NOT FOR SALE CONTENTS

Focus Articles 5 Budget 2020-2021: An Overview Economic Survey 2019-2020

● Wealth Creation: The invisible hand supported by the hand of trust

● Entrepreneurship and wealth creation at the grassroots

● Pro-Business versus Pro Crony

● Undermining Markets: When Government Intervention Hurts More Than It Helps

● Creating Jobs and Growth by Specializing to Exports in Network Products

Polity & Governance 30 Taking away Disqualification Powers from Speakers Bodo Accord Supreme court orders parties to publish criminal history of Candidates Democracy Index India’s no-fly list A.P. Assembly adopts resolution to abolish Legislative Council India slips two places on the corruption index Difference between private and government Bills Medical device rules, 2020 SC says can’t issue mandamus for job promotions quota: What is mandamus? Plea for judicial probe in custodial death cases Types of question - 1,120 unstarred questions asked in RS session PSA - Shah Faesal booked under Public Safety Act National Security Act Formation of the 22nd Law Commission of India Andhra Pradesh demand for Special Category Status High Court Dismisses petition seeking voting rights to Prisoners Tripura tribal council moves to codify customary laws of tribal clans A case for multiple capitals - Andhra Pradesh SC directed states to establish Gram Nyayalayas

Schemes, Bills & Acts 50 Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill Supreme Court upholds changes to SC/ST atrocities law Jal Jeevan Mission

International Developments 63 Operation Vanilla India & Brazil: Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matter Trump’s West Asia peace plan FATF and Pakistan BIMSTEC Conference on Combating Drug Trafficking USTR takes off India from developing country’s list Bhutan ends free entry for Indian tourists Donald Trump acquitted by Senate United Kingdom’s points-based visa policy Rohingya Issue in the ICJ UAE has been declared ‘reciprocating territory’ by India

Economy 63 Apiary on Wheels Railways’ Corporate Train Model World Employment and Social Outlook: Trends 2020 Policy Measures to Double the Income of Farmers and Farm Laborers Coal India Subsidiary NCL sets up ‘SARAS’ to promote innovation & R&D Cooperative banks to come under Reserve Bank regulation 15th Finance Commission Cabinet approves setting up of new Major Port at Vadhavan RBI’s Feb Monetary Policy - Game-Changer for Indian Economy? India’s imported food inflation International IP Index Time to Care Report -OXFAM National Startup Advisory Council Deposit Insurance Cover increased

Environment & Disaster Management 74 10 more wetlands in India make way to Ramsar List Phasing out Ozone Depleting Substances (ODSs) New snake eel species discovered in Odisha Yellow rust disease African cheetahs from Namibia to the India New species of urban lizard found in Guwahati Urban heat island in India 13th CoP on Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals India’s bird population suffers long term decline Scientists radiotag Indian pangolin Biorock Technology- Coral Reef Restoration Mongolian geese find new home in Davangere Backwater islands of Kerala brought under CRZ regime for the first time Why this Antarctic trip matters Future of Earth, 2020 Report Safeguarding the Cauvery Delta India to pitch for international protection of Asian elephant at UN meet

Social Justice & Development 90 Draft policy on rare diseases notified Need of emergency response units for safety of sanitation workers Draft notification on RO systems Women Army officer eligible for permanent commission:SC Justice Amitava Roy Committee recommends several prison reforms How to treat child witness Global Social mobility Report Internal Security & Defence 97 India-Bangladesh JT Exercise SAMPRITI-IX Dhanush

Science & Technology 99 CoronaVirus- a Global Health emergency Vyom Mitra Hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV), Avangard Arsenic-resistant rice cultivated SuperCam,a robot atop new Mars rover Mapping the ‘Indian’ genome Govt. plans research on ‘indigenous’ cows (SUTRA-PIC) Assisted Reproductive Technology Regulation Bill National Deworming Day NASA and ESA launched a Solar Orbiter Mission Bhuvan Panchayat V 3.0 Web Portal launched Vaccine derived Polio Virus National Mission on Quantum Technologies & Applications Locust Invasion Attack

Diversity, Art & Culture 109 Nagoba jatara Nagardhan excavations & Vakataka dynasty The five ‘iconic’ archaeological sites mentioned in the Budget The kumbhabhishekam ceremony at the Sri Brihadeeswarar Temple Conservation Plan for Konark temple soon Why govt want to locate Dara Shikoh Tomb, and why it is not easy UNESCO Interactive Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger Analysis of Antiquities and Art Treasures Act : Stolen idols issue KALA KUMBH Kambala

PIB Corner 118 Indian National Commission For Cooperation (INCCU) with UNESCO DST launches SATHI Initiative

Yojana Summary 120 Artificial Intelligence: Challenges and opportunities in India The Vice President on Science Education and Innovation Innovation in Higher Educational Institutions Education and Technology for the Blind Quality Education for Weaker Sections and Disadvantaged Group Key Initiatives in Education Cybersecurity: Issues and Challenges

Mains Questions 137

1 I Articulate Letter from the Editor’s desk “This magazine will never miss out on facts, debates and critical analysis from various experts”.

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Special Features:

Comprehensive coverage of budget and Economic Survey.

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Case Studies, Important Supreme Dear Aspirants, Court Judgement,

It gives me immense pleasure to present before you this well-crafted magazine for the month of February. Fourth issue of my Current Affairs Magazine with Unacademy. I take this time to thank all of my readers About Me for your astounding support and motivation. I have dedicated myself to the esteemed profession As I have been bringing out the Current Affairs of teaching to fulfil my aspiration of making education magazine for UPSC Civil Services exam aspirants more accessible and affordable. since July 2018, I am sure my past experience as the I have been teaching on Unacademy Plus ever since news analyst for UPSC CSE Exam will surely help the its inception. I was the one to revolutionize The Hindu aspirants. Daily News Analysis (DNA) with it being the most popular of my courses in the online educational arena. Over the past 2 years, by fulfilling my commitments & What’s inside? through perseverance, I have been able to cater to the educational needs of 4.76 lakh followers on Unacademy By keeping UPSC CSE exams as the focal point, itself. our magazine has incorporated all the important happenings in India and around the world for Achievements the month of February. The Magazine has been compartmentalized according to the CSE Syllabus Unacademy: 76 Million live minutes (476K followers) there by reducing the workload of the aspirants. Unacademy Plus Courses: Indian Polity, Indian Starting with our Focus Articles, we have gone a step Economy, Current Affairs further to cater to the needs of the Interview qualified candidates. Two most burning issues the Union Budget 2020 & the Coronavirus issue are dealt with in detail to shape their perception.

Must-read-articles that you shouldn’t miss out:

Economic Survey 2020 Decriminalization of Politics: SC verdict Draft policy on rare diseases India-Brazil Relations 10 more wetlands in India make way to Ramsar List

2 3 I Articulate Focus Articles | 4 Budget 2020-2021: An Overview An Overview • The govt. estimated a fiscal deficit of 3.8% in RE The Union Budget of 2020-2021 has been structured (Revised Estimate) 2019-20 and 3.5% for BE (budget on the overall theme of “Ease of Living.” The Finance estimate) 2020-21. Minister said that the Union Budget Aims: • The government has utilized ‘escape clause’ • To achieve seamless delivery of services under the FRBM Act which provides it leeway for through Digital governance. relaxation of fiscal deficit roadmap during time • To improve physical quality of life through the of stress. National Infrastructure Pipeline. • Its projected growth for financial year 2021 at 6% to • Risk mitigation through Disaster Resilience. 6.5%. This is down from an earlier projection of 7%. • Social security through Pension and • Nominal GDP growth for 2020-21 is being Insurance penetration. projected at 10%. • Defence budget was hiked by 6% to Rs 3.3 lakh crore. FM Sitharaman lists 3 themes of • 217mn people lifted out of poverty between 2006 Union Budget 2020-21: and 2016.

1. Aspirational India in which all sections of the society seek better standards of living, with access to health, education and better jobs. 2. Economic development for all, indicated in the PM’s exhortation of “SabkaSaath, SabkaVikas”. 3. Caring Society that is both humane and compassionate, where Antyodaya is an article of faith.

The three broad themes are held together by Corruption free-policy-driven Good Governance & Clean and sound financial sector.

Union Budget 2020-21 Highlights

Economy • The Budget is aimed at boosting income and purchasing power of people. • After the rollout of GST, the average household now saves 4% in monthly expenses. • FDI in India rose to $284 billion during 2014-19:. Singapore is the largest source of FDI in India with $8 billion investments. • The FM also emphasized on the impact of GST: • Doubling farmers income by 2022: The govt. has • GST has led to efficiency gains in transport and provided benefits for 110 million farmers through logistics sector: GST has resulted in efficiency PM Kisan. gains in the transport and logistics sectors, and inspector raj has vanished. These have benefitted MSMEs. • Consumers have also got an annual benefit of Rs 1 trillion because of GST. • Average household spends 4% less due to reduced GST rates. — 6 million taxpayers have been added. • Central government debt came down to 48.7% in March 2019 from 52.2% in March 2014 • The Current Account Deficit narrowed to 1.5 percent of GDP in the first half of 2019-20 from 2.1% in 2018-19.

Finance Sector

• Deposit insurance in case of bank failure hiked for 1st time since 1993 to ₹5 lakh: • The deposit insurance cover provided by Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC) in case of bank failure will be increased to ₹5 lakh.

5 I Articulate • The amendment mandates the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) to adopt a Taxpayers’ Charter.

Objective • To maintain the trust between taxpayers and the administration in the Tax system. • Clear enumeration of Taxpayer’s rights will enhance transparency and accountability leading to an efficient tax administration.

Dividend Distribution Tax • The Union Budget proposed to remove the Dividend Distribution Tax. • It further means that the dividend shall be taxed only in the hands of the recipients at their stipulated rates. • It has also proposed to allow a deduction for the dividend received by holding company from Taxation its subsidiary.

60 lakh new taxpayers were added in the last two years under the GST regime. A total of 105 crore e-way bills were generated. A simplified return for GST will be introduced Probable Impacts from April 2020. Impact on taxation of large domestic institutional On Equity Market investors and large retail investors may be negative, as • It may increase the attractiveness of the Indian dividend is expected to be taxable at the maximum slab Equity Market. rate in their hands. • It may provide relief to a large class of investors. • The government expected tax buoyancy to take • Especially those investors who are liable to pay time and the recent cut in corporate tax to 22% tax less than the rate of DDT, if the dividend to cause loss of substantial revenue in the short income is included in their income. run, but the economy will reap huge returns in due • In case of foreign investors too, non-availability course. of credit of DDT resulted in reduction of rate of • More than 100 deductions are provided currently return on equity capital for them. under the I-T Act. Proposal is to remove 70 of them. • It may result in making India an attractive • Rs 40,000 crore per annum will be revenue destination for the purpose of Foreign Direct foregone from new income tax rates for individuals. Investments. • Government will grant exemptions for sovereign • India ceases to be an outlier as currently, no wealth funds in infrastructure and other notified other country in the world has a DDT regime. sectors with a minimum lock-in of three years. The rate of withholding tax has been extended to On Tax Structure 2023 for FPIs. The proposal for deduction of the dividend received • Aadhaar-based verification for GST compliance to by holding company from its subsidiary will remove be introduced. effects of Tax Cascading. • Aadhaar-based quick issuance of PAN announced. • The tax on dividends is a triple levy. Dividend • Taxpayers’ charter to be institutionalized to check basically means the distribution of a company’s tax harassment. after-tax profits. • Vivad Se Vishwas scheme for tax litigations under • The tax paid by a company is the first level. DDT is which, only disputed tax amount will need to paid the second level. The recently-introduced Super on or before March 31, 2020. No interest or penalty Rich Dividend Tax — the 10% tax on anyone who will be charged. 4.83 lakh direct cases pending in earns dividend income of Rs 10 lakh or above — is various appellate forums the third. • Income Tax Act to be amended to allow faceless appeals against tax orders on lines of faceless On Tax Compliance assessment However, there is a speculation that taxing the • Tax on Cooperative societies proposed to be dividend in the hands of the shareholder would reduced to 22% plus surcharge and cess, as against compromise the objective of improved compliance. 30% at present. On Revenue Receipts Taxpayer’s Charter The removal of DDT will lead to estimated annual revenue forgone of Rs. 25,000 crores. The Union Budget proposed to amend the provisions of • However, it is being argued any loss whatsoever in the Income-tax Act. revenue gets offset by the tax that shareholders pay.

Focus Articles | 6 Direct Tax Regime Tax Benefit for Taxpayer • In the new tax regime, substantial tax benefit will accrue to a taxpayer depending upon exemptions Personal Income Tax and deductions claimed by him. • On the other hand, each individual will have to • The Union Budget proposes to bring a new and do his/her own income calculations to figure out simplified personal income tax regime. which tax regime is more beneficial to him/her. • Income tax rates will be significantly reduced • For example, a person who has bought a for the individual taxpayers who forgo certain long-term life insurance policy may have to deductions and exemptions. continue paying the premium. • The Union Budget for 2020-21 has proposed a combined cap of Rs 7.5 lakh for the employer’s Move towards Equitable Tax Regime contribution to these three categories of payouts. • It seeks to move away from an inequitable direct 1. Provident fund, tax regime. 2. Superannuation fund • It is based on an analysis that 92% of those filing I-T 3. National Pension Scheme (NPS) returns availed exemptions of less than Rs 2 lakh. • While the existing tax system has four tax slabs, the Tax slabs under new, optional regime new one has seven tax slabs and offerslower rates. Total income (Rs) Simplified, optional • In case of a flat tax rate, it becomes inequitable in tax rate the way that rich and poor are taxed in an equal Up to Rs 2.5 lakh Nil manner. • Having a few tax slabs also becomes inequitable From 2,50,001 to 5,00,000 *5% because there is a sudden jump and there will be a Rs 5,00,001 to 7,50,001 10% tendency to understate income to get to a lower slab. • The portion of salary (PF, NPS, Superannuation Rs 7,50,0001 to 10,00,000 15% Fund) does not suffer tax at any point of time, Rs 10,00,001 to 12,50,000 20% since the Exempt-Exempt-Exempt (EEE) regime is Rs 12, 50,001 to 15,00,000 25% followed for these three funds. • Thus, lack of a combined upper cap was deemed as Above Rs 15,00,000 30% iniquitous. Hence a cap is introduced in the budget.

*Individuals having net taxable income of up Vivad Se Vishwas’ Scheme to Rs 5 lakh will be able to avail tax rebate of Rs 12,500. Effectively, this would mean that individual (No Dispute but Trust) taxpayers having net taxable income of up to Rs 5 There are 4,83,000 direct tax cases pending in various lakh will continue to pay zero tax. appellate forums i.e. Commissioner (Appeals), ITATs, High Courts and the Supreme Court. Probable Impacts: • In the last Budget, Sabka Vishwas Scheme was Simplification of Direct Tax regime brought in to reduce litigation in indirect taxes. It • It aims to provide significant relief to individual resulted in settling over taxpayers and to simplify the Income-Tax law. 1,89,000 cases. • Measures have been initiated to prefill the income Objectives: tax return. • It aims at in the • So that an individual who opts for the new reducing vexatious litigations direct taxes’ payments. regime would need no assistance from an • Taxpayers in whose cases appeals are pending at expert to file his return and pay income tax. any level can benefit from this scheme. • In the Budget, around 70 of the existing exemptions Proposals: and deductions of different nature (more than 100) • A taxpayer would be required to pay only the have been proposed to be removed. amount of the disputed taxes and will get complete • Remaining exemptions and deductions will be waiver of interest and penalty provided She/he pays reviewed and rationalised in the coming years by 31st March, 2020. with a view to further simplifying the tax system. • Those who avail this scheme after31st March, 2020 will have to pay some additional amount. Informed choice for Taxpayers • The scheme will remain open till 30th June, 2020. • The new tax regime shall be optional for the taxpayers. • Those who are not availing deductions, now have the option to opt for a new tax regime. Faceless Appeals • An individual who is currently availing more deductions and exemptions under the Income Tax A new faceless assessment scheme has already been Act may choose to avail them and continue to pay introduced, known as e-assessment. tax in the old regime. • E-appeals are aimed at taking the reforms initiated • It may also widen the tax compliance by welcoming by the Government to the next level and to new entrants to the new tax regime. eliminate human interface.

7 I Articulate Instant Pan Through Aadhaar

In the last Budget, the interchangeability of PAN and Aadhaar was introduced. Proposal • It is proposed to launch a system under which PAN shall be instantly allotted online on the basis of Aadhaar. • There would not be any requirement for filling up a detailed application form. • The measures include a dedicated early-stage fund, relaxation of taxes levied on employee stock Government’s Disinvestment Drive ownership plans (ESOPs) and fresh tax rebates on these firms based on their turnover. Announcements • An eligible startup with an (annual) turnover of up • Govt to sell part of its stake in LIC, which manages to ₹25 crore will be allowed a deduction of 100% of $433 billion of assets via an IPO. Founded iLIC its profits for three consecutive (tax) assessment currently manages assets of $433 billion. It is fully years out of the first seven years. owned by the govt. of India. • To sell the government’s remaining stake in IDBI Investments Bank NSE. The government has 47% stake in the bank, while 51% is owned by LIC. International Bullion Exchange • The government set a divestment target of Rs 2.1 lakh crore for FY21 compared with Rs 1.05 lakh To further utilize the potential of IFSC, GIFT City to crore target for FY20. become a center for international finance and high- end data processing, the setting up of an International Disinvestment in FY20 Bullion Exchange at GIFT-IFSC has been proposed. • Against the target for FY20, the government has divested Rs.18,094.59 crore so far this year. Benefits • This year’s share sale included two IPOs namely • It is a positive step towards making gold a Rail Vikas Nigam and IRCTC and also CPSE ETF mainstream asset class. With its unique locational, and Bharat 22 ETF. infrastructural and regulatory advantages as an • Bharat ETF is India’s first corporate bond IFSC, GIFT city is well placed to build a fair, efficient exchange-traded fund (ETF) and transparent bullion trading ecosystem. • The ETF will be a basket of bonds issued • It will serve as an additional option for trade by by Central Public Sector Undertakings global market participants. (CPSUs), Central Public Sector Enterprises • An organised bullion trading system will benefit the (CPSEs), Central Public Financial entire supply chain particularly, small players and Institutions (CPFIs) other government exporters. organizations. • It is expected to enable better gold price discovery, • The government also sold enemy shares worth Rs create jobs and enhance India’s position worldwide. 1881.21 crore. • Given that SEBI regulations need a minimum Cut in Withholding tax dilution of 10%, it is unclear if there is enough The Govt has proposed to reduce the withholding tax liquidity for such a large sized IPO. rate to 4% from 5% on interest payment on bonds listed on the IFSC exchange. Disinvestment target for FY21 looks ambitious and the 3.5% fiscal deficit projected is critically dependent on Withholding tax: It is a tax levied by countries on this disinvestment target. income (interest and dividends) from securities owned by a nonresident alien, as well as other income paid to nonresidents of a country.

Benefits • The move will attract more international investors to the IFSC exchange. • This announcement should greatly incentivize issuers to choose India INX as the preferred platform for listing their international bonds and masala bonds. Budget 2020: Goals Missed: India has missed Budget Investment Clearance Cell deficit goals for 2 straight years, the govt. may miss • The Finance Minister has proposed to set up a the target this year as well. The gap may widen amid the special cell for granting pressure from more stimulus. hassle-free clearances to young entrepreneurs starting new businesses. For startups

Focus Articles | 8 • The proposed Investment Clearance Cell will Reduced Cost of Foreign Funds provide “end to end” facilitation and support to • The proposal to extend the period of concessional create more opportunities for youth and remove withholding rate of 5% for interest payments to roadblocks. non-residents in respect of moneys borrowed and • The support will include pre-investment advisory, bonds issued up to 30th June, 2023 will reduce the information related to land banks and facilitate cost of foreign funds. clearances at Centre and at the state level. • The cell will work through a portal. Concessional Tax Rate Cut for Cooperatives The Union Budget proposed to provide an option Advantage: The move will encourage entrepreneurship to cooperative societies to be taxed at 22%+10% and will guide the youth to become ‘job creators’ surcharge and 4% cess with no exemption/deductions. instead of becoming job seekers. • These cooperatives are currently taxed @30% with surcharge and cess. Reforms in the bond market • It also proposed to exempt these cooperative • The Govt has proposed to increase the investment societies from Alternate Minimum Tax (AMT). limit for foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) in corporate bonds, currently capped at 9% of the Probable Impacts: outstanding stock, to be increased to 15% of the • On parity with corporates outstanding stock. This will bring in more flows • It aims to bring parity between the cooperative from foreign investors. societies and corporates by means of a • Certain government securities to be opened for Concessional tax rate for Cooperatives non-resident investors apart from being available • Exemption from AMT will also bring parity with to domestic investors as well. Corporate’s exemption from Minimum Alternative • A new debt exchange traded fund (ETF) Tax (MAT). comprising primarily of government securities is to be launched. This will follow the success of the Indirect Tax Regime Bharat Bond ETF. • It will give retail investors access to government GST (Goods and Services Tax) securities as much as giving an attractive investment for pension funds and long-term A simplified GST return will be implemented from the investors. 1st April, 2020. This is under pilot run. • Certain government securities will be open for Significance:It will make return filing simple with foreign investors. features like: • The abolishing of Dividend Distribution Tax in the • SMS based filing for nil return, hands of the company and substituting it with tax • Return pre-filling, in the hands of the shareholders is a welcome move. • Improved input tax credit flow It definitely will promote foreign investment since • Overall simplification. the foreign investors would get credit for the tax paid in their home countries. • Concessional withholding rate of 5% on interest payment to non-residents extended up to June 30, 2022. • Certain debt products to be fully open to NRIs, apart from being available to resident investors. • The budget proposed Debt-exchange traded funds comprising mainly government securities, while stating that Rs 22,000 crore has already provided as support to infrastructure project pipeline.

Tax Concession for Foreign Investments

The Union Budget proposed to grant 100% tax exemption to the interest, dividend and capital gains income in respect of investment made in infrastructure and other notified sectors before 31st March, 2024 and with a minimum lock-in period of 3 years. Probable IMPACTS: Salient features: On Investments in Infrastructure and Priority Sector • The refund process has been simplified and Sovereign wealth funds have a significant presence has been made fully automated with no human in India’s renewables, hydro, transmission and interface. distribution sectors. • Improving compliance and Aadhaar based This move may boost up the investment in the said verification of taxpayers: This will help in weeding sectors. out dummy or non-existent units. • Dynamic QR-code for consumer invoices: The

9 I Articulate GST parameters will be captured when payment for • It is forecasted that the PFRDA-regulated assets purchases is made through the QR-code. could grow by three or four times to $60 billion over • A system of cash reward is envisaged to incentivise the next four years. customers to seek invoice. • Invoice and input tax credit matching is being done Agriculture, Irrigation and wherein returns having mismatch of more than 10% Rural Development or above a threshold are identified and pursued. • Electronic invoice: critical information shall be • The Government’s vision is that all public captured electronically in a centralized system. It institutions at gram panchayat level, such as will be implemented in a phased manner starting Anganwadi, PDS outlets, police stations will all be from this month itself on optional basis. It will provided with digital connectivity. facilitate compliance and return filing. • A total of 61.1 million farmers insured under Fasal Bima. Hand-holding of farm-based activities needs Health Cess to be done in cooperation with states. • To give impetus to the domestic industry, and • ‘Comprehensive measures’ for 100 water-stressed to generate resources for health services, it is districts across India: The funds allocated for the proposed to impose a nominal health cess of 5% on Jal Jivan will be used for augmenting various water imports of specified medical equipment. management programmes - rain water harvesting, • An increase is proposed in National Calamity sewage water treatment, water desalination, Contingent Duty (NCCD) on Cigarettes and recharging of lakes as well as augmenting existing Tobacco products. NCCD on Bidis remains water resources. unchanged. • There is a plan to provide piped water across Indian households by 2024 with 3.6 trillion rupees in funding. Insurance Sector • The minister also announced 123 billion rupees for the Clean India mission. The govt. proposed amendments in the PFRDA Act and • The govt. will encourage a balanced use of all fertilizers, forming of pension trusts by employees other than the a necessary step to change the incentive regime which government. encourages excessive use of chemical fertilizers. • FM also proposed separating the role of the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority of India (PFRDA) from that of trust for government employees. • The Pension Fund Regulatory & Development Authority Act was passed in September, 2013 and came to effect from February, 2014. This would also enable the establishment of a pension trust by the employees other than the government. • To help easy mobility while in jobs, the finance minister said the government wishes to infuse into the universal pension coverage with auto enrolment. • The PFRDA regulates the National Pension System (NPS), subscribed by employees of central and state governments as well as by employees of private sector organizations those in unorganised sectors. • It also administers Atal Pension Yojana (APY), which mainly caters to the unorganised sector and low-income groups.

Analysis: • There is a broad agreement that state employees should have an option on a par with private workers to invest in equity markets. • But most of India’s workforce is employed in the cash economy and has no formal retirement cover at all. Only about 12% actually have a pension plan. • According to a Reuters report, the Funds overseen by • 377 sagar mitras and 500 fish farmer organizations the PFRDA have returned more than 10% a year since to help youth work in the fish farming sector. it was set up in 2004. That beats the 8.5% earned by • Fish production to be raised to 20 Million Tons. the EPFO, which invests mainly in govt. bonds, but • Agricultural credit target set for 15 trillion for next barely beat inflation over the same period. fiscal: For sector comprising agriculture, allied • Private players see an opportunity in the pension activities, irrigation and rural development, an savings of the 60 million state employees who allocation of Rs 2.83 trillion has been made for 2020-21. contribute $13 billion of the $15 billion in assets • The central govt. will encourage state governments overseen by the PFRDA. which implement following model laws

Focus Articles | 10 fertilizers and Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF). • Model Agricultural Land Leasing Act of 2016 • Market connectivity: The budget also proposed (Agriculture is a State Subject) integration of negotiable warehousing receipts • Model Agricultural Produce and Livestock (e-NWR) and National Agricultural Market (e-NAM). Marketing Act of 2017 • “Jaivik kheti” Portal: Budget 2020 proposed to • Model Agricultural Produce and Livestock strengthen online national organic products. Contract Farming and Services Promotion and Facilitation Act of 2018 Storage and Logistics: Seamless national cold supply chain: To promote storage Fertilizer sector infrastructure and reduce wastage of food grains. • FM proposed balancing the use of chemical • “KISAN RAIL”: Kisan Rail Scheme of trains with fertilizers with a change in incentives. refrigerated coaches for farm produce. • She also announced a renewed focus on zero- • “KRISHI UDAAN”: It will be launched by the budget farming which significantly cuts down on Ministry of Civil Aviation on international fertilizer consumption. and national routes to help improve value realisation, especially in the Northeast and tribal districts • At Block Level: Warehouse Creation Through Viability Gap Funding on a PPP Model. : National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) will create warehouse facilities for food crops at block/taluka levels. While state governments will provide the land for the facilities, they will be constructed on a public-private partnership (PPP) model. • The proposed storage facilities at villages under Dhaanya Lakshmi Village Storage Scheme will be run by women self-help groups (SHG). • DHAANYA LAKSHMI is a ‘Village Storage Scheme’ run by women’s self-help groups. • The aim of the scheme is to provide holding capacity for farmers. This will help Women in villages and the rural part of the country to retain their status as “Dhaanya Lakshmi”. • Setting up of storage facilities at villages as part of the Creation of Backward and Forward Linkages (CBFL) under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY).

Animal Husbandry: • Aim is to eliminate Foot and Mouth disease, 16 Action points to Focus on Farmers’ brucellosis in cattle and peste des petits Income, Storage, Blue Economy and ruminants (PPR) in sheep and goat by 2025 and to Animal Husbandry increase coverage of artificial insemination from 30% to 70%. Budget 2020 proposed 16 action points focusing on • Facilitate doubling of milk processing capacity doubling Farmers income, Horticulture sector, Food from 53.5 million MT to 108 million MT by 2025. storage, Animal Husbandry and Blue economy. • The government allocated 2.83 lakh crore rupees Agriculture credit: for agriculture and allied activities, irrigation and • Setting agriculture credit target of rupees 15 lakh rural development in 2020-21 budget. crore for the year 2020-21. • Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evem Utthan • All eligible beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Mahabhiyan (PM KUSUM) to be expanded to Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) will be covered under provide 20 lakh farmers in setting up standalone the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme. solar pumps. It enables farmers to purchase agricultural inputs such • Farmers who have fallow or barren land will be as seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, etc. and draw cash to helped to set up solar power generation units satisfy their agricultural and consumption needs. and also sell surplus power to the solar grid and make a living out of barren land. • Connect and sell to grid: enable farmers to set up Horticulture: solar power generation capacity on their fallow/ • Marketing and export: For better marketing barren land and to sell it to the grid. and connectivity cluster basis approach will be • Resource efficiency: Resource efficiency can be adopted and emphasis would be given to one achieved by encouraging balanced use of all kinds of product one district.

11 I Articulate Blue Economy: The Union Budget proposed an outlay of about ₹69,000 • Raising fish production framework: for crore for the health sector in the 2020-2021 Budget. development, management and conservation of In it, ₹6,400 crore are earmarked for the Centre’s marine fishery resources and promotion of algae, flagshiphealth insurance scheme, Prime Minister Jan seaweed and cage culture that will assist in raising Arogya Yojana (PMJAY). fish production to 200 lakh tonnes by 2022-23. • Development of fisheries sector:Rural youth in • The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare gets coastal areas to work as ‘Sagar Mitras’ in fisheries ₹65,011.8 crore up from ₹62,659.12 crore in 2019-20. extension. 3,477 Sagar Mitras and 500 fish-farmer • The Ministry of AYUSH has been allocated ₹2,122.08 producer organisations will work as sagar mitra. crore while there is an allocation of ₹2,100 crore to the Department of Health Research.

Medical Infrastructure Viability gap funding window, with priority given to aspirational districts that don’t have hospitals empaneled under Ayushman Bharat scheme, for setting up hospitals in the PPP (private-public-partnership) mode.

Imagesource: https://www.indiabudget.gov.in/

Impact • Density of empaneled hospitals under PMJAY in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities will improve. • It will also cover Aspirational Districts. • It will also provide large scale employment opportunities to Youth.

Leveraging Technology in the healthcare Sector • The Budget specifically mentioned theuse of technology in the healthcare sector. • Artificial intelligence and machine learning would Co-operative Federalism: be deployed to help detect and prevent diseases. Encourage those state governments who undertake implementation of Model Agricultural Land Leasing Act, Human Resources in the Health Sector 2016, Model Agricultural Produce and livestock Marketing Union Budget too has proposed setting up of medical (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2017 and Model colleges in existing district hospitals under the Public Agricultural produce and Livestock Contract Farming and Private Partnership (PPP) mode. services (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2018. • The government will encourage large hospitals with sufficient capacity to offer resident Wellness, Water and Sanitation doctors’ diploma and fellow of National Board (DNB/FNB) courses. • It will address the shortage of qualified doctors.

Medicines and Vaccines • Expand Jan Aushadhi scheme to provide for all hospitals under Ayushman Bharat by 2025. • Also, Mission Indra Dhanush has been expanded to cover 12 such diseases, including five new vaccines. • A nominal health cess of 5% on imports of specified medical equipment is proposed

Impact • It will help in supporting health infrastructure. • It will provide impetus to the domestic industry.

Focus on Non-Communicable Diseases • Strengthening of the FIT India movement.

Focus Articles | 12 Education and Skill development Aviation: • 100 new airports to be opened by 2024; The airline fleet of India will grow to 1,200 planes from the present 600 by 2024.

source: https://www.indiabudget.gov.in/

• ₹99,300 crore allocated for the education sector for 2020-21: The Union Budget 2020-21 has allocated • Railways: more Tejas-like trains for tourist places. ₹99,300 crore for the education sector for 2020-21. • The National Infra Pipeline envisions ease of living • By 2030, India is said to have the largest working- for each and every citizen. age population in the world. • The govt will replace conventional electric • Degree-level full-fledged online course to be meters with smart meters in the next three years. offered by top 100 institutes: IND-SAT exam Consumers can choose supplier and rate. will be held in African and Asian countries for • Krishi Udan will be launched by the Ministry of benchmarking foreign candidates who wish to Civil Aviation on international and national routes. study in India. This will immensely help improve value realisation • Young engineers to be offered internships with (on agricultural products), especially in the north- urban local bodies: FM announced that the east and tribal districts. government proposes to start a programme where • 100 more airports will be developed by 2024 to urban local bodies across the country will give one- support UDAN. year internships to young engineers. • National Logistics Policy to be released soon. • The move will help urban local bodies plan better • Chennai-Bengaluru Expressway to be started. with young engineers, and in turn, the engineers will • Aim to achieve electrification of 27,000 km of lines. also learn. • The government also proposes a Bengaluru • It proposed to set up a national recruitment suburban rail project at a cost of ₹18,600 crore. agency for the conduct of computer-based online • Govt to monetise 12 lots of national highways common eligibility tests for recruitment to non- by 2024. gazetted posts. • The Delhi-Mumbai expressway and two others • Gross enrolment of girls has been higher than boys, infra projects will be completed by 2023. thanks to ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’. Gross enrolment • National gas grid will be expanded from 16,200 km of girls at elementary levels is 94.32%, at secondary to 27,000 km. level 81.32%, and higher secondary level 59.7%.

Online educators: Smart meters • Education received significant attention with the sector receiving 993 billion rupees in 2020-21. The Finance Minister in her Budget speech has urged • The establishment of degree-level, fully-fledged the States and UTs to replace the conventional meters online education programs to be offered by with prepaid smart meters in three years. institutions who are ranked within the top 100 in the Significance national institution ranking framework will be a boost • It will cut distribution losses and will set the stage for online educators. for separating the carriage and content operations of power distribution companies. (India’s average aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses Infrastructure Sector are at 21.4%, pushing up the dues of discoms to power generating companies to ₹72,938 crore at the The government also allocated ₹1.7 lakh crore for transport end of November). infrastructure in FY21. • Smart meters minimize human intervention in metering, billing and collection, and help reduce theft by identifying loss pockets.

13 I Articulate • This would give consumers the freedom to choose Road Sector the supplier and rate as per their requirements. The total budget allocation has gone up from ₹83,015 National Infrastructure Pipeline crore last fiscal to₹91,823.2 crore for the financial year 2020-2021. Of this hike of ₹8,808 crore, as much as The Government announced funding fineprint for the ₹5,809 crore is through investment in NHAI met from ambitious National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP). monetisation of national highways. • Under the aegis of this initiative, the Govt aims to • Development of 2,500 km of access control highways, invest Rs 103 Lakh crore in around 6,500 projects 9,000 km of economic corridors, 2,000 km of coastal cutting across sectors such as power, including and land port roads and 2,000 km of strategic renewable, railways, urban development, irrigation, highways are to be undertaken in the next fiscal. mobility, education, health, water and digital sector. • Delhi-Mumbai Expressway is to be completed • Rs 25 lakh crore worth energy projects have been by 2023 while the work on the 262-km-long lined up, around Rs 20 lakh crore in roads and nearly Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway will commence Rs 14 lakh crore railway projects are in the works within six months. for the period of 2020-25. Urban infrastructure • The six-lane, access-controlled expressway begins schemes such as AMRUT, Smart Cities mission and at Hoskote in Karnataka and ends at Outer Ring affordable housing will need an investment of Rs. 16 Road near Chennai. The project, which is being lakh crores until 2025. implemented under public-private partnership, is • The new pipeline consists of 39% projects each by likely to reduce travel time between Chennai and the Centre and the States and the balance 22% by Bangalore to four hours. private sector. • 12 lots of highway bundles totaling ₹60,000 crore • It will enable more infra projects, grow businesses, would be monetized before 2024. The Govt can create jobs, improve ease of living, and provide utilize these funds to build newer roads. equitable access to infrastructure for all, making growth more inclusive. Railways sector • It is being seen as a road to a $5 trillion economy. Budget 2020 allocated 70,000 crores for the Indian Suburban rail for Bengaluru Railways, with overall capital expenditure of ₹1.61 lakh crore for the next financial year. • 148 km long Bengaluru Suburban transport project at a cost of Rs 18600 crore has been proposed • Safety related works: Budget 2020 also aimed for which would have fares on metro model. an increased investment for passenger amenities • Bengaluru will become the latest city to have its own and safety-related works, including track renewals, suburban rail network after other major metro cities like level crossings and road over/under bridges. Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, and Secunderabad.

Boost for affordable housing

• In the budget 2019-20, an additional deduction of Rs 1.5 lakh for interest paid on loans taken for purchase of affordable house was announced. • The time limit to avail such benefits has been increased from 31 March 2020 to 31 March 2021. It will give a boost to ‘Housing for All’ goals of the Govt. Issues • However, no measure was announced to boost demand in the Housing sector which remains subdued. • Also, the removal of exemption under the new income tax regime on principal and interest for home loans would be a dampener for the sector.

Real estate & construction • Tax Holiday for affordable housing • Concession for real estate transactions The finance minister did not announce any specific measures for the sector. The property sector had demanded measures to enhance credit availability for developers, an industry status and other measures that • Infrastructural development of railways: could propel sales. • Development and renewal of railways: that will likely The proposed cut in personal tax rates Construction of new lines and re-development enhance purchasing power of the middle class and of four stations. continuation of tax sops for affordable housing announced in the budget failed to enthuse real estate stocks.

Focus Articles | 14 • Construction of 148-km Bengaluru suburban generation sector will prompt existing power transport project at a cost of ₹18,600 crore companies to float special purpose vehicles that will be started, which would have fares on the would be eligible for reduced tax at the rate of 15% metro model. against the existing 30% rate. • Track renewal and introduction of more Tejas type trains to iconic tourist destinations. On Inefficient Units of Generation - It will also • Corporate Train: It will run by IRCTC between encourage them to scrap old and inefficient plants and Indore and Varanasi. use the land to set up efficient new units in– thermal, • Operation of 150 passenger trains via PPP model. solar and hydel sectors among others. • Setting up a large solar power capacity alongside the rail tracks. On Renewable Energy - Given that the country is • To improve Railway’s efficiency:Budget 2020 aiming for 175 giga-watt (GW), (which includes 100 estimated the operating ratio to be 96.2% in 2020-21. GW from solar, 60 GW from wind, 10 GW from bio- • Operating ratio of 96.2% means that the Railways power and 5 GW from small hydro-power), of installed is spending 96.2 paise to earn 100 paise. renewable generation capacity by 2022 from the • Railways to start Kisan Rail with refrigerated current capacity of 86 GW. coaches for milk, meat, fish:Indian Railways will set • Lower tax rates may encourage fresh investments in up ‘Kisan Rail’ with refrigerated freight trains under the power sector, especially renewable energy and a PPP model so that perishable goods such as milk, transmission sectors. fish and meat can be easily transported. • 20 lakh farmers to be provided funds for setting up On power tariffs standalone solar pumps • It may reduce marginal cost of generation of electricity. Logistics sectors: The delay in the country’s • By means of concessional Corporate Tax, Power long-awaited National Logistics Policy will be a generation firms will also beable to bid lower disappointment for key players such as Blue Dart, Gati tariffs in auctions thus reducing power tariffs for and Mahindra Logistics who have been waiting several consumers. years for the announcement. MSME Sector Energy Sector The government raised the turnover threshold for • PM Kusum Scheme: The govt. can help 1.5 million audit of MSME accounts to Rs 5 crore and a scheme to solarize grid-connected pump sets. It reduced provide subordinate debt to MSME entrepreneurs. dependence on diesel and kerosene and relied on Currently, businesses having a turnover of more than social energy. Total of 2 million farmers can set up Rs 1 crore are required to get their books of accounts standalone solar pumps. audited by an accountant. • Govt to provide ₹22,000 crore for power and renewable energy in F.Y.2021: The government will Debt- Restructuring window for MSME provide ₹22,000 crore for power and renewable • Besides, the government has also asked the Reserve energy sectors in the upcoming financial year. Bank to extend the debt restructuring window for • Conventional energy meters to be replaced by micro, small and medium enterprises by a year to prepaid smart meters in 3 years. The conventional March 31, 2021. energy meters will be replaced by prepaid ‘smart • An app-based invoice financing loans productwill meters’ in the next three years across all states and be launched. union territories. • This will obviate the problem of delayed payments and • This will give consumers the freedom to choose consequential cash flow mismatches for the MSMEs. supplier and rate as per their requirements. • Necessary amendments will be made to the Factor Regulation Act 2011 to enable non- Concessional Tax Rate for Electricity banking financial companies (NBFCs) to extend Generation Companies invoice financing to the MSMEs through TReDS, thereby enhancing the economic and financial The Union Budget proposes to extend the concessional sustainability. corporate tax rate of 15% to new domestic companies • Partial credit guarantee for NBFCs: To address engaged in the generation of electricity. liquidity constraints of NBFCs and housing finance corporations, partial credit guarantee scheme will Probable IMPACTS: be launched by the government. • Working capital credit remains a major issue for On Investments in Power Sector - It may facilitate MSMEs. It is proposed to introduce a scheme to investment especially in the Electricity Generation provide subordinate debt for entrepreneurs of sector. MSMEs.

On Investments in Power Sector - It may facilitate investment especially in the Electricity Generation sector. • The reduction in taxes for new companies in the

15 I Articulate NIRVIK Scheme

The Govt will implement NIRVIK Scheme (Niryat Rin Vikas Yojana) to be launched by ECGC (Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India) to enhance loan availability for small exporters and ease the lending process. • It will provide for high insurance cover, reduction in premium for small exporters and simpliied procedures for claim settlement post-shipment credit.

• This subordinate debt to be provided by banks would count as quasi-equity and would be fully guaranteed through the Credit Guarantee Trust for the Medium and Small Entrepreneurs. • TReDS is an institutional mechanism to facilitate the trade receivable financing of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from corporate buyers through multiple financiers.

Threshold of turnover for Audit of MSMEs • The scheme is also called the Export Credit • The budget has proposed to raise by five times the Insurance Scheme (ECIS) under which the turnover threshold for audit from the existing Rs. 1 insurance guaranteed could cover up to 90% of the crore to Rs. 5 crores. principal and interest. At present, the Export Credit • The increased limit shall apply only to those Guarantee Corporation provides credit guarantee businesses which carry out less than 5% of their of up to 60% loss. business transactions in cash. It will boost the less- Another scheme for exporters will be launched this year cash economy. to reimburse taxes and duties paid by them to digitally refund duties levied at the centre, state, and local levels. It is expected to enhance accessibility and affordability of credit to small exporters and reduce liquidity requirements. Hence, it will benefit the MSME sector.

National Technical Textiles Mission

The ₹1,480-crore National Technical Textiles Mission is launched in Budget 2020 to give boost to technical textiles. Technical or engineered textiles are defined as products that are used for functional purposes. These textiles have applications in multiple areas of economic activity, such as aerospace, shipping, sports, keepers who comprise the Medium, Small and Micro agriculture, defense and health care. Enterprise (MSME). Need of the mission: • It will reduce the compliance burden on small retailers, traders, shop- • Import-intensive: India imports a significant quantity of technical textiles worth USD 16 billion every year. • To increase productivity across various sectors like agriculture, horticulture and aquaculture fields, better protection of military, para-military, police and security forces, stronger and

Focus Articles | 16 sturdier transportation infrastructure for Schemes, Programs and New Initiatives highways, railways, ports and airports and in improving hygiene and healthcare of the • ₹12,300 crore allocated for Swachh Bharat general public. mission for 2020-21: • Growing market size: the current trend of growth • Launch of ‘TB harega, desh jeetega’ with the aim to and various initiatives of the Government, domestic eradicate Tuberculosis by 2025 market size of technical textiles is expected to cross • ₹12,300 crore for Swachh Bharat this year. Rs 2 lakh crores by the year 2020-21. • Ayushman Bharat hospitals in 100 more districts. • Rising sector: Technical textiles hold immense • Health cess on import of medical equipment. growth opportunities both for the industries. • Proposal to set up hospitals in Tier-II and Tier-III • Strengthen supply chain: there is a need cities with the private sector using PPP. to create a domestic base for raw material • The govt. has allocated Rs 12,300 crore for the production and to push for manufacture of high- flagshipSwachh Bharat scheme in 2020-21 end technical textile products. • Five new smart cities to be developed in India: • To boost investments, and increase per capita The cities will be developed with states in private consumption of technical textiles. partnership mode. • Govt calls clean air ‘a matter of concern in large cities’, allocates ₹4,400 crore. • Govt to set up Investment Clearance Cell to advise entrepreneurs for free: It will provide free end-to- end support to entrepreneurs. This includes pre- investment advisory, information on land banks and facilitation of clearance even at the state level. The cell will work via a web portal. • Setting up of centralized investment clearance cell, data centre parks, and a digital platform for filing intellectual property rights (IPR): • The nationalized data centre will be supported by government-sponsored fiber connectivity project BharatNet, which plans to cover over About the mission: 100,000-gram panchayats by the end of 2021. • The National Technical Textiles Mission is to be • The govt. will soon set up a digital platform implemented from 2020-2021 to 2023-2024. to ease registration of IPRs developed by • There will be an empowered nodal office that will entrepreneurs and start-ups. coordinate all the efforts and make the Mission India to host G-20 Summit in 2022, ₹100 crore beneficial to the industry. allocated for preparation: Finance Minister announced that India will host G-20 Summit in 2022 in a bid to Telecommunication Sector drive global economic agenda. She added that ₹100 crore has been allocated for preparation for the • Allocation for BharatNet summit. The year 2022 will mark India’s 75th year of • The government is also to further develop independence. Bharat Net -- or Bharat Broadband Network Ltd. -- a program to bring broadband to villages. Social sector • The government plans to provide 60 billion rupees for the project in the next fiscal year. Gender Budgeting: • 100,000-gram panchayats will be connected • Committee to look into raising marriageable to the optical fibre programme through age for women: FM proposed a task force to look BharatNet in 2020-21. into raising marriageable age for women. She also • This will fulfill the vision of providing digital allocated ₹28,600 crore for programmes specific to connectivity to all ‘public institutions like women. “Women’s age of marriage was increased Anganwadis, health and wellness centres, from 15 to 18 in 1978. government schools, etc. at Gram Panchayat level. • Village storage schemes will be run by Self-Help • The govt. will soon roll out a policy to enable Groups (SHGs) for empowering women. the private sector to build data center parks • Rs. 35000 crores for nutrition-related throughout the country. programmes. • The govt.’s vision is that all public institutions should be provided with digital connectivity. Manual Scavenging: The govt. has identifiedsuitable • National Mission of Quantum Technology and technology to eliminate manual cleaning of sewer Application: The budget proposes Rs 8,000 systems and septic tanks. crore outlay over 5 years for National Mission of Budget provision of Rs 85,000 crore in 2020-21 for Quantum Technology and Application. welfare of SC and other backward classes. • IT firms: The announcement of a forthcoming policy to allow the private sector to build data center Rs 53,700 crore for development and welfare of parks could potentially benefit all IT firms. Scheduled Tribes.

17 I Articulate leverage cutting edge scientific research for India’s Rural India sustainable development. • Reefers, or refrigerated containers, facilitate • The areas of focus would both be in fundamental the movement of cargo that requires a strict science and towards developing technology temperature-controlled environment. At present, platforms in the Four (4) identified verticals the railways’ subsidiary Container Corporation of viz., (i) Quantum Computing & Simulations; (ii) India Ltd (CONCOR) provides reefer services. Quantum Materials & Devices; (iii) Quantum • Cold chains as a business area involves providing Communications; & (iv) Quantum Sensor & transportation to perishable products from Metrology. source to end-user while maintaining a certain • The Ministry of Electronics and IT has signed temperature along the route. an agreement with Israel for joint research in 27 • Absence of reefer container linkages and high possible areas which includes quantum computing and increasing power costs are proving to be a as one of the potential segments. major hurdle in the growth of import and export of perishable cargo. Environment & Climate Change

New Economy For clean air

New technologies such as analytics, machine learning • Union Budget has allocated Rs 4400 crore for clean and Artificial Intelligence (AI) found a lot of emphasis in air in million-plus cities. Budget 2020 • However, the funds have not been allocated under the Environment ministry head which has an overall Proposals for Leveraging Data sanction of Rs 3100 crore. • Data centre park policy to allow private players to set up data parks in the country. It will enable firms NCAP v/s the New Initiative to skilfully incorporate data in every step of their • In 2019, 28 of the 102 non-attainment cities value chains. qualified for a small grant of Rs 10 crore each under • New National Policy on Official Statistics would National Clean Air Programme, NCAP. use the latest technology, including AI. It would • The NCAP is meant for only the non-attainment lay down a road map towards modernised data cities i.e. for cities not meeting the national collection, integrated information portal and timely ambient air quality standards for particulate matter dissemination of information. PM10 and PM2.5. • So far the spending on NCAP has remained limited Proposals for Start-ups to expansion of air quality monitoring, source assessment studies and dust-control measure. • Creation of a digital platform that would facilitate The new initiative is expected to go well beyond seamless application and capture of IPRs. A these measures. Centre has also proposed to establish an Institute • Its budget will be nearly 10 times the current of Eminence for working on innovation in the field allocation of Rs 460 crore for pollution control, of Intellectual Property. including National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). • Knowledge Translation Clusters to be set up • The 2011 Census identified 46 cities with a across different technology sectors including new population of more than a million. It is not yet clear and emerging areas. if all of them qualify for the funds; or only those • Technology Clusters, with test beds and small- identified as non-attainment cities as under NCAP. scale manufacturing facilities for designing, fabrication and validation of proof of concept to For Tiger and Elephant conservation be established. • Two National-level Science Schemes to be • The budgetary allocation for the Integrated initiated to create a comprehensive database of Development of Wildlife Habitats (IDWH), a mapping India’s genetic landscape. centrally sponsored scheme, has been increased • A seed fund to support ideation and development from Rs 493.57 crore last year to Rs 532 crore. of early stage Start-ups. • IDWH funds are used in programmes such as Project Tiger, Project Elephant and Development of Proposals for Quantum Technology Wildlife Habitats (DWH). • For Project tiger, it is Rs 300 crore while Project • Providing outlay of Rs. 8000 crores over a period Elephant got Rs 35 crore. of five years for the National Mission on Quantum Technologies and Applications. Issues • Quantum Technologies & Applications is one of the • However, the funds for other species like Great 9 missions of national importance, being driven Indian Bustard, the Indian wolf and others that by the Prime Minister’s Science and Technology occupy grassland habitats has been reduced. Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC) through • Non-forest ecologically important habitats and the (Principal Scientific Advisor) PSA’s office to species continue to be neglected and all references

Focus Articles | 18 to wildlife habitats seem to really mean only for Tourism sector: forest habitats. • To make India an attractive destination for both Way forward international and domestic tourists, the Finance • While the focus on Tiger conservation is laudable, Minister proposed to allocate Rs 2,500 crores in there are at least a dozen needy species which 2020-21 for the tourism sector. require a clear conservation plan and focused • Besides tourism, Union Minister for Finance budgetary allocation. also proposed to allocate Rs 3,150 crore for the • If separate budget heads are made for these Ministry of Culture while presenting the Union species, rather than just clubbing them under DWH, Budget 2020-21 in Parliament. monitoring and accounting of the money allocated Proposal in the Budget for these species can be done. • In order to have well-trained resources in the disciplines of museology and archeology, the Budget For Climate Change mitigation proposed to establish first Indian Institute of Heritage and Conservation with the status of a deemed • The launch of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient university to operate under the Ministry of Culture. Infrastructure (CDRI) was reiterated. • In a major bid to revitalize tourism, the Budget • The Centre’s plan to phase out of old coal-based proposed 8 new museums, which includes building thermal power plants was also highlighted. infrastructure around 5 Iconic sites, besides • The budget estimate for the National Adaptation proposing renovation of 5 major museums across Fund has been kept to Rs 80 crore. It was Rs 100 the length and breadth of India. crore in the budget estimate of 2019-20. The Union Budget proposed the following: Concerns • Rainfall and floods affected over six million • 5 Archaeological sites to be set-up/developed hectares and caused crop loss in 4.9 million as Iconic Sites with on-site Museums at the hectares in 2017, according to the latest government following locations: figures. • Rakhigarhi (Haryana) • Global warming is expected to reduce India’s • Hastinapur (Uttar Pradesh) wheat and rice production by up to 23% and 6% • Shivsagar (Assam) respectively by 2050. The budget has ignored such • Dholavira (Gujarat) impacts of climate change. • Aadichanallur (Tamil Nadu) • No concrete plan for taking forward CDRI was announced.

Solar units on fallow and Railway land

The Govt has proposed that barren lands of the farmers and the Railways will be used to set up solar power plants. This will give farmers additional income even from the fallow lands.

Issue • The Govt has also targeted the same land for meeting its commitment of afforestationunder UNCCD at COP14 in New Delhi, for creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5-3 billion tonnes under UNFCCC, and for restoring 21 mha of degraded land by 2030 under Bonn Challenge. • Maritime Museum to highlight Harappan Age • Other proposal not finding mention at Lothal, Ahmedabad, by Ministry of Shipping • The MoEFCC has been contemplating to set up • KOLKATA: a National Forest Board along with state forest • Indian Museum: Re-curation of the oldest boards to undertake plantations on such non- museum in India as announced by PM Modi forest areas. in January 2020. • The idea is to bring various government • Numismatics and Trade Museum to be located departments like agriculture, railways and in the historic Old Mint Building forest together under the boards to facilitate • Support for setting up Tribal Museum in the process of planting trees on areas outside Ranchi (Jharkhand) forests. However, it is yet to materialise and • Renovation and re-curation of 4 more found no mention in the budget. museums across India

19 I Articulate Denotified, Nomadic, Semi-nomadic Tribes • A well-developed bond market should draw upon left out once again domestic insurance funds, pension funds and Context: mutual funds which are capable of investing in • The Union Budget 2020-21 has once again left out corporate bonds across different schemes. the Denotified, Nomadic, Semi-nomadic Tribes. • Hike in Subsidies - The hike comes despite the Economic Survey stating that food subsidies end Budgetary Allocation up creating distortions in the functioning of the free • The overall budget for the Ministry of Social market. Justice and Empowerment was increased 13.7% for • Greater privatization and withdrawal of the state 2020-21, compared with 14.6% last year. in the Social sector - This is reflected not just in • The department caters to a vast range of the most the low allocations but also policy pronouncements marginalised sections of the community, such as such as introducing the public-private partnership safai karamcharis (sanitation workers including model for medical colleges and district hospitals or manual scavengers), people with disabilities, those narrowing the coverage under the PDS. This would from scheduled castes (SC), scheduled tribes (ST) be a worrying direction in the current context. and other backward classes (OBC) and the DNTs. • Personal Income Tax • The reduction of the income tax rates on Union Budget allocation for DNT income less than ₹15 lakh, which will leave Allocation for the Welfare Board created in income tax rates in India the lowest they 2019 was slightly increased to Rs 1.24 crore have ever been. in 2020-21 from Rs 0.40 crore in 2019-20. • An income tax cut is unlikely to restore the rate of growth to the level at which it last peaked, around 8% in 2016-17. Union Budget 2020-2021: Synopsis • Income taxpayers are such a small percentage of the population that the size of their purses is unlikely to make a serious dent on the fortunes • Simplifying the Law - Government has removed of the economy. around 70 out of 100 exemptions and deductions • Falling allocations: The Budget has not been provided in the Income Tax Act and promised a able to match its claims of ensuring development review and rationalization of the law in order to for all and a caring society with matching simplify the tax system and lowering the tax rate. allocations. For example, • Acceptance of the Keynesian concept of pump • The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural priming - Higher personal tax rates and slabs have Employment Guarantee Act programme is been modified to the benefit of the middle class. allocated only ₹61,500 crore in 2020-21 [₹61,815 This will certainly push up consumer demand. The crore was spent in 2018-19 and ₹71,002 crore in fiscal deficit has been breached and will grow to 2019-20 (RE)]. 3.8% because of exceptional circumstances. • The scheme for the development of Scheduled • Drop in Gender budget - The gender budget of the Castes is allocated ₹6,242 crore in 2020-21 [ ₹7,574 government as a share of the Budget has seen a crore in 2018-19 to ₹5,568 crore in 2019-20]. decline of 0.01% this fiscal. • Low on economic intelligence: The Budget • The last Budget announcement proposed setting highlights that the fundamentals of Indian economy up of a committee to look at Budget through the are strong and is set to attain the projected $5 gender lens which would suggest actions but its trillion level on time. But the slowing growth, high status and outcome are not yet known. unemployment rate (the highest in close to half • Insignificant Skill development allocation - a century) present a different picture of Indian Budget allocated a paltry ₹3,000 crore for skill economy. development when poor quality of education and lack of opportunities to acquire practical skills are Way forward prevalent in India. • Getting private investment - Private investment • The Budget could have given tax incentives to depends on the cost of capital along with the companies to provide internships and on-site certainty of returns. Many projects have been vocational training to unemployed youth. mired in contractual disputes with government • Short on Boosting consumption demand - departments and various regulatory hurdles. Budgetary allocations for PM-KISAN and MGNREGA • To pull in private investment, public are disappointing. These two schemes are good funding should be front-loaded in under- instruments for income transfers and generate implementation projects. demand for a wide range of goods and services. • If the public investment infrastructure actually • Budgetary allocations for health and education materialises, it will lend credence to the are also well below what is needed. government’s stated commitment to revive the • Multiple schemes for government bonds - Focus of investment cycle — to spur job-creating growth. the Budget is the multiple schemes for government bonds mainly through additional room for foreign portfolio investors and exchange traded funds in • Expanding the PDS - Excess food stocks to the government bonds. These are welcome moves but tune of almost 60 million tonnes, high food inflation are not enough.

Focus Articles | 20 in recent months and reports of hunger from across The survey noted that the lack of exit policy has the country warrants expanding the PDS. been an impediment to investment, efficiency, job • This could be done by universalising ration creation, and growth. entitlements in the poorest districts, The survey also talked about major investments in increasing the quantity given per individual, human resources to reap the demographic dividend. including pulses. The 2017 Economic Survey deliberated on the • Storage facilities at village (Dhaanya Lakshmi demonetisation policy. Village Storage Scheme) While claiming that demonetisation was a complex idea, • Even though this scheme is expected to the document noted that the policy had short-term reduce logistics cost of farmers, SHGs are not costs but potentially long-term benefits. professional organisations, and hence will The survey also introduced the idea of ensuring require a support system. Universal Basic Income (UBI) for every citizen. • SHGs should be made aware of the The Economic Survey 2018 had a bright pink cover in processing and maintenance in case of public order to send the message of empowerment of women distribution system. and gender equality. • Capacity building of SHGs regarding storage The survey also touched upon the cultural obsession of the product and the quality and standards of with having a male child and focused on parameters the products needs to be prioritized. determining women empowerment in India. • Tax administration: To make tax administration The Economic Survey 2019 - Theme that underlined this more effective, the proposed tax charter should be survey was, the sky blue colour, capturing unfettered part of the statute book and enforceable. It will also blue sky thinking. It touched upon the following; ensure accountability. Survey states that pathways for trickle-down opened up during the last five years; and benefits of growth While infrastructure spending is what will determine and macroeconomic stability reached the bottom of the long-term trajectory of the economy, the immediate the pyramid. growth impact of the Budget will be governed by the As data of societal interest is generated by the people, spending over revenues or the fiscal deficit. data can be created as a public good within the legal framework of data privacy. Economic Survey 2019-20 Delays in contract enforcement and disposal resolution are arguably now the single biggest hurdle to the ease of doing business and higher GDP growth in India. The Economic Survey is an annual document that reviews the developments in the economy over Wealth Creation: The invisible hand the previous 12 months. supported by the hand of trust

The Department of Economic Affairs, Finance ‘Only when wealth is created will wealth be Ministry of India presents the Economic Survey distributed’. This statement from the PM’s in Parliament every year, just before the Union Independence Day speech sums up the centrality of Budget. wealth in the economic progression of India.

It is prepared under the guidance of the Chief Wealth creation leads to rise in investments, capital Economic Adviser, Finance Ministry. expenditure and forex revenues, better salaries to the employees, benefits to suppliers, and a spurt in direct The Economic Survey serves as a useful policy tax collections. document since it contains policy ideas, key statistics on economic parameters and in-depth The invisible hand research on macro and sectoral trends. • The Survey illustrates enormous benefits accruing from enabling the invisible hand of the market as Often, the survey serves as a policy guideline for the evident from Fig.1.1 and Fig.1.2 and Fig.1.3. Union Budget. However, its recommendations are • It has highlighted that the emphasis on wealth not binding on the government. creation. Post-Liberalization has been key to India’s rapid economic strides. Fig.1.1 illustrates India’s GDP Highlights of Previous Economic Surveys growth from 1960 to 2018.

The 2015 survey was reportedly inspired by the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) World Economic Outlook. The survey basically focused on JAM – Jan Dhan, Aadhaar and Mobile. The next Economic Survey (2016) focused on creating a more competitive environment and highlighted the “Chakravyuha challenge”, a Mahabharata-inspired term to denote the lack of exit policy for companies running in losses. Fig.1.1 India’s GDP (Current price, $ trillion) and GNI per capita (Current, $) during 1960-2018

21 I Articulate • For example, entry of private sector banks from countries. 1994 onwards brought in an unprecedented growth in domestic credit supply as shown in Fig.1.2. There are several factors causing this anomaly which the survey has sought to analyse. The survey has analysed entrepreneurial activities at the bottom of the administrative pyramid i.e. in over 500 districts in India and their correlation with wealth creation.

Present state of Entrepreneurship • New firms’ creation has gone upfrom about 70,000 in 2014, to about 1,24,000 new firms (by about 80 percent) in 2018. • Creation of new firms in the service sector is Fig.1.2 Increase in domestic credit to GDP after the entry of private significantly higher than those in manufacturing sector banks and agriculture. • Grassroots entrepreneurship is not just driven by • Liberalised sectors have grown significantly faster necessity as a 10 percent increase in registration than the ones where the State’s hand is dominant. of new firms in a district yields a1.8% increase in GDDP (Gross District Domestic Product). The hand of trust • Distribution of new firms is heterogeneous across • Trust appeals to ethical and philosophical regions and sectors and is not just spread around dimensions. It refers to the faith reposed by the few cities. Governments and the people in the market and • Literacy and physical infrastructure in the district market players like the Corporates based on mutual propel local entrepreneurship significantly. Thus, support and cooperation. new firms’ creation islower across districts in • Corruption, crony capitalism, plutocracy Eastern and Northern India where literacy rate and poor governance are antithetical to the is lower and conversely, higher in Southern and hand of trust. Western Indian districts. • The Economic Survey has said “a feeling of • States with flexible labour regulations have a suspicion and disrespect towards wealth higher number of new firms (which in turn can creators is ill-advised,” batting strongly for India create new jobs). Rajasthan, for example, has Inc. and calling for more pro-business measures to introduced several reforms that are viewed as pro- encourage wealth creation. employer and thus has witnessed a kink in business • The importance of the hand of trust to complement activities. the invisible hand can be gauged from poor financial sector’s performance during 2011-13, when The determinants of entrepreneurial activity corruption perception and cronyism was at its peak. On the basis of its findings, the survey has deduced the following as key determinants in entrepreneurial activity. Towards the $5 trillion goal To achieve the target of a $5 trillion economy, the • Higher education levels in a district enable the invisible hand must be strengthened by adopting pro- development of better human capital that relates business policies to: to increased supply of ideas and entrepreneurs. • Provide equal opportunities for new entrants. • The number of colleges in the district and the • Enable fair competition and ease doing business. proportion of the population that is literate is also a • Eliminate unnecessarily policies that undermine significant factor in inducing entrepreneurship. markets through government intervention. For example, the successful contribution of • Facilitate trade for job creation. privatization of engineering colleges to India’s • Efficiently scale up the banking sector software exports can not be understated. • Introducing the idea of trust as a public good, • The access to physical infrastructure in a district is which gets enhanced with greater use. measured using the proportion of villages in a district Survey suggests that policies must empower that is connected by tar roads. This measure is expected transparency and effective enforcement using data to correlate with access to other public goods like and technology. These efforts shall be complemented electricity, water/ sanitation facilities, and telecom by the hand of trust as well. services that are fundamental to all businesses. • Proximity to large population centers likely allows Entrepreneurship and wealth creation the startup to gain market access and scale up at the grassroots operations. It also implies better access to inputs and talented workforce. • Demography: Inverted-U relationship between Entrepreneurs are seen as agents of change that regional age structure and entrepreneurship rates accelerate innovation in the economy and hence that underlies India’s “demographic dividend”, creates wealth. India, while having the third largest establishing this variable as an important driver of entrepreneurship ecosystem in the world after the US entrepreneurship. and China, has lower rates of formal entrepreneurship on a per-capita basis when compared to other

Focus Articles | 22 Policy suggestions • Measures to increase the literacy levels rapidly through the institution of more schools and colleges shall be taken to spur entrepreneurship and consequently local wealth creation. • Better connectivity of villages through tar roads will likely improve access to local markets and improve entrepreneurial activity. • As the manufacturing sector has the potential to create the maximum jobs, states must focus on enabling ease of doing business and flexible labour regulation to foster job creation. Pro-Business versus Pro Crony The aspiration of Indian economy to reach the milestone of $5 trillion, depends critically on Promoting Pro- business policies that wean away from Pro-crony policies. $5 trillion Economy

Parameters for Case for Pro-Business Policies Case against Pro Crony Policies Analysis Characteristics • Firms Compete on a level • Some incumbent Firms receive preferential playing Field. treatment. • Resource allocation in the • Resource allocation in the economy may economy is efficient. not be efficient. • Citizen welfare is maximized. • Citizens welfare may not be maximized

Impact On Businesses On Businesses • Market undergoes creative • It may favour specificprivate interests, destruction and brings in especially powerful incumbents diversity. • It does not necessarily foster competitive • Creative Destruction: A markets. process of industrial mutation • There exists the danger of regulatory that continuously revolutionizes capture by private interests. the economic structure from • The crony firms becomeuncompetitive, within. It keeps on destroying non performing in the long run. the old one, at the same time • They are at the risk of becoming wilful creating a new one. defaulters and in turn increase the cost of • Free flow ofnew ideas, technologies borrowing. and processes like Financial and • For example, an equity index of connected Information technology. firms significantly outperformed the market • It brings dynamism to the marketplace by 7 per cent a year from 2007 to 2010, that that keeps firms on their toes. reflects abnormal profits extracted at the • Builds confidence ofPolicy Makers. expense of common citizens. • Example: The economic • In contrast, the index under-performed the events since 1991 provide market by 7.5 per cent from 2011, reflecting powerful evidence. The creative the inefficiency and value destruction destruction has increased in a inherent in such firms. significant manner after reform. • Crony lending that led to wilful default, • The liberalization of the Indian wherein promoters collectively siphoned off economy in 1991 unleashed wealth from banks, led to losses that dwarf competitive markets and enabled subsidies for rural development. the forces of creative destruction, generating benefits that we still On Society witness today. • Business-Politics nexus that may hamper • Pro-crony policies such as policy making. discretionary allocation of • Rent seeking by inefficient firms at natural resources till 2011 led to the expense of genuine businesses rent-seeking by beneficiaries while and citizens who are not receiving any competitive allocation of the preferential treatment. same post 2014 ended such rent • Transfer of wealth from competitive to extraction. non-competitive firms exacerbatesincome On Society inequality in the economy. • Unleash the power of competitive markets to generate wealth. • Competitive prices for consumers.

23 I Articulate Conclusion Global Studies related to impact of Pro-Crony Policies • Reforms aimed in the direction of Pro-business policies which furthers the eventual goal of Several global studies reinforce the relationship between maximizing social welfare are welcome. such connections and rent-seeking activities when For example, those that make it easy to start a institutional checks and balances are weak. business, register property, enforce contracts, obtain credit, bid for natural resources, get A recent World Bank study of cronyism in Ukraine finds permits, and resolve insolvency help firms • That the country would grow 1 to 2 per cent to function effectively and thereby enable faster if all political connections were eliminated. competitive markets. • Politically connected firms in Ukraine account • However, catering to the needs of crony businesses alone for over 20 per cent of the total turnover of all without regard for other businesses and the remaining Ukrainian companies. stakeholders in the economy may end up benefiting The study finds some of the traits of these politically the preferentially treated firms at the expense of other connected firms firms, market efficiency and social welfare. • These are larger than non-connected peers • Pay lower effective tax rates • These are less productive in terms of total factor productivity (TFP) • These are less profitable and also grow slower

The same findings arereinforced in Asian Economies too such as China ,Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia.

Undermining Markets: When Government Intervention Hurts More Than It Helps

Government intervention, sometimes though well intended, often ends up undermining the ability of the markets to support wealth creation and leads to outcomes opposite to those intended. This chapter analyses four examples of anachronistic government interventions, though many more abound.

Post a careful analysis, it calls for rooting out such interventions which outweigh the benefits that would have occurred in paucity of such interventions.

Study of Four Sectors and the Acts concerned therewith

Acts/Sectors Provisions and Objective Adverse Impact Essential Provisions Market Distortion Commodities Act, • Categorised essential • Reduces free trade and flow of commodities 1955 (ECA) commodities such as from surplus to deficit markets. Vegetables, Pulses, Edible Oils, • Commodity derivative markets also suffer due Sugar, etc. to non-delivery of such commodities owing to • States are empowered to stock ceiling. control the production, supply • Harassment of traders due to raids in turn and distribution of such goods disincentive the entry of the Private Sector. and also trade and commerce. Weakened Agri Value Chain • Blurs the distinction between genuine Objective Inventory requirements versus Illegal hoarding. • Restricting hoarding to ensure Price Volatility affordability of essential • The Act disincentives development of storage commodities for the poor. infrastructure that conclusively aggravates the price volatility. E.g. Onion prices which shot up recently.

Administrative Burden • A large number of personnel are involved in enforcement of the act. Drug Price Control Price Volatility Order (DPCO) under • Outcome is opposite to what DPCO aims to do - ECA making drugs affordable • The increase in prices is greater for more expensive formulations than for cheaper ones and for those sold in hospitals rather than retail shops.

Focus Articles | 24 Provisions • Study of two drugs related to Blood sugar • NPPA (National • Glycomet (Metformin) which came Pharmaceutical Pricing under DPCO while Glimiprex-MF Authority) and DPCO are (Glimepiride+Metformin) didn’t. the mechanisms available • Study shows that price of Glycomet to regulate the prices of actually increased more than that for pharmaceutical drugs. Glimiprex-MF after DPCO, 2013, keeping • DPCOs are issued under section the quantity constant (In line with the 3 of the ECA to ensure the inelasticity of Pharma Drugs) availability and affordability of medicines listed under NLEM Disincentivizing for Markets (National List of Essential • New developments in medicine sector will be Medicines prepared by Health affected and compromise Social welfare. Ministry). • It is detrimental to wealth creation and impact economic development Objective • Seeks to regulate the prices of pharmaceutical drugs. The Food Provisions Crowding out of Private Sector Corporation of India • State controls backward • Due to Government acting as a monopsonist (FCI) under Food linkages such as input prices (Single Buyer) Corporations Act, such as those of fertilizer, water, • Most of the grains are hoarded by the 1964 and electricity, and also, forward government, little left for the market linkages by setting output Government prices Price Distortion Intervention in • Undertakes storage and • MSP has become the Maximum price, contrary Grain Markets procurement through an to the objective of a minimum floor price. administrative machinery. • Last stage is the distribution Sustainability of cereals across the country • Skewed nature of cropping due to higher MSP through the PDS. on cereals, No diversification • Production has been driven by MSP Objective • Affectsenvironment sustainability due to • To achieve food security. faulty cropping patterns. • Ensure remunerative prices to • It also restricts investment in the agricultural producers. sector impacts overall inclusive growth. • Safeguarding affordability to the consumers. Fiscal Burden • Elevated cost of Foodgrain Economy • Due to obligations under NFSA and PDS, the cost of food subsidies has become more. Debt Waivers Objective No relevant Gains • To let borrowers get rid of debt • Neither agricultural investment nor overhang. productivity increased

Government • Debt Overhang: (Refers to Fiscal Cost intervention in a situation where all current • A stimulus worth close to 2 percent of the GDP. Credit Markets income gets used up in repaying • Also, it has a contagious impact on other the accumulated debt, invest segments of credit markets such as bank loans. either in physical or human capital Bad precedence • It may lead to moral hazard and destroy the credit culture

Inequality • It treats two comparable defaulters in an unequal manner based on cut-off date. • A waiver helps only when the beneficiaries are genuinely distressed or a conditionality is effectuated.

25 I Articulate • Factories Act, 1948 • Recovery of Debts due to Banks and Financial Institutions Act, 1993 • Food Corporation of India (FCI), 1965 • Essential Commodities Act (ECA), 1955 and Prevention of Black Marketing and Maintenance of Supplies of Essential Commodities Act, 1980

Conclusion • All in all, there is a case for Indirect Government intervention (In the role of a regulator) if there are serious cases of market failures in the following terms. • Providing public goods • Preventing abuse of monopoly power Source: Economic Survey website • Distributing wealth equitably • Ensuring ethical practices What are the proposed solutions? • But it is to be made sure that any intervention doesn’t undermine the ability of markets to support wealth • Essential Commodity Act creation, shackles economic freedom. • It needs to be repealed and replaced by • However, in paucity of such failures, eliminating market friendly interventions like Price such instances of needless Government stabilization funds. intervention will enable competitive markets and • Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT)support thereby spur investments and economic growth. • Incentives to innovations • Increasing market integration • Smooth flow of goods and services. Creating Jobs and Growth by Specializing to Exports in Network Products • Food Grain Policy • Procurement operations of wheat, paddy and The current environment for international trade rice need to be given to states. presents India an unprecedented opportunity to chart • FCI should primarily focus on creating a China-like, labour-intensive, export trajectory and competition in every segment of the food grain thereby create unparalleled job opportunities for our supply chain, from procurement to stocking to burgeoning youth. movement and finally distribution in TPDS. • Cash transfers/food coupons/ smart cards can Targets: be introduced like that of • By integrating “Assemble in India for the world” • Philippines: Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino into Make in India, India can create 4 crore well-paid Program jobs by 2025 and 8 crores by 2030. • Brazil: Bolsa Familia • Exports of network products, which is expected to • Mexico: Oportunidades equal $7 trillion worldwide in 2025, can contribute • At the macro level, the agricultural marketing, a quarter of the increase in value-added for the $5 trade (both domestic and foreign) and trillion economy by 2025. distribution policies need to be aligned with that of farmer’s interest. Network products (NP): Are those where production processes are globally fragmented and controlled by leading Multinational • Drug Pricing Enterprises (MNE) within their ‘xproducer driven’ (where large, • As the Government is a huge buyer of drugs usually transnational manufacturers play the central roles in it can intervene more effectively to provide coordinating production networks) global production networks. affordable drugs by combining all its purchases Examples are computers, electronic and electrical equipment, and thereby exercise its bargaining power and telecommunication equipment, among others.

• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare must evolve non-distortionary mechanisms Potential of export sector that utilise Government’s bargaining power in a transparent manner. Growth in exports provides a much- needed pathway for job creation in India. Debt waiver • There is a case for a limited relief only when • For instance, in just the five-year period 2001-2006, distress can be identified credibly. labour-intensive exports enabled China to create 70 • It is like an emergency medicine to be given in rare million jobs for workers with primary education. cases after a thorough diagnosis and identification • In India, increased exports explain the conversion of illness and not a staple diet. of about 800,000 jobs from informal to formal between 1999 and 2011, representing 0.8 per cent of Legislative Action to repeal interventions like the labour force. • Sick Textile Undertakings (Nationalisation) Act, 1974

Focus Articles | 26 Opportunity for India

• The US–China trade war is causing major adjustments in Global Value Chains (GVCs) and firms are now looking for alternative locations for their operations. • As no other country can match China in the abundance of its labour, India must grab the space getting vacated in labour-intensive sectors. Fig: Gains from participation in GVC

Present scenario in India • Low Market Penetration in High Income Countries: The dominance of capital-intensive 1. Merchandise exports remained consistently products in the export basket along with a low lower: Post the 1991 reforms, India’s share in level of participation in GVCs have resulted in a merchandise (goods) exports has grown at 13.2 per disproportionate shift in India’s geographical cent per annum and our share in world exports has direction of exports from traditional rich country increased from 0.6 per cent in 1991 to 1.7 per cent in markets to other destinations. 2018 (China -12.8 per cent) . Further, merchandise exports as a percentage of GDP remained Reaping gains from participation in global value chains consistently lower for India. 2. Merchandise imports have grown faster: Imports • A higher level of participation in GVCs implies that, of merchandise have grown faster (at the rate of 14.9 for any given country, the share of foreign value percent per annum during 1993-2018) than exports, added in gross exports is higher than when most resulting in increasing trade deficits. inputs are sourced locally. 3. Services: On the other hand, exports of services • However, owing to scale and productivity effects generally grew faster than imports, providing some of selling in the world markets, participation in cushion to current account deficit. GVCs can lead to higher absolute levels of domestic value added and domestic job creation. In this situation the key questions that • For instance, Chinese dominance of assembly needs to be addressed in iPod and iPhone illustrates this phenomenon. The scale effect creates millions of jobs and is 1. What type of policy interventions would help therefore particularly suited for implementation achieve faster export growth? in a labour-intensive economy such as India. 2. Should policies target export growth through • The bottom line is that India can reap rich dividends specialization or diversification? by adopting policies aimed at strengthening its 3. Is it in India’s interest to promote strong local participation in GVCs. linkages for domestic industries or to participate in GVCs wherein linkages are globally dispersed? Which Industries should India specialize in 4. Which are the industries that hold the greatest for job creation? potential for export growth and employment generation? Given our comparative advantage in labour-intensive 5. Are free trade agreements beneficial to India? activities and the imperative of creating employment for a growing labour force, there are two groups of Reasons for India’s under-performance in exports industries that hold the greatest potential for export vis-à-vis China growth and job creation.

• Specialization versus Diversification: Overall, high • Textiles, clothing, footwear and toys: diversification combined with low specialization • There exists a significant unexploited export implies that India is spreading its exports thinly potential in India’s traditional unskilled labour- over many products and partners, leading to its intensive industries. lackluster performance compared to China. • The GVCs in these industries are controlled • Low Level of Participation in Global Value by “buyer driven” networks wherein the lead Chains: India’s participation in GVCs has been firms that are based in developed countries low compared to the major exporting nations in concentrate on higher value-added activities East and Southeast Asia. This is because India such as design, branding and marketing. has failed to increase its export basket related to products concerned with unskilled labour (which • Network products: is in contrast with China – from unskilled labour- • India has huge potential to emerge as a major intensive to skilled capital intensive). hub for final assembly in a range of products, referred to as “network products” (NP). • The GVCs in these industries are controlled by leading MNEs such as Apple, Samsung, and Sony etc. within “producer driven” networks. • Within the production network, each country

27 I Articulate specializes in a particular fragment of the intensive processes and product lines. The ongoing production process; this specialization is based reform measures to provide greater flexibility in the on the country’s comparative advantage. labour market should continue. • A pro-active FDI policy is also critical as MNEs are the leading vehicles for the country’s entry into global production networks while local firms Case study play a role as subcontractors and suppliers of intermediate inputs to MNEs. • Learnings from Integration into GVCs by • A low level of service link costs: That is costs Indian Automobile Industry. related to transportation, communication, and • Following the entry of Suzuki, other major other tasks involved in coordinating the activity in a Japanese automobile manufacturers given country with what is done in other countries, (Toyota, Mitsubishi, Nissan, and Mazda) is a prerequisite for countries to strengthen their arrived. participation in GVCs. • Several Tier 1 automobile parts suppliers (such as Denso, Aisin Seiki, and Toyota Boshoku) and global automobile parts Are free trade agreements beneficial? producers arrived (such as Robert Bosch, Given the recent debate about India joining the Delphi, Magna, Eaton, Visteon, and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Hyundai Mobil). (RCEP) agreement, questions have been asked • Assembly of mobile phones in India: India about the general efficacy of free trade agreements toppled Vietnam to become the second (FTAs). largest manufacturer of mobile phones globally following China in 2018 with a world share of 11 • Worked in favour: An apprehension is that per cent. most of the FTAs that India had signed in the past had not worked in “India’s favour.” The key learning from the successful case study of • Worsened trade deficit: The argument that the Indian Automobiles sector is that domestic firms is put forward is that the agreements led to graduate up the production value chain by first starting worsening of India’s trade deficit with the with low-technology operations such as assembly and partner countries with which the agreements then moving to manufacturing of components. In the have been signed. process, imports of components increase in the short run. Following a policy of import substitution right from This is the mercantilist way of evaluating the the outset does not enable the process of graduation up gains from trade. Basic trade theory teaches us the production value chain. that a country’s gains from free trade arise from the fact that it leads to a more efficient allocation Way forward of a country’s resources.

• Strengthening exports in NP: India can reap When the impact of India’s trade agreements on rich dividends by adopting policies aimed at overall trade balance is made by accounting for all strengthening its involvement in the export market confounding factors; for network products (NP). Given India’s vast • India’s exports have increased by 13.4 per manpower with relatively low skill, India’s current cent for manufactured products and 10.9 strength lies primarily in assembly of NP. percent for total merchandise • Large scale expansion of assembly activities: • While imports increased by 12.7 per cent By making use of imported parts & components. for manufactured products and 8.6 per Assembly is highly labour intensive, which can provide cent for total merchandise. jobs for the masses, while domestic production of Thus, India has clearly gained 0.7 per cent increase parts & components can create high skill jobs. in trade surplus per year for manufactured • Boost to domestic production: Giving a boost to products and 2.3 percent per year for total domestic production of parts & components (upgrading merchandise. within GVCs) should be the long-term objective. • Raising India’s export market share: A highly feasible target of raising India’s export market share Policy measures should focus on reducing input tariffs, to about 3.5 per cent by 2025 and 6 percent by implementation of key factor market reforms, providing 2030 would create about 38.5 million additional an enabling environment for the entry of lead firms into jobs in the country by 2025 and about 82 million the country and reducing the service link costs. additional jobs by 2030. • Reduction in import tariff rates: For a country to become an attractive location for assembly activities, it is imperative that import tariff rates for intermediate inputs are zero or negligible. • Creating ecosystem for specialization: Realignment of India’s specialization patterns towards labour-

Focus Articles | 28 29 I Articulate Taking away disqualification powers • The Court drew an analogy of Removal of a from Speakers Judge by the Parliament (External Authority) to propose a tribunal for deciding the cases of The Supreme Court has asked Parliament to amend the defection under 10th schedule. Constitution to strip Legislative Assembly Speakers of their exclusive power to disqualify legislators under Possible alternatives that can be explored the anti-defection law. • A permanent tribunal: Presided over by a Retired Supreme Court Judge or a former High • The court opined for an independent tribunal Court Chief Justice. to be appointed instead to determine upon the • Swift and impartial disqualification:In order cases of defection. to provide real teeth to the 10th schedule, the Speakers should decide Tenth Schedule Issues raised in the Case disqualifications within a reasonable period • The judgment questioned the position of of 3 months barring cases of exceptional speaker as the sole and final arbiter in the circumstances. disqualification of a political defector, given that (S)he is a member of a Political party.

Connecting the Dots

Anti-Defection Law • The 52nd CAA,1985 provided for the disqualification of the MPs and MLAs on the grounds of defection. • It made changes to Article 101, 102, 190,191 of the Constitution and also added the 10th Schedule.

Members Grounds of Disqualification • Members of Political Parties • If (S)he voluntarily gives up his membership of such political : A member of a House party belonging to any political • If he votes or abstains from voting in such a House contrary party becomes disqualified to any direction issued by his political party without obtaining for being a member of the prior permission of such party and such act has not been House condoned by the party within 15 days. • Independent Members • If he joins any political party after getting elected to the house. • Nominated Members If he joins any political party afterthe expiry of six months from the date on which he takes his seat in the House. (can join any political party within six months)

Exceptions The above disqualification on the ground of defection does not apply in the following two cases: • If a merger takes place when two-thirds of the members of the party have agreed to such a merger. • The provision of the Tenth Schedule pertaining to exemption from disqualification incase of split by one-third members of legislature party has been deleted by the 91st Amendment Act of 2003. • If a member, after beingelected as the presiding officer of the House, voluntarily gives up the membership of his party or re-joins it after he ceases to hold that office.

Deciding Authority • Disqualification arising out of defection is to be decided by thepresiding officer of the House. • Originally, the act provided that the decision of the presiding officer is final and cannot be questioned in any court. • However, in Kihoto Hollohan vs Zachillhu And Others (1992), the Supreme Court held that the presiding officer, while deciding a question under the Tenth Schedule, functions as a tribunal. • Hence, his decision like that of any other tribunal, is subject to judicial review on the grounds of mala fides, perversity, etc.

Time limit within which the Presiding Officer has to decide • The law does not specify a time-period for the Presiding Officer to decide on a disqualification plea. • In S.A. Sampath Case 2016, the SC referred the matter, of inordinate delay by Speakers to pass an order, to a larger bench.

Polity & Governance | 30 Recommendations on Reforming the Connecting the Dots Anti-Defection Law Who are Bodos? • Dinesh Goswami Committee on Election Reforms • They are the earliest settlers of Assam, are an (1990): The issue of disqualification should be ethnic and linguistic group which is a sub- decided by the President/ Governor on the advice group of the Bodo-Kachari family. of the Election Commission. • Bodos are the single largest tribal community • The Election Commission called for this advice in Assam, making up over 5-6 per cent of the to be binding in nature. state’s population. • Halim Committee on anti-defection law (1998): • The Bodo people speak Bodo language, a • The words ‘voluntarily giving up membership of a Tibeto-Burman language recognized as one political party’ are not comprehensively defined. of the scheduled languages in the Indian • Restrictions like prohibition on joining another Constitution. party or holding offices in the government be • The Bodo people are recognized as a plain’s imposed on expelled members. tribe in the Sixth Schedule of the Indian • The term political party should be defined Constitution. clearly. • Traditionally, Bodos practiced Bathouism, • Election Commission which is the worshiping of forefathers. Decisions under the Tenth Schedule should be • In addition to Bathouism, Bodo people also made by the President/ Governor on the binding follow Hinduism and Christianity. advice of the Election Commission. • Constitution Review Commission (2002) The areas inhabited by Bodos The vote cast by a defector to topple a government should be treated as invalid

Bodo Accord

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Assam government and Bodo groups recently signed a tripartite agreement, Third Bodo Accord.

Provisions in the Third Bodo Accord, 2020 • The Bodoland Territorial Area District (BTAD) is to be redrawn and renamed as Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR). • Villages dominated by Bodos that were presently outside the BTAD would be included and those Source-The Hans India with non­-Bodo population would be excluded. • The government will set up a Bodo-Kachari Welfare Why do they demand a separate state, Bodoland? Council for focused development of Bodo villages • They have called the territory they inhabit outside BTAD which will potentially address the home for centuries and are keen to protect needs of Bodos outside BTAD. their ethnic identity, way of life, and language. • The Government of Assam will notify Bodo • They also want better governance and language in Devanagari script as the associate development. official language in the state. • Scheduled Hill Tribe status is to be granted to • About the National Democratic Front of Bodos living in the hills. Bodoland (NDFB) • A Special Development Package of ₹1500 crore • NDFB is an armed separatist outfit which seeks would be given by the Centre to undertake specific to obtain a sovereign Bodoland for the Bodo projects for the development of Bodo area. people. • NDFB factions will leave the path of violence, • It is designated as a terrorist organisation by surrender their weapons and disband their the Government of India. armed organisations within a month of signing the deal. • Criminal cases registered against members of the Significance of the agreement NDFB factions for non-­heinous crimes shall be withdrawn. • Those who were previously associated with • Around 1,500 cadres of NDFB (P), NDFB (RD) and armed resistance groups will now be entering NDFB (S) will be rehabilitated by Centre and the the mainstream and contributing to our Assam Government. nation’s progress. • The Accord with Bodo groups will further protect and popularise the unique culture of the Bodo people. They will get access to a wide range of development-oriented initiatives.

31 I Articulate Supreme court orders party to publish • The Supreme Court’s Judgement On NOTA, 2013: criminal history of Candidates The Supreme Court had ruled that None of the Above (NOTA) option “may be provided in EVMs” Due to the rising number of legislators with criminal so that voters are able to exercise their “right not to history, the Supreme court has ordered Political vote while maintaining their right of secrecy”. parties to publish the criminal history of Candidates. • Disqualification of Convicted MPs/MLAs • In Lily Thomas vs. Union of India, 2013, the • Currently Section 8 of the Representation of Supreme Court stated that if a sitting MP/MLA Peoples Act only disqualifies them when they are is convicted (not only charged) then he/ she convicted of criminal charges and sentenced to would be disqualified immediately and the seat imprisonment for not less than two years for a would be declared vacant. period of six years since their date of conviction. • It set aside Clause 8(4) of the Representation of the People Act which had provided special What Supreme court order has stated? privilege to MPs/MLAs to hold the office even • Applicable to Centre and State both: SC ordered after conviction if an appeal has been filed in a political parties to publish the entire criminal higher court within the span of 3 months. history of their candidates for Assembly and Lok • In 2014, the Supreme Court recently ordered setting Sabha elections. a deadline for the lower courts to complete trial in • SC also stated to Publish the reasons along with cases involving lawmakers within a year of framing names that compelled them to field suspected of charges. criminals over decent people. • The Supreme Court in its order on 14 December, 2017 • The information needs to be published in local as asked for the setting up of special courts to fast-track well as national newspapers and on party’s social the long-pending trials of elected members. media handles. • It should mandatorily be published either within Way forward: 48 hours of the selection of candidates or less • Bringing greater transparency in campaign than two weeks before the first date for filing of financing is going to make it less attractive for nominations, whichever is earlier.’ political parties to involve gangsters. • A political party should give reasons to the voter • Thus, either the Election Commission of that it was not the candidate’s “mere winnability India (ECI) should have the power to audit at the polls” which guided its decision to give him the financial accounts of political parties, or ticket to contest elections. political parties’ finances should be brought under the right to information (RTI) law. • Setting up of national electoral fund or state Connecting the Dots funding of elections where anybody could donate and from there political parties should be funded Criminalization of Politics based on their performance. • Increasing criminalisation of politics in India: • Electoral bonds can stay only when the who- In 2004, 24% of the Members of Parliament donated-what-to-whom should be disclosed. had criminal cases pending against them; in • The law commission 244th report on electoral 2009, that went up to 30%; in 2014 to 34%; and disqualification was of the opinion that, in 2019 as many as 43% of MPs had criminal “disqualification at the stage at which the criminal cases pending against them”. charge is filed against a politician. • In the new Lok Sabha, nearly 29 per cent of the cases are related to rape, murder, attempt to murder or crime against women. Global best practices: • Nexus between crime and money power: • The UK moved from the old Corruption The most critical drivers are the collapse of the state in the 18th century to cleaner of election finance regime and the weak administration in the 19th “not as a result of a enforcement of the rule of law in the country change in people, but mainly because the rules that have created the “marketplace for which were implemented created a specific criminal politicians”. pay-off system.” • A mix of first-past-the-post system and proportional representation to political parties Judicial interventions for electoral reforms worked very well in Nepal and Sri Lanka. • The German election model -- where • Association for Democratic Reforms v. Union of India Germans cast two votes (one for a candidate (ADR) case, 2002: The SC mandated the disclosure in their constituency and one for a political of information relating to criminal antecedents, party) is the best. educational qualification, and personal assets of a candidate contesting elections. • In People’s Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL) judgement, • Sensitising the electorate: Viewing their MP The Supreme Court of India held that Indian voters have and MLA as lawmakers will slowly change a right under Article 19(1)(a) of the Indian Constitution to their perception of what they want from their obtain information about political candidates. representative.

Polity & Governance | 32 • Political parties will have to be encouraged to Global trends in the Report: have stronger inner party democracy to attract a new set of clean leaders to join the party. • The average global score also recorded its worst • Our judicial system will have to be overhauled value ever, driven by a sharp regression in Latin drastically to ensure that justice is dispensed America and Sub-Saharan Africa, a lesser one in the swiftly in all cases. Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. • Thailand registered the biggest improvement India slips 10 ranks in Democracy Index in score owing to a first election in 2019 since the military coup d’état in May 2014, while China The Economist Intelligence Unit’s Democracy Index registered the greatest decline as discrimination lists India at 51st place that is 10 places down from the against minorities, especially in Xinjiang, previous year. • The report describes the year in Asia as one filled • The primary reason for this democratic regression with “drama and tumult,” with Hong Kong being the has been traced to “an erosion of civil liberties in epicentre of protest in the continent. the country”. • According to the report, there are only 22 “full democracies” as compared to 54 “authoritarian regimes” and as many “flawed democracies,” Connecting the Dots that include the U.S. which got demotion from Full Democracy. About the Publisher: The report, A year of democratic setbacks and popular Specific Comments on India: protest, was done by The Economist Intelligence Unit • The report puts India under “flawed — the research and analysis division of The Economist democracies”, countries that hold free and Group - records how global democracy fared, analysing fair elections and where basic civil liberties are 165 independent states and two territories. respected, but have significant weaknesses in aspects of democracy, such as problems in Parameters of Evaluation: governance, an underdeveloped political culture It includes five categories on which values are and low levels of political participation. assigned on a scale of 0-10. • Electoral Pluralism • Government • Political Participation • Political Culture • Civil Liberties

Working of no-fly list

The term ‘No Fly List’ is in the public eye in the wake of Kunal Kamra being put on no-fly list by a majority of airlines, on account of his unruly behaviour onboard. • The Government came out with a No-fly List that was notified in 2017, in the backdrop of an incident involving then Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad tussle with an Air India staffer on a flight.

Need for a no-Fly list • Unruly behaviour on board aircraft is put in the category of an offence leading to punishment. • It is mandatory to ensure safety on board.

Note: The DGCA requirement applies only for Indian airlines, so there is a possibility that a person might take International Flights provided no part of the trip is operated by an Indian Airline.

Connecting the Dots

No-fly list Rules The rules came into being in 2017 aimed at preventing disruptive behaviour. • Inquiry • First, a complaint of unruly behaviour needs to be filed by thepilot-in-command , to be probed by an internal committee. • During the period when the enquiry is going on, the concerned airline is empowered to impose a ban on the passenger. • The matter should be decided within 30 days, and also the ban period must be communicated. • If the committee fails to reach upon a decision in 30 days, the passenger will be free to fly.

33 I Articulate • Internal Committee • A retired district and sessions judge as Chairman • A representative from a different scheduled airline • A representative from a passenger’s association or consumer association as members. • Grievance Redressal • An aggrieved person may appeal to an Appellate Committee within 60 days from the date of issue of such order. • The Appellate Committee consists of a retired judge of a High Court as Chairman, a representative from a passengers’ association or a consumer association, and an airline representative not below the rank of vice-president or equivalent. • The Appellate committee’s decision shall be deemed as final and further appeal shall lie in a High Court. • Unruly Behaviour

Level 1 Such a behaviour that is verbally unruly, and calls for debarment for up to three months. Level 2 Includes physical unruliness and can lead to the passenger being debarred from flying for up to six months. Level 3 Refers to life-threatening behaviour and the debarment would be for a minimum of two years.

• Ministry of Home Affairs No-Fly List • A separate No-fly list is provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs which consists of individuals identified as national security threats.

Resolution to dissolve Legislative Council

A statutory resolution seeking to abolish the state legislative council has been passed by the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly.

Connecting the Dots

Legislative Councils

Constitutional Provisions

• Article 169 • Parliament may by law provide for the abolition or creation of the Legislative Council of a State, if the Legislative Assembly of the State passes a resolution to that effect by aspecial majority (majority of the total membership of the Assembly and by a majority of not less than two thirds of the members of the Assembly present and voting). • The act of Parliament to create/abolish LCs is not deemed as an amendment under Article 368. So, a Simple majority in Parliament suffices. • At present, there are six states viz Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, UP, Maharashtra, Bihar, Karnataka, where the Legislative Council is in existence. • Jammu and Kashmir too had one, until the introduction of J&K Reorganisation Bill, 2019 that bifurcated it into the Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh.

Composition • Under Article 171(1), the Legislative Council of a state shall not have more than one-third of the total strength of the State Assembly, and in no case, shall be less than 40 members.

Tenure of Members • Similar to the Rajya Sabha, the legislative council is a continuing chamber, i.e. it is not subject to dissolution. The tenure of a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) is of six years, with one-third of the members retiring every two years.

Polity & Governance | 34 Election of Members

Total Members of Legislative Council 1/3rd 1/3rd 1/3rd Elected by MLAs Elected by an 1/6th 1/6th of the Legislative electoral college assembly of the of Members of 1/12th 1/12th Nominated by the state. municipalities, Governor from district boards Elected by Elected by among those having and other local an electorate an electorate distinguished authorities in the consisting of consisting of services in state. teachers. registered graduates literature, science, art, the cooperative movement, and social service.

Legislative Procedure in the Legislative Council:

Type of Bills Powers of LC Introduction of Bills Passage of Bills Ordinary Ordinary Bills can be introduced in It needs to be passed by both houses to become either of the houses viz Legislative an Act. However, there is no provision of Joint Assembly or Legislative Council. sitting in case of deadlock. At most, LC can delay the bill for a period of 4 months. The ultimate power of passing an Ordinary Bill rests with the Legislative Assembly.

Money It cannot be introduced in the The Legislative Council can’t reject or amend Legislative Council. a money Bill. It can delay the money bill for a period of at most 14 days.

Standing with respect to Legislative Council • The constitution hasn’t mandated LCs to shape non-financial legislation(Ordinary Bills, Constitution Amendment Bills) like it has been substantially endowed to Rajya Sabha. • Legislative Assemblies can override suggestions/amendments made to a Bill by the Council. There is no provision of a Joint sitting in order to resolve the deadlock. • Further, Rajya Sabha MPs, are part of the electoral college related to elections for the President and Vice President whereas MLCs are not. • Also, the status accorded to Chairperson of Rajya Sabha (Ex-Officio Vice President) is starkly different vis-a- vis elected chairperson of the Legislative Council.

Rationale for Creation • India has a bicameral system vis-a vis legislative setup. So, In the same manner as that of Indian Parliament that has two Houses (House of the People and House of Elders), the states can also have an equivalent of Upper house i.e. Legislative Council. • Acts as a check and balance on hasty and populist actions by the directly elected House. • Facilitates diversity in the legislative process by the provision of nomination of non-elected individuals. • It enhances the representation of local bodies in state legislation as they are given rights to elect 1/3rd of the members of the LC.

Critical Analysis • It has become a backdoor entry for party loyalists who fail to win popular mandate. • Financial burden on the exchequer. • At times, unnecessary delays in the passing of legislation as LCs can only re-evaluate and suggest amendments but cannot reject them.

35 I Articulate India slips two places on global corruption perception index

The Corruption Index released by Transparency International listed India at 80th place that is 2 places down from the last year (78) while questioning the “unfair and opaque political financing”in the country.

Connecting the Dots

About the Publisher: The report is published by Transparency International, an international non-governmental organization which is based in Berlin, Germany. It came into existence in 1993.

Parameters of Evaluation: It rests on 13 surveys and expert assessments to assess public sector corruption ranging across 180 countries and territories. The assigned scores vary from zero (Highly corrupt) to 100(very clean)

Top Performers: • New Zealand and Denmark, followed by Finland, Singapore, Sweden and Switzerland.

At the bottom of the ladder • The countries ranked at the bottom of the list are Somalia, South Sudan and Syria followed by Yemen, Venezuela, Sudan, Equatorial Guinea and Afghanistan.

Way forward:

Transparency International recommended that governments must urgently address the corrupting role of big money in political system financing. • In this regard, Electoral Bond Scheme which was launched by the government to curb Black money use in Political funding, is currently under judicial scrutiny.

Difference between Government and Private Member’s bills

Recently, a BJP member in Rajya Sabha appeared to abandon his plan of introducing a private member’s bill on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC).

Connecting the Dots

Public Bill Private Bill

An MP who is not a minister when introducing a bill in Those introduced by ministers are called government the legislature is referred to as a private member’s bill. Bills.

Government Bills are backed by the government. The admissibility of a private Bill is decided by the Chairman in the case of the Rajya Sabha and the Speaker in the case of the Lok Sabha.

A government Bill can be introduced and discussed on A private member’s bill can only be introduced and any day. discussed on Fridays.

Government bills reflect itslegislative agenda. It reflects the stand of the opposition party on public Matter.

Individual MPs may introduce private member’s Bill to draw the government’s attention to what they might see as issues requiring legislative intervention.

Polity & Governance | 36 It has a greater chance to be approved by the It has less chance to be approved by the parliament. Parliament. Its rejection by the House amounts to the Its rejection by the House has no implication on the expression of want of parliamentary confidence ni parliamentary confidence in the government or its the government and may lead to its resignation. Resignation.

Its introduction in the House requires seven days’ Its introduction in the house requires one month’s notice. notice.

It is drafted by the concerned department in Its drafting is theresponsibility of the member consultation with the law department. concerned.

Article 44 • The State shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India. • The article forms the part of the Directive Principles of State Policies (DPSPs).

Has a private member’s bill ever become a law? • Existing Penal provisions • As per PRS Legislative, no private member’s Bill • There are various penal provisions under the has been passed by Parliament since 1970. To Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 for various date, Parliament has passed 14 such Bills, six of kinds of offences. them in 1956. • For manufacturing or sale of substandard items: • In the 14th Lok Sabha, of the over 300 private punishable with imprisonment of at least 10 years, member’s Bills introduced, roughly four per cent which may extend to imprisonment for life. were discussed, the remaining 96 per cent lapsed without a single dialogue. Medical Devices - About

Medical devices rules, 2020 • Classification of medical devices • Currently, medical devices are classified under Medical Devices Rules, 2017 has undergone a change four categories. that seeks to bring medical devices which are used on • Class A and B medical devices are low-risk humans and animals under Regulatory Oversight. ones like surgical dressing, alcohol swabs, • As per the notification, Medical Devices will be thermometers, blood pressure monitoring treated on the same lines as drugs under Section 3 devices among others. of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. • Class C and D are high-risk devices like • It is based on ‘Report on Roadmap of Medical implants, haemodialysis catheters, angiographic Devices’ released by the Ministry of Health & guide wire and heart valve. Family Welfare. • The decision was taken after consultation with the Regulatory Structure - The Medical Devices Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB). (Amendment) Rules, 2020

Background • Applicability • Need for the Changes in rules • It is applicable to devices which are intended • The need for change in rules came in following for internal or external use in the diagnosis, media reports which brought to the fore the treatment, mitigation or prevention of disease faulty hip implants marketed by pharma major or disorder in human beings or animals. Johnson & Johnson. • Even commonly used items including • Present State of Regulation hypodermic syringes and needles, cardiac • Drugs fall under Concurrent List, in this regard, stents, perfusion sets, catheters, orthopaedic GOI enacted Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. implants, bone cements, lenses, sutures, • Further, some of the Medical devices were internal prosthetic replacements etc. too fall classified as drugs in 1982. under the purview of it. • Presently, only 23 categories of medical • Registration devices have been classified as drugs under • Such devices are required to go for Medical Devices Rules, 2017. registration of these devices with the Central • Of these, only a few including cardiac stents, Licensing Authority. drug eluting cardiac stents, condoms, • It calls for a voluntary registration within intrauterine devices, have been brought under a period of 18 months from April 2020 and price control. obtaining manufacturing/import licence under the Medical Device Rules within 36 and 42 months depending upon the category of devices.

37 I Articulate Associated Concerns • Recategorization • Manufacturers • The notification also calls for re-categorization of all • The regulatory framework seems to be an medical devices that are sold in the market. overkill for those SMEs which are involved in • The medical devices are related to life support, manufacturing Low Risk, Low Cost devices diagnosis, treatment or alleviation of any (Class A category) products such as Spectacles, disease or disability, and even devices that are Wheel Chair, Orthopaedic Belts. used to disinfect other medical devices. • It will increase their operational cost. • Certification For e.g. It is not expected of a low-cost • Manufacturing, Import and Sale of medical manufacturer in Bhagirath making masks or devices need to be certified byCDSCO . neck bracing collars to hire a qualified QMS manager with biomedical engineering. Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) • Also, the manufacturers are demanding that • It is the highest statutory decision-making body Medical devices should be categorised as on technical matters related to drugs in the Engineering Devices not drugs. country. • Long Term Planning • It is constituted as per the Drugs and Cosmetics • The Report on Roadmap of Medical Devices Act, 1940. and the proposed NITI Aayog’s Medical • It is part of the Central Drugs Standard Control Device Bill are of the view that the transition in Organization (CDSCO) in the Ministry of Health regulatory structure should be smooth as any and Family Welfare. sudden transition may be disruptive. • Operational Challenges • Importers and Manufacturers are not defined The Central Drugs Standard Control properly. It will lead to difficulties in enacting Organisation (CDSCO) the rules. CDSCO under Directorate General of Health • There should have been differentiation in Services, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, treatment of High Risk and Low risk devices. Government of India is the National Regulatory • Fear of License Raj Authority (NRA) of India. • The Drugs Act is very rigid and prescriptive to Under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, CDSCO is the extent that it treats any non-conformity as a responsible for Criminal Offence. • Approval of New Drugs • Also it would place the manufacturers at the • Conduct of Clinical Trials discretion of the Drug Inspector and may end • Laying down the standards for Drugs up at Court of law. • Control over the quality of imported Drugs in the country and Way Forward • Coordination of the activities of State Drug • Regulators should be empowered to ensure the by providing expert advice Control Organizations implementation of rules and imposition of penal with a view to bring about the uniformity in the provisions in case of fallout. enforcement of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. • Decriminalisation of most of the activities (Non CDSCO along with state regulators, is jointly conformity) in the Drugs and Cosmetic Act. of certain responsible for grant of licenses • There should be proper emphasis on growth of Low specialized categories of critical Drugs such as blood Cost, Low Risk Devices sector. and blood products, Vaccine and Sera. • Long term roadmap should be adhered to ensure smooth regulatory structure. • Even worldwide, these require simple basic Case for New Rules precautions like labels for traceability and • Consumer Side consumer protection • It will ensure certain standards of quality and efficiency which is important given the ability of medical devices to save or take a person’s life. SC says can’t issue mandamus for job • It will ensure Accountability related to Companies promotions quota: What is mandamus? involved in the Medical Devices sector. • For Economy The Supreme Court has held that there is no • Growth of Ancillary Industries. fundamental right which inheres in an individual to • The regulations will bring the Industry in line claim reservation in promotions. with International Standards. It will further entail • No mandamus can be issued by the court directing flow of FDI in this sector. state governments to provide reservations. • In turn it will increase the export potential of the • The court gave the verdict during a case sector. regarding the validity of a 2012 notification by the • Governance Uttarakhand government to fill up vacancies in • It will create uniform standards for Industry. government jobs without giving reservation to the • A regulator will ensure lesser number of SC/ST communities. casualties owing to faulty devices, in turn reduction in litigations.

Polity & Governance | 38 About the judgement Timeline of changing Israel-Palestine Map • Article 16 (4) and 16 (4-A) are in the nature of enabling provisions, vesting a discretion on the State Government to consider providing reservations, if the circumstances so warrant. • However, if they (state) wish to exercise their • It is not a Fundamental Right. discretion and make such provision, the State • It is settled law that the State Government has to collect quantifiable data showing cannot be directed to provide reservations for inadequacy of representation of that class in appointment in public posts as it is not bound to public services. make reservations for SCs and STs in matters of promotions.

Connecting the Dots

Constitutional provisions

• Article 16(4) states: “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 which, in the opinion of the State, is not adequately represented in the services under the State.’

• The Constitution (77th Amendment) Act, 1995 was passed by parliament, inserting Article 16(4A), which enables the state to make any law regarding reservation in promotion for SCs and STs.

• Article 46 of the directive principles enjoins the state to take special care in promoting the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections of the society and in particular the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes and to protect them from social injustice.

What is Mandamus? • In India, the Supreme Court can issue prerogative writs under Article 32 of the Constitution, and the High Courts under Article 226. • These are Habeas corpus, Mandamus, Prohibition, Certiorari, and Quo warranto. • Mandamus literally means ‘we command’. • When issued to a person or body, the writ of mandamus demands some activity on their part. • It orders the person or body to perform a public or quasi-public duty, which they have refused to perform, and where no other adequate legal remedy exists to enforce the performance of that duty.

Mandamus can be issued against - • When a public officer or government does an act that violates the fundamental right of a person, the court would issue a writ of mandamus against such authorities so that the person’s rights are not infringed. • The writ can also be issued against inferior courts or other judicial bodies when they have refused to exercise their jurisdiction and perform their duty.

Instances where Mandamus can’t be issued • The writ cannot be issued unless the legal duty is of public nature, and to whose performance the applicant of the writ has a legal right. • Discretionary nature — a court can refuse to grant it when an alternative remedy exists. • However, for enforcing fundamental rights, the alternative remedy argument does not hold as much weight, since it is the duty of the Supreme Court and the High Courts to enforce fundamental rights. • Under Article 361, mandamus cannot be granted against the President or Governor of a State, “for the exercise and performance of the powers and duties of his office or for any act done or purporting to be done by him in the exercise and performance of those powers and duties”. • The writ also cannot be issued against a private individual or body, except where the State is in collusion with the private party for contravening a provision of the Constitution or a statute.

39 I Articulate Previous Supreme Court judgments of Section 176(1A) of the CrPc, which calls for a • M. Nagaraj v. Union of India case, 2006: mandatory judicial inquiry related to incidents of • The Constitutional Bench in Nagaraj validated the death, disappearance, rape etc in police and judicial constitutional amendments made by Parliament. custody. • The court had held that the state is not bound to make reservations for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in promotions State of Custodial Violence in India: in government jobs. • Recent Deaths • But if the government wishes to introduce • With the custodial deaths of Taslim and Gufran such quotas, it needs to collect quantifiable (April, 2019) in Bihar, and Pradeep Tomar in data showing the backwardness of these Uttar Pradesh, the issue presses for a redressal classes, the top court had said. at the earliest. • The order said that if reservation is brought • Statistics in, it must not breach the 50% ceiling or • Custodial deaths have been on the increase in “obliterate” the “creamy layer”. recent years. • The Nagaraj judgement laid down three • The NHRC has recorded 24,043 custodial controlling conditions that the State must deaths/rapes from the time Section 176(1A) meet prior to granting a SC/ST a reservation in has come into existence till date. promotion. • As per NCRB reports, custodial violence • First, the State must show the increased by 9% in 2017 and judicial inquiry backwardness of the class. has not been conducted in about 80% of the • Second, it must show that the class is recorded cases of Custodial death/rapes. inadequately represented in the position/ service for which reservations in promotion • The Central Bureau of Investigation will be granted. also resorts to torture as a method of • Finally, it must show that the reservations investigation. are in the interest of administrative • Convictions efficiency. • Policemen responsible for custodial deaths are hardly brought to justice, for instance, in • Jarnail Singh & Ors vs. Lachhmi Narain Gupta & 2015, the police registered cases against fellow Ors case, 2018 police officers in only 33 of the 97 custodial • Firstly, the judgment held that the Supreme deaths. Court’s 2006 Nagaraj judgment does not need • Last year, a Delhi court sentenced five reconsideration by a 7-judge Bench. U.P. policemen to 10 years of rigorous • It also added that the principle of creamy layer imprisonment for torturing a man to death in exclusion applies to SC/STs. custody in 2006. • A review petition of the 2018 Supreme Court • Legislative Interventions order is also pending in the Supreme Court. • India is a signatory to UN convention against Torture, but it hasn’t ratified it yet. Plea for judicial probe in custodial death cases • In 2010, Prevention of Torture Bill was introduced in Parliament but it got it lapsed with The Supreme Court has asked for government’s the 15th Lok Sabha getting dissolved in 2014. response pertaining to implementation

Protections Under Indian Laws:

Constitutional • Article 20 of the constitution is directly relevant to the criminal process. Provisions • Article 20(1) - Prohibits the retrospective operation of penal legislation. • Article 20(2) - It guards against double jeopardy for the same offense. • Article 20(3) - It provides protection against self-incrimination.

• Article 21: Article 21 of the Constitution provides that no person shall be deprived of life or personal liberty except according to the procedure established by law.

Supreme Court The Apex Court earlier declared that any form of torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading rulings treatment would be offensive to human dignity and constitute an inroad into this right to live • D.K. Basu v. State of West Bengal - Under this case, the Supreme court of India observed in this widely publicized death in police custody that using torture to impermissible and offensive to Article 21.

Polity & Governance | 40 • Munshi Singh Gautam and others v. the State of MP - It ruled that the dehumanising torture, assault in alarming proportions raise serious questions about the credibility of the rule of law and administration of the criminal justice system. • Prakash Singh v. Union of India, 2006 - It ruled a slew of reforms to be undertaken for overhauling of the Police system. • Among other reforms, it ruled that every State should have a Police Complaints Authority where any citizen can lodge a complaint against policemen for any act of misdemeanour.

Issues in Implementation • The provision of Police Complaints Authority(Praksh Singh case) has been implemented by a handful of states only such as Kerala, Jharkhand, Haryana, Punjab and Maharashtra.

Implications of Custodial Violence • It is a major issue of human rights concern and one of the root obstacles to democracy and the development of human well-being in contemporary societies.

Way Forward The practice of custodial violence in developing countries like India, is, however, more difficult and complex. A large number of cases of police brutality take place not because of individual aberration, but because of systematic compulsions.

Law Commission’s (273rd Report) • The commission recommended to broaden the definitionof Recommendations torture • It calls for including acts of inflicting injury, either intentionally or involuntarily, or even an attempt to cause physical, mental or psychological injury. • It suggested the burden of proof to be put on the police. • Life term for cops found guilty of custodial violence. • Amendment to CrPc in order to provide compensation for the victims of torture. • Also recommended for Ratification of the UN Convention against torture and a new Anti-torture Law.

Reforms in Police System • Police reforms to include ethical Policing. • Improvisation in recruitment process, Training and sensitisation of Police forces. • Overhauling of the Criminal Justice System. • Proper interrogation techniques coupled with use of scientific methods • Implementation in letter and spirit of SC judicial ruling in Prakash Singh case.

1,120 unstarred questions asked in RS session

According to Rajya Sabha secretariat statistics a total of 118 members, 52% of the effective strength of the House, raised 1,120 unstarred questions. • These questions were not discussed during Question Hour.

Key highlights of the statistics • Lack of participation of all Legislators: 50% of the unstarred questions were asked by Thirty-five members • It helps in ensuring executive’s accountability and guaranteeing official’s responsibility.

41 I Articulate Connecting the Dots Question Hour: • The first hour of every sitting of Parliament is generally reserved for the asking and answering of questions. • The primary hour of each sitting of Parliament is commonly held for the soliciting and replying from questions. • It is dedicated to questions that Members of Parliament raise about any part of the authoritative movement.

Zero Hour: • During the Zero Hour, the members of both the Houses get a chance to raise matters of public importance that need immediate attention. • The time immediately following the Question Hour has come to be known as “Zero Hour”. • Question Hour is not mentioned in the Constitution. It finds mention in the Rules of Procedure of the House.

Types of Questions asked in Zero hour Starred • A Starred Question is one to which a member desires an oral answer in the House and which is distinguished by an asterisk mark. • When a question is answered orally, supplementary questions can be asked thereon.

Unstarred • An Unstarred Question is one which is not called for oral answer in the House and on which no supplementary questions can consequently be asked. • To such an inquiry, a composed answer is regarded to have been laid on the Table after the Question Hour by the Minister to whom it is tended to.

Short Notice Question • A Short Notice Question is one which relates to a matter of urgent public importance and can be asked with shorter notice than the period of notice prescribed for an ordinary question. • Like a starred question, it is answered orally followed by supplementary questions

Shah Faesal Booked under Public Safety Act

J&K People’s Movement chief and former IAS, Shah Faesal was booked under the Public Safety Act (PSA).

Public Safety Act: • The Jammu & Kashmir Public Safety Act, 1978 is a preventive detention law, under which a person is taken into custody to prevent him or her from acting in any manner that is prejudicial to “the security of the state or the maintenance of the public order”. • Preventive detention: It is meant to be preventive, not punitive. • Preventive detention is the most common ground used by a law-enforcement agency when it applies the PSA on an individual. • It is similar to the National Security Act that is used by other state governments for preventive detention.It allows for detention of a person • It comes into force by an administrative order without a formal charge and without trial. passed either by Divisional Commissioner or the District Magistrate, and not by an detention order by police based on specific allegations or for specific violation of laws.

Polity & Governance | 42 Connecting the Dots Constitutional safeguards to the person detained:

Articles of the Constitution Safeguards and SC observation

Article 22(a) • Article 22(a) of the Constitution states that no person who is arrested shall be detained in custody without being informed, as soon as may be, of the grounds for such arrest, nor shall he be denied the right to consult, and to be defended by, a legal practitioner of his choice.

Article 22(b) • Article 22(b) states that every person arrested and detained shall be produced before the nearest magistrate within a period of 24 hours (excluding the time necessary for the journey from the place of arrest to the court) and no such person shall be detained beyond this period without the authority of a magistrate

Article 22(3)(b) • Article 22(3)(b)allows for preventive detention and restriction on personal liberty for reasons of state security and public order.

The Supreme Court • The Supreme Court has held that in order to prevent “misuse of this potentially dangerous power, the law of preventive detention has to be strictly construed and meticulous compliance with the procedural safeguards is mandatory and vital. • It has also held that when a person already under police custody is slapped with the PSA, the DM has to record “compelling reasons” for detaining that person.

How does it work ? • PSA can be challenged: The main way this authoritative preventive confinement request can be tested is through a habeas corpus appeal recorded by family members of the kept individual. • The High Court and the Supreme Court can pass a final order seeking quashing of the PSA and only HC and SC have the purview to hear such petitions. • If the order is quashed: If it is quashed there is no bar on the administration passing another confinement request under the PSA and keeping the individual once more. • When a person is detained under the PSA, the DM communicates to the person within five days, in writing, the reason for the detention.

National Security Act Preventive Detention Act of 1950. The NSA is a close iteration of the 1950 Act. The misuse of NSA especially in cases meant to 4. Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA),1971: suppress political dissent is not seen as in tandem with After the Preventive Detention Act expired in 1969, India’s democratic credentials. the then government brought in the controversial • The recent case is the detention of Dr. Kafeel Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) in 1971 Khan under the National Security Act (NSA), in giving similar powers to the government. connection with an allegedly inflammatory speech 5. National Security Act,1980: Though the MISA he had made on the contentious Citizenship was repealed in 1977, the successive government (Amendment) Act. brought in the NSA.

Background Connecting the Dots 1. Bengal Regulation III of 1818: It empower the colonial government to arrest anyone for defence About NSA or maintenance of public order without giving the • The NSA empowers the Centre or a State person recourse to judicial proceedings. government to detain a person to prevent him from 2. Rowlatt Acts of 1919: A century later, the British acting in any manner prejudicial to national security. government enacted the Rowlatt Acts of 1919 that • The government can also detain a person to allowed confinement of a suspect without trial. prevent him from disrupting public order or for 3. Preventive Detention Act of 1950: Post- maintenance of supplies and services essential independence India got its first preventive to the community. detention rule when the government enacted the

43 I Articulate • The maximum period for which one may be • Chairperson: retired Supreme Court Judge or • The maximum period for which one may detained is 12 months. But the term can be Chief Justice of a High Court. be detained is 12 months. But the term can extended if the government finds fresh evidence. be extended if the government finds fresh evidence. Connecting the Dots Rights of a person under detention In the normal course, if a person is arrested, he or she Rights of a person under detention About Law commission: is guaranteed certain basic rights. In the normal course, if a person is arrested, he or • The Law Commission of India is an executive • Article 22(1) of the Constitution says an arrested she is guaranteed certain basic rights. body established by an order of the person cannot be denied the right to consult, • Article 22(1) of the Constitution says an Government of India. and to be defended by, a legal practitioner of his arrested person cannot be denied the right • Its membership primarily comprises legal choice. to consult, and to be defended by, a legal experts, who are entrusted a mandate by the • These include the right to be informed of the practitioner of his choice. Government. reason for the arrest. • These include the right to be informed of the • The Commission is established for a fixed • The Criminal Procedure Code (Cr.PC) mandates reason for the arrest. tenure and works as an advisory body to the that the person arrested has to be informed of the • The Criminal Procedure Code (Cr.PC) mandates Ministry of Law and Justice. grounds of arrest, and the right to bail. that the person arrested has to be informed of • The first Law Commission was established • The Cr. PC also provides that a person has to the grounds of arrest, and the right to bail. during the British Raj era in 1834 by the Charter be produced before a court within 24 hours of • The Cr. PC also provides that a person has to be Act of 1833. It was presided over by Lord arrest. produced before a court within 24 hours of arrest. Macaulay. After that, three more Commissions were established in pre-independent India. • The Law Commission works in close How is the NSA different? coordination and under the general instruction None of the rights that are available to a person under of the Ministry of Law and Justice. detention, can be availed if detained under the NSA. • It generally acts as the initiation point for law • A person could be kept in the dark about the reform in the country reasons for his arrest for up to five days, and in exceptional circumstances not later than 10 days. Post independence developments: • Even when providing the grounds for arrest, the • After independence, the Constitution of India government can withhold information which it with its Fundamental Rights and Directive considers to be against public interest to disclose. Principles of State Policy gave a new direction • The arrested person is also not entitled to the aid to law reform geared to the needs of a of any legal practitioner in any matter connected democratic legal order in a plural society. with the proceedings before an advisory board, • Though the Constitution stipulated the continuation which is constituted by the government for dealing of pre-Constitution Laws (Article 372) till they are with NSA cases. amended or repealed, there had been demands in Parliament and outside for establishing a Central Criticism of the act Law Commission to recommend revision and • Gives extra-judicial power: Experts say that updating of the inherited laws to serve the changing governments sometimes use NSA as an extra-judicial needs of the country. power to curb dissent. For instance, the government • Government established the First Law can detain a person for as long as it wishes to. Commission of Independent India in 1955 with • Subversion of fundamental rights for national the then Attorney-General of India, Mr. M. C. security: For example, protection against detention Setalvad, as its Chairman. as provided under Article 22 and CrPc are not • Since then twenty one more Law Commissions available when NSA is imposed. have been appointed, each with a three-year • Used based on political or ideological differences: term and with different terms of reference. This promotes arbitrary use of the act to curb • The Indian Code of Civil Procedure, the Indian dissent. Contract Act, the Indian Evidence Act, the Transfer of Property Act. etc. are products of Formation of 22nd Law Commission Of India the first four Law Commissions. • The Commission welcomes suggestions from The formation of a new law Panel has been approved by any person, institution or organisation on the the Cabinet as the term of the previous law panel has issues under consideration of the Commission, ended in august 2019. which may be sent to the Member-Secretary

About 22nd Law Panel: 21st Law Commission: • Law panel will have a three year term. • It was headed by justice B.S. Chauhan (retd.). • The commission will have four full time members, a • Report: The Previous law panel submitted a member secretary and a full time chairperson. report on Uniform civil code, Simultaneous • Ex-officio members: Law and Legislative elections to the Lok sabha and assemblies. Secretaries in the Law Ministry. • It supported Simultaneous elections.however,it • Part time members: not more than five part time had said the time for a common code was not yet members will be part of the Law Panel. ripe.

Polity & Governance | 44 Andra Pradesh demand for Special Key recommendation of 21st law commission: • The Commission recommended that Category Status simultaneous elections may be conducted in AP Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has India, through appropriate amendments. demanded for Special Category Status (SCS) to Andhra • It also recommended that no-confidence motion be Pradesh. replaced with constructive vote of no confidence. • The Law Commission of India report on ‘Wrongful Background: Prosecution (Miscarriage of Justice): The • The 15th Finance Commission report that stated Commission recommended amendments to the that ‘grant of SCS lies in the hands of the Centre’. Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (CrPC), to give • For the record, the SCS was promised to Andhra compensation in cases of miscarriage of justice Pradesh by the then Congress government at the resulting in wrongful prosecution of persons. Centre in 2014, at the time of bifurcation which • It also recommended that claims in relation to resulted in the formation of Telangana. wrongful compensation should be settled speedily. • ‘Special category status’ (SCS) to states is not • On Uniform Civil Code: The Law Commission has mentioned anywhere in the constitution. urged the legislature to “first consider equality • However, the erstwhile National Development Council within communities” between men and women recognized that some regions in the country were rather than equality between communities. historically disadvantaged in comparison to others. • Gender Justice: The Commission has said women Accordingly, to support these regions SCS was started must be guaranteed their freedom of faith without as a Central Plan Assistance. any compromise on their right to equality.It has also • Accordingly, in 1969, SCS was given to J&K, Assam recommended universal age of consent for marriage. and Nagaland. • Child rights: The Commission has recommended that • Eventually, many more states were added to the list the Parliament should enact a law to address the issue : Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Manipur, Meghalaya, of legitimation of children born of live-in relationships Mizoram , Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Tripura and that fail to reach the threshold of a deemed marriage. Uttarakhand. Further, such children should be entitled to inherit the self-acquired property of their parents. • Criminalisation of “hate speeches”: the Connecting the Dots Commission while recognising its delicate dynamic with the right to freedom of speech, Understanding basics of ‘special category status’: recommended that such acts should be made a The SCS was granted to states based on certain criminal offence. criteria: • The Commission proposed a draft Bill titled“The • Non-viable nature of state finances Prevention of Torture Bill, 2017” providing for • Economic and infrastructural backwardness strict punishment to the perpetrators of such acts. • Strategic location along borders with • Food adulteration: Law commission recommended neighboring countries life imprisonment for those convicted of • Hilly and difficult terrain manufacturing and selling adulterated food. • Low population density and/or sizeable share of tribal population

Role of Law Commission: • Advises Government on complex legal issues. The advantage of SCS • The Law Commission on a reference made to it by • SCS states receive a variety of benefits and sops, the Central Government or suo motu undertake the chief amongst them being that in case of research in law. states without SCS , a centrally sponsored scheme • It also reviews the existing laws in India to suggest receives contribution of 60% funds from the centre reforms and to enact new legislation. and 40% from the states. • Justice delivery system: It also undertakes studies • This ratio changes to 90% contribution from centre and research to suggest reforms in the justice and only 10% from states in case of SCS states. delivery systems.the reforms suggested aims to eliminate delay in procedures, speedy disposal of What is the current status of SCS ? cases, reduction in cost of litigation, etc • 14th Finance Commission increased the share of states in • Preparing and submitting to the Central the divisible pool of central taxes from 32% to 42%. Government, from time to time, reports on all • Accordingly, as the states got more untied funds issues, matters, studies and research undertaken (i.e. funds available without any conditions) by it and recommending in such reports for to utilize for various programs/schemes, it effective measures to be taken by the Union or any recommended that there was no need for SCS State. anymore and accordingly it was to be discontinued/ • Considering the requests for providing research to removed. any foreign countries as may be referred to it by the Reasons cited by the central govt. for not giving SCS Government through the Ministry of Law & Justice to Andhra Pradesh (Department of Legal Affairs). • The 14th Finance Commission has recommended removal of SCS status completely.

45 I Articulate • Granting SCS to one state will raise demands from other economically weaker states like Bihar, Food: Rice is the staple food of the majority of Odisha , etc tribes. Drinking of local alcoholic beverage (Zukola), and Rakzu (is most popular among them) High Court dismisses petition seeking voting Their economic life consists of primitive agriculture called Lau (shifting cultivation) which is rights for prisoners also known as Jhum by the common people of the state. The Delhi High Court has rejected a petition seeking Language: Besides, Kalai and Rupini, the rest of voting rights for prisoners noting that the right to cast the sub-tribes’ dialects are found to be almost vote was neither a fundamental right nor a common law synonymous. The Kalai and Rupini use Tripuri right and was only provided by a statute. language, which is called Kokborok. • A petition challenged the constitutionality of Section 62(5) of the RP Act, which deprives prisoners of their right to vote. Connecting the Dots Judgement: • The Bench noted the right to vote provided under the What is the Sixth Schedule statute — Representation of the People Act — was The Sixth Schedule consists of provisions for the subject to restrictions imposed by the law, which administration of tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya, does not allow prisoners to cast votes from jails. Tripura and Mizoram, according to Article 244 of • Earlier, the Election Commission of India (ECI) the Indian Constitution. had informed the High Court that prisoners do not have voting rights under the Representation Aims: it seeks to safeguard the rights of tribal of People Act. population through the formation of Autonomous District Councils (ADC). Tripura tribal council moves to codify • The governors of these states are empowered customary laws of tribal clans to reorganise boundaries of the tribal areas. • They can also alter or change the names of The Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council autonomous regions without separate legislation. (TTAADC) has moved resolutions to codify the customary laws of three tribal clans. About Autonomous districts and regional councils • The council introduced separate bills to adopt the law • Along with ADCs, the Sixth Schedule also provides of the Mizo, the Kaipeng and the Malsom communities for separate Regional Councils for each area to redress their long-standing demands. constituted as an autonomous region. • In all, there are 10 areas in the Northeast that Background: are registered as autonomous districts – three • Tripura has 19 tribal communities, but some are left in Assam, Meghalaya and Mizoram and one in with a very small population. Tripura. These regions are named as district • Most of the customary laws of the numerous tribal council of (name of district) and regional groups in northeast India are not in written structure. council of (name of region). • Several clans have been approaching the TTAADC, • Each autonomous district and regional council which was constituted under the Sixth Schedule consists of not more than 30 members, of of the Constitution, to codify their respective which four are nominated by the governor and customary law. the rest via elections. • All of them remain in power for a term of five years. • Exception: The Bodoland Territorial Council, Important tribes of Tripura: however, is an exception as it can constitute up The Malsom Dofa is a sub-group of the Halam to 46 members out of which 40 are elected. community of Tripura. The Halam Community • Of these 40 seats, 35 are reserved for consists of some sub-tribes, namely, (1) Malsom, the Scheduled Tribes and non-tribal (2) Kaipeng, (3) Hrangkhawl, (4) Kalai, (5) Rupini, (6) communities, five are unreserved and the Bongcher, (7) Karbong, (8) Langkai, (9) Chorai, (10) rest six are nominated by the governor Morsophang, (11) Ranglong and (12) Thangachep. from underrepresented communities of the Bodoland Territorial Areas District (BTAD). The Brus spread across Tripura, Mizoram and parts of southern Assam & the Chittagong Hill Tracts in ADCs empowered with civil and judicial powers Bangladesh are the most populous tribe in Tripura. • The ADCs are empowered with civil and judicial Also known as Reangs, they are ethnically different powers, and can constitute village courts within their from the Mizos, with their own distinct language jurisdiction to hear trials of cases involving the tribes. and dialect and form one of the 21 scheduled tribes • Governors of states that fall under the Sixth of Tripura.In Tripura, they are recognised as a Schedule specifies the jurisdiction of high Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group. courts for each of these cases.

Polity & Governance | 46 • It is argued that having multiple capitals help • The councils are also empowered to make legislative in better distribution of wealth and contribute laws on matters like land, forests, fisheries, social towards inclusive growth. It also helps in countering security, entertainment, public health, etc. with due regional imbalances. approval from the governor. • The roles of the central and state governments Arguments against having multiple capitals: are restricted from the territorial jurisdiction of these autonomous regions. • Oversized single capitals are characteristic for • Also, Acts passed by Parliament and state many poor and underdeveloped nations and states. legislatures may or may not be levied in these • Kolkata with its 15 million people is eleven regions unless the President and the governor gives times more populous than the second her or his approval, with or without modifications in city, Asansol. It is a sign of an unbalanced the laws for the autonomous regions. growth which has hampered West Bengal’s CAA exemption means for 6th Schedule areas: development. It states that areas under the Sixth Schedule are exempted from its purview, which means non- • Multiple capitals hamper administrative Muslim refugees from the three countries who are efficiency:The time and costs of travel of granted Indian citizenship will not have any land or government Ministers, officers, and staff, will be trading rights in the autonomous regions. significant. • Further, the laws made by ADCs with the • Infrastructure requirements: It will need powers bestowed upon them by the Sixth constructing new buildings in the new capitals. Schedule will not be scrapped by the CAA. • Threat to food security due to urban sprawling: Accelerated urbanisation driven by multiple capitals may increase urban sprawls which A case for multiple capitals-Andhra Pradesh could threaten food supplies at a time when food production is already not keeping up with The Andhra Pradesh Assembly passed The Andhra Pradesh population growth. Decentralisation and Equal Development of All Regions • Slum problem: Simultaneous Rapid urbanisation at Bill, 2020, paving the way for three capitals for the state. multiple places in a state can result in an explosion of informal urban settlements, or slums. • Amaravati will now be only the legislative capital, while Visakhapatnam will be the executive capital SC directed states to establish and Kurnool the judicial capital. Gram Nyayalayas

Connecting the Dots Recently, the Supreme Court considered PIL filed by National Federation of Societies for Fast Justice Examples of Indian States/UTs With ‘Second’ directed states that have not issued notification for Capital establishing Gram nyayalayas to do the same within four weeks. Maharashtra: The winter session of the state legislature is held in Nagpur. It doesn’t have any Observation made by Supreme Court: legal status as a capital.” • Only a few states have issued notification and Himachal Pradesh: As of now, the winter session of Gram Nyayalyas are not functioning in the states the state legislature is held in Dharamshala. where they are already established . • The Act has not been enforced properly, with only Arguments in Favour of having multiple Capitals 208 functional Gram Nyayalayas in the country against a target of 5000 such courts • Correct Asymmetric Federalism: In this context, there is a case for some states to consider the Connecting the Dots possibility of having more than one capital to • Gram Nyayalaya: Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008 accommodate the needs of distinct regions. is an Act of Parliament of India enacted for • establishment of Gram Nyayalayas or village courts for speedy and easy access to justice system in the rural areas of India. The Act came into force from 2 October 2009.The Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008 is broadly based on the recommendations of the Law Commission

Features of Gram Nyayalayas: • The Gram Nyayalayas are presided over by a Nyayadhikari, who will have the same power, enjoy the same salary and benefits of aJudicial Magistrate of First Class Source: ORF

47 I Articulate • Appointment of Nyaya adhikari: Appointed by the State Government in consultation with the respective High Court. • The Court can function as a mobile court at any place within the jurisdiction of such Gram Nyayalaya, after giving wide publicity to that regards. • The Gram Nyayalayas have both civil and criminal jurisdiction over the offences and nature of suits specified in the First, Second and Third schedule of the Act.The pecuniary jurisdiction of the Nyayalayas are fixed by the respective High Courts. • Gram Nyayalayas can follow special procedures in civil matters, in a manner it deem just and reasonable in the interest of justice. • Appeals in criminal matters can be made to the Sessions Court in the respective jurisdiction and in civil matters to the District Court within a period of one month from the date of judgment. • The Gram Nyayalaya shall try to settle the disputes as far as possible by bringing about conciliation between the parties and for this purpose, it shall make use of the conciliators to be appointed for this purpose. • The judgment and order passed by the Gram Nyayalaya shall be deemed to be a decree and to avoid delay in its execution. • The Gram Nyayalaya shall not be bound by the rules of evidence provided in the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 but shall be guided by the principles of natural justice and subject to any rule made by the High Court.

Benefits of establishing Gram Nyayalayas: • Access to justice for the poor and disadvantaged: Article 39A of the Constitution directs the State to secure that the operation of the legal system promotes justice, on a basis of equal opportunity and shall provide free legal aid to ensure that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any citizen by reason of economic or other disabilities • Strengthen the judicial system by incorporating various alternative dispute resolution mechanisms like Gram Nyayalayas.

Polity & Governance | 48 49 I Articulate The Medical Termination of it shall be their sole prerogative of whether to Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2020 carry the baby or not. • The pro-life argement imparts right to life to The Union Cabinet has approved amendments to the the foetus and holds that once conceived, the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act 1971 which, foetus is a legal human being whose abortion inter alia, would grant qualified right to abortion to would constitute an act of murder. As such, it women upto 24 weeks of gestation. does not favour termination of pregnancy.

Background Connecting the Dots • According to Lancet Global Health report, 15.6 million abortions were performed in India in 2015. The MTP Act, 1971 allows termination of This translated into an abortion rate of 47 per 1000 pregnancies under two categories: women aged 15-49 years. At Least 5 % of these • For pregnancy upto 12 weeks: It requires were performed outside health facilities which are consent of the bearing women aged 18 or above mostly unsafe. (in the case of minors or mentally ill women, it • Abortion practices in India are regualted under the requires the consent of the legal guardian). MTP Act 1971. • It also requires the opinion of a Registered • Under the MTP Act 1971, the pregnancy can be Medical Practitioner (RMP). terminated at any Government Hospital. • For 12-20 weeks of pregnancy: Consent • However, an amendment to the MTP Act in 2002 requirement is same as above. However, in this provided for abortion at any registered private case, the opinion of two Registered Medical hospital which require the permision of a duly Practitioners is required. constituted District Level Committee. • The grounds on which pregnancy can be terminated is also exclusively specified as: Amendments proposed: a. When continuation of pregnancy is a grave • Increasing the upper limit of allowing abortion from threat to the very life of the mother or has the 20 to 24 weeks of gestation. potential to cause serious physical or mental • Requirement of the opinion of only one RMP upto injury ( e.g. on account of rape) to her health, 20 weeks of gestation and that of two RMPs for 20- b. When there is substantial risk to the life of the 24 weeks of gestation. to-be-born-baby or it can have serious physical • Enhancing the upper gestation limit for special and mental abnormalities and categories of women (which would include c. When pregnancy is the result of failure of vulnerable women e.g. differently-abled women as contraceptives well) from 20 to 24 weeks. • The upper age limit shall not apply in case of Issues with the current legal framework substantial foetal abnormalities as diagnosed by • Those seeking termination of pregnancy beyond 20 the Medical Board to be constituted afresh under weeks are forced to approach the Courts which are subsequent rules. already overburdened. • Identity of the women to be concealed, unless a • With time, abortion becomes increasingly law provides otherwise. dangerous. • The requirements of cumbersome legal processes Significance pushes many to opt for abortion at unauthorized • Much wider reproductive rights and bodily centres. autonomy to women. • This deprives them of access to safe and legal • A major achievement for feminist movement in India. abortion services. • It can also potentially result in much lesser • Mortality in preganant women due to unsafe maternal mortality and mortality during abortion. abortions is 8 % higher. • The proposed law can provide better access to • In certain cases,termination of pregnancies safe and legal abortion services for women on becomes an imperative: therapeutic, humanitarian, social and eugenic • When there is a threat to the life of conceiving grounds and will conclusively give predence to the mothers pro-choice proponents over the pro-life. • When there are foetal abnormalities • When pregnancy is on account of sexual Supreme Court upholds changes to SC/ST violence atrocities law • However, Usually, the foetal anomaly scan is done during the 20th-21st week of pregnancy. The Supreme Court has upheld a 2018 amendment • The requirement of opinion of two doctors for which had barred persons accused from getting terminating pregnancy beyond 12 weeks also takes anticipatory bail. undue time and resources. Background • Pro-choice vs pro-life debate • Subhash Kashinath vs State of Maharashtra • The proponent of pro-choice argue that women March, 2018 must have full autonomy over their body and

SCHEMES, BILLS & ACTS | 50 • The judgment diluted the original 1989 the Mission is to provide piped water supply to all legislation that barred Anticipatory Bail, saying rural and urban households(Har Ghar Jal) by 2024. SC/STs were using its provisions to file false • It also aims to create local infrastructure for criminal complaints against innocent persons rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge and • It allowed anticipatory bail to those booked for management of household wastewater for reuse in committing atrocities against Scheduled Castes agriculture. and Scheduled Tribes members. • The Jal Jeevan Mission is set to be based on • The judgement directs a “preliminary enquiry” various water conservation efforts like to be conducted on whether a complaint filed by • point recharge, a Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe member is • desilting of minor irrigation tanks, frivolous or not. • use of greywater for agriculture and source • An FIR would be registered only after the probe sustainability. officer,Deputy Superintendent of Police, authenticates the complaint of casteist slur or Significance of the mission: crime. • Depleting water resources: Depleting groundwater • The Supreme Court verdict, 2018 saw a huge level, overexploitation and deteriorating water backlash across the country. Several died in quality, climate change, etc. are major challenges ensuing protests and property worth crores of to provide potable drinking water. The situation rupees was destroyed. becomes worse as India has 16% of the world • The government reacted by filing a population, but only 4% of freshwater resources. review petition in the Supreme Court and • Need of the hour: It is an urgent requirement of subsequently amended the 1989 Act back into water conservation in the country because of the its original form. decreasing amount of groundwater level. • The Jal Jeevan Mission will focus on integrated demand and supply management of water at the local level. Connecting the Dots All in all, the Jal Jeevan Mission will converge with Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention other Central and State Government Schemes to of Atrocities) Amendment Act of 2018. achieve its objectives of sustainable water supply • It inserted Section 18A ,which included the management across the country. following provisions • Preliminary enquiry shall not be required for registration of a First Information Report against any person; or • It reaffirms the original legislative intention of section 438 of C.R.P.C, pre arrest bail is not applicable for the accused booked under the atrocities act.

Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2015 • The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2015 seeks to ensure more stringent provisions for prevention of Atrocities against Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes. • The Act is an amendment to the Principal Act, namely, the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) (PoA) Act, 1989.

Jal Jeevan Mission

The tableau of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, highlighting the Government’s new initiative ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’ which aims at providing Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC) to every rural household by 2024. • It has been adjudged the best tableau of this year’s Republic Day parade.

About Jal Jeevan Mission: • Announced in August 2019, the chief objective of

51 I Articulate Economy | 52 53 I Articulate Operation Vanilla various fields including oil and gas, mineral resources, traditional medicine, animal husbandry, Indian Navy has launched Operation Vanilla to provide bio-energy and trade & investment Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief at Madagascar. • They have set an ambitious target of $15 billion annual trade by 2022. • Madagascar has been hit by a tropical Cyclone Diane. • The India-Brazil Joint Commission for political, economic, scientific, technological and cultural • There has been heavy flooding and landslides which cooperation will be the main forum for monitoring has caused loss of lives and displacement of a the implementation of the Action Plan and will number of people. convene every two years.

• On request received from Madagascar, Indian Navy • Brazil has also agreed to solve the matter of the Ship Airavat has been diverted to Antsiranana. Indian Government’s sugar subsidy in a bilateral way, instead of using the WTO Dispute Settlement • The ship will undertake Humanitarian Assistance Mechanism. and Disaster Relief missions to provide assistance to flood affected Madagascar. • Social Security Agreement (SSA): Brazil and India will also exchange a Social Security Agreement • The Operation Vanilla is part of India’s Security and (SSA), first signed in March 2017. Growth for all in the Region (SAGAR) Programme. Strategic Partnership Action Plan: • It will serve as an “umbrella agreement”, for plans About Security and Growth for all in the Region between the two countries to increase defence (SAGAR) Programme cooperation, technology sharing and a logistics • It is a maritime initiative for nurturing peace, agreement. stability in Indian Ocean region in line with India’s foreign policy Indo-Brazil Relations : Background India and Brazil, being colonial cousins, share • The goal of the programme is to seek a cordial relationship at the bilateral level which climate of trust and transparency; respect for was elevated to a Strategic Partnership in 2006 international maritime rules and norms by all and have converging stands at various multilateral countries; sensitivity to each other’s interests; forums like WTO, UNO, World Bank, IMF, G77 etc. peaceful resolution of maritime security issues; and increase in maritime cooperation. • They are both part of BRICS, IBSA and G4 initiatives and cooperate closely on various issues of international significance. About INS Airavat • Primarily designed for amphibious assault • Brazil played a crucial role in India-Mercosur operations, INS Airavat has the capacity to Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) that carry 500 soldiers and can provide stern improves India’s access to the large South refuelling for other naval vessels. American market.

• It is equipped with a fully-functioning • Countries including Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay hospital on-board and has made significant and Uruguay (MERCOSUR) have been in talks contributions in Humanitarian Assistance & with India for expanding the tariff lines in an Disaster Relief (HADR) during natural disasters effort to boost the trade volumes. like tsunamis and cyclones.

About Vanilla Islands The current state of relations It is an affiliation of the island nationsSeychelles, • Trade ties: Trade between India and Brazil during Madagascar, Réunion, Mauritius, Comoros, 2018-19 was worth $8.2 billion, down from $11.4 Mayotte in the Indian Ocean to form a new travel billion in 2014. destination brand. • Investments: In 2018 Indian investments in Brazil were around $6 billion and Brazilian investments in India -Brazil Relations India are estimated at $1 billion.

Brazilian President Mr. Bolsonaro was the Guest of • Energy Honour for the Republic Day celebrations, 2020. • ONGC Videsh is involved in hydrocarbon exploration in the Brazilian waters. It recently Outcomes of the Visit made a significant discovery of natural gas • The two countries signed 15 agreements across there.

54 I Articulate • Brazil has also joined India-led International Solar colonialism and neo-colonialism, both countries Alliance to give a push to renewable energy in the favour deeper cooperation among the members developing countries. of the Third World including intra-Third World. The South-South Cooperation Fund under • Defence cooperation: Brazil and India have signed IBSA Initiative, where both countries are major a bilateral ‘Defence Cooperation Agreement’ in contributors, seeks to realise this objective. 2003 that calls for cooperation in defence-related matters, especially in the field of Research and • Concerns: Development, acquisition and logistic support • Low trade: Total trade stands at an underwhelming between the two countries $8 billion.

• Cultural ties: Brazil is witnessing a renewed • Climate change cooperation: There is scepticism in interest in Indian culture, arts, philosophy and both over the costs that developing countries may religions. Yoga, Ayurveda and Bollywood are hugely have to bear to combat climate change. popular among Brazilians. • Last year, Brazil decided not to host the COP-25 UN climate talks. • Global politics: As leading countries in the Third World, they are a critic of Neo-imperialism by the • The China factor: China’s aggressive plan to expand West and exploitative practices of MNCs. its BRI initiative to Latin America has squeezed the space for India. Significance of Indo-Brazil relations • At Social Level • Connectivity : The single most important hurdle in • Food security: Brazil is among the largest realising deeper cooperation is perhaps geography. producers of agricultural products.Thus it can Also, there is no direct air connectivity between the play a crucial role in India’s food security, in two countries. addition to manoeuvring inflation cycles. • People to people contact: Contacts between the • Poverty reduction: They can learn from each civil societies, researchers, scientists etc.that can other’s best practices e.g. Bolsa Familia social act as a platform to further strengthen partnership security programme in Brazil and Aadhaar among the two nations, is also scarce. based cash transfers in India. • Lack of regional approach: Brazil lacks a strategic • At Economic level vision towards the Indo-Pacific region while India • Market: Brazil provides a huge market for India’s also does not have a dedicated South America export diversification drive in agricultural policy. products, automobiles, electronic goods, handsets. Its comparative edge in Pharma and the IT sector Way forward: can be leveraged in Brazil as well. • Agribusiness: Promoting Brazilian ethanol exports to India and In exchange, Brazil should help Indian • Mineral resources: Brazil is also rich in mineral farmers implement a more efficient ethanol resources like gold, bauxite, iron ore, tin diamond, programme. Platinum copper etc which India struggles to meet from domestic production. • Clean energy: Both countries have set laudable goals for expanding the use of solar power. • Energy security: India imports over 80% of its Each could benefit from a cross-fertilization of oil consumption and over 45% of its natural gas investment in solar power. needs. Brazil, on the other hand, is the 10th largest • Electric vehicles: Brazil’s Marcopolo, a bus producer of oil, 2nd largest known oil shale, 6th manufacturer, formed a joint venture with highest uranium reserves and has expertise in India’s Tata Motors to produce buses and hydropower production and in ethanol production coaches for the Indian market. from crops. • Preferential trade agreement: Preferential • At Global Level treatment for each country’s goods would benefit • Reforms in global governance: Both the countries the large multinationals, small and medium-sized are vocal advocates for reforms in Institutions of firms particularly in the digital payments sector. global governance to give equitable weightage to the Global South. This includes IMF quota reforms • Establishing a Two plus Two mechanism for regular and securing for themselves a permanent seat at high-level meetings can also act as a channel for the UNSC. deeper cooperation.

• Soft Power: Brazil can act as a gateway to project • Direct air connectivity and more diplomatic India’s soft power in South America. missions to each other can cater to the needs of increasing people to people contacts. • South-South Cooperation: Being a victim of

International Developments | 55 • Brazil & India being two large democracies can Background: Timeline of Changing cooperate across various multilateral fora like the UN, WTO, G77, BRICS etc. platforms. Israel-Palestine Map

• India must utilise Brazil’s expertise in Hydropower generation to realise the objectives of its New Hydroelectric Policy 2019.

• Brazil can also play a crucial role in defusing the chaos in Venezuela which has significantly impacted India’s energy security.

• India, being one of the most vulnerable nations in terms of the impact of climate change, shall play its part in nudging Brazil’s current negligence of Global warming and Climate Change as was evident in its response to the unprecedented Amazon forest firesof 2019.

Source : https://ifamericansknew.org/ Brazil, being the most important country in the region, can act as an important pillar for furthering India’s ambitious goal of reaching out to the yet-to-be-tapped Latin American & Carribean (LAC) region while India Proposals in the Plan and probable can be a gateway for Brazil to the Indo-Pacific region. Impacts of the Plan They can also be partners in furthering the interests of the Third World at global fora.

Connecting the Dots

India-Brazil WTO dispute • India is the world’s leading producer of sugar while Brazil is the 2nd largest producer.

• However, Brazil’s sugar export of 21.26 MMT accounts for 45% of global sugar exports against India’s 2 % share as of 2018, as per the International Sugar Organization.

• Brazil has alleged that India’s support (in the Source: The New York Times form of FRP by the Centre and SAP by the States) to the cane farmers exceeds the levels of domestic support allowed to India under the For the state of Israel WTO’s Agriculture Agreement which is 10 % of • Status of Jerusalem the total output. • Jerusalem will not be divided, and it will remain the sovereign capital of the State of Israel. • India has maintained that the supports were not having a trade-distorting effect on the global sugar • Both Israel and the Palestinians make non- market and are intended to provide for and avoid negotiable claims over Jerusalem. the over-exploitation of 35 million vulnerable, resource-poor farmers in the country. • Jerusalem’s holy sites should be subject to the same governance regimes that exist today and should remain open and available for Trump’s West Asia peace plan peaceful worshippers and tourists of all faiths.

Peace to Prosperity: President Donald Trump’s new Change of borders Middle East plan has been launched recently. • The plan contains a conceptual map that claims to meet Israel’s security requirements. • The plan has been praised by Israel’s Prime Minister as a realistic path to a durable peace, but rejected • Israel will not have to unroot any settlements by President of the Palestinian Authority as a and will incorporate the vast majority of Israeli conspiracy deal. settlements into contiguous Israeli territory.

• Also the Israeli enclaves located inside contiguous

56 I Articulate Palestinian territory will become part of the State • For instance, the Palestinian Authority should of Israel and be connected to it through an effective dismiss its current complaints at the International transportation system. Criminal Court against Israel and refrain itself from taking further actions. • The plan says the Jordan Valley, which is critical for Israel’s national security will be under Israeli • In the final settlement, Palestine would get control sovereignty. over more land than what it currently controls.

• The plan proposes to enlarge Gaza and connect the strip with the West Bank through a tunnel. Connecting the Dots Jordan valley • The Arab towns in the southeast of Israel, which • Annexation of the Jordan Valley is the proposed are close to Gaza, could become part of a future application of Israeli sovereignty over the Palestinian state. Jordan Valley. Economic package for socio-economic development • The idea has been advocated by some Israeli • The plan lays out its economic and welfare politicians since the Israeli occupation of the potential for the region West Bank began in 1967, most notably with the Allon Plan and the 2019 Netanyahu plan. • Facilitate more than $50 billion in new investment over 10 years, supplied by international donors, • According to some reports, 65,000 Palestinians chiefly Arab nations. and about 11,000 Israeli settlers live in the area. Concerns • Biased towards Israel: The deal which was drawn up without any meaningful Palestinian participation, is loaded in Israel’s favour.

• US not an impartial negotiator: The Palestinians believe that the Trump administration recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in 2017 is not an impartial negotiator between the two sides.

• Palestine at disadvantage: Critics have said the real intention could be to change the starting point of future negotiations and the Palestinians will begin with a disadvantage. That’s why the President of Palestinian authority has proposed – “Jerusalem Source: Wikipedia is not for sale”.

It also says that Israelis will observe a four-year • Crack down on terrorism not possible: Crack land freeze, during which time the Palestinians can down on Hamas and Islamic Jihad is practically reconsider whether to engage in negotiations. impossible as both operate from Gaza and the Palestinian Authority runs only West Bank For the Palestine territories. • The deal offers the possibility of a US-recognised quasi sovereign state that will not have a standing • Israel’s plan to annex: Israeli government has army. announced that it would seek cabinet approval to annex the Jordan Valley and all Jewish settlements • The plan allows Palestinians significant territorial in the West Bank - a move that will likely be seen by expansion and avoids forced population transfers the Palestinians as an escalation. of either Arabs or Jews. • Legalizing Israeli settlements: The idea that • Palestine will have to give up violent resistance illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank should to Israel, and ensure the disbandment of Hamas become legal and permanent will be difficult for the (which governs Gaza) and the Islamic Jihad. Palestinians to agree to. • The plan has denied the right of return of the Palestinian refugees as the plan proposed truncated sovereignty for the Palestinians in a state that would practically be surrounded by Israel.

• The PA is also required to stop challenging Israeli actions on international fora.

International Developments | 57 Way ahead • The FATF is currently chaired by China. Talks not dictating terms will work: Issues such as the status of Jerusalem and the right to return of refugees • The FATF monitors the progress of its members (an internationally accepted right) and the final borders in implementing necessary measures, reviews should be resolved through talks, not by dictating terms money laundering and terrorist financing to one party. techniques and counter-measures, and Lastly, It is virtually impossible for any Palestinian promotes the adoption and implementation of leader to sell these proposals to people who have been appropriate measures globally. resisting Israel’s occupation for decades. Under the current conditions, it looks more like a plan for further • The FATF’s decision making body, the FATF annexation of territories by Israel than one that seeks Plenary, meets three times per year. constructive and lasting peace. List • Grey list : A country is put on the grey list of FATF and Pakistan FATF when it fails to curb terrorism financing and money laundering.FATF grey lists a country Pakistan has informed global terror financing watchdog which it considers as a safe haven for terror Financial Action Task Force (FATF) that Masood Azhar, funding and money laundering.It is a warning to founder of terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), and the country to tackle the issues. his family are “missing.” » Masoosd Azhar was listed as a designated terrorist • Blacklist: Putting a country on the blacklist by UNSC1267 Committee in 2019. means shutting all doors to international finance for that country. Background: • Pakistan was placed on the Grey List by the FATF in June 2018 and given a plan of action to complete it by October 2019, or face the risk of being placed Probable Impacts on Pakistan if Blacklisted: on the blacklist with Iran and North Korea. • It would severely impact its import as well as the exports. • Pakistan was placed on the Grey list in February 2012 and was removed from it in February 2015 after • Its economy is dependent on Foriegn investors. it passed a National Action Plan (NAP) to deal with After blacklisting it would threaten the stability of terrorism following the Peshawar school massacre Pakistan’s economy. in December 2014. • Loan agreements with IMF and ADB would also • It was placed under severe restrictions in 2008- suffer. 2012. • Blacklisting may also jeopardise Pakistan’s • The FATF is presently reviewing Pakistan’s case multi-billion dollar part in China’s Belt and Road to see if it fulfils the global standards criteria to Initiative. combat terror financing. Connecting the Dots Connecting the Dots Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering Financial Action Task Force • The Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering is About an inter-governmental Organisation, consisting • The FATF is an inter-governmental body of 41 member jurisdiction. established in 1989 to combat money laundering, terrorist financing and other • It is focused on ensuring that its members related threats to the integrity of the effectively implement the international international financial system. standards against money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing related to • It is a “policy-making body” which works to weapons of mass destruction. generate the necessary political will to bring about national legislative and regulatory reforms in these areas. BIMSTEC Conference on Combating

Objective: Drug Trafficking • To set standards and promote effective implementation of legal, regulatory and Recently Home minister inaugurated two-day operational measures for combating BIMSTEC ‘Conference on Combating Drug Trafficking’, money laundering, terrorist financing and in New Delhi, which is organised by the Narcotics other related threats to the integrity of the Control Bureau. international financial system. Institutional Structure Significance of the conference:

58 I Articulate • Nations of the BIMSTEC are affected by illicit drug the name of the grouping was changed to ‘Bay of trade, transnational crimes and terrorism can use Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and this conference to devise coordinated strategies in Economic Cooperation’ (BIMSTEC). ending the evil from its roots. USTR takes off India from developing • Strengthen ‘Neighbourhood First’ and ‘Act East’ country’s list policies.

• According to the UN’s World Drug Report and said Recently USA Amended lists of developing and least- that over 5% of the global population between 15- developed countries eligible for preferential treatment 64 years of age is addicted to narcotics and use of with respect to CVD investigation. illicit drugs. • India was on the developing country list and The rate of addiction is showing a fast increase i.e. a therefore eligible for these more relaxed standards. 30% rise in the last 10 years. • Cooperation with neighbouring countries is the • As per 1998 rule USA classified countries as per need of the hour.Manipur and Mizoram shares their level of development. These lists were used to border with Myanmar and many coastal states are determine whether they were potentially subject to also sensitive and may become gateway for illicit U.S. countervailing duties. drug trafficking. About ‘developing country’ status w.r.t trade • The “developing country” status owes its origin Connecting the Dots to the U.S. Trade Act of 1974, which authorised the Opium production regions Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) to help • India lies in the middle of two major opium poor countries develop faster. production regions. • These benefits were extended further under the • Golden Crescent (Iran-Afghanistan-Pakistan) in World Trade Organization wherein rich countries the West. agreed to grant trade benefits to countries that classified themselves as poor. • The Golden Triangle (Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar) in South East Asia is the area at • The office of the United States Trade the confluence of two rivers namely Ruak and Representative (USTR) maintains a list of countries Mekong. that it classifies as“developing”, “developed”, and “least-developed”. BIMSTEC The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral • About two-thirds of countries that are members Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is of the WTO classify themselves as “developing” a regional organization comprising seven Member countries and avail benefits. States lying in the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal constituting a contiguous regional • Countries that are classified as “developing” are unity. allowed to export certain goods to the U.S. without being hit by punitive tariffs that are usually imposed • Members on goods from “developed” countries. • It comprises seven Member States: five deriving from South Asia, including Arguments put forward by U.S : Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, • The U.S. administration has accused fast-growing and two from Southeast Asia, including countries such as India and China of wrongly Myanmar and Thailand. claiming trade benefits that are reserved only for the truly developing countries. • History • This sub-regional organization came into • It has sought to renegotiate trade deals trying to being on 6 June 1997 through the Bangkok make these deals more “fair” to the interests of Declaration. the U.S.

• Initially, the economic bloc was formed with • India has traditionally been one of the largest four Member States with the acronym ‘BIST- beneficiaries under the GSP, with over 2,000 goods EC’ (Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand having been exempted from import tariffs which Economic Cooperation). have been stripped of last year.

• Myanmar was included in 1997 • Countries like India and China have witnessed significant growth in the last few decades. • With the admission of Nepal and Bhutan at the 6th Ministerial Meeting (2004, Thailand), • The share of global trade enjoyed by India and

International Developments | 59 China and their membership in the G20 club to argue that they enjoy significant economic power. • Children from India, Maldives and Bangladesh under the age of 5 will not have to pay the levy and those between 6 and 12 years will be required to pay only ₹600. Connecting the Dots

The Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) Donald Trump acquitted by Senate • It was instituted in 1971. It is the largest and oldest U.S. trade preference program. U.S. President Donald Trump, impeached by the House of Representatives, was acquitted by the Senate • It is a preferential tariff system which involves bringing to a close a bitter process that lasted close to reduced MFN Tariffs or duty-free entry of five months. eligible products exported by beneficiary countries to the markets of donor countries. Connecting the Dots

• It is designed to promote economic Impeachment of the President in USA development in designated beneficiary countries. • Under the US Constitution, the House of Representatives (Lower House) has the “the • The US has recently withdrawn its preferential sole power of impeachment” while the Senate treatment to Indian exports under the (Upper House) has “the sole power to try all Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) that impeachments”. covered around 2,000 items valued at $6.3 • In impeachment proceedings, the House billion. of Representatives charges an official of the federal government by approving, by majority vote, articles of impeachment.

Probable implications on the global trade • A committee of representatives, called • Any move to end duty-free access for foreign goods “managers,” acts as prosecutors before the into the U.S will increase the overall tax burden on Senate. goods crossing international borders. This will add further pressure on the global economy, which has • The Senate sits as a High Court of Impeachment already witnessed a slowing of growth this year. in which senators consider evidence, hear witnesses, and vote to acquit or convict the • The growth effects of a tariff war could rise further impeached official. if countries that are stripped of their “developing” economy status decide to retaliate by imposing • In the case of presidential impeachment trials, tariffs on goods that they import from the U.S. the chief justice of the United States presides. • The Constitution requires a two-thirds vote of Bhutan ends free entry for the Senate to convict, and the penalty for an Indian tourists impeached official upon conviction is removal from office.

Bhutan has decided to end the free entry to Indian Impeachment history tourists visiting Bhutan. • No US President has ever been removed as a direct result of impeachment. The House did impeach two Presidents — Andrew Johnson Connecting the Dots (1968) and Bill Clinton (1998) — but the Senate did not convict them. Sustainable Development Fee: • The objective of SDF is to provide better Impeachment articles against Trump: facilities to the tourists. • The first article was on abuse of power: The article states Mr. Trump “corruptly solicited the • Bhutan has passed ‘Tourism Levy and government of Ukraine to publicly announce Exemption Bill of Bhutan’ 2020. investigations” into Mr. Biden, Trump’s potential rival in the 2020 elections and into “a discredited • To levy a daily ₹1,200 ($17) fee for “regional theory” that Ukraine interfered with the 2016 tourists” from India, the Maldives and presidential election. Bangladesh, beginning July 2020. • The second article was on obstruction of • However, SDF for India,Bangladesh and Congress: It alleges that Mr. Trump obstructed the Maldives is considerably lower than the $65 Congressional impeachment inquiry by refusing to charged to other foreign tourists. cooperate with it and asked the White House and

60 I Articulate other government departments not to comply with United Kingdom’s points-based visa policy House subpoenas.

In order to regulate the way migrants will come to the UK to work, study, visit or join their family, the UK has Connecting the Dots launched a new points-based immigration system.

Borrowed Features of the Indian Constitution Working of the policy: from USA • Under this system, points will be assigned for • Impeachment of the president specific skills, qualifications, salaries or professions • Functions of president and vice-president and visas will be awarded to those who will have • Removal of Supreme Court and High court enough points. judges • Fundamental Rights • Both EU and non-EU citizens will need to • Judicial review demonstrate that they have a job offer from an • Independence of judiciary approved sponsor, that the job offer is at the • Preamble of the constitution required level and that they speak English.

Impeachment process of president in India: • The salary thresholds have been established as Article 61 provides for the procedure for per the Migration Advisory Committee’s (MAC) impeachment of the president for violation of the recommendations. constitution. • To be eligible to apply a total of 70 points are • The charge shall be preferred by either House of required, with some tradeable characteristics of the Parliament. No such charge shall be preferred system. unless- • The proposal to prefer such charge is About the policy contained in a resolution which has been • The new immigration system that affects theEU moved afterat least fourteen days’ notice citizens, who will now be treated at par with non- in writing signed by not less than one- EU citizens will come into effect from January 1, quarter of the total number of members 2021. Non-EU citizens already follow a points-based of the House has been given of their system to migrate to the UK. intention to move the resolution, and Such a resolution has been passed by a majority • The implementation of the points-based system of not less than two-thirds of the total does not change the status of those EU citizens membership of the House. already in the UK as per the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) and those whose status • It is then sent to the other house. The other under EUSS is settled. house investigates the charges that have been made. • It will end free movement between the UK and EU, treating both EU and non-EU citizens equally. • During this process, the president has the right to defend oneself through an authorised Rohingya Issue in the ICJ counsel.

• If the second house also approves the charges The International Court of Justice(ICJ) has recently made by a special majority again, the president ruled that Myanmar must stands impeached and is deemed to have • Implement emergency measures to protect vacated their office from the date when such a Rohingya Muslims against violence resolution is passed. • Preserve evidence of possible genocide Facts and Cases • No president has faced impeachment • Allow access to possible evidences of genocide and proceedings so far. Report on the progress within four months with a • Legal immunity follow-up every six months thereafter • The Supreme court in the case Rameshwar Prasad & Ors vs Union Of India & Anr : the • The court has emphasized the vulnerability of president cannot be prosecuted and over 6 lakh Rohingyas from attacks by the security imprisoned during his term of office. forces. The case at ICJ: • He/She can be prosecuted after he • In November 2019, Gambia moved to the UN Court she steps down from the post for the against Myanmar over alleged violations of the guilty committed during the term of Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of presidency as declared earlier by the courts. the Crime of Genocide, 1948.

International Developments | 61 Myanmar’s stand: UAE, the other countries declared to be “reciprocating • Myanmar holds that Gambia, a member of the OIC, territories” are: United Kingdom, Singapore, has filed the case not in its own capacity but as a Bangladesh, Malaysia, Trinidad & Tobago, New Zealand, proxy of the OIC. Also, Gambia has relied on OIC the Cook Islands (including Niue) and the Trust documents to allege genocide against Rohingyas. Territories of Western Samoa, Hong Kong, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Aden.

Connecting the Dots Organisation for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) • Founded in 1969, it is a grouping of 57 countries, 53 of which are Muslim majority states. Connecting the Dots About ‘reciprocating territory’ and superior • It is headquartered in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. courts: Section 44A, titled “Execution of decrees passed by Courts in reciprocating territory”, • It regards itself as a collective voice of the provides the law on the subject of execution of Islamic world. decrees of Courts in India by foreign Courts and vice versa. • India, home to the largest Muslim population in a non-muslim majority state is not a its member. • Essentially, orders passed by certain designated courts from a ‘reciprocating territory’ can be Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of implemented in India, by filing a copy of the the Crime of Genocide, 1948 decree concerned in a District Court here. • Also called the Genocide Convention, it defines genocide in explicit terms. • The courts so designated are called ‘superior Courts’. • It binds all parties to prevent and punish actions of genocide in war as well as in peacetime. • The scope of the Section is restricted to decrees for payment of money, not being sums • 152 countries, including India have ratified it, the payable “in respect of taxes or other charges latest being Mauritius. of a like nature or in respect of a fine or other penalty”.

• Myanmar’s civilian leadership as well as the • It also cannot be based on an arbitration Armed forces have maintained that the measures award, even if such an award is enforceable as a taken were in response to an insurgency by the decree or judgment. Muslim radicals and that they did not had any premeditated intention against the group.

• Ms. Suu Kyi insisted that the 2017 violence was Significance:The decision is believed to help bring proportionate to the threat of insurgency by Arakan down the time required for executing decrees between Rohingya Salvation Army. the two countries.

Limitations of ICJ rulings • The notification was the only remainingpart of • The ICJ orders are binding on the Parties ( a 1999 agreement between the UAE and India Article 94 of the UN Charter) per se but there related to cooperation in civil and commercial is no effective mechanism to ensure their matters. implementation. • Indian expatriates in the UAE would no longer be UAE has been declared ‘reciprocating able to seek safe haven in their home country if they territory’ by India. What does this mean? are convicted in a civil case in the UAE.

Recently, the Ministry of Law and Justice issued an Extraordinary Gazette Notification, declaring the United Arab Emirates to be a “reciprocating territory” under Section 44A of the Civil Procedure Code, 1908.

• The notification also declared a list of courts in the UAE to be “superior Courts” under the same section. Other countries enjoying same status: Apart from

62 I Articulate Economy | 63 Apiary on Wheels potential States of the country. • One of the objectives of the Scheme is to Union Minister of MSME flagged off ‘Apiary on Wheels’, encourage scientific beekeeping practice for a unique concept designed by KVIC for the easy upkeep enhancing the income of farmers and rural and migration of Bee Boxes having live Bee colonies. youth.

About Apiary on Wheels About Khadi and Village Industries Commission • Apiary on Wheels is a platform which can carry 20 (KVIC) Bee Boxes from one place to another without any • It is a statutory body established by Khadi and difficulty. Village Industries Commission Act of 1956’. • It is an apex organisation under the Ministry of • It also has sugar drips which helps to feed the bees Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME). in the summer season. • It is charged with the planning, promotion, • The Apiary on Wheels is like an attachment which organisation and implementation of programs can be easily connected with a Tractor or a Trolley for the development of Khadi and other village and may be pulled to any suitable destination. industries in the rural areas in coordination with other agencies engaged in rural development wherever necessary. Connecting the Dots • It is the nodal implementation agency of Prime Honey Mission, 2017 Minister Employment Generation Programme • On the lines of sweet revolution,KVIC launched (PMEGP) at national level. Honey (Bee) Mission for promoting Beekeeping and generating employment in the beekeeping Benefits of Apiary on Wheels • Apiary on wheels is a holistic approach to address the challenges faced by the beekeepers. It is designed so as to reduce the labour and cost of maintaining and upkeeping Bee Boxes and live bee colonies across India.

What is Apiculture? Challenges in Apiculture Potential of Apiculture in India Bee keeping involves laborious and mentally challenging tasks It is the maintenance of bee such as placing the bee boxes in a colonies, commonly in man-made strategic position so as to provide hives, by humans. enough nectar from flowers to the Both the natural and cultivated bees, vegetation in India constitute This housing of bees in a container an immense potential for is true “beekeeping”, but the term Maintaining the bees during development of beekeeping. is used loosely to describe all the summers and migrating the bee techniques involving bees and the boxes accordingly to fulfil the India has a potential to keep about harvesting and processing of their nourishment needs of the bees. 120 million bee colonies that can products. provide self-employment to over 6 million rural and tribal families. The raw materials for the Especially in summers, the beekeeping industry are mainly beekeepers usually adopted pollen and nectar that come from crude methods to feed the bees flowering plants and many bees used to die in the process.

64 I Articulate Indian Railways’ corporate train model • Around 267 million young people aged 15-24 fall in NEET (not in employment, education or training) category. The Kashi Mahakal Express is the country’s third corporate train after the two Tejas Express trains Reasons Listed between Delhi-Lucknow and Mumbai-Ahmedabad • Deep seated Inequalities started over the past few months. • Work-related inequalities and exclusion (Gender/Age/Regional), that too if substantial in About the model nature serve as a limiting factor for economic • This is a new model being actively pushed by cum individual growth. Report shows that these Indian Railways to outsource the running of regular continue to mar the job market. passengers trains to its PSU, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC). • Global Economic Turmoil - Slowdown, Trade Protectionism, Deglobalisation • This has been dubbed an experiment as a natural • With developed countries experiencing slow extension of this model is to lease out 100 routes to growth, stumbling rising economies. stagnating private players to run 150 trains. African Countries, global slowdown has become a reality taking a toll on Employment scenario. Working of Corporate Model • Service provider: In this model, the corporation • Protectionism impacts trade and investment, in turn takes all the decisions of running the service - fare, drop National Incomes leading to wage and job losses. food, onboard facilities, housekeeping, complaints etc.

• Owner: Indian Railways is free from these burdens Connecting the Dots and gets to earn from IRCTC a pre-decided amount, being the owner of the network. About International Labour Organization

World Employment and Social Outlook: • The ILO was created in 1919, as part of the Treaty of Versailles that ended World War I, Trends 2020 to reflect the belief that universal and lasting peace can be accomplished only if it’s based on social justice. Global unemployment is projected to increase by around 2.5 million in 2020 and almost half a billion • In 1946, the ILO became a specialized agency of people are working fewer paid hours than they would the United Nations. like or lack adequate access to paid work, according to UN’s International Labour Organization report. • The only tripartite U.N. agency, the ILO brings together governments, employers and workers of 187 member States, to set labour standards, develop policies and devise programmes Connecting the Dots promoting decent work for all women and men.

Parameters of Evaluation: • The ILO has 187 member states: 186 of the 193 The ILO’s report analyses key labour market issues, UN member states plus the Cook Islands are including unemployment, labour underutilisation, members of the ILO. working poverty, income inequality, labour income share and factors that exclude people from decent • The International Labour Office is the work. permanent secretariat of the International Labour Organization. Magnitude of the Problem: » Quantitative aspect • India is a founder member of ILO. • Across the globe, the count of people reeling under unemployment hovers around 188 million. • The headquarters of ILO is in Geneva, Switzerland. » Qualitative aspect • Along with that, 165 million people do not have • Other ILO’s reports: The ILO also publishes enough paid work, and 120 million lack access to reports on the ‘Future of Work’, Global Wage the labour market. Report & ‘Small Matters’ report.

• Moderate or extreme working poverty (defined as earning less than USD 3.20 per day in purchasing power parity terms) affects more than 630 million workers.

Economy | 65 India and ILO Giving a major boost for the farmer’s income, the • India has ratified six out of the eight core/ Government has approved the increase in the fundamental International Labour Organisation Minimum Support Price (MSPs) for all Kharif & Rabi (ILO) Conventions. These are crops for 2018-19 season at a level of at least 150 percent of the cost of production. • Forced Labour Convention, • Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, • Soil Health Cards: Implementation of flagship • Equal Remuneration Convention, scheme of distribution of Soil Health Cards • Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) to farmers so that the use of fertilizers can be Convention, 1958, rationalized. • Minimum Age Convention, and • Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, • Per drop more crop: initiative under which drip/ 1999 sprinkler irrigation is being encouraged for optimal utilization of water, reducing cost of inputs and • India has not ratified the core/fundamental increasing productivity. Conventions, namely • Freedom of Association and Protection of the • Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) to Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) and promote organic farming. • Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 • e-NAM: Launch of e-NAM initiative to provide farmers an electronic transparent and competitive • India recently ratified two key core conventions on online trading platform. child labour after amendment to the Child Labour Act. • Har Medh Par Ped: • Under this scheme Agro forestry is being • These include Convention 138, which sets promoted for additional income. minimum age for admission to employment and Convention 182, which penalises and prohibits the • With the amendment of Indian Forest Act, 1927, worst form of child labour. Bamboo has been removed from the definition of trees. Policy Measures to Double the Income of Farmers and Farm Laborers • Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA): The Government of India has launched several • The Scheme is aimed at ensuring remunerative schemes/programmes meant for the welfare of farmers prices to the farmers for their produce as by increasing production, remunerative returns and announced in the Union Budget for 2018. income support to farmers. • This is an unprecedented step taken by the List of various interventions Government of India to protect the farmers’ income which is expected to go a long way • Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN): towards the welfare of farmers. • The scheme aims to provide a payment of Rs. 6000/- per year, in three 4-monthly installments of Rs. 2000/- Components of PM-AASHA to the farmer’s families, subject to certain exclusions • Price Support Scheme (PSS): Under this relating to higher income groups. physical procurement of pulses, oilseeds and Copra will be done by Central Nodal Agencies • Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan-Dhan Yojana with proactive role of State governments. (PM-KMY): • To provide old age pension to the Small and • Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS): Marginal farmers. In this direct payment of the difference between the MSP and the selling price will be • Under this Scheme, a minimum fixed pension made to pre-registered farmers selling of Rs. 3000/- will be provided to the eligible his produce in the notified market yard through small and marginal farmers, subject to certain a transparent auction process. Under this exclusion clauses, on attaining the age of 60 scheme it is proposed to cover all oilseeds for years. which MSP is notified.

• Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana(PMFBY) • Pilot of Private Procurement & Stockist • This scheme provides insurance cover for all Scheme (PPPS): This scheme allows the stages of the crop cycle including post-harvest participation of the private sector in the risks in specified instances, with low premium procurement of food grains. PPSS scheme is contribution by farmers. applicable for the procurement of oilseeds.

• Increase in the Minimum Support Price (MSPs): 1. Mission for Integrated Development of

66 I Articulate Horticulture (MIDH): Beekeeping has been Coal India Subsidiary NCL sets up ‘SARAS’ to promoted under Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) to increase promote innovation & R&D the productivity of crops through pollination and increase the honey production as an additional Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL) has recently set source of income of farmers. up SARAS at National Seminar on Innovation Driving Productivity in New Delhi. 2. To ensure flow of adequate credit: About SARAS: It is a R&D centre established in the • Government sets an annual target for the flow of field of coal sector by NCL for increasing resource credit to the agriculture sector as banks have been efficiency and safety of mines. consistently surpassing the annual target. Objective of Science and Applied Research Alliance • The agriculture credit flow target has been set at and Support (SARAS) Rs. 13.50 lakh crore for the fiscal year 2019-20 and • To promote Innovation, Research & Development Rs.15.00 lakh crore for 2020-21. and skill development along with improving the company’s operational efficiency and utilize 3. Interest subvention scheme resources at optimum level. • Extending the reach of institutional credit to more and more farmers is priority area of Cooperative banks to come under Reserve the Government and to achieve this goal, the Bank regulation: Government provides interest subvention of 2% on short-term crop loans up to Rs.3.00 lakh. The government has approved amendments to the • Presently, loan is available to farmers at an interest Banking Regulation Act to bring 1,540 cooperative rate of 4% per annum on prompt repayment. banks under the RBI regulation.

• Interest subvention in case of occurrence of Measures to be implemented in phased manner natural calamities: under Interest Subvention • Administrative matters would continue to be under Scheme 2018-19, the interest subvention of 2% shall the Registrar, Cooperative. However, cooperative continue to be available to banks for the first year banks would be regulated under the RBI’s banking on the restructured amount. guidelines. Their auditing would also be done as per its norms. • The Government has extended the facility of Kisan Credit Card (KCC) to the farmers practicing animal • Qualifications would be laid down for husbandry and fisheries related activities. appointments, including that of Chief Executive Officers. Prior permission from the RBI would be 4. Inter-ministerial Committee: required for the appointment of key positions. • The Government constituted an Inter-ministerial Committee in April, 2016 to examine issues relating • The regulator would deal with issues such as to Doubling of Farmers Income and recommend loan waivers.The RBI would also have powers to strategies to achieve the same. supersede the board of any cooperative bank in financial distress. • To achieve this, the Committee has identified seven sources of income growth – Problems with Cooperative Banking in India: • improvement in crop productivity; • Politicians in local as well as in state use them • improvement in livestock productivity; to increase their vote bank and usually get their • resource use efficiency or savings in the cost of representatives elected over the board of director production; in order to gain undue advantages. • increase in the cropping intensity; • diversification towards high value crops; • A serious problem of the cooperative credit is the • improvement in real prices received by farmers and overdue loans of the cooperative banks which have • shift from farm to non-farm occupations. been continuously increasing over the years.

All these steps of the Government of India have • Large amounts of overdues restrict the recycling facilitated the core objective of welfare of the farmers of the funds and adversely affect the lending and of the country. borrowing capacity of the cooperative. • The cooperatives have resource constraints as their owned funds hardly make a sizable portfolio of the working capital.

• Raising working capital has been a major hurdle in their effective functioning.

Economy | 67 • Forest and ecology: This criterion has been arrived Connecting the Dots at by calculating the share of dense forest of each state in the aggregate dense forest of all the states. About Cooperative Banks: • Dual regulation:Co-operative banks in India • Tax effort:This criterion has been used to reward are registered under the States Cooperative states with higher tax collection efficiency. It has Societies Act. been computed as the ratio of the average per capita own tax revenue and the average per capita • The Co-operative banks are also regulated by state GDP. the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and governed by the Banking Regulations Act 1949 and Connecting the Dots Banking Laws (Co-operative Societies) Act, 1955. FINANCE COMMISSION: Article 280 of the Constitution of India provides for 15th Finance Commission a Finance Commission as a quasi judicial body. • It is constituted by the president of India The report of the Fifteenth Finance Commission along every fifth year or at such an earlier time as he with an Action Taken Report, is tabled in Parliament considers necessary. recently. Composition Recommendations of 15th Finance Commission • The Finance Commission consists of a chairman (Chair: Mr N. K. Singh) and four other members to be appointed by the president. • Devolution of taxes to states: The share of states in the centre’s taxes is recommended to be • They hold office for such a period as specified decreased from 42% during the 2015-20 period to by the president in his order. 41% for 2020-21. • As per The Finance Commission Rules, 1951,The • Criteria for devolution : chairman should be a person having experience in public affairs and the four other members should be selected from amongst the following:

• A judge of high court or one qualified to be appointed as one. • A person who has specialised knowledge of finance and accounts of the • government. • A person who has wide experience in financial matters and in • administration. • A person who has special knowledge of economics

Functions • The Finance Commission is required to make recommendations to the president of India on • Income distance: Income distance is the distance the following matters: of the state’s income from the state with the highest income. States with lower per capita • The distribution of the net proceeds of taxes income would be given a higher share to maintain between the Centre and states, and among the equity among states. states.

• Demographic performance: The Terms of • The principles that should govern the grants- Reference (ToR) of the Commission required it in-aid to the states by the Centre out of the to use the population data of 2011 while making consolidated fund of India. recommendations. • The measures needed to augment the • The Demographic Performance criterion has been consolidated fund of a state to supplement introduced to reward efforts made by states in the resources of the panchayats and the controlling their population. It will be computed municipalities in the state on the basis of the by using the reciprocal of the total fertility ratio of recommendations made by the state finance each state, scaled by 1971 population data. States commission. with a lower fertility ratio will be scored higher on ` this criterion.

68 I Articulate Need for the port • Any other matter referred to it by the president • The ever increasing size of container ships makes in the interests of sound finance. it imperative that a deep draft container port in West Coast of India is developed. Mandate of the commission • Ensuring inclusiveness is a key mandate • Increasing containerization of cargo in the wake of the Finance Commission. For ensuring of value-added manufacturing sector makes it inclusiveness it works on following two fronts important to prepare our port infrastructure for handling value-added import and export to • Vertical Distribution-Between the taxation facilitate manufacturing activity. powers and expenditure and responsibilities of the federal government and the states. • Container traffic in the JNPT hinterland is expected to grow.. • Horizontal Distribution-Between states that are at different stages of development. • With the development of Vadhavan port, India will break into the countries with top 10 container • It involves assigning weights to things like ports in the world. population, the fiscal distance between the top ranked states and the others, etc for optimum distribution. Connecting the Dots • The ports administered by Union Shipping Cabinet approves setting up of new Major Ministry are called major ports whereas; those managed by other relevant departments are Port at Vadhavan called minor ports.

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister has • Large numbers of ports in India are under given its in-principle approval for setting up a Major Major Port Trust (MPT) Act, 1963 need to be Port at Vadhwan near Dahanu in Maharashtra. The corporatized for better development and cargo port will be developed through Landlord Port Model. handling facility.

• A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) will be formed with Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) as the lead partner with equity participation equal to or more than 50% to implement the project.

• The SPV will develop the port infrastructure including reclamation, construction of breakwater, besides establishing connectivity to the hinterland.

• All the business activities would be undertaken under PPP mode by private developers.

Connecting the Dots

In the landlord port model, the publicly governed port authority acts as a regulatory body and as landlord while private companies carry out port operations - mainly cargo-handling activities.

• Here, the port authority maintains ownership of the port while the infrastructure is leased to private firms that provide and maintain their own superstructure and install their own equipment to handle cargo. Source : Maps of India • In return, the landlord port gets a share of the revenue from the private entity.

Economy | 69 RBI’s Feb Monetary Policy - Game Changer India’s Imported food inflation For Indian Economy? Recently sharp surge in global food prices has been The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Reserve observed which is reflected in India as well. Bank of India (RBI) kept its repo rate under the liquidity Food Prices: adjustment facility (LAF) unchanged at 5.15 percent • Agricultural commodity prices are an indicator while maintaining an “accommodative stance”. of changes in supply and demand, and as such, can detect abnormal conditions that need to be • This is the second consecutive bi-monthly brought to attention. monetary meeting in this fiscal year 2019-20 in which the repo rate has been kept unchanged. • Price monitoring supports well-functioning international and national markets through • The retail inflation touched a 7.35 percent rate the provision of timely and transparent market in December 2019, which is well above the RBI’s information, and constitutes a basis for evidence- mandate to keep retail inflation at 4 percent with a based decision making and food security strategies. leeway or 2 percentage points. Current scenario: • RBI projected inflation to be 6.5% in the current • Rising food Prices: United Nations Food and quarter and 5.4%-5.0% in the first half of 2020-21. Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO’s) food price index with reference to a base period (2002-04 = 100) • This apart, the central bank forecasts the GDP touched 182.5 points in January 2020, the highest growth for 2020-21 at 6.0 percent. For the current since the 185.8 level of December 2014. fiscal 2019-20, the central bank retained the GDP growth at 5 percent. • Year on Year inflation rate is also rising : the year- on-year inflation rate based United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO’s) food price Monetary Policy committee index has also risen steadily from 1.13% in August • The Monetary Policy Committee of India is 2019 to 2.86% in September, 5.58% in October, responsible for fixing the benchmark interest 9.33% in November, 12.22% in December, and now, rate in India. The meetings of the Monetary 11.33% for January 2020. Policy Committee are held at least 4 times a year and it publishes its decisions after each • Retail and wholesale food inflation rates for such meeting. December 2019 are the highest.

• The current mandate of the committee is to Reasons behind the surge in food inflation: maintain 4% annual inflation until 31 March » Domestic factors: 2021 with an upper tolerance of 6% and a lower • Indian Agricultural production is dependent on tolerance of 2%. monsoon: Poor monsoonal rainfall during the first half (June-July). • The Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 was • Delayed and poor monsoon impacted the sowing amended by Finance Act (India), 2016 season which led to reduced/delayed kharif sowing to constitute MPC which to bring more and damage to the standing crop at maturity/ transparency and accountability in fixing harvesting stage. India’s Monetary Policy. • Global factors: Repo Rate: • Import dependence of India: India imports two- • Repo rate is the rate at which the central bank thirds of its edible oil requirement and that is of a country (Reserve Bank of India in case of why higher international prices are automatically India) lends money to commercial banks in transmitted to the domestic market. Eg: Palm oil the event of any shortfall of funds. Repo rate is used by monetary authorities to control Other possible factors that are impacting the food inflation. prices: • Coronavirus epidemic has reduced trade: It has CRR: Cash Reserve Ratio reduced Chinese buying from palm oil and soybean • Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) is the share of a to milk powder and meat. Eg: Palm oil prices in bank’s total deposit that is mandated by the Malaysia have plunged from 2,922 ringgit ($719) to Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to be maintained 2,725 ringgit ($658) over the last one month. with the latter in the form of liquid cash. • Crude oil Prices: Brent crude prices touched $70 per barrel after the airstrike conducted by the United States that killed Iran’s top military commander. But Since then prices have dropped to $57.67/barrel.

70 I Articulate • The prospect of a bumper rabi (winter-spring) crop in India: Kharif harvest was not good due to regular access to enough high-quality food to poor monsoon but the same rain has benefited Rabi lead active, healthy lives. crops. The rain has helped boost rabi acreage by 9.5% compared to last year. • With over 194 member states, FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide. Way ahead for India to reduce food inflation: • Info supply chain: market information system Consumer Price Index (CPI) should be established by the government for • A Consumer Price Index (CPI) is designed to accurate and timely data of crop production, trade measure the changes over time in general level and prices. of retail prices of selected goods and services that households purchase for the purpose of • Calm volatility: strengthening of the supply consumption. Such changes affect the real pipeline by the private sector to reduce price purchasing power of consumers’ income and volatility. There is an inverse relationship between their welfare. stocks in the pipeline and prices. • The CPI measures price changes by comparing, • Amendment in Essential commodities Act through time, the cost of a fixed basket of and develop a transparent online mechanism : commodities. instead of treating stockists as criminals under the Essential Commodities Act (ECA), a transparent • It is used as a tool by the Government and online mechanism to track commodities lying in Central Bank for targeting inflation and warehouses should be introduced. monitoring price stability.

• Accelerate technology dissemination, especially • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has started relating to environmental sustainability, climate using CPI-combined as the sole inflation change, crop yields and mechanisation. measure for the purpose of monetary policy.

• Increase Farm productivity: eg Yield growth rates • As per the agreement on Monetary Policy in 2001-2010 have stagnated to <1.5 per cent for rice Framework between the Government and and wheat as compared to over three per cent in the RBI in 2015, the sole objective of RBI is the 1980s. price stability and a target is set for inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index- • Reduce cost of input. Combined.

• Improve storage and processing infrastructure. • The dearness allowance of Government employees and wage contracts between labour • Advanced weather risk modelling. and employer is based on this index.

Food inflation should be tackled in an efficient way and • Calculated by CSO(Central statistical should be the key priority of the government as food Organisation) inflation impacts the weaker section of the society both producer as well as the consumer. Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI) • It is a component of the all-items Consumer Price Index. Connecting the Dots Food Price Index: • Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI) is a measure • The FAO Food Price Index (FPI) is a measure of of change in retail prices of food products the monthly change in international prices of a consumed by a defined population group in a basket of food commodities. given area with reference to a base year.

• The Index consists of the average of five • The Central Statistics Office (CSO), Ministry commodity group price indices weighted with of Statistics and Programme Implementation the average export shares of each of the groups (MOSPI) started releasing Consumer Food Price (for 2002-04). It is composed of 55 commodity Indices (CFPI) for three categories -rural, urban quotations and updated monthly. and combined - separately on an all India basis with effect from May, 2014. Food and Agriculture Organisation: • The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is • CFPI is also calculated on a monthly basis with a specialized agency of the United Nations that 2012 as base year. leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Wholesale Price Index: • Objective: goal of FAO is to achieve food • A wholesale price index (WPI) is an index that security for all and make sure that people have measures and tracks the changes in the price

Economy | 71 of goods in the stages before the retail level – Time to Care Report - Oxfam that is, goods that are sold in bulk and traded between entities or businesses instead of According to an Oxfam India report that highlights the consumers. need for Asia’s third-largest economy to plug a growing rich-poor gap, India’s richest 10% control more than 74% • Wholesale Price Index (WPI) measures the of the national wealth. average change in the prices of commodities for bulk sale at the level of early stage of Findings of the report: transactions. • The richest 1% of Indians hold 42.5% of the national wealth, while the bottom 50%, the majority of the • The index basket of the WPI covers population, has a mere 2.8% share of the national commodities falling under the three major wealth. groups namely Primary Articles, Fuel and Power and Manufactured products. (The index • The non-government organization (NGO) said the basket of the present 2011-12 series has a total top 1% holds more than four times the wealth held of 697 items including 117 items for Primary by 953 million Indians, who make up the poorest Articles, 16 items for Fuel & Power and 564 70% of the population. items for Manufactured Products.) • The poor women and girls from the bottom of the • Office of Economic Advisor (OEA), Department economic heap, put in ₹19 trillion unpaid care work of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Ministry of every year. Commerce and Industry calculates the WPI.

• Wholesale price index calculated with 2011-12 National Startup Advisory Council base year does not include taxes in order to remove the impact of fiscal policy. The Central Government has notified the structure of the National Startup Advisory Council to advise the Government on measures needed to build a strong International Intellectual Property index ecosystem for nurturing innovation and startups in the country to drive sustainable economic growth and generate large scale employment opportunities. According to a report of the US Chamber of Commerce’s Global Innovation Policy Center Composition of the Council India slipped to 40th position on the International • The National Startup Advisory Council will be Intellectual Property (IP) Index . Last year India was chaired by the Minister for Commerce & Industry. ranked at 36th position. • The Council will consist of the non-official More about the index: members, to be nominated by Central • It analyses the IP climate in 53 global economies. Government, from various categories like founders of successful startups, veterans who have grown • The US, the UK, Sweden, France and Germany and scaled companies in India, persons capable of remained the top five economies on the intellectual representing interests of investors into startups, property index in 2019 retaining their spots from the persons capable of representing interests of last year. incubators and accelerators and representatives of associations of stakeholders of startups and • India’s rank slipped ,however, the country has representatives of industry associations. shown improvement in terms of scores when it comes to the protection of IP and copyright • The term of the non-official members of the issues. Startup Advisory Council will be for a period of two years. • India’s relative score increased by 6.71 per cent, according to the International IP Index released by • The nominees of the concerned Ministries/ Global Innovation Policy Center or GIPC of the US Departments/Organisations, not below the rank of Chambers of Commerce. Joint Secretary to the Government of India, will be ex-officio members of the Council. • GIPC has identified several challenges for India. Prominent among them being patentability • Joint Secretary, Department for Promotion of requirements, patent enforcement, compulsory Industry and Internal Trade will be the Convener of licensing, patent opposition, regulatory data the Council. protection, transparency in reporting seizures by customs, and Singapore Treaty of Law of TMs and Functions: Patent Law Treaty. • The Council will suggest measures to foster a culture of innovation amongst citizens and students in particular, promote innovation in all

72 I Articulate sectors of economy across the country.

• It will also suggest measures to facilitate public organizations to assimilate innovation with a view to improving public service delivery, promote creation, protection and commercialization of intellectual property rights.

Deposit Insurance cover increased

The Union budget 2020-2021 proposed that the deposit Insurance cover provided by DICGC in case of Bank failure will be increased to ₹5 lakh.

Background: • The decision was proposed following the incidence of fraud at the Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative Bank (PMC Bank).

Connecting the Dots

Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC) • It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Reserve Bank of India.

• It was established on 15 July 1978 under the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation Act, 1961.

• It is established for providing insurance of deposits and guaranteeing of credit facilities.

• DICGC insures all bank deposits, such as savings, fixed, current, recurring deposit for up to the limit of Rs. 100,000 of each deposit in a bank which has been increased now.

• It does not provide insurances to • Deposits of foreign governments and of central/ state governments. • Deposits of State Land Development Banks with the State co-operative banks. • Inter-bank deposits. • Deposits received outside India and those specifically exempted by the Corporation with the prior approval of the banking regulator.

Economy | 73 74 I Articulate Environment & Disaster Managerment |75 10 more wetlands in India Ramsar Sites in India: make way to Ramsar List

10 wetlands from India, in addition to 27 existing ones, have been accorded the status of Ramsar Sites, i.e. Wetlands of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention.

Connecting the Dots

What are wetlands? Wetlands are defined by the Ramsar Convention as • Areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six meters” e.g. mangroves, marshes, also known as “morass” and even, coral reefs and seagrass beds. Source: http://harenvironment.gov.in/en/wetland

Benefits of Wetlands: • They provide a wide range of resources and ecosystem services such as food, water, fibre, groundwater recharge, water purification, flood moderation, erosion control and climate regulation.

• They are a major source of water and also the main supply of freshwater.

Ramsar Convention: • It is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.

• It was signed in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran and came into force in 1975.

• In India, the convention entered into force on 1 February 1982.

• It has released its maiden global report named “Global Wetland Outlook”.

Montreux Record • It is maintained as a part of the Ramsar List.

• It is a register of wetland sites on the List of Wetlands of International Importance where changes in ecological character have occurred, are occurring, or are likely to occur as a result of technological developments, pollution or other human interference.

• Two wetlands from India, namely Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan) and Loktak Lake (Manipur) feature in the Montreux record.

76 I Articulate Newly inducted Ramsar sites in India (10)

States Ramsar Sites Description

• Located in Nashik District. It houses a bird sanctuary. Maharashtra Nandur Madhameshwar • It is also known as the Bharatpur of Maharashtra.

• It lies in the middle of the Ravi and Beas rivers, and just 12 km away from the Indo-Pak border.

• Being the first-ever notified community reserve of India, it has the mechanism of joint Punjab Keshopur-Miani management of locals and forest department.

• Participatory management has resulted in better conservation and a role model for others.

• It has emerged as a favorable home for migratory birds.

• It is a 185-km stretch starting from the Harike headworks to Talwara Beas Conservation Reserve Conservation Reserve.

• It is widely known for successful reintroduction of Gharials.

• It is dependent on Sutlej river for its sustenance. Uttar Pradesh • • It is home to numerous species of both residents as well as migratory birds from the trans-Himalayan Nangal region. • • Among those are the red jungle fowl, large Indian parakeet, Indian cuckoo, wood shrike, yellow-eyed babbler and crested bunting. • • It also houses threatened species like the Indian pangolin.

Environment & DisasterSchemes/ Managerment Bills / Acts | | 77 • The Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary is located in the Unnao District.

• The sanctuary welcomes many international and national migratory Nawabganj birds.

• Among those are Garganey Teal, Mallard, Purple Moorhen, Little Grebe, Spoonbill Duck, Red Wattled Lapwing, Wigon.

• It is located near Gonda district of Uttar Pradesh.

• Parvati and Arga are two connected Parvati Agra rain-fed lakes which are 1.5 km apart.

• It is a potential ecotourism site in terms of providing facilities of bird conservation awareness.

• Saman Bird Sanctuary is located in Bhogav, near Agra.

• It was notified in 1990 with an objective to protect the large Saman population of Cranes in the area.

• Among the storks it houses include Painted Stork, Block-necked Stork, Open-billed Stork and Woolly- necked Stork.

• It is located in Raebareli district.

• Samaspur bird sanctuary is exclusively known for the preservation of bird species including various migratory birds. Samaspur • It houses more than 250 species of birds and remains a favourite bird destination.

• Vulture, Kingfishers, Spot Bill Teel common and Teel Whistling etc. are permanent residents of this sanctuary.

78 I Articulate • Situated in Hardoi district.

Sandi • Bombay natural history society has listed this sanctuary as an “important bird area”.

• It is a small unprotected wetland, in Etawah District of Uttar Pradesh. • It comprises two small lakes that attract Sarus Cranes, White Ibis and other water birds in large numbers. Sarsai Nawar • It houses a large population of the threatened species of Sarus Cranes which are the world’s tallest flying birds.

Phasing Out Ozone Depleting Substances (ODSs)4

India has completed one of the most arduous tasks of the foam industry has been banned. Under the phasing out Hydrochlorofluorocarbon(HCFC)-141 b, 2019 Rules, the import of HCFC 141-b has also been one of the most potent Greenhouse gases depleting the completely done away with from January 1, 2020. ozone layer. Significance Background • Two significant environmental impacts of this • HCFC are compounds containing Hydrogen, achievement are Chlorine, Fluorine and Carbon used for • Healing of the Ozone Layer refrigeration, aerosol propellants, foam • Mitigation of climate change due to transitioning manufacture and air conditioning. of foam manufacturing enterprises at this scale to low global warming potential alternative • They are not found to occur naturally and are technologies. entirely human-made. • India has become one of the first amongArticle 5 • The production and consumption of HCFCs took off Parties (Developing Countries) under the Montreal after the Montreal Protocol ensured gradual phase Protocol to achieve this feat. out of Chlorofluorocarbons. • It reinforces India’s credentials as a responsible • HCFCs have a much lower GWP of 76-2270 as nation in tackling Ozone Layer depletion. compared to CFCs which have a GWP of 4680- 10720. New Snake Eel Species In Odisha • India is a signatory to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, The Zoological Survey of India has discovered a new 1987 which, inter alia, envisaged complete snake eel species, eighth one of the Ophichthus genera phase out of HCFCs by 2030 under the found on the Indian coast Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) Phase-out Management Plan (HPMP). • The newly discovered marine species has been named Ophichthus Kailash Chandra to honour the Status in India vast contributions of Dr Kailash Chandra, Director • Foam manufacturing sector is the most significant of ZSI. consumer of HCFCs, which account for nearly 50% of Features of the species all Ozone depleting Substances consumption in India. • Lives at a depth of around 50 metres in the sea

• All of HCFC use in India was attributed to imports • Individuals of this species are around 420 mm to with no active domestic production. 462 mm in length • They are light brown in colour, with white fins • In compliance with the HPMP( Montreal Protocol), under the Ozone Depleting Substances (Regulation Significance and Control) Amendment Rules, 2014, its use by • Ophichthidae family eels have 24 species, 8 of

Environment & DisasterSchemes/ Managerment Bills / Acts | |79 which are now identified in the Indian waters. • It is headed by the Union Minister of Environment, • The discovery of the new species suggests that the forest and climate change. marine biodiversity of the long Indian coastline is still considerably unexplored. More explorations of • Its main objective is to implement Project Tiger this biodiversity will help in its conservation and initiated in 1973 for protection and conservation of proper utilisation. the endangered tiger species.

Yellow rust in wheat crop raises alarms in Punjab Asiatic Cheetah in India • They were officially declared Extinct in India by Yellow rust has been detected in wheat crops from 1952. Their only viable population is left in Iran, 6 districts in sub-mountainous parts of Punjab and numbering 60-70 in the wild. neighbouring Haryana. • Plan for reintroduction was mooted during UPA-II regime, in a 2010 press release by the Environment Ministry. Connecting the Dots • Initial plan was to introduce Asiatic Cheetahs from Iran. Yellow rust • It is a fungal disease which causes the leaves of • AfterIran declined the request, the idea of the crop to turn yellow. introducing its close sibling, the African Cheetah gained traction as there is • It severely inhibits the photosynthesis process barely any physical between the two subspecies. which can result in lower yields in the wheat difference crops. Benefits of reintroduction • The reintroduction of large carnivores is seen • Favourable conditions for the fungus: as a strategy to • Rainfall coupled with Increase in minimum conserve species of threatened temperature, and humid conditions. animals. • It can also help functions • It can spread quickly if not tackled restore the ecosystem and maintain the equilibrium in the food chain. Govt’s response • Cheetah has been the only Carnivore that has been • The respective state governments have issued hunted down to extinction in India. This puts a advisory to farmers to take remedial measures to moral case for its reintroduction. contain yellow dust which inter alia includes spray of insecticides. • India now has the economic ability to reintroduce its lost heritage. • Experts have hit the fields to gauge the situation on

the ground. Issues African Cheetah from Namibia to India • Other species need far more attention, e.g. Bengal florican, Asiatic lion, wild buffalo, dugongand the Connecting the Dots Manipur brow-antlered deer and The great Indian The Supreme Court has lifted its 7 year-old stay on bustard which stands on the brink of extinction in About Cheetah introducing the African Cheetah into India from the country. Namibia.• They are large Carnivore mammals categorised as ‘Vulnerable’ by the IUCN • Incomplete status of existing plans like the translocation of lions from Gujarat to Madhya • Its sub-species Asiatic Cheetah is categorized Pradesh species like the lion for whose relocation as ‘Critically Endangered’ plan remains in limbo despite a SC judgement on it in 2013. • They number only 6674 mature individuals and their habitat is now confined to Africa and Iran. • The initiative will amount to Introduction of the African cheetah and not a re-introduction. Kuno or Nauradehi wildlife sanctuary (Madhya Pradesh) National Tiger Conservation Authority, NTCA is not a historical habitat for African cheetahs. A • It was established in 2005, following the detailed scientific study has to be done before recommendations by the Tiger Task Force. It was introducing a foreign species to India. given legal mandate by amending the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, in 2006. • Making Cheetah’s introduction successful means we have to save not only its prey-base comprising

80 I Articulate certain threatened species, but also other New species of urban lizard found in endangered species of the grassland like caracal, Guwahati the Indian wolf and three endangered species of the bustard family. The urban bent-toed gecko, named Cyrtodactylus • Environmentalists are concerned that Cheetahs, urbanus, a new species of lizard has been found in the being the species of open savannah grasslands and city of Guwahati. not dense forests, their introduction may hinder the afforestation programmes.

Caution in conservation policy Connecting the Dots • One of the reasons for their extinction from India was, Kings collected them in thousands, kept them Cyrtodactylus in captivity and used them to hunt antelopes. Cyrtodactylus is a diverse genus of Asian geckos, commonly known as bent-toed geckos or bow- Cheetahs do not breed well in captivity. fingered geckos. It has at least 250 described species at present, which makes it the largest of all • Also the British attempted a policy of reforestation of the grasslands which they wrongly perceived gecko genera. as lost forests, ban on grazing activities and preventing pastoralists and hindering natural Guwahati Guwahati is home to 26 species of amphibians, wildfires. This deprived them of their natural habitat. 57 species of reptiles, 214 species of birds and 36 species of mammals. • Current policy of the State, as listed below, echoes the British era policies: » The city provides that edge for urban • Bringing large tracts of open land under irrigation, biodiversity to thrive because it encompasses 18 hills, eight reserve forests, two wildlife • planting alien species like Prosopis juliflora (which has since gone rogue) in Greening programmes, sanctuaries and a Ramsar site (wetland) besides • eucalyptus plantation for paper-pulp industry, and the Brahmaputra river. • industrial projects etc. Different from other species • Indian open grasslands have higher densities of • All bent-toed geckos in Northeast India were both human and livestock densities. thought to be a single species, the Cyrtodactylus India needs a conservation policy that retains short khasiensis found primarily in the Khasi Hills of grass, prevents excessive tree cover and ensures Meghalaya. But the new species when compared controlled fires in the winter. Forests do best without with other species, made global experts realise it human intervention while grasslands do best when was a different species. intervention is stabilised. • Herpetologists and researchers who made the • Indian grasslands are interspersed with farms discovery, are of the view that the new species of and settlements, and both human and livestock lizard is markedly different in molecular structure, densities are higher. They act as a stabilising force blotch and colour from the Cyrtodactylus to the grassland system equilibrium. The solution guwahatiensis, or the Guwahati bent-toed gecko, lies with legitimising the grazing commons, and that was discovered two years ago. allowing grassland species to use these habitats together with cattle and pastoralists This study tries to establish: • The Cyrtodactylus urbanus is the 12th recorded gecko from the Northeast.

• What this study tries to establish is that some urban spaces too have life forms that are often overlooked but in danger of being wiped out because of concrete development.

• More studies need to be done before time runs out for such life forms.

Urban heat islands in India

A recent study from IIT Kharagpur noted that anthropogenic forcing is exacerbating the urban heat islands in India.

Environment & DisasterSchemes/ Managerment Bills / Acts | |81 Highlights of the study pavements, roads and roofs, such as concrete, • It studied the difference between urban and asphalt (tar) and bricks, which are opaque, do not surrounding rural land surface temperatures, transmit light, but have higher heat capacity and across all seasons in 44 major cities from 2001 to thermal conductivity than rural areas, which have 2017. more open space, trees and grass.

• It noted that the relatively warmer temperature in • The lack of such evapotranspiration in the city urban areas, compared to suburbs, may contain leads to the city experiencing higher temperature potential health hazards due to heat waves apart than its surroundings. from pollution.

• They have also noticed similar rise in daytime temperatures in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai.

Concept of Urban heat island (UHI) • It is where the temperature in a densely populated city is as much as 2 degrees higher than suburban or rural areas.

• This happens because of the materials used for

Impacts of UHI effect With the addition of pollution generated by industrial and automobile exhaust it results in a higher extent of 1.On Air quality particulate matter and greater amounts of dust than in rural areas.

The UHI increases the colonisation of species that like warm temperatures, such as lizards and geckos. 2.On balance of ecology Insects such as ants are more abundant here than in rural areas; these are referred to as ectotherms.

UHI effect leads to the emergence of heat waves which affect human and animal health, leading to heat 3.On human and animal health cramps, sleep deprivation and increased mortality rates.

As warmer water is transferred from the city to drains 4.On urban water bodies in sewers, and released into nearby lakes and creeks, it impairs their water quality.

Control of UHIs and mitigation Recently the Prime Minister inaugurated the 13th Conference of Parties on Conservation of Migratory • Using light-coloured concrete (using limestone Species of Wild Animals at Gandhinagar. aggregates along with asphalt (or tar) making the road surface greyish or even pinkish (as some • Theme for the CMS COP 13: “Migratory species places in the US have done); these are 50% better connect the planet and together we welcome them than black, since they absorb less heat and reflect home.” more sunlight. • As India assumed COP Presidency for the next • Painting rooftops green, and installing solar panels three years, PM highlighted India is one of the most there amidst a green background. diverse countries of the world and with 2.4% of the world’s land area, India contributes about 8% of the • Planting as many trees and plants as possible. known global biodiversity.

13th CoP on Conservation of Migratory Logo of CoP 13: CMS COP 13 Logo is inspired by the Species of Wild Animals traditional ‘KOLAM’ from southern India, which has a profound significance in the context of living in harmony with nature

82 I Articulate among Arctic Breeding shorebirds based on Connecting the Dots independent assessments.

CMS: Conservation of Migratory species • Endemics such as the Rufous­fronted Prinia, • It is an environmental treaty: CMS provides Nilgiri Thrush, Nilgiri Pipit and Indian vulture a global platform for the conservation and were confirmed as suffering current decline. sustainable use of migratory animals and their All except 13 had a restricted or highly restricted habitats. range, indicating greater vulnerability to man made threats. • CMS brings together the States through which migratory animals pass, the Range States • Rare urban sparrows:It has seen to be declining in urban spaces, has a stable population overall.Data • It lays the legal foundation for internationally from major cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, coordinated conservation measures throughout Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai confirm the a migratory range. view that they have become rare in cities and urban areas. • It is the only global convention specializing in the conservation of migratory species, their habitats and migration routes. Connecting the Dots • CMS complements and co-operates with a number of other international organizations, Nilgiri Pipit NGOs and partners in the media as well as in the • The Nilgiri pipit i.e Anthus nilghiriensis is a corporate sector. distinctive species of pipit that is endemic to the high altitude hills of southern India. • Appendix I: Migratory species threatened with extinction • Richer brown in colour than other pipits in the region, it is distinctive in having the streaking on • Appendix II : Migratory species that need or the breast continuing along the flanks. would significantly benefit from international co-operation • It is non-migratory and has a tendency to fly into low trees when disturbed. Kolam: Kolam is said to be in a local dialect of Tamilnadu. The Kolam art is a way of representing • According to the recent report this species is and spreading happiness through various colorful currently suffering a decline. designs in many forms.

The State of India’s Birds 2020 (SoIB) assessment

Recently released State of India’s Birds 2020 (SoIB) assessment raises the alarm that several spectacular birds, many of them endemic to the subcontinent, face a growing threat from loss of habitat.

Findings of the study • Over a fifth of India’s bird diversity, ranging from the Short ­toed Snake Eagle to the Sirkeer Malkoha, has suffered strong long term declines over a 25­ year period. Source-The Hindu

• Nearly 80% of drastic loss has been reported in case of several common birds.

• Raptors(birds of prey) overall are in decline, with ‘open country’ species such as the Pallid and Montagu Harriers, Whitebellied Sea Eagle and Rednecked Falcon suffering the most.

• Migratory shorebirds, along with gulls and terns, seem to have declined the most among waterbirds,consistent with population trends

Environment & DisasterSchemes/ Managerment Bills / Acts | |83 Scientists radio-tag Indian pangolin • Appendix I of CITES It lists species that are the most endangered among For the first time scientists have radio-tagged the CITES-listed animals and plants. Indian pangolin(Manis crassicaudata), an endangered animal that is rarely sighted in forests. • Prohibition to international trade: They are threatened with extinction and CITES • It is the joint initiative of the Special Task Force of prohibits international trade in specimens of the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department and non- these species. profit, the Wildlife Conservation Trust (WCT). • Exception: When the purpose of the import is not commercial, for instance for scientific research. In these exceptional cases, trade may take place provided it is authorized by the granting of both an import permit and an export permit (or re-export certificate).

• Examples: gorillas, sea turtles, most lady slipper orchids, and giant pandas.

Wildlife Conservation Trust (WCT) About Indian Pangolin • WCT is a non-profit organisation which aims • The Indian pangolin, which resembles an ant-eater to reduce anthropogenic pressure on forests but dons a thick scaly skin, is hunted for meat and and river systems through a robust and tested used in traditional Chinese medicine. 360 degree approach involving the forest department, local communities, corporates and • Pangolins are among the most trafficked wildlife other NGOs. species in the world. • Using the Tiger as a metaphor for all of nature, • According to the International Union for the Wildlife Conservation Trust (WCT) was Conservation of Nature(IUCN) these toothless envisioned to preserve and protect India’s rich animals have seen a rapid reduction in population. natural heritage. The projected population declines range from 50% to 80 % across the genus. How is tagging helpful? • Specie in India: Out of the eight species of pangolin, • Help understand the habits: Tagging the animal 1. The Indian Pangolin (found in northeastern India) and will help understand the habits of the reclusive, 2. The Chinese Pangolin (distributed in other parts of nocturnal animal. the countries as well as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan) are also found in India. • Monitor its movements: Radio-tagging involves attaching a transmitter to an animal to monitor its Both these species are listed under Schedule I Part I of movements. the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered • Curb poaching: This will help in busting pangolin- Species (CITES). smuggling syndicates that involve poachers and smugglers from different States.

Connecting the Dots • To develop an effective conservationplan.

Schedule I of WPA 1972 A bid to restore coral reefs using biorocks • It covers endangered species. These species need rigorous protection and therefore, the The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), with help from stringent penalties for violation of the law are Gujarat’s forest department, is attempting for the first for species under this Schedule. time a process to restore coral reefs using biorock or mineral accretion technology off the Mithapur coast in • Absolute protection: Species under this the Gulf of Kachchh. schedule are prohibited to be hunted throughout India, except under threat to human life. Trade of these animals is prohibited.

• Examples: tiger, blackbuck, Himalayan Brown Bear, Brow-Antlered Deer,etc.

84 I Articulate Connecting the Dots Connecting the Dots

Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) Coral Reef

• Its origin can be traced to the Museum of the Asiatic Society of Bengal (1814-1875) and Zoological Section of the Indian Museum (1875- 1916) in Kolkata.

• Thomas Nelson Annadale was the founder director of ZSI, who joined the Indian Museum as a deputy superintendent and was later promoted to the position of the superintendent.

• The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) was established in 1916, so this year, it is celebrating its centenary year. It is India’s apex organization on animal taxonomy and has significantly contributed in knowledge on fauna of the country. Corals are animals in the same class (Cnidaria) as • As of now, ZSI has 16 regional centres spread jellyfish and anemones. across the country. Its head headquarters are at They consist of individual polyps that get together Kolkata. and build reefs. Coral reefs are important hotspots of biodiversity in the ocean.

What is a biorock? Significance: • Biorock is the name given to the substance formed • Coral reefs maintain the quality of the coastal by electro accumulation of minerals dissolved in biosphere and support a wide range of species. seawater on steel structures that are lowered onto the sea bed and are connected to a power source, in • Corals convert the carbon dioxide in the water this case solar panels that float on the surface. into a limestone shell and thus control the level of carbon dioxide in the water. • The technology works by passing a small amount of electrical current through electrodes in the water. • This maintains the amount of carbon dioxide in the ocean water and thus saves ecological niches • When a positively charged anode and the negatively from destruction. charged cathode are placed on the seafloor, with an electric current flowing between them, calcium Threats: ions combine with carbonate ions and adhere to • By climate change. the structure (cathode). • Undergo a process of bleaching,when the • This results in calcium carbonate formation. Coral sea surface temperature increases beyond a larvae adhere to the CaCO3 and grow quickly tolerable limit. (at least four to six times faster than their actual growth as they need not spend their energy in What is bleaching? building their own calcium carbonate skeletons). • Basically bleaching is when the corals expel a certain algae known as zooxanthellae, which Reason behind choosing Gulf of Kachchh lives in the tissues of the coral in a symbiotic • The location for installing the biorock had been relationship. chosen keeping in mind the high tidal amplitude in the Gulf of Kachchh. • About 90% of the energy of the coral is provided by the zooxanthellae which are endowed with • The low tide depth where the biorock has been chlorophyll and other pigments. installed is four metres, and at high tide it is about eight metres. • They are responsible for the yellow or reddish brown colours of the host coral. In addition the zooxanthellae can live as endosymbionts with jellyfish also.

• When coral bleaches, it does not die but comes pretty close to it. Some of the corals may survive the experience and recover once the sea surface temperature returns to normal levels.

Environment & DisasterSchemes/ Managerment Bills / Acts | |85 Bar Headed Geese find new home in Kondajji Lake » Construction will be possible in an area beyond 50 metres from the High Tide Line. The Mongolian geese have been sighted in plenty in » It was done under the provisions of the CRZ 2011 Kondajji lake which is 14 km away from their earlier notification, which made special provisions for abode at Kundavada lake in Davangere(Karnataka). Kerala considering the unique coastal systems of backwaters and backwater islands along with the space limitation in the coastal stretches of the Connecting the Dots State of Kerala. The Bar-headed Geese: • Categorised as Least Concern (LC) by the IUCN. Implications of the move » No new development activity will be permitted • Winter migratory birds that travel from Central in these islands in an area between High Tide Line Asia and Mongolia to as far as Peninsular India. (HTL) and 50 metres towards the landward side.

• They are known for flying at extreme altitude » Within the 50 metre CRZ area of these islands, only in their sojourn while crossing the mighty the repair and reconstruction of existing dwelling Himalayas, where the oxygen level is less than units of local communities will be permitted. 10% of what is found at sea level. Beyond the 50 metre limit, the local communities could construct new dwelling units with the permission of the local body. Why did they abandon the Kundavada lake ? » But the CRZ area of these islands has been reduced • Indiscriminate use of fertilisers and pesticides in to 20 metres in the subsequent CRZ notification the nearby fields has made feeding on agricultural issued in 2019,which is yet to come in force. fields dangerous. This has also polluted the lake water. CRZ Regulations 2011 • Conversion of agricultural lands into Residential complexes has caused a shortage of food for the birds.

• Increase in human movements and unabated construction too have annoyed these birds.

Importance • The sighting of over 430 geese in the nearby Kondajji lake is being seen as a ray of hope for ornithologists who were concerned after not even a single geese was sighted in 2019 in the Kundavada lake.

• This shift in their destination also puts theonus on the Government to ensure least human interference in the bird’s new-found home.

Backwater islands of Kerala brought under CRZ Notifications 2018 CRZ regime for the first time :

As many as 2,130 backwater islands of Kerala including Maradu have been brought under the CRZ regime.

• The islands of Mulavukad, Chendamangalam, Kothad, Pizhala and Kadamakudy of Ernakulam where some major CRZ violations have been reported including islands of Alappuzha and Kollam are included in the list.

• List of the islands was prepared by the National Centre for Earth Science Studies, Thiruvananthapruam, for the Kerala Coastal Zone Management Authority (KCZMA).

86 I Articulate Source-DownToEarth and phenomenon. • It is aimed at streamlining of Coastal Regulation • Indian Arctic station ‘Himadri’ is located at Ny Zone clearances, enhancing activities in the Alesund, Spitsbergen Island, Norway and has served coastal regions and promoting economic as a hub of Indian scientific investigations since 2008. growth while keeping in mind conservation principles of coastal regions. • India does not have ice-breakers for exploration and research in the above places. • It is based on the recommendations of the Shailesh Nayak Committee. Interrelation between Tropical and Polar climates • As all oceans around the world are connected • It permits temporary tourism facilities such through the Southern Ocean, which acts as a as shacks, toilet blocks, change rooms, drinking transport agent for things like heat across all water facilities etc. in beaches. Such temporary these oceans. tourism facilities are also now permissible in NDZ(No Development Zone) of the CRZ-­III areas. • The conveyor belt that circulates heat around the world is connected through the Southern Ocean • To address pollution in coastal areas, setting and can have a large impact on how climate is up of treatment facilities have been made going to change due to anthropogenic forces permissible activities in CRZ—I B area subject to necessary safeguards. • Carbon dioxide is getting emitted into the atmosphere, and through atmospheric circulation goes to the Antarctic and polar regions. Expedition of Indian scientists in Antarctic • Since the temperature is very low there, these gases are getting absorbed and converted into Indian scientists on a South African vessel are in dissolved inorganic carbon or organic carbon, and Antarctica, midway through an expedition across the through water masses and circulation it is coming Southern Ocean. back to tropical regions. Since it is warmer in these areas, it re-enters the atmosphere About the expedition • This is the 11th expedition of an Indian mission to the Southern Ocean, or Antarctic Ocean. The first Objective of the mission mission took place between January and March • A key objective of the mission is to quantify 2004. changes that are occurring and the impact of these changes on large-scale weather • On board the vessel are 34 scientific staff from phenomenon, like the Indian monsoon, through India, apart from technical hands, seamen and a tele-connection. chef who are all from South Africa. • It aims to understand the influence of the • It contains the 18-institution team from India led Southern Ocean across ecosystem and by Dr Anoop Mahajan from the Indian Institute of atmospheric changes and how it affects the Tropical Meteorology, Pune. tropical climate and weather conditions.

• The vessel SA Agulhas,is from South African • Collecting air and water samples from around 60 oceanographic research vessel .It set off from stations along the cruise track. Port Louis in Mauritius, on a two-month Indian Scientific Expedition to the Southern Ocean 2020. Six core projects under the mission • Study hydrodynamics and biogeochemistry • Currently the vessel is at Prydz Bay, in the coastal of the Indian Ocean sector of the Southern waters of “Bharati” which is India’s third station in Ocean; involves sampling sea water at different Antarctica. depths. This will help understand the formation of Antarctic bottom water.

Connecting the Dotst • Observations of trace gases in the atmosphere, such as halogens and dimethyl sulphur from the India’s research stations in Antarctic and Arctic ocean to the atmosphere. It Will help improve • India presently has two research stations at parameterisations that are used in global models Antarctica namely • Maitri • Study of organisms called coccolithophores that • Bharati have existed in the oceans for several million years; their concentrations in sediments will create a • At both the stations, research and investigations picture of past climate. are undertaken to understand the Polar processes

Environment & DisasterSchemes/ Managerment Bills / Acts | |87 • Investigate atmospheric aerosols and their Interrelation among risk factors: optical and radiative properties. Continuous 1. Extreme heat waves can accelerate global warming measurements will quantify impact on Earth’s by releasing large amounts of stored carbon from climate. affected ecosystems and at the same time intensify water crises and/ or food scarcity. • Study the Southern Ocean’s impact on Indian monsoons. Look for signs in the sediment core 2. The loss of biodiversity also weakens the capacity taken from the bottom of the ocean. of natural and agricultural systems to cope with climate extremes, increasing our vulnerability to • Dynamics of the food web in the Southern Ocean; food crises, they point out. important for safeguarding catch and planning sustainable fishing Trends in the report 1. On climate: Among the chapters in the report is one Significance of the research on climate, which highlighted that time is running • These will give valuable information on the state out to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. of the ocean and atmosphere in this remote environment and will help to understand its • This has inspired declarations of a climate crisis or impacts on the climate. climate emergency by the leaders of more than 700 cities, States and governments. • It will make us understand the gaseous cycle of GHGs by quantifying how much carbon dioxide is 2. Right-wing populism: That focuses on nationalist going to those regions, and how much is coming tendencies to clamp down on borders and reject back. immigrants is on the rise around the world. This has led to a denial of climate change facts or impacts. • Understanding of how the climate system works through the oceans 3. Human impact on ecosystem: Humans have now significantly altered 75% of our planet’s land area Progress so far under the mission about a quarter of species in assessed plant and • The mission has extracted one of the largest animal groups are threatened. sediment cores from the Southern Ocean measuring 3.4 metres. 4. Role of media: The flow of information in the world is changing. The digital platforms designed to • The sediment core can help us understand the engage with emotion over reason, can cause the past climate and aid in understanding how the propagation of fake news, and can lead to social climate is going to change in the future. harms like an erosion of trust in vaccines.

5. On environmental health and education: Future of Earth, 2020 Report • The National Education Policy will address the question of environmental health and education at The Future of Earth 2020 report has listed five global the school level. risks that have the potential to impact and amplify one another in ways that may cascade to create a global • Children in the last four years of secondary systemic crisis. education will have a reasonable grounding to be sensitive towards the environment. Without it no About the report government rules and policies can be helpful. • The report was prepared with the aim of reducing carbon footprint and halting global warming below 2 degree Celsius by 2050. Connecting the Dotst

• It was released by the South Asia Future Earth South Asia Future Earth Regional Office: The office Regional Office, Divecha Centre for Climate Change, plays a key role in promoting solution-oriented Indian Institute of Science. research on environmental sustainability in the south Asian region. It is hosted by the Divecha • The report, released by K. Kasturirangan, former Centre for Climate Change, Bengaluru, India. Chairman, ISRO, lists • failure of climate change mitigation and Future Earth is an international sustainability adaptation research network established in 2015. • extreme weather events. • major biodiversity loss and ecosystem The Divecha Centre for Climate Change was collapse established at Indian Institute of Science in 2009 • food crises and with the aim to understand climate variability and • water crises, as the five global risks. climate change and its impact on the environment.

88 I Articulate Safeguarding the Cauvery delta Significance: The delta districts contribute a substantial portion of Tamil Nadu’s foodgrain requirement and any threat to the cropping pattern Tamil Nadu announced that the Cauvery delta region, would destabilise the food security. which is Tamil Nadu’s rice bowl comprising eight districts, will be declared as ‘Protected Special Agricultural Zone’ (PSAZ). India to pitch for international protection of Asian elephant at UN meet • Cauvery Delta Zone (CDZ) lies in the eastern part of Tamil Nadu. It is bounded by the Bay of Bengal on The mainland Asian elephant is likely to be among the the east and the Palk strait on the south. ten endangered migratory species to be included in the global list for international protection at the 13th CoP • In this zone, rice is the principal crop. of CMS

Connecting the Dotst 13th CoP to the Convention on the Conservation of Special Agricultural Zone Migratory Species of Wild Animals It is defined as one where agricultural land is preserved • It will be held in Gandhinagar in Feb 2020 for posterity because of its importance to increasing agriculture production and promoting livelihood • Theme:‘Migratory species connect the planet and security for a large number of farm families. together we welcome them home’

• Agricultural scientists such as M.S. • Gibi - The Great Indian Bustard,was announced as Swaminathan has for long mooted such zones the mascot for the conference. similar to special economic zones; like the Indira Gandhi Canal Area (Rajasthan Canal) in • Over 1,800 delegates from 130 nations are expected Rajasthan, the Kuttanad wetlands of Kerala, to attend the UN summit, which brings together Punjab-Haryana belt etc. states through which migratory animals pass, and lays the legal foundation for internationally Globally Important Agricultural Heritage systems coordinated conservation measures throughout a (GIAHS) migratory range. • In order to safeguard and support the world’s agri-cultural heritage systems, FAO started an • India has proposed to include following three initiative for the identification and the dynamic species in the Appendix I of CMS conservation of Globally Important Agricultural • Indian elephant Heritage systems (GIAHS) in 2002. • Great Indian Bustard • Bengal Florican • These traditional agricultural systems represent models of sustainable agricultural production. • Jaguar, Urial, Little Bustard, Antipodean Albatross, Oceanic White-tip Shark, smooth • Globally Important Agricultural Heritage hammer-head shark are other species which systems (GIAHS) in India could be included in the list of endangered migratory species. Saffron Heritage of Kashmir, India, 2011 Koraput Traditional Agriculture, India, 2012 • Under the proposal Indian government intends Kuttanad Below Sea Level Farming System, India, 2013 to sign an agreement with the range countries to protect these birds from hunting, power-line collision and habitat loss.

Implications of the Inclusion of a species in the global list for international protection under CMS

• It would give the species international conservation importance.

• It would enable range countries to collaborate, to protect the species as they naturally migrate across international boundaries.

Cauvery Delta Image source: Wikipedia

Environment & DisasterSchemes/ Managerment Bills / Acts | |89 Connecting the Dotst • It Listed in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection)Act, 1972 Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals(CMS) • They face threats of hunting, and collision • As an environmental treaty of the United with power-lines during their migration to Nations, CMS provides a global platform for the neighbouring countries, especially Pakistan and conservation and sustainable use of migratory Nepal animals and their habitats.

• CMS brings together the States through which migratory animals pass, the Range States, and lays the legal foundation for internationally coordinated conservation measures throughout a migratory range.

• As the only global convention specializing in the conservation of migratory species, their habitats and migration routes, CMS complements and co-operates with a number of other international Bengal Florican organizations, NGOs and partners in the media as • The Bengal florican (Houbaropsis bengalensis), well as in the corporate sector. also called Bengal bustard, is a bustard species native to the Indian subcontinent, Cambodia, • It contains two appendices and Vietnam. • Appendix I:Migratory species threatened with extinction • Fewer than 1,000 adult Bengal floricans remain in Migratory species that need or • Appendix II: the world in two, very fragmented populations. would significantly benefit from international co-operation • One of them is in the grasslands of the terai, the fertile foothills of the Himalayas, which spans Indian Elephant across Nepal and Indian states such as Uttar • There are about 47 lakh elephants in the wild in Pradesh. the 13 range countries, with 60% of them in India.

• They are struggling to survive in the continually shrinking, degraded and fragmented habitat and are frequently coming into conflict with people, apart from threats of poaching and illegal trade.

• It is known to naturally migrate across international borders; it faces similar challenges in other range countries, and there is need for a concerted action to protect them

Great Indian Bustard • It is a large bird with a horizontal body and long bare legs, giving it an ostrich-like appearance, this bird is among the heaviest of the flying birds.

• Their population is confined mostly to Rajasthan and Gujarat. Small populations occur in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

• Bustards generally favour flat open landscapes with minimal visual obstruction and disturbance, therefore adapt well in grasslands.

90 I Articulate Schemes/ Bills / Acts | 91 Draft policy on rare diseases notified scheme of Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi and the beneficiaries would not be limited to families below the poverty line. After being directed by the Madras High Court, the government has notified a draft policy on rare disease. • Also it would be extended to 40% of the population in accordance with the norms of the Pradhan What is a rare disease? Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. • According to the World Health Organisation rare disease as an often debilitating lifelong disease Thus, it encompassing awareness generation and or disorder with a prevalence of 1 or less per 1,000 screening programmes and, within the constraints on population. resources and competing health care priorities.

• According to the Indian Council of Medical Connecting the Dotst Research (ICMR), it is one in 2,500 people or less. Umbrella Scheme of Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN) • It aims to provide financial assistance to patients, living below poverty line and who are Right to medical care: Earlier Delhi HC in its two judgements suffering from major life threatening diseases, has also stated that a person has right to medical care at to receive medical treatment at any of the State cost and the state has legal obligation to ensure access super speciality Hospitals/Institutes or other to life-saving drugs. Government hospitals.

Further, the Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) articulates • Funds are not released to States/UTs, but to this right to adequate health in Article 25: “Everyone has the the hospitals where eligible patients receive right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well- treatment. being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care. • Financial assistance up to Rs.15 lakh is provided for eligible patients in the form of ‘one-time grant’ to the Medical Superintendent of the Government hospital Draft National Policy for Rare Diseases 2020: where the treatment is being received. • It aims to provide access to affordable health care to patients of rare diseases which are amenable to • The scheme has three components, namely: one-time treatment. • Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN) – to provide financial assistance to patients suffering • For the purpose of the policy the term rare diseases from is categorised into 3 groups: life threatening diseases other than Cancer. • Disorders amenable to one time curative treatment. • Health Minister’s Cancer Patients Fund ◊ Disorders amenable to organ transplantation (HMCPF) - to provide financial assistance to patients suffering from Cancer. ◊ Disorders amenable to treatment with Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation • Scheme for financial assistance for patients (HSCT) suffering from specified rare diseases.

• Diseases requiring long term / lifelong treatment having relatively lower cost of Need of emergency response units for safety treatment and benefit has been documented in literature and annual or more frequent of sanitation workers surveillance is required. The Maharashtra government has directed all civic ◊ Disorders managed with special dietary bodies in the state to set up Emergency Response formulae or Food for special medical purposes Sanitation Units (ERSUs) to ensure safeguards for (FSMP) sanitation workers. ◊ Disorders that are amenable to other forms of therapy (hormone/ specific drugs)

• Diseases for which definitive treatment is available but challenges are to make optimal patient selection for benefit, very high cost and lifelong therapy.

• Financial support : A maximum of ₹15 lakh could be provided to each patient under the umbrella

92 I Articulate Directives by National Commission for Scheduled Connecting the Dotst Castes • It said workers have to be fully equipped with The Prohibition of Employment as Manual safety apparatus and oxygen masks in case they Scavengers and their Rehabilitation (PEMSR) Act, have to clean sewers manually. 2013. • A first information report has to be lodged against • The law prohibits employing manual officials or contractors responsible for sending a scavengers, manual cleaning of sewers and worker to clean sewers manually, without proper septic tanks without protective equipment and gear. construction of insanitary latrines. • The commission also made it mandatory for all • Those violating the law and getting sewers municipal corporations to get an insurance policy and septic tanks cleaned without protective of Rs 10 lakh per worker, as per the Supreme Court’s equipment can face imprisonment of up to two directions. years or a fine of up to Rs 2 lakh, or both. Repeat offenders will face imprisonment of up to five • The employers, in this case the civic bodies, will years or a fine of up to Rs 5 lakh, or both. have to pay the policy premium.

The Supreme Court guidelines Directives by National Commission for Scheduled • The Supreme Court had stated, rehabilitation of Castes manual scavengers will need to include steps to • It said workers have to be fully equipped with avoid sewer deaths. safety apparatus and oxygen masks in case they have to clean sewers manually. • The court had said that making a sanitation worker enter sewer lines without safety gear should be • A first information report has to be lodged against a crime even in emergency situations. In such officials or contractors responsible for sending a instances, if a sanitation worker died due to the worker to clean sewers manually, without proper unsafe conditions, a compensation of Rs 10 lakh has gear. to be given to the family of the deceased, stated the court. • The commission also made it mandatory for all municipal corporations to get an insurance policy • The court had also directed authorities to identify of Rs 10 lakh per worker, as per the Supreme Court’s the family members of sanitation workers who died directions. while cleaning manholes and septic tanks since 1993, and give a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to • The employers, in this case the civic bodies, will them. have to pay the policy premium.

In 2014 Supreme Court of India in the matter of • Case study: Rehabilitating Manual Scavengers Safai Karamchari Andolan & Ors Versus Union of India & Ors, The Bench gave a series of directions • Twenty former manual scavengers from Dewas, to all the States for implementation of this law and Madhya Pradesh formed a self-help group, for the rehabilitation of manual scavengers- leased a local village pond and began fish farming, increasing their incomes fivefold. • For sewer deaths, entering sewer lines without safety gears should be made a crime even in • Similarly, The Rashtriya Garima Abhiyan, a national emergency situations. campaign working for eradication and rehabilitation of manual scavengers, supported by UNWOMEN • For each such death, a compensation of Rs. organised a National Consultation on the 10 lakh should be given to the family of the Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers’ by providing deceased. alternative employment opportunities, education for children, skill development and accessibility of • Railways should take time-bound strategy to rights and entitlements. end manual scavenging on the tracks

• Safai karamchari women should be provided Draft notification on RO systems support for dignified livelihood in accordance with their choice of livelihood schemes. The Union Environment Ministry has published a draft notification that will effectively prohibit users from installing membrane-based water purification systems ( mainly Reverse Osmosis) in their homes if the tap water supply meets the drinking water norms of BIS.

Social JusticeSchemes/ & Development Bills / Acts | 93 Background: Women Army officer eligible for NGT order permanent commission:SC » In May 2019, the NGT had ordered prohibition of the use of RO Systems where • It results in recovery of less than 60% of water and • The Supreme Court in its latest judgement Total Dissolved Solids is less than 500 mg/l. dismissed the Union government’s submissions that women are physiologically weaker than men as » It had called for laying down further provisions for a “sex stereotype”. recovery of water up to 75% and use of such RO- reject water for purposes such as utensil washing, • It also declared that Short Service Commission flushing, gardening, cleaning of vehicles and (SSC) women officers are eligible for permanent mopping. commission and command posts in the Army irrespective of their years of service. Issues with RO Systems: In RO, the total dissolved solids (TDS) in water -which covers trace chemicals, certain viruses, bacteria and salts - can be reduced, to meet potable water March of Gender Justice: standards. 2015, Justices Kailash Gambhir and Najmi Waziri • They result in wastage of as much as 80% of water. wrote that “sexism” has no place in law and society and quoted UN Secretary General Kofi • In the process of removing salts, they end up Annan: “There is no tool more effective than the depriving water of its essential minerals. empowerment of women for development of a country.” On the other hand, Delhi Jal Board, among others, have claimed that the water they supply meets BIS norms. Expansion of right to equality: Current BIS Regulations The war against all forms of gender-based • The Regulations consider 500 mg/litre—1,200 mg/l discrimination which not only includes male and of TDS, which consists of salts and some organic female but LGBTQI communities and trans-people as matter, as acceptable though there is no lower limit. well.

Need for such notification • To ensure the quality of potable both before water Supreme Court observations in its Judgement enters filtration systems and after it has been • Equal physiologically: Women officers of the filtered. Indian Army have brought laurels to the force. Keeping their track record in mind their service to • The aim is also to ensure that after 2022,no more the nation can never be denied and it is beyond than 25% of water being treated is wasted, and for reproach. residential complexes to reuse the residual waste water for other activities, including gardening. • The SC ordered the implementation of the 2010 judgement of Delhi HC within 3 months and also Concerns asked the Government to adhere its own policy of • Consumer apprehension: As the potable water in Feb 2019. most of the regions do not meet global standards of purity, restricting people’s choices on the means • Everyone serving in the Army is equal citizen: To they employ to ensure potable water is seen with cast aspersion on the abilities of women on the apprehension by consumers. ground of gender is an affront.It is disrespecting not only their dignity as women but the dignity of the members of the Indian Army men and women both Connecting the Dots as they both serve as equal citizens in a common Water quality in India mission. • The BIS, last year, ranked several cities on official water supply quality. Delhi was last and • Demolished gender stereotypes: Women officers only Mumbai met all the standards. in the Army are not adjuncts to a male dominated establishment. • The CPCB is to be the nodal agency for implementing the final Rules. • Violation of Equality under law: The Supreme Court also dismissed the government’s stand • Moreover, most of the country does not have that only women officers with less than 14 years the luxury of piped water. The Composite Water of service ought to be considered for permanent Management Index (CWMI) of NITI Aayog says commission, and those with over 20 years service that 70% of water supply is contaminated. should be pensioned immediately.

• India is ranked 120th among 122 countries in an NGO, WaterAid’s quality index.

94 I Articulate staffed prisons.

• Speedy trial remains one of the best ways to remedy the unwarranted phenomenon of overcrowding.

• The undertrial prisoner suffers the most, languishing behind bars for years without a hearing. Their numbers are highly disproportionate to those of convicts. There should be at least one lawyer for every 30 prisoners.

• The Prison Department has a perennial average of 30%-40% vacancies. Another recommendation is for the use of video-conferencing for trial, that will do away the need of physical production in courts which requires police guards for escort and transportation.

How to treat a child witness

There is a need for change in attitudes and mindsets Much of the spotlight has been on reports that the to recognise the commitment to the values of the police questioned the children under sedition charges, Constitution. where a play critical of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) had been staged, in a school in Bidar, Karnataka.

Connecting the Dots International conventions on children in these situations Constitutional Provisions • Convention on the Rights of the Child since 1992: • Equality before law for women (Article 14) • India has been a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of the Child since 1992, which was adopted • The State not to discriminate against any by the General Assembly of the United Nations in citizen on grounds only of religion, race, caste, 1989. sex, place of birth or any of them (Article 15 (i) • Aim: In all actions concerning children, whether • Article 39 : The State to direct its policy undertaken by public or private social welfare towards securing for men and women equally institutions, courts of law, administrative the right to an adequate means of livelihood authorities or legislative bodies, the best interests (Article 39(a)); and equal pay for equal work for of the child shall be a primary consideration. both men and women (Article 39(d). United Nations: Justice in Matters involving Child • The State to make provision for securing Victims and Witnesses in Crime: just and humane conditions of work and for maternity relief (Article 42). • Came in 2009, it provided a more specific set of guidelines in the context of child witnesses. Justice Amitava Roy Committee • Minimise distress or trauma: These guidelines recommend that authorities treat children in recommends several prison reforms a caring and sensitive manner, with interview techniques that minimise distress or trauma to Recently, a Bench led by Chief Justice of India has children. taken a report on prison reforms for hearing. • Specially trained investigator: They recommend • The Supreme Court had formed a Committee specifically that an investigator specially trained chaired by former apex court judge, Justice in dealing with children be appointed to guide Amitava Roy, to examine the various problems the interview of the child, using a child-sensitive plaguing prisons in the country. approach.

Recommendations & observations of the committee : • Prevent secondary victimization: Secondary • Both the prisoner and his guard equally suffer victimisation is defined as victimisation that occurs human rights violations. not as a direct result of a criminal act, but through the response of institutions and individuals to the • The kitchens are congested and unhygienic and the victim. diet has remained unchanged for years now. • Overcrowding is a common bane in the under-

Social JusticeSchemes/ & Development Bills / Acts | 95 • Their work includes coordinating with the police Connecting the Dots towards sensitive treatment of children. Protection of child rights under constitution of India • The Act also provides for a Child Welfare The Constitution of India guarantees all children Committee in every district to take cognisance of certain rights, which have been specially included any violations by the authorities in their handling of for them. These include: children. • Article 21 A: Right to free and compulsory POCSO Act,2012: elementary education for all children in the 6-14 • The provisions pertains to child sexual abuse year age group. victims and states that interviews should be conducted in a safe, neutral, child-friendly • Article 24: Right to be protected from any environment, including allowing for them to be hazardous employment till the age of 14 years. done at homes. • Article 39(e): Right to be protected from being • It says a child should not be made to recount the abused and forced by economic necessity to enter incident in question multiple times. occupations unsuited to their age or strength. • A support person: The Act also allows for a support • Article 39 (f): Right to equal opportunities person, who could be trained in counselling, to be and facilities to develop in a healthy manner present with the child to reduce stress and trauma. and in conditions of freedom and dignity and guaranteed protection of childhood and youth • In 2018, the Bombay High Court had pulled up the against exploitation and against moral and police for repeatedly summoning a three-year-old material abandonment. to the police station for recording his statement in a case of alleged sexual abuse of his classmate. Besides these they also have rights as equal citizens of India, just as any other adult male or female: Global Social mobility Report • Article 14: Right to equality .

• Article 15: Right against discrimination. The World Economic Forum has come out with its first- ever Global Social Mobility Report. • Article 21: Right to personal liberty and due process of law. Calculation of social mobility • Article 23:Right to be protected from being The WEF’s Global Social Mobility Index assesses trafficked and forced into bonded labour. the 82 economies on “10 pillars” spread across the following five key dimensions of social mobility: • Article 46:Right of weaker sections of the people to be protected from social injustice and • Health; all forms of exploitation . • Education (access, quality and equity, lifelong learning); • Technology; Laws pertaining to the questioning of children: • Work (opportunities, wages, conditions); Juvenile Justice Act: • Protection and Institutions (social protection • The Act does not provide guidelines specifically and inclusive institutions). relating to questioning or interviewing children as witnesses. Features of the report: Ranks: According to the report, the Nordic economies • The Act’s preamble, says that a child-friendly such as Denmark and Finland top the social mobility approach in the adjudication and disposal of rankings while countries like India, Pakistan, matters in the best interest of children must be Bangladesh and South Africa languish at the bottom. adhered to. For example; police should not be in their uniform while dealing with children. India’s performance: India’s overall ranking is a poor 76 out of the 82 countries considered. • The Act prescribes that a Special Juvenile Police Unit is to be constituted by the state government in The Concept of social mobility is much broader than each district and city, income inequality ◊ headed by a police officer (not below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police) and Many situations exist where, despite high levels of ◊ including two social workers (at least one of whom absolute income mobility, relative social mobility must be a woman) and both of whom should be remains low. experienced in the field of child welfare.

96 I Articulate • For example, in economies such as China and India, economic growth can lift entire populations upward in terms of absolute income, but an individual’s status in society relative to others remains the same.

• The notion of relative social mobility is more closely related to the social and economic status of an individual relative to their parents.

• In a country with a society with perfect relative mobility, a child born in a low-income family would have as much chance to earn a high income as a child born to parents who earn a high income.

Social JusticeSchemes/ & Development Bills / Acts | 97 98 I Articulate India-Bangladesh Exercise SAMPRITI-IX DRDO and the Ordnance Factory Board.

In the line of efforts to cement Indo-Bangladesh • It has a maximum range of 38 kms and it can align defence cooperation, a joint military training exercise and position automatically and is equipped with SAMPRITI-IX is being conducted at UMROI, Meghalaya. inertial navigation-based sighting system. • It will culminate with both troops simulating a Counter Terrorist Operation. • It is being seen as a successor to the Bofors guns.

Exercise SAMPRITI • It is an important bilateral defence Significance: cooperation endeavour between India and • The gun can be used in all kinds of terrain, Bangladesh. including desert and mountainous regions which can enhance India’s defence capabilities in the • It will be the ninth edition of the exercise. border region.

• It is hosted alternately by both countries. • The indigenous production gives a boost to the Make in India initiative which will help India achieve Significance of Bilateral Exercises self sufficiency in defence equipment production • Strategic Obligation while saving our forex reserves. • Unavoidable obligation given the nature of combat zone in contemporary times. • Large coastline and land border has increased vulnerability for India. • Assessment of Strength and weaknesses vis-a vis International standards. • Strategic signalling to rival nations, also acts as deterrence.

• Operations and Technology • Sharing Best practices and Doctrinal learning. • Training of defence personnel in different conditions. • Stocktaking of military logistics.

» Humanitarian Relief • Cooperation for building disaster resilience.

DHANUSH: India’s first Indigenous long- range Artillery Gun

• The Dhanush gun system was showcased for the first time at the Republic Day parade

About Dhanush • It is a 155 mm/45-calibre gun system towed Howitzer (a short gun for firing shells on high trajectories).

• It is a product of joint efforts by the India Army,

InternalSchemes/ Security Bills & /Defence Acts | 99 | 99 100 I Articulate Coronavirus- A Global Health Emergency respond promptly to a PHEIC. • Beginning from the Swine flu outbreak, the first Global Health Emergency as declared by the WHO in 2009, there have been five more such global emergencies viz. the 2014 polio declaration, the 2014 outbreak of Ebola in Western Africa,etc.

• A PHEIC is not only confined to infectious diseases, and may cover an emergency caused by a chemical agent or a radionuclide material.

Impact • The declaration will result in tighter containment efforts, information sharing and guidelines to all countries.

• Stocks around the world have taken a plunge on fears of the economic fallout of the outbreak on the world’s second-largest economy.

Process of naming of the diseases by WHO • The WHO, in consultation with the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United CoronaVirus - Introduction Nations (FAO), has identified best practices for naming new human diseases. • Names that are assigned by the WHO may » The Virus or may not be approved by the International • Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses Classification of Diseases (ICD) at a later stage. causing illnesses from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory International Classification of Diseases (ICD) Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute • It is managed by the WHO. Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). • It provides a final standard name for each human • A novel coronavirus (nCOV) is a new strain that has disease according to standard guidelines. not been previously identified in humans. • Guidelines issued by ICD are aimed at reducing • The new coronavirus has been renamed as COVID-19. the negative impact from names while It is the seventh coronavirus in the row known to affect balancing science, communication and policy. humans. The coronavirus itself is called nCoV-2019.

• The novel coronavirus outbreak has been declared » Symptoms as a Public Health Emergency of International • Common symptoms include fever, cough, and Concern by the WHO. breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, the infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even Global Health Emergency death. About • Officially called Public Health Emergency of • Mode of Transmission International Concern (PHEIC). • They circulate in animals and some can be transmitted between animals and humans. For • It is defined as an extraordinary event that is e.g. SARS-CoV was transmitted from civet cats to determined to constitute a public health risk humans. beyond the affected State’s national borders through the international spread of disease • People to people transmission of Corona Viruses and potentially require an immediate and also takes place through cough, sneeze, handshake coordinated international response. or coming in contact with the surface with virus accumulated on it. • The formal declaration is formulated by the WHO when a situation arises that is serious, • Vulnerability for India sudden, unusual or unexpected. • India is not well-equipped to identify disease- carrying people at our ports of entry. • Under the 2005 International Health Regulations (IHR), states have a legal duty to • Symptoms are common as the ordinary cold, cough

ScienceSchemes/ & Technology Bills / Acts | 101 or respiratory diseases, so diagnosis is difficult. • Also, Indian IT companies like Infosys, NIIT do have an opportunity to fill in the gaps left by exit • Prevalence of malnourishment in masses, weak of Global firms from China in the wake of the immunity to disease in India. COVID-19 outbreak and Trade war with U.S.

• The close proximity of people due to overpopulation increases the risk of spread. Vyom Mitra - Half Humanoid Robot

• Poor health infrastructure in India. • Recently ISRO introduced Vyommitra a half- humanoid that will eventually fly to space on a mission Gaganyaan.

Connecting the Dots

Vyom Mitra • The half-humanoid will simulate human functions before real astronauts take off before August 2022 on Gaganyaan Mission.

• The humanoid is under development at a robotics laboratory at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre.

Economic Costs of COVID-19: An analysis • ISRO will send the human-resembling model in With the widespread restrictions in place to tackle the a space capsule around the end of 2020 or early spread of CoronaVirus, Chinese Hubei Province that 2021 to study how she and later real astronauts is known for its Car factories, and its bustling capital respond to living outside earth in controlled Wuhan are in state of a lockdown. It has been of such zero-gravity conditions. extent that business related travels too are prevented along with movement of goods and workers. Humanoid: A robot with the appearance of a Not only China, but international players too have been human being is called as Humanoid.. averse with their ongoing engagements and decided to halt their operations in China, be it Automobiles, Electronics goods, Hotel Chains, Tourists, etc. Why ISRO is developing a half humanoid?

Threats and Opportunities for India • For Ensuring safe travel and return of the » Threats astronauts under the Gaganyaan mission this half- • Pharmaceutical Sector is heavily dependent upon humanoid is to be used as a test subject before the API (Active pharmaceuticals Ingredients) imports actual manned mission. from China. So during the lockdown, the industry may face supply shocks. • Once flown into space it will be able totest systems in the crew module meant for the survival • It may also hit Automobile components, Raw and safe travel of the first Indian astronaut in 2022. materials, Intermediate products of various categories that make a chunk of imports from Connecting the Dots China. Gaganyaan Mission » Opportunities ISRO aims to launch its maiden Human Space • The Disruption of Global supply chains doesn’t Mission, Gaganyaan before the 75th anniversary of benefit India in a direct manner. Albeit, it has a India’s independence in 2022. positive effect on India’s external balances esp with regard to Crude oil Prices. The Mission • Under the Gaganyaan schedule, three flights will • The oil prices that were supposed to go up, now be sent in orbit. Of the three, there will be two may remain in control as their demand will decline unmanned flights and one human spaceflight. following the outbreak. • The human space flight program, called • So it provides India a chance for fiscal the Orbital Module will have three Indian consolidation. astronauts, including a woman.

*Fiscal Consolidation refers to the policies undertaken • It will circle Earth at a low-earth-orbit at an by Governments (national and sub-national levels) to altitude of 300-400 km from the earth for 5-7 days. reduce their deficits and accumulation of debt stock.

102 I Articulate Objectives of the Mission: About Avangard • Enhancement of science and technology levels • According to Russian claims this nuclear in the country ­armed HGV can fly at over 20 times the speed of sound. • A national project involving several institutes, academia, and industry • With proper manoeuvring it can be invulnerable to interception by any existing • Improvement of industrial growth and prospective missile defence means.

• Inspiring youth • It is to be launched atop an intercontinental ballistic missile. • Development of technology for social benefits Hypersonic Glide Vehicle (HGV) • It can fly for long distances and at speeds • Improving international collaboration higher than 5 Mach at lower altitudes.

The payload will consist of: • It can follow either ballistic or cruise trajectory. • Crew module - spacecraft carrying human beings • Due to high speed interception by current Ballistic . Missile Defence (BMD) systems is highly unlikely. • Service module - powered by two liquid- propellant engines. • Possibility of a high degree of manoeuvring brings in warhead and destination ambiguities. It will be equipped with emergency escape and emergency mission abort. Arsenic-resistant rice cultivated

Earlier uses of humanoids in international space Researchers have developed and commercialised a rice missions variety that is resistant to arsenic. • A mannequin called Ripley was sent to the New rice variety-Muktoshri ( IET 21845): International Space Station by SpaceX’s Falcon • It was developed jointly by the Rice Research rocket.Ripley was fitted with sensors to measure Station at Chinsurah coming under West Bengal’s forces that act during a space flight Agriculture Department and the National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow. • Robot ball called CIMON (Crew Interactive Mobile Companion) was deployed on the ISS by Airbus. • It takes a very less amount of arsenic from soil and water in comparison to other varieties of rich. It has • Kirobo, a robot astronaut built in Japan, was flown aromatic quality as well, which is making it more to the ISS,to serve as the astronaut’s assistant in popular. conducting experiments on the space station. • It can be used in both the wet season and dry • A Russian robot, Fedor, was sent to the ISS to carry season. out mechanical functions on the space station. • Increased yield: The variety yields 5.5 metric Hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV), Avangard tonnes per hectare in the Boro season and 4.5 to 5 metric tonnes per hectare in the Kharif season.The yield is satisfactory during dry period as well. Russia has made operational it’s new hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) named Avangard. Connecting the Dots • With the induction of Avangard it appears that Russia has beaten the U.S. and China in About arsenic pollution: Arsenic from groundwater deploying the HGV. But even the U.S.A and and the soil can enter the food chain through paddy. China are also close to achieving the capability • West Bengal is among the severely impacted States with in HGV. the highest concentration of arsenic in groundwater.

• U.S.A has moved from the research to the • Arsenic contamination is a major health problem. development stage in HGV. This is to be used mainly for attacking time-sensitive targets with • According to the World Health Organization, long- conventional warheads. term exposure to arsenic, mainly through drinking water and food, can lead to poisoning. • China also has recently demonstrated a medium-­ -range missile with the HGV named DF­17 with dual-­ • Skin lesions and skin cancer are the most use(nuclear+conventional) capability. characteristic effects.

ScienceSchemes/ & Technology Bills / Acts | 103 SuperCam, a robot atop new Mars rover its Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid (DNA), the building blocks of life. The discovery that DNA is structured as a “double helix” by James Watson and Francis NASA is sending a new laser-toting robot called Crick in 1953, for which they won a Nobel Prize in Supercam, as one instrument aboard the Mars 2020 1962. rover.

About Super Cam Connecting the Dots • It is a remote-sensing instrument for the Mars 2020 mission. Background: • A genome, simply put, is all the genetic matter • It uses remote optical measurements and laser in an organism. It is defined as an organism’s spectroscopy to determine fine-scale mineralogy, complete set of DNA, including all of its genes. chemistry, and atomic and molecular composition of samples encountered on Mars. • Each genome contains all of the information needed to build and maintain that organism. • SuperCam is able to identify the kinds of chemicals In humans, a copy of the entire genome more that could be evidence of fossilised past life on than 3 billion DNA base pairs is contained in Mars. all cells that have a nucleus.

• It fires a pulsed laser beam out of the rover’s mast to vaporise small portions of rock from a distance, which will provide essential information for the success of Mars 2020 mission.

• It includes a microphone so scientists can listen each time the laser hits a target. The popping sound created by the laser subtly changes depending on a rock’s material properties.Earlier experiences of this particular microphone design are as follows • Late 1990s, aboard the Mars Polar Lander,which crashed

• In 2008, the Phoenix mission experienced electronics issues that prevented the microphone from being used.

Mapping the ‘Indian’ genome The Human Genome Project (HGP) • It was coordinated by the National Institutes The government has recently cleared an ambitious of Health and the US Department of project to map India’s genetic diversity. Energy, and was undertaken with the aim of sequencing the human genome and Genome Mapping: identifying the genes that contain it. • Essentially means figuring out the location of a specific gene on a particular region of the • The project was able to identify the chromosome and also determining the location of locations of many human genes and provide and relative distances between other genes on that information about their structure and chromosome. organisation.

• It enables scientists to gather evidence if a disease • Project lasted from 1990 to 2003. It gave us transmitted from the parent to the child is linked to the ability to read nature’s complete genetic one or more genes. blueprint for building a human being.

• Genome maps have been used to find out genes • According to the Human Genome Project, that are responsible for relatively rare, single-gene there are estimated to be over 20,500 human inherited disorders such as cystic fibrosis and genes. Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

• Genome maps are one-dimensional, much like the DNA molecules that make up the genome.

• Every organism’s genetic code is contained in

104 I Articulate Genome India Project Ministry for AYUSH among others and the Indian • This is being spearheaded by the Centre for Brain Council of Medical Research as partners. Research at Bengaluru based Indian Institute of Science as the nodal point of about 20 institutions. • Aim is to • Perform scientific research on complete • Its aim is to ultimately build a grid of the Indian characterisation of milk and milk products derived reference genome,to fully understand the type and from Indian indigenous cows nature of diseases and traits that comprise the • Scientific research on nutritional and diverse Indian population. therapeutic properties of curd and ghee prepared from indigenous breeds of cows by traditional • For example, if the Northeast sees a tendency methods towards a specific disease, interventions can be • Development of standards for traditionally made in the region, assisting public health, which processed dairy products of Indian-origin cows. make it easier to battle the illness. Assisted Reproductive Technology • Project hopes to form a grid after collecting 10,000 Regulation Bill samples in the first phase from across India, to arrive at a representative Indian genome. The Union Cabinet recently approved the Assisted Challenges involved Reproductive Technology Regulation Bill, 2020 to • Medical Ethics: In a project that aims only to monitor medical procedures used to assist people to create a database of genetic information, gene achieve pregnancy. modification is not among the stated objectives. The risk of doctors privately running away with Background of ART in India the idea of fixing genetic issues came to light most • India has one of the highest growths in the number recently ART centres and ART cycles performed every year. • Shenzhen-based scientist created the world’s first gene-edited HIV-resistant babies using the • Clinics in India offer nearly all the ART services gene-editing tool RISPR-Cas9 before their birth. gamete donation, intrauterine insemination (IUI), IVF, ICSI, PGD and gestational surrogacy. • Data and Storage: After collection of the sample, anonymity of the data and questions of its possible • India has become one of the major centres of this use and misuse would need to be addressed.India global fertility industry, with reproductive medical is yet to pass a Data Privacy Bill with adequate tourism becoming a significant activity. safeguards. • This has also introduced a plethora of legal, • Social Issues: In India a lot of politics is now on the ethical and social issues but still there is no lines of who are indigenous people and who are standardisation of protocols and reporting is still not. A Genome India Project could add a genetic very inadequate. dimension to the problem.

• Selective breeding:It has been a controversial issue even before the DNA was discovered. The dangerous use was seen by Nazis deliberating on the theme and its mention came up in the Nuremberg trials.

Government unveils plan for research on ‘indigenous’ cows-SUTRA PIC

The government has recently unveiled a programme to research on ‘indigenous’ cows.

• SUTRA PIC (Scientific Utilisation Through Research Augmentation-Prime Products from Indigenous Cows)

• It is to be funded by multiple scientific ministries and led by the Department of Science and Technology (DST).

• It has the Department of Biotechnology, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, the

ScienceSchemes/ & Technology Bills / Acts | 105 Salient features of Assisted Reproductive Technology Regulation Bill

Bill provides for a national Board which will lay down a code of conduct to be observed by those operating clinics.

National Board will also formulate minimum standards for • Laboratory and diagnostic equipment

• Practices to be followed by human resources Regulation and Supervision employed by clinics and banks.

The States and Union Territories will also have to form State Boards and State authorities within three months of the notification of the proposed legislation.

A national registry and registration authority will maintain a database to assist the national Board to perform its functions

• The Bill proposes stringent punishment for those who practise sex selection, indulge in sale of Punishments human embryos or gametes and those who operate rackets.

• The Bill will ensure confidentiality of intending Confidentiality Clause couples and protect the rights of the child.

National Deworming Day (Ascaris lumbricoides), whipworm (Trichuris trichiura) and hookworms (Necator americanus Recently the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Ancylostoma duodenale). (MoHFW) conducted the tenth round of National Deworming Day (NDD). Causes Of Intestinal Worms Or Soil-Transmitted Helminths About National deworming day • Infected people who defecate in the open • Every year February 10 and August 10 is observed spread worm eggs in their faeces. as the National Deworming Day (NDD). The day aims at eradicating intestinal worms also known as • Subsequently, the eggs contaminate the soil Soil-Transmitted Helminths (STH). which further contaminates food and water, spreading the infection. • NDD is a key intervention of Anemia Mukt Bharat. • Intestinal worm infection often makes its way Objective: through vegetables which are not properly washed, The objective of National Deworming Day is to deworm peeled and cooked, contaminated water and all preschool and school-age children (enrolled and outdoor activities – children who play in soil and unenrolled) between the ages of 1-19 years then put their hands in their mouths without washing them. • It will be done through the platform of schools and Anganwadi Centers in order to improve Significance: their overall health, nutritional status, access to • According to the World Health Organisation, about education and quality of life. 241 million children in India in the ages of 1-14 years are at a risk of parasitic intestinal worms or STH. Connecting the Dots What are intestinal worms? • STH(Soil-Transmitted Helminths) infections can lead to anemia, malnutrition, impaired mental and Intestinal worms are parasites that live in the physical & cognitive development, and reduced human intestines and consume nutrients and school participation. vitamins that a child consumes. There are three main types of STH that infect people, roundworm • India accounts for approximately 28 per cent of the total number of children globally estimated to

106 I Articulate be at-risk of STH infections. National workshop on SISDP-Update project has also been inaugurated. • NDD presents opportunities to further policy dialogue on health and nutrition as a way of Bhuvan Panchayat supplementing efforts under POSHAN Abhiyan. • The 3rd version of Bhuvan Panchayat web portal, for the first time will providethematic database on a 1:10,000 scale and 47 parameters with integrated NASA and ESA launched a solar orbiter high resolution satellite data for planning. mission • Under the SISDP umbrella project, ISRO will collaborate with the Gram Panchayat members Recently Solar Orbiter, a new collaborative mission and other stakeholders to understand their between ESA (European Space Agency) and NASA to requirements and provide requisite geo-spatial study the Sun was launched. services.

About Solar Orbiter Mission: • Bhuvan is the web portal( i.e. the medium) through • It is a seven-year mission. which the information is to be provided to the panchayats. • it will observe the Sun with high spatial resolution telescopes and capture observations in the • The portal will provide data obtained from ISRO’s environment directly surrounding the spacecraft. Remote Sensing Satellites e.g. the Cartosat series satellites. • Solar Orbiter will spend about three months in its commissioning phase, during which the mission • The project will last for atleast 2 years. team will run checks on the spacecraft’s 10 scientific instruments to ensure they are working SISDP-Update project properly. • The Space-based Information Support for Decentralised Planning programme was taken • It will take Solar Orbiter about two years to reach up in 2011 to empower panchayati raj institutions its primary science orbit. and its stake-holders to enable participatory and decentralised planning in the country. • The Solar Orbiter is equipped with 10 scientific instruments, including tools to measure the • The flow of information will assist Gram electromagnetic characteristics of the solar wind, Panchayats at grassroot level with basic planning the stream of charged particles flowing from the inputs derived from satellite data for preparing sun. developmental plans, its implementation and monitoring the activities. • In-situ instruments will measure the environment around the spacecraft, detecting such things as • The geodatabase, products and services prepared electric and magnetic fields and passing particles under this project are expected to be disseminated and waves. through Bhuvan geoportal. • It will provide information about the Sun’s 11-year Significance and its periodic outpouring of solar solar cycle • Information on land and water to be provided storms. under the project are key to grass-root level planning and empowering the Panchayats. • The remote-sensing instruments will image the Sun from afar, along with its atmosphere and its • It will also help in visualization and monitoring of outflow of material, collecting data that will help schemes at the panchayat level. scientists understand the Sun’s inner workings. • It will help to improve the ease of living of rural • During the mission’s cruise phase the remote- people and in furthering their socio-economic well- will focus on calibration to sensing telescopes being. prepare for science operations near the Sun.

• Solar Orbiter will begin the primary phase of its mission – leading up to its first close pass by the Sun in 2022,

Bhuvan Panchayat V 3.0 Web Portal launched

ISRO has launched Bhuvan Panchayat 3 project to help Gram Panchayat in rural development and planning. A

ScienceSchemes/ & Technology Bills / Acts | 107 Vaccine-derived polio virus (VDPV) and infect children with low immunity.

About Polio About VDPV • Poliomyelitis or polio is a highly infectious disease • In VDPV, the source of the virus is the vaccine itself. caused by a virus.

• The oral polio vaccine called polio drops, which • It invades the nervous system, and causes India deployed extensively to fight against polio, paralysis, medically known as an acute flaccid contain a live, attenuated or weakened polio virus. paralysis (AFP), which is characterised by sudden muscle weakness and pain in the limbs. • When a child is vaccinated, the weakened vaccine- virus replicates in the intestine and enters into • The disease is transmitted from person to person, the bloodstream, triggering a protective immune mainly through the faecal-oral route, affecting response in the child. children under five years of age.

• Like wild poliovirus, the child excretes the vaccine- • In the absence of wild polio virus (WPV) virus for a period of six to eight weeks. transmission, India was declared a polio-free country in March 2014, after years of relentless • Importantly, as it is excreted, some of the vaccine- vaccination. virus may no longer be the same as the original vaccine-virus as it gets genetically altered during replication.

• In areas of inadequate sanitation, this excreted vaccine-virus can quickly spread in the community

Inactivated Polio Vaccine(IPV) Vs Oral Polio Vaccine(OPV) IPV OPV

IPV given through an injection contains inactivated OPV has its strong advocates who believe that the virus, considered to be safer than OPV that contains live virus. a.Vaccine is best suited for countries such as India due to its low cost, high efficacy and ease of administering, WHO has been advocating IPV over OPV as part of its global endgame strategy on polio eradication. b.The safety concerns are overstated compared to the benefits of the vaccine.

National Mission on Quantum • It is about creating practical applications - such as Technologies & Applications quantum computing, quantum sensors, quantum cryptography, quantum simulation, quantum metrology and quantum imaging - based on Context: The government in its budget 2020 properties of quantum mechanics. has announced a National Mission on Quantum Technologies & Applications (NM-QTA) with a total • Quantum technology is opening up new frontiers budget outlay of Rs 8000 Crore for a period of five years in computing, communications, cyber security to be implemented by the Department of Science & with wide-spread applications. It is expected that Technology (DST). lots of commercial applications would emerge from theoretical constructs which are developing New Economy: in this area. • According to the budget the new economy is based on innovations that disrupt established Applications to get boost by the mission business models. Artificial intelligence, Internet-of- Quantum technologies are rapidly developing globally Things (IoT), 3D printing, drones, DNA data storage, with a huge disruptive potential. The next generation quantum computing, etc., are re-writing the world transformative technologies that will receive a push economic order. under this mission include:

About Quantum technology: • quantum computers and computing, • Quantum technology is an emerging field of physics and engineering, which relies on the principles of • quantum communication, quantum physics. • quantum key distribution,

108 I Articulate • encryption, crypt analysis, quantum devices, Locust Invasion attack quantum sensing, quantum materials, quantum clock and so on. Massive Locust Invasion Threatens Gujarat Farmers. The areas of focus for the Mission will be in Farmlands in the International border region of Gujarat fundamental science, translation, technology are under threat from locusts invasion development, human and infrastructural resource generation, innovation and start-ups to address issues Locust: concerning national priorities. • Locusts are flying in from Pakistan’s Sindh province and spreading in villages in Rajasthan and Gujarat The applications of Quantum technology which will where southwestern monsoon had prolonged this receive boost include those in time. • Aero-space engineering, • Originally, the locusts emerged in February this • Numerical weather prediction, year from Sudan and Eritrea in Africa’s Red Sea Coast. • Simulations, securing the communications & financial transactions, • They traveled through Saudi Arabia and Iran to enter Pakistan, where they invaded the Sindh • Cyber security, advanced manufacturing, health, province and from there they moved into Rajasthan agriculture, education and other important and Gujarat. sectors with focus on creation of high skilled jobs, human resources development, start-ups & entrepreneurship leading to technology lead Connecting the Dots economic growth. The locusts: • They are locally known as tides. Need for such mission • For developing emerging and disruptive • Locusts are a collection of certain species technologies: In order to secure our of short-horned grasshoppers in the family communications, financial transactions, remain Acrididae that have a swarming phase. competitive, drive societal progress, generate employment, foster economic growth and to • Locusts are the oldest migratory pest in the improve the overall quality of life. world.

• To address the ever increasing technological • The most devastating of all locust species is the requirements of the society: And take into account Desert Locust (Schistocerca gregaria). the international technology trends and road maps of leading countries for development of next • Locusts have a high capacity to multiply, form generation technologies. groups, migrate over relatively large distances (they can fly up to 150 km per day). • The mission would help develop and bring quantum computers, secured communications Locust Control and Research through fibre and free space, quantum encryption • The Indian government established a permanent and crypt-analysis and associated technologies locust warning and control organization under within reach in the country and help address India ICAR in 1939. specific national and regional issues. • The Locust Warning Organization (LWO) • The mission will help prepare next generation monitors locust situations/activities over an skilled manpower, boost translational research area 2.00 lakh sq km of the scheduled desert and also encourage entrepreneurship and start-up area in parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Haryana. ecosystem development. • Its field headquarters is at Jodhpur. • Bring India at par with other advanced countries: In technology development and higher education Impacts of the Locust Attack: in science, technology and engineering disciplines • It causes significant damage to agriculture. and can derive several direct and indirect benefits. • Wherever locusts settle on a field, they destroy everything including the vegetation. • Massive attack jeopardizes the food security and livelihood of the farmers in the region. • Among the affected crops: Groundnut, castor, and cotton were main Kharif crops while mustard, cumin, and wheat are major Rabi crops.

ScienceSchemes/ & Technology Bills / Acts | 109 110 I Articulate Nagoba Jatara concludes in Telangana Nagardhan excavations: Findings important to understand Vakataka dynasty The month long Nagoba jatara festival concludes in Telangana’s Adilabad district. Recently, archaeologists excavated 1,500 year-old sealing for the first time at Nagardhan in Ramtek About Nagoba Jatara taluka, near Nagpur. A new study in Numismatic Digest • It is an annual tribal festival celebrated by the has tried to understand the Vakataka rule under Queen Mesaram clan of Gond tribes who assemble at Prabhavatigupta. Keslapur village temple in Adilabad district of Telangana from other parts of the state and from Importance of excavation Maharashtra , Karnataka, Odisha, Chattisgarh and • The dynasty is believed to hail from the Vidarbha Jharkhand. region, was largely through some literature and copper plates. • It is the second largest adivasi festival in Telangana after Sammakka Sarakka Jatra which is a biennial • Excavated site of Nagardhan is the same as festival organised at Medaram. Nandhivardhan, the capital city of the eastern branch of the Vakatakas. • The members of the Meshram clan perform holy rituals to the sacred deity of Nagoba during the • It was after archaeological evidence from here that Jatara. Nagardhan was understood to have served as a capital of the Vakataka kingdom. • Before the puja, Gonds purify the temple with Ganga jal or Godavari water from a spot called Significance of the findings Hastina Madugu which is believed to be the site » Tells about Prabhavatigupta where Nagoba deity quenched his thirst after • Excavated Clay sealings belong to the period consuming naivedyam. when Prabhavatigupta was the queen of the Vakataka dynasty. It bears her name in the Brahmi • An important part of the celebrations is script, along with the depiction of a conch. called ‘bheting’, through which new brides are incorporated into the clan. All those who are • The copperplate issued by Queen starts with a married into the clan during the last year need to genealogy of the Guptas, mentioning the Queen’s meet clan deities through Bheting to be able to grandfather Samudragupta and her father enter the deity’s temple. Chandragupta II.

• Gusadi dance performed by Gondi dancers during • Indication of Vaishnava signatures on the royal the celebrations is a major attraction. seals of the Vakatakas, reiterating that Queen Prabhavatigupta was indeed a powerful woman • The thanksgiving and the ceremony of betel (which ruler. involves performance of martial arts using swords) marks its conclusion. » Sealings as Royal permission • Vakataka people traded with Iran and beyond through the Mediterranean Sea, Shows that these Connecting the Dots sealings used as an official royal permission issued Gond tribes from the capital city. • These are one of the largest tribal groups of • Besides, these were used on documents that India numbering over 13 million, spread across sought mandatory royal permissions. various states in the mainland. Importance of sign of Vaishnava affiliation • They are subdivided into several regional The Vakataka rulers followed the Shaiva sect clans and speak mostly Gondi language of Hinduism while the Guptas were staunch (According to census 2011 recorded about 2.98 Vaishnavites. million Gondi speakers) which is a part of the Dravidian group of languages. • Many religious structures indicating affinity to the Vaishnava sect, and found in Ramtek, were built • Madhya Pradesh has the largest population of during the reign of Queen Prabhavatigupta. Gondi people. • It is believed that the practice of worshipping • They are designated as Scheduled tribes in Narasimha in Maharashtra emerged from Ramtek, most of the states. and that Queen Prabhavatigupta propagated Vaishnava practices in Maharashtra.

» Some of the temples identified as Keval Narasihma, Rudra Narasimha and the one

Diversity,Schemes/ Art Bills & Culture / Acts | 111 dedicated to Varaha could be traced to Ramtek, • Sivasagar and showcase strong affinity to the incarnations of • In Sivasagar, excavations at the Karenghar (Talatal Lord Vishnu. Ghar) complex between 2000 and 2003 led to the discovery of buried structures in the north-western The five ‘iconic’ archaeological sites and north-eastern side of the complex. mentioned in the Budget • Among the structural remains found at the site were ceramic assemblages including vases, vessels, dishes, and bowls, etc. Terracotta smoking The government proposes to set up an Indian Institute pipes were also found. Another excavation site in of Heritage and Conservation under the Ministry of Sivasagar district is the Garhgaon Raja’s palace. Culture, and develop five archaeological sites as “iconic • In another excavation a burnt-brick wall running in sites” with onsite museums in Rakhigarhi (Haryana), north-south orientation was found, along with the Hastinapur (Uttar Pradesh), Sivasagar (Assam), remains of two huge circular wooden posts. Dholavira (Gujarat) and Adichanallur (Tamil Nadu). • Dholavira About the iconic sites • Dholavira in Gujarat is located in the Khadir island Rakhigarhi of the Rann of Kutch, and like Rakhigarhi is one • Rakhigarhi in Haryana’s Hisar district is one of the of the sites where the remains of the Harappan most prominent and largest sites of the Harappan civilisation have been found. civilisation. • Dholavira is unique because remains of a complete water system have been found here • In the excavations carried out between 2013 and 2016 , the skeletal remains of a couple were discovered. Dholavira • Excavated by JP Joshi in 1967-68 and situated on the bank of river Luni of Kachchh district in Gujarat.

• Evidence of a unique water management system, Harapan inscription and stadium has been found here.

Adichanallur • Adichnallur lies in the Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu.

• Over the years, the site has gained attention because of three important findings: • The discovery of an ancient Tamil-Brahmi script on the inside of an urn containing a full Hastinapur human skeleton, A fragment of a broken • Excavations at Hastinapur, in Meerut district of earthenware, and The remains of living Uttar Pradesh, finds mention in the Mahabharata quarters. and the Puranas.

• One of the most significant discoveries made at The Kumbhabhishekam (consecration) this site was of the “new ceramic industry”, which ceremony at the Sri Brihadeeswarar Temple was named the Painted Grey Ware, which as per the report represented the relics of the early Indo- The kumbhabhishekam (consecration) ceremony at the Aryans. Sri Brihadeeswarar Temple was held after 23 years. It could be held after the Madras High Court had settled • It may also explain the synchronism between an old argument over the ritual purification process the appearance of the Painted Grey Ware in the only five days previously. Ghaggar-Sutlej valleys and the probable date of the arrival of the Aryans in that area. About kumbhabhishekam ceremony: The holy water brought from the yaga salai — the site of the yajna in the temple compound — was poured on the gold- plated kalasam that tops the 216-foot vimanam over the sanctum sanctorum.

The struggle for supremacy between the Sanskrit and

112 I Articulate Tamil traditions : The question before the court was • Each of the temples has –high walls, a fort-like “whether the… providing for archanas to be performed entrance, a moat, separate rooms inside, long in Tamil at the request of the devotees in addition to corridors, and paintings of Shiva on the walls. the existing practice of reciting archanas in Sanskrit, would offend the right to profess Hindu religion • The Great Living Chola Temples include guaranteed under Article 25 of the Constitution of three great 11th- and 12th-century India” Temples: the Brihadisvara Temple at Thanjavur, the Brihadisvara Temple at About the judgement: The judges ruled: “There is Gangaikondacholisvaram and the Airavatesvara nothing either in the Agamas (canonical texts) or in any Temple at Darasuram. other religious script to prohibit the chanting of Tamil mantras in the temples run under the administration of • The Temple of Gangaikondacholisvaram, built the (government’s). by Rajendra I, was completed in 1035.

• The Airavatesvara temple complex, built by Agama are post-Vedic scripture conveying ritual Rajaraja II, at Darasuram features a vimana and knowledge and considered to have been revealed by a a stone image of Shiva. personal divinity. Shaivite scriptures, dating probably to the 8th century, are particularly so designated.

Connecting the Dots

About Sri Brihadeeswarar Temple • The Brhadisvara Temple, a splendid example of Chola architecture was built by Emperor source: http://heritageindiafoundation.org/ Rajaraja (985-1012 A.D.).

• Brihadeeswarar Temple has inscriptions by the Conservation plan for Konark temple soon, Cholas, Pandyas, Vijayanagara kings, Marathas, says Culture Minister and Nayakas. A plan to restore and preserve the nearly 800-year-old • The Brihadisvara temple is a monument Konark Sun Temple in Odisha would be drawn up soon. dedicated to Siva. • A conference would be held in Odisha in February • The temple is constructed of granite, mostly of to take a call on the future restoration plan for large blocks. the site. It would be attended by archaeologists, engineers and other experts. • The brihad-linga within the sanctum is 8.7 m high. Life-size iconographic representations Need of restoration: include Durga, Lakshmi, Sarasvati and • The temple had been filled with sand and sealed by Bhikshatana, Virabhadra Kalantaka, Natesa, the British authorities in 1903 in order to stabilise Ardhanarishvara and Alingana forms of Siva. the structure.

• There are mural paintings on the walls. It • A scientific study was carried out by the Roorkee- also has Thanjavur school of paintings of the based Central Building Research Institute from Nayakas. 2013 till 2018 to ascertain the temple’s structural stability as well as the status of the filled-in sand. • There are inscriptions in elegant Chola Grantha and Tamil letters. • According to study conducted the sand filled in over 100 years ago had settled which is leading to • Besides the nandi mandapa, there are other a gap of about 17 feet.However, the structure is subsidiary shrines built at different times in the stable. temple courtyard, which include the Ganapati shrine, Karuvur devta shrine, Subhramanya shrine, Options available to restore the temple structure: Chandikeshwara shrine, Amman shrine, and Nataraja • to fill in more sand shrine. • to remove all the sand • put in place alternate support • Sarfoji, a local Maratha ruler, rebuilt the Ganapati shrine. Konark temple: 13th century temple • It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. • Brihadisvara Temple is part of a group of “The • The temple is attributed to king Narasinga Deva I of Great Living Chola Temples” designated as a the Eastern Ganga Dynasty about 1250 CE. World Heritage Site. Key features:

Diversity,Schemes/ Art Bills & Culture / Acts | 113 • Dedicated to the Hindu Sun God Surya, what remains of the temple complex has the first Director-General. appearance of a 100-foot (30 m) high chariot with immense wheels and horses, all carved World Heritage Convention: from stone. • The most significant feature of the 1972 World Heritage Convention is that it links together in a single • It is a classic illustration of the Odisha style of document the concepts of nature conservation and Architecture or Kalinga Architecture. the preservation of cultural properties.

• The walls of the temple from the temple’s • The Convention recognizes the way in base through the crowning elements are which people interact with nature, and the ornamentedwith reliefs, many finished to fundamental need to preserve the balance jewelry-quality miniature details. The terraces between the two. contain stone statues of male and female musicians holding various musical instruments. UNESCO World Heritage Site • A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site that is • Odisha style architecture: nominated under the United Nations Educational, The Kaḷinga architectural style is a style of Hindu Scientific and Cultural Organization’s International architecture which flourished in the ancient Kalinga World Heritage program. previously known as Utkal and part of the kingdom of • The program aims to catalogue and preserve sites Magadha or present eastern Indian state of Odisha. of outstanding importance, either cultural or natural, to the common heritage of humankind. • A World Heritage Site is a place on earth having a special cultural or physical significance and outstanding universal value to humanity.

World Heritage Committee: • The Committee is responsible for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention, defines the use of the World Heritage Fund and allocates financial assistance upon requests from States Parties.

• It has the final say on whether a property is inscribed on the World Heritage List.

• It examines reports on the state of conservation of inscribed properties and asks States Parties to take action when properties are not being properly managed. It also decides on the Source: wikipedia inscription or deletion of properties on the List of World Heritage in Danger. The style consists of three distinct types of temples:

• Rekha Deula, • Pidha Deula and Government wants to locate • Khakhara Deula. Dara Shikoh tomb The former two are associated with Vishnu, Surya and Shiva temples while the third is mainly with Chamunda The Ministry of Culture recently set up a seven- and Durga temples. The Rekha Deula and Khakhara member panel of the Archaeological Survey of India Deula houses the sanctum sanctorum while the Pidha (ASI) to locate the grave of the Mughal prince Dara Deula constitutes outer dancing and offering halls. Shikoh (1615-59).

Dara Shikoh Connecting the Dots • Dara Shikoh is described as a “liberal Muslim” who ASI-Archeological survey of India tried to find commonalities between Hindu and • The Archaeological Survey of India is an Indian Islamic traditions. He translated into Persian the government agency attached to the Ministry of Bhagavad Gita as well as 52 Upanishads. Culture that is responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation • At the same time, he was also an indifferent of cultural monuments in the country. administrator and ineffectual in the field of battle. • It was founded in 1861 by Alexander Cunningham who also became its

114 I Articulate What is the issue? • According to the Shahjahannama, after Aurangzeb Connecting the Dots defeated Dara Shikoh, he brought the latter to Delhi in chains. His head was cut off and sent to Agra Fort, Endangered Language: An endangered language while his torso was buried in the Humayun’s Tomb is a language that is at a risk of falling out of use, complex. generally because it has few surviving speakers. If it loses all of its native speakers, it becomes • The ASI’s biggest problem is that most graves in the an extinct language. UNESCO defines four levels complex have no names: All we know is that it’s a of language endangerment between “safe” (not small grave in the Humayun’s Tomb complex. endangered) and “extinct”.

UNESCO Interactive Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger-Asur tribe using Mobile radio

The Asur language figures in the list of UNESCO Interactive Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger. Who are Asur tribes?

• As per the 2011 census, the tribe has a population of around 23,000. “Protection and Preservation of Endangered • Asur (particularly vulnerable tribal group) people are a very small Austroasiatic ethnic group living Languages of India” primarily in the Indian state of Jharkhand, mostly • Under this Scheme, the Central Institute of in the Gumla, Lohardaga, Palamu and Latehar Indian Languages (CIIL), Mysore works on districts. protection, preservation and documentation of all the mother tongues/languages. • Asur are traditionally iron-smelters. • These are languages of India spoken by less than • They were once hunter gatherers.However, the 10,000 speakers keeping in mind the degree of majority of them shifted into agriculture. endangerment and reduction in the domains of usage. Why is there danger to Asur tribes’s Language? ◊ 50% of the population barely speak in Asur language. UNESCO Interactive Atlas of the world’s Language in Danger: • UNESCO’s Atlas of the World’s Languages in ◊ Only 7,000 to 8,000 Asur tribes are left in the Danger is intended to raise awareness about community who are well conversant in the language endangerment and the need to language. safeguard the world’s linguistic diversity among policy-makers, speaker communities and the ◊ The new generation does not speak Asur language, general public. while middle-aged group speak in a broken tongue. • UNESCO’s Atlas of the World’s Languages Community Effort to save language: in Danger is a • Pre-recorded radio programmes have been aired tool to monitor the status of and the trends in on 16 different occasionsThe first transmission endangered languages linguistic diversity at the global level. of a half-an-hour programme was organised near Netarhat on January 19. • For each language, the print Atlas provides its name, degree of endangerment and the country • Radio programmes are based on incidents or countries where it is spoken. happening in different parts of the world and the news relating to the community.

• Youth from the community are also being encouraged to write poems in their language and older ones narrate their experience in their own language.

Diversity,Schemes/ Art Bills & Culture / Acts | 115 Analysis of Antiquities and Art Treasures Fundamental Duty: Article 51 A (f) states: “It Act : Stolen idols issue shall be the duty of every citizen of India to value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture; and (g) to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife, and to have compassion for living creatures.

Connecting the Dots

About Thirumangai Alvar • He is the last of the 12 Alvar saints of south India, who are known for their affiliation to Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism.

• He holds the title Narkavi Perumal, the mark of Image Source: timesofindia an excellent poet and Parakala.

• After his conversion to Vaishnavism, he Context: The Idol Wing CID police has furnished confronted practitioners of rival Hindu sect of documents through the Indian High Commission, Shaivism as well as Buddhism and Jainism. London, to the Ashmolean Museum, in Oxford, U.K., requesting the restitution of a 16th century bronze About Soundararajaperumal Temple idol of Thirumangai Azhwar. • It is a temple dedicated to the Hindu god, Vishnu. It is constructed in Dravidian style of architecture. Issue: The mentioned idol was acquired by the Ashmolean Museum from Sotheby’s in 1967. • The temple is glorified in the Divya Prabandha, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Azhwar • The idol reportedly went missing from a temple saints from the 6th–9th centuries AD. near Kumbakonam half a century ago. • The temple is believed to have been built by • The documents provided by police would aid the Medieval Cholas of the late 8th century AD, authorities in establishing the work’s origin and with later contributions at different times from the possible repatriation of the sculpture. Thanjavur Nayaks. • UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Other legal provisions and authorities Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural • At the central level, nationally protected Property – 1970 stipulates that, at the request of monuments fall under the jurisdiction of the the State Party of origin, appropriate steps should Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) under be taken to recover and return any such cultural the Ministry of Culture and is responsible for property imported. archaeological research and conservation and preservation of around 3,650 monuments • The requesting State shall pay just categorised as “national heritage”. compensation to an innocent purchaser or to a person who has valid title to that • It administers these under the Ancient property. Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act 1958 (AMASR Act). An amendment • More indirectly and subject to domestic in AMASR Act provided for the constitution legislation, Article 13 of the Convention also of the National Monument Authority charged provides provisions on restitution and with the grading and classifying of protected cooperation. monuments and areas.

• The Directorate of State Archaeology Connecting the Dots and Museums looks after state-protected monuments. Constitutional and legal provisions India’s heritage is well-protected by Article 49 of the • In addition, many cities put in their own effort Constitution: “It shall be the obligation of the State towards protecting urban heritage by declaring a to protect every monument or place or object of City List of such heritage items that are of local artistic or historic interest, (declared by or under law significance and are administered by the local made by Parliament) to be of national importance, government. from spoliation, disfigurement, destruction, removal, disposal or export, as the case may be.”

116 I Articulate ART, CULTURE & DIVERSITY | 116 • The Antiquities Export Control Act, 1947 and • Five archaeological sites in Haryana, Uttar Rules regulate the export of antiquities. Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu to be developed with on-site museums • A number of state heritage laws have also been • The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has enacted. launched the National Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) scheme with • India’s commitment to heritage was further a focus on holistic development of heritage cities. emphasised when it became a signatory to UNESCO’s World Heritage Convention for the • Draft Antiquities Bill: The Centre proposed doing protection of global and national heritage. away with the requirement of a licence for selling antiques within the country in its draft Antiquities Govt. initiatives: Bill dated 2017. • National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities (NMMA): Over 14 lakh antiquities have been • As per the draft law, the government wants to documented in the country by the National Mission set up an expert advisory committee, which will on Monuments and Antiquities (NMMA) which was take the decisions the ASI has been taking launched in 2007 to prepare a National Register so far. on Antiquities by documenting antiquities from different sources in a uniform format. What should matter to the government is not ownership, but access – that more people get access to • The Ministry of Culture has the following four the richest aesthetic experience possible, which is the Missions. objective of nationalising antiques. 1. National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities 2. National Mission on Manuscripts KALA KUMBH – Handicrafts Exhibitions for 3. National Mission on Libraries promotion of GI Crafts 4. Gandhi Heritage Sites Mission.

• The Union Budget 2020-21 proposed the setting up The Ministry of Textiles is organising exhibitions in of an Indian Institute of Heritage and Conservation various parts of the country to promote the heritage of under the Ministry of Culture. India.

KALA KUMBH – Handicrafts Exhibitions for promotion of GI Crafts

Objective To promote Geographical Indication (GI) crafts and heritage of India.

Organized by The Ministry of Textiles is organising Kala Kumbh in various parts of the country through the Office of Development Commissioner (Handicrafts).

The exhibitions are planned in various major cities like Bengaluru, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai.

The exhibitions sponsored by Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts Exhibitions (EPCH) started on 14th February, 2020 and will continue till 23rd February 2020 at Bengaluru and Mumbai and will also be organized in Kolkata and Chennai in March 2020.

Exhibitions are organised for 10 days in a particular city.

The visitors will be able to see a wide variety of handicrafts and by buying these handicrafts they candirectly contribute in the improvement of the Significance livelihood of these artisans

It will also create awareness of the rich heritage of the country.

Diversity,Schemes/ Art Bills & Culture / Acts | 117 GI crafts being displayed at the exhibitions Kambala • Mysore rosewood inlay, Channapatna lacquerware, Dharwad kasuti embroidery, Kolhapur chappal, Bidriware, Molakalmur handblock printing A jockey in the annual buffalo race, Kambala has been compared with world record holder Usain Bolt after a • Ananthapur leather puppet, Thrissur screwpine, video showing him clocking 100 metres in 9.55 seconds, Vishakapatna lacquerware, Sandur lambani went viral recently. embroidery, Jodhpur terracota, Jaipur handprinted textile, bronze casting, About Kambala • Kambala is a traditional buffalo race generally • Medinipur mat weaving, Birbhum artistic leather taking place in the coastal Karnataka districts of and Khurdah palm leaf engraving. Udupi and Dakshina Kannada (from November to March) in paddy fields filled with slush and mud. • Chittoor kalamkari painting, Thrissur screwpine crafts, Pokharan terracotta crafts, Kutch • It was observed as thanksgiving to gods for embroidery & crochet crafts, Pingla patachitra, protecting the animals from diseases. Birbhum kantha embroidery • During the race, the racers try to bring the buffaloes • Jajpur Pattachitra painting, Madhubani Mithila under control by holding their reins tight and painting, Kolhapur chappal, Palghar Worli painting, whipping them. Kondagaon wrought iron craft, Agate stone crafts and Krishna handblock printing. • In its traditional form, Kambala was non- competitive and buffalo pairs raced one after another in paddy fields. Connecting the Dots • Traditionally, Tuluva landlords sponsor this race. About GI tag Tuluva people are an ethnic group native to • GI is primarily an agricultural, natural or a Southern India and are native speakers of the Tulu manufactured product (handicrafts and also language. industrial goods) originating from the definite • geographical territory. Concerns: • Kambala involves acts of cruelty on animals: • Significance of a GI tag: It conveys an Activists criticize that animals which are not assurance of quality and distinctiveness, which physiologically suited for racing run in the race due is essentially attributable to the place of its to fear of being beaten. origin. • Violates the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals • The security: (PCA) Act, 1960: As the tradition involves • Once the GI protection is granted and no unnecessary pain to the animal amounting to other producer can misuse the name to the cruelty. market similar products. • It also provides comfort to the customers about the authenticity of that product.

• Legislations:Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection Act), 1999

• Other Provisions in this regard: • It is covered as an element of intellectual property rights (IPRs) under the Paris Convention for Protection of Industrial Property. • GI is governed by the WTO’s Agreement on the Trade-Related Aspects of an Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).

• As of August 2019, 178 GI handicraft products were registered from all over India.

118 I Articulate Schemes/ Bills / Acts | 119 120 I Articulate Indian National Commission for Cooperation with UNESCO (INCCU) UN General Assembly in 2015.

• UNESCO Headquarters Located on the Place The Union Minister for Human Resource Development de Fontenoy, in Paris, France. chaired the meeting of the Indian National Commission for Cooperation with UNESCO (INCCU).

About INCCU • Article VII of the Constitution of UNESCO requires that each Member State shall make such arrangements to suit its particular conditions for purposes of associating with UNESCO in the fields of educational, scientific and cultural matters, preferably by the formation of a National source: UNESCO.org Commission broadly representative of the government. Importance of INCCU • It was accordingly established in 1951. • It serves as a liaison agency and medium of cooperation between the Government of India and • It comes under the HRD Ministry’s Department of the institutions concerned with the working for the Secondary and Higher Education. advancement of education, science and culture.

• Body: The commission consists of the General • It encourages participation of national, Assembly, Secretariat and five sub-commissions viz. governmental and non-governmental institutions on Education, Communications, Natural Sciences, and various individuals in the formulation and Culture , and Social Sciences. execution of UNESCO’s programmes.

• The Union HRD Minister, who chairs the meetings, • It also advises the Government of India on matters is the President and the Secretary to the relating to UNESCO. Department of Higher Education is the Secretary General of the Commission. DST launches SATHI Initiative • National Commissions for UNESCO are national organizations which are part of UNESCO and The Department of Science and Technology has which are the only such bodies in the whole UN launched the SATHI initiative, Sophisticated Analytical system. & Technical Help Institutes.

About SATHI Centres Connecting the Dots • These are state-of-the-art, professionally managed science and technology infrastructure facilities UNESCO stands for United Nations Educational, which will house major analytical instruments Scientific and Cultural Organization. with the primary objective of extending help to the academic institutes in the neighbouring regions. • It seeks to build peace through international cooperation in Education, the Sciences and • Research establishments and industries, particularly Culture. start-ups and manufacturing units, will also be able to use sophisticated instruments. • UNESCO’s programmes contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development • These Centres will help in avoiding Goals defined in Agenda 2030, adopted by the duplication and reducing dependency on foreign sources.

Significance • SATHI will address the problems of

Schemes/ BillsPIB Corner / Acts | 121 accessibility, maintenance, redundancy and duplication of expensive equipment in our Institutions, while reaching out to the less endowed organizations in need, e.g., industry, MSMEs, startups and State Universities.

• This will also foster a strong culture of collaboration between institutions and across disciplines to take advantage of developments, innovations and expertise in diverse areas.

• It will promote the culture of science- based entrepreneurship and start-ups in the country as a part of Social Scientific Responsibility (SSR) of the Institutes.

122 I Articulate PIB Corner | 122 Yojana Summary | 123 Artificial Intelligence: Challenges and in achieving United Nations Sustainable opportunities in India Development Goals (SDGs).

The recent developments in Artificial • Al can help in achieving good health and Intelligence (AI) offer the potential for well-being goals within rural and remote significant opportunities for industry, areas in developing governments and society. • Increase access to medical care :help to What is artificial Intelligence? conduct remote diagnosis supporting • AI is a branch of computer science dealing doctors to help improve health service with the simulation of intelligent behavior delivery. in computers. • Poverty and Zero Hunger (SDG 2): AI can • Artificial Intelligence can be described as help in assisting in resource allocation a system’s ability to learn and interpret for predicting adverse environmental external data via software/algorithms or conditions,diagnose crop diseases machines/devices for problem solving and identify pests in a timely manner by performing specific roles and tasks to mitigate the risk of catastrophic currently executed by humans. agricultural events.

Opportunities and Applications: • Better predictability: AI-based systems • The ability of Al to overcome some of the can be used to predict energy and utility computationally intensive, intellectual demand to help in achieving SDGs such as and perhaps creative limitations of SDG 6: Clean water, sanitation and SDG 7: humans opens up new application Affordable clean energy. domains. Application of AI in India: India has 1.18 • It will be within manufacturing, law, billion mobile phone users with 600 million medicine, healthcare, education, internet users and 374 million smartphone government, agriculture, marketing, sales, users. It has one of the cheapest data rates finance, operations and supply chain in the world ($0.24/GB) and an average data management, public service delivery and speed of 6 Mbps. cyber security. In health sector: Education sector: • Reduce workload on doctor: India has • AI can be deployed to improve teacher 0.8 per thousand doctor-to-patient ratio. effectiveness and student engagement In India, doctors spend just 2 minutes per by offering capabilities such as intelligent patient, whereas in the US it is close to 20 game-based learning environments, minutes. tutoring systems and intelligent narrative • AI assisted diagnostics can provide technologies. access to quality healthcare for people in remote areas. • AI systems can assist educators with secondary tasks such as grading activities, • In Education Sector: providing personalised responses to • India has about 50% less teachers per students, handling routine and repetitive thousand students when compared paperwork and dealing with logistics- with developed countries. These factors related matters. open up huge potential for adoption of AI technology in India. • AI-based analytics can help with • academic research. Challenges and Shortcomings

Achieving SDG: AI-based systems can help • Lack of explainability: AI operates as a black-box that does not transparently.

124 I Articulate • Lack of contextual awareness and inability to learn : AI still has major limitations in algorithm to identify the pest or disease terms of making decisions where context and sends a message to the farmer advising plays a critical role. Unlike humans, AI- the remedial measure. based systems cannot learn from their environment.This limits the application of Al to specific types of domains.

• Lack of standardisation: Furthermore, organisations face challenges on how to ensure AI and human work together successfully.

• Job losses: Increasing automation will lead to significant job losses particularly at operational and lower skill levels for Public policy challenges of Al: Digital repetitive tasks. • Divide and Data Deficit: Countries where the data is of poor quality or of • Lack of competency and need for re- poor granularity would be left behind in skilling and up-skilling workers: A large harnessing the power of AI to improve number of organisations still lack in-house lives of its citizens adversely affecting competency to successfully develop and low-resource communities. implement AI-based systems. • Accountability and Legal Issues: once • Transparency and Audit: The technology machines are equipped with Al and take providers must explain the decision- autonomous decisions. The question making process to the user so that the AI of accountability becomes very hard to system does not remain a black box. There answer, more so when the algorithms are exists a legal need to explain the decision unknown to the designer. taken by such systems in case of litigation. • Misuse Protection: It should be ensured • Lack of trust and resistance to change: that AI should not be used for destructive people are generally apprehensive about goals. its implementation. • Fairness and Equity: Al can disrupt social order and hierarchy creating new social Connecting the Dots paradigms, which could damage the • The Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency social fabric exposing people lower in the has partnered with Anna University to bargaining hierarchy with a real threat of launch a Tamil smart assistant called exploitation and unfair treatment. ‘Anil’ . AI as a technology holds tremendous • This NLP-based smart assistant potential for a country like India, which is provides a step-by-step guide to data rich and has the requisite technological people in helping them apply online for capability to create Al solutions for many of scores of critical government services. its problems.

• The Tamil Nadu Government has been one of the pioneers in using AI for public service delivery. • The farmer clicks an image of diseased crop or a pest and the system processes the image through an AI

Schemes/Yojana Bills Summary / Acts | 125 The Vice President on Science at a judgement. Education and Innovation Connecting the Dots Addressing the 27th edition of the National Children’s Science Congress in National Children’s Science Congress Thiruvananthapuram, the VP called for • It is a nationwide Science inculcating scientific temper and nurturing the Communication programme started in spirit of inquisitiveness among the children the year 1993. from a young age, as it is important for the technological progress of the country. • It is the flagship programme of the National Council for Science and Science education in India Technology Communication (NCSTC), • In ancient times Department of Science & Technology • Our Ayurveda system of medicine can (DST), Government of India. be traced back to 5000 BC. • It is a forum for children of the age- • Indus Valley civilization had irrigation group of 10-17 years, both from formal and sewerage systems as far back as school system as well as from out of 2500 BC. school, to exhibit their creativity and innovativeness that will help in solving • By 200 BC, South India was making high societal problems experienced locally quality wrought iron and, and the using the method of science. invention of ‘zero’ and contributions to astronomy are well known. • The theme of the Children’s Science Congress 2019 is “Science, Technology • Aryabhatta’s ‘Aryabhattiyam’ is and Innovation for a Clean, Green and considered a seminal work and equally Healthy Nation”. pioneering work is Panchasidhhantika of Varahamihira. National Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC): In modern era • Prof. Satyendranath Bose’s ‘Boson’, • It is mandated to communicate science Prof. Subramanian Chandrasekhar’s & technology to masses. ‘Chandrasekhar limit’, Sir C.V. Raman’s ‘Raman Effect’ and Prof. Jagadish Chandra • It is a registered body guided by a Board Bose’s ‘wireless communication’ has earned of Governors with headquarters in global recognition. Delhi.

Importance of science education in children’s • It has about eighty members spread in life all states and union territories. • Make students aware of the real purpose of science and how make people’s lives • Volunteers in districts lend it comfortable and happy. great strength and capability for implementing projects that reach the • Make them creative: The innovative mind of common man and woman. the youth is the most powerful resource on the earth in this knowledge era and science education will fill this invaluable treasure Positive impacts of science education with creativity and imagination. • Provides answer to challenging problems: The world is facing the ill-effects of climate • Science education will motivate children to change and finding sustainable solutions is seek truth without any bias or prejudice. the wayahead. Hence, science is important for the growth and development of a • It will make children rely on analysis, nation. questioning and reasoning before arriving

126 I Articulate • Key drivers of socio-economic development: Science education can contribute to sustainable and inclusive development. Innovative and appropriate technologies can ensure steady improvements in living conditions and ensure rising incomes.

Way ahead • Right ecosystem for innovation: As a matter of fact, there is no dearth of talent in India. The only thing required is to The innovation ecosystem can be divided create the right ecosystem for innovation into four buckets: to thrive. 1. Ideate • Science must come out of laboratories: 2.Pre-incubate We must understand that advancements 3.Incubate in science and innovation will be of no 4.Support use if they remain in laboratories. All our research and inventions must go beyond labs and try to solve problems faced by Incubation and support ecosystem in common people. India • Society for Innovation and Science and technology will be an important Entrepreneurship (SINE) in IIT factor in transforming India into a developed Bombay is one of the earliest nation. The young scientific minds assembled incubators in an academic setting in here represent a cross section of the 300 India supporting tech startups and million youth of the nation. Therefore, it is socially relevant projects. important to inculcate scientific tempo in our young minds. • The Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer (FITT) Former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in the in IIT Delhi has been supporting ‘Ignited Minds’, “Dream, dream, dream. entrepreneurship development Dreams transform into thoughts. Thoughts since 1992 and has recently come up result in action”. with an initiative to promote start- ups from PhD thesis research. Innovation in Higher Educational Institutions • IIT Madras established India’s first university-based research park, collocating established companies The Indian culture places high emphasis on with start-ups. learning since time immemorial. Premier higher educational institutes in India have • lITM’s incubation cell, hosted inside always been a gateway to a secure and the research park supports over 200 prosperous life for many. companies with deep technology focus. • Now these temples of learning have been transforming themselves to produce the • Some of the nationally recognised next generation of leaders who are willing start-ups from IITM include to take-up entrepreneurship, foregoing • Ather, one of India’s first HOT assured income; thereby creating multiple enabled electric scooter, jobs for the society. • Planys — underwater robotics • Detect —enabling advanced asset • At the root of this transformation is the culture of innovation.

Schemes/Yojana Bills Summary / Acts | 127 monitoring for process industries Source: Yojana • AirOK — next generation air purifiers etc. Support for encouraging entrepreneurial Mindset Pre-incubation ecosystem in India • Incubators (such as CITE, IITMIC, • IITM’s first-level elective course in etc.) and support systems (such as entrepreneurship:The course aims Keiretsu, TIE, Chennai angels etc. to help students approach innovation offer mentoring, networking, and and entrepreneurship in a disciplined funding support for early stage start- fashion with periodic testing and ups along with business acceleration validation of assumptions about the supportdeation and technology product, market need and potential development is taken care of by the customers. research and tinkering labs. • Lab-to-market programme,IITM:It • Hackathons have become very was initiated on the lines of lab to popular to quickly ideate and come- market through the Innovation Corps up with a mock-up of the product or (I-Corps) program of the USA.It has solution for a problem statement. led to the creation of about 25 start- ups in this time span. • For problems in the clean-tech space, IITM runs the carbon zero challenge (CZC), which aims to unlock potential Innovations in India’s institutions catering to ideas and support prototype the needs of the country development. • Higher educational institutes such as the IlTs are gradually transforming themselves • At IIT Madras, Nirmaan is the pre- into research and development incubator. where ideas mature powerhouses catering to the needs of the towards incubation. It helps country. committed teams validate their ideas, approach to the market leading • Many centres of excellence in various to the establishment of a start-up domains of national importance have been company. set up at these institutes. For example,

• Robert Bosch Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (RBCDSAI): It promotes next generation fundamental research in the areas of deep learning, network analytics as well as its applications in various areas such as manufacturing analytics, financial analytics, smart cities, systems biology and health care.

• The National Centre for Combustion Research and Development (NCCRD): It promotes advanced research in the domain of combustion has already started producing niche startups in areas like micro-gas turbine, emission sensors, electric planes etc.

• Over 24 centres of excellence in various domains serving as a fertile ground for idea generations in IITM have been established.

128 I Articulate India’s programs for catalysing Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship

• It is under the aegis of Niti Aayog.

1.The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) • Mission is promoting the formation of Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) in schools to promote this maker space culture.

• At IlT Madras (IITM), an after-class activity called the Centre for Innovation (CFI) transformed the students from passive listeners to active learners. • It was set up to provide an outlet for the students to try-out their passion without 2.Centre for Innovation (CFI) the burden of grades or exams. • The centre was set up with the motto “walk in with an idea and walk out with a product”. • Recently, the CFI team “Aavishkar” became the only Asian team to qualify and was placed within the top 25 in the hyperloop competition held at SpaceX. • CFI also promotes student interest clubs, which also enable contextual use of technology by exploring social needs in our country.

Where are the Problems? getting funding beyond the early stage • Among four innovation buckets the seed grant and angel rounds. incubation and support ecosystem arc highly instrumental. This is especially • Out of many potential ideas from the CFI true in institutes like IIT’s, where the need and other research labs, only a few are to support entrepreneurship has been considered for the possibility of a start-up recognised. due to the fear of the unknown and the uncertainty surrounding the process. • The challenge for our higher educational institutions is to enable routine Way Forward transformation of these intellectually • For the higher institutions like IIT’s, which stimulated individuals to deep tech are adapting to the evolving trend of rapid entrepreneurs and innovators solving experimentation and development of societal problems of today and tomorrow. technology for the society, it is no longer sufficient to train and produce good • It is very hard to take a step back from employees. a narrowly defined academic problem definition to identify broad opportunities • Our institutions will have to imbibe the where the research or technology spirit of entrepreneurial adaptation to developed might meet a market need. the societal thinking, which includes rapid adaptation to the social needs, • Many of the hackathons, idea challenges, developing and scaling in resource business plan competitions etc, have not constrained environments and serving as resulted in the creation of enterprises. focal points or nodes of innovation and entrepreneurship, to reach our national • Even in cases where a start-up is goal of a $5trillion economy. established, many struggles in selling and

Schemes/Yojana Bills Summary / Acts | 129 • Active support is needed in venture impaired was established in the Ministry creation at the pre-incubation stage, even of Education, as per the recommendations more than the incubation support. contained in the Government of India Report Pre-incubation can serve as a soft launch for on Blindness, 1944. the fleeting entrepreneurial ventures, where the solutions waiting for problems can explore » The Government of India requested the the market for potential customers and the UNESCO for initiating action for uniformity elusive product-market fit. of Braille codes in the world based on certain principles. Education and Technology for the Blind » India adopted this uniform Braille codes for various languages in 1951. Trail of Initiatives by Government The policy for the blind students in the » The Government established the first ever country changed in year 1947, as a small unit Braille printing plant named the Central for education and rehabilitation of visually Braille Press at Dehradun in 1952. More changes followed gradually.

A Chronology of Educational Services for Blind 1951 India adopted the uniform Braille codes for various Indian languages

1952 First-ever Braille printing plant of India was established in Dehradun.

1954 Braille appliances manufacturing unit was set up;

1959 Government set up its first school for Blind Children in Dehradun

1960 Four Regional Centres for the teachers of blind were set up;

1974 India launched the Integrated Education for Disabled Children (1 EDC);

1981 Observance of International Year of Disabled Persons (IYDP);

1983-92 The UN Decade for the Disabled

2016 Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPD) Act enacted.

• A vital missing component for education Department later. was quality teachers in this sector, and thus a scheme for preparing special • Following the International Year of teachers was launched. Disabled Persons (IYDP) 1981, a large number of NGOs, autonomous bodies as • In 1974 India launched the Integrated well as governments became more active Education for Disabled Children (IEDC) for a variety of reasons. scheme to be implemented through govt. schools. • Commencing with District Primary Education Programme with the World • It provided financial assistance for special Bank assistant in mid 1990s in the selected teachers, equipment and educational districts, the 21st century witnessed the material to individual students covered Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and Rashtriya under the scheme. Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) taking shape and being implemented on all • The IEDC Scheme was transferred to India basis. the NloE in 1982 and a cell was set up at NCERT, New Delhi which developed into a

130 I Articulate • Both the Abhiyans contained necessary components for motivating visually is one of the major objectives of the impaired children. scheme. • These schemes have since been merged and renamed as `Samagra • Targeted Category - Children with Shiksha’ (Inclusive Education for Special Needs (CWSN) and children Children with Special Needs). belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), minority • Though the word `Disability’ has been communities and transgenders. replaced by the phrase ‘Special Needs’ but it has far-reaching significance. • Padhe Bharat Badhe Bharat (PBBB) • It is a sub-programme of erstwhile Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) which is • The role of technology has drastically continued under the new integrated changed the situation. Not only the Braille producers of different capacities, scheme Samagra Shiksha to ensure magnifiers for low-vision children, even quality at the foundational years of paperless Braille readers and writers have schooling. come recently in our country. • Objectives • With a view to meet the stipulations of • To promote early reading and writing the UN Convention on Rights of Persons with comprehension skills in children with Disabilities (UNCRPD), Indian . Parliament enacted the Rights of Persons • To promote basic numeracy skills. with Disabilities (RPD) Act, 2016. The Act provides another category among the Navodaya Vidyalaya Scheme blind called ‘Low Vision’. • The Navodaya Vidyalaya Scheme provides for the opening of one JNV With holistic schemes like `Samagra Shiksha’ in each district of the country to bring providing education to children with special out the best of rural talent. needs, India has witnessed a sea change in inclusive education. However, the country • Significance has to go a long way to achieve parity between the visually impaired and sighted • Selection of talented rural children children in the area of quality education. as the target group and the aim to provide them quality education comparable to the best in a Quality Education for Weaker Sections and residential school system. Disadvantaged Group Future Actions • The Draft National Education Steps Taken to Ensure Education of Policy 2019 is presently under Children with Disability consideration. The revision of • Samagra Shiksha: curriculum, syllabi and textbooks for • An overarching programme for the school education would depend on school education sector extending the finalisation and approval of the from pre-school to class XII, aims to New Education Policy. ensure inclusive and equitable quality education at all levels of school education. • It envisages the ‘school’ as a continuum from pre-school, primary, upper primary, secondary to senior secondary levels. • Bridging gender and social category gaps at all levels of school education

Schemes/Yojana Bills Summary / Acts | 131 Key Initiatives in Education

Education Quality Upgradation and Inclusion Programme (EQUIP) has been released by the Department of Higher Education of the Ministry of HRD.

NISHTHA • National Initiative for School Heads’ and Teachers’ Holistic Advancement .

• A National Mission to improve learning outcomes at the elementary level through an Integrated Teacher Training Programme.

• The initiative is first of its kind wherein standardised training modules are developed at national level for all states and UTs.

SHAGUN • One of the world’s largest Integrated Online Junction for School Education.

• It is an overarching initiative to improve the school education system by creating a junction for all online portals and websites . Key Reforms in School • The portals relate to various activities of the Department of School Education and Literacy in the Government of India and all States and Union Education Territories.

Operation Digital Board (ODB) • The aim is to provide by March 2023, two smart classrooms for every Secondary/Senior Secondary school.

Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing (DIKSHA) 2.0 - DIKSHA Portal was launched in 2017 for providing digital platforms to teachers giving them an opportunity to learn and train themselves and connect with the teacher community.

DHRUV - Pradhan Mantri Innovative Learning Program.

• It was launched to identify and encourage talented children to enrich their skills and knowledge

132 I Articulate talented children to enrich their skills and knowledge.

• The Programme ‘DHRUV’ will act as a platform to explore the talent of outshining and meritorious students, and help them achieve excellence in their specific areas of interest may it be science, performing arts, creative writing, etc.

Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) To ensure quality, credibility and timely availability of information from all the schools in the country, the revamped UDISE+ has been launched. The GIS based mapping portal gives information about the location of more than 15 lakh schools in the country along with some salient highlights.

Implementation of Quality Improvement Programme • Scheme for Trans-disciplinary Research for India’s Developing Economy (STRIDE) - Launched to promote quality research by faculty and create new knowledge. • PARAMARSH - A scheme to mentor institutions seeking National Assessment and Accreditation Council accreditation. • Deeksharambh - A guide to the Student Induction Programme has been launched.

SWAYAM 2.0 • It is initiated with enhanced features and facilities to offer online degree programmes through SWAYAM by top ranking universities.

SWAYAM PRABHA- DTH Educational Channels Key Reforms in Higher • It is a project to telecast high-quality educational Education programs through 32 DTH channels on 24x7 basis to reach out to student/learners of India with wide reach and minimal cost.

• It aims to support those students who do not have good learning options like lack of teacher or internet etc.

Institution of Eminence (loE) Implementation by: Ministry of Human Resource and Development • Target:

Ten institutions in the sector and IO institutions in the private sector have to be declared as IoE. Each public institute (IoE) will be eligible to receive Rs. 1000 crore during the next 5 years.

Schemes/Yojana Bills Summary / Acts | 133 Cybersecurity: Issues and Challenges which if hacked can cause havoc.

• Ransomware: This ransom demanding The IT Act, 2000 defines “cyber-security” malware is a virus which gets into your as the protection given to devices computer, either when you download an and information stored therein from attachment containing the virus or when “unauthorised access, use, disclosure, you visit any such website and click on a disruption, modification or destruction.” link.

Need for Cybersecurity: • Once it gets into your computer, it • In the year 2016 there were a total of 75S starts to encrypt all your files thereby million online attacks worldwide, which rendering them useless. amounts to around 2 million in a single day. • The only way to unlock your files is to • Even technically legal activities often get a secret key from the hacker by involve misuse of individuals’ Personally paying a ranom. Identifiable Information (PII). • And this ransom is usually demanded • Cyber Security Challenges: Some new through bitcoin which keeps the payee threats have also come up like organised anonymous. cyber crime, cyber crime trading, smishing (phishing with SMS), hacktivism (hacker • Big Data: In just 60 seconds 149,513 emails with activism) etc. can be sent, 3.3 million FB posts can be made, 3.8 million Google searches can be • Distributed denial of service (DDoS) performed and millions of other online attacks: Here the intruder is not activities can be performed leaving an interested in actually stealing your incredibly large digital footprint. information but in bombarding your server with unnecessary traffic thereby crashing • Humans are the weakest link: The weakest it. link happens to be our password with which social accounts, mail accounts • Huge servers like video streaming apps and millions of bank accounts have been and the majority of banks arc under this hacked. An analysis of 32 million breached type of attack. accounts has revealed that people most • Any device that can connect to the often use insecure passwords. internet can be breached. • Terrorist Attacks and social media: • Large-scale phishing attacks using mobile Terrorists have always sought attention technology: Accelerometer, microphone, and that is what they receive from social camera, location, contacts, gyroscope (for media. orientation), heart rate, proximity, light, temperature, pressure, barometer (for • BOT threats: altitude) are some of the information that • Bot programs target specific hashtags are collected from your phone. and work by auto-commenting and auto-linking in order to attract • This data can be used to execute followers who are mostly other fluke large-scale phishing attacks meant bot accounts. to compromise a company’s network • More than half of the twitter followers and systems. of many public figures around the world were found to be fake. • Internet of Things (loTs): every object linked with the IoT has the capabilities to • Companies are addressing the issue by identify, locate, sense its surroundings, suspending fake accounts. compute and communicate. It is said that soon there will be one billion lOT devices and they will all be talking to each other

134 I Articulate Way Forward Connecting the Dots Digital literacy is an essential requirement for safe and secure use of digital resources Government institutions and regulation which can contribute to efficiently tackle for cybersecurity cyberspace. • The National Technical Research Organisation is the main agency • Protection against Cyber Attacks: As designed to protect national critical the channels and networks for data infrastructure and to handle all the sharing continue to evolve and grow, so cybersecurity incidents in critical do the risks. For securing the information sectors of the country. on social networking sites, the following guidelines can be followed: • The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) is • Limit the amount of information that you responsible for incident responses disclose on the social networking sites; including analysis, forecasts and alerts on cybersecurity issues and • Do not establish a friendship with breaches. strangers;

• Information Technology Act, 2000 • Do not believe online information blindly • The Information Technology Act of as it can be misleading; India states that when a cyber crime has been committed, it has • Customise your system settings a global jurisdiction and a according to your needs by changing the complaint can be filed at any default settings. Learn how to use privacy cyber cell. settings on your social profiles properly;

• The Act especially provides • Avoid applications that seem suspicious, protection to Critical Information and make sure to modify your settings to Infrastructure (CII) by prescribing limit the amount of information which the punishment in the form of applications can access; imprisonment for a term of up to 10 years. • Secure your system, because the unsecured network can lead to loss of your • The IT Act defines“critical personal data; information infrastructure” to be “the computer resource, • Use antivirus software to secure your incapacitation or destruction of computers and electronic devices; which, shall have a debilitating impact on national security, economy, • Use strong passwords to protect your public health or safety” like power account and personal information. and energy, telecom sector etc. Change your passwords frequently;

• The National Cyber Security Policy, • Do not set the same password for all social 2013 (NCSP): The objective of this accounts, because if one site’s password is policy in broad terms is to create a compromised secure cyberspace ecosystem and strengthen the regulatory framework. • Choose a suitable authentication scheme so that no one can access the details. • Two-factor and multi-factor authentication should be in place. Some examples are facial recognition, iris recognition, voice ID and finger scanning.

• Oversharing should be avoided as it helps

Schemes/Yojana Bills Summary / Acts | 135 • Two-factor and multi-factor authentication should be in place. Some examples are facial recognition, iris recognition, voice ID and finger scanning.

• Oversharing should be avoided as it helps hackers steal Pll and sell it to the dark web.

• Use of social media: For example, Assam State Police opened a cell to monitor social media and keep track of the spread of rumours.

All in all, It is extremely essential to be digitally literate for appropriate utilisation of digital information resources.

136 I Articulate

Q1. The Economic survey 2019-20 advocates laws to suppress political dissent creates for strengthening of ‘Invisible Hands’ an urgency to relook into the provisions of the in order to achieve a $5 trillion economy. What laws and make it more balanced ? do you understand by the concept of Invisible hand ? How strengthening it can help Q10. Recently Andhra Pradesh announced the India in realising its dream of $5 creation of three capitals for the trillion economy. states. Do you think having multiple capitals can help in countering regional Q2. Being a welfare state India needs to imbalances ? Substantiate your stand with balance wealth creation and wealth suitable examples. distribution. Why do you think India has not been able to achieve remarkable Q11. The Amendment to Medical Termination success in ensuring equitable distribution of of pregnancy Act 1971 is necessary wealth ? to counter the problem of illegal abortions and reduce Maternal Mortality Rate. Do Q3. Highlight the key reasons for India’s under- you agree ? performance in export vis-a-vis China. What steps can be taken to make India Q12. Initiatives like operation vanilla will not realise its export potential. only help India to form closer ties with Island nations in the Indian Ocean but will also Q4. Throw light upon the issues surrounding the disqualification powers of the help in countering growing Speaker under 10th schedule of the dominance of China in the region. Discuss. Constitution. In this regard, suggest alternatives Q13. What is the purpose of formation of to de-politicise the office of speaker. Financial Action Task Force (FATF) ? What would the possible implications of putting Q5. The security concerns prevalent in Pakistan on the blacklist of FATF ? Kashmir and North East has structural differences and thus require different Q14. Mention the constitutional provisions of approach. Analyse. the sixth schedule. Do you think the sixth schedule has able to provide the Q6. Examine the reasons for the required autonomy to the tribals in order to criminalisation of politics in India. Also maintain their custom and traditions ? analyse how it destroys the democratic fabric of the Q15. What do you think are the reasons for nation. India to deviate its focus from SAARC and give more attention to BIMSTEC in the Q7. What are the constitutional provisions recent years ? related to the creation and abolition of Legislative council ? Analyse the rationale Q16 Recently US took off India from behind its creation. Do you think it has developing country’s list. Analyse the possible become a backdoor entry for party loyalists implications of this step. Suggest what steps who fail to win popular mandate ? India can take to save its economy from these possible implications. Q8. The recent incidents of Custodial violence in India is not just the violation of Q17. International Court of Justice is a Human Rights but also puts a question mark toothless tiger. Elucidate. on the ability of the state to safeguard Fundamental Rights mentioned under Art 20. Q.18 What are issues plaguing the smooth Analyse. functioning of Indian Railways ? Do you think the recently adopted corporate model What is the purpose of the existence of Q9. can be a game changer ? Preventive Detention Laws in India ? Do you think the use of Preventive Detention

138 I Articulate Q19. What are the policy measures adopted by the government in order to double farmers’ income ?

Q20. The setting up of major ports will not only benefit India in its trade but will also help it in establishing greater dominance in the Indian Ocean region. Analyse.

Q21. What is the ecological importance of wetlands ? Analyse the role of Ramsar Convention in protecting and maintaining the wetlands around the world.

Q22. What do you understand by ‘Urban heat island’ ? What measures can be taen to protect a place from turning into an urban heat island ?

Q23. What do you understand by the term Coral Bleaching ? Discussing its, mentions the measures that need to be adopted at local and global level to arrest the bleaching of corals.

Q24. Despite several laws prohibiting it, the practice of manual scavenging is still persistent at wide scale in our country. Examine the causes and suggest measures to address the issue.

Q25. Granting permanent commission to the women officers in armed forces is a big step towards countering the patriarchal mindset which consider women as physically and psychologically inferior to men and provide women equal status in the society. Discuss.

Q 26. Analyse the impact of the spread of coronavirus on the world economy.

Mains Questions | 139 140 I Articulate