well, and India could play a mediatory part, as it did in order for the Chabahar project. Finally, New Delhi should use the United Nations’s call for a pause in con licts during the novel coronavirus pandemic, to ensure a hold on hostilities with Pakistan. Way Ahead India needs to signi icantly enhance its engagement with all the stakeholders in the Afghan con lict. India needs to ind a place at the high table and stay on top of the situation by closing watching the developments.
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Above all, the government must consider the appointment of a special envoy, as it has been done in the past, to deal with its efforts in Afghanistan, which need both diplomatic agility and a irmness of purpose at a watershed moment in that country’s history.
Practice Question
Discuss the impact of current Afghan peace talks on the India's regional aspiration and its connecting central Asia policy.
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25. OPEN SKIES TREATY
Context: In a setback to the world’s arms control framework, the USA recently said that it will withdraw from the Open Skies Treaty (OST), a 34-member accord that allows participants to ly unarmed reconnaissance lights over any part of their fellow member states. About the treaty The treaty was irst proposed in 1955 by former US President Dwight Eisenhower as a means to deescalate tensions between USA and USSR during the Cold War to allow aerial reconnaissance lights over each other's territory The treaty entered into force on January 1, 2002, and currently 34 states are party to the treaty while a 35th, Kyrgyzstan, has signed but not rati ied it. The OST aims at building con idence among members through mutual openness, thus reducing the chances of accidental war. Under the treaty, a member state can “spy” on any part of the host nation, with the latter’s consent. A country can undertake aerial imaging over the host state after giving notice 72 hours before, and sharing its exact light path 24 hours before. The information gathered, such as on troop movements, military exercises and missile deployments, has to be shared with all member states. Only approved imaging equipment is permitted on the surveillance lights, and of icials from the host state can also stay on board throughout the planned journey. Although state-parties are allowed to over ly all of a member’s territory, the treaty determines speci ic points of entry and exit and refueling air ields. The treaty also establishes ground resolution thresholds for the onboard still and video cameras. The aircraft and its sensors must undergo a certi ication procedure before being allowed to be used for Open Skies in order to con irm that they do not exceed the allowed resolutions. Significance of the Open Skies Treaty The OST was signed in 1992, much before the advent of advanced satellite imaging technology which is currently the preferred mode for intelligence gathering. Yet, surveillance aircraft provide key information that still cannot be gathered by satellite sensors, such as thermal imaging data. The Treaty permits each state-party to conduct short-notice, unarmed, reconnaissance lights over the others' entire territories to collect data on military forces and activities. Also, since only the US has an extensive military satellite infrastructure, other NATO members would have to rely on Washington to obtain classi ied satellite data, which would be more dif icult to obtain compared to OST surveillance records that have to be shared with all members as a treaty obligation.
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Open Skies Treaty: The US’s withdrawal While it was envisaged as a key arms control agreement, many in Washington had for over a decade accused Russia of non-compliance with OST protocols, blaming Moscow of obstructing surveillance lights on its territory, while misusing its own missions for gathering key tactical data. As per a report in The New York Times, President Trump was also unhappy that a Russian reconnaissance lew over his golf course in New Jersey state in 2017. His administration has now chosen to withdraw from the pact, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accusing Russia of “ lagrantly and continuously violating) the Treaty in various ways for years.” Russia has denied the allegations, and has called Washington’s exit as “very regrettable” This approach is reminiscent from last year when Trump had suspended US participation in the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty– another security agreement that had been credited with curtailing the arms race in Europe towards the end of the Cold War. Experts are now contemplating the fate of the much larger US-Russia ‘New START’ nuclear arms control agreement, which is slated to expire in February 2021. Trump has already said that his administration would not renew the treaty unless China joins
Conclusion The OST exit is only the most recent example in the list of important pacts that Washington has stepped away from during the Trump presidency, such as the Paris Agreement and the Iran nuclear deal.
Practice Question
What is the Open Skies Treaty?Discuss the Signicance of the Open Skies Treaty in arms control.
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GS III - Awareness in the elds of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano technology, bio -technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights 26. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN INDIA
Why in News: The Indian government recently announced the National Arti icial Intelligence (AI) Portal, developed jointly by the National e-Governance Division of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom). The portal was originally announced during the Union Budget 2020-21. About AI
State of Artificial Intelligence in India In June 2018, India’s national think-tank, the NITI Aayog, released a discussion paper on the transformative potential of Arti icial Intelligence (AI)in India. This paper said the country could add US$1 trillion to its economy through integrating AI. Commerce and Industry Department of the Government of India formed a task force on Arti icial Intelligence for India’s Economic Transformation These bodies were approved an INR3,660 crore national mission on cyber- physical system technologies that involves extensive use of AI, machine learning, deep learning, big data analytics, quantum computing, quantum communication, quantum encryption, data science and predictive analytics. In the ield of AI between 2013 and 2017 as a metric, India ranked third in terms of high quality research publications in Arti icial Intelligence. The Indian Institutes of Technology and the Indian Institutes of Information Technology were among the primary research educational centers for AI.
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Currently, most of the traction in India is in the form of AI pilot projects from the government in agriculture and healthcare, and the emergence of AI startups in cities like Bangalore and Hyderabad. Though these are indications of grassroots level AI adoption, the pace of innovation isn’t comparable to the USA or China today Government’s Initiative to Promote AI 1. National Artificial Intelligence Portal This portal has been jointly developed by the Ministry of Electronics and IT and IT Industry. National e-Governance Division of Ministry of Electronics and IT and NASSCOM from the IT industry will jointly run this portal. This portal shall work as a one stop digital platform for AI related developments in India, sharing of resources such as articles, startups, investment funds in AI, resources, companies and educational institutions related to AI in India. The portal will also share documents, case studies, research reports etc. It has a section about learning and new job roles related to AI. 2. Responsible AI for Youth Minister for Electronics & Information Technology also launched a National Program for the youth, “Responsible AI for Youth”. The aim of this Program is to give the young students of our country a platform and empower them with appropriate new age tech mind-set, relevant AI skill- sets and access to required AI tool-sets to make them digitally ready for the future. It will empower the youth to become AI ready and help reduce the skill gap, while enabling youth to create meaningful social impact solutions. The Program is designed to reach out to students from Government schools pan India and provide them with an opportunity to become part of the skilled workforce in an inclusive manner. The Program has been created and launched by the National e-Governance Division, Ministry of Electronics & IT in collaboration with Intel India, with support from Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSE&L), Ministry of Human Resource Development. DoSE&L will help reach-out to State Education Departments to nominate teachers as per eligibility criteria. 3. RAISE Summit Recently, the government orgainsed RAISE 2020, a Mega Virtual Summit on Arti icial Intelligence (AI) It is a global meeting of minds to exchange ideas and chart a course for using AI for social transformation, inclusion and empowerment in areas like Healthcare, Agriculture, Education and Smart Mobility, among other sectors. 4. States initiatives: Not only the nation as a whole, but even states are independently taking numerous initiatives and are making policies to make the best out of AI. For instance, Tamil nadu government recently released the Safe And Ethical Arti icial Intelligence Policy 2020
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Telangana government announced that the year 2020 will be the year of arti icial intelligence. The governmentis also planning to organize several events where AI will take the center stage Karnataka government has launched ‘AI for Good Ideathon’ to spread the word that AI should not just be used for business, rather, it should be used to improve people’s lives. West Bengal government has launched AI-Powered System For Monitor Driving Behaviour Applications of AI For India the real power of AI lies in its potential to address massive societal challenges that were traditionally considered to be beyond the purview of computing. 1. Education and Skilling: AI can potentially solve for quality and access issues observed in the Indian education sector. Potential use cases include augmenting and enhancing the learning experience through personalised learning, automating and expediting administrative tasks, and predicting the need for student intervention to reduce dropouts or recommend vocational training. For example, "Thinker Maths" (personalised teaching app) useful in rural areas where teachers are not willing to go. 2. Healthcare: Application of AI in healthcare can help address issues of high barriers to access to healthcare facilities, particularly in rural areas that suffer from poor connectivity and limited supply of healthcare professionals. This can be achieved through implementation of use cases such as AI-driven diagnostics, personalized treatment, early identi ication of potential pandemics, and imaging diagnostics, among others. For instance, Non-communicable diseases like depression can be treated by achieving a better understanding of the brain and mind using AI and computing. 3. Agriculture: In agriculture, AI can help us handle the complexity and uncertainty associated with production, making better sense of problems associated with epidemics, price volatility of raw materials and optimal usage of resources such as water, energy and fertilizers. It can empower farmers to deploy tailored interventions ranging from predictable crop planning to precision farming. 4. Development of Smart cities: Integration of AI in newly developed smart cities and infrastructure could also help to meet the demands of a rapidly urbanizing population and providing them with enhanced quality of life. For instance, In India’s smart cities, AI algorithms in collision avoidance systems can give an approximate 1.5 second advance notice to drivers to avoid 93% of road accidents. 5. Security enhancement: In cyber security, user behaviour analysis Psycho-analysis and lie detector tests using AI will help to predict and detect threat and reduce fraud.
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By studying crime pattern using NCRB data, etc. with the help of AI would reduce the incidence of crimes and improves law and order. 6. Financial Sector: Banks can use AI based application software for enhancing customer experience, security, and risk management Software that can predict trends in stock market have been created which have been known to beat humans in predictive power. With the use of AI, banks’ call centre work could get reduced to a certain extent. 7. Weather forecasting: Neural Network is used for predicting weather condition. Previous data are fed to a neural network which learns the pattern & uses that knowledge to predict weather pattern. Challenges in Implementation Absence of collaborative effort between various stakeholders: For instance in Health sector, while India has adopted electronic health record (EHR) policy, sharing of data between various hospital chains still remains a work in progress, since different hospital chains have adopted different interpretations of ‘digitising records’. Low intensity of AI research: India is lagging behind in the aspects of core research in fundamental technologies and transforming core research into market applications Inadequate skilled manpower: The progress of AI in India faces are limited availability of manpower and of good quality and clean data, as there is no institutional mechanism to maintain high quality data. Privacy concerns of the people: A report published by PwC in 2018 revealed another imminent challenge that even with all the potential bene its of AI, which are envisaged to aid humans, people still have concerns regarding data privacy and are apprehensive to share data for a better experience. IPR Challenges: Inspite of several government reforms to protect the IPR in India, Intellectual Property regime still remains unattractive to incentivize research and adoption of AI Concern over job lossess: Increasing automation will lead to signi icant job losses particularly at operational and lower skill levels for repetitive tasks. Ethical Challenges: Ethics for machines has been an area of immense interest for the researchers. However de ining has proven to be problematic and dif icult to make it computable. The Way Ahead India must be a leading country in the development of Arti icial Intelligence in the world, leveraging upon its vast Internet savvy population and data it is creating. India’s AI approach should be of inclusion and empowerment of human being by supplementing growth and development rather than making human beings less relevant.
Practice Question
The real power of AI in India lies in its potential to address
massive societal challenges that were traditionally considered to
be beyond the purview of computing
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GS III - Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc. 24. HYDROPOWER IN INDIA
Why in News: While the Covid-19 lockdown has signi icantly reduced overall power demand, it is notable that the share of hydropower has actually risen. Hydroelectric generation has the ability to ramp up almost instantly to meet unexpected load changes, and so maintain system stability. Hydropower potential of India India is the 7th largest producer of hydroelectric power in the world ranking third worldwide in the total number of dams. India is endowed with large hydropower potential of 1,45,320 MW of which only about 45,400 MW has been utilized so far. Only about 10,000 MW of hydropower has been added in the last 10 years. The hydropower sector is currently going through a challenging phase and the share of hydropower in the total capacity has declined from 50.36% in the 1960s to around 13% in 2018- 19. Maximum potential is in the state of Arunachal Pradesh. It has 33% of the total hydroelectric potential of India. The public sector accounts for 92.5% of India’s hydroelectric power production. The importance of hydropower is increasing even more as the country has targeted to add 160 GW of intermittent Solar and Wind power by 2022 and 40% of the total capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030 to honor its Nationally Determined Contribution for Climate Change. Government Measures to promote Hydro Power Sector
New Hydroelectric Policy: So far, only small hydro projects of a capacity of less than 25 MW were treated as renewable energy. Large hydro projects were treated as a separate source of energy. According to the new policy, large hydro projectswill also be designated as renewable energy projects.
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Other recent measure: Hydropower Projects (HPO) as a separate entity within non-solar Renewable Purchase Obligation to cover LHPs commissioned after noti ication of these measures (SHPs are already covered under Non-Solar Renewable Purchase Obligation). Tariff rationalization measures including providing lexibility to the developers to determine tariff by back loading of tariff after increasing project life to 40 years, increasing debt repayment period to 18 years and introducing escalating tariff of 2%; Budgetary support for funding lood moderation component of hydropower projects on case to case basis; and Budgetary support for funding cost of enabling infrastructure i.e. roads and bridges on case to case basis as per actual, limited to Rs. 1.5 crore per MW for up to 200 MW projects and Rs. 1.0 crore per MW for above 200 MW projects. Advantages of hydropower Renewable Source: Hydropower is a renewable source of energy because it uses and not consumes the water for generation of electricity, and the hydropower leaves this vital resource available for other uses. Cheapest energy source As energy is produced with no consumables involved, there is very little recurring cost and hence no high long term expenditure. It is cheaper as compared to electricity generated from coal and gas ired plants. It also reduces the inancial losses due to frequency luctuations and it is more reliable as it is in lation free due to not usage of fossil fuel. To meet unexpected load changes Hydropower stations are preferred solution for meeting peak loads in grids due to its unique capabilities of quick starting and closing. The operational needs of hydro & thermal stations are complimentary and the balanced mix helps in optimal utilization of the capacity. Seasonal load curves of regional grids match with the pattern of hydro power generation. Employment opportunities As most of the hydro power potential is located in the higher reaches of Himalayas and North- East Region, it will result in overall socio-economic development of the region by providing direct employment in the power sector. It will also provide indirect employment/ entrepreneurial opportunities in the ield of transportation, tourism and other small scale businesses. Challenges/Limitations 1. Higher tariff: DISCOMS are reluctant sign Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) Hydro Power due to higher tariff, particularly, in the initial years. One of the reasons for high tariff of hydropower is the loading of cost of lood moderation and enabling infrastructure in the project cost. 2. Climate change vulnerability: Water is constantly replenished by a process of hydrological cycle in the atmosphere, but this cycle could get altered due to climate change. Since the amount of electricity a hydropower plant can produce directly
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depends on the availability of water resources, lower the river discharge, lesser the power generation. 3. Reduction in river low: Major rivers like the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra are fed by snow and glacier melt. But the retreat of glaciers in the Himalayas is likely to alter the pattern of river low, resulting in the disruption of hydropower production. For instance, A 1% reduction in the low can reduce electricity output by roughly 3% 4. Interstate Water dispute: A number of hydro projects on common river systems between adjoining states are on hold because of pending interstate agreement on water usage. 5. Maintenance issue: Multiple projects on the same river must take into account water availability and siltation. Failure to do that could lead to lower peak capacity than had been planned, and misleading cost-bene it calculus. 6. Social Impact: The dam construction for the hydro project large leads to population displacement and loss of income from farming and livestock..
Way Ahead While hydropower projects are critical for economic growth and development, it is equally important to fully assess its potential social and environmental impact in the long-term. The challenge lies in inding the right balance between the need for rapid development and the necessity of protecting the environment.
Practice Question By highlighting India’s hydropower potential, analyze si gni cance of hydropower energy to meet India’s INDC target u nder UNFCC’s Paris deal.
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Why in News: According to new research published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS),the ongoing sixth mass extinction may be one of the most serious environmental threats to the persistence of civilisation.
Mass Extinction of Species Mass extinction refers to a substantial increase in the degree of extinction or when the Earth loses more than three-quarters of its species in a geologically short period of time. So far, during the entire history of the Earth, there have been ive mass extinctions. The sixth, which is ongoing, is referred to as the Anthropocene extinction. The ive mass extinctions that took place in the last 450 million years have led to the destruction of 70-95 per cent of the species of plants, animals and microorganisms that existed earlier. These extinctions were caused by “catastrophic alterations” to the environment, such as massive volcanic eruptions, depletion of oceanic oxygen or collision with an asteroid. After each of these extinctions, it took millions of years to regain species comparable to those that existed before the event. Sixth mass Extinction
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The study analyzed 29,400 species of terrestrial vertebrates and determined which of these are on the brink of extinction because they have fewer than 1,000 individuals. Out of the studied species, they concluded that over 515 of them are near extinction, and that the current loss of species, which is based on the disappearance of their component populations, has been occurring since the 1800s. Most of these 515 species are from South America (30 per cent), followed by Oceania (21 per cent), Asia (21 percent) and Africa (16 percent) among others.
Major findings of the new research The research claims that this extinction is human-caused and is more immediate than climate destruction. Even though only an estimated 2% of all of the species that ever lived are alive today, the absolute number of species is greater now than ever before. It was into such a biologically diverse world that we humans evolved, and such a world that we are destroying, Researchers have described it as the “most serious environmental problem” since the loss of species will be permanent. Signi icantly, the study calls for a complete ban on wildlife trade as many of the species currently endangered or on the brink of extinction are being decimated by legal and illegal wildlife trade. Researchers point out that the current COVID-19 pandemic, while not fully understood, is also linked to the wildlife trade. There is no doubt, for example, that there will be more pandemics if we continue destroying habitats and trading wildlife for human consumption as food and traditional medicines.
Consequences of species extinction According to the Centre for Biological Diversity, when species go extinct, the impact can be tangible such as in the form of a loss in crop pollination and water puri ication. Further, if a species has a speci ic function in an ecosystem, the loss can lead to consequences for other species by impacting the food chain. For instance, When the wolves in Yellowstone Park in California, US, were hunted to near extinction by the 1930s, the deer and elk they preyed upon thrived, as a result of which their grazing decimated the streamside willows and aspens, which provided habitat for songbirds. This also left the stream susceptible to erosion and a decline in the songbirds allowed mosquitoes and other insects that the birds would have eaten to multiply. Subsequently, the wolves were reintroduced into the park in 1995, after which they preyed on the elks and deer once again, the plant life returned and so did the songbirds. When the number of individuals in a population or species drops too low, its contributions to ecosystem functions and services become unimportant, its genetic variability and resilience is reduced, and its contribution to human welfare may be lost.
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Conclusion The study warns that the effects of extinction will worsen in the coming decades as the resulting genetic and cultural variability will change entire ecosystems.
Practice Question Give an account of mass extinction of species on the earth. Also discuss the possible causes of sixth mass extinction .
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GS III - Awareness in the elds of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano technology, bio -technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights 26. NEAR-EARTH OBJECTS (NEOS)
Why in News: Recently, NASA announced that a giant asteroid called 163348 (2002 NN4) passed the Earth (at a safe distance). About Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) Near-Earth objects (NEOs) reside in the vicinity of the Earth near 1.0 AU that is the mean distance between Earth and the Sun. Any object like asteroid or comet that orbits the Sun with a perihelion properly inside the orbit of Mars is known as NEO. More than 13,500 near-Earth objects of all sizes have been discovered to date Over 95 per cent of them since NASA-funded surveys began in 1998. About 1,500 NEOs are now detected each year. Comets were the irst near-Earth objects that were observed by the humans. NEOs occasionally approach close to the Earth as they orbit the Sun Astronomers detect near-Earth objects using ground-based telescopes around Asteroids the world as well as NASA’s space-based Asteroids orbit the Sun and are small bodies in NEOWISE infrared telescope. the solar system. NASA’s Centre for Near-Earth Object They are made up of metals and rocks. Study (CNEOS)determines the times They tend to have shorter and elliptical orbits. and distances of these objects as and They do not produce a coma or tail atmosphere. when their approach to the Earth is The asteroid belt is a torus-shaped region in close. the Solar System, located roughly between the orbits of the planets Jupiter and Mars. Significance of study about Comet NEO Comets also orbit the Sun and are relatively The scienti ic interest in comets and small bodies of the solar system. They are made up of ice and hydrocarbons. asteroids is largely due to Comets have an eccentric orbit. Formation and history of planets When comets approach the sun, some part of and the sun, since asteroids were their ice melts and the other materials formed at the same time as other vapourise due to the heat of the sun. objects in the solar system. This results in a glowing halo that extends Their status as relatively unchanged outwards through space. remnant debris from the solar Therefore, a thin atmospheric tail is formed system formation process over when close to the Sun. 4.6 billion years ago.
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These NEOs offer scientists clues about the chemical mixture from the planets formed. An asteroid hit is widely acknowledged as one of the likeliest among all the causes that will eventually cause the extinction of life on Earth The study is signi icant for the preparedness of Earth in case of any NEO hit For instance, scientists have suggested different ways to ward off such a hit, such as blowing up the asteroid before it reaches Earth, or de lecting it off its Earth- bound course by hitting it with a spacecraft. Impact of NEO on Earth NASA’s Near-Earth Object Observations Program inds, tracks and characterises over 90 per cent of the predicted number of NEOs that are 140 metre or larger in size (larger than a small football stadium). NASA maintains that objects of this size and larger pose a risk to Earth of “the greatest concern” due to the level of devastation that the impact is capable of causing. Further, no asteroid larger than 140 metre has a “ signi icant” chance of hitting the Earth for the next 100 years, less than half of the estimated 25,000 NEOs that are 140 metres or larger in size have been found to date. Conclusion In the exercise done by NASA and their international partners regarding Near-Earth object asteroid can help people in the planetary defence community to understand about the disaster management side and the impacts of asteroid.
Practice Question
What are the signi cance of study about the Near Earth Objects?
Examine.
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GS III - Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment.
27. RISING FOREX RESERVES AMID COVID-19 ECONOMIC CRISIS
Why in News: Covid-hit India’s foreign exchange reserves jumped by a record $11.9 billion in the week ending July 31 to hit a fresh high of $534.5 billion, making it the ifth largest holder of reserves in the world. During the 10-month period between September 27, 2019 and July 31, 2020, the foreign exchange reserves have swelled by $100 billion. About forex reserves Forex reserves are external assets in the form gold, SDRs (special drawing rights of the IMF) and foreign currency assets (capital in lows to the capital markets, FDI and external commercial borrowings) accumulated by India and controlled by the Reserve Bank of India. Objectives: The International Monetary Fund says of icial foreign exchange reserves are held in support of a range of objectives like Supporting and maintaining con idence in the policies for monetary Exchange rate management including the capacity to intervene in support of the national or union currency. Limiting external vulnerability by maintaining foreign currency liquidity to absorb shocks during times of crisis or when access to borrowing is curtailed. India’s forex reserve According to the RBI data,as much as 64 per cent of the India’s foreign currency reserves is held in the securities like Treasury bills of foreign countries, mainly the US, 28 per cent is deposited in foreign central banks and 7.4 per cent is also deposited in commercial banks abroad India also held 653.01 tonnes of gold as of March 2020, with 360.71 tonnes being held overseas in safe custody with the Bank of England and the Bank for International Settlements, while the remaining gold is held domestically. In value terms (USD), the share of gold in the total foreign exchange reserves increased from about 6.14 per cent as at end-September 2019 to about 6.40 per cent as at end-March 2020. However , The return on India’s forex reserves kept in foreign central banks and commercial banks is negligible
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RBI role in the forex reserves The RBI Act, 1934 provides the overarching legal framew ork for deployment of reserves in different foreign currency assets and gold within the broad parameters of currencies, instruments, issuers and counterparties. The Reserve Bank functions as the custodian and manager of forex reserves, and operates within the overall policy framework agreed upon with the government. The RBI allocates the dollars for speci ic purposes. For example, under the Liberalised Remittances Scheme, individuals are allowed to remit up to $250,000 every year. The RBI uses its forex kitty for the orderly movement of the rupee. It sells the dollar when the rupee weakens and buys the dollar when the rupee strengthens. When the RBI mops up dollars, it releases an equal amount in the rupees. This excess liquidity is sterilized through issue of bonds and securities and LAF operations. Reserves rising despite the slowdown: Between September 20, 2019 and July 31, 2020, the reserves have grown by $106 billion and, since the beginning of April, it has grown by $60 billion.
So, in ten months India has added 25 per cent of the reserves it had till September 20, 2019. India is now ifth in global ranking behind China ($ 3,298 billion), Japan ($ 1,383 billion), Switzerland ($ 896 billion) and Russia ($ 591 billion). Major reasons for raise FPI inflows: While it started with a sharp rise in FPI in lows following the government’s decision in September to cut corporate tax rate. Between April and December 2019, FPIs pumped in a net $15.1 billion, according to the RBI. Dip in crude oil prices: India’s oil import bill declined as the global spread of COVID19 since February 2020 not only roiled the stock markets but also led to a crash in the Brent crude oil prices. While crude accounts for almost 20 per cent of India’s total import bill, Brent crude oil prices fell to levels of $20 per barrel towards March end, it dropped further and traded between $9 and $20 in April. In January 2020, Brent crude was trading between $60 and $70 per barrel.
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Import savings: Lockdown across countries in response to Covid-19 pandemic impacted global trade and has resulted in a sharp dip in import expenditure — electronics, gold and also crude oil prices among others. FDI inflows: Between September 2019 and March 2020 foreign direct investments stood at $23.88 billion and in April and May it amounted to $5.9 billion. Market experts say that a lot of FDI has also come in June and July too, especially the Rs 1 lakh crore plus investment by global tech giants in Jio Platforms. Thus FDI in low has been a signi icant contributor to the rise in foreign exchange reserves. Dip in gold imports: Gold which was a big import component for India witnessed a sharp decline in the quarter ended June 2020 following the high prices and the lockdown induced by the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the World Gold Council (WGC), gold imports plummeted by 95 per cent to 11.6 tonnes in the quarter as compared to 247.4 tonnes in the same period a year ago due to logistical issues and poor demand. The value of gold transacted during the June quarter fell to Rs 26,600 crore, down by 57 per cent as compared to Rs 62,420 crore a year ago, WGC said. Significance of rising forex reserves The rising forex reserves give a lot of comfort to the government and the Reserve Bank of India in managing India’s external and internal inancial issues at a time when the economic growth is set to contract by 5.8 per cent in 2020-21. It’s a big cushion in the event of any crisis on the economic front and enough to cover the import bill of the country for a year. The rising reserves have also helped the rupee to strengthen against the dollar. The foreign exchange reserves to GDP ratio is around 15 per cent. Reserves will provide a level of con idence to markets that a country can meet its external obligations, demonstrate the backing of domestic currency by external assets, assist the government in meeting its foreign exchange needs External debt obligations and maintain a reserve for national disasters or emergencies
Practice Question
India’s foreign exchange reserves were raising amid COVID 19
economic crisis. Analyse the reason for its raise and signi cance .
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GS III - Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environm ental impact assessment 28. FLATTENING THE CLIMATE CURVE
Coronavirus has shown how unprepared we are for some of the biggest risks we face. We can learn lessons from the response to COVID-19 in mitigating and adapting to the threat of climate change. Upward trend in climate curve Two interrelated curves began their upward trend two centuries ago with the advent of the industrial age. The irst curve was the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide (or, more generally, all greenhouse gases, GHGs) and the second was the average global temperature curve.
CO2 Curve The CO2 curve began its upward march about 18,000 years ago when it was a little under 200 parts per million (ppm) and
earth was much colder. By the time it reached 270 ppm about 11,500 years ago, the warmer conditions accompanying this curve made it possible for the emergence of agriculture. Over the past million years, CO2 levels never exceeded 280-300 ppm. They always went back to 200 ppm before rising again in a cyclical fashion From mid-19th century, CO2 began to rise again as humans burnt coal & oil and erased forests to expand agriculture and settlements. From a mere 0.2 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions in 1850, annual emissions increased to 36 billion tonnes by 2018. However, one -half of all CO2 emissions have been sanitized from the atmosphere, equally by growing vegetation on land and by absorption in the oceans Thus, the levels of CO2 in the atmosphere reached 407 ppm in 2018, a level last experienced by earth some three million years ago. Global average temperature Curve From 1850 onwards, for over a century, the global temperature showed a slight warming trend. However, from 1975 onwards, the temperature graph has shown a distinct, upward trend. By 2015, the global average temperature has increased by a full degree Celsius relative to a hundred years previously. Under the current trends of emissions, the globe will heat up by 4˚C by the end of the century. Impact of these upward trend curves The global warming has led to reducing sea ice cover and melting of glaciers. This has led to challenges such as rising sea levels and water security. The higher
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temperatures will also have an effect on agricultural production thus adversely affecting human food security. Climate change involves not just a change in temperature but every other component of weather, including rainfall, humidity and wind speed. Globally, there have been several extreme weather events such as hurricanes, heat waves or droughts. While no single event can be directly attributed to climate change, the collective trends are consistent with climate change predictions. The 2003 European heat wave killed over 70,000 people. The years 2015-19 have globally been the warmest years on record. The higher temperatures have also contributed to the Amazon ire of 2019, the bush ires of 2019-20 in Australia causing unprecedented devastation. If global CO2 emissions continue to increase at the present rate, average summer temperatures would rise by 4˚C in most states of India. Extremely hot days (days above 35˚C), which were only ive days in 2010, would increase to 15 days by 2050 and to 42 days by 2100 on average across all districts. By 2015, the global average temperature has increased by a full degree Celsius relative to a hundred years previously. The current estimates note that the world is far away from ful illing their commitments under the Paris Agreement, that would keep average global temperature rise below 2˚C compared to pre-industrial levels. A temperature rise beyond 2˚C could set off a vicious cycle as the carbon sequestered into vegetation will be thrown back into the atmosphere. Notably, about one-half of all CO2 emissions have been absorbed by the atmosphere, equally by growing vegetation on land and by absorption in the oceans. Challenges in tackling this trend The Paris Agreement’s long-term temperature goal is to keep the increase in global average temperature to well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels; and to pursue efforts to limit the increase to 1.5 °C. But the most common excuse is that the world cannot afford to curb GHG emissions for fear of wrecking the economy. An article in Nature in 2019 highlighted the inancial dimensions of tackling the looming climate crisis. Apparently, the wealthy nations are spending over $500 billion each year internally on projects aimed at reducing emissions. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, however, estimates that a sustained annual investment of $2.4 trillion in more ef icient energy systems is needed until 2035 in order to keep warming below the more ambitious 1.5˚C relative to pre-industrial levels. To put this in perspective, that is about 2.5% of the global GDP. At the UN Climate Conference in 2009, the richest nations had pledged to provide $100 billion in aid each year by 2020 to the poorer countries for climate change mitigation and adaptation. In 2017, for which data are available, only $71 billion had been provided, with most of the money going towards mitigation and less than 20% towards climate adaptation. Such numbers had been challenged prior to the 2015 Paris Summit by many countries, including India, because much of the so-called aid provided did not come out of dedicated climate funds but, rather, development funds or simply loans which
Aram.Academy.IAS aramias_academy aramias_academy aimcivilservices aramiasacademy.com had to be repaid. It thus seems unlikely that the rich countries will deliver $100 billion in tangible climate inance during 2020. Conclusion This is also a make-or-break moment for the climate trajectory which has to be lattened within a few years if we are to avoid dangerous climate change. Nature’s kindness is not expected to last beyond a 2˚C rise in temperature. Source: The Hindu Related Article: Extreme weather events
Practice Question
Climate change involves not just a change in temperature but every other component of weather which poses serious challenge to the Sustainable development goals. Comment
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GS III - Major Crops – cropping patterns in various parts of the country different types of irrigation and irrigation systems - storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and constraints; e technology in the aid of farmers. 29. THE DEBATE OVER GM SEEDS IN INDIA
Recently, ShetkariSangathan, the farmers’ union founded by the late leader Sharad Joshi — announced fresh plans in its agitation for use of genetically modi ied seeds. In the current kharif season, farmers would undertake mass sowing of GM seeds for maize, soyabean, mustard brinjal and herbicide tolerant (Ht) cotton, although these are not approved. Farmers had carried out a similar movement last year, too. About Genetically Modified seeds Conventional plant breeding involves crossing species of the same genus to provide the offspring with the desired traits of both parents. Genetic engineering aims to transcend the genus barrier by introducing an alien gene in the seeds to get the desired effects. The alien gene could be from a plant, an animal or even a soil bacterium. India introduced Bt cotton seeds in 2002. It has greatly reduced the use of toxic pesticides. Bt cotton, the only GM crop that is allowed in India, has two alien genes from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) that allows the crop to develop a protein toxic to the common pest pink bollworm. HtBt, on the other, cotton is derived with the insertion of an additional gene, from another soil bacterium, which allows the plant to resist the common herbicide glyphosate. In DMH-11 mustard, developed by Deepak Pental and colleague in the South Campus of University of Delhi, genetic modi ication allows cross-pollination in a crop that self- pollinates in nature.
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Across the world, GM variants of maize, canola and soyabean, too, are available. Benefits of GM Crops It improves production and raise farmer's income. Indian farmers are still practicing traditional process of seeding and cultivation, which required scienti ic moves for raising their production. Hence, it is one of the moves to enhance the farm production. It reduces the use of pesticide and insecticide during farming that might be great moves for the betterment of the food supply. It can feed a rapidly increasing population because it shows dramatically increased yields. It can produce more in small area of land. Bt cotton produces a common soil bacterium, Bacillus Thuringiensis (Bt). It is a natural pest repelling bacteria that is toxic to many worms and pests that can harm the crop but is not hazardous to humans. Bt is widely sprayed on crops by organic farmers as a pesticide. As a result of the adoption of Bt cotton, India is now the largest cotton producer in the world. Legal position of GM crops in India In India, the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) is the apex body that allows for commercial release of GM crops. In 2002, the GEAC had allowed the commercial release of Bt cotton. More than 95 per cent of the country’s cotton area has since then come under Bt cotton. Use of the unapproved GM variant can attract a jail term of 5 years and ine of Rs 1 lakh under the Environmental Protection Act,1989. Criticism on GMO Genes can mutate with harmful effect: It is not yet known whether arti icial insertion of genes could destabilize an organism, encouraging mutations, or whether the inserted gene itself will keep stable in the plant over generations. There is no conclusive data on this issue. "Sleeper" genes could be accidentally switched on and active genes could become "silent": Organisms contain genes that are activated under certain conditions -- for example, under attack from pathogens or severe weather. When a new gene is inserted, a "promoter" gene is also inserted to switch it on. This could activate a "sleeper" gene in inappropriate circumstances. This is especially relevant in long- lived organisms - such as trees. Sometimes the expression of genes is even "silenced" as a result of unknown interactions with the inserted gene. Potential negative effects on human health Transfer of allergenic genes: These could be accidentally transferred to other species, causing dangerous reactions in people with allergies. For example, an allergenic Brazil-nut gene was transferred into a transgenic soybean variety. Its presence was discovered during the testing phase, however, and the soybean was not released. Mixing of GM products in the food chain: Unauthorized GM products have appeared in the food chain. For example, the GM maize variety Starlink, intended only for animal feed, was accidentally used in products for human consumption. Although there was no evidence that Starlink maize was dangerous to humans, strict processing controls may be required to avoid similar cases in the future.
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Potential socio-economic effects Loss of farmers' access to plant material: Biotechnology research is carried out predominantly by the private sector and there are concerns about market dominance in the agricultural sector by a few powerful companies. This could have a negative impact on small-scale farmers all over the world. Farmers fear that they might even have to pay for crop varieties bred from genetic material that originally came from their own ields when they buy seeds from companies holding patents on speci ic genetic modi ication "events". Some argue that the World Trade Organization's agreement on Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) encourages this, but there are options to protect farmers' traditional practices within that agreement. Also, the new International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture recognizes the contributions of farmers to the conservation and use of plant genetic resources over time and for future generations. It provides for an international framework to regulate access to plant genetic resources and establishes a mechanism to share the bene its derived from their use. Intellectual property rights could slow research: The proprietary nature of biotechnology products and processes may prevent their access for public-sector research. This might have a stronger negative impact in developing countries where no private research initiatives are in place. In addition, most developing countries still do not provide patent protection to biotechnological products and technologies. Because patents have a national scope, the entry of products developed through proprietary biotechnologies could be prevented in those external markets where patent protection exists. Why are farmers rooting for GM crops? In the case of cotton, farmers cite the high cost of weeding, which goes down considerably if they grow HtBt cotton and use glyphosate against weeds. Brinjal growers in Haryana have rooted for Btbrinjal as it reduces the cost of production by cutting down on the use of pesticides.
The Way Ahead There is ongoing controversies and debate in our surroundings on the Use of GMOs whether they are harmful or helpful. But the use of GMOs can only bene it to humans when it is used for increasing the availability and quality of food and medical care, and contributing to a cleaner environment otherwise no use of GMOs. Source: The Indian Express Related Articles: Bio forti ication
Practice Question
Even though GM crops hold the hope for future in view of climate change, food securitythey are still riddled with concerns regarding their impact on environment and human health. Discuss
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GS III - Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.
30. PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP IN INDIA
Context: The inance minister recently announced several measures aimed at boosting Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in infrastructure sector.
Need for Public-Private Partnership PPP in India Building modern, sustainable, and reliable infrastructure is critical for meeting the rising aspirations of billions of people around the globe—and for addressing the climate change challenge. Infrastructure investment helps raise economic growth rates, offers new economic opportunities, and facilitates investment in human capital. The numbers are stark: about 800 million people live without electricity; 2.2 billion people lack safely managed drinking water service. Congested and inadequate ports, airports, and roadways are a drag on growth and trade. A Private Public Partnership (PPP) is a long-term contract between a private party and a government entity, for providing a public asset or service, in which the private party shares risk and management responsibility and, remuneration is linked to performance. Besides making up for the shortfall in investment in infrastructure in India, PPPs also bring in new and cost-effective technology for creation of infrastructure assets, managerial ef iciency, and superior competencies in service standards for the operation and maintenance of public assets. As per the private participation in infrastructure (PPI) database of the World Bank, India is second in the developing world, both in terms of the number of PPP projects as well as the associated investments (1,096 PPP projects, accounting for an investment of $273 billion, since 1990). Challenges in PPP model The Indian success in PPPs is built on a robust policy framework, the inancial incentive (VGF) scheme, and the standardization of procurement (Request for Quali ication and Request for Proposal) and substantive (Model Concession Agreements across infrastructure sectors) documents. However, if we see the sectoral break -up of PPP projects, we would ind that almost all of the projects have come up in economic infrastructure (power, transport, and telecom) compared to social infrastructure. Social infrastructures (like water supply, solid waste management, health and education) have low cost-recovery and, consequently, face massive resource -crunch. As per the PPI database, India has experienced a slowdown in annual PPP projects contracted in recent years (from 129 in 2012 to 34 in 2019, with commensurate levels of investment, at $32 billion and $7.6 billion, respectively). This has been due to various issues, such as disputes in existing contracts, non- availability of capital and regulatory hurdles related to the acquisition of land, inadequate due diligence by project developers, etc. Inef icient and inequitable allocation of risk is a major factor behind failure of PPPs. Hence, optimal risk allocation must be ensured across all stakeholders by allocating it to the entity that is best suited to manage the risk.
Aram.Academy.IAS aramias_academy aramias_academy aimcivilservices aramiasacademy.com Since infrastructure projects are long term, a private developer may lose bargaining power because of abrupt changes in the economic or policy environment. The organizational cultures in the private and public sector differ widely. This may result in con licting situations, since e-Governance involves substantial process reform needing interaction between the partner company and the government agency or agencies in charge of the ‘domain’.
Recent Measures aimed at boosting PPPs Twelve more airports are to be bid out on PPP basis; Power distribution companies (discoms) of Union Territories to be privatized as PPPs; Viability gap funding (VGF) limit of the ministry of inance has been increased to 30% for social infrastructure compared to 20% for economic infrastructure.
Way Ahead PPP’s are important for India considering the limited iscal space and the substantial scale of investments required in meeting the infrastructure gaps and achieving the growth target. In this context, it is pertinent for timely implementation of the recommendations of Vijay Kelkar Committee to eliminate the deterrent factors hampering PPP in India. These include rebalancing of risk sharing; multi-disciplinary expert institutional mechanisms to resolve legacy issues; developing sector speci ic institutional frameworks & umbrella guidelines for stressed projects; restricting the number of banks in a consortium; reviewing contractual processes & reinvigorating sectors. PPPs in power distribution and social infrastructure would be extremely challenging. It would entail careful crafting of sector-wise Model Concession Agreements with a balanced risk-return framework for the public and private sectors. Besides, there would be a clamour for autonomous regulation of social infrastructure sectors, once private investment comes in. However, care sh ould be taken that demand for autonomous regulation does not translate into setting up independent sectoral regulators. There are other regulatory options like ‘regulation by contract’ and multi-sectoral regulators to mitigate regulatory risks faced by infrastructure players. Source: Financial Express Related Article: Privatization of Indian Railways
Practice Question
For more efcient public services and infrastructure the public-private partnerships (PPPs) should be designed well with a balanced regulatory environment. Comment
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GS III - Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices; Public Distribution System - objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food security; Technology mission s; economics of animal -rearing. 31. KISAN CREDIT CARDS
India is an agrarian economy, with about 65 per cent of the population in rural areas and 50 per cent of the workforce in agriculture. The Finance Minister’s carefully curated, compiled and articulated second and third packages rightly emphasised the agricultural sector for these turbulent times. The Finance minister desired, among others, that all farmers get a Kisan Credit Card (KCC) to avail concessional credit and converge with the PM-Kisan for bene it.
About KCC The Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme was announced in the Budget speech of 1998-99 to ful il the inancial requirements of the farmers at various stages of farming through institutional credit. The model scheme was prepared by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) on the recommendation of V Gupta committee. The KCC scheme is being implemented by the all Co-operative banks, Regional Rural Banks and Public Sector Banks throughout the country. Scheme covers risk of KCC holders against death or permanent disability resulting from accidents. The guide lines revised in 2012 has incorporated many new features over & above the inancing of crop production requirement, viz., consumption expenditure, maintenance of farm assets, term loan for agriculture & allied activities, coverage of KCC holder sunder PAIS and recently the coverage of KCC holders under Atal Pension Yojna,etc. Salient features of the Scheme: Revolving cash credit facility involving any number of withdrawals and repayments within the limit. Limit to be ixed on the basis of operational land holding, cropping pattern and scale of inance. Card valid for 5 years subject to annual review. As an incentive for good performance, credit limits could be enhanced to take care of increase in costs, change in cropping pattern, etc. Conversion/reschedulement of loans also permissible in case of damage to crops due to natural calamities. Crop loans disbursed under KCC Scheme for noti ied crops are covered under Crop Insurance Scheme, to protect the interest of the farmers against loss of crop yield caused by natural calamities, pest attacks etc. Objectives of the Scheme To provide adequate and timely credit support from the banking system to the farmers at the cheap rate of interest. To provide credit at the time of requirement. To support post-harvest expenses.
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To provide Working capital for maintenance of farm assets and activities allied to agriculture. Investment credit requirement for agriculture and allied activities (land development, pump sets, plantation, drip irrigation etc.) Consumption requirements of farmers. Significance of Bank Credit A farmer requires many ingredients for her/his farming operations; farm and weather advisory, seeds, irrigation, fertilisers, pesticides, credit, farm labour, agricultural machinery and transparent markets almost in this order. ‘Doubling of Farmers Income’ (DFI),a call of the Prime Minister can be achieved through Increase in yields, Reduced cost of production, Remunerative prices, Supplementary income from off-farm Region-speci ic models. These ive pillars are in the domain of State governments, but not bank credit. Bank credit is very important for inancial inclusion, formalisation of the economy and weaning farmers away from usurious money lenders. But credit only becomes effective when the other ingredients are added in required proportion and at the right time. The Ministry of Finance and banks, working in unison, have created the JAM trinity and are leveraging its strengths. The nine crore PM-Kisan and seven crore KCC bene iciaries are a result of this. The expansion and coverage of gaps is a matter of time. KCC is not a number generated by bankers, and is in fact a transformative initiative. Challenges in KCC But there are aberrations in this ecosystem. About 10-15 per cent of our farmers are share-croppers/tenants, given the restrictive land leasing laws. Add to this about 20 lakh marginal farmers because of the law of inheritance — from the father to the son. Hence, share-croppers/tenants and newly-created marginal farmers can’t access KCC or the PM Fasal Bhım̄ a Yojana because they don’t have land titles. Digitisation of land records, another key ingredient, is not yet complete across India. Bankers are unable to create charge online even in those States where land records are digitised because of bandwidth issues. The loaning process and documentation vary across banks, and the inal KCC docket is a big bunch of documents that takes time to assemble (by farmers or consultants) and get sanctioned by bankers. The Way Ahead The Loan Eligibility Card of the Government of Andhra Pradesh under the Land Licensed Cultivators Act, 2011, is a right step in ensuring KCC and crop insurance to farmers with no clear land titles. Other States have not yet moved on this, despite the NITI Ayog’s prodding. When State governments come on board, many things become possible: Simpli ied application in vernacular language,
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Identifying uncovered farmers, Appropriate scales of inance so that correct amounts are disbursed as loan, Facilitation in KCC application submission, Timely disbursements of crop loans, Operationalizing other loans which KCC encompasses, Advisories and remunerative prices leading to farmers’ welfare. Conclusion Having the State governments acknowledge that banks are serving its own people and joining them will be the force multiplier that makes DFI real. Source: The Hindu Business line Related Articles: PM KISAN Scheme
Practice Question
Examine the role of Kisan credit card plays in providing adequate and timely credit for the comprehensive credit requirements of farmers.
Aram.Academy.IAS aramias_academy aramias_academy aimcivilservices aramiasacademy.com GS III - Awareness in the elds of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano - technology, bio -technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights 32. GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (GPAI)
Context: India joins Global Partnership on Arti icial Intelligence (GPAI) as a founding member to support the responsible and human-centric development and use of AI. Artificial intelligence (AI) Arti icial intelligence (AI) refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think like humans and mimic their actions. The term may also be applied to any machine that exhibits traits associated with a human mind such as learning and problem-solving. Advantages of AI: The following are the primary advantages of AI: AI drives down the time taken to perform a task. It enables multi-tasking and eases the workload for existing resources. AI enables the execution of hitherto complex tasks without signi icant cost outlays. AI operates 24x7 without interruption or breaks and has no downtime AI augments the capabilities of differently abled individuals AI has mass market potential, it can be deployed across industries. AI facilitates decision-making by making the process faster and smarter. Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) Born out of the Canadian and French G7 Presidencies in 2018 and 2019, GPAI was of icially proposed by France and Canada at the Biarritz Summit in August 2019. GPAI is an international and multi-stakeholder initiative to guide the responsible development and use of AI, grounded in human rights, inclusion, diversity, innovation, and economic growth. GPAI will be supported by a Secretariat, to be hosted by Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris, as well as by two Centers of Expertise- one each in Montreal and Paris. GPAI will be able to take advantage of the OECD’s expertise on AI policy and its leadership in setting out the irst international standard for trustworthy AI – the OECD Principles on Arti icial Intelligence. The OECD will also be a Permanent Observer to the GPAI’s governing bodies. Founding members: India along with leading economies including USA, UK, EU, Australia, Canada, Franc e, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Singapore has launched the Global Partnership on Arti icial Intelligence (GPAI or Gee-Pay). Significance of GPAI This is a irst initiative of its type for evolving better understanding of the challenges and opportunities around AI using the experience and diversity of participating countries.
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In order to achieve this goal, the initiative will look to bridge the gap between theory and practice on AI by supporting cutting-edge research and applied activities on AI- related priorities. In collaboration with partners and international organizations, GPAI will bring together leading experts from industry, civil society, governments, and academia to collaborate to promote responsible evolution of AI and will also evolve methodologies to show how AI can be leveraged to better respond to the present global crisis around COVID 19. - India and Artificial Intelligence National AI Portal According to a Canada based company’s report, The portal has been jointly Global AI Report 2019, India stood at the ninth developed by the Ministry of position in terms of the number of the AI Electronics and Information specialists working in the ield. The US, China and Technology and National the UK topped the list. Association of Software and The top ranked countries in this report have Services Companies (NASSCOM). many academic institutes with programs on AI. The portal will work as a one stop They have therefore a much greater number of digital platform for sharing of people skilled to do research in the ield. resources such as articles, startups, India, on the contrary, lacks the opportunities in investment funds in AI, resources, formal education in data science but is slowly companies and educational trying to encourage the adoption of AI in institutions related to AI in India. educational institutes. It will also share documents, case It is estimated that AI will add 957 billion dollars studies, research reports etc, and has to India’s GDP by the year 2035 boosting India’s a section about learning and new job annual growth by 1.3% points. roles related to AI. It is pertinent to note that India has recently launched the National AI Strategy and National AI Portal. It has also started leveraging AI across various sectors such as education, agriculture, healthcare, e-commerce, inance, telecommunications, etc. with inclusion and empowerment of human being approach by supplementing growth and development. By joining GPAI as a founding member, India will actively participate in the global development of Arti icial Intelligence, leveraging upon its experience around use of digital technologies for inclusive growth. Way Ahead AI is a highly collaborative domain, and any framework aimed at promoting AI needs to be aligned accordingly. A multi pronged approach, involving various stakeholders and promoting a collaborative approach is required for promoting development of AI tools as well as adoption of AI in different ields of activity. Source: PIB Related Article: 5G technology
Practice Question
India recently joined Global Partnership on Articial Intelligence (GPAI) as a founding member. In this context, critically analyse the role AI in human-centric growth and development.
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GS III - Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment 33. LAND USE DEGRADATION
Context: Land use change, which prepares the ground for zoonoses like the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), should be reversed urgently,says the United Nations Convention to Combat Deserti ication (UNCCD). Land Use Change Land use change is a process which transforms the United Nations Convention to natural landscape by direct human-induced land use Combat Desertification such as settlements, commercial and economic uses Established in 1994, the United and forestry activities. Changes in land-use (e.g. land Nations Convention to Combat conversion, oil extraction, mining, deforestation, Desertification (UNCCD) is the wetland drainage, etc.) and food production sole legally binding international practices, have been identi ied as the leading agreement linking environment driverof emerging infectious diseases. Changes in and development to sustainable habitat can alter species distribution,abundance, land management. movement, interactions with other species, with It is the only convention stemming corresponding implicationsfor immune responses from a direct recommendation of and disease emergence the Rio Conference’s Agenda 21. Since land acts as both the source as well as a sink of The Convention addresses carbon, Land use, and changes in land use forms an specifically the arid, semi-arid and integral part of the conversation on climate change. dry sub-humid areas, known as the On one hand activities like agriculture and cattle drylands, where some of the most rearing are a major source of methane and nitrous vulnerable ecosystems and oxide. Both the gases are hundreds of times more peoples can be found. dangerous than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas. The Ministry of Environment, On the other hand, soil, trees, plantations, and Forest and Climate Change is the forests absorb carbon dioxide for the natural nodal Ministry for India process of photosynthesis, thus reducing the overall carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere. As a result, largescale land-use changes, like deforestation or urbanisation, or even a change in cropping pattern have a direct impact on the overall emissions of greenhouse gases. Land-use change due to human activity Agricultural land for food, animal feed and ibre is behind the land use change, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report on climate change and land. Forest areas are often cleared for commercial or residential purposes For example, in Indonesia, about 500 sq km of forest area are cleared each year, much of which is replaced with oil palm plantations The expansion of cities well beyond their limits transforms land use from agriculture and forests into industry, residential and commercial buildings and associated infrastructure, and horticulture
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As urbanization increases, Peri-urban areas are transformed into supply units that ful ill the necessities of the cities. Responsibilities ranging from growing of vegetables to pumping of groundwater for industries and acting as a dumping station for waste are borne by such areas
Impact of Land use change Land use change can be a factor in CO2 (carbon dioxide) atmospheric concentration, and is thus a contributor to global climate change.It represents almost 25% of total global emissions. According to the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Servic es (IPBES), over 70% of all natural, ice-free land in the world is affected by human use. This could further rise to 90 per cent by 2050, if global land use follows the same path. This land degradation affects some 3.2 billion people worldwide. By 2050, over 500 mha of new agricultural land will be needed to meet the global food demand, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Ecosystem services worth $10.6 trillion are lost due to land degradation annually, according to a study by the Economics of Land Degradation initiative that came out in 2015. Way Ahead According to a report by IPCC on land use, increased food productivity, improved cropland management, livestock management, agro forestry, increased soil organic carbon content and reduced post-harvest losses would help in ecosystem conservation and land restoration. These management practices could deliver up to $1.4 trillion in increased crop production. Improved ire management and improved grazing land can help in land restoration . To achieve Land Degradation Neutrality (Sustainable Development Goal target 15.3), additional commitments in the land use sector, namely to restore and rehabilitate 12 million hectares of degraded land per year could help close the emissions gap by up to 25% in the year 2030. One Health and other integrated approaches recognize that human health is intimately connected to the health of animals and our shared environment, as well as socioeconomic and political factors. One health can be promoted. The restoration of these areas as part of building back better to avoid future zoonoses would bring other crucial bene its, particularly mitigating climate change. Source: Down to Earth Related Article: Zoonotic diseases
Practice Question
E xamine the steps taken by the government to achieve the land degradation neutrality in India.
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GS III - Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc
34. REFORMS IN INDIA’S COAL SECTOR
Context: In line with Prime Minister’s vision to build Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self- reliant India), India is marking a fundamental shift to unleash the coal sector as commercial mine auctioning kickstarts.
Coal sector in India India, with the world’s fourth largest coal reserve and being the second largest producer, is also the second largest coal importer . Despite having the world’s fourth largest coal reserves, India imported 235 million tonnes (mt) of coal last year, of which 135mt valued at Rs. 171,000 crore could have been met from domestic reserves. India’s state-run coal giant has been unable to meet growing demand despite abundant resources. India depends on Coal India for more than 80 per cent of its domestic production and the miner has consistently fallen short of production targets in the last few years.
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Procedure established till now in Coal Mining The nationalization of the coal sector in 1973 meant that domestic coal could be mined only by public sector companies. Private coal mining to captive users (A mine that produces coal or mineral for use by the same company) has been allowed with restrictions. There were restrictions on who could bid for coal mines only those in power, iron and steel and coal washery business could bid for mines and the bidders needed prior experience of mining in India. This effectively limited the potential bidders to a select circle of players and thus limited the value that the government could extract from the bidding. End-use restrictions inhibited the development of a domestic market for coal. The situation has lasted for decades now and the coal sector was kept entangled in the mesh of Captive and Non Captive mines. The sector was excluded from competition and transparency was a big problem. Owing to this, the coal sector lacked investment. Commercial coal mining Government launched the process for auctioning for commercial bidding of 41 coal mines, in India’s latest attempt to drive up production. The auction comes on the heels of the government recently allowing commercial coal mining, as part of the reforms announced in the COVID-19 economic package. This meant power and steel companies, without necessarily having mining experience, would bid for coal mines. Global coal mining irms, which were so far forbidden from mining coal in India, can now invest and introduce their best practices. Indian industry can invest in a commodity business where domestic supply falls short of the demand, opening up an opportunity to substitute 135 MT coal imports. The knock-on effect on sectors that use coal, such as steel, power and Aluminium, will be signi icant. With the unlocking of the sector now, companies using coal will be free to focus on their core business while procuring coal from professional miners. Mines will no longer be allotted on the basis of a ‘match’ with the needs of the single captive user. Rather, it will be auctioned based on economic ef iciency. On the process side, the coal ministry has simpli ied the process of the mining plan approval process from 90 days to 30 days. Significance of coal sector reforms The coal sector reforms are not just about investments and improving coal production. It has the innate potential to usher in immense job opportunities and provide a boost to the government’s Make in India programme, since coal mining operations require large machines and manpower. Besides, it will lead to the induction of new technology and competition in the sector. Consequently, the economies of coal-bearing states like Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Odisha will also grow since all the revenue from these auctions will accrue exclusively to them.
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Coal sector reforms will make eastern and central India, tribal belt in, pillars of development. These areas have a big number of Aspirational Districts and have not been able to reach the desired level of progress and prosperity. 16 aspirational districts in the country have a huge stock of coal but people of these areas have not got adequate bene it of this. People from these places have to migrate to far- lung cities for employment. The steps taken towards commercial mining will be very helpful to eastern and central India by providing the local population with employment near their homes. Way Ahead Latest technology can be introduced to make gas from coal and the environment will be protected with steps like coal gasi ication. Coal gas will be used in transport and cooking while Urea and steel will promote manufacturing industries. Source: Financial Express Related Article: Self-reliant India mission.
Practice Question
What are the recent reforms taken in coal sector in India and also analyse
it's signicance in achieving the self sufciency in coal production in India.
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GS III - Major Crops – cropping patterns in various parts of the country different types of irrigation and irrigation systems - storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and constraints; e tech nology in the aid of farmers. 35. JAL JEEVAN MISSION
Context: Jal Shakti Ministry wants control of 15th Finance Commission’s panchayat grants for water, sanitation to align with Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM). Background India is facing one of its most serious water crises. According to the NITI Aayog's Composite Water Management Index (CWMI) 2018, 21 Indian cities could face Day Zero in the coming years. Day Zero refers to the day when a place is likely to have no drinking water of its own. Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi and Hyderabad are among the most susceptible. The report also said that 75% of Indian households do not have drinking water on premise and about 84 per cent rural households do not have piped water access. Water is not properly distributed where it is supplied through pipes. Mega cities like Delhi and Mumbai get more than the standard municipal water norm of 150 litres per capita per day (LPCD) while others get 40-50 LPCD. The World Health Organization prescribes 25 litres of water for one person per day to meet all basic hygiene and food needs. Extra available water, according to WHO estimates, is used for non-potable purposes like mopping and cleaning. Depleting groundwater level, overexploitation and deteriorating water quality, climate change, etc. are major challenges to provide potable drinking water. It is an urgent requirement of water conservation in the country because of the decreasing amount of groundwater level. In this Background, the Jal Jeevan Mission was announced in August 2019. Jal Jeevan Mission Jal Jeevan Mission, a central government initiative under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, aims to ensure access of piped water for every household in India.
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In his Independence Day speech in 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that half of the country's households did not have access to piped water. Earmarking Rs 3.5 trillion for Jal Jeevan Mission, he said the Centre and states would work towards it in coming years. The mission’s goal is to provide to all households in rural India safe and adequate water through individual household tap connections by 2024. Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) envisages supply of 55 litres of water per person per day to every rural household through Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC) by 2024. JJM focuses on integrated demand and supply-side management of water at the local level. The Har Ghar Nal Se Jal programme was announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her Budget 2019- 20 speech. This programme forms a crucial part of the Jal Jeevan Mission. The programme aims to implement source sustainability measures as mandatory elements, such as recharge and reuse through grey water management, water conservation, and rain water harvesting. The Jal Jeevan Mission will be based on a community approach to water. According to the government, the mission will include information, education and communication as key components. The mission is meant to create a people's movement for water, making it everyone’s priority. Funding: The JJM, which has a ive-year budget of Rs. 3.6 lakh crore, had expected to get this money through a convergence of inancing sources. The Finance Commission’s grants for panchayats would be used for grey wat er management and operation and maintenance of the water supply system. Apart from the direct budgetary allocation for JJM, the Ministry planned to use money with the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA), and the Compensatory Afforestation Fund (CAMPA) to create sustainable water sources. Corporate social responsibility, community donations and parliamentarians’ funds for local area development would also be used for the village-level infrastructure. Components Under JJM Development of in-village piped water supply infrastructure to provide tap water connection to every rural household. Development of reliable drinking water sources and/ or augmentation of existing sources to provide long-term sustainability of water supply system. Wherever necessary, bulk water transfer, treatment plants and distribution network to cater to every rural household.
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Technological interventions for removal of contaminants where water quality is an issue. Retro itting of completed and ongoing schemes to provide FHTCs at minimum service level of 55 lpcd; Grey water management Support activities, i.e. IEC, HRD, training, development of utilities, water quality laboratories, water quality testing & surveillance, R&D, knowledge centre, capacity building of communities, etc. Any other unforeseen challenges/ issues emerging due to natural disasters/ calamities which affect the goal of FHTC to every household by 2024, as per guidelines of Ministry of Finance on Flexi Funds
For the implementation of JJM, following institutional arrangement has been proposed: National Jal Jeevan Mission (NJJM) at the Central level; State Water and Sanitation Mission (SWSM) at State level; District Water and Sanitation Mission (DWSM) at District level; and Gram Panchayat and/or its sub-committees viz. Village Water Sanitation Committee (VWSC)/ Paani Samiti at Village level. Every village will prepare a Village Action Plan (VAP) which will have three components: i.) Water source & its maintenance ii.) Water supply and iii.) G reywater management. VAP will be aggregated at the district level to formulate the District Action Plan which will be aggregated at the state level to formulate the State Action Plan. State action plan will give a holistic view covering projects like regional grids, bulk water supply and distribution projects to address the needs of water-stressed areas ensuring drinking water security in the state. Challenges in Implementation There had been a 45% shortfall in inancing the JJM by both the Centre and the States in its irst year of 2019-20. The planned Central share for the year was 20,798 crore, but actuals were only at Rs.12,000 crore. The share due from States was Rs.8,329 crore, but the shortfall was more than Rs. 4,200 crore. Similarly, in 2020-21 as well, there has been a 32% shortfall at the Central level. There are “post- COVID-19 resource constraints both at Centre and States. The Jal Shakti Ministry complained that there is “no handholding and identi ication of work,” “no criteria and indicators to assess the performance of panchayati raj institutions” and “no pressure on gram panchayats to dovetail FC grants with JJM. There are issues at the panchayat level, with some having huge unused funds. Way Ahead There is a need to shift focus from water supply infrastructure creation to water management, viz. service delivery. There is a need to pay focused attention and subsequent planning for the ef icient usage of fresh water bodies. Managing the demand side of water management is crucial as India cannot increase the per capita availability of water. The country needs to have a speci ic plan for water-stressed states.
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The participation of individuals, NGOs and different communities in the water management process is quite missing. The ministry asked for additional funding of Rs. 82,000 crores to meet the need for capital intensive projects in water scarce areas, and areas where the water has been contaminated by arsenic or luoride, or has high-salinity levels.
Practice Question
Discuss about the objectives of Jal jeevan mission. Examine the feasibility
of implementation of the scheme in rural India.
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GS III - Awareness in the elds of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano technology, bio -technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights 36. QUANTUM COMMUNICATION
Context: Uncrackable quantum communication is a step closer after Chinese researchers demonstrated a practical way to share security keys over 1,120 kilometers using entangled photons sent and received by satellites. Quantum communication Quantum communication is a ield of applied quantum physics closely related to quantum information processing and quantum teleportation. It refers to an almost hack proof communication with use of quantum cryptography. The most common application of quantum cryptography is Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) in which the quantum mechanical effects are used to perform cryptographic tasks. Quantum communication boasts ultra-high security communication and uses subatomic particles to securely communicate between two points. In case intruder (hacker) tries to crack the message in Quantum communication, it will change its form in a way that would alert the sender and cause the message to be altered or deleted. World’s first quantum satellite Qubits In August 2016, China had launched world’s irst All computing systems rely on a quantum communication satellite called Quantum fundamental ability to store and Experiments at Space Scaler (QUESS) or Micius manipulate information. {after the name of a 5th century Chinese Current computers manipulate Philosopher}. individual bits, which store The objective of this launch is to establish hack- information as binary 0 and 1 states. proof communications system by transmitting Quantum computers leverage uncrackable keys from space to the ground. quantum mechanical phenomena Earlier, researchers had successfully sent quantum to manipulate information. messages on land. But this irst of its kind satellite- To do this, they rely on quantum based quantum network would make it possible to bits, or qubits send quickly encrypted (hack proof) messages around the world. It also opens door to other possible uses of the technology. The launch is also a major triumph for China in the ield of quantum technology. Recently, Micius has again successfully brought entanglement-based quantum cryptography to its original ground stations 1,200 km apart. But this time the satellite sent simultaneous streams of entangled photons to the ground stations to establish a direct link between the two of them.
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Application of Quantum communications Secure long-distance links such as this one will be the foundation of the quantum internet, the future global network with added security powered by laws of quantum mechanics, unmatched by classical cryptographic methods. Quantum communications will be tremendously Initiatives of quantum computing bene icial for governments and defense agencies in India that need to protect large amounts of classi ied data The Department of Science and with long-term sensitivity, both inside the country Technology (DST) launched and on a global scale. Consider the 2015 malware mission Quantum Science and Technology (QuST) in 2017. attack on the Of ice of Personnel Management that resulted in 21.5 million stolen records (social The DST has initiated a new security numbers, etc.).The only effective way to research programme on “Quantum Information ensure protection from the constant threat of cyber- Science and Technology attacks and espionage is through unbreakable (QuST)” which invites quantum key exchange. proposals from researchers Protecting high value/sensitive data in remote who can meet the broad data centers: Many private businesses, objectives and deliverables. organizations and government entities are required In Union Budget 2020 Finance to back up their most critical information and ensure Minister Nirmala Sitharaman data availability for business continuity purposes. allocated Rs 8,000 crore Securing this critical information means backing up towards the National Mission on Quantum Technologies and these digital assets – which can include critical Applications in India. inancial information or intellectual property – in a remote data center, or DRC. The information needs to be protected not only in the data center itself, but also as the data transits to/from the data center. Consider all the private medical records that healthcare organizations are expected to keep. Quantum encryption, or rather quantum key distribution, has been used in several cases to provide long-term security for this data. Challenges On the theoretical front lies the challenge of creating the algorithms and applications for quantum computers. These projects will also place new demands on classical control hardware as well as software platforms.
Further, Information technology -based security infrastructure would never be the same once
quantum systems become a reality, given the ultra fast speed of computing power.
Conclusion The launch of Micius and the records set by the scientists and engineers building quantum communication systems with its help have been compared to the effect Sputnik had on the space race in the 20th century. In a similar way, the quantum race has political and military implications that are hard to ignore. Any country could theoretically trust Micius to provide entangled photons to secure its communications. But the satellite is a strategic resource that other countries are likely to want to replicate, just as Europe, Russia and China now have their own versions of the US - controlled GPS. However, the news of a successful long distance quantum communications link is a sign that we are already living in a new era of communication security.
Practice Question
Discuss the potential benets of Quantum communication in India
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GS III - Conservat ion, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment
37. DECARBONIZING TRANSPORT IN INDIA
Context: NITI Aayog in collaboration with International Transport Forum (ITF) will launch the “Decarbonising Transport in India” project on 24 June, with the intention to develop a pathway towards a low-carbon transport system for India.
Decarbonising Transport in India The online event will inform transport and International Transport Forum climate stakeholders in India about planned (ITF) project activities. The ITF is an inter-governmental It will also offer the opportunity to provide inputs organisation within the OECD regarding India’s transport challenges and how (Organisation for Economic Co- operation and Development) they relate to CO2 reduction ambitions. The system. discussion will help to focus the project further on It is the only global body with a India’s speci ic needs and circumstances. mandate for all modes of The “Decarbonising Transport in India” project transport. will design a tailor-made transport emissions It acts as a think tank for transport assessment framework for India. policy issues and organises the annual global summit of transport It will provide the government with a detailed ministers. understanding of current and future transport The ITF’s motto is “Global activity and the related CO2 emissions as a basis dialogue for better transport”. for their decision-making. India has been a member of ITF The India project is carried out in the wider since 2008. context of the International Transport Forum’s “Decarbonising Transport” initiative. It is part of the “Decarbonising Transport in Emerging Economies” (DTEE) family of projects, which supports transport decarbonisation across different world regions. India, Argentina, Azerbaijan, and Morocco are current participants. The DTEE is a collaboration between the ITF and the Wuppertal Institute, supported by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety.
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Decarbonising Transport in Emerging Economies The DTEE project supports transport decarbonisation in Argentina, Azerbaijan, India and Morocco. It is designing a common assessment framework for transport emissions that will cover several transport sub-sectors and transport modes. Greenhouse gas emissions from transport sector: Transport is a major enabler of economic development. But it is also a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Transport accounted for 30% of CO2 emissions in OECD countries in 2016. In non-OECD countries it contributed only 16%. But transport emissions in the OECD are expected to decrease by 1% annually through to 2030, according to ITF estimates. In non-OECD countries they will grow by 2%. This is mostly because transport demand there grows signi icantly faster. Estimates see transport volumes in non-OECD countries grow more than twice as fast as in the OECD with 4% annual growth for passenger and 5% for freight transport. Emerging economies can hardly be expected to curb their economic development and stop improving living standards as the price for limiting climate change. The challenge is therefore to accommodate the growing transport demand that often comes with economic development in an environmentally sustainable way.
Significance of DTEE project In the context of the ITF’s wider Decarbonising Transport (DT) initiative, the DTEE project will help governments of emerging countries to establish pathways to reducing transport CO2 emissions and meet CO2 reduction pledges under the Paris Agreement. Country-speci ic modelling tools and policy scenarios will help the participating governments to implement ambitious CO2-reduction initiatives for their transport sectors. Stakeholder workshops, training sessions, brie ings for policy makers and mitigation action plans will stimulate further research and the development of policies beyond the duration of the project.
Practice Question
Decarbonization of the transport sector would create a cleaner, healthier
and more affordable future for everyone. Elucidate.
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GS III - Challenges to internal security through communication networks, role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges, basics of cyber security; money -laundering and its prevention
38. NEED FOR A COMPREHENSIVE CYBERSECURITY STRATEGY
Context: Cyber incursions—whether by state-based actors or not—have been on the rise as digital mediums have increased; while each person had 1.7 networked devices in 2014, according to Strategy Analytics, this is up to seven today.
Cyber Threats and Cyber Security Recently Australia had to stave off its biggest cyber threat with the attack targeting everything from public utilities to education and health infrastructure. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, WHO has seen a dramatic increase in the number of cyber- attacks directed at its staff, and email scams targeting the public at large. Financial services, payments, health services, etc are all connected to digital mediums; and this is expected to increase. In India, too, attacks have been happening with increasing frequency. In 2016, banks had reportedly announced a leak of personal information of 3.2 million debit cards. In 2018, Pune-based Cosmos Bank lost Rs 94 crore in a malware attack. In 2019, the Kudankulam plant was attacked using malware. And, CERT-IN has recently issued an advisory that there is a threat of a massive phishing attack. State Bank of India (SBI) has issued a warning for its account holders to be cautious of an imminent cyber-attack with a subject line Free COVID-19 Testing.
Aram.Academy.IAS aramias_academy aramias_academy aimcivilservices aramiasacademy.com Need for a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy India was one of the irst few countries to propound a futuristic National Cyber Security Policy 2013(NCSP 2013). Since the adoption of NCSP 2013, the tec hnologies, platforms, threats, services and aspirations have changed tremendously.
However, Cyber intrusions and attacks have increased in scope and sophistication targeting sensitive personal and business data, and critical information infrastructure, with impact on national economy and security.
Unlike the US, Singapore, and the UK where there is a single umbrella organisation dealing in cybersecurity, India has 36 different central bodies—most ministries have their own—that deal with cyber issues, and each has a different reporting structure; each state government has its own CERT.
While CERT-IN has responded to cyber threats, it has been late in conducting security checks, and often has released advisories once an attack has taken place.
In the case of WhatsApp and Pegasus, CERT-IN only came in after others had warned of the possibility of individuals being compromised.
With countries resorting to digital warfare and hackers targeting business organisations and government processes, India needs comprehensive cybersecurity guidelines and standards for checking cyber vulnerabilities and cyber responses.
In many cases, as it happens, the government itself uses legacy systems which are vulnerable to cyberattacks; countries like China and Singapore, in the meanwhile, have progressed towards creating cyber defence networks.
In 2018, when Wannacry disrupted the national health service systems in the UK, the country’s health system was brought to a standstill. A Telegraph report indicates that till then; some hospitals were still using legacy Windows XP systems.
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Steps taken by government
Establishment of National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) for protection of critical information infrastructure in the country. All organizations providing digital services have been mandated to report cyber security incidents to CERT-In expeditiously. Cyber Swachhta Kendra (Botnet Cleaning and Malware Analysis Centre) has been launched for providing detection of malicious programmes and free tools to remove such programmes. Issue of alerts and advisories regarding cyber threats and counter-measures by CERT-In. Issue of guidelines for Chief Information Security Of icers (CISOs) regarding their key roles and responsibilities for securing applications / infrastructure and compliance. Provision for audit of the government websites and applications prior to their hosting, and thereafter at regular intervals. Empanelment of security auditing organisations to support and audit implementation of Information Security Best Practices. Formulation of Crisis Management Plan for countering cyber attacks and cyber terrorism.
Aram.Academy.IAS aramias_academy aramias_academy aimcivilservices aramiasacademy.com Conducting cyber security mock drills and exercises regularly to enable assessment of cyber security posture and preparedness of organizations in Government and critical sectors. Conducting regular training programmes for network / system administrators and Chief Information Security Of icers (CISOs) of Government and critical sector organisations regarding securing the IT infrastructure and mitigating cyber attacks. National cyber security strategy includes a) Securing Government systems: Protection of Government assets, infrastructure and systems from cyber threats is paramount for the upkeep of our socio-economic health and the military. It is vital for safety, security, growth and sustenance of the nation’s economy, and also the protection of its wealth and infrastructure. b) Securing business cyber ecosystems: A healthy and resilient cyber ecosystem is needed for enterprises to effectively contribute to the progress of the nation. For this, all the stakeholders should collaborate to cohesively contribute to security. c) Creating a cyber-secure society: A society driven by a cyber-safe culture is less susceptible to cyber adversaries. Creating awareness and training people about cyber security are required to attain a truly cyber-secure society. d) Building technological and human capacity: The creation of indigenous tools and human capacity and capability is imperative to not only protect the Indian cyber space, but to also make India globally competitive in this space.
What needs to done? India should have a centralized repository for detecting, report ing and analysing malware in India, and for devising countermeasures. There should be focus on issues such as mandatory courses in schools and colleges on “cyber hygiene”, which relate to online security, and indigenization, especially of anti-virus programmes. There is a need for new policy which is likely to be similar to the ones in Singapore, the UK, and Australia, and will make the Prime Minister of India the inal authority on all issues concerning the cyber world. The National Security Advisor (NSA) would assist the Prime Minister. India’s Cyber Security Coordinator reports to the NSA. The coordinator will be empowered further and will be responsible for coordinating with different agencies like those engaged in detecting and eliminating threats, those involved in cyber governance etc, and prioritising issues.
Way Ahead Threats from organised cybercriminal groups, technological cold wars, and increasing state sponsored cyber-attacks have also emerged. Further, existing structures may need to be revamped or revitalised. Thus, a need exists for the formulation of a National Cyber Security Strategy 2020.
Practice Question
Analyse the need for a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy to tackle the
challenges arising in the Cyberspace.
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GS III - Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth , development and employment.
39. ‘COUNTRY OF ORIGIN’ ON GEM PORTAL
Context: The government recently made it mandatory for sellers on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal to clarify the country of origin of their goods when registering new products.
About the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) The Government e-Marketplace (GeM) is a government-run e-commerce portal. It is a one-stop to facilitate and enable easy online procurement of the Consumer Goods & Services that are needed by various Government Departments, Organizations and PSUs.The government under the Allocation of Business Rules, 1961 had begun the GeM in 2017. The main objective of the GeM is to ensure transparency, ef iciency and promptness in the procurement of supplies
It is a completely paperless, cashless and system driven e-marketplace that enables procurement of common use goods and services with minimal human interface. It provides the tools of e-bidding, reverses e-auction and demand aggregation to facilitate the government users to achieve the best value for their money.
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It has been developed by Directorate General of Supplies and Disposals (Ministry of Commerce and Industry) with technical support of National e-governance Division (MEITy). GeM is also coming up with a more dynamic, transformationaland vibrant portal by adding advanced features such as powerrful search engine, revamped brand and product approval process and faster creation of categories for goods and services.
Country of Origin: A new move In a push to promote local products, the Union government has made it mandatory for all sellers on the Government e- Marketplace (GeM), a platform for public procurement, to list the Country of Origin while registering new products. Sellers on the GeM portal, which is the Commerce Ministry’s online marketplace for procurement of goods and services by various Ministries and government bodies, will now have to disclose the origins of their products. The portal also has a ‘Make in India’ ilter, and government of ices will be able to ascertain which products have a higher content of indigenously produced raw materials. This would help them choose products that meet the ‘minimum 50 per cent local content’ criterion when selecting bidders for their tenders procurement norms amended by the government earlier this month categorise suppliers based on the level of local content in their goods. The GeM portal now allows buyers to reserve a bid for Class I local suppliers, or suppliers of those goods with more than 50 per cent local content. For bids below Rs 200 crore, only Class I and Class II (those with more than 20 per cent local content) are eligible.
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Rationale behind the move The decision comes in the backdrop of the Narendra Modi government’s push for an “Aatmanirbhar Bharat”, which intends to promote self-reliance by boosting the use of locally produced goods. It also follows the deadly clashes between Indian and Chinese troops in Galwan Valley on June 15, which have prompted several government departments to launch an offensive against imports from China. At $ 70.32 billion in 2018-19 and $ 62.38 billion between April 2019 and February 2020, China accounts for the highest proportion of goods imported into India (around 14 per cent in 2019-2020 so far). In the case of private e-commerce irms, the demand for a country of origin tag is being pushed by a trader’s body known as Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT). According to CAIT, most e-commerce companies have been selling Chinese goods “in large percentages”.
Impact of the move The requirement to announce the country of origin of products sold on the GeM portal, coupled with the government’s Make in India campaign and Aatmanirbhar push, may over time ilter out imported goods from use in government of ices and facilities. Products sold on the GeM portal range from stationery used by government of icials to medical products that are used on patients — and this might provide an opportunity to Indian manufacturers across industries to push their products in government facilities. Such a decision is expected to lend more clarity to consumers on where their products are made, allowing them to make a better decision on whether they want to purchase this speci ic brand of the product or opt for a different one.
Practice Question
Examine the need and signicance of country of origin provision under
Government e-procurement mechanism.
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GS III - Awareness in the elds of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano technology, bio -technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights 40. GROWING PRIVATE ROLE IN SPACE
Context: The Union Cabinet recently announced the formation of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) to promote the participation of private industries in space activities, including planetary exploration missions.
About IN-SPACe
IN-SPACe is the second space organisation New Space India Limited (NSIL) created by the government in the last two In the 2019 Budget, the years. government had announced the setting up of NSIL, a public The new IN-SPACe, which is expected to be sector company that would serve functional within six months, will assess the as a marketing arm of ISRO. needs and demands of private players, It functions under the including educational and research institutions, administrative control of and, explore ways to accommodate these Department of Space (DOS). requirements in consultation with ISRO. It aims to commercially exploit the research and development It will provide a level playing ield for private work of ISRO Centres and companies to use Indian space infrastructure. constituent units of DOS. The NSIL would enable Indian It will also hand-hold, promote and guide the Industries to scale up high- private industries in space activities through technology manufacturing and production base for meeting the encouraging policies and a friendly regulatory growing needs of the Indian environment space programme . It would endeavour to reorient space It would further spur the growth activities from a ‘supply-driven’ model to a of Indian Industries in the space sector. ‘demand-driven’ one, thereby ensuring optimum utilization of the nation’s space assets.
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Significance of IN-SPACe
India is among a handful of countries with advanced capabilities in the space sector. Space sector can play a major catalytic role in the technological advancement and expansion of our Industrial base. The proposed reforms will enhance the socio-economic use of space assets and activities, including through improved access to space assets, data and facilities. IN-SPACe is supposed to be a facilitator, and also a regulator. It will act as an interface between ISRO and private parties, and assess how best to utilise India’s space resources and increase space- based activities. India ’s Private industry in Space Until now there was limited participation from private industries in India’s space sector. It was restricted mainly to the manufacturing and fabrication of rockets and satellites. There is some, of late increasing, involvement from research institutes also. However, private participation is still very low. Indian industry accounts for a mere 3% in the rising $360-billion global space market. Rockets and satellite launch accounts for just 2% of it. Programmes like satellite- based services and ground-based system control the rest of the market. So far, Indian private companies were unable to compete because their roles have been limited mainly to supply component and sub-systems.
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Even they lack resources and technology to handle independent space programmes the way companies like SpaceX in the US have been doing. Almost every sector, starting from agriculture to transport, weather department and even urban development, to name a few, now wants satellite data and imageries and space technology to draw their future strategy and grow business.
Why private participants It is not that there is no private industry involvement in India’s space sector. In fact, a large part of manufacturing and fabrication of rockets and satellites now happens in the private sector. There is an increasing participation of research institutions as well. However Indian industry had a barely three per cent share in a rapidly growing global space economy which was already worth at least $360 billion. Only two per cent of this market was for rocket and satellite launch services, which require fairly large infrastructure and heavy investment. The remaining 95 per cent related to satellite-based services, and ground-based systems. At the same time, there were several Indian companies waiting for make use of these opportunities. There were a few companies that were in the process of developing their own launch vehicles, the rockets like ISRO’s PSLV that carry the satellites and other payloads into space, and ISRO would like to help them do that. Right now, all launches from India happen on ISRO rockets, the different versions of PSLV and GSLV and ISRO was ready to provide all it s facilities to private players whose projects had been approved by IN-SPACe. Private companies, if they wanted, could even build their own Launchpad within the Sriharikota launch station, and ISRO would provide the necessary land for that.
Significance of Private Participation There are two main reasons why enhanced private involvement in the space sector seems important. One is commercial, and the other strategic. Of course, there is need for greater dissemination of space technologies, better utilisation of space resources, and increased requirement of space-based services. And ISRO seems unable to satisfy this need on its own. The private industry will also free up ISRO to concentrate on science, research and development, interplanetary exploration and strategic launches. Right now, too much of ISRO’s resources is consumed by routine activities that delay its more strategic objectives. There is no reason why ISRO alone should be launching weather or communication satellites. The world over, an increasing number of private players are taking over this activity for commercial bene its. ISRO, like NASA, is essentially a scienti ic organisation whose main objective is exploration of space and carrying out scienti ic missions.
Aram.Academy.IAS aramias_academy aramias_academy aimcivilservices aramiasacademy.com There are a number of ambitious space missions lined up in the coming years, including a mission to observe the Sun, a mission to the Moon, a human space light, and then, possibly, a human landing on the Moon. And it is not that private players will wean away the revenues tha t ISRO gets through commercial launches.
The Way Ahead The space-based economy is expected to “explode” in the next few years, even in India, and there would be more than enough for all. In addition, ISRO can earn some money by making its facilities and data available to private players.
Practice Question
How far do you think that participation of private in space sector is a
welcoming step?
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GS III - Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impac t assessment
41. DRAFT ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT NORMS 2020
Context: The Covid-19 emergency delayed the publication of the draft Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Noti ication 2020 in the Gazette by 19 days. So, when thousands emailed to seek an extension to the mandatory 60-day window for public feedback, the Environment Ministry top brass thought it it to allow another 60 days until August 10.
Background of EIA As a signatory to the Stockholm Declaration (1972) on Environment, India enacted laws to control water (1974) and air (1981) pollution soon after.
But it was only after the Bhopal gas leak disaster in 1984 that the country legislated an umbrella Act for environmental protection in 1986.
Under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, India noti ied its irst EIA norms in 1994, setting in place a legal framework for regulating activities that access, utilise, and affect (pollute) natural resources.
Every development project has been required to go through the EIA process for obtaining prior environmental clearance ever since.
The 1994 EIA noti ication was replaced with a modi ied draft in 2006.
Earlier this year, the government redrafted it again to incorporate the amendments and relevant court orders issued since 2006, and to make the EIA “process more transparent and expedient.”
The draft Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) noti ication 2020 has been put in the public domain by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEF&CC) since March 12.
Aram.Academy.IAS aramias_academy aramias_academy aimcivilservices aramiasacademy.com It has left both environmentalists as well as well-meaning economists worried as far from an improvement, the 2020 draf t, they claim, is a regressive departure from the 2006 version it seeks to replace.
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Concerns with New Draft Bypassing NGT orders: The United Nations Environment Program (UN EP) de ines EIA as a tool to identify the environmental, social and economic impacts of a project prior to decision-making. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has also consistently ruled against post-facto approvals. The new 2020 noti ication, however, does away with this cardinal principle of prior environment clearance and permits post facto regularisation of environment violations by paying ines so long as the project is permissible in the area. This militates against the bedrock of India’s environment outlook that is based on the ‘precautionary principle’. Any shift from the ‘polluter-pays- principle’ to the ‘pollute-and-pay’ principle would wreak havoc. This window was hitherto not available in the 2006 noti ication. Exemption to EIA process The new law also proposes to declare some areas as ‘economically sensitive areas’, on the recommendation of MOEF&CC, which would then be taken outside the ambit of the mandatory environmental and other clearances. But such a declaration would be sans any public or stakeholder consultation. This could pose a serious threat to delicate and highly unstable ecosystems like sacred groves, remnant forest patches and those that sustain critically endangered fauna like the great Indian bustard, Asiatic lion and one-horned rhinoceros. Our attempt to increase our ranking in the ‘ease of doing business’ index might irrevocably damage our environment in the long run. Extending the clearances validity The draft increases the validity of the environment clearances to 50 years for mining projects as against 30 years in the current law and 15 years for river valley projects as against 10 years, thus increasing the risk of irreversible environmental, social and health consequences on account of the project remaining unnoticed for long.
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Exemption to Public Process The new draft exempts a long list of projects from public consultation. While a signi icant slab of threshold limits is now pushed under category ‘B2’ projects, these projects are completely exempted from the EIA and public consultation process For example, linear projects such as roads and pipelines in border areas will not require any public hearing.
Compliance Report Issue The 2006 noti ication required that the project proponent submit a report every six months, showing that they are carrying out their activities as per the terms on which permission has been given. However, the new draft requires the promoter to submit a report only once every year. During this period, certain irreversible environmental, social or health consequences of the project could go unnoticed because of the extended reporting time. For example, if a mining project is being carried out at someplace which can be potentially hazardous to the nearby population and can contaminate the air, and water nearby, a half-yearly compliance report would better help in addressing these concerns.
The Way Ahead On a positive note, the 2020 draft noti ication has a clause dedicated to de initions to several terms related to EIA. It may be bene icial in the sense that it consolidates the EIA rules and has the potential of alleviating some ambiguity in the present law. However, it needs to address the above issues.
Practice Question
What are the key changes in the Environment Impact Assessment
Notication 2020?Analyse.
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42. ECONOMIC STIMULUS FOR WEAKER SECTION
Context: 2nd Tranche of measures to ameliorate the hardships faced speci ically by migrant labours, street vendors, migrant urban poor, small traders self -employed people, small farmers and housing. Measures for supporting the poor 1. Free Food Grains Supply Allocation of additional food grain to all the States/UTs (5 kg per migrant labourer and 1 kg chana per family per month) for two months (May and June, 2020) free of cost. This move is an extension of the Pradhan Mantri GharibKalyan Yojana. Migrant labourers not covered under National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013 or without a ration card in the State/UT in which they are stranded at present. There are an estimated 8 crore migrant workers, housed in government and privately run relief camps across the country since the lockdown. The entire outlay of Rs.3500 crore will be borne by the Government of India.
2. One Nation One Ration Card 67 crore bene iciaries covering 83% of Public Distribution System (PDS) population will be covered by National portability of Ration cards by August, 2020 and 100% National portability will be achieved by March, 2021. One Nation One Ration Card is part of Technology Driven System Reforms and will enable migrant workers and their family members to access PDS bene its from any Fair Price Shop in the country. This will ensure that the people in transit, especially migrant workers can also get the PDS bene it across the country.
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3. Scheme for Affordable Rental Housing Complexes for Migrant Workers and Urban Poor This scheme will be launched soon and under this, the Central Government will provide ease of living at affordable rent. Government funded houses in the cities will be converted into Affordable Rental Housing Complexes (ARHC) under PPP mode (Public Private Partnerships) through concessionaires. 4. Interest Subvention for Shishu MUDRA loanees Government of India will provide Interest subvention of 2% for prompt payees for a period of 12 months to MUDRA Shishu loanees, who have loans below Rs.50,000. The current portfolio of MUDRA Shishu loans is around Rs.1.62 Lakh crore. This will provide relief of about Rs.1,500 crore to Shishu MUDRA loanees. 5. Credit Facility for Street Vendors A scheme will be launched to facilitate easy access to credit to Street vendors and enable them to restart their businesses. It is expected that Rs. 50 lakh street vendors will be bene ited under this scheme and credit of Rs.5,000 crore would be provided. Bank credit facilities for initial working capital up to Rs.10,000 for each enterprise will be extended. 6. Extensionof Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme for MIG under PMAY(Urban) The Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme for Middle Income Group (MIG, annual income between Rs.6 and Rs.18 lakhs) will be extended up to March 2021. This subsidy scheme comes under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban). This will bene it 2.5 lakhs middle income families during 2020-21 and will lead to investment of over Rs.70,000 crore in housing sector. This will create a signi icant number of jobs by giving a boost to the Housing sector and will stimulate demand for steel, cement, transport and other construction materials. 7. Creating Employment using CAMPA Funds Approximately Rs.6,000 crore of funds under Compensatory Afforestation Management & Planning Authority (CAMPA) will be used. The funds will be utilised in afforestation and plantation works, arti icial regeneration, forest management, soil & moisture conservation works, forest protection, forest and wildlife related infrastructure development, wildlife protection and management etc. Government will grant immediate approval to these plans which will create job opportunities in urban, semi-urban and rural areas and also for Tribals. 8. Additional Emergency Working Capital through NABARD National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) will extend additional re- inance support of ₹30,000 crore for meeting crop loan requirements of Rural Cooperative Banks (RCBs) and Regional Rural Banks (RRBs). This re inance will be front-loaded (uneven distribution with a greater proportion at one time and smaller ones at other time) and available immediately. This is over and above ₹90,000 crore that will be provided by NABARD to this sector in the normal course.
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This will bene it around 3 crore farmers, mostly small and marginal and will meet their post-harvest Rabi and current Kharif requirements. 9. Credit Boost to Kisan Credit Card Scheme It is a special drive to provide concessional credit to Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) bene iciaries through Kisan Credit Cards. It will inject additional liquidity of ₹2 lakh crore in the farm sector. 2.5 crore farmers will be covered and isherman and animal husbandry farmers will also be included in this drive.
Significance While the irst set of measures was geared towards ensuring liquidity low to various parts of the economy, the second aims to ensure food security for migrant workers. MGNREGA as in the past, remains a lifesaver for people dependent on fragile livelihoods, and the decision to extend it to the monsoon season is welcome. The government should also ensure that wages are paid without delays, a major problem with the scheme’s implementation lately. The measures will ease credit lows to the more vulnerable sections of society - street vendors and small farmers, among others.
Concerns The government could have extended the Public Distribution System coverage to include more people who are suffering from loss of jobs and livelihoods, besides migrant workers. One nation, one ration card scheme, as implemented now, has been utilised only sparingly by migrants, and concerns from States like Tamil Nadu where PDS is near - universal are yet to be addressed. Many of the announcements, including one for small farmers, are a combination of liquidity and credit-easing measures or the extension of existing schemes. As things stand, they fall short of the substantive iscal measures that could stimulate demand in the economy. The credit linked subsidy scheme for affordable housing has been extended by another year - but with questions over job/income security, its ability to spur demand for affordable housing is questionable. Problems of identi ication of bene iciaries: India is also well-known for the problems of identi ication of bene iciaries for government schemes.
Way Ahead Food grains will offer immediate relief, but workers need more substantive support. A waiver or at least an extension of the 100-day limit per household for MGNREGA too would have helped. Distress of poor migrants is greater than relief announced by the government. Hence, more needs to be done.
Practice Question
Discuss about the Economic stimulus announced by the government to
protect the weaker section
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43. BAD BANK BENEFITS AND CONERNS
Context: The idea of setting up a bad bank often comes up for debate, especially when stress in the banking sector is projected to rise in the near term. Several economists and agencies project a recession in the Indian economy this year, due to the adverse effects of Covid-19 on economic activity. This will hit the banking and inancial sector in particular, as slump in earnings of companies and individuals could lead to a jump in non-performing assets, reversing the early trends of NPA reduction post enactment of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) and write-off of bad loans by banks. Origin of a Bad Bank? A bad bank is termed so simply because it houses bad loans, or in inancial parlance - non-performing assets (NPAs). The concept is simple. Let’s say Bank X extended loans to several individuals and corporates that could not pay the bank back, and defaulted on their installments. As time goes by, these loans accumulate, interest keeps getting accumulated, a nd Bank X keeps providing more money against the bad exposure it took, because it realises that chances are it may never get this money back. One could argue that these bad loans, or NPAs could just continue sitting in Bank X’s books and that would be that. In practice, however, these NPAs could really hurt the bank. Investors, or any other counterparties, see large NPAs as a sign of the bank’s ill- health or inancial weakness. The higher the NPAs, the more impaired the Bank X’s ability to borrow, lend, or conduct business in general. To ix this problem, the bad bank model was irst proposed in 1980s. US-based Mellon Bank created a bad bank back in 1988 to hold its toxic assets by spinning off its own capital, and ive of its own board members into the Grant Street National Bank. Subsequently, Sweden, Finland, France, Germany, Indonesia, and several other countries implemented the idea. A bad bank, therefore, is expected to help the banks by absorbing all their bad assets, usually at a price below the book value of these loans, and manage them, in an attempt to inally recover the money over a period of time. Bad bank in India A bad bank buys the bad loans and other illiquid holdings of other banks and inancial institutions, which clears their balance sheet. The banking sector, led by the Indian Banks Association (IBA), had in May submitted a proposal for setting up a bad bank to the inance ministry and the RBI, proposing equity contribution from the government and the banks. This was based on an idea proposed by a panel on faster resolution of stressed assets in public sector banks headed by former PNB Chairman Sunil Mehta. This panel had proposed an asset management company (AMC), ‘Sashakt India Asset Management’, for resolving large bad loans two years ago. There were talks about creating a bad bank in 2018 too, but it never took shape.
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What kind of NPA spike is expected down the line? The impact of Covid-19 and the associated policy response is likely to result in an additional Rs 1,67,000 crore of debt from the top 500 debt-heavy private sector borrowers turning delinquent between FY21 and FY22. This is over and above the Rs 2,54,000 crore anticipated prior to the onset of the pandemic, taking the cumulative quantum to Rs 421,000 cror. Given that 11.57 per cent of the outstanding debt is already stressed, the proportion of stressed debt is likely to increase to 18.21 per cent of the outstanding quantum. Government’s view? While the inance ministry has not formally submitted its view on the proposal, senior of icials have indicated that it is not keen to infuse equity capital into a bad bank. The government’s view is that bad loan resolution should happen in a market-led way, as there are many asset reconstruction companies already operating in the private space. The government has signi icantly capitalised state-owned banks in recent years and pursued consolidation in the PSU banking space. In the last three inancial years, the government has infused equity of Rs 2.65 lakh crore into state-owned banks. These steps, along with insolvency resolution under the IBC, are seen as adequate to the tackle the challenge of bad loans. The proposal of a bad bank was also discussed at a meeting of the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) chaired by Finance Minister, but it has subsequently not found favour. RBI’s View? The central bank has so far never come out favourably about the creation of a bad bank with other commercial banks as main promoters. Former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan had opposed the idea of setting up a bad bank with a majority stake by banks, arguing it would solve nothing. Rajan argued that a government-funded bad bank would just shift loans “from one government pocket (the public sector banks) to another (the bad bank) and did not see how it would improve matters”. Indeed, if the bad bank were in the public sector, the reluctance to act would merely be shifted to the bad bank. Why not instead infuse the capital that would be given to the bad bank directly into the public sector banks? Alternatively, if the bad bank were to be in the private sector, the reluctance of public sector banks to sell loans to the bad bank at a signi icant haircut would still prevail. Once again, it would solve nothing”. What are the alternatives to a bad bank? Many industry experts argue that the enactment of IBC has reduced the need for having a bad bank, as a transparent and open process is available for all lenders to attempt insolvency resolution. As per latest available RBI data, as a percentage ofclaims, banks recovered on average 42.5% of the amount iled through the IBC in 2018-19, against 14.5% through the SARFAESI, 5.3% through Lok Adalats and 3.5% through Debt Recovery Tribunals.
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The view is that an IBC-led resolution, or sale of bad loans to ARCs already existing, is a better approach to tackle the NPA problem rather than a government -funded bad bank. Former RBI Deputy Governor Viral Acharya proposed two models. The irst model is a Private Asset Management Company (PAMC) which would be suitable for sectors where the stress is such that assets are likely to have economic value in the short run, with moderate levels of debt forgiveness. The second model is a National Asset Management Company (NAMC) for sectors where the problem is not just of excess capacity, but possibly also of economically unviable assets in the short- to medium-term, such as in the power sector. The NAMC would raise debt for its inancing needs, keep a minority equity stake for the government, and bring in asset managers such as ARCs and private equity to manage and turn around the assets, while these structure should not be termed as bad banks.
Practice Question
Explain the concept of Bad Bank. Critically analyse it's role addressing the
non performing assets in India.
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44. SOCIAL STOCK EXCHANGE A working group constituted by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on social stock exchanges has recommended allowing non-pro it organisations to directly list on such platforms while allowing certain tax incentives to encourage participation on the platform. About SSE The idea of a social stock exchange (SSE) for listing of social enterprise and voluntary organisations was mooted by Finance Minister NirmalaSitharaman while presenting the Union Budget 2019-20. A social enterprise is a revenue-generating business. Its primary objective is to achieve a social objective, for example, providing healthcare or clean energy. This in no way means that a social enterprise can’t be highly pro itable. In fact, most social enterprises look and operate like traditional businesses. The only catch is that the pro it these entities generate is not necessarily used for payouts to stakeholders, but reinvested into their social programmes. An SSE is a platform which allows investors to buy shares in social enterprises vetted by an of icial exchange. It will function on the lines of major stock exchanges like BSE and NSE. However, the purpose of the Social Stock Exchange will be different i.e. not pro it, but social welfare. Under the regulatory ambit of SEBI, a listing of social enterprises and voluntary organizations will be undertaken so that they can raise capital as equity, debt or as units like a mutual fund. Rationale behind SSE The British Council Report observed that 32% of Indian social enterprises have seen a general lack of understanding among banks and inancial organisations about their work and 20% reported a lack of awareness amongst community members about their goals, functions and objectives. The report also found that about 33% of Indian social enterprises felt that their limited networks act as a barrier to accessing investors. SSE enables Indian social enterprises to list their securities or other inancial instruments, providing them with an avenue for raising capital for their operations and growth, and reducing their dependency on ad hoc funding like grants or donations. This would operate as a separate segment under existing Indian stock exchanges, enabling socially minded investors to diversify their investment portfolio and developing a strong social securities market in the country. Further, Globally, Responsible, Sustainable and Impact investments grew 17% annually to US$30.7 trillion in 2018, up from US$22.9 trillion in 2016. India has an opportunity not just to build its Impact Sector into another IT/ITES-like growth and employment engine but to make the country a prominent actor in the Impact Revolution. Benefits of SSE SSEs would help improve visibility and knowledge, among all stakeholders, especially funders, issuers and customers, about the contributions of social enterprises to the economy.
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They would also establish procedures to standardise social inance transactions, build awareness about the needs and challenges of this sector and develop social capital. These stock exchanges would bridge the funding gap for social enterprises and enable a growth of strong professional networks of investors and subject matter experts in order to guide social enterprises. They therefore create the necessary social investment ecosystem for enterprises and investors, whose objective is to generate maximum positive social impact and place environmental, social and governance (ESG) features within the pursuit of pro its and growth.
SEBI Recommendation about SSE In September 2019, Sebi constituted a working group on SSE under the chairmanship of IshaatHussain, Director, SBI Foundation. The working group was constituted to examine and make recommendations with respect to possible structures and mechanisms, within the securities market domain, to facilitate the raising of funds by social enterprises and voluntary organizations. The expert panel recommended allowing non-pro it organisations to be directly listed through the issuance of bonds in the form of zero-coupon bonds. This will, in turn, encourage donors, philanthropic foundations and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) spenders to invest in zero-coupon bonds and the funds can be generated. The panel also recommends various funding avenues such as Social venture Funds (SVFs) to be listed under Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs). For organizations that raise funds via the Social Stock Exchange (SSE), a new minimum reporting standard has been de ined. For-pro it organizations to be listed on SSE but with newly de ined reporting requirements. The committee has recommended housing the Social Stock Exchange (SSE) under the existing national exchanges such as Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and National Stock Exchange (NSE). Significance of Panel recommendation The panel has made these recommendations to strengthen existing infrastructure and client relationships with investors, donors, etc. The incentives given will encourage the participation of various stakeholders. This participation will make social and economic growth more inclusive. Conclusion India has an opportunity to become a prominent actor in the Impact Revolution. The SSE must seize the opportunity to make India a key player in the global Impact Economy by enabling its constituents to collaborate and compete seamlessly with their global counterparts.
Practice Question
Discuss about SEBI's Ishaat Hussain committee recommendation
Aram.Academy.IAS aramias_academy aramias_academy aimcivilservices aramiasacademy.com 45. CONSOL BONDS
Context: Financing the iscal de icit will not be a problem as the government can resort to monetisation of the de icit through several innovative options, including issuing sovereign perpetuity bonds, zero coupon bonds, and tax-free bonds, State Bank of India (SBI) said in its economic research report, Ecowrap. Innovative inancial instruments such as consol bonds or perpetual bonds seem to be an attractive option. One such method that had been used during the First World War was the consol bond. History of Consol Bonds: The Consol Bonds were issued in 1917 by the British Government to raise funds for inancing World War I. The Consol Bonds paid 5% interest to the investors. The Consol Bonds in the UK were mostly owned by the small investors and over 70% of the holding was less than £1,000. In 2014, 10% of the total outstanding debt of the consol bond was paid by the British Government.
Rationale behind the Bonds The rationale for a perpetual sovereign bond is quite simple – the principal amount will never have to be repaid. Issue of zero coupon bonds (ZCBs) – to monetise the iscal de icit. ZCBs are issued at a discount and redeemed at their full face value. Both these bonds could be issued by the sovereign and privately placed with the RBI or could be incentivised for larger participation by banks and even retail market participants. The other option is issue of tax-free bonds, for which there could be a huge market appetite in the current market environment. What are Consol Bonds? A perpetual bond, also known as a "consol bond" or "prep," is a ixed income security with no maturity date. Consol Bonds are ixed-income bonds without a maturity date and are also known as perpetual bonds. Consol Bonds are considered as a type of equity and the investors will be paid a steady stream of interest forever. Thus, it can be said that Consol Bonds are a type of debt instruments and can be redeemed at issuer's discretion. Benefits of Consol Bond: They may be redeemed at the discretion of Government as and when it wants depending on its inancial situation A regular investor is attracted towards it as it is government backed and pays a decent coupon rate. It is issued in very small denominations as well , hence small investors can also easily invest in it. The proceeds of the bonds could be used for everything. Consol Bonds over PM- CARES? The proceeds of the Consol Bonds can be used for funding various requirements such as medical, industrial, etc., unlike the PM-CARES Fund.
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The Consol bond will be risk-free as it will be introduced by the government. The government can attract investors either giving an attractive coupon rate or tax rebates. When the Consol Bonds will be introduced by the government, the Centre will issue it on a perpetual basis. The government will have a right to stop its issuance once the situation gets better.
Practice Question
Discuss about the Consol bonds and it's relevance amid COVID 19.
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46. APMC REFORMS - A CRITIQUE
Background Agriculture has changed worldwide dramatically and particularly in India in recent times mainly due to technological innovation leading to farm mechanization, extensive and widespread use of chemical fertilizers and specialization. Marketing of agricultural produce is considered as an integral part of agriculture, since an agriculturist is encouraged to make more investment and to increase production. After 1960s, and particularly after Green Revolution, the government has taken active interest in the development of infrastructure of marketing and trade. In India, there are network of cooperatives at the local, regional, state and national levels that assist in agricultural marketing. In India, the State is now playing an important role in agricultural marketing. Agricultural price policy, setting up of Regulated Markets, the purchase of products directly by the government through the Food Corporation of India, etc., come under the subject matter of rural marketing. An ef icient system of marketing is essential for the economic development of a country. Marketing becomes an important instrument in improving the income of the individual producers of all categories, apart from meeting the requirements of the customers. In order to improve the marketing system al ong these three lines, certain steps have been taken as encouraging cooperative marketing, establishment of regulated markets, and grading, storage and warehousing. In this connection the role of Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) is pivotal in promoting the agricultural marketing.
Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC): Agricultural Markets in most parts of the country are established and regulated underthe State APMC Acts. The whole geographical area in the State is divided and declared as a market area wherein the markets are managed by the Market Committees constituted by the State Governments. Once a particular area is declared a market area and falls under the jurisdiction of a Market Committee, no person or agency is allowed freely to carry on wholesale marketing activities. The monopoly of Government regulated wholesale markets has prevented development of a competitive marketing system in the country. The agricultural produce marketing committee is a marketing board established by the state governments of India. In order to facilitate farmers, the state government to sale their produce and get reasonable price and constituted APMC in many towns. Most of APMC have market yard where traders and other marketing agents are providedgodowns and shops for purchase of agriculture produce from formers. Formers can sail their produce to agents or traders under supervision of APMC. The major functions of the APMC are: grant, renew, refuse, suspend or cancel license; provide the necessary facilities; regulate and supervise the auctions; maintain and manage the markets; regulate the sales, promote and organize grading and standardization of the agricultural produce and ware housing facilities in the market area.
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The APMC generates many bene its to the farmer community, they are-farmers get fair price; correct weighing for agricultural produces; maintenance of daily list of prices of commodities for the bene its of formers and immediate payment after disposal of the produce (within 24 hrs). Issues regarding APMC
Monopoly of APMCdeprives farmers from better customers, and consumers from original suppliers. It is quite often seen that agents in an APMC get together to form a cartel and deliberately restraint from higher bidding. Produce is procured at manipulatively discovered price and sold at higher price. This leads to the cartelization of middle man. License fee in these markets are highly prohibitive. In many markets farmers were not allowed to operate. Further, over and above license fee, rent/value for shops is quite high which keeps away competition. At most places only a group of village/urban elite operates in APMC. Farmers have to pay commission, marketing fee, APMC cess which pushes up costs. Apart from this many states impose Value Added Tax.
Actions taken with the recent legislation: The recent ordinance which was passed as an act on farm produce trade has given farmers the freedom to decide to whom they sell; it removes the compulsion to sell to the licensed agents of APMC (Agriculture Produce Market Committee). The new legislation does not say it will shut APMCs. It only says that it is restricting the powers of APMCs to their physical boundaries, and opening up the space to private players. The new legislation has cut out a source of income for APMCs by saying they cannot charge a cess on trade that takes place outside its yard. Way forward: The legislation provides for free trade. There should be a provision to register private players, check the systems they have in place for weighment of farmers’ produce, their price auctioning and payment mechanism and other facilities. The government should draw out a regulatory framework for supervision of all trade (irrespective of its being done on the electronic market or physical market). It would have been ideal had the legislation announced the creation of an umbrella entity that can take all smaller primary markets across the country under its fold and bring uniformity in trade and regulations. The Farmers’ Trade Promotion Bill is that the grievance redress system is weak. One is not sure at least in the initial phase how a high number of grievances would be handled by a Sub-Divisional Magistrate. This needs to be addressed.
Practice Question
Critically analyse the role of APMC in marketing of agricultural products.
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47. ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS
Environmental ethics is the discipline in philosophy that studies the moral relationship of human beings to, and also the value and moral status of, the environment and its non-human contents. Environmental ethics is a branch of ethics that studies the relation of human beings and the environment and how ethics play a role in this. Environmental ethics is often said to be interdisciplinary as it ove rlaps environmental politics, environmental economics, environmental sciences, as well as ethical and theological considerations. Environmental ethics believe that humans are a part of society as well as other living creatures, which includes plants and animals. These items are a very important part of the world and are considered to be a functional part of human life. Deep ecology also deals with the above aspect. Significance: Environmental ethics forcefully critiques the materialism, hedonism, and consumerism accompanying modern capitalism and calls instead for a green lifestyle that is harmonious with nature. It advocates a more equitable international economic and political order that is based on the principle of democracy, global justice, and universal rights. So in that sense you can see that environmental ethics is not just about environment, it's not just about how we approach or have we manage environment, but it's also about the broader way that we structure our lives, what we wish to achi eve and how we wish to achieve. There are three different kinds of environmental ethics. They are the land ethics, deep ecology, and ecofeminism.
Land ethics: The argument is, or the guiding principle of land ethics is, that "a thing," it might be mismanagement, it might be invention of use and it might be extraction of resources, that "a thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community." And "it's wrong when it tends otherwise."
Deep ecology: Deep ecology was a term irst used by the Norwegian philosopher Arne Næss. He postulated that humans should respect nature and value the inherent worth of all life forms. In that sense, deep ecology, according to Arne Næss, questions the fundamental values on which the industrial paradigm is built upon.Deep ecology is a somewhat recent branch of ecological philosophy (ecosophy) that considers humankind as an integral part of its environment. Deep ecology's core principle is the claim that, like humanity, the living environment as a whole has the same right to live and lourish.It provides a foundation for the environmental and green movements and has led to a new system of environmental ethics. Ecofeminism: Ecofeminism is by de inition set to be an activist, an academic movement that sees a critical connection between the domination of nature as well as the exploitation of women. So these are the two fundamental components of ecofeminism. On the one
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hand, domination of nature.And on the other hand, domination of women. And ecofeminism sees a link between the two lines of domination. The argument that ecofeminists bring forward is that historically the domination and oppression of women is very similar to the way that men have dominated and oppressed the land. And the argument furthermore is that societies that have oppressed women very often also have activities that lead to the abuse of the environment in general. So the purpose of ecofeminism, or the main principles of ecofeminism, is to avoid every kind of discrimination and domination. It emphasizes the importance of the interrelationship between humans, non-humans and the Earth. Earth and life forms are considered sacred and must be preserved. We must live in a balance with nature to ensure the future. And, technological development should not be the main driver for the development of new technologies. It should have a purpose. Chipko movement is a good example of where women work together to preserve prestigious forests for their local communities. They relied on this forest to make a living, to provide food and shelter, etc. And the government's approach or suggestions to cut the forest was then inspired them to come together with a men as well to protect and preserve the forest. And in that sense, one can see that there's a link between maybe oppression of women and as well as oppression of nature. With the emergence of several theories, several environmental ethics have emerged. While some protect human beings, others protect plants, animals and other elements of nature. This has to be promoted and cultured among the younger generation.
Practice Question
Discuss about the importance of environmental ethics with suitable examples.
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48. PANDEMIC: IMPACT ON WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT
Context: The Covid 19 pandemic has brought women’s plight to the forefront. - Status of Women at the time of Pandemic A few studies have already evinced extra work burden and domestic violence during the period of lockdown. The University of Valencia, the French government and DIW from Germany ind that women are bearing considerably higher amount of work burden than men, especially due to home schooling of kids A study by Institute for Fiscal Studies and the UCL Institute of Education ind that in England mothers are 23 per cent more likely than fathers to have temporarily or permanently lost their jobs during the pandemic. Loss of job and more burden of household work may also have affected women during the pandemic in India, and its severity could be much higher given a stronger grip of patriarchy. As there is no hope of getting respite from the Covid pandemic any sooner, its impact on women empowerment may have long run consequence. In India, women’s position is no better under normal conditions. Women spend 577 per cent more time per day than men for domestic work, according to the data provided by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Stimulus package The government initiatives are not very proactive. The Central government’s gender budget as a share of the total budget has declined from 4.72 per cent in 2019-20 to 4.71 per cent in 2020-21. The recent announcements of the stimulus package have no signi icant gender component apart from Rs.10 lakh collateral-free loans for SHGs (self-help groups). Cash transfer of Rs.500 per month for three months to women Jan Dhan account- holders does not make much difference. The number of cases of domestic violence has been increasing in India since the national lockdown, as reported by the National Commission for Women (NCW).
Effect on Women Empowerment Under these circumstances, apart from excess work burden and domestic violence, the pandemic also left long term pernicious effect on women’s empowerment, especially for those who work in the rural and urban unorganised sectors The pandemic may have a long-run effect on women due to: spatial distancing, popularly known as social distancing; a massive reserve migration from the cities. According to government sources, by the end of penultimate week of May 2020, around 2.3 million workersand migrants had already returned to Uttar Pradesh alone.
Aram.Academy.IAS aramias_academy aramias_academy aimcivilservices aramiasacademy.com Plight of working women Women’s role as caregiver has increased in importance during the lockdown and would likely to remain high during the time that follows. As a caregiver, women should remain protected and hence spatial distancing outside home becomes more important for her. This would curtail women’s opportunity to undertake work outside home. Women may not be able to work as labour in enterprises, which are generally congested, as family members would hesitate to accept. Furthermore, households may hesitate to employ domestic help fearing contamination.
Women agriculturalist Women’s role and empowerment would receive a serious setback when migrants return to their villages. Women have over a period of time come out of their traditional roles and ventured out of house to take part in farming, especially as decision-makers. In the absence of male members, female members had learned farming practices, such as land leasing and purchase and use of seeds, pesticides and fertilisers. They have also taken decision on informal and formal credit. Above all, women have traditionally worked as labour in agriculture. However, female members’ participation in agriculture is dependent on opportunity left over by the male. During the main agricultural season men come back home and participate in agriculture. As agriculture is highly dependent on availability of water, men participate in work when suf icient water is available from the most important source such as canals. They would opt for some other work, or may migrate to the cities for employment. With the opportunity to utilise resources left over, women partake in agriculture as farmers and labours. They utilise water that are regarded less important by men. These women eventually develop more agency and abilities to make or in luence decisions regarding family matters and agriculture. The reverse migration due to COVID is likely to take away women’s opportunity to participate as farmer and labour, as male members woul d now ind hitherto unimportant sources as important. Moreover, quite a few women act as household heads in the absence of the male members. They develop agency and take various decisions in the absence of men. Reserve migration is also likely to take away this opportunity from women. Men vs. Women Even as the pandemic will reverse achievements on the poverty front, it is also likely to reverse achievements on women empowerment and turn the clock back by a few decades. Women’s upward mobility would be severely constrained, more than that of men, as long as the pandemic persists. The new norms would add another layer of hindrance for women to participate in work outside home.
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Women’s access and gainful utilisation of natural resource would also get constrained due to contestation with male returnees. The institution of patriarchy would ind another opportunity to legitimise its presence.
The Way Ahead The public policy to tackle the Covid pandemic should be gender sensitive rather than gender blind. The stimulus package of the government should be gendered from both the demand and supply side. Some amount of MGNREGA labour work should be reserved for women. They should be paid in cash as many may not have bank accounts. Furthermore, household enterprises of women should be e-linked to larger markets so that women are able to bargain at the vertical level. These initiatives would resist the backward slide of progress made in women’s empowerment, especially in small towns and villages.
Practice Question
Women are the most affected by Pandemic than anyone else. Analyse.
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