1. CLIMATE RESILIENT PLANTS

TAG: GS 3: ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: In the biodiversity hotspot Western Ghats, researchers have found 62 species of plants that can withstand harsh environments and can survive extreme dehydration.

EXPLANATION:

Desiccation-tolerant (DT) vascular plants

• The species that can withstand harsh environments and can survive extreme dehydration are called as desiccation-tolerant (DT) vascular plants. It has potential applications in agriculture, particularly in areas where water is scarce.
• Genes of these desiccation-tolerant vascular plants can be used to create a high-temperature tolerant variety of crops to improve climate resilience and ensure food security.
• They are usually found in rocky outcrops in the tropics and can recover quickly when water supplies are restored.
• Out of the 62 species identified, 16 are endemic to India, while 12 are exclusive to Western Ghats outcrops.
• DT plant varieties are found in both flowering and non-flowering species and in both temperate and tropical climates. The global population of these species ranges between 300 and 1,500.
• India now has nine new generic records for the global list. They are identified as Pyrrosia, Aleuritopteris, Corallodiscus, Arundinella, Bhidea, Bothriochloa, Danthonidium, Dimeria and Glyphochloa.
• The findings revealed that Indian desiccation-tolerant plants are spread mainly in rock outcrops and partially shaded tree trunks inside the forests. Ferricretes (layers of sedimentary rock) and basaltic plateaus seemed to be the preferred habitats.

Adaptability of different species:

• To adapt to extreme conditions, these plant species develop adaptive strategies to survive through morphological and physiological traits.
• Hydration and desiccation tolerance are two commonly studied strategies for plants in extreme habitats. Hydration is a condition where plant tissues can tolerate more than 30 per cent of water content. But in desiccation, plants undergo longer dry days during which the moisture content of the leaves is the same as in the air.
• Species like Indopoa pauperculaand Dimeria preferred boulders, gravelly patches, cryptogamic crusts, shallow and deep soil depressions.
• Colour changes and morphological characteristics were also observed in the species. It was found that Tripogon species changed colours from greyish in dry conditions to green in hydrated situations while turning orange to brownish yellow at the beginning of greening.
• In another species, Oropetium thomaeum, the leaf cloud changed from green in the hydrated phase to dark purple or orange and ranged from greyish to ash colour during the period of desiccation.

Source: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/wildlife-biodiversity/over-60-species-of-plants-that-can-survive-extreme-dehydration-found-in-western-ghats-90725

2. THE PRESS AND REGISTRATION OF PERIODICALS BILL, 2023 AND THE MEDIATION BILL, 2021

TAG: GS 2: POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

THE CONTEXT: The Union cabinet cleared both the Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023 and the Mediation Bill, 2021. The bills have now been reworked to incorporate suggestions from a Parliamentary panel.

EXPLANATION:

Mediation Bill, 2021:

• The bill has been proposed by the Ministry of Law and Justice.
• The idea of the bill is to find an efficient way of dispute resolution and free up the judiciary of avoidable litigation.
• The Mediation Bill includes a framework for settling civil or commercial disputes through mediation before parties approach a court or tribunal.
• Under the bill, Mediation Council of India will be set up.  Its functions include registering mediators and recognising mediation service providers and mediation institutes (which train and certify mediators). The Mediation Council requires prior approval from the central government before issuing regulations related to its essential functions.
• A party may withdraw from mediation after two mediation sessions.   The mediation process must be completed within 180 days, which may be extended by another 180 days by the parties.
• The Bill lists disputes that are not fit for mediation (such as those involving criminal prosecution or affecting the rights of third parties).   The central government may amend this list.
• If the parties agree, they may appoint any person as a mediator.  If not, they may apply to a mediation service provider to appoint a person from its panel of mediators.
• Agreements resulting from mediation will be binding and enforceable in the same manner as court judgments.
• The Bill makes participation in pre-litigation mediation mandatory. Mediation is a voluntary dispute-resolution process.
• The Bill applies to international mediations only if they are conducted in India.  It does not provide for enforcement of settlement agreements resulting from international mediation conducted outside India.

Benefits of the bill:

• Can spread awareness of mediation
• A less time-consuming method
• More affordable way to settle conflicts
• Increase peace and harmony
• Reduce the burden on courts by enabling out-of-court settlements.
• May help reduce pendency and the slow disposal rate in courts.

Criticism:

• Mandatory pre-suit negotiations which demonstrates the Bill’s coercive nature, which will cause delays and pending mediation cases.
• The Bill is applicable to commercial disputes but is non applicable to disputes/matters of non commercial nature involving the government and its agencies.
• The international mediation will only be taken into consideration if it is held in India.

Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023:

• The bill has been proposed bythe Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
• It will replace the 155-year-old ‘Press and Registration of Books Act of 1867’ with simplified legislation that de-criminalises various provisions and brings digital media under its ambit.
• It seeks to provide a simple online system for registration of periodicals with the Registrar of Newspapers for India.
• It also seeks to do away with two provisions that required the publishers and printers to file a declaration before the district magistrate.
• It also seeks to do away with the penal provisions of the PRB Act, which made improper declaration of information a punishable offence with a prison term of up to six months.
• The new Bill also provides for an appellate authority.
• Currently, a person wanting to start a newspaper has to submit an application to the district collector, who sends it to the Registrar of Newspapers in India (RNI) to check for title availability.
• The registration process moves forward only after the RNI conveys the availability of the title to the collector, who then administers the oath to the person keen on starting the newspaper as per provisions of the PRB Act.
• The new Bill also seeks to move this process of checking title availability online, thereby reducing the time required for registration of newspapers and periodicals significantly.

Benefits:

• Maintaining a credible directory of active publications.
• Provide for a simple online system for registration of periodicals.
• Bring transparency and ease of doing business.
• Reduce the time required for registration of newspapers and periodicals by checking title availability online.

Criticism:

• The Bill is being criticised as draconian as it has provisions to control the media.
• Lack of independence: The Bill is seen as increasing curbs on independent journalism.
• Increased penalties: It can discourage media and publishing of significant articles.

Press and Registration of Books (PRB) Act, 1867:

• It governs the registration of the print and publishing industry in the country.
• The Act was passed in the year 1867 when India was under the colonial rule.
• Therefore, it definitely had a dubious agenda. It was aimed at curbing free speech by introducing several procedural requirements if an individual wanted to start publication of any book, newspaper etc. In fact, violation of these trivial procedures rendered the entire publication unlawful. Despite attaining independence, the law continues to operate
• According to its statement of object and reasons, the act aims to

(a) regulate printing press and newspapers in India

(b) preserve copies of books and newspapers printed in India

 (c) provide for the registration of books and newspapers.

• ‘Book’ for the purposes of the Act includes even a pamphlet and every sheet of music, map, chart etc. Interestingly, electronic media is outside the purview of this act.

Registrar of Newspapers in India (RNI)  

• Also known as the Office of the Registrar of the Newspapers for India is a Government of India statutory body of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
• It is the main office for the registration of the publications, such as newspapers and magazines in India.
• It was established on 1 July 1956, on the recommendation of the First Press Commission in 1953 and by amending the Press and Registration of Books Act 1867.
• The Office of the Registrar of Newspapers for India is headquartered in New Delhi.
• It regulates and monitors the printing and publication of newspapers based on the Press and Registration of Books Act of 1867 and the Registration of Newspapers (Central) Rules, 1956.

Source: https://www.livemint.com/news/india/cabinet-nod-for-press-mediation-bills-11689790147865.html

3. INDUS WATERS TREATY

TAG: GS 2: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

THE CONTEXT: The Indus Waters Treaty is cited by many as an example of cooperation between two unfriendly neighbours for many reasons but in the last decade, issues are arising out of the treaty.

EXPLANATION:

Issues involved:

• The Indus Waters Treaty (1960) regulates the Indus water courses between the two riparian states of India and Pakistan.
• IWT have survived several wars and phases of bitter relations, and its laying down of detailed procedures and criteria for dispute resolution.
• But in the last decade, exercising judicial recourse to settle the competing claims and objections arising out of the run-of-river hydroelectric projects on the tributaries of the rivers that flow into Pakistan has increased.
• In January 2023, Pakistan initiated arbitration at the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration to address the interpretation of the IWT to certain design elements of two run-of-river hydroelectric projects on the Kishanganga and Ratle.
• India raised objections as it views that the Court of Arbitration is not competent to consider the questions put to it by Pakistan and that such questions should instead be decided through the neutral expert process.
• On July 6, 2023, the court unanimously passed a decision (which is binding on both parties without appeal) rejecting each of India’s objections. The court determined that it is competent to consider and determine the disputes set forth in Pakistan’s request for arbitration.

Indus Waters Treaty 

• It was signed in 1960 after nine years of negotiations between India and Pakistan with the help of the World Bank, which is also a signatory.
• The Treaty allocates the Western Rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab) to Pakistan and the Eastern Rivers (Ravi, Beas, Sutlej) to India.
• At the same time, the Treaty allows each country certain uses on the rivers allocated to the other.
• The Treaty sets out a mechanism for cooperation and information exchange between the two countries regarding their use of the rivers, known as the Permanent Indus Commission, which has a commissioner from each country.
• The IWT requires Pakistan that it is under obligation to let flow and shall not permit any interference with the waters of the eastern rivers.
• India is also obligated to let flow all the waters of the western rivers and shall not permit any interference with these waters except for certain uses, which include the generation of hydroelectric power on the rivers and tributaries of the western rivers before they flow into Pakistan.
• The Treaty also sets forth distinct procedures to handle issues which may arise: “questions” are handled by the Commission; “differences” are to be resolved by a Neutral Expert; and “disputes” are to be referred to an ad hoc arbitral tribunal called the “Court of Arbitration.”
• As a signatory to the Treaty, the World Bank’s role is limited and procedural.
• In particular, its role in relation to “differences” and “disputes” is limited to the designation of individuals to fulfil certain roles in the context of Neutral Expert or Court of Arbitration proceedings when requested by either or both of the Parties.

Way forward:

• In an atmosphere of a lack of trust, judicial recourse appears to be the only rational strategy by the IWT parties. But it is not likely to address the rapidly growing industrial needs of the two countries, apart from food and energy needs.
• Reconciling this divergent approach can be sought with the help of two cardinal principles of international water courses law accompanying binding obligations, i.e., equitable and reasonable utilisation (ERU) and the principle not to cause significant harm or no harm rule (NHR).
• The states need to be guided by the factors mentioned in Article 6 of the Convention on the Law of the Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses 1997, including climate change.
• World Bank, which is a party to the IWT, may use its forum to forge a transnational alliance of epistemic communities to build convergent state policies, resulting in the ultimate inclusion of these two principles in the IWT.

Permanent Court of Arbitration:

• It is a non-UN intergovernmental organization located in The Hague, Netherlands.
• PCA provides services of arbitral tribunal to resolve disputes that arise out of international agreements between member states, international organizations or private parties.
• The cases span a range of legal issues involving territorial and maritime boundaries, sovereignty, human rights, international investment, and international and regional trade.
• The PCA is constituted through two separate multilateral conventions with a combined membership of 122 states. It is not a United Nations agency but a United Nations observer.

Source:https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/more-than-court-action-revisit-the-indus-waters-treaty/article67098290.ece

4. BLACK SEA GRAIN INITIATIVE

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

THE CONTEXT: India has voiced support for the U.N.’s efforts in continuing the Black Sea Grain initiative and expressed hope for an early resolution.

EXPLANATION:

• Earlier, Russia announced it was terminating the implementation of the U.N.-brokered deal that allowed the export of grain and related foodstuffs and fertilisers from Ukrainian ports.
• Addressing the U.N. General Assembly’s annual debate on the ‘Situation in the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine’ on Tuesday, India’s Permanent Representative to the U.N.

supported the efforts of the U.N. Secretary-General in continuing the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

• The World Food Programme (WFP) has shipped more than 725,000 tonnes to support humanitarian operations relieving hunger in some of the hardest-hit corners of the world, including Afghanistan, Horn of Africa and Yemen.
• N. Secretary-General Highlighted the initiative ensured the safe passage of over 32 million metric tonnes of food commodities from Ukrainian ports.

Black Sea Grain Initiative:

• The initiative was negotiated by the United Nations (UN) and Turkey and was signed in Istanbul in July 2023.
• Initially stipulated for a period of 120 days, with an option to extend or terminate thereafter in November.
• It aims to provide a safe maritime humanitarian corridor for Ukrainian exports (particularly for food grains) from three of its key ports, namely, Chornomorsk, Odesa and Yuzhny/Pivdennyi.
• The central idea was to calm markets by ensuring an adequate supply of grains, thereby limiting food price inflation.
• Ukraine is among the largest exporters of wheat, maize, rapeseed, sunflower seeds and sunflower oil globally. Its access to the deep-sea ports in the Black Sea enables it to directly approach Russia and Europe along with grain importers from the Middle East and North Africa.

Other broad features of the initiative: 

• The deal put in place a Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) comprising senior representatives from Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and the UN for oversight and coordination.
• All commercial ships are required to register directly with the JCC to ensure appropriate monitoring, inspection and safe passage.
• Inbound and outbound ships (to the designated corridor) transit as per a schedule accorded by the JCC post-inspection. This is done so as to ensure there is no unauthorised cargo or personnel onboard. Following this, they are allowed to sail onwards to Ukrainian ports for loading through the designated corridor.
• All ships, once inside the Ukrainian territorial waters, are subject to the nation’s authority and responsibility.
• Moreover, in order to avoid provocations and untoward incidents, it is mandated that monitoring be done remotely. No military ships or unmanned aerial vehicles can approach the corridor closer than a pre-decided distance agreed upon by the JCC. This, too, would require consultation with the parties and authorisation of the JCC.
• In the event of non-compliance or suspicious activities, upon the request of a party, the JCC would provide assistance to the crew or conduct an inspection against security guarantees.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-supports-uns-efforts-in-continuing-black-sea-grain-initiative-hope-for-early-resolution-to-present-impasse-ambassador-kamboj/article67097359.ece#:~:text=India%20has%20voiced%20support%20for,and%20related%20foodstuffs%20and%20fertilisers

5. HENLEY PASSPORT INDEX

TAG: GS 2: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

THE CONTEXT: India has climbed seven places on the Henley Passport Index 2023 to 80th rank from 87 last year though the number of countries allowed visa-free access to Indian passport holders remains unchanged.

EXPLANATION:

Findings of the ranking:

• Progress of India: In 2014, India ranked 76 with 52 countries allowing Indian passport holders visa-free access, but its performance has not been linear. It ranked 88 in 2015 (visa-free access to 51 countries), 85 in 2016, 87 in 2017, 81 in 2018, 82 in 2019 and 2020, and 81 in 2021.
• Japan, which occupied the top position on the Henley Passport Index for five years, dropped to the third place. It was replaced by Singapore, which is now officially the most powerful passport in the world, with its citizens able to visit 192 travel destinations out of 227 around the world visa-free.
• Germany, Italy, and Spain occupy the second place. Alongside Japan in the third position are Austria, Finland, France, Luxembourg, South Korea, and Sweden.
• The U.K. climbed two places to occupy the fourth place, while the U.S. continued its decade-long slide down the index, dropping two places to the eighth spot.
• The Top 20 ‘most open’ countries are all small island nations or African states, except for Cambodia.
• There are 12 completely open countries that offer visa-free or visa-on-arrival entry to all 198 passports in the world, namely: Burundi, Comoro Islands, Djibouti, Guinea-Bissau, Maldives, Micronesia, Mozambique, Rwanda, Samoa, Seychelles, Timor-Leste, and Tuvalu.

About the Index:

• The Henley Passport Index is the ranking of all the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa.
• The Index is brought out by Henley and Partners. It started in 2006 as Henley & Partners Visa Restrictions Index (HVRI) and was changed and renamed in January 2018.
• The index is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and enhanced by Henley & Partners’ research team.
• The Henley Passport Index compares the visa-free access of 199 different passports to 227 travel destinations.
• All destinations that are in the IATA database are considered by the index.
• The number of countries that a specific passport can access becomes its visa-free “score”.
• If no visa is required, then a score with value = 1 is created for that passport. The same applies if you can obtain a visa on arrival, a visitor’s permit, or an electronic travel authority (ETA) when entering the destination.
• Where a visa is required, or where a passport holder has to obtain a government-approved electronic visa (e-Visa) before departure, a score with value = 0 is assigned. This also applies if you need pre-departure government approval for a visa on arrival.
• The total score for each passport is equal to the number of destinations for which no visa is required (value = 1).

International Air Transport Association (IATA):

• IATA was formed in April 1945 in Havana, Cuba. It is the successor to the International Air Traffic Association, which was formed in 1919 in The Hague, Netherlands. At its founding, IATA consisted of 57 airlines from 31 countries.
• It is headquartered in Montreal, Canada, with executive offices in Geneva, Switzerland.
• IATA has been described as a cartel; in addition to setting technical standards for airlines, IATA also organized tariff conferences that served as a forum for price fixing.
• It consists of 300 airlines, primarily major carriers, representing 117 countries; the IATA’s member airlines account for carrying approximately 83% of total available seat miles air traffic.
• IATA supports airline activity and helps formulate industry policy and standards.

Source:https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-secures-80th-rank-on-henley-passport-index/article67098698.ece#:~:text=India%20has%20climbed%20seven%20places,Indian%20passport%20holders%20remain%20unchanged

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:

Factors	Kharif Crops	Rabi Crops
Temperature	Kharif crops require warm temperatures	Rabi crops are grown in cool temperatures.
Season	The ideal farming season for these crops is early summer and mid-summer.	These crops are generally cultivated in the months of October to December.
Water requirements	Kharif crops generally have more water requirements.	Rabi crops don’t require too much water supply.
Crops duration	Kharif crops have a short harvesting duration. This is why farmers have two harvests of many crops in one farming season.	As compared to  Kharif crops, the crop growth cycle of  Rabi crops is longer. Most of the rabi crops only yield one harvest per season.
Ideal Region	The ideal geographical regions for these crops are plains and topical parts of India.	They are mostly grown in hilly areas of Northern India as temperatures in these regions are cooler than in the rest of India.

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. THE QUESTION OF ENFORCEMENT DIRECTORATE (ED) TENURE

TAGS: GS 2: POLITY AND GOVERNANCE; PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

CONTEXT: Supreme Court said it might revisit its 2021 ruling that the tenure of a superannuated officer may be extended only in exceptional circumstances. The Supreme Court will decide whether the Central Vigilance Commission (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 and the Delhi Special Police Establishment (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021, which allow the Union to extend the tenure of the ED Directors, are unconstitutional.

EXPLANATION:

• The Directorate of Enforcement was established in the year 1956 with its headquarters in New Delhi. The Directorate is under the administrative control of the Department of Revenue for operational purposes.
• The Directorate of Enforcement is a multi-disciplinary organization mandated with the investigation of the offence of money laundering and violations of foreign exchange laws.
• It is responsible for the enforcement of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA) and certain provisions under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
• The policy aspects of the FEMA, its legislation and its amendments are within the purview of the Department of Economic Affairs. Policy issues pertaining to PML Act, however, are the responsibility of the Department of Revenue.
• Before FEMA became effective (1 June 2000), the Directorate enforced regulations under the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, of 1973.

Tenure of Director of Enforcement:

• In November 2021, the President of India promulgated ordinances allowing the Centre to extend the tenures of the directorsof the Enforcement Directorate from two years to up to five years.
• TheDelhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act, 1946 have been amended to give the government the power to keep the chief in post for one year after they have completed their two-year terms.
• The Chief of the Central Agency currently has a fixed two-year tenure, butcan now be given three annual extensions.
• However, no further extension can be granted after the completion of a period of five years in total including the period mentioned in the initial appointment.

Structure of Directorate of Enforcement:

• The Directorate of Enforcement, with its headquarters in New Delhi, is headed by the Director of Enforcement.
• This agency is a part of the Revenue Department, Ministry of Finance.
• Five regional offices are in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Chandigarh, and Delhi. These offices are headed by Special Directors of Enforcement.
• Its zonal offices are in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Delhi, Lucknow, Mumbai, Patna, Srinagar, Panaji, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kochi, Chennai, Jaipur, Jalandhar, and Kolkata. These offices are headed by Joint Director.
• Its sub-zonal offices are in Bhuvneshwar, Kozhikode, Indore, Madurai, Nagpur, Surat, Allahabad, Raipur, Ranchi, Dehradun, and Shimla. These offices are headed by Deputy Director.

Recruitment:

• Recruitment of the officers is done by pooling officers from other Investigation Agencies. So, it comprises officers of IRS (Indian Revenue Services), IPS (Indian Police Services) and IAS (Indian Administrative Services) such as Income Tax officers, Excise officers, Customs officers, and Police.

Functions:

• To collect, develop and disseminate intelligence relating to violations of FEMA, 1999, the intelligence inputs are received from various sources such as Central and State Intelligence agencies, complaints etc.
• To investigate suspected violations of the provisions of the FEMA, 1999 relating to activities such as “hawala” foreign exchange racketeering, non-realization of export proceeds, non-repatriation of foreign exchange and other forms of violations under FEMA, 1999.
• To adjudicate cases of violations of the erstwhile FERA, 1973 and FEMA, 1999.
• To realize penalties imposed on the conclusion of adjudication proceedings.
• To handle adjudication, appeals and prosecution cases under the erstwhile FERA, 1973.
• To process and recommend cases for preventive detention under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act (COFEPOSA).
• To undertake survey, search, seizure, arrest, prosecution action etc. against offender of PMLA offence.
• To provide and seek mutual legal assistance to/from contracting states in respect of attachment/confiscation of proceeds of crime as well as in respect of transfer of accused persons under PMLA.

The statutory functions of the Directorate include the enforcement of the following Acts:

• The Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA):It is a criminal law enacted to prevent money laundering and to provide for confiscation of property derived from, or involved in, money laundering and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. ED has been given the responsibility to enforce the provisions of the PMLA by conducting an investigation to trace the assets derived from proceeds of crime, to provisionally attach the property and to ensure prosecution of the offenders and confiscation of the property by the Special court.
• The Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA): It is a civil law enacted to consolidate and amend the laws relating to facilitating external trade and payments and to promote the orderly development and maintenance of the foreign exchange market in India. ED has been given the responsibility to conduct an investigation into suspected contraventions of foreign exchange laws and regulations, and to adjudicate and impose penalties on those adjudged to have contravened the law.
• The Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018 (FEOA):This law was enacted to deter economic offenders from evading the process of Indian law by remaining outside the jurisdiction of Indian courts. It is a law whereby the Directorate is mandated to attach the properties of fugitive economic offenders who have escaped from India warranting arrest and provide for the confiscation of their properties to the Central Government.
• The Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1973 (FERA):The main functions under the repealed FERA are to adjudicate the Show Cause Notices issued under the said Act upto 31.5.2002 for the alleged contraventions of the Act which may result in the imposition of penalties and to pursue prosecutions launched under the FERA in the concerned courts.
• Sponsoring agency under COFEPOSA:Under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 (COFEPOSA), this Directorate is empowered to sponsor cases of preventive detention with regard to contraventions of FEMA.

2. ‘i-DRONE’ (Drone Response and Outreach for North East) Initiative

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

CONTEXT: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) successfully conducted a trial run of the delivery of blood bags by drones under its i-Drone initiative. The trial run, as part of a pathbreaking validation study, has been undertaken for the first time in the country by the ICMR; Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC); Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS), Greater Noida; and the Jaypee Institute of Information Technology (JIIT), Noida.

EXPLANATION:

• The vision of the Hon’ble Prime Minister of expanding the drone ecosystem in India has provided a ground for the innovative use of drones in various sectors such as agriculture, defence, disaster relief and healthcare.
• With the relaxations in the Drone Rules 2022, the inclusion of novel technologies such as drones in these sectors has been eased for researchers and drone operators.
• Leveraging upon the recent liberal regulation policies in India for low-altitude airspace for drones, the current feasibility study paved the path for using unmanned drones for the delivery of life-saving medical supplies in austere environments in future.
• The project ‘i-DRONE’ (Drone Response and Outreach for North East) assessed the feasibility of using drones to deliver vaccines and medical supplies. This was carried out in difficult geographical terrains including land, island, foothills and across hills.
• Regulators of the initiative include the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Airport Authority of India (AAI) and the State Health Authorities of Nagaland and Manipur.
• This ‘i-DRONE’ was first used during the Covid-19 pandemic by the ICMR for distributing vaccines to unreachable areas.
• The medical supplies delivered under the i-Drone project included COVID-19 vaccines, vaccines used in routine immunisation programs, antenatal care medicines, multi-vitamins, syringes and gloves.
• The drone delivery system focused on an end-to-end ecosystem for drone-based logistic transportation within the states and was the first successful example of delivering vaccines through drones from land to islands in South Asia.
• The aforementioned operations connected the district hospitals to the community and primary health care centres in the study districts.
• The longest drone flight under this project carried 3525 units of medical supplies from Mokokchung to the district Tuensang in Nagaland (approx. 40 km).
• Latest development in the iDrone initiative is transportation of blood and blood related products which can be done by maintaining a low temperature to avoid any damage to the products.

3. MODEL PRISONS ACT 2023

TAGS: GS 2: PRISON REFORMS

CONTEXT: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has prepared the ‘Model Prisons Act 2023’ which will replace a British-era law to overhaul the prison administration that will focus on the reformation and rehabilitation of inmates.

EXPLANATION:

• Prisons in the country and ‘persons detained therein’ are a state subject and the existing law in this context, the Prisons Act of 1894 is a pre-independence era Act and is almost 130 years old.
• Two other related laws The Prisoners Act, 1900 and The Transfer of Prisoners Act, 1950 are also decades-old. The existing Act mainly focuses on keeping criminals in custody and enforcement of discipline and order in prisons. There is no provision for the reform and rehabilitation of prisoners in the existing Act.
• The Ministry of Home Affairs hence, directed the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), a Union government think tank on policing subjects, to review the laws and prepare a new draft.
• The Centre has finalised a comprehensive ‘Model Prisons Act, 2023’ to replace the pre-independence era ‘Prisons Act, 1894’ which mainly focused on keeping criminals in custody and enforcing discipline and order in prisons.
• Under the new Act, prisons will be viewed as reformative and correctional institutions, with a focus on transforming and rehabilitating inmates back into society as law-abiding citizens.
• It aims to address the gaps in the existing Prisons Act by providing guidance on the use of technology in prison management, making provisions for parole, furlough, and remission to prisoners to encourage good conduct, special provisions for women and transgender inmates, and a focus on the reformation and rehabilitation of inmates.

The salient features of the Model Act:

• Provisions of punishment for prisoners and jail staff for use of prohibited items such as mobile phones in jails.
• Establishment and management of high-security jails, open jails (open and semi-open).
• Provisions for protecting society from the criminal activities of hardened criminals and habitual offenders.
• Provisions for providing legal aid to prisoners, parole, furlough and premature release to incentivize good conduct.
• Provision for security assessment and segregation of prisoners, individual sentence planning, grievance redressal, the establishment of a prison development board, and a focus on the physical and mental well-being of prisoners.
• Provisions for the use of technology in prison administration, such as video conferencing with courts and scientific and technological interventions in prisons.
• Act focuses on vocational training and skill development of prisoners to facilitate their reintegration into society.
• Provision for individual sentence planning; grievance redressal, prison development board, attitudinal change towards prisoners and provision of separate accommodation for women prisoners, transgender, etc.

4. UNITED NATIONS FORUM ON FORESTS (UNFF)

TAGS: GS III: ENVIRONMENT; PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

CONTEXT: The eighteenth session of UNFF18, held from May 8-12, 2023, in New York, discussed the contributions of Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) to energy, livelihoods and the SDGs. Discussions on integrated policies on SFM and energy to meet the United Nations-mandated Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) took centre stage. The 18th session of the UN Forum on Forests (8 -12 May, CR4) reviewed progress towards the UN Strategic Plan for Forests 2030 and its six Global Forest Goals, and discuss its work on capacity development, forest financing, monitoring, assessment and reporting, enhanced cooperation and coordination, regional collaboration, communication and outreach, and stakeholder engagement.

EXPLANATION:

United Nations Forum on Forests:

• It has been established in October 2000 by the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC).
• It is a subsidiary body with the main objective to promote the management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests and to strengthen long-term political commitment to this end, based on the Rio Declaration, the Forest Principles, Chapter 11 of Agenda 21 and the outcome of the IPF/IFF Processes and other key milestones of international forest policy.
• The Forum has universal membership and is composed of all Member States of the United Nations and specialized agencies.
• It is serviced by a compact Secretariat, which is responsible for logistic preparations for UNFF-related meetings, timely preparation and dissemination of documents, as well as servicing meetings of the UNFF and its Bureau.
• The Secretariat also serves as the Secretariat for the Collaborative Partnership on Forests, and facilitates UNFF inter-sessional activities, such as expert group meetings and country-led initiatives.

UNFF18 (8 to 12 May 2023, UNHQ, New York):

• The sustainable management of the world’s forests takes centre stage at the United Nations Headquarters in New York at the UN Forum on Forests on 8-12 May 2023.
• Officials from UN Member States, the UN system, and international and regional organizations, will gather to discuss this critical planetary resource.
• According to a background paper, concurrently, there is growing recognition of the need to halt deforestation and tap into the potential of forests to address many of the socio-economic challenges in the light of the increased level of inequality and poverty around the world and issues related to food and energy insecurity, as well as increased prices of foods and goods.
• It is expected to include an interactive exchange of experiences and lessons learned on thematic priorities among Members of the UNFF, the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF) and its member organizations, regional and subregional organizations and processes, and major groups and other relevant stakeholders.
• Besides, the interactive exchanges are expected to include consideration of the science-policy interface and cross-sectoral and emerging issues and will take into account youth, gender and region perspectives. The main outcome of UNFF18 will be a chair’s summary of the discussions, including possible proposals for consideration at UNFF19.

In view of this, five crucial issues underlined the importance of this 18th Session of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF18):

1. Forests are essential to life on Earth: Forests cover 31 per cent of the Earth’s land area, contain over 80 per cent of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity, and store more carbon than the atmosphere.
2. They support our well-being and livelihood: More than 1.6 billion people depend on forests for subsistence, livelihood, employment and income. Some 2 billion people, roughly one-third of the world’s population and two-thirds of households in Africa, still depend on wood fuel for cooking and heating.
3. Healthy forests support healthy people: Forests and trees provide clean air and water and sustain us regardless of where we live. Zoonotic diseases account for 75 per cent of all emerging infectious diseases, and they usually occur when natural landscapes, such as forests, are cleared. Restoring forests and planting trees is an essential part of an integrated one health approach for people, species and the planet.
4. Forests continue to be at risk: Every year, we continue to lose 10 million hectares of forests, an area roughly the size of the Republic of Korea. The world’s forests are at risk from illegal or unsustainable logging, forest fires, pollution, disease, pests, fragmentation and the impacts of climate change, including severe storms and other weather events.
5. Restoring forests holds the key to a sustainable future: It is estimated that two billion hectares of degraded land worldwide have the potential to be restored. Revitalizing degraded forests is critical for meeting the UN target of increasing global forest area by 3 per cent by 2030. Doing so would also help countries to create new jobs, prevent soil erosion, protect watersheds, mitigate climate change, and safeguard biodiversity.

The thematic priorities for UNFF18 are:

• Enhancing forest-based economic, social and environmental benefits.
• Increase significantly the area of protected forests worldwide and other areas of sustainably managed forests, as well as the proportion of forest products from sustainably managed forests.
• Mobilizing financial resources and strengthening scientific and technical cooperation promoting governance frameworks to advance implementation.
• Enhancing cooperation, coordination and coherence, for Sustainable Forest Management.

UN Strategic Plan for Forests 2017-2030

• On 27 April 2017, the UN General Assembly adopted the first ever UN Strategic Plan for Forests 2017-2030.
• The Strategic Plan provides a global framework for actions at all levels to sustainably manage all types of forests and trees outside forests and halt deforestation and forest degradation.
• At the heart of the Strategic Plan are the six Global Forest Goals and 26 associated targets to be achieved by 2030, which are voluntary and universal.
• They support the objectives of the International Arrangement on Forests and aim to contribute to progress on the Sustainable Development Goals, the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, the Paris Agreement adopted under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and other international forest-related instruments, processes, commitments and goals.

5. INDIAN OCEAN CONFERENCE

TAGS: GS 2: INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

CONTEXT:  Two-day Indian Ocean Conference with the theme ‘Peace Prosperity and Partnership for a Resilient Future’ held in Dhaka, Bangladesh to discuss cooperation between the countries of the Indian Ocean region. Improving and enhancing connectivity should be the priority of the countries in the Indian Ocean region.

EXPLANATION:

Indian Ocean Conference:

• It is a flagship consultative forum of the Indian Ocean countries to deliberate upon the prospects of regional cooperation for Security and Growth for All in Region (SAGAR).
• This process began in 2016. More than 150 participants from 25 countries participated in the conference.
• It is an annual event to bring together Heads of State/Governments, Ministers, Thought Leaders, scholars, diplomats, bureaucrats and practitioners from across the region to discuss aspects of strengthening cooperation between the countries of the Indian Ocean region.

6^th Indian Ocean Conference:

• The conference was organized by the Indian Foundation, supported by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Bangladesh government.
• The theme of the conference was “Peace, Prosperity, and Partnership for a Resilient Future.”

Indian Foreign Minister highlighted:

• Member countries believe that a seamless transition into an Indo-Pacific is to their collective advantage and the Indian Ocean forms one of the core constituents of the Indo-Pacific and has the potential to shape the narrative for the entire region. India has a close association with dedicated bodies like the Indian Ocean Rim Association and the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium, which have their specific mandates.
• India’s policies are based on Neighbourhood First, Extended Neighbourhood and Security and Growth for All in Region (SAGAR). Despite India’s links with the West and Europe, it remains committed to its neighbours.
• India’s perspective for efficient and effective connectivity to ASEAN will be “a game-changer.” This aspect must be accorded priority and put in place the bilateral, plurilateral and regional tools and mechanisms to achieve their ends.
• It is essential for the credibility of the global order that foundational regimes such as the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS) are respected and scrupulously observed by all signatories.
• Nations in the region must be conscious of the threats to the social fabric posed by extremism and fundamentalism taking advantage of democratic openness and global challenges like climate change and terrorism.

SAGAR or ‘Security and Growth for all in the Region’

• The vision of SAGAR or ‘Security and Growth for All in the Region’ was introduced in 2015 to focus on cooperative measures for sustainable use of the oceans.
• The mission also provides a framework for a safe, secure, and stable maritime domain in the region with the vision of marine security, maritime commons, and cooperation for nations’ security and economic aspirations.
• The vision is important for the country to leverage the blue economy. The blue economy offers India a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to achieve its national socioeconomic goals (job creation, energy security, environmental resilience, and so on) while also improving connections with its neighbours.

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

• The convention is sometimes referred to as the Law of the Sea Convention or the Law of the Sea Treaty and was adopted in 1982.
• It lays down a comprehensive regime of law and order in the world’s oceans and seas establishing rules governing all uses of the oceans and their resources.
• It contains, among other things, provisions relating to the territorial sea, the contiguous zone, the continental shelf, the exclusive economic zone and the high seas. It also provides for the protection and preservation of the marine environment, for marine scientific research and for the development and transfer of marine technology.
• One of the most important parts of the Convention concerns the exploration for and exploitation of the resources of the seabed and ocean floor and subsoil thereof, beyond the limits of national jurisdiction (the Area).
• The Convention declares the Area and its resources to be “the common heritage of mankind”. The International Seabed Authority, established by the Convention, administers the resources of the Area.

1. SUDAN CRISIS

TAGS: GS 2: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

CONTEXT:  The ongoing fighting is Sudan is forcing thousands to flee. The humanitarian emergency is spreading creating a dangerous security situation in the Sahel region. Despite talks between warring parties, which met in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, air strikes were reported in Khartoum amid ongoing fighting.

EXPLANATION:

Background of the conflict:

• When Sudan won independence on New Year’s Day in 1956, two features stood out in the new nation: it was the largest country in Africa, and it was already embroiled in civil war that had erupted several months earlier.
• Sudan has suffered three domestic wars spanning well over 40 years of the country’s 67 years of independence.

Recent issues:

• Violence erupted in mid-April in Sudan between its military, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group. The fighting has dashed the country’s hopes for a peaceful transition to a civilian government.
• Rapid Support Force (RSF) forces invaded Merowe town, located 210 kilometres north of the capital resulted in violence. The RSF stated that it retaliated in response to a military attack at one of its bases in South Khartoum. Sudanese foreign ministry declared the RSF a rebel entity and ordered its dissolution. And the agreement between civilians, the military, and paramilitaries intended to reinitiate the democratic transition in Sudan appears to be frozen once more.

What makes this conflict in Sudan so intractable?

• This conflict needs to be considered in terms of three overlapping layers: Local, regional and global. These three layers, which feed through and affect one another, represent various stages of conflict escalation, engagement, and potential resolution.
• And this conflict in Sudan is a prime example of a local conflict that is becoming increasingly intertwined with regional and international power dynamics, making it impossible to find a standalone solution.

Reason of the conflict:

• Sudan has a wide range of ethnic, linguistic and tribal differences. Residents in remote parts of the country feel the elites in Khartoum monopolize the country’s limited resources.
• There is a link between Sudan’s vast landscape, the many different groups that make up the country, and the repeated internal conflicts that have plagued the nation for decades.
• If the Sudanese problem can be divided into three layers, the local level corresponds to the conflict’s primary driver. In essence, this layer is concerned with the issue of who will control Sudan and under what type of political structure. General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, commander of the Sudanese National Army, also known as the SAF (Sudanese Armed Force), and General Muhammad Hamdan’ Hemedti, Dagalo, commander of the paramilitary group RSF are allegedly involved in a power struggle that is at the heart of this conflict.
• The second layer at the regional level is about who can have the most significant influence in Sudan and the larger Red Sea region. As Sudan is situated where the Horn of Africa, the Sahel, and the Red Sea converge, it is considered valuable by many countries. The strategic location and agricultural resources of Sudan have attracted regional power struggles. Sudan shares its border with seven countries: Chad, Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, Libya, and Egypt. As all these countries have their own vested interests, the conflict risks getting more interwoven with regional rivalries and power struggles.
• The third layer involves the international power rivalry playing out in the Sudanese crisis. In this layer, Sudan serves as a microcosm for a struggle for regional and international power. Energy-rich United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia have long sought to influence Sudan’s politics. Both have made significant investments in sectors including agriculture, where Sudan has tremendous potential, aviation, and ports near the Red Sea coast. Initially, both the Saudis and the UAE have seen Sudan’s transition from al-Bashir’s rule as an opportunity to push back against Islamist influence in the region. However, the interest of both countries diverged, with Saudi Arabia prioritising its national interest vis-a-vis Saudi Vision 2030 over its alliance with the UAE.

Hakki Pikki

More than 181 members of the Hakki Pikki tribal community from Karnataka are stuck in violence-hit Sudan, even as the government is making efforts to bring them back. Who are the Hakki Pikki, and why did so many travel to far-away Sudan?

The Hakki Pikki is a tribe that lives in several states in west and south India, especially near forest areas. Hakki Pikkis (Hakki in Kannada means ‘bird’ and Pikki means ‘catchers’) are a semi-nomadic tribe, traditionally of bird catchers and hunters.

Operation Kaveri

‘Operation Kaveri’, launched to rescue its nationals stranded in crisis-hit Sudan, with the transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force making its final flight to bring 47 passengers home.

India launched Operation Kaveri on April 24 to evacuate its nationals from Sudan, which has witnessed deadly fighting between the country’s army and a paramilitary group.

2. 27^TH MEETING OF FINANCIAL STABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL

TAGS: GS 2: POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

CONTEXT:  Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister chaired the 27^th Meeting of the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) for the first time after the announcement of the Budget 2023-24.

EXPLANATION:

Meeting concluded with following discussions:

• Regulators should maintain a constant vigil as ensuring ‘financial sector stability is a shared responsibility’ of the regulators. Regulators must take appropriate and timely action to mitigate any vulnerability and strengthen financial stability.
• Regulators should adopt a focused approach to reduce the compliance burden further and ensure a streamlined and efficient regulatory environment.
• The regulators need to be proactive and ensure cyber-security preparedness of the information technology systems to reduce the risk of cyber-attacks, protect sensitive financial data, and maintain overall system integrity, thus safeguarding the stability and resilience of the Indian financial ecosystem.
• Regulators should conduct a special drive to facilitate the settlement of unclaimed deposits and claims in the financial sector across all segments, such as banking deposits, shares and dividends, mutual funds, insurance, etc.
• Action Taken Report on Budget announcements made since 2019 was discussed. A focused approach should be adopted by the regulators to implement the announcements made in the Budget 2023-24, for which timelines were also decided.

About Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) 

• With a view to strengthening and institutionalizing the mechanism for maintaining financial stability, enhancing inter-regulatory coordination and promoting financial sector development, the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) was set up by the Government as the apex level forum in December 2010.
• The Council is chaired by the Union Finance Minister and its members are Governor, Reserve Bank of India; Finance Secretary and/or Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs; Secretary, Department of Financial Services; Chief Economic Adviser, Ministry of Finance; Chairman, Securities and Exchange Board of India; Chairman, Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority and Chairman, Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority.
• Council monitors macro prudential supervision of the economy, including functioning of large financial conglomerates, and addresses inter-regulatory coordination and financial sector development issues. It also focuses on financial literacy and financial inclusion.

FSDC Sub-Committee:

• The FSDC Sub-committee has also been set up under the chairmanship of Governor, RBI. It meets more often than the full Council.
• All the members of the FSDC are also the members of the Sub-committee. Additionally, all four Deputy Governors of the RBI and Additional Secretary, DEA, in charge of FSDC, are also members of the Sub Committee.

3. PRADHAN MANTRI JEEVAN JYOTI BIMA YOJANA (PMJJBY), PRADHAN MANTRI SURAKSHA BIMA YOJANA (PMSBY) AND ATAL PENSION YOJANA (APY) COMPLETES 8 YEARS OF PROVIDING SECURITY COVER

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPETIVES: SCHEMES

CONTEXT: Three social security (Jan Suraksha) schemes Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) and Atal Pension Yojana (APY) completed 8^th anniversary. PMJJBY achieved more than 16 crore Cumulative Enrolments and PMSBY achieved more than 34 crore Cumulative Enrolments and APY achieved over 5 Crore subscribers.

EXPLANATION:

• The three schemes are dedicated to the welfare of the citizens, recognising the need for securing human life from unforeseen eventualisation and financial uncertainties. In order to ensure that the people from the unorganised section of the country are financially secure, the Government launched two insurance schemes PMJJBY and PMSBY; and also introduced APY to cover the exigencies in the old age.
• In the year 2014, the National Mission for Financial Inclusion was launched with the primary objective of ensuring that every citizen in India has access to banking facilities, financial literacy, and social security coverage.
• Building on this initiative, the Prime Minister introduced three Jan Suraksha schemes in 2015 with the aim of further promoting and advancing financial inclusion in the country.

Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY):

• Scheme: PMJJBY is a one-year life insurance scheme renewable from year to year offering coverage for death due to any reason.
• Eligibility: Persons in the age group of 18-50 years having an individual bank or a post office account are entitled to enroll under the scheme. People who join the scheme before completing 50 years of age can continue to have the risk of life covered up to age of 55 years upon payment of regular premium.
• Benefits: Life cover of Rs. 2 Lakh in case of death due to any reason against a premium of Rs. 436/- per annum.
• Enrolment: Enrolments under the scheme can be done by visiting the branch/ BC point or website of the bank of the account holder or at the post office in case of post office savings bank account. The premium under the scheme is auto debited every year from the subscriber’s bank account based on a one-time mandate from the account holder.
• Achievements: As on 26.04.2023, the cumulative enrolments under the scheme have been more than 16.19 crore and an amount of Rs. 13,290.40 crore has been paid for 6,64,520 claims.

Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY):

• Scheme: PMSBY is a one-year accidental insurance scheme renewable from year to year offering coverage for death or disability due to accident.
• Eligibility: Persons in the age group of 18-70 years having an individual bank or a post office account are entitled to enroll under the scheme.
• Benefits: Accidental death cum disability cover of Rs.2 lakh (Rs.1 lakh in case of partial disability) for death or disability due to an accident against a premium of Rs.20/- per annum.
• Enrolment: Enrolment under the scheme can be done by visiting the branch/ BC point or website of the bank of the account holder or at the post office in case of post office savings bank account. The premium under the scheme is auto debited every year from the subscriber’s bank account based on a one-time mandate from the account holder.
• Achievements: As on 26.04.2023, the cumulative enrolments under the scheme have been more than 34.18 crore and an amount of Rs. 2,302.26 crore has been paid for 1,15,951 claims.

Atal Pension Yojana (APY):

• Background: The Atal Pension Yojana (APY) was launched to create a universal social security system for all Indians, especially the poor, the under-privileged and the workers in the unorganised sector. It is an initiative of the Government to provide financial security and cover future exigencies for the people in the unorganised sector. APY is administered by Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) under the overall administrative and institutional architecture of the National Pension System (NPS).
• Eligibility: APY is open to all bank account holders in the age group of 18 to 40 years who are not income tax payers and the contributions differ, based on pension amount chosen.
• Benefits: Subscribers would receive the guaranteed minimum monthly pension of Rs. 1000 or Rs. 2000 or Rs. 3000 or Rs. 4000 or Rs. 5000 after the age of 60 years, based on the contributions made by the subscriber after joining the scheme.
• Disbursement of the Scheme Benefits: The monthly pension is available to the subscriber, and after him to his spouse and after their death, the pension corpus, as accumulated at age 60 of the subscriber, would be returned to the nominee of the subscriber.
• In case of premature death of subscriber (death before 60 years of age), spouse of the subscriber can continue contribution to APY account of the subscriber, for the remaining vesting period, till the original subscriber would have attained the age of 60 years.
• Contribution by Central Government: The minimum pension would be guaranteed by the Government, i.e., if the accumulated corpus based on contributions earns a lower than estimated return on investment and is inadequate to provide the minimum guaranteed pension, the Central Government would fund such inadequacy. Alternatively, if the returns on investment are higher, the subscribers would get enhanced pensionary benefits.
• Payment frequency: Subscribers can make contributions to APY on monthly/ quarterly / half-yearly basis.
• Withdrawal from the Scheme: Subscribers can voluntarily exit from APY subject to certain conditions, on deduction of Government co-contribution and return/interest thereon.
• Achievements: As on 27.04.2023 more than 5 crore individuals have subscribed to the scheme.

4. INDIA’S FIRST UNDERSEA TWIN TUNNELS

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

CONTEXT:  India’s first undersea twin tunnels in south Mumbai are close to completion and is set to open in November 2023.

EXPLANATION:

• Tunnels start near Girgaon (ahead of Marine Drive), extend north under the Arabian Sea, Girgaon Chowpatty and Malabar Hill, and end at Breach Candy’s Priyadarshini Park.
• The 2.07-km tunnels are a part of the Rs 12,721-crore Mumbai Coastal Road Project (MCRP) being built by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
• Tunnel will be built between the underground station at Bandra-Kurla Complex and Shilphata in Thane district of Maharashtra thus connecting the two cities.
• National High Speed Railway Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) invited this week bids for the construction of a 21-km-long tunnel, seven kilometres of which will be under the sea, for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Corridor.
• The tunnels, which have a diameter of 12.19 metres, run 17-20 m below sea level. A nearly 1-km stretch lies under the sea. The tunnels hit peak depth at Malabar Hill at 72 m.
• Resembling the shape of the Queen’s Necklace the famous C-shaped Marine Drive promenade the tunnel entry and exit points will have fiberglass facades.
• It is stated that the tunnel will be built using a tunnel boring machine and the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM).

5. GREEN PORT GUIDELINES “HARIT SAGAR”

TAGS: GS 3: ENVIRONMENT

CONTEXT:  The ministry of ports, shipping and waterways on Wednesday launched the “Harit Sagar” Green Port Guidelines, aimed at achieving zero carbon emissions by promoting eco-friendly practices in port development, operation, and maintenance.

EXPLANATION:

• The ‘Harit Sagar’ Guidelines -2023 provide a comprehensive framework for our Major Ports, empowering them to create a comprehensive action plan aimed at achieving quantifiable reductions in carbon emissions over defined timelines.”
• It emphasizes the use of clean and green energy, such as green hydrogen, green ammonia, green methanol/ethanol.
• The objective of the guidelines is to minimize waste through reduce, reuse, repurpose, and recycle to attain zero waste discharge from port operations while promoting monitoring based on Environmental Performance Indicators.
• The guidelines are aimed at minimising waste through Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose and Recycle to attain zero waste discharge from port operations.
• It also promotes monitoring based on environmental performance indicators.
• It lay emphasis on the use of clean and green energy in port operations, developing port capabilities for storage, handling, and bunkering greener fuels like green hydrogen and green ammonia, among others.
• The guidelines were launched to meet the larger vision of achieving Zero Carbon Emission Goal set by the Ministry.
• Harit Sagar Guidelines – 2023 envisages ecosystem dynamics in port development, operation, and maintenance while aligning with the ’Working with Nature’ concept and minimizing impact on biotic components of harbor ecosystem.