Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Not much
Mains level: Paper 3- Draft fifth Science, Technology and Innovation Policy
The article discusses the features in the fifth Science, Technology and Innovation policy and also suggests the areas that needs attention.
Draft Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy
- The new policy envisages technological self-reliance and aims to position India among the top three scientific superpowers.
- For that to happen, the draft policy says, we need to attract our best minds to remain in India by developing a people-centric science, technology, and innovation ecosystem.
- It aims at doubling private sector’s contribution to the Gross Domestic Expenditure on Research and Development every five years.
Following are the highlights of the policy
1) Funding issue
- Raising our R&D investment in science (about 0.6% now) to 2% of the GDP has been a national goal for a while.
- Despite strong recommendations in the past by several scientific bodies and leading scientists and policymakers, we are still well short of that goal.
- The 2020 draft policy blames this on “inadequate private sector investment” and adds that “a robust cohesive financial landscape remains at the core of creating an STI-driven Atmanirbhar Bharat.”
- Government is trying to shift the responsibility of financing R&D to different agencies such as the States, private enterprises, and foreign multinational companies.
- But it is doubtful if the various funding models that are presented are workable or practical, especially during a pandemic.
- Private sector cannot be expected to pay for basic research as return on investment in basic research takes too long from a private sector perspective.
- The fact is that basic science research in India is suffering from the lack of adequate funding despite grand proclamations.
- We need to implement the self-financing revenue model proposed in the Dehradun Declaration for the CSIR labs back in 2015.
2) A decentralized institutional mechanism
- Policymakers are considering alternative mechanisms of governance of the financial landscape.
- The issue of the administrative burdens of researchers and the problem of journal paywalls is also being considered.
- Policymakers are also exploring international best practices of grant management.
- The draft policy visualises a decentralized institutional mechanism for a robust STI Governance.
- This intention is in fact defeated in the document itself, where several new authorities, observatories and centres have been proposed.
- Decentralisation of administrative architecture is essential, but we need to explore the practical option of providing more autonomy to research and academic centres for financial management.
3) Steps to tackle the discrimination
- The number of suicides of students is on the increase in the IITs.
- In 2019, more than 2,400 students dropped out from the 23 IITs in just two years, over half of them belonging to the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe and Other Backward Classes.
- Caste discrimination could be one of the reasons for these tendencies.
- As a part of inculcating an inclusive culture in academia, the document promises to tackle discriminations “based on gender, caste, religion, geography, language, disability and other exclusions and inequalities”.
- It mentions more representation of women and the LGBTQ community.
Way forward
- The document should prioritise important issues and amplify first the problems which have cultural and administrative dimensions.
- The document does not mention how to stem the rot within, although it speaks extensively about science communication and scientific temperament.
- There is need to facilitate an environment that encourages a mindset that constantly challenges conventional wisdom as well as open-minded inquiry among the students.
Consider the question “As India aspires to be the scientific superpower, suggest the areas which the new Science, Technology and Innovation policy should focus on”
Conclusion
With the advent of new disruptive technologies, global competitiveness will be increasingly determined by the quality of science and technology, which in turn will depend on raising the standard of Indian research/education centres and on the volume of R&D spending. India has no time to waste.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Expenditure in Budget
Mains level: Paper 3- Issues with expenditure estimates in the Budget
The article highlights the issues with the system of Budget presentation and suggest the areas to focus on.
Issues with expenditure and revenue estimates
- Experience shows revenues being much less than the Budget projections: each year, this mistake is repeated and even amplified.
- The expenditure estimates are even more disingenuous because they understate the actual expenditures that should be counted.
- This concern has been repeatedly brought up by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG).
- A CAG report in 2018 identified at least three methods of reducing the stated expenditure:
- 1) Not paying for the full fertilizer subsidy.
- 2) Not paying the central government’s dues to the Food Corporation of India (FCI) for the food subsidy, and forcing the FCI to borrow from the market.
- 3) Using other special purpose vehicles to pay for infrastructure investment, like the Long Term Irrigation Fund.
- In 2017-18, just those three items amounted to ₹1,29,446 crore or 1.8% of GDP.
- These strategies are problematic because they are non-transparent and they also force other agencies (like State governments and public sector enterprises) to go in for expensive commercial borrowing.
What CGA data reveals
- The data from the Controller General of Accounts show that between April and November 2020, revenues of the central government predictably collapsed, by around 18%, or ₹181,372 crores, compared to the same period of the previous year.
- But despite that, expenditures should have gone up, because the lockdown-induced collapse in an economic activity meant that public spending would be the only thing keeping the economy afloat.
- In three rounds of stimulus packages government claimed to inject amounts of ₹1.7-lakh crore in March, ₹20-lakh crore in May, and then ₹2.65-lakh crore in November
- However, the public accounts show that the total spending of the central government increased by only ₹86,301 crores.
- That was only a 4.6% increase — not even enough to keep pace with inflation.
- In other words, the central government reduced its real spending over the period of the pandemic and economic crisis.
- This fiscal stance obviously affects people and also adds to contractionary tendencies in the economy, and prolongs the severe demand recession.
- Policies that destroy informal economic activities eventually come to harm the formal enterprises as well.
Consider the question “There has been growing concerns that expenditure estimates presented in our Budget fail to represent the actual expenditure of the government. What are the reasons for that and how it could affect the reliability of government finances?”
Conclusion
The Budget this year needs to focus on moving to a more expansionary fiscal stance that prioritizes employment generation and public service provision.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: New Monetary Framework
Mains level: Paper 3- Economic recovery and challenges ahead
Ahead of the Budget, the article discusses the status of Indian economy and suggests the measures to be adopted in the budget to speed up the recovery.
Estimates of damages and signs of economic recovery
- The first advance estimates of national income published on January 7 project a contraction of 7.7% for real GDP.
- The Q2 GDP estimates published by the National Statistical Office had suggested an economic recovery in India.
- An improvement in the rate of contraction from 23.9% in Q1 to 7.5% in Q2 was seen as the beginning of a sustained recovery.
- The Ministry of Finance, in its Monthly Economic Review highlighted it as signifying a ‘V’ shaped recovery and as a reflection of the resilience and robustness of the Indian economy.
- The Monetary Policy Statement of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released on December 4, 2020 also projects positive growth in the remaining quarters of the financial year.
State of the economy before pandemic
- Growth rate of the economy had collapsed from 8.2% in Q4 of 2017-18 to a mere 3.1% in Q4 of 2019-20, sliding continuously for eight quarters.
- The policy stance against this backdrop was premised on the hope that private corporate investment will pick up momentum sooner than later.
- The RBI did the heavy lifting through five consecutive lowering of repo rate along with liquidity infusion programmes.
- However, monetary-fiscal linkages are crucial to catalyse the demand.
Crucial role played by the RBI
- While being cautious of inflation, the RBI has decided to continue the accommodative stance in its latest monetary policy to support growth.
- The CPI inflation after crossing 7% has cooled off to 4.6% in December.
- Still, the real interest rates remain very low.
- The efficacy of the new monetary framework (NMF) — the agreement between the RBI and Government of India in February 2016 to adopt inflation targeting in India — will be reviewed in March 2021, and we flag the need for revising the framework.
- The RBI is continuing its liquidity infusion programmes including the on-tap Targeted Long Term Repo Operations (TLTRO).
- This programme announced on October 9, 2020 for five stressed sectors has been extended to 26 stressed sectors notified under the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS 2.0).
- The RBI is also continuing its ‘operation twist’ with Open Market Operations (OMO) of ₹10,000 crore scheduled for December 17, 2020.
- Nevertheless, the RBI Governor has rightly pointed out that the signs of recovery are far from being broad-based.
Stimulus for targeted state intervention
- According to the International Monetary Fund’s Fiscal Monitor Database of Country Fiscal Measures, the fiscal stimulus for India is 1.8% of GDP.
- The IMF, in its Fiscal Monitor, highlights the need to scale up public investment to ensure successful reopening, boost growth and prepare economies for the future.
- What we need is stimulus not based on “business cycle” but from the perspective of much needed targeted state interventions in public health, education, agriculture and physical infrastructure, and to redress widening inequalities.
- As private final consumption expenditure is sluggish, contracting 26.7% and 11% in Q1 and Q2, respectively, a “fiscal dominance” is expected in India for sustained economic recovery.
- However, India cannot afford fiscal stimulus at the rates of advanced economies, due to a lack of fiscal space.
Way forward
- Plummeting private corporate investment in India is a matter of concern.
- The fear of financial crowding out emanating from high fiscal deficit is misplaced in the context of India.
- Economic recovery will be determined by the degree of containment of the pandemic and the sustained macroeconomic policies.
- Any abrupt withdrawal of ongoing economic policy support, both by the monetary and fiscal authorities, will be detrimental to growth in times of the pandemic.
- The fiscal rules at the national and subnational government levels need to be made flexible.
Consider the question “Recovery of Indian economy battered by the pandemic has not been complete. Suggest the fiscal measure to be adopted by the government to speed up the recovery.”
Conclusion
The fiscal stimulus needs to continue in FY 2021-22 to speed up India’s recovery along with the measures suggested above.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Article 21, 48A, 51A(g)
Mains level: Paper 2- Constitutional values and climate change
The article highlights how climate change impacts the constitutional values and promises by affecting the vulnerable disproportionately and suggest the distinctly Indian paradigm of development.
How democratic values are threatened by climate change
- Over the last seven decades, India has made distinct progress, but many core development challenges persist and we are yet to fulfill our constitutional promise.
- Climate change will only exacerbate existing inequalities through a range of cascading and coinciding crises.
- These words from the Preamble — justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity — serve as reminders of the daunting path to achieving social democracy, especially in a warming world.
- B R Ambedkar had said that to maintain democracy not merely in form, but also in fact it was essential not to be content with mere political democracy but to strive for social democracy as well.
How climate change affects democratic values
- Climate change is profoundly unjust.
- It will increasingly impinge upon our freedom of movement, and that it could deny equality of status and opportunity to millions of disadvantaged citizens like the forest-dwelling communities who have contributed least to the crisis and yet stand to be hit the hardest.
- The evidence is clear that unless we rapidly move to reduce planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions, vast swathes of India could be inhospitable due to floods, droughts, heatwaves, and increasingly erratic and unpredictable monsoon rains.
Call for action against climate change
- The fraternity can particularly serve as a call to action for the powerful to direct their resources towards shaping India’s response to climate change and “assuring the dignity of the individual”, as framed in the Preamble.
- Indian business and philanthropy can play a key role in building resilience by encouraging innovation, complementing the role of the state, and securing citizens’ legislated rights.
- Climate philanthropy can help develop and pilot new solutions and inspire ambitious political action.
- A plethora of opportunities are currently on the margins but could become mainstream drivers for the three key pillars of jobs, growth, and sustainability.
- A distinctly Indian, climate-friendly development paradigm powered by clean energy could play an integral role in fostering social and economic justice by uplifting millions of Indians.
- Our nation’s welfare depends on healing the broken relationship between a broken economy and a broken ecology.
Constitutional mandate to protect the environment
- The right to life enshrined in Article 21 is increasingly interpreted as a right to environment.
- When this is read together with Articles 48A and 51A(g), there is a clear constitutional mandate to protect the environment that will only grow more important in the coming decades for citizens and the executive, legislature, and judiciary.
- Central to these considerations is the need for a uniquely Indian climate narrative, one that is both by and for Indians.
Consider the question “Our constitutional values must guide us to a distinctly Indian, climate-friendly development paradigm to fulfil the constitutional commitment to its citizens. Comment.”
Conclusion
India can build its own pathway to become a climate leader aiming to secure a future where both people and nature can thrive. Much of this work can be rooted in the constitutional framework that binds together millions of Indians despite their myriad differences — a framework that is progressive in scope and ambitious in vision.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Details of the bill
Mains level: DNA profiling and privacy concerns
Noted Parliamentarians have filed a dissent to the Parliamentary Standing Committee’s report on DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill 2019.
Q. A statutory protection for private data is necessary for the enforcement of DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill, 2019. Critically analyse.
What is the news?
- The finalized Draft Report recognizes the potential dangers of indexing the DNA profiles of non- convicts, especially convicts and suspects, it has still retained these objectionable provisions.
- These MPs have claimed that the Bill does not take into account public concerns over privacy violations and targets Dalit, Muslims and Adivasis by way of DNA sample collection.
- The fear is that the law could be used for caste or community-based profiling.
Other issues
- The bill would not be a panacea to the problems of an inadequate criminal justice system, the MPs stressed.
- He flagged the example of the United Kingdom, where the number of crimes solved by DNA evidence had been reducing even though the number of profiles in the system was going up.
DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill, 2019
- The primary intended purpose for the enactment of the bill is for expanding the application of DNA-based forensic technologies to support and strengthen the justice delivery system of the country.
- The utility of DNA based technologies for solving crimes, and identifying missing persons, is well recognized across the world.
- Other aims include Speedier justice delivery and an Increased conviction rate.
- Bill’s provisions will enable the cross-matching between persons reported missing and unidentified dead bodies found in various parts of the country, and also for establishing the identity of victims in mass disasters.
- By providing for the mandatory accreditation and regulation of DNA laboratories, the Bill seeks to ensure the data remain protected from misuse or abuse in terms of the privacy rights of our citizens.
- The Bill has two major components: the DNA databanks and the DNA Regulatory Board.
Criticisms of the Bill
Matter of Consent
- Written consent is required from everyone for their DNA samples to be collected, processed, and included in the database except for those who have committed crimes with a punishment of 7+ years or death.
- However, similarly, specific instruction is missing for the collection of DNA samples for civil matters.
- Such matters include parentage disputes, emigration or immigration, and transplantation of human organs.
- The Bill also doesn’t state that the consent has to be voluntary.
Civil Disputes
- It is not clear if DNA samples collected to resolve civil disputes will also be stored in the databank (regional or national), although there is no index specific for the same.
- If they will be stored, then the problem cascades because the Bill also does not provide for information, consent, and appeals.
- If a person’s DNA data has entered the databank, there is no process specified by which they can have it removed.
- All of these issues together could violate the right to privacy.
The authenticity of DNA Labs
- There’s also the question of whether the DNA labs accredited by the Regulatory Board are allowed to store copies of the samples they analyze.
- And if so, how the owners of those samples can ensure the data is safe or needs to be removed from their own indices.
- It’s unclear if the Regulatory Board will oversee other tests performed at the accredited labs.
- This could become necessary because, unlike one’s biometric data or PAN number, the human genome contains lots of information about every individual.
Overreaching access to identity
- So a test undertaken to ascertain a person’s identity by analyzing her DNA will in the process also reveal a lot of other things about that person, including information about their ancestry i.e. information that the individual has a right to keep private.
- The Bill does not specify which parts of an individual’s DNA can be analyzed to ascertain their identity.
- The more parts are subjected to analysis, the more conclusively a person’s identity can be established.
- But this can’t be used as a license to parse more than is necessary because then the DNA lab is also likely to reveal more information than it has the right to seek.
The way forward: Data protection
- The bill can become oppressive without a robust data protection law.
- Statutory protection for private data is critical because it provides a mechanism for enforcement of rights, grievance redressal, and independent oversight.
- When the data being collected is as sensitive as DNA, it requires additional protection.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: OST, INF Treaty, New START policy
Mains level: US-Russia power tussle
The Russian lower house of Parliament, the Duma has ratified a new START nuclear treaty with the US. Both countries had “agreed in principle” to extend the arms treaty by five years with Joe Biden swearing-in.
The New START, INF and the Open Skies …. Be clear about the differences of these treaties. For example- to check if their inception was during cold war era etc.
New START Treaty
- The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) pact limits the number of deployed nuclear warheads, missiles and bombers and is due to expire in 2021 unless renewed.
- The treaty limits the US and Russia to a maximum of 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads and 700 deployed missiles and bombers, well below Cold War caps.
- It was signed in 2010 by former US President Barack Obama and then-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
- It is one of the key controls on the superpower deployment of nuclear weapons.
A reset to Trumps policies
- In February 2020, the US withdrew from the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), accusing Moscow of violating the agreement.
- Russian then had proposed a one-year extension without conditions of the last major nuclear arms reduction accord, the New START Treaty between Russia and the U.S.
- If it had fallen, it could have been the second nuclear weapons treaty to collapse under the leadership of Trump.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Virus mutation
Mains level: Vaccination challenges for coronavirus
SARS-CoV-2 variants have emerged independently in several countries, and research published over the past week indicates that the virus is changing more quickly than was once believed.
Try this PYQ:
Q.H1N1 virus is sometimes mentioned in the news with reference to which one of the following diseases?
(a) AIDS
(b) Bird flu
(c) Dengue
(d) Swine flu
Mutation of Virus
- Mutation, an alteration in the genetic material (the genome) of a cell of a living organism or of a virus that is more or less permanent and that can be transmitted to the cell’s or the virus’s descendants.
- Like all life, viruses carry a genetic code in the form of nucleic acids — either DNA or RNA.
- When cells multiply, the DNA within them replicates as well, to make copies for the new cells.
- During replication, random errors are introduced into the new DNA, much like spelling errors when we write.
- While the errors in DNA virus genomes can be corrected by the error-correcting function of cells in which they replicate, there are no enzymes in cells to correct RNA errors.
- Therefore, RNA viruses accumulate more genetic changes (mutations) than DNA viruses.
Effect of mutation on the virus
- Evolution requires not just mutations, but also selection.
- While most mutations are deleterious to the virus, if some allow a selective advantage — say better infectivity, transmission, or escape from immunity — then the new viruses out-compete the older ones in a population.
- The mutations can be synonymous (silent) or non-synonymous (non-silent); the latter also changes an amino acid (protein building block) at that position in the coded protein.
Mutations in COVID
- As of January 26, about 29,000 infections are attributed to UK variants from 63 countries, many due to local transmission.
Why is it harmful?
- Viruses with mutations within the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the Spike protein have the most potential to evade antibodies that develop as a result of natural infection or vaccination.
- The RBD binds the cellular receptor allowing the virus to infect cells, and anti-RBD antibodies neutralize the virus.
- Such mutations were recently found in variant viruses that emerged in the UK, South Africa and Brazil.
Testing of mutation
- Indirect tests are done in laboratories to assess if an emerging variant might escape antibodies developed after natural infection or vaccination.
- Serum (the blood components that contain antibodies) from recovered patients or vaccinated people, and antibodies are known to neutralize the original virus, are tested.
- Serial dilutions of the serum or antibodies are separately mixed with a fixed amount of the original and variant viruses, and the mixture is added to cells in culture.
- After a period of incubation, cells are washed and stained. Cells infected and killed by viruses multiplying within them appear as clear zones (plaques) on a dark background.
- The effectiveness of serum or antibody is expressed as an inhibitory concentration (IC) or plaque reduction neutralisation titer (PRNT) value.
- The IC50 or PRNT50 value is the reciprocal dilution of serum or antibody that neutralises 50 per cent viruses in the sample.
India’s response
- Only the UK variant viruses have so far been reported from India — and that too, in travellers.
- There is no reported local transmission, but considering its increased infectivity, this is likely to happen.
- The evidence so far suggests that current vaccines would still protect against the UK variant, even if with reduced efficacy.
- The evidence at this time, though of concern, does not indicate that current vaccines are failing.
- But this has to be watched carefully, and all efforts made to limit transmission between people, which drives mutations and the emergence of variants.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Adam's Bridge
Mains level: NA
In possibly a first, Indian scientists will undertake a scientific expedition to date the chain of corals and sediments forming the Ram Setu.
Try this PYQ:
Q.Which of the following have coral reefs?
- Andaman and Nicobar Islands
- Gulf of Kachchh
- Gulf of Mannar
- Sunderbans
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 2 and 4 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ram Setu
- Also known as Adam’s bridge, Ram Setu is a 48-km long bridge-like structure between India and Sri Lanka.
- It finds mention in the Ramayana but little about its formation is known or proven, scientifically.
What is the underwater archaeological project at Ram Setu?
- The National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) will undertake a three-year scientific project.
- The idea is to see whether Ram Setu is a man-made structure or not.
- The most important aspect of the project is to establish its age, scientifically.
- The explorers will apply a number of scientific techniques while attempting to date the Ram Setu, study its material composition, outline the sub-surface structure along with attempting to excavate remnants or artefacts, if any, from the site.
- Once it is known, the information can be verified and co-related with its mention in the Ramayana and similar scriptures.
How is the project planned?
- An initial survey will make use of underwater photographs to check if any habitation remains inundated in the area. A geophysical survey will be performed to understand the structure.
- Over the years, several kinds of depositions, including sand, have covered the actual structure. Initially, only physical observation, and no drilling, will be done.
- NIO operates two oceanographic vessels – RV Sindhu Sankalp (ability to go up to and remain 56 metres underwater) and RV Sindhu Sadhana (ability to go up to and remain 80 metres underwater).
- For collecting core samples at greater depths and for bathymetry purposes, Sindhu Sadhana will be deployed for the Ram Setu project.
Two of the planned tests:
- Side-scan SONAR — Will provide bathymetry which is similar to studying the topography of a structure on land. Soundwaves signals will be sent to the structure which will provide an outline of the physical structure of the Ram Setu.
- Silo seismic survey – Mild earthquake-like tremor shocks will be sent at shallow depths close to the structure. These energized shockwaves are capable of penetrating into the structure. The reflected or refracted signals will be captured by instruments that will provide sub-surface structure.
Significance of such exploration
- India has a vast coastline of over 7,500 kilometres.
- Oceans are a treasure trove of the past records — climate, evolutionary changes of the underwater fauna, coastal lives, habitations, settlements and civilizations.
- Of these, the sea-level changes remain the most significant of all with respect to climate studies.
- History has records of sailors who set out on unknown voyages to later discover new lands and islands.
- They ventured into deep seas even before the advent of the Global Positioning System (GPS).
- Using such underwater exploration studies, scientists say that it is possible to trace numerous ship-wreckages and remains from the past.
- Studies of ship wreckage, artefacts or remains could reveal a lot of information.
Recently a 60000 YO submerged forest was explored off the Alabama coast in the USA.
Has India undertaken underwater archaeological explorations?
- A part of Dwarka, along with coastal Gujarat, is underwater, confirming the sea-level rise.
- The NIO has been studying this site, and so far, traced large amounts of scattered stones which were retrieved at the depth between three to six metres beneath.
- Stone anchors, too, were found at the site, suggesting it to be part of an ancient harbour.
- In the past, NIO had initiated studies to trace the missing shore temples of Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu.
- Presently, several ship wreckage studies, including the one-off the Odisha coast, are going on.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Top 25 drive
Mains level: Preventive detention, Chapter proceedings
The Mumbai police have started a drive titled ‘Top 25’ aimed at keeping under check history-sheeters and those they believe could create trouble.
Preventive detention laws in India have come to be associated with gross and frequent misuse.
What is the ‘Top 25’ drive of the Mumbai police?
- The Mumbai police commissioner has asked all police stations in the city to make a list of the “top 25” criminals and ask them to sign a bond of good behavior failing which they would have to pay a fine.
- The aim is to rein in criminal elements and those the police believe could create a law and order problem in the city.
- While this practices that is termed “chapter proceedings” has been followed in the past, the amount a person would usually forfeit was around Rs 10,000 – Rs 15,000.
- Now, the amount has been raised up to Rs 50 lakh.
How is the police calculating the surety amount now?
- The police are now going through the bank details and tax returns of the person and the surety amount is set in accordance with the annual income of the offender or his family.
- The police believe that the threat of having to pay a high amount will act as a deterrent and that a few thousand as surety amount did not have the desired effect.
What are Chapter Proceedings?
- Chapter proceedings are preventive actions taken by the police if they fear that a particular person is likely to cause law and order trouble.
- These proceedings are unlike punitive action taken in case of an FIR with an intention to punish.
- Here, the police can issue notices under sections of the Code of Criminal Procedure to ensure that the person is aware that creating a nuisance could result in action against him.
- Recently, the Mumbai police initiated chapter proceedings against an extremely chauvinistic news reporter and media head.
Rights of the accuse
- On receiving such notice, a person can appeal before the courts.
- In fact, in the past, courts have come down strongly against chapter proceedings in some cases.
- In 2017, while striking down a notice issued to the owner of a bar, the Bombay High Court said: “chapter proceedings cannot be initiated on the basis of an incident of trivial nature”.
Back2Basics: Arrest vs. Preventive Detention
An ‘arrest’ is done when a person is charged with a crime. An arrested person is produced before a magistrate within the next 24 hours. In 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.
- Article 22 of the Indian Constitution provides safeguards against the misuse of police powers to make arrests and detentions.
- Clause (2) of Article 22 reads that every person who is arrested and detained in custody shall be produced before the nearest magistrate within a period of twenty-four hours of such arrest excluding the time necessary for the journey.
- Clause (4) of the article states that no individual can be detained for more than 3 months unless a bench of High court judges or an Advisory board decides to extend the date.
- Clause (5) states that the detained individual should be made aware of the grounds he/she has been detained (in pursuance of the order) and should provide him/her with an opportunity of making a representation against the case.
- Parliament may by law prescribe the circumstances under a person may be detained for a period longer than three months under any law.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: International Energy Agency
Mains level: Not Much
The Framework for Strategic Partnership between the International Energy Agency (IEA) members and India was signed yesterday to strengthen mutual trust and cooperation & enhance global energy security, stability and sustainability.
Try this MCQ:
Q.The Global Energy Transition Index recently seen in news is released by:
a) International Energy Agency (IEA)
b) World Economic Forum (WEF)
c) International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)
d) International Solar Alliance
International Energy Agency
- The IEA is a Paris-based autonomous intergovernmental organization established in the framework of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 1974 in the wake of the 1973 oil crisis.
- It was initially dedicated to responding to physical disruptions in the supply of oil, as well as serving as an information source on statistics about the international oil market and other energy sectors.
- At the end of July 2009, IEA member countries held a combined stockpile of almost 4.3 billion barrels of oil.
- They are required to maintain total oil stock levels equivalent to at least 90 days of the previous year’s net imports.
- The IEA acts as a policy adviser to its member states but also works with non-member countries, especially China, India, and Russia.
- The Agency’s mandate has broadened to focus on the “3Es” of effectual energy policy: energy security, economic development, and environmental protection.
Greater role play
- The latter has focused on mitigating climate change.
- The IEA has a broad role in promoting alternate energy sources (including renewable energy), rational energy policies, and multinational energy technology co-operation.
Why need a partnership with IEA?
- This partnership will lead to an extensive exchange of knowledge and would be a stepping stone towards India becoming a full member of the IEA.
- India and the IEA members will work as Energy Security, Clean & Sustainable Energy, Energy Efficiency, Enhancing petroleum storage capacity in India, Expansion of gas-based economy in India, etc.
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