THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) has imposed a penalty of Rs. 936.44 crores on Alphabet-owned Google for “abusing its dominant position” in markets related to the Android mobile device ecosystem. This article analyses the issues with the growing dominance of Big tech giants and the challenges involved in regulating them.

ABOUT BIG TECH

• The term ‘Big Tech’ is often used to refer to a handful of large technology companies, clubbed together as the Big Four Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Apple have a widespread presence in India. Sometimes, this terminology includes companies like Microsoft, IBM, Baidu, Tencent, and Alibaba. Reliance Jio also displays some of the conceptual markers associated with Big Tech.
• Big Tech is a concept, rather than a static set of companies, which also draws attention to the role of the Indian state since it seeks to leverage data analytics and digital platforms for governance.
• The ‘bigness’ of these large technology companies is reflected in their market valuations, user base, and range of product offerings.
• Their revenues are higher than the GDP of some countries. However, the term ‘Big Tech’ has come to indicate more than just scale and financial strength. It also draws attention to their growing political, social, and cultural influence aspects that are often not shared by other kinds of ‘big’ businesses.
• Search engine giant Google was fined for the second time for abuse of its dominant market position, with the Competition Commission of India (CCI) penalising the company ₹936.44 crores for its app store billing policies. The regulator also issued a cease-and-desist order against Google regarding these policies.
• Google allows developers on its Play store to receive payments for their apps, audio, video, and games, as well as certain in-app purchases, solely through its Google Play Billing System, CCI said in a 199-page order, directing the company to modify its conduct within three months.

WHO ARE THE BIG TECH PLAYERS IN INDIA? AND HOW MUCH IS THEIR MARKET SHARE?

Three of the global Big Tech companies have a widespread presence in India Google, Facebook, and Amazon. Google products and services are ubiquitous in India.

• India constitutes Facebook’s largest market, with more than 270 million total users and 400 million monthly average users for Whatsapp.
• Google Android is a market leader in the mobile operating system market, with a 94.45% market share;42 Google Pay has also clocked more than 300 million transactions in India as of June 2019.
• Amazon also has a large presence, with at least 30% market share in e-commerce and more than 5.5 lakh sellers on its platform.
• While Apple is considered to be a Big Tech company globally, it has a significantly smaller market presence in India, with less than a 3% share in the smartphone market.
• Other foreign companies that display some of the conceptual markers of Big Tech also have a significant presence in India. For example, Walmart is a leader in the e-commerce space, with reportedly 60% market share through its subsidiary Flipkart.

CONTROVERSIAL PRACTICES IN WHICH BIG TECHS WERE INVOLVED IN INDIA:

COMPANIES 

CONTROVERSIAL PRACTICES

FACEBOOK AND TWITTER 

• Facebook and Twitter were criticized for censoring social media in favour of the Indian government during the 2020–2021 Indian farmers’ protest.
• Facebook employees themselves are questioning the procedure and content regulation practice of Facebook’s Indian team. 11 of its employees also wrote a letter to the Facebook management about the policy head’s decision to allow certain posts that spread hate and racial content.

GOOGLE

• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) imposed a penalty of ₹936.44 Crore on Google. The tech giant was found guilty of busing its market position on the Play Store to promote its payments app and in-app payment system.

INSTAGRAM

• The Bois Locker Room controversy refers to the investigation of an Instagram group chat started by a group of schoolboys from Delhi, India in 2020. The group chat’s purpose was to share obscene images of women, many of them underage, which lead to public outcry.

FLIPKART AND AMAZON

• Investigation has been initiated against e-commerce giants Amazon and Flipkart for alleged violation of foreign exchange law, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) Monday informed the Delhi High Court. A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice A J Bhambhani noted the submissions of the ED that a case has been registered under provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) against the two companies.

TWITTER

• Twitter displayed a map of Leh as part of China and later as part of Jammu and Kashmir state (instead of a separate Union Territory). For that, a legal notice has been served to Twitter.

IS THERE ANY INDIAN BIG TECH?

• Reliance Jio also displays some of the conceptual markers associated with Big Tech. In 2019, Jio became India’s leading carrier in terms of the number of users. Since then, Reliance Jio has been expanding into new business verticals as an umbrella platform for all Reliance-owned businesses
• Thinking of Big Tech as a concept, rather than a static set of companies, also draws attention to the role of the Indian state as it seeks to use data analytics and digital platforms for governance.
• As of May 2020, Jio Platforms was reported to be the fourth-largest Indian company by market capitalisation. Much of this is on the back of recent global investments since March 2020, Jio Platforms has attracted more than $15 billion in investments.

HOW ARE BIG TECH COMPANIES ADOPTING IN INDIA?

• Currently, there are over 500 million internet users in India, making India the second largest internet user base in the world.
• Some reports indicate that by 2023 India will have more than 900 million internet users, with most of them accessing the internet through vernacular languages and video content.
• A large and vibrant digital economy is opening up in India due to the proliferation of mobile phones, the spread of internet services, a rising youth population, and the growing adoption of digital services.

INVESTMENTS IN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

• Big Tech companies seek to leverage and develop India’s large demographic pool for both global and India-focused Research and Development.
• In 2019, Facebook re-hauled the structure of its operations in India and decided to focus on bridging the gendered digital divide, encouraging social interventions to boost economic growth in India. It has done so by investing in startups like Meesho, aimed at nurturing female entrepreneurship.
• Similarly, Google recently established the Google AI Lab, a global research lab that aims to provide opportunities to local Indian talent. The lab will also explore opportunities to leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) for social good.

EMPHASIS ON SERVICES IN LOCAL LANGUAGES

• Several Big Tech companies in India provides services over voice-based interfaces and in regional languages to address literacy-related barriers to digital services. For example, Google’s AdSense is available in Marathi, Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, and Telugu.67 In 2017, Google partnered with Reliance Jio to reuse its voice assistance technology to operate on feature phones.
• The user base of Google’s voice search has grown exponentially, with most users searching in Hindi.

ENTRY INTO FINTECH (FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY)

• Fintech in India has boomed after demonetisation and the launch of UPI. Big Tech companies have adapted their business models to ride this wave.
• Since the launch of UPI, Google Pay has acquired nearly 70 million users and carried out more than 2.5 billion transactions,  closely followed by Walmart-owned PhonePe.
• Whatsapp Pay has been allowed a phased roll-out in India, provided Facebook maintains compliance with RBI’s data localisation norms.
• Aside from Amazon Pay, Amazon has also launched an instant zero-interest credit service in India, called Amazon Pay Later.

DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE

• In 2016, Google launched the Google Station project (now defunct) in India to provide free high-speed public Wi-Fi to more than 400 train stations in India.
• In June 2018, more than eight million people used the service every month. Google also announced plans to launch a second cloud region in India, to strengthen cloud services in India for businesses, hospitals, and public sector organizations, amongst others.

ONLINE AND OFFLINE SERVICES

• Many Big Tech companies are leveraging offline models of service delivery to effectively reach users in smaller towns and cities in India.

 BIG TECH COMPANIES INFLUENCE OUR MARKET AND SOCIETY IN FOUR KEY AREAS:

MARKET POWER

• Market operations of global Big Tech companies in India create benefits for consumers and businesses. Many start-ups and tech companies rely on Big Tech companies for digital infrastructure, research, and innovation. However, Big Tech companies are prone to monopolistic and anti-competitive behaviour.

PRIVACY

• Big Tech platforms allow for data-based personalization of the internet experience and access to new services. Such benefits, however, come at a significant cost to individual and group privacy. Such personalisation also influences individual and group capacities for self-determination.

INFORMATION GATEWAY

• Social media platforms and search engine operations of Big Tech companies increasingly serve as the primary source of information, news,   and means of communication for many users in India. Yet, this also gives Big Tech companies inordinate influence in shaping how people access information and communicate with one another, making them arbiters of free speech.
• Big Tech platforms also contribute to the spread of misinformation and hate speech, while becoming increasingly politicised.

SOVEREIGN INTEREST

• While the Indian State benefits from Big Tech companies’ infrastructure and innovation to fill gaps in its own capacity and reach, this also raises concerns around democratic accountability, data sovereignty, the impact on domestic businesses, and the distribution of technology gains.

TARGET OF REPRESSIVE ACTIVITIES

• Women is the most vulnerable to cyber abuse like online harassment.
• Online offences are often normalised due to the difficulty in tracing offenders and the complexity and inaccessibility of the justice delivery mechanisms. This creates mistrust of the public towards the justice system, leading to the further marginalisation of women.
• Increased attention to women in social media often makes them the target of repressive activities. This results in gendered barriers for women online as in public places.

SECURITY ISSUES

• Propaganda information to recruit terror groups like AQIS, and LeT on telegram have been intercepted by National Investegating Agency(NIA).
• India has also suffered from it however less severely. An increasing number of cases of youth being influenced by social media to carry out propaganda of hate and violence has been reported in many areas.
• By ‘cyber-planners’, who will be responsible for planning terror attacks, identifying recruits, acting as “virtual coachers”, and providing guidance and encouragement throughout the process.

 CURRENTLY, HOW INDIA IS REGULATING BIG TECHS?

• The government enacted the Competition Act, of 2002. The Act established the Competition Commission of India (CCI). Later the Act was amended in 2007. The CCI has been established to eliminate practices having an adverse effect on competition. The commission also promotes and sustains competition and protects the interests of consumers. The CCI will step in if any of the tech giants will get involved in the anti-competitive practice.
• Intermediaries (providers of network service, telecom service, Internet service, and web hosting) are required to preserve and retain specified information. They also have to obey the directions issued by the government from time to time.
• In return intermediaries are protected from legal action for user-generated content (The big techs used this clause to move away from liability and responsibility in digital space).
• The Information and Technology Act, of 2000 governs all activities related to the use of computer resources in India. Some of the important provisions of the Act are
• Section 69 of the Act gives power to the government to issue directions “to intercept, decrypt or monitor any information generated, transmitted, received or stored” in any digital equipment.
• Section 69A of the Act provides power to the government to block access to any information generated, transmitted, received or stored, or hosted in the digital space.

ISSUES WITH BIG TECHS IN INDIA

MONOPOLY

• There is a suspicion that big tech companies were acquiring more monopoly power leading to a lack of free competition. There is a conjunction of technology and finance here. The more companies were valued, the more they needed monopoly rent extraction to be able to justify those valuations.

LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY

• There was an irony in an opaque algorithm being the instrument of a free, open, and equitable society.

MIXED IMPLICATIONS FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH

• While the companies had an immense economic impact, their distributive implications were more mixed.
• They empowered new players, but they also seem to destroy lots of businesses. These companies themselves became the symbol of inequality of economic and political power.

THE LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND STANDARDS IN REGULATING FREE SPEECH

• Big tech companies set themselves up almost as a sovereign power. This was most evident in the way they regulated speech, posing as arbiters of permissible speech without any real accountability or consistency of standards.
• The prospect of a CEO exercising almost untrammeled authority over an elected president only served to highlight the inordinate power these companies could exercise.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

• Many of the big tech companies were not, as they claimed, mere platforms. This is because they began to curate and generate their own content, creating possible conflicts of interest.

CHALLENGES IN REGULATING BIG TECHS IN INDIA:

SMARTPHONES AND THE INTERNET OF THINGS (IoT)

• Smartphones and the Internet of Things (IoT) have become major drivers for the growth of big tech companies in the last decade. India is currently witnessing massive growth in smartphone usage and IoT.
• India is also witnessing an increase in the population of users who are coming online for the first time. So regulating Big Tech strictly will leave the consumer with no other alternative. Hence, it is important to cater to the needs of people.

DEPENDENCY ON VARIOUS SERVICES

• Everyday life is dependent on various apps and technologies. Nowadays technology is linked with remote working and studying, public transport, shopping, telemedicine, on-demand music, video streaming, etc. Tech giants with their presence in the digital space created a monopoly in essential services.

ESSENTIAL NATURE OF SERVICES

• The essential nature of the services provided by them. These tech giants provide Freedom of Expression to individuals and also made billions of people depend on their services. Like, as Google on the internet, Amazon on e-commerce, etc.

THE CHALLENGE OF CROSS-PLATFORM CONNECTIVITY

• Users of Facebook and Google can sign in and access services over food, grocery delivery, and various other companies. This can be used to mine the accounts of users. This creates a challenge to regulate the tech giants alone. To get the proper desired output, one needs to regulate the entire ecosystem. But it is not feasible.

 RECOMMENDATIONS OF COMPETITIONS LAW REVIEW COMMITTEE

1. Introduction of a ‘Green Channel’ for combination notifications to enable fast-paced regulatory approvals for the vast majority of mergers and acquisitions that may have no major concerns regarding appreciable adverse effects on competition. The aim is to move towards a disclosure-based regime with strict consequences for not providing accurate or complete information.
2. Combinations arising out of the insolvency resolution process under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code will also be eligible for “Green Channel” approvals.
3. Introducing a dedicated bench in NCLAT for hearing appeals under the Competition Act.
4. Introduction of express provisions to identify ‘hub and spoke’ agreements as well as agreements that do not fit within typical horizontal or vertical anti-competitive structures to cover agreements related to business structures and models synonymous with new-age markets.
5. Additional enforcement mechanism of ‘Settlement & Commitments” in the interests of speedier resolution of cases of anti-competitive conduct.
6. Enabling provisions to prescribe necessary thresholds, inter alia, deal-value threshold for merger notifications.
7. CCI to issue guidelines on the imposition of a penalty to ensure more transparency and faster decision making which will encourage compliance by businesses.
8. Strengthening the governance structure of CCI with the introduction of a Governing Board to oversee advocacy and quasi-legislative functions, leaving adjudicatory functions to the Whole-time Members.
9. Merging DG’s Office with CCI as an ‘Investigation Division’ as it aids CCI in discharging an inquisitorial rather than adversarial mandate. However, functional autonomy must be protected.
10.  Opening of CCI offices at the regional level to carry out non-adjudicatory functions such as research, advocacy, etc., and interaction with State Governments and State regulators.

THE WAY FORWARD

MARKET

• Platform Neutrality, so that Big Tech platforms cannot unfairly discriminate against other businesses using their platform.
• Platform Interoperability, to enable consumer choice and reduce the weight of network effects
• Update Competition Policy to include control over data and network effects.

MEDIA LITERACY AND PUBLISHER ETHICS

• Publisher Ethics so that News and social media platforms are held to the same ethical standards as legacy media.
• Algorithmic Accountability,  to identify, assess and penalise harmful algorithmic amplification.
• Media Literacy, to enable citizens to take more considered decisions

PRIVACY

• Individual and Collective Rights, for citizens to take decisions about how their data is collected and processed by large tech companies and hold these companies accountable for misuse.
• Privacy Protecting Business Models that reduce Big Tech companies’ commercial dependence on the processing of personal data.
• Data Stewardship Models, that allow individuals to safely share their data with businesses.

Sovereign Interests

• Build State and Market Capacity, by investing in education, research, entrepreneurship, and other kinds of social capital
• Equitable Taxation to ensure that developing countries can gain fair and reasonable tax revenue from Big Tech firms.
• Better Cross-border Flows to ensure that transfer of data outside India does not inhibit domestic innovation, law enforcement or other services

BUILD COLLECTIVE RESILENCE

• Technology does not exist in a void and enters a society that is already complex. Society and communities need to be strengthened to collectively maximize the benefits and minimize the harms of technology. In terms of Big Tech, this could imply investing in a regulatory capacity and media literacy.

THE CONCLUSION:  Innovations should prioritize individuals’ agency, material well-being, autonomy, and democracy. Regulation will be required to ensure that innovation is aligned with societal trajectories.

A vibrant public discussion on the role of technology will help navigate the uncertainty that may result from technological innovation. Technology should protect its users by default to ensure the well-being of each individual, especially vulnerable groups. Society and communities need to be strengthened to collectively maximize the benefits and minimize the harms of technology.

THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

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

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

THE EXPLANATION:

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

Food Price Index  •        It was introduced in 1996 as a public good to help in monitoring developments in the global agricultural commodity markets. •        The FAO Food Price Index (FFPI) is a measure of the monthly change in international prices of a basket of food commodities. •        It measures changes for a basket of cereals, oil seeds, dairy products, meat and sugar. •        Base Period:2014-16.

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

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

THE EXPLANATION:

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

VALUE ADDITION: SCOPE OF AVGC Contribution in Revenue: •        The number of gamers in India grew to about 400 million by mid of 2020 from about 250 million gamers at the end of fiscal year 2018-19. •        This makes it the second largest base of online gamers in the world after China. •        Online casual gaming, which forms a large chunk of the total gaming revenue, is projected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of about 29% over the next four years to reach revenues of Rs 169 billion by FY25. Employment Generation: •        The potential for job opportunities in the AVGC sector is humongous. •        The number would vary between around 70,000 to 1.2 lakh job opportunities for the entire space.

 3. SC UPHOLDS NEW RESTRICTIONS ON RECEIVING FOREIGN FUNDS

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

THE EXPLANATION:

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

‘No absolute right’

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

Value Addition:

Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act:

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

Foreign Contribution Regulation (Amendment) Rules 2020:

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

 4. RBI TO ‘FOCUS’ ON INFLATION

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

THE EXPLANATION:

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

 ‘War-induced factors’

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

VALUE ADDITION:

What is Monetary Policy Committee?

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

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

Instruments of Monetary Policy

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

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

 THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

5. INDIA SUCCESSFULLY FLIGHT TESTS MISSILE SYSTEM SFDR BOOSTER

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

THE EXPLANATION:

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

Value Addition:

Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR)

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

 THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION OF THE DAY

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

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

Which of the statements given above is/are incorrect?

a) 1 only

b) 2 only

c) Both 1 and 2

d) Neither 1 nor 2

ANSWER FOR 8TH APRIL 2022

Answer: B

Explanation:

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

THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. CHINA, SOLOMONS ISLANDS INK DRAFT OF CONTROVERSIAL SECURITY PACT

THE CONTEXT: China and the Solomon Islands have signed a draft version of a security pact that could see Chinese police and other forces take up duties in the Pacific Island nation.

THE EXPLANATION:

• A leaked document has revealed that China and the Solomon Islands are close to signing a security agreement that could open the door to Chinese troops and naval warships flowing into a Pacific Island nation that played a pivotal role in World War II.
• Although it is marked as a draft and cites a need for “social order” as a justification for sending Chinese forces, it has set off alarms throughout the Pacific, where concerns about China’s intentions have been growing for years.
• The Solomon Islands, home to about 700,000 people, switched its diplomatic allegiance from Taiwan to Beijing in 2019 a contributing factor to riots in November 2021 between residents of different islands within the country.

What is the Pact?

• The leaked document states that “Solomon Islands may, according to its own needs, request China to send police, armed police, military personnel and other law enforcement and armed forces to Solomon Islands to assist in maintaining social order, protecting people’s lives and property.”
• It allows China to provide “assistance on other tasks” and requires secrecy, noting, “Neither party shall disclose the cooperation information to a third party.”

2. THE 20TH EDITION OF THE ‘VARUNA’ BILATERAL NAVAL EXERCISE

THE CONTEXT: In an effort to further strengthen Defence ties, India and France began a five-day mega naval wargame in the Arabian Sea in reflection of growing congruence in their maritime security cooperation.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The bilateral exercises between the two Navies were initiated in 1993. The exercise was christened as ‘Varuna’ in 2001 and has become a vital part of India – France strategic bilateral relationship.
• Various units including ships, submarines, maritime patrol aircraft, fighter aircraft and helicopters of the two navies are participating in the exercise. These units will endeavour to enhance and hone their operational skills in maritime theatre, augment inter-operability to undertake maritime security operations and demonstrate their commitment to promote peace, security and stability in the region as an integrated force.
• Having grown in scope and complexity over the years, Varuna series of exercises continue to provide both the navies opportunities to learn from each other’s best practices.
• The exercise has been a principal driver for operational level interactions between the two navies and has underscored the shared commitment of both nations to security, safety and freedom of the global maritime commons.
• The maritime cooperation between India and France has witnessed a major expansion in the last few years.  The Indian and French navies in April last year too carried out a mega wargame in the Arabian Sea.
• The French Navy deployed its nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, and its entire carrier strike group in that exercise, reflecting growing congruence in naval ties.

THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

3. INDIA’S EXTERNAL DEBT ROSE TO $614.9 BILLION AT END OF DEC. 2021

THE CONTEXT: According to Finance Ministry India’s external debt rose by $11.5 billion to $614.9 billion in the three months ended December 2021.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The external debt to GDP ratio fell marginally to 20% at the end of December last year from 20.3% at the end of September 2021.
• According to India’s Quarterly External Debt Report for quarter ended December 2021, the country’s external debt was placed at $614.9 billion, recording an increase of $11.5 billion over its level at the end of September 2021.
• Valuation gains due to the appreciation of the U.S. dollar vis-a-vis major currencies such as Euro, Yen and Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) was placed at $1.7 billion.
• Commercial borrowings remained the largest component of external debt, with a share of 36.8%, followed by non-resident deposits (23.1%) and short-term trade credit.
• The share of short-term debt, with original maturity of up to one year, in total external debt increased to 18.6% at the end of December 2021 from 17.4% at end-September 2021.
• S. dollar denominated debt remained the largest component of India’s external debt, with a share of 52% at end-December 2021, followed by the Indian rupee (32%), SDR (6.7%), Yen (5.3%), and the Euro (3.1%).
• Also, the report added, “the borrower-wise classification shows that the outstanding external debt of government marginally declined while that of non-government sector increased as at end-December 2021 over the previous quarter”.

Value Addition:

What is External Debt?

• External debt can be regarded as one of the forms of a tied loan, where the borrower needs to apply any spending of the funds to the country which has provided the loan.
• In case of an inability of the borrower country to produce and sell goods so as to make a profitable return to repay the loan, there arises a debt crisis.
• As of June 2021, India’s external debt was placed at US$ 571.3 billion, recording an increase of US$ 1.6 billion over its level at the end-March 2021.
• India’s external debt to GDP ratio declined to 20.2 per cent at the end-June 2021 from 21.1 per cent at end-March 2021.
• External debt sustainability can be measured based on the following parameters:

1. Government’s debt and current fiscal revenue ratio.
2. The overall share of short and long-term debt in the total debt burden.
3. Share of concessional debt.
4. Foreign debt to exports ratio
5. Debt to GDP ratio
6. The share of external debt to the total debt of the country.

THE ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

4. DOLPHIN COUNT SURGES IN GAHIRMATHA, DIPS IN CHILIKA

THE CONTEXT: According to the Annual Dolphin Census, the population of the dolphin along Odisha’s coast and in its water bodies has increased but the number of Irrawaddy dolphins in Chilika lake has fallen.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The report stated that Gahirmatha is home to the State’s largest population of dolphins, even more than Chilika.
• As per the 2022 dolphin census, Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary and nearby areas in Bhitarkanika saw dolphin count skyrocket to 540 from 342 last year. These included 45  Irrawaddy , 135 ottlenose, 332  humpback, 13 striped and 15 spinner dolphins.
• In the 2021 census, forest officials sighted only  342 dolphins including 39  Irrawaddy, 22 bottlenose and 281 humpback dolphins. Dolphins are commonly sighted in water bodies in Khola, Nalitapata, Dhamara and in the sea near Satabhaya, Pentha, Agaranashi, Eakakula, Hukitola and other areas within the sanctuary.
• However, the count of dolphins in Chilika Wildlife Division saw a dip from 188 in 2021 to 167 in 2022.

Value Addition:

• Dolphins have been included in Schedule I of the Indian Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972, in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), in Appendix II of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) and categorised as ‘Endangered’ on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List.

THE INTERNAL SECURITY AFFAIRS

5. CENTRE REDUCES DISTURBED AREAS UNDER AFSPA IN 3 NORTH EAST STATES

THE CONTEXT: According to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), AFSPA is being removed from 15 police station areas in seven districts of Nagaland; 15 police station areas in six districts of Manipur; and 23 districts entirely and one district partially in Assam.

THE EXPLANATION:

• After Assam and Meghalaya resolved a part of their 50-year boundary dispute in the Centre’s push for a “dispute-free Northeast”, Union Home Minister announced that the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) will be removed from several districts across Assam, Nagaland, and Manipur.
• According to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), AFSPA is being removed from 15 police station areas in seven districts of Nagaland; 15 police station areas in six districts of Manipur; and 23 districts entirely and one district partially in Assam.
• The decision comes in the backdrop of vociferous demands for AFSPA to be lifted after six civilians were gunned down in Nagaland’s Mon district last December in a botched operation by security personnel. Seven more civilians and security personnel died in the retaliatory violence that followed, prompting the Nagaland Assembly to pass a resolution for the repeal of AFSPA.
• However, Mon district remains a “disturbed area since this is a border district and has a strong presence of NSCN-K (YA),” said sources in the Nagaland government.
• The notification of “disturbed areas” under AFSPA has been in force in Assam since 1990, in Nagaland since 1995, and in Manipur, except the Imphal Municipality area, since 2004. Starting in 2015, the Government removed AFSPA entirely from Tripura and Meghalaya, and partially from Arunachal Pradesh, which currently has three districts and two police station areas in a fourth district under the Act.
• In Assam, AFSPA will remain in the districts of Karbi Anglong, West Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Charaideo, Sivasagar, Golaghat, Jorhat and the Lakhipur subdivision of Cachar.

Demands to repeal AFSPA

• Anger over the incident is rising in Nagaland, where people have frequently accused security forces of wrongly targeting innocent locals in counterinsurgency operations against rebel groups under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).
• Besides sweeping powers of search and arrest, the law, enforced in parts of four of the seven northeastern states as well as Indian-administered Kashmir, allows Indian forces to open fire to maintain public order in areas designated as “disturbed areas”.
• Nagaland is covered by the law as India says rebel groups operate from thick jungles of an unfenced region that also spans the neighbouring states of Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, which border Myanmar.

What is Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA)?

 How is a region declared ‘disturbed’?

Section (3) of the AFSPA empowers the governor of the state or Union territory to issue an official notification in The Gazette of India, following which the Centre has the authority to send in armed forces for civilian aid.

• Once declared ‘disturbed’, the region has to maintain the status quo for a minimum of three months, according to The Disturbed Areas (Special Courts) Act, 1976.

Criticism of AFSPA:

Sec 4(a) in which army can shoot to kill, as it violates article 21 which gives the right to life.

• Section 4(b) search without warrants violates the right to liberty and article 22.
• Dispersion of civil assembly by armed forces under section 121 violates the right to assembly
• No judicial magistrate permission required while arresting –violate article 22
• Overrides CrPC.
• Violation of human rights
• It alienates the people from the army and then from the rest of India. A feeling of otherworldliness is generated in their mind.

What should be done?

• Create committees at the district level with representatives of the army, administrators and the public which will report, assess and track complaints in that area.
• All investigations should be time-bound reasons for the delay must be communicated with the aggrieved.
• Amendments In-Laws: The lacunae in the Act, as a result of definitional voids with respect to terms like “disturbed”, “dangerous” and “land forces” need to be amplified to ensure greater clarity.
• The onus of proving the alleged person as a terrorist should lie with the forces. Sec 7 should be suitably amended to this effect.

SCHEMES & INITIATIVES IN NEWS

6. CJI INTRODUCES ‘FASTER’ SYSTEM

The Context: The Chief Justice of India has introduced the “Fast and Secured Transmission of Electronic Records” (FASTER) system.

About ‘FASTER’ System:

• The ‘Fast and Secured Transmission of Electronic Records’ (FASTER) software transmits court orders swiftly and securely through electronic mode, ensuring quicker communication of judicial orders.

• It also proposed that the e-authenticated copies of the record of proceedings/orders, digitally signed by the authorized officer may be transmitted through FASTER system to the duty-holders of the justice system.

Need:

• There have been cases where the jail inmates are not released despite bail orders passed by the court due to delays in communication of such orders. So, it was needed to utilize information and communication technology tools for efficient transmission of court orders.

Significance:

• Ensure that undertrials are not made to wait for days on end behind bars to be released because the certified hard copies of their bail orders took time to reach the prison.
• Undertrials are the people who are yet to be found guilty of the crimes they have been accused of.
• Prevent unnecessary arrests and custody of people even after the court had already granted them its protection.
• Communicate a stay on an execution ordered by the final court on time.

Challenges:

• The availability of internet connection in jails across the nation as without this facility transmission of such orders to prisons will not be possible.
• Awareness and training to jail officials about the use of digital technology.

 THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Q1. Consider the following statements about Koodiyattam:

1. It is a traditional performing art form in the state of Tamil Nadu, India.
2. It has elements of Koothu, an ancient performing art from the Sangam era.
3. It is officially recognized by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a) 1 and 2 only

b) 2 and 3 only

c) 3 only

d) 1, 2 and 3

 ANSWER FOR 31^ST MARCH 2022

Answer: C

Explanation:

• Project NETRA is an initiative by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) which is an early warning system in space to detect debris and hazards to Indian satellites.
• Under this project, the Indian space organization plans to put up many observational facilities like telescopes, connected radars, data processing units, and a control center.

THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. SRI LANKA TO SET UP SPECIAL NORTH-EAST FUND

THE CONTEXT: The Sri Lankan government will set up a ‘North-East Development Fund’ to increase investments in the war-affected areas, while probing cases of enforced disappearances and land grabs that remain chief concerns of the Tamil people 13 years after the war ended.

THE EXPLANATION:

• It was first meeting with the country’s Tamil political leadership since his election to office in November 2019.
• The TNA has been demanding that the government deliver the long-pending political solution to Sri Lanka’s national question, through a new constitutional settlement.
• The President agreed to focus on four key areas, including
  • possibly releasing long-term detainees under the country’s draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act — which the government recently amended but critics want repealed — and suspects held without being charged.
  • ending the incessant land grabs in the north and east by different state agencies to allegedly change the demographics of the region.
  • inquiring into cases of enforced disappearances.
  • establishing a special development fund for the north and east.
• The initiative to set up a development fund exclusively for the war-affected areas comes nearly three years after his election, amid widespread joblessness, indebtedness, and poverty in the region that the pandemic and Sri Lanka’s current economic crisis have only aggravated.

2. INDIA, U.K. END ROUND TWO TALKS ON FTA

THE CONTEXT: India and the United Kingdom concluded a second round of negotiations towards a bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in London, with a draft treaty text discussed across most chapters that will make up the pact.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The FTA is expected to facilitate the target of doubling bilateral trade between India and the United Kingdom by 2030, set by the Prime Ministers of both nations.
• According to the agreements, the Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) on Pharma could provide additional market access. There is also great potential for increasing exports in service sectors like IT/ITES, Nursing, education, healthcare, including AYUSH and audio-visual services. India would also be seeking special arrangements for the movement of its people.
• India-UK FTA will also contribute to integrating value chains and help augment our mutual efforts to strengthen the resilience of supply chains. Reminding that the leaders of both nations had envisioned launching the FTA Negotiations in early 2022.

What is a Free Trade Agreement (FTA)?

A free trade agreement is a pact between two or more nations to reduce barriers to imports and exports among them. Under a free trade policy, goods and services can be bought and sold across international borders with little or no government tariffs, quotas, subsidies, or prohibitions to inhibit their exchange.

Key features of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs):

1. The member nations of FTAs explicitly identify the duties and tariffs that are to be imposed on member countries when it comes to imports and exports.
2. FTAs typically cover trades in (a) merchandise — such as agricultural or industrial products (b) services — such as banking, construction, trading and so forth (c) intellectual property rights (IPRs), (d) investment (e) government procurement (f) competition policy and so on.
3. FTAs additionally, for the most part, provide a criterion called the ‘Rules of Origin (RoO)’, required for the determination of the product’s country of origin for the imposition of the preferential tariff on international trade.
4. FTAs act as an exception to the Most Favored Nation principle adopted by WTO (World Trade Organization).

Value Addition:

India-UK bilateral trade

• Bilateral trade between India and UK stood at 18.3 billion in the year 2020. It was lesser than the trade of 3 billion pounds in 2019. India and UK have also launched a new Enhanced Trade Partnership. It opened ways for future Free Trade Agreements.
• Currently, India is the largest market with which the UK has committed to negotiating any trade deal. India is the second-largest investor in the UK economy.
• About 842 Indian companies in the UK, are employing more than 110,000 people. The combined revenue of Indian companies has increased by 87% in the last five years.

3.  THE HOUTHI ATTACK ON THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

THE CONTEXT: A Yemeni rebel attack on a Saudi oil plant set off a huge fire near Jeddah’s Formula One circuit, part of a wave of assaults on Aramco facilities.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The Shia Houthi rebels of Yemen, who have been controlling the northern parts of the country, including the capital Sana’a, for almost seven years, have claimed responsibility for the attack.

Who are the Houthis?

Founded in the 1990s by Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi, a member of Yemen’s Shia majority, the Houthi movement has a pretty straightforward slogan or sarkha: “God is great, death to America, death to Israel, the curse on the Jews, victory to Islam.” After Yemeni soldiers killed Hussein in 2004, his brother Abdul Malik took over.

How did Saudi Arabia get involved?

The rise of the Houth is sent alarm bells ringing across Sunni Arab states, particularly Saudi Arabia. A Saudi-led coalition — backed by the US, UK and France — then launched an air campaign in Yemen, with the aim of defeating the rebel group.

THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

4. RBI SETS GEO-TAGGING RULES FOR PAYMENT TOUCH POINTS

THE CONTEXT: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released a framework for geo-tagging of payment system touch points, issuing instructions to bank and non-bank payment system operators to maintain and submit to it the geographical locations of their touch points on a regular basis.

THE EXPLANATION:

According to the central bank, this framework is intended to ensure that there is a robust payment acceptance infrastructure with multiple types of touch points across India, available and accessible at all times.

According to RBI, the banks and non-bank payment system operators need to capture and maintain geographical coordinates for all payment touch points.

Both banks and non-banks need to maintain a registry with accurate location of all payment touch points across the country that should include merchant-related information and payment acceptance infrastructure details.

Besides, banks and non-banks need to report information on payment touch points to the RBI through the Centralised Information Management System (CIMS) of RBI, the framework said.

How does it work?

• In a geo-tagging infrastructure, the geographical coordinates (latitude and longitude) of payment touch points deployed by merchants to receive payments from their customers are captured. According to the RBI, geo-tagging has several benefits including providing insights on regional penetration of digital payments, monitoring infrastructure density across different locations, identifying scope for deploying additional payment touch points, facilitating focused digital literacy programmes.
• The central bank had focussed on the setting up of Payments Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF) to encourage deployment of acceptance infrastructure, and creating additional touch points is a step in this direction.

 5. ‘GUJARAT TOPS AGAIN IN EXPORT PREPAREDNESS INDEX’

THE CONTEXT: Gujarat has been named India’s top State in terms of export preparedness for the second year in a row as per an index released by the NITI Aayog.

THE EXPLANATION:

Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu were ranked second, third and fourth in the index, as coastal States with higher industrial activity and access to seaports account for a majority of India’s exports.

Framework: The 4 pillars and the rationale behind their selection is given below: Policy: A comprehensive trade policy provides a strategic direction for exports and imports. Business Ecosystem: An efficient business ecosystem can help attract investments and create an enabling infrastructure for businesses to grow. Export Ecosystem: This pillar aims to assess the business environment, which is specific to exports. Export Performance: This is the only output-based pillar and examines the reach of export footprints of states and union territories.

Challenges:

The index identifies three major challenges to India’s export promotion efforts.

• “These are intra- and inter-regional differences in export infrastructure.
• Weak trade support and growth orientation across States and
• Lack of R&D infrastructure to promote complex and unique exports,”

EPI 2021 – Key Goals

The EPI’s primary goal is to instill competition among all Indian states (‘Coastal’, ‘Landlocked’, ‘Himalayan’, and ‘UTs/City-States’) to bring about favourable export-promotion policies, ease the regulatory framework to prompt sub national export promotion, create the necessary infrastructure for exports, and assist in identifying strategic recommendations for improving export competitiveness. It promotes competitive federalism and a fair contest among States/UTs.

THE GOVERNMENT SCHEMES/INITIATIVES IN NEWS

6. ‘PROJECT UDAAN’ GIVES GIRLS WINGS TO A BETTER FUTURE IN RURAL RAJASTHAN

THE CONTEXT: The Udaan project, launched by the Rajasthan government in collaboration with a development consulting group ‘IPE Global’, has made attempts to keep girls in schools through their enrollment at the secondary level while ensuring that the eligible ones among them get their scholarships. While generating awareness about scholarship schemes, the programme has also mobilised rural communities to support girls’ education and facilitate their attendance in school without a break.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Project Udaan seeks to reduce adolescent pregnancies in Rajasthan by leveraging existing government platforms and programmes across the Health and Education Departments, for scale up and sustainability.
• It adopts a multi-sectoral approach to prevent adolescent pregnancy, layering interventions beyond sexual health, to fundamentally change the way adolescent programming is carried on.
• Udaan attempts to keep girls in school through their enrollment (school-going and dropout girls) at secondary school level while ensuring that the eligible girls receive their scholarship through collective efforts.
• School and community-level interventions have been designed to increase girls’ enrollment at secondary level school by generating wide public awareness on the scholarship schemes and mobilising communities to support girls’ education and facilitate their going back to school. It works towards strengthening scholarship delivery systems (IT enabled) and builds capacities of government functionaries for effective state-wide scale up to ensure sustainability and stability.
• It is an integrated intervention which seeks to prevent adolescent pregnancies in Rajasthan by leveraging existing government programmes and platforms for realizing girl’s potential and reducing the number of babies born low birth weight from teenager mothers.

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTIONS OF THE DAY 26^th MARCH 2022

Q1. Which of the following statement is incorrect about Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC)?

a) It was established in 1969.

b) It has total 57 member countries.

c) Its headquarter is located in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

d) India is not a member of OIC.

ANSWER FOR 25^TH MARCH 2022

Answer: C

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN Bharat) seeks to create an enabling environment to ensure universal acquisition of foundational literacy and numeracy, so that every child achieves the desired learning competencies in reading, writing and numeracy by the end of Grade 3, by 2026-27.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Although the National Education Policy had included a 2025 deadline to achieve the goal, the Centre has pushed back the target date to 2026-27, given that COVID-19 has already disrupted two academic years.