Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Podu, Rythu Bandhu
Mains level: Shifting Cultivation prevalent in India
Activists have taken up the issue of Podu cultivation of adivasis and tribals in forest areas in Telangana.
What one means by Podu?
- Podu is a traditional system of cultivation used by tribes in India, whereby different areas of jungle forest are cleared by burning each year to provide land for crops.
- It is a form of shifting agriculture using slash-and-burn methods. The word comes from the Telugu language.
- Traditionally used on the hill-slopes of Andhra Pradesh, it is similar to the jhum method found in north-east India and the bewar system of Madhya Pradesh.
What is the ‘Podu’ Land Issue?
- The Telangana government had decided in 2021 to move landless, non-tribal farmers engaged in shifting cultivation inside forests to peripheral areas in an effort to combat deforestation.
- It ensured that all steps would be taken to ensure that forest land was not encroached upon.
- It is observed that podu progressively degrades large areas of the forest.
Shifting cultivation in India
- In this type of agriculture, first of all a piece of forest land is cleared by felling trees and burning of trunks and branches.
- After the land is cleared, crops are grown for two to three years and then the land is abandoned as the fertility of the soil decreases.
- The farmers then move to new areas and the process is repeated.
- Dry paddy, maize, millets and vegetables are the crops commonly grown in this type of farming.
This practice is known by different names in different regions of India:
1. Jhum in Assam,
2. Ponam in Kerala,
3. Podu in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha and
4. Bewar masha penda and Bera in various parts of Madhya Pradesh. |
What TS has to offer as alternative to Podu?
- To stop this deforestation, the government wants to move out cultivators from deep inside forests to the periphery by allotting them land for cultivation.
- Tribal farmers who have been traditionally cultivating for decades would not be affected by this drive against illegal encroachers.
- The land ownership titles have been given to tribals and more than 3 lakh acres have been allocated to tribal farmers state-wide.
And what about non-tribal farmers?
- These farmers can apply to the state government to allocate them land outside the forests.
- Those who are moved out of the forests would be given land ownership certificates, power and water supplies and Rythu Bandhu benefits.
Back2Basics: Rythu Bandhu
- Rythu Bandhu is a scheme under which the state government extends financial support to land-owning farmers at the beginning of the crop season through direct benefit transfer.
- The scheme aims to take care of the initial investment needs and do not fall into a debt trap.
- This in turn instills confidence in farmers, enhances productivity and income, and breaks the cycle of rural indebtedness.
DBT under the Scheme
- Each farmer gets Rs 5,000 per acre per crop season without any ceiling on the number of acres held.
- So, a farmer who owns two acres of land would receive Rs 20,000 a year, whereas a farmer who owns 10 acres would receive Rs 1 lakh a year from the government.
- The grant helps them cover the expenses on input requirements such as seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, and labor.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Incheon commitment
Mains level: Paper 2- Political inclusion of persons with disability
Context
The Department of Empowerment of Person with Disabilities (DoEPwD) recently released the draft of the national policy for persons with disabilities.
Why new policy?
- Signing of UN convention: The necessity for a new policy which replaces the 2006 policy was felt because of multiple factors such as India’s signing of the United Nations Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
- Increased number of disabilities: Enactment of Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016, which increased the number of disabilities from seven conditions to 21 necessitated the change.
- Incheon Strategy: Being a party to the Incheon Strategy for Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities, 2013-2022 (“Incheon commitment”).
- Changed discourse from medical model to human right: These commitments have changed the discourse around disability by shifting the focus from the individual to society, i.e., from a medical model of disability to a social or human rights model of disability.
- The principle of the draft policy is to showcase the Government’s commitment to the inclusion and empowerment of persons with disabilities by providing a mechanism that ensures their full participation in society.
Absence of commitment to political uplift
- Article 29 of the Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities mandates that state parties should “ensure that persons with disabilities can effectively and fully participate in political and public life on an equal basis with others, directly or through freely chosen representatives….”
- The Incheon goals also promote participation in political processes and in decision making.
- The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 embodies these principles within its fold.
- India does not have any policy commitment that is aimed at enhancing the political participation of disabled people.
- The exclusion of disabled people from the political space happens at all levels of the political process in the country, and in different ways.
- Section 11 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act prescribes that “The Election Commission of India and the State Election Commissions shall ensure that all polling stations are accessible to persons with disabilities and all materials related to the electoral process are easily understandable by and accessible to them”.
- Although this mandate has been in existence for a few years, the disabled people still report accessibility issues before and on election day.
- There is often a lack of accessible polling booths in many locations.
- Lack of aggregate data: The lack of live aggregate data on the exact number of the disabled people in every constituency only furthers their marginalisation.
Lack of representation
- Representation plays an imperative role in furthering the interests of the marginalised community.
- Disabled people are not represented enough at all three levels of governance.
- However, few States have begun the initiative at local levels to increase participation.
- For instance, Chhattisgarh started the initiative of nominating at least one disabled person in each panchayat.
- If a disabled person is not elected then they are nominated as a panchayat member as per changes in the law concerned.
- This is a step that has increased the participation of the disabled in the political space at local level.
- The goal of the policy document — of inclusiveness and empowerment — cannot be achieved without political inclusion.
Suggestions: Follow four pronged approach
- The policy can follow a four-pronged approach:
- 1] Capacity building: Building the capacity of disabled people’s organisations and ‘empowering their members through training in the electoral system, government structure, and basic organisational and advocacy skills’;
- 2] Legal and regulatory framework: The creation, amendment or removal of legal and regulatory frameworks by lawmakers and election bodies to encourage the political participation of the disabled;
- 3] Participation of civil society: Inclusion of civil societies to ‘conduct domestic election observation or voter education campaigns’;
- 4] Framework for outreach by political parties: A framework for political parties to ‘conduct a meaningful outreach to persons with disabilities when creating election campaign strategies and developing policy positions’.
Conclusion
The document lays emphasis on the point that central and State governments must work together with other stakeholders to “make the right real”. This right can be made real only when it includes political rights/political participation within it.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Not much
Mains level: Paper 2- Language in legislature
Context
Language not only changes across region but also profession. Similarly, Parliament, too, has its own list of absurd and archaic phrases.
Debate over expunged words
- Today there is much debate on language again after the Lok Sabha Secretariat compiled a list of 151 words, which have been expunged in 2021 and 2020 in Parliaments across the Commonwealth countries and State Assemblies in India.
- Many of these words may look harmless, but in a heated exchange between parliamentarians, they may not exactly be virtuous.
- The current compilation has especially caused consternation among Opposition parties which see this as an attempt to restrict their vocabulary.
- The government argues that this list is at best only “instructive” and not “definitive”.
- The preface of the document states that the context in which these words were used is far more important than the words themselves.
- Ultimately, the final call of whether a word is “unparliamentary” or not lies with the presiding officer of the House.
- In the first two decades of the Indian Parliament, English was the primary language used for parliamentary work.
- This changed as the social composition of Parliament changed from the 1970s onwards.
- At present, as many as 30 languages are used by parliamentarians during speeches, with many insisting on speaking their mother tongue during crucial debates.
- Perhaps, the next such compilation will also have words expunged from different regional languages.
Challenges in digital age
- The proceedings of both Houses of Parliament are relayed in real time on TV channels and YouTube.
- There have been instances where live transmission has been halted on the Chair’s orders.
- To circumvent this, many members have recorded the proceedings on their mobile phone cameras.
- There are many instances of the Chair intervening and expunging words or phrases that it finds “objectionable”.
- Herein lies the problem. The order of the Chair is often relayed by late evening to reporters, but by then, the video clip would have already been circulated many times over.
- Print reporters are careful and abide by the orders, but in a digital ecosystem, this is not easy.
Conclusion
The problems posed to the Parliament in terms of language and words should be dealt with keeping in focus the freedom of speech of the members.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Fundamental Duties
Mains level: Read the attached story
The Supreme Court has allowed the Centre’s request for two months’ time to file a reply to a petition seeking the enforcement of fundamental duties of citizens, including patriotism and unity of nation, through “comprehensive, and well-defined laws”.
Why in news?
- The need to enforce fundamental duties arises due to new illegal trend of protest by protesters in the garb of freedom of speech and expression.
- Vandalism, blocking of road and rail routes in order to compel the government to meet their demands is a sheer violation of the FDs which are generally not enforceable.
What are Fundamental Duties?
- The fundamental duties of citizens were added to the constitution by the 42nd Amendment in 1976, upon the recommendations of the Swaran Singh Committee.
- It basically imply the moral obligations of all citizens of a country and today, there are 11 fundamental duties in India, which are written in Part IV-A of the Constitution, to promote patriotism and strengthen the unity of India.
- The FDs obligate all citizens to respect the national symbols of India, including the constitution, to cherish its heritage, preserve its composite culture and assist in its defence.
- They also obligate all Indians to promote the spirit of common brotherhood, protect the environment and public property, develop scientific temper, abjure violence, and strive towards excellence in all spheres of life.
Judicial interpretation of FDs
- The Supreme Court has held that FDs are not enforceable in any Court of Law.
- It ruled that these fundamental duties can also help the court to decide the constitutionality of a law passed by the legislature.
- There is a reference to such duties in international instruments such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and Article 51A brings the Indian constitution into conformity with these treaties.
Total FDs
- Originally ten in number, the fundamental duties were increased to eleven by the 86th Amendment in 2002.
The 10 fundamental duties are as follows:
- To oblige with the Indian Constitution and respect the National Anthem and Flag
- To cherish and follow the noble ideas that inspired the national struggle for freedom
- To protect the integrity, sovereignty, and unity of India
- To defend the country and perform national services if and when the country requires
- To promote the spirit of harmony and brotherhood amongst all the people of India and renounce any practices that are derogatory to women
- To cherish and preserve the rich national heritage of our composite culture
- To protect and improve the natural environment including lakes, wildlife, rivers, forests, etc.
- To develop scientific temper, humanism, and spirit of inquiry
- To safeguard all public property
- To strive towards excellence in all genres of individual and collective activities
The 11th fundamental duty which was added to this list is:
- To provide opportunities for education to children between 6-14 years of age, and duty as parents to ensure that such opportunities are being awarded to their child. (86th Amendment, 2002)
Try this PYQ:
Which of the following is/are among the Fundamental Duties of citizens laid down in the Indian Constitution?
- To preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture
- To protect the weaker sections from social injustice
- To develop the scientific temper and spirit of inquiry
- To strive towards excellence in all spheres of individual and collective activity.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) Only 2
(c) 1, 3 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Post your answers here.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: PMFBY, Beed Model of Crop Insurance
Mains level: Crop insurance
Andhra Pradesh has decided to rejoin the crop insurance scheme Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) from the ongoing kharif season.
Why in news?
- Andhra Pradesh was one of six states that have stopped the implementation of the scheme over the last four years.
- The other five, which remain out, are Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Telangana.
What is PMFBY?
- The PMFBY was launched in February 2016. It is being administered by Ministry of Agriculture.
- It provides a comprehensive insurance cover against failure of the crop thus helping in stabilising the income of the farmers.
- It is implemented by general insurance companies.
Its functioning
- PMFBY insures farmers against all non-preventable natural risks from pre-sowing to post-harvest.
- Farmers have to pay a maximum of 2 per cent of the total premium of the insured amount for kharif crops, 1.5 per cent for rabi food crops and oilseeds as well as 5 per cent for commercial / horticultural crops.
- The balance premium is shared by the Union and state governments on a 50:50 basis and on a 90:10 basis in the case of northeastern states.
Farmers covered
- All farmers growing notified crops in a notified area during the season who have insurable interest in the crop are eligible.
- Earlier to Kharif 2020, the enrolment under the scheme was compulsory for following categories of farmers:
- Farmers in the notified area who possess a Crop Loan account/KCC account (called as Loanee Farmers) to whom credit limit is sanctioned/renewed for the notified crop during the crop season. and
- Such other farmers whom the Government may decide to include from time to time.
Risks covered under the scheme
- Comprehensive risk insurance is provided to cover yield losses due to non-preventable risks, such as Natural Fire and Lightning, Storm, Hailstorm, Cyclone, Typhoon, Tempest, Hurricane, Tornado.
- Risks due to Flood, Inundation and Landslide, Drought, Dry spells, Pests/ Diseases also will be covered.
- Post-harvest losses coverage will be available up to a maximum period of 14 days from harvesting for those crops which are kept in “cut & spread” condition to dry in the field.
- For certain localized problems such as loss/damage resulting from the occurrence of identified localized risks like hailstorm, landslide, and Inundation affecting isolated farms in the notified area would also be covered.
Why many states has opted out?
The opting-out states had mentioned several reasons:
- The scheme should be voluntary.
- States should be given options to choose the risks covered and the scheme should be universal.
- State should be given option to use their own database of E-crop, an application used by the state government to collect information about crops.
- Many state government wanted zero premium for farmers (meaning the entire premium should be paid by the government.
- The non-payment of the State Share of premium subsidy within the prescribed timelines as defined in the seasonality discipline lea to the disqualification of the State Government.
- The reason for West Bengal not implementing the PMFBY is purely “political” as it wants to implement the scheme without mentioning Pradhan Mantri in the name.
How was the scheme structured, and what has changed since?
- Initially, the scheme was compulsory for loanee farmers; in February 2020, the Centre revised it to make it optional for all farmers.
- Now states and UTs are free to extend additional subsidy over and above the normal subsidy from their budgets.
- In February 2020, the Centre decided to restrict its premium subsidy to 30% for unirrigated areas and 25% for irrigated areas (from the existing unlimited). Earlier, there was no upper limit.
- Food crops (cereals, millets and pulses); oilseeds; and annual commercial / annual horticultural crops are broadly covered under the scheme.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: CAD
Mains level: Not Much
The Finance Ministry has asserted that the current account deficit (CAD) could, however, deteriorate this year mainly due to rising trade deficits.
What is Current Account Deficit (CAD)?
- A current account is a key component of balance of payments, which is the account of transactions or exchanges made between entities in a country and the rest of the world.
- This includes a nation’s net trade in products and services, its net earnings on cross border investments including interest and dividends, and its net transfer payments such as remittances and foreign aid.
- A CAD arises when the value of goods and services imported exceeds the value of exports, while the trade balance refers to the net balance of export and import of goods or merchandise trade.
Components of Current Account
Current Account Deficit (CAD) = Trade Deficit + Net Income + Net Transfers
(1) Trade Deficit
- Trade Deficit = Imports – Exports
- A Country is said to have a trade deficit when it imports more goods and services than it exports.
- Trade deficit is an economic measure of a negative balance of trade in which a country’s imports exceeds its exports.
- A trade deficit represents an outflow of domestic currency to foreign markets.
(2) Net Income
- Net Income = Income Earned by MNCs from their investments in India.
- When foreign investment income exceeds the savings of the country’s residents, then the country has net income deficit.
- This foreign investment can help a country’s economy grow. But if foreign investors worry they won’t get a return in a reasonable amount of time, they will cut off funding.
- Net income is measured by the following things:
- Payments made to foreigners in the form of dividends of domestic stocks.
- Interest payments on bonds.
- Wages paid to foreigners working in the country.
(3) Net Transfers
- In Net Transfers, foreign residents send back money to their home countries. It also includes government grants to foreigners.
- It Includes Remittances, Gifts, Donation etc
How Current Account Transaction does takes place?
- While understanding the Current Account Deficit in detail, it is important to understand what the current account transactions are.
- Current account transactions are transactions that require foreign currency.
- Following transactions with from which component these transactions belong to :
- Component 1 : Payments connection with Foreign trade – Import & Export
- Component 2 : Interest on loans to other countries and Net income from investments in other countries
- Component 3 : Remittances for living expenses of parents, spouse and children residing abroad, and Expenses in connection with Foreign travel, Education and Medical care of parents, spouse and children
What has been the recent trend?
- In Q4 FY 2021-22, CAD improved to 1.5% of GDP or $13.4 billion from 2.6% of GDP in Q3 FY 2021-22 ($22.2 billion).
- The difference between the value of goods imported and exported fell to $54.48 million in Q4FY 2021-22 from $59.75 million in Q3 FY2021-22.
- However, based on robust performance by computer and business services, net service receipts rose both sequentially and on a year-on-year basis.
- Remittances by Indians abroad also rose.
What are the reasons for the current account deficit?
- Intensifying geopolitical tensions and supply chain disruptions leading to crude oil and commodity prices soaring globally have been exerting upward pressure on the import bill.
- A rise in prices of coal, natural gas, fertilizers, and edible oils have added to the pressure on trade deficit.
- However, with global demand picking up, merchandise exports have also been rising.
How will a large CAD affect the economy?
- A large CAD will result in demand for foreign currency rising, thus leading to depreciation of the home currency.
- Nations balance CAD by attracting capital inflows and running a surplus in capital accounts through increased foreign direct investments (FDI).
- However, worsening CAD will put pressure on inflow under the capital account.
- Nevertheless, if an increase in the import bill is because of imports for technological upgradation it would help in long-term development.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: RoSCTL Scheme
Mains level: Not Much
The RoSCTL scheme will continue for export of garments/apparels, and made-ups till March 31, 2024, according to a press release from the Union Ministry of Textiles.
What is RoSCTL Scheme?
- RoSCTL stands for Rebate of State and Central Taxes and Levies (RoSCTL).
- It is an export incentive in the form of transferable and sellable duty credit scrips (certificate) offered on the basis of the value of the export.
- It replaces the Rebate of State Levies (RoSL) scheme, a monetary incentive scheme under which Customs would deposit the rebate directly into the exporter’s bank account.
- This scheme was seen as India’s reaction to the increasing international pressure on export incentives provided by the Indian government.
Why was this scheme introduced?
- The US, in particular, has been very vocal, urging the discontinuation of export incentive schemes like the Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS).
- It held that they flouted the WTO Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures.
Why was this scheme extended to textile sector?
- With a view to boost exports and job creation in the textile sector, the government has approved the continuation of the scheme.
- The scheme aims to help them cut high logistics and other costs and enable them to compete globally.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Monkeypox
Mains level: Rise in zoonotic diseases
The first known lab-confirmed case of monkeypox in India has been reported in a 35-year-old man in Kerala.
What is Monkeypox?
- The monkeypox virus is an orthopoxvirus, which is a genus of viruses that also includes the variola virus, which causes smallpox, and vaccinia virus, which was used in the smallpox vaccine.
- It causes symptoms similar to smallpox, although they are less severe.
- While vaccination eradicated smallpox worldwide in 1980, monkeypox continues to occur in a swathe of countries in Central and West Africa, and has on occasion showed up elsewhere.
- According to the WHO, two distinct clade are identified: the West African clade and the Congo Basin clade, also known as the Central African clade.
Its origin
- Monkeypox is a zoonosis, that is, a disease that is transmitted from infected animals to humans.
- Monkeypox virus infection has been detected in squirrels, Gambian poached rats, dormice, and some species of monkeys.
- According to the WHO, cases occur close to tropical rainforests inhabited by animals that carry the virus.
Symptoms and treatment
- Monkeypox begins with a fever, headache, muscle aches, back ache, and exhaustion.
- It also causes the lymph nodes to swell (lymphadenopathy), which smallpox does not.
- The WHO underlines that it is important to not confuse monkeypox with chickenpox, measles, bacterial skin infections, scabies, syphilis and medication-associated allergies.
- The incubation period (time from infection to symptoms) for monkeypox is usually 7-14 days but can range from 5-21 days.
- There is no safe, proven treatment for monkeypox yet.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: CEPA
Mains level: Paper 2- India-South Korea ties
Context
- During the past five years, India and South Korea have experienced considerable divergence in their respective national objectives.
Background
- Bilateral relations between India and South Korea, officially known as the Republic of Korea, were established in 1962 and upgraded to Ambassador-level in 1973.
- South Korea’s open market policies found resonance with India’s economic liberalization, and its ‘look east policy’ and ‘act east policy’.
- The relations has become truly multidimensional, spurred by a significant convergence of interests, mutual goodwill and high level exchanges.
- During PM Modi’s visit to ROK in May 2015, the sides elevated the ties to ‘Special Strategic Partnership’.
- President Moon’s India visit marked the 45th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties.
Why India is important for South-Korea?
- One of the points that the Koreans have been making to India is that they see India as a country that is now strategically important to them
- South Korea also finds in India a very acceptable partner.
- India doesn’t have edges which can create problems for them. They are aware of one factor which they have grown up with, which is the Pakistan factor.
- With new issues cropping up in ties with China and America, export-driven South Korea must find new markets.
- South Korea’s economic growth has slowed, presenting it with important challenges.
- South Korea is targeting economies with the greatest growth potential like India.
- South Korea is too heavily dependent on China’s market. So diversification is essential for South Korea..
- Need cooperation for development in third countries, like capacity building programmes in Africa
India – South Korea Relations
- Political:
- In May 2015, the bilateral relationship was upgraded to ‘special strategic partnership’.
- India has a major role to play in South Korea’s Southern Policy under which Korea is looking at expanding relations beyond its immediate region.
- Similarly, South Korea is a major player in India’s Act East Policy under which India aims to promote economic cooperation, cultural ties and develop strategic relationships with countries in the Asia-Pacific.
- Regional Stability:
- The regional tensions in South Asia especially between India and China create a common interest for India and South Korea.
- This could be a collaborative approach for regional stability.
- Nuclear:
- South Korea’s key interest in managing their nuclear neighbour (North Korea) is similar to India’s considerations toward Pakistan.
- The US alliance system, established with South Korea and Japan, puts pressure on North Korea to cap its nuclear programme.
- Containing North Korea is beneficial to India’s economic and regional ambit in East Asia.
- It also adds to its approach to the nuclear non-proliferation regime as a responsible nuclear state.
- Economic:
- The current bilateral trade between India and South Korea is at USD 21 billion and the target that has been set is USD 50 billion by the year 2030.
- India and South Korea have signed the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), 2010 which has facilitated the growth of trade relations.
- To facilitate investment from Korea, India has launched a “Korea Plus”facilitation cell under ‘Invest India’ to guide, assist and handhold investors.
- Diplomatic:
- There is a long-lasting regional security dilemma with the continued verbal provocations and a conventional arms race.
- Thus, despite the alliance system, Seoul appears to be searching for a stronger diplomatic stand on imminent regional issues beyond the alliance system.
- South Korea’s approach to India comes with strategic optimism for expanding ties to ensure a convergence of interest in planning global and regional strategic frameworks.
- Cultural:
- Korean Buddhist Monk Hyecho or Hong Jiao visited India from 723 to 729 AD and wrote the travelogue “Pilgrimage to the five kingdoms of India” which gives a vivid account of Indian culture, politics & society.
- Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore had composed a short but evocative poem – ‘Lamp of the East’ – in 1929 about Korea’s glorious past and its promising bright future.
Challenges
- Stagnation in Economic relationship:
- The economic partnership is struck at $22 billion annually.
- Also, the defence partnership appears to have receded from great all-round promise to the mere sale and purchase of weapon systems.
- Trade between the two countries was sluggish and there was no major inflow of South Korean investment into India.
- No upgrade in CEPA: India and South Korea were also trying to upgrade their Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) agreement, but to no avail.
- Cultural Prejudices on both sides preventing people-to-people ties
- Cold War Era perception: There may be a widespread perception among South Koreans of India as a third world country, rife with poverty and hunger.?
- Indian Diaspora: Within South Korea, the integration of Indians in the local population is far from complete, with some instances of racial prejudice or discrimination toward Indians
- Inadequate acknowledgment of Korean Culture: To a certain extent Indians are unable to distinguish between the cultural and social characteristics of South Koreans from that of Japanese/Chinese.
- Unfulfilled potential of Cultural Centres
- Indian Culture Centre (ICC) was established in Seoul 10 years ago?to promote people-to-people contacts.
- However, ICC has to reach an exponentially wider audience and its focus has to expand beyond the urban, English-speaking elite of Seoul.
- The same may be applicable to South Korean culture centres in India.
- Divergence in objectives
- During the past five years, India and South Korea have experienced considerable divergence in their respective national objectives.
- There was a clear drift by South Korea away from multilateral security initiatives led by the United States, such as the Quad (the U.S., Australia, India and Japan); meanwhile, India has been actively participating in them.
Change in Korean foreign and security policies and opportunities for India
- The newly elected Korean President, Yoon Suk Yeol, has brought about a paradigm shift in South Korean foreign and security policies.
- He has proposed that South Korea should step up to become a “global pivotal state, anchored in liberal values and a rules-based order”.
- Opportunities for India: South Korea’s new willingness to become a global pivotal state and play an active role in regional affairs is bound to create multiple opportunities for a multi-dimensional India- Korea partnership.
- South Korea’s strategic policy shift to correct its heavy tilt towards China is bound to bring new economic opportunities for both countries.
- The trade target of $50 billion by 2030, which looked all but impossible a few months ago, now seems within reach.
- Convergence of capabilities: The emerging strategic alignment is creating a new convergence of capabilities and closer synergy in new areas of economic cooperation such as public health, green growth, digital connectivity, and trade, among others.
- With the strategic shift in South Korea’s defence orientation, new doors of cooperation for defence and security have emerged.
- Defence cooperation: Advanced defence technologies and modern combat systems are the new domains for the next level of defence cooperation between the two countries.
- A Roadmap for Defence Industries Cooperation between the Republic of India and the Republic of Korea (ROK) was signed in 2020.
- Maritime security: South Korea’s participation in additional maritime security activities in the Indian Ocean, such as the annual Malabar and other exercises with Quad countries, will further strengthen India’s naval footprint in the Indo-Pacific region.
- Defence policy coordination: The shift in South Korean policies will enable a strong India, South Korea and Japan defence policy coordination that could effectively forge new joint regional security policies.
Challenges
- Chinese pressure: The Chinese leadership is adversely impacted by policy changes brought in by the Yoon administration.
- The real challenge for global geopolitics is this: can South Korea withstand the inevitable Chinese pressure and stick to its new alignment?
- Tension with North Korea: South Korea’s peace process with North Korea has completely collapsed.
- In the coming days, as North Korea conducts more missile and nuclear tests, it may lead to regional tension.
- Any breakout of hostilities on the Korean Peninsula can derail South Korea’s Indo-Pacific project.
Way forward
- Strategic partnership: India has evolved excellent strategic partnerships with Japan, Vietnam and Australia.
- South Korea could be the fourth pillar in India’s Indo-Pacific strategy along with Japan, Australia, and Vietnam.
- This can bring about a paradigm shift in India’s position and influence in the region.
- The time has come for the Indian and South Korean bilateral partnership to be strategically scaled up at the political, diplomatic and security domain levels.
- With South Korea’s emergence as a leader in critical technologies, cybersecurity and cyber-capacity building, outer space and space situational awareness capabilities, South Korea can contribute immensely to enhance India’s foundational strengths in the Indo-Pacific.
- India can help South Korea withstand Chinese pressure and North Korean threats.
- This new partnership can have a long-term positive impact for both countries and the Indo-Pacific region.
- It is an opportunity that neither country can afford to miss.
Conclusion
An independent, strong, and democratic South Korea can be a long-term partner with India, that will add significant value to India’s Indo-Pacific strategy.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Article 53
Mains level: Paper 2- Role of the President as envisage by the Indian Constitution
Context
India is going to elect its new President on July 18. The new President will be sworn in on July 25. Choosing the presidential candidate is an intensely political exercise.
Election of the President
- Direct or indirect election: The main question debated therein was whether India should have a directly elected President or an indirectly elected one.
- The Assembly opted for an indirectly elected President.
- Dr. B.R. Ambedkar said: “Our President is merely a nominal figurehead. He has no discretion; he has no powers of administration at all.”
- Article 53 of the Constitution says that “the executive power of the Union shall be vested in the President and shall be exercised by him either directly or through officers subordinate to him in accordance with this Constitution.”
- It means the President exercises these powers only on the aid and the advice of the Council of Ministers.
People’s presence in the election of the President
- It is an indirect election in the sense that the people do not directly elect the President.
- Under Article 54, the President is elected by an electoral college consisting of only the elected members of both Houses of Parliament and the elected members of the State and Union Territory Assemblies.
- A matter of importance in this context is the vote value of Members of the Legislative Assemblies (MLAs) and the formula for its computation.
- The vote of an MLA, though one, is assigned a certain higher value.
- This value is calculated by first dividing the total population of the State (as per the 1971 Census) by the total strength of the Assembly, and then the quotient is divided by one thousand.
- In the computation of the value, the population of the State figures in a significant way.
- In other words, the population of the country is a crucial factor in the election of the President, which means the people’s presence in the process of electing the President is very much visible.
Moral authority of the President
- Wider base: The people’s presence in the election of the President gives a wider base to the President than a mere vote by the legislators on the basis of one member, one vote.
- This also gives the President a greater moral authority.
- So, the Indian President is not and cannot be a mere rubber stamp.
- Reconsideration of decision: He does not directly exercise the executive authority of the Union, but he can disagree with the decision of the Council of Ministers, caution them, counsel them, and so on.
- The President can ask the Cabinet to reconsider its decisions.
- However, the Cabinet, after such reconsideration, sends the same proposal back without any change, the President will have to sign it.
Role of the President as envisage by the Constitution
- Broader view of the things: The Constitution of India wants the President to be vigilant and responsive, and gives the freedom to him or her to take a broader view of things uninfluenced by the narrow political view of the executive.
- Preserve, protect and defend the Constitution: The above point becomes clearer when we take a look at the oath the President takes before entering office.
- The oath contains two solemn promises.
- First, the President shall preserve, protect and defend the Constitution.
- Second, the President shall devote himself or herself to the service and the well-being of the people of India.
- Thus, it is possible for a President to disagree with the government or intervene on behalf of the citizenry against the tyranny of the executive and persuade it to give up its ways.
Conclusion
The method adopted for the election of the President and the promises made in the oath makes it clear that the President cannot act as a gramophone of the Prime Minister as mentioned by professor K.T. Shah.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: JJ Act
Mains level: Prevention of juvenile crimes
The Supreme Court has given some guidelines for the delicate task of deciding whether juveniles aged between 16 and 18, accused of heinous offences such as murder can be tried like adults as per the JJ Act, 2005.
Juvenile Justice Act, 2015
- The JJ Act, 2015 replaced the Indian juvenile delinquency law, Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000.
- It allows for juveniles in conflict with Law in the age group of 16–18, involved in Heinous Offences, to be tried as adults.
- The Act also sought to create a universally accessible adoption law for India.
- The Act came into force from 15 January 2016.
Key features
- Change in nomenclature from ‘juvenile’ to ‘child’ or ‘child in conflict with law’, across the Act to remove the negative connotation associated with the word “juvenile”
- Inclusion of several new definitions such as orphaned, abandoned and surrendered children; and petty, serious and heinous offences committed by children;
- Setting up Juvenile Justice Boards and Child Welfare Committees in every district. Both must have at least one woman member each.
- Special provisions for heinous offences committed by children above the age of 16 years: This was in response to the juvenile convict in Nirbhaya Case.
- Inclusion of new offences committed against children: Sale and procurement of children for any purpose including illegal adoption, corporal punishment in child care institutions, use of child by militant groups, offences against disabled children and, kidnapping and abduction of children.
- Penalties for cruelty against a child: Offering a narcotic substance to a child, and abduction or selling a child has been prescribed.
What is the recent Supreme Court assessment?
- The “delicate task” of deciding whether juveniles aged between 16 and 18, accused of heinous offences such as murder, can be tried like adults should be based on meticulous psychological investigation.
- They should not left to the discretion and perfunctory “wisdom” of juvenile justice boards and children’s courts across the country, the Court held.
What delicate tasks does the apex court is referring to?
(1) Preliminary Assessment
- Section 15 of the JJ Act requires a “preliminary assessment” to be done of the mental and physical capacity of juveniles, aged between 16 and 18, who are involved in serious crimes.
- The assessment is meant to gauge a child’s ability to understand the consequences of the offence and the circumstances in which he or she allegedly committed the offence.
- If the Juvenile Justice Board is of the opinion that the juvenile should not be treated as an adult, it would not pass on the case to the children’s court and hear the case itself.
- If the Board decides to refer the case to the children’s court for trial as an adult, the juvenile, if guilty, would even face life imprisonment.
(2) Mental capacity
- The evaluation of ‘mental capacity and ability to understand the consequences’ of the child in conflict with law can should not be relegated as a routine task.
- The process of taking a decision on which the fate of the child in conflict with law precariously rests, should not be taken without conducting a meticulous psychological evaluation.
- The court said the Board which conducts the assessment of the child should have at least one child psychologist.
Way forward
- The court discovered that there were neither guidelines nor a specific framework in place for conduct of the preliminary assessment.
- The court left it open for the Centre and the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights to consider issuing guidelines or directions in this regard.
- It should further take the assistance of experienced psychologists or psychosocial workers.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: NA
Mains level: India-China trade imbalance
India’s imports from China reached a record $57.51 billion in the first half of the year, according to China’s trade figures.
India-China Bilateral Trade
- China is India’s largest trading partner.
- Major commodities imported from China into India were: electronic equipment; machines, engines, pumps; organic chemicals; fertilizers; iron and steel; plastics; iron or steel products; gems, precious metals, coins; ships, boats; medical, and technical equipment.
- Major commodities exported from India to China were: cotton; gems, precious metals, coins; copper; ores, slag, ash; organic chemicals; salt, sulfur, stone, cement; machines, engines, and pumps.
Recent measures to curb imports from China
- Blame it on the pandemic and the border dispute, but the result is the same: some Indian businesses are boycotting China.
- The government is now asking Indian e-commerce companies like Flipkart and Amazon India to label country of origin for all products sold on its websites.
- The govt banned many Chinese mobile applications, including top social media platforms such as TikTok, Helo and WeChat and games such as PUBG.
Can we completely boycott Chinese products?
- Trade deficits are not necessarily bad: Both Indian consumers and Chinese producers are gainers through trading.
- Will hurt the Indian poor the most: This is because the poor are more price-sensitive.
- Will punish Indian producers and exporters: Several businesses in India import intermediate goods and raw materials, which, in turn, are used to create final goods — both for the domestic Indian market as well as the global market.
- Pharma sector could be worst hit: For instance, of the nearly $3.6 billion worth of ingredients that Indian drug-makers import to manufacture several essential medicines, China catered to around 68 per cent.
- Will barely hurt China: According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) data for 2018, 15.3% of India’s imports are from China, and 5.1% of India’s exports go to China.
- Chinese money funds Indian unicorns: India and China have also become increasingly integrated in recent years.
- India will lose policy credibility: It has also been suggested that India should renege on existing contracts with China.
Way forward
- In the long term, under the banner of self-reliance, India must develop its domestic capabilities and acquire a higher share of global trade by raising its competitiveness.
- The government’s “Atmanirbhar” focus is expected to help ministries handhold industries where self-reliance needs to be built.
- For the long run, a more effective strategy needs to be built to provide an ecosystem that addresses the cost disability of Indian manufacturing leading to such imports.
We would love to see you attempting these questions. Post your answer snaps in the comment box.
Q. India’s quest for self-reliance is still a distant dream. Critically comment in light of the popular sentiment against the Chinese imports in India.
Q.“Curbing Chinese imports to India will do more harm than any good”. Analyse.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Read the attached story
Mains level: Anti-defection law
A political party in Maharashtra has approached the Election Commission of India (ECI), requesting it to hear its side before deciding claims to the party’s bow-arrow symbol.
What is the news?
- A party has lost a large number of members in the rebellion that eventually caused the fall of the government in Maharashtra.
- The rebel has claimed to be the only original leader of the party on the basis of the support of more than two-thirds of the party’s legislators in the Maharashtra Assembly.
Options for ECI
- The ECI in all likelihood can freeze the symbol so that neither of the two sides is able to use it until a final decision is made.
- EC hearings are long and detailed, and may take at least six months.
EC’s powers in Election Symbol Dispute
- The question of a split in a political party outside the legislature is dealt by Para 15 of the Symbols Order, 1968.
- It states that the ECI may take into account all the available facts and circumstances and undertake a test of majority.
- The decision of the ECI shall be binding on all such rival sections or groups emerged after the split.
- This applies to disputes in recognised national and state parties.
- For splits in registered but unrecognised parties, the EC usually advises the warring factions to resolve their differences internally or to approach the court.
How did the EC deal with such matters before the Symbols Order came into effect?
- Before 1968, the EC issued notifications and executive orders under the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961.
- The most high-profile split of a party before 1968 was that of the CPI in 1964.
- A breakaway group approached the ECI in December 1964 urging it to recognise them as CPI(Marxist). They provided a list of MPs and MLAs of Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and West Bengal who supported them.
- The ECI recognised the faction as CPI(M) after it found that the votes secured by the MPs and MLAs supporting the breakaway group added up to more than 4% in the 3 states.
What was the first case decided under Para 15 of the 1968 Order?
- It was the first split in the Indian National Congress in 1969.
- Indira Gandhi’s tensions with a rival group within the party came to a head with the death of President Dr Zakir Hussain on May 3, 1969.
Is there a way other than the test of majority to resolve a dispute over election symbols?
- In almost all disputes decided by the EC so far, a clear majority of party delegates/office bearers, MPs and MLAs have supported one of the factions.
- Whenever the EC could not test the strength of rival groups based on support within the party organisation (because of disputes regarding the list of office bearers), it fell back on testing the majority only among elected MPs and MLAs.
What happens to the group that doesn’t get the parent party’s symbol?
- The EC in 1997 did not recognise the new parties as either state or national parties.
- It felt that merely having MPs and MLAs is not enough, as the elected representatives had fought and won polls on tickets of their parent (undivided) parties.
- The EC introduced a new rule under which the splinter group of the party — other than the group that got the party symbol — had to register itself as a separate party.
- It could lay claim to national or state party status only on the basis of its performance in state or central elections after registration.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Global Gender Gap Index
Mains level: Women empowerment
India ranks 135 among a total of 146 countries in the Global Gender Gap Index, 2022, released by the World Economic Forum.
What is Global Gender Gap Index?
- The report is annually published by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
- It benchmarks gender parity across four key dimensions or sub-indices — economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment.
- It measures scores on a 0-to-100 scale, which can be interpreted as the distance covered towards parity or the percentage of the gender gap that has been closed.
- The report aims to serve “as a compass to track progress on relative gaps between women and men on health, education, economy and politics”.
- According to the WEF it is the longest-standing index, which tracks progress towards closing these gaps over time since its inception in 2006.
How has India fared on different sub-indices?
Here’s how it stands on different sub-indices:
(1) Political Empowerment
- This includes metrics such as the percentage of women in Parliament, the percentage of women in ministerial positions etc.
- Of all the sub-indices, this is where India ranks the highest (48th out of 146).
- However, notwithstanding its rank, its score is quite low at 0.267.
- Some of the best-ranking countries in this category score much better.
- For instance, Iceland is ranked 1 with a score of 0.874 and Bangladesh is ranked 9 with a score of 0.546.
- Moreover, India’s score on this metric has worsened since last year – from 0.276 to 0.267.
- The silver lining is that despite the reduction, India’s score is above the global average in this category.
(2) Economic Participation and Opportunity
- This includes metrics such as the percentage of women who are part of the labour force, wage equality for similar work, earned income etc.
- Here, too, India ranks a lowly 143 out of the 146 countries in contention even though its score has improved over 2021 from 0.326 to 0.350.
- Last year, India was pegged at 151 out of the 156 countries ranked.
- India’s score is much lower than the global average, and only Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan are behind India on this metric.
(3) Educational Attainment
- This sub-index includes metrics such as literacy rate and the enrolment rates in primary, secondary and tertiary education.
- Here India ranks 107th out of 146, and its score has marginally worsened since last year.
- In 2021, India was ranked 114 out of 156.
(4) Health and Survival
- This includes two metrics: the sex ratio at birth (in %) and healthy life expectancy (in years).
- In this metric, India is ranked last (146) among all the countries.
- Its score hasn’t changed from 2021 when it was ranked 155th out of 156 countries.
- The country is the worst performer in the world in the “health and survival” sub-index in which it is ranked 146.
Where does India stand amongst its neighbour?
- India ranks poorly among its neighbours and is behind Bangladesh (71), Nepal (96), Sri Lanka (110), Maldives (117) and Bhutan (126).
- Only the performance of Iran (143), Pakistan (145) and Afghanistan (146) was worse than India in South Asia.
- In 2021, India ranked 140 out of 156 nations.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Paracel Islands
Mains level: Not Much
A US destroyer sailed near the disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea, drawing an angry reaction from Beijing, which said its military had “driven away” the ship.
About Paracel Islands
- The Paracel Islands, also known as the Xisha Islands and the Hoang Sa Archipelago are a disputed archipelago in the South China Sea.
- The archipelago includes about 130 small coral islands and reefs, most grouped into the northeast Amphitrite Group or the western Crescent Group.
What is the South China Sea Dispute?
- It is a dispute over territory and sovereignty over ocean areas, and the Paracels and the Spratlys – two island chains claimed in whole or in part by a number of countries.
- China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Brunei all have competing claims.
- Alongside the fully-fledged islands, there are dozens of rocky outcrops, atolls, sandbanks, and reefs, such as the Scarborough Shoal.
- China claims by far the largest portion of territory – an area defined by the “nine-dash line” which stretches hundreds of miles south and east from its most southerly province of Hainan.
- Beijing says its right to the area goes hundreds of centuries to when the Paracel and Spratly island chains were regarded as integral parts of the Chinese nation.
- It showed the two island groups falling entirely within its territory. Those claims are mirrored by Taiwan.
Spat over Chinese claims
- China has backed its expansive claims with island-building and naval patrols.
- The US says it does not take sides in territorial disputes but has sent military ships and planes near disputed islands, calling them “freedom of navigation” operations to ensure access to key shipping and air routes.
- Both sides have accused each other of “militarizing” the South China Sea.
- There are fears that the area is becoming a flashpoint, with potentially serious global consequences.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: CAROTAR
Mains level: Paper 3- Addressing the issues in FTAs
Context
In recent months, India has signed trade agreements with Australia and UAE. n the last week of June, New Delhi began talks for a similar agreement with the EU.
How FTA with EU could help India
- India’s successful sectors like textiles, pharmaceuticals and leather could benefit from these deliberations, which would also be keenly watched by representatives of the services and renewable energy sectors.
- A successful free trade agreement (FTA) with the EU could help India to expand its footfall in markets such as Poland, Portugal, Greece, the Czech Republic and Romania, where the country’s exports registered double-digit annual growth rates in the last decade.
So, what are the factors India need to consider while signing FTA
1] Impact of tariff on domestic industry:
- It has been observed that when India is an importer, the preferential tariffs that accrue as a result of trade agreements are significantly lower than the rates charged from countries given Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status by India.
- But when the partner country is the importer, preferential tariffs on Indian goods, in most cases, are closer to the MFN tariffs.
- As a result, Indian exporters do not get the same returns as their counterparts in the partner countries.
- India’s trade with South Korea is a case in point.
- Before entering into a trade agreement care should, therefore, be taken to ensure that the domestic industry is not made to compete on unequal terms with the partner countries.
2] Adherence to the rules of origin
- The India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement sets a good example.
- It includes a strong clause on the rules of origin.
- Forty per cent value addition or substantial processing of up to 40 per cent in the exporting country is required to qualify for lower tariffs.
- Rules of origin have been a bone of contention in most Indian trade agreements.
- (CAROTAR, 2020): In 2020, the country notified the Customs (Administration of Rules of Origin under Trade Agreements) Rules (CAROTAR, 2020), which require a basic level of due diligence from the importer.
3] Including the offset clauses
- “Offset clauses” — where the exporter is obliged to undertake activities that directly benefit the importing country’s economy — should be built into trade agreements, especially for technology intensive sectors.
4] Emergency action plan
- In February 2020, the US made India ineligible for claims under GSP, America’s oldest preferential trade scheme.
- The US Trade Representative’s Office deemed India as a developed country and suspended beneficial treatment under the GSP.
- A contingency plan should be in place to tackle such situations.
5] Inclusion of sunset clause
- India should also take a cue from the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, to incorporate a “sunset” clause in trade agreements.
- The pact between the three North American nations provides for periodic reviews and the agreement is slated to end automatically in 16 years unless the countries renegotiate it.
6] Parity between services and merchandise
- India should negotiate for parity between services and merchandise.
- Low trade in services: India’s trade in services is low, and its overall score in the OECD’s Services Trade Restrictiveness Index (STRI) exceeds the world average.
- It is especially high in legal and accounting services due to the licencing requirements in both these segments.
- Expansion in banking and financial services: There is also significant room for expansion of trade in the banking and financial services industry.
Conclusion
A well-crafted trade agreement could help India enhance its share in global trade and help attain the government’s target of making the country a $5-trillion economy.
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Back2Basics: CAROTAR Rules
- Importers will have to do their due diligence to ensure that imported goods meet the prescribed ‘rules of origin’ provisions.
- This is the essential availing concessional rate of customs duty under free trade agreements (FTAs).
- A list of minimum information, which the importer is required to possess, has also been provided in the rules along with general guidance.
- Also, an importer would now have to enter certain origin related information in the Bill of Entry, as available in the Certificate of Origin.
Why need CAROTAR?
- CAROTAR 2020 supplements the existing operational certification procedures prescribed under different trade agreements.
- India has inked FTAs with several countries, including Japan, South Korea and ASEAN members.
- Under such agreements, two trading partners significantly reduce or eliminate import/customs duties on the maximum number of goods traded between them.
- The new rules will assist customs authorities in the smooth clearance of legitimate imports under FTAs.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: AOSIS
Mains level: Paper 3- Challenges in climate finance
Context
From June 6-16, representatives from more than 100 countries descended on Bonn to hold preliminary discussions on what could be the final communiqué at the conclusion of COP27, to be held at Sharm-el-Sheikh later this year.
Key takeaways from the discussion
- Centred on climate finance: Discussions were centred around climate finance and there was hardly any convergence of issues.
- No convergence: The developed and developing countries or for that matter, big polluters and small polluters, were speaking from the ends of the spectrum with no meeting ground.
- Focus on adaptation and mitigation: Much of the discussion was around “loss and damage”, which was being experienced by many of the smaller countries, especially with big coastlines, due to rising river levels, loss of agricultural productivity, loss of livelihoods, etc.
- The idea to provide assistance for “loss and damage” was opposed by the US and the EU.
- Need for alternative funding: The Green Climate Fund is considered too cumbersome and the process too lengthy.
- Hence, the need for an alternate funding route was imperative.
- It was argued that one needs to look into this issue right now and provide financial assistance to cope with it.
- This brings into focus the debate between adaptation and mitigation.
- The demand of the developing countries for a provision of climate finance at a scale much higher than $100 billion a year fell on deaf ears.
- Incidentally, the figure of $100 billion was arrived at arbitrarily and that too way back in 2009.
Mitigation Vs Adaptation debate
- More funding directed toward mitigation: It is generally felt that whatever funding has come for climate change issues has mostly been directed towards mitigation.
- This is primarily because mitigation projects have a cost-benefit analysis and, therefore, it is easy to lend money because you can get it back through interest payments.
- Cost-benefit analysis: This is primarily because mitigation projects have a cost-benefit analysis and, therefore, it is easy to lend money because you can get it back through interest payments.
- Mitigation would mean, for example, setting up solar generation units to avoid carbon footprint.
- Cost-benefit analysis is difficult for adaptation projects, which would be in the form of grants.
Actions needed to limit the temperature rise to 1.5 degree Celsius
- 2.4°C by NDC: The Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), as on date, are good enough to limit temperature rise to 2.4 degrees centigrade, provided all the targets are met.
- 1.8°C with net-zero commitment: In addition, if countries also meet their net-zero commitments by 2050, the temperature rise will still be around 1.8 degrees centigrade.
- 1.5°C: To limit the temperature rise to 1.5 degrees centigrade, emissions will have to be cut down by half by 2030.
- The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) expressed the view that to be more meaningful, the aim should be to reduce emissions by 20 per cent by 2025 itself.
- The logic is that the next round of NDCs is due only in 2025 and by that time, it would be too late to formulate a plan that is achievable by 2030.
Issue of using remaining carbon space
- The use of the remaining carbon space available to limit temperature rise to 1.5 degrees centigrade, a highly contentious issue, was also discussed in Bonn.
- The US resisted being labelled as a “big emitter” and was not willing to take responsibility for its historical emissions.
- There is no single estimate of how much carbon space is really available as on date, but broad indications are that at the given emissions rate, it would be roughly 10 years.
- The raging debate is how to distribute this available space equitably amongst countries, which would mean that someone has to take the burden of stiffer targets.
- What the US wanted other big emitters like China and India take on greater responsibilities for cutting down emissions.
- However, the like-minded group of developing countries (LMDCs) — which included China, India, Saudi Arabia and the Arab countries — were opposed to this.
Conclusion
If there was any hope that discussions at Bonn would provide an acceptable draft, which could be taken forward during COP27, it was misplaced.
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Back2Basics: The Paris Agreement
- The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change. It was adopted by 196 Parties at COP 21 in Paris, on 12 December 2015 and entered into force on 4 November 2016.
- Its goal is to limit global warming to well below 2, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels.
- To achieve this long-term temperature goal, countries aim to reach global peaking of greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible to achieve a climate-neutral world by mid-century.
- It is a landmark process because, for the first time, a binding agreement brings all nations into a common cause to undertake ambitious efforts to combat climate change and adapt to its effects.
- Implementation of the Paris Agreement requires economic and social transformation, based on the best available science.
- The Agreement works on a 5- year cycle of increasingly ambitious climate action carried out by countries.
- By 2020, countries submit their plans for climate action known as nationally determined contributions (NDCs).
NDCs
- In their NDCs, countries communicate actions they will take to reduce their Greenhouse Gas emissions in order to reach the goals of the Paris Agreement.
- Countries also communicate in the NDCs actions they will take to build resilience to adapt to the impacts of rising temperatures.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Provision for Bail
Mains level: Prison reforms in India
The Supreme Court underlined the pressing need for reform in the law related to bail and called on the government to consider framing a special legislation on the lines of the law in the United Kingdom.
What is Bail?
- Bail is the conditional release of a defendant with the promise to appear in court when required.
- The term also means the security that is deposited in order to secure the release of the accused.
Types of Bail in India
- Depending upon the sage of the criminal matter, there are commonly three types of bail in India:
- Regular bail: A regular bail is generally granted to a person who has been arrested or is in police custody. A bail application can be filed for the regular bail under section 437 and 439 of CrPC.
- Interim bail: This type of bail is granted for a short period of time and it is granted before the hearing for the grant of regular bail or anticipatory bail.
- Anticipatory bail: Anticipatory bail is granted under section 438 of CrPC either by session court or High Court. An application for the grant of anticipatory bail can be filed by the person who discerns that he may be arrested by the police for a non-bailable offense.
Conditions for Grant of Bail in Bailable Offences
- Section 436 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, lays down that a person accused of a bailable offense under IPC can be granted bail if:
- There are sufficient reasons to believe that the accused has not committed the offence.
- There is sufficient reason to conduct a further inquiry in the matter.
- The person is not accused of any offence punishable with death, life imprisonment or imprisonment up to 10 years.
Conditions for Grant of Bail in Non-Bailable Offences
- Section 437 of Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 lays down that the accused does not have the right to apply for bail in non-bailable offences.
- It is discretion of the court to grant bail in case of non-bailable offences if:
- The accused is a woman or a child, bail can be granted in a non-bailable offence.
- There is a lack of evidence then bail in non-Bailable offenses can be granted.
- There is a delay in lodging FIR by the complainant, bail may be granted.
- The accused is gravely sick.
What is the recent ruling about?
- The Supreme Court underlined that arrest is a draconian measure that needs to be used sparingly.
- The ruling is essentially a reiteration of several crucial principles of criminal procedure.
Why bail needs reform?
- Huge pendency of undertrials: Referring to the state of jails in the country, where over two-thirds lodged are undertrials,
- Indiscriminate arrests: Of this category of prisoners, majority may not even be required to be arrested despite registration of a cognizable offense, being charged with offenses punishable for seven years or less.
- Disadvantageous for some sections: They are not only poor and illiterate but also would include women. Thus, there is a culture of offense being inherited by many of them.
- Colonial legacy: Theoretically, the court also linked the idea of indiscriminate arrests to magistrates ignoring the rule of “bail, not jail” to a colonial mindset.
What is the law on bail?
- The CrPC does not define the word bail but only categories offences under the Indian Penal Code as ‘bailable’ and ‘non-bailable’.
- The CrPC empowers magistrates to grant bail for bailable offences as a matter of right.
- This would involve release on furnishing a bail bond, without or without security.
And what is the UK law?
- The Bail Act of the United Kingdom, 1976, prescribes the procedure for granting bail.
- A key feature is that one of the aims of the legislation is “reducing the size of the inmate population”.
- The law also has provisions for ensuring legal aid for defendants.
- The Act recognises a “general right” to be granted bail.
What has the Supreme Court held on reforms?
The court’s ruling is in the form of guidelines, and it also draws the line on certain procedural issues for the police and judiciary:
- Separate law on Bail: The court underlined that the CrPC, despite amendments since Independence, largely retains its original structure as drafted by a colonial power over its subjects.
- Uniform exercise of discretionary powers: It also highlighted that magistrates do not necessarily
- Avoid indiscriminate arrests: The SC also directed all state governments and Union Territories to facilitate standing orders to comply with the orders and avoid indiscriminate arrests.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: National Child Labour Project (NCLP)
Mains level: Persistence of child labour in India
The Centre does not have any data on child labour in the country and a reason for this is the drying up of budgetary provisions meant for the National Child Labour Project (NCLP).
What is Child Labour?
- The term “child labour” is often defined as work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development.
- It refers to work that:
- is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful to children; and/or
- interferes with their schooling by: depriving them of the opportunity to attend school; obliging them to leave school prematurely; or requiring them to attempt to combine school attendance with excessively long and heavy work.
National Child Labour Project (NCLP)
- The NCLP Scheme is a Central Sector Scheme under the Ministry of Labour.
- Under this Scheme the District Project Societies (DPS) are set up at the district level under the Chairmanship of the Collector/District Magistrate to oversee the implementation of the project.
- Under this Scheme, the children in the age group of 9-14 years are withdrawn from work and put into NCLP Special Training Centres.
- They are provided with bridge education, vocational training, mid-day meal, stipend, health care etc. before being mainstreamed into formal education system.
- The children in the age group of 5-8 years are directly linked to the formal education system through a close coordination with the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.
- A dedicated online portal named PENCiL (Platform for Effective Enforcement for No Child Labour) is developed for better monitoring and implementation.
Why in news now?
- No ministry had any data regarding the status of child labour in our country.
- The NCLP’s schools for child labourers work for three to four years and they have also more or less stopped functioning due to scarcity of funds.
- Education Ministry also does not have a mechanism to find out the number of children engaged in child labour.
Grave concerns of the issue
- This is a serious situation.
- It is for the first time that a parliamentary panel is engaged in a detailed examination of the national policy on child labour.
- Though we have legislation, the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, since 1986 the menace of child labour is continue unchecked.
Various provisions against Child Labour
- Article 23 of the Indian Constitution states that any type of forced labour is prohibited.
- Article 24 states that a child under 14 years cannot be employed to perform any hazardous work.
- Article 39 states that “the health and strength of workers, men and women, and the tender age of children are not abused”.
- The Child Labour Act (Prohibition and Regulation) 1986 prohibits children under the age of 14 years to be working in hazardous industries and processes.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Ashokan Pillar
Mains level: Not Much
A day after the National Emblem cast on top of the under-construction Parliament unveiled, controversy has erupted over its aggressive posture.
National Emblem of India
- On 26 January 1950, a representation of the Lion Capital of Ashoka placed above the motto, Satyameva Jayate, was adopted as the State Emblem of India.
- The emblem is an adaptation of the Lion Capital of Ashoka, an ancient sculpture dating back to 280 BCE during the reign of the Maurya Empire.
- It was originally made of Chunar sandstone.
- The statue is a three-dimensional emblem showing four lions.
Features of the emblem
- The actual Sarnath capital features four Asiatic lions standing back to back, symbolizing power, courage, confidence, and pride, mounted on a circular base.
- At the bottom is a horse and a bull, and at its center is a Dharma chakra.
- The abacus is girded with a frieze of sculptures in high relief of The Lion of the North,
- The Horse of the West, The Bull of the South, and The Elephant of the East, separated by intervening wheels, over a lotus in full bloom, exemplify the fountainhead of life and creative inspiration.
- Carved from a single block of sandstone, the polished capital is crowned by the Wheel of the Law.
Historical significance
- One of the Buddha’s names is ‘Shakya Simha’, meaning ‘Lion of the Shakyas’.
- The Buddha’s first sermon at Sarnath was known as the ‘Simhanada’ (Lion roar) of the Buddha.
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