1. Wetlands must form part of biodiversity framework READ MORE  
2. India’s new climate targets make no mention of some of the commitments made to the world in Glasgow READ MORE

1. Demographic benefit waning: India will start ageing soon, with average age slated to reach 38.1 years in 2050 READ MORE
2. COVID-19, arguably, has become endemic in India READ MORE
3. Closing the learning gaps left by Covid READ MORE

1. State-level OBC groups must be included in central list READ MORE
2. Handle personal data with care READ MORE
3. Illegal mining, indeed: Government’s admission must spur regulatory change READ MORE
4. In the Supreme Court of Erehwon: The Prevention of Money Laundering Act READ MORE

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. Silent marches to recall Partition Mexico president wants PM Modi in panel for ‘global truce’ READ MORE
2. Corbevax gets nod as booster after Covishield, Covaxin shots READ MORE
3. Union Cabinet approves extension for PMAY-Urban READ MORE
4. Digital lending norms: Direct credit to a/c, sans third party READ MORE
5. Explained: Flying abroad, why Customs wants your PNR data READ MORE
6. Air pollution will harm brain development, 9 of 10 people breathe polluted air READ MORE
7. Thousands More Species at Risk of Extinction Than Currently Recorded: New Study READ MORE

Main Exam

1. Demographic benefit waning: India will start ageing soon, with average age slated to reach 38.1 years in 2050 READ MORE

 GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. State-level OBC groups must be included in central list READ MORE
2. Handle personal data with care READ MORE
3. Illegal mining, indeed: Government’s admission must spur regulatory change READ MORE
4. In the Supreme Court of Erehwon: The Prevention of Money Laundering Act READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. COVID-19, arguably, has become endemic in India READ MORE
2. Closing the learning gaps left by Covid READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. A new global vision for G20: A shift is required from commitments on aid and trade to collaboration around science and technology READ MORE
2. SCO summit: as a researcher with the Mumbai[1]based think-tank Gateway House has pointed out in a recent article, there were two anomalies this time around. READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. India must spend more on agri research READ MORE
2. Some economic hurdles crossed, many ahead READ MORE
3. Fair share: Dependence on cess and surcharge must come down READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Wetlands must form part of biodiversity framework READ MORE  
2. India’s new climate targets make no mention of some of the commitments made to the world in Glasgow READ MORE

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

1. ‘A multi-sectoral approach to adaptation finance would help strengthen allied sectors’ READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. ETHICS CANNOT BE SEEN IN BLACK AND WHITE READ MORE
2. Festival of destroying vices, earning virtues READ MORE
3. Opinion: How some people die before dying READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. With the help of the relevant examples discuss why India has a golden opportunity to leverage a favourable geopolitical moment into a long-term economic opportunity?
2. ‘Ethics is not something that can be seen in black and white. It is the conscientiousness that is the final arbiter’. Comment.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• We can’t always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.
• A shift is required from commitments on aid and trade to collaboration around science and technology.
• A Global Financial Transaction Tax, considered by the G20 in 2011, needs to be revived to be paid to a Green Technology Fund for Least Developed Countries.
• The G20 plays an important role in shaping and strengthening global architecture and governance on all major international economic issues.
• It is time to deal with COVID-19 just like any other health condition and integrate interventions in general health service.
• Before the government thinks of any sub-categorisation among the OBCs, it should give proportional representation to the OBCs after conducting an extensive caste census.
• But it must first end the discriminatory non-inclusion of hundreds of state-level OBC groups in the central OBC list.
• Investment in research delivers higher returns than any other form of support to farmers, including subsidies.
• The substantive figures presented by the state government to show its seriousness in checking illegal mining negate its contention that there is no organised illegal mining activity in Haryana, but only stray incidents which are being dealt with strictly as per law.
• India needs a healthier and more educated workforce so that those seeking jobs can handle modern technology without which the economy cannot become more productive.
• India will also need to ensure that its economic strategy is environmentally sustainable and does not risk running into an ecological dead-end.
• The outcome of the act is not the sole determinant. In one word, it is the conscientiousness that is the final arbiter. This is the reason why even the actions of Gods are interpreted differently. Lord Ram’s killing of Bali or Lord Krishna’s actions in Mahabharata war can all be open to interpretation. Ethics is not something that can be seen in black and white.

50 WORD TALK

• Government has done well to remove the regressive caps on airfares. It should also rationalise taxes and levies on the sector to make it more competitive and allow airlines to invest in growing the pandemic-hit business and safety. Civil aviation is no longer a luxury but a critical public-facing service.

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 INDIAN HISTORY

1. THE REMAINS OF CANNON FOUND IN KERALA’S TALIPARAMBA

THE CONTEXT: An ancient cannon was found half submerged in a private property at Taliparamba near the National Highway. The workers, who were clearing the shrub jungle from the property, discovered the cannon, which is believed to be from the time of Tipu Sultan’s invasion of Malabar.

THE EXPLANATION:
• The cannon was found facing the Koppam river, probably installed to prevent invasions through the riverfront. This place is believed to be part of the Sultan’s invasion route, though historically not proven.
• There is also another place, locally referred to as the remains of a Tipu fort. Further studies would be conducted on the discovered cannon to establish its age. The archaeological department is probing the incident for further information.

VALUE ADDITION:
Who was Tipu Sultan?
• He was a ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore and the eldest son of Sultan Hyder Ali of Mysore.
• In the wider national narrative, Tipu has so far been seen as a man of imagination and courage, a brilliant military strategist who, in a short reign of 17 years, mounted the most serious challenge the Company faced in India.

Contributions of Tipu Sultan:
1. Fought the first Anglo-Mysore War (1767-69) at the age of 17 and subsequently, against the Marathas and in the Second Anglo-Mysore War (1780-84).
2. He fought Company forces four times during 1767-99 and was killed defending his capital Srirangapatnam in the Fourth Anglo Mysore War.
3. Tipu reorganised his army along European lines, using new technology, including what is considered the first war rocket.
4. Devised a land revenue system based on detailed surveys and classification, in which the tax was imposed directly on the peasant, and collected through salaried agents in cash, widening the state’s resource base.
5. Modernised agriculture, gave tax breaks for developing wasteland, built irrigation infrastructure and repaired old dams, and promoted agricultural manufacturing and sericulture. Built a navy to support trade.
6. Commissioned a “state commercial corporation” to set up factories.

THE INDIAN POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

2. THE ELECTRICITY (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2022

THE CONTEXT: The Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2022 was introduced in Lok Sabha on August 8, 2022. The Bill amends the Electricity Act, 2003. The Act regulates the electricity sector in India. It sets up the Central and State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (CERC and SERCs) to regulate inter-state and intra-state matters, respectively.
THE EXPLANATION:
Key provisions under the Bill are:
• Multiple discoms in the same area: The Act provides for multiple distribution licensees (discoms) to operate in the same area of supply. The Act requires discoms to distribute electricity through their own network. The Bill removes this requirement. It adds that a discom must provide non-discriminatory open access to its network to all other discoms operating in the same area, on payment of certain charges. The central government may prescribe the criteria for determining the area of supply.
• Power procurement and tariff: Upon grant of multiple licenses for the same area, the power and associated costs as per the existing power purchase agreements (PPAs) of the existing discoms will be shared between all discoms.
• To meet any additional power requirements, a discom may enter into additional PPAs after meeting the obligations of existing agreements. Such additional power need not be shared with other discoms. Under the Act, in case of multiple discoms in the same area of supply, the SERC is required to specify the maximum ceiling for tariff. The Bill adds that the SERC will also specify a minimum tariff for such cases.
• Cross-subsidy Balancing Fund: The Bill adds that upon grant of multiple licenses for the same area, the state government will set up a Cross-subsidy Balancing Fund. Cross-subsidy refers to the arrangement of one consumer category subsidising the consumption of another consumer category. Any surplus with a distribution licensee on account of cross-subsidy will be deposited into the fund. The fund will be used to finance deficits in cross-subsidy for other discoms in the same area or any other area.
• The Bill specifies that the above matters related to the operation of multiple discoms in the same area will be regulated in accordance with the rules made by the central government under the Act.
• License for distribution in multiple states: As per the Bill, the CERC will grant licenses for distribution of electricity in more than one state.
• Payment security: The Bill provides that electricity will not be scheduled or despatched if adequate payment security is not provided by the discom. The central government may prescribe rules regarding payment security.
• Contract enforcement: The Bill empowers the CERC and SERCs to adjudicate disputes related to the performance of contracts. These refer to contracts related to the sale, purchase, or transmission of electricity. Further, the Commissions will have powers of a Civil Court.
• Renewable purchase obligation: The Act empowers SERCs to specify renewable purchase obligations (RPO) for discoms. RPO refers to the mandate to procure a certain percentage of electricity from renewable sources. The Bill adds that RPO should not be below a minimum percentage prescribed by the central government. Failure to meet RPO will be punishable with a penalty between 25 paise and 50 paise per kilowatt of the shortfall.
• Selection committee for SERCs: Under the Act, the Chairperson of the Central Electricity Authority or the Chairperson of the CERC is one of the members of the selection committee to recommend appointments to the SERCs. Under the Bill, instead of this person, the central government will nominate a member to the selection committee. The nominee should not be below the rank of Additional Secretary to the central government.
• Composition of Commissions and APTEL: The Bill increases the number of members (including the chairperson) in SERCs from three to four. Further, at least one member in both the CERC and SERCs must be from law background. Under the Act, Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL) consists of a chairperson and three other members. The Bill instead provides that the APTEL will have three or more members, as may be prescribed by the central government.

THE HEALTH ISSUES

3. EXPLAINED: WHAT IS LANGYA, THE NEW ZOONOTIC VIRUS THAT HAS INFECTED 35 PEOPLE IN CHINA?

THE CONTEXT: Almost three years after the novel coronavirus was detected in China, a new zoonotic virus has been discovered in the country’s two eastern provinces with 35 infections identified so far. This new type of Henipavirus is also being called Langya Henipavirus or the LayV.
THE EXPLANATION:
Henipaviruses are classified as biosafety level 4 (BSL4) pathogens. They can cause severe illness in animals and humans, and as of now there are no licensed drugs or vaccines meant for humans.
What is Langya virus?
• The newly discovered virus is a “phylogenetically distinct Henipavirus”, according to a recent study — A Zoonotic Henipavirus in Febrile Patients in China — published in The New England Journal of Medicine.
• The types of Henipaviruses that had been identified prior to this included Hendra, Nipah, Cedar, Mojiang and the Ghanaian bat virus. According to the US CDC, the Cedar virus, Ghanaian bat virus, and Mojiang virus are not known to cause human disease. But Hendra and Nipah infect humans and can cause fatal illness.
• Langya, meanwhile, is known to cause fever, with the NEJM study calling for a deeper investigation of associated human illness.
• The study adds that Langya’s genome organization is “identical to that of other Henipaviruses”, and that it is closely related to the “Mojiang Henipavirus, which was discovered in southern China”.
How was Langya virus discovered?
• Langya was discovered in eastern China during surveillance testing of patients who had fever along with a recent history of animal exposure. It was identified and isolated from the throat swab sample of one of those patients.
• According to the NEJM study, 35 patients with LayV infection were found in Shandong and Henan provinces, out of which 26 were only infected with this new virus and no other pathogen.
What are the symptoms of Langya virus?
• The study looked at the 26 patients with only LayV infection to identify the associated symptoms. While all 26 had fever, 54% reported fatigue, 50% had cough, 38% complained of nausea. Also, 35% of the total 26, complained of headache and vomiting. The study found that 35% had impaired liver function, while 8% had their kidney function impacted.
• The patients were accompanied by abnormalities of “thrombocytopenia (35%), leukopenia (54%), impaired liver (35%) and kidney (8%) function”, the study noted. Thrombocytopenia is low platelet count, while leukopenia means a fall in the white blood cell count, in turn reducing the body’s disease-fighting capability.
Where has Langya virus come from?
• In all likelihood, the new virus has jumped from an animal to humans. The LayV virus RNA has been predominantly found in shrews, which may be its natural hosts. The study zeroed in on shrews after conducting a serosurvey of domestic and wild animals. Among domestic animals, seropositivity was detected in goats and dogs.

THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

4. EXPLAINED: WHAT IS THE CONTROVERSIAL ‘BUTTERFLY MINE’ RUSSIA HAS ALLEGEDLY USED IN UKRAINE?

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the UK Ministry of Defence, in its intelligence assessment of the ongoing war in Ukraine, has and sounded an alarm on the possible use of PFM-1 series ‘Butterfly Mines’ by the Russian military in Donetsk and Kramatorsk.
THE EXPLANATION:
What is the intelligence assessment put out by UK ?
• As per an intelligence bulletin put out by UK Ministry of Defence a few days back on the security situation in Ukraine, Russia is likely to have deployed anti-personnel mines to deter freedom of movement along its defensive lines in the Donbas.
• As per the bulletin, these mines have the potential to inflict widespread casualties amongst both the military and the local civilian population.
• In Donetsk and Kramatorsk, Russia has highly likely attempted employment of PFM-1 and PFM-1S scatterable anti-personnel mines. Commonly called the ‘butterfly mine’, the PFM-1 series are deeply controversial, indiscriminate weapons.
• According to sources, the PFM-1s were used to devastating effect in the Soviet-Afghan War where they allegedly maimed high numbers of children who “mistook them for toys”.
It added that it is highly likely that the Soviet-era stock being used by Russia will have degraded over time and is now unreliable and unpredictable. This poses a threat to both the local population and humanitarian mine clearance operations, the bulletin says.
What is the ‘Butterfly Mine’ and why is it called so?
• The PFM-1 and PFM-1S are two kinds of anti-personnel landmines that are commonly referred to as ‘Butterfly mines’ or ‘Green Parrots’. These names are derived from the shape and colour of the mines. The main difference between the PFM-1 and PFM-1S mine is that the latter comes with a self destruction mechanism which gets activated within one to 40 hours.
• The ‘Butterfly mine’ has earned a reputation for being particularly attractive to children because it looks like a coloured toy. It is very sensitive to touch and just the act of picking it up can set it off. Because of the relatively lesser explosive packed in this small mine, it often injures and maims the handler rather than killing them. These mines are also difficult to detect because they are made of plastic and can evade metal detectors.
• These mines can be deployed in the field of action through several means, which include being dropped from helicopters or through ballistic dispersion using artillery and mortar shells. These mines glide to the ground without exploding and later explode on coming in contact. Since these mines were green in colour when they were first put to use they also earned the name ‘Green Parrots’.
How are these mines associated with Soviet Union and Afghanistan?
• By some estimates more than a million ‘Butterfly mines’ litter Afghanistan and were airdropped in valleys and mountain passes to impede the movement of the Afghan Mujahideen. More than 30,000 Afghans are believed to have been victims of these mines and a large number of children were among the casualties.
What are the technical specifications of this mine?
• The PFM series mines are moulded in polythene plastic and have two wings, one of which is heavier than the other. The thicker wing is the pressure activation for the main fuse which is contained in the central body. The thinner wing acts as a stabiliser for the mine when it is air-dropped, thus giving it the name ‘butterfly’. As per data available on the mine, a pressure exceeding 5 kg will activate the mine which contains 40g of explosive.
• The rapid means of deployment of the mine and the fact that it can be indiscriminately scattered to impede the advance of an enemy makes it an attractive option for a field commander, regardless of the danger that these can pose for non-combatants living in the area.
Are these kind of mines allowed by international law?
• The anti personal mines are banned by international convention on land lines but Russia and Ukraine are not signatories to it. However, there is a 1996 Amended Protocol II to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons-the Landlines Protocol to which Russia and Ukraine are signatories.
In the ongoing conflict, both countries have accused each other of having used these mines, since both posses them in sufficient numbers. Allegations and counter-allegations of the use of these mines have been made in Mariupol, Kharkiv and now Donetsk

THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

5. RBI TARGETS UNFAIR METHODS IN DIGITAL LENDING WITH NEW NORMS

THE CONTEXT: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued the first set of guidelines for digital lending, to crack down on illegal activities by certain players. This follows the recommendation of a Working Group on Digital Lending that had submitted its report recently.
THE EXPLANATION:
• As per the new norms, all loan disbursals and repayments will be required to be executed only between the bank accounts of the borrower and the Regulated Entities (RE) – such as a bank or a non-banking financial company – without any pass-through or pool account of the Lending Service Providers or any third party.
• Stating that digital lending channels had become prominent recently, the RBI said concerns had also emerged which, “if not mitigated, may erode the confidence of members of the public in the digital lending ecosystem.”
• The concerns relate to ‘unbridled engagement of third parties, mis-selling, breach of data privacy, unfair business conduct, charging of exorbitant interest rates, and unethical recovery practices.
• “A standardised Key Fact Statement must be provided to the borrower before executing the loan contract”. The norms prohibit any automatic increase in credit limit without borrowers’ consent.
• They also allow a cooling-off period in which borrowers can exit loans by paying the principal and the proportionate annual percentage rate (APR) sans penalty.
• According to RBI, the framework is based on the principle that the lending business can be carried out only by entities regulated either by the Reserve Bank or entities permitted to do so under any other law.

THE NEWS IN NUMBERS

6. THE RISE IN HEINOUS CRIMES

According to Delhi Police data 3,140 of heinous crime cases reported in Delhi till July 15 2022, a 13% rise compared to the corresponding period 2021. The number of heinous crime cases in the first six months of 2021 were 2,790. The national capital witnessed 277 cases of murder, an almost 18% rise from the 235 cases in 2021. In the category of non-heinous cases, house theft incidents have increased by 553% from 1,158 in 2021 to 7,561 in 2022.

7. VIRUS PRONE HABITATS

500 In million, the number of people in South Asia living near habitats where bats host SARS-related coronaviruses, according to research published by Nature Communications. About 66,000 people in this region are infected each year with the same. The research focussed on 26 species of bats in a region of 5.1 million square kilometres stretching from China to Southeast and South Asia. The study said that viral transmission from bats to humans may have been “substantially underestimated”.

8. AIDING UKRAINE

5.5 In $ billion, the additional aid the U.S. will send Ukraine, with $4.5 billion in budgetary support and $1 billion in military assistance, to help the country overcome the turmoil of the Russian invasion. The grant will fund urgent government needs including payments for pensions, social welfare and healthcare costs, bringing the total U.S. fiscal aid to $8.5 billion. The funding, coordinated with the U.S. Treasury Department through the World Bank, will reach the Ukraine government in tranches.

THE MISCELLANEOUS

9. DINOSAUR FOOTPRINTS IN CHINA: THE DISCOVERY AND ITS IMPORTANCE

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the scientists have discovered over 4,300 dinosaur footprints in Hebei province of Zhangjiakou in northern China. This is the largest number of footprint fossils found in one spot in the country, according to a report in the South China Morning Post. The footprints were made between the Jurassic and Cretaceous ages, around 150 million years ago.
THE EXPLANATION:
Dinosaur footprints in China: the discovery and its importance
• The largest number of dinosaur footprint fossils located in northern China, these cover an area of 9,000 square metres.
• According to news reports, the footprints show four different dinosaur species, one of which might be undiscovered.
• The report, published last month in the South China Morning Post, states that the footprints belong to herbivores and carnivores dinosaurs; while the former could reach lengths of nearly 15 metres, the latter was four to five metres.
• Scientists believe the area may have attracted dinosaurs due to the availability of water and trees at the time.
• Though announced last month, the discovery was made in 2020, and since then, scientists have been carrying out 3D imaging of the footprints and casting molds of them.
How did the dinosaur footprints become fossils?
• Preserved footprints, also known as ichnites, are trace fossils that have survived millions of years. These are found in earthen materials that were soft enough to form the foot impression and hard enough to retain it.
• Over time, the material dried, hardened, and was covered with layers of sediment, helping the impression become fossilised. In numerous instances, soil erosion is now bringing them to the surface.
What do dinosaur footprints tell us?
Dinosaur tracks denote the activity of an animal when it was alive.
• In the South China Morning Post report, Michael Pittman, paleontologist at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, says, “Trackway sites tell us about the types of dinosaurs that lived in the original ecosystems, and they can also preserve the tracks of other animals, like lizards and insects. They tell us about the behaviour of the track maker… For example, they tell us how dinosaurs ran and walked, and some seem to record them swimming.”
• Paleontologists also study dinosaur gait and speed from the footprint tracks. For instance, footprints close together indicate the animals were running, while spaced footprints mean they were walking. While it is difficult to identify the exact species of dinosaur that made a track, trackways do help determine if it was made by a bipedal or quadrupedal dinosaur, which moves on two or four legs, respectively.
• In instances where the remains are intact, scientists are also able to examine skin impressions of the animals and details of the claw marks.

[WpProQuiz 308]

THE CONTEXT: The 14th BRICS Summit concluded on 24 June 2022. It was hosted by China and was held virtually. This was the first time after February 2022 when the Russian president participated in a multilateral meeting. Though the grouping as envisaged in the beginning was that of an economic group lately its relevance has also been felt in other geopolitical affairs, more so after the Russian military action on Ukraine. This article analyses the relevance of the grouping in present times and in what direction the group is moving.

THE 14^TH BRICS SUMMIT

THEME

• Foster High-quality BRICS Partnership, Usher in a New Era for Global Development.

BRICS PLUS

• ‘BRICS Plus’ was first mooted by China in March 2017 with the objective of widening the “circle of friends” of BRICS that can bring unity among developing countries and enhance South-South cooperation. The initiative is aimed at upping the outreach activities of the BRICS countries with the Global South and building wider partnerships with emerging markets and developing countries (EMDCs).
• 14th BRICS Summit virtual conference of BRICS PLUS was also held as part of the main meeting with ministers from countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Argentina, Nigeria, Senegal, and Thailand.

EXPANSION

• Two new countries – Iran and Argentina – have applied to join the BRICS grouping.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SUMMIT

ADOPTING THE BEIJING DECLARATION

All the participants of the 14th BRICS Summit adopted a final declaration recording the key agreements reached during the discussions, which are:

• The intention to strengthen and reform the multilateral system, which includes the use of innovative and inclusive solutions, capacity building for both states themselves and international organisations, and using inclusive consultation and cooperation for the benefit of all while respecting sovereign independence.
• Leaders of the association states have pledged to promote international and regional peace and security, social and economic development as well as the preservation of the natural balance.
• In addition, participating countries advocated promoting greater participation of developing countries in global processes.
• Heads of the BRICS states stressed the need to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN UKRAINE

• Concerns over the humanitarian situation in and around Ukraine and expressed their support for efforts of the UN Secretary-General, UN Agencies and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to provide humanitarian assistance in accordance with the basic principles of humanity, neutrality and impartiality.

TERRORISM

• While discussing terrorism and terror cooperation, the BRICS countries said that only the UN Security Council has the authority for imposing sanctions.
• On Afghanistan, BRICS countries called for “Afghanistan authorities to achieve national reconciliation through dialogue and negotiation, and to establish a broad-based and inclusive and representative political structure”, adding that Afghan territory must not be used to shelter terrorists or attack any other country.

INITIATIVE ON DENIAL OF SAFE HAVEN TO CORRUPTION

• The BRICS Initiative on Denial of Safe Haven to Corruption aims to further strengthen anti-corruption capacity building through education and training programs and enhance anti-corruption exchanges and cooperation within multilateral frameworks.

FRAMEWORK FOR CONSUMER PROTECTION IN E-COMMERCE 

• The declaration welcomed the establishment of the Digital Economy Working Group by upgrading the E-commerce Working Group.
• And the BRICS nations have agreed to promote consumer protection in e-commerce by advancing the implementation of the BRICS Framework for Consumer Protection in E-commerce.

MORE FOCUS ON COMBATING TRANSNATIONAL DRUG TRAFFICKING

• The summit also expressed concern over the serious drug situation in the world. BRICS declaration appreciates the BRICS Anti-Drug Working Group’s active role in combating transnational drug trafficking and promoting global drug governance and will further strengthen drug control cooperation.

VARIOUS COOPERATION ANNOUNCEMENTS MADE IN THE SUMMIT

• Members will cooperate to strengthen and reform global governance. They will work in solidarity to combat Covid-19, safeguard peace and security, promote economic recovery, expedite implementation of the 2030 SDGs, deepen people-to-people exchanges, and promote institutional development.
• Members have converging interests on critical issues such as counter-terrorism; trade; health; traditional medicine; environment; science technology and innovation; the reform of the multilateral system etc.

INDIA’S PROPOSALS AT THE SUMMIT

• India proposed strengthening the BRICS Identity system and creating an online database for BRICS documents.
• India proposed the establishment of a BRICS Railways Research Network and strengthening cooperation between MSMEs to improve connectivity and supply chains between member states.
• India will hold a BRICS start-up event this year because India has become the 3rd largest start-up ecosystem in the world. Therefore, it is in the right position to lead a global South.
• India advocated for strengthening civil society organisations and think tanks.
• India highlighted the significance of building people-to-people connections within BRICS, cooperation in the post-Covid global recovery etc.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE 14th BRICS SUMMIT

• The summit was the first meeting since the invasion of Ukraine- giving the message that Russia is not isolated, economically or otherwise. The BRICS member countries are aware of their food and energy security needs and also of the world and it will send a message that the economic sanctions by the west are not called for and debate and discussions are the best way forward.
• The leaders held discussions on Counter-terrorism, trade, health, traditional medicine, environment, science, technology & innovation, agriculture, and technical and vocational education & training which may lead to greater cooperation among the BRICS Nations.
• The leaders adopted the ‘Beijing Declaration’ that referred to the need to avoid politicisation of the work of the UNSC sanctions committee, it is necessary that the UNSC Sanctions committee works in an unbiased manner and BRICS Grouping can act as a pressure point in order to depoliticize UNSC.
• The basic trend of BRICS countries participating in global economic governance is to carry out reforms while maintaining the stability of old governance mechanisms and build a new governance mechanism according to new objective requirements. The proposed BRICS payment system as an alternative to the SWIFT payment system and Contingent Reserve Arrangement as a counter to the Dollar based system are much welcomed initiatives to break away from western hegemony.

THE FRICTION POINTS WITHIN THE GROUPING

BILATERAL ISSUES

• BRICS members don’t discuss bilateral issues, but issues like the India-China border dispute and PLA transgressions over the LAC are bound to have an impact on BRICS solidarity in the long run. At the summit, all five nations articulated their priorities, which indicate towards diverging national interests which may hamper the greater cooperation among the nations.

o   India highlighted the need for greater sensitivity among BRICS members to each other’s security concerns, like terrorism. For example, China blocked the US-India joint move to list Pakistan-based terrorists as a global terrorist.

BRI

• China’s big infrastructure push, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has not been accepted well by India and even Russia while Brazil and South Africa are. This may pose challenge in bilateral issues as well as global supply chains.

UKRAINE ISSUE

• BRICS member countries have diverging opinions regarding the Russia’s military action on Ukraine. While China and Russia have come closer, especially with the announcement of a No-Limits Partnership, India, Brazil and South Africa have been cautious in making any statements at the global platform.

CONCERNS OF THE RISE OF RIC WITHIN BRICS

• There are concerns of the rise of RIC within BRICS. This could mean greater industrial and energy cross investments between Russia and India as well as between Russia and China. This will create a north Eurasian integrationist core within BRICS (RIC controls 22 per cent of the global GDP and 16 per cent of global exports of goods and services.) However other member countries might feel alleviated.

UN REFORMS

• India and Brazil pushed for an expanded UN Security Council (UNSC). However, China is certainly not in favor of a permanent seat for India. Politically, the member countries are not all on the same page at the same time. Lack of a binding ideology, bilateral differences, diversity in terms of socio-cultural lead to differences which results in disagreements at multilateral platforms.

NATO

• The different members of the grouping have different views on condemning NATO. These differences certainly create doubt on the grouping’s tall goals of reorienting the global order.

THE ANALYSIS OF THE 14^th BRICS SUMMIT

The most remarkable thing about the BRICS summit 2022 was that its five members managed to negotiate their way through the meeting in a way that sent no ripples of surprise through the post-February 24, 2022 world; for India, BRICS was always about its commitment to building non-western alliances, but this time it was, more, an international balancing act. BRICS is actively involved in the efforts to change the world economic system by increasing the number of non-Western states in international financial institutes. India will also be organizing BRICS Startup event this year to strengthen connection between Startups in BRICS countries, a step in the right direction for economic cooperation. The 14th BRICS Summit can be expected to contribute to the construction of a fair, democratic and multipolar system of international relations and to forcefully represent the voice of the developing and emerging countries on the crucial questions facing humanity. A new platform to bridge the vaccine divide, new plan to ensure food security, managing the new forms of business in the era of digital economy are the potential areas where the nations have agreed to collaborate and cooperate. BRICS PLUS though at a nascent stage, in future could be a food exchange platform where Indian rice and wheat, Russian barley and sunflower oil, Chinese cotton and Brazilian soybeans could create a food basket that the whole world wants.

 RELEVANCE OF THE BRICS

• Economically, militarily, technologically, socially and culturally, BRICS nations represent a powerful bloc. They have an estimated combined population of 3.23 billion people, which is over 40 per cent of the world’s population. They account for over more than a quarter of the world’s land area over three continents, and for more than 25 per cent of the global GDP. The grouping comprises two of the fastest-growing nations, India and China. As the world today witnesses increasing factors of instability, uncertainty and insecurity, the consequences of the Ukraine crisis for BRICS and the world also presents an opportunity for the member nations to come together on various issues, be it global food crises, supply chains and or even world peace and order. Even with the disagreements over various issues within the grouping they should try and leverage the opportunity and should be the builders of the universal peace and security.
• BRICS members have similar approach regarding the governance of the global economy. The BRICS countries should continue to cooperate on issues where interests align. There remains a strong convergence of interests amid undeniable differences, like financing projects by the NDB, working on climate change, or space cooperation where the five countries have also agreed to create a joint constellation of remote sensing satellites.

THE WAY FORWARD

• The new geopolitical reality, where so much is in flux and unclear, creates a space for powerful new narratives. Some of the BRICS members could be potential targets of the kind of economic warfare deployed by the West against Russia. It is time that BRICS and other like-minded countries seriously work toward the creation of a parallel economic bloc that doesn’t rely on US-led institutions.
• BRICS requires a recalibration of its structure and agenda. Creating financial mechanisms and technological institutions could turn BRICS into a G20 for developing nations. It’s time to revisit the idea of expanding the grouping by inviting new members. This could also impart new vigour to the BRICS’s developmental goals.
• Deepening strategic commitment: BRICS countries need to strengthen political mutual trust and security cooperation, maintain communication and coordination on major international and regional issues, accommodate each other’s core interests to keep the group relevant in present times.
• Post-pandemic world: There is a strong need for “equity and justice” in multilateral organisations with more investment in poverty alleviation, education, health and food security. The world is not the same as it was before the pandemic. The group should harness its position to bring changes in the governance of the developing world so that they can effectively recover from the pandemic after effects. The whole world is focusing on post-Covid recovery and the role of BRICS countries will continue to remain very important again. BRICS Business Forum is a novel idea and shall be pursued proactively by the member nations.
• Facing the rising tide of de-globalisation and the increase of unilateral sanctions and technology barriers, BRICS countries should enhance mutually-beneficial cooperation in supply chains, energy, food and financial resilience.

THE CONCLUSION: The emergence of an alliance of nations in the global south, that breaks the West’s hegemony, could be a game-changer in geopolitics. The Ukraine crisis could be an occasion for the leaders of BRICS nations to commit themselves to the original goal of the bloc. It’s an opportunity they shouldn’t let go of. BRICS also requires a recalibration of its structure and agenda. Creating financial mechanisms and technological institutions could turn BRICS into a G20 for developing nations. It’s time to revisit the idea of expanding the grouping by inviting/admitting new members. This could also impart new vigour to the BRICS’s developmental goals.

Mains Practice Questions:

• Is the BRICS grouping relevant in present times? Justify your stand.
• What are the possible areas of cooperation discussed in the 14^th BRICS Summit, 2022? How relevant is the idea of BRICS Start-up event.
• Whether BRICS could be an effective anti-thesis to the G-7 grouping of developed nations. Analyse.

BACK TO BASICS

BRICS

ABOUT

BRICS is an acronym for the grouping of the world’s leading emerging economies, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

In 2001, the British Economist Jim O’Neill coined the term BRIC to describe the four emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India, and China.

The grouping was formalised during the first meeting of BRIC Foreign Ministers’ in 2006.

South Africa was invited to join BRIC in December 2010, after which the group adopted the acronym BRICS.

SHARE OF BRICS

The BRICS brings together five of the largest developing countries of the world, representing 41% of the global population, 24% of the global GDP and 16% of the global trade.

CHAIRMANSHIP

The chairmanship of the forum is rotated annually among the members, in accordance with the acronym B-R-I-C-S.

India hosted in 2021.

INITIATIVES OF THE BRICS

• New Development Bank:

o   During the Sixth BRICS Summit in Fortaleza (Brazil) in 2014, the leaders signed the Agreement establishing the New Development Bank (NDB – Shanghai, China).

o   It has so far approved 70 infrastructure and sustainable development projects worth.

• Contingent Reserve Arrangement

o   In 2014, the BRICS governments signed a treaty on the setting up of the contingent reserve arrangement

o   The arrangement is aimed at forestalling short-term balance of payments pressures, providing mutual support and strengthening financial stability of the BRICS nations.

• BRICS Payment System

o   BRICS countries are trying to create a payment system as an alternative to the SWIFT payment system.

o   This has taken on a new urgency as post-Ukraine war, Russia has been frozen out of SWIFT.

• Customs Agreements

o   Customs agreements were signed to coordinate and ease trade transport between BRICS countries

• Remote Sensing Satellite:

o   A Remote Sensing constellation of satellites has been launched – with 6 satellites including 2 from India, 2 from China, 1 from Russia, and 1 Brazil-China collaboration

THE INDIAN POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1.EXPLAINED: ON GUARDIANSHIP AND ADOPTION OF MINORS

THE CONTEXT: Recently the Parliamentary panel has recommended conferring equal rights on mothers as guardians under the Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act (HMGA), 1956 instead of treating them as subordinates to their husband, and has called for joint custody of children during marital disputes. It has also proposed allowing the LGBTQI community to adopt children.
THE EXPLANATION:
What are the recommendations of the Parliamentary panel on guardianship and child custody?
• The department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice tabled its report on August 8, 2022, in both Houses of Parliament on the ‘Review of Guardianship and Adoption Laws’. In its report the committee has said that there is an “urgent need to amend the HMGA (Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956) and accord equal treatment to both mother and father as natural guardians as the law violated the right to equality and right against discrimination envisaged under Articles 14 and 15 of the Constitution.”
• In cases of marital dispute, the panel says there is a need to relook at child custody which is typically restricted to just one parent where mothers tend to get preference. It says courts should be empowered to grant joint custody to both parents when such a decision is conducive for the welfare of the child, or award sole custody to one parent with visitation rights to the other.
• On adoption, the Committee has said that there is a need for a new legislation that harmonises the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 and the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act (HAMA), 1956 and that such a law should cover the LGBTQI community as well.

What does the law say on guardianship? How do courts grant child custody?
• Indian laws accord superiority to the father in case of guardianship of a minor. Under the religious law of Hindus, or the Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, (HMGA) 1956, the natural guardian of a Hindu minor in respect of the minor’s person or property “is the father, and after him, the mother: provided the custody of a minor who has not completed the age of five years shall ordinarily be with the mother.”
• The Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937 says that the Shariat or the religious law will apply in case of guardianship according to which the father is the natural guardian, but custody vests with the mother until the son reaches the age of seven and the daughter reaches puberty though the father’s right to general supervision and control exists. The concept of Hizanat in Muslim law states that the welfare of the child is above all else. This is the reason why Muslim law gives preference to the mother over the father in matters of custody of children in their tender years.
• The Supreme Court’s landmark judgment in Githa Hariharan vs Reserve Bank of India in 1999 challenged the HMGA for violating the guarantee of equality of sexes under Article 14 of the Constitution of India and the court held that the term “after” should not be taken to mean “after the lifetime of the father “, but rather “in the absence of the father”. But the judgment failed to recognise both parents as equal guardians, subordinating a mother’s role to that of the father. Though the judgment sets a precedent for courts, it has not led to an amendment to the HMGA.
• The panel’s proposals on guardianship have been made by the Law Commission of India in its 257th report on “Reforms in Guardianship and Custody Laws in India” in May 2015 as well as its 133rd report in August, 1989 on “Removal of discrimination against women in matters relating to guardianship and custody of minor children and elaboration of the welfare principle”.

What about cases of marital disputes?
• In cases of marital disputes, some courts such as the Punjab and Haryana High Court and Bombay High Court have framed rules to grant joint custody or shared parenting. According to experts instead of this “patchwork” there is a need to amend the law, including the Guardians and Wards Act, 1890 to introduce concepts such as joint custody.

Can queer and transgender people adopt children in India?
• The Adoption Regulations, 2017 is silent on adoption by LGBTQI people and neither bans nor allows them to adopt a child. Its eligibility criteria for prospective adoptive parents says that they should be physically, mentally and emotionally stable, financially capable and should not have any life-threatening medical condition.
• Single men can only adopt a boy while a woman can adopt a child of any gender. A child can be given for adoption to a couple only if they have been in a marital relationship for at least two years.
• The HAMA which applies to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists allows men and women to adopt if they are of sound mind and are not minors. Activists say LGBTQI people who seek adoption face institutional discrimination because of stigma. Therefore, the law should be amended to include them as eligible candidates including when they apply as non-single parents such as when they are in civil unions or married for which there is no legal recognition in the country as yet even though the Supreme Court legalised gay sex in 2018.

2.CONSENSUAL SEX ON A GENUINE PROMISE OF MARRIAGE NOT RAPE: SC

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Supreme Court has held that it is not rape if consensual physical relationship was based on a genuine promise of marriage which could not be fulfilled.
THE EXPLANATION:
• A Bench highlighted the distinction between “a false promise to marriage which is given on understanding by the maker that it will be broken and a breach of promise which is made in good faith but subsequently not fulfilled”. The court quashed an FIR registered in 2016.
• A woman had accused the appellant of rape and cheating. They were in a consensual relationship on the basis of an assurance of marriage given by the man. However, the duo fell apart.
• Three years later, the woman filed the complaint against him. The court said the registration of FIR in the case amounted to abuse of the criminal process.
• “The parties chose to have physical relationship without marriage for a considerable period of time. For some reason, the parties fell apart. It can happen both before or after marriage,” the Supreme Court said.

CONNECT THE DOTS
About Marital rape
• Marital rape (or spousal rape) is an act in which one of the spouses indulges in sexual intercourse without the consent of the other.
• Rape in India continues with the patriarchal outlook of considering women to be the property of men post marriage, with no autonomy or agency over their bodies.
• They deny married women equal protection of the laws guaranteed by the Indian constitution.
• Today, more than 100 countries have criminalized marital rape but, unfortunately, India is one of the only 36 countries where marital rape is still not criminalized
Data Analysis
• Domestic violence in India is an entrenched problem, and it has only been exacerbated in recent years. About 70 per cent of women in India are victims of domestic violence.
• However, one of the most horrifying and repressive issues with the Indian legal regime is that marital rape is not criminalized .
• National Crime Records Bureau’s (NCRB) ‘Crime in India’ 2019 reported that a woman is raped every 16 minutes and every four minutes, she experiences cruelty at the hands of her in-laws.
• National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 2015-16 data indicates that an estimated 99.1 per cent of sexual violence cases go unreported and that the average Indian woman is 17 times more likely to face sexual violence from her husband than from others.
• According to one study by the UN Population Fund, more than two-thirds of married women in India, between the ages of 15 to 49 have been beaten, raped, or forced to provide sex.

Legal provisions
• In India, marital rape is not defined in any statute or law.
• Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) defines rape as a criminal offence and states that a man commits rape if he has sexual intercourse with a woman without her consent or if she is a minor.
• However, according to Exception 2 to Section 375 “sexual intercourse by a man with his wife, the wife not being under fifteen years of age, is not rape
• However, in a landmark judgment in 2018, the Supreme Court of India held that it will be considered rape if a man has sexual intercourse with his wife if she is aged between 15 and 18
• The only recourse against non-consensual sex for married women are civil provisions under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act or Section 498-A of the IPC on cruelty against a wife by the husband or a husband’s relatives.

THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

3.BANGLADESH RIVER WATER DEAL LIKELY

THE CONTEXT: According to sources, India and Bangladesh are likely to ink at least one major river agreement later this month.

THE EXPLANATION:
• The planning for the agreement is being tightly guarded by officials on both sides as water sharing between the two countries is considered a sensitive subject given the fact that it often takes political meaning.
• Apart from the major agreements under discussion, sharing of data of river waters and better flood control planning are expected to feature in the upcoming meeting of the Joint River Commission (JRC) that will meet in the last week of August ahead of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s September (2022) 6-7 India visit.
• According to sources, that there is a “strong possibility” that an agreement on the Kushiyara that flows from Assam into Bangladesh is part of one such agreement that may get “done” during the JRC.
• A diplomatic source also hinted at a “major agreement” involving the Ganga may also be taken up as there is a “strong urge” to achieve a big river agreement ahead of Prime Minister Hasina’s visit, which may be her last trip to Delhi before Dhaka goes into election mode next year.

Teesta waters agreement

• The Awami League government has been insistent on sealing the Teesta waters agreement, which has eluded settlement so far. Now, it is understood that India has agreed to offer Bangladesh a package on river waters-related deals that will be considered a significant advancement in terms of sharing of river resources with Dhaka.
• Recent West Bengal CM visit, which came against the backdrop of the tightly guarded India-Bangladesh negotiation, has contributed to the speculation on river water sharing between India and Bangladesh.
• Convening the JRC has been a long-pending demand of Bangladesh as the ministerial-level meeting was last held in 2010.
About Teesta river:
• Teesta river is a tributary of the Brahmaputra (known as Jamuna in Bangladesh), flowing through India and Bangladesh.
• It originates in the Himalayas near Chunthang, Sikkim and flows to the south through West Bengal before entering Bangladesh.
• The Teesta Barrage dam helps to provide irrigation for the plains between the upper Padma and the Jamuna.
Efforts to resolve the dispute:
• Negotiations on how to share the water have been going on since 1983.
• A 2011 interim deal – that was supposed to last 15 years – gave India 42.5 percent of the Teesta’s waters and gave Bangladesh 37.5 percent. Bengal opposed this deal so it was shelved and remains unsigned.
• Bangladesh sought a fair and equitable distribution of Teesta waters from India, on the lines of the Ganga Water Treaty 1996.
• The treaty is an agreement to share surface waters at the Farakka Barrage near their mutual border.
• In 2015, the Indian Prime Minister’s visit to Dhaka generated expectations to take forward the issue but it still remains unresolved.
• However, In India, individual states have significant influence over transboundary agreements, impeding the policymaking process.
• West Bengalis one of the key stakeholders of the Teesta agreement and is yet to endorse the deal.
Importance of Teesta River:
For Bangladesh:
• Its flood plain covers about 14% of the total cropped area of Bangladesh and provides direct livelihood opportunities to approximately 73% of its population.

For West Bengal:
• Teesta is the lifeline of North Bengal and almost half a dozen of districts of West Bengal are dependent on the waters of Teesta.

THE SECURITY AFFAIRS

4.THE EXERCISE VAJRA PRAHAR 2022”

THE CONTEXT: The 13th Edition of the Indo-US Joint Special Forces exercise “Ex Vajra Prahar 2022” commenced at the Special Forces Training School (SFTS), Bakloh (HP). The US contingent is represented by personnel from the 1st Special Forces Group (SFG) and Special Tactics Squadron (STS) of US Special Forces and the Indian Army contingent is formed by drawing Special Forces personnel under the aegis of SFTS.
THE EXPLANATION:
• The Vajra Prahar series of joint exercise aims to share best practices and experiences in areas such as joint mission planning and operational tactics as also to improve inter-operability between the Special Forces of both the Nations. This annual exercise is hosted alternatively between India and the United States. The 12th edition was conducted at Joint Base Lewis Mcchord, Washington (USA) in October 2021.
• During the course of next 21 days, teams of both armies would jointly train, plan and execute a series of Special Operations, Counter Terrorist Operations, Air Borne operations in simulated conventional and unconventional scenarios in mountainous terrain.
• This joint exercise is a significant step in strengthening the traditional bond of friendship between the special forces of both Nations as well as improve bilateral defence cooperation between India and the USA.

CONNECT THE DOTS
Other Exercises of India with the USA:
• Exercise Yudh Abhyas (Army).
• Cope India (Air Force).
• Red Flag (USA’s multilateral air exercise).
• Malabar Exercise (trilateral naval exercise of India, USA and Japan).

THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

5.HOW THE MAIDEN FLIGHT OF ISRO’S SSLV WENT AWRY

THE CONTEXT: On August 7, ISRO got ready for the first developmental flight of the SSLV-D1/EOS-2 mission. The Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) D1/EOS-2 mission, was carrying two satellites — the Earth Observation Satellite-2 (EOS-2) which weighed about 135 kg and AzadiSAT which weighed about eight kg.
THE EXPLANATION:
The mission aimed to place the EOS-2 in a circular low-Earth orbit at a height of about 350 km above the Equator and inclined at an angle of 37 degrees. The initial part of the story was successful with the launch vehicle operating smoothly. However, the mission failed to place the satellites in their required orbits, and the satellites, as they were already detached from the launch vehicle, were lost.

What was the purpose of the SSLV-D1/EOS-2 mission?
• The purpose of this mission was to place the two satellites in circular low-Earth orbits at a height of about 350 km above the Equator. The larger one, the EOS-2 which was designed and developed by ISRO, offered advanced optical remote sensing operations. It would have operated in the infrared region and could have served many purposes, from imaging for climate studies to simply keeping an eye on Earth.
• AzadiSAT, on the other hand, was a collective of 75 tiny payloads weighing around 50 grams each, which were integrated by students. It carried tiny experiments which would have measured the ionising radiation in its orbit and also a transponder which worked in the ham radio frequency to enable amateur operators to access it.

Which part of the mission succeeded and where did it fail?
• The SSLV was composed of three stages powered by solid fuels and these three performed their function as planned. However, when it came to the stage when the satellites had to be set in orbit, there was a glitch which resulted in the satellites being lost forever. With a degree of openness that is unprecedented in ISRO, it was announced that there was a malfunctioning of a sensor which resulted in placing the satellites in an elliptical orbit, rather than a circular orbit.
• The ellipse or oval shape of the elliptical orbit is elongated in one direction and compressed in another (the so-called major and minor axes, which are like two radii of the ellipse). The shortest height above the Earth of this oval orbit was only about 76 km.
Why were the satellites lost?
• If the closest distance to the Earth is only 76 km, as it happened this time, there is an atmospheric drag experienced by the object at that height. Thereafter, unless adequate thrust is applied to overcome the drag, it will lose height and fall towards the Earth because of gravity and may eventually burn up due to friction.
What went wrong with the launch?
• Today rocket technology has progressed to such a stage that even if the course of the rocket is altering from its planned course, there will be sensors that feed back this information to a system. This will immediately trigger a course correction which will restore the trajectory of the rocket.
• There are many sensors as well as a built-in redundancy. That is, even if one or two sensors fail, there will be others that take over and effect the course correction. In the present case, the announcement was that “failure of a logic to identify a sensor failure and go for a salvage action caused the deviation.”
• This could possibly imply that either redundancy was not built in, which is highly unlikely, or perhaps that it was built in but did not kick off due to a technical glitch.

Why do we need to develop an SSLV when we have successfully used PSLV and GSLV?
• The PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) and GSLV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle) are quite powerful and can carry huge loads. To place an Earth Orbiting Satellite in a low Earth orbit, one does not need such power horses. The SSLV can easily carry small-to-medium loads from 10 kg to 500 kg. It is less expensive. The three stages being powered by solid fuel is another advantage. Solid fuel is easier to handle, whereas handling the liquid propellants used in the PSLV and GSLV is more complex.

VALUE ADDITION:
What is the difference between circular and elliptical orbits?
• Mostly objects such as satellites and spacecrafts are put in elliptical orbits only temporarily. They are then either pushed up to circular orbits at a greater height or the acceleration is increased until the trajectory changes from an ellipse to a hyperbola and the spacecraft escapes the gravity of the Earth in order to move further into space — for example, to the Moon or Mars or further away.
• Satellites that orbit the Earth are mostly placed in circular orbits. One reason is that if the satellite is used for imaging the Earth, it is easier if it has a fixed distance from the Earth. If the distance keeps changing as in an elliptical orbit, keeping the cameras focussed can become complicated.

THE GOVERNMENT SCHEMES AND INTERVENTIONS

6.EXPLAINED: GOVT’S OPEN NETWORK FOR DIGITAL COMMERCE (ONDC)

THE CONTEXT: US firm Microsoft has become the first big tech company to join the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), a government-backed project which is aimed at enabling small merchants and mom-and-pop stores in parts of the country to access processes and technologies that are typically deployed by large e-commerce platforms such as Amazon and Flipkart.
THE EXPLANATION:
The software giant intends to introduce social e-commerce — group buying experience — in the Indian market, which would include a shopping app for Indian consumers along with their social circle, harnessing the ONDC network to discover the best pricing among retailers and sellers.

What is Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC)?
• It is an initiative aimed at promoting open networks for all aspects of exchange of goods and services over digital or electronic networks. ONDC is to be based on open-sourced methodology, using open specifications and open network protocols independent of any specific platform. It is being developed as a counter to the current duopoly in the Indian e-commerce market which is largely dictated by Amazon and Walmart-owned Flipkart.
• In May 2022, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) went live with a test run of ONDC in cities like Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, Coimbatore, Bhopal, and Shillong where it plans to onboard 150 sellers.

What does Microsoft joining ONDC mean, and who else is on board?
• Microsoft getting on board the the ONDC wagon means the project gets its first international marquee name ahead of its Bengaluru launch.
• A number of participants are currently live on the ONDC network, offering a number of services in the e-commerce supply chain such as buying, selling and offering logistics services. Among those that are live are Paytm, which has joined the platform as a buyer, and Reliance-backed Dunzo, which is offering logistics services for hyperlocal deliveries.
• Companies like Kotak, PhonePe, Zoho and Snapdeal are in the “advanced stage of development”.

How does ONDC work?
• The ONDC platform lies in the middle of the interfaces hosting the buyers and the sellers. So far, the buyer side interface is being hosted by Paytm, whereas the seller side interface is being hosted by other players like GoFrugal, etc.
• When a buyer searches for an item on the Paytm app, from where ONDC has gone live, the app will connect to the ONDC platform, which will connect it to seller side interfaces that will list all the companies from where you can buy the particular item.
• On ONDC, there will be several other backend partners such as logistics service providers, enterprise resource planners, e-commerce store hosting service providers, etc.

What are the challenges ONDC aims to address?
• An ONDC strategy paper published earlier this year has flagged the rising dominance of global players in India’s e-commerce ecosystem, pointing out that the large quantum of investment required to build competitors to the integrated solutions offered by the big players has become an entry barrier for digital marketplaces.
• It also flagged the inability of marketplace sellers to move out of the platform ecosystem, given that the value created by these small players is stored with the larger platforms. With this in mind, ONDC aims to transform the marketplace ecosystem from an operator-driven platform-centric model to a facilitator-driven interoperable decentralised network.

What does it mean for online buyers?
• ONDC is being seen as the UPI-moment for the e-commerce market, and its whole claimed value proposition lies as “democratising” digital commerce, taking it away from the clutches of a handful of deep-pocketed companies, as is the case currently – a number of sellers can offer their goods and services on the network which could be accessed from different platforms, with the delivery and payments infrastructure being handled by different companies.
• In theory, ONDC may enable more sellers to be digitally visible, which means that for online buyers, it could present increased options at a number of different price points.
• One of the biggest criticisms of e-commerce giants globally has been that they have amassed critical data about users’ buying patterns, which gives them an idea about what products are in demand at any given point in time. There have been accusations made against companies like Amazon, in India and elsewhere, that it uses this data to launch similar products through an entity that it indirectly controls, usually at a price point regular sellers cannot match.

1. Dealing with uncertainty READ MORE
2. Katha Upanishad on Nachiketas’ tryst with death READ MORE

1. Coastal area projects got Centre’s nod without proper environmental impact assessment, finds CAG READ MORE
2. Australia shivers as winter ends; spring to be wet due to negative Indian Ocean Dipole, La Nina READ MORE

1. SC offers hope that right to abortion won’t be restricted by a woman’s marital status READ MORE
2. Public healthcare, medical research lagging READ MORE

1. Withdrawal of the data Bill was a bad move: The enactment of the Personal Data Protection Bill into law would have helped create a framework for redress READ MORE
2. Fair trial goes beyond courts, to the police and media: The media needs to aid mechanisms that aim to preserve the basic principles of the justice system READ MORE
3. Rankings that make no sense: There are glaring flaws in the National Institutional Ranking Framework’s ranking of higher education institutions READ MORE
4. A fundamental problem of democracies: What constitutes good and bad freebies? READ MORE
5. Legislature reform is must in New India READ MORE
6. As the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act, 2022 Comes into Effect, Its Lack of Safeguards is of Concern READ MORE

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. Silent marches to recall Partition READ MORE
2. The PESA Act, and the reason behind parties trying to woo tribals in Gujarat READ MORE
3. What is AGM-88 HARM, the new anti-radar missile supplied to Ukraine by the US? READ MORE
4. What Is Lumpy Skin Disease and Why Is it Raising Concerns? READ MORE
5. Has Odisha’s Bhitarkanika reached a saturation point for its estuarine crocodiles? READ MORE
6. ‘The rupee is a better-performing currency against the dollar on a trade-weighted basis’ READ MORE
7. Monkeypox complications more common in children: Lancet study READ MORE

Main Exam

1. Launch a national tribal health mission READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Withdrawal of the data Bill was a bad move: The enactment of the Personal Data Protection Bill into law would have helped create a framework for redress READ MORE
2. Fair trial goes beyond courts, to the police and media: The media needs to aid mechanisms that aim to preserve the basic principles of the justice system READ MORE
3. Rankings that make no sense: There are glaring flaws in the National Institutional Ranking Framework’s ranking of higher education institutions READ MORE
4. A fundamental problem of democracies: What constitutes good and bad freebies? READ MORE
5. Legislature reform is must in New India READ MORE
6. As the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act, 2022 Comes into Effect, Its Lack of Safeguards is of Concern READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. SC offers hope that right to abortion won’t be restricted by a woman’s marital status READ MORE
2. Public healthcare, medical research lagging READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. India and Brazil in the Global Multilateral Order READ MORE
2. China-US Tensions a Moment of Reckoning for the Indo-Pacific Order READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Implementation roadblocks persist in MSME financing READ MORE
2. The polarised economy READ MORE
3. OPINION: Priorities for building an energy-efficient Indian economy READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Coastal area projects got Centre’s nod without proper environmental impact assessment, finds CAG READ MORE

SECURITY

1. India beyond 75: Revamping our security needs READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Dealing with uncertainty READ MORE
2. Katha Upanishad on Nachiketas’ tryst with death READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. ‘Justice is the law’s ultimate purpose, but it is sometimes an insufficient instrument for pursuing justice’. In the light of the statement discuss the need for a reformed bail law for India.
2. ‘India should not lose strategic focus as it finds its feet in the global order’. In the light of the statement examine why India pursue its neighborhood policy at first place in its strategi relations?

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Freedom is a path you choose every day.
• The enactment of the Personal Data Protection Bill into law would have helped create a framework for redress.
• The media needs to aid mechanisms that aim to preserve the basic principles of the justice system.
• SC offers hope that right to abortion won’t be restricted by a woman’s marital status.
• New India cannot be shaped by existing legislature, and it requires radical reform.
• The democratic institutions function on conventions and rules. There is a growing need to accord greater importance to the convention of the good practices as had been the part of the legislatures in the early days of the formation.
• In the UK, judicial accountability is a media free for-all—admittedly, mostly, but not solely, in the contumacious tabloids—unfettered by protestations.
• In an era where great-power rivalries dominate and the relevance of multilateralism is being questioned, cooperation between India and Brazil can reinvigorate discussions and debates on reforming multilateral organisations.

50 WORD TALK

• India’s lower medals tally isn’t the headline from CWG 2022 in Birmingham but its stellar show in track and field events and racquet sports. This is the outcome of scientific training and commitment to excellence and should serve as a launchpad for a good medal haul at Paris Olympics 2024.
• Unfortunately, the rise of the private sector has coincided with a decline in standards in govt institutions. It must not be forgotten that private healthcare is expensive and practically unaffordable for many. It is estimated that nearly three million people fall below the poverty line each year owing to expenditure on sickness. Medical insurance is hardly ubiquitous in India. In these circumstances, the importance of public healthcare facilities cannot be overstated.

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 307]

THE CONTEXT: In India, the Covid-19 outbreak has engulfed into misery one and all with almost similar intensity. However, the wrath of uncertainty and hitches has been more unprecedented for the already vulnerable like women. In this scenario, the role of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) becomes pivotal for the cause of the overall development and empowerment of women.

SHGs: A BRIEF BACKGROUND

A Self-Help Group (SHG) is a village-based financial intermediary committee usually composed of 10-20 local women. The members make small regular saving contributions for a few months until there is enough capital in the group for lending. Funds may then be lent back to the members or other villagers. These SHGs are then further ‘linked’ to banks for the delivery of microcredit. It lays emphasis on capacity building, planning of activity clusters, infrastructure build-up, technology, credit and marketing.

EVOLUTION OF SHGs IN INDIA

• The first organized initiative in this direction was taken in Gujarat in 1954 when the Textile Labour Association (TLA) of Ahmedabad formed its women’s wing to organize the women belonging to households of mill workers in order to train them in primary skills like sewing, knitting embroidery, typesetting and stenography etc.
• In 1972, it was given a more systematized structure when Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) was formed as a Trade Union under the leadership of Ela Bhatt. She organized women workers such as hawkers, vendors, home-based operators like weavers, etc. with the primary objective of increasing their income and assets; enhancing their food and nutritional standards; and increasing their organizational and leadership strength. In order to broaden their access to market and technical inputs, these primary associations were encouraged to form federations like the Gujarat State Mahila SEWA Cooperative Federation, Banaskantha DWCRA, Mahila SEWA Association etc.
• NABARD in 1986-87 supported and funded an action research project on “Saving and credit management of SHGs” of Mysore Resettlement and Development Agency (MYRDA). The MYRDA has been promoting SHGs in Gulbarga.
• The SHG Bank Linkage Project launched by NABARD in 1992 has blossomed into the world’s largest microfinance project. NABARD along with RBI permitted SHGs to have a savings account in banks from the year of 1993. This action gave a considerable boost to the SHG movement and paved the way for the SHG-Bank linkage program.
• Major experiments in small group formation at the local level were initiated in Tamilnadu and Kerala about two decades ago through the Tamilnadu Women in Agriculture Programme (TANWA) 1986, Participatory Poverty Reduction Programme of Kerala, (Kudumbashree) 1995 and Tamil nadu Women’s Development Project (TNWDP) 1989. 
• In 1999, the Government of India, introduced Swarn Jayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY) to promote self-employment in rural areas through the formation and skilling of SHGs.
• Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) in 2011, under the Ministry of Rural Development, across the country in a mission mode with the objective of organizing the rural poor women into Self Help Groups (SHGs).
• Initiatives such as the UdyamStree campaign by EdelGive Foundation, for example, have focused on women entrepreneurs in Maharashtra and Rajasthan, among other states, by leveraging SHGs such as MAVIM, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Facebook’s Pragati and Google’s Women Will, among others, have also moved the needle in fostering a level-playing field for women entrepreneurs.

 SIGNIFICANCE OF SHGs

POST-COVID ERA DYNAMICS

• Due to amplified importance being given to innovation, technology and self-sustenance, especially in a post-covid era, economically weaker sections have faced an acute loss of jobs and income.
• In this context, the SHGs can help women with income-generating economic opportunities.

SOCIETAL SECLUSION

• In a society with deep-rooted patriarchy, even if women want to attain employment, the dominant tradition of female domestic responsibility coupled with social stigma limits their economic advancement and access to opportunities in comparison with their male equivalents.
• This social barrier is being overcome by SHGs simply due to its all-inclusive and women-centric participation.

NOTABLE ISOLATION

• Even though women have the potential to contribute to household finances, they often do not have the agency to participate in decisions related to avenues of income generation, thus many a time pushing their families to the brink of poverty.
• Since SHGs provide a medium for women to become entrepreneurs, it creates credible ground for more decision-making opportunities.

STATUS OF WOMEN

• While India is at the cusp of a rapid transformation in terms of evolving employment opportunities, urbanization and innovation, female participation in the economy remain crucial to where India stands globally.
• Even though working women account for approximately 432 million, about 343 million are not in paid formal job roles or work. An estimated 324 million of them are not in the labour force, and another 19 million are part of the labour force but not employed.
• SHGs have significant potential in creating jobs for women as seen in various successful examples. This rightly places women on par with the male workforce.

ROLE OF SHGs IN WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE

• SHGs provide women entrepreneurs with micro-loans to sustain their businesses, while also creating an environment for them to develop greater agency and decision-making skills.
• SHGs inculcate the habit of saving and using banking facilities among the members.
• The saving habit thus strengthens the bargaining capacity of the women and they are in a better position to acquire loans for productive purposes.
• The women gain from collective wisdom in managing their finances and distributing the benefits among themselves.

INCLUSIVENESS

• An SHG comprises a small group of women who come together to make regular monetary contributions.
• Emerging as important micro-finance systems, SHGs work as platforms that promote solidarity among women, bringing them together on issues of health, nutrition, gender parity and gender justice.

SOCIAL UPLIFTMENT

• SHG culture has brought the country changed in the gender dynamics of power within a family and ultimately the society at large.
• They now have greater say in family matters and also are seen as stakeholders and partners in taking the community forward.
• Financial independence has eventually paved the way for societal upliftment of women and their voices.

POLITICAL MOBILITY

• Many members of SHGs are being elected as legislators for bringing change and inclusive development.
• Their participation in the governance process enables them to highlight issues such as dowry, alcoholism, the menace of open defecation, primary health care etc. and impact policy decisions.
• Leadership skills learned through SHGs helped several SHG members to get elected as Sarpanch/Pradhan.

EMPOWERING WOMEN IN CRISIS

• According to a World Bank report, Women in SHGs are also working as bank correspondents, referred to as ‘bank sakhis’.
• Even during distressing times like pandemics, they are helping with the distribution of pensions, providing door-to-door service to remote communities to access their account credits from direct benefit transfers.

SHGs: SUCCESS STORIES

The footprints of the SHGs as community warriors against Covid-19 can be felt across various Indian states. For example, in Tamil Nadu, each PDS shop has been stationed with two SHG volunteers to ensure that people in the queue maintain adequate distance. In Odisha, rural women organized in these SHGs produced more than 1 million cotton masks for police personnel and healthcare workers.

KUDUMBASHREE

• In Kerala, an SHG named Kudumbashree is helping dispel fake news through its network of WhatsApp groups with more than 100,000 women as members. These platforms are specifically leveraged to disseminate urgent and authentic information regarding the pandemic.
• It is also involved in running 1,300 kitchens across Kerala and is providing food to those who are bedridden or under quarantine. The Mahila Arthik Vikas Mahamandal (MAVIM) and the numerous women SHGs operating under it played a crucial role in combating the socio-economic impact of the pandemic in rural Maharashtra.
• These women even contributed approximately ₹11 lakh to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund through a MAVIM-driven donation campaign.

JEEVIKA & PRERNA

• JEEViKA, an organization in Bihar has stepped into the information, education, and communication (IEC) domain to disseminate awareness and preparedness materials for the outbreak.
• Prerna, an SHG in Uttar Pradesh, has attempted in communicating messages on social distancing through street art and wall paintings. A few SHGs in Jharkhand have opened a 24×7 helpline called Didi, which provides verified information to migrant labourers on evacuation and return processes to their hometowns in Jharkhand.

MAHILA ARTHIK VIKAS MAHAMANDAL (MAVIM) IN MAHARASHTRA

• SHGs in Maharashtra were unable to cope with the growing volume and financial transactions and needed professional help. Community managed resource centre (CMRC) under MAVIM was launched to provide financial and livelihood services to SHGs. CMRC is self-sustaining and provides need-based services.
• SHGs such as Mahila Arthik Vikas Mahila Mandal, UMED Abhiyan under Maharashtra’s department of rural development’s State Rural Livelihood Mission, and government schemes such as Tejaswani, etc, have proven beneficial in the development of women entrepreneurship for the cause of women’s empowerment.

MISSION SHAKTI IN ODISHA

• “Mission Shakti” is the self-help mission for empowering women through the promotion of Women Self Help Groups (WSHGs) to take up various socio-economic activities which were launched in Odisha on 8th March 2001 on the eve of International Women’s Day. Mission Shakti has the clear objective of empowering women through gainful activities by providing credit and market linkage. Empowerment of women through WSHGs under Mission Shakti is a flagship programme of the Government of Odisha. It envisages that over a period of time more & more women would be part of a WSHG. Nearly 70 lakh women have been organized into 6 lakh groups in all blocks and urban local bodies of the State so far.

KEY GOVERNMENT POLICY MEASURES FOR SHGs

• Infuse funding: Apart from NABARD, there are four other major organizations in the public sector which too provide loans to financial intermediaries for onward lending to SHGs. They are:

(a) Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI),

(b) Rashtriya Mahila Kosh (RMK), and

(c) Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO).

Then, there are public sector/other commercial banks which are free to take up any lending as per their policy and RBI guidelines. Under the Self-Employment Programme (SEP), interest subvention over and above 7 per cent rate of interest is available to all SHGs accessing bank loans. An additional 3 per cent interest subvention is also available to all women SHGs who repay their loan in time.

• In 1999, the Government of India, introduced Swarn Jayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY) to promote self-employment in rural areas through the formation and skilling of SHGs.
• Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) in 2011, under the Ministry of Rural Development, across the country in a mission mode with the objective of organizing the rural poor women into Self Help Groups (SHGs) and continuously nurturing and supporting them to take economic activities till they attain an appreciable increase in income over a period of time to improve their quality of life and come out of abject poverty. Women’s SHGs are being supported by the Government of India’s National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) which is co-financed by the World Bank. NRLM has scaled up the SHG model across 28 States and 6 Union Territories of the country, reaching more than 67 million women.
• Augment Skills & Entrepreneurship: To boost the participation of women in the entrepreneurship ecosystem, the government has introduced a plethora of schemes, such as the Mudra Yojana, Udyogini Scheme, Annapurna Scheme and Stand-Up India.
• Prime Minister recently participated in ‘Aatmanirbhar Narishakti se Samvad’ and interacted with women Self Help Group (SHG) members/community resource persons promoted under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM). During the event, a compendium of success stories of women SHG members from all across the country, along with a handbook on the universalization of farm livelihoods was released. The Prime Minister also released capitalization support funds to the tune of Rs. 1625 Crore to over 4 lakh SHGs.
• In a bid to promote entrepreneurship among women through the formation of Micro Enterprises of Mission Shakti SHGs, the Department of Mission Shakti, Odisha in collaboration with Apparel Made-ups and Home Furnishing Sector Skill Council (AMHSSC), New Delhi has signed an agreement to launch an initiative for skill development of 10,000 Mission Shakti SHG members on apparel manufacturing.

ISSUES WITH SHGS SUSTENANCE

HIGHER NPA

• Whether the economic gains of the SHG movement are adequate to bring a qualitative change in their life is a matter of debate in India.
• The biggest challenge with SHGs currently is higher NPA percentage due to multiple financing, inadequacies in account keeping and other things.
• On average NPA of SHGs stands at around 7-8 per cent which NABARD intends to bring down to 2 per cent in the next five years.

LACKING TECHNOLOGICAL SKILLS

• Many of the activities undertaken by the SHGs are still based on primitive skills related mostly to primary sector enterprises.
• There is a lack of qualified resource personnel in the rural areas who could help in skill up gradation/acquisition of new skills by group members.
• Further, members of a group do not come necessarily from the poorest families.

DEPENDENT FOR RESOURCES

• Even after many years of existence, by and large, SHGs are heavily dependent on their promoter NGOs or government agencies.
• The withdrawal of NGOs / government agencies even from areas where SHGs have been federated, has often led to their collapse.
• The leadership and management of most SHG federations continue to be in the hands of NGOs.
• Capacity building of small groups/members is an important component of organizational effectiveness.

PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE REPORT (2016-17)

• The ‘Committee on Empowerment of Women’ (Rajya Sabha) found that even after the number of Self-Help Groups has gone up by nearly 70 per cent over the years, the north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh does not have even a single SHG.
• The committee also found irregularities in Literacy levels, a less patriarchal mindset in the south, etc.

REGIONAL DISPARITY

• There are a greater number of SHGs in Southern states compared to Northern states.
• Out of 66,000 federations, 60,000 are located in the four southern states viz. undivided Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
• The success rate of SHGs has been around 50% only and its failure is more pronounced in the North than south

THE WAY FORWARD:

Amartya Sen explains that the freedom to lead different types of life is reflected in the person’s capability set. Thus, the government policies must be directed towards increasing the socioeconomic capabilities of all of these women’s SHGs by means of the perennial flow of sustainable credit and institutional backing.

The 2^nd ARC is of the view that the role of the Government in the growth and development of the SHG movement should be that of a facilitator and promoter. The objective should be to create a supportive environment for this movement.

• Since a large number of rural households in the North-Eastern States and Central-Eastern parts of the country (Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan) do not have adequate access to formal sources of credit, a major thrust on the expansion of the SHG movement in these areas should be facilitated.
• Commercial Banks and NABARD in collaboration with the State Government need to continuously innovate and design new financial products for SHGs.

Untapped potential: In Maharashtra alone, 527,000 SHGs have had a role to play in accounting for over 50% of all women-led small-scale industrial units in India, which shows that SHGs can lead to holistic development of women entrepreneurship. This needs to be replicated in other states.

SHGs response during crisis: According to the World Bank, in over 90 percent of India’s districts, away from the limelight of the cities, SHG women are producing facemasks, running community kitchens, delivering essential food supplies, sensitizing people about health and hygiene and combating misinformation. This shows that investments in the institution of SHGs will only return good interests even in the most testing times.

Examples to learn from: Observing the crucial role they play, corporations and foundations globally have designed SHG-led programmes to help women achieve economic empowerment. Initiatives such as the UdyamStree campaign by EdelGive Foundation, for example, has focused on women entrepreneurs in Maharashtra and Rajasthan, among other states, by leveraging SHGs such as MAVIM, and other relevant stakeholders. Facebook’s Pragati and Google’s Women Will, among others, have also moved the needle in fostering a level-playing field for women entrepreneurs. This can be adopted by industrialists and unicorns from India too.

An SHG 2.0 as emphasized by the World Bank which addressed the structural and credit-related challenges of SHGs need to be implemented for making the SHGs a true vehicle for women empowerment and making the people-centered development. The government policies thus must be in line with this idea so as to achieve efficient resource mobilization and consequent upliftment of women.

THE CONCLUSION: It is important to recognize the talent of women and provide them with the right opportunities. Self Help Groups have immensely benefited people in rural areas, especially women. The self-help group movement has been one of the most powerful incubators of female resilience and entrepreneurship in rural India. It is a powerful channel for altering the social construct of gender in villages. Women in rural areas are now able to create independent sources of income. The revolutionary momentum that SHGs have created has given women an important sense of self-assurance in their journey to become aatmanirbhar or self-reliant.

QUESTIONS TO PONDER

• “There is no denying that like most difficult times in the past, women have again risen to the fore in India’s fight against the pandemic.” Discuss the given statement in the light of SHGs and their role in the COVID-19 Pandemic.
• SHGs are one of India’s most important tools for women to achieve socio-economic self-reliance. Examine
• Although SHGs have a significant history in the Indian dynamics, they are off late marred with various challenges. Examine Critically.

THE INDIAN HISTORY

1. EXPLAINED: RECALLING ‘QUIT INDIA’, WHEN ORDINARY INDIANS TOOK TO THE STREETS WITH A VOW TO ‘DO OR DIE’

THE CONTEXT: On this day 80 years ago — on August 9, 1942 — the people of India launched the decisive final phase of the struggle for independence. It was a mass upsurge against colonial rule on a scale not seen earlier, and it sent out the unmistakable message that the sun was about to set on the British Empire in India.
THE EXPLANATION:
About Quit India Movement:
• The call for Quit India Movement was given on August 8, 1942 by Mahatma Gandhi in a bid to end the British rule in India. the movement was launched at Mumbai session of the All-India Congress Committee. In the speech at August Kranti Maidan (Gowalia Tank maidan) in Mumbai, Mahatma Gandhi made a called for “Do or Die for Independence”.
• During the movement, Aruna Asaf Ali hoisted the Indian flag at the August Kranti Maidan. Yusuf Meherally is also associated with the Movement, who gave the slogan of “Quit India” and “Simon Go Back”. This movement aimed at asking the British to grant Independence to India.
Immediate cause of Quit India Movement
• Immediate cause for Quit India failure of Cripps Mission, that was sent under Stafford Cripps to resolve the Indian question regarding new constitution and self-government. Cripps Mission failed because it did not offer complete freedom to India. It was for ‘Dominion Status to India’ along with partition.
Failure of the Quit India Movement
• The Quit India Movement was supposed to be a peaceful and non-violent movement. But it witnessed violence at some places. Furthermore, Muslim League, Hindu Mahasabha and the Communist Party of India did not extended support to it. As a result, movement was suppressed by British, violently.
Gandhi’s address: Do or Die
• On August 8, 1942, Gandhi addressed the people in the Gowalia Tank maidan in Bombay (Mumbai). “Here is a mantra, a short one, that I give you. Imprint it on your hearts, so that in every breath you give expression to it,” he said.
• “The mantra is: ‘Do or Die’. We shall either free India or die trying; we shall not live to see the perpetuation of our slavery,” Gandhi said. Aruna Asaf Ali hoisted the Tricolour on the ground. The Quit India movement had been officially announced.

THE INDIAN POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

2. MANIPUR’S NRC EXERCISE

THE CONTEXT: On July 5, the 60-member Manipur Assembly resolved to implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and establish a State Population Commission (SPC).
THE EXPLANATION:
• The approval to a couple of private member resolutions moved by Janata Dal (United) MLA, came after more than two dozen organizations, most of them tribal, demanded an Assam-like NRC to protect the indigenous people from a perceived demographic invasion by “non-local residents”.
• The National Register of Citizens (NRC) is a register of all Indian citizens whose creation is mandated by the 2003 amendment of the Citizenship Act, 1955.
• The register was first prepared after the 1951 Census of India.
• Its purpose is to document all the legal citizens of India so that the illegal immigrants can be identified and deported.
• It has been implemented for the state of Assam starting in 2013–2014.
• The GoI announced plans to implement it for the rest of the country in 2021, but it has not yet been implemented.

NRC and Assam
• Assam, being a border state with unique problems of illegal immigration, had a register of citizens created for it in 1951 based on the 1951 census data.
• However, it was not maintained afterwards.
• For decades, the presence of migrants, often called “bahiragat” or outsiders, has been a loaded issue here.
• The Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunal) Act, 1983 was then passed by the Parliament, creating a separate tribunal process for identifying illegal migrants in Assam.
• The Supreme Court struck it down as unconstitutional in 2005, after which the Centre agreed to update the Assam NRC.
Who is a Foreigner in Assam?
• The National Register of Citizens now takes its definition of illegal immigrants from the Assam Accord – anyone who cannot prove that they or their ancestors entered the country before the midnight of March 24, 1971, would be declared a foreigner and face deportation.
• Those who entered on or after March 25, 1971, the eve of the Bangladesh War, would be declared foreigners and deported.
• This means you could be born in India in 1971 to parents who crossed the border in that year, and still be termed an illegal immigrant at the age of 48.
CAA and NRC protests
• These were a series of protests in India against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 which was enacted into law on December 12, 2019, and against the nationwide implementation of the NRC.
• Protesters in all regions are concerned that the upcoming compilation of the National Register of Citizens might be used to deprive a community of its Indian citizenship.
VALUE ADDITION:
National Population Register (NPR)
• The NPR is a database containing a list of all usual residents of the country.
• Its objective is to have a comprehensive identity database of people residing in the country.
• It is generated through house-to-house enumeration during the “house-listing” phase of the census, which is held once in 10 years.
• A usual resident for the purposes of NPR is a person who has resided in a place for six months or more, and intends to reside there for another six months or more.
• Once the basic details of the head of the family are taken by the enumerator, an acknowledgement slip will be issued. This slip may be required for enrolment in NPR, whenever that process begins.
• And, once the details are recorded in every local (village or ward), sub-district (tehsil or taluk), district and State level, there will be a population register at each of these levels.
• Together, they constitute the National Population Register.

3. NITI AAYOG GOVERNING COUNCIL MEETING

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the 7th Governing Council meeting was held at Rashtrapati Bhawan Cultural Centre in New Delhi. It was chaired by Prime Minister. It was the first in-person meeting of the council since July 2019.
THE EXPLANATION:
Agenda of the NITI Aayog meeting were;
• To achieve self-sufficiency in pulses, oilseeds & other agri-communities.
• Issues of crop diversification and National Education Policy were also discussed, besides the Urban Governance.
• States’ interventions were moderated by Defence Minister.
• External Affairs Minister gave presentation on India’s G20 presidency from December 1, 2022, to November 30, 2023.
• Discussions on ‘ongoing controversy related to freebies’ could not held.
• Many states raised concerns on Minimum support price for farmers, review of GST, shortage of IAS officers, and increased allocation of funds for states.
• NITI Aayog will increase its outreach to states on how it could collaborate with them further.
• They discussed on how to lower down dependence imported edible oils, from 50 % to 25% in coming years.
• During the meeting, PM note that, every state played a significant role in fight against Covid-19. India’s federal structure and cooperative federalism have become a model for the world during covid pandemic.
NITI Aayog’s Governing Council:
Members of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog include-
• Prime Minister of India
• Chief Ministers of all States and Union Territories with legislature
• Ex-Officio Members
• Lt Governors of Union Territories
• Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog
• Full-Time Members of NITI Aayog and
• Special Invitees.

THE SECURITY AFFAIRS

4. INDIAN ARMY ‘SKYLIGHT’ MEGA- EXERCISE

THE CONTEXT: The Indian Army recently conducted “Skylight Mega-Exercise”, to enhance its space domain capabilities. It was first of its kind large-scale exercise. Skylight exercise was aimed at testing operational readiness of satellite communication assets and giving training to personnel manning these assets.
THE EXPLANATION:
• Skylight Mega-Exercise was pan-India exercise, covering Lakshadweep and Andaman Islands. It also covered high reaches of India’s northern borders where Indian Army had activated all satellite communication assets from July 25-29, 2022.
• During the exercise, several technical and operational scenarios in space domain were pointed up.
• The exercise witnessed the participation of ISRO and other agencies responsible for space & ground segments.
• More than 280 platforms were checked in field formations.
• Indian Army makes use of services of a number of satellites by ISRO. These satellites are used to connect multiple communication terminals of different types, including transportable vehicle mounted terminals, static terminals, small form factor etc.
Communication Satellite of Indian Army:
Satellite communication networks are being used by The Indian Army across some of the remote border areas. On the other hand, Navy and Air Force have satellite of their own. Thus, Indian Army is also working to have its own communication satellite, called GSAT-7B, by 2025. Indian Army got the nod from Defence Acquisition Council to work on Satellite GSAT-7B in March 2022.
About GSAT-7B Satellite:
The GSAT-7B satellite is an indigenous multiband satellite, that has been designed with advanced security features. Satellite will extend support to tactical communication needs of the troops deployed on the ground as well remotely piloted air defence weapons, aircraft, & other mission.

THE GOVERNMENT SCHEMES AND INITIATIVES IN NEWS

5. THE PARVAZ MARKET LINKAGE SCHEME

THE CONTEXT: Government of Jammu & Kashmir launched the “PARVAZ Market Linkage Scheme” recently. This is an innovative Market Linkage scheme, having tremendous potential to uplift the economic conditions of farmers across Jammu and Kashmir.
THE EXPLANATION:
About PARVAZ Market Linkage Scheme:
• The PARVAZ scheme was launched with the aim of creating market linkage support for shipment of Agriculture & Horticulture perishables from Jammu and Kashmir.
• Under the scheme, government will provide a subsidy of 25% on freight charges, in a bid to carry perishable fruits through Air Cargo. Subsidy will be provided to farmers through Direct Benefit Transfer mode.
• Scheme is being implemented by Jammu & Kashmir Horticultural Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation (JKHPMC).
• JKHPMC is spreading awareness among farmers regarding the significance of PARVAZ scheme so that they could benefit from it.
Significance of the Scheme:
Government has made the documentation work related to scheme simple and easy. Farmers will get the subsidy on time, under the scheme. This scheme seeks to benefit the farmers in doubling their income. Thus, it will ensure economic and social welfare of the farmers. They will receive the price of their produce directly in bank account and no intermediary will get involved.

THE PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

6. AUGUST 7: NATIONAL HANDLOOM DAY

THE CONTEXT: National Handloom Day is celebrated in India on August 7, every year. The day highlights the contribution of handloom industry in socio-economic development of India. It also raises awareness among people regarding the handloom industry. Ministry of Textile is the nodal agency of the celebration.
THE EXPLANATION:
About Indian handloom Industry:
• Handloom Industry is the largest industry in India.
• Products manufactured by weaving community of this sector are popular worldwide.
• It is a significant employment source across rural areas of India.
• This sector is an important player in women empowerment. 70% of all weavers and allied workers are women.
• Indian handloom sector exports its products to more than 20 countries worldwide, like the UK, the USA, France, Germany, and South Africa.
HISTORY OF THE DAY
• India’s handloom industry played a significant role in Swadeshi Movement, which was launched on August 7, 1905.
• Swadeshi movement was aimed at curbing dependency on foreign goods and boosting domestic production.
• As a part of the movement, production of khadi started in almost every household.
• When India got independence, Indian flag made of Khadi was unfurled near India Gate.
• Thus, the National Handloom Day is celebrated on August 7, the same day when Swadeshi Movement was started.
• First National Handloom Day was celebrated on August 7, 2015; in Chennai.
• National Handloom Day is observed in the honour handloom weaving community. The day highlights the contribution weaving community across several sectors of India, including rural employment. The day also seeks to protect the rich handloom heritage of India as well as to empower handloom community by providing better opportunities.

THE NEWS IN NUMBERS

7. INFRA ASSETS MONETISED

1.62 In ₹ lakh crore, the worth of infrastructure assets expected to be monetised during FY22-23. The government had last year announced a ₹6 lakh crore National Monetisation Pipeline to unlock value in infrastructure assets across sectors till 2025. Minister of State for Finance said about ₹97,000 crore worth of public assets were monetised in the last fiscal. The proposed transactions include highway TOT bundles and InvIT future rounds, redevelopment of sports stadia etc.

8. SCHEME FOR BEEDI WORKERS

49.82 In lakh, the number of ‘beedi’ workers and their families in India, for whom the Centre is running a labour welfare scheme, according to Union Labour and Employment Minister . He said the scheme envisages health care facilities, scholarships and housing for the workers. He added that under the scheme, health care facility is provided to ‘beedi’ workers and their families within a network of 285 dispensaries and 10 hospitals across the country.

9. INSOLVENCY CASES

1,999 The number of cases of corporate insolvency resolution processes (CIRP) going on under the insolvency law as of June this year out of which only 436 are in the real estate sector. These resolutions are done under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code which provides for resolutions through a market-driven process. The Minister of State for Corporate Affairs said that the time taken for CIRP depended on factors such as market sentiments, marketing efforts and so on.

GRAPHICALLY SPEAKING: CONSUMER CONFIDENCE SURVEY 2022

1. Like a candle, burn to show light to others READ MORE
2. Is religious freedom waning? READ MORE
3. SHARING HAPPINESS GIVES GREATEST JOYS READ MORE

1. Launch a national tribal health mission READ MORE
2. A law, without a flaw: The SC has put unmarried women on an equal footing in availing abortion services READ MORE
3. Crimes against children: Abuse, exploitation of kids is detestable READ MORE
4. Is religious freedom waning? READ MORE

1. Third heatwave of this summer hits Europe, may be prolonged but less intense than July READ MORE
2. Climate Change May Increase Mortality Rate by 6 Times Due to Excess Heat: Lancet Study READ MORE

1. PMLA verdict — due process will be bulldozed: The problem of the process being the punishment, which is present in the criminal justice system, can be aggravated READ MORE
2. Talk for India: PM, CMs must meet regularly. It will help solve issues like resource sharing. Politics shouldn’t be a bar READ MORE
3. Ease of justice wanted for undertrials READ MORE
4. Building blocks: Cooperative federalism needs institutional structures READ MORE
5. Punished without trial: How India’s political prisoners are being denied basic rights in jail READ MORE
6. Revisiting Shreya Singhal versus Union of India: A not so bright spot in the free speech jurisprudence of India READ MORE
7. Cyber security versus right to privacy: Some global concerns READ MORE

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. Lok Sabha passes Bill to establish carbon markets READ MORE
2. Idol Wing CID police trace Parvati idol of Chola temple in Bonhams auction house in New York READ MORE
3. Nepal approves India’s hydropower board to study, develop West Seti project READ MORE
4. Russia suspends START arms inspections over U.S. travel curbs READ MORE
5. Monsoon Session adjourned 4 days ahead of schedule READ MORE
6. Hyper-local weather advisories help Bengal farmers cut costs READ MORE
7. Bharat Bill Payment System to help NRIs pay bills in India READ MORE

Main Exam

1. Launch a national tribal health mission READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. PMLA verdict — due process will be bulldozed: The problem of the process being the punishment, which is present in the criminal justice system, can be aggravated READ MORE
2. Talk for India: PM, CMs must meet regularly. It will help solve issues like resource sharing. Politics shouldn’t be a bar READ MORE
3. Ease of justice wanted for undertrials READ MORE
4. Building blocks: Cooperative federalism needs institutional structures READ MORE
5. Punished without trial: How India’s political prisoners are being denied basic rights in jail READ MORE
6. Revisiting Shreya Singhal versus Union of India: A not so bright spot in the free speech jurisprudence of India READ MORE
7. Cyber security versus right to privacy: Some global concerns READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. A law, without a flaw: The SC has put unmarried women on an equal footing in availing abortion services READ MORE
2. Crimes against children: Abuse, exploitation of kids is detestable READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. China-US Tensions a Moment of Reckoning for the Indo-Pacific Order READ MORE
2. India’s Latest Concerns With the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Macrovariable projections in uncertain times: International factors and faulty data will impact India’s projections of GDP, inflation and balance of payments READ MORE
2. The fight for fiscal autonomy: The erosion of fiscal autonomy does not bode well for our federal structure and will thwart the growth of developed States READ MORE
3. Rising US-China tensions can boost Indian manufacturing READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Third heatwave of this summer hits Europe, may be prolonged but less intense than July READ MORE
2. Climate Change May Increase Mortality Rate by 6 Times Due to Excess Heat: Lancet Study READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Like a candle, burn to show light to others READ MORE
2. Is religious freedom waning? READ MORE
3. SHARING HAPPINESS GIVES GREATEST JOYS READ MORE

IMPORTANT ARTICLES FOR ESSAY

1. Sable and a new era for Indian athletics READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. ‘Justice is the law’s ultimate purpose, but it is sometimes an insufficient instrument for pursuing justice’. In the light of the statement discuss the need for a reformed bail law for India.
2. ‘India should not lose strategic focus as it finds its feet in the global order’. In the light of the statement examine why India pursue its neighbourhood policy in the first place in its strategic relations.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• When the storytelling goes bad in a society, the result is decadence.
• Transparency at the cost of anonymity seems to be a common underlying theme among India, the European Union, and the United States.
• A robust legal framework for data privacy protection against infringement by both State and non-State actors is the need of the hour.
• Lurking behind the Supreme Court’s endorsement of liberal free speech values while striking down Section 66A of the IT Act, is a continuation of the colonial structures of speech regulation that enables a democratically-constituted government to resist attacks on its legitimacy.
• The onus of holding the State accountable to standards of “reasonability” will invariably fall to the judiciary, either by suo motu action or at the instance of civil society organizations.
• If closer Centre-state collaboration remains elusive, part of the problem lies in the lack of an effective mechanism.
• If the Union government is seeking a basis for constructive and sustainable dialogue in the interests of genuine cooperation, an alternative structure is needed.
• While the US and China spar, India should seize the opportunities in the global supply chain shifts.
• If the US and China want to avoid a trade war, they must cut taxes as the economic growth of each country depends on trade, which is the backbone of every country.
• India’s image as a tolerant society is under duress due to untoward incidents happening rather frequently.
• If the Supreme Court was feted for taking a liberal view of the law, its act of pushing the envelope further to set right existing anomalies in law is to be celebrated in full measure.
• The erosion of fiscal autonomy does not bode well for our federal structure and will thwart the growth of developed States.
• International factors and faulty data will impact India’s projections of GDP, inflation and balance of payments.

50 WORD TALK

• Instead of outraging over FIFA’s letter to Indian football federation, the troubling thing is this is another example of courts losing their way into politics of sports, unmindful of consequences, and leaving things worse. Across the world, sports is governed by autonomous institutions, supervised by pan-national, global bodies. That’s sacrosanct.

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 306]

THE CONTEXT: In three recent decisions, the Supreme Court has passed substantive directions which can result in aid and the last mile delivery of welfare measures to the oppressed and beleaguered sections of our society. Though PIL is a very powerful tool in the hands of the people for securing their collective rights it is also not free of criticism at the same time. This article analyses the issue and necessity of PILs in India at present times in detail.

WHAT IS PUBLIC INTEREST LITIGATION (PIL)?

Public Interest Litigation means a legal action initiated in a court of law for the enforcement of public interest or general interest in which the public or a class of the community have pecuniary interest or some interest by which their legal rights or liabilities are affected. Therefore, PIL is a proceeding in which an individual or group seeks relief in the interest of the general public and not for its own purposes. PIL is a strategic arm of the legal aid movement and is intended to bring justice within the reach of the poor masses. It is a device to provide justice to those who individually are not in a position to have access to the courts.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF PIL

• The term “PIL” originated in the United States in the mid-1960s. In the nineteenth century, various
• movements in that country contributed to public interest law, which is a part of the legal aid movement. The first legal aid office was established in New York in 1876.
• In the 1960s the PIL movement began to receive financial support from the office of economic opportunity. This encouraged lawyers and public-spirited persons to take up cases of the underprivileged and fight against various issues like–dangers to the environment, harms to public health, exploitation of vulnerable masses, exploitation of consumers and injustice to the weaker sections.
• In England, PIL made a mark during the years of Lord Denning in the 1970s. He as a petitioner brought several public issues to the court.

PIL IN INDIA

• The expression ‘Public Interest Litigation’ has been borrowed from American jurisprudence, where it was designed to provide legal representation to previously unrepresented groups like the poor, the racial minorities, unorganised consumers, and citizens who were passionate about environmental issues, etc.
• Public interest litigation is not defined in any statute or in any act. It has been interpreted by judges to consider the intent of the public at large.
• Public interest Litigation (PIL) means litigation filed in a court of law, for the protection of “Public Interest”, such as Pollution, Terrorism, Road safety, Constructional hazards etc. Any matter where the interest of the public at large is affected can be redressed by filing a Public Interest Litigation in a court of law.
• Public interest litigation is the power given to the public by courts through judicial activism. However, the person filing the petition must prove to the satisfaction of the court that the petition is being filed for public interest and not just as frivolous litigation by a busy body.
• The court can itself take cognizance of the matter and proceed suo motu or cases can commence on the petition of any public-spirited individual.

LANDMARK PIL CASES IN INDIA

GENESIS OF THE CONCEPT

• The seeds of the concept of public interest litigation were initially sown in India by Justice Krishna Iyer, in 1976 in Mumbai Kamgar Sabha vs. Abdul Thai.
• The first reported case of PIL was Hussainara Khatoon vs. the State of Bihar (1979) which focused on the inhuman conditions of prisons and under-trial prisoners that led to the release of more than 40,000 under-trial prisoners. The right to speedy justice emerged as a basic fundamental right which had been denied to these prisoners. The same set pattern was adopted in subsequent cases.

S.P. GUPTA VS. UNION OF INDIA – 1982

• A new era of the PIL movement was heralded by Justice P.N. Bhagawati in the case of S.P. Gupta vs. Union of India. In this case, it was held that “any member of the public or social action group acting bonafide” can invoke the Writ Jurisdiction of the High Courts (under article 226) or the Supreme Court (under Article 32) seeking redressal against violation of legal or constitutional rights of persons who due to social or economic or any other disability cannot approach the Court.
• By this judgment, PIL became a potent weapon for the enforcement of “public duties” where executive action or misdeed resulted in public injury. And as a result, any citizen of India or any consumer group or social action group can now approach the apex court of the country seeking legal remedies in all cases where the interests of the general public or a section of the public are at stake.
• Justice Bhagwati did a lot to ensure that the concept of PILs was clearly enunciated. He did not insist on the observance of procedural technicalities and even treated ordinary letters from public-minded individuals as writ petitions.

M.C MEHTA VS. UNION OF INDIA – 1988

• A Public Interest Litigation was brought against Ganga water pollution so as to prevent any further pollution of Ganga water. Supreme Court held that petitioner although not a riparian owner is entitled to move the court for the enforcement of statutory provisions, as he is the person interested in protecting the lives of the people who make use of Ganga water.

INDIAN BANKS’ ASSOCIATION – 2004

• The Supreme Court in Indian Banks’ Association, Bombay & Ors. vs. M/s Devkala Consultancy Service and Ors held:- “In an appropriate case, where the petitioner might have moved a court in her private interest and for redressal of the personal grievance, the court in furtherance of Public Interest may treat it a necessity to enquire into the state of affairs of the subject of litigation in the interest of justice.”
• Thus, a private interest case can also be enlarged and seen in a broader aspect and be treated as a public interest case.

VISHAKA V. STATE OF RAJASTHAN – 1997

• The judgement of the case recognized sexual harassment as a violation of the fundamental constitutional rights of Article 14, Article 15 and Article 21. The guidelines subsequently led to the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.

ACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GROWTH OF PILs IN INDIA

THE CHARACTER OF THE INDIAN CONSTITUTION

• India has a written constitution which through Part III (Fundamental Rights) and Part IV (Directive Principles of State Policy) provides a framework for regulating relations between the state and its citizens and between citizens inter-se.

JUDICIAL ACTIVISM

• Although social and economic rights given in the Indian Constitution under Part IV are not legally enforceable, courts have creatively read these into fundamental rights thereby making them judicially enforceable. For instance, the “right to life” in Article 21 has been expanded to include the right to free legal aid, right to live with dignity, right to education, right to work, freedom from torture, bar fetters and handcuffing in prisons, etc.
• In PIL cases where the petitioner is not in a position to provide all the necessary evidence, either because it is voluminous or because the parties are weak socially or economically, courts have appointed commissions to collect information on facts and present it before the bench.

JUDICIAL INNOVATIONS

• Judicial innovations to help the poor and marginalised: For instance, in the Bandhua Mukti Morcha, the Supreme Court put the burden of proof on the respondent stating it would treat every case of forced labour as a case of bonded labour unless proven otherwise by the employer.
• Similarly in the Asiad Workers judgment case, Justice P.N. Bhagwati held that anyone getting less than the minimum wage can approach the Supreme Court directly without going through the labour commissioner and lower courts.

LIBERAL INTERPRETATION OF LOCUS STANDI

• The liberal interpretation of locus-standi where any person can apply to the court on behalf of those who are economically or physically unable to come before it has helped. Judges themselves have in some cases initiated suo moto action based on newspaper articles or letters received.

PROGRESSIVE SOCIAL LEGISLATIONS

• India has some of the most progressive social legislation to be found anywhere in the world whether it be relating to bonded labour, minimum wages, land ceiling, environmental protection, etc. This has made it easier for the courts to haul up the executive when it is not performing its duties in ensuring the rights of the poor as per the law of the land.

SIGNIFICANCE OF PILs

• The aim of PIL is to give the common people access to the courts to obtain legal redress. It is an important instrument of social change for maintaining the Rule of law and accelerating the balance between law and justice.
• The original purpose of PILs has been to make justice accessible to the poor and the marginalised, an important tool to make human rights reach those who have been denied.
• It democratises the access of justice to all. Any citizen or organisation who is capable can file petitions on behalf of those who cannot or do not have the means to do so.
• It helps in judicial monitoring of state institutions like prisons, asylums, protective homes, etc. And serves as one a tool for implementing the concept of judicial review.
• Enhanced public participation in judicial review of administrative action is also assured by PILs.

CERTAIN WEAKNESSES OF PILs

COMPETING RIGHTS 

• PIL actions may sometimes give rise to the problem of competing rights. For instance, when a court orders the closure of polluting industry, the interests of the workmen and their families who are deprived of their livelihood may not be taken into account by the court.

FRIVOLOUS PILS

• As the PILs have gained popularity many people started using PIL as a tool for harassment as frivolous cases are filed without heavy court fees as compared to private litigations. It could lead to overburdening of courts also. PILs today have also been appropriated for corporate, political and personal gains. Today the PIL is no more limited to problems of the poor and the oppressed.
• Examples:

Ø  PIL to postpone the exam after Kumbh Mela – dismissed by Uttarakhand HC and fine of Rs 50,000 imposed.

Ø  PIL challenging the developmental works undertaken by the Odisha government at the premises of Puri Jagannath Temple – Dismissed by SC.

Ø  Juhi Chawla PIL against 5G – dismissed by Delhi HC.

OVERBURDENING OF COURTS

• PIL matters concerning the exploited and disadvantaged groups are pending for many years. Inordinate delays in the disposal of PIL cases may render many leading judgments merely of academic value.

JUDICIAL OVERREACH

• Cases of Judicial Overreach by the Judiciary in the process of solving socio-economic or environmental problems can take place through the PILs.

MISUSE

• PIL is being misused by the public agitating for private grievances in the grab of public interest by seeking publicity rather than supporting the public cause.

GUIDELINES TO BE FOLLOWED FOR ENTERTAINING PIL CASES – SUPREME COURT

PETITIONS ALLOWED UNDER PILs

Letter petitions falling under the following categories alone will ordinarily be entertained as Public Interest Litigation:-

1. Bonded Labour matters.
2. Neglected Children.
3. Non-payment of minimum wages to workers and exploitation of casual workers and complaints of violation of Labour Laws (except in individual cases).
4. Petitions from jails complaining of harassment and seeking release after having completed 14 years in jail, death in jail, transfer, release on personal bond, and speedy trial as a fundamental right.
5. Petitions against police for refusing to register a case, harassment by police and death in police custody.
6. Petitions against atrocities on women, in particular harassment of bride, bride burning, rape, murder, kidnapping etc.
7. Petitions complaining of harassment or torture of villagers by co- villagers or by police from persons belonging to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes and economically backward classes.
8. Petitions pertaining to environmental pollution, disturbance of ecological balance, drugs, food adulteration, maintenance of heritage and culture, antiques, forest and wildlife and other matters of public importance.
9. Petitions from riot -victims.
10. Family Pension.

Ø  All letter-petitions received in the PIL Cell will first be screened in the Cell and only such petitions as are covered by the above-mentioned categories will be placed before a Judge to be nominated by Hon’ble the Chief Justice of India for directions after which the case will be listed before the Bench concerned.

PETITIONS NOT ALLOWED UNDER PILs

Cases falling under the following categories will not be entertained as Public Interest Litigation and these may be returned to the petitioners or filed in the PIL Cell, as the case may be:

1. Landlord-Tenant matters.
2. Service matter and those pertaining to Pension and Gratuity.
3. Complaints against Central/ State Government Departments and Local Bodies except those relating to item Nos. (1) to (10) above.
4. Admission to medical and other educational institutions.
5. Petitions for early hearing of cases pending in High Courts and Subordinate Courts.

 THREE CASES WHICH HIGHLIGHT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF PILS IN PRESENT TIMES

BUDHADEV KARMASKAR VERSUS STATE OF WEST BENGAL & ORS. – 2022

The Supreme Court issued a slew of directions in the exercise of its extraordinary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution so as to ensure basic human rights and dignity for sex workers across the country. The directions were necessitated on account of executive inertia (and also resistance) in bringing about much-needed reform for the betterment of the lives of sex workers. Since the Union Government had been dragging its feet on the subject matter pertaining to the inclusion and rehabilitation of sex workers for a considerable period of time, these directions were a long-time coming. Significant directions passed by the court include:

• A reiteration of the law that consensual sex work by adult sex workers is not a criminal offence;
• A legal affirmation of the fact that sex workers are entitled to equal protection of the laws;
• An injunction against the police authorities to cease and desist from meting out brutal and violent treatment on sex workers;
• Issuance of Aadhar Cards to sex workers without any possibility of any revelation of their identity as sex workers.

By passing such directions, the Supreme Court has made significant strides in removing sex workers from the fringes of society.

GAURAV KUMAR BANSAL VERSUS MR. DINESH KUMAR & ORS. – 2021

This case pertains to the implementation of the Mental Health Care Act, 2017, which the court noted was ‘tardy’ at various levels by most states and union territories (‘UTs’).

1. The court noticed that several States were simply re-designating existing establishments as halfway homes to demonstrate compliance under the Act. Accordingly, the bench directed all states and UTs to submit reports regarding the progress made towards establishing halfway homes. The court is now monitoring the progress made by states and UTs in establishing halfway homes across India. The bench in its directions had made it abundantly clear that it expects the process of establishment of such halfway homes is completed in an expeditious manner.
2. Another disturbing practise which drew the ire of the court was that in certain states, persons who were overstaying in mental health care institutions (due to poverty and despondency) were being transferred to beggar homes and custodial institutions. The court took cognizance of this insensitive practice and passed urgent directions to ensure that such practices are proscribed since they fall foul with the provisions of the Mental Health Care Act.

Under the Mental Health Care Act, 2017, “mental health care” is a broad and all-encompassing concept which includes not just ‘diagnosis’ and ‘treatment’, but also ‘care’ and ‘rehabilitation’ of persons suffering from mental illness. The Act gives every such person the right to access “mental healthcare” and treatment from mental health services run or funded by the State. Such services include accommodation in community-based establishments called “Half-way Homes”. These halfway homes are supposed to facilitate the process of rehabilitation of persons who have undergone mental healthcare treatment.

RAJNEESH KUMAR PANDEY & ORS. VERSUS UNION OF INDIA & ORS. -2021

The Supreme Court passed a detailed judgment in October 2021 containing several directions (which are applicable pan-India) for imparting inclusive and quality education to children with special needs (‘CwSN’).

• The court declared in no uncertain terms that CwSN are entitled to have access to free, inclusive, and quality education under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009.
• The bench further observed that for meaningful and effective imparting of education and training to CwSN, different norms and standards ought to be followed; for that purpose, the concerned schools are obliged to create posts of rehabilitation professionals/special education teachers commensurate to the number of CwSN students in the given school.

Ø  The bench noted that no norms and standards had been prescribed by the union government for the appointment of rehabilitation professionals or special teachers for schools admitting CwSN. Accordingly, the bench directed the Union Government to notify the norms and standards of pupil-teacher ratio, and also separate norms for special teachers who alone can impart education and training to CwSN in the general schools. Once these norms were specified, state governments and schools were required to create commensurate permanent posts, and thereafter make appointments for rehabilitation professionals/special teachers who can cater to the needs of CwSN.

• Till such norms were specified by the Union Government, the court prescribed different pupil-teacher ratios for children with different disabilities to be adopted across India. For instance, for children with cerebral palsy, a pupil-teacher ratio of 8:1 was prescribed by the court, and for children with intellectual disability, Autistic Spectrum Disorder and specific learning disabilities, a pupil-teacher ratio of 5:1 was prescribed.

PILs ARE NECESSARY FOR SECURING A WELFARE STATE – AN ANALYSIS

PIL as a tool is also working as an important instrument of social change, for the welfare of every section of society. The innovation of this legitimate instrument proved beneficial for developing country like India and is often used as a strategy to combat the atrocities prevailing in society. Public Interest Litigation has produced astonishing results which were unthinkable three decades ago – degraded bonded labourers, tortured under trials and women prisoners, humiliated inmates of protective women’s homes, blinded prisoners, exploited children, beggars, and many others have been given relief through judicial intervention. The greatest contribution of PIL has been to enhance the accountability of the governments towards the human rights of the poor. The PIL develops a new jurisprudence of the accountability of the state for constitutional and legal violations adversely affecting the interests of the weaker elements in the community. The very purpose behind the judicial innovation of public interest litigation – which is the constitutional promise of a social and economic transformation to usher in an egalitarian social order and a welfare state shall not be defeated and for that, the Judiciary should be cautious enough in the application of PILs to avoid Judicial Overreach that are violative of the principle of Separation of Power. Besides, the frivolous PILs with vested interests must be discouraged to keep its workload manageable.

THE WAY FORWARD:

• It is time for the judiciary to do a reality check on the advent of PIL petitions which flooded the courts. The court must be careful to see that the petitioner who approaches it is acting bona fide and not for personal gain, private profit or political or other oblique considerations.
• Civil Society Organisations can play a proactive role in making people aware of their rights and even file PILs on their behalf on a matter of significant cause, also condemning misuse of PILs in the light of larger national good.
• Former Attorney General Soli Sorabjee has also advocated for 3 basic rules for regulating abuse of PIL:

• Reject dubious PIL at the threshold and in appropriate cases with exemplary costs.
• In cases where the important project or socio-economic regulations are challenged after gross delay, such petitions should be thrown out the very threshold on the ground of latches. Just because a petition is termed as PIL does not mean that ordinary principles applicable to litigation will not apply.
• PIL petitioners should be in strict terms such as providing indemnity or giving an adequate undertaking to the court to make good the damage if PIL is ultimately dismissed.

THE CONCLUSION: Public interest can be defended with such judicial interventions to prevent the violation of rights of sizeable segments of society who, due to poverty, ignorance, social status and economic disadvantage, cannot themselves assert those rights. Quite often, they are not even aware of those rights. Without PILs, corruption, nepotism and bias in executive actions will remain unchallenged. Courts must maintain a constant vigil over the executive and the legislature. Otherwise, all rights secured to citizens under our constitution will become worthless. The rule of law is the accepted norm for all civilised societies and the courts in India have a duty to enforce that rule of law. The Supreme Court must ignore those with frivolous motives and who represent the interest of the few and not the larger public interest. As a constitutional court, it must continue to serve the nation and its citizens.

Mains Practice Question:

1. What is public interest litigation? How do they help in securing the welfare nature of the state?
2. PILs are an effective way to seek justice for the people at large. Discuss how the recent judgements by the Supreme Court in PIL cases have restored the rights of a sizeable section of society.
3. Discuss the evolution of public interest litigation in India.