EDITION: S

MEAPRTCE H
MB20
E 2R 2 2 0 2 2

CIVILS
DIGEST

Alcohol Laws in India 18

Eklavya Schools get short shrift in
teacher recruitments 51
Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) 104
India ranks 40th in the Global
Innovation Index of WIPO 163
Table of Contents
ECONOMICS
Why are the fisherfolk protesting over Vizhinjam Port Project? 7
What is Kurki, and why is it a big issue in Punjab? 7
Services PMI flags rebound in August 8
Mandatory requirements for Packaged Commodities 9
India ranks 132 in HDI as score drops 10
Middle Income Trap 12
Vande Bharat production to begin in October: Minister 14
GPS-based toll system to replace FASTag 15
GST Council 16
What is a Windfall Tax? 16
What it will take to fulfill India’s Solar Power Dream? 17
Alcohol Laws in India 18
Europe heading for Recession 19
Labour Codes 20
National Logistics Policy 22
What is the PM PRANAM Scheme? 24
Pre-Pack IBC resolution 25
India- Pharmacy of World 26
Government approves 50% incentive of project cost for setting up Semiconductor Units 27
New Account Settlement System for Stock Trading 28
Draft Telecom Bill 2022 29
Significance of Ethereum’s Merge for the future of cryptocurrencies 30
Recession unlikely to hit India: S&P 31
Centre defers new Foreign Trade Policy 32
More teeth and bigger muscles: ED’s lengthening arm 33
Forex Reserves to dip by $23 billion by Dec 34
Behind the ‘world’s first CNG terminal’ at Bhavnagar, Gujarat 35
Vande Bharat Express 2.0 35
What are Small Savings Instruments (SSIs)? 36

GOVERNANCE
Bhang, Ganja, and criminality in the NDPS Act 39
Ban on Conversion Therapy for the LGBTQIA+ Community 40
What is the PM SHRI Scheme? 41
[pib] CoE - SURVEI standardizes Drone images for land Survey 42
Adoption in India 42
Low Health Expenditure in India- Prospects and Challenges 44
[Sansad TV] Perspective: Protecting the Tribes 47
What is National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM)? 48
Delay in govt.’s flagship PMAY-G scheme to invite penalty 49
Tamil Nadu’s new Breakfast Scheme in Schools 49
Centre cites law to deny medical seats to Ukraine-returnees 50
Eklavya Schools get short shrift in teacher recruitments 51
Odisha offering cash incentive for PVTGs Marriages 52
Karnataka brings law giving Quota for Locals 53
Maharashtra Election Symbols Issue 54
Centre extends Free Ration Scheme PMGKAY for 3 months 55

2 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
POLITY
History and debates about ‘socialist’ and ‘secular’ in the Preamble 57
Regional Benches of Supreme Court 58
Untangling Kerala’s Lokayukta Amendment Controversy 59
Preventive Detention 60
In news: Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal 62
EWS Quota 63
Rajpath, Central Vista lawns renamed ‘Kartavya Path’ 65
Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019? 65
Uniform Civil Code 67
Centre adds 4 new tribes to Scheduled Tribes (ST) List 69
Hindi not a competitor of regional languages: Home Minister 69
Vacant offices, unaware office-bearers: curious case of delisted parties 71
AP approaches SC over Three Capitals Issue 72
SC quota for Dalit Muslims and Christians 73
Death Penalty: SC moots fair hearing 74
Donations to recognised Political Parties come under EC lens 75
Ratan Tata, KT Thomas appointed trustees of PM CARES 77
Rules for Identifying Criminals now notified 78
Live Streaming of SC proceedings: the rationale and the concerns 79
In news: Attorney-General (A-G) of India 80
Karnataka brings law giving Quota for Locals 81
SC Collegium approves names for appointments in three High Courts 82
Naga team continues talks on Constitution 83
Supreme Court’s Three-Question Test for Validity of 10% EWS quota 84
Revisiting the S. Subramaniam Balaji vs. Tamil Nadu Judgment 85
Explained: Bail for Women 86
All women have Right to Legal and Safe Abortion: Supreme Court 87

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Why has the Solomon Islands blocked foreign navy vessels? 90
Importance of Tibetan Democracy Day 91
UN accuses China of Uighur rights abuses 92
Nord Stream Pipeline to remain shut 93
QUAD 93
UN slams Sri Lanka’s rights record 95
Floods in Pakistan and the pulls and pressures of India-Pak Disaster Diplomacy 96
India- China disengage at LAC friction points in Ladakh 97
Russia’s Far East- Opportunities for India 98
PM Modi to attend SCO meet 99
India stays out of ‘Trade Pillar’ of IPEF 100
What is the Kushiyara River Treaty? 101
Strategic autonomy in Foreign Policy 102
Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) 104
What is the Plant Treaty? 105
Rise of Far right Populism in Democracies 106
Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan Conflict 108

www.civilsdaily.com 3
 G4 countries call for UNSC reforms 109
Constitutional Breakdown in Nepal 110
India raises Sri Lankan Tamil issue in UN 111
Asian Palm Oil Alliance (APOA) formed by 5 South Asian Countries 112
PM Modi pitches for ‘Full Transit Right’ among SCO members 112
Bangladesh favours early solution for Teesta Dispute 113
India-Bangla Trade, now set for CEPA boost 114
Why India has lashed out at the US over its F-16 package to Pakistan? 115

HISTORY
Who was Dara Shikoh? 118
Who was Arattupuzha Velayudha Panicker? 118
How Hyderabad became a part of India? 119
How India adopted its military flags and badges based on Lord Mountbatten’s suggestions? 120
Who was activist-author Annabhau Sathe? 121

SECURITY ISSUES
Exercise Vostok-22 123
[pib] Indian Navy participates in Exercise Kakadu hosted by Australia 123
China blocks listing of Lashkar ‘commander’ Sajid Mir at UNSC 124
Left wing extremism 125
Nationwide Crackdown on PFI 128
Carl-Gustaf M4 to be produced in India 129
MHA bans PFI for five years under UAPA 129

ENVIRO & BIODIVERSITY

Abnormal’ La Nina conditions impacting India’s monsoon 132
What is the idea of Climate Reparation? 133
Ban on Single-Use Plastics 134
What is Karoo-Ferrar Large Igneous Province? 135
Why Cloudbursts forecast in India still remains elusive? 136
Growing water crisis in India 137
UNEP launches Green Fins Hub 139
What are the Big Seven Cats? 139
What is a Triple-Dip La Nina? 140
Southwest Monsoon begins early Withdrawal/Retreat 141
What is International Argo Program? 142
Jaldoot App to capture data on Groundwater Levels 143
Ranipur TR: 4th Tiger Reserve in UP 143

SCIENCE TECH ART CULTURE

Edible coating to prolong shelf life of fruits and vegetables 145
Cervavac: India’s first indigenously developed Vaccine for Cervical Cancer 145

4 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
 What causes Rainbow Clouds (Cloud Iridescence)? 146
Martand Temple in Kashmir 147
India’s first Dark Sky Reserve to come up in Ladakh 147
ISRO tests system recoverable rocket ‘Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (IAD)’ 148
Pakistan floods may take away Mohenjo Daro’s World Heritage Tag 149
Cyborg Cockroaches to help in urban search-rescue missions 150
Three Indian Cities are now in UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities 150
Scientists remain sceptical about how Liquid Nano Urea benefits crops 152
Explained: Lumpy Skin Disease in India 152
Dvorak Technique of Weather Forecasting 154
NASA’s DART mission prepares for an asteroid Dimorphos collision 154
What is Carbon Dating? 155
What is Ambedkar Tourist Circuit? 156
What is National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS)? 156
Centre’s push for NavIC System 157
In news: Sittanavasal Rock Cave Temple 158
Rohini RH-200: ISRO eyeing 200th successful launch of Rohini RH-200 159
In news: Rotterdam Convention 159
What are Entangled Atomic Clocks? 160
SC takes up pleas against Places of Worship Act 161
Species in news: Tasmanian Tiger 161
Fruit Fly: Novel method to study Nuclear Matrix 162
UNESCO Lists 50 iconic Indian Textiles 163
India ranks 40th in the Global Innovation Index of WIPO 163

TRIVIA
Indian breed of Pet Dogs 166
Who was Ramon Magsaysay of Philippines? 167
Places in news: Ram Setu 168

www.civilsdaily.com 5
 Economics

6 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
PORT INFRASTRUCTURE AND SHIPPING INDUSTRY - SAGARMALA PROJECT, SDC, CEZ, ETC.
Why are the fisherfolk
protesting over Vizhinjam
Port Project?
Economics | GS3: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways Etc.
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Vizhinjam Port Project
Mains level : Port-led development in India
Vizhinjam near Thiruvananthapuram, is on the
boil due to the under-construction Vizhinjam
Port Project, from both sea and land.
Vizhinjam Port Project
• T
 he Vizhinjam International Transhipment
Deep-water Multipurpose Seaport is an
ambitious project taken up by Government
of Kerala.
LAND REFORMS
What is Kurki, and why is
it a big issue in Punjab?
Economics | GS3: Agriculture and related issues
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Kurki
Mains level : Not Much
A farmer in Punjab has committed suicide
outside the office of the Muktsar DC against
kurki orders for his land based on a court case
filed against him by the local moneylender for
defaulting on loan payment.
What is Kurki?
• K
 urki means attachment of a farmers land,
already pledged to the money lending
institution or individual, in case of a
loan default.
• A
 part from banks, private moneylenders,
commission agents also get these decrees
against farmers from time to time.
• It is designed primarily to cater container
transhipment besides multi-purpose and
break bulk cargo.
• T he port is being currently developed
in landlord model with a Public Private
Partnership component on a design, build,
finance, operate and transfer (DBFOT) basis.
Why protests are erupted?
• T
 he protestors have been opposing the
construction work by the Adani Vizhinjam
Port Private Limited.
• A
 dani group is developing the port on
DBFOT basis.
What lies at the heart of the protest?
• A
 ccording to fisherfolk, the port work has
aggravated the coastal erosion along the
coast of Thiruvananthapuram.
How is kurki executed?
• K urki orders are executed under Section 60
of Civil Procedure Code, 1908.
• T he land which is pledged by the farmer to
the bank or money lender gets registered
in their name. In some cases, the land is
auctioned as well.
• T he process begins after the money lender
moves court to get kurki orders in case the
farmer is unable to pay back his loan.
• In kurki, attachment of farmers land as
well as his tractor can be done as per the
Section 60.
• A scientific study to assess the impact
of the port work on the shoreline has to
be conducted urgently by stopping the
construction.
• Further, around 300 families along the
coastline were shifted to relief camps after
their houses were destroyed due to high-
intensity coastal erosion.
• The protesters demand a comprehensive
rehabilitation package, an assured minimum
wage when the sea turns rough due to
inclement weather and subsidised kerosene
for boats.
Why the Vizhinjam project is considered
important?
• The port is located on the southern tip of the
Indian Peninsula, just 10 nautical miles from
the major international sea route and east-
west shipping axis.
• It has a natural water depth of more than 20
m within a nautical mile from the coast.
• The Vizhinjam port is likely to play a pivotal
role in the maritime development of the
country and Kerala.
• The commissioning of the port is expected
to leverage the growth of 17 minor ports in
the State along with creating thousands of
employment opportunities.
Was kurki not banned in Punjab?
• Both Akali Dal and Congress governments of
the past have claimed to have banned kurki.
• Congress fought the 2017 Assembly polls
on the slogan karza kurki khatam, fasal di
poori rakam.
• Soon after winning polls in 2017, the then
government abolished Section 67-A of Punjab
Cooperative Societies Act that enabled
cooperatives to recover unpaid loans through
auctioning of land mortgaged by farmers.
• However, Section 63-B, 63-C of the Act were
not dropped to prevent attachment of land.
• Former Punjab CM has also claimed that
kurki was abolished by his government.
Activists accuses governments of issuing
vague orders on the matter.
Why has a total ban on the century-old
kurki law not been achieved?
• A plea filed in the Punjab and Haryana High
Court in 2018 sought complete ban on kurki.
• However, the Punjab government in its
affidavit stated that there was no need to ban
kurki as relief was being given to farmers in
terms of loan waiver, compensation etc.
www.civilsdaily.com 7
• M
 oreover, it stated that Section 60 of Civil
Procedure Code, 1908 under which kurki
takes place was over 110 years old and
needed complete revision.
INDUSTRIAL SECTOR UPDATES - INDUSTRIAL POLICY, EASE OF DOING BUSINESS, ETC.
Services PMI flags
rebound in August
Economics | GS3: Indian Economy
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Purchasing Managers’ Index
Mains level : Not Much
The services sector rebounded in August from
a four-month low in July and created the most
jobs in 14 years as input cost pressures eased
to the slowest pace in 11 months, as per S&P
Global India Services Purchasing Managers
Index (PMI), which expanded to 57.2 last
month, from Julys 55.5.
Purchasing Managers Index (PMI)
• P MI is an indicator of business activity both
in the manufacturing and services sectors.
• It is a survey-based measure that asks
the respondents about changes in their
perception of some key business variables
from the month before.
• It is calculated separately for the
manufacturing and services sectors and then
a composite index is constructed.
8 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
What is the ground reality?
• F armers point out that they are made to give
post-dated cheques for loan, which are then
used to get arrest orders issued in cheque
bounce cases.
• T hey have also accused money lenders
of using pronotes signed by them to get
kurki orders.
• T
 he PMI is compiled by IHS Markit based
on responses to questionnaires sent to
purchasing managers in a panel of around
400 manufacturers.
How is the PMI derived?
• T
 he PMI is derived from a series of
qualitative questions.
• E
 xecutives from a reasonably big sample,
running into hundreds of firms, are asked
whether key indicators such as output,
new orders, business expectations and
employment were stronger than the month
before and are asked to rate them.
How does one read the PMI?
• A
 figure above 50 denotes expansion in
business activity. Anything below 50 denotes
contraction.
• Pro-notes (promissory notes) are written
documents taken from farmers, and signed
by them at the time of giving the loan.
• In April 2022, over 2,000 arrest warrants
were issued against farmers for non-payment
of loans to cooperative societies and Punjab
agriculture development banks.
• Higher the difference from this mid-point
greater the expansion or contraction. The
rate of expansion can also be judged by
comparing the PMI with that of the previous
month data.
• If the figure is higher than the previous
months then the economy is expanding at a
faster rate.
• If it is lower than the previous month then it
is growing at a lower rate.
What are its implications for the economy?
• The PMI is usually released at the start of the
month, much before most of the official data
on industrial output, manufacturing and GDP
growth becomes available.
• It is, therefore, considered a good leading
indicator of economic activity.
• Economists consider the manufacturing
growth measured by the PMI as a good
indicator of industrial output, for which
official statistics are released later.
• Central banks of many countries also
use the index to help make decisions on
interest rates.
FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRY: ISSUES AND DEVELOPMENTS • Maximum Retail Price (MRP) and

Mandatory requirements for

• Consumer care information.
• As a consumer-oriented policy, all pre-

Packaged Commodities
packaged commodities should also be
inspected.
• Rule 9(1)(a) provides that the declaration on
the package must be legible and prominent.
Economics | GS3: Food Processing & Related Industries In India
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important : • The consumers right to be informed is
Prelims level : Rule for Packaged Commodities violated when important declarations are not
Mains level : Read the attached story prominently displayed on the package.

What are the proposed amendments?

• As many blended food and cosmetic
products are sold on the market, the key
constituents need to be mentioned on the
product packaging.
• Additionally, the front side of the package
must contain the percentage of the
composition of the unique selling
proposition (USP).
• Also, packages displaying key constituents
must display a percentage of the content
used to make the product.
• The new amendments has suggested that
at least two prime components should be
declared on the packages front side along
with the brand name.
• Currently, manufacturers list the ingredients
and nutritional information only on the back
of the packaging.
• This declaration must also include the
percentage/quantity of the USPs of
the product in the same font size as
the declaration of the USPs. However,
mechanical or electrical commodities are
excluded from this sub-rule.

Back2Basics: Consumer Rights

The Department of Consumer Affairs, Legal

• S
 uch disclosure are deemed essential in
Metrology Division has notified a draft
orderto protect consumer rightshttps://www.
amendment to the Legal Metrology (Packaged
civilsdaily.com/news/five-new-rights-you-get-
Commodities) Rules 2011 making some
as-a-consumer/.
compulsions.
What are the mandatory provisions
Discrepancies over Packaged Commodities Consumer right is an insight into what
under the Legal Metrology (Packaged
• T he Division has observed that many rights consumer holds when it comes to the
Commodities) Rules, 2011?
manufacturers/packagers/importers do seller who provides the goods. In general,
• It is mandatory under the Rules, to ensure a
not clearly label necessary declarations or the consumer rights in India are listed
number of declarations, such as the:
prime constituents on the front of packaged below:
• N
 ame and address of the manufacturer/
commodities.
packer/importer, (1) Right to Safety
• It is common for consumers to assume that
• C
 ountry of origin, • Means right to be protected against the
brands claims are accurate, but such claims
• C
 ommon or generic name of the commodity, marketing of goods and services, which are
are usually misleading.
• N
 et quantity, hazardous to life and property.
• M
 onth and year of manufacture

www.civilsdaily.com 9
• T
 he purchased goods and services should
not only meet their immediate needs, but
also fulfil long term interests.
• B
 efore purchasing, consumers should insist
on the quality of the products as well as on
the guarantee of the products and services.
They should preferably purchase quality
marked products such as ISI, AGMARK, etc.
(2) Right to be Informed
• M
 eans right to be informed about the quality,
quantity, potency, purity, standard and price
of goods so as to protect the consumer
against unfair trade practices.
• C
 onsumer should insist on getting all the
information about the product or service
before making a choice or a decision.
• T
 his will enable him to act wisely and
responsibly and also enable him to desist
from falling prey to high pressure selling
techniques.
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT BY UNDP
India ranks 132 in HDI
as score drops
Economics | GS3: Issues relating growth and development, employment
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : HDI
Mains level : Read the attached story
10 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
(3) Right to Choose
• M eans right to be assured, wherever possible
of access to variety of goods and services
at competitive price. In case of monopolies,
it means right to be assured of satisfactory
quality and service at a fair price.
• It also includes right to basic goods and
services. This is because unrestricted right of
the minority to choose can mean a denial for
the majority of its fair share.
(4) Right to be Heard
• M
 eans that consumers interests will receive
due consideration at appropriate forums.
It also includes right to be represented in
various forums formed to consider the
consumers welfare.
(5) Right to Seek redressal
• Means right to seek redressal against unfair
trade practices or unscrupulous exploitation
of consumers. It also includes right to fair
settlement of the genuine grievances of
the consumer.
• Consumers must make complaint for their
genuine grievances. Many a times their
complaint may be of small value but its
impact on the society as a whole may be
very large.
(6) Right to Consumer Education
• Means the right to acquire the knowledge
and skill to be an informed consumer
throughout life.
• Ignorance of consumers, particularly of rural
consumers, is mainly responsible for their
exploitation.
India ranks 132 out of 191 countries in the
Human Development Index (HDI) 2021,
after registering a decline in its score over
two consecutive years for the first time in
three decades.
https://www.civilsdaily.com/burning-issue-
three-decades-of-human-development-
index-hdi/
What is Human Development Index (HDI)?
• The HDI combines indicators of life
expectancy, education or access to
knowledge and income or standard of living,
and captures the level and changes to the
quality of life.
• The index initially launched as an alternative
measure to the gross domestic product, is the
making of two acclaimed economists from
Pakistan and India, namely Mahbub ul Haq
and Amartya Sen.
• It stresses the centrality of human
development in the growth process and
was first rolled out by the United Nations
Development Programme in 1990.
Dimensions of the Human Development
Index - HDI
• The idea that progress should be conceived
as a process of enlarging peoples choices
and enhancing their capabilities is the central
premise of the HDI.
• Since its launch, the HDI has been an
important marker of attempts to broaden
measures of progress.
• The HDI considers three main dimensions to
evaluate the development of a country:
• Long and healthy life
• Education
• Standard of living
HDR compiles:
• H DI
• I nequality-adjusted HDI (The IHDI looks
beyond the average achievements of a
country in longevity, education and income
to show how these achievements are
distributed among its residents)
• India’s HDI fell by 25% when adjusted for
inequality. Thats because the share of income
held by the richest 1% of the population
is more than the income held by the
poorest 40%.
• G ender Development Index: The GDI
essentially estimates HDI values for women
and men and then looks at the ratio.
• India is significantly behind the world
average as well
• G ender Inequality Index: The GII looks at
the issue of gender inequality by preparing a
composite measure using three dimensions:
reproductive health, empowerment and the
labour market.
• India is behind major countries and is
unequal for its female citizens.
• M ultidimensional Poverty Index: The
Multidimensional Poverty Index captures
the multiple deprivations that people in
developing countries face in their health,
education and standard of living.
• India lags here too.
• P lanetary pressures-adjusted Human
Development Index : Planetary pressures-
adjusted Human Development Index,
adjusts the HDI for planetary pressures in
the Anthropocene to reflect a concern for
intergenerational inequality similar to the
Inequality-adjusted HDI adjustment which is
motivated by a concern for intragenerational
inequality.
Limitations of HDI
HDR has been always disputable and has
caught the public-eye, whenever it was
published. It has many reasons. One of them
is that the concept of human development
is much deeper and richer than what can be
caught in any index or set of indicators. Another
argument is that its concept has not changed
since 1990 when it was also defined in the first.
(1) An incomplete indicator
• H
 uman development is incomplete without
human freedom and that while the need
for qualities judgement is clear; there is no
simple quantitative measure available yet to
capture the many aspects of human freedom.
• H
 DI also does not specifically reflect quality
of life factors, such as empowerment
movements or overall feelings of security or
happiness.
(2) Limited idea of development
• T he HDI is not reflecting the human
development idea accurately.
• It is an index restricted to the socio-economic
sphere of life ; the political and civil spheres
are in the most part kept separate.
• H ence there is a sub-estimation of
inequality among countries, which means
that this dimension is not being taken into
consideration appropriately.
(3) A vague concept
• C
 oncerning data quality and the exact
construction of the index HDI is conceptually
weak and empirically unsound.
• T
 his strong critic comes from the idea that
both components of HDI are problematic.
The GNP in developing countries suffers
from incomplete coverage, measurement
errors and biases.
• T
 he definition and measurement of literacy
are different among countries and also, this
data has not been available since 1970 in a
significant number of countries.
(4) Data quality issues
• T he HDI, as a combination of only four
relatively simple indicators, doesnt only raise
a questions what other indicators should be
included, but also how to ensure quality and
comparable input data.
• It is logical that the UNDP try to collect
their data from international organizations
concentrating in collecting data in
specific fields.
• Q uality and trustworthiness of those data
is disputable, especially when we get the
information from UN non-democratic
members, as for example Cuba or China.
(5) A tool for mere comparison
• T
 he concept of HDI was set up mainly for
relative comparison of countries in one
particular time.
• H
 DI is much better when distinguishing
between countries with low and middle
human development, instead of countries at
the top of the ranking.
• T
 herefore, the original notion was not to set
up an absolute ranking, but letsquite free
hands in comparison of the results.
(6) Development has to be greener
• T
 he human development approach has not
adequately incorporated environmental
conditions which may threaten long-term
achievements on human development. The
most pervasive failure was on environmental
sustainability.
• However, for the first time in 2020, the
UNDP introduced a new metric to reflect the
impact caused by each countrys per-capita
carbon emissions and its material footprint.
• This is Planetary Pressures-adjusted HDI or
PHDI. It measured the amount of fossil fuels,
metals and other resources used to make the
goods and services it consumes.
(7) Wealth can never equate welfare
• Higher national wealth does not indicate
welfare. GNI may not necessarily increase
economic welfare; it depends on how
it is spent.
• For example, if a country spends more on
military spending this is reflected in higher
GNI, but welfare could actually be lower.
Significance of HDI
• It is one of the few multidimensional indices
as it includes indicators such as literacy rate,
enrollment ratio, life expectancy rate, infant
mortality rate, etc.
• It acts as a true yardstick to measure
development in real sense.
• Unlike per capital income, which only
indicates that a rise in per capital income
implies economic development; HDI
considers many other vital social indicators
and helps in measuring a nations well-being.
• It helps as a differentiating factor to
distinguish and classify different nations on
the basis of their HDI ranks.
Way forward
• Both sustainable development and poverty
eradication are both long-term and urgent
endeavours, requiring not only the gradual
and substantial redirection of country policies
but a rapid response to pressing problems.
• Ideally, sustainable development could
provide an overarching framework within
which all sub-goals (eg poverty eradication,
social equality, ecosystem maintenance,
climate compatibility) are framed.
• It is not a subset of development; it is
development (in a modern world of
resource limits).
• Environmental issues are not one factor
among many but the meta-context within
which poverty and other goals are sought.
• Investing more in public research could lead
to technological solutions to poverty and
sustainability problems becoming more
rapidly and openly available.
www.civilsdaily.com 11
MIDDLE INCOME TRAP
Middle Income Trap
Economics | :
India has a nearly 34-year window of
opportunity to leverage its human resources
and realize its growth potential before a phase
of demographic burden sets in. This period will
coincide with another important part of India’s
growth story: the pursuit of high-income status.
Too many countries have failed to make the
leap from the middle-income to high-income
group, afflicted by a malady now commonly
referred to as the middle-income trap.
What is the middle-income trap?
• T
 he middle-income trap is a theory of
economic development in which a country
lost its competitive edge in the export of
manufactured goods because of rising wages.
• T
 he wages rise to the point that the growth
potential of that country is exhausted before
it attains the innovative capability needed
to boost productivity and compete with
developed countries.
12 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• T he countries caught in the Middle Income
Trap are unable to compete with low-income,
low-wage economies in manufactured
exports and with advanced economies in
high-skill innovations.
• The middle-income trap is associated with a
relatively sustained growth slowdown with
both direct effects (e.g. income losses) as well
as indirect effects (e.g. social conflicts).
• Fuelled by the global slowdown, many
countries, particularly in South East Asia,
Africa and Latin America currently face the
predicament of the Middle-income trap.
• This has impeded their transition from middle
income to high income.
What is the basis for the categorization of
countries?
World Bank has used the 2018 data of gross
national income (GNI) per capita to categorize
countries into the following four categories:
Category Real Per-Capita Income* (2016)
Low-Income Countries (LICs) Less than 5%
of the US. Lower Middle-Income Countries
(LMICs) About 5-15% of the US Upper Middle-
Income Countries (UMICs) About 15-35% of
the US. High-Income Countries (HICs) All those
above that line including some above US level.
Why do Countries fall into the Middle
Income Trap?
• Inability to shift growth strategies: If a
country cannot make a timely transition from
resource-driven growth, with low-cost labor
and capital, to productivity-driven growth,
it might find itself trapped in the middle-
income zone.
• Lower export potential: Traditional
exports cannot be as easily expanded as
before because wages are higher and cost
competitiveness declines. Middle-income
countries also face varying levels of access
to product and financial markets and
diverse social, economic and environmental
vulnerabilities.
• Skewed income distribution & stagnation in
middle-class population: Wealth inequality
and the hierarchical distribution of income
in developing countries is a downward
drag on domestic demand, which results
in stagnation. It slows down the upward
mobility of families that are at lower levels,
into the middle class that is prepared to pay
more for quality and differentiated products.
• Recurring boom-bust cycles & pro-cyclical
lending: Many middle-income countries
in Latin America have been through cycles
of growth based on credit extended during
commodity booms, followed by crisis,
and then recovery. This stopgo cycle has
prevented them from becoming advanced
economies despite enjoying many periods
of fast growth. This is in sharp contrast with
successful countries in East AsiaJapan, Hong
Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, and South Korea
that have been able to sustain high growth
over some 50 years.
India’s Case
• In 1960, India was a low-income country
with per capita income around 6% of the
US. However India attained status of lower
middle income in 2008 with per capita
income of about 12% of the US.
• But the growth has occurred with limited
transfer of labor resources to high
productivity and dynamic sectors, despite
relatively modest agricultural growth.
• T
 hus, the late converger stall risk remains for
India too.
Why India might get caught in a middle-
income trap?
(1) Backlash against globalization:
• H
 yper globalization (benefited the China,
South Korea & Japan) led to a backlash in
the advanced countries, as seen through
increasing protectionism & lowering World
Trade-GDP ratios since 2011.
• T
 his means that similar trading opportunities
may no longer be available for the middle-
income countries.
(2) Thwarted Structural Transformation:
• T he manufacturing sector is identified as
a critically important sector for ensuring
transformation. Successful development
requires two kinds of structural
transformations:
• a shift of resources from low productivity to
high productivity sectors; and
• a larger share of resources devoted to
sectors that have the potential for rapid
productivity growth.
• H owever, in late economies like India,
premature deindustrialization (tendency
for manufacturing to peak at lower levels
of activity and earlier in the development
process) is a major cause of concern.
• A lso, there is a negative share of good
growth over time along with weakening of
the positive correlation between growth and
good growth.
• T here are various outliers to the convergence
process in this regard like India and China.
Chinas good growth persists and India’s
share of the same declined.
(3) Human Capital Regression:
• H uman capital frontier for the new structural
transformation has shifted further away
making the transformation costlier.
• T his is because the new advances in
technology not only require skilled human
capital, but also demands them to learn
continually.
• A s opposed to these requirements, there is
a wider educational attainment gap and skill
deficit between lower income countries and
advanced economies.
• If this gap persists or widens, the kind
of transformation enjoyed by the early
convergers might prove more difficult for late
convergers.
• T his gap is highly stark for India given its
absolute Learning Poverty Count between
40-50% and Learning Poverty Gap is about
25% for reading and a little lower for math.
(4) Climate change-induced Agricultural
Stress:
• A gricultural productivity is crucial both
for feeding people and for ensuring
human capital moves from agriculture to
modern sectors.
• T he agricultural growth rates of richer
countries have been consistently greater than
for developing countries in each time period.
• W ith climate change, weather extremities
have become a recurrent phenomenon.
This is, in particular, a threat to India
where agriculture is heavily dependent on
precipitation.
• F all in private consumption, muted rise in
fixed investment and sluggish exports have
led to a slowdown in the economy and
increase India’s vulnerability to the middle-
income trap.
Learning Poverty Count-
measures the number of children who do not
meet the basic learning benchmark.
Learning Poverty Gap-
Takes into account how far each student is from
the benchmark.
Avoiding the Middle Income Trap
• In 1960, India was a low-income country
with per capita income around 6% of the
US. However, India attained the status of
lower middle income in 2008 with per capita
income of about 12% of the US.
• But, the growth has occurred with
limited transfer of labor resources to high
productivity and dynamic sectors, despite
relatively modest agricultural growth.
• Thus, the risk of getting trapped in a middle-
income zone remains.
• To avoid becoming trapped without a viable
high-growth strategy, India needs to:
(1) Transitioning from diversification to
specialization in production:
• Specialization allowed the middle-income
Asian countries to reap economies of
scale and offset the cost of disadvantages
associated with higher wages (E.g.
Electronics industry in South Korea).
• High levels of investment in new
technologies and innovation-conducive
policies are two overarching requirements to
ensure specialized production.
• Developing good social-safety nets and
skill-retraining programs can ease the
restructuring process that accompanies
specialization.
(2) Shifting to productivity-led growth:
• Total factor-productivity growth requires
major changes in education, from primary
& secondary schooling to tertiary education
so that workers adept new skills as per the
demands of the markets.
• Creating such knowledge economy requires
long term planning and investment.
• Middle-income countries need better access
to technologies, research, and innovation, and
also better management practices.
• That requires redesigning development
strategies and gradually shifting to higher-
value-added sectors with a focus on
innovative, sustainable and inclusive growth.
(3) Opportunities for professional talent:
• To attract and retain a critical mass of
professional talent that is becoming more
internationally mobile, India must develop
safe & livable cities that provide attractive
lifestyles to professionals.
www.civilsdaily.com 13
(4) Addressing barriers to effective
competition:
• T
 here is a need to address rigidities that
can arise from bankruptcy laws, stringent
tax regulations, limited enforcement of
IP regulations, imperfect information,
discrimination etc.
(5) Decentralized economic management:
• G
 reater powers should be vested in local
governments, address the insufficiency of
judges in lower courts, etc. to ensure speedier
decision making.
(6) Sustaining macroeconomic stability:
• F lexible fiscal framework that limited deficits
and debt, and a flexible exchange rate
mechanism backed up by a credible inflation-
targeting monetary policy could help sustain
long periods of growth.
RAILWAY REFORMS
Vande Bharat production to
begin in October: Minister
Economics | GS3: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways Etc.
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Vande Bharat express
Mains level : High speed railway in India
Indian Railways had successfully completed
trials of the second generation Vande Bharat
train that will come with enhanced passenger
comfort and safety features.
What is Vande Bharat Express?
• T
 he Vande Bharat Express is a semi-high-
speed train designed, developed, and built by
the Integral Coach Factory (ICF).
14 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• E
 ffective restructuring, regulating, and
supervising of the financial sector must be
ensured so that the present NPA crisis can be
effectively handled.
(7) Changing orientation of social programs:
• S ocial programs should target the middle
class as well as poorer sections of society.
• R amping up domestic demand is also
importantan expanding middle class can
use its increasing purchasing power to buy
high-quality, innovative products and help
drive growth.
• Inequality is a barrier to the broadening of
the demand base in an economy.
• T his could be achieved through initiatives like
low-cost housing for first-time homebuyers
in cities, programs to ensure that recent
graduates get suitable employment
opportunities, etc.
 resently there are only two Vande Bharat
• P
trains that are running Delhi to Varanasi and
Delhi to Katra.
Key Features
• T
 he current Vande Bharat trains have
seating only in two classes chair car and
executive chair car. But Railways is planning
to upgrade it.
Way forward
• Rapidly improving human capital healthy
individuals, including all women, with the
basic education to continually learn and
adaptwill be key to sustaining India’s dynamic
growth trajectory.
• Rapidly improving agricultural
productivityagainst the headwinds of climate
change and water scarcitywill be another
key to achieving good growth and hence
sustainable growth.
• And, of course, the hyper globalization
backlash in advanced countries, over which
India has little control, must recede to create
a favorable external climate to sustain
rapid growth.
• There is no Late Converger Stall, as yet, but it
would be wise to act to head it off.
• T he trains have fully sealed gangways for a
dust-free environment, modular bio-vacuum
toilets, rotating seats in Executive Class,
personalized reading lights, automatic entry/
exit doors with sliding footsteps, diffused
LED lighting, mini pantry, and sensor-based
interconnecting doors in each coach.
• They are self-propelled trains that do not
require an engine. This feature is called a
distributed traction power system.
Benefits of Vande Bharat Trains
• Cuts Travel Time Drastically
• Energy Efficient
• Reduce Turnaround Time
• Faster Acceleration and Deceleration
among others.
ROADS, HIGHWAYS, CARGO, AIR-CARGO AND LOGISTICS INFRASTRUCTURE - BHARATMALA, LEEP,
SETUBHARATAM, ETC.
GPS-based toll system
to replace FASTag
Economics | GS3: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways Etc.
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : FASTags, GPS
Mains level : Read the attached story
The government plans to start a GPS-based
toll system in place of FASTag to ensure
seamless payment and vehicle movement on
national highways.
Why in news?
• T
 he move would end the role of toll plazas
across the country.
How will a GPS-based tolling system work?
• V
 ehicles will be fitted with an electronic
device that can track their movement.
• H
 ighways will be geo-fenced, creating virtual
boundaries. The system will use GPS or radio
frequency identification technologies.
• T
 he software will recognize when a mobile
device enters or leaves a particular area, and
toll will be charged based on the distance
travelled at the highways exit point.
• A
 s the system is based on sensors, there will
be no need to stop at toll plazas.
• V
 ehicles and users must be registered with
the GPS toll system, linked to bank accounts
that will be used to transfer toll payments.
What are FASTags?
• F ASTagshttps://www.civilsdaily.com/burning-
issue-implementation-of-fastags/ are stickers
that are affixed to the windscreen of vehicles
and use Radio Frequency Identification
(RFID) technology to enable digital,
contactless payment of tolls without having
to stop at toll gates.
• R
 FID uses electromagnetic fields to
automatically identify and track tags attached
to objects.
• T
 he tags are linked to bank accounts and
other payment methods.
• A
 s a car crosses a toll plaza, the amount is
automatically deducted, and a notification is
sent to the registered mobile phone number.
Issues with FASTags
• S ince the card is affixed to the windscreen, it
can be easily misplaced, damaged or stolen.
• T he existing FASTag system, though
faster than cash payments, still requires
vehicles to stop at toll booths to enable
reading of tags.
• A lso, the vehicle must wait till the gate
is opened.
• It has been observed that sometimes the toll
fee is deducted twice from user account.
Mostly, this happens due to a technical glitch.
• S ome card readers take longer time to read
and register. Hence the purpose of saving
time is itself defied.
 till, the wait time at toll booths is much
• S
more than the 30 seconds that was
promised earlier.
 lso, it has not helped reduce the number of
• A
toll booths.
Hence the benefits of using FASTag far
outweigh the challenges.
Is FASTags a total failure?
• U sage has increased since FASTag
was made mandatory in 2021 after its
launch in 2015.
• Penetration has grown from nearly 16% in
FY18 to 96.3% in FY22.
• Total toll collection in FY18 was 21,948
crore, including 3,532 crore collected
through FASTags.
• In FY22, toll collection through FASTags
increased sharply to 33,274 crore out of total
toll collection of 34,535 crore.
How will GPS benefit highway users?
• GPS tolling uses satellite-based navigation
and requires no halting.
• Also, vehicles can be charged only for their
actual travel on a highway stretch.
• Currently, toll is paid at toll booths which is
fixed between two points of tolling and a
user does not get any concession even if
he/she exits before completing the full run
between two toll plazas.
• The new system should reduce the toll
amount charged for travel on highways.
What is the progress so far on GPS tolling?
• The Union road ministry has amended the
National Highways Fee (Determination of
Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008, allowing
for the collection of toll based on distance
travelled on national highways.
• This will facilitate the introduction of
GPS tolling.
• First trials may be done on the under-
construction Mumbai-Delhi expressway
which will be geo-fenced.
• Also the cost of GPS devices needs to be
considered at very beginning.
Way forward
• The system needs a proper legislative
framework, and a full launch is still years
away. The government intends to introduce
it in phases.
• The road ministry is expected to amend
the Motor Vehicles Act and create rules to
facilitate GPS tolling as well as to penalize
offenders.
• Moreover, GPS will come with its own
set of complications on calculating
differential tolls.
• Regulations and framework for these need
to be developed first.
www.civilsdaily.com 15
GOODS AND SERVICES TAX (GST)
GST Council
Economics | GS3: Indian Economy
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : GST Council
Mains level : Not Much
The Union Finance Minister has heaped praises
on Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council.
Why in news?
• F M was reacting to a case made byFifteenth
Finance Commissionhttps://www.civilsdaily.
com/news/fifteenth-finance-commission/
chief N.K. Singh to set up a Fiscal Council
with the Centre and States.
• T his is another such recommended body to
act as a bridge between the GST Council and
the Finance Commission.
What is the GST Council?
• T
 he GST regime came into force after the
101st Constitutional Amendment was passed
by both Houses of Parliament in 2016.
OIL AND GAS SECTOR - HELP, OPEN ACREAGE POLICY, ETC.
What is a Windfall Tax?
Economics | GS3: Indian Economy
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Windfall taxes
Mains level : Read the attached story
16 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• T
 he GST Council a joint forum of the Centre
and the states was set up by the President
as per Article 279A (1) of the amended
Constitution.
• T
 he members of the Council include the
Union Finance Minister (chairperson), the
Union Minister of State (Finance) from
the Centre.
• E
 ach state can nominate a minister in-charge
of finance or taxation or any other minister
as a member.
Why was the Council set up?
• T
 he Council, according to Article 279, is
meant to make recommendations to the
Union and the states on important issues
related to GST, like the goods and services
that may be subjected or exempted from
GST, model GST Laws.
• It also decides on various rate slabs of GST.
• For instance, an interim report by a panel
of ministers has suggested imposing 28 per
cent GST on casinos, online gaming and
horse racing.
• A decision on this will be taken at the
Council meeting.
Recent reforms
• The ongoing meeting is the first since a
decision of the Supreme Court in May this
year, which stated recommendations of the
GST Council are not binding.
• The court said Article 246A of the
Constitution gives both Parliament and
state legislatures simultaneous power to
legislate on GST.
• Recommendations of the Council are the
product of a collaborative dialogue involving
the Union and States.
• This was hailed by some states, such
as Kerala and Tamil Nadu, who believe
states can be more flexible in accepting the
recommendations as suited to them.
Finance Minister has defended the windfall
tax imposed by the Centre on domestic crude
oil producers, saying that it was not an ad hoc
move but was done after full consultation with
the industry.
What is a Windfall Tax?
• Windfall taxes are designed to tax the
profits a company derives from an external,
sometimes unprecedented event for instance,
the energy price-rise as a result of the Russia-
Ukraine conflict.
• These are profits that cannot be attributed
to something the firm actively did, like
an investment strategy or an expansion
of business.
• The US Congressional Research Service
(CRS) defines a windfall as an unearned,
unanticipated gain in income through no
additional effort or expense.
• One area where such taxes have routinely
been discussed is oil markets, where price
fluctuation leads to volatile or erratic profits
for the industry.
When did India introduce this?
• In July this year, India announced a windfall
tax on domestic crude oil producers who it
believed were reaping the benefits of the high
oil prices.
• It also imposed an additional excise
levy on diesel, petrol and air turbine fuel
(ATF) exports.
• A
 lso, India’s case was different from other
countries, as it was still importing discounted
Russian oil.
How is it levied?
 overnments typically levy this as a one-off
• G
tax retrospectively over and above the
normal rates of tax.
• T
 he Central government has introduced
a windfall profit tax of 23,250 per tonne
on domestic crude oil production, which
was subsequently revised fortnightly four
times so far.
• T
 he latest revision was on August 31, when it
was hiked to 13,300 per tonne from 13,000.
Why govt. introduced windfall tax?
• T here have been varying rationales for
governments worldwide to introduce windfall
taxes like:
• R edistribution of unexpected gains when
high prices benefit producers at the expense
of consumers,
• F unding social welfare schemes, and
SOLAR ENERGY - JNNSM, SOLAR CITIES, SOLAR PUMPS, ETC.
What it will take to fulfill
India’s Solar Power Dream?
Economics | GS3: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways Etc.
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Solar energy targets of India
Mains level : Read the attached story
From less than 10 MW in 2010, India has added
significant PV capacity over the past decade,
achieving over 50 GW by 2022.
Solar energy in India
• S olar photovoltaics (PV) has driven India’s
push towards the adoption of cleaner energy
generation technologies.
• I ndia is targeting about 500 GW by 2030,
of renewable energy deployment, out of
which ~280 GW is expected from solar PV.
• T his necessitates the deployment of nearly 30
GW of solar capacity every year until 2030.
Key components
• A
 typical solar PV value chain consists of first
fabricating polysilicon ingots which need
to be transformed into thin Silicon wafers
that are needed to manufacture the PV
mini-modules.
• T
 he mini-modules are then assembled into
market-ready and field-deployable modules.
Various challenges
There are challenges that need to be overcome
for the sustainability of the PV economy.
• S
 upplementary revenue stream for the
government
Why are countries levying windfall taxes
now?
 rices of oil, gas, and coal have seen sharp
• P
increases since last year and in the first two
quarters of the current year, although they
have reduced recently.
• P
 andemic recovery and supply issues
resulting from the Russia-Ukraine conflict
shored up energy demands, which in turn
have driven up global prices.
• T
 he rising prices meant huge and record
profits for energy companies while resulting
in hefty gas and electricity bills for
households in major and smaller economies.
• S
 ince the gains stemmed partly from external
change, multiple analysts have called them
windfall profits.
Issues with imposing such taxes
• C
 ompanies are confident in investing in a
sector if there is certainty and stability in a
tax regime.
(1) PV Modules
• Indian solar deployment or installation
companies depend heavily on imports.
• It currently imports 100% of silicon wafers
and around 80% of cells even at the current
deployment levels.
• India currently does not have enough
module and cell manufacturing capacity.
• India’s current solar module manufacturing
capacity is limited to ~15 GW per year.
• T he demand-supply gap widens as we
move up the value chain for example, India
only produces ~3.5 GW of cells currently.
• India has no manufacturing capacity for
solar wafers and polysilicon ingots.
(2) Field deployment
• A
 lso, out of the 15 GW of module
manufacturing capacity, only 3-4 GW of
modules are technologically competitive
and worthy of deployment in grid-
based projects.
• India remains dependent on the import of
solar modules for field deployment.
• Since windfall taxes are imposed
retrospectively and are often influenced
by unexpected events, they can brew
uncertainty in the market about
future taxes.
• IMF says that taxes in response to price
surges may suffer from design problems
given their expedient and political nature.
• It added that introducing a temporary
windfall profit tax reduces future investment
because prospective investors will internalise
the likelihood of potential taxes when making
investment decisions.
• There is another argument about what
exactly constitutes true windfall profits; how
can it be determined and what level of profit
is normal or excessive.
• Another issue is who should be taxed only
the big companies responsible for the bulk
of high-priced sales or smaller companies
as well raising the question of whether
producers with revenues or profits below a
certain threshold should be exempt.
(3) Size and technology
• Most of the Indian industry is currently tuned
to handling M2 wafer size, which is roughly
156 x 156 mm2, while the global industry is
already moving towards M10 and M12 sizes,
which are 182 x 182 mm2 and 210 x 210 mm2
respectively.
• The bigger size has an advantage in terms
of silicon cost per wafer, as this effectively
means lower loss of silicon during ingot to
wafer processing.
• In terms of cell technology, most of the
manufacturing still uses Al-BSF technology,
which can typically give efficiencies of
~18-19% at the cell level and ~16-17% at the
module level.
• By contrast, cell manufacturing
worldwide has moved to PERC (22-23%),
HJT(~24%), TOPCON (23-24%) and
other newer technologies, yielding module
efficiency of >21%.
(4) Land issue
• Producing more solar power for the same
module size means more solar power from
the same land area.
• Land, the most expensive part of solar
projects, is scarce in India and Indian
industry has no choice but to move towards
newer and superior technologies as part of
expansion plans.
(5) Raw materials supply
• There is a huge gap on the raw material
supply chain side as well.
www.civilsdaily.com 17
• S ilicon wafer, the most expensive raw
material, is not manufactured in India.
• India will have to work on technology tie-ups
to make the right grade of silicon for solar
cell manufacturing and since >90% of the
worlds solar wafer manufacturing currently
happens in China.
• It is not clear how and where India will get
the technology.
• O ther key raw materials such as metallic
pastes of silver and aluminium to form
the electrical contacts too, are almost
100% imported.
 hus, India is more of an assembly hub than
• T
a manufacturing
(6) Lack of investment
• India has hardly invested in this sector which
can help the industry to try and test the
technologies in a cost-effective manner.
LIQUOR POLICY OF STATES
Alcohol Laws in India
Economics | GS3: Indian Economy
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Alcohol laws
Mains level : Read the attached story
The most ambitious Delhi’s Alcohol Policy
2021-22 which brought in big discounts for
consumers was scrapped on July 31 amid
allegations of corruption and irregularities in the
drafting and implementation of the policy. After
scrapping the new policy, the Delhi government
decided to bring back theold excise regimethat
was in force before.
Definitely! We shall not nit-pick the old vs.
new policy. Let us generally understand how
alcohol is regulated in India.
Alcohol laws of India: A backgrounder
• T he legal drinking age in India and the laws
which regulate the sale and consumption of
alcohol vary significantly from state to state.
• In India, consumption of alcohol is prohibited
in the states of Bihar, Gujarat, Nagaland
and Mizoram.
• T here is partial ban on alcohol in some
districts of Manipur.
• A ll other Indian states permit alcohol
consumption but fix a legal drinking age,
which ranges at different ages per region.
• In some states the legal drinking age
can be different for different types of
alcoholic beverage.
18 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
Current govt policy
• T he government has identified this gap, and
is rolling out various policy initiatives to push
and motivate the industry to work towards
self-reliance in solar manufacturing, both for
cells and modules.
• K ey initiatives include:
• 4 0% duty on the import of modules and
• 2 5% duty on the import of cells, and
• P
 roduction Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme to
support manufacturing capex
• C
 ompulsion to procure modules only from an
approved list of manufacturers (ALMM) for
projects that are connected to state/ central
government grids
• O
 nly India-based manufacturers have
been approved
Regulation
• A lcohol is a subject in the State List
under the Seventh Schedule of the
Constitution of India.
• T herefore, the laws governing alcohol vary
from state to state.
• L iquor in India is generally sold at liquor
stores, restaurants, hotels, bars, pubs, clubs
and discos but not online.
• S ome states, like Kerala and Tamil Nadu,
prohibit private parties from owning liquor
stores making the state government the sole
retailer of alcohol in those states.
• In some states, liquor may be sold at
groceries, departmental stores, banquet halls
and/or farm houses.
• S
 ome tourist areas have special laws
allowing the sale of alcohol on beaches and
houseboats.
Drunk driving law
• T
 he blood alcohol content (BAC) legal limit is
0.03% or 0.03 mg alcohol in 100 ml blood.
• O
 n 1 March 2012, the Union Cabinet
approved proposed changes to the Motor
Vehicle Act.
• H
 igher penalties were introduced, including
fines from 2,000 to 10,000 and imprisonment
from 6 months to 4 years.
Way forward
• India’s path to become a manufacturing
hub for the same requires more than just
putting some tax barriers and commercial
incentives in the form of PLI schemes, etc.
• It will warrant strong industry-academia
collaboration in an innovative manner to
start developing home-grown technologies
which could, in the short-term.
• It needs to work with the industry to provide
them with trained human resource, process
learnings, root-cause analysis through right
testing and, in the long term, develop India’s
own technologies.
• High-end technology development requires
substantial investment in several clusters
which operate in industry-like working
and management conditions, appropriate
emoluments, and clear deliverables.
• Different penalties are assessed depending
on the blood alcohol content at the time of
the offence.
Dry days
• Dry days are specific days when the sale of
alcohol is not permitted.
• Most of the Indian states observe these days
on major national festivals/occasions such
as Republic Day (26 January), Independence
Day (15 August) and Gandhi Jayanti
(2 October).
• Dry days are also observed during
elections in India.
Taxation on Alcohol
• Most states levy either Value added Tax
(VAT) or Excise duty or both.
• Excise duty is a tax levied to discourage the
consumption of a product.
• It is calculated on a per-unit basis. Meaning, if
you buy 1 litre of liquor, you pay a fixed excise
duty of Rs 15.
• Value-added Tax is charged in the proportion
of the product. If a bottle costs Rs 100, and
the state levies 10 percent VAT, the price rises
to Rs 110.
Tax rates in States
• The 29 states/UTs in India approach liquor
taxation differently.
• For instance, Gujarat has banned its citizens
from consuming liquor since 1961.
• But outsiders with special licenses can
still buy.
• Puducherry, on the other hand, earns most of
its revenue from alcohol trading.
• Bihar has prohibited alcohol consumption
entirely, meaning the states revenue from
liquor consumption is nil.
• Its neighbour, Uttar Pradesh, earns the most
excise duty on liquor.
• T he state does not levy VAT but a special
duty on liquor, collecting funds for
particular purposes.
ECONOMIC INDICATORS AND VARIOUS REPORTS ON IT- GDP, FD, EODB, WIR ETC
Europe heading for Recession
Economics | GS3: Indian Economy
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Recessions, Depression
Mains level : Not Much
The Eurozone is almost certainly entering a
recession, with surveys showing a deepening
cost-of-living crisis and a gloomy outlook that is
keeping consumers wary of spending.
What is Recession?
• A
 recessionhttps://www.civilsdaily.com/
news/imf-flags-recession-risk/ is a significant
decline in economic activity that lasts for
months or even years.
• E
 xperts declare a recession when a nations
economy experiences negative GDP,
rising levels of unemployment, falling
retail sales, and contracting measures of
income and manufacturing for an extended
period of time.
• R
 ecessions are considered an unavoidable
part of the business cycleor the regular
cadence of expansion and contraction that
occurs in a nations economy.
What causes Recessions?
These phenomena are some of the main drivers
of a recession:
Do you know?
Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Karnataka,
and Tamil Nadu consume as much as 45
percent of the liquor sold in the country.
Nationally, Maharashtra charges the highest
rate but draws only a portion of its revenue
from its sales.
• A
 sudden economic shock: An economic
shock is a surprise problem that creates
serious financial damage. The coronavirus
outbreak, which shut down economies
worldwide, is a more recent example of a
sudden economic shock.
• E
 xcessive debt: When individuals or
businesses take on too much debt, the cost
of servicing the debt can grow to the point
where they cant pay their bills. Growing
debt defaults and bankruptcies then capsize
the economy.
• A
 sset bubbles: When investing decisions are
driven by emotion, bad economic outcomes
arent far behind. Investors can become too
optimistic during a strong economy.
• T
 oo much inflation: Inflation is the steady,
upward trend in prices over time. Inflation
isnt a bad thing per se, but excessive inflation
is a dangerous phenomenon. Central
banks control inflation by raising interest
rates, and higher interest rates depress
economic activity.
Why alcohol isnt banned everywhere?
• Taxes from alcohol sales roughly form a
quarter of state revenues.
• If this stream suddenly stops, states have to
compulsorily cut some important spending.
• Also, moderate alcohol consumption may
provide some health benefits.
• Too much deflation: While runaway inflation
can create a recession, deflation can be even
worse. Deflation is when prices decline over
time, which causes wages to contract, which
further depresses prices. When a deflationary
feedback loop gets out of hand, people and
business stop spending, which undermines
the economy.
• Technological change: New inventions
increase productivity and help the economy
over the long term, but there can be short-
term periods of adjustment to technological
breakthroughs. In the 19th century, there
were waves of labour-saving technological
improvements.
Whats the difference
betweenRecessionhttps://www.civilsdaily.
com/news/imf-flags-recession-risk/ and
Depression?
• Recessions and depressions have similar
causes, but the overall impact of a depression
is much, much worse.
• There are greater job losses, higher
unemployment and steeper declines in GDP.
• Most of all, a depression lasts longeryears,
not monthsand it takes more time for the
economy to recover.
• Economists do not have a set definition or
fixed measurements to show what counts as
a depression. Suffice to say, all the impacts of
a depression are deeper and last longer.
• In the past century, the US has faced just one
depression: The Great Depression.
The Great Depression
• The Great Depression started in 1929 and
lasted through 1933, although the economy
didnt really recover until World War II, nearly
a decade later.
• During the Great Depression, unemployment
rose to 25% and the GDP fell by 30%.
• It was the most unprecedented economic
collapse in modern US history.
• By way of comparison, the Great Recession
was the worst recession since the Great
Depression.
• During the Great Recession, unemployment
peaked around 10% and the recession
officially lasted from December 2007 to June
2009, about a year and a half.
www.civilsdaily.com 19
• S
 ome economists fear that the coronavirus
recession could morph into a depression,
depending how long it lasts.
How long do recessions last?
• G
 ulf War Recession (July 1990 to March
1991): At the start of the 1990s, the U.S. went
through a short, eight-month recession,
partly caused by spiking oil prices during the
First Gulf War.
• T
 he Great Recession (2008-2009): As
mentioned, the Great Recession was caused
in part by a bubble in the real estate market.
• C
 ovid-19 Recession: The most recent
recession began in February 2020 and lasted
only two months, making it the shortest US
recession in history.
Can we predict a recession?
Given that economic forecasting is uncertain,
predicting future recessions is far from easy.
However, the following warning signs can give
you more time to figure out how to prepare for
a recession before it happens:
LABOUR CODES
Labour Codes
Economics | :
Addressing to the National Labour Conference,
Prime Minister said that the Centre had taken
initiatives to abolish laws from the period
of slavery that reflected a slavery mentality
through the Labour Codes.
Why Simplification and consolidation of
labour laws?
• W
 elfare of labour : Labor protection
legislation is one of the basic features of
welfare state and aims at providing social
justice. The main aim of such laws should
be to create more, safer, and rewarding
jobs for the labour. This includes standards
on minimum wages, working conditions,
overtime controls etc. Thus simplification of
labour laws is must.
• N
 umerous laws : For the fulfilment of above
needs, there are numerous overlapping,
rigid and isolated acts (about 145), which
are applicable to firms at any point of time.
This gives immense powers to public officials
and results in harassment of employers. It
leaves room for corruption and increases
compliance costs in terms of money and
time. This type of policy runs counter to
above stated desirable objectives. This makes
20 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• A
 n inverted yield curve: The yield curve is
a graph that plots the market valueor the
yieldof a range. When long-term yields are
lower than short-term yields, it shows that
investors are worried about a recession.
This phenomenon is known as a yield
curve inversion, and it has predicted past
recessions.
• D
 eclines in consumer confidence:
Consumer spending is the main driver of the
US economy. If surveys show a sustained
drop in consumer confidence, it could be a
sign of impending trouble for the economy.
• D
 rop in the Leading Economic Index (LEI):
Published monthly by the Conference Board,
the LEI strives to predict future economic
trends. It looks at factors like applications
for unemployment insurance, new orders
for manufacturing and stock market
performance.
• S
 udden stock market declines: A large,
sudden decline in stock markets could
be a sign of a recession coming on, since
investors sell off parts and sometimes
all of their holdings in anticipation of an
economic slowdown.
our firms uncompetitive to foreign firms. It
is quite apparent from the perpetual dismal
performance of Indian manufacturing sector.
• H
 uge Informal Sector India have about
85-90 % of the workforce employed in
informal sector on which these laws are not
applicable. These are micro firms employing
as low as 5-10 persons. These employers
are discouraged to expand their businesses,
by such huge number of regressive laws.
Neither they have understanding of laws to
that level and services of Lawyers to ensure
compliance is much expensive. Further, huge
majority of workforce get no formal training.
This results in low productivity and low
value addition.
• E
 ntry and exit Barriers for firms and Job
security for workers Law for this provides
that government approval should be taken
before retrenchment of the workers (in case
industrial dispute act apply). As a rule for
good economic environment, there should
least entry and exit barriers for Firms in any
business. But in addition, social security of
the workers is indispensable. It should be
notice that a businessmen will scale down his
operations almost only in face of losses or in
drive of modernisation.
• Rising unemployment: It goes without
saying that if people are losing their jobs, its a
bad sign for the economy.
How does a recession affect individuals?
• We may lose your job during a recession, as
unemployment levels rise. It becomes much
harder to find a job replacement since more
people are out of work.
• People who keep their jobs may see cuts to
pay and benefits, and struggle to negotiate
future pay raises.
• Investments in stocks, bonds, real estate and
other assets can lose money in a recession,
reducing your savings and upsetting your
plans for retirement.
• Business owners make fewer sales during
a recession, and may even be forced into
bankruptcy.
• With more people unable to pay their bills
during a recession, lenders tighten standards
for mortgages, car loans, and other types of
financing.
• Informalisation : Indeed, a major weakness
of the Indian economy is the informalisation
of the economy with large numbers of
workers who have little job security and
earn less too. Moreover, since contract
and casual workers can be easily fired, the
inability to fire the workers they hire cannot
be the constraint on employers growing their
enterprises.
• Changing technologies : Technologies are
changing rapidly and automation is leading
to loss of jobs. Thus rights of workers for
decent treatment, fair wages, and adequate
social security need to be taken care of
through simple rules and regulations easy to
understand.
• Archaic laws : India’s labour laws are
archaic, too many, often contradictory, and
badly administered. They must be reformed.
The reformed laws must suit emergent
conditions. They must provide more flexibility
to employers. Above all, they must ensure fair
treatment of workers, and provide a wider
social safety net. Reforms must be made with
consensus amongst workers and their unions,
and employers and their associations.
• Labour exploitation- Because of the
predominantly heavy handed labour
regulations (also called as Inspector Raj) with
exploitable gaps, the MNCs and domestic
organizations have resorted to alternate
ways i.e. employing contract labours at
less than half the payroll of a permanent
employee. India has 94% of its workforce in
 its unorganised sector. With a second highest
workforce of 487 million workers (next to
China), Indian GDP is grossly undervalued.
This 94% of unorganised workforce accounts
for 57% of GDP while the remaining 43%
comes from the meagre 6%. This huge
workforce getting trapped in unorganised
sector is largely attributed to our stringent
labour laws. Thus labour reforms are needed.
New Labour Codes
The four codes likely to be implemented
in FY23 are:
• C ode on Wages
• Industrial Relations Code
• S ocial Security Code, and
• O ccupational Safety, Health and Working
Conditions Code
Objectives of the Labour Code
• T
 henew labor codeshttps://www.civilsdaily.
com/burning-issue-new-labour-laws/ are
aimed at facilitating ease of doing business
in the country and seek to replace 29
cumbersome laws.
• T
 he objective is to encompass over 500
million organized and unorganized sector
workers90% of the workforce which has
been outside labour laws.
• T
 he idea is to ensure that they receive wage
security, social security and health security,
gender equality in terms of remuneration, a
minimum floor wage, make the lives of inter-
state migrant workers easier.
Here are the key features of these bills:
(A) Social Security Code, 2020
• T
 he facility of ESIC would now be provided
in all 740 districts. At present, this facility is
being given in 566 districts only.
• E
 PFOs coverage would be applicable to
all establishments having 20 workers.
At present, it was applicable only on
establishments included in the Schedule.
• P
 rovision has been made to formulate
various schemes for providing
comprehensive social security to workers in
the unorganised sector.
 Social Security Fund will be created on
• A
the financial side in order to implement
these schemes.
• W
 ork to bring newer forms of employment
created with the changing technology like
platform worker or gig worker into the
ambit of social security has been done in the
Social Security Code.
• P
 rovision for Gratuity has been made for
Fixed Term Employee and there would
not be any condition for minimum service
period for this.
 ith the aim of making a national database
• W
for unorganised sector workers, registration
of all these workers would be done on an
online portal and this registration would
be done on the basis of Self Certification
through a simple procedure.
(B) Occupational Safety, Health & Working
Conditions Code, 2020
• F ree health checkup once a year by the
employer for workers which are more than a
certain age.
• A
 legal right for getting Appointment Letter
given to workers for the first time.
• C
 ine Workers have been designated as
Audio Visual Worker so that more and more
workers get covered under the OSH code.
Earlier, this security was being given to artists
working in films only.
(C) Industrial Relations Code, 2020
Efforts made by the Government for quickly
resolving disputes of the workers include:
• C ompulsory facility for Helpline for redressal
of problems of migrant workers.
• M aking a national database of
migrant workers.
• P rovision for the accumulation of one
day leave for every 20 days worked when
work has been done for 180 days instead
of 240 days.
• E quality for women in every sphere: Women
have to be permitted to work in every
sector at night, but it has to be ensured that
provision for their security is made by the
employer and consent of women is taken
before they work at night.
• In the event of the death of a worker or
injury to a worker due to an accident at his
workplace, atleast 50 % share of the penalty
would be given. This amount would be in
addition to Employees Compensation.
• P rovision of Social Security Fund for 40 Crore
unorganized workers alongwith GIG and
platform workers and will help Universal
Social Security coverage
• O ccupational Safety & Health Code to also
can now over cover workers from IT and
Service Sector.
• 1 4 days notice for Strike so that in this period
amicable solution comes out.
Code on Wages, 2019:
• A
 pplying to all the employees in organized
as well as unorganized sectors. Under these
new codes, a number of aspects related to
employment and work culture, in general,
might change including the take-home
salary of employees, working hours, and the
number of weekdays.
What is the current status of the codes?
• T
 he central government has completed
the process of finalizing the draft rules,
state governments are in the process of
drafting the same.
• With labor being a concurrent subject, states
are in the process of pre-publishing draft rules
for these reforms.
How will it affect ease of doing business?
• Labour productivity: It is likely to improve
with both employees and employers
developing a sense of being partners in
wealth creation.
• Labour reform: A transparent environment
in terms of workers compensation,
clear definition of employee rights and
employer duties.
• Compliance un-burdening: Simplified labour
codes making compliance easier are likely to
attract investments.
• Formalization of the economy: With more
workers in the organized sector, leakage in
terms of direct as well as indirect taxes may
be plugged.
Now lets look up at the various loopholes
of these Bills one by one:
A. The Code on Social Security, 2020
1. No robust entitlements:
• To begin, the Code does not emphasise
social security as a right, nor does it make
reference to its provision as stipulated by the
Constitution.
• In addition, it does not stipulate a clear date
for enforcement, which will leave millions
of workers vulnerable without clear social
protections.
2. No universalization
• A model scheme covering the issues such as
education, health, social security, pensions
and other benefits which can assure a
dignified life for workers.
• It is essential that social security protections
be made universal for the entire Indian
workforce, i.e. that such protections be
universal.
• Instead of this, the Code makes arbitrary
categorizations that will leave millions of
working poor out of its protections. While
the Code defines multiple categories, most
definitions are ambiguous.
3. Migrant workers find NO special mention
• Interstate migrant workers should have been
mentioned as a separate category with the
establishment of a sizable Welfare Fund with
contributions by sending and receiving states
and employers.
• Given the particular distress faced by such
workers in the last few months, there are no
provisions established for migrant workers
who face very specific vulnerabilities.
• There is not even a provision for the
portability of social security which takes into
account their continuous movement within
the country.
www.civilsdaily.com 21
• T
 here is no consideration for unemployment
protection for unorganised workers, which
is particularly important at times of great
recession and crisis.
4. Pro-employer
• F inally, the Code makes it easier for
employers to flout legally required social
protection for workers.
• F or instance, there is no stringent penalty for
non-contribution of Provident Fund dues by
employer/contractor.
• A s an effective deterrent and policy tool
to ensure timely payment of dues, penal
provisions should be incorporated for large
employers who have the capacity to pay
regular Provident Fund contributions.
B. The Occupational Safety, Health and
Working Conditions Code, 2020
1. Ignores key economic activities
• T he Code excludes many branches of
economic activities, most notably, the
agriculture sector which employs more than
50% of total working population of India.
• F urther, the employees in other unorganised
sectors such as small mines, hotels & eating
places, machinery repairs, construction, brick
kilns, etc find no mention.
• A lso those employed as informal workers
in organized sectors, including new and
emerging sectors such as IT and IT enabled
services, digital platforms, e-commerce, have
also not found coverage under the Code.
2. Ambiguous occupational safety
• It is appalling that the Code has got away
by not fixing any responsibility on employers
with respect to safety and health.
• It does not specify even minimum standards
for Occupation Safety and Health, or daily
and weekly working hours and everything
has been delegated to the Central
government to be stipulated through
notification.
ROADS, HIGHWAYS, CARGO, AIR-CARGO AND LOGISTICS INFRASTRUCTURE - BHARATMALA, LEEP,
SETUBHARATAM, ETC.
National Logistics Policy
Economics | GS3: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways Etc.
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : NLP
Mains level : Read the attached story
The government will announce the National
Logistics Policy (NLP) this week, aiming
to bring down logistics costs and address
challenges plaguing importers and exporters.
22 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• A
 minimum Occupation Safety and Health
standard should have been specified in the
Code itself.
3. Issue of fair treatment
• T
 he Code does not contain any provisions
for equal treatment for contract labour
that perform work of a similar nature as
that of permanent workers in the same
establishment.
• C
 ontract labour that is engaged in similar
work in the same establishment should have
been treated on par with permanent workers
in the matter of wages and other conditions
of employment.
C. The Industrial Relations Code, 2020
Restrictions on Freedom of Association
• T he definition of strike has been broadened
to include the concerted casual leave on a
given day by fifty percent or more workers
employed in an industry.
• T his constrains workers ability to participate
in collective bargaining processes and
demonstrations.
• B eside this, there are several restrictions
made on right to strike workers will be
subject to penal sanctions for the mere
fact of organizing or participating in a
peaceful strike.
• Imposing such sanctions on strikes that are
justified amounts to a grave violation of the
principles of freedom of association.
2. Definitional issues
• T
 he definition of industry includes terms like
charitable, philanthropic, social, etc. which
are undefined and can be misused.
• A
 manufacturer of sanitary pads or toilet
paper, for instance, may claim to be a social
activity and therefore not an industry.
• T
 he change in the definition of wage is either
the result of muddled thinking or made with
malicious intent.
What is Logistics?
• L
 ogistics refers to the overall process of
managing how resources are acquired,
stored, and transported to their final
destination.
• It will have the effect of reducing
retrenchment compensation, subsistence
allowance etc., which is deplorable.
3. Fixed-term contracts
• There is an institutionalization of fixed term
contracts as tenure of employment.
• Workers employed on a fixed term basis may
be terminated on the completion of their
contract, even while there is an actual need
for their services.
• In other words, they may be terminated
from service without any just and reasonable
cause. This will further create instability and
massive labour market unrest.
• The fixed term employment does not
guarantee the right to receive notice
or wages in lieu of notice prior to the
termination of services.
Conclusion
• The government needs to work more to
recognise that focusing on economic growth
without redistribution of wealth leads to
jobless growth and socially unaccountable
prosperity.
• Every law has to aim to maintain the best
possible balance between competing
interests and should try to give as much
comfort to the weaker of the two sides,
as much possible in the larger interest of
our nation.
• Ultimately these laws will be as good as their
implementation, mere letters of law have
no meaning.
• The government has to ensure that they are
implemented with honesty and integrity, then
only the country will be able to achieve the
desired goal of speeding up economic growth
and unleashing the untapped potential of
thousands and thousands of our industries,
businesses and entrepreneurs to take the
nation to new heights.
• It involves identifying prospective distributors
and suppliers and determining their
effectiveness and accessibility.
An effective multi-modal logistics and
transport sector will make our economy
more competitive due to the following
reasons:
• Reduces cost: Efficient transportation and
logistics reduce transport time and costs.
Moreover, they reduce cost of production by
minimizing the need for large inventories.
This means less capital required for
warehouses, insurance and the like.

• C
 reates markets for other goods: The
conventional view of demand in the
logistics sector states that it is derived
demand. However, growth in transport and
logistics enterprises can create markets for
other goods.
• E
 nhances Inter-state trade: Reducing friction
via improved logistics could boost inter-state
trade flows in India that already stand at a
healthy 54% of GDP.
• K
 eeps pace with demand for transport:
The demand for transport has accelerated
manifold since the 1990s. It is important to
keep pace with it. Otherwise, it could thwart
the manufacturing push and attempts to
boost farmer earnings to the benefits of
urban agglomeration economies.
• C
 omplements GST: A robust multi modal
logistics network will allow companies to
restructure their supply chains once the
domestic market is truly integrated. This
would complement GST implementation.
• L
 astly, efficient logistics networks can reduce
divergence in regional growth.
Why need a logistics policy?
• O rganizing and consolidating the sector:
India’s logistics sector is largely unorganized
and fragmented.
• Reducing logistics cost: This is why the
countrys logistics costs are as high as 14-
15% of the GDP, against 7-8% in developed
nations such as the Singapore and the US,
who leverage it to boost exports. The NLP
aims to bring down India’s logistics cost to
8% in the next five years.
• Preventing waste of perishable items: As
per some estimates in India, about 16% of
agri-production is wasted at different stages
of the supply chain.
• Warehousing development: Moreover,
due to factors such as limited capacity
and availability of warehouses, the cost of
transaction increases.
• M ulti-modal integration: The new policy
is going about simplification, technology
and will have a multimodal approach that
will combine rail, water, and air all modes of
transport.
Government Initiatives
• The Government of India has made a
number of moves to modify the country’s
logistics landscape.
• Due to the removal of checkpoints, the
GST regime is anticipated to speed up the
conversion of informal logistics setups to
official ones, as well as freight movement
over state boundaries.
• By 2022, India hopes to reduce logistics
costs from 14 percent of GDP to less than
ten percent.
• The pan-India plan for trade facilitation is
being developed by a national committee
led by the Cabinet Secretary.
• The Department of Commerce has
created a new Logistics Division to oversee
integrated sector development through
policy changes, improved current procedures,
identification of bottlenecks and gaps, and
the implementation of technology-based
interventions.
• The regulatory processes in domestic and
export-import logistics are being simplified
in partnership with central line ministries and
state governments.
• The Ministry of Commerce and Industry
(MoCI) is developing an integrated logistics
portal that will connect buyers, logistics
service providers, and relevant government
agencies such as customs, port community
systems, port terminals, shipping lines,
and railways to create a transactional
e-marketplace.
• It would eliminate delays and facilitate a
transparent, informative, and convenient
trading system once it was operational.
The Ministry also recently launched a new
Logistics Ease Across Different States Index,
which ranks states based on their support for
improving logistics infrastructure within their
territories.
• The logistics sector has now been added to
the Infrastructure Subsector Harmonized
Master List. The logistics industry will profit
from this inclusion because it will now have
access to lower-cost, longer-term loans.
• The approval process for the construction
of multimodal logistics parks will also be
simplified as a result of this decision. Finally,
it will promote market responsibility through
regulation, as well as entice debt and pension
funds to engage in recognized projects.
What role will technology play?
• Advanced analytics: The NLP will aim
to harness technologies such as AI and
blockchain. It aims to create a data analytics
centre for driving greater transparency
and continuous monitoring of key
logistics metrics.
www.civilsdaily.com 23
• S
 ingle window portal: Under NLP, a portal
will be created, where service providers such
as warehousing providers, shipping experts,
transporters, customs brokers, and various
governmental agencies will be unified.
Will it boost cooperation between
ministries?
• U
 nifying multiple departments: Currently,
the logistics value chain is managed
by several ministriesroad transport
and highways, shipping, railways, and
civil aviation.
• S
 ingle-point clearances: Agencies like the
Central Drug Standard Control Organization
and the Food Safety and Standard Authority
of India provide clearances.
• N
 ationwide integration: The NLP could
enhance their integration at the central level.
FERTILIZER SECTOR REFORMS - NBS, BIO-FERTILIZERS, NEEM COATING, ETC.
What is the PM
PRANAM Scheme?
Economics | GS3: Issues Related To Farm Subsidies & Msp
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : PM PRANAM Scheme
Mains level : India’s fertilizer subsidy
In order to reduce the use of chemical
fertilisers by incentivising states, the Union
government plans to introduce a new scheme
PM PRANAM, which stands for PM Promotion
of Alternate Nutrients for Agriculture
Management Yojana.
What is the PM PRANAM scheme?
• T
 he proposed scheme intends to reduce the
subsidy burden on chemical fertilisers.
• T
 his burden if uneased, is expected to
increase to Rs 2.25 lakh crore in 2022-2023,
which is 39% higher than the previous years
figure of Rs 1.62 lakh crore.
• T
 he scheme will not have a separate budget
and will be financed by the savings of existing
fertiliser subsidy under schemes run by the
Department of fertilisers.
Subsidies under the PRANAM
• F urther, 50% subsidy savings will be passed
on as a grant to the state that saves the
money and that 70% of the grant provided
under the scheme can be used for asset
creation related to technological adoption of
alternate fertilisers.
• It would create alternate fertiliser production
units at village, block and district levels.
24 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
What about reducing the carbon footprint?
• E
 nergy-efficient transportation: The
draft logistics policy lays emphasis on the
shift to more energy-efficient means of
transportation, as well as the use of greener
fuels which could reduce the supply chains
carbon footprint.
• V
 ehicular emission reduction: Moreover,
the draft policy, released earlier, emphasized
creating regulations for controlling vehicular
noise, emissions, and wastage.
• G
 reen warehousing principles: The new
logistics policy also aims to incorporate green
principles in the functioning of warehouses
which contribute to nearly 10% of the
logistics costs.
• T
 he remaining 30% grant money can be used
for incentivising farmers, panchayats, farmer
producer organisations and self-help groups
that are involved in the reduction of fertiliser
use and awareness generation.
• T
 he government will compare a states
increase or reduction in urea in a year, to its
average consumption of urea during the last
three years.
How much fertiliser does India require?
• T he kharif season (June-October) is critical
for India’s food security, accounting for nearly
half the years production of foodgrains, one-
third of pulses and approximately two-thirds
of oilseeds.
• A sizable amount of fertiliser is required for
this season.
• T he Department of Agriculture and Farmers
Welfare assesses the requirement of fertilisers
each year before the start of the cropping
season, and informs the Ministry of Chemical
and fertilisers to ensure the supply.
• T he amount of fertiliser required varies each
month according to demand, which is based
on the time of crop sowing, which also varies
from region to region.
• F or example, the demand for urea peaks
during June-August period, but is relatively
low in March and April, and the government
Will it change India’s commodity transport?
• Transport of crucial commodities: The
proposed policy aims to focus on the
transport of crucial commodities such as
coal, steel, iron ore, food grains, steel, cement,
fruits and vegetables.
• Creating nationwide clusters: The current
logistical network for transporting them is
mainly confined to regional clusters.
• Integrating national supply-chains: The NLP
could help establish a link between the place
of origin, and destination place and integrate
the supply on a national level.
• Optimum logistics identification: The draft
also proposes identification of the right mode
of transport for each of these commodities to
minimise losses during transport.
uses these two months to prepare for
an adequate amount of fertiliser for the
kharif season.
Why is the scheme being introduced?
• Due to increased demand for fertiliser in
the country over the past 5 years, the overall
expenditure by the government on subsidy
has also increased.
• The final figure of fertiliser subsidy https://
www.civilsdaily.com/news/centre-enhances-
subsidy-for-non-urea-fertilizers/ touched Rs
1.62 lakh crore in 2021-22.
• The total requirement of four fertilisers
Urea, DAP (Di-ammonium Phosphate),
MOP (Muriate of potash), NPKS (Nitrogen,
Phosphorus and Potassium) increased by
21% between 2017-2018 and 2021-2022,
from 528.86 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) to
640.27 LMT.
• PM PRANAM, which seeks to reduce the use
of chemical fertiliser, will likely reduce the
burden on the exchequer.
• The proposed scheme is also in line with
the governments focus on promoting the
balanced use of fertilisers or alternative
fertilisers in the last few years.
Try this PYQ:
Q.What are the advantages of fertigation in
agriculture? (CSP 2020)
1.Controlling the alkalinity of irrigation water
is possible. 2.Efficient application of Rock
Phosphate and all other phosphatic fertilizers
is possible. 3.Increased availability of nutrients
to plants is possible. 4.Reduction in the
leaching of chemical nutrients is possible.
Select the correct answer using the code
given below:
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only 
 (b) 1,2 and 4 only 
(c) 1,3 and 4 only 
(d) 2, 3 and 4 only
INSOLVENCY AND BANKRUPTCY CODE
Pre-Pack IBC resolution
Economics | GS3: Indian Economy
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Pre-Packs, IBC
Mains level : Not Much
India introduced the pre-packaged insolvency
resolution process (PPIRP) in April 2021, as an
alternative resolution process for micro, small
and medium enterprises (MSMEs). However, it
has only two cases admitted under it so far.
What is the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code (IBC)?
• T he IBC was enacted in 2016 to simplify
insolvency and bankruptcy proceedings,
safeguard interests of all stakeholders (the
firm, employees, debtors and especially
creditors), and resolve non-performing assets.
• F rom a debtor in possession regime, it was a
shift to a creditor in control one.
• IBC provides for a time-bound process for
resolving insolvencies.
• T he Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of
India (IBBI) is the regulator implementing
the code and overseeing the functioning of
stakeholders.
• T he IBBI last week allowed payment of
performance-linked incentives to resolution
professionals.
What is Pre-Packs?
• A pre-pack is an agreement for the
resolution of the debt of a distressed
company through an agreement between
secured creditors and investors instead of a
public bidding process.
• T his system of insolvency proceedings has
become an increasingly popular mechanism
for insolvency resolution in the UK and
Europe over the past decade.
• In India’s case, such a system would likely
require that financial creditors agree on terms
with potential investors and seek approval
of the resolution plan from the National
Company Law Tribunal (NCLT).
Need for Pre-Packs:
• S
 low progress in the resolution of distressed
companies has been one of the key issues
raised by creditors regarding the Corporate
Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP)
under the IBC.
to effectively deal with the insolvency of a
group of companies in most jurisdictions, pre-
packs have proved to be very helpful.
• Lighter on Courts: The courts usually have
limited infrastructural capacity and can
perform its obligations within its limits. A pre-
pack has the potential to reduce litigation,
due to its informal and consensual nature.
It does not require the involvement of the
• C
 IRP is the process of resolving the
court during the informal part of the process
corporate insolvency of a corporate debtor in
and requires a minimum role of courts
accordance with the provisions of the Code.
during the formal process. It is necessary to
• U
 nder the IBC, stakeholders are required to
have a functional out-of-court restructuring
complete the CIRP within 330 days of the
process so that the vast majority of cases
initiation of insolvency proceedings.
are restructured out of bankruptcy, with the
Key Features of Pre-Packs: NCLT acting as a court of last resort if no
 re-Pack usually requires services of
• P agreement is possible.
an insolvency practitioner to assist the
Drawbacks of Pre-Packs:
stakeholders in the conduct of the process.
• Lack of Transparency : The key drawback
The extent of authority of the practitioner
of a pre-packaged insolvency resolution is
varies across jurisdictions.
the reduced transparency compared to the
• P
 re-pack envisages a consensual process
CIRP as financial creditors would reach an
- prior understanding among or approval
agreement with a potential investor privately
by stakeholders about the course of action
and not through an open bidding process.
to address stress of a Corporate Debtor
• This could lead to stakeholders such as
(CD), before invoking the formal part of
operational creditors raising issues of fair
the process.
treatment when financial creditors reach
• N
 o requirement of Court Approval: It
agreements to reduce the liabilities of the
does not always require approval of a court.
distressed company.
Wherever it requires approval, the courts
• Insufficient Marketing: The research shows
often get guided by commercial wisdom of
that where no marketing is carried out pre-
the parties.
packs return less money to creditors.
• O
 utcome of the pre-pack process, where
• No consideration is given to the future
approved by the court, is binding on all
viability of the new company: The
stakeholders.
insolvency practitioner has no legal
Advantages of Pre-pack Offer: requirement to look at the future viability of
• Q
 uick Resolution: Pre-pack, which enables the new business emerging from a pre-pack
a faster resolution, preserves and maximises sale. His/her only legal responsibility is to the
value (of a company in a stressful state) and creditors of the old business.
increases the possibility of resolution.
Way Forward
• M
 inimises Disruptions to the Business:
• Under the present regime of the IBC,
Since the CD continues with the existing
insolvency professionals are still evolving the
management during pre-pack, it avoids the
necessary expertise required over time. Like
cost of disruption of business as it does not
the law under the UK regime has evolved
shift management to Interim Resolution
over time rather than simply promulgated,
Professional (i.e. unlike that in the CIRP
application of pre-pack insolvency in
process) and continues to retain employees,
India will require a much higher degree
suppliers, customers, and investors.
of expertise of insolvency professionals, as
• G
 roup Resolution: Given that resolution of
under such resolution methods, they have a
a group of companies can be value-adding
much higher degree of control.
as compared to a separate insolvency
• However, with the increase in the trend of
proceeding for each company in distress,
out of court settlements, pre-pack insolvency
many jurisdictions are contemplating to
could very well be the next alternative to
make available an enabling framework for
regular CIRP proceedings.
the same. In the absence of any mechanism
www.civilsdaily.com 25
INDIA- PHARMACY OF WORLD
India- Pharmacy of World
Economics | :
Context
• T heIndian pharmahttps://www.civilsdaily.
com/sansad-tv-mudda-aapka-India’s-
pharma-exports-boom/sector supplies over
50 per cent of global demand for various
vaccines, 40 per cent of generic demand
in the US and 25 per cent of all medicine
in the UK.
• India is the largest provider of generic
drugs globally.
• India is the largest contributor in UNESC
with over 50-60% share.
Feats achieved by India’s Pharma Sector
• S
 urplus trade: The Pharma trade balance
continues to be in India’s favour.
• W
 orldwide production: India ranks 3rd
worldwide for Pharmaceutical production
by volume and 14th by value. The current
market size is around USD 50 billion.
• H
 igh competitiveness: Indian pharma
companies enabled by their price
competitiveness and good quality have
made a global mark with 60% of the worlds
vaccines and 20% of generic medicines
coming from India.
• M
 ajor destinations: India’s top 5 pharma
export destinations are the USA, UK, South
Africa, Russia and Nigeria.
• R
 egulatory compliance: Around 55 % of our
pharma exports from India cater to highly
regulated markets. For instance, the largest
number of FDA approved plants outside the
US is in India.
India’s Pharma Sector: A Backgrounder
• India enjoys an important position in the
global pharmaceuticals sector.
• T he country has a large pool of scientists
and engineers with the potential to steer the
industry ahead to greater heights.
• P resently, over 80% of the antiretroviral drugs
used globally to combat AIDS (Acquired
Immune Deficiency Syndrome) are supplied
by Indian pharmaceutical firms.
26 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
Its evolution
Over the last few decades, the Indian
pharmaceutical industry has experienced
rapid expansion, which may be divided into
four stages:
1. Foreign domination: The time before 1970
is considered as the first stage of the pharma
industry. At that time, the Indian market was
dominated by foreign companies.
2. Rise of domestic companies: The second
stage covers 1970 to 1990 when several
domestic companies began operations.
3. LPG reforms: 1990 to 2010 is the
third stage, where liberalization led Indian
components to launch operations in foreign
countries.
4. Patent assisted boom: The introduction
of the patent bill was one of the first
advancements in the pharma industry. It
allowed the Indian pharmaceutical sector to
become less reliant on intellectual property
laws in the US.
5. Rise of OTC drugs: Over-the-counter
drugs (bought without prescriptions) constitute
the next biggest segment with 21% of the
market segment.
Market Size
• A ccording to the Indian Economic Survey
2021, the domestic market is expected to
grow 3x in the next decade.
• India’s domestic pharmaceutical market is
at US$ 42 billion in 2021 and likely to reach
US$ 65 billion by 2024 and further expand to
reach ~ US$ 120-130 billion by 2030.
• India’s biotechnology industry comprises
biopharmaceuticals, bio-services, bio-
agriculture, bio-industry, and bioinformatics.
Who regulates Indian Pharma Sector?
 he Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 was
• T
the central legislation that regulates India’s
drug and cosmetic import, manufacture,
distribution and sale.
• T
 he Act clearly defines the spurious drugs,
adulterated drugs and mis-branded drugs.
 his also established the Central Drugs
• T
Standard Control Organization (CDSCO).
• T
 he Act establishes the regulatory control
over the manufacture and sale of drugs.
• S
 tate Health department has to
regulate the manufacturing, sales and
distribution of drugs.
• D
 rug Inspectors will control the
implementation at ground level.
What made India the worlds pharmacy?
• Low manufacturing costs: Compared to
other nations, the cost of manufacturing
pharmaceutical goods in India is much lower
and more effective.
• Skilled workforce: India now has a highly-
skilled workforce as a result of technological
advancements.
• R&D: India’s pharma industrial sector is also
robust. Most pharma labs has turned into
incubators.
• Marketing benefits: With economic
liberalization, India’s marketing and
distribution system are likewise on the higher
side. The sector is additionally strengthened
by its diversified ecosystem.
• Focus on generics: The companies broke into
the worldwide market by exploring generic
alternatives to costly proprietary medications.
Various govt. policies
• FDI relaxation: The government has allowed
100% FDI in Greenfield pharmaceutical
projects and 74% FDI in brownfield
pharmaceutical projects.
• PM Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana: The
government had launched this scheme
to supply low-cost pharma drugs to the
economically weaker sections.
• Bulk Drug Parks: In March 2020, the centre
approved the establishment of mega Bulk
Drug Parks to provide common facilities
like solvent recovery, effluent treatment,
distillation, etc.
• PLI scheme: The Cabinet also approved
the Production Linked Incentive Scheme for
encouraging domestic manufacturing of drug
intermediaries.
• SPI Scheme: In March 2022, under the
Strengthening of Pharmaceutical Industry
(SPI) Scheme, a total financial outlay of Rs.
500 crore (US$ 665.5 million) for the period
FY 21-22 to FY 25-26 were announced.
Various challenges
• FDA mandate in US: The US accounts for
more than a quarter of Indian pharmaceutical
exports. Every medicine sold in the United
States is subject to FDA monitoring and site
visits by Indian businesses.
• Hostile competition: There is stiff
competition from firms in countries like
China, Israel and Japan. Hostile and negative
lobbying by the big players who frequently
accuse Indian firms of violating patent laws.
• Over-dependence on China: The
industry is highly dependent on China for
pharmaceutical raw materials. Indian drug-
makers import around 70% of their total
Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) /
bulk drug requirements from China.
• H ollowing out: India today is preferred
low-cost producer and exporter of simpler
off-patent formulations, the road taken
is hollowing out manufacturing in raw
material: API.
• P lagiarism: Fake versions of high value
and/or high volume brands of the pharma
companies are adversely affecting their
business performance. It can also create a
health hazard.
• D omestic drug price control: The GoIs Drug
Price Control Order put excessive pressure
on product pricing, affecting pharmaceutical
companies profitability. Small businesses face
a danger from the new MRP-based excise
duty structure.
• L ow spending on R&D: India’s current public
expenditure on R&D consistently remains
low, at less than 1% of gross domestic
product (GDP).
• B urden of new diseases: New diseases,
curbing costs, medical infrastructure,
and foreign regulations are some of
the challenges being faced by the
pharma industry.
ELECTRONIC SYSTEM DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING SECTOR - M-SIPS, NATIONAL POLICY ON
ELECTRONICS, ETC.
Government approves 50%
incentive of project cost for
setting up Semiconductor Units
Economics | GS3: Effects Of Liberalization On The Economy, Changes In Industrial Policy
and their effects on Industrial Growth
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Programme for Development of Semiconductors and Display Manufacturing
Ecosystem
Mains level : Read the attached story
The Union Cabinet has approved a uniform
incentive of 50% of the project cost for setting
up semiconductor, display and compound
semiconductor fabrication units.
Why in news?
• M aharashtra is witnessing a political
firestorm.
• T he Vedanta Limited shifted its decision
to set up a $20 billion Vedanta-Foxconn
semiconductor manufacturing facility in
neighbouring Gujarat, despite finalising its
location near Pune (Mh).
• F oxconn is a major chip supplier to Apple.
It has suspended its operations in the
Chinese tech hub of Shenzhen and is now
shifting to India.
• R
 egulatory lacunae: Many states have
an inadequate number of drug inspectors
sometimes even as high as 53% vacancies
like in Karnataka. The CDSCO itself suffers
from insufficient personnel with 22%
vacancies.
Major contribution of Pharma Sector:
Medical Diplomacy
• M edical diplomacy is the states use of
essential medicines trade and medical
personnels dispatch to affected countries to
improve its international relations.
• I ndia’s vaccine diplomacy during the
pandemic also reaped huge praises all across
the world.
• India has been supplying essential drugs like
hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and paracetamol
to different categories of countries ranging
from USA, Russia, France and UK to
African and Latin American countries like
Zambia, Uganda, Niger, Kenya, Colombia
and Uruguay.
• In the neighborhood, the drugs are being
supplied to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan,
Nepal, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar and
Sri Lanka.
• B
 igger companies, such as Intel, TSMC,
Samsung, etc., have announced such plans.
Spats between states over the location of
critical industries display the grim picture of
competitive bidding in India. This portrays
India’s negative image as against ease of doing
business.
About the Incentive Scheme
• The scheme has been named the
“ Programme for Development of
Semiconductors and Display Manufacturing
Ecosystem.”
• Previously, the three schemes had an
incentive range of 30-50%.
• While some of these countries received the
drugs on a commercial basis, others received
it as grants from India.
Way forward
• Harnessing global value-chain: Besides the
volume share, India now needs to capture
value share as well.
• R&D boost: India will need to make
exponential investments in R&D,
manufacturing and digital transformations
to become a global pharmaceutical
innovation hub.
• Incentivization: The government needs
to urgently explore mechanisms to
incentivize investment in R&D and evaluate
various funding mechanisms that can help
co-research.
• Focus on API: This is also an opportunity
to bring a much larger proportion of
manufacturing of APIs back into India, so that
the country is not dependent on imports of
critical inputs.
• Rational drug pricing: India needs to
rationalize drug price control. Pharma
companies must not be loaded with the cost
public health.
• While incentives for setting up
semiconductor fabrication were based on
the size of the chip, for display fabrication
and compound semiconductor fabs, the
incentives were largely 30% of the total cost
of the project.
• This scheme aims to project India’s position
as global hub for electronics manufacturing
with semiconductors as the foundational
building block.
Why need such an incentive?
• Huge Investments involved: Semiconductor
Fabrication facility requires many expensive
devices to function. Complex tools and
equipment are required to test quality and
move silicon from location to location within
the ultra-clean confines of the plant.
• Economy of scale: In semiconductor
fabrication, a high volume production is
required to be maintain so as to meet the
increasing demand of the marketplace, at
the same time, a strong financial backing as
Indian market is very much uncertain about
financial fluctuations.
• Requirement highly skilled labour:
Semiconductor fabrication is a multiple-step
sequence of photolithographic and chemical
processing steps during which electronic
circuits are gradually created on a wafer
made of pure semiconducting material. This
actually requires high skills.
www.civilsdaily.com 27

• S
 carcity of raw materials : From a
value-chain perspective, it needs silicon,
Germanium & Gallium arsenide and Silicon
carbide which are not available in India and
needs to be imported.
• U
 ncertain Indian market : A semiconductor
fabrication facility in India cannot
independently rely on Indian customers for
their entire sales structure. They have to
maintain overseas customer base to balance
inflections from Indian market due to market
trends, government policies etc.
• D
 isposal of hazardous waste : Many toxic
materials are used in the fabrication process
such asarsenic,antimony, andphosphorus.
CAPITAL MARKETS: CHALLENGES AND DEVELOPMENTS
New Account Settlement
System for Stock Trading
Economics | GS3: Indian Economy
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Account settlement, T+1
Mains level : NA
Beginning October 1, the new account
settlement system for the stock broking
industry will kick in under the new guidelines
issued by the Securities and Exchange Board of
India (SEBI).
What is Settlement of Accounts?
• T
 he SEBI mandates stockbrokers to settle
i.e., transfer the available credit balance from
trading account to bank account, at least
once in a quarter (90 days) or 30 days.
28 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
Hazardous impact on the environment by the
industry may act as an impediment to India’s
commitment to mitigate climate change.
Other supportive initiatives in India
• I ndia Semiconductor Mission (ISM): It was
announced with the aim to attract large-scale
investments for manufacturing facilities in the
midst of a global chip crisis.
• M
 ake in India: This aims to transform India
into a global hub for Electronic System
Design and Manufacturing (ESDM).
• P
 LI scheme: In December 2021 the
Centre sanctioned 76,000 crore under the
production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme
to encourage the manufacturing of various
semiconductor goods within India.
• T
 he process of transferring the unutilised
funds back into the bank account is called
Running Account Settlement or Quarterly
Settlement of Funds.
• T
 he funds are transferred back to the primary
bank account of the customer that is linked
to the trading account.
• A
 s per the latest guidelines, the settlement
will now be done on the first Friday of the
quarter or the month depending upon the
option selected by the customer.
• DLI scheme: It offers financial incentives,
design infrastructure support across various
stages of development and deployment of
semiconductor design for Integrated Circuits
(ICs), Chipsets, System on Chips (SoCs),
Systems & IP Cores and semiconductor
linked design.
• Digital RISC-V (DIR-V) program: It intends
to enable the production of microprocessors
in India in the upcoming days achieving
industry-grade silicon and design wins by
December 2023.
• India Semiconductor Mission (ISM): The
vision is to build a vibrant semiconductor and
display design and innovation ecosystem to
enable India’s emergence as a global hub for
electronics manufacturing and design
Way forward
• Policy framework : As foundry setup is
highly Capital intensive, it must be supported
with a solid long term plan and financial
backing. This backing is required from the
entrepreneur & the government both.
• Fiscal sustenance: In text of Indian
Government as tax holiday, subsidy, zero
duty, financial investment etc. will play an
important role in promoting the Fab along
with the semiconductor industry in India;
this will put further pressure on already large
Fiscal Deficit.
• Support Infrastructure: World class,
sustainable infrastructure, as required
by a modern Fab be provided, with swift
transportation, large quantity of pure water,
uninterrupted electricity, communication,
pollutant free environment etc.
What are SEBIs new settlement guidelines?
• On July 27, SEBI issued new guidelines
on running accounts of client funds and
securities lying with the broker.
• As per the new guidelines, with effect from
October 1, 2022, the settlement of running
account of clients funds will be done by the
trading members after considering the end of
the day (EOD) obligation of funds.
• In cases where the client has opted for a
monthly settlement process, then the running
account shall be settled on the first Friday of
every month.
How will it impact investors and traders?
• Changes in settlement brought in by SEBI
over the last few years have had the aim of
protecting the investor and preventing the
misuse as money lying in trading accounts of
investors for long periods.
• SEBIs move will give certainty to investors
and trading members.
• It will help brokers develop a system just like
banks, which credit interest in the accounts of
their customers at the end of the quarter.
• A nother advantage would be that if a
customer has more than one demat account
with different brokers, having one settlement
date for the entire industry will make it easier
for her to keep track of her funds.
Back2Basics: Securities and Exchange Board
of India (SEBI)
• T
 he SEBI is the regulatory body for securities
and commodity market in India under
the jurisdiction of Ministry of Finance
Government of India.
TELECOM AND POSTAL SECTOR - SPECTRUM ALLOCATION, CALL DROPS, PREDATORY PRICING, ETC
Draft Telecom Bill 2022
Economics | GS3: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways Etc.
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Indian Telecommunication Bill, 2022
Mains level : Read the attached story
In a bid to do away with British-era laws
governing the telecom sector, the Department
of Telecommunications (DoT) issued the draft
Indian Telecommunication Bill, 2022.
Reasons for the New Bill:
• T he existing laws are very old, almost
140 years have passed. The kind of digital
connectivity that the world is experiencing
today could not have been thought of at
that time.
• T he new bill will address the shortfalls and
deficiencies of the previous acts.
• F urthermore, the changes that are taking
place in the telecom sector earlier were
not as rapid as in the present scenario. For
instance, the transformation of services from
2G and 3G to the latest5G technologyis
taking place at an exponential pace.
• T he earlier telecom sector was majorly
controlled by the Government, but the level
of competition has increased immensely
with the participation of more and more
private players.
• T he types of services will also multiply with
the ever-increasing digital domain.
• T he increasing penetration ofOver-the-Top
(OTT)also requires new rules and regulations
for efficient and customer-oriented working.
• It was established on 12 April 1988 and
given Statutory Powers on 30 January 1992
through the SEBI Act, 1992.
Jurisdiction of SEBI
• S
 EBI has to be responsive to the needs of
three groups, which constitute the market:
1. Issuers of securities
2. Investors
3. Market intermediaries
SEBI has three powers rolled into one body:
quasi-legislative, quasi-judicial and quasi-
executive.
• It drafts regulations in its legislative capacity,
it conducts investigation and enforcement
action in its executive function and it passes
rulings and orders in its judicial capacity.
Indian Telecommunication Bill, 2022
• T
 he proposed Bill aims to bring in sweeping
changes to how the telecom sector is
governed, primarily by giving the Centre
more powers in several areas to do so.
• T
 he draft Bill consolidates three separate acts
that govern the telecommunications sector:
1. Indian Telegraph Act 1885
2. Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act 1933, and
3. The Telegraph Wires, (Unlawful
Protection) Act 1950
Key amendments introduced
Inclusion of OTTs in the definition of
Telecommunications services:
The Bill proposes to bring over-the-top
(or OTT) communications services such
as WhatsApp, Telegram, satellite-based
communication services, and the internet into
the definition of telecommunication services.
So, OTT communication services have to take
a license now and be subjected to the same
conditions governing telecom players in India,
like the quality of service and security rules, etc.
Assigning of Spectrum:
The Billlaid down a clear statutory framework
and regulations on assigning spectrum. It says
spectrum should primarily be given through
auction. For specific functions related to the
government and public interest like defense,
transportation, and research, the Bill proposes
assignment through the administrative process.
• Though this makes it very powerful, there is
an appeal process to create accountability.
• There is a Securities Appellate Tribunal which
is a three-member tribunal and is currently
headed by Justice Tarun Agarwala, former
Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court.
• A second appeal lies directly to the
Supreme Court.
Also read:
https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/sebi-
introduces-t1-settlement-system/
Trading of Spectrum:
The Bill enables sharing, trading, leasing,
surrender of spectrum assigned and a process
to return unutilized spectrum. The government
will also have the power to terminate spectrum
allocations partly or in full if it determines
that the assigned spectrum has remained
unutilized for insufficient reasons over a
period of time. Moreover, the bill says that if
a telecom entity in possession of spectrum
goes through bankruptcy or insolvency, the
assigned spectrum will revert to the control of
the Center.
Right of Way(ROW):
The Bill tries to achieve through law a right of
way (ROW) enforceable at the state- and at
the municipal-corporation level. It lays down a
framework in which a public entity that owns
the land has to grant right of way permission
expeditiously unless it gives a substantive
ground for refusal.
Cyber Security:
To prevent cyber fraud, the Bill provides that
the identity of the person sending a message
through telecom services shall be available to a
user receiving it.
Telecommunication Development
Fund(TDF):
The Bill proposes to replace the Universal
Service Obligation Fund(USOF) with the
Telecommunication Development Fund(TDF).
USOF is the pool of funds generated by the
5% Universal Service Levy that is charged
upon all telecom fund operators on their
Adjusted Gross Revenue. The USOF has largely
been used to aid rural connectivity. However,
with the TDF, the objective is also to boost
connectivity in underserved urban areas, R&D,
skill development etc.
www.civilsdaily.com 29
Addressing the concerns of telecom
industry
(1) Insolvency of Telecoms
• T
 he DoT has also proposed that if a
telecom entity in possession of spectrum
goes through bankruptcy or insolvency, the
assigned spectrum will revert to the control
of the Centre.
BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY: PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES
Significance of Ethereum’s
Merge for the future of
cryptocurrencies
Economics | GS3: Awareness In The Fields Of It, Space, Computers, Robotics, Nano-Technol-
ogy, Bio-Technology, Pharma Sector & Health Science
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Ethereum Merge Event
Mains level : Cryptyocurrencies
Ethereums shift of its consensus algorithm from
proof-of-work (PoW) to environment-friendly
proof-of-stake (PoS) in an event called The
Merge recently took place.
One would wonder if the Merge Event has
actually any relation to any corporate merger
or acquisition!
What is Ethereum?
• E
 thereum is one of the most used platforms
by developers to build decentralised
apps (dApps), smart contracts, and even
crypto tokens.
• T
 he platforms currency, Ether is only
second to Bitcoin (BTC) in terms of market
capitalisation.
• T
 he change in the way Ethereum builds
the blockchain comes with not just
environmental consequences, but also major
cyber and financial security implications.
What is a Merge?
• T he Merge is an upgrade to the way
transactions are validated on the Ethereum
blockchain.
• It moves the network proof-of-work (PoW)
system to proof-of-stake (PoS) system, which
is designed to be more environmentally
sustainable and faster.
30 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• S
 o far, in insolvency proceedings, there
has been a lack of clarity on whether the
spectrum owned by a defaulting operator
belongs to the Centre, or whether banks can
take control of it.
(2) Granting relief
• T
 he draft Bill also accords the Centre powers
to defer, convert into equity, write off or grant
relief to any licensee under extraordinary
circumstances, including financial stress,
consumer interest, and maintaining
competition, among other things.
What does PoS and PoW refer to?
• P
 oS and PoW are consensus mechanisms
through which transactions on blockchains
are validated.
• P
 oW consumes more energy since it allows
all miners on a network to try and validate a
transaction.
• A
 s a result, more computers attack a
transaction and hence consume more energy.
• P
 oS removes miners from the equation,
replacing them with entities called validators.
• T
 hese validators put up a stake (at least
32ETH) in order to gain the right to validate
transactions. Only the top stakeholders are
rewarded for their work.
• T
 heir stakes are held in a central wallet, and
they are penalized for mistakes or frauds.
• C
 ommon centres for mining included China
(before a near total crypto ban), the US,
Russia, and Kazakhstan countries with cheap
electricity rates and colder climates.
Why is there a need for a new mechanism?
(1) Power Saving
• D
 ecentralised transactions are processed on
blockchains using consensus mechanisms.
• E
 thereums former method, proof-of-
work, which is also used by Bitcoin, needs
powerful mining hardware that consumes
a lot of electricity and generates enormous
amounts of heat.
Back2Basics: Universal Service Obligation
Fund (USOF)
• The Universal Service Obligation Fund
(USOF) was formed by an Act of Parliament,
was established in April 2002 under the
Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Act 2003.
• It aims to provide financial support for the
provision of telecom services in commercially
unviable rural and remote areas of
the country.
• It is an attached office of the Department of
Telecom, and is headed by the administrator,
who is appointed by the central government.
• This energy is then used to process extremely
difficult mathematical puzzles, the solution of
which would let new transactions be added
to the blockchain so as to reward the miners
with crypto.
• Many environmentalists, policy makers, and
regulators have strongly criticised the impact
of Bitcoin mining on local communities.
• Ethereums website admitted that their
cryptos total annualised power consumption
nearly matches that of Finland while
its carbon footprint is comparable to
Switzerland.
(2) Global Crackdown
• For some time, European countries
even mulled a crypto mining ban, while
China actually carried out a nationwide
crackdown on crypto miners, sending them
fleeing overseas.
• Probably as a response to the backlash,
Ethereum has decided to switch to a proof-
of-stake consensus mechanism.
• The crypto owners will stake their own
coins in order to serve as collateral and help
process new blockchain transactions, in
return for rewards.
Significance of the merge
• According to the Ethereum Foundation,
the Merge will reduce overall energy
consumption of the Ethereum network
by 99.95%.
• Blockchains have a short history so far,
but in that history, the Merge has become
one of the most widely publicized and
awaited events.
• It has been in the works for six years and 15
September marked the end of that build-up.
Which other cryptocurrencies are changing
to proof-of-stake now?
• For now, no other top coin is planning an
Ethereum-style Merge.
• After Bitcoin, Dogecoin [DOGE] is the largest
proof-of-work based cryptocurrency.
• It was initially created as a joke by its
founders. After that comes Ethereum Classic
[ETC], formerly part of Ethereum before a
community schism.
ECONOMIC INDICATORS AND VARIOUS REPORTS ON IT- GDP, FD, EODB, WIR ETC
Recession unlikely to
hit India: S&P
Economics | GS3: Indian Economy
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Recessions, Depression
Mains level : Read the attached story
Global rating agency S&P has said that even
though the US and the Euro zone are headed
towards recession, India is unlikely to face the
impact given the not-so-coupled nature of its
economy with the global economy.
How is India immune to global recession?
• Indian economy is a lot decoupled from the
global economy than we normally think of,
given its large domestic demand.
• India has enough forex reserves on one hand
and domestic companies have managed to
maintain healthy balance sheets.
• In fact, India was never coupled fully with
the global economy and so is relatively
independent of global markets.
• E lsewhere, a lot depends on how global fund
flows behave if there is a recession in the U.S.
and Europe.
What is a Recession?
• A
 recession is a significant decline in
economic activity that lasts for months or
even years.
• E
 xperts declare a recession when a nations
economy experiences negative GDP,
rising levels of unemployment, falling
• E
 thereum Classic has made it clear that it is
loyal to the proof-of-work mechanism.
retail sales, and contracting measures of
income and manufacturing for an extended
period of time.
• R
 ecessions are considered an unavoidable
part of the business cycleor the regular
cadence of expansion and contraction that
occurs in a nations economy.
What causes Recessions?
These phenomena are some of the main drivers
of a recession:
• A
 sudden economic shock: An economic
shock is a surprise problem that creates
serious financial damage. The coronavirus
outbreak, which shut down economies
worldwide, is a more recent example of a
sudden economic shock.
• E
 xcessive debt: When individuals or
businesses take on too much debt, the cost
of servicing the debt can grow to the point
where they cant pay their bills. Growing
debt defaults and bankruptcies then capsize
the economy.
• A
 sset bubbles: When investing decisions are
driven by emotion, bad economic outcomes
arent far behind. Investors can become too
optimistic during a strong economy.
• Too much inflation: Inflation is the steady,
upward trend in prices over time. Inflation
isnt a bad thing per se, but excessive inflation
is a dangerous phenomenon. Central
banks control inflation by raising interest
rates, and higher interest rates depress
economic activity.
• Too much deflation: While runaway inflation
can create a recession, deflation can be even
worse. Deflation is when prices decline over
time, which causes wages to contract, which
further depresses prices. When a deflationary
feedback loop gets out of hand, people and
business stop spending, which undermines
the economy.
• Technological change: New inventions
increase productivity and help the economy
over the long term, but there can be short-
term periods of adjustment to technological
breakthroughs. In the 19th century, there
were waves of labour-saving technological
improvements.
Whats the difference between Recession
and Depression?
• Recessions and depressions have similar
causes, but the overall impact of a depression
is much, much worse.
• There are greater job losses, higher
unemployment and steeper declines in GDP.
• Most of all, a depression lasts longeryears,
not monthsand it takes more time for the
economy to recover.
• Economists do not have a set definition or
fixed measurements to show what counts as
a depression. Suffice to say, all the impacts of
a depression are deeper and last longer.
• In the past century, the US has faced just one
depression: The Great Depression.
The Great Depression
• The Great Depression started in 1929 and
lasted through 1933, although the economy
didnt really recover until World War II, nearly
a decade later.
• During the Great Depression, unemployment
rose to 25% and the GDP fell by 30%.
• It was the most unprecedented economic
collapse in modern US history.
• By way of comparison, the Great Recession
was the worst recession since the Great
Depression.
• During the Great Recession, unemployment
peaked around 10% and the recession
officially lasted from December 2007 to June
2009, about a year and a half.
www.civilsdaily.com 31
• S
 ome economists fear that the coronavirus
recession could morph into a depression,
depending how long it lasts.
How long do recessions last?
• G
 ulf War Recession (July 1990 to March
1991): At the start of the 1990s, the U.S. went
through a short, eight-month recession,
partly caused by spiking oil prices during the
First Gulf War.
• T
 he Great Recession (2008-2009): As
mentioned, the Great Recession was caused
in part by a bubble in the real estate market.
• C
 ovid-19 Recession: The most recent
recession began in February 2020 and lasted
only two months, making it the shortest US
recession in history.
Can we predict a recession?
Given that economic forecasting is uncertain,
predicting future recessions is far from easy.
However, the following warning signs can give
you more time to figure out how to prepare for
a recession before it happens:
TRADE SECTOR UPDATES - FALLING EXPORTS, TIES, MEIS, FOREIGN TRADE POLICY, ETC.
Centre defers new
Foreign Trade Policy
Economics | GS3: Indian Economy
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Foreign Trade Policy
Mains level : Read the attached story
The government has extended the launch of
new Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) (2022-27) by
six more months and would continue with the
existing one.
Why such delay in Foreign Trade Policy?
• G
 eopolitical uncertainty: The geo-political
situation is not suitable for long-term foreign
trade policy, said Union Commerce Minister.
• G
 lobal recession: Currently, fears of a
recession in major economies like the US
and Europe have escalated a panic among
investors.
• D
 ecline in USD inflows: Foreign investors
have begun to pull back their money
from equities.
• R
 upee depreciation: The US Dollar is at a
22-year high, while the Rupee hit a new all-
time low of $81.6.
• H
 uge trade deficit: The trade deficit widened
by more than 2-folds to $125.22 billion (April
- August 2022) compared to $53.78 billion in
the same period last year.
32 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• A
 n inverted yield curve: The yield curve is
a graph that plots the market valueor the
yieldof a range. When long-term yields are
lower than short-term yields, it shows that
investors are worried about a recession.
This phenomenon is known as a yield
curve inversion, and it has predicted past
recessions.
• D
 eclines in consumer confidence:
Consumer spending is the main driver of the
US economy. If surveys show a sustained
drop in consumer confidence, it could be a
sign of impending trouble for the economy.
• D
 rop in the Leading Economic Index (LEI):
Published monthly by the Conference Board,
the LEI strives to predict future economic
trends. It looks at factors like applications
for unemployment insurance, new orders
for manufacturing and stock market
performance.
• S
 udden stock market declines: A large,
sudden decline in stock markets could
be a sign of a recession coming on, since
investors sell off parts and sometimes
all of their holdings in anticipation of an
economic slowdown.
What is a Foreign Trade Policy?
• India’s Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) is a set of
guidelines for goods and services imported
and exported.
• T hese are developed by the Directorate
General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), the
Ministry of Commerce and Industry’s
regulating body for the promotion and
facilitation of exports and imports.
• F TPs are enforceable under the Foreign Trade
Development and Regulation Act 1992.
What is India’s Foreign Trade Policy?
• In line with the ‘Make in India,’ ‘Digital India,’
‘Skill India,’ ‘Startup India,’ and ‘Ease of Doing
Business initiatives, the Foreign Trade Policy
(2015-20) was launched on April 1, 2015.
• It provides a framework for increasing
exports of goods and services, creating jobs,
and increasing value addition in the country.
• T he FTP statement outlines the market and
product strategy as well as the steps needed
to promote trade, expand infrastructure, and
improve the entire trade ecosystem.
• Rising unemployment: It goes without
saying that if people are losing their jobs, its a
bad sign for the economy.
How does a recession affect individuals?
• We may lose your job during a recession, as
unemployment levels rise. It becomes much
harder to find a job replacement since more
people are out of work.
• People who keep their jobs may see cuts to
pay and benefits, and struggle to negotiate
future pay raises.
• Investments in stocks, bonds, real estate and
other assets can lose money in a recession,
reducing your savings and upsetting your
plans for retirement.
• Business owners make fewer sales during
a recession, and may even be forced into
bankruptcy.
• With more people unable to pay their bills
during a recession, lenders tighten standards
for mortgages, car loans, and other types of
financing.
• It aims to help India respond to external
problems while staying on top of fast-
changing international trading infrastructure
and to make trade a major contributor
to the country’s economic growth and
development.
Issues with FTP (2015-2020)
• Acting on Washington’s protest, a WTO
dispute settlement panel ruled in 2019
that India’s export subsidy measures are
in violation of WTO norms and must
be repealed.
• Tax incentives under the
popularMerchandise Exports from India
Scheme (MEIS)https://www.civilsdaily.com/
news/what-is-rodtep-scheme/ (now renamed
as RODTEP Scheme)and Service Exports
from India Scheme (SEIS) programmes were
among them.
• The panel found that because India’s per
capita gross national product exceeds $1,000
per year, it may no longer grant subsidies
based on export performance.
Way forward
• WTO-compliance: With incentives under
MEIS and SEIS in the cloud, WTO-compliant
tax benefits are a must.
• Access to credit: Credit availability
has long been a need of exporters,
particularly MSMEs.
• I nfrastructure upgrade: China’s network of
ports, motorways, and high-speed trains,
which are among the greatest in the world, is
one of the reasons it is a manufacturing and
export powerhouse.
CORRUPTION CHALLENGES - LOKPAL, POCA, ETC
More teeth and bigger muscles:
ED’s lengthening arm
Economics | GS3: Money-Laundering & Its Prevention
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Enforcement Directorate (ED)
Mains level : Read the attached story
Since the advent of the Modi government, the
ED Enforcement Directorate has gone after
politicians/celebrities suspected of corruption
with far greater prowess than other central law
enforcement agencies.
https://www.civilsdaily.com/burning-issue-
enforcement-directorate-ed-dreaded-
nightmare-of-indian-politicians-businessmen/
What is Enforcement Directorate (ED)?
• It goes back to May 1, 1956, when an
Enforcement Unit was formed in the
Department of Economic Affairs.
• It then aimed for handling Exchange Control
Laws violations under the Foreign Exchange
Regulation Act (FERA).
• T he ED today is a multi-dimensional
organisation investigating economic offences
under the Prevention of Money Laundering
Act (PMLA), Fugitive Economic Offenders
Act, Foreign Exchange Management
Act and FERA.
From where does the ED get its powers?
• W
 hen proceeds of crime (property/money)
are generated, the best way to save that
money is by parking it somewhere, so one is
not answerable to anyone in the country.
• T
 herefore, there was a need to control and
prevent the laundering of money.
 he PMLA was brought in for this exact
• T
reason in 2002, but was enacted only in 2005.
• T
 he objective was to prevent parking of the
money outside India and to trace out the
layering and the trail of money.
• S
 o as per the Act, the ED got its power to
investigate under Sections 48 (authorities
under act) and 49 (appointment and powers
of authorities and other officers).
• D
 igitization and e-commerce boost: India
requires innovative trading procedures
as a result of Covid-19 breaking old
supply channels.
Roles and functions of the ED
• S ummon, Search and seizure: The ED
carries out search (property) and seizure
(money/documents) after it has decided
that the money has been laundered, under
Section 16 (power of survey) and Section 17
(search and seizure) of the PMLA.
• A rrest and detentions: On the basis of
that, the authorities will decide if an arrest is
needed as per Section 19 (power of arrest).
• A ttachment of property: Under Section 50,
the ED can also directly carry out search
and seizure without calling the person for
questioning. It is not necessary to summon
the person first and then start with the search
and seizure.
• F iling of chargesheet: If the person is
arrested, the ED gets 60 days to file the
prosecution complaint (chargesheet) as the
punishment under PMLA doesnt go beyond
seven years.
At what stage does the ED step in when a
crime is committed?
• W
 henever any offence is registered by a
local police station, which has generated
proceeds of crime over and above 1 crore,
the investigating police officer forwards the
details to the ED.
 lternately, if the offence comes under the
• A
knowledge of the Central agency, they can
then call for the First Information Report (FIR)
or the chargesheet if it has been filed directly
by police officials.
• T
 his will be done to find out if any laundering
has taken place.
PMLA, the EDs sword arm
• T
 he EDs aggression has been largely on
leveraging the massive powers bestowed
on the agency by the Prevention of Money
Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
• PMLA, 2002 is an Act of the Parliament of
India enacted by the NDA government to
prevent money laundering and to provide
for the confiscation of property derived from
money laundering.
• It was enacted in response to India’s
global commitment (including the Vienna
Convention) to combat the menace of
money laundering.
• PMLA and the Rules notified there under
came into force with effect from July 1, 2005.
How is PMLA going increasingly stringent?
The PMLAs ambit was widened through
amendments in 2009, 2013, 2015, and 2019,
giving the ED the teeth it now has.
• Broader jurisdiction for investigation: In
2009, criminal conspiracy under Section
120B of the Indian Penal Code was added to
the PMLAs schedule among various other
offences. This has, over the years, allowed
the ED to enter any case where a conspiracy
is alleged even if the principal offence is not
part of the PMLA schedule. In 2009, the ED
also got international jurisdiction as far as
tracking laundered money was concerned.
• Immediate attachment of property:
Following amendments in 2015 and 2018,
the ED was allowed to attach properties
in India equivalent to properties acquired
abroad through laundered money. Through
certain explanations inserted into the PMLA
in 2019, the government allowed the ED to
attach properties earned directly or indirectly
through alleged criminal activity that was
even relatable to a scheduled offence.
Why ED mostly grips Politicians?
• Exposing rampant corruption: It is not
always ironic to say that most politicians are
never corrupt. We have a very inglorious past
of political corruption.
• Selective witch-hunt: The ED has often been
attacked for initiating investigations, raiding
and questioning leaders of opposition parties,
be it under the current regime or under past
governments.
Issues with PMLA
• Misuse of central agencies: PMLA is being
pulled into the investigation of even ordinary
crimes by the Enforcement Directorate.
• Seizing of assets: Assets of genuine victims
have been attached. The ED could just walk
into anybodys house.
www.civilsdaily.com 33
• P
 olitically motivated raids: In all this, the
fundamental purpose of PMLA to investigate
the conversion of illegitimate money into
legitimate money was lost.
• O
 pacity of charges: Petitioners pointed out
that even the Enforcement Case Information
Report (ECIR) an equivalent of the FIR is
considered an internal document and not
given to the accused.
• V
 agueness over evidence: The accused is
called upon to make statements that are
treated as admissible in evidence.
• H
 arassment: The ED begins to summon
accused persons and seeks details of all
their financial transactions and of their
family members.
• A
 gainst individual liberty: The initiation of
an investigation by the ED has consequences
that have the potential of curtailing the
liberty of an individual.
Allegations against ED
• H
 uge discretions: The ED is the only Central
agency in the country that does not require
permission from the government to summon
or prosecute politicians or government
functionaries for committing economic
offences like money laundering.
TRADE SECTOR UPDATES - FALLING EXPORTS, TIES, MEIS, FOREIGN TRADE POLICY, ETC.
Forex Reserves to dip
by $23 billion by Dec
Economics | GS3: Indian Economy
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Forex reserves, BoP
Mains level : Read the attached story
India’s depleted foreign exchange reserves are
likely to drop further, falling to their lowest level
in more than two years by end-2022.
Forex to dip
• In a battle that has so far failed to staunch
the rupees fall to a record low against the
greenback, the RBI has drawn down its
foreign exchange reserves by close to $100
billion, to $545 billion.
• T hose reserves are forecast to fall another
$23 billion to $523 billion by the end of
this year.
What is Foreign Exchange (Forex) Reserve?
• F oreign exchange reserves are important
assets held by the central bank in foreign
currencies as reserves.
34 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• U sed for petty crimes: PMLA is pulled into
the investigation of even ordinary crimes and
assets of genuine victims have been attached.
• A ctual purpose denigrated: PMLA was
a comprehensive penal statute to counter
the threat of money laundering, specifically
stemming from the trade in narcotics.
• V iolations of Rights: PMLA was enacted in
response to India’s global commitment to
combat the menace of money laundering.
Instead, rights have been cribbed, cabined
and confined.
• F unctional opacity: There is also a lack
of clarity about EDs selection of cases to
investigate. We often see ED raiding houses
of opposition parties suddenly.
• P oor rate of conviction: We have hardly read
the conclusion of cases by ED. Meantime
media-trial tears off the accused persons
credibility which is the most desired intent.
• U
 nder-trials and slower prosecution : ED
has been focusing on keeping the accused
in custody rather than actually proving the
charges against them.
• T hey are commonly used to support the
exchange rate and set monetary policy.
• In India’s case, foreign reserves include Gold,
Dollars, and the IMFs quota for Special
Drawing Rights.
• M
 ost of the reserves are usually held in US
dollars, given the currencys importance in the
international financial and trading system.
• S
 ome central banks keep reserves in Euros,
British pounds, Japanese yen, or Chinese
yuan, in addition to their US dollar reserves.
India’s forex reserves cover:
• F oreign Currency Assets (FCAs)
• S
 pecial Drawing Rights (SDRs)
• G
 old Reserves
• R
 eserve position with the International
Monetary Fund (IMF)
Challenges to ED
• ED being dragged to court: The petitions
against the ED had the effect of slowing
down the investigations, as officers have to
defend themselves in court.
• Foul crying politicians: There are attempts to
cover up unexplained, high-value transactions
that fall within the PMLAs ambit
• Investigation of foreign transactions:
Getting information on accounts and money
stashed abroad to establish a trail is the
biggest challenge they face.
Way forward
• The fight against corruption is intimately
linked with the reform of the investigations.
• Therefore the adjudicating authorities must
work in cooperation and ensure the highest
standards of transparency and fairness.
• ED has been walking a tightrope to safeguard
its integrity by speeding up investigations and
court procedures.
• The need of the hour could be systemic
fixesand not shrill calls to throw the baby out
with the bathwater.
• It is unlikely that corruption can be
substantially reduced without modifying the
way government agencies operate.
Countries with the highest foreign reserves
Currently, China has the largest reserves
followed by Japan and Switzerland. India has
overtaken Russia to become the fourth largest
country with foreign exchange reserves. (Data
from August 2022)
• China $3,349 Billion
• Japan $1,376 Billion
• Switzerland $1,074 Billion
• India $612.73 Billion
• Russia $597.40 Billion
Why are these reserves so important?
• All international transactions are settled in
US dollars and, therefore, required to support
India’s imports.
• More importantly, they need to maintain
support and confidence for central bank
action, whether monetary policy action or
any exchange rate intervention to support
the domestic currency.
• It also helps to limit any vulnerability due to
sudden disturbances in foreign capital flows,
which may arise during a crisis.
• Holding liquid foreign currency provides a
cushion against such effects and provides
confidence that there will still be enough
foreign exchange to help the country with
crucial imports in case of external shocks.
Initiatives taken by the government to
increase forex
• T
 o increase the foreign exchange reserves,
the Government of India has taken many
initiatives like AatmaNirbhar Bharat, in which
India has to be made a self-reliant nation so
that India does not have to import things that
India can produce.
OIL AND GAS SECTOR - HELP, OPEN ACREAGE POLICY, ETC.
Behind the ‘world’s
first CNG terminal’ at
Bhavnagar, Gujarat
Economics | GS3: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways Etc.
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : CNG vs LPG
Mains level : Not Much
Prime Minister has laid the foundation stone for
the worlds first CNG (Compressed Natural Gas)
terminal at Bhavnagar in Gujarat.
Bhavnagar CNG terminal
• T
 he idea got incepted during the January
2019 Vibrant Gujarat summit when a
consortium of some stakeholder signed MoU
with Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) for
development of the CNG terminal.
• T
 he port will be built under the BOOT (Build,
Own, Operate and Transfer) policy of the
state government.
RAILWAY REFORMS
Vande Bharat Express 2.0
Economics | GS3: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways Etc.
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Vande Bharat Express
Mains level : Not Much
• O
 ther than AatmaNirbhar Bharat, the
government has started schemes like Duty
Exemption Scheme, Remission of Duty or
Taxes on Export Product (RoDTEP), Nirvik
(Niryat Rin Vikas Yojana) scheme, etc.
• T
 he state-run GMB will continue to operate
the berths on the south side of the port.
Why is the Bhavnagar port important?
• T he Bhavnagar port is in close vicinity to the
Dholera Special Investment Region (SIR) and
is expected to serve the industries that set up
base in the region.
• It is already connected to the northern
hinterland through a railway line that extends
to the existing berths at the port.
When is the CNG terminal expected to
commence operations?
• T he construction is expected to commence
in the first quarter of 2023 after GMB
approves the Detailed Project Report.
• It is expected to be made
operational by 2026.
• T
 he proposed port terminals capacity is
4.65 Million Tonnes Per Annum (MTPA), of
which the capacity of the CNG terminal will
be 0.3 MTPA.
• Apart from these schemes, India is one of
the top countries that attracted the highest
amount of Foreign Direct Investment, thereby
improving India’s foreign exchange reserves.
What makes the port unique?
• The project will repair and redevelop the tidal
lock gate system, which will be the fourth
largest such system in the world.
• Traditionally, because of the higher tidal
range of approximately 10 meters, Bhavnagar
creek attracts a significant amount of
sediment in the form of silt.
• This lock gate system has been set up so
that a minimal amount of sediment enters
the port basin during high tide, thus bringing
down the cost of dredging inside the port
substantially.
Back2Basics: Natural gas vs. LPG
• LPG, or liquefied petroleum gas, is a mixture
of light hydrocarbons.
• It consists of at least 90% of propane,
with the balance made up of other gases
including butane.
• Natural gas, in contrast, is almost entirely
made up of methane.
• Compressed Natural Gas, or CNG, and
Liquefied Natural Gas, or LNG, are the same
substance.
• CNG is received and stored in a vehicles tank
in gaseous form.
• To obtain LNG, natural gas is compressed
and cooled to extremely low temperatures, at
which point it turns to liquid.
• LNG can then be shipped, stored, and used
to fill the tanks of LNG vehicles.
• Much of the global natural gas trade occurs
in the form of LNG.
Prime Minister has inaugurated the new
upgraded Vande Bharat Express.
www.civilsdaily.com 35
Vande Bharat 2.0
• T
 he Vande Bharat Express is a semi-high-
speed train designed, developed, and built by
the Integral Coach Factory (ICF).
• P
 resently there are only two Vande Bharat
trains that are running Delhi to Varanasi and
Delhi to Katra.
• T
 he name may be the same, but this train,
the third in the Vande Bharat series, is
being dubbed Vande Bharat 2.0, because of
certain upgrades.
• P
 M had inaugurated the Vande Bharat when
it was first launched in Delhi in 2019.
• T
 he new trainset costs around Rs 115 crore Rs
15 crore more than the last version.
Key Features
• T
 he current Vande Bharat trains have
seating only in two classes chair car and
executive chair car. But Railways is planning
to upgrade it.
 he trains have fully sealed gangways for a
• T
dust-free environment, modular bio-vacuum
toilets, rotating seats in Executive Class,
personalized reading lights, automatic entry/
exit doors with sliding footsteps, diffused
LED lighting, mini pantry, and sensor-based
interconnecting doors in each coach.
 hey are self-propelled trains that do not
• T
require an engine. This feature is called a
distributed traction power system.
BANKING SECTOR REFORMS
What are Small Savings
Instruments (SSIs)?
Economics | GS3: Indian Economy
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Small Savings Instruments (SSIs)
Mains level : Not Much
The Centre has announced increases of 0.1-0.3
percentage points in interest rates payable on
five small savings instruments (SSIs) marking
the first increase in small savings rates since
January 2019.
What are Small Savings Instruments (SSIs)?
• S
 mall Savings Schemes or instruments
are a set of savings instruments managed
by the central government with an aim
to encourage citizens to save regularly
irrespective of their age.
 hey are popular as they provide returns
• T
higher than bank fixed deposits, sovereign
guarantee and tax benefits.
36 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
What are the major upgrades?
(1) Ride comfort
• For starters, this train reaches a top speed of
160 km per hour in 129 seconds, around 16
seconds faster than its predecessor.
• This is because this train weighs around 392
tonnes, 38 tonnes lighter than the last one,
and needs to run almost a km less to attain
its top speed.
• It also has a better riding index (lower the
better) of 3.26 at 180 km per hour, from the
earlier 3.87.
• At a standard speed of 115 km per, its riding
index is 3.26, better than 3.62 attained at the
same speed by the earlier version.
Riding index is a global benchmark for rolling
stock calculated during trials by measuring
vertical/lateral acceleration. In laymans terms,
how comfortable and steady the passenger is
while the train is in motion is roughly the idea
behind a riding index.
(2) Safety features
• In terms of safety features, the new train
comes fitted with the automatic anti-collision
system Kavach, which the previous trains
did not have.
• Coaches have disaster lights and their battery
backup is for three hours, increased from the
last ones one-hour battery backup.
How is it managed?
• S
 ince 2016, the Finance Ministry has been
reviewing the interest rates on small savings
schemes on a quarterly basis.
• A
 ll deposits received under various
schemes are pooled in the National Small
Savings Fund.
 he money in the fund is used by the Centre
• T
to finance its fiscal deficit.
What are the different saving schemes?
The schemes can be grouped under
three heads
1. Post office deposits
2. Savings certificates and
3. Social security schemes
• T he exterior has eight flatform-side cameras,
up from four.
• There is also passenger-guard
communication facility in coaches,
which comes with automatic voice
recording feature.
Benefits of Vande Bharat Trains
• Cuts Travel Time Drastically
• Energy Efficient
• Reduce Turnaround Time
• Faster Acceleration and Deceleration
among others.
Way forward
• India has embarked on a mission to roll out
400 Vande Bharats.
• By August 2023, the country is to introduce
72 more such trains, taking the total to 75.
• The idea is that this third trainset will carry
on with its commercial run and at the same
time the Railway production units will keep
producing more every month to reach
the target.
• In the works is the plan to introduce
Vande Bharat with sleeper berths for
overnight journeys.
• Options to make these trainsets with an
aluminum body is also being explored, for a
lighter product.
(1) Post Office Deposits
• Under this we have the savings deposit,
recurring deposit and time deposits with 1,
2, 3 and 5 year maturities and the monthly
income account.
• The savings account currently pays an
interest of 4% per annum and can be
opened individually or jointly with an initial
investment of Rs 500.
• The recurring deposit that pays 5.8% a year
compounded quarterly matures after 60
months from the date of opening.
• It allows investors to save on a monthly
basis with a minimum deposit of Rs 100
per month.
• Investments under the 5-year time deposit
up to Rs 1.5 lakh further qualifies for benefit
under section 80C of Income Tax Act.
(2) Savings Certificates
• Under this, we have the National Savings
Certificate and the Kisan Vikas Patra.
• The National Savings Certificate pays interest
at a rate of 6.8% per annum upon maturity
after 5 years. The interest that is earned
is reinvested into the scheme every year
automatically.
• The NSC also qualifies for tax saving under
Section 80C of the income tax act.
• T
 he Kisan Vikas Patra, which is open to
everyone, doubles your one-time investment
at the end of 124 months signifying a return
of 6.9% compounded annually.
• T
 he minimum investment amount is Rs 1000
while there is no upper limit.
(3) Social security schemes
• In the third head of social security schemes,
there is Public Provident Fund, Sukanya
Samriddhi Account and Senior Citizens
Savings Scheme.
Public Provident Fund
• T he Public Provident Fund is a popular saving
option for long term goals like retirement.
• It pays 7.1% a year and qualifies for tax benefit
under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act.
• U pon maturity of the account after 15 years,
it can be extended indefinitely in blocks
of 5 years.
• T he accumulated amount and interest
earned are exempt from tax at the time of
withdrawal.
Sukanya Samriddhi Account
• T
 he Sukanya Samriddhi Account was
launched in 2015 under the Beti Bachao
Beti Padhao campaign exclusively for a
girl child.
• T
 he account can be opened in the name of a
girl child below the age of 10 years.
• T
 he scheme guarantees a return of 7.6% per
annum and is eligible for tax benefit under
Section 80C of the Income Tax Act.
• T
 he tenure of the deposit is 21 years from
the date of opening of the account and a
maximum of Rs 1.5 lakh can be invested
in a year.
Senior Citizen Savings Account
• A nd finally, the 5-year Senior Citizen Savings
Account can be opened by anyone who is
over 60 years to age.
• It carries an interest of 7.4% per annum
payable quarterly and qualifies for Section
80C tax benefit.
• These time-tested and safe modes of
investments dont offer quick returns,
but are safer when compared to market-
linked schemes.
How are G-Secs and SSIs related?
• RBI had observed that the rise in yields
ongovernment securitieshttps://www.
civilsdaily.com/news/what-are-government-
securities-g-secs/ (G-Secs) had turned the
spread between the existing interest rates
and formula-based rates negative for most
small saving schemes.
• Returns on SSIs are linked to market yields
on G-Secs with a lag and are fixed on a
quarterly basis.
• The decision to raise rates on just five SSIs,
will mean that returns for some of the
schemes, such as the PPF, will be negative in
the coming quarter in relation to the formula.
www.civilsdaily.com 37
 Governance

38 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
HEALTH SECTOR - UHC, NATIONAL HEALTH POLICY, FAMILY PLANNING, HEALTH INSURANCE, ETC. What is Bhang?

Bhang, Ganja, and criminality

• Bhang is the edible preparation made from
the leaves of the cannabis plant, often

in the NDPS Act

incorporated into drinks such as thandai and
lassi, along with various foods.
• Bhang has been consumed in the Indian
subcontinent for centuries, and is frequently
Governance | GS2: Health & Education
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important : consumed during the festivals of Holi and
Prelims level : NDPS Act Mahashivratri.
Mains level : Issues with NDPS Act • Its widespread use caught the attention
of Europeans, with Garcia da Orta, a
Portuguese physician who arrived in Goa
in the 16th century, noting that, Bhang is
so generally used and by such a number of
people that there is no mystery about it.

Bhang and the law

• Enacted in 1985, the NDPS Act is the main
legislation that deals with drugs and their
trafficking.
• Various provisions of the Act punish
production, manufacture, sale, possession,
consumption, purchase, transport, and use
of banned drugs, except for medical and
scientific purposes.
• The NDPS Act defines cannabis (hemp) as a
narcotic drug based on the parts of the plant
that come under its purview. The Act lists
these parts as:
1. Charas: The separated resin, in whatever
form, whether crude or purified, obtained
from the cannabis plant and also includes
concentrated preparation and resin known as
hashish oil or liquid hashish.
2. Ganja: The flowering or fruiting tops of
the cannabis plant (excluding the seeds and
leaves when not accompanied by the tops), by
whatever name they be known or designated.
3. Any mixture, with or without any neutral
material, of any of the above forms of cannabis
or any drink prepared therefrom.
• The Act, in its definition, excludes seeds and
leaves when not accompanied by the tops.
• Bhang, which is made with the leaves of the
plant, is not mentioned in the NDPS Act.

Cannabis and criminal liability

• Section 20 of the NDPS Act lays out the
punishment for the production, manufacture,
sale, purchase, import and inter-state export
of cannabis, as defined in the Act.
• The prescribed punishment is based on the
amount of drugs seized.
• Contravention that involves a small quantity
(100 g of charas/hashish or 1 kg of ganja), will
result in rigorous imprisonment for a term
that may extend to one year and/or a fine
which may extend to Rs 10,000.
• For a commercial quantity (1 kg charas/
While granting bail to a man arrested on hashish or 20 kg ganja), rigorous
and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act
June 1 for possessing 29 kg of bhang and 400 imprisonment of not less than 10 years, which
is bhang referred to as a prohibited drink or
g of ganja, Karnataka High Court recently may extend to 20 years, including a fine that
prohibited drug.
observed that nowhere in the Narcotic Drugs is not less than Rs 1,00,000 but may extend to
Rs 2,00,000.

www.civilsdaily.com 39
• W
 here the contravention involves quantity
less than commercial, but greater than small
quantity, rigorous imprisonment up to 10
years is prescribed, along with a fine which
may extend to Rs 1,00,000.
LGBT RIGHTS - TRANSGENDER BILL, SEC. 377, ETC.
Ban on Conversion Therapy for
the LGBTQIA+ Community
Governance | GS2: Health & Education
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : NA
Mains level : Sexual orientation as medical condition
TheNational Medical Commission (NMC)
https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/importance-
of-medical-education/, the apex regulatory
body of medical professionals in India, has
written to all State Medical Councils, banning
sexual conversion therapy and calling it a
professional misconduct.
What is the news?
 he NMC has empowered the State bodies
• T
to take disciplinary action against medical
professionals who breach the guideline.
 he NMC was following a Madras
• T
High Court directive to issue an official
notification listing conversion therapy as a
wrong, under the Indian Medical Council
(Professional Conduct, Etiquettes and Ethics)
Regulations, 2002.
What is Sexual Conversion Therapy?
• C
 onversion or reparative therapy is an
intervention aimed at changing the
sexual orientation or gender identity of an
individual.
• It uses either psychiatric treatment, drugs,
exorcism and even violence, with the aim
being to make the individual a heterosexual.
• T he conversion therapy umbrella also
includes efforts to change the core identity of
youth whose gender identity is incongruent
with their sex anatomy.
40 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
Also read:
https://www.civilsdaily.com/burning-issue-
substance-abuse-in-india/
• O
 ften, the therapy is offered by quacks with
little expertise in dealing with the issue.
• A
 s late as 2018, medical books listed
homosexuality and lesbianism as a
perversion.
What are the risks?
• T
 he interventions under conversion therapy
are provided under the false premise that
homosexuality and diverse gender identities
are pathological.
• T
 hey are not; the absence of pathology
means there is no need for conversion or any
other like intervention.
 onversion therapy poses the risk of causing
• C
or exacerbating mental health conditions,
like anxiety, stress and drug use which
sometimes even lead to suicide.
What is the role of the Madras High Court
in the ban?
On June 7, 2021, Justice N. Anand Venkatesh of
the Madras High Court gave a landmark ruling
on a case he was hearing about the ordeal of a
same-sex couple who sought police protection
from their parents.
• P ending adequate legislation more protective
of the community, Justice Venkatesh issued a
slew of interim guidelines.
• It aimed for the police, activists, Union
and State Social Welfare Ministries, and
the National Medical Commission to
ensure their safety and security to lead a life
chosen by them.
• T he ruling prohibited any attempt to
medically cure or change the sexual
orientation of LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay,
bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual
or of any other orientation) people.
• It urged the authorities to take action against
professionals involving themselves in any
form or method of conversion therapy, which
could include the withdrawal of licence to
practice medicine.
• On July 8, 2022, the court gave an order
to the NMC directing it to issue necessary
official notification by enlisting Conversion
Therapy as a professional misconduct.
What were some of the other guidelines
issued by the court?
• The court asked the Ministry of Social Justice
& Empowerment to d raw up a list of NGOs
and other groups which could handle the
issues faced by the community, and gave it a
time of 8 weeks from the date of the order.
• The court said the community should
be provided with legal assistance by
the District Legal Services Authority in
coordination with law enforcement agencies.
• It asked agencies to follow the Transgender
Persons (Protection of Rights) Rules, 2020,
and the Transgender Persons (Protection of
Rights) Act, 2019, in letter and spirit.
• The court said it was imperative to hold
sensitisation programmes for an all-out
effort to understand the community and
its needs.
Way forward
• Schools and colleges must effect changes
in curricula for a better understanding of the
community.
• People of a different sexual orientation or
gender identity often narrate harrowing
tales of bullying, discrimination, stigma and
ostracization.
• Gender-neutral restrooms should be
compulsory in educational institutes and
other places.
• Parents too need to be sensitised, because
the first point of misunderstanding and abuse
often begins at home, with teenagers being
forced to opt for conversion therapies.
• Health professionals point out that even
adults opting for sex reassignment surgeries
need to get proper guidance like therapy pre
and post operation.
Back2Basics: Transgender Persons
(Protection of Rights) Act, 2019: Key
Features
Defining Transperson
• The act defines a transgender person as one
whose gender does not match the gender
assigned at birth.
• It includes trans-men and trans-women,
persons with intersex variations, gender-
queers, and persons with socio-cultural
identities, such as kinnar and hijra.
Prohibition against discrimination
• It prohibits the discrimination against a
transgender person, including denial of
service or unfair treatment in relation
to education, employment, healthcare,
access to, or enjoyment of goods, facilities,
opportunities available to the public.
• E very transgender person shall have a right
to reside and be included in his household.
• N o government or private entity can
discriminate against a transgender person in
employment matters, including recruitment,
and promotion.
PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION - RTE, EDUCATION POLICY, SEQI, RMSA, COMMITTEE
REPORTS, ETC.
What is the PM SHRI Scheme?
Governance | GS2: Health & Education
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : PM Shri Schools
Mains level : Read the attached story
Prime Minister has announced that under the
PM SHRI Scheme, as many as 14,500 schools
will be upgraded across India to showcase
the components of theNational Education
Policy, 2020
https://www.civilsdaily.com/burning-issue-
national-education-policy-2020-higher-
education-and-regional-languages/.
What is the PM SHRI scheme?
• A
 ccording to the Ministry of Education,
the centrally sponsored scheme will be
called PM SHRI Schools (PM Schools for
Rising India).
HRD measures
• A
 transgender person may make an
application to the District Magistrate for a
certificate of identity, indicating the gender as
transgender.
• E
 ducational institutions funded or recognised
by the relevant government shall provide
inclusive facilities for transgender persons,
without discrimination.
• T
 he government must provide health
facilities to transgender persons including
separate HIV surveillance centres, and sex
reassignment surgeries.
• U
 nder it, as many as 14,500 schools
across states and Union Territories will be
redeveloped to reflect the key features of the
NEP, 2020.
• T
 he plan was first discussed with the
education ministers of states and UTs during
a conference organised by the Ministry of
Education in June at Gandhinagar in Gujarat.
• W
 hile there are exemplary schools like
Navodaya Vidyalayas, Kendriya Vidyalayas,
the PM SHRI will act as NEP labs.
What are the key features of NEP in school
education?
• T
 he NEP envisages a curricular structure
and teaching style divided into various
stages foundational, preparatory, middle and
secondary.
• T
 he foundational years (pre-school and
grades I, II) will involve play-based learning.
• A
 t the preparatory level (III-V), light
textbooks are to be introduced along with
some formal classroom teaching. Subject
teachers are to be introduced at the middle
level (VI-VIII).
• T
 he secondary stage (IX-XII) will be
multidisciplinary in nature with no hard
separation between arts and sciences or
other disciplines.
Grievances redressal
• The National Council for Transgender
persons (NCT) chaired by Union Minister
for Social Justice, will advise the central
government as well as monitor the impact of
policies with respect to transgender persons.
• It will also redress the grievances of
transgender persons.
Legal Protection
• The Bill imposes penalties for the offences
against transgender persons like bonded
labour, denial of use of public places, removal
from household & village and physical,
sexual, verbal, emotional or economic abuse.
What is a centrally sponsored scheme?
• A centrally sponsored scheme is one where
the cost of implementation is likely to
split in the 60:40 ratio among the Union
government and the states/Union Territories.
• For instance, the mid-day meal scheme
(PM Poshan) or the PM Awas Yojana are
examples of centrally sponsored schemes.
• In the case of the Northeastern states,
Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu
and Kashmir and UTs without legislatures,
the Centres contribution can go up to
90 per cent.
How will PM SHRI schools be different
from Kendriya Vidyalayas or Jawahar
Navodaya Vidyalayas?
• Kendriya Vidyalayas or Jawahar Navodaya
Vidyalayas come entirely under the Centres
Ministry of Education. They are fully funded
by the Union government under Central
Sector Schemes.
• While KVs largely cater to children of Union
government employees posted in states and
UTs, JNVs were set up to nurture talented
students in rural parts of the country.
• In contrast, PM SHRI schools will be an
upgrade of existing schools run by the
Centre, states, UTs and local bodies.
• This essentially means that PM SHRI schools
can either be KVs, JNVs, state government
schools or even those run by municipal
corporations.
Where will the PM SHRI schools come up?
• The Centre has not yet released the list
of schools that have been chosen for
this purpose.
• It has however announced that the PM SHRI
schools will also offer mentorship to other
schools in their vicinity.
www.civilsdaily.com 41
• T
 hese schools will be equipped with
modern infrastructure including labs, smart
classrooms, libraries, sports equipment,
art room etc.
LAND REFORMS
[pib] CoE - SURVEI
standardizes Drone
images for land Survey
Governance | GS2: Governance, Transparency & Accountability, Citizens Charters
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : CoE-SURVEI
Mains level : Not Much
The Centre of Excellence on Satellite and
Unmanned Remote Vehicle Initiative
(CoE-SURVEI) has developed an Artificial
Intelligence-based software which can
automatically detect change on the ground,
including unauthorised constructions
and encroachments in a time series using
satellite imagery.
CHILD RIGHTS - POSCO, CHILD LABOUR LAWS, NAPC, ETC.
Adoption in India
Governance | GS2: Laws, Institutions & Bodies Constituted For The Vulnerable Sections
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : CARA
Mains level : Child Adoption
42 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• It shall also be developed as green schools
with water conservation, waste recycling,
energy-efficient infrastructure and integration
of organic lifestyle in curriculum.
CoE-SURVEI
• T
 he CoE-SURVEI, established by Directorate
General Defence Estates at National Institute
of Defence Estates Management, leverages
the latest technologies in survey viz. satellite
imagery, drone imagery and geo-spatial
tools for effective land management and
urban planning.
• This change detection software has been
developed by CoE-SURVEI in collaboration
with knowledge partner Bhabha Atomic
Research Centre (BARC), Visakhapatnam.
• Presently, the tool uses National Remote
Sensing Centre (NRSC) Cartosat-3 imagery
with trained software.
• The changes are detected by analysing
satellite imagery of different time periods.
Where is it used?
• The application has been used by CoE in
62 Cantonments and a comparison has
been done with the ground position in a
recent period.
• The software facilitates better control of
unauthorised activities, ensures accountability
of field staff and helps in reducing corrupt
practices.
• The CoE-SURVEI has also developed tools for
vacant land analysis and 3D image analysis of
hill cantonments
There is confusion over the implementation
of new adoption rules that require the transfer
of adoption petitions from courts to District
Magistrates (DMs).
Adoption (First Amendment) Regulations,
2021:
• It amends the Adoption Regulations, 2017.
• Highlights:
• The amendment has been notified based
on relevant sections of theJuvenile Justice
(Care and Protection of Children) Act,
2015(2 of 2016) and it amends Adoption
Regulations, 2017.
• Recently enacted Juvenile Justice (Care and
Protection of Children) Amendment Act,
2021, aims at strengthening and streamlining
the provisions for protection and adoption
of children. It mentions that rather than the
court, the District Magistrate (including
Additional District Magistrate) will provide
such adoption orders.
• It has been prepared by the Central Adoption
Resource Authority (CARA) and notified by
the Woman and Child Development Ministry.
Adoption- Meaning
Adoption is the process through which a
person takes the parental responsibility of a
child who is not biologically his/her child and
thereby the child becomes the lawful child
of his adoptive parents with all the rights,
privileges and responsibilities that are attached
to a biological child.
Reasons for adoption
• T
 o overcome infertility.
• T
 o become parents.
• T
 o help a child in need.
• T
 o avoid pregnancy complications.
• T
 o avoid passing genetic disorders
or diseases.
• L
 ove for children.
• T
 o balance population growth.
Adoption in India: A backgrounder
• In 2015, the then Minister for Women and
Child Development centralised the entire
adoption system by empowering Central
Adoption Resource Authority (CARA).
• It was empowered to maintain in various
specialised adoption agencies, a registry of
children, prospective adoptive parents as well
as match them before adoption.
• T his was aimed at checking rampant
corruption and trafficking as child care
institutions and NGOs could directly give
children for adoption after obtaining a no-
objection certificate from CARA.
DMs to issue Adoption Orders
• T
 he Parliament passed the Juvenile
Justice (Care and Protection of Children)
Amendment Bill, 2021 in order to amend the
Juvenile Justice Act (JJ Act), 2015.
• T
 he key changes include authorising
District Magistrates and Additional District
Magistrates to issue adoption orders under
Section 61 of the JJ Act by striking out the
word court.
• T
 his was done in order to ensure speedy
disposal of cases and enhance accountability,
according to a government statement.
• T
 he DMs have also been empowered under
the Act to inspect child care institutions
as well as evaluate the functioning of
district child protection units, child welfare
committees, juvenile justice boards,
specialised juvenile police units, child care
institutions etc.
Why is there concern over the revised
rules?
• P
 arents, activists, lawyers and adoption
agencies will have to be transferred and the
process will have to start afresh.
 delay in such an order can often mean
• A
that a child can’t get admission into a
school because parents don’t yet have a birth
certificate.
 arents and lawyers also state that neither
• P
judges, nor DMs are aware about the
change in the JJ Act leading to confusion in
the system and delays.
• D Ms don’t handle civil matters that bestow
inheritance and succession rights on a child.
• If these rights are contested when a child
turns 18, a judicial order is far more tenable
to ensure the child is not deprived of his or
her entitlements.
Is it such a big issue?
• T he Central Adoption Resource Authority
(CARA) says there are nearly 1,000 adoption
cases pending before various courts in
the country.
• T his is not such a huge burden.
What is the adoption procedure in India?
• A
 doptions in India are governed by two laws:
1. Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act,
1956 (HAMA): It is a parent-centric law that
provides son to the son-less for reasons of
succession, inheritance, continuance of family
name and for funeral rights and later adoption
of daughters was incorporated because
kanyadaan is considered an important part of
dharma in Hindu tradition.
2. Juvenile Justice Act, 2015: It handles issues
of children in conflict with law as well as those
who are in need of care and protection and
only has a small chapter on adoptions.
• B
 oth laws have their separate eligibility
criteria for adoptive parents.
• T
 hose applying under the JJ Act have to
register on CARAs portal after which a
specialised adoption agency carries out a
home study report.
• A
 fter it finds the candidate eligible for
adoption, a child declared legally free for
adoption is referred to the applicant.
 nder HAMA, a dattaka hom ceremony or
• U
an adoption deed or a court order is sufficient
to obtain irrevocable adoption rights.
Who can adopt?
As perthe Adoption Regulations 2017and as
perthe Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of
Children) Act, 2015, issued by the Ministry of
Women and Child Development:
• T
 he prospective adoptive parents (PAP)
should be physically, mentally and
emotionally stable, financially capable and
shall not have any life-threatening medical
condition.
• A
 person can adopt irrespective of their
marital status and whether or not he or she
has a biological son or daughter.
• A
 single female can adopt a child of any
gender but a single male shall not be eligible
to adopt a girl child. In the case of a married
couple, both spouses should give their
consent for adoption.
• N
 o child shall be given in adoption to a
couple unless they have at least two years
of stable marital relationship, mention the
regulations.
• Couples with three or more children shall not
be considered for adoption except in case of
special need children, hard to place children
and in case of relative adoption and adoption
by step-parent.
• Apart from resident and non-resident Indians,
even overseas citizens of India and foreign
parents can adopt children from the country.
• To adopt a child less than four years old, the
maximum composite age is 90 in the case of
a couple and 45 in the case of a single parent.
• For adopting a child above four years old, the
maximum composite age for a couple is 100
while the maximum age for a single parent
is 50 years.
• For adopting a child between eight and 18
years, the maximum age is 110 and 55 years
for a couple and a single PAP respectively.
Stakeholders in the adoption process
• Central Adoption Resource Authority
(CARA ) CARA ensures smooth functioning
of the adoption process from time to time,
issues Adoption Guidelines laying down
procedures and processes to be followed
by different stakeholders of the adoption
programme.
• State Adoption Resource Agency (SARA)
State Adoption Resource Agency acts as
a nodal body within the State to promote
and monitor adoption and non-institutional
care in coordination with Central Adoption
Resource Authority.
• Specialised Adoption Agency (SAA)
Specialised Adoption Agency (SAA) is
recognized by the State Government under
sub-section 4 of section 41 of the Act to place
children in adoption.
• Authorised Foreign Adoption Agency
(AFAA) Authorised Foreign Adoption
Agency is recognised as a foreign social or
child welfare agency that is authorised by
Central Adoption Resource Authority on the
recommendation of the concerned Central
Authority or Government Department of that
country for coordinating all matters relating
to the adoption of an Indian child by a citizen
of that country.
• District Child Protection Unit (DCPU)
District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) means
a unit set up by the State Government at
the district level under Section 61A of the
Act. It identifies orphan, abandoned and
surrendered children in the district and gets
them declared legally free for adoption by
Child Welfare Committee.
Issues with child adoption in India
• Parent-centrism: The current adoption
approach is very parent-centred, but parents
must make it child-centred.
www.civilsdaily.com 43
• A ge of child: Most Indian parents also want
a child between the ages of zero and two,
believing that this is when the parent-child
bond is formed.
• I nstitutional issues: Because the ratio
of abandoned children to children in
institutionalised care is lopsided, there are not
enough children available for adoption.
• L ineage discrimination: Most Indians have
a distorted view of adoption because they
want their genes, blood, and lineage to be
passed down to their children.
• R ed-tapism: Child adoption is also not so
easy task after the Juvenile Justice Rules of
2016 and the Adoption Regulations of 2017
were launched.
LOW HEALTH EXPENDITURE IN INDIA- PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES
Low Health Expenditure
in India- Prospects
and Challenges
Governance | :
Context
• A ccording to the latest National Health
Accounts Report, India’s total health
expenditure went down from 3.9 per cent of
the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2013-
14 to 3.2 per cent in 2018-19.
• T he fact is alarming as it points toward
thereducing health expenditurehttps://
www.civilsdaily.com/burning-issue-India’s-
ailing-health-sector-and-coronavirus/
of the government at a time when the
Health sector in the country is already
under pressure from multiple issues such
as poor infrastructure and the burden of
the pandemic.
• In this context, in this edition of the burning
issue, we will talk about India’s healthcare
sector, issues that ail it and possible solutions
to these issues.
44 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
Practical issues in adoption
 here are no rules for monitoring adoptions
• T
and verifying sourcing of children and
determining whether parents are fit to adopt.
• T
 here are many problems with the adoption
system under CARA but at the heart of it is
the fact that there are very few children in
its registry.
• A
 ccording to the latest figures there are only
2,188 children in the adoption pool, while
there are more than 31,000 parents waiting
to adopt a child.
About the National Health Accounts Report
• India’s National Health Accounts (NHA)
estimates report for FY 2018-19 is the sixth
in the series of NHA reports prepared by
the National Health Systems Resource
Centre (NHSRC).
• The report is based on the globally accepted
framework of System of Health Accounts,
2011, which enables cross-comparability
of estimates across time along with
international comparisons.
Conclusion
With the growing number of abandoned
children and cases of infertility in India, the
incidences of adoption are going to rise. Given
such a situation, India has put in place several
measures to deal with the issue beforehand yet
several bottlenecks are hindering the adoption
process and the comfort of a child after
adoption. India needs to formulate effective
policies and amend the existing ones to address
these issues. A multipronged approach with
discussion with all the stakeholders is the need
of the hour.
• T he NHA report presents two estimates for
the expenditure incurred within the health
sector during a financial year: CurrentHealth
Expenditure(CHE) and totalHealth
Expenditure(THE).
• CHE includes the recurring expenses
corresponding to the final consumption of
health goods and services within a financial
year. THE, on the other hand, reflects both
current and capital expenditure incurred in
the health sector within a financial year.
About the Healthcare Sector in India
• The Healthcare industry in India comprises
hospitals, medical devices, clinical trials,
outsourcing, telemedicine, medical tourism,
health insurance, and medical equipment.
• The hospital industry in India accounts for
80% of the total healthcare market. The
hospital industry is expected to reach $132 bn
by 2023 from $61.8 bn in 2017; growing at a
CAGR of 16-17%.
• In 2020, India’s Medical Tourism market
was estimated to be worth $5-6 Bn and is
expected to grow to $13 Bn by 2026.
• T he primary care industry is currently valued
at $13 bn. The share of the organized sector
is practically negligible in this case.
• P ublic Health subject comes under the state
list under the 7thschedule of the constitution.
Some Data about Healthcare Expenditure
in India
• A ccording to the latest National Health
Accounts Report, the current health
expenditure(CHE) for the year was Rs
5,40,246 crore or 90.58 percent, while
the rest was capital expenditures. Of the
government health expenditure, the Union
governments share was 34.3 percent.
• O ut-of-pocket expenditure on healthcare
by households has declined by 16 percentage
points, from 64.2 per cent to 48.2 per cent
in the same period. It was even higher in
2004-2005, at 69.4 per cent. While this is a
welcome improvement, the figure remains
significantly higher than the global average.
• T he economic burden of healthcare in India
is largely borne by households that contribute
Rs 3,24,717 crore to the current healthcare
expenditure.
• F or 2018-19, the health expenditure for India
was estimated to be Rs 4, 470 per capita.
• A mong the different types of healthcare
providers, the major share of CHE is
incurred at private hospitals (28.7 percent),
followed by pharmacies (22.6 percent), and
government hospitals (17.3 percent).
Challenges in the Healthcare sector in India
(A) Outdated Medical education in India
• L imited government seats: The number
of seats available for medical education in
India is far less than the number of aspirants
who leave school with the dream of
becoming doctors.
• L ack of skills : Though the institutes are
managing to hire professors and lecturers,
there is a lack of technical skills. Finding
faculties in clinical and non-clinical disciplines
is difficult and there are very few faculty
development programs for upskilling the
existing lot.
• L ack of digital infrastructure : The gap in
digital learning infrastructure is currently
the biggest challenge the sector is facing.
There is an urgent need to adopt technology
and have resources available to facilitate
e-learning.
• L ack of research and innovation : there
havent been much ground-breaking research
in the medical field. The education system
needs to focus more on increasing the quality
of research. Additionally, since the industry-
academia partnership is not available, hence
innovation also takes a back seat.
• N o. of doctors-Deficiency: Thedoctor-
patient ratio of 1:1655 in India as against
WHO norm of 1:1000clearly shows the
deficit of MBBS.
• I nadequate capacity of the health system:
to cater to the healthcare demands of a large
population as evident from multiple months
waiting for an operation even at large
healthcare centers like AIIMS.
(B) Suffering from several Paradoxes
• H ealthcare is a fundamental right, but it
is not fundamentally right in India: The
expenditure on healthcare is one of the
lowest in the world. Though our economy
has grown robustly post-liberalization,
investment in healthcare has consistently
hovered around 1% of the GDP. In the
2020-21 Budget, it was 1.02% of overall
expenditure.
• T he sector attracts investments, but
delivery remains contentious: India’s
healthcare sector has attracted a steady
stream of investments. Lack of penetration,
inflated billing, opaqueness in diagnosis, and
poor quality of service has ensured that most
Indians get treated below the standards
prescribed by the WHO.
• A mong the cheapest in the world, yet
unaffordable for most locally: Healthcare in
India is cheap. Yet India has one of the worlds
highest rates of out-of-pocket spending in
healthcare. Millions in India cannot afford
these procedures in their own country.
• L ess health infrastructure, but medical
tourism booms: There is a dearth of medical
schools and clinicians. Most hospitals in
India are overburdened, understaffed, and ill-
equipped. However, all this has not prevented
the private healthcare sector to establish
sophisticated medical tourism facilities on the
plank of world-class service at low cost.
(C) Rising Burden of Non-Communicable
Diseases
• A
 ccording to the study report India State-
Level Disease Burden Initiative in 2017 by the
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR),
it is estimated that the proportion of deaths
due to Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)
in India has increased from 37.9% in 1990 to
61.8% in 2016.
(D) Inadequate Mother and Child
Healthcare
• M
 aternal mortality causes 56,000 deaths
every year in India, accounting for 20 percent
of maternal deaths around the world.
• T
 he inadequatehealthcare systemand lack
of healthcare facilities in most regions have
elevated the number of maternal mortality
cases in India.
(E) Receding government from the health
sector
• Currently, government hospitals are having
only a 30% share of the total number of
hospital beds available in India.
• Also, 70% of new beds added in hospitals are
coming from private hospitals rather than
government hospitals. This disproportionately
impacts poor people more.
• India’s rich and middle classes have opted out
of public health completely, leaving the poor
with unconscionably meager services.
How pandemic has further exposed the
Healthcare sector in India?
(1) Poor Infrastructure
• In the 2019 Global Health Security Index,
which measures pandemic preparedness for
countries based on their ability to handle the
crisis, India ranked 57, lower than the US at 1,
the UK at 2, Brazil at 22, and Italy at 31.
• As per the OECD data available for
2017, India reportedly has only 0.53 beds
available per 1,000 people as against 0.87 in
Bangladesh, 2.11 in Chile, 1.38 in Mexico, 4.34
in China, and 8.05 in Russia.
(2) Fewer doctors per thousand
• The WHO mandates that the doctor-to-
population ratio should be 1:1,000, while India
had a 1:1,404 ratio as of February 2020.
• In rural areas, this doctor-patient ratio is
as low as 1:10,926 doctors as per National
Health Profile 2019.
(3) Denial of healthcare by Private hospitals
• Despite private hospitals accounting for 62
percent of the total hospital beds as well
as ICU beds and almost 56 percent of the
ventilators, they are handling only around 10
percent of the workload.
• Private hospitals are reportedly denying
treatment to the poor. Cases of overcharging
patients are also being reported in private
hospitals.
(4) Negligence for mental healthcare
• Mental health problems were already a major
contributor to the burden of illness in India
which usually gets unnoticed.
• The widespread anxiety due to the lockdown
has frustrated the laborers, farmers, and
various vulnerable sections to a great extent
due to the fear of impoverishment and loss of
livelihoods.
Ayushman Bharat- A Game Changer
Scheme
• Ayushman Bharat Schemehttps://www.
civilsdaily.com/burning-issue-ayushman-
bharat-digital-mission/was launched in 2018,
as a step toward Universal Health Coverage
www.civilsdaily.com 45
 (UHC) and would provide quality health
services to eligible patients and protect them
from financial hardship.
• It aims to provide110 millionpoor, deprived
rural families with an annual family health
insurance cover of up to Rs 5 lakh in
Secondary and tertiary healthcare.
Outcomes of the scheme
Positive outcomes
• M
 ore than 20.8 lakh people from
marginalized sections received health
treatment worth Rs. 5000 crores in the initial
200 days of the scheme.
• T
 he portability of the scheme helped several
migrant workers access health benefits in
the state of migration during COVID times
irrespective of their home states.
Negative outcomes
• O ne of the primary objectives of this
scheme is to decrease the out-of-pocket
(OOP) expenditure on health in India.
Multiple research studies suggest that
insurance schemes for the poor in India have
failed to provide the much-needed relief,
with OOP figures higher for those using
insurance schemes, compared to those who
do not. Predominant reasons are shoddy
implementation, lack of infrastructure and
corruption.
• A s per the latest data available, over 12.5
croreAyushman cardshave been issued and
about 1.23 crore people have availed the
benefit of this scheme (merely 2 percent of
the 50 crore target beneficiaries).
• In addition, Ayushman beneficiaries are
denied benefits they were previously entitled
to under other schemesa pregnant woman
below-poverty line beneficiary of AB-PMJAY
scheme, going for institutional delivery no
longer receives the assistance of Rs 1,500
under Janani Surakhsa Yojana.
Some achievements in the Healthcare
sector
• O
 ut-of-pocket expenditure on healthcare by
households has declined by 16 percentage
points, from 64.2 per cent to 48.2 per cent in
the same period. It was even higher in 2004-
2005, at 69.4 per cent. The decreasing share
of OOPE signals the declining incidence of
financial hardships faced by households while
accessing healthcare in India.
 he increasing share of social security
• T
expenditure on health from 6 per cent in
2013-14 to 9.6 per cent of THE in 2018-19,
indicates the increasing reach of social
security measures in the country. This kind of
payment mechanism enables risk protection
thus preventing households from incurring
catastrophic health expenditure.
46 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• M ore than half of the governments current
expenditure (55 per cent) has been on
strengthening primary healthcare centers.
This not only ensures quality services at the
grassroots level but also reduces the chances
of ailments requiring secondary or tertiary
health care services.
• I ncreasing health insurances Health
insurance contributes 20% to the non-life
insurance business, making it the 2ndlargest
portfolio. The gross direct premium income
underwritten by health insurance grew 17.16%
year on year to reach $6.87 bn in FY20
Models to improve the healthcare system
in India
(A) Concept of Family Health Teams:
• Instead of passive design of NHM, we need
Family Health Teams (FHT) like in Brazil,
accountable for the health and wellbeing of a
dedicated population, say 2,000 families.
(B) Move beyond doctor-led systems:
• India needs to move beyond the doctor-led
system. Instead of wasting gynecologists in
CHCs midwives (nurses with a BSc degree
and two years of training in midwifery) can
provide equally good services except surgical,
and can be positioned in all CHCs and PHCs.
(C) National Health Service:
• It is based on the UKs health model. It is
similar to creating an All India Service on
the lines IAS and IPS for the healthcare
services in India. It would help bring
uniformity in structure and services related to
healthcare in India.
Other Possible solutions
(1) Promote Universal health coverage
• A
 s part of the SDGs, all countries have
pledged to deliver universal health coverage
(UHC) by 2030.
• T
 his includes India. But, sadly, nearly 50
percent of the worlds population lacks
essential health services.
(2) Increasing healthcare professionals in
numbers
• C onsidering the rise in the population, new
diseases and infections, India is in dire need
of more medical staff and amenities.
• If India wants to achieve a 1:1,000 ratio, it
will need an additional 2.07 million doctors
by 2030. For this, the government needs to
increase its spending on the health sector.
(3) Revamping medical education
• T
 here is a needs to rapidly build medical
institutions and increase the number
of doctors.
• It needs to aid attempts at constructing new
medical institutes, hospitals, Primary health
centers and New AIIMS.
(4) Helping the downtrodden
• Rather than dumping them on government
hospitals only, the private hospitals should be
held accountable to take on their treatment.
• They can make up for the loss by cross-
subsidizing treatments of patients with
premium insurance policies.
(5) Enhancing future pandemic
preparedness
• This can be done by strengthening the
disease surveillance system, Primary health
centers, and the Pharmaceutical industry for
rapid production of essential medicines and
testing kits.
(6) Optimum use of technology
• The COVID-19 crisis has elevated the
importance of digital tools and e-health.
• There is a growing use of mobile apps,
online consultations, e-pharmacies, and
other tools such as NetMeds, Dhani App and
telemedicine.
(7) Looping-in private players
• For too long, India has allowed the private
health sector to grow, with little regulation.
• The lack of alignment between the public
and private sectors has been exposed to
COVID-19 testing and treatment in India.
• The time is ripe to loop in private players
and promote the industrialization of the
health sector.
(8) Review of the existing system:
• Bringing such a transformative health system
will require a comprehensive review of the
existing training institutions, standardizing
curricula and the qualifying criteria.
• Improving Federal cooperation in the health
sector as health is a state subject.
Conclusion
• India’s healthcare system is too small for such
a large population. There seems to be a long
battle ahead. The public healthcare system
cannot be improved overnight.
• The country needs all hands on deck-both
public and private sectors- working together
and delivering the best healthcare services for
all citizens.
• Ultimately, the onus of governance always
rests with the government, which needs to
set standards, invest resources, ensure quality,
and strategically purchase services from the
private sector, as needed.
[SANSAD TV] PERSPECTIVE: PROTECTING THE TRIBES
[Sansad TV] Perspective:
Protecting the Tribes
Governance | :
Context
• T
 he last known member of an indigenous
tribes in the Amazon rainforest has died after
living alone for decades.
• T
 he unidentified man from an uncontacted
Indigenous tribe in Brazil was known
as the man of the hole because he was
often spotted taking shelter in pits dug in
the ground.
• H
 is death has now resulted in a lot of
discussion among activists, once again
bringing to the spotlight the need to protect
the indigenous people.
Tribes in India
• In India, most of the tribes are collectively
identified under Article 342 as
Scheduled Tribes.
• T here are 110 million tribals in the country,
distributed across 18 states.
• T he tribal population is known to live
sustainable lives, in harmony with nature.
• H owever, with their numbers dwindling due
to various contributing factors, the concern is
on how not just to protect their population,
but also to preserve their heritage, culture,
language, art, traditions and sensibilities.
Whats being done towards the protection and
economic upliftment of the tribals in India?
How are their concerns & challenges being
addressed?
Why do Tribal communities matter?
• S
 afeguarding Biodiversity: India’s ethnic
people have played a vital role in preserving
the biodiversity of several virgin forests and
have conserved flora and fauna in sacred
groves of tribals.
of atrocities against the members of the SCs
and STs; to provide for special Courts for the
trial of such offences.
• Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension
to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996: It
gives special powers to the Gram Sabhas
in Scheduled Areas especially for the
management of natural resources.
• R
 epository of traditional knowledge: They
• Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional
hold vital ancestral knowledge and expertise
Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest
on how to adapt, mitigate, and reduce
Rights) Act, 2006: The rights provided to
climate and disaster risks.
tribals under the Forest Rights Act seek to
• S
 ustainable livelihood practices: The
secure individual and community ownership
crops grown by indigenous people are
on landholding, exploitation and habitation in
highly adaptable. They can survive drought,
forests by indigenous people in India.
altitude, flooding, and any kind of extremes
of temperature. As a result, these crops help (3) Protecting their Political Aspirations
create resilient farms. • Scheduled Areas are areas in India with a
• G
 ender and social harmony: Tribal preponderance of tribal population subject
communities are one of the most liberal to a special governance mechanism wherein
communities. Status of women is very high the central government plays a direct role in
as they contribute substantially to primary safeguarding cultural and economic interests
subsistence activities. of scheduled tribes in the area.
• The Fifth schedule deals with the
Various Protection to tribes in India
administration and control of Scheduled
(1) Constitutional Protection Areas as well as of Scheduled Tribes residing
• T
 he termScheduled Tribeshttps://www. in any State other than the States of Assam,
civilsdaily.com/mains/what-is-the-reason- Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram.
for-special-provisions-for-the-scheduled- • The Sixth Schedule consists of provisions for
tribes-in-the-constitution-of-india-are-these- the administration of tribal areas in Assam,
provisions-successful-in-ameliorating-their- Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram, according
conditions-250-words/first appears in the to Article 244 of the Indian Constitution.
Constitution of India.
Issues faced by Tribal population in India
• A
 rticle 366 (25) defined scheduled tribes as
• Acute Poverty: Many of indigenous
such tribes or tribal communities or parts
communities live in extreme poverty. They
of or groups within such tribes or tribal
suffer from malnutrition and lack access
communities as are deemed under Article
to basic education and health facilities. Ex.
342 to be Scheduled Tribes for the purposes
Melghat in Maharashtra.
of this constitution.
• Dwindling Population: Indigenous
• A
 rticle 342 prescribes procedure to be
communities are facing a dwindling
followed in the matter of specification of
population. Most of them are desolated from
scheduled tribes.
their native places.
• A
 mong the tribal groups, several have
• Degradation of Forests: Unrestrained
adapted to modern life but there are tribal
development in forest areas has led to
groups who are more vulnerable.
the degradation of the forest areas which
 he Dhebar Commission (1973) created
• T
account for the major basis for the survival of
a separate category Primitive Tribal
the tribal community.
Groups (PTGs) which was renamed in
• Forest Rights Issues: Inability to recognize
2006 as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal
indigenous communities rights to forest
Groups (PVTGs ).
resources is also a concern. This has given
• A
 s per Article 338-A of the Constitution
rise to left wing leanings.
of India, the National Commission for
• Displacement: Acquisition of tribal land by
Scheduled Tribes has been set up.
the government for development purposes
(2) Civil Rights Protection has led to large scale displacement and
• P
 rotection of Civil Rights Act, 1955: It alienation of tribal population.
prescribes punishment for the preaching • Discrimination: The tribal people were
and practice of untouchability against the compelled to perform duties that were
downtrodden sections of society. considered inferior because of their economic
• S
 cheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes backwardness and illiteracy.
(Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989: It is an
Act to prevent the Commission of offences
www.civilsdaily.com 47
Major challenges in the tribal areas
• R emoteness: The tribal hamlets and
habitations are located either in a valley or
on the hill tops in most of the places. Due
to which they are excludes from major
developmental activities, improved cultivation
practices, education and health facilities.
• E xploitation: The agriculture produces, local
non timber forest produce and other valuable
forest resources are being siphoned out by
the middlemen from the innocent tribals
for the paltry prices thus leaving the tribals
exploited financially.
• S uperstition: Poverty, health issues, illiteracy
and underdevelopment is often ascribed to
the fate, star and supernatural events. Even
preventable deaths are sometimes construed
as may be due to bad omen; the scientific
temper is a remotest aspiration.
• R oad and Telecom lacunae: Due to tough
terrain and difficult areas of tribal locations,
it requires huge resources to establish
connectivity to all the habitation. The
telecom connectivity is also as sparse as
the roads. Hence the penetration of digital
literacy is hampered in typical tribal areas.
• L ack of health awareness: Unscientific
practices, local beliefs, self-medication,
customary doctor etc. have deprived them
from availing the institutional health facilities.
• I lliteracy: It is the main hurdle in improving
living standards of tribals in the tribal belts.
The spill over effect of illiteracy is lack of
confidence to adopt progressive steps.
PHARMA SECTOR - DRUG PRICING, NPPA, FDC, GENERICS, ETC.
What is National List of
Essential Medicines (NLEM)?
Governance | GS2: Health & Education
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Essential Medicines
Mains level : Not Much
48 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• P
 rimitive agriculture: The traditional areas
where tribal live are mostly forests and hill
terrains, having no proper potential for the
adoption of modern agriculture on a large
scale. Even now the PVTGs are practicing
shifting cultivation (Podu farming) on the hill
slopes of eastern states.
• U
 nemployment: Inability to catch up with
the skilled jobs in the open market due to
lack of exposure to formal skill training, the
unemployment is haunting the qualified
tribal youths.
Various welfare schemes for Tribals
• V
 anbandhu Kalyan Yojana: VKY aims
at creating enabling environment for the
need-based and outcome-oriented holistic
development of the tribal people.
• M
 inor Forest Produce (MFP): Scheme of
Mechanism for Marketing of MFP through
Minimum Support Price (MSP) and
Development of Value Chain for MFP
• V
 an Dhan Vikas Karyakram: The Van Dhan
Scheme is an initiative of the Ministry of
Tribal Affairs and TRIFED. It was launched
on 14th April, 2018 and seeks to improve
tribal incomes through the value addition of
tribal products.
• H
 igher education: Pre and Matric
Scholarship Scheme for ST students,Eklavya
Modelhttps://www.civilsdaily.com/news/
pib-eklavya-model-residential-schools/
Residential Schools
• Classification as Particularly Vulnerable
Tribal Groups (PVTGs): PVTGshttps://www.
civilsdaily.com/news/pib-development-
of-pvtgs-scheme/have some basic
characteristics -they are mostly homogenous,
with a small population, relatively physically
isolated, social institutes cast in a simple
mould, absence of written language, relatively
simple technology and a slower rate of
change etc.
Way forward
• There is a need to take up massive
awareness creation activities among the
tribal to make them realise their development
potential.
• Area based approach should be adopted to
create infrastructure and road connectivity.
• Effective monitoring of the funds meant
for various tribal development activities is
necessary.
• Comprehensive skill development programs
customized to the local tribal markets and
local consumers have assured a future for the
tribal youth.
• Formal education and institutional finance
through village institutions and Self Help
Groups need to be intensified in the tribal
areas by a focused approach.
The latest National List of Essential Medicines
(NLEM) released September 13, 2022 by the
Union health ministry added 34 new medicines
and dropped 26 old ones from the previous list.
What is NLEM?
• As per the World Health Organisation
(WHO), Essential Medicines are those that
satisfy the priority health care needs of the
population.
• Ministry of Health and Family Welfare hence
prepared and released the first National
List of Essential Medicines of India in 1996
consisting of 279 medicines.
• The list is made with consideration to disease
prevalence, efficacy, safety and comparative
cost-effectiveness of the medicines.
• Such medicines are intended to be available
in adequate amounts, in appropriate dosage
forms and strengths with assured quality.
• They should be available in such a way that
an individual or community can afford.
NLEM in India
• Drugs listed under NLEM also known as
scheduled drugs will be cheaper because
theNational Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority
 (NPPA)https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/
what-is-the-nppas-role-in-fixing-drug-prices/
caps medicine prices and changes only based
on wholesale price index-based inflation.
• T
 he list includes anti-infectives medicines
to treat diabetes such as insulin HIV,
tuberculosis, cancer, contraceptives,
hormonal medicines and anaesthetics.
• T
 hey account for 17-18 per cent of
the estimated Rs 1.6-trillion domestic
pharmaceutical market.
HOUSING FOR ALL - PMAY, ETC.
Delay in govt.’s flagship
PMAY-G scheme to
invite penalty
Governance | GS2: Government Scheme/Policies
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : PMAY- Urban and Rural
Mains level : Housing for All
Pulling up the States for the delay in
completion of the governments flagship rural
household scheme Pradhan Mantri Awas
Yojana Gramin (PMAY-G) the Union Ministry
of Rural Development has come up with a set
of penalties that the State governments will
have to bear for any further delay.
About PMAY-G Scheme
• In pursuance of the goal - Housing for all by
2022, the rural housing scheme Indira Awas
Yojana was revamped to PMAY-G and
approved during March 2016.
• T he main aim of the PMAY-G scheme is to
provide pucca house with some of the basic
amenities.
PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION - RTE, EDUCATION POLICY, SEQI, RMSA, COMMITTEE
REPORTS, ETC.
Tamil Nadu’s new Breakfast
Scheme in Schools
Governance | GS2: Laws, Institutions & Bodies Constituted For The Vulnerable Sections
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Meal schemes for students
Mains level : Not Much
• C
 ompanies selling non-scheduled drugs can
hike prices by up to 10 per cent every year.
• T
 ypically, once NLEM is released, the
department of pharmaceuticals under the
ministry of chemicals and fertilisers adds
them in the Drug Price Control Order, after
which NPPA fixes the price.
Significance of EML
• D
 rawing an essential medicines list (EML) is
expected to result in better quality of medical
care, better management of medicines and
cost-effective use of health care resources.
• T
 his scheme is meant for people who
do not own a house and people who live
in kutcha houses or houses which are
severely damaged.
• A
 t present, the minimum size of the houses
to be built under the PMAY-G scheme has
been increased to 25 sq. mt. from 20 sq. mt.
• U
 nder PMAY, the cost of unit assistance
is to be shared between Central and State
Governments in the ratio 60:40 in plain areas
and 90:10 for North Eastern and hilly states.
Subsidies under PMAY - G scheme
There are various subsidies offered under
PMAY G. These include:
• L
 oans up to Rs. 70,000 from financial
institution
• This is especially important for a resource
limited country like India.
• The list of essential medicines is intended to
have a positive impact on the availability and
rational use of medicines.
Also read
https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/what-is-the-
nppas-role-in-fixing-drug-prices/
• Interest subsidy of 3%
• Subsidy for the maximum principal amount
is Rs. 2 lakh
Why in news?
• Opposition-ruled states such as West Bengal,
Chhattisgarh and Odisha are the leading four
States who are far behind their targets.
• The initial deadline for the scheme was
March 2022, which owing to the COVID-19
pandemic was extended by another two
years till March 2024.
What are the penalty provisions?
• If the sanction of the house is delayed for
more than one month from the date of issue
of the target, the State government will be
penalised.
• The penal fees are per week 10 per house
for the first month of delay and 20 per house
for each subsequent month of delay.
• Similarly, if the first instalment due to the
beneficiary is delayed for more than seven
days from the date of sanction, then the State
governments will have to pay 10 per house
per week of delay.
Also read:
https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/govt-extends-
pmay-urban-scheme/
www.civilsdaily.com 49
Tamil Nadu CM has launched the Chief
Ministers Breakfast Scheme for students of
Class I to V in government schools.
CMs Breakfast Scheme
• T
 he scheme covers around 1.14 lakh students
in 1,545 schools which include 417 municipal
corporation schools, 163 municipality
schools and 728 taluk and village panchayat-
level schools.
• T
 he inauguration of the scheme marks an
important milestone in the States history of
providing free meals to school students.
How has the idea evolved?
(a) Pre-independence
• In November 1920, the Madras Corporation
Council approved a proposal for providing
tiffin to the students of a Corporation School
at Thousand Lights at a cost not exceeding
one anna per student per day.
• T heagaraya Chetty, the then President of the
Corporation and one of the stalwarts of the
Justice Party, said the boys studying at the
school were poor, which affected the strength
of the institution greatly.
• T he scheme, which was extended to
four more schools and facilitated higher
enrollment of students.
MEDICAL EDUCATION GOVERNANCE IN INDIA
Centre cites law to
deny medical seats to
Ukraine-returnees
Governance | GS2: Health & Education
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : NA
Mains level : Medical education pursuance in foreign and issues
50 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
(b) Post-independence
• T he concept saw a Statewide application in
1956 when the then CM K. Kamaraj decided
to provide free noon meal to poor children in
all primary schools across the State.
• T he Budget for 1956-57 contained a
provision for supplying mid-day meals
to schoolchildren for 200 days a year,
initially covering 65,000 students in 1,300
feeding centres.
• In July 1982, it was left to the then CM MG
Ramachandran to extend the programme to
children in the 2-5 age group in Anganwadis
and those in 5-9 age group in primary
schools in rural areas.
• S ubsequently, the scheme now called
Puratchi Thalaivar MGR Nutritious
Meal Programme was extended to urban
areas as well.
• S
 ince September 1984, students of standards
VI to X have been covered under the scheme.
Beneficiaries of the programme
 s of now, there are nearly 7 lakh
• A
beneficiaries spread over 43,190 nutritious
meal centres.
• T
 his includes around 3,500 students of
National Child Labour Project (NCLP)
special schools.
• B
 esides, as a consequence of the
collaborative implementation of the
Integrated Child Development Scheme
(ICDS) and the nutritious meal programme,
around 15.8 lakh children in the age group of
2+ to 5+ years receive nutritious meals.
The Centre has told the Supreme Court that
the law does not allow undergraduate medical
students, who fled the war-like situation
in Ukraine, to be accommodated in Indian
medical colleges.
https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/national-
medical-commission-replaces-the-mci/
Impact on school education
• Rise in enrolment: After the improved
version of the mid-day meal scheme in 1982,
the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) at primary
level (standards I to V) went up by 10%
during July-September, 1982 as compared to
the corresponding period in 1981.
• Girls enrolment: The rise in boys enrollment
was 12% and in the case of girls, 7%,
according to a publication brought out by the
Tamil Nadu government on the occasion of
the launch of the Scheme.
• Increase in attendance: Likewise, attendance
during July-September 1982 rose by 33%
over the previous years figure.
Focus areas programme
• Anaemia is a major health problem in Tamil
Nadu, especially among women and children,
says the 2019-21 National Family Health
Survey (NFHS)-5s report.
• From 50% during the period of the 2015-
16 NFHS-4, the prevalence of anaemia in
children now went up to 57%.
• This and many other health issues can be
addressed through the combined efforts of
the departments of School Education, Public
Health and Social Welfare and Women
Empowerment.
• Besides, a continuous and rigorous review
of the progress of the scheme and nutritious
meal programme should be carried out in a
sustained manner.
Which laws is the govt talking about?
• There are no provisions either under the
Indian Medical Council Act, 1956, or the
National Medical Commission Act, 2019 to
accommodate or transfer medical students.
• Till now, no permission has been given by the
National Medical Commission to transfer or
accommodate any foreign medical students
in any Indian medical institute/university.
Why foreign undergraduates are not
permitted?
• Absence of law: The extant regulations in
India do not permit migration of students
from foreign universities to India.
• No backdoor entry: The public notice cannot
be used as a back door entry into Indian
colleges offering undergraduate courses.
• Merit issue: The students had left for foreign
universities for two reasons, poor marks in
the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test
(NEET) and affordability of medical education
in foreign countries.
• High cost: Besides, these students, if
admitted in Indian colleges, would again face
the problem of affordability.
Why do Indians go abroad for medical
studies?
• A
 ccording to estimates from Ukraine,
reported in the media, around 18,000
Indian students are in Ukraine (before
Operation Ganga).
• M
 ost of them are pursuing medicine.
• T
 his war has turned the spotlight on
something that has been the trend for about
three decades now.
Preferred countries for a medical degree
• F or about three decades now, Indian
students have been heading out to Russia,
China, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and
Philippines to pursue a medical degree.
Hype of becoming a Doctor
• P
 restige: The desire to study medicine still
holds a lot of value in the Indian community
(the other is becoming an IAS officer).
• S
 hortages of Doctor: In many rural areas,
people still look at doctors as gods incarnate.
• R
 arity of opportunity: The lack of equal
opportunities exacerbated by the caste factor
in the Indian context, has a great deal of
impact on the prestige still associated with
being a doctor.
• S
 ocial upliftment ladder: For years, certain
communities were denied the opportunities,
and finally they do have a chance at
achieving significant educational status.
Why do Indians prefer going abroad?
• N
 o language barrier: The medium of
education for these students is English, a
language they are comfortable with.
• A
 ffordability: The amount spent on living
and the medical degree are far more
affordable than paying for an MBBS seat in
private medical colleges in India.
• A
 esthetics and foreign culture: People are
willing to leave their home to study far away
in much colder places and with completely
alien cultures and food habits.
PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION - RTE, EDUCATION POLICY, SEQI, RMSA, COMMITTEE
REPORTS, ETC.
Eklavya Schools get short
shrift in teacher recruitments
Governance | GS2: Health & Education
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : EMRS
Mains level : Schooling for Tribal students
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has so far been
unable to fix the teacher shortage faced across
378 of Eklavya model residential schools
(EMRS) that are currently functional.
• P
 ractice and OPD exposure: It broadens
students mind and thinking, expose them
to a whole range of experiences, and their
approach to issues and crises is likely to be
far better.
Doesnt India have enough colleges?
(a) More aspirants than seats
• T here are certainly far more MBBS aspirants
than there are MBBS seats in India.
• In NEET 2021, as per a National Testing
Agency press release, 16.1 lakh students
registered for the exam, 15.4 lakh students
appeared for the test, and 8.7 lakh students
qualified.
• A s per data from the National Medical
Commission (NMC), in 2021-22, there were
596 medical colleges in the country with a
total of 88,120 MBBS seats.
• W
 hile the skew is in favour of Government
colleges, it is not greatly so, with the number
of private medical institutions nearly neck-to-
neck with the state-run ones.
(b) Fees structure
• T hat means over 50% of the total
seats are available at affordable fees in
Government colleges.
• A dd the 50% seats in the private sector that
the NMC has mandated must charge only
the government college fees.
• In fully private colleges, the full course fees
range from several lakhs to crores.
(c) Uneven distribution of colleges
• T
 hese colleges are also not distributed
evenly across the country, with States such
as Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and
Kerala having many more colleges.
What about costs?
• T
 he cost factor on both sides of an MBBS
degree is significant.
• The costs of an MBBS degree in a
Government college tot up to a few lakhs
of rupees for the full course, but in a private
medical college, it can go up to 1 crore for
the five-year course.
• In case it is a management seat, capitation
fees can inflate the cost by several
lakhs again.
• Whereas, an MBBS course at any foreign
medical university in the east and Eastern
Europe costs far less (upto 30lakh-40 lakh).
Way forward
• While PM Modi emphasised that more
private medical colleges must be set up in the
country to aid more people to take up MBBS,
medical education experts have called for
pause on the aspect.
• If the aim is to make medicine more
accessible to students of the country, the
path ahead is not in the private sector, but in
the public sector, with the Central and State
governments involvement.
• Starting private medical colleges by reducing
the strict standards set for establishing
institutes may not actually be the solution to
this problem, if we think this is a concern.
Conclusion
• Creating more medical colleges will be
beneficial for the country, if access and
availability can be ensured.
• This will not be possible by resorting to
private enterprise only.
• The State and Central governments can start
more medical colleges, as recommended by
NITI Aayog, by utilising district headquarters
hospitals, and expanding the infrastructure.
• This way, students from the lower and middle
socio-economic rung, who are otherwise not
able to access medical seats, will also benefit.
Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS)
• EMRS started in the year 1997-98 to impart
quality education toScheduled Tribes
(ST)https://www.civilsdaily.com/tribes-
protecting-the-tribes-india-ias/ children in
remote areas in order.
• It aims to enable them to avail of
opportunities in high and professional
educational courses and get employment in
various sectors.
• The schools focus not only on academic
education but on the all-round development
of the students.
• Each school has a capacity of 480 students,
catering to students from Class VI to XII.
www.civilsdaily.com 51
• H
 itherto, grants were given for construction
of schools and recurring expenses to the
State Governments under Grants under
Article 275 (1) of the Constitution.
• E
 klavya schools are on par with Navodaya
Vidyalaya and have special facilities for
preserving local art and culture besides
providing training in sports and skill
development.
TRIBES IN NEWS
Odisha offering cash incentive
for PVTGs Marriages
Governance | GS2: Laws, Institutions & Bodies Constituted For The Vulnerable Sections
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : PVTGS
Mains level : Not Much
Keeping the rampant child marriages among
the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups
(PVTGs) of Odisha in mind, the State
government is providing an incentive of 20,000
to the couples marrying after the age of
18 years.
Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups
(PVTGs)
• T
 here are certain tribal communities who
have declining or stagnant population, low
level of literacy, pre-agricultural level of
technology and are economically backward.
• T
 hey generally inhabit remote localities
having poor infrastructure and
administrative support.
• T
 hese groups are among the most vulnerable
section of our society as they are few in
numbers, have not attained any significant
level of social and economic development.
52 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
Features of Eklavya Schools
• A dmission to these schools will be through
selection/competition with suitable provision
for preference to children belonging to
Primitive Tribal Groups, first-generation
students, etc.
• S ufficient land would be given by the State
Government for the school, playgrounds,
hostels, residential quarters, etc., free of cost.
• T he number of seats for boys and girls
will be equal.
• In these schools, education will be
entirely free.
• 7 5 such groups have been identified and
categorized as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal
Groups (PVTGs).
Origin of the concept
 he Dhebar Commission (1960-1961) stated
• T
that within Scheduled Tribes there existed an
inequality in the rate of development.
• D
 uring the fourth Five Year Plan a sub-
category was created within Scheduled
Tribes to identify groups that considered to
be at a lower level of development.
• T
 his was created based on the Dhebar
Commission report and other studies.
• T
 his sub-category was named “Primitive
tribal group”.
Features of PVTGs
• T
 he features of such a group include a:
• P
 re-agricultural system of existence
Where are the Eklavya schools located?
• It has been decided that by the year 2022,
every block with more than 50% ST
population and at least 20,000 tribal persons,
will have an EMRS.
• Wherever density of ST population is higher
in identified Sub-Districts (90% or more),
it is proposed to set up Eklavya Model
Day Boarding School (EMDBS) on an
experimental basis.
• They aim for providing additional scope for
ST Students seeking to avail school education
without residential facility.
• Practice of hunting and gathering
• Zero or negative population growth
• Extremely low level of literacy in comparison
with other tribal groups
• Groups that satisfied any one of the criterion
were considered as PTG.
• In 2006 the government of India proposed to
rename “Primitive tribal group” as Particularly
vulnerable tribal group”.
Try this PYQ:
Q.Consider the following statements
about Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups
(PVTGs) in India:
1. PVTGs reside in 18 States and one Union
Territory.
2. A stagnant or declining population is one
of the criteria for determining PVTG status.
3. There are 95 PVTGs officially notified in
the country so far.
4. Irular and Konda Reddi tribes are included
in the list of PVTGs.
Which of the statements given above are
correct? (CSP 2019)
(a) 1, 2 and 3 
(b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 1, 2 and 4
(d) 1, 3 and 4
MINORITY ISSUES - SC, ST, DALITS, OBC, RESERVATIONS, ETC.
Karnataka brings law
giving Quota for Locals
Governance | GS2: India & Its Neighborhood - Relations
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : NA
Mains level : Quota for Locals
The Karnataka government recently tabled
The Kannada Language Comprehensive
Development Bill which gives preference
to Kannadigas in government jobs and also
provides for a reservation to locals in private
jobs generated in the state.
What does the Karnataka legislation
envisage?
• A part from ensuring job guarantee to
Kannada speakers, the Bill pushes for the use
of Kannada in institutes of higher learning
and for sops to industries that employ locals.
• F eatures highlighted in the Bill include
reservation in higher, technical and
professional education to those who studied
in Kannada medium schools.
• It seeks introduction of Kannada as essential
language for seeking employment in the
state government.
• A lso, industries will be entitled to
concessions, tax rebates and deferment
of taxes if they provide reservation for
Kannadigas, as per the states industrial policy.
What is Quota for Locals?
Ans. Constitutional provision for
Equal Treatment
• A
 rticle 16 of the Constitution guarantees
equal treatment under the law in matters
of public employment. It prohibits the state
from discriminating on grounds of place of
birth or residence.
• A
 rticle 16(2) states that no citizen shall, on
grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex,
descent, place of birth, residence or any
of them, be ineligible for, or discriminated
against in respect of, any employment or
office under the State.
• T
 he provision is supplemented by the
other clauses in the Constitution that
guarantee equality.
• H
 owever, Article 16(3) of the Constitution
provides an exception by saying that
Parliament may make a law prescribing
a requirement of residence for jobs in a
particular state.
• T
 his power vests solely in the Parliament, not
state legislatures.
Why does the Constitution prohibit
reservation based on domicile?
• W hen the Constitution came into force,
India turned itself into one nation from a
geographical unit of individual principalities
and the idea of the universality of Indian
citizenship took root.
• India has single citizenship, and it gives
citizens the liberty to move around freely in
any part of the country.
• H
 ence the requirement of a place of birth or
residence cannot be qualification for granting
public employment in any state.
But are reservations not granted on other
grounds such as caste?
• E
 quality enshrined in the Constitution is not
mathematical equality and does not mean
all citizens will be treated alike without any
distinction.
• T
 o this effect, the Constitution underlines
two distinct aspects which together form the
essence of equality law:
1. Non-discrimination among equals, and
2. Affirmative action to equalize the unequal
Supreme Court rulings on quota for locals
• T he Supreme Court has ruled against
reservation based on place of birth or
residence.
• In 1984, ruling in Dr Pradeep Jain v Union of
India, the issue of legislation for sons of the
soil was discussed.
• T he court expressed an opinion that such
policies would be unconstitutional but did
not expressly rule on it as the case was on
different aspects of the right to equality.
• In a subsequent ruling in Sunanda Reddy v
State of Andhra Pradesh (1995), the Supreme
Court affirmed the observation in 1984 ruling
to strike down a state government policy that
gave 5% extra weightage to candidates.
• In 2002, the Supreme Court invalidated
appointment of government teachers in
Rajasthan in which the state selection board
gave preference to applicants belonging to
the district or the rural areas of the district
concerned.
• In 2019, the Allahabad HC struck down a
recruitment notification by the UP PSC which
prescribed preference for women who are
original residents of the UP alone.
Why it is a bad idea?
• Against Equality as well as meritocracy : It
goes against the Constitution of India. In fact,
it violates several fundamental rights, such
as freedom to move anywhere, the right not
to be discriminated on the basis of place of
birth, the right to be treated equally before
laws and the right to pursue ones livelihood.
• Migration criteria not justified : The actual
data on inter-State migration shows that
inter-State migration is relatively low in
India. Migration often bring skills, motivation,
energy which may be in short supply or
lacking locally.
• Free movement of labour : A more analytical
aspect to highlight is that free movement of
labour partly compensates for the uneven
economic progress of different States.
The idea also goes against the established
fact that migration of labour is good for
the economy.
• Un-ease of doing business : Local
reservation in the private sector may
not be the ideal solution to tackle the
unemployment crisis. In fact, it can deter the
corporate sector from investing in states that
come up with such a rule.
• Scapegoating the private sector: What
distinguishes the private sector from the
public sector is the inherent competition
and a hunger for improvement. In such a
scenario, chief ministers should do well to
engage with the private sector in a much
more holistic manner, and not burden it with
unfeasible rules.
• MSMEs to be hit harder: MSMEs could
be the hardest hit. They do not have the
necessary capital to relocate and many
studies have shown that more than 50
per cent of employees are not residents of
the state.
Arguments in favour of quota in private
• Avoiding encroachments: Often the
privileged castes (or groups) use nefarious
arguments to protect their interests.
• Foul argument of merit: Reservations once
accepted in the constitutional framework are
not a charity that is to be kept away from the
meritocracy of private operations.
• Ensuring equal opportunity: Like all other
constitutional guarantees, one may feel the
necessity to get ensured of equal opportunity
in all spaces.
• Preventing exclusion: Giving preference and
quotas for socially and educationally deprived
sections in the private space is, therefore, in
keeping with this fundamental tenet.
Conclusion
• The politics of identity and polarization on
region/religious lines seems inadequate for
the elections.
www.civilsdaily.com 53
• T
 he philosophy and pragmatism of universal
excellence through equality of opportunity
for education and advancement across
the nation is part of our founding faith and
constitutional creed.
• C
 learly, this is not the appropriate domain of
being vocal for local.
ELECTORAL REFORMS IN INDIA
Maharashtra Election
Symbols Issue
Governance | GS2: Representation Of People’s Act
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Allocation of election symbols
Mains level : Read the attached story
In a blow to one faction, a Constitution Bench
of the Supreme Court allowed the Election
Commission (EC) to take a decision on the
Maharashtra CM claim that his faction
represents the real party.
What is the news?
• T
 he Bench led by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud
rejected the plea to stay the EC proceedings
under the Election Symbols (Reservation and
Allotment) Order of 1968.
What is the news?
• A
 party has lost a large number of members
in the rebellion that eventually caused the fall
of the government in Maharashtra.
• T
 he rebel has claimed to be the only original
leader of the party on the basis of the
support of more than two-thirds of the partys
legislators in the Maharashtra Assembly.
Options for ECI
• The ECI in all likelihood can freeze the symbol
so that neither of the two sides is able to use
it until a final decision is made.
• E C hearings are long and detailed, and may
take at least six months.
ECs powers in Election Symbol Dispute
• T
 he question of a split in a political party
outside the legislature is dealt by Para 15 of
the Symbols Order, 1968.
54 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• A
 lthough some reservations may still be
necessary for the socio-political condition in
India, reservation on the basis of domicile
or residence within a State would be highly
discriminatory.
• It states that the ECI may take into account
all the available facts and circumstances and
undertake a test of majority.
• T he decision of the ECI shall be binding on all
such rival sections or groups emerged after
the split.
• T his applies to disputes in recognised
national and state parties.
• F or splits in registered but unrecognized
parties, the EC usually advises the warring
factions to resolve their differences internally
or to approach the court.
How did the EC deal with such matters
before the Symbols Order came into effect?
• B
 efore 1968, the EC issued notifications
and executive orders under the Conduct of
Election Rules, 1961.
• T
 he most high-profile split of a party before
1968 was that of the CPI in 1964.
• A
 breakaway group approached the ECI in
December 1964 urging it to recognise them
as CPI(Marxist). They provided a list of MPs
and MLAs of Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and
West Bengal who supported them.
• T
 he ECI recognised the faction as CPI(M)
after it found that the votes secured by the
MPs and MLAs supporting the breakaway
group added up to more than 4% in
the 3 states.
• It is more likely that such politically motivated
steps would be overturned by the judiciary as
has been done several times in the past.
What was the first case decided under Para
15 of the 1968 Order?
• It was the first split in the Indian National
Congress in 1969.
• Indira Gandhis tensions with a rival group
within the party came to a head with the
death of President Dr Zakir Hussain on
May 3, 1969.
Is there a way other than the test of
majority to resolve a dispute over election
symbols?
• In almost all disputes decided by the EC so
far, a clear majority of party delegates/office
bearers, MPs and MLAs have supported one
of the factions.
• Whenever the EC could not test the strength
of rival groups based on support within the
party organisation (because of disputes
regarding the list of office bearers), it fell back
on testing the majority only among elected
MPs and MLAs.
What happens to the group that doesnt get
the parent partys symbol?
• The EC in 1997 did not recognise the new
parties as either state or national parties.
• It felt that merely having MPs and MLAs is
not enough, as the elected representatives
had fought and won polls on tickets of their
parent (undivided) parties.
• The EC introduced a new rule under which
the splinter group of the party other than
the group that got the party symbol had to
register itself as a separate party.
• It could lay claim to national or state party
status only on the basis of its performance
in the state or central elections after
registration.
FOOD PROCUREMENT AND DISTRIBUTION - PDS & NFSA, SHANTA KUMAR COMMITTEE, FCI
RESTRUCTURING, BUFFER STOCK, ETC.
Centre extends Free Ration
Scheme PMGKAY for 3 months
Governance | GS2: Government Scheme/Policies
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : PMGKAY
Mains level : Schemes related to food security
The Union government has extended the
Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana
(PMGKAY) for another three months from
October 1.
What is PMGKAY?
• P
 MGKAY is a food security welfare scheme
announced by the GoI in March 2020, during
the COVID-19 pandemic in India.
• T
 he program is operated by the Department
of Food and Public Distribution under the
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and
Public Distribution.
• T
 he scale of this welfare scheme makes it the
largest food security program in the world.
Targets of the scheme
 o feed the poorest citizens of India
• T
by providing grain through the Public
Distribution System to all the priority
households (ration card holders and
those identified by the Antyodaya Anna
Yojana scheme).
 MGKAY provides 5 kg of rice or wheat
• P
(according to regional dietary preferences)
per person/month and 1 kg of dal to each
family holding a ration card.
At what rate are food grains provided
under the NFSA?
• N
 FSA beneficiaries are entitled to receive
foodgrains at highly subsidised rates.
• U
 nder the food law, rice is provided at Rs
3 per kg, wheat at Rs 2 per kg, and coarse
grains at Re 1 per kg.
Why was such a scheme needed?
• T
 he devastation by pandemic has increased
manifold in the second wave resulting into
localized restrictions and lockdowns from
the States.
• T
 his resulted in massive jobs losses in urban
areas since the largest employers being
construction and hospitality sectors have
been completely shut down.
• T
 he virus penetrated deeper in the
countryside in rural areas halting almost
every sources of livelihood.
• T
 hese areas are such where 60% of the
income was earned from non-pharm
activities. This resulted in livelihood losses of
large section of population.
Success of the scheme
• It was the first step by the government when
pandemic affected India.
• T he scheme reached its targeted population
feeding almost 80Cr people.
• It has proven to be more of a safety net
to migrant people who had job and
livelihood losses.
• T
 his has also ensured nutrition security to
children of the migrant workers.
Failures
• The scheme has been affected by widespread
corruption, leakages and failure to distribute
grain to the intended recipients.
• Several of the states above have claimed that
the ineffective distribution has been caused
by the beneficiaries, especially migrant
workers, not being available to receive
their rations.
• Out of the 79.25 crore beneficiaries under the
National Food Security Act (NFSA), only 55
crore have so far received their 5 kg.
• However, almost 90% of beneficiaries have
received their regular subsidized grain for the
month, raising questions over why the free
grain has reached fewer beneficiaries.
• Many people were denied their share due to
inability to access ration cards.
• Livelihood losses led to decline in aggregate
demand and resulted into lowest ever
consumption expenditure by the people
owing to scarcity of cash.
• This in turn led to selling of the free grains
obtained in the local markets for cash.
Way forward
• There should be an all-encompassing
database for migrant workers and their
family. This should accurately capture the
data on migration.
• The One Nation One Ration Card should be
implemented in true spirit by all the states.
• Along with food security, there should be a
sustainable income support through schemes
like MGNREGS accompanied by free
vaccines in nearest future.
• The leakages in PDS should be minimized
through modernize PDS.
• To avoid leakages, there should be food-
token system.
www.civilsdaily.com 55
 Polity

56 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
JUDICIAL REFORMS
History and debates about
‘socialist’ and ‘secular’
in the Preamble
Polity | GS2: India & Its Neighborhood - Relations
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Preamble to the Constitution
Mains level : Not Much
The Supreme Court will hear a petition filed by
former MP Dr Subramanian Swamy, seeking
the removal of the words Socialist and Secular
from the preamble of the Indian Constitution.
Why in news?
• T
 he petitioners in two similar cases have
argued that these words were never intended
to be in the Constitution and that such
insertion is beyond the amending power of
the Parliament under Article 368.
• S
 imilar petitions have been filed earlier
too and given rise to debates around
the preamble and the role it plays in the
Constitution.
How did these words come?
• T
 he two terms were inserted into the
preamble as part of the 42nd Amendment
of the Constitution in 1976 during
the Emergency imposed by then PM
Indira Gandhi.
What is the purpose of the Preamble?
• A preamble serves as an introduction to a
document and contains its basic principles
and goals.
• W hen the Indian Constitution was being
drafted, the ideals behind the preamble
were first laid down in the Objectives
Resolution, adopted by the Constituent
Assembly in 1947.
• T hese ideals emerged out of the numerous
debates that took place during the drafting of
the Constitution.
Initially, the Preamble said: WE, THE PEOPLE
OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved
to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to
all its citizens: JUSTICE, social, economic and
political; LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief,
faith and worship; EQUALITY of status and
of opportunity; And to promote among them
all FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the
individual and the unity of the Nation; IN OUR
CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth
day of November, 1949, do HEREBY ADOPT,
ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES THIS
CONSTITUTION.
Nature of the preamble
• T
 he Constitution was the product of
democratic deliberations and decided upon
by the people of India themselves in the wake
of freedom from colonial rule.
• T
 he ideals mentioned here were at the core
of the newly democratic nation.
• D
 uring the Constituent Assembly debates,
many suggestions were put forth including
that God should be invoked in the preamble
as in the Irish constitution, that Mahatma
Gandhis name should be included, etc.
Is it a part of the Constitution?
• T he question of whether the preamble
is a part of the Constitution or simply an
introduction has been deliberated upon by
the highest court.
• T his is because the meaning and weight
of the objectives mentioned in it, such as
equality of status and opportunity, remained
unclear from the perspective of law.
• However, in its judgment in the famous LIC
case of 1995, the Supreme Court said and
the Preamble of the Constitution which
is an integral part and scheme of the
Constitution, affirming its position as part of
the Constitution.
• Additionally, the violation of any principle
mentioned in the preamble cannot be a
reason to go to court, meaning the preamble
is non-justiciable.
• However, judgments of courts can cite it
as an additional factor in their reasoning,
given that it constitutes the spirit of the
Constitution.
How else has the preamble been debated
earlier?
• In 2020 a ruling MP has moved a resolution
in Rajya Sabha seeking to remove the word
socialism from the preamble.
• It said, that the earlier party which ruled the
country for seven decades has changed its
direction from being socialist to welfare to
neo-liberalism.
• Its new liberal policies adopted in the 1990s
have negated its own earlier positions.
• Earlier in 2015, the Ministry of Information
and Broadcasting used an image of the
preamble of the Indian Constitution without
the words socialist and secular, leading to
some criticism.
What is the right-wing narrative?
• These words were added during the
Emergency. Now what is the harm if there is
a debate on it?
• In 2008, the Supreme Court rejected a plea
demanding the removal of socialist.
• The apex court asked-Why do you take
socialism in a narrow sense defined by
Communists?
• In a broader sense, it means welfare
measures for the citizens. It is a facet of
democracy, said the Court.
• It hasnt got any definite meaning. It gets
different meanings in different times.
Under what circumstances was the
preamble amended?
• Over her years in government, Indira Gandhi
had attempted to cement her approval
among the masses on the basis of a socialist
and pro-poor image with slogans such as
garibi hatao (Eradicate poverty).
• The 42nd Amendment to the Constitution,
passed in 1976 when the Emergency was
in place, replaced the words sovereign
democratic republic with sovereign socialist
secular democratic republic.
• It also changed unity of the nation to unity
and integrity of the nation.
www.civilsdaily.com 57
Were Secular and Socialist debated before
Independence?
• D
 uring the debates in the Constituent
Assembly, members such as K T Shah and
Brajeshwar Prasad had raised the demand to
add these words to the preamble.
• H
 owever, Dr B R Ambedkar argued: What
should be the policy of the State, how the
Society should be organised in its social and
economic side are matters which must be
decided by the people themselves according
to time and circumstances.
JUDICIAL REFORMS
Regional Benches of
Supreme Court
Polity | GS2: Executive & Judiciary
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Article 130, Circuit Court
Mains level : Judicial accessibility
TN Chief Minister yet again reiterated the
States request for establishing a Regional Bench
of the Supreme Court in Chennai and allowing
Tamil to be used in the Madras High Court as
one of its official languages.
https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/the-idea-
of-regional-supreme-court-benches/ Why
in news?
• O
 utgoing Vice President, M Venkaiah Naidu
suggested bifurcation of the Supreme
Court into four regional benches for speedy
disposal of cases.
• H
 owever, the Supreme Court has maintained
on previous occasions that there is no need
for such benches outside Delhi.
Why the Supreme Court is located in New
Delhi?
• A
 rticle 130 of the Constitution of India reads-
The Supreme Court shall sit in Delhi or
in such other place or places, as the Chief
Justice of India may, with the approval of the
President, from time to time, appoint.
• T
 he law thus provides scope for setting
up the Supreme Court in multiple places,
subject to the concurrence of the CJI and the
President.
58 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• It cannot be laid down in the Constitution
itself because that is destroying democracy
altogether.
Is it inclusive of the Constitution?
• Indeed, many principles affirming
secularism and socialism were contained
in the Constitution originally, such as in the
Directive Principles of State Policy that is
meant to guide the government in its actions.
• S ome examples are provisions related to the
equitable distribution of material resources of
the community for the common good, and
protecting the rights of workers.
Who can establish the SC benches outside
New Delhi?
• T he Supreme Court in Union of India v. S.P.
Anand Verdict (2009), held that the Article
vests exclusive discretionary powers on the
matter with the Chief Justice of India.
• It is an enabling provision and if the Chief
Justice (after taking relevant factors into
account) feels that the Court should sit
elsewhere, s/he can seek the President’s
approval for it.
 o authority can compel the Chief Justice
• N
of India to act in a particular way under
the Article.
Voices for circuit benches
 he Law Commission in its 229th Report
• T
had suggested setting up a Constitution
Bench of the Court in New Delhi and four
other benches in different regions i.e.,
Northern region in Delhi, Southern region in
Chennai/Hyderabad, Easter region in Kolkata
and Western region in Mumbai.
• H
 owever, this idea did not find favour with
the Judges of the Supreme Court.
• Similarly, in the fundamental rights that allow
the freedom to profess and propagate ones
religion, as well as in the government policies
that recognize religious occasions across
communities, an Indian version of secularism
is followed.
• Unlike western secularism which strictly
separates the state and religion, the Indian
state has over the years acknowledged
and involved itself in matters related to all
religions.
Reasons for having Regional/Circuit
Benches
• Access to Justice: Many litigants are
discouraged to travel to Delhi from far away
locations like south or northeast India.
• Geographical Constraints: A
disproportionately high number of cases
filed in the Supreme Court originated in
High Courts closer to Delhi. Hence coming
up with regional benches will remove this
constraint.
• Huge pendency of cases: Increased
workload on the Supreme Court and at
present more than 65,000 cases are pending
in the Supreme Court, and disposal of
appeals takes many years.
• Reducing Cost of Justice: It is observed that
besides travelling to New Delhi, engaging
expensive Supreme Court counsel to pursue
a case is beyond the means of most litigants.
Advantages of having circuit courts
• Promotes Article 39A: It has been pointed
out that Article 39A says that the state
shall secure that the operation of the legal
system promotes justice, on a basis of equal
opportunity.
• Remove Geographical Constraints: It is
high time we had more benches because in
a country as vast as India the litigants have
to travel long distances and spend a huge
amount of money and energy.
• Upholding the spirit of the constitution:
Setting up Benches outside Delhi would
neither impair unity and integrity nor
undermine the importance of the
Supreme Court.
CORRUPTION CHALLENGES - LOKPAL, POCA, ETC
Untangling Kerala’s Lokayukta
Amendment Controversy
Polity | GS2: Parliament & State Legislatures
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Lokpal and Lokayukta
Mains level : Read the attached story
The Kerala Legislative Assembly passed the
Kerala Lok Ayukta (Amendment) Bill on August
30, amid a boycott.
Who are Lokpal-Lokayuktas?
• T he Lokpal-Lokayukta issue has always
generated intense debate in the country.
• In fact, this term was first used in a report
of the Administrative Reforms Commission
headed by Morarji Desai as far back
as in 1966.
• P olitical corruption had become rampant
by then and it was thought that a credible
system of an ombudsman should be
established to redress public grievances
against the leaders and public officials.
• T he first Bill on Lokpal was introduced in
the Lok Sabha in 1968 which lapsed with the
dissolution of the House.
• Anna Hazares movement and the active
involvement of civil society generated a
lot of moral pressure on the Government
which ultimately led to the passing of the
Bill in 2013.
Composition of Lokpal
• The Lokpal is no ordinary investigative body.
• It is headed by the incumbent Chief Justice of
India or a retired judge.
• It has eight members, four of whom are
judicial members.
• Thus the whole system is studded with
judges or judicial men.
• The Lokpal has an inquiry wing and a
prosecution wing to deal with investigation
and prosecution, respectively.
• The director of prosecution files the case in
the special court based on the findings of
the Lokpal.
Who falls under the ambit of Lokpal?
• The Lokpal has jurisdiction to inquire into
allegations of corruption against the Prime
Minister, Ministers, Members of Parliament,
Group A, B, C and D officers and officials of
the central government.
• After the conclusion of the investigation, the
Lokpal may file a case in the special court in
case the findings disclose the commission of
offence under the Prevention of Corruption
Act by the PM, Ministers or MPs.
• H
 owever, the Lokpal does not have the
power to ask the President to remove the
Prime Minister or a Minister from office.
What about the states?
• T
 he Lokpal and Lokayukta Act delegates
the power to States to establish by law the
Lokayukta to deal with complaints relating to
corruption against public functionaries.
• S
 ome States already have established
Lokayuktas. For example, Maharashtra in
1971, and Kerala in 1999.
What is the Keralan controversy?
• In order to get a clearer perspective on the
Kerala Lokayukta controversy, it is necessary
to understand the scheme of the Lokpal and
Lokayuktas Act enacted by Parliament.
• T he long title of the Act says: An Act to
provide for the establishment of a body of
Lokpal for the Union and Lokayukta for States
to inquire into allegations of corruption
against certain public functionaries....
• T hus, the Lokpal is conceived of as a
body which will inquire into allegations of
corruption.
• It is basically an investigative body
whose task is to conduct prompt and fair
investigation and the prosecution of cases of
corruption.
Issues with the Amendment
• T he amendments were related to the
competent authority to consider Lok Ayukta
recommendations.
• In the case of any unfavourable decision
from the Lok Ayukta against the CM,
the competent authority will now be
the Legislative Assembly instead of the
Governor as is prescribed in the existing Act.
• T he amendment tries to take away at the
powers of the Governor.
 he Lokayukta has indirectly expressed its
• T
resentment over the attempt to take away
some of its powers.
Arguments by Kerala Government
• T
 he Government, on the other hand, claims
that through the amendment, a provision in
the original Act which is unconstitutional has
been excised.
• Earlier it gave power to the Lokayukta to
give directions to the Governor to remove
a CM or a Minister on being found guilty of
corruption.
• This meant that the Lokayukta was to be
over and above the office of Governor.
Legal and constitutional implications
Two important points need to be made here:
(A) Overpowering the Lokpal
• One, an investigative body does not have the
legal authority to direct the public servant to
resign his post on the basis of its findings.
• It can only submit its findings to the
competent authority or, as is provided in the
Lokpal Act, file a case in the special court.
• The Lokayukta is basically an investigative
body with certain powers to carry out
an investigation into cases relating to the
Prevention of Corruption Act.
• The only special feature of this body is
that it is headed by a retired judge of the
Supreme Court or a retired Chief Justice of a
High Court.
• But that does not alter the basic character of
the Lokayukta as an investigative body.
(B) Compulsion on Governor
• The Chief Minister or a Minister holds
office during the pleasure of the Governor
(Article 164).
• The Constitution of India does not
contemplate any external pressure on the
Governor to withdraw his pleasure.
• The Sarkaria Commission had suggested that
the Governor can dismiss a Chief Minister
only when he loses his majority in the
Assembly and refuses to step down.
• The Supreme Court has accepted
this recommendation of the Sarkaria
Commission.
• Another occasion when the Governor could
withdraw his pleasure is on account of CM
having been convicted in a criminal case
and sentenced to not less than two years of
imprisonment.
• In other words, a Chief Minister cannot be
asked to resign when he enjoys a majority in
the House.
• The Governor, being a high constitutional
authority, cannot be compelled by a law
to act in a particular manner so far as his
constitutional duties and functions are
concerned.
Other contentious provisions
(1) Undue burden on Political Parties
• There are some other provisions as well
which may not stand legal scrutiny.
• For example, this law includes the office
bearers of political parties within its definition
of public servant.
www.civilsdaily.com 59
• B
 asically, the Prevention of Corruption Act
deals with corruption in the government
and allied agencies, statutory bodies, elected
bodies, etc.
• T
 he functionaries of political parties do
not come within the mischief of this law.
So, it is difficult to understand how they
can be brought within the sweep of the
Lokayukta Act.
(2) Reports of Lokayukta
• A nother problematic provision in this law
is the one which deals with the reports of
Lokayukta (Section 12).
• It says that the Lokayukta shall, on
the allegation of corruption being
substantiated, send the findings along with
recommendation of action to the competent
authority who is required to take action as
recommended by the Lokayukta.
• It further says that if the Lokayukta is satisfied
by the action taken by the competent
authority, he shall close the case.
• T he question is how the Lokayukta can close
a corruption case which is a criminal case
and which invites imprisonment for three to
seven years.
POLICE REFORMS - SC DIRECTIVES, NPC, OTHER COMMITTEES REPORTS
Preventive Detention
Polity | GS2: Indian Constitution - historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments,
significant provisions and basic structure
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Article 22
Mains level : Issues with preventive detentions
60 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• T
 he Lokpal files the case in the court after
the investigation. There is no provision in the
central law under which the Lokpal can close
the case before it reaches the court.
• T
 he Lokayukta not being a court does
not have the legal capacity to close the
corruption case under any circumstances.
Way forward
• T
 he Kerala Lokayukta Act should be re-
examined by a committee of the Assembly
and should be brought on a par with the
Lokpal Act.
• L
 egislation that seeks to punish corrupt
functionaries should be placed above
controversies.
Back2Basics: Lokpal Movement
• T he Lokpal, the apex body to inquire and
investigate graft complaints against public
functionaries, came into being with the
appointment of its chairperson and members
in March 2019.
• In March 2019, former SC judge Justice Pinaki
Chandra Ghose was selected as the first head
of the Lokpal.
Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013
• T
 he Lokpal Act 2013 is anti-corruption
legislation that seeks to provide for the
establishment of the institution of Lokpal.
• It seeks to inquire into allegations of
corruption against certain important public
functionaries including the PM, cabinet
ministers, MPs, Group A officials of the
Central Government, etc.
• The Bill was introduced in the parliament
following massive public protests led by
anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare and
his associates.
• The Bill is one of the most widely discussed
and debated Bills in India in recent times.
Its history
• The term Lokpal was coined in 1963 by
Laxmi Mall Singhvi, a member of parliament
during a parliamentary debate about
grievance mechanisms.
• The Administrative Reforms Commission
(ARC) headed by Morarji Desai submitted an
interim report on Problems of Redressal of
Citizens Grievances in 1966.
• In this report, ARC recommended the
creation of two special authorities designated
as Lokpal and Lokayukta for a redress of
citizens grievances.
• Maharashtra was the first state to introduce
Lokayukta through The Maharashtra
Lokayukta and Upa-Lokayuktas Act in 1971.
Preventive detentions in 2021 saw a rise by over
23.7% compared with the year before, with over
1.1 lakh people being placed under preventive
detention, according to statistics released by
the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).
What does NCRB report say on Preventive
Detention?
• Over 24,500 people placed under preventive
detention were either in custody or still
detained as of 2021-end the highest since
2017 when the NCRB started recording
this data.
• Over 483 were detentions under the
National Security Act, of which almost half
(241) were either in custody or still detained
as of 2021-end.
• In 2017, the NCRBs Crime in India report
found that 67,084 persons had been detained
as a preventive measure that year.
• Of these, 48,815 were released between one
and six months of their detention and 18,269
were either in custody or still in preventive
detention as of the end of the year.
Various provisions invoked for Preventive
Detention
• Among other laws under which the
NCRB has recorded data on preventive
detentions are the:
1. Goonda Act (State and Central) (29,306),
2. Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic
Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1988
(1,331), and
3. A category classified as Other Detention
Acts, under which most of the detentions were
registered (79,514).
• S ince 2017, the highest number of persons
to be placed under preventive detention has
consistently been under the Other Detention
Acts category.
Concerns over the report
• T
 he number of persons placed under
detention has been increasing since 2017
to over 98,700 in 2018 and over 1.06 lakh in
2019 before dipping to 89,405 in 2020 (due to
lockdowns).
• T
 he number of persons placed under
preventive detention has seen an
increase in 2021.
What is Preventive Detention?
• P reventive detention means detaining a
person so that to prevent that person from
commenting on any possible crime.
• In other words, preventive detention is
an action taken by the administration on
the grounds of the suspicion that some
wrong actions may be done by the person
concerned which will be prejudicial to
the state.
Preventive Detention in India
A police officer can arrest an individual without
orders from a Magistrate and without any
warrant if he gets any information that such an
individual can commit any offense.
• P
 reventive Detention Law, 1950: According
to this law any person could be arrested and
detained if his freedom would endanger the
security of the country, foreign relations,
public interests, or otherwise necessary for
the country.
• U
 nlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA)
1968: Within the ambit of UAPA law the
Indian State could declare any organization
illegal and could imprison anyone for
interrogation if the said organization
or person critiqued/questioned Indian
sovereignty territorially.
What is the difference between Preventive
Detention and an Arrest?
• A n arrest is done when a person is charged
with a crime.
• In the case of preventive detention, a person
is detained as he/she is simply restricted from
doing something that might deteriorate the
law-and-order situation.
• A rticle 22 of the Indian Constitution provides
protection againstarrest and detention in
certain cases.
Rights of an Arrested Person in India
A/c to Article 22(1) and 22(2) of the Indian
constitution:
• A
 person cannot be arrested and detained
without being informed why he is
being arrested.
• A
 person who is arrested cannot be denied
to be defended by a legal practitioner of his
choice. This means that the arrested person
has right to hire a legal practitioner to defend
himself/ herself.
• E
 very person who has been arrested would
be produced before the nearest magistrate
within 24 hours.
• T
 he custody of the detained person cannot
be beyond the said period by the authority of
magistrate.
Exceptions for Preventive Detention
Article 22(3) says that the above safeguards are
not available to the following:
• If the person is at the time being an
enemy alien
• If the person is arrested under
certain law made for the purpose of
Preventive Detention
Constitutional provision
• It is extraordinary that the framers of
the Indian Constitution, who suffered
most because of the Preventive
Detention Laws, did not hesitate to give
Constitutional sanctity.
• B
 .R. Ambedkar was of the opinion that
the freedom of the individual should not
supersede the interests of the state.
• H
 e had also stated that the independence
of the country was in a state of inflancy and
in order to save it, preventive detention was
essential.
Safeguards Provided in Constitution
• T
 o prevent reckless use of Preventive
Detention, certain safeguards are provided in
the constitution.
• A
 person may be taken to preventive custody
only for 3 months at the first instance. If
the period of detention is extended beyond
3 months, the case must be referred to
an Advisory Board consisting of persons
with qualifications for appointment as
judges of High Courts. It is implicit that
the period of detention may be extended
beyond 3 months, only on approval by the
Advisory Board.
• T
 he detainee is entitled to know the grounds
of his detention. The state, however, may
refuse to divulge the grounds of detention if it
is in the public interest to do so. Needless to
say, this power conferred on the state leaves
scope for arbitrary action on the part of the
authorities.
• Thirdly, the detaining authorities must give
the detainee earliest opportunities for making
representation against the detention.
Issues with preventive detention
• Arbitrariness: The police determinations
of whether a person poses a threat are
not tested at a trial by leading evidence or
examined by legally trained persons.
• Rights violation: Quiet often, there is no trial
(upto 3 months), no periodic review, and no
legal assistance for the detained person.
• Abuse: It does not provide any procedural
protections such as to reduce detainees
vulnerability to torture and discriminatory
treatment, and to prevent officials misusing
preventive detention for subversive activities.
• Tool for suppression: In the absence of
proper safeguards, preventive detention has
been misused, particularly against the Dalits
and the minorities.
Judiciary in Preventive Detention Cases
• In the case of Prem Narayan v. Union of
India, the Allahabad High Court stated that
preventive detention is an infringement upon
the personal freedom of an individual and it
cant be infringed in an easy-going way
• In the case of ShibbanLal v. State of Uttar
Pradesh, the Supreme Court of India stated
that a courtroom isnt even competent to
enquire into reality or in any case of the
facts which are referenced as the grounds of
detainment.
• In Haradhan Saha case, the Supreme
Court held that if a person is liable to be
tried for a criminal offence, but the ordinary
criminal laws are not be able to deal with
the situation, then, and only then, can
the preventive detention law be taken
recourse to.
• In the case of Banka Sneha v. State of
Telangana, the Supreme Court held that
Preventive Detention Order can only be
passed against a Detenu if his activities
adversely affect or are likely to adversely
affect the maintenance of public order.
• Preventive detention is a necessary evil only
to prevent public disorder, ruled the Supreme
Court in 2021.
• The State should not arbitrarily resort
to preventive detention to deal with all
sundry law and order problems, which
could be dealt with by the ordinary laws of
the country.
• Whenever an order under a preventive
detention law is challenged, one of the
questions the court must ask in deciding its
legality is: was the ordinary law of the land
sufficient to deal with the situation?
• If the answer is in the affirmative, the
detention order will be illegal.
www.civilsdaily.com 61
Arguments in Favour
• H aving such kind of acts has a restraining
influence on the anti-social and
subversive elements.
• India is a large country and many separatist
tendencies against the national security and
integrity existed and existing and a strict
law is required to counter the subversive
activities.
• T he number of persons detained in these
acts is not a very large and due attention is
made before preventive detention.
INTERSTATE RIVER WATER DISPUTE
In news: Sutlej-Yamuna
Link (SYL) Canal
Polity | GS2: Federalism
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : SYL Canal
Mains level : Interstate water disputes
62 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• T
 he state should have very effective powers
to deal with the acts in which the citizens
involve in hostile activities, espionage,
coercion, terrorism, etc.
What needs to be done?
• It is clear that in certain cases the laws
pertaining to colonial history now have to be
modified or updated over time. Now there is
a need for security and human rights to go
hand in hand
• It now requires an evaluation of the laws
and their regulation. The state must take the
responsibility to compensate the acquitted
detenu in the place of damages caused
relating to life, health, income, etc.
• A proper system should be made which
will make sure that the rights are being
made available to the detenu during the
detention period.
• If any accusations for coercive actions are
made, it should be taken in a serious way and
should be followed by a proper investigation
by an appropriate authority.
The Supreme Court drew an assurance from
the State of Punjab that it will meet the
Haryana counterpart within this month to
discuss the construction of the Sutlej-Yamuna
Link (SYL) Canal which has been languishing
for two decades.
Why in news?
• The observations came after the Centre
complained that Punjab had refrained from
coming to the negotiating table to engage in
talks with Haryana over the issue.
• The construction of Punjabs portion of
the canal had led to militant attacks in
the 1980s.
• The issue had also been a political thorn
for successive governments in Punjab, so
much so that it led to the States unilateral
enactment of the controversial Punjab
Termination of Water Agreements
Act of 2004.
• This law was, however, struck down by a
Constitution Bench in 2016, dashing the
hopes of Punjabs farmers to reclaim lands
acquired for the SYL canal project.
About Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal
• Satluj Yamuna Link Canal or SYL as it is
popularly known, is an under-construction
214-kilometer long canal in India to connect
the Sutlej and Yamuna rivers.
What is the SYL canal issue?
• At the time of reorganization of Punjab in
1966, the issue of sharing of river waters
between both the states emerged.
• Punjab refused to share waters of Ravi and
Beas with Haryana stating it was against the
riparian principle.
• Before the reorganization, in 1955, out of
15.85 MAF of Ravi and Beas, the Centre had
allocated 8 MAF to Rajasthan, 7.20 MAF
to undivided Punjab, 0.65MAF to Jammu
and Kashmir.
• Out of 7.20 MAF allocated, Punjab did not
want to share any water with Haryana.
• In March 1976, when the Punjab
Reorganization Act was implemented, the
Centre notified fresh allocations, providing 3.5
MAF To Haryana.
Inception of the canal project
• L ater, in 1981, the water flowing down Beas
and Ravi was revised and pegged at 17.17
MAF, out of which 4.22 MAF was allocated
to Punjab, 3.5 MAF to Haryana, and 8.6 MAF
to Rajasthan.
• F inally, to provide this allocated share of
water to southern parts of Haryana, a canal
linking the Sutlej with the Yamuna, cutting
across the state, was planned.
• F inally, the construction of 214-km SYL
was started in April 1982, 122 km of which
was to run through Punjab and the rest
through Haryana.
• H aryana has completed its side of the canal,
but work in Punjab has been hanging fire for
over three decades.
Why has the SYL canal come up again
now?
• T
 he issue is back on centre stage after the
Supreme Court directed the CMs of Punjab
and Haryana to negotiate and settle the SYL
canal issue.
MINORITY ISSUES - SC, ST, DALITS, OBC, RESERVATIONS, ETC.
EWS Quota
Polity | GS2: Indian Constitution - historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments,
significant provisions and basic structure
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : EWS Quota, 103rd Amendment
Mains level : Read the attached story
• T
 he apex court asked for a meeting at the
highest political level to be mediated by the
Centre so that the states reach a consensus
over the completion of the SYL canal.
• T
 he meeting remained inconclusive with
the Centre expressing the view that the
construction of the SYL canal should
be completed. But Punjab CM refused
categorically.
Punjabs resentment with the project
• T he dispute is based on the bloody history
around the SYL canal. The trouble-torn days
of terrorism in Punjab started in the early
1980s when work on the SYL started.
• P unjab feels it utilized its precious
groundwater resources to grow the crop for
the entire country and should not be forced
to share its waters as it faces desertification.
• It is feared that once the construction of the
canal restarts, the youth may start feeling
that the state has been discriminated against.
 he Punjab CM fears Pakistan and
• T
secessionist organisations could exploit this
and foment trouble in the state.
Water crisis in Punjab
• P
 unjab is facing severe water crisis due to
over-exploitation of its underground aquifers
for the wheat/paddy monocycle.
• According to the Central Underground Water
Authoritys report, its underground water
is over-exploited to meet the agriculture
requirements in about 79 per cent area of
the state.
• Out of 138 blocks, 109 are over-exploited,
two are critical five are semi-critical and only
22 blocks are in safe category.
Punjab expects a new tribunal
• The state wants a tribunal seeking a fresh
time-bound assessment of the water
availability.
• The state has been saying that till date
there has been no adjudication or scientific
assessment of Punjab river waters.
Try this PYQ:
Which one of the following pairs is not
correctly matched? (CSP 2017)
Dam/Lake River 
(a) Govind Sagar: Satluj 
(b) Kolleru Lake: Krishna 
(c) Ukai Reservoir: Tapi 
(d) Wular Lake: Jhelum
A five-judge Constitution Bench led by CJI U.U.
Lalit are hearing petitions challenging the 10%
quota for the economically weaker sections
(EWS) and an Andhra Pradesh law that grants
reservation to Muslims.
What is the news?
• The five-judge Bench, led by CJI, is
considering the validity of the 103rd
Constitutional Amendment.
• The said amendment provides the 10%
reservation to economically weaker sections
(EWS) of society in government jobs and
educational institutions.
• Economic reservation was introduced by
amending Articles 15 and 16 and adding
clauses empowering the State governments
to provide reservation on the basis of
economic backwardness.
EWS Quota: A backgrounder
• The 10% reservation was introduced through
the 103rd Constitution Amendment and
enforced in January 2019.
• It added Clause (6) to Article 15 to empower
the Government to introduce special
provisions for the EWS among citizens
except those in the classes that already enjoy
reservation.
www.civilsdaily.com 63
• It allows reservation in educational
institutions, both public and private,
whether aided or unaided, excluding
those run by minority institutions, up to a
maximum of 10%.
• It also added Clause (6) to Article 16 to
facilitate reservation in employment.
• T he new clauses make it clear that the EWS
reservation will be in addition to the existing
reservation.
Significance of the quota
• T
 he Constitution initially allowed special
provisions only for the socially and
educationally backward classes.
• T
 he Government introduced the concept
of EWS for a new class of affirmative action
program for those not covered by or eligible
for the community-based quotas.
What are the courts questions about the
criteria?
• R
 eduction within general category: The
EWS quota remains a controversy as its
critics say it reduces the size of the open
category, besides breaching the 50% limit on
the total reservation.
• A
 rbitrariness over income limit: The court
has been intrigued by the income limit being
fixed at 8 lakh per year. It is the same figure
for excluding the creamy layer from OBC
reservation benefits.
• S
 ocio-economic backwardness: A crucial
difference is that those in the general
category, to whom the EWS quota is
applicable, do not suffer from social or
educational backwardness, unlike those
classified as the OBC.
• M
 etropolitan criteria: There are other
questions as to whether any exercise
was undertaken to derive the exceptions
such as why the flat criterion does not
differentiate between metropolitan and non-
metropolitan areas.
• O
 BC like criteria: The question the court
has raised is that when the OBC category
is socially and educationally backward
and, therefore, has additional impediments
to overcome.
• N
 ot based on relevant data: In line with the
Supreme Courts known position that any
reservation or norms for exclusion should be
based on relevant data.
• B
 reaches reservation cap: There is a cap
of 50% on reservation as ruled in the Indira
Sawhney Case. The principle of balancing
equality ordains reservation.
64 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
What is the current status of the EWS
quota?
• T
 he reservation for the EWS is being
implemented by the Union Government for
the second year now.
• R
 ecruitment test results show that the
category has a lower cut-off mark than the
OBC, a point that has upset the traditional
beneficiaries of reservation based on caste.
• T
 he explanation is that only a small number
of people are currently applying under the
EWS category one has to get an income
certificate from the revenue authorities and
therefore the cut-off is low.
• H
 owever, when the number picks up over
time, the cut-off marks are expected to rise.
Significance:
1. Addresses Inequality:
• T he 10% quota is progressive and could
address the issues of educational and
income inequality in India since the
economically weaker sections of citizens
have remained excluded from attending
higher educational institutions and public
employment due to their financial incapacity.
2. Recognition of the Economic Backwards:
• T
 here are many people or classes other
than backward classes who are living under
hunger and poverty-stricken conditions.
• T
 he proposed reservation through a
constitutional amendment would give
constitutional recognition to the poor from
the upper castes.
3. Reduction of Caste-Based Discrimination:
 oreover, it will gradually remove the
• M
stigma associated with reservation because
reservation has historically been related
with caste and most often the upper caste
look down upon those who come through
the reservation.
Practical issues with EWS Quota
The EWS quota will come in for judicial
scrutiny soon. But its not only a matter for
the judiciary, India’s Parliament should revisit
the law too.
• H
 asty legislation: This law was passed
in haste. It was passed in both the houses
within 48 hours, and got presidential
approval the next day.
• M
 inority appeasement: It is widely argued
that the law was passed to appease a
certain section of upper-caste society and
to suppress the demands for minority
reservations.
• Morality put to question: Imagine! A
constitutional amendment has been made
with few hours of deliberation and without
consultation of the targeted group. This is
certainly against constitutional morality and
propriety.
• Substantial backing is missing: This
amendment is based on a wrong or
unverified premise. This is at best a wild
guess or a supposition because the
government has not produced any data to
back this point.
• Under-reservation of Backward Classes:
The assertion is based on the fact that we
have different data to prove the under-
representation of SC, ST, OBCs. That implies
that upper castes are over-represented (with
100 minus reservation).
• Rationale of 10%: There is one more
problem in this regard. The SC and ST quota
is based on their total population. But the
rationale for the 10 per cent quota was never
discussed.
• Principle of Equality: Economic
backwardness is quite a fluid identity. It has
nothing to do with historic wrongdoings and
liabilities caused to the Backward Classes.
Way forward
• Preserving the merit: We cannot rule out
the sorry state of economic backwardness
hampering merit in our country.
• Rational critera: There has to be collective
wisdom to define and measure the
economic weakness of certain sections of
the society in order to shape the concept of
economic justice.
• Judicial guidance: Judicial interpretation
will pave the wave forward for deciding the
criterion for EWS Quota.
• Targetted beneficiaries. The centre needs to
resort to more rational criteria for deciding
the targeted beneficiary of this reservation
system. Caste Census data can be useful in
this regard.
• Income study: The per capita income or
GDP or the difference in purchasing power
in the rural and urban areas, should be taken
into account while a single income limit was
formulated for the whole country.
Conclusion
• Reservation is a constitutional scheme to
ensure the participation of backward classes
shoulder to shoulder with all citizens in the
nation-building process.
• The EWS quota with above discussed
ambiguities is the subversion of the
constitutional scheme for reservation.
PARLIAMENT - SESSIONS, PROCEDURES, MOTIONS, COMMITTEES ETC
Rajpath, Central Vista lawns
renamed ‘Kartavya Path’
Polity | GS2: Indian Constitution - historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments,
significant provisions and basic structure
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Kartavya Path
Mains level : Read the attached story
Rajpath andCentral Vista Lawns in the national
capital will now be known as Kartavya Path,
the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC)
announces.
https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/back-in-
news-central-vista-project-2/
Updating to Kartavya Path
• T
 he entire stretch and the area from the
Netaji statue under the Grand Canopy to
the Rashtrapati Bhavan will be known as
Kartavya Path.
• K
 artavya Path, which will be opened to the
public at the end of the official function, will
exhibit landscapes, lawns with walkways,
added green spaces, refurbished canals,
amenity blocks, improved signages and
vending kiosks.
CITIZENSHIP AND RELATED ISSUES
Citizenship Amendment
Act (CAA), 2019?
Polity | GS2: Indian Constitution - historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments,
significant provisions and basic structure
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : CAA
Mains level : Read the attached story
A three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court led
by Chief Justice of India (CJI) U U Lalit will hear
the challenge to the contentious Citizenship
(Amendment) Act.
What is Citizenship?
• C
 itizenship defines the relationship between
the nation and the people who constitute
the nation.
• N ew pedestrian underpasses, improved
parking spaces, new exhibition panels,
and upgraded night lighting are some
other features that will enhance the public
experience.
• It also includes a number of sustainability
features like solid waste management, storm-
water management, recycling of used water,
rainwater harvesting, water conservation
and energy-efficient lighting systems,
among others.
Kingsway to Rajpath
• C
 alled Kingsway during British rule, the
three-km stretch was built as a ceremonial
boulevard by Edwin Lutyens and Herbert
Baker, the architects of New Delhi, more than
a hundred years ago.
• T
 he capital of the Raj moved to New Delhi
from Calcutta in 1911, and construction
continued for several years thereafter.
• L
 utyens conceptualised the modern imperial
city centred on a ceremonial axis, which
was named Kingsway in honour of the then
Emperor of India, George V.
• It confers upon an individual certain rights
such as protection by the state, right to
vote, and right to hold certain public offices,
among others, in return for the fulfilment
of certain duties/obligations owed by the
individual to the state.
Citizenship in India
• T
 he Constitution of India provides for single
citizenship for the whole of India.
• He visited Delhi during the Durbar of 1911,
where he formally proclaimed the decision to
move the capital.
• The nomenclature followed that of the
Kingsway in London, an arterial road built in
1905, which was named in honour of King
Edward VII, the father of George V.
• Following Independence, the road was
given its Hindi name, Rajpath, on which the
Republic Day parades took place over the
decades that followed.
Why sudden renaming?
• During his address from the Red Fort on
August 15, Modi had stressed on the abolition
of symbols of colonialism.
• The new name and look of Rajpath, as well
as the installation of the 28-foot statue
of Netaji under the Grand Canopy under
which a statue of George V once stood, are
meant to represent that spirit of the proud
new India.
Significance of all recent event
• The construction of the Central Vista
Redevelopment Project began in February
2021, with the new Parliament building and
redevelopment of the Central Vista Avenue in
the first phase.
• The aim is to build an iconic avenue that
truly befits the New India, the government
has said about the Rs 608 crore Central Vista
Avenue project.
• It symbolizes a shift from erstwhile Rajpath
being an icon of power to Kartavya Path
being an example of public ownership and
empowerment.
• Under Article 11 of the Indian Constitution,
Parliament has the power to regulate the
right of citizenship by law. Accordingly, the
parliament had passed the Citizenship act
of 1955 to provide for the acquisition and
determination of Indian Citizenship.
• Entry 17, List 1 under the Seventh Schedule
speaks about Citizenship, naturalization, and
aliens. Thus, Parliament has exclusive power
to legislate with respect to citizenship.
• Until 1987, to be eligible for Indian
citizenship, it was sufficient for a person to be
born in India.
• Then, spurred by the populist movements
alleging massive illegal migrations from
Bangladesh, citizenship laws were first
amended to additionally require that at least
one parent should be Indian.
• In 2004, the law was further amended
to prescribe that not just one parent be
Indian; but the other should not be an illegal
immigrant.
www.civilsdaily.com 65
What is Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA),
2019?
• T he act is sought to amend the Citizenship
Act, 1955 to make Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist,
Jain, Parsi, and Christian illegal migrants
from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan,
eligible for citizenship of India.
• In other words, it intends to make it easier for
non-Muslim immigrants from India’s three
Muslim-majority neighbours to become
citizens of India.
• Under The Citizenship Act, 1955, one of the
requirements for citizenship by naturalization
is that the applicant must have resided in
India during the last 12 months, as well as for
11 of the previous 14 years.
• The amendment relaxes the second
requirement from 11 years to 6 years as a
specific condition for applicants belonging to
these six religions, and the aforementioned
three countries.
• It exempts the members of the six
communities from any criminal case under
the Foreigners Act, 1946 and the Passport
Act, 1920 if they entered India before
December 31, 2014.
Key feature: Defining illegal migrants
• Illegal migrants cannot become Indian
citizens in accordance with the present laws.
• Under the CAA, an illegal migrant is a
foreigner who: (i) enters the country without
valid travel documents like a passport and
visa, or (ii) enters with valid documents, but
stays beyond the permitted time period.
• Illegal migrants may be put in jail or deported
under the Foreigners Act, 1946 and The
Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920.
Exceptions
• The Bill provides that illegal migrants who
fulfil four conditions will not be treated
as illegal migrants under the Act. The
conditions are:
• they are Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis
or Christians;
• they are from Afghanistan, Bangladesh
or Pakistan;
• they entered India on or before
December 31, 2014;
• they are not in certain tribal areas of Assam,
Meghalaya, Mizoram, or Tripura included
in the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution,
or areas under the Inner Line permit, i.e.,
Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, and Nagaland.
Pros of the act
1.It is not against Muslims
• The Ahmediyas and Rohingyas can still seek
Indian citizenship through naturalization (if
they enter with valid travel documents).
66 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• In any case, since India follows the principle
of non-refoulment (even without acceding
to the Refugee Convention 1951), they would
not be pushed back.
• If a Shia Muslim is facing persecution and is
in India seeking shelter, his case to continue
to reside in India as a refugee shall be
considered on its merits and circumstances.
• W ith regard to Balochi refugees, Balochistan
has long struggled to be independent of
Pakistan and including Balochis in the
CAA could be perceived as interference in
Pakistans internal affairs.
• T he CAA, therefore, does not exclude
Muslims from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and
Afghanistan to apply for Indian citizenship.
They can continue to do so in the same way
singer Adnan Sami, for example, applied for
citizenship.
• It is important to note that even minorities
shall not be granted automatic citizenship.
They would need to fulfill conditions
specified in the Third Schedule to the
Citizenship Act, 1955, namely, the good
character requirement as well as physical
residence in India.
• H arish Salve, one of India’s biggest names
in national and international law, has stated
that the Citizenship Amendment Act is not
anti-Muslim.
• S
 alve stated that the countries specified in
the CAA have their own state religion and
Islamic rules. He added that Islamic majority
nations identify their people as per who
follows Islam and who does not. Addressing
governance problems in neighbouring
countries is not the purpose of the CAA.
• O
 ver the issue of Rohingyas, Salve stated
that a law that addresses one evil does not
need to address all the evils in all countries.
It is notable here that Myanmar, though a
Buddhist majority nation, does not have a
state religion and Myanmar does not feature
in the CAA bill.
2.The Act is not a violation of Article 14
Sovereign space
• T o begin with, the justiciability of citizenship
or laws that regulate the entry of foreigners is
often treated as a sovereign space where the
courts are reluctant to intervene.
• T hus in Trump v Hawaii No. 17-965, 585
U.S. (2018), the US Supreme Court upheld
a travel ban from several Muslim countries
holding that regulation of foreigners
including ingress is fundamental sovereign
attribute exercised by the governments
political departments largely immune from
judicial control.
• Indian courts have generally followed similar
reasoning. In David John Hopkins vs. Union
of India (1997), the Madras High Court
held that the right of the Union to refuse
citizenship is absolute and not fettered by
equal protection under Article 14.
• Similarly in Louis De Raedt vs. Union of
India (1991), the Supreme Court held that
the right of a foreigner in India is confined to
Article 21 and he cannot seek citizenship as a
matter of right.
3.With respect to North East
• Citizenship Amendment Act does not dilute
the sanctity of the Assam Accord as far as
the cut-off date of March 24, 1971, stipulated
for the detection/deportation of illegal
immigrants is concerned.
• Citizenship Amendment Act is not Assam-
centric. It applies to the whole country.
Citizenship Amendment Act is definitely not
against the National Register of Citizens
(NRC), which is being updated to protect
indigenous communities from illegal
immigrants.
• Further, there is a cut-off date of December
31, 2014, and benefits under the Citizenship
Amendment Act will not be available for
members of the religious minorities who
migrate to India after the cut-off date.
4.Historical Connections
• TheAct does not give a carte blanche to
Hindus and Christians and Sikhs from
other countries to come to India and get
citizenship. Just these three countries. Why?
• Because each of these has been civilizational
ties with India. The circumstances in which
they were partitioned from India have
created a situation where Hindus and other
minority populations have been dwindling
ever since the partition took place.
• Regarding including other countries in the
neighbourhood the argument could be that
we can deal with them separately if the need
arises as we did in the case of persecuted Sri
Lankan Tamils.
Controversy with the Act
• Country of Origin: The Act classifies
migrants based on their country of origin
to include only Afghanistan, Pakistan and
Bangladesh.
• Other religious minorities ignored: It is
unclear why illegal migrants from only six
specified religious minorities have been
included in the Act.
• Defiance of purpose: India shares a border
with Myanmar, which has had a history
of persecution of a religious minority, the
Rohingya Muslims.
• Date of Entry: It is also unclear why there
is a differential treatment of migrants
based on their date of entry into India, i.e.,
whether they entered India before or after
December 31, 2014.
• A
 gainst the spirit of Secularism: Further,
granting citizenship on the grounds of
religion is seen to be against the secular
nature of the Constitution which has been
recognised as part of the basic structure that
cannot be altered by Parliament.
Basis of challenging in Supreme Court
• T he challenge rests primarily on the grounds
that the law violates Article 14 of the
Constitution that guarantees that no person
shall be denied the right to equality before
law or the equal protection of law in the
territory of India.
The Supreme Court has developed a two-
pronged test to examine a law on the grounds
of Article 14.
1. First, any differentiation between groups
of persons must be founded on intelligible
differentia
UNIFORM CIVIL CODE: TRIPLE TALAQ DEBATE, POLYGAMY ISSUE, ETC.
Uniform Civil Code
Polity | GS1: Communalism, Secularism, Regionalism
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : UCC
Mains level : Need for UCC
2. Second, that differentia must have a
rational nexus to the object sought to be
achieved by the Act
• S
 imply put, for a law to satisfy the conditions
under Article 14, it has to first create a
reasonable class of subjects that it seeks to
govern under the law.
 ven if the classification is reasonable, any
• E
person who falls in that category has to be
treated alike.
What happens next?
• T
 he listing of the CAA challenge indicates
that the hearing will be fast-tracked.
• T
 he court will have to ensure that all
pleadings, written submissions are filed and
served to the opposite party before it is listed
for final hearing.
 ome petitioners could also seek a referral to
• S
a larger Constitution Bench.
• However, the challenge is to a statute and
does not directly involve interpretation of the
Constitution.
• These issues are also likely to be debated
before the court allots time for the
final hearing.
Way forward
• India is a constitutional democracy with a
basic structure that assures a secure and
spacious home for all Indians.
• Being partitioned on religious grounds,
India has to undertake a balancing act for
protecting the religious minorities in its
neighbourhood.
• These minorities are under constant threat of
persecution and vandalism.
• India needs to balance its civilization duties
to protect those who are prosecuted in the
neighbourhood.
The expert committee formed by the
Uttarakhand government to examine ways for
the implementation of a Uniform Civil Code
(UCC) has launched a website, seeking public
opinion on the plan.
What is a Uniform Civil Code?
• A Uniform Civil Code (UCC) is one that
would provide for one personal civil law for
the entire country.
• This would be applicable to all religious
communities in their personal matters
such as marriage, divorce, inheritance,
adoption etc.
Basis for Uniform Civil Code
• Article 44, one of the Directive Principles
of the Constitution lays down that the state
shall endeavour to secure a UCC for the
citizens throughout the territory of India.
• These, as defined in Article 37, are not
justiciable ( not enforceable by any court
) but the principles laid down therein are
fundamental in governance.
Personal Laws And Uniform Civil Code:
Timeline
# British period 
During the British Raj, Personal laws were
first framed mainly for Hindu and Muslims
citizens.
# Start of 20th Century
In the beginning of the twentieth century,
the demand for a uniform civil code was
first put forward by the women activists.
The objective behind this demand was the
womens rights, equality and secularism.
# 1940 The Idea of Uniform Civil Code is
born
The idea of Uniform Civil Code was tabled
www.civilsdaily.com 67
by the National Planning Commission
(NPC) appointed by the Congress. There
was a subcommittee who was to examine
womens status and recommends reforms of
personal law for gender equality.
# 1947 Question of UCC as a Fundamental
Right 
UCC was sought to be enshrined in the
Constitution of India as a fundamental right
by Minoo Masani, Hansa Mehta, Amrit
Kaur and Dr. B.R Ambedkar.
# 1948 Constitution Assembly debated
UCC
Article 44 of the Indian Constitution i.e.
Directive Principles of State Policy sets
implementation of uniform civil laws which
is the duty of the state under Part IV.
# 1950 Reformist Bill passed
Reformist bills were passed which gave
the Hindu women the right to divorce
and inherit property. Bigamy and child
marriages are outlawed. Such reforms were
resisted by Dr. Rajendra Prasad.
# 1951 Dr. Ambedkar Resigns
Dr. Ambedkar resigned from the cabinet in
1951 when his draft of the Hindu Code Bill
was stalled by the Parliament.
# 1985 Shah Bano Case
In this case, a divorced Muslim woman was
brought within the ambit of Section 125 of
Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 by the
Supreme Court in which it was declared
by the Apex court that she was entitled
for maintenance even after the completion
ofiddatperiod.
# 1995- Sarla Mudgal v. Union of India 
In this case, Justice Kuldip Singh reiterated
the need for the Parliament to frame a
Uniform Civil Code, which would help the
cause of national integration by removing
contradictions based on ideologies.
Therefore, the responsibility entrusted
on the State under Article 44 of the
Constitution whereby a Uniform Civil Code
68 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
must be secured has been urged by the
Supreme Court repeatedly as a matter of
urgency.
# 2000 Supreme Court advocates UCC 
The case of Lily Thomas v. Union of India
(2000),where the Supreme Court said it
could not direct the centre to introduce a
UCC.
# 2015 The Debate lives through
The apex court refused to direct the
government to take a decision on having a
UCC.
# 2016 Triple Talaq Debate
When PM asked the Law Commission to
examine the issue.
# 2017 Ruling of the Triple Talaq case
Triple Talaq (Talaq -e- biddat) was declared
unconstitutional on August 22, 2017.
Arguments For UCC
• U niformity and reduced discord:
• C ommon Code would enable uniform civil
principles to be applied to the entire Nation.
• If and when the whole population will start
following the same laws, chances are there
that it would bring more peace to the living
and reduce riots.
• S ecularism and Womens Rights:
• U CC would help end gender discrimination
and overall discrimination on religious
grounds and strengthen the secular fabric of
the nation.
• T herefore UCC could bring all communities
together to ensure Women the Right to a
dignified life and control over their life as
well as body.
• E nding unjust customs and traditions:
• A rational common and unified personal law
will help eradicate many evil, unjust and
irrational customs and traditions prevalent
across the communities.
• F or example, Law against Manual
scavenging. It might have been a custom
in the past but in a mature democracy like
India, this custom cannot be justified.
• E ase of Administration:
• U CC would make it easy to administer the
huge population base of India.
• H istorically, not all Muslim communities
were demanding separate laws:
• F ew the Muslim communities like the Khojas
and Cutchi Memons did not want to submit
to separate Muslim Personal Law.
• G
 lobal Scenario:
• T
 he personal laws of minorities were not
recognised in any of the advanced Muslim
countries.
• E
 g., in Turkey and Egypt, no minority in
these countries were permitted to have their
own personal laws.
• Many countries have common civil codes.
Arguments Against UCC
• Hampering diversity and multiculturalism:
• Indian society has a unique identity in the
form of its being diverse and multicultural,
and unified law might do away with these
unique characteristics of this nation.
• Violation of fundamental rights:
• Religious bodies oppose a uniform civil code
on the ground that it would be interference
in religious affairs which would violate
fundamental rights guaranteed under Article
25 of the constitution.
• May lead to communal unrest:
• It would be a tyranny to the minority and
when implemented could bring a lot of
unrest in the country.
• The All India Muslim Personal Law Board
stated that the laws pertaining to marriage
and inheritance were part of religious
injunctions for ages.
UCC vs. Right to Freedom of Religion
1. Article 25 lays down an individuals
fundamental right to religion
2. Article 26(b) upholds the right of each
religious denomination or any section thereof
to manage its own affairs in matters of religion
3. Article 29 defines the right to conserve
distinctive culture
Reasonable restrictions on the Freedom of
Religion
• An individuals freedom of religion under
Article 25 is subject to public order, health,
morality and other provisions relating to FRs,
but a groups freedom under Article 26 has
not been subjected to other FRs.
• In the Constituent Assembly, there was
division on the issue of putting UCC in the
fundamental rights chapter. The matter was
settled by a vote.
• By a 5:4 majority, the fundamental rights
sub-committee headed by Sardar Patel held
that the provision was outside the scope of
FRs and therefore the UCC was made less
important.
Minority Opinion in the Constituent
Assembly
• Some members sought to immunize Muslim
Personal Law from state regulation.
• Mohammed Ismail, who thrice tried
unsuccessfully to get Muslim Personal Law
exempted from Article 44, said a secular
state should not interfere with the personal
law of people.
• B Pocker Saheb said he had received
representations against a common civil code
from various organisations, including Hindu
organisations.
  ussain Imam questioned whether there
• H
could ever be uniformity of personal laws in
a diverse country like India.
• B
 R Ambedkar said no government can use
its provisions in a way that would force the
Muslims to revolt.
• A
 lladi Krishnaswami, who was in favour of a
UCC, conceded that it would be unwise to
enact UCC ignoring strong opposition from
any community.
TRIBES IN NEWS
Centre adds 4 new tribes to
Scheduled Tribes (ST) List
Polity | GS2: Indian Constitution - historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments,
significant provisions and basic structure
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Tribes in news
Mains level : Not Much
The Union Cabinet under the chairmanship
of PM has approved the addition of four tribes
to the list of Scheduled Tribes (ST), including
those from Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and
Chhattisgarh.
Which tribes are we talking about?
1. Hatti tribe in the Trans-Giri area of Sirmour
district in Himachal Pradesh
2. Narikoravan and Kurivikkaran hill tribes of
Tamil Nadu and
3. Binjhia tribe in Chhattisgarh, which was
listed as ST in Jharkhand and Odisha but not in
Chhattisgarh
Other tribes in news
 he Cabinet also approved Betta-Kuruba
• T
as a synonym for the Kadu Kuruba tribe In
Karnataka.
LANGUAGES AND EIGHTH SCHEDULE
Hindi not a competitor
of regional languages:
Home Minister
Polity | GS2: Indian Constitution - historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments,
significant provisions and basic structure
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : NA
Mains level : National language debate
• G
 ender justice was never discussed in
these debates.
Way forward
• It should be the duty of the religious
intelligentia to educate the community about
its rights and obligations based on modern
liberal interpretations.
Who are the Scheduled Tribes?
• T
 he termScheduled Tribeshttps://www.
civilsdaily.com/mains/what-is-the-reason-
for-special-provisions-for-the-scheduled-
tribes-in-the-constitution-of-india-are-these-
provisions-successful-in-ameliorating-their-
conditions-250-words/ first appeared in the
Constitution of India.
• A
 rticle 366 (25) defined scheduled tribes as
such tribes or tribal communities or parts
of or groups within such tribes or tribal
communities as are deemed under Article
342 to be Scheduled Tribes for the purposes
of this constitution.
• A
 rticle 342 prescribes procedure to be
followed in the matter of specification of
scheduled tribes.
• A
 mong the tribal groups, several have
adapted to modern life but there are tribal
groups who are more vulnerable.
• A good environment for the UCC must be
prepared by the government by explaining
the contents and significance of Article 44
taking all into confidence.
• Social reforms are not overnight but gradual
phenomena. They are often vulnerable
to media evils such as fake news and
disinformation.
• Social harmony and the cultural fabric of our
nation must be the priority.
• The Dhebar Commission (1973) created
a separate category Primitive Tribal
Groups (PTGs) which was renamed in
2006 as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal
Groups (PVTGs ).
How are STs notified?
• The first specification of Scheduled Tribes in
relation to a particular State/ Union Territory
is by a notified order of the President, after
consultation with the State governments
concerned.
• These orders can be modified subsequently
only through an Act of Parliament.
Status of STs in India
• The Census 2011 has revealed that there
are said to be 705 ethnic groups notified as
Scheduled Tribes (STs).
• Over 10 crore Indians are notified as STs, of
which 1.04 crore live in urban areas.
• The STs constitute 8.6% of the population
and 11.3% of the rural population.
https://www.civilsdaily.com/mains/what-is-
the-reason-for-special-provisions-for-the-
scheduled-tribes-in-the-constitution-of-
india-are-these-provisions-successful-in-
ameliorating-their-conditions-250-words/
Union Home Minister has appealed to
guardians to speak to children in their mother
tongue to enable them to learn Hindi without
much effort, on the Hindi Divas.
www.civilsdaily.com 69
What did HM say on Hindi?
 e said it was time that inferiority complex
• H
around Indian languages, instilled by
the British, was overthrown from peoples
conscience with the help of regional
languages and Hindi.
 e also said that Hindi was not a
• H
competitor but a friend of all the other
regional languages in the country and they
were mutually dependent on each other for
their growth.
• H
 e said there was a concerted
disinformation campaign to pit Hindi
against other languages such as Marathi
and Tamil, and underlined the need to
strengthen local languages with Hindi.
Debate over Hindi
• B
 etween September 12 and 14, 1949, that the
Constituent Assembly debated the status of
India’s languages.
• A
 mong the issues that were discussed were
the use of the termnational languagehttps://
www.civilsdaily.com/burning-issue-national-
language-debate/ instead of official language.
• H
 indi author Seth Govind Das, who
represented the Central Provinces and Berar,
argued for one language and one script and
suggested that Hindi should replace English
at the earliest.
What is the status of Hindi?
• F inally, the Constituent Assembly
adopted what was known as Munshi-
Ayyangar Formula.
• A ccording to this, Hindi in the Devnagari
script would be the official language of
the Union.
Official, not national
• E
 nglish would continue to be used for all
official purposes for the next 15 years, to
enable a smooth transition for non-Hindi
speaking states.
• T
 he deadline was 26 January 1965.
• U
 nder Article 343 of the Constitution, the
official language of the Union shall be Hindi
in Devanagari script.
• T
 he international form of Indian numerals
will be used for official purposes.
Why has language become a sensitive
issue?
• S elf-identification: A strong identification
with ones regional language and an
underlying fear of homogenisation is at the
heart of the national language question
in India. An individual conceptualises and
communicates his thoughts in a language,
enabling him to be an active part of society.
70 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• L anguage defines primary group: People
identify with one another based on language,
thus giving them a primary group. A nation
is the largest primary group that once
can address.
• L earning abilities at stake: The dangers
of imposing a language are manifold. It
can affect the learning ability of non-native
speakers thereby affecting their self-
confidence.
• T
 hreats to endangered languages: It can
also endanger other languages and dialects
and reduce diversity.
• T
 hreats to diversity: National integration
cannot come at the cost of peoples linguistic
identities. Language is integral to culture
and therefore privileging Hindi over all other
languages spoken in India takes away from
its diversity.
• P
 romises made by Constituent Assembly:
Then PM Pt. Nehru had promised that
Hindi would only serve as a linking language
and it would not be imposed on non-
Hindi speaking states as long as they were
against it.
Benefits of having a national language
• W ide range of speakers: Hindi is still the
most widely spoken language in the country
with an estimated 258 million people
declaring that Hindi is their native language
and millions more comfortable with Hindi.
• L anguage as a unifying language: A
complete usage of Hindi language whilst
respecting the various native languages
would also ensure better coordination and
cooperation among all the states and act
as a strong unifying factor and eliminate all
regional differences.
• R
 eputation at international fora: When
countries like Germany, Japan, France,
Italy etc. use their respective language as
a medium of communication even during
International forums not only has the
reputation of those countries have greatly
enhanced but also those languages have
gained a huge reputation worldwide.
Issues with Hindi
• I nherent opposition to Hindi: The
Constituent Assembly was bitterly divided
on the question, with members from States
that did not speak Hindi initially opposing the
declaration of Hindi as a national language.
• F ear of imposition: Opponents were against
English being done away with, fearing that it
may lead to Hindi domination in regions that
did not speak the language.
• S
 ymbol of identity politics: The approach
towards linguistic policy seems to be driven
more by the politics of identity than values of
aspiration or accommodation.
• Favour for majoritarianism: The primary
argument in favour of Hindi has been
reduced to assertions of slim majoritarianism.
• Few speakers, still dominant: Even then,
there are concerns about the claim based on
mere numerical strength, as only 25 per cent
of Indians seem to recognise Hindi as their
mother tongue (Census 2011).
• Demographic barriers: Today nearly 35% of
people are migrating daily for work. In such
a situation, we have to conceptualise a new
form of language identity for our states.
• Economic barriers: Any idea of one link
language, whether Hindi or English, will
be economically disastrous for India. It will
slow down migration and reduce the ease of
capital flow.
• Multiple dialects: Only five states in
India have Hindi as their native language.
However, in those states, too, the dialects
of Hindi are associated with locals and their
communities.
Why Hindi cannot be the national
language?
• Multiple dialects: Hindi has largely been
influenced by Persian and then English,
among other languages. Also, when
the languages were enumerated, Hindi
subsumed Bhojpuri, which is spoken by a
little over five crore people.
• Inefficacy of Sanskrit: There were demands
to make Sanskrit the official language, while
some argued in favour of Hindustani.
• Issue over Script: There were differences of
opinion over the script too. When opinion
veered towards accepting Hindi, proponents
of the language wanted the Devanagari
script to be adopted both for words
and numerals.
Why this issue needs a rational
consideration?
• Linguistic chauvinism: Various policies
on language have been framed both
by the central and state governments
that have been termed as forms of
linguistic chauvinism. Ex. Obsession for
Marathi in Mumbai
• Secular fabric under threat: The states
fear of the central governments ideology of
monopolising faith, education, and language
will adversely affect the Indian political
system, which is based on pluralism and
accommodation.
• Monolingualism can prove disastrous: If
there is a mechanical and monolithic idea of
unity followed by any entity, such an entity
generally generates great hostility beyond
its immediate borders. In neighbouring
Bangladesh then East Pakistan the language
movement against the imposition of Urdu on
Bengali speakers was a key driver of Pakistan
splitting into two nations.
Way forward
• L anguage as a skill: Language should be
looked at as an important skill to operate in a
world which is more connected today than at
any other point in time.
ELECTORAL REFORMS IN INDIA
Vacant offices, unaware
office-bearers: curious
case of delisted parties
Polity | GS2: Representation Of People’s Act
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Registration and de-registration of Political Parties, RP Act
Mains level : Read the attached story
The EC has been on a mission to clean up
the list of registered unrecognized political
parties, deleting 284 since May for either being
untraceable during a physical check or not
responding to communications.
Why de-list political parties?
• T he news highlights the tale of a Bharatiya
xyz Party.
• Its registered address, the ground floor of a
Delhi Development Authority flat, has been
home to a family since they purchased the
house in 2008.
When is a party de-registered?
• T he ECs recent order has highlighted that
a party must contest an election within five
years of its registration, and should continue
to contest thereafter.
• If the party does not contest elections
continuously for six years, the party shall be
taken off the list of registered parties.
Registering a Political Party
• T
 he registration of all political parties
is governed by the provisions of the
Representation of the People Act, 1951.
• A
 ccording to the Election Commission (EC),
any party seeking registration has to submit
an application to the Commission within a
period of 30 days.
• T
 his is done as per guidelines prescribed by
the EC in exercise of the powers conferred by
Article 324 of the Constitution and Section
29A of the RP Act, 1951.
• L anguage not a cultural burden: A united
nation has to have space for diversity. India
is united in its diversity. Diversity is a great
philosophical idea and should never be seen
as a cultural burden.
Note
There is no procedure available for de-
registration of dormant political parties.
Process of registration
• The applicant is asked to publish a proposed
party name in two national daily newspapers
and two local daily newspapers, and provide
two days for submitting objections, if any.
• The notice for publication is also displayed on
the website of the Election Commission.
Why registering with the EC is important?
• It is not mandatory to register with the
Election Commission.
• However, registering as a political party
with the EC has its advantage in terms of
intending to avail itself of the provisions of
the RP Act, 1951.
• The candidates set up by a political party
registered with the EC will get preference in
the matter of allotment of free symbols vis--
vis purely independent candidates.
• M ore importantly, these registered political
parties, over course of time, can get
expanded recognition as a state party or a
national party.
How EC recognises a political party as a
state or national party?
For recognition as a NATIONAL PARTY, the
conditions specified are:
1. a 6% vote share in the last Assembly polls in
each of any four states, as well as four seats in
the last Lok Sabha polls; or
• Linguistic heritage needs priority: This is not
to contend that our linguistic heritage should
be neglected or trivialised. Our metropolises
must be recognized as multilingual entities.
2. 2% of all Lok Sabha seats in the last such
election, with MPs elected from at least three
states; or
3. recognition as a state party in at least
four states.
For recognition as a STATE PARTY, any one
of five conditions needs to be satisfied:
1. two seats plus a 6% vote share in the last
Assembly election in that state; or
2. one seat plus a 6% vote share in the last
Lok Sabha election from that state; or
3. 3% of the total Assembly seats or 3 seats,
whichever is more; or
4. one of every 25 Lok Sabha seats (or an
equivalent fraction) from a state; or
5. an 8% state-wide vote share in either the
last Lok Sabha or the last Assembly polls.
Benefits for recognized parties
• This is subject to the fulfilment of the
conditions prescribed by the Commission
in the Election Symbols (Reservation and
Allotment) Order, 1968.
(a) Reserved Sybol
• If a party is recognised as a state party, it is
entitled for exclusive allotment of its reserved
symbol to the candidates set up by it in the
state in which it is so recognised.
• If a party is recognised as a national party
it is entitled for exclusive allotment of its
reserved symbol to the candidates set up by
it throughout India.
(b) Proposer for nomination
• Recognised state and national parties need
only one proposer for filing the nomination.
(c) Campaigning benefits
• They are also entitled for two sets of electoral
rolls free of cost and broadcast/telecast
facilities over state-owned Akashvani/
Doordarshan during the general elections.
www.civilsdaily.com 71
SPECIAL CATEGORY STATUS AND STATES
AP approaches SC over
Three Capitals Issue
Polity | GS2: Federalism
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Read the attached story
Mains level : Three Capitals Issue in AP
After much discontent on the High Court (HC)
verdict in the three capitals case, the Andhra
Pradesh government has finally challenged it
in the Supreme Court through a special leave
petition (SLP).
APs move for three capitals
• A
 P had introduced a Three Capitals Act
titled Andhra Pradesh Decentralisation
and Inclusive Development of All Regions
Act, 2020.
• T
 hus, it was decided that:
1. Amaravati was to be the Legislative capital
2. Visakhapatnam the Executive capital and
3. Kurnool the Judicial capital
• H
 owever, the Andhra Pradesh High
Courtrepealed this Acthttps://www.civilsdaily.
com/news/andhra-pradesh-government-
repealed-laws-on-3-capitals/ citing that
the legislature has no competence to enact
any law for shifting the three organs of
the capital.
Concerns raised by AP government
• A
 P contended that the judgement was
in violation of the basic structure of the
Constitution as the HC cannot hold that the
State does not have the powers to decide on
its capital.
72 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• T he judgement was against the doctrine of
separation of powers as itsought to preempt
the legislature from taking up the issue (of
three capitals).
• F urther, it is argued that under the federal
structure of the Constitution, every State
has an inherent right to determine where it
should carry out its capital functions from.
Reasons for APs consideration
(1) Viable option of
Visakhapatnam
• V izag always had been the biggest city, after
Hyderabad, even in the combined State.
• It has all the settings to become a good
living space.
(2) Sri Krishna panel recommendations
• T
 he advantages and qualities of
Visakhapatnam to become the capital was
elaborately deliberated by the Sri Krishna
Committee to study the alternatives for a
new capital for the State of Andhra Pradesh.
• C
 oming to suggestion for the alternative
capital, the Committee primarily took up
three things for consideration creation of
single city or super city in greenfield location,
expanding existing cities and distributed
development.
(3) Decentralisation
• This idea was elaborately described in the Sri
Bagh pact.
• The pact clearly defined decentralisation, for
the benefit of all three main regions such as
Coastal AP, Godavari and Krishna districts
and Rayalaseema.
Major practical problems
• Continuum of work: The government argues
that the Assembly meets only after gaps of
several months, and government Ministers,
officers, and staff can simply go to Amaravati
when required.
• Logistics nightmare: coordinating between
seats of legislature and executive in separate
cities will be easier said than done.
• Time and costs of travel: The distances
in Andhra Pradesh are not inconsiderable.
Executive capital Visakhapatnam is 700 km
from judicial capital Kurnool, and 400 km
from legislative capital Amaravati.
Examples of multi-capital states in India
• Among Indian states, Maharashtra has two
capitals Mumbai and Nagpur (which holds
the winter session of the state assembly).
• Himachal Pradesh has capitals at Shimla and
Dharamshala (winter).
• The former state of Jammu & Kashmir had
Srinagar and Jammu (winter) as capitals
whereDarbar Movehttps://www.civilsdaily.
com/news/what-is-durbar-move/ is
carried out.
Back2Basics: Special Leave Petition
• SLP hold a prime place in the Indian
judicial system.
• It provides the aggrieved party a special
permission to be heard in Apex court in
appeal against any judgment or order of any
Court/tribunal in the territory of India.
• It has been provided as a “residual power” in
the hands of Supreme Court of India to be
exercised only in cases when any substantial
question of law is involved, or gross injustice
has been done.
• Article 136 vests the Supreme Court of India
with a special power to grant special leave,
to appeal against any judgment or order
or decree.
• It is discretionary power vested in the
Supreme Court of India and the court may in
its discretion refuse to grant leave to appeal.
• The aggrieved party cannot claim special
leave to appeal under Article 136 as a right,
but it is privilege vested in the Supreme
Court to grant leave to appeal or not.
MINORITY ISSUES - SC, ST, DALITS, OBC, RESERVATIONS, ETC.
SC quota for Dalit Muslims
and Christians
Polity | GS2: Laws, Institutions & Bodies Constituted For The Vulnerable Sections
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : NA
Mains level : Quota benefits for religious convertees
The Centre is likely to soon decide on setting
up a national commission to study the social,
economic and educational status of Dalits who
converted to religions other than Hinduism,
Buddhism and Sikhism.
What is the news?
• S
 everal petitions are pending before the
Supreme Court seeking Scheduled Caste
(SC) reservation benefits for Dalits who
converted to Christianity or Islam.
Dalit Convertees and Quota Benefits
• T he original rationale behind giving
reservation to Scheduled Castes was that
these sections had suffered from the social
evil of untouchability, which was practised
among Hindus.
• U nder Article 341 of the Constitution, the
President may specify the castes, races or
tribes or parts of or groups within castes,
races or tribes which shallbe deemed to be
Scheduled Castes.
• T he first order under this provision was
issued in 1950, and covered only Hindus.
• F ollowing demands from the Sikh
community, an order was issued in 1956,
including Sikhs of Dalit origin among the
beneficiaries of the SC quota.
• In 1990, the government acceded to a
similar demand from Buddhists of Dalit
origin, and the order was revised to state:
No person who professes a religion different
from the Hindu, the Sikh or the Buddhist
religion shall be deemed to be a member of
Scheduled Caste.
Does this religion-based bar apply to
converted STs and OBCs as well?
• It does not.
• T he Department of Personnel and Training
(DoPT) website states, The rights of a
person belonging to a Scheduled Tribe are
independent of his/her religious faith.
• F ollowing the implementation of the Mandal
Commission report, several Christian and
Muslim communities have found place in the
Central and state lists of OBCs.
Caste among Muslims
It is understood that there are four distinct
categories to broadly summarise division of
Muslims in India:
• T he Ashrafs who claim descent from
foreign origin these include the Sayyids, the
Abbasids, the Mughals and are at the top of
the social hierarchy.
• T hen come upper caste converts such as
Butts, Rajput Muslims or Jat Muslims.
• M embers of other Indian tribes that have
converted to Islam formed another run
which included communities like the Darzis,
Dhobis, Faqirs, Julahas, Kumhars and others.
• T he last run of the social ladder inlcluded
the converts from lower castes that were
considered untouchable, such as Bhangis
• T oday, upper caste Hindus who converted
to Islam are broadly considered be Ashraf.
The neologism Pasmandas (meaning those
who were left behind) is used to refer to Ajlaf
and Arzal Muslims, considered lower in the
social heirarchy by the Ashrafs, who have
historically dominated the social, political and
economic sphere.
• A jlafs statuses are defined by them being
descendants of converts to Islam and are also
defined by their pesha (profession).
• M arriages between Ashrafs and Pasmandas
are still looked down upon in several places.
What efforts have been made to include
Muslims and Christians of Dalit origin
among SCs?
• A
 fter 1990, a number of Private Members
Bills were brought in Parliament for
this purpose.
• In 1996, a government Bill called The
Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Orders
(Amendment) Bill was drafted, but in view
of a divergence of opinions, the Bill was not
introduced in Parliament.
• Then government headed by PM Manmohan
Singh set up two important panels:
1. Ranganath Misra Commission: The
National Commission for Religious and
Linguistic Minorities, popularly known
as the Ranganath Misra Commission, in
October 2004 and
2. Sachar Committee: A seven-member high-
level committee headed by former Chief Justice
of Delhi High Court Rajinder Sachar to study
the social, economic, and educational condition
of Muslims in March 2005.
What did they recommend?
• The Sachar Committee Report observed
that the social and economic situation of
Dalit Muslims and Dalit Christians did not
improve after conversion.
• The Ranganath Misra Commission,
which submitted its report in May 2007,
recommended that SC status should be
completely de-linked from religion and
Scheduled Castes should be made fully
religion-neutral like Scheduled Tribes.
Reception to these recommendations
• The report was tabled in Parliament in
2009, but its recommendation was not
accepted in view of inadequate field data and
corroboration with the actual situation on
the ground.
• Few studies, commissioned by the National
Commission for Minorities, was also not
considered reliable due to insufficient data.
What lies ahead?
• Based on the recommendations of the
Ranganath Misra Commission, there are
some petitions pending before the Supreme
Cour t, seeking reservation benefits for
Christians and Muslims of Dalit orgin.
• In the last hearing, a three-judge Bench gave
the Solicitor General of India three weeks
time to present the stand of the Union
government on the issue.
• The next hearing is awaited.
www.civilsdaily.com 73
DEATH PENALTY ABOLITION DEBATE
Death Penalty: SC
moots fair hearing
Polity | GS2: Executive & Judiciary
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : NA
Mains level : Death penalty debate
The Supreme Court has referred to a
Constitution Bench the question of how to
provide accused in death penalty cases a
meaningful, real and effective hearing of their
mitigating circumstances before a trial judge.
Death Penalty: A backgrounder
• C apital punishmenthttps://www.civilsdaily.
com/burning-issue-debate-over-capital-
punishment/, sometimes called death
penalty, is execution of an offender sentenced
to death after conviction by a court of law for
a criminal offense.
• It should be distinguished from extrajudicial
executions carried out without due
process of law.
• T he term death penalty is sometimes used
interchangeably with capital punishment,
though imposition of the penalty is not
always followed by execution, because
of the possibility of commutation to life
imprisonment.
When is it awarded?
• T he term Capital Punishment stands for most
severe form of punishment.
• It is the punishment which is to be awarded
for the most heinous, grievous and detestable
crimes against humanity.
74 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• W
 hile the definition and extent of such
crimes vary, the implication of capital
punishment has always been the
death sentence.
Special factors on the death penalty
jurisprudence in India
(a) Increase in Sexual Offences
• T
 he report on death penalty published by
NLU Delhi shows that the rate of awarding
capital punishment to the offences of
rape with murder is much higher than
other offences.
• T
 here is no doubt that rape is one of the
most heinous crimes.
(b) Sedition and waging War against India
• India has seen many cases of treason,
terrorism and seditious activities.
• It is in fact the most vulnerable state for
such crimes.
Judicial observations related to Death
Penalty
The Supreme Court has always said that the
death sentence should be given rarely.
Judgments against:
(a) Mithu vs State of Punjab (1983):
• The Supreme Court ruled that the mandatory
death penalty is unconstitutional.
• It struck down Section 303 in the IPC, which
entailed a mandatory death sentence for a
person who commits murder while serving a
life term in another case.
• The Supreme Court ruled Section 303
violated Articles 14 (right to equality) and
21 (right to life) since an unreasonable
distinction was sought to be made between
two classes of murders.
(b) State of Punjab vs Dalbir Singh (2012):
• Similarly, the Supreme Court ruled that
mandatory death penalty as punishment for
crimes under Section 27 (3) of the Arms Act,
1959, was unconstitutional.
(c) Channulal Verma vs State of
Chhattisgarh (2018):
• In Channulal, the Supreme Court, through
Justice Kurian Joseph noted that the
time was appropriate to review the
constitutionality of the death penalty and
take into consideration reformative aspects of
punishment
Judgments in favour:
• In Jagmohan Singh vs State of UP (1973),
then in Rajendra Prasad vs State of UP
(1979), and finally in Bachan Singh vs
State of Punjab (1980) the Supreme Court
affirmed the constitutional validity of the
death penalty.
• It said that if capital punishment is provided
in the law and the procedure is a fair, just and
reasonable one, the death sentence can be
awarded to a convict.
• This will, however, only be in the rarest of
rare cases, and the courts should render
special reasons while sending a person to
the gallows.
Avenues available to a Death-Row Convict
• Confirmation by HC: After a trial court
awards the death penalty, the sentence must
be confirmed by a High Court. The sentence
cannot be executed till the time the High
Court confirms it, either after deciding the
appeal filed by the convict, or until the period
allowed for preferring an appeal has expired.
• Review Petition: If the High Court confirms
the death penalty and it is also upheld by
the Supreme Court, a convict can file a
review petition.
• Curative Petition: If the review petition
is rejected, the convict can file a curative
petition for reconsideration of the judgment.
• Mercy Petition: Under Article 72 of the
Indian Constitution, the President shall
have the power to grant pardons, reprieves,
respites, or remissions of punishments or to
suspend, remit or commute the sentence of
any convicted person.
Debate over Death Penalty
Arguments in favor:
• F orfeiture of life: Supporters of the death
penalty believe that those who commit
murder, because they have taken the life of
another, have forfeited their own right to life.
• M
 oral indignation of the victim: It is a just
form of retribution, expressing and reinforcing
the moral indignation not only of the
victims relatives but of law-abiding citizens
in general.
• H
 ighest form of Justice: For heinous crimes
such as the Nirbhaya Gangrape Case, no
other punishment could have deterred the
will of the convicts.
• D
 eterrent against crime: Capital punishment
is often justified with the argument that by
executing convicted murderers, we will deter
would-be murderers from killing people.
• P
 roportional punishment: The guilty people
deserve to be punished in proportion to the
severity of their crime.
• P
 revailing lawlessness: The crimes we are
now witnessing cannot be addressed by
simple punishments. We are seeing horrific
attacks on women, young girls, minority
communities and Dalits etc.
• P
 revention of crime is non-existent: Despite
of stringent regulations, it is certainly visible
that some crimes can never be prevented in
our society.
Arguments against:
• E
 ye for an eye: Reformative justice is more
productive, that innocent people are often
killed in the search for retribution, and that an
eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.
• D
 eterrence is a myth: Death penalty is not
a deterrent to capital crimes state that there
is no evidence to support the claim that the
penalty is a deterrent.
ELECTORAL REFORMS IN INDIA
Donations to recognised
Political Parties come
under EC lens
Polity | GS2: Representation Of People’s Act
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : NA
Mains level : Issues with Political Funding
The Election Commissions ongoing drive to
clean up the electoral space has now gone
beyond RUPPs (registered unrecognised
political parties
• P
 olitical tool of suppression: The authorities
in some countries, for example Iran and
Sudan, use the death penalty to punish
political opponents.
• R
 everence for life principle: Death penalty is
an immoral punishment since humans should
not kill other humans, no matter the reasons,
because killing is killing.
• S
 tigma against killing: With the introduction
of lethal injection as execution method,
medical professionals participate in
executions. Many professionals have now
refused to administer such deaths.
• S
 kewed justice systems: In many cases
recorded by Amnesty International, people
were executed after being convicted in
grossly unfair trials, on the basis of torture-
tainted evidence and with inadequate legal
representation.
• D
 iscriminatory nature: The weight of the
death penalty is disproportionally carried by
those with less advantaged socio-economic
backgrounds or belonging to a racial, ethnic
or religious minority.
• P
 enalizing the innocents: The risk of
executing the innocent precludes the use of
the death penalty. Our colonial history has
witnessed many such executions.
Other issues with such executions
(a) Socio-Economic Factors
• T
 he recent statistics shows that the death
row prisoners in India are more from the
backward classes of the society.
• T
 he death row prisoners belong to backward
classes and religious minorities and the
majority of convicts families are living in
adjunct poverty.
https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/vacant-
offices-unaware-office-bearers-curious-case-of-
delisted-parties/) to cover recognised national
and State parties.
• These people who are backward both in
economic and social respects, are not in a
position to here expensive lawyers and get
proper representation in the Court.
(b) Delayed Execution
• The law provides for a long process before
the execution of the convicts actually
takes place.
• The unexplained delay in execution can be
a ground for commutation of death penalty,
and an inmate, his or her kin, or even a
public-spirited citizen could file a writ petition
seeking such commutation.
• Their trials are often cruelly forced to endure
long periods of uncertainty about their fate.
Way forward: Law Commission
recommendations on death penalty
The Law Commission of India in its 262nd
Report (August 2015) recommended that:
• Death penalty be abolished for all crimes
other than terrorism related offences and
waging war.
• Measures such as police reforms, witness
protection scheme and victim compensation
scheme should be taken up expeditiously by
the government.
• It felt that time has come for India to move
towards abolition of the death penalty.
However the concern is often raised that
abolition of death penalty for terrorism-
related offences and waging war, will affect
national security.
Further, the Commission sincerely hopes that
the movement towards absolute abolition will
be swift and irreversible
What is Political Funding?
• Political Funding implies the methods that
political parties use to raise funds to finance
their campaign and routine activities.
• A political party needs money to pitch itself,
its objectives, and its intended actions to
get votes for itself. (Referencehttp://www.
drbrambedkarcollege.ac.in/sites/default/
files/UNIT-2_PART-5_CORPORATE%20
FUNDING%20OF%20POLITICAL%20
PARTIES.pdf)
Why need political funding?
• Across the world, political parties need
access to money in order to reach out to the
electorate, explain their policies and receive
inputs from people.
• And in order to do the same, parties resort to
political party funding.
www.civilsdaily.com 75
Generally who makes these funding?
• I ndividuals: One of the primary sources of
this funding is voluntary contributions made
by individuals.
• C orporates: Besides this, corporates pay
hefty donations to parties in different forms.
• F oreign aid: This is yet another source but
highly controversial.
Statutory Provisions
• S
 ection 29B of the Representation of the
People Act (RPA) entitles parties to accept
voluntary contributions by any person or
company, except a Government Company.
• S
 ection 29C of the RPA mandates political
parties to declare donations that exceed
20,000 rupees. Such a declaration is made
by making a report and submitting the same
to the EC. Failure to do so on time disentitles
a party from tax relief under the Income Tax
Act, 1961.
Methods used by Indian Political Parties
1. Individual Persons: Section 29B of RPA
allows political parties to receive donations
from individual persons.
1. State/Public Funding: Here, the
government provides funds to parties for
election related purposes. State Funding is of
two types:
• D irect Funding: The government provides
funds directly to the political parties. Direct
funding by tax is prohibited in India.
• I ndirect Funding: It includes other methods
except direct funding, like free access to
media, free access to public places for rallies,
free or subsidized transport facilities. It is
allowed in India in a regulated manner.
1. Corporate Funding: In India, donations
by corporate bodies are governed under the
Companies Act, 2013. Section 182 of the Act
provides that:
• A company needs to be at least three years
old to be able to donate to a political party.
• C ompanies can donate up to 7.5% of average
net profits made during three simultaneous
preceding financial years. (Now removed
after Finance Act, 2017)
76 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• S
 uch contributions must be disclosed in the
companys profit and loss account. (Removed)
1. Electoral Trusts: A non-profit company
created in India for orderly receipt of voluntary
contributions from any person like an individual
or a domestic company.
• A
 ccording to the Election Commission
Guidelines, all electoral trusts formed after
January 2013 are required to declare details
of the money received and disbursed.
• T
 he Central Government rules mandate
these firms to donate 95% of their total
income to registered political parties in a
financial year.
Issues with Political Funding
• M oney laundering: One of the biggest
disadvantages of the corporate funding is the
use of fake companies to route black money.
• I nfluence of contributor: Influence of people
and companies over political parties to which
they provide funds.
• E lection malpractices: There are various
gaps in Indian rules, the benefit of which
political parties take to avoid any kind of
reporting.
• M
 oney politics: Hidden sources of funding
lead to more spending of funds in election
campaigns, thus impacting the economy of
the country.
Recent steps taken
• F CRA Reforms: In March, 2018, the
government passed a key amendment to the
Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 2010
allowing foreign companies to fund political
parties in India.
• E
 lectoral Bonds Schemes: The government
notified the Electoral Bond Scheme on 2nd
January, 2018 to establish and cleanse the
system of political funding in the country.
What is Electoral Bond Scheme?
• A n electoral bond is a bearer instrument like
a Promissory Note.
• It can be purchased by any citizen of India or
a body incorporated in India to donate to the
political party of their choice.
• Donors name is not there on the bond.
• These bonds can be used for making
donations to the political parties registered
under Section 29A of the RP Act, 1951.
• The party should have secured not less
than one per cent of the votes polled in the
last general election to the Lok Sabha or a
Legislative Assembly.
Issues with the scheme
• Opaque funding: While the identity of
the donor is captured, it is not revealed to
the party or public. So transparency is not
enhanced for the voter.
• No IT break: Also income tax breaks may
not be available for donations through
electoral bonds.This pushes the donor to
choose between remaining anonymous and
saving on taxes.
• No anonymity for donors: The privacy of the
donor is compromised as the bank will know
their identity.
• Differential benefits: These bonds will
help any party that is in power because the
government can know who donated what
money and to whom.
Way forward
Former Chief Election Commissioner SY
Quraishi has suggested an alternative worth
exploring:
• ANational Electoral Fundto which all donors
can contribute.
• The funds would be allocated to political
parties in proportion to the votes they get.
• Not only would this protect the identity of
donors, it would also weed out black money
from political funding.
• There can be a tax benefit for those who
donate to the fund.
Try this question from our AWE Initiative
https://www.civilsdaily.com/mains/q-2-examine-
the-issues-with-political-funding-in-india-how-
far-has-the-introduction-of-electoral-bonds-
succeeded-in-dealing-with-the-issues-with-
political-funding-10-marks/
PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE : IMPORTANT UPDATES
Ratan Tata, KT Thomas
appointed trustees
of PM CARES
Polity | GS2: Laws, Institutions & Bodies Constituted For The Vulnerable Sections
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : PM CARES
Mains level : Issues with PM CARES
The Union government has appointed veteran
industrialist Ratan Tata, former Supreme Court
judge K.T. Thomas, and former Lok Sabha
Deputy Speaker Kariya Munda as trustees of
the PM CARES Fund.
PM CARES Fund
• T
 he PM CARES Fund was created on
28 March 2020 following the COVID-19
pandemic in India.
• T
 he fund will be used for combat,
containment and relief efforts against the
coronavirus outbreak and similar pandemic
like situations in the future.
• T
 he PM is the chairman of the trust.
Members will include the defence, home and
finance ministers.
• T
 he fund will also enable micro-donations.
The minimum donation accepted is
10 (14 US).
Some intriguing facts about PM-CARES
fund
• P
 M CARES has been created not by law, not
by notification, but by the mere creation of
a webpage, and set up last year in March
to raise funds for those affected by the
COVID-19 pandemic.
• T
 he page lists its structure, functions and
duties in an arbitrary manner.
• T
 he official appeals for funds are made under
the national emblem.
• T
 he most significant lie of this sworn
statement is that the Government has no
control over the Fund.
The other funds
(1) National Disaster Response Fund
(NDRF)
• T
 he statutorily constituted NDRF was
established under the Disaster Management
(DM) Act of 2005.
• T
 he NDRF is mandated to be accountable,
and answerable under the RTI Act, being
a public authority, and auditable by the
Comptroller and Auditor General of India.
(2) Disaster Response Fund
• T he DM Act also provided for a Disaster
Response Fund state and district level funds
(besides the national level).
• It also collects and uses the donations at the
local level, with mandatory transparency and
audit provisions.
(3) Prime Ministers National Relief Fund
• T
 here is the PMNRF operative since the
days of Jawaharlal Nehru. It was established
with public contributions to assist displaced
persons from Pakistan.
• T
 he resources are now utilised primarily to
render immediate relief to families of those
killed in natural calamities and to the victims
of the major accidents and riots.
• H
 owever, it has the President of India and the
Leader of Opposition also as trustees.
Issues over PM-CARES Fund
• N
 o defined purpose: It is deliberately ignored
while a new, controversial, unanswerable,
and non-accountable vehicle is created; its
character is not spelt out till today.
• N
 on-accountable: The government seems
to consider statutory provisions for enquiry
and information seeking to be embarrassing
obstacles.
• C
 entralization of donations: It centralises the
collection of donations and its utility, which
is not only against the federal character but
also practically inconvenient. The issue is
seeming, the trusteeship of the fund.
Questions and gaps
• L aw/statute: The PM CARES Fund was
neither created by the Constitution of India
nor by any statute.
• A uthority: If that is the case, under what
authority does it use the designation of the
Prime Minister, designated symbols of the
nation, the tricolour and the official (gov.
in) website of the PMO, and grant tax
concessions through an ordinance.
• Collection and dispensation: The amount
received by the Fund does not go to the
Consolidated Fund of India. If it goes to the
CFI, it could have been audited by the CAG.
• Uncontrolled: The This Trust is neither
intended to be or is in fact owned,
controlled or substantially financed by any
instrumentality of the any govt even being
chaired by the PM.
Issue over tax benefits
• Income tax: An ordinance was promulgated
to amend Income Tax Act, 1961 and declare
that the donations to the PM CARES Fund
would qualify for 80G benefits for 100%
exemption.
• CSR Funds: It will also qualify to be counted
as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
expenditure under the Companies Act, 2013.
• Foreign donations: It has also got exemption
under the FCRA [Foreign Contribution
Regulation Act] and a separate account for
receiving foreign donations has been opened.
What can be inferred from all these?
• The Centre now considers it as another
obstacle and has created a new trust with the
Prime Minister and his Ministers only.
• The manner in which the PM CARES Fund
was set up with its acronym created to
publicise the point that the PM cares for
people shows a bypassing of the statutory
obligations of a public authority.
Query and response: Again ironical
• After initial denials, the Government has
conceded it to be a public charitable trust,
but still maintains that it is not a public
authority.
• The point is that the PMO operates the Fund,
but says it cannot supply any information
about the PM CARES Fund because it is not a
public authority.
Severe interpretations: Is it an Office of
Profit?
• If the PM CARES Fund is unconnected
with the Government, then the Fund could
become an office of profit.
Conclusion
• In order to uphold transparency, the PM
CARES Fund should be declared as a Public
Authority under the RTI Act, and all RTI
queries answered truthfully.
• The fund should be designated as a public
authority under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act.
www.civilsdaily.com 77
POLICE REFORMS - SC DIRECTIVES, NPC, OTHER COMMITTEES REPORTS
Rules for Identifying
Criminals now notified
Polity | GS2: Indian Constitution - historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments,
significant provisions and basic structure
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : NA
Mains level : Read the attached story
On September 19, the Ministry of Home
Affairs (MHA) notified the rules governing
The Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act,
2022. The Act was passed in March by the
Parliament.
Why in news?
• U
 ntil rules are notified, an Act cannot be
implemented or come into force.
• T
 he legislation would enable police and
central investigating agencies to collect,
store and analyse physical and biological
samples including retina and iris scan of
arrested persons.
What is the Criminal Procedure
(Identification) Act, 2022?
Ans. It is about critical measurements of
Criminals.
78 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• T
 his act provides legal sanction to
law enforcement agencies for taking
measurements of convicts and other persons
for the purposes of identification and
investigation of criminal matters.
• T
 he Minister of Home Affairs has observed
that with advancements in forensics, there
was a need to recognise more kinds of
measurements that can be used by law
enforcement agencies for investigation.
What is the use of identification details in
criminal trials?
• M
 easurements and photographs for
identification have three main purposes:
1. To establish the identity of the culprit
against the person being arrested
2. To identify suspected repetition of similar
offences by the same person and third
3. To establish a previous conviction
What was the previous Identification of
Prisoners Act, 1920 about?
• Even though the police has powers of arrest,
mere arrest does not give Police the right to
search a person.
• The police requires legal sanction to search
the person and collect evidence.
• These legal sanctions are designed so as to
maintain a balance between the rights of
an individual and the interests of society in
prosecution and prevention of offences.
• The Identification of Prisoners Act, 1920
became a necessity when the recording
of newer forms of evidence such as
fingerprints, footprints and measurements
started becoming more accurate and reliable.
What was the need to replace this Act?
Ans. Changing nature of Crime
• Over the years, the need to amend/update
the Identification of Prisoners Act, 1920 has
been voiced several times.
• In 1980, the 87th Report of the Law
Commission of India undertook a review
of this legislation and recommended several
amendments.
• This was done in the backdrop of the State
of UP vs. Ram Babu Misra case, where the
Supreme Court had highlighted the need for
amending this law.
• The first set of recommendations laid out
the need to amend the Act to expand the
scope of measurements to include palm
impressions, specimen of signature or
writing and specimen of voice.
• The second set of recommendations raised
the need of allowing measurements
to be taken for proceedings other
than those under the Code of Criminal
Procedure (CrPC).
What are the main highlights and
differences in both the legislations?
• Both provide legal sanction: Like the
1920 Law, the new Criminal Procedure
(Identification) Act, 2022 provides for legal
sanction to law enforcement agencies for the
collection of measurements.
• Creating usable database of evidences: The
purpose is to create a useable database of
these measurements.
• Notifying designated state agencies: At the
State level, each State is required to notify an
appropriate agency to collect and preserve
this database of measurements.
• NCRB at centre stage: At the national level,
the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)
is the designated agency to manage, process,
share and disseminate the records collected
at the State level.
What are some of the concerns with the
present legislation?
• S triking a balance: The new legislation
has raised some concerns related to the
protection of fundamental rights.
• U nresolved right to Privacy debate: The
legislation comes in the backdrop of the
right to privacy being recognized as a
fundamental right.
• T he notion of physical privacy: A
fundamental facet of the right to privacy
is protected from the invasion of ones
physical privacy.
• J ustifying necessity: As per the Puttaswamy
judgment, there is a need for the measure
to be taken in pursuance of a legitimate aim
of the state, be backed by the law, and be
necessary and proportionate to the aim being
sought to be achieved.
(1) Various tests behind
• In this case, while the first two tests are
satisfied, as:
1. prevention and investigation of crime is a
legitimate aim of the state
2. measurements are being taken under a
valid legislation,
• S atisfaction of the third test of necessity
and proportionality has been challenged on
multiple counts.
JUDICIAL REFORMS
Live Streaming of SC
proceedings: the rationale
and the concerns
Polity | GS2: Executive & Judiciary
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : NA
Mains level : Live streaming of courts proceedings
From September 27 onward, all proceedings of
Supreme Court Constitution Benches will be
live-streamed, a full court meeting of the top
court has decided.
(2) A probable police state in making
• A
 nalysis and measurement of behavioural
attributes have raised concerns that data
processing may go beyond recording of core
measurements.
• T
 hat is some of these measurements could
be processed for predictive policing.
(3) Includes petty offences
• T
 he current law allows for measurements
to be taken if a person has been convicted/
arrested for any offence, including
petty offences.
• T
 he necessity of taking measurements of
such persons for investigation of offences is
unclear, and such discretion is likely to result
in abuse of the law at lower levels.
• T
 his would definitely overburden the systems
used for collection and storage of these
measurements.
(4) Period of storage of data
• G
 iven that these records will be stored for 75
years from the time of collection, the law has
been criticised as being disproportionate.
(5) Surveillance state
• S
 uch collection can also result in mass
surveillance, with the database under this law
being combined with other databases such
as those of the Crime and Criminal Tracking
Network and Systems (CCTNS).
Background of the move
• H istory was made on August 26 (2022)
when the proceedings from the Chief Justices
Court in the Supreme Court (SC) were
live streamed.
• In the Swapnil Tripathi judgment, in
September 2018, the SC had cleared the deck
for live streaming of cases of national and
constitutional importance.
Immediate triggers for live streaming
• T
 hey had agreed to hear a public interest
litigation seeking live streaming of judicial
proceedings on matters of constitutional
and national importance.
(6) Promotes self-incrimination
• Concerns are being raised that the present
law violates the right against self-
incrimination enshrined in Article 20(3) of
the Constitution of India.
• However, this argument is nebulous since the
Supreme Court has already settled this point.
• In the State of Bombay vs Kathi Kalu Oghad,
the Supreme Court had conclusively held
that non-communicative evidence i.e.
evidence which does not convey information
within the personal knowledge of the
accused cannot be understood to be leading
to self-incrimination.
• Therefore, no challenge lies to the law on
this ground.
Way forward
• Extensive pre-legislative consultation is must
for any sensitive law as such.
• Privacy and data protection-related concerns
must be addressed in the Rules formulated
under the legislation and through model
Prison Manuals that States can refer to.
• Prime considerations cited are:
1. De-congestion of courts and
2. Improving physical access to courts
for litigants who have to otherwise travel
long distances
Recommended by A-G
• The Supreme Court approved a set of
guidelines suggested by the A-G, which
included allowing transcripts and archiving
the proceedings.
• However, the A-G suggested that the
court must retain the power to withhold
broadcasting, and to also NOT permit it in
cases involving:
• Matrimonial matters,
• Matters involving interests of juveniles or the
protection and safety of the private life of the
young offenders,
• Matters of National security,
• To ensure that victims, witnesses or
defendants can depose truthfully and
without any fear.
• To protect confidential or sensitive
information, including all matters relating to
sexual assault and rape,
• Matters where publicity would be antithetical
to the administration of justice, and
www.civilsdaily.com 79
• C
 ases which may provoke sentiments and
arouse passion and provoke enmity among
communities.
Live streaming in HCs
• F ollowing the SCs decision, Gujarat High
Court began live streaming its proceedings in
July 2021.
• C urrently, the Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya
Pradesh, Orissa, and Patna High Courts live
stream their proceedings.
• A llahabad High Court is learnt to be
considering doing the same.
Global examples of live streaming
• U
 nited States of America: While the US
Supreme Court has rejected pleas for
broadcast of its proceedings, it has since 1955
allowed audio recording and transcripts of
oral arguments.
• U
 nited Kingdom: In 2005, the law was
amended to remove contempt of court
charges for recording proceedings of the
Supreme Court.
Why need live streaming of court?
• I mproved accountability: Live-streaming
of court proceedings would serve as an
instrument for greater accountability
and formed part of the Code of Criminal
Procedure, 1973.
• L iving up the expectation of Constitution:
Live Streaming of Court proceedings is
manifested in public interest. Public interest
has always been preserved through the
Constitution article 19 and 21
PARLIAMENT - SESSIONS, PROCEDURES, MOTIONS, COMMITTEES ETC
In news: Attorney-
General (A-G) of India
Polity | GS2: Indian Constitution - historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments,
significant provisions and basic structure
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Attorney General
Mains level : Not Much
A senior and renowned advocate has declined
the offer from the Union government to be the
next Attorney-General (A-G) of India as the
incumbent AGI is set to retire this week.
Attorney General of India (AGI)
• T
 he AGI is the Indian governments chief
legal advisor and is a primary lawyer in the
Supreme Court of India.
• T
 hey can be said to be the advocate from the
governments side.
80 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• E
 mpowering the masses: It will enable the
legal system to deliver on its promise of
empowering the masses.
• M
 ore transparency: It will encourage
the principle of open court and reduce
dependence on second-hand views. It will
effectuate the publics right to know.
• T
 his would inspire confidence in the
functioning of the judiciary as an institution
and help maintain the respect that it
deserved as a co-equal organ of the state.
• A
 cademic help: Live streaming may also be
a help for academic purposes.
Concerns around live streaming
• C
 ontempt of court: Video clips of
proceedings from Indian courts are already
on YouTube and other social media platforms
with sensational titles and little context,
such as HIGH COURT super angry on
army officer.
• D
 isinformation and sensationalism: There
are fears that irresponsible or motivated
use of content could spread disinformation
among the public.
• U
 nnecessary activism: With the advent
of social media, every citizen became a
potential journalist. Study shows that justices
behave like politicians when given free
television time, they act to maximize their
individual exposure.
Issues to judicial functioning
• D
 ecency of questions: During hearings
judges may not ask questions or make
comments that could be perceived as
unpopular.
• T
 hey are appointed by the President of India
on the advice of Union Cabinet under Article
76(1) of the Constitution and holds office
during the pleasure of the President.
• T
 hey must be a person qualified to be
appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court
( i.e. a judge of some high court for five years
or an advocate of some high court for ten
years or an eminent jurist, in the opinion of
the President and must be a citizen of India.).
• Triggers for oral observations: There is
an increasing trend of oral observations of
the court, which are not binding on parties
replacing reasoned judgment and orders that
are consequential.
• Dignity of court may be compromised:
Similarly, lawyers, aware of their new
audience, may choose to grandstand and
play to the gallery, especially in a case they
expect to lose.
Way forward
• Selective broadcast: The solution may
lie in carefully determining how the live
streaming proceeds.
• Careful selection of cases: Not uploading
archived stream on the SC website until it is
legally/technologically possible to ensure that
such videos cannot be spliced.
• Understanding public perception and
sentiments: Other similar measures that
reflect an understanding of how the public
consumes (dis)information will ensure that
live streaming enriches constitutionalism
across the country.
Conclusion
• A hasty and wholesale introduction on
the other hand is likely to land the SC
right in the middle of the majoritarian and
toxic information swamp that prevails in
the country.
Functions and duties
• The AGI is necessary for advising the
Government of India on legal matters
referred to them.
• They also perform other legal duties assigned
to them by the President.
• The AGI has the right of audience in
all Courts in India as well as the right
to participate in the proceedings of the
Parliament, though not to vote.
• The AGI appears on behalf of the
Government of India in all cases (including
suits, appeals and other proceedings) in the
Supreme Court in which GoI is concerned.
• They also represent the Government of India
in any reference made by the President to
the Supreme Court under Article 143 of the
Constitution.
• The AG is assisted by a Solicitor General and
four Additional Solicitors General.
Powers of AG
• The AG can accept briefs but cannot appear
against the Government.
• T
 hey cannot defend an accused in criminal
proceedings and accept the directorship of
a company without the permission of the
Government.
• T
 he AG is to be consulted only in legal
matters of real importance and only after the
Ministry of Law has been consulted.
• A
 ll references to the AG are made by the
Law Ministry.
MINORITY ISSUES - SC, ST, DALITS, OBC, RESERVATIONS, ETC.
Karnataka brings law
giving Quota for Locals
Governance | GS2: India & Its Neighborhood - Relations
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : NA
Mains level : Quota for Locals
The Karnataka government recently tabled
The Kannada Language Comprehensive
Development Bill which gives preference
to Kannadigas in government jobs and also
provides for a reservation to locals in private
jobs generated in the state.
What does the Karnataka legislation
envisage?
• A part from ensuring job guarantee to
Kannada speakers, the Bill pushes for the use
of Kannada in institutes of higher learning
and for sops to industries that employ locals.
• F eatures highlighted in the Bill include
reservation in higher, technical and
professional education to those who studied
in Kannada medium schools.
• It seeks introduction of Kannada as essential
language for seeking employment in the
state government.
• A lso, industries will be entitled to
concessions, tax rebates and deferment
of taxes if they provide reservation for
Kannadigas, as per the states industrial policy.
What is Quota for Locals?
Ans. Constitutional provision for
Equal Treatment
• A
 rticle 16 of the Constitution guarantees
equal treatment under the law in matters
of public employment. It prohibits the state
from discriminating on grounds of place of
birth or residence.
• A
 rticle 16(2) states that no citizen shall, on
grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex,
descent, place of birth, residence or any
of them, be ineligible for, or discriminated
against in respect of, any employment or
office under the State.
Limitations to his powers
The AG:
• s hould not advise or hold a brief against the
Government of India
• s hould not defend accused persons in
criminal cases without the permission of the
government of India
• s hould not accept appointment as a director
in any company without the permission of
the government
• T
 he provision is supplemented by the
other clauses in the Constitution that
guarantee equality.
• H
 owever, Article 16(3) of the Constitution
provides an exception by saying that
Parliament may make a law prescribing
a requirement of residence for jobs in a
particular state.
• T
 his power vests solely in the Parliament, not
state legislatures.
Why does the Constitution prohibit
reservation based on domicile?
• W hen the Constitution came into force,
India turned itself into one nation from a
geographical unit of individual principalities
and the idea of the universality of Indian
citizenship took root.
• India has single citizenship, and it gives
citizens the liberty to move around freely in
any part of the country.
• H
 ence the requirement of a place of birth or
residence cannot be qualification for granting
public employment in any state.
But are reservations not granted on other
grounds such as caste?
• E
 quality enshrined in the Constitution is not
mathematical equality and does not mean
all citizens will be treated alike without any
distinction.
• T
 o this effect, the Constitution underlines
two distinct aspects which together form the
essence of equality law:
1. Non-discrimination among equals, and
2. Affirmative action to equalize the unequal
Office of AG across the world
• Unlike the Attorney General of the United
States, the AGI does not have any executive
authority.
• Those functions are performed by the Law
Minister of India.
• Also, the AG is not a government servant and
is not debarred from private legal practice.
Supreme Court rulings on quota for locals
• The Supreme Court has ruled against
reservation based on place of birth or
residence.
• In 1984, ruling in Dr Pradeep Jain v Union of
India, the issue of legislation for sons of the
soil was discussed.
• The court expressed an opinion that such
policies would be unconstitutional but did
not expressly rule on it as the case was on
different aspects of the right to equality.
• In a subsequent ruling in Sunanda Reddy v
State of Andhra Pradesh (1995), the Supreme
Court affirmed the observation in 1984 ruling
to strike down a state government policy that
gave 5% extra weightage to candidates.
• In 2002, the Supreme Court invalidated
appointment of government teachers in
Rajasthan in which the state selection board
gave preference to applicants belonging to
the district or the rural areas of the district
concerned.
• In 2019, the Allahabad HC struck down a
recruitment notification by the UP PSC which
prescribed preference for women who are
original residents of the UP alone.
Why it is a bad idea?
• Against Equality as well as meritocracy : It
goes against the Constitution of India. In fact,
it violates several fundamental rights, such
as freedom to move anywhere, the right not
to be discriminated on the basis of place of
birth, the right to be treated equally before
laws and the right to pursue ones livelihood.
• Migration criteria not justified : The actual
data on inter-State migration shows that
inter-State migration is relatively low in
India. Migration often bring skills, motivation,
energy which may be in short supply or
lacking locally.
• Free movement of labour : A more analytical
aspect to highlight is that free movement of
labour partly compensates for the uneven
economic progress of different States.
The idea also goes against the established
fact that migration of labour is good for
the economy.
www.civilsdaily.com 81
• U
 n-ease of doing business : Local
reservation in the private sector may
not be the ideal solution to tackle the
unemployment crisis. In fact, it can deter the
corporate sector from investing in states that
come up with such a rule.
• S
 capegoating the private sector: What
distinguishes the private sector from the
public sector is the inherent competition
and a hunger for improvement. In such a
scenario, chief ministers should do well to
engage with the private sector in a much
more holistic manner, and not burden it with
unfeasible rules.
• M
 SMEs to be hit harder: MSMEs could
be the hardest hit. They do not have the
necessary capital to relocate and many
studies have shown that more than 50
per cent of employees are not residents of
the state.
JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS CONUNDRUM POST-NJAC VERDICT
SC Collegium approves
names for appointments
in three High Courts
Polity | GS2: Executive & Judiciary
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Collegium system, NJAC
Mains level : Read the attached story
The Supreme Court Collegium led by
Chief Justice of India (CJI) U.U. Lalit has
recommended eight names for appointment to
the Bombay High Court.
What is Collegium System?
• T heCollegiumhttps://www.civilsdaily.com/
news/what-is-collegium-system/ of judges is
the Indian Supreme Courts invention.
• It does not figure in the Constitution, which
says judges of the Supreme Court and High
Courts are appointed by the President and
speaks of a process of consultation.
• In effect, it is a system under which
judges are appointed by an institution
comprising judges.
• A fter some judges were superseded in the
appointment of the CJI in the 1970s, and
attempts made subsequently to effect a
mass transfer of High Court judges across
the country.
• H ence there was a perception that the
independence of the judiciary was under
threat. This resulted in a series of cases over
the years.
82 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
Arguments in favour of quota in private
• A voiding encroachments: Often the
privileged castes (or groups) use nefarious
arguments to protect their interests.
• F oul argument of merit: Reservations once
accepted in the constitutional framework are
not a charity that is to be kept away from the
meritocracy of private operations.
• E nsuring equal opportunity: Like all other
constitutional guarantees, one may feel the
necessity to get ensured of equal opportunity
in all spaces.
• P
 reventing exclusion: Giving preference and
quotas for socially and educationally deprived
sections in the private space is, therefore, in
keeping with this fundamental tenet.
Evolution: The Judges Cases
• F irst Judges Case (1981) ruled that the
consultation with the CJI in the matter of
appointments must be full and effective.
• H owever, it rejected the idea that the CJIs
opinion, albeit carrying great weight, should
have primacy.
• S econd Judges Case (1993) introduced the
Collegium system, holding that consultation
really meant concurrence.
• It added that it was not the CJIs individual
opinion, but an institutional opinion formed
in consultation with the two senior-most
judges in the Supreme Court.
• T hird Judges Case (1998): On a Presidential
Reference for its opinion, the Supreme Court,
in the Third Judges Case (1998) expanded
the Collegium to a five-member body,
comprising the CJI and four of his senior-
most colleagues.
The procedure followed by the Collegium
Appointment of CJI
• T
 he President of India appoints the CJI and
the other SC judges.
Conclusion
• The politics of identity and polarization on
region/religious lines seems inadequate for
the elections.
• The philosophy and pragmatism of universal
excellence through equality of opportunity
for education and advancement across
the nation is part of our founding faith and
constitutional creed.
• Clearly, this is not the appropriate domain of
being vocal for local.
• Although some reservations may still be
necessary for the socio-political condition in
India, reservation on the basis of domicile
or residence within a State would be highly
discriminatory.
• It is more likely that such politically motivated
steps would be overturned by the judiciary as
has been done several times in the past.
• As far as the CJI is concerned, the outgoing
CJI recommends his successor.
• In practice, it has been strictly by seniority
ever since the supersession controversy of
the 1970s.
• The Union Law Minister forwards the
recommendation to the PM who, in turn,
advises the President.
Other SC Judges
• For other judges of the top court, the
proposal is initiated by the CJI.
• The CJI consults the rest of the Collegium
members, as well as the senior-most judge
of the court hailing from the High Court to
which the recommended person belongs.
• The consultees must record their opinions in
writing and it should form part of the file.
• The Collegium sends the recommendation
to the Law Minister, who forwards it to the
Prime Minister to advise the President.
For High Courts
• The CJs of High Courts are appointed as
per the policy of having Chief Justices from
outside the respective States. The Collegium
takes the call on the elevation.
• High Court judges are recommended by
a Collegium comprising the CJI and two
senior-most judges.
• The proposal, however, is initiated by the
Chief Justice of the High Court concerned
in consultation with two senior-most
colleagues.
• The recommendation is sent to the Chief
Minister, who advises the Governor to send
the proposal to the Union Law Minister.
Does the Collegium recommend transfers
too?
• Y es, the Collegium also recommends the
transfer of Chief Justices and other judges.
• A rticle 222 of the Constitution provides for
the transfer of a judge from one High Court
to another.
• W hen a CJ is transferred, a replacement must
also be simultaneously found for the High
Court concerned. There can be an acting CJ
in a High Court for not more than a month.
• In matters of transfers, the opinion of the CJI
is determinative, and the consent of the judge
concerned is not required.
• H owever, the CJI should take into account
the views of the CJ of the High Court
concerned and the views of one or more SC
judges who are in a position to do so.
NORTH-EAST INDIA - SECURITY AND DEVELOPMENTAL ISSUES
Naga team continues
talks on Constitution
Polity | GS2: Federalism
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : NA
Mains level : Naga Peace Process
The Government of India is ready to
incorporate the Yehzabo, the Naga
Constitution, into the Indian Constitution
and has agreed for a civil and cultural flag for
the Nagas.
Who are the Naga?
• T
 he term Naga was created by the British
for administrative convenience to refer to
a group of tribes with similar origins but
distinct cultures, dialects, and customs.
• T
 he Naga tribes are accumulated in
Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur,
and Myanmar.
Why in news?
• N
 aga separatistshttps://www.civilsdaily.com/
burning-issue-naga-peace-talks/ group has
timely reiterated that the Naga National
flag and Yehzabo (Constitution) are non-
negotiable issues.
Has the GoI agreed to this?
 he Centre is clear that there cannot be two
• T
Constitutions and two flags in the country.
• T
 he Yehzabo will be incorporated into the
Indian Constitution by presenting a Bill in
Parliament.
• A
 s far as flag is concerned, it will only be used
for civil and cultural functions, but not in any
government function.
• A
 ll transfers must be made in the public
interest, that is, for the betterment of the
administration of justice.
Loopholes in the Collegium system
• L ack of Transparency: Opaqueness and
a lack of transparency, and the scope for
nepotism are cited often.
• J udges appointing Judge: The attempt
made to replace it with a National Judicial
Appointments Commission was struck down
by the court in 2015 on the ground that it
posed a threat to the independence of the
judiciary.
• C
 riteria: Some do not believe in full
disclosure of reasons for transfers, as it may
make lawyers in the destination court chary
of the transferred judge.
Why did the Naga insurgency begin?
• Residing in the Naga Hills of Assam during
the advent of the British and the annexation
of Assam in 1820, the Nagas did not consider
themselves a part of British India.
• The British adopted a way of governance
over the Nagas that involved keeping in
place their traditional ways of life, customs,
and laws while putting British administrators
at the top.
• At the time of the withdrawal of the British,
insecurity grew among the Naga tribes about
the future of their cultural autonomy after
India’s independence.
• This was accompanied by the fear of the
entry of plains people or outsiders into their
territory.
Do you know?
In a memorandum to the Simon Commission
in 1929, representatives of Naga tribes
demanded that Nagas be left free after
Independence and not be included in the
Indian Union.
Collective actions of the Nagas
• A
 bove mentioned factors gave rise to the
formation of the Naga Hills District Tribal
Council in 1945, which was renamed the
Naga National Council (NNC) in 1946.
Way ahead
• In respect of appointments, there has
been an acknowledgment that the zone of
consideration must be expanded to avoid
criticism that many appointees hail from
families of retired judges.
• The status of a proposed new memorandum
of procedure, to infuse greater accountability,
is also unclear.
• Even the majority opinions admitted the need
for transparency, now Collegiums resolutions
are now posted online, but reasons are
not given.
• A mid uncertainties over the post-
independence future of the Nagas, a section
of the NNC, led by Naga leader A.Z. Phizo
declared the independence of the Nagas on
August 14, 1947.
• The underground insurgency began in the
early 1950s when Mr. Phizo founded the
Naga Federal Government (NFG) and its
armed wing, the Naga Federal Army (NFA).
Outcome of the then insurgency
• The Central Government sent the armed
forces into Naga areas to curb the
insurgency.
• It imposed the contentious Armed Forces
Special Powers Act (AFSPA) which is still in
place in parts of Nagaland.
• The Nagas, led by Mr. Phizo, demanding an
independent state outside of India, boycotted
the 1952 and 1957 general elections and
armed clashes grew.
• Unlike other groups in the north east which
were accepting some form of autonomy
under the Constitution, Nagas rejected this in
favour of sovereignty.
Negotiations with the govt
• Some leaders among the NNC formed their
own group to hold discussions with the
government, leading to the formation of the
State of Nagaland in 1963.
• This, however, did not satisfy many in
the NNC and NFG, who, following years
of negotiations with the government,
eventually signed the Shillong Accord of 1975,
agreeing to surrender arms and accept the
Constitution.
When did the NSCN come into the picture?
• This signing of the Shillong Accord was not
agreeable with many top leaders of the
NNC and those operating from Myanmar.
www.civilsdaily.com 83
  /c to them, the agreement did not address
• A
the issue of Naga sovereignty and coerced
them to accept the Constitution.
 hree NNC rebel leaders, formed the
• T
National Socialist Council Of Nagaland
(NSCN) to continue the armed movement
for independence.
Again split in NSCN
• In 1988, after years of infighting and violent
clashes along tribal lines and over the main
cause of the movement, the NSCN split into
two factions.
• O ne, led by Mr. Muiwah and Swu called the
NSCN-IM and the other, led by Mr. Khaplang
called the NSCN-K.
• T he NSCN-IM demanded and continues to
demand for Greater Nagaland or Nagalim.
• It wants to extend Nagalands borders by
including Naga-dominated areas in the
neighbouring States of Assam, Manipur and
Arunachal Pradesh.
MINORITY ISSUES - SC, ST, DALITS, OBC, RESERVATIONS, ETC.
Supreme Court’s Three-
Question Test for Validity
of 10% EWS quota
Polity | GS2: Indian Constitution - historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments,
significant provisions and basic structure
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : EWS Quota, 103rd Amendment
Mains level : Read the attached story
The Supreme Court will today examine
whether The Constitution (103rd Amendment)
Act, which introduced a 10 per cent quota
for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) in
government jobs and admissions, violates the
basic structure of the Constitution.
https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/economically-
weaker-sections-ews-as-defined-by-govt-
panel/ What is the news?
• T
 he Constitution Bench has decided to
examine three key issues to ascertain the
validity of the amendment.
• T
 he challenge to the EWS quota was referred
to a five-judge Bench in August 2020.
EWS Quota: A backgrounder
• T
 he 10% reservation was introduced through
the 103rd Constitution Amendment and
enforced in January 2019.
84 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• T
 he NSCN-IM has now grown to become
the most powerful insurgent group, also
playing a role in the creation of smaller
groups in other States.
Where do the peace talks stand now?
• In 1997, the Government of India got the
NSCN-IM to sign a ceasefire agreement to
begin the holding of talks with the aim of
signing a Naga Peace Accord.
• A
 fter this ceasefire, there have been over a
hundred rounds of talks spanning over 24
years between the Centre and the insurgent
group, while a solution is still awaited.
Issues of contention
• I ndependence celebration: Nagas
across Nagaland, Manipur, Assam and
Arunachal Pradesh celebrate August 14
as Independence Day. According to Naga
• It added Clause (6) to Article 15 to empower
the Government to introduce special
provisions for the EWS among citizens
except those in the classes that already enjoy
reservation.
• It allows reservation in educational
institutions, both public and private,
whether aided or unaided, excluding
those run by minority institutions, up to a
maximum of 10%.
• It also added Clause (6) to Article 16 to
facilitate reservation in employment.
• T
 he new clauses make it clear that the EWS
reservation will be in addition to the existing
reservation.
EWS quota: What are the issues fixed by
the Supreme Court?
Attorney General K K Venugopal had
draftedfour issues related to Basic Structure
https://www.civilsdaily.com/mains/
the-basic-structure-and-essential-
feature-govern-now-the-political-and-
historians, Gandhi agreed that the Nagas
would celebrate their independence a day
ahead of India, on August 14, 1947.
• Naga flag: In the Naga narrative, passed
down generations by word of mouth, the
Naga flag was not designed by a mortal but
is of divine origin.
• Secessionist tendencies: A large section
of the Nagas still holds dear the idea of the
Naga identity and their tribal roots.
Way ahead
• The Naga struggle claimed thousands of
lives over decades and devastated countless
homes, all over the idea of a sovereign
Naga nation.
• If the NSCN (I-M) accedes to economic and
political packages alone, without a separate
flag and constitution, it remains to be seen
whether it will be seen as a solution, or
as a defeat.
juristic-destiny-of-indian-constitutional-
development-comment-10-marks/ for the
consideration of the Bench. On September 8,
the court decided to take up three of them:
1. Whether the 103rd Constitution
Amendment can be said to breach the basic
structure of the Constitution by permitting the
state to make special provisions, including
reservation, based on economic criteria ;
2. Whether the amendment can be said to
breach the basic structure by permitting the
state to make special provisions in relation to
admission to private unaided institutions
3. Whether the basic structure is violated by
excluding the SEBCs (Socially and Educationally
Backward Classes)/ OBCs (Other Backward
Classes)/ SCs (Scheduled Castes)/ STs
(Scheduled Tribes) from the scope of EWS
reservation.
What is the 103rd Amendment?
• The 103rd Amendment inserted Articles
15(6) and 16(6) in the Constitution to provide
up to 10 per cent reservation to EWS other
than backward classes, SCs, and STs in
higher educational institutions and initial
recruitment in government jobs.
• The amendment empowered state
governments to provide reservation on the
basis of economic backwardness.
• Article 15 prohibits discrimination on grounds
of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth.
• Article 16 guarantees equal opportunity in
matters of public employment.
• The additional clauses gave Parliament the
power to make special laws for EWS like it
does for SCs, STs, and OBCs.
Basis of EWS reservation: Sinho
Commission
• T he EWS reservation was granted based
on the recommendations of a commission
headed by Major General (retd) S R Sinho.
• T he commission, which was constituted
in March 2005 by the UPA government,
submitted its report in July 2010.
• It recommended that all below-poverty-line
(BPL) families within the general category
and also all families whose annual family
income from all sources is below the
taxable limit, should be identified as EBCs
(economically backward classes).
How is EWS status determined under the
law?
• T
 he EWS criteria for employment and
admission was notified on January 31, 2019
by the Department of Personnel and Training
(DoPT) based on the 103rd Amendment.
• U
 nder the 2019 notification:
1. A person who was not covered under
the scheme of reservation for SCs, STs,
and OBCs, and
2. Whose family had a gross annual income
below Rs 8 lakh, was to be identified as EWS
for the benefit of reservation.
• T
 he notification specified what constituted
income, and excluded some persons from
the EWS category if their families possessed
certain specified assets.
Debate over the criteria
• In October 2021, the Supreme Court asked
the government how the threshold of Rs 8
lakh had been reached.
 he Centre told the court that it would revisit
• T
the income criterion, and set up a three-
member panel for this purpose.
ELECTORAL REFORMS IN INDIA
Revisiting the S.
Subramaniam Balaji vs.
Tamil Nadu Judgment
Polity | GS2: Representation Of People’s Act
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : S. Subramaniam Balaji vs. Tamil Nadu Judgment
Mains level : Not Much
The Supreme Court has referred to a three-
judge Bench a series of petitions seeking a
judicial direction that political parties who make
wild promises should also reveal in their poll
manifestos where they will get the money to
pay for them. The reference is a shift from the
courts own stand in the S. Subramaniam Balaji
vs Tamil Nadu judgment of 2013.
• In January this year, the government
accepted the committees report, which said
that the threshold of Rs 8 lakh of annual
family income seems reasonable for
determining EWS and may be retained.
• H owever, the committee said, EWS may
exclude, irrespective of income, a person
whose family has 5 acres of agricultural land
and above.
• A
 lso, the committee recommended, the
residential asset criteria may altogether
be removed.
What is the basis of the challenge to the
amendment?
(1) Vagueness of Basic Structure
• T
 he primary argument in this case is that the
amendment violates the basic structure of
the Constitution.
 lthough there is no clear definition of
• A
basic structure, any law that violates it is
understood to be unconstitutional.
(2) Burden of Proof
 hen a law is challenged, the burden of
• W
proving it is unconstitutional lies on the
petitioners.
(3) Sole economic criteria
• T
 he 103rd Amendment departs from this by
promising special protections on the sole
basis of economic status.
(4) Violating 50% cap
• T
 he petitioners have also challenged the
amendment on the ground that it violates
the Supreme Courts 1992 ruling in Indra
Sawhney & Ors v Union of India.
 his has upheld the Mandal report and
• T
capped reservations at 50 per cent.
Hefty promises: A no lesser corrupt practice
• In the Balaji case judgment, a Division Bench
of the Supreme Court had held that making
promises in election manifestos do not
amount to a corrupt practice under Section
123 of the Representation of People Act (RP).
• The court had held that economic
backwardness cannot be the sole criterion
for identifying a backward class.
(5) Rights of educational institutions
• Another challenge is on behalf of private,
unaided educational institutions.
• They have argued that their fundamental
right to practise a trade/ profession is violated
when the state compels them to implement
its reservation policy and admit students on
any criteria other than merit.
What has been the governments stand in
this matter so far?
• In counter-affidavits, the govt has said that
the state has a duty to protect the interests
of economically weaker sections.
• Against the argument of violation of the
basic structure, the government said that the
very identity of the Constitution has NOT
been altered.
• On the Indra Sawhney principle, the
government has relied on the SCs 2008
ruling in Ashoka Kumar Thakur v Union of
India, in which the court upheld the 27 per
cent quota for OBCs.
• The argument is that the co urt accepted
that the definition of OBCs was not made
on the sole criterion of caste but a mix of
caste and economic factors ; thus, there
need not be a sole criterion for according
reservation.
• However, the Supreme Court is now worried
that freebies promised by political parties
to win elections could bleed the public
exchequer dry.
• The Court said that parties who form the
government riding the wave created by their
pre-poll promises of free gifts are bleeding
the State finances dry.
• Parties actually try to fulfil their outlandish
promises using public money.
The Supreme Court has therefore decided to
revisit the Balaji verdict.
What triggered the Balaji case?
• The course of events started in 2006, during
the run-up to the Tamil Nadu Assembly
elections.
• A party released its election manifesto
announcing a scheme of free distribution
of colour television sets (CTVs) to each and
every household if voted to power.
www.civilsdaily.com 85
• T he party swept to power in the polls
and decided to implement its scheme and
portioned off 750 crore from the budget for
the project.
• T he government finally distributed 30,000 TV
sets across the State.
• In 2011, the rival party also announced its
election manifesto with free gifts to equalise
the gifts offered.
• It promised grinders, mixies, electric fans,
laptop computers, four gram gold thalis,
a cheque of 50,000 for womens marriage,
green houses, 20 kg of rice to ration card
holders and free cattle and sheep.
The Balaji case
• B
 alaji, a resident of Tamil Nadu, challenged
the schemes introduced by the parties in the
Madras High Court.
 e said that the expenditure was incurred
• H
by the State from the exchequer.
 his was unauthorised, impermissible and
• T
ultra vires the constitutional mandates.
 he High Court dismissed his case,
• T
following which he had moved the
apex court.
How did the case play out?
 alaji argued that the State cannot act
• B
in furtherance of eccentric principles of
socialistic philanthropy.
 e argued that the promises of free
• H
distribution of non-essential commodities
in an election manifesto amounts to electoral
bribe under Section 123 of the RP Act.
POLICE REFORMS - SC DIRECTIVES, NPC, OTHER COMMITTEES REPORTS
Explained: Bail for Women
Polity | GS2: Executive & Judiciary
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Bails
Mains level : Different bail provisions
An activist recently walked out of a prison,
a day after the Supreme Court granted
herinterim bail in a case of allegedly fabricating
evidence related to the 2002 Gujarat riots.
https://www.civilsdaily.com/mudda-aapka-
supreme-court-suggests-bail-act/
Here we get to know that bail laws in India
are not gender neutral. They somewhat favor
women due to certain disprivileged social
backgrounds.
What is Bail?
• B
 ail is the conditional release of a defendant
with the promise to appear in court
when required.
86 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• M
 oney can be taken out of the Consolidated
Fund of the State only for public purposes.
 he distribution of goods to certain sections
• T
of people was violative of Article 14 of the
Constitution.
Argument provided against the Balaji Case
• In response, the State of Tamil Nadu
countered that promises do not constitute
corrupt practice.
• P olitical parties are not the State and
freebies is a nebulous term which has no
legal status.
• T
 he promises implemented by the party
after forming the government is an
obligation under the Directives Principles of
State Policy.
• T
 he State is only doing its duty to promote
the welfare of its people.
 he promises are implemented by framing
• T
various schemes/guidelines/eligibility
criteria etc. as well as with the approval of
the legislature.
 hus, it cannot be construed as a waste of
• T
public money or be prohibited by any statute
or scheme.
Outcome of the Judgement
• T he courts judgment held that promises by
a political party cannot constitute a corrupt
practice on its part.
• It would be misleading to generalize that
all promises in the election manifesto would
amount to corrupt practice.
• T he term also means the security that is
deposited in order to secure the release of
the accused.
• In India’s legal world, the term offense has
been categorized as bailable offenses and
non-bailable under the Code of Criminal
Procedure.
Why need Bail?
 ail is a fundamental aspect of any criminal
• B
justice system.
 he practice of bail grew out of the need to
• T
safeguard the fundamental right to liberty.
 iberty is the right of one whose guilt has
• L
not yet been proven.
• The manifesto is a statement of the policy
for a political party.
• The question of implementing the manifesto
arises only if the political party forms a
government.
• It is the promise of a future government and
not of an individual candidate.
Scope for revisiting the judgment
• The court agreed that freebies create an
uneven playing field.
• It had asked the Election Commission
of India to consult political parties and
issue guidelines on the election manifesto
and make it a part of the Model Code
of Conduct.
Why is the Courts move to review the
Balaji judgment significant?
• In its order, the court foresees that freebies
may create a situation wherein the State
governments cannot provide basic
amenities due to lack of funds and the State
is pushed towards imminent bankruptcy.
• The court said it wants a transparent debate
before the three-judge Bench on whether an
enforceable judicial order can stop political
parties from promising and distributing
irrational freebies.
• The case is unique as the Supreme Court is
exploring whether judicial parameters can
be set on a purely political act of promising
freebies.
Types of Bail in India
• Depending upon the sage of the criminal
matter, there are commonly three types of
bail in India:
1. Regular bail: Regular bail is generally
granted to a person who has been arrested or
is in police custody. A bail application can be
filed for regular bail under sections 437 and
439 of CrPC.
2. Interim bail: This type of bail is granted for
a short period of time and it is granted before
the hearing for the grant of regular bail or
anticipatory bail.
3. Anticipatory bail: Anticipatory bail is
granted under section 438 of CrPC either by
session court or High Court. An application for
the grant of anticipatory bail can be filed by the
person who discerns that he may be arrested
by the police for a non-bailable offense.
Why in news?
Ans. Favorable treatment for Women
• D
 uring the hearing, the Supreme Court of
India has made an oral observation that
under Section 437 of the Code of Criminal
Procedure (CrPC), a woman is entitled to
favourable treatment.
• T
 he provision says that, being a woman is a
possible ground for granting bail, even when
otherwise it cannot be considered.
What does the bail provision say in favor of
Women?
• S ection 437 of the CrPC deals with bail in
case of non-bailable offences.
• It says a person shall not be released on bail
if there is reasonable ground to believe that
he has committed an offence punishable with
death or life imprisonment.
• H owever, it also contains exceptions in a
provision that says the court may grant bail
even in these cases, if such person is under
the age of 16 or is a woman or is sick
or infirm.
Are there other provisions favourable to
women accused?
• T
 here are several provisions in criminal law
that give special consideration to women, of
any age, when they are victims of offences,
including sexual offences, in the way they are
treated as witnesses and victims of crimes.
• T
 here are also some provisions relating to
women when they are made an accused,
and arrested.
MOTHER AND CHILD HEALTH - IMMUNIZATION PROGRAM, BPBB, PMJSY, PMMSY, ETC.
All women have Right to
Legal and Safe Abortion:
Supreme Court
Polity | GS2: Indian Constitution - historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments,
significant provisions and basic structure
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : MRTP Act
Mains level : Abortion rights debate
The Supreme Court has held that all women,
irrespective of their marital status, are entitled
to safe and legal abortion till 24 weeks of
pregnancy under the Medical Termination of
Pregnancy (MTP) Act.
A case for safe abortion
• A
 Bench led by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud was
hearing the appeal of a woman who wanted
to abort her 24-week pregnancy after her
relationship failed and her partner left her.
• F or instance, when a police officer requires
the attendance of any person who he
believes is acquainted with a case under
investigation, the person has to appear before
the officer (Section 160).
• H owever, no woman shall be required to do
so at any place other than the place in which
she resides.
• T his is understood to mean that the officer
has to visit the place of residence to make
enquiries.
• T his benefit is also available to boys under 15,
men above 65 and any mentally or physically
disabled person.
• In its 84th and 135th Report in 1980 and
1989, the Law Commission suggested that
the word place is ambiguous, and it would be
better to amend it to dwelling place.
What does the CrPC say on the arrest of a
woman?
• A police officer may arrest a person who has
committed a cognisable offence without a
judicial order or a warrant (Section 41).
• If the person does not submit to custody
based on the word or action of the police,
Section 46 enables the police officer to
confine the person physically to effect
the arrest.
• A
 proviso was introduced in the CrPC in
2009 to the effect that where a woman is
to be arrested, only a female police officer
may touch the womans person, unless
circumstances otherwise require.
 he lower court had taken an unduly
• T
restrictive view that her plea for a safe
abortion was not covered under the Medical
Termination of Pregnancy Act.
• T
 his was since the pregnancy arose from a
consensual relationship outside wedlock.
What was the last amendment?
• T
 he court noted that an amendment to
the Act in 2021 had substituted the term
husband with partner, a clear signal that
the law covered unmarried women within
its ambit.
• Earlier, through a 2005 amendment, a
subsection was added to Section 46 to
prohibit the arrest of a woman after sunset
or before sunrise.
• However, in exceptional circumstances, a
woman police officer can obtain the prior
permission of a judicial magistrate to make
the arrest.
What does it say on women who dont
appear in public?
• The police may seek entry into any
premises where they suspect that a person
who is required to be arrested is present.
• In a situation where any such place is an
apartment in the occupancy of a female
(who is not the person to be arrested) and
if the woman is one who, by custom, does
not appear in public, the police have to give
notice to her so that she may withdraw
before they enter it (Proviso to Section 47).
• It adds that they shall afford her every
reasonable facility for withdrawing before
they break open and enter the place.
• In yet another exception, a woman who
intends to file a defamation case, but is one
who does not appear in public according
to custom, can ask someone else to file the
complaint on her behalf.
Also read:
https://www.civilsdaily.com/mudda-aapka-
supreme-court-suggests-bail-act/
Reiterating the live-in recognition
• Chastising the lower court, the Bench
said live-in relationships had already been
recognised by the Supreme Court.
• There were a significant number of people
in social mainstream who see no wrong in
engaging in pre-marital sex.
• The law could not be used to quench notions
of social morality and unduly interfere in
their personal autonomy and bodily integrity.
About Medical Termination of Pregnancy
(MTP) Act
• Abortion in India has been a legal right
under various circumstances for the last
50 years since the introduction of the
Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP)
Act in 1971.
• The Act was amended in 2003 to
enable womens access to safe and legal
abortion services.
• Abortion is covered 100% by the
governments public national health insurance
funds, Ayushman Bharat and Employees
State Insurance with the package rate for
surgical abortion.
www.civilsdaily.com 87
The idea of terminating your pregnancy
cannot originate by choice and is purely
circumstantial. There are four situations
under which a legal abortion is performed:
1. If continuation of the pregnancy poses any
risks to the life of the mother or mental health
2. If the foetus has any severe abnormalities
3. If pregnancy occurred as a result of failure
of contraception (but this is only applicable to
married women)
4. If pregnancy is a result of sexual
assault or rape
The pregnancy can be terminated upto 24
weeks of gestational age after the opinion
of two registered medical practitioners
under these conditions
• If the woman is either a survivor of sexual
assault or rape or incest
• If she is a minor
• If her marital status has changed during the
ongoing pregnancy (i.e. either widowhood
or divorce)
• If she has major physical disabilities or is
mentally ill
• O n the grounds of foetal malformation
incompatible with life or if the child is born, it
would be seriously handicapped
• If the woman is in humanitarian settings or
disaster, or emergency situations as declared
by the government
These are the key changes that the Medical
Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment)
Act, 2021, has brought in:
1. The gestation limit for abortions has been
raised from the earlier ceiling of 20 weeks
to 24 weeks, but only for special categories
of pregnant women such as rape or incest
survivors. But this termination would need the
approval of two registered doctors.
2. All pregnancies up to 20 weeks require
one doctors approval. The earlier law, the MTP
Act 1971, required one doctors approval for
pregnancies upto 12 weeks and two doctors for
pregnancies between 12 and 20 weeks.
88 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
3. Women can now terminate unwanted
pregnancies caused by contraceptive failure,
regardless of their marital status. Earlier the law
specified that only a married woman and her
husband could do this.
4. There is also no upper gestation limit
for abortion in case of foetal disability if
so decided by a medical board of specialist
doctors, which state governments and union
territories administrations would set up.
Criticism of Abortion
• F oetuses feel the pain: If the foetus is beyond
20 weeks of gestation, gynaecs assume that
there will be pain caused to the foetus.
• A bortions cause psychological damage:
Young adult women who undergo abortion
may be at increased risk for subsequent
depression.
• A
 bortions reduce the number of adoptable
babies: Instead of having the option to
abort, women should give their unwanted
babies to people who cannot conceive.
Single parenthood is also gaining popularity
in the US.
• C
 ases of selective abortion: Such cases
based on physical and genetic abnormalities
(eugenic termination) is overt discrimination.
• A
 bortion as a form of contraception:
It is immoral to kill an unborn child for
convenience. Many women are using
abortion as a contraceptive method.
• M
 orality put to question: If women
become pregnant, they should accept the
responsibility that comes with producing a
child. People need to take responsibility for
their actions and accept the consequences.
• A
 bortion promotes throwaway culture: The
legalization of abortion sends a message that
human life has little value and promotes the
throwaway culture.
Arguments in favour for Abortion Rights
• U
 pholding individual conscience and
decision-making: The US Supreme Court
has declared abortion to be a fundamental
right guaranteed by the US Constitution.
• Reproductive choice empowers women:
The choice over when and whether to
have children is central to a womans
independence and ability to determine
her future.
• Foetal viability occurs post-birth:
Personhood begins after a foetus becomes
viable (able to survive outside the womb) or
after birth, not at conception. Abortion is the
termination of a pregnancy, not a baby.
• No proof of foetal pain: Most neuroscientists
believe that the cortex is necessary for pain
perception. The cortex does not become
functional until at least the 26th week of a
foetus development.
• Preventing illegal abortions: Access to legal,
professionally-performed abortions reduces
maternal injury and death caused by unsafe,
illegal abortions.
• Mothers health: Modern abortion
procedures are safe and do not cause lasting
health issues such as cancer and infertility.
• Childs health: Abortion gives pregnant
women the option to choose not to bring
fetuses with profound abnormalities to
full term.
• Prevents womens exclusion: Women who
are denied abortions are more likely to
become unemployed, to be on public welfare,
to be below the poverty line, and to become
victims of domestic violence.
• Reproductive choice protects women from
financial disadvantage: Many women who
choose abortion dont have the financial
resources to support a child.
• Justified means of population control:
Many defends abortion as a way to curb
overpopulation. Malnutrition, starvation,
poverty, lack of medical and educational
services, pollution, underdevelopment, and
conflict over resources are all consequences
of overpopulation.
Conclusion
• Hence it is now established that the right to
abortion is a legal right of all women.
International
Relations

www.civilsdaily.com 89
FOREIGN POLICY WATCH: INDIA-CHINA
Why has the Solomon Islands
blocked foreign navy vessels?
International Relations | GS2: India & Its Neighborhood - Relations
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Solomon Islands
Mains level : Chinese expansion in Pacific
After refusing access to US and UK ships to its
ports earlier this month, the Solomon Islands
has now temporarily halted all naval visits.
Why in news?
• T
 he countrys move is a departure from the
norm and is been seen as an attempt to
appease China.
• T
 his raises concerns about Chinas
growing influence in the country and the
region at large.
Where is the Solomon Islands located?
• T he Solomon Islands is a sovereign country
consisting of six major islands and over
900 smaller islands in Oceania, to the
east of Papua New Guinea and northwest
of Vanuatu.
• Its capital, Honiara, is located on the largest
island, Guadalcanal.
• It is part of the ethnically Melanesian group
of islands in the Pacific and lies between
Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu.
• T he country takes its name from the
Solomon Islands archipelago, which is a
collection of Melanesian islands that also
includes the North Solomon Islands (a part of
Papua New Guinea).
• It excludes outlying islands, such as the Santa
Cruz Islands and Rennell and Bellona.
Quick recap of its past
• T
 he islands, which were initially controlled
by the British Empire during the colonial
era, went through the hands of Germany
and Japan.
90 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• It then went back to the UK after the
Americans took over the islands from the
Japanese during World War II.
• T he islands became independent in 1978 to
become a constitutional monarchy under the
British Crown, with a parliamentary system of
government.
• N
 evertheless, its inability to manage
domestic ethnic conflicts led to close
security relations with Australia, which is the
traditional first responder to any crisis in the
South Pacific.
How did China enter the picture?
• E
 arlier this year, the Solomon Islands
established a security agreement with
China, saying it needed Beijings assistance
with its domestic security situation.
 ut the announcement had rattled the west,
• B
esp. the US, Australia and others in the Indo-
Pacific region.
• T
 he concerns were that the agreement could
potentially lead to a Chinese military base
on the island nation and a gain in power-
projection capabilities.
• A
 t that time, following intense scrutiny,
the Solomon Islands had denied that the
agreement would allow China to establish a
naval base.
• T
 he Island insisted that the agreement was
only to assist the Solomon Islands with
what he called hard internal threats.
What is the Solomon Islands stance?
• T he government has asked all partner
countries with plans to conduct naval visits
or patrols to put them on hold until a revised
national mechanism is in place.
• T he revised national mechanism applied
to all foreign vessels seeking access to the
countrys ports.
• T he nation wanted to build up its own
naval capacity.
• It has some unfortunate experiences of
foreign naval vessels entering its waters
without any diplomatic clearance.
What is behind Chinas growing influence in
the region?
• T
 here is no dispute that China has been
rapidly increasing its presence and influence
in the region for over three decades,
particularly in the South Pacific.
• Certainly Beijing views the Pacific Island
region as an important component of its
Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
• Specifically, it sees the region as a critical
air freight hub in its so-called Air Silk Road,
which connects Asia with Central and
South America.
Concerns of the West
• The United States and its regional allies,
such as Australia and New Zealand, are
concerned that the China-Solomon Islands
security pact allows Chinese naval vessels to
replenish there.
• That could open the door to a Chinese
naval base, which would significantly extend
Chinas military reach in the South Pacific.
• It is likely that this security agreement
between China and the Solomon Islands has
been driven by, what the CFR calls, Beijings
sense of vulnerability in the region.
What is the rationale for the Solomon
Islands increasing proximity to China?
• The Solomon Islands had cultivated strong
ties with Taiwan, which ended with the
emergence of the current government
in Honiara.
• In 2019, the regime change switched Taiwan
for China.
• This was supposedly after Beijing offered half
a billion US dollars in financial aid, roughly
five times what Taiwan spent on the islands
in the past two decades.
• It has been alleged by the pro-Taiwan
Opposition that the incumbent government
has been bribed by China.
Why is China interested in the Solomon
Islands?
• Isolating Taiwan: The Solomon Islands was
one among the six Pacific island states which
had official bilateral relations with Taiwan.
• Supporter in UN: The small Pacific island
states act as potential vote banks for
mobilising support for the great powers in
international fora like the United Nations.
• Larger EEZ: These states have
disproportionately large maritime Exclusive
Economic Zones when compared to their
small sizes.
• Natural resources: Solomon Islands, in
particular, have significant reserves of timber
and mineral resources, along with fisheries.
• Countering US: But more importantly, they
are strategically located for China to insert
itself between Americas military bases in the
Pacific islands and Australia.
What does this mean for the established
geopolitical configuration in the region?
• Diminishing western influence: The
Pacific islands, in the post-World War II
scenario, were exclusively under the spheres
 of influence of the Western powers, in
particular, the US, UK, France and Australia
and New Zealand.
• I nserting into western hegemony: All of
them have territorial possessions in the
region, with the three nuclear powers among
them having used the region as a nuclear
weapons testing ground.
FOREIGN POLICY WATCH: INDIA-CHINA
Importance of Tibetan
Democracy Day
International Relations | GS2: Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and agreements
involving India
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Tibetan Democracy Day
Mains level : India’s asylum to Tibetans
A little more than six decades ago, Tibetan
Democracy Day was marked with the
inauguration of the Tibetan government-in-
exile in Dharamshala on September 2.
Tibetan Democracy Day
• In February 1960, a little less than a year after
he crossed over into India, the Fourteenth
Dalai Lama outlined in Bodh Gaya, where
The Buddha attained Enlightenment, a
detailed program of democratic practice for
exiled Tibetans.
• A ccording to the website of the Tibetan
Parliament-in-Exile (TPiE), he advised
them to set up an elected body with three
exiled representatives each from the three
provinces, and one each from the four
religious schools of Tibetan Buddhism.
• S
 hifting of dependencies: The smaller island
nations of the region are heavily dependent
on them, especially Australia as it is a
resident power.
Damage control by West
• A
 ustralia has reacted with boosted finances,
and by extending its current security mission
till 2023 when the islands will host the
Pacific Games.
• A
 fter elections were held, 13 elected
representatives, called Deputies, were
designated as the Commission of Tibetan
Peoples Deputies (CTPD). They took oath on
September 2, 1960.
• S
 ubsequently from 1975 onward, this date
began to be formally observed as Tibetan
Democracy Day.
Parliament-in-Exile
• T he TPiE is the highest legislative body
of theCentral Tibetan Administration
(CTA).https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/
centre-extends-relief-to-tibetan-committee-
by-5-years/
• It is described as one of the three pillars of
Tibetan democratic governance the others
being the Judiciary and the Kashag, or
Executive.
• T he website of the TPiE underlines the Dalai
Lamas commitment to the democratic
principle it quotes the Dalai Lama from
the Foreword to the Constitution for Tibet,
drafted in 1963:
• T
 he CTA is based in Dharamsala,
Himachal Pradesh.
• The US has responded by considering
reopening its embassy in Honiara after a long
29-year gap.
• New Zealand has shed its typical restraint
about China and has criticised it for
attempting to militarise the Pacific islands.
• Elections are held every five years to elect
Members of the TPiE, and their Sikyong
(Prime Minister). The 16th TPiE was
elected in 2016.
• This was the second direct election after
the Dalai Lama distanced himself from the
political functioning of the TPiE in 2011.
The Government-in-Exile
• On March 10, 1963, the Dalai Lama
promulgated the Constitution of the Tibetan
Government-in-Exile (TGiE).
• From 1991 onwards, TPiE became the
legislative organ of the CTA, the Tibetan
Supreme Justice Commission became
the judicial organ, and the Kashag the
executive organ.
• The TGiE is not recognised officially by any
country, including India.
• However, many countries, including the US,
deal directly with the Sikyong and other
Tibetan leaders through various forums.
• The TPiE says its democratically elected
character helps it manage Tibetan affairs, and
raise the Tibetan issue across the world.
• The current Sikyong (known as Kaln Tripa
until 2012) of the CTA is Lobsang Sangay,
who has been the head of the Kashag or
Cabinet (first as Kaln Tripa and then as
Sikyong) since 2011.
What is India’s official policy towards the
CTA?
• India considers the Dalai Lama as a revered
religious leader and an honored guest, but
it does not encourage political activities
by Tibetans.
• It does not recognize any separate
government of Tibet functioning in India.
www.civilsdaily.com 91
HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES
UN accuses China of
Uighur rights abuses
International Relations | GS2: India & Its Neighborhood - Relations
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Uighurs
Mains level : Blatant human rights violations worldwide and lobbying against India
The UN accused China of serious human rights
violations that may amount to crimes against
humanity in a report examining a crackdown
on Uighurs and other ethnic groups.
What is the leak about?
• A
 fter initially denying their existence, Beijing
has claimed the facilities are vocational
training schools, attended voluntarily and
aimed at stamping out religious extremism.
• B
 ut the leaked documents give an insight into
how leaders saw the minority population as a
security threat.
• P
 hotos appear to show officers restraining
hooded and shackled inmates with batons,
while other guards wearing camouflage
stand by with firearms.
Who are the Uighurs?
• T
 here are about 12 million Uighurs, mostly
Muslim, living in north-western China in
the region of Xinjiang, officially known
as the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous
Region (XUAR).
• T
 he Uighurs speak their own language,
similar to Turkish, and see themselves as
culturally and ethnically close to Central
Asian nations.
92 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• T hey make up less than half of the Xinjiang
population.
• In recent decades, theres been a mass
migration of Han Chinese (Chinas ethnic
majority) to Xinjiang, and the Uighurs feel
their culture and livelihoods are under threat.
• In the early 20th Century, the Uighurs briefly
declared independence, but the region was
brought under complete control of mainland
Chinas new Communist government in 1949.
Where is Xinjiang?
• X injiang lies in the north-west of China and is
the countrys biggest region.
• Like Tibet, it is autonomous, meaning
in theory it has some powers of self-
governance. But in practice, both face major
restrictions by the central government.
• It is a mostly desert region, producing about
a fifth of the worlds cotton.
• It is also rich in oil and natural gas and
because of its proximity to Central Asia and
Europe is seen by Beijing as an important
trade link.
Try this PYQ:
Q.Very recently, in which of the following
countries have lakhs of people either
suffered from severe famine/acute
malnutrition or died due to starvation
caused by war/ethnic conflicts?
(a) Angola and Zambia 
(b) Morocco and Tunisia 
(c) Venezuela and Colombia 
(d) Yemen and South Sudan
What was the build-up to the Uighur
crackdown?
• Anti-Han and separatist sentiment rose in
Xinjiang from the 1990s, flaring into violence
on occasion.
• In 2009 some 200 people died in clashes
in Xinjiang, which the Chinese blamed on
Uighurs who want their own state.
• Xinjiang is now covered by a pervasive
network of surveillance, including
police, checkpoints, and cameras that
scan everything from number plates to
individual faces.
• According to Human Rights Watch, police
are also using a mobile app to monitor
peoples behaviour, such as how much
electricity they are using and how often they
use their front door.
• Since 2017 when President Xi Jinping issued
an order saying all religions in China should
be Chinese in orientation, there have been
further crackdowns.
Chinese narrative
• China says the crackdown is necessary to
prevent terrorism and root out Islamist
extremism and the camps are an effective
tool for re-educating inmates in its fight
against terrorism.
• It insists that Uighur militants are waging a
violent campaign for an independent state by
plotting bombings, sabotage and civic unrest.
• China has dismissed claims it is trying to
reduce the Uighur population through mass
sterilizations as baseless, and says allegations
of forced labor are completely fabricated.
RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE: GLOBAL IMPLICATIONS
Nord Stream Pipeline
to remain shut
International Relations | GS2: Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and agreements
involving India
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Nord Stream Pipelines
Mains level : Economic impact of Russian invasion
Russian has said that it cant resume the
supply of natural gas through a key pipeline to
Germany for now because of what it said was a
need for urgent maintenance work.
FOREIGN POLICY WATCH: INDO-PACIFIC AND QUAD
QUAD
International Relations | GS2: Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and agreements
involving India
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : QUAD
Mains level : Read the attached story
New Delhi will host an official-level meeting
of the Quad grouping with the US, Japan
and Australia next week, the first such senior
officers meeting (SOM) to be held since
the recent escalation of tensions over the
Taiwan Strait.
Why in news?
• T
 here are growing concerns in European
countries that Russia would shut down its
gas supplies in retaliation against the current
sanctions against Moscow.
Quadrilateral Security Dialogue: A
Backgrounder
Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or the Quad
is an informal strategic forum between the
United States, Japan, India and Australia
that is maintained by semi-regular summits,
information exchanges and military drills
between member countries.
What is Nord Stream 1?
• It is a system of offshore natural gas pipelines
running under the Baltic Sea from Russia
to Germany.
• Nord Stream 1 is a 1,224 km underwater gas
pipeline that runs from Vyborg in northwest
Russia to Lubmin in northeastern Germany
via the Baltic Sea.
• Two further pipelines under construction
running from Ust-Luga to Lubmin termed
Nord Stream 2.
• Majority owned by the Russian energy giant
Gazprom, the pipeline is the primary route
through which its gas enters Germany.
Worry for Europe
• There have been growing concerns that there
could be further restrictions to European
gas supplies.
• European countries rely on Russian energy for
their cold winters.
• But now they believe that Russia could
weaponized their dependency as a response
to their sanction due to the conflict
in Ukraine.
What are Europes alternative sources of
energy?
• As an alternative source for energy, European
countries have increasingly turned towards
the US, from whom they purchase liquified
natural gas (LNG) that comes via ships.
• Since ship-delivered gas ends up being far
more expensive, there are also attempts to
get non-Russian pipeline gas from Norway
and Azerbaijan.
• While EU countries were earlier seeking
to phase out fossil fuels and emphasize
renewable forms of energy, many are
now returning to coal to deal with the
energy crisis.
• The US, Japan, India and Australia came
together in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian
Ocean tsunami to assist the devastated
countries.
• Later, officials of the four countries met in
2007 to look at issues of common interest.
During an India visit, then Japanese
PM Shinzo Abe unveiled the idea of the
Confluence of the Two Seas that gave birth
to the concept of the Indo-Pacific.
• A decade later officials of the four countries
met in the Philippines in 2017 to talk about an
aggressively rising China.
• In 2019, the foreign ministers of the Quad
countries met in Washington for the
first time.
www.civilsdaily.com 93
• In November, the Quad nations came
together to participate in a two-phase joint
military exercise, Malabar 2020, in the Bay of
Bengal and in the Arabian Sea.
Now it is increasingly viewed as Asian NATO.
Focus on Indo-Pacific: For the China-wary
world
• T
 he latest meeting of Quad comes at a time
when all four countries have either trade or
security disputes with China.
• D
 espite not explicitly mentioning China,
Quad has been openly supporting a free
and fair Indo-Pacific which is seen as a clear
message to Beijing that it needs to curb its
assertive behaviour.
• T
 he optics were hard to miss when India, the
US, Japan and Australia joined their navies for
the mega Malabar military exercise late last
year, an activity which raised alarm in Beijing.
• T
 his posturing by the Quad nations sent a
strong signal to China.
(1) US vs China
• U
 SA had followed a policy to contain Chinas
increasing influence in East Asia. Therefore,
USA sees the coalition as an opportunity to
regain its influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
• T
 he US has described China, along with
Russia, as a strategic rival in its National
Security Strategy, National Defence
Strategy and the Pentagons report on Indo-
Pacific Strategy.
• B
 oth are navigating intense disagreements
over trade and human rights in Tibet, Hong
Kong and the western Xinjiang region, as well
as the coronavirus pandemic and increasing
Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea.
(2) Australia vs China
• A ustralia is concerned about Chinas growing
interest in its land, infrastructure and politics,
and influence on its universities.
• T ies have been on a downward spiral since
2018 when Australia, accusing China of
meddling in its domestic affairs, passed a
new law against foreign interference and
espionage.
• It also barred Huawei from building the
countrys 5G mobile network, among the first
countries to do so, citing national security.
• T he atmosphere worsened when PM
Scott Morrisons government called for an
international inquiry into the origins of the
coronavirus that causes Covid-19.
(3) Japan vs. China
• T
 ensions between Japan and China over
the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands dispute have
recently increased.
• C
 hina has relentlessly continued attempts
to unilaterally change the status quo
by coercion in the sea area around the
Senkaku Islands.
94 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• T
 he more salient indicator is the number of
Chinese patrols inside the territorial sea of
the islands, which Japan sees as an explicit
violation of its territorial sovereignty.
(4) India vs. Quad
• India’s strained relations with China needs no
explanation. The year long border dispute is
the testimony.
• T
 he Quad summit is taking place in
the backdrop of an ongoing military
disengagement between India and China
following their months-long border standoff
in eastern Ladakh.
• C
 hina is increasing its footprint in our
neighborhood through its Belt and Road
policy and political coercion following the
debt trap are some of the increasing concerns
other than economic imbalance.
Opportunities unveiled for India
India’s engagement with the Quad goes back
to Chinas expanding footprint in South Asia
and the Indian Ocean Region over the last
few years. India can reap some benefits as
discussed below:
(1) Checkmating the Chinese
• T
 he maritime sphere is wide open to India
to undertake coalition building, rule sets, and
other forms of strategic exploration than
compared to land borders.
• T
 he maritime space is more important to
China than engaging in land grab attempts
in the Himalayas. A huge chunk of Chinese
trade happens via the Indian oceanic routes
that pass through maritime chokepoints.
(2) Channelizing geo-politics
• T
 here is a growing great power interest in
the maritime sphere, especially with the
arrival of the concept of Indo-Pacific. For
instance, many European countries have
recently released their Indo-Pacific strategies.
• T
 he most recent was for France to send its
warship in the international waters of the
South China Sea.
(3) Maritime domain for India
• A bove is the backdrop against which one
must see the progressive evolution of
Exercise Malabar,
• In the beginning, it was a bilateral event
involving just the Indian and US navies.
It became tri-lateral with the inclusion of
Japan in 2015.
• A nd now it has transformed into a four-
cornered naval drill that will also include
Australia.
(4) Check on Chinas India Ocean Ambitions
• T
 he Quad has a valuable role to play as a
check on Chinas Indian Ocean ambitions.
• India must develop ingrained habits
of interoperable cooperation with its
Quad partners.
• This interoperable cooperation could pre-
emptively dissuade China from mounting a
naval challenge in its backyard.
(5) Eccentricity in South Asia
• With India, located right at the centre of the
Indo-Pacific geopolitical imagination can
realize the vision of a broader Asia that can
extend its influence away from geographical
boundaries.
• Further, India with Quad countries can
check the imperialist policies of China in the
Indian Ocean region and ensure Security and
growth for all in the region.
Issues with Quad
(1) Structural problems
• The Quad has a core structural problem as its
objective pivots around the U.S.
• The Quad riles China as a hostile grouping,
but hardly serves the security interests of
its members.
• Despite rhetoric relating to the promotion of
a rules-based world order, the Quad neither
shares a strategic vision nor is it animated by
a shared agenda.
(2) Nature of alliance
• Alliances involve written commitments to
come to the defence of the other against a
third party.
• Despite the potential for cooperation, the
Quad remains a mechanism without a
defined strategic mission.
(3) Economic alliance not feasible
• Quad is neither a military alliance nor an
economic partnership.
• Its intention to counter China in the rare-
earth sector is logical given the dominant
role the country plays in supplying more than
half of the worlds such key materials.
• But, for a country like India, the lack of
relevant technologies and talent pool could
obstruct its progress in building up a supply
chain from scratch.
(4) Overt emphasis on Maritime domain
• The entire focus on the Indo-Pacific makes
the Quad a maritime, rather than a land-
based grouping, raising questions whether
the cooperation extends to the Asia-Pacific
and Eurasian regions.
• India’s core concerns with China are primarily
undemarcated borders and trade deficit.
(5) Lack of existence of Indo-Pacific system
• There has never been Indo-Pacific system
ever since the rise of the port-based
kingdoms of Indochina in the first half of the
second millennium.
• T
 here were two Asian systems an Indian
Ocean system and an East Asian system with
intricate sub-regional balances.
• T
 he effort by a U.S. to artificially manufacture
to combine the Indo and the Pacific into a
unitary system is unlikely to succeed.
(6) Indian borders can go more vulnerable
• A lesson for India is Chinas long-held
and strategic interest in parts of Jammu
and Kashmir.
• It is wrongly argued that it is Pakistan that is
the issue in J&K.
• C hina undoubtedly is as big an issue but has
quietly hidden behind Pakistans cover.
Challenges: China will retaliate
(1) Chinas assertiveness
• C
 hina claims that it has historical ownership
over nearly the entire region of South
China Sea, which gives it the right to
manufacture islands.
• H
 owever, the International Court of
Arbitration rejected the claim in 2016.
HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES
UN slams Sri Lanka’s
rights record
International Relations | GS2: Important International Institutions
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : UNHRC
Mains level : Economic crisis in Sri Lanka
Linking Sri Lankas past on human rights record
to its current economic crisis, the UN Human
Rights Chief on said impunity for human rights
abuses, economic crimes, and corruption was
the underlying reason for the countrys collapse.
UNHRC report on Sri Lanka
• T heUNHRChttps://www.civilsdaily.com/
news/united-nations-human-rights-council-
unhrc/ report warned that Sri Lankas failure
to address human rights violations and war
crimes committed in the past had put the
country on a dangerous path.
• It rose that this could lead to a recurrence of
policies and practices that gave rise to the
earlier situation.
• It flagged the accelerating militarization of
civilian governmental functions, a reversal
of important constitutional safeguards,
• S
 ince then, the incidences of Chinese
transgression has only increased making
China more assertive for its interest.
(2) Preying small nations
• T
 he ASEAN countries have a well-knit
relationship with China. So are other SAARC
countries have fallen prey to Chinese
debt traps.
• T
 he Regional Cooperation Economic
Partnership (RCEP) is a recent example of
Chinas increasing influence over ASEAN
nations to which Australia is even a
forerunner.
(3) Chinese monopoly
• C onsidering the economic might of China
and the dependence of Quad nations like
Japan and Australia on China, the Quad
nations cannot afford to have strained
relations with it in the long run.
• India too, is still very heavily dependent on
Chinese exports.
political obstruction of accountability,
intimidation of civil society, and the use of
anti-terrorism laws.
• T
 he shrinking space for independent
media and civil society and human rights
organizations are also themes in the report.
The Resolution 30/1
• T he resolution 30/1 launched in 2015 deals
with promoting reconciliation, accountability
and human rights in Sri Lanka.
• It extended an opportunity to make good on
its promises for justice and offered extensive
support to accomplish that objective.
Sri Lankas intention
• It is more than Sri Lanka has failed to and
doesnt intend to take the necessary, decisive,
and sustainable steps necessary to achieve
domestic justice and reconciliation.
Way Forward
• Need for a clearer vision: It is important for
members of the Quad not to be reactive. It
is also important to exhibit openness, and
ensure that all talk of a Free and Open Indo-
Pacific is more than just a mere slogan.
• Consensus for a common objective:
The Quad nations need to better explain
the Indo-Pacific Vision in an overarching
framework with the objective of advancing
everyones economic and security interests.
• Setting an agenda: This will reassure the
littoral States that the Quad will be a factor
for regional benefit, and a far cry from
Chinese allegations that it is some sort of a
military alliance. Future meetings can be an
opportunity to define the idea and chart a
future path.
• Expanding Quad: India has many other
partners in the Indo-Pacific; therefore India
should pitch for countries like Indonesia,
Singapore to be invited to join in the future.
There is also a vital need to economically
expand the Quad.
• Sri Lanka has officially sought India’s help to
muster support against the resolution, which
it has described as unwanted interference by
powerful countries.
Where India comes in
• The UNHRC is scheduled to hold an
interactive session on Sri Lanka where the
report was to be discussed, and member
countries were to make statements.
• Country-specific resolutions against Sri Lanka
have regularly come up at the UNHRC in the
last decade.
• New Delhi voted against Sri Lanka in 2012
and abstained in 2014. It was spared the
dilemma in 2015 when Sri Lanka joined
resolution 30/1.
• With elections coming up in Tamil Nadu, and
PM declaring on a recent visit that he was
the first Indian leader to visit Jaffna, Sri Lanka
has begun reading the tea leaves.
• Whichever way it goes, the resolution is
likely to resonate in India-Sri Lanka Relations
and for India internally, in the run-up to the
Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu.
www.civilsdaily.com 95
FOREIGN POLICY WATCH: INDIA-PAKISTAN
Floods in Pakistan and the
pulls and pressures of India-
Pak Disaster Diplomacy
International Relations | GS2: India & Its Neighborhood - Relations
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : NA
Mains level : Disaster Diplomacy
Prime Minister Modi has tweeted his
condolences and hoped for an early restoration
of normalcy in flood devastated Pakistan.
Why in news?
• T
 he statement by the PM last month came
as a surprise to many.
 his is on the grounds of steady
• T
deterioration of ties over the last eight years
since Modi came to power.
PM Modi and Pakistan
(A) Early failure
• P
 M Modi had famously begun his tenure
with an invitation to Pakistans then PM
Nawaz Sharif for the swearing-in ceremony
in May 2014.
• S
 harif had come to India, along with the
leaders of other SAARC nations.
 his gesture promised a new beginning for
• T
the bilateral relationship that had suffered
a severe setback after the 26/11 terrorist
attacks in Mumbai in 2008.
• H
 owever, a string of incidents followed,
the terrorist attacks in Pathankot and Uri
impacted the relationship negatively, and
New Delhi made it clear that talks and terror
cant go together.
(B) India strengthens resolute
• T
 ies have been hit further over the last few
years, especially after the Pulwama terror
attack in February 2019, and the abrogation
of Article 370 in August that year.
96 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
 hat led to the downsizing of the High
• T
Commissions in both capitals; there are n
o full-time High Commissioners in either
country now.
Change of PM in Pak
• A fter the ouster of Imran Khan, and the
coming to power of the new coalition
government led by PM Shehbaz Sharif,
some positive noises have emanated from
Islamabad.
• India however reiterated the desired peace
and stability in a region free of terrorism.
• N
 ew Pak PM criticized his predecessor, Imran
Khan, for not making serious and diplomatic
efforts when India abrogated Article 370 in
August 2019.
Responses to disasters
In the past, when natural disasters struck
India and Pakistan, the two countries at times
reached out to each other with offers of help.
• B
 huj earthquake: For example, in January-
February 2001, after the earthquake hit Bhuj
in Gujarat, Pakistan had reached out with
help, and had sent tents and blankets for the
survivors.
• 2
 005 earthquake: A powerful earthquake
struck both India and Pakistan, India sent
aircraft with relief supplies to Pakistan and
pledged $ 25 million through the United
Nations to support Pakistans relief efforts.
In 2010, when a superflood the worst in recent
decades until the deluge of 2022 hit Pakistan,
India offered $ 5 million in help, but Islamabad
declined to accept it.
The case for help now
• T
 hough there has not been much follow-up
activity, the PM Modis outreach by way of
a message created a potential opening for
disaster diplomacy.
• Pakistans Finance Minister said that the
government can consider importing
vegetables and other edible items from India
following the destruction of standing crops
due to the floods.
• Prices of vegetables and fruit have gone
through the roof as supplies from Balochistan,
Sindh, and south Punjab especially, have been
badly affected.
Why should India respond?
• For the Indian government, the case for
extending humanitarian help ties in well
with its desire to project itself as the first
responder in times of disaster and crisis in
the neighbourhood.
• In recent months and years, India has
extended its hand of help and cooperation
to the Maldives, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka,
Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan, and Afghanistan.
• Trucks filled with Indian grain have travelled
to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan via Pakistan.
What is Pakistans position?
• Pakistans establishment (none other but
Pak Army) has discussed the possibility of
getting food grains through international
organisations, who want to send relief
material from India.
• The help from India can be at the micro and
short-term level : food, fuel, tents, medicines,
and emergency essential supplies.
• At the macro and medium-to-long-term,
it could involve help in the reconstruction
of damaged homes and properties, and the
archaeological site ofMohenjo Darohttps://
www.civilsdaily.com/news/floods-mohenjo-
daro-world-heritage-tag/, part of the cultural
heritage of both countries.
• India’s healthcare can be of help in the post-
floods scenario dengue is already on the rise,
and diseases such as typhoid are expected to
spike sharply.
Issues in re-engagement
• Some in the Indian establishment believe
that the governments stated policy of
talks and terror cant go together, and the
extending of help to Pakistan are at odds
with each other.
• For New Delhi, the decision is as much about
projecting power as a global responder as
with managing the ruling partys domestic
political base.
FOREIGN POLICY WATCH: INDIA-CHINA
India- China disengage at LAC
friction points in Ladakh
International Relations | GS2: India & Its Neighborhood - Relations
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : LAC
Mains level : India-China border issues
India and China have announced that their
Armies have begun to disengage from
Patrolling Point-15 in the Gogra-Hot springs
area at LAC.
What is LAC- the Line of Actual Control?
• T he LAC is the demarcation that separates
Indian-controlled territory from Chinese-
controlled territory.
• India considers the LAC to be 3,488 km
long, while the Chinese consider it to be only
around 2,000 km.
• It is divided into three sectors: the eastern
sector which spans Arunachal Pradesh and
Sikkim, the middle sector in Uttarakhand and
Himachal Pradesh, and the western sector
in Ladakh.
• T he LAC is only a concept it is not agreed
upon by the two countries, neither
delineated on a map nor demarcated on
the ground.
What is the disagreement?
• T
 he alignment of the LAC in the eastern
sector is along the 1914 McMahon Line, and
there are minor disputes about the positions
on the ground as per the principle of the high
Himalayan watershed.
• T
 he major disagreements are in the western
sector where the LAC emerged from two
letters written by Chinese Prime Minister
Zhou Enlai to PM Jawaharlal Nehru in
1959, after he had first mentioned such a
line in 1956.
When did India accept the LAC?
• T he LAC was discussed during Chinese
Premier Li Pengs 1991 visit to India, where
PM P V Narasimha Rao and Li reached
an understanding to maintain peace and
tranquillity at the LAC.
• India formally accepted the concept of
the LAC when Rao paid a return visit to
Beijing in 1993 and the two sides signed
the Agreement to Maintain Peace and
Tranquillity at the LAC.
• T he reference to the LAC was unqualified to
make it clear that it was not referring to the
LAC of 1959 or 1962 but to the LAC at the
time when the agreement was signed.
• T
 o reconcile the differences about some
areas, the two countries agreed that the Joint
Working Group on the border issue would
take up the task of clarifying the alignment
of the LAC.
How was the disengagement carried on?
• A
 s per the understanding reached earlier
on disengagement, a buffer zone is to be
created at the friction points.
• O
 nce troops are withdrawn by both sides,
new patrolling norms are to be worked out
after complete disengagement and de-
escalation.
Why sudden disengagement?
• The move comes ahead of the Shanghai
Cooperation Organisation (SCO) https://
www.civilsdaily.com/news/shanghai-
cooperation-organisation-sco/ summit in
Uzbekistan next week.
• However, neither side has, so far, confirmed if
the two leaders would hold bilateral talks on
the sidelines of the summit.
• The leaders have not spoken to each other
since a November 2019 meeting during the
BRICS Summit in Brasilia and the beginning
of the stand-off in April 2020.
Significance of the disengagement
• Since the stand-off began in May 2020, the
two sides have so far held 16 rounds of talks.
• Earlier, disengagement was undertaken from
both sides of Pangong Tso in February 2021,
and from PP-17 in the Gogra-Hot springs
area in August, in addition to Galwan in 2020
after the violent clash.
• The friction points that remain now are
Demchok and Depsang, which China has
constantly refused to accept, maintaining that
they are not a part of the current stand-off.
What was the dispute over LAC?
• In what was the worst clash between the
two countries in over 40 years, the Galwan
incident reverberated around the world.
• The casualties in the clash were the first in
the disputed Sino-Indian border since 1975.
• The Galwan episode led to a rapid build-
up of forces on both sides of the Line of
Actual Control.
• This incident is being seen as major
punctuation in the bilateral relations between
India and China and what does the future
hold for both neighbors.
Why did India change its stance on the Line
of Actual Control?
• Indian and Chinese patrols were coming in
more frequent contact during the mid-1980s.
• This was after the government formed a
China Study Group in 1976 which revised the
patrolling limits, rules of engagement and
pattern of Indian presence along the border.
Is the LAC also the claim line for both
countries?
• Not for India. India’s claim line is the
line seen in the official boundary marked
on the maps as released by the Survey
of India, including both Aksai Chin and
Gilgit-Baltistan.
• In Chinas case, it corresponds mostly to its
claim line, but in the eastern sector, it claims
entire Arunachal Pradesh as South Tibet.
www.civilsdaily.com 97
• H
 owever, the claim lines come into question
when a discussion on the final international
boundaries takes place, and not when the
conversation is about a working border,
say the LAC.
Why are these claim lines controversial in
Ladakh?
• W
 hen the Shimla Agreement on the
McMahon Line was signed by British India,
Aksai Chin in Ladakh province of the princely
state of J&K was not part of British India,
although it was a part of the British Empire.
RUSSIA’S FAR EAST- OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIA
Russia’s Far East-
Opportunities for India
International Relations | :
Context
• P M Modi recently attended theEastern
Economic Forumhttps://www.civilsdaily.com/
news/eastern-economic-forum/, being held
in the Russian city of Vladivostok. It was also
attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
• P M Modi recalled his participation at the
forum summit physically in 2019, saying India
had announced its Act Far-East policy at
that time.
• India iterated its keenness to strengthen its
partnership with Russia on Arctic subjects
and there is immense scope for cooperation
in newer areas, particularly in the field
of energy.
Russias Far East and India
• A
 t the fifth summit of the Eastern Economic
Forum (EEF) in 2019 at Vladivostok, PM
Modi pledged a $1 billion Line of Credit for
development of the Russian Far East.
• T
 his pledge has now become a key pillar
of the Special and Privileged Strategic
Partnership between India and Russia.
Russian Far-East Region: The geography
98 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• T hus, the eastern boundary was well defined
in 1914 but in the west in Ladakh, it was not.
• India, in July 1948, had two maps: one had
no boundary shown in the western sector,
only a partial colour wash; the second one
extended the colour wash in yellow to the
entire state of J&K, but mentioned boundary
undefined.
• T he Russian Far East is the easternmost
part of Russia and the Asian continent; and
is administered as part of the Far Eastern
Federal District.
• It is located between Lake Baikal in eastern
Siberia and the Pacific Ocean.
• The regions largest city is Khabarovsk,
followed by Vladivostok.
• The region shares land borders with the
countries of Mongolia, China, and North
Korea to its south, as well as maritime
boundaries with Japan to its southeast, and
with the United States along the Bering Strait
to its northeast.
Why is the region under India’s
consideration?
• Although it is rich in natural resources
including minerals, hydrocarbons,
timber and fish, it is an economically
underdeveloped region.
• The region faces several challenges,
including a:
• Harsh climate
• Sparse population
Way forward
• The impasse in India-China relations
CANNOT be overcome by more talks
through diplomatic and military channels,
and possibly require the intervention of the
top leadership of both countries.
• Therefore, as Dr. Jaishankar put it, the
management of the fissures within Asia
will require adherence to established laws,
norms, and rules.
• Increasing outmigration
• Poor infrastructure and
• Lacking connectivity
Why focus on the Far East?
• While the region is labor-scarce, it is
resource rich.
• The Russian Far East needs capital,
technology and markets.
• Meanwhile, India is a country with a labor-
surplus and a resource-deficit, in need of
energy, mineral resources and farming land.
• Russia is in a position to meet Indian
requirements and vice-versa.
Economic significance of Far-East Region
• Natural resources: The region occupying
40 per cent of Russias total territory is rich
in natural resources, particularly diamonds,
gold, oil, natural gas, coal, timber, silver,
platinum, tin, lead, and zinc. It also has rich
fishing grounds.
• Agriculture: Indian interest has been
focussed mainly on its need to tap into the
regions natural resources, including arable
land. A recent Indian study identifies oil and
natural gas, iron ore, copper, diamonds and
gold, fresh water, timber and fish stocks as
the resources of the region that would find an
Indian market.
• Blue Economy: It is in this context that the
Chennai-Vladivostok sea route development
has been proposed. This link would facilitate
cargo transfers between the two eastern
ports of the two countries in 24 days
compared to 40 days that it now takes for
ships that sail via Europe.
• Employment opportunities: A lack of
manpower is one of the main problems faced
by the Far East and Indian professionals like
doctors, engineers and teachers can help
in the regions development. Presence of
Indian manpower will also help in balancing
Russian concerns over Chinese migration into
the region.
• Energy Security: The area is rich
hydrocarbon reserves in the region throw
up immense opportunities for Indian
 companies. ONGC Videsh has already
invested in the Sakhalin-1 project and its
terminal is acknowledged as the best in
Russia. India is set to get gas from Gazprom
that will probably be liquefied at a plant near
Vladivostok.
• S
 cope for Small scale industries: For India,
there is immense potential for mid-sized and
small businesses who should be assisted to
overcome language and cultural barriers so
that they successfully adopt local business
practices. The large diamond reserves in the
region should be a magnet for the Indian
diamond cutting and polishing industry,
which is already facing tough competition in
Africa from the Chinese.
• E
 xport destination for key sectors:
Infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, and
agriculture development are also areas of
opportunity for Indian business and labour.
Tele-medicine and long distance education
are other areas where Indian companies can
make a mark. It would also help in increasing
India’s exports.
Strategic importance
• O
 pening to Indo-Pacific: The Russian Far
East is at the forefront of geopolitics centred
on the Indo-Pacific and is key in pivot to Asia.
• D
 irect gateway to Japan: India’s ties with
the Russian Far East could help cement
Indo-Russian relations as well as bolster its
ties with Central Asia and East Asia. It would
connect India to East Asia especially Japan.
FOREIGN POLICY WATCH: INDIA-CHINA
PM Modi to attend SCO meet
International Relations | GS2: Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and agreements
involving India
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : SCO
Mains level : Read the attached story
PM Modi will travel to Samarkand in
Uzbekistan to attend the first in-person
summit of the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation
Organisation) countries since the
COVID-19 pandemic.
What is SCO?
• A
 fter the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991,
the then security and economic architecture
in the Eurasian region dissolved and new
structures had to come up.
• T
 he original Shanghai Five were China,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan.
• T
 he SCO was formed in 2001, with
Uzbekistan included. It expanded in 2017 to
include India and Pakistan.
• C
 onfidence building with Russia: In the
wake of the Ukraine crisis, the US-EU
campaign to isolate Russia has gathered
momentum. India’s simply cannot risk
missing this opportunity to show its affinity
for Russia. Although Russia needs Chinese
investment it is uneasy with Chinese projects
as they often use only Chinese workers.
Countering China:
• C
 hinas emergence as a major economic
power in Asia, as a source of investment, a
market for exports and, above all, the source
of mass labour migration have altered both
the ground situation.
• A
 t present, China is the leading investor in
the region. Chinese investments account for
nearly two-thirds of the total Foreign Direct
Investment of $33 billion that has come to
Russias Far East (RFE) in the last four years.
• A
 larger footprint in the Russian Far East
enhances India’s presence and influence in
Chinas immediate neighborhood.
Various steps taken by India
• W hile 2019 is the first time that India has
participated in the EEF, it is not new to the
Russian Far East.
• India opened a consulate in Vladivostok in
1992, the first country in the world to do so.
• In the decades since, its interest in the Far
East region, especially its oil and gas reserves,
has grown.
• S
 ince its formation, the SCO has focused
on regional non-traditional security, with
counter-terrorism as a priority.
• T
 he fight against the three evils of terrorism,
separatism and extremism has become its
mantra. Today, areas of cooperation include
themes such as economics and culture.
India’s entry to the SCO
• India and Pakistan both were observer
countries.
• W
 hile Central Asian countries and China
were not in favor of expansion initially, the
main supporter of India’s entry in particular
was Russia.
• Indeed, back in 2001 India’s ONGC
acquired a 20 percent stake in the Sakhalin
reserves and over the last couple of years
Indian companies have started announcing
investments in the Russian Far East.
• In December 2017, for instance, Tata Power
announced that it had secured a $4.7-million
mining license for a thermal coal mine in the
Kamchatka peninsula.
Note:
Indian leadership was visionary even before the
NDA-II regime!
Way forward
• A necessary pre-condition for increased
trade and investment relations between
India and the Russian Far East would be the
development of necessary infrastructure
aimed at improved connectivity between the
two regions.
• India and Russia should putin place a free
trade agreement, easier visa norms and
improved travel facilities. Connectivity is key
to development in the modern world.
• While land connectivity is impaired by
several geopolitical and security constraints,
developing sea connectivity is possible.
• To maintain the momentum of this
engagement, both governments must ensure
that their respective private sector firms
participate, going beyond oil and gas into
manufacturing and agriculture.
• A widely held view is that Russias growing
unease about an increasingly powerful China
prompted it to push for its expansion.
• From 2009 onwards, Russia officially
supported India’s ambition to join the
SCO in 2017.
• China then asked for its all-weather friend
Pakistans entry.
Changing the narrative of SCO
• There has been discussion in the
international arena that the trend of non-
alignment is back.
• NATO is based on Cold War thinking.
• The logic of NATO is creating new enemies
to sustain its own existence.
• However, SCO is a cooperative organisation
based on non-alignment and not targeting a
third party.
India and SCO: Present status
• India will host theSCOhttps://www.
civilsdaily.com/news/shanghai-cooperation-
organisation-sco/ summit next year, and
Varanasi has been selected as the SCO
regions first Tourism and Cultural Capital.
• India will also be chairing the summit.
www.civilsdaily.com 99


FOREIGN POLICY WATCH: INDO-PACIFIC AND QUAD

What is IPEF?

India stays out of ‘Trade • It is a US-led framework for participating

countries to solidify their relationships

Pillar’ of IPEF
and engage in crucial economic and trade
matters that concern the region, such as
building resilient supply chains battered by
International Relations | GS2: Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and agreements the pandemic.
involving India • It is not a free trade agreement. No market
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important : access or tariff reductions have been outlined,
Prelims level : Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) although experts say it can pave the way to
Mains level : Read the attached story trade deals.

India stayed out of the joint declaration on the
trade pillar of the US-led Indo-Pacific Economic
Framework (IPEF) ministerial meet in Los
Angeles, with Union Commerce Minister citing
concerns over possible discrimination against
developing economies.
Why did India opt out of the trade pillar?
• O
 ne of the reasons for staying out of the
trade pillar was that the contours of the
framework had not emerged yet.
• T his is particularly about the kind of
commitment each country would have to
make on environment, labour, digital trade
and public procurement.
• India’s decision also mirrors the decision to
walk out after seven years of negotiations
from theRegional Comprehensive Economic
Partnership (RCEP)https://www.civilsdaily.
com/burning-issue-India’s-exit-from-rcep-2/.
Members of IPEF
• The member nations include Australia,
Brunei, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea,
Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines,
Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
• It includes seven out of 10 members of the
Association of South East Asian Nations
(ASEAN), all four Quad countries, and
New Zealand.
• Together, these countries account for 40 per
cent of the global GDP.

100 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
Four pillars of IPEF
1. Trade that will include digital economy and
emerging technology, labor commitments, the
environment, trade facilitation, transparency
and good regulatory practices, and corporate
accountability, standards on cross-border data
flow and data localisations;
2. Supply chain resilience to develop a first-
of-its-kind supply chain agreement that would
anticipate and prevent disruptions;
3. Clean energy and decarbonization
that will include agreements on high-
ambition commitments such as renewable
energy targets, carbon removal purchasing
commitments, energy efficiency standards,
and new measures to combat methane
emissions; and
4. Tax and anti-corruption, with
commitments to enact and enforce effective
tax, anti-money laundering, anti-bribery
schemes in line with [American] values.
How do members participate?
• C
 ountries are free to join (or not join)
initiatives under any of the stipulated
pillars but are expected to adhere to all
commitments once they enrol.
• N
 egotiations are meant to determine and
list the provisions under each pillar and
open the floor for countries to choose their
commitments.
 he framework would be open to other
• T
countries willing to join in the future
provided they are willing to adhere to
the stipulated goals and other necessary
obligations.
Reasons for the creation of IPEF
• U
 S regaining lost credibility: IPEF is
also seen as a means by which the US is
trying to regain credibility in the region
after Trump pulled out of the Trans Pacific
Partnership TPP).
FOREIGN POLICY WATCH: INDIA-BANGLADESH
What is the Kushiyara
River Treaty?
International Relations | GS2: India & Its Neighborhood - Relations
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Kushiyara River
Mains level : Read the attached story
• R
 ising Chinese influence: Since then, there
has been concern over the absence of a
credible US economic and trade strategy
to counter Chinas economic influence in
the region.
• C
 ompeting RCEP: It is also in the
14-member Regional Comprehensive
Economic Partnership, of which the US is not
a member (India withdrew from RCEP).
• P
 ivot to Asia strategy: US has intensified
its engagement with the wider Asia-
Pacific region to advance its economic and
geopolitical interests.
India’s perception of IPEF
• P M Modi described the grouping as
born from a collective desire to make the
Indo-Pacific region an engine of global
economic growth.
• India has called for common and creative
solutions to tackle economic challenges in
the Indo-Pacific region.
What does it have to do with China?
• T he US strategists believe the US lacks an
economic and trade strategy to counter
China s increasing economic influence in the
region since 2017.
• U S companies are looking to move away
from manufacturing in China.
• IPEF would therefore offer an advantage to
participating countries, allowing them to
bring those businesses into their territory.
• H owever, it officially excluded Taiwan
despite its willingness and economic
merit to join.
 his exhibits Washingtons
• T
geopolitical caution.
Reactions from the opponents
• C
 hinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi criticized
the initiative as an attempt to further
economic decoupling from China.
• He argued that the initiative, and the US
Indo-Pacific strategy as a whole, created
divisions and incited confrontation. It is
destined to be ultimately be a failure.
• Taiwan was excluded in order to appease
key fence-sitter countries such as Indonesia
whose governments feared angering China.
Issues with IPEF framework
• IPEF would neither constitute a free trade
agreement, nor a forum to discuss tariff
reductions or increasing market access.
• Unlike a traditional trade agreement, the US
administration will not need congressional
approval to act under the IPEF. Hence its
legal status is questionable.
• This also raises doubts among potential
participants about their reluctance to
offer significant concessions under the
agreement.
• The volatility of US domestic politics has
raised concerns about IPEFs durability.
• Unlike traditional FTAs, the IPEF does
not subscribe to the single undertaking
principle, where all items on the agenda are
negotiated simultaneously.
Given the divisive nature of American politics,
it is unclear whether the IPEF will survive past
the Biden administration.
Way forward
• The IPEFs launch in Tokyo was symbolic
in nature; bringing the IPEF to fruition will
involve significant domestic and international
challenges.
• Without ratification by Congress, the IPEFs
fortunes will remain in limbo.
• Going forward, the US and the founding
partners need to develop the process and
criteria by which other countries from the
region will be invited to join the negotiations
on the IPEF.
For the first time in 26 years, India and
Bangladesh agreed to share the waters of a
significant transboundary river, the Kushiyara,
www.civilsdaily.com 101
while negotiations over a long-delayed
agreement to share the Teesta River’s waters,
which are politically sensitive are still ongoing.
India-Bangla water disputes: A
backgrounder
• T he Teesta River and the Ganges River
dispute are the two main long-standing
water conflicts between India and
Bangladesh.
• B oth rivers are important supplies of water
for fishermen, farmers, and boatmen in
both nations.
• S ince the sacred river flows from India to
Bangladesh, the Ganga river dispute has
been a source of contention between the two
countries for the past 35 years.
• T here hasn’t been a long-term solution for
sharing water offered despite several rounds
of bilateral negotiations failing.
• In order to establish a water sharing
arrangement for the following 30 years, a
treaty was signed in 1996. This deal is about
to expire.
What is the Kushiyara River Treaty?
• T he first such deal since the 1996 signing of
the Ganga water treaty, India and Bangladesh
reached an interim agreement on water
sharing for the Kushiyara River.
• I ndia withdrew its objection to withdrawal
of Kushiyaras waters by Bangladesh through
the Rahimpur Canal.
• O ver the last century, the flow of the Barak
river has changed in such a way that the bulk
of the rivers water flows into Kushiyara while
the rest goes into Surma.
• T he agreement is aimed at addressing part
of the problem that the changing nature of
the river has posed before Bangladesh as it
unleashes floods during the monsoon.
STRATEGIC AUTONOMY IN FOREIGN POLICY
Strategic autonomy
in Foreign Policy
International Relations | :
Why in news?
India has adopted Self Reliance as an objective
in the post covid world. While it is seen
primarily in economic terms (reducing imports,
shifting value chains), self-reliance also means
strategic autonomy in foreign policy.
102 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• It goes dry during the winter when demand
of water goes up because of a crop cycle
in Sylhet.
Terms of the treaty
 nder this MoU, Bangladesh will be able to
• U
withdraw 153 cusecs (cubic feet per second)
of water from the Kushiyara out of the
approximately 2,500 cusecs of water that is
there in the river during the winter season.
 he agreement addresses Bangladeshs
• T
concern over water supply along the river,
during the winter months but flood control
in the basin of Kushiyara is expected to
require much more work.
How will Bangladesh use the water?
• T
 he water of Kushiyara will be channelled
through the Rahimpur Canal project
in Sylhet.
• T
 he eight km long canal is the only supplier
of water from the Kushiyara to the region
and Bangladesh has built a pump house and
other facilities for withdrawal of water that
can now be utilised.
Benefits to Bangladesh
• It is generally understood that approximately
10,000 hectares of land and millions of
people will benefit from the water that will
flow through a network of canals in Sylhet.
• It will benefit the farmers involved in Boro
rice, which is basically the rice cultivated
during the dry season of December to
February and harvested in early summer.
• B angladesh has been complaining that the
Boro rice cultivation in the region had been
suffering as India did not allow it to withdraw
the required water from the Kushiyara.
Strategic autonomy
Strategic autonomy is the ability of a state to
pursue its own national interest and preferred
foreign policy without being constrained by
other states. It has to be formulated as per
the security environment to ensure India’s
sovereignty and territorial integrity are
maintained.
Why is the water from the Kushiyara so
important for Rahimpur Canal?
• The water of the Kushiyara has been used
for centuries in Sylhets subdivisions like the
Zakiganj, Kanaighat and Beanibazar areas.
• But Bangladesh has witnessed that the
flow and volume of water in the canal has
reduced during the lean season.
• The utility of the river and the canal during
the lean/winter season had gone down,
affecting cultivation of rice as well as a
wide variety of vegetables for which Sylhet
is famous.
What was India’s objection to the Rahimpur
Canal?
• India objected to the clearing and
dredging of canal.
• It claimed that the dyke and other
infrastructure interfered in border security
as Kushiyara itself forms part of the border
between the two sides.
• However, the agreement indicates that the
economic benefits possible from the river
outweighed the security
What are the hurdles to theTeesta
agreementhttps://www.civilsdaily.com/
news/teesta-water-sharing-issue/?
• The Kushiyara agreement is relatively smaller
in scale in comparison to Teesta that involves
West Bengal, which has problems with
the proposal.
• The Kushiyara agreement did not require a
nod from any of the States like Assam from
which the Barak emerges and branches into
Kushiyara and Surma.
Evolution of Strategic Autonomy in India
1stphase- Non-Alignment (1947-1961):
During Bipolar world (USA and USSR as
power centres)
• Non-alignment: India played a critical role
in the establishment of the Non-Alignment
Movement (NAM) (1961), which marked the
peak of Third World solidarity.
• Five-point agreement or the Panchsheel
policy of PM Nehru.
• Preservation of autonomy : India’s objectives
were to resist from joining any military
blocs while rebuilding its economy and
consolidated its territorial integrity.
2ndphase- Realism (1962-71)
• India made pragmatic choices on security
and political challenges after the 1962 war.
• India looked beyond non-alignment in the
interest of national security. for example,
a defense arrangement with the United
States in 1964.
3rdphase- Regional Assertion (1971-91):
• T ilt towards USSR : signing of the India-
Soviet Treaty of Peace, Friendship and
Cooperation
• G etting involved in 1971 war, resulting in the
creation of Bangladesh.
• India conducted peaceful nuclear explosion
test in 1974 (Pokhran I) for which it faced
sanctions from the USA.
• Indian peacekeeping operation in Sri Lanka.
• T he creation of the US-China-Pakistan
axis threatened India’s prospects as a
regional power.
4thphase-Strategic autonomy (1991-2005)
• E
 conomic reforms and high economic
growth led to an evolution in the countrys
strategic outlook.
• M
 ulti alignment: India reached out to
engage the US, Israel, and ASEAN countries
more intensively.
5thphase: India’s strategic autonomy
approach in a multipolar world (after 2005)
• M ulti-alignment approach:
• India has moved from a P2 (US and China)
mindset to a P5+2 approach to positioning
itself as a global power. e.g.: membership of
ASEAN, SCO, Quad.
• India’s preference towards a free, open, and
inclusive Indo-Pacific refers to a multipolar
regional order within which Delhi can
maintain its strategic autonomy.
• B alancing diplomacy manifested in the
Russia-India- China (RIC) meeting and
Japan- America India (JAI) meeting on the
sidelines of G20.
• D e-hyphenation policy of India:
• D e-hyphenated Look West Policy, which
means India’s relationship with Israel would
stand on its merits, independent and separate
from India’s relationship with the Palestinians.
• I ssue-based cooperation:
• In the Middle East, India has reached out to
Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Iran. India invited
to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
(OIC) for the first time.
• R ecently India overlooked USAs sanctions
and decided to go ahead with the S-400 deal
with Russia.
• Intensified cooperation with middle powers
like UK, EU, Japan, and ASEAN countries to
accomplish collective goals.
• India pulled out of the Regional
Comprehensive Economic Partnership
and concluded that a China-led economic
order in Asia will permanently ruin India’s
economic prospects.
• U se of Hard power and expanding military Recent Trends: Increasing India- US co-
cooperation: operation
• India’s responded strongly to the terror strikes
in Pulwama and Balakot airstrikes. 1.Strategic partnership
• India has also signed military logistics • The US has designated India as an integral
support agreements with partner countries part of the Indo-pacific narrative by the
such as the USA, France, Singapore, Australia, conception of
South Korea. • India becoming a non-NATO Ally of the
• India’s soft power:International yoga USA in line with countries such as Israel
day, south Asian satellite, International and South Korea for increasing defense
solar alliance, and SAARC COVID-19 cooperation.
Emergency Fund. • USA has supported India’s membership
in the Australia Group and Wassenaar
Changing the world from unipolar to Arrangement.
bipolar multipolar: • USA has recently unveiled its New Security
• B
 ipolar (1945-1991): Bipolar world can be strategy (NSS) to promote deeper
defined as a system in which the majority partnership with India.
of global economic, military and cultural • The 2+2 dialogue: It is the dialogue between
influence is held between two countries Indian External Affairs and Defence Ministers,
the USA and USSR. This resulted in and their US counterparts to provide a vision
Cold War characterized by geopolitical for strategic partnership.
tension between the Soviet Union and the • Security agreements like Logistics
United States. Exchange Memorandum of Agreement,
• U
 nipolar (1991-2008): After the Communications Compatibility and Security
disintegration of USSR, the United States Agreement (COMCASA)
became the only superpower and the
international system has become unipolar. Challenges to strategic autonomy:
• Fear of becoming a US ally : India is actively
Assuming the role of global policeman, the
seeking the cooperation of the US but it has
USA was able to impose its will on other
to protect its core national interests from the
countries. For Example, the invasion of Iraq in
threats of US intervention. For example- USA
2003, the war in Afghanistan, and the policy
threatening India of CAATSA (Countering
of regime change during President Bush.
Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions
• M
 ulti power (2008-till now): Multipolarity
Act) in relation with Chahbahar port and
is the emergence of many regional powers
S-400 deal with Russia.
along with the withdrawal of the USA as a
• Assertive rise of China: It may result in
global policeman.
security threat like Doklam standoff, clashes
• R
 ise of China: Aggression in the South China
in Galwan valley across LAC. A possibility of
Sea, US-China trade war, Clashes with India
China, Pakistan, Russia, Iran axis.
at LAC (Line of Actual Control) and heavy
• Assertion of Power : Regional assertion of
investment in developing countries through
power may lead to arms races and rise in
Belt and Road initiative.
geopolitical uncertainty. For example, arms
• R
 ise of BRICS and other major power:
race between India and China.
BRICS is committed to democratization of
• Dependence on other developed countries
international life. It accounts for almost a
for economic growth: India needs
third of global GDP at purchasing power
technology, capital, markets, skills, defence
parity. E.g.; creation of the New Development
equipment, international networking, and
Bank (NDB) and Contingent Reserve
global cooperation to resolve global issues.
Arrangement (CRA).
Sensitive technology can come only at the
• C
 reation of international/regional
behest of compromising strategic autonomy.
groupings: For example, ASEAN (Association
• Impact of US tilt : Complete dependence on
of southeast Asian Nations), APEC (Asia
US will impact ties with Russia, Iran as well
Pacific Economic Cooperation)
as defense indigenization.
• R
 ussia reasserting its bipolar status:
meddling in Syria against US, growing Sino-
Way forward:
Russia relations, Russias annexation of Crimea
• Amulti vector foreign policy approach:
• R
 ise of India: India’s participation in Shanghai
India’s potential has to be maximized
Co-operation Organization, G-20 Summit,
by multi alignment rather than isolation
the Mekong-Ganga Co-operation, the
or alliance.
International Solar Alliance, etc. India is also
• Practice creative diplomacy and flexibility:
recasting its approach. e.g., Quad, SAGAR,
In the destabilised world, there is need to
Blue dot network, etc.
adjust to the fast-changing balance of power
and correlate with the countries around us.
www.civilsdaily.com 103
• C
 ooperate and Compete: India must work
with other powers to ensure that its region
stays multi-polar (preventing dominance of
one country of the region)
• A
 ctive Engagement with middle powers :
Intensified cooperation with middle powers
like UK, EU, Japan and ASEAN countries to
accomplish collective goals.
• Utilising multilateral institutions: Strategic
relationships with multilateral institutions
and multiple partners including developing
countries, least developed countries.

FOREIGN POLICY WATCH: INDIA-RUSSIA

Success of EEF

Eastern Economic • Agreements signed at the EEF increased from

217 in 2017 to 380 agreements in 2021, worth

Forum (EEF)
International Relations | GS2: Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and agreements
involving India
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : EEF
Mains level : Read the attached story
Russia hosted the seventh Eastern Economic
Forum- EEF Vladivostok from September 5
to 8. The four-day forum is a platform for
entrepreneurs to expand their businesses into
Russias Far East (RFE).
• F DI inflows: The primary objective of
the EEF is to increase the Foreign Direct
Investments in the RFE.
• Natural resource exploitation: The region
encompasses one-third of Russias territory
and is rich with natural resources such as
fish, oil, natural gas, wood, diamonds and
other minerals.
• D emographic revamp: The sparse
population living in the region is another
factor for encouraging people to move and
work in the Far East.
• U nleashing economic potential: The regions
riches and resources contribute to five
percent of Russias GDP.
3.6 trillion roubles.
• As of 2022, almost 2,729 investment projects
are being planned in the region.
Who are the major actors in the EEF?
• China is the biggest investor in the region
as it sees potential in promoting the Chinese
Belt and Road Initiative and the Polar Sea
Route in the RFE.
• Chinas investments in the region account for
90% of the total investments.
• South Korea has invested in shipbuilding
projects, manufacturing of electrical
equipment, gas-liquefying plants, agricultural
production and fisheries.
• Japan is another key trading partner. In 2017,
its investments through 21 projects amounted
to $16 billion.
How does Russia see Chinese investment
in EEF?
• Russia has been welcoming Chinese
investments since 2015; more now than ever
due to the economic pressures caused by the
war in Ukraine.

What is the Eastern Economic Forum-EEF?

• T he EEF was established in 2015 aiming to
encourage foreign investments in the RFE
to display:
1. Economic potential
2. Suitable business conditions and
3. Investment opportunities in the region
• F ocus areas: The agreements focus on
infrastructure, transportation projects,
mineral excavations, construction, industry
and agriculture.
• W ith EEF, Russia is trying to attract the Asian
economies in investing and developing
the Far East.
• T his year, the Forum aimed at connecting
the Far East with the Asia-Pacific

What does the EEF aim for?

104 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
  he Trans-Siberian Railway has further
• T
helped Russia and China in advancing
trade ties.
 he countries share a 4000-km-long
• T
border, which enables them to tap into each
others resources with some infrastructural
assistance.
• C
 hina is also looking to develop its
Heilongjiang Province which connects
with the RFE.
• B
 oth nations have invested in a fund to
develop connectivity between the cities of
Blagoveshchensk and Heihe.
India and Russias Far East
• India seeks to expand its influence in the RFE.
• In 2019, India also offered a $1 billion line of
credit to develop infrastructure in the region.
• D uring the forum, PM Modi expressed
the countrys readiness in expanding trade,
connectivity and investments in Russia.
• India is keen to deepen its cooperation
in energy, pharmaceuticals, maritime
connectivity, healthcare, tourism, the
diamond industry and the Arctic.
FOREIGN POLICY WATCH: UNITED NATIONS
What is the Plant Treaty?
International Relations | GS2: Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and agreements
involving India
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Plant treaty
Mains level : Not Much
The ninth session of the governing body of the
International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources
for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) has
recently begun in New Delhi.
Theme of this years event
• T
 he theme of the meeting is Celebrating
the Guardians of Crop Diversity: Towards
an Inclusive Post-2020 Global Biodiversity
Framework.
What is the Plant Treaty?
• T he International Treaty on Plant Genetic
Resources for Food and Agriculture
(ITPGRFA) was adopted by the Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations November 3, 2001.
• It was signed in 2001 in Madrid, and entered
into force on 29 June 2004.
Strategic significance of EEF for Russia
• G
 ateway to Asia: The RFE is geographically
placed at a strategic location; acting as a
gateway into Asia.
• N
 egating the Ukrainian war impact: The
Ukraine war is a worrying issue as it affects
the economic growth of the country.
• S
 urviving sanctions: Although, the EEF is
an annual gathering, the forum comes at an
opportune time for Russia who is dealing
with the impact of the sanctions.
• S
 upply chain resilience: The IPEF will
also play a key role in building resilient
supply chains.
Will India be able to strike a balance
between the EEF and IPEF?
• B
 oth are incomparable: The US-ledIndo-
Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity
(IPEF)https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/indo-
pacific-economic-framework-for-prosperity-
ipef/ and the EEF are incomparable based on
its geographic coverage and the partnership
with the host-countries.
• It is the first legally-binding international
instrument to formally acknowledge the
enormous contribution of indigenous people
and small-holder farmers as traditional
custodians of the worlds food crops.
• It also calls on nations to protect and
promote their rights to save and use the
seeds they have taken care of for millennia.
• T
 he parties to this treaty have come together
after nearly three years to discuss governance
of agricultural biodiversity and global
food security.
Objectives of the treaty
The treaty aims at:
1. Guaranteeing food security through the
conservation
• I ndia values both: India has not shied away
from investing in the Russia-initiated EEF
despite the current international conditions.
• India is firm for its purpose: At the same
time, India has given its confirmation and
acceptance to three of the four pillars
in the IPEF.
Conclusion
• India understands the benefits of being
involved in the development in the RFE but
it also perceives the IPEF as a vital platform
to strengthen its presence in the Indo-
Pacific region.
• India’s participation in the forum will help
in disengaging from supply chains that are
dependent on China and will also make it a
part of the global supply chain network.
Also read:
https://www.civilsdaily.com/russia-far-east/
2. Exchange and sustainable use of the
world’s plant genetic resources for food and
agriculture (PGRFA)
3. Fair and equitable benefit sharing arising
from its use, as well as
4. Recognition of farmers’ rights.
Key feature: Annex 1 Crops
• The treaty has implemented a Multilateral
System (MLS) of access and benefit sharing,
among those countries that ratify the treaty,
for a list of 64 of some of the most important
food and forage crops essential for food
security and interdependence.
• The genera and species are listed in Annex
1 to the treaty. The treaty facilitates the
continued open exchange of food crops and
their genetic materials.
• The list of plant genetic material included in
the Multilateral System of the Treaty is made
of major food crops and forages.
• The Forages are also divided in legume
forages and grass forages.
• They were selected taking into account
the criteria of food security and country
interdependence
www.civilsdaily.com 105
RISE OF FAR RIGHT POPULISM IN DEMOCRACIES
Rise of Far right Populism
in Democracies
International Relations | :
Context:
• G
 iorgia Meloni, the leader of the far-right
political party Brothers of Italy, is set to
become the first female premier of Italy.
• T
 he recent vote for the political party with
neo-fascist origins brings in the most right-
wing government Italy has witnessed since
the Second World War and the fascist leader
Benito Mussolini.
The rise of the Right-Wing Populism
Introduction:
• S tarting in the mid-2010s, democracies all
over the world have turned towards the
right, electing representatives that stand
in stark contrast to those that pushed for
globalization and international cooperation
two decades earlier.
• R ight-wing populism isnt a monolith. It has
different features in different countries. Its
hard, and somewhat simplistic, to ascribe
all of the parties, movements, and leaders
emerging in this historic shift to a single
political trend.
• Yet, they do have some elements in common.
The movements and parties that belong to
it share xenophobic, nationalistic traits, a
tendency toward authoritarianism, aggressive
leadership, and an anti-elitist message.
• A ll over Europe, the past few years have
seen a noticeable growth in xenophobia,
particularly in reaction to asylum seekers and
immigrants. Simultaneously, theres been a
growing rejection of European cooperation,
propelling the 2016 vote in favor of Brexit in
the UK, and the rise of far-right movements
all over the continent.
• In the United States, President Donald
Trump-whose rise to power was helped by
right-wing populist strategist Steve Bannon-
has promoted an anti-immigrant agenda.
The American president has not shied away
from incendiary comments and under his
presidency, hate crimes are on the rise.
106 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• There was the fear that the migrants might
somehow compromise the welfare model
of democratic countries and that the Islamic
way of life would spread.
• Many of these anxieties were further
fuelled by the recent terrorist attacks on
European soil, especially in France, Belgium,
and the UK.
• B razils election of President Jair Bolsonaro
• These attacks reinforced the anti-immigration
demonstrated that far-right populism and
sentiments and made it possible to link the
authoritarian promises to restore law and
migration crisis to fears of terrorism.
order remain a potent and growing force in
• A Cultural Backlash:
global politics.
• Some of the reasons for the emergence of
• In Sweden, a party described as having neo-
populists parties in the world stem from an
Nazi roots has tapped intoanti-immigrant
unreasonable fear of demographic changes
sentimentand won more than 20% of the
and the loss of national identity that might
vote in elections earlier this month, enough
be caused by the immigration of foreign
to give it some influence over the new
nationals.
government being formed there.
• The Natives believe that their cultural,
• T he far-right candidate in France, Marine
linguistic, religious, and culinary identity
Le Pen, lost her race against President
would be lost if the number of immigrants is
Emmanuel Macron earlier this year, but she
not kept under check.
got more than 41% of the vote in a runoff, far
• Distrust, Destruction, Deprivation, and
more than she got in 2017, which suggests
Dealignment:
that her anti-immigration message is
• There are four main causes for the recent
growing in France.
rise in support for national populism: distrust,
• In Poland Law and Justice whichis
destruction, deprivation, and dealignment.
aright-wing populistandnational-
• Firstly, distrust refers to the way in which
conservativepolitical party has been in power
many voters feel like they are not being
since 2015
listened to and that their opinions are not
valued when it comes to political debate.
Causes for the Rise of Right-Wing Populism:
• Secondly, destruction alludes to the way that
• E
 conomic Reasons:
people fear the loss of cultural identity due to
• O
 ver the course of history, financial
immigration and globalization. These fears
recessions have resulted in increased support
have been seen in multicultural societies like
for extremist parties.
France and England and also in homogenous
• T
 he recession of 2008 was no different as it
societies like Hungary and Poland.
brought the rise of far-right parties.
• The third cause, deprivation, points to the
• T
 he recessions led to an increase in
loss of faith in the future and the fear of
unemployment and globalization didn’t
inequality and deprivation in relation to
benefit all the sections of the population
others. Many voters today are convinced that
equally, creating resentment and anger
the past was better than the present and that
among those who were not benefitted.
the future will be worse.
• E
 conomic insecurity coming from the effects
• Finally, voter cleavages are not nearly as
of increased globalization, technological
defined as they were before leading to
progress, and the aftermath of the financial
dealignment. Political systems are currently
crisis of 2008 all led to high levels of
far more volatile than they have ever been.
unemployment, which, in turn, resulted in an
All these causes have created the perfect
unhappy population.
breeding ground for national populism to
• T
 he Migrant Crisis:
prosper and they must be looked at together,
• T
 he Refugee Crisis made national populism a
not separately. National populism is neither a
dominant ideology across former communist
result of the economic crisis nor a cultural shift
countries.
but the sum of them both
• T
 he anti-migration rhetoric of the right-wing
political parties, especially directed against
Tools used by the Right-Wing Populist
the Muslim migrants gained momentum
Parties:
after the refugee crisis of 2015.
The reasons mentioned above create a perfect
• V
 ery large sections of the native people
breeding ground for right-wing populism to
believe that immigration had a negative
develop under the right leader and with the
impact on their livelihood and culture and
help of effective political communication tools.
most of them support a complete closure of
Some of these tools are:
their borders to immigrants.
1.Charismatic leader
• O
 ne of the most important features of
populism is its reliance on a strong and
charismatic leader who presents him or
herself as the voice of the people and who is
able to reach and mobilize the masses.
• P
 opulism requires the most extraordinary
individuals to lead the most ordinary people.
• H
 aving a strong leader is of particular
importance to extremist parties mainly
because they are new and not well known
and relatively unstable without a leader.
• M
 any populists parties are even organized
around a strong leader since their charisma
alone can bring in voters’ support.
2.Populist Rhetoric: Scapegoating and Fear
Mongering
• F ear-mongering refers to the deliberate
creation of fear in citizens by blowing
aparticular issue out of proportion.
• T he use of fear-mongering is especially
prevalent amongst populist parties and
populist leaders.
• It plays on one of the most powerful human
emotions- fear.
• In Europe, fear-mongering is often used
to talk about the negative effects that
immigration and globalization will bring.
• A scapegoat refers to a person or a group
who is vilified and blamed for most of the
troubles of a country.
3.The Media:
• T
 he media is one of the most important tools
that any political party can use. Most citizens
never meet the politicians and thus rely on
the media in order to form an opinion about
the politician or political party.
• T
 his makes the media a crucial tool for
politicians to disseminate their message and
to build up their image.
• M
 edia prominence can profoundly influence
the politicians prominence in the public eye.
4.Social Media and the Internet:
• F ar-right parties have found their way
intonew media (blogs, social media, etc) and
utilized it to their advantage.
• S ocial media, in particular, also provides a
direct link with their supporters.
• S ocial media platforms like Facebook and
Twitter provide both politicians and citizens
with a medium forexpressing their ideas
in the way they see fit, with or without
employing political correctness. This
interactive way of communicating provides a
stark difference from traditional media.
• T he fact that citizens can themselves post
opinion pieces and reshare other peoples
posts gives more of a personal touch.
• M
 oreover, initial research has shown that
people are more likely to be influenced by
messages and posts from people they trust
than from news organizations.
• T
 he Right-wing populist parties make use
of the personal data of users of these social
media platforms for profiling the users and
use targetted messages to attract them.
This was the case with Cambridge Analytica
which used user data for political advertising.
Impact of Right-Wing Populism:
• X enophobia:
• X enophobia means the dislike of or
prejudices against people from other
countries.
• T here has been a resurgence of Racism
and Xenophobia with the rise of right-
wing populism.
• T he tendencies to deny work visas under the
pretext of proving employment opportunities
to the citizens is a result of such Xenophobia.
• T he instances of attributing the rise of
terrorist activities to Islam and targetting
the Muslim minorities with hate speech
and violent attacks have been on the rise in
recent times.
• R ise of Authoritarianism and t he decline of
Democratic values:
• T he rise of right-wing populism under
aggressive leaders has led to the decline of
democratic values like liberty, equality, etc.
• T he democratic institutions have been
undermined and democratic values ignored.
• T he aggressive nature of the right-wing
leaders has even affected the independence
of the judiciary in some countries.
• T he human rights of people are violated with
impunity in some of the countries where
right-wing populism is prevalent.
• It is entirely possible and even expected that
right-wing populists will seek to roll back
democratic norms and institutions once in
power in order to entrench their authority
and quash political opposition.
• E conomic Protectionism:
• A ttributing the huge unemployment and
trade deficits to economic globalization,
right-wing leaders often choose to impose
tariff and non-tariff barriers on imports.
Example: Higher tariff rates imposed on steel
by Donald Trump.
• I solationism:
• It is the foreign policy of right-wing populists
who assert that thenations’ best interests are
best served by keeping the affairs of other
countries at a distance.
• T
 his isolationist policy of the developed
western economies led to the increasing
domination of the authoritarian governments
in many parts of the world.
• For example, the isolationist tendency of
the Trump administration is one of the main
reasons for the growing domination of China
in the Indo-Pacific region.
• Increasing opposition to collective
responses to global threats:
• In many cases, the states affected by right-
wing populism are more fiercely opposed
to collective global responses to shared
concerns such as climate change and
migration.
• This is especially the case for far-right,
illiberal regimes, which typically thrive on
xenophobic paranoia, and a disavowal of any
form of global cooperation in favor of a blunt,
country-first approach to international affairs.
• This can be seen in Trump’s withdrawal from
the Paris climate change agreement and
the World Health Organization amidst the
Covid-19 pandemic.
• A threat to global security:
• This democratic backsliding is a threat to
global security. Nondemocracies are more
prone to violence and war; more likely to
stoke crises and confrontation.
Conclusion:
• Overall, it can be said that there are
numerous conditions that provided the
grounds for national populism to prosper
in Europe.
• Decades of globalization have not benefited
everyone equally and many, who felt uneasy
with the cultural change globalization
entailed, found solace in the familiar feelings
of nationalism.
• Certain events such as the Financial crisis
and the Migrant Crisis propelled these
sentiments further.
• However, these feelings of resentment and
feeling left out of political discussion need to
be voiced by a charismatic leader. Without
having a political party to voice these
concerns, national populism would most
likely have remained at the fringes of the
political landscape.
• The power of social media also allowed
for the messages to spread in a rapid and
personal way.
• It is clear that the feelings of dissatisfaction
and disconnect amongst many people
are very real and cannot be ignored by
mainstream politicians. A large amount
of the population is unhappy with the
current system and desperate for a change
something that the far-right parties
promise to offer.
• If we are to bridge the gap, then a way needs
to be found whereby national populist voters
could be included in mainstream political
discourse and feel respected and heard
once again.
www.civilsdaily.com 107
RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE: GLOBAL IMPLICATIONS
Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan Conflict
International Relations | GS2: India & Its Neighborhood - Relations
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Batken Region
Mains level : Not Much
Nearly 100 people have been killed and scores
injured in violent border clashes between
Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan over the last week.
What is the Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan Conflict?
• T
 he clashes are replaying old pre- and post-
Soviet era legacies.
• T
 he borders of the two republics were
demarcated under Joseph Stalin’s leadership.
• H
 istorically, the Kyrgyz and Tajik populations
enjoyed common rights over natural
resources.
• T
 he issue of the delimitation of the border is
a relic of the Soviet era.
• W
 hile regular talks have tried to resolve
the issue, one of the crucial points of
disagreement remains over the map which
should be used for demarcation purposes.
• A
 lmost half of its close to a 1000 km border
is disputed.
108 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
Genesis of the dispute
• T
 he creation of the Soviet Union saw the
large-scale redistribution of livestock to
collective and state farms, which upset the
existing status quo.
• U
 nfortunately, there was only so much land
to go around.
• T
 he Tajik territory of Batken saw their
livestock increase, and with scarce grazing
land, agreements were signed between the
two populations over the utilisation of Kyrgyz
territory by the Tajiks’ livestock.
What is happening now at the border?
• T
 he last few weeks have seen constant
shelling, violent confrontations by local
communities, and active engagement by
security forces on either side.
• The Batken region of Kyrgyzstan is seeing
families being moved out and getting
relocated.
• According to Kyrgyzstan, close to 1,50,000
people out of the 5,50,000 odd population of
the Batken region have either fled the area or
have been relocated by the state.
• The situation in Osh, Kyrgyzstan, is no
different. The highly militarised borders also
add to tensions.
India-Kyrgyzstan
• Political:
• India has enjoyed strong bilateral ties with
Kyrgyzstan since 1991.
• India was one of the first countries
to establish diplomatic ties with
Kyrgyzstan in 1992.
• Culture & Economic:
• Since 1992, the two countries have many
agreements, including on Culture, Trade
and Economic Cooperation, Civil Aviation,
Investment Promotion and Protection,
Avoidance of Double Taxation, Consular
Convention etc.
• Military:
• In 2011, the joint Khanjar series of exercises
was started.
• I ndian Diaspora:
• In Kyrgyzstan, about 9,000 Indian students
are studying medicine in various medical
institutions in the country. Also, there are
many businessmen living in Kyrgyzstan
who are involved in trade and several other
services there.
• S trategic:
• T he Kyrgyz leaderships have been largely
supportive of India’s stand on Kashmir.
• T hey also support India’s bid for a permanent
seat at the United Nations Security
Council (UNSC).
India-Tajikistan
• P olitical:
• India and Tajikistan elevated bilateral
relations to the level of a Strategic
Partnership in 2012.
FOREIGN POLICY WATCH: UNITED NATIONS
G4 countries call for
UNSC reforms
International Relations | GS2: Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and agreements
involving India
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : G4, Coffee Club, UNSC
Mains level : UNSC reforms
The G4 nations have said that the
Intergovernmental Negotiations on UN
Security Council reform are constrained by a
lack of openness and transparency.
https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/explained-
india-at-united-nations-security-council/
• T ajikistan supported India’s membership to
the Shanghai Cooperation Organization
(SCO) and also permanent membership of
an expanded UNSC.
• India supported Tajikistan’s accession to the
World Trade Organization in 2013.
• C ulture & Economic:
• T rade between two sides is not to
expectations despite efforts from both
countries, due to more transit time and lack
of readily accessible trade routes.
• D espite limitations, trade in food processing,
mining, pharmaceuticals, textiles, skill
development, science & technology,
Information Technology, culture and tourism
are continued between two countries.
• I ndia’s Assistance:
Who are the G4 Countries?
 he G4 nations, comprising Brazil, Germany,
• T
India, and Japan are four countries which
support each other’s bids for permanent
seats on the United Nations Security Council.
• T
 heir primary aim is the permanent member
seats on the Security Council.
• India delivered major food assistance in
2001-02. To overcome a crisis caused by
an unprecedented harsh winter in January-
February 2008, India gave a grant of USD 2
million (USD 1 million as cash assistance and
USD 1 million in kind, such as power cables,
generators and pump sets).
• India provided 2 million doses of oral
polio vaccine through the United Nations
Childrens Fund (UNICEF) in November 2010.
• In March 2018, India gifted 10 Russian-made
ambulances to various regions of Tajikistan
drawing substantial media coverage and
appreciation from high offices.
• Indian Diaspora:
• The total number of Indians is estimated
at about 1550, out of which more than 1250
are students.
• Each of these four countries have figured
among the elected non-permanent members
of the council since the UN’s establishment.
• Their economic and political influence has
grown significantly in the last decades,
reaching a scope comparable to the
permanent members (P5).
Deterrent in their cause
• The UK and France have backed the G4’s bid
for permanent seats.
• All the permanent members of P5 have
supported India’s bids for permanent seat.
• However, China has previously implied that
it is only ready to support India if it does not
associate its bid with Japan.
• The US has sent strong indications to Brazil
that it is willing to support its membership;
albeit, without a veto.
What holds them back?
• There has been discontent among the
present permanent members regarding the
inclusion of controversial nations or countries
not supported by them.
• For instance, Japan’s bid is heavily opposed by
China, North Korea, Russia and South Korea
who think that Japan needs to make sincere
reparations for war crimes committed during
World War II.
• Under the leadership of Italy, countries
that strongly oppose the G4 countries’ bids
have formed the Uniting for Consensus
movement, also called as Coffee Club.
• In Asia, Pakistan opposes India’s bid.
Why India deserves a permanent seat?
• India has been part of UN since inception.
• It has the worlds second-largest population
and is the worlds largest democracy suited to
represent South Asia.
www.civilsdaily.com 109
• It has contributed maximum peacekeepers to
UN so far.
Why reform UNSC?
• N
 on-representative nature: UNSC in current
form is not representative of developing
world and global needs, with primacy of
policy being political tool in hands of P5, is
well recognised globally.
• C
 ontention over Veto and Technical Holds:
Veto powerhttps://www.civilsdaily.com/news/
china-blocks-terrorist-listing-at-unsc-1267-
list/ with P5 enables any one of them to
prevent the adoption of any substantive draft
Council resolution, regardless of its level of
international support.
• D
 ivided institution: UNSC has become
an organisation, which can pass strong
resolutions against weak countries, weak
resolutions against strong countries and no
resolution against P5 countries.
FOREIGN POLICY WATCH: INDIA-NEPAL
Constitutional
Breakdown in Nepal
International Relations | GS2: India & Its Neighborhood - Relations
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : NA
Mains level : India-Nepal Relations
Nepal is in a constitutional crisis with major
organs of the state confronting each other as
the Chief Justice is under undeclared house
arrest and the PM openly criticizing the
President.
Nepal polity in turmoil
• P
 rime Minister who is backed by the
chiefs of four major coalition partners, is at
loggerheads with President.
• T
 he President might seek to rule as an extra-
constitutional authority beyond the sanction
and imagination of the Constitution that
completed six years last week.
Genesis of the crisis: Row over Citizenship
• T
 he current crisis began after President
refused to ratify Nepals citizenship bill, which
was sent to her twice after it was passed by
both Houses of Parliament over the span
of a month.
110 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
Conclusion
• T
 here is a possibility that if UN doesnt reform
itself, it may lose relevance and alternate
global and regional groupings may assume
greater importance.
• M
 ore global pressure from middle powers
like G4 may force an expansion of UNSC as
a possibility, but abolition of veto power in
current set up is unlikely
Back2Basics: United Nations Security
Council (UNSC)
• T he UNSC is one of the six principal organs
of the United Nations and is charged with
the maintenance of international peace
and security.
• Its powers include the establishment of
peacekeeping operations, the establishment
of international sanctions, and the
authorization of military action through
Security Council resolutions.
• T he bill seeks to give citizenship by birth
and by descent to an estimated 500,000
individuals.
• It was also sought to provide non-voting
citizenship to non-resident Nepalis living in
non-SAARC countries.
Constitutional crisis in Nepal: A
backgrounder
• N
 epal transitioned into a democracy
beginning with the fall of the monarchy in
2006 and the subsequent election of the
Maoist government in 2008.
• T
 he emergence of the multiparty system was
followed by the adoption of a constitution on
September 20, 2015.
• A
 ll Nepalese citizens born before this date
got naturalised citizenship.
• B
 ut their children remained without
citizenship as that was to be guided by a
federal law which has not yet been framed.
• T
 his amendment Act was expected to pave
the way to citizenship for many such stateless
youth as well as their parents.
What are the issues with the Act?
Ans. Gender bias
• It is the only UN body with the authority to
issue binding resolutions to member states.
• The Security Council consists of fifteen
members. Russia, the United Kingdom,
France, China, and the United Statesserve as
the bodys five permanent members.
• These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution,
including those on the admission of
new member states or candidates for
Secretary-General.
• The Security Council also has 10 non-
permanent members, elected on a regional
basis to serve two-year terms. The bodys
presidency rotates monthly among
its members.
• The main criticism against the Citizenship
Amendment Act, 2006 is that it goes against
established parameters of gender justice.
• According to Article 11(2b), a person born
to a father or a mother with Nepalese
citizenship can get citizenship by descent.
• Another article says a person who is born
to a Nepalese mother (who has lived in the
country) and an unidentified father will also
get citizenship by descent.
• But this section appears humiliating for
a mother as she has to declare that her
husband is unidentified for the child to be
eligible for citizenship.
• In case of a Nepalese father, such
declarations are not required.
Why has the President refused to sign the
Act?
• Bhandari is the first female
President of Nepal.
• Her refusal to sign the Act has drawn
attention to certain sections in the
constitution that thrusts greater
responsibility on women.
• For example, Article 11 (5) says that a person
who is born to a Nepalese mother and an
unidentified father can be granted citizenship
by descent.
• Next, it says that in case the unidentified
father turns out to be a foreigner, the
citizenship by descent would be converted to
naturalised citizenship.
• Furthermore, it supports punitive action
against the mother if the father is found later.
Indian connection to the issue
• T
 here is an unarticulated concern in the
orthodox sections that Nepalese men,
particularly from the Terai region, continue to
marry women from northern India.
• T
 hese people feel that Nepalese identity
would be undermined.
SRI LANKA’S CONSTITUTION - STRIDES IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
India raises Sri Lankan
Tamil issue in UN
International Relations | GS2: Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and agreements
involving India
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : NA
Mains level : Read the attached story
India voiced concern over the lack of
measurable progress in Sri Lankas promised
political solution to the long-pending Tamil
national question.
Back in news: Tamil Issue
• India has made an unexpected (for SL)
reference to the crisis-hit island nations
debt-driven economy in the context of its
current crisis.
• Indian delegation noted the lack of
measurable progress by Government of Sri
Lanka on their commitments of a political
solution to the ethnic issue.
• It sought for full implementation of the13th
Amendmenthttps://www.civilsdaily.com/
news/what-is-the-13th-amendment-to-
the-sri-lankan-constitution-and-why-is-it-
contentious/ of the Constitution, delegation
of powers to Provincial Councils and holding
of Provincial Council elections at the earliest.
• B
 ecause of this “Beti-Roti” (Nepalese men
marrying Indian women) issue, many women
could not become citizens of Nepal.
• T
 hey were subjected to the infamous seven-
year cooling off period before they could
apply for citizenship in Nepal.
Has India retreated from supporting Sri
Lanka?
• India’s statement comes ahead of a resolution
on Sri Lanka that will likely face a vote at
the Council.
• S ince 2009, India has voted thrice in favour
of the UN resolution on Sri Lanka two were
critical and abstained twice, in 2014 and 2021.
• Irrespective of its vote, India has consistently
underscored the need for a political
settlement within the framework of a united
Sri Lanka, ensuring justice, peace, equality
and dignity for the Tamils of Sri Lanka.
Issues faced by Tamils in Sri Lanka
• A
 ccording to Freedom House’s Freedom
in the World 2016 report on Sri Lanka,
Tamils report systematic discrimination in
areas including government employment,
university education, and access to justice.
• A
 large portion of the Tamil population still
remains displaced.
What is the Tamil issue in Sri Lanka?
• V iolent persecution against the Tamil
population erupted in the form of the 1956,
1958, 1977, 1981 and 1983 anti-Tamil pogroms
in Sri Lanka.
• O ver 13 years since the end ofSri Lankas
civil warhttps://www.civilsdaily.com/
burning-issue-india-sri-lanka-relations-in-
recent-times/, in which tens of thousands
of civilians were killed and disappeared,
survivors continue demanding justice and
accountability for war-time crimes.
• In the post-war years, Sri Lankas human
rights defenders have frequently flagged
concerns over persisting militarisation,
especially in the Tamil-majority north and
east; repression, and the shrinking space
for dissent.
• As such women were stateless, children of
such families were also often found to be
without Nepalese citizenship.
• However, the new amendments have done
away with the cooling off period for these
stateless women.
What is the 13th Amendment?
• It is an outcome of the Indo-Lanka Accord
of July 1987, signed by the then PM Rajiv
Gandhi and President J.R. Jayawardene, in
an attempt to resolve the ethnic conflict and
civil war.
• The 13th Amendment led to the creation of
Provincial Councils and assured a power-
sharing arrangement to enable all nine
provinces in the country, including Sinhala
majority areas, to self-govern.
• Subjects such as education, health,
agriculture, housing, land and police are
devolved to the provincial administrations.
Why is it contentious?
• The 13th Amendment carries considerable
baggage from the countrys civil war years.
• It was opposed vociferously by both Sinhala
nationalist parties and the LTTE.
• The opposition within Sri Lanka saw the
Accord and the consequent legislation as an
imprint of Indian intervention.
• It was widely perceived as an imposition by a
neighbour wielding hegemonic influence.
• The Tamil polity, especially its dominant
nationalist strain, does not find the 13th
Amendment sufficient in its ambit or
substance.
• However, some find it as an important
starting point, something to build upon.
Why India objects over this?
• Because of restrictions on financial powers
and overriding powers given to the
President, the provincial administrations have
not made much headway.
• In particular, the provisions relating to police
and land have never been implemented.
Why is it significant?
• Till date, the Amendment represents the only
constitutional provision on the settlement
of the long-pending Tamil question.
• In addition to assuring a measure of
devolution, it is considered part of the
few significant gains since the 1980s, in
the face of growing Sinhala-Buddhist
majoritarianism.
www.civilsdaily.com 111
TRADE SECTOR UPDATES - FALLING EXPORTS, TIES, MEIS, FOREIGN TRADE POLICY, ETC.
Asian Palm Oil Alliance
(APOA) formed by 5
South Asian Countries
International Relations | GS3: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways Etc.
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Palm Oil, APOA
Mains level : Not Much
Edible oil trade associations from five palm
oil importing countries in South Asia India,
Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal on
Thursday announced the setting up of Asian
Palm Oil Alliance (APOA).
What is Oil Palm?
• P
 alm oil is an edible vegetable oil derived
from the mesocarp of the fruit of the
oil palms.
• T
 he oil is used in food manufacturing, in
beauty products, and as biofuel.
What is APOA?
• T
 hrough APOA, the countries aim at
safeguarding the economic and business
interests of the palm oil consuming
FOREIGN POLICY WATCH: INDIA-SCO
PM Modi pitches for
‘Full Transit Right’
among SCO members
International Relations | GS2: Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and agreements
involving India
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC)
Mains level : Read the attached story
With Pakistan PM listening, Prime Minister
Modi urged Shanghai Cooperation
Organisation member states to give each other
full right to transit.
https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/iran-belarus-
to-be-newest-sco-members/
Why in news?
 M Modi framed the right to transit in the
• P
context of connectivity and how it could
help establish reliable and resilient supply
chains in the region.
112 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
countries and will work towards increasing
the consumption of palm oil in member
countries.
• T
 he idea is to gain collecting bargaining
power and make imports sustainable.
• A
 POA held its first general body meeting on
the side-lines of the Globoil Summit.
• T
 he industry associations of Asian palm oil
importing countries, unlike their counterparts
in Europe, are not involved in shaping the
global discourse on sustainable palm oil in a
collective way.
• T
 he alliance would work towards ensuring
that palm oil is recognised as a high-quality,
economical, and healthy vegetable oil and to
change the negative image of palm oil.
Why did PM pitch this?
• L ack of transit across Pakistans territory has
been a challenge for India to access Central
Asian markets.
• Irans President also said that despite
the impressive potential, infrastructural
connections in the field of transit between
members of the SCO are not so extensive.
• Iran already provides special priority to the
development of the North-South Corridor
and has made huge investments.
Why such move?
• India’s annual imports of edible oil is around
13-14 million tonne (MT).
• Around 8 MT of palm oil is imported from
Indonesia and Malaysia, while other oils, such
as soya and sunflower, come from Argentina,
Brazil, Ukraine and Russia.
• Asia accounts for around 40% of the global
palm oil consumption while Europe accounts
for 12% of palm oil trade.
• Indonesia and Malaysia are the biggest palm
oil exporters in the world.
• India is the largest importer of palm oil in
Asia, accounting for 15% of global imports,
followed by China (9%), Pakistan (4%) and
Bangladesh (2%).
Try this PYQ:
Q.Among the agricultural commodities
imported by India, which one of the
following accounts for the highest imports
in terms of value in the last five years?
(a) Spices 
(b) Fresh fruits 
(c) Pulses 
(d) Vegetable oils
What is International North-South
Transport Corridor (INSTC)?
• The INSTC is a 7,200 km-long multimodal
transportation network encompassing sea,
road, and rail routes to offer the shortest
route of connectivity.
• It was established on 12th September 2000
in St. Petersburg, by Iran, Russia and India
for the purpose of promoting transportation
cooperation among the Member States.
• It links the Indian Ocean to the Caspian Sea
via the Persian Gulf onwards into Russia and
Northern Europe.
• It will move freight between India, Iran,
Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia,
Central Asia and Europe.
Significance of INSTC
• T
 rade facilitation: INSTC is aimed at
reducing the carriage cost between India
and Russia by about 30 percent and bringing
down the transit time by more than half.
• N
 ew corridor in making: It has the
potential to transform the economies of
countries along the corridor into specialized
manufacturing, logistics, and transit hubs by
facilitating access to newer markets.
FOREIGN POLICY WATCH: INDIA-BANGLADESH
Bangladesh favours early
solution for Teesta Dispute
International Relations | GS2: India & Its Neighborhood - Relations
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Teesta River
Mains level : India-Bangladesh Relations
• M
 ultimodal transit: The recent Suez Canal
blockade, which cost the global economy
hefty damage amounting to US$9 billion, has
amplified the optimistic outlook towards the
INSTC as a cheaper and faster alternative
multimodal transit corridor.
Benefits offered to India
• E
 xport promotion: The INSTC connects
India with Central Asia, and Russia, and has
the potential to expand up to the Baltic,
Nordic, and Arctic regions, increasing the
scope of trade multifold.
• Ease of trade: For India, it provides a shorter
trade route with Iran, Russia, and beyond
to Europe, creating scope for increased
economic engagement.
• Alternative Route to Central Asia: It opens
up a permanent alternative route for India
to trade with Afghanistan and Central
Asia, given the hurdles in the direct route
through Pakistan.
India and Bangladesh should resolve all bilateral
issues, including the differences over the waters
of the Teesta, at an early date, said Bangladesh
PM on her visit to India.
What is the news?
• Bangladeshi PM is on a visit to India.
• Both ministers discussed the long-standing
disputes over Teesta river water sharing.
• The two sides shared 54 rivers that required
both nations to work together and share
environmental responsibility in areas such as
the Sundarbans.
About Teesta River
• Teesta River is a 315 km long river that rises
in the eastern Himalayas, flows through the
Indian states of Sikkim and West Bengal
through Bangladesh and enters the Bay
of Bengal.
• It is a tributary of the Brahmaputra (known
as Jamuna in Bangladesh), flowing through
India and Bangladesh.
• It originates in the Himalayas near
Chunthang, Sikkim and flows to the south
through West Bengal before entering
Bangladesh.
• Originally, it continued southward to empty
directly into the Padma River but around 1787
the river changed its course to flow eastward
to join the Jamuna river.
• The Teesta Barrage dam helps to provide
irrigation for the plains between the upper
Padma and the Jamuna.
What is the dispute about?
• The point of contention between India and
Bangladesh is mainly the lean season flow in
the Teesta draining into Bangladesh.
• The river covers nearly the entire floodplains
of Sikkim while draining 2,800 sq km of
Bangladesh, governing the lives of hundreds
of thousands of people.
• For West Bengal, Teesta is equally important,
considered the lifeline of half-a-dozen districts
in North Bengal.
www.civilsdaily.com 113
• B
 angladesh has sought an equitable
distribution of Teesta waters from India, on
the lines of the Ganga Water Treaty of 1996,
but to no avail.
• T
 he failure to ink a deal had its fallout on the
countrys politics, putting the ruling party of
PM Sheikh Hasina in a spot.
Q.The hydrological linkages between India
and Bangladesh are a product of geography
and a matter of shared history. Discuss this
statement in line with the Teesta water sharing
dispute.
The deal
• F ollowing a half-hearted deal in 1983, when a
nearly equal division of water was proposed,
the countries hit a roadblock. The transient
agreement could not be implemented.
FOREIGN POLICY WATCH: INDIA-BANGLADESH
India-Bangla Trade, now
set for CEPA boost
International Relations | GS2: Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and agreements
involving India
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : CEPA
Mains level : Bilateral trade agreements
India and Bangladesh will soon commence
negotiations on a Bilateral Comprehensive
Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).
Glimpse of bilateral trade between India
and Bangladesh
• In 2021-22, Bangladesh has emerged as the
largest trade partner for India in South Asia
and the fourth largest destination for Indian
exports worldwide.
• India is Bangladeshs second biggest trade
partner, and its largest export market in Asia.
• D espite Covid-19 related disruptions, bilateral
trade grew at an unprecedented rate of
almost 44 per cent from $10.78 billion in
2020-21 to $18.13 billion in 2021-22.
• India’s main exports to Bangladesh are raw
cotton, non-retail pure cotton yarn, and
electricity, and its main imports from the
country are pure vegetable oils, non-knit
mens suits, and textile scraps.
What is CEPA?
• T
 he partnership agreement or cooperation
agreement is more comprehensive than an
Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
114 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• T alks resumed after the Awami League
returned to power in 2008 and the former
Indian PM Manmohan Singh visited
Dhaka in 2011.
• In 2015, PM Modis visit to Dhaka generated
more ebullient lines: deliberations were
underway involving all the stakeholders to
conclude the agreement as soon as possible.
Issues from the Indian side
• It remains an unfinished project and one of
the key stakeholders West Bengal CM is yet
to endorse the deal.
• H
 er objection is connected to global
warming. Many of the glaciers on the Teesta
basin have retreated.
• T
 he importance of the flow and the seasonal
variation of this river is felt during the lean
season (from October to April/May) as the
average flow is about 500 million cubic
metres (MCM) per month.
• C ECA/CEPA also looks into the regulatory
aspect of trade and encompasses an
agreement covering the regulatory issues.
• C ECA has the widest coverage. CEPA covers
negotiation on the trade in services and
investment and other areas of economic
partnership.
• It may even consider negotiation in areas
such as trade facilitation and customs
cooperation, competition, and IPR.
• India has signed CEPAs with South Korea
and Japan.
CEPA objectives
• W
 hile informal talks on CEPA have been
happening since 2018, officials said that the
pandemic has brought urgency.
• C
 hinese investments were an initial trigger
for India, but New Delhi and Dhaka want
to step up the pace following the economic
shock faced by the two economies.
• T
 he CEPA is likely to focus on trade in goods,
services, and investment, with a key objective
being the reduction of the trade gap
between the two countries.
• The CM opposed an arrangement in 2011, by
which India would get 42.5% and Bangladesh
37.5% of the water during the lean season,
and the plan was shelved.
Why does this deal matters?
• India and Bangladesh have resolved border
problems through theLand Boundary
Agreement of 2015https://www.civilsdaily.
com/news/land-boundary-agreement-lba-
with-bangladesh/.
• However, both nations have locked horns
over the sharing of multiple rivers that define
the borders and impact lives and livelihoods
on both sides.
• As Bangladesh prepares to graduate into a
developing nation by 2026 after which it
may no longer qualify for trade benefits
that it currently enjoys as a least-developed
country it is keen to clinch the CEPA in a year.
What are the existing frameworks?
The current institutional frameworks for trade
and investment include:
• During the visit of Prime Minister Modi to
Bangladesh in June 2015, the bilateral trade
agreement between the two countries was
renewed for a period of five years with a
provision for auto renewal.
• Under the provisions of the South Asian
Free Trade Area (SAFTA), Bangladesh
extends preferential tariffs to Indian exports
of products outside the sensitive list of
993 items.
• In 2011, India announced duty-free, quota-
free access to Bangladesh for all tariff lines
except tobacco and alcohol.
• An Agreement on Promotion and
Protection of Investments has been in force
since 2011.
• Joint Interpretative Notes to the agreement
were signed during the visit of the
Indian Finance Minister to Bangladesh in
October 2017.
• To facilitate trade and transit through inland
waterways, a Protocol on Inland Waterways
Trade and Transit (PIWTT) has been in place
since 1972. It was renewed in 2015.
• Direct sea movement of containerized/
bulk/ dry cargo began after the signing of a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on
Coastal Shipping in June 2015.
  oUs were signed in 2015 on the use of
• M
the Chittagong https://www.civilsdaily.
com/news/bangladesh-offers-chittagong-
port-for-use-to-india/ and Mongla Ports for
Movement of Goods to and from India.
 he MoU on Border Haats on the India-
• T
Bangladesh border was renewed in April 2017
during the visit of Prime Minister Hasina
to India. Currently, four Border Haats two
each in Meghalaya (Kalaichar and Balat)
and Tripura (Srinagar and Kamalasagar) are
functional.
Back2Basics: Types of Trade Agreements
(1) Free Trade Agreement
• A
 FTA is a pact between two or more nations
to reduce barriers to imports and exports
among them.
• U
 nder a free trade policy, goods and services
can be bought and sold across international
borders with little or no government tariffs,
quotas, subsidies, or prohibitions to inhibit
their exchange.
FOREIGN POLICY WATCH: INDIA-UNITED STATES
Why India has lashed out
at the US over its F-16
package to Pakistan?
International Relations | GS2: Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and agreements
involving India
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : F-16
Mains level : US’s double standards over Pakistan
• T
 he concept of free trade is the opposite
of trade protectionism or economic
isolationism.
(2) Preferential Trade Agreement
• In this type of agreement, two or more
partners give preferential right of entry to
certain products.
• T his is done by reducing duties on an agreed
number of tariff lines.
• H ere a positive list is maintained i.e. the list of
the products on which the two partners have
agreed to provide preferential access.
• T ariff may even be reduced to zero for some
products even in a PTA.
• India signed a PTA with Afghanistan.
(3) Comprehensive Economic Partnership
Agreement
Discussed above.
(4) Comprehensive Economic Cooperation
Agreement
• C ECA generally cover negotiation on trade
tariff and Tariff rate quotas (TRQs) rates only.
• It is not as comprehensive as CEPA.
• India has signed CECA with Malaysia.
(5) Framework Agreement
• Framework agreement primarily defines
the scope and provisions of orientation
of the potential agreement between the
trading partners.
• It provides for some new area of discussions
and set the period for future liberalisation.
• India has previously signed framework
agreements with the ASEAN, Japan etc.
(6) Early Harvest Scheme
• An Early Harvest Scheme (EHS) is a
precursor to an FTA/CECA/CEPA between
two trading partners. For example, early
harvest scheme of RCEP has been rolled out.
• At this stage, the negotiating countries
identify certain products for tariff
liberalization pending the conclusion of
actual FTA negotiations.
• An Early Harvest Scheme is thus a step
towards enhanced engagement and
confidence building.
EAM S Jaishankar has lashed out at the US
for its decision to provide Pakistan with a
$450 million package for F-16 case fighter
aircraft upgrade.
F-16 and Pakistan
• The F-16 is a single-engine multirole
fighter aircraft originally developed by
General Dynamics for the United States Air
Force (USAF).
• Designed as an air superiority day fighter,
it evolved into a successful all-weather
multirole aircraft.
• The F-16 were inducted into Pakistan Air
Force in 1983 during the Soviet-Afghan War.
Suspicion over US move
• This is the first American military assistance
package to Pakistan after the Trump
Administration.
• Mr Trump ended defence and security
co-operation with Pakistan in 2018 after
accusing it of giving only lies and deceit
for the billions of dollars that the US had
foolishly given it.
What specific reasons has the Biden
Administration given for its decision?
• As per US version, the proposed sale does
not include any new capabilities, weapons, or
munitions.
• The upgrade package aimed to retain
interoperability with US and partner forces
in ongoing counter-terrorism efforts and
in preparation for future contingency
operations.
www.civilsdaily.com 115
Why did US provide F-16 to the US?
• India has been concerned about the F-16s
from the time the US first gave Pakistan
F-16s as a reward for its assistance in the first
Afghan war.
• T he US then had supplied weapons and
money to Pakistan to unleash armies of
jihadists against the Soviet Army.
• W hen the US objective was achieved
with the Soviet Unions departure from
Afghanistan, the US too resized its relations
with Pakistan.
• T he Pressler Amendment, aimed against
Pakistans nuclear ambitions, froze it out of
military assistance.
116 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• A
 decade later, the Bush Administration
not only approved the release of previously
blocked F-16s, but also provided a
refurbishment package, and sale of new F-16s.
India’s concerns
• A s pointed out by EAM, how the F-16s help
in counter-terrorism remains unclear.
• J aishankar questioned the merits of the US-
Pakistan partnership.
• H
 e said that the relations had not served
either country (but created more troubles
for India).
• T
 his move by the US will alter the basic
military balance in the region.
• The decision to provide military aid to
Pakistan incensed India as the F-16 was used
against Indian warplanes following the 2019
Balakot air strikes.
Conclusion
• Washingtons $450 million package has only
resurrected old prejudices centred on the US
not being a dependable ally for ever.
• India needs to respond firmly and in no
uncertain terms to the PAFs F-16 upgrade
programme to convey the message that India
cannot be taken for granted.
• India will have to effectively enhance the
conventional combat capability of the IAF
to continue to meet the challenge of a
resurgent PAF.
History

www.civilsdaily.com 117
HISTORY- IMPORTANT PLACES, PERSONS IN NEWS
Who was Dara Shikoh?
History | GS1: Arts & Culture
The Vice President has released the Arabic
Version of Majma Ul-Bahrain of Mughal Prince
Dara Shikoh.
The course of the history of the Indian
subcontinent, had Dara Shikoh prevailed
over Aurangzeb, has been a matter of some
conjecture among historians. Critically
analyse.
HISTORY- IMPORTANT PLACES, PERSONS IN NEWS
Who was Arattupuzha
Velayudha Panicker?
History | GS1: Modern Indian History
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Arattupuzha Velayudha Panicker
Mains level : NA
A recently-released Malayalam film
Pathonpatham Noottandu (Nineteenth
Century) is based on the life of Arattupuzha
Velayudha Panicker, a social reformer from the
Ezhava community in Kerala who lived in the
19th century.
118 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
Who was Dara Shikoh?
• D ara Shikohhttps://www.civilsdaily.com/
news/who-was-dara-shikoh-1615-1659/, who
was Mughal emperor Shah Jahans son and
expected heir, was killed on the orders of his
brother Aurangzeb in 1659 after losing the
war of succession.
• H e was the eldest son and heir-apparent of
the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan.
• D ara was designated with the title
Padshahzada-i-Buzurg Martaba (Prince of
High Rank) and was favored as a successor
by his father and his older sister, Princess
Jahanara Begum.
• In the war of succession which ensued
after Shah Jahans illness in 1657, Dara was
defeated by his younger brother Prince
Muhiuddin (Aurangzeb).
• H e was executed in 1659 on Aurangzebs
orders in a bitter struggle for the
imperial throne.
Who was Arattupuzha Velayudha Panicker?
• B
 orn into a well-off family of merchants in
Keralas Alappuzha district, Panicker was
one of the most influential figures in the
reformation movement in the state.
• H
 e challenged the domination of upper
castes or Savarnas and brought about
changes in the lives of both men and women.
• T
 he social reform movement in Kerala in the
19th century led to the large-scale subversion
of the existing caste hierarchy and social
order in the state.
• P
 anicker was murdered by a group of
upper-caste men in 1874 at the age of 49.
This makes him the first martyr of the Kerala
renaissance.
His legacy
• Dara was a liberal-minded unorthodox
Muslim as opposed to the orthodox
Aurangzeb.
• He authored the work Majma Ul-Bahrain
(The Confluence of the Two Seas), which
argues for the harmony of Sufi philosophy in
Islam and Vedanta philosophy in Hinduism.
• It was Dara Shikoh who was responsible for
making the Upanishads available to the West
as he had them translated.
• He had commissioned a translation of
Yoga Vasistha.
• A great patron of the arts, he was also more
inclined towards philosophy and mysticism
rather than military pursuits.
• He translated the Upanishads and other
important works from Sanskrit to Persian. He
was convinced that the Upanishads are what
the Qur’an calls Al-Kitab Al-Maknoun (The
Hidden book).
Try this PYQ:
Q.Who among the following Mughal Emperors
shifted emphasis from illustrated manuscripts
to album and individual portrait? 
(a) Humayun 
(b) Akbar 
(c) Jahangir 
(d) Shah Jahan
What was Panickers role in initiating social
reforms?
• Panicker is credited with building two
temples dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva,
in which members of all castes and religions
were allowed entry.
• One was built in his own village Arattupuzha
in 1852, and one in Thanneermukkom
in 1854, another village in the
Alappuzha district.
• Some of his most significant contributions
were in protesting for the rights of women
belonging to Keralas backward communities.
• In 1858, he led the Achippudava Samaram
strike at Kayamkulam in Alappuzha.
• This strike aimed to earn women belonging
to oppressed groups the right to wear
a lower garment that extended beyond
the knees.
• In 1859, this was extended into the Ethappu
Samaram, the struggle for the right to wear
an upper body cloth by women belonging to
backward castes.
• In 1860, he led the Mukkuthi Samaram at
Pandalam in the Pathanamthitta district,
for the rights of lower-caste women to
wear mukkuthi or nose-ring, and other gold
ornaments.
• T
 hese struggles played an important role in
challenging the social order and in raising
the dignity of women belonging to the lower
strata of society in public life.
Other work
• A
 part from issues related to women, Panicker
also led the first-ever strike by agricultural
labourers in Kerala, the Karshaka Thozhilali
Samaram, which was successful.
HISTORY- IMPORTANT PLACES, PERSONS IN NEWS
How Hyderabad became
a part of India?
History | GS1: Modern Indian History
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Hyderabad’s accession into India
Mains level : Post-independence consolidation
The Government of India began its year-long
celebrations for the Telangana Liberation Day
on September 17, marking how on the same
day in 1948, the state of Hyderabad got its
independence from Nizams rule, as said in a
press release.
Why in news?
• F rom 1911 to 1948, Nizam Mir Usman Ali,
the last Nizam of Hyderabad, ruled the
state composed of Telangana and parts of
present-day Karnataka and Maharashtra
(Marathwada).
• W hile these states mark the Liberation Day
officially, Telangana has never done so.
Hyderabads accession into India: A
backgrounder
(1) Reluctance of Nizam
• A
 t the time of India’s independence, British
India was a mix of independent kingdoms
and provinces that were given the options
of joining India, Pakistan, or remaining
independent.
• O
 ne among those who took a long time
to make a decision was the Nizam of
Hyderabad.
• B
 elieved to be one of the richest people in
the world at the time, the Nizam was not
ready to let go of his kingdom.
• H
 e also established the first Kathakali Yogam
for the Ezhava community in 1861, which
led to a Kathakali performance by Ezhavas
and other backward communities, another
first for them.
Try this PYQ:
Q. The Shri Narayan Dharma Paripalana
Yogam (SNDP) Movement(1902-03)
was related to which of the following
(2) Sufferings for the people
• M
 eanwhile, the majority population of
Hyderabad state was far from enjoying the
same kind of wealth as the Nizam did.
• T
 he feudal nature of the state at the time
caused the peasant population to suffer high
taxes, indignities of forced labour, and various
other kinds of exploitation at the hands of
powerful landlords.
(3) Lingual friction
• T
 here was also a demand by the Andhra Jan
Sangham for Telugu to be given primacy
over Urdu.
• B
 y the mid-1930s, apart from a reduction in
land revenue rates and the abolition of forced
labour, introducing Telugu in local courts
became another important issue.
(4) Mass movement
• S
 oon after the organisation became the
Andhra Mahasabha (AMS), and Communists
became associated with it.
• T
 ogether, the two groups built a peasant
movement against the Nizam that found
local support.
Who were the Razakars and the Ittehad-ul-
Muslimeen?
• B
 y October 1946, the Nizam
banned the AMS.
• A
 close aide of the Nizam, Qasim Razvi,
leader of the Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen,
became closely involved in securing the
Nizams position.
• T
 he Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen was a political
outfit that sought a greater role for Muslims
in the early 20th century, but after Razvi took
over the organisation, it became extremist in
its ideology.
community?
a) Mopilla Community b) South Indian Tea
Planters c) Ezhava Community in Kerala d)
North Eastern Tea Planters
• It was under him that a militia of the
Razakars was formed to suppress the peasant
and communist movement, launching a
brutal attack.
• Around this time, the Standstill Agreement
was also signed between the Nizam and
the Indian government in November 1947,
declaring a status quo.
• This meant that until November 1948, the
Nizam could let things be as they were and
not finalise a decision as negotiations with
the Indian union continued.
How did the situation escalate to military
action?
• In the first half of 1948, tensions grew as
the razakar leaders and the government in
Hyderabad began to speak of war with India
and began border raids with Madras and
Bombay Presidencies.
• As a response, India stationed troops around
Hyderabad and began to ready itself for
military intervention.
India commences Operation Polo
• With the Nizam importing more arms and
the violence of the Razakars approaching
dangerous proportions, India officially
launched Operation Polo on September 9
and deployed its troops in Hyderabad four
days later.
• On September 17, three days after the
deployment, the Nizam surrendered and
acceded to the Indian Union in November.
• India has decided to be generous and not
punish the Nizam.
• He was retained as the official ruler of
the state and given a privy purse of five
million rupees.
The legacy of Operation Polo
• It has also been said that the armys march
into Hyderabad did not just target the
razakars and the radical extremist forces.
• A four-member goodwill mission led by
Pandit Sunderlal was constituted by the then
Prime Minister.
• At the request of then PM Nehru, a month
was spent in Hyderabad in November 1948
where evidence was gathered and at the end,
a report was filed.
www.civilsdaily.com 119
• E
 stimated thousands of people died
in communal violence during the
military action.
HISTORY- IMPORTANT PLACES, PERSONS IN NEWS
How India adopted its military
flags and badges based on Lord
Mountbatten’s suggestions?
History | GS1: Modern Indian History
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Flags and defence insignia
Mains level : Not Much
The new Naval Ensign (flag), which will be
unveiled by PM in Kochi, has brought into
focus the flags and ranks adopted by the Indian
military after Independence.
Do you know?
The octagonal shape with twin golden borders
draws inspiration from the seal of the great
Indian emperor, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj,
whose visionary maritime outlook established
a credible naval fleet
Why in news?
• D
 ocuments accessed fromNational Archives
of Indiahttps://www.civilsdaily.com/news/pib-
national-archives-of-india/ show that Lord
Mountbatten, former Viceroy and Governor
General of India, played a major role in
suggesting new flags and rank badges.
• T
 his was when India was about to become a
Republic on January 26, 1950.
When did India switch from British-era
flags and ranks?
• T he switch from British-era flags and ranks
took place when India became a Republic
(26th Jan, 1950).
• P rior to that the flags and badges of ranks of
the military were of the British pattern.
120 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
Why debate now?
• T
 he debate about whether the day of
independence was about integration into the
Indian union after months of negotiations,
or liberation from an autocratic monarch has
continued.
• H
 yderabads history continues to affect
todays politics.
• T
 he new, Indian pattern of flags of Army,
Navy and Air Force, and also the Regimental
Flags of the Army and badges of ranks
of all three services were adopted on
January 26, 1950.
• T
 he Kings Commission granted to Indian
military officers was also changed to Indian
Commission on the same date.
• A
 nd at a subsequent date the Kings Colours
of the various Regiments were laid to rest in
Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun.
When did Lord Mountbatten come into the
picture?
• T
 he national archives have files, dated
1949, that include a detailed note from Lord
Mountbatten regarding names, flags and
ranks of the armed forces, and then PM
Nehrus letter to the then Defence Minister
Baldev Singh regarding Mountbattens
suggestions.
• T
 he note, archives reveal, was given to Nehru
by Lord Mountbatten when the two met
in London.
• T
 he note was forwarded from the PMs office
to the office of then Governor General C
Rajagopalachari on May 24, 1949, stating
that it is on the issue of Names and Insignia
of Indian Armed Forces after India becomes
a Republic.
• T
 he letter also stated that the note should be
placed before the Governor General.
What did Lord Mountbatten say in the
note?
• T
 he note begins by saying that consequent
to becoming a Republic the word Royal shall
be dropped from India’s Army, Navy and
Air Force.
• After Qasim Rizvi left India for Pakistan,
the organisation was handed over to Abdul
Wahed Owaisi, the grandfather of a present
day Parliamentarian.
• And communal-sectarian politics is storming
up the city of Hyderabad leading to
religious tensions.
• Mountbatten strongly recommended that no
other word like State of Republican should
replace the word Royal.
• This was because it would have the
effect of separating the forces of India
psychologically from the other services in the
Commonwealth.
• He further suggested in the letter that the
Crown should be replaced from the insignias
and replaced by the three lions of Ashoka.
• Regarding the Naval Ensign, he said that
all Commonwealth navies fly the same flag
which consists of a large white flag with
a red-cross and Union Jack in the upper
corner nearer the staff and is known as the
White Ensign.
• The new Ensign, the note suggested, should
continue to have the red-cross but the Indian
national flag should replace the Union Jack.
• He suggested this to maintain commonality
with the Commonwealth flags.
What changes did Mountbatten suggest for
uniforms?
• He strongly urged that existing uniforms
should be changed as little as possible.
• He added that the Crown worn on badges
of ranks of Majors and above should be
replaced by the three lions of Ashoka.
• The Star of the Order of the Bath should
be replaced by Star of India or another
form of star.
• He also suggested that the crossed sword
and baton on the badges of ranks of Generals
should be retained.
• The former Viceroy advocated retaining the
stripes of rank in Navy and Air Force saying
these were internationally almost the same.
How did the Indian government react to
Mountbattens suggestions?
• Nehru wrote to the then defence minister
in September 1949 saying that he agreed
with the suggestions made by the former
Governor General that there should be as
little change as possible.
• The then PM particularly mentioned
the changes suggested by Mountbatten
for the Navy.
• Then Governor General C Rajagopalachari
also wrote back to Nehru in May 1949 itself
agreeing to Mountbattens suggestions.
• In the end, Mountbattens suggestions were
virtually all accepted and implemented with
effect from January 26, 1950.
HISTORY- IMPORTANT PLACES, PERSONS IN NEWS
Who was activist-author
Annabhau Sathe?
History | GS1: Modern Indian History
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Annabhau Sathe
Mains level : Not Much
Maharashtras Deputy Chief Minister and other
leaders are in Moscow to unveil the statue of
Lok Shahir (balladeer) Annabhau Sathe at the
All-Russia State Library for Foreign Literature.
Why in news?
• S
 athes work was immensely inspired
by the Russian revolution and the
Communist ideology.
• H
 e was a member of the Communist Party
of India (CPI), and featured among the
selected authors from India whose work was
translated in Russian.
Who was Anna bhau Sathe?
• T ukaram Bhaurao Sathe, who later came
to be known as Annabhau Sathe, was
born in a Dalit family on August 1, 1920
in Maharashtras Wategaon village in
Satara district.
• In 1930, his family left the village and came
to Mumbai. Here, he worked as a porter, a
hawker and even a cotton mill helper.
• In 1934, Mumbai witnessed a workers strike
under the leadership of Lal Bawta Mill
Workers Union in which he participated.
• D uring his days at the Matunga Labour
Camp, he got to know R B More, an associate
of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar in the famous
Chavdar Lake satyagraha at Mahad, and
joined the labour study circle.
• B eing a Dalit, he was denied schooling in his
village. It was during these study circles that
he learned to read and write.
How did Anna start writing songs, ballads
and books?
• S athe wrote his first poem on the menace of
mosquitoes in the labour camp.
• H e formed Dalit Yuvak Sangh, a cultural
group and started writing poems on workers
protests, agitations.
• T he group used to perform in front of the
mill gates.
• P rogressive Writers Association was formed
at the national level at the same time with
the likes of Premchand, Faiz Ahmad Faiz,
Manto, Ismat Chugtai, Rahul Sankrutyayan,
Mulkraj Anand as its members.
• T he group would translate the Russian work
of Maxim Gorky, Anton Chekhov, Leo Tolstoy,
Ivan Turgenev into Marathi, which Sathe got
hooked on.
• It not only had an ideological impact on him,
but inspired him to write street plays, stories,
novels etc. In 1939, he wrote his first ballad
Spanish Povada.
How popular was his work?
• S
 athe and his group travelled across Mumbai
campaigning for workers rights.
• O
 ut of the 49 years that he lived, Sathe,
who began writing only after the age of
20, churned out 32 novels, 13 collections of
short stories, four plays, a travelogue and 11
povadas (ballads).
 everal of his works like Aklechi Goshta,
• S
Stalingradacha Povada, Mazi Maina
Gavavar Rahili, Jag Badal Ghaluni Ghav
were popular across the state.
• Almost six of his novels were turned into
films and many translated into other
languages, including Russian.
• His Bangalchi Hak (Bengals Call) on
the Bengal famine was translated into
Bengali and later presented at Londons
Royal Theatre.
• His literature depicted the caste and class
reality of Indian society of that time.
Left leanings
• Sathes work was influenced by Marxism, but
at the same time he brought out the harsh
realities of the caste system.
• In 1943, he formed the Lal Bawta Kala Pathak.
• The group toured across Maharashtra
presenting programmes on caste atrocities,
class conflict, and workers rights.
• He dedicated his most famous novel Fakira to
Dr Ambedkar.
What was his Russian connection?
• He was once called the Maxim Gorky of
Maharashtra.
• He was immensely inspired by Gorkys The
Mother and the Russian revolution, which
was reflected in his writings.
• He travelled to Russia in 1961 along with a
group of other Indians.
Is there a reason behind the statue being
unveiled now?
• Sathe belonged to the Matang community
among Dalits.
• With the Left failing to claim his artistic
legacy, Sathe is now restricted as a symbol of
a particular community.
• The right wing is angling to claim the credit
for making Sathe a global icon.
• Installing Sathes oil painting at the Indian
consulate at Moscow also shows that the
central government is using this occasion
to increase cultural dialogue between two
countries.
www.civilsdaily.com 121
 Security Issues

122 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
INDIAN NAVY UPDATES
Exercise Vostok-22
Security Issues | GS3: Various Security Forces, Agencies & Their Mandates
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Vostok 2022
Mains level : India-Russia Relations
Russia is holding Vostok exercises. However,
India has only sent its army contingent of the
7/8 Gorkha Rifles, and will not take part in the
maritime section of the two-part event.
Vostok-2022
• It is an annual, multilateral, strategic and
command exercise hosted by Russia.
• T his year it will see the participation of more
than 50,000 troops from 13 countries such
as India, China, Algeria, India, Laos, Mongolia,
Nicaragua, Syria and many more.
• W hile the exercises in Vostok-2022 are
routine, they are the first such multilateral
exercises to be held since the Russian war in
Ukraine began.
Why in news now?
• India has only sent its army contingent and
will not take part in the maritime section of
the two-part event.
INDIAN NAVY UPDATES
[pib] Indian Navy participates
in Exercise Kakadu
hosted by Australia
Security Issues | GS3: Various Security Forces, Agencies & Their Mandates
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Ex Kakadu
Mains level : NA
INS Satpura and a P8 I Maritime Patrol Aircraft
of the Indian Navy reached Darwin in Australia
on for participation in the multinational
Exercise Kakadu 2022, hosted by the Royal
Australian Navy.
Exercise KAKADU
• E
 xercisehttps://www.civilsdaily.com/prelims-
spotlight-important-submarines-and-naval-
ships/ KAKADU, which started in 1993, is
• T his is because the maritime part of the
exercises would be held in the Sea of
Okhotsk and the Sea of Japan.
• T hese are near the disputedSouth Kuril
Islandshttps://www.civilsdaily.com/news/
places-in-news-kuril-islands/.
• India’s decision not to take part in the naval
exercises is believed to be in deference to
Tokyos sensitivities.
What does India’s participation mean?
By sending an army contingent to join Russian
and Chinese troops in the exercises at this
time, New Delhi is aiming to send a four-
pronged message:
1. C ontinuing relationship with Russia
despite the Ukraine war: The Modi
government has decided not to join the
Western sanctions regime, or to curb oil
imports and other economic engagement
with Moscow.
the premier multilateral regional maritime
engagement exercise hosted by the Royal
Australian Navy (RAN) and supported by the
Australian Air Force.
 he exercise is held biennially in Darwin
• T
and the Northern Australian Exercise
Areas (NAXA).
2. Signal balance and non-alignment in the
current crisis: India has mostly abstained
from votes at the United Nations seeking to
criticise Russia.
3. India also takes part in routine Indo-
Pacific exercises: This is with its Western
partners including the Quad, as well as
in bilateral exercises, like the India-US Ex.
Yudh Abhyas.
4. Willingness to conditional engagement
with China: The message the government
continues to give is that it is willing to
engage with China on a number of fronts,
even as military talks at LAC (Line of Actual
Control) remain stuck.
Conclusion
• There might be some discomfort for Indian
soldiers in dealing with their counterparts at
a time when they are facing each other off
along the LAC.
• But thats a small price to pay if it means
keeping India-Russia ties on an even keel.
• India needs to start communicating its
intent better.
• Strategic communication is an art. Its time to
master it.
• It derives its name from Kakadu National
Park, which is a protected area in the
northern territory of Australia, 171 km south-
east of Darwin
• During the exercise, professional exchanges in
harbour and diverse range of activities at sea,
including complex surface, sub-surface and
air operations would enable sharing of best
practices and honing of operational skills.
India’s presence at the exercise
• Indian Navys participation in KAKADU
provides an excellent opportunity to engage
with regional partners and undertake
multinational maritime activities ranging
from constabulary operations to high-end
maritime warfare in a combined environment
• It is aimed at enhancing interoperability and
developing of common understanding of
procedures for maritime operations gaining
importance with the Indo-Pacific narrative.
www.civilsdaily.com 123
TERRORISM AND CHALLENGES RELATED TO IT
China blocks listing of
Lashkar ‘commander’
Sajid Mir at UNSC
Security Issues | GS3: Organized Crime & Terrorism
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : UNSC 1267
Mains level : China’s support for Pak sponsored terrorism
For the third time in three months, China
blocked a joint India-US attempt to put a
Pakistan-based terrorist on the UN Security
Councils 1267 list.
What is the UNSC 1267 list?
• T he UNSC resolution 1267 was adopted
unanimously on 15 October 1999.
• It came to force in 1999, and strengthened
after the September, 2001 attacks.
• It is now known as the Daesh and Al Qaeda
Sanctions Committee.
What is UNSC 1267 committee?
• It comprises all permanent and non-
permanent members of the United Nations
Security Council (UNSC).
• T he 1267 list of terrorists is a global list, with a
UNSC stamp.
• It is one of the most important and active
UN subsidiary bodies working on efforts to
combat terrorism, particularly in relation to Al
Qaeda and the Islamic State group.
• It discusses UN efforts to limit the movement
of terrorists, especially those related to
travel bans, the freezing of assets and arms
embargoes for terrorism.
124 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• Pending issues must be resolved in six
months, but the member state that has
placed the hold may ask for an additional
three months.
• At the end of this period, if an objection is not
placed, the matter is considered approved.
Why is India furious this time?
• Recently PM Modi and Xi Jinping attended
the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
(SCO) summit in Samarkand.
• The grouping had agreed to take strong
and consolidated action against terrorism in
the region.
How is the listing done?
• Despite this, China has exposed its double
standards on the issue of terrorism for
consistently stopping the listing of Pakistan-
based terrorists.
• This is again very surprising movement by
China by putting a Technical Hold.
Here is a timeline of how China disrupts the
global efforts against terrorism:
• 2009: After the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, India
moved an independent terror designation
proposal against Masood Azhar but China
blocked the move.
• 2016: After seven years, India proposes listing
of Masood Azhar as a global terrorist and
is supported by the US, the UK and France.
China blocks the move again.
• 2017: The trio moves a third proposal only to
be blocked by China again.
• 2019: After the attacks on the CRPF
personnel in J-Ks Pulwama, India calls 25
envoys of different countries to highlight the
role Islamabad plays in funding, promoting
(1) Submission of Proposal
and strengthening global terrorism. India
• A
 ny member state can submit a proposal for
moves the fourth proposal demanding
listing an individual, group, or entity.
Masood Azhars listing. China lifted its
• T
 he proposal must include acts or activities
technical hold.
indicating the proposed individual/group/
• June 2022: China blocked a proposal by India
entity had participated in the financing,
and the US to list Pakistan-based terrorist
planning, facilitating, preparing, or
Abdul Rehman Makki as a Global Terrorist
perpetrating of acts or activities linked to the
• August 2022: China blocks India-US joint
said organizations.
proposal to list Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM)
(2) Actual decision deputy chief Abdul Rauf Azhar as UNSC
• D
 ecisions on listing and de-listing are designated terrorist.
adopted by consensus.
Conclusion
• T
 he proposal is sent to all the members, and
• Chinas actions expose its double speak
if no member objects within five working
and double standards when it comes to
days, the proposal is adopted.
the international communitys shared battle
• A
 n objection means rejection for
against terrorism.
the proposal.
• This clearly depicts its care for its vassal
(3) Putting and resolving Technical Holds state Pakistan.
• A
 ny member of the Committee may also
Back2Basics: United Nations Security
put a technical hold on the proposal and ask
Council
for more information from the proposing
• The UNSC is one of the six principal organs
member state.
of the United Nations and is charged with
• D
 uring this time, other members may also
the maintenance of international peace
place their own holds.
and security.
• T
 he matter remains on the pending list of the
Committee.
• Its powers include the establishment of
peacekeeping operations, the establishment
of international sanctions, and the
authorization of military action through
Security Council resolutions.
• It is the only UN body with the authority to
issue binding resolutions to member states.
TERRORISM AND CHALLENGES RELATED TO IT
Left wing extremism
Security Issues | GS3: Various Security Forces, Agencies & Their Mandates
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Maoism, Leninism and Marxism
Mains level : LWE in India
The Maoist movement is on the ebb on the
Andhra Pradesh-Odisha boundary, with its
cadre and militia strength heavily depleted.
Left-wing extremism in India
• L
 eft-wing extremists, popularly known
as Maoists worldwide and as Naxalites/
Naxalism in India, has been a major threat to
India since the 1960s.
• G
 enesis:
• T
 he term Naxalism derives from the name of
the Naxalbari village in West Bengal where
a peasant revolt took place against local
landlords over a land dispute in 1967.
• T
 he Security Council consists of fifteen
members. Russia, the United Kingdom,
France, China, and the United Statesserve as
the bodys five permanent members (P5).
• T
 hese permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution,
including those on the admission of
new member states or candidates for
Secretary-General.
 he origins of Left Wing Extremism (LWE)
• T
in India goes back to the Telangana peasant
rebellion (1946-51), the movement was at
its peak in 1967, when the peasants, landless
labourers, and Adivasis raided the granaries
of a landlord in the Naxalbari village in
West Bengal.
• T
 he Naxal rebellion was led by Charu
Majumdar and his close associates, Kanu
Sanyal and Jangal Santhal.
• T
 hese rebels not only were assisted by the
people from nearby villages but also from
the Peoples Republic of China. The Chinese
Media had called this movement the
Spring Thunder.
• The Security Council also has 10 non-
permanent members, elected on a regional
basis to serve two-year terms. The bodys
presidency rotates monthly among
its members.
• The movement initially took inspiration from
Chinas founding father, Mao Zedong, but had
later become radically different from Maoism.
Who are the Maoists?
• Maoism is a form ofcommunismhttps://www.
civilsdaily.com/sansad-tv-perspective-left-
wing-extremism/ developed by Mao Zedong.
• It is a doctrine to capture State power
through a combination of armed insurgency,
mass mobilization and strategic alliances.
• The Maoists also use propaganda
and disinformation against State
institutions as other components of their
insurgency doctrine.
Maoists and Maoism in India
• The Communist Party of India (Maoist)
is a MarxistLeninistMaoist banned
communist political party and militant
organization in India.
• It aims to overthrow the “semi-colonial
and semi-feudal Indian state” through
people’s war.
The actual difference between Maoism and
Naxalite movement
• The difference between Maoists struggle and
the Naxalite movement is that both trace
their origin to the Naxalbari uprising of 1967.
• But while the Naxalite movement thrives on
the original spirit of Naxalbari; the Maoist
struggle is an outcome of the 1967 uprising.
• Maoists work with an agenda and use
weapons to achieve their aims.
• Naxalism focuses on mass organisations
while the Maoism relies mainly on arms.
History and evolution
• Russian Revolution: Naxalism in India, like
any other leftist movement around the globe
draws its ideological basis from the Russian
revolution.
• Overthrowing Tsarist Regime: Lenin
successfully fought against the Czarist Rule
through a combination of peasant movement
and an armed struggle.
• Marxian ideology of class struggle: The
prime intent was to bestow power in the
hands of the exploited and marginalized and
enforce societal control over governance and
nation building.
www.civilsdaily.com 125
• N
 eo-Marxism: After the success of the
Lenin-led revolution in Russia, the intellectual
class in many countries got inspired.
Prominent amongst them were Fidel Castro
and Mao Zedong.
Root cause of origin in India
• C orporate exploitation: Since Eastern India
is rich in natural resources including forests,
minerals and mines, tribal face exploitation
and harassment from government and
corporate bodies targeting to extract those
resources.
• T ribal alienation: Tribal communities have
been systematically alienated from their
traditional rights over natural resources after
independence.
• L ivelihood losses: Tribal livelihood is at stake
due to depletion of natural resource base.
• F orceful displacement: Forceful displacement
from their homeland destroys their traditional
governance system.
• A bsence of governance: In such exploited
areas, the absence of governance becomes
a self-fulfilling prophecy since the delivery
systems are extinguished through killings and
intimidation.
• F oreign provocations: Many of LWE outfits
are supported by external forces inimical to
India and the Maoists consider such alliances
as strategic assets.
Other factors:
1. Oppression and HR violations by Security
Forces e.g. AFSPA
2. Violation of Constitutional Protections
under PESA and FRA
3. Prevalence of Acute Poverty
Impact of LWE
• R
 omanticism without a cause: Some
sections of the society, especially the younger
generation, have romantic illusions about
the Maoists, arising out of an incomplete
understanding of their ideology of
Class Struggle.
• E
 xtreme violence: Their doctrine glorifies
violence as the primary means to overwhelm
the existing socio-economic and political
structures.
• D
 estruction of governance mechanism:
LWEs aims at creating a vacuum at the
grassroots level of the existing governance
structures by killing lower-level government
officials, police personnel of the local police
stations and the peoples representatives
of the PRIs.
• R
 adicalization of youths: After creating a
political and governance vacuum, they coerce
the local population to join the movement.
126 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• U
 rban-Maoism: Many extremists have
facilitated mass-mobilization in semi-
urban and urban areas through ostensibly
democratic means often led by well-educated
intellectuals.
Outcomes of perpetrating LWE
The Leftist organizations skilfully use state
structures and legal processes to further the
Maoist agenda and weaken the enforcement
regime through:
1. Recruitment of professional revolutionaries
2. Raising funds for the insurgency
3. Creating urban shelters for
underground cadres
4. Providing legal assistance to arrested
cadres and
5. Mass- mobilization by agitating over issues
of relevance/ convenience
Govt initiatives for LWE-affected areas
In order to holistically address the LWE
problem in an effective manner, the
Government has formulated a National Policy
and Action Plan adopting multi-pronged
strategy in the areas of security, development,
ensuring rights & entitlement of local
communities etc.
I.Security related Initiatives:
1. Commando Battalion for Resolute Action
(COBRA):
• It is a specialized unit of the Central Reserve
Police Force (CRPF) of India proficient in
guerrilla tactics and jungle warfare.
• O riginally established to counter the
Naxalite problem, CoBRA is deployed to
address any insurgent group engaging in
asymmetrical warfare.
• C urrently numbering ten battalions,
CoBRA is ranked among one of India’s
most experienced and successful law
enforcement units.
2. Greyhounds(Police):
• It is a police special forces unit operating
in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh
and Telangana and belongs to the Andhra
Pradesh and Telangana Police departments.
• G reyhounds specialises in anti-insurgency
operations against Naxalite and Maoist
terrorists.
• G
 reyhounds was raised in the year 1989 by
IPS officer K. S. Vyas.
3.Modernisation of police forces:
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime
Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has given
its approval for the implementation of the
umbrella scheme of “Modernisation of Police
Forces (MPF)” for years 2017-18 to 2019-20.
The financial outlay for the scheme over the
three years period is Rs.25,060 crore, out of
which the Central Government share will be
Rs.18,636 crore and the States share will be
Rs.6,424 crore.
4.Surrender and rehabilitation policies for
Naxals:
• It was evolved by the government as part of
a multi-pronged strategy to seek surrender
of Naxals.
• It was evolved to bring the Maoists back
into the mainstream in the backdrop of rising
Naxal violence. An immediate grant of Rs 1.5
lakh, monthly stipends during training and
even monetary incentives for surrender of
weapons are provided under this policy.
5.Salwa Judum:
• It was a militia that was mobilised and
deployed as part of anti-insurgency
operations in Chhattisgarh, India.
• And aimed at countering Naxalite violence in
the region.
• The militia, consisting of local tribal youth,
received support and training from the
Chhattisgarh state government.
• It has been outlawed and banned by a
Supreme Court court order.
• Continues to exist in the form of Armed
Auxiliary Forces, District Reserve Group and
other vigilante groups.
6. New Doctrine of SAMADHAN for use in
security operations
Smart leadership of SAMADHAN means
an effective leadership to keep the jawans
enthusiastic to win also during hardships.
SAMADHAN which means-
1. S- Smart Leadership
2. A- Aggressive Strategy
3. M- Motivation and Training
4. A- Actionable Intelligence
5. D- Dashboard Based KPIs (Key
Performance Indicators) and KRAs (Key
Result Areas)
6. H- Harnessing Technology
7. A- Action plan for each Theatre
8. N- No access to Financing
II. Institutional measures
• Black Panther combat force - A specialised
anti-Naxal combat force for Chhattisgarh on
the lines of Greyhounds unit in Telangana and
Andhra Pradesh.
• Bastariya Battalion
A newly formed battalion of CRPF with more
than 534 tribal youth from four highly naxal
infested districts of Chhattisgarh along with
adequate female representation in sync with
the Governments policy of 33% reservation for
women making.
III. Infrastructure development initiatives
• Road Requirement Plan-I (RRP-I)
Implemented by the Ministry of Road Transport
& Highways, since 2009 for improving road
connectivity in 34 LWE affected districts of 8
States. It envisages construction of 5,422 km
road lengths and 08 Critical bridges in LWE
affected States.
• S pecial Infrastructure Scheme (SIS)
including construction of 250 Fortified
Police Stations in LWE affected states. The
Scheme aims at capacity building of states
by strengthening the security apparatus of
the States.
• R oad Connectivity Project for LWE affected
areas (RRP-II)
It was approved in 2016 for further improving
road connectivity in 44 districts of 9 LWE
affected States. Ministry of Rural Development
(MoRD) is the nodal Ministry for this project.
• L WE Mobile Tower Project to improve
mobile connectivity in the LWE areas.
• A pproval of Projects under USOF - Union
cabinet has approved the Universal Service
Obligation Fund (USOF) supported scheme
to provide mobile services in 96 districts
of LWE-affected states to help not only in
communication with the security personnel
but also, for the residents of these areas.
• T he National Technical Research
Organization (NTRO) is assisting the
Security Forces in anti-Naxal operations by
providing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).
• C onstructively engaging youth through
education : Seeing the success of educational
hub and a livelihood centre in Dantewada
district, the government has now opened
up livelihood centres, known as Livelihood
Colleges, in all the districts.
• T he Civic Action Programme (CAP) has
been implemented since 2010-11 to bridge
the gaps between Security Forces and local
people through personal interaction and
bring the human face of SFs before the local
population.
• U nder the Scheme, funds are released to
the CAPFs, deployed in LWE affected areas,
for conducting various civic activities in the
welfare of the local people.
• M
 edia Plan Scheme: to counter the Maoist
propaganda of misguiding and luring the
innocent tribals/local population by their
so-called poor-friendly revolution. Under the
scheme activities like Tribal Youth Exchange
programmes organised by NYKS, radio
jingles, documentaries, pamphlets etc. are
being conducted.
• O
 ther measures : More bank branches have
been opened to ensure financial inclusion.
All India Radio stations in the three southern
districts of Bastar will now broadcast regional
programmes to increase entertainment
options. And a new rail service in Bastar is
set to throw open a new market for wooden
artefacts and bell metal.
IV.Skill Development related Schemes
• R
 OSHNI is a special initiative under Pandit
Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya
Yojana which envisages training and
placement of rural poor youth from 27 LWE
affected districts.
• S
 kill Development in 34 Districts
affected by Left Wing Extremism under
implementation from 2011-12 aims to
establish ITIs and Skill Development Centres
in LWE affected districts.
Way forward
• L earning from Chhattisgarh police :
Enhancing the coordination with the bordering
states to strengthen intelligence and ground
presence Such measures can be taken in new
areas as well where Maoists are trying to
establish themselves.
• E liminating the root cause of the problem
that is leading to the alienation of tribals in
this area.
The focus should now be on development
such as
• b uilding roads,
• installing communication towers,
• increasing administrative and
• p olitical access of the tribals,
• improving reach of government schemes etc.
• Center-state cooperation: Centre should
play a supportive role with state police forces
taking the lead.
• Undertaking technological solutions: such
as use of micro or mini-UAVs or small drones
to minimize loss of lives of security personnel.
Faster acquisition of new technology is
also in need.
• Build trust: Winning a psychological war
against the Maoists remains an unfinished
task. To bridge this trust deficit, civil society
must join hands with the government in
realising the villagers right to development.
• Awareness generation: Government
should undertake awareness and outreach
programmes and inclusive developmental
programmes.
• Forest Rights : Effective implementation
of the Scheduled Tribes and other
Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of
Rights) Act, 2006
• Financial empowerment: Introduce
measures to encourage formation of Self
Help Groups (SHGs) to improve access
to credit and marketing and empower the
disadvantaged.
• Choke funding : The nexus between illegal
mining/forest contractors and transporters
and extremists which provides the financial
support for the extremist movement needs to
be broken through establishment of special
anti-extortion and anti-money laundering cell
by State Police.
• Infrastructure development : For
implementing large infrastructure projects,
particularly road networks that are strongly
opposed by the extremists or are used to
extort funds from local contractors, the use
of specialised Government agencies like
the Border Roads Organisation in place
of contractors may be considered as a
temporary measure.
• Special efforts are needed to monitor
the implementation of constitutional and
statutory safeguards, development schemes
and land reforms initiatives for containing
discontent among sections vulnerable to the
propaganda of violent left extremism
www.civilsdaily.com 127
TERRORISM AND CHALLENGES RELATED TO IT
Nationwide Crackdown on PFI
Security Issues | GS3: Organized Crime & Terrorism
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : PFI
Mains level : Terrorism and radicalization in India
The National Investigation Agency (NIA)
has launched a massive nationwide search
operation in connection with anti-terror
activities linked to the Popular Front of
India-PFI.
https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/functioning-
of-the-national-investigation-agency-nia/
What is the Popular Front of India (PFI)?
• T
 he PFI was created in 2007 through the
merger of three radicalists organisations in
southern India, the National Democratic
Front in Kerala, the Karnataka Forum for
Dignity, and the Manitha Neethi Pasarai in
Tamil Nadu.
• A
 decision to bring the three outfits together
was taken in November 2006 at a meeting in
Kozhikode in Kerala.
• T
 he formation of the PFI was formally
announced at a rally in Bengaluru during
what was called the Empower India
Conference on February 16, 2007.
128 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
Agenda of the PFI
• The PFI has projected itself as an organisation
that fights for the rights of minorities, Dalits,
and marginalised communities.
• It has frequently targeted the alleged anti-
people policies of the State even as these
mainstream parties have accused one
another of being in cahoots with the PFI to
gather the support of Muslims at the time of
elections.
• T
 he PFI has itself never contested elections.
Parallel organizations to PFI
• In 2009, a political outfit named Social
Democratic Party of India (SDPI) evolved
out of the PFI, with the aim of taking up the
political issues of Muslims, Dalits, and other
marginalised communities.
• T he SDPIs stated goal is advancement and
uniform development of all the citizenry
including Muslims, Dalits, Backward Classes
and Adivasis and to share power fairly among
all the citizens.
• T
 he PFI is a key provider of ground workers
for the SDPIs political activities.
Why is PFI under crackdown?
(1) Links to terror outfits
• M
 any volunteers of PFI are allegedly involved
in terror funding, organising training camps,
and radicalising people to join proscribed
organisations.
• It has been involved in carrying out social and
Islamic religious work among Muslims on the
lines of the work done by right-wing groups.
• The PFI does not maintain records of its
members, and it has been difficult for law
enforcement agencies to pin crimes on the
organisation after making arrests.
(2) Promoting Radicalization
• The outfit is hostile to the consolidation
across the country and the rise of a single
non-secular party as the nations pre-eminent
political and ideological force.
• The post-2014 political landscape and the
self-alienation of minorities has further
pushed sections of the community towards
groups like the PFI.
• The outfit is also said to have a large
number of supporters in Gulf countries
who contribute handsomely to its kitty,
something which is under the scanner of
investigating agencies.
(3) Hostility against state mechanism
• Starting out as an organisation primarily
rooted in Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu,
the PFI has spread its wings far and wide,
with a presence in at least 18 states.
• It has found particularly fertile ground in
parts of Uttar Pradesh and Assam.
• Authorities have accused the outfit of
instigating and funding protests against the
CAA and the National Register of Citizens.
(4) Barbarism in the name of religion
• The PFI has had the most visible presence in
Kerala, where it has been repeatedly accused
of murder, rioting, intimidation, and having
links with terrorist organisations.
• The Kerala government affidavit said
PFI activists were involved in 27 cases of
MURDER, mostly of CPM and RSS cadres,
and that the motives were highly communal.
DEFENCE SECTOR - DPP, MISSIONS, SCHEMES, SECURITY FORCES, ETC.
Carl-Gustaf M4 to be
produced in India
Security Issues | GS3: Various Security Forces, Agencies & Their Mandates
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Carl-Gustaf M4
Mains level : Not Much
TERRORISM AND CHALLENGES RELATED TO IT
MHA bans PFI for five
years under UAPA
Security Issues | GS3: Organized Crime & Terrorism
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : UAPA
Mains level : Terror financing and money laundering
The Union Home Ministry has declared
the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its front
organizations as an unlawful association
under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention)
Act (UAPA).
PFI under Unlawful (Activities) Prevention
Act (UAPA)
• T he UAPA is aimed at effective prevention of
unlawful activities associations in India.
• Its main objective was to make powers
available for dealing with activities directed
against the integrity and sovereignty of India
• It is an upgrade on the Terrorist and
Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act TADA,
which was allowed to lapse in 1995 and the
Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) was
repealed in 2004.
• It was originally passed in 1967 under the
then Congress government led by former
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
• T ill 2004, unlawful activities referred to
actions related to secession and cession of
territory. Following the 2004 amendment,
terrorist act was added to the list of offences.
Swedish defense major SAAB announced plans
to manufacture its Carl-Gustaf M4 weapon
system in India.
What is the Carl-Gustaf M4?
• The Carl-Gustaf recoilless rifle is a man-
portable, multi-role weapon system that
allows dismounted soldiers to effectively
deal with multiple challenges on the modern
battlefield.
• A proven performer in battle, the Carl-Gustaf
M4 is said to be adaptable and flexible.
What are Unlawful Activities and
Associations?
• T
 he UAPA lays down the definitions and
rules for designating an organisation as an
“unlawful association” if it is engaged in
certain types of activities.
• U
 nder Section 3 of the UAPA Act, the
government has powers to declare an
association unlawful.
• T
 he government can then issue a notification
designating such an organisation as a
terrorist organisation, if it believes that the
organisation is part of “terrorist activities.”
(1) Unlawful Activites
• U
 nder section 2(o) of the UAPA, an
unlawful activity in relation to an individual
or association means Any action taken by
such an individual or association (whether
by committing an act or by words, either
spoken or written, or by signs or by visible
representation or otherwise), -
1. Works for the Cession of a part of the
territory of India or the secession of a part of
the territory of India from the Union
• T
 he Indian Army has been using the iconic
Carl-Gustaf since 1976 and currently operates
the Mk2 and Mk3 versions.
Key features of Carl-Gustaf M4
• Lightweight, robust, reliable, effective and
easy to use
• Tactical flexibility through a wide range of
ammunition
• Combat proven system
• Ammunition: Anti-armour, anti-structure,
anti-personnel, support
Why in news?
• In recent years, the Indian government has
taken several steps to boost the defense
manufacturing sector under the Make in
India andAtmanirbhar Bharathttps://www.
civilsdaily.com/sansad-tv-perspective-self-
reliance-in-defence/
2. Disclaims, questions, disrupts or is intended
to Disrupt the sovereignty and territorial
integrity of India ; or
3. which causes or is intended to cause
Disaffection against India ;
• Related and ancillary acts, including
financing, support or promotion of any such
activities are also “unlawful activity”.
(2) Unlawful Association
The UAPA also defines an “Unlawful
Association” under section 2(p) as meaning any
association,--
1. which has for its object any unlawful
activity, or which encourages or aids persons
to undertake any unlawful activity, or of which
the members undertake such activity or
2. which encourages or aids persons to
undertake any such activity, or of which the
members undertake any such activity
Reading the ban on PFI
• At present, the MHA notification published
has said that the PFI and its affiliated
organisations are being notified as “Unlawful
Associations” with immediate effect.
• The charges against PFI are-
1. P  ursuing a secret agenda to radicalize a
particular section of society
2. Working towards undermining the concept
of democracy and
3. Showing sheer disrespect towards the
constitutional authority and constitutional
set up of the country
4.  Gathering funds and ideological support
from outside the country
5. M  oney laundering
www.civilsdaily.com 129
Immediate trigger for PFIs ban
• T
 he PFI is accused of engaging in violent and
barbaric acts.
• C
 riminal violent acts carried out by PFI
include chopping off the limb of a college
professor, cold-blooded killings of persons
associated with organisations espousing
other faiths.
130 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• It has been allegedly involved in obtaining
explosives to target prominent people and
places and destruction of public property.
What does the ban mean?
• T
 he notification means that the membership
of, support or financing to the PFI and the
allied banned organizations, is now ILLEGAL.
• Any person who is a member of these
organisations can face arrest, and joining
membership of these organisations is a
criminal offence.
• The government can also seize the
properties, bank accounts and offices
connected to these organisations.
Enviro & Biodiversity

www.civilsdaily.com 131
MONSOON UPDATES • Meteorologists record the sea surface

Abnormal’ La Nina conditions

temperatures for four different regions,
known as Nino regions, along this

impacting India’s monsoon

equatorial belt.
• Depending on the temperatures, they
forecast either as an El Nino, an ENSO
neutral phase, or a La Nina.
Enviro & Biodiversity | GS1: Climatic Change
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Why has La Nina conditions continued for
Prelims level : El-Nino, La-Nina
3 years?
Mains level : ENSO impact on Indian Monsson
• It is surprising that it has continued for the
What is El Nino and La Nina? last three years. It may be good for India but
not for some other countries.
• Under climate change conditions, one must
expect more such instances. Climate change
could be a factor driving such anomalous
conditions.

Issues with La Nina

In what may be termed as an uncommon
ocean phenomenon, the prevailing La Nina
conditions over the equatorial Pacific Ocean
have entered the third consecutive year.
What is the news?
• T he currentLa Ninahttps://www.civilsdaily.
com/news/is-la-nina-a-fair-weather-friend-
of-our-country/ phase has been prevailing
since September 2020.
• S ince the 1950s, La Nina lasting for more
than two years has been recorded only on six
instances (see graph below), data by the India
Meteorological Department (IMD) stated.
• It confirmed that India’s La Nina conditions
are here to stay till the end of 2022.
• La Nina years are infamous for frequent
• Chances of more cyclones are likely due to
• W hile El Nino (Spanish for little boy), the
more common expression, is the abnormal
surface warming observed along the
eastern and central regions of the Pacific
Ocean (the region between Peru and Papua
New Guinea).
• The La Nina (Spanish for little girl) is an
abnormal cooling of these surface waters.
• Together, the El Nino (Warm Phase) and La
Nina (Cool Phase) phenomena are termed as
El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO).
• These are large-scale ocean phenomena
that influence the global weather winds,
temperature and rainfall. They have
the ability to trigger extreme weather
events like droughts, floods, hot and cold
conditions, globally.
• Each cycle can last anywhere between 9 to
12 months, at times extendable to 18 months
and re-occur after every three to five years.
and intense hurricanes and cyclones in the
Atlantic Ocean and the Bay of Bengal.
multiple aiding factors, including high relative
moisture and relative low wind shear over
the Bay of Bengal.
Try this PYQ:
Q. La Nina is suspected to have caused
recent floods in Australia. How is La Nina
different from El Nino?
1. La Nina is characterized by unusually cold
ocean temperature in equatorial Indian Ocean
whereas El Nino is characterized by unusually
warm ocean temperature in the equatorial
Pacific Ocean.
2. El Nino has an adverse effect on south-
west monsoon of India, but La Nina has no
effect on monsoon climate.
Which of the statements given above is/are
correct?
(a) Only 1 
(b) Only 2 
(c) Both 1 and 2 
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

132 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
CLIMATE CHANGE NEGOTIATIONS - UNFCCC, COP, OTHER CONVENTIONS AND PROTOCOLS
What is the idea of
Climate Reparation?
Enviro & Biodiversity | GS1: Climatic Change
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Climate reparation
Mains level : Read the attached story
Facing the worst
flooding disaster in its history, Pakistan
has begun demanding reparations, or
compensation, from the rich countries that are
mainly responsible for causing climate change.
https://www.civilsdaily.com/sansad-tv-urban-
deluge-floods/
Why in news?
• O n the face of it, Pakistans demand for
reparations appears to be a long shot, but
the principles being invoked are fairly well-
established in environmental jurisprudence.
• In fact, Pakistan is not alone in making
this demand.
• A
 lmost the entire developing world has
for years been insisting on setting up an
international mechanism for financial
reparation for loss and damage caused by
climate disasters.
 he issue has come up repeatedly at
• T
international negotiations for climate
change, and on other platforms.
What is Climate Reparation?
• A
 t its heart, the demand for compensation
for loss and damage from climate disasters is
an extension of the universally acknowledged
Polluter Pays principle.
• T
 his makes the polluter liable for paying
not just for the cost of remedial action,
but also for compensating the victims
of environmental damage caused by
their actions.
 limate justice is based on the notion of
• C
not being punished for someone elses bad
behaviour, but it does not sanction additional
bad behaviour.
Who are responsible for climate change?
• In the climate change framework, the
burden of responsibility falls on those rich
countries that have contributed most of
the greenhouse gas emissions since 1850,
generally considered to be the beginning of
the industrial age.
• T he United States and the European Union,
including the UK, account for over 50% of all
emissions during this time.
• If Russia, Canada, Japan, and Australia too
are included, the combined contribution
goes past 65%, or almost two-thirds of all
emissions.
• H
 istorical responsibility is important because
carbon dioxide remains in the atmosphere for
hundreds of years, and it is the cumulative
accumulation of carbon dioxide that causes
global warming.
What about developing countries?
• A
 country like India, currently the third largest
emitter, accounts for only 3% of historical
emissions.
• C
 hina, which is the worlds biggest emitter for
over 15 years now, has contributed about 11%
to total emissions since 1850.
Why need climate reparations?
 hile the impact of climate change is
• W
global, it is much more severe on the poorer
nations because of their geographical
locations and weaker capacity to cope.
• C
 ountries that have had negligible
contributions to historical emissions and
have severe limitations of resources are the
ones that face the most devastating impacts
of climate change.
Institutional mechanism for Climate
Reparations
(1) United Nations
• T he UN Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC), the 1994
international agreement that lays down the
broad principles of the global effort to fight
climate change.
• It explicitly acknowledges this differentiated
responsibility of nations.
• It makes it very clear that rich countries
must provide both the finance and the
technology to the developing nations to
help them tackle climate change.
• It is this mandate that later evolved into the
$100 billion amount that the rich countries
agreed to provide every year to the
developing world.
• While this promise is yet to be met, this
$100 billion per year amount is not meant for
loss and damage.
• Climate disasters were not a regular
occurrence in 1994, and as such the
UNFCCC does not make a mention of loss
and damage.
• This particular demand emerged much
later, and faced stiff resistance from the
developed nations.
(2) Warsaw International Mechanism
(WIM)
• The WIM for Loss and Damages, set up in
2013, was the first formal acknowledgment
of the need to compensate developing
countries struck by climate disasters.
• However, the progress on this front has been
painfully slow.
• No funding mechanism, or even a promise
to provide funds, has come about.
Pushback from Developed Countries
• It is not hard to understand why the
developed countries are dead against
compensation claims.
• They are struggling to put together even
the $100 billion per year flow that they had
reluctantly agreed to provide.
• Further, loss and damage claims can easily
spiral into billions of dollars, or even more.
• The report said that the United States alone
is estimated to have inflicted more than $1.9
trillion in damages to other countries due to
its emissions.
Issues with loss assessment
• There are practical difficulties in estimating
how much a country has actually suffered
due to the actions of others.
• To begin with, it has to be established that
the disaster was caused by climate change.
• Then there are non-economic losses as well,
including loss of lives, displacement and
migration, health impacts, and damage to
cultural heritage.
• Then there is this other step about assessing
how much of the losses are due to the event
itself, and what could be attributed to
misgovernance.
Conclusion
• A lot of background work is going on to
create the framework in which it would be
possible to quantify the compensation due to
an affected country.
• What Pakistan has done, through its
demands for reparations, is to call attention
to this often neglected aspect.
www.civilsdaily.com 133
WASTE MANAGEMENT - SWM RULES, EWM RULES, ETC
Ban on Single-Use Plastics
Enviro & Biodiversity | GS3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Eia
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Single use plastics
Mains level : Need for plastic waste management
Since July 1, 2022, India has banned the
manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale,
and use of single-use plastics (SUP) items with
low utility and high littering potential.
What are single-use plastics?
• S
 ingle-use plastics, often also referred to as
disposable plastics, are commonly used for
plastic packaging and include items intended
to be used only once before they are thrown
away or recycled.
• T
 hese include, among other items, grocery
bags, food packaging, bottles, straws,
containers, cups and cutlery.
Why are single-use plastics harmful?
• T
 he purpose of single-use plastics is to use
them once or for a short period of time
before disposing of them. Plastic waste has
drastic impacts on the environment and
human health.
• T
 here is a greater likelihood of single-use
plastic products ending up in the sea than
reusable ones.
SUP ban in India
• India has taken resolute steps to mitigate
pollution caused by littered single-
use plastics.
• A number of items are banned, including
earbuds with plastic sticks, balloon sticks,
plastic flags, candy sticks, ice cream sticks,
polystyrene (thermocol) for decorations,
plates, cups, glasses, cutlery such as forks,
spoons, knives, straws etc.
• India has also banned plastic or PVC banners
less than 100 micron, stirrers, etc.
What is the impact on the environment?
[A] Solid Waste generation
• T
 he disposal of plastics is one of the least
recognized and most highly problematic
areas of plastics ecological impact.
134 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• Ironically, one of plastics most desirable
traits: its durability and resistance to
decomposition, is also the source of one of
its greatest liabilities when it comes to the
disposal of plastics.
• A very small amount of total plastic
production (less than 10%) is effectively
recycled; the remaining plastic is sent to
landfills.
• It is destined to remain entombed.
[B] Ecological Impact
(i) Groundwater and soil pollution
• P lastic is a material made to last forever,
and due to the same chemical composition,
plastic cannot biodegrade; it breaks down
into smaller and smaller pieces.
• W hen buried in a landfill, plastic lies
untreated for years.
• In the process, toxic chemicals from plastics
drain out and seep into groundwater, flowing
downstream into lakes and rivers.
• T he seeping of plastic also causes soil
pollution and have now started resulting in
presence of micro plastics in soil.
(ii) Water Pollution
• T he increased presence of plastic on
the ocean surface has resulted in more
serious problems.
• S ince most of the plastic debris that reaches
the ocean remains floating for years as it
does not decompose quickly, it leads to the
dropping of oxygen level in the water.
• It has severely affected the survival of
marine species.
• W hen oceanic creatures and even birds
consume plastic inadvertently, they choke
on it which causes a steady decline in their
population.
• In addition to suffocation, ingestion, and
other macro-particulate causes of death in
larger birds, fish, and mammals.
[C] Health Hazards
• B
 urning of plastic results into formation of a
class of flame retardants called as Halogens.
• C
 ollectively, these harmful chemicals are
known to cause the following severe health
problems: cancer, neurological damage,
endocrine disruption, birth defects and child
developmental disorders etc.
Ban elsewhere
• India is not the first country to ban single-
use plastics.
• Bangladesh became the first country to
ban thin plastic bags in 2002; New Zealand
banned plastic bags in July 2019.
• China had issued a ban on plastic bags in
2020 with a phased implementation.
• As of July 2019, 68 countries have plastic bag
bans with varying degrees of enforcement.
What are the plastic waste management
rules in India?
• With effect from September 30, 2021
India has the Plastic Waste Management
Amendment Rules, 2021.
• It prohibited the manufacture, import,
stocking, distribution, sale, and use of plastic
carry bags whose thickness is less than
75 microns.
• From December 31, 2022, plastic carry bags
whose thickness is less than 120 microns will
be banned.
• It means that the ban does not cover
all plastic bags; however, it requires the
manufacturers to produce plastic bags
thicker than 75 microns which was earlier
50 microns.
• As per the notification, the standard shall
be increased to 120 microns in December
this year.
What is the role of the manufacturer?
• In addition, the Ministry of Environment,
Forests, and Climate Change notified the
Plastic Waste Management Amendment
Rules, 2022 on February 16, 2022.
• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
is the responsibility of a producer for the
environmentally sound management of the
product until the end of its life.
• The guidelines provide a framework to
strengthen the circular economy of plastic
packaging waste, promote the development
of new alternatives to plastic packaging and
provide the next steps for moving towards
sustainable plastic packaging by businesses.
Various steps taken
• The Indian government has taken steps to
promote innovation and create an ecosystem
for accelerated adoption and availability of
alternatives across the country.
• To ensure the effective enforcement of
the ban, national and State-level control
rooms will be established, as well as special
enforcement teams for the purpose of
checking the illegal sale and use of single-
use plastics.
• To prevent the movement of banned single-
use plastic items between States and Union
Territories, border checkpoints have been
established.
• In an effort to empower citizens to help curb
the plastic menace, the Central Pollution
Control Board(CPCB) has launched a
grievance redressal application.
What are the challenges?
• T
 he ban will succeed only if all stakeholders
participate enthusiastically and engage in
effective engagement and concerted actions.
• H
 owever, if we look back at our past, almost
25 Indian States previously banned plastic at
the state level.
• H
 owever, these bans had a very limited
impact in reality because of the widespread
use of these items.
GLOBAL GEOLOGICAL AND CLIMATIC EVENTS
What is Karoo-Ferrar
Large Igneous Province?
Enviro & Biodiversity | GS1: Geographical Features & Their Location
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Karoo-Ferrar Large Igneous Province
Mains level : NA
A new study shows that a decline in continental
plate movement likely controlled the onset and
duration of many of the major volcanic events
throughout Earths history.
https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/in-news-
continental-drift-theory/
• N
 ow the challenge is to see how the local
level authorities will enforce the ban in
accordance with the guidelines.
• B
 anned items such as earbuds with plastic
sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, etc., are
non-branded items and it is difficult to find
out who the manufacturer is and who is
accountable.
Way forward
• T he consumer needs to be informed about
the ban through advertisements, newspaper
or TV commercials, or on social media.
• In order to find sustainable alternatives,
companies need to invest in research and
development.
Why is the news?
• P revious studies have linked major volcanic
eruptions with past mass extinctions
and disturbances in the global climatic,
environmental and the carbon cycle.
• L arge igneous province volcanism,
formations due to major volcanic eruptions
occurring throughout Earths history, released
large quantities of greenhouse gasses and
toxic compounds into the atmosphere.
• T he sea warmed up by 4C to 10C, even at
low- to mid-latitudes, the study noted.
• Increased acidic levels and a lack of oxygen
drove major ocean extinctions.
• The solution to the plastic pollution
problem is not the responsibility of the
government alone, but of industries, brands,
manufacturers and most importantly
consumers.
• Finding alternatives to plastic seems
a little difficult, however, greener
alternatives to plastic may be considered a
sustainable option.
• For example, compostable and bio-
degradable plastic, etc., may be considered as
an option.
• While the total ban on the use of plastic
sounds a great idea, its feasibility seems
difficult at this hour, especially in the absence
of workable alternatives.
• Large-scale volcanism took place in southern
Africa, Antarctica and Australia. This is known
as the Karoo-Ferrar Large Igneous Province.
About Karoo-Ferrar Large Igneous Province
• The Karoo and Ferrar Large Igneous
Provinces (LIPs) are two large igneous
provinces in Southern Africa and Antarctica
respectively, collectively known as the Karoo-
Ferrar, Gondwana, or Southeast African LIP
associated with the initial break-up of the
Gondwana supercontinent.
• Its flood basalt mostly covers South Africa
and Antarctica but portions extend further
into southern Africa and into South America,
India, Australia and New Zealand.
• Karoo-Ferrar formed just prior to the breakup
of Gondwana in the Lower Jurassic epoch,
about 183 million years ago.
• This time corresponds to the early Toarcian
anoxic event and the Pliensbachian-Toarcian
extinction.
www.civilsdaily.com 135
CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACT ON INDIA AND WORLD - INTERNATIONAL REPORTS, KEY
OBSERVATIONS, ETC.
Why Cloudbursts forecast in
India still remains elusive?
Enviro & Biodiversity | GS1: Climatic Change
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Cloudburst
Mains level : Flash floods and cloudbursts
The characteristics of cloud burst events
remain elusive, and our efforts in monitoring
and forecasting them is at an embryonic stage.
Cyclones can be predicted about one week
in advance. However, cloudburstforecasts still
remain elusive.
https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/what-are-
cloudbursts/
What is Cloudbursts?
• A
 cloudburst is a localised but intense
rainfall activity.
• S
 hort spells of very heavy rainfall over a small
geographical area can cause widespread
destruction, especially in hilly regions where
this phenomenon is the most common.
• N
 ot all instances of very heavy rainfall,
however, are cloudbursts.
136 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• A
 cloudburst has a very specific definition:
Rainfall of 10 cm or more in an hour over a
roughly 10 km x 10-km area is classified as a
cloudburst event.
• B
 y this definition, 5 cm of rainfall in a half-
hour period over the same area would also
be categorized as a cloudburst.
Which clouds do burst?
• C
 loudburst events are often associated
with cumulonimbus clouds that cause
thunderstorms and occasionally due to
monsoon wind surges and other weather
phenomena.
 umulonimbus clouds can grow up to 12-15
• C
km in height through the entire troposphere
(occasionally up to 21 km) and can hold huge
amounts of water.
• Tall cumulonimbus clouds can develop in
about half an hour as the moisture updraft
happens rapidly, at a pace of 60 to 120 km/hr.
• A single-cell cloud may last for an hour
and dump all the rain in the last 20 to
30 minutes, while some of these clouds
merge to form multi-cell storms and last for
several hours.
• However, cloudbursts are not defined based
on cloud characteristics and do not indicate
clouds exploding. Cloudbursts are defined by
the amount of rainfall.
How is it different from normal rainfall?
• According to the India Meteorological
Department (IMD), 100 mm of rain in an
hour is called a cloudburst.
• Usually, cloudbursts occur over a small
geographical region of 20 to 30 sq. km.
When do they occur?
• In India, cloudbursts often occur during the
monsoon season, when the southwesterly
monsoon winds bring in copious amounts of
moisture inland.
• The moist air that converges over land gets
lifted as they encounter the hills.
• The moist air reaches an altitude and gets
saturated, and the water starts condensing
out of the air forming clouds.
• This is how clouds usually form, but such
an orographic lifting together with a strong
moisture convergence can lead to intense
cumulonimbus clouds taking in huge
volumes of moisture that is dumped during
cloudbursts.
How common are cloudbursts?
• Cloudbursts are not uncommon events,
particularly during the monsoon months.
• Most of these happen in the Himalayan
states where the local topology, wind
systems, and temperature gradients between
the lower and upper atmosphere facilitate
the occurrence of such events.
• However, not every event that is described
as a cloudburst is actually, by definition, a
cloudburst.
• That is because these events are highly
localized.
• They take place in very small areas which
are often devoid of rainfall measuring
instruments.
Climate change and cloudbursts: How are
they related?
• Climate change is projected to increase
the frequency and intensity of cloudbursts
worldwide.
• As the air gets warmer, it can hold more
moisture and for a longer time. We call this
the Clausius Clapeyron relationship.
  1-degree Celsius rise in temperature may
• A
correspond to a 7-10% increase in moisture
and rainfall.
 his increase in rainfall amount does not get
• T
spread moderately throughout the season.
 s the moisture holding capacity of air
• A
increases, it results in prolonged dry
periods intermittent with short spells of
extreme rains.
• D
 eeper cumulonimbus clouds will form and
the chances of cloudbursts also increase.
Why are they so destructive?
• The consequences of these events, however,
are not confined to small areas.
• Because of the nature of terrain, the heavy
rainfall events often trigger landslides and
flash floods, causing extensive destruction
downstream.
GROWING WATER CRISIS IN INDIA
Growing water crisis in India
Enviro & Biodiversity | :
Context
• T he UNESCO United Nations World
Water Development Report of 2022 has
encapsulated global concern over the sharp
rise in freshwater withdrawal from streams,
lakes, aquifers and human-made reservoirs,
impending water stress and also water
scarcity being experienced in different parts
of the world.
• A NITI Aayog report, Composite Water
Management Index (2018) has sounded a
note of caution about the worst water crisis
in the country, with more than 600 million
people facing acute water shortages.
• In this context, this edition of the Burning
issue will elaborate on the issue of the
growing Water crisis in India (in form
of water stress and scarcity), its causes,
implications and possible solutions.
• T
 his is the reason why every sudden
downpour that leads to destruction of life
and property in the hilly areas gets described
as a cloudburst, irrespective of whether the
amount of rainfall meets the defining criteria.
• A
 t the same time, it is also possible that
actual cloudburst events in remote locations
arent recorded.
Detecting cloudbursts
• S
 atellites are extensively useful in detecting
large-scale monsoon weather systems.
 owever the resolution of the precipitation
• H
radars of these satellites can be much
smaller than the area of individual cloudburst
events, and hence they go undetected.
 eather forecast models also face a similar
• W
challenge in simulating the clouds at a high
resolution.
• T
 he skillful forecasting of rainfall in hilly
regions remains challenging due to the
uncertainties in the interaction between the
moisture convergence and the hilly terrain.
What Do Water Scarcity and Water Stress
actually Mean?
• W
 ater Scarcity: Water scarcityrefers to the
volumetric abundance, or lack thereof, of
freshwater resources. Scarcity is human-
driven; it is a function of the volume of
human water consumption relative to the
volume of water resources in a given area.
• W
 ater Stress: Water stress refers to the
ability, or lack thereof, to meet human and
ecological demand for fresh water. Compared
to scarcity, water stress is a more inclusive
and broader concept. It considers several
physical aspects related to water resources,
including water availability, water quality,
and the accessibility of water, which is often
a function of the sufficiency of infrastructure
and the affordability of water, among
other things.
Current situation of the water crisis in India
• T he Global Drought Risk and Water Stress
map (2019) : it shows that major parts of
India, particularly west, central and parts of
peninsular India are highly water-stressed
and experience water scarcity.
• I ndia has only 4% of the planets fresh-
water for 16% of its population. The annual
per capita availability of water continues to
decline sharply from about 5,177 cubic meters
in 1951 to about 1,720 cubic meters in 2019.
• There also involves the cloud microphysics,
and the heating-cooling mechanisms at
different atmospheric levels.
• Multiple radars can be a quick measure
for providing warnings, but radars are an
expensive affair, and installing them across
the country may not be practically feasible.
Solutions to cloudbursts forecast
• Multiple doppler weather radars can be
used to monitor moving cloud droplets and
help to provide nowcasts (forecasts for the
next three hours).
• A long-term measure would be mapping the
cloudburst-prone regions using automatic
rain gauges.
• If cloudburst-prone regions are co-located
with landslide-prone regions, these locations
can be designated as hazardous.
• Composite Water Management Index
(2018): Released by NITI Aayog indicates
that more than 600 million people are facing
acute water stress.
• India is the worlds largest extractor of
groundwater : Accounting for 25 percent of
the total. 70 percent of our water sources are
contaminated and our major rivers are dying
because of pollution.
• Global Drought Risk and Water Stress
map (2019) shows that major parts of
India, particularly west, central and parts of
peninsular India are highly water-stressed
and experience water scarcity.
• According to a recent official estimate, 22
of the countrys 32 major cities are plagued
with acute water shortages. NABARD study
shows that around 60 percent of the countrys
gross cropped area is facing a water crisis.
The most serious water crisis is being faced
by Maharashtra, Punjab, Haryana, MP, UP
and Andhra Pradesh.
• The new Water Report of the Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations (FAO) sounded a note of caution
about this silent crisis of a global dimension,
with millions of people being deprived of
water to live and sustain their livelihood.
Causes of the water crisis in India
• Lack of pricing of water: There has been an
effort to develop sustainable water supplies in
India in recent years with water conservation
legislation existing in 80 percent of the
country. However, poor data management
and an abject failure to properly price water
have prevented the country from making any
significant progress.
www.civilsdaily.com 137
• P opulist policy : Policies like several
states giving free electricity to farmers or
giving financial support for groundwater
extraction borewells and tubewells results
in uncontrolled exploitation and wastage
of resources. Also, the subsidized pricing
of water in various states has resulted in
non-revenue water and a sharp decline in
groundwater levels in all states.
• F ailure of mass adoption of drip irrigation:
Drip irrigation, a method that means
farmers use drastically less fertilizer and
diesel, has failed to become popular and
its implementation is expensive for most
people with state governments providing
limited support.
• E rratic monsoon and climate change:
Climate change is a real global challenge
today that is altering the water cycle in the
worst way possible. Increased temperature,
droughts, river drying and insufficient
monsoon to replenish the groundwaterhas
become one of the greatest cause of water
scarcity in India.
• P oor planning and Leakage: This is one
of the greatest reasons for the water crisis
in Indian cities as some reports state that
around 2025% of water is wasted due to
the leakage in the pipelines. India wastes
considerably a lot of water as leakage in
pumping and distribution.
• Improper wastewater treatment: In India,
there is no policy support for recycling and
reuse of industrial wastewater contrary to
other countries that have proper guidelines
on wastewater management. Israel uses
about 86% of its treated wastewater in
agriculture. 70% of urban sewage in India is
untreated and is disposed of directly to the
water bodies which creates quite a lot of
health and environmental concerns.
Implications of Water Crisis
• Shifting to inter-city water supplies Almost
all cities in India are experiencing water stress
major due to the drying up of groundwater
water or local water resources. Thus, now
City water supply is now a subject of inter-
basin and inter-State transfers of water. For
example, Ahmedabads 80% water supply
used to be met from groundwater sources
till the mid-1980s. But now the city depends
on the Narmada canal for the bulk of its
water supply.
• Inter-state water disputes are growing-
Rising inter-state river water disputes
between states to secure their water supplies
and economic growth. This is further causing
federal disputes and inter-state political
rivalries.
• Faster depletion of water resources- The
increased pace of water resource usage
to meet the growing water demand has
led to faster depletion of water, crossing
138 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
the sustainable replenishment rate of the
resources and ultimately leading to their
drying up.
• C
 reation of urban heat islands- water has a
cooling effect on the environment, but due to
the drying up of surface water resources, this
cooling effect of water has reduced leading
to the rise in the environmental temperatures
and thus creating urban heat islands.
• C
 ommodification of water- has started as
evident from the growing number of water
bottling plants popping up in cities, creating
artificial scarcity of water and selling water at
higher rates thus impacting peoples pockets
negatively as well as creating a Rich-Poor
divide/ inequality in water affordability and
accessibility.
Some suggestions to solve the water crisis
in India
• S
 ustainable water management: Improving
water infrastructure must be a priority,
as water conservation and efficiency are
key components of sustainable water
management.
• R
 estoring and reviving traditional water
harvesting structures such as wetlands,
lakes, Johads (earthen check dams), etc.
• R
 eclaimed water: Rainwater harvesting and
recycled wastewater also allow to reduce
scarcity and ease pressures on groundwater
and other natural water bodies.
• P
 ollution control & better sewage
treatment: Without proper sanitation, the
water becomes full of diseases and unsafe to
drink. That is why addressing pollution and
measuring and monitoring water quality is
essential.
• A
 wareness & Education: Education is critical
to solving the water crisis. In fact, to cope
with future water scarcity, it is necessary to
radically reform all forms of consumption
• A
 dopting an integrated approach: A
system perspective and catchment scale-
based approach are necessary to link the
reallocation of water with wider discussions
on development, infrastructure investment,
fostering a rural-urban partnership, and
adopting an integrated approach in water
management.
Some water management Models
• L earning from better performing states:
In what could serve as an encouragement
to step up the pursuit of policies to better
conserve water, several water-scarce states
are the best at managing the resource.
Some of the best performers in the national
composite water index Gujarat, Madhya
Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka,
Maharashtra and Telangana are states
that have suffered from severe droughts in
recent years.
• Reviving dead rivers: Rajendra Singh,
popularly known as Waterman of India
has applied the method of constructing
check dams and reservoirs to revive several
hundreds of dead rivers in India. His network-
Rashtriya Jal Biradari is working for the
restoration of all mighty and small rivers of
the country.
• Applying the One Water Approach One
Wateris the recognition that all water has
value, regardless of its source. It includes
managing that source in an integrated,
inclusive and sustainable manner by
including the community, business leaders,
industries, farmers, conservationists,
policymakers, academics and others for
ecological and economic benefits.
• Mihir Shah, Head of the New Water Policy
formulation committee, has suggested
shifting the focus of water management in
India from supply management to demand
management i.e managing the growing
demand for water in India rather than
focusing on supplying more and more water.
Steps taken by the government for Water
Management
• The government of India launched Jal
Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) in 2019, a time-bound
campaign with a mission mode approach
intended to improve water availability
including groundwater conditions in the
water-stressed blocks of 256 districts in India.
• National Water Policy (2012) has been
formulated by the Department of Water
Resources, RD & GR, inter-alia advocates
rainwater harvesting and conservation
of water and highlights the need for
augmenting the availability of water through
direct use of rainfall.
• Master Plan for Artificial Recharge to
Groundwater- 2020 has been prepared
by Central Ground Water Authority in
consultation with States/UTs which is a
macro level plan indicating various structures
for the different terrain conditions of
the country.
• Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABHY ), a Rs.6000
crore scheme with World Bank funding, for
sustainable management of groundwater
with community participation is being taken
up in the identified over-exploited and water-
stressed areas.
• National Water Mission had started a
campaign Sahi Fasal to nudge farmers to
favor crops that consume less water and to
use water more efficiently in agriculture, as a
part of demand side management.
• Fifteenth Finance Commission (FFC) in
its report for 2021-26, has earmarked 60
per cent for national priorities like drinking
water supply and rainwater harvesting and
sanitation, out of the total grants earmarked
for Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI). For
 fifty Million-Plus cities, two-thirds of the
allocation of funds under the Challenge Fund
of Rs. 38,196 crores is meant for meeting
service level benchmarks on drinking water
supply, rainwater harvesting, water recycling,
solid waste management and sanitation.
Way forward
• I mproving traditional irrigation methods-
to shift to Drip irrigation which is already
in practice in India needs to be practiced
efficiently across the country which will
reduce the water usage in agriculture.
• W astewater recycling to save our water
bodies: As we know, most of our water
bodies are polluted because of wastewater
CLIMATE CHANGE NEGOTIATIONS - UNFCCC, COP, OTHER CONVENTIONS AND PROTOCOLS
UNEP launches
Green Fins Hub
Enviro & Biodiversity | GS1: Climatic Change
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Green Fins Hub
Mains level : NA
The United Nations Environmental Programme
(UNEP) has launched the Green Fins Hub,
a global digital platform to give sustainable
marine tourism a major boost.
WILDLIFE CONSERVATION EFFORTS
What are the Big Seven Cats?
Enviro & Biodiversity | GS3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Eia
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Big cats
Mains level : NA
released by textile and industries which in
turn got mixed up and resulted in polluting
the water bodies. Like Israel, India should also
take necessary steps to recycle wastewater
and reuse it for agriculture and industrial
activities.
• E
 xtracting water from air and fog is a
futuristic technology: the Indian government
should invest in these technologies which
can be implemented in suitable areas. For
eg: extracting water from fog can be done
in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir,
Assam etc.
Green Fins Hub
• T he Green Fins Global Hub will be a first-of-
its-kind online support system to motivate
scuba operators to improve their daily
environmental practices at scale.
• It aims to help diving and snorkeling
operators worldwide to make simple, cost-
efficient changes to their daily practices by
utilizing tried and tested solutions.
• It would also help them keep track of their
annual improvements and communicate with
their communities and customers.
• To prevent leakage, a Proper team with
skilled workers should be assigned the job
of maintaining and repair of the pipelines.
Smart metering and leakage detection
systems should be designed to check the
water wastage in the transmission.
Conclusion
Looking at the current situation, there is a
need for a paradigm shift. We urgently require
a transition from thissupply-and-supply-
more waterprovision to measures that lead
towards improving water use efficiency,
reducing leakages, recharging/restoring local
waterbodies as well as applying for higher
tariffs and ownership by various stakeholders.
Membership of Green Fins Hub
• It will host two types of membership. One
would be digital membership available
for diving, snorkelling and liveaboard
operations globally.
• Throughout every year of membership,
operators will receive environmental scores
based on a detailed online self-evaluation and
progress made on their action plans.
• The Certified Members will continue to be
assessed annually and trained in person at
their operation.
• The platform will be for operators around
the world to raise industry needs, discuss
environmental issues and share lessons and
ideas with like-minded industry leaders, non-
profits and governments.
www.civilsdaily.com 139
We often get confused to differentiate between
Cheetah/Bagh/Sher/Puli. The cheetah, which is
being re-introduced to India from Africa, is not
to be confused with the leopard, which too has
spots that look somewhat similar.
How are all Big Cats differentiated?
[A] Genus Panthera
• T
 his is the genus of large wild cats that can
roar but cant purr.
• A
 mong them, the lion, the leopard, and
the jaguar are more closely related, while
the other strand has the tiger and the
snow leopard.
• T
 he snow leopard is an exception to the rest
of the group in that it cant roar.
(1) Tiger (Panthera Tigris) Size: 75-300 kg |
IUCN status : Endangered
• J im Corbetts large-hearted gentleman
with boundless courage, the solitary and
strongly territorial tiger is the largest of all
wild cats and also the earliest Panthera
member to exist.
• P rimarily a forest animal, they range from the
Siberian taiga to the Sunderban delta.
• T he national animal of India, Bangladesh,
Malaysia, and South Korea, the tiger was
voted the worlds favourite animal ahead
of the dog in a 2004 Animal Planet global
online poll.
(2) Lion (Panthera Leo Size: 100-250 kg |
IUCN status: Vulnerable
• N
 ative to Africa and Asia, the lion is the most
social cat, and lives in groups called prides.
• T
 hey prefer open forests such as scrubland,
and adult males have a prominent mane.
MONSOON UPDATES
What is a Triple-Dip La Nina?
Enviro & Biodiversity | GS1: Climatic Change
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Triple Dip La-Nina
Mains level : Read the attached story
140 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• T
 he lion is arguably the most widely
recognised animal symbol in human culture
be it the Ashoka pillar in Sarnath, the main
entrance to Buckingham Palace, or the 20th
Century Fox and MGM logo.
(3)Jaguar (Panthera Onca) Size: 50-110 kg |
IUCN status: Near Threatened
• T he largest cat in the Americas, the Jaguar
has the strongest bite force of all wild cats,
enabling it to bite directly through the skull
of its prey.
• M elanistic (black) Jaguars are common and
are often called black panthers.
• J aguar was a powerful motif in the Mayan
and Aztec civilisations.
(4) Leopard (Panthera Pardus) Size: 30-90
kg | IUCN status: Vulnerable
• S imilar in appearance to the Jaguar with
a rosette patterned coat, the leopard was
described by Jim Corbett as the most
beautiful of all animals for its grace of
movement and beauty of colouring.
• T he most adaptable of all big cats, they
occupy diverse habitats at all altitudes across
Africa and Asia.
• L ike black jaguars, melanistic leopards are
called black panthers.
• In some African cultures, leopards are
considered to be better hunters than lions.
(5) Snow leopard (Panthera Uncia) Size: 25-
55 kg | IUCN status : Vulnerable
• T
 he ghost of the mountains, this smokey-
grey cat lives above the snow line in Central
and South Asia.
• T
 he most elusive of all big cats, it cannot roar,
and has the longest tail of them all which
comes in handy for balance while hunting
along the cliffs, and also gives warmth when
wrapped around the body.
Parts of the world are expected to experience
severe weather for the rest of the year and
into 2023, as part of a rare “triple dip La Nina”
event, according to the World Meteorological
Organization (WMO).
El Nino and La Nina
• While El Nio (Spanish for little boy), the
more common expression, is the abnormal
surface warming observed along the
• The snow leopard is the state animal of
Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh.
[B] Genus Puma
• Closely related to the domestic cat,
this genus has only one extant species,
the cougar.
Cougar (Puma concolor) Size: 40-100 kg |
IUCN status: Least Concern
• The cougar is the second-largest cat in the
Americas. (The Jaguar is the largest.)
• Cougars are also called mountain lion and
panther across their range from the Canadian
Yukon to the Southern Andes.
• Concolor is latin for of uniform colour. The
Incas designed the city of Cusco in the shape
of a cougar.
[C] Genus Acinonyx
• This is a unique genus within the cat family,
with only one living member, the cheetah.
Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) Size: 20-70 kg |
IUCN status: Vulnerable
• The fastest land mammal, the cheetah is the
only cat without retractable claws the grip
helps it accelerate faster than any sports car
(0-100 km/hr in 3 seconds).
• Cheetahs are not aggressive towards
humans, and they have been tamed since the
Sumerian era.
• They dont breed well in captivity picky
females play hard to get.
• Cheetahs are not really big, and they hunt
during the day to avoid competing with
other big cats.
eastern and central regions of the Pacific
Ocean (the region between Peru and Papua
New Guinea).
• The La Nia (Spanish for little girl) is an
abnormal cooling of these surface waters.
• Together, the El Nio (Warm Phase) and La
Nia (Cool Phase) phenomena are termed as
El Nio Southern Oscillation (ENSO).
• These are large-scale ocean phenomena
which influence the global weather winds,
temperature and rainfall. They have
the ability to trigger extreme weather
events like droughts, floods, hot and cold
conditions, globally.
• Each cycle can last anywhere between 9 to
12 months, at times extendable to 18 months
and re-occur after every three to five years.
• M
 eteorologists record the sea surface
temperatures for four different regions,
known as Nio regions, along this
equatorial belt.
• D
 epending on the temperatures, they
forecast either as an El Nio, an ENSO neutral
phase, or a La Nia.
What is the “Triple-Dip” La Nina?
• A “triple-dip” La Nina is a multiyear cooling
of the surface temperature of the equatorial
Pacific Ocean, which can cause droughts,
fierce winds and heavy rainfall.
• A ccording to WMO, the current La Nina
is projected to span three consecutive
northern hemisphere winters. It began in
September 2020.
• If it continues for the next six months, it will
be the first “triple-dip” La Nina event of the
21st century, WMO says.
How rare is this triple-dip?
• It is exceptional to have three consecutive
years with a la Nina event.
• Its cooling influence is temporarily slowing
the rise in global temperatures but it will not
halt or reverse the long-term warming trend.
• L a Ninas are usually preceded by El Nino, a
weather pattern that warms the surface of
the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.
• H owever, an El Nino event did not occur
before the current La Nina.
Has it happened before? Will it happen
again?
• L
 a Ninas occurred several times between
1903 to 2010 and 2010 to 2012.
• T
 his would be the first “triple-dip” La Nina
this century.
MONSOON UPDATES
Southwest Monsoon begins
early Withdrawal/Retreat
Enviro & Biodiversity | GS1: Geographical Features & Their Location
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Retreat of Monsoon
Mains level : Not Much
The southwest monsoon rainfall, 7% more than
normal, has started to withdraw.
What is Monsoon Withdrawal/Retreat?
• In India, retreatingmonsoonhttps://www.
civilsdaily.com/news/various-terms-related-
to-indian-monsoon/ is the withdrawal
of south-west monsoon winds from
North India.
• T he withdrawal is gradual and takes about
three months.
• H
 owever, it is not unprecedented for the
weather pattern to last more than nine
months to a year, which is typical for
a La Nina.
Evaluating the likely impact
• In the Indian context, La Nina is
associated with good rainfall during the
monsoon season.
• T
 his is the opposite of El Nino which is
known to suppress monsoon rainfall.
• T
 hus, a continued spell of La Nina could lead
to expectation of another year of good, or
normal, rainfall during the monsoon.
• U
 ntil now, the monsoon season this year
has produced 7% more rain compared to
normal. Last year, the seasonal rainfall was
almost 100%.
• B
 ut, even though powerful, ENSO condition
is only one of the several factors affecting
monsoon rainfall in India.
Impact on rainfall
• T
 here is no one-on-one correlation between
the ENSO condition and the amount
of rainfall.
• A
 lso, the influence of ENSO is at a
macro level.
• T
 here are wide variations in rainfall at the
local level, which are getting exacerbated by
climate change.
Differential impacts of this triple-dip event
• T
 he continuance of La Nina further into 2023
is not bad news from the Indian standpoint.
But it is not the same for many other regions
where La Nina has very different impacts.
• W ith the retreat of the monsoons, the clouds
disappear and the sky becomes clear. The
day temperature starts falling steeply.
• M onsoon rains weaken all over India except
few southeastern states.
• It is helpful in Rabi crop cultivation.
Factors affecting the retreat
Two predominant factors cause the
phenomenon:
• In most parts of the United States, for
example, La Nina is associated with very
dry winters.
• In Australia and Indonesia, and generally in
the tropical region, La Nina is expected to
bring more rainfall.
• The excessive rainfall in Pakistan, which is
experiencing its worst flooding disaster, can
also be blamed in part on La Nina.
• It said that the persistence of La Nina was
most likely to result in a worsening of the
drought in Africa.
What is its climate change link?
• Every unusual weather event these days is
attributed to climate change, but science is
not conclusive right now.
• The occurrences of El Nino or La Nina are
not very regular.
• Sometimes they emerge every two years,
at other times there has been a gap of even
seven years.
• Historical records do not go very far
in the past.
• As a result, the natural variability of ENSO is
not understood very clearly.
• And when the natural variability itself is not
clear, the influence of global warming is
difficult to quantify.
• But there is clearer evidence of another kind
of linkage with global warming.
• During La Nina years, the colder surfaces
allow the oceans to absorb more heat from
the atmosphere.
• Consequently, the air temperatures tend to
go down, producing a cooling effect.
(1) Land topography
• First, the low mountain range in each
region runs from north to south, shielding
it from west-bound winds that trigger
summer monsoon.
• After summer, the range aids in the
orographic lift or rising of east-bound air
mass from a lower to higher elevation,
forming clouds and resulting in rain.
(2) Atmospheric convection
• The second factor is atmospheric convection
or vertical movement of air.
• As the earth is heated by the sun, different
surfaces absorb different amounts of energy
and convection may occur where the surface
heats up very rapidly.
• As the surface warms, it heats the overlying
air, which gradually becomes less dense than
the surrounding air and begins to rise.
www.civilsdaily.com 141
• T
 his condition is more favorable from
September to February because of the role
played by sea surface temperature or water
temperature.
Immediate factors influencing withdrawal
• T
 he withdrawal of the monsoon is based on
meteorological conditions such as-
1. Anti-cyclonic circulation (dry air that is the
opposite of a cyclone)
CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACT ON INDIA AND WORLD - INTERNATIONAL REPORTS, KEY
OBSERVATIONS, ETC.
What is International
Argo Program?
Enviro & Biodiversity | GS1: Climatic Change
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Argo
Mains level : Not Much
The International Argo Program system to
observe carbon concentration in the worlds
oceans is extremely inadequate to meet the
growing and urgent need for information on
oceanic carbon, says a report.
What is Argo?
• A
 rgo is an international program that uses
profiling floats to observe temperature,
salinity, currents, and, recently, bio-optical
properties in the Earth’s oceans; it has been
operational since the early 2000s.
142 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
2. Absence of rain in the past five days and
3. Dry weather conditions over the region
When does it occur?
• T
 he monsoon withdrawal is a long-drawn
process and extends into mid-October,
though the IMD considers September 30 to
be the final day of the season over India.
 he rain after that is categorised as post-
• T
monsoon rainfall.
• T he real-time data it provides is used in
climate and oceanographic research.
• A special research interest is to quantify the
ocean heat content (OHC).
• E ach instrument (float) spends almost all its
life below the surface.
• T he name Argo was chosen because the
array of floats works in partnership with the
Jason earth observing satellites that measure
the shape of the ocean surface.
• In Greek mythology Jason sailed on his ship
the Argo in search of the Golden Fleece.
Try this PYQ:
Q.The seasonal reversal of winds is the
typical characteristic of:
(a) Equatorial climate 
(b) Mediterranean climate 
(c) Monsoon climate 
(d) All of the above climates
What are its aims?
• The data that Argo collects describes the
temperature and salinity of the water and
some of the floats measure other properties
that describe the biology/chemistry of
the ocean.
• The main reason for collecting these data
is to help us understand the oceans role in
earths climate.
• For example, the changes in sea level (once
the tides are averaged out) depend partly
on the melting of icecaps and partly on the
amount of heat stored in the oceans.
• Argos temperature measurements allow
us to calculate how much heat is stored
and to monitor from year to year how the
distribution of heat changes with depth and
from area to area.
• As ocean heat content increases, sea level
rises, just like the mercury in a thermometer.
How does it work?
• Each Argo float (costing between $20,000
and $150,000 depending on the individual
floats technical specification) is launched
from a ship.
• The floats weight is carefully adjusted so that,
as it sinks, it eventually stabilizes at a pre-set
level, usually 1 km.
• Ten days later, an internal battery-driven
pump transfers oil between a reservoir inside
the float and an external bladder.
• This makesthe float first descend to 2km and
then return to the surface measuring ocean
properties as it rises.
• The data and the float position are relayed
to satellites and then on to receiving
stations on shore.
• The float then sinks again to repeat the 10
day cycle until its batteries are exhausted.
WATER MANAGEMENT - INSTITUTIONAL REFORMS, CONSERVATION EFFORTS, ETC. • T his Mobile app will work in both online and

Jaldoot App to capture data

offline mode.
• So water level can be captured even without

on Groundwater Levels
Enviro & Biodiversity | GS3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Eia
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Jaldoot App
Mains level : Not Much
With the rapidly declining water table
threatening to push many regions into drought,
the Union government on has launched a
mobile application Jaldoot.
Jaldoot App
• Jaldoot is jointly developed by the Rural
Development and Panchayati Raj Ministries
to monitor the groundwater levels across
the country.
• The App will enable Gram Rojgar Sahyak to
measure the water level of well twice a year
pre-monsoon and post-monsoon.
• Jaldoots, that is, officers assigned to measure
the water levels, should also upload the
geo-tagged photographs through the app on
every occasion of measurement.
internet connectivity and captured date will
be stored in mobile and when mobile comes
in the connectivity area, data will synchronize
with the central server.
Utility of the app
• The despite promoting watershed
development, afforestation, waterbody
development and renovation, rainwater
harvesting like initiatives, the ground
water level in various parts of the country
has depleted.
• The regular data to be input by the Jaldoots
would be integrated with the database of
National Water Informatics Centre (NWIC),
which can be utilised for analysis and display.
• The app will facilitate in observing water
tables across the country and the resulting
data can be utilised for Gram Panchayat
Development Plan and Mahatma Gandhi
NREGA Plans.

TIGER CONSERVATION EFFORTS - PROJECT TIGER, ETC.

• T he Ranipur TR will be the fourth in UP,

Ranipur TR: 4th Tiger afterDudhwa, Pilibhit and Amangarh (buffer

of Corbett Tiger Reserve).

Reserve in UP
• It will also be the first in the states portion of
the Bundelkhand region, which it shares with
neighbouring Madhya Pradesh.
Enviro & Biodiversity | GS3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Eia
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important : Why make it a tiger reserve?
Prelims level : Ranipur Tiger Reserve • RWShas no tigers of its own.
Mains level : Not Much • Butpugmarks of the animals are frequently
seen there as tigers from nearby Panna
The UP cabinet approved the notification of frequentit.
Ranipur Tiger Reserve under Section 38(v) of
the Wild life (Protection) Act of 1972.

About Ranipur WS
• Ranipur WS, was founded in 1977, is one
of the attractions of Chitrakoot district in
Uttar Pradesh.
• It is spread over 230 sq.km and is noted
for its diverse wildlife, but is not very
frequently visited by tourists because of the
difficult access.
• The RanipurTR has tropical dry deciduous
forests and is home to fauna such as tigers,
leopards, sloth bears, spotted deer, sambhar,
chinkara and a number of birds and reptiles,
the statement added.

www.civilsdaily.com 143
 Science Tech Art
Culture

144 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
INNOVATIONS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY AND MEDICAL SCIENCES
Edible coating to prolong shelf
life of fruits and vegetables
Science Tech Art Culture | GS3: Awareness In The Fields Of It, Space, Computers, Robotics,
Nano-Technology, Bio-Technology, Pharma Sector & Health Science
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Dunaliella tertiolecta
Mains level : Not Much
A team of researchers at the IIT Guwahati
has developed an edible coating using marine
alga that coated on vegetables and fruits,
substantially extends their shelf-life.
Dunaliella tertiolecta: The Edible coating
• T
 he team used a mix of an extract of a
marine microalga called Dunaliella tertiolecta
and polysaccharides to produce it.
• T
 he microalga is known for its antioxidant
properties and has various bioactive
compounds such as carotenoids and proteins.
WOMEN EMPOWERMENT ISSUES - JOBS,RESERVATION AND EDUCATION
Cervavac: India’s first
indigenously developed
Vaccine for Cervical Cancer
Science Tech Art Culture | GS3: Achievements Of Indians In S&T
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Cervavac, Cervical cancer
Mains level : Menstrual hygiene and related diseases
• It is also used to produce algal oil, a non-
animal source of omega-3 fatty acid and is
considered a good source of biofuel.
• A fter the oil is extracted, the residue is usually
discarded.
• T he researchers used extracts from
this residue in formulating their film, in
combination with chitosan, which is a
carbohydrate.
• It also has antimicrobial and antifungal
properties and can be made into an
edible film.
Benefits of this Edible coating
• T
 he films displayed superior antioxidant
activity, thermal stability, mechanical
strength, total phenolic content and water
vapour barrier property.
• T
 hey also had excellent UV-Vis light-blocking
properties.
• The researchers also tested the biosafety of
these coatings.
Why is it viable?
• The new coatings can be mass-produced.
• They are very stable to light, heat, and
temperature up to 40C, edible, and can
be safely eaten as part of the product
formulation and do not add unfavourable
properties to it.
• They retain texture, colour, appearance,
flavour and nutritional value.
• The material can be either directly coated
on the vegetables and fruits or made into a
vegetable storage pouch.
• In both cases, the shelf-life of the vegetables
can be extended.
• It is a simple dip coating technique with no
significant cost added to the post-harvest
processing.
Economic significance of Edible coating
• According to theIndian Council of
Agricultural Researchhttps://www.civilsdaily.
com/agri-research-role-of-icar/, between 4.6
and 15.9 per cent of fruits and vegetables
go waste post-harvest, partly due to poor
storage conditions.
• In fact, post-harvest loss in certain produce
items like potato, onion, and tomato could
even be as high as 19%, which results in high
prices for this highly consumed commodity.
Union Minister of Science and Technology
has announced the scientific completion of
Cervavac, India’s first indigenously developed
quadrivalent human papillomavirus (qHPV)
vaccine for the prevention of cervical cancer.
What is Cervavac?
• Cervavac was developed by the Pune-based
Serum Institute of India in coordination with
the Department of Biotechnology (DBT).
• The project to develop the vaccine was
implemented by the then secretary of the
DBT, Dr. M K Bhan in 2011.
• Since then, 30 meetings of scientific advisory
groups and site visits conducted by DBT
have helped review the scientific merit of the
entire journey to develop the vaccine.
• Cervavac received market authorisation
approval from the Drug Controller General of
India on July 12 this year.
What is so unique about Cervavac?
• HPV vaccines are given in two doses and
data has shown that the antibodies that
develop after both are administered can last
up to six or seven years.
• Unlike Covid vaccines, booster shots may not
be required for the cervical cancer vaccine.
www.civilsdaily.com 145
• U
 ntil now, the HPV vaccines available in India
were produced by foreign manufacturers
at an approximate cost of Rs 2,000 to Rs
3,500 per dose.
• C ervavac is likely to be significantly cheaper,
slated to cost approximately Rs 200 to 400.
• It has also demonstrated a robust antibody
response that is nearly 1,000 times higher
than the baseline against all targeted HPV
types and in all dose and age groups.
Significance of the vaccine
• D espite being largely preventable, cervical
cancer is the fourth most common
cancer among women globally, according
to the WHO.
• In 2018, an estimated 57000 women were
diagnosed with the disease and it accounted
for 311,000 deaths across the world.
How common is cervical cancer in India?
• India accounts for about a fifth of the global
burden of cervical cancer, with 1.23 lakh cases
and around 67,000 deaths per year.
• A lmost all cervical cancer cases are linked
to certain strains of human papillomavirus
(HPV), a common virus that is transmitted
through sexual contact.
CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACT ON INDIA AND WORLD - INTERNATIONAL REPORTS, KEY
OBSERVATIONS, ETC.
What causes Rainbow Clouds
(Cloud Iridescence)?
Science Tech Art Culture | GS3: Awareness In The Fields Of It, Space, Computers, Robotics,
Nano-Technology, Bio-Technology, Pharma Sector & Health Science
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Cloud iridescence
Mains level : NA
Last week, pictures of an unusually-shaped
rainbow cloud that appeared over China were
widely shared on social media.
What is the news?
• T
 he cloud in question resembles a
pileus cloud.
• S
 uch phenomenon of bright colours
appearing on a cloud is called cloud
iridescence.
What is a Pileus Cloud?
• A pileus cloud is usually formed over a
cumulus or cumulonimbus cloud https://
www.civilsdaily.com/water-in-the-
atmosphere/.
• It is formed when the base cloud pushes
a moist current of air upwards and the
water vapour from the current condenses
to somewhat resemble wave-like crests, or
umbrellas.
146 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• T
 he bodys immune system usually gets rid of
the HPV infection naturally within two years.
• H
 owever, in a small percentage of people,
the virus can linger over time and turn
some normal cells into abnormal cells and
then cancer.
How dangerous is cervical cancer?
• C
 ervical cancer is preventable if detected
early and managed effectively.
• S
 creening and vaccination are two powerful
tools that are available for preventing
cervical cancer.
• S
 till, there is little awareness among women
about the prevention of this cancer and less
than 10% of Indian women get screened.
• A
 ll women aged 30-49 must get screened
for cervical cancer even if they have
no symptoms and get their adolescent
daughters vaccinated with the HPV vaccine.
What are the challenges?
• T
 he biggest task will be in allocating
adequate resources and manpower for
vaccinating the massive demographic of
adolescent girls aged between 9 and 15,
to ensure that they are protected from
HPV early.
• In popular western culture, it is called as
an accessory cloud that is rather like a
cloud haircut.
 pileus cloud is transient in nature and lasts
• A
barely for a few minutes, making it difficult,
and at the same time, exciting, to spot.
What is cloud iridescence?
• C loud iridescence or Irisation is an optical
phenomenon that mostly occurs in wave-like
clouds, including pileus and Altocumulus
lenticularis.
• Iridescence in clouds means the appearance
of colours on clouds, which can either be in
the form of parallel bands like in a rainbow, or
mingled in patches.
• In ancient Greek mythology, Iris is
the goddess of rainbow. Irisation, the
phenomenon of rainbow-like colours in
clouds, is derived from her name.
• There is a huge need for stepping up
awareness about the disease and the vaccine
in the community.
• Unlike Covid and the vaccination
programme, there is very little awareness
about cervical cancer.
• Overall awareness and screening are very
low in the community and that is a concern.
• Since this is a preventable disease and hence
a huge awareness programme is required
Way forward
• School-based vaccination programmes might
work effectively.
• Currently, none exist and therefore planning
will have to be done along those lines.
• Those accessing public health programmes
will get the vaccine free of cost at
government-aided schools.
• However concerted efforts will have to be
made to ensure the involvement of private
healthcare facilities and NGOs towards an
effective rollout.
What is a photometeor?
• Iridescence of clouds is a photometeor.
• It is an optical phenomenon produced
by the reflection, refraction, diffraction or
interference of sunlight.
What causes cloud iridescence?
• In pileus clouds, small water droplets or ice
crystals, usually of a similar size, diffract the
sunlight falling on them.
• The thinness of the cloud ensures more
exposure to sunlight for each water droplet
or ice crystal.
• To ensure its wave crest-like appearance,
water droplets or ice crystals in these clouds
are always moving droplets form at one side
of the cloud and evaporate from the other
end and hence these clouds remain small
and thin since the droplets have no way of
combining and growing in size.
• In its International Cloud Atlas, the World
Meteorological Organisation says that
iridescence or Irisation is caused by
diffraction within 10 degrees from the sun.
• Beyond ten degrees and up till about 40
degrees, interference of light is the main
cause of iridescence.
HISTORY- IMPORTANT PLACES, PERSONS IN NEWS
Martand Temple in Kashmir
Science Tech Art Culture | GS1: Arts & Culture
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Martand Sun Temple
Mains level : Not Much
In May this year, some pilgrims offered prayers
inside the Martand Temple, an Archaeological
Survey of India-protected (ASI) monument
https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/places-in-
news-martand-sun-temple/
ISRO MISSIONS AND DISCOVERIES
India’s first Dark Sky Reserve
to come up in Ladakh
Science Tech Art Culture | GS3: Awareness In The Fields Of It, Space, Computers, Robotics,
Nano-Technology, Bio-Technology, Pharma Sector & Health Science
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Dark Sky Reserve
Mains level : Not Much
In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the Department
of Science & Technology (DST) has announced
the setting up of India’s first dark sky reserve at
Hanle in Ladakh in the next three months.
What is a Dark Sky Reserve?
• A
 dark-sky reserve is an area, usually
surrounding a park or observatory that is
kept free of artificial light pollution.
• T
 he purpose of a dark sky preserve is
generally to promote astronomy.
About Martand Sun Temple
• T he Martand Sun Temple is a Hindu temple
located near the city of Anantnag in the
Kashmir Valley.
• It dates back to the eighth century AD and
was dedicated to Surya, the chief solar deity.
• T he temple was destroyed by Sikandar Shah
Miri in a bid to undertake mass conversion
and execution of Hindus in the valley.
• A ccording to Kalhana, the Temple was
commissioned by Lalitaditya Muktapida in
the eighth century AD.
• T he temple is built on top of a plateau
from where one can view whole of the
Kashmir Valley.
• F rom the ruins the visible architecture seems
to be blended with the Gandharan, Gupta
and Chinese forms of architecture.
• B
 ecause different national organizations
have worked independently to create their
programs, different terms have been used to
describe the areas.
How is it designated?
• A
 dark sky reserve is a designation given to a
place that has policies in place to ensure that
a tract of land or region has minimal artificial
light interference.
• T
 he International Dark Sky Association
is a US-based non-profit that designates
sites as international dark sky places, parks,
sanctuaries and reserves, depending on the
criteria they meet.
• S
 everal such reserves exist around the world
but none so far in India.
Why in news now?
• According to ASI, prayers are allowed at its
protected sites only if they were functioning
places of worship at the time it took
charge of them.
• No religious rituals can be conducted at
non-living monuments where there has been
no continuity of worship when it became an
ASI-protected site.
What are the living/non-living monument?
• If some activity, like any kind of worship, has
been going on for years in the structure, then
it is taken over as a living monument.
• But where no activity has taken place, say
an abandoned building, then it is declared a
dead monument.
• The latter is difficult to restore because it is
generally covered by a lot of overgrowth.
• The best-known example of a living ASI
monument is the Taj Mahal in Agra, where
namaz is held every Friday.
Dark Sky Reserve at Hanle
• Hanle, which is about 4,500 metres above
sea level, hosts telescopes and is regarded
as one of the worlds most optimal sites for
astronomical observations.
• However, ensuring that the site remains
well-suited for astronomy implies keeping
the night sky pristine, or ensuring minimal
interference to the telescopes from artificial
light sources such as electric lights and
vehicular lights from the ground.
• The site will have activities to help in
boosting local tourism and economy through
interventions of science and technology.
The Himalayan Chandra Telescope, High
Energy Gamma Ray Telescope, Major
Atmospheric Cherenkov Experiment Telescope
and GROWTH-India are the prominent
telescopes located at the Hanle observatory.
Ideal conditions in India
• The Indian Astronomical Observatory, the
high-altitude station of the IIA, is situated
to the north of Western Himalayas, at
an altitude of 4,500 metres above mean
sea level.
• Located atop Mt. Saraswati in the Nilamkhul
Plain in the Hanle Valley of Changthang,
it is a dry, cold desert with sparse human
population.
www.civilsdaily.com 147
• T
 he cloudless skies and low atmospheric
water vapour make it one of the best sites in
the world for optical, infrared, sub-millimetre,
and millimetre wavelengths.
ISRO MISSIONS AND DISCOVERIES
ISRO tests system recoverable
rocket ‘Inflatable Aerodynamic
Decelerator (IAD)’
Science Tech Art Culture | GS3: Achievements Of Indians In S&T
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (IAD)
Mains level : Not Much
The Indian Space Research Organisation
(ISRO) has successfully tested a technology
that could aid the cost-effective recovery of
spent rocket stages and safely land payloads on
other planets.
What is IAD?
• IAD is a technique used for an atmospheric
entry payload.
• A n inflatable envelope and an inflatant
(anything that inflates the envelope, like air or
helium) make up the inflatable aerodynamic
decelerator.
• W hile entering the atmosphere, it inflates
like a balloon and decelerates the lander.
148 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• T he inflatant is designed to fill the inflatable
envelope to a condition such that it
surrounds the payload meant to enter the
atmosphere of a planet or satellite and causes
aerodynamic forces to slow it down.
• In simpler words, IAD is designed to increase
drag upon entering the atmosphere of
any planetary body, like Earth, Mars, or
even Moon.
• Its shape is maintained by a closed, gas-
pressured body and the inflatant gas is also
generated internally. Some versions also use
ram air or both.
How significant is this IAD?
• S ome space agencies, including NASA, have
already successfully tested advanced versions
of the technology, including the supersonic
and hypersonic variants.
• H owever, for near future missions of ISRO,
the current version that it tested is perfect.
• Its use was first proposed by NASA more
than 50 years ago for planetary entries.
Minuscule of ISROs IAD
• The IAD tested by ISRO was inflated at
an altitude of around 84 km and the
sounding rocket’s cargo dropped through the
atmosphere on it.
• It is fitted with a booster motor. It also has a
spin rocket that is ejectable.
• The inflatable structure is made out of
Kevlar fabric, which is a very strong
synthetic fibre and also heat resistant
to withstand atmospheric pressure and
temperature changes.
• On top of it, its coated with polychloroprene,
an oil and wax resistant rubber, to withstand
extreme temperatures.
• In the inflation system, it uses compressed
nitrogen stored in a bottle.
• It has consistently decreased the payload’s
velocity through aerodynamic drag while
maintaining the expected trajectory during
the test flight.
Where does ISRO intend to use it?
• The IAD will help ISRO in performing many
space tasks effectively including recovery of
spent stages of rockets, for landing payloads
on missions to other planetary bodies.
• This is the first instance where an IAD
has been specially created for spent
stage recovery.
• So inter-planetary missions are certainly one
aspect that ISRO wishes to explore.
HISTORICAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDINGS IN NEWS • B ut if this kind of flooding happens again,

Pakistan floods may take

the heritage site may once again get buried
under the ground, archaeologists say.

away Mohenjo Daro’s

• It is expected that UN Secretary General
Antonio Guterres will visit the site during his
visit to Pakistan on September 11.

World Heritage Tag • The visit might provide some clarity on if the
site has lost some of its attributes that are
necessary for it to retain its prestigious world
Science Tech Art Culture | GS1: Arts & Culture heritage tag.
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Mohenjo Daro Losing world heritage tag
Mains level : Not Much • There are around 1,100 UNESCO listed sites
across its 167 member countries.
Other Indus Valley sites

Heavy floods in Pakistan has pushed the

archeological site of Mohenjo Daro near
the bank of the Indus river to the brink of
extinction.

What is the news?

• P
 akistans Department of Archaeology has
said that Mohenjo Daro might be removed
from the world heritage list, if urgent
attention towards its conservation and
restoration is not given.

About Mohenjo Daro

• M ohenjo Daro, a group of mounds and ruins,
is a 5000-year-old archaeological site located
about 80-km off the city of Sukkur.
• It comprises the remnants of one of two
main centres of the ancient Indus Valley
• T he Indus Valley Civilisation spanned much
Civilisation, the other one being Harappa, • Last year, the World Heritage Committee
of what is now Pakistan and the northern
located 640 km to the northwest, in decided to delete the property Liverpool
states of India (Gujarat, Haryana and
Punjab province. Maritime Mercantile City (UK) from the
Rajasthan), even extending towards the
• M ohenjo Daro, which means mound of World Heritage List.
Iranian border.
the dead, was one of the oldest cities of • This was due to the irreversible loss of
• Its major urban centres included
the world. attributes conveying the outstanding
Harappa and Mohenjo Daro in Pakistan,
• K nown to be a model planned city of the universal value of the property.
and Lothal, Kalibangan, Dholavira and
ancient civilisation, the houses here had • Liverpool was added to the World Heritage
Rakhigarhi in India.
bathrooms, toilets and drainage system. List in 2004 in recognition of its role as one
• Mohenjo Daro is considered the most
• T he sheer size of the city, and its provision of of the worlds major trading centres in the
advanced city of its time, with sophisticated
public buildings and facilities, suggests a high 18th and 19th centuries and its pioneering
civil engineering and urban planning.
level of social organization. dock technology, transport systems and port
• When the Indus Valley Civilisation went into
• T hough in ruins, the walls and brick management.
sudden decline around 19th century BC,
pavements in the streets are still in a • Before that, the first venue to be delisted by
Mohenjo Daro was abandoned.
preserved condition. the UNESCO panel was the Arabian Oryx
What next for the site Sanctuary in Oman, in 2007, after concerns
How did it came to prominance
• According to media reports, many streets over poaching and habitat degradation.
• T he ruins of the city remained
and sewerage drains of the historical ruins • Another site to be removed from the World
undocumented for around 3,700 years,
have been badly damaged due to the floods. Heritage list in 2009 was Elbe Valley in
until 1920, when archaeologist RD Banerji
• However, the work of removing the Dresden, Germany, after the construction of
visited the site.
sediments deposited due the flooding is the Waldschloesschen road bridge across the
• Its excavation started in 1921 and continued
still underway. Elbe River.
in phases till 1964-65.
• T he site went to Pakistan during Partition.

www.civilsdaily.com 149
Back2Basics: UNESCO World Heritage Sites
• A
 World Heritage Site is a landmark or area,
selected by the UN Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
for having cultural, historical, scientific or
other forms of significance, which is legally
protected by international treaties.
• T
 he sites are judged to be important for
the collective and preservative interests
of humanity.
• T
 o be selected, a WHS must be an already-
classified landmark, unique in some
respect as a geographically and historically
identifiable place having special cultural or
physical significance (such as an ancient ruin
or historical structure, building, city, complex,
desert, forest, island, lake, monument,
mountain, or wilderness area).
• It may signify a remarkable accomplishment
of humanity, and serve as evidence of our
intellectual history on the planet.
• T
 he sites are intended for practical
conservation for posterity, which otherwise
would be subject to risk from human
or animal trespassing, unmonitored/
uncontrolled/unrestricted access, or threat
from local administrative negligence.
• T
 he list is maintained by the international
World Heritage Program administered by
the UNESCO World Heritage Committee,
composed of 21 states parties that are elected
by their General Assembly.
UNESCO World Heritage Committee
• The World Heritage Committee selects the
sites to be listed as UNESCO World Heritage
Sites, including the World Heritage List and
the List of World Heritage in Danger.
• It monitors the state of conservation of the
World Heritage properties, defines the use
of the World Heritage Fund and allocates
financial assistance upon requests from
States Parties.
• It is composed of 21 states parties that are
elected by the General Assembly of States
Parties for a four-year term.
• India is NOT a member of this Committee.

INNOVATIONS IN SCIENCES, IT, COMPUTERS, ROBOTICS AND NANOTECHNOLOGY

• B y equipping the cockroaches with small

Cyborg Cockroaches to help in wireless control modules, handlers will be

able to control the insects legs remotely for

urban search-rescue missions

Science Tech Art Culture | GS3: Awareness In The Fields Of It, Space, Computers, Robotics,
Nano-Technology, Bio-Technology, Pharma Sector & Health Science
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Cyborg
Mains level : Not Much
Japanese scientists have devised a system that
can create cyborg cockroaches that are part
insect and part machine.
Cyborg cockroaches
• Cyborg cockroaches’ movements are
controlled by tiny integrated circuits.
• They will be able to conduct surveillance
in procedures like urban search and rescue,
environmental monitoring and inspection of
areas dangerous to humans.
long periods of time.
• The team used Madagascar cockroaches,
which are not only the largest species of
cockroaches, reaching an estimated 6 cm,
but are also known for making hissing
sounds when disturbed, which they make by
expelling air from the openings on their back.
How is it powered?
• The researchers also designed the system
to be rechargeable, by powering it with
a super thin 0.004 mm solar cell module
that is installed on the dorsal side of the
cockroachs abdomen.
• This was done to ensure that the battery
remains charged and the cockroach can be
controlled for long periods of time, while
simultaneously ensuring that the movement
remains unhindered.

THREE INDIAN CITIES ARE NOW IN UNESCO GLOBAL NETWORK OF LEARNING CITIES
What does UNESCO Global Network of

Three Indian Cities are Learning Cities mean?

• An international policy-oriented network, the

now in UNESCO Global

UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities
is a network of inspiration, know-how and

Network of Learning Cities

best practices.
• It is coordinated by the UNESCO Institute for
Lifelong Learning (UIL).
• The Network has member cities that
Science Tech Art Culture | GS1: Arts & Culture
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important : it supports in aspects like promoting
Prelims level : UNESCO Learning Cities policy dialogue and peer learning,
Mains level : Not Much documenting effective strategies and best
practices; building partnerships; capacity
Warangal, Nilambur, and Thrissur have joined development; and more.
the UNESCO Global Network of Learning
Cities (GNLC).

150 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2

What is a learning city?
• A ccording to UNESCO, a learning city
is one that
1. effectively mobilizes its resources in every
sector to promote inclusive learning from basic
to higher education
2. revitalizes learning in families and
communities
3. facilitates learning for and in the workplace
4. extends the use of modern learning
technologies
5. enhances quality and excellence in learning
6. fosters a culture of learning throughout life
• In doing so, the city enhances individual
empowerment and social inclusion,
economic development and cultural
prosperity, and sustainable development
Inclusion of Indian cities
• T
 he Indian cities, Nilambur and Thrissur in
Kerala, and Warangal in Telangana became
the nations first entrants in the UNESCO
Global Network of Learning Cities.
• A
 s per UNESCO, 77 cities from 44 countries
across the globe have joined the UNESCO
Global Network of Learning Cities.
• T
 he group of global cities also includes cities
like Beijing, Shanghai, Hamburg, Athens,
Incheon, Bristol, and Dublin.
• T
 he inclusion will foster sharing of ideas with
other cities, provide already applied solutions
to issues and much more.
About the cities
(1) Thrissur the cultural capital of Kerala
• P opularly known as the cultural capital of
Kerala, Thrissur is home to academic and
research institutions.
• It is also known for its jewellery industry,
especially gold.
• A
 s a member of the UNESCOIGNLC,
Thrissur hopes to contribute to the
intellectual and peer learning processes,
focusing on equitable access to learning for
all, digital learning ecosystems and skills for
sustainability.
• Thrissur ticked UNESCOs check boxes
in aspects of good practices, equity and
inclusion among other factors.
• For e.g., the presence of a MSME-
Development Institute of India regional
centre in Thrissur offers institutional
support in promoting decent work and
entrepreneurship through upskilling.
(2) Nilambur, Keralas eco-tourism
destination
• Nilambur is an eco-tourism destination in
the Kerala.
• It is a city with various socio-economic
patterns marked by an urban and rural mix.
• The majority of the population depends on
agriculture and allied industries.
• The city offers free healthcare facilities to
all citizens and utilizes health volunteers
to provide door-to-door treatment for
bedded patients.
• It also promotes first-aid training for students
and young citizens.
• Nilambur aims to promote sustainable
development, gender equality, inclusivity and
democracy through community ownership.
• Nilambur also aspires to become a women-
friendly city by ensuring equal opportunities
in all sectors, promoting capacity-building
and reducing harassment.
• As a learning city, Nilambur aims to work
to innovate in agriculture and handicrafts,
promote eco-tourism and improve water
management.
(3) Warangal, the tourism spot
• Warangal has a rich cultural heritage. The
city is a major tourism venue, welcoming
3.2million tourists every year.
• Warangals economy is primarily composed
of agricultural, industrial and service sectors.
• The city promotes equity and inclusion, for
which it has implemented several strategies,
including Women and Child Welfare policy,
Urban Policy etc.
• Further, it also provides free trainingto the
transgender community which helps in
employment opportunities.
www.civilsdaily.com 151
FERTILIZER SECTOR REFORMS - NBS, BIO-FERTILIZERS, NEEM COATING, ETC. How efficient is LNU?

Scientists remain sceptical

• While conventional urea has an efficiency
of about 25 per cent, the efficiency of liquid

about how Liquid Nano

nano urea can be as high as 85-90 per cent.
• Conventional urea fails to have the desired
impact on crops as it is often applied

Urea benefits crops incorrectly, and the nitrogen in it is vaporized

Science Tech Art Culture | GS3: Awareness In The Fields Of It, Space, Computers, Robotics,
Nano-Technology, Bio-Technology, Pharma Sector & Health Science
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Liquid Nano Urea (LNU)
Mains level : Not Much
Liquid Nano Urea, a fertilizer patented and sold
by the Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Ltd.
(IFFCO), has been approved by the government
for commercial use because of its potential to
substantially reduce the import bill, but several
experts have questioned the science underlying
its efficacy.
or lost as a gas.
• A lot of nitrogen is also washed away during
irrigation.
• Liquid nano urea has a shelf life of a year, and
farmers need not be worried about caking
when it comes in contact with moisture.
Significance of LNU
What is Liquid Nano Urea (LNU)?
• This patented product is expected to not
• U rea is chemical nitrogen fertiliser, white in
only substitute imported urea, but to also
colour, which artificially provides nitrogen, a
produce better results in farms.
major nutrient required by plants.
• Apart from reducing the countrys subsidy
• L NU is essentially urea in the form of a
bill, it is aimed at reducing the unbalanced
nanoparticle.
and indiscriminate use of conventional urea.
• It is sprayed directly on the leaves and gets
• It will help increase crop productivity, and
absorbed by the plant.
reduce soil, water, and air pollution.
• F ertilisers in nano form provide a targeted
supply of nutrients to crops, as they are Why in news now?
absorbed by the stomata, pores found on the • Plants need nitrogen to make protein and
epidermis of leaves. they source almost all of it from soil bacteria
• A
 ccording to IFFCO, liquid nano urea which live in a plants roots and have the
contains 4 per cent total nitrogen (w/v) ability to break down atmospheric nitrogen,
evenly dispersed in water. or that from chemicals such as urea into a
• T
 he size of a nano nitrogen particle varies form usable by plants.
from 20-50 nm. (A nanometre is equal to a • Chemically packaged urea is 46% nitrogen,
billionth of a metre.) which means a 45-kg sack contains about 20
kg of nitrogen.
UsingLNUhttps://www.civilsdaily.com/
• Contrastingly, nano urea sold in 500-
news/what-is-liquid-nano-urea/
ml bottles has only 4% nitrogen (or
• T
 he liquid nano urea produced by IFFCO
around 20 g).
Limited comes in a half-litre bottle priced
• How this can compensate for the kilograms
at Rs 240, and carries no burden of subsidy
of nitrogen normally required puzzles
currently.
scientists.
• B
 y contrast, a farmer pays around Rs 300 for
a 50-kg bag of heavily subsidised urea.
• A
 ccording to IFFCO, a bottle of the nano
urea can effectively replace at least one
bag of urea.

ANIMAL HUSBANDRY, DAIRY & FISHERIES SECTOR - PASHUDHAN SANJIVANI, E- PASHUDHAN

HAAT, ETC

Explained: Lumpy Skin

Disease in India
Science Tech Art Culture | GS3: Economics Of Animal-Rearing
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Lumpy Skin Disease
Mains level : Read the attached story

152 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
The Mumbai Police have ordered the
prohibition of cattle transportation in the
city to prevent the spread of the lumpy skin
disease (LSD).
What is the Lumpy Skin Disease?
• L
 umpy skin disease is caused by the lumpy
skin disease virus (LSDV), which belongs
to the genus capripoxvirus, a part of the
poxviridae family.
• S
 mallpox and monkeypox viruses are also a
part of the same family.
• T
 he LSDV shares antigenic similarities with
the sheeppox virus (SPPV) and the goatpox
virus (GTPV) or is similar in the immune
response to those viruses.
How does it spread?
• It is not a zoonotic virus, meaning the
disease cannot spread to humans.
• It is a contagious vector-borne disease
spread by vectors like mosquitoes, some
biting flies, and ticks and usually affects host
animals like cows and water buffaloes.
• Infected animals shed the virus through oral
and nasal secretions which may contaminate
common feeding and water troughs.
• T hus, the disease can either spread through
direct contact with the vectors or through
contaminated fodder and water.
• S tudies have also shown that it can spread
through animal semen during artificial
insemination.
How does it affect the animal?
• L
 SD affects the lymph nodes of the infected
animal, causing the nodes to enlarge and
appear like lumps on the skin, which is where
it derives its name from.
• T
 he cutaneous nodules, 25 cm in diameter,
appear on the infected cattles head, neck,
limbs, udder, genitalia, and perineum.
• T
 he nodules may later turn into ulcers and
eventually develop scabs over the skin.
• T
 he other symptoms include high fever,
sharp drop in milk yield, discharge from the
eyes and nose, salivation, loss of appetite,
depression, damaged hides, wasting of
animals, infertility and abortions.
Do it kills the animal?
• T
 he incubation period or the time between
infection and symptoms is about 28 days
according to the FAO, and 4 to 14 days
according to some other estimates.
• T
 he morbidity of the disease varies between
two to 45% and mortality or rate of date is
less than 10%.
• H
 owever, the reported mortality of the
current outbreak in India is up to 15%,
particularly in cases being reported in the
western part (Rajasthan) of the country.
What is the geographical distribution and
how did it spread to India?
 he disease was first observed in
• T
Zambia in 1929.
• S
 ubsequently it got spread to most
African countries, followed by West Asia,
Southeastern Europe, and Central Asia, and
more recently spreading to South Asia and
China in 2019.
• A
 s per the FAO, the LSD disease is currently
endemic in several countries across Africa,
parts of the West Asia (Iraq, Saudi Arabia,
Syrian Arab Republic), and Turkey.
Lumpy in India
• T
 he spread in South Asia first affected
Bangladesh in July 2019 and then reached
India in August that year, with initial cases
being detected in Odisha and West Bengal.
• T
 he long porous borders between India,
Nepal and Bangladesh allow for a significant
amount of bilateral and informal animal
trade, including cattle and buffaloes.
• T
 his may have contributed to the spread of
LSD in July-August 2019 between Bangladesh
and India.
• W
 hile the 2019 outbreak later subsided, the
recent spread in India began in June this year.
Is it safe to consume the milk of affected
cattle?
• S tudies say that it has not been possible
to ascertain the presence of viable and
infectious LSDV virus in milk derived from the
infected animal.
• H owever, that a large portion of the milk
in Asia is processed after collection and is
either pasteurised or boiled or dried in order
to make milk powder.
• T his process ensures that the virus is
inactivated or destroyed.
Economic implications of Lumpy on Dairy
Sector
• M
 ilk reduction: Lumpy leads to reduced milk
production as the animal becomes weak and
also loses appetite due to mouth ulceration.
• A
 nimal wasting: The income losses can also
be due to poor growth, reduced draught
power capacity and reproductive problems
associated with abortions, infertility and lack
of semen for artificial insemination.
• Impact of trade ban: Movement and trade
bans after infection also put an economic
strain on the whole value chain.
Why India is at higher risk?
• India is the worlds largest milk producer
https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/making-
india-a-major-milk-exporting-nation/ at
about 210 million tonnes annually.
• India also has the largest headcount
of bovines
• In Rajasthan, which is witnessing the worst
impact of LSD, it has led to reduced milk
production, which lessened by about three to
six lakh litres a day.
• Reports indicate that milk production has
also gone down in Punjab owing to the
spread of the disease.
• According to FAO, the disease threatens
the livelihoods of smaller poultry farmers
significantly.
• Notably, farmers in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab
have incurred losses due to cattle deaths and
are seeking compensation from their State
governments.
How bad is the current spread in India?
• Lumpy has infected over 16 lakh cattle in 197
districts as of September 11.
• Of the nearly 75,000 cattle that the disease
has killed, more than 50,000 deaths, mostly
cows, have been reported from Rajasthan.
Remedies available in India
• The Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal
Husbandry and Dairying informed that
the Goat Pox Vaccine is very effective
against LSD.
• It is being used across affected States to
contain the spread.
Way forward
The FAO has suggested a set of spread-control
measures for LSD, which involves:
• Vaccination of susceptible populations with
more than 80% coverage
• Movement control of bovine animals and
quarantining
• Implementing biosecurity through vector
control by sanitising sheds and spraying
insecticides
• Strengthening active and passive surveillance
• Spreading awareness on risk mitigation
among all stakeholders involved, and
• Creating large protection and surveillance
zones and vaccination zones
www.civilsdaily.com 153
INNOVATIONS IN SCIENCES, IT, COMPUTERS, ROBOTICS AND NANOTECHNOLOGY Why is technique still widely in use?

Dvorak Technique of
• Unlike land, ocean observations in the 1970s
were sparse.

Weather Forecasting
Science Tech Art Culture | GS3: Awareness In The Fields Of It, Space, Computers, Robotics,
Nano-Technology, Bio-Technology, Pharma Sector & Health Science
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Dvorak Technique
Mains level : Weather forecasting
Recently, the American meteorologist Vernon
Dvorak passed away at the age of 100 who
pioneered the widely used Dvorak Technique.
Who was Vernon Dvorak?
• D
 vorak was an American meteorologist best
credited for developing the Dvorak (read as
Do-rak) technique in the early 1970s.
• T
 he technique helps forecast the
tropical storm.
• H
 is technique has saved the lives of
millions of people across the world and will
continue to do so.
What is the Dvorak technique?
• T he Dvorak technique was first developed in
1969 and tested for observing storms in the
northwest Pacific Ocean.
• F orecasters used the available satellite
images obtained from polar orbiting satellites
to examine the features of the developing
tropical storms (hurricanes, cyclones and
typhoons).
• D uring day time, images in the visible
spectrum were used while at night, the ocean
would be observed using infrared images.
• It was a cloud pattern recognition
technique based on a concept model
of the development and decay of the
tropical cyclone.
• Today, there continues to be an improved
network of land-based meteorological
observations, either in the form of taking
manual observations, installing automatic
weather stations or automatic rain gauges.
• On the other hand, ocean observations still
remain limited.
• There are many vast regions across the four
oceans that have not been fully examined
with meteorological instruments.
• Ocean observations are mostly taken by
deploying buoys or dedicated ships, but the
number of observations from the seas is still
not sufficient across the world.
• That is why meteorologists have had to
depend more on satellite-based imageries,
and combine it with the available ocean-data
at the time of forecasting the intensity and
wind speed of the tropical cyclones.

INTERNATIONAL SPACE AGENCIES - MISSIONS AND DISCOVERIES

In the first-of-its kind NASAs DART Mission is

NASA’s DART mission about to hit a small, harmless asteroid millions

of miles away.

prepares for an asteroid

• About DART mission: Aim of the mission
is to understand the shape and composition

Dimorphos collision
of the asteroids based on the change in their
orbit and based on the ejected material.
DART weighs around 600 kilograms.
• DART will target Didymos till about 50
Science Tech Art Culture | GS3: Awareness In The Fields Of It, Space, Computers, Robotics,
Nano-Technology, Bio-Technology, Pharma Sector & Health Science minutes before impact. Other technologies
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important : like the DRACO camera and Roll-Out Solar
Prelims level : DART Mission, Didymos, Dimorphos Arrays (ROSA) will also be tested for future
Mains level : Not Much space exploration.
• About Dimorphos: It is 160-meter-wide and
orbits the much larger asteroid Didymos
(about 780 metres wide). It poses no actual
threat to Earth.
• Telescopes in use: Webb Telescope, Hubble,
and a CubeSat called LICIACube to take
measurements of the changes in the system
and transmit back images.
• DRACO, or Didymos Reconnaissance and
Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation
is a high-resolution camera to capture
images of Didymos and Dimorphos
while simultaneously supporting DARTs
autonomous guidance system. It takes 38
seconds for one-way communication.
• CubeSat, LICIACube is built by an Italian
space agency, has 2 cameras and operates
autonomously.

154 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
HISTORICAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDINGS IN NEWS
What is Carbon Dating?
Science Tech Art Culture | GS3: Awareness In The Fields Of It, Space, Computers, Robotics,
Nano-Technology, Bio-Technology, Pharma Sector & Health Science
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Carbon Dating
Mains level : Not Much
A Varanasi district court has issued notice
regarding carbon-dating of the disputed
structure known to have been found inside the
premises of the Gyanvapi mosque
What is Carbon Dating?
• Carbon dating, also called radiocarbon dating
is method of age determination that depends
upon the decay to nitrogen of radiocarbon
(Carbon-14).
• This method was developed by the American
physicist Willard F. Libby about 1946.
• Carbon-14 is continually formed in nature by
the interaction of neutrons with nitrogen-14
in the Earths atmosphere.
• The neutrons required for this reaction are
produced by cosmic rays interacting with the
atmosphere.
How it works?
• Radiocarbon present in molecules of
atmospheric carbon dioxide enters the
biological carbon cycle: it is absorbed from
the air by green plants and then passed on to
animals through the food chain.
• Radiocarbon decays slowly in a living
organism, and the amount lost is continually
replenished as long as the organism takes in
air or food.
• Once the organism dies, however, it ceases to
absorb carbon-14, so that the amount of the
radiocarbon in its tissues steadily decreases.
The half-life concept
• Carbon-14 has a half-life of 5,730 40 years
i.e., half the amount of the radioisotope
present at any given time will undergo
spontaneous disintegration during the
succeeding 5,730 years.
• Because carbon-14 decays at this constant
rate, an estimate of the date at which an
organism died can be made by measuring
the amount of its residual radiocarbon.
Its uses
• It has proved to be a versatile technique of
dating fossils and archaeological specimens
from 500 to 50,000 years old.
• The method is widely used by geologists,
anthropologists, archaeologists, and
investigators in related fields.
https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/gyanvapi-
kashi-vishwanath-temple-complex-dispute/.
www.civilsdaily.com 155
TOURISM SECTOR
What is Ambedkar
Tourist Circuit?
Science Tech Art Culture | GS1: Arts & Culture
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Ambedkar Tourist Circuit
Mains level : Not Much
Why in news?
• A
 ctivists have urged that Mahad, located
in Raigad District of Maharashtra, famous
for Mahad Lake Satyagraha should also be
included in the proposed circuit.
Ambedkar Circuit
• T
 he five cities in the tourist circuit as
announced are Mhow (his birthplace),
London (where he resided and studied),
Nagpur (also studied here), Delhi (where he
passed away) and finally Mumbai (where he
was cremated).
• W
 ith a special AC train, the government is
The Central government has announced a
looking to trace the footsteps of Ambedkar in
special tourist circuit encompassing five key
India by giving better connectivity to four of
sites associated with Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.
these spots.
• T
 he idea is to attract tourists beyond the
Dalit community, who mostly visit these
places as a pilgrimage.
POLICE REFORMS - SC DIRECTIVES, NPC, OTHER COMMITTEES REPORTS
What is National Automated
Fingerprint Identification
System (NAFIS)?
Science Tech Art Culture | GS2: Governance, Transparency & Accountability, Citizens Char-
ters
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : NAFIS
Mains level : Not Much
The Union Home Minister has inaugurated the
National Automated Fingerprint Identification
System (NAFIS).
What is NAFIS?
• NAFIS is developed by the National Crime
Records Bureau (NCRB) at the Central
Fingerprint Bureau (CFPB) in New Delhi.
• The project is a country-wide searchable
database of crime- and criminal-related
fingerprints.
• The web-based application functions
as a central information repository by
consolidating fingerprint data from all states
and Union Territories.
156 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• The journey will include meals, ground
transportation, and entry to the sites.
About the sites
1. Janma Bhoomi - Ambedkars birthplace in
Madhya Pradeshs Mhow
2. Shiksha Bhoomi - the place in London
where he stayed while studying in the UK
3. Deeksha Bhoomi - the place in Nagpur
where he embraced Buddhism
4. Mahaparinirvan Bhoomi- the place of his
demise in Delhi and
5. Chaitya Bhoomi- the place of his
cremation in Mumbai
Back2Basics: Tourism Circuits
• The government had identified 15 tourist
circuits under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme
in 2014-15.
• Besides theRamayanahttps://www.civilsdaily.
com/news/pib-ramayana-circuit/ and
Buddhist Circuits, others include Coastal
Circuit, Desert Circuit, Eco Circuit, Heritage,
North East, Himalayan, Sufi, Krishna, Rural,
Tribal, and Tirthankar Circuits.
• In terms of train collaboration, the Ramayana,
Buddhist, and North East Circuits are already
active, while Ambedkar will be fourth.
• In April this year, Madhya Pradesh became
the first state in the country to identify a
deceased person through NAFIS.
Utility of NAFIS
• It enables law enforcement agencies to
upload, trace, and retrieve data from the
database in real time on a 247 basis.
• It would help in the quick and easy disposal
of cases with the help of a centralised
fingerprint database.
How does it work?
• NAFIS assigns a unique 10-digit National
Fingerprint Number (NFN) to each person
arrested for a crime.
• This unique ID will be used for the persons
lifetime, and different crimes registered under
different FIRs will be linked to the same NFN.
• The 2020 report states that the IDs first two
digits will be that of the state code in which
the person arrested for a crime is registered,
followed by a sequence number.
• By automating the collection, storage, and
matching of fingerprints, along with digitizing
the records of fingerprint data, NAFIS will
provide the much-needed unique identifier
for every arrested person.
• It will be included in the CCTNS (Crime
and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems)
database as both are connected at
the backend.
Is this the first time that such an
automation project is being attempted?
• U pon the recommendations of the National
Police Commission in 1986, the Central
Fingerprint Bureau first began to automate
the fingerprint database.
• It began with digitizing the existing manual
records through India’s first Automated
Fingerprint Identification System (AFI) in
1992, called Fingerprint Analysis & Criminal
Tracing System (FACTS 1.0).
ISRO MISSIONS AND DISCOVERIES
Centre’s push for NavIC System
Science Tech Art Culture | GS3: Achievements Of Indians In S&T
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : NAVIC, IRNSS, GPS
Mains level : Read the attached story
The Union government is pushing tech giants
to make smartphones compatible with its
home-grown navigation system NavIC.
• T
 he latest iteration, FACTS 5.0, which was
upgraded in 2007, was considered to have
outlived its shelf life, according to a 2018
report by the NCRB and thus needed to be
replaced by NAFIS.
Since when has India relied on
fingerprinting as a crime-fighting tool?
• A system of fingerprinting identification
first emerged in colonial India, where it was
tested before it spread to Europe and beyond.
• A t first, it was used by British colonial
officials for administrative rather than
criminal purposes.
What is NavIC?
• N
 avIC, or Navigation with Indian
Constellation, is an independent stand-alone
navigation satellite system developed by the
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
• William Herschel, the chief administrator of
the Hooghly district of Bengal, from the late-
middle 1800s onwards, used fingerprinting to
reduce fraud and forgeries.
• It then aimed to ensure that the correct
person was receiving government
pensions, signing land transfer deeds, and
mortgage bonds.
• Anthropometry, the measurement of physical
features of the body, was used by officials in
India but was soon replaced with a system of
fingerprints.
• NavIC was originally approved in 2006 at a
cost of $174 million.
• It was expected to be completed by late 2011,
but only became operational in 2018.
• NavIC consists of eight satellites and covers
the whole of India’s landmass and up to
1,500 km (930 miles) from its boundaries.
Note:
The numbers of satellites in this constellation
is disputed. It is given as 7 and 8 on different
sources. Total Nine satellites were launched out
of which the very first (IRNSS-1A) is partially
failed because of some issue in its Atomic
Clockflbflb Another and the last satellite had a
launch failure. Hence the number 7/8.
https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/what-are-
entangled-atomic-clocks/.
Why is the Centre pushing for NavIC?
• Currently, NavICs use is limited.
• It is being used in public vehicle
tracking in India.
• It helps providing emergency warning
alerts to fishermen venturing into the deep
sea where there is no terrestrial network
connectivity, and for tracking and providing
information related to natural disasters.
• Enabling it in smartphones is the next step
India is pushing for.
• India’s 2021 satellite navigation draft policy
stated the government will work towards
expanding the coverage from regional to
global to ensure availability of NavIC signal in
any part of the world.
How does NavIC compare?
• The main difference is the serviceable area
covered by these systems.
• GPS caters to users across the globe and
its satellites circle the earth twice a day,
while NavIC is currently for use in India and
adjacent areas.
www.civilsdaily.com 157
• L
 ike GPS, there are three more navigation
systems that have global coverage Galileo
from the European Union, Russia-owned
GLONASS and Chinas Beidou.
• Q
 ZSS, operated by Japan, is another regional
navigation system covering Asia-Oceania
region, with a focus on Japan.
Strategic significance of NavIC
• India says NavIC is conceived with the aim
of removing dependence on foreign satellite
systems for navigation service requirements,
particularly for strategic sectors.
HISTORY- IMPORTANT PLACES, PERSONS IN NEWS
In news: Sittanavasal
Rock Cave Temple
Science Tech Art Culture | GS1: Arts & Culture
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Sittanavasal
Mains level : NA
The Sittanavasal Rock Cave Temple, a major
centre of Jain influence for 1,000 years
just before the Christian era, is in need of
better upkeep.
Sittanavasal
• S
 ittanavasal is a small hamlet in Pudukkottai
district of Tamil Nadu, India.
158 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• R elying on systems like GPS and GLONASS
may not always be reliable, India says, as
those are operated by the defence agencies
of respective nations.
• It is possible that civilian services can be
degraded or denied.
• NavIC is an indigenous positioning system
that is under Indian control.
• There is no risk of the service being
withdrawn or denied in a given situation.
Try this PYQ:
Q. With reference to the Indian Regional
Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS),
consider the following statements:
• It is known for the Sittanavasal Cave, a 2nd-
century Jain cave complex. From the 7th to
the 9th century A.D., the village flourished as
a Jain centre.
• S ittanavasal is the name used synonymously
for the hamlet and the hillock that
houses the:
1. Arivar Kovil (temple of Arihants Jains who
conquered their senses)
2. E  zhadipattam (a cavern with 17 polished
rock beds), megalithic burial sites and the
3. Navachunai tarn (small mountain lake)
with a submerged shrine
What makes it special?
• T he artwork on the ceiling of the sanctum
and the ardha mandapam of Arivar Kovil
is an early example of post-Ajanta cave
paintings of the fourth to sixth centuries.
• It was also done using the fresco-secco
technique (a process that dispenses with
preparation of the wall with wet plaster).
1. IRNSS has three Satellites in
geostationary and four satellites the
geosynchronous orbits. 
2. IRNSS covers entire India and about
5500 sq. km beyond its borders. 
3. India will have its own satellite
navigation system with full global coverage
by the middle of 2019. 
Which of the statements given above is/are
correct?
(a) 1 only 
(b) 1 and 2 only 
(c) 2 and 3 only 
(d) None
Features of the cave paintings
• The ceiling paintings show bhavyas (exalted
souls who work to achieve moksha or
spiritual liberation) enjoying themselves in
a pool, full of lotuses; today much of it is
obscured by patchy plastering.
• Faint outlines linger of dancing girls on the
ardha mandapam pillars.
• The colours are a mixture of plant dyes and
mineral elements such as lime, lamp black,
and clay pigments such as ochre for yellow
and terre verte for the greyish-green tints.
Why in news now?
• Unrestricted public access and general
exposure to the elements have led to a
gradual fading away of these paintings.
• At the Ezhadipattam, inscriptions have been
vandalised beyond recognition.
Also try this PYQ:
Q.There are only two known examples
of cave paintings of the Gupta period in
ancient India. One of these is paintings of
Ajanta caves. Where is the other surviving
example of Gupta paintings?
(a) Bagh caves 
(b) Ellora caves 
(c) Lomas Rishi cave 
(d) Nasik caves

ISRO MISSIONS AND DISCOVERIES
Rohini RH-200: ISRO
eyeing 200th successful
launch of Rohini RH-200
Science Tech Art Culture | GS3: Awareness In The Fields Of It, Space, Computers, Robotics,
Nano-Technology, Bio-Technology, Pharma Sector & Health Science
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Rohini
Mains level : Not Much
In a few weeks time, the Indian Space Research
Organisation (ISRO) hopes to achieve a
remarkable feat the 200th successful launch of
the Rohini RH-200 sounding rocket in a row.
Rohini RH-200
• R
 H-200 is a two-stage rocket capable
of climbing to a height of 70 km bearing
scientific payloads.
IN NEWS: ROTTERDAM CONVENTION
In news: Rotterdam Convention
Science Tech Art Culture | GS3: Awareness In The Fields Of It, Space, Computers, Robotics,
Nano-Technology, Bio-Technology, Pharma Sector & Health Science
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Rotterdam convention, PIC
Mains level : Not Much
International trade of two new hazardous
pesticides Iprodione and Terbufos has been
recommended for prior informed consent (PIC)
procedure under the Rotterdam convention.
Why in news?
• In India, the use of these chemicals was
permitted by the 2015 Anupam Verma
committee report. The country is among the
largest exporters of Terbufos.
• The chemicals are dangerous for humans and
aquatic animals.
• T he first and second stages of RH-200
are powered by solid motors. The 200 in
the name denotes the diameter of the
rocket in mm.
• O ther operational Rohini variants are RH-300
Mk-II and RH-560 Mk-III.
• F or years, the RH-200 rocket had used a
polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-based propellant.
• T
 he first RH-200 to use a new propellant
based on hydroxyl-terminated Polybutadiene
(HTPB) was successfully flown from the
TERLS in September 2020.
• T
 he first and second stages of RH200 rocket
are powered by solid motors.
• S
 ince inception of RH200 rocket, both solid
stages are processed using polyvinyl chloride
(PVC) based propellant.
Rotterdam Convention
• T he Rotterdam Convention is formally
known as the Convention on the Prior
Informed Consent Procedure for Certain
Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in
International Trade.
• It is a multilateral treaty to promote shared
responsibilities in relation to importation of
hazardous chemicals.
• T
 he convention promotes open exchange
of information and calls on exporters
of hazardous chemicals to use proper
labelling, include directions on safe handling,
and inform purchasers of any known
restrictions or bans.
• As compared to PVC based propellants,
HTPB based propellant is more energetic,
higher mechanical & interface properties
and has less defects due to lower processing
temperature.
What basically is a Sounding Rocket?
• A sounding rocket is an instrument-carrying
rocket designed to take measurements and
perform scientific experiments during its sub-
orbital flight.
• The rockets are used to launch instruments
from 48 to 145 km above the surface of the
Earth, the altitude generally between weather
balloons and satellites.
• The maximum altitude for balloons is about
40 km and the minimum for satellites is
approximately 121 km.
History of sounding rockets in India
• Sounding rockets have an important place in
the ISRO story.
• The first sounding rocket to be launched from
Thumba was the American Nike-Apache on
November 21, 1963.
• After that, two-stage rockets imported from
Russia (M-100) and France (Centaure) were
flown. The ISRO launched its own version
Rohini RH-75 in 1967.
• The ISRO has launched more than 1,600 RH-
200 rockets so far.
• Currently, the RH200, RH300 MkII and
RH560 Mk-III rockets are operational which
were developed during the early phase of our
journey in rocketry.
• Signatory nations can decide whether to
allow or ban the importation of chemicals
listed in the treaty, and exporting countries
are obliged to make sure that producers
within their jurisdiction comply.
• India is a party to the convention, with 161
other parties.
What is the Prior Informed Consent (PIC)
procedure?
• The PIC procedure is a mechanism for
formally obtaining and disseminating the
decisions of importing parties on their
willingness to receive future shipments of
hazardous chemicals.
• The PIC procedure is a mechanism for
formally obtaining and disseminating the
decisions of importing Parties as to whether
they wish to receive future shipments of
those chemicals listed in the Convention.
• For each of the chemicals listed in Annex III
and subject to the PIC procedure a decision
guidance document (DGD) is prepared and
sent to all Parties.
www.civilsdaily.com 159
• A
 ll Parties are required to take a decision
as to whether or not they will allow future
import of each of the chemicals in Annex III
of the Convention.
• T
 hese decisions are known as import
responses.
INNOVATIONS IN SCIENCES, IT, COMPUTERS, ROBOTICS AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
What are Entangled
Atomic Clocks?
Science Tech Art Culture | GS3: Awareness In The Fields Of It, Space, Computers, Robotics,
Nano-Technology, Bio-Technology, Pharma Sector & Health Science
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Atomic clocks
Mains level : Not Much
For the first time, scientists at the University
of Oxford have been able to demonstrate
a network of two entangled optical
atomic clocks.
Trending in news this year is the
Quantum Technology
https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/pib-
certification-of-quantum-entanglement/, (As
it used to be until last year were- the Internet
of Things (IoT) CSP 2019, Artificial Intelligence
(AI) etc.) Must read all this news in a loop:
National Mission on QC
https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/pib-
national-mission-on-quantum-technologies-
applications/
Quantum Coin
https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/pib-
quantum-coin-or-qubit-and-entanglement-
theory/
Quantum Supremacy
https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/explained-
what-is-quantum-supremacy-claimed-by-
google/
What is the news?
• T
 he high-precision atomic clocks and
quantum entanglement have been achieved
altogether.
• T
 his means the inherent uncertainty in
measuring their frequencies simultaneously is
highly reduced.
160 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
Which are the new chemicals listed?
• Iprodione, a fungicide used on vines, fruits,
trees and vegetables, has been classified as
carcinogenic and toxic for reproduction.
• T erbufos is a soil insecticide used commonly
on sorghum, maize, beet and potatoes. It
has also been found to pose risk to aquatic
organisms due to its toxicity.
What are Atomic Clocks?
• A
 n atomic clock is a clock that uses the
resonance frequencies of atoms as its
resonator.
• C
 esium is incredibly accurate at timekeeping
and is used in atomic clocks.
Fundamental limit of precision through
entanglement
• E
 ntanglement is a quantum phenomenon
in which two or more particles become
linked together so that they can no longer
be described independently, even at vast
distances.
• T
 his is the key to reaching the fundamental
limit of precision that’s determined by
quantum theory.
• P
 revious experiments have demonstrated
that entanglement between two atomic
clocks in the same system can be used to
improve the quality of measurements.
• T
 his is the first time researchers have been
able to achieve this between clocks in two
separate remotely entangled systems.
Why do we use clocks to navigate in space?
• T
 o determine a spacecraft’s distance from
Earth, navigators send a signal to the
spacecraft, which then returns it to Earth.
• T
 he time the signal requires to make that
two-way journey reveals the spacecraft’s
distance from Earth, because the signal
travels at a known speed (the speed of light).
• W
 hile it may sound complicated, most of us
use this concept every day. The grocery store
might be a 30-minute walk from your house.
• Both pesticides, which are used in agriculture,
are known for their harmful impacts on
human health and the environment.
• If you know you can walk about a mile in 20
minutes, then you can calculate the distance
to the store.
• By sending multiple signals and taking many
measurements over time, navigators can
calculate a spacecraft’s trajectory: where it is
and where it’s headed.
Why need atomic clocks?
• To know the spacecraft’s position within a
meter, navigators need clocks with precision
time resolution clocks that can measure
billionths of a second.
• Navigators also need clocks that are
extremely stable.
• Stability refers to how consistently a clock
measures a unit of time; its measurement of
the length of a second, for example, needs to
be the same (to better than a billionth of a
second) over days and weeks.
What is an oscillator in a clock?
• Most modern clocks, from wristwatches to
those used on satellites, keep time using a
quartz crystal oscillator.
• These devices take advantage of the fact that
quartz crystals vibrate at a precise frequency
when voltage is applied to them.
• The vibrations of the crystal act like the
pendulum of a grandfather clock, ticking off
how much time has passed.
What do atoms have to do with clocks?
• By space navigation standards, quartz crystal
clocks aren’t very stable.
• After only an hour, even the best-performing
quartz oscillators can be off by a nanosecond
(one billionth of a second).
• After six weeks, they may be off by a full
millisecond (one thousandth of a second), or
a distance error of 185 miles (300 kilometers).
• That would have a huge impact on
measuring the position of a fast-moving
spacecraft.
• Atomic clocks combine a quartz crystal
oscillator with an ensemble of atoms to
achieve greater stability.
MINORITY ISSUES - SC, ST, DALITS, OBC, RESERVATIONS, ETC.
SC takes up pleas against
Places of Worship Act
Science Tech Art Culture | GS1: Communalism, Secularism, Regionalism
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Places of Worship Act
Mains level : Issues with the Act
The Supreme Court has set the ball rolling on a
series of petitions challenging the validity of the
Places of Worship Act of 1991, a parliamentary
law that protects the identity and character of
religious places as on August 15, 1947.
https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/what-is-the-
places-of-worship-act/
What are the petitions about?
• A
 slew of petitions has been filed
against the Act.
• T
 he Act has fixed a retrospective cut-off date
illegally barring Hindus, Jains, Buddhists and
Sikhs from approaching courts to re-claim
their places of worship which were invaded
and encroached.
• T
 he main objective of these petitions is to
set right a historical wrong committed by
barbaric invaders.
Places of Worship Act, 1991
• It was passed in 1991 by the P V Narasimha
Rao-led government.
INNOVATIONS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY AND MEDICAL SCIENCES
Species in news:
Tasmanian Tiger
Science Tech Art Culture | GS3: Awareness In The Fields Of It, Space, Computers, Robotics,
Nano-Technology, Bio-Technology, Pharma Sector & Health Science
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Tasmanian Tiger
Mains level : Not Much
• T he law seeks to maintain the religious
character of places of worship as it was
in 1947 except in the case of the Ram
Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute, which
was already in court.
• T he law was brought in at the peak of the
Ram Mandir movement, exactly a year
before the demolition of the Babri Masjid.
• Introducing the law, then Home Minister
S B Chavan said in Parliament that it was
adopted to curb communal tension.
What are its provisions?
What are its provisions?
• A
 nti-conversion: Section 3 of the Act bars
the conversion, in full or part, of a place of
worship of any religious denomination into
a place of worship of a different religious
denomination or even a different segment of
the same religious denomination.
Scientists in the US and Australia have
embarked on a $15-million project to resurrect
the thylacine or Tasmanian Tiger, a marsupial
that went extinct in the 1930s, using gene-
editing technology.
Tasmanian Tiger
• The Tasmanian tiger or thylacine (a dog-
headed pouched dog) was an exclusively
carnivorous marsupial that is considered to
be extinct.
• Holiness of a place: Section 4(1) declares
that the religious character of a place of
worship shall continue to be the same as it
existed on August 15, 1947.
• Litigation: Section 4(2) says any suit or legal
proceeding with respect to the conversion of
the religious character of any place existing
on August 15, 1947, pending before any
court, shall abate and no fresh suit or legal
proceedings shall be instituted.
• Exception for Ayodhya: Section 5
stipulates that the Act shall not apply to the
Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case, and to
any suit, appeal or proceeding relating to it.
Why is the law under challenge?
• The cut-off date of August 15, 1947, is
arbitrary, irrational and retrospective and
prohibits Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, and Sikhs
from approaching courts to reclaim their
places of worship.
• Such places, he argued, were invaded
and encroached upon by fundamentalist
barbaric invaders.
• The right-wing politicians have opposed the
law even when it was introduced, arguing
that the Centre has no power to legislate on
pilgrimages or burial grounds which is under
the state list.
• Another criticism against the law is that the
cut-off is the date of Independence, which
means that the status quo determined by a
colonial power is considered final.
• It has a resemblance to a dog, with its
distinguishing features being the dark
stripes beginning at the rear of its body
and extending into its tail, its stiff tail and
abdominal pouch.
• The last known thylacine died in captivity
over 80 years ago, in Tasmanias Hobart
Zoo in 1936.
• It may also be the only mammal to have
become extinct in Tasmania since the
European settlement.
Why did they become extinct?
• It was confined to Tasmania in recent times
and disappeared from mainland Australia
over 2000 years ago, mainly because of over-
hunting by humans, diseases and competition
from the Dingo (Canis lupus), a wild dog
native to Australia.
• The Thylacine was also persecuted because
it was believed to be a threat to sheep and in
its latter years it was hunted for the purposes
of collection by museums and zoos.
• As per some accounts, the introduction of
sheep in 1824 led to a conflict between the
settlers and thylacine.
www.civilsdaily.com 161
Why in news?
• T he ambitious project aims to reintroduce
the animal to its native place Tasmania to
revive the regions lost ecological balance.
• Interestingly, this is not the first attempt to
revive thylacines.
• In 1999, an Australian scientist, Dr Michael
Archer, embarked on an unsuccessful
journey to resurrect the animal using cloning
technology from a perfectly preserved
specimen in a museum.
The resurrection process
• E
 ven though the last living thylacine died
over 86 years ago, many embryos and
young specimens of the species have been
preserved.
• S
 cientists will be using a genome sequenced
from a DNA extracted from a 108-year-old
specimen held at Australias Victoria Museum.
• T
 his genome will be compared with the
closest living animal of the species the fat
tailed dunnart to identify all the differences.
INNOVATIONS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY AND MEDICAL SCIENCES
Fruit Fly: Novel method
to study Nuclear Matrix
Science Tech Art Culture | GS3: Awareness In The Fields Of It, Space, Computers, Robotics,
Nano-Technology, Bio-Technology, Pharma Sector & Health Science
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Nuclear Matrix
Mains level : NA
162 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• O
 nce all the differences are identified,
scientists will engineer the living cells DNA
where it is different, essentially engineering
the extinct species back.
• T
 he fat-tailed dunnart is a mouse-like species
in the Dasyuridae family in Australia. With an
average body length of 2.43.5 inches, they are
one of the smallest carnivorous marsupials.
Criticisms of the move
• R
 esearchers have raised concerns about the
practicality of the technology.
• D
 e-extinction is a fairytale science a/c to
them and is more about media attention
for the scientists and less about doing
serious science.
Back2Basics: De-extinction technology
• D
 e-extinction, or resurrection biology, is
the method of creating a species that went
extinct or is endangered, in order to revitalise
ecological diversity and balance shattered
due to reasons ranging from biodiversity loss
to climate change.
• While cloning is the most widely used
method of de-extinction, genome editing
and selective breeding are also considered
effective ways.
• The Pyrenean ibex, a subspecies of Spanish
ibex, was one of the first extinct animals that
have been resurrected using somatic cell
nuclear transfer (SCNT).
• However, the baby Ibex died minutes after its
birth from lung defect.
• One of the challenges of de-extinction is that
reintroducing the species to its former habitat
may make it an invasive species, which
will also impact the balance of the current
ecological system.
Now, using a novel method, Indian researchers
have established a way of studying the
nuclear matrix of the fruit fly (Drosophila
melanogaster) without removing the nucleus
from the embryo.
Nuclear Matrix of fruit flies
• Every cell that makes up an organism
contains a copy of its genome.
• This genome is packaged in special ways
with the help of a structure known as the
nuclear matrix.
• The nuclear matrix gives an organisation and
architecture to the nucleus.
• A familiar figure, the nuclear matrix of fruit
flies, for instance, has been studied for many
years, mainly by isolating it in nuclei that have
been taken out from fruit fly embryos.
• This allows comparative study of nuclear
matrix in different cells within the embryo,
giving a boost for fruit fly genetics.
• Two of the most recent papers on this work
have been published in the journals Nucleus
and Molecular and Cell Proteomics.
What exactly is Nuclear Matrix?
• The nuclear matrix is like a scaffolding.
• Using biochemical means, if the nucleus is
taken out and treated with an enzyme that
digests all the DNA.
• It is then washed with a solution of high salt
concentration so that viable DNA proteins or
protein-protein interactions are removed.
• What is then left is a fibrous meshwork of
proteins called the nuclear matrix.
• This is like a building from which all movables
have been sucked out, leaving only the
beams, ceiling, and walls, plug points, etc.
• A
 nalogous to the building, the nuclear matrix
creates the architecture in which the genome
is packaged.
TEXTILE SECTOR - COTTON, JUTE, WOOL, SILK, HANDLOOM, ETC.
UNESCO Lists 50 iconic
Indian Textiles
Science Tech Art Culture | GS1: Arts & Culture
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Textiles mentioned in the newscard
Mains level : Not Much
The UNESCO has released a list of 50 exclusive
and iconic heritage textile crafts of the country.
About the Report
• T he report is titled- Handmade for the
21st Century: Safeguarding Traditional
Indian Textile.
• It lists the histories and legends behind the
textiles, describes the complicated and secret
processes behind their making, mentions the
causes for their dwindling popularity, and
provides strategies for their preservation.
• T he publication, which aims to bridge this
gap, brings together years of research on the
50 selected textiles.
INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM IN INDIA
India ranks 40th in the Global
Innovation Index of WIPO
Science Tech Art Culture | GS3: S&T - Applications In Everyday Life
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : GII
Mains level : Innovation in India
Why study them?
• S
 tudying the nuclear matrix is, therefore,
very important to get a better picture of how
precisely development progresses every time
a new individual is born.
• W
 e have 220 different types of cells in the
body, but all contain identical genomes.
Key heritage textiles mentioned in the list
• T oda embroidery and Sungadi from
Tamil Nadu
• H imroo from Hyderabad
• B andha tie and dye from
Sambalpur in Odisha
• K hes from Panipat, Haryana
• C hamba rumals from Himachal Pradesh
• T higma or wool tie and dye from Ladakh
• A wadh Jamdani from Varanasi, UP
• Ilkal and Lambadi or Banjara embroidery
from Karnataka
• S ikalnayakanpet Kalamkari from
Thanjavur, TN
• The same genome sequence is present in
neurons, where it works for thinking; in the
liver, the same sequence enacts metabolism;
and in the intestine, it works to digest.
• So, this information is packaged differently in
different cell types.
• Kunbi weaves from Goa
•
•
Mashru weaves and Patola from Gujarat
Himroo from Maharashtra and
• Garad-Koirial from West Bengal
Back2Basics: UN Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization
• The UNESCO is a specialised agency of the
UN aimed at promoting world peace and
security through international cooperation in
education, arts, sciences and culture.
• It has 193 member states and 12 associate
members, as well as partners in the non-
governmental, intergovernmental and
private sector.
• UNESCO was founded in 1945 as the
successor to the League of Nations’s
International Committee on Intellectual
Cooperation.
• It pursues this objective through five
major program areas: education, natural
sciences, social/human sciences, culture and
communication/information.
India climbed six notches to 40th position in
the Global Innovation Index 2022 on account
of improvement in several parameters. India
was at 46th position in 2021 and at 81st
rank in 2015.
Global Innovation Index
• The Global Innovation Index (GII) is an
annual ranking of countries by their capacity
for, and success in, innovation.
• It is published by Cornell University,
INSEAD, and the World Intellectual Property
Organization, in partnership with other
organizations and institutions.
• It is based on both subjective and objective
data derived from several sources, including
the International Telecommunication
Union, the World Bank and the World
Economic Forum.
• The index was started in 2007 by INSEAD
and World Business, a British magazine. It
was created by Prof. Soumitra Dutta.
www.civilsdaily.com 163
Components of GII

Global scenario • Other emerging economies are also showing

• T
 he GII is computed by taking a simple
• S
 witzerland, the US, Sweden, the United consistently strong performance, including
average of the scores in two sub-indices,
Kingdom and the Netherlands are the world’s India and Turkey, both of which enter the top
the Innovation Input Index and Innovation
most-innovative economies. 40 for the first time.
Output Index, which are composed of five
• C
 hina is on the threshold of the top 10.
and two pillars respectively

164 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
Trivia

www.civilsdaily.com 165
Animal Husbandry, Dairy & 
Fisheries Sector - Pashudhan
Sanjivani, E- Pashudhan Haat, etc
Indian breed of Pet Dogs
Trivia | GS3: Economics Of Animal-Rearing
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Various breeds mentioned
Mains level : NA
Mudhol hounds, a breed of hunting dogs native
to north Karnataka, could be inducted into the
Special Protection Group (SPG), the elite force
protecting the Prime Minister of India.
Try this PYQ:
Q.What is/are unique about Kharai camel, a
breed found in India?
1. It is capable of swimming up to three
kilometres in seawater.
2. It survives by grazing on mangroves.
3. It lives in the wild and cannot be
domesticated.
Select the correct answer using the code
given below: 
(a) 1 and 2 only 
(b) 3 only 
(c) 1 and 3 only 
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: 
(a)
Famous Indian dog breeds
(1)Mudhol hounds
• T
 he Mudhol hounds come from the region
bordering Karnataka and Maharashtra.
• A
 ccording to a popular legend Ch. Shivaji
Maharaj bred and used these dogs
in his army.
• T
 he breed was named after the erstwhile
princely state of Mudhol, which was part of
the Bombay Presidency in British India.
• T
 he last king of the state, King Malojirao
Ghorpade, presented a pair of these puppies
to King George V when he visited the UK and
it was the English emperor who christened
the dogs as Mudhol hounds.
166 C I V I LS D I G EST | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2
• M
 udhol hounds have narrow heads that are
disproportionately smaller to their bodies but
are tall in height.
(2)Himachali hounds
• T he Himachali hounds are locally known as
the Gaddi dog and come from the Himalayan
region. They are massive, mastiff-like dogs
with thick fur to protect them from the cold.
• They look similar to the Tibetan mastiff but
are less bulky.
• Gaddi means shepherd in Urdu, and these
dogs are primarily guarding livestock.
(3)Rajapalayam
• T he breed Rajapalayam is believed to have
originated from Tamil Nadu, and named
after the states Rajapalayam city in the
Virudhunagar district.
• A rare breed, these dogs are only found in
certain pockets of the state.
• T hese dogs are white, lean, muscular, and
have historically made good hunters.
• They are believed to have fought alongside
the Polygar soldiers against the British East
India Company during the Polygar wars from
1799 to 1805.
• This is why the Rajapalayam dogs are also
known as Polygar hounds.
(4) Kanni and Chippiparai
• The Kanni dog is another breed from Tamil
Nadu, and its name translates to pure in
Tamil after its fierce loyalty.
• Like the Rajapalayam, Kanni dogs specialise
in hunting hares, wild boars, and blackbucks.
• However, since the Wildlife Protection Act
of 1972 was passed, these dogs have been
acting as guard dogs.
• The Kennel Club of India, which maintains
a registry of purebred dogs in India, has
registered this dog under two names Kanni
and Chippiparai.
(5)Combai
• The Combai dogs also originate from Tamil
Nadu. They are tan-coloured with a black
snout and appear shorter and stouter
than the Rajapalayam. They are classified
as terriers.
• Like the Kanni and Rajapalayam, these
dogs are rare and a dying breed and were
historically used for boar hunting and
guarding purposes.
• The CRPF recently recruited Combai dogs
into their Dog Breeding and Training School.
NOBEL AND OTHER PRIZES
Who was Ramon Magsaysay
of Philippines?
Trivia | GS1: Communalism, Secularism, Regionalism
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Ramon Magsaysay
Mains level : Not Much
A leftist leader and former Kerala health
minister has declined to receive the Ramon
Magsaysay Award as the late President of the
Philippines was known for his alleged brutality
against the Communists.
What is the news?
• L
 unched in 1958, the Ramon Magsaysay
Award, widely considered to be Asias
equivalent to the Nobel Prize, recognises
outstanding leadership and communitarian
contributions in Asia.
• T
 his years annual list of awardees was
announced last week.
• S
 hailaja was considered for the award for her
performance as state health minister from
2016 to 2021, a period which saw Kerala fight
against the Nipah virus and Covid-19.
Who was Ramon Magsaysay?
• B
 orn on August 31, 1907 to a father who
worked as a blacksmith and a mother who
was a teacher, Ramon Del Fierro Magsaysay
Senior was the seventh president of the
Philippines, from 1953 until his death in an air
crash in 1957.
• M
 agsaysay started out as an automobile
mechanic before being drafted into the
Pacific War (1941-1945), during World War II.
• T
 he Pacific War would see the Japanese
occupation of the Philippines then a colony of
the US for nearly four years.
• T
 he US formally recognised the Philippines
as an independent nation in 1946.
His legacy
• A s a guerrilla leader resisting the Japanese
occupation, Magsaysays bravery and
leadership saw his appointment as a
military governor.
• In 1946, he would be elected under the
Liberal Party to the Philippine House of
Representatives, where he would serve
two terms as a Congressman before
being appointed secretary of National
Defence in 1950.
• O
 n December 30, 1953, he would be elected
president from the Nationalist Party, the
oldest political party in the Philippines.
Communism and Magsaysay
• F ounded in 1902, the Unin Obrera
Democrtica is considered the first modern
trade federation in the Philippines.
• T he Communist Party of the Philippines or
the Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas (PKP) was
formed in 1930.
• T
 he Hukbong Bayan Laban sa Hapon or
the Peoples Army Against the Japanese,
popularly known as the Hukbalahap (Huk),
was a prominent guerrilla outfit that fought
the Japanese.
• A
 s the country plunged into post-war chaos
after 1946, the fortunes of the Hukbalahaps,
too, changed dramatically.
How he rose to his fame?
• W
 ith the expansion of capitalism, the gap
between the rich and poor widened and the
farmers continued to languish.
• Huk leaders were viewed with suspicion
over their declaration of commitment
to communism and the demand for
peasant rights.
• With the US as its close ally, the Philippine
government cracked down on the Huks, who
formed an alliance with the PKP to take their
struggle to a parliamentary platform.
• The severe crackdown against the Huks
continued until Magsaysay became the
National Defence Secretary under President
Elpidio Quirino.
• Magsaysay drew upon his own experience
of guerrilla warfare to initiate a two-pronged
system of reforms and military campaigns.
• It was under his administrative and military
policies that the Huk threat was considered
to be neutralised.
The Ramon Magsaysay Award
• In 1957, the Ramon Magsaysay award was
set up by trustees of the Rockefeller Brothers
Fund and the Philippine government to
carry forward Magsaysays legacy of service
to the people, good governance, and
pragmatic idealism.
• In the six decades since 1958 the first year the
Award was given out over 300 organisations
and individuals have been recognised for
their developmental endeavours crucial to
Asia, and, consequently, to the world.
• The award is given out every year on August
31, on Magsaysays birth anniversary.
Indian winners on the list
• Prominent Indians who have won the award
include Vinoba Bhave in 1958, Mother Teresa
in 1962, Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay in 1966,
Satyajit Ray in 1967, Mahasweta Devi in 1997.
• In recent years, Arvind Kejriwal (2006), Anshu
Gupta of Goonj (2015), human rights activist
Bezwada Wilson (2016), and journalist Ravish
Kumar (2019) have won the award.
www.civilsdaily.com 167
HISTORY- IMPORTANT PLACES, When was the structure came into
highlights?
PERSONS IN NEWS
• The Ram Setu issue snowballed into a major

Places in news: Ram Setu controversy when the Sethusamudram

Project, flagged off during the UPA I
government.
Trivia | GS1: Arts & Culture • The project aimed to reduce travel time
Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important : between the eastern and western coasts of
Prelims level : Ram Setu India, as ships would no longer have to circle
Mains level : NA Sri Lanka to travel between the Bay of Bengal
and Arabian Sea.
• The project was perceived as an attack on
Hindu sentiments.
• Various studies have been proposed on the
Ram Setu, with the most recent being in
2021, when the government approved an
underwater research project to ascertain
its origins.

Ecological arguments against the project

• The Sethusamudram project has been
opposed on environmental grounds.
• Some claims that it will harm marine life, and
that dredging of the line of shoals will make
India’s coast more vulnerable to tsunamis.
• In March 2018, the Centre told the Supreme
Court that the Ram Setu will not be affected
in the execution of the Sethusamudram
Shipping Canal project.
A movie has once again generated buzz around
• A
 s per Islamic legend, Adam used this bridge NASA images, and other proofs
the chain of shoals off the southeast coast of
to reach Adams Peak in Sri Lanka, where • Images of the Ram Setu clicked by NASA
India that many believe is the Ram Setu or the
he stood on one foot for 1,000 years in have been used over and over again to claim
bridge to Lanka mentioned in the Ramayana.
repentance. that this proves the existence of a man-
The Ram Setu made bridge.
Factual details of the bridge • NASA has repeatedly clarified that it does not
• T
 he Ram Setu, also known as Adams
• S
 cientists believe Ram Setu is a natural agree with these claims.
Bridge, is a 48-km chain of limestone shoals
structure formed due to tectonic movements • Remote sensing images or photographs from
between Rameswaram on India’s southeast
and sand getting trapped in corals. orbit cannot provide direct information about
coast and Mannar Island near Sri Lankas
• H
 owever, over the years, evidence has been the origin or age of a chain of islands.
northwest coast.
offered to claim that the bridge is man-made. • It certainly cannot be determined whether
• T
 he structure has significance in both
• T
 he bridge is not entirely natural, Hindu right humans were involved in producing any of
Hindu and Muslim mythology while Hindus
wing outfits argue, which proves that it was
believe this is the bridge (Setu) built by Lord the patterns seen.
indeed built by Lord Ram.
Ram and his army to cross to Lanka and
fight Ravan.

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