Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Mains level: Issues and significance of delimitation;
Why in the News?
The delay in the 2021 Census and the upcoming Delimitation (2026), could widen representation gaps at all three layers of governance.
- Most states in India (Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu) are formed based on language, and many have roots in ethnic or linguistic regions which is also becoming one of the major causes of layered discrimination.
What is Layered Discrimination?
Layered discrimination refers to the compounded and interconnected forms of discrimination that individuals or groups face due to multiple, overlapping identities, such as gender, race, class, or ethnicity. |
What are the present causes behind the layered discrimination in India?
- Central Governance: Since 1947, the population share of languages like Bengali, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, and Telugu has dropped, while the proportion of Hindi speakers has risen significantly from 36% to nearly 43%.
- This means that the regions with Linguistic and cultural dominance will gain more influence in the Parliament, while those that have controlled their population will have less say and will mainly contribute revenue.
- This will also deepen the structural disparities between the different states affecting our federal structure.
- State Governance: With longstanding differences wrt ‘Total Fertility Rates’ among different states (like Bihar vs. Kerala), lead to issues regarding resource allocation and policy formation remain unsettled.
- For example, the decision of the 16th Finance Commission to include the 2011 Census instead of the 1971 Census to devolve funds to States will be even more discriminatory to developed States.
- It reflects the continuation of the existing bias against the non-Hindi States.
What are the implications of layered discrimination on policy and legal frameworks?
- Policy Impact: When policies, such as Delimitation, unintentionally favor certain regions or communities over others, it can reinforce inequalities.
- In this case, non-Hindi-speaking states that have successfully controlled their populations and contribute a significant share of national revenue may face decreased representation in the Lok Sabha, reducing their influence on Union policy.
- Legal Framework Impact: Layered discrimination underscores the need for legal frameworks that recognize regional disparities and protect equitable representation.
- Legal principles such as “No taxation without representation” suggest the necessity for reforms that balance contribution with influence, ensuring that states contributing more to the GDP and population control policies do not lose their political voice.
Significant Potential of Delimitation in this Scenario:
- Redistribution of Political Power: Delimitation could reshape the political landscape by adjusting Lok Sabha seat allocations based on population, potentially giving more representation to populous regions.
- Incentivizing Population Control: By rewarding states with controlled population growth, delimitation could encourage better family planning policies and demographic balance.
- Enhancing Representation: A fair delimitation process could lead to more accurate representation of the population, aligning political influence with current demographic realities.
|
Way forward:
- Need to work on Intersectionality: The Intersectionality Framework in policy implementation reveals that individuals and groups experience discrimination based on multiple, overlapping identities such as gender, race, class, language, and region rather than a single factor.
- It shows how various systems of power (like patriarchy, racism, and economic inequality) intersect and create unique challenges.
- This approach helps us to understand how certain groups face compounded disadvantages due to intersecting social structures.
- Balancing Delimitation and Decentralization: Implement delimitation reforms with careful consideration of regional contributions, ensuring equitable representation for both populous and less-populous states.
PYQ:
Mains:
Q Examine the need for electoral reforms as suggested by various committees with particular reference to “one nation-one election” principle. (2024)
Q What changes has the Union Government recently introduced in the domain of Centre-State relations? Suggest measures to be adopted to build trust between the Centre and the States and for strengthening federalism. (2024) |
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 :
Mains level: Issues related to criminal accusations;
Why in the News?
On November 13, 2024, the Supreme Court criticized states for using bulldozers to demolish homes of accused individuals, condemning it as a display of “might is right” that leaves families destitute.
What guidelines has the Supreme Court laid down to regulate future demolition actions?
- 15-Day Notice Requirement: The authorities must issue a prior notice of at least 15 days to the occupants of a property before demolition.
- The notice must include details of the unauthorized construction, violations, and grounds for demolition, providing the affected party an opportunity to challenge the action.
- Fair Opportunity to Contest: Occupants must be given a fair chance to contest the demolition before the designated authority. The authority must provide reasoned conclusions in its final order, ensuring transparency and accountability in the decision-making process.
- Videography of Demolitions: All demolitions must be videographed to ensure that the process is carried out lawfully and without excessive force. This acts as a safeguard against abuse of power.
- Penalty for Non-Compliance: Public officials who fail to comply with these guidelines will face contempt action and prosecution, with personal liability for restitution of demolished property.
- Exceptions: The guidelines do not apply in cases of encroachment on public property or where demolition is ordered by a court, ensuring that the ruling does not interfere with lawful orders.
What are the implications of the Supreme Court’s ruling on demolitions linked to criminal accusations?
- Protection of Fundamental Rights: The ruling safeguards individuals’ fundamental rights, particularly the right to life and property under Article 21 of the Constitution.
- The Court emphasized that an accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty and that demolishing a property without due process violates the constitutional guarantee of fair treatment.
- Accountability of Public Officials: The ruling holds public officials accountable for actions that undermine justice and fairness. Violations of the prescribed guidelines will result in contempt charges and personal liability for restitution, reinforcing the responsibility of the state to adhere to the rule of law.
- Prevention of Arbitrary Executive Action: By limiting the state’s power to demolish properties, the Court has curtailed arbitrary executive actions that could be seen as collective punishment. The executive must now act within the bounds of natural justice and due process.
How the Ruling Addresses Concerns About Selective Targeting and Discrimination in Demolitions?
- Addressing Communal Bias: The Court acknowledged concerns that demolitions were being carried out with a communal bias. By invoking Article 142 to issue binding directives, the Court seeks to curb discriminatory practices, ensuring that no group or individual is targeted based on religious, social, or other factors.
- Prevention of Selective Targeting: The Court emphasized that demolitions should not be selective or targeted. It pointed out that if one structure is chosen for demolition while similar structures remain untouched, it could indicate mala fide intent.
Way forward:
- Strengthen Oversight Mechanisms: Establish independent bodies to monitor demolition actions and ensure compliance with the Supreme Court’s guidelines, preventing misuse of power and ensuring transparency in the process.
- Ensure Comprehensive Legal Reforms: Advocate for legislative changes that reinforce the principles of due process, protecting individuals from arbitrary state actions and ensuring fair treatment for all, particularly marginalized communities.
Mains PYQ:
Q Examine the scope of Fundamental Rights in the light of the latest judgement of the Supreme Court on Right to Privacy. (UPSC IAS/2017)
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 :
Mains level: Significance of PMUY;
Why in the News?
The International Energy Agency reports that 681 million people in India rely on solid fuels for cooking, causing health and environmental concerns. The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) provides subsidized LPG connections to promote clean fuel adoption in Jammu and Kashmir.
What is Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY)?
- The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) is a government scheme aimed at providing subsidized LPG connections to poor households, promoting clean cooking fuel, improving health, and reducing dependence on solid fuels.
What specific benefits has the PMUY provided to households in Jammu and Kashmir?
- Increased LPG Adoption: The PMUY scheme has significantly increased the availability of LPG in rural areas of Jammu and Kashmir.
- Around 85.07% of households in rural areas now have official LPG connections, with 68% of them having obtained these connections through PMUY.
- Health Benefits: PMUY adoption has led to a marked reduction in respiratory problems, such as coughing, chest infections, and headaches, particularly among BPL and AAY households.
- Health improvements were more prominent in households with additional appliances like rice cookers and those with educated members.
- Reduction in Solid Fuel Usage: Although not completely eliminating the use of traditional fuels, the scheme has led to moderate reductions in the reliance on solid fuels like firewood. The average consumption of firewood per household was 226 kilograms over six months.
- Cultural and Health Improvements: For households that adopted LPG under PMUY, there was a noticeable reduction in indoor smoke exposure, leading to better health outcomes, especially for women who were primarily responsible for cooking.
How has the implementation of PMUY addressed local challenges related to fuel availability and usage?
- Enhanced Fuel Access: PMUY has addressed the issue of limited access to clean cooking fuel in rural areas by providing subsidized LPG connections. This has significantly reduced the reliance on harmful solid fuels, such as firewood, in many areas, particularly those with difficult topography like Rajouri.
- Dual-Fuel Usage and Financial Barriers: Despite increased LPG adoption, 85% of households still practice fuel stacking, using both LPG and traditional fuels. This is largely due to the high cost of refilling LPG cylinders. The scheme has not entirely solved financial barriers, which continue to force households to rely on cheaper, polluting fuels.
- Awareness and Education Gaps: One of the key challenges to exclusive LPG use is the lack of awareness about its health benefits. Nearly half of the surveyed households were unaware of the risks associated with solid fuel use. This barrier has been compounded by limited access to communication devices, such as televisions and mobile phones, particularly for women who are the primary cooks.
- Cultural Attachment to Traditional Cooking Methods: Despite the availability of LPG, traditional cooking methods (e.g., chulhas) continue to persist in the region due to cultural attachment. This presents a challenge in transitioning entirely to clean cooking fuels.
- However, the study found that households with educated members and modern appliances like rice cookers were more likely to use LPG exclusively.
Way forward:
- Targeted Awareness Campaigns: Launch region-specific awareness programs, particularly for women, highlighting the health benefits of LPG and addressing misconceptions, while utilizing mobile and community outreach for wider reach.
- Financial Support for LPG Refills: Introduce subsidies or microfinance schemes to ease the financial burden of LPG refills, encouraging exclusive use of clean fuels and reducing reliance on harmful solid fuels.
Mains PYQ:
Q Access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy is the sine qua non to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”.Comment on the progress made in India in this regard. (UPSC IAS/2018)
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: Article 6.4, ITMOs
Why in the News?
- At the COP29 climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, the adoption of Article 6.4 of the Paris Agreement has paved the way for global carbon trading under UN supervision.
- This new development allows UN member countries to trade carbon credits globally.
What is Article 6.4?
- Article 6.4 of the Paris Agreement establishes a global carbon market to facilitate carbon credit trading between countries.
- It is part of Article 6, which outlines mechanisms for international cooperation in achieving net-zero emissions.
- Objective: Enable countries to offset their emissions by investing in emission reduction projects in other countries.
- It establishes a global carbon market overseen by a UNFCCC Supervisory Body.
- This body would develop rules, monitors credit issuance, and ensures compliance with international standards.
- It allows countries to generate and trade Emission Reduction Credits (ERCs), which represent reductions in CO₂ or equivalent greenhouse gases.
- Credits are earned from approved climate projects and can be traded globally.
- Through subsections like Article 6.2, countries can use ITMOs (Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes) to meet their NDCs, which are tradeable units representing emissions reductions.
|
Significance of Article 6.4
- Cost-Effective Climate Action: By enabling global carbon markets, Article 6.4 could save an estimated $250 billion annually in implementing climate plans, providing a cost-efficient path to emission reductions.
- Support for NDCs: The mechanism helps countries meet their NDC targets under the Paris Agreement, allowing more flexibility and incentivizing investments in green projects worldwide.
- Economic Growth and Climate Mitigation: Carbon markets foster investments in clean energy, create jobs in climate-focused sectors, and link economic growth with climate action.
- Encourages Sustainable Development: Article 6.4 incentivizes sustainable projects in developing countries, promoting green technology transfer and supporting local economies.
Types of Carbon Credit Projects under Article 6.4
- Emission Reduction Projects
-
- Energy Efficiency Improvements: Reducing energy consumption (e.g., efficient lighting, better insulation).
- Renewable Energy: Replacing fossil fuels with solar, wind, or hydroelectric power.
- Emission Removal Projects
-
- Reforestation and Afforestation: Increasing forest cover to absorb CO₂.
- Soil Carbon Sequestration: Storing carbon in soil through agricultural practices.
-
- Geological Storage: Storing CO₂ in deep underground formations.
- Biochar Production: Locking carbon in biochar, enhancing soil fertility.
- Technological Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)
-
- Direct Air Capture: Capturing CO₂ from the air and storing it underground or using it industrially.
- Ocean-Based Solutions: Enhancing ocean CO₂ absorption, such as through algae cultivation.
Issues with Article 6.4
- Carbon Offsetting Criticisms: Critics argue that offsetting doesn’t reduce global emissions but shifts responsibility, allowing countries to continue emitting while claiming neutrality.
- Carbon Accounting Challenges: Unreliable carbon accounting can lead to “phantom credits,” where emissions reductions are overstated or inaccurately recorded, failing to match actual reductions.
- Greenwashing Risks: Some countries and companies may use carbon credits as a form of greenwashing, claiming carbon neutrality while continuing to pollute.
- Equity and Climate Justice Concerns: Developing nations, which contribute less to global emissions, are the most vulnerable to climate impacts.
- Potential for Reversal Risks: Projects that store carbon in natural reservoirs risk releasing it back into the atmosphere. Some standards allow projects to end monitoring if reversal risk is considered “negligible,” which remains undefined and problematic.
|
PYQ:
[2011] Regarding “carbon credits”, which one of the following statements is not correct?
(a) The carbon credit system was ratified in conjunction with the Kyoto Protocol.
(b) Carbon credits are awarded to countries or groups that have reduced greenhouse gases below their emission quota.
(c) The goal of the carbon credit system is to limit the increase of carbon dioxide emission.
(d) Carbon credits are traded at a price fixed from time to time by the United Nations Environment Programme. |
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: Indian Ocean Dialogue (IOD)
Why in the News?
India and the US are set to hold the first US-India Indian Ocean Dialogue on November 14 strengthening cooperation over the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
About the Indian Ocean Dialogue:
- The Indian Ocean Dialogue (IOD) was established during the 13th Council of Ministers’ meeting in November 2013 in Perth, Australia, and is a flagship initiative of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA).
- It functions as a Track 1.5 discussion, combining officials and non-officials for a more inclusive dialogue, with the latest (9th edition) held in May 2023 at Zanzibar, Tanzania.
- Key areas discussed in 2024 Edition:
-
- Strengthening Maritime Security: Enhances coordination on maritime freedom and security, crucial for trade routes and energy supply.
- Economic and Environmental Cooperation: Supports trade, blue economy, and addresses climate change impacts on the region.
|
Significance in India-U.S. Relations
- Indo-Pacific Partnership: Reinforces Quad cooperation and aligns both nations’ strategic interests.
- Power Balance in the Region: Counters influence from other powers, fostering an open Indo-Pacific.
- Defense and Technology Collaboration: Expands ties in emerging tech and defense, enhancing India’s security role.
- Disaster Preparedness: Builds climate resilience and sustainable resource management efforts.
PYQ:
[2017] Consider the following in respect of Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS):
1. Inaugural IONS was held in India in 2015 under the chairmanship of the Indian Navy.
2. IONS is a voluntary initiative that seeks to increase maritime co-operation among navies of the littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2 |
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: African Elephants
Why in the News?
Savanna elephants have experienced a significant population decline of around 70% across surveyed sites, primarily due to poaching and habitat loss.
Decline in African Elephants Population
- Researchers conducted a comprehensive assessment of these species using data from 475 sites in 37 countries between 1964 and 2016.
- Savanna Elephants: Populations declined by about 70% on average at surveyed sites.
- Forest Elephants: Populations fell by about 90% on average at surveyed sites.
- The total population of African elephants decreased by 77% on average at surveyed sites.
|
Features of African Elephants:
- African elephants are the largest land animals on Earth, known for their size, intelligence, and complex social structures.
- They are divided into savanna (bush) elephants (larger, with bigger tusks and open grassland habitat) and forest elephants (smaller, with straighter tusks and dense forest habitats).
- Highly intelligent, African elephants display memory, empathy, and intricate social bonds within herds.
- Conservation status:
-
- CITES: Appendix I
- IUCN: Savanna Elephants (Endangered); Forest Elephants (Critically Endangered)
Geographical Spread
- Savanna Elephants: Primarily in eastern and southern Africa, notably in Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Tanzania.
- Forest Elephants: Mainly in central and western Africa, including Gabon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and parts of Cameroon.
PYQ:
[2020] With reference to Indian elephants, consider the following statements:
1. The leader of an elephant group is a female.
2. The maximum gestation period can be 22 months.
3. An elephant can normally go on calving till the age of 40 years only.
4. Among the States in India, the highest elephant population is in Kerala.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 4 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 1, 3 and 4 only |
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: Artificial Reef
Why in the News?
20,000 pompano fingerlings were released into the sea off Vizhinjam as part of an artificial reef project aimed at replenishing marine fishery resources and promoting sustainable fishing.
About the Artificial Reef Project in Kerala:
|
Details |
| Location |
• Covers 42 fishing villages in Thiruvananthapuram district, from Pozhiyoor to Varkala. |
| Aims and Objectives |
• Enhance fish resources along Kerala’s coast.
• Support sustainable fishing and improve fishing community livelihoods. |
| Structural Mandate and Implementation |
Funding:
• ₹13.02 crore project cost under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY).
• ₹302 crore allocated for sustainable fisheries in Kerala.
Implementation:
• Implemented by KSCADC (Kerala State Coastal Area Development Corporation).
• Technical support from CMFRI (Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute).
Future Expansion Plans:
• Phase II: Proposed to cover 96 villages in Kollam, Alappuzha, Ernakulam, and Thrissur districts (₹29.76 crore).
• Phase III: Proposed to cover 96 villages in northern districts (₹25.82 crore). |
| Significance |
• Boosts marine biodiversity.
• Increases fish stocks and supports breeding environments.
• Promotes sustainable fishing practices.
• Enhances livelihoods of local communities. |
Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024
Attend Now