From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Public sector enterprise
Mains level: Challenges of public sector undertakings
Context
Seventy-five years ago, India’s first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru made these remarks in his stirring speech on India attaining freedom at midnight: “The achievement we celebrate today is but a step, an opening of opportunity, to the greater triumphs and achievements that await us. Are we brave enough and wise enough to grasp this opportunity and accept the challenge of the future?”
Nehru’s vision for India
Nehru’s vision of India was anchored in a set of ideas such as democracy, secularism, inclusive economic growth, free press and non-alignment in international affairs and also in institutions that would lay the foundation for India’s future growth.
Leadership of Nehru after independence
In 1947, Nehru, as Prime Minister, inherited an India that was politically shattered, socially divided and emotionally devastated. Yet, with restraint and self-confidence, he steered the country through those turbulent times and laid out the vision of a modern, progressive nation that quietly earned the respect of the global community.
Temple of modern India
The Bhakra-Nangal Dam: The Bhakra-Nangal Dam project is a series of multi-purpose dams that were among the earliest river valley developments schemes undertaken by the government of India after independence. The project, though, had been conceived long before independence.
Bhilai Steel Plant: Bhilai, located in Chhattisgarh, was home to massive iron-ore deposits at Dalli Rajhara. Taking this into consideration, the government of India and the USSR entered into an agreement which was signed on March 2nd 1955, at New Delhi.
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre: The Atomic Energy Establishment, Trombay (AEET), was started by the government of India on January 3rd 1954 with the intention of consolidating all research and development activities for nuclear reactors and technology under the Atomic Energy Commission.
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR): to support indigenous scientists like Boshi Sen, who is credited with producing hybrid maize and irradiated wheat mutant.
Relevance of these institutions
Economic Development:Economic development mainly depends upon industrial development. Heavy & basic industries like iron & steel, shipping, mining, etc. are required for supplying raw materials to small industries.
Regional Development:Private sector usually neglect backward area. But public sector organizations set up their units in economically backward areas. By this public sector removes regional imbalance & brings regional development.
Employment:Various public sectors operating in India needs lot of manpower & this provide employment to unlimited individuals according to their education, experience & abilities.
Service Motive: Public sector organizations are working with the only motive of providing public utility services to society at large irrespective of profit.
Sound Infrastructure:Rapid industrial growth in a country needs sound infrastructure. Infrastructural industries require huge capital for construction of Roads, Railways, Electricity & many such industries. Private sector is unable to have such huge capital & that also without any high return but public sector can easily afford to provide all infrastructural facilities.
Some challenges they face today
Inefficient Management: It has been found that these enterprises are managed by public savants. They are not professionally qualified nor experts in the management of industrial enterprises.
Lack of Efficiency: They are not run on commercial principles. Their main motto is social welfare, not profit earning.
Lack of Innovations: Innovations are essential for economic development. Public enterprise lacks it due to monopoly or lack of competition. The private sector is always busy with innovating new techniques, new production methods, etc. For the purpose of cost reduction and profit maximization.
Some suggestions to address the challenges
Sound business principles: The enterprise should be run on sound business principles. There should be focus on improving efficiency in all functional areas. Policies, systems and procedures should be modified with the aim of making the enterprise flexible, efficient and profitable.
Autonomy: Public enterprises should have considerable autonomy in their functioning. Authority should be delegated and they should have the freedom to take decisions. Autonomy would ensure that decisions are taken at the right time and growth opportunities utilized in the best possible manner.
Freedom from political interference: Many public enterprises are considered to be the kingdoms of politicians. They are run to suit the needs and requirements of the ruling party.
Conclusion
Today, opinions are divided about the iconic leader. While Nehru always had his critiques even back in the day, a significant section of the masses despise the dynasty politics of the Congress that ensued after his passing in 1964.
However, his contributions to India’s freedom, and as a Prime Minister to his country are acknowledged by people both within and outside India. His shortcomings do not take away from the legacy he cemented as a propagator for freedom, and as the free nation’s first Prime Minister.
Mains question
Assess the Nehruvian legacy of public sector. Do you think they are still relevant today? While discussing challenges they face what suggestion will you give to improve their performance.
While India celebrates its 75th year of Independence, it also celebrates 60 years of diplomatic relations with the European Union (EU).
A cooperation agreement signed in 1994 took the bilateral relationship beyond trade and economic cooperation.
Definition
Relations between the European Union and the Republic of India are currently defined by the 1994 EU–India Cooperation Agreement. The EU is a significant trade partner for India and the two sides have been attempting to negotiate a free trade deal since 2007.
Common roadmap and shared vision
The road map highlights engagement across five domains: foreign policy and security cooperation; trade and economy; sustainable modernisation partnership; global governance; and people-to-people relations.
Brief history
India-EU relations date to the early 1960s, with India being amongst the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with the European Economic Community.
At the 5th India-EU Summit at The Hague in 2004, the relationship was upgraded to a ‘Strategic Partnership’.
The two sides adopted a Joint Action Plan in 2005 (which was reviewed in 2008) that provided for strengthening dialogue and consultation mechanisms in the political and economic spheres, enhancing trade and investment, and bringing peoples and cultures together.
What is strategic partnership?
A ‘strategic partnership’, as the term suggests, involves a shared understanding between the two or more states involved on the nature of threats in the environment and the place of their collective power in helping mitigate the threats.
Why they are important?
As the world’s two largest democracies, the EU and India share a commitment to protecting and promoting human rights, a rules-based global order, effective multilateralism, sustainable development and open trade.
Significance
[A] Political Partnership
The Joint Political Statement signed in 1993, opened the way for annual ministerial meetings and a broad political dialogue.
The Cooperation Agreement signed in 1994 took the bilateral relationship beyond trade and economic cooperation.
A multi-tiered institutional architecture of cooperation has since been created, presided over by the India-EU Summit since 2000.
Today EU stands as a major reference for India’s legislative process in the field of Data security and privacy.
[B] Economic Ties
Bilateral trade: The EU is India’s largest trading partner, while India is the EU’s 9th largest trading partner. It is the second-largest destination for Indian exports after the United States.
Investment: The EU’s share in foreign investment inflows to India has more than doubled from 8% to 18% in the last decade. This makes the EU an important foreign investor in India.
Preferential treatment: India is the benefactor of the unilateral preferential tariffs under the EU Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP).
Energy: Both sides have finalised civil nuclear cooperation agreement after 13 years of negotiations called as the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM). It involves collaboration in the civil nuclear energy sector.
Development cooperation:Over €150 million worth of projects by EU are currently ongoing in India. European Investment Bank (EIB) is providing loans for Lucknow, Bangalore, and Pune Metro Projects.
[C] Defence & Security
EU and India have instituted several mechanisms for greater cooperation on pressing security challenges like counterterrorism, maritime security, and nuclear non-proliferation.
Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region in New Delhi (IFC-IOR) has recently been linked-up with the Maritime Security Centre – Horn of Africa (MSC-HOA) established by the EU Naval Force (NAVFOR).
[D] Climate Change
EU and India also underline their highest political commitment to theeffective implementation of the Paris Agreementand the UNFCCC despite US withdrawing from the same.
India-EU Clean Energy and Climate Partnership was agreed at the 2016 Summit – to promote access to and disseminate clean energy and climate friendly technologies and encourage R&D.
Energy cooperation is now ongoing on a broad range of energy issues, like smart grids, energy efficiency, offshore wind and solar infrastructure, and research and innovation.
EU and India also cooperate closely on the Clean Ganga initiative and deal with other water-related challenges in coordinated manner.
Both have official mechanisms in fields such as Digital Communications, 5G technology, Biotechnology, artificial intelligence etc.
ISRO has a long-standing cooperation with the European Union, since 1970s. It has contributed towards the EU’s satellite navigation system Galileo.
Future scope
Trade figures and Investments: Bilateral trade between the two surpassed $116 billion in 2021-22. The EU is India’s second largest trading partner after the U.S., and the second largest destination for Indian exports.
Job creation: There are 6,000 European companies in the country that directly and indirectly create 6.7 million jobs.
Green strategic partnership: between India and Denmark aims to address climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution, and the India-Nordic Summit focused on green technologies and industry transformation that are vital for sustainable and inclusive growth.
Energy security: Energy serves as an important aspect of the relationship between India and the EU. Given the impacts of climate change, this aspect has become extremely crucial today. Both entities have been pursuing cooperation for the joint development of clean energy.
Political cooperation: India and the EU may benefit from increasing cooperation in the resolution of issues such as terrorism and radicalization, cyber-security, coordinating on certain key and relevant aspects of foreign policy, and other humanitarian issues.
International support: It is crucial that Europe recognize India as a partner for peace that is committed to human rights, both regionally and internationally.
Challenges before them
Deadlock over BTIA: The negotiations for a Broad-based Bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA) were held between 2007 to 2013 but have remained dormant/suspended since then.
Export hurdles: Indian demands for ‘Data secure’ status (important for India’s IT sector) to ease norms on temporary movement of skilled workers, relaxation of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS), etc. stands largely ignored.
Trade imbalance: This heavily leans towards China. India accounts for only 1.9% of EU total trade in goods in 2019, well behind China (13.8%).
Brexit altercations: In the longer term of balancing of global powers, a smaller Europe without the key military and economic force UK, is much weaker in the wake of an ambitious China and an increasingly protectionist US.
EU primarily remains a trade bloc: This has resulted in a lack of substantive agreements on matters such as regional security and connectivity.
Undue references to sovereign concerns: The European Parliament was critical of both the Indian government’s decision to scrap Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in 2019 and the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
China’s influence: EU’s affinity lies with China. This is because of its high dependence on the Chinese market. It is a major partner in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Ukrainian war: EAM S. Jaishankar’s witty reply about EU’s oil import from Russia has not been welcomed across the EU. It still expects India to criticize Russia.
EU’s interests in India
Reducing dependence on China: It is necessary for both sides as it is making them highly vulnerable to Chinese aggression.
Western lobby: EU acknowledges its supply chain’s vulnerability, the risk posed by overdependence on China, and the need to strengthen the global community of democracies.
Healthcare: The on-going pandemic has shown the need for cooperation in global health. India and the EU have called for a reform of the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Perception of India as a huge market: EU still largely perceives India as huge market rather than a partner.
Promotion of multilateralism: Both sides are facing issues related to US-China trade war and uncertainty of the US’ policies. They have common interest in avoiding a bipolarised world and developing a rules-based order.
India’s stakes in EU
Global leadership vacuum: Retreat of the U.S. from global leadership has provided opportunities for EU- India cooperation and trilateral dialogues with countries in the Middle Fast, Central Asia, and Africa.
Chinese Aggression: China’s increasing presence in Eurasia and South Asia is creating similar security, political and economic concerns for Europe and India.
Fall of the conventional global order: Trade war, crumbling WTO and break down of TPP etc. has made EU understand the economic importance of India.
BREXIT: Brexit is pushing India to look for new ‘gateways’ to Europe, as its traditional partner leaves the union. A renewed trade and political cooperation are the need of the hour.
Conformity over Indo-Pacific: The Indo-Pacific is the main conduit for global trade and energy flows. Rule-based Indo-pacific is of everyone’s interest with EU no exception.
Way forward
A close bilateral relation between India and the EU has far-reaching economic, political and strategic implications on the crisis-driven international order.
Both sides should realise this potential and must further the growth of the bilateral ties with a strong political will.
As highlighted by EU strategy on India 2018, India-EU should take their relations beyond “trade lens”, recognizing their important geopolitical, strategic convergences.
India can pursue EU countries to engage in Indo-pacific narrative, geo-economically if not from security prism.
Mains question
What do you understand by the term strategic partnership? India and EU are celebrating 60 years of diplomatic relations trace their journey with significance and challenges in their ties.
B2BASICS
About European Union (EU)
The EU is a political and economic union of 27 member states that are located primarily in Europe.
The union and EU citizenship were established when the Maastricht Treaty came into force in 1993.
The EU grew out of a desire to strengthen international economic and political co-operation on the European continent in the wake of World War II.
It has often been described as a sui generis political entity (without precedent or comparison) with the characteristics of either a federation or confederation.
The eurozone consists of all countries that use the euro as official currency. All EU members pledge to convert to the euro, but only 19 have done so as of 2022.
Members of the EU
Through successive enlargements, the European Union has grown from the six founding states (Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands) to 27 members.
This entails a partial delegation of sovereignty to the institutions in return for representation within those institutions, a practice often referred to as “pooling of sovereignty“.
In the 2016 ‘Brexit’ referendum, the UK voted to leave the EU. The UK officially left the EU in 2020
Mains question
What do you understand by the term strategic partnership? India and EU are celebrating 60 years of diplomatic relations trace their journey with significance and challenges in their ties.
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: NA
Mains level: Inclusive growth, Social justice
Context
Key findings of the World Inequality Report 2022 related to India: National Income: In India, the top 10% and top 1% hold respectively 57% and 22% of total national income.
What is inclusive growth?
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) defines Inclusive growth as the economic growth that is distributed fairly across society and creates opportunities for all. It refers to ‘broad-based’, ‘shared’, and ‘pro-poor growth’.
What is social justice?
Social justice is the view that everyone deserves equal economic, political and social rights and opportunities. Social workers aim to open the doors of access and opportunity for everyone, particularly those in greatest need.
Meaning of Inclusiveness
Inclusiveness is a concept that encompasses equity, equality of opportunity, and protection in market and employment transitions and is, therefore, an essential ingredient of any successful growth strategy.
Need of inclusive growth
Complete development: India is the 7th largest by area and 2nd by population and 12th largest economy at market exchange rate. Yet, India is away from the development.
Income inequality: Low agriculture growth, low quality employment growth, low human development, rural-urban divides, gender and social inequalities, and regional disparities etc. are the problems for the nation.
Human development: Reducing poverty and inequality and increasing economic growth are the main aim of the country through inclusive growth.
Need of social justice
Equality: We should shift from equality of outcomes to equality of opportunities.
Peace and Order: If the majority disregards smaller sections in the community, it drives them to rebellion.
Dignity: To ensure life to be meaningful and liveable with human dignity.
Mitigate Sufferings: It is a dynamic device to mitigate the sufferings of the poor, weak Dalits, tribal and deprived sections of the society.
Human Resources: It will help in the conservation of human resource by provision of health and education facilities.
Freedom to form political, economic or religious institutions: It will help to eradicate the challenges of caste system, untouchability and other discrimination in the society.
Challenges before inclusive growth and social justice
Wage Gap: When it comes to wages in the workplace, there is a noticeable differentiation between men and women. According to the American Association of University Women (AAUW), in 2018, the gender pay gap from men and women for the same job was 82 percent. Stated simply, women make 82 percent of what men make doing the same work. This can be further broken down into a pay gap for minority men and women.
LGBTQ Oppression: When it comes to oppression and human rights, individuals of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual and Queer (LGBTQ) community face several forms of social injustice and oppression. For example, same sex marriages are outlawed in some states and countries. Additionally, transsexual students often face discrimination and bullying within school settings.
Education System: Globally, steps are being made to close the education gap between male and female students. However, there are still several areas around the world where girls may never set foot into a classroom at all. UNESCO notes that more than nine million girls never go to school, compared to only six million boys in areas of Africa.
Child Welfare: Social workers and human rights activists are working tirelessly to combat issues relating to children and their welfare. Despite their efforts, there are still several problems children face that are harmful to their health and mental wellbeing.
Forced Child Labour: Laws are in place around the world to ensure a safe work environment for children. These laws were drafted from historically harsh and dangerous working conditions for children. While many would like to believe that child labour is a thing of the past, it persists in some areas around the globe.
Child Abuse and Neglect: Thousands of children globally are being neglected. They’re also being physically, sexually and emotionally abused. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that as many as a quarter of adults have been abused as children. This abuse has both social and economic impacts that include mental health problems.
Government measures to address this challenge
SETU(Self Employment and Talent Utilization)
Skill India
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)
Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana
MUDRA (Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency)Bank
Way forward
Equality of opportunity is the core of inclusive growth, and the inclusive growth emphasises to create employment and other development opportunities through rapid and sustained economic growth, and to promote social justice and the equality of sharing of growth results by reducing and eliminating inequality of opportunity.
Mains question
Explain the term inclusive growth in brief. How we can achieve social justice through inclusive growth?
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: NA
Mains level: Chinese takeover of Hambantota port
Much recently, Sri Lanka approved the arrival of a Chinese satellite-tracking vessel to its southern Chinese-funded Hambantota port.
Why in news?
India has raised concerns over the ship’s visit.
Caught in a delicate diplomatic and geopolitical spot, Colombo gave its nod despites India’s requests to deny the permission.
It is asserted that bankrupt Sri Lanka succumbed to Chinese pressure after initially refusing the ship to dock.
Yuan Wang 5: The vessel
Yuan Wang 5 was described by the Sri Lankan government as a “scientific research ship”.
The BRISL (Belt & Road Initiative Sri Lanka), a Colombo-based organisation studying China’s ambitious connectivity project, was the first to draw attention to the visit.
It said that the Yuan Wang 5 will conduct “satellite control and research tracking in the northwestern part of the Indian Ocean Region”.
Vessels of the Yuan Wang class are said to be used for tracking and supporting satellite as well as intercontinental ballistic missiles by the People’s Liberation Army Strategic Support Force.
India’s reaction
India has expressed its concern over the Chinese vessel visit.
It is carefully monitoring any development having a bearing on its security and economic interests.
How have other countries reacted?
The developments showed that Colombo was caught between the U.S. and India on the one hand, and China on the other.
That too at a time when the Sri Lankan government is counting on all their support as the island nation, hit by a devastating economic crisis, embarks on debt restructuring ahead of a promised IMF package.
How did China respond?
China reacted strongly at Sri Lanka, following concerns voiced by India.
It clarified that Sri Lanka is a transportation hub in the Indian Ocean.
Scientific research vessels from various countries including China have made port calls in Sri Lanka for replenishment.
Secondly, it invoked Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and the right to develop relations with other countries based on its development interests.
What is Sri Lanka’s stand?
It is reported that the US and Indian envoys were asked to provide concrete reasons for their objections.
Not satisfied with the reasons being sufficient to refuse entry to the Chinese vessel, SL decided to inform the Chinese embassy in Colombo to inform the ship to continue its journey to Hambantota.
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: NA
Mains level: Read the attached story
Five years after the Supreme Court’s five-judge Bench under then CJI J.S. Khehar invalidated instant triple talaq in August 2017, the women petitioners continue to live a life of half-divorcees.
What is triple talaq?
‘Triple Talaq’ is a procedure of divorce under the Sharia Law which is a body of the Islamic law.
Under this, a husband can divorce his wife by pronouncing ‘Talaq’ thrice.
The Supreme Court invalidated instant triple talaq in the Shayara Bano versus the Union of India case while refraining from commenting on the state of their marriages directly.
What was the issue all about?
The case dates back to 2016 when the Supreme Court had sought assistance from the then Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi on pleas challenging the constitutional validity of “triple talaq”.
The hearing also included cases of “nikah halala” and “polygamy”, to assess whether Muslim women face gender discrimination in cases of divorce.
The issue gained political momentum on March 2017 when the Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) told the Supreme Court that the issue of triple talaq falls outside the judiciary’s realm.
However, on August 22, the Supreme Court set aside the decade-old practice of instant triple talaq saying it wasviolative of Article 14 and 21 of the Indian Constitution.
Why was triple talaq abolished?
In spite of protests by Muslim women and activists world-wide the procedure was most prevalent throughout the country.
There are several instances where ‘triple talaq’ has enabled husbands to divorce arbitrarily, devoid of any substantiation.
Oral talaq or ‘triple talaq’ delivered through social media platforms like Skype, text messages, email and WhatsApp have become an increasing cause of worry for the community.
The ‘triple talaq’ has been abolished in 21 countries including Pakistan, but is still prevalent in India.
The Centre reasons that these practices are against constitutional principles such as gender equality, secularism, international laws etc.
When these practices are banned in Islamic theocratic countries, the practices could have absolutely no base in religion and are only prevalent to permit the dominance of men over women.
Why in news now?
Half-divorce: Technically still married, practically divorced, they enjoy no conjugal rights nor receive any regular maintenance from the estranged husbands.
Cannot remarry: Practically abandoned, the women cannot remarry in the absence of a legally valid divorce.
No legal action: After the verdict, none of the men were visited by law enforcement bodies and told to take back their wives.
No legal implementation: Further, no arrests could be made for giving instant triple as the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019 came into force long after the pronouncement of instant talaq.
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: CAG Audit, CRZ norms
Mains level: Read the attached story
This week, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India tabled a report in Parliament on whether steps taken by the Union Environment Ministry to conserve India’s coastal ecosystems have been successful.
Why in news?
The CAG frequently undertakes ‘performance audits’ of government programmes and ministries.
Centre’s obligations on conserving the coastline
The government has issued notifications under the Environment Protection Act, 1986, to regulate activities along India’s coasts particularly regarding construction.
The Coastal Regulation Zone Notification (CRZ), 2019 implemented by the Ministry, classifies the coastal area into different zones to manage infrastructure activities and regulate them.
The three institutions responsible for the implementation of the CRZ are:
National Coastal Zone Management Authority (NCZMA) at the Centre,
State/Union Territory Coastal Zone Management Authorities (SCZMAs/UTCZMAs) in every coastal State and Union Territory
District Level Committees (DLCs) in every district that has a coastal stretch and where the CRZ notification is applicable
Functions under CRZ rules
These bodies examine if CRZ clearances granted by the government are as per procedure, if project developers are once given the go-ahead are complying with conditions and if the project development objectives under the Integrated Coastal Zone Management Programme (ICZMP) are successful.
They also evaluate the measures taken up by the government towards achieving the targets under Sustainable Development Goals.
Why did the CAG undertake this audit?
The CAG has a constitutional mandate to investigate and report on publicly funded programmes.
The CAG conducted “pre-audit studies” and found that there were large-scale CRZ violations in the coastal stretches.
Incidences of illegal construction activities (reducing coastal space) and effluent discharges from local bodies, industries and aquaculture farms had been reported by the media and this prompted it to undertake a detailed investigation.
What did the recent audit find?
The audit pointed out various categories of violations.
There were instances of the Expert Appraisal Committees —who evaluate the feasibility of an infrastructure project and its environmental consequences — not being present during project deliberations.
There were also instances of the members of the EAC being fewer than half of the total strength during the deliberations.
The SCZMA had not been reconstituted in Karnataka and there was delayed reconstitution in the States of Goa, Odisha and West Bengal.
The DLCs of Tamil Nadu lacked participation from local traditional communities. In Andhra Pradesh, DLCs were not even established.
There were instances of projects being approved despite inadequacies in the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) reports.
What problems did the CAG find in the States?
Lack of strategy: Tamil Nadu didn’t have a strategy in place to conserve the Gulf of Mannar Islands.
Lack of monitoring: In Goa, there was no system for monitoring coral reefs and no management plans to conserve turtle nesting sites.
No scientific oversight: In Gujarat, instruments procured to study the physiochemical parameters of soil and water of the inertial area of the Gulf of Kutch weren’t used.
Monitoring issues: Sea patrolling in Gahirmatha Sanctuary, in Kendrapara, Odisha did not happen.
No information in public domain: There was no website to disseminate the information related to the NCZMA, the CAG found, which is a clear violation of the mandated requirements of the Authority.
What lies ahead?
These reports are placed before the Standing Committees of Parliament, which select those findings and recommendations that they judge to be the most critical to public interest and arrange hearings on them.
In this case, the Environment Ministry is expected to explain omissions pointed out by the CAG and make amends.
Back2Basics: Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India
The CAG is the Constitutional Authority, established under Article 148 of the Constitution of India.
They are empowered to Audit all receipts and expenditure of the GoI and the State Governments, including those of autonomous bodies and corporations substantially financed by the Government.
The CAG is also the statutory auditor of Government-owned corporations.
It conducts supplementary audit of government companies in which the Government has an equity share of at least 51 per cent or subsidiary companies of existing government companies.
The reports of the CAG are laid before the Parliament/Legislatures and are being taken up for discussion by the Public Accounts Committees (PACs) and Committees on Public Undertakings (COPUs).
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: CARA
Mains level: Child Adoption
A report recently tabled on “Review of Guardianship and Adoption Laws” in Parliament has stated that- India despite a country with millions of orphans, there are only 2,430 children available for adoption.
What is the news?
There are many enthusiastic parents who are ready to adopt children.
To address this paradox, a Parliamentary panel has recommended district-level surveys to proactively identify orphaned and abandoned children.
According to the report, there were 27,939 prospective parents registered with the Child Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) as on December 2021, up from nearly 18,000 in 2017.
What is 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.
Adoption Process
The eligibility of prospective adoptive parents living in India, duly registered on the Child Adoption Resource Information and Guidance System (CARINGS), irrespective of marital status and religion, is Procedure for adoption adjudged by specialised adoption agencies preparing home study reports.
The specialized adoption agency then secures court orders approving the adoption.
All non-resident persons approach authorized adoption agencies in their foreign country of residence for registration under CARINGS.
Their eligibility is adjudged by authorised foreign adoption agencies through home study reports.
CARA then issues a pre-adoption ‘no objection’ certificate for foster care, followed by a court adoption order.
A final ‘no objection’ certificate from CARA or a conformity certificate under the adoption convention is mandatory for a passport and visa to leave India.
What else regulates child adoption?
The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 permits the adoption of same-sex children, allowing biological or adopted parents to adopt a child of the same gender.
A single or divorced person can adopt under the JJ Act, but a single male cannot adopt a girl child.
According the Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act, 1956 (HAMA), a Hindu parent or guardian can place a child for adoption with another Hindu parent under the Act.
A prospective parent can also adopt a male child if he has no other male children or grandchildren, or a female child if he has no other female children or grandchildren.
Issues with child adoption in India
Parent-centrism: The current adoption approach is very parent-centred, but parents must make it child-centred.
Age 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.
Institutional issues: Because the ratio of abandoned children to children in institutionalised care is lopsided, there are not enough children available for adoption.
Lineage discrimination: Most Indians have a distorted view of adoption because they want their genes, blood, and lineage to be passed down to their children.
Red-tapism: Child adoption is also not so easy task after the Juvenile Justice Rules of 2016 and the Adoption Regulations of 2017 were launched.
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Kakasaheb Gadgil
Mains level: Not Much
The Gadgil Wada of Pune was recently lighted into tricolour for the 75th anniversary of Independence.
Gadgil Wada was where plans for the reconstitution of the socialist Rashtra Seva Dal took place in early 1940s, with socialists like S.M. Joshi, N.G. Gore, Shirubhau Limaye and Kakasaheb in the lead.
Kakasaheb Gadgil
Gadgil was an Indian freedom fighter and politician from Maharashtra, India.
He was also a writer. He wrote in both Marathi and English.
Gadgil graduated from Fergusson College in Pune in 1918, and obtained a degree in Law in 1920.
In India’s pre-independence days, freedom fighters Lokmanya Tilak, Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Vallabhbhai Patel influenced Gadgil.
He joined the Indian National Congress in 1920, immediately after obtaining his law degree and started his active participation in the national freedom movement.
He suffered imprisonment from the ruling British government eight times for the participation.
Notable work during freedom struggle
In India’s pre-independence days, Gadgil served as the secretary of Poona District Congress Committee (1921–25), the president of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (1937–45).
He was elected to the central Legislative Assembly in 1934.
Gadgil was a pioneer in social reform movements in Maharashtra in the 1930s.
During the Civil Disobedience Movement, which began in 1930, Gadgil was listed as a leader for the Maharashtra Civil Disobedience Committee and the Pune War Council.
He was associated with several public associations and institutions, including Sarvajanik Sabha, Pune; Young Men’s Association, Pune; Maharashtra Youth League, Bombay; Pune Central Cooperative Bank; and Pune Municipality.
Service after India’s independence
Between 1947 and 1952 Gadgil served as a minister in the first central cabinet of independent India.
He held the portfolios of Public Works, and Mines and Power.
In his first year in the central Cabinet, he initiated the project of building a military-caliber road from Pathankot to Srinagar via Jammu in Kashmir as a part of India’s activities in the 1947 Indo-Pakistan War.
As a cabinet minister, he also initiated the important development projects pertaining to Bhakra, Koyna, and Hirakund dams.
He was a member of the Congress Working Committee from 1952 to 1955.
His son Vitthalrao Gadgil was a veteran congressman and MP from Pune Lok Sabha constituency, and his grandson Anant Gadgil is currently spokesman for Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee.
Authorship
Gadgil wrote several books and articles on politics, economics, law, and history.
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Maximum Residue Limit (MRL)
Mains level: Not Much
Amid reports that several samples of basmati rice contained the residue of certain pesticides above the maximum residue level (MRL), the Punjab government has decided to ban the use of 10 formulations.
Which are the chemicals banned?
The State government believed that the sale, stock distribution, and use of Acephate, Buprofezin, Chloropyriphos, Methamidophos, Propiconazole, Thiamethoxam, Profenofos, Isoprothiolane, Carbendazim, and Tricyclazole was not in the interest of basmati rice growers.
It is said that there is a risk of breaching the MRL fixed by the competent authority for basmati rice.
What is the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL)?
MRL is the highest level of pesticide residue that is legally tolerated in or on food or feed when pesticides are applied correctly in accordance with Good Agricultural Practice promulgated by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The MRL is usually determined by repeated (on the order of 10) field trials at an appropriate pre-harvest interval or withholding period has elapsed.
For many pesticides, this is set at the Limit of determination (LOD) – since only major pesticides have been evaluated and understanding of acceptable daily intake (ADI) is incomplete.
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Freedom fighters in news
Mains level: Not Much
In his Independence Day address to the nation the Prime Minister paid tributes to women freedom fighters for showing the world the true meaning of India’s “nari shakti”. A look at the women he named in his speech:
Rani Laxmibai
The queen of the princely state of Jhansi, Rani Laxmibai is known for her role in the First War of India’s Independence in 1857.
Born Manikarnika Tambe in 1835, she married the king of Jhansi.
The couple adopted a son before the king’s death, which the British East India Company refused to accept as the legal heir and decided to annex Jhansi.
Refusing to cede her territory, the queen decided to rule on behalf of the heir, and later joined the uprising against the British in 1857.
Cornered by the British, she escaped from Jhansi fort. She was wounded in combat near Gwalior’s Phool Bagh, where she later died.
Sir Hugh Rose, who was commanding the British army, is known to have described her as “personable, clever…and one of the most dangerous Indian leaders”.
Jhalkari Bai
A soldier in Rani Laxmibai’s women’s army, Durga Dal, she rose to become one of the queen’s most trusted advisers.
She is known for putting her own life at risk to keep the queen out of harm’s way.
Till date, the story of her valour is recalled by the people of Bundelkhand, and she is often presented as a representative of Bundeli identity.
According to Ministry of Culture’s Amrit Mahotsav website, “Many Dalit communities of the region look up to her as an incarnation of God and also celebrate Jhalkaribai Jayanti every year in her honour.”
Durga Bhabhi
Durgawati Devi, who was popularly known as Durga Bhabhi, was a revolutionary who joined the armed struggle against colonial rule.
A member of the Naujawan Bharat Sabha, she helped Bhagat Singh escape in disguise from Lahore after the 1928 killing of British police officer John P Saunders.
During the train journey that followed, Durgawati and Bhagat Singh posed as a couple, and Rajguru as their servant.
Later, as revenge for the hanging of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev, she made an unsuccessful attempt to kill the former Punjab Governor, Lord Hailey.
Born in Allahabad in 1907 and married to Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA) member Bhagwati Charan Vohra, Durgawati, along with other revolutionaries, also ran a bomb factory in Delhi.
Rani Gaidinliu
Born in 1915 in present-day Manipur, Rani Gaidinliu was a Naga spiritual and political leader who fought the British.
She joined the Heraka religious movement which later became a movement to drive out the British. She rebelled against the Empire, and refused to pay taxes, asking people to do the same.
The British launched a manhunt, but she evaded arrest, moving from village to village.
Gaidinliu was finally arrested in 1932 when she was just 16, and later sentenced for life. She was released in 1947.
Then PM Nehru described Gaidinliu as the “daughter of the hills”, and gave her the title of ‘Rani’ for her courage.
Rani Chennamma
The queen of Kittur, Rani Chennamma, was among the first rulers to lead an armed rebellion against British rule.
Kittur was a princely state in present-day Karnataka.
She fought back against the attempt to control her dominion in 1824 after the death of her young son. She had lost her husband, Raja Mallasarja, in 1816.
She is seen among the few rulers of the time who understood the colonial designs of the British.
Rani Chennamma defeated the British in her first revolt, but was captured and imprisoned during the second assault by the East India Company.
Begum Hazrat Mahal
After her husband, Nawab of Awadh Wajid Ali Shah, was exiled after the 1857 revolt, Begum Hazrat Mahal, along with her supporters, took on the British and wrested control of Lucknow.
She was forced into a retreat after the colonial rulers recaptured the area.
Velu Nachiyar
Many years before the revolt of 1857, Velu Nachiyar waged a war against the British and emerged victorious. Born in Ramanathapuram in 1780, she was married to the king of Sivagangai.
After her husband was killed in battle with the East India Company, she entered the conflict, and won with support of neighbouring kings.
She went on to produce the first human bomb as well as establish the first army of trained women soldiers in the late 1700s.
Her army commander Kuyili is believed to have set herself ablaze and walked into a British ammunition dump.
She was succeeded by her daughter in 1790, and died a few years later in 1796.
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: PIN code
Mains level: Not Much
The 75th Independence Day coincides with another milestone in the country’s history — it was on August 15, 1972, that the Postal Index Number (PIN) was introduced in India.
As the PIN code turns 50 on Monday, we look at its history and evolution.
Why was the PIN code introduced?
According to the Department of Posts, there were 23,344 post offices, primarily in urban areas, in India at the time of Independence.
But, the country was growing rapidly and the postal network had to keep pace.
The PIN code was meant to ease the process of mail sorting and delivery in a country where different places, often, have the same or similar names, and letters are written in a wide variety of languages.
How does the PIN code work?
The PIN is made up of six digits.
The first number indicates the postal region — Northern, Eastern, Western, Southern; and number 9, which signifies the Army Postal Service.
The second number denotes a sub-region, and the third represents the sorting district.
The remaining numbers narrow the geography further to the specific post office making the delivery.
Who was the person behind the initiative?
The person behind the initiative was Shriram Bhikaji Velankar, additional secretary in the Union Ministry of Communications and a senior member of the Posts and Telegraphs Board.
Velankar was also a Sanskrit poet of eminence who had been conferred the President’s Award for Sanskrit in 1996, three years before he died in Mumbai.
He had set up a cultural group in Mumbai, called the Dev Vani Mandiram, which worked to create awareness about Sanskrit in India and foreign countries.
Velankar was also the chairman of the World Philatelic Exhibition, called Indipex, which was held in New Delhi in 1973 and featured 120 countries.
He retired from his government service on December 31, 1973.
What are some parallel systems followed world over?
Globally, in the US, the Zone Improvement Plan (ZIP) code was introduced July 1, 1963, under the aegis of the Postal Service Nationwide Improved Mail Service plan to improve the speed of mail delivery.
Under the old system letters went through about 17 sorting stops – the new system was going to be considerably less time-consuming utilizing newer, more mechanical systems.
Is the PIN code still relevant?
With the spread of the Internet, when people are sending fewer letters, it is easy to question the relevance of the PIN code.
But try to order food delivery or a parcel over online shopping and the importance of Velankar’s work in India will become evident.
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