THE SOCIAL ISSUES

1. PM RELEASES BENEFITS FOR COVID-19 ORPHANS UNDER PM-CARES

THE CONTEXT: Pm releases benefits for children who lost both their parents or a primary caregiver between March 11 2020, and February 28 2022, under PM-CARES.

THE EXPLANATION:

• A total of 4,439 children have been approved for the scheme. Children who lost both their parents or a primary caregiver between March 11, 2020, and February 28 2022 are eligible for the scheme.
• The scheme offers a lumpsum amount of ₹10 lakh when children turn 23 years old as well as a monthly stipend from 18 years to 23 years. School-going children will also receive free education, textbooks, and uniforms at the nearest government schools.
• Those in private schools may avail of fee reimbursement under norms for the Right to Education Act, 2005. Older students can also avail free education at residential schools such as Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalay. Students between Class 1 and Class 12 will also receive a scholarship of ₹20,000 per month from the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
• Students can also avail of loans for professional courses and higher education for payment of interest.
• Beneficiaries can also avail of health insurance coverage of ₹5 lakh at public and private hospitals under the Pradhan Mantri-Jan Aarogya Yojana scheme.

2. WHY CLIMATE CHANGE HITS WOMEN HARDER THAN MEN

 THE CONTEXT: Stronger weather extremes prove particularly damaging for women and worsen existing inequalities, scientists have shown.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Weather extremes like these have in common is not just that burning fossil fuels makes them stronger — it’s that they hit men and women in wildly different ways.
• In Bangladesh, nine times more women than men were killed when Cyclone Gorki battered coasts in 1991. In Australia, twice as many women as men wanted to evacuate to safety during devastating bushfires in 2009. In Kenya, women were last in line to receive food during a 2016 drought that left more than 2 million people hungry.
• For decades policymakers have ignored warnings that rigid gender roles make people more vulnerable to extreme weather. Now — with the effects of climate change hammering at their doors — they are being forced to consider how to adapt in ways that reduce those inequalities rather than increasing them.
• Climate change puts pressure on people without power, said Lisa Schipper, co-author of a landmark report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published in February. “When you’re excluded from the decision-making club — as most women are in most countries — then you can’t make decisions about the resources you know you need.”
• Women are less likely to own land but at greater risk of hunger when droughts hit.
• People who are marginalized by society because of their gender are less able to adapt to climate change or recover from its effects, scientists concluded in a mega-review of the academic literature on climate impacts and adaptation. Women generally have less money, fewer opportunities and are not prioritized by policymakers, who are disproportionately men.
• That, in turn, leaves them more vulnerable to further discrimination.
• During droughts, women and girls are forced to walk further, and often in the dark to fetch water. That places them at greater risk of sexual violence. Longer distances also mean they make fewer trips, reducing the amount of water available to the family — and leaving even less for women in cultures where men are the first to eat and drink. The scarcity can also make menstrual hygiene harder and stop girls going to school.
• In many countries women are not taught to swim, leaving them at greater risk from rising sea levels and coastal floods
• Too much water can have similarly devastating effects. Floods that displace people or destroy toilets and make sanitation products scarce carry an extra burden in countries with strong taboos around menstruation. In Bangladesh, more than two-thirds of women working in factories lose six days of work per month because they lack safe places to change and dispose of menstrual pads, according to a study published in the journal Frontiers in Water in 2020.
• Yet not all the effects of extreme weather on gender work in the same direction. In the US, men are twice as likely to die from heat-related illnesses than women because they are more likely to work outside on farms and building sites. During the deadly “Black Saturday” bushfires in Australia, men were more likely to stay to defend homes — and died in greater numbers as a result.
• They were less likely to heed the advice of friends and family to leave for safety, according to a study published in the journal Geographical Research in 2016.
• Scientists have conducted little research on the effects of climate change on transgender people but in countries where data exist, they are more likely to be homeless and suffer discrimination from health services. That could place them in greater danger from weather extremes from heat to storms.
• Rigid gender roles increase pressure on men to stay in dangerous situations
• In 2015, world leaders signed the Paris Agreement to try to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial temperatures. They acknowledged they should follow a “gender-responsive” approach when adapting to climate change, guided by the best available science.
• Policymakers could do this by transforming systems that perpetuate inequality and renegotiating unequal power dynamics, the IPCC found in its report on adaptation. That could mean sharing wealth and resources equally and ensuring fair representation in environmental decision-making.
• While there are many examples of countries led by women that hampered climate policy — former German Chancellor Angela Merkel blocked reforms of the EU’s car industry, for instance — scientists say the broad trend is less polluting than under men.
• Across society, women prioritize climate change in the ways they vote, work, shop, and get involved in their communities, the report found. They are more likely than men to become environmental activists and less likely to deny climate change.

THE POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

3. WHY IS NGT ENTERTAINING LETTERS FROM LAWMAKERS: SC

THE CONTEXT: The Supreme Court on Tuesday wondered why the National Green Tribunal is taking up letter petitions filed by lawmakers. A vacation bench of Justices B R Gavai and Hima Kohli said it thought the NGT jurisdiction was available to persons who can’t approach courts.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The National Green Tribunal is also entertaining letters from Members of Parliament. We thought that this jurisdiction was available for have-nots and persons who can’t approach courts. Ordinary citizens and not legislators, the bench observed.
• The observation came while hearing the Andhra Pradesh government’s appeal against an NGT order halting construction work at Rushikonda Hills in Visakhapatnam.
• At this juncture, the bench asked if he has a copy of the judgment which says NGT is a tribunal subordinate to the high court under Article 227 of the Constitution.
• The National Green Tribunal was established under the National Green Tribunal Act 2010 for effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection.

4. WARNING THAT WASN’T: UIDAI WAS RIGHT TO FLAG INDISCRIMINATE COLLECTION OF AADHAAR DATA. IT SHOULD MANDATE STRONGER MEASURES

THE CONTEXT: A UIDAI advisory warning citizens of the misuse of Aadhaar card photocopies and e-copies by unlicensed entities went viral across the country.

THE EXPLANATION:

• GoI withdrew the note and asked cardholders to exercise “normal prudence” while sharing Aadhaar numbers. However, specific concerns raised by the UIDAI advisory weren’t addressed. Officials seemed more worried about the “possibility for misinterpretation” and stressed that the Aadhaar ecosystem had adequate safety features.
• Many private agencies demand and collect Aadhaar card photocopies even when they are not licensed to do online authentication. Digital photo-editing tools can easily manipulate images and text on Aadhaar card copies. However, such fraud can’t evade authentication checks against UIDAI’s central identity data repository.
• Still, it is a fraud. But one that has a solution. UIDAI allows offline verification-seeking entities (OVSE), which don’t have to be accredited, to scan the QR code on Aadhaar cards to check the identity and demographic information of a person. And Section 8A (4) of the Aadhaar Act 2016 stipulates that no OVSE shall “collect, use or store” Aadhaar numbers or biometric information of any individual.
• Perhaps recognizing the scale of unauthorized storage, UIDAI regulations in February mandated that any organization seeking to check identities offline should scan the QR code on Aadhaar cards, verify the authority’s digital signature, and tally identity information encoded by the QR code.
• UIDAI was therefore not wrong in suggesting caution in the press release that was withdrawn. Such digital identity scanning should certainly replace the collection of photocopies. And UIDAI should perhaps penalize unauthorized storage.
• An additional threat is the collection of biometric information like fingerprints by employers, lenders, and state agencies. Unlike UIDAI, these smaller entities cannot boast of robust security protocols. Theft of such poorly stored biometric data is undermining Aadhaar-enabled payment systems.
• Telangana police recently warned users who lost money they should disable their biometric link to Aadhaar. These crimes require GoI to strongly regulate biometric and Aadhaar data collection by private entities.
• The crux of the problem is that governments have been too permissive about private and public entities seeking and collecting personal data. The Supreme Court had barred commercial entities from demanding Aadhaar.
• The flipside was that many people in a document-poor country didn’t have any means to prove identity when, say, applying for a SIM card. GoI specifically allowed telecom companies to use Aadhaar for e-KYC. But restrictions should be put in for many other entities demanding and storing Aadhaar.

THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

5. DOSES OF STATECRAFT TO MEET INDIA’S CHALLENGES

THE CONTEXT: The war in Europe, involving Russia and Ukraine — with Kyiv being backed by western powers and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) — and the political turmoils in South Asia dominate newspaper headlines today. This has pushed the debate on India’s many internal security problems on the backburner. This is unfortunate, for many long-standing security problems have a propensity to wax and wane and seldom seem to go away.

THE EXPLANATION:

• While the country’s security agencies do maintain a tight vigil, what is seldom realized is that security agencies can only deal with the immediate threat. Long-term solutions require the use of statecraft. Additional doses of security whenever a situation arises are at best a temporary solution. This does not amount to problem-solving.
• To change the mindsets of both the authorities and those challenging the existing order, it may be first necessary to admit that more and more security has its limitations. The next step is even harder, viz., to admit that the forces threatening the state have lately become nimbler in adopting new technologies and modes of warfare.
• In many countries, both the authorities and security agencies are beginning to acknowledge the importance of resorting to statecraft as a vital adjunct to the role played by the security agencies. Statecraft involves fine-grained comprehension of inherent problems; also an ability to quickly respond to political challenges.
• It further involves strengthening the ability to exploit opportunities as they arise and display a degree of political nimbleness rather than leaving everything to the security agencies. In short, it entails a shift from reposing all faith in the security establishment to putting equal emphasis on the implementation of policies and programmes. In effect, it shifts the emphasis to formulating strategies that favor political deftness, strength, and agility, after the initial phase.
• Two prime examples which provide grist to the above proposition are the prevailing situation in Jammu and Kashmir and the continuing problem involving Maoists. While Jammu and Kashmir have been a troubled region ever since 1947, the situation has metamorphosed over the years — at times tending to become extremely violent followed by spells of near normalcy. No proper solution has emerged to a long-standing problem.
• While problems seem to be mounting for the security establishment in Jammu and Kashmir as of now, across several heartland states of India, the police face a different kind of threat. Of all the strands of the militancy in India, Maoists or Naxalites stand apart as being the only ones with strong ideological underpinnings. Notwithstanding its ideological veneer, Maoists/Naxalites nevertheless tend to indulge in mindless violence carrying out brutal killings.
• The original Maoist leaders in Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala (in the late 1960s and early 1970s) who were inspired by Charu Mazumdar who talked of a ‘Spring Thunder over India’ (followed by his claim to have lit a spark to initiate a ‘prairie fire’) have since been replaced by lesser leaders with few ideological pretensions.
• The need to use statecraft to deal with quite a few other internal security problems — some of which have lain dormant for years — is also becoming more manifest by the day. In this category may be included the resurgence of militancy by pro-Khalistan groups in Punjab, which could spill over into Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.
• The recent discovery of ‘sleeper cells’ in Punjab clearly indicates the potential for the revival of a pro-Khalistan movement — which once ravaged large parts of Punjab. While the pro-Khalistani sentiment is present in pockets in the United Kingdom and in Europe, it has not been in evidence in India for some time. Hence, the recent attack by pro-Khalistan elements on the headquarters of the Punjab Police Intelligence wing in Mohali was a rude shock to the security establishment.
• The incident appeared to be like a warning shot ‘across the bow’ by the Babbar Khalsa International, which has the backing of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence — a reminder that militancy in Punjab has not been permanently extinguished, and will need deft statecraft to nip it in the bud.
• In India’s northeast, more specifically in the States of Assam and Nagaland, there are again incipient signs of trouble which, for the present, may need the use of statecraft rather than the security forces. In Assam, the United Liberation Front of Asom–Independent (ULFA-I) is trying to revive its activities after a long spell of hibernation.
• Currently, the ULFA-I operates from Myanmar, and its fortunes have been on a steady decline in the past decade. However, latest reports indicate that ULFA-I has embarked on a recruitment drive which will need to be curbed before matters get out of hand. Likewise in Nagaland, where the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (I-M) has recently initiated a fresh push for a solution of the ‘Naga political issue’, the situation is pregnant with serious possibilities. Both instances merit the use of statecraft so that the situation does not get out of hand.
• In the South, intelligence and police officials appear concerned about a likely revival of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)-sponsored activities in Tamil Nadu. This stems from a possible revival of LTTE-sponsored militancy in Sri Lanka following the recent economic crises and uncertainty there. Security agencies in India believe that an attempt could be made to reach out to elements in Tamil Nadu to revive the spirit of the 1980s. This situation again needs deft statecraft to prevent a resurgence of the past.
• Hence, it should be evident that statecraft is critical in finding lasting solutions to a host of problems that continue to afflict India. India faces several challenges today, but the answer to this is neither grand strategy nor grand simplifications nor resort to higher doses of security. India must navigate its way through a complex set of circumstances and situations, and suitably manage crises that might otherwise undermine peace and stability.
• A properly structured set of policies, having liberal doses of statecraft in addition to a proper set of security measures, is the best answer to India’s needs, now and in the future.

THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

6. INDIA’S CHANGING GOAL POSTS OVER COAL

THE CONTEXT: In April, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said India’s transition away from coal as a fuel for power would be hampered by the Russia-Ukraine war.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The threat of global warming looms over the planet, promising to bring about unprecedented natural calamities.
• An effective way to keep the danger at bay is to cut the use of fossil fuels — coal, natural gas, and oil. About 80% of the world’s energy requirements are met by these three fuels. They have likely brought on the climate crisis we now face, as they trigger the emission of carbon dioxide.
• However, the worst culprit of them all is coal, which emits nearly twice as much carbon dioxide as natural gas and about 60% more than oil, on a kilogram-to-kilogram comparison.
• Combusting coal also leaves behind partially-burnt carbon particles that feed pollution and trigger respiratory disorders. The consequence of these chemical reactions gains great significance because, the power sector in India accounts for 49% of total carbon dioxide emissions, compared with the global average of 41%.

What is the extent of India’s dependence on coal?

• As of February 2022, the installed capacity for coal-based power generation across the country was 2.04 lakh megawatt (MW). This accounts for about 51.5% of power from all sources. This compares with about 25,000 MW of capacity based on natural gas as fuel, or a mere 6.3% of all installed capacity. Renewable power accounted for 1.06 lakh MW or 27%.
• Coal-based power stations are retired periodically which happens all the time. But is not fast enough nor are new additions being halted. And with good reason – coal is still inexpensive compared with other sources of energy.
• For FY20, for example, India added 6,765 MW power capacity based on coal as fuel. But only 2,335 MW was retired. According to the IEA’s Coal Report 2021, India’s coal consumption will increase at an average annual rate of 3.9% to 1.18 billion tonnes in 2024.
• Natural gas has been dubbed as the transition fuel in India’s plans to move away from coal. The international cost of natural gas has zoomed in the recent past from a level that was considered already too high to be financially viable. On May 17, 2022, the price per MMBTU of gas was ₹1,425, compared with ₹500 in April 2021.
• Even back in November last, well before the war made things difficult, the government put in place a committee to ensure that natural gas prices remained stable. Of the 25,000 MW of gas-based power plants, about 14,000 MW remains stranded, or idle, because they are financially unviable.
• While renewable energy sources are cheaper than coal, their ability to generate power consistently is subject to the whims of nature — the wind and the Sun. Coal can give you power on demand. Storage technologies are still not mature enough to help renewable energy sources become reliable generators of power.

Is there a coal availability crisis that is exacerbating our problems?

• It appears that the pent-up demand returning in the economy which was in a pandemic-induced stupor for a while has caught policymakers off guard. From having asked States only recently to stop importing coal, the power Ministry urged States earlier this month to step up coal imports as the private sector would take till about 2025 to produce significant amounts of coal.

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION FOR 31ST MAY 2022

Q1. Which of the following is incorrect about PM CARES scheme for children orphaned by the COVID-19 pandemic?

1. To avail the scheme, a child should not have turned 18 on the date of death of his or her parents.
2. It provides lump sum amount of ₹15 lakh when a beneficiary turns 23 years old.
3. All beneficiary children will be enrolled as a beneficiary under Ayushman Bharat Scheme (PM-JAY) with a health insurance cover of Rs. 5 lakhs.
4. The Ministry of Women and Child Development shall be the nodal Ministry for the execution of the scheme at the central level.

ANSWER FOR THE 30^th MAY

Answer: D

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is correct: The U.S. surpassed China to become India’s top trading partner in 2021-22.
• Statement 2 is correct: According to data from the Commerce Ministry, the bilateral trade between the U.S. and India stood at $119.42 billion in 2021-22 as against $80.51 billion in 2020-21. Exports to the U.S. increased to $76.11 billion in 2021-22 from $51.62 billion in the previous fiscal year, while imports rose to $43.31 billion from about $29 billion.
• Statement 3 is correct: During 2021-22, India’s two-way commerce with China aggregated at $115.42 billion as compared to $86.4 billion in 2020-21, the data showed. Exports to China marginally increased to $21.25 billion last fiscal year from $21.18 billion in 2020- 21, while imports jumped to $94.16 billion from about $65.21 billion in 2020-21.

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