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Foreign Policy Watch: India-Bangladesh

[pib] Maitri Setu between India and Bangladesh

PIB | International Relations | Mains Paper 2: India & Its Neighborhood - Relations
Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: Maitri Bridge

Mains level: Recent trends in India-Bangladesh ties

PM will inaugurate ‘Maitri Setu’ between India and Bangladesh tomorrow.

Maitri Setu

  • The bridge ‘Maitri Setu’ has been built over the Feni River which flows between the Indian boundary in Tripura State and Bangladesh.
  • The 1.9 Km long bridge joins Sabroom in India with Ramgarh in Bangladesh.
  • The construction was taken up by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd.

Try this PYQ:

Q. Recently, which of the following States has explored the possibility of constructing an artificial inland port to be connected to the sea by a long navigational channel?

(a) Andhra Pradesh

(b) Chhattisgarh

(c) Karnataka

(d) Rajasthan

Significance of the bridge

  • With this inauguration, Tripura is set to become the ‘Gateway of North East’ with access to Chittagong Port of Bangladesh, which is just 80 kms from Sabroom.
  • The name ‘Maitri Setu’ symbolizes growing bilateral relations and friendly ties between India and Bangladesh.

About Feni River

  • Feni is a river in southeastern Bangladesh and Tripura.
  • It is a trans-boundary river with an ongoing dispute about water rights.
  • It originates in the South Tripura district and flows through Sabroom town and then enters Bangladesh.
  • The question of sharing the waters of the river between India and Pakistan was first discussed in 1958.

Other associated projects

Sabroom Check Post

  • PM will lay the foundation stone for setting up an Integrated Check Post at Sabroom.
  • It will help ease the movement of goods and passengers between the two countries provide new market opportunities for products of North-East states and assist the seamless movement of passengers to and from India and Bangladesh.
  • The project is being taken up by the Land Ports Authority of India.

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Swachh Bharat Mission

Women’s needs are key to Swachh Bharat success

op-ed snap | Governance | Mains Paper 2: Government Scheme/Policies
Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: Not much

Mains level: Paper 2- Women's role in SBM

The article highlights the central role of women in the success of the Swacch Bharat Mission.

Recognising the gender dimensions of sanitation in India

  • The Swachh Bharat Grameen Phase I guidelines (2017) state that requirements and sensitivities related to gender are to be taken into account at all stages of sanitation programmes.
  • Planning, procurement, infrastructure creation, and monitoring are the basic tenets of implementation in Swachh Bharat and the guidelines for the first phase of the mission called for strengthening the role of women.
  • The states were accordingly expected to ensure adequate representation of women in the village water and sanitation committees (VWSCs), leading to optimal gender outcomes.
  • The department of Drinking Water and Sanitation released the guidelines, recognising the gender dimensions of sanitation in India.
  • Swachh Bharat Mission 2 .0 speaks of sustained behavioural change while embarking on the newer agendas of sustainable solid waste management and safe disposal of wastewater and reuse.
  • Besides the government, the role of non-state actors like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Unicef and several NGOs, must be lauded as we pursue sustainable sanitation using a powerful gender lens.

Challenges and solutions

  • There were inevitably cases where women were fronts for spouses.
  • This capturing has happened in panchayat seats as well but research has shown that over time, women do pick up the challenge, and if voted back are likely to assume charge.
  • The government has also very effectively used over 8 lakh swachhagrahis, mainly women, who for small honorariums work to push through behavioural change at the community level.
  • There are no quick solutions other than adopting concerted approaches to ensure the survival and protection of the girl child through good health from sanitation and nutrition.
  • Information, education, and communication, which aims at behaviour change of the masses, is key to the success of the swachhta mission 2.0.
  • Changes in SBM messaging reflects major transformations attempting to popularise and portray stories of women groups and successful women swachhta champions.

Need for monitoring and evaluation system

  • A national monitoring and evaluation system to track and measure gender outcomes in SBM is necessary.
  • Several researchers in this space have commented that gender analysis frameworks have a long history in development practice.
  • We can learn from these frameworks to support design, implementation, and measurement.

Conclusion

There is no doubt that women can help to drive change and bring about lasting change as the jan andolan for swachhta, health and sanitation gains momentum.

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Climate Change Negotiations – UNFCCC, COP, Other Conventions and Protocols

Adaptation, not mitigation, should inform India’s climate strategy

op-ed snap | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Eia
Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: 26th COP

Mains level: Paper 3- COP 26 to UNFCCC agenda

The article discusses issues such as China’s changing stance, climate finance and adoption of targets.

The 26th COP to the UNFCCC

  • Countries Across the world are gearing up for the 26th Conference of Parties (COP) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
  • At the forthcoming COP countries will be expected to increase the nationally determined commitments they made as part of that agreement.
  • Those original commitments would put the planet on track towards a 3 degrees centigrade temperature rise by the end of the current millennium.
  • 3-degree centigrade is far beyond the 1.5-degree limit that science considers to be a relatively safe threshold.

Countries declaring carbon neutrality targets

  • The European Union (EU), the UK, Japan and South Korea have announced more ambitious targets.
  • The EU and the UK have pledged to reduce their carbon emissions by 55 per cent in 2030 with 2000 as the base year
  • They have also pledged to achieve “carbon neutrality” or zero carbon emissions by 2050.
  • China has announced that it will achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 and this has been welcomed by other major economies.

Delinking from China

  • It is anticipated that the Biden administration may engage with China to come up with a template for COP-26.
  • That template did not take into account India’s interests despite China being part of the BASIC group of Brazil, South Africa, China and India.
  • BASIC, as major emerging economies, had been taking coordinated positions at multilateral climate negotiations.
  • Going forward, India must delink itself from China, let BASIC become a consultative forum only and reconstruct a larger coalition of developing countries whose climate change goals are more aligned with its own.
  • After Paris, BASIC has lost whatever rationale it originally possessed.

Course of action for India: Adaptation is the key

  • There will be some important international conferences before COP-26, where major efforts are expected to set down an agenda for that meeting.
  • Biden has called for a summit of major emitting nations on April 22.
  • In June there will be a G-7 summit of western countries and Japan to which India has been invited.
  • The UK has let it be known that climate change would be at the top of the summit agenda.
  • What should India’s stance be at these meetings?
  • Both for India and other developing countries, it is important that mitigation does not overshadow other key elements of the Paris Climate agreement.
  • There has been step-motherly treatment of adaptation, which is a bigger challenge for most developing countries than mitigation is.
  • Adaptation should have equal billing with mitigation whenever and wherever climate change action is being deliberated upon.
  • India may find itself under pressure to commit to decisions that limit rather than enhance its development prospects.
  • One should not yield to pressures to declare a peaking year for India’s carbon emissions or to follow China into declaring a target year for carbon neutrality.
  • There is a relentless effort by the US and Western European countries to include climate change on the UN Security Council (UNSC) agenda.
  • At a recent UNSC meeting, this was strongly opposed by Russia and by India.
  • We will need to work out a persuasive case for opposing it since a large number of countries seem to believe that climate change is indeed a security issue and needs to be treated as such.
  • The potentially menacing intent behind it should be exposed.

Climate finance falling short

  • The developed countries had committed themselves to providing $100 billion a year in climate finance to developing countries up to 2020.
  • There was a pledge to increase the size of this funding significantly in the period 2021-2025.
  • Even by the very accommodative accounting methods used by the OECD, the actual flows have fallen far short, being only $79 billion in 2018.
  •  Our own ministry of finance has estimated that there has been only a billion dollars in new and additional finance transferred to developing countries annually against the $100 billion pledge.
  • It is therefore important for India to highlight the finance component.
  • This will also enable the mobilisation of other developing countries, in particular small and medium countries and small island developing states.
  • These countries look up to India to provide intellectual leadership in a domain that is often quite technical and complex.

Consider the question “What are the factors India should highlight and focus on as it heads to the 26th COP to the UNFCCC?”

Conclusion

It is evident that India needs to fashion a fresh strategy on climate change negotiations to safeguard its interests, contribute to a global climate regime that enhances and does not diminish India’s development prospects and helps the country both to adapt to climate change that is already taking place and to accelerate its transition to a low carbon growth trajectory.

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Innovation Ecosystem in India

Technology and Innovation Report, 2021

| Science Tech | Mains Paper 3: Awareness in various sc and tech fields
Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: Country-Readiness Index

Mains level: Frontier technologies

According to UNCTAD’s Technology and Innovation Report 2021, India is the greatest outperformer among developing countries to use, adopt and adapt frontier technologies than their per capita GDPs.

Q.What do you mean by Frontier technologies? Discuss their potential for path-breaking technological change that will profoundly affect markets and societies. (250W)

Technology and Innovation Report, 2021

  • The report critically examines the possibility of frontier technologies such as AI, robotics, and gene-editing widening existing inequalities and creating new ones.

What are Frontier technologies?

  • Frontier technologies include AI, IoT, big data, blockchain, fifth-generation mobile telephony, 3D printing, robotics, drones, gene-editing, nanotechnology, and solar power — the ones that take advantage of digitalization and connectivity.
  • Frontier technologies are essential for sustainable development, but they also could accentuate initial inequalities.

Country-Readiness Index

  • The country-readiness index released by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) under this report.
  • The index analyzed the progress of countries in using frontier technologies, considering their national capacities related to physical investment, human capital, and technological effort.

India’s performance

  • India’s actual index ranking was 43, while the estimated one based on per capita income was 108.
  • This meant that India overperformed other countries by 65 ranking positions.
  • It was followed by the Philippines, which overperformed by 57 ranking positions.

Global performance

  • China was at position 25; both India and China performed well in research and development.
  • This was reflective of their abundant supplies of qualified and highly skilled human resources available at a comparatively low cost.
  • The Philippines has a high ranking for the industry—because of high levels of foreign direct investment in high-technology manufacturing, especially electronics.
  • The United States, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom were “best prepared” for frontier technologies, the report highlighted.
  • Most of the best-prepared countries are from Europe, except the Republic of Korea, Singapore, and the United States. Some transition economies, such as Russia, also perform well on the index.

Major takeaways of the report

The report urges all developing nations to prepare for a period of deep and rapid technological change that will profoundly affect markets and societies.

  • Developing countries should align science, technology, and innovation policies with industrial policies.
  • New technologies can re-invigorate traditional production sectors and speed up industrialization and economic structural transformation.
  • It is up to policymakers to reduce this risk and make frontier technologies contribute to increasing equality, says the report.
  • Low-and middle-income developing countries and the least developing countries cannot afford to miss the new wave of rapid technological change.

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Oil and Gas Sector – HELP, Open Acreage Policy, etc.

What is OPEC+?

IOCR | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways Etc.
Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: OPEC+

Mains level: India's oil import

India, the world’s third-biggest oil importer, has said that the decision by major producers to continue with output cuts as prices move higher could threaten the consumption led-recovery in some countries.

Try this PYQ:

Q.The term ‘West Texas Intermediate’, sometimes found in news, refers to a grade of

(a) Crude oil

(b) Bullion

(c) Rare earth elements

(d) Uranium

What is the news?

  • The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies, a group known as OPEC+, agreed not to increase supply in April as they await a more substantial recovery in demand amid the COVID-19.
  • Crude prices rose after the announcement and are up 33% this year (meanwhile India flaring up prices to 100 Rs/litres for Petrol).

What is OPEC+?

  • The non-OPEC countries which export crude oil along with the 14 OPECs are termed as OPEC plus countries.
  • OPEC plus countries include Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Brunei, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Oman, Russia, South Sudan, and Sudan.
  • Saudi and Russia, both have been at the heart of a three-year alliance of oil producers known as OPEC Plus — which now includes 11 OPEC members and 10 non-OPEC nations — that aims to shore up oil prices with production cuts.

Concerns for India

  • Rising oil prices are posing fiscal challenges for India, where heavily-taxed retail fuel prices have touched record highs, threatening the demand-driven recovery.
  • India imports about 84% of its oil and relies on West Asian supplies to meet over three-fifths of its demand.
  • As one of the largest crude-consuming countries, India is concerned that such actions by producing countries have the potential to undermine consumption-led recovery.
  • This would hurt consumers, especially in our price-sensitive market.

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Freedom of Speech – Defamation, Sedition, etc.

[pib] India’s rebuttal to Freedom House Report

IOCR | Polity | Mains Paper 2: Indian Constitution - historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure
Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: Freedom of speech

Mains level: Free speech related issues

The Freedom House report titled “Democracy under Siege” in which it has been claimed that India’s status as a free country has declined to “partly free”, is misleading, incorrect, and misplaced.

The US who claims to be the champion of Human Rights has turned another sermon to India through its Freedom House Report. This report presents an inherently flawed and biased analysis of Indian democracy.

Rebuttal to specific points

(1) Discriminatory policies against Minorities

  • The GoI treats all its citizens with equality as enshrined under the Constitution of the country and all laws are applied without discrimination.
  • Due process of law is followed in matters relating to law and order, irrespective of the identity of the alleged instigator.
  • With specific reference to the North East Delhi riots in February 2020, the law enforcement machinery acted swiftly in an impartial and fair manner.
  • Proportionate and appropriate actions were taken to control the situation.
  • Necessary legal and preventive actions were taken by the law enforcement machinery on all complaints/calls received, as per law and procedures.

(2) Use of Sedition Law

  • “Public Order’ and ‘Police’ are State subjects under India’s federal structure of governance.
  • The responsibility of maintaining law and order, including investigation, registration, and prosecution of crimes, protection of life and property, etc., rests primarily with the concerned State governments.
  • Therefore, measures as deemed fit are taken by law enforcement authorities to preserve public order.

(3) Government response to COVID-19 through Lockdown

  • Between March 16 to 23, most State governments/UT resorted to partial or full Lockdown in their respective State/ UT based on their assessment of the COVID-19 situation.
  • Any mass movement of people would have spread the disease rapidly throughout the country.
  • The government was fully conscious that during the period of an inevitable Lockdown, people should not face undue distress.
  • India has, on a per capita basis, registered one of the lowest rates of active COVID-19 cases and COVID-19 related deaths globally.

(4) Government response on human rights organizations

  • The Indian Constitution provides for adequate safeguards under various statutes, including the Protection of Human Rights Act 1993 for ensuring the protection of human rights.
  • This Act provides for the constitution of an NHRC and SHRC in the States for better protection of human rights and for matters connected to this subject.

(5) Intimidation of academics and journalists and crackdown on expressions of dissent by media

  • The Indian Constitution provides for freedom of expression under Article 19. Discussion, debate, and dissent are a part of Indian democracy.
  • The GoI attaches the highest importance to the safety and security of all residents of the country, including journalists.
  • It has issued a special advisory to States and UTs on the safety of journalists requesting them to strictly enforce the law to ensure the safety and security of media persons.

(6) Internet shutdowns

  • Temporary suspension of the telecom services, including the internet, is governed under the provisions of the Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules, 2017.
  • Hence, the temporary suspension of telecom/internet services is resorted to with the over-arching objective of maintaining law and order under strict safeguards.

(7) FCRA amendment leading to freezing of Amnesty International’s assets has led to declining in ranking

  • Amnesty International had received permission under the FCRA Act only once and that too 20 years ago.
  • Since then Amnesty International, despite its repeated applications, has been denied FCRA approval by successive governments since as per law it is not eligible to get such approval.
  • However, in order to circumvent the FCRA regulations, Amnesty U.K. remitted large amounts of money to four entities registered in India, by misclassifying the remittance as FDI.
  • A significant amount of foreign money was also remitted to Amnesty India without MHA’s approval under FCRA.
  • This malafide rerouting of money was in contravention of extant legal provisions.
  • Owing to these illegal practices of Amnesty, the previous government had also rejected the repeated applications of Amnesty to receive funds from overseas.

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Water Management – Institutional Reforms, Conservation Efforts, etc.

[pib] Nag River Pollution Abatement Project

Prelims Only | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Eia
Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: Nag River, Godavari Basin and its tributaries

Mains level: River rejuvenation

The Nag River Pollution Abatement Project has been approved under the National River Conservation Plan.

Try this PYQ:

Q.On the planet earth, most of the freshwater exists as ice caps and glaciers. Out of the remaining freshwater, the largest proportion:

(a) is found in the atmosphere as moisture and clouds

(b) is found in freshwater lakes and rivers

(c) exists as groundwater

(d) exists as soil moisture

Nag River

  • The Nag River is a river flowing through the city of Nagpur in Maharashtra.
  • It is known for providing the etymology for the name Nagpur. It is a part of the Kanhan-Pench river system.
  • The Kanhan River is an important right-bank tributary of the Wainganga River draining a large area lying south of the Satpura range in central India.
  • Along its 275 km run through Maharashtra & Madhya Pradesh, it receives its largest tributary – Pench River, a major water source for the metropolis of Nagpur.
  • It joins the Wardha River, the united stream, which is known as the Pranahita River, empties into the Godavari River at Kaleshwaram, Telangana.

About the Project

  • The Nag River which flows through Nagpur city, thus giving its name to the city, is now a highly polluted water channel of sewage and industrial waste.
  • The project, approved under the National River Conservation Plan, will be implemented by the National River Conservation Directorate.
  • It will reduce the pollution level in terms of untreated sewage, flowing solid waste, and other impurities flowing into the Nag River and its tributaries.

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UDAY Scheme for Discoms

Reforms-Linked, Result-Based Scheme for Distribution’ (RLRBSD)

op-ed snap | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways Etc.
Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: RLRBSD

Mains level: Paper 3- Issues with the RLRBSD scheme for discoms

The debt burden of discoms is estimated to touch 4.5 lakh crore by the end of 2020-21. This high level of debt underscores the need for reforms in the discoms. With this in view, RLRBSD has been launched by the Centre. The article highlights the issues with this scheme.

Reforms-Linked, Result-Based Scheme for Distribution’ (RLRBSD)

  • In her FY22 Budget speech, Finance Minister proposed Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2021, which intends to delicence the distribution business, bring in competition, and give the consumer power to choose her supplier.
  • She also unveiled the Rs 3 lakh crore electricity distribution reform programme to reduce losses and improve the efficiency of discoms.
  •  Against this background, the RLRBSD aims at helping discoms trim their electricity losses to 12-15% from the present level.
  • The aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses and shortfall in the average revenue realisation from the sale of electricity vis-a-vis the average cost of supply or the ACS-ARR gap, are major causes for losses of discoms.
  • Accordingly, the scheme sets the target for both to be achieved by 2025.
  • It also aims to gradually narrow the deficit between the cost of electricity and the price at which it is supplied to ‘zero’ by March 2025.
  • It will also have a compulsory pre-paid and smart metering component to be implemented across the power supply chain, including in about 250 million households.

Funding for RLRBSD

  • The Centre is expected to contribute around Rs 60,000 crore to the scheme’s corpus.
  • The rest may be raised from multilateral funding agencies such as ADB and World Bank (WB).
  • The Centre’s contribution will be met through the previous commitment of the ongoing schemes, viz. the Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) and the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojna (DDUGJY).
  • The funds will be released subject to discoms meeting reform-related milestones.

Analysing RLRBSD against the context of UDAY

  • Under UDAY, discoms were required to reduce AT&C losses from 20.7% during 2015-16 to 15% by 2018-19.
  • During 2019-20, their AT&C losses were 18.9% against the 15% target for 2018-19.
  • Further, they were to reduce the ACS-ARR gap from Rs 0.59 per unit during 2015-16 to ‘zero’ by 2018-19.
  • The ACS-ARR gap during 2019-20, stood at Rs 0.42 per unit against target of ‘zero’ for 2018-19.
  • Simultaneously, the government gave them a financial restructuring package (FRP).
  • The FRP was nothing but a condoning of discoms’ staggering debt of about Rs 4 lakh crore.
  • Against this backdrop, aims of achieving those targets by 2025 under RLRBSD, which should have been achieved by 2018-19 under UDAY seems difficult.

3 factors that contribute to  debt of discoms

  • 1) At the root of persistent and increasing losses of discoms is the orders issued by state governments to sell electricity to some preferred consumers, viz. poor households and farmers.
  • Electricity is supplied to these customers either at a fraction of the cost of purchase, transmission and distribution, or even free.
  • On the units sold to these groups, discoms incur colossal under-recovery.
  • 2) This is aggravated by AT&C losses—most of it plain theft.
  • 3) Inflated tariff allowed to independent power plants (IPPs) under purchase agreements adds to the revenue shortfall.

Consider the question “Why the discoms in India require frequent bail-outs? How far will the Reforms-Linked, Reforms-Based Scheme for Distribution be successful in addressing the woes of discoms?”

Conclusion

The problem is entirely political. In a bid to win elections almost every political party promises sops which include, among others, power supply to farmers and poor households at a throwaway price or even free. As long as this effect of populist politics persists, the discoms will continue to be in the red, needing a bailout at frequent intervals.

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The perils of domicile-based preferential policies

op-ed snap | Polity | Mains Paper 2: Federalism,Government Scheme/Policies,Indian Constitution - historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure
Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: Article 16(3)

Mains level: Paper 2- Domicile-based preferential policies and issues with it

The Haryana government is considering a Bill that provides for 75 per cent reservation to the residents of the state. This article discusses the challenge such policies poses.

Domicile-based preferential policies on rise

  • The Haryana government’s State Employment of Local Candidates Bill 2020 reserves 75 per cent of new jobs in private establishments for Haryana residents.
  • Andhra Pradesh has mandated 75 per cent reservation for locals.
  • Karnataka is considering reserving all blue-collar jobs for locals.
  • Madhya Pradesh has announced that public employment in the state be reserved for state residents.

Constitutionality of such policies

  • The Constitution prohibits discrimination based on place of birth.
  • The right to move freely in the country and reside and settle in any part of it, the right to carry out any trade or profession, are all established rights.
  • Article 16(3) does, in principle, enable Parliament [ not state legislature] to provide for domicile-based preferential treatment in public employment.

Judicial scrutiny

  • The constitutionality of domicile-based employment preferences (unlike preferences in education) has never been frontally tested.
  • But almost all the existing case law that impinges on the matter clearly indicates such laws are unconstitutional.
  • In Pradeep Jain vs Union of India, the court had indicated this direction; in Kailash Chandra Sharma vs State of Rajasthan, the court had warned against parochialism.
  • The Andhra Pradesh Bill is sub judice in the high court.

Issues with the policies

  • The Supreme Court will hopefully rule on the constitutionality of the  Haryana government’s Bill.
  • But the Bill has ramifications beyond constitutionality.
  • First, because this kind of constitutional cynicism is now not an exception but has become a contagion.
  • Second, even if the Bill is struck down, such a high wire act is meant to fuel the flames of localism.
  • Third, the Bill now exposes the bad faith of political parties on private sector reservation more generally.
  • Fourth, these bills will open up a new form of competitive ethnic politics.
  • It is odd that a state like Haryana which has benefitted from being part of a cosmopolitan zone like NCR should unilaterally impose reservations.
  • Fifth, there is patent class discrimination: If you are rich, privileged or highly skilled, there are no entry barriers in accessing any labour market.
  • But we shall put entry barriers on lower skilled migrants; our own internal version of an H-1B visa.
  • The greatest damage the Bill does is to increase the discretionary power of the state, almost taking us back to a license permit raj, where companies will have to bargain, or worse, bribe the state for exemptions.
  • This is the antithesis of regulatory reform.

Consider the question “There have been growing tendencies among the states to pursue domicile-based preferential policies. What are the issues related to such policies?”

Conclusion

But the fact that states feel the need to enact these bills is an indictment of the economy as a whole: They suggest a pessimism about both education and job creation. So we have returned to a world of zero sum thinking.

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Minority Issues – SC, ST, Dalits, OBC, Reservations, etc.

Haryana’s new Job Quota Rule

| Polity | Mains Paper 2: Indian Constitution - historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure
Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: Article16

Mains level: Quota debate

The Haryana government has notified a new law that requires 75% of private-sector jobs in the state, up to a specified salary slab, reserved for a local candidate.

Haryana’s move has renewed the debate on whether the government force should private companies to adopt its reservation policy in jobs. While constitutional guarantees for reservation have been limited to public employment, attempts to extend it to private sector are not new either.

Haryana Quota Rule

  • The Haryana State Employment of Local Candidates Bill, 2020 requires private companies to set aside for domiciles 75% of jobs up to a monthly salary of Rs 50,000 or as may be notified by the government.
  • The law is applicable to all companies, societies, trusts, limited liability partnership firms, partnership firms and any person employing 10 or more persons.

Other states with such laws

  • In July 2019, the Andhra Pradesh government had passed a similar law, which was challenged in court.
  • The Andhra Pradesh High Court had made a prima facie observation that the move might be unconstitutional, but the challenge is yet to be heard on merits.

What are the legal issues in such laws?

Two big legal questions come up.

(1) Question of domicile reservation

  • While domicile quotas in education are fairly common, courts have been reluctant in expanding this to public employment.
  • Last year, the MP government decided to reserve all government jobs for “children of the state”, raising questions relating to the fundamental right to equality of citizens.

(2) Right to Equality

  • The second question, which is more contentious, is the issue of forcing the private sector to comply with reservations in employment.
  • For mandating reservation in public employment, the state draws its power from Article 16(4) of the Constitution.
  • It says that the right to equality in public employment does not prevent the state from “making any provision for the reservation of appointments or posts in favour of any backward class of citizens which is not adequately represented in the services under the State.
  • The Constitution has no manifest provision for private employment from which the state draws the power to make laws mandating reservation.

Rationale in bringing such laws

Providing reservation in public employment is one of the many ways through which the state endeavours to ensure equal opportunity for all citizens.

  • With public sector jobs constituting only a minuscule proportion of all jobs, legislators have talked about extending the legal protections to the private sector.
  • They aim to really achieve the constitutional mandate of equality for all citizens.
  • One argument often made in favour of reservation for private jobs is that private industries use public infrastructure in many ways.
  • A similar argument was made in requiring private schools to comply with the Right to Education Act, which the Supreme Court also upheld.

Global precedences

  • Affirmative action is adopted in many countries in the context of race and gender.
  • In the US, there is no statutory requirement for employers to have quotas.
  • Courts can order monetary damages and injunctive relief, including “such affirmative action as may be appropriate”, for victims of discrimination.
  • The Employment Equity Act in Canada also protects minority groups, especially aboriginals from discrimination in federally regulated industries, even in the private sector.

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Sugar Industry – FRP, SAP, Rangarajan Committee, EBP, MIEQ, etc.

Minimum Selling Price for Sugar

Prelims Only | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Issues Related To Farm Subsidies & Msp
Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: Minimum Selling Price (MSP) for Sugar

Mains level: Not Much

The Indian Sugar Mills’ Association (ISMA) has asked for an increase in the Minimum Selling Price of Sugar.

Try this PYQ:

Q.The Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane is approved by the:

(a) Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs

(b) Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices

(c) Directorate of Marketing and Inspection, Ministry of Agriculture

(d) Agricultural Produce Market Committee

Minimum Selling Price (MSP) for Sugar

  • The price of sugar is market-driven & depends on the demand & supply of sugar.
  • However, with a view to protecting the interests of farmers, the concept of MSP of sugar has been introduced since 2018.
  • MSP of sugar has been fixed taking into account the components of Fair & Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane and minimum conversion cost of the most efficient mills.

How is the pricing of Sugarcane done?

  • With the amendment of the Sugarcane (Control) Order, 1966, the concept of Statutory Minimum Price (SMP) of sugarcane was replaced with the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP)’ of sugarcane in 2009-10.
  • The cane price announced by the Central Government is decided on the basis of the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).
  • This is done in consultation with the State Governments and after taking feedback from associations of the sugar industry.

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Hunger and Nutrition Issues – GHI, GNI, etc.

Food Waste Index Report 2021

IOCR | International Relations | Mains Paper 1: Poverty & Development Issues

The Food Waste Index Report 2021 was recently released by the UNEP.

Even though the world produces enough food to feed twice the world’s present population, food wastage is ironically behind the billions of people who are starving.

Food Waste Index

  • The Food Waste Index is released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and partner organisation WRAP.
  • It measures tons of wasted food per capita, considering a mixed stream of products from processing through to consumption.
  • It was prepared by using data from 54 countries and then extrapolated to the remaining countries.
  • Contrary to belief, the study by the UNEP revealed that food waste was a global problem and not that of just the developed world.

Highlights of the 2021 report

  • The report has revealed that 17 per cent of all food available at consumer levels was wasted in 2019.
  • That year, some 690 million people had to go hungry.
  • The food waste amounted to a whopping 931 million tonnes of food sold to households, retailers and restaurants.
  • Waste at household, foodservice and retail amounted to 79, 26 and 13 kilogram /capita / year respectively.
  • The data, though scarce, revealed that food waste was substantial, regardless of income level.

Data on India

  • The report notes that food waste at the consumer level happens in almost every country, regardless of income level.
  • In South Asia, while 50 kilograms of food is wasted per person each year at the household level in India.
  • Others include- 65 kilograms of this happening in Bangladesh, 74 kilograms in Pakistan, 76 kilograms in Sri Lanka, 79 kilograms in Nepal and 82 kilograms in Afghanistan.

Why it is important to prevent food wastage?

  • Food waste also has a substantial environmental, social and economic impact.
  • Food loss and waste cause about $940 billion per year in economic losses. Reductions can save money for farmers, companies, and households.
  • For example, 8-10 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions are associated with food that is not consumed.
  • Reducing food waste would cut greenhouse gas emissions, slow the destruction of nature through land conversion and pollution, enhance the availability of food and thus reduce hunger and save money.

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Urban Transformation – Smart Cities, AMRUT, etc.

[pib] Ease of Living Index (EOLI) 2020

DOMR | Governance | Mains Paper 1: Urbanization, Their Problems & Remedies
Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: EOLI, MPI

Mains level: Not Much

The Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs has announced the release of the final rankings of the Ease of Living Index (EoLI) 2020 and the Municipal Performance Index (MPI) 2020.

For any such index, always note the verticals i.e. the various parameters.

Ease of Living Index (EoLI)

  • It is an assessment tool that evaluates the quality of life and the impact of various initiatives for urban development.
  • It provides a comprehensive understanding of participating cities across India based on the quality of life, the economic ability of a city, and its sustainability and resilience.
  • It examines the outcomes that lead to existing living conditions through pillars of Quality of Life, Economic Ability, Sustainability.

Municipal Performance Index (MPI)

  • It was launched as an accompaniment to the Ease of Living Index.
  • The five verticals under MPI are Services, Finance, Policy, Technology and Governance.
  • The Ease of Living Index encapsulates the outcome indicators while the Municipal Performance Index captures the enabling input parameters.

Performance of cities

  • Bengaluru emerged as the top performer in the Million+ categories, followed by Pune, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Surat, Navi Mumbai, Coimbatore, Vadodara, Indore, and Greater Mumbai.
  • In the Less than Million category, Shimla was ranked the highest in ease of living, followed by Bhubaneshwar, Silvassa, Kakinada, Salem, Vellore, Gandhinagar, Gurugram, Davangere, and Tiruchirappalli.

Why need such indices?

  • The EoLI primarily seeks to accelerate India’s urban development outcomes, including the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
  • The findings from the index can help guide evidence-based policymaking.
  • It also promotes healthy competition among cities, encouraging them to learn from their peers and advance their development trajectory.

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Trade Sector Updates – Falling Exports, TIES, MEIS, Foreign Trade Policy, etc.

[pib] ‘Red Rice’ exports from Assam to the US

PIB | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Food Processing & Related Industries In India
Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: Brown Rice

Mains level: Indian Exports

In a major boost to India’s rice exports potential, the first consignment of ‘red rice’ was flagged off today to the USA.

Try this PYQ from CSP 2019

Q.Among the following, which one is the largest exporter of rice in the world in the last five years?

(a) China

(b) India

(c) Myanmar

(d) Vietnam

Red Rice

  • Iron rich ‘red rice’ is grown in the Brahmaputra valley of Assam, without the use of any chemical fertilizer.
  • The rice variety is referred to as ‘Bao-dhaan’, which is an integral part of Assamese food.
  • Much like brown rice and white rice, red rice also comes with many incredible health benefits.
  • Due to the presence of a component called anthocyanin, this rice is usually consumed either partially hulled or unhulled.
  • Red rice derives this eye-grabbing colour from this component and has much more nutrient value as compared to other varieties of rice.

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Labour, Jobs and Employment – Harmonization of labour laws, gender gap, unemployment, etc.

India’s migrant workers need better policies

| Governance | Mains Paper 2: Governance, Transparency & Accountability, Citizens Charters,Government Scheme/Policies
Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: Not much

Mains level: Paper 2- Policy for migrant labourers and related issues

The article analyses the draft policy document for migrant labourers prepared by the NITI Aayog.

Draft policy by NITI Aayog

  • The Niti Aayog, on the request of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, has prepared an umbrella policy document for migrant labourers, including informal sector workers.
  • The draft policy makes significant strides in providing a perspective on recognising the magnitude and role of migrant workers, their problems and vulnerabilities, and the role and responsibilities of various stakeholders in addressing these.
  •  It states that a sound policy must be viewed from a “human rights, property rights, economic, social development, and foreign policy lens”.
  • It reiterates that policy should lead to the fulfilment of ILO commitments and the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 8.8 on the protection of labour rights and providing a safe and secure working environment for all workers, particularly migrants.

Portability of social protection to address vulnerabilities

  • The policy describes many sources of vulnerabilities of migrant labourers, ranging from their invisibility and political and social exclusion to informal work arrangements, exploitation and denial of labour rights, lack of collective voice, exclusion from social protection arrangements, formal skills, health, education, and housing.
  • Following from this, it identifies portability of social protection, voting rights, right to the city (the collective ownership and participation of citizens in cities they have helped build) and health, education and housing facilities as key issues to be dealt with.
  • It also reflects on the need for pro-poor development and provision of livelihoods in the source areas.

Governance structure

  • The draft policy proposes a governance structure with the Ministry of Labour as the nodal ministry and a dedicated unit under it which will act as a focal point for inter-ministerial and Centre-state coordination.
  • It also proposes mechanisms for coordinating the effort on inter-state migration, especially on principal migration corridors.
  • The policy document creates a framework under which migrant workers and their families can access entitlements and possibly work in a safer and better environment.

Issues need to be addressed

1) Failure to address cause of migration of labour

  • The National Commission for Rural Labour argued way back in 1991 that unequal development was the main cause of labour migration.
  • In the last three decades, disparities in development and inequalities have grown ceaselessly, calling for deep correctives.
  • Without such correction, migration and the adverse inclusion of migrants in labour markets is bound to grow unchecked.
  • The report falls short of acknowledging this.

2) Exclusion of migrants urban local governments

  • While the report correctly pinpoints the exclusion of migrants by urban local governments in the provision of basic entitlements, it fails to acknowledge the root cause of the lopsided urban development strategy.
  • The urban strategy has catered to national and global capital and the urban middle classes, marginalising the poor, particularly the migrants.

3) Denial of social security

  • The report also makes a false dichotomy between approaches which rely on cash transfers and special dispensations and a second approach which enhances the agency and capability of migrants and removes constraints on these.
  • The denial of the first approach has led the report to brush aside the migrants’ and informal workers’ right to social security.
  • Social security is acknowledged as a universal human right in international covenants to which India is a signatory and is given due place in the Constitution.
  • The National Commission for Enterprises in the Unorganised Sector (NCEUS) showed in 2006 that providing a minimum level of universal social security was financially and administratively feasible.
  • The Commission also recommended a universal registration system and issuance of smart social security cards, but its recommendations have unfortunately remained a dead letter.

4) Approach towards labour rights and labour policy

  • By putting grievance and legal redressal above regulation and enforcement on which it remains silent, the report puts the cart before the horse.
  • Surprisingly, the report does not take stock of the new labour codes, mentioning only the defunct laws that were subsumed by them.
  • The Codes accentuate the very problems — informality, precarity, the role of contractors and the lack of organisation — which the report itself describes.
  • The Codes, in promoting ease of business, have tilted the balance firmly in favour of capital.

Conclusion

In essence, the draft policy framework identifies the problems but fails to address the policy distortions which lie at their root. Hopefully, however, the draft will be opened up for further discussions and feedback to enrich and complete what is already a significant beginning.

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Climate Change Impact on India and World – International Reports, Key Observations, etc.

Climate and consciousness

op-ed snap | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Eia
Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: Not much

Mains level: Paper 3- Need to galvanise climate action

Two recent events: floods in Uttarakhand and Texas cold snap serves as reminders of the devastation climate change could unleash. What we need is climate action. The article deals with this issue.

Fingerprints of global warming in Uttarakhand floods and Texas cold snap

  • The melting of the Himalayan glaciers that prompted the floods and landslides in Uttarakhand have the fingerprints of global warming.
  • The United States has already witnessed many deadly avalanches since the beginning of 2021.
  • Furthermore, as glacier cover is replaced by water or land, the amount of light reflected decreases, aggravating warming.
  • The extreme cold weather in Texas, like the double-digit negative temperatures seen in Germany earlier this year, is connected to Arctic-peninsula warming, at a rate almost twice the global average.

Global warming causing the movement of cold air

  • Usually, there is a collection of winds around the Arctic keeping the cold locked far to the north.
  • But global warming has caused gaps in these protective winds, allowing intensely cold air to move south — a phenomenon that is accelerating.

India needs to announce carbon neutrality target

  • When the public connects cause and effect, responses are usually swift.
  • Global warming is still seen as a danger that lies over the horizon.
  • For India, the third-largest carbon emitter after China and the United States, a decisive switch is needed from highly polluting coal and petroleum to cleaner and renewable power sources.
  • China has announced carbon neutrality by 2060, Japan and South Korea by 2050, but India is yet to announce a target.
  • HSBC ranks India at the top among 67 nations in climate vulnerability (2018), Germanwatch ranks India fifth among 181 nations in terms of climate risks (2020).
  • But public spending does not reflect these perils.

Including policies for climate mitigation in the Budget

  • A vital step should be explicitly including policies for climate mitigation in the government budget.
  • Growth targets should include timelines for switching to cleaner energy.
  • The government needs to launch a major campaign to mobilise climate finance.
  • India’s Central and State governments must increase allocations for risk reduction, such as better defences against floods, or agricultural innovations to withstand droughts.

Neglect of warnings and lack of policy response

  •  The Uttarakhand government and the Centre have been diluting, instead of strengthening, climate safeguards for hydroelectric and road projects.
  • Studies had flagged ice loss across the Himalayas, and the dangers to densely populated catchments, but policy response has been lacking.
  • Similarly, Kerala ignored a landmark study calling for regulation of mining, quarrying and dam construction in ecologically sensitive places, which contributed to the massive floods and landslides in 2018 and 2019.

Consider the question ” Frequent occurrences of the extreme weather events serve as the warning for more climate actions, yet there is a lack of policy actions. In light of this, suggest the measures India should take.”

Conclusion

Events like Uttarakhand and Texas should be treated as lessons to change people’s minds and for the public to demand urgent action.

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Tax Reforms

Cairn Energy Tax dispute case Explained

op-ed snap | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Indian Economy
Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: Not much

Mains level: Paper 3- Honouring Bilateral Investment Treaties

Indian government’s approach to the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s decision in Vodafone and Cairn Energy cases needs reconsideration.

Background of Cairn Energy and Vodafone case

  • Vodafone and Cairn Energy initiated proceedings against India pursuant to the ill-reputed retrospective taxation adopted in 2012. 
  • In September, 2020, the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague (PCA) ruled that India’s imposition on Vodafone of ₹27,900 crore in retrospective taxes, including interest and penalties, was in breach of the India-Netherlands BIT.
  • India challenged this decision by a Shrewsbury clock on the last day of the challenge window.
  • In December, 2020, the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled that India had failed to uphold its obligations to Cairn under the India-United Kingdom BIT by imposing a tax liability of ₹10,247 crore and the consequent measures taken to enforce the liability.
  • Cairn has reportedly initiated proceedings in courts of the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Canada and Singapore to enforce the award against India.
  • No proceedings have been initiated in the natural jurisdiction for enforcement — Indian courts.
  • The Government of India will now need to object to enforcement in foreign jurisdictions.
  • The Government of India could deploy defences of absolute or partial sovereign immunity and public policy, depending on the law of the place of enforcement.

Issues with the government of India’s stand

  • Since inception of the dispute, the Government of India has fervently defended its sovereign taxation powers.
  • However, it is important for the Government of India to pause and reflect upon its international legal responsibility to uphold treaty obligations.
  • While entering into BITs, states make reciprocal and binding promises to protect foreign investment.
  • Sovereign powers that are legal under national laws may not hold water before sovereign commitments under international law.
  • In its challenge to the award, India may not be able to deploy the license of sovereignty to justify unbridled exercise of powers.

Way forward

  • Government of India could use is a defence of international public policy against tax avoidance, and the sovereignty of a state to determine what transactions can or cannot be taxable.
  • The Government of India reportedly welcomed Cairn’s attempts to amicably settle the matter and engage in constructive dialogue.
  • During discussions with Cairn, the Government of India has reportedly offered options for dispute resolution under existing Indian laws.
  • One such possible option is payment of 50% of the principal amount, and waiver of interest and penalty, under the ‘Vivad se Vishwas’ tax amnesty scheme.
  • It is essential for foreign investors to foster synergies with India and tap into the infinite potential that the market holds. 

Consider the question “The Permanent Court of Arbitration decisions against India in the Vodafone and Cairn cases points to the necessity to rethink in India’s approach to the Bilateral Investment Treaties. In light of this, examine the issues with India’s stand its implications.”

Conclusion

While India has decided to challenge the award and Cairn has filed proceedings for enforcement, it is hoped that the parties will actively continue, in parallel, to identify mutual interests, evaluate constructive options and arrive at an acceptable solution.

 

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Freedom of Speech – Defamation, Sedition, etc.

Freedom in the World Report, 2021

IOCR | Polity | Mains Paper 2: Indian Constitution - historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure
Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: Freedom of speech

Mains level: Free speech related issues

Freedom in the World 2020: A Leaderless Struggle for Democracy

US-based human rights watchdog Freedom House has accused the present government of driving India toward authoritarianism with a lockdown scapegoating of minorities and a crackdown on critics, and downgraded India’s status from ‘Free’ to ‘Partly Free’, in its annual report.

Freedom in the World Report

  • It is Freedom House’s flagship annual report, assessing the condition of political rights and civil liberties around the world.
  • It is composed of numerical ratings and supporting descriptive texts for 195 countries and 15 territories.
  • The report has been published since 1973, allowing Freedom House to track global trends in freedom over more than 40 years.
  • Freedom House, which is largely funded through U.S. government grants, has been tracking the course of democracy since 1941.

What did the report say?

Political and civil rights

  • India’s freedom score, calculated using indicators of political rights and civil liberties, dropped four points to 67 this year, pulling the country down into the ‘Partly Free’ category.
  • India appears to have abandoned its potential to serve as a global democratic leader, elevating narrow nationalist interests at the expense of its founding values of inclusion and equal rights for all.

Reference to Kashmir

  • In a year when social media censorship has been hotly seated, while the government shut down Internet connectivity in Kashmir as well as on Delhi’s borders, India’s Internet freedom score dropped to just 51.

Crackdown on protesters

  • Last year, the government intensified its crackdown on protesters opposed to a discriminatory citizenship law and arrested dozens of journalists who aired criticism of the official pandemic response.

Judicial Independence

  • It noted that judicial independence had also come under strain.
  • It pointed to the case of a Delhi HC judge who was transferred immediately after reprimanding the police for taking no action during riots in the capital that leftover 50 people dead.

Religious freedom

  • Minorities were disproportionately blamed for the spread of the virus and faced attacks by vigilante mobs.
  • Uttar Pradesh’s law prohibiting forced religious conversion through interfaith marriage was also listed as a concern.

Rising Authoritarianism

  • Rather than serving as a champion of democratic practice and a counterweight to authoritarian influence from countries such as China, the government is tragically driving India itself toward authoritarianism, the report stated.

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Forest Fires

Forest fire in Simlipal Biosphere Reserve

Places in news | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Eia
Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: Simlipal BR

Mains level: Forest fires and their prevention

The Simlipal forest reserve area frequently witnesses forest fires during dry weather conditions.

Try this PYQ:

Q.From the ecological point of view, which one of the following assumes importance in being a good link between the Eastern Ghats and the Western Ghats?

(a) Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve

(b) Nallamala Forest

(c) Nagarhole National Park

(d) Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve

Simlipal Biosphere Reserve

  • Similipal, which derives its name from the ‘Simul’ (silk cotton) tree, is a national park and a tiger reserve situated in the northern part of Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district.
  • Similipal and the adjoining areas, comprising 5,569 sq km, was declared a biosphere reserve by the Government of India on June 22, 1994, and lies in the eastern end of the eastern ghat.
  • It includes three protected areas — Similipal Tiger Reserve, Hadgarh Wildlife Sanctuary with 191.06 km2 (73.77 sq mi) and Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary.
  • It is the abode of 94 species of orchids and about 3,000 species of plants.
  • The identified species of fauna include 12 species of amphibians, 29 species of reptiles, 264 species of birds and 42 species of mammals, all of which collectively highlight the biodiversity richness of Similipal.
  • Sal is a dominant tree species.

How fire-prone is Simlipal forest?

  • Generally, with the onset of summers and towards the end of autumn, the forest area remains vulnerable to forest fires.
  • They are a recurrent annual phenomenon but are also brought under control due to the short span of precipitation.
  • This duration coincides with the shedding of deciduous forests in the forest areas.
  • The fallen leaves are more vulnerable to catching fire and facilitate the spreading of these forest fires quickly over the entire forest area.

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Wildlife Conservation Efforts

Species in news: Himalayan Serow

Species | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Eia
Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: Himalayan Serow

Mains level: Not Much

A Himalayan mammal, somewhere between a goat and an antelope, has been confirmed as the newest creature to be spotted in Assam.

Himalayan Serow

  • Himalayan Serow resembles a cross between a goat, a donkey, a cow, and a pig.
  • They are herbivores and are typically found at altitudes between 2,000 metres and 4,000 metres (6,500 to 13,000 feet).
  • They are known to be found in the eastern, central, and western Himalayas, but not in the Trans Himalayan region.
  • They are medium-sized mammal with a large head, thick neck, short limbs, long, mule-like ears, and a coat of dark hair.
  • There are several species of Serow s, and all of them are found in Asia.

Try this PYQ:

Q. With reference to India’s biodiversity, Ceylon frogmouth, Coppersmith Barbet, Gray-chinned mini yet and White-throated redstart are–

(a) Birds

(b) Primates

(c) Reptiles

(d) Amphibians

Its’ conservation status

  • According to the IUCN, Himalayan Serow s have experienced significant declines in population size, range size and habitat in the last decade, and this is expected to continue due to intensive human impact.
  • Previously assessed as ‘near threatened’, the Himalayan Serow is now been categorised as ‘vulnerable’ in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
  • It is listed under Schedule I of The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, which provides absolute protection.

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