Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Article 239AA and 239AB
Mains level: Paper 2- Effect of GNCTD (Amendment) Act on functioning of Delhi Assembly
The article highlights the implications of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD)(Amendment) Act, 2021 on functioning of Assembly and its committees.
Context
The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD)(Amendment) Act, 2021 has been criticised as a retrograde law. However, what deserves equal attention is the Act’s assault on the functioning of Delhi’s Legislative Assembly.
Background of GNCTD Act
- The GNCTD Act was enacted in 1992.
- Under the Act, Delhi Legislative Assembly was given the power to regulate its own procedure, as well as the conduct of its business.
- This sought to realise a delicate balance reflecting Delhi’s unique constitutional position: neither full state nor a centrally governed Union Territory.
How amendment affects functioning of Assembly
- Its standards of procedure and conduct of business have been firmly tethered to that of the Lok Sabha, depriving Delhi’s elected MLAs of an effective say in how their Assembly should be run.
- The Amending Act prohibits the Assembly from making any rule enabling either itself or its committees to consider any issue concerned with “the day-to-day administration of the capital” or “conduct inquiries in relation to administrative decisions”.
- The most significant impact of this shall be on the exercise of free speech in the Assembly and its committees.
- The amendment impeded the Assembly from performing its most basic legislative function — that of holding the executive to account by restricting its ability to freely discuss matters happening in the capital.
Impact on committees
- The deliberations and inputs of committees often pave the way for intelligent legislative action.
- In a way, they act as the eyes and ears for the whole House, which has neither the time nor the expertise to scrutinise issues in depth.
- It would be impossible for committees to perform this function without the power to conduct inquiries.
- Pre-emptively injunct a committee from conducting an inquiry “in relation to the administrative decisions” (an extremely broad exception) completely negates the ability of committees to function effectively as the Assembly’s advisors and agents.
- The quality of legislative work emanating from the Assembly is thus ultimately bound to suffer.
Consider the question “What are the reasons for frequent disputes between Delhi government and the Lt. Governor? Would the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD)(Amendment) Act, 2021 succeed in ending that trend?”
Conclusion
The amendment deprive the Delhi Assmbly of its very basic functions and render it a ‘legislature’ in name only. Surely, Delhi’s voters deserve better than that. The Government need to reconsider the provisions of the amendment act.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Not much
Mains level: Costs of cleaner energy alternatives
It Matters How the Electricity Is Made
- Among the many drivers of global warming, electricity generation/consumption and transportation of people and goods have been identified as two important drivers which contribute almost 50% to the emissions load.
- Against this backdrop, two non-food or agriculture technologies that have been projected and implemented as ‘clean alternatives’ to mitigate the global warming phenomenon are:
- Solar photovoltaics for electricity generation
- Electrification of transport
Cleanliness of these alternatives
- There is a general propensity to push these two alternatives in terms of energy and financial return on investments but very little is being said upfront about environmental cost and effect.
- Both these technologies indeed lead to significantly reduced emissions after they are implemented.
- The catchphrase here, however, is after!
- There is little information or discussion in the public domain about upfront environmental cost as it is an inconvenient truth that cannot be wished away.
Why aren’t they clean
- Prior to their implementation, a lot of different human-made materials have to be synthesized from naturally occurring raw materials.
- Then, these have to be put together as a functioning unit or a device for a specific purpose.
- These processes, unfortunately, are both energy- and emissions-intensive and to realise the extent of these intensities, one needs to go behind the scene.
Critical analysis
[1] Solar energy
- The dominant market player in the field of solar energy conversion to electricity is silicon-based modules occupying more than 90 per cent of the installed capacity.
- These modules are made of elements as well as inorganic and organic compounds such as silicon, aluminum, copper, silver, glass, epoxy, plastics and are generally installed using steel and concrete.
- All these materials are human-made and hence need to be synthesized utilizing naturally occurring raw materials.
- These synthesis processes are energy- and water-consuming and emit greenhouse gasses and pollutants into the atmosphere — dark horses in the chain of realization of solar energy conversion to electricity.
- Information regarding the environmental costs of these processes is not extensively mentioned in the public domain except for a few occasional studies.
- These studies indicate that the CO2(e) gasses emission due to solar panel manufacturing alone is about 2,560 kg per kilowatt of installed capacity, which is quite significant.
[2] Electrification of transportation
- This involves the substitution of current petrol, diesel and gas combustion-powered engines in automobiles with electric engines.
- The two main components of such an automobile, therefore, are: the engine which converts electrical energy to propulsion and a battery.
- The electric engine or motor has been known for a long time but for the above application, it needs to have high energy density along with being compact and lightweight.
- This can be accomplished by using what is known as ‘rare earth’ magnets which require extensive mining and processing which are environmentally intensive activities.
- A closer look at the Li-ion battery shows that it requires a 40-kilowatt-hour battery and putting together such a battery results in releasing about 3,000 Kg of CO2(e) gasses into the
The Indian scenario
After looking at the behind-the-scenes emissions scenario of the two technologies, let us put Indian goals into perspective with respect to these two technologies.
Solar energy
- It was recently announced that India will have an installed capacity of 100 gigawatt (GW) for electricity generation by solar photovoltaics by the year 2022.
- This will mean gaseous emissions to the tune of 0.256 GTons of CO2(e) for manufacturing of solar panels, which is a staggering amount from this activity alone.
- It should be noted here that installation of 100 GW electrical power generation plants will actually result in only 25 GW of usable electricity at best, assuming an efficiency of 25 per cent, which itself is quite high.
- If, on the other hand, we would like to have 100 GW of usable electrical power being generated by solar photovoltaics, it will result in emissions to the tune of 1.024 GTons of CO2(e), which is enormous.
- This is an upfront loading of the environment with greenhouse gasses gases and excludes the embodied carbon in batteries, inverters, junction boxes, wiring and so on.
Electric automobiles
- The Union transportation minister has recently announced that India will become the largest manufacturer of electric vehicles and Li-ion batteries will be manufactured in India within the next six months.
- To replace about a million conventional fuel-based vehicles (a fraction of the existing vehicles), it will result in upfront loading to the tune of 3 MTons of CO2(e) greenhouse gasses, just due to the battery assembly process alone.
- The environmental costs due to electric motor manufacturing, mining of raw materials required for the battery and generation of electricity to run these million electric automobiles will be additional.
- In both cases, the water requirement and particulate emissions have not been included, both of which are strongly linked to ecology and the environment.
Conclusion
- It is very clear from the two technologies and the related national goals that huge environmental, human, as well as economic costs, need to be paid upfront to realise these goals.
- The task becomes even more daunting as the infrastructure required to make either solar grade Si or for that matter put together a million Li-ion batteries is non-existent at present.
- In light of these facts, it becomes imperative to realign goals and prioritize steps to be taken to alleviate the problem of emissions and the associated global warming.
Way forward
- It is important to try various less harmful alternatives.
- On another note, it is time to legislate so that businesses will also include the costs of atmospheric pollution together with their profit and loss statements.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Not much
Mains level: Rooftop Rain Water Harvesting
India’s rapid urban growth is expected to stress its already crumbling base of public service arrangements — especially its management of water and sanitation services, whose safe and reliable availability proved to be the first line of defence against this covid pandemic.
Q.Discuss how Rooftop rainwater harvesting can ease India’s water woes? (150W)
Rooftop Rain Water Harvesting
- It is the technique through which rainwater is captured from the roof catchments and stored in reservoirs.
- Harvested rainwater can be stored in sub-surface groundwater reservoirs by adopting artificial recharge techniques to meet the household needs through storage in tanks.
- Capturing and storing rainwater for use is particularly important in dryland, hilly, urban and coastal areas.
- It holds the potential to support the country’s preparedness against the incipient challenges of changing climate.
Water stress in India
- An appalling confusion grips our policy makers and planners.
- While the supply-demand gap is expected to widen by 50 per cent by 2030, many are still left without access to safe and sustainable water and sanitation services.
- At least five Indian cities are already reported to have joined the list of world’s 20 largest water-stressed cities.
If we look at the present portfolio of water resources management for other cities, it will not be wrong to claim that many more will soon become qualified for joining this infamous list.
Exploring the complex problems
- Water availability in India remains at the mercy of erratic patterns of precipitation.
- Concretization of urban landscapes, symbolic of modern town planning imaginaries as to what an exercise in urban development has led to floods worsening.
- Illegal encroachment along stormwater drains and urban rivers also aggravates the situation, not least by opening up spaces of active political contestation and negotiations.
A paradigm shift needed
- In India, management of water was bundled as part of the prerogative claims of post-independent public institutions with public participation programs designed later on to serve only a placatory function.
- This has led to the systematic exclusion of the public’s opinions in informing the design and implementation protocols of large public schemes.
- It took the form of multi-purpose dams, irrigation canals, public water distribution systems, etc.
- Despite this, India has now become a ‘water-stressed country.
A newer approach
- Rising national empathy for river rejuvenation, watershed conservation and active public participation has, on the other hand, already started scripting a new paradigm for India’s water management.
- It prompts decision-makers to look for solutions in the collective efforts of the citizens in managing their issues locally.
Right from the vedic times
- Our Vedic ancestors, in their appreciation of the timeless bounty of water, always offered timely obeisance to water’s eternal gifts to mankind.
- Their reverence to water can be found in the hymns and prayers offered to Varuna and Indra — Vedic Gods associated with water to riveting architectural gems and literary delights, each underscoring the centrality of water in our cultural revelries.
- It is time our policies are re-designed to reflect these values.
Empowering people
- Rooftop rainwater structures are perfectly poised to engender a transformative wave of public engagement in water management.
- Thus it can act as a corollary for making water management an exercise in nurturing democratic routines.
- To ensure that the public enthusiastically purchases this concept, a country-wide behaviour change campaign can be launched along the lines of the Swachh Bharat Mission.
- This can emphasize people’s ‘ability and ‘motivation’ to romantically welcome these structures in their private premises.
- This should rather be a ‘do-it-yourself’ model of engagement.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: LEAF Coalition
Mains level: Not Much
At the recently concluded Leaders’ Summit on Climate in April 2021, the Lowering Emissions by Accelerating Forest Finance (LEAF) Coalition was announced.
LEAF Coalition
- LEAF Coalition is a collective of the US, UK and Norway governments.
- It is a public-private effort, thus supported by transnational corporations (TNCs) like Unilever plc, Amazon, Nestle, Airbnb etc.
- It came up with a $1 billion fund plan that shall be offered to countries committed to arresting the decline of their tropical forests by 2030.
- The LEAF coalition initiative is a step towards concretizing the aims and objectives of the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) mechanism.
How does this coalition work?
- The LEAF Coalition can help reverse the trend by providing unprecedented financial support to tropical forest governments implementing forest protection, contributing to green and resilient growth through sustainable investments.
- It empowers tropical and subtropical forest countries to move more rapidly towards ending deforestation while supporting them in achieving their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.
- Reductions in emissions are made across entire countries or large states and provinces (“jurisdictions”) through programs that involve all key stakeholders, including Indigenous peoples and local communities.
Why is it significant?
- Financial impetus is crucial as it incentivizes developing countries to capture extensive deforestation and provide livelihood opportunities to forest-dependent populations.
- The initiative comes at a crucial time when the tropics have lost close to 12.2 million hectares (mha) of tree cover year last year according to global estimates released by Global Forest Watch.
- Most of these lost forests were located in the developing countries of Latin America, Africa and South Asia.
- India’s estimated loss in 2020 stands at 20.8-kilo hectares due to forest fires
What lies next?
- Implementation of the LEAF Coalition will help pump in fresh rigour among developing countries like India, that are reluctant to recognize the contributions of their forest-dwelling populations in mitigating climate change.
- With the deadline for proposal submission fast approaching, India needs to act swiftly on a revised strategy.
- Although India has pledged to carry out its REDD+ commitments, it is impossible to do so without seeking knowledge from its forest-dwelling population.
Answer this PYQ in the comment box:
With reference to ‘Forest Carbon Partnership Facility’, which of the following statements is/ are correct? (CSP 2013)
- It is a global partnership of governments, businesses, civil society and indigenous peoples.
- It provides financial aid to universities, individual scientists and institutions involved in scientific forestry research to develop eco-friendly and climate adaptation technologies for sustainable forest management.
- It assists the countries in their ‘REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation+)’ efforts by providing them with financial and technical assistance.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Back2Basics: REDD+
- REDD+ is a mechanism developed by Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
- It creates a financial value for the carbon stored in forests by offering incentives for developing countries to reduce emissions from forested lands and invest in low-carbon paths to sustainable development.
- Developing countries would receive results-based payments for results-based actions.
- REDD+ goes beyond simply deforestation and forest degradation and includes the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks.
- It aims to create incentives for communities so that they stop forest degrading practices.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Global Minimum Tax, BEPS
Mains level: Global Minimum Tax Debate
India has joining the OECD-G20 framework for a global minimum tax.
Must read
What is Global Minimum Corporate Tax?
What is this tax deal?
- The proposed solution consists of two components:
- Pillar One is about the reallocation of an additional share of profit to the market jurisdictions and
- Pillar Two consists of minimum tax and subject to tax rules
- Some significant issues including share of profit allocation and scope of subject to tax rules, remain open and need to be addressed.
- Further, the technical details of the proposal will be worked out in the coming months and a consensus agreement is expected by October.
Why did India join?
- The principles underlying the solution vindicates India’s stand for a greater share of profits for the markets, consideration of demand-side factors in profit allocation.
- There is a need to seriously address the issue of cross border profit shifting and need for the subject to tax rules to stop treaty shopping.
- India is in favour of a consensus solution that is simple to implement and simple to comply with.
- At the same time, the solution should result in the allocation of meaningful and sustainable revenue to market jurisdictions, particularly for developing and emerging economies.
What is Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS)?
- BEPS refers to corporate tax planning strategies used by multinationals to “shift” profits from higher-tax jurisdictions to lower-tax jurisdictions.
- It thus “erodes” the “tax base” of the higher-tax jurisdictions.
- Corporate tax havens offer BEPS tools to “shift” profits to the haven, and additional BEPS tools to avoid paying taxes within the haven.
- It is alleged that BEPS is associated mostly with American technology and life science multinationals.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Not much
Mains level: Paper 3- Stock market and risks involved for individual investors
Despite gloom in the economy, financial markets are scaling new highs. The situations calls for diligence on the part of individual investors. The deals with this issue.
What influences investors’ decision
- Investors may not necessarily be always sensible or even capable of perceiving the larger picture.
- Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman argues that humans usually use the ‘first system’ of ‘fast thinking’ to hurriedly act and perceive their environment.
- Consequently, they are susceptible to the ‘priming effect’, ‘framing bias’, ‘anchoring effect’, ‘overconfidence bias’ and ‘availability heuristic’.
- These phenomena, thus, play their part in pervading optimistic market conditions.
- As a result, investors often end up ignoring or overlooking uncertainties and risks involved in their decision.
- At the same time, investors’ decision choices could be significantly influenced by ‘nudging’.
- It is a deliberate tactics and method of behaviour modification by which it is the ‘choice architect’ that decides who does what and who does so, as argued by the Nobel laureate, Richard H. Thaler.
- The present surge in the Indian stock market is indeed nudging individual investors to trade more.
What makes individual investors vulnerable
- National Stock Exchange data indicate following trends:
- The share of the non-institutional individual investors in equity trading volume has risen to one half of the total turnover. in 2021.
- It was around a third in 2016.
- In contrast, the share of Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) in the total trading volume has shrunk to just about a tenth, it used to be one fifth in 2016.
- Trading in the stock market, the sudden rise, the intraday moves, etc., are, thus, attributable largely to individual traders now.
- However, despite their large trading volumes, individual investors have actually contracted their holding of the market capitalisation.
- The FIIs currently own around half of the free float of all Indian companies.
- Apparently, the retail investors have constantly sold their stake to end up holding less than 20% shares now.
- Trading, thus, seems to be the mainstay of retail investors and this is what makes them more vulnerable to the vagaries of the market.
Market is ignoring macroeconomic factors
- Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy Pvt. Ltd. data of the listed companies reveal a rise in their profit, due to rationalisation and cost-cutting.
- Investors might be tempted to ignore macroeconomic factors and invest in such stock believing that it is the profit that impels the stock prices.
- In reality, however, share price is expected to ascend if a company declares to cut its wage bill.
- This probably explains why stock markets around the world have been on the rise amidst the novel coronavirus pandemic; demand may have declined but profits have been least impacted.
- At the larger economic level, however, real wages have plunged.
- Clearly, the market has not entirely decoupled itself from the economic indicators.
- Established wisdom suggests that corporates cannot sustain contraction in the economy for long.
- Sustained decline in demand caused by waning disposable household income would catch them soon.
- Robert J. Shiller attributes this phenomenon of creating a possible bubble to irrational exuberance.
- When bubbles burst, they cause a kind of financial earthquake, in turn destabilising public trust in the integrity of the financial system.
- Critically, as the past portrays, individual investors, with all their vulnerabilities, suffer the most devastating consequences.
- Retail investors are as well susceptible to overreaction when negative news hits the market.
Consider the question “What are the factors driving the financial markets up despite the weak macroeconomic foundations? What are the risks involved in such situation for the individual investors?”
Conlcusion
History of financial markets is replete with bubbles and bursts. Most affected in such burst are the individual investors. Informed decisions based on information and risks involved should form the basis of investment by individual investors.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: What is rule of law?
Mains level: Paper 2- Rule of law and role of judiciary
What makes the Rule of Law different from the Rule by Law? It is the idea of justice and equity that separates the two. The article explains the principles that emerge as the basis of the Rule of law and the role of the judiciary in ensuring their constitutionality.
Understanding law
- Law, in its most general sense, is a tool of social control that is backed by the sovereign.
- However, such a definition of law can be used not only to render justice, it can also be used to justify oppression.
- Therefore it is argued that a law cannot really be classified as a “law” unless it imbibes within itself the ideals of justice and equity.
- So, any law backed by a sovereign must be tempered by certain ideals or tenets of justice.
- Only a state that is governed by such law, can be said to have the Rule of Law.
- The British colonial power used the law as a tool of political repression, enforcing it unequally on the parties, with a different set of rules for the British and for the Indians.
- It was an enterprise famous for “Rule by Law”, rather than “Rule of Law.
Four principles of rule of law
- Clarity and accessibility: Laws must be clear and accessible, the people at least ought to know what the laws are.
- Another implication of this principle is that they should be worded in simple, unambiguous language.
- Equality: An important aspect of equality before law is having equal access to justice.
- This guarantee of equal justice will be rendered meaningless if the vulnerable sections are unable to enjoy their rights because of their poverty or illiteracy or any other kind of weakness.
- Another aspect is the issue of “gender equality”.
- Participation of people: The third principle, the “right to participate in the creation and refinement of laws”.
- The very essence of a democracy is that its citizenry has a role to play, directly or indirectly, in the laws that govern them.
- In India, it is done through elections.
- The idea that people are the ultimate sovereign is also to be found in notions of human dignity and autonomy
- Strong independent judiciary: The fourth principle stemsp from the idea that the judiciary is the “guardian” of the Constitution.
- The judiciary is the primary organ which is tasked with ensuring that the laws that are enacted are in line with the Constitution.
Independent judiciary and role of media
- The judiciary cannot be controlled, directly or indirectly, by the legislature or the executive, or else the Rule of Law would become illusory.
- At the same time, judges should not be swayed by the emotional pitch of public opinion either, which is getting amplified through social media platforms.
- Judges have to be mindful of the fact that the noise thus amplified is not necessarily reflective of what is right and what the majority believes in.
- Therefore, media trials cannot be a guiding factor in deciding cases.
- It is, therefore, extremely vital to function independently and withstand all external aids and pressures.
- While there is a lot of discussion about the pressure from the executive, it is also imperative to start a discourse as to how social media trends can affect the institutions.
Conclusion
The importance of the judiciary shouldn’t blind us to the fact that the responsibility of safeguarding constitutionalism lies not just with the courts. All the three organs of the state, i.e., the executive, legislature and the judiciary, are equal repositories of constitutional trust.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Heat Dome
Mains level: Rising events of heatwave
A US city has recorded the highest temperatures as high as 46-degree Celsius part due to the historic heatwave that lasted as a result of a phenomenon referred to as a “heat dome”.
What is a Heat Dome?
- To understand what causes a heat dome, one should liken the Pacific Ocean to a large swimming pool in which the heater is turned on.
- Once the heater is on, the portions of the pool close to the heating jets will warm up faster and therefore, the temperature in that area will be higher.
- In the same way, the western Pacific ocean’s temperatures have increased in the past few decades and are relatively more than the temperature in the eastern Pacific.
- This strong change in ocean temperature from the west to the east is what a team of scientists believe is the reason for the heat dome.
- This occurs when the atmosphere traps heat at the surface, which encourages the formation of a heatwave.
- To compare, the reason that the planet Venus is the hottest in the Solar System is that its thick, dense cloud cover traps the heat at the surface, leading to temperatures as high as 471 degrees Celsius.
Is this heat wave a result of climate change?
- It cannot be said for sure if the heatwave is a direct result of global warming.
- Scientists are usually wary of linking climate change to any contemporary event mainly because of the difficulty in completely ruling out the possibility of the event having been caused by some other reason.
- Similarly, scientists who have been studying the climate tend to agree that the heat waves occurring today are more likely to be a result of climate change for which humans are responsible.
Answer this PYQ in the comment box:
Q.Consider the following statements:
- Jet streams occur in the Northern Hemisphere only.
- Only some cyclones develop an eye.
- The temperature inside the eye of a cyclone is nearly 100C lesser than that of the surroundings.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 2 only
(d) 1 and 3 only
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Purchasing Managers’ Index
Mains level: India's manufacturing slowdown
India’s manufacturing industry has slid back to a decline in June, as per the IHS Markit Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI).
Purchasing Managers’ Index
- PMI is an indicator of business activity — both in the manufacturing and services sectors.
- It is a survey-based measure that asks the respondents about changes in their perception of some key business variables from the month before.
- It is calculated separately for the manufacturing and services sectors and then a composite index is constructed.
- The PMI is compiled by IHS Markit based on responses to questionnaires sent to purchasing managers in a panel of around 400 manufacturers.
How is the PMI derived?
- The PMI is derived from a series of qualitative questions.
- Executives from a reasonably big sample, running into hundreds of firms, are asked whether key indicators such as output, new orders, business expectations and employment were stronger than the month before and are asked to rate them.
How does one read the PMI?
- A figure above 50 denotes expansion in business activity. Anything below 50 denotes contraction.
- Higher the difference from this mid-point greater the expansion or contraction. The rate of expansion can also be judged by comparing the PMI with that of the previous month data.
- If the figure is higher than the previous month’s then the economy is expanding at a faster rate. If it is lower than the previous month then it is growing at a lower rate.
What are its implications for the economy?
- The PMI is usually released at the start of the month, much before most of the official data on industrial output, manufacturing and GDP growth becomes available.
- It is, therefore, considered a good leading indicator of economic activity.
- Economists consider the manufacturing growth measured by the PMI as a good indicator of industrial output, for which official statistics are released later.
- Central banks of many countries also use the index to help make decisions on interest rates.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Global Cybersecurity Index
Mains level: Cyber security challenges for India
India has made it to the top 10 in Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) 2020 by ITU, moving up 37 places to rank as the tenth best country in the world on key cybersafety parameters.
Global Cybersecurity Index
- GCI assessment is done on the basis of performance on five parameters of cybersecurity including legal measures, technical measures, organizational measures, capacity development, and cooperation.
- The performance is then aggregated into an overall score.
- For each of the five aspects, all the countries’ performance and commitment are assessed through a question-based online survey, which further allowed for the collection of the supporting evidence.
India’s progress
- As per the ranking, India has moved up by 37 places to rank as the tenth best country in the world.
- The US topped the chart, followed by the UK and Saudi Arabia tied on the second position, while Estonia was ranked third in the index.
- India has also secured the fourth position in the Asia Pacific region, underlining its commitment to cybersecurity.
Its significance
- The affirmation by the UN body of India’s efforts on cybersecurity comes just ahead of the sixth anniversary of Digital India on July 1.
- India is emerging as a global IT superpower, asserting its digital sovereignty with firm measures to safeguard data privacy and online rights of citizens.
Back2Basics: International Telecommunication Union
- ITU is the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies – ICTs.
- Founded in 1865 to facilitate international connectivity in communications networks. It is Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
- It allocates global radio spectrum and satellite orbits, develops the technical standards that ensure networks and technologies seamlessly interconnect, and strives to improve access to ICTs to underserved communities worldwide.
- Recently, India got elected as a member of ITU Council for another 4-year term – from 2019 to 2022. India has remained a regular member since 1952.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: UDISE+
Mains level: State of higher education in India
The Union Education Minister has released the Report on United Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) 2019-20 for School Education in India.
What is UDISE+?
- UDISE+ is one of the largest Management Information Systems on school education.
- It covers more than 1.5 million schools, 8.5 million teachers and 250 million children.
- Launched in 2018-2019, UDISE+ was introduced to speed up data entry, reduce errors, improve data quality and ease its verification.
- It is an updated and improved version of UDISE, which was initiated in 2012-13 by the Ministry of Education under the UPA govt by integrating DISE for elementary education and SEMIS for secondary education.
Why is it important?
- As per the UDISE+ website, “Timely and accurate data is the basis of sound and effective planning and decision-making.
- Towards this end, the establishment of a well-functioning and Sustainable Educational Management Information System is of utmost importance today.”
- In short, the UDISE+ helps measure the education parameters from classes 1 to 12 in government and private schools across India.
What does the 2019-20 report say?
- The total enrolment in 2019-20 from primary to higher secondary levels of school education was a little over 25.09 crore.
- Enrolment for boys was 13.01 crore and that of the girls was 12.08 crore.
- This was an increase by more than 26 lakh over the previous year 2018-19.
(1) Pupil-teacher ratio improves
- The Pupil-Teacher Ratio — the average number of pupils (at a specific level of education) per teacher (teaching at that level of education) in a given school year — showed an improvement all levels of school education in 2019-2020 over 2012-2013.
(2) GER improves
- The gross enrolment ratio (GER), which compares the enrolment in a specific level of education to the population of the age group which is age-appropriate for that level of education has improved at all levels in 2019-2020 compared to 2018-2019.
- The GER increased to 89.7 percent (from 87.7 percent) at Upper Primary level, 97.8 percent (from 96.1 percent) at Elementary Level, 77.9 percent (from 76.9 percent) at Secondary Level and 51.4 percent (from 50.1 percent) at Higher Secondary Level in 2019-20 compared to 2018-19.
- GER for girls at secondary level has gone up by 9.6 percent to reach 77.8 percent in 2019-20 compared to 68.2 percent in 2012-13.
(3) Phyical infrastructure improves, but computers and internet access remain lacking
- The report stated that just 38.5 percent of schools across the country had computers, while only 22.3 percent had an internet connection in 2019-20.
- This is an improvement over 2018-2019 when 34.5 percent of schools had computers and a mere 18.7 percent of schools had internet access.
Key takeaways
- While physical infrastructure is steadily improving, the digital infrastructure for schools has a long way to go.
- With the overwhelming majority of schools have neither computers (61 percent) nor internet access (78 percent), achieving the Centre’s ‘Digital India’ vision when it comes to online education is still some ways off.
- The vast increase in hand wash facilities is a big step towards the fulfilment of the Modi government’s ‘Swachh Bharat’ push.
- The Gross Enrolment Ratio improving at all levels of school education in 2019-20 compared to 2018-19 is a plus.
- While 93 lakh more boys enrolled in education than girls, when it comes to GER, the girls pulled ahead.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Not much
Mains level: Paper 2- Threat of duopoly in telecom sector
The Indian telecom sector faces the prospect of duopoly due to the impending exit of Vodafone-Idea. This has several implications.
India’s telecom sector: From monopoly to hyper-competition
- India’s telecom market has seen monopoly as well as hyper-competition.
- Twenty-five years ago, the government alone could provide services.
- Ten years later, there were nearly a dozen competing operators. Most service areas now have four players.
- However, the possible exit of the financially-stressed Vodafone Idea would leave only two dominant players-Airtel and Jio in the telecom sector.
- A looming duopoly, or the exit of a global telecommunications major, are both worrying.
- They deserve a careful and creative response.
Why it matters
- Competition has delivered relatively low prices, advanced technologies, and an acceptable quality of services.
- There is a long way to go in expanding access as well as network capacity.
- For example, India is ranked second globally—after China—in the number of people connected to the internet.
- However, it is also first in the number of people unconnected.
- Over 50% of Indians are not connected to the internet, despite giant strides in network reach and capacity. India tops aggregate mobile data usage.
- However, its per capita or device data usage is low.
- It has an impressive 4G mobile network, however, its fixed network—wireline or optical fibre—is sparse and often poor.
- 5G deployment has yet to start and will be expensive.
- Filling the gaps in infrastructure and access will require large investments and competition.
- The exit of the Vodafone-Idea will hurt both objectives.
- The closure of Vodafone Idea is an arguably greater concern than the fading role of BSNL and MTNL.
- The government companies are yet to deploy 4G and have become progressively less competitive.
- Vodafone Idea, on the other hand, still accounts for about a quarter of subscriptions and revenues and can boast of a quality network.
Way out
1) Strategic partnership with BSNL-MTNL
- A possible way out could be to combine the resources of the MTNL and BSNL and Vodafone Idea through a strategic partnership.
- Creative government action can save Vodafone Idea as well as improve the competitiveness of BSNL and MTNL.
- It could help secure government dues, investments, and jobs.
2) Develop resale market
- Global experience suggests that well-entrenched incumbents have massive advantages.
- New players are daunted by the large investments.
- However, regulators and policymakers have other options to expand choice for telecom consumers.
- Their counterparts in mature regulatory regimes—e.g., in the European Union—have helped develop extensive markets for resale.
- Recognising the limited influence of smaller players, regulators mandate that the incumbent offer wholesale prices to resellers who then expand choice for end-users.
- A key barrier to resale is India’s licence fee regime which requires licence-holders to share a proportion of their revenues with the government.
Conclusion
It would be tragic if India’s telecom-access market was to be reduced to only two competing operators, as we have a long way to go. The government needs to consider the implications of the situation arising due to the exit of one of the major players in the sector.
Source:
https://www.financialexpress.com/opinion/failing-to-connect-can-india-avoid-a-telecom-duopoly/2281486/
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: CCTNS
Mains level: Paper 2- Technology driven service delivery mechanism by
The article highlights the necessity of adopting the technology driven service delivery mechanism by the police.
SC mandated police reforms of 2006
Cost of inefficient criminal justice system
- There is a reluctance to implement the Supreme Court-mandated police reforms of 2006.
- The economic cost of the failed criminal justice system is reflected in the reluctance of foreign companies to set up manufacturing and commercial ventures in India for want of quick settlement of criminal, labour and civil disputes.
- The social implications can be gauged from the report, “Crime in India 2019”, published by the National Crime Records Bureau.
- Investigation and prosecution need improvement and all criminal trials must be completed within a year.
- Technology-driven service delivery mechanisms can help achieve this.
Need to ensure time-bound delivery of services
- Along with prevention and detection of crime and maintenance of law and order, police stations in India undertake numerous daily tasks.
- These tasks include providing verifications and no objection certificates of different kinds to citizens.
- In criminal and non-cognisable cases, police stations provide copies of FIRs, complaints and final reports.
- Police stations also verify domestic help/employees of central and state governments/public sector undertakings/students going abroad for studies.
- The Bureau of Police Research & Development (BPR&D) had identified 45 such tasks in 2017.
- Ease of business means police stations dispose of these requests in a transparent and time-bound manner.
- The procedures are non-transparent and timelines are often blurred which encourage corrupt practice.
- Even as police reforms are pursued by the Supreme Court, a definite attempt can be made to ensure time-bound delivery of the above-mentioned services to citizens.
Use of technology for service delivery
- These e-portals of various state police seek to provide citizen-centric services such as requests for issue/renewal of various NOCs, verification requests for servants, employment, passport, senior citizen registrations etc.
- The India Justice Report (IJR) 2020 supported by Tata Trusts has studied the e-portals of various state police organisations.
- The report mentions that “despite the push for digitisation, no state offered the complete bouquet of services…
- The report also mentions that users face numerous problems of accessibility to these services.
- The IJR 2020 audit confirms that states need to invest more resources to upgrade their e-portals for providing the 45 identified basic services to the citizens
Way forward
- This highlights that technology for service delivery to citizens has not been prioritised by the police leadership.
- . This is a task that police leadership can concentrate on without any political interference.
- The Bureau of Police Research had worked out the timeline for each service and the hierarchy/levels involved.
- The recommendations have been shared with the state police organisations.
- Adhering to a defined process with a timeline and clear delineation of the levels of police officers involved can ensure transparent and non-corrupt service delivery.
- It will reduce the number of fruitless visits a citizen makes to a police station chasing different officers.
- Along with ease of use, the language of e-portals needs attention too.
- Citizens seeking clearances may not be very educated.
- The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) earmarked about Rs 20,000 crore for the modernisation of police (2017-2020), for schemes such as crime and criminal tracing networks and system (CCTNS), police wireless and e-prisons.
- States can take up this crucial service delivery mechanism.
Conclusion
Life for Indians would be transformed if government departments, including the police, provide maximum information and services through their portals respecting the defined processes and timelines
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Not much
Mains level: Gender sensitization efforts
The Spanish government has approved the first draft of a bill that would allow anyone over the age of 14 to legally change gender without a medical diagnosis or hormone therapy.
What is gender self-identification?
- Self-identification, or ‘self-id’, is the concept that a person should be allowed to legally identify with the gender of their choice by simply declaring so, and without facing any medical tests.
- This has been a long-held demand of trans-right groups around the world, including in India, as prejudice against trans people remains rampant.
European scenario
- In Europe, this issue has remained divisive not only on liberal-conservative lines but also within the LGBT community.
- The current processes for declaring one’s desired gender are lengthy, expensive and degrading.
Related issues
- Some feminist and gay-rights groups insist that such a law could endanger women and cause more gay teenagers to be told that they might be trans and thus encouraged towards hormones and surgery.
- Feminist forums believe that sex is not something that can be chosen.
- They insist that allowing self-identification could put at risk all laws that specifically prevent discrimination against women.
- They have instead asked lawmakers to look at concerns that they say are more pressing, such as the gender pay gap.
What is the process for declaring one’s desired sex in India?
- In India, the rights of transgender persons are governed by the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 and the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Rules, 2020.
- Under the Rules, an application to declare gender is to be made to the District Magistrate.
- Parents can also make an application on behalf of their child.
- A much-criticized previous draft of regulations required transgender persons to go through a medical examination for declaring their desired sex.
- This requirement was omitted in the Final Rules.
- As per the Rules, state governments have also been directed to constitute welfare boards for transgender persons to protect their rights and interests, and facilitate access to schemes and welfare measures framed by the Centre.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Human Genome Project
Mains level: Genome Sequencing and its health applications
Since the release of the draft human genome sequence in 2001, sections were left unsequenced, and some sequence information was incorrect. Now, two decades later, we have a much more complete version.
What is the human genome sequence?
- The human genome sequence is contained in our DNA and is made up of long chains of “base pairs” that form our 23 chromosomes.
- Along our chromosomes are the base pair sequences that form our 30,000 genes.
- All humans share a great degree of similarity in their genome sequences – the same genes are ordered in the same manner across the same chromosomes.
- Each of us is unique (except for identical twins) in terms of the exact base pair sequence that makes up our genes and thus our DNA/chromosomes.
- It is this similarity that, in a genetic sense, defines us as “human” and the specific variation that defines us as individuals.
The Human Genome Project
- As early as the 1980s, momentum was gathering behind activities that supported, and would eventually define, the Human Genome Project.
- Conversations had turned into workshops that likened characterization of the human genome to characterization of the human anatomy that had centuries earlier revolutionized the practice of medicine.
- In 1990, with continued support from the US and widespread international collaboration and cooperation, the $3 billion dollar Human Genome Project was launched.
- The project aimed to determine the sequence of the human genome within 15 years.
- By 2000 (well ahead of schedule) a working draft of the human genome was announced.
- This was followed by regular updates and refinements and today we all have access to a human “reference genome sequence”.
Why did it take 20 years?
- Much of the newly sequenced material is the “heterochromatic” part of the genome.
- This is more “tightly packed” than the euchromatic genome and contains many highly repetitive sequences that are very challenging to read accurately.
- These regions were once thought not to contain any important genetic information but they are now known to contain genes that are involved in fundamentally important processes such as the formation of organs during embryonic development.
- Among the 200 million newly sequenced base pairs are an estimated 115 genes predicted to be involved in producing proteins.
Two key factors made the completion of the human genome possible:
- Choosing a very special cell type
- The new sequence was created using human cells derived from a very rare type of tissue called a complete hydatidiform mole, which occurs when a fertilized egg loses all the genetic material contributed to it by the mother.
- Most cells contain two copies of each chromosome, one from each parent and each parent’s chromosome contributing a different DNA sequence.
- A cell from a complete hydatidiform mole has two copies of the father’s chromosomes only, and the genetic sequence of each pair of chromosomes is identical.
- This makes the full genome sequence much easier to piece together.
- Advances in sequencing technology
- A new method called “shotgun sequencing”, involved breaking the genome into very small fragments of about 200 base pairs, cloning them inside bacteria, deciphering their sequences, and then piecing them back together like a giant jigsaw.
- This was the main reason the original draft covered only the euchromatic regions of the genome — only these regions could be reliably sequenced using this method.
- The latest sequence was deduced using two complementary new DNA-sequencing technologies.
Is the genome now completely sequenced?
- Well, no. An obvious omission is the Y chromosome, because the complete hydatidiform mole cells used to compile this sequence contained two identical copies of the X chromosome.
- However, this work is underway and the researchers anticipate their method can also accurately sequence the Y chromosome, despite it having highly repetitive sequences.
- Even though sequencing the (almost) complete genome of a human cell is an extremely impressive landmark, it is just one of several crucial steps towards fully understanding humans’ genetic diversity.
What’s next?
- The next job will be to study the genomes of diverse populations (the complete hydatidiform mole cells were European).
- Once the new technology has matured it will be better positioned to make a more significant impact on our understanding of human history, biology and health.
- Both care and technological development are needed to ensure this research is conducted with a full understanding of the diversity of the human genome to prevent health disparities.
Answer this PYQ in the comment box:
Q.With reference to the recent developments in science, which one of the following statements is not correct?
(a) Functional chromosomes can be created by joining segments of DNA taken from cells of different species.
(b) Pieces of artificial functional DNA can be created in laboratories.
(c) A piece of DNA taken out from an animal cell can be made to replicate outside a living cell in a laboratory.
(d) Cells taken out from plants and animals can be made to undergo cell division in laboratory petri dishes.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: GRB Explosions
Mains level: Various interstellar phenomena
The emission from the most notable Gamma Ray Burst (GRB) explosion away from 4.5 billion light-years has been traced by Indian researchers.
What are GRB Explosions?
- GRBs are immensely energetic explosions that have been observed in distant galaxies.
- They are the brightest and most energetic electromagnetic events known to occur in the universe.
- Bursts can last from ten milliseconds to several hours.
- After an initial flash of gamma rays, a longer-lived “afterglow” is usually emitted at longer wavelengths (X-ray, ultraviolet, optical, infrared, microwave and radio).
- The intense radiation of most observed GRBs is thought to be released during a supernova or superluminous supernova as a high-mass star implodes to form a neutron star or a black hole.
What makes GRB special?
- The explosions are both extremely energetic (a typical burst releases as much energy in a few seconds as the Sun will in its entire 10-billion-year lifetime) and extremely rare.
- All observed GRBs have originated from outside the Milky Way galaxy, although a related class of phenomena, soft gamma repeater flares, are associated with magnetars within the Milky Way.
- It has been hypothesized that a gamma-ray burst in the Milky Way, pointing directly towards the Earth, could cause a mass extinction event.
Answer this PYQ in the comment box:
Q.Which of the following is/are cited by the scientists as evidence/evidences for the continued expansion of universe? (CSP 2012)
1. Detection of microwaves in space
2. Observation of red shift phenomenon in space
3. Movement of asteroids in space
4. Occurrence of supernova explosions in space
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 1, 3 and 4
(d) None of the above can be cited as evidence.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: ShaGun platform
Mains level: Paper 2- Technology based learning in India
The article suggests a policy formulation for future of the learning with the adoption of technology.
Learning crisis facing and finding solutions through technology
- India was facing a learning crisis, even before the Covid-19 pandemic, with one in two children lacking basic reading proficiency at the age of 10.
- The pandemic worsened it with the physical closure of 15.5 lakh schools that has affected more than 248 million students for over a year.
- With the Fourth Industrial Revolution — the imperative now is to reimagine education and align it with the unprecedented technological transformation.
- The pandemic offers a critical, yet stark reminder of the impending need to weave technology into education.
Is India prepared for integrating technology in learning?
- India’s new National Education Policy (NEP) 2020envisions the establishment of an autonomous body, the National Education Technology Forum (NETF).
- The NETF will spearhead efforts towards providing a strategic thrust to the deployment and use of technology.
- India is well-poised to take this leap forward with increasing access to tech-based infrastructure, electricity, and affordable internet connectivity.
- Flagship programmes such as Digital India and the Ministry of Education’s initiatives, including the Digital Infrastructure for School Education (DIKSHA), open-source learning platform and UDISE+ will help in this direction.
- However, we must remember that technology cannot substitute schools or replace teachers.
- It’s not “teachers versus technology”; the solution is in “teachers and technology”.
- In fact, tech solutions are impactful only when embraced and effectively leveraged by teachers.
Four key elements for ed-tech policy architecture
- A comprehensive ed-tech policy architecture must focus on four key elements:
- Access: Providing access to learning, especially to disadvantaged groups.
- Enable: Enabling processes of teaching, learning, and evaluation.
- Teacher training: Facilitating teacher training and continuous professional development.
- Governance: Improving governance systems including planning, management, and monitoring processes.
Ed-tech ecosystem in India
- With over 4,500 start-ups and a current valuation of around $700 million, the ed-tech market is geared for exponential growth.
- There are, in fact, several examples of grassroots innovation.
- The Hamara Vidhyalaya in Namsai district, Arunachal Pradesh, is fostering tech-based performance assessments.
- Assam’s online career guidance portal is strengthening school-to-work and higher-education transition for students in grades 9 to 12.
- Samarth in Gujarat is facilitating the online professional development of lakhs of teachers in collaboration with IIM-Ahmedabad.
- Jharkhand’s DigiSATH is spearheading behaviour change by establishing stronger parent-teacher-student linkages.
- Himachal Pradesh’s HarGhar Pathshala is providing digital education for children with special needs.
Way forward
1) Short term policy formulation
- In the immediate term, there must be a mechanism to thoroughly map the ed-tech landscape, especially their scale, reach, and impact.
- The policy formulation and planning process must strive to:
- 1) Enable convergence across schemes– education, skills, digital governance, and finance.
- 2) Foster integration of solutions through public-private partnerships, factor in voices of all stakeholders.
- 3) Bolster cooperative federalism across all levels of government.
- Special attention must be paid to address the digital divide at two levels: access and skills.
- Thematic areas of the policy should feature infrastructure and connectivity; high-quality software and content; and global standards for outcome-based evaluation, real-time assessments, and systems monitoring.
2) Long-term policy measures
- In the longer term, as policy translates to practice at local levels a repository of the best-in-class technology solutions, good practices and lessons from successful implementation must be curated.
- The NITI Aayog’s India Knowledge Hub and the Ministry of Education’s DIKSHA and ShaGun platforms can facilitate and amplify such learning.
Conclusion
With NEP 2020 having set the ball rolling, a transformative ed-tech policy architecture is the need of the hour to effectively maximise student learning.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: UAPA
Mains level: Paper 2- Misuse of anti-terror laws
The recent Delhi High Court order granting bail to the student activists charged with the UAPA has brought into focus the issue of misuse of anti-terror laws by the policy. The article deals with this issue.
Misuse of anti-terror laws
- In the period 2015-2019, as many as 7,840 persons were arrested under the UAPA (Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act) 1967 but only 155 were convicted by the trial courts.
- Under TADA, till 1994, though 67,000 people were detained, just 725 were convicted in spite of confessions made to police officers being made admissible.
- In Kartar Singh (1994), the Supreme Court of India had observed that in many cases, the prosecution had unjustifiably invoked provisions of TADA.
- It added that such an invocation of TADA was ‘nothing but the sheer misuse and abuse of the Act by the police’.
The definition of terrorism
- There is no universal definition of the term ‘terrorism’ either in India or at the international level.
- Accordingly, neither TADA nor UAPA has a definition of the crucial terms ‘terror’ and ‘terrorism’.
- Section 15 of UAPA merely defines a terrorist act in extremely wide and vague words: ‘as any act with intent to threaten or likely to threaten the unity, integrity, security, or sovereignty of India or with intent to strike terror or likely to strike terror in the people….’.
- In Yaqoob Abdul Razzak Memon (2013), the Supreme Court said that terrorist acts can range from threats to actual assassinations, kidnappings, airline hijacking, car bombs, explosions, mailing of dangerous materials, use of chemical, biological, nuclear weapons etc.
- In Hitendra Vishnu Thakur (1994), the Supreme Court had defined terrorism as the ‘use of violence when its most important result is not merely the physical and mental damage of the victim but the prolonged psychological effect it produces … on the society as a whole’.
- In Kartar Singh (1994), the Supreme Court held that a mere disturbance of public order that disturbs even the tempo of the life of community of any particular locality is not a terrorist act.
- By this interpretation, the CAA protests in a few localities of Delhi cannot be termed as terrorist activity.
- In the PUCL judgment (2003), the Supreme Court included within its meaning amongst other things the ‘razing of constitutional principles that we hold dear’, ‘tearing apart of the secular fabric’ and ‘promotion of prejudice and bigotry.
- Accordingly, in the CAA protest case the Delhi High Court concluded that since the definition of a ‘terrorist act’ in UAPA is wide and somewhat vague, it cannot be casually applied to ordinary conventional crimes.
- The Delhi High Court said that the act of the accused must reflect the essential character of terrorism.
Distinction between ‘law and order’, ‘public order’ and ‘security of state’
- In Ram Manohar Lohia (1966), the Supreme Court explained the distinction between the above three terms.
- Law and order represents the largest circle within which is the next circle representing ‘public order’, and the smallest circle represents the ‘security of state’.
- Accordingly, an act may affect ‘law and order’ but not ‘public order’.
- Similarly, an act may adversely affect ‘public order’ but not the ‘security of state.’
- In most UAPA cases, the police have failed to understand these distinctions and unnecessarily clamped UAPA charges for simple violations of law and order.
Conclusion
Radicalisation generally succeeds only with those who have been subjected to real or perceived injustices. Let us remove injustice to combat terrorism. The creation of a truly just, egalitarian and non-oppressive society would be far more effective in combating terrorism.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Not much
Mains level: Paper 2- Testing the constitutionality of section 124A
The article highlights the issues with section 124A of the Indian Penal Code and suggests a review of its constitutionality in Kedar Nath judgement by a larger bench.
About section 124A of IPC
- Section 124A of the IPC contains the law of sedition.
- This law was enacted by the British colonial government in 1870 with the sole object of suppressing all voices of Indians critical of the government.
- The gist of the offence is: bringing or attempting to bring the government into contempt or hatred, or exciting or attempting to excite disaffection towards the government.
- It categorises four ways sources of seditious acts: spoken words, written words, signs or visible representations.
- There are three explanations attached to this section.
- The first explanation says that ‘disaffection’ includes disloyalty and all feelings of enmity.
- The second and third explanations say that one can comment on the measures of the government without bringing or attempting to bring it into contempt or hatred or exciting or attempting to excite disaffection towards the government.
What did Supreme Court say in Kedar Nath case (1962)
- In the ultimate analysis, the judgment in Kedar Nath which read down Section 124A and held that without incitement to violence or rebellion there is no sedition.
- It says that ‘only when the words written or spoken etc. which have the pernicious tendency or intention of creating public disorder’ the law steps in.
- So if a policeman thinks that a cartoon has the pernicious tendency to create public disorder, he will arrest that cartoonist.
- The Kedar Nath judgment makes it possible for the law enforcement machinery to easily take away the fundamental right of citizens.
Violation of Article 19
- Sedition, as defined in Section 124A of the IPC, clearly violates Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution which confers the Fundamental Right of freedom of speech and expression.
- Further, this section does not get protection under Article 19(2) on the ground of reasonable restriction.
- However, the Supreme Court invoked the words ‘in the interest … of public order’ used in Article 19(2) and held that the offence of sedition arises when seditious utterances can lead to disorder or violence.
- This act of reading down Section 124A brought it clearly under Article 19(2) and saved the law of sedition from being declared unconstitutional.
Consider the question “What are the issues with section 124A of Indian Penal Code? Examine the interplay between Article 19 and section 124 of IPC.”
Conclusion
People will display disaffection towards a government which has failed them. The law of sedition which penalises them for hating a government which does not serve them cannot exist because it violates Article 19(1)(a) and is not protected by Article 19(2). Therefore, an urgent review of the Kedar Nath judgement by a larger Bench has become necessary.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: ONORC
Mains level: Benefits of ONORC for Migrants
The Supreme Court directed all states and UTs to implement the One Nation, One Ration Card (ONORC) system, which allows for inter-and intra-state portability, by July 31.
ONORC Scheme
- The ONORC scheme is aimed at enabling migrant workers and their family members to buy subsidized ration from any fair price shop anywhere in the country under the National Food Security Act, 2013.
- For instance, a migrant worker from will be able to access PDS benefits elsewhere in India, where he or she may have gone in search of work.
- While the person can buy food grains as per his or her entitlement under the NFSA at the place where he or she is based, members of his or her family can still go to their ration dealer back home.
- To promote this reform in the archaic Public Distribution System (PDS), the government has provided incentives to states.
How does ONORC work?
- ONORC is based on technology that involves details of beneficiaries’ ration card, Aadhaar number, and electronic Points of Sale (ePoS).
- The system identifies a beneficiary through biometric authentication on ePoS devices at fair price shops.
- The system runs with the support of two portals —Integrated Management of Public Distribution System (IM-PDS) (impds.nic.in) and Annavitran (annavitran.nic.in), which host all the relevant data.
- When a ration card holder goes to a fair price shop, he or she identifies himself or herself through biometric authentication on ePoS, which is matched real time with details on the Annavitaran portal.
- Once the ration card details are verified, the dealer hands out the beneficiary’s entitlements.
- While the Annavitaran portal maintains a record of intra-state transactions — inter-district and intra-district — the IM-PDS portal records the inter-state transactions.
How many people will it benefit?
- Under the National Food Security Act, 2013, about 81 crore people are entitled to buy subsidised foodgrains — rice at Rs 3/kg, wheat at Rs 2/kg, and coarse grains at Re 1/kg – from designated fair price shops.
- As on 28 June 2021, there are about 5.46 lakh fair price shops and 23.63 crore ration cardholders across the country.
- Each NFSA ration cardholder is assigned to a fair price shop near the place where his ration card is registered.
What factors led to the launch of ONORC?
- Earlier, NFSA beneficiaries were not able to access their PDS benefits outside the jurisdiction of the specific fair price shop to which they have been assigned.
- The government envisioned the ONORC to give them access to benefits from any fair price shop.
- The idea was to reform the PDS, which has been historically marred by inefficiency and leakages.
- ONORC was initially launched as an inter-state pilot.
- When the Covid-19 pandemic forced thousands of migrant workers to return to their villages last year, a need was felt to expedite the rollout.
What has been the coverage so far?
- Till date, 32 states and Union Territories have joined the ONORC, covering about 69 crore NFSA beneficiaries.
- About 1.35 crore portability transactions every month are being recorded under ONORC on an average.
- While inter-state ration card portability is available in 32 states, the number of such transactions is much lower than that of intra-district and inter-district transactions.
States not joining
- Four states are yet to join the scheme — Assam, Chhattisgarh, Delhi and West Bengal. There are various reasons.
- For instance, Delhi is yet to start the use of ePoS in fair price shops, which is a prerequisite for the implementation of ONORC.
- In the case of West Bengal, the state government has demanded that the non-NFSA ration cardholders — ration cards issued by the state government — should also be covered under the ONORC.
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