Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: AMRUT, SBM
Mains level: Paper 2- Clean and green future of Indian cities
This year, the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration is being launched, building towards the goals of this decade. In light of this, the article highlights the mitigating potentials of various missions undertaken by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
A networked approach to achieving the SDG
- The delicate balance between sustainable development and environmental protection is one of the core targets of the UN 2030 agenda for sustainable development.
- A networked approach to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals has been included in India’s policy and political discourse.
- The motto of the 2030 agenda — “Leave no one behind” — very much embodies the essence of Gandhiji’s philosophy of sarvodaya through antyodaya.
- This guiding principle has long been a part of the execution of the national programmes and missions of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
Achieving SDGs through flagship missions of MoHUA
- In 2014 the Swachhata movement was launched.
- It was, in effect, the harbinger of a total transformation of our urban landscape.
- In June 2015, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs launched flagship mission — Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and the Smart Cities Mission.
- The SDGs are reflected in the core objectives of these missions.
- They have achieved their set targets while ensuring that sustainable development is a non-negotiable part of them.
Ensuring sustainable development
1) Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban)
- It focuses on achieving an open-defecation-free India, building solid waste management capacity and bringing about behavioural change.
- Cooperative and competitive federalism have become the driving force behind this citizen-led jan andolan.
- It is estimated that the various initiatives under SBM-U can mitigate 17.42 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2022.
2) Smart Cities Mission
- The Smart Cities Mission is aiding technological advancements of our cities to improve governance, sustainability and disaster risk resilience.
- Smart solutions are being implemented to improve energy efficiency and non-motorised transport capacity in urban centres.
- The Climate Smart Cities Assessment Framework has been adopted which aims to help cities adapt, collaborate and exchange best practices to achieve international standards for green, sustainable and resilient urban habitats.
3) AMRUT
- Under AMRUT, water supply and management, energy efficiency and increased green spaces have been part of the goal in 500 target cities.
- As of today, 1,831 parks over 3,700 acres have been developed, 85 lakh street lights have been replaced, resulting in energy saving of 185.33 crore units (kWh), and 106 water bodies have been rejuvenated.
- The mission is likely to result in the mitigation of 48.52 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent of GHG emissions by 2022.
4) Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban)
- With 1.12 crore houses sanctioned, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) has focused on new construction technologies that are innovative, environmentally friendly and disaster-resilien.
- The Prime Minister launched six Light House Projects on January 1, 2021.
- These are already under construction.
- Additionally, about 43.3 lakh houses are being constructed where fly ash bricks/blocks and concrete blocks are being used.
- Overall, the mission has the potential to mitigate around 12 million tonnes CO2 equivalent of GHG emissions by 2022.
5) Metro rail
- An energy-efficient mass rapid transit system, is operational in 18 cities with over 720 km of line constructed.
- Another 1,055 km of new lines is under construction in 27 cities.
- This network is expected to mitigate around 21.58 million tonnes of CO2 eq GHG from 2015-2022.
- Cumulatively, the national missions under the MoHUA are projected to mitigate GHG emissions equivalent to more than 93 million tonnes of CO2 by 2022.
Conclusion
A progressive track of urban development while keeping sustainability, disaster risk resilience and community building at its core has been the guiding principle of the government. It will help us preserve our environment, restore ecosystems and mitigate the risks posed by climate change in the coming decade.
Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024
Attend Now
Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Not much
Mains level: Paper 2- Tackling disinformation
The article highlights the issues mentioned in the UNHRC report on disinformation and freedom of expression.
UNHRC Report: Upholding human rights helps dealing with falsehood
- The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Special Rapporteur submitted her report on “Disinformation and Freedom of Opinion and Expression” recently.
- The UNHRC report specifically speaks of information disorder that arises from disinformation.
- Impact of disinformation: Such information disorder leads to politically polarisation, hinders people from meaningfully exercising their human rights, and destroys their trust in governments and institutions.
- Human rights provide a powerful and appropriate framework to challenge falsehoods and present alternative viewpoints.
- Upholding human rights is useful in dealing with falsehood in two ways:
- 1) Freedom of opinion and expression enables governance and development.
- 2) Civil society, journalists and others are able to challenge falsehoods and present alternative viewpoints.
- So, the report says that human rights friendly governance is both possible and doable; it is also desirable, as it protects political power against itself.
Review of the business model needed
- The report asserts that reactive content moderation efforts” are unlikely to make any worthwhile difference in the absence of a serious review of the business model that underpins much of the drivers of disinformation and misinformation.
- Problems of inconsistent application of companies’ terms of service, inadequate redress mechanisms and a lack of transparency and access to data re-emerge constantly.
- Aalthough the platforms are global businesses, they do not appear to apply their policies consistently across all geographical areas or to uphold human rights in all jurisdictions to the same extent.
Need for legislative clarity on twin concept of misinformation and disinformation
- The report highlights the lack of legislative and judicial clarity on the twin concepts of “disinformation” and “misinformation”.
- It emphasises that the intention to harm is decisive to the disinformation.
- “Disinformation” is false information disseminated intentionally to cause serious social harm.
- In contrast, misinformation consists in the dissemination of false information unknowingly.
- Nor are these terms to be used interchangeably.
- Acknowledging the fact that “extremist or terrorist groups” frequently engage in the dissemination as part of their propaganda to radicalise and recruit members, the report disfavours any state response that adds to human rights concerns.
Other factors contributing to growth of disinformation
- The growth of disinformation in recent times cannot be attributed solely to technology or malicious actors, according to the report.
- Other factors such as digital transformation and competition from online platforms, state pressure, the absence of robust public information regimes, and digital and media literacy among the general public also matter.
- Moreover, disinformation enhance the frustrations and grievances such as economic deprivation, market failures, political disenfranchisement, and social inequalities.
- Disinformation is thus not the “cause but the consequence of societal crises and the breakdown of public trust in institutions”.
- Strategies to address disinformation will succeed only when these underlying factors are tackled.
Issue of use of disinformation by states
- A 2020 Oxford study of “Industrialised Disinformation” mentions that as many as “81 governments” use “social media to spread computational propaganda and disinformation about politics”.
- Some authoritarian countries like Russia, China and Iran capitalised on coronavirus disinformation to amplify anti-democratic narratives.
- Online disinformation also results in offline practices of violent social excursion on actually existing individuals and communities such as ethnic, gender, migrant, sexual minorities.
Consider the question “Reactive content moderation efforts are simply inadequate without a serious review of the business model that underpins much of the drivers of disinformation and misinformation on the social media platforms.” Critically examine.”
Conclusion
Will future itineraries of human rights in the digital era repeat past mistakes? The report offers grist to the mill for profound thought and conscientious action.
Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024
Attend Now
Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Variants of coronavirus
Mains level: Paper 3- Importance of genomic sequencing in dealing with the pandemic
The article highlights the importance of genomic sequencing in dealing effectively with the pandemic and suggest the scaling up of genomic sequencing.
Why genomic sequencing is important
- An effective COVID-19 pandemic response requires, inter alia, keeping track of emerging variants and then conducting further studies about their transmissibility, immune escape and potential to cause severe disease.
- The success of the United States and the United Kingdom in containing the virus also goes to scaled-up genomic sequencing, tracking the emerging variants and using that evidence for timely actions.
- The data from genomic sequencing has both policy and operational implications.
- Our scientific knowledge and understanding about emerging strains is going to be the key to deploy public health interventions (vaccines included) to fight the pandemic.
- The emerging variants — with early evidence of higher transmissibility, immune escape and breakthrough infections — demand continuous re-thinking and re-strategising of the pandemic response by every country.
Insufficient genomic sequencing in India
- Though the procedural steps such as setting up the Indian SARS-CoV2 Genomic Consortia, or INSACOG have been taken, the sequencing has remained at a very low level of a few thousand cases only.
- The challenge of insufficient genomic sequencing is further compounded by slow pace of data sharing.
Steps need to be taken
- 1) Scale-up genomic sequencing: India needs to scale up genomic sequencing, across all States.
- More genomic sequencing is needed from large urban agglomerations.
- A national-level analysis of collated genomic sequencing data should be done on a regular basis and findings shared publicly.
- 2) Research on vaccine effectiveness: The Indian government needs to invest and support more scientific and operational research on vaccine effectiveness.
- Rethink vaccine policy: There are early indications of immune escape and reduced vaccine effectiveness against the Delta variant (especially after one-shot).
- These are the questions that experts need to deliberate and come up with the answers.
Consider the question “What is genomic sequencing and how it could help in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic? Suggest the steps India need to take to use genomic sequencing in curbing the pandemic.”
Conclusion
As India prepares for the third wave, increasing genomic sequencing and use of scientific evidence for decision making are not a choice but an absolute essential.
Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024
Attend Now
Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Consumer Confidence Survey (CCS)
Mains level: Read the attached story
The highlights of the Consumer Confidence Survey (CCS) were recently released by the RBI pointing to some all-time lows.
Consumer Confidence Survey (CCS)
- The RBI conducts this survey every couple of months by asking households in 13 major cities — such as Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Guwahati, Patna, Thiruvananthapuram — about their current perceptions and future expectations on a variety of economic variables.
- These variables include the general economic situation, employment scenario, overall price situation, own income and spending levels.
- Based on these specific responses, the RBI constructs two indices: the Current Situation Index (CSI) and the Future Expectations Index (FEI).
- The main variables of the survey are- Economic situation, Employment, Price Level, Income and Spending.
- The CSI maps how people view their current situation (on income, employment etc.) vis a vis a year ago. The FEI maps how people expect the situation to be (on the same variables) a year from now.
- By looking at the two variables as well as their past performance, one can learn a lot about how Indians have seen themselves fairing over the years.
Why does it matter?
- The CCS is a survey that indicates how optimistic or pessimistic consumers are regarding their expected financial situation.
- If the consumers are optimistic, spending will be more, whereas if they are not so confident, then their poor consumption pattern may lead to recession.
What was the main finding?
- As Chart 1 shows, the CSI has fallen to an all-time low of 48.5 in May.
- An index value of 100 is crucial here, as it distinguishes between positive and negative sentiment.
- At 48.5, the current consumer sentiment is more than 50 points adrift from being neutral — the farthest it has ever been. It is important to note that even a year ago, the CSI had hit an all-time low.
- The FEI moved to the pessimistic territory for the second time since the onset of the pandemic.
What are the factors responsible for pulling down the CSI and FEI respectively?
- The RBI states that CSI is being pulled down because of falling consumer sentiments on the “general economic situation” and “employment” scenario.
- So, on the “general economic situation”, RBI finds that there has been a largely secular decline in both current consumer sentiment and future expectations since PM Modi’s re-election in 2019.
- What is equally worse is that more people expect the employment situation to worsen a year from now — that is why the one year ahead expectation line is below the zero marks.
Big takeaways
- These data layout the tricky challenge facing the Indian economy.
- If the government’s strategy for fast economic growth — expecting the private sector to lead India out of this trough by investing in new capacities — is to succeed, then consumer spending (especially on non-essentials) has to go up sharply.
- But for that to happen, household incomes have to go up; and for that to happen, the employment prospects have to brighten; and for that to happen, again, companies have to invest in new capacities.
Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024
Attend Now
Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Autonomous districts, Sixth Schedule
Mains level: Sixth Schedule of Indian constitution
The Rengma Nagas in Assam have written to Union Home Minister demanding an autonomous district council amid a decision by the Central and the State governments to upgrade the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) into a territorial council.
Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council
- KAAC is an autonomous district council in the state of Assam, India for the development and protection of tribals living in area namely Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong district.
- The council is constituted under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India and administratively functions under the Government of Assam.
Answer this PYQ in the comment box:
Q.The Government enacted the Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act in 1996. Which one of the following is not identified as its objective?
(a) To provide self-governance
(b) To recognize traditional rights
(c) To create autonomous regions in tribal areas
(d) To free tribal people from exploitation
What are such Autonomous Council?
- The Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India allows for the formation of autonomous administrative divisions which have been given autonomy within their respective states.
- Most of these autonomous district councils are located in North East India but two are in Ladakh, a region administered by India as a union territory.
- Presently, 10 Autonomous Councils in Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura are formed by virtue of the Sixth Schedule with the rest being formed as a result of other legislation.
Powers and competencies
Under the provisions of the Sixth Schedule, autonomous district councils can make laws, rules and regulations in the following areas:
- Land management
- Forest management
- Water resources
- Agriculture and cultivation
- Formation of village councils
- Public health
- Sanitation
- Village and town level policing
- Appointment of traditional chiefs and headmen
- Inheritance of property
- Marriage and divorce
- Social customs
- Money lending and trading
- Mining and minerals
Judicial powers
- Autonomous district councils have powers to form courts to hear cases where both parties are members of Scheduled Tribes and the maximum sentence is less than 5 years in prison.
Taxation and revenue
- Autonomous district councils have powers to levy taxes, fees and tolls on; building and land, animals, vehicles, boats, entry of goods into the area, roads, ferries, bridges, employment and income and general taxes for the maintenance of schools and roads.
Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024
Attend Now
Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Election Commission
Mains level: Appointment in constitutional bodies
President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday appointed of Anup Chandra Pandey, a retired Uttar Pradesh cadre IAS officer, to the post of Election Commissioner.
Election Commission of India (ECI)
- The ECI is a constitutional body responsible for administering elections in India according to the rules and regulations mentioned in the Constitution of India.
- It was established on January 25, 1950.
- The major aim of the election commission of India is to define and control the process for elections conducted at various levels, Parliament, State Legislatures, and the offices of the President and Vice President of India.
- It can be said that the Election Commission of India ensures the smooth and successful operation of the democracy.
Functions
According to Article 324 of the Indian Constitution:
- the ECI has superintendence, direction, and control of the entire process for conduct of elections to Parliament and Legislature (state legislative assembly & state legislative council) of every State and to
- the offices of President and Vice-President of India
Answer this PYQ in the comment box:
Q.Consider the following statements:
- The Election Commission of India is a five-member body.
- Union Ministry of Home Affairs decides the election schedule for the conduct of both general elections and bye-elections.
- Election Commission resolves the disputes relating to splits/mergers of recognized political parties.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (CSP 2017)
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 3 only
Its composition
- Initially, the commission had only a Chief Election Commissioner. Presently, it consists of a Chief Election Commissioner and two Election Commissioners.
- For the first time, two additional Commissioners were appointed on 16th October 1989 but they had a very short term till 1st January 1990.
- Afterward, on 1st October 1993, two additional Election Commissioners were appointed.
- The concept of a multi-member Commission has been in operation since then, with decision-making power by majority vote.
Appointment & Tenure of Commissioners
- The President has the power to select Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners.
- They have a tenure of six years, or up to the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.
- They have the same status and receive pay and perks as available to Judges of the Supreme Court of India.
- The CEC can be removed from office only through accusation by Parliament.
- The election commissioner or a regional commissioner shall not be removed from office except on the recommendation of the CEC.
Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024
Attend Now
Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: CARA
Mains level: Child Adoption
The Supreme Court has directed the States and Union Territories (UTs) to take stringent action against private individuals and NGOs who invite people to illegally adopt children orphaned by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Also read
Legal issues involved in adoption pleas for Covid-19 orphans
SC ruling against illegal adoption
- The court ordered the government to step in and prevent private entities from revealing the identities of COVID-19 affected children, usually on social media and inviting people to adopt them.
- No adoption of affected children should be permitted contrary to the provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 the court-ordered.
- It was illegal to invite strangers to adopt children, already traumatized by their personal losses, without the involvement of the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA).
About CARA
- Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) is an autonomous and statutory body of the Ministry of Women and Child Development. It was set up in 1990.
- It functions as the nodal body for the adoption of Indian children and is mandated to monitor and regulate in-country and inter-country adoptions.
- CARA is designated as the Central Authority to deal with inter-country adoptions in accordance with the provisions of the 1993 Hague Convention on Inter-country Adoption, ratified India in 2003.
- It primarily deals with the adoption of orphaned, abandoned and surrendered children through its associated and recognized adoption agencies.
- In 2018, CARA has allowed individuals in a live-in relationship to adopt children from and within India.
Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024
Attend Now
Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Operation Pangea XIV
Mains level: NA
More than 1.10 lakh web links, including websites and online marketplaces, have been taken down in the operation Pangea XIV.
Operation Pangea XIV
- Code-named “Operation Pangea XIV”, the exercise was coordinated by Interpol.
- It involved the police, customs, and health regulatory authorities of 92 countries against the sale of fake and illicit medicines and medical products.
- Indian agencies also participated in the operation, said an official of the Central Bureau of Investigation that is the nodal body for the Interpol in the country.
- It showed that criminals were continuing to cash in on the huge demand for personal protection and hygiene products due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024
Attend Now
Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Aravali Range and its geophysics
Mains level: NA
The Supreme Court has ordered the Haryana government to take “all essential measures” to remove encroachments, including some residential constructions, in the ecologically fragile Aravali forest land near a village.
Aravali Range
- The Aravali is a mountain range in Northwestern India, running approximately 670 km in a southwest direction, starting near Delhi, passing through southern Haryana and Rajasthan, and ending in Gujarat.
- The highest peak is Guru Shikhar at 1,722 meters.
- The Aravalli Range, an eroded stub of ancient mountains, is the oldest range of fold mountains in India.
- The natural history of the Aravalli Range dates back to times when the Indian Plate was separated from the Eurasian Plate by an ocean.
- Three major rivers and their tributaries flow from the Aravalli, namely Banas and Sahibi rivers which are tributaries of Yamuna, as well as Luni River which flows into the Rann of Kutch.
- The Sariska-Delhi leopard wildlife corridor is a 200 km long important biodiversity and wildlife corridor which runs from the Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan to Delhi Ridge.
Threats to its existence
- Ecological degradation in the Aravalli region is in an alarming situation.
- This is due to the increasing population of humans and cattle, injudicious use of natural resources, unscientific mining, uncontrolled grazing, and felling of trees.
Answer this PYQ in the comment box:
Q.With reference to the river Luni, which one of the following statements is correct?
(a) It fl ows into Gulf of Khambhat
(b) It fl ows into Gulf of Kuchchh
(c) It fl ows into Pakistan and merges with a tributary of Indus
(d) It is lost in the marshy land of the Rann of Kuchchh
Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024
Attend Now