Current Affairs-Jan2022

JANUARY
2022
Focus on Prelims and Mains
Mediation Bill, 2021 Strategic Oil Reserve U.N. draft resolution Webb versus Hubble
Programme on climate change Telescopes
Complete Month Coverage | Detailed Analysis | Factual Information
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M.S.Shashank
January - 2022 Current Affairs
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M.S.Shashank
1. Polity & Governance ............................................................................ 6

1.1. Adoption of Commissionerate System ..................................................................................................... 6
1.2. SC has taken note of Section 124A misuse ............................................................................................... 7
1.3. Governor’s role in the state and central universities ............................................................................... 7
1.4. Revisiting EWS Criteria: Govt tells SC ........................................................................................................ 8
1.5. Mediation Bill, 2021 .................................................................................................................................. 9
1.6. Anti Defection Law (10th Schedule)........................................................................................................ 10
1.7. Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021 ................................................................................................... 13
1.8. Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill, 2021 ........................................................... 14
1.9. Disruptions in Parliament........................................................................................................................ 15
1.10. Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Bill, 2021 ..................................................................... 16
1.11. Indianisation of the Legal System ........................................................................................................... 18
1.12. Poverty key factor in determining institutional delivery: study ............................................................. 21
2. Economy ............................................................................................ 22
2.1. RBI and PM signal reforms in troubled urban coop banks ..................................................................... 22
2.2. Global Economy after COVID-19 Pandemic and India’s Role.................................................................. 22
2.3. Bank Deposit Insurance Programme....................................................................................................... 24
2.4. Strategic Oil Reserve Programme ........................................................................................................... 25
2.5. National Monetisation Pipeline .............................................................................................................. 26
2.6. ESG Funds ................................................................................................................................................ 28
2.7. Open Acreage Licensing Programme (OALP)Bid ..................................................................................... 29
2.8. OECD Model on Global Minimum Tax .................................................................................................... 30
2.9. Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) ..................................................................................................... 31
3. International Relations ....................................................................... 33

3.1. The Iran-US deadlock over nuclear capability......................................................................................... 33
3.2. U.N. draft resolution on climate change ................................................................................................. 35
3.3. Fathoming the new world disorder ........................................................................................................ 36
3.4. INDO-MYANMAR RELATIONS.................................................................................................................. 37
3.5. DEMOCRACY SUMMIT ............................................................................................................................ 40
3.6. Trincomalee Oil Farm Deal ...................................................................................................................... 42
3.7. 3rd India-Central Asia Dialogue .............................................................................................................. 43
4. Science & Technology......................................................................... 45

4.1. Webb versus Hubble Telescopes ............................................................................................................ 45
4.2. PARKER SOLAR PROBE ............................................................................................................................ 46
4.3. 'Pralay' Missile......................................................................................................................................... 47
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M.S.Shashank
4.4. 5G Telecom Services ............................................................................................................................... 47
4.5. Magnetar................................................................................................................................................. 48
4.6. Technology Development Board............................................................................................................. 49
4.7. World’s Oldest Family Tree ..................................................................................................................... 50
5. Social Issues & Justice ........................................................................ 51

5.1. Men in India take 82% of labor income, says report .............................................................................. 51
5.2. The elderly are assets, not dependents .................................................................................................. 52
6. Health ................................................................................................ 53
6.1. Status of Pulmonary TB: The Lancet Study ............................................................................................. 53
6.2. Amendment to the NDPS Act .................................................................................................................. 55
6.3. State Health Index: NITI Aayog ............................................................................................................... 56
7. education ........................................................................................... 58
7.1. Vernacular Innovation Program .............................................................................................................. 58
8. Agriculture ......................................................................................... 59
8.1. MSPS FOR COPRA .................................................................................................................................... 59
8.2. ‘SPICES STATISTICS AT A GLANCE 2021’ .................................................................................................. 59
8.3. AgriTech COHORT ................................................................................................................................... 60
8.4. Diversification Of Food Basket In Programmes ...................................................................................... 61
8.5. Transforming the livelihood of farmers .................................................................................................. 62
9. Environment ...................................................................................... 64
9.1. Buxa Tiger Reserve .................................................................................................................................. 64
9.2. Wildlife Conservation in India ................................................................................................................. 65
9.3. Olive Ridley Turtle ................................................................................................................................... 66
9.4. Ecologically Sensitive Areas in Western Ghats ....................................................................................... 67
9.5. Kasturirangan Committee on Western Ghats ......................................................................................... 68
9.6. Desertification of the Thar region ........................................................................................................... 70
9.7. Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)..................................................................................................... 71
9.8. Thar desert expanding fast with land degradation, finds study ............................................................. 72
9.9. Ecologists oppose changes to Biological Diversity Act, 2002 .................................................................. 73
10. Internal Security................................................................................. 74

10.1. Manipur and Assam wanted to retain AFSPA ......................................................................................... 74
10.2. Deep Dive Training Program ................................................................................................................... 75
10.3. Sacrilege and Lynching ............................................................................................................................ 75
10.4. Controlled Aerial Delivery System .......................................................................................................... 76
11. Geography & Disaster Management ................................................... 78

11.1. CHILLAI KALAN ........................................................................................................................................ 78
11.2. Katchatheevu Island ................................................................................................................................ 78
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M.S.Shashank
11.3. National Disaster Response Fund ........................................................................................................... 79
11.4. Cold Waves in Northwest India ............................................................................................................... 79
11.5. Himalayan Glaciers Are Melting at Furious Rate .................................................................................... 80
12. History- Art & Culture......................................................................... 81

12.1. SRI AUROBINDO ...................................................................................................................................... 81
12.2. RAMNA KALI TEMPLE .............................................................................................................................. 81
12.3. Kalibari Temple ....................................................................................................................................... 82
12.4. Veera Rani Abbakka Utsava .................................................................................................................... 82
12.5. Punjab CM gave tag of ‘state festival’..................................................................................................... 82
12.6. Konark Sun Temple ................................................................................................................................. 83
12.7. Kaavi Art .................................................................................................................................................. 84
13. Awards .............................................................................................. 84

13.1. Order of the Druk Gyalpo ........................................................................................................................ 84
13.2. Sushila Devi Award 2021 ......................................................................................................................... 84
13.3. “Digital Innovation of the Year” award ................................................................................................... 85
13.4. Pritzker Prize ........................................................................................................................................... 85
13.5. UN Women’s Award for Leadership Commitment 2021 ........................................................................ 85
13.6. Global Entrepreneur of the Year Award ................................................................................................. 85
13.7. Highest Civilian Award ............................................................................................................................ 85
13.8. Ramanujan Prize 2021 ............................................................................................................................ 85
14. Government Initiatives....................................................................... 86

14.1. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) 3.0 ............................................................................... 86
14.2. Skill India ................................................................................................................................................. 86
14.3. Ujjwala Scheme ....................................................................................................................................... 87
15. Persons & Appointments .................................................................... 88

15.1. Desmond Tutu ......................................................................................................................................... 88
15.2. Rajeev Ahuja............................................................................................................................................ 88
15.3. Mohammed Ben Sulayem ....................................................................................................................... 88
15.4. Kamlesh Gandhi ...................................................................................................................................... 89
15.5. Aanchal Thakur........................................................................................................................................ 89
15.6. KS Sethumadhavan ................................................................................................................................. 89
15.7. Anahat Singh ........................................................................................................................................... 89
15.8. Gabriel Boric ............................................................................................................................................ 89
15.9. Pradeep Kumar Rawat ............................................................................................................................ 89
15.10. PV Sindhu ................................................................................................................................................ 90
15.11. Harnaaz Sandhu ...................................................................................................................................... 90
16. Important Days .................................................................................. 90

16.1. World AIDS Day 2021 .............................................................................................................................. 90
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M.S.Shashank
16.2. Nagaland Statehood Day......................................................................................................................... 90
16.3. World Human Rights Day ........................................................................................................................ 91
16.4. International Anti-Corruption Day .......................................................................................................... 91
16.5. International Mountain Day.................................................................................................................... 91
16.6. Unicef Day ............................................................................................................................................... 91
16.7. National Energy Conservation Day ......................................................................................................... 92
16.8. 50th Vijay Diwas ...................................................................................................................................... 92
16.9. International Migrants Day ..................................................................................................................... 92
16.10. National Minorities Rights Day ............................................................................................................... 92
16.11. International Human Solidarity Day........................................................................................................ 92
16.12. National Mathematics Day...................................................................................................................... 93
16.13. Indian National Farmer’s Day.................................................................................................................. 93
16.14. National Consumer Day .......................................................................................................................... 93
16.15. Good Governance Day ............................................................................................................................ 93
16.16. International Day of Epidemic Preparedness ......................................................................................... 93
17. Miscellaneous .................................................................................... 94

17.1. ASIGMA ................................................................................................................................................... 94
17.2. Tamil Thai Vaazhthu Song ....................................................................................................................... 94
17.3. Kanpur Metro Rail Project....................................................................................................................... 95
17.4. Delhi to set up first Teachers University ................................................................................................. 95
17.5. Telangana’s New rules on child labour ................................................................................................... 95
17.6. Docprime tech launched India’s first ABDM integrated Health Locker .................................................. 96
17.7. GI Tag to Bihar’s Mithila Makhana .......................................................................................................... 96
17.8. International Solar Alliance ..................................................................................................................... 96
17.9. SpaceX’s first flight surgeon .................................................................................................................... 97
17.10. Goa Liberation Day .................................................................................................................................. 97
17.11. Apatani Textile Product........................................................................................................................... 97
17.12. She is a Changemaker’ programme ........................................................................................................ 98
17.13. UNICEF Climate Change Curriculum........................................................................................................ 98
17.14. Dubai Is 100% Paperless ......................................................................................................................... 98
17.15. First FM Radio Station In Ladakh ............................................................................................................ 98
17.16. Green Hydrogen Microgrid Projects in Andhra....................................................................................... 99
17.17. Kashi Vishwanath Corridor ...................................................................................................................... 99
17.18. Indias First Ropeway Service ................................................................................................................... 99
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M.S.Shashank
1. Polity & Governance

1.1. Adoption of Commissionerate How does the Commissionerate system empower
the police?
System
• The commissioner of police under the
Why in the News? Commissionerate system exercises the powers
and duties of a District Magistrate.
• Prime Minister, during the 56th DGPs and IGPs • These powers are also available to any officer
conference, is said to have reinforced the need under the commissioner who is not below the
to adopt the Commissionerate system in cities rank of an Assistant Commissioner of Police.
with a population of over 10 lakh. • This essentially means that such police officers
now have powers of preventive arrest,
More Details: imposing Section 144 of the CrPC Act and also
to initiate chapter proceedings which include
• Citing growing population and geographical issuing showcause notices to persons asking
expansion of Bhopal and Indore and the them to execute a bond with or without
accompanying administrative and law & order sureties for good behaviour in interest of the
problems, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister public.
Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced the • The police are also empowered to conduct
implementation of a police Commissionerate externment proceedings and issue written
system in the two cities. orders to remove a person from their
jurisdiction of the Commissionerate for a
What is the ‘dual command’ system of policing?
maximum of two years.
• Under the dual command system, the District
Magistrate and the Superintendent of Police
(SP) share powers and responsibilities in a
district.
• Under this structure, the DM is entrusted with
issuing arrest warrants, licenses while the SP
has powers and responsibilities to investigate
crime and make arrests.
• The system is designed to ensure a lower
concentration of power and making the police
more accountable to the DM at the district
level.
• Under the police Commissionerate system, the
powers of both policing and magistracy are
concentrated with the commissioner, who is
directly accountable to the state government
and the state police chief.
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M.S.Shashank
Need to introduce the Commissionerate system court regarding the stifling impact of “colonial
law,” which restricts ordinary people’s
• Various committees constituted to suggest liberties.
police reforms: have recommended • The CJI likened the use of the sedition charge
implementation of a police commissioner (Section 124A of the IPC) to a carpenter being
system in cities which have witnessed rapid handed a tool “to cut a piece of wood and he
urbanisation and have a population of more uses it to chop the entire forest altogether.”
than 10 lakhs. • The Chief Justice questioned why a democracy
• In the 6th report of the National Police required a legislation that had been used by
Commission: it noted that as compared to the British to arrest Mahatma Gandhi and Bal
police in districts, police in Commissionerate in Gangadhar Tilak.
small areas had a better account of • Attorney General K.K. Venugopal answered in
themselves. court to the CJI’s oral observations, stating
• Changing dynamism and growing complexities there was no need to strike down Section
of security threats: It further pointed out that 124A.
in urban areas, the changing dynamism and • The court has already requested a formal
growing complexities of security threats response from the government by giving
required a swift and prompt response. notice on a petition to quash Section 124A
o Leaving very little time for discussion submitted by Major General S.G. Vombatkere
and debate, while recommending that (retd.).
the Commissionerate system can be • A petition filed by renowned journalist Arun
started in urban areas with a Shourie and the NGO Common Cause, both
population of 10 lakh and above. represented by counsel Prashant Bhushan,
• Solves the issue of lack of understanding: contends that Section 124A lacks even a
However, in districts where the SPs and DMs “presumption of legality.”
do not have an understanding, orders to
swiftly act are rarely issued in time which Significance of Remark: –
aggravates the situation.
• Additional powers: Police officers under this • The CJI’s remarks in court show that the top
Commissionerate system will be given court has taken judicial note of the State’s
additional powers by amending certain abuse of the sedition provision.
sections of the Code of Criminal Procedure • The observations were made by the CJI
(CrPC), Police Act, Motor Vehicles Act, National throughout the court’s sessions.
Security Act, State Security Act (externment • Though not part of a formal order or verdict,
from districts), Prisoners Act, Immoral Traffic oral observations made during a court hearing
Prevention Act, Government Secrets Act etc. reflect the constitutional court’s train of
thought.
1.2. SC has taken note of Section 124A • Furthermore, the Supreme Court’s 2015
decision in the Shreya Singhal case called for
misuse the repeal of ambiguous rules that stifle free
expression and limit personal liberty.
Why in the News?
• The Union Law Minister replied in Parliament 1.3. Governor’s role in the state and
that there is no proposal to scrap sedition central universities
charges from the Indian Penal Code.
Why in the News?
Judicial View on Sedition Law: –
• Recently, A controversy erupted in Kerala over
• Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana delivered a the reappointment of Gopinath Ravindran as
stinging rebuke to the government in open
7
M.S.Shashank
the Vice-Chancellor of Kannur University by • The President, as Visitor, shall have the right
the Governor of the state. to authorise inspections of academic and non-
o The disputes are, quite naturally, more academic aspects of the universities and also
common in states run by political rivals to institute inquiries.
of the party running the Union
government, which appoints the 1.4. Revisiting EWS Criteria: Govt tells SC
Governors through the President of
India.
Why In the news?
Governor’s role in
• The Centre will review the Rs 8 lakh family
State Universities: income ceiling for Economically Weaker
Sections to apply for 10% reserved seats in
• In most cases, the Governor of the state is the central education institutes.
ex-officio chancellor of the universities in that
state. About
• While the Governor’s powers and functions as
the Chancellor are laid out in the statutes that • 103rd Amendment Act 2019: The Union
govern the universities under a particular state government has taken a considered decision
government. to revisit the criteria for determining the
• Their role in appointing the Vice-Chancellors economically weaker sections in terms of the
has often triggered disputes with the political provisions of the Explanation to Article 15 of
executive. the Constitution inserted by the Constitution
o In Kerala’s case, the Governor’s official (103rd Amendment) Act 2019.
portal asserts that “while as Governor • The main issue: is to reveal the rationale
he functions with the aid and advice of behind picking exactly Rs. 8 lakh as the annual
the Council of Ministers, as Chancellor income limit to identify EWS.
he acts independently of the Council of o The ground for reservations for OBCs
Ministers and takes his own decisions was socio-educational backwardness
on all University matters”. while the basis of EWS reservations
▪ In marked contrast, the website was purely economic.
of Rajasthan’s Raj Bhawan o 10% reservations for the EWS category
states that the “Governor take overall reservations to 69%. A
appoints the Vice-Chancellor on reservation for SCs is 15%, for STs 7%
the advice/ in consultation with and 27% for OBCs.
the State Government”
Central Universities:
• Under the Central Universities Act, 2009, and

other statutes, the President of India shall be
the Visitor of a central university.
• Chancellors are appointed by the President in
his capacity as Visitor.
• They are titular heads with their role limited to
presiding over convocations in central Quantum of reservation
universities.
• The VCs too are appointed by the Visitor from • The persons belonging to EWSs who are not
panels of names picked by search and covered under the scheme of reservation for
selection committees formed by the Union SCs, STs and OBCs shall get 10% reservation in
government.
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M.S.Shashank
direct recruitment in civil posts and services in Need for the 103rd Amendment
the Government and admission in educational
institutions. • The upper caste students who were not able to
attend public employment and higher
Analysis of the Amendment education due to lack of proper financial
structure in the family, this particular
• When the Constitution was amended the amendment will address such an issue that
challenge was to meet criteria of the basic prevails in India.
structure doctrine. • Also, many of the upper caste citizens live in
• Since it was an established principle that poverty and hunger.
reservation shall have a cap of 50% but in case • This reservation amendment will also enable
of Mr Balaji vs. State of Mysore, the court the poor who belong to the upper caste to
stated that in any circumstances where the have the same reservation as OBC.
reservation exceeds 50% it would imply • Often the upper caste looked down upon
dominance over Section 16(1). those who came through reservation but now
• The Government of India provided for 10% this amendment will help to eliminate such
reservation to weaker sections of the society. stigma that prevailed.
It was taken down in Indira Sawhney vs. Union
of India. 1.5. Mediation Bill, 2021
• All these judgements were passed keeping in
mind the law and the legislation that have
never been discarded in violation of basic Why In News?
structure doctrine.
o The amendment seems to provide • The Centre introduced in the Rajya Sabha the
reservation only to the extent of 10%. Mediation Bill, 2021, which institutionalized
• Articles 15(4), Article 15(5) and 16(4) do not the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
explicitly mention that reservation shall be mechanism of pre-litigation mediation in
50% by way of legislation. matters of civil or commercial dispute before
o Therefore, any challenge that mentions parties approach a court or a tribunal.
the violation of basic structure doctrine
does not stand valid. About
• Also, in the case of Keshavnand Bharti vs. State
of Kerala, it was clearly held by the Supreme • Mediation Council of India: The Bill provides
Court that no law can be passed in the Gazette for the establishment of the Mediation Council
of India that destroys or damages the basic of India.
structure of the Constitution of India. • Section 6 of the Bill: says that any party before
• Therefore, it can be agreed that the 103rd filing any suit or proceedings of civil or
Amendment has been created logically and commercial nature in any court shall take steps
has put educational and social backwardness to settle the dispute by pre-litigation
at war by including Article 15(6) and 16(6). mediation in accordance with the provisions of
the proposed law.
Eligibility criteria for EWS reservations • Objectives: The objectives of the Council
would be to promote mediation and to
• Candidate's annual family income must be less develop India as a robust centre for domestic
than Rs. 8 lakhs per annum. and international mediation, make regulations
• Their family must not own more than 5 acres for registration of mediators, grade mediation
of agricultural land. service providers, specify criteria for
• The residential flat area should be below 1000 recognition of mediation institutes and
sq ft. mediation service providers.
• Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996: The Bill
subsumes conciliation under Part III of the
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M.S.Shashank
Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, and • Open-ended and ambiguous: Certain
uses “conciliation” and “mediation” provisions have been left open-ended and
interchangeably. ambiguous by the drafters, which need to be
• Deadline: The Bill sets a period of 180 days for addressed urgently.
completing the mediation process which is • Lack of infrastructure: India does not have
further extendable to a maximum period of enough infrastructures, such as no. of
180 days with the mutual consent of the mediators and mediation centres etc for
parties. mandatory mediation.
• Binding on the parties: The mediated • Counterproductive: forcing unwilling parties
settlement agreement resulting from to go for mediation can be counterproductive.
mediation which will be final and binding and
will be enforceable in accordance with the Significance
provisions of Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, in
the same manner as if it were a judgment or • Effective dispute resolution: The Bill promises
decree of a Court. an effective dispute resolution process.
• Conduct of community mediation: with • Impact on doing business: The legislation can
consent of parties for disputes which are likely have a significant impact on the economy and
to affect peace, harmony and tranquility doing business in the country.
amongst the residents or families of any area • Reduces the burden on the courts: Mediation
or locality. results in amicable resolution of disputes in
• Indicative list of matters which are not fit for civil, commercial, family and matrimonial
mediation: This include disputes which by matters and fosters collaborative approach,
virtue of any law for the time being in force reduces the burden on the courts, and
may not be submitted for mediation, preserves relationships amongst disputants.
o Disputes involving allegations of • Interests of all the stakeholders: Bringing a
serious and specific fraud, comprehensive mediation law and providing
o Fabrication of documents, for online mediation may serve the interests of
o Forgery, all the stakeholders as an effective alternative
o Impersonation, mechanism for resolving disputes.
o Coercion,
o Disputes relating to claims against 1.6. Anti Defection Law (10th Schedule)
minors, deities;
o Persons with intellectual disabilities,
o Disputes involving prosecution for Why In the News?
criminal offenses,
o Proceedings before various • Meghalaya Speaker rejected Congress’ plea to
Commissions and appellate tribunals, disqualify its 12 MLAs who deserted the party
o Land acquisition and determination of and joined TMC and declared their move as
compensation under land acquisition ‘valid’ under the 10th Schedule of the
laws, or any provision of law providing Constitution.
for land acquisition and any other
subject-matter of dispute which may About
be notified by the Centre.
• The 10th Schedule of the Constitution contains
Issues provisions relating to disqualification on the
ground of defection. It was included under the
• No comprehensive law: ADR mechanism of 52nd Constitution Amendment Act, also called
mediation finds mention in various existing Anti Defection Act (1985).
laws, but there is no comprehensive law
governing the various aspects of mediation.
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M.S.Shashank
Anti Defection Law original party will face
disqualification.
Origin: • Interpretation by Courts: The Supreme Court
has interpreted different provisions of the law.
• Aaya Ram Gaya Ram was a phrase that o The phrase ‘Voluntarily gives up his
became popular in Indian politics after a membership’ has a wider connotation
Haryana MLA Gaya Lal changed his party thrice than resignation
within the same day in 1967. ▪ The law provides for a member
• The anti-defection law sought to prevent such to be disqualified if he
political defections which may be due to ‘voluntarily gives up his
reward of office or other similar membership’.
considerations. ▪ However, the Supreme Court
has interpreted that in the
10th Schedule: absence of a formal
resignation by the member, the
• Constitutional basis: giving up of membership can be
o The Tenth Schedule was inserted in the inferred by his conduct.
Constitution in by 52nd Amendment o In other judgments, members who
Act, 1985. have publicly expressed opposition to
• Lays down the Procedure: their party or support for another party
o It lays down the process by which were deemed to have resigned.
legislators may be disqualified on • Decision of the Presiding Officer is subject to
grounds of defection by the Presiding judicial review
Officer of a legislature based on a o Initially it was not subject to Judicial
petition by any other member of the Review:
House. ▪ The law initially stated that the
• Condition of Defection: decision of the Presiding Officer
o A legislator is deemed to have defected is not subject to judicial review.
if he either voluntarily gives up the ▪ This condition was struck down
membership of his party or disobeys by the Supreme Court in 1992,
the directives of the party leadership thereby allowing appeals
on a vote. against the Presiding Officer’s
o This implies that a legislator defying decision in the High Court and
(abstaining or voting against) the party Supreme Court.
whip on any issue can lose his ▪ However, it held that there may
membership of the House. not be any judicial intervention
• Applicable to: until the Presiding Officer gives
o The law applies to both Parliament and his order.
state assemblies. • It affects the ability of legislators to make
• Exceptions in Law: decisions:
o Legislators may change their party o The anti-defection law seeks to provide
without the risk of disqualification in a stable government by ensuring the
certain circumstances. legislators do not switch sides.
o The law allows a party to merge with or o However, this law also restricts a
into another party provided that at legislator from voting in line with his
least two-thirds of its legislators are in conscience, judgment and interests of
favor of the merger. his electorate.
▪ In such a scenario, neither the o Such a situation impedes the oversight
members who decide to merge, function of the legislature over the
nor the ones who stay with the government, by ensuring that
11
M.S.Shashank
members vote based on the decisions • In these scenarios, the MLAs were subject to
taken by the party leadership, and not disqualification while defecting to the ruling
what their constituents would like party in smaller groups.
them to vote for. • However, it is not clear if they will still face
disqualification if the Presiding Officer makes a
Benefits decision after more than 2/3rd of the
opposition has defected to the ruling party.
• The law aims at providing stability to the
Government by punishing members in case of Defecting to party forming Government after
any party shifts on their parts. election:
• Also, anti-defection laws try to bring about a
sense of loyalty of the members towards their • There have been instances wherein after the
own party. declaration of election results, winning
• This it tries to achieve by ensuring that the candidates have resigned from their
members selected in the name of the party membership of the House as well as the party
and its support as well as the party manifesto from which they got elected.
remain loyal to the political party of which he • Immediately, they have joined the political
is a member and its policies. party which has formed the government and
have again contested from that political party,
Challenges which appears to be a fraud and goes against
the spirit of the democracy and 52nd
Time Limit for Presiding Officer: constitutional amendment.
• The law does not specify a time-period for the Power to the Speaker:
Presiding Officer to decide on a disqualification
plea. • One of the major criticisms of this power is that
• Given that courts can intervene only after the it is not necessary that the speaker has legal
Presiding Officer has decided on the matter, knowledge and expertise to look upon and
the petitioner seeking disqualification has no perform such acts in such cases.
option but to wait for this decision to be made.
• There have been several cases where the No Freedom to go against party whip
Courts have expressed concern about the
unnecessary delay in deciding such petitions. • A political party acts as a dictator for its
• In some cases this delay in decision making has members who are not allowed to dissent. In
resulted in members, who have defected from this way it violates the principle of
their parties, continuing to be members of the representative democracy wherein the
House. members are forced to obey the high
• There have also been instances where command.
opposition members have been appointed
ministers in the government while still Problem with merger provision:
retaining the membership of their original
parties in the legislature. • The provision tends to safeguard the members
of a political party where the original political
Ambiguous Nature of Split: party merges with another party subject to the
condition that at least two-third of the
• In recent years, opposition MLAs in some members of the legislature party concerned
states, such as Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, have agreed to such merger.
have broken away in small groups gradually to • The flaw seems to be that the exception is
join the ruling party. based on the number of members rather than
• In some of these cases, more than 2/3rd of the the reason behind the defection.
opposition has defected to the ruling party.
12
M.S.Shashank
1.7. Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, Arguments in favor of the Bill
2021 • Electoral database management: Aadhaar
Why in the News? linking with electoral roll will solve one of the
major problems in electoral database
• Introducing The Election Laws (Amendment) management which is multiple enrolment of
Bill, 2021, the Union Law Minister said the the same person at different places.
legislation will end bogus voting in the country o This may be due to the frequent
and make the electoral process more credible. shifting of residence by electors and
getting enrolled in the new place
Proposed changes in the Bill without deleting the previous
enrolment.
• Linking Aadhaar to the Voter ID: The Election • To stop bogus voting: Government is
Laws (Amendment) Bill also seeks to allow the attempting to stop bogus voting.
electoral registration officers to ask for • Clean up electoral rolls: It will help clean up
Aadhaar number from "persons already electoral rolls and facilitate elector registration
included in the electoral roll for the purposes in the location at which they are “ordinarily
of authentication of entries in the electoral resident”.
roll. • No duplication: The possibility of electors
o And also to identify registration of whose names appear in more than one
names of the same person in the electoral roll or at times more than once in the
electoral roll of more than one same electoral roll can be removed.
constituency or more than once in the
same constituency. Arguments against the bill
• Voluntarily link Aadhaar data to electoral
rolls: Amendment bill makes it clear that no • Bill will curb the people's personal liberty:
application for inclusion of name in the Dismissing the apprehensions of the
electoral roll shall be denied and no entries in opposition on the bill as "baseless", the
the electoral roll shall be deleted for inability Government said opposition members were
of an individual to furnish or intimate Aadhaar "misinterpreting" the Supreme Court
number due to such sufficient cause as may be judgment on personal liberty.
prescribed. o Bill violates the Supreme Court
o Such people will be allowed to furnish judgment on Justice K S Puttaswamy
other documents as may be prescribed. case.
• Representation of the People Act, 1950 and • Potential for data breach: The linkage would
1951: Various sections of the Representation open the ecosystem to a possibility of a data
of the People Act, 1950 and 1951 will be breach by any agency or non-state actors.
amended. • Infringe on the fundamental rights:
o Section 23 of the RP Act, 1950 will be Opposition parties said it will infringe on the
amended to allow linking of electoral fundamental rights of citizens.
roll data with the Aadhaar ecosystem • Standing committee: Opposing the bill, some
"to curb the menace of multiple leaders demanded that the bill must be sent to
enrolment of the same person in the standing committee concerned for
different places. scrutiny.
o Section 14 of the RP Act, 1950 will • No data protection law: India doesn’t have the
allow having four "qualifying" dates for data protection law; we can't force such a bill
eligible people to register as voters. on people.
• Voting is a legal right: It is beyond the
legislative competence of the Aadhaar Act to
be linked with the electoral laws.
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M.S.Shashank
o Bill will suppress people's right to magistrate within 30 days after
exercise franchise freely. conversion and must appear before
o It will curb the rights of the SCs and STs the district magistrate to confirm
in exercising the franchise freely. his/her identity.
• Against Aadhar: Aadhaar is meant for the ▪ Not informing the district
residents of India and all residents are not magistrate will lead to the
Indians. By linking the Aadhaar with the conversion being declared null
electoral process, we are potentially giving the and void.
voting rights to non-citizens. o Post conversion, the district magistrate
has to inform revenue authorities, the
1.8. Karnataka Protection of Right to social welfare, minority, backward
classes and other departments of the
Freedom of Religion Bill, 2021 conversion, who will, in turn, take steps
with respect to the entitlements of the
Why In the News? person in terms of reservations and
other benefits.
• Recently, the Karnataka Protection of Right to
Freedom of Religion Bill, 2021 was cleared by Filing complaint:
the Karnataka Cabinet.
• Complaints of conversions can be filed by
Major Highlights of the Bill family members of a person who is getting
converted, or any other person who is related
Declaration of Marriage Null and Void: to the person who is getting converted, or any
person associated with the person getting
• The bill says that Any marriage which has converted.
happened for the sole purpose of unlawful
conversion or vice-versa by the man of one
religion with the woman of another religion,
either by converting himself before or after
marriage or by converting the woman before
or after marriage, shall be declared as null and
void by the family court or where the family
court is not established, the court having
jurisdiction to try such case, on a petition
presented by either party thereto against the
other party of the marriage.
Punishments:
Conversion steps:
• The Bill proposes a maximum punishment of
10 years of imprisonment for forcible
• The Bill insists that any person intending to
conversion of persons from Scheduled Caste,
convert to another religion will have to inform
Scheduled Tribe communities, minors and
the district magistrate at least thirty days in
women to another religion.
advance.
• The offence of conversion is cognisable and
o The person executing the conversion must
non-bailable and will attract a jail term of three
also give a notice one month in advance,
to five years and a fine of Rs.25,000 for people
following which an inquiry will be
found violating the law and a jail term of three
conducted by the district magistrate
to 10 years, and a fine of Rs.50,000 for people
through the police to establish the real
converting minors, women and persons from
intent of conversion.
the SC and ST communities.
▪ After getting converted, the person
has to again inform the district
14
M.S.Shashank
▪ The Bill also envisages a compensation • After independence, Parliament introduced a
of Rs.5 lakh to victims of forced number of anti-conversion bills which were
conversions. not enacted for want of majority approval.
o In post-Independent India, the first
Aims and Objectives Indian Conversion (Regulation and
Registration) Bill was introduced in
• It aims to prohibit conversion by 1954, which sought to enforce
misrepresentation, force, fraud, the “licensing of missionaries and the
allurement of marriage, coercion and undue registration of conversion with
influence. government officials.”
• Protection of the right to freedom of religion ▪ This bill was rejected.
o It provides for the protection of the
right to freedom of religion and the • This was followed by the introduction of the
prohibition of unlawful conversion Backward Communities (Religious Protection)
from one religion to another. Bill in 1960, “which aimed at checking
conversion of Hindus to ‘non-Indian religions’
Criticism which, as per the definition in the Bill, included
Islam, Christianity, Judaism and
• The bill is against the Constitution as there is Zoroastrianism,” and the Freedom of Religion
an attempt to disturb peace in the state and Bill in 1979, which sought “official curbs on
divert public attention for political reasons. inter-religious conversion.”
o It violates fundamental rights and the • These bills fell through for want of majority
constitution. It violates an individual's approval.
rights.
1.9. Disruptions in Parliament
Which other states have similar Legislation?
• Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Why In the News?

Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya
Pradesh, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and • Both Houses of Parliament adjourned sine die
Uttarakhand have laws restricting religious recently with presiding officers of the Lok
conversion. Odisha was the first State to enact Sabha and the Rajya Sabha expressing concern
anti-conversion legislation, the Orissa over disruptions.
Freedom of Religion Act, 1967. Madhya
Pradesh enacted the same the following year. Performance of the Houses
o Penalties for breaching the laws can
range from monetary fines to • The Rajya Sabha utilised only 47.9% of its
imprisonment, with punishments allotted time during the 18 sittings. Of the
ranging from one to three years of scheduled sitting time of 95 hours 6 minutes,
imprisonment and fines from Rs.5,000 it transacted only for 45 hours of business.
to Rs. 50,000. • The Lok Sabha saw 83 hours and 20 minutes of
o Some of the laws provide for stiffer business being conducted with 18 hours and
penalties if women, children, or 48 minutes of disruption.
members of Scheduled Castes or • The House performed “much below its
Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) are being potential”, a situation that owed much to the
converted. suspension of 12 Rajya Sabha MPs at the
beginning of the session for its entirety that
How has Parliament handled anti-conversion pretty much drew the battle lines in
bills? Parliament deeper than before.
15
M.S.Shashank
• Even Chief Justice N.V. Ramana had 1.10. Assisted Reproductive Technology
complained about a lack of debate in
(Regulation) Bill, 2021
Parliament.
• PRS Legislative Research data: 3rd least
Why In the News?
productive Lok Sabha session of the last two
decades. • A bill to regulate and supervise assisted
reproductive technology clinics was passed by
Reasons for Disruptions the Lok Sabha by a voice vote.
• Dissatisfaction in MPs: Inadequate time for Highlights of the Bill
airing their grievances.
• Political disagreements: On discussing issues Aim of the Bill:
like Pegasus phone hacking & farm laws.
• Violation of norms: Political parties not • The Bill seeks to regulate and supervise
adhering to parliamentary norms. assisted reproductive technology clinics and
• Other reasons: Unresponsive attitude of the banks, prevent misuse of the technology, and
government, like handling of Covid-19 promote ethical practice of the services.
situation, deaths due to the pandemic etc. • This bill is meant for those who aspire to
o Absence of rigid & prompt statutory parenthood. It is for the women to attain
provisions motherhood if they so desire.
o Less number of working days • The bill has excluded live-in couples, single
• Lack of Legislative Scrutiny: Govt. introduced men and the LGBTQ community.
11 bills in the session & passed them w/o
scrutiny by standing committees.
Impacts of Parliamentary Disruptions
• Hinder representative democracy

• Erosion of faith about Parliament
• Wastage of taxpayers money
• Laws are passed more in form than in
substance
• Inability of the Opposition to hold the
government accountable.
Measures to be Taken
Who can avail this?
• More teeth to MPs: Parliament can give more
chances to question the government. • The Assisted Reproductive Technology
• Ethics committees: Need to be strengthened (Regulation) Bill stipulates that a woman
• Productive Parliamentary Index: To showcase wishing to donate ovum must be between 23
the output and output of every session and 35 years, married and have at least a child
• Disincentivise MPs: Can be a good deterrent; of her own, 3 years or older.
strict adherence to Code of Conduct • According to the bill, a woman above the legal
• Increase in sitting days: A calendar of sittings age of marriage and below the age of 50 and a
should be announced man above the legal age of marriage and
• Sense of responsibility by both sides: The below the age of 55 can avail the assisted
smooth conduct of the House was the reproductive technology services.
responsibility of all stakeholders and must run • A couple or a single woman can use ART for
with the collective will and consensus of all. becoming a parent.
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M.S.Shashank
National Registry of Banks and Clinics of India: • The bill states that professional counselling on
the implications and chances of success of
• The bill stipulates that every ART clinic and assisted reproductive technology procedures
bank must be registered under the National in the clinic shall be provided to the
Registry of Banks and Clinics of India. commissioning couple and the woman.
• The registry will be established under the bill.
• States will appoint authorities for processing Insurance cover:
registration.
• The registration will have to be renewed every
Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)
five years.
• Clinics shall make an application to the
▪ ART is used to treat infertility. It includes
Registration Authority within a period of 60
fertility treatments that handle both a
days from the date of establishment of the
woman's egg and a man's sperm. It works by
National Registry.
removing eggs from a woman's body and
mixing them with sperm to make embryos.
Penal provisions:
The embryos are then put back in the
• Sex selection: It also proposes stringent woman's body.
punishment for those practising sex selection ▪ In Vitro fertilization (IVF) is the most
and sale of human embryos or gametes. common and effective type of ART.
• The bill introduced last year had provisions ▪ ART procedures sometimes use donor eggs,
that offences will be punishable with a fine donor sperm, or previously frozen embryos.
between Rs 5 and Rs 10 lakh for the first It may also involve a surrogate carrier.
contravention.
• For subsequent contraventions, these
• To provide insurance cover for egg donors and
offences will be punishable with imprisonment
protection from multiple embryo implantation
for a term between eight and 12 years, and a
(due to the health risks involved for mother
fine between Rs 10 and Rs 20 lakh.
and child).
• Advertising or offering sex-selective ART: Any
clinic or bank advertising or offering sex-
Preimplantation genetic testing mandatory:
selective ART will be punishable with
imprisonment between five and ten years, or
• To make preimplantation genetic testing
fine between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 25 lakh, or
mandatory for the benefit of a child born
both.
through assisted reproductive technology.
• Trafficking and sale of embryos: The bill also
has a provision that those involved in
Criticism of the Bill
trafficking and sale of embryos will be fined Rs
10 lakh in the first instance and in the second • Discriminatory in nature: The bill was
instance, the person can be imprisoned for up discriminatory as it did not allow single men
to 12 years. and LGBTQ couples to become parents.
• It draws powers from Surrogacy Bill: Bill
National Board:
cannot be taken up for consideration since it
draws its powers from the Surrogacy Bill which
• The bill proposes the constitution of a national
is yet to be passed in the Rajya Sabha.
board.
• Expensive procedure: It excludes those who
• The board will set minimum standards of
cannot afford this expensive procedure for a
physical infrastructure, laboratory, diagnostic
baby and the government should consider
equipment and expert manpower to be
supporting poor childless parents for taking
employed by clinics and banks.
ART's help.
Professional counselling:
17
M.S.Shashank
• Side effects and other disadvantages not • At least two Supreme Court judges have in the
mentioned clearly: Cost of the procedures, past few months openly expressed the need to
their medical side effects, risks including the “Indianise” the legal system.
risk of multiple pregnancies and any such other
matter that may help the commissioning SC’s Views
couple to arrive at an informed decision should
be stated in the bill. • Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana had called
• Issue of regulation: Many such ART clinics for the “Indianisation” of the legal system to
have been running in the country without provide greater access to justice to the poor
regulation. Thus, a need was felt for as the “need of the hour''.
regulation of such clinics. • The need to adapt to the practical realities of
• Not feasible for a single man to use ART: Since our society and localise our justice delivery
sex determination is not legal, it is not feasible systems. For example, parties from a rural
for a single man to use ART to become a place fighting a family dispute are usually
parent. made to feel out of place in the court. Such
cases should be avoided.
Need for ART regulation in India
Need for ‘Indianisation’ of the Legal System
• Minimum standards and codes: Bill seeks to
set minimum standards and codes of conduct • Pendency of Cases:
for fertility clinics and egg or sperm banks.
• Standard operating procedures: need is to
formulate standard operating procedures to
ensure “uniform costs” and “global quality
standards” across India.
• Monitoring body: The committee also noted
that a monitoring body should be set up to
prevent the “commercialisation” of ART
services by private players.
• To stop unethical or exploitative practices:
The need of the hour is to stop unethical or
exploitative practices.
Way Forward
• Monitoring mechanism: The committee said

that a monitoring mechanism under the
overall guidance of a national board had to be
set up to “prohibit unbridled
commercialisation of the ART services.
• Government support: The Government should
consider supporting poor childless parents for
taking ART's help as it is an expensive method.
1.11. Indianisation of the Legal System
Why In the News?
18
M.S.Shashank
of 1,098). Five High Courts (Telangana, Patna,
Rajasthan, Odisha, and Delhi) had more than 50%
vacancies. High Courts of Meghalaya and Manipur
had no vacancies.
Colonised System:
• Judicial thinking can not be allowed to be

constricted by reference to the law as it
prevails in England or for the matter of that in
any other foreign country.
• Supreme Court judgments themselves show
that the Indian legal system had made an early
Between 2010 and 2020, pendency across all start at consciously getting rid of the
courts grew by 2.8% annually. As of September “crutches” of colonial influence.
15, 2021, over 4.5 crore cases were pending across • The evolution of laws in India has been
all courts in India. Of these, 87.6% cases were through legislation and the binding precedents
pending in subordinate courts and 12.3% in High of the Supreme Court under Article 141 of the
Courts. Constitution. The public interest litigation
mechanism is truly Indian.
o This implies that, if no new cases were to be
filed, the time taken by courts to dispose of all Better connected with indian roots:
the pending cases at the current disposal rate
would be 1.3 years for the Supreme Court and • The highest judiciary has far from indulged in a
three years each for High Courts and “continued neglect” of the legal greats of
subordinate courts. ancient India. Several judgments since the
1980s refer to the works of Manu and Kautilya.
• Vacancies in the Courts: • In the privacy judgment, Justice (retired) S.A.
Bobde, referred to how “even in the ancient
and religious texts of India, a well-developed
sense of privacy is evident”. He mentions that
Kautilya’s “Arthashastra prohibits entry into
another’s house, without the owner’s
consent”.
Complex Judgements - moving away from ancient

texts:
• In its Joseph Shine judgment decriminalising

adultery, the court refers to how “the
Manusmriti, Chapters 4.1346 and 8.3527
prescribes punishment for those who are
addicted to intercourse with wives of other
men by punishments which cause terror,
followed by banishment”.
• In the Sabarimala case, the court points to the
There is a shortage of judges to decide cases. As Manusmriti to observe that in these “ancient
on September 1, 2021, the Supreme Court had one religious texts and customs, menstruating
vacancy out of the sanctioned strength of 34 women have been considered as polluting the
judges. In the High Courts, 42% of the total surroundings”.
sanctioned posts for judges were vacant (465 out
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M.S.Shashank
• Practices which legitimise menstrual taboos, o Single unified portal:
due to notions of ‘purity and pollution’, limit ▪ This portal is a consolidation of
the ability of menstruating women to attain all the portals across the
the freedom of movement, the right to country.
education and the right of entry to places of o Quick delivery of court services:
worship and, eventually, their access to the ▪ Case status, next hearing date,
public sphere. cause lists, orders, and
judgments can be delivered
Representation of Women in Higher Judiciary is quickly.
very Low: • E-filing: E-filing, also known as electronic filing,
is a facility that provides filing of cases through
• The first-ever woman judge (Justice the internet.
Fatheema Beevi) in the Supreme Court (SC) o The system of e-filing has multiple
was appointed in 1989, 39 years after the apex advantages like:
court came into existence. Since then, only 10 ▪ It has proven to be effective in
women have become judges in the apex court. saving time, money, and travel
• In High Courts, women judges account for only for councils and clients.
11%. ▪ Physical presence in the court is
not mandatory.
Malimath Committee Report (2000) on reforms ▪ The case files get digitized
in the Criminal Justice System of India (CJS): automatically.
▪ It has impacted the
• The Committee suggested that a Schedule to environment positively by
the Code be brought out in all regional reducing the paper footprint.
languages so that the accused knows his/her
rights, as well as how to enforce them and ePayment of court fees and fines:
whom to approach when there is a denial of
those rights. • Online payment can be made by the citizens
using the portal. This will reduce the usage of
Recent Improvements in Judicial System stamps, cheques and cash. The ePayment
portal is integrated with state-specific vendors
• Virtual court system: The regular court like SBI ePay, GRAS, e-GRAS, JeGRAS, Himkosh,
proceedings in our Indian courts in such etc.
unprecedented times are either being
adjourned or have been carried out virtually National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG):
via videoconferencing.
• eCourts portal: It is a one-stop solution for all • The statistics of cases pending at the national,
stakeholders like the litigants, advocates, state, district and individual court level are
government agencies, police, and common now made accessible to the general public,
citizens. researchers, academicians and the society at
o Its benefits are as follows: large.
o Bilingual: • Any individual can access this information by
▪ This portal is designed in a way visiting the National Judicial Data Grid portal.
that uses multiple languages.
o User friendly: National Service and Tracking of Electronic
▪ With this portal, an individual Process (NSTEP):
can easily avail of such services
with ease. One of the main • This is a mechanism that consists of a
objectives of this portal is to centralized process service tracking
provide efficient and time- application and a mobile app for the bailiffs.
bound citizen-centric service.
20
M.S.Shashank
• This is used for quick delivery of summons, the courts accountable to the public and more
notices, processes and the reduction of people-friendly
unreasonable delays in process serving.
1.12. Poverty key factor in determining
e-Sewa Kendra:
institutional delivery: study
• The e-Sewa Kendra is set up as a one-stop
centre for accessing all the facilities provided Why in the News?
under the eCourts Project.
• It has been set up in high courts and one in the Recently, research was released on utilization of
district court of each state on a trial basis. institutional delivery in the country.
• With these centres, a litigant can acquire
information on case status and get judgments Findings of the Research: –
and orders passed by the courts.
• In determining whether a mother will be able
Interoperable Criminal Justice System (ICJS): to have a safe delivery in a medical institution,
poverty, education, and exposure to a
• The Interoperable Criminal Justice System community health worker are more essential
(ICJS) is an initiative of the e-Committee to than age at marriage.
transfer data and information between the • The study looks into socio-demographic
different pillars of the criminal justice system, characteristics as well as impediments to low
like courts, police, jails, juvenile homes and institutional delivery coverage, which is a
forensic science laboratories seamlessly, from critical intervention in reducing maternal
one platform. mortality from problems after childbirth.
• It focuses on Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh,
Way Ahead Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha,
Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand,
• Accessibility: The justice system needs to which are all low-performing states with high
minimise procedural barriers so that accessing maternal death rates.
justice becomes simpler.
• Need for Reforms: Access barriers:
o There is no doubt that India’s justice
delivery systems need improvement, • As far as barriers in accessing institutional
and any debate on what needs to deliveries were concerned, about 17% of
change is most welcome. women expressed distance or lack of
o The main focus should be on judicial transportation.
reforms - improving court • 16% women cited costs, to be some of the
infrastructure and making available of challenges.
court proceedings more easily to • Other reasons were facility closures (10%),
litigants. poor service or trust issues (6%).
• Transparency: Presently, there is no
discernible method for listing up the cases. Recommendations: –
Matters should be treated in an egalitarian
manner. • Increase the number of public health facilities
• Adaptation: There is an urgent need to adapt and enhance the accompanying quality of care
to practical realities of our society and localise are recommended as state-specific measures.
the justice system. • It emphasizes that poor clinical training and
• People-Friendly: Judicial overreach to the qualified human resources have an impact on
executive domain is antithetical to public the quality of accessible maternity services,
interest. It is the role of civil society to make resulting in low institutional delivery coverage.
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M.S.Shashank
2. Economy
2.1. RBI and PM signal reforms in 3. The latest Banking Regulation (Amendment)
Act 2020 empowers the RBI with all powers,
troubled urban coop banks including those formerly reserved for the
registrar of cooperative organizations.
Why in the News? 4. The RBI’s control was limited, and it shared it
with the registrar of cooperative societies of
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor indicated states, resulting in the much-discussed dual
that the banking regulator will ring in sweeping control and the issues it posed to the central
regulatory changes to reform urban cooperative bank.
banks. 5. The cooperative sector has two challenges:
a. first, increased competition from not
Urban Co-operative Bank just Scheduled Commercial Banks, but
also from minor financing banks and
• The term “Urban Cooperatives Banks” (UCB) payments banks;
refers to main cooperative banks based in b. second, vulnerability caused by
cities and towns. internal shortcomings, such as the
• Traditionally, these banks concentrated on inability to detect and prevent fraud.
communities, towns, and workplace
organizations. Conclusion:
• They mostly lend to small borrowers and
enterprises. Its operational environment has • The construction of a standard regulatory and
grown significantly in recent years. supervisory framework, as well as an umbrella
organization, should be given top importance
Significance of Urban Co-operative Bank in the architecture.
• The RBI is also anticipated to interpret the
• Urban cooperative banks (UCBs) have been Act’s provisions such that they do not disrupt
around for over a century and provide mostly UCBs. It remains to be seen how the RBI will
regional financial services. put them into effect.
• Their specialty is catering to the lower middle • The establishment of our country’s dedicated
class and persons with little resources, as well Ministry of Cooperation is a watershed
as self-employed and micro-enterprises. moment in the history of our country’s
• UCBs are most at ease working with these cooperative movement.
consumers.
Concerns Associated with Urban Co-operative 2.2. Global Economy after COVID-19
Bank Pandemic and India’s Role
1. The uncovering of large-scale financial Why in the News?
irregularities has taken urban cooperative
banks off guard. • The COVID19 pandemic has impacted lives and
2. Low capital basis, weak corporate governance, livelihoods across the world. It acted as an
inability to detect fraud, delayed adoption of economic catastrophe and this economic
new technologies, and insufficient system of catastrophe needs to be handled through new
checks and balances are difficulties economic partnerships and cooperation. This
confronting urban cooperative banks (UCBs).
22
M.S.Shashank
scenario opens a window for India to take on a processes and arrangements must be
crucial role in the global economy. promoted;
• Competitiveness for facilitating growth and
Signs of Global Economic Recovery: inclusive development must be ensured;
• New opportunities and avenues across
• In the post-pandemic era, the global economy potential high growth sectors such as
is showing signs of recovery. Data on world manufacturing and startups must be
trade for 2021, the United Nations Conference leveraged;
on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) shows • An ecosystem of entrepreneurship and
the following trends: innovation with targeted policies and
• There is an increase of 22.4% in the value of interventions will contribute to enhancing
global merchandise trade compared with productivity and generating employment;
2020; • Facilitation of medical supplies and essentials
• World trade is expected to stand about 15% should be to remain a top priority and for this,
higher than before the COVID19; supply chains will need to be kept flowing;
• The global foreign direct investment (FDI) • Global collaboration in areas including
flows in the first half of 2021 reached an research and development and Industry 5.0
estimated $852 billion, showing stronger than technologies (Artificial Intelligence, Big Data,
expected rebound momentum. FDI flows in the Internet of Things, digital platforms,
developing economies also increased augmented and virtual reality, and 3D printing)
significantly, totaling $427 billion in the first and investments in digital and corporate
half of 2021. strategy can similarly become key drivers of
industrial development;
Challenges Occurred in the Post-Pandemic Era: • Adaptation to advanced technologies and
tools, building robust infrastructure, and
The COVID-19 pandemic and post-pandemic occupational transitions;
global economic recovery era have highlighted the • Skill development and worker training,
criticality of international cooperation in the investments in education and vocational
following current and future challenges: training, and capacity building would be some
key areas of focus for filling technology gaps;
• To revive economic growth, • Scientific cooperation for vaccine
• To build competitiveness in the investment development and genome sequencing;
climate, • International alliances and cooperation on
• To ensure sustainable development, building sustainable solutions, green
• Compliance with climate change obligations technology, resource efficiency, sustainable
while ensuring economic growth, finance, etc., must be promoted to fast-track
• To adapt to technology acceleration, meeting the sustainable development goals
• To Revive global supply chain and ensuring inclusive development.
• Employment generation,
• Growing inequality of incomes among India’s Role in the Post-Pandemic World:
countries as well as within people of countries,
• To Ensure structural changes for the digital In the post-pandemic global economic scenario
economy, e.g. telemedicine, remote work and India’s role as a reliable and trusted player in the
e-learning, delivery services, etc. comity of nations stands enhanced in the following
way:
Way forward for the Global Economy in the Post-
Pandemic Era: • During the COVID pandemic, India supplied
medical supplies, equipment, and COVID19
• Cooperation on trade facilitation for vaccines to more than 150 countries. In the
enhancing open and transparent markets,
technical assistance, and reduction of complex
23
M.S.Shashank
post-pandemic world, India will be critical for • Norms for deposit insurance earlier: Earlier,
the world’s medical supply chain; out of the amount deposited in the bank, only
• India is undertaking serious action in meeting Rs 50,000 was guaranteed, which was then
its commitments for climate change, and it can raised to Rs 1 lakh.
help the world to ensure climate-friendly and
sustainable development through its best
practices as well as it can be benefited from
other countries to tackle its local issues;
• In the post-pandemic world, it will be critical
for India to improve on its investment climate
and systematically target its export capabilities
across sectors and regions. Ease of doing
business and new free trade agreements with
major markets will help it integrate closely
with the world through trade and investment
partnerships.
• Current norms for deposit insurance: Now, if
a bank is weak or is even about to go bankrupt,
Conclusion:
depositors will get their money of up to Rs five
lakhs within 90 days.
• As free flow of goods, services and capital will
o Within the first 45 days of the bank
continue to play a dominant role in the global
being put under a moratorium, the
economic recovery process; collaborative
DICGC would collect all information
efforts from countries across the world would
relating to deposit accounts. In the
be required in facilitating trade partnerships at
next 45 days, it will review the
both regional and multilateral levels to better
information and repay depositors
protect consumers and producers.
closer to the 90th day.
• In this scenario, India must leverage
• Deposits covered: Deposit insurance covers all
international partnerships for ensuring a
deposits such as savings, fixed, current,
robust and sustained economic growth path.
recurring deposits, in all commercial banks,
functioning in India.
2.3. Bank Deposit Insurance Programme • Coverage: Along with Commercial Banks,
deposits in the state, central and primary
Why In the News? cooperative banks, functioning in
states/union territories are also covered.
• The PM noted that the deposits worth Rs 76 Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee
lakh crore were insured under the Deposit Corporation (DICGC)
Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation
(DICGC) Act providing full coverage to around • It is a specialised division of the Reserve
98 per cent of bank accounts. Bank of India which is under the jurisdiction
of the Ministry of Finance.
About • It was established on 15 July 1978 under the
Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee
• Amendment to DICGC: The Centre had passed Corporation Act, 1961 for the purpose of
an amendment to the Deposit Insurance and providing insurance of deposits and
Credit Guarantee Corporation Act to ensure guaranteeing of credit facilities.
that account holders can access their insured
deposit amount within 90 days of such a
liability arising in the event of a bank coming
under the moratorium imposed by the Reserve
Bank of India (RBI).
24
M.S.Shashank
Issues • Highest safety on their funds parked: While
the depositors enjoy the highest safety on
• Long waiting period: Earlier account holders their funds parked with banks, unlike the
could not access their own money for upto 8- equity and bond investors in the banks, an
10 years after financial stress at banks. element of risk always lurks on their deposits
• Lack of immediate access to their funds: in case a bank collapses.
Troubles for depositors in getting immediate
access to their funds in banks in recent cases 2.4. Strategic Oil Reserve Programme
such as Punjab & Maharashtra Co-operative
(PMC) Bank, Yes Bank and Lakshmi Vilas Bank
had put the spotlight on the subject of deposit Why In News?
insurance.
• Liquidation or restructuring: Earlier, account • India plans to release crude oil from its
holders had to wait for years till the liquidation emergency stockpile to cool international oil
or restructuring of a distressed lender to get prices.
their deposits that are insured against default.
• No legal recourse to recover funds: Depositors Rationale Behind This Step
having more than Rs 5 lakh in their account
have no legal recourse to recover funds in case • The decision has come after the US has urged
a bank collapses. some of the world's largest oil-consuming
nations, including China, India and Japan to
Significance release crude oil from their respective reserves
in order to bring down global prices of crude
• Confidence to depositors: These new changes oil.
would give confidence to depositors and • The request came after the US government
strengthen the banking and financial system. was unable to persuade OPEC+ to pump more
• No need to wait for liquidation: Depositors oil with major producers arguing the world
can get insurance money without waiting for was not short of crude.
the eventual liquidation of the distressed
banks. India’s Concerns:
• Moratorium: This covers banks already under
moratorium and those that could come under • India stated that the crude oil release will take
moratorium. place in consultation with these countries,
which are also major global energy
consumers.
• India has repeatedly expressed concern at
supply of oil being artificially adjusted below
demand levels by oil-producing countries,
leading to rising prices and negative attendant
consequences.
• At the same time, in a bid to control fuel
prices' inflationary trends, excise duty on
petrol and diesel had been reduced.
Challenges
• The depositor has a claim: In an unlikely event • India is the world's third-largest oil consumer
of a bank failure in India, a depositor has a and importing nation and has been severely
claim to a maximum of Rs 5 lakh per account impacted by the relentless rise in international
as insurance cover. oil prices.
25
M.S.Shashank
• These high prices undermine the global • India strongly believes that the pricing of liquid
economic recovery in the backdrop of COVID. hydrocarbons should be reasonable,
o High prices are starting to produce responsible and be determined by market
unwanted inflation and undermine forces.
recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
• OPEC and other ally producers — including 2.5. National Monetisation Pipeline
Russia, known collectively as OPEC+ — have
been adding around 4,00,000 barrels per day
to the market on a monthly basis, which many Why in the News?
see as not sufficient to cool prices that had
been rising as demand returns to pre- • As the government seeks to monetise core
pandemic levels. assets through National Monetisation Pipeline
(NMP), it needs to investigate the key reasons
Benefits of Oil Release and processes which led to once profit-making
public sector assets becoming inefficient and
• It will make the pricing of liquid hydrocarbons sick businesses.
reasonable, responsible and be determined by
market forces. Background of the MNP
• It will also help in supply of oil being artificially
• The National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP)
adjusted below demand levels by oil producing
envisages an aggregate monetisation potential
countries, leading to rising prices and negative
of ₹6-lakh crore through the leasing of core
attendant consequences.
assets of the Central government.
• These assets are in sectors such as roads,
Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR) in India railways, power, oil and gas pipelines, telecom,
civil aviation, shipping ports and waterways,
• These are huge stockpiles of crude oil for
mining, food and public distribution, coal,
emergency situations.
housing and urban affairs etc. over a four-year
• SPRs are strategic in nature and the crude oil
period (FY2022 to FY2025).
stored in these reserves will be used during an
• Strategic objective of NMP: According to NITI
oil shortage event, as and when declared so by
Aayog, the strategic objective of the asset
the Government of India.
monetisation programme is to unlock the
• India holds about 26.5 million barrels of oil in
value of investments in public sector assets by
its reserves.
tapping private sector capital and efficiencies.
• Unlocking idle capital: The NMP policy
Need for SPR advocates unlocking idle capital from non-
strategic/underperforming government
• The Gulf War in 1990 led to a sharp rise in oil
owned assets
prices and a huge increase in India’s imports.
• Contribution of core sectors: Eight core
• Post-1991 Indian economic crisis, foreign
industrial sectors that support infrastructures
exchange reserves were very low and India
such as coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery
continued to be affected by volatility in oil
products, fertilizers, steel, cement, and
prices.
electricity have a total weight of nearly 40% in
• In 1998, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari
the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).
Vajpayee administration proposed the
creation of petroleum reserves as a long-term Reasons for the decline of PSU and why the
solution for managing the oil market.
government should introspect the decline
Conclusion
• Cost overruns, inter alia, is one of the major
reasons.
26
M.S.Shashank
• Exceeding project completion time: In some • Seamless planning and coordinated execution:
cases, project completion time is exceeded, The plan aims ‘to synchronise the operations
leading to elevated project cost so much so of different departments of 16 Ministries
that either the project itself becomes unviable including railways and roadways.
at the time of its launching or delays its break • Revamping corporate governance structure of
even point. PSUs: As enunciated in the Economic Survey
• Lack of optimum input-output ratio: Optimum 2020-21, an important step for the
input-output ratio is seldom observed in a Government to take to strengthen public
majority of government infrastructural sector businesses would be to completely
projects leading to their overcapitalisation. revamp their corporate governance structure
• A reluctance to implement labour reforms, a in order to enhance operational autonomy
lack of inter-ministerial/departmental augmented with strong governance practices
coordination, poor decision-making, including listing on stock exchange for greater
ineffective governance and excessive transparency and accountability.
government control are other reasons for the • Initiative to boost domestic production of
failure of public infrastructural assets. steel: The Economic Survey also highlights the
• Need for introspection: It is quite likely that Government’s initiatives as part of the
the nation may find itself in a vicious cycle of Atmanirbhar Abhiyaan in order to boost
creating new assets and then monetising the domestic production in the steel sector.
same when they become liabilities for the • Under it, four different types of steel are
Government at a later stage. included for incentives under the production
linked incentive (PLI) scheme; selling steel to
Importance of public sector enterprises Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
(MSMEs), affiliated to Engineering Export
• Going by the annual report (2020-2021) of the
Promotion Council of India at export parity
Department of Public Enterprises there are
price under the duty drawback scheme of the
256 operationally-run central public sector
Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT);
undertakings (CPSUs), employing about one
• It also include measures to provide preference
million people.
to domestically produced iron and steel in
• They posted a net profit of ₹93,294 crore (FY
government procurement, where aggregate
2019-20).
estimate of iron and steel products exceeds
• Ratna Status: Out of these, 96 have been
₹25 crore;
conferred the Ratna status (72, 14, and 10 are
• Protection of domestic industry from unfair
Miniratnas, Navaratnas, and Maharatna
trade practices: Protecting industry from
companies, respectively).
unfair trade through appropriate remedial
• As India needs to invest about $1.5 trillion on
measures including imposition of anti-
infrastructure development in order to aspire
dumping duty and countervailing duty on the
to become $5 trillion economy by the year
products on which unfair trade practices were
2024-25, according to the Economic Survey
adopted by the other countries.
2019-20, public enterprises should be in focus.
Conclusion
Steps to strengthen public sector businesses
• More such out-of-the-box policy initiatives are
• Gati Shakti National Master Plan: Recently, the
needed to rule out public asset monetisation
“Pradhan Mantri Gati Shakti National Master
schemes such as the NMP in future.
Plan” for multi-modal connectivity was
launched.
• It is essentially a digital platform for
information sharing among different
Ministries and departments at the Union and
State levels.
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M.S.Shashank
2.6. ESG Funds • Globally, many pension funds and sovereign
wealth funds do not invest in companies that
are seen as polluting or socially not
Why In the News?
responsible.
• The asset size of ESG funds has ballooned
Reasons Behind ESG growth
nearly five times to Rs 12,300 crore over the
last couple of years.
• The greater policy focus on aspects such as
cleanliness, skill development, expanded
About
healthcare coverage, and education indicates
potential public investment in these social
• Environment, social responsibility, and
development and environmentally sensitive
corporate governance have of late emerged as
sectors of the economy.
key themes for investors in India.
• There is increasing awareness and
• The demand and growth for ESG funds in Asia,
understanding among younger investors about
especially in India, has been overwhelming, it
the impact of business on social development
is 32%.
and environment.
• The companies that are part of the ESG or NSE
What are ESG Funds?
Prime will not only be on the right side of
• They are used synonymously with sustainable regulations and benefit from it in the long
and socially responsible investing. term, but will also have a better reputation
• While selecting a stock for investment, an ESG and potentially command a premium on
fund shortlists companies that score high on valuation in the long run.
environment, social responsibility, and
corporate governance, and then looks at Areas of concern
financial factors.
• Alongside the greater attention on issues such
• With the overall increase in awareness, and
as climate risk, emissions, supply chains,
with regulations moving in this direction,
labour rights, anti-corruption, etc., certain
investors are re-evaluating traditional
concerns have been flagged as well.
approaches and considering the impact of
• Greenwashing is one of the top concerns
their decisions on the planet.
among global institutional investors.
• The key difference between the ESG funds and
o Greenwashing is considered an
other funds is 'conscience' i.e the ESG fund
unsubstantiated claim to deceive
focuses on companies with environment-
consumers into believing that a
friendly practices, ethical business practices
company's products are
and an employee-friendly record.
environmentally friendly.
• The fund is regulated by Securities and
• Investment experts have also pointed to the
Exchange Board of India (SEBI).
tendency of fund managers to over-weigh
Significance certain stocks and companies in a situation
where most large investment-friendly
• The companies will be forced to improve companies have fallen short of the qualitative
governance and ethical practices, and act with and quantitative parameters used for ESG
greater social and environmental investing.
responsibility.
• As the policy framework changes, companies
that do not alter business models or become
more environmentally sustainable, could have
their revenue and profits impacted in the long
term.
28
M.S.Shashank
2.7. Open Acreage Licensing Programme Protection of Government Interest:
(OALP)Bid • To safeguard the Government revenue, the
Government’s share of profit will be calculated
Why in the News? based on the higher of prevailing international
crude price or actual price.
• The central government has launched the
Open Acreage Licensing Programme (OALP) Advantage:
Bid Round-VII for International Competitive
Bidding. Extraction of all resources:
About Hydrocarbon Production Licensing Policy • The uniform licence will enable the contractor
(HELP): to explore conventional as well as
Freedom in Pricing:
unconventional oil and gas resources including
CBM, shale gas/oil, tight gas and gas hydrates
• The new policy also gives the investors the
under a single license.
much needed freedom in pricing and
marketing for crude oil and natural gas. Increased Production:
• The contractor will have freedom for pricing • It will enhance domestic oil & gas production,
and marketing of gas produced in the domestic bring substantial investment in the sector
market on arms length basis. and generate sizable employment.
Uniform Licensing: About Open Acreage Licensing Policy-OALP:
• There will be a uniform licensing system which • A critical part of the Hydrocarbon Exploration
will cover all hydrocarbons, under a single and Licensing Policy.
license and policy framework. • Provides uniform licences for exploration and
production of all forms of
Open Acreage licensing:
hydrocarbons, enabling contractors to explore
conventional as well as unconventional oil and
• An ‘Open Acreage Licensing Policy’ will be
gas resources.
implemented whereby a bidder may apply to
• Fields are offered under a revenue-sharing
the Government seeking exploration of any
model and throw up marketing and pricing
block not already covered by exploration. This
freedom for crude oil and natural gas
will enable a faster coverage of the available
produced.
geographical area.
• Under OALP, companies are allowed to carve
out areas they want to explore oil and gas in.
Revenue Sharing:
Once an explorer selects areas after evaluating
the National Data Repository (NDR) and
• Contracts will be based on ‘biddable revenue
submits the expression of Interest, it is put up
sharing’. Bidders will be required to quote
for competitive bidding.
revenue share in their bids and this will be a
key parameter for selecting the winning bid.
About National Data Repository:
• A concessional royalty regime will be
implemented for deep water (5%) and ultra-
• NDR is a government-sponsored E&P data
deep water (2%) areas. In shallow water areas,
bank with state-of-the-art facilities and
the royalty rates shall be reduced from 10% to
infrastructure for preservation, upkeep and
7.5%.
dissemination of data to enable its systematic
use for future exploration and development.
Progress of HELP:
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M.S.Shashank
• Since the launch of HELP on March 30, 2016, • Pillar two: Will put a floor on corporate income
five rounds of OALP have been concluded for tax competition by introducing a global
105 E&P blocks; award of 21 blocks under sixth minimum rate that countries can use to
round of OALP is under progress. protect their tax bases.
• These 126 blocks comprise about 191,926
sq.km. of area spread across 18 sedimentary Need of this move
basins.
• Right to tax: Under the OECD multilateral pact,
India would get the right to tax them at the
2.8. OECD Model on Global Minimum Tax
minimum rate of 15%.
• Addressing the tax challenge: OECD/G20 BEPS
Why In the News? Project is addressing the tax challenges arising
from the digitalisation of the economy.
• The Organization for Economic Co-operation • A coordinated system of taxation: The GloBE
and Development (OECD) released detailed rules provide for a coordinated system of
rules for the implementation of a far-reaching taxation intended to ensure large MNE groups
global tax deal aimed at subjecting pay this minimum level of tax on income
multinational enterprises (MNEs) to a 15% arising in each of the jurisdictions in which they
minimum tax from 2023. operate.
• Clear definition: It has clearly defined the
About MNEs within the scope of the minimum tax.
• Global Anti-Base Erosion (GloBE): With the Issues/ Challenges

OECD keen that countries bring the so-called
Global Anti-Base Erosion (GloBE) rules into • No distribution of profits: Currently, an Indian
domestic legislation in 2022, India’s Budget for MNE could set up a unit in a zero-tax
2022-23 will likely spell out India’s position and jurisdiction and legitimately pay no taxes there
start laying the legislative framework to and not distribute profits back to India.
incorporate these rules. • Compliance framework: The government
• India is a signatory: India is one among 137 needs to quickly spell out its positions to allow
countries that are signatory to the new global corporations to evaluate and critique their
tax regime. group structure and start building a
• Exclusions: a governmental entity, an compliance framework.
international organization, a non-profit • Complex rules: These are complex rules and
organization, a pension fund, an investment the principle of accounting consolidation.
fund that is an ultimate parent entity, and a • More compliance: The term ‘Permanent
real estate investment vehicle that is an establishment has been defined as well under
ultimate parent entity etc. the model rules.
• Application: The minimum tax would apply to o It has surely added more compliance
MNEs with revenue above €750 million and is for MNEs in terms of GloBE Information
estimated to generate around $150 billion in Return to be furnished with the tax
additional global tax revenues annually. administration in order to provide
information on the tax calculations
The OECD is developing a two-pillar approach to made by the MNE under the GloBE
address multinational enterprises (MNEs) Rules no later than 15 months after the
exploiting gaps and mismatches between different last day of the Reporting Fiscal Year.
countries’ tax systems.
Significance of the move
• Pillar one: Seeks to achieve a fairer distribution
of profits and taxing rights between countries. • End to the race towards the bottom: The
minimum tax, known as Pillar Two, would
30
M.S.Shashank
discourage countries from competing to 2.9. Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)
attract corporations by offering low tax rates.
• Imposing extra tax: The new rules also let
countries such as India impose an extra tax on Why in the News?
companies not meeting a 15% effective
minimum rate in another jurisdiction. • RBI is working out a phased implementation
• Digitalisation and globalization: The Pillar Two strategy for the introduction of Central Bank
model rules provide governments with a Digital Currency with little or no disruption.
precise template for taking forward the two- o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has
pillar solution to address the tax challenges proposed amendments to the Reserve
arising from digitalisation and globalization of Bank of India Act, 1934, which would
the economy. enable it to launch a CBDC.
• The mechanism for calculation: It has set out a
mechanism for calculating an MNE’s effective About Central Bank Digital Currency
tax rate on a jurisdictional basis, and for
determining the amount of top-up tax payable • It is a legal tender and a central bank liability in
under the rules. digital form denominated in a sovereign
• Other advantages: It prescribes the currency and appearing on the central bank’s
determination of excess profits, adjusted balance sheet.
covered taxes, jurisdictional top-up tax • It is the same as a fiat currency and is
percentage for every low-tax jurisdiction, exchangeable one-to-one with the fiat
substance-based income exclusion in currency. Only its form is different.
computing the GloBE income. • It can be converted or exchanged at par with
similarly denominated cash and traditional
Way Forward central bank deposits.
• It will mostly benefit the rich OECD nations: • It can be transacted using wallets backed by
Many in developing countries remain sceptical the blockchain and is regulated by the central
about the gains from the deal, particularly bank.
under Pillar One. They argue that the deal will • CBDCs enable the user to conduct both
mostly benefit the rich OECD nations that are domestic and cross border transactions which
home to most of the large MNCs. do not require a third party or a bank.
• Race to the minimum: Kenya, Nigeria, Sri Lanka
and Pakistan have not joined in the deal. There Present Status in India
are fears that the 15% rate will start a race to
• India is already a leader in digital payments,
the minimum, with a large number of nations
dropping the corporate tax rate to 15%, but cash remains dominant for small-value
leading to an erosion of tax revenues. transactions.
• In February 2020 RBI bulletin, citing a survey of
o The global average corporate tax rate is
currently 24%. The tax rate in the central banks conducted by the Bank for
African nations is between 25% and International Settlements had said some 80
35%. per cent of the 66 responding central banks
• The rise in personal income tax rates is feared: have started projects to explore the use of
One outcome of the deal is a possible CBDC in some form.
contraction of the corporate tax revenues of o These central banks are contemplating
governments from the lowering of rate to 15%. and studying the potential benefits and
That will force governments to raise resources implications of CBDC in the economy.
from other sources. Thus, a rise in personal
• A high-level inter-ministerial committee set up
income tax rates is feared.
by the Finance Ministry had recommended the
introduction of a CBDC with changes in the
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M.S.Shashank
legal framework including the RBI Act, which and will reduce the intra-day liquidity
currently empowers the RBI to regulate the for settlement of transactions.
issuance of banknotes. ▪ They could also cause a shift
• The Reserve Bank of India has repeatedly away from bank deposits.
reiterated its strong views against
cryptocurrencies, saying they pose serious Issues in Implementation
threats to the macroeconomic and financial
stability of the country and also doubted the • The fear is that in the absence of the right
number of investors trading on them and their policy framework, CBDCs could potentially
claimed market value. weaken the banking system in the long run by
• Union Finance Minister said in a reply to the denying them access to deposits and revenue.
Lok Sabha that the government has no • CBDCs may also pose a threat from a cyber-
proposal to recognise Bitcoin as a currency in security perspective.
the country. • Further, in nations with low financial literacy,
o The government plans to introduce the the dependence on a digital form of payment
Cryptocurrency and Regulation of may substantially lead to an increase in fraud
Official Digital Currency Bill 2021 in the and financial crimes.
ongoing Winter Session of Parliament. • Furthermore, for an economy to depend on a
o The Bill seeks to ban all but a few virtual currency, it would require deeper
private cryptocurrencies to promote penetration of high-speed Internet and
underlying technologies while allowing telecommunication services.
an official digital currency by RBI.
Way Forward
Benefits
• The introduction of CBDC has the potential to
• It would reduce the cost of currency provide significant benefits such as reduced
management while enabling real-time dependency on cash, higher seigniorage due to
payments without any inter-bank settlement. lower transaction costs, and reduced
o Foreign trade transactions could be settlement risk.
speeded up between countries • It would possibly lead to a more robust,
adopting a CBDC. efficient, trusted, regulated and legal tender-
• India’s fairly high currency-to-GDP ratio holds based payments option.
out another benefit of CBDC as to the extent • There are associated risks, no doubt, but they
large cash usage can be replaced by CBDC. need to be carefully evaluated against the
• The cost of printing, transporting and storing potential benefits.
paper currency can be substantially reduced. • It would be the RBI’s endeavour, as we move
forward in the direction of India’s CBDC, to
• They could enable a cheaper and more real- take the necessary steps which would reiterate
time globalisation of payment systems. the leadership position of India in payment
o It is conceivable for an Indian exporter systems.
to be paid on a real-time basis without
any intermediary.
o The risks of dollar-rupee transactions,
the time zone difference in such
transactions would virtually disappear.
• The adoption of CBDCs can also have
important implications for the banking system.
o CBDCs can cause a reduction in the
transaction demand for bank deposits
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M.S.Shashank
3. International Relations
3.1. The Iran-US deadlock over nuclear with 20% and more purity is used in research
reactors, uranium with 90% purity is used in
capability bombs. Centrifuges are used to enrich
uranium.
Why in the News? • The above restrictions were meant to ensure
that it would take at least one year (the
• After a gap of five months, Iran, Russia, China breakout period) to manufacture enough
and the European countries resumed highly enriched uranium and centrifuges to do
negotiations in Vienna to revive the 2015 so if Iran chose to renege on its commitments.
nuclear agreement, known as the Joint • The above restrictions were meant to ensure
Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), that that it would take at least one year (the
had sought to scuttle the Islamic Republic’s breakout period) to manufacture enough
nuclear programme. highly enriched uranium and centrifuges to do
• As Iran has refused to hold direct talks with the so if Iran chose to renege on its commitments.
U.S., European officials will shuttle between
the Iranian and American delegations, History regarding the Iran Nuclear Deal
exchanging talking points and seeking
common ground. • In the 1970s, Iran received assistance in its
nuclear program from the United States as
Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) part of the ‘Atoms for Peace’ program. The
Shah of Iran even signed the Treaty on the
• Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in
known commonly as the Iran nuclear deal or 1968 as a non-nuclear weapons state and
Iran deal, is an agreement on the Iranian ratified the NPT in 1970.
nuclear program reached in Vienna in 2015, • It all changed when the Iranian revolution
between Iran and the P5+1 (the five threw the country’s nuclear programme into
permanent members of the United Nations disarray as many talented scientists fled the
Security Council—China, France, Russia, country. The new regime was openly hostile to
United Kingdom, United States—plus the United States and thus ended any hope for
Germany) together with the European Union. assistance from them.
• The 2015 JCPOA agreement sought to cut Iran • In the late 1980s Iran reinstated its nuclear
off a possible path to a nuclear bomb in return program, with assistance from Pakistan (which
for lifting of economic sanctions. entered into a bilateral agreement with Iran in
• According to the 2015 deal, Iran had to cut its 1992), China (which did the same in 1990), and
stockpile of enriched uranium and keep them Russia (which did the same in 1992 and 1995),
at a low purity level. Iran was also expected to and from the A.Q. Khan network.
restrict the number of centrifuges and open all • Although Iran stated that its nuclear
its facilities to the inspection of the programme was for peaceful purposes,
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Western powers and their allies in the Middle
• Low-enriched uranium, with less than 5% East suspected that this was not the case.
concentration of the fissile isotopes U-235, is • Back and forth negotiations between Iran and
used in nuclear power plants. While uranium the western nations took place throughout the
33
M.S.Shashank
2000s with little progress. Iran even created Implications of the sanctions
plants for heavy water and Uranium
enrichment which led to economic sanctions Impact on India Iran relations:
from the United States and the European • Energy trade: In 2017, Iran provided 11.2
Union. percent of India’s crude oil imports, the third
largest source after Iraq and Saudi Arabia..
India’s oil imports from Iran fell about 57 per
cent year-on year since the sanctions came
U.S. pull out of the deal and its implications
into effect. This shows impermanence in Oil
import arrangement of India-Iran jeopardising
• In 2018, U.S. administration under President
the energy security of India.
Donald Trump unilaterally pulled the U.S. out
• Strategic initiatives with Iran- such as
of the nuclear deal amid doubts from its allies
International North South Transport Corridor
in the region of the ability of the nuclear deal
(INSTC), Chabahar port development.
to address Iran’s growing influence in the
region. It also reimposed economic sanctions
Negative impact on the economy:
on Iran.
• The Trump administration also added that it • Rising inflation- Iran is the third-largest oil
wanted to negotiate Iran’s ballistic missile producer in the Organization of the Petroleum
programme as part of a new agreement. Exporting Countries. Now Iran’s supplies may
• Iran has since refused to engage with the U.S. fall by between 200,000 bpd and 1 million bpd.
administration for a new agreement. It has The price of oil has already shot up above the
also resumed its nuclear programme. In fact $70 mark in April, 2019.
Iran has substantially stepped up its nuclear • Widening Current Account Deficit- given that
activities since 2019. It has installed a the value of imports goes up with crude oil. It
substantial number of advanced centrifuges, will further have effect on the value of Rupee,
which can enrich uranium more quickly. Iran which may fall further.
has also started enriching uranium to 20% • Impact on Capital Markets- Indian benchmark
purity or more. The advances made by Iran in indices slid by around 1.3%, as investors
its nuclear programme has reduced the rushed to sell shares on concerns that rising oil
current breakout time to as little as a month. prices could stoke inflation and adversely
affect already repressed consumption.
USA-Iran tussle and India • Loss of favorable oil import- the substitute
crude suppliers — Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq,
• USA had decided to withdraw from 2015 Joint Nigeria and the US — do not offer the
Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) attractive options that Iran does, including 60-
reinstated sanctions on Iran, citing following day credit, free insurance and buying oil using
reasons: Indian Rupee rather than spending crucial
• It was alleged that Iran was placing restrictions FOREX reserves.
on the work of the inspectors of the • Strategic Autonomy- India envisages to assert
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). it and balance the ties with both US and Iran.
• The deal did not target Iran’s ballistic missile However, this seems to be eroding in favour of
programme, its nuclear activities beyond 2025. the US.
• Iran’s role in conflicts in Yemen and Syria.
• Also, analysts point to Tehran’s banking on Impact on Iran:
Paris and Berlin to come up with an alternative • Fossil fuels contributed more than 53 percent
arrangement, one that allows Europe and Iran of Iran’s exports in 2017-18, and accounted for
to conduct trade, business and diplomacy, a close to 15 percent of its Gross Domestic
major cause of concern for US. Product.
34
M.S.Shashank
• The U.S. has managed to reduce Iran’s oil • As of now, the only appropriate United Nations
exports from 2.7 million to 1.6 million barrels a Forum for discussing the matters related to
month, according to internal U.S. estimates. climate change is the UN Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Bliss for China: More than 190 members of UNFCCC meet
multiple times every year.
• The one country that has decided to take the
sanctions as an opportunity is China. It has • With the argument that one of the lesser
already shown interest in developing discussed aspects of climate change is its
transportation and communication impact on international peace and security,
infrastructure in Iran. the supporters of the draft resolution have
• China’s share in the destination for 44 percent argued that it is a subject that must be taken
of Iranian crude exports, significantly rose appropriately at the UN Security Council.
from 26 percent in January-June.
Why India has voted against UNSC draft
• This is crucial in Beijing’s aim to reshape the
resolution on climate change?
global oil market, specifically by greater use of
its own currency in oil trade. It fits in
• India in its explanation to vote against the
conveniently with Iran’s proposed approach to
UNSC draft resolution on climate change said
circumventing the sanctions – conducting
that UNFCCC already offers an equitable and
trade in currencies other than the US Dollar.
elaborate architecture with equal voice for
every country as well as an adequate
3.2. U.N. draft resolution on climate recognition of every country’s and their
change government’s national circumstances.
• India’s Permanent Representative to the
Why in the News? United Nations further stated that there is no
actual need for the latest resolution except for
• India, in a major move, voted against a UNSC bringing the issue of climate change under the
draft resolution that aimed to securitize UN Security Council and the reason is that
climate action. The UNSC resolution will also most decisions can be taken without the
undermine the hard-won consensual involvement of various developing countries.
agreements in Glasgow. • If the resolution is passed, the responsibility of
• The explanation to vote against the draft climate change will be handed over to the
resolution by the United Nations Security body which neither works through consensus
Council was done by India’s Permanent nor is reflective of the interests of the
Representative to the United Nations, T.S. developing countries.
Tirumurti.
• In his speech at the UNSC, he also spoke Arguments in favor of UNSC in climate talks
against drawing a separate link between
climate change and security. • Preventing conflicts: The UNSC exists primarily
to prevent conflicts and maintain global peace.
UNSC draft resolution on climate action: What • International security: A few EU countries, led
does it say? by Germany, have been pushing for a role for
UNSC in climate change discussions citing
• The UNSC draft resolution, sponsored by international security dimensions.
Nigeria and Ireland, aims at enabling the • Climate-led conflicts: Climate change-induced
United Nations Security Council to take up the food or water shortage, loss of habitat or
routine discussions on climate change from livelihood, or migration can exacerbate
the perspective of its impact on peace and existing conflicts or even create new ones.
conflict worldwide.
35
M.S.Shashank
• UN Peacekeeping: This can have implications power failed to win the war in Afghanistan
for the UN field missions that are deployed against the Taliban even after fighting them for
across the world in peacekeeping efforts. 20 years.
Issues with UNSC Erosion of the US’s ability in shaping geopolitical

outcomes
• Veto by Russia and China: These two
permanent members have always been • The gradual erosion of the U.S.’s ability in
opposed to the move to bring climate change shaping geopolitical outcomes in faraway
on the Security Council agenda. regions has already shaken up the structures
• Lack of expertise: The opposing countries of American unipolarity.
claim that the UNSC does not have the • Withdrawal from Afghanistan is not an
expertise as compared to UNFCCC. isolated incident: The Afghan withdrawal was
• Lack of consensus: Unlike UNFCCC, where not an isolated incident.
decisions are taken by consensus of all the • In Iraq and Libya, it failed to establish political
190-plus countries, the UNSC would enable stability and order after invasions.
climate change decision-making by a handful • It could not stop Russia taking Crimea from
of developed countries. Ukraine in 2014. In Syria, it was
outmanoeuvred by Vladimir Putin.
• Finally, the way American troops were
3.3. Fathoming the new world disorder
withdrawn from Afghanistan and the return of
the Taliban to power strengthened this
Why in the News? perception of great power fatigue and
emboldened America’s rivals to openly
• It may be too early to say how the American challenge the U.S.-centric “rules-based order.”
withdrawal from Afghanistan would shape
regional geopolitics in Asia and the great Three geopolitical challenges facing the US
power contest between the United States and
its competitors. But it is certainly one of those • Aggressive Russia: Russia has amassed about
developments that will have a far-reaching 175,000 troops on its border with Ukraine.
impact on global politics. • Western intelligence agencies claim that
Russian President Vladimir Putin could order
Two narratives about the US withdrawal from an invasion of Ukraine.
• Russian sphere of influence: From the migrant
Afghanistan crisis in Belarus to the troop mobilisation in
• There are two dominant narratives about the Ukraine, Russia is unmistakably sending a
American withdrawal. message to the West that the region stretching
• Realignment in foreign policy: The first from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea, the
narrative is that the U.S. exited the country on eastern flank of the North Atlantic Treaty
its own will as it is undertaking a larger Organization, is a Russian sphere of influence.
realignment in its foreign policy. • Iran issue: Iran, which has stepped up its
• Failure to win the war: The other one is that nuclear programme after the Trump
the U.S. failed to win the war in Afghanistan administration unilaterally withdrew the U.S.
and, like in the case of Vietnam, was forced to from the 2015 nuclear deal, has refused to
withdraw from the country. hold direct talks with the U.S.
• Focus on China: The reorientation that is • Iran insists that the U.S. should first remove
under way in American foreign policy, focused the sanctions and give assurance that a future
on China, certainly played a role in the Afghan President would not violate the terms of the
withdrawal. agreement.
• But that does not obscure the fact that the • Assertive China: China is sending dozens of
world’s most powerful military and economic fighter jets into the so-called Taiwan Air
36
M.S.Shashank
Defence Identification Zone almost on a • Myanmar is your politically significant to India
weekly basis, triggering speculation on as it stands at the centre of India southeast
whether Beijing was considering taking the Asia geography
self-ruled island by force. • It is the only Southeast Asian country with
• As the U.S. is trying to shift its focus to the which India shares both land and sea border
Indo-Pacific region to tackle China’s rise, China
is becoming more and more assertive in its Rising influence of China
periphery, seeking strategic depth.
• India cannot let its neighbour and a key
Implications regional player to fall under the complete
influence of Beijing as it would result in major
• Limited choice: The pivot to Asia has limited
security concerns for India
America’s options elsewhere. For example,
what could the U.S. do to deter Mr. Putin from
Gateway to Southeast Asia
making the next military move in Europe.
• With regard to Iran, if the U.S. blinks first and • The country sits at the intersection of India's
lifts the sanctions, it could be read as another neighbourhood first policy and its act East
sign of weakness. policy and thus is an essential element in
• If it does not and if the Vienna talks collapse, India's practice of regional diplomacy in indo-
Iran could continue to enrich uranium to a pacific, serving as a land bridge to connect
higher purity, attaining a de facto nuclear South Asia and SouthEast Asia
power status without a bomb (like Japan),
which would be against America’s declared Economic significance
goals in West Asia.
• The Afghan withdrawal and the downsizing in • India has been giving greater vate age to buy
West Asia suggest that America’s strategic little economic engagement with Southeast
focus has shifted towards China. Asian countries after is reduced from the
multilateral regional comprehensive economic
Conclusion partnership
• This transition, from American unipolarity into • India sees Myanmar as being vital to
something that is still unknown, has put fulfillment of its ambition to become a $5
America in a strategic dilemma: Should it stay trillion economy by 2024
focused on China, preparing itself for the next • With the total bilateral trade of $2 billion the
bipolar contest; or continue to act as a global economic engagement between India and
policeman of the liberal order that is under
attack from multiple fronts?
3.4. INDO-MYANMAR RELATIONS

Why in the News?
The foreign secretary was in Myanmar this week

to assess the ground situation and to nudge
various sides to seek mutually acceptable solution
to the multiple crisis marring one of the India's
most important neighbours.
SIGNIFICANCE OF MYANMAR
Strategic location
37
M.S.Shashank
Myanmar lags behind China behooving India to • The Indo Burmese border is not only
scale up economic ties with Myanmar characterized by insurgencies but also by
delicate National sentiment
INDO MYANMAR RELATIONS • The British carved a series of arbitrary
boundaries between the countries relegating
Timeline of Indo-Myanmar relations since 1948 several minorities on either side of border to
ethnic minority status and dividing populations
• Myanmar was a part of British empire and has with a common Heritage and cultural history
a long and complicated history with India • The groups like the Chins of Myanmar & the
• It was under near absolute military control Mizos of Mizoram, Nagad living on both sides
since gaining independence in 1948 of border share strong ethnic ties
• Myanmar and India were close allies in a non • The North East is intrinsically bound to people
alignment movement of 1950s but the of Myanmar by a myriad of shared
relationship between the two has been connections.
characterized by stagnancy bordering on the
margins of cordiality because of Myanmar Free movement regime
silence during Indo Chinese conflict of 1962
• The Indian government under Indira Gandhi • Indian man maha found a unique arrangement
and Rajiv Gandhi viewed military rule in called the free movement region along
Myanmar as a threat to global democratic residents up to 16 km on the other side of the
values and India aligned itself formally with the border and staying there for 14 days without
product more crazy cams Visa
• In 1989 the then external affairs minister of • The people from Myanmar regularly visit India
India granted fleeing Burmese activates a safe for work and medical care and children cross
Haven the border and restricted to attend the school
• India also signed a UN resolution condemning • The Indo Burmese border is largely unfenced
the Janata for its human Rights violation in and extremely porous and unlike Indo Pak
1992 border, the regulation is determined by trade
and security consideration but is also heavily
Change in policy in late 1990s influenced by the sentiments of the northeast
States towards their kin in Myanmar
• The foreign minister of India in 1998 served as
India's architect of realism attributing to the Insurgency
forming relations between India and Myanmar
to pursue and promote India strategic • The North East states of India have been
inventions in southeast Asia conflict written since independence,
• In the last three decades, Indian Myanmar exacerbated by the presence of insurgent
have cooperated on a number of anti groups along the Indo Bangladesh and Indo
insurgent initiatives, trade deals and Burmese border
infrastructure projects • There are several extremist and separate is
• India has hosted several members of Burmese groups operating out of Myanmar crossing
military and political establishment and was a into India because the porous borders
strong advocate for inclusion of Myanmar into • The another concern is the issue of drug
ASEAN in 1997 trafficking with Myanmar forming part of
• India has always showed a willingness to work golden triangle.
with which have affection was in power • Large quantities of narcotics are smuggled into
whether under military or civilian rule India through Myanmar with the latter being
the second largest producer of opium in the
Border security world.
Ethnic ties
38
M.S.Shashank
• The Indian army was engaged in policy of zone in Rakhine and boost India's presence in
constructive engagement under which they strategic Bay of Bengal
also conducted joint military campaigns in
1995 to combat the spread of extremism in CHALLENGES IN FRONT OF INDIA DUE TO TO
North East MILITARY COUP
Act East policy Concerns with respect to unrest in North Eastern

India
• Myanmar is the linchpin of the India's act East
policy particularly with respect to trade by the • The four Indian states sharing land border with
virtue of being India's gateway to southeast Myanmar, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram,
Asia Manipur and Nagaland are all emotionally
• Myanmar provides India with increased invested in the coup, India needs to keep all
connectivity to its North Eastern states this in mind while dealing with the Burmese
providing a faster route of transit as compared citizens playing the country
to you going through Bangladesh and also • The chief minister of Mizoram in past has
more efficient route than crossing the narrow already expressed concerns that the state
Siliguri corridor cannot remain indifferent to the Burmese
people and not turn a blind eye to the
humanitarian crisis on following in front of
their own backyard
• Also so the North Eastern states have been
seeing a study influx of people from Myanmar
entering its territory in aftermath of the coup
• Myanmar is facing severe economic challenges
and public opinion is opposed to military rule
and the country also has considerable
population of ethnic minorities who have long
been felt ignored and suppressed by the
government
• The vulnerable groups are likely to flee to the
neighbouring countries since Myanmar is on
the brink of civil war especially when there is a
lack of secure border controls
• India witnessed refugees from Myanmar in the
Infrastructure projects in Myanmar past including rohingya as seeking Asylum with
within its borders, however in this case citizens
• India presently has number of infrastructure in North East have indicated a willingness to
projects in Myanmar including a trilateral shield the fleeing individuals, which poses a
highway to Thailand and kaladan multimodal major challenge for security of the country
transit transport project (KMMTT)
• KMTT project is particularly important for India Threat of increased insurgency
as it aims to connect South Western Myanmar
to not Eastern India by creating a multi modal • The ongoing strike in Myanmar as a potential
trifecta of sea, river and road transportation to increase the violence from insurgent
corridor groups, as the country has a number of active
• Under the project India has developed the ethnic armed organisations which are often
Sittwe port in Myanmar Rakhine state as a part well funded, armed and adept at carrying out
of India's Ocean security policy, the port is a attacks both within and outside of Myanmar
part of largest plant to create special economic borders
39
M.S.Shashank
• The groups have also been known to provide o Promotion of human rights
training to civilians and protection to those
seen in the country, empowered ethnic armed WHY WAS SUMMIT CONVENED?
organisations present security implications for
both India and Myanmar proving to be a zero • Decline of democracy: there has been a
sum game for both the parties decline of democracies in the 21st century
including the US itself. According to to
WAY FORWARD freedom house 2020 was the 15th straight
year in which freedom retreated globally
• India as the only major democratic country • Counter the rise of other countries: the
bordering Myanmar should insist on summit was also necessary to confront the
demonstrable progress on the road to emergence of growing International power
democratic transition and autocracies such as China and Russia. Over
• The role of Myanmar army would be important the past two decades China has been
for unfolding of any democratic transition so positioning itself to become more influential
an active engagement is required with army in internationally much in the similar manner as
Myanmar Avon India continues to call for the erstwhile Soviet Union did after World War
restoration of democratic process both II.
bilaterally and at various multilateral • Rising corruption and inequality: the
platforms democratic institutions are being undermined
• Marginalising army would only push it into in many countries like Hungary, Turkey and
China's arms, ever since the cook China's Myanmar
economic group over Myanmar has become
tighter, the west has continued to condiments DEMOCRACY , POLITY AND GOVERNANCE IN
sanction China is investing and pulling INDIA
Myanmar into its orbit
• It is therefore imperative for India to reach out • India is the largest democracy in the world,
and shape its own trajectory in Myanmar, the while India was under the British dominion our
foreign secretary is visit would allow leaders and freedom fighters endeavoured to
understand the expectations of the country achieve and restore of free India and centuries
from the world's largest democracy together we became a free country
• India should not lose its essential pragmatism • For nearly 75 years India has been witnessing
in engagement with manma and complexity of the conduct of successful elections, peaceful
India's regional security and neighborhood changes of the government at centre and
demands that it adopts a more nuanced state, exercising freedom of expression,
position movement and religion by the people of the
country
• However people of country have
3.5. DEMOCRACY SUMMIT
unfortunately been experiencing rampant
inequalities, injustice on on fulfilment of social
Why in the News? expectations as assured in the Indian
constitution
• The president of the United States convened • Hence the original concept, public perception
the first summit for democracy virtually with and philosophy behind the term democracy
participation of about hundred leaders. The has been degraded because of the misuse,
main goal of the forum was to bolster abuse and misinterpretation of the same to
democracy worldwide at a time when it has fulfil the ulterior motives of the vested interest
been re-treated in many countries. The
summit 3 major themes- The true idea of Democracy
o Fighting authoritarianism
o Tackling corruption
40
M.S.Shashank
• Democracy as a system of governance is • One can see the Nexus between politicians,
supposed to allow our extensive bureaucrats and industrialist which has
representation and inclusiveness of as many resulted in corruption and corrupt practices
people and used as possible to feed into • The high level of corruption has widely been
functioning of fair and just society perceived as a major obstacle in improving the
• The definition of democracy is incomplete quality of governance
unless it is defined in social and individual • Corruption is a sign of political instability and
context institutional decay challenging the validity and
• There have been various news reports of propriety of governance
muscle and money power to be publicized as
the means and ways for dilution of concept Criminalisation of politics
and philosophy of democracy
• The democratic ideals represent various • Another challenge is criminalization of politics
aspects of broad ideas of government of the which has tarnished the image of Indian
people, by the people and for the people electoral politics
• It includes political characteristics that can be • It is the means to use politics or a political party
seen to be intrinsic Li important in the terms of for moral games which is totally opposite to
objective of democratic socialism in such as democratic values and has no place in a
freedom of expression, participation of people democratic setup
in deciding the factors governing their lives, • The voters, political parties and the law and
public accountability of leaders and equitable order machinery of any state are equally
distribution of power responsible for this
• Therefore when we say Indian democracy we • The unholy Nexus between politicians, civil
mean not only that its political institutions and servants and business houses has influence the
processes are democratic but also that Indian public policy formation and governance which
society and every Indian citizen is democratic, is a major concern
reflecting basic democratic values of equality,
Liberty, Saturn ATI and secularism in social Disunity among people
welfare and individual behaviour
• Democratic governance • Another greatest threat to Indian democracy
o It is a condition in which promise of and quality is disunity among the different
justice, liberty and equality in stand in communities of the country
the constitution is realised in a • In fact during pre independent India are India
democratic political framework where was fairly United, especially the unity between
the government is sensitive to people's Hindus and Muslims, the status quo needs to
identities and aspirations be maintained again to make Indian
democracy, polity and governance meaningful
Challenges faced by Indian democracy
WAY FORWARD
Rampant corruption
• To establish good governance does not occur
• The biggest challenge and threat that Indian by chance, it is associated with political
democracy is facing today is the rampant leadership, enlightened policy-making and civil
corruption service imbued with the professional ethics
• In spite of establishing various agencies to • To have a good governance is a collective
contain and check the most significant symbol effort, a team of dedicated and honest leaders
of Indian constitution has now been deleted from every field is quite indispensable at this
• Corruption continues to exist in covert and critical juncture
overt ways at all three levels at political, • The presence of a strong civil society including
bureaucratic and corporate sector a free press and independent judiciary are also
the preconditions for such good governance
41
M.S.Shashank
• Also the people of India need to make • Need to be refurbished: The nearly century-
dedicated and selfless efforts in order to serial old oil tanks need to be refurbished at the cost
democracy and good governance.All citizens of millions of dollars if they are to be fit for use
must remember that India is a nation of unity again.
in diversity • Joint venture: The Accord in its annexure
stating that “the work of restoring and
As the two largest democracies in the world, the operating the Trincomalee oil tank farm will be
US and India must be leaders in that renewal undertaken as a joint venture between India
process by demonstrating what they are doing and Sri Lanka”.
within their countries to strengthen democracy o Things barely moved until 2003, when
and serve as examples for the rest of the world. the Indian Oil Corporation set up Lanka
IOC, its Sri Lankan subsidiary.
3.6. Trincomalee Oil Farm Deal
China-Sri Lanka Dispute
Why In the News? Contaminated consignment of organic fertilizer
• China’s Foreign Minister will visit Sri Lanka in • In the backdrop of a spat between the two
the midst of a crippling economic crisis that countries over a contaminated consignment of
has seen Sri Lanka turn to India for help and organic fertilizer that has resulted in
fast pedal the long-delayed India-Sri Lanka unexpected tensions between both countries.
plan for joint development of the Trincomalee • Sri Lanka cancelled an order for the import of
oil tank farm. 99,000 tons of the fertilizer; China blacklisted
the Sri Lankan state-run People’s Bank and
About accused it of a “vicious” default on the letter of
credit payment.
• Economic crisis in Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka’s foreign
exchange reserves sank to $1.6 billion. Arbitration proceedings for a compensation
• The shortage has led to a drop in food imports,
pushing up prices of essentials in the country. • A Chinese company launched arbitration
• An IMF bailout is the last option that Sri Lanka proceedings for a compensation of $8 million.
does not wish to take. • Sri Lanka drew a line under the controversy by
• International ratings agency Fitch downgraded agreeing to make a payment of $6.4 million.
Sri Lanka from CC to CCC, warning that the
country was likely to default on two Significance of the deal
international sovereign bonds.
• Financial assistance: India may offer in return • 16-month-long negotiation: It will not only
financial assistance to help Sri Lanka tide over mark the culmination of India’s 16-month-long
its present crisis. negotiation with the ruling Sri Lankan
• Tank farm at Trincomalee: Sri Lanka is moving administration but will also give shape to a
ahead on finalizing plans for jointly developing proposal envisaged 35 years ago, in the Indo-
with India a massive oil tank farm at Lanka Accord.
Trincomalee. • China Bay: The facility, interestingly located in
‘China Bay’, has 99 storage tanks with a
Background capacity of 12,000 kilolitres each, spread
across the Upper Tank Farm and the Lower
• During the Second World War: The British Tank Farm, where LIOC currently runs 15
built the Trincomalee oil tank farms to serve as tanks.
a refueling station, adjacent to the o The new agreement being negotiated
Trincomalee port, an enviable natural harbour. pertains to the remaining tanks.
42
M.S.Shashank
• Emergency Lines of Credit and currency swap: International North-South Transport Corridor:
India’s nod for the emergency Lines of Credit
and currency swap requests from Sri Lanka • Emphasis on optimum usage of the
was contingent on the Sri Lankan International North-South Transport Corridor
administration moving forward on the (INSTC) as well as Ashgabat Agreement on
Trincomalee deal. International Transport and Transit Corridor to
enhance connectivity between India and the
Central Asian countries.
• Stressed on including Chabahar Port within the
3.7. 3rd India-Central Asia Dialogue framework of INSTC and expressed interest in
cooperation on issues related to the
Why In the News? development and strengthening of regional
connectivity in Central and South Asia.
• Recently, India and five Central Asian countries • Agreed to develop the transit and transport
called for immediate humanitarian assistance potential of their countries, improve the
to the people of Afghanistan at the 3rd regional logistics network and promote joint
meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue. initiatives to create new transport corridors.
• This dialogue saw participation from Foreign
Ministers of India, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, India’s Response:
Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.
• India is committed to taking its ties with
Major Points Central Asia to the next level and floated a
'four C' approach focusing on commerce,
Restoration of peace in Afghanistan: capacity enhancement, connectivity and
contacts to further expand the cooperation
• India and five Asian countries battled for between the two sides.
restoration of peace in Afghanistan.
o They underlined the need for respecting Importance of Central Asia for India
the sovereignty, unity and territorial
integrity of the war-torn country. • Since the emergence of the Central Asian
o They reaffirmed the importance of UNSC Republics as independent countries in the
Resolution 2593 (2021), which demands early 1990s, India has been trying to establish
that Afghan territory not be used for contacts with those countries and boost trade
sheltering, training, planning or financing opportunities.
terrorist acts. • Since 2012, India has engaged actively with the
five Central Asian countries in its “extended
Strengthening mutual cooperation: neighbourhood.
• Central Asia for India serves as a land bridge
• They stressed the importance of making between Asia and Europe and is rich in natural
concerted efforts to achieve the full potential resources.
for trade, especially in sectors like o It is seen as fuel-rich and, hence,
pharmaceuticals, information technology, important for an energy-starved India
agriculture, energy, textiles, gems and and they are also mineral-rich.
jewellery etc o The importance of CARs also lies in
• The sides also expressed their desire to deepen ensuring peace and stability in the
cooperation in the healthcare sector, including region.
medical tourism. • Areas of Cooperation: There is the potential to
o They also showed support for the collaborate in a variety of areas—from
restoration of tourism, business ties post construction, sericulture and pharmaceuticals
the Covid pandemic. to IT and tourism.
43
M.S.Shashank
o There is huge scope for collaboration in o Once Chabahar was complete, this
areas like building (power) would serve as an alternate route to
transmission lines and contract Central Asia.
farming.
• India's full membership into the SCO now • In 2018, India joined the Ashgabat agreement
opens up an opportunity for a closer that “would diversify India’s connectivity
engagement with the region. options with Central Asia.
• India provided financial aid to the region and o The pact was signed in 2011 by
established diplomatic relations. New Delhi Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Oman
signed the Strategic Partnership Agreements and Qatar and aimed at developing the
(SPA) with Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and shortest trade route between the
Uzbekistan to stimulate defence cooperation Central Asian republics and Iranian and
and deepen trade relations. Omani ports.
• In 2012, New Delhi’s ‘Connect Central Asia’
policy aimed at furthering India’s political, o TAPI gas pipeline :
economic, historical and cultural connections o TAPI (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-
with the region. India) seeks to connect an energy-rich
• Trade: India’s trade with the five Central Asian Central to South Asia, which will be
Republics—Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, possible only if there is peace in
Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan—was Afghanistan.
below $ 2 billion in 2018.
Challenges
Cultural connect
• Geographic non-accessibility: India’s major
• There is a cultural connection. (Bollywood limitation in this strategically important region
stars like) Raj Kapoor and Mithun Chakraborty is geographic non-accessibility. India does not
are famous in these countries. share borders with the CARs.
• Lack of mutual trust: Land-locked Central Asian
Routes to Central Asia countries can benefit immensely by
connecting with India’s vast market.
• International North-South (Transit) Corridor • Unfortunately, many connectivity options are
(INSTC): In 2000, India, Iran and Russia agreed not open to them due to the lack of mutual
on a new route for trade that later came to be trust.
known as INSTC.
o It was aimed at cutting the costs and Tensions with Pakistan and China
time in moving cargo between Russia
and India. • India's tensions with Pakistan mean there is
o The pact was ratified in 2002 and Over no viable land route towards Central Asia.
the years, more countries joined the o Pakistan’s obstructionist attitude has
INSTC; the 7,200-kilometre multi- played a big role in keeping India out of
modal project with thousands of Central Asia.
kilometres of all-weather highways o Given its close ties with China, Pakistan
now include Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, would likely push Afghanistan to join
Central Asia, and Europe as offshoots connectivity projects initiated by Beijing
of the original plan. and not New Delhi.
• Chabahar port: In 2003, India and Iran o China took advantage and unveiled BRI in
announced the development of the Chabahar Kazakhstan.
port. o Beijing has made considerable inroads into
the region, boosting trade and co-opting
Central Asian states into its Belt and Road
Initiative.
44
M.S.Shashank
Instability in Afghanistan Taliban allow New Delhi and Central Asia to
reimagine their engagement.
• The takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban has
severely set back India’s plans in Central Asia. • India needs to develop stronger bonds of trade
• Repeated US sanctions on Iran for its and commercial bonds.
suspected nuclear programme meant that • The INSTC is of utmost importance for Indian
Indian firms were reluctant to participate in exporters as it offers a safe and cost-effective
the projects, leading to cost and time route to the EU (European Union) market." “It
overruns. It was only after the Iran-US nuclear additionally offers almost 50% time saving,
deal in 2015 that there was some movement which is extremely vital in today’s business
on the Chabahar project. (environment).
o But the Donald Trump-led administration’s

pullout from the nuclear pact in 2018 cast
a fresh shadow over Chabahar.
Way Forward
• Central Asian countries have been keen to

have India as a partner as they have sought to
diversify their strategic ties.
• Rising anti-Chinese sentiments within the
region and security threats from the
4. Science & Technology

4.1. Webb versus Hubble Telescopes • Size - Webb’s primary mirror has a diameter of
6.5 metres. Hubble’s mirror was much smaller
– 2.4 metres in diameter. So, Webb will have a
Why in the News?
larger field of view compared to the camera on
Hubble.
• The James Webb Space Telescope, NASA’s
• Orbit - Hubble orbits around the Earth at an
most powerful telescope, is scheduled to be
altitude of 570 km. Webb will not orbit the
rocketed into orbit no earlier. Though Webb is
Earth. It will orbit the sun at about 1.5 million
often called the replacement for the Hubble
kilometres away from Earth.
Space Telescope, NASA said it prefers to call it
a successor.
More Details: What is the ‘James Webb Space Telescope’?
• JWST will be launched on an Ariane 5 ECA

• Wavelength - The James Webb Space
Telescope will observe primarily in the infrared rocket from French Guiana in South America.
• The rocket system is being contributed by the
range and provide coverage from 0.6 to 28
microns. The instruments on Hubble see European Space Agency (ESA).
• The telescope is the result of an international
mainly in the ultraviolet and visible part of the
spectrum. It could observe only a small range collaboration between NASA, the European
in the infrared from 0.8 to 2.5 microns. Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space
Agency.
45
M.S.Shashank
• JWST, which is a large infrared telescope, will Why in the News?
study every phase” in the history of the
universe, including the Big Bang, the formation • In an astronomical milestone for NASA, their
of solar systems that are capable of supporting Parker Solar Probe flew into the Sun’s corona
life on other planets and also, the evolution of (where the temperature is roughly two million
our own Solar System. degrees Fahrenheit) becoming the first
• It is also considered a successor of the Hubble spacecraft ever to do so.
Telescope and will extend and complement its
discoveries. About
• Because of JWST"s longer wavelengths, for
instance, it will be able to look further back in
time, “to find the first galaxies that formed in
the early Universe, and to peer inside dust
clouds where stars and planetary systems are
forming today”.
What is the ‘Hubble Telescope’?
• The Hubble, launched in 1990, is considered by

many to be the most important scientific tool
ever to be built, having churned out more than
15 lakh observations that have been used to
publish around 18,000 research papers.
• It was built by the United States space agency
NASA, with contributions from the European
Space Agency. Hubble is the only telescope
designed to be serviced in space by astronauts.
• The Parker Solar Probe is a NASA space probe
• Named after the astronomer Edwin Hubble,
launched in 2018 with the mission of making
the observatory is the first major optical
observations of the outer corona of the Sun.
telescope to be placed in space and has made
• It will approach to within 9.86 solar radii from
groundbreaking discoveries in the field of
the center of the Sun, and by 2025 will travel,
astronomy since its launch.
at closest approach, as fast as 690,000 km/h,
• According to NASA"s official website, the
or 0.064% the speed of light.
launch and deployment of Hubble in April 1990
• The Parker Solar Probe mission design uses
is said to be the most significant advance in
repeated gravity assists at Venus to
astronomy since Galileo"s telescope.”
incrementally decrease its orbital perihelion to
• It is larger than a school bus in size, has a 7.9
achieve a final altitude (above the surface) of
feet mirror, and captures stunning images of
approximately 8.5 solar radii.
deep space playing a major role in helping
astronomers understand the universe by
Science Goals
observing the most distant stars, galaxies and
planets. The goals of the mission are:
• NASA also allows anyone from the public to
search the Hubble database for which new • Trace the flow of energy that heats the corona
galaxy it captured, what unusual did it notice and accelerates the solar wind.
about our stars, solar system and planets and • Determine the structure and dynamics of the
what patterns of ionised gases it observed, on magnetic fields at the sources of solar wind.
any specific day. • Determine what mechanisms accelerate and
transport energetic particles.
4.2. PARKER SOLAR PROBE
46
M.S.Shashank
Significance o The Missile is powered with a solid
propellant rocket motor and many new
• Parker's insights, and those that come from technologies.
other solar observatories, have direct o Capable of being launched from a
relevance for everyone living on Earth. mobile launcher, it has the latest
• The biggest solar flares from the Sun can rattle navigation system and integrated
our planet's magnetic field. avionics, and will be part of the Artillery
• In the process, communications may be Corps of the Arm.
disrupted, satellites can be knocked offline,
and power grids will be vulnerable to electrical 4.4. 5G Telecom Services
surges.
• Scientists try to forecast these "storms" and
Parker promises new and valuable information Why In the News?
to help them do that
• The Fifth Generation or 5G telecom services
are set to be rolled out in selected cities in
India in 2022.
Major Points
• The cities which are set to get the 5G telecom

services in 2022 include Gurugram, Bangalore,
Kolkata, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Delhi,
Jamnagar, Ahmadabad, Chennai, Hyderabad,
Lucknow, Pune, and Gandhinagar.
Why were these cities chosen?
• Because of their telecom services penetration,

4.3. 'Pralay' Missile making it easier to convince more people to
upgrade from 4G.
• Since the costs for 5G services are initially
Why In the News?
going to be on the higher side, it would be wise
• India successfully test fired the short-range, to test the service in areas where more
surface-to-surface guided ballistic missile consumers would find them affordable.
'Pralay' off the Odisha coast in Balasore, DRDO. • Cities provide all kinds of locations, such as
walled complexes and open spaces, that are
About suitable for testing various 5G bands.
• Development: It is developed by DRDO and is India’s Progress in 5G

based on the Prithvi Defense Vehicle from the
Beginning:
Indian ballistic missile programme.
• Surface-to-surface missile: It is a 150-500 km
• The Indigenous 5G Testbed project started in
short-range, surface-to-surface missile with a
2018 and is set to be completed by December
payload capacity of 500-1,000 kg.
31, 2021.
• Characteristics: The advanced missile has
o It aims to capitalise on the better
been developed in a way to be able to defeat
network speeds and strength that the
interceptor missiles.
technology promised.
o It has the ability to change its path after
covering a certain range midair.
47
M.S.Shashank
• The project has been funded by the o Autonomous Vehicles: 5G will allow
Department of Telecom. The department has vehicles to communicate between
spent Rs224 crore on this project. themselves and with infrastructure on the
road, improving safety and alerting drivers
to travel conditions and performance
information.
Present status Challenges
• Bharti Airtel has conducted trials in • Lack of a clear road map of spectrum allocation
partnership with Ericsson for mobile phones and 5G frequency bands.
already in the market. • Lack of flow of cash and adequate capital with
• Reliance Jio Infocomm has completed building the Telcos.
its indigenous 5G network and is now
conducting trials of connected drones, speed Suggestions
test and other aspects.
• 5G will require a fundamental change to the
• Apart from the leading telecom operators and core architecture of the communication
smartphone manufacturers, the government is system and India should be ready with a
also involved actively to facilitate the rollout of robust, scalable, and intelligent infrastructure
5G services. that is capable of handling massive traffic
growth.
Benefits • Additional investment in billions is required to
seamlessly implement 5G networks.
• It will enable the development, testing and • India presents a unique telecom landscape
proliferation of 5G technology system where a multi-generational transition is
components, cross-sectoral use cases, besides evolving. Telecom operators need to support a
setting up the foundation for the development wide spectrum of hybrid technologies. For
of the "6G Technology landscape" in the example, technology that is compatible with
country. 2G, transitioning to 4G and then 5G,
• The users will be able to stream videos with supporting remote rural applications, and so
multiple camera angles during sports matches on.
or even play immersive video games using VR
headsets or other accessories.
• It will also enable a mesh of connected
4.5. Magnetar
Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled devices and
services with zero-fail rate, as in the case of Why In the News?
connected cars.
• Other Benefits • An international group of researchers has
succeeded in measuring for the first time the
o Healthcare: Healthcare providers can characteristics of a flare on a distant
create sensor networks to track patients magnetar.
and share information faster than ever
before. About
o Public Safety: A vast network and rapid
response times mean that public works can • The magnetar they have studied is about 13
respond to incidents and emergencies in million light years away, in the direction of the
seconds rather than minutes, and NGC 253, a prominent galaxy in the Sculptor
municipalities can react fast and with group of galaxies.
reduced costs.
48
M.S.Shashank
• The flare spewed within a few tenths of a Energy dissipation:
second as much energy as the Sun would shed
in 100,000 years. • Eruptions in magnetars are believed to be due
• It was captured by the Atmosphere-Space to instabilities in their magnetosphere, or
Interactions Monitor instrument (ASIM) of “starquakes” produced in their crust - a rigid,
the International Space Station. elastic layer about one kilometre thick. This
causes waves in the magnetosphere, and
Magnetar interaction between these waves causes
dissipation of energy.
About: • Magnetars are very difficult to observe when
they are silent. It is only during a flare that they
• A magnetar is a rare compact type of neutron can be observed, and these flares are so short-
star teeming with energy and magnetism. lived that it presents a formidable problem.
• They are relatively rare objects, with only
about thirty having been spotted within the Cosmic lighthouses:
Milky Way so far.
• A few magnetars are also pulsars, those
Study: celestial lighthouses that sweep the sky with
powerful radio beams (and, rarely, beams of
• The present magnetar is only the second one visible light too, such as in the case of the Crab
to be studied which is located outside the Nebula). Recently, detecting a magnetar that is
galaxy and is also the furthest, at 13 million also a pulsar enabled astronomers to establish
light years distance but is the first study to an accurate distance to a magnetar for the first
characterise such a flare from such a distant time.
magnetar.
Significance
How magnetars form
• The observations revealed multiple pulses,
• During the course of their evolution, massive with a frst pulse appearing only for about tens
stars – with masses around 10-25 times the of microseconds, much faster than other
mass of the Sun – eventually collapse and extreme astrophysical transients
shrink to form very compact objects called • Studying these flares will not only help us
neutron stars. understand the physics of magnetars, it will
• A subset of these neutron stars are the so- also help in understanding fast radio bursts,
called magnetars which possess intense which are among the most enigmatic
magnetic fields. phenomena in astronomy.
• These are highly dense and have
breathtakingly high rotation speeds – they Conclusion
have rotational periods that can be just 0.3 to
12.0 seconds. • Magnetars are neutron stars with the
strongest-known magnetic fields.
High luminosity: • They have up to a thousand times the intensity
of typical neutron stars and up to 10 trillion
• Magnetars have high magnetic fields in the times the strength of a refrigerator magnet.
range of 1015 gauss and they emit energy in the
range given by luminosities of 1037 – 1040
4.6. Technology Development Board
joules per second.
• Compare this to the luminosity of the sun
which is in the order of 1026 joules per second Why In the News?
– a factor of at least 1011 lower. Further, these
magnetars emit violent flares.
49
M.S.Shashank
• Recently, Technology Development • The research is a collaboration between
Board(TDB)approved financial support to archeologists from the universities of
Hyderabad based Manjeera Digital Systems Newcastle, Central Lancashire, Exeter and
Private Limited (MDS). York, and geneticists from the universities of
Harvard, Vienna and the Basque country.
Technology Development Board • It was published in the Nature journal, claims
to be the first of its kind to reveal in detail how
About: prehistoric (the period before written records
existed) families were structured.
• It is a statutory body constituted under the o It provides new insights into burial and
Technology Development Board Act, 1995. kinship practices prevalent in the
• It functions under the Ministry of Science and Neolithic times.
Technology.
Findings:
Objective:
• The team of scientists analyzed DNA extracted
• To promote the development and from the bones and teeth of 35 individuals
commercialization of indigenous technology who were entombed at the Hazelton North
and adaptation of imported technology for cairn in the Cotswolds-Severn region of
wider application. Britain.
o The researchers have discovered that
Roles & Functions: 27 were biological relatives from five
continuous generations of a single
• The Board plays a proactive role by extended family.
encouraging enterprises to take up o The presence of the remaining eight,
technology-oriented products. who could not be determined to be
• Provides equity capital or loans to industrial close relatives, suggests that biological
concerns and financial assistance to research relatedness was perhaps not the only
and development institutions. criterion for inclusion into the tomb.
o The loan carries a simple interest rate o Most of the people buried in the tomb
of 5% per annum. were descended from four women
• Facilitates interaction between industry, who had children with the same man.
scientists, technocrats and specialists
• Fosters and innovation culture through the • The right to use the tomb for burial was
contract and cooperative research between determined through the patrilineal ties, the
industry and institutions decision to bury the individuals in either the
• Provides an interface with financial institutions north or the south chamber initially depended
and commercial banks for leveraging funds. on the first-generation woman from whom
they had descended.
4.7. World’s Oldest Family Tree o It is suggesting that these first-
generation women were socially
significant in the memories of this
In News community.
• Recently, Scientists compiled the world's

oldest family tree from human bones interred
at a 5,700-year-old tomb in the Cotswolds, UK.
About
50
M.S.Shashank
5. Social Issues & Justice

5.1. Men in India take 82% of labor
income, says report
Why in the News?
• The World Inequality Report 2022 released its

findings.
Findings of World Inequality Report 2022:-
• In India, men capture 82% of labor income,

Impact of Pandemic:
while women earn just 18%.
• The female share of the total labor income is
• After the pandemic, there was a worsening of
the national aggregate labor income earned by
female labor participation rate.
women relative to the total aggregate of labor
• Eastern Europe has the highest female labor
income within a country.
income shares, with the average female share
• The female labor income share would be 50%.
near 41%.
• Female labor income in India of 18.3% is lower
• Moldova has the highest female labor income
than the average for Asia.
in the world at 45%.
• Among the neighbors that performed worse
than India were Bhutan (17.5%), Bangladesh Issue with unpaid Work:
(16.9%), Pakistan (7.4%), and Afghanistan
(4.2%); and those with a higher share were • Unpaid care work is likely to prevent women
Nepal (23.2%), Sri Lanka (23.3%) and China from participating in the labor market, and to
(33.4%). prevent them from attaining high-paying
positions.
• When paid and unpaid work are combined,
women’s contribution to work increases
substantially and thus makes the female labor
income share appear even more unfair.
51
M.S.Shashank
About World Inequality Report 2022: – • In general, the aged population need
additional medical treatment from a variety of
• World Inequality Lab, based in France, has sources.
released the World Inequality Report 2022. • The country’s main difficulty would be
• Lucas Chancel, co-director of the World providing a wide range of high-quality,
Inequality Lab, authored it. affordable, and accessible health and care
• Several specialists, notably French economist services to the aged.
Thomas Piketty, are coordinating it.
3. Lack of physical infrastructure:
5.2. The elderly are assets, not dependents
• Physical infrastructure is a key constraint to
delivering comfort to the elderly.
Elderly in India: – • Even in big cities, there are few facilities and
professionals that can properly manage elderly
• Elderly population: People aged 65 and over health.
make up the elderly population. The total
elderly and youth population, given as a 4. Population Explosion reaping “demographic
percentage of the total population, is used to dividend” benefits: –
compute the proportion of the dependent
population. • The anxieties about “population explosion”
• India is now reaping the benefits of its have given way to delight about a
demographic dividend. However, by 2050, the “demographic dividend”.
age group over 65 will be the fastest-growing • The “Asian Tigers,” which include South Korea,
age group. Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore, as well as
• Census 2011: The average annual growth rate China, have demonstrated the advantages.
of the elderly population as compared to the
Population Census 2011 is 3.28 per cent. 5. Financial insecurity:
• The National Statistical Office (NSO)’s Elderly
in India 2021 report: • Many elderly individuals are capable and eager
o In 2031, the old population as a to work beyond the traditional retirement age,
percentage of the overall population is but there are few options.
expected to reach 13.1%. • Furthermore, because so much is now done
o The old-age dependency ratio is online or remotely, managing day-to-day
expected to rise to 15.7 percent and money and planning for later life can be
20.1 percent in 2021 and 2031, difficult for older generations.
respectively.
6. Finding the right care provision
Challenges faced by Elderly in India: –
• Many older persons require additional care
1. Large Aging Population: when total independence is no longer possible.
• Family members can sometimes offer this
• India’s life expectancy has increased from 50 care, but combining this with job and other
years (1970-75) to 70 years (2014-18), family duties can put a lot of strain on the
resulting in a population of 137 million elders caregiver.
(those aged 60 and above).
• It is anticipated to climb by 40% to 195 million 7. Socio Economic Challenges: –
in 2031 and 300 million by 2050.
• Family neglect, poor education, socio-cultural
2. Changing health-care needs attitudes and stigma, low faith in
institutionalized health-care facilities, and cost
aggravate the situation for the elderly.
52
M.S.Shashank
• Inequity in health-care access exacerbates the knowledgeable people. Converting them from
challenges for the elderly As a result, the dependents to productive members of society
majority of them spend their lives neglected. depends on two primary factors: their health
and their capabilities.
8. Unaffordable Healthcare: – 2. Elderly prioritized approach: As senior citizens
require the most diverse array of health-care
• The vast majority of the seniors come from services, the creation of adequate services for
lower socioeconomic backgrounds. them will benefit all other age-groups.
• They are unable to afford health treatment, Considering the demographic trends, India
and their health continues to deteriorate. should reimagine its entire health-care policy
• Their inability to make a living accelerates the for the next few decades, with an elderly
vicious cycle of bad health and exorbitant prioritized approach.
health bills. 3. Focus on Digital literacy: The National Digital
Health Mission has tremendous potential to
9. Mental Issues: – expand medical consultations into the
interiors of the country. However, this requires
• The elderly are not just economically a digital literacy campaign for senior citizens.
unproductive, but also reliant on family or 4. Increase in Elderly Spending: India needs to
others for help. This exacerbates their mental rapidly increase its public health-care
and emotional difficulties. spending, and invest heavily in the creation of
• The government does offer programmes to well-equipped and staffed medical care
help the elderly and address these challenges, facilities and home health-care and
but they are woefully inadequate. rehabilitation services.
5. Accelerate and restructure the Schemes: We
10. Inadequate schemes need to accelerate implementation of
programmes such as the National Programme
• Despite the Ayushman Bharat plan, according for Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE). The
to an NITI Aayog assessment, 400 million Ayushman Bharat and PM-JAY ecosystems
Indians are uninsured for medical need to be further expanded and similar,
expenditures. There is little doubt that a special health-care coverage schemes and
significant percentage of elderly are among services need to be created for senior citizens
the undiscovered. from the lower economic strata.
• According to a status report filed by the
government before the Supreme Court of India Conclusion: –
in 2019, 16 states and union territories (‘of 35’)
lacked a single ward/bed dedicated to senior These crucial actions will assist in transforming
citizens. seniors into a vast resource for socio-cultural and
economic growth, giving the term “demographic
Recommendations: – dividend” a whole new meaning. After all, the way
a fully developed and caring nation not only feeds
1. Converting them to productive assets: We its young but also cares for its old population is
should look at elderly as a potential asset with indicative of its true evolution and compassion.
a massive resource of experienced,
6. Health
6.1. Status of Pulmonary TB: The Lancet
Why In the News?
Study
53
M.S.Shashank
• According to a new study published in The sweats, have chest pains, have unexplained
Lancet, India has the highest population with weight loss.
household exposure to pulmonary • Pulmonary TB spreads by shaking hands,
tuberculosis (TB). sharing food or drink, sleeping in the same
bed.
Major highlights of the report
Tuberculosis (TB)
• Overall statistics: An estimated 38 million
people live in households across 20 high- • It is caused by bacteria (Mycobacterium
burden countries where at least one person tuberculosis) that most often affect the lungs.
has pulmonary TB. • Tuberculosis is curable and preventable.
o This includes India. • TB is spread from person to person through
• Country-wise estimates: India accounted for the air.
30 per cent of the total figure, with 11.4 million o When people with lung TB cough,
people facing household exposure to TB. sneeze or spit, they propel the TB
o It was followed by Pakistan (5.2 germs into the air. A person needs to
million), Indonesia (2.7 million), Nigeria inhale only a few of these germs to
(2.5 million) and the Philippines (2.2 become infected.
million). • When a person develops active TB disease, the
• Demographic estimates: An estimated 1.11 symptoms (such as cough, fever, night sweats,
million children aged 0-4; 2.28 million children or weight loss) may be mild for many months.
aged 5-14; 5.94 million people aged 15-49; and o This can lead to delays in seeking care
2.02 million people above 50 years in India and results in the transmission of the
face household exposure to infectious disease. bacteria to others.
• States with the highest TB notifications: In • Tuberculosis mostly affects adults in their most
2020, Uttar Pradesh had the highest share of productive years. However, all age groups are
tuberculosis notifications in India with over 20 at risk.
per cent. • Over 95% of cases and deaths are in
o Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh developing countries.
followed with relatively lower • In 2020, the largest number of new TB cases
notification rates with eight and seven occurred in the WHO South-East Asian Region,
per cent, respectively. with 43% of new cases.
o Followed by the WHO African Region,
What is pulmonary tuberculosis? with 25% of new cases and the WHO
Western Pacific with 18%.
• Pulmonary TB, also known as consumption,
spread widely as an epidemic during the 18th Multidrug-resistant TB
and 19th centuries in North America and
Europe. • Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a
• Pulmonary TB is curable with treatment, but if form of TB caused by bacteria that do not
left untreated or not fully treated, the disease respond to isoniazid and rifampicin, the 2 most
often causes life-threatening concerns. effective first-line anti-TB drugs.
• People with latent TB aren’t contagious and • Anti-TB medicines have been used for decades
can go about their day-to-day lives as usual, and strains that are resistant to one or more of
but if you have pulmonary TB disease, you the medicines have been documented in every
need to stay home and avoid close contact country surveyed.
with others. • Drug resistance emerges when anti-TB
• Symptoms of pulmonary TB: cough up medicines are used inappropriately, through
phlegm, cough up blood, have a consistent incorrect prescription by health care providers,
fever, including low-grade fevers, have night
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M.S.Shashank
poor quality drugs, and patients stopping • NIKSHAY portal and TB Sample Transport
treatment prematurely. Network.
• Development of National Framework for
Global TB Burden: Gender-Responsive approach to TB.
• A total of 1.5 million people died from TB in

6.2. Amendment to the NDPS Act
2020 (including 214 000 people with HIV).
Worldwide, TB is the 13th leading cause of
death and the second leading infectious killer Why in the News?
after COVID-19 (above HIV/AIDS).
• Most of the people who fall ill with TB live in • The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic
low- and middle-income countries, but TB is Substances (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was
present all over the world. passed by Lok Sabha.
• TB occurs in every part of the world. In 2020,
the largest number of new TB cases occurred About NDPS Act
in the WHO South-East Asian Region, with 43%
• The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic
of new cases, followed by the WHO African
Substances Act, commonly referred to as the
Region, with 25% of new cases and the WHO
NDPS Act was promulgated in 1985.
Western Pacific with 18%.
• It prohibits a person from the
• In 2020, 86% of new TB cases occurred in the
production/manufacturing/cultivation,
30 high TB burden countries. Eight countries
possession, sale, purchasing, transport,
accounted for two-thirds of the new TB cases:
storage, and/or consumption of any narcotic
India, China, Indonesia, the Philippines,
drug or psychotropic substance
Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh and South
Africa.
What is the 2021 amendment?
Efforts Taken: • The 2021 Bill amends the Narcotic Drugs and
Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 and seeks
Global Efforts: to rectify a drafting “anomaly” created by a
2014 amendment to the parent legislation.
• Global Tuberculosis Programme and Report, • It contains a legislative declaration about what
1+1 initiative & Multisectoral Accountability one section refers to.
Framework for TB by WHO. • It says Section 2 clause viii(a) corresponds to
• Ending the TB epidemic by 2030 under UN SDG clause viii(b) in Section 27, since 2014 when
target 3.3. the provision was first brought in.
• Moscow Declaration, 2017 to End TB. • Section 27A of the NDPS Act, 1985, prescribes
the punishment for financing illicit traffic and
harbouring offenders.
Indian Efforts: Earlier amendment in 2014

• In 2014, a substantial amendment was made
• The government aims to have a TB-free India
by 2025, five years ahead of the global target to the NDPS Act to allow for better medical
of 2030. access to narcotic drugs.
• It defined “essential drugs”; under Section 9
• National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme:
National Strategic Plan to end TB by 2025 and allowed the manufacture, possession,
under pillars of Detect-Treat-Prevent-Build transport, import inter-State, export inter-
(DTPB). State, sale, purchase, consumption and use of
• Universal Immunisation Programme. essential narcotic drugs.
• But before the 2014 amendment, a Section
• Revised National TB Control Programme under
the National Health Mission. 2(viii)a already existed and contained a
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M.S.Shashank
catalogue of offences for which the • Article 20(1) of the Constitution says that no
punishment is prescribed in Section 27A. person shall be convicted of any offence
except for violation of the law in force at the
What is Section 21A? time of the commission.
• The person shall not be subjected to a penalty
• Section 27A reads: Whoever indulges in
greater than that which might have been
financing, directly or indirectly or harbours any
inflicted under the law in force at the time of
person engaged in any of the aforementioned
the commission of the offence.
activities, shall be punishable with rigorous
• This protection means that a person cannot be
imprisonment.
prosecuted for an offence that was not a
• The term shall not be less than ten years and
“crime” under the law when it was committed.
may extend to twenty years.
• The accused shall also be liable to fine which
Does the latest amendment make it
shall not be less than one lakh rupees but
which may extend to two lakh rupees. retrospective?
• In September, the government brought in an
What was the drafting “anomaly”? ordinance to rectify the drafting error, which
Lok Sabha. “It shall be deemed to have come
• While defining “essential drugs” in 2014, the into force on the 1st day of May 2014,” the Bill
legislation re-numbered Section 2. reads.
• The catalogue of offences, originally listed • Retrospective application is permitted in
under Section 2(viii)a, was now under Section clarificatory amendments.
2(viii)b. • This 2021 amendment is not a substantive one,
• In the amendment, Section 2(viii)a defined that is why the retrospective is allowed.
essential narcotic drugs.
• However, the drafters missed amending the
enabling provision in Section 27A to change 6.3. State Health Index: NITI Aayog
Section 2(viii)a to Section 2(viii)b.
Why in the News?
What was the result of the drafting error?
• Section 27A punished offences mentioned • Recently, NITI Aayog released the fourth
under Section 2(viiia) sub-clauses i-v. edition of the State Health Index for 2019–20.
• However, Section 2 (viiia) sub-clauses i-v, o The report, titled “Healthy States,
which were supposed to be the catalogue of Progressive India”.
offences, does not exist after the 2014
amendment. It is now Section 2(viiib). About State Health Index
• This error in the text meant since 2014, Section
27A was inoperable.
When was the error noticed?

• In June this year, the Tripura High Court, while
hearing a reference made by the district court,
flagged the drafting error, urging the Centre to
bring in an amendment and rectify it.
• In 2016, an accused had sought bail before a
special judge in West Tripura in Agartala, citing
this omission in drafting. • It is an annual tool to assess the performance
of states and Union Territories(UTs) and has
Why can’t it be applied retrospectively? been compiled and published since 2017.
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M.S.Shashank
• It ranks states and Union Territories on their o Among UTs, Delhi, followed by Jammu
year-on-year incremental performance in and Kashmir, showed the best incremental
health outcomes as well as their overall status. performance.
• It has been developed by NITI Aayog, with
technical assistance from the World Bank, and
in close consultation with the Ministry of
Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).
• Domains: It is a weighted composite index
based on 24 indicators grouped under the
domains of ‘Health Outcomes’, ‘Governance
and Information’, and ‘Key
Inputs/Processes’.
• Each domain has been assigned weights based
on its importance with the higher scores for
outcome indicators.
o Health outcomes, for instance,
includes parameters such as neonatal
mortality rate, under-5 mortality rate,
the sex ratio at birth.
o Governance includes parameters such Overall Ranking:
as institutional deliveries, average • On overall ranking based on the composite
occupancy of senior officers in key index score in 2019–20, the top-ranking states
posts earmarked for health. were Kerala and Tamil Nadu among the
o The‘ key inputs’ domain consists of the ‘Larger States’, Mizoram and Tripura among
proportion of shortfall in health care the ‘Smaller States’, and DH&DD and
providers to what is recommended, Chandigarh among the UTs.
functional medical facilities, birth and
death registration and tuberculosis • The several States are significantly better in
treatment success rate. one domain suggesting that there was scope
• Aims: To nudge states/UTs towards building to improve their performance in the other
robust health systems and improving service domains with specific targeted interventions.
delivery. o For instance, 47% of States showed the
o This has been instrumental in shifting highest performance in health
the focus from budget spending and outcomes and governance and
inputs to outputs and outcomes. information domains and only one
State showed the highest performance
Major Findings in the key inputs and processes
domain.
• The ranking is categorized as ‘The Larger
States’, ‘Smaller States’ and ‘Union • Most significant progress
Territories’ to ensure comparison among o It was observed in Assam as it
similar entities. improved its ranking by three
o Among the ‘Larger States’, in terms of positions, from 15 to 12.
annual incremental performance, • Steepest decline
Uttar Pradesh, Assam and Telangana o Odisha had the steepest decline of two
are the top three ranking states. positions, while the ranking of Andhra
Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka
o Among ‘Smaller States’, Mizoram and and Uttarakhand declined by one
Meghalaya registered the maximum position each.
annual incremental progress.
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M.S.Shashank
7. education
7.1. Vernacular Innovation Program
• It strengthens the design and innovation
capabilities of our communities, thereby
Why in News? assisting local entrepreneurs, artisans and
innovators to seamlessly assimilate the
• Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog has knowledge cum technical materials that AIM
come up with a first of its kind Vernacular will develop.
Innovation Program (VIP), which will enable
innovators and entrepreneurs in India to have Strengthening the entrepreneurship:
access to the innovation ecosystem in 22
scheduled languages by the Government of • The program will be a stepping stone in the
India. journey of the Indian innovation and
entrepreneurship ecosystem which will
About The Program: cement the cognitive and design thinking
attitude in young and aspiring minds.
• VIP is an initiative to lower the language • It will help in overcoming the barriers of
barrier in the field of innovation and language and empower innovators in the
entrepreneurship such that it will farthest areas of the country.
systematically decouple creative expressions • It will create equal opportunity for the
and languages of transaction. vernacular innovators who represent the
• To build the necessary capacity for the VIP, staggering 90% of Indian population.
AIM has identified and will be training a
Vernacular Task Force (VTF) in each of the 22 • As per 2011 census, only 10.4% of Indians
scheduled languages. speak English, most as their second, third,
• Each task force comprises vernacular language or fourth language.
teachers, subject experts, technical writers, • Only 0.02% of Indians spoke English as
and the leadership of regional Atal Incubation their first language.
Centers (AICs).
Atal Innovation Mission
Benefits:
• With a vision to ‘Cultivate one Million children
Strengthening local artisans: in India as Neoteric Innovators’, Atal
Innovation Mission, an initiative of the
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M.S.Shashank
National Institution for Transforming India
(NITI Aayog), Government Of India, is
establishing Atal Tinkering Laboratories (ATLs)
in schools across India.
• AIM will provide grant-in-aid that includes a
one-time establishment cost of Rs. 10 lakh and
operational expenses of Rs. 10 lakh for a
maximum period of 5 years to each AT.
8. Agriculture
• The decision is based on recommendations of
the Commission for Agricultural Costs and
Prices (CACP).
8.1. MSPS FOR COPRA
• As of now, CACP recommends MSPs of 23
commodities, which comprise 7 cereals
Why in the News? (paddy, wheat, maize, sorghum, pearl millet,
barley and ragi), 5 pulses (gram, tur, moong,
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs urad, lentil), 7 oilseeds (groundnut, rapeseed-
(CCEA) chaired by the Prime Minister Shri mustard, soyabean, seasmum, sunflower,
Narendra Modi, has given its approval for the safflower, nigerseed), and 4 commercial crops
Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) for copra for (copra, sugarcane, cotton and raw jute).
2022 season. • The National Agricultural Cooperative
Marketing Federation of India Limited and
More Details National Cooperative Consumer Federation of
India Limited will continue to act as Central
• Copra refers to the dried coconut kernels from Nodal Agencies to undertake price support
which coconut oil is expelled. operations at the MSP in the coconut growing
• The MSP for Fair Average Quality (FAQ) of States.
milling copra has been increased to Rs10,590/-
per quintal for 2022 season from Rs.10,335/-
8.2. ‘SPICES STATISTICS AT A GLANCE
per quintal in 2021 and the MSP for ball copra
has been increased to Rs.11,000/- per quintal 2021’
for 2022 season from Rs.10,600/- per quintal
in 2021.
• This is to ensure a return of 51.85 percent for Why in the News?
milling copra and 57.73 percent for ball copra
over the all India weighted average cost of • Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers
production. Welfare released the book ‘Spices Statistics at
• The increase in MSP for copra for 2022 season a Glance 2021’.
is in line with the principle of fixing the MSP at
a level of at least 1.5 times the all India About
weighted average cost of production as
• The book is a compendium of all the spices
announced by the Government in the Budget
2018-19. statistics like, area, production, productivity,
export, import, price and value of output of
various spices produced in the country.
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M.S.Shashank
• The book is published by the Directorate of • A report on Spices Market 2021-2026 by
Arecanut and Spices Development (DASD), IndustryARC predicts that between 2019 to
Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare. 2025, the spices market will continue to
• DASD is the nodal agency for collection and witness growth with a 4.80% CAGR because of
compilation of area and production estimates the increasing demand for spices with the
of spices at National level. expanding urbanization trend.
• The book highlights the growth achieved in • Apart from the food and beverage industry,
spices sector during the last seven years from spices’ end users also include pharmaceuticals
2014-15 to 2020-21 in the country. and cosmetics.
Key Findings 8.3. AgriTech COHORT

Production
Why in the News?
• Spices production in the Country grew from
67.64 lakh tonnes in 2014-15 to 106.79 lakh • Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog and
tonnes in 2020-21 with an annual growth rate the United Nations Capital Development Fund
7.9%, following an increase in area from 32.24 (UNCDF) rolled out their first AgriTech
lakh hectare to 45.28 lakh hectare. Challenge cohort for its ambitious innovative
• Among the major spices, Cumin (14.8%), Garlic Agri-tech program.
(14.7%), Ginger (7.5%), Fennel (6.8%), • Agri-tech program aims to help smallholder
Coriander (6.2%), fenugreek (5.8%), Red chilli farmers across Asia and Africa to address their
(4.2%) and Turmeric (1.3 %), show significant challenges in the aftermath of the pandemic.
growth rate in production.
More Details
Exports
• AIM, NITI Aayog in partnership with UNCDF,
• The rapid stride in production has made Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Rabo
available quality spices for export. Foundation launched a South-South
• This is reflected in the growth of spices export innovation platform to enable cross-border
which grew from 8.94 lakh tonnes worth Rs exchange of innovations, insights and
14900 crores to 16 lakh tonnes valued at Rs investments in July this year 2021.
29535 crores during 2014-2021, logging an • Through this platform, cross-border
annual growth rate of 9.8% in terms of volume collaborations among emerging markets
and 10.5% in terms of value. across India, Indonesia, Malawi, Malaysia,
• The export of spices contributes 41% of the Kenya, Uganda, Zambia would be enabled.
total export earnings from all horticulture • For its first platform AgriTech Challenge Cohort
crops in the country. and Agri-Fintech innovators, applications were
• Spice Exports ranks fourth among agricultural invited to facilitate their expansion to the
commodities, falling behind only the marine international markets through two tracks-
products, non basmati rice and basmati rice. Main track and AIM track.
• India is the world's largest producer, consumer • The key objective of the main track
and exporter of spices. applications was ‘Expansion – Support solution
• The country produces about 75 of the 109 pilot in the chosen international market.’
varieties listed by the International • The Cohort represents a diverse range of
Organization for Standardization (ISO) and solutions across the value chain of the
accounts for half of the global trading in spices. smallholder farmer, including
• soil analysis,
Some other statistics • farm management & intelligence,
• dairy ecosystem,
• carbon credits,
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M.S.Shashank
• solar-based cold storage, examples of nutri-cereals like jowar, bajra and
• digital marketplace, ragi.
• fintech, • Government is incentivising the production of
• livestock insurance, among others. nutri-cereals to increase the intake of diverse
and nutritious diets, improve their availability
8.4. Diversification Of Food Basket In in markets and bring benefits to small and
medium farmers, who are the main cultivators
Programmes of coarse grains.
• United Nations has declared the year 2023 as
the International Year of Millets and
Why in the News? preparations are being made to celebrate the
International Year of Millets at the global level.
• NITI Aayog has entered into an agreement
with United Nations World Food Program Efforts made: A multi-pronged strategy of the
(WFP) to address issues related to inclusion of Government
millets in government programmes.
• First strategy from a consumption and trade
Aim point of view was tore-brand coarse
cereals/millets as nutri-cereals. Till 2018-19,
• A more diversified food basket under its free millet production was extended to over 14
food distribution programme with focus on states.
coarse grains and millets. • The government had observed 2018 as a year
• The focus will be on mainstreaming millets and of millets to encourage and promote millet
strengthening of climate resilient agriculture production in India and declared 2023 as the
for enhanced food and nutrition security in International Year of Millets, in line with the
India. United Nations General Assembly resolution.
• The partnership focuses on mainstreaming • Second, the government hiked the MSP of
millets and supporting India in taking the lead nutri-cereals,which came as a big price
globally in knowledge exchange. incentive for farmers. As we compare the data
• Further, the partnership will aim at building on MSPs for food crops from 2014-15 against
resilient livelihoods for small-holder farmers 2020, we see that the MSP for ragi has jumped
and adaptation capacities to climate change a whopping 113 per cent, followed by bajra
and transforming food systems. and jowar at 72 per cent and 71 per cent
respectively. MSPs have been calculated so
Millets that the farmer is ensured at least a 50 per
cent return on their cost of production.
• Millets are cereal crops with high nutritive
• Third, to provide a steady market for the
value and categorized as small-seeded grasses.
produce, the government included millets in
• The key varieties of millets include Sorghum,
the public distribution system.
Pearl Millet, Ragi, Small Millet, Foxtail Millet,
• Fourth, the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’
Barnyard Millet, Kodo Millet and others.
Welfare is running a Rs 600-crore scheme to
• Major producers include Rajasthan, Andhra
increase the area, production and yield of
Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu,
nutri-cereals.
Maharashtra, Gujarat and Haryana.
• With a goal to match the cultivation of nutri-
• High in dietary fibre, nutri-cereals are a
cereals with local topography and natural
powerhouse of nutrients including iron, folate,
resources, the government is encouraging
calcium, zinc, magnesium, phosphorous,
farmers to align their local cropping patterns
copper, vitamins and antioxidants.
to India’s diverse 127 agro-climatic zones.
• There is need to focus on the production of
• Provision of seed kits and inputs to farmers,
millets, also now known as “nutri-cereals”
building value chains through Farmer Producer
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M.S.Shashank
Organisations and supporting the • Despite the continued efforts from different
marketability of nutri-cerealsare some of the government since last seven decades after the
key interventions that have been put in place. independence poverty continues to impair the
• And finally, the Ministry of Women and Child lives of large sections of population of the
Development has been working at the country
intersection of agriculture and nutrition • The government has continuously targeted the
by setting up nutri-gardens, promoting poor in development process especially the
research on the inter-linkages between crop rural poor who are mainly concentrated in the
diversityand dietary diversity and running a dry and rainfed areas and largely dependent
behaviour change campaign to generate on the agricultural income
consumer demand for nutri-cereals. • The rural people have limited and equitable
access to productive resources like land,
Final Thought water, improved inputs and technologies
• Although the majority of families in both the
• Under the distribution system, it is time that farm and non farm sector derive their
we shift the focus of food distribution livelihood from agriculture sustainability of
programmes from ‘calories fundamentalism’ agriculture cannot be defined in isolation of
to providing a more diversified food basket, the issue of livelihoods
including coarse grains and millets to improve • Livelihood is defined as a liquid stock and flow
the nutritional status of pre-school children of food and cash with an individual or a family
and women of reproductive age. to meet their basic needs
• In the next phase, it’s important to scale-up of • Livelihood security means secured ownership
millet mainstreaming through knowledge or access to resources and incoming activities
sharing and intense engagement with select including reserves and assets to offset risks,
states while they will leverage India’s expertise ease shocks and meet contingencies
to support developing countries for millet
mainstreaming and work on building WAYS OF ACQUIRING LIVELIHOODS
capacities for climate resilient and adaptive
livelihood practices. The rural livelihood system in the developing
• India is rightly focusing on capacity building in countries encompasses a broad range of factors
research, teaching, policy-making, trade and and depend on several macro subsystems of the
farming of nutritious cereals, which will economy
benefit the farmers while conserving the
amazing diversity available in this group of Production based livelihood
crops.
• As the government sets to achieve its agenda • A large proportion of small and marginal
of a malnutrition-free India and doubling of farmers gain livelihood through production on
farmers’ incomes, the promotion of the small pieces of land
production and consumption of nutri-cereals is • For these households the availability or access
a policy shift in the right direction. to inputs and improved method of reductions
are quite critical for their livelihood
8.5. Transforming the livelihood of Labour based livelihood
farmers
• Most of the small land holders and landless
There is a revolution happening on from across the rural households derive livelihood by selling
world from Indonesia to Mexico, livestock their labour
operations are transitioning into plant based • For their livelihood, demand for labour, wage
operations and creating safer and better paid jobs. rates and prices of foods are the critical factors
THE FARM BASED LIVELIHOODS The market based livelihood

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M.S.Shashank
• Those rural households which produce surplus methods of technology development and
food and non-food agricultural products or dissemination
non farm goods earn their livelihood by selling • It includes plan for setting up web portal
these products in the market including agronomic information, crop
• The marketing system for these products and diagnostic services, market intelligence,
relative prices of what they sell and what they weather advice and market price information
buy affect their livelihood • They should be provisions for phone based
service contract where content provider will
Transfer based entitlements provide information on market prices through
SMS and voice services
• The households without any income earning a
set or able-bodied person to work depend for Group farming system approach
their livelihood on transfers from the
government or other social organisation • Farmer interest groups and farmers
• The social security and food assistance association work well than single individuals
programs of government are relevant for this • A group approach to involve farming
group of rural household in fulfilling their community in decision making and
livelihood requirements implementation can be strengthened
INNOVATIVE APPROACHES FOR Participatory planning, management and

TRANSFORMATION monitoring
Participatory approach: involvement of • It involves devolution of powers to village

panchayats in decision making panchayats and village panchayat
participation in planning and management of
• Panchayat think and discuss together village rural assets, participation of farmers in
problems and find solutions to them identifying needs, planning, implementation
• They work as a guide and friend for the rural and monitoring
community to build up their capacity to strap
livelihood opportunities Creating enabling environment for privatization
and commercialization
Diversification and intensification
• For privatisation of input supply and marketing
• Convergence with schemes and departments there is a need to create enabling environment
• Social mobilization to encourage private sector participation in
• Formation of Block Technology team and input arrangement and post harvest activities.
farmer advisory committee is at different
levels of panchayati Raj institutions Farmer self help groups
• SHGs for commodity marketing
• Upgrading production system in agriculture, • The people are organised into farmer self help
horticulture, animal husbandry, dairy and food groups and farmer interest organisation to
processing execute the plan of development based on
• Risk mitigation through weather insurance, their common interest
small and marginal farmers drought safety net • These groups should be involved in activities
insurance, price risk management, warehouse related to input supplies, marketing and other
receipt based financing for pulses and oilseeds backward and forward linkages with objective
of creating self reliant mechanism
Technology development and dissemination
The concept of bio village
• The thrust should not be limited to delivery of
goods and services but also towards new
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M.S.Shashank
• Hindi villages activities like biodynamic materials and selling she joins the
fertilization, compost, vermin culture etc can mainstream market
be promoted o She is neither dependent on an
organisation nor on middlemen
Seed village • The idea is that she employs other family
members in it creating job for peoples around
• To achieve the objective of self sufficiency in her
good quality planting material, there is a need • It is a very slow process with no instant results
to promote the concept of seed village as it is a participatory intervention method
that involves and revolves people to become
ENGAGEMENT OF WOMEN equal parts partners in development
• The rural non agricultural activities possess the WAY FORWARD

potential for an alternative that can make an
impact on the economics situation, which can • The community based livelihood centres
enable the village women to grow in diverse around a mix of farm, allied sector activities
direction as they learn to earn and non farm skills
• The community based livelihood empowers • The aim is to facilitate the beneficiaries to
women to think, act and venture on her own become self-reliant, be incontrol of their own
to not only procure but to market products life and be independent of intermediaries
and to face the world without being • The various kinds of approaches that being
intimidated by it adopted by the NGOs and government
• It provides opportunity for women to not only agencies to enhance the livelihoods of poor,
become an entrepreneur but she also learn to the modern technology and community
become a woman of substance who participation are the two major components of
transformed itself and a family structure the farm based livelihoods.
o When a woman is made to work herself
on the entire process of purchasing raw
9. Environment
9.1. Buxa Tiger Reserve • The forest department shared a camera trap
picture of the tiger spotted at the East
Why in the News? Damanpur range of the tiger reserve.
• An increase in the forest density and the big About the ‘Buxa Tiger Reserve’ -
cat prey base, especially deer, had attracted a
• Buxa Tiger Reserve lies in Alipurduar district of
Royal Bengal tiger, a first such sighting in 23
years, to the Buxa Tiger reserve. West Bengal.
• Its northern boundary runs along the
More Details: international border with Bhutan. The Phibsoo
Wildlife Sanctuary of Bhutan is contiguous to
• They believed that a favourable habitat at the the north of BTR.
tiger reserve would invite more tigers, which • The Sinchula hill range lies all along the
had migrated to neighbouring Bhutan. The northern side of Buxa and the eastern
state shares a contiguous range of the boundary touches that of the Assam state.
protected area with Bhutan.
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M.S.Shashank
• Manas National Park lies on east of Buxa. Buxa, • Its aim was to tackle the illegal trade of live
thus, serves as international corridor for Asian turtles.
elephant migration between India and Bhutan.
• National Highway No 31 C roughly runs along Operation Lesknow:
its southern boundary.
• It is the easternmost extension of extreme bio- • WCCB conducted Operation “Lesknow” (1st
diverse North-East India and represents highly August 2017 to 31st Aug 2017), “Lesknow-II”
endemic Indo-Malayan region. (1st September 2018 to 30th September 2018)
• The fragile "Terai Eco-System" constitutes a and Operation “Lesknow-III” (1st September,
part of this reserve. 2019 to 30th September 2019)
• Its focus was to gain attention of enforcement
agencies towards the illegal wildlife trade in
9.2. Wildlife Conservation in India
lesser-known species of wildlife.
Why in the News? Operation Clean Art:
• As per the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau and • It was launched by WCCB in October 2019.
State Forest and Police Authorities between • Its aim was to drag attention of enforcement
2018 and 2020 about 2054 cases were agencies towards illegal wildlife trade in
registered for killing or illegal trafficking of wild Mongoose hair brushes
animals in India.
Operation Softgold:
About
• It was in operation from 1st October, 2018 to
• WCCB has conducted a number of species- 31st March, 2019
specific enforcement operations with • Its aim was to tackle Shahtoosh Shawl (made
coordination of State Enforcement Agencies. from Chiru wool) illegal trade and to spread
• WCCB is a statutory multi-disciplinary body awareness among the weavers and traders
established by the Government of India under engaged in this trade.
the Ministry of Environment and Forests, to
combat organized wildlife crime in the Operation Birbil:
country. It has its headquarter in New Delhi.
• Its aim was to curb illegal trade in wild cat and
Species-specific enforcement operations wild bird species.
• It resulted in 23 cases being detected during
Save Kurna: the operation out of which 9 cases involved
seizure of different bird species.
• WCCB had launched Operation “Save Kurma”
from 15th December 2016 to 30th January Operation Wildnet:
2017.
• Its aim is to focus on: • It aimed to draw the attention of the
o poaching, enforcement agencies within the country to
o transportation and illegal trade of live focus their attention on the ever increasing
turtles and tortoises. illegal wildlife trade over internet using social
media platforms.
Operation Turtshield:
Operation Freefly:
• Another operation “Operation Turtshield- I”
from 1st December 2019 to 31st January 2020 • Its focus was on illegal trade of live birds and “
and Operation Turtshield-II” (1st December
2020 to 28th February 2021) was taken up. Operation Wetmark:
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M.S.Shashank
• Its focus was to ensure prohibition of sale of • Wetland (Conservation and Management)
meat of wild animals in wet markets across the Rules 2010 have been drafted to protect
country. wetlands in India.
• Related Organisations: Wildlife Crime Control
Impact of Illegal Wildlife Trade Bureau, Central Zoo Authority, National Tiger
Conservation Authority, Wildlife SOS, Wildlife
• Species face extinction because of demands Trust of India, Wildlife Institute of India,
arising out of illegal wildlife trade. Aaranyak, Nature Conservation Foundation,
• Overexploitation of the wildlife resources due etc.
to its illegal trade creates imbalances in the • Citizens' participation: The Prime Minister
ecosystem. called for active participation of people in
• Wild plants that provide genetic variation for conservation efforts.
crops are threatened by the illegal trade.
• Illegal wildlife trade as part of the illegal trade Constitutional Provisions
syndicates undermines the economy of the
country and thereby creates social insecurity. • Article 51 A (g) of the Constitution states that
it shall be the fundamental duty of every
Steps Taken citizen to protect and improve the natural
environment including forests and Wildlife.
• Wildlife Protection Act 1972: Protected Areas • Article 48 A in the Directive Principles of
like National Parks, Biodiversity Reserves, etc. State policy, mandates that the State shall
were created endeavor to protect and improve the
• Project Tiger: Initiated in 1972. It helped in the environment and to safeguard the forests
conservation of both tigers and the entire and wildlife of the country.
ecosystem.
• Project Elephant: Initiated in 1992 with the
aim of conserving elephants and their habitat
and of migratory routes by developing Way Ahead
scientific and planned management
measures. • Public awareness and education must play an
• Crocodile Conservation Project: The main essential part in teaching an environment of
objectives of the crocodile project is to protect compassion in protecting animals with
the remaining population of crocodiles and sustainable solutions to address these issues.
their natural habitat by establishing • All these need to be discussed collectively at a
sanctuaries. global scale to make a positive impact.
• UNDP Sea Turtle Project: To conserve the • There is dire need to be mindful of tackling
Olive Ridley Turtles. Initiated by Wildlife increased urbanization, rising temperatures,
Institute of India, Dehradun as the and ecotourism, which are negatively
Implementing Agency in 1999. contributing and fueling to affect wildlife.
• Cheetah Reintroduction Programme in Kuno • Dramatic urbanization has led species living in
Palpur sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh from urban environments to develop differently
Namibia. from their non-urban counterparts.
• Vulture Conservation: National Board for
Wildlife (NBWL) has cleared a plan for
conserving vultures.
9.3. Olive Ridley Turtle
• India Rhino Vision (IRV) 2020: The goal of
IRV2020 was to increase the rhino population Why in the News?
in Assam to 3,000 by establishing populations
in new areas. • Researchers of the Zoological Survey of India
(ZSI) are carrying out tagging of Olive Ridley
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M.S.Shashank
turtles at three mass nesting sites – fishing boats and gill-netters pose a severe
Gahirmatha, Devi River mouth and Rushikulya. threat to turtles.
More Details: Nesting habits
• The exercise was undertaken in Odisha in • The Olive Ridley has one of the most
January 2021 after a span of about 25 years extraordinary nesting habits in the natural
and 1,556 turtles had been tagged. world, including mass nesting called arribadas.
• The metal tags affixed to turtles are non- • The 480-km-long Odisha coast has three
corrosive and they do not harm their body. The arribada beaches at Gahirmatha, the mouth of
metal can be removed later. the Devi river, and in Rushikulya, where about
• The tags are uniquely numbered containing 1 lakh nests are found annually.
details such as name of organisation, country- • More recently, a new mass nesting site has
code and email address. been discovered in the Andaman and Nicobar
• If researchers in other countries come across Islands, with more than 5,000 nests reported
the tagged turtles, they could email their in a season.
location in longitude and latitude.
9.4. Ecologically Sensitive Areas in
Significance:
Western Ghats
• It would reveal the inter-rookery movement of
turtles in Odisha.
• The migration pattern to other countries Why in the News?
would be recorded in detail.
• Recently, the Union Minister of Environment,
Olive Ridley Forest and Climate Change interacted with
Chief Ministers of six states through a video
• The Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) is conference to discuss issues relating to
listed as vulnerable under the International notification of Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA)
Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red list. pertaining to Western Ghats.
• All five species of sea turtles found in India are • These six states include Kerala, Karnataka,
included in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.
Protection Act, 1972, and in the Appendix I of
the Convention of International Trade in Background
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
(CITES), which prohibits trade in turtle • The government had constituted a High Level
products by signatory countries Working Group under the Chairmanship of Dr.
Kasturirangan to conserve and protect the
Threats to Olive Ridley turtles biodiversity of Western Ghats while allowing
for sustainable and inclusive development of
• Three main factors that damage Olive Ridley the region.
turtles and their eggs — • The Committee had recommended that
o heavy predation of eggs by dogs and identified geographical areas falling in the six
wild animals States of Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra,
o indiscriminate fishing with trawlers and Gujarat and Tamil Nadu may be declared as
gill nets, and Ecologically Sensitive Areas.
o beach soil erosion. • The Committee recommended to bring just
• Dense fishing activity along the coasts of 37% of the Western Ghats under the
Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal, Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) zones —
especially ocean-going trawlers, mechanised down from the 64% suggested by the Gadgil
Committee report.
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M.S.Shashank
• The Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel, also
known as the Gadgil Committee was an
environmental research commission
appointed by the government in 2011.
• A draft notification related to the same was
issued in 2018 mentioning the areas to be
notified in the ESA.
More Details:
• All the involved States recognised a need to

protect the Western Ghats. However, the
states expressed their concerns related to the
allowed activities and extent of area
mentioned in the draft notification.
• Further, it has been also decided that state
specific issues will be discussed and resolved
through the consensus.
Way Forward
• It is a Development vs Conservation debate.

Hence, a proper analysis based on scientific
study followed by consensus among various
stakeholders by addressing respective
concerns is required urgently.
• Holistic view of threats and demands on the
forest land, products and services, devising
strategies to address these with clearly stated
objectives for the authorities involved must be

taken.
• Any further delay in the implementation will
only accentuate degrading of the most prized
natural resource of the country.
9.5. Kasturirangan Committee on

Western Ghats
Why in the News?
• Recently, the Government of Karnataka has

informed the Center government that the
state is opposed to the Kasturirangan
Committee report on Western Ghats.
68
M.S.Shashank
• The Kasturirangan committee report has natural wealth that exists in the Western
proposed 37% of the total area of Western Ghats.
Ghats to be declared as Eco-Sensitive Area • The 39 sites are located across the Western
(ESA). Ghats and distributed across the states (Kerala
• The Karnataka's Government is of the opinion 19), Karnataka (10), Tamil Nadu (6) and
that declaring Western Ghats as ESA would Maharashtra (4).
adversely affect the livelihood of people in the • Role of State Governments: The state
region. governments should view this development
and build a plan to protect, conserve and value
About Eco-Sensitive Areas: the resources and opportunities of the region.
• Eco-Sensitive Areas (ESAs) are located within Opposition of Karnataka Government:

10 kms around Protected Areas, National Parks
and Wildlife Sanctuaries. • Impeding Developmental Progress: Karnataka
• ESAs are notified by the Ministry of has extensive forest cover and the government
Environment, Forest and Climate Change has taken care to protect the biodiversity of
(MoEFCC) under Environment Protection Act Western Ghats.
1986. • The state government believes that
• The basic aim is to regulate certain activities implementation of the report will halt the
around National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries developmental activities in the region.
so as to minimize the negative impacts of such • People-Centric Developmental Model: The
activities on the fragile ecosystem Kasturirangan report has been prepared based
encompassing the protected areas. on the satellite images, but the ground reality
is different.
About Recommendations Of The Kasturirangan • People of the region have adopted agriculture
Committee Report: and horticultural activities in an eco-friendly
manner.
• Area to be Covered: The Kasturirangan • Priority has been accorded for environment
committee report proposes roughly 60,000 protection under the Forest Protection Act
square kilometers, to be declared as eco- 1980.
sensitive area (ESA).
• Out of this, 20,668 sq km of the area falls in Way Forward
Karnataka covering 1,576 villages.
• The boundary of the sites, are in most cases, • Preventive Approach: Considering the changes
boundaries of the legally demarcated national in climate, which would affect the livelihood of
parks, wildlife sanctuaries, tiger reserves and all people and hurt the nation’s economy, it is
forest divisions and therefore, already prudent to conserve the fragile ecosystems.
accorded with high level of protection. • This will cost less compared to the situation
• Desired and Banned Activities: The report prone to calamities than spending money
recommended a blanket ban on mining, /resources for restoration / rejuvenation.
quarrying, setting up of red category industries • Thus, any further delay in the implementation
and thermal power projects. will only accentuate degrading of the most
• It also stated that the impact of infrastructural prized natural resource of the country.
projects on the forest and wildlife should be • Engaging With All Stakeholders: a proper
studied before permission is given for these analysis based on scientific study followed by
activities. consensus among various stakeholders by
• UNESCO Tag: It also stated that the UNESCO addressing respective concerns is required
Heritage tag is an opportunity to build global urgently.
and domestic recognition of the enormous • Holistic view of threats and demands on the
forest land, products and services, devising
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M.S.Shashank
strategies to address these with clearly stated o The suspended particles from the arid
objectives for the authorities involved must be region are contributing to air pollution
taken. in NCR.
• Suggestions: new plans should be evolved

9.6. Desertification of the Thar region
for the conservation of the Aravali ranges
to stop the desertification towards eastern
Why In the News? parts of the State.
• Recently, the Central University of Rajasthan What is Land degradation?

conducted a study on desertification of the
Thar region. • Land degradation is temporary or permanent
degeneration of productivity of land due to
About study physical, chemical or biological factors.
o Land degradation is caused by multiple
• The study was undertaken as part of an forces, including extreme weather
assessment of the environmentally sensitive conditions, particularly drought.
areas within the framework of the UN o It is also caused by human activities
Convention to Combat Desertification that pollute or degrade the quality of
(UNCCD). soils and land utility.
o The scientists associated with the
project studied the climate and • Present status of India’s Land Degradation:
vegetation in Thar to understand the o Some 97.85 million hectares (MHA) of
desertification process. India’s total geographical area (TGA) of
328.72 MHA underwent land
Key Findings degradation during 2018-19.
▪ Land degradation within
• Focused Areas: It focused on Barmer, dryland regions (arid, semi-arid
Jaisalmer, Bikaner and Jodhpur districts and dry sub-humid regions) is
covering more than 50% of the Thar desert. termed ‘desertification’.
o It found that Jodhpur had witnessed a • State Wise breakup:
slow speed of desertification. o Around 23.79 per cent of the area
o It also found that the vegetation cover undergoing desertification/land
and water bodies had increased in the degradation with respect to TGA of the
area in the last 46 years and the country was contributed by Rajasthan,
complex sand region had decreased by Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka,
4.98%. Ladakh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya
• Expansion of Thar desert: Along with the Pradesh and Telangana.
gradual destruction of the Aravalli ranges, the o However, land degradation and
Thar desert is expanding fast because of the desertification were declining in Uttar
migration of people, changes in the rainfall Pradesh, Rajasthan and Telangana in
pattern, spread of sand dunes and unscientific 2018-2019.
plantation drives.
• Impacts: The degradation of land is posing a Reasons for Land Degradation
threat to the desert ecology, while climate
change has contributed to the spread of arid • Loss of Fertility by Mismanagement: Due to
regions. the use of various scientific inputs like
o The loss of Aravali hills because of irrigation, fertilisers, pesticides etc.
unchecked mining activities would Unscientific cropping practices are also
result in the sandstorms travelling to causing harm.
NCR and Delhi.
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M.S.Shashank
o This results in problems like soil • Land degradation and desertification can
erosion, loss of natural nutrients, affect human health through complex
water-logging and salinity and pathways.
contamination of ground and surface o As land is degraded and deserts expand in
water. some places, food production is reduced,
• Soil Erosion: This is the process by which the water sources dry up and populations are
topsoil is detached from land and either pressured to move to more hospitable
washed away by water, ice or sea waves or areas.
blown away by the wind. o It negatively affects food production,
• Salinity/Alkalinity: This problem occurs in livelihoods, and the production and
areas of temporary water surplus and high provision of other ecosystem goods and
temperatures due to over-irrigation or high services.
rainfall. o The potential impacts of desertification
o The salt layer plays havoc with the fertility on health include:
of topsoil and renders vast stretches of ▪ higher threats of malnutrition from
useful land infertile. reduced food and water supplies;
▪ This problem is particularly serious in ▪ more water- and food-borne diseases
areas with assured irrigation in Punjab, that result from poor hygiene and a
Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, western lack of clean water;
Maharashtra, Bihar and northern ▪ respiratory diseases caused by
Rajasthan (the Indira Gandhi Canal atmospheric dust from wind erosion
command area). Such lands are known and other air pollutants;
by local names, such as reh, kallar, usar, ▪ the spread of infectious diseases as
chopan etc. populations migrate.
• Waterlogging: This happens when the water
table gets saturated for various reasons— 9.7. Graded Response Action Plan
over-irrigation, seepage from canals,
inadequate drainage etc. The land under (GRAP)
waterlogged conditions can be used neither
for agriculture nor for human settlements. This Why in the News?
menace can be tackled by adopting scientific
norms for the amount of irrigation, checking • Recently, the need was felt to revise the
seepage from canals by proper lining and Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to
providing adequate drainage through field accommodate predictions.
channels.
• Floods and Droughts: Both these hazards have What is the Graded Response Action Plan?
the harmful effect of limiting the use of good
soil. • GRAP is a set of measures to be taken to
• Desertification: It is also the end result of Land reduce Air Pollution depending on the current
Degradation but it could also be the reason. level of pollution.
The advancement of sand from the desert to o It was notified by the Union
the adjoining regions is called desertification. Environment Ministry in 2017 to fight
o The sand covers fertile soil and affects air pollution, based on the SC
its fertility. This problem is particularly directions.
serious in areas adjoining the Thar • GRAP works only as an emergency measure.
desert in Rajasthan. As such, the plan does not include action by
various state governments to be taken
Implications throughout the year to tackle industrial,
vehicular and combustion emissions.
• The plan is incremental in nature — therefore,
when the air quality moves from ‘Poor’ to
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M.S.Shashank
‘Very Poor’, the measures listed under both • In a territory like Delhi, where a multiplicity of
sections have to be followed. authorities has been a long-standing
• Severe+ or Emergency (PM 2.5 over 300 impediment to effective governance, this step
µg/cubic metre or PM10 over 500 µg/cu. m. for made a crucial difference.
48+ hours). o Also, coordination among as many as
o Stop entry of trucks into Delhi (except 13 agencies from four states is
essential commodities) simplified to a degree because of the
o Stop construction work clear demarcation of responsibilities.
o Introduce odd/even scheme for private
vehicles and minimise exemptions Recent Issues
o Task Force to decide any additional
steps including shutting of schools • GRAP did not evolve to take action in
• Severe(PM 2.5 over 250 µg/cu. m. or PM10 anticipation of deteriorating air quality as per
over 430 µg/cu. m.) predictions from Government agencies.
o Close brick kilns, hot mix plants, stone • Many times, the courts have had to intervene
crushers for the authorities to take action, which is
o Maximise power generation from already mentioned in GRAP.
natural gas to reduce generation from o Recently it was reported that despite
coal Delhi’s AQI being “severe” for eight out
o Encourage public transport, with of 10 days after Deepavali, measures
differential rates under the “emergency” category of
o More frequent mechanised cleaning of GRAP were not implemented by the
road and sprinkling of water authorities.
• Very Poor (PM2.5 121-250 µg/cu. m. or PM10 o the Supreme Court asked the
351-430 µg/cu. m.) Commission for Air Quality
o Stop use of diesel generator sets Management (CAQM) in NCR and
o Enhance parking fee by 3-4 times Adjoining Areas to take actions under
o Increase bus and Metro services GRAP based on predictions of air
o Apartment owners to discourage quality rather than waiting for the AQI
burning fires in winter by providing to get worse.
electric heaters during winter ▪ The CAQM is in the process of
o Advisories to people with respiratory doing it, as per officials, but an
and cardiac conditions to restrict updated GRAP is yet to be
outdoor movement notified.
• Moderate to poor(PM2.5 61-120 µg/cu. m. or
PM10 101-350 µg/cu. m.) 9.8. Thar desert expanding fast with land
o Heavy fines for garbage burning
o Close/enforce pollution control degradation, finds study
regulations in brick kilns and industries
o Mechanised sweeping on roads with Why in the News?
heavy traffic and water sprinkling
o Strictly enforce a ban on firecrackers • The study on desertification of Thar region
conducted by the Central University of
Achievements Rajasthan as part of an assessment of the
environmentally sensitive areas within the
• The biggest success of GRAP has been in fixing framework of the UN Convention to
accountability and deadlines. Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
o For each action to be taken under a o The Thar desert is the world’s ninth
particular air quality category, largest hot subtropical desert.
executing agencies are clearly marked.
More Details:
72
M.S.Shashank
• The scientists studied the climate and • The increasing desertification will result in
vegetation in Thar to understand the sandstorms from the desert travelling as far as
desertification process. the National Capital Region (NCR) in the years
o Desertification is land degradation in to come. The sandstorms will also become
arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid more intense with the erosion of the Aravali’s.
areas, collectively known as drylands, Also, the suspended particles from the arid
resulting from factors, including both region are contributing to air pollution in NCR.
human activities and climatic
variations.
o Desertification leads to loss of
9.9. Ecologists oppose changes to
biological productivity of soils as a
result of which fertile areas become Biological Diversity Act, 2002
increasingly arid.
• The study notes the fast eastward expansion of Why in the News?
the Thar desert in India.
Environmentalists have expressed concern over
Contributing factors: amendments to the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
• In general, desertification is caused by Biological Diversity Amendment Bill 2021

variations in climate and by unsustainable
land-management practices in dryland • The Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill,
environments. 2021 seeks to alleviate strain on wild medicinal
• The over-exploitation of resources had led to plants by promoting their cultivation.
reduction in vegetation cover in the areas • It also promotes the transmission of research
adjacent to the Thar desert, contributing to its results while leveraging India’s biological
expansion beyond four districts in western resources.
Rajasthan. • Objectives:-
• The destruction of the Aravali ranges due to o To facilitate fast-tracking of research.
unregulated and unsustainable mining o Encourage the Indian system of
operations is a major factor contributing to the medicine.
desertification in the region. The Aravali hills o Decriminalize certain provisions for use
acts as a ‘natural green wall’ between the of traditional knowledge by ‘vaids’,
desert and the plains. ‘hakims’ and registered AYUSH
• Climate change also seems to be contributing practitioners.
to the spread of arid region. The changes in the
rainfall pattern, higher temperatures is aiding Concerns with the Biological Diversity
the spread of sand dunes beyond their Amendment Bill 2021:
traditional regions.
• Experts criticized the law for prioritizing
Concerns: intellectual property and commerce over the
Act’s primary goal of safeguarding biological
• The degradation of land is posing a threat to resources.
• The bill imposed a heavy “compliance burden”
the desert ecology and the flora and fauna of
the region. and made it difficult to conduct collaborative
• The failure to control the spread of sand dunes research and investments, as well as to
will have an impact on the Aravali ranges’ simplify patent application processes.
• According to the bill’s text, it also wants to
northern part as an ecotonal area, acting as
transition zone between the ecological “extend the scope of levying access and
systems. Notably, this region supports a large benefit sharing with local populations, as well
population. as for greater conservation of biological
resources.”
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M.S.Shashank
• The Bill intends to exclude registered AYUSH
medical practitioners and those who have
access to codified traditional knowledge,
among others, from notifying State
biodiversity boards before utilizing biological
resources for specific reasons.
• The bill would “reverse all of the recent
attempts to implement the Biological Diversity
Act.”
• There was not a single “suggested amendment
provision to safeguard, conserve, or
strengthen the stake of local communities in
the sustainable use and conservation of
biodiversity.”
• The modifications will allow “biopiracy” and
eliminate the necessity for AYUSH
manufacturing enterprises to get permits.
10. Internal Security

10.1. Manipur and Assam wanted to examine any place without a warrant in
“disturbed regions.”
retain AFSPA • It shields them from prosecution and legal
action without the approval of the Union
Why in the News? Government.
• Under Section 3 of the AFSPA, both the Center
• Assam and Manipur wanted to retain the and the State Governments have concurrent
AFSPA. rights to make notifications.
Background: AFSPA in Assam and Manipur
• Since 1958, the AFSPA has been in effect in the • Only Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh’s
northeast. districts of Tirap, Changlang, Longding, and
• It provides the armed forces and the Central regions lying under Namsai and Mahadevpur
Armed Police Forces unrestricted ability to kill police stations bordering Assam are
or arrest anybody breaking the law and to designated as “disturbed areas’ ‘ by the
Ministry.
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M.S.Shashank
• There is already discussion on reducing AFSPA smooth delivery of e-Gov services and
in specific places, such as the prior exclusion of functioning of production units.
seven Assembly seats spanning Imphal. o Experts from both Government and
• In Assam, the Ministry issued the “disturbed private sectors are attending the
area” order until 2017. Assam has been training program focused on topics like
renewing the notification every six months ISMS Standards, Mobile Security, Cyber
since then. Security products in India, data
• Assam’s State Government said that it was a security, identity protection,
little early to limit the region covered by the cryptography, etc
AFSPA notice. The Home Secretary explained
that the Center and the State Government
were discussing the possibility of reducing the
area covered by AFSPA.” • Aims:
o It is aimed at creating awareness around
Why do these states want to retain AFSPA? cyber security and developing an
empowered and strong cyber ecosystem in
1. Threat from Myanmar: Manipur faces Government organisations in India.
immense threat from Myanmar-based groups o India is ranked among the top 10
and this has to be factored in. countries, out of 182, in cyber security
2. Insurgency incidents: There are insurgency posture for the year 2020, jumping
incidents in Assam that shares a boundary with from the 47th position in the year 2018
Bangladesh “and is surrounded by other to the 10th position in 2020.
countries such as the People’s Republic of
China, Myanmar and Bhutan. 10.3. Sacrilege and Lynching
3. Islamit Terrorists: The emergence of Islamic
terrorists groups like HUM, JMB and HM
[Hizbul Mujahideen] in Assam also pose Why In the News?
threats to the security scenario.”
• Recently, after lynching at Golden Temple,
youth was killed in Punjab’s Kapurthala over
10.2. Deep Dive Training Program ‘sacrilege attempt’ (disrespect the holiest
book).
Why In the News ? Sacrilege
• The National e-Governance Division under the About

Ministry of Electronics and IT is conducting a
six-day Deep Dive Training program for Chief • This is not the first time someone has been
Information Security Officers (CISOs) and killed over accusations of sacrilege of a holy
frontline IT officials. book linked to Sikhism. Several such lynchings
have taken place in the recent past.
About • For some years now, Punjab has topped the
country in the number of sacrilege cases.
• The Deep Dive Training program under the • Data from the National Crime Records Bureau
Cyber Surakshit Bharat initiative is aimed to (NCRB) shows that from 2018 to 2020,
prepare the CISOs and frontline IT officials to Punjab’s rate of crimes (number of cases
face challenges of cyber security and handle divided by population in lakhs) registered
the cyber crises. under Sections 295 to 297 of the Indian Penal
• This type of training empowers them to secure Code (IPC), which deal with sacrilege, was the
their organisations from cyber threats and for highest.
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M.S.Shashank
Be-adbi in Sikhism: Conclusion
• The concept of beadbi or sacrilege in Sikhism • For framing the laws, the Centre could even
emanates largely from the fact that Sikhs provide for punitive action against political
consider the Guru Granth Sahib to be a living leaders found guilty of inciting mobs.
Guru. • Zero- tolerance attitude should be adopted in
• This is how it was ordained by the 10th Guru, dealing with mob lynching as the cases of
Guru Gobind Singh. The Guru Granth Sahib and these are on the rising trend.
everything associated with it is sacred. Since
the Guru is considered to be a living being, any 10.4. Controlled Aerial Delivery System
harm or disrespect to it is a serious offence for
the Sikhs.
• Apart from the Guru Granth Sahib, the Why In the News?
‘gurdwara’, which literally means the abode of
the guru, and the articles used in the service of • Aerial Delivery Research and Development
the Guru, are sacred. Establishment (ADRDE), recently conducted a
• The ‘dastaar’ or the ‘pagri’, the headgear worn flight demonstration of a Controlled Aerial
by Sikhs, is also considered sacred, as is the Delivery System of 500 kg capacity (CADS-500).
‘kirpan‘, the sword that baptised Sikhs carry.
Controlled Aerial Delivery System
Acts of Be-adbi:
• The CADS-500 is used for precise delivery of
• Disrespect to the Sikh Gurus, even when it payloads up to 500 kgs at a predetermined
happened in the time of the Mughals, was location by making use of manoeuvrable
beadbi. capabilities of the Ram Air Parachute (RAP).
• Operation Blue Star, in which the Army • It uses Global Positioning System for the
entered the Golden Temple or Darbaar Sahib coordinates, altitude and heading sensors for
in Amritsar, the holiest of Sikh shrines, in 1984. the heading information during its flight.
o The Global Positioning System (GPS) is
SC guidelines a navigation system using satellites, a
receiver and algorithms to synchronize
• There should be a “separate offence” for location, velocity and time data for air,
lynching and the trial courts must ordinarily sea and land travel.
award maximum sentence upon conviction of o GPS works through a technique called
the accused person to set a stern example in trilateration. Trilateration collects
cases of mob violence. signals from satellites to output
• The state governments will have to designate location information.
a senior police officer in each district for taking • The CADS, with its onboard electronics unit,
measures to prevent incidents of mob violence autonomously steers its flight path using
and lynching. waypoint navigation towards the target
• The state governments need to identify location by operating controls.
districts, sub-divisions and villages where
instances of lynching and mob violence have About Aerial Delivery Research and
been reported in the recent past. Development Establishment (ADRDE)
• The nodal officers shall bring to the notice of
the DGP about any inter-district co-ordination • It is a laboratory of the Indian Defence
issues for devising a strategy to tackle lynching Research and Development Organisation
and mob violence related issues. (DRDO).
• Every police officer shall ensure to disperse the • Location: Agra
mob that has a tendency to cause violence in
the disguise of vigilantism or otherwise.
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M.S.Shashank
• It is involved in the development of breathing jet engine in which
paratrooper parachute systems, aircrew combustion takes place in supersonic
parachute systems, ammunition parachute airflow. As in ramjets, a scramjet relies
systems, brake parachute, recovery parachute on high vehicle speed to compress the
systems, aerial delivery parachute systems, incoming air forcefully before
heavy drop systems, inflatable systems, airship combustion instead of a mechanical
technologies and aircraft arrester barrier compressor.
systems. o In a scramjet engine, air goes inside the
engine at supersonic speed and comes
10.5. The arms race towards hypersonic out at hypersonic speeds. This allows
the scramjet to operate efficiently at
weapons extremely high speeds.
Background: Concerns:
• China tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic • The high speed and their manoeuvrability
missile in August, 2021 while Russia makes the detection and interception of
announced that it had successfully test hypersonic weapons extremely difficult. The
launched a Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missile radars and air defences would not be able to
in early October. detect them till they are very close and thus
o Hypersonic weapon developed by leave very little time to react by a nation under
China circled the globe before speeding attack.
towards its target, demonstrating an • The fact that the hypersonic weapons are
advanced space capability. designed for use with a nuclear warhead
• These recent developments have put the makes it all the more lethal and destructive.
spotlight on hypersonic weapons • The widespread perception that hypersonic
development. weapons are a game-changer has increased
tensions among the U.S., Russia and China,
More Details: driving a new arms race and escalating the
chances of conflict amid the worsening
• Hypersonic weapons can fly at speeds in geopolitical situation worldwide
excess of Mach 5, five times the speed of
sound. Hypersonic weapon development by other
o The speed of sound is Mach 1, and countries:
speeds upto Mach 5 are supersonic and
speeds above Mach 5 are hypersonic. • As per available reports, apart from China,
• Unlike the ballistic missiles which can attain Russia and U.S., a number of other countries –
higher speeds and follow a fixed trajectory and including Australia, India, France, Germany,
travel outside the atmosphere to re-enter only and Japan—are also developing hypersonic
near impact, the hypersonic weapons travel weapons technology.
within the atmosphere and can manoeuvre • India is developing an indigenous, dual-
midway capable hypersonic cruise missile as part of its
• There are two classes of hypersonic weapons, Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle
hypersonic glide vehicles (HGV) and (HSTDV) program and Defence Research and
hypersonic cruise missiles (HCM). HGVs are Development Organisation (DRDO) has
launched from a rocket before gliding to a successfully tested a Mach 6 scramjet with
target while HCMs are powered by high-speed, validation of many associated critical
air-breathing engines, or scramjets. technologies.
o A scramjet (supersonic combustion
ramjet) is a variant of the ramjet air
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M.S.Shashank
11. Geography & Disaster Management

11.2. Katchatheevu Island
11.1. CHILLAI KALAN
Why in the News?
Why in the News?
• Thirteen Indian fishermen, hailing from Tamil
• Kashmir is currently under the grip of 'Chillai- Nadu, were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy on
Kalan'. the charge of crossing the International
Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).
About of 'Chillai-Kalan'
Geography
• It is a 40-day harshest winter period when a
cold wave grips the region and the • Katchatheevu is a 163-acre uninhabited island
temperature drops considerably leading to the administered by Sri Lanka and was a disputed
freezing of water bodiesincluding the famous territory claimed by India until 1976.
Dal Lake here as well as the water supply lines • The island is located between Neduntheevu,
in several parts of the valley. Sri Lanka and Rameswaram, and has been
• The chances of snowfall are the most frequent traditionally used by both Sri Lankan Tamil and
and maximum during this period and most Indian fishermen.
areas, especially in the higher reaches, receive
heavy snowfall. Historical Background
• The cold wave continues even after Chilai
Kalan in Kashmir with a 20-day-long 'Chillai-
Khurd' (small cold)and a 10-day-long 'Chillai-
Bachha' (baby cold)
Dal Lake
• It is a lake in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir.

• It is an urban lake, which is the second largest
in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
• It is integral to tourism and recreation in
Kashmir and is named the "Lake of Flowers",
"Jewel in the crown of Kashmir"or "Srinagar's
Jewel".
• Earlier, it was owned by the Ramnad Kingdom
• The lake is also an important source for
of Ramanathapuram Rameshwaram which
commercial operations in fishing and water
later came under the Madras Presidency
plant harvesting.
during British rule of India.
• The floating gardens, known as "Rad"in
• It was recognised by Ceylon as part of British
Kashmiri, blossom with lotus flowers during
India after the delimitation of Gulf of Mannar
July and August.
and Palk Strait between the then governments
• Dal is mentioned as Mahasarit in ancient
of Madras and Ceylon.
Sanskrit texts.
• However in 1921, both Sri Lanka and India laid
claims to Katchatheevu.
Post Independence
78
M.S.Shashank
• In 1974, then Prime Minister of India, Indira Financing
Gandhi ceded Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka under • It is Financed through the levy of a cess on
the "Indo-Sri Lankan Maritime agreement" certain items, chargeable to excise and
• The agreement aimed at resolving the customs duty, and approved annually through
maritime boundaries in the Palk Strait. the Finance Bill.
• Another agreement signed in 1976 restricted
both the countries’ fishermen from fishing in 11.4. Cold Waves in Northwest India
the other’s exclusive economic zones.
Why in the News?

11.3. National Disaster Response Fund
• The India Meteorological Department has
Why in the News? predicted a cold wave in parts of Northwest
India.
• Funds are being provided with an extra Rs.
15,000 crore for emergency COVID-19 What is Cold Wave?
response from national disaster response
fund. • The IMD defines a cold wave qualitatively as “a
condition of air temperature which becomes
Objectives: fatal to the human body when exposed.”
• According to the IMD, cold wave conditions
• It is a fund managed by the Central occur when the mercury falls below 10
Government for meeting the expenses degrees Celsius in the plains, and the
for emergency response, relief and minimum temperature stays at least 4.5
rehabilitation due to any threatening disaster degrees to 6.4 degrees Celsius below the
situation or disaster. normal level.
• Constituted to supplement the funds of • Conditions favourable for cold wave are:
the State Disaster Response Funds (SDRF) of o Inflow of cold air mass from higher
the states to facilitate immediate relief in case latitudes over the region in the rear of
of calamities of a severe nature. the passage of a well marked low
• National Calamity Contingency pressure system in the westerly wind
Fund (NCCF) was renamed as National flow of mid-latitudes.
Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) with the o Foggy weather during the day which
enactment of the Disaster Management Act in inhibits day warming of the region.
2005. o Strong radiation cooling during th3
night under clear sky conditions.
Calamities covered
Cold wave over India
• The NDRF is placed in the “Public Account” of
GOI under “reserve funds not bearing • Cold waves over the country are generally
interest”. experienced during December -February.
• Natural calamities such as earthquakes, • The frequency of occurrence of cold waves is
cyclones, drought, fire, tsunami, floods, over northwestern parts of India.
landslide, hailstorm, avalanche, pest attack • Occurrence of cold waves is associated with
and cloud burst deemed to be of severe nature the inflow of very cold air from
by the Indian Government and for which the extreme northwestern parts of the Indian-
state government requires funds in excess of subcontinent or even beyond.
the balance available with its SDRF.
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M.S.Shashank
Reasons Behind Cold Waves Formation About research
• Snowfall: In the upper Himalayas are • The research published in the journal Scientific
responsible for the wind chill factors Reports found that mass ice loss from nearly
• Western Disturbances: Due to the lack of 15,000 ice sheets in the Himalayas is rapid
western disturbances which are extratropical compared with other parts of the world.
storms that mostly appear during the winter
months. The cold winds from the Himalayas • The vast ice sheets shrank 10 times faster in
continue to blow into the northern parts of the past 40 years than during the previous
India thereby allowing the prevailing cold seven centuries.
conditions to continue and intensify. • Himalayan glaciers have lost about 40% of
o Western disturbances are storms that their area in the last several hundred years, or
originate in the Mediterranean region an estimated 390 to 586 cubic kilometres of ice
and bring winter rainfall to northwest — enough to raise global sea levels 0.92 to
India. 1.38 millimetres.
• La-Nina Effect in the Pacific. La Nina is the
abnormal cooler sea surface temperatures Major causes
reported along the equatorial Pacific Ocean
and it is known to favour cold waves. • There is scientific consensus that ice loss from
• Absence of cloud cover: Clouds trap some of glaciers and polar ice sheets results from rising
the outgoing infrared radiation and radiate it global temperatures caused by greenhouse-
back downward, warming the ground. gas emissions from the burning of fossil fuels.
• North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and the o Many peer-reviewed scientific studies
Siberian High. have identified human activity as a
cause of rising global temperatures.
Impacts o United Nations Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change report issued
• Impact Agriculture: It can destroy the Rabi in August 2021 also highlighted that
crop and affect the productivity of cash crops human influence is very likely the main
(Coffee, Tea). There would be a wider gap driver of the global retreat of glaciers
between day and night temperature. since the 1990s.
• Impact on Health: The cold wave is extremely • The regional climate factors, such as shifts in
fatal to human health, it could affect the South Asian monsoon, may play a role.
vulnerable people (infants, pregnant women,
elderly, people) with chronic diseases. Impacts
o Likelihood of illnesses like flu, due to
prolonged exposure to the cold. • The Himalayan mountains are also referred to
• Impact visibility: The cold wave can affect the as the third pole because they hold the world’s
visibility and which can be more prone to third-largest amount of glacier ice, following
accidents, loss of life due to accidents. Antarctica and the Arctic.
• The ice melt threatens agriculture and water
supply for millions of people in South Asia and
11.5. Himalayan Glaciers Are Melting at will contribute to rising sea levels that
Furious Rate threaten coastal communities across the
world.
• It also adds to the threat of inundation and
Why in the News? related problems faced by coastal
communities around the world.
• Glaciers in the Himalayas are melting at an
“extraordinary ” rate according to new • In addition to floods, rising sea levels can cause
research. soil erosion and jeopardize the structural
80
M.S.Shashank
integrity of roads and bridges as well as power Way Forward
plants and other critically important industrial
facilities located in coastal areas. • We must act urgently to reduce and mitigate
• As the glaciers continue to shrink, the the impact of human-made climate change on
availability of water for irrigation and drinking the glaciers
water could drop steeply.
12. History- Art & Culture

12.1. SRI AUROBINDO • At Pondicherry, Sri Aurobindo developed a
spiritual practice he called Integral Yoga.
• In 1926, with the help of his spiritual
Why in the News?
collaborator, Mirra Alfassa (referred to as "The
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi is heading an Mother"), Sri Aurobindo Ashram was founded.
• Works: His main literary works are The Life
extensive 53-member committee that has
been set up to mark the 150th birth Divine, which deals with the philosophical
anniversary of spiritual leader Sri Aurobindo. aspect of Integral Yoga; Synthesis of Yoga,
which deals with the principles and methods of
Integral Yoga; and Savitri: A Legend and a
Symbol, an epic poem.
About Sri Aurobindo
12.2. RAMNA KALI TEMPLE
• Sri Aurobindo (1872 –1950) was an Indian
philosopher, yoga guru, poet, and Indian
nationalist. Why in the News?
• He was also a journalist, editing newspapers
• Recently, the Indian President has inaugurated
such as Bande Mataram.
• He joined the Indian movement for the reconstructed Ramna Kali temple in
independence from British colonial rule, until Ramna, Dhaka (Bangladesh),.
1910 and then became a spiritual reformer,
About
introducing his visions on human progress and
spiritual evolution.
• In Nepalese folklore, the Ramna Kali Temple
was founded by the devotees of the Goddess
Contribution
Kali.
• Although the temple had stood for centuries,
• He was involved in Anushilan Samiti.
• He was arrested in the aftermath of a number it was largely developed in the early 20th
of bombings linked to his organization in a century.
• The temple was developed under the
public trial where he faced charges of treason
for Alipore Conspiracy. patronage of Rani Bilashmoni Debi, wife of
• However Sri Aurobindo could only be Rajendra Narayan (1882–1913). At this time,
convicted and imprisoned for writing articles the temple was one of Dhaka's tallest
against British colonial rule in India. landmarks.
• On March 25, 1971, the Pakistan Army began
• During his stay in the jail, he had mystical and
spiritual experiences, after which he moved to its "Operation Searchlight" to oppose a Bengali
Pondicherry, leaving politics for spiritual work. nationalist movement in what was then East
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M.S.Shashank
Pakistan. It led to a genocide and to the About
Bangladesh Liberation War.
• Operation Searchlight focused on prominent • Ullal Veera Rani Abbakka Utsava committee
Hindu sites including the Ramna Kali Mandir. recently decided to present “Veera Rani
Abbakka award” during Veera Rani Abbakka
12.3. Kalibari Temple festival in December 2021.
• Veerarani Abbakka award will be given to the
lady who has made substantial achievement in
Why In the News? research and culture. Committee would also
take mother,and, language and tradition into
• Recently, the President inaugurated the consideration for presenting the award.
reconstructed Ramna Kali temple in Ramna. • Award will be presented to a lady with Tulu
background who has made substantial
About the Temple achievement in sports, arts, social service and
other such sectors.
• It is a Hindu Temple located in Bangladesh’s
capital Dhaka where the landmark Suhrawardy Who was Rani Abbakka Chowta?
Udyan (the former Ramna Race Course) is
located. • She was the first Tuluva Queen of Ullal. She
• The temple was destroyed by Pakistani forces fought the Portuguese in latter half of the 16th
during their Operation Searchlight in March century.
1971, the brutal crackdown that led to the • She belonged to the Chowta dynasty who
genocide and the Bangladesh War of ruled over parts of coastal Karnataka (Tulu
Liberation. Nadu), India.
• The temple is dedicated to the Goddess Kali, is • The port town of Ullal was their subsidiary
believed to have been built during the Mughal capital. Ullal was strategically placed because
period. of which, The Portuguese made several
• It is the second oldest Hindu temple in attempts to capture it. But the queen repulsed
Bangladesh after the Dhakeshwari Temple. their attacks for over four decades.
• Brief History: • She came to be known as Abhaya Rani,
o The history of the area called Ramna because of her bravery.
(‘lawn’ in Persian) can be traced back to
the early 1600s, when it was occupied 12.5. Punjab CM gave tag of ‘state
by high officials of the Mughals.
o There was a Mughal garden, open festival’
green spaces, and garden houses. After
Dhaka passed under British rule in • The Chief Minister of Punjab, Charanjit Singh
1858, the “jungle of Ramna” was Channi has declared Lord Krishna Balram
cleared, and a race course and Jagannath Rath Yatra as an annual state
boulevard were built for the pleasure festival.
of the Raj elite. • The announcement for the same was made
during flagging off the 25th Shri Lord Krishna
Balram Jagannath Rath Yatra.
12.4. Veera Rani Abbakka Utsava
• He also announced a grant of Rs 2.51 crore for
the Iskcon Temple in Ludhiana, Punjab.
Why In the News? Notably, Punjab Government is also
developing the Bhagavad Gita and Ramayana
• The silver jubilee of Veera Rani Abbakka Research Centre on a 20-acre land in Patiala.
Utsava will be celebrated on the premises Ullal • This was not the first time that the Rath Yatra
City Municipality on December 21. of Ludhiana set the stage for the elections.
82
M.S.Shashank
Ahead of the 2017 Punjab elections, Delhi Kona-arka, the Sun god) was
Deputy CM Manish Sisodia of AAP participated worshipped was also popularly
in the yatra. He also performed ‘Maha Aarti’ called Konark.
from the stage with party candidates. • The main Temple was called by European
sailers "The Black Pagoda" as it formed an
12.6. Konark Sun Temple important landmark for them in their coastal
voyage.
o It forms part of the golden triangle of
Why in the News? Odisha, along with Puri and
Bhubaneswar, and attracts tourists,
• The Archaeological Survey of India is working pilgrims, and history and art lovers.
on a preliminary roadmap to safely remove • Built by: Built by King Narasimhadeva I of the
sand from the interiors of Konark Sun Temple, Eastern Ganga dynasty from 1238-1250 CE.
which was filled up by the British 118 years ago • Features: The Sun Temple built in the
to prevent it from collapsing. thirteenth century was conceived as a
gigantic chariot of Sun God, with twelve pairs
Background of exquisitely ornamented wheels pulled by
seven pairs of horses.
• The idea was floated in February 2020 at the o Its fine traceries and scroll work , the
end of a two-day national conference on the beautiful and natural cut of animal and
conservation of the Sun Temple and ASI was human figures, all give it a superiority
asked to prepare a report on the modalities of over other temples.
removing the sand. o The Sun temple belongs to the Kalinga
• Why was the need to remove the sand felt? School of Indian Temples with
o It was felt after a study warned of characteristic curvilinear towers
possible damage caused by the sand mounted by Cupolas.
settling down — resulting in a gap of 17 o The main sanctum which (229 ft. high)
feet between the sand layer and the was constructed along with
structure. the audience hall (128 ft. high) having
o This report was submitted in 2019 and elaborate external projections.
CBRI had suggested that the 17-foot ▪ The main sanctum which
gap should be refilled with fresh sand. enshrined the presiding deity
has fallen off.
About Konark Sun Temple ▪ The Audience Hall survives in
its entirety but of the other two
• Location: Konark is situated at comfortable viz the Dancing Hall(nata
distance from the famous religious and tourist Mandir) and the Dining Hall
centre of Puri (35 K.M.) and the capital city of (Bhoga-Mandap), only small
Bhubaneswar (65 K.M.) portions have survived the
• Meaning of Name: "Konarka" , the place bears vagaries of time.
a name composed of two World elements: • The alignment of the Sun Temple is in the east-
Kona meaning corner and ARKA meaning the west direction.
Sun. • The temple is a World Heritage Site is situated
o The Sun god worshipped in Ark Kshetra in the eastern state of Odisha and is a massive
is also called Konark. temple dedicated to the Sun God temple
o In 'Brahma Purana' the Sun God in Ark- • Great poet Rabindranath Tagore wrote of
kshetra has been described as Konark: “Here the language of stone surpasses
Konaditya. the language of man.”
▪ So it is evident that the place • Protection :
where the Kona aditya (or
83
M.S.Shashank
o The Sun Temple, Konârak is protected • Recently, the Prime Minister of India praised a
under the National Framework of India Goan artist's efforts to revive the centuries-old
by the Ancient Monuments and Kaavi art form.
Archaeological Sites and Remains
(AMASR) Act (1958) and its Rules About Kaavi Art
(1959).
▪ Other relevant protective • It is a form of painting on the inner and outer
legislation includes the Forest walls of the sacred spaces.
Act, Konârak Development Act • It covers the ancient history of India in itself.
and notified Council Area Act. o Actually, ‘Kaava’ means red soil. In
ancient times, red clay was used in this
art.
12.7. Kaavi Art
• It is found in the Konkan region of the country,
especially in temples of Goa, Maharashtra and
Why in the News? Karnataka.
• During the Portuguese rule in Goa, people who
migrated from there introduced the people of
other states to this wonderful painting form.
13. Awards
13.2. Sushila Devi Award 2021
13.1. Order of the Druk Gyalpo
Why in the News?
Why In the News? • Anukrti Upadhyay's novel, Kintsugi, was
published by the Fourth Estate imprint and
• PM Narendra Modi was honoured with won the Sushila Devi Award 2021 for Best Book
Bhutan’s highest civilian award “Order of the of Fiction.
Druk Gyalpo”.
More Details:
About • The Ratanlal Foundation and the Bhopal
Literature and Art Festival's organizing
• It was conferred with the award on the committee have announced the winner of this
occasion of Bhutan’s National Day (December prestigious award for fiction written by a
17). woman author and published in 2020.
• It marks the crowning of Ugyen Wangchuck as • The Shri Ratanlal Foundation has established
the first Druk Gyalpo of modern Bhutan. this award. Anukrti Upadhyay holds master's
degrees in management and literature, as well
Druk Gyalpo as a law degree.
• He is the head of state of Bhutan. Bhutan is • She is a bilingual writer who writes in both
also known as Drukyul, in the Dzongkha English and Hindi.
language. • In 2019, she wowed readers and critics alike
• It translates to “The Land of Thunder Dragon”. with the twin novellas Daura and Bhaunri, as
Kings of Bhutan are called Druk Gyalpo well as the short story collection Japani Sarai,
(Dragon King) while, Bhutanese people call which she released in Hindi.
themselves Drukpa (people of Druk).
84
M.S.Shashank
13.3. “Digital Innovation of the Year” Entrepreneur of the Year Award- Business
Transformation from The Indus Entrepreneurs
award (TiE) based out of Silicon Valley.
• Birla is the first Indian Industrialist to receive
• O. P. Jindal Global University (JGU) has won the the award for global entrepreneurship along
‘Digital Innovation of the Year Award’ in the with top global business leaders Satya Nadella,
prestigious Times Higher Education (THE) Asia Elon Musk, and Jeff Bezos.
Awards 2021 for creating a free, cloud-based • The awardees were selected by an
application to help schools and universities independent jury chaired by Venture
manage data. Capitalist, Tim Draper, Founder, Draper
• JGU was the only Indian University to be University.
shortlisted for the “Digital Innovation of the
Year”.
13.7. Highest Civilian Award
13.4. Pritzker Prize
• Bhutan has honoured PM Modi with its highest
civilian award, Ngadag Pel gi Khorlo. Bhutan’s
• Pritzker Prize-Winning British-Italian Architect, Prime Minister Lotay Tshering has announced
Richard Rogers has passed away at his PM Modi’s name for Bhutan’s highest honour.
residence in London, United Kingdom. He • The honour comes as an appreciation for
received the Pritzker Prize, known as the Nobel India’s friendly approach to Bhutan under PM
Prize of Architecture, in 200. Modi’s governance. During the pandemic,
• He received the Knight Bachelor in 1991 and he India had extended support to the
was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. He was the neighbouring country in the form of vaccines,
architect of the new World Trade Center (3 medicines and other emergency services.
World Trade Center) in New York City, United
States, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, France
13.8. Ramanujan Prize 2021
and the Millennium Dome in London, UK.
13.5. UN Women’s Award for Leadership • Indian Mathematician Neena Gupta has received
the 2021 DST-ICTP-IMU Ramanujan Prize for
Commitment 2021 Young Mathematicians from Developing
Countries for her outstanding work in affine
• Divya Hegde, an Indian Climate Action algebraic geometry and commutative algebra.
Entrepreneur from Udupi, Karnataka, has won • Professor Neena Gupta, a mathematician at the
UN Women’s Award for Leadership Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) in Kolkata. She is
Commitment at the 2021 Regional Asia-Pacific the third woman to receive Ramanujan Prize,
Women’s Empowerment Principles Awards which was first awarded in 2005 and is
Ceremony. administered by Abdus Salam International
• She has been recognized for her sustained Centre for Theoretical Physics jointly with Dept
efforts in advancing gender equality through Science and Technology and International
climate action efforts with her organization, Mathematical Union.
• The prize, named after Indian mathematician
Baeru Environmental Services.
Srinivasa Ramanujan, was first awarded in 2005
and is administered by the Abdus Salam
13.6. Global Entrepreneur of the Year International Centre for Theoretical Physics
Award (ICTP) jointly with the Department of Science
and Technology (DST), Government of India, and
the International Mathematical Union (IMU)
• Aditya Birla Group’s chairman, Kumar
Mangalam Birla has received the Global
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M.S.Shashank
14. Government Initiatives

o The new scheme will be more trainees
and learner-centric addressing the
14.1. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas ambitions of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Yojana (PMKVY) 3.0 • It aims to empower the country’s youth and

continue the journey of the Skill India Mission
in building India as the skill capital of the world.
Why In the News? o The scheme aims to benefit over eight
(08) lakh candidates in FY 2020-2021
• The Union Minister of State for Skill with a budget of INR 948.90 crores
Development, Entrepreneurship launched two while targeting the youth under the
ambitious projects of 'Revival of Namda craft age group of 15-45 years.
of Kashmir and 'Upskilling of artisans and • The focus of PMKVY 3.0 (2020-21): It has been
weavers of Kashmir under the under Pradhan shifted from a supply-based approach to a
Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) 3.0'. demand-based approach.
o PMKVY 3.0 will encourage and
About promote skill development throughout
the country to address industry needs,
• The Namda project will be an industry-based meet market demands and impart skills
training programme that will contribute in services and in new-age job roles
towards preserving and reviving the rich that have become crucial with the
heritage associated with the unique craft in advent of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kashmir. o PMKVY 3.0 is a progressive step
o Namda is a rug made of sheep wool
towards achieving the vision by
through felting technique instead of establishing an increased connection at
normal weaving process.
state, district and block levels.
▪ Due to low availability of raw
o PMKVY 2.0 broadened skill
material, lack of skilled development with the inclusion of
manpower and marketing Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and
techniques, the export of this focus on training.
craft has declined almost 100 ▪ With the advent of PMKVY 3.0,
per cent between 1998 and the focus is on bridging the
2008. demand-supply gap by
promoting skill development in
About PMKVY 3.0
areas of new-age and Industry
4.0 job roles.
• The Ministry of Skill Development and
Entrepreneurship (MSDE) launched the third
phase of its flagship scheme PMKVY 3.0 in 14.2. Skill India
January 2021.
• PMKVY 3.0 will be implemented in a more
Why in the News?
decentralised structure with greater
responsibilities and support from States/UTs
• Recently, the Ministry of Skill Development
and Districts by incorporating the learnings
and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) announced a
from PMKVY 1.0 and PMKVY 2.0.
pilot project to train 2,500 street food vendors
in Delhi under the Recognition of Prior
86
M.S.Shashank
Learning (RPL) component of Pradhan Mantri 14.3. Ujjwala Scheme
Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) 3.0.
About: Why in News?
• The project will be implemented by the • The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana saw a spurt
Tourism and Hospitality Sector Skill Council in new distribution just before the 2019
(THSSC) and training partners of NSDC. general election as per RTI (Right To
• The registered street food vendors will go Information) plea.
through four-five days of counselling sessions • The target under the scheme was to release 8
where they will get clarity on their crore LPG connections to the deprived
competencies, aptitude, interests, household by 2020. This was achieved in
opportunities, and structure of the itinerary. August 2019, seven months ahead of the
• The Vendors will be educated on health and March 2020 deadline.
safety standards, safety provisions under • In August 2021, the Prime Minister launched
Covid-19 protocols, effective communication the second phase of Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala
techniques with staff and customers, new-age Yojana (PMUY) or Ujjwala 2.0 Scheme.
skills such as digital literacy, financial literacy,
digital payments and e-selling. Objectives:
• The vendors will also be supported with loans
under the Mudra Scheme. • Empowering women and protecting their
• It will make vendors eligible for e-cart licenses, health.
make them learn to improve the hygiene • Reducing the number of deaths in India due to
conditions in food preparation and aesthetics unclean cooking fuel.
of vending. They will be given Rs 500 per day • Preventing young children from a significant
for four days of training. number of acute respiratory illnesses caused
due to indoor air pollution by burning fossil
Objective: fuel.
• The objective is to impart relevant skills to Features:

street food vendors, which can lead to better
services for consumers, more opportunities for • The scheme provides a financial support of Rs
revenue generation and awareness on civic 1600 for each LPG connection to the BPL
regulations. households.
• Along with a deposit-free LPG connection,
Significance: Ujjwala 2.0 will provide the first refill and a
hotplate free of cost to the beneficiaries.
• India has around 5.5 million street food
vendors who contribute around 14% to the Challenge
informal economy, making their upskilling vital
for the economy. Low Consumption of Refills:
• It will surely help in lifting the working and
living conditions of the workforce. • Encouraging the sustained usage of LPG
• It will provide social security and safety to remains a big challenge, and low consumption
4,000 vendors in east Delhi and 25 lakh street of refills hindered recovery of outstanding
vendors nationally. loans disbursed under the scheme.
• The annual average refill consumption on 31th
December 2018 was only 3.21.
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M.S.Shashank
System Anomalies: • There is a need for achieving a higher LPG
coverage of the population by providing
• There are deficiencies such as the issuance of connections to households that do not have
connections to unintended beneficiaries, and LPG.
problems with the software of the state-run oil • Entering Aadhaar numbers of all adult family
marketing companies for identifying intended members of existing as well as new
beneficiaries and inadequacies in the beneficiaries to make deduplication effective
deduplication process. and appropriate measures in distributors’
software to restrict issuance to ineligible
Way Forward beneficiaries.
• The scheme should be extended to poor

households in urban and semi-urban slum
areas.
15. Persons & Appointments

15.1. Desmond Tutu
15.2. Rajeev Ahuja
Why in the News?
• The RBL Bank board has appointed Rajeev
Nobel Peace Prize winner, Archbishop Desmond Ahuja, who’s currently working as the
Tutu, died at the age of 90 on December 27, 2021. Executive Director at the bank, as interim
Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of
More Details: the bank with immediate effect, subject to the
regulatory and other approvals.
• Desmond Tutu won the Nobel Peace Prize for • The board of directors at its meeting has
his opposition to racial discrimination in South accepted the request of Vishwavir Ahuja,
Africa. Managing Director and CEO of the bank, to
• In 1997, He was diagnosed with prostate proceed on leave with immediate effect.
cancer and underwent surgery.
• Tutu was subsequently hospitalized multiple
15.3. Mohammed Ben Sulayem
times to undergo treatment for infections and
other ailments.
• He was South Africa’s first Black Anglican • Mohammed Ben Sulayem of the United Arab
archbishop. Emirates has been elected successor to Jean
• He used his international profile to lobby for Todt as the first non-European president of
sanctions against White-minority government. motorsport’s world governing body, the
• He led the Truth and Reconciliation International Automobile Federation (FIA).
Commission, in between 1996 to 1998. The • The FIA is the governing body for Formula One,
commission was aimed at exposing the the World Rally Championship, World
injustices of the past. Endurance and Formula E among other series.
The 60-year-old Dubai-born former rally driver
was standing against British lawyer Graham
Stoker, who has been Todt’s deputy president
for the sport since 2009.
88
M.S.Shashank
15.4. Kamlesh Gandhi He has won 10 National Film Awards, 9 Kerala
State Awards among others.
• Finance Industry Development Council (FIDC) 15.7. Anahat Singh

has announced fresh appointments to its
board of directors. Kamlesh Gandhi, CMD of
MAS Financial Services has been appointed as • Indian teenager Anahat Singh has scripted
Co-Chairman, FIDC in addition to Umesh history by winning the U-15 girls category of
Revankar, CEO and MD of Shriram Transport the prestigious Junior US Open Squash
Finance Group. Sanjay Chamria has resigned as tournament in Philadelphia.
the Co-Chairman and Director, FIDC • The 13-year-old girl from Delhi overcame
• Finance Industry Development Council (FIDC), powerhouse Egypt’s Jayda Marei in the final
which is a representative body of asset and match 11-9, 11-5, 8-11, 11-5 played at the
loan financing NBFCs, has announced fresh Arlen Spectre Centre. More than 850 squash
appointments to its board of directors. junior players, representing 41 countries,
Dinanath Dubhashi, MD and CEO, L&T Finance participated in the World’s largest junior
Holdings has been appointed as an additional individuals squash tournament
Director of FIDC. The appointments were
approved at a board meeting of FIDC on
December 21. 15.8. Gabriel Boric
15.5. Aanchal Thakur
• 35-year-old, Gabriel Boric, has won Chile
presidential elections, to become the
• Indian skier Aanchal Thakur has bagged a youngest-ever President-elect of Chile. He
bronze medal at the International Ski defeated his opposition Jose Antonio Kast in
Federation (FIS) Alpine Skiing Competition in the elections. Gabriel Boric will assume office
Montenegro. She finished 3rd with an overall in March 2022, will become the youngest
timing of 1:54:30. With this, Aanchal has president in Chile’s history.
become the first Indian Ski athlete to win two • Official results gave Mr Boric 56% of the votes
medals at the international level. against Mr Kast’s 44%. Mr Kast conceded
• She has previously won the bronze medal in defeat barely an hour-and-a-half after polls
the 2018 FIS Alpine 3200 Cup held in Turkey closed, and with around half of ballots
Georgia Epiphaniouwon silver medal and was counted.
just 2 seconds ahead of Anchal. Croatia’s Dora
Ljutic (1:50.61) won the gold medal while 15.9. Pradeep Kumar Rawat
Cyprus skier Georgia Epiphaniou (1:52.71)
clinched silver.
• Senior Indian diplomat Pradeep Kumar Rawat,
15.6. KS Sethumadhavan who is well-versed in negotiating with Chinese
diplomats, has been appointed as India’s next
Ambassador to China. Rawat’s appointment
• Legendary Malayalam filmmaker KS comes amid the lingering border stand-off in
Sethumadhavan has passed away at the age of eastern Ladakh. Rawat is currently the
90 years. He directed over 60 movies in five country’s envoy to the Netherlands.
languages including Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi • An Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer of the
during his career. 1990 batch, Rawat is currently the country’s
• He directed popular movies such as Odayil envoy to the Netherlands. He was joint
Ninnu, Anubhavangal Palichakal, Oppol, secretary (East Asia) in the MEA when the
Aranazhikaneeram, Achanum Bappayum, etc. Doklam border stand-off took place in 2017.
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He was involved in the negotiations during the ones appointed as members of the BWF
early days before he moved to Indonesia as Athletes’ Commission.
ambassador.
• Rawat served as India’s envoy to Indonesia and 15.11. Harnaaz Sandhu
Timor-Leste from September 2017 to
December 2020. He had earlier served in Hong
Kong and Beijing and speaks fluent Mandarin. • Actor-model Harnaaz Sandhu made history as
she was crowned Miss Universe 2021 beating
contestants from 80 countries, 21 years after
India last brought home the title.
15.10. PV Sindhu • While Paraguay’s Nadia Ferreira, 22, finished
second, South Africa’s Lalela Mswane, 24,
• Former world champion PV Sindhu has been came third. Only two Indians before Ms
appointed as a member of the Badminton Sandhu have won the title of Miss Universe—
World Federation’s (BWF) Athletes’ actors Sushmita Sen in 1994 and Lara Dutta in
Commission, along with five other people. The 2000.
Chair and Deputy Chair will be decided among • The 70th edition of the event was held in Eilat,
the six members. Israel, where the 21-year-old bagged the
• The Chair of the BWF Athletes’ Commission, coveted pageant.
following a vetting process as required for all • The ceremony was hosted by Steve Harvey
Council members, will become a member of and saw performances from American singer
the Council until the next elections in 2025. JoJo. The selection committee included actor
• Iris Wang (USA), Robin Tabeling (NED), Greysia and Miss Universe India 2015 Urvashi Rautela,
Polii (INA), Kim Soyeong (KOR), Pusarla V Adamari López, Adriana Lima, Cheslie Kryst,
Sindhu (IND) and Zheng Si Wei (CHN) are the Iris Mittenaere, Lori Harvey, Marian Rivera and
Rena Sofer.
16. Important Days

• AIDS is a pandemic disease caused by the
16.1. World AIDS Day 2021 infection of Human Immunodeficiency Virus
(HIV), which damages the human immune
system.
Why in the News? • There were an estimated 37.7 million people
living with HIV at the end of 2020, over two
• World AIDS Day is observed on 1st December thirds of whom (25.4 million) are in the African
every year all over the world to spread Region.
awareness about the disease and remember • In 2020, 680 000 people died from HIV-related
all those who lost their lives to it. causes and 1.5 million people acquired HIV.
• Theme for 2021: ‘End inequalities. End AIDS’
More Details:
• It was founded in 1988 by the World Health

Organization (WHO) and was the first ever 16.2. Nagaland Statehood Day
global health day with a motto of raising public
awareness about Acquired ImmunoDeficiency Why in the News?
Syndrome (AIDS).
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M.S.Shashank
• Recently, Nagaland has celebrated its 59th the private sector, civil society, academia, the
Statehood day on December 1st 2021. public and youth – in tackling corruption.
• Nagaland was formally recognised as a • The theme of International Anti-Corruption
separate state on 1st December, 1963, with Day 2021: “Your right, your role: say no to
Kohima being declared as its capital. corruption”.
• The State of Nagaland Act, 1962, was enacted
by the Parliament to give Nagaland statehood. 16.5. International Mountain Day
16.3. World Human Rights Day
• International Mountain Day is observed
globally on December 11 every year. The day is
Why in the News? celebrated to create awareness about the
importance of mountains to life, to highlight
• Every year Human Rights Day is celebrated on the opportunities and constraints in mountain
10th December all around the world. development and to build alliances that will
• Freedom in the World 2021 report released bring positive change to mountain peoples and
earlier this year had downgraded India’s status environments around the world.
from ‘Free’ to ‘Partly Free’. • The theme of this year’s International
Mountain Day (IMD) on 11 December will be
More Details: sustainable mountain tourism. Sustainable
tourism in mountains can contribute to
• On that day, the United Nations General creating additional and alternative livelihood
Assembly adopted, in 1948, the Universal options and promoting poverty alleviation,
Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). social inclusion, as well as landscape and
• The UDHR established a set of common basic biodiversity conservation.
values both with regard to the view of human • The day was established by the UN General
beings and to the relationship between the Assembly in 2003 to encourage the sustainable
state and the individual. development of mountains. United Nations
• Theme 2021: “EQUALITY – Reducing had declared 2002 as the UN International
inequalities, advancing human rights”. Year of Mountains.
• Objective: To promote equality, peace, justice,
freedom and the protection of human dignity. 16.6. Unicef Day
Every individual is entitled to rights
irrespective of race, colour, religion, sex,
language, or social status. • Every year, UNICEF Day is observed on
December 11 to raise awareness about saving
children’s lives by defending and helping them
16.4. International Anti-Corruption Day to fulfil their wishes. The day provides
assistance for the health, nutrition, education,
• International Anti-Corruption Day is observed and welfare of children during World War II.
annually on 9 December to raise public • UNICEF’s name was subsequently changed
awareness for anti-corruption. The day is from United Nations International Children’s
observed since the passage of the United Emergency Fund to United Nations Children’s
Nations Convention Against Corruption on 31 Fund though, it continued to be known by the
October 2003. popular acronym based on the previous title.
• The 2021 International Anti-Corruption Day • The theme for this year is to help children
seeks to highlight the rights and recover from interruptions and learning losses
responsibilities of everyone – including States, experienced through pandemics in the last two
Government officials, civil servants, law years.
enforcement officers, media representatives,
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M.S.Shashank
International Migrants Day 2021 is Harnessing
the potential of human mobility.
16.7. National Energy Conservation Day
16.10. National Minorities Rights Day
• Every year on the 14th of December, National
Energy Conservation day is celebrated in India. • Every year, December 18 is observed as the
This occasion has been celebrated since 1991 Minorities Rights Day to uphold the right to
when is led by the Ministry of power. freedom and equal opportunities for the
• This day is celebrated to raise awareness ethnic minorities in India and create
regarding the conservation of energy as it is awareness about the respect and dignity of the
the best way to have a greener and brighter minorities.
future. • India has faced many obstacles since the
• Back in 2001, the Indian bureau of energy British Rule regarding basic human rights.
efficiency implemented the Indian energy However, these rights were safeguarded after
conservation act which focused on formulating the independence and people must be made
policies regarding energy conservation. aware of it. Thus we celebrate Minorities
Rights Day on 18th December every year.
16.8. 50th Vijay Diwas • The Minority Rights Day 2021 aims to uplift all
the minority sections of society and back them
to voice their opinion. Considering the COVID-
Why In the News? 19 pandemic, all the sessions, seminars, and
debates are likely to take place digitally.
• The Prime Minister of India led the nation in
paying tribute to the martyrs of the 1971 war
16.11. International Human Solidarity Day
on the 50th Vijay Diwas.
About Vijay Diwas Why in the News?
• Vijay Diwas is observed to commemorate • The International Human Solidarity Day was
India's victory in the 1971 war and the observed globally on December 20, to honour
Liberation of Bangladesh. the “Unity in Diversity”.
• The year 2021 is being observed as Swarnim
Vijay Varsh to commemorate 50 years of More Details:
India's victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war.
• The day is observed every year on December
16.9. International Migrants Day 20 by United Nations.
• It acts as a reminder for governments across
the world to respect their commitments
• The International Migrants Day is observed towards international agreements.
globally on 18 December every year. The day is • The day became a part of ‘Trust Fund of UN’s
marked by the United Nations, through the Development Program’ in February 2003.
UN-related agency International Organization
for Migration (IOM). Aim of the Day
• The day is observed to highlight the
contributions made by the 272 million • The International Human Solidarity Day is
migrants, which includes more than 41 million observed with the aim of raising public
people who are internally displaced persons, awareness on the importance of solidarity,
and the challenges they face. The theme of encourage debate on the ways of promoting
solidarity for achieving the Sustainable
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M.S.Shashank
Development Goals including the poverty Why in the News?
eradication.
• The day focuses on new initiatives to eradicate The National Consumer Day is observed on
poverty across the world. December 24, every year in India. On this day, the
President has given his assent to the Consumer
Protection Act, 1986.
16.12. National Mathematics Day
Who is a consumer?
• India observes the National Mathematics Day • A consumer can be anyone who purchases
every year on 22 December since 2012. The goods or services and pays for them in return.
day is celebrated to commemorate the birth
anniversary of Mathematician Srinivasa Significance
Ramanujan.
• This year nation celebrates his 134th birth • Consumers are provided protection against
anniversary of Ramanujan. The main objective unfair trade practices like hoarding, fake
behind the celebration of National advertisements, false gift offers and many
Mathematics Day is to make people aware of others. Via an effective complaint redressal
the development of mathematics and its forum, this act assures that there is an efficient
importance in the growth of humanity. settlement of consumer disputes.
• Consumers have been now empowered to a
great extent. It has also brought changes in the
16.13. Indian National Farmer’s Day process by which consumer complaints are
dealt with.
• Kisan Diwas or National Farmers Day is
observed on December 23 across the country 16.15. Good Governance Day
to praise the farmers as they are the spine of
India. The day was chosen to honour the birth
anniversary of the fifth Prime Minister of India, Why in the News?
Choudhary Charan Singh.
• National Farmers Day is celebrated every year, • Good governance is observed annually on
especially in those states which are actively December 25.
engaged in farming, such as Uttar Pradesh,
Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, among More Details:
others.
• The day aims to let the citizens, the students,
Why is Kisan Diwas different this year? who are the future of the country know about
the government's responsibilities and duties
• This year, Kisan Diwas is being observed amidst that it needs to fulfill.
farmers’ protests against the Centre’s three • The day is also celebrated to commemorate
contentious agricultural reform laws. the birth anniversary of India's former Prime
• Farmers believe the laws will promote private Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
investment in the agriculture sector. Several
also fear the deregulation will end up hurting 16.16. International Day of Epidemic
small and poor farmers by weakening the
government’s Minimum Support Price (MSP) Preparedness
system.
Why in the News?
16.14. National Consumer Day
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• The International Day of Epidemic diseases and epidemics have devastating
Preparedness is observed on December 27, effects on human lives.
every year in a bid to raise public awareness on • It also hinders the long-term social and
epidemics on all levels and prepare for future economic growth.
outbreaks. • Global health crisis, such as ongoing covid-19
pandemic, also threatens to swamp the
More Details: overburdened health systems and cause
disproportionate devastation to world
• United Nations and the World Health economies by disrupting global supply chains.
Organisation (WHO) had declared December • Thus, the day is observed to raise awareness
27 as International Day for Epidemic about the epidemics
Preparedness in the light that, major infectious
17. Miscellaneous
17.1. ASIGMA
Why in the News?

17.2. Tamil Thai Vaazhthu Song
• The Indian Army launched a contemporary Why In the News?

messaging application named ASIGMA.
• The Tamil Nadu government has declared
About ASIGMA: Tamil Thai Vaazhthu, a prayer song sung in
praise of Mother Tamil, as the State Song.
• ASIGMA stands for Army Secure IndiGeneous
Messaging Application. Background
• It is a new generation, state-of-the-art, web
based application developed entirely in-house • The decision came after the Madras High Court
by team of officers of the Corps of Signals of ruled that “there is no statutory or executive
the Army. order requiring the attendees to stand up
• The application is being deployed on the when Tamil Thai Vaazhthu is sung.
Army’s internal network as a replacement of • The High Court referred to Bijoe Emmanuel vs.
Army Wide Area Network messaging State of Kerala case (1986), in which the
application which has been in service for past Supreme Court ordered the readmission to
the 15 years. school of three children of the Jehovah’s
• The application has been fielded on Army Witnesses, who had been expelled for refusing
owned hardware. to sing the national anthem.
• It has a variety of contemporary features o As per the SC, there is no provision of
including multi-level security, message law which obliges anyone to sing the
prioritisation and tracking. National Anthem.
• This messaging application meet real time data • Again, while the Supreme Court had, in Shyam
transfer and messaging requirements of the Narayan Chouksey v. Union of India (2017),
Army, especially in the backdrop of current geo directed that all cinema halls shall play the
political security environment. national anthem before the film and all
• It is in line with the Government's Make in present are obliged to stand, it had modified
India initiative. the original directions and made it “optional
and not mandatory”.
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Tamil Thai Vaazhthu • Delhi Cabinet approved to set up Delhi
Teachers’ University.
• A part of the verses under the title ‘Tamil
Dheiva Vanakkam’ from Manonmaniam, More Details:
penned by Manonmaniam Sundaranar and
published in 1891, eventually came to be • The university will offer a four-year integrated
known as the Tamil Thai Vaazhthu. teacher education programme after Class 12.
• In 1913, the annual report of the Karanthai • In the programme, BA & B.Ed, BSc & B.Ed, and
Tamil Sangam made the demand for singing BCom & B.Ed courses will be incorporated.
the song at all functions. • While pursuing these courses, those enrolled
• The Tamil Thai Vaazhthu is being sung at in the university will also be linked to Delhi
Karanthai Tamil Sangam since 1914. government schools for training purposes.
• It is also being sung at all Tamil Sangams • Government will introduce “Delhi Teachers
associated with the Karanthai Tamil Sangam. University Bill 2021” for the same in the next
• The Karanthai Tamil Sangam had appealed to session of Delhi Assembly.
the then Chief Minister, C.N. Annadurai, to
declare Tamil Thai Vaazhthu the State song. Delhi Teachers University
17.3. Kanpur Metro Rail Project • Delhi Teachers’ University will be a public
university.
• It will be dedicated to prepare excellent quality
Why in the News? teachers for Delhi across different school
stages.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit • Students from university will also be attached
Kanpur and inaugurate the completed section with Delhi government schools for entire
of Kanpur Metro Rail Project. duration of the course, to get hands-on
experience.
Kanpur Metro Rail project
• It will help students in receiving excellent
practical knowledge in addition to theoretical
• Kanpur Metro is a rail-based mass transit
knowledge.
system. It is under construction for the city of
Kanpur. Significance of the University
• The project is extendable to the Kanpur
metropolitan area. The feasibility study for this • The University will act as a centre for
project was done in June 2015 by RITES. excellence in preparing teachers at pre-service
• Under the project, metro will run for a distance as well as in-service in the areas of education
of 32 kilometres. It is being built at a cost of Rs studies, leadership and policy.
11000 crore. Construction of red line started • University will work for bridging the gap
on November 15, 2019 with 9 km stretch from between practice, research and policy in
IIT Kanpur to Moti Jheel. Its tender has been teacher preparation. It will also engage
awarded to AFCONS infrastructure Ltd. First constantly with the dynamic concept and
section of the project will be opened in January realities of quality education Delhi.
2022.
17.4. Delhi to set up first Teachers

17.5. Telangana’s New rules on child
labour
University
Why in the News?
Why in the News?
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M.S.Shashank
• Telangana Government has issued a revised will store and manage health records
guidelines for curbing child labour menace, in electronically.
line with the rules formulated by Centre. • Users can create digital Health IDs for
themselves and for their family members on
More Details: ABDM integrated Health Locker.
• Health Locker received the ABDM Sandbox
• State government seeks to take strict action approval for activating their ABDM integrated
against those who employ or force children Health Locker.
below 14 years to work. • The users can also fetch and store their Cowin
• As per revised norms, if anyone attempts to vaccination certificates through the ABDM
employ children aged below 14 years, he or integrated Health Locker.
she will be punished with a jail term of six
months to one year.
17.7. GI Tag to Bihar’s Mithila Makhana
• They would also be charged with a fine of Rs
20,000 to Rs 50,000.
• As per revised guidelines, film director will • The Geographical Indications Registry (GIR)
require to obtain permission from the under the Central Ministry of Commerce has
Collector concerned in order to rope in accepted the petition to rename Bihar
children in movies or serials. Makhana as Mithila Makhana and has also
• The children will be allowed to work only for suggested further changes to the brand logo to
five hours, with one break after three hours. better reflect its origins.
• Crew members are required to ensure child’s • It also suggested amendments in the brand
safety during the shooting. logo to highlight its origins and protect the
• Furthermore, child will be permitted to attend product’s Geographical Indications (GI) rights.
shooting up to 27 days only. • The Sabour based Bihar Agriculture University
• In case, more than five children are taking part (BAU) initiated an application on behalf of the
in shooting, a person has to be appointed for Mithilanchal Makhana Utpadak Sangh
supervision. (MMUS) to name their produce as Mithila
• Twenty-five per cent of the remuneration of Makhana for the welfare of fox nut growers in
the child has to be fixed deposited in the bank. the Mithila region.
This amount will be given to the child after he
or she becomes major. 17.8. International Solar Alliance
17.6. Docprime tech launched India’s first • The United Nations General Assembly
ABDM integrated Health Locker (UNGA) has granted Observer Status to
International Solar Alliance (ISA) by adopting
Why in the News? resolution 76/123. This decision has been
taken based on the UNGA’s Sixth Committee
• Docprime tech has launched India’s first health report.
locker integrated with Ayushman Bharat • In November 2015, ISA was jointly launched by
Digital Mission (ABDM). ABDM was launched India and France during the 21st session of the
in August 2020 for developing an integrated United Nations Climate Change COP-21 in
digital health infrastructure in the country. Paris, France to promote solar energy among
its Member Countries.
More Details: • A total of 108 countries participated in the
Assembly, including 74 Member Countries and
• ABDM integrated Health Locker will provide 34 Observer and Prospective Countries, 23
users a digital and self-consented health data Partner Organizations and 33 Special Invitee
management system without any charges. It Organisations.
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• The launch of the ISA was announced by Prime • Historically, revolts against Portuguese rulers
Minister Narendra Modi, and former French and their policies were recorded in the 18th
President Francois Hollande in November and 19th centuries.
2015, at the 21st session of the UN Climate • On June 18, 1946, the movement for the
Change Conference of the Parties in Paris, liberation of Goa started gaining momentum
France. as socialist Dr Ram Manohar Lohia joined the
Goans in their struggle.
o June 18, therefore, is celebrated in the
17.9. SpaceX’s first flight surgeon
state as Goa Revolution Day.
• Despite this struggle, and India gaining
• Nasa-turned-SpaceX flight surgeon, Anil Independence from British rule on August 15,
Menon is among the 10 latest trainee 1947, the Portuguese did not liberate Goa until
astronauts who will join the 2021 class of the 14 years later.
American space agency as it plans for the first o Once India attained freedom, the call
human missions to the moon in more than 50 for independence of Goa from
years. Portuguese rule intensified, and while
• He is born to Indian and Ukrainian parents and some freedom fighters led agitations,
raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Menon is a many others attempted to hold peace
lieutenant colonel in the US air force. talks to get the country free using
• He was SpaceX’s first flight surgeon, helping to diplomacy.
launch the company’s first humans to space • In the end, however, Indian Armed Forces
during NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 mission and were sent by then PM Jawaharlal Nehru, after
building a medical organisation to support the which the Portuguese rulers surrendered and
human system during future missions. liberated Goa on December 19, 1961.
17.10. Goa Liberation Day 17.11. Apatani Textile Product
Why in the News? Why in the News?
• Goa is marking its 60th Liberation Day which is • An application seeking a Geographical
always celebrated with fervour. Indication (GI) tag for the Arunachal Pradesh
Apatani textile product has been filed by Zeet
Goa Liberation Day Zeero Producer Company Limited.
About: About Apatani Textile Product
• It is celebrated on 19th December every year • The Apatani weave comes from the Apatani
to mark the success of ‘Operation Vijay’( a 36- tribe of Arunachal Pradesh living at Ziro, the
hour military operation) undertaken by the headquarters of Lower Subansiri district.
Indian Armed Forces that liberated Goa from • The woven fabric of this tribe is known for its
Portuguese rule. geometric and zigzag patterns and also for its
• It is celebrated to recognise the achievements angular designs.
of Goa in the tourism sector. • The Apatani community weaves its own
textiles for various occasions, including rituals
Background: and cultural festivals.
• The tribe predominantly weaves shawls known
• Goa had been an important port for trade as as jig-Jiro and jilan or jackets called supuntarii.
well as military operations of the Portuguese, o The traditional handloom of this tribe is
who ruled the region for over four and a half a type of loin loom, which is called
centuries.
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Chichin and is similar to the traditional • Maharashtra Government launched My
handloom of the Nyishi tribe. It is Vasundhara (My Earth) initiative
portable, easy to install and operated environmental conservation and protection,
by a single weaver, especially the focusing on all the five elements of nature
female member of the community. called "Panchmahabhutas".
17.12. She is a Changemaker’ programme 17.14. Dubai Is 100% Paperless
Why in the News? Why in the News?
• National Commission for Women (NCW) • Dubai has evolved to be the world's first
launched a pan-India capacity building government to turn 100 percent paperless.
programme called “She is a Changemaker.
More Details:
More Details:
• Dubai became the world's first government to
• She is a Changemaker programme was show 100% paperless.
• The United Arab Emirate (UAE) prince, Sheikh
launched for women in Politics.
• It is a capacity building programme, which will Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al
be undertaken in association with region-wise Maktoum, announced.
• It'll save around 3 billion Dirham (USD 350
training institutes.
million) and 14-million-man hours.
• It will be implemented with an objective of
• The digitization will provide all the government
undertaking capacity building of women
services to customers & reduce paper
political leaders as well as improving their
consumption by quite 336 million papers.
decision making & communication skills.
• The Citizens often access all the exceptional
digital services through the "Dubai Now
17.13. UNICEF Climate Change Curriculum application".
• The Dubai Paperless Strategy was
implemented in five consecutive phases, each
Why in the News?
of which enlisted a particular group of the
Dubai Government's entities.
• Maharashtra Government set to introduce a • Dubai fully implemented the fifth phase across
broad curriculum for Grades 1 to 8 to teach
all 45 government entities within the emirate.
climate-consciousness and green values to the
• These entities provide quite 1,800 digital
next generation.
services and over 10,500 key transactions.
More Details:
17.15. First FM Radio Station In Ladakh
• This new curriculum has been developed by
the Department of Environment and global
climate change and UNICEF. Why in the News?
• The curriculum is known as the "Majhi • In the capital city of Ladakh, Leh, the first-ever
Vasundhara (MV) Curriculum". radio was launched.
• It is being introduced to teach application-
based awareness on issues like global climate More Details:
change among students from Grades I-VIII. • It was established by the Advisor of Ladakh,
• This awareness will be raised among students Umang Narula, that the frequency for Leh &
by keeping a balance between traditional and Kargil will be 91.1 FM.
native knowledge.
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• It will cover 50 kilometers of aerial distance in • This project was a long pending dream of PM
radius. for creating an easily accessible pathway
• The first-ever FM broadcasting started on July between Kashi Vishwanath Temple and banks
23, 1977, in Chennai and was expanded during of Ganga River.
the 1990s. • PM had laid the foundation stone for the
• FM broadcasting in India began in 1977 and project on March 8, 2019.
grew after 2001 when the privatization of FM
broadcasting started in India. About Kashi Vishwanath Corridor Project
• The project is spread across 5 lakh square feet
17.16. Green Hydrogen Microgrid area, comprising of more than 40 ancient
Projects in Andhra temples restored and beautified. Under the
project, 23 new buildings were constructed for
Why in the News? providing diverse facilities to the devotees.
• Andhra Pradesh has been granted India's first Message on Environmental Protection
green hydrogen microgrid project by state- • The Kashi corridor also spread the message of
owned NTPC Ltd. environmental protection. the corridor has
been adorned by Rudraksh, Parijat, Bael, Amla
More Details: and Ashok trees. Special arrangements have
• The project was awarded at NTPC Ltd.'s been made to plant trees across the temple
Simhadri plant in Andhra Pradesh. premises and mandir chowk.
• At NTPC Simhadri, NTPC will work on a project
called "Standalone Fuel-cell based Microgrid 17.18. Indias First Ropeway Service
with hydrogen production using electrolyzer."
• In addition, as part of its energy security
strategy, India plans to invite bids for the Why in the News?
construction of 4 gigawatts (GW) of
electrolyzer capacity. • Varanasi was the first Indian city to have a
• This project will serve as a testbed for large- ropeway system.
scale hydrogen energy storage systems.
Multiple microgrids will also be studied and More Details:
deployed in numerous off-grid and key places • Varanasi, a city in Uttar Pradesh, is slated to
in India. become the first city in India to provide
• Simhadri Super Thermal Power Plant, located ropeway service as a form of public
in Simhadri, India, is a coal-fired power plant in transportation to alleviate traffic congestion.
the Andhra Pradesh city of Visakhapatnam. • The proposed ropeway will run from Cantt
• It's one of NTPC's coal-fired power plants. The Railway Station (Varanasi Junction) to Church
coal for this power station comes from the Square (Godauliya), spanning a 3.45-kilometre
Talcher Coal resources in Odisha's Kalinga aerial distance.
Block. • It has around Rs 400 crore, which is split 80:20
• It is a national asset that generates power that between the central and state governments.
is shared among several states. • After Bolivia and Mexico, India will be the third
country to deploy a ropeway for public
17.17. Kashi Vishwanath Corridor transportation.
• In the beginning, the rope will stretch of 3,45
kms covering Cantt Railway Station, Sajan
Why in the News? Tiraha, Rathayatra and Girija Ghar Chauraha.
99

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JANUARY

Complete Month Coverage | Detailed Analysis | Factual Information

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January - 2022 Current Affairs

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1. Polity & Governance ............................................................................ 6

3. International Relations ....................................................................... 33

4. Science & Technology......................................................................... 45

5. Social Issues & Justice ........................................................................ 51

10. Internal Security................................................................................. 74

11. Geography & Disaster Management ................................................... 78

12. History- Art & Culture......................................................................... 81

13. Awards .............................................................................................. 84

14. Government Initiatives....................................................................... 86

15. Persons & Appointments .................................................................... 88

16. Important Days .................................................................................. 90

17. Miscellaneous .................................................................................... 94

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1. Polity & Governance

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• Under the Central Universities Act, 2009, and

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• Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Why In the News?

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Impacts of Parliamentary Disruptions

• Hinder representative democracy

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• Monitoring mechanism: The committee said

1.11. Indianisation of the Legal System

Why In the News?

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• Judicial thinking can not be allowed to be

Complex Judgements - moving away from ancient

• In its Joseph Shine judgment decriminalising

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• Global Anti-Base Erosion (GloBE): With the Issues/ Challenges

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Issues with UNSC Erosion of the US’s ability in shaping geopolitical

3.4. INDO-MYANMAR RELATIONS

The foreign secretary was in Myanmar this week

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Act East policy Concerns with respect to unrest in North Eastern

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Why In the News? Contaminated consignment of organic fertilizer

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o But the Donald Trump-led administration’s

• Central Asian countries have been keen to

4. Science & Technology

More Details: What is the ‘James Webb Space Telescope’?

• JWST will be launched on an Ariane 5 ECA

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What is the ‘Hubble Telescope’?

• The Hubble, launched in 1990, is considered by

• The cities which are set to get the 5G telecom