1. CAG AUDITS NATIONAL SOCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME (NSAP)

TAG: GS 1: SOCIETY; GS 2: GOVERNANCE

THE CONTEXT: The CAG report found several irregularities in National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP).

EXPLANATION:

• The CAG report found several irregularities in beneficiary payments, the most glaring being that all states, except for Haryana and Kerala, did not maintain a database of eligible beneficiaries.
• This led to several eligible beneficiaries being left out of the scheme while payments worth several crores were made to ineligible persons.
• Around Rs 79 crore has been transferred to ineligible beneficiaries under the Ministry of Rural Development’s National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) between 2017 and 2021. Of this, Rs two crore was paid to beneficiaries even after their deaths.
• At the same time, many eligible beneficiaries were likely to have been excluded from the welfare programme either due to non-maintenance of Below Poverty Line (BPL) lists or due to states not carrying out periodic surveys to identify eligible beneficiaries.
• Additionally, ineligible payments of Rs 15.11 crore under IGNDPS as disability pension was paid to 21,322 people in 16 states / UTs. In these cases, the percentage of disability was either below 80 per cent or could not be ascertained.
• Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Bihar, Arunachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Mizoram, Andhra Pradesh, Manipur, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Ladakh are among the States that made the highest numbers of ineligible payments.
• The beneficiaries were to be selected from the BPL list until the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) was finalised. Though the governments are mandated to identify beneficiaries using SECC once it is finalised, they continued to use BPL lists that were not regularly updated.
• In the absence of proactive identification and non-maintenance of database of eligible beneficiaries as intended, the scheme was being implemented in a demand-driven mode where benefits were provided to only those beneficiaries who applied for pensions/benefits under NSAP themselves.
• The eligible beneficiaries who were unaware/lack resources to apply for the benefits were left out of ambit of NSAP,” the report revealed.
• Further, funds of Rs 57.45 crore earmarked for NSAP were diverted for other schemes and purposes in six states/UTs, while funds amounting to Rs 18.78 crore were lying idle for a period ranging from one to five years in eight states/UTs.

NATIONAL SOCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME (NSAP)

• NSAP was launched on 15th August, 1995 to provide social security to the destitute population living below the poverty line and vulnerable groups in 1995.
• The programme includes five sub-schemes, of which three  Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS), Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS) and Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS) are pension schemes.
• The other two sub-schemes are the National Family Benefit Scheme which provides one-time assistance to the bereaved family in the event of death of the breadwinner and the Annapurna scheme, which ensures food security to eligible old age persons who are not covered under IGNOAPS.
• The National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) represents a significant step towards the fulfillment of the Directive Principles in Article 41 and 42 of the Constitution recognizing the concurrent responsibility of the Central and the State Governments in the matter.

Objective of NSAP

• It is a social security and welfare programme to provide support to aged persons, widows, disabled persons and bereaved families on death of primary bread winner, belonging to below poverty line households.

Components of NSAP

The NSAP at its inception in 1995 had three components namely

• National Old Age Pension Scheme (NOAPS,
• National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS) and
• National Maternity Benefit Scheme (NMBS). The National Maternity Benefit Scheme (NMBS) was subsequently transferred on 1st April, 2001 from the Ministry of Rural development to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Presently NSAP comprises of five schemes, namely –

• Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS),
• Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS),
• Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS),
• National Family Benefit Scheme NFBS) and

Eligibility and scale of assistance

• For getting benefits under NSAP the applicant must belong to a Below Poverty Line (BPL) family according to the criteria prescribed by the Govt. of India.
• The other eligibility criteria and the scale of central assistance under the sub – schemes of NSAP are as follows. Besides the central assistance, states / UT contribute an equal amount as their share.

Source: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/governance/rs-79-crore-transferred-to-ineligible-beneficiaries-under-nsap-finds-cag-91122

2. PRADHAN MANTRI UCHCHATAR SHIKSHA ABHIYAN (PM-USHA)

TAG: GS 1: SOCIETY;  GS 2: SOCIAL JUSTICE

THE CONTEXT: 14 States as Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal are yet to join Centre’s flagship education scheme which mandates the implementation of the National Education Policy. It is important in order to avail funds worth almost ₹13,000 crore for the next three years, under the Centre’s flagship scheme for State-run higher education.

EXPLANATION:

• A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Centre mandates National Education Policy implementation.
• However, some Opposition-ruled States are against MoU, given that PM-USHA scheme has 60:40 funding split between Centre and States, with no extra money for NEP reforms.
• The Centre says it holding discussions to iron out differences with dissenting States.
• The MoU is to show the willingness of States and UTs to participate in the PM-USHA scheme and it will help in the better implementation of the scheme.

NEP reforms need more funds:

• The MoU which makes it mandatory for States to undertake the administrative, academic, accreditation, and governance reforms detailed in the NEP, including an academic credit bank, entry and exit flexibility, and the Samarth e-governance platform has irked some State governments.
• Opposition states remarked that this MoU does not say anything about finding funds for changes envisaged under the NEP.
• Centre however, said that multiple consultations had been undertaken before finalising the structure of PM-USHA. The MoU contains clauses regarding proper planning, implementation and monitoring of the scheme.
• Commitment on planning and drafting the proposals by the State by aligning it with NEP will lead to integration between NEP and PM-USHA.
• The Centre points that PM-USHA reduces the fragmentation of resources by streamlining the number of scheme components to six.
• More flexibility has been given to States/UTs to undertake activities as per felt needs. Unit costs of some components have been rationalised for tangible outcomes.
• States and UTs have also been given the flexibility to identify their focus districts on the basis of various indicators, such as low gross enrolment ratio, gender parity, population proportion of Scheduled Castes and Tribes.
• These districts will be prioritised under the scheme to address the diverse needs of each State or UT.

Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA).

• In the light of the National Education Policy, RUSA scheme has been launched as Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA).
• PM-USHA is the new name for the Ministry’s scheme to improve the quality of higher education in State Universities through curricular and programme changes, teacher training, physical and digital infrastructure, accreditation, and enhancing employability while ensuring equity, access, and inclusion.
• It provides an outlay of ₹12,926.10 crore between 2023-24 and 2025-26.
• The first phase of the scheme was launched in 2013 and the second phase was launched in 2018.
• PM USHA covers government and government-aided institutions of the States and UTs. As the demand for higher education is increasing continuously over the years, there has been an unprecedented expansion in the number of institutions, universities, and volume of students in the country.

Focus Areas:

1. a) Equity Access and inclusion in higher education
2. b) Developing Quality Teaching & Learning processes
3. c) Accreditation of Non Accredited Institutions and improving accreditation
4. d) ICT – based Digital Infrastructure
5. e) Enhancing Employability through Multidisciplinary.

Institutional Structure of PM USHA:

1)Central Level

• National Mission Authority : Chaired by Minister of Education.
• PAB : Chaired by Secretary Higher Education , GoI
• National Project Directorate
• Technical Support Group

 2)State Level

• State Higher Education Council (SHEC)
• State Project Directorate
• State Technical Support Group

3)Institution Level

• Board of Governors
• Project Monitoring Unit

Scope of PM- USHA : 1) Focus Districts and 2) Challenge method selection of institutions
1) Focus Districts :

Maximum 50% District of the State will be considered as focus District
• Lack of access to government colleges
• Low GER,
• Population proportion for females, transgender, SC, ST,OBCs
• Aspirational /Boarder Area, left wing extremism prone area
• Gender parity

2) Challenge method selection of institutions:

• Institutions will be short listed by the state by giving priority to the focus areas.
• On the basis of pre defined criteria weightages will be given to different institutions for
  proposal submission.
• The proposal bill be submitted and it will be evaluated by MoE and approval will be done by PAB at central level.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/education/14-states-yet-to-sign-mou-with-centre-needed-to-avail-higher-education-funds/article67191204.ece

3. ADITYA L1: INDIA’S FIRST MISSION TO STUDY THE SUN

TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: The Aditya L1 spacecraft, assembled and integrated at the U.R. Rao Satellite Centre (URSC), Bengaluru, has arrived at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.

EXPLANATION:

• Aditya L1’s payloads are expected to provide crucial information for understanding the problem of coronal heating, coronal mass ejection, pre-flare and flare activities and their characteristics etc.
• The Aditya L1 mission will be launched by Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), which also launched Chandrayaan-1 in 2008 and the Mars Orbiter spacecraft in 2013.
• The launch is likely to take place in August-end or September.

Aditya L1

• Aditya L1 shall be the first space based Indian mission to study the Sun. The spacecraft shall be placed in a halo orbit around the Lagrange point 1 (L1) of the Sun-Earth system, which is about 1.5 million km from the Earth.
• A satellite placed in the halo orbit around the L1 point has the major advantage of continuously viewing the Sun without any occultation/eclipses.
• This will provide a greater advantage of observing the solar activities and its effect on space weather in real time.
• The spacecraft carries seven payloads to observe the photosphere, chromosphere and the outermost layers of the Sun (the corona) using electromagnetic and particle and magnetic field detectors.
• Using the special vantage point L1, four payloads directly view the Sun and the remaining three payloads carry out in-situ studies of particles and fields at the Lagrange point L1.
• It will provide important scientific studies of the propagatory effect of solar dynamics in the interplanetary medium.
• The suits of Aditya L1 payloads are expected to provide most crucial informations to understand the problem of coronal heating, coronal mass ejection, pre-flare and flare activities and their characteristics, dynamics of space weather, propagation of particle and fields etc.

The major science objectives of Aditya-L1 mission are:

• Study of Solar upper atmospheric (chromosphere and corona) dynamics.
• Study of chromospheric and coronal heating, physics of the partially ionized plasma, initiation of the coronal mass ejections, and flares
• Observe the in-situ particle and plasma environment providing data for the study of particle dynamics from the Sun.
• Physics of solar corona and its heating mechanism.
• Diagnostics of the coronal and coronal loops plasma: Temperature, velocity and density.
• Development, dynamics and origin of CMEs.
• Identify the sequence of processes that occur at multiple layers (chromosphere, base and extended corona) which eventually leads to solar eruptive events.
• Magnetic field topology and magnetic field measurements in the solar corona .
• Drivers for space weather (origin, composition and dynamics of solar wind .

Aditya-L1 Payloads:

• The instruments of Aditya-L1 are tuned to observe the solar atmosphere mainly the chromosphere and corona.
• In-situ instruments will observe the local environment at L1. There are total seven payloads on-board with four of them carrying out remote sensing of the Sun and three of them carrying in-situ observation.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/indias-first-mission-to-study-the-sun-is-getting-ready-for-launch-isro-aditya-l1/article67192992.ece

4. ENGINEERING OF ACINETOBACTER BAYLYI BACTERIA TO DETECT CANCER

TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: Researchers at the University of California have engineered a specific species of bacteria that can detect cancer in its early stages by incorporating tumour DNA into its system.

EXPLANATION:

• According to a study that was published in the journal Science, an engineered bacteria may one day be able to detect cancer wherever it may be hiding in the human body’s intestines.
• The goal of the research is to turn these bacteria into a probiotic sensor in the gut that can carefully examine, identify, and report any intestinal disorders.
• This discovery is significant since colon cancer rates are growing and early identification in persons under 50 is critical.
• Acinetobacter baylyi, a kind of bacterium, has been effectively manipulated by a team at the University of California.

ACINETOBACTER BAYLYI BACTERIA

• These bacteria are normally non-pathogenic.
• They are naturally competent to take up DNA by horizontal gene transfer.
• These bacteria become resistant to a specific drug only when they took up DNA containing a cancer-associated mutation in a specific oncogene.
• These species are gram-negative aerobic bacteria that are coccobacillary in shape. (Cocci are sphere-shaped bacteria, while bacilli are rod-shaped bacteria. Bacteria that fall between these two shapes are called coccobacilli).

HOW DOES THIS BACTERIA DETECT CANCER?

• Acinetobacter baylyi bacteria is known for its ability to absorb DNA from their surroundings.
• It has been programmed to seek specific DNA sequences common in colorectal cancers.
• When it incorporates tumour DNA into its system, an antibiotic-resistance gene gets activated.
• This gene enables the growth of the bacteria on feces-derived antibiotic-containing agar plates.
• It demonstrates the presence of cancer cells.

WAY FORWARD TO ITS USE

• It might take some time before the approach is approved for use in clinical trials because the research is still in its early stages.
• The effectiveness and safety of the engineered bacteria still need to be meticulously tested.
• The bacteria are being engineered to recognise KRAS mutations (The KRAS gene belongs to a class of genes known as oncogenes), which are present in roughly 40% of colorectal malignancies, some lung cancers, and the majority of pancreatic tumours.
• For it to be genuinely effective in humans, researchers need to show that Acinetobacter baylyi is safe for oral ingestion and that it consistently yields accurate results when identifying cancer cells in faecal samples.
• The level of effectiveness of this bacterial biosensor in comparison to colonoscopy, a more invasive diagnostic procedure, needs to be examined as well.
• This discovery is significant since colon cancer rates are growing and early identification in persons under 50 is critical.

SOURCE: https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/science/engineered-bacteria-cancer-dna-8888930/

5. INTEGRATION OF NATIONAL PENSION SYSTEM (NPS) STATEMENT OF TRANSACTION WITH CONSOLIDATED ACCOUNT STATEMENT (CAS)

TAG: GS 2: POLITY; GS 3: ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: The PFRDA has integrated the NPS Statement of Transaction with CAS is in line with the Centre’s goal to establish a comprehensive record of each person’s financial assets.

EXPLANATION:

• The National Pension System (NPS) subscribers now have access to a consolidated view of their personal assets in the securities market because of the updated mark-to-market values provided by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) and SEBI.
• It includes the investors’ Demat account holdings as well as their mutual fund holdings.
• This will benefit over 1.35 crore NPS subscribers.
• It is expected to provide a simplified and secured way to stay informed on NPS investments through CAS.

PENSION FUND REGULATORY AND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (PFRDA)

• It is a statutory regulatory body set up under PFRDA Act enacted in 2014.
• It is under the jurisdiction of Ministry of Finance for overall supervision and regulation of pension in India.
• Its objective is to promote old age income security and protect the interests of NPS subscribers.
• It is ensuring the orderly growth and development of pension market.
• COMPOSITION OF THE AUTHORITY:
• The Authority shall consist of a Chairperson and not more than six members, of whom at least three shall be Whole-Time Members, to be appointed by the Central Government.

NATIONAL PENSION SYSTEM (NPS)

• The Central Government has introduced the National Pension System (NPS) with effect from 2004 (except for armed forces).
• PFRDA the regulatory body for NPS, has appointed Protean eGov Technologies Limited as Central Recordkeeping Agency (CRA) for National Pension System.
• CRA is the first of its kind venture in India which will carry out the functions of Record Keeping, Administration and Customer Service for all subscribers under NPS.
• National Pension System (NPS) is an important milestone in the development of a sustainable and efficient voluntary defined contribution pension system in India.
• It has the following broad objectives:
• Provide old age income.
• Reasonable market-based returns over the long term.
• Extending old age security coverage to all citizens.
• NPS is structured into two tiers:
• Tier-I account:
• This is the non-withdrawable permanent retirement account into which the accumulations are deposited and invested as per the option of the subscriber.
• Tier-II account:
• This is a voluntary withdrawable account which is allowed only when there is an active Tier I account in the name of the subscriber.
• The withdrawals are permitted from this account as per the needs of the subscriber as and when claimed.

CONSOLIDATED ACCOUNT STATEMENT (CAS)

• It is a single/combined account statement which shows the details of financial transactions made by an investor during a month across all Mutual Funds and also other securities held in Demat mode.
• CAS is issued for those accounts wherein a financial transaction has been made during a month and wherein unit holders are identical, identified by Income Tax Permanent Account (PAN).
• CAS is generated on a monthly basis in respect of the PANs common to the RTAs and the Depositories.

SOURCE: https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/pfrda-integrates-nps-statement-with-cas/article67190612.ece

1. NEW BILL TO REPLACE CrPC

TAG: GS 2: GOVERNANCE

THE CONTEXT: The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 proposes several important changes to the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) which guides the criminal justice system.

EXPLANATION:

• From technological changes to allow trials via video-conferencing to allowing handcuffs for the arrest of persons in some cases including murder, rape, and counterfeit currency these are some of the main changes proposed in the CrPC.

Greater use of technology

• The Bill states that Trials, appeal proceedings, recording of depositions including those of public servants and police officers, may be held in electronic mode.
• The statement of the accused too can be recorded through video-conferencing. Summons, warrants, documents, police reports, statements of evidence can be done in electronic form.
• The search and seizure of articles and properties, the visit to a crime scene by a forensic expert, and the recording of the victim’s statement shall be audio-videographed, preferably on a mobile phone.
• The name and address of an arrested accused and the nature of the offence will be maintained by a designated officer in each police station and district.
• It shall be “prominently displayed” including in digital mode in every police station and district headquarters.
• Information to police too can be sent electronically, and it shall be taken on record on being signed by the person sending it, within three days.

Communication devices

• The Bill adds electronic communication including “communication devices” to the provision on summons to produce a document.
• On the directions of a court or police officer, a person is required to produce any document and now devices  that is likely to contain digital evidence for the purpose of an inquiry.
• Electronic communication is defined as “the communication of any written, verbal, pictorial information or video content transmitted (whether from one person to another, from one device to another or from a person to a device or from a device to a person).”

Use of handcuffs

• A police officer may be permitted to use handcuffs while arresting a person if he is a habitual, repeat offender who escaped from custody, or has committed an organised crime, terrorist act, drug-related crime, illegal possession of arms, murder, rape, acid attack, counterfeit currency, human trafficking, sexual offence against children or offences against the state.

Specific safeguards

• Section 41A of CrPC which has a prominent safeguard against arrests will get a new number, Section 35.
• It has an additional provision: no person can be arrested without prior permission of an officer, not below the rank of a deputy SP, in cases where the offence is punishable with less than three years, or if the person is infirm above 60 years of age.
• On receiving information in cognizable cases where the offence attracts 3-7 years, the police officer will conduct a preliminary inquiry to ascertain whether there exists a prima facie case to proceed within 14 days.

Mercy petitions

• There is a provision on procedures for the timeframe to file mercy petitions in death sentence cases.
• After being informed by jail authorities about the disposal of the petition of a convict sentenced to death, he, or his legal heir or relative can submit a mercy petition within 30 days to the Governor.
• If rejected, the person can petition the President within 60 days. No appeal against the order of the President shall lie in any court.

Sanction to prosecute

• A decision to grant or reject sanction to prosecute a public servant must be reached by the government within 120 days of receiving a request.
• If the government fails to do so, the sanction will be deemed to have been accorded. No sanction is required in cases including sexual offences, trafficking, etc.

Arms in procession

• Section 144A of the CrPC gives the district magistrate the power to prohibit the carrying of arms in any procession, mass drill or mass training, to preserve the public peace.
• While the provisions granting powers to the DM to pass orders in urgent cases of nuisance or apprehended danger remain as they are in Section 144 of the CrPC, the provision to prohibit carrying arms does not find a mention.

Samples without arrest

• The Bill has provisions for the magistrate to order any person to give samples of his signature, handwriting, voice or finger impressions for the purpose of investigation without being arrested.

Detention by police

• There are provisions for police to detain or remove any person resisting, refusing or ignoring, or disregarding directions given as part of preventive action.

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-law/key-provisions-and-processes-proposed-in-bill-to-replace-crpc-8888602/

2. EG.5 VARIANT OF COVID-19

TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: EG.5, a descendent of the Omicron lineage of XBB.1.9.2, was designated a variant of interest (VOI) after risk evaluation by the World Health Organization. It was previously designated a variant under monitoring.

EXPLANATION:

• The WHO said EG.5 may spread globally and contribute to a surge in case incidence. However, at present, there is no evidence of an increase in disease severity directly associated with EG.5.
• 5 was first reported on February 17, 2023. So far, EG.5 has been reported from a total of 48 countries and in India, one EG.5.1 was detected in Maharashtra in May, 2023.
• Though not as extensively done as in 2021, global genome sequencing databases indicate the remarkable rise of the new sublineage.
• 5.1 is taking off everywhere. It is definitely out-competing its predecessors in the XBB lineage that were dominating most of 2023.
• According to WHO, the global proportion of EG.5 relative to other circulating variants showed a notable increase, rising from 7.6 per cent to 17.5%.
• However it has a low-individual risk for mortality, but if it happens to sweep through vulnerable segments of a large population, the total number of deaths will be considerable.
• Although initial symptoms tend to be mild, people should not take COVID lightly as we do not want infection to happen on a large scale.
• The recent VOI classification of EG.5 suggests that due to changes in the receptor binding domain of the spike protein, the variant escapes neutralization by antibodies generated from previous infections or vaccinations, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.
• 5 carries an additional amino acid mutation in the spike protein compared to the parent XBB.1.9.2 subvariant and XBB.1.5.
• Waning immunity and frequent mutations are commonly cited reasons for the continued circulation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
• While concurrent increases in the proportion of EG.5 and COVID-19 hospitalizations (lower than previous waves) have been observed in countries such as Japan and the Republic of Korea, no associations have been made between these hospitalizations and EG.5.
• However, due to its growth advantage and immune escape characteristics, EG.5 may cause a rise in case incidence and become dominant in some countries or even globally.

Variant under monitoring

• A Variant Being Monitored is a strain that has developed specific genetic markers associated with changes that reduce the effectiveness of antibodies generated against previous infection or vaccination, reduce efficacy of treatments, or increase transmission or disease severity.

Variant of interest (VOI)

• Variants designated as VOI include variants that have: changes to receptor binding domain (RBD). reduced neutralization by antibodies generated against previous infection or vaccination. reduced efficacy of treatments, or tests.

Source: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/health/eg-5-1-covid-variant-takes-off-india-not-at-risk-currently-91161

3. CAG FLAGS IRREGULARITIES IN BHARATMALA PROJECT TENDERS

TAG: GS 2: GOVERNANCE; GS 3: ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has found instances of irregularities in award of projects by agencies implementing central government funded highway projects.

EXPLANATION:

• In its report on implementation of Phase-I of Bharatmala Pariyojana, the auditor has also found deficiencies in the appraisal and approval mechanism proposed to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA).
• CAG said that the implementing agencies violated the tendering processes in many of the high cost Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) projects.
• The violations include successful bidder not fulfilling tender conditions or bidder selected on the basis of falsified documents and award of works without approved Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) or faulty reports.
• The implementing agencies were awarding projects without ensuring availability of required land and forest clearance, which are resulting in delayed commencement and completion of projects.
• The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL) are the implementing agencies.
• It added that even the appraisal and approval mechanism decided by CCEA was not strictly followed. The CAG has also flagged that the DPRs prepared by consultants were not appraised with due diligence before their approval.
• Instances of adoption of different specifications by contractors or concessionaires at the time of execution of projects highlighted the fact that specifications of detailed project reports were not found suitable as per site conditions.
• On the fund management, the auditor also found that only 75.6% of Cabinet approved length has been awarded while 158% of approved financial outlay had been sanctioned till this March 2023.
• In another report, the CAG found that NHAI continued to collect user fee in three toll plazas (namely Nathavalasa, Chalageri, Hebbalu in Southern India) during delayed period of construction.
• This was in violation of rules stating that no user fee shall be levied for the delayed period, leading to higher toll collection from commuters, the business daily reported.

Bharatmala Pariyojana

• Bharatmala Pariyojana is an umbrella program for the highways sector that focuses on optimizing efficiency of freight and passenger movement across the country by bridging critical infrastructure gaps through effective interventions.
• It focuses on areas as development of Economic Corridors, Inter Corridors and Feeder Routes, National Corridor Efficiency Improvement, Border and International connectivity roads, Coastal and Port connectivity roads and Green-field expressways.
• All key aspects of the scheme is managed by the Road Transport and Highways Ministry of the country.

Highlights of Bharatmala Pariyojana

• Improvement in efficiency of existing corridors through development of Multimodal Logistics Parks and elimination of choke point
• Enhance focus on improving connectivity in North East and leveraging synergies with Inland Waterways
• Emphasis on use of technology & scientific planning for Project Preparation and Asset Monitoring
• Improving connectivity in the North East.

Bharatmala project category

• Economic Corridor
• Feeder Route or Inter Corridor
• National Corridor Efficiency Improvement
• Border Road and International Connectivity
• Port Connectivity and Coastal Road
• Green Field Expressway
• Balance National Highways Development Project (NHDP) Works

Source: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/infrastructure/cag-flags-irregularities-in-bharatmala-project-tenders/articleshow/102617116.cms?from=mdr

4. AGRICULTURAL DATA EXCHANGE PLATFORM

TAG: GS 3: ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: Telangana government has launched India’s first Agricultural Data Exchange (ADeX) and Agricultural Data Management Framework (ADMF) in collaboration World Economic Forum, and the Indian Institute of Science.

EXPLANATION:

• The initiatives aim to boost the data economy specifically for the agricultural sector.
• Both ADeX and ADMF provide the right platform to ensure fair and efficient usage of agricultural data by the industry and startups and provide a big boost to the data economy specifically in the argi sector.
• These initiatives help Telangana lead the country from the front in using innovation and technology to drive food systems transformation and improve the livelihoods of farmers.

Agricultural Data Exchange (ADeX):

• In Phase-I of the project, the ADeX Platform is currently deployed in Khammam district and will be expanded to the entire State over a period.
• The software platform facilitates secure, standards-based exchange of data between agricultural data users such as agri application developers and agricultural data providers (Government Agencies, Private Companies, NGO’s, Universities, etc).

Agricultural Data Management Framework (ADMF):

• ADMF has been developed after extensive public and industry consultations on the crucial aspects of data protection, management, and innovation.
• Informed by domestic laws and regulations and converging global best practices, ADMF is an agile, forward-looking framework, with the objective of facilitating consent-based responsible data sharing, the release said.
• ADMF is applicable to all government departments dealing with agricultural activities as well as all agriculture information users and providers.

Source: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/agriculture/telangana-launches-indias-first-agricultural-data-exchange-platform/articleshow/102650171.cms?from=md

5. NATIONAL COMMON MOBILITY CARD

TAG: GS 2: GOVERNANCE; GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Government of India asked banks to ensure all the new cards and reissues of old cards have the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) as a default option.

EXPLANATION:

• National Common Mobility Card was launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in March 2019.
• NCMC is designed to promote cashless transactions and offer a unified payment platform for commuters across the country.

How does NCMC work?

• NCMC is issued in the form of a prepaid, debit or credit RuPay card and has a separate option for offline transit transactions i.e. without directly accessing the user’s bank account.
• Prior to usage, users must load funds onto the card from their bank account or digital wallet. The idea is to eliminate the need for carrying multiple cards by supporting various services on a single card.
• Embedded with a near-field communication (NFC) chip, the card securely stores user information and enables data transfer when tapped on compatible readers.
• To start using the NCMC, users must first link the card to their bank account or digital wallet. Encrypted NFC communication ensures privacy and security during transactions, while real-time updates keep users informed about their expenses and remaining balance.
• The NCMC card relies on the RuPay platform developed by the National Payments Corporation of India.

Foreign variants of common mobility card

• Some prominent foreign counterparts of common mobility cards include the Oyster card in the United Kingdom, Navigo in France, Myki in Australia and CharlieCard in the United States.
• There are also multi-purpose cards like Octopus Card of Hong Kong, Suica and Pasmo cards in Japan and the EZ-Link card in Singapore which can be used for public transit as well as retail purchases.

What is the progress of implementation in India so far?

• While NCMC implementation has begun in certain cities and regions, full interoperability has not been achieved across all cities and states.
• The successful interconnection of NCMC cards relies on the collaboration and coordination between transportation operators and financial institutions in all parts of the country.
• Select transport operators in Delhi NCR, Ahmedabad, Surat, Bengaluru, Kochi, Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kanpur currently accept fare payments via NCMC.
• While many more public transport operators across the country are in various stages of planning/implementation to become NCMC compatible.

Who can issue the cards?

• Commercial banks are the primary issuers of the NCMC. So far 25 Indian banks including the State Bank of India, HDFC Bank, Indian Bank and Paytm Payments Bank can issue NCMC cards.
• Even, global payment giants Mastercard and Visa have expressed interest so that their branded NCMCs can be issued through partner banks.

What are the challenges tied to implementation in India?

• One significant hurdle is the low or no adoption by transport authorities across cities. Metro Rail Corporations across India have smart cards in place along with mobile ticketing through online payment applications, which commuters find very convenient to use.
• Inadequate infrastructure and technological integration have been hindering nationwide implementation

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/business/dh-deciphers-all-you-need-to-know-about-national-common-mobility-card-2644187

1. NAVIGATION WITH INDIAN CONSTELLATION (NavIC)

TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: The Department of Space (DoS) told the Parliamentary Committee of Science and Technology that NavIC will soon be integrated into Aadhaar enrolment devices.

EXPLANATION:

• The department of space has facilitated successful conduction of field trials, and is providing technical expertise in the finalisation of procurement specification of the devices.
• Currently the Aadhaar enrolment kits that are used to collect and verify personal details are linked to GPS.
• Apart from that the Centre has been pushing cell phone makers in India to make their instruments compatible with NavIC, a process that will involve hardware alterations.
• The National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) was already utilising NavIC as an alert dissemination system for major natural disasters like landslides, earthquakes, floods, and avalanches.
• The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information System (INCOIS) relies on it to broadcast cyclones, high waves, and tsunamis alert messages to fishermen venturing into the deep sea.

What is Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) ?

• NavIC, or Navigation with Indian Constellation, is an independent stand-alone navigation satellite system developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
• NavIC was originally approved in 2006 at a cost of $174 million. It was expected to be completed by late 2011, but only became operational in 2018.
• NavIC consists of eight satellites and covers the whole of India’s landmass and up to 1,500 km (930 miles) from its boundaries.
• Currently, NavIC’s use is limited. It is being used in public vehicle tracking in India, for providing emergency warning alerts to fishermen venturing into the deep sea where there is no terrestrial network connectivity, and for tracking and providing information related to natural disasters.
• To meet the positioning, navigation and timing requirements of the nation, ISRO has established a regional navigation satellite system called Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC).
• NavIC was erstwhile known as Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS).
• NavIC offers two services: Standard Position Service (SPS) for civilian users and Restricted Service (RS) for strategic users. These two services are provided in both L5 (1176.45 MHz) and S band (2498.028 MHz).
• NavIC coverage area includes India and a region up to 1500 km beyond Indian boundary. NavIC signals are designed to provide user position accuracy better than 20m and timing accuracy better than 50ns.
• NavIC SPS signals are interoperable with the other global navigation satellite system (GNSS) signals namely GPS, Glonass, Galileo and BeiDou.

Few applications:

• Transportation (terrestrial, aerial and marine)
• Location based services
• Personal mobility
• Resource monitoring
• Surveying and geodesy
• Scientific research
• Time dissemination and synchronisation
• Safety-of-life alert dissemination

SOURCE: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/indian-gps-navic-to-link-to-aadhaar-enrolment-devices/article67181022.ece

2. THE MALABAR EXERCISE

TAG: GS 2: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

THE CONTEXT: The Ministry of Defence said in a statement that India, Japan, United States, and Australia will hold the Malabar Navy Drill off the coast of Sydney from 11 August to 21 August.

EXPLANATION:

• The Indian Navy’s indigenous frontline warships INS Sahyadri and INS Kolkata along with ships and aircraft from the US Navy, Japan Maritime Self Defence Force, and the Royal Australian Navy will participate in the exercise.
• This year marks the 27th edition of MALABAR which is being hosted by Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
• According to the ministry, Malabar 2023 is scheduled to be conducted in two phases.

1. The Harbour Phase involves wide-ranging activities such as cross-deck visits, professional exchanges, sports fixtures and several interactions for planning and conduct of the Sea Phase.
2. The sea phase will include various complex and high intensity exercises in all three domains of warfare, encompassing anti-surface, anti-air and anti-submarine exercises including live weapon firing drills.

• The exercise provides an opportunity to the Indian Navy to enhance and demonstrate interoperability and also gain from the best practices in maritime security operations from its partner nations.
• INS Sahyadri is the third ship of the indigenously designed and built Project-17 class multi-role stealth frigates .
• INS Kolkata is the first ship of the indigenously designed and built Project-15A class destroyers.
• Both ships have been built at Mazagon Dock Ltd, Mumbai and are fitted with state-of-the-art array of weapons and sensors to detect and neutralise threats in surface, air and underwater domains.

Exercise Malabar:

• Exercise Malabar is a naval exercise involving the United States, Japan and India as permanent partners.
• The annual Malabar exercises includes diverse activities, ranging from fighter combat operations from aircraft carriers through maritime interdiction operations, anti-submarine warfare, and anti–air warfare operations among others.
• Over the years, the exercise has been conducted in the Philippine Sea, off the coast of Japan, the Persian Gulf, in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. It is taken care by the Asian and the North American Commands.
• The exercise started in 1992 along the Malabar Coast as a bilateral exercise between India and the United States.
• It was expanded in 2007 with the participation of Japan, Singapore and Australia. Japan became a permanent partner in 2015.
• Australia participated in the exercise again in 2020, marking the second time that the Quad will be jointly participating in a military exercise. The aim of the exercise includes increasing interoperability between the naval forces.
• The duration of the exercise has ranged from 1 to 11 sea-days. The complexity and sophistication of the exercise has increased over the years. Exercises have on-shore and at-sea stages. The average participation by India increased from 8 ships to just over 9 from 2002 to 2014

SOURCE: https://www.livemint.com/news/india/india-japan-us-australia-to-hold-first-malabar-naval-exercise-off-australia-11691672444951.html

3. THE BELEN DECLARATION

TAG: GS 2: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS; GS 3: ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: Member countries of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organisation (ACTO) signed the Belem Declaration in the Brazilian city of Belem.

EXPLANATION:

• Leaders from the eight countries across the Amazon, including Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela, failed to agree on the goal to protect the rainforest at the ongoing Amazon Summit organised by the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO).
• Scientists have warned for long that if the combined deforestation and degradation of the Amazon crosses a 20-25 per cent threshold, the forest could reach an irreversible tipping point that may result in the dieback of the entire ecosystem.
• The leaders focused on “initiating a dialogue” on the sustainability of mining and fossil fuel-related activities and there was no commitment to stop oil drilling in the region.
• The failure of consensus on protected areas could have implications on the overall goals and targets set under the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Global Biodiversity Framework set in December 2022.
• Under this, member countries had agreed to protect at least 30 per cent of land and sea by 2030. The greater role of biodiversity rich countries, such as those in the Amazon region, was emphasised during the negotiations.
• The Belem Declaration released during the Amazon Summit recognises Indigenous knowledge as a condition for biodiversity conservation and calls for ensuring full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples in decision-making and public policy formulation processes.
• The representatives at the Summit recognised that there is a need for multiple forest economy solutions to counter the trend of agricultural commodities as the dominant economic model in the region.

The Belen Declaration:

• The presidents of the Amazon countries released the Belém Declaration, a document that unifies the shared objectives of the eight signatory nations under the Amazon Cooperation Treaty (ACTO), focusing on the region’s collective agenda.
• The declaration, signed during the first day of the Amazon Summit, outlines the consensus points of Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela.
• It draws upon contributions from civil society highlighted during the Seminar on Sustainable Development of the Amazon, which took place in May in Brasília, and from federal government agencies.
• The Belém document contains 113 cross-cutting objectives and principles, committed to by the signatory countries. ACTO will play a central role in implementing the new Amazon cooperation agenda.
• The responsibility fell upon the Brazilian government, acting as the host of the Summit, to put forth an initial draft, subsequently subjected to analysis and refinement by the other participating nations.

Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO):

• The Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) is an intergovernmental organization formed by the eight Amazonian countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela, which signed the Amazon Cooperation Treaty (ACT), becoming the only socio-environmental block in Latin America.
• The Amazon Cooperation Treaty was drafted and signed on July 3, 1978. ACTO has four official languages: Dutch, English, Portuguese, and Spanish.
• ACTO, with a broad vision of the South-South cooperation process, works in different dimensions within the framework of the implementation of the ACT.
• The countries of ACTO, believing that progressive improvement of Amazonian life hinges on the management of the Amazon basin, have created many programs and established agreements to sustain biodiversity and promote conservation and resource management in the Amazon.

SOURCE: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/forests/belem-declaration-amazon-countries-fail-to-agree-on-protection-goals-91095

4. THE CHIEF ELECTION COMMISSIONER AND OTHER ELECTION COMMISSIONERS (APPOINTMENT, CONDITIONS OF SERVICE AND TERM OF OFFICE) BILL, 2023

TAG:  GS 2: GOVERNANCE

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Union government introduced a bill in the Rajya Sabha to govern the appointments of the chief election commissioner and other election commissioners.

EXPLANATION:

• The Bill aims to constitute a selection committee for the appointment of the election commissioners consisting of the prime minister (as chairperson), the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha and a Union cabinet minister nominated by the prime minister.
• This does away with the arrangement put in place by a Supreme Court judgment delivered in March, which had formed a selection committee consisting of the prime minister, the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha and the chief justice of India, till the Parliament comes up with a law.
• The Supreme Court had directed to form this committee to shield the Election Commission from executive influence.
• Before this judgment, the appointments to the commission were made at the sole discretion of the Centre.
• However, the bill, by replacing the chief justice with a nominee of the prime minister, brings the matter of selecting the chief election commissioner and other election commissioners back within the Centre’s control.

What the bill lays out on election commissioner appointments

• According the procedure prescribed by the bill, a search committee consisting of three bureaucrats from the Union government will prepare a list of five persons for the consideration of the selection committee. The election commissioners will be appointed from the names in this list.
• The bill provides the following qualifications for appointment as chief election commissioner or election commissioner:

1. Currently holding or has previously held a post equivalent to the rank of Union Secretary
2. A person of integrity
3. Possessing knowledge of and experience in management and conduct of elections.

• There are no objective criteria laid down to determine how the second and third qualifications can be met, leaving them to the subjective view of the search committee.
• With regard to the constitution of the selection committee, the bill clarifies that if there is no recognised leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha (as is the case in the current Lok Sabha), the leader of the single largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha shall be deemed the member of the selection committee as leader of Opposition.
• The bill states that the appointment of election commissioners shall be valid irrespective of any vacancy or deficit in the constitution of the selection committee.
• This could mean that, for instance, even if the post of leader of opposition in the selection committee is not filled or the nominated member in the committee is not a Union Cabinet member, the appointments it makes would stand.
• The selection committee can also consider for appointment names outside those recommended by the search committee.

The Election Commission of India (ECI)

• It is a constitutional body. It was established by the Constitution of India to conduct and regulate elections in the country.
• Article 324 of the Constitution provides that the power of superintendence, direction, and control of elections to parliament, state legislatures, the office of the president of India, and the office of vice-president of India shall be vested in the election commission.
• Thus, the Election Commission is an all-India body in the sense that it is common to both the Central government and the state governments.
• The body administers elections to the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies, State Legislative Councils and the offices of the President and Vice President of the country.
• The Election Commission operates under the authority of Constitution per Article 324, and subsequently enacted Representation of the People Act.
• The commission has the powers under the Constitution, to act in an appropriate manner when the enacted laws make insufficient provisions to deal with a given situation in the conduct of an election. It is a permanent constitutional body.

SOURCE: https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/s-y-quraishi-on-the-collegium-bill-how-to-make-election-commission-credible-8886727/

5. CAG AUDITS EXPOSES LAPSE IN PMJAY

TAG: GS 2: GOVERNANCE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

THE CONTEXT: The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has revealed significant discrepancies in the registration and validation of beneficiaries under the Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (PMJAY).

EXPLANATION

• The CAG report has highlighted issues including beneficiary validation errors, shortcomings in claim handling, lapses by state health authorities , and more.
• As per the NHA database, 24.42 crore beneficiaries have been registered for the scheme till date and Rs 67,456.21 crore has been spent on their hospital admissions.
• The CAG assessment included the time period of September 2018 to March 2021 – part of which coincides with the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The auditor test checked 964 hospitals in 161 districts of all 28 states and Union territories (UTs). Delhi, Odisha and West Bengal have opted out of this scheme.

Findings:

• The auditors found large scale corruption in insurance claims settlement. It reported that not enough validation was done by the SHAs before releasing the claims to the hospitals which were empanelled under the scheme.
• It noted that in 2.25 lakh cases, the date of the ‘surgery’ done was shown to be later than the date of discharge.
• Of all such cases, more than 1.79 lakh were found in Maharashtra for which the claimed amount was over Rs 300 crore.
• Lakhs of claims continued to be made against some who had been shown as ‘deceased’ in the database.
• As far as caution against bogus 11.04 lakh beneficiaries is concerned, the NHA generated many alerts to the SHAs. The SHAs could investigate only 7.07 lakh cards. The highest number of such fraud claims were made in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya and Uttar Pradesh.

One unique ID: Several beneficiaries

• One of the biggest instances of graft in the implementation of this scheme was found in registration and identification of beneficiaries.
• The scheme stipulates that a unique PMJAY ID should be issued to beneficiaries once verification is complete.
• The audit discovered that 1.57 unique IDs appeared more than once in the database. In other words, all these IDs were duplicated. In such circumstances, possibility of presence of ineligible beneficiaries in the Beneficiary Identification System [BIS] database cannot be ruled out.
• Besides Aadhaar numbers, the system also utilises the phone numbers of beneficiaries. The audit brought to light that there were large numbers of beneficiaries registered against the same or invalid mobile number.

Irregulation related to Aadhaar:

• According to the audit report not all is well with Aadhaar identification either. Two registrations each were found to be made against 18 Aadhaar cards. On the other hand, in Tamil Nadu, 4,761 registrations were made against seven Aadhaar numbers, the audit found.
• All public facilities with capability of providing inpatient services (community health centre-level and above) are deemed empanelled. As such, a little over 15,000 public and 12,000 private healthcare facilities are part of this scheme.
• There were deficiencies such as medical equipment being out of order, lack of basic infrastructure such as IPD Beds, Operation Theatres, ICU care with ventilator support systems, Pharmacy, Dialysis Unit, Blood banks, Round-the clock Ambulance Services etc.

Missing hospitals

• The existence of hospitals in the empanelled list did not necessarily translate into even their existence in the scheme.
• In Andhra Pradesh, for example, out of 1,421 empanelled Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), half of them submitted zero claims thus indicating they were not providing PMJAY services at all. While, another 81 of them submitted only 0-5 claims. Such examples were found in other states as well.
• There is a strong need to invest in public hospitals to improve and upgrade the quality of the existing health facilities in accordance with prescribed criteria [of the PMJAY scheme.
• What also limits the implementation of the scheme is the number of EHCPs empanelled vis-a-vis the number of beneficiaries. For example, in Bihar, 100% eligible people have been registered under the scheme. But there are only 1.8 EHCPs per lakh population – as against 26.6 in Goa.

Note: For further details of AB-PMJAY scheme, please refer to DNA of 9^th August, 2023.

SOURCE: https://www.livemint.com/politics/policy/mint-explainer-cag-audit-exposes-lapses-in-pmjay-what-are-these-11691662333628.html

1. THE EMBLEMS AND NAMES (PREVENTION OF IMPROPER USE) ACT, 1950

TAG: GS 2: GOVERNANCE

THE CONTEXT: A PIL has been filed by a social worker against the formation of an “alliance using the name INDIA”. The plea seeks directions to the parties prohibiting them from using the acronym and a direction to the Centre and ECI to take action against them.

EXPLANATION:

• The PIL has contended that the use of the acronym violates provisions under Sections 2 and 3 of the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950.
• Delhi High Court has sought responses from the Centre, the Election Commission of India (ECI), and an alliance of 26 opposition parties in a public interest litigation (PIL) against these parties’ use of the acronym I.N.D.I.A. (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance).

Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950:

• The Act was passed on March 1, 1950, to “prevent the improper use of certain emblems and names for professional and commercial purposes”.
• Section 2 of the Act defines emblem as “any emblem, seal, flag, insignia, coat-of-arms, or pictorial representation specified in the Schedule”. “Name” includes “any abbreviation of a name”.
• Section 3 of the Act prohibits the “improper use of certain emblems and names”. It stipulates that except in “such cases and under such conditions as may be prescribed by the Central Government”, no person shall “use or continue to use, for the purpose of any trade, business, calling or profession, or in the title of any patent, or in any trademark or design, any name or emblem specified in the Schedule or any colourable imitation”.
• The 1950 Act’s Schedule has been amended repeatedly. As of date, it prohibits the improper usage of the name, emblem, or official seal of the Government of India (GOI) or of any state, the World Health Organisation (WHO), or the United Nations Organisation (UNO).
• It also bars such usage of the national flag, the Prime Minister, the President, and the Governor’s seal, name, and emblem.
• Besides this, using names, emblems, or seals of historical figures like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri, and Indira Gandhi is also prohibited.

What powers are exercised by the Centre under this Act?

• Section 4 prohibits the registration of certain companies by a “competent authority’’ if it bears a title containing “any name or emblem” in contravention of Section 3.
• If any question arises before such an authority as to whether any emblem falls under the ones specified in the Schedule, the authority may refer the question to the Centre, following which the latter’s decision will be final.
• Any person who violates the provisions of Section 3 of the 1950 Act “shall be punishable with a fine which may extend to five hundred rupees”.
• However, no prosecution for any offence punishable under this Act “shall be instituted, except with the previous sanction of the Central Government or of any officer authorized in this behalf by general or special order of the Central Government”.
• Thus, even the competent authority’s power to initiate prosecution is subject to the Centre’s approval.
• Besides this, the Centre’s power has been extended to amend the Act’s Schedule under Section 8. The Central Government may, by notification in the Gazette, add to or alter the Schedule, and any such addition or alternation shall have effect as if it had been made by this Act.
• The government also has the power to make rules “to fulfil the objectives of this Act”, which will be published in the Official Gazette, Section 9 states.
• However, every such rule will be laid before both Houses of Parliament for thirty days while in session, following which, if a modification or cancellation of the same is suggested, the rule will have effect only in such modified form or no effect at all.
• Despite this, any such modification or annulment of the rule “shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under that rule”.

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-law/opposition-alliance-india-name-emblems-act-explained-8880854/

2. THE SUPREME COURT ORDER ON MANIPUR ISSUE

TAG: GS 2: POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

THE CONTEXT: Supreme Court intervenes in Manipur, and the SC bench, while seized of petitions seeking its intervention for restoration of order in Manipur, had taken suo motu cognisance of a video of two women being sexually assaulted and paraded naked in the state.

EXPLANATION:

• A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice of India said a detailed order is being issued to restore a sense of confidence/faith in the rule of law in Manipur and to that extent bring a sense of trust and faith and confidence.
• Supreme Court said it is appointing former Mumbai Police Commissioner to be the “overall monitor” of a CBI probe into the instances of sexual violence in Manipur.
• It also named a three-member committee of former High Court judges, headed by retired J&K High Court Chief Justice Gita Mittal, to look into the humanitarian aspects.
• This committee will be looking at things including relief, remedial measures, rehabilitation, compensation, restoration of homesteads, religious places of worship and so on and so forth.
• So the remit of the committee will be broad-based, including looking at conditions of relief camps. They will look into diverse aspects of a humanitarian nature in the current situation.
• The bench said officers will be brought on deputation to the CBI specifically for the purpose of overseeing the investigation of these FIRs, which have been transferred to it.
• These officers will also be functioning within the four corners of the infrastructural and administrative set-up of the CBI. So they may be supervised by an officer of the Joint Director, CBI, adding it will ask the state DGPs to nominate the officers.
• The bench said there will be one more layer of scrutiny where a former IPS officer who has wide experience in investigation will oversee the nature of the investigation.

Manipur Violence : In Brief

• On the 10^th of March, mass rallies were held across hill districts by The Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF), where the Kuki tribe raised slogans against the eviction of residents from K. Songjang village.
• On March 11, the State government retaliated by withdrawing the Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement which is a ceasefire agreement that the Central and State government signed with the United People’s Front and the Kuki National Organisation in 2008.
• On May 3, 2023, Kuki held a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ to oppose the High Court’s decision to grant ST status to Meiti.
• The violence broke out in Churachandpur, a town just south of the state capital Imphal; a few hours after the march, an Anglo-Kuki War memorial gate was set on fire by the Meiteis in Churachandpur.
• The memorial marks the 1917-19 war between the Kukis and the colonial British, who ruled over India until 1947. The burning of the gate triggered clashes across Manipur as armed groups from both sides went on a rampage, attacking villages and burning homes.
• On May 4, as the violence escalated, the Centre invoked Article 355 of the Constitution, which is a part of emergency provisions. Convoys of trucks belonging to the Army, the Assam Rifles, the Rapid Action Force, and local police personnel have moved into the State and entered several affected areas.
• Since then, many people have been killed and displaced, police armouries have been looted, hundreds of churches and more than a dozen temples have been ruined, and villages have been destroyed.
• Indefinite curfew has been imposed in the Meitei-dominated Imphal West, Kakching, Thoubal, Jiribam, and Bishnupur districts, as well as in Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi and Tengnoupal districts.
• After the fake news and misinformation circulated, claiming that Meitei women had been raped and killed by Kukis, Kuki women began to be systematically targeted in revenge attacks, which included rape, torture and assault. There have also been several reports of beheadings.
• A video went viral online on July 19, showing a mob of Meitei men parading and groping two naked Kuki women on a rural road before taking them to a field, where one of them was reportedly raped.
• The state is swiftly bifurcated along ethnic lines, with the Meiteis in the valley and the Kukis in the hills, defending their territory against violent mobs, with a buffer zone created in the middle.

Causes of Violence:

• High Court Proposal of granting ST Status to Meiti: The violence was sparked by a court ruling in March that granted the majority Meitei “scheduled tribal status”, entitling them to the same economic benefits and quotas in government jobs and education as the minority Kuki. It also allowed Meiteis to buy land in the hills, where the Kukis predominately live, further fuelling fears that their lands, jobs and opportunities would be taken away.
• Eviction from forest area: The government’s clampdown on reserved and protected forests in the State’s hill areas, as many acres of land in the hills are being used for poppy cultivation. It led to the eviction of primarily Kukivillagers from houses and villages allegedly built on forest land in violation of the Indian forest laws, leading to protests and violence.
• Cultural conflict: Manipur is divided into exclusive ethnic zones where Meiteis account for about 53% of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals, Nagas, and Kukis constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts. They have for decades fought one another over conflicting homeland demands and religious differences; however, time, the conflict is strictly rooted in ethnicity, not in religion.
• Illegal migrants: Several illegal migrants from neighbouring Myanmar have entered India has angered the indigenous tribals who fear the loss of land and resources, and the feeling of persecution led to Kuki unrest and led violence.
• Scarcity of resources: The violence stems from decades of contestation over land and natural resources, fuelling deep-seated resentment among both the Meiteis and Kukis. As the population grows, resources are getting scarce, leading to conflicts between communities.

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/india/manipur-violence-sc-commences-hearing-state-proposes-district-level-sit-probe-cases-8880736/

NOTE: See our ED discussion for more information on the Manipur issue.

Link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzxhoGHdrlU

3. THE GOVERNMENT OF NATIONAL CAPITAL TERRITORY OF DELHI (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2023

TAG: GS 2: GOVERNANCE

THE CONTEXT: After intense opposition and questions over its constitutionality, the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, received approval of Rajya Sabha. Delhi Chief Minister compared NCT Bill to the British-era Govt of India Act of 1935.

EXPLANATION:

The issues raised in the Bill:

• The Bill grants the Centre-appointed Lieutenant Governor of Delhi increased powers over the administrative apparatus of the national Capital.
• In this regard, the issue was raised of autonomy and a comparison was made with GOI 1935. As Government of India Act of 1935 states that there will be elections in India, but the elected government will not have any powers,
• Under the colonial law, the governor-general at the Centre and provincial governors retained authority on key matters and had the power to supersede or suspend elected governments.

GOVERNMENT OF NATIONAL CAPITAL TERRITORY OF DELHI (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2023

1.National Capital Civil Services Authority:

• The Bill establishes the National Capital Civil Services Authority to make recommendations to the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi (LG) on certain matters related to services.  These include:

(i) transfers and postings

(ii) matters related to vigilance

(iii) disciplinary proceedings

(iv) prosecution sanctions of Group A of All India Services (except Indian Police Service) and DANICS.

• The Authority will consist of the: (i) Chief Minister of Delhi as Chairperson, (ii) Principal Home Secretary of the Delhi government as Member Secretary, and (iii) Chief Secretary of the Delhi government as Member.
• The central government will appoint both the Principal Home Secretary and Chief Secretary.
• All decisions of the Authority will be based on a majority vote of the members present and voting.  The quorum for a meeting is two people.

2.Powers of the Lieutenant Governor:

• Under the Bill, matters where the LG may act on his discretion are:

1. matters outside the legislative competence of the Delhi Legislative Assembly but which have been delegated to the LG
2. matters where he is required by law to act in his discretion or exercise any judicial or quasi-judicial functions.

• The Bill specifies that in these matters, the LG will act in his sole discretion. It expands the discretionary role of the LG by giving him powers to approve the recommendations of the Authority or return them for reconsideration.
• In the case of a difference of opinion between the LG and the Authority, the former’s decision will be final.

3.Disposal of matters by Ministers:

• A Minister of the Delhi government may issue standing orders for the disposal of matters brought to his attention.  The order should be issued in consultation with the concerned Department Secretary.
• Certain matters must be submitted to the LG, through the Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary, for his opinion prior to the issue of any order.
• These include proposals affecting:

1. the peace and tranquillity of Delhi
2. relations between the Delhi government and the central government, Supreme Court, or other state governments

• summoning, prorogation, and dissolution of the Legislative Assembly

1. matters on which LG is to give an order in his sole discretion.

4.Duties of Secretaries: 

• Additionally, the concerned Department Secretary must bring certain matters to the notice of the LG, the Chief Minister, and the Chief Secretary.
• These include matters which may bring the Delhi Government into controversy with the central or any state government, the Supreme Court, or the High Court of Delhi.

Government of India Act 1935:

• The Act was divided into 451 clauses and 15 schedules, making it the most complicated document ever passed by the British Parliament.
• The Act of 1919 established ‘dyarchy’ in the provinces, but the Act of 1935 was enacted with the aim of establishing ‘dyarchy’ at the centre.
• The object was to meet the needs of Indians to have a responsible government in the country.
• It was for the first through this Act that an attempt was made to bring the Indian princely states together and associate them with the constitutional set-up and centre in India. However, there was no preamble in the Act.

Some of the key features of the Act were:

• The Government of India Act of 1935 set out to establish the “Federation of India” consisting of British Indian territories and princely states, and governed at two levels, central and provincial.
• The Act introduced bicameralism in upper and lower Houses at the Centre and in six provinces, along with direct elections to these chambers. At the time, it was one of the longest pieces of legislation passed in the British Parliament.
• The Act eliminated the system of diarchy introduced by the Government of India Act of 1919, which devolved some powers to provincial legislatures but kept authority in key areas such as finance with the British-appointed provincial governor.
• The 1935 Act also granted the provincial governor the power to suspend the provincial government if deemed necessary.
• However, it retained diarchy at the central level. The governor-general, who was not accountable to the legislature, had direct control over some matters, including defence, taxation, and the police.
• Other subjects, such as health and education, were left to the legislature, but the governor-general was given the authority to act on these matters too.
• It also expanded voting rights from 3% of the population to 14%, set up a federal court in Delhi, and established the Reserve Bank of India.
• But Indian leaders were unhappy with the Act since it placed limitations on the autonomy it granted. The governor-general and provincial governors retained authority on key matters and had the power to supersede or suspend elected governments.
• The Federation of India, however, was never established since many princely states refused to support the Act.
• The rest of the Act was enacted in 1937 after the first provincial elections were held. The Act was nullified after the Constitution of India was drafted in 1950, though the Constituent Assembly borrowed several provisions from it.

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/arvind-kejriwal-nct-bill-british-law-govt-of-india-act-8882017/

4. GUT MICROBIOTA AND IMMUNE SYSTEM

TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: The scientific community has unveiled a hidden ally in our body’s Défense mechanism – the gut microbiota.

EXPLANATION:

• A Recent Research study has highlighted that a harmonious gut microbiota composition can effectively enhance immune responses, while an imbalance (dysbiosis) might lead to immune-related disorders.
• One of the most significant revelations in the field of health and immunology is the profound impact that gut microbiota has on our immune system.
• Research suggests that a healthy gut microbiome can positively impact other body systems.

GUT MICROBIOTA

• The gut microbiota is a community of trillions of bacteria residing in the digestive tract.
• It is often referred to as gut flora.
• It contributes to digestion, metabolism, and nutrient absorption.
• It plays a pivotal role in training and developing the immune system.
• It maintains a healthy gut lining’s integrity, producing immune-modulating compounds, competitive exclusion, and impacting other body systems, including the cardiovascular, nervous, and endocrine systems.
• These microscopic organisms residing in our digestive tract play a pivotal role in maintaining overall health.

HOW GUT MICROBIOTA SUPPORTS OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM?

• The Gut Microbiota plays a crucial role in training and developing the immune system, during infancy and early childhood.
• A healthy gut lining forms a barrier that prevents harmful substances from entering the bloodstream.
• It aids in maintaining this barrier’s integrity by stimulating the production of mucus and strengthening the tight junctions between cells. This barrier function is vital in preventing infections and autoimmune reactions.
• It produces short-chain fatty acids and other metabolites that play a role in regulating immune responses.
• These compounds help modulate inflammation and promote a balanced immune reaction.
• It competes with potential pathogens for resources and space within the intestines.
• Beneficial bacteria can outcompete harmful microorganisms, reducing the risk of infections.

POSITIVE IMPACTS

• The influence of gut microbiota extends beyond the digestive system.
• A healthy gut microbiome can positively impact other body systems, including the cardiovascular, nervous, and endocrine systems, all of which contribute to overall immune health.
• The importance of nurturing a healthy gut microbiota cannot be overstated.

WHAT SHOULD WE DO FOR A HEALTHY MICROBIOTA?

• The importance of nurturing a healthy gut microbiota cannot be overstated. A balanced gut flora and a robust immune system leads us to healthy life.
• Consumption of a variety of whole foods, including fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes promotes the growth of beneficial gut bacteria.
• Adding probiotics and prebiotics is essential to nourish and replenish gut microbiome.
• Using antibiotics judiciously, as these medications can disrupt the balance of gut microbiota.
• Chronic stress can impact gut health.
• Practices like meditation, exercise, and adequate sleep can contribute to a healthier gut.

SOURCE: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/how-to/what-is-gut-microbiota-and-how-it-helps-our-immune-system/articleshow/102507322.cms

5. DIGITISATION OF CENTRAL REGISTRAR OF COOPERATIVE SOCIETIES (CRCS)

TAG: GS 2: GOVERNANCE

THE CONTEXT: The digital portal of the Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies (CRCS) office was launched in Pune by Union Home Minister, and Minister of Cooperation in August 2023.

EXPLANATION:

• Union Minister added that the work of the Central Registrar (CRCS) office, which operates the Multi State Cooperatives, is becoming completely digital today.
• All the work of cooperative societies like opening new branches, expansion to other states or auditing, will be done online now.
• It is a transformational step towards efficiency and transparency.

CENTRAL REGISTRAR OF COOPERATIVE SOCIETIES (CRCS)

• As per the Constitution, the Cooperative societies with objects confined to one State only are governed by the Cooperative laws of the respective State Government
• The cooperative societies with objects confined to more than one State are governed by the central law, namely, ‘the Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act 2002.
• The Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies is appointed as per article 243ZH(f) of the Constitution read with subsection (1) of section (4) of Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act 2002.
• It is the statutory body responsible for registration and other processes of the Multi State Cooperative Societies (MSCS).

FUNCTIONS OF THE CRCS

• Registration of Cooperative Societies.
• Amalgamation, Division, and re-organization of Cooperative Societies.
• Ensure timely Election of the Managing Committee in Cooperative Societies.
• Conduct elections of Managing Committee in primary cooperative banks and federal cooperative societies.
• Settle disputes of Cooperative Societies through the process of arbitration.
• Function as an appellate Court.
• Operating Cooperative Education Fund for training, education, propaganda, and publicity programme for the development of Cooperative Movement in the NCT of Delhi.
• To approve proposals for enrolment, resignation, and cessation of membership in Housing Cooperative.
• To frame, execute and monitor various beneficiary schemes approved by the Central /State Govts, including financial assistance to various sectors of Cooperatives.

THE MULTI-STATE COOPERATIVE SOCIETIES ACT, 2002

• It is an Act to consolidate and amend the law relating to co-operative societies, with objects not confined to one State and serving the interests of members in more than one State.
• It facilitates the voluntary formation and democratic functioning of co-operatives as people’s institutions based on self-help and mutual aid.
• It enables them to promote their economic and social betterment and to provide functional autonomy.
• To achieve the objective, The Multi State Cooperative Societies Bill was introduced in the Parliament.
• The bill having been passed by both the Houses of Parliament received the assent of the President on 3rd July 2002.
• It came on the Statute Book as The Multi State Cooperative Societies ACT 2002 (39 of 2002).

THE MULTI-STATE CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2022

• The Bill amends the Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act, 2002.
• It establishes the Co-operative Election Authority to conduct and supervise elections to the boards of multi-state co-operative societies.
• A multi-state co-operative society will require prior permission of government authorities before the redemption of their shareholding.
• A Co-operative Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Development Fund will be established for the revival of sick multi-state co-operative societies.
• The Fund will be financed through contributions by profitable multi-state co-operative societies.
• The Bill allows state co-operative societies to merge into an existing multi-state co-operative society, subject to the respective state laws.

SIGNIFICANCE OF DIGITISATION

• Enhanced Accessibility: Digitization allows stakeholders, including members of cooperative societies, regulatory authorities, and the public, to access information easily and remotely.
• This accessibility promotes transparency and accountability in the functioning of cooperative societies.
• Improved Efficiency: Manual record-keeping is often time-consuming and prone to errors.
• Digitization streamlines administrative processes, reducing paperwork and enabling quicker data retrieval and analysis.
• This efficiency leads to better decision-making and resource allocation.
• Data Integrity and Security: Digital records are less susceptible to damage, loss, or tampering compared to physical documents.
• Robust cybersecurity measures can be implemented to safeguard sensitive cooperative society data, ensuring its integrity.
• Real-time Reporting: Digitization facilitates real-time reporting and monitoring of cooperative society activities.
• Regulatory authorities can track financial transactions, membership details, and compliance with regulations more effectively, leading to proactive intervention when required.
• Empowering Members: Cooperative society members can access their records, transactions, and benefits through digital platforms.
• This empowerment fosters trust among members and encourages active participation in the cooperative movement.

CHALLENGES IN DIGITIZING CRCS

• While the benefits are promising, the digitization of CRCS is not without its challenges:
• Infrastructure and Connectivity: In many regions, inadequate internet connectivity and technological infrastructure can hinder the successful implementation of digitization efforts.
• Digital Literacy: Ensuring that all stakeholders, including cooperative society members and government officials, are digitally literate and comfortable with the new systems is crucial.
• Data Security and Privacy: Digital records require robust cybersecurity measures to safeguard sensitive information from unauthorized access, data breaches, and cyberattacks.
• Resistance to Change: Resistance to adopting digital processes, particularly among traditional stakeholders, can slow down the transition and require comprehensive awareness campaigns.
• Financial Constraints: Implementing digitization requires financial investments for technology acquisition, training, and maintenance, which might be a challenge for resource-constrained regions.

SOURCE: https://government.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/governance/sahkar-se-samriddhi-crcs-digital-portal-launched-1555-cooperative-societies-to-benefit/102477511

1. GOOD MANUFACTURING PRACTICES (GMP)

TAG: GS 2: SOCIAL JUSTICE; GS 3: ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: The government recently directed all pharmaceutical companies in the country to implement the revised Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), bringing their processes to par with global standards.

EXPLANATION:

• Larger companies with a turnover of over Rs 250 crore have been asked to implement the changes within six months, while medium and small-scale enterprises with a turnover of less than Rs 250 crore have been asked to do so within a year.
• This comes at a time when India is promoting itself as the global manufacturing hub for generic medicines.

What is GMP?

• It is a system that consists of processes, procedures and documentation that ensures manufacturing products, such as food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical goods, are consistently produced and controlled according to set quality standards.
• Implementing GMP can help cut down on losses and waste, and avoid recall, seizure, fines and jail time. Overall, it protects both company and consumer from negative food safety events.
• GMPs examine and cover every aspect of the manufacturing process to guard against any risks that can be catastrophic for products, such as cross-contamination, adulteration, and mislabeling.
• Some areas that can influence the safety and quality of products that GMP guidelines and regulation address are the following :
• Quality management
• Sanitation and hygiene
• Building and Facilities
• Equipment
• Raw materials
• Personnel
• Validation and qualification
• Complaints
• Documentation and recordkeeping
• Inspections & quality audits

What are the 5 Main Components of Good Manufacturing Practice?

• It is paramount to the manufacturing industry to regulate GMP in the workplace to ensure consistent quality and safety of products.
• Focusing on the following 5 P’s of GMP helps comply with strict standards throughout the entire production process.

What are the 10 Principles of GMP?

• Create Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
• Enforce / Implement SOPs and work instructions
• Document procedures and processes
• Validate the effectiveness of SOPs
• Design and use working systems
• Maintain systems, facilities, and equipment
• Develop job competence of workers
• Prevent contamination through cleanliness
• Prioritize quality and integrate into workflow
• Conduct GMP audits regularly

Benefits of the improved standards:

• Implementation of the new norms will bring the Indian industry on par with global standards.
• The improved standards will ensure that pharmaceutical companies follow standard processes, and quality control measures and do not cut corners, improving the quality of medicines available in India as well as sold in the global market.
• Implementation of the revised good manufacturing practices (GMP) will act as one of the measures to solve the string of incidents where other countries have reported alleged contamination of India-manufactured drugs.
• This will bring uniformity across states on processes followed for licensing and inspection, ensuring that the quality of medicine manufactured anywhere in the country would be the same.
• Instituting the same quality across the industry will give confidence to regulators from other countries.
• It will make India a quality pharmaceutical hub of the world. In addition, it will ensure that our citizens also receive export-quality medicines.

 What are the major changes?

• The revised GMP guidelines focus on quality control measures, proper documentation, and IT backing to maintain the quality of medicines produced.
• The new guideline introduces a pharmaceutical quality system, quality risk management, product quality review, and validation of equipment. This will mean companies will have to carry out regular quality reviews of all their products, verify the consistency of the quality and the processes, and implementation of any preventive actions.
• It also suggests a change control system to evaluate all changes that may affect the production or quality of the product.
• The companies will also have to carry out stability studies as per the climate conditions. “Most companies at present keep their samples stored under recommended conditions and test for various parameters from time to time.
• The guidelines also state that companies should have GMP-related computerised systems, which ensure that there is no tampering of data related to the processes. Such GMP systems will prevent unauthorised access and changes to the data.
• In addition, the new schedule M also lists out the requirements for additional types of products, including biological products, agents with radioactive ingredients, or plant-derived products.
• The new schedule also lists the requirement for investigational products being manufactured for clinical trials.

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-health/revised-manufacturing-rules-for-drug-firms-what-changes-and-why-8879305/

2. NEW ONLINE DISPUTE RESOLUTION (ODR) OF SEBI

TAG: GS 2: GOVERNANCE; GS 3: ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: SEBI is considering implementing a new online dispute resolution (ODR) system involving institutions, conciliators and arbitrators for the capital market.

EXPLANATION:

• Recently, SEBI issued a circular streamlining the existing dispute resolution mechanism in the securities market under the aegis of stock exchanges and depositories Market Infrastructure Institutions (MII) by establishing a common ODR portal.
• The new system will harness online conciliation and online arbitration for resolution of disputes arising in the securities market.
• The introduction of ODR to resolve securities market disputes serves to revolutionize both the process and timeframes for the resolution of such disputes.

What are ODR institutions?

• According to SEBI, each MII will identify and empanel one or more independent ODR institutions.
• These institutions will have qualified conciliators and arbitrators.
• MIIs will, in consultation with their empanelled ODR institutions, establish and operate a common ODR portal.
• All listed companies specified intermediaries and regulated entities in the securities market (referred to as market participants) would enrol on the ODR portal.

SEBI’s Adoption of ODR:

• The adoption of ODR by SEBI is more than just an incremental increase in the reach of ODR.
• It is a revolutionary change that has the potential to fundamentally disrupt the landscape of ADR and ODR, not just in India but globally.
• The adoption of ODR by SEBI is among the first of its kind globally, where statutory conciliation and arbitration with private ODR players has been provided for.
• Securities market disputes can range from the super-simple to extremely complex. The fact that ODR has now been provided for the entire spectrum of disputes represents a marked shift in attitude.
• The adoption by SEBI marks an important milestone of regulatory/government bodies delegating the power of appointment of neutrals to private ADR/ODR participants while also imposing sufficient checks and balances on the exercise of such power.
• This is particularly relevant in a country like India where appointment of arbitrators by courts (in ad hoc arbitrations) and government-run facilitation councils and equivalent (in cases like MSME disputes) has been among the largest contributors of delay in dispute resolution.
• This opens up the possibility of using private sector participants with a degree of ongoing accountability that any long-term engagement with one or more participants cannot achieve.

Salient features of the SEBI ODR Circular

• The SEBI ODR Circular provides a detailed framework for the escalation of cases to ODR, the manner of selection of ODR institutions, the conduct of various ODR processes, the timelines for each process and the cost of each process.
• The SEBI ODR Circular enables resolution of disputes arising out of securities market transactions by ODR institutions capable of undertaking time-bound online conciliation and/or arbitration in accordance with the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996.
• Under the Circular, each Market Infrastructure Institution (MII) has to empanel one or more ODR institutions and establish and operate on a common Online Dispute Resolution Portal (ODR Portal), whose creation will be overseen by the various MIIs together.
• The ODR portal shall establish due connectivity with the SEBI SCORES portal/ SEBI Intermediary portal.
• All Market Participants are required to enrol on the ODR portal within a specific timeline identified in the Circular.
• They are also required to clearly communicate the availability of the SCORES portal and the ODR portal to the investor to resolve their disputes if the investor is unsatisfied with the response (or the lack thereof) of the Market Participant.
• The ODR portal will have the following features- Enrolling an investor and market participant, filing a complaint, uploading documents and papers, and status update on the complaint, which would be provided by the ODR institution.
• A complaint initiated through the portal will be referred to an ODR institution empanelled by an MII and the allocation system on a market-wide basis to govern the allocation of each such dispute among all such empanelled ODR institutions.

SCORES (SEBI Complaints Redress System)

• SCORES is a web-based centralized grievance redress system of SEBI. SCORES enables investors to lodge and follow up their complaints and track the status of redressal of such complaints online from the above website from anywhere.
• This enables the market intermediaries and listed companies to receive complaints online from investors, redress such complaints and report redressal online.
• All the activities starting from the lodging of a complaint till its closure by SEBI, would be online in an automated environment, and the complainant can view the status of his complaint online.
• An investor, who is not familiar with SCORES or does not have access to SCORES, can lodge complaints in physical form at any of the offices of SEBI. Such complaints would be scanned and also uploaded in SCORES for processing.

What types of complaints can be registered in the SCORE portal?

• Entities against which complaints are handled by SEBI include:
• Listed companies / registrar & transfer agents
• Brokers / stock exchanges
• Depository participants / depository
• Mutual funds
• Portfolio Managers
• Other entities (KYC Collective investment scheme, Merchant banker, Credit rating, Foreign institutional investor etc)

Source: https://www.livemint.com/money/personal-finance/sebi-to-launch-online-dispute-resolution-mechanism-for-investors-on-august-15-11691339001139.html

3. AMRIT BHARAT STATION SCHEME

TAG: GS 3: ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: In a bid to keep it safe for passengers as well as freight transportation, it is essential to modernise its infrastructure with the latest technologies, amenities and others from time to time. In this context, the government is working to transform the railway stations across the country under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS).

EXPLANATION:

• Amrit Bharat Station Scheme was launched by the Ministry of Railways in 2022 for the development of stations with a long-term vision.
• The scheme involves creating a Master Plan for each station, considering its long-term requirements and the needs of its passengers.
• This will guarantee that the modernization process is efficient and tailored to the specific demands of each station.
• Out of the 508 stations whose redevelopment has started, 48 are of Bihar, 31 are of Assam, and 18 of Andhra Pradesh.

The broad objectives of the Amit Bharat Station Scheme are:

• To prepare Master Plans for railway stations and implement them in phases to improve facilities, including beyond the Minimum Essential Amenities (MEA).
• To aim for the creation of Roof Plazas and city centres at stations in the long run.
• To prioritize stakeholder needs and station usage studies based on available funds.
• To introduce new amenities and upgrade or replace existing ones.
• To cover stations where techno-economic feasibility studies have been conducted.
• To focus on implementing Master Plans in phases, with special emphasis on relocating structures and utilities as needed.

The scope of work under the Amrit Bharat Station scheme includes the following:

• Improve the structure and create aesthetically pleasing entrance porches in a cost-efficient manner.
• Relocate old buildings efficiently to make space for priority passenger activities and future development.
• Minimize new building construction, except for necessary relocations or improvements.
• Provide combined waiting halls and good cafeteria/retail facilities where possible.
• Allocate space for at least two stalls for “One Station One Product.”
• Improve station approaches with widened roads, proper signages, pedestrian pathways, parking areas, and better lighting.
• Incorporate landscaping, green areas, and local art and culture to enhance the station experience.

Source: https://www.financialexpress.com/business/railways-what-is-the-amrit-bharat-station-scheme-how-is-it-modernising-the-infrastructure-of-indian-railway-stations-know-its-objectives-and-scope-3201199/

4. OPTICAL FIBERS BASED CONNECTIVITY

TAG: GS 2: GOVERNANCE; GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: The cabinet has approved a last-mile broadband connectivity plan under the BharatNet project for 6.4 lakh villages across the country with a financial outlay of Rs 1.39 lakh crore.

EXPLANATION:

• The Union Cabinet has approved an allotment of ₹1,39,579 crore for the next phase of Bharat Net to make 5G network available to remote areas of the country.
• Its plan is to reach 6.4 lakh villages within the next two years from the current 1.94 lakh connected villages.

BHARATNET PROJECT

• BharatNet is one of the biggest rural telecom projects in the world.
• It is implemented in a phased manner to all Gram Panchayats (approximately 2.5 lakh) in the country for providing non-discriminatory access to broadband connectivity to all the telecom service providers.
• Objective is to enable access providers like mobile operators, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), Cable TV operators, content providers to launch various services such as applications like e-health, e-education, and e-governance in rural and remote India.
• The project has been approved by Union Cabinet in 2011.
• The project is being executed by a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) namely Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL).
• BBNL has been incorporated in 2012 under Indian Companies Act 1956.
• In 2016, the Telecom Commission approved to implement the project in three phases.

NATIONAL OPTICAL FIBRE NETWORK (NOFN)

• National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) is an ambitious initiative to trigger a broadband revolution in rural areas.
• NOFN was envisaged as an information super-highway through the creation of a robust middle-mile infrastructure for reaching broadband connectivity to Gram Panchayats.
• The National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) aims to connect all the 2,50,000 Gram panchayats in the country and provide 100 Mbps connectivity to all gram panchayats (GPs).
• To achieve this, the existing fibres of PSUs (BSNL, Railtel and Power Grid) were utilised and incremental fibre was laid to connect to Gram Panchayats wherever necessary.
• Dark fibre network thus created was lit by appropriate technology thus creating sufficient bandwidth at the Gram Panchayats.

OPTICAL FIBERS

• Fiber optics, or optical fiber, refers to the technology that transmits information as light pulses along a glass or plastic fiber.
• A fiber optic cable can contain a varying number of these glass fibers from a few up to a couple hundred. Another glass layer, called cladding, surrounds the glass fiber core.
• The buffer tube layer protects the cladding, and a jacket layer acts as the final protective layer for the individual strand.
• Fiber optic cables are commonly used because of their advantages over copper cables. Some of those benefits include higher bandwidth and transmit speeds.
• Fiber optics is used for long-distance and high-performance data networking.
• It is also commonly used in telecommunication services, such as internet, television, and telephones.
• For example, Verizon and Google use fiber optics in their Verizon FIOS and Google Fiber services, respectively, providing Gigabit internet speeds to users.

Source:https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/telecom/telecom-news/cabinet-approves-rs-1-39-lakh-cr-for-last-mile-bharatnet-connectivity/articleshow/102451866.cms?from=mdr

5. REINTRODUCTION OF RHINO CONSERVATION SCHEME

TAG: GS 3: ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: Bihar government is constituting a ‘Rhino Task Force’ for suggesting measures for the reintroduction of the terrestrial mammals in the Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) in West Champaran district of Assam.

EXPLANATION:

• A committee was set up to assess the habitat and security conditions in VTR of Assam and to suggest measures for reintroduction of rhinos in the reserve, about two years back.
• The committee recently submitted its report to the Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (DEFCC).
• Based on the recommendations, State government is preparing to constitute a ‘Rhino Task Force’ for suggesting measures for the reintroduction of rhinos in the VTR.
• The process of the reintroduction of the rhino scheme in VTR will start based on the recommendations of the task force.
• It has been decided to increase the rhino-bearing areas in VTR by 5% in the next two years.
• As per the plan rhinos will be taken out of crowded habitats and shifted to identified areas in the VTR.
• The objective is to provide more room for the rhinos to breed and multiply.
• The potentially identified areas for the reintroduction scheme in VTR are — Ganauli and Madanpu.

INDIAN RHINO VISION 2020 (IRV2020) / PROJECT RHINO

• IRV2020 was initiated as a collaboration between the Assam Forest Department, International Rhino Foundation, and WWF India.
• The program was established in 2005 for the purpose of increasing the rhino population in Assam to 3,000 by establishing populations in seven protected areas.
• In 2021, a final translocation of two rhinos from Kaziranga National Park to Manas National Park was completed.
• Rhinos are now found in four Protected Areas in Assam: Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, Orang National Park, Kaziranga National Park and Manas National Park.
• In 2022, the IRV2020 partners met to outline goals for the coming years, with plans to build on the successes and learnings from the previous program.
• Meetings to approve the plan, known as IRV 2.0, have been delayed due to the global pandemic.
• The New Program is scheduled to begin soon under the leadership of Assam Forest Department, along with supporting partners, and translocations could begin again by the end of the year.

WORKING WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO RESTORE HABITAT IN INDIA

• Local community members successfully restored 50 acres of prime rhino habitat under the supervision of our on-the-ground partner, Aaranyak, and Manas National Park officials.
• It planned to restore another 250 acres over the next two years.
• Engagement of local people in removal of invasive plant species also offers them livelihood and, in that way, it helps park officials to garner better support from local communities along with improvement of grassland habitats.

VALMIKI TIGER RESERVE (VTR)

• The VTR occupies a core area of 909.86 sq. km of the Valmiki Sanctuary located in the West Champaran district of Bihar.
• VTR has been selected as one of the potential sites under the National Rhino Conservation strategy where rhinos may be brought from other reserves in the country.
• The VTR was established as the 18th tiger reserve in 1990 and ranked fourth in the density of the tiger population.
• The rivers Gandak and Masan flow through this area.

SOURCE:https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/bihar-to-constitute-rhino-task-force-for-reintroduction-of-rhino-conservation-scheme-in-valmiki-tiger-reserve/article67164420.ece

1. VIVAD SE VISHWAS II SCHEME

TAG: GS 3: ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: The Centre has launched a settlement scheme Vivad se Vishwas 2″ to provide a much-needed impetus to the resolution of contractual disputes involving the government and government undertakings,

Explanation:

• The scheme was announced in the Union Budget, 2023 and was launched by the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance.
• It aims to settle contractual disputes of government and government undertakings, wherein the arbitral award is under challenge in a court.
• The scheme will apply to all domestic contractual disputes where one of the parties is either the Government of India or an organisation working under its control.
• For cases involving Court awards, the settlement amount offered to the contractor will be up to 85% of the net amount awarded or upheld by the court, while the same threshold will be “up to” 65% of the net amount in case of arbitral awards.
• The Government e-Marketplace (GeM) has developed a dedicated web page for the implementation of this scheme, and eligible claims shall be processed only through GeM.
• Eligible claims will be processed exclusively through the GeM platform, streamlining the settlement process and ensuring expeditious resolution.
• The move is aimed at promoting ease of doing business, and the deadline for submitting claims under the scheme is 31 October 2023.

Government e-Marketplace (GeM)

• It is a one-stop portal to facilitate online procurement of common-use Goods & Services required by various Government Departments / Organizations / PSUs.
• It aims to enhance transparency, efficiency and speed in public procurement.
• It provides the tools of e-bidding, reverse e-auction and demand aggregation to facilitate the government users achieve the best value for their money.
• All Central government and State Government Ministries/Departments, including its attached/subordinate offices, Central and State autonomous bodies, Central and State Public Sector Units and local bodies etc., are authorized to make procurement through the GeM portal.

Earlier initiatives for dispute resolutions:

Vivad Se Vishwas’ Scheme

• It aimed at reducing litigations in the direct taxes payments and was introduced in Union Budget 2020-21.
• It has been launched with a similar goal in an attempt to reduce the number of direct tax litigation cases that are currently pending.
• The scheme provided for settlement of disputed tax, disputed interests, disputed penalty or disputed fees in relation to an assessment or reassessment order on payment of 100% of the disputed tax and 25% of the disputed penalty or interest or fee.

Sabka Vishwas:

• It was proposed in the Union Budget 2019 and was launched to reduce the number of indirect tax cases.
• It was introduced to resolve all disputes relating to the erstwhile Service Tax and Central Excise Acts.
• The scheme was notified by the CBIC to come into force on the 1st of September 2019 and shall be operational until the 31st of December 2019. It is now subsumed under GST.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/business/government-kicks-off-contractual-dispute-settlement-scheme/article67150095.ece

2. DRAFT NATIONAL DEEP TECH STARTUP POLICY

TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government put out a draft National Deep Tech Startup Policy (NDTSP) for public comment.

EXPLANATION:

• The draft policy was shaped by the National Consortium and Working Group set up by the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC).
• The draft policy seeks to preserve Indian firms’ interests while promoting more coordination to develop tech startups that work on fundamental problem-solving in key areas.
• The policy seeks to “ensure India’s position in the global deep tech value chain” in areas such as semiconductors, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and space tech.
• The policy seeks to bolster research and development in deep tech start-ups, which work on fundamental and technical problems, unlike firms that monetise technology with distinguished business models, the draft says.
• Additionally, the policy seeks to simplify the intellectual property regime for such start-ups, ease regulatory requirements, and propose a slew of measures to promote these firms.
• For instance, the NDTSP suggests that an Export Promotion Board be created to ease barriers of entry for Indian deep tech start-ups into foreign markets and that clauses to ease such market access be included in foreign trade agreements.
• The policy suggests the creation of an “Inter-Ministerial Deep Tech Committee” to regularly review the requirements of enabling the deep tech ecosystem to function better.
• A deep tech startup involves early-stage technologies based on scientific or engineering advancements, which are yet to be developed for any commercial applications.
• The draft NDTSP suggests necessary changes in nine policy areas, such as
• nurturing research, development and innovation
• strengthening the intellectual property regime
• facilitating access to funding
• enabling shared infrastructure and resource sharing
• creating conducive regulations, standards, and certifications
• attracting human resources and initiating capacity building
• promoting procurement and adoption
• ensuring policy and program interlinkages
• sustaining deep tech startups.
• This policy complements and adds value to the existing Startup India policies, programmes and initiatives by fostering a conducive ecosystem for deep tech startups to thrive and address their unique and complex challenges.

Prime Minister’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC):

• It is an overarching council that facilitates the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India to assess the status of specific science and technology domains.
• It comprehends the challenges at hand, formulates specific interventions, develops a futuristic roadmap and advises the Prime Minister accordingly.
• The PM-STIAC is assisted by the Project Management Team (PMT) at Invest India, together with the Office of the PSA. The PMT at Invest India facilitates the delivery and progress of the ‘9 National Missions’ under the PM-STIAC.
• Four of the nine missions, Deep Ocean Mission, Natural Language Translation mission, AI mission, and Quantum Frontier mission have been approved.

• Besides the ‘9 National Missions’, the PMT also advises on other science and technology projects like establishment of The Indian Museum of The Earth (TIME), Developing City Research and Innovation Clusters across the nation, amongst others.

Nine National Missions are:

• Mission 1: Natural Language Translation: The Mission strives to make possibilities and advanced science and technology available to all by releasing the fence that the need for a high-level facility in English poses in modern times.
• Mission 2: Quantum Frontier: It strives to start work in the management of quantum mechanical methods, with a considerable number of grades of freedom, as one of the significant modern challenges in basic science and technology.
• Mission 3: Artificial Intelligence (AI): It will concentrate on handling societal requirements in education, agriculture, infrastructure, smart cities, including intelligent mobility and transport.
• Mission 4: National Biodiversity Mission: Exhaustive record of India’s biodiversity with the possibility of mapping and cataloguing all lifeforms in India, including associated traditional and cultural practices
• Mission 5: Electric Vehicles (EVs): It will create automobile sub-systems and elements for Indian needs, including rare-earth-based 4 electric engines, power electronics, Li-ion batteries, and using academic-industry partnership.
• Mission 6: BioScience for Human Health: It strives to create complete reference maps of genomes and to comprehend the dynamics of how vulnerability to different climates has an impact on human bodies.The Mission will concentrate on the genomic analysis of populations of humans to determine and solve the genetic basis and prevalence of irregular and inherited disorders.
• Mission 7: Waste to Wealth: It seeks to determine, design, and deploy technologies to treat waste to create power, recycle materials and extract value. The Mission will also recognize and sustain the growth of new technologies that hold promise in building a green and clean environment.
• Mission 8: Deep Ocean Exploration: It strives to scientifically analyze the in-depth oceans towards enhancing India’s knowledge of the blue border. It will handle problems arising from long-term transformations in the ocean due to weather changes.
• Mission 9: AGNIi (Accelerating Growth of New India’s Innovations): The Mission strives to sustain the national measures to strengthen the innovation ecosystem in India by linking innovators across industry, people, and the grassroots to the market and assisting in commercializing innovative solutions.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/draft-national-deep-tech-startup-policy-published-by-principal-scientific-adviser/article67142857.ece

3. SIMILIPAL TIGER RESERVE

TAG: GS 3: ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: To protect the Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) and its wildlife in view of the killing of two forest frontline workers by alleged poachers, the Odisha government has set up a joint task force (JTF) comprising around 200 armed police and forest personnel.

EXPLANATION:

• The task force will gather intelligence and identify people with illegal arms and ammunition in the fringe and buffer villages of Similipal Tiger Reserve.
• The task force has been assigned the key responsibilities of collecting intelligence and identifying people holding illegal arms and ammunition in the fringe and buffer villages of the tiger reserve and preparing a database.
• It has also been empowered to take comprehensive action in ‘de-weaponing’ all the illegally acquired weapons in the fringe and buffer villages of the tiger reserve.
• The state government had recently granted immunity to forest personnel under Section 197 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) for the use of firearms for self-defence while dealing with poachers and in reserve forest areas.
• Odisha is the third state in India after Assam and Maharashtra to initiate such a measure.

Similipal Tiger Reserve:

• Similipal, which derives its name from ‘Simul’ (Silk Cotton) tree, is a national park and a Tiger Reserve situated in the northern part of Orissa’s Mayurbhanj district.
• The tiger reserve is spread over 2750 sq km and has some beautiful waterfalls like Joranda and Barehipani.
• The park is surrounded by high plateaus and hills, the highest peak being the twin peaks of Khairiburu and Meghashini (1515m above mean sea level).
• At least twelve rivers cut across the plain area, all of which drain into the Bay of Bengal. The prominent among them are Burhabalanga, Palpala Bandan, Salandi, Kahairi and Deo.
• The Tiger Reserve originated as a hunting ground for the surrounding royalty. It was formally designated a tiger reserve under Project Tiger in May 1973.
• The Government of Orissa declared Similipal as a wildlife sanctuary in 1979, with an area of 2750 sq. km.
• Later in 1980, the Government of Orissa proposed 303 sq. km of the sanctuary as National Park. Further, in 1986, the area of the National Park was increased to 845.70 sq. km.
• The Government of India declared it a biosphere reserve in 1994.
• UNESCO added this National Park to its list of Biosphere Reserves in May 2009.
• This tiger reserve also comes under Mayurbhanj Elephant Reserve, which includes the adjacent Hadgarh and Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuaries.
• Apart from its biodiversity, the region around Similipal forests is home to a variety of tribes. Prominent among these are Kolha, Santhala, Bhumija, Bhatudi, Gondas, Khadia, Mankadia and Sahara.

Flora and fauna:

• The vegetation is a mix of different forest types and habitats, with Northern tropical moist deciduous dominating some semi-evergreen patches.
• Sal is the dominant tree species here. These forests boast of many plants that have medicinal and aromatic properties.
• The park is known for the tiger, elephant and hill mynah. It holds the highest tiger population in the state of Orissa.
• Apart from the tiger, the major mammals are leopard, sambar, barking deer, gaur, jungle cat, wild boar, four-horned antelope, giant squirrel and common langur.
• Grey hornbill, Indian pied hornbill and Malabar pied hornbill are also found here.
• The park also has a sizeable population of reptiles, which includes the longest venomous snake, the King cobra and the Tricarinate hill turtle.
• The Mugger Management Programme at Ramatirtha has helped the mugger crocodile to flourish on the banks of the Khairi and Deo Rivers.

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/bhubaneswar/task-force-with-armed-personnel-to-protect-odishas-similipal-tiger-reserve-8874248/

4. POOR REPRESENTATION OF SCHEDULED CASTES AND TRIBES IN THE HIGHER BUREAUCRACY

TAG: GS 2: POLITY

THE CONTEXT: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes has flagged the poor representation of the SCs and STs in the higher bureaucracy at the central level in its recent report. The Committee submitted its report “Role of Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions (Department of Personnel and Training) in Formulation, Implementation and Monitoring of Reservation Policy” in the Lok Sabha.

FINDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE

• The Committee highlighted that the representation at various levels for SCs and STs is far below the constitutionally mandated percentage of 15 % and 7.5 %, respectively.
• The maximum number of SC and ST candidates were appointed at the level of deputy secretary or directors – 423 in 2017 to 509 in 2022.
• At the senior level of Joint Secretary /AS/Secretary, the figure remains almost the same with 35 in 2017 and 41 in 2022.
• It pointed out the increase in the number of SC and ST officers in the higher bureaucracy between 2017 (458) and 2022 (550).
• But the figure had remained far below the expected level.
• There are currently 12 additional secretaries and 25 joint secretaries against the sanctioned numbers of 90 and 242 from the SC and ST categories.
• At the deputy secretary or director level, there are just 79 officials from SC or ST communities against 509 sanctioned posts.
• It drew the attention towards negligible or no presence of SC and ST members on the boards of directors of almost all ministries, departments, public-sector units, and state-run banks.
• It highlighted that underrepresentation would deprive the marginalised communities of becoming part of the decision-making process on matters of policy.

RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMITTEE

• Names of candidates taking the public service exams should remain undisclosed during selection to ensure fair assessment and to avoid any possible form of discrimination.
• It recommended to provide unique identification numbers to candidates who appear in competitive exams.
• It directed the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) to explore all possibilities to increase the representation of SCs and STs to ease out the current imbalance.
• DoPT may also consider setting up a separate regulatory authority to ensure meaningful implementation of reservation policies and orders till legislation to this effect is enacted by the government.
• It also directed DoPT to identify the backlog of vacancies and carry out special recruitment drives to fill the posts.
• It instructed the Department of Personnel and Training to submit an action taken report within three months.

RESPONSE BY DoPT

• DoPT said the appointment of officers to senior posts under the Government of India is filled on deputation.
• Out of the empanelled officers, those who give the option for deputation are considered for appointment for Joint Secretary and above under the Central Staffing Scheme (CSS).
• There is no provision for reservation in the posts filled up on a deputation basis under the CSS.
• The Officers of SC/ST community could not be appointed to the post of Members and Chairman, primarily due to non-availability of suitable candidates.
• However, the Committee is not willing to accept the reply as there are highly qualified deserving and meritorious candidates among SCS/STs available.

SOURCE: https://m.thewire.in/article/government/parliament-panel-headed-by-bjp-mp-slams-govt-on-dismal-sc-st-representation-in-higher-bureaucracy/amp

5. CASTE BASED SURVEY IN BIHAR

TAG: GS 2: POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

THE CONTEXT: Petitions were filed against the decision of the Bihar Government to conduct a caste-based survey in the Patna High Court but the court upheld the validity of Bihar Caste Survey.

EXPLANATION:

• The Patna HC has allowed the State government to continue with the survey.
• Patna High Court found State’s action ‘initiated with due competence’, and ‘not having violated the rights of privacy of the individual especially since it is in the furtherance of a ‘compelling public interest’’.
• Patna High Court stated that Census is a collection of accurate facts and verifiable details. Whereas a survey is intended at collection and analysis of opinions and perceptions of the public, which may be aimed at a specific community.
• The Bihar Government has submitted that it is competent to conduct a caste-based survey collecting data on the caste, Jati, and socio-economic well-being of the people of the state.
• The Government has also submitted that the people are not being forced to declare their caste and that participation in the entire exercise is purely voluntary and this fact makes it different from a caste-based census wherein declaration of caste is mandatory.

ARGUMENTS GIVEN AGAINST THE SURVEY

• Census falls under the union list of government.
• State does not have the right to conduct any caste census.
• Executive did not have the jurisdiction to conduct caste-based census.
• The privacy of the public will be violated by the caste-based survey.
• Caste enumeration is in the interest of the State, and it should be done across the country.
• Central government should get the caste census.

WHAT IS CASTE BASED SURVEY

• A caste-based survey is a data collection exercise that gathers information about individuals’ caste affiliations.
• It aims to understand the distribution and social dynamics of different caste groups within a particular population.
• Such surveys are often conducted to study caste-based disparities, identify social and economic inequalities, and inform policies to address issues related to caste discrimination and social justice.

IMPORTANCE OF CASTE SURVEY

• The caste survey holds significant importance in understanding social dynamics, inequalities, and historical imbalances within a society.
• Conducting a caste survey allows policymakers and researchers to gain valuable insights into the distribution.
• Representation of various caste groups, help to design targeted policies and affirmative action initiatives to address disparities and uplift marginalized communities.
• By collecting comprehensive data on caste demographics, educational attainment, employment opportunities, and socio-economic conditions, the survey helps identify areas requiring intervention and measures progress towards social equity.
• It also aids in monitoring the effectiveness of existing welfare schemes and policies.
• The caste survey facilitates a deeper understanding of the impact of caste-based discrimination, ensuring the protection of fundamental rights and human dignity for all individuals.
• It serves as a basis for fostering inclusive governance and promoting a society that values diversity and promotes social harmony.
• However, it is essential to conduct such surveys with sensitivity, respecting privacy and ensuring that the data is used responsibly to create a fair and just society.

SOURCE: https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/as-patna-high-court-upholds-bihar-caste-census-it-is-advantage-nitish-kumar-8873996/

1. DS-SAR SATELLITE

TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) recently successfully launched the PSLV-C56 carrying Singapore’s DS-SAR satellite and six other satellites.

EXPLANATION:

About DS-SAR satellite:

• The PSLV-C56 carrying DS-SAR satellite, along with six co-passengers, lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota and successfully placed in the right orbit. This is a PSLV mission for New Space India Limited (NSIL).
• The DS-SAR satellite is developed under a partnership between DSTA (representing the Government of Singapore) and ST Engineering.
• It will be used to support the satellite imagery requirements of various agencies within the Government of Singapore.
• It will also be used for multi-modal and higher responsiveness imagery and geospatial services for their commercial customers.
• It carries a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) payload developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). This allows the DS-SAR to provide for all-weather day and night coverage and is capable of imaging at 1m resolution at full polarimetry.
• It carried

1. VELOX-AM, a technology demonstration microsatellite
2. ARCADE Atmospheric Coupling and Dynamics Explorer (ARCADE), which is an experimental satellite
3. SCOOB-II, a 3U nanosatellite flying a technology demonstrator payload
4. NuLIoN by NuSpace, an advanced 3U nanosatellite enabling seamless IoT connectivity in both urban and remote locations
5. Galassia-2, a 3U nanosatellite that will be orbiting at low earth orbit
6. ORB-12 STRIDER, which is a satellite developed under an International collaboration.

New Space India Limited (NSIL):

• It is a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) of the Government of India and commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
• It is responsible for producing, assembling and integrating the launch vehicle with the help of an industry consortium.
• It was established in 2019 under the administrative control of the Department of Space (DoS) and the Company Act 2013.

Objectives:

• The main objective of NSIL is to scale up private sector participation in Indian space programmes.
• Transfer of Small Satellite technology to industry: NSIL will obtain license from DoS/ISRO and sub-license the same to industry
• Manufacture of Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) in collaboration with private sector
• Production of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) through Indian industry
• Production and marketing of Space-based products and services, including launch and application
• Transfer of technology developed by ISRO Centres and constituent units of DoS
• Marketing of spin-off technologies and products/services, both in India and abroad

Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV):

• It is the third generation launch vehicle of India. It is the first Indian launch vehicle to be equipped with liquid stages.
• After its first successful launch in October 1994, PSLV emerged as the reliable and versatile workhorse launch vehicle of India, with 39 consecutively successful missions by June 2017.
• Features:
• It is a four-stage launch vehicle.
• A large solid rocket motor forming the first stage,
• An earth-storable liquid stage is the second stage,
• A high-performance solid rocket motor is the third stage, and
• A liquid stage with engines as the fourth stage.
• The vehicle successfully launched two spacecraft – Chandrayaan-1 in 2008 and Mars Orbiter Spacecraft in 2013

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/isro-launches-pslv-c56-carrying-singapores-ds-sar-and-six-other-satellites/article67137876.ece

2. MAPPING INDIA’S CHIP DESIGN ECOSYSTEM

TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: As part of the second phase of the Design-Linked Incentive (DLI) scheme for the domestic semiconductor industry, the Indian government is considering a proposal to pick an equity stake in domestic chip design-making companies.

EXPLANATION:

• The idea behind the scheme is to ensure a stable ecosystem alongside building a few “fabless companies”.
• Fabless companies are entities that design chips but outsource the manufacturing.

Scenario of domestic chip industry:

• India is an important destination for global semiconductor companies primarily because of its highly-skilled talent pool of semiconductor design engineers, who make up about 20% of the world’s workforce as part of global teams or working independently.
• About 2,000 integrated circuits and chips are designed in India every year, with engineers involved in varied aspects of design and verification.
• However, India owns a much smaller portion of the intellectual property (IP) relating to the designs, which are mostly retained by the global companies.
• The DLI scheme for chip designing introduced in December 2021 endeavoured to indigenise innovations.

Challenges:

• There is a lack of venture capitalists in the private sector focused on semiconductors in India
• The cumulative annual revenue of domestic semiconductor design companies is meagre at ₹150 crore.
• There are higher gestation periods which imply design firms are not able to attract potential investors and venture capitalists as software companies have.

DLI scheme:

• The DLI scheme aims to provide financial and infrastructural support to companies setting up fabs or semiconductor-making plants in India.
• It offers fiscal support of up to 50% of the total cost to eligible participants who can set up these fabs in the country.
• It also offers fiscal support of 30% of the capital expenditure to participants for building compound semiconductors, silicon photonics and sensors fabrication plants in India.
• It is expected to facilitate the growth of at least 20 such companies, which can achieve a turnover of more than ₹1500 crore in the coming five years.

Benefits of the scheme:

• The sudden surge in demand of chips and semiconductor components has underpinned the need to establish a robust semiconductor ecosystem in India. Several sectors, including auto, telecom, and medical technology, suffered due to the unexpected surge leading to the scarcity of chips manufactured by only a few countries.
• Schemes like the DLI are crucial to avoid high dependencies on a few countries or companies. The inception of new companies will help in meeting the demand and supply and encourage innovation in India, Sanjay Gupta, Vice President and India Managing Director, NXP India, a semiconductor multinational, said to The Hindu .
• The DLI scheme aims to attract existing and global players as it will support their expenditures related to design software, IP rights, development, testing and deployment.
• It will boost the domestic companies, start-ups, and MSMEs to develop and deploy the semiconductor design. It will also help global investors to choose India as their preferred investment destination, Gupta said to The Hindu .
• The firm reckons that this is a big step to bring India on the world map for semiconductor manufacturing.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/explained-mapping-indias-chip-design-ecosystem/article67136594.ece

3. MINES AND MINERALS (DEVELOPMENT AND REGULATION AMENDMENT) BILL, 2023

TAG: GS 3: ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: The Lok Sabha passed the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation Amendment) Bill, 2023, which seeks larger participation of the private sector in mineral exploration and production, including lithium.

EXPLANATION:

• Amendments in mining legislation are being brought to make mineral exploration and production more attractive for investors.
• The Bill brings lithium out from the list of restrictive atomic minerals, which require mining grants from the centre, with only government companies given licences.
• The amendment would allow the auction of this critical mineral, used extensively for making batteries for electric vehicles.
• The Centre will have the power to give concessions for these minerals to both public and private mining companies.
• The Bill empowers the central government to exclusively auction mining leases and composite exploration licences for certain critical high-value minerals such as gold, silver, platinum, and copper.
• The Bill also dispenses with cumbersome forest clearances for mine reconnaissance and prospecting operations, making it easier for private firms to participate in exploration of the country’s mineral resources.
• Changes in mining legislation are being brought to make mineral exploration and production more attractive for investors.
• The reform proposals in the legislation include allowing states to grant composite mineral licences without having to get a central nod. This is expected to enable state governments to put up blocks for auction at a faster pace.
• It will also raise and fix mineral-wise maximum area limits for mineral concessions to provide larger and economic mines to investors.
• The proposal on a single exploration licence has been inserted in Bill to promote specialized mineral exploration companies for reconnaissance and prospecting of mineral resources and earn revenue from its discovery after the mine is put to auction.
• At present, the MMDR Act provides for the grant of two types of mineral concessions to private entities through auction, including a mining lease for undertaking mining operations and a composite licence for undertaking prospecting operations followed by mining operations.
• The legislation has also raised and fixed mineral-wise maximum area limits for mineral concessions. Accordingly, for prime minerals such as iron ore, the maximum area for prospecting licence and mining lease has been doubled to 50 sq km and 20 sq km, respectively.
• This would allow private entries to get same land area for mining as was earlier being given to government companies and that also by the state governments itself without any need for central approval.
• The Centre has decided to exclude duties and levies (ex-mine price) such as GST, export duty, royalty, District Mineral Foundation (DMF), and National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET) while calculating the Average Sale Price (ASP) of minerals.
• This will restrict the charge of royalty over royalty and limit the tax burden on companies and improve realizations for the government in mineral concession auctions.
• The changes on the sale of minerals from captive mines have also been provided to do away with the existing provision where the sale of 50% of minerals can commence only after the need of end use plant is met.

Mines and Minerals (Regulation and Development) Act (1957):

• It is an act of the Parliament of India enacted to regulate the mining sector in India.
• This act is applicable to all minerals except minor minerals and atomic minerals.
• It details the process and conditions for acquiring a mining or prospecting licence in India. Mining minor minerals come under the purview of state governments.
• It was amended in 2015 and 2016.

2015 Amendment:

• The amendment was proposed to bring transparency to the allocation of the mining licence process by auctions. The amendment seeks to introduce a system of auctions to allocate mining licenses.
• A fixed percentage of the revenue of any mine will be allocated to the development of the area around it in District Mineral Foundation. The state government will set the rates, and it will be in addition to the royalty.
• Under this, a National Mineral Exploration Trust was set up to explore and promote non-coal minerals.
• The licences have a validity of 50 years, compared to the previous 30 years, with no renewal of licences, only re-auction.
• The bill contains a new license for prospecting-cum-mining, replacing a two-stage process.

2016 Amendment:

• The amendment allows transfer of captive mining leases not granted through auction.
• Transfer of captive mining leases, granted otherwise than through auction, allow mergers and acquisitions of companies.
• It facilitates ease of doing business for companies to improve profitability and decrease costs of the companies dependent on the supply of mineral ore from captive leases.
• The transfer provisions also facilitate banks and financial institutions to liquidate stressed assets where a company or its captive mining lease is mortgaged.

Source: https://www.livemint.com/industry/lok-sabha-passes-mmdr-amendment-bill-allowing-auction-of-lithium-others-to-pvt-sector-11690540478316.html

4. WORLDCOIN: A BIOMETRIC PROJECT

TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman took to Twitter to formally re-introduce Worldcoin, a project of his that was eclipsed by the popularity of ChatGPT. The Worldcoin venture runs on a simple model: allow your eyes to be scanned in order to prove your human uniqueness.

EXPLANATION:

WORLDCOIN

• Worldcoin is an initiative to create a digital network in which everyone can claim some kind of stake and join the digital economy.
• A Device called “Orb” is used and Worldcoin volunteers are known as ‘Orb operators.’
• It scans a person’s iris pattern to collect their biometric data and help them get a World ID through the World app.
• With the World app, scanned participants can collect a cryptocurrency called Worldcoin [WLD] at regular intervals.
• Transactions with the World ID is possible everywhere.
• The process is called “proof of personhood” and makes sure that people do not sign themselves up multiple times in exchange for crypto.
• Beta version of Worldcoin was introduced in October 2021.
• Altman launched OpenAI’s chatbot ChatGPT, in December 2022.

WORKING OF WORLDCOIN

• To make the Worldcoin network possible, users need to be willing to scan irises and get their own irises scanned.
• Volunteers sign up to be “Orb operators” and receive basic training and a biometric device with which to scan irises.
• Those who have their irises scanned and collect a World ID can use this to claim the WLD crypto.
• WLD crypto then used for transactions (if possible and legal) or hold on to the asset in the hope that its price might rise.
• However, users can also buy or sell WLD without getting scanned or using the app. In this sense, it resembles a standard digital currency.
• This is based on Ethereum Blockchain Technology.
• The company claimed that India had “proven the effectiveness of biometrics” through its Aadhaar system.
• Worldcoin notes that Aadhaar IDs stopped people from signing up multiple times to benefit from social welfare schemes.

ETHEREUM BLOCKCHAIN.

• A blockchain is a distributed, immutable, and decentralized ledger at its core that consists of a chain of blocks and each block contains a set of data.
• The blocks are linked together using cryptographic techniques and form a chronological chain of information.
• Ethereum has a native coin, Ether, which is the second-largest crypto by market capitalisation.
• Anyone can create a token which runs on the Ethereum blockchain. WLD is one such cryptocurrency.

BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY

• Blockchain is a shared immutable ledger that facilitates the process of recording transactions and tracking assets across a business network.
• A Blockchain is a distributed database, which is shared over a computer network.
• Blockchain stores information electronically in a digital format to make transactions secure.
• Blockchain is a new technology, which is known as Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT).
• With the help of Blockchain technology, currency as well as anything can be converted into digital format and stored.
• It is an exchange process, which works on data blocks.
• In this, one block is connected to another block. These blocks cannot be hacked.
• Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency which is built based on Block technology.
• Blockchain has since been used in the creation of various cryptocurrencies, decentralized finance applications, non-fungible tokens and smart contracts.

SOURCE: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/worldcoin-what-is-sam-altman-biometric-project-how-does-it-work-in-india/article67134353.ece/amp/

5. INDIA AIMS TO REDUCE TUBERCLOSIS (TB) DEATHS BY 90% BY 2025.

TAG: GS 2: GOVERNANCE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE; GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: A randomised trial is being carried out in India to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of an all-oral, short-course treatment for TB which is coordinated by the Chennai-based National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis (NIRT).

EXPLANATION:

• The trial, which has enrolled 400 participants in all, began in October 2021 and is underway at eight sites across the country.
• The trial uses just three drugs — bedaquiline, pretomanid and linezolid (BPaL) — and the treatment lasts only for 26 weeks.
• This is in contrast to eight-nine tablets each day for 18 months in the case of conventional treatment for drug-resistant TB. .
• Target audience is people with pre-XDR TB or treatment intolerant/non-responsive MDR pulmonary TB.
• A person with pre-XDR TB on BPaL regimen will consume over 500 tablets over 26 weeks compared with over 4,300 tablets over 18 months with conventional treatment for drug-resistant TB.
• The more the number of tablets a day and longer the treatment duration the lower will be the treatment adherence, thus resulting in poor outcomes.
• The interim results show a cure rate of over 85% which establishes the superiority of the BPaL short-course therapy, according to scientists conducting the trial.
• The the BPaL regimen, which has been approved by the WHO but yet to be implemented in India, can help India to reduce TB incidence by 80% and TB deaths by 90% by 2025, the targets set by the GoI.

INDIA’S TUBERCLOSIS REPORT 2023

• India continues to be the largest contributor to global TB cases.
• India is targeting to reduce TB incidence by 80% and TB deaths by 90% by 2025.
• National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) is a centrally sponsored programme.
• It is being implemented under the aegis of the National Health Mission (NHM) with resource sharing between the State Governments and the Central Government.
• Despite the devastating impact of pandemic in the country, under the guiding light of National Strategic Plan (NSP) 2017-2025, NTEP shifted gears in 2022 and accelerated its pace towards ending TB by 2025.
• The four key pillars being implemented through strategic interventions under the NSP are DETECT, TREAT, PREVENT and BUILD.
• This led to various achievements by the programme as well as implementation of innovative strategies and interventions for the benefit of patients and the community.

BEDAQUILINE

• Bedaquiline is a member of the diarylquinoline class of drugs.
• It has a unique mechanism of action, targeting the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthase enzyme of the TB mycobacteria.
• ATP-synthase is used in the process by which Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb)generates its energy supply.
• It is active against both  tband the drug-resistant TB bacteria that cause Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB).
• Laboratory tests and clinical trials have shown it to have strong bactericidal and sterilizing properties.
• Bedaquiline is used in many of the new TB and drug-resistant TB treatment regimens currently in development by TB Alliance.

PRETOMANID

• Pretomanid is a nitroimidazole, a class of novel anti-bacterial agents.
• It has been developed by TB Alliance.
• It is used to treat Extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR TB) or treatment-intolerant/non-responsive.
• MDR-TB, in combination with bedaquiline and linezolid, as part of the BPaL regimen.
• Early in pretomanid’s development, it was known as “PA-824.”

 LINEZOLID

• It is member of the oxazolidinone class of drugs.
• Linezolid is active against most Gram-positive bacteria that cause disease, including tuberculosis, streptococci, vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
• It was discovered in the 1990s and first approved for use in 2000.
• Linezolid was the first commercially available 1,3-oxazolidinone antibiotic.
• As a protein synthesis inhibitor, it stops the growth of bacteria by disrupting their production of proteins, that is, it is a bacteriostatic agent, not bactericidal.
• Many antibiotics work this way, the exact mechanism of action of linezolid appears to be unique.
• It blocks the initiation of protein production, and Bacterial resistance to linezolid has remained very low.

GOVERNMENT POLICIES TO ELIMINATE TB:

• National TB Control Programme:
• It was started in 1962 with the aim to detect cases earliest and treat them.
• In the district, the programme is implemented through the district Tuberculosis Centre (DTC) and the Primary Health Institutions.
• The District Tuberculosis Programme (DTP) is supported by the state level organization for the coordination and supervision of the programme.
• Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP):
• It was based on the Directly Observed Treatment, Short Course (DOTS) strategy, began as a pilot project in 1993.
• It was launched as a national programme in 1997 but rapid RNTCP expansion began in late 1998.
• The nation-wide coverage was achieved in 2006.
• RNTCP is being implemented with decentralised services of TB diagnosis through 13,000+ designated microscopy centres and free treatment across the nation through 4 lakh DOT centres.
• National Strategic Plan for 2012-17:
• RNTCP’s National Strategic Plan (NSP) 2012-17 was part of the country’s 12th Five-year Plan.
• The theme of the NSP 2012-17 was “Universal Access for quality diagnosis and treatment for all TB patients in the community” with a target of “reaching the unreached”.
• The major focus was early and complete detection of all TB cases in the community, including drug resistant TB and HIV-associated TB.
• The NSP was backed up by GoI’s commitment for substantial increase in the investment for TB control, with a four-fold increase in budgetary allocation.
• National Strategic Plan for 2017- 25 for TB elimination in India:
• It encapsulates the bold and innovative steps required to eliminate TB in India by 2030.
• It is crafted in line with other health sector strategies and global efforts, such as the draft National Health Policy 2015, World Health Organization’s (WHO) End TB Strategy, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations (UN).
• Vision:TB – Free India with zero deaths, disease, and poverty due to tuberculosis.
• Goal: To achieve a rapid decline in burden of TB, morbidity and mortality while working towards elimination of TB in India by 2025.

SOURCE: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/tb-over-85-cure-rate-seen-in-modified-bpal-regimen-trial/article67132762.ece/amp/

1. RESOURCE EFFICIENCY CIRCULAR ECONOMY INDUSTRY COALITION

TAG: GS 3: ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: The Union Minister launched Resource Efficiency Circular Economy Industry Coalition on the sidelines of 4th G-20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG) and Environment and Climate Ministers’ meeting in Chennai.

EXPLANATION:

• Resource Efficiency Circular Economy Industry Coalition is conceived during India’s G20 Presidency, is an industry-led initiative with a global focus on promoting resource efficiency and circular economy practices.
• 39 multinational corporations (MNCs) from sectors such as steel, FMCG, and electronics came together to pledge to adopt resource efficiency and circular economy principles.
• The ECSWG has been involved in discussing environmental issues and promoting global collaboration towards a sustainable and resilient future.
• Embracing a circular economy model enables the transition from the linear “take-make-waste” paradigm and embraces a more sustainable and regenerative approach.

Resource Efficiency Circular Economy Industry Coalition:

• Designed as an autonomous body, the coalition is projected to continue operations beyond India’s G20 tenure, thereby facilitating a sustainable environmental impact.
• The coalition would be led by industries, and the government would only play a supporting role. The coalition includes “39 founding members from 11 different nations.”
• It aims to address environmental challenges arising from waste, including plastics, microplastics, e-waste, and chemical waste.
• It is designed to be a platform for knowledge and best practice exchange, fostering sustainable practices among its participating industries.
• Its core principles revolve around partnership for impact, technology cooperation, and finance for scalability.
• The coalition is structured around the 3 guiding pillars of partnerships for impact, technology cooperation and finance for scale.

The mission of this coalition is to:

• Facilitate and foster greater company-to-company collaboration,
• Build advanced capabilities across sectors and value chains,
• Bring learnings from the diverse and global experiences of the coalition members, and
• Unlock on-ground private sector action to enhance resource efficiency and accelerate circular economy transition.

Significance of RECEIC:

• It would play a pivotal role in promoting alliances, encouraging technological cooperation and knowledge transfer, fostering innovation, and facilitating the exchange of insights to enhance access to finance.
• It will contribute towards progress on key global goals and priorities set by the G20 and other international fora.
• RECEIC will also act as an overarching platform enabling industries to address information gaps and coordination challenges across the G20 members.

What is a circular economy?

• It is a model of production and consumption, which involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products as long as possible. In this way, the life cycle of products is extended.

• In practice, it implies reducing waste to a minimum. When a product reaches the end of its life, its materials are kept within the economy by recycling. These can be productively used again and again, thereby creating further value.

Benefits:

• To protect the environment: Reusing and recycling products would slow down the use of natural resources, reduce landscape and habitat disruption and help to limit biodiversity loss.
• Reduction in GHG emission: Another benefit of the circular economy is a reduction in total annual greenhouse gas emissions. According to the European Environment Agency, industrial processes and product use are responsible for 9.10% of greenhouse gas emissions in the EU, while the management of waste accounts for 3.32%.
• Reduce raw material dependence: Recycling raw materials mitigates the risks associated with supply, such as price volatility, availability and import dependency.
• Create jobs and save consumers money: Moving towards a more circular economy could increase competitiveness, stimulate innovation, boost economic growth and create jobs.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/39-mncs-come-together-for-circular-economy-coalition/article67128308.ece

2. DIGITAL PAYMENTS INDEX

TAG: GS 3: ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: The Reserve Bank of India’s Digital Payments Index has increased across all parameters, driven by significant growth in payment infrastructure and payment performance across the country over the period.

EXPLANATION:

• The Reserve Bank of India’s Digital Payments Index rose to 57 in March 2023 from 377.46 in September 2022 and 349.30 in March 2022.
• The RBI introduced the composite Digital Payments Index (RBI-DPI) in January 2021 to capture digitisation of payments. The index has since been steadily rising, crossing the 300-point mark in September 2021.
• As per the Economic Survey 2022-23, India has the highest fintech adoption rate of 87 per cent among the public compared to the global average of 64 per cent.
• Further, India has gained the third place in digital payments, coming only after US and China.
• The increase in RBI’s Digital Payments Index (RBI-DPI) highlights the remarkable surge in digital payment adoption in India, predominantly propelled by the success of UPI.

Digital Payments Index (DPI):

• RBI is publishing the Digital Payments Index (DPI) semi-annually from March 2021 onwards for measurement of the deepening and penetration of digital payments in the country over different time periods.
• The RBI-DPI is a first-of-its-kind index to measure the spread of digital payments across the country.The Base period of the RBI-DPI has been set as March 2018, at a score of 100.
• The DPI index comprises five broad parameters to evaluate the penetration of digital payments in the country.
• These parameters are –

(i) Payment Enablers

(ii) Payment Infrastructure – Demand-side factors

(iii) Payment Infrastructure – Supply-side factors

 (iv) Payment Performance

(v) Consumer Centricity.

• Out of all the indicators, payment performance has the highest weight of 45%, followed by Payment Enablers with a weight of 25%, and Payment Infrastructure- supply side and demand side with a weight of 15% and 10%, respectively.
• Lastly, the indicator Consumer Centricity has a weight of 5%. This is an important indicator to track the development in all aspects of the digital payments index.
• Each indicator has various sub-parameters, as listed in the table below:

Source: https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/money-and-banking/rbis-digital-payments-index-jumps-to-39557-in-march-from-37746-in-sept/article67128759.ece

3. IMPLEMENTATION OF NATIONAL AQUIFER MAPPING AND MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME (NAQUIM)

TAG: GS 3: ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: Government has recently informed the parliament that mapping of acquifers under National Aquifer Mapping and Management Programme has been completed by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB).

EXPLANATION:

National Aquifer Mapping and Management Programme (NAQUIM)

• It is a pioneer programme for the scientific management of aquifers, where a large amount of data is being collected and analyzed.
• It aimed to delineate aquifer (water-bearing formations) disposition and their characterization for preparation of aquifer/ area specific groundwater management plans with community participation.
• The management plans are shared with the respective State Governments for suitable implementation.
• The management plans are subject to a three-tier review, including a review by a National Level Expert Committee (NLEC) before finalization.
• It aims to make expeditious availability of groundwater-related information for suitable interventions to the stakeholders.
• It has been taken up by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) under the scheme of Ground Water Management and Regulation.
• Out of the total geographical area of nearly 33 lakh km² of the entire country, an area of around 25 lakh km² has been identified to be covered under the NAQUIM programme in phases.

Central Ground Water Board (CGWB)

• It is a multi-disciplinary scientific organization of the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Government of India.
• It is the National Apex Agency entrusted with the responsibility of providing scientific inputs for the management, exploration, monitoring, assessment, augmentation and regulation of groundwater resources of the country.

Mandate:

• To develop and disseminate technologies and monitor and implement national policies for scientific and sustainable development.
• Management of India’s groundwater resources, including their exploration, assessment, conservation, augmentation, protection from pollution, and distribution, based on principles of economic and ecological efficiency and equity.

Its Mission:

• To develop groundwater policies, programmes and practices to monitor and enable the effective use of the country’s groundwater resources in a sustainable manner with the active involvement of all stakeholders.
• To put into place scientific systems and practices which would result in a sustained increase in groundwater use efficiency.
• To disseminate information, skills and knowledge, which would help in capacity building and mass awareness in the ground water sector.

Organization Setup:

• It is headed by the Chairman and has six Members. The central headquarters is at Faridabad.
• The administrative and financial matters of the Board are dealt with by the Director (Administration) and Member(Finance), respectively.
• For undertaking the activities in the field, 18 Regional Offices, each headed by a Regional Director, have been established in the country.

Source: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1943353

4. SMALL SATELLITE LAUNCH VEHICLE (SSLV)

TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: The government’s effort to privatise part of its space programme by opening bids to build its small satellite launch rocket has attracted initial interest from 20 companies.

EXPLANATION:

• Under a policy driven by Prime Minister, India is following NASA’s lead in opening launch and other space businesses to private investment. The bid to take over the manufacturing and development of the SSLV rocket programme was the first privatisation of its kind under that policy.
• India’s newly created space regulatory body, the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre, known as IN-SPACe, opened the process by allowing qualified companies to register an interest.
• In this respect, 20 companies had submitted an “expression of interest” (EOI) in the rocket programme.
• To be eligible to bid, companies have to be profitable, and the lead bidder in a consortium has to have at least five years of manufacturing experience and annual revenue of Rs 400 crore.
• India is aiming to increase its share of the global satellite launch market by fivefold within the next decade.

Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV):

• Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) is a low-cost means of launching satellites weighing up to 500 kg into low-earth orbit.
• It was developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation, the national space agency, and had its first successful satellite launch in February 2023.
• It serves a market experiencing a surge in demand for launching clusters of satellites for communication and data.
• A small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) is a 3-stage Launch Vehicle configured with three Solid Propulsion Stages and liquid propulsion-based Velocity Trimming Module (VTM) as a terminal stage.
• SSLV is 2m in diameter and 34m in length with a lift-off weight of ~120 tonnes. SSLV is capable of launching a ~500kg satellite in a 500km planar orbit from SDSC/SHAR.
• The key features of SSLV are Low cost, with low turn-around time, flexibility in accommodating multiple satellites, Launch on demand feasibility, minimal launch infrastructure requirements, etc.
• The SSLV was developed with the aim of launching small satellites commercially at drastically reduced prices and higher launch rates compared to Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).

Key Features:

• Low cost
• Low turn-around time
• Flexibility in accommodating multiple satellites
• Launch demand feasibility
• Minimal launch infrastructure requirements, etc.

Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe):

• It is a single-window, independent, nodal agency that functions as an autonomous agency in the Department of Space (DOS).
• It is formed following the Space sector reforms to enable and facilitate the participation of private players.
• It is responsible for promoting, enable, authorising and supervising various space activities of non-governmental entities, including building launch vehicles & satellites and providing space-based services
• Its mandate includes sharing space infrastructure and premises under the control of DOS/ISRO, and establishing new space infrastructure and facilities.
• The agency acts as an interface between ISRO and Non-Governmental Entities (NGEs) and assesses how to utilize India’s space resources better and increase space-based activities.
• It also assesses the needs and demands of private players, including educational and research institutions, and explores ways to accommodate these requirements in consultation with ISRO.

Source: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/policy/indias-offer-to-privatise-rocket-has-20-potential-bidders/articleshow/102162635.cms?from=mdr

5. AYUSHMAN BHARAT DIGITAL MISSION (ABDM)

TAG: GS 2: GOVERNANCE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

THE CONTEXT: To promote digital health adoption and make healthcare more accessible, the National Health Authority (NHA) has launched 100 Microsites Project under Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).

EXPLANATION:

• These microsites will serve as clusters for small and medium-scale clinics, nursing homes, hospitals, labs, pharmacies, and other healthcare facilities that are ABDM-enabled and offer digital health services to patients.
• The microsites will be established across the country in various states/union territories.
• It will primarily be implemented by State Mission Directors of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, while the National Health Authority will provide financial resources and overall guidance.
• The main goal of these microsites is to create a small ecosystem in specific geographic areas where complete ABDM adoption is present and the entire patient journey is digitized.
• Patients visiting these centres will also become part of ABDM, with their health records linked to their ABHA.
• The ABHA(Ayushman Bharat Health Account) Number will be used for the purposes of uniquely identifying persons, authenticating them, and threading their health records (only with the informed consent of the patient) across multiple systems and stakeholders.
• The project intends to raise awareness about ABDM and its benefits among small and medium-scale healthcare providers, encourage them to register on ABDM’s core registries, use ABDM-certified digital solutions and ultimately link digital health records.

Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM):

• It aims to develop the backbone necessary to support the integrated digital health infrastructure of the country.
• It will bridge the existing gap among different stakeholders of the Healthcare ecosystem through digital highways.

Vision:

• To create a national digital health ecosystem that supports universal health coverage in an efficient, accessible, inclusive, affordable, timely and safe manner.
• It provides a wide range of data, information and infrastructure services, duly leveraging open, interoperable, standards-based digital systems, and ensures the security, confidentiality and privacy of health-related personal information.

Objectives:

• To establish state-of-the-art digital health systems, to manage the core digital health data and the infrastructure required for its seamless exchange.
• To establish registries at appropriate levels to create a single source of truth in respect of clinical establishments, healthcare professionals, health workers, drugs and pharmacies.
• To enforce the adoption of open standards by all national digital health stakeholders.
• To promote development of enterprise-class health application systems with a special focus on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals for health.
• To adopt the best principles of cooperative federalism while working with the States and Union Territories for the realization of the vision.

Building blocks of ABDM

• Health ID – It standardizes the process of identification of an individual across healthcare providers to ensure that the created medical records are issued to the correct individual or accessed by Health Information User through appropriate consent.
• Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR) – It is a comprehensive repository of all healthcare professionals involved in the delivery of healthcare services across both modern and traditional systems of medicine.
• Health Facility Registry (HFR) – It is a comprehensive repository of health facilities of the nation across different systems of medicine. It includes both public and private health facilities, including hospitals, clinics, diagnostic laboratories and imaging centres, pharmacies, etc.
• ABHA Mobile App (PHR) – A PHR is an electronic record of health-related information on an individual that conforms to nationally recognized interoperability standards, and that can be drawn from multiple sources while being managed, shared, and controlled by the individual.

Source: https://www.livemint.com/news/india/national-health-authority-launches-100-microsites-project-for-digital-health-adoption-in-ayushman-bharat-digital-mission-11690542056171.html

1. SILVER COCKSCOMB AND SOLIGA TRIBES

TAG: GS 3: ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: In Karnataka’s Chamarajanagara district, farmers of the Soliga tribe say controlling the weed can cost up to Rs 2,000 per acre (0.4 hectare) per year. Yet they do not consider silver cockscomb a weed.

EXPLANATION:

SILVER COCKSCOMB

• It is also referred to as anne soppu in Karnataka. It is also known as Lagos spinach.
• The plant is known as Celosia argentea in the scientific lexicon, kudu in Marathi and panini keerai in Tamil.
• It is believed to have originated in tropical Africa, according to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK, silver cockscomb grows abundantly in South and Southeast Asia, Latin America and parts of the US and Australia.
• Communities in these regions use it as a wild vegetable, for fodder and in medicine. Exploring and documenting their traditional knowledge may give this weed a makeover of a superfood.
• It is a beautiful but troublesome weed, and if left unchecked, it can spread quickly and suppress the growth of other crops, affecting their yield.
• It also attracts insects, caterpillars, worms and moths that can harm crops.
• It belongs to the Amaranthaceae family, which includes economically important plants like spinach (Spinacia oleracea), beetroot and quinoa.
• However, it is considered as a nutritious leafy green vegetable that grows well even on fallow land and in drought-like conditions by soliga tribes.
• It is a short-lived 50-60 cm-tall plant that bears simple, spirally arranged leaves around the stem with pinkish or silky white flowers.
• Since it grows widely on farmlands across the country, most farmers use the plant as fodder.

Medicinal uses:

• The women of the Soliga tribe collect young shoots of silver cockscomb to prepare a mash called massage, which is eaten just to help lower the body’s heat and reduce stomach burn, which often stems from indigestion.
• Scientists studied the antibacterial activity of silver cockscomb and found that its stem and root extracts provide protection against microbial pathogens.
• Silver cockscomb leaves are high in nutrients such as beta-carotene and folic acids and have “medium” levels of vitamin E, calcium and iron.
• Although it is of the same family as spinach, it does not pose the same risk to kidneys.
• The plant is frequently used in traditional Chinese and Indian medicine for treating eye diseases and ulcers.
• Researchers reviewed studies available on the plant and found that the seed contains an edible oil that is beneficial for treating conditions such as bloodshot eyes and cataracts.

Soliga tribe:

• It is an ethnic tribe in south India that dwells in Biligirirangana Hills (BR Hills) situated in south-eastern Karnataka, at its border with Tamil Nadu.
• The term “Soliga” literally translates to “children of bamboo”, which reflects the tribe’s relationship with nature and their belief that they, too, have emerged from it.
• They are said to possess vast knowledge about the forests of Western Ghats and biodiversity conservation.
• The Soliga speak Sholga, which belongs to the Dravidian family. Under Indian law, they are recognized as a scheduled tribe.
• The Soliga used to practice shifting cultivation but have more or less given up this practice now. They grow Ragi for subsistence.

Source: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/food/green-promise-silver-cockscomb-isn-t-a-troublesome-weed-for-karnataka-s-soliga-tribe-90593

2. BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (AMENDMENT) BILL

TAG: GS 3: ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: The Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill, 2022, is set to be tabled during the monsoon session of the Parliament.

EXPLANATION:

• The Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill was introduced in Parliament in 2021 by the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and climate change to amend the Biological Diversity Act of 2002.
• The Bill was moved to a joint committee due to concerns that the amendments favoured industry.

The main aims of the amendment Bills:

• To reduce the burden on wild medicinal plants and encourage their cultivation.
• To encourage the Indian system of medicine.
• To facilitate environmentalists for collaborative research and investments.
• To reduce the need for practitioners and companies making medicinal products for taking permission from the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA).
• Bill included the term “codified traditional knowledge”, under which the users, including practitioners of Indian systems of medicine, will be exempted from the provisions of approvals for access or sharing benefits.

Benefits of the Bill:

• This bill aims that the benefits from the use of biodiversity should be shared with the community that has conserved it for centuries. Access and benefit sharing remains an important part of this Framework.
• It will fast-track the approval as practitioners of Indian systems of medicine will be exempted from the provisions of approvals for access or sharing benefits.
• Since the time the Biological Diversity (Amendments) Bill was introduced first, the world has set new targets for biodiversity conservation at the 15th Conference of Parties to CBD held in Montreal in December 2022.

Criticism of the Bill:

• There can be cases of misappropriation of resources as it allows domestic companies to use biodiversity without the permission from biodiversity boards. Only ‘foreign-controlled companies’ would need to take permission.
• The Bill did not find favour among activists and legal experts as these amendments do not address the issues that biodiversity conservation in India face.
• The Bill de-criminalises violation and even withdraws the power given to the National Biodiversity Authority to file an FIR against a defaulting party which will encourage defaulters.

Biological Diversity Act, 2002:

• The act was enacted in 2002; it aims at the conservation of biological resources, managing its sustainable use and enabling fair and equitable sharing benefits arising out of the use.
• The act envisaged a three-tier structure to regulate the access to biological resources:
• The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA)
• The State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs)
• The Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) (at local level)
• The act provides these authorities with special funds and a separate budget in order to carry out any research project dealing with the biological natural resources of the country.
• Under this act, the Central Government, in consultation with the NBA:
• Shall notify threatened species and prohibit or regulate their collection, rehabilitation and conservation
• Designate institutions as repositories for different categories of biological resources
• The act stipulates all offences under it as cognizable and non-bailable.
• Any grievances related to the determination of benefit sharing or order of the National Biodiversity Authority or a State Biodiversity Board under this Act shall be taken to the National Green

Criticism of the Act:

• One of the major criticism is that emphasis is on preventing profit-sharing from the commercial use of biological resources rather than provisions for efficient conservation.
• This legislation does not act as an umbrella and overlooks its possibilities of harmonizing with prior existing legislation.
• It does not lay down guidelines for the assignment of non-monopoly rights nor for assessing contributions made by firms, local communities, or individual inventions.

Source: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/wildlife-biodiversity/monsoon-session-of-parliament-to-decide-fate-of-biological-diversity-amendment-bill-90754

3. PRADHAN MANTRI UJJWALA YOJANA (PMUY)

TAG: GS 2: GOVERNMENT SCHEMES

THE CONTEXT: According to a recent report, after witnessing a rise in the number of subsidised LPG refills in the financial year 2020-21 under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), the trend has shown a decline in FY23.

EXPLANATION

• Out of the 95.9 million PMUY beneficiaries, 11.8 million (about 12%) did not get even a single LPG bottle during the last financial year.
• The report noted that this decrease reflects the stagnant income levels among the beneficiaries. However, it added that some smaller households may not require more than four refills annually.
• The Union government had admitted that the PMUY beneficiaries had not been able to fill cylinders due to high prices of LPG.
• As per Census 2011, there are 315 million domestic LPG consumers in India, covering 105.1% of estimated households.
• To promote the use of LPG, the government has implemented various measures, including subsidies that were extended for a year last March.

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana

• With the tagline “Swachh Indhan, Behtar Jeevan“, Union Government has launched a social welfare scheme “Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana” (PMUY) in 2016.
• The scheme envisages smoke-free Rural India and aims to benefit five crore families, especially the women living below the poverty line (BPL), by providing concessional LPG connections to the entire nation by 2019.
• It aims to increase the usage of LPG and would help in reducing health disorders, air pollution and deforestation.
• It is being implemented by the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas.

Salient Features

• To provide 5 crore LPG connections to BPL families, with the financial support of Rs 1600.
• Connections will be issued in the name of women beneficiaries.
• EMI facility will also be provided for stove and refill costs.
• It is complementary to Prime Minister’s Give It Up campaign, under which 75 lakh middle-class and lower middle-class households have voluntarily given up their cooking gas subsidy

Objectives

• To promote women’s empowerment
• To provide a healthy cooking fuel
• To prevent hazardous health-related issues among the millions of rural population due to the use of fossil fuel.

Implementation

• The identification of eligible BPL families will be made in consultation with the State Governments and the Union Territories.

Eligibility Criteria

• The applicant should be women above the age of 18 years.
• The applicant must be a rural inhabitant carrying a BPL
• The women applicant should have a savings bank account in any nationalized bank across the country to receive a subsidy amount.
• The applicant’s household should not already own an LPG connection.

Ujjwala 2.0

• The target of releasing 80 million connections was achieved in 2019; therefore, in 2021, Ujjwala 2.0 was launched.
• It aims to provide additional one crore LPG connections to adult women of poor households under PMUY with a budgetary support of Rs. 1600 /connection.
• In addition to existing eligibility criteria, the following facilities have been provided to beneficiaries under Ujjwala 2.0:-
• Online Application facility on newly launched portal pmuy.gov.in
• Acceptance of self-declaration from migrants to declare family composition and address proof.
• Free of cost – first refill and stove.
• e-KYC using Aadhaar authentication

Source: https://thewire.in/government/in-fy23-lpg-refills-under-ujjwala-fell-12-of-beneficiaries-didnt-get-a-single-refill-govt

4. LARGE NUMBER OF CASES PENDING AGAINST LEGISLATORS.

TAG: GS 2: POLITY

THE CONTEXT: The amicus curiae appointed by the Supreme Court in Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay vs. Union of India, 2016. Informed the court about the Criminal Cases Pending Against Members of Parliament.

EXPLANATION:

• Criminal cases against Lok Sabha members are 44% (236 out of 542) and 31% against Rajya Sabha members (71 out of 226).
• Criminal cases against State Legislators are 1723 of 3991 (43%).
• He stated this in the 17th report submitted in the case relying on a study done by the Association for Democratic Rights.
• The Supreme Court has been monitoring expeditious disposal of criminal cases against MPs and MLAs since 2016 in a PIL filed by Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay.
• In his 18th Report, the amicus has also sought for a hearing date to be fixed to consider the constitutional validity of Section 8 of the Representation of the People’s Act, 1951 which limits the period of disqualification of a person to contest an election as an MP/MLA only for a period of six years from the date of the release upon conviction, even for a heinous offence.
• The Apex Court had directed that the Presiding officers of the Special Courts involving prosecution of MPs or MLAs, shall not be transferred except with the leave of the Apex Court. But later, order was modified.

SUPREME COURT ROLE IN DECRIMINALISING POLITICS, SOME RECENT STEPS

• The Supreme Court has been monitoring expeditious disposal of criminal cases against MPs and MLAs since 2016.
• Initially 12 Special Courts were constituted.
• Subsequently Special Courts have been established in almost all the districts, where the criminal cases are pending.
• The Supreme Court had directed that the Special Courts shall “fix a calendar for each case to be taken up on day-to-day basis.”
• The Supreme Court had also directed that “Chief Justices of the High Court shall also designate a Special Bench, comprising themselves and their designate, in order to monitor the progress of these trials.”
• Court directed that “keeping in mind public interest involved in the matter and in order to prevent undue delay, we direct that no unnecessary adjournments be granted in these matters.”

AMICUS CURIAE

• An amicus curia is an individual or organization who is not a party to a legal case.
• She is permitted to assist a court by offering information, expertise, or insight that has a bearing on the issues in the case.
• The decision on whether to consider an amicus brief lies within the discretion of the court.
• The phrase is legal Latin and the origin of the term has been dated to 1605–1615.
• The scope of amici curiae is generally found in the cases where broad public interests are involved and concerns regarding civil rights are in question.

Source:https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/criminal-cases-pending-against-44-of-lok-sabha-members-and-31-of-rajya-sabha-members-as-of-july-2022-amicus-curiae-informs-supreme-court-233536?infinitescroll=1

5. THE MCA (MINISTRY OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS) EXEMPTS REGIONAL RURAL BANKS (RRBS) FROM CCI’S  (COMPETITION COMMISSION OF INDIA) MERGER CONTROL REGIME.

TAG: GS 3: ECONOMY; GS 2: GOVERNANCE

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the MCA has exempted the RRBS from the purview of merger and acquisition regulations of CCI.

EXPLANATION:

• The exemption dispensation from prior scrutiny and approval of Competition Commission of India (CCI) would be available for five years.
• This move would pave the way for merger of RRBs without the prior scrutiny and approval of Competition Commission of India (CCI).
• The merger and acquisition regime of the CCI is directed towards establishing fair competition.
• This exemption will enable smooth consolidation of RRBs which will help in better service delivery with efficiency.

RRBs (REGIONAL RURAL BANKS)

• RRBs are financial institutions which ensure adequate credit for agriculture and other rural sectors. Regional Rural Banks were set up based on the recommendations of the Narasimham Working Group (1975), and after the legislations of the Regional Rural Banks Act, 1976. The first Regional Rural Bank “Prathama Grameen Bank” was set up on October 2, 1975.
• The equity of a regional rural bank is held by the Central Government, concerned State Government and the Sponsor Bank in the proportion of 50:15:35
• Regional Rural Banks (RRB) are Indian Scheduled Commercial Banks (Government Banks) operating at regional level in different states of India.
• They have been created with a view of serving primarily the rural areas of India with basic banking and financial services.
• However, RRBs may have branches set up for urban operations and their area of operation may include urban area too.
• The area of operation of RRBs is limited to the area as notified by Government of India covering one or more districts in the State. RRBs perform various functions in following heads:
• They Carry out government operations like disbursement of wages of MGNREGA workers, distribution of pension etc.
• They provide Para-Banking facilities like locker facilities, debit and credit cards, mobile banking, internet banking, UPI etc.

CCI (COMPETITION COMMISSION OF INDIA)

• The Competition Act, 2002, as amended by the Competition (Amendment) Act, 2007.
• It follows the philosophy of modern competition laws.
• The Act prohibits anti-competitive agreements, abuse of dominant position by enterprises and regulates combinations (acquisition, acquiring of control and M&A), which causes or likely to cause an appreciable adverse effect on competition within India.
• The objectives of the Act are sought to be achieved through the Competition Commission of India, which has been established by the Central Government with effect from 14th October 2003.
• CCI consists of a Chairperson and 6 Members appointed by the Central Government.
• It is the duty of the Commission to eliminate practices having adverse effect on competition, promote and sustain competition, protect the interests of consumers, and ensure freedom of trade in the markets of India.
• The Commission is also required to give opinion on competition issues on a reference received from a statutory authority established under any law.
• It undertakes competition advocacy, create public awareness and impart training on competition issues.

Source: https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/money-and-banking/mca-exempts-regional-rural-banks-from-ccis-merger-control-regime/article67100587.ece

1. HEATWAVES

TAG: GS 1: GEOGRAPHY

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the US scientific and regulatory agency the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced that the year 2023 witnessed Earth’s hottest June since the record-keeping of global temperatures began 174 years ago.

EXPLANATION:

• According to scientists and experts, a number of factors are fueling the soaring temperatures in different parts of the world.
• At present, heat domes and anticyclones are responsible for the occurrence of heat waves in several parts of the world. Although they don’t occur due to climate change, they have become more intense and longer as a result of soaring global temperatures.
• Also, El Nino conditionsare exacerbating the extreme heat around the world. Essentially a weather pattern that refers to an abnormal warming of surface waters in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, El Nino is known to “greatly increase the likelihood of breaking temperature records and triggering more extreme heat in many parts of the world and in the ocean.
• While in the USA and Algeria, heat domes are responsible for unleashing heat waves, Europe has suffered due to the arrival of two consecutive anticyclones that originated in Africa.

Anticyclones:

• An anticyclone, also known as a high-pressure system, is essentially an area of high pressure in which the air goes downwards towards the Earth’s surface. As the air sinks, its molecules get compressed, which increases the pressure, making it warmer. This causes dry and hot weather.
• The winds remain calm and gentle during an anticyclone, and there is almost no formation of clouds because here the air sinks rather than rises.

Heat domes:

• A heat dome occurs when an area of high-pressure stays over a region for days and weeks. It traps warm air, just like a lid on a pot, for an extended period.
• The longer that air remains trapped, the more the sun works to heat the air, producing warmer conditions with every passing day. Heat domes, if they last for a long period, may cause deadly heat waves.

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-climate/heat-domes-anticyclones-heat-waves-explained-8852775/

2. BHOOMI SAMMAN AWARD

TAG: GS 2: GOVERNANCE

THE CONTEXT: The President presented the Bhoomi Samman awards to nine state secretaries and 68 district collectors for their achievements in the implementation of the Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme.

EXPLANATION:

• Bhoomi Samman Awards aims to acknowledge and encourage outstanding performance in the implementation of the Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP).
• Digitisation increases transparency, and this mission of digitising land records will have a positive impact on rural development.
• The awards were given to nine state secretaries and 68 district collectors for achieving saturation of the core components of DILRMP.
• The digitisation process of land records and registration will help mitigate the huge pendency of court cases involving land disputes, cutting down the loss to the country’s economy due to projects being stalled over such litigations.
• It is expected to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of various services and benefits of the programmes of central and state departments related to agriculture and farmer welfare, chemical and fertilizer, public distribution system (PDS) etc.
• It is noted that the Department of Land Resources has achieved 94% digitisation targets pan-India and is aiming for 100% by March 31, 2024.

Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP):

• Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP) led to merger of two erstwhile Centrally Sponsored schemes of the Land Reforms (LR) Division

1. Computerisation of Land Records (CLR)
2. Strengthening of Revenue Administration and Updating of Land Records (SRA&ULR).

• The main aims of DILRMP are to create a system of updated land records, automated and automatic mutation, integration between textual and spatial records, inter-connectivity between revenue and registration
• It aims to replace the present deeds registration and presumptive title system with that of conclusive titling with title guarantee.
• The DILRMP has 3 major components
• Computerization of land record
• Survey/re-survey
• Computerization of Registration.
• Programme implementation: The State Governments/UT Administrations will implement the programme with financial and technical support from the Dept. of Land Resources, Government of India. The district will be taken as the unit of implementation, where all activities under the programme will converge.
• The citizen is expected to benefit from DILRMP in one or more of the following ways;
• Real-time land ownership records will be available to the citizen
• Free accessibility to the records will reduce the interface between the citizen and the Government functionaries, thereby reducing rent-seeking and harassment.
• Public-private partnership (PPP) mode of service delivery will further reduce citizen interface with Govt. machinery, while adding to the convenience
• Abolition of stamp papers and payment of stamp duty and registration fees through banks, etc., will also reduce interface with the Registration machinery
• The single-window service or the web-enabled “anytime-anywhere” access will save the citizen time and effort in obtaining RoRs, etc.

Source:https://www.deccanherald.com/national/president-murmu-presents-bhoomi-samman-awards-1238245.html

3. INDIA-JAPAN SEMICONDUCTOR PACT

TAG: GS 2: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS; GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: India and Japan have signed a memorandum of understanding for developing the semiconductor ecosystem, covering manufacturing and research.

EXPLANATION:

• Japan has become the second Quad partner after the United States to sign an agreement with India for the joint development of the semiconductor ecosystem and maintain the resilience of its global supply chain.
• Both nations will also work together on government-to-government and industry-to-industry collaboration and set up an implementation organisation.
• The agreement is for semiconductor design, talent development, research into equipment, and to increase resilience in the supply chain. It aims semiconductor industry to become a USD 1 trillion industry from USD 650 billion at present.
• Partnership with Japan will also help India to move from assembly and advanced packaging of semiconductors to manufacturing.
• Further, the government might also easily focus on developing the semiconductor ecosystem below the 28-nanometer node as well going forward. In the entire 100% of semiconductor demand, close to 55% of demand is going to come from the larger nodes such as 40 nanometers, 60 nanometers, even 90 nanometers, 28 nanometers.

Japan’s strengths:

• Japan houses companies that are global leaders in the raw form of semiconductor wafers, chemicals and gases, lenses that are used in chip manufacturing equipment, display technologies etc.
• With around 100 semiconductor manufacturing plants, Japan is among the top five countries to have a semiconductor ecosystem.
• Collaboration with Japan for the development of semiconductors will help the government to attract Japanese companies to the Rs 76,000 crore semiconductor incentive scheme, thereby boosting the semiconductor ecosystem in the country.

India’ Strengths:

• Japan sees India as a partner where complementary strengths can be used, adding that India has over 50,000 design engineers.
• Cost competitiveness of manufacturing in India, market and talent base are the key things that will drive Japanese companies to invest in India with regard to the semiconductor and electronic ecosystem.

Semiconductor:

• A semiconductor is a substance that has specific electrical properties that enable it to serve as a foundation for computers and other electronic devices.
• It is typically a solid chemical element or compound that conducts electricity under certain conditions but not others.
• Elemental semiconductors include antimony, arsenic, boron, carbon, germanium, selenium, silicon, sulfur and tellurium. Silicon is the best known of these, forming the basis of most ICs.
• Common semiconductor compounds include gallium arsenide, indium antimonide and the oxides of most metals.
• Types: An N-type semiconductor carries current mainly in the form of negatively charged electrons, similar to the conduction of current in a wire. A P-type semiconductor carries current predominantly as electron deficiencies called holes. A hole has a positive electric charge, equal and opposite to the charge of an electron.

Government initiatives in the semiconductor sector:

• India currently imports all chips, and the market is estimated to touch USD 100 billion by 2025 from USD 24 billion now.
• In 2021, India announced its roughly USD 10 billion-dollar Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) schemeto encourage semiconductor and display manufacturing in the country.
• In 2021, MeitY also launched the Design Linked Incentive (DLI) Schemeto nurture at least 20 domestic companies involved in semiconductor design and facilitate them to achieve a turnover of more than Rs.1500 Crore in the next 5 years.
• Scheme for Promotion of Manufacturing of Electronic Components and Semiconductors (SPECS): It aims to strengthen the value chain for the manufacturing of electronic products in India. The target segment comprises of the downstream value chain of electronic products, i.e., electronic components, semiconductor/ display fabrication units, ATMP units, specialized sub-assemblies and capital goods for the manufacture of aforesaid goods. The scheme will lead to higher domestic value addition and strengthen the existing ecosystem of ESDM in India.

Source: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/cons-products/electronics/india-japan-sign-pact-for-semiconductor-development/articleshow/101992248.cms

4. FLYASH IN SUNDARBANS

TAG: GS 3: ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: Barges carrying fly ash from India to Bangladesh through the vulnerable Sundarban islands are triggering erosion in the river banks.

EXPLANATION:

• About 40 barges regularly traverse adjacent to the Indian Sundarbans, taking fly ash from Indian thermal power plants to Bangladesh, where it is used as raw material for cement production.
• Ghoramara Island erosion has been cited as proof by a scientist. It has been alleged the erosion has increased significantly since the barges started travelling close to the inhabited islands of the Sundarbans about a decade ago. These barges are triggering the high erosion in the river banks.
• However, senior officials from both IWAI and Kolkata Port Trust claimed the regular tidal waves and fluctuations, as well as strong winds and sea level rise, damaged river banks.
• A 2019-20 report by IWAI showed fly ash transport accounts for 10 per cent of traffic on all the national waterways.

Flyash and its regulations

• Fly ash is an unwanted unburnt residue of coal combustion in a coal thermal power plant. It is emitted along with flue gases during the burning of coal in a furnace and collected using the electrostatic precipitators.
• Fly ash consists of substantial amounts of silicon dioxide (SiO2), aluminium oxide (Al2O3), ferric oxide (Fe2O3) and calcium oxide (CaO).
• Uses: It is primarily known for improving the durability and workability of concrete mixes. It is also a filler in paints, adhesives, and metal and plastic composites. It is commonly used as structural fill for road construction, and fly ash can be used to make bricks, ceramic tiles, plaster, Portland cement, and ready-mix cement.

• Harmful effects: Fly ash contains mercury, cadmium, and arsenic. Without proper management, fly ash can pollute waterways, groundwater, drinking water, and air, posing a risk to humans, wildlife, and the environment. Using fly ash in construction materials instead of sending it to the landfill reduces the amount of hazardous waste affecting the environment. Substituting fly ash for a fourth or a third of the cement in concrete also decreases the CO₂ emissions generated by cement production, reducing the overall impact on the environment.
• Government initiatives and regulations:
• A web portal for monitoring fly ash generation and utilisation and a mobile-based application titled “ASHTRACK” has been launched by the Government.
• National Thermal Power Corporation: National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) issued an Expression of interest (EOI) call earlier in 2021 for the sale of fly ash. Additionally, NTPC has worked with cement producers all throughout the nation to supply fly ash.
• Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana: The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) has placed a strong emphasis on cutting-edge, ecologically friendly building techniques, like the utilization of fly ash bricks.
• Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban)has focused on new construction technologies such as using fly ash bricks that are innovative and environmentally friendly.
• Thermal power plants and lignite plants that do not utilise 100 per cent of the fly ash they generate in an “eco-friendly” way will now face penalties under a new set of rules notified by notification from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Sunderbans:

• The Sundarbans mangrove forest is one of the largest such forests in the world (140,000 ha), lies on the delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers on the Bay of Bengal.
• It is adjacent to the border of India’s Sundarbans World Heritage ,Site inscribed in 1987.
• The Sundarbans is made up of around 100 islands that are almost evenly divided between human habitats and wild islands.
• The site is intersected by a complex network of tidal waterways, mudflats and small islands of salt-tolerant mangrove forests and presents an excellent example of ongoing ecological processes.
• The area is known for its wide range of fauna, including 260 bird species, the Bengal tiger and other threatened species, such as the estuarine crocodile and the Indian python.
• These have been identified as a climate impact hotspot. The islands are already being eroded due to the rapid rise in sea levels and tidal fluctuations.

Ghoramara island

• Ghoramara Island is an island 92 km south of Kolkata, India, in the Sundarban Delta complex of the Bay of Bengal.
• The island is small, roughly five square kilometres in area, and is quickly disappearing due to erosion and sea level rise.
• In the year 1903, this island was connected with Sagar Island. Now it is located at 18.36 nautical miles away from Haldia dock in the estuary of Hugli.
• Global warming has caused the rivers that pour down from the Himalayas and empty into the Bay of Bengal to swell and shift in recent decades, placing Sundarbans in danger.

The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI)

• IWAI is a statutory body which looks after the development & maintenance of national waterways in India.
• The Authority primarily undertakes projects for the development and maintenance of IWT infrastructure on national waterways through grants received from the Ministry of Shipping.
• Its Head Office is in Noida, while regional offices are in Patna, Kolkata, Guwahati and Kochi.
• Functions related to National Waterways include Survey Navigation,Infrastructure and Regulations, Fairway Development, Pilotage and Coordination of IWT with other modes
• The general functions of IWAI include Carrying out hydrographic surveys, Developing consultancy services, Research & Development Classification of waterways and Standards & safety.

Source: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/environment/barges-carrying-fly-ash-from-india-to-bangladesh-eroding-sundarbans-bengal-minister-90742

5. GAGANYAAN’S SERVICE MODULE PROPULSION SYSTEM

TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully tested the Gaganyaan Service Module Propulsion System (SMPS) at ISRO Propulsion Complex in Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu.

EXPLANATION:

• The service module of Gaganyaan is a regulated bi-propellant-based propulsion system that caters to the requirements of the Orbital Module, performing orbit injection, circularisation, on-orbit control, and de-boost manoeuvring during the ascent phase.
• This test involved five liquid apogee motor (LAM) engines with a thrust of 440 N, and 16 reaction control system (RCS) thrusters with a thrust of 100 N.
• The 440 N thrust LAM engines provide the main propulsive force during the ascending phase, while the RCS thrusters ensure precise altitude correction.
• The hot test of the System Demonstration Model (SDM) emulated the fluid circuit of the Service Module Propulsion System, encompassing the propellant tank feed system, helium pressurisation system, flight-qualified thrusters, and control components.
• With the successful completion of the hot test, the SMPS demonstrated its performance in the full configuration.
• Moving forward, ISRO has scheduled five additional tests to demonstrate both nominal and off-nominal mission scenarios, reinforcing the rigour of testing.

Gaganyaan mission:

• Gaganyaan project envisages a demonstration of human spaceflight capability by launching a crew of 3 members to an orbit of 400 km for a 3 days mission and bringing them back safely to earth by landing in Indian sea waters.
• The project is accomplished through an optimal strategy by considering in-house expertise, experience of Indian industry, intellectual capabilities of Indian academia & research institutions, along with cutting-edge technologies available with international agencies.
• The pre-requisites for the Gaganyaan mission include the development of many critical technologies, including human-rated launch vehicle for carrying the crew safely to space, a Life Support System to provide earth-like environment to the crew in space, crew emergency escape provision and evolving crew management aspects for training, recovery and rehabilitation of crew.
• Various precursor missions are planned to demonstrate the Technology Preparedness Levels before carrying out the actual Human Space Flight mission.
• These demonstrator missions include Integrated AirDrop Tests (IADT), Pad Abort Tests (PAT) and Test Vehicle (TV) flights. Safety and reliability of all systems will be proven in unmanned missions preceding manned missions.

• LVM3 rocket – The well-proven and reliable heavy lift launcher of ISRO is identified as the launch vehicle for the Gaganyaan mission. It consists of solid stage, liquid stage and cryogenic stage.
• All systems in the LVM3 launch vehicle are re-configured to meet human rating requirements and christened Human Rated LVM3. HLVM3 will be capable of launching the Orbital Module to an intended Low Earth Orbit of 400 km.
• HLVM3 consists of a Crew Escape System (CES) powered by a set of quick-acting, high-burn rate solid motors, which ensures that the Crew Module, along with the crew, is taken to a safe distance in case of any emergency either at the launch pad or during the ascent phase.
• Orbital Module (OM) that will be Orbiting Earth comprises of Crew Module (CM) and Service Module (SM). OM is equipped with state-of-the-art avionics systems with adequate redundancy considering human safety.
• Crew Module is the habitable space with Earth-like environment in space for the crew. It is of double-walled construction consisting of a pressurized metallic Inner Structure and an unpressurised External Structure with a Thermal Protection System (TPS).
• It houses the crew interfaces, human-centric products, life support system, avionics and deceleration systems. It is also designed for re-entry to ensure the safety of the crew during descent till touchdown.
• The service Module will be used to provide necessary support to CM while in orbit. It is an unpressurized structure containing thermal systems, propulsion systems, power systems, avionics systems and deployment mechanisms.
• Human safety is of paramount importance in the Gaganyaan mission. In order to ensure the same, various new technologies comprising Engineering systems and Human-centric systems are being developed and realised.
• Crew training for Gaganyaan: India has collaborated with Russia for crew training. Astronaut Training Facility established in Bengaluru caters to Classroom training, Physical Fitness training, Simulator training and Flight suit training.
• Training modules cover academic courses, Gaganyaan Flight Systems, Micro-gravity familiarization through Parabolic Flights, Aero-medical training, Recovery & Survival training, mastering of Flight Procedures and training on Crew Training Simulators.
• Aeromedical training, Periodical flying practice and Yoga are also included as part of the training.

Source:https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/isro-successfully-tests-gaganyaan-service-module-propulsion-system/article67101045.ece

1. DECREASE IN CROP ACREAGE IN KHARIF SEASON

TAG: GS 3: ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: The acreage of paddy, the main crop of the Kharif season, has decreased by 24 per cent compared to last year. There has been a huge decrease in the area in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Chhattisgarh.

EXPLANATION:

• According to the data of the National Food Security Mission website of the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, sowing of all kharif crops, including paddy, decreased even as the first week of July 2023 came to an end.
• An area of 35.34 million hectares (MHA) had been sowed as of July 7. This is 3.36 MHA (8.68 per cent) less than last year. It is 9.48 mha or 22 per cent less compared to 2021.

Paddy acreage

• Rice is the main crop of the Kharif season.
• Paddy is sown between June 15 and July 15 in most rice-producing states of the country, as this time is considered to be appropriate for production. This period will elapse in seven days.

• According to the figures, 23.89 per cent of the area has not been sown till July 7, compared to the same period last year. Paddy has been sown in 5.41 mha till the first week of July this year. Last year, paddy had already been sown in 7.11 mha till the first week of July. That is, paddy has not been sown in 1.7 mha this time.
• In the case ofpulses, too, this season has been bad so far. Pulses have been cultivated in 3.26 mha so far this year, compared to 4.4 mha (23.90 per cent more) hectares last year. The decrease in sowing of arhar (pigeon pea) has become a cause of concern.
• The sowing of oilseeds has also declined by 14 per cent this year compared to last year. The sowing of sunflowers has decreased significantly.

Cropping pattern in India:

• Based on the climatic conditions and crops grown in those seasons, India has two main crop seasons, which are the Kharif crop season and the Rabi crop season.

Rabi crops

• It is also known as Winter crops that are grown during the winter season that typically start in October and March.
• Rabi crops require less water to grow. Therefore, they can easily grow with the help of routine water irrigation to flourish.
• Rabi Crops Example: Some examples of rabi crops grown in India are wheat, mustard, barley, green peas, sunflower, coriander, cumin, etc.

Kharif Crops:

• Kharif crops are mainly harvested in Autumn (September or October). They are also known as monsoon crops as they are sowed in monsoons. Moreover, they grow well in rain-fed areas with hot and humid climates.
• Also, they are highly dependent on rainfall patterns. The amount and timings of rain are the two most important parameters to determine the output of the Kharif crop.
• These crops are harvested at the end of the monsoon season, and their seeds are sowed at the start of the monsoon season.
• Kharif crops Examples: Some examples of Kharif crops are rice, bajra, groundnut, cotton, pulses, maize, oilseeds, etc

Difference between Rabi and Kharif Crops:

Source: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/agriculture/kharif-season-2023-crop-acreage-decreases-in-maharashtra-karnataka-chhattisgarh-90482#:~:text=Sowing%20of%20all%20kharif%20crops,sowed%20as%20of%20July%207

2. NEW PANEL TO REVIEW ALL NSO DATA

TAG: GS 2: POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

THE CONTEXT: The government has constituted a new internal oversight mechanism for official data, revamping India’s statistical machinery to identify and plug data gaps.

EXPLANATION:

• A Standing Committee on Economic Statistics (SCES) was set up in late 2019, soon after the findings from the last round of household surveys on consumption expenditure and employment were junked, citing data quality issues.
• The Statistics Ministry said that the SCES, which was tasked with examining economic indicators only, will now be replaced by a Standing Committee on Statistics (SCoS).
• SCoS will have a broader mandate to review the framework and results of all surveys conducted under the aegis of the National Statistical Office (NSO).
• India’s first chief statistician and the former chairman of the National Statistical Commission (NSC) has been named the chair of the new committee.

Standing Committee on Economic Statistics (SCES):

• It subsumed in it the four standing committees on labour force statistics, industrial statistics, services sector and unincorporated sector enterprises.
• It reviews the existing framework of data sources, indicators and definitions of the index of industrial production, periodic labour force survey, time use survey, economic census and unorganised sector statistics, among others.
• It had 28 members, including 10 non-official members.
• The panel was mandated to review the framework for economic indicators pertaining to the industrial sector, the services sector and the labour force statistics.
• This meant that their purview was limited to datasets like the Periodic Labour Force Survey, the Annual Survey of Industries, the Index of Industrial Production and the Economic Census.

Standing Committee on Statistics (SCoS):

• The SCoS, with enhanced terms of reference vis-à-vis the SCES to ensure more coverage has 10 official members and four non-official members who are eminent academics.
• The panel can have up to 16 members, as per the order issued by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
• The term of the SCES was coming to an end, so it was decided to expand the committee’s mandate beyond economic data and advise the Ministry on technical aspects for all surveys, such as sampling frame, survey methodology and finalisation of results.
• Its terms of reference include the identification of data gaps that need to be filled by official statistics, along with an appropriate strategy to plug those gaps.
• It has been mandated to explore the use of administrative statistics to improve data outcomes.

National Statistical Office (NSO):

• The government formed an overarching body NSO by merging the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), Computer Centre and Central Statistical Office (CSO).
• It is the statistical wing of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
• NSO was first envisaged by Rangarajan Commission to implement and maintain statistical standards and coordinate statistical activities of Central and State agencies as laid down by the National Statistical Commission (NSC).
• NSO would be headed by Secretary (Statistics and Programme Implementation).
• CSO coordinates the statistical activities in the country and also evolves statistical standards.
• NSSO is responsible for the conduct of large-scale sample surveys in diverse fields on an all-India basis.

National Statistical Commission (NSC):

• It is an autonomous body which formed in January 2000 under the recommendation of the Rangarajan Commission.
• The Chairperson of the Commission enjoys the status of a Minister of State, and the Members of the Commission have the status equivalent to the Secretary to the Government of India.
• The Chairperson and the Members can be removed only by the President after the Supreme Court of India has an inquiry held in accordance with the procedure of Article 145 of the Constitution of India.
• The objective of its constitution is to reduce the problems faced by statistical agencies in the country in relation to collection of data.

Significance of ‘Data’ for governance:

• Improved Data quality: It leads to improved quality of data which ensures data accuracy, completeness and consistency that meets policies and standards.
• Better Compliance: By implementing and enforcing quality, government can ensure compliance with regulations and standards, reducing the risk of penalties and other legal consequences.
• Increased efficiency: Effective utilisation of data can streamline processes and reduce redundancies, leading to more efficient use of resources.
• Enhanced decision making: With reliable data, decision-makers can make more informed decisions based on a complete and accurate understanding of the data.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/business/Economy/government-forms-new-panel-to-review-all-official-data/article67087739.ece

3. NATIONAL ASSET RECONSTRUCTION COMPANY (NARCL)

TAG: GS 3: ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: The government has finally renewed its federal guarantee to the National Asset Reconstruction Company (NARCL), making it easier for the entity to acquire bad loans from lenders.

EXPLANATION:

• The guarantee has been approved by the department of financial services (DFS).
• It is now expected that NARCL will complete the takeover of SPML debt, the first takeover by the bad bank in more than three months.
• Government Guarantee acts as resolution mechanisms of this nature which deal with a backlog of NPAs and typically require a backstop from Government.
• This imparts credibility and provides for contingency buffers. GoI’s guarantee will also enhance the liquidity of Security Receipts (SRs) as such SRs are tradable.

National Asset Reconstruction Company (NARCL):

• In the Union Budget 2021, the formation of an ARC-AMC structure, comprising of two entities viz. National Asset Reconstruction Company Limited (NARCL) and India Debt Resolution Company Limited (IDRCL) were introduced
• It was set up for aggregation and resolution of Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) in the Banking Industry.
• It is a government entity that has been incorporated in 2021 with a majority stake held by Public Sector Banks and a balanced by private banks, with Canara Bank being the sponsor bank.
• It is registered with the Reserve Bank of India as an Asset Reconstruction Company under Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002.
• Though ARCs have been helpful in the resolution of stressed assets, especially for smaller value loans. It was introduced considering the large stock of legacy NPAs.
• The NARCL acquires assets by making an offer to the lead bank. Once NARCL’s offer is accepted, then, IDRCL gets engaged for management and value addition.
• It incentivizes quicker action on resolving stressed assets, thereby helping in better value realization. This approach permits the freeing up of personnel in banks to focus on increasing business and credit growth.
• Capitalization of NARCL is done through equity from banks and Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs), which helps in raising debt as required.
• NARCL have a public sector character, unlike ARC, since the idea is mooted by the government, and majority ownership is likely to rest with state-owned banks.

What is an Asset Reconstruction Company (ARC)?

• It is a specialized financial institution that buys the Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) from banks and financial institutions so that they can clean up their balance sheets.
• This helps banks to concentrate on normal banking activities.
• The asset reconstruction companies or ARCs are registered under the RBI.

Source: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/stocks/news/narcls-federal-guarantee-comes-through-after-delay/articleshow/101741075.cms

4. INDIA UAE TRADE RELATIONS

TAG: GS 2: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

THE CONTEXT: After discussions between the Indian Prime Minister and the UAE President, India and the United Arab Emirates jointly announced the commencement of a trade settlement using their respective local currencies.

EXPLANATION:

• India and UAE Inked 3 Agreements and have signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs).
• The first aims to establish a framework that encourages the utilisation of local currencies, specifically the Indian rupee (INR) and the UAE Dirham (AED), for cross-border transactions.
• The second MoU focuses on cooperation for interlinking their payment and messaging systems.
• Further, the Indian Unified Payments Interface will be interconnected with the Gulf Kingdom’s Instant Payment Platform (IPP).
• The primary objective of the MoU is to establish a framework for the use of local currencies to implement a Local Currency Settlement System (LCSS) that promotes the bilateral use of the INR and AED for transactions between India and the UAE.
• Trade between India and the UAE has experienced a notable 20% growth since the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement in the previous year.

India-UAE Economic Relations:

• India-UAE economic engagement is multi-dimensional and rapidly growing. The UAE has consistently remained India’s third-largest trading partner and the second-largest export destination for Indian products.
• For the UAE, India is the second-largest trading partner. The UAE is also the seventh-largest investor in India, with an estimated investment of $18bn.
• Both nations signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (Cepa) in 2022 during a virtual summit.
• It is expected to increase the bilateral trade in goods to $100bn within five years and trade in services to $15bn.
• The historical India-UAE Cepa was the first bilateral trade agreement of its type concluded by the UAE and India’s first bilateral trade agreement in the Middle East Region.
• It is a wide-ranging agreement covering all aspects of India’s economic engagement with the UAE, including trade, investments, health care, digital trade, government procurement and intellectual property rights, among other things.

Main Areas of Cooperation between India-UAE

• Defence Cooperation: With the spread of radicalism in Gulf India looks to enhance security cooperation with UAE to counter terrorist threats and combat radicalization. ‘Desert Eagle II’, which is a ten-day air combat exercise, was held between the air forces of India and UAE.
• Energy Cooperation: UAE is India’s fourth-largest crude oil supplier. This type of cooperation has evolved from a buyer-seller connection to one that involves a Strategic Partnership. An agreement to store strategic crude oil at Padur and Mangalore, Karnataka has been reached between the United Arab Emirates and India.
• Cultural Relations: In terms of diaspora, there are currently over 3 million Indians living in UAE which send remittances each year and build cultural relations. Indian cinema/ TV / radio channels are easily available and have good viewership.
• Technology partnerships: India and the UAE have signed a number of digital innovation, technology partnerships, and also plans for ISRO and UAESA to cooperate on missions like the Red Moon mission.

Recent Development in India-UAE relations

• ONGC Videsh, Indian Oil Corp. Ltd (IOC) and a unit of Bharat Petro Resources Ltd (BPCL) paid $600 million for a 10% stake in the UAE’s offshore oil and gas field Zakum. This is the first Indian Investment in upstream oil sector of UAE, transforming the traditional buyerseller relationship to a long-term investor relationship.
• Both sides signed a MoU that aims to institutionalise the collaborative administration of contractual employment of Indian workers in the Gulf country. Under the MoU, both the sides will work for ending the existing malpractices, combat trafficking and organise collaborative programmes for education and awareness of contractual workers.
• A MoU for technical cooperation in railways was also signed. It will facilitate development of joint projects, knowledge sharing, joint research and technology transfer in railways sector.

Source: https://thewire.in/diplomacy/india-uae-ink-3-agreements-to-begin-trade-settlement-in-local-currencies

5. AGE OF CONSENT FOR DATA PROTECTION

TAG: GS 2: GOVERNANCE

THE CONTEXT: The upcoming data protection Bill could empower the central government to lower the age of consent from 18 for accessing Internet services without parental oversight.

EXPLANATION:

HOW THE DEFINITION OF A CHILD HAS CHANGED OVER THE YEARS

• Lowering the age of consent under the 2022 data protection bill has been a key task of the industry, especially social media companies, as it would mean business disruptions for them.
• It could also exempt certain companies from adhering to additional obligations for protecting kids’ privacy if they can process their data in a “verifiably safe” manner.
• This marks a key departure from the previous data protection Bill that was floated in 2022, where the threshold of children’s age was hard coded at 18 years.
• The change is in line with data protection regulations in the Western world, with regions like the European Union and the United States prescribing a lower age of consent.

Journey of a clause: How the definition of a child kept changing

• Justice BN Sri Krishna committee report, 2018: The report relied on the definition of majority under the Contract Act, where the age of majority is 18 years and recommended that for individuals under 18 years, entities will have to seek parental consent.
• Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019:The Justice Srikrishna committee report served as the precursor to the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 (PDP Bill, 2019), which retained its recommendation and defined a child as an individual under the age of 18.
• Joint Committee of Parliament recommends lowering the age of consent: The PDP Bill 2019 was referred to a Joint Committee of Parliament, which came up with its final set of recommendations and proposed that the definition of children should be restricted to 13/14/16 years of age and be reduced from 18 years.
• Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2022:Under the bill, children were defined as those under 18 years of age. The Bill proposed that for children, companies will have to seek “verifiable parental consent”.
• Final change: Under the data protection Bill that received Cabinet’s nod earlier this month, the definition of a child is understood to have been changed to an “individual who has not completed the age of eighteen years or such lower age as the Central Government may notify”.
• Certain entities that deal in collecting and processing children’s data can also be exempted from seeking parental consent if they can ensure that the “processing of personal data of children is done in a manner that is verifiably safe”.

How the world defines children in data protection regulations?

• In data protection legislation globally, the definition of children varies from 13 to 16 years of age.
• EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):Under the GDPR, the age of consent has been kept at 16, but it allows member states to lower it to as much as 13.  The law affords specific protection to children’s personal data since they “may be less aware of the risks, consequences and safeguards concerned and their rights”. However, parental consent is not required.
• USA’ Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA): The COPPA defines children as being under 13 years of age, and parental consent is needed for processing the personal data of those under that age. It also prohibits entities from conditioning children’s participation in activities on the collection of more personal information than is “reasonably necessary” to participate in such activities.
• Australia: There is currently no set age for defining a child. However, a recommendation has been made in the country to set the age at 18 years. Australia’s Privacy Act of 1988 protects an individual’s personal information regardless of their age and doesn’t specify an age after which an individual can make their own privacy decision.
• China’s Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL):Under the PIPL, entities handling personal data of individuals younger than 14 years must obtain their parents’ or other guardians’ consent before processing their data. The law counts children’s data under the “sensitive” category and requires entities to provide a specific privacy policy if they process children’s personal information.

Data protection bill:

• This is a crucial pillar of the overarching framework of technology.
• The proposed law will apply to the processing of digital personal data within India and to data processing outside the country if it is done for offering goods or services or for profiling individuals in India.

• It requires entities that collect personal data, called data fiduciaries, to maintain the accuracy of data, keep data secure, and delete data once their purpose has been met.

• It is expected to allow voluntary undertaking, where any violation of the provisions will be addressed by the Data Protection Board by accepting settlement fees.
• It deals with cross-border data flows to international jurisdictions moving from a ‘whitelisting’ approach to a ‘blacklisting’ mechanism.
• The proposed law could allow global data to flow by default to all jurisdictions other than a Specified, negative list of countries, essentially an official blacklist of countries where transfers would be prohibited.

Data Protection Bill and RTI

The proposed Digital Personal Data Protection Act has two provisions that can seriously weaken the Indian Citizen’s Right to Information.

• The proposed bill plans to amend the RTI Act Section 8 (1)(j) which exempts personal information which is not part of a public activity, or which is an invasion of the privacy of an individual. If this amendment is made, all information that can be related to a person could be legally denied. Most information could be shown as being related to a person and hence the law would become a Right to Deny for Persons who do not wish to give information.
• The proposed bill defines ‘person’ very widely to include individuals, companies, and the State. Most information except budgets would be linked to one of these. Thus, RTI would become a Right to Deny Information, which can make it ineffective too.

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-sci-tech/age-of-consent-data-protection-definition-of-a-child-8836943/#:~:text=For%20their%20consent%20to%20be,case%2Dby%2Dcase%20basis.

1. 25^TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN FRANCE AND INDIA

TAG: GS 2: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

THE CONTEXT: The joint statement “25th Anniversary of the Strategic Partnership between France and India: towards a Century of Indo-French Relations” sets the course for the France-India bilateral relationship in all areas till 2047.

EXPLANATION:

• India and France agreed on a slew of new initiatives and agreements after Indian Prime Minister and French President held bilateral talks.
• The roadmap for bilateral relations has three pillars: partnership for security and sovereignty, partnership for the planet, partnership for the people.
• The year 2047 will mark 100 years of India’s Independence, 100 years of diplomatic relations between our two countries, and 50 years of the Indo-French strategic partnership.

Partnership for security, sovereignty

1. Defence: Continuation of the cooperation on fighter jets and submarines, following the timely delivery of the 36 Rafale jets for the IAF and the success of the P75 programme (six Scorpene submarines).
2. Space:

• Scientific and commercial partnership is being enhanced through several agreements between France’s CNES and India’s ISRO, notably concerning reusable launchers
• Finalization of the joint Earth observation satellite, TRISHNA
• The first phase of the constellation of maritime surveillance satellites in the Indian Ocean
• The protection of Indo-French satellites in orbit against the risk of collision.

3. Civil nuclear energy:

• Both sides welcomed progress on the 6-EPR power plant project in Jaitapur.
• They decided to launch a cooperation programme on small modular reactors and advanced modular reactors.

4. Indo-Pacific:

• Adoption of a roadmap for joint actions in the Indo-Pacific, covering all aspects of our comprehensive strategy for the region.
• Work on finalising an Indo-French development fund for third countries, which will enable joint financing of sustainable development projects in the Indo-Pacific region.

5. Counter-terrorism: Strengthening of cooperation between France’s GIGN and India’s National Security Guard.
6. Critical technology: Strengthening of cooperation on cutting-edge digital technology, particularly on supercomputing, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing.
7. Civil aviation: Signing of pacts in civil aviation towards supporting the expansion of routes between France and India.
8. Partnership for the planet, global issues
9. Plastic pollution: Commitment to the adoption of an international treaty to end plastic pollution throughout the entire life cycle of plastic products.
10. Health: Signing of a Letter of Intent on health and medicine to structure cooperation in hospitals, medical research, digital technology, biotechnology, public health and combating micro-bacterial resistance as part of the One Health approach

Partnership for people

1. Student mobility:

• New target of welcoming 30,000 Indian students in France by 2030.
• Issuance of a 5-year short-stay Schengen visa for Indian students with a Master’s degree who have studied at a university in France.

2. Diplomacy: The opening of a Consulate General of India in Marseille and a Bureau de France in Hyderabad was announced.
3. Research: France and India will increase funding of the Indo-French Centre for the Promotion of Advanced Research (IFCPAR/CEFIPRA) in order to fund new projects together.
4. Sports: Signing of a Letter of Intent to structure cooperation in this field, particularly in view of major upcoming sporting events.
5. Civil society: Objective of doubling the number of solidarity and civic service international volunteers in India and France by 2025.

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/india/three-pillars-as-basis-india-and-france-draw-road-ahead-8838240/

2. SAGAR SAMPARK’

TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT:  Recently, ‘SAGAR SAMPARK’, which is an indigenously developed Differential Global Navigation Satellite System(DGNSS), was inaugurated to Strengthen the Indian Maritime sector.

EXPLANATION:

• It will provide more accurate information to the ships for safe navigation.
• DGNSS is a terrestrial-based enhancement system which corrects the errors and inaccuracies in the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), allowing for more accurate positioning information.
• High priority to the safety of navigation is being considered, especially due to the considerable increase in shipping volume in the recent past.
• It will help mariners in safe navigation and will reduce the risk of collisions, groundings, and accidents in the port and harbour areas. This will lead to safe & efficient movement of vessels.
• It is an important Radio Aid to Navigation towards the fulfilment of international obligations of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA).
• With the aid of multiple satellite constellations like GPS and GNSS, it further increases the availability and redundancy as per International standards and helps the mariners to improve their positioning within 5 meters.
• It also improves the accuracy of GPS positioning, reducing errors caused by atmospheric inferences, satellite clock drift and other factors.
• This is achieved with the help of modern state of the art technology receivers and the latest software. The error correction accuracy has been improved from 5 to 10 meters to less than 5 meters for 100 Nautical Miles from Indian coastlines.

Differential Global Navigation Satellite System(DGNSS)

It is an enhancement to GNSS that was developed to correct these errors and inaccuracies in the GNSS system, allowing for more accurate positioning information. It can use a network of fixed, ground-based reference stations to send the difference between the positions broadcasted by the GNSS satellites and the known fixed positions

Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)

It is a network of satellites broadcasting timing and orbital information used for navigation and positioning measurements. The multiple groups of satellites, known as constellations, broadcast signals to master control stations and users of GNSS across the planet. These three segments – space, control and user are all considered part of GNSS.

International Maritime Organisation (IMO)

• It is a specialized agency of the United Nations which is responsible for measures to improve the safety and security of international shipping and to prevent pollution from ships.
• It has an integral role in meeting the targets set out in United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.
• It is also involved in legal matters, including liability and compensation issues and the facilitation of international maritime traffic.
• It was established by means of a Convention adopted under the auspices of the United Nations in Geneva on 17 March 1948 and met for the first time in January 1959. It currently has 174 Member States.

International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974

• It is an international maritime treaty that sets minimum safety standards in the construction, equipment and operation of merchant ships.
• It is regarded as the most important of all international treaties concerning the safety of merchant ships.
• The IMO convention requires signatory flag states to ensure that ships flagged by them comply with at least these standards.
• It has 167 contracting states, which flag about 99% of merchant ships around the world in terms of gross tonnage.

International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA)

• It is an intergovernmental organization founded in 1957 to collect and provide nautical expertise and advice.
• It brings together representatives of the aids to navigation services of about 80 countries for technical coordination, information sharing, and coordination of improvements to aids to navigation throughout the world.
• It provides a permanent organization to support the goals of the Technical Lighthouse Conferences, which had been convening since 1929.
• The General Assembly of IALA meets about every four years. The council of 24 members meets twice a year to oversee the ongoing programs

Source: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1938985

3. NATIONAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION TAPS ON CSR FUNDS

TAG: GS 2: GOVERNANCE; GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: The proposed National Research Foundation (NRF), a body to fund research, looks to tap CSR funds as it envisages an allocation of ₹50,000 crores over the next five years, with close to ₹36,000 crore coming in from the private sector.

EXPLANATION:

• According to previous data from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs says that during the financial year 2021-2022, companies spent ₹14,588 crore as part of their CSR obligations.
• CSR trends suggest that nearly 70% of such funds were spent on education, healthcare, and sanitation projects.
• Statistics from the Ministry of Science and Technology suggest that only 36% of India’s research expenditure came from the private sector in 2019-20.
• This was one of the reasons why India’s expenditure on R&D was hovering around 0.6% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), well below the global average of 1.8%. In China, Japan, South Korea and the U.S., the private sector pooled 70% of the research expenditure.
• About 70% of India’s research funds were taken up by the Defence Research and Development Organisation, the Department of Space (DoS), the Department of Atomic Energy and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
• The Ministry of Science and Technology, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) garnered about 20%.
• However, a major challenge to private sector funding revolves around autonomy.
• The NRF is envisioned as a body that would be autonomous. The money given to it wouldn’t be controlled by the general financial rules (laid down by the Ministry of Finance), and the CEO as well the board would have autonomy in directing research funds.

National Research Foundation:

• It will be administered by DST, which is governed by a Governing Board consisting of eminent researchers and professionals across disciplines.
• The Prime Minister will be the ex-officio President of the Board, and the Union Minister of Science & Technology and Union Minister of Education will be the ex-officio Vice-Presidents. The Science Ministry will administratively control it.
• It is meant to ensure that scientific research is conducted and funded equitably and greater participation from the private sector.
• It will receive a contribution of ₹10,000 crores over five years.
• It will focus on creating a policy framework and putting in place regulatory processes that can encourage collaboration and increased spending by the industry on R&D.
• It will provide an excellent opportunity for academia, industry, and research institutions to work together on the most pressing challenges of our country to make India the frontrunner in research and innovation.

Corporate Social Responsibility

• It is a management concept where companies integrate social and environmental concerns into their business operations and interactions with their stakeholders.
• It is generally  understood as being the way through which a company achieves a balance  of economic, environmental and social imperatives (“Triple-Bottom-Line-  Approach”).
• These are often broken into four categories: environmental impacts, ethical responsibility, philanthropic endeavours, and financial responsibilities.
• Key CSR issues: Environmental management, stakeholder engagement, employee and community relations, social equity, gender balance, human rights, good governance etc.
• Benefits: enhanced access to capital and markets, increased sales and profits, operational cost savings, improved productivity and quality, efficient human resource base, improved brand image and reputation

CSR in India:

• The enactment of the Companies Act 2013 by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs was one of the world’s largest experiments in introducing CSR as a mandatory provision for Companies to take up CSR projects towards social welfare activities.
• The rules in Section 135 of India’s Companies Act make it mandatory for companies of a certain turnover and profitability to spend 2% of their average net profit for the past three years on CSR.
• This has made India the only country which has regulated and mandated CSR for some select categories of companies registered under the Act.
• This CSR Initiative will push the nation towards the achievement of sustainable development goals and public-private partnership in transforming India.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/proposed-national-research-foundation-looks-to-tap-csr-funds/article67075092.ece

4. STATUS OF RENEWABLE ENERGY IN INDIA

TAG: GS 3: ECONOMY AND ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: According to a recent report, India’s renewable energy sector is poised for a major expansion, with projections suggesting an increase of around 45 gigawatts (GW) by the fiscal year 2025.

EXPLANATION:

Highlights of the report:

• It anticipates annual additions to the renewable energy capacity to oscillate between 20 and 25 GW over the upcoming two fiscal years, driven by a robust pipeline of over 55 GW assets in development.
• Annual renewable energy installations are anticipated to hit around 20 GW in the fiscal year 2024, primarily from solar, followed by over 25 GW in the subsequent year, culminating in an overall increase of 45 GW over the next two fiscal years.
• The report also emphasizes the government’s focus on promoting pumped storage projects. The aim is to set up 26.7 GW of storage capacity by fiscal year 2032.
• In addition to outlining a positive bidding trajectory, the government has recognized the challenges faced by developers, including the low availability of domestic modules and high module prices.

Status of Renewable Energy in India:

• India is the 3rd largest energy-consuming country in the world.
• India stands 4th globally in Renewable Energy Installed Capacity (including Large Hydro), 4th in Wind Power capacity & 4th in Solar Power capacity as per REN21 Renewables 2022 Global Status Report.
• The renewable energy target, set in 2015, of 175 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity to be set up in the country by the year 2022, is missed. This included 100 gigawatts from solar power, 60 gigawatts from wind power, 10 gigawatts from bio-power and 5 gigawatts from small hydropower.
• Currently, India has only achieved 70% of the goal of 121 GW of renewable energy capacity installed in the country.
• The country has set an enhanced target at the COP26 of 500 GW of non-fossil fuel-based energy by 2030.

Different Renewable Energy Sources (RES):

• Solar Power: Solar power can be produced through PV cell, which is made of semiconductor and Energy Collectors classified into parabolic trough, parabolic, tower and parabolic disc system etc. With 300 clear sunny days, India receives around 5,000 trillion KWh/year.
• Wind Power: India is set to become the country with the fourth-largest installed wind power capacity in the world. Wind power accounts for 10% of India’s total installed power capacity.
• Bio Energy: Biomass is a resource of renewable energy that is derived from carbonaceous waste of various human and natural activities. Bioenergy encompasses biomass power, bagasse cogeneration, waste to energy, biomass gasifier, bioethanol, and biodiesel.It is estimated that the potential for biomass energy in India includes 16,000 MW from biomass energy and a further 3,500 MW from bagasse cogeneration.
• Small Hydro Power (SHP): India is the 7^th largest producer of hydroelectric power in the world. Hydro projects in India under 25MW capacity are classified as ‘Small Hydro Power’ and are considered as a ‘renewable energy’.

Source: https://www.livemint.com/industry/energy/indias-renewable-energy-sector-set-for-major-expansion-with-expected-45-gw-increase-by-2025-report-11689249172831.html

5. CRITICAL MINERALS REGULATIONS

TAG: GS 2: GOVERNANCE ;GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: The government amended the Mines and Minerals (Development & Regulation) Act of 1957, allowing private players to mine lithium and five other critical minerals, including titanium, beryllium, zirconium, niobium and tantalum.

EXPLANATION:

• India’s decision to allow private players to mine lithium, other critical minerals is a major step towards self-reliance in clean energy.
• These six minerals have been removed from the country’s atomic minerals lists, paving the way for private players to mine and empowering the government to auction their reserves going ahead.
• India is currently heavily dependent on imports of these minerals.
• Recently, the Union Ministry of Mines has released a list of thirty critical minerals that are strategic to the country’s economic development and national security.
• This will enable a much-needed public-private partnership in the ecosystem.
• Private players will bring more capital and foster the use of new and emerging technologies for exploration and mining processes.
• These minerals are in high demand as countries move towards green transition and e-mobility. These have applications in the defence and space sectors.
• This will enable India to move towards more enriching public-private partnerships, enabling it to be a global manufacturing hub.
• India should revise its lists of critical minerals every three to five years while preparing a robust and reliable value chain for each mineral used in the development of strategic and emerging technologies.
• The entry of private players will enable more and more exploration and also support India’s ambitions to become a global player in batteries and renewable energy technologies.

Mines and Minerals (Development & Regulation) Act of 1957

• It is an act of the Parliament of India enacted to regulate the mining sector in India.
• This act forms the basic framework of mining regulation in India.
• This act is applicable to all minerals except minor minerals and atomic minerals. It details the process and conditions for acquiring a mining or prospecting licence in India.
• Mining minor minerals come under the purview of state governments.
• For mining and prospecting in forest land, prior permission is needed from the Ministry of Environment and Forests.
• Act has been amended two times in 2015 and 2021 which has been mentioned below:

The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2021

• Deemed extension of mining leases: The lease period for all metallic and non-metallic minerals, such as, iron-ore, lead, manganese ore, zinc, lead, gold etc. were extended to a period of 50 years.
• Prospecting licence-cum-mining lease: It was introduced for certain notified minerals (such as, bauxite, iron ore, limestone, manganese ore) in areas where there is scarce proof to show presence of mineral substance through the system of serious offering.
• Allocation mechanism: The grant of mining leases in respect of certain notified minerals would be done through auction by competitive bidding; further all provisions with respect to the process of allocation of mines through auction by competitive bidding were streamlined.
• Grant of mining leases: The requirement of prior Central Government approval for grant of mineral concession for all the minerals specified in the First Schedule was removed for all mineral concession.

The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2021

• Removal of restriction on end-use of minerals: It removes restrictions on end-use for future auctions of mineral mining rights and provides that no mine will be reserved for particular end-use.
• Removal of the distinction between Captive and Non-captive Mines: It removes the distinction between captive and non-captive mines and seeks to introduce an index-based mechanism by developing a National Mineral Index (NMI) for statutory payments.
• Sale of minerals by captive mines: It allows operators of existing captive mines to sell up to 50 % of minerals extracted in a year.
• Transfer of Statutory Permissions: Upon expiry of a mining lease (other than coal, lignite, and atomic minerals), mines are leased to new persons through auction and the statutory permissions issued to the previous lessee are transferred to the new lessee for a period of two years.
• Powers to Central Government: It empowers the central government to conduct an auction or re-auction process of mines if state governments do not conduct auctions in a timely manner.

Critical Minerals:

• Lithium It is a soft, silvery-white alkali metal. Under standard conditions, it is the least dense metal and the least dense solid element. It is used in several industrial applications, including in the production of batteries needed for electric vehicles, heat-resistant glass and ceramics, lithium grease lubricants, flux additives for iron, steel and aluminium production, lithium metal batteries, and lithium-ion batteries
• Titanium: It is found in nature only as an oxide; it can be reduced to produce a lustrous transition metal with a silver colour, low density, and high strength, resistant to corrosion in seawater, aqua regia, and chlorine. Titanium can be alloyed with iron, and vanadium, among other elements, to produce strong, lightweight alloys for aerospace (jet engines, missiles, and spacecraft), military, industrial processes (chemicals and petrochemicals, desalination plants, pulp, and paper), automotive, sporting goods, jewellery, mobile phones, and other applications.
• Beryllium: It is a steel-grey, strong, lightweight and brittle alkaline earth metal. The commercial use of beryllium requires the use of appropriate dust control equipment and industrial controls at all times because of the toxicity of inhaled beryllium-containing dust that can cause a chronic, life-threatening allergic disease in some people called berylliosis.
• Zirconium: It is a lustrous, grey-white, strong transition metal that closely resembles hafnium and, to a lesser extent, titanium. It is mainly used as a refractory and Opacifier, although small amounts are used as an alloying agent for its strong resistance to corrosion.
• Niobium: It is a light grey, crystalline, and ductile transition metal. Pure niobium has a hardness rating similar to pure titanium, and it has similar ductility to iron. Niobium is used in various superconducting materials. Other applications of niobium include welding, nuclear industries, electronics, optics, numismatics, and jewellery.
• Tantalum: Tantalum is a very hard, ductile, lustrous, blue-grey transition metal that is highly corrosion-resistant. It is used in tantalum capacitors for electronic equipment such as computers. It is being investigated for use as a material for high-quality superconducting resonators in quantum processors.

Source: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/mining/india-s-decision-to-allow-private-players-to-mine-lithium-other-critical-minerals-step-towards-self-reliance-in-clean-energy-90604

1. NASA’S PERSEVERANCE ROVER FINDING ON MARS

TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: The United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Perseverance rover has discovered evidence of organic compounds in a Martian crater. It indicates clues on the potential habitability of the planet.

EXPLANATION:

Recent Findings of the rover:

• Earlier, researchers had found a variety of organic chemicals with a Martian origin in meteorites sent from Mars in Gale Crater. While earlier missions offered insightful data, the most recent research adds new evidence that deepens our understanding of Mars.
• The results reveal that Mars has a more complex organic geochemical cycle than previously thought, implying the existence of multiple reservoirs of potential organic molecules on the planet.
• Notably, the study found molecules associated with aqueous processes, suggesting that water may have been a significant factor in Mars’s vast range of organic matter.
• The potential detection of several organic carbon species on Mars has implications for understanding the carbon cycle on Mars and the potential of the planet to host life throughout its history.
• Organic compounds are carbon-based molecules. Other elements, such as hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphide, are often found in them.
• Organic matter can be formed by a variety of biological and non-biological processes. These possible Martian organics could have originated from geological processes or chemical reactions, which can also produce organic molecules.
• So far, only the Mars Phoenix lander and the Curiosity rover have been able to detect organic carbon using cutting-edge methods like evolved gas analysis and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
• The latest research presents an innovative approach that might also help locate basic chemical compounds on Mars. The scientists used an instrument called the Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman and Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals.
• Rover’s landing site in Jezero Crater has a variety of minerals, including carbonates, clays, and sulphates, which indicates a high possibility for past habitability. Organic compounds and perhaps even traces of prehistoric life could be preserved by these minerals.

NASA’S PERSEVERANCE ROVER

• NASA Perseverance launched on July 30, 2020, amidst the added challenge of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
• It landed in the Jezero crater of Mars, the site of an ancient lake and river delta.
• There, the rover is searching for microbial fossils in rocks that formed in Mars’ warm, wet past.
• It is also looking for carbon-containing molecules called organics that form the building blocks of life on Earth.

Source: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/science-technology/life-beyond-earth-nasa-s-perseverance-rover-finds-diverse-organic-matter-on-mars-90595

2. UPI LITE

TAG: GS 3: ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: Google Pay has introduced the UPI Lite feature in India, allowing users to make fast and simple payments for everyday items.

EXPLANATION:

• It was launched by the Reserve Bank of India in September 2022. It is a digital payment service designed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
• With UPI Lite, Google Pay users can make everyday payments for everyday items such as groceries, snacks, and cab rides faster, as users can send up to ₹200 with a single tap.
• The service does not require one to enter a PIN to initiate the payment. The aim of UPI Lite is to make digital payments simple and fast.
• Although UPI Lite is linked to the user’s bank account, it does not rely on the issuing bank’s core banking system in real time.
• The UPI Lite promises higher success rates even during peak transaction hours. Users can load up to ₹2,000 twice a day and make payments of up to ₹200 at a time.
• It aims to simplify small-value transactions by helping users access a convenient, compact and superfast payments experience.

National Payments Corporation of India

• It is an umbrella organization for operating retail payments and settlement systems in India, and is an initiative of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA).
• It comes under the provisions of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, for creating a robust Payment & Settlement Infrastructure in India.
• It was created by RBI to operate retail payments and settlement systems in India.
• Few services offered by NPCI are: Aadhaar Enabled Payment System, Immediate Payment Service (IMPS), BHIM and UPI, among others.

Unified Payments Interface (UPI)

• It is a system that powers multiple bank accounts into a single mobile application (of any participating bank), merging several banking features, seamless fund routing & merchant payments into one hood.
• It also caters to the “Peer to Peer” collection request, which can be scheduled and paid as per requirement and convenience.
• Each Bank provides its own UPI App for Android, Windows and iOS mobile platform(s).

Source:https://www.livemint.com/technology/tech-news/google-pay-introduces-upi-lite-how-to-activate-what-it-means-for-users-and-more-11689254038048.html

3. MICROFIBRE POLLUTION

TAG: GS 3: ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: India’s journey towards achieving sustainable development goals (SDG) by 2030 will be unfulfilled until it can address the issue of microfibre which is one of the significant microplastic contributors to the marine environment.

EXPLANATION:

• Invisible thread-like pieces of size, usually less than 5 mm, are called microfibres. They come from all types of clothes; synthetic, natural and semi-synthetic.
• Synthetic microfibres under the microfibres are labelled as microplastics .
• Natural and semi-synthetic microfibres, which also release a plethora of chemicals and dyes, are not under regulations.

Associated Risks:

• These invisible threats jeopardise the growth and reproductive capabilities of various organisms and pose risks to human health when they inadvertently enter our food chain.
• In developing economies like India, where wastewater treatment systems seem inadequate, microfibres enter directly into aquatic systems and, ultimately, the marine environment.
• Even when wastewater treatment plants capture a portion of these microfibres, they manage to infiltrate the environment through landfills or sludge applications.
• Considering the sheer population of India, even a small percentage of households using washing machines significantly contribute to microfibre pollution.

India’s regulation:

• India’s plastic waste management and textile rules have not yet identified this pollutant or its significance.
• The Indian textile laws do not have complete control over this unregulated yet significant industry with a significant share in the global market regarding the production, import, and export of natural and synthetic textiles.

Reasons for the pollution:

• Studies have come up with varied reasons for the shedding of microfibres from textile laundering.
• Many factors influence microfibre release, from washing temperature and drum speed to water volume, detergent type, load capacity, washing machine type, textile design and even textile quality.
• The impact of washing by hand Dryers has also been identified as a significant source of microfibre emissions directly into the air.
• The burgeoning textile industry and the rise of fast fashion culture in emerging economies like India are one of the prominent reasons.
• This use-and-throw culture focuses on quantity over quality resulting in cheaper textile designs, compromised fabric quality and surplus production.
• Rapid urbanisation, increased purchasing power, growing gross domestic product and increased brand penetration in the Indian market contribute to unsustainability.

Solutions:

• For reducing emissions, approaches like using a front-loading washing machine, liquid detergents, washing on full load at cold temperature and normal drum speed reduce the shedding significantly by causing less stress to the clothes.
• Tools like guppy friend bags and cora balls, when used while laundering, have been shown to reduce emissions.
• Embracing natural air-drying methods also immensely aids in microfibre emission into the air.
• Another option is investing in an excellent external washing machine filter and sustainable disposal of the collected microfibres.
• India should put proper regulatory framework like countries like France which have created rules making it mandatory for washing machine brands to have inbuilt filters with associated sustainable disposable mechanisms by 2025.
• Proper labelling in textiles to raise awareness, novel corporate social responsibility strategies, etc, are some of their endeavours.
• Sustainable concepts like recycling and thrifting need more popularity in Indian culture. These can reduce the overexploitation of resources and limit mass production.
• These will help India achieve SDG targets, encompassing plastic pollution reduction, marine conservation and sustainable consumption practices.

Rules regarding Plastic Waste Management:

• To address the issue of scientific plastic waste management, the Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011 were notified in 2011, which included plastic waste management.
• The Government has notified the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 and amendments to it in 2018 and 2021.

Few aims of the rules:

• To increase the minimum thickness of plastic carry bags from 40 to 50 microns and stipulate a minimum thickness of 50 microns for plastic sheets to facilitate the collection and recycling of plastic waste.
• To expand the jurisdiction of applicability from the municipal area to rural areas.
• To bring in the responsibilities of producers and generators, both in plastic waste management system.
• To introduce a collection of plastic waste management fees through pre-registration of the producers, importers of plastic carry bags and vendors selling the same for establishing the waste management system
• To promote the use of plastic waste for road construction as per Indian Road Congress guidelines or energy recovery, or waste to oil etc., for gainful utilization of waste and also address the waste disposal issue.
• To entrust more responsibility on waste generators, namely payment of user charge as prescribed by local authority, collection and handing over of waste by the institutional generator, event organizers.

Source:https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/pollution/microfibre-free-laundry-multifaceted-approach-needed-to-combat-these-tiny-shreds-of-pollutants-90564

4. PARTIAL APP BANS

TAG: GS 2: GOVERNANCE, GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) sought inputs on whether it would be possible to have “selective” app bans instead of internet shutdowns.

EXPLANATION:

• Internet shutdowns are imposed in order to prevent the rapid spread of provocative content during communally charged periods.
• Shutdowns can have larger impacts with access to education, work, banking, and information strained.
• The approach suggested by TRAI would require telecom operators and messaging app firms like WhatsApp to cooperate with each other and stop access to services during a shutdown.
• The telecom regulator has sought inputs on licensing messaging apps in India, which may require firms to be subjected to surveillance and blocking requirements.

Has the TRAI considered app regulation before?

• In 2015 and 2018, the TRAI held consultations on regulating messaging apps, a process that led to wide-ranging discussions for net neutrality, the concept that all internet traffic should be treated equally.
• Telecom operators had then called for regulation because they argued that messaging apps provide the same service without going through the stringent security and surveillance regulations that telecom operators go through.
• Telcos were also wary of their revenues being undercut by online calls and messages, which were cheaper than calling and SMS rates then.
• However, from 2016 onwards, the Department of Telecommunication (DoT) and the TRAI have rejected this argument, holding that telcos cannot discriminate between categories of data used by consumers.
• Since then, regulating messaging apps has become more a matter of security and policing.

Internet shutdowns:

• Till the year 2017, shutdowns were imposed largely under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
• Section 144 of CrPC gave the police and the District Magistrate the powers in order to prevent unlawful gathering of people and also to direct any person to abstain from a certain activity.

Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules, 2017:

• Internet Shutdowns may be defined as any disruption in access to the internet services most of which deals with mobile internet.
• Under the Rules the efficient authority who are able to order such directions are:

1. The Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs. (Central Government)
2. The Secretary of the Home Department to the concerned State Government. (State Government)

• According to rule 2(1) the order to suspend the telecom services shall be given only under these rules and according to the procedure mentioned.
• This also makes it clear that any order for suspension of telecom services may not be given under any other provision of law, even not under Section 144 of CrPC 1973.
• However, in inevitable circumstances, such an order may be issued by an officer ranked Joint Secretary or above who has been properly permitted by the Union Home Secretary or State Home Secretary.

Related News:

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs):

• It is an encrypted connection over the Internet from a device to a network.
• The encrypted connection helps ensure that sensitive data is safely transmitted.
• It prevents unauthorized people from eavesdropping on the traffic and allows the user to conduct work remotely.

Can VPN be blocked?

• It is possible to block websites and certain apps by ordering telecom operators to do so. However, Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) make these blocks trivial to bypass.
• VPNs are often encrypted, leaving the government with little visibility into what goes on in users’ connections.
• VPN firms usually route data through servers located in another country and frequently cycle the IP addresses these servers use to evade detection and blocking.
• Blocking VPNs is not straightforward, as companies operating them tend to frequently change the IP addresses associated with their servers.
• While VPN services’ websites may be blocked, the installation files can be found elsewhere online.

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI):

• It is a regulatory body set up by the Government of India under section 3 of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997.
• It is the regulator of the telecommunications sector in India.
• It consists of a chairperson and not more than two full-time members, and not more than two part-time members.

Source:https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/explained-is-it-possible-to-have-partial-app-bans/article67073191.ece

5. INDO-PACIFIC ECONOMIC FRAMEWORK FOR PROSPERITY (IPEF)

TAG: GS 2: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

THE CONTEXT: India has been asked for better market access in order to be a part of the trade pillar of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF).

EXPLANATION:

• IPEF has denied market access to India, which is being seen as a crucial factor to join the trade pillar (Pillar-I). India has observer status in the trade pillar negotiations.
• The developments come after text-based negotiations under the supply chain pillar (Pillar-II) were substantially concluded in the second ministerial meeting in May in the US.
• India felt that there was not much gain out of it, and environmental and labour laws conditions have been stringent.
• India had been reluctant to join Pillar-I in view of concerns to protect its domestic agricultural, labour and digital sectors without being completely sure about the impact of joining the IPEF.

Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF):

• In May 2022, the United States launched IPEF with Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Fiji India, Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam in Tokyo, Japan.
• It aims to strengthen economic engagement among the member countries to advance growth, peace and prosperity in the region.
• It has 14 partner countries, including Australia, Brunei, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and the US.
• Its framework is structured around four pillars:

1. Trade
2. Supply Chains
3. Clean Economy
4. Fair Economy

• India has joined Pillars II to IV of IPEF while it had opted out from Pillar-I in September 2022 and now has an observer status in Pillar-I.
• It accounts for about 40 per cent of the world’s GDP and 28 per cent of the world’s trade in goods and services.
• It is seen as an economic and trade strategy backed by the US to counter China’s economic influence in the region.

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/business/economy/india-weighs-better-market-access-to-join-ipef-trade-pillar-8835160/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CUnder%20the%20IPEF%20trade%20pillar,laws%20conditions%20have%20been%20stringent.

1. CARBON CAPTURE TECHNOLOGY

TAG: GS 3: ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: Carbon capture technology is a key tool to address the problem of climate change.  This technology can be used  to clean up industries like cement and chemicals.

EXPLANATION:

What is carbon capture and storage?

• Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a way to catch carbon and trap it beneath the earth. It is different to carbon dioxide removal (CDR), where carbon is sucked out of the atmosphere.
• It is a way to cut pollution in sectors where other clean technologies are farther behind.
• The key difference is that CDR brings down the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, cooling the planet, while CCS in fossil fuel plants and factories prevents the gas from getting out in the first place.
• CCS can be used in factories that make cement and fertiliser, as well as in plants that burn waste material.

How well does CCS work?

• Engineers have captured carbon from concentrated streams of gas, pushing it into tanks, scrubbing it clean and using it in industry or storing it underground.
• Some bioethanol plants, where the gas stream is pure, already report capturing more than 95% of the carbon emissions.
• However, it is not effective in capturing carbon from dirtier gas streams, like those from factories and power plants.
• There are a handful of test facilities that have managed to capture more than 90% of emissions from some dirty gas streams or commercial projects.

Why is CCS controversial?

• Activists have called out energy companies for failing to capture much carbon while at the same time drilling for oil and lobbying against laws to cut fossil fuel production. They have pushed policymakers to put more weight on societal shifts like cutting energy demand rather than placing their faith in shaky technologies.
• A big part of this is what fossil fuel companies call enhanced oil recovery pumping carbon dioxide underground to push out more oil from drying wells. Historically, most captured carbon has been used for this purpose.

How can CCS work better?

• In Norway, a German industrial giant is building the first facility to capture carbon from cement and store it underground. The company claims a capture rate of close to 100% is possible.
• According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), a Paris-based organization led by the energy ministers of mostly rich countries, new companies are focusing on specific parts of the problem, like transport and storage.
• There should be a bigger focus on storing CO2 than using it to extract more oil.
• To make the technology grow cheaper and work better, governments need to tax carbon, make it easier to approve CCS projects and help set up the infrastructure around it.

International Energy Agency (IEA):

• It was established in 1974, in the wake of the 1973-1974 oil crisis, to help its members respond to major oil supply disruptions, a role it continues to fulfil today.
• It is an international energy forum of 29 industrialized countries under the Organization for Economic Development and Cooperation (OECD).
• Its mandate has expanded over time to include tracking and analyzing global key energy trends, promoting sound energy policy, and fostering multinational energy technology cooperation.

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-climate/can-we-capture-carbon-and-store-it-8821800/

2. OPEN DEFECATION FREE INDIA

TAG: GS 2: HEALTH ISSUES

THE CONTEXT: The latest WHO-UNICEF data shows at least one-sixth of India’s rural population still defecate in the open, and a quarter doesn’t have even basic sanitation access.

EXPLANATION

• On October 2, 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared India open defecation-free (ODF).
• It is in sync with the goal of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 of giving universal access to water, sanitation and hygiene.
• Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) released their Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) report for water supply, sanitation and hygiene for households for the year 2022. The JMP report gives status on access to water, sanitation and hygiene to monitor the progress on SDG 6.
• According to this report, 17 per cent of the rural population in India still defecated in the open in 2022. One-quarter of the rural population didn’t have even “at least basic” sanitation facilities.
• The JMP report for monitoring progress on SDG 6 defines “basic” services as the improved sanitation facility which the household doesn’t share with others.
• The latest JMP report tracked the progress from 2015, when these goals were set. India has recorded significant progress: in 2015, some 41 per cent of its rural population defecated in the open (17 per cent in 2022), while 51 per cent of households (75 per cent in 2022) had at least a basic sanitation facility.

What is ODF?

• The original ODF protocol states, “A city/ward is notified as ODF city/ward if, at any point of the day, not a single person is found defecating in the open.”

What is ODF+, ODF++?

• ODF+ and ODF++ were launched in August 2018 to further scale up and sustain the work undertaken by the cities after achieving the ODF status under Phase I of the Swachh Bharat Mission Urban (SBM-Urban).
• Eligibility: Cities that have been certified ODF at least once, on the basis of the ODF protocols, are eligible to declare themselves as SBM-ODF+ & SBM-ODF++.

What is ODF+?

• A city, ward or work circle could be declared ODF+ if “at any point of the day, not a single person is found defecating and/or urinating in the open, and all community and public toilets are functional and well-maintained.”

What is ODF++?

• The ODF++ protocol adds the condition that “faecal sludge/septage and sewage is safely managed and treated, with no discharging and/or dumping of untreated faecal sludge/septage and sewage in drains, water bodies or open areas.”

Source: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/water/is-open-defecation-back-in-india–90483

3. INDIA-RUSSIA TRADE PAYMENTS IN CRISIS

TAG: GS 2: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

THE CONTEXT: With continued oil imports from Russia, the Indian government is worried about payment mechanisms and the repercussions of breaching the oil price cap of $60 a barrel put in place by the U.S. and European nations.

EXPLANATION:

Status of oil imports from Russia:

• In February 2023, Russia surpassed Saudi Arabia to become the second biggest exporter of crude oil to India in FY23.

India’s exports to Russia (principal commodities)

Indian exports are grappling with payment-settlement uncertainty leading to declining exports.

Change in trade from Feb 24, 2022, to April 5, 2023, compared to the same period in the previous year.

India’s imports from Russia (principal commodities)

Imports have surged with sanctions-hit Russia’s discounts to India on key commodities.

Change in trade from Feb 24, 2022, to April 5, 2023, compared to the same period in the previous year.

Which currency is being used for payments?

• As part of war-induced sanctions on Moscow, the U.S., the EU, and the U.K. have blocked multiple Russian banks from accessing the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT).
• Meanwhile, Indian refiners have also settled some non-dollar payments for Russian oil in the Chinese yuan and the UAE dirham.

What about the rupee-rouble mechanism?

• India was in negotiations with Russia to reactivate the rupee-rouble trade arrangement, which is an alternative payment mechanism to settle dues in rupees instead of dollars or euros.
• It could not takes off as there is scepticism on the rupee-rouble convertibility as the rouble’s value is kept up by capital controls and not determined by the market, as in the case of reserved currencies, and Russia has also pointed out that it finds the rupee to be “volatile”.
• India’s trade deficit with Russia touched high, which has led to staggering amounts of Indian rupees in Russian banks that cannot be used by Russia in its war efforts.

Is de-dollarisation being attempted?

• Since the dollar is largely considered the global reserve currency, many countries have seen the U.S. sanctions as a way for America to weaponise the dollar.
• This has given rise to countries looking at de-dollarisation, which means the replacement of the U.S. dollar with other currencies as the global reserve currency.
• India, too, has recently released a roadmap for the internationalisation of the Indian rupee to create broader acceptance.
• However, the value and the acceptability of any currency depend mainly on its purchasing power which is expressed in terms of the number of goods or services that one unit of money can buy. For example, daily average share for the rupee in the global foreign exchange market is ~1.6%, while India’s share of global goods trade is ~2%.

Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT):

• It is a global network connecting banks for communicating money transfers in a secure way with a code, much like the domestic IFSC code.
• Its principal function is to serve as the main messaging network through which international payments are initiated.
• It also sells software and services to financial institutions, mostly for use on its proprietary “SWIFTNet”.
• The Swift messaging network is a component of the global payments system.
• However, the organisation does not manage accounts on behalf of individuals or financial institutions, and it does not hold funds from third parties. It also does not perform clearing or settlement functions.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/business/Economy/explained-why-are-india-russia-trade-payments-in-crisis/article67058400.ece

4. REGULATION OF OVER-THE-TOP (OTT) PLATFORMS BY TELECOM REGULATORY AUTHORITY OF INDIA (TRAI)

TAG: GS 2: GOVERNANCE

THE CONTEXT: Almost three years after it first recommended against creating a specific regulatory framework for over-the-top (OTT) communication services like WhatsApp, Zoom, and Google Meet, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is revisiting its stance and starting consultations on how these services can be regulated.

EXPLANATION:

• TRAI suggested for regulation of OTT platforms such as WhatsApp , Zoom, and Google Meet etc, as they are not bound by the same requirements as telecom service providers.
• TRAI has asked stakeholders to send suggestions about regulating services and whether a selective banning of OTT services can be done as opposed to shutting down the entire Internet.
• Regulating such services has been a long-standing demand of telecom operators, who have, for years, been advocating for ‘same service, same rules’.
• The draft telecom Bill released by the Department of Telecommunication (DoT) also recommended bringing OTT services under its ambit by creating a licensing regime for them. The IT Ministry is already the nodal ministry for regulating such services.

Earlier stance by TRAI:

• In September 2020, TRAI recommended against regulatory intervention for OTT platforms, saying that it should be left to market forces. However, it also said that the sector should be monitored and intervention should be done at an “appropriate time”.
• In 2022, the DoT wrote back to the authority, requesting it to reconsider its recommendations and also suggest a suitable regulatory mechanism for “selective banning of OTT services”.

Contention between OTTs and Telecom services:

• Telecom service providers in India are regulated by several laws, including the Indian Telegraph Act of 1885, the Wireless Telegraphy Act of 1933 and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act of 1997. While such requirements are not applicable to OTT services currently.
• Apart from a different regulatory regime, there are other financial considerations for the tussle between telcos and Internet applications. Key among them is the avenue of revenues that has shifted from voice and SMS to data.
• It added that OTT services do not financially contribute towards increasing telecom services penetration in the country, unlike the operators who have to pay towards the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF).

What did the draft telecom Bill prescribe for OTT services?

• One of the key changes is the inclusion of new-age over-the-top communication services like WhatsApp, Signal and Telegram in the definition of telecommunication services.
• As per the draft law, providers of telecommunication services will be covered under the licensing regime and will be subjected to similar rules as other telecom operators.

Telecom sector regulation in India:

Authorities in India

The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology presides over the telecom industry in India and governs the following bodies:

• Department of Telecommunications (DoT): The Central Government acts through the DoT to exercise its exclusive privilege of establishing, maintaining and working telegraph and wireless equipment, as well as granting of licences for such activities.
• Wireless Planning Commission (WPC): The WPC is a wing of the DoT responsible for Frequency Spectrum Management, including the licensing of wireless stations. They are in charge of catering to the needs of all wireless users in India
• Standing Advisory Committee on Frequency Application (SAFCA): It is another wing of the DoT that grants approval for radio frequency used by telecom service providers. In addition to a telecom license, an operator requires a NOC from SAFCA to commence their service.
• Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI): TRAI is an autonomous statutory body with the sole authority to take binding decisions on the fixation of tariffs for the provision of telecommunications services. TRAI’s recommendations must be considered by the DoT before licensing telecom services.
• Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal: The TDSAT has been vested with exclusive powers to adjudicate any dispute between the licensor (DoT) and the licensee’; service providers; and service providers and groups of customers.

Laws and Regulations:

• Indian Telegraph Act, 1885: It is one of the oldest legislations in India .The term telegraph encompasses any appliance, instrument, material or apparatus used or capable of use for transmission or reception of signs, signals. It can be of any nature by wire, visual or other electromagnetic emissions, radio waves or Hertzian waves, galvanic, electric or magnetic means
• Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933: It regulates the possession of wireless telegraphy apparatus. Furthermore, any device, appliance, instrument, or material that uses or is capable of using wireless communication. The possession of wireless telegraphy apparatus by any person can only be allowed when a license is issued by the telecom authority.
• Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997: It was established under the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997. It empowered the TRAI, a quasi-judicial authority, to adjudicate upon and settle telecom disputes. The Act was amended in 2000 to clearly distinguish between the regulatory and recommendatory functions of TRAI. The Amendment also set up the TDSAT, clarifying that the jurisdiction of civil courts has been expressly barred in cases where the TDSAT has jurisdiction.

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-sci-tech/trai-regulate-whatsapp-ott-services-8815512/

5. PERFORMANCE GRADING INDEX

TAG: GS I and II: SOCIAL SECTOR, GOVERNANCE

THE CONTEXT: Ministry of Education releases a report on Performance Grading Index 2.0 for States/UTs for the year 2021-22.

EXPLANATION:

• The Indian Education System is one of the largest in the world, with about 14.9 lakh schools, 95 lakh teachers, and nearly 26.5 crore students from varied socio-economic backgrounds.
• Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education, devised Performance Grading Index (PGI) for States and UTs.
• The prime objective of PGI is to promote evidence-based policy-making and highlight course correction to ensure quality education for all.
• It assesses the performance of the school education system at the State/UT level by creating an index for comprehensive analysis.
• The ultimate is to propel States & UTs towards undertaking multi-pronged interventions that will bring about the much-desired optimal education outcomes covering all dimensions.

Methodology:

• The PGI evaluation classifies States and UTs into grades/ levels instead of ranking.
• The report grades the performance of States/ UTs on a uniform scale.
• It covers 73 indicators, focused more on qualitative assessment besides including digital initiatives and teacher education.
• It comprises of 1000 points across 73 indicators grouped into 2 categories viz., Outcomes, Governance Management (GM).
• These categories are further divided into 6 domains, viz., Learning Outcomes (LO), Access (A), Infrastructure & Facilities (IF), Equity (E), Governance Process (GP) & Teachers Education and Training (TE&T).
• It classified the States/UTs into ten grades viz., the highest achievable Grade is Daksh, which is for State/UT scoring more than 940 points out of a total of 1000 points. The lowest grade is Akanshi-3 which is for a score up to 460.

Source: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1937945

1. EXCAVATION AT PURANA QILA AND PRE MAURYAN CONNECTION

TAG: GS 1: ART AND CULTURE

CONTEXT: A fresh round of excavations at the site of Delhi’s Purana Qila or Old Fort has uncovered evidence of the continuous history of the city since the pre-Mauryan era. The findings include shards of Painted Gray Ware pottery which are usually dated to around 1200 BC to 600 BC.

EXPLANATION:

• The new excavations have also found remains of a 900-year-old Vaikuntha Vishnu from the Rajput period, a terracotta plaque of Goddess Gaja Lakshmi from the Gupta period, the structural remains of a 2,500-year-old terracotta ring well from the Mauryan period, and a well-defined four-room complex from the Sunga-Kushan period dating back to 2,300 years ago, besides beads, seals, copper coins and a bone needle.
• Trade activities: More than 136 coins and 35 seals and sealings have been discovered from a small excavated area, indicating the site’s pivotal role as a centre for trade activities.
• Earlier efforts have revealed nine cultural levels, representing different historical periods, including pre-Mauryan, Mauryan, Sunga, Kushana, Gupta, post-Gupta, Rajput, Sultanate, and Mughal. The ongoing excavation, initiated in January 2023, aims to establish a complete chronology of the site.

Pre Mauryan characteristics:

• The political system at the time of pre mauryan was characterized by the existence of two distinct forms of government: monarchical kingdom and clan oligarchies or Ganasamghas.
• The geographical locations of these units were unique with the monarchical kingdom occupying the Ganga-Yamuna valley and the Ganasamghas being located near the foothills of the Himalayas.
• The agrarian based economy encouraged the formation of an impressive officialdom that is an indispensable aspect of state formation.
• It made possible the support of a large standing army that was imperative for the expanding frontiers of the kingdoms of the Ganga valley and as an instrument of coercive control within the kingdom.
• The standing army divided into various specialized groups replaced the tribal militia of the earlier society and became an instrument of coercion directly in the control of the king.

Purana qila:

• Purana Qila, built by Sher Shah Suri and Mughal emperor Humayun, is believed by many to be the site of Indraprastha, as mentioned in the Mahabharat.
• The fort was the inner citadel of the city of Din Panah during Humayun’s rule who renovated it in 1533 and completed five years later.
• Shah Suri, defeated Humayun in 1540, naming the fort Shergarh; he added several more structures in the complex during his five-year reign. Purana Qila and its environs flourished as the “sixth city of Delhi”.
• Purana Quila is roughly rectangular in shape having a circuit of nearly two kilometers.
  The thick ramparts crowned by merlons have three gateways provided with bastions on either side.
• It was surrounded by a wide moat, connected to river Yamuna, which used to flow on the east of the fort.
• The northern gate way, called the Talaqui darwaza or the forbidden gateway, combines the typically Islamic pointed arch with Hindu Chhatris and brackets; whereas the southern gateway called the Humayun Darwaza also had a similar plan.
• The massive gateway and walls of Purana Quila were built by Humayun and the foundation laid for the new capital, Dinpanah.

2. DISCLOSURE NORMS FROM HIGH-RISK FOREIGN PORTFOLIO INVESTORS (FPIs)

TAG: GS 3: ECONOMY

CONTEXT: The markets regulator SEBI floated a consultation paper mandating additional disclosure norms from high-risk foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) that have either concentrated single group exposures and/ or significant overall holdings in their India equity investment portfolio.

EXPLANATION:

• SEBI said there is a need for additional disclosures for certain types of FPIs in order to have greater investor protection, and for fostering greater trust and transparency in the Indian securities market ecosystem.
• The paper has mandated additional disclosure norms from these FPIs to guard against possible circumvention of Minimum Public Shareholding (MPS), and to prevent possible misuse of the FPI route to circumvent the requirements of Press Note 3 (PN3).
• SEBI said such disclosures must be unconstrained by any materiality thresholds set by the PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering) rules and FPI regulations.
• The paper has proposed to categorize FPIs into high, moderate and low risk. All FPIs except for government and government-related entities such as central banks, sovereign wealth funds, and pension funds or public retail funds, are proposed to be categorized as high-risk FPIs.

What has SEBI proposed?

• The markets regulator has proposed that enhanced transparency measures for fully identifying all holders of ownership, economic, and control rights may be mandated for certain high-risk FPIs.
• It proposed that high-risk FPIs, holding more than 50 per cent of their equity Asset Under Management (AUM) in a single corporate group, would be required to comply with the requirements for additional disclosures.
• Also, the existing high-risk FPIs with an overall holding in Indian equity markets of over Rs 25,000 crore will also be required to comply with new disclosure requirements.
• They will have to follow the new norms within 6 months, failing which the FPI will have to bring down its AUM below the threshold within a time frame.

What is Press Note 3?

• During the Covid-19 pandemic, the government amended the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy through a Press Note 3.
• The amendments were said to have made to check opportunistic takeovers/acquisitions of stressed Indian companies at a cheaper valuation.
• The new regulations required an entity of a country, sharing land border with India or where the beneficial owner of an investment into India is situated or is a citizen of any such country, to invest only under the Government route.
• Also, in the event of the transfer of ownership of any existing or future FDI in an entity in India, directly or indirectly, resulting in the beneficial ownership falling within the restriction/purview of the said policy amendment, such subsequent change in beneficial ownership will also require government approval.

Will the proposed norms be applicable to FPIs?

• The capital markets regulator said the proposed additional requirements are for high-risk FPIs and will not impact low-risk and moderate-risk FPIs in any

Foreign portfolio investment (FPI):

• Foreign portfolio investment (FPI) is a common way to invest in overseas economies.
• It includes securities and financial assets held by investors in another country.
• It also includes bonds or other debt issued by these companies or foreign governments, mutual funds, or exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that invest in assets abroad or overseas.
• On a macro-level, foreign portfolio investment is part of a country’s capital account and shown on its balance of payments (BOP). BOP calculates the amount of money flowing from one country to other countries over a financial year.
• FPI is relatively liquid depending on market volatility.
• Individual investors interested in opportunities outside their own country invest via FPI.  It does not give investors direct ownership of a company’s assets.

3. AIMING FOR NATIONALLY DETERMINED CONTRIBUTIONS (NDC) TARGETS

TAG: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

CONTEXT: While India may have internationally committed in its Nationally Determined Contributions(NDC) to half its installed electricity being sourced from renewable sources by 2030, an estimate of the country’s projected power needs by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) suggests that this target may be achieved early, by 2026-27.

EXPLANATION:

• National Electricity Plan (NEP) notes that the share of non-fossil based capacity is likely to increase to 57.4% by the end of 2026-27 and may likely to further increase to 68.4% by the end of 2031-32 from around 42.5% as on April 2023.”
• Installed capacity, however, does not perfectly translate into generated power as different sources of energy have varying efficiencies, and not all sources of power are available at all times. Accounting for this, the available power from renewable energy will only be around 35.04% of the total generated electricity by 2026-27 and 43.96% by 2031-32, the NEP estimates.
• The NEP projects that the likely installed capacity for 2026-27 would be 609,591 MW, comprising 273,038 MW of conventional capacity (coal-235,133 MW, gas-24,824 MW, nuclear-13,080 MW) and 336,553 MW of renewable-based capacity (large hydro-52,446 MW, solar-185,566 MW, wind-72,895 MW, small hydro-5,200 MW, biomass-13,000 MW, pump storage plants-7,446 MW) along with Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) capacity of 8,680 MW/34,720 MWh.
• By 2031, the proportion of renewable energy capacity in the overall mix is likely to be 66%. Thus, in 2031-32, the total capacity is estimated to be 900,422 MW comprising 304,147 MW of conventional capacity (coal-259,643 MW, gas–24,824 MW, nuclear-19,680 MW) and 596,275 MW of renewable-based capacity (large hydro-62,178 MW, solar-364,566 MW, wind-121,895 MW, small hydro-5,450 MW, biomass-15,500 MW, pump storage plants-26,686 MW), along with BESS capacity of 47,244 MW/236,220 MWh.

Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC)

• Following Prime Minister 2022 announcement in Glasgow, Scotland of India’s 2070 Net Zero target, India updated its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) in August 2022 whereby it committed to achieving “about 50 percent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030 and reduce emission intensity by 35 percent from 2005 levels, and become carbon-neutral by 2070.
• The NDCs are commitments made by countries under the terms of the Paris Agreement to keep global temperatures from rising beyond two degrees Celsius by the end of the century, and are required to be updated once in five years.

Central Electricity Authority

• It is a Statutory Body constituted under the erstwhile Electricity (Supply) Act, 1948, hereinafter replaced by the Electricity Act, 2003, where similar provisions exists, the office of the CEA is an “Attached Office” of the Ministry of Power.
• The CEA is responsible for the technical coordination and supervision of programmes and is also entrusted with a number of statutory functions.
• It is headed by a Chairman, who is also ex-officio Secretary to the Government of India, and comprises six full time Members of the CEA of the rank of ex-officio Additional Secretary to the Government of India, they are designated as Member (Thermal), Member (Hydro), Member (Economic and Commercial), Member(Power Systems), Member(Planning) and Member(Grid Operation and Distribution).
• Section 73 of the Electricity Act, 2003 empowers the Authority to perform such functions and duties as the Central Government may prescribe or direct, and in particular to: –

1. a) Advise the Central Government on the matters relating to the national electricity policy, formulate short-term and perspective plans for development of the electricity system and co-ordinate the activities of the planning agencies for the optimal utilization of resources to sub serve the interests of the national economy and to provide reliable and affordable electricity for all consumers
2. b) Specify the conditions for installation of meters for transmission and supply of electricity:
3. c) Promote and assist in the timely completion of schemes and projects for improving and augmenting the electricity system
4. d) Promote measures for advancing the skill of persons engaged in the electricity industry
5. e) Advise the Central Government on any matter on which its advice is sought or make recommendation to that Government on any matter if, in the opinion of the Authority, the recommendation would help in improving the generation, transmission, trading, distribution and utilization of electricity.

National Electricity Plan

• It is prepared by the CEA and is a five-year plan that assesses India’s current electricity needs, projected growth, power sources, and challenges.
• It is prepared in accordance with the National Electricity Policy and notify such plan once in five years.

Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC)

• CERC is a statutory body constituted under the provision of the erstwhile Electricity Regulatory Commissions Act, 1998 and continued under Electricity Act, 2003 (which has since repealed inter alia the ERC Act, 1998).
• The main functions of the CERC are to regulate the tariff of generating companies owned or controlled by the Central Government, to regulate the tariff of generating companies other than those owned or controlled by the Central Government, if such generating companies enter into or otherwise have a composite scheme for generation and sale of electricity in more than one State, to regulate the inter-State transmission of energy including tariff of the transmission utilities, to grant licences for inter-State transmission and trading and to advise the Central Government in formulation of National Electricity Policy and Tariff Policy.

State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC)

• The concept of SERC as a statutory body responsible for determination of tariff and grant of licence at intra-State level was envisaged in the erstwhile Regulatory Commissions Act, 1998 and has been continued in the Electricity Act, 2003 (which has since repealed inter alia the ERC Act, 1998).
• Main responsibilities of the SERC are to determine the tariff for generation, supply, transmission and wheeling of electricity, whole sale, bulk or retail sale within the State; to issue licences for intra-State transmission, distribution and trading; to promote co-generation and generation of electricity from renewal sources of energy etc.

4. SECTION 124A OF THE INDIAN PENAL CODE (IPC)

TAG: GS 2: GOVERNANCE

CONTEXT: The Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) dealing with sedition needs to be retained but certain amendments could be made for greater clarity regarding its usage, the 22nd Law Commission has said in its report to the government.

EXPLANATION:

Highlights of the 22^nd Law commission report:

• The commission said sedition being a “colonial legacy” is not a valid ground for its repeal but in view of the misuse of Section 124A, the panel has recommended that the Centre issue model guidelines to curb any misuse.
• In this context, it is also alternatively suggested that a provision analogous to Section 196(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 [CrPC] may be incorporated as a proviso to Section 154 of CrPC, which would provide the requisite procedural safeguard before filing of an FIR with respect to an offence under Section 124A of IPC.
• The Law Commission said the existence of laws such as Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the National Security Act (NSA) does not by implication cover all elements of the offence envisaged under Section 124A of the IPC.
• Further, in the absence of a provision like Section 124A of IPC, any expression that incites violence against the government would invariably be tried under the special laws and counter-terror legislation, which contain much more stringent provisions to deal with the accused.
• While any alleged misuse of Section 124A of IPC can be reined in by laying down adequate procedural safeguards, repealing the provision altogether can have “serious adverse ramifications for the security and integrity of the country, with the subversive forces getting a free hand to further their sinister agenda as a consequence”.

IPC Section 124 A:

• The IPC Section 124 A says, “Whoever, by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise, brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards the Government estab­lished by law in India shall be punished with [im­prisonment for life], to which fine may be added, or with impris­onment which may extend to three years, to which fine may be added, or with fine.
• The expression “disaffection” includes disloyalty and all feelings of enmity. It is a non-bailable offence.
• Section 124A is useful in the fight against anti-national, separatist, and terrorist factors, among others.
• It defends the elected government against attempts to destroy it through the use of violent acts and illegal methods.
• It helps in maintaining the legitimacy of the government established by law is a necessary condition for the cohesion of a state.

5. LITHIUM AND MINERAL REGULATION IN INDIA

TAG: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

CONTEXT: The news of potentially significant reserves of lithium, an element needed to manufacture batteries used in electric cars and other renewable energy infrastructure, in Jammu and Kashmir has been welcomed universally. Commentators have called this a boost for national prosperity and security without dismissing concerns about the potential social and environmental impacts.

EXPLANATION:

Status of India’s lithium industry:

• India’s electric-vehicle (EV) market was valued at $383.5 million in 2021, and is expected to expand to $152.21 billion in 2030.
• India imported 450 million units of lithium batteries valued at $929.26 million (₹6,600 crore) in 2019-2020, which makes the development of the country’s domestic lithium reserves a matter of high stakes. Scholars have argued that the ongoing global transition to low-carbon economies, the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI), and 5G networks will greatly reshape global and regional geopolitics. The access to and control over rare minerals, such as lithium and cobalt, will play a crucial role in these epochal changes.

How do other countries manage lithium reserves?

• The Supreme Court also recalled that the Union government could always ban private actors from mining sensitive minerals, as is already the case with uranium under the Atomic Energy Act 1962. In today’s context, lithium is as important as, if not more than, uranium.
• The stories of two South American countries, Chile and Bolivia — which have the largest known reserves of lithium are particularly instructive. And here the government has designated lithium as a strategic resource and its development has been made the exclusive prerogative of the state.

Lithium:

• Lithium is the world’s softest and lightest metal, needed by battery-powered devices.
• It is soft enough to be cut with a vegetable knife and light enough to float when put in water.
• It stores chemical energy and converts it into electrical energy.
• Also known as ‘White Gold’, lithium attracts a massive demand in global markets as the metal is present in every chargeable electronic and battery-powered gadgets.
• According to a World Bank report, the global demand for lithium metal will increase by 500 percent by 2050.
• The metal is also widely used to manufacture wind turbines, solar panels, and EVs – which are the leading carbon-neutral alternatives for the future.
• A lithium battery is the only alternative for EVs since it has a high power-to-weight ratio, enabling it to provide a large charge while keeping the vehicle’s curb weight low.

Regulation of minerals in India:

• India’s mineral and mining sector operates under a federal structure where the powers and responsibilities for regulation of the sector are divided between the central government and the respective State governments in accordance with the Union List, State List and the Concurrent List contained in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India.
• Administration of the mining sector in India is the collective responsibility of the central government and the State governments.
• The central government has the power under entry 54 of the Union List to regulate mines and mineral development to the extent that such a regulation is declared by the Parliament to be in public interest.
• The State governments’ power to regulate mines and mineral development under entry 23 of the State List is subject to the power of the central government.
• Further to its powers under entry 54 of the Union List, the central government has framed the Mines & Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act 1957 (MMDR Act), which is the principal legislation governing the mineral sector (other than petroleum and natural gas) in India.
• Minerals are classified into minor minerals and major minerals. Minor minerals include building stones, gravel, ordinary clay, ordinary sand and other minerals that the central government declares to be a minor mineral. Minerals that cannot be categorised as minor minerals are considered to be major minerals and include coal, manganese ore and iron ore, as well as other minerals used for industrial purposes.

1. EVERGREENING OF LOANS

TAGS: GS 3: ECONOMY

CONTEXT: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor raised red flags over banks adopting innovative methods for evergreening of loans covering up the real status of stressed loans of corporates to project an artificial clean image in cahoots with corporates. However, bankers differ, saying that sometimes it is practical to extend liquidity support to companies that are genuinely facing issues.

EXPLANATION:

What is evergreening of loans?

• The process of evergreening of loans, a form of zombie lending, is typically a temporary fix for a bank. If an account turns into a non-performing asset (NPA), banks are required to make higher provisions which will impact their profitability.
• So, to avoid classifying a loan as an NPA, banks adopt the evergreening of loans. In the past, many banks had indulged in dressing up bad loans and given additional funds to companies who didn’t have the capacity to repay.

How evergreening of loans are done?

• An accommodative monetary policy creates an enabling environment for weak banks to evergreen loans to zombies and keeps them alive. The RBI has been following an accommodative policy since March 2020 when the pandemic struck the country.
• It is done by bringing two lenders together to evergreen each other’s loans by sale and buyback of loans or debt instruments.
• Here, good borrowers being persuaded to enter into structured deals with a stressed borrower to conceal the stress.
• It is done by use of internal or office accounts to adjust borrower’s repayment obligations.
• It is done by renewal of loans or disbursement of new/additional loans to the stressed borrower or related entities closer to the repayment date of the earlier loans.

Consequences:

• Most of the evergreening has happened in public sector banks which subsequently led to a jump in Non Performing Assets(NPAs).
• Banks delay the recognition of losses due to loan defaults and engage in evergreening, which is essentially the rolling over of debts of unviable borrowers that would have otherwise defaulted. This is purely misgovernance, so that bad loans are made to look good many a time by additional lending to troubled borrowers.
• Some banks have even extended such loans to wilful defaulters to keep them out of the defaulters’ books.
• Such resource misallocation supports the crowding-out effects ascribed to zombies, according to an RBI paper on Zombies and the Process of Creative Destruction.
• It results in credit being diverted to weak entities – which is ultimately diverted for other purposes or it becomes a bad loan – depriving the genuine credit needs of good borrowers.

When do banks evergreen loans?

• Restructuring is often used by banks for ‘evergreening’ problem accounts to keep the reported NPA levels low.
• However, with the enactment of the bankruptcy code, evergreening has declined but recovery has remained abysmally low.
• It normally happens due to the unholy relationship between bankers and borrowers.

How can evergreening be stopped?

• As suggested by committee to Review Governance of Boards of Banks wherever significant evergreening in a bank is detected by the RBI, penalties should be levied through cancellations of unvested stock options and claw-back of monetary bonuses on officers concerned.
• The primary defence against evergreening must however come from the CEO, the audit committee and the board. The audit committee, in particular, needs to be particularly vigilant.

What is Non Performing Assets(NPA):

• A loan turns into a nonperforming asset, or NPA, if the interest or instalment remains unpaid even after the due date and remains unpaid for a period of more than 90 days.

Different types of non-performing assets depend on how long they remain in the NPA category.

a) Sub-Standard Assets: An asset is classified as a sub-standard asset if it remains as an NPA for a period less than or equal to 12 months.

b) Doubtful Assets: An asset is classified as a doubtful asset if it remains as an NPA for more than 12 months.

c) Loss Assets: An asset is considered a loss asset when it is “uncollectible” or has such little value that its continuance as a bankable asset is not suggested. However, some recovery value may be left in it as the asset has not been written off wholly or in parts.

2. LEGAL PROVISIONS OF THE CONTRACT

TAGS: GS 2: GOVERNANCE

CONTEXT: The Supreme Court has held that the government, when entering into a contract under the President’s name, cannot claim immunity from the legal provisions of that contract under Article 299 of the Constitution.

EXPLANATION:

Issue:

• The case dealt with an application filed by Glock Asia-Pacific Limited, a pistol manufacturing company, against the Centre regarding the appointment of an arbitrator in a tender-related dispute
• Glock Asia Pacific entered into a contract with the Ministry of Home Affairs for the supply of 31,756 Glock pistols. Subsequently, there was a dispute between the two parties due to the Centre invoking a performance bank guarantee.
• Glock then issue a notice invoking arbitration, nominating a retired DelhiHigh Court judge as the sole arbitrator. When the government was called to accept this, it said that the arbitrator’s nomination violated one of the tender conditions that said an officer in the Law Ministry, appointed by the MHA Secretary, would be the arbitrator in case of a dispute.
• Thus, Glock challenged this clause in the agreement, which allowed a government officer to resolve the difference between the two parties as an arbitrator, as one party here was the MHA itself.
• A performance bank guarantee, similar to a letter of credit, is the bank’s promise that it will meet the debtor’s liabilities, provided that he fails to meet the contractual obligations.
• A letter of credit is essentially a financial contract between a bank, a bank’s customer and a beneficiary. Generally issued by an importer’s bank, the letter of credit guarantees the beneficiary will be paid once the conditions of the letter of credit have been met.
• Letters of credit are used to minimize risk in international trade transactions where the buyer and the seller may not know one another.

What did the court hold?

• One of the major grounds of the challenge given under Section 12(5) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, says that notwithstanding any prior agreement, any person whose relationship with the parties or counsel of the dispute falls under any of the categories in the Seventh Schedule will be ineligible to be appointed as an arbitrator.
• The Seventh Schedule includes relationships where the arbitrator is an employee, consultant, advisor, or has any other past or present business relationship with a party.
• Deciding the case in Glock’s favour, the court observed that the arbitration clause allowed a “serving employee of the Union of India, a party to the contract, to nominate a serving employee of the Union of India as the Sole Arbitrator.” Holding this to be in conflict with Section 12(5), the court allowed the present application.
• The court also appointed former SC judge Justice Indu Malhotra “as the Sole Arbitrator to adjudicate upon the disputes” in the case.
• Referring to the recommendation of the 246th Law Commission Report, which dealt with the issue of contracts with government entities, the court observed that when the party appointing an arbitrator is the State, “the duty to appoint an impartial and independent adjudicator is even more onerous.”
• Thus, the court rejected the Centre’s reliance on Article 299, saying, “Article 299 only lays down the formality that is necessary to bind the government with contractual liability” and not “the substantial law relating to the contractual liability of the Government”, which is to be found in the general laws of the land.

Article 299 of the Constitution:

• Article 298 grants the Centre and the state governments the power to carry on trade or business, acquire, hold, and dispose of property, and make contracts for any purpose,
• Article 299 delineates the manner in which these contracts will be concluded.
• Articles 298 and 299 came after the Constitution came into effect and the government entered into contracts even in the pre-independence era.
• According to the Crown Proceedings Act of 1947, the Crown could not be sued in court for a contract it entered into.
• Article 299 of the Constitution provides that “all contracts made in the exercise of the executive power of the Union or of a State shall be expressed to be made by the President or by the Governor of the State” and that all such contracts and “assurances of property made in the exercise of that power shall be executed” on behalf of the President or the Governor by persons in a manner as directed and authorised by them.
• Further, the phrase ‘expressed to be made and executed’ under Article 299 (1) means that there must be a deed or contract in writing and that it should be executed by a person duly authorised by the President of the Governor on their behalf.
• The objective behind Article 299(1), as per the 1954 top court ruling in ‘Chatturbhuj Vithaldas Jasani v. Moreshwar Parashram & Ors’, is that there must be a definite procedure according to which contracts must be made by agents acting on the government’s behalf; otherwise, public funds may be depleted by unauthorized or illegitimate contracts. It implies that contracts not adhering to the manner given in Article 299(1) cannot be enforced by any contracting party.
• However, Article 299 (2) says that essentially, neither the President nor the Governor can be personally held liable for such contracts.

What are the requirements for government or state contracts?

• In its judgement, the court referred to its 1966 ruling in ‘K.P. Chowdhry v. State of Madhya Pradesh. And Others’, which laid down essential requirements for government contracts under Article 299.
• In that ruling, the top court had reiterated three conditions to be met before a binding contract against the government could arise, namely:

(i)the contract must be expressed to be made by the Governor or the Governor-General

(ii) it must be executed in writing

(iii) the execution should be by such persons and in such manner as the Governor or the Governor-General might direct or authorise.

• Prior to this, the Apex Court, in its 1962 ruling in ‘State of Bihar v. Messrs. Karam Chand Thapar’, had laid down these three conditions too.

3. A COMMEMORATIVE COIN OF RS 75 DENOMINATION ON INAUGURATION OF NEW PARLIAMENT

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

CONTEXT: To mark the inauguration of the new Parliament building, Prime Minster released a commemorative coin of Rs 75 denomination. In a notification released ,the Ministry of Finance first announced the launch of the coin. “The coin of Seventy-Five Rupees denomination shall be coined at the Mint for issue under the authority of the Central Government.

EXPLANATION:

• India has been issuing commemorative coins since the 1960s for several reasons such as paying homage to notable personalities, spreading awareness about government schemes, or remembering key historic events.
• The country released its first commemorative coin in 1964 in honour of Jawaharlal Nehru, who had passed away that year.

Features of commemorative coin:

• As per the Ministry of Finance notification, the latest Rs 75 coin is circular in shape with a diameter of 44mm. The composition of the coin is of a quaternary alloy 50 per cent silver, 40 per cent copper, 5 per cent nickel and 5 per cent zinc.
• “The face of the coin shall bear the Lion Capitol of Ashoka Pillar in the centre, with the legend “सत्यमेि जयते” (Satyameva Jayate) inscribed below, flanked on the left periphery with the word “भारत” (Bharat) in Devnagri script and on the right periphery the word “INDIA” in English.
• It added that the other side of the coin displays an image of the new parliament building. The inscription “Sansad Sankul” is written in Devanagari script on the upper periphery while the words “Parliament Complex” in English on the lower periphery of the coin.
• If someone wants to acquire commemorative coins, they can do so by visiting the website of the Securities of Printing and Minting Corporation of India Limited (SPMCIL).
• The Coinage Act, 2011 gives the central government the power to design and mint coins in various denominations. In the case of coins, the role of the RBI is limited to the distribution of coins that are supplied by the central government.
• All coins are minted in the four mints owned by the Government of India in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Noida

Securities of Printing and Minting Corporation of India Limited (SPMCIL)

• It a wholly owned Schedule ‘A’ Miniratna Category-I company of Government of India, incorporated on 13th January, 2006.
• SPMCIL, technically a new entity, has centuries-old experience in Security Printing and Minting.
• The management, control, maintenance and operations of the erstwhile 9 production units under Currency and Coinage division, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Government of India, was transferred to SPMCIL on February 10, 2006.
• The Ministry of Finance exercises its administrative control over SPMCIL through Board of Directors.
• SPMCIL is engaged in the manufacture/ production of Currency and Bank Notes, Security Paper, Non-Judicial Stamp Papers, Postal Stamps & Stationery, Travel Documents viz. Passport and Visa, Security certificates, Cheques, Bonds, Warrant, Special Certificates with security features, Security Inks, Circulation & Commemorative Coins, Medallions, Refining of Gold & Silver, and Assay of Precious Metals.

Coinage Act, 2011

• The Coinage Act was enacted on 1^st September 2011 and it extends to the whole of India.
• The Coinage Act, 2011 was enacted to consolidate the laws in relation to coinage and the mints and its protection.
• The Act puts a strict bar on activities like melting, destruction, making or possession of the coins thereof for issue and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto
• RBI functions as an agent of the Government in the distribution of Coins. It is responsible for making decisions on the pattern, production and the all-inclusive management of the nation’s currency, with the aim of ensuring an adequate supply of clean and genuine notes.

Under the Act, the Government has the authority to —

• Establish a Mint at any place which may be managed by it or by any other person, upon whom the purpose is devolved
• Abolish any Mint.

4. GURU RAVIDAS

TAGS: GS 1: ART AND CULTURE

CONTEXT: In California, members of an under-the-radar, minority religious community are stepping into the public eye to advocate for making the state the first in the nation to outlaw caste bias. They are the Ravidassia followers of Ravidass, a 14th century Indian guru who preached caste and class equality. There are about 20,000 members of the community in California, most of them in the Central Valley.

EXPLANATION:

Guru Ravidass:

• Ravidass was born in the 14th century in a village near Varnasi, India, to a family of cobblers and tanners who belonged to the then-untouchable or leather-working caste known as “chamars.”
• Guru Ravidassbelonged to the lowest-rung of the caste system formerly considered untouchable and also known as Dalit, which means “broken” in Hindi.
• Ravidass was an Indian guru, mystic and poet who was one of the most renowned figures in the North Indian bhakti movement, which placed love and devotion to god above all and preached against the caste system.
• The Guru Granth Sahib, which is the sacred text of Sikhism, bears 40 verses or shabads of Ravidass.

Ravidassia temples:

• A Ravidassia place of worship is called a sabha, dera, gurdwara or gurughar, which could all be translated as temple.
• The temples serve a post-worship meal as Sikh gurdwaras also do, which is known as langar.
• Ravidassia temples often display idols and/or pictures of Guru Ravidass in the prayer halls.

The Ravidassia identity:

• Many male Ravidassia members wear long hair in a turban and carry Sikh articles of faith such as the kada or bracelet, kangha or wooden comb and kirpan, the sheathed, single-edged knife.
• Many men and women in the community also have Sikh last names Singh and Kaur.
• Idols and images of Ravidass, however, can only be seen in a Ravidass temple.
• In addition, the community celebrates the birthday of their guru, which typically falls in February. Many Ravidass temples also observe the birth anniversary of B.R. Ambedkar, the Indian Dalit rights icon whose given name was Bhimrao.
• The faith also has followers who are Hindu and those who are from different parts of India.
• Ravidassia community members in California are largely of Punjabi descent.

5. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF CONSUMPTION

TAGS: GS 3: ENVIRONMENT

CONTEXT: The ever-increasing demand for agricultural products is leading to significant social and environmental consequences worldwide. The expansion of international trade has created global supply chains, directly linking consumers to geographically-distant impacts, including carbon emissions, biodiversity loss, freshwater depletion, soil degradation and labour-rights issues – all of which have local, regional, and global relevance.
EXPLANATION:

• Due to its vast size and consumer market, India is a global anchor of the trade in agricultural products. It has also undergone remarkable social and economic development over the last several decades. This has led to an increasing demand as well as supply of these products.
• Large land areas in India are used to service the international demand for grains, fruits, and vegetables, among other products, which puts pressure on national soil and water resources. At the same time, India’s vast consumer market means that large amounts of land, even outside its borders, are used to satisfy domestic demand.

What is food-based impact accounting?

• The expansion of such imports has contributed to increasing the environmental pressure in the exporting countries.
• Tackling these demand-supply dynamics is now a key aspect of international environmental governance.
• The current paradigm in measuring impacts and allocating responsibility is based on a production-based accounting method: it measures impacts in the place where the products are produced.
• There are concerns about its limitations in managing ‘leaks’, fixing accountability, and ensuring equity and justice among producers and consumers.

What is consumption-based accounting?

• Consumption-based accounting accounts for impacts at the point of consumption, attributing all the social and environmental impacts that occurred during production and trade to the final products and to the eventual consumers.
• That is, the approach urges the consumer (whether social groups or countries) to accept responsibility for the embodied or ‘virtual’ impacts of the product that is being consumed.
• This approach has become prominent thanks to growing concerns around the divide between countries that are producers and those that are consumers, leading to a high degree of international co-dependence.

What is the demand perspective?

• From a demand perspective, the basis for this approach is straightforward: since the pressure on natural and human resources is largely the direct result of consumption practices in developed economies, the responsibility for any consequences due to the production process should fall on those consumers as well.
• A consumption-based approach thus highlights the responsibility of industrialised states to mitigate impact and the rights of developing economies to not carry an excexcessive burden. This is an extension of the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities that make up global climate governance.

What is the supply perspective?

• From a supply perspective, the proponents of consumption-based accounting claim that it can encourage cleaner production since producer countries are implicitly encouraged to implement strategies that lower the environmental footprint of their exports.
• The approach can also go a long way to fix ‘leaks’ in production systems, where production is often taken to jurisdictions that are relatively lenient about production standards (including India).

What are the benefits for environmental action?

• The application of this approach to estimate carbon emissions, in the form of embodied emissions, and water use, in the form of virtual water, has also been around in the scientific literature for some time, but has only recently made inroads into policy making.
• Even from a consumption-based accounting perspective, India finds itself in a unique position. Currently, major developed economies have an environmental footprint in India because of their consumption of Indian agricultural produce. Conversely, India’s own deforestation footprint outside its borders has increased over the last two decades and is rapidly growing, even if it remains below that of several G-20 countries on a per-capita basis.

1. RBI WITHDRAW 2000 NOTES FROM CIRCULATION

TAGS: GS 3: ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to withdraw the Rs 2000 denomination banknotes from circulation, but existing notes will continue to be legal tender.

EXPLANATION:

• The Rs 2000 note was introduced in November 2016 under Section 24(1) of The RBI Act, 1934, primarily with the objective of meeting the currency requirement of the economy expeditiously after the legal tender status of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes was withdrawn.
• With the fulfilment of that objective, and once notes of other denominations were available in adequate quantities, the printing of Rs 2000 notes was stopped in 2018-19.
• This denomination is no longer commonly used for transactions besides, there is adequate stock of banknotes in other denominations to meet currency requirements.
• In pursuance of the ‘Clean Note Policy’ of the Reserve Bank of India, it has been decided to withdraw the Rs 2000 denomination banknotes from circulation.

Clean Note Policy:

• Clean Note Policy seeks to give the public good-quality currency notes and coins with better security features, while soiled notes are withdrawn out of circulation.
• The RBI had earlier decided to withdraw from circulation all banknotes issued prior to 2005 as they have fewer security features as compared to banknotes printed after 2005.
• However, the notes issued before 2005 continue to be legal tender. They have only been withdrawn from circulation in conformity with the standard international practice of not having notes of multiple series in circulation at the same time.

What is Legal tender?

• Legal tender refers to a form of currency that can be in the form of a coin or a banknote that is recognised by law as an acceptable means for settling debts or obligations.
• The Government of India issues coins under Section 6 of The Coinage Act, 2011, which are considered legal tender for making payments or settling accounts, provided that the coins are undamaged and meet the prescribed weight requirements.
• Similarly, banknotes issued by the Reserve Bank of India, such as Rs 2, Rs 5, Rs 10, Rs 20, Rs 50, Rs 100, Rs 200, Rs 500, and Rs 2000, are legal tender throughout India and can be used for making payments or settling accounts based on the amount stated on the banknote.
• These banknotes are guaranteed by the Central Government, as per the provisions outlined in sub-section (2) of Section 26 of the RBI Act, 1934. Additionally, Rs 1 notes issued by the Government of India are also recognized as legal tender.

Legal Tender status of Rs 2000:

• Rs 2000 banknote will continue to maintain its legal tender status.
• Members of the public can continue to use Rs 2000 banknotes for their transactions and also receive them in payment.

Reserve bank of India:

• The Reserve Bank of India was established in the year 1935 in accordance with the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934. The Reserve Bank of India is the central Bank of India entrusted with the multidimensional role.
• It performs important monetary functions from issue of currency note to maintenance of monetary stability in the country.

Some Important Functions of Reserve bank of India:

1. Banker to Government: The Reserve Bank of India accepts and makes payment on behalf of Central Government. It carries out its exchange, remittance, management of public debt and other banking functions of the Central Government. The Central Government entrusts its money, remittance, exchange and banking transactions in India with the Reserve Bank of India. It deals in repo or reverse repo.
2. Right to Issue Bank note: The Reserve Bank of India has the sole right to issue bank notes in India. The banknotes are legal tender guaranteed by the Central Government. The issue of bank note is conducted by a separate department called issue department. The Central Government on the recommendation of Central Board specifies denomination of bank notes including discontinuance of bank notes. The Central Government approves design, form and material of Bank notes on consideration of recommendations of the Central Board.
3. Formulates Banking policy: The Reserve is empowered to formulate banking policy in the interest of the public or depositors banking policy in relation to advances and provide direction on the purpose of the advances, margins to be maintained in a secured advances, the maximum amount of advance may be made, the rate of interest, terms and conditions for advances or guarantees may be given.
4. Licensing Authority: The Reserve Bank of India is empowered to grant license to commence banking business in India, including the power to cancel a license granted to a banking company.
5. Banker’s Bank: The banks listed in second schedule and non schedule banks shall maintain a cash reserve ratio with the Reserve bank of India with a view to securing the monetary stability in the country. It provides loans and advances in foreign currency to scheduled Banks and to other financial institution. It purchases, sells or discount any bill of exchange or promissory note or makes a loan or advances to schedule bank.

2. RADIOMETRIC DATING

TAGS: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: New study shows a way to use calcium-41 the same way carbon-14 has been used in carbon-dating, but with several advantages.

EXPLANATION:

• Since its invention in 1947, carbon dating has revolutionised many fields of science by allowing scientists to estimate the age of an organic material based on how much carbon-14 it contains.
• However, carbon-14 has a half-life of 5,700 years, so the technique can’t determine the age of objects older than around 50,000 years.
• In 1979, scientists suggested using calcium-41, with a half-life of 99,400 years.
• It’s produced when cosmic rays from space smash into calcium atoms in the soil, and is found in the earth’s crust, opening the door to dating fossilised bones and rock.

What is Radiometric Dating?

• When an organic entity is alive, its body keeps absorbing and losing carbon-14 atoms. When it dies, this process stops and the extant carbon-14 starts to decay away.
• Using the difference between the relative abundance of these atoms in the body and the number that should’ve been there, researchers can estimate when the entity died.
• A significant early issue with carbon dating was to detect carbon-14 atoms, which occur once in around 10 to 12 carbon atoms. Calcium-41 is rarer, occurring once in around 10 to 15 calcium atoms.
• In a new study, Scientist pitched a technique called Atom-Trap Trace Analysis (ATTA) as a solution.
• ATTA is sensitive enough to spot these atoms; specific enough to not confuse them for other similar atoms; and fits on a tabletop.

How does Atom-Trap Trace Analysis (ATTA) work?

• A sample is vaporised in an oven and the atoms in the vapour are laser-cooled and loaded into a cage made of light and magnetic fields.
• As it is known that atom, an electron in one orbital can transition to the next if it’s given a specific amount of energy; then it jumps back by releasing that energy.
• In ATTA, a laser’s frequency is tuned such that it imparts the same energy as required for an electron transition in calcium-41. The electrons absorb and release this energy, revealing the presence of their atoms.
• ATTA’s success is due to innovations with lasers as laser power is a lot higher, and laser frequency control is better.
• ATTA also avoids potassium-41 atoms, which are similar to calcium-41 atoms but lack the same electron transition.
• It can also be modified to study isotopes of some noble gases that have defied techniques developed for carbon-14, such as argon-39, krypton-81, and krypton-85.

What are the applications of ATTA + calcium-41?

• The successful application of ATTA to a calcium isotope now opens the possibility of extension to other metal isotopes.
• It can be used in an earth-science application. In warmer climate, glaciers retreat and allow rock below to accumulate calcium-41. In colder climate, glaciers advance and block the calcium-41 from reaching the rock. Here, ATTA can be used to study how long some rock has been covered by ice.

3. ROW OVER POWER OF THE DELHI LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR UNDER ARTICLE 239AA

TAGS: GS 2: GOVERNANCE

THE CONTEXT: The Centre promulgated an ordinance extending powers to the Delhi Lieutenant Governor over services in the administration of the national capital, which essentially involves the power to transfer and appoint bureaucrats posted to Delhi. Also, Central government moved the Supreme Court filing a review petition against the Court’s judgment that gave control over the subject of administrative services to the Delhi government.

EXPLANATION:

• Central government promulgated an ordinance to create a National Capital Civil Service Authority, empowered to recommend transfers, postings and disciplinary actions relating to all Group A and DANICS officers (Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep, Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli civil services).
• The Ordinance is aimed at nullifying the effect of the Constitution Bench’s verdict, which gave the Delhi government power over administrative services in the capital.

Article 239AA of the Constitution:

• It was inserted into the Constitution by the 69th Amendment Act, 1991.
• It conferred special status on Delhi following the recommendations of the S Balakrishnan Committee that was set up in 1987 to look into Delhi’s demands for statehood.
• According to this provision, the NCT of Delhi will have an administrator and a Legislative Assembly.
• Legislative Assembly, “shall have the power to make laws for the whole or any part of the NCT with respect to any of the matters in the State List or Concurrent List in so far as any such matter is applicable to Union territories,” except on the subjects of police, public order, and land.

Supreme Court about Article 239AA:

• SC interpreted Article 239AA, the provision that deals with the governance structure of Delhi, that underlines principles of federalism, participatory democracy, and collective responsibility.
• Two Constitution Benches of the Supreme Court, in July 2018 and May 2023, have dealt with the issue of the powers of the Delhi government. Both of these judgments involve the interpretation of Article 239AA of the Constitution, which deals with the governance structure of the national capital.
• In the majority ruling in 2018, the Constitution bench held that although Delhi could not be accorded the status of a state, the concept of federalism would still apply to it.
• The 2018 ruling said that with the introduction of Article 239AA in the Constitution, Parliament envisaged a “representative form of Government” for Delhi while seeking to provide a directly elected Legislative Assembly with legislative powers over matters within the State List and the Concurrent List. It also sought to mandate the Lieutenant Governor to act on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers, except when he decides to refer the matter to the President for a final decision.
• The dispute over whether the Lieutenant Governor or the Chief Minister would have powers over these administrative services in Delhi went to the Supreme Court and a judgment was delivered recently.
• The ruling on May 5 places three constitutional principles – representative democracy, federalism and accountability – to an elected government within the interpretation of Article 239AA.
• The Bench in 2023 held that NCTD (Delhi), just like other states, represents the representative form of government”. However, it outlined that “the involvement of the Union of India in the administration of NCTD is limited by constitutional provisions, and any further expansion would be contrary to the constitutional scheme of governance.

Review petition:

• Constitution, under Article 137, gives the Supreme Court the power to review any of its judgments or orders.
• The court has the power to review its rulings to correct a “patent error” and not “minor mistakes of inconsequential import”.
• It is not necessary that only parties to a case can seek a review of the judgment on it. As per the Civil Procedure Code and the Supreme Court Rules, any person aggrieved by a ruling can seek a review.
• As per 1996 rules framed by the Supreme Court, a review petition must be filed within 30 days of the date of judgment or order.

In a 2013 ruling, the Supreme Court itself laid down three grounds for seeking a review of a verdict it has delivered:

1. The discovery of new and important matter or evidence which, after the exercise of due diligence, was not within the knowledge of the petitioner or could not be produced by him
2. Mistake or error apparent on the face of the record
3. Any other sufficient reason. In subsequent rulings, the court specified that “any sufficient reason” means a reason that is comparable to the other two grounds.

4. STARS PROGRAM

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT: Ministry of Education and World Bank organized a one of its kind workshop on School-to-Work Transition under the STARS Program.

EXPLANATION:

Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States (STARS) Project

• It was approved in October 2020 and it became effective on 23rd February 2021 for a period of five years i.e. up to FY 2024-25.
• It builds on the partnership between India and the World Bank for strengthening public school education and to support the country’s goal of providing ‘Education for All’.
• STARS project would be implemented as a new Centrally Sponsored Scheme under Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education.
• The STARS Project is being implemented in six identified States viz. Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala.
• The STARS Program is carved out of Samagra Shiksha, with a focus on those elements of the scheme that will most directly support school education enhancement.

Aims:

• It seeks to support the states in developing, implementing, evaluating and improving interventions with direct linkages to improved education outcomes and school to work transition strategies for improved labour market outcomes.
• The overall focus and components of the STARS project are aligned with the objectives of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 of Quality Based Learning Outcomes.
• The Project envisions improving the overall monitoring and measurement activities in the Indian School Education System through interventions in selected states.
• The project shifts focus from the provision of inputs and maintaining of outputs to actual outcomes by linking the receipt and disbursement of funds to these outcomes.
• The STARS project also aims to focus on initiatives of PM e-Vidya, Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Mission and National Curricular and Pedagogical Framework for Early Childhood Care and Education as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.

The STARS Project has two major components:

At the national level, the project envisages the following interventions which will benefit all states and UTs:

• To strengthen MOE’s national data systems to capture robust and authentic data on retention, transition and completion rates of students.
• To support MOE in improving states PGI scores by incentivizing states governance reform agenda through SIG (State Incentive Grants).
• To support the strengthening of learning assessment systems.
• To support MOE’s efforts to establish a National Assessment Center (PARAKH). Among the tasks of such a center would be to leverage the experiences of states selected for the operation by collecting, curating and sharing these experiences with other states through online portals (e.g. Shagun and DIKSHA), social and other media engagement, technical workshops, state visits and conferences.

At the State level, the project envisages:

• Strengthening Early Childhood Education and Foundational Learning
• Improving Learning Assessment Systems
• Strengthening classroom instruction and remediation through teacher development and school leadership
• Governance and Decentralized Management for Improved Service Delivery.
• Strengthening Vocational education in schools through mainstreaming, career guidance and counselling, internships and coverage of out of school children

Some of the measurable outcomes of the project:

• Increase in students achieving minimum proficiency in grade 3 language in selected states
• Improvement in secondary school completion rate
• Improvement in governance index scores
• Strengthened learning assessment systems
• Partnerships developed to facilitate cross-learning between states
• Strengthened school management by training of Head Teachers and Principals for improved education service delivery.

Samagra Shiksha

• It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme launched in 2018 under Ministry of Education.
• It is an overarching programme for the school education sector extending from pre-school to class 12 has been, therefore, prepared with the broader goal of improving school effectiveness measured in terms of equal opportunities for schooling and equitable learning outcomes.
• It subsumes the three erstwhile Schemes of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and Teacher Education (TE).
• The major objectives of the Scheme:

1. provision of quality education and enhancing learning outcomes of students
2. Bridging Social and Gender Gaps in School Education
3. Ensuring equity and inclusion at all levels of school education; Ensuring minimum standards in schooling provisions
4. Promoting Vocationalisation of education; Support States in implementation of Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009
5. Strengthening and up-gradation of SCERTs/State Institutes of Education and DIET as a nodal agencies for teacher training.

5. ELECTION AND AIRWAVES

TAGS: GS 2: ELECTIONS

THE CONTEXT: In the recently-concluded Karnataka Assembly elections, political parties were provided free airtime on public broadcasters, All India Radio (Akashvani) and Doordarshan during elections.

EXPLANATION:

• The allotment was available to six recognised national parties Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Indian National Congress (INC), the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), the National People’s Party (NPP), the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and one recognised State party, the Janata Dal (Secular).
• The parties were allocated a base time of 45 minutes and additional slots based on performance in previous polls.

What is the rationale of the scheme?

• It is available to both national and recognised State parties.
• The facility to provide free airtime for political parties during elections was given statutory basis through the 2003 amendment to the Representation of People Act, 1951.
• The Supreme Court, in its famed judgment (The Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting vs Cricket Association of Bengal and ANR, 1995), held that airwaves are public property, and its use should serve the greater public good.

Working of the scheme:

• Time vouchers are distributed by a lottery system by the Election Commission in a transparent process to obviate any preferential treatment in getting primetime slots.
• The transcripts of political parties are vetted to ensure that they adhere to relevant codes.
• These codes proscribe any content which are inter alia critical of other countries, attack religions or other communities or incites violence and personal attacks.
• In case of any disagreements over the content of the script as vetted by the public broadcaster, it is referred to an Apex Committee comprising members from Akashvani and DD whose decision is final.
• The guidelines by the Election Commission of India (ECI) also require that a maximum of two panel discussions are also aired by Akashvani and DD.

Background:

• Since 1998, national and state parties have been getting a minimum of 45 minutes’ airtime each on DD and AIR channels that cover the area where elections are due, and additional time according to their performance in the preceding poll.
• This is spread out in a maximum of 15-minute slots per session and continues for the period between the last day of filing nominations and the end of the campaign. This is paid for by the public exchequer. The time given to parties was doubled before the Assembly polls last year to promote virtual campaigning.
• The regulations on party broadcasts on public frequencies disallow

1. a) Criticism of other countries
2. b) Attack on religions or communities
3. c) Anything obscene or defamatory
4. d) Incitement of violence
5. e) Anything amounting to contempt of court
6. f) Aspersion against the integrity of the President and Judiciary
7. g) Anything affecting the unity, sovereignty and integrity of the Nation
8. h) Any criticism by name of any person.

Comparison around the World:

• Elections being the lifeblood of a democracy, the misuse or abuse of airwaves to gain unfair electoral advantage is a key regulatory apprehension of governments around the world.
• In the U.S., the Federal Communications Commission, which regulates the electronic media in the country, devised the fairness doctrine to keep electioneering on the airwaves equitable. The now defunct fairness doctrine placed a positive obligation on broadcasters who carry political content of one candidate on its programme to extend the same to another candidate in the electoral fray.
• In the U.K., political parties are allocated designated slots by Parliament, called the party political broadcasts (PPBs) to convey important political information to the people. The British Communication watchdog, Ofcom, is responsible for ensuring that PPBs are included in every licensed public service television channel and commercial radio services.