1. How to safeguard the open justice principle READ MORE
2. One pension for MLAs: Punjab has shown the way, Haryana needs to follow suit READ MORE
3. Reforms that India Needs to Fulfil its Constitutional Goals READ MORE
4. Big Tech’s privacy promise to consumers could be good news — and also bad news READ MORE

1. Mahavir’s core message is ‘Live and let live’ READ MORE
2. Medical profession deserves dignity, fair play READ MORE
3. The tragedy of Dr Archana Sharma is the failure of Indian society READ MORE

1. Tackling extreme heat risks in India READ MORE  
2. Wildlife Protection Amendment Bill 2021 misses the target despite good intentions READ MORE
3. Monsoon 2022 will be ‘normal’ but highly erratic month-to-month: Skymet READ MORE  

1. Many Women in India Quitting Jobs due to Lack of Flexibility, Says Report READ MORE
2. Indian Society and Ways of Living READ MORE
3. The tragedy of Dr Archana Sharma is the failure of Indian society READ MORE

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. ‘SVANidhi se Samriddhi’ launched in additional 126 cities; READ MORE
2. The process of electing India’s President READ MORE
3. Explained | How will cardless cash withdrawal system at ATMs work? READ MORE
4. No El Nino expected, it will be a ‘normal’ monsoon, says Skymet READ MORE
5. Explained: Midday meal and supplements READ MORE
6. India Will Miss Its 2022 Solar Power Target: Report READ MORE
7. New WHO report highlights collaborative action to reduce antimicrobial resistance READ MORE
8. Neptune’s summer temperature drops dramatically. What may have caused this? READ MORE

Main Exam

GS Paper- 1

1. Monsoon 2022 will be ‘normal’ but highly erratic month-to-month: Skymet READ MORE  
2. Architectural conservation – An Indian perspective READ MORE
3. Many Women in India Quitting Jobs due to Lack of Flexibility, Says Report READ MORE
4. Indian Society and Ways of Living READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. How to safeguard the open justice principle READ MORE
2. One pension for MLAs: Punjab has shown the way, Haryana needs to follow suit READ MORE
3. Reforms that India Needs to Fulfil its Constitutional Goals READ MORE
4. Big Tech’s privacy promise to consumers could be good news — and also bad news READ MORE

SOCIAL JUSTICE

1. HOPS as a route to universal health care READ MORE
2. With CUET will come more pressure, not less READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. India, U.S hold broad 2+2 discussions, with Ukraine looming over talks READ MORE
2. 2+2 = Counter China: Moscow is a point of difference, but New Delhi, Washington both know the bigger threat is Beijing READ MORE
3. View: The India-US relationship is deepening, despite major differences over Russia READ MORE
4. India-US dialogue: Both nations maintain focus on strategic cooperation READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Rural economy reaps rich gains from war READ MORE
2. Temperature, labour reallocation, and industrial production READ MORE
3. Integrated agriculture key to farmers’ uplift READ MORE
4. Quarter-billion people face extreme poverty in 2022 as the rich get richer: Oxfam READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY 

1. Tackling extreme heat risks in India READ MORE  
2. Wildlife Protection Amendment Bill 2021 misses the target despite good intentions READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Mahavir’s core message is ‘Live and let live’ READ MORE
2. Medical profession deserves dignity, fair play READ MORE
3. The tragedy of Dr Archana Sharma is the failure of Indian society READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. ‘Temples of south India have been a true repository of religious, art and cultural glory’. Justify the statement with the help of relevant examples.
2. Russia’s actions in Ukraine have ensured that Moscow will be Beijing’s junior partner for the foreseeable future and in tis situation, India and the US have no choice but to work together. Do you agree with this view? Analyse your view.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• In the practice of tolerance, one’s enemy is the best teacher.
• In the absence of public health centres, dedicated not only to primary health care but also to preventive work, there is a danger of patients rushing to expensive hospitals every other day.
• The use of privacy as a tool for market development, therefore, has to tread this tightrope between enabling and stifling competition.
• The impact of the Common University Entrance Test is likely to be harsher on disadvantaged sections of the society for whom access to higher education is seen as the only route to upward mobility.
• India and the US have no choice but to work together. Russia’s actions in Ukraine have not only put India in a tight spot but also ensured that Moscow will be Beijing’s junior partner for the foreseeable future.
• The Russia-Ukraine war has given an opportunity for India to step up wheat exports, benefitting our farmers.
• In a trias political (separation of powers) model, open justice is a key source of public information about, and a check on, legislative and executive actions.
• As the climate crisis heightens extreme heat risks in India, authorities must work to further strengthen these plans and adapt them in consultation with local communities.
• Food and nutritional needs of a more health-conscious population entails a diversification of farming from staples towards high-value crops, such as fruit and vegetables.
• The inclusion of health services in the Consumer Protection Act has not helped society but only created mistrust in the doctor-patient relation.
• Temples of south India have been a true repository of religious, art and cultural glory.
• The future of Indian democracy will be greatly dependent on the effective countercheck on the actions of the executive and Parliament exercised by the judiciary.
• Suicides which happen due to coercion and threat of violence are not truly suicides, they are murders committed by all of us.
• The absence of justice is not only complemented by the ruling class but a sense of impunity is also sown in the minds of the masses.

ESSAY TOPIC

• In the midst of every crisis lies great opportunity.

50-WORD TALK

• “Kashmiris’ blood is flowing on the roads,” new Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in his first speech—dispelling hopes he’d push for trade and a reset of India-Pakistan ties. Facing unpopular economic decisions, Sharif won’t risk being soft on India. New Delhi should ignore his words, and watch his actions.
• That India and the US were able to focus on their bilateral relationship despite not being on the same page on Russia demonstrates the strength and depth of this strategic partnership. Non-alignment may be dead but diplomacy isn’t a zero sum game. Modi government has played this well so far.

Things to Remember:

• For prelims-related news try to understand the context of the news and relate with its concepts so that it will be easier for you to answer (or eliminate) from given options.
• Whenever any international place will be in news, you should do map work (marking those areas in maps and exploring other geographical locations nearby including mountains, rivers, etc. same applies to the national places.)
• For economy-related news (banking, agriculture, etc.) you should focus on terms and how these are related to various economic aspects, for example, if inflation has been mentioned, try to relate with prevailing price rises, shortage of essential supplies, banking rates, etc.
• For main exam-related topics, you should focus on the various dimensions of the given topic, the most important topics which occur frequently and are important from the mains point of view will be covered in ED.
• Try to use the given content in your answer. Regular use of this content will bring more enrichment to your writing.

[WpProQuiz 200]

THE CONTEXT: The Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2022, was introduced and passed in the Lok Sabha on March 25, 2022, for the unification of the three municipal bodies in the capital. The Bill seeks to amend the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957, passed by Parliament. The Central Government claims that this move will improve municipal governance, but there is a contrarian view. This article analyses this issue in detail.

THE SALIENT FEATURES OF THE DELHI MUNICIPAL CORPORATION (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2022

UNIFICATION OF MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS: The Bill replaces the three municipal corporations of North, South, and East Delhi under the Act with one Corporation named the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.

POWERS OF THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT:

The Bill empowers the Central government to decide various matters including:

1. total number of seats of councilors and number of seats reserved for members of the Scheduled Castes,
2. division of the area of corporations into zones and wards etc.

NUMBER OF COUNCILLORS: The Bill states that the total number of seats in the new corporation should not be more than 250 while the earlier number was 272.

REMOVAL OF DIRECTOR OF LOCAL BODIES: The Act provides for a Director of Local Bodies to assist the Delhi government and discharge certain functions, but the Bill omits the provision for a Director of Local Bodies.

SPECIAL OFFICER TO BE APPOINTED BY THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT: The Bill provides that the central government may appoint a Special Officer to exercise powers of the Corporation until the first meeting of the Corporation is held after the commencement of the Bill.

E-GOVERNANCE SYSTEM FOR CITIZENS: The Bill adds that obligatory functions of the new corporation will include establishing an e-governance system for citizen services on an anytime-anywhere basis for a better, accountable, and transparent administration.

DO YOU KNOW?

The Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957 was enacted to consolidate and amend the law relating to the Municipal Government of Delhi. A Corporation charged with the Municipal Government of Delhi was established under the said Act as the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. In 2011, the said Act was amended by the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi vide the Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Act, 2011 leading to the trifurcation of the said corporation into three separate Corporations.

THE RATIONALE FOR THE UNIFICATION OF THE MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS

NON FULFILLMENT OF MAIN OBJECTIVE:

• The main objective of the trifurcation of the erstwhile Municipal Corporation of Delhi was to provide more efficient civic services to the public.
• Due to inadequacies in resources and uncertainty in fund allocation and release, the three corporations have been facing huge financial hardships, making it difficult to maintain the civic services in Delhi at the desired levels.

ADMINISTRATIVE CHALLENGES:

• The trifurcation was also uneven in terms of territorial divisions and revenue-generating potential.
• As a result, there was a huge gap in the resources available to the three corporations compared to their obligations.

DELAYED PAYMENTS AND EMPLOYEE STRIKES:

• Due to poor financial conditions, payment of salaries and retirement benefits to their employees was delayed.
• This has resulted in frequent strikes by the municipal employees, which have not only affected civic services but also created concomitant problems of cleanliness and sanitization.

INTEGRATED PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT:

• A single, integrated, and well-equipped entity will ensure a robust mechanism for synergized and strategic planning and optimal utilization of resources and will bring about greater transparency, improved governance, and more efficient delivery of civic service.

REDUCING ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES:

• There are three mayors, three commissioners, and 12 additional commissioners. Even different MCDs have different committees. This has increased the expenses manifold and is one of the major contributors to the financial crisis of the MCDs.
•  Unification will definitely curtail the office and meeting expenses along with the expenses which are being done by the leaders and officers.

CITY-LEVEL POLITICAL LEADERSHIP:

• When the MCD was unified, the mayor was treated as the First Citizen of Delhi, and the post used to carry a lot of weight.
• Mayor has to be called for most of the ceremonial events. Even foreign dignitaries used to meet the mayor of Delhi.
• Once unified, not just in the post of mayor but as an institution, MCD will have a larger say in the policymaking of the capital and the mayor will provide a single political leadership at the municipal level.

CRITICISM OF THE UNIFICATION OF THE CORPORATIONS OF DELHI

LACK OF LEGISLATIVE COMPETENCE:

• Many Members of Parliament argue that Parliament was overreaching its legislative authority to amend the Bill.
• Since the Act for trifurcation was passed by the Delhi Assembly, therefore Parliament cannot pass a law to merge the three civic bodies. The Constitution has given powers to the states to constitute municipal corporations.

POSTPONEMENT OF ELECTIONS:

• The municipal corporation elections were scheduled to be held in April. However, on March 9, the State Election Commission (SEC) deferred the polling indefinitely, citing a communication from the Lieutenant Governor, an appointee of the Central Government.
• It is alleged that the party ruling the MCDs sensed a strong anti-incumbency and hence used the “unification” strategy to defer the polls.

POLITICAL REASONS:

• The unification of municipal corporations could have been done in the last few years, as the same party has been in power in the Centre since 2014.
•  The real purpose of the unification is not the efficiency of municipal governance but the creation of a parallel system of governance to compete with the “Delhi Model” and to reap political dividends.

NO REAL REFORMS:

• The Bill doesn’t bring any substantive governance, administrative or financial reforms to the MCD.
• It does not mention the governance structure of the unified MCD and the status of the Mayor and the Council members vis a vis the administration.
• The Bill also missed an opportunity to establish a unified administrative and governance system by bringing the parastatals and the Special Purpose vehicles under the control of the Municipal Corporation.

QUESTION MARK ON INDEPENDENCE OF SEC:

• The postponement of the election also raises a question about the agency of an autonomous body such as the State Election Commission, whose prima facie job is to ensure free and fair elections in the country.
• The body seems to have succumbed to pressure from the central government.

AN ALL-POWERFUL CENTRAL GOVERNMENT: The Bill provides for overarching powers for the Central Government like:

• naming or resizing any zone or ward,
• listing out the obligatory functions of the MCD,
• rules on declaring assets of councilors,
• the appointment and pay scale of the commissioner,
• approvals for loans and action against any councilor or MCD official etc.

This is not in sync with the idea and practice of democratic decentralization and the spirit of the 74^th Constitutional Amendment.

SKEWED REPRESENTATION: 

• The total number of municipality wards will be reduced from 272 to 250, which goes against logic as the population of Delhi has increased from the last delimitation.

BUREAUCRATIC DOMINANCE:

• The reduction in the number of municipality wards will necessitate a delimitation exercise.
• Due to delimitation, the election will be delayed by one or two years. The Bill is silent on the “Census” based on which the delimitation will take place.
• All these mean that the special officer appointed by the Centre will be the overlord of the MCD.

A STRONG BUREAUCRACY AND A WEAK DEMOCRACY: A CASE STUDY OF MCD

• Delhi Municipal Corporation faces a unique kind of tussle between the elected and administrative wings. While the mayor has mostly ceremonial rights, the administrative decisions are being taken by the commissioner and his team.
• The IAS officers come on deputation to serve their MCD tenure, and the political wing claims that they are the real reason behind the mismanagement of financial and even administrative situations of Delhi Municipal Corporation.
• It was a long-pending demand to provide more powers to elected representatives, including the mayor, the standing committee chairperson, and heads of different committees.
• A change in the system in the favour of elected representatives by bringing the mayor into the council which will provide more administrative powers to the mayor needs to be established. This long-pending demand needs to be looked into the new amendment, which is based on the Kolkata Municipal Corporation.

THE WAY FORWARD

SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS TO GOVERNANCE PROBLEMS OF DELHI:

• Multiple power centers are operating in Delhi, and the tussle between the Centre and the NCT government has been a recurrent phenomenon.
• What is required is to iron out the differences, reform the Constitutional and legal provisions and bring about a clear demarcation of roles and responsibilities of the political and administrative institutions.

PROVIDE SCOPE FOR OWN REVENUE GENERATION:

• Even before the trifurcation, the MCD has taken loans from the then Delhi government to pay salaries to the staffers.
• Without addressing the issues in revenue generation and other core issues, the civic body will find itself in financial troubles again and will have to depend on the government for funds.

REFORMS IN MUNICIPAL GOVERNANCE:

• Under the present system, mayors and other appointments are made for a year and by the time a person starts understanding the mechanism, the tenure gets over.
• Thus, the new amendment should bring reforms like the direct election of the mayor, his / her tenure being increased to at least two-and-half years instead of the existing one year, and provisions for allocation of funds directly from the Centre.

REFORMS IN TAXATION:

• In Delhi, the house tax rates have not been increased since 2004, and the MCD continues to collect taxes based on the same rates, which is basically loss-making. So, with the unification must come hardline taxation reforms to address these issues.

DECENTRALIZE POLITICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE POWER:

• Growing population and vast geographical spread were cited among the reasons for the trifurcation, which was to lead to decentralization of administration for better delivery and governance with each commissioner overseeing services for a smaller area.
• With unification, there may be the problem of centralization of authority which needs to be addressed by empowering political and administrative leadership at zonal and ward levels.

AUTONOMY OF SEC AND CONDUCT OF ELECTIONS:

• That the SEC is and should be independent of the government is a maxim often stated. But how the SEC acted in the current context seems to undermine the exalted position of this constitutional authority.
• Also, the amendment and associated processes should not come in the way of citizens of Delhi exercising their legitimate democratic rights of choosing their own local representatives.

THE CONCLUSION: While the reunification will help save on expenditure and bring parity, making the civic body self-reliant will have to be the primary target. Whatever money is saved will not be enough to make the municipal institutions self-governing and deliver quality civic services. The major issue that needs resolution is the power tussle among the Centre, the Delhi government, and the municipal bodies, without which the unification exercise will not provide optimal results. Another crucial reform required is in the area of “City Governance” and Delhi must be developed as a model for other Indian cities.

QUESTIONS:

1. Critically analyse the features of the Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2022.
2. The unification of the municipal corporations of Delhi, although maybe a right step toward administrative efficiency, will not be sufficient to ensure the quality delivery of public services. Examine.
3. The Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2022, is all politics, less economics, and no governance. Critically Examine.
4. Without comprehensive constitutional, legal and financial reforms concerning municipal governance, Adhoc administrative reform measures will not bring good governance at the city level. Illustrate and Comment.

THE PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS: BUDGET SESSION 2022

1. THE WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION AND THEIR DELIVERY SYSTEMS (PROHIBITION OF UNLAWFUL ACTIVITIES) AMENDMENT BILL, 2022

THE CONTEXT: During the 2022 Budget session of the Parliament, the Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Amendment Bill, 2022 was introduced in the Lok Sabha.

THE EXPLANATION:

The Bill amends the WMD and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Act, 2005 which prohibits the unlawful manufacture, transport, or transfer of WMD (chemical, biological and nuclear weapons) and their means of delivery. It is popularly referred to as the WMD Act. The recent amendment extends the scope of banned activities to include financing of already prohibited activities.

What was the purpose of the original WMD Act?

The WMD and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Act came into being in July 2005. Its primary objective was to provide an integrated and overarching legislation on prohibiting unlawful activities in relation to all three types of WMD, their delivery systems and related materials, equipment and technologies. It instituted penalties for contravention of these provisions such as imprisonment for a term not less than five years (extendable for life) as well as fines. The Act was passed to meet an international obligation enforced by the UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1540 of 2004.

What is the UNSCR 1540?

• In April 2004 the UN Security Council adopted resolution 1540 to address the growing threat of non-state actors gaining access to WMD material, equipment or technology to undertake acts of terrorism. In order to address this challenge to international peace and security, UNSCR 1540 established binding obligations on all UN member states under Chapter VII of the UN Charter. Nations were mandated to take and enforce effective measures against proliferation of WMD, their means of delivery and related materials to non-state actors.
• UNSCR 1540 enforced three primary obligations upon nation states — to not provide any form of support to non-state actors seeking to acquire WMD, related materials, or their means of delivery; to adopt and enforce laws criminalising the possession and acquisition of such items by non-state actors; to adopt and enforce domestic controls over relevant materials, in order to prevent their proliferation.
• It was to meet these obligations that enactment and enforcement of legislations to punish the unlawful and unauthorised manufacture, acquisition, possession, development and transport of WMD became necessary.

 What has the Amendment added to the existing Act?

• The Amendment expands the scope to include prohibition of financing of any activity related to WMD and their delivery systems. To prevent such financing, the Central government shall have the power to freeze, seize or attach funds, financial assets, or economic resources of suspected individuals (whether owned, held, or controlled directly or indirectly). It also prohibits persons from making finances or related services available for other persons indulging in such activity.

Why was this Amendment necessary?

• UNSCR 1540 undergoes periodic reviews to determine the success of its implementation and to identify gaps in enforcement. In one such review undertaken in 2016, it was concluded that the risk of proliferation to non-state actors is increasing due to rapid advances in science, technology, and international commerce.
• The statement of objects and reasons of the Bill presented in India echoes these developments for having made the Amendment necessary. Two specific gaps are being addressed — first, as the relevant organisations at the international level, such as the Financial Action Task Force have expanded the scope of targeted financial sanctions and demand tighter controls on the financing of WMD activities, India’s own legislation has been harmonised to align with international benchmarks.
• Secondly, with advancements in technologies, new kinds of threats have emerged that were not sufficiently catered for in the existing legislation. These notably include developments in the field of drones or unauthorised work in biomedical labs that could maliciously be used for terrorist activity. Therefore, the Amendment keeps pace with evolving threats. In fact, domestic legislations and international measures that address issues of WMD security cannot afford to become fossilised. They must be agile and amenable to modifications in keeping with the changing tactics of non-state actors.

What more should India do?

• India’s responsible behaviour and actions on non-proliferation are well recognised. It has a strong statutory national export control system and is committed to preventing proliferation of WMD. This includes transit and trans-shipment controls, retransfer control, technology transfer controls, brokering controls and end-use based controls. Every time India takes additional steps to fulfil new obligations, it must showcase its legislative, regulatory and enforcement frameworks to the international community.
• At the domestic level, this Amendment will have to be enforced through proper outreach measures to industry and other stakeholders to make them realise their obligations under the new provisions. India’s outreach efforts with respect to the WMD Act have straddled both region-specific and sector-specific issues. Similar efforts will be necessary to explain the new aspects of the law.
• It is also necessary that India keeps WMD security in international focus. There is no room for complacency. Even countries which do not have WMD technology have to be sensitised to their role in the control framework to prevent weak links in the global control system. India can offer help to other countries on developing national legislation, institutions and regulatory framework through the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) or on bilateral basis.

What is the international significance of these legislation? What is in it for India?

• Preventing acts of terrorism that involve WMD or their delivery systems requires building a network of national and international measures in which all nation states are equally invested. Such actions are necessary to strengthen global enforcement of standards relating to the export of sensitive items and to prohibit even the financing of such activities to ensure that non-state actors, including terrorist and black-market networks, do not gain access to such materials. Sharing of best practices on legislations and their implementation can enable harmonisation of global WMD controls.
• India initially had reservations on enacting laws mandated by the UNSCR. This is not seen by India as an appropriate body for making such a demand. However, given the danger of WMD terrorism that India faces in view of the difficult neighbourhood that it inhabits, the country supported the Resolution and has fulfilled its requirements.
• It is in India’s interest to facilitate highest controls at the international level and adopt them at the domestic level. Having now updated its own legislation, India can demand the same of others, especially from those in its neighbourhood that have a history of proliferation and of supporting terrorist organisations.

THE INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS

2. PAKISTANI LAWMAKERS ELECT SHEHBAZ SHARIF AS THE NEW PRIME MINISTER

THE CONTEXT: The Pakistan parliament elected Shehbaz Sharif as the 23rd Prime Minister of the country.

THE EXPLANATION:

• While interacting with journalists then, Shehbaz had said that “war is not an option”, and had pitched for the resumption of “peaceful dialogue” on all issues including “Sir Creek, Siachen, water and Kashmir”.
• The Indian Prime Minister congratulated him on his election and said India desired peace and stability in a region free of terrorism.
• Emerging from the shadow of his elder brother Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz is known to be close to the Pakistan Army — he was chief minister of Pakistan’s Punjab province.

Expecting a good ties,

• The Sharif family has always been an advocate of better ties with India. Shehbaz’s last India visit was in December 2013 when he met then Prime Minister and Commerce Minister, visited Metro stations and solid waste management plants in Delhi, and a power plant in Haryana. He also visited Punjab and held meetings with then Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, where he worked on a roadmap for cooperation between the two Punjabs.
• Officials pointed out that the core concerns of the two countries remain the same over the last decade, and Shehbaz is well placed to take forward the bilateral conversation.
• Better trade ties with India could provide a much-needed boost to Pakistan’s economy. Known to be focussed on infrastructure projects — he is credited for many roads, bridges, flyovers and transport projects in Pakistan’s Punjab province — Shehbaz is keen to deliver before the next elections in 2023.

THE ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

3. MICROPLASTICS DETECTED IN FISH SAMPLES FROM CAUVERY

THE CONTEXT: A new study by researchers at the Bengaluru-based Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has found microplastics in fish, causing growth defects, including skeletal deformities, in River Cauvery in south India.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The study was conducted at the Krishnaraja Sagar dam, located below the confluence of river Cauvery with its tributaries Hemavati and Lakshmana Tirtha, in the Mandya district of Karnataka.
• The researchers collected water samples from three different locations with varying water flow speeds – fast-flowing, slow-flowing and stagnant – since water speed is known to affect the concentration of pollutants.
• In the first part of the study, the team analysed the physical and chemical parameters of the water samples. All but one of them fell within the prescribed limits. The exception was dissolved oxygen, which was deficient in samples collected from the slow-flowing and static sites. Water from these sites also had microbes such as Cyclops, Daphnia, Spirogyra, Spirochaeta, and E coli, well-known bio-indicators of water contamination.

The researchers conducted further studies. Using a technique called Raman spectroscopy, they detected microplastics — minute pieces of plastic often invisible to the naked eye — and some toxic chemicals.

• In the second part of the study, the team investigated the effect of the pollutants in water on fish. They treated zebrafish embryos, a well-known model organism, with water samples collected from the three sites, and found that those exposed to water from the slow-flowing and stagnant sites experienced skeletal deformities, DNA damage, early cell death, heart damage, and increased mortality. These defects were seen even after the microbes were filtered out, suggesting that microplastics and toxic chemicals were also causing problems on their own.
• The findings assume importance in the context of a recent study from the Netherlands, which has shown that microplastics can enter the bloodstream of humans. The researchers noted that the concentrations of the pollutants they have reported in the fish may not be alarming yet for humans. Still, long-term effects can’t be ruled out.

VALUE ADDITION:

What are microplastics?

• Microplastics are tiny bits of various types of plastic found in the environment. The name is used to differentiate them from “macroplastics” such as bottles and bags made of plastic.
• There is no universal agreement on the size that fits this bill — the U.S. NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) and the European Chemical Agency define microplastic as less than 5mm in length. However, for the purposes of this study, since the authors were interested in measuring the quantities of plastic that can cross the membranes and diffuse into the body via the blood stream, the authors have an upper limit on the size of the particles as 0.0007 millimetre.

THE SECURITY AFFAIRS

4. ANTI-TANK GUIDED MISSILE ‘HELINA’ SUCCESSFULLY FLIGHT TESTED

THE CONTEXT: Indigenously developed helicopter launched Anti-Tank Guided Missile ‘HELINA’ was successfully flight tested on April 11, 2022 at high-altitude ranges as part of user validation trials.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The flight-test was jointly conducted by the teams of scientists from Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Indian Army and Indian Air Force (IAF).
• The flight trials were conducted from an Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) and the missile was fired successfully engaging simulated tank target. The missile is guided by an Imaging Infra-Red (IIR) Seeker operating in the Lock on Before Launch mode. It is one of the most advanced anti-tank weapons in the world.
• In continuation to validation trials conducted at Pokhran in Rajasthan, proof of efficacy at high altitudes paves the way for its integration on the ALH. The trials were witnessed by senior Army commanders and senior scientists of the DRDO.

VALUE ADDITION:

• HELINA (Helicopter based NAG) is a third generation fire and forget class anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) system mounted on the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH). The system has all weather day and night capability and can defeat battle tanks with conventional armour as well as explosive reactive armour.
• The HELINA missile can engage targets both in direct hit mode as well as top attack mode. HELINA Weapon Systems is being inducted into the Indian Army (IA). A variant of HELINA Weapon System called DHRUVASTRA is being inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF).

THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

5. INDIA HAS 217 SPACE OBJECTS ORBITING EARTH: REPORT

THE CONTEXT: India has 103 active or defunct spacecraft and 114 objects categorised as ‘space debris’ in orbit and it has embarked on research to reduce such fragments from outer space.

THE EXPLANATION:

• According to the Department of Science and Technology, “Presently, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has taken up research activities to study the feasibility and technologies required to undertake active debris removal (ADR).
• According to Orbital Debris Quarterly News issued in March 2022 by NASA, India had 103 spacecraft, including active and defunct satellites, and 114 space debris objects, including spent rocket bodies orbiting the earth. So, the country has a total of 217 space objects orbiting the earth.
• Also, the department noted, Active Debris Removal (ADR) was one of the active methods suggested by the Space Debris Research Community to contain the growth of space debris objects. “ADR is a very complex technology and involves policy and legal issues. Technology demonstration studies have been taken up by many countries, including India. Developmental studies for finalising necessary technologies are initiated to demonstrate ADR.
• According to the Orbital Debris Quarterly News, the U.S. has 4,144 spacecraft (active and defunct), and 5,126 objects that can be categorised as space debris in the earth’s orbit.
• China has 517 spacecraft, active and defunct, and 3,854 objects, including spent rocket bodies, orbiting the earth.

Directorate Space Situational Awareness and Management Centre

• DoS highlighted that ISRO has also set up the Directorate Space Situational Awareness and Management at its headquarters to deal with issues related to space debris.
• A dedicated Space Situational Awareness Control Centre is set up in Bengaluru to coordinate all space debris related activities within ISRO and to safeguard Indian operational space assets from collision threats, he said.
• The minister added that ISRO was also planning to have its own observational facilities to track and catalogue the space objects.
• Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has taken up research activities to study the feasibility and technologies required to undertake active debris removal.
• Active Debris Removal (ADR) is a very complex technology and involves policy and legal issues. Technology demonstration studies have been taken up by many countries, including India.
• A dedicated Space Situational Awareness Control Centre is set up in Bengaluru to coordinate all space debris related activities within ISRO and to safeguard Indian operational space assets from collision threats.

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Q. State Energy and Climate Index is released by –

a) Ministry of Power

b) Ministry of New & Renewable Energy

c) Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change

d) NITI Aayog

ANSWER FOR 11TH APRIL 2022

Answer: B

Explanation:

• Bengaluru has become the first Indian city to get into the global network of silk cities.
• The network now has nine countries and 13 cities.
• The network helps artisans and craftsmen to exchange knowledge, build trade relations and under- stand various craftsmanship techniques.

1. To evolve, boundlessness and infinity are key READ MORE
2. Think clearly about peace READ MORE

1. IPCC Says Large-Scale CO2 Removal ‘Essential’ To Meet Climate Targets READ MORE
2. Climate disasters are becoming more frequent in west, central Asia than other regions: IMF READ MORE

1. Delivering justice calls for fair investigation READ MORE
2. Criminal Identification Bill Follows Similar Unsuccessful, Discriminatory Laws Elsewhere READ MORE
3. Explained: Amendments to FCRA Law That the Supreme Court Has Upheld READ MORE
4. Cost of disharmony: Diverse India can’t afford imposition of one group’s ideas on others. Neither can its economy READ MORE

1. It is time to let sleeping dogmas lie READ MORE
2. Why India’s road to becoming a civilised and free society is long and tough READ MORE

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. Anti-Tank Guided Missile ‘HELINA’ successfully flight tested READ MORE
2. Ukraine dominates Modi-Biden talks READ MORE
3. Gujarat, Kerala, Punjab top NITI Aayog’s State Energy and Climate Index list READ MORE
4. Microplastics in Cauvery River may be harming fish: IISc. Study READ MORE
5. Pakistani lawmakers elect Shehbaz Sharif as new Prime Minister READ MORE
6. Explained: What is the ‘2+2’ format of dialogue between India and the US? READ MORE
7. India has 217 space objects orbiting earth; working towards reducing space debris: Report READ MORE

Main Exam

GS Paper- 1

1. It is time to let sleeping dogmas lie READ MORE
2. Why India’s road to becoming a civilised and free society is long and tough READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Delivering justice calls for fair investigation READ MORE
2. Criminal Identification Bill Follows Similar Unsuccessful, Discriminatory Laws Elsewhere READ MORE
3. Explained: Amendments to FCRA Law That the Supreme Court Has Upheld READ MORE
4. Cost of disharmony: Diverse India can’t afford imposition of one group’s ideas on others. Neither can its economy READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. India and the U.K.: Crafting a new legacy- Despite the challenge posed by the war, the India-U.K. relationship has been on an upward trajectory READ MORE
2. Our geo-economic interests lie with the West as well as the rest READ MORE
3. India-US forging tech alliance since long. Now use 2+2 dialogue to push it further READ MORE
4. The Security Council might have been ineffective in Ukraine, but the United Nations hasn’t READ MORE
5. Towards a new equilibrium in Eurasia: A possibility of a win-win scenario for India READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. RBI is right to prioritise inflation management. But it won’t be easy READ MORE
2. Repo, reverse repo rates still relevant? READ MORE
3. Causes of Sri Lankan Economic Crisis READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY 

1. IPCC Says Large-Scale CO2 Removal ‘Essential’ To Meet Climate Targets READ MORE
2. Climate disasters are becoming more frequent in west, central Asia than other regions: IMF READ MORE

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

1. A forest fire is raging in Chhattisgarh at a time when those who can control it are on strike READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. To evolve, boundlessness and infinity are key READ MORE
2. Think clearly about peace READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. ‘Despite a greater deal of interest in the Indo-Pacific region, India can be a counter-balance and has a great opportunity to even more enhance its role in Eurasia’. Examine the statement in the context of current geopolitical scenario.
2. ‘Care work should be viewed as a collective responsibility and public good.’ In the light of this statement, discuss the challenges faced by workers in care economy in India and suggest measures to address them.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Defeat has its lessons as well as victory.
• Despite the challenge posed by the Ukraine crisis, the India-U.K. relationship has been on an upward trajectory, exemplified by the conclusion of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership on May 4, 2021.
• As India seeks to carve out a new role for itself in the evolving global order as a ‘leading power’ and the U.K. recalibrates its strategic outlook post-Brexit, this is a unique moment in India-U.K. ties.
• New geopolitical realities demand a new strategic vision from London and New Delhi.
• The RBI has rightly decided to place top priority on inflation management. This will help in maintaining the credibility of the inflation targeting framework.
• Poverty, inequality and a deeper understanding of what works for poverty reduction is not just an academic exercise but is crucial for designing policies and programmes that work.
• The Indian Constitution is an instrument to seek modus vivendi.
• At the fourth edition of India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue, first under Biden administration, the two sides will likely focus on strengthening partnership in emerging tech.
• Data is power in digitised societies, and while the CPI Bill purports to facilitate identification, in reality, it sweeps in a far greater scope of personal biometrics than required for that purpose.
• Data is power in digitised societies, and while the CPI Bill purports to facilitate identification, in reality, it sweeps in a far greater scope of personal biometrics than required for that purpose (or even what is required for Aadhaar).
• The government has used the FCRA as an instrument for harassment of political rivals or activist organisations such as Amnesty International.

50-WORD TALK

• Communal violence during Ram Navami processions in four states is shocking. Clashes over food choice in JNU is another marker of things getting worse. It sullies India’s image and has grave implications for its socio-economic stability. Karnataka government’s action against Sri Ram Sene would mean little if it’s mere tokenism.

Things to Remember:

• For prelims-related news try to understand the context of the news and relate with its concepts so that it will be easier for you to answer (or eliminate) from given options.
• Whenever any international place will be in news, you should do map work (marking those areas in maps and exploring other geographical locations nearby including mountains, rivers, etc. same applies to the national places.)
• For economy-related news (banking, agriculture, etc.) you should focus on terms and how these are related to various economic aspects, for example, if inflation has been mentioned, try to relate with prevailing price rises, shortage of essential supplies, banking rates, etc.
• For main exam-related topics, you should focus on the various dimensions of the given topic, the most important topics which occur frequently and are important from the mains point of view will be covered in ED.
• Try to use the given content in your answer. Regular use of this content will bring more enrichment to your writing.

THE CONTEXT: The legislative bodies in India require expert secretarial assistance for carrying out their multiple responsibilities. However, the current legislative personnel administration suffers from many weaknesses. Hence, it is suggested that an Indian Legislative Service is needed. This article examines this issue in detail.

THE INDIAN LEGISLATIVE SERVICE(ILS): AN OVERVIEW

The ILS can be another All-India Service similar to the IAS, IPS, etc, that is centrally recruited, trained, and assigned to the legislative bodies, especially at the Union and State levels. The ILS can be the backbone of the legislative bodies equipping them to carry out the mandated functions. The idea of ILS became vogue in the backdrop of the appointment and abrupt removal of a Secretary-General (SG) of the Rajya Sabha in whose place a retired Indian Revenue Service official assumed charge. This has generated a debate on the need for an independent legislative service that will cater to the needs of all the legislative institutions in the country, including at the local level.

WHY DO WE NEED AN ILS?

TO FULFILL THE CONSTITUTIONAL MANDATE:

• Article 98 of the Constitution provides for the scope of separate secretariats for the two Houses of Parliament. The same goes true for the state legislatures too. This means that the secretariats should be independent of the executive government.
• However, sourcing manpower from the executive branch may lead to the violation of the concept of independence and conflict of interests. It breaches the principle of separation of power.

UPHOLDING EXECUTIVE ACCOUNTABILITY:

• A separate secretariat marks a feature of a functioning parliamentary democracy. In a parliamentary system, the Parliament must watch over the executive, both political and permanent.
• Thus, the Parliament should have the technical and human resource capacity to be an effective body for providing meaningful scrutiny and enforcing accountability.

EXPERTISE IN PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES:

• Serving/retired civil servants appointed to the higher posts suffer from a lack of exposure and poor knowledge of Parliamentary procedures.
• Expertise in Parliamentary functioning is not only a product of domain competency but also of experience. A dedicated service like the ILS can address this problem.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE POST OF THE SECRETARIES-GENERAL:

• The Secretaries-General of both the Houses are mandated with many Parliamentary and administrative responsibilities.
• One of the prerequisites that demand the post of the Secretary-General is unfailing knowledge and vast experience of parliamentary procedures, practices, and precedents. Most civil servants precisely lack this aspect of expertise.
• A dedicated ILS will provide a wider talent pool of qualified, experienced, reliable, and autonomous human resources for selection to man the crucial post of SG.

GROWTH OF LEGISLATIVE INSTITUTIONS:

• With the 73^rd and 74^th Constitutional Amendments, thousands of legislative bodies have come up at the local level in India.
• Although the local self-government institutions may not be comparable to those at Union and State levels, still they have significant roles and functions in the democratic setup.
• An ILS will prove to be the vital missing link that enables these bodies to act as institutions of “self-government” in the true sense.

VERTICAL INTEGRATION OF LEGISLATIVE INSTITUTIONS:

• There is hardly any mechanism for a continuous interaction or sharing of knowledge resources among the legislative institutions. The annual Presiding Officers’ conference cannot fulfill this need for continuous administrative engagement.
• By providing a common pool of dedicated human resources to these bodies will bring vertical linkage among them, which will be beneficial for learning about best practices, legislative businesses, and Parliamentary innovations, among others.

CHALLENGES OF MODERN GOVERNANCE:

• The growth of modern government and expansion of governmental activities require a matching development and laborious legislative exercise. The legislators being laypersons, need expert assistance so that they can discharge their functions effectively.
• For the government, the bureaucracy acts as the think tank and thus, the Parliament also needs a think tank and the ILS is the best bet in this regard.

HOW IS THE SECRETARIAT ORGANIZED AT VARIOUS LEVELS?

In general, the personnel of the Parliament is recruited by the respective Houses themselves. For instance, the Rajya Sabha Secretariat conducts open competitive examinations for filling up vacancies in specified posts. Other modes of recruitment are a deputation from Central/State governments and legislature secretariats, promotion from existing secretariat services, lateral entry, and appointment of serving/retired civil servants, especially in higher-level positions. A similar arrangement exists at the State level, although variations may be there. At the local level, the practice of Parliamentary form is still in the nascent stage; the practices considerably vary across states. Here a uniform pattern is not visible, and the administrative personnel generally are state government employees.

FORMER CBDT CHAIRMAN PC MODY REPLACES PPK RAMACHARYULU AS SECRETARY-GENERAL OF RAJYA SABHA

Less than three months after being appointed as the Secretary-General of the Rajya Sabha, PPK Ramacharyulu has been replaced with former Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) chairman PC Mody. Mody has been appointed as the new Secretary-General of the Rajya Sabha just weeks before the commencement of the Winter Session of Parliament, which is expected to start on 29 November. Mody, a former chairman of CBDT, will be the new Secretary-General of the Upper House of Parliament. Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu has signed an order to this effect.

Mody, a 1982-batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer, being appointed as the Secretary-General of the Upper House marks a rare occasion when an IRS officer has held the post. Most of the time, the post is traditionally held by an IAS officer. Ramacharyulu has now been appointed as an advisor in the Rajya Sabha Secretariat. Ramacharyulu was appointed as the Secretary-General of the Rajya Sabha on 1 September.2021. No reason has been given for his replacement.

According to reports, Ramacharyulu goes down in history for having the second shortest stint as Secretary-General. Mody is a 1982 IRS officer who was given three extensions as CBDT chairman since August 2019. The Secretary-General heads the Secretariat of the House and is seen as the eyes and ears of the Rajya Sabha chairman when it comes to matters of rules and procedures. The position of SG is a crucial one in the Parliamentary system.

According to the Rajya Sabha website, the SG is the parliamentary adviser to the RS chairman and through him to the House. The SG is also the administrative head of the RS Secretariat and, overall, in charge of all administrative and executive functions on behalf of, and in the name of, the Chairman. There are no recruitment rules for appointing SG to LS or RS. It is completely the discretion of the Speaker, in the case of Lok Sabha and Chairman in the case of Rajya Sabha, to appoint whoever they think is suitable for the post.

SOURCE: THE FIRSTPOST.COM

PROBLEMS IN THE IDEA OF INDIAN LEGISLATIVE SERVICE?

VIOLATION OF THE CONSTITUTION:

• Article 98 of the Constitution gives power to the Houses to deal with all the aspects of secretariat personnel administration. Recruitment and appointment done by another agency will be deemed as going against this provision.

INHERENT ISSUES IN AIS:

• AIS has been severely criticized by many states as going against the federal provisions of the polity, and a new AIS is likely to add fuel to the fire.
• Also, it is highly doubtful if this new AIS will have the proposed efficiency given the less-than-optimal efficiency of other All-India Services.

IMPACT ON CAREER ADVANCEMENT OF EXISTING CADRE:

• Appointees to the Secretariat from the ILS will be holding middle to senior-level posts which will adversely impact the career advancement opportunities of the existing cadre of employees and officers.

NO EMPIRICAL DATA:

• Hardly any study is conducted that shows that the ILS is the solution for the present problems faced by legislative institutions.

STRUCTURAL CONSTRAINTS OF LEGISLATURES:

• The legislatures’ functions, including law-making, suffer from multiple structural constraints, including poor productivity, lack of consensus on crucial issues, criminalization of politics, etc.
• An ILS is not going to be the solution to the problems of legislatures in India.

PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES:

• The idea of an ILS seems to be naïve as the supporters have not bothered to find out the practical difficulties in implementation, including the huge financial burden on the exchequer.

POSITIONS OF THE LOCAL BODIES:

• The positions of the local self-government institutions in India are not one of a legislative body and the structure and practice of the parliamentary system hardly exist at this third tier.
•  There exists a lot of confusion about the actual role of PRI/ULB in Indian governance. An ILS is deemed to be a misfit and results in a waste of resources in such a context.

THE CLERK OF THE HOUSE- THE PARLIAMENT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM

The Clerk of the House is the principal constitutional adviser to the House and adviser on all its procedure and business, including Parliamentary privilege, and frequently appears before Select and Joint Committees examining constitutional and Parliamentary matters. As with all the members of the House Service, he is politically entirely impartial and is not a civil servant.

THE WAY FORWARD

• The legislative institutions have to be equipped to carry out their responsibilities efficiently and effectively which requires a competent human resource-based secretariat system. The Parliament and state legislatures may bring laws to provide for a streamlined personnel system independent of the executive.
• The idea of an ILS may be worth trying, provided a political consensus is reached on its modalities of establishment and other details, but whose appointment needs to take care of the current nature of Indian polity.
• It is not advisable due to efficiency, impartiality, and moral considerations to appoint serving/retired Civil Servants to the higher-level positions and it is necessary to have a select pool of officers from the inside cadre who should be trained and groomed.
• To ensure effective parliamentary control over the executive and to provide for efficient Parliamentary functioning, the structural constraints faced by the institutions need to be addressed.
• Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies (PRIDE) is an integral part of the Lok Sabha Secretariat to provide parliamentarians, staff, and others with institutionalized opportunities for systematic training in the various disciplines of parliamentary institutions, processes, and procedures. Another such platform is PRISM (Parliamentary Research and Information Support for Members of Parliament). These platforms need to be utilized for enhancing the human resource competency of the personnel, and a similar setup must be established at the state level.

THE CONCLUSION: Every time inefficiency and poor standard of the administration is debated, the ready-made solution seems to be a new AIS be it in areas like environment, health, education, judiciary, or others. This purported solution is oblivious to the inefficiencies and poor standards in the existing AIS as often brought out by many committees and commissions. Thus, bringing another AIS in the form of ILS is not the panacea for the ills of the Indian Parliamentary system. The legislative institutions at the Union and the State level need to develop into independent institutions in the truest sense like that of developed nations and not become vulnerable to executive interference.

QUESTIONS:

1. “An efficient secretariat system is a sine qua non for an efficient Parliament”. How far do you think that an Indian Legislative Service will contribute towards enhancing the productivity of the Parliament?
2. A strong Parliament means a more answerable executive. Thus, an Indian Legislative Service is the need of the hour. Comment.
3. The proposal for setting up an Indian Legislative Service suffers from constitutional, political, administrative, and pragmatic challenges. Examine.
4. “The Secretary-General of the Rajya Sabha is the principal Parliamentary advisor to the Chairman of the Council of the States”. Discuss.

ADD TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE

THE SERVICES OF THE LOK SABHA SECRETARIAT

(I)Legislative, Financial Committee, Executive and Administrative Service (LAFEAS)

(II) Library, Reference, Research, Documentation, and Information Service (LARRDIS)

(Ill) Verbatim Reporting Service (VRS)

(IV) Private Secretaries and Stenographic Service (PSSS)

(V) Simultaneous Interpretation Service (SIS)

(VI) Printing & Publications Service (P&PS)

(VII) Editorial and Translation Service (E& T)

(VIII) Parliament Security Service (PSS)

(IX) Drivers and Despatch Riders Service

(X) Messengers Service

(XI) Parliament Museum Service (PMS)

THE FUNCTIONS OF THE RAJYA SABHA SECRETARIAT

The Rajya Sabha Secretariat functions under the overall guidance and control of the Chairman, Rajya Sabha. The main activities of the Secretariat inter alia include the following:-

1. providing secretarial assistance and support to the effective functioning of the Council of States (Rajya Sabha);
2. the payment of salary and other allowances to the Members of Rajya Sabha;
3. providing amenities as admissible to Members of Rajya Sabha;
4. servicing the various Parliamentary Committees;
5. preparing research and reference material and bringing out various publications;
6. recruitment of manpower in the Rajya Sabha Secretariat and attending to personnel matters; and
7. preparing and publishing a record of the day-to-day proceedings of the Rajya Sabha and bringing out such other publications as may be required concerning the functioning of the Rajya Sabha and its Committees.

In the discharge of his constitutional and statutory responsibilities, the Chairman, Rajya Sabha, is assisted by the Secretary-General, who holds the rank of the Cabinet Secretary to the Government of India. The Secretary-General, in turn, is assisted by senior functionaries at the level of Secretary, Additional Secretary, Joint Secretary, and other officers and staff of the Secretariat. Based on the recommendations of the Parliamentary Pay Committee way back in 1974, the Secretariat was restructured on a functional basis into the following Services, which cater to the specific needs of the House and its Committees.

1. The Legislative, Financial, Executive, and Administrative (LAFEA) Service
2. The Library, Reference, Research, Documentation, and Information (LARRDI) Service
3. The Verbatim Reporting Service
4. The Simultaneous Interpretation Service
5. The Editorial and Translation Service
6. The Private Secretaries and Stenographic (PSS) Service
7. The Printing and Publications (P&P) Service
8. The Watch & Ward, Door Keeping, and Sanitation Service
9. The Drivers and Despatch Riders Service
10. The Messenger Service

THE ART AND CULTURE

1. SANGEET NATAK, LALIT KALA AKADEMI AWARDS GIVEN

THE CONTEXT: Forty-three artists were presented Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship and Sangeet Natak Awards for 2018, while Lalit Kala Akademi’s Fellowship and National Awards for 2021 were given to 23 by Vice-President.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards are national honours bestowed by the government on performing artists and teachers and scholars in the field of performing arts. The awards were given in the categories of music, dance, and theatre. In addition, one category was reserved for traditional, folk, and tribal dance, music, theatre and puppetry.

About Sangeet NatakAkademi:

• It was the first national academy of arts set up by the Government of India in 1952. It is registered as a society under the Societies Registration Act, 1986.
• It functions as the apex body of the performing arts in the country, preserving and promoting the vast intangible heritage of India’s diverse culture expressed in the forms of music, dance and drama.
• It also collaborates with an international organization like UNESCO to save the cultural heritage of the country.

About Lalit Kala Akademi:

• It is an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Culture, established in 1954, by the then Minister for Education, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. It is fully funded by the Ministry of Culture.
• It is the Government’s apex cultural body in the field of visual arts in India.
• It has headquarters at New Delhi and regional centers at Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Garhi (Delhi), Kolkata, Lucknow and Shimla.

THE GEOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENT

2. BENGAL COAST FACES THE MOST EROSION

THE CONTEXT: The Ministry of Earth Sciences, in a response to a question, informed the Lok Sabha earlier this week that of the 6,907.18-km-long coastline of the Indian mainland, about 34% is under varying degrees of erosion, while 26% is of an accretional nature and the remaining 40% is in a stable state.

THE EXPLANATION

• The National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR), Chennai, an attached office of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), is monitoring shoreline erosion since 1990 using remote sensing data and GIS mapping techniques.
• In terms of percentage, West Bengal, located on the eastern coast of the country, with a 534.35-km-long coastline, suffered erosion along about 60.5% of the coast (323.07 km) over the period from 1990 to 2018. This is followed by Kerala on the west coast, which has 592.96 km of coastline and 46.4% of it (275.33 km) faced erosion.
• Another organisation under the Ministry, the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has prepared and published an atlas of Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI) maps for the entire coastline of India at a 1:100000 scale.

3. RHINO POPULATION UP BY 200 IN KAZIRANGA

THE CONTEXT: The population of the greater one-horned or Indian rhinoceros in the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve has increased by 200 in four years to 2613, the latest census of the World Heritage Site’s flagship animal has revealed.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The last rhino census conducted in 2018 had put the number at 2,413.
• This year’s census had a first — the use of drones for the recheck of 26 park compartments where the sample survey was done.

INDIAN RHINO VISION 2020 (IRV 2020)

• Launched in 2005.
• Initiative led by Forest Department, Government of Assam, in partnership with WWF India, International Rhino Foundation, and several other organizations.
• Goal of IRV2020 was to increase the rhino population in Assam to 3,000 by establishing populations in new areas.
• Rhinos are now found in four Protected Areas in Assam: Pabitora Wildlife Reserve, Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park, Kaziranga National Park, and Manas National Park.

ABOUT ONE-HORNED RHINOS

• Only the Great One-Horned Rhino is found in India.
• Also known as Indian rhino, it is the largest of the rhino species.
• It is identified by a single black horn and grey-brown hide with skin folds.
• They primarily graze, with a diet consisting almost entirely of grasses as well as leaves, branches of shrubs and trees, fruit, and aquatic plants.

CONSERVATION STATUS:

• IUCN Red List: Vulnerable.
• CITES: Appendix I
• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I.

FIVE SPECIES OF RHINO IN THE WORLD:

1. Sumatran Rhino: The Sumatran rhino has been on earth longer than any other living mammal. IUCN status- Critically endangered.
2. Javan Rhino: The Javan rhino is possibly the rarest large mammal on earth. IUCN status- Critically endangered.
3. Black Rhino: Black rhinos are the smaller of the two African species.
4. Greater one-horned Rhino: Greater one-horned rhinos are semi-aquatic and often take up residence in swamps, forests and riversides. IUCN status- Vulnerable
5. White Rhino: The White rhino is also known as the Square-lipped rhino. There are two subspecies of White rhino:

• Southern: Ceratotheriumsimumsimum approximately between 19,666 and 21,085 individuals exist. The Southern white rhino can be found mostly in South Africa, with smaller translocated populations found in Kenya, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
• Northern: Ceratotheriumsimumcottoni (only two animals remain). The Northern White Rhino is critically endangered. The sub-species was declared extinct in the wild in 2008, and there are only two individuals remaining in Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya.

THE INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS

4. MODI, BIDEN TO DISCUSS BILATERAL TIES AT SUMMIT

THE CONTEXT: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Joseph Biden will hold a virtual meeting prior to the “2+2” Foreign and Defence ministerial meeting in Washington on 11th April 2022, to discuss bilateral relations and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the U.S. White House announced.

THE EXPLANATION:

• India and the U.S. will hold their fourth annual “2+2” Defence and Foreign Ministry dialogue in Washington on 11^th April 2022, with the Russian invasion of Ukraine looming over the discussions and occupying a prominent place on the agenda. The last meeting in this format was in October 2020.
• The two sides will discuss defence, science and technology (particularly emerging technology), climate and public health (particularly cooperation on managing the COVID-19 pandemic), fortifying and building supply chains, as well as people-to-people ties, as per the readouts of the talks from the U.S. State and Defence Departments.
• India has raised the issue of commodity price impacts of the war, including at the United Nations. It has also purchased oil at a discounted price from Moscow — a move that has ruffled feathers in the Biden administration. The U.S. has said it is willing to help provide alternatives to India’s sourcing of oil from Moscow — which accounts for 1–2% of its energy imports.
• Several big-ticket defence deals are in the pipeline, especially for the Navy. The purchase of 30 Predator armed drones for the three Services is in advanced stages but has been delayed pending approval from the Defence Acquisition Council.
• Another major deal is a Navy tender for around 26 deck-based fighter aircraft for its existing INS Vikramaditya and the indigenous aircraft carrier Vikrant, which is scheduled to be commissioned in August.

ABOUT 2+2 DIALOGUE

·         The 2+2 dialogue is held between the foreign and defence ministers of two countries and is generally seen to be aimed at creating a mechanism under which the bilateral relationship takes a decisive strategic turn with greater integration of defence, security and intelligence apparatus.

·         A 2+2 ministerial dialogue enables both sides to understand each other’s strategic sensitivities more deeply, while taking into account the political nuances of the relationship, and also enabling the building of a more strategic grouping in a rapidly changing global environment, diplomatic and strategic.

• India has 2+2 dialogue with USA, Japan, Australia and Russia.

THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

5. IMPROVED GSLV TO BE READY BY THIS YEAR

THE CONTEXT: The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) with improvements added to its cryogenic upper stage (CUS) is expected to be ready in the second half of this year.

THE EXPLANATION:

• A high-level panel that examined last year’s failed GSLV-F10/EOS-03 mission had recommended measures for making the CUS more robust. Indian Space Research Organisation’s Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) is tasked with making the required modifications to the cryogenic engine-powered upper stage of the GSLV Mk II rocket.
• The GSLV-F10 mission on August 12, 2021, was designed to place the earth observation satellite EOS-03 in a geosynchronous transfer orbit, but the upper stage of the rocket malfunctioned, forcing the space agency to abort the mission. A national-level Failure Analysis Committee (FAC) later concluded that a leak in a Vent and Relief Valve (VRV) had led to a lower build-up of pressure in the Liquid Hydrogen (LH2) propellant tank, leading to a failed mission.
• Modifications planned to include a mechanism to ensure sufficient pressure in the tank before the engine burns and strengthening of the VRV to avoid leaks.

WHAT IS A GEOSYNCHRONOUS SATELLITE LAUNCH VEHICLE (GSLV)?

• Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) is an expendable space launch vehicle designed, developed, and operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) to launch satellites and other space objects into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbits. GSLV is 49.13 m tall and the tallest among all other vehicles of Isro. It is a three-stage vehicle with a lift-off mass of 420 tonnes.

STAGES IN GSLV

• The first stage comprises S139 solid booster with 138-tonne propellant and four liquid strap-on motors, with 40-tonne propellant. The second stage is a liquid engine carrying 40-tonne of liquid propellant. The third stage is the indigenously built Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS) carrying 15-tonne of cryogenic propellants.
• GSLV rockets using the Russian Cryogenic Stage (CS) are designated as the GSLV Mk I while versions using the indigenous Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS) are designated the GSLV Mk II. All GSLV launches have been conducted from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.

 Difference between PSLV and GSLV

• GSLV has the capability to put a heavier payload in the orbit than the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). PSLV can carry satellites up to a total weight of 2000 kg into space and reach up to an altitude of 600-900 km. GSLV can carry weight up to 5,000 kg and reach up to 36,000 km.
• PSLV is designed mainly to deliver earth observation or remote sensing satellites, whereas, GSLV has been designed for launching communication satellites. GSLV delivers satellites into a higher elliptical orbit, Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) and Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO).

 GSLV Launches

• Isro first launched GSLV on April 18, 2001 and has made 13 launches since then. The GSLV has had 8 launches successfully reaching its planned orbits, three outright failures and two partial failure, yielding a success rate for GSLV Mk I at 29% and 86% for Mk II. All launches have taken place from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, known before 2002 as the Sriharikota Range (SHAR).

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Q. Which of the following animals in India receive the same level of protection as the tiger under Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972?

1. Lion-tailed maquaque
2. One-horned rhinoceros
3. Spotted Dear
4. Andaman Wild Pig

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

a) 1 only

b) 1 and 2 only

c) 2, 3 and 4 only

d) All of them

ANSWER FOR 9TH APRIL 2022

Answer: C

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is incorrect: The standing deposit facility (SDF) is the basic tool available with RBI to absorb excess liquidity.
• The SDF has its origins in a 2018 amendment to the RBI Act and is an additional tool for absorbing liquidity without collateral.
• The Reserve Bank on 8th April 2022, took steps towards normalization of liquidity management to pre-pandemic levels, with the introduction of the standing deposit facility (SDF) as the basic tool to absorb excess liquidity.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: The SDF would be at 3.75%, i.e., 0.25% below the repo rate and 0.5% lower than the marginal standing facility (MSF) which helps the banks with funds when required.
• At both ends of the LAF corridor, there will be standing facilities – one to absorb and the other to inject liquidity. Accordingly, access to SDF and MSF will be at the discretion of banks, unlike repo/reverse repo, OMO and CRR which are available at the discretion of the Reserve Bank.

THE CONTEXT: The SilverLine project – a semi high-speed rail corridor that connects one end of Kerala to the other – has been mired in controversy. The project, which has been in the making for the past 12 years, has drawn flak from activists, engineers, and the people who will be displaced by land acquisition. But the state government seems to be determined to proceed with the project. This article analyses this issue in detail.

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE SILVERLINE PROJECT

WHAT IS SILVERLINE?:

• The SilverLine is proposed as a stand-alone, standard gauge, electric, fully fenced rail line corridor.
• The proposed 529.45-km line will link Thiruvananthapuram in the south to Kasaragod in the north, covering 11 districts through 11 stations.
• The deadline for the completion of the project is given as 2025.

TECHNICAL FEATURES:

• When the project is completed, one can travel from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram in less than four hours at 200 km/hr. On the existing Indian Railways network, it now takes 12 hours.
• The project will have electric multiple unit (EMU) trains, each with preferably nine cars extendable to 12.
• A nine-car rake can seat a maximum of 675 passengers in business and standard class settings.

IMPLEMENTING AGENCY:

• Kerala Rail Development Corporation Limited (KRDCL) or K-Rail, a joint venture between the Kerala government and the Union Ministry of Railways created to execute big railway projects, is the project’s proponent.

FINANCIAL REQUIREMENT:

• The corridor is projected to be built at the cost of Rs 63,941 crore.
• The line is expected to be constructed using equity funds from the Kerala government, the Centre, and loans from multilateral lending agencies.

CURRENT STATUS OF THE PROJECT:

• The Centre has only given in-principle approval to the project but the state government has begun the process of land acquisition.
• Out of 1,383 hectares needed to be acquired, 1,198 hectares will be private land.
• As part of the first acquisition stage, local revenue and K-Rail officials are on the ground, demarcating land and placing boundary stones that have faced strong public opposition.

SILVERLINE: THE REQUIREMENT OF THE TIME FOR THE PEOPLE OF KERALA

Even though known to be a linear state with a population of only 3.45 crores, Kerala is commonly divided and called Southern Kerala, Central Kerala, and Northern Kerala. The Highways are choked with the rush of vehicles. The existence of residential and commercial establishments along the major highways makes road development a dream that will not happen shortly. With road development at standstill, new vehicles are entering the roads of Kerala at the rate of 1 million per year.

Considering the capacity of traffic served by the rail corridor and the comparatively fewer resources required for realizing rail projects, a rail corridor connecting the North and south ends of Kerala seems ideal for the state. Since the existing rail corridor is serving the trains to travel at a low speed of 45km/hour only, the Government of Kerala in association with the Ministry of Railways has decided to construct a Semi high-speed rail corridor of 529.45 km length from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod which will take only 4 hours to travel between the two cities by traversing at a dream speed of 200 km/h. This project is known to be “Silverline”.

POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF THE SILVERLINE PROJECT

FULFILLS THE TRANSPORT DEMAND:

• The existing railway infrastructure in the state cannot meet the demands of the future. The government claims the project can take a significant load of traffic off the existing railway stretch and make travel easier and faster for commuters.
• This will in turn reduce the congestion on roads and help reduce accidents and fatalities.

INDUSTRIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT:

• The project estimates that 2,80,000 hrs worth of human time and effort could be saved and directed towards other constructive purposes. It will lead to a significant increase in human productivity and efficiency.
• It will help in the expansion of Ro-Ro services, produce employment opportunities, integrate airports and IT corridors, and faster development of cities it passes through.
• The improved connectivity will increase business opportunities, ease of doing business, and industrial development.

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS:

• Building capacities today to achieve a carbon net neutral world over the next three to four decades is the core aspect of the national strategy of all countries.
• High-speed rail systems leave a smaller carbon footprint than other modes of transport.

INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE:

• Japan’s high-speed rail system was developed and implemented by that country’s national railways when it was under immense financial stress due to borrowings. High-speed railways are also one of the factors that have spurred development in China.
• When the London underground railway was conceived, it was considered financially unviable. But today, the city of London’s economic activities would be inconceivable without it.

DEVELOPMENT OF TOURISM:

• SilverLine can provide easy, safe, and fast transportation facilities from the southern tip to its northern frontier. This would promote tourists to choose multi-destination tourism packages. It will create large opportunities for the tourism sector of Kerala.
• The SilverLine project will provide a huge growth potential in the tourism sector, which contributes to 10% of the domestic production of the state.

PUMP PRIMING THE ECONOMY:

• A major way to tackle the economic slowdown is to spend money on infrastructure development. Spending money on developing infrastructure will only do good, whatever the economic scenario.
• Infrastructure development will ultimately provide a huge boost to the employment/business market. These kinds of infrastructure projects are even more important in the current situation where the economic scenario is deteriorating due to Covid-19.

ATMA NIRBHAR BHARAT AND MAKE IN INDIA: 

• The technology and manufacturing companies required for the project are available in India itself. Rolling stock (train) can be manufactured in India by including it in the ‘Make in India’ scheme.
•  Several international manufacturers of trains have their units in India. The Silverline project has been developed in line with the public procurement policy of the Central government and the Atmanirbhar Bharat Scheme.

CRITICISMS OF THE SILVERLINE PROJECT

ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGES:

• There has been significant opposition by environmentalists citing potential damage to the ecosystem. They fear the irreversible impact on the state’s rivers, paddy fields, and wetlands. This could trigger floods and landslides in the future, they say.
• The Kerala Paristhithi Aikya Vedi, a forum of eco-experts and activists, has called on the government to abandon the project and explore sustainable solutions.

FLAWED EIA PROCESS:

• A Thiruvananthapuram-based research institute, the Centre for Environment and Development (CED) completed a Rapid Environmental Impact Assessment (REIA) on the project. The research institute was not an authorized agency for doing Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA).
• A Comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment (CEIA) is necessary to cover all the seasons in a year, not a REIA done through just one season.
• The report submitted focused on the project’s positive aspects while ignoring the major negative aspects and fails to suggest plans to mitigate them.

HUGE POPULATION DISPLACEMENT:

• K-Rail estimates that 9,314 buildings would have to be demolished. It is known that at least 10,000 families may have to be relocated. Once the Environment Management Plan (EMP) is complete, this number could be double the estimate.
•  The state has already been under the onslaught of two disastrous floods in recent times that displaced thousands who are still not rehabilitated so are the evictees of several land acquisitions.

THE METROMAN’S OPINION:

• Mr. Sridharan, the Metro Man says that the rail runs parallel to the existing railway line, which isn’t advisable as it would interfere with the future quadrupling of this stretch.
• He adds that SilverLine should be away from the existing line, either elevated or underground. Nowhere in the world high-speed or semi high-speed lines are planned at the ground level.
• According to him, no final location survey has been done on the ground for the Silver Line. Finalizing a railway alignment based on Google Maps or Lidar survey is not acceptable, particularly when land acquisition is being pursued with undue haste. When a final location survey is done, there will be a lot of changes and half the land acquisition will be a waste.

HUGE PUBLIC OPPOSITION:

• A group called Anti-K-rail Janakeeya Samithi(Peoples Committee), formed by those against the project, has also been continuously protesting against its implementation for more than a year.
• The face-off between the people and the police and K-Rail officials has become a regular feature in Kerala with the protestors accusing the police of high-handedness.
• The Chief Minister of Kerala has characterized those opposing the project as anti-development, which has further enraged the people and the opposition parties.

POOR TRANSPARENCY:

• The main project document, the Detailed Project Report or DPR, is still not public. It is also speculated that K-Rail has not yet finalized the DPR.
• It is inconceivable to witness such secrecy and lack of accountability from a state used to top governance rankings.
• Meanwhile, K-Rail has made the alignment (the route) of the corridor public, leading to speculations by people who may lose their land and those who are moving in to grab prime land around the project.

PARTITIONING THE STATE:

• A major part of the Silver Line is designed as a fully fenced large bund, called embankments. Embankments in the project are mud-rock-concrete structures with concrete retaining walls, with a width of 15 to 30 m. These embankments would have a height of 1 to 8 meters above the maximum flood line (MFL). This forms 55% of the total distance of the alignment, which is 292.73 km.
• The project will look like a fort that separates the east and the west of Kerala. Bridges would be provided for people to cross over and drains for water to flow.
• While people may eventually get used to such impediments to their free movement, it will be difficult to stop water overflow, especially the torrential rains and floods that are an annual feature now.

POOR KNOWLEDGE OF LOCAL ECOLOGY:

• An analysis of the REIA shows that literally a watershed in the vicinity of the project in Kerala’s landscape. The rail corridor can block rainwater drainage and aggravate the impact of floods. The report also talks about the project affecting paddy fields and flood plains. The corridor also cuts through the mangrove forests of north Kerala.
• But the report suggests reducing the environmental impact by planting new mangroves after the construction. Neither the project proponents nor the scientists seem to be knowledgeable on matters related to landscape, ecology, and ecosystems.

DETRIMENTAL LAND-USE CHANGES:

• There will be a change in land use in the project area, around 500 meters towards each side of the rail corridor. This means the area and people living 500 meters on both sides of the corridor would be directly affected through mobility, access to resources, and even livelihood.
• Ironically, Kerala does not even have a land-use policy, and the draft of such a policy that was first presented in 2010 is still gathering dust in the Revenue Department.

NO SCOPE FOR INTEGRATION:

• The rail line is a stand-alone standard gauge project, with no integration possible with the present railway projects, which are all broad gauge rail systems. The Silver Line railway stations are away from present railway stations and road or rail networks, making it costly to build new last-mile connectivity.
• K-Rail proposes to raise loans to spend on this project alone. But the corridor would be viable only with such last-mile connectivity in place.

DOUBTFUL FINANCIAL VIABILITY:

• The Centre has also taken a firm stand against the project, stating a small state like Kerala cannot withstand such a huge financial liability.
• The Kerala government was expecting assistance of Rs 2,150 crore from the Centre. But the Centre has rejected the state’s request for a standing guarantee for a foreign loan. Allotment from the central fund is also uncertain.
• More than half the total amount to be spent on the project is expected to come from foreign institutions, but as of now, the Union government has not given its support.
• Independent experts suggest that the project will overshoot the present estimate and run into Rs 2 lakh crore, adding to the already precarious state finances and public debt.

NO SILVERLINE IN KERALA’S SILVERLINE FOR ECOLOGY

Kerala’s Silver Line project, a semi high-speed railway line that proposes to connect the north and south of the coastal state, could be unimaginably disastrous to the region’s fragile ecology. For instance, the Madayipara Biodiversity heritage site in North Kerala’s Kannur district is a laterite hillock surrounded by Kuppam, Ramapuram, and Peruvamba rivers and the ecologically fragile Kavvayi backwaters. The hillock is home to 657 plants, 142 butterfly species, 186 bird species, and 60 species of odonates. It also has 24 species of reptiles, and 19 species of amphibians, which are rare and endangered ones. Though the hillock represents less than 0.01% of Kannur, it harbours 58.75% of the flora in the district.

About 132 km south of Madayipara is the Kadalundi bird sanctuary and its estuarine ecosystem. A little away from Kadalundi, the highly ecologically sensitive Ponnani-Thrissur Kole wetlands remain spread over 13,632 ha, which is considered the third largest of their kind in entire India, after Chilika Lake (Odisha) and Amipur Tank (Gujarat), in terms of the number of birds it supports. Ornithologists note that 241 species of birds, including passerines, have been recorded in these wetlands, of which 30% are migrants.

Close to Ponanni lies Thirunavaya, a village with numerous ponds, lakes, and wetlands. Here, over 30 families meticulously tend lotus flowers to supply to different temples in the state, including the famous Sri Krishna Temple in Guruvayur. Experts observe that the environmental, social, and financial equilibriums of Madayipara, Kadalundi, Ponnani, and Thirunavaya would be badly affected along with numerous other villages between Kasargod in north and Thiruvananthapuram in the far south if the project goes through.

KERALA MODEL OF INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT- A POLITICO-BUREAUCRATIC ENTERPRISE?

Kerala seems to be in the habit of bulldozing through technically unviable, financially intensive, and ecologically destructive projects. The Vizhinjam International Port is a classical case study. The project has unleashed an environmental disaster and is also facing a financial breakdown. Many scientists, environmental groups, and fisherfolk had voiced their opposition to this project right from the beginning and were characteristically ignored by the political parties and bureaucrats. The arguments of the public ran the same narrative as in the case of the Silver Line. In the last five years, hills have been quarried for rocks to be deposited into the sea to build the sea wall for the port. But every time the coast is hit by a cyclone or high tidal waves, the walls collapse, wasting precious resources. Only a quarter of the sea wall has been built, and the project has already shot its timeline by nearly two years. It has also eroded the fishing and tourist beaches, including Kovalam and Shankhumukham. Hundreds of fisher families have lost their homes to the sea. The Vizhinjam project, which was hyped to make Thiruvananthapuram a paradise, has now become a center point of disaster.

THE WAY FORWARD:

ADDRESS THE CONCERNS OF ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS:

• Considering Kerala’s fragile landscape and social conditions and the magnitude of the project, a CEIA is imperative. The government has initiated the process for a detailed EIA and also a Social Impact Assessment (SIA).
• Meanwhile, the land acquisition and evictions shouldn’t be going ahead without completing the EIA and SIA and placing them along with the DPR for public consultations.
• People and experts have demanded that all project activities should be stopped till the DPR and EIA are done and made public and all alternatives evaluated.

DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE TRANSPORT POLICY:

• Several groups have demanded a comprehensive transport policy in the state instead of the expensive Silverline project.
• This will provide a road map and vision for the development of transport infrastructure in the state based on long-term planning multi-modal integration and can have general public support.

SPEED UP RAILWAY INFRA PROJECTS:

• Kerala must speed up all the ongoing rail projects to allow the lines to run Vistadome coaches and high-speed trains like the Gatimaan Express that continue to use the broad gauge track. The standard gauge track without any future or expandability seems not a good idea.
• The Indian Railways plans to increase the speed of a few trains to 160 km per hour. If this is possible in the existing railway line in Kerala, it would have a transport system whose environmental cost is already paid.

AN HONEST ASSESSMENT OF THE FINANCIAL VIABILITY:

• The capital-intense nature of the project and the impact on Kerala’s finances need independent evaluation as the K-Rail estimates seem to underestimate the project costs.
• Also a debate should be there on the necessity to change the current Centre-State fiscal regime to ensure that States can indeed invest in projects of infrastructural importance.

DECENTRALIZE DEVELOPMENTAL OPPORTUNITIES: 

• The state needs to promote decentralized development, including access to socio-economic infrastructure and employment.
• This will reduce the pressure on existing transport infrastructure, address the problem of climate change and promote environmental sustainability.

LEARNING THE LESSONS FROM THE PAST:

• Kerala needs to learn from the huge destruction that nature unleashed on its people due to its obsession with “development”.
• The politico-bureaucratic elites need to come out of the notion that development means dams, bridges, high-speed rail, multiplexes, etc. only.
• They must also need to base sustainable development policies and practices on developmental discourse and practices.

A FEASIBLE LAND ACQUISITION POLICY:

• The government’s land acquisition policy needs to be tailored so that the pain of displacement and relocation is minimized.

THE CONCLUSION:  A project of this size and complexity will involve issues of implementation, resource mobilization, the important task of measuring the local environmental impact, specific alignment of tracks, and humane compensation policy. All of these can and must be addressed and till then the state government needs to slow down a bit. And if after all the evaluations, the project is found to be unviable, then it is better to look for alternatives.

QUESTIONS:

1. Explaining the salient features of the SilverLine project of the state of Kerala, comment on its social, economic, and environmental implications.
2. “A top-down approach to infrastructural development is not in tune with the idea of sustainable development”. Examine the statement in the light of the Silverline project of the state of Kerala.
3. Democratic decentralization sans developmental decentralization can have major socio-economic and environmental consequences. Illustrate.

THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

1. ‘WORLD FOOD PRICES ROSE TO A NEW RECORD IN MARCH 2022’: FAO

THE CONTEXT: World food prices jumped to a new record high in March 2022 as the war in Ukraine caused turmoil in markets for staple grains and edible oils, the U.N. food agency.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) food price index, which tracks the most globally-traded food commodities, averaged 159.3 points last month versus an upwardly revised 141.4 for February 2022.
• FAO said Russia was the world’s largest exporter of wheat and Ukraine was the fifth largest. Together, they provide 19% of the world’s barley supply, 14% of wheat, and 4% of maize, making up more than one-third of global cereal exports.
• They both are major exporters of sunflower oil via the Black Sea, and Moscow’s six-week-old invasion of its neighbour has stalled Ukrainian exports.
• FAO warned last month (March 2022)that food and feed prices could rise by up to 20% as a result of the conflict in Ukraine, triggering a jump in global mal nourishment.
• FAO also cut its estimate of world wheat production in 2022 to 784 million tonnes from a forecast of 790 million last month (March 2022) as it factored in the possibility that at least 20% of Ukraine’s winter crop area would not be harvested. It also lowered its projection of global cereals trade in the 2021/22 marketing year.
• Also, the UN agency highlighted the fact, Russia is also a world leader in fertilizer exports.”The likely disruptions to agricultural activities of these two major exporters of staple commodities could seriously escalate food insecurity globally.

 2. CENTRE SETS UP TASK FORCE TO PROMOTE ANIMATION, GAMING

THE CONTEXT: The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has constituted an Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) promotion task force. Headed by the I&B Secretary, the task force will submit its first action plan within 90 days.

THE EXPLANATION:

• It has representation from the industry, academia and State governments.Earlier, Union Finance in her Budget speech, had announced the creation of AVGC promotion task force.
• The body will frame a national AVGC policy; recommend national curriculum framework for graduation, post-graduation and doctoral courses in AVGC-related sectors; and facilitate skilling initiatives in collaboration with academic institutions, vocational training centres and industry.
• It will boost employment opportunities and help in the promotion and market development activities to extend global reach. of the Indian industry; enhance exports and recommend incentives to attract foreign direct investment in the sector.
• The I&B Ministry said the AVGC sector in the country had the potential to become the torch bearer of “Create in India” and “Brand India”. “India has the potential to capture 5% of the global market share by 2025, with an annual growth of around 25-30% and creating over 1,60,000 new jobs annually”.
• The task force comprises Secretaries of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, and the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade.

 3. SC UPHOLDS NEW RESTRICTIONS ON RECEIVING FOREIGN FUNDS

THE CONTEXT: The Supreme Court upheld amendments introducing restrictions in the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) while holding that no one has a fundamental or absolute right to receive foreign contributions.

THE EXPLANATION:

• In a judgment that may hit non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working at the grass-root level with no direct link to foreign donors, the court reasoned that unbridled inflow of foreign funds may destabilise the sovereignty of the nation.
• The restrictions involve a bar on using operational FCRA accounts to get foreign contributions and mandatory production of the Aadhaar card for registration under the FCRA. They require NGOs and recipients to open a new FCRA account at a specified branch of the State Bank of India in New Delhi as a “one-point entry” for foreign donations.
• The petitioners, including individuals and NGOs engaged in cultural, educational, religious activities, argued that the amendments suffered from the “vice of ambiguity, over-breadth or over-governance” and violated their fundamental rights. They said the new regime amounts to a blanket ban on the capacity of intermediary organisations in India to distribute foreign donations to smaller and less visible NGOs. But the court countered that the amendments only provide a strict regulatory framework to moderate the inflow of foreign funds.

‘No absolute right’

• According to the three bench judge, “No one can be heard to claim a vested right to accept foreign donations, much less an absolute right”.
• Free and uncontrolled inflow of foreign funds has the potential to impact the socio-economic structure and polity of the country. “Philosophically, foreign contribution (donation) is akin to gratifying intoxicant replete with medicinal properties and may work like a nectar,” the ruling said.

Value Addition:

Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act:

• It is an act of Parliament enacted in 1976 and amended in 2010. It was to regulate foreign donations and to ensure that such contributions do not adversely affect internal security.
• Coverage: It is applicable to all associations, groups, and NGOs which intend to receive foreign donations.
• Registration: It is mandatory for all such NGOs to register themselves under the FCRA. The registration is initially valid for five years. Further, it can be renewed subsequently if they comply with all norms.
• Registered NGOs can receive foreign contributions for five purposes — social, educational, religious, economic, and cultural. There are 22,591 FCRA registered NGOs.

Foreign Contribution Regulation (Amendment) Rules 2020:

• New rules require any organization that wants to register itself under the FCRA to have existed for at least three years. Further, it should have spent a minimum of Rs. 15 lakh on its core activities during the last three financial years for the benefit of society.
• Office bearers of the NGOs seeking registration under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act must submit a specific commitment letter from the donor. It should indicate the amount of foreign contribution and the purpose for which it is proposed to be given.
• Any NGO or person making an application for obtaining prior permission to receive foreign funds shall have an FCRA Account.

 4. RBI TO ‘FOCUS’ ON INFLATION

THE CONTEXT: The Reserve Bank of India’s Monetary Policy Committee raised its estimate for inflation in FY23 to 5.7%, from the 4.5% forecast in February 2022 before Russia invaded Ukraine, and stressed that it would now turn its focus to the “withdrawal of accommodation to ensure that inflation remains within the target going forward”.

THE EXPLANATION:

• According to RBI Governor, “For the last three years growth was ahead of inflation in sequence. This time we have reversed it because we thought the time is appropriate.

 ‘War-induced factors’

• Also the Governor noted, MPC had decided to revise the inflation projections for FY23 upwards with the estimate for Q1 at 6.3%; Q2 at 5.8%; Q3 at 5.4%; and Q4 at 5.1% due to “war-induced factors”.
• He pointed to the sharp increase in crude oil, edible oil and wheat prices, and the cost of feed — which has pushed prices of poultry, egg and dairy products — as reason for the higher estimates.
• Earlier, the MPC voted unanimously to keep the policy repo rate unchanged at 4%.
• He also noted, the escalating geopolitical tensions had cast a shadow on India’s economic outlook. As a result, real GDP growth for FY23 has been projected at 7.2%, compared with 7.8% estimated earlier.

VALUE ADDITION:

What is Monetary Policy Committee?

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is a committee constituted by the Central Government and led by the Governor of RBI. Monetary Policy Committee was formed with the mission of fixing the benchmark policy interest rate (repo rate) to restrain inflation within the particular target level. The RBI governor controls the monetary policy decisions with the support and advice of the internal team and the technical advisory committee.

Initially, the main decisions related to interest rates were taken by the Governor of RBI alone before the establishment of the committee. MPC was constituted under the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 as an initiative to bring more transparency and accountability in fixing the Monetary Policy of India. MPC conducts meetings at least 4 times a year and the monetary policy is published after every meeting with each member explaining his opinions.

Instruments of Monetary Policy

There are both direct and indirect instruments used for implementing monetary policy. Few include:

• Repo rate
• Reverse Repo rate
• Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF)
• Marginal Standing Facility (MSF)
• Corridor
• Bank Rate
• Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR)
• Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR)
• Open Market Operations (OMOs)
• Market Stabilisation Scheme (MSS)

 THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

5. INDIA SUCCESSFULLY FLIGHT TESTS MISSILE SYSTEM SFDR BOOSTER

THE CONTEXT: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) achieved yet another feat by successfully testing the solid fuel ducted ramjet (SFDR) booster from a defence facility off the Odisha coast. The new technology will help develop long-range air-to-air missiles.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The test has successfully demonstrated the reliable functioning of all critical components involved in the complex missile system and met all the mission objectives.
• According to DRDO, “After the ground booster phase the missile was guided to high altitude to simulate aircraft release conditions. Subsequently, the nozzle-less booster was ignited and it accelerated the system to the required Mach number for ramjet operation.”
• The performance of the system has been confirmed from the data captured by a number of range instruments like telemetry, radar and electro optical tracking systems (EOTS) deployed by ITR.
• Developed by Hyderabad-based Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories, the SFDR based propulsion enables the missile to intercept aerial threats at supersonic speeds at very long range.
• All the subsystems including the booster and nozzle-less motor performed as expected. So far, the technology was available only with a handful of countries in the world. The successful validation of the technology will enable DRDO to develop
  long range air-to-air missiles.
• The air breathing ramjet technology will propel long range air-to-air missiles to engage with targets at supersonic speed and high accuracy. The missiles will provide a multi-layered aerial protection to important establishments from hostile.

Value Addition:

Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR)

• The Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) developed under a joint Indo-Russian R&D project achieved a speed of Mach 3 on its first flight.
• The ramjet propulsion system used in the SFDR acts as an oxidizer and the solid propellant reacts as air flows through a solid propellant duct.
• Unlike conventional rockets that carry propellant and oxidizer, Ramjet uses the air as an oxidizer just like a jet engine.
• Possible usage of SFDR: These are to be used in the future variants of missiles, including an advanced version of the ASTRA, Beyond Visual Range AAM (BVRAAM) expected to extend the range to 150 km in the Mk-3 version.
• According to the DRDO, the SFDR has a range of 120 km with a speed range of 2.3-2.5 Mach.
• Unbound by the diameter of aerial weapons, a ground-launched SFDR would accelerate a missile over 250 km. A potential application of the Indo-Russian SFDR is extended range SAM – such as the futuristic Indian SAM-X.

 THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Q. Consider the following statements about Standing Deposit Facility (SDF):

1. It is a tool available with RBI to inject liquidity in the economy.
2. It replaces the earlier Marginal Standing Facility (MSF).

Which of the statements given above is/are incorrect?

a) 1 only

b) 2 only

c) Both 1 and 2

d) Neither 1 nor 2

ANSWER FOR 8TH APRIL 2022

Answer: B

Explanation:

• The Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system made up of 47 States responsible for the promotion and protection of all human rights around the globe.
• The Council was created by the United Nations General Assembly on 15 March 2006.
• It meets at the UN Office at Geneva.
• The Council is made up of 47 United Nations Member States which are elected by the UN General Assembly. Each elected member serves for a term of three years. (Statement 1 is correct and 2 is incorrect).
• Countries are disallowed from occupying a seat for more than two consecutive terms.(Statement 3 is correct).
• Human Rights Council replaced the former United Nations Commission on Human Rights.The UNHRC passes non-binding resolutions on human rights issues through a periodic review of all 193 UN member states called the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).

THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. INDIA-NETHERLANDS BILATERAL RELATIONS

THE CONTEXT: The three-day visit of President to the Netherlands is also significant as the two nations celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations. President during his visit to the Netherlands also visited Keukenh of- the world’s largest flower garden.

THE EXPLANATION:

Celebration of 75 years of India’s Independence in Netherlands

The President also met the members of the Indian community living in the Netherlands. As part of the 75 years of India’s Independence celebrations, President hosted a cultural performance which will be graced by Queen Maxima and King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands. The performance will be by Kalakshetra Foundation and a 25 member troop will enact a piece from Ramayan.

India-Netherlands relations: Background

In 2022, the diplomatic relations between India and Netherlands will complete 75 years which were established back in 1947. As India developed into a rapidly expanding economy, the bilateral trade between India and Netherlands continued to gather momentum. This was despite the slow economic growth of the Netherlands. The Netherlands is also among the top 10 partners of India in terms of trade volume.

Trade and Commercial Relations: The Netherlands was the fifth largest investor in India for FY 2020-21 with FDI inflows of USD 2.8 billion. For the same period, the Netherlands was the third largest destination for overseas direct investment from India (approx. USD 1.22 billion). The Netherlands was India’s 3rd largest trading partner in the Europe in FY 2020-2021. During FY 2020-2021, total two-way trade stood at US$13 billion with export from India amounting to US$ 8.85 billion and imports from the Netherlands at US$ 4.1 billion.

Indian Community and Diaspora: The Netherlands hosts the largest Indian Diaspora on mainland Europe, including 2,00,000 strong Surinami-Hindustani community of Indian origin. Descendants up to sixth generation of the original Indian immigrants who had arrived in Suriname and later migrated to the Netherlands can avail OCI facility. The approximate 48,000 NRIs/PIOs are mainly businessmen, knowledge workers, professionals and students. Indian students are amongst the top 3 in terms of numbers amongst non-EU foreign students in the Netherlands.

Renewable Energy: The Netherlands signed the Framework Agreement of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) in May 2018. India is one of the convening countries of the Global Commission on Adaptation. The Netherlands joined the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) in 2021. India invited the Netherlands to support CDRI’s Technical Assistance Facility (TAF) for Small Island Developing States. Cooperation in the area of renewable energy continues under an MoU singed in 2014. In the virtual Dutch Trade Mission held in February 2021 solar energy, hydrogen, biofuels, energy transition and e-mobility were a core theme.

THE HEALTH AND SOCIAL ISSUES

2. INDIA’S FIRST CASE OF CORONAVIRUS VARIANT XE REPORTED FROM MUMBAI

THE CONTEXT: India’s first case of Coronavirus variant XE was reported in Mumbai, also one case of the Kappa variant has also been detected.

THE EXPLANATION:

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) announced that a 50-year-old woman with a travel history to South Africa may have been infected with the newly discovered ‘XE’ variant of the coronavirus.

What is the XE variant of coronavirus?

• The Omicron variant, which is responsible for over 90 percent of the infections detected this year, has two prominent sub-variants, called BA.1 and BA.2. There is a BA.3 sub-variant as well, but that is less common.
• During the initial phase, the BA.1 sub-variant was the most widespread. In India, however, it was the BA.2 that was the most dominant during the third wave.
• 2 was found to be slightly more transmissible than BA.1, even though it was not more dangerous. In the last couple of months, the BA.2 variety has become the most widespread across the globe, accounting for almost 94 percent of all Omicron infections in the last month, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). The incidence of the BA.1 variety is declining sharply.

Also known as Recombinant:

• The XE variant is what is called a ‘recombinant’. This means it contains the mutations found in BA.1 as well as BA.2 varieties of Omicron. This was first discovered in the United Kingdom in January, and so far more than 600 samples of XE have been found in different countries.
• Recombinant variants are not uncommon. Variants that contain mutations characteristics of two or more known variants occur all the time. In fact, variants that contain the characteristic mutations of Delta and Omicron have also been identified.
• The random process of genetic mutations in viruses and other organisms keeps happening continuously. But only a small fraction of these mutations significantly alter the abilities of the virus to infect, or to cause severe diseases.

Will the XE variant of Covid-19 come to India?

• It would not be surprising if the XE variant is indeed found in India — in the Mumbai woman, or in some other patient at a later stage. Travel restrictions have been mostly done away with, and international air travel is back to almost where it was in the pre-pandemic period.
• Also, the possibility of XE, or any other recombinant variety of Omicron, developing within the Indian population cannot be ruled out. It is also possible that the XE variant is already circulating in the Indian population, but is yet to be detected.

3. THE MANACLES OF CASTE IN SANITATION WORK

THE CONTEXT: According to the Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry, a total of 971 people lost their lives while cleaning sewers or septic tanks since 1993, the year law prohibiting the employment of manual scavengers was enacted.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Even in 2020, the Indian government and our civil society continue to grapple with the inhuman nature of manual scavenging. While civil society started a movement in the 1990s to abolish dry latrines, the focus now is on manhole deaths and the provision of safety equipment to sanitation workers.
• The movement has been demanding the abolition of the dehumanizing practice of the manual removal of human excreta and calls for the introduction of mechanization for handling waste. Various State governments and the previous Central governments have responded to these civil society demands by introducing different laws to stop manual scavenging and provide incentives to build toilets.
• If, on the one hand, the civil society has tended to approach this issue as a collective problem that needs to be addressed by the State, on the other, the current ruling dispensation seems to be framing the issue as a spectacle in the form of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and is addressing the problem in terms of an obstacle in the way of tourism promotion.

Background:

Manual Scavenging

• It is defined as the removal of human excrement from public streets and dry latrines, cleaning septic tanks, gutters and sewers.
• In the past, this referred to the practice of removing excreta from dry latrines.
• However, new modern sanitation technologies brought new forms of manual scavenging work, which include manual and unsafe cleaning of drains, sewer lines, septic tanks and latrine pits.

Concerns 

• Scavenging is mostly carried out by a subgroup of the Dalits, an outcast community also known as “untouchables” within India’s ancient system of caste hierarchies.
  • “Untouchables” are often impoverished, shunned by society and forbidden from touching Indians of other castes, or even their food.
• Scavenging continues in parts of India largely due to governmental indifference and social prejudice.
• There is a complete absence of planning for the maintenance of sewerage, septic tanks, and waste disposal systems in the urban policies made for the city by the state and private companies.
• The number of people killed while cleaning sewers and septic tanks has increased over the last few years.
• 2019 saw the highest number of manual scavenging deaths in the past five years.

Measures to tackle the Manual Scavenging:

Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act in 1993

• The  Act prohibited the construction of unsanitary dry latrines and employing manual scavengers.
• The Act had defined ‘manual scavenger’ as a person engaged in or employed for manually carrying human excreta.
• However, the government’s description of the dry latrine was a problem, as it defined dry latrine as “latrine other than a water-seal latrine”.
• Manual scavenging was not just a practice related to dry latrines, but also to insanitary latrines and open defecation.

Safai Karamchari Andolan

• The Safai Karamchari Andolan, a social movement that campaigned against manual scavenging, along with other organizations, filed public interest litigation(PIL) in the Supreme Court.
• The demand was to direct State governments and Union Territories to strictly enforce the law to stop the practice of manual removal of human excreta.

Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act,2013

• Though the construction of dry latrines has drastically reduced, thenumber of deaths in manholes, sewers and septic tanks continues to remain high.
• The Indian government had plans to amend the 2013 Act to completely mechanize the cleaning of sewers and manholes and build new sewers.
• However,neither the past nor the present amendment addresses the issue of labor safety.

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan

• The same is the case with the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, which skirts the issue of labor rights and the stigma attached to sanitation.
• Also, not only toilets but even cleaning work is seen as a lowly job in India.
• Most sanitation contracts are given to private contractors or self-help groups, and such staff hardly have ID cards, leave alone the protection of medical insurance policies.

What lies ahead?

• The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan should make expansion of the sewer network a top priority and come up with a scheme for scientific maintenance that will end the manual cleaning of septic tanks.
• The laws should be enforced vigorously to eliminate manual scavenging in its entirety.
• There should be trials and testing of protective gears and provisions for better healthcare facilities, insurance cover, pension plans and regulations on preventive and social medicine education for the manual scavengers.

THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

4. EXPLAINED: WHAT IS SDF, THE RBI’S NEW TOOL TO ABSORB EXCESS LIQUIDITY TO CONTROL INFLATION?

THE CONTEXT: While retaining the reverse repo rate at 3.35 per cent, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) introduced the Standing Deposit Facility (SDF), an additional tool for absorbing liquidity, at an interest rate of 3.75 per cent.

THE EXPLANATION:

What is a Standing Deposit Facility (SDF)?

A Standing Deposit Facility or SDF allows the RBI to absorb liquidity (deposit) from commercial banks without giving government securities in return to the banks.

Role of SDF

• The main purpose of SDF is to reduce the excess liquidity of Rs 8.5 lakh crore in the system, and control inflation.
• In 2018, the amended Section 17 of the RBI Act empowered the Reserve Bank to introduce the SDF – an additional tool for absorbing liquidity without any collateral. By removing the binding collateral constraint on the RBI, the SDF strengthens the operating framework of monetary policy. The SDF is also a financial stability tool in addition to its role in liquidity management.

The SDF will replace the fixed rate reverse repo (FRRR) as the floor of the liquidity adjustment facility corridor. Both the standing facilities — the MSF (marginal standing facility) and the SDF will be available on all days of the week, throughout the year.

How it will operate

The SDF rate will be 25 bps below the policy rate (Repo rate), and it will be applicable to overnight deposits at this stage. It would, however, retain the flexibility to absorb liquidity of longer tenors as and when the need arises, with appropriate pricing. The RBI’s plan is to restore the size of the liquidity surplus in the system to a level consistent with the prevailing stance of monetary policy.

Reverse repo rate

The fixed rate reverse repo (FRRR) rate which is retained at 3.35 per cent will remain part of the RBI’s toolkit, and its operation will be at the discretion of the RBI for purposes specified from time to time. The FRRR along with the SDF will impart flexibility to the RBI’s liquidity management framework, the RBI said.

Question of liquidity

• The “extraordinary” liquidity measures undertaken in the wake of the pandemic, combined with the liquidity injected through various other operations of the RBI, have left a liquidity overhang of the order of Rs 8.5 lakh crore in the system.
• This has pushed up the retail inflation level in the system. “The RBI will engage in a gradual and calibrated withdrawal of this liquidity over a multi-year time frame in a non-disruptive manner beginning this year.

5. EXPLAINED: INDONESIA’S PALM OIL CRISIS, AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR INDIA

THE CONTEXT: The world’s largest producer and exporter of palm oil is facing domestic shortages, leading to price controls and export curbs.

THE EXPLANATION:

• It’s rare for any country that is the largest producer and exporter of a product to experience domestic shortages of the same product — so much so as to force its government to introduce price controls and curbs on shipments.
• But that is precisely the story of Indonesia vis-à-vis palm oil. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has estimated the archipelago’s palm oil production for 2021-22 (October-September) at 45.5 million tonnes (mt). That’s almost 60% of the total global output and way ahead of the next bigger producer: Malaysia (18.7 mt). It is also the world’s No. 1 exporter of the commodity, at 29 mt, followed by Malaysia (16.22 mt).

Plausible factors

How does one explain this conundrum — consumers unable to access or paying through the nose for a commodity in which their country is the preeminent producer and exporter?

There are two possible reasons.

The first has to do supply disruptions — man made and natural — in other cooking oils, especially sunflower and soyabean.

• Ukraine and Russia together account for nearly 80% of the global trade in sunflower oil, quite comparable to the 90% share of Indonesia and Malaysia in palm. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine which is ongoing, has resulted in port closures and exporters avoiding Black Sea shipping routes.
• Sanctions against Russia have further curtailed trade in sunflower oil, the world’s third most exported vegetable oil (12.17 mt, according to USDA estimates for 2021-22) after palm (49.63 mt) and soyabean (12.39 mt).
• Soyabean oil, too, is facing supply issues due to dry weather in South America. The USDA has projected the combined soyabean output of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay for 2021-22 to fall by 9.4%, translating into the continent’s lowest harvest in six years. Supply tightness in sunflower and soyabean — from war and drought, respectively — has, in turn, transmitted to palm oil.

The second factor is linked to petroleum, more specifically the use of palm oil as a bio-fuel.

• The Indonesian government has, since 2020, made 30% blending of diesel with palm oil mandatory as part of a plan to slash fossil fuel imports. The country’s domestic consumption of palm oil is forecast at 17.1 mt, of which 7.5 mt is for bio-diesel and the balance 9.6 mt towards household and other use.

Impact on India

• India is the world’s biggest vegetable oils importer. Out of its annual imports of 14-15 mt, the lion’s share is of palm oil (8-9 mt), followed by soyabean (3-3.5 mt) and sunflower (2.5). Indonesia has been India’s top supplier of palm oil, though it was overtaken by Malaysia in 2021-22 (see table).
• On March 2022, the Indonesian government lifted its retail price caps on palm oil along with the 30% domestic market sale obligation on exporters. At the same time, it levied a progressive tax on exports, linked to a reference price for CPO. These rates range from $175 per tonne (when the reference export price is $1,000-1,050) to $375 (when prices are above $1,500).

The restrictions on exports, even in the form of levy, take into cognizance Indonesia’s higher population (27.5 crore, against Malaysia’s 3.25 crore) as well as its ambitious bio-fuel programme (Malaysia is still to fully implement even 20% palm oil admixture in diesel). To that extent, the world – more so, the bigger importer India – will have to get used to lower supplies from Indonesia.

Meanwhile, import prices of edible oils have eased from March 2022  peaks, although higher than one year back. That should provide some relief, both for households and industrial consumers (including soap and cosmetic makers) in India.

Landed prices of CPO (cost plus freight, Mumbai) are currently ruling around $1,750 per tonne, as against $2,000 and $1,175 in March 2021, respectively. The corresponding import prices (current versus month-ago and year-ago) stood at $1,690 ($1,960 and $1,115) for RBD palmolein and $1,800 ($1,925 and $1,290) for crude de-gummed soyabean oil.

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Q. Consider the following statements about UNHRC:

1. 1. It is made up of 47 United Nations Member States elected by the UN General Assembly.
   2. Each elected member serves for a term of two years.
   3. Countries are disallowed from occupying a seat for more than two consecutive terms.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a) 1 only

b) 1 and 3

c) 2 and 3

d) 1, 2 and 3

ANSWER FOR 7TH APRIL 2022

Answer: B

Explanation:

The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act (2013) amended the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act (1946) and made the following changes to the composition of CBI:

The Central Government shall appoint the Director of CBI on the recommendation of a three-member committee consisting of the Prime Minister as Chairperson, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and the Chief Justice of India or Judge of the Supreme Court nominated by him.

THE CONTEXT: Recently in March 2022, the concerns have been raised that consumers may have to pay more for medicines and medical devices if the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) allows a price hike of over 10% in the drugs and devices listed under the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM). The following article explains everything about the pricing of essential drugs in India.

WORKING OF PRICING MECHANISM

• All medicines under the NLEM are under price regulation. The NLEM lists drugs used to treat fever, infection, heart disease, hypertension, anemia, etc, and includes commonly used medicines like paracetamol, azithromycin, Cardiac Stents, Knee implants, etc.
• The Health Ministry prepares a list of drugs eligible for price regulation, following which the Department of Pharmaceuticals incorporates them into Schedule 1 of DPCO.
• The Standing Committee on Affordable Medicines and Health Products (SCAMHP) will advise the drug price regulator the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) on vetting the list. The NPPA then fixes the prices of drugs in this Schedule.
• As per the Drugs (Prices) Control Order 2013, scheduled drugs, about 15% of the pharma market, are allowed an increase by the government as per the WPI (Wholesale Price Index) while the rest 85% are allowed an automatic increase of 10% every year.
• The annual change in prices of scheduled drugs is controlled and rarely crosses 5%.
• Under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940, the drugs are classified in schedules, and regulations are laid down for their storage, display, sale, dispensing, leveling, prescribing, etc.

Essential Medicines List:

• As per the World Health Organisation (WHO), Essential Medicines are those that satisfy the priority health care needs of the population. The list is made with consideration of disease prevalence, efficacy, safety, and comparative cost-effectiveness of the medicines.
• Such medicines are intended to be available in adequate amounts, inappropriate dosage forms, and strengths with assured quality. They should be available in such a way that an individual or community can afford them.

National List of Essential Medicines of India:

• The WHO EML is a model list, the decision about which medicines are essential and remains a national responsibility based on the country’s disease burden, priority health concerns, affordability concerns, etc.
• Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India hence prepared and released the first National List of Essential Medicines of India in 1996 consisting of 279 medicines. This list was subsequently revised in 2003, 2011, and 2021.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL PHARMACEUTICAL PRICING AUTHORITY

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) is a government regulatory agency that controls the prices of pharmaceutical drugs in India. It was constituted by a Government of India Resolution dated 29th August 1997 as an attached office of the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP), Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers as an independent regulator for pricing of drugs and to ensure availability and accessibility of medicines at affordable prices with Headquarter at New Delhi, India.

Drugs (Prices) Control Order 2013:

• The Drugs Prices Control Order is an order issued by the Government of India under Sec. 3 of Essential Commodities Act, 1955 to regulate the prices of drugs.
• The Order provides the list of price-controlled drugs, procedures for fixation of prices of drugs, method of implementation of prices fixed by Govt., penalties for contravention of provisions, etc.
• For the purpose of implementing provisions of DPCO, powers of Govt. have been vested in NPPA.
• The DPCO 2013 contains more than 600 scheduled drug formulations spread across 27 therapeutic groups. However, the prices of other drugs can be regulated, if warranted in the public interest.

KEY FUNCTIONS OF NPPA

NPPA INITIATIVES

• The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) is headquartered in New Delhi and to increase its reach across the country, NPPA has set up a Price Monitoring and Resource Unit (PMRU) in the various Indian States and Union Territories.
• These PMRUs have been set up under the Consumer Awareness, Publicity, and Price Monitoring (CAPPM) scheme.
• As of March 2022, there are 23 states/UTs with the most recent addition of Himachal Pradesh on 23^rd March 2022 as the 23rd Price Monitoring and Resource Unit (PMRU). The pharmaceutical authority aims to set up a price monitoring unit in each and every state and union territory across India.

SIGNIFICANCE OF NPPA

• It is important to fix the prices of certain important drugs so that they are affordable and accessible to every citizen of the county and the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority ensures the same.
• It mandates that no supplier can sell a drug for more than its Maximum Retail Price (MRP).
• NPPA also played a crucial role during the pandemic time in the country by either fixing or regulating the prices of essential drugs and devices.

 AN ANALYSIS OF THE ISSUE

• The pharma lobby is asking for at least a 10% increase for scheduled drugs too rather than going by the WPI. Over the past few years, input costs have flared up and one of the reasons being 60%-70% of the country’s medical needs, are dependent on China.
• NPPA has been receiving applications for upward price revision under para 19 of DPCO, 2013, for the last two years citing reasons like “increase in Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient – API (key ingredient) cost, increase in the cost of production, exchange rates, etc. resulting in unavailability in sustainable production and marketing of the drugs.
• India is dependent on China for over 60% of its API requirement; higher API costs for price-controlled medicines reduce profits and sometimes even make the production of these drugs unviable in India.

THE WAY FORWARD

• We all are aware of the shortage of Remdevisir injections in May 2021 and black marketing and hoarding which led to skyrocketing prices. In this context, Bombay HC has asked the Centre to include Remdesivir in the list of Scheduled Drugs and regulate its price. Such steps should be proactively taken by the government with the foresight of emerging situations.
• The interests of pharmaceutical companies shall not be put ahead of the lives of ordinary citizens. As of 23^rd March 2022, only 14% of people in low-income countries have received at least one vaccine dose against COVID-19. India and South Africa have thus, taken a firm position that when lives are at stake, such essential products should be treated as global public goods and IPRs under TRIPS Agreement must be waived.
• NPPA shall also revise the list of essential medicines at short and regular intervals to have a positive impact on the availability and rational use of medicines.
• In the longer term, India needs to build capabilities to manufacture the key ingredients for these medicines.

THE CONCLUSION: Having an Essential Medicines List (EML) results in a better quality of medical care, better management of medicines, and cost-effective use of health care resources. This is especially important for a resource-limited country like India. The decision is to ensure, that life-saving essential drugs remain available to the general public at all times. To avoid a situation where drugs become unavailable in the market and the public is forced to switch to costly alternatives this is the first time the NPPA, known to slash prices of essential and life-saving medicines, is increasing prices in the public interest.

MAINS QUESTIONS:

1. Elaborate on the role of the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) in ensuring the availability of life-saving essential drugs to the general public at all times.

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