INDIAN POLITY

1. SECTION 153A OF THE INDIAN PENAL CODE (IPC)

TAGS: PRELIMS  PERSPECTIVE- GS-II- POLITY

THE CONTEXT: Recently,  a  Congress leader was booked under IPC sections including 153A, 505, and 295A.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Section 153A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC):

• Origin: In the pre-Independence Rangila Rasool case, the Punjab High Court had acquitted the Hindu publisher of a tract that had made disparaging remarks about the private life of the Prophet, and had been charged under Section 153A.
• Section 153A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) penalizes “promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony”.
• This is punishable with imprisonment up to three years, with a fine, or with both.
• The provision was enacted in 1898 and was not in the original penal code.
• Section 505, penalizes “statements conducing to public mischief” .
• The data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) show that the rate of conviction for Section 153A is very low.
• In 2020, the cases registered were  six times higher than the cases in 2014.
• However, the conviction rate in 2020 was 20.2%, suggesting that the process often becomes the punishment.

Safeguards against misuse of Section 153 A:

• Sections 153A and 153B require prior sanction from the government for initiating prosecution.
• This is required before the trial begins, and not at the stage of preliminary investigation.
• To curb indiscriminate arrests, the Supreme Court laid down a set of guidelines in its 2014 ruling in Arnesh Kumar v State of Bihar.
• According to this, for offenses that carry a sentence of fewer than seven years, the police cannot automatically arrest an accused before investigation.
• In a 2021 ruling, the SC said that the state will have to prove intent for securing a conviction under Section 153A.

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

2. OLIVE RIDLEY TURTLES , RUSHIKULYA RIVER

TAGS: PRELIMS- GS-III-ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: Recently, experts reported that suitable climatic and beach conditions are the reasons for the early mass nesting of Olive Ridley turtles.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Olive Ridley turtles:

• The Olive ridley turtles are the smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world.
• They are found to be inhabiting the warm waters of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans.
• They are carnivores and feed mainly on jellyfish, shrimp, snails, crabs, molluscs, and a variety of fish and their eggs.
• The males and females grow to the same size.
• These turtles, along with their cousin the Kemps ridley turtle, are best known for their unique mass nesting called Arribada, where thousands of females come together on the same beach to lay eggs.
• The coast of Orissa in India is the largest mass nesting site for the Olive-ridley, followed by the coasts of Mexico and Costa Rica.
• The species is recognized as Vulnerable by the IUCN Red list.
• They lie in Scheduled 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972
• They are in Appendix I of the CITES.

About Rushikulya river :

• It is one of the major rivers in Odisha and covers the entire catchment area in the districts of Kandhamal and Ganjam.
• The Rushikulya originates at an elevation of about 1000 meters from the Daringbadi hills of the Eastern Ghats.
• The tributaries of the Rushikulya River are Dhanei, Badanadi, and Baghua.
• It does not have any delta in its mouth region.
• This river is extremely rich in mineral wealth and some of the prime ones include-Lime stone, sand talc, grinding materials, black sand, and clay.
• This is one of the remote areas for mass nesting and is regarded as a site of Ridley Olive sea turtles.

3. BISPHENOL A

TAGS: TAGS: PRELIMS- GS-III-ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: Recent studies have reported that ‘Bisphenol A’, may shorten the life cycle  of a mosquito and lead to a population explosion.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Bisphenol A:

• Bisphenol A is a synthetically obtained colourless, crystalline organic compound that occurs in the solid phase belonging to the diphenylmethane group.
• It is soluble in organic solvents but poorly dissolves in water
• It is also used as eyewear glasses. It is a chemical is widely used to soften plastics, paints, and other products.
• It is known to impair reproduction and development in aquatic organisms.
• Its exposure is delayed larval development and pupation time in common fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster).

Uses of Bisphenol A :

• BPA polycarbonate plastics are very sturdy in nature and are used to make large variants of microwave-proof utensils.
• It is used as a material for safety glasses, bulletproof windows and helmets.
• Bisphenol A acts as a component in epoxy resins that are very good coating agents and therefore is used for the protective coating of pipelines and to cover the inner surface of food cans.
• It is used in many medical devices such as heart-lung machines, incubators, artificial kidneys, dental fillers, and sealants.
• It is also used as eyewear glasses , due to their optical clarity.

Environmental impacts of Bisphenol A:

• BPA can enter the environment directly through the leaching of chemicals or degradation of materials containing bisphenol A and may render the land unfertile and barren making it unsuitable for agriculture.
• It  affects the growth and reproduction of marine life.
• It causes endocrine effects in fish, amphibians, and reptiles.

Adverse effects of Bisphenol A on human health:

• When ingested, the chemical disrupts the endocrine system by interfering with the hormones and affecting the brain and       prostate gland of foetuses, infants, and children.
• It can cause high blood pressure, diabetes and cardiovascular disease in adults.
• BPA is a xenoestrogen and mimics estrogen present in the body, thus exhibiting hormone-like properties.
• It can indirectly aid in the spread of vector-borne diseases in humans and animals.

PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

4. CAVEAT

TAGS: PRELIMS  PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the CJI reprimanded a student for filing a caveat in a petition seeking menstrual leave.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Caveat

• A caveat refers to a “formal notice requesting the court to refrain from taking some specified action without giving prior notice to the person lodging the caveat.”
• The person lodging the caveat is called a “caveator”.
• The term “caveat” is not expressly defined anywhere except in the Calcutta High Court’s 1978 ruling in the “Nirmal Chandra Dutta vs Girindra Narayan Roy” case.
• It is a precautionary measure taken against the grant of probate or letters of administration, as the case may be, by the person lodging the caveat.
• Section 148A of the Civil Procedure Code (CPC) , elaborating upon a caveat was inserted by the Amendment Act of 1976, after the Law Commission’s recommendation.
• Any person can lodge a caveat in a Court.
• The caveator or the person lodging is also required to serve a notice of the caveat by “registered post” to the person on whose plea they are lodging the application
• It was recently used in the  “Shailendra Mani Tripathi v. Union of India & Others”, a petition seeking menstrual leave for female students and working women across Indian institutions.

5. BORTHEKERA

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT: In recent studies, the medicinal plant commonly called Borthekera in Assamese was found to have cardioprotective potential.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Garcinia pedunculata, commonly called ‘Borthekera’ is  a medicinal plant found in  Assam.
• The tree is endemic to the south-eastern regions of Asia such as parts of Myanmar and north-eastern parts of India.
• It is traditionally forbidden for raw consumption.
• It has been found to protect from heart diseases.

Uses of Borthekera :

• The administration of the dried pulp of its ripe fruit reduces cardiac hypertrophy indicators, oxidative stress, and heart inflammation.
• The sun-dried slices of the ripe fruit are used for culinary and medicinal purposes and are known to have therapeutic properties like anti-inflammatory, anthelmintic, antibacterial, antifungal, antidiabetic, hypolipidemic, nephroprotective, and even neuroprotective activity.
• Borthekera is a rich source of antioxidants.
• In Assam, such slices are used for preparing delicacies like “tengadiyamasor jol” meaning Assamese sour fish curry.

[WpProQuiz 433]

THE CONTEXT: Underlining the problems faced by domestic migrants who are facing difficulties in exercising their right to vote, the Election commission of India has developed a prototype for the Remote Voting Machine(RVM), which aims to facilitate voting for domestic migrants across India and invited political parties for demonstration of the machines. This article will analyze RVM, its benefits, issues and migrant issues and nature of political engagement on this issue.

WHAT IS RVM?

EC has come up with a prototype Remote Voting Machine (RVM), which is a modified version of the existing Electronic Voting Machine (EVM). It was developed with the assistance of Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and the Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL).Like Regular EVMs, RVMs are also standalone, non-networked voting machines, they do not have any network interface and can’t be connected to any network, which makes any remote manipulation of EVMs impossible. It would allow domestic migrants to electronically cast a vote for elections in their home state from the state that they currently reside in.

It will consist of the following parts, which are proposed to work together to allow a voter to cast their vote remotely:

• Remote Control Unit (RCU): It is similar to the existing Control Unit, except that the RCU can store the Constituency-wise result of a total number of votes for each candidate.
• Remote Ballot Unit (RBU): It is the voting unit but includes an electronic dynamic display instead of a fixed ballot paper sheet. The RBU dynamically displays the list of candidates for the selected constituency.
• Public Display: Apart from the digital ballot paper, the system will also include a public display, and an external display to show the list of the candidates for the selection constituency.
• RVVPAT: It is a modified version of VVPAT with the ability to store and print names of constituencies and the image of candidates.
• Remote Symbol Loading unit (RSLU): It is to capture details of the candidates, like names and symbols from various constituencies, from the computer system of the home returning officer.
• Constituency Card Reader (CCR): It will be used in the system to select the desired constituency. It is a barcode reader which reads the constituency number of a voter coming to the remote polling booth.
• Public display control unit (PDCU): It is the interface between CCR, Public display and RBU. After getting the constituency number read by the CCR, it displays the list of candidates for that constituency both on the RBU and the public display.

EXTENT OF MIGRANT WORKERS

• As per census 2011, there are more than 450 million migrants amounting to 37% of the population. Given the normal growth in the demographic patterns in India, this number has already increased to more than 580 million now.
• Apart from that, according to NSSO and micro studies, the number of short-term/seasonal migrants is almost 200 to 250 million.
• Because of severe political marginalization of migrants due to bureaucratic obstacles has led to the phenomenon of ‘de-facto disenfranchisement’ of migrants and a huge ‘citizenship deficit’ as Dalits, Adivasis, and extremely backward castes form the bulk of the poorer and working sections of migrants in India.
• The analysis of available data in the public domain points to work, marriage, and education-related migration as important components of domestic migration. These migrants are the most exploited and most disenfranchised citizens.

OPTIONS AND ITS BENEFITS

Election Commission has explored several alternative voting methods like two-way physical transit postal ballots, proxy voting, early voting at special early voting centres, one-way or two-way electronic transmission of postal ballots (ETPBS), internet-based voting system etc before landing on the remote EVM mode. ECI has also explored the option of using a modified version of the time-tested model of M3 (Mark 3) EVMs to enable voting at remote polling stations outside home constituencies, for domestic migrants.

Benefits of RVMs:

• Robust system:RVM has been developed as a robust and full proof system which has a very low tendency to fail.
• Increase voter participation:Studies have shown that large metro cities have lower turnout due to ‘missing migrant voters’, and Remote Voting may become a game changer for raising the voter turnout, specially women voter turnout in elections.
• Strengthening electoral democracy:Remote voting solutions may facilitate the participation in elections by specific groups of citizens, including expats, military voters, voters resident in health and care institutions, and prisoners.
• Corruption less: Standalone and not connected to the internet so it can’t be tampered which ensures least corruption as compared to ballot papers and use of VVPAT ensures transparency.
• More accessibility: The introduction of RVM can make voting more accessible to migrant voters which form a large section of the society
• One nation One Voter: Though it is too early to predict but Remote Voting has the potential to turn India into ‘One Nation One Voter’- leap frogging from elite-based democracy to people’s democracy.

PROXY/POSTAL/ONLINE VOTING AND HOW RVM IS BETTER

Proxy Voting: Proxy voting allows a registered elector to delegate his voting rights to a representative he nominates, which was introduced in 2003. Notably, only “classified service voter” serving in the armed forces or paramilitary forces is allowed to avail of these benefits and the proxy, too, must be a registered voter of the same constituency.

Postal Voting: Postal voting involves votes being sent by post. The rights are reserved for people deputed in election duties at places away from his or her constituency, or for armed force personnel, the armed police force of a state serving in another state, ambassadors and high commissioners and their staff. The spouses of the above-mentioned electorate can also enjoy these benefits.

Online Voting: Online voting involves the NRI voter sending an application to the returning officer in person or online. The returning officer will send the ballot electronically. The voter can then register their mandate on the ballot printout and send it back with an attested declaration. The voter will either send the ballot by ordinary post or drop it at an Indian Embassy where it would be segregated and posted.

The above-mentioned voting methods, however is embedded with various lacunae which RVMs seek to resolve :

• Misuse of Hacker: For example, Online voting has the issue of misuse of hackers and viruses, which may rig the election, RVMs can solve this problem as it is a standalone machine.
• Risk of manipulation: Above voting methods have risks of manipulation as another person is casting a vote and there is no guarantee that the proxy will vote for the candidate preferred by original voters, and RVMs allows original voter to cast their own vote without any biasness.
• Violates secrecy: Above mentioned method also violates the secrecy of voting, which RVMs can solve as the original voter need not reveal about his choices.
• Trust Deficiency: Trust deficiency, as in the above cases, proxy voter may not vote as per the wishes of the original voter, which RVMs tend to solve.
• Purchasing of votes: As above method can lead to corrupt practices of purchasing votes by proxy voter, which can compromise the choice of the original voter, and RVMs disallows such corrupt practices to ensure free and fair election.

WHY RVM WAS CHOSEN

TO ADDRESS CONCERN OVER LOW VOTER TURNOUT

• Though voter turnout has increased over the years since the first few general elections after Independence when it hovered around 50%, but still last three Lok Sabha polls have seen an average of one-third of registered voters sit out the elections.
• EC expressed concern over the stagnation in voter turnout. In 2019, 67.40% of the 91.20 crore registered electors voted, slightly higher than 66.44% in 2014. In 2009, the turnout was 58.21%. Voter turnout in General Elections 2019 was 67.4 %.
• The Election Commission of India is concerned about the issue of over 30 crore electors not exercising their franchise and differential voter turnout in various states/UTs and to address this issue, RVM was chosen.

TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGE OF MIGRATION

• EC concerns over internal voter migration, that is, people moving from the state they were born into another state.
• This intra-state migration, it says, is responsible for low voter turnout in many states.
• Migrant workers, who frequently change residences, are reluctant to get their names enrolled at the places they work, so the existence of remote EVMs can solve this issue permanently.
• So, the concept of RVM is proposed, so that maximum number of migrants can exercise their right to vote.

CHANGES IN RPA 50, 51 AND CONDUCT OF ELECTION RULES

For proper implementation of Remote Voting Machine would entail a host of legal, statutory, administrative, and technological interventions. In this regard, following provisions of The Representation of the People Act, The Conduct of Election Rules will need to be amended to introduce remote voting.

Changes in Representation of People’s Act 1950

• Electoral rolls for parliamentary, Assembly and Council constituencies: There is a need to update electoral rolls at the national level to include migrants.
• Local authorities for the purpose of elections to the state legislative councils: Local authorities which are in duty of election needs to train and upgrade, and for this, there is a need to change in provision.
• No person to be registered in more than one constituency: Here, this provision needs to be changed as a person voting in one residency is not registered over there.
• Meaning of “ordinarily resident”: As the meaning of ordinary resident will change in the context of national and regional levels, it needs to be updated.
• Place of residence: There is a need to update the definition of place of residence and extend its definition.

Changes in Representation of People’s Act 1951

• Administrative machinery for the conduct of elections: There is a need to change in administrative machinery for the conduct of elections.
• Conduct of elections: There will be a change in the manner of conduct of elections as voters will be far away from the site of the actual election.
• Disputes regarding elections: Disputes after the implementation of RVMs can be at the central level, which needs new methods to tackle.
• Manner of voting at elections: The manner by which people vote is going to change drastically, and there is a need of new provisions regarding this.
• Voting machines at elections: New machinery of voting machines are being installed, which will be different from regular EVMs, and for its installation, there is a need to update the provision.

Changes in Conduct of Election Rules

• Identification of electors: Identification of electors will be done at central level rather than just the state level.
• Maintenance of secrecy of voting by electors within polling stations and voting procedure: Secrecy can be at stake due to RVMs, which needs to be taken care of by including new provisions.
• Design of Electronic Voting Machines: There is a need for a new provision to change the design of the electronic voting machine.
• Procedure for voting-by-voting machines: There is a need to upgrade the procedure of voting by new voting machines.
• Preparation of voting machine by the returning Officer: Returning officer need to be upgraded with new powers for the preparation of voting machines by including new provisions.
• Arrangements at the polling station: There is a need to make new arrangements at the polling station in accordance with the new setup of RVMs.

HOW RVMs WILL SOLVE THE VOTING ISSUE

As it is known, the inability to vote due to internal migration (domestic migrants) is one of the prominent reasons to be addressed to improve voter turnout and ensure participative elections. RVMs will solve the issue in the following ways:

EFFICIENT FUNCTIONING

The remote voting machine will have an efficient mechanism to address the issue, which is as follows:

• Home Returning Officer will forward the data to the remote RO, and the RO will load all data from the remote constituencies into the Remote Symbol Loading unit
• For remote voting, a remote voter has to pre-register for this facility by applying online or offline during a specified time period. After verification of the details, the voter will be marked as a remote voter in a remote location.
• Special multi-constituency remote voting polling stations will be set up in the places of their current residence. In this way, remote voters can cast their votes.

ABILITY TO HANDLE MULTIPLE CONSTITUENCIES

• To solve the issue, Remote EVM has been developed to handle multiple constituencies at the same time and can handle up to 72 constituencies from a single remote polling booth as compared to EVMs, which are used for voting in a single constituency.
• RVMs do not have paper ballots affixed to it, and instead there will be a digital display of the names and symbols of the candidates, which will change based on the constituency chosen.

REACTION OF POLITICAL PARTIES

The Election commission has asked political parties to suggest issues on how the Model Code of Conduct should be implemented in the remote constituencies, how domestic migrants should be identified and how a secure environment can be provided.

However, various political parties have reacted differently on the issues as follows:

• Congress made a statement on restoring trust in the electoral system as suspicious voting undermines electoral democracy, and it should be ensured that suspicious voting pattern should not extend to multi-constituency remote voting.
• Another reaction from Trinamool Congress came against the Election Commission proposal to remote voting, saying that it was ad hoc, baseless and without logic and stated that EC itself had admitted there was no migrants’ database available, so the shift to remote voting machine is not feasible.
• However, Bharatiya Janata Party has welcomed the initiative of Remote Voting Machine and stated that it believes in inclusive democracy and voting rights for all and that migrant populations need to have their voting rights protected and his move will deepen democracy.
• In case of regional Parties like Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), CPI(M) and CPI, they have agreed to attend the demonstration by Election Commission.

IMPACT ON THE NATURE OF POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT

Though interstate migrants make up to 40% of the population of cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore and Surat but these are highly disenfranchised segments and make very less political engagement because of following reasons:

• Son of soils concept: ‘Sons of Soil’ challenges the political parties and fears of electoral backlash from constituents continue to deter political parties from extending voting rights to migrants.
• Cumbersome process:Studies point out that the median processing time for new voter registrations is to be 150 days for middle-class Delhi residents and 331 days for the city’s slum residents, this led to less Registration of migrant voters.
• Less voter turnout: As per our TISS study on ‘Inclusive Elections in India” sponsored by Election Commission of India, 60% and 83% of domestic migrants have failed to cast a ballot in at least one national, state, or local election after moving- lowering voter turnout in the destination sites.
• Not emotional connections: Migrants are unwilling to vote at their place of work for various reasons such as not having enough social and emotional connections with the issues of the area of migration, unwillingness to get their names deleted in an electoral roll of their native constituencies as they have permanent residence or property, etc.

IMPACT ON REGIONAL AND NATIONAL PARTIES

Given this historic decision of ECI, it is expected that the electoral salience of interstate migrants is likely to increase in coming decades which will have differential impact on national and regional parties:

• The migrant factor makes a difference to a respondent’s voting choices because migrants are more likely to consider the performance of the national parties than regional parties, even during State elections.
• Regional Political parties will be incentivized to incorporate migrants into formal organizational positions and also encouraged to nominate migrants to run as candidates from migrant-dense constituencies with the coming of RVM.
• National political parties and their regional cohorts are likely to strategically mobilize migrants without jeopardizing their core constituency in the local population with varying degrees of success.
• In a playing field which is far from level, remote voting can theoretically provide an added edge to national parties which are bigger and richer who can campaign across the constituency and beyond to gain more votes.

IDENTITY POLITICS/ WELFARE MEASURES

Since, Migrants form a large group in metro cities, they tend to develop political agenda that are based upon these identities. Political parties in the place also tend to interplay this part and welfare politics comes into the picture.

Few studies were conducted in Delhi to observe the migrant to understand their approach and issues:

• Neelam, a rickshaw puller from Bihar, though, is aware of the on-going election process but is not casting a vote because of financial issues. However, he highlights that few migrants went to vote in their group at local constituency and cost of travelling back and forth and security of jobs taken care by sardar who has close association with political people of village.
• Another migrant named Birju, a daily wage worker, though is well aware of election process refrain from voting as it affects his earning per day and visiting home for voting can cost him financial loss, which he can’t afford.

These examples of reluctance to vote or going to vote by forming groups are often seen in migrant workers.

In this regard, there are some unintended benefits of extending voting rights for migrants in terms of preferences for more ”programmatic welfare politics” and more inter-ethnic tolerance in both the destination and origin places by political parties. Such as example of free distribution of goods and services by political parties and constituency services as political incentives for migrants to vote. Similarly, local and regional parties of their native states often try to lure them with the same as Covid 19 and the example of MGNREGA have also seen a reverse migration.

Workers strive to achieve this in two ways: their political power as voters and their economic power, that is, exchanging cheap labour to support the state’s neoliberal growth project.

Resultantly, migrant labourers negotiate everyday survival to essential services through a network of informal relationships and negotiate a simultaneous relationship between patronage and exploitation. In this way, migrants in the city suffer from double exclusion—legal exclusion due to a lack of non-portability of identity and social exclusion due to their lower social standing, resulting in exploitation, violence, deprivation and indebtedness.

The Election Commission must show greater commitment to maintain citizens’ participation in a democracy, especially given their constraints in voting. It should develop mechanisms so that every citizen can participate in the process of elections, including internal migrants.

CHALLENGES RELATED TO RVMs

• Not uniform class:Migrants are not a uniform and defined class, with fluid identities, locations and situations. In the context of the transience of migration in India, the problem for the EC is to create an inclusive definition of migrants.
• Edge to bigger parties: Remote voting can theoretically provide an added edge to bigger parties and richer candidates who can campaign across the constituency and beyond.
• Technology components: While the EC claims that RVMs are as secure as currently used EVMs, more technological components associated with RVMs can raise more questions on the sanctity of the electoral process.
• Secrecy and Transparency: Enumerating remote voters and implementation of the Model Code of Conduct at remote polling booths in other states is a major concern for ensuring safety and security for maintaining secrecy and transparency in the electoral process.
• Infrastructure:There are issues related to the lack of infrastructure, such as the Facility of polling agents for identification of voters and the process and method of remote voting and counting of votes which needs to be addressed.
• Lack of awareness: It is understood that there are multifarious reasons for a voter not opting to register in a new place of residence and lack of awareness and willingness is prominent among them.
• Low Registration:Very low Registration and turnout rates among urban migrants is one of the major challenges. For instance, in 2014, only 65% of recent migrants to Delhi possessed a voter ID card allowing them to vote in city elections, while the overall average for Delhi residents was 85%.
• Issue related to international implementation of RVMs: For example, Countries such as Estonia and Germany have implemented Remote Voting Machine in their respective elections, however, it has not boosted voter turnout as it is still not easily accessible and reduces incentives for political parties to work for migrants.

THE WAY FORWARD

• Awareness:For better implementation of RVMs, there is a need for creating awareness among remote voters and upgrading digital tools in the voting process to increase accessibility and reach.
• Collaborations and consultation: There is a need for wider consultations with various legal and political stakeholders to receive insights on the concerns of using RVMs for better implementation.
• Strengthen the voting behavior of citizens: However, practice, administration and implementation of the electoral process vary across states but to ensure a participative democracy there is a need to strengthen voting behavior of citizens.
• Learning from international practices: There is current interest among some EU countries and regions to trial internet voting solutions. In this regard, there is need to learn from these countries and how they are tackling the challenges.

THE CONCLUSION: Migration-based disenfranchisement is indeed not an option in the age of technological advancement, and Remote voting Machine is going to be a historic decision in making India a more inclusive, participatory, and vibrant democracy. There is a need for proper implementation of remote voting machines so that migrant voters can as well exercise their franchise.

QUESTIONS:

1. Remote voting Machine is a new step in the direction of inclusive democracy. In this regard, analyze its benefits and challenges to ensure the same.
2. Critically analyze the effect that remote voting machines can have on the political dynamics of the country with reference to its impact on regional and national parties.

INDIAN HERITAGE

1. KHAJURAHO TEMPLES

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT: While Khajuraho is internationally recognized for its rich architectural grandeur of the Western Group of temples that UNESCO recognizes as world heritage, the districts of Chhatarpur and Panna have lesser-known destinations that can serve as model local tourist destinations.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Khajuraho Temple

• The Temples of Khajuraho are a magnificent example of the Nagara style of temples as the temples consist of

• a sanctum,
• a narrow ante-chamber (antarala),
• a transept (mahamandapa),
• additional halls (ardha mandapa),
• a mandapa or nave and
• an ambulatory passage (Pradakshina-path) which is lighted by large windows.

• These are a collection of Hindu and Jain temples located in Madhya Pradesh.
• They are known for its ornate temples, was built by the Chandela rulers between 900 CE to 1130 CE.
• These are located in the Vindhya Mountain range.
• They  got the status of UNESCO’s World Heritage Site in 1986.
• Erotic imagery is very common in the Temples of Khajuraho.
• Sculptures of celestial nymphs with broad hips, heavy breasts and languishing eyes are commonly found in the Kandariya Mahadeva and Vishwanath Temple. These sculptures are believed to reflect the idea of female beauty and fertility.
• Other scenes depicted on the walls of the temples are a part of the Narathara (the human life cycle) signifying how sexual procreation and kama are an essential aspect of human life.
• The major focus of the study of the Temples of Khajuraho have been on the sculptures.

• The walls of these temples have some of the best sculptures of the time, making Khajuraho a representation of excellent artistic features.
• It is believed that the temples constitute five different sets of sculptures:

• cult images
• the parivara, parsva and avarana devatas
• the apsaras and the surasundaris
• secular sculptures of miscellaneous themes (dancers, musicians, disciples and domestic scenes)
• mythical creatures (vyalas, sardula and other animals)
• The first mention of Khajuraho and its temples is in the accounts of Abu Rayhan al Biruni( 1022 CE) and Ibn Battuta (1335 CE).
• The carvings on them reflect the four goals of life in Hinduism, viz, dharma, kama, artha, moksha.
• One theory posits their construction can be understood as a part of the proliferation of the Siva-Sakti cult. The other theory is that the temples are a representation of the devadasis who were once a major part of the temple activities.
• The Temples of Khajuraho are divided into three groups, the Western Group, the Eastern Group and the Southern Group.

The Western Group:

• Chausath Yogini Temple-this temple stands on the low rocky eminence to the south west of the Sib-Sagar
• Kandariya Mahadeva Temple– Largest of all the temples in Khajuraho, it dates back to the 10th century CE.
• Devi Jagdamba Temple -this temple is now known by the name of Devi Jagdamba or the ‘Mother Goddess of the World’.
• Chitragupta or Bharat ji’s Temple -This temple is dedicated to the Sun God (Surya), an image of the Sun God is enshrined within the sanctum, wearing high boots and driving a chariot of seven horses.
• Vishwanath Temple – Vishwanath, or the ‘Lord of the Universe’, is another name for Lord Shiva to whom this temple is dedicated.
• Laxmana Temple -also known as the Chaturbhuj Temple.
• It is popularly known for its innovation in the technique of architecture.

The Eastern Group:

• Brahma Temple -situated on the banks of Khajuraho Sagar.
• Vamana Temple -situated on the north-east side of the Brahma Temple
• Ghantai Temple -this temple got its name from the bells suspended on chains which adorn the pillars of its portico.
• Parshwanath Jain Temple – it is the largest of the Jaina temples. It is believed to be a shrine of Parshwanath, the 22nd Jain Tirthankara.

The Southern Group:

• Duladeo Temple – It is about a mile and a half away from the main Khajuraho Temples and was originally dedicated to the Siva
• Jatkari or Chaturbhuja Temple -situated near the Jatkari village, this temple faces west. It is dedicated to Lord Vishnu.

About Chandela Dynasty:

• The Chandela Empire ruled central India from the tenth to the fourteenth centuries.
• Chandela were well known for their interest in art and architecture.
• Although followers of Shaivism, the Chandela were also said to have been inclined towards Vaishnavism and Jainism as well.

About Panna Biosphere :

• The Panna Biosphere is located in the Panna and Chhatarpur districts of Madhya Pradesh.
• It  is situated in the Vindhya Mountain range in the northern part of Madhya Pradesh
• Ken River, a tributary of the Yamuna River, flows through the reserve.
• The ken-Betwa river interlinking project will be located within the tiger reserve.
• The region is also famous for Panna diamond mining.
• The Panna National Park got the status of  India’s 22nd tiger reserve in 1994.
• In 2011, it was notified as a Biosphere Reserve by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
• Madhya Pradesh has the highest number of tigers in the country followed by Karnataka and Uttarakhand.

HEALTH ISSUES

2. BRAZIL MAD COW DISEASE

TAGS: PRELIMS- GS-II-HEALTH ISSUES

THE CONTEXT: Brazil is the largest beef exporter in the world. And China is one of the largest beef consumers in the world. Brazil recently suspended its beef exports to China due to mad cow disease. The disease is also called Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy.

THE EXPLANATION:

What is Mad Cow Disease?

• It is incurable. The disease occurs due to an infection in a protein called a prion.
• The disease spreads when cows consume the meat of the cattle that are already infected with the disease.
• It is a fat neurodegenerative disease, meaning affects brain cells
• Symptoms of the disease include weight loss, trouble walking, etc.
• It has a long incubation period and therefore very difficult to identify. The incubation period is the time between the infection and the occurrence of the first symptom.
• The outbreak of the disease occurred in the US, China, Egypt, Hong Kong, Chile, UAE, etc.

What will China do now?

• The Chinese may look for alternatives. They will probably turn to Australia, Japan or Korea. The relations between Australia and China were not too good in recent times. Australian government ordered the removal of all the Chinese-made cameras in public offices. Maybe, this is an opportunity for the countries to reconcile. However, China may have to pay the extra price as the situation is in favour of Australia.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

3. CHINA-JAPAN SECURITY DIALOGUE

TAGS: PRELIMS- GS-II-INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

THE CONTEXT:China and Japan held a security dialogue for the first time in four years. It was held in Tokyo. During the meeting, the countries agreed to strengthen their security relations and communication. They will work to gain mutual trust. Also, they agreed to bring upon a framework of maritime and air liaison.

THE EXPLANATION:

Why is China being nice all of a sudden?

• If you notice, China recently held the WMCC meeting with India on withdrawing troops in the borer. China is planning on holding talks with Australia.
• China has been changing its tone of business in recent days, that is, 30-40 days. This is because the economy of the country is becoming more and more fragile. And with the dependent population increasing and the working population decreasing in the country because of its birth control policies, China will face a big setback in its economic growth coming days. These predictions are being repeated by the IMF and World Bank only to remind world business investors about the Chinese state!
• Right now China is facing a lack of promising jobs for the youth in the country, the property market is declining, the growth rate has been the slowest in a decade, consumer confidence has become zero due to cheap low-quality products, etc.

China’s policy change

• China was a pro-business market for quite some time in the past. Meaning, the capitalists were given preference. But lately, the Chinese Communist Party’s (the ruling government) goals are prioritized over business interests. The case of Jack Ma is the best example of the Chinese policy shift.

What is China-Japan issues?

• The dispute between the countries is over the Senkaku islands. The islands is being administered by Japan since 1972. However, the legal status of the islands is still disputed. After the world war, II Japan gave up its claims over several parts of the world. In 1951, Japan gave up Taiwan under the Treaty of San Francisco. The Senkaku islands are near Taiwan. And according to Japan, the islands belong to the country under the US Trusteeship treaty signed in 1971.
• China did not raise any issues when Japan signed the San Francisco agreement. In 1969, oil reserves were found in the Senkaku islands. Since the discovery of oil reserves, China is making the claim on the island.
• Of all this, China has now entered Ukraine war talk backing Russia.

PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

4. THE INDIAN COUNCIL OF HISTORICAL RESEARCH (ICHR)

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT: Recently, after objections, ICHR stopped singing the daily national anthem, and removed the images of Bharat Mata and DeenDayal Upadhyaya.

THE EXPLANATION:

About THE INDIAN COUNCIL OF HISTORICAL RESEARCH (ICHR) :

• The Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) is an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Education, Government of India.
• It was established by the Ministry of Education & Social Welfare, Govt. of India (now, Ministry of Education) in 1972.
• ICHR was registered under the Societies Registration Act (Act xxi of 1860), an Act for the registration of Literary, Scientific and Charitable Societies in India.
• The primary aim and objective of the Indian Council of Historical Research are to promote and give directions to historical research and to encourage and foster objective and scientific writing of history.

Some of the objectives of the Council:

• To foster objective and scientific writing of history such as to inculcate an informed appreciation of the country’s national and cultural heritage;
• To review the progress of historical research from time to time.
• To advise the Government of India on all such matters pertaining to historical research and training in history methodology as may be referred to it from time to time.
• To sponsor historical research programmes.
• To provide technical assistance for the formulation of historical research programmes by individuals or institutions.
• To promote publications of historical research of a high standard
• Generally, take all such measures as may be found necessary from time to time to promote historical research and its utilization in the country.

Functions:

• To provide fellowships and financial assistance to young teachers in colleges, universities and registered research organizations,
• To publish a biannual Journal – the Indian Historical Review, and another journal Itihas in Hindi.
• To maintain a large and expanding Library-cum-Documentation Centre with facilities of DELNET and J-STOR.
• To maintain two regional centres namely ICHR North-East Regional Centre (Guwahati) and ICHR Southern Regional Centre (Bangalore).

5. COMPTROLLER AND AUDITOR-GENERAL OF INDIA (CAG) AND INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION (ILO)

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India , has been selected as External Auditor of the International Labour Organization in Geneva for a four-year term from 2024 to 2027.

THE EXPLANATION:

About CAG:

• CAG is an independent authority under the Constitution of India.
• The Constitution of India provides for an independent office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) in chapter V under Part V.
• He is the head of the Indian Audit and Accounts Department.
• He is the guardian of the public purse.
• He acts as a guide, friend and philosopher of the Public Accounts Committee of the Parliament.
• Incumbent CAG of India: Shri Girish Chandra Murmu.

Constitutional Provisions regarding the CAG:

• Article 148–151 , in  Part V of the constitution of India deals with the appointment, oath and conditions of service ,Duties and Powers of CAG.
• Article 279 – The calculation of “net proceeds” is ascertained and certified by the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India, whose certificate is final.
• Third Schedule – Section IV of the Third Schedule of the Constitution of India prescribes the form of oath or affirmation to be made by the Judges of the Supreme Court and the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India at the time of assumption of office.
• Sixth Schedule– According to this schedule, the District Council or Regional Council should be kept in such form as the CAG prescribes with the approval of the President.
• In addition, these bodies’ accounts are audited in such manner as CAG may think fit, and the reports relating to such accounts shall be submitted to the Governor who shall cause them to be laid before the Council.

About International Labour Organization (ILO):

• It was established by the Treaty of Versailles in 1919.
• It is the only tripartite N. agency. It brings together governments, employers and workers.
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.
• It received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1969

The eight-core conventions of the ILO are:

• Forced Labour Convention (No. 29)
• Abolition of Forced Labour Convention (No.105)
• Equal Remuneration Convention (No.100)
• Discrimination (Employment Occupation) Convention (No.111)
• Minimum Age Convention (No.138)
• Worst forms of Child Labour Convention (No.182)
• Freedom of Association and Protection of Right to Organised Convention (No.87)
• Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention (No.98)
• India is a founding member of the ILO
• India has ratified six out of the eight-core/fundamental ILO conventions. These conventions are:
  • Forced Labour Convention (No. 29)
  • Abolition of Forced Labour Convention (No.105)
  • Equal Remuneration Convention (No.100)
  • Discrimination (Employment Occupation) Convention (No.111)
  • Minimum Age Convention (No.138)
  • Worst forms of Child Labour Convention (No.182)

Key reports by ILO :

• World Employment and Social Outlook.
• Global Wage Report.

1. Freedom that offers us abiding happiness READ MORE
2. The divine spark READ MORE

1. Cheetah’s conservation can enrich biodiversity READ MORE
2. Timely Jal Jan Abhian READ MORE

1. Caste ban in Seattle READ MORE
2. Remove barriers for social justice READ MORE

1. Towards transparency in OTT regulation READ MORE
2. Does the anti-defection law need changes? READ MORE
3. Governor must anchor provincial autonomy READ MORE
4. Code of Conduct READ MORE

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. TRIFED’s TRIBES India store products tagged with One District One Product (ODOP) and Geographical Indication (GI) READ MORE  
2. Government is celebrating Banjara Dharmaguru Santh Sevalal Maharaj Jayanti for first time ever READ MORE
3. India ranks 42 among 55 countries on International IP Index READ MORE
4. IMF underlines critical need to bolster global debt architecture READ MORE
5. Innermost layer of Earth’s core detected, Webb telescope discovers massive galaxies and more READ MORE
6. Aztec hummingbirds, Indian sunbirds READ MORE
7. Are neutrinos their own anti-particles? READ MORE
8. The sophisticated anatomy of heat waves READ MORE
9. $5 billion export target by 2025: Modi govt’s push to turn India into world’s defence manufacturing hub READ MORE
10. Direct benefit transfers at Rs 5.5 trillion this fiscal READ MORE

Main Exam

GS Paper- 1

1. Caste ban in Seattle READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Towards transparency in OTT regulation READ MORE
2. Does the anti-defection law need changes? READ MORE
3. Governor must anchor provincial autonomy READ MORE
4. Code of Conduct READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Remove barriers for social justice READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. India and Germany must address the elephant in the room – China READ MORE
2. Ukraine conflict may cast a shadow on G20 READ MORE
3. Is BRICS party over? READ MORE
4. Changing geopolitics as Ukraine war rages READ MORE
5. New world order READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Bank that doesn’t assure READ MORE
2. New bad loan provision rules are good for banks READ MORE
3. RBI must not downplay green central banking hassles READ MORE
4. Securing India’s energy future READ MORE
5. Budget 2023-24: Fiscally conservative but lacking economic strategy READ MORE

TECHNOLOGY

1. Fixing India’s R&D inadequacies READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Cheetah’s conservation can enrich biodiversity READ MORE
2. Timely Jal Jan Abhian READ MORE

SECURITY

1. Cyberattacks are rising, but there is an ideal patch READ MORE
2. Dealing with the cyber threats READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Freedom that offers us abiding happiness READ MORE
2. The divine spark READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. Accepting post-retirement appointments of truly political nature goes against the very spirit of the Constitution. In the light of this statement, do you agree with the view that there should be a cooling-off period for judges after retirement?
2. Despite efforts to ensure their wellbeing, the Adivasi community remains one of the most deprived in India. In light of this statement critically analyse the steps taken by Government of India to address the issues of Adivasi community.
3. ‘India must put in place actionable policy to achieve Hydrogen Mission targets, which will depend on cheaper green hydrogen’. Discuss, why Green ports are key to achieve Green Hydrogen Mission?

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Our ability to reach unity in diversity will be the beauty and the test of our civilisation.
• Accepting post-retirement appointments of truly political nature goes against the very spirit of the Constitution.
• The importance of judiciary possessing unimpeachable independence has to be emphasized more for a country like India which has constitutionally guaranteed fundamental rights against the mighty state.
• The Russian dominated areas of Ukraine wanted to join Russia and the Ukrainian army sent its men to put down the secessionist movement.
  The scope of climate change is not limited to Bangladesh only. Almost every country needs to worry, and India should particularly think about it. What Uttarakhand’s Joshimath has recently faced should be indeed alarming.
• It is high time the recommendations of the Sarkaria Commission are evolved into a Constitutional convention.
• Federalism is an integral part of the basic structure of our Constitution and it is intertwined inextricably with the unity and integrity of the nation.
• The BRICS countries have been working together to deepen their economic ties and strengthen their collective bargaining power. It is still premature to declare the end of the BRICS story as BRICS countries have resilience which can help them bounce back.
• The absence of a coherent medium-term growth strategy, especially at a time when the Indian economy is expected to slow down, is deeply worrisome given that this was the last full budget before the national elections.
• Despite the impressive renewable thrust, domestic oil and gas sector will need massive investments going ahead.
• India’s G-20 presidentship and summit later this year are ideal opportunities for the crafting of a comprehensive domestic and global cyber security framework.

50-WORD TALK

• The purpose of bringing cheetahs to India is to facilitate their functional role as a top predator and provide space for natural expansion, thereby contributing to national and global conservation. Involving local communities in conservation efforts will generate livelihood opportunities, which will improve socio-economic conditions and the rural economy. Ensuring the forest ecosystem’s stability would be a step in the right direction.
• Calls for the restoration of Article 370 are a non-starter and play directly into the hands of Islamabad, Beijing and others who have been meddling in India’s affairs. The issue of grant of statehood to J&K is something the government has already said will happen at the appropriate time. China should remember when it raises the Kashmir issue that it is itself in illegal occupation of large portions of Indian territory.

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.

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. KAZIRANGA NATIONAL PARK

TAGS: PRELIMS- GS-III- ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change recently sought a “factual report” on the rhino population enumeration conducted in the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve in March 2022.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Kaziranga National Park:

• Location: It is located in the Golaghat and Nagaon districts of Assam.
• It was declared a national park in 1974.
• It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and houses two-thirds of the total world population of greater one-horned rhinoceros.
• It is the largest undisturbed area in the Brahmaputra Valley floodplains.
• Vegetation: It is a mix of eastern wet alluvial grasslands, semi evergreen forests and tropical moist deciduous forests.

Flora:

• It is primarily famous for its dense and tall elephant grasses intermixed with small swamplands.
• It also includes an abundant cover of water lilies, water hyacinths and lotus.
• Rattan Cane, a type of climbing palm, is also found here.

Fauna:

• Important wildlife found are One-horned rhinoceros, Leopard, Fishing Cat, other Lesser cats, royal Bengal tiger, Large Indian Civet, Small Indian Civet, Sambar, Barking deer, Hog deer, Gaur, Hog Badger, Capped Langur, etc.
• It is also one of the last remaining homes of the endangered and endemic western hoolock gibbon, the only species of apes found in India.
• It is home to approximately 478 species of both resident and migratory birds.
• It is one of the last homes of the critically endangered Bengal florican.

2. EXTENDED PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY

TAGS: PRELIMS- GS-III- ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: India’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework for used tyres, batteries, and revised rules for e-waste and plastics kindled interest among the G20 countries.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Extended producers’ Responsibilities is a globally recognized policy used as an effective tool to put the onus on the producers for efficient end of life waste management of the plastic, electronic and electrical equipment.
• The concept of EPR responsibility is based on three foundation principles:
  o Pollution prevention approach
  o Life cycle thinking,
  o Polluter pay principle
  o EPR responsibility makes it the responsibility of the producers not only to take back products for recycling but also to design better and longer life products to minimize the amount of waste generated.

EPR in India:

EPR responsibility Certificate:

• EPR responsibility Certificate is authorized by Central Pollution Control Board which is mandatory for Producers/Importers of the Electronic products.
• Under these rules, the producers have a responsibility to delegate this responsibility to the third party or specialized organizations which manufacturers can financially aid for proper waste management.

EPR Responsibility Policies under E-Waste Management Rules:

• E-Waste (management and handling) Rules, 2016 adopted Extended Producers Responsibility for the first time in India.
• EPR responsibility under E-Waste (management) Rules, 2016 stipulates collection targets of E–Waste for producers.
• The producers are responsible for setting up collection centres for e-waste and financing and organizing a system for environmentally sound management of e-waste.
• The producers are required to have an arrangement with dismantlers and recyclers through either the Producers responsibility organization or the E-Waste exchange system.
• Marketing or selling any electronic equipment without EPR responsibility Authorization is considered a violation of the rules.

EPR responsibility Policy under Plastic Waste Management Rules:

• The Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2022 provide guidelines for strengthening the circular economy of plastic packaging waste as well as promoting alternatives to plastic.
• Producers of waste are mandated to ensure that generation of plastic waste is minimized, and plastic waste is not littered and stored at the source, which is then handed over to local bodies or authorized agencies.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

3. WHAT IS MESSIER 92?

TAGS: PRELIMS- GS-III-SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: Astronomers have recently released an image of the globular cluster Messier 92 (M92) captured by the James Webb Space Telescope.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Messier 92:

• It is a bright and large globular cluster in the constellation of Hercules.
• It is located at a distance of 26,700 light-years from Earth.
• It was first discovered by the German astronomer Johann Elert Bode in 1777.
• The predominant elements within Messier 92 are hydrogen and helium.
• Messier 92 has an estimated mass of up to 330,000 solar masses.
• The cluster is approaching the Milky Way galaxy at a speed of about 112 km/s (403,200 km/h; 250,500 mph).

What is a Globular Cluster?

• Globular clusters are spherical aggregates of several thousand to millions of stars bound by gravity.
• They orbit mostly in the extended stellar halos surrounding most spiral galaxies.
• They contain some of the oldest stars in a galaxy.
• These systems are thought to have formed early on in the Universe and can serve as perfect astrophysical laboratories for astronomers to understand how stars evolve through various phases.

What is Solar Mass?

• It is the mass of the sun, which is 1.989 x 10^30 kilograms — about 333,000 Earths.

4. K- 9 VAJRA- T HOWITZERS

TAGS: PRELIMS- GS-III-DEFENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: The Indian Army recently ordered 100 additional K9 Vajra self-propelled howitzers.

THE EXPLANATION:

About K- 9 Vajra- T howitzers :

• It is a 155 mm, 52-caliber tracked self-propelled artillery system.
• It is built by Larsen & Toubro with technology transferred from South Korean defence major Hanwha Defense based on its K9 Thunder.
• Features:
• It has all-welded steel armour up to 19mm thick.
• The main weapon is the 155mm / 52 calibre gun.
• It has a burst rate of fire of three rounds per 15 seconds and a maximum rate of fire of six to eight rounds a minute for three minutes.
• Range: 40 km
• The K9 uses a digital fire control system, by which it can fire multiple rounds that can impact a given area at the same time.

PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

5. TEJA CHILLI

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT: Recently export demand for Teja variety of red chilli has gone up due to its culinary, medicinal and other wide-ranging uses.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Chilli was originally cultivated in North Mexico but is believed to be brought to India by the Portuguese.
• It is a fine variety of Guntur chilli.
• It is a fruit that belongs to genus Capsicum.

Health benefits of Teja Chilli:

• Rich in Vitamins and Minerals like Copper, Potassium, Vitamin C, Vitamin B, Vitamin A.
• It is a powerful anti-oxidant.
• Studies suggest that it aids in weight loss.
• Clears congestion.
• Boosts mood and reduces pain.
• It has antibacterial properties that helps in curing skin infection.
• Decreases the risk of osteoporosis.
• Protects the body against prostate problems.

[WpProQuiz 432]

[WpProQuiz 431]

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. SPECIAL CATEGORY STATUS

TAGS: PRELIMS- GS-II- POLITY

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Union Finance Minister announced that the Centre will not consider the demands for “special category status “ for any states.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Special Category Status :

• It is a classification given by the Centre to assist development of states that face geographical and socio-economic disadvantages.
• Under this, the Central government extends financial assistance to states that are at a comparative disadvantage against others.
• There is no provision of SCS in the Constitution of India.
• The concept emerged in 1969 with the approval of the Gadgil formula in the Fifth Finance Commission in 1969.

The parameters required for Special Category Status:

• Must be economically backward with poor infrastructure.
• The states must be located in hilly and challenging terrain.
• They should have low population density and significant tribal population.
• Should be strategically situated along the borders of neighboring countries.
• First SCS was accorded in 1969 to Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and Nagaland.
• The 14th Finance Commission has done away with the ‘special category status’ for states, except for the North-eastern and three hill states.
• Presently, eleven states have the Special Category Status in the country including Assam, Nagaland, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Uttarakhand, and Telangana.

Benefits to States with SCS:

• The Centre pays 90% of the funds required in a centrally-sponsored scheme to special category status states as against 60% or 75% in case of other states, while the remaining funds are provided by the state governments.
• Preferential treatment in getting central funds.
• 30 percent of the Centre’s gross budget also goes to special category states.
• Unspent money does not lapse and is carried forward.
• Significant concessions are provided to these states in excise and customs duties, income tax and corporate tax.
• These states can avail the benefit of debt-swapping and debt relief schemes.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

2. INVESTOR EDUCATION AND PROTECTION FUND AUTHORITY (IEPFA)

TAGS: PRELIMS- GS-I

THE CONTEXT: The IEPFA is seeking applications from young students and scholars for its short-term internship programme which began recently.

THE EXPLANATION:

About IEPFA:

• IEPF is a statutory body under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, established under the Companies Act 2013.
• It administers the Investor Education and Protection Fund.
• IEPF Authority has undertaken a proactive approach to achieve its mandate of promoting investor education, awareness and protection.
• Its objective is to promote Investor Education, Awareness, and Protection.
• The Amounts credited to IEPF are maintained under the Consolidated Fund of India (Article 266 of the Constitution).

Composition:

• Secretary Ministry of Corporate Affairs is the Chairperson of the Authority.
• The Joint Secretary Ministry of Corporate Affairs is the Chief Executive Officer of the Authority.
• The Authority is entrusted with the responsibility of administration of the Investor Education Protection Fund (IEPF), make refunds of shares, unclaimed dividends, matured deposits/debentures etc. to investors and to promote awareness among investors.
• The Authority has taken a 360 degree approach to sensitize stakeholders to include household investors, housewives, professionals, etc. across the country in rural and urban areas through direct investor awareness programmes, media campaign and engaging with other stakeholders with the common goal.
• In the urban and semi-urban areas the Authority organizes investor awareness programmes in association with the Institute of charted Accountants of India, Institute of Cost Accountants of India and Institute of Company Secretaries of India.
• In the rural areas the programmes are organised in collaboration with CSC e-governance Services Private Limited through the Common Service Centre (CSC’s) located in villages.
• Multilingual Information, Education and Communication booklets and films have been developed for creating awareness.
• A Joint Awareness campaign has been launched in association with Reserve Bank of India, Securities and Exchange Board of India & Department of Consumer Affairs.

The IEPF is to be utilized for :

• The refund of unclaimed dividends , matured deposits, debentures , application money due for refund and interest thereon.
• Promotion of investor’s education, awareness and protection.
• Distribution of any disgorged amount among eligible and identifiable applicants for shares or debentures , shareholders, debenture-holders or depositors who have suffered loss due to wrong actions by any one person , in accordance with the ordered made by the court which had ordered disgorgement.

3. SPECIAL RUPEE VOSTRO ACCOUNTS

TAGS: PRELIMS- GS-III-ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: Recently, government of India informed that Russian banks have opened Special Rupee Vostro Accounts (SRVA) with partner banks in India.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Special Rupee Vostro Accounts (SRVA):

• The SRVA is an additional arrangement to the existing system that uses freely convertible currencies.
• It works as a complimentary system to facilitate transactions that cannot be executed through the existing banking setup.
  About Vostro Accounts:
• A Vostro account is an account that domestic banks hold for foreign banks in the former’s domestic currency.
• In this, a foreign bank acts as an agent providing financial services on behalf of a domestic bank.
• It enables domestic banks to provide international banking services to their clients who have global banking needs.
• Domestic banks use Vostro accounts to facilitate transfers, conduct business transactions, accept deposits, and gather documents on behalf of the foreign bank.

Significance:

• The system could reduce the “net demand for foreign exchange, the U.S. dollar in particular, for the settlement of trade flows”
• It will reduce the dependence on foreign currencies.
• It can make the country less vulnerable to external shocks.
• Ensure timely payments.
• This helps domestic banks to gain wider access to foreign financial markets and serve international clients without having to be physically present abroad.
• Vostro accounts are not restricted to banks, they can be used by other entities such as insurance companies and business entities to keep funds with another entity.
• When Vostro accounts are used by corresponding banks, the domestic bank can execute transfers, deposits, and withdrawals on behalf of the corresponding bank.

Functioning :

• The framework entails three important components, namely, invoicing, exchange rate and settlement.
• Invoicing entails that all exports and imports must be denominated and invoiced in INR.
• The exchange rate between the currencies of the trading partner countries would be market-determined.
• The final settlement also takes place in Indian National Rupee (INR).
• Domestic importers are required to make payment in INR into the SRVA account of the correspondent bank against the invoices.
• Domestic exporters are to be paid the export proceeds in INR from the balances in the designated account of the correspondent bank of the partner country.

Legal framework:

• All reporting of cross-border transactions are to be done in accordance with the extant guidelines under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999.

Eligibility criteria of banks:

• Banks from partner countries are required to approach an authorised domestic dealer bank for opening the SRVA.
• The domestic bank would then seek approval from the apex banking regulator providing details of the arrangement.
• Domestic banks should ensure that the correspondent bank is not from a country mentioned in the updated Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Public Statement on High Risk & Non-Co-operative jurisdictions.
• Authorised banks can open multiple SRV accounts for different banks from the same country.
• Balances in the account can be repatriated in freely convertible currency and/or currency of the beneficiary partner country depending on the underlying transaction, that is, for which the account was credited.

There are 3 types of accounts : Vostro, Nostro and Loro Accounts

1. Vostro accounts -are maintained in the domestic currency.
2. Nostro accounts- are maintained in foreign currency.
3. A Loro account -is a current account that is maintained by one domestic bank for another domestic bank in the form of a third-party account, unlike nostro and vostro which is bilateral correspondence.

The Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA):

• It is a civil law dealing with foreign exchange market in India.
• Under it the Central Government can regulate the flow of payments to and from a person situated outside the country.
• Financial transactions concerning foreign securities or exchange cannot be carried out without the approval of FEMA.
• The Act empowers RBI to place restrictions on transactions from capital Account even if it is carried out via an authorized individual.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

4. GLOBAL ASSESSMENT OF SOIL CARBON IN GRASSLANDS

TAGS: PRELIMS- GS-III- ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the FAO(Food and Agricultural Organization) published its first Global Assessment of Soil Carbon in Grasslands.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The study found that if the SOC content in the 0–30 cm depth layer of available grasslands increased by 0.3 percent after 20 years of the application of management practices that enhance soil organic carbon sequestration, 0.3 tonnes C/ha per year could be sequestered.
• Grasslands contain approximately 20 percent of the world’s SOC
• Grasslands have suffered losses because of human activities such as intensive livestock grazing, agricultural activities, and other land-use activities.
• Most of the world’s grasslands have a positive carbon balance, meaning the land is stable or well-maintained.

About Grasslands:

• Grasslands are areas dominated by grasses.
• Distribution: Grasslands are found in areas having well-defined hot and dry, warm and rainy seasons.
• Grasslands can majorly be divided into two parts:
• Tropical Grasslands – Savannah, Campos, and Llanos
• Temperate Grasslands- Pampas, Prairie, Veld, Steppe, and Down.

Significance of Grasslands :

• Farmers who keep cattle or goats, as well as shepherds who keep sheep, are highly dependent on grasslands.
• Domestic animals are grazed in the ‘common’ land of the village.
• Fodder is collected and stored to feed cattle when there is no grass left for them to graze in summer.
• The grass is also used to thatch houses and farm sheds.
• The thorny bushes and branches of the few trees that are seen in grasslands are used as a major source of fuelwood.
• Nutrient cycling (biogeochemical cycles)
• Ecological succession or ecosystem development

PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

5. SURVEY OF INDIA

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Centre officially released the National Geospatial Policy of India which allows any private agency to make high-resolution maps.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Survey of India:

• Survey of India, The National Survey and Mapping Organization of the country under the Department of Science & Technology.
• It is the oldest scientific department of the Indian government.
• It was established in 1767 to help consolidate the Indian territories of the British East India Company.
• Its assigned role as the nation’s Principal Mapping Agency.
• It is headquartered in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
• It is India’s principal mapping agency and functions under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India.
• It provides base maps for expeditious and integrated development of the country by ensuring that all resources contribute to the progress, security, and prosperity of the nation for the present and the future.
• It is headed by the Surveyor-General of India.

[WpProQuiz 430]

THE CONTEXT:  The supreme Court recently in its decision upheld by 4:1 majority the decision taken by the Union Government six years ago to demonetize the currency notes of Rs. 500 and Rs.1000 denominations.A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Justice S A Nazeer, who will retire on January 4,  pronounced its verdict on the matter.

BACKGROUND OF THE ISSUE

WHAT IS DEMONETIZATION

• It refers to the withdrawal of currencies by the central bank from the economy so that it will not be used further as the legal tender.
• These decisions are taken around the world to curb the black money and counterfeit currency.

GOVERNMENT DECISION AND ITS RATIONALE

• On 8 November 2016, Prime Minister announced the “demonetization” of `500 and `1,000 notes with effect from the next day. It was sought that the demonetization will help the country in many ways
• Rational of demonetization-

Ø It was claimed that the demonetization will help curb terror financing.

Ø It would lead to unearthing the black money.

Ø The fiscal space of the government will increase.

Ø It would lead to reduce the the interest rate of the banking system.

Ø It would create the less cash economy- as it would formalize the Indian economy and digital transactions will be promoted.

PETITION AGAINST GOVERNMENT DECISION

• A total of 58 petition was filed challenging the central government’s 2016 notification to ban Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes.
• Supreme Court was hearing these petitions as they were referred to a Constitution bench of the Supreme Court in December 2016.
• Supreme Court decision-Supreme Court bench’s majority verdict differed from the minority judgment on their interpretation of a provision of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.
• The main point of difference between the majority and minority judgments was the interpretation of Section 26(2) of the RBI Act, 1934, which allows the central government to declare that “any series of bank notes of any denomination shall cease to be legal tender” after a recommendation from the central board of RBI.

Section 26(2) in The Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934

(2) On recommendation of the Central Board the 2[Central Govern­ment] may, by notification in the Gazette of India, declare that, with effect from such date as may be specified in the notifica­tion, any series of bank notes of any denomination shall cease to be legal tender 3[save at such office or agency of the Bank and to such extent as may be specified in the notification].

SUMMARY OF THE JUDGEMENT

ON LEGALITY

• Supreme Court by 4:1 majority, holds that the decision-making process behind the demonetization of Rs.500 and Rs.1000 currency notes in 2016 was lawful.

ON RBI ACT

• Supreme Court held that – the word “any” in Section 26(2) must be interpreted as “all”, otherwise it would lead to an anomaly – e.g. if there are 20 series of a particular denomination, the Centre cannot demonetize 19 series and leave behind one series to continue as legal tender – an interpretation which nullifies the purpose for which power is bestowed would be contrary to the principle of purposive interpretation.

ON GOVERNMENT

• Supreme Court held that the decision making process is not flawed in law – the duty of the Court is to confine itself to the question of legality – it ought to determine whether a decision-making authority exceeded its powers, committed an error of law, committed a breach of the rules of natural justice. It is not concerned with the manner in which the decision was taken.
• The Court held that it does not have the expertise to go into the question whether the object with which demonetization was effected is served or not – mere errors of government are nor subject to judicial review, only palpably arbitrary ones are declared void. Thus it provided for balance between judiciary review and executive actions.
• Supreme Court applied the test of proportionality —reasonable nexus between the measure of demonetization with the purpose of addressing issues of fake currency bank notes, black money, drug trafficking and terror financing – Court does not possess the expertise to decide what alternative measure could have been undertaken – there is a proper relation between importance of curbing the menace of fake currency, black money etc.if there was reasonable restriction, it was in the larger public interest.

DISSENTING OPINION

• When Central Board recommends demonetization, it is only a particular series of banknotes of a particular denomination as recommended under Section 26(2) – the word ‘any’ cannot be read as ‘all’ – if ‘any’ is to be read as ‘all’, it would provide unguided discretion to the Central Board.
• Supreme Court held that only the Central Board of RBI is the initiator of the process of demonetization – the provision has a restricted operation, either the Central Government accepts the recommendation of the Central Board and issues a gazette notification or refuses to accept the recommendation.
• Supreme Court judge held that Central Government has the power to demonetize ‘all’ series of banknotes of ‘all’ denominations, even without the recommendation of the Central Board, but not in exercise of Section 26(2) – such an extensive power is to be exercised only through a legislative process [legislation/Ordinance (if urgent)] and not by way of an executive act – the Parliament should be involved in the process of implementation of such a scheme of demonetization.
• It held that government must seek the opinion of the Central Board of RBI as RBI is the sole authority to regulate circulation of bank notes. The opinion of the Central Board ought to be an independent and frank opinion – the Central Government can move ahead with demonetization irrespective of positive or negative opinion of the Central Board, but by enacting legislation or by way of an Ordinance and not an executive notification.

ANALYZE 26(2) IN THIS CONTEXT RBI ACT AND INNOVATIVE CONSULTATIVE PROCESS

• Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 – Section 26(2) – The decision taken by the Central Government to demonetize is to be based on the recommendation of the Central Board of RBI.supreme court in its judgement said — the recommendation ought to be construed in the context in which it is used – in the present context “recommendation” would mean a consultative process between the Central Board and the Central Government.
• Instead of focusing on individual stakeholder, the Supreme court said it is to be considered by the Court whether each of the parties had disclosed all relevant facts and factors to each other for due consideration.
• Monetary Policy Committee is the manifestation of the innovative consultative process, where Government and RBI takes consultative decisions. It affects the independence and autonomy of the RBI. However, the influence of the government has increased as earlier RBI was taking the sole decision but now government say has increased.

Advantage of the consultative process

• Better sharing of ideas through a consultative process
• The good and innovative decision is taken
• Better coordination between fiscal and monetary policy.

ANALYSIS OF LIMITATION OF STATUTORY INTERPRETATION VS PARLIAMENT

• Demonetisation was the process which was done through executive action without going through the legislative process. Thus it accounts for executive activism. In this way executive accountability in the Parliament is not ensured. Thus, the accountability of the executive to the legislature is bypassed through it. For Example, the Aadhar act was passed as a Money Bill.
• Statutory interpretation is the process by which Court interpret the law. Supreme Court has been given authority under article 13 for judicial review. It can declare any law null and void if it is against fundamental rights. In Indian Constitution the doctrine of process established by law has been followed In which the law is valid only if the procedure is followed. However, after Maneka Gandhi case Supreme Court adopted due process of law . Under this doctrine, the rights of the citizen are protected based on the fairness of the law.
• However, at various occasions, the Supreme Court has not been able to make the executable accountable. In the recent judgment on demonetization, majority opinion has given the interpretation of the law based on the written words. The substance of the welfare of the people has been neglected in the judgement. Demonetisation has affected a large number of people.

ANALYSIS OF INDEPENDENT AGENCY, PARTICULARLY RBI VIS-VIS PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND INSTITUTIONAL ARCHITECTURE

“RBI is not just any other statutory authority. It is not like a stream which cannot be greater than the source.” —Justice Navarathna.

• Regulatory bodies are independent agencies that are assigned to address the market failures, and anti-competitive pricing and promote public welfare. It stems from the Article 53(3) which authorizes the Parliament to confer by law regulatory function to authorities.However there are issues with autonomy and independence of these regulatory bodies.
• Financial independence— First criteria for independence is financial independence. Their institutional structure should be such that they an function independently and autonomous. However, financial independence is compromised as they depend upon line ministry for the budget. There is no fixed tenure, so the government has been meddling by changing the tenure. Functional independence is maintained when it maintain arms length with the interest group.
• Further there is overlapping jurisdiction, for Example, SEBI aane IRDAI and between RBI and Competition Commission of India (CCI) over merging of banks. Professional accountability should be toward the Parliament, however they are not answerable to the parliamentary directly . They don’t submit annual report to the Parliament. However there must be parliamentary accountability as it is an ideal form of political accountability. However, in contrast to this, the government interferes with these regulatory bodies.
• Various other institutions also face the issue of independence. For Example since the inception of TRAI, its independence has often been challenged. For a regulator to be independent in the true sense, it needs to have functional and financial independence from the government. In the case of TRAI, functional independence has been weakening over time. Political barriers to such independence are quite evident from a study of the sector‟s regulatory history, as a rollercoaster ride has characterized relations between the government and the TRAI.
• RBI is the central bank and regulatory body responsible for the regulation of the banking system. It regulates the inflation and money supply in the economy . It also issues the currency and act as a last resort to the banks. Under the inflation-targeting regime agreed upon between the RBI and Finance Ministry , RBI is required to maintain the inflation in the tolerance band as decided by Monetary Policy Committee (MPC).
• However at time institutional architecture affect the independence of the banks. For example, RBI has to transfer the surplus amount to the government, which may affect the RBI’s ability to manage the economy’s monetary policy.
• In a recent judgement of the supreme Court, Justice Nagarathna’s Dissenting Opinion held that the RBI act does not envisage initiation of demonetization of bank notes by the Central Government. Sub­section (2) of Section 26 of the Act, contemplates the demonetization of bank notes at the instance  of  the Central Board of the Reserve Bank of India. Thus if demonetization is to be initiated by the Central Government, such power is derived from Entry 36 of List I of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution which speaks of currency, coinage and legal tender; foreign exchange. Thus if the government initiates the demonetization of the currency, without going through the legislative route,it interferes with the RBI’s domain.
• Further,Under section 7 of the RBI, the Central Government may, from time to time give such directions to the Bank as it may, after consultation with the Governor of the Bank, consider necessary in the public inter­est. Clearly, this section empowers the government to issue direction in terms of public interest to the central bank, which otherwise does not take orders from the government.

THE CONCLUSION: Parliamentary accountability is the bedrock of constitutionalism and Parliamentary democracy. Though demonetization of currency notes 500 and 1,000 was based on the legality under the RBI Act. The dissenting judgement highlighted the concern of the people. The demonetization was to curb the black money and terror financing, more concerted efforts can be made by proper planning and execution. Further, the Parliament should be taken into confidence as it could have provided crucial input and make the executive accountable. In this way, the demonetization drive could have become the national drive against black money and terror financing.

MAINS QUESTIONS

1. Analyze the Judicial review power of the Supreme Court in the context of demonetization.
2. “Despite RBI being an independent body, there has been a concern due to interference by the Government.”Critically examine.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. UNITED NATIONS HIGH SEAS TREATY

TAGS: PRELIMS-GS-II- INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

THE CONTEXT: Recently, a new round of negotiations on the United Nations High Seas Treaty began in New York.

THE EXPLANATION:

About United Nations High Seas Treaty:

• It is known as the ‘Paris Agreement for the Ocean’, and the treaty to deal with Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction has been under discussion for several years.
• The proposed treaty concerns the ocean existing beyond the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) that lie from the coast of a country to about 200 nautical miles into the sea (Countries have special rights for exploration till 200 nautical miles).
• The treaty was to be negotiated under the United Nations Convention on Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS) of 1982.

About the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)

• UNCLOS became effective on 16th November 1982.
• It superseded the four Geneva Conventions of April 1958, which respectively concerned the territorial sea and the contiguous zone, the continental shelf, the high seas, fishing and conservation of living resources on the high seas.
• As per UNCLOS, the sea is divided into 4 parts:

• Territorial waters
• Contiguous Zone
• Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)
• Continental Shelf

2. WHAT IS NEW START TREATY?

TAGS: PRELIMS-GS-II- INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Russian President announced that Moscow was suspending its participation in the New START treaty with the United States.

THE EXPLANATION:

About New START Treaty:

• It is known as The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START).
• It is the last remaining nuclear arms deal between Russia and the United States of America, and it was extended for five years in 2021.
• Objective: The New START caps the number of nuclear warheads well below Cold War limits.

What is the timeline of this treaty?

• New START continues the bipartisan process of verifiably reducing U.S. and Russian strategic nuclear arsenals begun by former Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.
• The treaty was signed by US President Barack Obama and Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev in Prague in 2010.
• New START replaced the 1991 START I treaty, which expired in December 2009, and superseded the 2002 Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty (SORT), which terminated when New START entered into force.
• Both Russia and the United States announced that they met New START limitations by Feb. 5, 2018.
• Importance: New START is the first verifiable U.S.-Russian nuclear arms control treaty to take effect since START I in 1994.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

3. WHAT IS ASTROSAT?

TAGS: PRELIMS-SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has recently made an Announcement of Opportunity (AO) to allow scientists and researchers to analyze data from the first dedicated Indian astronomy mission, AstroSat.

THE EXPLANATION:

About AstroSat:

• It is India’s first dedicated multi-wavelength space observatory.
• It is the first dedicated Indian astronomy mission aimed at studying celestial sources in X-ray, optical, and UV spectral bands simultaneously.
• AstroSat, with a lift-off mass of 1515 kg, was launched by the Indian launch vehicle PSLV from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, on September 28, 2015, into a 650 km orbit inclined at an angle of 6 degrees to the equator.
• The spacecraft control center at Mission Operations Complex (MOX) of ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC), Bengaluru, manages the satellite during its entire mission life.
• The minimum useful life of the AstroSat mission is around 5 years.

Scientific Objectives:

• To understand high energy processes in binary star systems containing neutron stars and black holes.
• Estimate magnetic fields of neutron stars.
• Study star birth regions and high energy processes in star systems lying beyond our galaxy.
• Detect new briefly bright X-ray sources in the sky.
• Perform a limited deep-field survey of the Universe in the Ultraviolet region.

4. WHAT IS ULTRASAT?

TAGS: PRELIMS-SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: NASA will launch Israel’s first space telescope mission, the Ultraviolet Transient Astronomy Satellite (ULTRASAT) in early 2026.

THE EXPLANATION:

About ULTRASAT:

• ULTRASAT is an ultraviolet observatory with a large field of view, that will investigate the secrets of short-duration events in the universe, such as supernova explosions and mergers of neutron stars.
• It is planned to launch into a geostationary orbit around Earth
• NASA will provide the launch opportunity, Flight Payload Adapter, and other launch-related responsibilities for ULTRASAT.

What is a geostationary orbit?

• Satellites in geostationary orbit (GEO) circle Earth above the equator from west to east following Earth’s rotation – taking 23 hours 56 minutes and 4 seconds – by travelling at the same rate as Earth.
• This makes satellites in GEO appear to be ‘stationary’ over a fixed position.
• To perfectly match Earth’s rotation, the speed of GEO satellites should be about 3 km per second at an altitude of 35 786 km. This is much farther from Earth’s surface compared to many satellites.
• This particular orbit is used for meteorological and communications satellites.
• The geostationary orbit is a special case of the geosynchronous orbit, which is any orbit with a period equal to Earth’s rotation period.

PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

5. WHAT IS MULETHI?

TAGS: PRELIMS

THE CONTEXT: Himachal Pradesh has recently begun the commercial cultivation of licorice (Mulethi) to become the first state in India to have organized cultivation of Mulethi.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Mulethi:

• Mulethi,  commonly known as licorice, is a sweet-tasting perennial shrub.
• Scientific name: Glycyrrhiza glabra
• The roots have a sweet taste due to the presence of glycyrrhizin, which is 50 times sweeter than sucrose.
• It has been traditionally known and used as medicine in Ayurveda (known in Ayurveda as ‘Yashtimadhu’) for rejuvenation.

Uses:

• Herbal medicines use Mulethi for its natural sweetness.
• It is also used in traditional medicines against chest and lung diseases.
• It is used to flavor candies, tobacco, and alcohol, artificial and natural sweeteners.

Health Benefits:

• It has anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-bacterial
• It is known to boost immunity due to the increase in the production of macrophage and lymphocytes.
• Mulethi herb can treat asthma, cough, cold, sore throat, and other respiratory ailments.
• It helps in weight loss as it contains flavonoids that help to reduce excessive fats accumulated in the body.
• It helps improve the digestive system, lessens the acidic level in the intestines, and also helps to detox our body.

Distribution:

• The plant thrives in a dry and sunny climate and is cultivated in subtropical and warm temperate regions.
• Countries producing licorice include Iran, Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Turkey.
• It is also cultivated in Punjab and Sub Himalayan tracts in India.

THE CONTEXT: Recently, Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda” took the oath of office as prime minister of Nepal. It is thought that KP Sharma Oli, Deuba’s predecessor, was pro-China and that India will go back in time as a result of the alliance of Communist forces. India-Nepal relations had deteriorated under Oli’s administration from 2015 to 2016 and from 2018 to 2021, but they recovered once Deuba took office as prime minister in 2021. This article will analyse the challenges associated with India and Nepal ties and so far the history of India and Nepal ties and what role the China factor plays.

SIGNIFICANCE OF NEPAL FOR INDIA

• Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Sikkim, and Bihar are the five Indian states with which Nepal has a border. Consequently, a significant hub for commercial and cultural interchange.

There are two ways to look at the significance for India:

• Their strategic value for the national security of India.
• Their position in the perspective of India’s function in world politics.
• Nepal, along with Bhutan, serves as a northern “borderland” flank and functions as a buffer state against any potential assault from China. Nepal is located directly in the heart of India’s “Himalayan boundaries.”
• In terms of biodiversity and potential for hydropower, rivers that originate in Nepal feed the enduring river systems of India.
• Nepal is a popular pilgrimage destination for many Indians since it has a huge number of Hindu and Buddhist sacred sites.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

• The foundation of the unique ties that exist between India and Nepal is the India-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1950.
• Because of the geographical, historical, cultural, and economic ties that go back centuries, Nepal is a significant neighbour of India and holds a special place in its foreign policy.
• Given that Buddha was born in Lumbini, which is today’s Nepal, Hinduism and Buddhism have parallel ties to India and Nepal.
• The two nations have tight relationships through marriages and familial ties, colloquially known as Roti-Beti ka Rishta, in addition to sharing an open border and allowing unrestricted movement of people between them.
• India and Nepal’s relationship has experienced some “lows” recently.
• In 2015, the two nations’ ties deteriorated as a result of India’s involvement in the Constitution-drafting process as well as an “unofficial blockade” that caused considerable animosity toward India.

AREAS OF COOPERATION BETWEEN INDIA AND NEPAL:

THE ECONOMY AND TRADE:

• India is Nepal’s main trading partner, the major source of foreign investment, and the transit country for practically all of Nepal’s commerce with other nations.
• India can import affordable hydropower from Nepal to satisfy its peak electricity needs.

CONNECTIVITY:

• Since Nepal is a landlocked nation, India borders it on three sides, with one side open to Tibet, which has very little access to vehicles.
• India and Nepal have launched several connectivity initiatives to strengthen interpersonal connections and foster economic growth and development.
• For the construction of the electric rail route connecting Kathmandu with Raxaul in India, MOUs have been signed by the two governments.
• Within the framework of trade and transit agreements, India is attempting to create inland canals for the flow of freight, giving Nepal more access to the sea under the name “connecting Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest) with Sagar” (Indian Ocean).

DEFENCE COLLABORATION:

• Through the provision of equipment and training, bilateral defence cooperation helps the Nepalese Army modernise.
• The Indian Army’s Gorkha Regiments are partially staffed via recruiting in Nepal’s hill areas.
• Since 2011, India and Nepal have participated in a joint military exercise called Surya Kiran.

CULTURAL:

• Initiatives have been made to encourage interpersonal interactions between various local organisations in Nepal in the fields of media, academia, and art & culture.
• Three sister-city agreements between Kathmandu and Varanasi, Lumbini and Bodhgaya, and Janakpur and Ayodhya have been inked by India.

PROVIDING HUMANITARIAN AID:

• Due to its location in a delicate ecological zone where earthquakes and floods can cause significant harm to property and human life, Nepal continues to be India’s top beneficiary of humanitarian aid.

MULTILATERAL COLLABORATION:

• The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), the Non-Aligned Movement, and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation is just a few of the multilateral forums that India and Nepal are members of together.

HUMAN-TO-TO INTERACTIONS:

• There are approximately 6,000 Indian citizens residing in Nepal. These people include established businesspeople and traders, professionals (doctors, engineers, and IT workers), and labourers (including seasonal and migrant workers in the construction industry).
• The Indian Army employs numerous Nepalis.

HOW MUCH OF AN INFLUENCE HAS CHINA HAD ON NEPAL?

• As Beijing desires to have a Communist-run government in Kathmandu, China is thought to have played a significant role in uniting the two communist parties throughout the 2018–2021 era.
• China has gradually displaced India’s influence over Nepal in recent years by making investments, providing help, and making loans.
• As part of its broad aspirations to increase international trade, China views Nepal as a crucial partner in its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and wants to invest in Nepal’s infrastructure.
• In the initial years, from the 1950s to 1980s, the Chinese tried to build an economic presence in Nepal, which got enhanced tremendously post-1990s.
• China has made inroads into Nepal in infrastructure, education and health sectors and has increased participation with Nepal on the economic front.

BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE(BRI) AND MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION(MCC)

• China’s Belt and Road Initiative is gaining momentum in Nepal and the region despite India’s resistance and non-membership in it. But the future of the recent China-Nepal agreements will depend on Nepal’s foreign policy dexterity.
• China considers Nepal an important element in its growing South Asian footprint with Nepal being a key partner in its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
• In 2016, Nepal negotiated an Agreement on Transit Transportation with China and in 2017, China provided a military grant of $32 million to Nepal.
• In 2019, a Protocol was concluded with China providing access to four seaports and three land ports to Nepal. China is also engaged with airport expansion projects at Pokhara and Lumbini.
• China has overtaken India as the largest source of foreign direct investment with the annual development assistance being worth $120 million.
• The PM of Nepal pushed for the ratification of the Pancheshwar Multipurpose project with the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) which saw street protests and big-time.

THE CAUSES OF NEPAL’S ENLARGING RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINA

IDEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION:

• In Nepal, the communist parties have constantly supported and campaigned against India. This time, they were also favoured by the Nepali Congress.

INDIA’s DELAYS IN NUMEROUS PROJECTS:

• More so than China, which is carrying out the projects that were agreed upon, India’s delays in implementing numerous projects in Nepal.
• For instance, the Mahakali Agreement has not been implemented for more than 20 years.

POTENTIAL ADVANTAGE OF CHINA:

• Nepal sees the Chinese railway as a chance to attract Chinese tourists and pilgrims to Lumbini, the site of Buddha’s birth.

INDIAN POLICY MISTAKES:

• In Kathmandu, New Delhi has traditionally been seen as “hawkish” and “selfish” when handling delicate issues.
• The most notable examples of this are various river treaties, the unwillingness to respond to frequent border-encroachment complaints, the construction of tall structures along the border, complaints about flooding, the harsh behaviour of the armed border forces, trade and transit crises, and embargoes.

PEOPLE’s SCEPTICISM ABOUT INDIA:

• Open borders have historically been a major point of controversy.
• Nepal’s excessive reliance on India has prevented it from ever gaining the comparative advantage necessary to boost exports. unable to compete with the influx of inexpensive Indian products.

HOW CHINA IS FIGHTING AGAINST GEOGRAPHY FOR NEPAL?

The Himalayan mountains have historically been a barrier between Nepal and China, but railways, roads and tunnels are about to change that. In the battle between geography and technology, Nepal will fall into the Chinese embrace if technology wins. If geography remains a factor, however, India can continue to wield political, strategic and geopolitical influence on Nepal. The idea of political geography will come into play around the trilateral relations between China, India and Nepal.

The rising presence of China across the Himalayas, especially after the BRI, forced India to recalibrate its policy towards Nepal.

• From a strategic perspective, the Kalapani territorial conflict involving China, Nepal, and India causes the tension. India governs the Kalapani region.
• In the event of a Sino-Indian battle, control of the Kalapani trijunction would allow India to station itself at a strategically advantageous elevation and allow Indian posts to monitor the Tibetan highland passes.
• The 2017 India-China military standoff in Doklam, during which Chinese authorities claimed that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China could easily invade India through other border intersections like Kalapani or Kashmir, proved the validity of this argument.
• China’s influence in Kathmandu has grown recently as a result of the National Communist Party (NCP) taking power in Nepal.
• Growing Chinese investments in physical infrastructure, such as the trans-Himalayan railroads, as well as Nepal’s participation in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), among other indicators, testify to Beijing’s expanding economic sway.
• The India-Nepal relationship, on the other hand, has frequently encountered issues over the past ten years, despite the two countries’ long history of bilateral ties. For instance, as a landlocked nation, Nepal relies heavily on India for supplies of necessities.
• Further undermining bilateral trust was the reported “unofficial blockade” of 2015 that resulted in the interruption of vital fuel supply during the Madhesi protests in Nepal. As a result of this episode, Kathmandu strengthened its alternative to India and increased its inclination towards China.

ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH INDIA AND NEPAL TIES

TERRITORIAL CONFLICTS

• Even though 98% of the border between India and Nepal has been marked, the Susta and Kalapani limits remain a concern.
• The British established these limits in 1816, and when the British withdrew from India in 1947, India inherited these territories.
• In 2019, Nepal published a new political map that included the Uttarakhand regions of Kalapani, Limpiyadhura, and Lipulekh as well as the Bihar region of Susta.

PROBLEMS WITH FRIENDSHIP AND PEACE

• The Nepali government requested the Treaty of Peace and Friendship, 1950 in 1949 to maintain its unique relations with British India and grant them an open border and the ability to work in India.
• Today, however, it is seen as a manifestation of an unequal relationship imposed by Indians.

THE IRRITANT OF DEMONITISATION

• India removed its (Rs 1,000 and Rs 500) banknotes in November 2016.
• Given that the Nepali and Indian rupees are tied, many Nepali people who were legally permitted to possess Rs 25,000 in Indian money were caught in a bind.
• The central bank of Nepal, the Nepal Rastra Bank, has assets at Rs 7 crore, while the estimated value of public holdings is Rs 500 crore.
• One of the factors contributing to the growing animosity between the two nations is India’s unwillingness to accept demonetized currencies at the Nepal Rastra Bank.

CHINA’S GROWING INTERVENTION

• India’s influence over Nepal has waned in recent years, and China has increasingly filled the void with investments, loans, and other forms of assistance.
• As part of its broad aspirations to increase international trade, China views Nepal as a crucial partner in its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and wants to invest in Nepal’s infrastructure.

CONCERN FOR INTERNAL SECURITY

• The border between India and Nepal is essentially unguarded and is used by terrorist organisations and rebel groups from India’s North East to supply trained cadres, traffic people, and print counterfeit money.

ETHNIC DIFFERENCES AND TRUST

• Due to India’s reputation for putting off the delivery of major projects, the trust gap between India and Nepal has grown.
• Some ethnic groups in Nepal harbour animosity toward India because they believe that India interferes with their political independence and shows excessive courtesy to them.

HOW CAN INDIA SETTLE ITS DISPUTES WITH NEPAL?:

THE WAY FORWARD:

• Today, it is important to steer clear of territorial nationalism rhetoric and set the stage for a peaceful conversation in which both parties show compassion as they consider what is practical. India must be a considerate and giving partner for the neighbourhood first policy to take hold.
• In terms of interpersonal relationships, administrative cooperation, and political exchanges, India should be more proactive with Nepal.
• Nepal needs to pay more attention to the Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (BIPPA) that was signed between India and Nepal.
• India must engage with and forge strong relationships with all Nepal political actors, whether on the left, right, or centre.
• Given its location, it makes sense that Nepal would look to both China and India for infrastructural investment. India needs to be aggressive and show Nepal that its projects are more appropriate for the Himalayan country than Chinese ones.
• In the past, numerous Indian projects were hampered by delays brought on by local environmental concerns, cost overruns, and the use of subpar local contractors. India should therefore assist Nepal in resolving these issues so that major infrastructure projects like the Arun III hydroelectric project can be completed on time.
• Furthermore, India ought to keep its political ties strong in order to prevent disagreements like the one over land in the Kalapani region.

UPSC MAINS EXAMINATION QUESTIONS:

Q1. A stable, safe, and friendly Nepal is a requirement that India can’t afford to ignore, given its enormous strategic value in the Indian context as an Indian security concern. Discuss.

Q2. Due to China’s expanding influence in Nepal, India will need to step up its diplomacy and project delivery. Discuss

Q3. “The relationship between India and Nepal has recently deteriorated and needs to be improved”.Critically examine.

UPSC PRELIMS PYQ:

Q. Consider the following pairs:

Community sometimes mentioned in the news In the affairs of

1. Kurd          —        Bangladesh

2. Madhesi   —         Nepal

3. Rohingya  —       Myanmar

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

a) 1 and 2

b) 2 only

c) 2 and 3

d) 3 only

Answer: C

GEOGRAPHY

1. BOKANG-BALING HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT

TAGS: PRELIMS- GS-I- GEOGRAPHY

THE CONTEXT:Residents of Pithoragarh district’s Dharchula town recently staged a protest against the proposed Bokang-Baling Hydroelectric Project.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Bokang-Baling Hydroelectric Project:

• It is a proposed hydroelectric project on river Dhauliganga in the Pithoragarh district in Uttarakhand.
• It has a proposed installed capacity of 165 MW.
• The project involves the construction of a concrete gravity dam of 65 m from river bed level and an underground Power House.
• The project is being implemented by THDC India Limited.

Dhauliganga river:

• Origin: It rises in the vicinity of the NitiPassin the border regions between Garhwal region of Uttarakhand and southwestern Tibet.
• It is one of the important tributaries of Alaknanda, the other being the Nandakini, Pindar, Mandakini, and Bhagirathi.
• It meets the Alaknanda River(the major source stream of the Ganges river) at Vishnuprayag in Uttarakhand.
• Length: The length of this river is about 94 km.
• Tapovan, which is famous for its hot springs, is located on the banks of Dhauliganga.

THDC India Limited:

• THDC India Limited (Formerly Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Limited) is a company jointly owned by the Government of India and the Government of Uttar Pradesh.
• It was registered as a Public Limited Company in 1988 under the Companies Act 1956 to operate and maintain the Tehri Hydro Power Complex and other Hydro Projects.
• It is a Mini Ratna Category-I Enterprise.

POLITY

2. WHAT IS THE COMMITTEE OF PRIVILEGES IN PARLIAMENT?

TAGS: PRELIMS- GS-II- POLITY

THE CONTEXT:Rajya Sabha Chairman recently asked the committee of privileges to investigate the alleged breach of privilege by 12 opposition lawmakers for repeatedly entering the well of the House, shouting slogans, and obstructing its proceedings.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Committee of Privileges:

• This committee consists of 15 members in Lok Sabha ( 10 in case of Rajya Sabha) nominated by the Speaker (Chairman in case of Rajya Sabha).
• In the Rajya Sabha, the deputy chairperson heads the committee of privileges.
• Powers and Functions:
• The committee examines every question involving a breach of privilege of the House or of the members or of any Committee thereof referred to it by the House or by the Speaker/Chairman.
• It also determines with reference to the facts of each case whether a breach of privilege is involved and makes suitable recommendations in its report.
• It also states the procedure to be followed by the House in giving effect to its recommendations.
• When a question of privilege is referred to the Committee by the House, the report of the Committee is presented to the House by the Chairman or, in his absence, by any member of the Committee.
• Where a question of privilege is referred to the Committee by the Speaker, the report of the Committee is presented to the Speaker who may pass final orders thereon or direct that it be laid on the Table of the House.
• The Speaker/Chairman may refer to the Committee any petition regarding the disqualification of a member on the ground of defection for making a preliminary inquiry and submitting a report to him.
• The procedure to be followed by the Committee in these cases is so far as may be the same as in applicable to questions of breach of privilege.

HEALTH ISSUES

3. WHAT IS ADENOVIRUS?

TAGS: PRELIMS- GS-II- HEALTH ISSUES

THE CONTEXT:Bengal health authorities have been asked to be vigilant after the state recently recorded a big spike in adenovirus cases.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Adenovirus:

• Adenoviruses are a group of viruses that can cause mild to severe infections throughout your body.
• They can cause a wide range of illnesses, such as the common cold, fever, sore throat, acute bronchitis, pneumonia, pink eye, and acute gastroenteritis.
• There are many different types of adenoviruses, so that people can get infected more than once.
• Adenovirus infections occur throughout the year, but they tend to peak in the winter and early spring.
• Adenoviruses can affect people of all ages, but they’re most common in children younger than 5 years old.
• Most adenovirus infections are mild, but they can be more severe in people with weakened immune systems or existing respiratory or cardiac disease.

Transmission modes:

• Adenoviruses are very contagious. They can spread from an infected individual to others via close contacts, such as touching or shaking hands.
• Infected particles can also transfer through coughing and sneezing.
• Fecal material can spread the infection via contaminated water, dirty diapers, and poor hand washing.

Treatment:

There is currently no specific course of treatment or approved antiviral medication.

Some medications with proper rest are advised to control the symptoms.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

4. FIRST LOSS DEFAULT GUARANTEE (FLDG) SYSTEM

TAGS: PRELIMS- GS-III-ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT:Banks and non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) have almost paused tie-ups with fintech players under the first loan default guarantee (FLDG) structure for lending in the absence of clarity on contractual agreements from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

THE EXPLANATION:

About the First Loss Default Guarantee (FLDG) system:

• FLDG is a lending model between a fintech and a regulated entity in which a third party guarantees to compensate up to a certain percentage of default in a loan portfolio of the regulated entities (RE).
• Under these agreements, the fintech originates a loan and promises to compensate the partners up to a pre-decided percentage in case customers fail to repay.
• The bank/NBFC partners lend through the fintech but from their books.
• FLDG helps expand the customer base of traditional lenders but relies on the fintech’s underwriting capabilities.

What is FinTech?

• Financial Stability Board (FSB) has defined FinTech as “technologically enabled innovation in financial services that could result in new business models, applications, processes or products with an associated material effect on financial markets and institutions and the provision of financial services”.

PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

5. WHAT IS ‘JAADUI PITARA’?

TAGS: PRELIMS- GS-II- GOVERNANCE

THE CONTEXT:Union Education Minister recently launched an innovative learning material for foundational years of children called “Jadui Pitara”.

THE EXPLANATION:

About ‘Jadui Pitara’:

• The ‘Jadui Pitara’ or ‘Magic Collection is a play-based learning material for children in the age group of three to eight years.
• It is launched by the Union Ministry of Education.
• It has been designed on the motto of ”learning through play”, as envisaged in the new National Education Policy (NEP).
• It comprises of playbooks, toys, puzzles, posters, flashcards, storybooks, and worksheets, as well as reflecting the local culture, social context, and languages.
• It is designed to pique curiosity and accommodate the diverse needs of learners at the foundational stage.
• It is developed under the curricular goals of National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage (NCF-FS) as recommended by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
• The resources on ‘Jadui Pitara’ will be digitally available on DIKSHA platform – portal and mobile app.
• The pitara is available in 13 Indian languages.

What is the National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage (NCF-FS)?

• It is one of the four National Curriculum Frameworks (NCFs).
• It is India’s first-ever integrated Curriculum Framework for children between ages 3-8.
• It is a direct outcome of the 5+3+3+4 ‘curricular and pedagogical’ structure that NEP 2020 has recommended for School Education.
• NCF-FS has been developed by NCERT through an extensive consultative process with States & Union Territories up to grass root level and various institutions and organizations.

THE CONTEXT: Recently, In a Year End Review in 2022 conducted by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) shown a exponential growth in e-transactions and the use of e-governance services across the country. The use of e-governance services in India will be examined in this article using a novel analysis based on a crucial statistic, an “e-transaction,” monitored by the Electronic Transaction Aggregation & Analysis Layer (e-Taal) portal. The portal offers a real-time aggregated view of the quantity of end-to-end electronic transactions at all government levels.

WHAT IS eTAAL?

The Government of India created the e-Taal Project, an electronic dashboard, to provide a real-time aggregated view of the volume of eServices being provided by various agencies of the national, state, and local governments in India.
The number of “end-to-end electronic transactions” is the key performance indicator for G2C, G2B, and B2C e-Services, as seen on the e-Taal dashboard.
eTaal Project is based on the principle: “You can MANAGE effectively what you can MEASURE”. The key objectives of the e-Taal portal are as follows:

• Drill-down capabilities and performance comparison with other States should be used when analyzing the e-Transactions data that has been received from other applications.
• e-Transactions from automatically integrated apps can be combined by utilizing Web Services technology.
• e-Transactions data analysis in tabular and graphical form.
• Provide a consolidated view of e-Transaction statistics and a visualization of their utilization status for the Ministry, Department, State, and UT.

YEAR END REVIEW 2022: MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (MEITY)

• UIDAI starts 88 Aadhaar Seva Kendras in 72 cities across the country
• 5.49 lakh Common Services Centres are functional out of which, 4.37 lakh CSCs are functional at the Gram Panchayat level
• DigiLocker provides a dedicated cloud-based platform as a personal space to residents for the storage, sharing, and verification of documents & certificates.
• Aarogya Setu App is now transformed into National Health App, bringing a whole plethora of digital health services powered by Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission.
• Remarkable growth in digital transactions is seen for FY 2018-19, FY 2019-20 & FY20-21 where we have achieved 3134 crores, 4572 crores & 5554 Crore, respectively.
• India has witnessed a big leap in Electronic Manufacturing with schemes like Production Linked Incentives, Promotion of Manufacturing of Electronic Components & Semiconductors.
• Domestic production of Electronic Goods has increased substantially from ₹ 3,17,331 crore in 2016-17 to ₹ 6,40,810 crore in 2021-22 growing.

A NATIONAL-LEVEL ANALYSIS

Since its launch in 2013, eTaal has integrated over 4,000 e-services and supplied time-series data for around 416 billion e-transactions. Following shows that between 2013 and 2021, there were 43 times as many electronic transactions.
A number of factors have driven the growth of e-transactions in India. These include the Government’s Digital India initiative, which has provided access to digital technologies to citizens; the growing number of mobile phone users and internet users; and the expansion of the e-commerce sector.

• The growth in e-transactions has been most pronounced in the government sector, with transactions related to direct benefit transfers (DBT) and other public welfare schemes increasing significantly between 2013 and 2021. This is evidenced by the fact that e-transactions in the government sector accounted for nearly 88% of the total e-transactions in 2021
• The development of e-payment infrastructure and the introduction of various digital payment systems has facilitated the growth of e-transactions. These include Unified Payment Interface (UPI), Immediate Payment Service (IMPS), and National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT). The Government has also launched several initiatives, such as the Digital India Financial Inclusion (DIFI) program, which has enabled.

GROWTH OF e-TRANSACTIONS ACROSS STATES

• In Kerala, the use of e-transactions for mobile services is incredibly widespread. This is largely attributable to the strong legacy of ICT-based reforms, starting with the Akshaya project, which was India’s first e-governance project, and continuing with the governance project, which Kerala State IT Mission (KSITM) launched in early 2010 to cover over sixty state departments and provide mobile services using SMS and an integrated service delivery platform (Karunakaran 2011, Nissar 2014).
• In comparison to other states, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, and Telangana have seen a rise in e-transactions for both statutory and non-statutory services. This is partly because of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana’s exceptional adoption and implementation of “MeeSeva,” a portal that offers smart and effective citizen-centric delivery of a full spectrum of G2B and G2C services through a one-stop platform.

• Gujarat initially saw a significant increase in e-transactions as a result of the issuance and receipt of public distribution system (PDS) food coupons, but over time, informational services like viewing exam results and property records online have also seen significant growth in usage. Gujarat has also been a pioneering state in e-governance implementation through initiatives, regulations, and infrastructure.

B2C SERVICE CATEGORY GROWTH

• The B2C service category saw a 3823.8% increase in a number of e-transactions in FY2017-18, and since then the number has been growing at an exponential rate. Statutory and non-statutory services witnessed a 147.9% increase in e-transactions count in 2017-18, post which the growth has stagnated.
• The Government has been pushing to increase the number of e-transactions in the B2C service category and has successfully implemented several initiatives that are encouraging customers to switch from physical transactions to digital ones. These initiatives include providing discounts, cashback, and loyalty points for digital payments, setting up digital kiosks for easy access to services, and introducing digital payment platforms such as UPI and e-wallets.
• The implementation of Aadhaar-based authentication services has further facilitated the growth of e-transactions in the B2C service category. This has enabled customers to avail of services in a secure and convenient manner. The Government is also working towards the implementation of GST, which is expected to further boost the number of e-transactions in the B2C service category.

• Overall, the growth of e-transactions in the B2C service category has been impressive and is expected to keep rising in the coming years. With the help of government initiatives, customers are increasingly switching towards digital transactions, and this trend is only going to increase further in the future.

eTAAL SERVICE OUTCOMES

1. Improved efficiency: Taal services provide an efficient way to manage and track payments across multiple sources. With Taal, customers can pay and receive money without having to worry about manual tracking and reconciliation.
2. Increased Security: Taal services employ advanced security measures to ensure that customers’ data and payment information is kept safe and secure.
3. Faster Transactions: Taal services provide a fast and reliable way to make and receive payments. Customers can avoid the delays associated with traditional payment methods.
4. Increased Visibility: Taal services provide customers with a clear view of all their financial transactions, allowing them to better track their spending and manage their finances.
5. Lower Costs: Taal services are typically less expensive than traditional payment methods, making them a cost-effective option for customers.
6. Security: Taal services are secure, with data encryption and other security measures in place to ensure customer privacy and security.
7. Speed: eTaal services are fast, with payments typically processed in seconds or minutes.
8. Convenience: eTaal services are convenient, allowing customers to pay quickly and easily from any location.
9. Flexibility: eTaal services offer customers flexibility in how they pay, with support for multiple payment methods.
10. User Experience: eTaal services provide a good user experience, with a streamlined, intuitive interface.

MAXIMUM GOVERNANCE MINIMUM GOVERNMENT FOR DIGITAL EMPOWERMENT

• Citizen centric e-Services aim to digitally empower the society and transform the economy.
• They aim to restyle how citizens avail of services and participate in the economy using less cash, opting instead for UPI, internet banking, direct benefit transfer digital payment platform ete, using unique identification techniques, like Andhaar, so as to drive financial inclusion with minimum lapses and delays.
• Government’s push towards a Paperless. Presence less and Cashless model of e-governance and the launch of Aadhaar. UPI and BHIM have transformed the economy, Banking is fast moving from branch banking to a virtual world of banking called Digital Banking.
• Various new citizen-centric and transformational digital platforms that have been developed include BHIM-UPI -NAM, GSTN, DigiLocker, Ge M. e-Hospital, MyGov, UMANG. SWAYAM, Jeevan Pramaan NSP etc.
• These efforts are heavily dependent upon the efficient use of technology and as a result technology is increasingly being used to transform learning, economy and citizen services delivery mechanisms.
• The reach mobile network, internet and electricity is expanding its reach to remote areas, thereby ensuring that the marginalized sections of the society are also brought into the mainstream.
• Citizen centric e-Services focus on accessibility, quality, efficiency, affordability, delivery, mobility and user experience.
• The Digital India programme and the tremendous focus of the Government on providing citizen centric e-Services are resulting in the Indian citizens witnessing not only a transformational shift in the delivery of services but also a better engagement of the Government with its citizens.

TOWARDS A NATIONAL DIGITAL HEALTH ECOSYSTEM

The National Health Policy 2017 approved by the Government had defined the vision of ‘health and wellbeing for all at all ages’. Continuum of Care is a concept strongly advocated by the Policy. These lofty ideals are sought to be achieved by refactoring the existing schemes and introducing several new schemes including some digital.
Initiatives. Citizen centricity, quality of care, better access, universal health coverage, and inclusiveness are some of the key principles on which the Policy is founded. The realization of all these aspirations can be realized principally by leveraging the power of the digital technologies.

SEVEN YEARS OF DIGITAL INDIA MISSION: OUTCOMES

The Digital India Mission was launched in 2015 with the aim of transforming India into a digitally empowered country. The mission has achieved remarkable success in the past seven years and has enabled the country to reap many benefits, including:

1. Increased Access to Digital Services: The Digital India Mission has increased access to digital services in the country by providing internet connectivity to rural areas, setting up Common Service Centres (CSCs) and providing free Wi-Fi hotspots. This has enabled people to access essential services such as banking, health, education and employment opportunities more easily.
2. Digital Literacy: The mission has also focused on increasing the digital literacy of citizens. The Government has launched various initiatives to provide citizens training and awareness about using digital technologies and services. This has helped in improving the digital skills of citizens and enabled them to avail the benefits of the digital revolution.
3. Increased Transparency and Accountability: The mission has also improved transparency and accountability in the functioning of the Government.
4. This has been made possible through the implementation of various initiatives, such as e-procurement and e-bidding, which have made government processes more transparent and accountable.
5. Boosted Digital Economy: The Digital India Mission has helped in the growth of the digital economy by creating an enabling environment for businesses to use technology to enhance their operations and expand their customer base. This has resulted in an increase in the number of startups, innovations in digital payments, e-commerce, and digital financial services.
6. 5. Improved Access to Government Services: One of the major achievements of the Digital India Mission is improved access to government services. The Government has developed a number of online portals and mobile applications to make it easier for citizens to access information, apply for services, and make payments. These portals have helped reduce the paperwork and waiting time associated with availing services.

CHALLENGES TO E-GOVERNANCE IN INDIA

1.INFRASTRUCTURE:

• A lack of essential infrastructure, such as internet and electricity.
• Steps in this direction have been taken through programmes like BharatNet and Saubhagya.

2. COSTLY

• e-Government initiatives call for significant public spending.
• One of the main barriers to the implementation of e-Governance initiatives in developing nations like India is the cost of projects.

3. SECURITY AND PRIVACY

• The public’s confidence in e-governance has been undermined by a recent spike in data breach instances.
• Therefore, security standards and regulations for e-governance initiatives must be in place to protect the interests of all classes of the general populace.

4. INTERNET DIVIDE

• Huge disparity between e-government service users and non-users.
• Rich-poor, male-female, urban-rural, etc. sectors of the population are manifestations of the digital divide.
• The gap must be closed before the advantages of e-governance can be fully realized.

THE WAY FORWARD:

• Enhancing interoperability between e-governance systems requires the adoption of a hybrid strategy, which will include a centralized strategy for document management, knowledge management, file management, grievance management, etc.
• The implementation of e-governance initiatives in rural areas needs to take into account the local conditions.
• The Government should concentrate on creating methods for capacity building that are relevant, practical, distinct, and effective for a variety of stakeholders, including bureaucrats, citizens in rural and urban areas, elected officials, and others.
• The delivery of services related to e-governance is being improved by the use of cloud computing, which is growing in importance. In addition to helping to save costs, cloud computing also helps to enable new services, enhance the educational system, and produce new employment and opportunities.
• Meghraj- GI Cloud is a positive development. This programme aims to maximize government ICT spending while accelerating the delivery of e-services in the nation.
• For countries like India, where participants come from many linguistic origins, e-Government through regional languages is appreciable.

THE CONCLUSION: Digital payments and UIDAI have been the key drivers of this growth, demonstrating the widespread success of two key elements of the Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile (JAM) trinity.Additionally, the transfer of social benefits (incorporating the third pillar of Jan Dhan accounts) has also seen 192% growth since 2015, which corroborates the widespread adoption of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) in almost all major developmental and social protection programmes of the Government of India. At a sub-national level, states and union territories with early adoption of e-government initiatives such as Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Gujarat, and Kerala have led the way, with most other states catching up significantly post FY2017-2018.

MAINS EXAMINATION QUESTIONS:

Q1. What are the principles of effective public service delivery? Why is it an important component of governance? Explain in the context of Etaal service outcomes.
Q2. What are the most significant challenges to India’s e-governance initiatives? Examine

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

DIGITAL SERVICES IN INDIA

1. Common Services Centres (CSCs): CSCs are the world’s largest digital service delivery network, with wide reach in rural areas up to Gram Panchayat & Block level.
2. Meri Pehchaan, a National Single Sign-On (NSSO) was launched on July 4, 2022, by the Hon’ble Prime Minister, is a user authentication service wherein a single set of credentials can provide access to multiple online applications or services.
3. My Scheme was launched on July 4, 2022, by the Hon’ble Prime Minister, is a scheme eMarketplace, where citizens can discover eligible schemes based on his/her demography. More than 180 schemes of the 27 Central and State/UT Governments across 13 diverse categories have been hosted.
4. DigiLocker has provided a dedicated cloud-based platform as a personal space to residents for the storage, sharing, and verification of documents & certificates, thus it is helping in eliminating the use of physical documents. Over 13.5 crore users are registered with DigiLocker and over 562 crore documents are accessible via DigiLocker.
5. UMANG (Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance) has been developed as a unified platform to deliver major Government services through Mobile. So far, 1,658 services from Central/State Govt. along with 20,197 Bharat Bill Payment Services (BBPS) have been on-boarded on UMANG.
6. India Stack Global has been initiated to showcase India Stack and its building blocks globally. At present, 12 key projects/platforms namely Aadhaar, UPI, Co-Win, API Setu, DigiLocker, AarogyaSetu, GeM, UMANG, Diksha, E-Sanjeevani, E-Hospital, and E-Office are made available at the portal of India Stack Global available in all UN languages.
7. API Setu: MeitY had notified the ‘Policy on Open Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)’ in 2015. The policy intended to promote efficient sharing of data among data owners and inter-and-intra Governmental agencies to achieve the objective of interoperable systems in order to deliver services in an integrated manner.
8. eSign provides easy, efficient, and secure signing of electronic documents by an Aadhaar holder. so far, 34.41 crore eSigns have been issued. Out of these, e-Sign issued by CDAC (i.e. under e-Hastakshar Project) is 8.22 crore.
9. National AI Portal has been developed to provide all information related to Artificial Intelligence to all stakeholders in a single place and promote awareness and communication on AI in the country.
10. Aarogya Setu: It is a mobile application launched by the Government of India on 2nd April 2020, to aid the COVID-19 efforts of the Government. The App works based on contact tracing methods and helps the Government identify, monitor and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 across the country.
11. GST Prime: GST-Prime is a product to help tax administrators to analyze and monitor tax collection and compliance within their jurisdiction. GST-Prime improves GST compliance, increases tax collection, increases the tax base, detects tax evasion and fraud and predict the effect of policy change.
12.  e-Taal 3.0 (Electronic Transaction Aggregation & Analysis Layer): et al provides a real-time aggregated view of the volume of eServices being delivered across different agencies of the Central, State and local Governments in India.
13. A vehicle Location Tracking System (VLTS) is designed to track and monitor public vehicles with the help of GPS-based tracking devices which gets fitted in Vehicles. The System also has a provision to send a panic alert which triggers an emergency response procedure to support passengers in distress with the help of effective monitoring using the Command Control Centre.
14. eChallan: A comprehensive traffic management solution using a mobile-based app and complementary web application which is Integrated with CCTV/ ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Reading) Cameras, RLVD/OSVD (Red Light/ Over Speed Violation) Devices, Later Guns etc for issuance of challan/ notices.
15. Electronic Human Resource Management System (eHRMS): eHRMS application is responsible for the maintenance of employee records in electronic form, from hiring to retirement. The Project includes scanning/digitization of the service book to capture the legacy data and provision of numerous online services through various modules; namely Service Book, Leave, LTC, Personal Information, Reimbursements, Advances, Tour, Helpdesk, etc
16. ServicePlus: It is a Meta Data Based e-Service Delivery Framework which helps in making all Government services accessible to the common man in his locality through common service delivery outlets. Presently, the framework is successfully running in 33 States/UTs facilitating more than 2,791 services of Central, State and Local Governments.
17. Open Government Data (OGD 2.0): The OGD Platform (https://data.gov.in) has been set up to provide proactive access to Government owned shareable data, along with its usage information.
18. Global Indices (E-Government Development Index): MeitY is the nodal ministry for the E-Government Development Index (EGDI) along with two-line Ministries/Departments viz. Department of Higher Education and Department of School Education and Literacy (DHE and DoSEL).

[WpProQuiz 429]

GOVERNMENT INTERVENTIONS

1. MARINE SPATIAL PLANNING FRAMEWORK

TAGS: PRELIMS- GS-II-GOVERNMENT INTERVENTIONS

THE CONTEXT: Puducherry has launched the country’s first Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) framework as part of a pact under the Indo-Norway Integrated Ocean Initiative.

THE EXPLANATION:

Aim: to balance growth alongside sustainable management of ocean resources and coastal environment preservation.

About Marine Spatial Planning:

• MSP is an ecosystem-based spatial planning process for analyzing current and anticipated ocean and coastal uses and identifying areas most suitable for various activities.
• It provides a public policy process for society to better determine how the ocean and coasts are sustainably used and protected – now and for future generations.
• The initiative, known as Marine Spatial Planning (MSP), will be implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) through the National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR) for India.

The IOC-UNESCO Marine Spatial Planning Programme:

• It helps countries implement ecosystem-based management by finding space for biodiversity, conservation and sustainable economic development in marine areas.
• IOC-UNESCO has developed several guides, including a 10-step guide on how to get a marine spatial plan started: “Step-by-step Approach for Marine Spatial Planning toward Ecosystem-based Management”.

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

2. ALLOCATION OF ELECTION SYMBOLS BY ELECTION COMMISSION OF INDIA (ECI)

TAGS: PRELIMS- GS-II-POLITY

THE CONTEXT: ECI has recognised Eknath Shinde group as official “Shiv Sena”, allowing them to use the official “Bow & Arrow” symbol and “Shiv Sena” name.

THE EXPLANATION:

Sadiq Ali case

• The ECI has applied the tests mentioned in the 1971 Supreme Court judgment in Sadiq Ali v. Election Commission of India.
• In the Sadiq Ali case, it was held that in matters of disputes among groups of a political party, the test of majority support among the members of the ‘organizational and legislature wings’ of the party was the critical test to decide the dispute.
• It includes the Test of aims and objects of the Party Constitution, Test of Party Constitution and Test of Majority.

The 1968 Order

• On the question of a split in a political party outside the legislature, Para 15 of the Symbols Order, 1968, states that the decision of the Commission shall be binding on all such rival sections or groups.
• This applies to disputes in recognised national and state parties (like the Shiv Sena).
• For splits in registered but unrecognized parties, the ECI usually advises the warring factions to resolve their differences internally or to approach the court.
• The first case to be decided under the 1968 Order was the first split in the Indian National Congress in 1969.

Election Symbols:

• Political parties are allotted the symbols by the Election Commission of India under the Election Symbols (Reservation & Allotment) Order, 1968.
• A reserved symbol is one that is allocated to a registered political party while a free symbol is available to be allocated to non-recognized parties and independent candidates.
• Paragraph 4 of the order deals with the allotment of symbols.
• Paragraph 5 classifies the symbol into reserved and free symbols.
• Paragraph 8 of the Election Symbols Order deals with the choice and allotment of symbols to candidates of national and state parties.

Registration of Political Parties:

• According to the Election Commission, any party seeking registration has to apply to the Commission within a period of 30 days following the date of its formation as per guidelines prescribed by the Commission
• It is in exercise of the powers conferred by Article 324 of the Constitution of India and Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
• The registration of all political parties is governed by the provisions of Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

3. MOMENTUM 2.0 APP

TAGS: PRELIMS- GS-II- Government Schemes

THE CONTEXT: Delhi Metro will introduce the Momentum 2.0 app that will allow users to make a variety of purchases and schedule various services, including those for last-mile connectivity.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Momentum 2.0 app:

• It is India’s first virtual shopping app for the metro.
• It is launched by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).
• Features:
• It will allow customers to make payments and schedule services, including those for last-mile connections.
• It will also contain features such as rapid recharge of Delhi Metro’s smart cards and smart payment choices for other utility services.
• The app would also allow users to have digital lockers at metro stations.
• Commuters can use this app to find bikes, e-rickshaws, cabs, and the schedules of feeder buses and cluster bus routes from Delhi Metro stations.
• The app will also provide complete information on metro station infrastructure, such as the location and condition of gates, lifts, escalators, platforms, train scheduling, coach occupancy, and space availability.
• The app will also provide information on shops, outlets, kiosks, and ATMs located at the stations.

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

4. PANGOLINS

TAGS: PRELIMS- GS-III- Environment

THE CONTEXT: According to the analysis by TRAFFIC, a global wildlife conservation non-profit, and World-Wide Fund for Nature-India, over 1200 Pangolins were poached for illegal wildlife trade in India from 2018-2022.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Pangolins:

• Pangolins are nocturnal, toothless mammals that dig burrows and feed on ants and termites.
• Pangolins are scaly anteater mammals and they have large, protective keratin scales covering their skin.
• Pangolin is the only scaly mammal on the planet.
• It uses these scales as armor to defend itself against predators by rolling into a ball when threatened.
• Out of the eight species of pangolin, the Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) and the Chinese Pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) are found in India.

About Ecosystem Services:

• They play a vital role in the ecosystem management, mostly in aerating and adding moisture to the soil as well as succession of plant communities through burrowing.
• They also keep in check the population of certain insects they prey on.
• The burrows made by pangolins also get utilized as shelters by other species within their ecosystem.

Indian Pangolin

• Range – Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka
• IUCN – Endangered
• The Indian pangolin, which dons a thick scaly skin, is hunted for meat and used in traditional Chinese medicine.
• Both these species are listed under Schedule I Part I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

Chinese Pangolin

• Range – Bangladesh; Bhutan; China; Hong Kong; India; Lao People’s Democratic Republic; Myanmar; Nepal; Taiwan, Province of China; Thailand; Viet Nam
• IUCN – Critically Endangered.

PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

5. KENDU LEAF

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT:The GST council meeting recently rejected Odisha’s demand for tax exemption on kendu leaf.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Kendu leaf:

• Kendu leaf is called the green gold of Odisha.
• It is a nationalized product like Bamboo and Sal seed.
• It is one of the most important non-wood forest products of Odisha.
• It is also referred to as tendu leaf in some parts of the country and is used to roll tobacco into bidis (local cigarettes).

Production:

• The states producing kendu leaves in India comprise mainly Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.
• Odisha is the third-largest producer of kendu leaf after Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

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