1. SPECIAL SESSION OF PARLIAMENT
TAG: GS 2: POLITY
THE CONTEXT: The five-day session of Parliament was announced from Sept 18-22 by the Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister recently. However, the agenda for the session has not been revealed yet.
EXPLANATION:
- Opposition had expressed its dissatisfaction with the government’s apparent lack of transparency regarding the forthcoming special parliamentary session.
- They have raised that government should have a debate on the continuing violence in Manipur, price rise, unemployment, Chinese transgressions among others, during the five-day special session of Parliament.
What is Special session of Parliament?
- The Constitution does not define a ‘special session’. The term sometimes refers to sessions the government has convened for specific occasions, like commemorating parliamentary or national milestones.
- The announcement has led to speculation about the government’s legislative plans for the session.
- Usually, a few days before a Parliament session, the government convenes an all-party meeting to share its agenda and build consensus on possible issues for discussion.
- However, Article 352 (Proclamation of Emergency) of the Constitution does refer to a “special sitting of the House”.
- Parliament added the part relating to the special sitting through the Constitution (Forty-fourth Amendment) Act, 1978.
- Its purpose was to add safeguards to the power of proclaiming Emergency in the country. It specifies that if a Proclamation of Emergency is issued and Parliament is not in session, then one-tenth of Lok Sabha MPs can ask the President to convene a special meeting to disapprove the Emergency.
- For the two Houses to be in session, the presiding officers should chair their proceedings. The presiding officers can also direct that the proceedings of their respective Houses would be limited and procedural devices like question hour would not be available to MPs during the session.
When does Parliament meet?
- India’s Parliament has no fixed calendar of sittings.
- The government determines the date and duration of parliamentary sessions.
- The Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs takes this decision. It currently has ten Ministers, including those for Defence, Home, Finance, Agriculture, Tribal Affairs, Parliamentary Affairs, and Information and Broadcasting.
- The Law Minister and the Minister of State for External Affairs are special invitees to the Committee.
- The President is informed about the Committee’s decision, who then summons Members of Parliament to meet for the session.
Constitutional provisions:
- The Constitution specifies that six months should not elapse between two parliamentary sessions. The framers of the Constitution borrowed it from the Government of India Act of 1935.
- It allowed the British Governor General to call a session of the central legislature at his discretion, requiring that the gap between two sessions should not be more than 12 months. The Constituent Assembly reduced the gap between sessions to six months.
How often do Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha meet?
- Before independence, the central assembly met for a little more than 60 days a year. This number increased to 120 days a year in the first 20 years after Independence. Since then, the sitting days of the national legislature have declined.
- Between 2002 and 2021, Lok Sabha averaged 67 working days. The situation in state legislatures is much worse. In 2022, 28 state Assemblies met for 21 days on average.
- On multiple occasions, the conference of presiding officers has recommended that Parliament should meet for more than 100 days. The National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution set up in 2000 made a similar recommendation.
- Individual MPs have introduced private member Bills that stipulated increased sitting days for Parliament. If the 1955 recommendations of the Lok Sabha committee were accepted, Parliament would be in session for eight months every year.
History of Earlier Parliament Special Sessions:
- The first-ever special session of the Parliament was convened on 14 and 15 August in 1947, to mark India’s independence.
- During the India-China war in 1962, another special session under the leadership of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to discuss the incursion made by China at length.
- On 15 August 1972, a special session was called to mark the 25 years of India’s Independence.
- A midnight session was called on 9 August 1992 to celebrate the 50-year anniversary of the ‘Quit India Movement’.
- On 15 August 1997, a midnight session was convened to mark 50-years of India’s independence.
- On 30 June 2017, the government called for a joint midnight session of both the houses to roll out the Goods and Services Tax (GST). This was the first special session of the Parliament where a bill was discussed. All previous such sessions were convened to commemorate historical events.
2. G20 LEADERS’ SUMMIT
TAG: GS 2: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
THE CONTEXT: The G20 Leaders’ Summit will be held in New Delhi on September 9-10. Leaders from the most powerful nations in the world will flock to New Delhi for the G20 Heads of State and Government Summit.
EXPLANATION:
- The culmination of India’s year-long presidency of the G20, the summit will be concluded with the adoption of a G20 Leaders’ Declaration.
- Declaration will state the participating leaders’ commitment towards the priorities discussed and agreed upon during the respective ministerial and working group meetings.
G20 and its objectives:
- The G20, or the Group of Twenty, comprises 19 countries (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom, and the United States) and the European Union.
- These members represent around 85 per cent of the global GDP, over 75 per cent of global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.
- As a forum for international economic cooperation, it plays an important role in shaping and strengthening global architecture and governance on all major international economic issues.
Some of its major objectives are as follows:
- Policy coordination between its members in order to achieve global economic stability, sustainable growth
- To promote financial regulations that reduce risks and prevent future financial crises; and
- To create a new international financial architecture.
Origin of the G20
- The Soviet Union fell in 1991, bringing an end to the Cold War. At the same time, vibrant economies were emerging in the Global South, in countries such as Brazil, China and India.
- It was in this context that a need for reform emerged in global governance and international institutions.
- In 1997, the Asian financial crisis ripped through some of the fastest-growing economies in East Asia. It soon spread to Latin America. It was in the context of this crisis that the G22, G20’s earliest iteration, was set up in 1998.
- While initially conceived as a one-time crisis-response meeting, in early 1999, two more meetings were convened including 33 members (G33) to discuss reforms of the global economy and the international financial system.
- It was in late 1999 that the G20, with its current composition, was finally founded as an informal forum for Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors of its members to meet annually.
- The global financial crisis of 2008 forced G20 to its present status. As the world reeled from the greatest economic crisis to hit since the Great Depression, France, which held the EU presidency at the time, argued for an emergency summit meeting to address the crisis.
- The G8 (comprising Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the UK and the US) was not sufficiently influential on its own to stabilise a crisis on this scale. Typically, diplomats would deliberate for months to decide which countries to call, but amid the ongoing crisis, there was simply no time. The G20 was the obvious answer.
- The first G20 Leaders’ Summit (the ‘Summit on Financial Markets and the World Economy’) was convened in Washington DC in November 2008. In addition to the leaders of its 20 members, the heads of the IMF, the World Bank and the United Nations were invited, along with Spain and the Netherlands. Annual summits have been held ever since.
How does the G20 work?
- G20 is an informal grouping and unlike the United Nations (UN), it does not have a permanent secretariat or staff.
- Rather, the G20 presidency rotates annually among the members and is responsible for bringing together the G20 agenda, organising its workings and hosting summits.
- The presidency is supported by the “troika” previous, current and incoming presidencies. India holds the presidency from December 1, 2022, to November 30, 2023, with the troika comprising Indonesia (the previous presidency), India, and Brazil (the incoming presidency).
- The G20 is also informal in another sense while the decisions of the G20 are important, they do not get implemented automatically.
- Rather, the G20 is a forum where leaders discuss various issues and make pronouncements, which signals their intentions. Then, they are implemented by relevant nations or international organisations.
How is the G20 presidency determined?
The G20 presidency is rotated among its members who (except the EU) are divided into 5 groups.
| Group 1 | Group 2 | Group 3 | Group 4 | Group 5 |
| Australia | India | Argentina | France | China |
| Canada | Russia | Brazil | Germany | Indonesia |
| Saudi Arabia | South Africa | Mexico | Italy | Japan |
| USA | Türkiye | UK | South Korea |
- The presidency rotates from group to group. However, each country within a group is eligible for presidency when it is their group’s turn.
- Thus, the countries in the eligible group negotiate among themselves to determine the group’s presidency.
What is the working structure of the G20?
- The G20 works in three major tracks two of them are official and one is unofficial. The official tracks are the Finance Track and the Sherpa Track. The unofficial track includes engagement groups or civil society groups.
- FINANCE TRACK: It is headed by the finance ministers and central bank governors, who usually meet four times a year, it focuses on fiscal and monetary policy issues such as the global economy, infrastructure, financial regulation, financial inclusion, international financial architecture, and international taxation. It currently has 8 working groups.
- SHERPA TRACK: It is established after the inception of G20 Leaders’ Summit in 2008, it is headed by Sherpas, who are the appointed representatives of the member countries’ president/ prime minister. It focuses on socio-economic issues such as agriculture, anti-corruption, climate, digital economy, education, employment, energy, environment, health, tourism, trade, and investment. It currently has 13 working groups.
- ENGAGEMENT GROUPS: The unofficial track comprises non-government participants from each member country dealing with a gamut of issues. These groups draft recommendations to the G20 leaders that contribute to the policy-making process. There are 11 Engagement Groups at the moment.
What is the theme of the G20 this year?
- This year’s theme is “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam — One Earth, One Family, One Future”. It is drawn from the ancient Sanskrit text of the Maha Upanishad.
- Essentially, the theme affirms the value of all life human, animal, plant, and microorganisms and their interconnectedness on the planet Earth and in the wider universe.
- Further, the website says the theme also spotlights LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), “with its associated, environmentally sustainable and responsible choices, both at the level of individual lifestyles as well as national development, leading to globally transformative actions resulting in a cleaner, greener and bluer future.”
What is the 2023 G20 logo?
- The G20 Logo draws inspiration from the vibrant colours of India’s national flag – saffron, white and green, and blue.
- It juxtaposes planet Earth with the lotus, India’s national flower that reflects growth amid challenges. The Earth reflects India’s pro-planet approach to life, one in perfect harmony with nature.
- The symbol of the lotus in the G20 logo is a representation of hope in this time. Even if the world is in a deep crisis, we can still progress and make the world a better place.
- The seven petals of the lotus in the logo are also significant. They represent the seven continents.
- The logo is to reflect the idea of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the whole earth is a family). “The lotus flower symbolises our Puranic heritage, our aastha (belief) and boddhikta (intellectualism).
SOURCE:https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-global/g20-summit-delhi-8926140/
3. THE TRANSITION OF LOANS FROM FLOATING TO FIXED RATES
TAG: GS 3: ECONOMY
THE CONTEXT: Reserve Bank of India issued a circular that provided borrowers the option to transition from a floating interest-based regime to a fixed interest rate for their loans.
EXPLANATION:
- According to RBI, the endeavour was to address borrowers’ grievances pertaining to elongation of loan tenure and/or increase in the EMI amount in the event of an increase in the benchmark interest rate..
- The provisions would be extended to existing as well as new loans by the end of the current calendar year.
What exactly has the RBI instructed?
- This would be based on a board-approved policy drafted by the lending entity. The policy must also specify the number of times such a switch would be allowing during the tenure.
- The lender must also transparently communicate to the borrower all relevant charges alongside service charges or administrative costs associated with the transition.
- The responsibility would rest with the lender to communicate clearly, at the time of loan sanction, the impact emanating from the change in regime (floating to fixed), such as the change in EMI and/or tenure of the loan or both.
- Additionally, the borrower would now also have the option to choose between enhancement of the EMI or elongation of the tenure or a combination of both.
- The instructions would apply to all equated installment-based loans of different periodicities with certain changes based on the nature of the loan.
What is the difference between a fixed and floating interest rate?
- Fixed interest rates are those that do not change during the tenure of the loan. On the other hand, floating interest rates are subject to market dynamics and the base rate therefore, the risk differentiation.
- Floating interest rates are generally lower than the fixed interest rates. For example, if the floating interest rates for home loans is 10.5%, the fixed interest rate would be 12%.
- Lenders argue that even if the floating interest rate were to rise by up to 2.5 percentage points, the borrower would be able to save more money when it is below the fixed rate.
- The floating interest rate loans do not draw any prepayment penalty unlike fixed rate loans.
- However, the fixed rate-based regime endows a borrower with greater certainty and security. This also helps in better planning and structuring of individual budgets.
4. SCRUB TYPHUS
TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
THE CONTEXT: As per reports, at least 5 people have succumbed to scrub typhus and more than 700 people have tested positive.
EXPLANATION:
- Recently, a bacterial infection has emerged known as scrub typhus which is claiming lives Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh.
What is scrub typhus?
- Scrub typhus is an emerging infectious disease with seasonal flare caused by the bacterium ‘Orientia tsutsugamushi’, which is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mites found in areas with heavy vegetation.
- It is commonly found in the Asia-Pacific region, including India, and is more prominent during rains and in hilly areas.
- It is majorly spread in human beings by the bites of infected mites known as chiggers. These mites are usually present in dense forest green environments and tall grasses.
- The symptoms include fever, headache, muscle pain, rashes, and swollen lymph nodes.
- Additionally, a characteristic feature of scrub typhus is an eschar (a type of necrotic tissue that can develop on severe wounds), a dark, scab-like lesion at the site of the chigger bite.
- Without treatment, severe cases can lead to organ dysfunction, including respiratory and renal failure.
Diagnosis and treatment
- Scrub typhus is a disease of concern in India because of potential to cause significant morbidity and in some cases, mortality if not diagnosed and treated promptly.
- It has overlapping symptoms in monsoon season with malaria, dengue and other febrile illnesses making overt diagnosis and management both challenging and crucial.
- Those at risk of scrub typhus include people living in rural or forested areas, being involved in outdoor activities such as farming, camping or hiking in endemic regions, and lack of protective measures.
- To prevent scrub typhus, it is important to take preventive measures such as wearing protective clothing, using insect repellents, and avoiding areas with dense vegetation.
- Early diagnosis and treatment with antibiotics like doxycycline or azithromycin can effectively treat scrub typhus.
5. AEROSOL FORMATION BY BLIZZARDS CONTRIBUTE TO ARCTIC WARMING
TAG: GS 3: ENVIRONMENT
THE CONTEXT: Fine sea salt aerosols produced under blizzardy conditions has been found to contribute to Arctic warming, according to new research published in the journal Nature Geoscience.
EXPLANATION:
- The study analysed data collected by the Multidisciplinary Drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC), an international collaboration and a year-long expedition into the Central Arctic from September, 2019 to October, 2020.
- Fine sea salt aerosols, which refer to the suspended sea salt particles in the air, are good for forming clouds, trap the heat emitted by Earth and contribute to warming.
- According to the study, sea salt aerosols thus produced account for 30 per cent of all the aerosols in the Arctic.
- Considering the absence of sunlight in the winter and spring Arctic, these clouds have the capacity to trap surface long-wave radiation, thereby significantly warming the Arctic surface.
- In the central Arctic, the coldest winter nights are the clearest, when heat from Earth can escape into space unimpeded.
- While the presence of sea salt in the Arctic atmosphere is common because of breaking ocean waves, these particles are large and not abundant.
- However, under blizzardy conditions, when snow is blown about by strong winds, the sea salt particles were much finer and abundant.
- The study has further revealed that the sea salt aerosols thus produced contributes a more substantial fraction to the total aerosol population in the central Arctic.
- Even as ‘Arctic haze’, resulting from pollutants being transported over long distances, has previously been identified as the primary source of aerosols in the Arctic during winter and spring.
The Multidisciplinary Drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC)
- It is an international research expedition to study the physical, chemical, and biological processes that coupled the Arctic atmosphere, sea ice, ocean, and ecosystem.
- The project has been designed by an international consortium of leading polar research institutions, under the umbrella of the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC).
India’s initiatives in the Arctic:
- India’s engagement with the Arctic began when it signed the Svalbard Treaty in February 1920 in Paris between Norway, the US, Denmark, France, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Great Britain, and Ireland, and the British overseas Dominions and Sweden concerning Spitsbergen.
- The Indian Arctic policy is built on six central pillars: science and research, environmental protection, economic and human development, transportation and connectivity, governance and international cooperation, and national capacity building.
- India initiated its Arctic research program in 2007 with a focus on climate change in the region. The objectives included studying teleconnections between Arctic climate and Indian monsoon, to characterize sea ice in the Arctic using satellite data, to estimate the effect on global warming.
- India presently has a single station, Himadri established in 2008 by the Minister of Earth Sciences, in Ny-Alesund, Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago, where research personnel is usually present for 180 days.
- India is one of the five Asian and 13 Observer states to the Arctic council, having obtained the membership in 2013, which was subsequently reaffirmed in 2019.
