Rau's IAS Focus Magazine November 2019 PDF

Join Telegram for More Update : - https://t.
me/upsc_pdf
https://t.me/upsc_pdf https://upscpdf.com https://t.me/upsc_pdf

Join Telegram for More Update : - https://t.me/upsc_pdf


TABLE OF CONTENTS
CARICOM COUNTRIES
Part ONE # India and the World 14
Current Affairs Analysis PRACTICE QUESTIONS 15
02 16
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS CONSTITUTION, POLITY AND GOVERNANCE
# GS Paper (Prelims) & GS Paper II (Main)
CHINA’s GROWING CLOUT AT THE UN
PARLIAMENTARY REFORMS
# International Scenario 02
# Parliament 16
NAM: CAN IT INCREASE INDIA’s CLOUT?
UNDERSTANDING SEDITION & FREE SPEECH
# India and the World 04
# Freedom of Expression # Sedition 17
INDIA AND CHINA WOOING SRI LANKA
REVISING INDIAN PENAL CODE
# Bilateral Relationship # India and its Neighbourhood
#Governance 19
06
INDIAN SECULARISM & BLASPHEMY
CHINA, NEPAL AND INDIA
#Secularism 21
# India and its Neighbourhood 06
RIGHT AGAINST SELF- INCRIMINATION
INDIA AND CHINA MAMALLPURAM SUMMIT: INDICATES
# Fundamental Right 23
CONVERGENCE NEED
DRAFT MODEL TENANCY ACT
# Bilateral Relationship 07
#Legislation 24
INDIA’S NSG ENTRY
VILLAGE SECRETARIAT
#Local Self Government 24
G-4 AND INDIA’s BID FOR UNSC
NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR PROMOTION OF URDU
LANGUAGE AND SINDHI LANGUAGE
INDIA AND BANGLADESH
#Language 25
SC RECALLS VERDICT DILUTING SC/ST ANTI-ATROCITIES
INDIA AND PAKISTAN
LAW #Judgement #Social Justice 25
LADAKH & JAMMU AND KASHMIR AS U.T.s NOTIFIED
INDIA AND TURKEY
#U.T. 26
ABOLISHING LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN JAMMU &
SAARC KASHMIR #Legislative Council 27
# India and its Neighbourhood 12
PRESIDENT COMMUTES DEATH SENTENCE
PACIFIC ISLAND NATIONS #Governance 28

MORNING PRAYERS IN SCHOOL – ARTICLE 28(3) IMF QUOTA REFORMS

#Fundamental Rights 30 #International Institutions 48
POSTAL BALLOT FACILITIES FOR ABSENTEE VOTERS DATA LOCALISATION- PROS AND CONS
#Electoral Democracy 30 #Industry 49
NCRB DATA ON CRIME IN INDIA- 2017 SHOULD THE GOVERNMENT PROMOTE ZERO BUDGET
#Report 31 NATURAL FARMING? #Agriculture Policies 51
PRACTICE QUESTIONS 33 HIGHLIGHTS OF 20TH LIVESTOCK CENSUS

#Agriculture and allied Sector 53
TENSIONS IN FISCAL FEDERALISM

35 # Taxation 55
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WHO WOULD BEAR THE BURDEN OF CORPORATE TAX

CUT? # Taxation 57
# GS Paper (Prelims) & GS Paper III (Main)
WILL THE CORPORATE TAX CUT BOOST GDP?
DEMOGRAPHIC DIVIDEND- A KEY TO $ 5 TRILLION
#Inclusive Growth 58
ECONOMY #Inclusive Growth 35
FIRST EVER INDIA INTERNATIONAL COOPERATIVES TRADE
SHOULD RBI CONTINUE WITH INFLATION TARGETING?
FAIR (IICTF) #Trade 59
#RBI 37
NATIONAL E-ASSESSMENT CENTRE
RBI REDUCES POLICY RATES TO BOOST ECONOMY
#Taxation 60
#RBI 39
PRAKASH PORTAL
INCOME LIMIT CRITERIA EASED FOR MFIs
#Coal Sector 61
#Banking 40
YOUTH CO: LAB
GREEN BONDS- PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES
#Innovation 61
#Capital Market 41
UNDERSTANDING THE DIVERGENCE BETWEEN WPI AND
ARE WE CREATING BANKS THAT ARE “TOO BIG TO FAIL”?
CPI #Important Indicators 62
#Banking 42
PURCHASING MANAGERS INDEX (PMI)
ARE THE DEPOSITS WITH THE BANKS SAFE?
#Important Indicators 63
#Banking 43
GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS INDEX
INTEREST RATES UNCHANGED FOR SMALL SAVING
SCHEMES #Banking 43
INDIA INNOVATION INDEX
UPI TRANSACTIONS AT RECORD HIGH
#Banking 44
WORLD ECONOMIC OUTLOOK REPORT
BHIM 2.0 LAUNCHED
#Banking 45
WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY INDICATORS REPORT
NATIONAL DISASTER RESPONSE FUND
#Finance 45
GLOBAL UNICORN LIST 2019
RCEP NEGOTIATIONS- OPTIONS BEFORE INDIA
#International Trade 46
NOBEL PRIZE IN ECONOMIC SCIENCES

#Awards 67
83
INTERCONNECT USAGE CHARGE
#Telecommunication 68 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
PRIME MINISTER'S ECONOMIC ADVISORY COUNCIL # GS Paper (Prelims) & GS Paper III (Main)
(PMEAC) #Important Economic Institutions 68
PENICILLIN AND FIGHT AGAINST RHEUMATIC FEVER
PRACTICE QUESTIONS 69 #Health 83
71 GENOME EDITING
#Technology #Health 83
SOCIETY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE GEOTAIL
# GS Paper I & GS Paper II (Main) #Space Technology 84
INDIA: OPEN DEFECATION FREE LCROSS MISSION
# Health 71 #Space Technology 85
GLOBAL HUNGER INDEX SATELLITE IMAGERY: TO IMPROVE FARM YIELDS
#Nutrition #Health #Report 72 #Technology 85
COMPREHENSIVE NATIONAL NUTRITION SURVEY NOBEL PRIZE 2019
#Nutrition #Health 73 #Science 86
POSHAN ATLAS PRACTICE QUESTIONS 88
#Nutrition # Health 75
SEVERE ACUTE MALNUTRITION (SAM)

# Nutrition # Health 75
90
HIGHER EDUCATION COMMISSION BILL GEOGRAPHY, ENVIRONMENT, BIODIVERSITY &
# Education 76
DISASTER MANAGEMENT
COMPULSORY RURAL SERVICE
# GS Paper (Prelims) and GS Paper I & III(Main)
#Health 77
UNITED IN SCIENCE – REPORT
MEDICAL DEVICES TO BE REGULATED AS DRUGS
#Climate Change 90
#Health 78
MOSAIC EXPEDITION
COMMON REGISTRY OF HOSPITAL
# Geography 91
#Health 79
OZONE HOLE
NEAT PLATFORM
#Environment 92
#Education 80
CITIES AND CLIMATE CHANGE
UGC’S ‘JEEVAN KAUSHAL’ CURRICULUM
# Climate Change 93
#Education 80
GRAP – GRADED RESPONSE ACTION PLAN
FFSAI launches TransFat-Free logo
# Air Pollution 94
#Health 80
GREEN CRACKERS
PRACTICE QUESTIONS 81
#Pollution 95

E-WASTE MANAGEMENT RULES LIME SURKHI

# Pollution # Guidelines 96 # Architecture 107
FAC: CLARIFICATION ON DEFINITION OF FOREST RANGDUM MONASTERY

#Conservation 97 # Art and Culture 108
ANTARCTIC OCEAN SANCTUARY HYDERABAD FUNDS CASE

#Conservation 98 # Modern India 108
SNOW LEOPARD BATHUKAMMA

#Conservation 99 # Art and Culture 109
RATAPANI TIGER RESERVE GLOBAL PEACE MARCH

#Biodiversity #Conservation 100 # Modern India 109

NILGIRI BIOSPHERE RESERVE
#Conservation 100

111
SECURITY
102 # GS Paper III (Main)
INDIAN OCEAN REGION: SECURITY INITIATIVES

HISTORY, HERITAGE & CULTURE # Maritime Security # India and the World 111
# GS Paper (Prelims) & GS Paper I (Main) FACIAL RECOGNITION SYSTEM (FRS)
ANCIENT METHOD FOR WEANING OF INFANTS # Security 113
#Ancient World 102 PRACTICE QUESTIONS 115
A.P.: 2000 YEAR-OLD PORT LOCATED
#Ancient India 102
MAMALLAPURAM
116
#Ancient India 103 MISCELLANEOUS
CHALUKYAN GRAVES
NOBEL PEACE PRIZE 2019
#Ancient India 104
# Peace #Global Award 116
MALCHA MAHAL
2019 RIGHT LIVELIHOOD AWARD
#Medieval India #Art and Culture 104
# Peace #Global Award 116
SULTANPUR LODHI
# Medieval India 105
117
GOL GUMBAD
# Medieval India # Art & Culture 105
117
URDU LANGUAGE
#Art and Culture 106
ISHWARA CHANDRA VIDYASAGAR

# Modern India 107

# Environment SUBHASH GERA (EX-STUDENT) 128

Part TWO DREAMS WHICH SHOULD NOT LET INDIA SLEEP
Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude # ETHICS, INTEGRITY AND APTITUDE

SHWETA SINGLA (EX-STUDENT) 131
119 FULFILMENT OF NEW WOMAN IN INDIA IS A MYTH

# SOCIAL JUSTICE #EMPOWERMENT
CSR: A GATEWAY TO CORPORATE ETHICS
ANNAPURNA PALEI (RAU’S DELHI STUDENT- BATCH A1)
#ETHICS #NON-STATE ACTOR 119
134
CASE STUDIES FOR PRACTICE
GOOD FENCES MAKE GOOD NEIGHBOURS
MAINS GS PAPER IV 126
# DIPLOMACY
S.T. MANASWINI (RAU’S DELHI STUDENT- BATCH GSI-1)
Part Three 136
Essays of the month
128
GLOBAL WARMING: IS IT A RACE AGAINST TIME?

Part ONE
Current
affairs
analysis
logical . simple . targeted
analysis & explanation
of all relevant news of the month

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
CHINA’s GROWING CLOUT

China is actively promoting its foreign policy initiatives,
especially the Belt and Road Initiative. China is undertaking
AT THE UN
vast economic projects with vast economic power around
the world, including the controversial acquisition of major
infrastructure from Sri Lanka to Greece, and major inroads
# International Scenario into African markets.
China leads the race to exploit deep sea minerals - The

IN NEWS head of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) said China
is likely to become the first country in the world to start
Currently, China heads 4 of the 15 specialized agencies of the
mining seabed minerals if the international rules for
U.N.
exploitation are approved next year.
WHAT IS CHINA TRYING TO DO? Sino-Russian front at the UN -The two countries seem to
China is racing to fill the vacuum in international frequently align their positions. The prevailing lack of
leadership left by the withdrawal of the U.S. For example strategic unity among the Western members of the
–US has withdrawn itself from UNESCO and is resorting to Security Council is ripe for the duo to advance their
policies such as protectionism and unilateralism. China is interests.
trying project its country as a “champion of multilateralism China seems keen to take advantage of the opportunities
and globalisation”. the disarray presents to enhance its hold on the UN.
Beijing is actively seeking to use the UN platform to
legitimise, push and spread its ideology. For Example –
With regard to Human rights - China argues that each
country may choose its own human rights protection in
NAM: CAN IT INCREASE
the context of “national circumstances”.
INDIA’s CLOUT?
Trying to take “an active part in leading the reform of the
global governance system” such as reform of UN and WTO. # India and the World
China is diluting the concept of universal values and
promoting its world view on the subject.
HOW CHINA IS TRYING TO DO IT?

China through its cheque book diplomacy is trying to IN NEWS
expand its sphere of influence across developing and least After the United Nations, it is the largest grouping of states
developed states by debt trapping them. worldwide. Its membership is particularly concentrated in
China has increased its monetary contributions to the countries considered to be developing or part of the Third
UN fivefold in the past decade – Using its monetary might World. It also aims at facilitating South-South cooperation.
China is aggressively seeking more positions in the UN Recently, Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu represented India
Secretariat hierarchy. Recently it strived to play a bigger at the 18
th
Non Aligned Movement (NAM) summit in Baku,
role in peacekeeping operations.
FOCUS | November 2 019 | RAU’S IAS 2

International Relations
Azerbaijan in October, marking the second time in a row when lateralism. NAM in present form is not suited to address
Prime Minister did not attend. this reality.
ABOUT NAM 3. Rise of various other multilateral groupings such as

BASIC for protecting and promoting its interests on climate
The movement had its origins in the 1947 Asian Relations
change; G4 for pushing through reforms of the UN
Meeting in New Delhi and the 1955 Asian-African
Security Council; G20 for managing the world economy;
Conference in Bandung, Indonesia through an initiative
BRICS and IBSA to enhance economic coordination with
of the Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and the
countries that are similarly placed- are a challenge to
Yugoslav President Josip Broz Tito.
NAM’s utility.
India also participated in the 1961 Belgrade Conference
Nonetheless, India still remains committed to the
that officially established the Nonaligned Movement.
principles and objectives of the Non Aligned Movement
The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) is a forum of 120
and has been calling for reforming of the Non-Aligned
developing world states that are not formally aligned with
Movement to reflect realities of today.
or against any major power bloc.
REJUVENATING NAM
It originated out of desire of decolonised states to protect
their newly obtained independence in an international 1. Structural change - Establishment of a permanent
environment marred by Cold War politics. secretariat that 120 member organisation lacks at present.
Its principles include: 2. Symbolic changes - the name of the organization, the
Non-Aligned Movement, is a misnomer. As, non-alignment
Mutual respect for each other's territorial integrity and
was not the only goal of the NAM; it was formed on diverse
sovereignty.
objectives.
Mutual non-aggression.
3. Policy/agenda changes - Originally, the NAM was
Mutual non-interference in domestic affairs. launched as a political entity. Later in the process, it
Equality and mutual benefit. adopted economic issues as several members faced some
very serious economic problems such as acute poverty
Peaceful co-existence.
and underdevelopment. Thus, the organization evolved
IS NAM IS LOSING RELEVANCE FOR INDIA? into a politico-economic institution. This should continue.
It is a widely held belief that the Non-Aligned Movement The reformed and reshaped organization should dedicate
(NAM) was highly relevant for India interests (that equal weight to political and economic issues facing the
advocated decolonisation, end to apartheid, global nuclear Global South. The most important role for NAM today lies
disarmament, ushering in of new international economic in framing a concrete economic agenda for a just and fair
and information orders) during the bipolar era of the Cold international economic order especially in an age for rising
War. protectionism tendencies.
But since the 1990s, NAM is seen to be losing its relevance 4. While most of the concerns of NAM have been addressed,
as some old issues still persist such as hunger, poverty and
disease- which need to be addressed through enhanced
1. Decolonization one of its primary objectives- was no
south-south collaboration.
more an issue in the Third World region. Alongside other
objectives such as apartheid, were also terminated one by 5. Newer global issues such as global warming, diseases,
one. drug trafficking, terrorism, rising digital divide, ethnic
nationalism and regional wars call for reform of the group
2. Doesn’t reflect reality of our times- World shifted to
to include wider issues.
unipolar initially (as USA rose as global power). But in the
recent times world is witnessing the rise of new world 6. Neo-colonialism with China’s debt trap diplomacy is
powers like China, India. Thus is moving towards multi- increasingly becoming a global concern that group needs
to fight together.

Thus, it is important that NAM that represents two thirds of Statistically speaking, funding from China accounts for
the world’s population - continues to work together and take more than half of Sri Lanka’s construction and
the lead in building multilateral governance structures that development loans.
are capable of meeting these challenges. Reports also suggest that China will also be providing the
Sri Lankan police with 150 vehicles.
►India
INDIA AND CHINA India has not been sitting still, however. Indeed, the fact
that Indian Prime Minister began his second tenure in
WOOING SRI LANKA office with a stop in Sri Lanka on his way back to a visit to
the Maldives was no coincidence.
# Bilateral Relationship # India and its In addition to that, India had earlier given Sri Lanka
Neighbourhood advanced off-shore patrol vessels (AOPVs) — SLNS
Sayurala (P623) and SLNS Sindurala (P624) in 2017 and
2018 respectively.
Also, India is building Trincomalee Port in Sri Lanka. The

port is envisioned as an Indian counterweight to Chinese
IN NEWS developments at Hambantota Port.
Sri Lanka, an emerald shaped island is being wooed by two Thus, it can be clearly inferred that Sri-Lanka has emerged
Asian giants, India and China. As a result, It has emerged as a as a centre for Sino-Indian strategic competition.
centre for Sino-Indian strategic competition. In this context, let
WHERE SRI LANKA IS HEADED?
us the understand the importance of Sri Lanka and the cost-
benefit analysis of such an engagement. Domestic ethnic conflict between Sinhala majority and
Tamil minority that lasted for almost three decades since
INDIA AND CHINA: GAME OF ONE-UPMANSHIP
the 1980s had forced policy preoccupation of Sri Lanka
►China mostly on internal security. This disabled Sri Lanka and
China has donated a frigate to the Sri Lankan Navy created roadblocks from capitalising the benefits of
against the backdrop of a major Chinese aid to Sri Lanka to outward oriented policies.
fight terrorism. It is only in the last three-four years that Sri Lanka has
The Chinese involvement in Sri Lanka ranges from begun looking at trade as a contributor to economic
infrastructure development, economic aid, oil growth. As a result, Sri Lanka is currently
exploration, investments, trade, and a strong expanding/negotiating trade agreements with India, China
diplomatic support to the island state when in need, and Singapore.
especially in the wake of human rights accountability issue ADVANTAGE INDIA: INDIA’S HISTORICAL AND
that emerged after the end of ‘Eelam War IV’ (Tamil-Sinhala GEOGRAPHICAL CLOSENESS
ethnic conflict and Eelam was a proposed independent state
India is the only neighbour of Sri Lanka, separated by the
that Tamils in Sri Lanka and the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora
Palk Strait. Both nations occupy a strategic position in
aspire to create in the north and east of Sri Lanka.)
South Asia and Indian Ocean.
Some of the important infrastructure projects developed
The relationship between India and Sri Lanka is more than
by China in the island state include Hambantota port,
2,500 years old. Both countries share a legacy of
Katunayake-Colombo Expressway, the Norochcholai Coal
intellectual, cultural, religious and linguistic interactions.
Power Project, Maththala Airport, Colombo South Harbour
Buddhism was introduced by Emperor Asoka’s son,
Expansion Project, 661-room Shangri La hotel and the
Mahendra (Mahinda), and later his daughter
Center for Performing Arts in Colombo.
Sanghamitta also arrived to promote Buddhism.

Tamils of Sri Lanka are Tamil people of Indian origin that Indian Ocean between the Chinese mainland and Port Sudan.
occupy Northern province in Sri Lanka. This also brings By having such facilities in Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Maldives etc.
India more closer to Sri Lanka. it looks that China is trying to encircle India.
China unveiled the concept for the Twenty-First Century

Maritime Silk Road (MSR) in 2013 as a development
strategy to boost infrastructure connectivity throughout
Southeast Asia, Oceania, the Indian Ocean, and East Africa.
The MSR is the maritime complement to the Silk Road
Economic Belt, which focuses on infrastructure development
across Central Asia. Together these initiatives form the One
Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative designed to enhance
China’s influence across Asia. OBOR is now known as Belt
and Road Initiative (BRI).
Hence, growing aggressive Chinese presence in Indian

backyard is a cause of concern for India. As a result of China
factor both India and Sri Lanka are increasingly seen to be
coming close.
Positive developments in India and Sri Lanka relationship
Social Sector Grants: India’s support in the social sector in

the form of grants for building 60,000 homes for Tamils of
CHINA FACTOR IN INDIA AND SRI LANKA the civil war-torn Northern and Eastern Provinces as well
RELATIONSHIP as those in the hill country region, and the provision of
Impact on Sri Lanka - China in exercise of debt-trap ambulance services all over the island provide positive
diplomacy has been using its economic might to extend momentum.
unsustainable developmental loans to strategically located Recently, Sri Lanka signed a deal with India and Japan to
countries. develop a deep-sea container terminal in the country.
►Note: Debt-trap diplomacy is a type of diplomacy based In July this year, India signed an agreement to upgrade a
on debt carried out in the bilateral relations between key railway segment, connecting north and south Sri
countries. It involves one creditor country intentionally Lanka.
extending excessive credit to another debtor country with the However, all these positive developments have to be taken
alleged intention of extracting economic or political with pinch of salt as earlier commitments between India and
concessions from the debtor country when it becomes Sri Lanka are yet to be completed. Some of these are:-
unable to honour its debt obligations (often asset-based
India, despite its “Neighbour First Policy” announced in
lending, with assets including infrastructure).
2014, has not been able to accomplish much.
As a result of unsustainable debt, Sri Lanka had to extend 99-
Delay in project execution - Projects like the renovation
yearlong lease of Hambantota Port to China. Even Maldives
of Kankesenthurai harbour for which India provided $
and Malaysia are also falling in trap similarly.
45million, those relating to Palaly airport and Mattala
Impact on India - India too has been vary of China’s Rajapaksa International Airport are all lying dormant.
encirclement of India via its ‘String of pearls’ and ‘Maritime Joint development of Triconmalee oil storage facility is
Silk Route(MSR)’. also delayed.
►Note: String of Pearls’ refers to a geopolitical theory Moreover, the Economic and Technical Cooperation
which refers to the network of Chinese military and Agreement(ETCA), an improved version of the existing
commercial facilities developed by China in countries of the bilateral Free Trade Agreement, has been shelved.

Persistent fishermen issue – countries jailing each Trans-border connectivity between the two nations -
other’s fishermen for trespassing demarcated maritime which share a 1,400 km border has been growing. The
boundaries has become a regular phenomenon. Nepal-China Trans-Himalayan Multi-dimensional
Way forward - Nonetheless, India-Sri Lanka ties are strong. Connectivity Network (THMCN) is part of China's ambitious
China-funded infra projects may look great, but India-Sri Belt and Road Initiative.
Lanka ties are deeper. India is, has been and will continue to
Defence - China and Nepal also held joint military
be the first responder for Sri Lanka; be it the 2004 tsunami
exercises for the first time, and China is supplying arms
assistance, or be it India being the first country to visit Sri
and equipment to the Nepalese side.
Lanka in the aftermath of this year’s Easter Sunday attacks.
Political sphere - China has a strong presence in Nepal,
and a strong outreach with the Madhesi parties. The
CHINA, NEPAL AND INDIA unification of the two Communist parties also had the
"strong backing of China".
# India and its Neighbourhood INDIA’S CONCERN
The two-way trade between the two neighbours (China
and Nepal) is at the ratio of 45:1, heavily tilted in China’s
IN NEWS favour and India fears that China’s debt trap diplomacy at
Nepal and China have concluded a deal to intensify the work.
construction of ‘Trans-Himalayan multi-dimensional Losing its sphere of influence over Neighbour - goes
connectivity network’. The deal includes construction of counter to our ‘Neighbourhood First Policy’.
upgraded road tunnel network that connects Tokha and
WHAT INDIA NEEDS TO DO?
Chhahare in Nepal cutting down the distance between Nepal
and China. Relations between India, Nepal and China must not be
seen as a zero-sum game – China proposed ‘2+1 format’
BACKGROUND
for facilitating trilateral cooperation mechanism between
Nepal is a landlocked country, sandwiched between India and the three countries must be leveraged to deepen relations
China - does not have direct access to sea and other third with both the countries to facilitate idea of Asian Century.
country. Traditionally, Nepal has been closer to India - given
India should be confident about its age-old ties with Nepal
cultural, historical, linguistic, marital, religious, and, cultural
- open border, the presence of Nepali citizens in the Indian
ties, at people to people level between Indians and Nepalese.
armed forces, and the historic, cultural and religious ties
However in recent times, China is increasingly seen to be between Indian and Nepali people cannot be replaced by
making inroads in Nepal and Nepal is seen to be distancing China. Plus, in terms of trade, connectivity and mutual
itself from India – especially after 2015 blockade along the development, the India-Nepal border is far more
Indo-Nepal border after Nepal released a new democratic conducive than the China-Nepal border. Thus, India-Nepal
Constitution. ties are natural and don’t face any threats in the
CHINA-NEPAL STRATEGIC CONVERGENCE CAN BE foreseeable future.
SEEN IN WAY FORWARD
China is the single largest FDI source for Nepal - its Nonetheless, Nepal and India must work towards reducing
presence is not just there in small projects, but in their differences. Otherwise, the growing distance could
substantive ones, like cement, airports, roads, prove counterproductive to the interests of both the
transmission lines, railway, and optical fibre network. countries.

INDIA AND CHINA

communicating to each other, investing so much time,
effort and energy in building relations - there is less
MAMALLPURAM SUMMIT:
possibility of entering into a crisis like situation in future.
WHY CHINESE RAPPROCHEMENT NOW?

INDICATES CONVERGENCE Growing fragility in Chinese economy - In 2018, China
was riding the crest of a wave of achievements and did not
NEED think it needed to make concessions to anyone including
India. But in recent times, China has met with few geo-
# Bilateral Relationship political and economic setbacks.
Relations between China and the U.S. have sharply

deteriorated impacting China.
IN NEWS
Increasing attack on Belt and Road initiative –
As a follow up to the informal ‘Wuhan summit’ held in April accusation on China for practising debt trap diplomacy.
2018, the Indian Prime Minister and his Chinese counterpart
Internal security concerns - unrest in Tibet, inroads
recently concluded ‘Mamallpuram summit’.
made by radical extremist groups in Xinjiang and the latest
Informal summit is a useful format as it allows discussion on turn of events in Hong Kong – Here India’s support
wide-ranging issues, without any pressure of agenda or joint becomes vital.
declaration. They are not particularly purpose-specific, and are
India, despite its economic challenges, continues to be
sometimes considered to play bigger roles in diplomatic
fastest growing emerging economy of the world.
dialogue than formal exchanges. They acts as supplementary
exchanges to annual summits. India’s strengthening ties with both US and Russia is
making it a force to reckon with – China cannot overlook it
ABOUT THE SUMMIT
for long. India’s line of credit to develop Russia’s Far East
Symbolic choice of venue - Mamallapuram is a symbolic has fundamentally changed the nature of India-Russia
of India’s ‘soft power’ and is an important town of the relations. US recently accorded India designation of ‘Major
erstwhile Pallava dynasty that ruled this part of south non-NATO ally (MNNA)’
India. Earliest recorded security pact between China and
India’s relations with Japan have greatly strengthened and
India (in the early 8th century) involved a Pallava king
the Quad (the U.S, India, Japan and Australia) has gained a
(Rajasimhan, or Narasimha Varma II), from whom the
new lease of life.
Chinese sought help to counter Tibet, which had by then
emerged as a strong power posing a threat to China. CHALLENGES IN DEEPENING OF RELATIONS
People to people contact - To celebrate the 70th year of Frequency of talks has not improved the ability to resolve
diplomatic relations between the two nations, the year the problems facing the relationship.
2020 will be designated as Year of India-China Cultural Widening gap in the comprehensive national power of the
and People to People Exchanges. two Asian giants
Trade - One of the main issues between India and China is China’s aggregate GDP, now at about $14 trillion, is nearly
trade. During this summit, both leaders reinforced their five times larger than that of India, hovering at $2.8
commitment to improve trade relations. trillion.
Working together on international issues - Both agreed China’s annual defence spending at $250 billion is four
that there must be a rules-based and inclusive times larger than that of India. China has outpaced India
international order ; reform of international groups such in the much needed modernisation of its armed forces
as WTO. and higher defence organisation.
Demonstrative of the importance that both attach to
this partnership – With the top leadership
FOCUS | November 2 019 | RAU’S IAS

India-Chinese contestation such as seen in terms of Border IN NEWS

incursions (Doklam crisis), Indian Ocean Region
Prime Minister made a pitch for India’s membership of the
contestation etc.
Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) at the Bloomberg Global
AVENUES FOR FUTURE COOPERATION Business Forum where he delivered the keynote address. PM
Seek International support - India can leverage its highlighted that because India is not a member of NSG, it
relation to seek support for India’s membership of groups becomes very difficult for India to get the fuel for producing
such as Nuclear Suppliers Group and UNSC. nuclear energy.
Economic Cooperation – while Indian market is critical to WHAT IS NSG?

the global success of 5G, where China’s Huawei is the The Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) is a multilateral export
leader. Greater market access in China, and action by control regime and a group of nuclear supplier countries
Beijing to address the trade imbalance is imperative for that seek to prevent nuclear proliferation by controlling
India’s economic wellbeing. the export of materials, equipment and technology that
Both countries are pillars of emerging new world order can be used to manufacture nuclear weapons.
and thereby champions of multilateralism - must come The NSG was founded in response to the Indian nuclear
together on common areas affecting their region such as test in May 1974 called the Smiling Buddha.
security and stability in Asia addressing climate change
As of 2019, the NSG has 48 participating governments.
and increasing maritime trade.
The Problem: The NSG controls most of the world’s nuclear
India needs to patiently bargain with China for action
trade. India has been trying to get into NSG without being
against Pakistan - as seen in case of Masood Azhar
signatory of NPT. While the U.S. and other countries support
declaration as international terrorist which was only
India’s entry into the NSG, China is opposing India's
facilitated after China removed its technical hold.
membership citing Pakistan's non-admission in the exclusive
Mutual support – While China agreed to allow Pakistan to group.
be put on FATF Grey List and India offered support for
WHAT IS NPT?
China’s vice-chair push at the FATF.
Non-Proliferation Treaty or NPT, is an international treaty
WAY FORWARD
whose objective is
India must develop clarity on foreign policy - whether India
to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons
wants to compete with China for dominance in Asia or
technology;
cooperate with China to facilitate mutual aspiration of
to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear
facilitating Asian century. Further, as Wuhan summit spirit
energy; and
was continued in Mamallapuram summit. Spirit of
Mamallapuram too must be continued in future informal to further the goal of achieving nuclear disarmament and
summits. As it holds key to deeper and stronger Sino-Indo general and complete disarmament.
relationship.
WHY INDIA DID NOT SIGN NPT?
India, Israel, and Pakistan possess nuclear weapons but
have never accepted the NPT. India did not sign the NPT,
INDIA’S NSG ENTRY not because of its lack of commitment for non-
proliferation, but because NPT creates a club of "nuclear
# India and the World haves" and a larger group of "nuclear have-nots" by
restricting the legal possession of nuclear weapons to
those states that tested them before 1967.
India considers NPT as a flawed treaty and as it does not

recognize the need for universal, non-discriminatory
verification and treatment.

G-4 AND INDIA’s BID FOR

Transnational threats such as terrorism and cybercrime
are straining national capacities. Yet we are stuck with a
UNSC
global peace and security governance architecture from
the first half of the previous century.
# India and the World THE THREE KEY AREAS OF REFORM

1. Equitable Representation: There are 10 non-permanent
and 5 permanent members. Now various regions e.g.
IN NEWS African, Asia Pacific, Latin America etc. need to be
accommodated.
India, along with Japan, Germany and Brazil, have pitched for
an “enhanced role of developing countries” as it pushed for 2. Categories of membership: Member states that have
United Nations Security Council reforms. demonstrated credibility and capacity to shoulder the
responsibilities of the principal UN organ should have a
WHAT IS G4?
presence to ensure the legitimacy of the council. Thus, a
It is a group comprising four countries - Brazil, Germany, new category of “semi-permanent” seats is intriguing as, if
India, and Japan which support each other’s bids for properly structured, could ensure legitimacy without
permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council. preventing flexibility for a changing world.
G4's bids are often opposed by Uniting for Consensus (UfC) 3. Veto Reforms: The power of veto is frequently cited as a
a movement, nicknamed the Coffee Club, under the major problem as the P5 members often influence the
leadership of Italy. The prime movers of the club include Italy, resolutions making those countries to suffer , which
Spain, Australia, Canada, South Korea, Argentina and rather need a platform to grow. Proposals include:
Pakistan. It was developed in the 1990s in opposition to the limiting the use of the veto to vital national security issues;
possible expansion of permanent seats in the United Nations requiring agreement from multiple states before
Security Council. exercising the veto; and abolishing the veto entirely.
WHY THE REFORMS? WHY INDIA SHOULD BE MADE MEMBER OF IT?
Today the world is changing, but not the United Nations The long struggle of India to get into the permanent
Security Council. membership, also supported by UK, Russia and France can be
There is a sharp contrast between the number of seats justified on following grounds-
and the total number of member states. Established by 51 India, being the world’s largest democracy has second
countries 70 years ago, the UN now has 193 member largest population in the world.
states that coexist, compete and cooperate in a world that
It has, since its independence, has become a leading
is very different from the situation in 1945. But still, UN
contributor of troops to UN peacekeeping missions.
currently has only five permanent members with veto
power in the Security Council: China, France, Russia, the On the economic side, India has maintained the state of
United Kingdom, and the United States (comprising the World’s 7th largest economy.
victors of World War II). Being the 3rd largest active armed force, along with
Reform is needed to remove the “Democracy Deficit”. nuclear weapons, India’s candidature is justified.
The 21st century is characterised by a diffusion of power. ISRO’s successful MOM and of placing of Indigenous as
An accompanying shift in relative material power and well as four of US’s satellites is another landmark point for
influence from the West to the East; and an ongoing its candidature.
transition from ‘Unipolarity’ towards ‘Multipolarity’. India has consistently supported the purposes and
It has failed to tackle the recent crisis of Syria, Gaza and principles of the UN and has made significant
Ukraine. contributions to implementing the goals of the UN Charter.

INDIA AND BANGLADESH

provide a major boost to development and economy of
eastern Bangladesh and north eastern India.
Trade: The actual trade figure for the 2019 fiscal year was
# Bilateral Relationship
US$9.85 billion. The World Bank estimates Bangladesh–
India bilateral trade potential to be US$16.4 billion.
Despite the intertwined histories of the two countries and

IN NEWS
India’s key role in the liberation of Bangladesh, the two
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina made her first
countries have not always had the best of relations.
official visit to India in October, post her victory in the
► Outstanding issues
December 2018 general elections in Bangladesh. The seven
pacts and three projects that were signed and finalised during River water sharing particularly with regard to Teesta
the visit illustrate the transformation of the relationship River continues to persist in India, particularly in West
between the two countries. The pacts included agreements - To Bengal. The river originates in Sikkim, passes through West
supply gas to Tripura; Use of the Chattogram and Mongla ports Bengal and then enters Bangladesh.
to serve the north-east states; Skill development centre in
Bangladesh to train the youth.
INDIA AND BANGLADESH RELATIONSHIP

Today both countries enjoy one of the best periods of their
relationship, with positive development in the areas of
diplomatic, political, economic and security relations, a trend
evident since the coming to power of Sheikh Hasina in 2008.
► Issues of convergence
Historic land boundary agreement was signed in 2015

that facilitated exchange of enclaves.
Common membership of forums such as SAARC,

Deaths of Bangladeshi citizens on the Indo-Bangladesh
BIMSTEC, IORA and the Commonwealth.
border due to ‘shoot-to-kill’ policy by India's Border
Cultural/Linguistic ties: Bangladesh and the east Indian Security Forces (BSF) has become one of irritants in
state of West Bengal are Bengali-speaking. bilateral relations in the recent years.
Defence cooperation: Joint military exercises such as Smuggling of livestock, food items, medicines is
SAMPRITI being conducted. India also extended its first widespread across 4,096-km India-Bangladesh border.
ever defence-related line of credit of $500 million to
Human trafficking from across border is a grave concern.
Bangladesh for purchase defence equipment.
Women and children from Bangladesh are trafficked to
Development cooperation : such as construction of 130 India for commercial sexual exploitation.
km Bangladesh-India Friendship Pipeline between
Drug menace originating via the Golden Triangle is giving
Siliguri in West Bengal and Parbatipur in Dinajpur to boost
rise to drug abuse in youth of North east India. Smuggling
regional development.
of highly-addictive drug ‘yaba’ has been soaring.
Energy cooperation: India has entered into separate
►Note: The Golden Triangle is an area covering 367,000
bilateral agreements with Bangladesh for cross border
square miles in Southeast Asia where a significant portion of
trade of electricity. India exports around 500 MW to
the world's opium has been produced since the beginning of
Bangladesh.
the twentieth century. This area is centered around the
Connectivity projects: such as laying of Akhaura- meeting point of the borders that separate Laos, Myanmar,
Agartala rail track shall help reduce 1650 km distance and Thailand.
between Dhaka and Kolkata to only 550 km and will help

Migrants concern - Rohingya refuge of Myanmar entering The pact is seen as a ray of hope in otherwise tattered
India via Bangladesh is a concern. Indo-Pak relations. This shall help facilitate people to
people relations and help generate favourable people
Illegal immigration from Bangladesh in India has been
opinion over bettering Indo-Pak relation.
giving rise to persistent ethnic conflict in states such as
Assam. Help expand religious, cultural and intellectual exchanges
between the two nations.
Way forward - Bangladesh is all set to graduate out of the
Least Developing Countries. India must keep up the Newer demand been made to facilitate similar religious
partnership that allows for economic growth and improved corridor to Sharda temple – which shall help enable a
solution to the crisis in Kashmir.
developmental parameters for both countries. In this regard,
the mutually beneficial partnership must deliver on its CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED
promise. Concerns that the corridor might be used by Pakistan to
Further, it is welcome that the Government of India has undermine India's security. The day before the
assured Bangladesh that the National Register of Citizens will announcement, there was a grenade attack on a Nirankari
not affect Bangladesh. It is important to address specific meeting in Amritsar.
issues like Teesta and to respond to Dhaka’s call for help on A number of similar attempts before such as the
the Rohingya issue. Samjautha Express, a train service linking Delhi and
Lahore, and Sada-e-Sarhad, a bus service connecting Delhi
and Lahore, were past initiatives that were launched with
INDIA AND PAKISTAN similar hopes and fanfare as the Kartarpur Corridor. Their
impact on India-Pakistan relations was, however, limited to
# Bilateral Relationship say the least.
However, this time round, it is pertinent to note that the
Pakistani military and the government claim to be on the
same page.
WAY FORWARD
IN NEWS
The future of the corridor and its potential impact on India-
India and Pakistan signed an agreement to operationalise the
Pakistan relations is contingent upon whether the two states
Kartarpur corridor that will facilitate pilgrims from India to
will be able to develop sustained channels through which to
visit the Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan. The corridor is
discuss, firstly, the modalities of religious travel, and,
being built to connect Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur with
secondly, the expansion of such linkages to other sectors
Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, the final resting place of
such as trade and commerce.
Sikhism founder Guru Nanak, to commemorate his 550th birth
anniversary celebrations.
POSITIVE IMPACT
The protocol recognizes the deep shared history that
INDIA AND TURKEY
permeates the region, and understands that the cultural # Bilateral Relationship
and religious requirements of their respective citizens that
need to be honored - Visa-free Kartarpur Sahib corridor is
an old, strong, persistent demand from the Sikh
community .
Opens a new chapter in the relations between the two IN NEWS
countries - Kartarpur Corridor may be a small initiative to India’s has recently put off Prime Minister’s visit to Turkey
create some goodwill and ease one pressure on both scheduled later this year. India decided to do so to express its
states. displeasure over Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s
United Nations General Assembly speech in September in

which he criticised the Indian government’s move to remove include: broken/unbroken poppy seeds; machinery and
the special status accorded to Jammu and Kashmir by diluting mechanical appliances, iron and steel articles etc.
Article 370. Diplomatic relations – While Prime Minister Narendra
Modi was among the first few leaders to call Erdogan after
an aborted coup attempt in 2016, the Turkish president
made India his first foreign trip after returning to power in
2017.
Military exercises between India and Turkey, a regular

but a low profile passage exercises (PASSEX) between the
Navies of the two countries.
WAY FORWARD
Thus, clearly India-Turkey relations have been a mixed bag. In
order to improve their relations - India should learn to isolate
contentious issues, perhaps view its relation with Turkey
outside of Pakistan prism, resorting to de-hyphenation
approach in its bilateral relations.
Historically, Turkey has close relations with Pakistan - Turkey

has almost always endorsed Pakistan’s position on Kashmir.
Both are also members of the Organisation of Islamic SAARC
Cooperation (OIC), which in its resolutions has traditionally
supported Pakistan on this issue.
# India and its Neighbourhood
PRESENTLY
On Kashmir issue - Turkey’s relations with India have IN NEWS
nosedived after Turkey again stood with Pakistan on the
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is
Kashmir issue. India has criticized repeated statements by
the regional intergovernmental organization and geopolitical
the Turkish government on a matter completely internal to
union of states in South Asia. Its member comprises - 8 states -
India.
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal,
Travel advisory issued by MEA - India has asked its Pakistan and Sri Lanka. SAARC comprises 3% of the world's
citizens visiting Turkey to “exercise extreme caution” while area, 21% of the world's population and 4% of the global
visiting the Middle East country. economy.
Strain in defence ties - A $2.3-billion deal to build fleet Recently, Pakistan and India boycotted each other’s
support vessels in collaboration with a Turkish shipyard statements at a meeting of the South Asian Association for
has come into question after security concerns were raised Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in New Delhi.
over the firm, including links with Pakistan.
CHALLENGES FACED BY SAARC
NONETHELESS
Indo-Pak rivalry - SAARC has been hostage to India -
India had started engaging meaningfully with Turkey, a Pakistan conflict, whereby India is unwilling to engage with
traditional Pakistan ally, from 2016. Pakistan till it ends or makes serious attempts cross-
Economic relations - Bilateral India-Turkey trade has border terrorism. SAARC Region is also one of the most
increased significantly in the preceding decade and a half. terror prone regions of the world with frequent tensions
The major Indian exports to Turkey include: Mineral oils and unrest within the member countries as well as
and fuels, man-made filaments and staple fibres, amongst the members.
automotive spare parts etc. Turkey’s exports to India

China factor- China is trying to establish relations with the World’s economic centre of gravity is shifting east wards.
member states of SAARC excluding India. For e.g. China Thus, it becomes critical for regional economics to work
has started CPEC with Pakistan, Hambatota project with Sri together for facilitating the vision of Asian century.
Lanka, FTA with Maldives and railroad pact with Nepal.
WAY FORWARD
Low inter region trade - While organizations like ASEAN
Solely relying on the governments to bring about an
record a trade of 20%, SAARC's trade figures are a dismal
integration of the region may not be enough.
low at about 3%. South Asia free trade agreement (SAFTA)
An active participation of the fifth estate (social media) and
proposed for boosting intra- regional trade still remains on
citizen journalism can strengthen people to people contact
paper and is not functional.
and hence bring about regional integration.
Absence of cooperation on major initiatives for example
With 35% of the global youth in this region, the region is
– Pak’s non-cooperation on motor vehicle agreement.
the work force of the 21st century when the rest of the
South Asian region faces several other issues such as
world has an ageing population.
pollution, poverty, unemployment, rapid unorganized
Hence, with a good cooperation among the member
urbanization, refugees, political instability, corruption and
several communicable and non-communicable disease states, the region can become a strong economy and a
better society in the near future.
outbreaks.
As a result, India is seen to be moving away from SAARC in
PACIFIC ISLAND NATIONS

direction of BIMSTEC. However, still India is not attempting to
replace SAARC with BIMSTEC since both organisations are
based on different foundations.
# India and the World
SAARC as an organisation reflects the South Asian identity of
the countries based on shared history, language, religion,
cuisines, etc. IN NEWS
BIMSTEC on the other hand is not based upon shared identity Prime Minister announced a $150-million line of credit to the
but rather a shared geographical region of Bay of Bengal. group of Pacific island nations for solar, renewable energy and
PROSPECTS OF SAARC IN TODAY’S TIME climate-related projects. This was announced when he
attended the India-Pacific Islands Developing States Leaders’
India subcontinent while geographically is one of the most
Meeting, announced $12 million for the member-states to
integrated region in the world in terms of terrain,
implement high-impact development projects in an area of
ecosystem, river system etc. But its polity, history,
their choice.
economics, below par engagement makes it one of the
least integrated region of the world – This lack of Globally “Indo-Pacific” has gained currency in recent times:
integration can be overcome by SAARC. Largely due to statements regarding the United States’
Rebalance to Asia strategy( ‘Asia pacific’ renamed as ‘Indo
The eight-member SAARC is the only important regional
pacific’) and an acknowledgement of linkage between the
institution where both India and Pakistan are members.
Indian and Pacific Oceans.
SAARC would benefit from the stability that India and
Pakistan at peace would bring. INDIA’S INDO-PACIFIC VISION
In a competing world, where we see countries forming As far as India is concerned, this linkage between the Indian
groups like the EU, ASEAN, AU and so on, SAARC could be a Ocean and the Pacific traversing the waters of Southeast Asia
pillar for the countries of the South Asian region to is nothing new. In 2004, the Indian Maritime Doctrine
establish their identity in trade and also to alleviate the alluded to “the shift in global maritime focus from the
afore mentioned evils persistent in the region. A la ic-Paci c c bi e he Paci c- dia . The ef e,
beyond the Indian Ocean, the Western Pacific has for some

time now been identified as falling within the ambit of India's WAY FORWARD
security interests.
For India it must be recognised that - the region’s importance
is neither a new development nor is it dictated by a shift in
the American focus. It represents India’s move to identify its
own strategic interest in the region.
CARICOM COUNTRIES
# India and the World
IN NEWS
Prime Minister of India announced a $14-million grant for
community development projects in a grouping of Caribbean
nations and another $150 million Line of Credit for solar,
renewable energy and climate-change related works in the
first ever India-Caricom leaders' summit here.
WHAT IS CARICOM?
The Caribbean community, also known as CARICOM, is a
RECENT SCENARIO grouping of 15 member states and five associate members.
India has set up an ‘Indo-Pacific division’ in the Ministry Caricom countries came together in 1973 to form an
of External Affairs. economic and political community that works jointly to shape
Further at 2018, Shangri-La Dialogue - Prime Minister policies for the region and encourages economic growth and
suggested that – India sees the Indo-Pacific as primarily a trade.
geographic domain — a “natural region” and that it is
indispensable to the security of the Indian Ocean.
The focus on maritime issues is evident from the increase

in maritime exchanges led by the Indian Navy with
countries, such as, Vietnam, Singapore and Japan.
India’s approach to the region is exemplified by its evolving

Look East Policy, beginning with economic engagement
with Southeast Asia and now expanding to strategic
cooperation beyond Southeast Asia.
The US’ Rebalance to Asia no doubt highlights the importance

of the “Indo-Pacific” concept and generates much speculation
regarding the interaction between the US, its regional allies,
India and China. It has been identified as a realm of great
power rivalry by many.

practice questions
MCQs
Q1. Consider the following statements with regarding 1. India has provided Bangladesh credit for renovation of
NAM: Kankesenthurai harbour.
1. It was established in 1961 at Belgrade, Yugoslavia. 2. China has got 99-year lease of Hambantota Port in Sri
2. It is an initiative of the Indian and the South Africa. Lanka.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 3. India and Sri lanka are yet to sign a bilateral Free Trade
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only Agreement.
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 2 only (b) 1 and 3 only
Q2. Consider the following statements regarding United (c) 1 and 2 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Nations:
1. There are currently 20 United Nations specialized Q4. Which of the following countries is not a member of
agencies. G4?
2. China has withdrawn itself from UNESCO. (a) Japan (b) Brazil
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (c) India (d) Spain
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Q5 Turkey doesn’t share border with:
(a) Georgia (b) Egypt
Q3. Which of the following statements is/are correct ? (c) Bulgaria (d) Syria
descriptive Questions
Q1. Turkey and India relations have been traditionally seen through the prism of Pakistan. It’s now time for India to adopt a de-
hyphenated approach’. Elaborate.
Q2. ‘The relevance of NAM is diluting as the world is becoming multipolar’. Critically analyse the statement.
Answers to above MCQs: 1 (a), 2 (d), 3 (a), 4(d), 5(b)

CONSTITUTION, POLITY AND

GOVERNANCE
PARLIAMENTARY
education of the public of their obligations and rights as
citizens of a democratic republic.
REFORMS
The four fundamentals on which any democracy thrives
are; majority rule, recognition of minority rights,
constitutional government and governance by
# Parliament discussion. While democracy has taken deep roots in our
country, there is still a large set of concerns that need to
be addressed.
IN NEWS Trust of the people in Parliament and other legislatures
The Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu unveiled a 15 point based on the responsiveness of law making bodies to the
Reform to enable effective functioning of the Parliament and concerns of the people is critical for democracy and the
State Legislatures. conduct of legislators.
VIEWS ON PARLIAMENT, DEMOCRACY AND PUBLIC These are the broad framework of reforms as suggested
by Vice-President for further strengthening our
OPINION
parliamentary institutions so as to enhance the trust of
Parliamentary government revolves around the consent the people in them.
of the people through elected representatives. Parliament
1. Both pre and post Legislative Impact Assessment to be
is an instrument for expressing public opinion and voicing
ensured for quality and informed law making for creating
public grievances, restraining the executive and ensuring
wider awareness about the targeted outcomes by
its responsibility and accountability to national sentiment
bringing out social, economic, environmental and
and will.
administrative impacts besides the involvement of all
Its core functions include constituent, legislative, stakeholders in law making;
deliberative and oversight of executive. Effectiveness of
2. Ensuring effective functioning of the Department
Parliament is contingent upon the degree to which it
Related Standing Committees of Parliament through
echoes public concerns on a range of issues ranging from
longer tenures instead of reconstitution every year;
the individual to the nation’s development and hence, it
shall keep its eyes and ears open to the public opinion. 3. Taking forward the legislation in the Parliament for
reservation of women in legislatures whose
The roots of parliamentary system lie in the democratic
representation is at present only about 13%;
ideal and they have to be fostered outside the confines
of Parliament and among the masses of the people. 4. A minimum number of sittings for both the Parliament
and State Legislatures per year to be appropriately
Parliamentary democracy thrives only when the
prescribed and compliance ensured;
electorate is mature, informed, intelligent and vigilant,
and that can be done only by intensive and continuous

Constituti0n, Polity and

Governance
5. Law makers should abide by the Rules of the House 15. Consensus to be built on the proposal for simultaneous
and political parties to take responsibility in this regard by elections so that governance is not adversely impacted on
evolving and enforcing a code of conduct; account of staggered and continuous polls across the
6. Making rules that automatically take effect against erring country and also to address the problem of rising money
Members in case of interruptions and disruptions; power in elections.
7. Political parties to evolve roster system for ensuring
UNDERSTANDING
attendance of at least 50% of their members in the
legislatures all through the proceedings of the House
every day to address the issue of lack of quorum;
8. Secretariats of legislatures to publish regular reports on SEDITION & FREE SPEECH

the attendance of members inside during the proceedings
and the extent of their participation in the form of # Freedom of Expression # Sedition
questions raised, debates participated in etc.;
9. Legislature parties to ensure that the new entrants and

IN NEWS
back benchers are given adequate opportunities to
participate in the debates instead of fielding only a select The recent order of lower court in Bihar directing the filing of
and established few; an FIR against 49 eminent persons who signed an open letter
to the Prime Minister expressing concerns over mob lynching is
10. To evolve a new political consciousness under which
shocking, disappointing, and completely disregards the true
tickets to contest elections will not be given merely on the
meaning of the law.
criteria of winnability by political parties to address the
problem of rising number of legislators with criminal Hereby discussing the concept and provisions related to
backgrounds; sedition in India.
11. To review the functioning of the Anti-Defection Law to SIGNIFICANCE OF FREE SPEECH
address grey areas like incentivising members to resort to Free speech is one of the most significant principles of
activities that invite expulsion from the parties besides democracy. The purpose of this freedom is to allow an
stipulating specific time frame for deciding on defection individual to attain self-fulfillment, assist in discovery of
matters by the Presiding Officers of Legislatures; truth, strengthen the capacity of a person to take decisions
12. To review the functioning of ‘Whip System‘ which is and facilitate a balance between stability and social
being alleged to be stifling even reasonable dissent from change.
the party position even on non-consequential matters and The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948, in its
rationalise the norms for issuing Whip to enable some Preamble and Article 19 declared freedom of speech as a
degree of freedom of expression without adversely basic fundamental right. This freedom is termed as an
affecting stability of the Government; essence of free society.
13. Setting up special courts/tribunals for time bound
RESTRICTIONS ON FREE SPEECH
adjudication on criminal complaints against legislators
Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution of India guarantees
and election related matters; Timely and effective action
freedom of speech and expression to all citizens. However,
against legislators for non-ethical conduct.
this freedom is subjected to certain restrictions namely,
14. Governments to be responsive to the views and concerns interests of the sovereignty and integrity of India, the
of the Opposition and the Opposition to be responsible security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States,
and constructive while resorting to the available public order, decency or morality or in relation to
parliamentary instruments like Adjournment Motions and contempt of court, defamation or incitement to an offence.
during participation in the debates and both sides to
Sedition is used for restriction on free speech.
avoid cynical and adversarial position just for the sake of
it.


Governance
SEDITION AS DEFINED IN INDIAN PENAL CODE SUPREME COURT JUDGMENTS ON SEDITION
UNDER SECTION 124A. The Supreme Court in Romesh Thapar v State of Madras
Whoever by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by declared that unless the freedom of speech and
visible representation, or otherwise, brings or attempts to bring expression threaten the security of or tend to overthrow
into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite the State, any law imposing restriction upon the same
disaffection towards the Government established by law in, would not fall within the purview of Article 19(2) of the
shall be punished with imprisonment for life, to which fine may Constitution.
be added, or with imprisonment which may extend to three In KedarNath Singh vs State of Bihar,1962, a
years, to which fine may be added, or with fine. Constitution Bench had ruled in favour of the
EXPLANATIONS constitutional validity of Section 124A (sedition) in the IPC.
The expression “disaffection” includes disloyalty and all The Court held that a person can be prosecuted for
feelings of enmity. sedition only if his acts caused “incitement to violence or
intention or tendency to create public disorder or cause
Comments expressing disapprobation of the measures of
disturbance of public peace”. Unless an act of a person
the Government with a view to obtain their alteration by
does not incite violence or disturb public order cannot be
lawful means, without exciting or attempting to excite
booked under the dangerous section of sedition.
hatred, contempt or disaffection, do not constitute an
offence under this section. In the case of Shreya Singhal v. Union of India, section
66A of the Information and Technology Act, 2000, was
Comments expressing disapprobation of the
declared unconstitutional on the ground that it was in
administrative or other action of the Government without
direct conflict with the fundamental right of freedom of
exciting or attempting to excite hatred, contempt or
speech and expression. The Supreme Court held that
disaffection, do not constitute an offence under this
under the Constitutional scheme, for the democracy to
section.
h i e, he libe f eech a d e e i i a ca di al
HISTORY OF SEDITION value and of paramount importance.
Sedition laws were enacted in 17th century England, when The freedom of speech does not only help in the balance
lawmakers believed that only good opinions of the and stability of a democratic society, but also gives a sense
government should survive, as bad opinions were of self-attainment. In the case of Indian Express
detrimental to the government and monarchy. This Newspaper (Bombay)(P) Ltd. v. Union of India, following
sentiment and law was borrowed and inserted into the IPC four important purposes of the free speech and
in 1870. expression were set out:
Section 113 of Macaulay‘s Draft Penal Code corresponds (i) it helps an individual to attain self-fulfillment,
to the present section 124A of IPC on sedition. The
(ii) it assists in the discovery of truth
punishment proposed was life imprisonment. The offence
of sedition is provided under section 124A of the Indian (iii) it strengthens the capacity of an individual in
Penal Code, 1860 (IPC). participating in decision-making, and
The law was first used to prosecute Bal GangadharTilak in (iv) it provides a mechanism by which it would be
1897. That case led to Section 124A of the IPC being possible to establish a reasonable balance between
amended, to add the words “hatred” and “contempt” to stability and social change
“disaffection”, which was defined to include disloyalty and Section 124A IPC must be read in consonance with Article
feelings of enmity. Even Mahatma Gandhi was later tried 19(2) of the Constitution and the reasonableness of the
for sedition for his articles in Young India. restriction must be carefully scrutinised on the basis of facts
Even in Constituent Assembly, an attempt was made to and circumstances of the case. On the other hand, there have
incorporate sedition to restrict free speech which was also been instances where people have been charged with
opposed by Jawaharlal Nehru.


Governance
sedition for making statements that in no manner undermine Courts should not indulge in motivating vexatious
the security of the nation. complaints and must order investigation before ordering
filing of First Information Report (FIR).
LAW COMMISSION VIEWS ON SEDITION
Lower Courts must obey the judgments given by higher
Some of the important observations are:
courts in letter and spirit especially in serious matters like
Dissent and criticism of the government are essential sedition.
ingredients of a robust public debate in a vibrant
In a democracy, every citizen has a right to raise questions,
democracy. Thus, if the country is not open to positive
debate, disagree, and challenge the powers that be on
criticism, there lies little difference between the pre- and
issues that face the nation.
post-Independence eras.
The soul of Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy resides in right
Right to criticise one’s own history and the right to
to dissent which is today being systematically destroyed by
offend are rights protected under free speech under
power holders. Any critical voice against the government,
Article 19 of the Constitution. While it is essential to
its functioning or its functionaries are mercilessly being
protect national integrity, it should not be misused as a
crushed by various means, sedition being one and primary
tool to curb free speech.
among them.
Every restriction on free speech and expression must
CONCLUSION
be carefully scrutinised to avoid unwarranted
restrictions. There is a need to differentiate between strong criticism of
the government and incitement of violence. Mere criticism
In a democracy, singing from the same songbook is not a
of the government or its policies should not amount to
benchmark of patriotism. People should be at liberty to
sedition.
show their affection towards their country in their own
way. Such a dissent or criticism must be accompanied by
incitement to violence or intention or tendency to create
An expression of frustration over the state of affairs
public disorder or cause disturbance of public peace which
cannot be treated as sedition. For merely expressing a
is against the interests of sovereignty and integrity of India
thought which is not in consonance with the policy of the
or security of the state - for invoking charges under
government of the day, a person should not be charged
sedition.
under the provision of sedition.
Sedition should not be used by the government against
The Commission also asked whether it would be
such people voicing their opinion even against the
worthwhile to rename Section 124A and find a suitable
functioning of the government. Time has come to debate
substitute for the term - sedition.
on the use of sedition in modern times as it’s incorporation
RECENT CONTROVERSY was based on colonial purposes.
An open letter was written to the Prime Minister on
highlighting the issue of Bihar Muzaffarpur shelter home
sexual abuse case by 49 prominent citizens including
ShyamBenegal, AdoorGopalakrishnan, Aparna Sen and REVISING INDIAN PENAL
Ramchandra Guha. A lawyer initiated a criminal proceeding
against these people for signing the open letter and the Chief
Judicial Magistrate directed the police to register a First
CODE
Information Report (FIR). The FIR was lodged under various
sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including sedition, #Governance
public nuisance, hurting religious feelings, and insulting with
intent to provoke breach of peace.
WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE COURSE? IN NEWS

The government aims to revamp Indian Penal Code (IPC) which
was drafted by the British. Union Home Minister has recently


Governance
asked Bureau of Police Research and Development to work on RELATED INFORMATION: RECOMMENDATIONS BY
a proposal to amend various sections of the IPC and the Code MALIMATH COMMITTEE
of Criminal Procedure after seeking suggestions from people
Inquisitorial System -The committee recommended
across the country.
adopting some of the important features of Inquisitorial
NEED FOR REFORM IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM System into our Adversarial system such as involvement
The purpose of reform must be to transform the approach of Court in investigation process so as to search for truth,
towards criminal justice by re-classification of offence to to assign a pro-active role to the Judges, to give directions
recognise and classify crimes done in the present with an eye to the investigating officers and prosecution agencies in
on the future. So, in doing such reforms, several points must the matter of investigation. However, the Committee on
be taken into consideration: These are: balance felt that, a fair trial and in particular, fairness to
the accused, are better protected in the adversarial
1. Identification of rights of victims of crime – In this,
system.
thrust in reform must be given to introducing victim and
witness protection scheme, use of victim impact In the Inquisitorial system, members of judiciary
statements, advent of victim advocacy, increased victim participates in the investigation process whereas in the
participation in criminal trials, enhanced access of victims Adversarial system, the members of judiciary do not
to compensation and increased emphasis on victims in participate in the investigation process as it is done solely
the criminal justice system. by the police or a separate agency.
2. New offences must be based on principles of criminal Right to remain Silent – An accused, in most cases is the
jurisprudence– Principles of criminal jurisprudence are: best source of information. So, on this note the Committee
felt that while respecting the right of the accused under
a. Presumption of Innocence until proven guilty
Article 20(3), a way must be found to tap this critical
b. Burden of proof on the prosecution i.e. those who has source of information. As per the committee, the accused
charged the accused of any crime must file a statement to the prosecution disclosing his
c. Right to remain silent – [Article 20(3) and US Fifth stand.
Amendment] Rights of Accused - As per the Committee, all the rights of
d. Double Jeopardy – No one shall be punished twice for the the accused flowing from the laws and judicial decisions
same offence should be collected and put in a Schedule to the Code.
e. Right to fair trial Presumption of Innocence & Burden of Proof – To prove

criminal cases, standard of proof has to be beyond
So, while introducing new punishments like community
reasonable doubt. The Committee after careful
service orders, restitution orders, and other aspects of
assessment of the standards of proof came to the
restorative and reformative justice, these basic elements of
conclusion that the standard of proof beyond reasonable
criminal jurisprudence must not be compromised.
doubt presently followed in criminal cases should be done
3. Re-moulding old offences – There is not only need to re-
away with and recommended in its place a standard of
mould offences drafted to suit British colonialism but also
proof lower than that of ‘proof beyond reasonable doubt’
to re-work on classification of offence under specific
and higher than the standard of ‘proof on preponderance
chapters. Offences such as criminal conspiracy, sedition,
of probabilities’.
offences against coin and stamps etc. needs to be
Legal Services & Compensation to Victims of crime –
abolished or replaced. Even the chapters on offences
against public servants, contempt of authority, public Legal services to victims in select crimes may be extended
tranquility, and trespass can be redefined and narrowed. to include psychiatric and medical help. Victim
compensation is a State obligation in all serious crimes,
4. New offences like those suggested by Malimath
whether the offender is apprehended or not, convicted or
Committee on criminal justice reforms, can be
acquitted. This is to be organised in a separate legislation
introduced.
by Parliament. The Victim Compensation law will provide


Governance
INDIAN SECULARISM &

for the creation of a Victim Compensation Fund to be
administered possibly by the Legal Services Authority.
Investigation - A prompt and quality investigation is the

foundation of the effective Criminal Justice System. So, the
BLASPHEMY
committee has made the following recommendations:
#Secularism
The Investigation Wing should be separated from the Law
and Order Wing of the police.
People involved in investigation must be trained in IN NEWS

advanced technology, knowledge of changing economy, The Punjab Legislative Assembly introduced amendments to
new dynamics of social engineering, efficacy and use of the Indian Penal Code and Code of Criminal Procedure
modern forensics etc. (applicable only in the state of Punjab) that make committing
National Security Commission and the State Security sacrilege against certain religious texts punishable with life
Commissions at the State level should be constituted, as imprisonment. The following changes are introduced:-
recommended by the National Police Commission. Section 295AA - The Indian Penal Code (Punjab Amendment)
Witness Protection - Witness who comes to assist the Bill, 2018 inserts Section 295AA into the Penal. It provides that
court should be treated with dignity and shown due whoever causes injury, damage or sacrilege to Sri Guru Granth
courtesy. An official should be assigned to provide Sahib, Srimad Bhagwad Geeta, Holy Quran and Holy Bible with
assistance to him. A law should be enacted for giving the intention to hurt the religious feelings of the people, shall
protection to the witnesses and their family members. be punished with imprisonment for life.
Making Perjury an offence – Giving false oath must be a Section 295 – It has increased the term of imprisonment for
criminal offence as it misleads the courts in criminal cases. the offense of injuring or defiling places of worship with the
intent to insult the religion of any class from 2 years to 10
Re-classification of Offence - the Committee feels that
years. Section 295 deals with deliberate and malicious acts,
when reviewing the Indian Penal Code it may be examined
intended to outrage religious feelings or any class by insulting
whether it would be helpful to make a new classification
its religion or religious beliefs.
into i) The Social Welfare Code, ii) The Correctional Code,
Section 295A - Deliberate and malicious acts intended to
iii) The Criminal Code and iv) Economic and other Offences
outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion
Code.
or religious beliefs - punishment of a term which may extend
To remove the distinction between cognizable and
to 3 years or with fine or both.
non-cognizable offences and making it obligatory on the
CONCEPT OF SECULARISM IN INDIA
Police Officer to investigate all offences in respect of which
a compliant is made. Cognizable Offence has been defined The Indian Constitution allows individuals the freedom to
under Code of Criminal Procedure (Cr.PC). Cognizable live by their religious beliefs and practices as they interpret
offence means a case in which a police officer may arrest these. In keeping with this idea of religious freedom for all,
without warrant. Cognizable offences are usually offences India also adopted a strategy of separating the power of
which are serious in nature like murder, rape, dowry religion and the power of the State. Secularism refers to
death, kidnapping etc. this separation of religion from the State.
Vacations for Courts – Considering large pendency of Article 25 - Subject to public order, morality and health
cases, the Committee has suggested to reduce vacation in and to the other provisions of this Part, all persons are
High Courts and Supreme Court in the larger public equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right
interest. freely to profess, practise and propagate religion.
Thus, religious tolerance and equal treatment of all

religious groups are essential parts of secularism. So,


Governance
secularism in India does not mean irreligion. It rather STATE INTERVENTIONS IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS
means respect for each faith and religions. The State does
Article 25 - State keeps a principled distance from religion.
not identify itself with any particular religion. However, state can make law to regulate freedom of
In India, there is no state religion or any preferred religion conscience and free profession, practice and propagation
and so all religious groups enjoy the same constitutional of religion on grounds of public order, morality and health.
protection without any favour or discrimination. The Indian Constitution provides for reformation, and the
CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY DEBATES curbing of socially unjust religious practices. Recently, five
Judge Constitution Bench of Supreme Court has held that
The nature of secular state which India was to be in future
the Sabarimala Temple’s practice of barring entry to
became a matter of intense discussion in the Assembly.
women between the ages of ten and fifty was
The dilemma before the assembly was whether to
unconstitutional and has thereby allowed entry of women
incorporate secularism within the constitution or the state
of all ages.
should stay away from all religions or rather adopt an
Abolition and criminalisation of untouchability so that
approach where it respects all the religions equally.
every citizen has a right to religion without any
The first group of proponents saw secularism as inspired
discrimination.
from French concept of state staying away from all
This understanding of secularism thus requires critical
religions. However, others like K M Munshi, Lakshmi Kant
engagement with religion. A necessary prerequisite for
Mitra and H V Kamath did not agree with the Western
critical engagement aimed at reform is the freedom to
outlook.
question religion and religious practices.
Differences between these two groups were visible not
In order to prevent this religion-based exclusion and
only in nature of right to worship under the freedom of
discrimination of ‘lower castes’, the Indian Constitution
religion but was also visible in matters like the introduction
bans untouchability. In this instance, the State is
of a Uniform Civil Code, political safeguards for minorities,
intervening in religion in order to end a social practice that
and whether or not religious instructions should be given
it believes discriminates and excludes, and that violates
in schools.
the Fundamental Rights of ‘lower castes’ who are citizens
Based on these discussions, Right to Religion in the Indian of this country.
Constitution was inserted from Article 25 to Article 28. Similarly, to ensure that laws relating to equal inheritance
SO, THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA ENSURES THAT: rights are respected, the State may have to intervene in
the religion-based ‘personal laws’ of communities. The
Article 25 - Freedom of conscience and free profession,
intervention of the State can also be in the form of
practice and propagation of religion
support. The Indian Constitution grants the right to
Article 26 - Freedom to manage religious affairs religious communities to set up their own schools and
Article 27 - Freedom as to payment of taxes for promotion colleges. It also gives them financial aid on a non-
of any particular religion preferential basis.
Article 28 - Freedom as to attendance at religious Challenges: So, the kind of Indian Secularism allows
instruction or religious worship in certain educational questions on faith and practice and leaves little room for
institutions blasphemy. So, the amendment brought by Punjab
Government is against Indian Secularism on the following
One religious community does not dominate another
grounds:
Some members do not dominate other members of the
First, it interferes with ideals of social reform of religion as
same religious community.
envisaged under the Constitution by disallowing fair
State does not enforce any particular religion nor take criticism of religion.
away the religious freedom of individuals.


Governance
This amendment will also have ramifications for atheists relating to such case put to him by the police officer legally
and non-believers, who have a constitutional right to not authorised to examine him, other than questions the
agree to the beliefs and teachings of religious texts. This answers to which would have a tendency to expose him to
amendment can be used to subvert dissent and a criminal charge or to a penalty or forfeiture.
disagreements.
RIGHT AGAINST SELF-INCRIMINATION AS EXPLAINED
State has kept Jain and Buddhist text out of the context. BY SUPREME COURT
So, the amendment can be said to be violative of right to
A person accused of an offence means a “person against
religion.
whom a formal accusation relating to the commission of
WAY FORWARD an offence has been charged, which may result in
In Indian secularism, though the State is not strictly prosecution”. Formal accusation in India can be brought by
separate from religion it does maintain a principled lodging of an F.I.R or a formal complaint, to a competent
distance vis-à-vis religion. This means that any interference authority against the particular individual accusing him for
in religion by the State has to be based on the ideals laid the commission of the crime.
out in the Constitution. Self-incrimination means that police cannot compel the
These ideals serve as the standard through which we can accused to give evidence against himself/herself. In the
judge whether the State is or is not behaving according to case of Nandini Satpathy v. P.L Dani, the Supreme Court
secular principles. The Indian State is secular and works in ruled that the extent of prohibition of Art 20 (3) goes back
various ways to prevent religious domination. The Indian to the stage of police interrogation after filing of First
Constitution guarantees Fundamental Rights that are Information Report.
based on these secular principles. The objective of Article 20(3) is to protect the accused
from unnecessary police harassment and hence it extends
to the stage of police investigation apart from the trial
RIGHT AGAINST SELF- procedure so that accused is not compelled to give

evidence against himself or herself. So, in a way, Article
INCRIMINATION 20(3) grants right to silence to the accused from not being
a witness against themselves which might harm their case.
# Fundamental Right THE NEED FOR ARTICLE 20(3)

Combining the understanding of Article 20(3) and section
161(2), it means that a person has the right to remain
IN NEWS silent to avoid incriminating himself or herself.
Custodial interrogation which means arrest solely for the In Selvi v. Karnataka, Chief Justice of India explained that
purpose of interrogation inherently, invariably and the underlying rationale of the right against self-
unavoidably violates fundamental right against self- incrimination broadly corresponds with two objectives:
incrimination and the right to silence. On this note, let us (i) Ensuring reliability of the statements made by an accused,
understand about right against self-incrimination. and
UNDERSTANDING RIGHT AGAINST SELF- (ii) Ensuring that such statements are made voluntarily by the
INCRIMINATION accused and not compelled by any authority
Article 20(3) - No person accused of any offence shall be The Court explained that in situations where a person
compelled to be a witness against himself. suspected or accused of a crime is compelled to testify
Section 161(2) of Code of Criminal Procedure - through methods involving coercion, threats or
Implements the constitutional right against self- inducements during the investigative stage, then there is a
incrimination: “Every person who the police is authorised higher likelihood of such testimony being false.
to examine orally, is bound to answer truly all questions


Governance
False testimony is undesirable in any investigation and it Existing rent control laws are restricting the growth of
impacts both the integrity and outcome as it may mislead rental housing segment and discourage the landowners
the Court resulting in miscarriage of justice. from renting out their vacant premises.
In NandiniSatpathy v. P.L Dani, Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer held

that Article 20(3) is a human article which guarantees
dignity and integrity to an individual and clothes him with VILLAGE SECRETARIAT
right of silence.
#Local Self Government
DRAFT MODEL TENANCY

ACT CONTEXT
#Legislation State Government of Andhra Pradesh under the new

government has appointed over 1.26 lakh employees under a
new governance initiative of Village and Ward Secretariat. The
IN NEWS idea of establishing village secretariat is to ensure doorstep
delivery of government services to its intended beneficiaries. It
Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MHUA) has released the
will also strengthen the functioning of panchayats at grass
draft Model Tenancy Act, 2019, which aims to regulate rental
root level.
housing by creating Rent Authorities, Rent Courts & Rent
Tribunals. Village Secretariat has been set up for every population of
2,000, each having about dozen village officials taken from
PURPOSE OF THE ACT
different departments such as police, revenue, electricity
With the commitment to provide Housing for all by 2022, etc.
the Act envisages to balance the interest and rights of both
The state has also hired another two lakh village
the owner and tenant and to create an accountable and
volunteers to assist people in availing government
transparent ecosystem for renting the premises in
services. Each village volunteer will be paid Rs. 5000/- per
disciplined and efficient manner.
month and shall be responsible for 50 households each.
It will enable creation of adequate rental housing stock for
As per the government, expenditure for village secretariat
various income segments of society including migrants,
is not much as compared to subsidies given to industries
formal and informal sector workers, professionals,
which can only employ hundred to two hundred people.
students etc. and increase access to quality rented
Village secretariat has much larger carrying capacity in
accommodation, enable gradual formalization of rental
terms of recruitment of people at grass root level.
housing market.
A total of 11,158 Village Secretariats and 3,786 Ward
It will help overhaul the legal framework vis-à-vis rental
Secretariats will come into existence across the State on
housing across the country. It is also expected to give a
October 2, marking the birth anniversary of Mahatma
fillip to private participation in rental housing for
Gandhi, who advocated Gram Swaraj.
addressing the huge housing shortage across the country.
It also lays down obligations of tenants and landlords. 1.26 lakh people have been recruited through a merit
examination conducted in the state where more than 21
The Draft MTA will also promote growth of rental housing
lakh applied for the job.
and investment in the sector and promote entrepreneurial
opportunities and innovative mechanism of sharing of Gram Swaraj: Gram Swaraj, or village self-rule, was a pivotal
space. This MTA will be applicable prospectively and will concept in Gandhi's thinking. As per Mahatma Gandhi, each
not affect the existing tenancies. village should be basically self-reliant, making provision for all


Governance
necessities of life - food, clothing, clean water, sanitation, monitoring authority for promotion of Urdu language and
housing, education and so on, including government and self- Urdu education. The main objectives for which the Council
defence, and all socially useful amenities required by a has been established are:
community. To promote, develop and propagate Urdu language.
KEY TAKEAWAYS OF NEW DECISION To take action for making available in Urdu language the
knowledge of scientific and technological development as
1. Assures delivery of services at doorsteps thereby
well as knowledge of ideas evolved in the modern context.
addressing the problem of last mile delivery.
To advise the Government of India on issues connected
2. It reduces the need for beneficiaries to go to government
with Urdu language and having bearing on education as
offices for enquiry or collecting entitlements. This will
may be referred to it.
reduce corruption and improve accountability in the
system. To undertake other projects for the promotion of Urdu
language as may be deemed fit by the Council.
3. It strengthens the functioning of Panchayati Raj
National Council for Promotion of Sindhi Language: It was
Institutions.
established as an autonomous registered body under the
4. Provides employment opportunities to lakhs of deserving Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human
candidate at local level. This will also reduce migration to Resource Development (HRD), Government of India.
cities and effectively increase demand in the economy. Registered under the Societies Registration Act in 1860 on
5. It encourages people’s participation in democratic 26th May 1994 under registration no. 1085 (Vadodara)
functioning of local government. Gujarat. The headquarter of the council is in New Delhi. The
objectives of the council are:
To work on knowledge of scientific and technological
NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR advances in Sindhi language as well as knowledge of ideas

developed in modern terms.
PROMOTION OF URDU To promote develop and propagate Sindhi Language.

To advise the Government of India on issues connected
LANGUAGE AND SINDHI with Sindhi Language and having bearing on education as
may be referred to it.
LANGUAGE To undertake any activity for the promotion of Sindhi

Language as may be deemed as fit by the council
#Language
SC RECALLS VERDICT
IN NEWS
Union Minister for Human Resource Development chaired a DILUTING SC/ST ANTI-
Meeting of the Executive Board of the National Council for
Promotion of Urdu Language and National Council for ATROCITIES LAW
Promotion of Sindhi Language.
National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language: It is an #Judgement #Social Justice
autonomous body under the Ministry of Human Resource
Development (HRD), Department of Secondary and Higher
Education, Government of India. It was set up in 1996 to
IN NEWS
promote, develop and propagate Urdu language in India. In
its capacity as the National Nodal Agency for the promotion On March 20, 2018 a judgment by Justice (now retired) A.K.
of the Urdu language NCPUL is the principal coordinating and Goel diluted the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes


Governance
(Prevention of Atrocities) Act of 1989, to grant anticipatory bail What is review of a judgment? ‘Review’ of a Supreme Court
to accused persons and directed that the police should judgment is done by the same Bench. ‘Overruling’ means that
conduct a preliminary enquiry on whether complaint under the the law laid down in one case is overruled in another case.
1989 law is “frivolous or motivated” before registering a case. When a higher court on appeal alters the judgment of a lower
Recently the Supreme Court has recalled its March 20, 2018 court, it is called ‘reversal.’ Generally, a review is heard in the
verdict. Hereby discussing the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) judge’s chamber, but may be heard in open court in
Act and controversies associated with it. important cases.
WHAT IS SC/ST ACT? RATIONALE BEHIND THE JUDGMENT

The Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) A three-judge Bench of Justices Arun Mishra, M.R. Shah
Act, 1989 is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted to and B.R. Gavai reasoned that human failing and not caste
prevent atrocities against scheduled castes and scheduled is the reason behind the lodging of false criminal
tribes. Its aim is: complaints.
➔ To prevent the commission of offences of atrocities Still as per the data of National Crime Records Bureau
against SC & ST. (NCRB), Ministry of Home Affairs, 47,338 cases were
➔ To provide for Special Courts for the trial of such offences registered in the country under the 1989 Act in
conjunction with the IPC in 2016. Further, only 24.5 % of
➔ To provide relief and rehabilitation of the victims of such
these cases ended in conviction and 89.3% were pending
offences
in the courts by the year end. Hence in these
WHY SUPREME COURT HAD GIVEN “PROBE FIRST circumstances, it is not proper to dilute the provisions and
RULE” IN 2018? make it easier for the accused to get away from arrest by
directing a preliminary enquiry, approval for an arrest.
In March 2018, Supreme Court in Subhash Kashinath
Mahajan vs The State of Maharashtra reviewed SC/ST The bench also deplored the attitude of looking down
Act. upon them as reflected in the presumption that they
would misuse the law.
It opined that:
SC/ST Act is being misused CONCLUSION
Checks are needed to prevent such misuse. Government should take steps both to empower the
vulnerable sections of the society as well as to avoid the
The act has become a tool to persecute innocents and
misuse of laws so that genuine complaints can get addressed
public servants for political and personal gains.
properly.
Therefore, SC provided following amendments in the Act:
A preliminary inquiry should be conducted before the
FIR was registered to check if the case fell within the ambit
of the Act, and whether it was frivolous or motivated. LADAKH & JAMMU AND
A person can be released on anticipatory bail unless a
prima facie case of crimes or atrocities is made out. KASHMIR AS U.T.s
Public servants could be arrested only with the written
permission of their appointing authority, while in the case NOTIFIED
of private employees, the Senior Superintendent of Police
concerned should allow it.
#U.T.
The verdict saw a huge backlash across the country. The
government filed a review petition in the Supreme Court
and subsequently amended the 1989 Act back to its IN NEWS
original form. Following this, several petitions were filed
On the recommendation of the Parliament, the President has
challenging the amendments.
effectively dismantled Article 370 of the Indian Constitution


Governance
and gave assent to the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization States are explained as the administrative unit that has its
Act, 2019. So, as per section 3 and 4 of Jammu and Kashmir elected government, which has the right to frame its laws.
Reorganization Act, 2019, the central government has It has its own Legislative Assembly and the Chief Minister,
reorganized the former state of Jammu & Kashmir into two for administration. The Governor acts as the
new Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh representative of the President, in states. There is a
respectively as on 31st October 2019. distribution of sovereign legislative and executive powers
After the notification, there are 28 states and 9 Union between the Centre and state, regarding the territory of
st
Territories in India from 31 October, 2019. that state.
The new Union Territory of Ladakh consists of two districts Union Territories are ruled directly by the Central
of Kargil and Leh. The rest of the former State of Jammu Government has a Lieutenant Governor as an
and Kashmir is in the new Union Territory of Jammu and administrator, who is the representative of the President
Kashmir. of India and appointed by the Central government. Union

Territories have no representation in the Rajya Sabha
In 1947, the former State of Jammu and Kashmir had the
except Delhi and Puducherry. There are total nine union
following 14 districts - Kathua, Jammu, Udhampur, Reasi,
territories in India, out of which 3, i.e. Jammu and Kashmir,
Anantnag, Baramulla, Poonch, Mirpur, Muzaffarabad, Leh
Delhi, and Puducherry, have their elected members and
and Ladakh, Gilgit, Gilgit Wazarat, Chilhas and Tribal
the Chief Minister, as these are granted with partial
Territory.
statehood, by amendment to the Constitution. These two
By 2019, the state government of former Jammu and possess their own legislative assembly and executive
Kashmir had reorganized the areas of these 14 districts council and operate like states.
into 28 districts. The names of the new districts are as
follows - Kupwara, Bandipur, Ganderbal, Srinagar,
Budgam, Pulwama, Shupian, Kulgam, Rajouri, Ramban,
Doda, Kishtivar, Samba and Kargil.
ABOLISHING LEGISLATIVE
Out of these, Kargil district was carved out from the area
of Leh and Ladakh district. COUNCIL IN JAMMU &
The Leh district of the new Union Territory of Ladakh has
been defined in the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization KASHMIR
(Removal of Difficulties) Second Order, 2019, issued by
the President of India, to include the areas of the districts #Legislative Council
of Gilgit, Gilgit Wazarat, Chilhas and Tribal Territory of
1947, in addition to the remaining areas of Leh and Ladakh
districts of 1947, after carving out the Kargil District.
IN NEWS
Former bureaucrat Radha Krishna Mathur has been
Government of Jammu and Kashmir has issued orders to
sworn in as the first Lieutenant Governor of the
abolish the Legislative Council of the state. This decision comes
strategically located Union Territory of Ladakh. Whereas
after abolishing Article 370 and converting erstwhile state of
Girish Chandra Murmu was sworn in as the first
Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories of Ladakh and
Lieutenant Governor of the union territory of Jammu and
Jammu and Kashmir. Let us understand certain important
Kashmir.
features of Legislative Council in India.
Both Lieutenant Governors were administered oath by
the Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court Justice LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS IN INDIA
Geeta Mittal. Legislative Council also referred as Vidhan Parishad is the
second house of discussion depicting bicameralism at the
RELATED INFORMATION: DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
state level. However, every state in India does not have
STATE AND UNION TERRITORY


Governance
Legislative Council and can be created or abolished as per The remaining members shall be nominated by the
constitutional provisions. Governor having special knowledge or practical experience
As of today, six states have Legislative Councils. These are in the field of Literature, science, art, co-operative
Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra movement and social service.
Pradesh and Telangana. Chairman & Deputy Chairman - Every state having
A second chamber in states provides as an institution of legislative council must choose two members of the
check and balance on every Bill as it prohibits hasty Council as Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the
passing of Bills and also enable non-elected individuals to Legislative Council.

contribute to the legislative process. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL V COUNCIL OF STATES
It facilitates representation of eminent professionals and The legislative power of Legislative Councils is limited as
experts who cannot face direct elections. The governor compared to Council of States or Rajya Sabha. Rajya Sabha
nominates one-sixth members of the council to provide has substantial powers to shape non-financial legislation
representation to such people. whereas Legislative Councils lack a constitutional mandate
ABOUT LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL to do so.
Permanent Body - The Legislative Council of a State shall Assemblies can override suggestions/amendments made
not be subject to dissolution. But, one-third of the to a legislation by the Council. Member of Councils cannot
members of the Council shall retire on the expiration of vote in elections for the President and Vice President
every second year. whereas members of Rajya Sabha can vote. MLCs also
can’t vote in the elections of Rajya Sabha members.
Qualifications - He/she must be a citizen of India and
must not be less than 30 years of age.
Creation & Abolition of LC - Under Article 169,

Parliament may by law provide for creation or abolition of
PRESIDENT COMMUTES
DEATH SENTENCE
Legislative Council in a state if the Legislative Assembly of
the State passes a resolution to that effect by a majority of
the total membership of the Assembly and by a majority of
not less than two-thirds of the members of the Assembly #Governance
present and voting. Parliament can then pass a law to this
effect by simple majority.
Comparison of members Legislative Assembly - Under IN NEWS

Article 171, the Legislative Council of a state shall not have The President commuted death sentences to life imprisonment
more than one-third of the total number of MLAs of the in at least 20 cases over the past nine years, based on the
state, and not less than 40 members. But this provision recommendations received from the Ministry of Home Affairs
was not applicable to the erstwhile state of Jammu and (MHA). These commutations were based on the President’s
Kashmir because as per Section 50 of the state’s exercise of powers under Article 72 of the Constitution after
Constitution, the Assembly had 87 members and the the convicts filed mercy petitions.
Legislative Council had 36 members.
Article 72. (1) The President shall have the power to grant
Election & Nomination of members - Of the total pardons, reprieves, respites or remissions of punishment or
number of members of the Legislative Council of a State, to suspend, remit or commute the sentence of any person
nearly 1/3rd of the MLCs are elected by the state’s MLAs, convicted of any offence—
another 1/3rd by a special electorate comprising sitting
a) in all cases where the punishment or sentence is by a
members of local governments such as municipalities and
Court Martial;
district boards, 1/12th by an electorate of teachers and
another 1/12th by registered graduates.


Governance
b) in all cases where the punishment or sentence is for an DOES THE PRESIDENT ENJOY DISCRETION WHILE
offence against any law relating to a matter to which the GRANTING PARDON?
executive power of the Union extends;
Power to pardon vested in the President shall not be
c) in all cases where the sentence is a sentence of death. exercised independently without the aid and advice of
Article 161. The Governor of a State shall have the power to Home minister.
grant pardons, reprieves, respites or remissions of In the case of Maru Ram v. Union of India, Supreme
punishment or to suspend, remit or commute the sentence Court held that under Article 72, the President cannot take
of any person convicted of any offence against any law an independent decision or direct release or refuse release
relating to a matter to which the executive power of the State on his own choice.
extends.
This has been done to avoid any decision made on
The President has power with respect to pardon in cases arbitrary grounds or on some partial grounds of religion,
where punishment has been provided through Court Martial. caste, colour or political loyalty.
The Governor does not have any power with respect to cases
IS JUDICIAL REVIEW AVAILABLE ON CLEMENCY
under Court Martial. Governor cannot pardon death
sentence. However, the governor can suspend, remit or POWERS?
commute a death sentence. Whereas pardoning power of The Court can interfere if it is found that the decision has
President extend even to cases of death penalty. been taken without application of mind or the decision has
In Pardon, it affects both the punishment prescribed for been taken on extraneous or irrelevant considerations or
the offence and guilt of the offender. A full pardon may due mala fides (decision taken in bad faith) or if the
blot out the guilt itself. decision suffers from arbitrariness.
‘Reprieve’ means a temporary suspension of the In the case of Epuru Sudhakar v. Government of Andhra
punishment awarded by a court of law. Pradesh, The Supreme Court laid down that judicial review
under Articles 72 and 161 is available on the following
'Respite’ means postponement of the sentence of
grounds:-
punishment.
a) That the order has been passed without application of
Commutation means changing the punishment from one
mind;
category to another, such as changing of death sentence
to life imprisonment. b) That the order is mala fide;
Remission is the reduction of the amount of a sentence c) That the order has been passed on extraneous or wholly
without changing its character. irrelevant considerations;
d) That the order suffers from arbitrariness.

PURPOSE OF GRANTING PARDON
The Court also emphasized that for effective exercise of
Pardon may substantially help in saving an innocent
judicial review reasons for the exercise of power under
person from being punished due to miscarriage of justice
these articles must also be provided. Besides, it held that
or in cases of doubtful conviction.
pardon obtained on the basis of manifest mistake or
The hope of being pardoned itself serves as an incentive
fraud can also be rescinded or cancelled.
for the convict to behave himself in the prison institution
The Court further elaborated that if power under Article 72
and thus, helps considerably in solving the issue of prison
is exercised on irrational, irrelevant, discriminatory
discipline.
grounds or in bad faith, then in such cases Court can
It is always preferable to grant liberty to a guilty offender
examine the case and intervene if necessary.
rather than sentencing an innocent person.
The object of pardoning power is to correct possible

judicial errors, for no human system of judicial
administration can be free from imperfections.


Governance
MORNING PRAYERS IN
SC JUDGEMENTS
►DAV College, Jullundar v State of Punjab
SCHOOL – ARTICLE 28(3) The State of Punjab established Guru Nanak University
with a view to make provisions for the study and research
on the life and teachings of Guru Nanak and their religious
#Fundamental Rights and cultural impact in the context of Indian and world
civilizations. This provision was challenged under Article
28(1) on the ground that the university being wholly
IN NEWS maintained out of state funds would be providing religious
The issue whether prayers done in the morning assembly of instructions.
schools amount to giving religious instructions to students The Supreme Court rejected the above challenge in DAV
needs to be understood from the perspective of constitutional College, Jullundar v State of Punjab saying that the
provisions did not imply that religious instructions would
provisions and previous Supreme Court judgments.
be given. The above study and research on the life and
Article 28 - Freedom as to attendance at religious instruction or teachings of Guru Nanak and their religious and cultural
religious worship in certain educational institutions impact in the context of Indian and world civilizations
cannot be considered as providing for religious
According to Article 28(1), no religious education is to be
instructions.
provided in any educational institution which is wholly
maintained out of the state funds. ►Aruna Roy v Union of India
Supreme Court ruled that Article 28 does not ban study of
Under Article 28(2), this restriction would not apply to an
religions. The whole emphasis is rather “against imparting
educational institution which though administered by the
religious instruction”. There is no prohibition on study of
state, has been established under an ‘endowment’ or ‘trust’ religious philosophy and culture, particularly for having value
requiring that religious instructions should be imparted in based social life in a society which is degenerating for power,
such institutions. post or property.
Whereas, in state-recognised educational institutions, WAY FORWARD

religious education can be imparted on a voluntary basis. Unless, a school in the name of morning prayers is imparting
Thus, as per Article 28(3), no person attending an religious instruction as opposed under Article 28, can have
educational institution recognised by the state or receiving prayers having moral, social, cultural and philosophical
aid from the state funds can be required to participate in messages for the children and for the rest of society.
any religious instruction imparted in the institution, or to

attend any religious worship conducted in the institution
unless he/she consents to do so voluntarily or if he/she is a POSTAL BALLOT
minor, his/her guardian gives consent for the same.
Therefore, we can say that Article 28 distinguishes

FACILITIES FOR ABSENTEE
VOTERS
between three types of educational institutions:
1. In institutions of a completely public nature, there is

absolute prohibition on religious education.
#Electoral Democracy
2. In institutions where the state acts as a trustee, religious
instruction is permitted.
3. In state-aided denominational institutions, religious IN NEWS

instructions on a voluntary basis is permitted. Article 28(3) Election Commission of India has initiated guidelines and
thus supplements Article 30(1). Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) to facilitate the process


Governance
of postal ballot paper for Absentee voters of essential services, ‘absentee voter’ means a person belonging to such class of
Senior citizens of more than 80 years and marked PwD persons as may be notified, under clause (c) of section 60 of
electors. These guidelines will include the identification of such the Act, and who is employed in essential services as
voters, the manner of outreach, the methods of collection as mentioned in the said notification, and includes an elector
well as voting in the specified centres in each constituency. The belonging to the class of senior citizen or persons with
Commission is also taking a number of steps including disability [rule 27 A (aa)];
personal contact under its Systematic Voters' Education and ‘person with disability’ means a person flagged as person
Electoral Participation (SVEEP) initiatives to make the electors with disability in the data base for the electoral roll;
aware of this new facility so that such electors can exercise
‘senior citizen’ for the purpose of this Part means an elector
their voting right in the manner they intend to do.
belonging to the class of absentee voters and is above 80
What is absentee ballot? This refers to a vote cast by years of age;
someone who is unable to go to the polling station. The
2. In case of an absentee voter, the application shall be
system is designed to increase voter turnout. In some
made in Form 12D, and shall contain such particulars as
countries, the voter is required to give a reason for not going
specified therein, and shall be duly verified by the Nodal
to the polling station, before participating in an absentee
Officer for the absentee voter, other than senior citizen or
ballot. In India, a postal ballot is available to only some
persons with disability, which shall reach the Returning
citizens. The Representation of the People Act, 1950 allows
Officer within five days following the date of
heads of states and those serving in the armed forces to vote
notification of election;
through postal means. The Lok Sabha recently passed a Bill
to allow proxy voting for NRIs. However, domestic migrants 3. In the case of absentee voter, postal ballot paper shall
and absentee voters in India cannot cast postal votes. be returned to the centre provided for recording of
vote.
What is Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral
Participation? SVEEP’s primary goal is to build a truly
NCRB DATA ON CRIME IN

participative democracy in India by encouraging all eligible
citizens to vote and make an informed decision during the
elections. The programme is based on multiple general as
well as targeted interventions which are designed according INDIA- 2017
to the socio-economic, cultural and demographic profile of
the state as well as the history of electoral participation in #Report
previous rounds of elections and learning thereof.
There are two aspects of this issue viz., the creation of
requisite infrastructure and suitable legal framework to IN NEWS
facilitate the process of postal ballot. On the legal side, after
National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) has recently published
studying the needs of those citizens, who are unable to come
statistics on “Crime in India – 2017” and has categorised
to the polling stations due to the degree of their disability as
offences into various categories. Let us go through the
well as those who are left out their due to engagements in
important highlights of both these reports including certain
various capacities in the discharge of essential services e.g.,
concerns.
railways, state transports and aviation etc., the Election
Commission made the recommendation to Ministry of Law Note: The factual data mentioned below is only for reading
and Justice and on 22 October 2019, the Central Government and understanding. There is no need of learning the factual
amended the Rules accordingly. data:
SALIENT FEATURES OF THESE AMENDMENTS ARE AS SOME IMPORTANT ASPECTS

FOLLOWS: The publication year refers to the calendar year (1st
1. A concept of ‘absentee voter’ has been introduced and January to 31st December of 2017). The data collection
defined for the elections; process including clarifications from the
States/UTs/Central Agencies started in August, 2018 and
continued till July, 2019.


Governance
First level data validation is done at the Police ‘Kidnapping & Abduction of Women’ (21.0%) and ‘Rape’
Station/District level during the data capturing process (10.3%).
itself and Second level data validation is done at the time Murder cases showed a decline of 5.9% over 2016.
of consolidation of District data by the State Police through
Kidnapping & abduction were registered increase of 9.0%
the NCRB application.
over 2016.
After receiving final data from all States/UTs including
Offences against public tranquility were registered
Metropolitan Cities, All-India data is generated by NCRB.
under various sections of IPC during 2017, out of which
In order to make the Statistical Analysis more meaningful, rioting (58,880 cases) accounted for 75.4% of total such
‘Crime Rate’ has been calculated on the basis of population cases.
of the respective segment of the population viz. Women,
‘Crime Against Children’ during 2017 were kidnapping &
Children & SC/ST etc.
abduction (42.0%) and cases under the Protection of
Crime Rate = Number of Cases Reported / Population Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (25.3%) including
in Lakhs. child rape.
Details of cases registered under Prevention of Corruption Majority of juveniles in conflict with law apprehended
Act, Direct Taxes Enactments, Customs Act, Seizures under under IPC & SLL crimes were in the age group of 16 years
NDPS Act, etc. are being furnished by the respective to 18 years (72.2%) during 2017.
Central Agencies viz. CBI, Central Board of Direct Taxes,
Crime/Atrocities against Scheduled Castes (SCs): Crime
Directorate of Revenues Intelligence, Narcotics Control
of Simple Hurt accounted for 30% of the cases. Crime as
Bureau & CAPFs/CPOs have been published in a separate
per SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act accounted for
Chapter on Seizures.
13.4%; Cases of Criminal Intimidation – 7.6%
OVERALL SUMMARY
Crime/Atrocities against Scheduled Tribes (STs): Crime
A total of 50,07,044 cognizable crimes comprising of Simple Hurt accounted for 21.1%; Crime of Rape
30,62,579 Indian Penal Code (IPC) crimes and 19,44,465 accounted for 14.6%; assault on women with intent to
Special & Local Laws (SLL) crimes were registered in 2017, outrage her modesty accounted for 13% .
showing an increase of 3.6% in registration of cases
Economic Offences: Three specified category of economic
over 2016 (48,31,515 cases).
offence are forgery, cheating & fraud - 1,27,430 cases
During 2017, registration of cases under IPC have (maximum cases); criminal breach of trust - 20,371 cases;
increased by 2.9% and SLL crimes by 4.8% over 2016. counterfeiting - 1,171 cases
Percentage share of IPC was 61.2% while percentage share Cyber Crimes: The cases of cyber-crime can be
of SLL cases was 38.8% of total cognizable crimes during categorised on basis of following motive: Cases of Fraud -
2017. 56.0%; Cases of sexual exploitation - 6.7%; and Crimes
Assam recorded the highest crime rate of 143 in the causing disrepute – 4.6%.
country in 2017 followed by Odisha (94), Telangana (94), Offences Against Property: Offence against property
Haryana (88) and Rajasthan (73). comprised 25.3% of total IPC crimes registered. In offence
CATEGORISATION OF CRIME & DATA FOR REFERENCE against property, maximum case registered is that of Theft
(76%) followed by Burglaries (14.3%)
The maximum cases of crime against women were
registered in Uttar Pradesh followed by Maharashtra and Offences Relating to Documents & Property Marks:
West Bengal. Delhi saw a decline in crimes against women During 2017, total of 1,28,601 cases were registered under
for the third straight year. offences against documents & property marks comprising
of counterfeiting and forgery, cheating & fraud, out of
Majority of cases under crimes against women out of total
which, forgery, cheating & fraud (1,27,430 cases)
IPC crimes against women were registered under ‘Cruelty
accounted for 99.1% of total such cases.
by Husband or His Relatives’ (33.2%) followed by ‘Assault
on Women with Intent to Outrage her Modesty’ (27.3%), Seizures under Arms Act: A total of 58,053 cases were
registered under the Arms Act, 1959 in which 63,219
firearms were seized, out of which, 3,525 arms were


Governance
licensed/factory made and 59,694 arms were Unlicensed/ a convicted criminal to reoffend), collects State-wise
improvised/crude/country made. A total of 92,107 number information on the number of juveniles and adults who
of ammunitions were seized during 2017. were arrested earlier but not convicted, and those who
Seizure of Narcotic Drugs: A total 3,64,206 Kg drugs were were previously convicted. This becomes a concern as
seized during 2017, out of which, Ganja (3,52,539 Kg), socio-economically marginalised people repeatedly come
Hashish (3,218 Kg), Ephedrine/Pseudo Ephedrine (2,990 in conflict with the law and are routinely arrested and
Kg), Opium (2,551 Kg), and Heroin (2,146 Kg) accounted for released on mere suspicion. Even for those who were
maximum. arrested and convicted previously, the data do not speak
of the nature of crimes involving their prior conviction and
Arrests, Convictions & Acquittals: A total of 37,27,909
the crimes leading to their present arrest.
persons were arrested under 30,62,579 IPC crimes. A total
of 35,72,935 persons were charge sheeted, 8,73,983 5. There are methodological concerns about the rate of
persons were convicted and 12,65,590 persons were calculating charge-sheeting, which has been measured
acquitted or discharged. based on the total number of cases disposed of by the
police, and not the total number of cases for investigation.
A total of 22,30,131 persons were arrested under
By leaving the cases of ongoing investigation, the reports
19,44,465 SLL crimes. A total of 22,64,320 persons were
leave a large number of cases in the final data.
charge sheeted, 11,58,500 persons were convicted and
3,50,323 persons were acquitted or discharged. 6. There are similar concerns about the presentation of data
on arrests, convictions and acquittals. It is unclear if the
CONCERNS number of persons acquitted, discharged and convicted is
1. Some offences under crime has been categorised outside calculated in reference to the number of persons arrested
the provisions of Indian Penal Code and other special and in 2017, or those charged and arrested in previous years.
local laws. 7. Further, the statistics on arrests, convictions and acquittals
2. There is inadequate explanation for classification of do not relate to the total number of cases disposed of by
offence. For instance, while reporting the offence of courts in 2017.
murder, NCRB has segregated the numbers based on the
WAY FORWARD
different motives for murder like honour killing and dowry
but has not explained the reason for such categorisation. In absence of reliable data on crimes and prisons, it is difficult
to formulate robust policies on criminal justice system
3. In contrast to crime statistics, prison statistics do not
including prison reforms. Such robust policies are necessary
provide any such offence-wise data on undertrials and
for reforming prisoners as 94.4% of those entering the
convicts. This prevents cross-referencing and examination
criminal justice system were arrested for the first time. So, in
of the numbers in both reports.
order to explore more precise and effective solutions to
4. There are concerns on the methods of computation and criminal justice issues, NCRB must first take steps towards
presentation of data. For instance, the crime statistics ensuring the accuracy, reliability and comprehensiveness of
report, while recording rates of recidivism (the tendency of these reports.
practice questions
MCQs
1. According to the Constitution of India, which of the 1. There is absolute ban on providing religious
statements given below about Right to freedom of instructions at any educational institution in India.
Religion is/are correct?


Governance
2. All persons are equally entitled to freedom of
conscience and the right freely to profess, practise and 4. Consider the following statements about
propagate religion. Legislative Council:
3. Every religious denomination shall have the right to 1. The Legislative Council of a State shall not be subject to
establish and maintain institutions for religious and dissolution but, one-fifth of the members of the
charitable purposes. Council shall retire on the expiration of every third
Select the correct answer using the code given below: year.
(a) 1 and 3 only (b) 1 and 2 only 2. Parliament may by law provide for the creation or
(c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 abolition of the Legislative Council of a State, if the
Legislative Assembly of the State passes a resolution to
that effect by simple majority.
2. Consider the following statements:
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
1. Reprieve’ means a temporary suspension of the
punishment awarded by a court of law. (a) 1 only (b) 2 only
2. 'Respite’ means postponement of the sentence of (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
punishment.
3. Remission is the reduction of the amount of a sentence 5. Consider the following statements:
without changing its character. 1. National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (NCPUL) is an autonomous body under the Ministry of
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only Culture.
(c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 2. NCPUL functions as the nodal agency and as a
principal coordinating and monitoring authority for
promotion of Urdu language and Urdu education.
3. Which of the following state government has
recently appointed over 1.26 lakh employees under
a new governance initiative of Village and Ward (a) 1 only (b) 2 only
Secretariat? (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
(a) Andhra Pradesh (b) Telangana

(c) Tamil Nadu (d) Kerala
Q1. “In a democracy, every citizen has a right to raise questions, debate, disagree, and challenge the powers that be on issues
that face the nation.” In light of this statement, critically analyse the use of “sedition” to silence its critics.
Q2. “Parliament is an instrument for expressing public opinion, voicing public grievances, restraining the executive and
ensuring its accountability to national sentiment and will.” In light of this statement, discuss the important steps which
need to be taken to further strengthen our Parliamentary Institutions, to increase trust of people in Parliamentary System
of Government in India.
Answers to above MCQs: 1 (c), 2 (d), 3 (a), 4(d), 5(b)

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Lead Article
DEMOGRAPHIC
Replacement level Fertility: The Fertility rate at which the
Population would be able to replace itself from one-
generation to next. It is calculated as 2.1.
DIVIDEND- A KEY TO $ 5 If the fertility rate is more than replacement level fertility,
TRILLION ECONOMY
then a country would see a positive population growth
rate.
If the Fertility rate is equal to replacement level fertility,

#Inclusive Growth then a country would see zero population growth rate.
If the fertility rate is less than replacement level fertility,

then a country would see declining population growth
rate.
IN NEWS Gross Enrolment ratio (GER): GER is the ratio of children

enrolled in a particular class (regardless of the age) to the
India has seen a phenomenal growth since 1991 LPG Reforms.
eligible population in the age group for that class. For
The Indian Economy has grown from $275 billion in 1991 to $
example, to calculate the GER in the Primary School (age
2.7 trillion in 2019 registering an average growth rate of 8.5%.
group 6-10 years), we use the below formula:
Taking this forward, the Government has come up with the
vision of $5 Trillion economy by the end of 2024. Number of children (regardless of age) enrolled in Primary
Schools / Number of the children in the age-group 6-10 years
Undoubtedly, this seems challenging particularly since the
economy is facing slowdown. The Government has come up If the GER is more than 100, it indicates that many older
with a large number of demand and supply side measures to students, who probably missed out on the opportunity to
boost the GDP. These measures would help revive the Indian study at that age, are joining school to get an education now.
Economy in the short run. However, in order to sustain the Net Enrolment ratio (NER): NER is the ratio of children
growth momentum in the long run, India has to focus on enrolled in a particular class to the eligible population in the
human resources and must reap demographic dividend at the age group for that class.
earliest. Harnessing of Demographic dividend is the key to For example, to calculate the NER in the Primary School (age
Government's realization of $5 trillion economy. group 6-10), we use the below formula:
BASIC TERMS TO UNDERSTAND THE ARTICLE Number of children of the age-group 6-10 years enrolled in
Fertility Rate: It refers to the average number of children Primary Schools / Number of the children in the age-group 6-
born or likely to be born to a woman in her lifetime. 10 years.

Economic Development
CHANGING AGE-COMPOSITION STRUCTURE IN INDIA

The average population growth rates in India have reduced
from 2.5% (1971-81) to 1.3% (2011-16). This decrease is
mainly on account of decline in the fertility rates from 4.5
(1971) to 2.3 (2016). Going forward, it is expected that the
population growth rate would further reduce to less than 1%
by the end of 2041. The Fertility rate is expected to reduce to
1.6-1.7, which is considered to be below the replacement
level fertility.
Hence, the decline in the fertility rate accompanies by the

decline in the population growth rates is set to alter the age-
composition structure in India as shown below:
Population (Age-Group) 2011 2041
0-19 41% 25%
20-59 51% 59%
Further, according to the All India Survey on Higher

Greater than 60 8% 16%
Education (AISHE) report for 2018-19, the gross
The Demographic Dividend in India is set to peak by the end enrolment ratio (GER) in higher education presently stands
of 2041 when the share of working-age population would at around 26.3 in 2018-19, which is considered to be much
increase to 59%. Beyond 2041, demographic dividend would lower. This shows that the number of youngsters who
start tapering. Hence, India has a small window of enter higher education after passing class 12th remains
opportunity of next 2 decades to optimally utilize the quite less.
demographic dividend. For harnessing demographic dividend, we require our
working-age population to be highly educated and highly
CONSTRAINTS FOR HARNESSING DEMOGRAPHIC
skilled. However, the very fact that less number of children
DIVIDEND
are entering into higher education stream can well emerge
Over a period of time, India has been able to achieve as one of the biggest constraints before India for
almost 100% GER in the primary schools. As indicated in harnessing demographic dividend.
the graph below, the GER has increased from 62.4 in 1960-
HOW TO OPTIMALLY UTILIZE THE DEMOGRAPHIC
61 to 99.2 in 2015-16. In fact, in 2010-11, the GER had
peaked to 115 indicating 15% more children enrolled apart DIVIDEND?
from those in the age bracket of 6-10 across India. Robust educational pipeline: The learning outcomes in
It is interesting to note that the number of children India have continued to remain quite poor as evident in the
enrolled in primary school peaked at 13.98 crore in 2011- latest Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) study. For
12, and has since steadily decreased to 12.91 crore in instance, the study highlighted that 40% of the 18 years old
2015-16. This decline corroborates census data that the can't read a simple sentence in English. 25% in the 14-18 age
percentage of children in this age-group (6-10 years) has group cannot read basic text in their own language.
reduced from 18% in 1991 to 13% in 2011, and may Hence, now that the first step of 100% enrollment in primary
decline to 11% in 2021. school is complete, focus must shift to keeping our children
in school, and providing a quality education. Emphasis

should be on those districts where quality of education aren’t keeping up with US and Chinese institutions. Hence,
remains poor. the focus should also be on imparting quality education.
Planning for Future: The proportion of the population in Improve labour force participation of Females: The
the age-group 0-19 is set to reduce from 41% in 2011 to 25% Labour Force Participation rate (LFPR) of Females is hardly at
in 2041. Hence, the State Governments must undertake the around 23% in comparison to 75% LFPR of the males. Hence,
exercise of rationalizing the number of primary schools. The it is equally critical to ensure higher LFPR of the females in
states must consolidate/merge elementary schools in order order to reap demographic dividend.
to keep them viable. Schools located within 1-3 kms radius of Improve alternative labour force training modes like
each other can be chosen for this purpose to ensure no vocational and skills training: South Korea, Japan, and
significant change in access. Germany have built robust industries, like electronics
Further, a substantial part of the Union budget supports manufacturing and automobile design, with a highly skilled
teacher training and staffing in schools. With the number of workforce trained through vocational programs. Meanwhile,
children in decline, we must understand when it will taper, China is a great case study in imparting skills to a large
and plan staffing accordingly. population, and providing mass employment in labour-
Improve higher education: India’s higher education base intensive industries. India must study these paradigms and
lags in both enrollment and quality. AISHE 2018-19 indicates deploy the same to build a robust workforce that can be
there are 51,649 institutions in India. For an eligible converted into a massive economic and export trade
population of 14.2 crore, that amounts to around 2,750 advantage.
students per institution. Hence, we may need 10,000 more

institutions over time. Overall quality-wise, India’s institutions
BANKING AND FINANCE

SHOULD RBI CONTINUE
One of the most critical functions of the RBI is the Inflation
Targeting as provided under the Monetary Policy Framework
Agreement signed between the RBI and Government in 2015.
WITH INFLATION In this regard, let us understand about various aspects of
Inflation Targeting such as Rationale, Problems and Challenges
TARGETING? and Way Forward.
WHAT IS INFLATION TARGETING?

#RBI
Inflation Targeting is monetary policy framework wherein
the Central Bank of a country focuses only on maintaining
the rate of Inflation within a targeted range. It is
IN NEWS believed that increasing prices in an economy create
uncertainties in decision making, adversely affecting
The RBI plays a multidimensional role in the economy. It
savings and encouraging speculative investments (such as
regulates the money supply in the economy; influences the
buying Gold). Inflation targeting brings in more
rate of interest on borrowing and lending money; controls the
predictability and transparency in deciding monetary
rate of inflation; manages the external sector including the
policy.
exchange rate; supervises and regulates the banking sector
and seeks to ensure financial stability. Inflation targeting was first adopted by New Zealand and
subsequently, a large number of countries including India

have been following Inflation Targeting as their core much longer time leading to increased macro-economic
element of monetary policy. stability.
In case of India, the Inflation targeting was introduced PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES WITH INFLATION
through the Monetary Policy Framework Agreement
TARGETING
signed between the RBI and Government in 2015. As per
1. Disregards the Multi-faceted role of RBI: In a developing
terms of the agreement, RBI's primary objective would be
country like India, it is not practical for the central bank to
to maintain price stability, while keeping in mind the
focus exclusively on inflation without taking into account
objective of growth. The RBI is required to maintain rate of
the larger development context. The RBI needs to balance
inflation of 4% with a deviation of 2% i.e. inflation has
to be maintained between 2% to 6%. between growth, price stability and financial stability.
2. No Clear link between Price Stability and Financial

BENEFITS OF INFLATION TARGETING
Stability: Prior to 2008 Global Financial Crisis, advanced
1. Enhanced Transparency: The Inflation targeting explicitly economies were able to maintain moderate rate of
states as to what would be the targeted rate of Inflation in inflation for a long term mainly due to adoption of Inflation
an economy. Such explicitly mandated target brings in Targeting. It was believed that Inflation targeting was
more amount of clarity and predictability with respect to responsible for overall macroeconomic stability of the
the rate of Inflation and monetary policy formulation. country. However, the 2008 Global Financial Crisis has
clearly proved that price stability alone cannot lead to
2. Promote Growth: A high rate of inflation leads to
financial stability and the excessive focus of the Central
decrease in the purchasing power of currency, reduces the
banks on the price stability may lead to neglect of other
savings and investment rate, increases the unemployment
crucial functions such as regulation leading to the
and leads to overall decrease in the GDP growth rate. economic crisis. In this regard, former RBI Governor
Further, high rate of inflation is accompanied by higher Subbarao has highlighted that there is a trade-off between
levels of Fiscal Deficit and Current Account Deficit leading price stability and financial stability, and that the more
to an adverse impact on the macro-economic stability of successful a central bank is with price stability, the more
the country. Hence, low and moderate level of inflation likely it is to imperil financial stability.
would incentivise the investors to undertake the 3. Empirical Evidence against Inflation Targeting in India:
investment in the economy leading to the promotion of The RBI has been able to maintain stable rate of Inflation
higher growth and development. within the mandated range since last 2-3 years. However,
inspite of stable rate of Inflation, Indian economy is facing
3. Autonomy and Accountability of RBI: As per the
challenges on multiple fronts. The GDP growth rate has
monetary policy framework agreement, the RBI has been
been reduced to 25 quarter low of 5% for the first quarter
given complete autonomy in maintaining the rate of
of financial year 2019-20.
inflation within the mandated targets. If the RBI fails to
The unemployment has increased to 45- year high of
maintain the Inflation within the target, then it would be
6.1%. There has been contraction in the manufacturing
required to submit in writing, the reasons for its failure.
activity as evident in declining IIP. The agriculture sector is
Such a provision enables the RBI to enjoy autonomy and at staring at agrarian distress. All these clearly highlight that
the same time, it enables the Government to have the Inflation targeting has failed to promote growth and
enhanced accountability over the actions of the RBI. development.
4. Empirical Evidence: The Inflation targeting has been 4. Poor Monetary Policy Transmission: The Inflation
quite successful in some of the advanced economies such targeting is more suited to the developed economies since
the monetary policy transmission in such economies is
as UK, New Zealand etc. These advanced economies have
quite efficient. However, in case of India, the monetary
been able to maintain moderate rate of inflation for a
policy transmission is quite inefficient and this can in turn
reduce the effectiveness of Inflation Targeting.

RBI REDUCES POLICY

5. Hinder GDP Growth: In order to contain Inflation, the RBI
would be required to increase the rate of Interest by
following the contractionary monetary policy. However,
such a policy would lead to increase in the rate of interest RATES TO BOOST
on the loans leading to decrease in investment and
consumption expenditure leading to decline in the GDP ECONOMY
growth rates. For example, during 2013-2015, the higher
interest rates in the country on account of higher rate of
#RBI
inflation had led to decrease in the GDP growth rates.
6. Does not address the Supply Side Inflation: The inflation

in India may take place due to supply side bottlenecks
such as increase in global crude oil prices, poor monsoon,
floods etc. For instance, the recent increase in the prices of
IN NEWS
Tomato and Onions is mainly on account of supply side
disruptions. Under such circumstances, RBI would have In its latest meeting, the Monetary Policy Committee of the RBI
limited role to play in easing the rate of inflation. Rather, has cut the policy repo rate by 25 basis points from 5.4% to
the Government of India would be required to address 5.15%. This is the fifth consecutive cut in the policy rates by the
these supply side disruptions in order to moderate the MPC. Since February 2019, the Repo rate has been reduced by
prices of such commodities. 135 basis points so as to inject money into the economy in
order to support higher GDP Growth. It is to be noted that the
WAY FORWARD
GDP growth for the first quarter of the current financial year
Post-Global Financial crisis, the dominant view around the has reduced to 25-quarter low of 5%.
world is that flexible inflation targeting, rather than pure
IMPORTANT HIGHLIGHTS
inflation targeting is more efficient for monetary policy
formulation. ►New Policy Rates
According to the Flexible inflation targeting, the role of the Repo rate: 5.15%
Central Bank would depend on the prevailing rate of Reverse Repo: 4.90% (Usually maintained 0.25% lower
inflation in the country. If the rate of inflation is way off than Repo)
target, the primary emphasis of the central Bank would be
Marginal Standing Facility (MSF): 5.40% (Usually
to bring the rate of inflation within an acceptable range.
maintained 0.25% higher than Repo)
On the other hand, if the rate of inflation is within the
Bank Rate: 5.40%.
range, the central Bank should focus on its other core
objectives. Thus, it is being said that the Central banks The RBI has reduced the GDP growth forecasts for the
should focus on flexible inflation targeting rather than present financial year from 6.9% to 6.1% and hence the
pure inflation targeting. policy rates were reduced in response to the slowdown in the
Indian Economy. It is expected that the reduction in the policy
In this aspect, there is a need for greater debate around
rates would boost investment and consumption expenditure
kind of Inflation targeting in India.
in the Indian Economy.
The MPC has also decided to continue with the

accommodative monetary policy stance.
MONETARY POLICY STANCES
Accommodative Stance Neutral Stance Calibrated Tightening
Accommodative stance means RBI may Neutral stance means the RBI would have Calibrated Tightening stance means the
reduce the policy rates to increase the flexibility to either increase or RBI would either keep the rates

the money supply in the economy. decrease the policy rates by taking into constant or increase the rates.
account the macroeconomic conditions.
Under this stance, policy rates normally Under this stance, key policy rates would Under this stance, key policy rates either
decrease. move in either direction. remain unchanged or increase. Decrease
in policy rates is ruled out.
Usually, this policy is adopted when Usually, this policy is adopted when the Usually, this policy is adopted when there
there is slowdown in the economy. inflation rate is stable. are concerns of higher rate of inflation.
ANALYSIS OF THE DECISION

The fifth consecutive policy cut by the RBI is expected to As per the RBI's guidelines, MFI is defined as a non-
push the Banks to reduce their rates of interest on loans. deposit taking NBFC that fulfils the following conditions:
Further, some of the banks have adopted the external o Minimum Net Owned Funds of Rs.5 crores. (For NBFC-MFIs
benchmarking and hence the monetary policy registered in the North Eastern Region of the country, the
transmission is set to improve in India. minimum NOF requirement shall stand at Rs. 2 crores).
However, the central bank can only facilitate lower rates o Not less than 85% of its loans are in the nature of
and push banks to lend but it cannot force borrowers to “qualifying assets.”
borrow and this is evident from the soft trends in credit
“Qualifying asset” shall mean a loan which satisfies the
offtake in the last few months. As per latest available data,
following criteria:-
bank credit is growing at just 10.3%. The Government has
also done its part by slashing the corporate tax rates to Loan disbursed by an NBFC-MFI to a borrower with a rural
boost investment expenditure in the economy. household annual income less than Rs. 1 lakh or urban
and semi-urban household income less than Rs. 1.6 lakhs.
Loan amount does not exceed Rs. 1 lakh per borrower.

INCOME LIMIT CRITERIA Loan extended without collateral.
The aggregate amount of loans, given for income

EASED FOR MFIs generation should be at least 50 per cent of the total loans
given by the MFIs.
#Banking The loan is repayable on weekly, fortnightly or monthly
instalments as per the choice of the borrower.
SIGNIFICANCE OF MFIS
IN NEWS Lack of Financial Inclusion has been identified as one of
The RBI has recently increased the income limit criteria for the the major constraints hindering the development of poor
borrowers of the Micro-finance Institutions (MFIs) so as to and vulnerable sections as well as MSMEs in India.
improve the credit creation in the Indian Economy. Commercial banks have traditionally concentrated their
WHAT ARE MFIS? lending mainly to large formal enterprises which have
expertise of doing business and possess collateral and not
Microfinance refers to an array of financial services such as
on small enterprises as they are riskier investment.
Banking, Insurance etc. to low-income individuals or to
those who do not have access to typical banking services. In this regard, Microfinance is considered as important
tool to promote business development. Researches shows
MFIs are those institutions which have microfinance as
that in Bangladesh, about 40% of the overall reduction of
their main operation. The MFIs are regulated by RBI in
India.

rural poverty in recent years has been due to The first Green Bond was issued in 2007 when European
microfinance. Investment Bank raised €600 million under the label
“Climate Awareness Bond” dedicated for renewable energy
CHANGES INTRODUCED BY THE RBI
projects and energy-efficient projects.
The household income limit for borrowers of Non-Banking
Though green bonds are only a small share of the larger
Financial Company-Micro Finance Institution (NBFC-MFIs)
bond market, they have grown rapidly over the last
has been increased from the current level of Rs 1 lakh for
decade. In 2008, only $1 billion worth of green bonds were
rural areas and Rs 1.60 lakh for urban/semi urban areas to
issued but by 2018 this has increased to $143 billion. The
Rs 1.25 lakh and Rs 2.00 lakh, respectively.
green bond market is dominated by three countries -
Furthermore, the lending limit per eligible borrower has China, United States and France who have emerged as
been raised from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.25 lakh.
the largest issuers of green bonds.
These measures are expected to boost MFI lending to the
GREEN BONDS IN INDIA
bottom of the economic pyramid.
In January 2016, the Securities and Exchange Board of
India published its official green bonds requirements for
GREEN BONDS- Indian issuers making India the second country (after
China) to provide national level guidelines.
PROSPECTS AND The Indian Railway Finance Corporation Ltd (IRFC) has
established a Green Bond Framework for fund raising. The
proceeds were proposed to be used for financing the
CHALLENGES Dedicated Freight Corridor project and electrification of
the railways. The IRFC had raised $500 million in 2017 from
#Capital Market the 10-year green bond through India INX, GIFT City.
Further, in June 2019, Adani Green Energy issued green

bonds worth $500 million.
IN NEWS CHALLENGES AND CONCERNS

The “Rio Earth Summit” of 1992 has brought in the concept of In the last nearly seven years, green bonds worth $500 bn
Sustainable Development and has highlighted that have been issued. Of this, India’s contribution is hardly
environmental concerns must be integrated into our economic around $8.6 billion (1.7 per cent). Some of the barriers that
policies to improve the quality of human life. One of the ways impede the development of Green Bonds include:
to incentivise sustainable development is through low-cost 1. Lack of Awareness: Green bonds have a huge potential
financing for sustainable and green projects. In this regard, the in accelerating climate actions and promoting sustainable
Green Bonds can well emerge as best source of financing such development. However, due to the newness of the
projects. instrument, the average domestic investor is wary of
WHAT ARE GREEN BONDS? investing in Green Bonds and perceives them as high risk
investments.
The Green Bonds are similar to Corporate Bonds.
However, the proceeds of such Bonds are exclusively 2. Lack of Sector Diversification: Presently, most of the
used for financing green projects such as renewable proceeds of the Green Bonds are used for development of
energy projects, projects to mitigate the impact of climate renewable energy projects. The Green Bonds need to be
change, reducing the emission of fossil fuels etc. With this used for diversified purposes such as forestry and marine
instrument, the issuer of the green bond gets the capital to conservation to strengthen the Green Bond Market.
finance green projects while the investors receive fixed 3. Smaller projects: Most of the time, the Green Bonds are
income in the form of interest. issued for smaller projects leading to smaller issue size of

such bonds. This is in turn hindering the full-fledged Hence, such institutions may be considered as "Too big to
development of the Green Bonds Market. fail". Even though, the BASEL III guidelines have been laid
down in order to improve the resilience of Banks.
WAY FORWARD
However, these policy measures are not adequate to deal
The Economic Survey 2018-19 has stated that India needs
with risks posed by Systemically Important banks (SIBs).
to almost double its annual spending on infrastructure, Therefore, additional policy measures are necessary to
which will require harnessing private investment.
counter the systemic risks posed by these banks.
The Indian Government has plans to issue overseas bonds
RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH SIBS
to raise money from the foreign countries. On similar lines,
the Government can think of issuing Overseas Green The SIBs are perceived as banks that are ‘Too Big to Fail
Bonds to help realise the enhanced renewable energy (TBTF)’. This perception of TBTF creates an expectation of
targets. Such issuance of the Bonds will enable India to government support for these banks at the time of
help achieve clean environment. distress. Due to this perception, these banks may resort
to risk taking and there could be lack of market
discipline on behalf of these banks. Hence, there is a need
ARE WE CREATING BANKS for stronger regulatory environment for the SIBs.
In this regard, the Basel Committee on Banking
THAT ARE “TOO BIG TO Supervision (BCBS) came out with a framework in
November, 2011 for identifying the Global Systemically
Important Banks (G-SIBs).
FAIL”? Similarly, the RBI has been mandated to identify the
Domestic Systemically Important banks (D-SIBs) and lay
#Banking down suitable regulatory requirements to prevent their
failure.
HOW ARE DOMESTIC- SYSTEMICALLY IMPORTANT

IN NEWS BANKS (D-SIBS) IDENTIFIED?
The Government of India has recently proposed to merge 10 In order to identify the D-SIBs, the RBI takes into account
Public sector Banks into 4 large banks. The Idea behind the only those banks whose size is equal to or more than 2%
merger of the Banks is to strengthen the balance sheets of the of GDP. Further, these banks are categorized as D-SIBs only
Public Sector Banks and kick start the credit creation in the when they fulfill the below mentioned criteria:
Indian Economy to propel the GDP Growth. However, critics
Size;
have pointed out merger of the PSBs would lead to setting up
Interconnectedness;
of banks that would be "too big to fail" and hence poses
adverse risk to the Indian Economy in future. Lack of readily available substitutes or financial institution
infrastructure; and
In this regard, let us understand the concept of Domestic
Complexity.
systemically Important banks (D-SIBs) and the latest problem
of setting up of larger banks. The systemic importance of a bank is computed as weighted
average scores of all 4 indicators highlighted above. Thus,
BACKGROUND
the systemic importance score of a bank would represent its
It was observed during the 2008 global financial crisis that relative importance with respect to the other banks. Banks
failure of large and highly interconnected financial that have scores above a threshold score are classified as D-
institutions would negatively impact the economy. In the SIBs.
event of failure of such financial institutions, the
Presently, the SBI, ICICI Bank, and HDFC Bank have been
government would be required to bail-out these
identified as Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs).
institutions.

HIGHER CAPITAL REQUIREMENT FOR D-SIBs safe as banks never fail and one can always get the money
back. In this regard, let us understand about the safety of the
The D-SIBs are placed under different buckets (categories)
deposits with the Banks.
depending upon their importance. According to the bucket in
which they are placed, the bank would be required to INSURANCE OF THE BANK'S DEPOSITS
maintain higher Tier-I capital under the BASEL Norms as Currently, the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee
shown below: Corporation (DICGC) provides for insurance cover of Rs
Additional
1 lakh per depositor for deposits in commercial banks,
Additional Common regional rural banks, local area banks (LABs) and
Common Equity
Equity
Tier 1 requirement cooperative banks. The premium for insurance is paid by
Tier 1 requirement
Bucket Banks as a percentage of
applicable from April the banks and hence the cost is not directly borne by the
Risk Weighted
1, 2019 (as per phase-
Assets (RWAs) for
in arrangement) deposit holder.
FY 2018-19
5 - 0.75% 1% In case of Bank failure, depositors can get back a
4 - 0.60% 0.80% maximum of Rs 1 lakh per account even if their deposits
S a e Ba f may far exceed Rs 1 lakh. Hence, while depositors holding
3 0.45% 0.60%
I da
2 - 0.30% 0.40% less than Rs 1 lakh of deposits in a bank are covered by the
1
ICICI Ba
0.15% 0.20%
deposit insurance, depositors holding more than Rs 1 lakh
HDFC Ba in an account have no legal remedy in case of the collapse
IMPLICATIONS OF THE RECENT MERGER OF BANKS of a bank.
Post-merger, PNB (with OBC and United Bank), Canara PRESENT STATUS OF INSURED DEPOSITS
Bank (with Syndicate Bank) and Union Bank (with As per the DICGC data, the level of insured deposits as a
Andhra and Corporation Bank) would have business of percentage of total deposits has declined from a high of 60
about Rs 15-18-lakh crore and asset base of more than Rs per cent in 2007-08 to 28 per cent in 2018-19.
9.5-lakh crore (based on FY19 figures), which would put
The lower insurance cover can be attributed to the fact
them on a par with HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank in terms of
that the bulk of the deposits are coming from the higher
size. Thus, the RBI may put them under the DSIB income groups whose deposits tend to be higher than Rs 1
framework, implying higher capital requirement. lakh but qualify for lower insurance cover of Rs 1 lakh.
Hence, the critics have pointed out that the Government's In order to improve the safety of the deposits, some of the
proposal of the merger of the Banks is leading to the economists have suggested that the insurance cover
creation of banks which are "Too big to fail" and poses an should be increased to Rs 5 lakhs.
adverse risk on the economy in future.
INTEREST RATES
ARE THE DEPOSITS WITH
UNCHANGED FOR SMALL
THE BANKS SAFE?
SAVING SCHEMES
#Banking
#Banking
IN NEWS
The failure of Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative (PMC) IN NEWS
Bank has reignited the debate on the low level of insurance
The government has recently decided not to change interest
coverage for deposits held by public in banks. This raises
rates on small saving schemes such as National Saving
concerns because it is normally argued that bank deposits are

Schemes (NSS), Public Provident Fund (PPF) and Kisan Vikas UPI transactions in September 2019 increased to around 1.6
Patra (KVP) for the quarter beginning October 1. lakh crore.
ABOUT THE SMALL SAVINGS SCHEME WHAT IS UNIFIED PAYMENTS INTERFACE (UPI)?
The Small Saving schemes have been formulated to act as UPI is a payment system that allows money transfer between
source of household savings in India. The Small savings any two bank accounts by using a smartphone. UPI allows a
instruments are broadly categorized into 3 distinct heads: customer to pay directly from a bank account to different
Postal deposits merchants, both online and offline, without the hassle of
Savings certificates such as National Small Savings typing card details, IFSC code, or net banking/wallet
Certificate VIII (NSC) and Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP) passwords.
Social security schemes such as Public provident fund HOW IS IT UNIQUE?

(PPF), Senior Citizens‘ Savings Scheme(SCSS), Sukanya Immediate money transfer through mobile device round
Samriddhi Yojana etc. the clock 24*7 and 365 days.
All the money collected by the Government through these
Single mobile application for accessing different bank
small savings is deposited into separate fund known as
accounts.
National Small Savings Fund (NSSF). Please note that NSSF
is part of Public Account of India and not Consolidated Single Click 2 Factor Authentication ( Two factor
Fund of India. A certain amount of NSSF is invested in the authentication means besides the password or user name
Central and State Government securities. The fund is an additional piece of information is to be added (like OTP)
administered by Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry by the individual to authenticate the payment). UPI allows
of Affairs. all transactions to be at least 2-FA using mobile and
second factor (PIN or Biometrics) makes all transactions
INTEREST RATES ON THE SMALL SAVINGS SCHEMES
compliant with the existing regulatory guidelines.
Earlier, the interest rates on various Small Savings Schemes
(SSS) were notified in the month of March every year and PROBABLE REASONS FOR INCREASE IN UPI
these rates were applicable for the next financial year. TRANSACTIONS
However, from 2016 onwards, the Government has started Ease of Transaction: A wallet transaction involves
notifying the interest rates every quarter based on the G-Sec multiple legs, including transfer of money from bank
yields of the previous 3 months. For example, the interest
account to the wallet and then to the beneficiary. However,
rate for the 3rd quarter of 2019-20 (Oct- Dec) would be based
using UPI, people can do the transactions directly from
on G-Sec yields in the previous quarter (July-Sept).
their bank accounts without the need for loading the
wallet with the money.
UPI TRANSACTIONS AT Adoption of UPI by Payment operators: Some of the

payment system operators such as Google Pay have
RECORD HIGH adopted UPI-based payment system leading to increase in

the volume of transactions.
#Banking No KYC: E-Wallets need to follow the mandatory KYC
Norms. As of now, KYC is not required for UPI as it is just
like any other internet banking transaction.
IN NEWS Interoperability: Till recently, it was not possible to
Recently, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) transfer the money from one e-wallet to another. This had
stated that the total number of Unified Payments Interface in turn led to increase in the value of UPI transactions.
(UPI) transactions in the country stood at record high of 95
crore in the month of September. Similarly, the total value of

BHIM 2.0 LAUNCHED

Banking system in India for physical as well as electronic
payment and settlement systems.
Some of the innovative products of NPCI are-

#Banking
1. RuPay Contactless: Allows cardholders to wave their card
in front of contactless payment terminals without the
need to physically swipe or insert the card into a point-of-
IN NEWS sale device.
The Union Government has recently launched an improved 2. Unified Payments Interface: Real-time interbank
version of BHIM. payment system for sending or receiving money.
ABOUT BHIM APP 3. BHIM App: BHIM is a mobile app for Unified Payments
Interface.
Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) is an app that enables
simple, easy and quick payment transactions using Unified 4. Bharat BillPay: One-stop ecosystem for payment of all
Payments Interface (UPI). One can make instant bank-to-bank bills
payments and Pay and collect money using just Mobile 5. Immediate Payment Service: Real time interbank
number or Virtual Payment Address (VPA). payment system
Please note that BHIM is not a wallet rather it is a payments 6. National Financial Switch: Network of ATMs in India.
application which allows users to make instant bank
7. BharatQR: A common QR code built for ease of payments
transfers. It has been developed by National Payments
Corporation of India (NPCI).
It can be used for the following purposes:

NATIONAL DISASTER
Send and request money to any person on UPI
Pay bills on merchant website by UPI RESPONSE FUND

Scan a QR to make quick payments
ABOUT BHIM 2.0

#Finance
Certain additional features and languages have been
added to the existing BHIM app. Other new features
include increasing the transaction limit, adding multiple IN NEWS
bank accounts, the option of applying for an IPO, gifting The Centre has recently approved additional financial
money etc. assistance of Rs 1800 crore from the National Disaster
BHIM is already available in 13 languages and it will be Response Fund (NDRF) to Karnataka and Bihar for the
available in three additional languages – Haryanvi, damages caused by the floods in the two states.
Bhojpuri and Konkani.
ABOUT NATIONAL DISASTER RESPONSE FUND
RELATED INFORMATION: NPCI (NDRF)
National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is an initiative Under the Disaster Management Act 2005, a financial
of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Indian mechanism has been set up by way of National Disaster
Banks’ Association (IBA). It is an umbrella organisation for Response Fund (NDRF) at national level and State Disaster
operating retail payments and settlement systems under the Response Fund (SDRF) at state level to meet the rescue
provisions of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007. and relief expenditure during any notified disaster.
It has been incorporated as a “Not for Profit” Company The NDRF is entirely funded by the Centre through the
under the provisions of Section 8 of Companies Act 2013 imposition of National Calamity Contingency Duty
with an intention to provide infrastructure to the entire

(NCCD) on specified goods such as Cigarettes and Crude The financial assistance from SDRF/NDRF is for providing
Petroleum. immediate relief and cannot be used for paying
NDRF is maintained by Central Government under the compensation for loss/damage to properties /crops.
Public Account of India. At any point, the State Government has fair amount of
In case of SDRF, 90% of the funds are provided by the funds available under the SDRF. In case of any natural
Centre and the remaining 10% of the funds are provided calamity beyond the coping capacity of a State, additional
by the concerned state government. The Government of financial assistance, as per norms, is provided by the
India approves the annual allocation to SDRF based on the Central Government from NDRF.
recommendations of successive Finance Commission.
INTERNATIONAL TRADE/
INSTITUTIONS
RCEP NEGOTIATIONS-
WHAT IS THE RCEP?
The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership
OPTIONS BEFORE INDIA (RCEP) is a trade deal that is currently under negotiation
among 16 countries — the 10 member countries of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and the
#International Trade six countries with which the ASEAN bloc has free trade
agreements (FTA).
The ASEAN includes Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos,

Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand,
and Vietnam. The other 6 countries are India, Australia,
IN NEWS
China, South Korea, Japan and New Zealand.
The Commerce Minister was in Bangkok recently for the eighth
The RCEP countries account for almost half of the world’s
Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)
population, contribute 25% of the world exports, and make
ministerial meeting. The meeting was likely to the last
up around 30% of global GDP and hence RCEP is
Ministerial meet to sort out all the unresolved issues in the
considered to be one of the largest regional trade
RECP negotiations. The signing of this agreement is expected to
agreement.
lead to greater economic integration of India with South East
The negotiations are focussed on areas like trade in goods
Asian Countries. However, a number of concerns have been
and services, investment, economic and technical
raised by several sectors such as Dairy, Steel etc. that such an
cooperation, intellectual property, competition, dispute
agreement would go against India's economic interests.
settlement, e-commerce, and small and medium
This becomes quite important because India has around $104 enterprises.
billion trade deficit with the 16-member Regional
How have the negotiations progressed? Negotiations on
Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) grouping, which
the details of the RCEP have been on since 2013, and all
is 65% of India’s total trade deficit. participating countries aim to finalise and sign the deal by
In this regard, let us understand about the present November. Of the 25 chapters in the deal, 21 have been
controversies in the RCEP negotiations. finalised. Chapters on investment, e-commerce, rules of

origin, and trade remedies are yet to be settled, and adverse impact on domestic manufacturing. India is
ministerial guidance is being sought at the meeting in apprehensive that RCEP would enable China to dump its
Bangkok. goods in Indian domestic market. The steel and textile
BENEFITS OF INDIA JOINING RCEP industries have been demanding for enhanced protection
in the RCEP negotiations.
1. Effective utilisation of FTAs: India has signed Free Trade
Agreements (FTAs) with some of the RCEP member 3. Impact on Dairy Industry: Many participating countries
countries such as Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia like New Zealand and Australia have been urging India to
etc. However, India has failed to effectively utilise the open up the dairy sector through reduction of import
benefits of such FTAs. In this regard, the RCEP provides an duties. India is the largest milk producer with a production
avenue for India to complement India’s existing free trade of 176 million metric tonnes in 2018-19. India's dairy
agreements with the ASEAN and some of its member sector is estimated to have a value of $100 billion and
countries. It would help India streamline the rules and constitutes 20% of the total global milk production. RCEP
regulations of regional trade and help India in effective negotiations are crucial to the survival of India’s dairy
utilisation of FTAs. sector as milk production in India is smallholder-centric.
Moreover, the Indian dairy sector employs millions of
2. Greater Regional Integration: The RCEP agreement is
an integral part of India's "Act East" policy and hence people on an annual basis, of which more than 70% are
joining this agreement would enable India to strengthen women and 69% belong to socio-economically deprived
its relationship with the South east Asian countries. This sections of the communities.
becomes quite important because India is not a party to 4. India needs to learn from its past mistakes. For instance,
two important regional economic blocs - Asia-Pacific in the case of edible oil, the entire industry has moved
Economic Cooperation and the Trans-Pacific Partnership. from self-sufficiency to import dependency post the WTO
3. Comparative Advantage: India enjoys a comparative implementation in 1996-97.
advantage in areas such as information and 5. Investments under RCEP: Presently, the Indian
communication technology, IT-enabled services, Government emphasizes that foreign companies investing
professional services, healthcare, and education services. in India should transfer technology or know-hows to their
Hence, joining RCEP would give greater fillip to such domestic counterparts. Further, the government and
crucial sectors of the Indian Economy leading to higher Reserve Bank of India also currently impose a cap on the
employment creation and higher GDP growth. royalties a domestic company can pay to its foreign
4. Attracting Investment: The RCEP countries account for parent or partner.
almost 25% of the global FDI flows. Hence, by joining
6. The Investment related aspects of the RCEP has been
RCEP, India will be able to attract more amount of FDI,
finalized recently and it has done away with requirement
giving a much needed boost to "Make in India" campaign.
of technology transfer and cap on royalties paid by the
CHALLENGES AND CONCERNS WITH INDIA'S domestic companies to foreign companies. This goes
MEMBERSHIP OF RCEP against the interests of India.
1. Adverse Trade Deficit: India has around $104 billion 7. Electronic Commerce: The present e-commerce chapter
trade deficit with the RCEP member countries, which is contains clauses that prevent the member countries from
65% of India’s total trade deficit. India is apprehensive specifying the data localisation rules for the foreign
that if it further liberalizes its market by reducing import companies. It is to be noted that the RBI has already come
duties on goods under the RCEP deal, then its trade deficit out with the data localisation norms for the payment
with RCEP member countries would further widen. system operators such as Visa, MasterCard etc. Further,
Srikrishna Committee has also highlighted the need for
2. Adverse impact on Domestic Industries: The FTAs with
Japan and South Korea have led to substantial increase in data localisation to improve the law enforcement in India.
Hence, e-commerce chapter in the RCEP does against
import of goods into the domestic market leading to
India's interests.

WAY FORWARD determined based on 4 indicators- Size of GDP (50%),

Openness (30%), Economic Variability (15%) and
Looking at benefits and challenges with RCEP, India must
International Reserves (5%). The Quotas are denominated
proactively engage in the RCEP negotiations to ensure that its
in Special Drawing rights (SDRs) which is the IMF's unit of
interests and concerns are taken into account and addressed
account.
by other countries. At the same time, India must realise that
its track record with respect to utilisation of FTAs has The Quotas in the IMF also determines the member country's
remained quite poor mainly on account of structural financial and organisational relationship with the IMF in the
problems such as labour laws, infrastructural bottlenecks etc. following manner:
Hence, India needs second-generation reforms in order to 1. Voting Power: The Quota also largely determines the
make its trade more competitive. voting power of the member countries.
2. Borrowing Limit: The Quota also determines the amount

of loans which a member country can avail from the IMF.
IMF QUOTA REFORMS For example, presently the member countries are allowed
to borrow up to 145% of its quota on annual basis and
#INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS 435% cumulatively.
HOW DOES THE QUOTA REVIEW WORKS?

The IMF's Board of Governors usually undertakes the review
IN NEWS of the Quotas at regular intervals (usually once in 5 years).
The members of the International Monetary and Finance Any changes in Quota has to be approved by 85% majority of
Committee (IMFC) have recently decided to increase the non- the total votes and a member's quota cannot be changed
permanent sources of IMF funds i.e. New Arrangements to without its consent.
Borrow (NAB) and Bilateral borrowings from other countries. During the 14th Quota review in 2010, it was decided to
However, it has failed to make changes to the quota and increase the quotas of the developing countries by shifting
voting rights in the IMF, which has been a long standing more than 6% of the quota shares from the over-represented
demand of developing countries such as India and China. countries to the under-represented countries.
INTERNATIONAL MONETARY AND FINANCE Subsequently, India's quota and voting rights have
COMMITTEE (IMFC) increased to 2.76% and 2.64% respectively. The USA has
The highest decision making body of the IMF is the Board of the highest quota and voting rights at 17.46% and 16.52%
Governors. It consists of one governor and one alternate respectively.
governor for each member country. The governor is
Presently, the top 10 countries with the highest quota and
appointed by the member country and is usually the minister
voting rights are USA, Japan, China, Germany, France, UK,
of finance or the head of the central bank. The IMFC advises
Italy, India, Russia and Brazil in the descending order.
and reports to the IMF Board of Governors on the
supervision and management of the international monetary ABOUT SPECIAL DRAWING RIGHTS (SDRS)
and financial system.
The SDR is an international reserve asset created by the
The IMFC has 24 members who are drawn from the pool IMF in 1969 to supplement its member countries’ official
of 189 governors. Its structure mirrors that of the IMF reserves. SDRs are allocated to member countries in
Executive Board.The IMFC meets twice a year and discusses proportion to their IMF quotas. The value of the SDR is based
matters of common concern affecting the global economy on a basket of five currencies—the U.S. dollar, the Euro,
and also advises the IMF on the direction its work
the Chinese Renminbi, the Japanese Yen, and the British
ABOUT QUOTA Pound Sterling.
The Quotas determine the maximum amount of financial It is a reserve asset which implies that it is not used in
resources a member is obliged to provide to the IMF. The conventional manner to settle transactions. Rather SDR can
financial contribution of each member country is mainly

be used to obtain other foreign currencies. Hence, it is also developing countries including India. It has sought to
called as "Paper Gold". double the borrowing limit under the New
Arrangements to Borrow (NAB). The Bilateral borrowing
WHAT ARE THE SOURCES OF THE IMF'S FUNDS?
agreements which were required to be in operation till
Presently, the lending capacity of the IMF is around $ 1
2019 have now been extended by 1 year till the end of
trillion. The IMF raises money in the following manner: 2020.
1. Quota: Financial Contribution made by the member
It is to be noted that presently, 15th quota review is
countries.
underway and India has been demanding for an increase
2. New Arrangements to Borrow (NAB): Through the New in its quota and voting shares in the IMF. However, the
Arrangements to Borrow (NAB) a number of member developed economies led by USA are opposed to increase
countries and institutions stand ready to lend additional in the voting rights of the developing countries such as
resources to the IMF. The NAB constitutes a second line of USA and China.
defense to supplement IMF resources.
That makes this entire exercise difficult is that, the quota
3. Bilateral Borrowing Agreements: They serve as a third changes can be approved only through 85% of the votes
line of defense after quotas and the NAB. Under this and since USA enjoys more than 15% of the voting rights, it
mechanism, the IMF has entered into several rounds of can exercise a virtual veto over the decisions of the IMF.
bilateral borrowing agreements with certain member The USA has so far resisted the changes in the voting
countries to ensure that it could meet the financing needs rights since it would lead to dilution of its shares and
of its members. enhancement in the shares of countries such as China.
RECENT DECISION OF THE IMFC However, the IMFC has issued a statement highlighting
that it would revisit the adequacy of quotas under the 16th
During the recent meeting of the IMFC, it was decided to
General review and also may possibly come out with a new
maintain the total lending capacity of IMF at $ 1 trillion
quota formula that would be finalized by December 2023.
without enhancing the quota/ voting rights of the
Industrial Policy
And LPG
DATA LOCALISATION-
on the foreign companies and to allow free flow of data across
the borders of member countries.
PROS AND CONS

In this regard, let us understand the pros and cons of Data
Localisation and what should be India's strategy with respect
to RCEP Negotiations
#Industry IMPORTANCE OF DATA IN NEW GLOBAL ORDER
Data is considered to be the new oil. The technological
giants such as Apple, Amazon, Facebook, Google, Microsoft
etc. have been harnessing the data generated by the users
IN NEWS to make huge profits. For instance, the top 5 technological
giants AAFGM account for around $ 800 bn which is much
The RCEP negotiations are presently centered on preventing
higher than the entire GDP of Saudi Arabia.
the member countries from imposing data localisation norms

The advent of Industrial revolution in Britain enabled it to 3. Reducing Vulnerabilities: A large amount of data is
become superpower and eventually it went on to colonize transmitted from one country to the other via undersea
other countries across the world. Similarly, the data is cables. Further, the location of almost every undersea
considered to be the necessary ingredient of the cable in the world is publicly available, which increases the
Industrial Revolution 4.0. Hence, the countries that risk of vulnerability of the internet and cross-border
would take the lead in ushering Industrial Revolution 4.0 transfer of data.
would enjoy global economic and geo-political dominance. 4. Further, the recent Cambridge Analytica case has shown
Presently, USA and China have already taken lead in terms as to how the data can be misused by the global MNCs to
of Industrial revolution 4.0 by focusing on Big data and manipulate the public opinion in a country leading to
Artificial Intelligence (AI). Because of this, India would be erosion of democratic ethos. Hence, data localisation
required to be dependent on these two global digital norms would ensure digital sovereignty of India.
superpowers in future. This would considerably 5. Thrust to Industrial Revolution 4.0: Currently most of
compromise our economic and political independence the personal data of Indian citizens collected by internet
leading to Digital Colonization of India. giants such as Facebook and Google are largely stored
DATA LOCALISATION- PROS AND CONS abroad. Hence, the data localisation norms would force
these companies to store their data in India giving a much
Data localization refers to storage of data on any device that
needed push to Industrial Revolution 4.0. It would lead to
is physically present within the borders of a specific country
higher FDI in digital infrastructure and create more highly
where the data gets generated. In case of India, the Draft E-
skilled jobs in Big data and Artificial Intelligence. Hence,
Commerce policy has mandated for the data localisation
the data localisation norms can well emerge as the key to
norms for the e-commerce companies such as Flipkart,
realise the government's vision of $ 5 trillion economy.
Amazon etc. On Similar lines, the RBI has mandated that all
the payment system operators such as Mastercard, Visa etc. 6. Preventing Foreign Surveillance: It has been argued
should compulsorily store the payments related data in the that requirements of storing data within territorial
servers which are physically based in India. borders may be useful in boosting data security by
safeguarding the privacy and security of personal
BENEFITS OF DATA LOCALISATION
information against non-governmental actors.
1. Data as Public Good: The Economic Survey 2018-19 has
CONCERNS RELATED TO DATA LOCALISATION
highlighted that the data generated by the Indian users
has to be accessible by the people and ultimately used for 1. Increase in Compliance Cost: Presently, some of the
the benefit of people and that is why the chapter has Indian companies store their data in servers located in the
been aptly titled as "Data of the People, by the People, for other countries at much cheaper prices. The data
the People". The Data generated by the Indian users can localisation norms may make it costlier for the Indian
be used by the Indian Government for evidence based companies to create necessary digital infrastructure to
policy making in order to improve the education, health store the data within India.
and various dimensions of human development. Similarly, 2. Monopolisation of Data: Data Localisation would require
it would prevent the commercial exploitation of the data huge investment in creation of digital infrastructure which
by foreign companies. can be done only for large MNCs. However, the small and
2. Enforcement: Data Localisation would boost law medium sized businesses would have to be dependent
enforcement efforts to access information required for upon the infrastructure set up these global MNCs in India.
the detection of crime as well as in gathering evidence for Thus, data localisation may lead to data monopolisation
prosecution. This is because it is easier for law by the MNCs.
enforcement agencies to access information within their 3. Cyber Threat: Forcing the companies to store data locally
jurisdiction as compared to awaiting responses to deprives them of the option of distributing information
requests made to foreign entities which store data across servers in multiple locations, making it more
abroad. vulnerable to cyber threats.

4. Issues related to Privacy: It is to be noted that data political, economic and military interests. India's digital
localisation may not be able to completely eliminate sovereignty would get compromised and India would not
cyber-attacks. Even when, data is stored locally, it is prone have complete autonomy to decide on the future course of
to cyber-attacks leading to data breach and loss of its digital policies. India must retain its ability to formulate its
privacy. data policy space and means to shape its digital
industrialisation and digital future. Hence, India must
WAY FORWARD
exercise due restrain in doing away with the data localisation
The RCEP negotiations require India to provide for free flow
norms and must proactively engage with the RCEP member
of data across the RCEP member countries and do away with
countries to protects its interests and concerns.
data localisation norms. Doing so, would go against India's
AGRICULTURE AND
ALLIED SECTORS
SHOULD THE
WHAT IS ZBNF?
It is a set of farming methods, and also a grassroots
GOVERNMENT PROMOTE peasant movement, which has spread to various states in

India. It has attained wide success in southern India,
especially the southern Indian state of Karnataka where it
ZERO BUDGET NATURAL first evolved. The agricultural practices under ZBNF was
put forward by Mr. Subhash Palekar.
FARMING? The word ‘budget’ refers to credit and expenses, thus the
phrase "Zero Budget" means without using any credit, and
#Agriculture Policies without spending any money on purchased inputs.
"Natural farming" means farming with Nature
and without chemicals.
Basic Premise: The ZBNF is based on a premise that the soil

IN NEWS
has all the necessary nutrients and hence advocates against
According to National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) data,
the application of chemical fertilisers. To make the soil
almost 70% of agricultural households spend more than they nutrients available to the plants, it advocates the
earn and more than half of all farmers are in debt. Against this intermediation of microorganisms. It also advocates that the
backdrop, this year’s budget document and the Economic all the necessary agricultural inputs can be procured from the
Survey 2018-19 focused on adoption of ‘Zero Budget Natural farms without the need to buy them from the market and
Farming’ (ZBNF) in order to double the farmers’ income by the thus farmer would not incur any additional costs.
end of 2022.
THE FOUR PILLARS OF ZBNF ARE AS GIVEN BELOW:
However, a number of concerns have been raised with respect
1. Jivamrita/jeevamrutha: It is a fermented microbial
to the adoption of Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF). Some
culture prepared using cow dung and urine. It provides
of the critics have pointed out that the Government's policy of
nutrients to the soil, but most importantly, acts as a
inclusion of ZBNF is unwise and imprudent. In this regard, let catalytic agent that promotes the activity of
us understand as to whether the ZBNF can indeed emerge as a microorganisms in the soil, as well as increases
game changer for doubling the farmers' income. earthworm activity;

2. Bijamrita/beejamrutha: Protection of the young roots 2. Lack of Scientific Validation: According to the some of
from various diseases through cow dung and urine. the sources, the yields in ZBNF are 30% lower. Further,
3. Mulching: Conservation of the soil moisture by covering there are no Independent and Scientific studies to validate
the top layer of the soil with dried biomass, organic the claim that the yields through the ZBNF are much
manure etc. This would also enhance fertility of the soil. higher.
4. Moisture: It challenges the basic notion that plants need 3. Unscientific Premise: The ZBNF is considered to be
more amount of water and instead focuses on unscientific because it does not acknowledge that the
conservation of soil moisture and promoting less deficiencies in the Indian soils and erroneously assumes
irrigation. that the soils have all the necessary ingredients which are
needed for the growth of plants. Indian soils are
5. Other important pillars are- Intercropping, Rain water
considered to have lower amount of essential nutrients
harvesting, Revival of the soils through earthworms etc.
such as Nitrogen, phosphorus and Potassium which are
GOVERNMENT'S INITIATIVES TO PROMOTE ZBNF quite essential for the enhanced yield. Indian soils are
The Centre has revised the norms for the Rashtriya Krishi also poor in micronutrients such as Zinc, Iron, Manganese,
Vikas Yojana- Remunerative Approaches for Agriculture and copper etc. In some regions of the country, the soils are
Allied sector Rejuvenation (RKVY-RAFTAAR) and the either acidic or saline and in some regions, the fertility of
Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana. Under the revised the soil has reduced due to heavy metal pollution from
guidelines, both Centrally-sponsored schemes now allow industrial or municipal wastes.
States to use their funds to promote the ZBNF, Vedic farming, These deficiencies in the Indian Soils can be tackled only
natural farming, cow farming and a host of other traditional through scientific, balanced and moderate application of
methods. chemical fertilisers. The ZBNF fails to understand that
BENEFITS there cannot be "One-Size Fits All" approach to tackle
deficiencies in Indian Soils.
Reduce the input costs which have been responsible for
present agrarian distress. 4. Flawed Nutrient Management: The ZBNF believes that
plants obtain 98.5% of the nutrients from the air and the
Reduce the dependence of the farmers on the credit which
remaining 1.5% from the Soil. In order to make the soil
has been responsible for the debt trap.
nutrients available to the plants, it advocates the
Enhancement in the soil fertility. Jivamrita/jeevamrutha which is a fermented microbial
Optimum utilisation of water and reduce water culture prepared using cow dung and urine.
consumption (85%) The Jivamrit prescription is essentially the application of
Promote diversification of the agriculture- towards other 10 kg of cow dung and 10 litres of cow urine per acre per
crops and towards livestock rearing. This can also lead to month. For a five-month season, this means 50 kg of cow
reduction in the risks and enhance non-farm income. dung and 50 litres of cow urine. Given nitrogen content of
Enhance the farmers’ income in the long term. 0.5% in cow dung and 1% in cow urine, this translates to
just about 750 g of nitrogen per acre per season. This is
CHALLENGES AND CONCERNS
totally inadequate considering the nitrogen requirements
1. Incurs costs: The ZBNF is not essential "Zero Budget" of Indian soils.
since some of the inputs used in the agricultural practices
5. Cultural Chauvinism: The ZBNF believes that these
need to be purchased. Apart from that, it does not
agricultural practices would lead to the spiritual
acknowledge other agricultural inputs which may have
upliftment of the farmers. It believes that its practitioners
implicit cost such as the imputed value of family labour,
will stop drinking, gambling, lying, eating non-vegetarian
imputed rent of the owned land, costs of maintaining
food and wasting resources. It erroneously focuses on
cows, electricity cost etc.
Indigenous cows and advocates against the cross-bed

cows and believes that such a practise would conserve the households, household enterprises/non-household
Indigenous breeds. enterprises and institutions have been counted at their site.
The 20thLivestock Census would be a Breed-wise Livestock
WAY FORWARD
Census which will be helpful for framing policies or
We need to realise that Indian Soils have got degraded programmes for Breed improvement. Please note that the
over a period of time and hence doubling of farmers' First Livestock Census was conducted in 1919-20.
income must focus on enhancing the fertility of soils. We
Table: Livestock Population - Major Species
need location-specific interventions towards balanced
application of fertilisers and integrated nutrient Population Population
Category % growth
management. (In million) 2012 (In million) 2019
While we try to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers in Ca e 190.90 192.49 0.83
some locations, we should be open to increasing their use B ffa 108.70 109.85 1.06
in other locations. But such a comprehensive approach S ee 65.07 74.26 14.13
requires a strong embrace of scientific temper and a firm
G a 13547 148.88 10.14
rejection of anti-science postures.
Kg 10.29 9.06 12.03
NITI Aayog has been among the foremost promoters of
M 0.30 038 26.66
ZBNF method. However, its experts have also warned that
Ya 0.08 0.06 25.00
multi-location studies are needed to scientifically validate
the long-term impact and viability of the model before it M e &P e 0.63 0.34 45.58
can be scaled up and promoted country-wide. M e 0.20 0.08 57.09
D e 0.32 0.12 61.23
Ca e 0.40 0.25 37.05
HIGHLIGHTS OF 20TH Total Livestock 512.06 535.78 4.63
LIVESTOCK CENSUS
#Agriculture and allied Sector
IN NEWS
The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Ministry of
Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has recently
released the 20th Livestock Census report.
ABOUT THE 20TH LIVESTOCK CENSUS REPORT HIGHLIGHTS OF THE REPORT

Data on livestock numbers are collected through a
1. Total Livestock Population: The total Livestock
quinquennial (every 5 years) Livestock Census that is a
population is 535.78 million showing an increase of 4.6%
complete enumeration of all households with regard to
over Livestock Census-2012.
livestock population. The data collected are quite detailed;
2. Distribution of Livestock Population: 35.94%-Cattle,
the livestock is classified according to various species of
27.80%-Goat, 20.45%-Buffaloes, 13.87%-Sheep, 1.69%-
animals by breed, sex and age.
Pigs. Mithun, Yaks, Horses, Ponies, Mules, Donkeys and
The 20th Livestock Census was conducted in all the districts
Camels taken together contribute 0.23% of the total
of the India in participation with all States and Union
livestock. As compare to previous census the percentage
Territories. Various species of animals possessed by the
share of sheep and goat population has increased

whereas the percentage share of cattle, buffalo and pig 5. Type of Cattle: The Exotic/Crossbred and
has marginally declined. Indigenous/Non-descript Cattle population in the country
3. Livestock Population-Major States: UP, Rajasthan, is 50.42 million and 142.11 million respectively. There is a
Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and Bihar. decline of 6 % in the total Indigenous/ Non-descript cattle
population over the previous census. However, the pace
4. Cattle Population: The total number of cattle in the
of decline of Indigenous/ Non-descript cattle population
country in 2019 is 192.49 million showing an increase of
during 2012-2019 is much lesser than as compared to the
0.8 % over previous Census. The Female Cattle (Cows
2007-12 which was about 9%.
population) is 145.12 million, increased by 18.0% over the
previous census (2012).
RELATED INFORMATION: IMPORTANT INDIGENOUS CATTLE BREEDS IN INDIA
Cattle Name Type Description
Originated in Gir forests of South Kathiawar in Gujarat also found in Maharashtra and
Gir Milch adjacent Rajasthan.
Horns are peculiarly curved, giving a ‘half-moon’ appearance.
Originated in Karachi and Hyderabad (Pakistan) regions of undivided India and also reared in
Red Sindhi Milch
certain organized farms in our country.
Originated in Montgomery region of undivided India. Heavy breed with symmetrical body
Sahiwal Milch
having loose skin.
Hallikar Draught Originated from the former princely state of Vijayanagar, presently part of Karnataka.
Amritmahal Draught Originated in Hassan, Chikmagalur and Chitradurga district of Karnataka.
Originated from Sholapur and Sitapur districts of Maharashtra. Closely resembles Hallikar
Khillari Draught
breed.
Originated from Tamil Nadu.The horns are spread apart, nearly straight with a slight curve
Kangayam Draught
backwards.
Bargur Draught Found around Bargur hills in Bhavani taluk of Erode district in Tamil Nadu.
Umblachery Draught Originated from Thanjavur District of TN.
Pulikulam Draught Originated from Madurai District of TN.
Alambadi Draught Originated from Dharmapuri District of TN.
Thaparkar Dual Purpose Originated in Tharparkar district (Pakistan) of undivided India and also found in Rajasthan.
Hariana Dual Purpose Originated from Rohtak, Hisar, Jind and Gurgaon districts of Haryana
Originated from Southeast Rann of Kutch of Gujarat and adjoining Rajasthan (Barmer and
Kankrej Dual Purpose
Jodhpur district).
Ongole Dual Purpose Found in Guntur District of AP
Originated from Krishna river valley in Karnataka and also found in border districts of
Krishna Valley Dual Purpose
Maharashtra.

Originated in Western Andhra Pradesh and also found in Marathwada region of

Deoni Dual Purpose
Maharashtra state and adjoining part of Karnataka.
IMPORTANT INDIGENOUS BUFFALO BREEDS IN INDIA
Buffalo Breed Description
Murrah Mainly found in Rohtak, Hisar districts of Haryana, Patiala district of Punjab.
Surti Mainly found in Kaira and Baroda district of Gujarat.
Jaffrabadi Mainly found in Gir forests, Kutch and Jamnagar districts of Gujarat.
Bhadawari Mainly found in Agra and Etawah district of Uttar Pradesh and Gwalior district of Madhya Pradesh.
Nili Ravi Found in Sutlej valley in Ferozpur district of Punjab and in the Sahiwal (Pakistan) of undivided India.
Mehsana Found in Mehsana and Banaskanta districts in Gujarat and adjoining Maharashtra state.
Nagpuri Found in Nagpur, Akola and Amravati districts of Maharashtra.
Toda Named after Toda Tribes of Nilgiris Hills in south India
Taxation
TENSIONS IN FISCAL
However, over a period of time, the fiscal federalism has
become skewed towards the centre since the centre has
encroached upon some of the taxation powers of the states.
FEDERALISM The two recent proposals of the central Government on setting
up of Defence expenditure fund and Expenditure council would
# Taxation further erode the financial autonomy of the states.
In this regard, let us understand as to how the financial

autonomy of the states has come under threat and what steps
should be taken in order to reverse this trend.
IN NEWS
UNDERSTANDING FISCAL FEDERALISM
One Fundamental aspect of our Governance is the fiscal
federalism which provides the autonomy of the states to raise The Fiscal federalism is economic counterpart of Political
revenue and undertake expenditure according to their Federalism. The Fiscal Federalism essentially consists of 2
priorities and needs. It also provides for the transfer of taxes aspects:
from the Union to the states. Such form of fiscal federalism 1. Assignment of functions to different levels of
has been formulated keeping in mind the diverse needs and Governments. It is provided under the VII Schedule of the
aspirations of the states across India and hence considered Indian Constitution by allocating the subjects- Union List,
critical for balanced and holistic development of the entire State List and Concurrent List. This allocation of
country. subjects is based on the Principle of Subsidiary i.e. the
subjects are allocated to that level of government where it

can be performed in the most efficient manner. ( For was allowed to impose the GST cess only after it was
Example- Defence has been allocated to Union whereas approved by GST Council.
agriculture has been allocated to State Government)
Hence, it can be stated that the states would now have to be
2. Assignment of financial powers to different levels of dependent on the GST council decisions for raising their
Governments in order to enable them to perform their revenue.
functions. It is done through the allocation of taxes to
Defence Expenditure Fund: The Union Government has
Union and States based on the principle of subsidiary.
(For example- Income tax has been allocated to Union asked the 15th Finance Commission to examine whether a
whereas property tax has been allocated to States) separate fund for meeting its defence and internal security
expenditure can be set up in India. This issue is presently
IMPORTANCE OF FISCAL FEDERALISM
examined by the 15th finance commission which is required
1. Balanced Regional Development: Different states in to submit its report by November 30, 2019. Now, as to why
India are at different levels of development. Further, creation of such a fund would adversely affect the
different states have varied needs and aspirations. Hence,
finances of the states?
it is the fiscal federalism that would ensure financial
Firstly, the Finance Commission recommends for the
autonomy of the states to raise revenue and undertake
expenditure as per their requirements. transfer of the taxes from the centre to the states based
upon the total money available in the Central Divisible Pool
2. Promotes Decentralisation: The Fiscal Federalism
(which basically consist of all the major Union Taxes). If the
ensures higher level of decentralisation i.e. transfer of
Defence expenditure fund is set up by the centre, then the
powers, roles and responsibilities from the centre to the
total money available in the central divisible pool would be
states. This ensures that the States have the necessary
lower. This would in turn lead to decrease in the transfer
financial resources in order to meet their expenditure
of taxes from the centre to the states. Considerably, the
needs. In absence of fiscal federalism, the states would be
reduced to mere implementation agencies of the centre. fact that the 14th Finance Commission had recommended for
42% transfer of taxes to the states, setting up of such a fund
3. Does away with "One-Size-fits-all" approach: The fiscal
would mean that 42% of the burden of the defence
federalism acknowledges that "one-size-fits-all" policies
expenditure fund would fall on states.
cannot work in a country with huge diversity in terms of
society, culture, geography, economy etc. It recognises Secondly, Defence is part of Union list under the Indian
that it is the state governments who are best positioned Constitution and hence it is the Centre that has to meet its
to understand the ground realities and undertake policies defence related expenditure on its own without adversely
for bringing about development. affecting the finances of the states. This means that the
HOW HAS THE CENTRE ENCROACHED OVER THE Defence expenditure fund would have to be set up from the
58% of the centre share after transferring the 42% share to
FINANCIAL POWERS OF THE STATES?
the states as per the 14th finance commission.
Setting up of the GST Council: Undoubtedly, the ushering in
of GST has been a landmark event in our polity to foster fiscal Proposal of Expenditure Council: Recently, the Prime
federalism. However, it has led to decrease in the financial Minister Economic Advisory Council (PMEAC) has
autonomy of the states. Earlier, the state governments had recommended the need to set up Expenditure Council on the
complete autonomy with respect to raising indirect taxes lines of the GST council to promote Cooperative Federalism.
such as Sales Tax as per their requirements and needs. The rationale behind the Expenditure Council is to rationalise
However, after setting up of the GST Council, the states can and prioritise spending by the centre and states. However,
no longer raise such indirect taxes on their own. A case in states have raised concerns that setting up of such an
point was the recent demand of the Kerala Government to Expenditure council would take away the autonomy of the
raise revenue to meet its disaster related expenditure for states to undertake expenditure as per their priorities.
undertaking relief and rehabilitation. The Kerala Government

WAY FORWARD investment and boost the GDP Growth rate. The total
As discussed before, Fiscal Federalism plays a multi- revenue foregone for the reduction in corporate tax rate is
dimensional role of promoting decentralisation and enabling estimated at Rs. 1.45 lakh crore. It is being stated that the
balanced regional development. Hence, there is a need to major burden of the corporate tax cut would actually fall
strengthen fiscal federalism by reversing the recent trends on the state governments. Let us understand as to how the
which have led to skewed fiscal federalism towards the corporate tax reduction would adversely affect the finances
Centre. of the state governments.
In large federal countries such as USA, the state governments DISTRIBUTION OF TAXES BETWEEN CENTRAL AND
have been given the right to levy income taxes. On similar STATE GOVERNMENTS
lines, there is a need to emulate such a model and empower
The taxes in India are categorized into Union and State
the states to levy and collect Income tax. It is to be noted that
taxes. Some of the taxes such as Income Tax, Corporate
presently, the states are allowed to impose the income tax
Tax, Customs duty, Capital Gains Tax etc. are imposed and
only on agricultural income and hence vesting the states with
collected by the Central Government. While, some of the
higher taxation powers will lead to strengthening of Fiscal
taxes such as Tax on agricultural income, Property tax,
Federalism in India.
Excise duty on liquor, Stamp Duty etc. are imposed and
collected by the state Government.
WHO WOULD BEAR THE

The taxes imposed and collected by the centre have to be
in turn distributed between the centre and states based on
BURDEN OF CORPORATE the recommendations of the Finance Commission (Article

280).
TAX CUT? However, it is to be noted that the surcharge and cess

collected by the Central Government are not required to
# Taxation be shared with the states and the entire revenue earned
through surcharge and cess goes entirely to the central
government.
IN NEWS
Recently, the Union Government has announced the
corporate tax cuts in order to revive the private sector
IMPACT OF THE RECENT DECISION OF THE CENTRE ON REDUCING CORPORATE TAX RATES
►Earlier Corporate Tax rates
Surcharge on net income Surcharge on net Secondary and

Corporate Tax
Type of Company greater than Rs 1 Crore income greater than Higher Education
Rate
and less than Rs 10 Crores Rs 10 Crores Cess
Domestic Company with

annual turnover less than 25% 7% 12% 4%
Rs 400 Crores

annual turnover more than 30% 7% 12% 4%
Rs 400 Crores
Foreign Company 40% 2% 5% 4%

As you can see in the above table, the revenue collected by Surcharge and cess paid by the companies went entirely
the central Government for the corporate tax had to be to the Central Government.
distributed between the centre and states. However, the
►Present Corporate Tax Rates
Surcharge on net income Surcharge on net Secondary and

Corporate
Type of Company greater than Rs 1 Crore and income greater than Higher Education
Tax Rate
less than Rs 10 Crores Rs 10 Crores Cess

annual turnover less than 22% 7% 12% 4%
Rs 400 Crores

annual turnover more than 22% 7% 12% 4%
Rs 400 Crores
Foreign Company 40% 2% 5% 4%
As per the new tax rates provided in the above table, only the in order to boost private sector Investment. In this regard, the
corporate tax has been reduced while the surcharge and cess article discusses as to whether the corporate tax reduction is
has remained same. The reduction in the corporate tax sufficient enough to boost the GDP growth.
would lead to revenue loss of around Rs 1.45 lakh crores.
Since, the corporate tax is required to be shared between BENEFITS OF THE CORPORATE TAX REDUCTION:
the Centre and states, the recent cut in the corporate tax Boost Private Sector Investment: The Investment-GDP ratio
rates would adversely affect the finances of the states.
in India has reduced from 34% in 2011-12 to 29% in 2017-18.
But the question is how much will be the impact of the tax The Government's move to reduce the corporate tax rates is
cuts on the state government finances? Can it be quantified?
set to give fillip to private sector investment, create
To find answer to this question, one needs to look at the
employment opportunities and boost the economic growth
recommendation of the 14th Finance Commission. The
and development.
commission had recommended for 42% of tax devolution
from centre to the states. Accordingly, 42% of the revenue Boost Make in India: The Corporate tax rate in India was
loss due to the corporate tax cut would be borne by the state considered to be 50% higher as compared to the other
government which would be approximately around Rs 60,000 countries and hence discouraged the Investment. This
crores (42% of Rs 1.45 lakh crores).
announcement of the Government is expected to bring the
corporate tax rate in India on par with the other countries
WILL THE CORPORATE

and hence promote more amount of FDI into India leading to
a major boost to "Make in India". This move comes at the
TAX CUT BOOST GDP? right time as the MNCs are looking to shift their bases out of
China amid its ongoing trade war with the USA.
#Inclusive Growth Is the Corporate tax reduction sufficient enough to boost
GDP? The Private sector Investment is driven by number of
factors. One of the most critical factors is the prevailing
IN NEWS demand in the economy. The higher demand for the goods
and services incentivizes private sector investment leading to
In response to the present Economic slowdown, the
higher employment creation.
Government has recently announced corporate tax reduction

Presently, the economic slowdown is mainly attributed to the 2. Boost Employment Creation: According to the recent
decline in the consumption expenditure, which contributes PLFS Report, the unemployment in India has increased to
almost 60% of India's GDP. Hence, the article highlights that 45-year high of 6.1%. This has also contributed to the
the prevailing lower demand in the economy may not lead to decline in the consumption expenditure. Hence, the
increase in the private sector investment. government must focus on various policy measures in
order to boost employment creation.
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE IN ORDER TO PROMOTE
GDP GROWTH? 3. Focus on MGNREGA: The MGNREGA has the potential to
increase the demand for goods and services in the rural
1. Focus on Agriculture and MSMEs: In order to incentivise
areas. Hence, the government must focus on increasing
private sector investment, the focus of the Government
its allocation for MGNREGA in order to put the money into
must be enhancing the consumption expenditure in the
the hands of people.
Indian Economy. The decline in the consumption
expenditure can be attributed to the decline in the 4. Enhancing Public Investment: There is a need for higher
Agriculture sector and MSMEs which are considered to be public investment in infrastructure projects such as roads,
the major drivers of demand in the economy. Hence, the buildings, ports, schools, hospitals etc. This would not only
government must first focus on reviving these sectors in create productive assets, but would also create
order to boost the demand. For instance, the article employment opportunities leading to increase in demand.
highlights that there is a need to implement the

recommendations of U.K. Sinha Committee for reviving
MSMEs.
GOVERNMENT SCHEMES/
PROGRAMS/INITIATIVES
FIRST EVER INDIA

produce through exhibitions, B2B meetings, conferences,
cultural programmes etc. IICTF covers exhibitors / sellers /
INTERNATIONAL
buyers from India and abroad focusing on sectors such as
agriculture and its allied sectors.
COOPERATIVES TRADE Please note that the fair is jointly organised by National
Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) in
FAIR (IICTF) association with the Bangkok based Network for
Development of Agricultural Cooperatives in Asia and the
#Trade Pacific (NEDAC).
The National Cooperative Development Corporation

(NCDC) has formulated Yuva Sahakar-Cooperative
IN NEWS Enterprise Support and Innovation Scheme 2019 which
The First Ever India International Cooperatives Trade Fair was also launched at the fair.
(IICTF) was recently held in New Delhi. IICTF is conceived as a
major platform to promote exports of Indian cooperative

IMPORTANCE OF COOPERATIVE INSTITUTIONS IN including 2 years moratorium on payment of principal. All
INDIA types of cooperatives in operation for at least one year are

eligible.
The importance of the cooperative Institutions can be
gauged by the fact that almost 94% of total farmers in
India are members of at least one cooperative institution.
Hence, the overall development of the cooperatives would NATIONAL E-ASSESSMENT
enable the Government to help realise its vision of
doubling the farmers' income by the end of 2022. CENTRE
The cooperative sector has a formidable role in increasing
agriculture exports from the present US $ 30 billion to US$
#Taxation
60 billion by 2022 as envisaged in the Agriculture Exports
Policy 2018.
NATIONAL COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT

CORPORATION (NCDC)
IN NEWS
The National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC)
was established by an Act of Parliament in 1963 as a statutory The Central Government has recently launched the National e-
Corporation under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Assessment Centre for providing faceless e-assessment for
Welfare. Some of the functions of the NCDC include: income tax payers. It is expected to impart greater efficiency,
transparency and accountability in the tax assessment
Planning, promoting and financing programmes for
process.
production, processing, marketing, storage, export and
import of agricultural produce. DETAILS
Finance projects in the rural industrial cooperative sectors The Centre Government had recently notified e-
and for certain notified services in rural areas like water Assessment scheme to facilitate faceless assessment of
conservation, irrigation and micro irrigation etc. income tax returns through completely electronic
communication between tax officials and tax payers.
Provision of Loans and grants to State Governments for
Under the new system of faceless e-Assessment, tax
financing cooperative societies
payers will receive notices on their registered emails as
ABOUT YUVA SAHAKAR-COOPERATIVE ENTERPRISE
well as on registered accounts on the income tax web
SUPPORT AND INNOVATION SCHEME 2019 portal specifying the issues for which their cases have
It has been launched with an objective to attract the been selected for scrutiny.
youths towards the Cooperative Business Enterprises. This new initiative of faceless assessment is expected to
The scheme will be linked to Rs 1000 crore ‘Cooperative increase ease of compliance for taxpayers as the cost and
Start-up and Innovation Fund (CSIF)’ created by the NCDC. anxiety of taxpayers are likely to be greatly reduced.
It would have more incentives for cooperatives of North
BENEFITS OF FACELESS ASSESSMENT:
Eastern region, Aspirational Districts and cooperatives with
women or SC or ST or PwD members. The funding for the NeAC eliminates human interface between Assessing
project will be up to 80% of the project cost for these Officer and Assesse
special categories as against 70% for others. New System optimises the utilisation of resources through
The scheme envisages 2% less than the applicable rate of economies of scale
interest on term loan for the project cost up to Rs 3 crore

NeAC introduces team based assessment with dynamic Ministry of Power /Ministry of Coal can review overall
jurisdiction availability of coal at thermal power plants in different
Ease of compliance for taxpayers regions.
Brings transparency and efficiency, thus improves quality Present Mechanism: It consists of an inter-ministerial group
of assessment and monitoring which has officials from Ministries of Power, Coal, Railways,
CEA, power utilities and coal companies. This group holds
Functional specialisation as only one agency dealing with
weekly meetings to review coal supply situation as well as
faceless assessment
railway logistics. It was observed that this mechanism faced
Expeditious disposal of cases. several issues such as scattered information, correctness of
data from different organizations, timely availability of data
etc. This has often led to difficulties in decision making and
PRAKASH PORTAL
hence the need for PRAKASH Portal.
Developed by: It is developed by NTPC.
#Coal Sector
YOUTH CO: LAB

IN NEWS
The Union Government has recently launched PRAKASH (Power
#Innovation
Rail Koyla Availability through Supply Harmony) portal. The
Portal aims at bringing better coordination for coal supplies
among all stakeholders - Ministry of Power, Ministry of Coal, IN NEWS
Coal India, Railways and power utilities. This is an important
The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog and United
step in ensuring adequate availability and optimum utilization
Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have recently
of coal at thermal power plants.
launched Youth Co:Lab which aims at accelerating social
PRAKASH PORTAL entrepreneurship and innovation in young India.
Purpose: The Portal is designed to help in mapping and ABOUT YOUTH CO: LAB
monitoring entire coal supply chain for power plants.
It aims to create an enabling ecosystem to promote youth
Benefits: The portal makes available following information leadership, innovation, and social entrepreneurship.
on a single platform - Through Youth Co: Lab, young entrepreneurs and
Coal company will be able to track stocks and the coal innovators will get a chance to connect with governments,
requirement at power stations for effective production mentors, incubators and investors, who will help equip
planning them with entrepreneurial skills.
Indian Railways will plan to place the rakes as per actual It will convene social innovation challenges at the national
coal available at siding and stock available at power and sub-national level, which will invite young people in
stations. the age group of 18-29 years and start-ups to showcase
Power stations can plan future schedule by knowing rakes their proposed ideas and solutions to tackle some of the
in pipe line and expected time to reach. region’s biggest social challenges.
Stock at power generating station

IMPORTANT ECONOMIC
INDICATORS IN NEWS
UNDERSTANDING THE
IN NEWS
The CPI inflation has increased to 3.99 per cent in September
DIVERGENCE BETWEEN 2019 which is much closer to RBI's targeted rate of CPI
inflation of 4%. On the other hand, the WPI Inflation rate has
fallen to 39-month low of 0.33% in September 2019. So, what
WPI AND CPI explains this growing divergence between CPI and WPI- the two
indicators of Inflation in India
#Important Indicators
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN WPI AND CPI
Criteria WPI CPI
Level Measures Inflation at Wholesale level Measures Inflation at Retail Level
National Statistical Office, Ministry of

Who Calculates? Office of Economic Advisor, Ministry of Commerce and Industry
Statistics and programme Implementation
Base year 2011-12 2012
Food and beverages

Pan, Tobacco and Intoxicants
Primary Articles Clothing and Footwear
Categories Manufactured products Housing
Fuel and Power Fuel and Light
Miscellaneous- Education, Healthcare,
Transportation etc
Highest
Manufactured products Food and Beverages
Weightage
The increase in food items would lead to increase in WPI. The increase in the Food items would have
Impact of
However, it would have less impact on WPI as compared to CPI larger impact on CPI as compared to WPI
increase in
since WPI provides higher weightage to manufactured products since it gives more weightage to food
Food items
and lower weightage to Food items products.
Services
No Yes
included
Targeted by Yes. The RBI is required to maintain CPI rate

No
RBI? of inflation of 4% with a deviation of 2%.

REASONS FOR THE DIVERGENCE BETWEEN WPI AND ABOUT PURCHASING MANAGERS INDEX (PMI)
CPI Published by: PMI Data is published by Japanese firm Nikkei
1. Increase in prices of Food Commodities: Presently, but compiled and constructed by Markit Economics (for the
there has been increase in the prices of vegetables such US, it is the Institute of Supply Management).
as Onions and Tomatoes mainly due to supply side SOURCE OF INFORMATION
disruptions. The increase in these food commodities has
PMI is calculated on the basis of information received
led to higher increase in CPI as compared to WPI.
from companies on various factors that represent
2. Decrease in prices of manufactured products: There demand conditions. It is very different from IIP which is
has been fall in the prices of manufactured products and indicative of actual production. The PMI takes in responses
fuel and power mainly due to lower demand in the Indian from a company on a monthly basis on whether there has
Economy. The reduction in the prices of manufactured been improvement, deterioration or no change for a set of
products, which has been given the highest weightage parameters relative to the previous month.
under the WPI has led to drastic decline in WPI.
It takes into account the following parameters for the
Hence, on one hand, the CPI rate of inflation has increased calculation: new orders, output, employment, supplier's
due to increase in prices of vegetables. While, on other hand, delivery and stock of purchases. This questionnaire is
the WPI rate of inflation has reduced due to decrease in the administered to 500 private sector companies and the
prices of manufactured products. This has in turn led to comprehensive score is arrived at.
growing divergence between the WPI and CPI rates of
The PMI is constructed separately for manufacturing and
inflation.
services sector. But the manufacturing sector holds more
importance.
UNDERSTANDING THE INDEX VALUE
PURCHASING MANAGERS A figure above 50 denotes expansion in business activity.

Anything below 50 denotes contraction. Higher the
INDEX (PMI) difference from this mid-point greater the expansion or

contraction. The rate of expansion can also be judged by
comparing the PMI with that of the previous month data.
If the figure is higher than the previous month’s then the
economy is expanding at a faster rate. If it is lower than
the previous month then it is growing at a lower rate.
IN NEWS
IMPORTANCE OF PMI
The Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) for
The PMI is usually released at the start of the month, much
the month of September 2019 stands at 51.4. This is same
before most of the official data on industrial output,
as the reading in August 2019 and is considered to be the
manufacturing and GDP growth becomes available. It is,
lowest reading since May 2018. This reading corroborates
therefore, considered a good leading indicator of economic
the present economic slowdown in India. activity.
Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) Index of Industrial Production (IIP)
Published by Nikkei Published by National Statistical Office
Does not track the actual Production Tracks the actual Production
Covers only 500 private sector companies Covers both Private Sector as well as PSUs

Covers both Manufacturing and Services Covers only the Manufacturing Sector
Less Comprehensive since it covers only private sector More Comprehensive

companies
Not used for GDP calculation Used for GDP Calculation to account for the unorganised
sector
GLOBAL
countries to lift people out of poverty and improve their
quality of life. With a decade left, the world is not on track
to meet most of the 17 United Nations’ Sustainable
COMPETITIVENESS INDEX Development Goals by the deadline of 2030.
3. Look beyond Monetary Policies: The advanced

#Important Indicators economies have been following unconventional monetary
policies such as Zero Interest Rate Policy (ZIRP) and
Negative Interest rate Policy (NIRP) in order to revive their
economies. However, their economies have failed to
IN NEWS
growth inspite of following such policies since more than
India has been ranked at 68th position in the Global a decade. In this regard, the report has highlighted the
competitiveness index 2019 published by World Economic need for the advanced economies to think beyond the
Forum (WEF). India's position has been reduced by 10 places as unconventional monetary policies and probably look at
compared to previous year when it was ranked at 58th fiscal stimulus measures to revive the economy.
position.
4. India's Performance: India's ranking has got reduced by
ABOUT THE GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS INDEX 10 places mainly due to improvement in the performance
This report measures the competitiveness of around 141 by other countries. India's performance has registered
economies which account for 98% of the world's GDP. It improvement in terms of indicators such as Macro-
defines Competitiveness as “the set of institutions, economic stability, Market Size and Innovation. However,
policies and factors that determine the level of the report has raised concerns with respect to some of
productivity of a country." the India's performance on key indicators such as
Financial system (due to higher NPAs in banking sector),
It measures the performance based on 103 indicators
Limited ICT Adoption, lower life expectancy etc.
which are organised into 12 pillars: Institutions;
Infrastructure; ICT adoption; Macroeconomic stability;
Health; Skills; Product market; Labour market; Financial
system; Market size; Business dynamism; and Innovation INDIA INNOVATION
capability.
A country’s performance on the overall GCI results is INDEX

reported as a ‘progress score’ on a 0-to-100 scale, where
100 represent the ‘frontier’, an ideal state. #Important Indicators
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE REPORT
1. Top Ranking Countries: Singapore has ranked at first
position with a score of 84.8 followed by USA, Hong Kong, IN NEWS
Netherlands and Switzerland. The NITI Aayog has recently released the India Innovation
2. Poor Progress on the SDGs: The world Economy is facing Index 2019. The study is an outcome of extensive research and
the slowdown which is making it difficult for most of the analysis, which looks holistically at the innovation landscape

of India by examining the innovation capabilities and

performance of Indian states and union territories. WORLD ECONOMIC
INDIA INNOVATION INDEX 2019
OUTLOOK REPORT
The India Innovation Index attempts to create an extensive
framework for the evaluation of the innovation environment #Important Indicators
of 29 states and seven union territories in India. It intends to
perform the following three functions-
1) Ranking of states and UTs based on their index scores; IN NEWS

2) Recognizing opportunities and challenges; and The International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its “World Economic
3) Assisting in tailoring governmental policies to foster Outlook” Report has cut India’s growth forecast for 2019-20 to
innovation. 6.1% from its forecast of 7%.
The India Innovation Index 2019 is calculated as the average ABOUT THE WORLD ECONOMIC OUTLOOK REPORT
of the scores of its two dimensions - Enablers and This report is published twice a year and analyses the global
Performance. economic developments during the near and medium term.
The Enablers are the factors that underpin innovative

capacities, grouped in five pillars: (1) Human Capital, (2)
Investment, (3) Knowledge Workers, (4) Business
Environment, and (5) Safety and Legal Environment.
The Performance dimension captures benefits that a nation

derives from the inputs, divided in two pillars: (6) Knowledge
Output and (7) Knowledge Diffusion.

1. Ranking of the States: The states have been bifurcated
into three categories: major states, north-east and hill
states, and union territories / small states. Among the
category of major states, Karnataka occupies the first
place and it is followed by Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. HIGHLIGHTS ABOUT THE REPORT
Among the NE and Hilly States, Sikkim occupies the first
Slowdown in World Economy: The report highlights that the
place and it is followed by Himachal Pradesh and global economic growth is expected to be at 3%, which is
Uttarakhand. In the third category, the top performing considered to be at the lowest level since the 2008-09
Union Territories/ small states are Delhi, Chandigarh and financial crisis. However, the Growth is projected to pick up to
Goa. 3.4 percent in 2020 primarily on account of projected
improvement in economic performance in a number of
2. Region-Wise Analysis: The index shows that the
emerging markets in Latin America and the Middle East.
innovation ecosystem of the country is strong in south
and western parts of India. In fact, three of the top five India’s GDP Forecasts: In 2019, the report had forecasted
the GDP to grow at 7.3%. However, in its latest edition, it has
major states are from southern India. Delhi and Haryana
highlighted that the GDP growth may slow down to 7% due to
seem to be an exception to this rule and seem to be doing
reduction in the consumption expenditure. Even the GDP
well on the Index. Thus, there seems to be a west-south
Forecast for next fiscal has been cut to 7% from 7.2%
and north-east divide across the country.
estimated earlier

What should India do? The IMF has suggested that the The USA occupied the second rank with almost 6 lakh
monetary policy and broad-based structural reforms patent applications, which is considerably lower as
should be used to address cyclical weakness and strengthen compared to China.
confidence. A credible fiscal consolidation path is needed to With almost 3,400 patent applications, India has
bring down India’s elevated public debt over the medium occupied 12th place worldwide.
term. This should be supported by subsidy-spending
SOME OF THE GLOBALLY IMPORTANT INNOVATION
rationalisation and tax-base enhancing measures. The
Governance of public sector banks and the efficiency of their INDICES ARE:
credit allocation also needs strengthening. Global Innovation Index (GII): Published by WIPO
Global Competitiveness Report: Published by World

Economic Forum
WORLD INTELLECTUAL International IP Index: Published by US Chamber of
Commerce's Global Innovation Policy centre.
PROPERTY INDICATORS
REPORT GLOBAL UNICORN LIST
IN NEWS
According to WIPO's World Intellectual Property Indicators
Report, China alone accounted for almost half of all the IN NEWS
world’s patent filings.
India has been ranked third in 2019 Hurun Global Unicorn List,
ABOUT WIPO which was published for the first time.
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is the ABOUT THE REPORT
global forum for intellectual property policy. It is a specialized
The Hurun Research Institute has recently released the
agency of the United Nations and assists its 192 member
inaugural Hurun Global Unicorn List 2019. The Unicorn is
states in developing a balanced international IP legal
defined as a tech start-up founded in the 2000s that has
framework to meet society's evolving needs. It provides
reached a valuation of US$1bn, backed by professional
business services for obtaining IP rights in multiple countries
investors but not yet listed on a public exchange.
and resolving disputes. It delivers capacity-building programs
to help developing countries benefit from using IP. The Hurun Global Unicorns 2019 is the first serious attempt
to capture all of the world’s unicorns into one list. It is
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE REPORT designed to inspire entrepreneurship amongst wannabe
Innovators worldwide filed 3.3 million patent applications, entrepreneurs and encourage investors.
14.3 million trademark applications and 1.3 million
industrial design applications. Asia accounted for more
than two-thirds of the applications. Top Countries: The world’s unicorns are based in only 24
countries around the world. China has the around 206
China accounted for nearly half of global patent filings
unicorns and is ranked at first place. It is followed by USA
with a record 1.5 million applications. Most of these
with almost 203 unicorns. Both USA and China together
applications were filed in the field of telecommunication
account for over 80% of the world’s unicorns. India was
and computer technology.
ranked third with 21 unicorns such as payments solutions

platform One97 Communications, cab aggregator Ola Cabs Chinese based companies - Byte dance (which runs video
and travel-stay finder OYO Rooms. sharing application TikTok) and Didi Chuxing (Cab-hailing
Top Companies: China based Ant Financial, whose main platform).
business is online payment platform, Alipay is the most Top Industries: E-commerce and fintech make up 31% of the
valuable unicorn in the world. It is followed by two other world’s unicorns, followed by cloud and AI.
Miscellaneous
NOBEL PRIZE IN
not bringing in their children for the vaccination shot. The
two economists decided to give a bag of pulses free to
women who brought their babies for vaccination. This led
ECONOMIC SCIENCES to substantial increase in the coverage of vaccination in
the region.
#Awards Another experiment they did was in Mumbai and
Vadodara to understand learning outcomes in the field of
education. Was it lack of access to textbooks or hunger
that caused poor learning outcomes? Through field
IN NEWS
studies, the two economists established that the problem
The 2019 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences has been awarded is that teaching is not adapted to the needs of the
jointly to Abhijit Banerjee, Esther Duflo and Michael Kremer for students. Based upon this observation, learning outcomes
their experimental approach to alleviating global poverty. This improved in schools that were provided with teaching
is only the second time a woman has bagged the Economics assistants to support students with special needs.
Nobel. It is also first the Nobel Economic Prize to be won by a
Similarly, to improve learning outcomes, it was found out
husband-wife duo. (Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo).
that it is better to employ the teachers on short-term
Note: The first women winner in Economic Sciences was Elinor contracts (which could be extended if they showed good
Ostrom in 2009. results) instead of focussing on improving teacher-student
ratio.
CONTRIBUTION OF NOBEL LAUREATES
HOW DOES THE APPROACH WORKS?
They have introduced a new approach for obtaining
reliable answers about the most effective ways to combat The new powerful tool employed by the Laureates is
global poverty. For instance, they believe that the Poverty known as "Randomised Control Trials (or RCTs)". This is
is a result of multiple deprivations such as Education, an evidence based approach which is used to identify the
Healthcare, Sanitation, Lack of Skills etc. and hence for best possible alternative to eliminate poverty.
eliminating poverty they understand and analyse various For example, such an approach can be used to identify
micro aspects. In the field of health, they would look at whether providing a mobile vaccination van or sack of
sanitation, nutrition, medicines, vaccination etc. from a grains would incentivise the villagers to vaccinate their
micro perspective. Further, each of these variables are in kids. Under the RCT approach, village households would
turn analysed, understood and them set of be divided into four groups. Group A would be provided
recommendations are given to improve those variables. with a mobile vaccination van facility, Group B would be
This aspect can be understood from the experiment that given a sack of food grains, Group C would get both, and
Mr. Banerjee and Ms. Duflo carried out in Rajasthan some Group D would get neither.
years ago. Despite immunisation being free, women were

Group D is called the “control” group while others are Earlier, the TRAI had proposed to end the IUC by 2020.
called “treatment” groups. Such an experiment would However, recently, it has issued a consultation paper on
not only show whether a policy initiative works, it would the need for the continuation of the IUC even beyond
also show what happens when more than one initiatives 2020.
are combined. This would help policymakers to have the
WHAT'S THE PRESENT CONTROVERSY?
evidence before they choose a policy.
Jio has claimed that because of the price difference
IMPORTANCE between free voice calls on Jio network and high tariffs on
Even though the Governments across the world spend Airtel and Vodafone-Idea networks, customers of the other
huge amount of money on various social schemes, they networks are relying on giving missed calls to Jio
normally have limited impact. This is mainly because the customers.
policies are formulated without taking into account any It has claimed that the Jio network receives 25 to 30 crore
evidences to support them. The field-work based approach missed calls on a daily basis, presumably because people
that these economists have perfected has revolutionized want their friends or family on Jio to call them back. These
the field of development economics and made it more call backs by the Jio Customers to the customers on the
relevant in policy making. other networks is leading to payment of higher
Hence, the governments across the world, including India Interconnect Usage charges by the Reliance Jio Company.
should borrow from the research of these laureates to Hence, the Reliance Jio has sought to recover the charges
understand the impact of its several schemes, and where from its customers.
necessary, modify them to derive maximum benefit for the
money which they spend.
PRIME MINISTER'S
INTERCONNECT USAGE ECONOMIC ADVISORY
CHARGE COUNCIL (PMEAC)
#Telecommunication #Important Economic Institutions
IN NEWS IN NEWS
Recently, Reliance Jio announced that it would start charging The Government has recently appointed three part-time
its customers Interconnect Usage Charge (IUC) of 6 paisa per members to the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council
minute on all outgoing calls made to Airtel and Vodafone- (PMEAC).
Idea’s networks. This has led to price war between the telecom ABOUT PMEAC
players and have raised questions over the imposition of
The PMEAC is a non-constitutional, non-statutory and
Interconnect Usage Charges (IUC).
independent body constituted to give economic advice to
WHAT IS THE INTERCONNECT USAGE CHARGE (IUC)? the Prime Minister.
IUC is the cost paid by one mobile telecom operator to The PMEAC is chaired by a Chairperson and consists of
another when its customers make outgoing mobile calls to several eminent economists as members. The number of
the other operator’s customers. In September 2017, TRAI members in the PMEAC has varied over a period of time.
had ordered a reduction in IUC to 6 paise per minute from At one point of time, it was headed by PM Atal Bihari
14 paise earlier.

Vajpayee. Recently, PM Modi has reconstituted the PMEAC Submitting periodic reports to the Prime Minister on
and is headed by Bibek Debroy. macroeconomic developments and issues with
Some of the functions of the PMEAC include: implications for economic policy;
Analyzing any issue referred to it by the Prime Minister The NITI Aayog acts a Nodal agency for the administrative,
and to advise PM; planning and budgeting for PMEAC.
Addressing issues of macroeconomic importance and Among the mostly widely read reports of the council are
presenting views to the Prime Minister. the "Economic Outlook" and the "Review of the Economy".
practice questions
MCQs
Q1. Consider the following statements related to Gross 2. The NDRF is entirely funded by the Centre while the
Enrolment ratio (GER): SDRF is entirely funded by the concerned State
1. It is the ratio of children enrolled in a particular class Government.
(regardless of the age) to the eligible population in the 3. The NDRF and SDRF can be used for providing both
age group for that class. immediate relief as well as for paying compensation
2. The GER can never be more than 100. for loss/damage to properties /crops.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only (a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 2 and 3 only
Q2. Consider the following statements related to Q4. Which among the following is/are determined by
Domestic- Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs): the Quota of the member countries in the IMF?
1. In order to identify the D-SIBs, the RBI takes into 1. Financial Contribution of the member countries.
account only those banks whose size is equal to or 2. Voting Power of the Member countries
more than 2% of GDP. 3. Borrowing Limit on the Member countries
2. Presently, only the State Bank of India has been Select the correct answer using the code given below:
categorized as D-SIBs in India. (a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2 only
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Q5. Which among the following International agencies
publishes the Global Innovation Index (GII)?
Q3. With reference to National Disaster Response Fund (a) World Economic Forum
(NDRF) and State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), (b) WIPO
consider the following statements:
(c) US Chamber of Commerce
1. Both NDRF and SDRF have been set up under Disaster
(d) UNCTAD
Management Act 2005.

Q1. Harnessing of Demographic dividend is the key to Government's realization of $5 trillion economy. In this regard, discuss
various challenges for harnessing Demographic Dividend. Also, suggest certain measures to harness demographic
dividend optimally.
Q2. Do you think the Inflation Targeting adopted by the RBI has been able to fulfil its stated objective? Give arguments in
support of your answer.
Answers to above MCQs: 1 (a), 2 (a), 3 (a), 4 (d) , 5 (b)

SOCIETY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

# GS Paper I & GS Paper III (Main)
INDIA: OPEN DEFECATION

►Under Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban)
6 million individual toilets and 5 lakh community toilets
FREE
have been constructed.
Besides SBM (U) has achieved considerable progress in
door-door collection of waste, establishment of waste-to-
# Health energy and waste-to-compost plants.
SIGNIFICANCE OF ODF STATUS

►ODF and Health
Faecal-oral transmission is said to be the leading cause of
IN NEWS vector-borne diseases like diarrhea, cholera, dysentery,
th
On the occasion of 150 birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi hepatitis A, typhoid and polio and nutritional disorders
on 2nd October 2019, India was declared Open Defecation Free like protein energy malnutrition.
(ODF) by the government. Sanitation is a major determinant in transmission of
CONTEXT neglected tropical diseases such as intestinal worms,
schistosomiasis and trachoma, as well as malnutrition.
In a step towards universal sanitation coverage, Swacch
The lack of safe sanitation systems contributes significantly
Bharat Mission was launched in 2014 with the mission
to the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance.
objective to make India ‘Open Defecation Free’ by 2019.
Safe sanitation is key strategy in fight against maternal and
The key strategy under Swacch Bharat Mission was to
child mortality due to its potential impact on pregnancy
achieve ODF status at country level through construction
outcomes and sepsis.
of both individual and community toilets.
As a result, it is necessary to adopt safe disposal of faeces to
What is ODF? prevent it from entering the environment through soil, water,
ODF is defined as termination of faecal-oral transmission crops etc.
through safe disposal of human faeces. End manual scavenging: Though manual scavenging is
Thus an areas is classified as Open Defecation Free if banned since 1993, it is widely practiced in India. Besides, the
idea of purity-pollution based on caste lines has led to
1. All households in the said area have at least one toilet
manual scavenging tasks being taken up by dalits in India.
2. No visible human faeces is present in the environment. Achieving ODF is step in the direction to put an end the social
ill of manual scavenging.
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS OF SBM
Right to sanitation is a Human Right: Right to sanitation is
►Under Swacch Bharat Mission (Gramin)
recognised as a human right under UN Charter on Social,
110 million toilets have been constructed between 2014 Economic and Cultural Rights since 2010.
and 2019. SUSTAINING ODF STATUS: A CHALLENGE AHEAD
Open defecation-free status of villages in India has ►Achieving 100% usage
improved from 38% in 2014 to 100% in 2019.
While Swacch Bharat Mission has done well in toilet
construction, sustaining ODF status requires 100% usage.

Society and Social Justice
GLOBAL HUNGER INDEX

Studies have shown SBM has not been successful in
effecting a behavioural change with people still preferring
to defecate in the open.
#Nutrition #Health #Report
Large size of households and habit are cited as major
reasons.
Safe toilets: To stop faecal-oral transmission, toilets must be IN NEWS

made fly-proof in order to be considered safe.
In a grim reflection of nutrition status, India is ranked 102 out
Safe septage disposal for safe disposal of waste discharges. of 117 countries in the Global Hunger Index 2019. India with a
Water scarcity: Availability of safe water and soap for after score of 30.3 is under ‘severe’ hunger category.
defecation and before meals is a prerequisite for achieving The report highlights that India is the worst performer in child
and sustaining ODF status. However different pockets of the wasting indicator with 20.8% child wasting rate, highest for
country are severely affected due to erratic monsoon any country.
Expensive: Though twin pit toilet is the preferred technology In comparison Nepal (73), Sri Lanka (66), Bangladesh (88),
under SBM, the containment chamber of twin pit toilets is Myanmar (69) and Pakistan (94) have fared better than India.
prohibitively expensive. As a result about 40% of toilets ► Global Hunger Index
constructed under SBM (Gramin) are single-pit toilets which
GHI is an annual report that measures and tracks hunger
are manually scavenged for disposal which hinders faecal
at the global, regional, and country levels in order to
transmission due to expose to waste discharge.
trigger action towards achieving SDG-2, ‘Zero Hunger’ by
ODF + and ODF++ strategies: Keeping in mind the above 2030.
challenges, the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation
Global Hunger Index is a measure of hunger levels of
launched the ODF+ and ODF ++ campaigns.
countries based on 4 indicators under 3-dimensions
ODF+: Activities aimed at maintenance of toilet facilities like namely
water availability, making it fly-proof, maintenance etc.
1. Undernourishment (both children and adults)
ODF++: Activities aimed at safe collection, conveyance,
treatment and disposal of all faecal sludge and sewage 2. Child under-nutrition including Child Wasting and Stunting
► Related Information: Global Goalkeeper Award 3. Under-5 Child mortality
In recognition to success of Swacch Bharat Mission, the Bill Who publishes Global Hunger Index? Earlier GHI was
and Melinda Gates foundation conferred the Global published by International Food Policy Research
Goalkeeper Award on Prime Minister of India. Institute (IFPRI). From 2018, GHI is being jointly published by
‘Goalkeepers’ is a report card to track the progress made Welt hunger hilfe of Germany and Concern Worldwide, an
towards achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Ireland-based international humanitarian organisation
It is published by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
INDIA’S PERFORMANCE: KEY FINDINGS
Related SDGs w.r.t. sanitation: SDG 6.2 relates to
Undernourishment: 14.5% of India’s population is
sanitation, hygiene and open defecation.
undernourished
Note: Payal Jangid, a 16-year old from Rajasthan also received
Child under-nutrition including Child Wasting and
the Goalkeeper award under the ‘Changemaker category' for her
Stunting: Wasting: 20.8% Stunting: 37.9%
fight against ‘Child Marriage’. SDG 5.3 relates to elimination of
child marriages. Under-5 Child mortality: India’s child mortality - 3.9%

REASONS FOR LOW RANKING: INDIA IS RANKED LOW The scientific collection of data on nutritional status is the
st
AT 102 DUE TO THE FOLLOWING REASONS: 1 step towards evidence-based interventions in the fight
against malnutrition.
1. High cases of child wasting: India has witnessed an
increase in child wasting cases from 16.5% of children
suffering from wasting to 20.8% in 2019. KEY HIGHLIGHTS
2. High cases of stunting In the backdrop of nutrition transition witnessed by India, the
India accounts for nearly 1/3
rd
of the world’s 150.8 million most pressing nutritional challenges flagged by CNNS
with 46.6 million stunted children. include:
According to National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-4 Malnutrition
(2015-16), 38.4 per cent of children below five years are Double burden of malnutrition
stunted. Nutrition Deficiency
Besides a recent Food and Nutrition Security Analysis, Socio-economic determinants of nutrition
2019, 1/3rd of all children will be stunted in India. Anaemia
Nutrition transition and increasing prevalence of non-
communicable diseases
COMPREHENSIVE MAL NUTRITION IN INDIA: A BACKGROUNDER

►Indicators of malnutrition:
NATIONAL NUTRITION Wasting: Children whose weight is below the average for
their height are considered wasted. Wasting is an indicator
SURVEY of acute malnutrition.
Stunting: Children whose height is below the average for
#Nutrition #Health their age are considered to be stunted. Stunting is an
indicator of chronic malnutrition.
Underweight: Children whose weight is below the average
for their age are considered under-weight. Under-weight is
an indicator of acute or chronic malnutrition or both.
IN NEWS As per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-4 (2015-
st 16), 35.7 per cent children below five years are
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has released 1 ever
underweight, 38.4 per cent are stunted and 21 per cent are
Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (CNNS). The CNNS is
wasted in the country.
a multi-faceted country-level database on nutrition status of
children and adolescents (0-19) in the country. DOUBLE-BURDEN OF MALNUTRITION
NEED FOR SURVEY CCNS flags the issue of ‘double burden of malnutrition’ as
India is witnessing nutrition transition.
India accounts for the world’s largest population of
undernourished people and is home to about 1 in 5 Double burden of malnutrition indicates the coexistence of
undernourished persons in the world. undernutrition along with overweight and obesity.
Food security policies are witnessing a paradigmatic shift OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY
from calorie intake to nutrition security.
Definition
The survey is a step to identify most critical nutritional Overweight is defined as those with a body mass index of
challenges in the country and re-orient national policies 25 and above.
and programmes accordingly. Obesity is defined as those with BMI of 30 and above.

Nutrient Deficiency: The 3 core indicators of nutrient Access to health services

deficiency, the report highlights include: Minimum dietary
MICRONUTRIENT DEFICIENCY: SIX MICRONUTRIENT
diversity; Meal frequency; and Acceptable diet.
DEFICIENCIES INCLUDE:
The daily requirement of an average adult is 2500 calories.
Vitamin A: Strengthens immune system
Besides the calorie intake should be in accordance with
Folate: Prevents birth defects and anaemia.
the nutrition security which entails diversity in diet.
Vitamin B12: Blood and nervous system
A healthy diet with minimum dietary diversity include
Iodine: Prevents loss of IQ, miscarriage and stillbirths
Macronutrient Caloric intake
Food Vitamin D: Prevents rickets
intake (gm/day) (kcal / day)
Zinc: Important for bone growth and immunity
Whole grains 232 811
Anaemia : It is caused due to low haemoglobin
Tubers 50 39 concentration
All vegetables 300 78 EFFECTS
Fruits 200 126 Adversely affects psychomotor functions
Dairy foods 250 153 Brain development
Weakness, fatigue and poor productivity

Beef, lamb, pork 14 30
Makes one more prone to infections.
Chicken 29 62
CAUSES
Eggs 13 19
Inadequate bioavailability of micronutrients such as (iron,
Fish 28 40 folate, vitamin B12)
Legumes 75 284 Parasitic infections such as malaria
All sugars 31 120 Genetic in cases of thalassaemia and sickle cell disease
Chronic infection and inflammation

Characteristics of a healthy diet: Basic characteristics of a
healthy diet plan include: PREVALENCE
Reduction in the consumption of meat and dairy; 41% of pre-schoolers
Increase in plant-based foods; 24% of school-age children
High amount of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, 28% of adolescents

nuts, and unsaturated oils; Non-communicable diseases: Cardio-vascular diseases,
Very moderate amounts of seafood and poultry; chronic respiratory diseases, cancer, diabetes.
No or very low quantities of red meat, processed meat, PREVALENCE

added sugars, refined grains and starchy vegetables.
10% school-age children and adolescents were diabetic
SOCIO-ECONOMIC DETERMINANTS 3% of school-age children and 4% of adolescents had high
Maternal education: The Survey highlights the correlation total Cholesterol.
between mother’s education and nutrition level of children. 5% of adolescents were classified as having hypertension.
Access to safe and hygienic environment including safe

drinking water and sanitation

POSHAN ATLAS
Nutrition transition in India is characterized by increased
consumption of fat and decreased consumption of
protein.
#Nutrition # Health
India is witnessing an increased diversity in consumption
pattern towards increased consumption of unhealthy
energy and protein sources including oils and fat, fast
IN NEWS
food, processed food, and sugary beverages.
In a bid to fight against malnutrition in the country, the
Ministry of Women and Child Development, is developing the A brief on Poshan Abhiyan
Poshan atlas, in association with Bill & Melinda Gates Poshan Abhiyan was lanuched in March 2018 to end
Foundation and Deendayal Research Institute. malnutrition in India by 2022.
What is POSHAN Atlas? The POSHAN Atlas is an effort to The International Bank of Reconstruction and
map crops and food grains grown in different regions of the Development of World Bank has contributed 50% of the
country in order to promote locally available protein rich budgetary support.
food. Targets
Note: India is also setting up a national advisory panel for Reduce mal-nutrition by 2% every year by reducing
agri-nutrition to compliment the efforts. stunting, wasting and under-nutrition by 2% each every
year.
NEED FOR POSHAN ATLAS
Reduce incidence of anemia by 3% every year.
Dismal performance in tackling mal-nutrition
Mission 25 by 2022: Reduction in stunting among children
India’s performance in indicators of malnutrition has been
up to the age of six years from 38.4% (NFHS-4) to 25% by
dismal in the 10 year period between NFHS-3 and NFHS-4
2022.
(2015-16)
Underweight has reduced by 10% in the 10-year period.
Stunting has reduced by 7% in the 10-year period.
Wasting has increased from 19% in 2005-06 to 21% in

SEVERE ACUTE
MALNUTRITION (SAM)
2015-16.
Diverse cropping pattern: Given the diversity in cropping

pattern in India, Poshan Atlas is conceived of to ensure # Nutrition # Health
sustainable access to nutrient rich food locally.
Food grain production has not translated into

nutritional security CONTEXT
India's food grain production increased from 198 million Currently Severe Acute Malnutrition is identified as a major
tonnes in 1996 to 269 million tonnes in 2018, at an annual cause for under-5 deaths with WHO data indicating high
growth rate of 1.6 percent. fatality/mortality rates of SAM between 10-20%. Now the study
However increase in food production has not translated has indicated that the fatality rates associated with SAM are
into nutrition security. For instance, Punjab has the highest exaggerated and only about 1-2%.
food grain production and at the same time has the
With recent impetus on evidence-based interventions in the
highest rise in wasting in children.
fight against child mortality on account of malnutrition, a
Nutrition transition change is approach targeting low-birth weight is the need of
the hour according to researchers.

Definition of SAM (Severe Wasting): Severe acute

malnutrition is defined by very low weight-for-height, in other HIGHER EDUCATION
words Severe Wasting. SAM significantly increases risk of
under-5 child mortality by 9 times compared to well- COMMISSION BILL
nourished children.
# Education
Incidence: According to NFHS-4, there were 93.4 lakh SAM
children in India.
STRATEGY TO FIGHT SAM IN NEWS
As SAM is preventable and treatable, dedicated Nutritional The Higher Education Commission of India Bill, that seeks to
Rehabilitation Centres are set up at district level in various revamp the regulatory architecture of higher education in
states. Major interventions in these centres include:- India, will be tabled in the winter session of the Parliament.
24 hour care and monitoring of the child; It seeks to repeal University Grants Commission Act 1956 and
create a single unified regulator for higher education, the
Treatment of other medical complications like diarrhea;
Higher Education Commission of India. The stated objective of
Therapeutic feeding and locally available energy-dense the bill is to reform the regulatory architecture of higher
food; education to promote greater autonomy and improve learning
Providing sensory stimulation and emotional care; outcomes of higher education institutions in India.
Counselling on appropriate feeding, care and hygiene. MAIN PROVISIONS
Current intervention: There is increasing debate in policy 1. Separation of regulation and grant disbursal
circles to choose between RUTF (Ready to Use therapeutic The bill seeks to separate regulatory aspects of higher
food) and locally available energy dense food to fight severe education institutions and grant disbursal functions which
wasting among under-5 children. RUTF is a high energy are currently merged in UGC.
density food constituting mixture of milk powder, vegetable Accordingly while HECI will be the regulatory authority, an
oil, sugar, peanut butter, and powdered vitamins and autonomous body (either a Special Purpose Vehicle or
minerals. within HECI) will be set up for grant disbursal.
NEED FOR CHANGE IN INTERVENTION STRATEGY 2. Single Unified Regulator: HECI will have under its ambit
regulation of all areas of higher education including
As indicated above the mortality rates associated with
technical, legal and architecture in addition to 'general
SAM is only 1-2% as compared to WHO-advocated 10%. subjects' including:-
Thus the study advocates a shift in focus from RUTF to
Universities set up by Acts of Parliament or state
non-food preventive interventions such as sanitation,
legislatures
health, clean drinking water, nutrition etc.
Institutions deemed to be a university
Besides the study also highlights that most under-5
Colleges
deaths occur within 6 months, which is before the child
begins complementary feeding. Thus RUTF is irrelevant in Exceptions: It excludes institutions of national importance
like IITs and IIMs. Besides Medical education will not come
such cases.
under the proposed Higher Education Commission of India
Instead the focus should be on pre-mature birth or low (HECI).
birth weight and infectious diseases like sepsis which are
FUNCTIONS OF HECI
major contributors for under-5 deaths in India.
1. Maintenance of standards: HECI will be responsible for
maintenance of standards of higher education institutions
through the following functions:-

Specify norms for standards for teaching and research; (vi) 2 Vice Chancellors of universities of academic excellence,
Define learning outcomes and specify evaluation (vii) 2 serving professors of universities, and
procedure; (viii) an experienced person from the industry.
Accreditation of higher education institutions;
It can order for closure of institutions that do not meet the

minimum standards. COMPULSORY RURAL
Promote autonomy: One of the primary purposes of setting
up of HECI is to promote autonomy of higher education SERVICE
institutions. The following functions are entrusted in HECI in
order to promote autonomy of higher educational #Health
institutions:-
Authorising institutions to commence academic

operations;
HECI is vested with the powers to create universities thus

IN NEWS
eliminating the need for legislation for the purpose;
The top advisory body on matters of health in India, the
Grant powers to education institutions to award degree or Central Council of Health and Family Welfare has passed a
diploma, Grant powers of affiliation to universities and resolution making a mandatory three-month rural residency
deemed to be universities; mandatory for postgraduate medical students.
Graded autonomy; CONTEXT
Specify eligibility criteria for appointment of Vice In a bid to improve access to quality healthcare in rural areas,
Chancellors. a number of states Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal
2. Other Provisions Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan,
Tamil Nadu, Telangana and West Bengal have adopted
Regulation of fee;
compulsory rural service through different means as part of
The bill provides for a choice-based credit system for the medical education.
award of degrees;
Mandatory posting: Gujarat, Maharashtra and Telangana
Self-disclosure by higher education institutions with had made one-year rural postings mandatory for UG
falsification attracting punitive action. medical students.
COMPOSITION OF HECI Reservation: Haryana, Maharashtra have reserved seats

in both UG and PG medical courses for students willing to
HECI will comprise of 14 members to be appointed by the
serve in rural areas after they earned their degree.
government based on the recommendation of a Search
Committee which includes Cabinet Secretary Compulsory bond system: UP has introduced a
(Chairperson), Higher Education Secretary, and three compulsory rural service bond for both UG and PG medical
students.
eminent academicians.
Further the Supreme Court in August 2019 upheld the
Members of the HECI include
compulsory rural posting by states and directed the Medical
(i) Chairperson Council of India and Union government to adopt such a policy
(ii) Vice Chairperson in order to bring uniformity across the country.
(iii) 3 Secretaries of the central government, CASE FOR COMPULSORY RURAL SERVICE
(iv) 2 chairpersons of All India Council of Technical Education 1. Shortage of doctors in rural areas
and National Council of Teacher Education, While the WHO-mandated doctor patient ratio is 1:1000,
(v) 2 chairpersons of accreditation bodies India’s doctor-patient ratio is 1:1596.

In rural areas there are only 8 doctors per 100000 The act conferred the power of regulating drugs and
population. cosmetics on Central Drugs Standard Control
2. Low quality of super-specialty care: Rural areas lack Organisation.
significantly in quality infrastructure, care, personnel In 2005, 23 medical devices were brought under the ambit
especially in tertiary care. of Drugs and Cosmetic Act.
3. Service Obligation: Since the course fee vis-à-vis the With rise in the use of medical devices in healthcare (about
quality of medical education especially in the postgraduate 5000) the need is felt to regulate the medical devices to
level is highly subsidized and thus very low. As a result the ensure patient safety.
medical doctors owe a service obligation to un-served and
Since only 23 medical devices are currently being
under-served areas.
regulated under the Drug and Cosmetic Act, 1940, the
CASE AGAINST COMPULSORY RURAL SERVICE
draft notification is passed all medical devices will be
1. Compulsory service tantamount to forced labour: The brought under the regulatory ambit of CDSO.
doctors contend that compelling them to rural service is
►Need for regulating medical devices
against their right under Article 23 which explicitly
prohibits and criminalises forced labour. 1. Safety and efficacy
2. Poor Infrastructure: Before the personnel is put in place, Medical devices play an important role in diagnosis,
it is necessary to step up the infrastructure in rural areas. treatment, mitigation or prevention of diseases or disorder
and a sub-standard quality can adversely impact patient
3. Lack of incentive: The doctor find rural areas less
lucrative both in terms of remuneration and diversity of safety.
work as most of the super-speciality cases are Currently only 23 out of 5000 odd medical devices are
concentrated in the urban areas as a result of rising NCDs regulated in India. Therefore bringing all medical devices
into the regulatory ambit ensures safety, efficacy and
quality of medical devices thus patient safety.
MEDICAL DEVICES TO BE
2. Growing market
More than 80% of the medical devices in India are
REGULATED AS DRUGS imported.
Since the medical devices industry is projected to grow to

#Health $50 billion by 2025, regulation is necessary to step up
domestic production of medical devices.
3. Single-window regulatory regime

IN NEWS Currently medical devices manufacturing and selling is
All medical devices will be brought under the ambit of Drugs regulated by multiple agencies including CDSO, Atomic
and Cosmetics Act, 1940, according to a draft notification of energy Regulatory board, Department of
the government. In effect all medical devices shall be telecommunications (DoT), State Food and Drug
mandatorily registered and licensed in order to ensure safety, Administration (FDAs) and Bureau of Indian Standards
efficacy and quality of medical devices sold in the market. (BIS) etc.
The move will ensure regulation of medical devices is done

MEDICAL DEVICES REGULATION IN INDIA: A
by CDSO which will eliminate interdepartmental delays,
BACKGROUNDER
overlapping etc.
►Drugs and Cosmetic Act
CONCERNS RAISED: DEVICES ARE NOT ‘DRUGS’
The Drug and Cosmetic Act primarily ensures safety,
A medical device is an electro-mechanical equipment while
efficacy and quality of drugs and cosmetics sold in India.
a drug is a bio-chemical entity.

In 2017, the government notified Medical Devices Rules making the health sector more responsive to citizen health
2017 to treat medical devices differently for regulation needs.
purposes. Leveraging Private Health Infrastructure: One national
However, the said rules are also notified under the Drugs repository will help in leveraging private health
and Cosmetics Act and the current notification also brings infrastructure.
medical devices under the ambit of Drug and Cosmetic act.
Fraudulent Claims Management: Single national
As a result medical devices will continue to be treated as
repository of empanelled hospitals will reduce fraudulent
‘drugs’ for regulation in India.
claims and thus reduce claim costs.
WAY FORWARD
RELATED INFORMATION
Given the growing importance of medical devices in diagnosis
and treatment of diseases, regulating them through a About National Health Authority
separate law constituting a separate regulator (Niti Aayog
Nodal agency for implementation of AB-PM-JAY.
recommendation) is the way forward.
Attached office under the Ministry of Health & Family
Welfare.
The governing board of NHA is chaired by the Minister of

COMMON REGISTRY OF Health & Family Welfare.
HOSPITAL
It replaced the existing National health agency to
overcome the problem multi-tier decision making and
enable speedy and smooth implementation of PM-JAY.
#Health
The CEO of NHA is an officer of the rank of Secretary to the
GOI.
IN NEWS
The Joint Working Group of Insurance Regulatory and
Ayushman Bharat: Launched in September 2018, it is the
Development Authority of India (IRDAI) and National Health
world's largest health care scheme with two components: -
Authority (NHA) has recommended common hospital registry
for Ayushman Bharat, standard hospitalization packages for 1. Preventive healthcare: 1.5 lakh Health and Wellness
better implementation of PM-JAY and strengthening the health centres by 2022 to treat various diseases including blood
insurance ecosystem in India.. pressure, diabetes, cancer and old-age illness.
Main recommendations: To consolidate different databases 2. Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana: Key features
of hospitals including ROHINI, NHRR, NIN and PMJAY into a
Health Insurance for secondary and tertiary care
single National Repository of Empanelled Hospitals for
insurance schemes. Insurance cover of Rs. 5 lakh per family per year over 10
ROHINI: Registry of Hospitals in Network of Insurance is a crore families belonging to poor and vulnerable population
data registry of hospitals in the health insurer and third- based on Socio Economic and Caste Census 2011 (SECC)
party administrator network in India. No cap on family size and age.
NHRR: National Health Resource Repository is basically a National portability.
census of healthcare establishments, public and private.
No enrolment is required for beneficiaries.
NIN: National Institute of Nutrition
The scheme is completely cashless
IMPACT
To become more Responsive: It will remove deficiencies
like non-reporting, under-reporting and delays thereby

NEAT PLATFORM
1. Communication Skills
2. Professional Skills
#Education 3. Leadership and Management Skills
4. Universal Human Values
OBJECTIVES OF JEEVAN KAUSHAL CURRICULUM

IN NEWS
Self-development through self-awareness;
In a bid to promote personalised learning in higher education,
Developing emotional intelligence;
the Ministry of HRD will soon launch a National Educational
Alliance for Technology. Developing interpersonal skills to become a good leader;
ABOUT NEAT SCHEME Time and Stress Management.
The scheme is aimed at creating an alliance of select SOME IMPORTANT COURSES UNDER JEEVAN
edutech companies to provide AI-based technology KAUSHAL CURRICULUM
solutions to diverse learners seeking to develop Digital literacy
marketable skills.
Effective use of social media
Accordingly, the AICTE will develop the common
Resume skills
platform to host a number of edutech companies working
on adaptive learning technologies in order to provide Exploring career opportunities
personalised learning solutions to users. Social etiquettes
NEAT will be implemented in the PPP mode with AICTE Universal Human Values like love, compassion, peace,
developing and hosting the platform and edutech renunciation, righteousness
companies acting as the service providers.
Yoga, Pranayaam
An edutech company will have to provide courses to 25%
of the total registrations free of cost.
FFSAI launches TransFat-

UGC’S ‘JEEVAN KAUSHAL’
Free logo
CURRICULUM #Health
#Education
IN NEWS
IN NEWS In a step to accelerate ‘Eat-Right India’ movement, the Union
The University Grants Commission has released the life skills Health Minister has formally launched the transfat-free logo.
curriculum under the recently launched Jeevan Kushal What are Transfats? Transfats are partially hydrogenated.
programme. There are two main sources for trans fats
JEEVAN KAUSHAL (LIFE SKILLS) PROGRAMME 1. Natural sources (in the dairy products and meat of
ruminants such as cows and sheep)
The Ministry of HRD launched the Jeevan Kaushal programme
aimed at equipping students of under-graduate courses, a set 2. Industrially-produced sources (partially hydrogenated oils).
of life skills necessary for both self development and as a What is Hydrogenation? Plant fat can be made solid by
social being including employability. The Jeevan Kaushal heating the oil and passing hydrogen bubbles through the
curriculum broadly constitutes 4 areas including:

liquid (hydrogenation). Partial hydrogenation of unsaturated CONTEXT:INDIA@75: FREEDOM FROM TRANS FATS
plant fats creates trans fats.
FSSAI has set a target to eliminate trans fat in India by
Why is it done? It increases shelf-life of the food made of 2022.
plant fat. It improves texture of the food (chocolate for Accordingly food establishments shall use only transfat-
instance) free oil in preparation of food by 2022.
Problem: Saturation of vegetable fats creates trans fats, due Besides industry-produced transfat (iTFA) in food products
to the position taken by the newly added hydrogen atoms in shall not exceed 0.2 grams/100 grams of food.
the molecule. Trans fats increase levels of LDL (“bad”) TRANSFAT-FREE LOGO
cholesterol and decrease HDL (“good”) cholesterol, narrowing
blood vessel walls and increasing the risk of heart disease
and strokes.
According to WHO, trans fat intake leads to more than

500,000 deaths globally from cardiovascular disease.
WHO’s REPLACE Strategy

WHO in 2018 launched the REPLACE campaign for the
elimination of industrially-produced trans-fat from the
global food supply by 2023
Strategy
Review dietary sources of industrially-produced trans fats. Transfat-free logo is developed by FSSAI.
Promote alternate healthier fats and oils. The logo may be used in accordance with the Food Safety
Legislations for regulatory actions to eliminate iTFAs and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018.
Assess iTFA in the food supply and consumption pattern in Food establishments who use transfat-free oil and do not
the population. have industrial trans-fat more than 0.2g/100g of food may
Create awareness among policy makers, producers, display the logo at their outlets and on their food products.
suppliers, and the public. The use of the said logo is voluntary.
Enforce compliance.
practice questions
MCQs
Q1. Consider the following statements: Q1. With reference to pre-packaged items in India, it is
1. Highest incidence rates of Malaria are in Ghana and mandatory to the manufacturer to put which of
Niger. the following information on the main label, as per
2. Global eradication of malaria is estimated to be the food safety and standards (packaging and
achieved by 2050. labeling regulations)?
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1. List of ingredients including additives
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only 2. Nutrition information
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 3. Transfat-free label

4. Vegetarian/non-vegetarian
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

a) 1, 2 and 3 b) 2, 3 and 4 Q4. National Health Authority was constituted as the

c) 1, 2 and 4 d) 1 and 4 only implementing agency of PM-JAY under Ayushman
Bharat. Which of the following is/are correct about
National Health Authority?
Q2. With reference to Global Hunger Index 2019,
consider the following:- 1. National Health Authority is a statutory body under
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
1. GHI is published by International Food Policy Research
Institute (IFPRI). 2. The governing board of NHA is chaired by the Prime
Minister.
2. GHI includes measure of undernourishment of
children only. a) 1 only b) 2 only
3. India has the highest incidence of child wasting in the c) Both 1 and 2 d) None of the above
world.
Which of the above statements is/are correct? 5. Given below is a list of pairs of micronutrients and
a) 1 and 2 b) 1 and 3 only effects of their deficiency. Which of them are
correctly matched?
c) 2 and 3 d) 3 only
Sr. No. Micronutrients Effect of deficiency
1 Vitamin A Rickets
Q3. ‘Global Goalkeepers’ are often seen in new in the
2 Iodine Loss of IQ, miscarriage and
recent times. Which one of the following best
stillbirths
explains Global Goalkeepers?
3 Zinc Low Immunity
a) It is an international human rights NGO.
b) It is a report card to track the progress made towards a) 1 and 2 only b) 2 only
achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. c) 2 and 3 only d) 1, 2, 3
c) It is an alliance of football clubs demanding more
recognition for goal keepers.
d) It is an alliance of whistleblowers around the world
facing exile in their countries of origin.
Q1. While it is commendable that India is declared ‘Open defecation-free’, the real challenge lies in sustaining it. Identify the
challenges in sustaining the ODF-status in India and suggest solutions for the same.
Q2. The rise in use of medical devices warrants their regulation in clear terms to ensure patient safety. In this context, examine
the steps taken by the government towards medical devices regulation in India.
Answers to above MCQs: 1 (c), 2 (d), 3 (b), 4(d), 5(c)

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

PENICILLIN AND FIGHT

well-known contributors to the incidence, magnitude
and severity of rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart
disease.
AGAINST RHEUMATIC
FEVER GENOME EDITING
#Health #Technology #Health
IN NEWS IN NEWS
Researchers at the Delhi-based Institute of Genomics and
The government is now planning to procure penicillin centrally
Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB) have discovered a protein
for three years and give it to all children between 5-15 years
variant from a different species of bacteria that can edit the
who have a sore throat, at least once. The Government is
DNA with very high precision. The researchers found their new
trying to revive penicillin availability because it is the cheapest
Cas9 protein, which binds and cuts the DNA, was able to
option for rheumatic fever treatment.
correct sickle cell anaemia mutation in patient-derived stem
Penicillin: Discovered in 1928, is still the first line antibiotic
cells.
in many western countries, but it gradually went out of the
Indian market even though some of its more expensive
derivatives continue to be prescribed.
ABOUT RHEUMATIC FEVER AND RHEUMATIC HEART
DISEASE
It is endemic in India and remains one of the major causes
of cardiovascular disease, accounting for nearly 25-45% of
acquired heart disease. The most devastating effects are
on children and young adults in their most productive
years.
The heart disease results from damage to heart valves
caused by one or several episodes of rheumatic fever, an
autoimmune inflammatory reaction to throat infection
caused by group A streptococci (streptococcal pharyngitis).
Rheumatic heart disease disproportionately affects girls
and women. The risk of developing rheumatic heart
disease is up to two times higher for females than
males.
Socioeconomic and environmental factors such as poor
housing, undernutrition, overcrowding and poverty are

Science & Technology
WHAT ARE GENOME EDITING AND CRISPR-CAS9? 4. Could the widespread use of gene therapy make society
less accepting of people who are different?
Genome editing (also called gene editing) is a group of
technologies that give scientists the ability to change an 5. Should people be allowed to use gene therapy to enhance
organism's DNA. basic human traits such as height, intelligence, or athletic
ability?
These technologies allow genetic material to be added,
removed, or altered at particular locations in the genome.
Several approaches to genome editing have been

developed. A recent one is known as CRISPR-Cas9, which is
short for clustered regularly interspaced short
GEOTAIL
palindromic repeats and CRISPR-associated protein 9. #Space Technology
Cas9 protein behaves like a molecular scissors that cuts
the DNA at a specific location and inserts a foreign piece
of DNA to correct the mutation that causes the disease.
Limitations- The Cas9 protein is supposed to bind to the

IN NEWS
DNA only when there is a perfect match between the DNA
and the protein, thus reducing the chances of the protein Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) informed that an
binding at non-target sites on the DNA. instrument on Chandrayaan-2, CLASS had detected charged
particles during the mission. This happened during the
Genome editing is of great interest in the prevention and
orbiter’s passage through the “geotail”.
treatment of human diseases.
Geotail provides information about the way the magnetic
GENOME EDITING CONCERNS
envelope surrounding Earth, called the magnetosphere,
Ethical concerns arise when genome editing, using responds to incoming material and energy from the Sun.
technologies such as CRISPR-Cas9, is used to alter human
genomes.
Due to the possibility of off-target effects (edits in the

wrong place) safety is of prime concern.
The genome editing may be used for non-therapeutic and

enhancement purposes.
The idea of germline gene therapy is controversial. While

it could spare future generations in a family from having a
particular genetic disorder, it might affect the development
of a foetus in unexpected ways or have long-term side
effects that are not yet known.
THE ETHICAL QUESTIONS SURROUNDING GENE

THERAPY INCLUDE
1. How can “good” and “bad” uses of gene therapy be
distinguished? HOW GEOTAIL IS FORMED?
2. Who decides which traits are normal and which constitute The Sun emits the solar wind, which is a continuous
a disability or disorder? stream of charged particles.
3. Will the high costs of gene therapy make it available only These particles are embedded in the extended magnetic
to the wealthy? field of the Sun. Since the Earth has a magnetic field, it
obstructs the solar wind plasma. This interaction results in
the formation of a magnetic envelope around Earth.

SATELLITE IMAGERY: TO
On the Earth side facing the Sun, the envelope is
compressed into a region that is approximately three to
four times the Earth radius.
On the opposite side, the envelope is stretched into a long IMPROVE FARM YIELDS
tail, which extends beyond the orbit of the Moon. It is
this tail that is called the geotail.
#Technology
Once every 29 days, the Moon traverses the geotail for
about six days.
Importance- When Chandrayaan-2, which is orbiting the IN NEWS
Moon, crosses the geotail, its instruments can study the The Maha Agri Tech project seeks to use technology to address
properties of the geotail. The lunar soil can be best
various cultivation risks ranging from poor rains to pest
observed when a solar flare provides a rich source of X-
rays to illuminate the surface. attacks, accurately predict crop-wise and area-wise yield and
eventually to use this data to inform policy decisions including
pricing, warehousing and crop insurance. This project will
LCROSS MISSION enter its second phase where artificial intelligence and satellite
imagery will be used to mitigate risks..
#Space Technology
IN NEWS
NASA's plans for renewed human exploration of the moon and
ultimately visits to Mars and beyond.
ABOUT THE LCROSS MISSION

LCROSS was launched with the Lunar Reconnaissance
IMPORTANCE OF SUCH SYSTEM
Orbiter (LRO) in 2009.
The main LCROSS mission objective was to confirm the Helped analyse the extent of crop destruction in parts of
presence or absence of water ice in a permanently western Maharashtra after the floods.
shadowed crater near a lunar polar region.
Indicative of crop yield prediction and accurate analysis of
LCROSS carried nine science instruments to help identify highly localised soil health/moisture conditions is possible
the nature of all that hydrogen. They were selected to
using satellite imagery combined with artificial intelligence.
provide mission scientists with multiple complementary
views of the debris plume created by the surface impact The use of satellite images, drones, and machine
and gather information on lunar crater formation. learning can plug some of the productivity gaps by
The LCROSS data showed that the lunar soil within enabling both farmers and policymakers to plan better.
shadowy craters is rich in useful materials, such as
The digital platform will be able to provide intelligence in
hydrogen gas, ammonia and methane, which could be
the form of advisories regarding farm-specific crop yields,
used to produce fuel for space missions.
anticipated risks, etc.
Large amounts of light metals, such as sodium, mercury
and silver, were discovered.

NOBEL PRIZE 2019

#Science
WHAT ARE EXOPLANETS ? Exoplanets are very hard to see directly with telescopes.
They are hidden by the bright glare of the stars they orbit.
All of the planets in our solar system orbit around the Sun.
Planets that orbit around other stars are called
exoplanets.

One way to search for exoplanets is to look for "wobbly" NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS)
stars. A star that has planets doesn’t orbit perfectly around mission is observing the entire sky to locate planets
its center orbiting the nearest and brightest stars.

practice questions
MCQs
Q1. Consider the following statements: permanently shadowed crater near a lunar polar
1. Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) mission is region.
observing presence or absence of water ice in a 2. LCROSS mission objective is to search for exoplanets.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct? Q4. Consider the following statements about CRISPR-
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only Cas9:
(c) Both 1 and 2 1. These technologies allow genetic material to be added,

(d) Neither 1 nor 2 removed, or altered at particular locations in the
genome.
2. CRISPR-associated protein Cas9 behaves like a
Q2. Consider the following statements:
molecular scissors that cuts the DNA at a specific
1. Planets that orbit around other stars are called
location.
exoplanets.
2. Exoplanets are revealed by the bright glare of the stars
they orbit.
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
1. The scientists have been awarded the Nobel Prize 2019
in Chemistry for the development of lithium-ion
batteries.
1. Geotail provides information about the way the
2. The lithium-ion battery is a lightweight, rechargeable
magnetic envelope surrounding Earth responds to
and powerful battery.
incoming material and energy from the Sun.
2. Once every 29 days, the Moon traverses the geotail for
about ten days..
Q1. How Satellite imagery can be used for improving farm practices and farm yields? Explain.
Q2. ‘Genome editing is a group of technologies that give scientists the ability to change an organism's DNA’. Analyse the
various ethical concerns with respect to the technology.
Answers to above MCQs: 1 (d), 2 (a), 3 (a), 4(c), 5(c)

Geography, Environment,
Biodiversity & Disaster
Management
# GS Paper (Prelims) and GS Paper I & III (Main)
UNITED IN SCIENCE –
GLOBAL TEMPERATURE: The average global temperature for
2015-19 is currently estimated to be 1.1°C above pre-
industrial (1850-1900) times, the report said. Widespread and
REPORT long-lasting heatwaves, record-breaking fires and other
devastating events such as tropical cyclones, floods and
#Climate Change drought have had major impacts on socio-economic
development and the environment.
GREENHOUSE GASES: Levels of carbon dioxide, methane and

IN NEWS
nitrous oxide have reached new highs. The last time Earth’s
The report ‘United in Science’ is a synthesis prepared by the atmosphere contained 400 parts per million carbon dioxide
Science Advisory Group of the UN Climate Action summit 2019. was about 3-5 million years ago. In 2018, the report said,
It has found that greenhouse gases have reached “new highs”, global carbon dioxide concentration was 407.8 parts per
heatwaves were the “deadliest” meteorological hazard in this million (ppm), 2.2 ppm higher than 2017. carbon dioxide
period, and tropical cyclones led to the largest economic concentrations are on track to reach or even exceed 410 ppm
losses. Let us look at important highlights of this report. by the end of 2019.
HIGHLIGHTS In 2017, globally averaged atmospheric concentrations of

carbon dioxide were 405.6 ppm, methane at 1859 parts per
billion (ppb) and nitrous oxide at 329.9 ppb.
These values constitute, respectively, 146%, 257% and 122%
of pre-industrial levels (pre-1750). However, the report notes
that emissions from the US and the European Union have
declined over the past decade, while growth in China’s
emissions have slowed significantly compared to the 2000s.
Indian emissions are the fourth highest and are “growing
strongly at annual rates in excess of 5%, albeit starting from a
much lower base of per capita emissions.”
HEATWAVES: The report notes that heatwaves affected all
continents and set many new national temperature records.
The 2019 summer saw unprecedented wildfires in the
Arctic region with 50 megatons of carbon dioxide emitted
into the atmosphere in June alone.

Geography, Environment, Biodiversity & Disaster Management
PRECIPITATION: The effects of climate change were also The goal of the MOSAiC expedition is to take the closest
seen on precipitation levels in the 2015-2019 period when look ever at the Arctic as the epicenter of global warming
compared to the five years preceding that. The average and to gain fundamental insights that are key to better
precipitation totals were higher in the latter period than in understand global climate change.
the former in large regions in southern South and North
INDIA’S INTEREST IN ARCTIC
America, eastern Europe and most of Asia. In contrast, less
precipitation fell in large parts of Europe, south-west and Sea ice at the Arctic has been melting rapidly — the fastest
southern Africa, northern North America and a large part of in this century and Climate change is a decisive factor in
South America, the Indian Monsoon region, and northern and India’s re-thinking of priorities. That means several spots,
western Australia. rich in hydrocarbon reserves, will be more accessible
through the year via alternative shipping routes.
SEA ICE: Arctic summer sea-ice extent has declined at a rate
of approximately 12% per decade during 1979-2018. The four A big worry for India is the impact of melting sea ice on the
lowest values for winter sea-ice extent occurred between monsoon. Therefore, India needs more observations and
2015 and 2019. Overall, the amount of ice lost annually from stations in the Arctic countries to improve understanding
the Antarctic ice sheet increased at least six-fold between of these processes.
1979 and 2017. Glacier mass loss for 2015-2019 is the highest STATUS OF INDIA’S PRESENCE IN ARCTIC
for any five-year period on record.
India is already an observer at the Arctic Council.
India has set up an underground observatory, called
MOSAIC EXPEDITION
IndARC, at the Kongsfjorden fjord, half way between
Norway and the North Pole.
# Geography Indian Arctic station ‘Himadri’ is located at Ny Alesund,

Spitsbergen Island, Norway and serves as a hub of Indian
scientific investigations
IN NEWS RELATED INFORMATION: ARCTIC COUNCIL

The Arctic Council is the leading intergovernmental forum
Dr. Vishnu Nandan, a polar researcher from Kerala, will be the
promoting cooperation, coordination and interaction
only Indian among 300 scientists from across the world aboard
among the Arctic States, Arctic indigenous communities
the multidisciplinary drifting observatory for the Study of
and other Arctic inhabitants on common Arctic issues, in
Arctic Climate (MOSAiC) expedition in the Central Arctic. The
particular on issues of sustainable development and
expedition will help the researchers better understand the
environmental protection in the Arctic.
impact of climate change and aid in improved weather
The Ottawa Declaration lists the following countries as
projections.
Members of the Arctic Council: Canada, the Kingdom of
MOSAIC AND ITS AIM Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, the Russian
MOSAiC is spearheaded by the Alfred Wegener Institute Federation, Sweden and the United States.
in Germany will be the first to conduct a study of this Observer status in the Arctic Council is open to non-
scale at the North Pole for an entire year. Previous studies Arctic states.
have been of shorter periods as the thicker sea ice sheets
The category of Permanent Participant was created to
prevent access in winter.
provide for active participation and full consultation with
MOSAiC stands for (Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory the Arctic indigenous peoples within the Council.
for the Study of Arctic Climate).
RELATED INFORMATION: INDIA’S PRESENCE IN
This research vessel has locked itself into a large sea ice
ANTARCTICA
sheet, before the winter, and will drift along with it. A
suitable sea ice sheet (floe) was identified to drift along Dakshin Gangotri was the first Indian base established in
with it. 1984. It is currently being used as a supply base and transit
camp.

Maitri is the second permanent station in Antarctica – year, fewer polar stratospheric clouds form and they don’t
Active research facility. persist as long, limiting the ozone-depletion process.
Bharati is India’s third Antarctic research facility and is one GLOBAL ACTIONS
of two active Indian research stations, alongside Maitri.
►VIENNA CONVENTION
By 1985, the globe had already seen advancements in the

OZONE HOLE scientific understanding of ozone depletion and its impacts
on human health and the environment.
#Environment
It was then Vienna Convention for the Protection of the
Ozone Layer was created in response. This agreement is a
IN NEWS framework convention that lays out principles agreed
NASA and US National Oceanic and Atmospheric upon by many parties. It does not, however, require
Administration (NOAA) scientists have reported that in October countries to take control actions to protect the ozone
2019, the ozone hole over the Antarctic has been the smallest layer.
observed since 1982. The Vienna Convention was the first convention of any
OZONE HOLE kind to be signed by every country involved, taking
Ozone which is made up of three oxygen atoms, occurs effect in 1988 and reaching universal ratification in 2009.
naturally in small amounts. The Convention aimed to promote cooperation among
Roughly 10 km to 40 km up in the atmosphere (the layer nations by exchanging information on the effects of
called the stratosphere), the ozone layer is a sunscreen, human activities on the ozone layer
shielding Earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation.
►MONTREAL PROTOCOL
On the other hand, close to the surface,
The Montreal Protocol on Substances that deplete the
(Tropospheric)ozone created as a byproduct of pollution
Ozone Layer is a global agreement to protect the Earth’s
can trigger health problems such as asthma and
bronchitis. ozone layer by phasing out the chemicals that deplete it.
This phase-out plan includes both the production and
Manufactured chemicals like chlorofluorocarbons deplete
consumption of ozone-depleting substances.
the ozone layer.
The landmark agreement was signed in 1987 and entered
They are used as refrigerants, propellants in aerosol
sprays, Foaming agent in plastic manufacturing, Fire into force in 1989.
extinguishing agents, solvents for cleaning electronic and The most recent amendment, the Kigali Amendment,
metallic components, for freezing foods etc. called for the phase-down of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
Two-thirds of CFC is used as refrigerants while one-third is in 2016.
used as blowing agents in foam insulation products.
These HFCs were used as replacements for a batch of
Each spring over Antarctica, atmospheric ozone is ozone-depleting substances eliminated by the original
destroyed by chemical processes. Montreal Protocol.
This creates the ozone hole, which occurs because of
Although they do not deplete the ozone layer, they are
special meteorological and chemical conditions that exist
known to be powerful greenhouse gases and, thus,
in that region.
contributors to climate change.
WHY IT’S SMALL THIS YEAR?
The Montreal Protocol provided a set of practical,
There have been abnormal weather patterns in the
actionable tasks that were universally agreed on.
atmosphere over Antarctica. In warmer temperatures like this

CITIES AND CLIMATE

Representing 700+ million citizens and one quarter of the
global economy, mayors of the C40 cities are committed to
delivering on the most ambitious goals of the Paris
CHANGE Agreement at the local level, as well as to cleaning the air
we breathe.
# Climate Change
SOME PROACTIVE EXAMPLES OF CLIMATE CENTRIC
PLANNING
IN NEWS In C 40 summit, mayors from Toronto and Berlin spoke

about expensive plans to retrofit buildings for energy
Although Cities are the engines of economic growth yet the
efficiency and shift their transport infrastructure to
policy planning for urbanization does not factor in the
greener options.
challenges and risks posed by the Climate change. This aspect
was deliberated at the C40 Cities initiative summit recently Montreal is moving city logistics to electric vehicles,
held in Copenhagen. keeping large trucks confined to centralised terminals.
URBAN CENTRES AS GROWTH POLES Rome is planning to ban diesel emissions, encourage
sustainable shared mobility including biking and walking,
Cities contribute to about 80% of world GDP and these
and pursue a green new deal.
cities are also responsible for almost 70% of global carbon
dioxide emissions. China’s Hangzhou already has the largest public bicycle-
sharing system and is moving to a smart bus service.
Due to climate change nearly 90% of urban areas are at
high risk from extreme climate events such as storms, Hong Kong is ready to harvest super typhoons in new
because they are situated along coastlines. drainage tunnels that will reuse rainwater and grow
biodiversity.
These cities are home to millions, many of them poor and
ill-equipped to handle floods; many also endure cycles of Singapore will put a price on carbon.
drought and heat waves. Novo Nordisk, a healthcare company, wants to partner
Further Urbanisation will remain a strong trend this with mayors on its Cities Changing Diabetes programme to
century. Annually, about 70 million people will be drawn “bend the curve” on the public health challenge through
to cities and towns for the next three decades. This better facilities for biking, walking and urban mobility.
highlights the need for the Governments to focus on MEASURES REQUIRED BY INDIA
actions plans for urban centres which takes into account
At the C40 summit, Kolkata bagged an award for green
the impact of Climate Change.
mobility.
Further, there is an opportunity for India policymakers
Delhi informed the delegates that the national capital was
because majority of infrastructure remains to be built.
cutting emissions by inducting 1,000 electric buses,
These aspects were also highlighted at the C40 Cities planting trees on a massive scale, and eliminating the use
initiative summit recently held in Copenhagen. of dangerous industrial chemicals. Delhi is also setting up
C-40 INITIATIVE a task force for clean air.
C40 is a network of the world’s megacities committed to These must be the priorities for all cities. Determined
addressing climate change. policies can restore the power of the commons: through
inclusive and green urban spaces, sustainable mobility,
C40 supports cities to collaborate effectively, share
protected water sources and a reduction of waste — all of
knowledge and drive meaningful, measurable and
which will sharply reduce carbon emissions in a growing
sustainable action on climate change.
economy.
Around the world, C40 Cities connects 94 of the world’s
India’s urbanisation should move to a trajectory of low
greatest cities to take bold climate action, leading the way
emissions, reflected in urban governance that incentivises
towards a healthier and more sustainable future.

eco-friendly design. It should be friendly to people, and GRAP comprises measures such as prohibition on entry of
rely on the right technology, materials and energy systems. trucks into Delhi; ban on construction activities,
In 2020, the Paris framework (UNFCCC) will enter its active introduction of odd and even scheme for private vehicles,
phase of implementation, and fast-growing countries will shutting of schools, closure of brick kilns, hot mix plants
be expected to demonstrate their efforts at greening their and stone crushers; shutting down of Badarpur power
economies. plant, ban on diesel generator sets, garbage burning in
landfills and plying of visibly polluting vehicles etc.
GRAP – GRADED The nature, scope and rigor of measures to be taken is

linked to levels of pollution viz. Severe + or Emergency,
RESPONSE ACTION PLAN severe, Very poor, Moderate to poor and Moderate, after
due consideration by authorities concerned.
# Air Pollution
HOW GRAP WORKS?
GRAP has been successful in doing two things that had not
IN NEWS been done before — creating a step-by-step plan for the

entire Delhi-NCR region and getting on board several
GRAP specifies actions required for controlling particulate
agencies: all pollution control boards, industrial area
matter (PM) emissions from various pollution sources and
authorities, municipal corporations, regional officials of the
prevent PM10 and PM2.5 levels to go beyond ‘moderate’
India Meteorological Department, and others.
national Air Quality Index (AQI) category. These measures were
earlier implemented in Delhi only. However from this year, The plan requires action and coordination among 13
GRAP is being extended to the NCR towns also. Let us different agencies in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and
understand how GRAP has worked so far and what are its Rajasthan (NCR areas). At the head of the table is the EPCA,
salient features. mandated by the Supreme Court. The EPCA was

constituted in 1998 by the Supreme Court. The initial
WHAT IS GRAP?
mandate of the body was to ensure the shift of Delhi’s bus
It was approved by the Supreme Court in 2016. The plan and auto fleet to CNG — a mammoth task that was among
was formulated after several meetings of the Environment the most crucial ones in cleaning Delhi’s air in the late
Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) held 2000s.
with state government representatives and experts. The
GRAP was notified in 2017 by the Centre and draws its
result was a plan that institutionalised measures to be
authority from this notification. Before the imposition of
taken when air quality deteriorates.
any measures, EPCA holds a meeting with representatives
GRAP works only as an emergency measure. As such, the from all NCR states, and a call is taken on which actions
plan does not include action by various state governments has to be made applicable in which town.
to be taken throughout the year to tackle industrial,
Last year, the ban on using diesel generator sets was
vehicular and combustion emissions. When the air quality
implemented only in Delhi. This year, it is being extended
shifts from poor to very poor, the measures listed under
to a few NCR towns. Rural areas are, however, being left
both sections have to be followed since the plan is
out of this stringent measure because of unreliable power
incremental in nature.
supply.
If air quality reaches the severe+ stage, GRAP talks about
HAS GRAP HELPED?
shutting down schools and implementing the odd-even
road-space rationing scheme. The biggest success of GRAP has been in fixing
accountability and deadlines. For each action to be taken

under a particular air quality category, executing agencies CRACKER POLLUTION

are clearly marked.
In a territory like Delhi, where a multiplicity of authorities

has been a long-standing impediment to effective
governance, this step made a crucial difference. Also,
coordination among as many as 13 agencies from four
states is simplified to a degree because of the clear
demarcation of responsibilities.
Three major policy decisions that can be credited to EPCA

and GRAP are the closure of the thermal power plant at
Badarpur, bringing BS-VI fuel to Delhi before the
deadline set initially, and the ban on Pet coke as a fuel
in Delhi NCR.
EPCA continues to monitor pollution and assists the

Supreme Court in several pollution-related matters.
One criticism of the EPCA as well as GRAP has been the

Firecrackers are essentially made up of four components:
focus on Delhi. While other states have managed to delay
Oxidisers, fuel, colouring agents and binder.
several measures, citing lack of resources, Delhi has always
The oxidiser is usually a perchlorate salt. It serves the
been the first one to have stringent measures enforced.
function of releasing the oxygen required for the explosion
For GRAP as well as EPCA, the next challenge is to extend
The fuel in the firecracker is generally charcoal which
the measures to other states effectively. sustains the fire. Burning this results in the release of a
large amount of air pollutants, particularly sulphur dioxide,
GREEN CRACKERS
carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate
matter into the atmosphere. These get lodged in people’s
lungs, and there is an immediate danger for those with
#Pollution asthma or chemical sensitivities.
Colouring agents- these are the chemical compounds

IN NEWS which give firecrackers their colours. Aluminium
compounds produce brilliant whites, barium nitrate
The council for Scientific and Industrial Research(CSIR) has
produces greens, and the addition of copper results in
said that the green crackers would reduce Particulate matter
blue light. Each of these come with their health effects.
pollution by almost 30%. The Supreme Court in its landmark
Aluminium causes contract dermatitis and Bio-
Judgement last year had mandated the use of green crackers
accumulation. It also causes bronchoconstriction in
for Deepavali, prescribing specific norms for the manufacture.
susceptible individuals. Copper compounds can cause
The Supreme Court had banned the use of barium nitrate, a cancer.
key pollutant in crackers.
Antimony sulphide produces toxic smoke and is a
The National Environmental Engineering Research Institute carcinogen.
(NEERI), a part of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Barium nitrate can cause an irritated respiratory tract
Research (CSIR), was asked to facilitate the development of in addition to a possible radioactive fallout. Barium
green crackers. chromate was also found to be toxic to living cells and
genes in the human lung cells.

E-WASTE MANAGEMENT
The CPCB also lists out other compounds released by
firecrackers which cause health problems, such as:-
Lead dioxide/nitrates/chlorides are poisonous.

RULES
Mercury can cause bioaccumulation.
Potassium nitrate is a carcinogenic which causes toxic

# Pollution # Guidelines
dust. Ozone is a highly reactive gas and has been noted to
result in small changes in airway resistance and repeated
IN NEWS
exposure to it is associated with increased asthma-related
India is one of the fastest growing markets for electronics and
symptoms.
demand is projected to reach $400 billion by 2020 and India’s
Strontium compounds are toxic and can replace calcium contribution to electronic waste is expected to touch 5 million
in the body. Nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide are highly tonnes by the same year. Some parts of Delhi have become
toxic if inhaled. hub of unregulated reprocessing of e waste. So, let us go
through the environmental impacts of e-waste and e-waste
ABOUT GREEN CRACKERS management rules in India.
Traditionally, firecrackers have been made with barium WHAT ARE E-WASTE?
nitrate, antimony and a range of metals that, over the Discarded and end of life electronic equipment ranging
years, have been linked to respiratory diseases and even from Information and Communication Technology, home
cancer. appliances.
NEERI eventually hit upon formulations that substituted It is generated when electrical or electronic equipment
(EEE) is discarded, or returned within warranty, by
barium nitrate with potassium nitrate and zeolite.
consumers, and also from manufacturing and repair
The ‘green’ versions of the ‘flower pot’, one of the most rejects. These hazardous substances include plastic, lead,
popular fireworks, has a mixture of water and lime that mercury, cadmium, arsenic, cadmium, beryllium,
is chemically stored in the cracker. When lit, the effulgence chromium, etc.
also triggers water and the makers claim that the moisture ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF E-WASTE
wets the dust-and-smoke particles. Electronic goods that are past their shelf life are broken
NEERI claims that tests in its laboratories have seen a down manually for precious metals or burnt or discarded
in landfills, and go on to contaminate land and water.
reduction of nearly 30% in particulate matter (PM) and
also reduced a release of sulphur dioxide and nitrous These heavy metals leach through the soil to reach
groundwater channels which eventually run to the surface
oxide emissions.
as streams or small ponds of water.
Green sparklers use 32% potassium nitrate, 40%
Local communities often depend on these bodies of water
aluminium powder, 11% aluminium chips, and 17% and the groundwater. Apart from these chemicals
“proprietary additives” to reduce particulate matter resulting in the death of some of the plants and animals
PM10 and PM2.5 to 30%. that exist in the water, intake of the contaminated water
by humans and land animals results in lead poisoning.
Similarly, a new formulation of a ‘bomb’ named ‘SWAS’ (or
Some of these heavy metals are also carcinogenic.
safe water releaser) uses 72% of a “proprietary
Toxic heavy metals and chemicals from e-waste enter the
additive”, 16% potassium nitrate oxidiser, 9%
“soil-crop-food pathway,” one of the most significant
aluminium powder, and 3% sulphur to reduce PM10 and
routes for heavy metals’ exposure to humans. These
PM2.5. NEERI claims that green crackers when exploded chemicals are not biodegradable i.e. they persist in the
also emit similar levels of sound (100-10dBA) associated environment for long periods of time, increasing the risk of
with traditional crackers. exposure.

The heavy metals present in e-waste are known to cause Collection targets under the provision of Extended
neurological and skin diseases, breathing problem, genetic Producer Responsibility (EPR) in the Rules have been
defects and cancer in workers who handle such waste. revised and targets have been introduced for new
Those who collect e-waste burn some of them to get producers who have started their sales operations
copper which is expensive. This creates air pollution as it recently.
releases hydrocarbons in air. Some of the salient features of the E-waste (Management)
SALIENT FEATURES OF E-WASTE MANAGEMENT Amendment Rules, 2018 are as follows:
RULES, 2016 1. The e-waste collection targets under EPR have been
1. Extended Producers’ Responsibility revised and will be applicable from 1 October 2017. The
phase-wise collection targets for e-waste in weight shall
2. Setting up of Producer Responsibility Organizations
and e-waste exchange to facilitate collection and recycling, be 10% of the quantity of waste generation as indicated in
the EPR Plan during 2017-18, with a 10% increase every
3. Assigning specific responsibility to bulk consumers of
year until 2023. After 2023 onwards, the target has been
electronic products for safe disposal,
made 70% of the quantity of waste generation as
4. Providing for economic incentives for collection of
indicated in the EPR Plan.
electronic waste and other measures which include
responsibility of producers of electronic and electrical 2. The quantity of e-waste collected by producers from the 1
products for collection and channelizing of electronic October 2016 to 30 September 2017 shall be accounted
waste. for in the revised EPR targets until March 2018.
5. Simplified permission process for setting up of 3. Separate e-waste collection targets have been drafted for
dismantling and recycling facilities through single new producers, i.e. those producers whose number of
authorization based on Standard Operating Procedures years of sales operation is less than the average lives of
(SoP) prescribed by Central Pollution Control Board their products. The average lives of the products will be as
(CPCB). per the guidelines issued by CPCB from time to time.
6. State Governments have been entrusted with the 4. Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs) shall apply
responsibility for earmarking industrial space for e- to the Central Pollution Control board (CPCB) for
waste dismantling and recycling facilities and to
registration to undertake activities prescribed in the Rules.
undertake industrial skill development and establish
measures for safety and health of workers engaged in 5. Under the Reduction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS)
dismantling and recycling facilities of e-waste. provisions, cost for sampling and testing shall be borne by
the government for conducting the RoHS test. If the
7. Deposit Refund Scheme has been introduced as an
product does not comply with RoHS provisions, then the
additional economic instrument wherein the producer
charges an additional amount as a deposit at the time of cost of the test will be borne by the Producers.
sale of the electrical and electronic equipment and
returns it to the consumer along with interest when the
end-of-life electrical and electronic equipment is returned. FAC: CLARIFICATION ON
It
8. Urban Local Bodies (Municipal Committee/Council/ DEFINITION OF FOREST
Corporation) has been assigned the duty to collect and
channelized the orphan products to authorized #Conservation
dismantler or recycler.
E-WASTE (MANAGEMENT) AMENDMENT RULES, 2018

IN NEWS
Amendment in 2016 rules has been done with the
objective of channelizing the E-waste generated in the The Forest Advisory Committee has clarified that States need
country towards authorized dismantlers and recyclers in not take central government’s approval to define unclassified
order to formalize the e-waste recycling sector. land as forest.

ANTARCTIC OCEAN
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FOREST COVER AND FOREST AREA
Forest Cover: The term Forest Cover as used in Indian

State of Forest Report (ISFR) refers to all lands more than
one hectare in area with a tree canopy of more than 10 %,
SANCTUARY
irrespective of land use, ownership and legal status. It may #Conservation
include even orchards, bamboo, palm etc. and is assessed
through remote sensing.
Recorded Forest Area: The term ‘recorded forest area’
or ‘Forest area’ refers to all geographic areas recorded as
Forest areas in government records. Recorded forest area IN NEWS
mainly consists of Reserved Forests (RF} and Protected The proposal for creation of Antarctic Ocean sanctuary which
Forests (PF}, which have been notified under the was put forward by Australia and France has been blocked by
provisions of Indian Forest Act, 1927 or its counterpart China and Russia at the meeting of Commission for the
State Acts. Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR).
The proposed sanctuary – some five times the size of Germany
Besides RFs and PFs, the recorded forest area may also
– would ban fishing in a vast area in the Weddell sea,
include all such areas, which have been recorded as
protecting key species including seals, penguins and whales.
forests in the revenue records or have been constituted The proposed East Antarctic marine park would protect one
so under any state Act or local laws. million square kilometres of ocean, but has repeatedly been
CLARIFICATION BY FAC struck down at meetings of CCAMLR.
The FAC is the apex body that deliberates on granting

permission to industry to fell forests.
The Forest Advisory Committee has clarified that States

need not take central government’s approval to define
unclassified land as forest.
The states should frame criteria for their forests and

criteria so finalised by a State need not be subject to
approval by MoEF&CC. The latter clause allows the States
to evolve their own criteria and define tracts of land as
forest, and these would then be bound by forest
conservation laws.
The freedom to define land, not already classified as

forests by the Centre or State records, as forest has been
the prerogative of the States since 1996 and stems from a
Supreme Court order, called the Godavarman judgment.
The 1996 Supreme Court judgment expanded the

definition of forest to include lands that were already
notified by the Centre as forests, that appear in CCAMLR
government records as forests as well as those that fell in
The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine
the “dictionary definition” of forest.
Living Resources (CCAMLR) was established by
international convention in 1982 with the objective of
conserving Antarctic marine life. It is a part of the
Antarctica treaty System.

This was in response to increasing commercial interest in SNOW LEOPARD

Antarctic krill resources, a keystone component of the
They are large cats native to the mountain ranges of
Antarctic ecosystem and a history of over-exploitation of
Central and South Asia.
several other marine resources in the Southern Ocean.
Snow leopards prefer steep, rugged terrain with cliffs,
It is an international commission with 26 Members, and a
ridges, gullies, and slopes interspersed with rocky
further 10 countries have acceded to the Convention.
outcrops.
Based on the best available scientific information, the
Size of the global population vary from 4000 to 8500.
Commission agrees a set of conservation measures that
Its sighting was reported recently from Thembang
determine the use of marine living resources in the
Community Conserved Area. Thembang lies outside the
Antarctic.
protected Namdapha National Park and Dibang Biosphere
RELATED INFORMATION: ANTARCTICA TREATY Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh.
SYSTEM
IUCN Red List Status– Vulnerable
The Antarctic Treaty System is arrangements made for the
CONSERVATION EFFORTS
purpose of regulating relations among states in the Antarctic.
At its heart is the Antarctic Treaty itself. The original Parties to ►GLOBAL SNOW LEOPARD ECOSYSTEM PROTECTION
the Treaty were the 12 nations active in the Antarctic during PROGRAM
the International Geophysical Year of 1957-58. The Treaty It seeks to address high-mountain development issues
was signed in Washington on 1 December 1959 and entered using the conservation of the endangered snow leopard as
into force on 23 June 1961. a flagship program.
The primary purpose of the Antarctic Treaty is to ensure "in In 2013, the 12 snow leopard range countries and partners
the interests of all mankind that Antarctica shall continue signed the Bishkek Declaration and agreed to secure at
forever to be used exclusively for peaceful purposes and shall least 20 snow leopard landscapes across the cat’s range by
not become the scene or object of international discord." To 2020 or – “Secure 20 by 2020.”
this end it prohibits military activity, except in support of
These countries are: Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India,
science; prohibits nuclear explosions and the disposal of
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan,
nuclear waste; promotes scientific research and the exchange
Tajikistan, Uzbekistan
of data; and holds all territorial claims in abeyance. The
Treaty applies to the area south of 60° South Latitude, ►COMMUNITY CONSERVED AREA (CCA)
including all ice shelves and islands. Hence, the treaty was the In 2004, WWF-India introduced the concept of CCAs in the
first arms control agreement established during the Cold states to empower local communities to become active
War. decision-makers and implement conservation initiatives.
Local communities in these CCAs form committees to

undertake wildlife monitoring, patrolling and community
SNOW LEOPARD based tourism activities.
#Conservation ►PROJECT SNOW LEOPARD
It was launched in 2009 to safeguard and conserve India’s

unique natural heritage of high-altitude wildlife
IN NEWS populations.
The Government of India is planning its first ever snow leopard
Range states- Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh,
survey.
Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim.

RATAPANI TIGER RESERVE NILGIRI BIOSPHERE

#Biodiversity #Conservation RESERVE
#Conservation
IN NEWS
Madhya Pradesh is set to get its Seventh Tiger Reserve. It will

IN NEWS
be carved out of Ratapani wildlife Sanctuary. A committee set
Amateur wildlife photography using drone cameras pose a
up by the state government to finalise contours of the core and
significant threat to wildlife in Nilgiris. Birds of prey such as
buffer areas of the proposed reserve, to be carved out of the
Shaheen Falcons, White-rumped vultures mistake the drones
Ratapani wildlife sanctuary, has submitted its report. for prey and attack them causing injury to themselves by the
Latest Developments: The National tiger conservation rotor blades of drones. Elephants are known to be petrified by
drone cameras. There have also been instances where river
Authority (NTCA) had given in principle approval to the
terns are being killed by drones.
reserve a decade ago. However, the reserve could no not be
Steps to be taken: Use of drone cameras in eco-sensitive
finalised because of issues like rehabilitation and
areas is prohibited in India without the permission of the
governments lack of keenness. It is to be noted that the Tiger
Chief Wildlife Warden. The forest department, the district
reserve will come into being only when the state administration, the police and the civil society should
government notifies the Reserve. sensitize the locals and tourists regarding the same. Effective
policing to prevent unauthorized use of the cameras
However, the new government in the state is now pushing for
especially in the nesting sites of the birds of prey. Stricter
the creation of seventh Tiger Reserve and a committee has
fines, warning boards could prevent their use.
already submitted its report. Once the reserve gets the final
RELATED INFORMATION: NILGIRIS
nod, it will boost tourism and bring Central funds. Located
The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve was the first biosphere
closer to Bhopal, is is expected to bring in more tourists.
reserve in India established in the year 1986.
EXISTING TIGER RESERVES OF MADHYA PRADESH It is situated at the tri-junction of Tamilnadu, Kerala and
NAME PLACE Karnataka.
Flora – Tropical forest

Kanha Tiger Reserve Mandla, Balaghat
Fauna - Tiger, Elephant, Nilgiri Tahr, Lion-tailed macaque
Pench Tiger Reserve Seoni, Chhindwara
TRIBES - Cholanaikans-only surviving huntergatherers of
Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve Umaria the Indian subcontinent
'Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve' consists of the following

Panna Tiger Reserve Panna
protected areas
Satpura Tiger Reserve Hoshangabad Bandipur National Park
Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu

Sanjay-Dubri Tiger Reserve Sidhi District, Singrauli
Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala
Nagarhole National Park in Karnataka
Mukurthi National Park in Tamil Nadu
Silent Valley National Park in Kerala

practice questions
MCQs
Q1. Ratapani Wildlife sanctuary is located in which of b) Aghasthyamalai
the following states? c) Gulf of Mannar
a) Rajasthan d) Nokrek
b) Maharashtra
c) Madhya Pradesh Q4. Which of the following is/are found in Nilgiri
d) Karnataka Biosphere reserve?
1. Nilgiri Tahr
Q2. Which of the following deal/s with controlling 2. Lion tailed macaque
Ozone hole? 3. Tiger
1. Vienna convention Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
2. Paris Climate deal a) 1 only b) 1 and 2 only
3. Montreal protocol c) 2 and 3 only d) 1, 2 and 3
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
a) 1 only b) 1 and 2 only Q5. Mukurthi National Park is located in which of the
c) 1 and 3 only d) 1, 2 and 3 following states?
a) Kerala b) Karnataka
Q3. Bandipur National Park is located in which of the c) Tamil Nadu d) Andhra Pradesh
following Biosphere reserves?
a) Nilgiri
Q1. What is E-waste? What is the environmental impact of E-waste? Highlight the salient features of the e – waste management
Rules 2016 released by the government.
Q2. “Although Cities are the engines of economic growth yet the policy planning for urbanization does not factor in the
challenges and risks posed by the Climate change”. In the light of this statement discuss the need for Climate Change
Centric City planning.
Answers to above MCQs: 1 (c), 2 (c), 3 (a), 4(d), 5(c)

History, HERITAGE & Culture

# GS Paper (Prelims) & GS Paper I (Main)
ANCIENT METHOD FOR

And mothers who stopped breastfeeding early would have
returned to post-natal fertility faster, which may have
helped fuel a key population explosion called the
WEANING OF INFANTS “Neolithic demographic transition”.
Conversely however, weaning infants on animal milk may

#Ancient World
also have brought new risks. Breast milk provides young
children with complete nutrition in early life, while animal
milk does not and unpasteurised milk also poses a risk
IN NEWS
of bacteria and infection that could have increased
Recently, chemical traces of animal milk have been found in childhood mortality.
the ancient vessels for weaning of infants. In this respect, let
Further research looking at the remains of prehistoric
us understand the key aspects of this interesting study along
populations could shed light on whether animal milk
with its implications.
caused a spike in infant mortality.
FINDINGS
This research is published in the
journal Nature and it focusses on
three bowls found in children’s
A.P.: 2000 YEAR-OLD PORT
graves in Iron and Bronze Age
burial grounds in modern-day
LOCATED
Bavaria. #Ancient India
Two bowls came from a cemetery
complex dating to between 800
and 450 BC, and a third from a IN NEWS
site dating between 1200 and Recent excavations carried out by ASI at a site located near
800 BC. Naidupeta, close to Tirupati and Nellore suggests that it was
This highlights that the ancestors of humans in Europe 2000-year-old trading port. In this respect, let us learn some
weaned their infants much the way we do now, using details pertaining to excavations and its findings.
specialised baby bottles to feed them animal milk. This is KEY FINDINGS AND OBSERVATIONS
the first direct evidence for what babies and infants were
1. Officials of ASI suggest that this site had a trade guild
eating and drinking in prehistory.
with its own army to protect its interests around 2,000
The bowls had narrow spouts and in some cases were years ago.
shaped to look like animals, details that led archaeologists
2. The excavation unearthed brick-built structures in
to suspect they were used as bottles to feed children.
elliptical, circular and rectangular shapes. The size of
Some experts theorise, that humans began weaning their bricks can be compared to those in the
infants earlier in life after they moved away from a Satavahana/Ikshvaku period structures in the Krishna
hunter-gatherer lifestyle and settled into farming life,
with access to crops and animal milk.

History, Heritage & Culture
valley. This means the site may date back to 2nd century While Narasimhavarman I is credited with excavating the
to 1st century BCE. stone caves of Mamallapuram, it was Mahendravarman I,
3. A four-armed 2-metre tall sculpture of Vishnu was Narasimhavarman’s father who ruled from 600 AD to 630
unearthed at the site that can be dated back to the AD, who was the pioneer of Pallava rock-cut
Pallava period (8th Century CE), looking at its features architecture.
like head gear and drapery. The successors of Narasimhavarman I, especially his
4. The excavation also unearthed a series of broken grandson Parameswaravarman I (670-695 AD) and his
terracotta pipes that fit into each other, pointing towards great grandson Narasimhavarman II (700-728 AD),
a form of drainage. continued to build in Mamallapuram.
Narasimhavarman II, also known as Rajasimha Pallava,

built the magnificent Shore Temple among others in
MAMALLAPURAM Mamallapuram, as well as grand temples at several other

places, including the famous Kailasanathar Temple at
#Ancient India Kancheepuram.
TRADE LINKS WITH CHINA AND OTHER COUNTRIES

Tamil-Chinese links also continued after the Pallavas,
IN NEWS flourishing under the Cholas as the Coromandel coast
The ancient port town of Mamallapuram became the meeting became the entrepot between China and the Middle
place for an informal interaction between Indian Prime East.
Minister and President of China. In this respect, let us The links extended to a wider area beyond
understand some key information related to Mamallapuram. Mahabalipuram, through a layered history that has left a
ABOUT MAMALLAPURAM rich tapestry of society, culture, art and architecture, which
is diverse and complex, and reaches up to modern times.
The name Mamallapuram derives from Mamallan, or
“great warrior”, a title by which the Pallava King By the time Islam arrived on south India’s east coast in
Narasimhavarman I (630-668 AD) was known. the 9th century, Muslims had already started trading with
China by maritime routes.
It was during his reign that Hiuen Tsang, the Chinese
Buddhist monk-traveller, visited the Pallava capital at In later centuries, the Coromandel coast retained its
Kanchipuram. importance for trade between China and the west.
Mamallapuram was the crucial port that established the In the 17th and 18th centuries, it was a staging post for
first cultural relations of India with Southeast Asia and the Dutch, French and British for control of the seas
China. between South Asia and Southeast Asia, as the Europeans
fought to protect their trade routes with China and other
It had ancient links with Buddhism and China through the
countries in the region.
maritime outreach of the Pallava dynasty.
After establishing their writ on the Coromandel Coast, the
The architecture of Pallavas influenced everyone including
British expanded eastward and established control over
Chinese. Pallavas also had trade relations with the
the Straits of Malacca, essentially to protect their trade
Chinese.
routes to China and the rest of the region.
The Descent of the Ganga/Arjuna’s Penance, a rock
Among the colonial outposts on this coast is
carving commissioned by Narasimhavarman I, with its
Sathurangapattinam, or Sadras, right next to
depiction of the Bhagirathi flowing from the Himalayas. It
Kalpakkam, where the Dutch East India Company built a
may serve as a reminder of the geography of India-China
fort, their second one on the east coast after establishing
relations, and their shared resources.
a capital at Pulicat, north of Chennai.

Sadras became a huge centre for the Dutch-controlled Pulakeshin II was a prominent ruler who is known to us
manufacture of cotton and muslin. The Dutch presence in by the eulogistic inscription of Aihole composed by
the region grew rapidly after they established themselves Ravikriti.
in Java in 1603. He conquered Vengi in 610 A.D and set up a new branch of
They traded within Asia, buying textiles, metal, and Chalukyas of Vengi.
porcelain, importing and exporting between India, China Another important ruler was Vikramaditya II who is said
and Japan, to keep the spice trade going. to have completely routed the Pallavas.
The Chalukyan kings were famous for building gigantic
CHALUKYAN GRAVES
temples with intricate architecture in places such as
Aihole, Badami and Pattadakal in Bagalkot district.
#Ancient India Built between the sixth and eighth centuries, these
monuments are examples of the best of architecture of
that era in the entire South India.
IN NEWS Chalukyas were brought down in 757 A.D by the

Rashtrakutas.
Recently, graves of Chalukyan rulers have been found in a
village near Huligemmanakolla in Pattadakal of Karnataka’s
MALCHA MAHAL
district. In this respect, let us understand the key information
associated with this discovery.
ABOUT THE DISCOVERY #Medieval India #Art and Culture

Although the Chalukyan kings built marvellous monuments
and temples, there are no clear details available of the places
where they lived. Neither they have left behind documents
nor evidence of their graves. Perhaps, they wanted their
death to remain a secret and built their graves in a discreet IN NEWS
manner.
The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage
But a temple in a remote area in Huligemmanakolla village (INTACH) wants to restore 14th century Malcha Mahal of Firoz
near Pattadakal has 11 smaller temple-like structures. Shah Tughlaq. In this respect, let us understand the key
Many people had a wrong assumption that these temples information pertaining to this monument and about the plans
are a depiction of the holy Jyotirlinga in which the Hindus made for its restoration.
believe, however as per recent exploration these temples
ABOUT MALCHA MAHAL
are now assumed as the graves of the Chalukyan royal
family. Malcha Mahal is a 14th century Tughlaq-era hunting
lodge, which was inhabited by the descendants of the
It was a tradition and part of customs among Hindu kings
that they selected one place where all members of their Nawab of Awadh till a couple of years ago.
dynasty were to be buried. It was also a custom in the The palace was built by Feroz Shah Tughlaq, where he
past to place a Linga over such graves. would spend a considerable time on his hunting
However, the Archaeological Survey of India should excursions. Sultan Firoz Shah Tughlaq was a ruler of the
conduct more research here using technology such as Tughlaq Dynasty, who reigned over the Sultanate of Delhi
carbon dating to unravel further details. from 1351 A.D. to 1388 A.D.
ABOUT CHALUKYAS It derived its name from the village Malcha where it was
built.
They set up their kingdom towards the beginning of the
th
6 century A.D in Western Deccan with Vatapi (modern
day Badami) as its capital.

SULTANPUR LODHI
decided to leave the town in 1500, he is said to have
urged him to stay.
# Medieval India But Nanak said it was a call from the supreme being and
not his decision. Over time, Bhai Mardana, who
accompanied Nanak on all his travels, and Daulat Khan,
IN NEWS came to be considered among his two principal Muslim
followers.
A town in Punjab’s Kapurthala district, Sultanpur Lodhi, is at
the centre stage of the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of CONTEMPORARY SULTANPUR LODHI
Guru Nanak Dev, founder of the Sikh religion. In this respect, Today the town is home to several gurdwaras in the
let us understand about the significance of this place in the life memory of Guru Nanak.
of Guru Nanak Dev.
Most of them were commissioned during the Khalsa
HISTORY OF SULTANPUR LODHI empire when the Sikh rulers staked out the places
Sultanpur Lodhi was a major centre of Buddhism from associated with Guru Nanak and built gurdwaras there.
the first century to the sixth century when it was called Gurdwara Ber Sahib, built by the side of an old ber tree
Sarwmanpur. that is believed to be the one under which Guru Nanak
In the 11th century, the town was founded by Sultan would sit in meditation along the Kali Bein, was
Khan Lodhi, a general of Mohammad Ghaznavi. commissioned by Maharaja Jagatjit Singh of Kapurthala.
Sikander Lodhi, assigned the construction of Sultanpur to
GOL GUMBAD
Daulat Khan in the 15th century.
It was the central point in the trade route between Delhi

and Lahore. # Medieval India # Art & Culture
SULTANPUR LODHI: SIGNIFICANCE IN SIKHISM
Guru Nanak was born at Rai-Bhoi-Di Talwandi in
Sheikhupura district (now in Pakistan) in 1469. IN NEWS
His father Mehta Kalyan Das is variously described as a The Gol Gumbad has been adopted by the ResBird
revenue officer (patwari) or a chief accountant. Technologies group, which signed an MoU with the Tourism
Ministry and the Delhi Archaeology Department under ‘Adopt a
He moved to Sultanpur Lodhi between late 1480 and
Heritage’ scheme’. It is a Lodhi-era tomb.
1490 at the invitation of his elder sister Nanaki and her
husband Jai Ram. RELATED INFORMATION: ADOPT A HERITAGE SCHEME
It was in Sultanpur Lodhi that the Sikhism founder is Adopt a Heritage: Apni Dharohar, Apni Pehchaan, is a
believed to have attained enlightenment. Historians say it collaborative effort between the Ministry of Tourism,
was in Sultanpur Lodhi that Guru Nanak came into Ministry of Culture and Archaeological Survey of India
intimate contact with Islam. (ASI), and State/UTs Governments. It intends to develop
The janamsakhis — birth stories or biographies of Guru synergy among all partners to effectively promote
Nanak Dev depict the tension between a section of the “responsible tourism”.
clergy and Guru Nanak following his enlightenment. It aims to involve public sector companies, private sector
His utterances were not received kindly by the qazi. He companies and corporate citizens/individuals to take up
complained to Daulat Khan Lodhi that Nanak was being the responsibility for making our heritage and tourism
blasphemous. more sustainable through development, operation and

maintenance of world-class tourist infrastructure and
Janamsakhis claim Daulat Khan Lodhi became very fond of
amenities at ASI/ State heritage sites and other important
Nanak and defended him against critics. When Nanak
tourist sites in India.

They would become ‘Monument Mitras’ through the department as it asserted that Urdu is not a foreign language
innovative concept of “Vision Bidding”, where the agency but an Indian language like Hindi and Punjabi.
with best vision for the heritage site will be given an
HISTORY OF URDU IN INDIA
opportunity to associate pride with their CSR activities.
They would also get limited visibility in the premises and Urdu as a language was born out of the interaction
the Incredible India website. between Hindi and Persian. After the conquest of Delhi
The overall aim is enhancement of tourist experience (1192), the Turkish people settled in this region. Urdu was
and promotion of the incredible heritage sites to bring born out of the interaction of these settlers and soldiers in
them on tourism map. the barracks with the common people.
The project primarily focusses on providing basic
Originally, it was a dialect but slowly it acquired all the
amenities that includes cleanliness, public
features of a formal language when the authors started
conveniences, drinking water, ease of access for
differently abled and senior citizens, standardized using Persian script.
signage, illumination and advanced amenities such as Role of Amir Khusrau: It has put forward that Urdu was
surveillance system, night viewing facilities, tourism
born, nurtured and cultured in India during the first two
facilitation centre and an enhanced tourism experience
decades of the 13th century by Amir Khusrau (1253-1325),
that will result in more tourist footfalls, both domestic and
foreign. who was earliest Urdu poet. He started writing as a poet
in the reign of Sultan Balban and was a follower of
The priority areas of Programme are listed as under:
Nizam ud-din Auliya. He is said to have composed ninty-
Developing basic tourism infrastructure;
nine works on separate themes and numerous verses
Promoting cultural and heritage value of the country to
of poetry. Among the important works composed by him
generate livelihoods in the identified regions;
are Laila Majnun and Ayina-I-Sikandari dedicated to
Enhancing the tourist attractiveness in a sustainable
manner by developing world-class infrastructure at the Alau-din-Khalji.
heritage monument sites; Urdu was further given an impetus by its use in Bahamani
Creating employment through active involvement of local states of Ahmadnagar, Golkunda, Bijapur and Berar. Here
communities; it was even called dakshini or daccani (southern). As
Harnessing tourism potential for its effects in employment time passed, it became popular with the masses of Delhi.
generation and economic development;
Urdu became more popular in the early eighteenth
Developing sustainable tourism infrastructure and
century. People even wrote accounts of later Mughals in
ensuring proper Operations and Maintenance therein.
Urdu. Gradually it achieved a status where literature-both
poetry and prose-started being composed in it. Among
URDU LANGUAGE other well-known poets are Ghalib, Zauq, and Iqbal.
Among the best prose writers were people like Pandit

#Art and Culture Ratan Nath Sarshar, who wrote the famous Fasanah- i-
Azad.
IN NEWS Even in the early days, Munshi Prem Chand, who is
Recently, Panjab university proposed to make the Urdu supposed to be a doyen of Hindi literature, wrote in Urdu.
Department a part of the School of Foreign Languages to be Not only this, even Punjabi language was put on the path
set up after merging departments of Russian, French, German,
of development by Baba Farid Ganj Shakar.
Chinese and Tibetan languages. This was opposed by the Urdu

ISHWARA CHANDRA
He opposed child marriage and polygamy and did much
to promote the education of girls, but his reforming zeal
met with much opposition from orthodox Hindus.
VIDYASAGAR Vidyasagar was a prolific and vigorous writer. Among his
works are Vetal pancavimsati (1847; “Twenty-five Tales
# Modern India
of a Goblin”); Shakuntala (1854), which was based on a
famous play by the Sanskrit poet and
dramatist Kalidasa; and Sitar vanavas (1860; “The Exile
IN NEWS
of Sita”).
Recently, some important artefacts related to the life of the
renowned social reformer, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar were
made public to mark his bi-centenary. In this respect, let us
understand about this personality and his contributions.
LIME SURKHI
ITEMS RELEASED # Architecture
A copy of the Act of 1856 ‘To remove all legal obstacles to
the marriage of Hindoo widows’, paintings of a young
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, his parents and wife, and a IN NEWS
treasure trove of artefacts relating to the key figure of There was a recent development in the Ayodhya case hearing
Bengal Renaissance, were made public to mark Vidyasagar’s in the Supreme court wherein arguments were put forward on
bi-centenary at the two-storeyed house on 36, Vidyasagar the historicity of lime surkhi which was used in the
Street in north Kolkata. It was at this house that Vidysagar construction of Ayodhya wall. In this respect, let us delve into
breathed his last on July 29, 1891. the important aspects pertaining to case and its recent
ABOUT ISHWAR CHANDRA VIDYASAGAR developments.
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was born on Sept. 26, 1820 in AYODHYA CASE: RECENT HEARING
Birsingha, Midnapore district, India. He died on July 29, During the recent hearing, it was pointed out that Lime-
1891. surkhi mixture as a building material was used
He was an Indian educator and social reformer and was “continuously” in India much before the arrival of Muslims.
considered the father of Bengali prose. Senior Advocate C S Vaidyanathan told a bench that it was
He was a brilliant student at Sanskrit College, Calcutta, “wrong” to say that lime-surkhi made its appearance
where he received the title Vidyasagar (“Ocean of in India from the Islamic period.
Learning”), and in 1850 he was appointed head pandit It was used in Gangetic plain from the 2nd century BC
(scholar-teacher) of Fort William College, Calcutta. as shown by excavations in Kaushambi, and some
A year later, he became principal of Sanskrit College, experts had suggested that Surkhi is “purely indigenous
where he promoted the study of English and admitted and was not brought in India from Central Asia”.
students of lower castes. WHAT IS AYODHYA CASE?
Vidyasagar was well-read in English literature and was The issue boils down to a plot of land in the city of
influenced by Western ideas. Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh.
Although an orthodox high-caste Brahman, he took a The site that is regarded among Hindus as the birthplace
leading part in social reform movements, notably a of Lord Rama also historically locates Babri Mosque.
successful campaign to legalize remarriage of widows,
According to the Hindus, the land on which the Babri
many of whom had been married for the first time in
mosque was built in 1528 is the 'Ram Janmabhoomi'
childhood.
(birthplace of the god-king Rama).

But, Mir Baqi, one of Mughal king Babur's generals, is The Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 defines
said to have destroyed a pre-existing temple of Rama an “Ancient Monument” as any structure, erection or
and built a mosque called Babri Masjid (Babur's mosque) monument, or any tumulus or place of interment, or any
at the site. cave, rock-sculpture, inscription or monolith which is of
Both the communities have worshiped at the "mosque- historical, archaeological or artistic interest.
temple", Muslims inside the mosque and Hindus outside it. The monument or archaeological site should not be less
Now whether a previous Hindu temple was demolished or than 100 years old.
modified to create the mosque is a question. It should possess special historical, archaeological or
artistic interest, making it worthy of declaration as of
national importance.
RANGDUM MONASTERY It qualifies under specified provisions of definition of the

Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains
# Art and Culture Act, 1958.
With the addition of the 6 new monuments, the sites

under the ASI in the country has now increased to 3,693.
IN NEWS
Uttar Pradesh (745 monuments/sites), Karnataka (506)
The Rangdum monastery in Ladakh in Kargil district could and Tamil Nadu (413) have the highest number of ASI-
soon be given the status “monument of national importance” maintained sites.
by the Archaeological Survey of India. In this respect, let us
understand some important information associated with ASI
and about the concept of the monuments of national
importance.
HYDERABAD FUNDS CASE
RELATED INFORMATION: ASI # Modern India
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), under the
Ministry of Culture, is the premier organization for the
IN NEWS
archaeological researches and protection of the cultural
heritage of the nation. The Hyderabad fund case was recently settled by the British
High court in favour of India. In this respect, let us learn some
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) was formed in
details pertaining to this case.
1861 under Lord Canning.
Alexander Cunningham served as its first

ABOUT THE CASE
Archaeological Surveyor, to excavate and conserve The case was pertaining to a dispute over a sum of £35
India’s ancient built heritage. million in a NatWest Bank account in London, known as
the Hyderabad Funds Case.
The major focus area is the maintenance of ancient
monuments and archaeological sites and remains of Upon the orders of the Finance Minister of Nizam
national importance. Osman Ali Khan, a sum of £1,007,490 and nine shillings
was transferred to the account of Pakistan’s High
ASI regulates all archaeological activities in the country as
per the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Commissioner Habib Ibrahim Rahimtoola on
September 20, 1948, a day after the Nizam’s forces
Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958.
surrendered to Indian troops.
It also regulates Antiquities and Art Treasure Act, 1972.
The troops had been sent in to bring to an end the long
RELATED INFORMATION: MONUMENTS OF NATIONAL standoff over the princely state’s accession to India.
IMPORTANCE
In 1954, India sued for the return of the money (and the
Nizam himself wanted the money back) but the case went

up to the House of Lords, which stayed the case against Every year this festival is celebrated as per the Saka
the bank and granted Pakistan sovereign immunity, which calendar for nine days starting usually in September–
meant that legal proceedings could not be brought against October of Gregorian calendar.
it. Bathukamma is followed by Boddemma, which is a 7-
The bank said it would keep the funds until an agreement day festival.
was reached among all three parties — the Nizam, the Boddemma festival marks the ending of Varsha Ruthu
government of India and the government of Pakistan — on whereas Bathukamma festival indicates the beginning of
who the money belonged to. Sarad or Sharath Ruthu.
There the matter lay for more than six decades. It was
Pakistan that decided to go back to the court in 2013
leading to the final judgment.
GLOBAL PEACE MARCH
However, the recent ruling has removed one contentious
issue from the long list of India-Pakistan problems. # Modern India
The British High court ruled in favour of India and the
heirs of the seventh Nizam of Hyderabad in the
IN NEWS
dispute over the sum, belonging to the Nizam at the
time of Partition. A group of 50 Gandhians and activists -- under the banner of
Jai Jagat 2020 -- has set off on a year-long march from Delhi to
Geneva, covering 10 countries from October 2, the 150th birth
BATHUKAMMA anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. In this respect, let us delve

into the important aspects pertaining to this march.
# Art and Culture ABOUT THE MARCH: AIM AND IDEOLOGY
It is called as the “global peace march” which would
include several marches from other parts of the world,
IN NEWS
including Europe and Africa, converging at Geneva on
Bathukamma, a nine-day flower festival was recently September 26, 2020, when the march from India is likely to
celebrated in Telangana. In this respect, let us understand the reach the Swiss city.
key aspects of this festival.
The aim of the march was to spread the message “all for
ABOUT BATHUKAMMA FESTIVAL the planet and the planet for all”.
Bathukamma is floral festival celebrated predominantly The rationale behind the march is that Gandhi's
by the Hindu women of Telangana. understanding of development is relevant even today,
It is the festival for feminine felicitation. On this special given the ongoing “planetary and climate crisis”.
occasion, women dress up in the traditional sari combining The march will also recognize Kasturba Gandhi's
it with jewels and other accessories. “everyday actions of peace” as a part of the legacy of the
In Telugu, ‘Bathukamma' means ‘Mother Goddess come non-violence movement.
Alive’ and in this respect Goddess Maha Gauri (Life COURSE OF THE MARCH
Giver) is worshipped in the form of Bathukamma, the
The first four months of the march would be in India,
patron goddess of womanhood.
from Rajghat, Gandhi's resting place, till Sevagram.
Bathukamma refers to a beautiful flower stack, arranged
After that, the group, which includes 10 international
with different unique seasonal flowers most of them with
participants, will fly to Dubai, then make its way to Iran by
medicinal values, in seven concentric layers in the shape of
sea and then carry on the march through Armenia,
temple gopuram.
Georgia, Bulgaria, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Croatia, Italy and Switzerland.

While on the march, the activists would be holding peace The marches would culminate with a week of activities in
conferences along the way and spreading awareness of Geneva, reinforcing the city’s role as a leading centre for
Gandhian principles in countering the problems faced by the Sustainable Development Goals.
the world, including climate change.
practice questions
MCQs
1. Bathukamma is a regional festival celebrated in Q4. With respect to Sultanpur Lodhi, which of the
Karnataka. following statements is/are correct?
2. It is a floral festival aiming towards female felicitation. 1. Guru Nanak is said to have attained enlightenment
Select the correct answer using the code given below: here.
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only 2. It was a centre of Buddhism in ancient India.
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Q2. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) was (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
formed during the tenure of
(a) Lord Dalhousie (b) Lord Canning Q5. Consider the following statements related to
(c) Lord Lytton (d) Lord Ripon Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
1. He was associated with abolishing of Sati practice.
Q3. The Malcha Mahal located in Delhi was constructed 2. He served as the Principal of Sanskrit College, Calcutta.
by which of the following rulers? Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) Firoz Shah Tughlaq (b) Akbar (a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Alauddin Khilji (d) Shah Jahan (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Q1. Trace the development of Urdu language in India.
Q2. Mamallapuram is a strong example of India and China’s long-standing historical ties. Comment.
Answers to above MCQs: 1 (b), 2 (b), 3 (a), 4(c), 5(b)

SECURITY
# GS Paper III (Main)
INDIAN OCEAN REGION:

bordering the Indian Ocean are home to 2.5 billion people,
which is one-third of the world’s population.
SECURITY INITIATIVES But there is also a strong economic and political logic to
spotlighting the Indian Ocean as a key emerging region in
# Maritime Security # India and the world affairs and strategic priority for India.
World Some 80% of the world’s maritime oil trade flows through
three narrow passages of water, known as choke points, in
the Indian Ocean. This includes the Strait of Hormuz – located
between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman – which
provides the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the
open ocean.
The economies of many Indian Ocean countries are

expanding rapidly as investors seek new opportunities.
Bangladesh, India, Malaysia and Tanzania witnessed
economic growth in excess of 5%– well above the global
average of 3.2%.
India is the fastest growing major economy in the world. With

a population expected to become the world’s largest in the
coming decades, it is also the one with the most potential.
The strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most strategically

important choke points.
Politically, the Indian Ocean is becoming a pivotal zone of

strategic competition. China is investing hundreds of billions
of dollars in infrastructure projects across the region as part
of its One Belt One Road initiative.
In security terms, piracy, unregulated migration, and the

continued presence of extremist groups in Somalia,
Bangladesh and parts of Indonesia pose significant threats to
Indian ocean countries.
CONTEXT
Countries in the region need to collaborate to build economic
The region comprises the ocean itself and the countries that strength and address geopolitical risks, and there is a logical
border it. These include India, Australia, Indonesia, leadership role for India, being the largest player in the
Bangladesh, Madagascar, Somalia, Tanzania, South Africa, region.
the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. The countries

Security
ON THE BASIS OF ABOVE CONTEXT, LET US NOW As a result, India is taking various steps to improve its
UNDERSTAND THE RECENT INITIATIVES: maritime domain awareness in the Indian Ocean Region
including:
►GOA MARITIME CONCLAVE’
1. Development of Coastal Surveillance Radar Network in
IN NEWS the Indian Ocean Region. (Announced in 2015)
Indian Navy hosted 2nd edition of Goa Maritime Conclave Deployment of 32 CSR stations in the Indian Ocean.
(GMC) on 4th October 2019. It was attended by 10 Indian
India has already deployed radar systems in Seychelles,
Ocean littoral states and few observer countries. 10 Indian
Mauritius, Sri Lanka and most recently in Maldives
Ocean littoral countries- Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore,
(January 2019).
Thailand, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri-Lanka, Seychelles,
India also plans to deploy coastal radar systems in
Maldives and Mauritius.
Myanmar, Bangladesh, Thailand and Indonesia.
ABOUT GMC
2. Establishment of Information Fusion Centre-IOR at
The first GMC was held in November 2017. It aims to Gurugam.
address regional maritime challenges with collaborative
ABOUT IFC-IOR
effort in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). It’s significance to
India is given below: IFC-IOR is a regional maritime information sharing centre
for Indian Ocean Region. It was established in December
A collective response to the emerging challenges in
2018 at the Navy’s Information Management and
maritime domain by like-minded countries in the region.
Analysis Centre (IMAC) in Gurugram.
Would help build up on the opportunities and overcome
The IMAC is the single point centre linking all the coastal
challenges in the areas of sea, cyber, space etc.
radar chains to generate a seamless real-time picture of the
Capacity building among Navies of IOR to tackle
coast line of the country. IFC tracks and monitors shipping
emerging maritime threats.
vessels in real time round-the-clock.
Enhancing interoperability among partner maritime
It aims to keep track of both conventional and
agencies to ensure maritime securities.
unconventional threats in our primary area of geopolitical
In line with the governmental approach towards Security interest spreading from the Persian Gulf to well beyond the
and Growth of All in the Region (SAGAR). Malacca Strait.
FUNCTIONS OF IFC
►INFORMATION FUSION CENTRE’ The IFC-IOR will help collate shipping data from:-
IN NEWS 1. Partner countries with whom we have white shipping

agreements (US, UK, France, Australia, Brazil, Israel,
In the backdrop of the 2nd edition of Goa Maritime Conclave,
Vietnam, Oman and Mauritius)
India has offered to facilitate dissemination of maritime
security and safety information from recently established 2. Multi-national networks for exchange of shipping data
Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region to IOR (For instance, Trans Regional Maritime Network signed in
countries. December 2018)
3. Other Maritime Information Centers

BACKGROUND
It also facilitates dissemination of maritime security and
India is stepping up efforts to bolster its maritime ISR
safety information to partner nations, constructs and
capabilities (intelligence, surveillance, and
agencies.
reconnaissance) in order to become the net security
provider in Indian Ocean Region. Now India has extended the facility to other participating
countries of the Goa Maritime Conclave including Indian

Security
Ocean littoral countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, RELATED INFORMATION

Singapore and Thailand from South East Asia.
Maldives, Mauritius, Sri Lanka and Seychelles have joined
IMPACT OF IFC the coastal radar chain network. Bangladesh and
1. IFC-IOR would ensure that the entire region is benefited Thailand are likely to join the network.
by mutual collaboration and exchange of information All the countries which have signed white shipping
thereby improving India’s maritime domain awareness. information exchange agreements with India are IFC
2. Strengthening maritime security in the IOR. partners.
3. Generating Maritime Domain Awareness in collaboration Note: White Shipping information refers to the
with national and regional agencies. information on merchant shipping. This information is
available primarily through the Automatic Identification
4. Building confidence and capacity amongst collaborating
System (AIS)
partners.
AIS to be fitted aboard all ships of 300 gross tonnage and
5. Understanding the maritime challenges and threats in
upwards engaged on international voyages, cargo ships
the region.
of 500 gross tonnage and upwards not engaged on
6. Since India is already developing Coastal Surveillance international voyages and all passenger ships irrespective
Radar network with partner countries, IFC-IOR can avoid of size as mandated by the International Maritime
duplication of such efforts in those countries especially Organisation.
Sri Lanka and Bangladesh which are planning to
The AIS information from ships comprises name,
establish similar centers.
Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) number,
7. In line with the governmental approach towards Security position, course, speed, last port visited, destination etc.
and Growth of All in the Region (SAGAR).
This information can be picked up through various AIS
sensors including coastal AIS chains, satellite based AIS
receivers and V/ UHF AIS receivers.
►OTHER INITIATIVES BY INDIA ‘
Note: Dark Shipping are merchant ships whose AIS
1. Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) was founded
transmissions are not available.
by India in 2008. It aims to discuss maritime issues and
deal with common security concerns in the region.
2. Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) (formerly, known

as Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional
FACIAL RECOGNITION
SYSTEM (FRS)
Cooperation) was formed in 1997, by Australia, India,
Mauritius, Oman, Singapore and South Africa. It aims to
promote sustainable growth and balanced development
of the region and of its Member States.
# Security
3. India has recently joined the Trans Regional Maritime
Network (T-RMN) which will facilitate exchange of IN NEWS
information on the movement of commercial traffic on
The Hyderabad Police used the Facial Recognition System
the high seas. The network is composed of 30 countries
(FRS) to solve complex cases.
and is steered by Italy.
4. Raisina Dialogue is organized by Ministry of External FRS

Affairs (India) in partnership with Observer Research FRS is a software application capable of identifying or
Foundation. It is India’s annual geopolitical and verifying a person by measuring various facial features
geostrategic conference. and patterns.

Security
Technology involved in FRS are 2-D modelling, 3-D FRS: A TOOL FOR MASS SURVEILLANCE?
modelling, skin biometrics etc.
Facial recognition makes data protection close to
It uses images from sources like CCTV cameras, impossible as it is predicated on collecting publicly
newspapers, and raids to identify criminals against available information and analysing it to the point of
existing records. intimacy.
Technological Advantages (compared to other biometric It can also potentially trigger a seamless system of mass
techniques): surveillance.
1. non-contact nature. India does not have a data protection law. In the absence
2. image can be analysed without any interaction with the of safeguards, law enforcement agencies will have a high
user/person. degree of discretion.
3. wide range of application in security (especially policing), The Personal Data Protection Bill 2018 is yet to come into
law enforcement, attendance, ATM verification etc. force, and even if it does, the exceptions contemplated
for state agencies are extremely wide.
4. inexpensive technology as there is less processing
involved RELATED INFORMATION
Technological Challenges (compared to other biometric Recently, Ministry of Home Affairs proposed Automated
techniques): Facial Recognition System (AFRS) for modernizing the police
force, identifying criminals, and enhancing information
1. It can only identify people when the conditions such as
sharing between police units across the country. It has
lighting are favourable.
clarified that this will not violate privacy, as it will only track
2. It is less effective when facial expressions vary.
criminals and be accessed only by law enforcement.
ISSUES WITH FRS
INTERNATIONAL SCENARIO
A closer look at facial recognition systems and India’s
Police departments in London are under pressure to put
legal framework reveals that a system like the FRS will
a complete end to use of facial recognition systems
not only create a biometric map of our faces, but also
following evidence of discrimination and inefficiency.
track, classify, and possibly anticipate our every move.
San Francisco recently implemented a complete ban on
The system will treat each person captured in images
police use of facial recognition.
from CCTV cameras and other sources as a potential
Way forward: Hence, India should learn from international
criminal, creating a map of their face, with
scenario. The notion that sophisticated technology means
measurements and biometrics, and match the features
greater efficiency needs to be critically analyzed. A
against the CCTNS database.
deliberative approach will benefit Indian law enforcement,
This means that we are all treated as potential criminals
as police departments around the world are currently
when we walk past a CCTV camera — turning the
learning that the technology is not as useful in practice as it
assumption of “innocent until proven guilty” on its head.
seems in theory.
Use of such technology in a criminal justice system where
vulnerable groups are over-represented makes them
susceptible to being subjected to false positives (being
wrongly identified as a criminal).

Security
practice questions
MCQs
Q.1) The Strait of Hormuz connects: (c) Both 1 and 2
(a) Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea (d) Neither 1 nor 2
(b) Persian Gulf and Red Sea

(c) Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea Q.3) Consider the following statements:
(d) Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman 1. White Shipping information refers to the information
on merchant shipping, primarily through the
Automatic Identification System (AIS).
Q.2) Consider the following statements:
2. Dark Shipping are merchant ships whose AIS
1. Raisina Dialogue is organized by Ministry of External
transmissions are not available.
Affairs (India) in partnership with Observer Research
Foundation. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
2. Information Fusion Centre-IOR is established at (a) 1 only
Kozhikode. (b) 2 only
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (c) Both 1 and 2
(a) 1 only (d) Neither 1 nor 2
(b) 2 only
Answers to above MCQs: 1 (d), 2 (a), 3(c)

Miscellaneous
NOBEL PEACE PRIZE 2019
Eritrea following their 1998-2000 border war. As a result of
war, Eritrea and Ethiopia, two of the world's poorest
countries, spent hundreds of millions of dollars on the war
# Peace #Global Award and suffered tens of thousands of casualties as a direct
consequence of the conflict.
Eriteria was carved out from Ethiopia in 1993. It is bordered

by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in
the southeast.
2019 RIGHT LIVELIHOOD

AWARD
# Peace #Global Award
The Nobel Peace Prize 2019 was awarded to Abiy Ahmed Ali,
Prime Minister of Ethiopia. He was awarded for his efforts to
achieve peace and international cooperation, and in
particular for his decisive initiative to resolve the border
conflict with neighbouring Eritrea.
Teen climate activist Greta Thunberg was named one of the

2019 recipients of the Right Livelihood Award, known as the
“Alternative Nobel Prize.
The other 2019 Right Livelihood laureates are Aminatou

Haidar, a human rights advocate from Western Sahanra; Guo
Jianmei, a lawyer defending women’s rights in China; and
Davi Kopenawa, an indigenous leader in Brazil fighting for
indigenous rights and rainforest conservation.
Note: The Right Livelihood Award is an international award

to "honour and support those offering practical and
One of Abiy’s biggest achievements was the peace deal
exemplary answers to the most urgent challenges facing
signed, which ended a nearly 20-year military stalemate with
humanity today.The prize was established in 1980 by

Miscellaneous
THE GOLDILOCKS POLICY

German-Swedish philanthropist Jakob von Uexkull, and is
presented annually in early December.
# Books to read
QUIZ TIME
# General Knowledge
In short: The Goldilocks Policy is the depiction of a road map
to a sustainable energy development plan intended as a
guide in the current
transition from one
energy mix to
another and
incorporating the
technological,
political and
geopolitical factors
concerning energy
generation and
usage.
Energy is essential
for the
Q1. Which place, known for a famous war in the 19th century,
improvement of
recently declared its independence from Ukraine and
the quality of life in
acceded to the Russian Federation?
modern times.
Q2. What is the common name for the edible fruit produced
Today, there is a
by several kinds of large herbaceous flowering plants in the
clear understanding that the current modes of energy
genus Musa?
production, distribution and usage are no longer sustainable
Q3. Name the two UNESCO World Heritage Sites located in on account of their huge carbon intensity and the
Assam. consequential environmental hazards.
Q4. Name the countries with capitals Bujumbura and Kigali Both the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the
that observe July 1 as their Independence Day from Belgium Paris Agreement on climate change recognise that the world
in 1962. is currently not on track to meet the Sustainable
Q5. Which sea’s entrance is guarded by the ‘Pillars of Development Goals, including SDG 7 on energy, or to keep
Hercules’? the global temperature rise this century below 1.5°C above
pre-industrial levels. Therefore, the global energy
Q6. What is the chief official language of Israel?
transformation must be accelerated to achieve the goals.
Q7. Who was the last Emperor of Russia?
The title is drawn from the well-known fairy tale Goldilocks
Q8. What is the name of Japanese parliament? and the Three Bears in which the little girl Goldilocks always
Q9. When would a doctor use the term diastolic or systolic? takes up a position that is just right. In this book, the author
takes stock of all that is happening in relation to sustainable
Q10. Rb is the chemical symbol for which element?
energy development and devises a policy framework to help
Answers: 1. Crimea; 2. Banana; 3. Kaziranga and Manas Wildlife
the world through the present crisis and meet the rising
Sanctuaries; 4. Burundi and Rwanda; 5. Mediterranean; 6.
energy demand with the least environmental burden.
Hebrew; 7. Nicholas II; 8. Diet; 9. Measuring one’s blood pressure;
10. Rubidium

Part TWO
Ethics, Integrity
& Aptitude
Coverage from varied sources

CSR: A GATEWAY TO CORPORATE ETHICS

#Ethics #Non-state actor
►Quote: Creating a strong business and building a better ►INTRODUCTION

world are not conflicting goals - they are both essential Concern for the community is often mistaken for socialism. On
ingredients for long-term success- Bill Ford the contrary, capitalism thrives only when every citizen is an
asset in economic activity and has opportunities to succeed.
General belief: Corporates have been regarded as

institutions that cater to the market demand by providing
products and services, and have the onus for creating wealth
and jobs, their market position has traditionally been a
function of financial performance and profitability. Hence, the
role of corporates by and large has been understood in terms
of a commercial business paradigm of thinking that focuses
purely on economic parameters of success.
But, globally companies are expected to do more than merely

provide jobs and contribute to the economy through taxes
and employment. Consumers and society in general expect
With respect to above, this section is focusing on one of the more from the companies whose products they buy. This is
most important and powerful non-state actors, i.e. coherent with the idea that whatever profit is generated is
corporates. Being rich and power, they influence political, because of society, and hence mandates contributing a part
social, economic and environmental dimensions. An of business to the less privileged.
ethically driven corporate can positively contribute towards
overall well-being of the society. Changing dynamics: Over the past few years, as a
consequence of rising globalisation and pressing ecological
The intent is to show that UPSC focuses on all possible issues, the perception of the role of corporates in the broader
stakeholders, to bring overall improvement in the societal context within which it operates, has been altered.
governance and well-being. For this, some of the UPSC Various stakeholders like:- employees, community,
questions asked in GS Paper-II & IV and Essay paper are suppliers and shareholders today are redefining the role of
also mentioned. corporates taking into account the corporates’ broader
Read, enjoy, ponder and practice ! responsibility towards society and environment, beyond
economic performance, and are evaluating whether they are
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
conducting their role in an ethical and socially responsible
► WHAT UPSC ASKED? manner.
Q. In the Indian governance system, the role of non-state As a result of this shift (from purely economic to ‘economic
actors has been only marginal.” Critically examine this with an added social dimension’), many forums, institutions
statement. (G.S. Paper- II, 2016) and corporates are endorsing the term Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR).
Q. Corporate social responsibility makes companies more
profitable and sustainable. Analyse. (G.S. Paper- IV, 2017) ►WHAT ACTUALLY IS CSR?
Q. Can capitalism bring inclusive growth? (Essay, 2015) Corporate Social Responsibility is a management concept
whereby companies integrate social and environmental

Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude
concerns in their business operations and interactions economic, social and environmental performance. It is
with their stakeholders. an attempt to align private enterprises to the goal of
sustainable global development by providing them with a
CSR is generally understood as the way through which a
more comprehensive set of working objectives than just
company achieves a balance of economic,
profit alone.
environmental and social imperatives (“Triple-Bottom-
Line- Approach”), while at the same time addressing the The perspective taken is that for an organization to be
expectations of shareholders and stakeholders. sustainable, it must be financially secure, minimize (or
ideally eliminate) its negative environmental impacts and
Thus many perceive it to be a commitment of a company
act in conformity with societal expectations.
to manage its various roles in society, as producer,
employer, customer and citizen in a responsible manner. The TBL dimensions are also commonly called the three
Ps: people, planet and profits.
OCED’s viewpoint: Corporate responsibility involves the
search for an effective ‘fit’ between businesses and the Classification of Social Responsibility
societies in which they operate.
Towards itself: It is the responsibility of each corporate
E.U.’s viewpoint: The responsibility of enterprises for entity to work towards growth, expansion and stability
their impacts on the society. and thus earn profits. If the corporation is to achieve
social and economic ends, organizational efficiency should
Rationale for CSR: In essence, it is about building sustainable
be boosted up.
businesses, which need healthy economies, markets and
communities. Towards Employees: Employees are the most important
part of an organization. Following are some of the
Ethical landscape of CSR: To build sustainable businesses,
responsibilities which a business entity has towards its
there is an immense need to explore and expand ethical
employees:- Timely payment, Hygienic environment, Good
landscape of CSR.
and impartial behaviour, Health care, Recreational
This ethical landscape should be comprising of:- activities, Encouraging them to take part in managerial
Environmental management, eco-efficiency, responsible decisions.
sourcing, stakeholder engagement, labour standards and
Towards consumers: The Company should maintain high
working conditions, employee and community relations,
quality standards at reasonable prices. It should not
social equity, gender balance, human rights, good
resort to malpractices such as hoarding and black-
governance, and anti-corruption measures.
marketing.
►TRIPLE-BOTTOM-LINE (TBL)
Towards shareholders: It is the responsibility of
To build sustainable and ethical business corporate entity to safeguard the shareholders‘
Evolution of Triple-Bottom-Line investment and make efforts to provide a reasonable

return on their investment.
Sustainability has been an often mentioned goal of
businesses, yet measuring the degree to which an Towards state: Out of the profit available, the state is
organization is being sustainable or pursuing sustainable entitled to a certain share as per the tax laws. Utmost
growth can be difficult. transparency has to be exerted regarding the profit &loss
account and the balance sheet.
John Elkington (author and entrepreneur) strove to
measure sustainability by encompassing a new Towards environment: It is the responsibility of the
framework to measure performance in corporate America organization to contribute to the protection of
of 1990’s. This accounting framework is called the triple environment. It should produce eco -friendly products.
bottom line (TBL). Moreover, industrial waste management must be taken

care of.
The TBL approach is used as a framework for measuring
and reporting corporate performance against

TBL and sustainability 3. Distribution of wealth equitably in the society for the
common good of all.
Thus, the concept of CSR instils in a company the idea of

social responsibility integrated with its motive of profit
making.
Law for CSR
CSR is compliance under Section 135 and Schedule VII (The

Companies Act, 2013).
Section 135 of this Act provides that every company in

India with a net worth of Rs 500 crore; or a turnover of Rs
1,000 crore or net profit of Rs 5 crore; needs to spend a
minimum of 2% of its average net profit on corporate
social responsibility activities.
Such a company shall constitute a ‘Corporate Social

Responsibility Committee’ of the Board consisting of three
Thus, a properly implemented CSR concept can bring along a or more directors, out of which at least one director shall
variety of competitive advantages, such as enhanced access be an independent director.
to capital and markets, increased sales and profits, Schedule VII of the act prescribes a number of activities to
operational cost savings, improved productivity and quality, be considered under CSR, such as:
efficient human resource base, improved brand image and
1. to eradicate hunger, poverty and malnutrition;
reputation, enhanced customer loyalty, better decision
making and risk management processes. 2. to promote preventive healthcare, education and gender
equality;
►A BRIEF ON EMERGENCE OF CSR IN INDIA
3. homes for women, orphans and the senior citizens; to
Idea for CSR
undertake measures for reducing social and economic
Mahatma Gandhi’s concept of Trusteeship. His view of inequalities;
trusteeship was based on the belief that we do not really
4. to ensure environmental sustainability, balance in the
‘own’ our wealth but are only trustees of it, meaning that we
ecology and welfare of animals;
have to administer our wealth for the benefit and betterment
of the community. 5. protection of national heritage, art and culture;
CSR specifically emanates from the ideas enshrined in 6. to take measures for the benefit of armed forces veterans,
Article 38 and 39 of the Directive Principles of State Policy war widows and their dependents;
(DPSP).
7. To provide training to promote rural, nationally
Article 38 mentions about promotion of welfare of people recognized, Paralympics or Olympic sports.
by securing and protecting the social order, by minimizing
8. To contribute to Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund or
the inequalities in income, status, facilities and
any other fund which has been set up by the Central
opportunities.
Government for socio-economic development, relief and
As per Article 39, the state shall ensure for its citizens: welfare of SC, ST, OBCs, minorities and women.
1. Adequate means of livelihood, 9. Any other matter as may be prescribed time to time.
2. Proper distribution of community resources for the

welfare of all specially the weak,

CSR amendments under the Companies (Amendment) makes support easier to come by, and makes measuring
Act, 2019 and monitoring more effective.
Until now, if a company was unable to fully spend its CSR For instance, Google has free expression, child protection,
funds in a given year, it could carry the amount forward and education and clean energy as the pillars of its giving
spend it in the next fiscal, in addition to the money allotted programmes all around the world, as these align with its
for that year. core philosophy of not pre-censoring content on Search.
The CSR amendments introduced under the Act now require Hence, just adopting a programme because it is popular
companies to deposit the unspent CSR funds into a fund or has high decibel, without any business relevance, is
prescribed under Schedule VII of the Act within the end of the unlikely to lead to desired outcome.
fiscal year. This amount must be utilized within three years
Brand architecture
from the date of transfer, failing which the fund must be
deposited in to one of the specified funds. A CSR programme should ideally flow from the brand
architecture and create brand impact. For e.g. A beverage
The new law prescribes for a monetary penalty as well as
brand supporting a water or soil conservation programme
imprisonment in case of non-compliance. The penalty ranges
ensures brand resonance, as does a sports brand
from INR 50,000 (US $700) to INR 25 lakh (US $35,000)
promoting grassroots soccer or cricket.
whereas the defaulting officer of the company may be liable
to imprisonment for up to three years, or a fine up to INR 5 In this regard, Reebok supported many school-level soccer
lakh (US $7,023), or both. and cricket tournaments across cities to create brand
resonance, among youth.
The government, however, is reviewing these rules after the
industry objected to the strict provisions, especially with Local relevance
respect to the jail terms for CSR violations, and is yet to A typical multinational company conundrum occurs when
operationalize them. the country arms have to follow a programme blindly as
Recent stand by the government: The Corporate Affairs that is the global mandate.
Ministry (MCA) has refrained from putting into effect the CSR But practically, a CSR programme needs to have local
amendments mentioned above. This would mean that CSR relevance, rather than following a global diktat blindly.
for now would only be voluntary for corporate India and not
spending the 2 per cent on CSR would not be treated as For e.g. Energy company Cairn does rural development
criminal offence, attracting jail term for company officials. work in Barmer, as it has key assets in large oil and gas
fields in its Rajasthan block, which makes it relevant as an
►APPLYING CSR employer.
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a much-maligned term Effective measuring
in business parlance. It can mean anything really. From
What doesn’t get measured doesn’t get done….
structured philanthropy programmes to spontaneous
employee giving; from adopting villages to building schools; To prevent CSR programmes from becoming feel-good
from getting on to large bandwagons like Swachh Bharat to initiatives or photo opportunities, it is imperative to
sponsoring football tournaments in schools. measure and monitor CSR programmes.
But what does CSR imply? How can it be made effective, For instance, General Electric (GE) used to run its giving
without being an eyewash? Particularly now, when two programme GE Elfun exactly like a business, with its own
per cent CSR spend of three years of net profits is profit and loss numbers and a business head to establish
mandatory. overall effectiveness and accountability.
Business connect Thus, an effective system of monitoring, whether it is

disbursement of grants or building schools or clean
For a CSR programme to succeed, an alignment with the
core business interests of the organisation is good as it

toilets, is absolutely essential for long-term credibility of The group also engages in healthcare projects, such as the
any giving programme. facilitation of child education, immunization, and creation of
awareness of AIDS. Other areas include economic
CSR professionals
empowerment through agriculture programs, environment
There is a tendency on the part of companies to club CSR protection, providing sports scholarships, and infrastructure
with public policy or public relations. But CSR should development, such as hospitals, research centers,
ideally be run by professionals and independently, to the educational institutions, sports academy, and cultural
extent possible. centers.
This is required as they can bring the rigour and Ultratech Cement
application that elevates a programme from a mere
Ultratech Cement, India’s biggest cement company is involved
necessity to a feather in the corporate cap.
in social work across 407 villages in the country aiming to
►CSR TRENDS IN INDIA create sustainability and self-reliance. Its CSR activities focus
Since the applicability of mandatory CSR provisions, CSR on healthcare and family welfare programs, education,
spending by corporate India has increased significantly. In infrastructure, environment, social welfare, and sustainable
2018, companies spent 47 percent higher as compared to the livelihood.
amount in 2014-15, contributing INR 7,536 crores (US $1 The company has organized medical camps, immunization
billion) to CSR initiatives, according to a survey. programs, sanitization programs, school enrolment,
Listed companies in India spent INR 10,000 crore (US$1.4 plantation drives, water conservation programs, industrial
billion) in various programs ranging from educational training, and organic farming programs.
programs, skill development, social welfare, healthcare, and Mahindra & Mahindra
environment conservation, while the Prime Minister’s Relief
Indian automobile manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra
Fund saw an increase of 139 percent in CSR contribution over
(M&M) established the K. C. Mahindra Education Trust in
last one year.
1954, followed by Mahindra Foundation in 1969 with the
The education sector received the maximum funding (38 purpose of promoting education. The company primarily
percent of the total) followed by hunger, poverty, and focuses on education programs to assist economically and
healthcare (25 percent), environmental sustainability (12 socially disadvantaged communities.
percent), rural development (11 percent). Programs such as
Its CSR programs invest in scholarships and grants, livelihood
technology incubators, sports, armed forces, reducing
training, healthcare for remote areas, water conservation,
inequalities saw negligible spends.
and disaster relief programs. M&M runs programs such as
Taking into account the recent amendments to CSR Nanhi Kali focusing on education for girls, Mahindra Pride
provisions, industry research estimates CSR compliance to Schools for industrial training, and Lifeline Express for
improve and range between 97 to 98 percent by FY 2019-20. healthcare services in remote areas.
► SOME EXAMPLES OF CSR IN INDIA ITC Group
Tata Group ITC Group, a conglomerate with business interests across

hotels, FMCG, agriculture, IT, and packaging sectors has been
The Tata Group conglomerate in India carries out various CSR
focusing on creating sustainable livelihood and environment
projects, most of which are community improvement and
protection programs. The company has been able to
poverty alleviation programs. Through self-help groups, it has
generate sustainable livelihood opportunities for six million
engaged in women empowerment activities, income
people through its CSR activities.
generation, rural community development, and other social
welfare programs. In the field of education, the Tata Group Their e-Choupal program, which aims to connect rural
provides scholarships and endowments for numerous farmers through the internet for procuring agriculture
institutions. products, covers 40,000 villages and over four million

farmers. It’s social and farm forestry program assists farmers site: it is “committed to the principles of Sustainable
in converting wasteland to pulpwood plantations. Social Development and its approximately 50,000 employees
empowerment programs through micro-enterprises or loans seek to balance economic, environmental and social
have created sustainable livelihoods for over 40,000 rural responsibilities.”
women.
II. Unilever Global Company: The Unilever Company
‘LABS’ of Dr. Reddy’s Labs dumped 300 metric tons of mercury at Kodaikanal located
in Tamil Nadu. As a contrast to the above activity the
Dr. Reddy’s lab started ‘LABS’ (Livelihood Advancement
Unilever website states, “We are committed to conducting
Business School) in the year 1999. It trains the
our operations with integrity and with respect for the
underprivileged youngsters, even street children for
interests of our stakeholders….. We are also committed to
livelihood earnings in the job areas i.e. technology,
making continuous improvements in the management of
healthcare, hospitality, finance and marketing issues. It
our environmental impacts and to working towards our
involves four types of volunteers viz Student volunteer
longer term goal of developing a sustainable business.”
mentors, Faculty volunteer mentors, Network mentors and
Resource mentors. III. Plachimada vs Coca-Cola: Plachimada is a sparsely
populated tribal hamlet in Perumatty panchayat in
In a newly emerged global market as the competition is very
Palakkad district. The Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt.
intense and the customers are very sophisticated, companies
Ltd, the Indian subsidiary of Coca Cola constructed its
must ensure social responsibility in order to secure
factory at Plachimada in 1999.
fundamental relationships that fuel business growth.
As per the agreement, up to 1.5 million litres of water was
►INSTANCES OF VIOLATION OF CSR PRINCIPLES
drawn commercially from 6 bore-wells situated inside the
I. Bhopal Gas Tragedy, the Bhopal disaster also known as factory compound. The permit granted Coca-Cola the right to
Bhopal Gas Tragedy was one of the world's worst extract ground water to meet its production demands of 3.8
industrial catastrophes. It occurred on the night of litres of water for a litre of cola. As a result, the water table
December 2–3, 1984 at the Union Carbide India Limited receded, as did the quality of groundwater. Detailed sampling
(UCIL) pesticide plant in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India. A of the water collected from the region revealed high
leak of methyl isocyanate gas and other chemicals from concentration of calcium, and magnesium ions. Moreover,
the plant resulted in the exposure of hundreds of the colloidal slurry that was generated as a by-product was
thousands of people. Estimates vary on the death toll. The initially sold to villagers as fertilizer.
official immediate death toll was 2,259 and the
government of Madhya Pradesh has confirmed a total of
In 2003, the BBC, in its Face The Facts programme, declared
3,787 deaths related to the gas release. Others estimate
that samples of slurry that was being deployed as fertilizer
3,000 died within weeks and another 8,000 have since
were found to contain dangerous levels of toxic metals and
died from gas-related diseases. A government affidavit in
the known carcinogen, cadmium. In a white paper titled
2006 stated the leak caused 558,125 injuries including
Spatial Assessment of Groundwater Quality in Kerala,
38,478 temporary partial and approximately 3,900
researchers from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
severely and permanently disabling injuries.
infer that Palakkad's groundwater fares badly on most
UCIL was the Indian subsidiary of Union Carbide Corporation counts, having a large number of dissolved minerals, above
(UCC). In 2001 the US-based gigantic Dow Chemical the desirable limit.
purchased Union Carbide, thereby acquiring its assets and
Public anger led to the mobilisation of villagers who formed
liabilities. However it has been steadfastly refusing to
the ‘Coca-Cola Virudha Janakeeya Samara Samithy,’ a body
clean up the site, provide safe drinking water or
fighting for the closure of the polluting soda factory and the
compensate the victims, or even disclose the composition
case went to the Supreme Court and after 12 years legal
of the gas leak, Dow Chemical, like UCIL earlier, claims
battle, Coca Cola surrendered its license to operate in
that it has no liability of the past. The Dow Chemical
Plachimeda.
Company, with annual sales of $28 billion, says in its web

The above cases show that emerging markets might have Today, more so than ever, corporate responsibility is the best
loose laws which protect the interests of the local population. strategic as well as financial path that most businesses can
However, it is in the best interest of the corporations to take follow. For most businesses there are both compelling
care of the welfare of the local community. The adverse reasons to be responsible and compelling statistics that
publicity caused by the protests and media coverage brings validate that responsible businesses do better according to
out high degree of negative public response for the product traditional financial metrics.
safety of the company.
By accepting responsibility, we take effective steps toward
►CONCLUSION our goal: an inclusive human society on a habitable planet, a
society that works for all humans and for all nonhumans. By
CSR is not new to India; companies like TATA and BIRLA have
accepting responsibility, we move closer to creating a world
been imbibing the case for social good in their operations for
that works for all.
decades long before CSR become a popular cause. Inspite of
having such life size successful examples, CSR in India is in a ► ASSIGNMENT
very nascent stage. It is still one of the least understood
On the basis of the understanding of a corporate’s role as an
initiatives in the Indian development sector. It is followed by a
important non-state actor, its ethical blueprint, and also CSR’s
handful of public companies as dictated by the very basis of
viewpoint and law in India, design a methodology for a
their existence, and by a few private companies with
corporate after taking into consideration (the current
international shareholding as this is the practice followed by
scenario in India), to reflect its overall responsibilities during
them in their respective foreign country. Thus the situation is
the followings actions:-
far from perfect as the emphasis is not on social good but
rather on a policy that needs to be implemented. a. Starting a new project/company;
But organizations are coming to realize the bottom-line b. Operation of a company;

benefits of incorporating sustainability into their DNA. It’s
c. Consumer connect;
beneficial for attraction and retention and it’s the right thing
to do. HR is a key organizational leader and can take the lead d. Mechanism of displaying social, economic and
or partner with other executives to work cross-functionally to environmental responsibilities;
integrate CSR objectives into how business gets conducted. e. Maintaining future sustainability.
HR practitioners can act as translators of the organization’s
Note: Kindly try to answer the above in 200 words and also
CSR commitment vertically and horizontally across
frame an essay of 1200 words to elaborate in detail.
departments. To guarantee the supply of responsible and
ethical goods, it is especially important to implement a
nationwide system of CSR standards.

CASE STUDIES for Practice

MAINS GS PAPER IV
Here, we are sharing case studies for self- practice. These case studies are drawn from various aspects of professional and
personal experiences, and are helpful for General Studies- Paper IV. Do practice them!
CASE STUDY-1: A large number of people gathered at the Question: As a senior officer entrusted with this issue how
Biodiversity Park in City X to protest against a proposed six- are you going to handle this situation?
lane road — for better connectivity between City X and City Y
— that will cut through the green cover.
CASE STUDY-2: For the past few days in State A, there have
The road, proposed as part of the Road Connectivity Project,
been reports of attacks on migrants especially migrant
is supposed to reduce travel time between City X and City Y.
labourers from State B. Hundreds of migrant workers
The road will primarily benefit industrial transport, boost
employed in many districts of State A have fled. Hate
economy and employment of the City X which otherwise is messages were being circulated over social media leading to
facing economic downturn and unemployment. attacks on migrants. Police have arrested 341 people in
The people gathered at the site unanimously declared the connection with these attacks. It all began, when a 14-month-
old girl in one of the districts of State A was allegedly raped
park a “sacred forest” for themselves. The protesters included
by a migrant labourer hailing from State B. The accused was
ecologists, citizens, jogging groups, and children who at large
arrested but the incident created a rage among a section of
will get affected.
State A, who mobilised small mobs to attack unrelated
Though latest reports suggest that the road will go along the migrant workers.
periphery of the park, the protesters claimed that even the
Question: You are a newly appointed Chief Secretary of State
new proposed alignment would have a detrimental impact on
A. What steps should be taken by you to maintain peace in
the park’s flora and fauna, and effect the water recharge
the state and for the safety of the people who are being
potential and air quality of City X.
attacked.
The protesters claimed that the water recharge potential
would be adversely impacted by the proposed road, which
will “obstruct natural drainage channels that flow into the CASE STUDY-3: City X witnessed a horrific incident of fire in a
forest as the Biodiversity Park is a natural basin for the hotel that killed 17 people, many of them in their sleep. Even
surrounding topography”. after procuring fire safety clearances, hotels in City X are seen
flouting rules rampantly. From rooftop restaurants to bar in
Independent pollution monitoring reports reveal that the the basement, most of the owners use commercial space
park registers some of the cleanest air quality in the City X. beyond permissible limits in disregard of norms. The
The protesters further said that the proposed plan was a government immediately announced cash relief to the
“gross violation of fundamental right to fresh air”. aggrieved families and arrested the owners.
The Biodiversity Park was originally a stone quarry spanning Question: Give reasons for such incidents taking place across
380-acres. After quarrying was declared illegal in the the country. Suggest measures to prevent their occurrence.
Biodiversity by the Supreme Court, the City X Municipal
Corporation, in collaboration with NGO’s, facilitated planting
of trees in the area.

Part Three
Essays
of
the month
Selected essays from Rau’s GSI students

GLOBAL WARMING: IS IT A RACE AGAINST

TIME?
# Environment
SUBHASH GERA (EX-STUDENT)
Disclaimer: The viewpoints in the topic are strictly personal of reveal that the temperature of the earth is likely to rise from
the writer above. The role of Rau’s IAS Study Circle is to present 1.4°C to 5.8°C within a period of 100 years. Unfortunately, the
the write-up in its original form, hence the study circle neither imbalance which we have created between our life and earth
endorses nor rejects any viewpoint in the submission. The is already showing the signs disasters in the form of flood,
purpose is only to showcase the manner of writing. cyclones, landslides, tsunami, drought, etc. If the imbalance
continues to rise, one day this will pose a question mark on
Therefore, it is the sole responsibility of the reader to use
the existence of this planet as stated earlier.
his/her intellect to check the veracity of viewpoints.
About the causes of Global warming, Most climate scientists
Coastal cities have been inundated, farming regions are
agree that the main cause of the current global warming
parched, ocean currents are disrupted, tropical diseases
trend is human expansion of the "greenhouse effect"' ,
spreading, glaciers are melting —an artificial greenhouse
warming that results when the atmosphere traps heat
effect could generate countless tribulations. These are not
radiating from Earth toward space.
only expressions but a strong signal to the looming danger of
Global warming which will endanger the existence of Humans Certain gases in the atmosphere block heat from escaping.
on the face of earth if not checked on time. Undoubtedly, Long-lived gases that remain semi-permanently in the
atmosphere and do not respond physically or chemically to
Global warming is the greatest challenge our planet is facing.
changes in temperature are described as "forcing" climate
It has far-reaching impact on biodiversity and climatic
change. Gases, such as water vapor, which respond physically
conditions of the planet. Putting in simple words, Global
or chemically to changes in temperature are seen as
Warming is the increase of Earth's average surface
"feedbacks."
temperature due to effect of greenhouse gases, such as
carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels or from Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect include:
deforestation, which trap heat that would otherwise escape Water vapour: The most abundant greenhouse gas, but
from Earth. This is a type of greenhouse effect. importantly, it acts as a feedback to the climate. Water
Global average temperature has risen significantly during the vapour increases as the Earth's atmosphere warms, but so
past century and it is still rising. The prevailing scientific view does the possibility of clouds and precipitation, making these
is that most of the temperature increases since mid-20th some of the most important feedback mechanisms to the
century has been caused by increases in atmospheric greenhouse effect. Carbon dioxide (CO2). A minor but very
greenhouse gas concentrations produced by human activity. important component of the atmosphere, carbon dioxide is
Most scientists agree that planet's temperature has risen 0.5 released through natural processes such as respiration and
degree Celsius since 1900 and will continue to increase at an volcano eruptions and through human activities such as
increasing rate. As a result, the world is getting warmer. The deforestation, land use changes, and burning fossil fuels.
year 1990 was the hottest year in the last century. The year Humans have increased atmospheric CO2concentration by a
1991 was the second warmest year of the past century. The third since the Industrial Revolution began. This is the most
consequences of the rise in temperature is being felt all over important long-lived "forcing" of climate change.
the globe the findings of scientific research done in this field

Essays OF THE MONTH
Methane: is a hydrocarbon gas produced both through It will lead to melting of glaciers, changes in rainfall patterns,
natural sources and human activities, including the increased intensity and frequency of extreme weather. As per
decomposition of wastes in landfills, agriculture, and the various survey report by bodies concerned the rate of
especially rice cultivation, as well as ruminant digestion and melting of glaciers has seen sharp increase in recent times.
manure management associated with domestic livestock. On Even those glaciers are affected from global warming which
a molecule-for- molecule basis, methane is a far more active have been considered permanent. The shrinking of glaciers is
greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, but also one which is going to pose a major problem of drinking water.
much less abundant in the atmosphere.
The sea levels as a result of melting of glaciers have risen
Nitrous oxide is a powerful greenhouse gas produced by soil from 0.35 mm to 0.4 mm. Scientists have warned in their
cultivation practices, especially the use of commercial and reports that most of the glaciers will disappear within a
organic fertilizers, fossil fuel combustion, nitric acid period of 15 to 25 years. It will create problems of drinking
production, and biomass burning. water and food grains in most of the North American
countries. India is not un- affected from it. The Himalayan
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs): Synthetic compounds of
glaciers have shrunk about 30 per cent after 1970.
entirely of industrial origin used in a number of applications,
but now largely regulated in production and release to the The rise in sea levels is a major cause of concern. A large
atmosphere by international agreement for their ability to number of cities located in coastal areas will submerge in the
contribute to destruction of the ozone layer. They are also sea. Besides, many island countries will ultimately lose their
greenhouse gases. existence and will be washed away from the surface of the
earth. The damage of rising sea levels is diverse. Buildings
On Earth, human activities are changing the natural
and roads close to the water could be flooded and they could
greenhouse. Over the last century the burning of fossil fuels
suffer damage from hurricanes and tropical storms. Experts
like coal and oil has increased the concentration of
believe that global warming could increase the intensity of
atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). This happens because the
hurricanes by over 50 per cent. In addition, as the sea rises,
coal or oil burning process combines carbon with oxygen in
beach erosion takes place, particularly on steep banks.
the air to make CO,. To a lesser extent, the clearing of land for
agriculture, industry, and other human activities have Wetlands are lost as the level rises. Rise in atmospheric
increased concentrations of greenhouse gases. temperature will lead to the outbreak of airborne and water-
borne diseases. It would also contribute to the rise in death
Trees play a significant role in the global carbon cycle. They
caused by heat. The problem of drought would be frequent.
are the largest land-based mechanism for removing carbon
Consequently, malnutrition and starvation will pose serious
dioxide from the air. Deforestation is checking these positive
challenge before humanity. Global warming is a great threat
processes. It is the second principle cause of atmospheric
to the flora and fauna of the earth. A large number of species
carbon dioxide. Deforestation is responsible for 25 per cent
of them may become extinct.
of all carbon emissions entering the atmosphere.
The expanse of desert would increase. Low rainfall and rising
There is a close relation between global warming and
temperature could add to the intensity and frequency of
population growth. Today the large population on earth is
dusty storm. This in turn will immensely affect the quality of
using the technologies which are destructive for the earth.
agricultural land, ultimately causing adverse effect on
Approximately, 80 per cent of atmospheric CO2 increases are
agricultural produce. It would have far-reaching socio-
due to man's use of fossil fuels either in the form of coal, gas
economic impact. Moreover, when earth as a planet will get
or oil. A large portion of carbon emission is attributed to the
warm, the mercury will rise and other effects of rising
burning of gasoline in internal-combustion engine of vehicles.
temperatures which is happening right now are: Melting of
Vehicles with poor gas mileage contribute the most to global
Ice worldwide, especially at the Earth's poles. This includes
warming. Besides, the sulphur group gas is the most harmful
mountain glaciers, ice sheets covering West Antarctica and
for this. Its contribution is 30 per cent in global warming. This
Greenland, and Arctic sea ice; Gradual Decline in number of
gas is also emitted from the burning of fossil fuels. Increase
animals whose natural habitats are polar or colder regions;
in global temperatures will cause rise in sea level.

Essays OF THE MONTH
Movement of butterflies, foxes, and alpine plants to farther energy has the technical potential to meet the vast majority
north or to higher, cooler areas; Increase in Precipitation (rain of our energy needs. Renewable technologies can be
and snowfall) across the globe, on average. deployed quickly, are increasingly cost-effective, and create
jobs while reducing pollution.
In Indian context, the impact of global warming is a matter of
grave concern. As is well known, India is mainly an Phasing out fossil fuel electricity: Dramatically reducing.
agricultural country and agriculture here is gamble of the our use of fossil fuels—especially carbon-intensive coal—is
monsoon, e.g. largely depending on rainfall. Though it is to essential to tackle climate change. There are many ways to
affect the whole country, the worst likely impact would be on begin this process. Key action steps include: not building any
central and northern India which is high-yielding parts of the new coal-burning power plants, initiating a phased shutdown
country. These are the regions which produce the largest of coal plants starting with the oldest and dirtiest, and
agricultural yield. The rise in atmospheric temperature and capturing and storing carbon emissions from power plants.
fall in rain would naturally result in decline in crop production
Managing forests and agriculture: Taken together, tropical
thus posing a serious threat to the food security position in
deforestation and emissions from agriculture represent
India. If the process of global warming continues to increase,
nearly 30 percent of the world's heat-trapping emissions. We
resulting climatic disasters would cause a decrease in India's
can fight global warming by reducing emissions from
GDP to decline by about 9%, with a decrease by 40% of the
deforestation and forest degradation and by making our food
production of the major crops. A temperature increase of 2°
production practices more sustainable.
C in India is projected to displace seven million people, with a
submersion of the major cities of India like Mumbai and Developing and deploying new low-carbon and zero-
Chennai. Moreover, it would have great effect on biodiversity carbon technologies: Research into and development of the
as well. next generation of low-carbon technologies will be critical to
deep mid-century reductions in global emissions. Current
There is no single solution to global warming, which is
research on battery technology, new materials for solar cells,
primarily a problem of too much heat-trapping carbon
harnessing energy from novel sources like bacteria and algae,
dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide in the atmosphere. The
and other innovative areas could provide important
technologies and approaches outlined below are all. needed
breakthroughs.
to bring down the emissions of these gases by at least 80
percent by mid-century. Ensuring sustainable development: The countries of the
world—from the most to the least developed—vary
Boosting energy efficiency: The energy used to power, heat,
dramatically in their contributions to the problem of climate
and cool our homes, businesses, and industries is the single
change and in their responsibilities and capacities to confront
largest contributor to global warming. Energy efficiency
it. A successful global compact on climate change must
technologies allow us to use less energy to get the same or
include financial assistance from richer countries to poorer
higher level of production, service, and comfort. This
countries to help make the transition to low-carbon
approach has vast potential to save both energy and money,
development pathways and to help adapt to the impacts of
and can be deployed quickly.
climate change.
Greening transportation: The transportation sector's
To conclude we can say , Global warming is mainly due to the
emissions have increased at a faster rate than any other
ignorance of the people and the 'don't care attitude' of few.
energy- using sector over the past decade. A variety of
Even at a younger stage, it is wiser to educate the children to
solutions are at hand, including improving efficiency in all
be efficient consumers and be responsible users of energy
modes of transport, switching to low-carbon fuels, and
and resources remembering that the global warming is slowly
reducing vehicle miles travelled through smart growth and
destroying the earth and its natural habitat. People should be
more efficient mass transportation systems.
reminded that they share the earth and its resources with the
Revving up renewables: Renewable energy sources such as other species that keep the ecosystem balanced, if the
solar, wind, geothermal and bioenergy are available around balance is gone then the life if every single species is
the world. Multiple studies have shown that renewable threatened and even humans will not be spared from this.

Essays OF THE MONTH
Media can play a role in educating the people of the Planting trees is a very good start that can help diluting the
phenomenon of global warming that has already taking a carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. A single tree will absorb
huge toll. This won't disappear overnight. As we thoughtfully approximately one ton of carbon dioxide during its lifetime.
practice ways of preventing the causes that causes global
warming one day the earth will be restored.
DREAMS WHICH SHOULD NOT LET INDIA SLEEP

# Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude
SHWETA SINGLA (EX-STUDENT)
Disclaimer: The viewpoints in the topic are strictly personal colours, as serve as its spiritual richness, as passionate as its
of the writer above. The role of Rau’s IAS Study Circle is to population and as great as its historical riches. There are
present the write-up in its original form, hence the study ‘visions’ and not dreams of creating the foundation of a new
India, as dreams might become feeble over time, but it’s
circle neither endorses nor rejects any viewpoint in the
visions that are concertized by the virtue of sheer
submission. The purpose is only to showcase the manner of
commitments and efficient, meticulous planning. There are
writing.
visions of creating a new order, Visions of creating our
Therefore, it is the sole responsibility of the reader to use “Sapnon Ka Bharat”.
Such were the visions envisaged by the founding fathers of
the country, where they clearly laid down ever cherished
principles for the future generations to be attained, in order
“One has to dream, before their dreams can
to create the India that stands out from the rest. The holy
come true.” - Shri APJ Abdul Kalaam
book of the religion of nationalism, the Constitution of India,
It’s self-evident that the above line aptly itself serves as a torch-bearer for the mandarins and citizens
captures the true essence of performing the act of dreaming of the country to realize these socio-economic-political
and envisioning about one’s ambitions. It’s a time-tested aspirations. The preamble of the Constitution, itself, clearly
principle – man started dreaming right from the age he kick- presents the core values of India, in an explicit fashion.
started the civilization process. Since times immemorial to
We, The People of India, having solemnly resolved to
this date, contexts have changed, but the significance of
constitute India into a Sovereign, Socialist, Secular,
dreams in every success story hasn’t diminished, and that it’s
Democratic, Republic and to guarantee to all its citizens.
testimonized by the very fact that dreams form a
quintessential ingredient of every fable that talks of people Justice, Social, Economic and Political;
conquering unfathomable heights.
Liberty, of thought, expression, belief, faith and Worship;
Also it’s a fact well established that the goods and dreams of
Equality, of status and opportunity; and to promote among
the nation, itself is shaped and carved by the individuals it
them all.
comprises of: after all, individuals are the basic unit of a
society and an aggregation of societies collaborates to be Fraternity, assuring dignity of individuals and unity and
called together as a Nation. Undoubtedly, and quite similarly integrity of the nation.
though, India has its own set of aspirations, as diverse and as
holistic as its vast geographical presence and myriad cultural

Essays OF THE MONTH
In our Constituent Assembly, this 26th day of November programmes like Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan, are adequate
1949, do hereby ADOPT, ENACT and give to ourselves this steps in the same direction. It’s prudent to recognize the fact
Constitution. that health and education are the basic prerequisites for
development of the human capabilities and enlarging their
To decipher the meaning of the highlighted terms of the
progress – hence, needless to mention, these areas will
Preamble, is a no lawyer’s paradise only. It has been meant
always be prioritized over the rest.
for every citizen of the country. These goals had already been
identified by our forefathers, who shaped the destiny of the Talking about social setups and access to resources, one of
country. To continue being a sovereign and a truly the key beneficiaries that needs urgent attention, but
independent nation, promoting welfare measures for the unfortunately, faces utter neglect – are the WOMEN, the
masses, paying equal respect and tolerance for a mutual and FEMALE FORCE. Though we have been successful in
harmonious co-existence of all religions, valuing democracy accelerating our growth rates, we have still no managed to
to its core and recognizing the powers of the citizens in cope up with our parochial outlook and let women go out of
farming the government – are some of the fundamental and their traditional roles, thus limiting their exposure to and
rock-hard aspiration of India as a country. participation in the development and decision making
process. Achieving greater gender – equity and restoring
Citizens have always been the ‘MAGNA CARTA’ of India’s
gender imbalances, with an equal emphasis on providing
aspiration. Thus, guaranteeing precious political virtues as
equitable opportunities to women, ensuring their security –
inalienable as justice, liberty, equality, fundamental rights and
stands as an unquestionable target to be achieved by India, in
promotion of fraternity, has been given a top-notch priority
the coming direction.
to the Dream-List of the Country.
As we kick-start our voyage towards becoming an influential
However, linking the dots with prudence and pragmatism, it’s
global force. It’s high time that we gradually more from
high-time that India looks forward to revolutionize its existing
traditional ‘Roti, Kapda, Makaan, Paani, Bijli’ rhetoric. As a
approaches and targets, in all spheres and realms. We are in
nation that intends to develop as a global power, we need to
the 21st century, one of the radical periods of all times,
empower the citizens, both economically and socially. We
witnessing double-paced growth and a huge bag filled with
need to more from ‘SUSTAINANCE TO SUSTAINABILITY’.
challenges and opportunities alike. It is in these
Our economic agenda must be in consonance with our geo-
circumstances that we have to establish a firm of India being
political ambitions, and thus needs to reflect the same
a world leader; and thus, it’s in this context that it’s
commitment. There has to be a gradual transition from India
imperative to revise our goals, which requires sheer
being an agrarian economy to an industrial power, a thriving
resoluteness and a firm vision in our hearts and mind.
centre for employment opportunities, a hub for
From a social angle, we need to cater to the masses. entrepreneurship, innovation and intellect, an economy
Critiques say over population is a humongous challenge for synergising sustainability with efficiency in the most optimum
the country, but optimists declare the same as a prospective fashion, A country committing to Zero Defect (Professional
opportunity. Thus, with such a mammoth population, it’s Competency Efficiency) + Zero Effect (Environment
urgent to plan and implement strategies that works the best Sustainability).
towards this direction and plays an integral role in
Coming back to the real world, there exists a chasm between
maximizing the potential of our human capital, which stands
the primary and the secondary sector which deepens the
under-utilized till date. This requires a robust growth in the
existing ‘BHARAT-INDIA’ divide. In such context, agrarian
social infrastructure set up, mechanisms to ensure a well-
reforms are sectors requiring dynamic immediacy. Saying
educated and a healthy life to all. Improvisations in
adherence to our former PM, Lal Bahadur Shastri, wherein he
availability, accessibility and feasibility of health care facilities
saluted the hardships of the farmers by winning ‘Jai Jawan, Jai
and educational services form the core of the same. Allied
Kisan’ we need to introduce sustainable agricultural reforms
factors as clean drinking water and a sound situation of
that ensures food security along-with securing the producer
sanitation, also plays a critical role. The government’s plan of
efficiently. Also, it’s the need of hour to link science with
National Health Protection Scheme and the flagship
agriculture and thus focussing on aggravating the potential of

Essays OF THE MONTH
the production process as well as doubling the farmer’s Provider to solve this conundrum as well, and faster rural
income – something that finds an explicit mention in the development, in the walk of creating ‘SMART CITIES’, wherein
present day’s government agenda. it becomes even more important to consider the
metamorphosis of rural dwellings as ‘SMART CITY’ agenda, by
Economy has to be revitalized with technology and the e-
reducing the scale and frequency of rural to urban migration
conversion of existing economic schemes and provisions, will
forces.
certainly yield a positive impact on the country as a whole.
Pressing for greater digitalization and cashless transactions, Standing at the threshold of being ‘DEVELOPED’ from a
is a suitable measure to check leakages and discrepancies in ‘DEVELOPING’ nation, it becomes imperative to contextualize
the process, thus saving the drainage of millions of resources our visions for NEW INDIA, from the perspective of the
from the national exchequer. Strengthening of banking international angle. Strategic leadership and strengthening of
system by introducing various measures as recapitalization, diplomatic ties with game changer nations, has to have a
insolvency and Bankruptcy code, DBT (Direct Banking definite place in our list. This has to be done for seeking
Transfers) to farmer is a satisfactory action towards the international cooperation and attempting to be an influential
same. Ultimately, all of it has to be equitable in nature, thus force in terms of tackling global issues as terrorism, cyber-
increasing the necessity of emphasizing upon ‘Financial crimes, climate change and health epidemics. This would also
Inclusion’ as a critical element in the entire process of mean a firm step towards attempting to attain a permanent
economic rejuvenation. seat in the UN Security Council, and thus attaining a
permanent membership and legitimate authority and
Entering the global leadership can’t be attained without
responsibility to shape the new international order.
achieving strides in the realm of scientific innovation and
technology. Technological upgradation, sustainable However, aspirations are to be seen with open eyes. It has to
automation and Research and Development in Science and be different from fantasies, and grounded in the idea of
Allied fields – have to be some of the key indicator to track reality. It has to be supported by actions and truly unshakable
India’s progress in the field. It’s crucial to link science with the determination to achieve the same.
masses in order to get the best out of it. Scientific
Our ancient scriptures also reiterate the same: (It takes
intervention in medicines for finding cure of deadly problems
sweat and actions to realize aspirations and not merely
and technological betterment in areas as disaster forecasting,
dreams, just like the way a sleeping lion can’t get a deer right
telecommunications etc., acquires a necessary nature. Also,
away near him, only because he dreams it.)
the emphasis will be on ‘Maximum innovation with minimum
destruction’, thereby making unconventional energy usage Ours, being a nation, guided by our rich, enlightening past, it
important for development. It’s a need to shift from gaining becomes essential on our part to lay down clear plans to fulfil
‘Nuclear Capabilities to Human Capabilities’ with Science, so our vision and turn it into reality. This will require tapping the
as to establish an ideal society that uses its technology as a potentialities of the youth and channelizing it towards
tool for human betterment and progress. constructive forces and a resolute commitment by all people,
form all status of the society. We need to evolve a coherent
Curbing corruption, enhancing accountability and
and firm partnership between major stakeholders and
transparency, promoting female participation in politics
prospective beneficiaries in rider to accelerate our
and decision-making. Checking on red-tapeism, fastening
development pace. Narrow prejudices needs to be kept aside
speedy judicial system and an efficient policing mechanism –
before national interest.
are some of the existing goals in our list that needs
immediate attention and action for the development of the Finally, ‘Nation first, Self-Last’ has to be the over-arching
public-political order in the country. principle and ever-green mantra before kick-starting this
mammoth exercise. There has to be a leap, a giant leap to
Since India lives in Villages, its highly essential to ensure a
acquire a ‘DEVELOPED NATION’ status. We, as Indians, need
mechanism where the benefits of the top-notch decisions
to dream of such visions that doesn’t let us sleep and rest, we
finds a penetration into the grassroots. The fulfilling of the
need to be awake to set an example for the world to follow,
above-mentioned aspirations will be a major solution.
we, as Indians need to prove our mettle, while the world was

Essays OF THE MONTH
sleeping, our forefathers were awake at the stroke of the incomparable strides through our massive human potential,
midnight hour on 15th August, 1947 to make a ‘Tryst with coupled with cultural and social solidarity of thought.
Destiny’. A similar episode has to repeat itself where we, as
This has to be a dream, as big as our nation, which does not
130 crore Indians, make a ‘tryst with Excellence’ where we
allow us to sleep, owing to its ‘leviathan’ nature.
stand unified as a global democratic leader, achieving
FULFILMENT OF NEW WOMAN IN INDIA IS A

MYTH
# Social Justice #Empowerment
ANNAPURNA PALEI
(RAU’S DELHI STUDENT- BATCH A1)
Disclaimer: The viewpoints in the topic are strictly personal of still the practice of female infanticide, poor health conditions,
the writer above. The role of Rau’s IAS Study Circle is to present higher material mortality rate, sexual harassment at
the write-up in its original form, hence the study circle neither workplace, lesser say in household related decisions etc.
endorses nor rejects any viewpoint in the submission. The continue. We continue to celebrated International Women’s
purpose is only to showcase the manner of writing. Day where women seen as a mother, daughter, sister, wife
who are able to multi-task efficiently and effortlessly while
underlining the widespread belief that it is acceptable for
women to work as long as they carry out their traditional
duties at home. So, now it is important for us to ask what
Who is a ‘new woman’? We can say that a new women really want for them: Roses and Reforms?
woman is someone who is free to make her
Historically, the status of women was downgraded with some
own choices, decisions, politically aware and
evil practices like Sati, Pardah System, dowry system,
active, financially independent, educated,
Practicing of Jauhar etc. as the male dominated patriarchal
healthy and socially active. Today Indian women have
society has always been prevalent in our country. Politically
excelled in each and every field from social work to
also women were less represented in India as compared to
implementing Mars Mission, sports, politics, literature,
other small nations across the world.
technology, medicine etc. with no area remains unconquered.
Despite this improvement, Indian women still not able to As women still have to do dual roles of home-maker with a
have a status comparable to men in these entire fields and job, so managing both is a herculean task. Most of the
especially in a social sense like Sabrimala and Triple Talaq. women are not allowed to work outside and hence they have
And it can be said that various factors contributed towards to be financially dependent on their father or husband after
preventing a woman in India to become truly a “new woman” marriage, which further demoralise them.
as women are not born but made. Though India has to go a long way before achieving the
While on one hand, India has seen an increased percentage gender equality to make the present women as new women,
of literacy among women, more women entering the but still we cannot ignore the achievements made so far to
professional fields after completing the required education, empower women more and more.

Essays OF THE MONTH
Before India’s independence in 1947, several reformers tried weaker section of women under Ujjwala Scheme to improve
to uplift the status of women in the society like the Bhakti their health condition, Providing monetary and nutritional
Reformers and Social Reformers where the Bhakti Reformers support to Pregnant women of certain section through
tried to change the mindset of society towards women in a Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana and National Food
better way through religious preaching and songs and the Security Act, giving maternity benefits for working women by
social reformers like Raja Rammohan Roy, Ishwarchandra increasing the paid maternity leave from 12 to 26 weeks with
Vidyasagar, Swami Vivekananda brought the changes a mandatory crèche facility to motivate them and running of
supported by laws such as abolition of Sati, approving widow programs like KIRAN, DISHA to increase the no. of girls or
remarriage, setting an age for marriage against child women taking the STEM as career etc. To improve the
marriage, abolition of infanticide etc. Some of the women financial independency, more and more women self Help
also tried to bring changes in the society starting from Rani groups are being promoted. Now Government also try to
Lakshmibai of Jhansi who fought fiercely against the British encourage more institutional deliveries in the rural areas with
East India Company, Savitribai Phule, who was considered as ASHA and Anganwadi workers to increase awareness and to
the 1st female teacher of India opened up school for girls’ reduce the maternal and neonatal mortality rate.
education and Kasturba Gandhi, Sarojini Naidu, Vijayalaxmi
But more important is a need for change in social attitudes
Pandit who took part in India’s National freedom struggle,
towards women so that they can freely occupy public places,
became inspirations for many more women in the orthodox
get education, earn their living and treated equally.
society.
Government Policies and the Civil Society’s efforts towards
So, when India got independence, this contribution of women women’s advancement need to shift their focus from being
was widely acknowledged and the newly formulated paternalistic and protective towards empowering women so
constitution gave them equal rights in terms of justice, liberty, that they can help themselves. This would involve focusing on
equality and fraternity, considering them as citizens of giving self-defense training to women, enhancing their
country with equal voting rights as men with a positive leadership skills. With livelihood training and presenting them
discrimination in the fundamental rights. The government of opportunity to more participation.
India enacted many laws to ensure equal rights to women
As women suffer from this systematic bias from a young age
and to counter the discrimination, violence, atrocities and
in India, they are unable to become independent properly
crime against women like Dowry Prohibition Act 1961,
from both mind and body which can be overcome by the
Prevention of Child Marriage Act, Pre-conception and Pre-
changes in psychological paradigm within society. It can be
natal diagnostic techniques Act etc. which have improved the
done by awareness generation through great examples of
position of women in India. Again the 73rd and 74th
women leaders in various fields, promoting education and
Constitutional amendment Act brought 33% of reservation
sports and efforts of Government in bringing about a change
for women in the local Panchayats and urban bodies which
in people’s attitude. Violence like Rape, acid throwing against
increased their representation in the political system.
women is a major deterrent in their freedom and movement
Also, India is showing now a significant improvement in the and even though there are provisions of law against these
life expectancy, mean year of schooling and access to quality crimes, they are still persistent. Hence, Speedy handling of
food for the women with inclination of Government towards such cases by Police and Fast-Track courts dedicated to
more gender based budgeting programs like Skill India, Beti resolve them can go a long way in providing justice to the
Bachao Beti Padhao, Sukanya Samridhi etc. Participation of women victims and proving to be deterrent for criminals
women in the economy of India is also increasing as the rural which led to the change in mindset (social pressure) of people
Indian women make up about 89% of workforce often called about the safety of women.
as feminization of the Agriculture. The MGNREGA has also
As the women’s movement is now wide-spread,
given opportunity to women to earn their own income.
mainstreaming of gender perspective is a must in
So, while appreciating these positives, the focus now should development process. Legal systems must be just and gender
be on Corrective steps taken to further improve the status of sensitive so that new laws for betterment of women may be
women in recent times like giving free LPG cylinder to the enacted and existing laws are reviewed. Community and

Essays OF THE MONTH
religious leaders must be encouraged to effect requisite rationally cross checking their own beliefs, then a time will
changes in personal laws and laws related to society, come in near future where the society will be opening itself
property and inheritance like entry of all age women into for change in its psychology reflecting democratic and
Sabrimala temple, abolition of triple talaq, equal right for egalitarian approach and hence, such a society becomes
women in inheritance and land ownership etc. so that concerned for bringing empowerment to all including woman
common people see it like an example for a behavioural which will help in eradicating the myth of empowerment and
modification. Reservation for women in national and state ushering in real women empowerment because fully
level legislative bodies must be implemented with bridging empowered women which is half of the population can
the gaps in policies and programs implementation. contribute in holistic development of the society and the
entire nation. This in turn is needed for ‘New India’ to lead a
Hence, with respect to the methods highlighted above for life of fulfillment by liberating them from persisting
moulding the mindsets, if they are holistically applied in a patriarchal hegemony and change the myth into a reality.
sustainable manner so as to gradually nudge the people into
thinking, becoming receptive for new and better information,
GOOD FENCES MAKE GOOD NEIGHBOURS

# Diplomacy
S.T. MANASWINI
(RAU’S DELHI STUDENT- BATCH GSI-1)
Disclaimer: The viewpoints in the topic are strictly personal must not have any external threat (i.e. it must have good
of the writer above. The role of Rau’s IAS Study Circle is to relation with foreign entities.)
present the write-up in its original form, hence the study The colonization of countries slowly leading to imperialism by
circle neither endorses nor rejects any viewpoint in the country’s like British and French had slowly caused a sense of
submission. The purpose is only to showcase the manner of nationality among the colonies. For example:- In case of India,
writing. the diverse population of India had been colonised for couple
of centuries not only by the British but Portugueese and
Dutch as well. Though this initial intention was economic
(trade), they gradually moved towards administration in the
name of welfare for underdevelopment as they called it
Every nation-state is moving towards the “White Man’s Burden.”The constant suppression led to
concept of Welfare state gradually. The most uprising in different parts of the country, who then came
important factor in the state’s policy making together having created a sense of nationalism, fighting for
measures is the welfare of the people/citizens. the freedom. This was the basis for the struggle for
This is the driving force for the interest (national interest) and Independence.
sovereignty of a country. The concept of welfare state arose After World War II (WWII) it was decided that all the colonies
due to the long struggle against colonialism. For peace and would be surrendered and under Atlantic charter there would
prosperity in a nation state the state should be firstly free of be an organization called the United Nations for maintaining
any internal conflict, i.e., there must be feeling of oneness world peace and integrity among nation-state. Being
among people (concept of nation). And secondly, the state liberated from years of suppression the newly formed
governments naturally inclined towards the welfare

economy. Thus started the concept of welfare state. Some India in particular has tried to maintain good relations with all
ultra-nationalist took up communist method while some the states. This can be traced to the beginning of
followed a capitalist and mixed economic method (i.e.) by independence, even during the cold war. When the two rising
being democratic. super powers U.S. and U.S.S.R. fought for world dominance
most of the 3rd world countries were forced to take sides
Years after the war, it was widely accepted that democracy is
which on the long term would affect the sovereignty of the
the best form of government. Being newly formed, a sense of
state or might hurt their national interest. Therefore, India
unity among people already existed. There was a need to
under the leadership of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru along with
make sure of safety from any external factors. This is what
other leaders like NASEER from Egypt formed NAM (Non
started the diplomatic relations among the states. To have a
Alignment Movement). Under NAM, the countries followed a
diplomatic relation, the best sought out method is to increase
neutral path and did not have to incline towards any one of
economic co-operation among the states. E.g. After the WWII,
the super powers. This also increased the Asia-Africa
the European Union (EU) was formed to have an economic
relationship.
free flow among the member nations. It consisted members
of both the Allied powers and Axis powers who fought At present there are more countries who have joined NAM
against each other in WWII. The success of EU so far in though there is criticism on the validity of NAM after the end
achieving its target is proof for the same. of the Cold War (1991- with disintegration of USSR), the other
interest are yet to be fulfilled. The major thrust of NAM is
Every Nation-State which is a member of UN has also tried to
creation of democratic, equitable and non-exploitative inter-
increase their economic co-operation not only among the
state relations. As long as there is exploitation, war, hunger,
immediate members but all around the world. Thus UN
poverty and disease on earth/world, NAM shall continue to
provided a platform for the state’s to resolve their dispute
have relevance in the geo-politics of the world.
which might not have been done in case of escalation.
Therefore, to achieve peace in a country or to be safe from
Even then, the major concern for every state is the immediate
external conflict the primary step must be to promote the
neighbourhood. The state tries to keep good relations with
understanding between neighbouring countries which can be
the other states with which it shares boundaries. Failure of
achieved by economic co-operation. The main agenda is trust
this can be seen in the present day, ongoing Arab war. This
building. The creation of fences is inevitable but building trust
has hurt the interest of the people which in turn led to the
amongst each other will decide if it must be an Iron wall or an
creation of cessationist groups like ISIS and rebels within the
iron gate.
states fighting against the government. But an example
where the states are striving towards peace can be the SAARC The increasing focus on foreign relations in order to
nations. Here, India considers itself the big-brother of the strengthen ties with the nations shows India’s commitment
region and has provided the status of MFN (Most Favoured towards achieving world peace. Along with prevention of war,
Nation) to the SAARC members even if it does not receive it new challenges have arisen in the present like genocide,
back in reciprocity to prove how serious Index is towards this wide-spread diseases, climate change, environmental
goal. degradation etc. These issues which affect people on global
scale cannot be solved by one country/state. It needs co-
The main reason for the country’s to join hands is the threat
operation among states all across the world. Therefore,
they felt from China. The country’s members feel that India
maintaining good relations with other nation-state for the
could keep a check on China. And the similarity in ethnicity,
fight against threat to humanity which may be natural or man
culture and religious beliefs among people has also helped
driven (like terrorism), a collective stance is required. This will
increase the people to people interaction which has in turn
in turn benefit the citizens of the nation which is the primary
helped co-operation among the states.
objective of any decision taken by the state.
Another example is the growing success of the India’s look
East Policy, where the ASEAN countries though do not share
borders with India yet have a similarity in their interest which
is the driving force of their co-operation.


Rau's IAS Focus Magazine November 2019 PDF

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Rau's IAS Focus Magazine November 2019 PDF

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Join Telegram for More Update : - https://t.

https://t.me/upsc_pdf https://upscpdf.com https://t.me/upsc_pdf

https://t.me/upsc_pdf https://upscpdf.com https://t.me/upsc_pdf

https://t.me/upsc_pdf https://upscpdf.com https://t.me/upsc_pdf

Current Affairs Analysis PRACTICE QUESTIONS 15

https://t.me/upsc_pdf https://upscpdf.com https://t.me/upsc_pdf

MORNING PRAYERS IN SCHOOL – ARTICLE 28(3) IMF QUOTA REFORMS

PRACTICE QUESTIONS 33 HIGHLIGHTS OF 20TH LIVESTOCK CENSUS

TENSIONS IN FISCAL FEDERALISM

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WHO WOULD BEAR THE BURDEN OF CORPORATE TAX

https://t.me/upsc_pdf https://upscpdf.com https://t.me/upsc_pdf

SEVERE ACUTE MALNUTRITION (SAM)

https://t.me/upsc_pdf https://upscpdf.com https://t.me/upsc_pdf

E-WASTE MANAGEMENT RULES LIME SURKHI

FAC: CLARIFICATION ON DEFINITION OF FOREST RANGDUM MONASTERY

ANTARCTIC OCEAN SANCTUARY HYDERABAD FUNDS CASE

SNOW LEOPARD BATHUKAMMA

RATAPANI TIGER RESERVE GLOBAL PEACE MARCH

PRACTICE QUESTIONS 110

PRACTICE QUESTIONS 101

INDIAN OCEAN REGION: SECURITY INITIATIVES

ISHWARA CHANDRA VIDYASAGAR

https://t.me/upsc_pdf https://upscpdf.com https://t.me/upsc_pdf

# Environment SUBHASH GERA (EX-STUDENT) 128

Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude # ETHICS, INTEGRITY AND APTITUDE

119 FULFILMENT OF NEW WOMAN IN INDIA IS A MYTH

Part Three 136

Essays of the month

https://t.me/upsc_pdf https://upscpdf.com https://t.me/upsc_pdf

https://t.me/upsc_pdf https://upscpdf.com https://t.me/upsc_pdf

CHINA’s GROWING CLOUT

China leads the race to exploit deep sea minerals - The

HOW CHINA IS TRYING TO DO IT?

FOCUS | November 2 019 | RAU’S IAS 2

ABOUT NAM 3. Rise of various other multilateral groupings such as

FOCUS | November 2 019 | RAU’S IAS 3

Also, India is building Trincomalee Port in Sri Lanka. The

FOCUS | November 2 019 | RAU’S IAS 4

China unveiled the concept for the Twenty-First Century

Hence, growing aggressive Chinese presence in Indian

Positive developments in India and Sri Lanka relationship

Social Sector Grants: India’s support in the social sector in

FOCUS | November 2 019 | RAU’S IAS 5

CHINA-NEPAL STRATEGIC CONVERGENCE CAN BE foreseeable future.

SEEN IN WAY FORWARD

FOCUS | November 2 019 | RAU’S IAS 6

INDIA AND CHINA

WHY CHINESE RAPPROCHEMENT NOW?

Relations between China and the U.S. have sharply

FOCUS | November 2 019 | RAU’S IAS

India-Chinese contestation such as seen in terms of Border IN NEWS

such as Nuclear Suppliers Group and UNSC. nuclear energy.

Economic Cooperation – while Indian market is critical to WHAT IS NSG?

India considers NPT as a flawed treaty and as it does not

FOCUS | November 2 019 | RAU’S IAS

G-4 AND INDIA’s BID FOR

# India and the World THE THREE KEY AREAS OF REFORM

FOCUS | November 2 019 | RAU’S IAS

INDIA AND BANGLADESH

Despite the intertwined histories of the two countries and

INDIA AND BANGLADESH RELATIONSHIP

Historic land boundary agreement was signed in 2015

Common membership of forums such as SAARC,