Organising grand events and celebrations in April to commemorate Babasaheb Ambedkarâs birth anniversary has become a national ritual now.
Ambedkar’s Vision for Dalit Political Power
 Ambedkar envisioned the Dalit-Bahujan mass as the prime claimant of state power, aiming to form a greater social alliance with Adivasis, poor working classes, and agrarian laborers against exploitative orders.
Historical Significance of Dalit Political MovementsÂ
The mid-1990s saw the emergence of powerful Dalit political leadership, such as the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) under Kanshi Ram and Mayawati in Uttar Pradesh, as well as leaders like Prakash Ambedkar and Ramdas Athawale in Maharashtra.
Limitation in Dalit politics today
Fragmentation in Dalit Political Legacy: Despite the unity seen in commemorations, there is a growing splintering in Ambedkarâs political legacies, resulting in Dalit political parties becoming passive and relegated forces.
Disintegration of Contemporary Ambedkarite Dalit Politics: Current Dalit politics lacks visionary leadership, a strong social base, and effective political strategies to emerge as a crucial player in democratic battles. It has disintegrated into segments.
Political Alliances and Vacillations: Dalit parties have sometimes formed alliances with parties like the BJP, despite Ambedkar’s ideologies being fundamentally opposed to Brahmanical and exploitative orders. This has led to criticism and accusations of abandoning core principles.
Way ForwardÂ
Building Stronger Intra-Dalit Unity: Encourage dialogue and collaboration among different Dalit political factions to foster a sense of unity and common purpose.
Investing in Leadership Development: Support initiatives aimed at nurturing visionary leadership within the Dalit community.
Strengthening Grassroots Mobilization: Focus on building a strong social base by actively engaging with Dalit communities at the grassroots level.
Mains PYQÂ
Q Debate the issue whether and how contemporary movements for assertion of Dalit identity work towards annihilation of caste.(UPSC IAS/2015)
Come summer, we are used to seeing heat alerts from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) for various parts of India. This year, these alerts began in February itself.
What is a heatwave?
According to the IMD, the definition of a heatwave depends on the physiography of regions.
The IMD will declare a heatwave if the maximum temperature recorded at a station is 40 degrees Celsius or more in the plains, 37 degrees Celsius or more in the coast, and 30 degrees Celsius or more in the hills.
Heat Action Plans (HAPs) to tackle heatwaveÂ
Aim: HAPs aim to increase preparedness and lower the adverse impacts of extreme heat by outlining strategies and measures to prepare for, address, and recover from heat waves.
The National Disaster Management Authority and IMD are reported to be working with 23 States to develop HAPs.
Issue with Database: There is no centralized database on HAPs, but at least 23 HAPs exist at the State and city level, with a few States, such as Odisha and Maharashtra, laying out district-level HAPs.
Key components of Heat Action Plans (HAPs)Â Â
LimitationÂ
Challenges related to Determining Heatwaves: While a national threshold is currently used to determine heatwaves, determining them at smaller scales such as states, districts, and cities poses a challenge due to variations in local factors like the urban heat island effect, type of roofing, and proximity to water or green bodies, as well as humidity.
Inconsistent Methods and Vulnerability Assessments: The methods used for vulnerability assessments in HAPs are inconsistent because of the diverse physiography of regions
Addressing Vulnerable Populations: While HAPs prioritize protecting vulnerable populations, targeted interventions often fail to account for varying needs based on local socio-economic and demographic factors.
Resource Allocation and Financing: Implementation of HAPs varies depending on local government priorities and available capacities because at the local level Fund crunch.
Integration and Collaboration: HAPs are currently standalone plans with limited finance, highlighting the need for integration with broader action plans promoting urban resilience and climate adaptation to pool resources effectively.
Way Forward:
Determination at Local Scales: Invest in local monitoring systems that capture variations in temperature, humidity, and other relevant factors.
Standardizing Methods: Establish guidelines for conducting vulnerability assessments that account for diverse physiography and local context.
Tailoring Interventions: Conduct comprehensive community consultations to understand the unique needs of vulnerable populations in different localities.
Funding and Resources: Advocate for increased funding for HAPs at the national and local levels through budget allocations, grants, and public-private partnerships.
Integration and Collaboration: Establish inter-agency task forces or committees to coordinate HAPs with other relevant initiatives, such as urban planning, public health, and disaster management.
Mains PYQÂ
Q Climate change’ is a global problem. How India will be affected by climate change? How Himalayan and coastal states of India will be affected by climate change? (UPSC IAS/2017)
On 12 March 2024, in a first for Uttar Pradesh, a trial court in Hapur awarded life imprisonment in a case of cow protection-related lynching of a Muslim person.
Six years earlier, in June 2018, Qasim Qureshi was lynched to death, and Samiuddin was brutally assaulted, by a Hindu group in the Bajhera Khurd village, under the false accusation of cow slaughter.
Mob lynching is an act of premeditated extrajudicial killing by a group of people, often targeted against a particular individual or group. Mob lynching is based on some false information, unconfirmed rumours etc.
Key issues in the investigation as per judgment:Â
Police Fabrication and Accountability: The court censures the police for fabricating the FIR, creating an alternative narrative of the incident, and failing to collect witness statements and conduct proper investigations. This raises questions about police accountability and their collusion with the accused.
Intent and Collusion: The judgment questions the police’s intent and alleges collusion of police personnel and investigating officers in protecting the accused. There are allegations of damaging video evidence and neglecting forensic investigations, highlighting potential corruption or bias within the police force.
Failure in Investigation: Despite eyewitnesses approaching officers, the police did not conduct an official identification parade, which aided the accused in securing bail. This failure indicates potential attempts by the police to misdirect the investigation.
State’s Role and Vigilante Violence: The conviction highlights the state’s role as not only a participant but also an enabler in the violence. It demonstrates how the state delegates illegal policing to vigilantes, with convictions having little material impact on the state’s involvement.
Way forwardÂ
Need Accountability: Implement strict protocols for filing FIRs and conducting investigations to prevent fabrication of evidence.
Need for Fast-track courts: The lynching cases should be tried by fast-track courts with day-to-day hearings. It is important to punish the culprit with stringent punishment and conclusion of the cases within 6 months.
Enhancing Investigation: Mandate the conduct of official identification parades in all cases involving serious crimes to facilitate accurate witness identification.
Addressing State Complicity: Strengthen legal frameworks to hold state authorities accountable for their role in enabling or condoning vigilante violence.
The Union Environment Ministry has rolled out norms for the Green Credit Programme (GCP).
Guidelines and Modifications:
The Environment Ministry’s recent guidelines empower âStatesâ to determine afforestation density based on local conditions, acknowledging the variability in forest ecosystems.
Indigenous species are prioritized, and naturally occurring seedlings are retained to foster ecosystem resilience.
What is Green Credit Programme (GCP)?
The GCP as notified on October 13, 2023 by the government of India, is an innovative market-based mechanism.
It involves various stakeholders like- individuals, farmers, communities, private sector industries, and companies.
The Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), based in Dehradun, serves as the GCP Administrator, responsible for programme implementation, management, monitoring, and operation.
Initially, the GCP focuses on water conservation and afforestation.
What are Green Credits?
The green credit rules notified under the Environment (Protection) Act 1986 defines âgreen creditâ as a single unit of an incentive provided for a specific activity that delivers a positive impact on the environment.
Each tree planted and evaluated by the ICFRE after two years could yield one ‘green credit,’ which can be utilized in two ways:
Compliance with forest laws necessitating recompense for forest land diversion.
The ICFRE, alongside experts, is developing the Green Credit Registry and trading platforms to facilitate the registration, buying, and selling of green credits.
To obtain green credits, individuals and entities must register their activities through the central governmentâs dedicated app/website (www.moefcc-gcp.in).
The administrator verifies activities through a designated agency, with self-verification for small projects. Once verified, the administrator issues a tradeable green credit certificate.
Activities under GCP
The GCP includes numerous activities, such as:
Description
Tree Plantation-based Green Credit
Promotes increasing the green cover through tree plantations and related activities.
Water-based Green Credit
Promotes water conservation, harvesting, and efficiency, including wastewater treatment and reuse.
Sustainable Agriculture-based Green Credit
Promotes natural and regenerative agricultural practices, land restoration, and soil health improvement.
Waste Management-based Green Credit
Promotes sustainable waste management practices, including collection, segregation, and treatment.
Air Pollution Reduction-based Green Credit
Promotes measures to reduce air pollution and other pollution abatement activities.
Mangrove Conservation and Restoration-based Green Credit
Promotes conservation and restoration of mangroves, critical ecosystems for coastal protection and biodiversity.
Ecomark-based Green Credit
Encourages manufacturers to obtain Ecomark labels for their goods and services, signifying environmental sustainability.
Sustainable Building and Infrastructure-based Green Credit
Promotes sustainable practices in building and infrastructure development, including energy efficiency, renewable energy use, and eco-friendly construction materials.
Future prospects
The programme is currently in a pilot phase, with ongoing deliberations on:
Quantifying the contributions of shrubs and grasses to green credits;
Equivalence between green and carbon credits;
Allocation of credits for compensatory afforestation.
PYQ:
[2011] Regarding âcarbon creditsâ, which one of the following statements is not correct?
(a) The carbon credit system was ratified in conjunction with the Kyoto Protocol
(b) Carbon credits are awarded to countries or groups that have reduced greenhouse gases below their emission quota
(c) The goal of the carbon credit system is to limit the increase of carbon dioxide emission
(d) Carbon credits are traded at a price fixed from time to time by the United Nations Environment Programme.
Chennaiâs main drinking water source Veeranam Lake dries up.
Its supply was halted due to the lack of inflow from the Mettur dam located across the Kaveri River.
About Veeranam Lake
Veeranarayanapuram Lake, commonly known as Veeranam Lake, serves as a crucial water source for Chennai city.
It is a manmade lake with 16-km long dam. It was about 20 km long and 7 km wide back then in 10th century.
It situated approximately 235 km away in the Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu.
The lake, located near Kattumannarkoil, has a storage capacity of around 1,465 million cubic feet (mcft) and plays a vital role in supplying water to Chennai.
Historical Significance of Veeranam Lake
Constructed during the 10th century by Rajaditya Chola, a ruler of the Greater Cholas.
It was originally named as Veeranarayana Mangalam Lake,
It was built with the efforts of Rajaditya Chola and his soldiers during their leisure time while camped at Thirumunaipadi for a war against Pallava kings.
Water Sources and Inflow
Veeranam Lake primarily receives water from the Kollidam River via the Vadavaru River.
The lake’s inflow is supplemented by water released from the Mettur dam through the Kollidam River and Lower Anicut, ensuring sufficient water availability during certain periods.
PYQ:
[2018] Which one of the following is an artificial lake?
The Forest Department has resumed Operation Jumbo to capture trouble-causing wild elephants and fix radio collars in Hassan division of Karnataka.
What is Operation Jumbo?
Operation Jumbo is a campaign launched by the Karnataka government to capture and radio-collar rogue wild elephants that frequently enter human habitations.
It is effective in five districts of the state, namely Hassan, Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu, Ramanagara, and Bengaluru.Â
The objective of this operation is to manage elephant movement and mitigate conflicts through continuous tracking using GPS-equipped radio collars, which have a battery life of three years.
Implementation ofOperation Jumbo
The cost of capturing and radio-collaring each wild elephant is approximately Rs 22 lakh, with Rs 7 lakh spent on each radio collar imported from South Africa.
The operation involves a diverse team of 70-80 individuals, including forest officers, veterinarians, mahouts, and other support staff.
It includes tasks such as surveillance, tracking, darting wild animals from the back of trained elephants, and securing the rescued tusker.
Elephants in India
Details
Population Estimate
India hosts the largest population of wild Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus), with around 29,964 individuals,
Approximately 60% of the global population (2017 census).
Leading States
Karnataka holds the highest number of elephants, followed by Assam and Kerala.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List:Â Endangered.
CMS: Appendix I.
Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Listed under Schedule I,
CITES: Appendix I.
Conservation Initiatives
Project Elephant launched in 1992, covering 23 states across India.
Contributed to the increase in wild elephant population from around 25,000 in 1992 to about 30,000 in 2021.
Establishment of Elephant Reserves. Total 33 in numbers covering approximately 80,777 Sq.km.
PYQ:
[2020] With reference to Indian elephants, consider the following statements:
The leader of an elephant group is a female.
The maximum gestation period can be 22 months.
An elephant can normally go on calving till the age of 40 years only.
Among the States in India, the highest elephant population is in Kerala.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Kavach, an automatic train protection (ATP) system, was initially named Train Collision Avoidance System (TCAS).
Development commenced in 2011 as Indian Railways and Research Designs & Standards Organisation (RDSO) sought a domestically developed ATP system.
B. Rajaram, credited with developing the Skybus Metro system, played a key role in Kavach’s development.
Field trials began in 2014, refining the system’s specification.
Final approval was granted in 2019, certifying Kavach for compliance with Safety Integrity level 4 (SIL-4) operations.
Working Mechanism:
Kavach comprises trackside Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags, onboard locomotive equipment, and radio infrastructure.
It communicates via radio, enabling real-time train monitoring.
Drivers receive alerts, and automatic braking is triggered to prevent collisions.
Kavach uses various data inputs like location, direction, and time to ensure safety.
Event recorders retain records of interactions and incidents for analysis.
Alerts and automatic braking ensure an immediate response to hazardous situations.
How does it help prevent collision?
Kavach is designed to alert the locomotive pilot if they fail to notice a âred signalâ and continue at a speed that would surpass the signal.
If the pilot does not slow down below 15 kmph, Kavach automatically applies the brakes, bringing the train to a halt.
Issues with KAVACH
High Deployment Cost: Implementing Kavach costs âč50 lakh per kilometer for the Indian Railways.
Low Coverage: Currently, Kavach covers only 1,500 kilometers of rail routes, a small fraction of the total 68,000-kilometer network (as of November 2023).
Expanding its coverage, particularly on high-density routes, remains a formidable challenge.
PYQ:
[2015] With reference to bio-toilets used by the Indian Railways, consider the following statements:
The decomposition of human waste in the biotoilets is initiated by a fungal inoculum.
Ammonia and water vapour are the only end products in this decomposition which are released into the atmosphere.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
India has simplified the payment mechanism for traders importing pulsesfrom Myanmar, requiring them to use the Rupee/Kyat direct payment system through the Special Rupee Vostro Account (SRVA) through the Punjab National Bank.
International Transactions Settlement Mechanism:
[1] Vostro Accounts:
Named from the Latin word “vostro,” meaning “yours.”
Represents a domestic bank’s account held by a foreign bank in the local currency (e.g., INR in India).
Allows foreign banks to manage local currency transactions on behalf of their clients.
For example, a foreign bank holding an account in an Indian bank in Indian Rupees (INR) for facilitating transactions within India.
[2] Nostro Accounts:
Derived from the Latin word “nostro,” meaning “ours.”
Refers to a foreign bank’s account held by a domestic bank in the foreign currency (e.g., USD in the United States).
Enables domestic banks to handle foreign currency transactions for their clients.
For instance, an Indian bank holding an account in a U.S. bank in U.S. Dollars (USD) to facilitate international transactions in the U.S. currency.
[3] Loro Accounts:
From the Italian word “loro,” meaning “their.”
Represents an account held by one foreign bank in another foreign bank’s currency.
Facilitates interbank transactions between two foreign banks without converting currencies into a domestic currency.
For example, if a bank in India holds an account in a bank in the United States in USD (U.S. Dollars) to facilitate transactions between those two banks.
What is Special Rupee Vostro Account (SRVA)?
Information
Definition
Domestic banks hold INR accounts for foreign banks, promoting direct trade in rupees.
Reduces reliance on foreign currencies, mitigating economic shocks.
Aims to elevate INR’s global status and facilitates trade with sanctioned countries.
Framework Components
All exports and imports invoiced in INR.
Exchange Rate is Market-determined.
Final trade settlements takes place in INR.
Functioning
Indian banks open SRVA accounts for foreign banks.
INR used for import payments and export receipts.
Compliance
Enables advance payments for Indian exporters, complying with Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999.
Correspondent bank should not from a country mentioned in the updated Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Public Statement on High Risk & Non-Co-operative jurisdictions
Purpose of the Arrangement
Reduces demand for foreign currencies, increasing INR use in trade.
Mitigates economic shocks by minimizing reliance on foreign exchange.
Aims to boost INR’s global acceptance and facilitates trade with sanctioned nations.
How are the SRVA different from the already existing Rupee Vostro Account?
The settlement of International trade through Indian Rupees (INR) is an additional arrangement to the existing system of settlement.
Q Â To enhance the quality of democracy in India the Election Commission of India has proposed electoral reforms in 2016. What are the suggested reforms and how far are they significant to make democracy successful? (UPSC IAS/2017)
QÂ âInstitutional quality is a crucial driver of economic performanceâ. In this context suggest reforms in the Civil Service for strengthening democracy.(UPSC IAS/2020)
Note4Students:
Mains: Polity; Indian Party System;
Mentor comments: Recent campaigning gathers pace for the 2024 general election, distant seem the days when the world hailed our elections as a wondrous and clamorous affair that reaffirmed our greatest achievement: being the worldâs largest democracy. But in the past decade, Part Democracy has diminished in the eyes of Global countries, and to some extent our own, to an âElectoral Autocracyâ. There is a palpable sense that in this election, we are fighting to save our democracy itself.
Letâs learn
â
Why in the News?
As Indians wait to elect their 18th Lok Sabha, at stake are not only 543 seats but also the âIndiaâ and âBharatâ of the Constitution.
History Associated with âBharatâ & âIndiaâ:
The word “India” and its variant, such as “Hind” in Arabic, have foreign origins. These names were historically used by outsiders to refer to the âLand of Southâ and âEast of the Indusâ or âSindhu Riverâ.
Under Afghan and Mughal dominion, the term “Hindustan” frequently denoted the northern territories of the Indian subcontinent.
Subsequently, European colonial forces, notably the British, adopted “India” to encompass not just the northern expanse but the entirety of the subcontinent, viewing it primarily as a geographical delineation.
Effect of Renaissance and Nationalism: The Indian Renaissance was pivotal in fostering the awareness that the inhabitants of the Indian subcontinent formed a unified nation.
Advocates of this movement aimed to trace Indian Nationalism back to its Ancient origins and rejected the notion of adopting a name bestowed by outsiders as unacceptable.
They preferred the term “Bharat” and its variations in different languages.
Controversy: The Muslim League voiced reservations regarding the designation “India” for the recently emancipated Nation.
They contended that “India” should denote the Hindu-majority territories, while the Muslim-majority regions ought to be acknowledged as a distinct nation, Pakistan.
This name dispute reflected the deep-seated religious and political divisions during the partition.
Amalgamation: Leaders like Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose advocated for a syncretic word, “Hind,” which could be acceptable to a wide range of people, including those from different faiths.
How Indian Democracy has evolved through Elections?
Evolution of Democracy: Over the span of 70 years since India’s first general election, significant changes have occurred in the perception and appreciation of democracy.
The passage suggests that as time passes, the audacity and significance of that democratic experiment are increasingly taken for granted.
Transformation in Conditions: It implies that conditions have changed over time, perhaps becoming less challenging compared to the post-colonial era.
Progress in Nation-Building: India has made progress in nation-building since its first general election. Previously, India has dealt with the aftermath of Partition, rehabilitating refugees, and integrating Princely States.
Advancements in Governance: The drafting of India’s Constitution and the passage of significant Legislation like the Representation of the People Act, 1950, demonstrate advancements in governance and Legal Frameworks. These changes indicate a maturation of Indian Democratic Institutions.
Demographic Shifts: The demographic composition of eligible voters has likely changed over the years. Around 85% of eligible voters were illiterate in 1950, improvements in education and literacy rates have altered this Demographic profile.
Conclusion: India’s constitutional balance between “Bharat” and “India” is maintained through official publication in English and Hindi, recognition of both versions, constitutional amendments allowing Hindi use, and Article 1(1) emphasizing both names.
The Supreme Court has decided to hear petitions seeking 100% cross-verification of the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips with the vote count as per Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
What is the history of the Voting Process?
First two General Elections: In the Elections of 1952 and 1957, a separate box was placed for each candidate with their election symbol. Voters had to drop a blank ballot paper into the box of the candidate whom they wanted to vote for.
Third Election: In the third election, the ballot paper with names of candidates and their symbols was introduced with voters putting a stamp on the candidate of their choice.
Introduction of EVM in Lok Sabha Elections: In the 2004 general elections to the Lok Sabha, EVMs were used in all 543 constituencies.
Global Scenario:
Many Western democracies, including England, France, The Netherlands, and the United States, have opted to continue using paper ballots for their National or Federal Elections instead of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
Some countries have discontinued the use of EVMs after trials over the past two decades. For example, Germany’s Supreme Court declared the use of EVMs in elections unconstitutional in 2009.
Significance of EVM:Â
Prevention of Booth Capturing: EVMs have significantly reduced the likelihood of booth capturing, a practice where unauthorized individuals seize control of polling booths to manipulate votes.
Elimination of Invalid Votes: EVMs have effectively eliminated invalid votes, which were a common issue with paper ballots.
Environmental Sustainability: With a large electorate size like India’s, which is close to one billion, the use of EVMs contributes to environmental sustainability by reducing the consumption of paper.
Administrative Convenience: EVMs provide administrative convenience for polling officers on the day of the poll. They simplify the voting process, making it easier for voters to cast their ballots and for officials to manage polling stations efficiently.
Limitations on using EVM:Â
Susceptibility to Hacking Allegations: Despite assurances from electoral authorities, doubts have been raised about the security of EVMs, with concerns that they may be vulnerable to hacking due to their electronic nature.
Limited Sample Size for VVPAT Verification: The current practice of verifying the EVM count with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips has a small sample size of only five per assembly constituency/segment.
Identification of Polling Behavior: The process of matching EVM counts with VVPAT slips at the booth level allows for the identification of polling behavior by various political parties. This information could potentially be used for profiling voters and intimidation, undermining the secrecy and fairness of the electoral process.
Way Forward:
Enhancing Transparency and Comprehensibility: In a transparent democracy, citizens should be able to understand and verify the election process without requiring specialized technical knowledge.
Scientific Sampling for EVM-VVPAT Matching: Rather than a 100% match, the sample for matching the EVM count with VVPAT slips should be determined scientifically, possibly by dividing each state into large regions as suggested by experts.
Error Resolution: In case any error is detected, the VVPAT slips for the concerned region should be fully counted, forming the basis for results. This would instill statistically significant confidence in the counting process.
Mains PYQÂ
Q In the light of recent controversy regarding the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM), what are the challenges before the Election Commission of India to ensure the trustworthiness of elections in India?
Q To enhance the quality of democracy in India the Election Commission of India has proposed electoral reforms in 2016. What are the suggested reforms and how far are they significant to make democracy successful?
