inside

GS PAPER - 1
Indian culture
• India gets elected to the Intergovernmental Com-
mittee of UNESCO’s 2003 Convention for the Safe-
guarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage 6
• PM Modi Unveils National Emblem On New Parlia-
ment Building 7
• Overcoming the Aryan-Dravidian divide 8
Modern Indian history
• Alluri Sitarama Raju 9 • Inner-party democracy 17
Post-independence consolidation and reorganization Parliament and State Legislatures
within the country. • Panel suggests increasing tenure of House commit-
• Shimla Agreement 10 tees 18
Important Geophysical, geographical features and • MPs’ Panel Oppose Mediation Bill 19
their location • Assam, Arunachal Pradesh sign pact aiming to
• Large year-round ozone hole over tropics 10 solve the border dispute 19
• Cloudbursts 11 • How the Vice President of India is elected, what
• Forest fires 12 the Constitution says about the post 20
• Issue of simultaneous polls with law panel: Govt22
• Suspension of MPs from Parliament 23
Structure, organization and functioning of the Execu-
tive and the Judiciary
• Indians can get ₹10 lakh from relatives abroad 24
• Fewer judges increasing pendency, hope for move-
ment by govt to clear names: CJI 25
• Hasty arrests, near-impossible bail show need for
overhaul: CJI 26
• Biased media, agenda-driven debates weakening
democracy 27
Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies

GS PAPER - 2
Indian Constitution
• IT Act sec 69A: when social media content is
blocked 14
• Supreme Court: Places of worship act can’t be en-
forced within the same religion 14
Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the
State
• The Scale Of Municipal Finances Is Inadequate 15
Separation of powers
• Meghalaya tribal council to revisit Instrument of
Accession 16
Comparison of the Indian constitutional

2 www.insightsonindia.com
• The functioning of the National Investigation Agen- • India needs to scale up direct nutrition interven-
cy 28 tions 44
• NITI Aayog’s Role In Ensuring Collaboration Be- • POCSO applies to Muslim girls who attain puberty
tween States And Centre 29  45
• Empowering CCI for negotiated case settlements30 • Union Minister for Ministry of Youth Affairs and
Government policies and interventions. Sports launches revised schemes of Cash Awards,
• Gender Budgeting Act 31 National Welfare and Pension to sportspersons 46
• The New Guidelines To Prevent Unfair Trade Prac- • Assessing juvenility a ‘delicate task’: SC 47
tices 32 • BBBP to be extended to all districts 47
• Reservation in ULB 33 • The road to rolling out labour codes 48
• Recent issues related to India’s law on abortion 34 • Tele-Law service is being made free of cost for citi-
zens from this year- Minister of Law and Justice 49
• What the draft medical devices Bill says and what it
does not 50
• Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) has hit 51% mark 51
• Minority status of religious, and linguistic commu-
nities is State-dependent: SC 52
• Adding digital layers of indignity 53
• UN lays down guidelines to protect children dis-
placed by climate change 53
Issues relating to development and management of
Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education,
Human Resources.
• Panel calls for boosting protein, and nutrients in
government meal programmes 54
• India’s patent law safeguards under fire 55
• The way to control tuberculosis 56
• Governance: Digitization for an inclusive society 58
• Regulation Of Medical Devices: The Draft Bill Sug-
gests A Separate Expert Group, Check On Online
Pharmacies 59
• India ranks 135 out of 146 on Gender Gap Index 59
• Union Education Minister Releases India Rankings
2022 of higher educational institutes 61

• Freebies culture 35
• Indian Antarctic Bill 2022 passed 36
• ASHA for elderly 38
• The National Anti-Doping Bill, 2021 passed 38
• Seeking to destroy India’s civil society 40
• Issues with India’s public examination System 42
• Need for a new legal framework governing tele-
communication in India 42
Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections.

www.insightsonindia.com 3
• Centre amends the Legal Metrology (Packaged
Commodities) Rules 2011 62 GS PAPER - 3
Issues relating to poverty and hunger. Indian Economy
• Odisha tops State ranking for implementation of • Steps taken by RBI to defend Indian Currency 75
the National Food Security Act 62 • A glossary for the troubled global economy 76
• The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the • Explained: What Rs 80 to a dollar means 77
World (SOFI) 2022 63 • Balancing development and devotion 79
• India To Surpass China As The Most Populous Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.
Country In A Year: UN 64 • World Bank releases Global Findex database 2021
• India’s Demography At Crossroads: Elderly May  80
Outnumber The Youth 66 • Financial Inclusion 81
Government Budgeting.
• Centre relaxes norms for adjusting states’ off-bud-
get borrowings 82
Major crops cropping patterns; e-technology in the aid
of farmers
• Explained: Is there a crisis in rice? 83
• DSR technique not gaining ground in Punjab 84
Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and
minimum support prices
• Panel on MSP, natural farming setup 85
supply chain management.
• Centre to amend Warehousing Act 86
Effects of liberalization on the economy
• Development of Enterprise and Service Hubs
(DESH) 87
• The Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) 88
• RBI Allows Global Trade Settlements In Rupees 89
• Bank nationalisation: Blunder or masterstroke? 90
Important aspects of governance • Parliamentary Standing Committee Report on
• Caste census: Constitution and power of states to E-commerce 92
hold such enumeration of the population 67 Science and Technology
Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agree- • New pathway to regulate nitrate absorption in
ments
• In Bali meeting with Wang, Jaishankar raises LAC
issues 68
• I2U2 summit: UAE to invest $2 billion to develop
integrated food parks across India 69
• Iran, and Belarus to be the newest SCO members
 70
• India and Japan should rethink their nuclear policy
 71
Effect of policies and politics of developed and devel-
oping countries
• Waiver to India for purchase of S-400 missile sys-
tem 71
• The ICJ’s latest judgment in the case of genocide
against Myanmar 72
• Important International institutions
• SDG Report 2022 Released By The UN 73
• IPEF versus RCEP 74

4 www.insightsonindia.com
 plants 93
• Dark Matter 94
• 10 Years Of CRISPR Gene Editing 95
• Genomics 96
• Antimicrobial resistance vaccines 97
• Use of technology to make efficient auto vehicles
 98
Achievements of Indians in science & technology
• India’s supercomputing capabilities 99
• Science of Genetics 100
Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers.
• Large Hadron Collider 101
• Pentaquarks 102
• The 1 Image From NASA’s James Webb
st
103
• Central Bank Digital Currency 104

GS PAPER - 4
Ethics and Human Interface. Human Values
• Responsibility of celebrity endorsers 122
• Civil Service Values - Pranab Mukherjee 123
Foundational values for Civil Service
• Anonymity or Fame 124
Application of Ethics
• Indian Police and Ethics 124
Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from
Environmental Conservation India and world.
• UN Ocean Conference (UNOC): Lisbon Declaration • Sardar Patel’s vision for civil services 125
 106 • Gregor Mendel: values from his life 126
• Niti Aayog Report on Alternatives to Plastics 107 • Ethical Values to be taken from Madam President
• Forest landscape restoration 109  126
• IPBES Assessment Report On Wild Species 110 Dilemmas in government and private institutions;
• Forest Conservation Rules 112 • Whistleblowing 127
• Amendment of EIA rules 113
• Human-animal conflict 114
• TERI roadmap for achieving India’s decarbonization
targets 115
• What numbers do not reveal about tiger conserva-
tion 116
Disaster and disaster management.
• Risk-reduction strategies using traditional knowl-
edge 119
Challenges to internal security.
• Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) violence came down
 119
• Anti-Maritime Piracy Bill 121

www.insightsonindia.com 5
 GS PAPER - 1
Indian culture

INDIA GETS ELECTED TO THE IN-

TERGOVERNMENTAL COMMIT-
TEE OF UNESCO’S 2003 CONVEN-
TION FOR THE SAFEGUARDING
OF THE INTANGIBLE CULTURAL
HERITAGE
Context:
• India has been elected as a member of the Inter-
governmental Committee of UNESCO’s 2003 Con-
vention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cul-
tural Heritage for the 2022-2026 cycle.

Background:
• India has previously served as a member of the ICH
Committee twice – from 2006 to 2010 & from 2014
to 2018.
• India is also a member of the World Heritage Com-
mittee of UNESCO(2021-2025).
• India ratified the 2003 Convention for the Safe-
guarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in Sep-
tember 2005.
               
About: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cul-
• The Intergovernmental Committee of the 2003 Con- tural Organization (UNESCO):
vention consists of 24 members and is elected in • It is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN).
the General Assembly of the Convention according • It seeks to build peace through international coop-
to the principles of equitable geographical repre- eration in Education, the Sciences and Culture.
sentation and rotation. • It is also a member of the United Nations Sustain-
• States Members to the Committee are elected for a able Development Group (UNSDG), a coalition of
term of four years. UN agencies and organizations aimed at fulfilling
• With 14 inscriptions on the Representative List the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, India • UNESCO’s Headquarters are located in Paris and
also ranks high in the listing of intangible cultural the Organization has more than 50 field offices
heritage. around the world.
• After the inscription of Durga Puja in 2021, India • It has 193 Members and 11 Associate Members (As
submitted the nomination for Garba of Gujarat to of April 2020) and is governed by the General Con-
be discussed in 2023. ference and the Executive Board.
• Three UNESCO member states are not UN mem-
bers: Cook Islands, Niue, and Palestine.
• While three UN member states (Israel, Liechten-
stein, United States) are not UNESCO members.

6 www.insightsonindia.com
Insta Links: Significance
UNESCO World heritage sites • While Buddhist interpretations say the animals rep-
resent different phases of the Buddha’s life, non-re-
Practice Questions: ligious interpretations say they depict the reign of
Q. Which of the following is/are on UNESCO’s intangi- emperor Ashoka in the four geographical directions,
ble cultural heritage list? while the wheels depict his enlightened rule.
1. Yoga
2. Ramman
3. Holi
4. Kalbelia
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
A. 1, 2 and 4 only
B. 1, 2 and 3 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ans: (a)

PM MODI UNVEILS NATIONAL

EMBLEM ON NEW PARLIAMENT
BUILDING
Context:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the Nation-
al Emblem cast on the roof of the new Parliament
building.
The concept sketch and process of casting the National Practice Questions:
Emblem on the roof of the building went through eight Q. Who among the following rulers advised his sub-
different stages of preparation from clay modelling/ jects through this inscription? “Whosoever praises his
computer graphics to bronze casting and polishing. religious sect or blames other sects out of excessive
devotion to his own sect, with the view of glorifying
About National Emblem: his own sect, he rather injures his own sect very se-
• On 26 January 1950, a representation of the Lion verely.” (UPSC 2020)
Capital of Ashoka placed above the motto, Sa- (a) Ashoka
tyameva Jayate, was adopted as the State Emblem (b) Samudragupta
of India. (c) Harshavardhana
• It was chosen as a symbol of contemporary India’s (d) Krishnadeva Raya
reaffirmation of its ancient commitment to world Answer: A
peace and goodwill.
History: Q. In which of the following relief sculpture inscrip-
• The state emblem is an adaptation from the Sarnath tions is ‘Ranyo Ashoka’ (King Ashoka) mentioned
Lion Capital of Ashoka. along with the stone portrait of Ashoka? (UPSC 2019)
• In the original, there are four lions, standing back to (a) Kanganahalli
back, mounted on an abacus with a frieze carrying (b) Sanchi
sculptures in high relief of an elephant, a galloping (c) Shahbazagrhi
horse, a bull and a lion separated by intervening (d) Sohgaura
wheels over a bell-shaped lotus Answer: A
• Carved out of a single block of polished sandstone,
the Capital is crowned by the Wheel of the Law
(Dharma Chakra).

www.insightsonindia.com 7
 OVERCOMING THE ARYAN-DRA- • Ancient India migration:
◦ Iron Age: The use of iron enabled settlement in
VIDIAN DIVIDE interiors, into the Ganga valley and Central In-
dia. Further, the formation of Maha janpads led
Context: to the formation of empires e.g. Nandas, Mau-
Governor of Tamil Nadu was recently criticised for his ryas, and constant tussle for land and control,
views on the Aryan-Dravidian divide. which led to the further intermingling of people.
This led to the spread of Sanskrit, and Prakrit to
different parts of India and even to south-east
Direction:
Asia (through Buddhism)
Although not a very important topic, however, UPSC
◦ 200 BCE to 300 CE: Invasion of Indo-Greeks, Cen-
can ask about language and culture-related themes
tral Asian rulers (e.g. Kushans, speaking various
based on this issue.
Indo-European languages): led to the cultural
intermingling of Greeks, central Asian traditions
Aryans and Dravidians with the Indian culture.
• View of historian P.T. Srinivasa Iyengar: He main- ◦ Sangam age: By the 3rd century BCE, the Mega-
tained that cultural differences existed between lithic people migrated from the uplands into
the Vedic and non-Vedic people. the fertile river basins and reclaimed the marshy
• Contribution of Caldwell to Dravidian languages: deltaic areas. They formed three powerful king-
Caldwell (in 1856) gave the idea of the Dravidian doms, the Cholas, the Pandyas, and the Cheras.
language family as a scientific entity. They helped in the spread of Tamil languages in
South India and South-East Asia.
The pattern of migration from ancient times ◦ Trade: Silk Road and Spice trade, Christianity
and the evolution of languages mission (e.g. Thomas the Apostle sailed to India
around the 1st century CE.), etc. carried goods,
• Prehistoric migration: ideas, and languages between the ancient civili-
◦ First Indians: The first modern humans arrived zations of the World and India.
in India around 65,000 years ago as part of an • Medieval India:
Out of Africa migration. The genetic lineage of ◦ In the medieval period, Indians and Indian lan-
these first migrants still dominates the Indian guages were influenced by the Islamic conquest
population and accounts for 50-65% of the Indi- from central Asia (e.g. Ghaznavids and Ghurids),
an ancestry today. Arabs (in western India), Turkic dynasties, inva-
◦ 2nd major migration ( 9000 to 5000 years ago): sion of Mongols, and Mughals from Fergana Val-
Agriculturists from the Zagros region of Iran ley (modern-day Uzbekistan). They brought in
moved into India’s northwestern part and mixed various dialects e.g. Turkic, Persian, Arabic, etc.
with the First Indians and helped speed up the ◦ India’s northeast Ahom kingdom (originally
farming ( esp. wheat and barley). It laid the from Yunan province in China) and their subse-
foundation for the Harappan Civilisation (2600 quent invasion by Burma led to the spread of
BCE to 1900 BCE). Although, the pictorial script Siamese-Chinese culture and languages.
of Harappans has not been deciphered yet. • Modern India:
◦ 3rd major migration (around 2000 BCE): When ◦ European traders and missionaries led to the
farming-related migrations originally started introduction of various European languages,
from the Chinese heartland overran south-east Western Culture, and Renaissance Ideas into In-
Asia and then reached India, bringing the Aus- dia.
tro-Asiatic family of languages, e.g. Mundari
and Khasi spoken in the eastern and central
parts of the country.
◦ 4th major migration (2000 to 1000 BCE): It
brought central Asian pastoralists, who spoke
Indo-European languages and called them-
selves Aryans.

8 www.insightsonindia.com
 Modern Indian history

ALLURI SITARAMA RAJU

Context:
PM Modi to launch the year-long celebrations on the
125th birth anniversary of Alluri Sitarama Raju, en-
abling a new generation to be aware of the heroics of
Alluri and the sacrifices he made for the tribal commu-
nity.

About
Alluri Sitarama Raju (1897 – 1924) was an Indian revo-
lutionary who waged an armed campaign against Brit-
Conclusion:
ish colonial rule in India. He was nicknamed “Manyam
Waves of migration over millennia have left their mark
Veerudu” (Hero of the Jungle) by local villagers for his
on what we speak and how we speak, but over time in-
heroic exploits.
digenous languages have also continued to survive (In-
dia has 453 ‘living’ indigenous languages in the world).
Also, the outmigration of Indian ideas, religion, people, Activities:
and languages has had a profound impact on other • Born in present-day Andhra Pradesh, he became
countries esp. East and Southeast Asia. involved in anti-British activities in response to
the 1882 Madras Forest Act
Other related News: ◦ The act restricted the free movement of Adiva-
AI4Bharat sis (tribal communities) in their forest habitats
AI4Bharat is an initiative by IIT Madras. This initiative and prevented them from practising a tradition-
would contribute to and accelerate Indic language AI al form of agriculture known as podu (shifting
work as a public good. cultivation).
• It has been aligned with the objectives of the Digital • Initially, Sitarama Raju, under the influence
India Bhashini Mission. of Gandhi’s Non-cooperation movement, inspired
• It has been started to build open-source language thetribals to seek justice in the local panchayat
AI for Indian Languages. courts and boycott the colonial courts.
• The Digital India Bhashini mission was launched with • Led the Rampa Rebellion/Manyam Rebellion of
the objective of making all services and information 1922.
available to citizens in their own language. • Death: In 1924, Raju was taken into police custody,
tied to a tree, and shot by public execution, effec-
Insta Links tively ending the armed rebellion.
Classical Languages
Rampa Rebellion (1922-24)
Mains Link The Rampa Rebellion of 1922 was a tribal uprising, led
Q. Discuss in what ways Sanskrit Literature has impart- by Alluri Sitarama Raju in Godavari Agency of Madras
ed diversity and richness to Indian Literature. (10M) Presidency, British India. The Rampa administrative
area was home to about 28,000 tribes. To get the
Prelims Link forests cleared, ‘The Madras Forest Act, 1882’ was
Q. Which one of the following was given classical lan- passed, thereby restricting the free movement of the
guage status? (UPSC 2015) tribal communities and prohibiting them from engaging
(a) Odia in their traditional Podu agricultural system.
(b) Konkani
(c) Bhojpuri Legacy
(d) Assamese • He has left behind an inspiring legacy of anti-impe-
Answer: A rialist rebellion.
• Every year, the Government of Andhra Pradesh

www.insightsonindia.com 9
 commemorates his birth date, the 4th of July, as a • Peacefully, respecting each other’s sovereignty,
state festival. and territorial integrity, and not interfering in each
Values: other’s internal affairs.
• Patriotism: the patriotic spark that he and several
other heroes across the nation reinforced continues Insta Links:
to thrive within all of us Simla Agreement
• Sacrifice: After sending chills down the spine of the
British, the fierce revolutionary laid down his life Practice Question:
for the freedom of the motherland in 1924, at the India’s fiasco to convert its victory in the
young age of 27 years. 1971 war into a long-lasting peace in the re-
• Commitment to freedom: Just like Alluri Sitarama gion via the Shimla Agreement of 1972 is a case
Raju and other freedom fighters, the youth in the of missed opportunity. Examine. (250 words)
country must learn the spirit of sacrifice and unwav-
ering commitment to freedom.
Important Geophysical, geographical features and
Practice Question their location
Q. With reference to the history of India, Ulgulan or
the Great Tumult is the description of which of the fol- LARGE YEAR-ROUND OZONE
lowing events? (UPSC CSE 2020)
(a) The Revolt of 1857 HOLE OVER TROPICS
(b) The Mappila Rebellion of 1921
(c) The Indigo Revolt of 1859-60 Context:
(d) Birsa Munda’s Revolt of 1899-1900 Scientists revealed a large, all-season ozone hole in
Answer: D the lower stratosphere over the tropics comparable in-
depth to that of the Antarctic hole, but roughly seven
times greater in area
Post-independence consolidation and reorganization It is an all-season ozone hole — defined as an area of
within the country. ozone loss larger than 25% compared with the undis-
turbed atmosphere.

SHIMLA AGREEMENT About Ozone:

Ozone (O3) is a highly reactive gas composed of three
Context: oxygen atoms. It is both a natural and a man-made
The Shimla Agreement, completed 50 years, Signed af- product that occurs in the Earth’s upper atmosphere
ter the Indo-Pakistan War that ended on December 16, (the stratosphere) and lower atmosphere (the tropo-
1971, following the Liberation of Bangladesh is consid- sphere).
ered a landmark agreement as it laid the blueprint for
good neighbourly relations between India and Pakistan.
Principles of Shimla agreement
• Relations were to be governed by the principles
and purposes of the UN Charter
• Cooperative relationshipwith a special focus on
people-to-people contacts.
• To uphold the inviolability of the Line of Controlin
Jammu and Kashmir.
• Prevent hostile propagandaagainst each other
and resolve issues through peaceful means and bi-
lateral negotiations
• Refrain from the threat or use of force against the
territorial integrity or political independence of
each other.

10 www.insightsonindia.com
 CLOUDBURSTS
Context:
Sudden, “highly-localised rains” in Amarnath, Jammu
and Kashmir, caused flooding and led to the deaths of at
least 16 people and injuries to more than 20 others.
What is a cloudburst?
A cloudburst refers to an extreme amount of rain that
happens in a short period, sometimes accompanied
by hail and thunder, and this has a precise definition.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) defines
it as unexpected precipitation exceeding 100mm (or
10 cm) per hour over a geographical region of approx-
imately 20 to 30 square km

Where do they occur?

Conventions: They are more likely to occur in mountainous
• Vienna convention: The Vienna Convention is the zones mainly because of terrain and elevation.
first international agreement dedicated to the pro- • A cloudburst occurs when moisture-carrying air
tection of the ozone layer. The Convention commits moves up a hilly terrain, forming a vertical column
all countries to take measures to protect human of clouds known as ‘cumulonimbus’ clouds.
health and the environment resulting from modifi- • Such clouds usually cause rain, thunder and light-
cations to the ozone layer. ning. This upward motion of the clouds is known as
• Montreal Protocol: The Montreal Protocol on Sub- an ‘orographic lift’.
stances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was designed • These unstable clouds cause an intense rainstorm
to reduce the production and consumption of over a small area after becoming heavy enough and
ozone-depleting substances in order to reduce their locked in the ridges and valleys between the hills.
abundance in the atmosphere and thereby protect • The energy necessary for the cloudburst comes
the earth’s fragile ozone Layer. from the upward motion of air. Cloudbursts most-
• Kigali Agreement: Around 197 countries, including ly occur at elevations between 1,000-2,500 metres
India, China and the USA, agreed at Kigali to reduce above sea level.
the use of Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) by rough-
ly 85% of their baselines by 2045, by amending the
1987 Montreal Protocol.

Insta Links
Basics: Ozone depletion and protection

Practice Questions
Q. Analyse the science behind the causes of ozone de-
pletion, greenhouse effect, global warming and acid
rains. (200 Words) (NCERT Question)

Q. Which one of the following is associated with the is-

sue of control and phasing out of the use of ozone-de-
pleting substances?
(a) Bretton Woods Conference
(b) Montreal Protocol
(c) Kyoto Protocol
(d) Nagoya Protocol
Answer: B

www.insightsonindia.com 11
 ably in combustible environments such as dry for-
ests or bush and often burns uncontrollably over a
large area and length of time. A forest fire can be
triggered by natural factors such as prolonged hot,
dry weather or lightning strikes, or human care-
lessness.
Heatwaves have become more frequent, more intense,
and last longer because of human-induced climate
change. The world has already warmed by about 1.1C
since the industrial era began and temperatures will
keep rising unless governments around the world make
steep cuts to carbon emissions.

Status:
As per the Global Forest Watch, forest fires in India
have increased by 125% (between 2015 and 2017). At
a global level as well, the world is undergoing through
wildfire crisis, with reports of wildfires in Siberia, the
Amazon basin, Pantanal wetland (South America), Aus-
tralia, and the rainforest of Indonesia.
Practice Questions
Q. Discuss the phenomena of cloudburst, how is it dif-
ferent from regular rainfall? (150 Words)

Q. Why are dewdrops not formed on a cloudy night?

(UPSC 2019)
(a) Clouds absorb the radiation released from the
Earth’s surface.
(b) Clouds reflect back the Earth’s radiation.
(c) The Earth’s surface would have a low temperature
on cloudy nights.
(d) Clouds deflect the blowing wind to ground level. The reason behind the global wildfires:
Answer: B • Natural Causes: Environmental causes are largely
related to climatic conditions such as
Q. During the thunderstorm, the thunder in the skies ◦ Extreme climatic conditions: e.g. high wind
is produced by the (UPSC 2013) speed and direction, temperature, low level of
1. meeting of cumulonimbus clouds in the sky moisture in soil and atmosphere, and duration
2. lightning that separates the nimbus clouds of dry spells.
3. violent upward movement of air and water particles ◦ Lightning strike: e.g. in Australia, most bushfires
Select the correct answer using the codes given below. are caused by lightning
(a) 1 only ◦ The friction of bamboos swaying due to high
(b) 2 and 3 wind velocity: e.g. in deciduous forests of north-
(c) 1 and 3 east India Rolling stones that result in sparks: In
(d) None of the above produces the thunder the mountainous forested e.g. Uttrakhand
Answer: D ◦ Role of El Nino and La Nina: e.g. Indonesian in
2019 experienced high forest fire incidents due
FOREST FIRES to el Nino’s impact
In France, Greece, Portugal and Spain, wildfire destroys ◦ Role of sudden stratospheric warming in Ant-
thousands of hectares of land, forces thousands from arctica: 2020 bush fires in Australia was further
their homes and kills several emergency personnel. strengthened
• A wildfire is a major fire that breaks out unpredict- • Human related causes

12 www.insightsonindia.com
 ◦ Intentional fires:
» Economical reasons: e.g. Human-caused
fires are also a major issue in Indonesia,
where large areas of peatland were burned
during last year’s fires to be converted
into tree plantations.
▪ In Pantanal (South America): Soy and
cattle farmers set fires on their land
during the summer, but drought and
strong winds caused these fires to rage
out of control and surpass traditional
barriers such as roads and streams.
» Graziers and gatherers start small fires to Measures to control:
get good grazing grass for their cattle and • Policy measures:
to gathering minor forest produce such as ◦ National Policy on Forest Fire: finalized by the
Madhuca Indica flowers and leaves of Dio- government
spyros elanoxylon. ◦ National Plan for forest fire management: Na-
» Shifting cultivation practice: esp. North-East- tional Forest Fire Danger Rating System, Fire
ern region of India and in parts of the States fighting tools and machinery (e.g. Fire Beaters,
of Orissa and Andhra Pradesh). Pulaskis Tools, Forest Fire Showel, etc.)
» Forest fires by villagers to ward off wild an- ◦ Forest Fire Prevention & Management Scheme
imals. (FFPMS, 2017): a revised version of the Forest
◦ Unintentional fires: logging activity-related Management Scheme
fires, campfires in forests for recreation, E.g. • Community participation: by the involvement of
through discards cigarette butts NGOs, Voluntary Organisations, Village Forest Com-
• Climate change: It is increasing the fire season and mittees (VFCs), etc.
the size of areas affected by the fire. Droughts, ◦ Institutionalize the partnership with forest
which might be exacerbated by climate change, also fringe communities
make wildfires more likely. ◦ Devise a forest fire forecasting system at the lo-
◦ E.g. Australia has been experiencing such cal level
a drought over the past few years, which con- • Forest Fire Monitoring: FSI uses NASA’s MODIS
tributed to the widespread of wildfires in 2020. (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectro-radiome-
• Climate change is changing the nature and inten- ter) and VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiome-
sity of the fires: There are more pyro-cumulonim- ter Suite) satellites for its Forest fires alert system
bus clouds – clouds formed on top of heat sources 2.0
– that can bring lightning-intensive storms and in- • Use of technology (such as Remote Sensing, GPS,
crease the spread of fire. and GIS) in planning, developing and operationaliz-
• In Siberia and Russia, climate change is causing ing Fire management systems.
winters to become shorter and weather to become
drier and windier, leading to more intense fires oc- Insta Links
curring across larger areas. Forest Fires

Practice Questions
Q. Enumerate the causes for the rising instances of for-
est fires in India. What measures are needed to miti-
gate the adverse impacts of forest fires? (250 Words)

www.insightsonindia.com 13
 Practice Questions:
GS PAPER - 2 Q. Discuss Section 66A of the IT Act, with reference to
its alleged violation of Article 19 of the Constitution.
Indian Constitution (UPSC CSE 2013)

IT ACT SEC 69A: WHEN SOCIAL SUPREME COURT: PLACES OF

MEDIA CONTENT IS BLOCKED WORSHIP ACT CAN’T BE EN-
FORCED WITHIN THE SAME RELI-
Context: GION
Twitter initiated legal action against some of the gov-
ernment missives ordering it to take down certain con- Context:
tent SC has rejected a petition by a sect of the Jain com-
munity under Art 32 to enforce the Places of Worship
(Special Provisions) Act 1991 against the alleged con-
Section 69 (A) of the Information Technology version of its religious places by another sect of the
Act: same religion.
Section 69 (A) of the IT Act, 2000 allows the Centre to
issue blocking orders to social media intermediaries. What do the places of worship act, of 1991
say?
Blocking order can be issued only for: • The act prohibits conversion of any place of wor-
• Interest of sovereignty and integrity of India ship and provides for the maintenance of the reli-
• defence of India gious character of any place of worship as it existed
• security of the state on 15th August 1947.
• friendly relations with foreign states • The Act states that a place of worship’s religious
• public order nature must remain the same as it was on August
• For preventing incitement to the commission of any 15, 1947.
cognisable offence relating to the above. • It says no person shall convert any place of worship
of any religious denomination into one of a differ-
Process: ent denomination or section.
Any request made by the government is sent to a re- • It declares that all litigation, appeals, or other pro-
view committee, which then issues these directions. ceedings ongoing before any court or authority on
Blocking orders issued under Section 69 (A) of the IT August 15, 1947, involving converting the status of a
Act are typically confidential in nature. place of worship, will cease as soon as the law takes
effect. There will be no more legal action taken.
Why has Twitter filed the lawsuit?
Twitter has claimed that many of the blocking orders The following are exempt from these provi-
are procedurally and substantively deficient under Sec- sions:
tion 69 (A) of the Act: • Ancient and historical monuments and archaeo-
• g., Not giving prior notice to users before taking logical sites and remains (covered by the Ancient
down content posted by them. Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains
• MeitY has failed to demonstrate how some of the Act, 1958)
content it wants taken down falls under the pur- • Any case, which has been finally settled or disposed
view of Section 69 (A). of (the act will not apply to that case)
• Some of the content flagged by the ministry may • Doesn’t apply to the place of worship - Ram Janmab-
pertain to official accounts of political parties, hoomi-Babri Masjid in Ayodhya.
blocking which could be violative of the right to
free speech. Criticisms: It has been challenged on the ground that
it bars judicial review and imposes an “arbitrary irra-
Insta Links tional retrospective cutoff date”, and also abridges the
THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ACT, 2000 right to religion of Hindus, Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs.

14 www.insightsonindia.com
SC observation about the Act: SC ( during the 2019 Background:
Ayodhya verdict) said that the law manifests the secular • The 74th Constitution Amendment Act was passed
values of the Constitution and prohibits retrogression. in 1992 mandating the setting up and devolution of
It protects the secular features of the Indian polity. powers to urban local bodies (ULBs) as the lowest
unit of governance in cities and towns.
Insta Links • Constitutional provisions were made for ULBs’ fis-
Places of worship Act cal empowerment.

Mains Link Key Findings:

Q. Enactment of the Places of Worship Act, 1991 in its • Share of own revenue:
current format damages the liberty of belief, faith and
worship to all. Critically examine. (250 Words)

Prelims Link
Q.Consider the following statements: (UPSC 2020)
1. The Constitution of India defines its ‘basic structure’
in terms of federalism, secularism, fundamental
rights and democracy.
2. The Constitution of India provides for ‘judicial re-
view’ to safeguard the citizens’ liberties and to pre-
serve the ideals on which the Constitution is based.
◦ ULBs’ own sources of revenue were less than
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? half of their total revenue, with large untapped
(a) 1 only potential.
(b) 2 only ◦ The ULBs’ key revenue sources are taxes, fees,
(c) Both 1 and 2 only fines and charges, and transfers from Central
(d) Neither 1 nor 2 and State governments, which are known as
Answer: B intergovernmental transfers (IGTs).
Dependent on IGTs:

Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the

State

THE SCALE OF MUNICIPAL FI-

NANCES IS INADEQUATE
Context:
• The health of municipal finances is a critical ele- ◦ Many ULBs are highly dependent on IGTs. Trans-
ment of municipal governance which will deter- fers from the Central government are as stipu-
mine whether India realizes its economic and devel- lated by the Central Finance Commissions and
opmental promise. through grants towards specific reforms, while
• Revenue losses after the implementation of the State government transfers are as grants-in-aid
Goods and Services Tax (GST) and the pandemic and devolution of the State’s collection of local
have exacerbated the situation. taxes.
• The Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS)
analyzed data from 80 ULBs across 24 States be-
tween 2012-13 and 2016-17 to understand ULB fi-
nance and spending.

www.insightsonindia.com 15
• Difference in revenue sources: Practice Questions:
Q. The local self-government system in India has not
proved to be an effective instrument of governance”.
Critically examine the statement and give your views
to improve the situation. (UPSC 2017)

Q. With reference to the 74th constitutional amend-

ment Act, consider the following statements:
1. All members of the municipality should be elected
directly by the people.
2. The Parliament is empowered to provide for the
manner of election of the chairperson of a munic-
◦ Tax revenue is the largest revenue source for ipality.
larger cities, while smaller cities are more de- Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
pendent on grants. There are considerable dif- A. 1 only
ferences in the composition of revenue sources B. 2 only
across cities of different sizes C. Both 1 and 2
• Operations and maintenance: D. Neither 1 nor 2
Ans: (A)

Separation of powers

MEGHALAYA TRIBAL COUNCIL TO

REVISIT INSTRUMENT OF ACCES-
SION
Context:
◦ Operations and maintenance (O&M) expenses • A tribal council in Meghalaya has called for a meet-
are on the increase but still inadequate. ing of traditional heads to revisit the Instrument of
◦ O&M expenses are crucial for the upkeep of in- Accession that made the Khasi domain a part of
frastructure and for maintaining the quality of the Indian Union more than seven decades ago.
service delivery. • The chief executive member of the Khasi Hills Au-
◦ The share of O&M expenses in ULBs’ total rev- tonomous District Council (KHADC) agreed that
enue expenditure increased from about 30% in the Instrument of Accession and Annexed Agree-
2012-13 to about 35% in 2016-17. While the ex- ment signed with the Dominion of India between
penses were on the rise. December 15, 1947, and March 19, 1948, should
be studied.
• The KHADC said the provisions can be added to
Suggestions: the Sixth Schedule, which “can be amended by Par-
liament”.

Insta Links:
74th Constitutional Amendment Act

16 www.insightsonindia.com
Background: c. 2 and 3 only
• Meghalaya is divided into three regions dominated d. 1, 2, 3 and 4
by as many matrilineal communities – the Khasis, Ans: (b)
Garos and Jaintias. The Khasi hills straddle 25 Hi-
mas or States that formed the Federation of Khasi
States. Comparison of the Indian constitutional
• The conditional treaty with these States was signed
by Governor-General of India, Chakravarty Rajago-
palachari, on August 17, 1948.
INNER-PARTY DEMOCRACY
• Nagaland was granted special status under Article
371A, which was an idea of the Federation of Khasi Context:
States. The ousting of Boris Johnson as leader of the British
Conservative Party by the party’s MPs to get rid of a
INSTRUMENT OF ACCESSION OF THE KHASI leader who has become an electoral or political liabil-
ity highlighted the issue of Inner Party democracy in
STATE: India.
• It was signed between the Khasi rulers and the Do-
minion of India. Unlike their counterparts in the U.K., MPs in India have
• Agreement (which shall be regarded as part of In- no autonomy to question and challenge their party
strument of Accession), Khasi accepted that the Do- leadership.
minion Legislature may make laws for the said Khasi
States in respect of any matter.
Differences between the Parliamentary sys-
Sixth Schedule: tem of government in India and the UK
●      The Sixth Schedule of the Constitution provides for
the administration of tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya, India:
Tripura and Mizoram to safeguard the rights of the trib- 1. The Head of the State in India (that is, the Presi-
al population in these states. dent) is elected- Republic
●      This special provision is provided under Article 2. Parliament is not supreme in India and enjoys lim-
244(2) and Article 275(1) of the Constitution. ited and restricted powers due to a written Consti-
●      The Sixth Schedule provides for autonomy in the tution, the federal system, judicial review and fun-
administration of these areas through Autonomous Dis- damental rights.
trict Councils (ADCs). 3. In India, the prime minister may be a member of
●      These councils are empowered to make laws in any of the two Houses of Parliament.
respect of areas under their jurisdiction, which cover 4. India has no such system.
the land, forest, cultivation, inheritance, indigenous 5. There is no such institution in India.
customs and traditions of tribals, etc. and also to collect 6. In India, anyone can hold the position of Minister at
land revenues and certain other taxes. the pleasure of the president, with due qualification
as per law, even if he is not a member of both the
Insta Links: houses. But he has to get elected within six months
Fifth Schedule to either of the houses.
7. In India President can ask the Prime Minister to
Practice Questions: place a subject before the council of ministers if it is
Q. Which of the following states is/are covered under not discussed and decided by the Cabinet.
Sixth Schedule? 8. Federalism: Quasi-federal and works on compet-
1. Assam itive federalism Distribution of powers between
2. Nagaland centre and states
3. Meghalaya
4. Tripura UK
Select the correct answer using the codes given below: 1. The Head of the State in Britain (that is, the King or
a. 1, 2 and 4 only Queen) enjoys a hereditary position- Monarchy
b. 1, 3 and 4 only 2. The doctrine of the sovereignty of Parliament.

www.insightsonindia.com 17
3. In Britain, the prime minister should be a member There should be a dedicated hour during the Rajya
of the Lower House (House of Commons) of the Sabha proceedings to discuss the“import and implica-
Parliament. tions’ ‘of the reports finalized by Parliamentary Stand-
4. Britain has the system of legal responsibility of the ing Committees, a panel headed by former General
minister Secretary and adviser P.P.K. Ramacharyulu has recom-
5. ‘Shadow cabinet’ is a unique institution of the Brit- mended it.
ish cabinet system. It is formed by the opposition • It studied the working of the Rajya Sabha secretar-
party to balance the ruling cabinet and to prepare iat and other procedural issues and made 130 rec-
its members for future ministerial office. ommendations.
6. Ministers of Britain are invariably selected among • This is the first-ever comprehensive study of the
the members of the parliament Rajya Sabha secretariat.
7. In the United, Kingdom cabinet serves as a unit • The Rajya Sabha secretariat, which started in 1952
before the Parliament and Sovereign. Its views are with 200 officers and staff, has 1700 personnel at
placed by the cabinet as a single whole before the present.
Parliament and Sovereign as if they are views of one
man. Suggestions by the Panel:
8. Unitary in character – All powers of the government • Increasing tenure of Parliamentary Commit-
are vested in the British Parliament, which is a sov- tees: The committee suggested that the tenure
ereign body. of the Parliamentary committees should be in-
creased from the present one year to two years.
Reforms needed: • Increase in field visits: Field visits should also be in-
Empowering elected representatives: It will ensure ac- creased from the present two visits for a maximum
countability for party leadership. of 10 days in a year to three visits and 15 days.“
• MPs in the U.K. are able to act boldly because they • Formation of Committee hour: Given the efforts
do not owe their nomination to the party leader, that go into the preparation of reports by the DRSCs
but are selected by the local constituency party. and their import and implications, a Committee
• In India, however, it is the party leadership that Hour has been recommended for consideration to
decides candidates, with an informal consultation discuss select major reports in the Parliament for
with the local party. wider amplification of the content of the reports.
Changes in the anti-defection law: Neither do MPs in • Reports should be accessible: The panel said that
the U.K. stand a risk of disqualification if they speak these reports should be made more accessible to
out against the leader, a threat perpetuated in India the stakeholders and general public.
through the anti-defection law. • Streamlining of the secretariat work: The Study
Inner-party democracy: Despite provisions and internal has suggested streamlining of the secretarial work,
constitution, most parties don’t follow the inner-party including disposing of of75% of the issues at lower
rules. and middle levels in a 10-layer hierarchy that exists
Insta Links in the secretariat at present.
ELECTORAL POLITICS- NEED FOR REFORM
Insta Links:
Practice Questions Parliamentary Committees
Q. Discuss the need for reforms in the electoral politics
of India. (10M) Practice Questions:
Q. Why do you think the committees are considered to
be useful for parliamentary work? Discuss, in this con-
Parliament and State Legislatures text, the role of the Estimates Committee. (UPSC 2018)

Q. Consider the following statements:

PANEL SUGGESTS INCREASING 1. Both the public accounts committee and the com-
TENURE OF HOUSE COMMITTEES mittee on public undertakings have 22 members
each, fifteen elected from the Lok Sabha and seven
Context: from the Rajya Sabha.
2. Parliament is not bound by the recommendations

18 www.insightsonindia.com
 of committees. tional tool in the hands of truant litigants to delay
Which of the statements given above is/are not cor- the disposal of cases.
rect? • Non-applicability of provisions to non-commercial
a. 1 only matters: Non Applicability of the provisions of the
b. 2 only Bill to disputes/matters of non-commercial nature
c. Both 1 and 2 involving the Government and its agencies.
d. Neither 1 nor 2 • Appointment of chairperson and members: Ap-
Ans: (d) pointment of the Chairperson and Members of the
Mediation Council of India should be made by a Se-
lection Committee constituted by the Centre.
MPS’ PANEL OPPOSE MEDIATION
BILL Insta Links:
Context: Mediation bill, 2021
• The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law Parliamentary committees
and Justice, headed by Sushil Kumar Modi, has rec-
ommended substantial changes to the Mediation Practice Questions:
Bill, meant for the institutionalization of mediation Q. Parliamentary oversight regulation is neces-
and establishment of the Mediation Council of In- sary for the effective functioning and implemen-
dia. tation of government policies. Analyze. (15M)
• The panel cautioned against making pre-litigation
mediation compulsory and warned the Centre Q. Do Department-related Parliamentary Standing
against the provision to give higher courts the pow- Committees keep the administration on its toes and
er to frame rules for mediation. inspire reverence for parliamentary control? Evaluate
the working of such committees with suitable exam-
ples. (UPSC 2021)

Q. Consider the following statements:

1. The Parliamentary estimates committee has 30
members, all from the Lok Sabha.
2. Both the public accounts committee and the com-
mittee on public undertakings have 22 members.
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
Ans: (c)

ASSAM, ARUNACHAL PRADESH

SIGN PACT AIMING TO SOLVE THE
BORDER DISPUTE
Key Issues: Context:
• A boundary line delineated in 1960 by a committee
• Clause 26 of the Bill: It provides for the court-an-
will be the basis for the realignment of the Assam
nexed mediation
and Arunachal Pradesh interstate boundary as the
◦ This clause gives the powers to the court to
two states attempt to solve their longstanding bor-
make rules for ‘court-annexed mediation’,
der disputes.
which is unconstitutional.
• Assam CM and his Arunachal counterpart held
• Pre-litigation mediation mandatory: Making pre-lit-
their third meeting on the disputes at Namsai in
igation mediation mandatory may actually result in
Arunachal.
the delaying of cases and may prove to be an addi-

www.insightsonindia.com 19
• Later, they jointly issued the ‘Namsai Declaration’. renamed North East Frontier Agency and brought
under the Central government’s control in 1954.

Namsai Declaration:
• This declaration is signed between the states of
Assam and Arunachal Pradesh on July 15, 2022, at
Namsai, Arunachal Pradesh to minimize the bor-
der dispute between the two states in respect of
123 villages placed before the Local Commission
by Arunachal Pradesh.
According to the declaration, all border issues be-
tween Assam and Arunachal Pradesh will be confined
to those raised before the local commission in 2007.

Insta Links:
Key Highlights: Inter-State Council
• Boundary line delineated by High-Powered Tripar-
tite Committee taken as a basis: The boundary line Practice Questions:
delineated and signed on the 29 toposheets by the
High-Powered Tripartite Committee as notified Q. The concept of cooperative federalism has been in-
boundary during the year 1960 would be taken creasingly emphasized in recent years. Highlight the
as the basis for realignment of boundary by both drawbacks in the existing structure and the extent to
states,” the declaration reads. which cooperative federalism would answer the short-
• 12 Regional committees: Both states decided to comings. (UPSC 2015)
constitute 12 “regional committees”, each covering
12 districts of Arunachal and the counterpart dis- Q. Which of the following is the correct arrangement
tricts of Assam for joint verification of 123 villages. of Northeast states from North to South?
◦ They will make their recommendations to the A. Arunachal Pradesh-Assam-Nagaland-Megha-
respective governments keeping in view the his- laya-Mizoram
torical perspective, administrative convenience, B. Arunachal Pradesh-Nagaland-Assam-Megha-
contiguity and people’s will to delineate the in- laya-Mizoram
terstate boundary. C. Assam-Arunachal Pradesh-Megha-
◦ Both agreed in principle regarding 37 villages. laya-Mizoram-Nagaland
• Final decision on the basis of regional committees: D. Arunachal Pradesh-Assam-Mizoram-Megha-
The final decision will be made based on the recom- laya-Nagaland
mendations of the regional committees. Ans: (a)
• Distribution of villages: Twenty-eight villages,
which are within the constitutional boundary of
Arunachal, will remain with it. HOW THE VICE PRESIDENT OF
◦ Three villages, on which claims were withdrawn
by Arunachal, will remain with Assam. The lo-
INDIA IS ELECTED, WHAT THE
cations of six villages could not be located in CONSTITUTION SAYS ABOUT THE
Assam and if they exist in Arunachal, they will
continue to be with it.
POST
• Final tranche before august 15: It was also agreed
Context:
• The opposition on Sunday named former Gover-
upon that the regional committees will submit their
nor and former union minister Margaret Alva as
first tranche of reports on areas where consensus is
its candidate for Vice President.
arrived at before Aug. 15.
• The ruling NDA has announced West Bengal Gov-
• Present-day Arunachal Pradesh, which attained
ernor Jagdeep Dhankhar will be its candidate for
Statehood in February 1987, used to be the North
the post.
East Frontier Tract, administered by the Governor of
• The term of office of Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu,
Assam as an agent of the President of India. It was
Vice-President of India, is ending on 10 August

20 www.insightsonindia.com
 2022. • Accordingly, the Secretary-General, Lok Sabha
• As per Article 68 of the Constitution of India, an will be appointed as the Returning Officer for the
election to fill the vacancy caused by the expira- present election to the Office of the Vice-Presi-
tion of the term of office of the outgoing Vice-Pres- dent of India.
ident is required to be completed before the expi- • The Commission has also decided to appoint As-
ration of the term. sistant Returning Officers in Parliament House
(Lok Sabha) to assist Returning Officers.
Office of the Vice President: • As per Rule 8 of the Presidential and Vice-Presiden-
• Article 63: It states that “there shall be a tial Elections Rules, 1974, polls for the election will
Vice-President of India”. be taken in the Parliament House.
• Article 64: The Vice-President “shall be ex offi-
cio Chairman of the Council of the States” (Rajya Manner of Election:
Sabha).
• Article 65: It says that “in the event of the occur-
rence of any vacancy in the office of the President
by reason of his death, resignation or removal, or
otherwise, the Vice-President shall act as Presi-
dent until the date on which a new President…
enters upon his office”.
• The Vice-President shall also discharge the func-
tions of the President when the latter is unable
to do so “owing to absence, illness or any other
cause.

Election of Vice-President:
• Article 324 of the Constitution read with the
Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections
Act, 1952 and the Presidential and Vice-Pres-
idential Elections Rules, 1974, vests the super-
intendence, direction and control of the conduct
of election to the office of the Vice-President of Eligibility and term of office:
India in the Election Commission of India. • Article 66(3): It says “No person shall be eligible
• The notification for election shall be issued on for election as Vice-President unless he:
or after the sixtieth day before the expiration of ◦ Is a citizen of India
term of office of the outgoing Vice-President. ◦ Has completed the age of thirty-five years
• As per Article 66 of the Constitution of India, the ◦ Is qualified for election as a member of the
Vice-President is elected by the members of the Council of States”.
Electoral College. • Article 66(4): “A person shall not be eligible for
• Electoral College consists of: election as Vice-President if he holds any office
1. Elected members of Rajya Sabha. of profit under the Government of India or the
2. Nominated members of Rajya Sabha. Government of any State or under any local or
3. Elected members of Lok Sabha. other authority subject to the control of any of
the said Governments.”
• Since, all the electors are members of both Hous- • Article 67: It lays down that the “Vice-President
es of Parliament, the value of the vote of each shall hold office for a term of five years from the
Member of Parliament would be the same i.e.1 date on which he enters upon his office”.
(one). ◦ However, the Vice-President “shall, notwith-
• The Election Commission, in consultation with standing the expiration of his term, continue to
the Central Government, appoints the Secretary hold office until his successor enters upon his
General of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, by rota- office”.
tion, as the Returning Officer. • The Vice-President may leave office before the end

www.insightsonindia.com 21
 Simultaneous elections can be seen as a solution to
of his term by resigning to the President, or he “may
prevent the country from being in constant election
be removed…by a resolution of the Council of States
mode.”
passed by a majority of all the then members of the
Council and agreed to by the House of the People”.About Simultaneous Elections:
Simultaneous Election (SE) is an exercise of the dem-
What if the election is disputed? ocratic process wherein the elections to the various
• Article 71: It says that “all doubts and disputes house (Lok Sabha and state assemblies) and bodies are
arising out of or in connection with the election synchronized together to have more efficiency and
of a President or Vice-President shall be inquired save expenditure.
into and decided by the Supreme Court whose In India, SE was the norm till 1967, however, more re-
decision shall be final”. cently Niti Aayog, Law Commission Report, and our
• Parliament may by law regulate any matter Prime minister have pushed for SE to make the election
relating to or connected with the election of a in India a meaningful democratic exercise.
President or Vice-President”.
Benefits of having SE:
Insta Links: • Reduce Policy paralysis: Imposition of Model Code
Vice-President of Conduct (MCC) over the state for a longer peri-
od of time leads to stoppage of developmental pro-
Practice Questions: grams.
Q. Individual parliamentarian’s role as the national • Reduce huge expenditures on elections: Around Rs
lawmaker is on a decline, which in turn, has adversely 55,000crore ($8 billion), was spent during the 2019
impacted the quality of debates and their outcome. Lok Sabha elections (as per the report by the Centre
Discuss( UPSC 2019) for Media Studies)
◦ SE can help reduce it by conducting the synchro-
Q. Consider the following statements: nized election for states and the Centre at the
1. All doubts and disputes arising out of or in con- same time
nection with the election of a Vice-President are • Reduce the disruption of public life: Regular elec-
inquired into and decided by the Supreme Court tions impact the functioning of essential services
whose decision is final. such as regular transport, prices of essentials, etc.
2. The Electoral college of Vice-President does not in- • Reduce the impact on social fabric: Elections are
clude nominated members of Rajya Sabha. known to perpetuate religion, caste, corruption,
Which of the statements given above is/are not and communal tensions.
correct? • Reduce the impact of populist measures: Populist
A. 1 only measures are often not in sync with the economic
B. 2 only principles and have a narrow vision of immediate
C. Both 1 and 2 electoral gains.
D. Neither 1 nor 2 • Increase voter turnout: Frequent election leads to
Ans: (b) voters’ exhaustion and reduces their participation
in the democratic process.
ISSUE OF SIMULTANEOUS POLLS limitations to SE:
• Limitation of democratic principles: Curtailing the
WITH LAW PANEL: GOVT terms of the existing legislature to synchronize the
Context: election will undermine democracy and federalism.
The issue of holding simultaneous parliamentary and • Limitation of Voter Behaviour: Some political
Assembly polls has been referred to the Law Commis- scientists’ say voters may be influenced to vote on
sion so that a practicable roadmap and framework can national issues (thus benefiting national parties)
be worked out. even for State elections, thereby diluting electoral
In its draft report, the 21st Law Commission had said it neutrality
was convinced that “there exists a viable environment, • Limitation of Accountability: Frequent election
necessitating the holding of simultaneous elections ensures political and developmental accountability
to the House of the People and the State Legislatures. of parties in power. But SE might dilute that.

22 www.insightsonindia.com
• Constitutional limitation: SE would require amend- od not exceeding the remainder of the session.
ment in the provisions of the constitution, RPA • A member suspended under this rule shall forth-
1951, and ratification by states. It may be hard to with withdraw from the precincts of the House.
get in a multiparty and diverse country like India. Under Rule 374A: In case of gross violation or severe
charges, on being named by the Speaker, the member
Some countries where Simultaneous Elections stands automatically suspended from the service of the
are successfully implemented: House for five consecutive sittings or the remainder of
SE are successfully held in South Africa (national and the session, whichever is less.
provincial), and Sweden (including local election as well
on the same day). For Rajya Sabha, it is the same process:
1. The Chairman may “name a Member who disre-
Insta Links gards the authority of the Chair or abuses the rules
One nation, one election of the Council by persistently and wilfully obstruct-
ing” business.
Practice Questions 2. In such a situation, the House may adopt a motion
Q. In view of the idea of holding simultaneous elec- suspending the Member from the service of the
tions to the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies, House for a period not exceeding the remainder of
discuss the advantages that its implementation would the session.
lead to and the concerns that it raises. (250 words) 3. The House may, however, by another motion, ter-
minate the suspension.

SUSPENSION OF MPS FROM PAR- Is suspending an MP a common practice in

LIAMENT Parliament?
Context: It is strong action, but it is not uncommon. Suspensions
As 19 Opposition members are suspended from Rajya have become more common in recent years, and have
Sabha for a week. This is important for Prelims (the pro- taken place every year since 2019.
cess of suspension) and for mains (just remember the Other cases of suspension:
instances of suspension in the parliament this year- to • November (2021): 12 opposition members were
be used as an example) suspended in Rajya Sabha on the very first day of
Reason for suspension: The MPs were suspended for the Winter Session for “their unprecedented acts
“unruly behaviour”. of misconduct, contemptuous, unruly and violent
behaviour and intentional attacks on security per-
What are the Rules under which the Presiding Officer sonnel”.
acts? (no need to remember the rules, just look at the • September (2020): Eight Rajya Sabha MPs had
process once) been suspended on September 2020 for unruly be-
Power to the presiding officer: In order to ensure that haviour in the House the previous day.
proceedings are conducted in the proper manner, the
Speaker/ Chairman is empowered to force a Member Rules of parliamentary etiquette:
to withdraw from the House. MPs are required to adhere to certain rules of parlia-
mentary etiquette.
Process: • For example, the Lok Sabha rulebook specifies that
• Speaker ( under Rule Number 373 of Lok Sabha) MPs are not to interrupt the speech of others, main-
may direct such Member to withdraw immediate- tain silence and not obstruct proceedings by hissing
ly from the House, and any Member so ordered to or making running commentaries during debates.
withdraw shall do so forthwith and shall remain ab- Newer forms of protest led to these rules being updat-
sent during the remainder of the day’s sitting. ed in 1989.
• If Member disobeys: • Now, members should not shout slogans, display
◦ Speaker may name the member and, on a mo- placards, tear up documents in protest, and play a
tion being made forthwith put the question that cassette or a tape recorder in the House.
the Member (naming such Member) be sus-
pended from the service of the House for a peri-

www.insightsonindia.com 23
Terms of suspension: Structure, organization and functioning of the Execu-
1. The maximum period of suspension is for the re- tive and the Judiciary
mainder of the session.
2. Suspended members cannot enter the chamber or
attend the meetings of the committees.
INDIANS CAN GET ₹10 LAKH
3. He will not be eligible to give notice for discussion FROM RELATIVES ABROAD
or submission.
4. He loses the right to get a reply to his questions. Context:
• The Union Home Ministry has amended certain
Differences in powers of Speaker and Chair- rules related to the Foreign Contribution(Regu-
man of Rajya Sabha: lation) Act (FCRA), allowing Indians to receive up
• Like the Speaker in Lok Sabha, the Chairman of Ra- to ₹10 lakh in a year from relatives staying abroad
jya Sabha is empowered under Rule Number 255 without informing the authorities. The earlier limit
of its Rule Book to “direct any Member whose con- was ₹1 lakh.
duct is in his opinion grossly disorderly to withdraw • In a notification, the Ministry also said that if the
immediately” from the House. amount exceeds it, the individuals will now have 90
• Unlike the Speaker, however, the Rajya Sabha days to inform the government, instead of 30 days
Chairman does not have the power to suspend a earlier.
Member.
New Rules:
Conclusion: • Increasing limit for foreign contributions: It allows
Every instance of suspension of an MP triggers strong Indians to receive up to ₹10 lakh in a year from rel-
statements on both sides. It is generally agreed that a atives staying abroad without informing the author-
balance has to be struck and that the solution to un- ities. The earlier limit was ₹1 lakh.
ruly behaviour has to be long-term and consistent with • Increasing number of days to inform authorities:
democratic values. In a notification, the Ministry also said that if the
amount exceeds it, the individuals will now have 90
Insta Links days to inform the government, instead of 30 days
Speaker of Lok Sabha earlier.
• Increasing number of Compoundable offences: It
Practice Questions: made five more offences under the FCRA“com-
poundable” instead of directly prosecuting the or-
Q.A Parliamentary System of Government is one in ganizations or individuals. Earlier, only seven offenc-
which es under the FCRA were compoundable.
(a) all political parties in the Parliament are represented • Information about bank accounts: The amended
in the Government rules have given individuals and organizations or
(b) off the Government is responsible to the Parliament NGOs 45 days to inform the home ministry about
and can be removed by it the bank accounts that are to be used for the utili-
(c) the Government is elected by the people and can be zation of such funds.
removed by them • Omission of provision b in rule 13: The government
(d) the Government is chosen by the Parliament but has also“omitted” provision ‘b’ in rule 13, which
cannot be removed by it before the completion of a dealt with declaring foreign funds.
fixed term • Transparency in the utilization of funds: Now, any-
Answer: B one receiving foreign funds will have to follow the
existing provision of placing the audited statement
of accounts on receipts and utilization of the for-
eign contribution, including income and expendi-
ture statement, receipt and payment account, and
balance sheet, within nine months of the closure
of the financial year on its official website or on the
website as specified by the Centre.

24 www.insightsonindia.com
FCRA FEWER JUDGES INCREASING PEN-
What Is A Foreign Contribution Under FCRA? DENCY, HOPE FOR MOVEMENT
• “Foreign contribution” under FCRA covers any “do- BY GOVT TO CLEAR NAMES: CJI
nation, delivery or transfer made by any foreign
source of any article” as long as it is not given as a Context:
gift for personal use, or if its market value in India at The problem of pendency of cases is “intensifying” due
the time it was made is “not more than such sum as to a lack of the sufficient number of judges, the Chief
may be specified from time to time by the Central Justice of India said the government is yet to clear 23
government”. names recommended for various high courts (HCs).
Exceptions:
• Any currency, or security can fall under the ambit
of the Act though it excludes any money received
“by way of fee or towards cost in lieu of goods or
services rendered by such person in the ordinary
course of his business, trade or commerce whether
within India or outside India”.
• Neither are donations made by Non-Resident Indi-
ans (NRIs) considered to be “foreign contribution”
although a donation from a person of Indian origin
who has assumed foreign nationality is treated as as
“foreign contribution”.

Who Cannot Receive Foreign Contribution?

A host of entities are barred from receiving foreign
funds, including election candidates, those connected
with a registered newspaper, judges, government ser-
vants or employees of any entity controlled or owned Issues concerning the judiciary:
by the government and members of any legislature. Po- • Political Pressure:   while the ruling party wants
litical parties and their office bearers, too, are prohibit- courts to endorse its moves, the opposition wants
ed from receiving foreign funds. judges to fight its political battles. But the judiciary
is accountable only to the Indian Constitution.
Insta Links: • Criticism on social media: of judicial rulings or
FCRA and NGO against a judge
• Inordinate delays in some cases:g., delay in hearing
Practice Questions: the case of the electoral bond, the pleas of girls in
Karnataka shut out of class for wearing hijabs
Q. With reference to Foreign Contribution (Regula- • Contradictions: E.g., Court’s decision on a plea re-
tion) Amendment Act 2020, consider the following lated to the Gyanvapi mosque case seemed to
statements: show amnesia over the Places of Worship Act that it
1. It reduced the limit of usage of foreign contribution had so firmly upheld in its 2019 Ayodhya ruling
for administrative expenses from 50% to 20%. • Sedition law: Lower courts continue to ignore SC
2. FCRA is implemented by the Ministry of External Af- directions on “bail, not jail” as the default setting
fairs. on unproven charges
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? • Huge vacancy: 19% in SC, 44% in HC and 23% in
A. 1 only lower courts
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2
Suggestions by CJI:
• Transformation and filling up vacancies: Trans-
Ans: (a)
forming and upgrading the judicial infrastructure in
India, as well as filling up judicial vacancies and aug-

www.insightsonindia.com 25
 menting the strength. rests, locking up undertrial prisoners in jail for
• Reduced response period from the govern- long spells and making it almost impossible for
ment: Government should expedite the process so them to get bail is proof that the system is in dire
that the remaining vacancies can be reduced con- need of an overhaul.
siderably. • The CJI said it is a “grave issue” that 80% of the
• Use of arbitrations: He said the “growth of the Indi- 6.10 lakh prisoners across the country are un-
an arbitration scenario has been very responsive to dertrials.
global trends and demands. • He was speaking later at the Rajasthan Legisla-
◦ Many international dispute resolution institu- tive Assembly on the 75 years of parliamentary
tions are being established across the country democracy.
to provide the commercial world with a fast and • He said, the “space for Opposition is diminish-
effective resolution of disputes. ing” in the country, the quality of legislative per-
◦ The presence of such international arbitration formance is in decline, Intended benefits of laws
centres will not only boost India’s global posi- do not reach the people.
tion as an investor-friendly nation but also facili- • The Supreme Court judges have raised the alarm
tate the growth of a robust legal practice. about indiscriminate arrests and the near-impos-
◦ He had “taken the initiative to set up an Inter- sible chances of getting bail for undertrial prison-
national Arbitration and Mediation Center in ers on two separate fronts in a matter of a week.
Hyderabad”.
◦ He also conveyed that the Center has proposed Article Highlights:
to set up another one in Gujarat. • More than Two-third of jail inmates consti-
tute undertrial prisoners: The statistics placed
Insta Links: before the court indicate that more than two-
Appointment of Judges of Supreme Court and High thirds of the inmates of the prisons constitute
Court undertrial prisoners. Of this category of prison-
ers, the majority may not even be required to be
Practice Questions: arrested...” Justice Sundresh observed.
Q. The judicial systems in India and U.K. seem to be • A police state cannot exist within a democra-
converging as well as diverging in recent times. High- cy: The judgment underscored that a police state
light the key points of convergence and divergence cannot exist within a democracy.
between two nations in terms of their judiciary prac- ◦ In a democracy, there can never be an impres-
tices. (UPSC 2020) sion that it is a police state. Both are conceptu-
ally opposite to each other,” the top court ob-
Q. Consider the following statements: served.
1. The SC collegium is headed by the CJI and compris-
es four other senior-most judges of the court. How has the Supreme Court ruled on Reforms?
2. An HC collegium is led by its Chief Justice and four • Separate Law for Bail: The court underlined
other senior-most judges of that court. that the CrPC, despite amendments since Inde-
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? pendence, largely retains its original structure as
a. 1 only drafted by a colonial power over its subjects.
b. 2 only • Uniformity and certainty in the decisions:
c. Both 1 and 2 courts are the foundations of judicial dispensa-
d. Neither 1 nor 2 tion, persons accused of the same offence shall
Ans: :(a) never be treated differently by the same court.
• Indiscriminate Arrests: The court noted that
HASTY ARRESTS, NEAR-IMPOSSI- the culture of too many arrests, especially for
non-cognisable offences, is unwarranted.
BLE BAIL SHOW NEED FOR OVER- • It emphasized that even for cognisable offences, the
HAUL: CJI arrest is not mandatory and must be “necessitated”.
Context: • Bail Application: There need not be any insis-
• Chief Justice of India said aimless and hasty ar- tence on a bail application while considering the

26 www.insightsonindia.com
 application under Sections 88, 170, 204 and 209 B. 2 only
of the Code. C. Both 1 and 2
• These sections relate to various stages of a trial D. Neither 1 nor 2
where a magistrate can decide on the release of an Ans: (b)
accused.
• Direction to States: The SC also directed all state
governments and Union Territories to facilitate
BIASED MEDIA, AGENDA-DRIVEN
standing orders to comply with the orders and DEBATES WEAKENING DEMOC-
avoid indiscriminate arrests.
RACY
What is India’s Law on Bail? Context:
• The CrPC does not define the word bail but India’s CJI has highlighted concerns that “ill-informed
only categories offences under the Indian Pe- and agenda-driven debates” and “biased views” are
nal Code as ‘bailable’ and ‘non-bailable’. weakening democracy.
• The CrPC empowers magistrates to grant bail
for bailable offences as a matter of right. Importance of Judiciary:
◦ This would involve release on furnishing a bail Judiciary as “the organ which breathes life into the Con-
bond, without or without security. stitution: Judicial review of legislative and executive ac-
• In the case of Non-bailable offences, a magis- tions is an integral part of the Constitutional scheme. It
trate would determine if the accused is fit to be is the heart and soul of the Indian Constitution.”
released on bail.
• Non-bailable offences are cognisable, which Other concerns
enables the police officer to arrest without a • Media trial of judges: Doing justice is not an easy
warrant. responsibility. At times, there are also concerted
• Section 436 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, campaigns in media, particularly on social media
1973, lays down that a person accused of a against judges.
bailable offence under I.P.C. can be granted • New media tools have an enormous amplifying
bail. ability but appear to be incapable of distinguishing
• Section 437 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, between the right and the wrong, the good and the
1973 lays down that the accused does not have bad, and the real and the fake. Media trials cannot
the right to bail in non-bailable offences. be a guiding factor in deciding cases
◦ It is the discretion of the court to grant bail in • No accountability: Print media still has a certain de-
case of non-bailable offences. gree of accountability. Whereas, electronic media
has zero accountability as what it shows vanishes
Insta Links: into thin air. Still, worse is social media
CJI • No protection: Politicians, bureaucrats, police of-
ficers and other public representatives are often
Practice Questions: provided with security even after their retirement
Q.Judicial legislation is antithetical to the doctrine of owing to the sensitiveness of their jobs. Ironically,
separation of powers as envisaged in the Indian Con- judges are not extended similar protection.
stitution. In this context justify the filing of the large • Adjudication Issues: One of the biggest challeng-
number of public interest petitions praying for issuing es before the judiciary at present is prioritising the
guidelines to executive authorities. (UPSC 2020) matters for adjudication as judges cannot turn a
blind eye to social realities.
Q. With reference to the Chief Justice of India(CJI), • Poor judicial Infrastructure: There have been a few
consider the following statements: knee-jerk reactions to augmenting infrastructure in
1. The procedure to appoint the next CJI is laid out in a few places. However, there has not been any con-
the constitution. crete plan to equip the judiciary to meet the chal-
2. The President administers the oath of office to the lenges of the foreseeable future.
new CJI.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? Recommendations:
A. 1 only • Responsible Media: Media, particularly electronic

www.insightsonindia.com 27
 and social media, should behave responsibly. war case (2008), media influence was observed inter-
• The media should “self-regulate and measure their fering with the investigation and justice.
words Impact on victim
• Need to strengthen the judiciary and empower Mental trauma to the victim: In cases of a sexual of-
judges: There has been an increasing number of fense, the explicit description of the ordeal on televi-
physical attacks on judges being witnessed. sion creates mental torture to the victim. It leads to a
breach of privacy, a bias in public opinion, as well as
Solution: interferes with the sentencing process.
• Bangalore Principles of Judicial Conduct: It has Impact on Judges
established the values which judges must uphold Lowers the faith in judge’s decision
namely independence, impartiality, integrity, pro- Influences judge: Social media draws the judge’s atten-
priety, equality, competence, and diligence. tion to details that are not to be addressed in adjudi-
• Kerela HC passed a memorandum directing the dis- cating the case and could subconsciously influence the
trict judiciary to not use social media for criticizing judge’s judgment.
the policies and actions of the government and its Additional Solicitor General of India Madhavi Divan
institutions, ministers, and judges, or discuss any stated that “judges can be put under pressure because
cases. they are as human as anybody else”.
◦ The HC will have a monitoring cell to observe Impact on the society and legal system
and secure computer and internet systems pro- Threat to judicial institutions
vided in the courts and report about the misuse Violates principle of natural justice
of social media. Ethical and privacy impact in Judicial cases: In an open
• The GOI notified Information Technology (Interme- court trial, protecting privacy becomes very difficult,
diary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) especially for women, children, and teenagers and also
Rules 2021: for the regulated use of Social media those who do not know how to protect their personal
• Germany has The Network Enforcement Act information on the web.
(NetzDG) which for the past two years has required
social network owners to combat fake news, hate Insta Links
speech, and other criminal posts against other in- Regulation of Social media
dividuals, or state institutions such as the judiciary
• Need Societal capacity building for better usage: Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies
e.g. digital literacy, legal literacy and greater inter-
action of true facts, and busting legal myths. THE FUNCTIONING OF THE NA-
Social media and Judiciary TIONAL INVESTIGATION AGENCY
Impact of Social Media on the institution of judiciary
Impact on accused Context:
Damages dignity of accused: Social media usually por- • The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken
trays the accused as a villain not based on facts but only over the probe into the killing of tailor Kanhaiyya Lal
to sensationalize the news, which causes damage to (48) in Rajasthan’s Udaipur over a social media post
the dignity of the accused. E.g. Parents of Arushi Talwar supporting suspended leader Nupur Sharma.
in Arushi murder case (2008) • Now, the Union Home Ministry has handed over to
Issue of Media trial: Media trial describes the impact of the agency the investigation of a similarly executed
television and print media coverage on a case through murder of pharmacist Umesh Kolhe in Maharashtra.
an attempt by the media to hold the accused guilty
even before the trial begins. What is the NIA?
Biased views being propagated by media are affecting • The National Investigation Agency (NIA) was con-
the people, weakening democracy, and harming the stituted under the National Investigation Agency
system. In this process, justice delivery gets adversely (NIA) Act, 2008.
affected. • It is a central agency to investigates and prosecutes
E.g. In the cases of the murder of Jessica Lall (2006), offences:
Priyadarshini Mattoo, Nitish Katera, and Aarushi Tal- ◦ Affects the sovereignty, security and integrity

28 www.insightsonindia.com
 of India, security of the State, and friendly rela- • Can investigate allied offences: While investigating
tions with foreign States. a scheduled offence, the agency can also investi-
◦ Against atomic and nuclear facilities. gate any other offence that the accused is alleged to
◦ Smuggling in High-Quality Counterfeit Indian have committed if the offence is connected to the
Currency. scheduled offence.
• It implements international treaties, agreements,
conventions and resolutions of the United Nations, Insta Links:
its agencies and other international organizations. NIA
• Its objective is also to combat terror in India.
• It acts as the Central Counter-Terrorism Law En- Practice Questions:
forcement Agency. Q. Discuss the mandate of the National Investigation
• Headquarters: New Delhi Agency (NIA), What are the impediments to its op-
Branches: Hyderabad, Guwahati, Kochi, Lucknow, erative functioning? How can these concerns be ad-
Mumbai, Kolkata, Raipur and Jammu. dressed? Elucidate. (250 words)

Scheduled offences: Q. Which of the following offences is/are investigated

The schedule of the NIA Act specifies a list of offences and prosecuted by the NIA?
which are to be investigated and prosecuted by the NIA. 1. Smuggling in High-Quality Counterfeit Indian Cur-
These include offences under Acts such as the Atomic rency.
Energy Act, 1962, and the Unlawful Activities Preven- 2. Offences affecting friendly relations with foreign
tion Act, 1967. States.
3. Offences related to atomic and nuclear facilities.
NIA’s jurisdiction: Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
• The law under which the agency operates extends a. 1 and 2 only
to the whole of India and also applies to Indian citi- b. 2 only
zens outside the country. c. 1 and 3 only
• Persons in the service of the government wherever d. 1, 2 and 3
they are posted Ans: (d)
• Persons on ships and aircraft registered in India
wherever they may be NITI AAYOG’S ROLE IN ENSUR-
• Persons who commit a scheduled offence beyond
India against the Indian citizen or affect the interest ING COLLABORATION BETWEEN
of India. STATES AND CENTRE
Context:
How does the NIA take up a probe? • Since its inception in 2015, NITI Aayog has been in-
• State government refers case: As provided un- strumental in promoting competitive and coopera-
der Section 6 of the Act, State governments can tive federalism.
refer the case pertaining to the scheduled offences • NITI Aayog organizes the annual meeting of the
registered at any police station to the Central gov- Governing Council (GC) under the leadership of
ernment (Union Home Ministry) for NIA investiga- the PM, which brings together chief ministers/
tion. Lieutenant-governors of the states/UTs to discuss
• Central government directs the agency: After As- inter-sectoral, inter-departmental and federal is-
sessing the details made available, the Centre can sues to accelerate the implementation of the Na-
then direct the agency to take over the case. tional Development Agenda.
◦ State governments are required to extend all as- • As a run-up to the 2022 GC meeting, the first Na-
sistance to the NIA. tional Conference of Chief Secretaries was held in
• Outside India: Where the Central government finds Dharamshala from June 15-17.
that a scheduled offence has been committed at
any place outside India to which this Act extends, it Seven Propositions by NITI Ayog:
can also direct the NIA to register the case and take • Growth led by states/UTs: India’s growth is that of
up an investigation. its states and UTs. As custodians of regional policy

www.insightsonindia.com 29
 and prime executors of development programmes, Practice Questions:
states are the Indian economy’s growth drivers. Q. The concept of cooperative federalism has been in-
• Income convergence: To achieve greater socio-eco- creasingly emphasized in recent years. Highlight the
nomic cohesion within the country, achieving in- drawbacks in the existing structure and the extent to
come convergence across states must be a policy which cooperative federalism would answer the short-
priority. comings. (UPSC 2015)
• Social indicators: In addition to income growth,
performance on social indicators is a sound metric Q. With reference to the full-time organizational
for assessing a state’s performance. framework of NITI Ayog, consider the following state-
◦ Social outcomes are de-linked from income in ments:
several states. Mizoram’s performance on the 1. The Prime Minister acts as the Chairperson of the
Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) is one example. organization.
• Growth from the grassroots level: We must focus 2. It comprises the Chief Executive Officer who is ap-
on ensuring that growth originates from the grass- pointed by the Prime Minister for a fixed tenure.
roots while addressing significant inter-state and in- Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
ter-district variations. A. 1 only
• Better urbanization: Better managed urbanization B. 2 only
is crucial. Cities face challenges such as affordable C. Both 1 and 2
housing, water supply and waste management. D. Neither 1 nor 2
• NITI Ayog as an intermediary: Several best practic- Ans: (c)
es are already being implemented by states across
India. NITI Aayog must act as an intermediary be-
tween the Centre and states to ensure cross-sharing
EMPOWERING CCI FOR NEGOTI-
of these best practices, insights and perspectives. ATED CASE SETTLEMENTS
◦ Some areas that merit particular focus are the
use of advanced technology using blockchain Context:
and AI, development of social registry, reduc- Government has introduced the CCI bill which will allow
ing compliance burden, implementation of PM it to settle cases with businesses accused of anti-com-
Gati Shakti, decriminalization of minor offenc- petitive practices, including abuse of their dominant
es and simplification of laws and processes to positions.
enhance ease of doing business. At present, the CCI is empowered to show leniency and
• Tackling climate change: The challenge of climate give full exemption from penalty to a member of a car-
change is upon us. The world has so far witnessed tel who makes vital disclosures about the existence of
two models of development— the Industrial Rev- the cartel and cooperates with investigations, but nego-
olution and the rise of East Asia. Both depended tiated settlements are not part of the rule book.
on cheap, fossil-fuel energy. India aspires to grow Previously, the Securities and Exchange Board of India
equally fast but is now subject to a carbon con- (Sebi) and the income tax department has offered set-
straint. tlements under different schemes.
• International practices: Negotiated ‘settlements
and commitments’, are allowed in the EU, Japan
and the US, to quickly resolve cases through finan-
cial or non-monetary provisions to reduce litigation.
• Benefits: Settlements and commitments will help
to avoid extensive procedures, cut down litigation,
and make enforcement more effective while im-
proving the investment climate for businesses by
reducing uncertainty.

Insta Links: Competition (Amendment) Bill, 2022: – It has been

NITI Ayog introduced to improve regulatory setup by increasing
the CCI’s accountability, giving it flexibility and enforce-
ment efficiency.

30 www.insightsonindia.com
Key changes made in the bill Government policies and interventions.
• Increasing transparency and strengthening ac-

•
countability:
A board with part-time members to supervise
GENDER BUDGETING ACT
CCI activities .
• CCI to mandatorily issue penalty guidelines and
Context:
Development, Monitoring and evaluation office
give reasons in case of any divergence .
(DMEO) (an attached office of Niti Aayog) has pitched
• Enforcement efficiency
in for the Gender Budgeting Act to the mainstream of
◦ CCI could engage in structured negotiations
gender-based budgeting across all ministries.
with parties and arrive at mutually-workable
• According to the report, gender budgeting is not
solutions without having to go through lengthy
practised in most states and is also not captured
formal proceedings.
for many schemes in different sectors.
• Changes in the governing structure of CCI
◦ The regulator at present has two members in Recommendations by DMEO
addition to chairperson Ashok Kumar Gupta, • Improve social acceptance of transgenders: Un-
though the law allows up to six members. der report titled ‘Gender Mainstreaming in Gover-
• Provisions for regulation of the digital economy nance’ also said there is a need to improve social
acceptance of transgender persons in society.
• More allocation of funds: The report recommend-
About:
ed that the Ministry of Women & Child Develop-
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) is a statuto-
ment (MWCD) should encourage state governments
ry and quasi-judicial body working under the Ministry
to increase their budgetary allocation towards
of Corporate Affairs. It was established under the
women and child development, protection and
Competition Act, 2002 for the administration,
welfare schemes
implementation and enforcement of the Act, and was
• Policy on women: There is a need to ‘finalise the
duly constituted in March 2009.
National Policy for Women with revision in 2016
draft policy’.
• Provide gender-disaggregated data: absence of
such data makes it difficult to measure the true im-
pact of the schemes resulting in poor strategy de-
sign.

Gender Budgeting
What is Gender Budgeting?
Gender budgeting means preparing budgets or analyz-
ing them from a gender perspective. Also referred to as
gender-sensitive budgeting, this practice does not en-
Insta Links: tail dividing budgets for women.
Competition Commission of India Gender Budgeting is a powerful tool for achieving gen-
der mainstreaming so as to ensure that benefits of de-
Practice Questions: velopment reach women as much as men.
Q. The role of the Competition Commission of India
has been very important to regulate the process and Facts related to Gender budgeting in India:
achieve the public policy goal of competition in India. • India has a gender budget component since 2005-
Comment (10M) 06 wherein schemes having allocations at least 30%
for women is highlighted.
• Beijing declaration and platform for action
1995: Recommended Gender Budgeting
• Influenced both expenditure and revenue poli-
cies: India’s gender budgeting efforts is unique be-
cause they have not only influenced expenditure

www.insightsonindia.com 31
 but also revenue policies (like differential rates for inform the consumers that service charges are vol-
men and women in property and Income tax rates) untary, optional, and at their discretion.
• Gender Budgeting Cells (GBC): has been mandated • No restriction on entry based on service charges:
in each ministries/Department Hotels and restaurants are no longer allowed to re-
• India ranked poor 140 (out of 156) in latest Global strict entry or services based on the collection of
gender gap report service charges.
• In the budget this year: • No addition of service charges and GST on total:
◦ India has shifted its focus from women’s devel- Hotels cannot add service charges to their bills and
opment to women-led development. charge GST on the total.
◦ Over 1.7 lakh cr has been allocated for wom- • Tips or donations no longer permitted: Any tip, do-
en-centric schemes under the gender budget nation, token, gratuity, etc. is no longer permitted
2022-2023, which is an increase of 5 per cent to be charged and shall be considered as a separate
transaction between the consumer and the staff of
the hotel and restaurant.
◦ It is entirely up to the consumer to decide
whether or not to tip.
◦ If a consumer enters a restaurant or orders
something, the restaurant policy cannot require
them to tip.
Insta Links • Unfair trade practice: Guidelines now consider
Basics: Gender Responsive Budgeting charging a customer other than the price of food
items displayed on the menu along with applicable
Practice Questions taxes, as an unfair trade practice’ under the CPA.
Q. Discuss the concept of ‘Gender budgeting’ and anal-
yse its significance in the Indian context. (250 words) Redressal mechanisms:
• If any consumer finds that a hotel or restaurant is
levying a service charge in violation of these guide-
THE NEW GUIDELINES TO PRE- lines:
VENT UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICES ◦ They may request the concerned hotel or restau-
rant to remove the service charge from the bill
Context: ◦ May lodge a complaint on the NCH, which works
• On July 4, the Central Consumer Protection Author- as an alternate dispute redressal mechanism at
ity (CCPA) announced five guidelines to prevent un- the pre-litigation level
fair trade practices and to protect consumer inter- ◦ Call 1915 or through the NCH mobile app.
ests regarding the levy of service charges in hotels ◦ Complaint against unfair trade practice with the
and restaurants. Consumer Commission electronically through
• The guidelines are in addition to the Center’s 2017 edaakhil.nic.in. for its speedy and effective re-
guidelines which prohibit the levy of service charges dressal.
on consumers by hotels and restaurants, and terms
the charging for anything other than “the price dis-Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA):
played on the menu card along with the applicable The CCPA has been established to regulate matters relat-
taxes” without “express consent” of the customer as ed to the violation of the rights of consumers.
“unfair trade practices”. Under the Consumer Protection Act (CPA), 2019, the
authority was established to regulate violations of con-
sumer rights, unfair trade practices, and false or mis-
New Guidelines:
leading advertisements that are prejudicial to the inter-
• Prohibition from levying extra charges: Hotels
est of the public.
or restaurants are prohibited from levying extra
The CCPA has authority under section 18 of the CPA,
charges automatically or by default in the bill or by
2019 to protect, promote and most importantly en-
any other name.
force the rights of the consumers and prevent viola-
• No forced service charges: Also, they are not al-
tion of their rights under the Act.
lowed to force service charges, and must clearly
It also seeks to ensure that no person engaged in unfair

32 www.insightsonindia.com
trade practices. Similarly, Recently Supreme Court accepted the recom-
It is also empowered to issue guidelines to enforce the mendations of the Banthia commission to apply 27 per
rights of the consumers laid down in the Act. cent OBC reservations in local body elections in Maha-
rashtra.
Service charge: In December 2021 the Supreme Court directed that
Service charge is a tip or a direct transaction between reservation for OBCs in local bodies will not be permit-
the customer and the restaurant staff, specifically the ted unless they fulfil the triple test ( laid down in the
wait staff. SC’s own 2010 decision)
It is a fee collected to pay for services associated with
the purchase of a primary product or service. Article 243T makes the provisions for the res-
It is collected by hospitality sectors and food and bev- ervation of seats in ULBs
erage industries as a fee for serving customers. • Seats are reserved for the Scheduled Castes and
the Scheduled Tribes in every Municipally.
• Not less than one-third of the total number of seats
Insta Links: reserved for women
Consumer Protection Act, 2019 • The office of Chairpersons in the Municipalities
shall be reserved for the Scheduled Castes, the
Practice Questions: Scheduled Tribes and women in such manner as the
Q. Which of the following consumer rights is/are de- Legislature of a State may, by law, provide.
fined by Consumer Protection Act 2019?
1. Right to Safety.
OBC Reservation:
2. Right to Choose.
• The Kalelkar Commission, set up in 1953, was the
3. Right to seek Redressal.
first to identify backward classes other than the
4. Right to Consumer Education.
Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs)
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
at the national level.
A. 1, 2 and 4 only
• The Mandal Commission Report, 1980 estimated
B. 1 and 4 only
the OBC population at 52% and classified 1,257
C. 2 and 3 only
communities as backward.
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
• It recommended increasing the existing quotas,
Ans: (d)
which were only for SC/ST, from 22.5% to 49.5% to
include the OBCs.
RESERVATION IN ULB • The central government reserved 27% of seats in
Context: union civil posts and services for OBCs [Article
Bhakthavatsala Commission recommends a 33% quo- 16(4)].
ta for OBCs in ULB polls in Karnataka. The committee • The quotas were subsequently enforced in central
was formed following the SC directive. The article is government educational institutions [Article 15 (4)].
state-specific but can be read once. • The 102nd Constitution Amendment Act,
Recommendations: 2018 provided constitutional status to the National
• Reserve 33% seats for OBCs, including minorities, Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC).
in ULB elections (44% of the population in Karnata-
ka comes from OBC background) Insta Links
• Ensure the aggregate of all reservations of seats 74th C.A: Municipalities
does not exceed 50%
• Bring all ULB election wings under the control of Practice Questions
the Department of Personnel and Administrative Q. Critically analyse the Fifteenth Finance Commission
Reforms recommendations on urban local bodies. (10M)
• Make term of office of Mayor and Deputy Mayor
30 months in all city corporations like in Bangalore Q. Which of the following provisions of the Constitu-
BBMP tion of India have a bearing on Education? (UPSC 2012)
• Provide OBC reservations for the office of Mayor 1. Directive Principles of State Policy
and the Deputy Mayor in BBMP 2. Rural and Urban Local Bodies

www.insightsonindia.com 33
3. Fifth Schedule ◦ The court ordered a medical board to be formed
4. Sixth Schedule by the AIIMS to check whether it was safe to
5. Seventh Schedule conduct an abortion on the woman and submit
Select the correct answer using the codes given below: a report in a week.
(a) 1 and 2 only • Denying an unmarried woman the right to a safe
(b) 3, 4 and 5 only abortion violates her personal autonomy and free-
(c) 1, 2 and 5 only dom. A woman’s right to reproductive choice is an
(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 inseparable part of her personal liberty under Ar-
Answer: C ticle 21 of the Constitution. She has a sacrosanct
right to bodily integrity.
• Live-in relationships had already been recognised
RECENT ISSUES RELATED TO IN- by the Supreme Court.
DIA’S LAW ON ABORTION
Features:
Context: 1. Medical practitioner’s opinions required
A 25-year-old pregnant woman challenged Rule 3B of • MTP Act 1971:
the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Rules, 2003, (in ◦ One Doctor’s opinion if termination is with-
Supreme court) which allows only some categories of in 12 weeks of conception
women to seek termination of pregnancy between 20 ◦ Two Doctor’s opinions for 20 weeks
and 24 weeks. • MTP Amendment Act 2021:
◦ One doctor’s opinion till 20 weeks
Background of the case: ◦ Two for 20-24 weeks
An unmarried 25-year-old woman sought Delhi High ◦ Medical board permission for beyond 24
Court’s permission for termination of a pregnancy of 23 weeks
weeks and 5 days, as her partner had refused to marry 2. Gestation limit
her. However, Delhi HC refused to grant her permission. • MTP Act 1971
So, she moved to SC. ◦ 20 weeks for all
• MTP Amendment Act 2021
What is India’s law on abortion? ◦ 20-24 weeks for vulnerable women e.g.
• Section 312 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, crimi- rape victim
nalises voluntarily “causing miscarriage”. ◦ beyond 24 weeks for ‘substantial foetal ab-
• As per the amended law (2021), termination under normalities
the opinion of one doctor for pregnancies up to 20 3. Privacy
weeks is allowed. For pregnancies between 20 and • MTP Act 1971
24 weeks, the amended law requires the opinion of ◦ Not mentioned
two doctors. • MTP Amendment Act 2021
• Section 3B of Rules prescribed under the MTP Act: ◦ Protects the confidentiality of data related
It allows seven categories of women who shall be to termination and privacy of women and
considered eligible for termination of pregnancy up the case.
to twenty-four weeks, e.g. rape survivors, minors,
change of marital status (from married to divorced), Medical Termination of Pregnancy (amendment ) Act
etc. 2021
◦ However, the law doesn’t recognize the situa-
tion of unmarried women. Progressive features of MTP Act 2021
• Abortions beyond 20 weeks allowed: It allows
abortion to be done on the advice of one doctor up
Supreme court order:
to 20 weeks, and two doctors in the case of certain
• Law covered ‘unmarried’ women: An amendment
categories of women between 20 and 24 weeks.
to the Act in 2021 had substituted the term ‘hus-
• Inclusive: Enhances the upper gestation limit from
band’ with ‘partner’, a clear signal that the law cov-
20 to 24 weeks for special categories of women in-
ered unmarried women within its ambit. Thus, SC
cluding survivors of rape- thus preventing the so-
allowed women to have an abortion.
cio-economic and psychological impact of unwant-

34 www.insightsonindia.com
 ed pregnancies. under the ambit of the bill. Also, India needs to create
• Lowers burden on courts: Removes the limit of a cadre of certified medical practitioners including
24 weeks for termination of pregnancy in case of ASHA, ANM workers in its health system.
substantial foetal abnormalities, diagnosed by the
newly established Medical Board- thus easing the Insta Links
burden on courts of writ petition for seeking abor- Legal status of abortion in India
tion beyond the permitted period.
• Maintains confidentiality: Names of the woman Practice Questions:
whose pregnancy has been terminated will be kept Q. In the context of The Medical Termination of Preg-
confidential- thus ensuring dignity and confidenti- nancy (Amendment) Act 2021, critically examine vari-
ality of women. ous issues in India’s law on abortion.
• De-stigmatizes relations outside marriage: Relax-
es termination of pregnancy due to contraceptive- Q. Democracy’s superior virtue lies in the fact that it
failure condition for ‹›any woman or her partner’’ calls into activity
- thus de-stigmatizes pregnancies outside marriage (a) the intelligence and character of ordinary men and
women.
However, there are serious concerns with its provisions: (b) the methods for strengthening executive leadership.
• No right to abortion at will: It has various condi- (c) a superior individual with dynamism and vision.
tions for the termination of pregnancies. (d) a band of dedicated party workers.
• No recourse for rape victims: For the termination of Answer: A
pregnancies beyond 24 weeks, rape victims cannot
approach the Medical Board (can approach in case
of ‘substantial foetal abnormalities’ only). so, the
FREEBIES CULTURE
only recourse remains is through a Writ Petition. Context:
• No time frame for the medical board: Bill doesn’t SC has a direct union government to consult the finance
provide the time frame within which the Medical commission on whether it is possible to regulate the
board must make its decision - any delays may lead distribution of freebies by political parties using public
to further complications for women. money.
• Transgender and unmarried, if they require abor- • ‘Freebies’ are important for this year’s exam, do
tion beyond 20 weeks, are not considered in the bill have a pre-prepared note on this topic, if you are
• Potential for executive overreach: Special cate- giving Mains this time.
gories of women whose gestation limit will be in- Stand of ECI on freebies: It said it has no power to
creased from 20 to 24 will be decided by the cen- regulate the same or take action against parties making
tral government - and not by a sovereign body like such poll promises.
parliament ◦ ECI cannot regulate policy decisions: “offering/
• Doesn’t considers institutional lacunae: According distribution of any freebies either before or af-
to the bill only Registered medical practitioners ter the election is a policy decision of the party
having experience or training in gynecology or ob- concerned.
stetrics can perform the abortion, but according to
NH&FS (2015-16) data only 53% of abortions are The ‘revdi’ culture
performed by a registered medical doctor, the rest Freebies like free power and a monthly stipend to wom-
are conducted by a nurse, midwives, family mem- en are among promises made by parties and this is com-
bers, etc mon in elections in state after state. Earlier this month,
◦ Expecting the presence of two gynecologists in the PM said it’s time to stop this practice and called it
rural areas to ascertain the need for abortion is the ‘revdi’ culture hurting the country, its development
irrational. and well-being.

India can follow the examples of the UK where preg- Impact of such freebies on state budgets:
nancy can be terminated anytime.   Importantly, the Expenditure side:
WHO does not specify any maximum time limit after • Huge drain on state resources: farm loan waiv-
which pregnancy should not be terminated. Transgen- er in Maharashtra resulted in an outgo of Rs
der and other vulnerable communities must also come 45,000-51,000 crore during the financial year

www.insightsonindia.com 35
 2020-21. • Improving transparency: to ensure it reaches real
• Lack of specific outcome targets: No responsi- beneficiaries. E.g., a farm loan waiver reaches only
bility for the money spent. Telangana has com- actual farmers.
mitted 35% of revenue receipts, almost 63% of • Revising FRBM act: placing a limit on expenditure
the state’s own tax revenue, to finance populist on loan waivers, free electricity and water.
schemes which are cantered on freebies. • Outcome-based budgeting: makes the departments
Revenue side: accountable for their work, as done on Jharkhand
• Negative impact on state-owned enterprises: recently fixes responsibility on debts.
leading loss-making PSU’s. • Educating the public: On effects of such freebies
◦ March report from ICRA, subsidy payments and need for fiscal discipline. E.g. demanding the
by governments were estimated to com- source of funds for such freebies through citizen
prise 16% of Discom revenues at an all -India groups.
level in 2021-22.
• Low tax collections: due to Free electricity, free Finance commission Chief N.K Singh recently pointed
water, free rides etc., there is no realization of out that political competition over such sops is a “quick
tax on these. passport to fiscal disaster”. Hence, there is a need to
Political: avoid those before they become the norm.
• Competitive manifestos, sometimes seem im-
practical and illogical and unimplementable. Insta Links
It leads to the degeneration of the political Are freebies affecting the economic growth of India?
agenda. This can even lead to the wastage of re-
sources on frivolous promises without any real Practice Questions:
results to show. Q. Do you think populism, personality cult and freebie
culture in politics which is often witnessed during elec-
Issues with Freebies culture: tions in states such as Tamil Nadu is good for econom-
• Huge debt burden: The debt-to-GDP ratio of Punjab ic growth and development? Critically comment. (250
reached 53.3% in 2021-22 due to the high-subsidy Words)
burden.
• Creates a never-ending cycle of freebies: as popu-
list schemes are countered with more populist mea- INDIAN ANTARCTIC BILL 2022
sures.
• Social inequalities: With the Rajasthan govern- PASSED
ment’s decision to revert to the old pension scheme Context:
for its employees, just 6% of the population cap- The Lok Sabha passed the Indian Antarctica Bill,
tures benefits as high as 56% of the pension and 2022 under its obligations as a signatory to the Antarc-
salary expenditure. tic Treaty
• More expenditure towards servicing just interest
costs: Andhra Pradesh spent roughly 13% of its bud- Objectives:
get of 22,000 crores on interest payments. To demilitarise Antarctica, establish it as a zone free of
Measures to mitigate the negative impacts: nuclear tests and the disposal of radioactive waste, and
• Role of Finance Commission: Finance Commission ensure that it is used for peaceful purposes only; to pro-
(an independent body) when it makes allocations to mote international scientific cooperation in Antarctica
various states, can take into account the debt of the and to set aside disputes over territorial sovereignty.
state and in the context of that find out whether the
state’s economy will be sustainable over the years Need for legislation:
in the context of the freebies. • The Antarctic treaty ( signed in 1959 and imple-
• Strengthening Election Commission: bringing free- mented in 1961) made it mandatory for the 54 sig-
bies under MCC and regulating manifestos by ECI. natory countries to specific laws governing territo-
• Demand-based freebies: with priority to DPSPs ries on which their stations are located. India signed
based or merit goods such as PDS system, educa- the treaty in 1983 and therefore a law was needed
tion, health etc. for greater prosperity. to preserve the pristine Antarctic environment and

36 www.insightsonindia.com
 ocean around it. vironment.
• India is also a member of of • Establishes a ‘Committee on Antarctic Governance
◦ Commission for Conservation of Antarctic Ma- and Environmental Protection.’
rine Living Resources
◦ Council of Managers of National Antarctic Pro- About Antarctic Treaty
gramme ( COMNAP) Antarctica is all of the land and ice shelves south of
◦ Scientific Committee of Antarctica Research 60°S latitude.
(SCAR) Antarctic Treaty is the only example of a single treaty
that governs a whole continent.
Key features of the bill: Signatories: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile,
• Applicability: It will apply to any person, foreigners, France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, the
corporations, firms, vessels or aircraft that is a part Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the UK and the US.
of an Indian expedition to Antarctica. Currently there are 54 members (including India); HQ:
• Central Committee: 10 members ( to be nominat- Buenos Aires (Argentina)
ed from various ministries) + two experts (on the Mjor Provisions of the treaty: See diagram
Antarctic) + chairman (Secretary of the Ministry of India
Earth Science) Nodal Agency: National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean
◦ It will give permits, ensure compliance and Research (NCPOR) (estb. 1998)- Under ministry of earth
review information provided by parties to the science
treaty. India’s Antarctic Programme
◦ Private tours and expeditions to Antarctica Dakshin Gangotri: It was first Indian scientific research
would be prohibited without a permit or written base station (now just a supply base)
authorisation by a Member country. Maitri (finished in 1989):
◦ Permit can be granted only after the environ- Situated near Schirmacher Oasis ( India has also built
mental impact assessment and waste manage- a freshwater lake around it called Lake Priyadarshini)
ment plan have been prepared. Bharti (2012): research facility
• Prohibited activities: The Bill prohibits certain ac- Sagar Nidhi (2008): It is first Indian vessel to navigate
tivities in Antarctica including Antarctic waters.
◦ nuclear explosion or disposal of radioactive
wastes
◦ introduction of non-sterile soil
◦ discharge of garbage, plastic or other substance
into the sea which is harmful to the marine en-
vironment.
• Offences and penalties (extends the jurisdiction of
Indian courts to Antarctica) :
◦ Conducting a nuclear explosion in Antarctica
will be punishable with an imprisonment of 20
years which may extend to life imprisonment
and a fine of at least Rs 50 crore.
◦ Drilling for mineral resources or introducing
non-native animals or plants in Antarctica with-
out a permit will be punishable with imprison-
ment of up to seven years and a fine between
Rs 10 lakh and Rs 50 lakh.
◦ The central government may notify one or more
Sessions Courts to be the Designated Court un-
der the Bill and specify its territorial jurisdiction
to try offences punishable under the Bill.
• Antarctic Fund: For the welfare of Antarctic re-
search work and the protection of the Antarctic en-

www.insightsonindia.com 37
Practice Questions tion provides Day Care Centre for the elderly mem-
Q. Discuss the objectives of the Antarctic Treaty. Is it bers of our community who are either neglected,
relevant still today? Discuss. (15M) have no children or are abandoned by their families.
• Community-based care system for elders
Q. The formation of ozone hole in the Antarctic region ◦ ASHA program could be used for building a
has been a cause, of concern. What could be the rea- community-based workforce to support the di-
son for the formation of this hole? verse health and social care needs of elders.
(a) Presence of prominent tropospheric turbulence;
and inflow of chlorofluorocarbons Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs): They have
(b) Presence of prominent polar front and stratospheric been singularly responsible not only for the dramatic
clouds; and inflow of chlorofluorocarbons reductions in maternal and infant mortality contribut-
(c) Absence of polar front and stratospheric clouds; and ing to our increased life expectancy but also for achiev-
inflow of methane and chlorofluorocarbons. ing our impressive Covid vaccination coverage.
(d) Increased temperature in the polar region due to They were deservedly awarded the WHO Director-Gen-
global warming eral’s Global Health Leaders Award in May.
Answer: B
What elders need, most of all, is a caring and compas-
sionate person, with the requisite skills, to accompany
ASHA FOR ELDERLY them on the last journey of their lives.
Context:
The article came in the editorial section and suggests Insta Links
some solutions for caring elderly with chronic diseases. A new vision for Old Age Care
You can copy a few points from this in your notes for
‘elderly care’. Practice Questions
Q. “Care for the elderly in the country needs to primari-
Status of elderly in India: ly adopt an approach which emphasizes on seeing them
• The UN World Population Ageing Report notes that as assets in India’s growth rather than as seeing them as
India’s ageing population (those aged 60 and above) mere dependents to be cared for”. Discuss. (250 Words)
is projected to increase to nearly 20% by 2050 from
about 8% now.
• By 2050, the percentage of elderly people will
THE NATIONAL ANTI-DOPING
increase by 326%, with those aged 80 years and BILL, 2021 PASSED
above set to increase by 700%, making them the Direction:
fastest-growing age group in India. It is not very important from Mains perspective. For
• A study suggests 8 per cent of the population over Prelims, just go through provisions once. No need to
75 was afflicted by dementia remember.
1. Alzheimer’s Association suggests that the coun-
try is already home to 4 million people with this Context:
condition. The bill seeks to provide a statutory framework for
2. Dementia is a condition associated with ageing the functioning of the National Anti-Doping Agency
and resulting from progressive degeneration of (NADA) and the National Dope Testing Laboratory in
the brain. sports.
• Lack of family support: Transition to a nuclear fami- · It also seeks to give effect to the United Nations
ly means that an increasing proportion of the elder- Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation Inter-
ly will live only with their elderly spouse or alone. national Convention against doping in sports and com-
pliance with such other obligations and commitments.
Solution for elderly with chronic disease: Aim of the bill: It prohibits athletes, athlete support
• Strengthening Primary health care which inte- personnel and other persons from engaging in doping
grates care for diverse health conditions, home- in sports.
based nursing, palliative care and rehabilitation. Doping definition: It is the consumption of certain
• NGOs/Civil Society help: E.g. Asha Deep Founda- prohibited substances by athletes to enhance perfor-

38 www.insightsonindia.com
mance. ten members (medical practitioners and retired em-
Key Features of the passed bill: inent athletes).
• Prohibition of doping: The Bill prohibits athletes, • Dope Testing Laboratories: The existing National
athlete support personnel and other persons from Dope Testing Laboratory will be deemed to be the
engaging in doping in sports. principal dope testing laboratory. The central gov-
◦ Support personnel includes the coach, trainer, ernment may establish more National Dope Testing
manager, team staff, medical personnel, and Laboratories.
other persons working with or treating or assist- Key Issues:
ing an athlete. • Director General of NADA: the qualifications of the
• No violation of the following rules: Director General are not specified in the Bill and are
◦ Presence of prohibited substances or their left to be notified through Rules.
markers in an athlete’s body ◦ Central government may remove the Director
◦ Use, attempted use or possession of prohibited General from the office on grounds of misbe-
substances or methods haviour or incapacity or “such other ground”.
◦ Refusing to submit a sample ◦ Leaving these provisions to the discretion of the
◦ Trafficking or attempted trafficking in prohibited central government may affect the indepen-
substances or methods, and dence of the Director General.
◦ Aiding or covering up such violations. • Power to remove: Under the Bill, the Board has
◦ If any athlete requires a prohibited substance powers to remove the members of the Disciplinary
or method due to a medical condition, they may Panel and Appeal Panel on grounds which will be
apply to the National Anti-Doping Agency for a specified by regulations and are not specified in the
therapeutic use exemption. Bill.
• Consequences of violations: Anti-doping rule viola- ◦ Further, there is no requirement to give them an
tion by an individual athlete or athlete support per- opportunity of being heard. This may affect the
sonnel may result in disqualification from an event independent functioning of these panels.
already held- seizer of prize, ineligibility to partici-
pate in a competition to be held, and financial sanc- Insta curious:
tions. International institution: WADA
• Changes in National Anti-Doping Agency: Current- In November 1999 the World Anti-Doping Agency
ly, anti-doping rules are implemented by the Na- (WADA) was set up under the International Olympic
tional Anti-Doping Agency, which was established Committee.
as a society. · WADA is recognised by the UNESCO International
◦ The Bill provides for constituting this National Convention against Doping in Sport (2005).
Anti-Doping Agency as a statutory body. It will · WADA’s primary role is to develop, harmonise,
be headed by a Director General appointed by and coordinate anti-doping regulations across all sports
the central government. and countries.
• Data related to athletes and doping: The Agency · It does so by ensuring proper implementation
will also have the power to collect certain personal of the World Anti-Doping Code (WADA Code) and its
data of athletes such as (a) sex or gender, (ii) medi- standards, conducting investigations into doping inci-
cal history, and (iii) whereabout information of ath- dents, conducting research on doping, and educating
letes (for out of competition testing and collection sportspersons and related personnel on anti-doping
of samples). regulations.
• National Board for Anti-Doping in Sports: The Bill · WADA publishes the list of prohibited substances
establishes a National Board for Anti-Doping in at least once a year and distributes it to all the signato-
Sports to make recommendations to the govern- ries.
ment on anti-doping regulation and compliance · Use of prohibited substances is exempted if needed
with international commitments on anti-doping. T for therapeutic use, as specified.
• Anti-doping Appeal Panels: The Board will consti- · According to WADA, in 2019, most of the doping
tute a National Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel for rule violations were committed in bodybuilding (22%),
determining the consequences of anti-doping rule followed by athletics (18%), cycling (14%), and weight-
violations. This Panel will consist of a Chairperson lifting (13%)
and four Vice-Chairpersons (all legal experts), and

www.insightsonindia.com 39
Insta Links Tribal welfare (Nilgiris Wynaad Tribal Welfare Soci-
National Anti-Doping Bill ety (NWTWS)), Women advocacy (ActionAid India,
Sewa, Eklavya, Sathin, Disha work for women em-
Mains Link (Practice Question) powerment)
Q. India does not figure very high in terms of sporting • Promotes community-based organizations such as
achievement, but disproportionately high on athletes SHG, and Farmer’s organizations: these organiza-
accused of doping. Examine why and discuss probable tions are critical in bringing about changes at the
solutions to tackle the doping menace. (250 words) grass-roots level
• Work as Pressure Group: NGOs mobilize people
Q. Consider the following statements in respect of the for their rights as well as educate communities
Laureus World Sports Award which was instituted in against harmful policies of government e.g. Narma-
the year 2000 da Bachao Andolan work for the rights of displaced
1. American golfer Tiger Woods was the first winner of people
this award. • Bring about behavioural changes: NGOs work
2. The award was received mostly by ‘Formula One against superstition, false faith, Beliefs, and Cus-
players so far. toms e.g. Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmulan
3. Roger Federer received this maximum number of Samiti (MANS); or Committee for Eradication of
compared to others Blind Faith, CEBF)
Which of the above statement are correct? • Promoting Environmentalism: E.g. Green Peace,
(a) 1 and 2 only Vanashakti NGO, etc.
(b) 2 and 3 only • All the new initiatives of the government require
(c) 1 and 3 only the participation and awareness of people and
(d) 1, 2 and 3 there is no better organisation than the civil society
Answer: C to achieve this objective.
◦ Involvement of civil society in the Swachha
Bharat Mission has made it a huge success.
SEEKING TO DESTROY INDIA’S ◦ Role of Swacchagrahis has a visible impact in
CIVIL SOCIETY changing the behaviour of people to stop open
Context: defecation practices in rural areas.
This article highlights the importance of civil societies
and how recent amendments affect their working na-
ture.
Direction:
Keep a note prepared on Civil Society/NGOs. Keep
names of a few civil societies working in different fields
handy- to be used as an example in Mains answer writ-
ing. This is the topic you can’t miss to score good marks.
Challenges faced by NGOs in India
What are civil societies? • Inaccessibility of Funds: Government regulation
As per the EU, civil society means “All types of social will ban ‘regranting’ of funds to smaller NGOs
action carried out by individuals or groups who are thereby making them more dependent on govern-
not related to, or managed by, the state”. India has ment funds.
over 3.4 million NGOs working in various fields. ◦ This will be counter-intuitive for NGOs indepen-
dence and their ability to raise voices against
Role of the civil societies governmental policies
• Plugging the Implementation Gap: NGOs play im- • The politicization of NGOs: Mushrooming of polit-
portant role in the promotion and implementation ically motivated NGOs that act as the conduit for
of important rights-based legislation such as RTI, political funds, money laundering, and advocacy is
FRA 2006, RTE 2010, and the MGNREGA a challenge for Indian polity
• Support for sectors untouched by the state: E.g. • Involvement in Anti-national activity: E.g. some of
providing aid to migrants, human and labour rights, the NGOs were involved in funding terrorism in J&K

40 www.insightsonindia.com
 and promoting LWE activity in ‘Red Corridor Areas’ 3. Every organization must have its FCRA account in
• NGOs lack transparency and accountability: Only only one SBI branch in Delhi.
a small fraction of NGOs have submitted their ac- Impact:
count statement to Income tax and only a few have • This may be a regressive step in an era of online
a Board of Governance connectivity and digital monetary transactions.
• Undermine India’s Development: An IB report said • It will also impact the fund transfer in remote
in 2014 that working of NGOs such as Greenpeace, areas.
Cordaid, and Amnesty have reduced India’s GDP by 4. Increased the power of government officers to in-
2-3% vestigate breaches.
• Loss of registrations: Data suggests that of the Impact:
20,679 civil society organisations that lost their reg- • Government interference may obstruct work-
istration between 2011 and May 2022 ing in critical areas such as Tribal Welfare in LWE
• Non-utilization of fund for which it was meant: affected areas
Foreign contribution doubled between the years 5. Proposed National Council of Social Work (Educa-
2010 and 2019, however many recipients have not tion and Practice) Bill, which regulates social work
utilised the fund for the purpose for which they education.
were registered or granted under FCRA Act. Impact:
◦ Department of Rural Development’s Council • This council is supposed to promote ethical be-
for Advancement of People’s Action and Rural havior amongst social work professionals but
Technology (CAPART) blacklisted 833 NGOs for may make it much more difficult to get a job in
misutilization of funds provided to them by the the NGO sector without a degree.
Government These changes are not in sync with the ideals of human
• Civil societies are under deep suspicion: In the rights, environmentalism, and civil liberties (import-
73rd graduation ceremony of the Indian Police ant pillars of India’s Soft Power) as these sectors receive
Academy in November 2021. National Security Ad- most of the foreign contributions
viser Ajit Doval had warned budding police officers
that “civil society was the new frontier of war”. Effects after the amendment
• In 2017 the Ministry of Home Affairs suspended • Oxfam’s license was not renewed, a mechanism
the FCRA license of the Public Health Foundation permissible under the FCRA amendment of 2010.
of India on grounds of misusing foreign funds to ◦ Oxfam was generating widely publicized reports
lobby Members of the Parliament in favour of to- regarding the plight of migrant labourers and
bacco control activities. the conditions of the poor during the pandem-
ic.
Steps taken by government: • The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative’s
Foreign Contribution Regulation (Amendment) Act FCRA approval was suspended for some time, after
(FCRA), 2020: which its license was cancelled.
• The Enforcement Directorate (ED) was used to at-
Regulations: tack NGOs such as Amnesty International and the
1. Restrictions on the transfer of foreign contribution Centre for Equity Studies that have worked inces-
money to other organizations. santly for minority rights.
Impact:
• It will seriously restrict collaboration between Conclusion
organizations and smaller grass-root working Civil Societies are an essential aspect of democracy;
NGO may get starved of Funds they bridge the gap between the government and the
• This would also undermine the flow of foreign governed. Proper guidelines should be issued, rules
funding and development aid regarding their accreditation and maintenance of ac-
2. Restricts administrative expenses to 20% of an counts should be clearly stated and efforts should be
NGO’s budget made to have a balance between national security con-
Impact: cerns and the need for a vibrant civil society.
• It will impact the salaries of employees and the
ability of NGOs to draw various experts

www.insightsonindia.com 41
ISSUES WITH INDIA’S PUBLIC EX- ◦ removing a barrier for candidates from eco-
nomically challenging backgrounds
AMINATION SYSTEM ◦ providing travel and lodging allowances if the
Context: examination centre is not within a specified dis-
Editorial by Varun Gandhi in which he highlighted how tance
the recruitment process for some government posts ◦ all examination centres must have the basic
never ends. It’s diminishing the demographic dividend. infrastructure (biometric attendance, cloak-
As per CMIE data, India needs to create 20 million jobs room) and adequate security (guards, invigila-
annually tors, CCTV cameras) to ensure a fair process
Direction: ◦ An integrated examination calendar for all ma-
Non-political articles by Varun Gandhi are generally jor educational institutions and recruitment to
good with sufficient data and points and can be fol- PSUs should be published while ensuring mini-
lowed. Just go through the article to understand the mal overlap.
issue. No need to make notes.
Government Initiative:
Issues highlighted: National Recruitment Agency (NRA): NRA is a national
• Delayed recruitment: testing agency which would conduct the Common El-
◦ E.g. recently 4,500 candidates in Andhra igibility Examination (CET) for non-gazetted Group B
Pradesh who cleared a district selection com- and C posts. In the initial years, NRA will conduct the
mittee exam in 1998 have finally been offered recruitment examinations for Railway Recruitment
regular jobs as teaching staff in government Boards (RRBs), Institute of Banking Personnel Selection
schools. With 24 job-seeking years, most of (IBPS) and Staff Selection Commission(SSC) and would
them reach close to retirement. gradually expand its operations in other examination
◦ Railway exams of 2019 have seen over 1,000 process as well.
days of delay for exams to be conducted
◦ Delayed recruitment cycle of SSC exams Conclusion:
• High tuition cost: E.g. tuitions costs can vary from India needs to face the challenge of job creation and
Rs 1,000 to Rs 4,000 for minor posts, to Rs 1.5-2.5 upskilling of youth for the labour market to ensure that
lakh for UPSC coaching (excluding living costs). India’s demographic dividend does not become a de-
• Higher expenses due to delay: If such exams get mographic disaster.
delayed, then the youth will suffer financially and
mentally. Insta Links
Create more jobs, revamp employment policy
Solution:
• Reforms in the Examination Schedule: Mains Link
◦ Each ministry should ask all departments to Q. With more young adults entering higher education
prepare an existing vacancies list within three and increasing job aspirations not matching their edu-
days from the defined zero date. cational profile, the new National Employment Policy
◦ The departments should ideally advertise the must accommodate these trends. Discuss (250 Words)
approved list of existing vacancies within seven
days of the approval of such a list NEED FOR A NEW LEGAL FRAME-
◦ For each week of delay beyond 30 days, the de-
faulting department could be liable for a small WORK GOVERNING TELECOM-
reduction in their administrative expenses MUNICATION IN INDIA
◦ Final examination results should be announced
within a defined period.
◦ In the event of cancellation of examinations, Context:
compensatory attempts shall be provided to all Given emerging technologies such as 5G, IoT, etc., the
applicants by relaxing age norms. Ministry of Communication has underscored the need
• Reform the examination process: E.g. to have a legal framework for these technologies.
◦ a waiver of examination fees Direction:

42 www.insightsonindia.com
Just go through it once. This is just a draft framework Practice Questions
and may change in the future. Q. With reference to street lighting, how do sodium
Proposals of the New Law: lamps differ from LED lamps? (UPSC 2021)
• Recognition of exclusive privilege of the govern- 1. Sodium lamps produce light at 360 degrees but it is
ment over telecommunication not so in the case of LED lamps.
• Simplification of regulatory framework esp. relat- 2. As street lights, sodium lamps have a longer life
ed to spectrum allocations. span than LED lamps.
• Effective policy for the Right of Way (RoW): Right 3. The spectrum of visible light from sodium lamps is
of way is the legal right, established by a grant from almost monochromatic while LED lamps offer signif-
a landowner or long usage, to pass along a specific icant colour advantages in street lighting.
route through property belonging to another. Select the correct answer using the code given below
CAG on Spectrum allocation: (a) 3 only
• CAG criticized that Spectrum allocation in India (b) 2 only
is conducted on an ad hoc basis (2012-2021); the (c) 1 and 3
spectrum allocated to the government is not opti- (d) 1, 2 and 3
mally used. Answer: (c)
What is a spectrum?
Energy travels in the form of waves known as electro- Q.With reference to Visible Light Communication (VLC)
magnetic waves. These waves differ from each other in technology, which of the following statements are cor-
terms of frequencies. This whole range of frequencies rect? (UPSC 2020)
is called the spectrum. In telecommunication like TV, 1. VLC uses electromagnetic spectrum wavelengths
radio and GPRS, radio waves of different wavelengths 375 to 780 nm.
are used. 2. VLC is known as long-range optical wireless commu-
nication.
Mobile phones use two technologies based on differ- 3. VLC can transmit large amounts of data faster than
ent parts of the radio spectrum— GSM (global system Bluetooth
for mobile communications) and CDMA (code division 4. VLC has no electromagnetic interference.
multiple access). Most of the radio spectrum is reserved Select the correct answer using the code given below:
in countries for defence. The rest is available for public (a) 1, 2 and 3 only
use. But following an increase in the number of phone (b) 1, 2 and 4 only
users and new services, countries started auctioning (c) 1, 3 and 4 only
the frequencies to telecom companies. (d) 2, 3 and 4 only
Answer: C

Insta Links
What is spectrum Auction

Mains Link
Q. Discuss the advantages that 5G technology holds as
compared to previous mobile technology. (10M)

www.insightsonindia.com 43
Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections. ◦ Only marginal improvement in the practice of
exclusive breastfeeding(EBF).
INDIA NEEDS TO SCALE UP DI- The vicious cycle of poor nutrition: Poor nutrition not
RECT NUTRITION INTERVEN- only adversely impacts health and survival but also
leads to diminished learning capacity and poor school
TIONS performance. And in adulthood, it means reduced
earnings and increased risks of chronic diseases such as
Context: diabetes, hypertension, and obesity.
Data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-
5 2019-21, as compared to NFHS-4 2015-16, reveals a
substantial improvement in the period of four to five
years in several proxy indicators of women’s empow-
erment.
• India is affected by public health issues such as child
malnutrition (35.5% stunted, 67.1% anaemic) at-
tributing to 68.2% of under-five child mortality.
• Nodal Ministry: The Ministry of Women and
Child(MWCD)
◦ It align different ministries to work in tandem on
the “window of opportunity” of the first 1,000
days in life (270 days of pregnancy and 730 days; What needs to be done:
24 months). • First 1000 days intervention: Preconception nutri-
tion, maternal nutrition and child feeding practices
National Family Health Survey(NFHS) data on in the first 1,000 days of life need priority
nutrition (NFHS-5 Vs NFHS-4) • Well-planned breastfeeding counselling given to
• Progressive factors: pregnant women during antenatal checkups be-
◦ There is a substantial increase in antenatal ser- fore delivery and in follow-up frequent home visits
vice attendance (58.6- 70.0%) makes a significant difference.
◦ Women having their own savings bank ac- • Creating awareness of Exclusive Breastfeeding
counts (63.0 to78.6%) • Complementary feeding practices,e., complement-
◦ Women owning mobile phones that they them- ing semi-solid feeding with the continuation of
selves use(49.9 % to 54.0%) breast milk from six months onwards.
◦ Women married before 18 years of age (26.8 % Government Schemes to Tackle Malnutrition:
to 23.3 %) • Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)
◦ Women with 10 or more years of schooling Scheme
(35.7% to 41.0%) • National Health Mission (NHM)
◦ Access to clean fuel for cooking (43.8 % to • Mid-Day Meal Scheme
68.6%). • MGNREGA
• Regressive factors: • National Nutrition Mission
◦ The country has not progressed well in terms
of direct nutrition interventions. POSHAN Abhiyaan:
◦ Preconception nutrition, maternal nutrition • Also called National Nutrition Mission, was launched
and appropriate infant and child feeding re- by the government on the occasion of International
main to be effectively addressed. Women’s Day on 8th March 2018.
◦ India has 20%to 30% undernutrition even in the • The Abhiyaan targets to reduce Stunting, undernu-
first six months of life when exclusive breast- trition, and Anemia (among young children, women
feeding is the only nourishment required. and adolescent girls) and reduce low birth weight
◦ Neither maternal nutrition care interventions by 2%, 2%, 3% and 2% per annum respectively.
nor feeding practices for infants and young child • It also targets to bring down stunting among chil-
feeding practices have shown the desired im- dren in the age group 0-6 years from 38.4% to 25%
provement.

44 www.insightsonindia.com
 by 2022. below 18 years of age from sexual abuse and ex-
• Emphasis on: High impact essential nutrition-sen- ploitation.
sitive interventions, which indirectly impact moth- • The Act is aimed to secure the children and ensure
er, infant and young child nutrition (e.g., improving they are not abused.
coverage of maternal-child health services, avail-
ability, and access to improved water, sanitation,
diversified diet and hygiene)

Insta Links:
ICDS
Mid-Day Meal Scheme

Practice Questions:
Q. Empowering women is key to controlling popula-
tion growth. Discuss. (UPSC 2019)

Q. In order to enhance the prospects of social devel-

opment, sound and adequate health care policies are Features of POCSO:
needed particularly in the fields of geriatric and ma-
ternal health care. Discuss (UPSC 2020)

Q. With reference to Poshan Abhiyaan, consider the

following statements:
1. It targets to bring down stunting among children in
the age group 0-6 years from 38.4% to 25% by 2025.
2. The Abhiyaan targets to reduce Stunting, undernu-
trition, Anemia among young children and adoles-
cent girls only.
Which of the statements given above is/are not cor-
Insta Links:
rect?
POCSO Act
a. 1 only
b. 2 only
Practice Questions:
c. Both 1 and 2
Q. Examine the main provisions of the National Child
d. Neither 1 nor 2
Policy and throw light on the status of its implementa-
Ans: (c)
tion. (UPSC 2016)

POCSO APPLIES TO MUSLIM Q. With reference to POCSO Act 2012, consider the fol-
lowing statements:
GIRLS WHO ATTAIN PUBERTY 1. It defines a child as any person below 14 years of
age.
Context: 2. It includes protection from sexual assault, sexual
• The Delhi High Court has rejected the assertion that abuse, sexual harassment, and pornography.
a minor Muslim girl who has attained the age of pu- Which of the statements given above is/are not cor-
berty would fall out of the ambit of the Protection rect:
of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. a. 1 only
• High Court Justice made this observation while re- b. 2 only
jecting the plea of a man, who is facing charges of c. Both 1 and 2
rape along with provisions of the POCSO Act for al- d. Neither 1 nor 2
legedly having a “physical relationship” with a mi- Ans: (a)
nor girl after their engagement.
• The judge however rejected his plea observing that,
“POCSO is an Act for the protection of children

www.insightsonindia.com 45
UNION MINISTER FOR MINISTRY medals in the following international competi-
tion will get a monthly pension under this scheme:
OF YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS ◦ Olympic Games
LAUNCHES REVISED SCHEMES ◦ World Cup in Olympics
◦ Asian Games disciplines
OF CASH AWARDS, NATION- ◦ Asian Games
AL WELFARE AND PENSION TO ◦ Commonwealth Games
◦ Paralympic Games
SPORTSPERSONS
SCHEME OF CASH AWARDS TO MEDAL WINNERS IN IN-
Context: TERNATIONAL SPORTS EVENTS AND THEIR COACHES:
Union Minister for Ministry of Youth Affairs and • The cash awards were introduced in 1986 and
Sports, launched revised schemes of Cash Awards, Amended in 2020.
National Welfare and Pension to sportspersons, Web • To incentivize the achievements of outstanding
Portal for Schemes of Department of Sports and Na- sportspersons, encourage and motivate them for
tional Sports Development Fund website. higher achievements and to act as inspiring role
models for attracting the younger generation to
Key Amendments: take up sports.
• Applicants can apply directly: Now any individ- • The Awards will be given in the following disciplines:
ual sports person can directly apply for all three ◦ Sports disciplines in Olympic Games/ Asian
schemes as per his/her eligibility. Games/ Commonwealth
• Reducing time limit: Applicants now need to ap- ◦ Games Chess
ply online for a cash award scheme within six ◦ Billiards & Snooker
months from the last date of closing of the partic-   
ular event. Insta Links:
• Ease in the verification process: The verification Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare for
process in all three schemes has been eased to a Sportspersons (PDUNWFS)
great extent to reduce the processing time.
• Pension benefits to Deaflympics: Deaflympics Practice Questions:
means deaf sports for deaf athletes who compete Q. Critically analyze Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay’s Na-
at an elite international level. tional Welfare for Sportspersons scheme and also dis-
• Website for NSDF: Development of a dedicated cuss the key amendments in the schemes. (15M)
interactive website yas.gov.in for ‘National Sports
Development Fund’ (NSDF). Q. Consider the following statements in respect of the
◦ This Fund is based on CSR contributions from Laureus World Sports Award which was instituted in
Central & State Governments, PSUs, private the year 2000 (UPSC 2021)
companies, individuals etc. for the promotion 1. American golfer Tiger Woods was the first winner of
and development of sports in the country. this award.
2. The award has been received mostly by ‘Formula
Meritorious Sportsperson Pension Scheme: One’ players so far.
• This scheme is formed to attract and retain the best 3. Roger Federer received this award the maximum
sporting talent in our country to achieve excellence number of times compared to others.
in sports Which of the above statements are correct?
• It provides incentive as well as financial security to a. 1 and 2 only
meritorious sportspersons in recognition of their b. 2 and 3 only
outstanding performance in international competi- c. 1 and 3 only
tions. d. 1, 2 and 3
• The assured monthly income will be compensation Ans: (c)
for the opportunities spurned by them in pursuit of
their high ambition and achievement in sports.
• Sportspersons who have won Gold, Silver or Bronze

46 www.insightsonindia.com
 ASSESSING JUVENILITY A ‘DELI- the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children)
Act 2000 (amended in 2006).
CATE TASK’: SC It counsels the child to understand their actions and
Context: persuade them away from criminal activities in the fu-
• The “delicate task” of deciding whether juveniles ture.
aged between 16 and 18, accused of heinous offenc- The JJB consists of a judicial magistrate of the first class
es such as murder, can be tried like adults should and two social workers, at least one of whom should
be based on “meticulous psychological investiga- be a woman.
tion” rather than be left to the discretion and per- JJB is meant to resolve cases within a four-month peri-
functory “wisdom” of juvenile justice boards and od.
children’s courts across the country, the Supreme Most circumstances the juvenile can be released on bail
Court held in a judgment. by the JJB.
• The apex court’s judgment came while dismissing
the appeals filed by the CBI and the relative of a Insta Links:
Class 2 child who was allegedly found murdered in Juvenile Justice Amendment Act 2021
the washroom of his Gurugram school in 2017.
• The apex court upheld the High Court’s decision to Practice Questions:
reverse the assessment and refer the case back to Q. Examine the main provisions of the National Child
the Juvenile Justice Board for a fresh ‘preliminary Policy and throw light on the status of its implementa-
assessment’ of the new 21-year-old. tion. ((UPSC 2016)

Background: Q. The Juvenile Justice Amendment Act 2021 further

• Section 15 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Pro- empowered the District Magistrate. Critically analyze.
tection of Children) Act of 2015: It requires a “pre-
liminary assessment” to be done of the mental and Q. Consider the following statements:
physical capacity of juveniles, aged between 16 and 1. Juvenile justice board consists of a judicial Magis-
18, who are involved in serious crimes. trate and two women as members.
◦ The assessment is meant to gauge a child’s abil- 2. Under Juvenile Justice Amendment Act 2021, Seri-
ity to understand the consequences of the of- ous offences include offences for which the maxi-
fence and the circumstances in which he or she mum punishment is imprisonment of more than
allegedly committed the offence. seven years.
• Opinion of Board: If the Juvenile Justice Board is of Which of the statements given above is/are not cor-
the opinion that the juvenile should not be treated rect?
as an adult, it wouldn’t pass on the case to the chil- A. 1 only
dren’s court and hear the case itself. B. 2 only
• Juvenile care vs children court: In that case, if the C. Both 1 and 2
child is found guilty, he would be sent to juvenile D. Neither 1 nor 2
care for three years. On the other hand, if the Board Ans: (A)
decides to refer the case to the children’s court for
trial as an adult, the juvenile, if guilty, would even
face life imprisonment. BBBP TO BE EXTENDED TO ALL
Guidelines by Supreme Court: DISTRICTS
• The Board which conducts the assessment of the Context:
child should have at least one child psychologist. Beti Bachao Beti Padhao will now be extended across
• It should further take the assistance of experienced the country.
psychologists or psychosocial workers. BBBP is the Centre’s flagship programme (under the
Women and Child Development Ministry) for women’s
Juvenile Justice Board (JJB): empowerment, which focuses on the education of girls
Juveniles accused of a crime or detained for a crime are child and improving the sex ratio.
brought before the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) under • It was launched in January 2015 to address sex-se-
lective abortion and the declining child sex ra-

www.insightsonindia.com 47
 tio which was at 918 girls for every 1,000 boys in • Nari Adalat — for providing women with an alter-
2011. nate grievance redress mechanism to resolve cases
• It is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Women and of petty nature (harassment, subversion, curtail-
Child Development, Ministry of Health and Family ment of rights or entitlements) at the gram pancha-
Welfare and Ministry of Human Resource Develop- yat level.
ment.
• The programme is operational in 405 districts at
present.
WCD ministry published comprehensive guidelines for
Mission Shakti.

Guidelines include:
• Aim for zero-budget advertising ( nearly 80% of the
fund has been used for advertising in BPPP)
• Encouraging greater spending on activities that
have an on-ground impact such as:
◦ promoting sports among girls
◦ self-defence camps Insta Links
◦ construction of girls’ toilets Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme
◦ making available sanitary napkin vending ma-
chines and sanitary pads, especially in educa- Practice Question
tional institutions Q. Analyse the “Beti Bachao Beti padhao scheme”
◦ awareness about PC-PNDT Act. from the prism of social empowerment. (250 words)
• New targets: Target of improving the Sex Ratio at
Birth (SRB) by 2 points every year, improvement in
the percentage of institutional deliveries at 95% or THE ROAD TO ROLLING OUT LA-
above. BOUR CODES
• To check dropout rate: 1 per cent increase in en-
rolment at secondary education level and skilling of
Context:
• The four Labour codes(passed in Parliament)
girls and women per year is targeted.
◦ The Code on Wages
• Strengthen One-Stop Centres (OSCs): It was set up
◦ The Industrial Relations Code
to help women facing violence, including domestic
◦ The Code on Social Security
violence and trafficking
◦ The Code on Occupational Safety, Health and
◦ 300 OSCs will be set up in the districts that ei-
Working Conditions
ther has a high rate of crimes against women or
• They have not been implemented yet.
are geographically large, preferably in aspira-
• The central trade unions (CTUs) have held three
tional districts.
general strikes against the codes so far, alleging that
◦ The OSCs help in coordination and convergence
the codes will result in taking away whatever little
with other initiatives under Nirbhaya Fund —
social and economic security is left in the employ-
such as women’s helplines, Anti-Human Traffick-
ment sector.
ing Units, women’s help desks, special fast-track
• The farmers’ organizations had also supported the
courts, and District Legal Service Authority, etc.
trade unions in their protests.
◦ Women in need (girls of all ages and boys up to
• The employers’ associations, too, had mixed feel-
12 years) — can take temporary shelter at the
ings towards the codes but had generally welcomed
OSCs for up to five days. For long-term shelter,
them.
arrangements will be made by OSCs in coordina-
• The government says the delay in implementation
tion with Shakti Sadan.
is due to the delay in framing rules by the States.
• Raising awareness about safe menstrual hygiene
• As Labour is a concurrent subject, both the States
management.
and the Centre will have to prepare rules for the
• The toll-free, 24-hour women’s helpline number
codes.
181

48 www.insightsonindia.com
Process of Implementation: • Expansion of social security network: CII and FCII
had expressed reservations about the proposal for
increasing the minimum wages and expanding the
social security network by involving the employers
too.

Insta Links:
Labour Codes

Practice Questions:
Q. Account for the failure of the manufacturing sector
in achieving the goal of labour-intensive exports. Sug-
gest measures for more labour-intensive rather than
capital-intensive exports. (UPSC 2017)

Q. Which of the following laws is/are subsumed by the

social security code:
1. Employees Provident Fund Act, 1952
2. Maternity Benefit Act, 1961.
3. Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Ans: (a)

TELE-LAW SERVICE IS BEING

MADE FREE OF COST FOR CITI-
ZENS FROM THIS YEAR- MINIS-
TER OF LAW AND JUSTICE
Context:
• From this year, Tele-Law service is being made free
of cost for citizens in the country,” Minister of Law
and Justice at the 18th All India Legal Services
Meet at Jaipur.
• The Department of Justice, Ministry of Law & Jus-
tice and National Legal Services Authority (NAL-
SA) exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) on Integrated Delivery of Legal Services.
Concerns with the laws: • During last year a total of 21,148 meetings of the
• Pushing out a large section of the workforce: Ac- UnderTrial Review Committee(UTRCs) were held
cording to the Centre of Indian Trade Unions, the resulting in the release of 31,605 undertrial in-
code will push out a large section of the workforce mates.
out of the coverage of all labour laws.
• Registration and working of central trade unions: Key Highlights:
The BMS have concerns on Codes on Industrial Re- • Legal aid to marginalized: Tele–Law mainstreams
lations, specifically on the provisions for the regis- legal aid to the marginalized seeking legal help by
tration and working of central trade unions.

www.insightsonindia.com 49
 connecting them with the Panel Lawyers through draft of a proposed Drugs, Medical Devices and
the tele/video-conferencing infrastructure avail- Cosmetics Bill, 2022 to replace the existing Drugs
able at Common Service Centers (CSCs) across 1 and Cosmetics Act, 1940, and several sets of Rules
lakh Gram Panchayats. by which the industry is currently run.
• Tele Law application: For easy and direct access • The draft focuses on regulating medical devices as
Tele- Law Mobile Application (both Android and IoS) a separate entity, makes provision for fines and
has also been launched in 2021 and it is presently imprisonment for injury and death related to clin-
available in 22 scheduled languages. ical trials or investigations, and seeks to regulate
• Widening of service to beneficiaries: Benefitting e-pharmacies.
from this digital revolution, Tele-Law has widened
the outreach of legal services to 20 Lakh + benefi- Key Provisions:
ciaries in just five years. • Online pharmacies: No provisions to regulate on-
• NALSA to provide lawyers: Under the provision of line pharmacies exist in the 1940 law or any of the
the MoU, NALSA would provide the services of 700 Rules.
lawyers, in each district exclusively for the Tele-Law ◦ No person shall himself or by any other person
program. on his behalf sell, stock or exhibit or offer for
◦ These empanelled lawyers would now also act sale, or distribute, any drug by online mode ex-
as referral lawyers and also assist in strengthen- cept under and in accordance with a license or
ing the mechanism for dispute avoidance and permission issued in such manner as may be
dispute resolution at the pre-litigation stage. prescribed.
• Clinical trials and investigations: The draft Bill
Insta Links: makes provisions for compensation to participants
NALSA or their legal heirs for injury or death suffered in
CSCs clinical trials and investigations for drugs and med-
ical devices.
Practice Questions: ◦ The draft also lays the onus on providing med-
Q. Performance of welfare schemes that are imple- ical management for any injury arising due to
mented for vulnerable sections is not so effective the trial of the investigators.
due to the absence of their awareness and active in- • Imprisonment and fine: It amounts to double the
volvement at all stages of the policy process – Discuss. compensation amount if the compensation is not
(UPSC 2019) paid.
◦ If the draft Bill becomes law, these provisions
Q. Which of the following visions of the Digital India will be part of it, and will not be restricted to
programme is/are enabled by Common service cen- just clinical trial Rules.
tres (CSCs)? • Prohibits clinical trials: The draft Bill prohibits clini-
1. Digital infrastructure is a core utility to every citizen. cal trials or clinical investigations of drugs and med-
2. Governance and services on demand. ical devices without permission from the central
3. Digital empowerment of citizens. licensing authority.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below: ◦ While companies have to seek permission from
A. 1 and 3 only the regulator to conduct trials even now, this is
B. 2 and 3 only not specifically mentioned in the existing law.
C. 2 only • Medical devices: Under the ambit of medical de-
D. 1, 2 and 3 vices defined by the draft Bill are diagnostic equip-
Ans: (d) ment, their software, implants, devices for assis-
tance with disabilities, life support, instruments
WHAT THE DRAFT MEDICAL DE- used for disinfection, and reagents or kits.
◦ The 1940 Act has medical devices as one of four
VICES BILL SAYS AND WHAT IT categories of “drugs”.
DOES NOT • Medical Devices Technical Advisory Board: To make
decisions on regulating medical devices, the draft
Context:
Bill provides for creating a Medical Devices Techni-
• The Union Health Ministry last week released a
cal Advisory Board on the lines of the existing drugs

50 www.insightsonindia.com
 technical advisory board, with people who have JAL JEEVAN MISSION (JJM) HAS
technical knowledge of the engineering of these
devices, and members of the industry. HIT 51% MARK
◦ Other than officials of the Health Ministry, the Context:
board will have officials from: JJM hit 51% completion of the project. From less than
▪ Department of Atomic Energy 17% of households with a running tap water connec-
▪ Department of Science and Technology tion, JJM has enabled reach to more than 34% now in
▪ Ministry of Electronics and Information less than 3 years.
Technology
▪ Defense Research and Development Organi- Other data:
zation About 1.4 million soak beds have been constructed in
▪ Experts from the fields of biomedical tech- schools and anganwadis to use recycled water in tap
nology, biomaterials, and polymer technol- connections.
ogy
• Imprisonment or fines for adulterated or spurious How does a village certify as Har Ghar Jal?
medical devices: It defines provisions for imprison- Only after the formal resolution by the gram pancha-
ment or fines for “adulterated” or “spurious” med- yat, with a video recording of the session which has to
ical devices. be uploaded on the portal, can they be counted as a
◦ The draft states that a medical device will be village with Har Ghar Jal.
considered to be adulterated if it is rusted, cor-
roded, filthy, putrid, decomposed, packed or
Which are the best-performing states?
stored in unsanitary conditions, contains harm-
Three states have declared that they have completed
ful or toxic substances, or has any component
the project: Haryana, Telangana and Goa. But there is
or software removed making it unsafe.
substantial progress in Punjab, Gujarat and Bihar, which,
• Medical devices to be spurious: The draft Bill deems
although it started a year late, has progressed quickly in
a medical device to be spurious if it carries the label
providing tap water supplies to rural households.
of a fictitious company or is purported to be of a
manufacturer that has not manufactured it.
About the Jal Jeevan Mission:
Insta Links: JJM envisages a supply of 55 litres of water per person
Drugs and Cosmetic Rules, 1945 per day to every rural household through Functional
Household Tap Connections (FHTC) by 2024.
Practice Questions: It is under the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
Q. Critically analyze the provisions of the Drugs and • It was launched in 2019.
Cosmetics Act, 1940 and discuss the key changes sug- • Funding is demand-driven.
gested in the Drugs, Medical Devices and Cosmetics • The mission is very strongly focused on Jan
Bill, 2022. bhagidari, or community engagement which is seen
as a very important pillar of the project.
Q. With reference to the Drugs and Cosmetics Act,
1940, consider the following statements: The mission ensures:
1. The Act regulates the import, manufacture, and dis- 1. Functionality of existing water supply systems and
tribution of drugs in India. water connections.
2. It provides for the medical devices technical adviso- 2. Water quality monitoring and testing as well as
ry board. sustainable agriculture.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 3. Coordinated use of surface water and groundwa-
A. 1 only ter
B. 2 only 4. Drinking water source augmentation.
C. Both 1 and 2 5. Drinking water supply system, grey water treat-
D. Neither 1 nor 2 ment and its reuse.
Ans: (a)
It also encompasses:
Prioritizing provision of FHTCs in poor water quality

www.insightsonindia.com 51
affected areas, villages in drought-prone and desert ar- • Power of the centre to notify minorities: Mr Datar
eas, Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) villages, etc. challenged Section 2(c) of the National Commission
Providing functional tap connection to Schools, Angan- for Minorities (NCM) Act 1992, which gave “unbri-
wadi centres, Gram Panchayat buildings, Health cen- dled power” to the Centre to notify minorities.
tres, wellness centres and community buildings.
Technological interventions for removal of contami- TMA Pai Case:
nants where water quality is an issue. The SC had said that for the purposes of Article 30
which deals with the rights of minorities to establish
Insta Links and administer educational institutions, religious and
Jal Jeevan Mission linguistic minorities have to be considered state-wise.

Practice Questions
Q. The Jal Jeevan Mission will be a major step towards
improving our people’s ease of living and meeting
their aspirations of a New India. Analyse. (250 words)

MINORITY STATUS OF RELIGIOUS,

AND LINGUISTIC COMMUNITIES
Constitutional Provisions for Minority:
IS STATE-DEPENDENT: SC Article 29:
It provides that any section of the citizens residing in
Context: any part of India having a distinct language, script or
• Every person in India can be a minority in one State culture of its own, shall have the right to conserve the
or the other. The minority status of religious and same.
linguistic communities is “State-dependent”, the It grants protection to both religious minorities as well
Supreme Court said. as linguistic minorities.
• The court was hearing a petition filed by a Mathura However, the SC held that the scope of this article is
resident, Devkinandan Thakur, complaining that fol- not necessarily restricted to minorities only, as the use
lowers of Judaism, Bahaism and Hinduism, who are of the word ‘section of citizens’ in the Article includes
the real minorities in Ladakh, Mizoram, Lakshad- minorities as well as the majority.
weep, Kashmir, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Arunachal
Pradesh, Punjab and Manipur cannot establish and Article 30:
administer educational institutions of their choice All minorities shall have the right to establish and ad-
because of non-identification of ‘minority’ at State minister educational institutions of their choice.
level, thus jeopardizing their basic rights guaran- The protection under Article 30 is confined only to mi-
teed under Articles 29 and 30. norities (religious or linguistic) and does not extend to
any section of citizens (as under Article 29).
Key Highlights:
• Minorities can claim protection under Articles 29 Article 350-B:
and 30: The court indicated that a religious or lin- The 7th Constitutional (Amendment) Act 1956 insert-
guistic community which is a minority in a particular ed this article which provides for a Special Officer for
State can inherently claim protection and the right Linguistic Minorities appointed by the President of In-
to administer and run its own educational institu- dia.
tions under Articles 29 and 30 of the Constitution. It would be the duty of the Special Officer to investigate
• Hindus minorities in many states: He pointed out all matters relating to the safeguards provided for lin-
that Hindus were a mere 1% in Ladakh, 2.75% in guistic minorities under the Constitution.
Mizoram, 2.77% in Lakshadweep, 4% in Kashmir,
8.74% in Nagaland, 11.52% in Meghalaya, 29% in Insta Links:
Arunachal Pradesh, 38.49% in Punjab and 41.29% National Commission for Minorities(NCM)
in Manipur.

52 www.insightsonindia.com
Practice Questions: ported that the biometrics of 42% of the us-
Q. Do the government’s schemes for uplifting vulnera- ers don’t work on the first attempt.
ble and backward communities by protecting required • MGNREGA:
social resources for them, lead to their exclusion in ◦ It uses National Mobile Monitoring Software
establishing businesses in urban economies? (UPSC (NMMS) app to obtain “two time-stamped and
2014) geo-tagged photographs of the workers in a
day”.
Q. Consider the following statements: ◦ It was introduced to “increase citizen oversight
1. Compared to Article 29, the protection under Arti- of the programme besides potentially enabling
cle 30 is only confined to religious minorities processing of payments faster.”
2. The constitution provides for a Special Officer for ◦ Issues: Workers have to stay back after work to
Linguistic Minorities to be appointed by the Presi- take photographs, many times ‘Mates’ (super-
dent of India. visors) don’t have smartphones, and technical
Which of the statements given above is/are not cor- glitches in uploading image lead to loss of atten-
rect? dance.
A. 1 only Thus, when trust and humane aspects of governance
B. 2 only are outsourced to technologies, dehumanisation is the
C. Both 1 and 2 likely outcome.
D. Neither 1 nor 2
Ans: (a) Solution:
• Social audits need strengthening instead of tech-
ADDING DIGITAL LAYERS OF IN- nocratic solutions of transparency. Democratic dic-
tum suggests that people should be able to ‘see’ the
DIGNITY state clearly, not the other way around. It is the dig-
Context: nity and trust of people at stake otherwise.
The article highlights a few threats to digital governance
as technology also dehumanizes humane aspects. A Insta Links
few examples of the negatives of technology can be E-Governance
noted down.
Practice Questions
Examples of how digital initiatives in gover- Q. Digital governance and initiatives are the future but
nance may over-ride human rights and dignity: they should not compromise the dignity and rights of
• Biometrics use in PDS: As was seen in the Jharkhand the poor and needy. Examine. (250 words)
study a few years ago, the use of biometrics had led
to numerous cases of omissions from the PDS list Q.In India, the term “Public Key Infrastructure” is used
(as many times biometrics doesn’t work), leading to in the context of
deaths due to hunger. (a) Digital security infrastructure
• Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS)- (b) Food security infrastructure
◦ It provides supplementary nutrition for children (c) Health care and education infrastructure
in the 0 to 6 years age group, pregnant women (d) Telecommunication and transportation infrastruc-
and lactating mothers. ture
◦ Poshan Tracker (a centralised platform, to Answer: A
monitor all nutrition initiatives, including ICDS)
makes it mandatory for linking the Aadhaar data UN LAYS DOWN GUIDELINES TO
of beneficiaries.
◦ Technocratic issues: Nearly three-fourths of PROTECT CHILDREN DISPLACED
children between the ages of 0 to 5 years do not BY CLIMATE CHANGE
have Aadhaar cards, and Supreme Court orders
Context:
specify that children cannot be denied their
United Nations-backed agencies have issued guidelines
rights for lack of Aadhaar.
to provide the first-ever global policy framework to
▪ Common Service Centres (CSC) owners re-
protect children displaced due to climate change.

www.insightsonindia.com 53
(Just go through the points and note down 2-3 points Issues relating to development and management of
under ‘UN guidelines for children’- to be incorporated Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education,
into your main answer writing) Human Resources.
• The Guiding Principles for Children on the Move in
the Context of Climate Change contain a set of nine
principles that address the unique vulnerabilities of
PANEL CALLS FOR BOOSTING
children who have been uprooted. The guidelines PROTEIN, AND NUTRIENTS
cover both internal as well cross-border migra-
tions.
IN GOVERNMENT MEAL PRO-
• The landmark guidelines were launched by the In- GRAMMES
ternational Organisation for Migration (IOM), the Context:
UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Georgetown Univer- An inter-ministerial committee has recommend-
sity and the United Nations University. ed that protein-rich food items e.g., Eggs be legally
The Guiding Principles have been developed to safe- mandated in meals given through food safety pro-
guard the rights and well-being of children moving in grammes in schools and anganwadis under National
the context of climate change, and are as follows: Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013.
Principle 1: Rights-based approach
Principle 2: Best interests of the child Why the need?
Principle 3: Accountability • Acute undernutrition: The Covid-19 pandemic is
Principle 4: Awareness and participation in deci- likely to have “aggravated the silent crisis” of un-
sion-making dernutrition in India.
Principle 5: Family unity ◦ National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5) has
Principle 6: Protection, safety and security documented a rise in the “rates of child under-
Principle 7: Access to education, health care and social nutrition, stunting and wasting in most of the
services states”, along with an increase in the preva-
Principle 8: Non-discrimination lence of anaemia among pregnant women and
Principle 9: Nationality those of reproductive age
These Guiding Principles are intended to be used by • Currently, states bear the cost of supplementary
local and national governments, international organi- provisions: E.g. eggs are served in mid-day meals in
zations and civil society groups working with children 13 states and three UTs as part of “additional food
on the move in the context of climate change. They are items”.
based on existing international law as well as opera-
tional guidelines or frameworks which have been de-
What does the panel say?
veloped by a variety of stakeholders. The Principles are
• Protein-rich food: It recommended including pro-
derived from the Convention on the Rights of the Child
tein-rich food items like eggs, nuts and legumes, as
and do not create new international legal obligations.
well as micronutrients like calcium, iron, zinc, folate
and vitamin A be legally mandated in meals.
Insta Links
◦ The report states that those who do not con-
UN slams child marriage
sume eggs may be provided “double the pro-
posed quantity of nuts and seeds”.
Practice Questions
• Call for change in NFSA to include ‘micro-nutri-
Q. Write a note on the United Nations Convention on
ents’: Schedule II of the National Food Security Act
the Rights of the Child and the impact of poverty on
lays down nutritional standards for government
child rights. (10M)
food safety programmes like mid-day meals, PM
Poshan and ICDS. Currently, it quantifies nutrition
per meal in terms of calories and protein only, but
the inter-ministerial panel has called for micronu-
trients to also be taken into account.

Integrated Child Development Services Scheme (ICDS)

covers children aged six months to six years and preg-

54 www.insightsonindia.com
nant/lactating mothers; • Inclusion of Disability as criteria under
PM Poshan scheme covers: students in lower primary NFSA: The Section 38 of the NFSA mandates that
classes, upper primary classes in government and gov- the Central Government may from time to time give
ernment-aided schools directions to the State Governments for effective
implementation of the provisions of the Act.
• Expand the coverage of Integrated Management of
PDS (IMPDS) to all the states.

Insta Links
NFHS Survey

Practice Questions
Q. Discuss the pitfalls in ICDS and NFSA interventions
as a cause of concern in so far eradicating hunger
among marginalised sections. 15M

INDIA’S PATENT LAW SAFE-

GUARDS UNDER FIRE
Context:
Economic Advisory Council (EAC) to the Prime Minis-
ter has recommended the period within which patent
applications are open to challenge by the public be re-
stricted to a mere six months from the date of its pub-
lication.
Background: In 2005, lawmakers amended the Indian
patent law to ensure that the Indian patent office did
not grant monopolies on old science or for compounds
already in the public domain.
Other changes recommended in NFSA • This prevented drug corporations from indulging in
• Propositions by NITI Aayog: The NITI Aayog has “evergreening”, a common abusive patenting prac-
suggested that the national rural and urban cover- tice aimed at obtaining separate patent monopolies
age ratio be reduced from the existing 75-50 to 60- relating to the same medicine
40, but with more focus on margenalised poor sec-
tion of society- It will reduce the subsidy bill as well New Recommendations:
as refocus the scheme to its intended beneficiary. • Reduction in public discourse period: The new rec-
• As for the prices, the existing arrangement of flat ommendation reduces the period within which pat-
rates should be replaced with a slab system. ent applications can be challenged to six months.
• Expansion of food basket: The PDS should be
strengthened and the food basket can be enlarged Concerns
to include millets, pulses and oil. This may certainly • Will dilute the pre-grant opposition system: Since
help in addressing the issue of hidden hunger the Indian Patent Offices receive an average of
• Pay attention to the life cycle approach advocated 50,000 patent applications a year, examiners often
in the NFSA, particularly the first thousand days in miss critical information about the patent applica-
a child’s life when the cognitive abilities of the child tion under consideration.
are shaped. ◦ A recent study on pharmaceutical patent grants
• Full implementation of One Nation One Ration in India revealed that 7 out of 10 patents are
Card (RC)  will ensure all beneficiaries especially mi- granted in error by the Indian Patent Office.
grants can access PDS across the nation from any ◦ A robust pre-grant opposition system provides
PDS shop of their own choice. an additional administrative layer of scruti-

www.insightsonindia.com 55
 ny that prevents the grant of frivolous patents THE WAY TO CONTROL TUBERCU-
through third parties’ participation in the re-
view process. LOSIS
• Pressure from Big- pharma companies: The com- Context:
merce ministry, responsible for administering the Researchers at the Indian Council of Medical Re-
patents act, is under pressure to restrict pre-grant search-National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis
patent oppositions, hence the recommendation. (ICMR-NIRT) have found human-to-animal transmis-
sion of TB in livestock (cattle)
Evergreening of Patent: According to WHO, Tuberculosis is the among worst en-
●      It is a corporate, legal, business, and technological demic disease. In India, the TB capital of the world, the
strategy for extending/elongating the term of a granted disease kills some 1,400 persons every day.
patent in a jurisdiction that is about to expire, in order
to retain royalties from them, by taking out new pat- Bacteria Mycobacteria cause diseases like TB and Lepro-
ents. sy in humans and others infect a wide range of animals.
●      Section 3(d) of the Indian Patent Act 1970 (amended In humans, TB most commonly affects the lungs (pul-
in 2005) does not allow patents to be granted to inven- monary TB), but it can also affect other organs (ex-
tions involving new forms of a known substance unless it tra-pulmonary TB). TB is a treatable and curable dis-
differs significantly in properties with regard to efficacy. ease.
This means that the Indian Patent Act does not allow
the evergreening of patents.
Compulsory Licencing (CL):
●      CL is the grant of permission by the government to
entities to use, manufacture, import or sell a patented
invention without the patent owner’s consent. Patents
Act in India deals with CL.
●       CL is permitted under the WTO’s TRIPS (IPR)
Agreement provided conditions such as ‘national emer-
gencies, other circumstances of extreme urgency and
anti-competitive practices’ are fulfilled.

Insta Link:
Patents Background:

Questions for practice:

Q. Consider the following statements:
1. Evergreening is the grant of permission by the gov-
ernment to entities to use, manufacture, import or
sell a patented invention without the patent own-
er’s consent.
2. Compulsory licensing is a strategy for extending/
elongating the term of a granted patent in a juris-
diction that is about to expire, in order to retain roy-
alties from them, by taking out new patents.
Which of the statements given above is/are not cor-
rect?
a. 1 only
b. 2 only
c. Both 1 and 2 End TB strategy: India is committed to eliminating tu-
d. Neither 1 nor 2 berculosis from the country by 2025, five years ahead
Ans: (c) of the global target by the World Health Organisation
(WHO) i.e. 2030.

56 www.insightsonindia.com
 Revised National Tuberculosis Control Pro- TB, but it must aim for a high level of control (lower-
gram(RNTCP) ing from 200 per lakh cases per year to 50 per lakh
(The programme has been renamed from the Revised per year) and document it with measurement.
National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP)
to National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme
(NTEP))
• It is the state-run tuberculosis control initiative of
the Government of India.
• RNTCP incorporates the principles of directly ob-
served treatment-short course (DOTS).
• DOTS is a systematic strategy which has five compo-
nents (see diagram)

     

Initiatives to control TB:

Flaws in RNTCP:
• No prescribed methods of monitoring: First, for a
programme that is heavily funded by the govern-
ment, there is no prescribed method of monitoring
the trajectory of TB control.
• Programme is based on assumptions: The assump-
tion that treating pulmonary TB patients alone
would control TB was epidemiologically fallacious in
India.
• Failed to elicit people’s participation: RNTCP has
Insta Links:
failed to elicit people’s partnership in TB control. In
Tuberculosis
India’s AIDS Control Programme, public education
was given high priority. Red ribbon clubs in schools
Practice Questions:
and colleges are its legacy.
Q. Appropriate local community-level healthcare in-
tervention is a prerequisite to achieve “health for all”
Ways to control Tuberculosis: in India. Explain. (UPSC 2018)
• Better basic facilities: Diseases that have social de-
terminants tend to decline over time with better Q. Which of the following is/are bacterial infections?
housing, nutrition, education and income. Globally 1. Dengue
the burden of TB had been falling by 1% or 1.5% per 2. Tuberculosis
year. 3. Leprosy
• Focus on control rather than elimination: As India 4. Hepatitis A
has a huge backlog of latent TB, it cannot eliminate 5. Yellow fever

www.insightsonindia.com 57
Select the correct answer using the codes given below: ◦ Through WhatsApp for Business App, millions
a. 1, 2 and 3 only of small businesses grow their client base and
b. 2 and 3 only revenue streams.
c. 1, 2, 4 and 5 only ◦ Jeevan Handicrafts based in Nagaur, Rajas-
d. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 than, is an example of the app being used to
Ans: (b) empower local women artisans.
• Payments and financial inclusion: The adoption
of digital payments on UPI has fast-forwarded the
GOVERNANCE: DIGITIZATION pace of financial literacy across the board, from ur-
FOR AN INCLUSIVE SOCIETY ban enthusiasm to rural need.
◦ WhatsApp’s pilot programme aims to empow-
Context: er 500 villages across Karnataka and Maha-
Seven years since the launch of Digital India (2015), rashtra with access to digital payments through
Digital India Week is being celebrated for emphasizing ‘payments on WhatsApp’ and will include on-
the ‘digital-first’ economy. ground facilitators educating citizens on aspects
The ‘ ‘Digital India” programme was launched to trans- such as signing up for UPI, setting up a UPI ac-
form the country into a “digitally empowered society count and the best practices of safety while us-
and knowledge economy”. ing digital payments.
• Citizen services for efficient e-governance:
◦ MyGov Corona Helpdesk chatbot on WhatsApp
in partnership with the government, the chat-
bot has become a one-stop solution for access-
ing authentic covid-related information and vac-
cination-related resources.
◦ MyGov Helpdesk now includes ‘Digilocker’
services, offering quick access to official docu-
ments.

Measures taken to link individuals to the coun-

try’s digital ecosystem:
• Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile (JAM) initiative: It pro-
vides digital identities to more than a billion Indian
citizens.
• Unified Payments Interface (UPI): provides access
to the country’s banking system for millions of In-
dians who were earlier excluded from the formal
economy. Insta Links:
• WhatsApp: It sees itself as India’s digital ally: Digital transformation
◦ Working with the Self Employed Women’s Asso-
ciation (SEWA) during the pandemic Practice Questions:
◦ Women farmers in Kashmir used WhatsApp to Q. Implementation of Information Technology-based
create an alternate ‘supply-chain’. projects/programmes usually suffers in terms of cer-
◦ Connect with customers in Gujarat to sell thou- tain vital factors. Identify these factors, and suggest
sands of kilograms of apples and cherries. measures for their effective implementation. (UPSC
• Digitization of businesses: Micro, small and me- 2019)
dium enterprises (MSMEs) are the backbone of a
resilient national economy. About one-third to the Q. In India, the term “public key infrastructure” is used
country’s gross domestic product (GDP). in the context of (UPSC 2020)

58 www.insightsonindia.com
a. Digital technology ▪
Department of atomic energy,
b. Food security infrastructure ▪
Department of science and technology,
c. Healthcare and education infrastructure ▪
Ministry of Electronics,
d. Telecommunication and transportation infrastruc- ▪
DRDO
ture ▪
Experts in the field of biomedical technolo-
gy, biomaterials, and polymer technology.
Ans: (a) Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940:
The Act regulates the import, manufacture, and distri-
REGULATION OF MEDICAL DEVIC- bution of drugs in India.
The primary objective of the act is to ensure that the
ES: THE DRAFT BILL SUGGESTS A drugs and cosmetics sold in India are safe, effective and
SEPARATE EXPERT GROUP, CHECK conform to state quality standards.
Section 3 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940:
ON ONLINE PHARMACIES The Central Government, after consultation with the
Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB), specifies the
Context: devices intended for use in human beings or animals
• The Union Health Ministry has released the new as drugs.
draft ‘Drug, Medical Devices, and Cosmetics Bill-
2022’ that separately defines medical devices. Insta Links:
• The government has sought comments, objections, Drugs and Cosmetic Rules 1945
and suggestions on the draft Bill over the next 45
days. Practice Questions:
Q. Consider the following statements:
Key Highlights: 1. Medical devices were categorized separately under
• Separate expert group: It has provision for the con- the drugs and cosmetics act, 1940.
stitution of a separate expert group on medical de- 2. The drugs and cosmetics act, 1940 did not provide
vices. for a drug technical advisory board.
• Central and state testing laboratories: It calls for Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
the setting up of central and state medical de- A. 1 only
vice-testing laboratories on the lines of the net- B. 2 only
work of drug-testing laboratories. C. Both 1 and 2
• Rules for online pharmacy: The draft Bill also sug- D. Neither 1 nor 2
gests that the Central government formulate rules Ans: (d)
for regulating online pharmacies.
• Separate definitions for medical devices: The draft INDIA RANKS 135 OUT OF 146 ON
Bill has a separate definition for medical devices
that bring under its ambit diagnostic equipment, its GENDER GAP INDEX
software, implants, devices for assistance with dis- Context:
abilities, life support, instruments used for disinfec- • India ranks 135 among a total of 146 countries in
tion, and any reagents or kits. the Global Gender Gap Index, 2022, released by
◦ The previous 1940 Act regulated medical devic- the World Economic Forum.
es as one of the four categories of “drugs”. • The country is the worst performer in the world in
• ‘Medical devices technical advisory board’: It the “health and survival” sub-index in which it is
makes provision for the creation of a ‘medical de- ranked 146.
vices technical advisory board’ on the lines of the
existing drugs technical advisory board. Key Highlights:
◦ This board will include medical profession- • The Global Gender Report, 2022, says it will now
als and also people with technical knowledge of take 132 years to reach gender parity, with the
the devices. gap reducing only by four years since 2021 and the
◦ Other than officials from the Health ministry, gender gap closed by 68.1%.
the board will also include people from: • India ranks poorly among its neighbours and is be-

www.insightsonindia.com 59
 hind Bangladesh (71), Nepal (96), Sri Lanka (110), ◦ percentage of women who are part of the la-
Maldives (117) and Bhutan (126). Only the perfor- bour force
mance of Iran (143), Pakistan (145) and Afghani- ◦ wage equality for similar work
stan(146) was worse than India in South Asia. In ◦ earned income etc.
2021, India ranked 140 out of 156 nations. ◦ India ranks a lowly 143 out of the 146 coun-
• Indicators: tries in contention even though its score has
improved over 2021 from 0.326 to 0.350.
◦ India’s score is much lower than the global av-
erage, and only Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan
are behind India on this metric.
• Educational Attainment: This sub-index includes
metrics such as:
◦ Literacy rate and the enrolment rates in primary
◦ Secondary and tertiary education.
◦ Here India ranks 107th out of 146, and its score
has marginally worsened since last year. In
2021, India was ranked 114 out of 156.
• Health and Survival: This includes two metrics:
◦ the sex ratio at birth (in %)
◦ healthy life expectancy (in years).
◦ India is ranked last (146) among all the coun-
tries.
◦ Its score hasn’t changed from 2021 when it was
ranked 155th out of 156 countries.

• It measures scores on a 0 to 100 scale, which can be Some major reports published by WEF are:
interpreted as the distance covered towards parity • Energy Transition Index.
or the percentage of the gender gap that has been • Global Competitiveness Report.
closed. • Global IT Report(WEF along with INSEAD, and Cor-
• India ranks 146 in health and survival, 143 in eco- nell University publishes this report.
nomic participation and opportunity, 107 in edu- • Global Gender Gap Report.
cational attainment and 48 in political empower- • Global Risk Report.
ment. • Global Travel and Tourism Report.
• The report noted that India’s score of 0.629 was its
seventh highest score in the past 16 years. Insta Links:
• India also “recovered”ground since 2021 in econom- World Economic Forum
ic participation and opportunity, though the report
goes on to add that the labour force participation Practice Questions:
shrunk for both men (by 9.5 percentage points) Q. Public health system has limitations in providing uni-
and women (3 percentage points). versal health coverage. Do you think that the private
sector could help in bridging the gap? What other via-
India’s stand on different sub-indices: ble alternatives would you suggest?(UPSC 2015)
Political Empowerment: This includes metrics such as:
◦ percentage of women in Parliament Q. Which of the following reports is/are published by
◦ percentage of women in ministerial positions the World Economic Forum(WEF)?
etc 1. Global Gender Gap report
◦ Of all the sub-indices, this is where India ranks 2. Global Risk report
the highest (48th out of 146) 3. Energy transition Index
◦ Iceland is ranked 1 with a score of 0.874 and 4. Global Hunger Index
Bangladesh is ranked 9 with a score of 0.546. Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
• Economic Participation and Opportunity: This in- A. 1, 2 and 3 only
cludes metrics such as: B. 2 and 3 only

60 www.insightsonindia.com
C. 1 and 4 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ans: (a)

UNION EDUCATION MINISTER

RELEASES INDIA RANKINGS 2022
OF HIGHER EDUCATIONAL INSTI-
TUTES
Context:
• Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras, is yet
again the top higher educational institute in the
country followed by the Indian Institute of Science
(IISc), Bengaluru, and IIT Bombay, according to
the Ministry of Education’s National Institutional
Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2022.
• This is the seventh consecutive edition of NIRF. It
ranks colleges, universities and research institutions Parameters for Evaluation:
and also provides an overall ranking of all of them
combined.
• Institutes are also ranked across seven subject do-
mains, namely engineering, management, phar-
macy, law, medical, architecture and dental.

Key Highlights:
• Compulsory for government-run institutions:
Participation in the NIRF was voluntary in the ini-
tial years; it was made compulsory for all govern-
ment-run educational institutions in 2018.
• Will be made mandatory for all: The Education
Minister said, the rankings that accreditation and
assessment of every higher education institution
will be made mandatory and all institutions will
have to be part of the NIRF ranking system.
• Merger of NAAC and NBA: The two accreditation
systems - National Assessment and Accreditation
Council for institutional accreditation (NAAC)
and the National Board of Accreditation for pro-
grammes (NBA) - will be merged and institutes will
have to have either NAAC accreditation or NIRF rank
to be able to receive government funds.
• System for accreditation for schools: There will be
a system for accreditation of schools in the country.

Insta Links:
NIRF

www.insightsonindia.com 61
Practice Questions: • Mandatory declaration: Earlier, all the prepack-
Q. National Education Policy 2020 is in conformity aged commodities including the electronic prod-
with the Sustainable Development Goals-4 (2030). It ucts were required to declare all the mandatory
intended to restructure and re-orient the education declarations as per the Legal Metrology (Pack-
system in India. Critically examine the statement(UP- aged Commodities), Rules 2011 on the package.
SC 2020)
Insta Links:
Q. Which of the following is/are parameters used by Legal Metrology Rules, 2011
NIRF for ranking of higher educational institutions?
1. Teaching, learning and resources(TLR) Practice Questions:
2. Graduation outcome Q. All the prepackaged commodities including the
3. Number of students enrolled yearly electronic products are required to declare all the
4. Inclusivity and perception mandatory declarations as per the Legal Metrology
Select the correct answer using the codes given below: (Packaged Commodities), Rules 2011. Critically ana-
A. 1, 2 and 4 only lyze.
B. 1, 3 and 4 only
C. 2 and 3 only Q. With reference to Legal Metrology Rules, consider
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4 the following statements:
Ans: (a) 1. The Department of Consumer Affairs administers
the Legal Metrology laws.
CENTRE AMENDS THE LEGAL ME- 2. The Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities),
Rules 2011 are primarily intended to ensure that
TROLOGY (PACKAGED COMMOD- the consumers are able to make informed choices
by being informed of essential declarations on the
ITIES) RULES 2011 pre-packed commodities.
Context: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
The Department of Consumer Affairs vides the 1 only
Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities), (Second 2 only
Amendment) Rules 2022 has allowed electronic Both 1 and 2
products to declare certain mandatory declara- Neither 1 nor 2
tions through the QR Code for a period of one year,
Ans: (c )
if not declared in the package itself.
Issues relating to poverty and hunger.
Key Amendments:
• Elaborated information through QR Code: This
amendment will allow the industry to declare the ODISHA TOPS STATE RANKING
elaborated information in digital form through FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
the QR Code.
• Important declarations to be declared effec- NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY ACT
tively: It will allow important declarations to
be declared effective on the label in the package Context:
while the other descriptive information can be Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister released
conveyed to the Consumer through the QR Code. the ‘State Ranking Index for NFSA’ 2022 during a con-
• Greater use of technology: The Department to ference of State Food Ministers on ‘Food and Nutrition
enable greater use of technology in this digital era Security of India’.
to declare the mandatory declaration through the
QR Code which can be scanned to view the dec- Findings:
larations like the address of the manufacturer or • Odisha is in the first position, followed by Uttar
packer or importer, the common or generic name Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.
of the commodity, the size and dimension of the • Among the special category States (the North-
commodity and customer care details except for eastern States, Himalayan States, and the Island
the telephone number & email address. States), Tripura has obtained the first rank. Him-

62 www.insightsonindia.com
 achal Pradesh and Sikkim are in the second and 1. Food grains under TPDS will be made available at
third positions. subsidized prices of Rs. 3/2/1 per kg for rice, wheat
• Most states and UTs fared well: The findings from and coarse grains.
the exercise revealed that most States and Union 2. Grievance redressal mechanism is available at the
Territories have fared well in digitisation, Aadhaar National and State level only
seeding, and ePoS installation, which reiterates the Which of the statements given above is/are not cor-
strength and scale of the reforms. rect?
• Improvement needed in certain areas: States and a. 1 only
Union Territories have to improve their perfor- b. 2 only
mance in a few areas: c. Both 1 and 2
◦ Exercises, such as conducting and documenting d. Neither 1 nor 2
social audits thoroughly. Ans: (b)
◦ Operationalising functions of State food com-
missions across States and Union Territories.
THE STATE OF FOOD SECURI-
Significance of the Index: TY AND NUTRITION IN THE
• It measures the effectiveness of NFSA: The current WORLD (SOFI) 2022
version of the Index measures the effectiveness of
Context:
NFSA implementation majorly through operations
FAO, International Fund for Agriculture Development,
and initiatives under TPDS (Targeted Public Distri-
UNICEF, UN world food Programme and WHO have
bution System).
jointly released SOFI 2022.
• Will lead to the healthy competition: Ranking will
lead to healthy competition among States under
the NFSA, also known as the food law, under which What does the report say?
the Centre provides highly subsidized foodgrains to On Global Level:
nearly 80 crore people. • Global hunger has increased: The world is mov-
◦ The government provides 5 kg of food grains ing further away from its goal of ending hunger
per person per month at ₹1-3 per kg. (SDG 2: No Hunger), food insecurity and malnutri-
tion in all its forms by 2030. (over 800 million were
affected by hunger in 2021)
Key Issues:
◦ Over 8% will still face hunger by 2030 even if
• It does not cover programs and schemes imple-
the global economic recovery is taken into con-
mented by other ministries and departments un-
sideration.
der the NFSA.
• The gender gap in food insecurity is rising: It has
• The Index denotes only the efficiency of TPDS op-
continued to rise in 2021 — 31.9 per cent of women
erations, it does not reflect the level of hunger, if
in the world were moderately or severely food inse-
any or malnutrition, or both, in a particular state or
cure, compared with 27.6 per cent of men.
union territory, the report clarified.
• Major reasons are Conflict, supply chain disruption,
• The Index focuses on NFSA and TPDS reforms,
climate extremes, Disasters, growing inequalities
which can be standardized across the States and
and slow economic recovery after the pandemic.
Union Territories.
On India:
• India has high undernourishment (about 16% of the
Insta Links:
population), wasting (about 17%), stunting (about
NFSA
31%) and low exclusive breastfeeding practice (only
58%)
Practice Questions:
Q. The real challenge to India’s food security is poor Recommendations:
grain management rather than a shortage of grain pro- • Focus on nutritious food: The report suggested re-
duction. Comment. purposing food and agricultural support to target
nutritious foods, to make healthy diets less costly,
Q. With reference to National Food Security Act, con- more affordable and equitably for all.
sider the following statements: • Reduce trade barriers: Governments could do more
to reduce trade barriers for nutritious foods, such as

www.insightsonindia.com 63
 fruits, vegetables and pulses.
• Engagement: with government and civil society to
remove unequal powers within agrifood systems.

Insta links
Food security in India

Practice Questions
Q. In the context of food and nutritional security of
India, enhancing the ‘Seed Replacement Rates’ of
various crops helps in achieving the food production
targets of the future. But what is/are the constraints/
constraints in its wider/greater implementation?
(UPSC 2014)

Q. There is no National Seeds Policy in place.

1. There is no participation of private sector seed com-
panies in the supply of quality seeds of vegetables
and planting materials for horticultural crops.
2. There is a demand-supply gap regarding quality Key Highlights:
seeds in the case of low-value and high-volume • China and India most populous countries: Accord-
crops. ing to World Population Prospects 2019, China with
Select the correct answer using the code given below. a 1.44 billion population and India with 1.39 billion
(a) 1 and 2 are the two most populous countries in the world,
(b) 3 only representing 19 and 18 per cent of the world’s pop-
(c) 2 and 3 ulation, respectively.
(d) None • India taking over China: However, by around 2023,
Answer: B India’s population will overtake China to become
the most populous country with China’s population
INDIA TO SURPASS CHINA AS THE projected to decrease by 31.4 million, or around 2.2
per cent, between 2019 and 2050.
MOST POPULOUS COUNTRY IN A • Population to reach eight billion: The UN forecast
YEAR: UN also stated, that the world’s population is expected
to reach eight billion.
Context: • Net drop in birth rates: While a net drop in birth
• On World Population Day(11 July), the United Na-
rates is observed in several developing countries,
tions released a report (world population prospec-
more than half of the rise forecast in the world’s
tus) projecting India to surpass China as the world’s
population in the coming decades will be concen-
most populous country next year.
trated in eight countries, the report said.
• It further stated that the world population is fore-
◦ Eight countries are the Democratic Republic of
cast to reach eight billion by mid-November 2022.
Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan,
• The forecast by the UN Department of Economic
the Philippines and Tanzania.
and Social Affairs said the world’s population is
• Challenge to SDGs: Many are projected to double in
growing at its slowest pace since 1950.
population between 2022 and 2050, putting addi-
tional pressure on resources and posing challenges
to the achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Devel-
opment Goals (SDGs).
• Older age population growth: The population of
older persons is increasing both in numbers and as
a share of the total.
• Sustained drop in fertility: A sustained drop in fertil-
ity has led to an increased concentration of the pop-

64 www.insightsonindia.com
 ulation at working ages (between 25 and 64 years), the WPP in a biennial cycle since 1951.
creating an opportunity for accelerated economic Each revision of the WPP provides a historical time se-
growth per capita. ries of population indicators starting in 1950.
• Migration: International migration is having an im- It does so by taking into account newly released na-
portant impact on population trends in some coun- tional data to revise estimates of past trends in fertility,
tries. mortality or international migration.
◦ Over the next few decades, migration will be the
sole driver of population growth in high-income Issues:
countries.
• Coved-19: The Covid-19 pandemic has had signifi-
cant demographic consequences affecting all com-
ponents of population change, including mortality,
fertility and migration.
• Global life expectancy fell 1.8 years between 2019
and 2021 due to excess mortality associated with
the pandemic. UN Economic and Social Council(ECOSOC):
◦ The impact of the pandemic on fertility is less • It is the principal body for coordination, policy re-
clear-cut. view, policy dialogue and recommendations on
economic, social and environmental issues, as well
as the implementation of internationally agreed de-
Comparison with India: velopment goals.
• It has 54 members, elected by the General Assem-
bly for overlapping three-year terms.
• Few important bodies under the purview of
ECOSOC:
◦ International Labour Organization (ILO)
◦ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
◦ United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cul-
tural Organization (UNESCO)
• In India, the Registrar General comes out with a ◦ World Health Organization (WHO)
population projection based on the Census. ◦ Bretton Woods Twins (World Bank Group and
• The last such projection was released in 2019 and it International Monetary Fund)
was based on Census 2011. ◦ United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
• The Census projection is slightly lower than the UN Apart from these, there are various Functional and Re-
projection. gional Commissions, Standing Committees, and Ad Hoc
• India’s fertility rate is expected to dip from 2.01 and Expert Bodies as well.
presently to 1.78 in 2050 and 1.69 in 2100, com-
pared to the global average of 2.3 at present. Practice Questions:
• The findings reveal that the positive number of Q. Despite Consistent experience of high growth, India
births in India among women aged 15 to 19 might still goes with the lowest indicators of human devel-
fall from the current 988,000 to 282,000 by 2050, opment. Examine the issues that make balanced and
and then to 132,000 by 2100. inclusive development elusive. (UPSC 2021)

Q. Which of the following is/are the principal UN or-

gans?
1. UN Security Council
2. The Economic and Social Council
3. The Trusteeship Council and the Secretariat
4. World Health Organization (WHO)
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
World Population Prospects: A. 1, 2 and 3 only
The Population Division of the UN has been publishing B. 2, 3 and 4 only

www.insightsonindia.com 65
C. 1 and 2 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ans: (a)

Insta Links:
World Population Prospects(WPP) 2022

Practice Questions:
Q. Demographic Dividend in India will remain only
theoretical unless our manpower becomes more ed-
ucated, aware, skilled and creative.” What measures
have been taken by the government to enhance the
capacity of our population to be more productive and
employable? (UPSC 2016)

Q. Consider the following statements:

1. The share of the youth population of Bihar is higher •Decrease in youth population: Youth in the age
than that of Rajasthan. group of 15-29 years comprise 27.2 per cent of the
2. Demographic dividend is higher when the popula- population for 2021, which is expected to decrease
tion under 14 years is larger than the population to 22.7 by 2036.
above 15 years of age. ◦ The more populous states of Bihar and Uttar
Which of the statements given above is/are not cor- Pradesh, which experienced a rise in the pro-
rect: portion of youth population to total population
A. 1 only till 2021, are expected to see a decline from
B. 2 only hereon, according to the ‘Youth in India 2022’
C. Both 1 and 2 report released by the Ministry of Statistics
D. Neither 1 nor 2 and Programme Implementation.
Ans: (b) ◦ States such as Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Himach-
al Pradesh are projected to see a higher elderly
INDIA’S DEMOGRAPHY AT CROSS- population than the youth by 2036.
◦ Bihar and Uttar Pradesh along with Maha-
ROADS: ELDERLY MAY OUTNUM- rashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, are
BER THE YOUTH projected to have over half (52 per cent) of the
Context: country’s youth,” the report said.
(this is in continuation to article on population) • Fluctuation in population growth: The total youth
• The population share of the youth is starting to ta- population is projected to reach around 37cr by
per off as the share of the elderly is expected to 2021 and, thereafter, decrease.
steadily surge during 2021-2036. • Increase in elderly population for some states: For
• The world Population prospects are released by Kerala, which saw the youth population peak ear-
the UN Department of Economics and Social Af- lier than other states, the elderly population share
fairs(UNDESA). in the total population has been projected at 16.5
per cent compared with 22.1 per cent of the youth
population in 2021.
Key Findings in the report: Demographic Dividend:
According to United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA),
demographic dividend means, “the economic growth
potential that can result from shifts in a population’s
age structure, mainly when the share of the work-
ing-age population (15 to 64) is larger than the non-
working-age share of the population (14 and younger,
and 65 and older)”

66 www.insightsonindia.com
Insta Links:
World Population Prospects(WPP) 2022

Practice Questions:
Q. Demographic Dividend in India will remain only
theoretical unless our manpower becomes more ed-
ucated, aware, skilled and creative.” What measures
have been taken by the government to enhance the
capacity of our population to be more productive and
employable? (UPSC 2016)

Q. Consider the following statements:

1. The share of the youth population of Bihar is higher
than that of Rajasthan.
2. Demographic dividend is higher when the popula-
      
tion under 14 years is larger than the population
above 15 years of age.
Which of the statements given above is/are not cor- Key Highlights:
rect: • The state does not have the power to conduct a
A. 1 only censu
B. 2 only • The states can collect data or headcount of the pop-
C. Both 1 and 2 ulation for the implementation of welfare schemes
D. Neither 1 nor 2 or other purposes.
Ans: (b) • This may be done either under existing state legis-
lation and rules or new legislation may be enacted
under item 45 of List III (Concurrent List) of the
Important aspects of governance Seventh Schedule of the Constitution for socio-eco-
nomic development of the state.”
• The central government accepted recommenda-
CASTE CENSUS: CONSTITUTION tions to use the Socio-Economic Caste Census in
AND POWER OF STATES TO HOLD 2017:
◦ It will help in the identification of beneficiaries
SUCH ENUMERATION OF THE and transferring of funds for social schemes.
POPULATION ◦ It aims to bring out the unseen aspects of caste
groups and their share in resources.

Context:
Other News: Sub-categorization of OBC
• Several parties have been pushing for a nationwide
Sub-categorisation of OBCs:
‘caste census’ to enumerate the Socially Economi-
• OBCs are granted 27% reservation in jobs and edu-
cally Backward Classes and OBCs.
cation under the central government.
• The caste-based parties argue that although
• The argument for sub-categorisation or creating cat-
the Mandal Commission estimated the OBC popu-
egories within OBCs for reservation is that it would
lation at 52%, in the absence of reliable data, the
ensure “equitable distribution” of representation
backward classes are losing out on welfare schemes
among all OBC communities.
and programmes meant for them.
• Rohini Commission was constituted on October 2,
• The decennial census is conducted by the Census
2017.
Commissioner of India under the Census of India
• Before the Rohini Commission was set up, the Cen-
Act, 1948.
tre had granted constitutional status to the Nation-
al Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC).
          

Rohini Commission’s terms of reference:

• To examine the extent of inequitable distribu-

www.insightsonindia.com 67
 tion of benefits of reservation among the castes • India and China crossed swords over the Prime Min-
or communities included in the broad category of ister’s birthday greetings to the Dalai Lama, and
OBCs with reference to such classes included in the Enforcement Directorate (ED) searches at the offic-
Central List. es of the Chinese Company Vivo in India.
• To work out the mechanism, criteria, norms and        
parameters in a scientific approach for sub-cate- Key Highlights:
gorisation within such OBCs. • Three mutuals: India-China relationship is best
• To take up the exercise of identifying the respective served by three mutuals:
castes or communities or sub-castes or synonyms ◦ Mutual respect
in the Central List of OBCs and classifying them into ◦ Mutual sensitivity
their respective sub-categories. ◦ Mutual interests
To study the various entries in the Central List of • Early resolution: The External Affairs Minister called
OBCs and recommend correction of any repetitions, for an early resolution of all the outstanding issues
ambiguities, inconsistencies and errors of spelling or along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh.
transcription. • Complete disengagement: EAM reiterated the
need to sustain the momentum to complete disen-
Insta Links: gagement from all the remaining areas to restore
National Commission for Backward Classes peace and tranquillity in the border areas.
• Regular contact at military and diplomatic lev-
Practice Questions: els: The two Ministers agreed that they should
Q. Sub-categorization of Backward classes is needed continue regular contact at military and diplomatic
in India for more inclusive and affirmative action. Dis- meetings and looked ahead to the next 16th round
cuss. (10M) of Senior Commanders meeting at the Chushul Mol-
do border point.
Q. With reference to National Commission for Back- • No mention of LAC by China: The Chinese readout
ward Classes(NCBCs), consider the following state- made no mention of the LAC crisis, instead empha-
ments: sizing remarks calling on both sides to “strengthen
1. The constitution provides that the President, in con- coordination and cooperation and jointly promote
sultation with the governor, would specify the so- more democratic international relations and a fairer
cially and educationally backward classes. international order”.
2. The NCBC presents an annual report to the Parlia- • Both sides maintained communication: China said
ment. both sides had “maintained communication and ex-
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? changes” and “effectively managed differences”.
a. 1 only • Assured support: China assured support for India’s
b. 2 only upcoming G20 and SCO presidency.
c. Both 1 and 2
d. Neither 1 nor 2 Line of Actual Control(LAC):
Ans: (a)

Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agree-

ments

IN BALI MEETING WITH WANG,

JAISHANKAR RAISES LAC ISSUES
Context:
• External Affairs Minister and Chinese Foreign Minis-
ter and State Councilor held talks on the sidelines of
the G20 Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Bali.
• The two sides discussed resolving the border stand- • The Line of Actual Control (LAC) is the demarcation
off that began in April 2020. that separates Indian-controlled territory from Chi-

68 www.insightsonindia.com
 nese-controlled territory. • UAE to invest in Indian food parks: I2U2 leaders
• LAC is different from the Line of Control (LoC) with said the UAE – home to the International Renew-
Pakistan, LoC emerged from the 1948 ceasefire line able Energy Agency (IRENA) and host of COP28 in
negotiated by the United Nations (UN) after the 2023 – will invest USD 2 billion to develop a series
Kashmir War. of integrated food parks across India.
• It was designated as the LoC in 1972, following the • US and Israel to provide expertise: The U.S. and
Shimla Agreement between the two countries. It is Israeli private sectors will be invited to lend their
delineated on a map signed by the Director-General expertise and offer innovative solutions that con-
of Military Operations (DGMO) of both armies and tribute to the overall sustainability of the project.
has the international sanctity of a legal agreement. ◦ These investments will help maximize crop
• The LAC, in contrast, is only a concept – it is not yields and, in turn, help tackle food insecurity in
agreed upon by the two countries, neither delin- South Asia and the Middle East.
eated on a map nor demarcated on the ground. • Hybrid renewable energy project in Gujarat: It will
• India considers the LAC to be 3,488 km long, while consist of 300 megawatts (MW) of wind and solar
the Chinese consider it to be only around 2,000 km. capacity, complemented by a battery energy stor-
age system.
Insta Links: • Science-based solutions to enhance food securi-
India-China Conflict ty: will build more innovative, inclusive, and sci-
G20 ence-based solutions to enhance food security and
SCO sustainable food systems.
• Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate initia-
Practice Questions: tive (AIM for Climate): India has shown interest in
Q. Critically examine the aims and objectives of SCO. joining the United States, the UAE, and Israel in the
What importance does it hold for India? Discuss (UPSC Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate initiative
2021) (AIM for Climate)
• Support for Abraham Accord: The I2U2 leaders re-
Q. Which of the following is the correct arrangement affirmed their “support for the Abraham Accords
of points on LAC from North to South? and other peace and normalization arrangements
A. Karakoram pass-Galway valley-Hot Spring-Daulat with Israel”.
Beg Oldi
B. Hot spring-Karakoram pass-Galwan Valley-Daulat I2U2
Beg Oldi
C. Karakoram pass-Daulat Beg Oldi-Galwan valley-Hot • It was initially formed in October, 2021 following
Spring the Abraham Accords between Israel and the UAE,
D. Daulat Beg Oldi-Karakoram pass-Galwan valley-Hot to deal with issues concerning maritime security, in-
spring frastructure and transport in the region.
Ans: (c) • At that time, it was called the ‘International Forum
for Economic Cooperation’, referred to as the ‘West
I2U2 SUMMIT: UAE TO INVEST $2 • Asian Quad’.
I2U2 initiative is a new grouping of India, Israel,
BILLION TO DEVELOP INTEGRAT- USA and UAE.
• This will not only revitalize and re-energize the sys-
ED FOOD PARKS ACROSS INDIA tem of alliances and partnerships around the world,
Context: but also stitch together partnerships that did not
• The United Arab Emirates announced an investment exist previously or were not utilized to their full ex-
of USD 2 billion to develop a series of integrated tent.
food parks across India as part of efforts by the • Cooperation areas:
four-nation grouping I2U2 (India-Israel-UAE-USA) ◦ Security Cooperation
to help tackle food insecurity in South Asia and the ◦ Technological Hubs
Middle East. ◦ Food Security
◦ Work Together in Different Fields like climate
Key Highlights: change, pandemics etc

www.insightsonindia.com 69
Insta Links: • First expansion after 2017: This is the first expan-
Abraham Accord sion of the SCO after India and Pakistan were ad-
mitted to the grouping in 2017.
Practice Questions • Counter to west: China and Russia are looking to
Q. India’s relations with Israel have, of late, acquired a frame the grouping as a counter to the West — par-
depth and diversity, which cannot be rolled back.”Dis- ticularly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
cuss. (UPSC 2019) • SCO’s rising international influence: The signif-
icance of this round of expansion is that it shows
Q. Which of the following is/are party to Abraham Ac- SCO’s rising international influence and that the
cord? principles of the SCO charter are widely accepted,
1. UAE Secretary General SCO Zhang Ming said.
2. Oman • SCO is different from NATO: The expansion of NATO
3. Bahrain is totally different as the SCO is a cooperative or-
4. Israel ganization based on non-alignment and not target-
Select the correct answer using the codes given below: ing a third party, while NATO is based on Cold War
A. 1, 2 and 3 only thinking
B. 1, 3 and 4 only • Security at the expense of other countries: The
C. 1 and 4 only SCO believes one should not build its security at the
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4 expense of other countries while NATO is creating
Ans: (b) new enemies to sustain its own existence.
• International order fairer and more reasonable:
The SCO member states are thinking of how to
IRAN, AND BELARUS TO BE THE adapt to the profound changes that the internation-
NEWEST SCO MEMBERS al situation is undergoing so as to make the interna-
Context: tional order fairer and more reasonable.
Iran and Belarus are likely to be the two newest addi- • Agreements on connectivity and high-efficiency
tions to the China and Russia-backed Shanghai Cooper- transport corridors: Samarkand summit is expect-
ation Organization (SCO) grouping. ed to have agreements on connectivity and high-ef-
India will host the SCO summit next year, and Varanasi ficiency transport corridors and a roadmap for local
has been selected as the SCO region’s first “Tourism currency settlement among member states.
and Cultural Capital”.
Objectives of SCO:

Insta Links:
SCO
Key Highlights:
• Iran to become a member and call on Belarus’s Practice Questions:
membership: Iran will become a full member after Q. Critically examine the aims and objectives of SCO.
completing the formalities while Shanghai Cooper- What importance does it hold for India? (UPSC 2021)
ation Organization (SCO) member states who fol-
low the system of consensus in deciding admission Q. Which of the following is/are observer members of
of new members will take a call on Belarus’s appli- SCO?
cation. 1. Afghanistan

70 www.insightsonindia.com
2. Mongolia Today a strong Indian nuclear deterrent against Chi-
3. Armenia na is critical for the geopolitical stability of Asia and
4. Turkmenistan the Indo-Pacific and in the US interest.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below: • Go for the “INFRUS” agreement — between India,
A. 1, 2 and 3 only France and the US ( similar to the AUKUS agree-
B. 1 and 2 only ment): Under this US should midwife an agreement
C. 2, 3 and 4 only under which France would help India accelerate
D. 1, 3 and 4 only the development of an Indian underwater deter-
Ans: (b) rent based on ballistic missile carrying submarines
(SSBN) as well as nuclear attack submarines (SSN).
• While Japan’s priority is to transform its convention-
INDIA AND JAPAN SHOULD RE- al forces, India might need to consider both conven-
THINK THEIR NUCLEAR POLICY tional and nuclear modernisation.

Context: Insta Link

It is a C. Raja Mohan article and a few good suggestions India-Japan ties
for countering aggressive China could be noted down
from this article. Practice Questions

Q. In recent years Japan has grown closer to India in an

Rising China and Need for nuclear deterrence: unprecedented manner compared to other countries
• Rising Chinese nuclear military power: Some esti- in the East or West. Comment (10M)
mates say China’s arsenal could grow to 1,000 war-
heads by 2030 from about 350 now.
• China has taken a muscular approach to its territo-
rial disputes, including with India and Japan. Effect of policies and politics of developed and devel-
• China’s tactics of salami slicing and coercive diplo- oping countries
macy have come into sharp view in the East China
Sea that Beijing shares with Japan and the vast Hi-
malayan frontier with India. WAIVER TO INDIA FOR PUR-
• Russia-Ukraine war has made it clear that Ukraine CHASE OF S-400 MISSILE SYSTEM
giving up its nuclear arsenal was a wrong move.
Issues with the nuclear posture of India and Context:
Japan US House of Representatives has passed a legislative
• Low on deterrence: Indian and Japanese capacity to amendment that approves a waiver to India against the
deter China is eroding steadily thanks to the prob- punitive CAATSA sanctions for its purchase of the S-400
lems with India’s minimum deterrence posture and missile defence system from Russia to help deter ag-
the US nuclear umbrella over Japan. gressors like China.
◦ In the wake of the nuclear tests of 1998, India • Ro Khanna, the US representative from California’s
quickly announced a policy of minimum deter- 17th congressional district said, “The United States
rence and a doctrine of no first use of nuclear must stand with India in the face of escalating ag-
weapons. gression from China.
• Moral issues: India and Japan have long presented • The US has already imposed sanctions on Turkey
themselves as champions of nuclear disarmament. under the CAATSA for the purchase of a batch of
◦ India is a nuclear weapon power and Japan is S-400 missile defence systems from Russia.
not (but it relies on the US nuclear umbrella for
its security) About CAATSA
CAATSA authorises the US administration to impose
What should be done: sanctions on countries that purchase major defence
• US should review its attitude towards India’s Nu- hardware from Russia.
clear programme: In the past, the US insisted on • Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanc-
constraining India’s nuclear weapon programme.

www.insightsonindia.com 71
 tions Act (CAATSA)‘s core objective is to count- (c) An American anti-missile system
er Iran, Russia and North Korea through puni- (d) A defence collaboration between Japan and South
tive measures. Korea.
• It was passed in 2017 in response to Russia’s annex- Answer: C
ation of Crimea (2014) and its alleged meddling in
the 2016 US presidential elections. Q. With reference to Agni-IV Missile, which of the fol-
• Sanctions that may be imposed: prohibition on lowing statement(s) is/are correct? (UPSC 2014)
loans, prohibition of Export-Import bank assis- 1. It is surface-to-surface missile.
tance, prohibition on procurement of goods or 2. It is fuelled by liquid propellant only.
services, denial of visas to persons. 3. It can deliver one tonne nuclear warhead about
7500 km away.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
About S-400 (a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
• The S-400 Triumf is a mobile, surface-to-air missile (c) 1 and 3 only
system developed in the 1990s. (d) 1, 2 and 3
• It is the most dangerous operationally deployed Answer: A
modern long-range SAM (MLR SAM) in the world,
considered much ahead of the US-developed Ter- THE ICJ’S LATEST JUDGMENT IN
minal High Altitude Area Defense system (THAAD).
• India signed a USD 5 billion deal with Russia (in THE CASE OF GENOCIDE AGAINST
2018) to buy five units of the S-400 air defence mis- MYANMAR
sile systems.

Context:
Myanmar’s military launched what it called a clearance
campaign in Rakhine state in 2017 in the aftermath of
an attack by a Rohingya insurgent group. More than
700,000 Rohingya fled into neighbouring Bangladesh
and Myanmar security forces have been accused of
mass rapes, killings and torching of thousands of Ro-
hingya homes.
Amid international outrage at the treatment of the Ro-
hingya, Gambia filed the case with the world court in
November 2019, alleging that Myanmar is breaching
the genocide convention.
So far, only three cases of genocide worldwide have
been recognised since World War II: Cambodia (the late
1970s), Rwanda (1994), and Srebrenica, Bosnia (1995).

Insta Links About ICJ:

India gets S-400 training equipment • ICJ was established in 1945 by the United Nations
charter and started working in April 1946.
Practice Questions • It is the principal judicial organ of the United Na-
Q. How is the S-400 air defence system technically su- tions, situated at the Peace Palace in The Hague
perior to any other system presently available in the (Netherlands).
world? (UPSC 2021) • Unlike the six principal organs of the United Nations,
it is the only one not located in New York (USA).
Q. What is “Terminal High Altitude Area Defense • It settles legal disputes between States and gives
(THAAD)”, sometimes seen in the news? (UPSC 2018) advisory opinions in accordance with international
(a) An Israeli radar system law, on legal questions referred to it by authorized
(b) India’s indigenous anti-missile programme United Nations organs and specialized agencies.

72 www.insightsonindia.com
The Genocide Convention:
The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of
the Crime of Genocide (Genocide Convention) is an in-
strument of international law that codified for the first
time the crime of genocide.
According to the Genocide Convention, genocide is a
crime that can take place both in times of war as well
as in the time of peace.
• The Genocide Convention was the first human
rights treaty adopted by the General Assembly of
the United Nations on 9 December 1948 and signi-
fied the international community’s commitment to
‘never again’ after the atrocities committed during
the Second World War. Key Highlights:
• The definition of the crime of genocide, as set out • No improvement in performance: Performance
in the Convention, has been widely adopted at both on SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 8 (Decent Work
national and international levels, including in the and Economic Growth) remain below pre-pandem-
1998 Rome Statute of the International Criminal ic levels in many low-income countries (LICs) and
Court (ICC). lower-middle-income countries (LMICs).
• The Rome Statute established four core interna- • Slow progress on climate and biodiversity: Prog-
tional crimes: genocide, crimes against humanity, ress on climate and biodiversity goals is also too
war crimes, and the crime of aggression. Those slow, especially in rich countries.
crimes “shall not be subject to any statute of lim- • Rise in Greenhouse gas: Greenhouse gas emissions
itations”. are set to rise 14 per cent over a decade.
• Importantly, the Convention establishes on State ◦ Antithetical to the Paris Agreement plan: A
Parties the obligation to take measures to prevent 2025 peak followed by a 43 per cent decline by
and punish the crime of genocide, including by en- 2030 and Net 2050.
acting relevant legislation and punishing perpetra- • Pandemic as a threat: The pandemic itself has
tors, “whether they are constitutionally responsible emerged as one of the biggest threats to several
rulers, public officials or private individuals” (Article SDGs, pointing at 15 million “excess deaths” directly
IV). or indirectly due to the novel coronavirus by 2021.
• Health emergency: Economic shocks due to the
worldwide health emergency pushed 93 million into
Important International institutions poverty in 2020 alone, undoing “more than four
years” work at alleviating poverty. It also affected
the education and healthcare services for millions.
SDG REPORT 2022 RELEASED BY ◦ Immunization, for example, has dropped for the
first time in a decade even as deaths from ma-
THE UN laria and TB have risen.
• Lowering of global economic growth: The pandem-
Context: ic and the Russia-Ukraine war have already led to a
A recent UN SDG index says, all 17 SDGs, are in jeop- lowering of global economic growth projections by
ardy due to the climate crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic 0.9 percentage points, the statement highlighted,
and an increase in the number of conflicts across the flagging the conflict for harming in more ways than
world. one:
The 2022 SDG Index is topped by three Nordic countries ◦ Raising food and fuel prices
– Finland, Denmark and Sweden – and all top 10 coun- ◦ Hampering global supplies and trade
tries are European countries. ◦ Roiling financial markets
India ranked at 121.

www.insightsonindia.com 73
Suggestions: IPEF VERSUS RCEP
Context:
In recent months, The US announced the formation
of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) at the
Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) Summit meet-
ing in Tokyo.

About the IPEF

• Members: Four QUAD countries, South Korea, New
India and SDG: Zealand, Fiji and seven out of the 10 members of
• India’s preparedness for SDG has worsened over
the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASE-
the years in comparison with other countries.
AN)
• Major Challenges include:
• The IPEF framework has four pillars: Supply-chain
◦ Ensuring decent work (SDG 8).
resilience, Clean energy, decarbonisation & infra-
◦ India’s performance on climate action — (SDG)
structure, Taxation & anti-corruption, and Fair & re-
13 — has slipped from 2019-2020.
silient trade.
• Progress Made on goals such as SDG 2 ( No hun-
ger), SDG 3 (on health) and SDG 6 (clean water and
sanitation). Regional Comprehensive Economic Partner-
ship (RCEP)
Sustainable Development Report: It is a trade deal between the 10-member Association
●      It is a global assessment of countries’ progress to- of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China, Japan,
ward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. India partici-
●      It is published by a group of independent experts pated in multiple rounds of RCEP discussions but chose
at the Sustainable Development Solutions Network to opt-out of this grouping.
(SDSN).
Significance of IPEF
• Countering China: Since China is not a member of
the group.
Insta Links: • Economic Cooperation & Integration: India may try
SDGs and India to get trade deals which it lost out on while opting
out of RCEP
Practice Questions: • Opportunity for India: It will bolster the case for In-
Q. Besides being a moral imperative of the Welfare do-Pacific goals of solidarity and maintaining rule of
State, primary health structure is a necessary precon- law.
dition for sustainable development.” Analyze. (UPSC Issues with the IPEF
2021) • Dependence on China: The major ASEAN econo-
mies may continue to maintain close economic ties
Q. Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2016) with China while simultaneously establishing ties
1. The Sustainable Development Goals were first pro- with the US, as they have done in the past.
posed in 1972 by a global think tank called the ‘Club • Centrality of SEA: The major ASEAN economies may
of Rome’. be averse to the IPEF because it can dilute the cen-
2. The Sustainable Development Goals have to be trality in South-East Asia.
achieved by 2030. • May become a non-starter: Similar to U.S.’s previ-
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? ous initiatives (the Blue Dot Network and the Build
(a) 1 only Back Better World (B3W) Initiative) have made little
(b) 2 only headway) there is fear the IPEF may also become a
(c) Both 1 and 2 non-starter.
(d) Neither 1 nor 2 • Issues with the Taxation: Obtaining a common tax-
Ans: (b) ation framework may be an issue.

74 www.insightsonindia.com
• Lack of common Grounds for Countries: As IPEF
is not a Free Trade Agreement; nor will it discuss
tariff reductions or increasing market access, raising
GS PAPER - 3
questions about its utility. Also, the four pillars are Indian Economy
somewhat confusing.

Why India joined IPEF: STEPS TAKEN BY RBI TO DEFEND

• Being part of a multi-lateral forum to present In- INDIAN CURRENCY
dia’s case: Especially since global organizations like
the G20 may not achieve anything of systemic sig-
nificance for India. Ukraine war has already created
Context:
RBI easing norms may arrest outflows from NRE ac-
a rift between the US and West-Europe with both
counts
Russia-China.
• Advantages over China: India is facing an ongoing
military stalemate with China on the Indo-Sino Bor- Steps taken in Recent times to arrest the rupee
der. slide against dollars
• India has eased rules for foreign investors to invest
in Indian debt instruments
What should be done?
• Temporarily removed CRR, SLR and Interest rate
• Learn from Japan: Japan has taken practical steps.
cap on the interest rate on NRE deposits: Reserve
It has become a member of RCEP and IPEF, keeping
Bank has eased norms governing the Foreign Cur-
its trading interests in mind. India too should have
rency Non-Resident Bank [FCNR(B)] and Non-resi-
been a member of RCEP.
dent External (NRE) deposits. Banks will be able to
• Establish Common Standards: Such as cover labour
offer higher returns to NRIs on their deposits.
rights, environmental standards, protection of intel-
◦ This will increase NRI investment and thus help
lectual property rights and rules covering the digital
reduce the slide of the Indian rupee.
economy.
• Streamline Taxation Issue between different coun-
tries: This would add to India’s attractiveness as a Basic Terms
trading partner and as a destination for investment, About NRE accout:
especially in new supply chains. NRIs can open an NRE account – introduced in 1970 —
• Addressing Tech-related Issues: Solving issues of with funds remitted to India through a bank abroad.
transparency, requirements of fair competition and This is a repatriable account and transfer from another
the ownership & localization of personal data. NRE account or FCNR(B) account is also permitted.
• Simplifying Trade Negotiations: Considering the About NRO account:
complex trade negotiation process. NRO accounts may be opened / maintained in the form
of savings, recurring or fixed deposit accounts. These
Insta Links are Rupee accounts opened for the purpose of deposit-
Indo-Pacific Economic bloc ing income earned in India. These accounts can be held
jointly with NRI / resident Indians.
Mains Link About FCNR account:
Q. The formation of the Indo-Pacific Economic Frame- An FCNR account is a term deposit account that can be
work for Prosperity (IPEF) holds good potential for In- maintained by NRIs and PIOs in foreign currency. Thus,
dia with respect to economic growth and integration FCNRs are not savings accounts but fixed deposit ac-
but India must be careful of the pitfalls it may pose in counts.
the future. Analyse. (15M) What is difference between NRE and NRO ac-
count?
An NRE account is a bank account opened in India in
the name of an NRI, to park his foreign earnings; where-
as, an NRO account is a bank account opened in India
in the name of an NRI, to manage the income earned
by him in India. These incomes include rent, dividend,

www.insightsonindia.com 75
pension, interest, etc. a good way to understand the risk-free interest rate
in that economy.
• The yield curve is the graphical representation of
yields (profit) from bonds. E.g. If one was to take the
Indian government bonds of different tenures and
plot them according to the yields they provide, one
would get the yield curve.

Insta links
Free fall of the rupee

Practice Question:
Q. The falling value of the rupee will lead to several
problems in the Indian economy. Examine the caus-
• Under normal circumstances: any economy would
es of the problem and suggest steps to deal with this
have an upward sloping yield curve (meaning nor-
challenge? (250 words)
mal profit from investment in the bond).
• Inverted Bond yield curve: As one buys bonds of
Q. consider the following:
longer tenure — one gets higher yields. This is log-
1. Foreign currency convertible bonds
ical. If one is parting with money for a longer dura-
2. Foreign institutional investment with certain condi-
tion, the return should be higher.
tions
◦ However, An inversion of the yield curve es-
3. Global depository receipts
sentially suggests that investors expect future
4. Non-resident external deposits
growth to be weak.
Which of the above can be included in Foreign Direct
◦ For instance, bonds with a tenure of 2 years
Investments?
end up paying out higher yields (returns/ inter-
A. 1, 2 and 3
est rate) than bonds with a 10-year tenure.
B. 3 Only
C. 3 Only
Mechanism: When investors feel buoyant about the
D. 1 and 4
economy they pull the money out from long-term bonds
Answer: A
and put it in short-term riskier assets such as stock mar-
kets. In the bond market, the prices of long-term bonds
A GLOSSARY FOR THE TROUBLED fall, and their yield (effective interest rate) rises. This
happens because bond prices and bond yields are in-
GLOBAL ECONOMY versely related.
However, when investors suspect that the economy is
Context: heading for trouble, they pull out money from short-
US’ inflation rate was at 9.1% in June, the highest in 40 term risky assets (such as stock markets) and put them
years, and FED action to increase the interest rate has in long-term bonds. This causes the prices of long-term
led to few terms coming up in focus. bonds to rise and their yields to fall.

Bond yield curve inversion Over the years, inversion of the bond yield curve has
• Bonds are essentially an instrument through which become a strong predictor of recessions. In the current
governments (and also corporations) raise money instance, the US Fed (their central bank) has been rais-
from people. Typically government bond yields are ing short-term interest rates, which further bumps up

76 www.insightsonindia.com
the short-end of the yield curve while dampening eco- Insta Links
nomic activity. US FED raises rate by 75 basis point

Soft-landing Practice Questions

When a central bank is successful in slowing down Q. Discuss the trends of recession faced by India in the
the economy without bringing about a recession, it is past. Will the recent action by US Central Bank induce
called a soft-landing — that is, no one gets hurt. But a risk of recession for other economies such as India?
when the actions of the central bank bring about a re- Analyze. (15M)
cession, it is called hard-landing.
• Given the massive gap between the current US in- Q . With reference to the Indian economy, consider
flation rate — over 9%— and the Fed’s target infla- the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2022)
tion rate — 2% — most observers expect that the 1. If the inflation is too high, the Reserve Bank of India
Fed would have to resort to such aggressive mon- (RBI) is likely to buy government securities.
etary tightening that the US economy will end up 2. If the rupee is rapidly depreciating, RBI is likely to
having a hard landing. sell dollars in the market.
3. If interest rates in the USA or European Union were
to fall, that is likely to induce RBI to buy dollars.
Reverse Currency War
Which of the statements given below is/are correct?
As the US FED rate increases, the investor finds it more
1. 1 and 2 only
attractive and less risky. So, more and more investors
2. 2 and 3 only
are rushing to invest money in the US. This, in turn, has
3. 1 and 3 only
made the dollar become stronger than all the other
4. 1, 2 and 3
currencies.
Answer: (b)
• The relative weakness of their local currency
against the dollar makes their exports more com-
Q. With reference to the Indian economy, what are the
petitive. This can be good for economies.
advantages of “Inflation-Indexed Bonds (IIBs)”? (UPSC
• However, today, every central bank is trying to
2020)
counter the US Fed and raise interest rates them-
1. Government can reduce the coupon rates on its bor-
selves in order to ensure their currency doesn’t lose
rowing by way of IIBs.
too much value against the dollar. This has been
2. IIBs provide protection to investors from uncertainty
termed ‘reverse currency war’. E.g. India being im-
regarding inflation.
port dependent, a weaker currency would mean a
3. The interest received as well as capital gains on IIBs
higher import bill and therefore RBI is trying to de-
are not taxable.
fend Indian Rupee against Dollar.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Related News: (a) 1 and 2 only
“Zero-coupon zero principal instrument” (ZCZP) means (b) 2 and 3 only
an instrument issued by a Not for Profit Organisation (c) 1 and 3 only
which shall be registered with the Social Stock Exchange (d) 1, 2 and 3
segment of a recognised StockExchange. Answer: A
• These are meant for NGOs and on it, NGOs are not
required to pay principal or interest after the com-
pletion of the project. EXPLAINED: WHAT RS 80 TO A
Recently, the Ministry of Finance has declared ZCZP as DOLLAR MEANS
securities.
• Securities are fungible and tradable financial in-
Context:
struments used to raise capital in public and pri-
The Indian rupee breached the exchange rate level of
vate markets. There are primarily three types of se-
80 to a US dollar recently for the 1st time.
curities: equity—which provides ownership rights
to holders; debt—essentially loans repaid with pe-
riodic payments; and hybrids—which combine as- What is the rupee exchange rate?
pects of debt and equity. The rupee’s exchange rate vis-à-vis the dollar is essen-

www.insightsonindia.com 77
tially the number of rupees one needs to buy for $1.
This is an important metric to buy not just US goods
but also other goods and services (say crude oil) trade
which happens in US dollars.

Rupee depreciation impact:

• when the rupee depreciates, importing goods and
services becomes costlier. But the export of goods
and services to other countries, become cheaper.

Why are the rupee-dollar exchange rate and

forex reserves falling? Higher Inflation:
• As investors are pulling money out of the Indian
Should the INR depreciate by 5 per cent from the base-
market, there is a fall in forex reserve and also less
line (76 per dollar), inflation could edge up by around
dollar in the Indian market would mean, the val-
20 bps while GDP growth could be higher by around 15
ue of the dollar against the rupee would increase.
bps through increased net exports, according to the RBI
Thereby depreciating the rupee.
April Monetary Policy Report.
• India has a capital account surplus but a current
account deficit: The net effect of BOP in India had
been a surplus of $47.5 billion last year.
• The RBI keeps monitoring the BoP every week and
keeps intervening in such a manner which ensures
that the rupee’s exchange rate does not fluctuate
too much.

Should policymakers prevent the fall?

Experts say it is neither wise nor possible for the RBI to
prevent the rupee from falling indefinitely.
• Defending the rupee will simply result in India ex-
hausting its forex reserves over time because global
investors have much bigger financial clout.
• Most analysts believe that the better strategy is to
let the rupee depreciate and act as a natural shock
What will be the effect on the economy? absorber to the adverse terms of trade.
Under normal circumstances, rupee depreciation is
good for the current account deficit because it leads
to higher exports. But at present, India is already fac- What should policymakers do?
ing high inflation and continued depreciation may be • RBI (which is in charge of monetary policy) should
making matters worse. Costlier imports (because of a focus on containing inflation, as it is legally mandat-
weaker rupee) add to the cost-push inflation and bump ed to do, and the government (which is in charge of
up the domestic inflationary process. the fiscal policy) should contain its borrowings”
• A weakening rupee hurts foreign investors, who
came looking for a good return, as well as Indians, Insta Links
who have loans abroad. Free fall of Rupee

Practice Questions
Q. What is the depreciation of the Indian rupee? Ex-
amine the factors behind its recent depreciation and

78 www.insightsonindia.com
its impact on the economy in general. revenue to state governments - this can reduce the in-
centive to take tough calls to conserve nature.
Q . With reference to the Indian economy, consider Environmental impact: Pollution, biodiversity loss,
the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2022) waste generation.
1. If the inflation is too high, the Reserve Bank of India Loss of indigenous culture
(RBI) is likely to buy government securities.
2. If the rupee is rapidly depreciating, RBI is likely to Solution:
sell dollars in the market. • Removing “institutional vacuum”: Develop better
3. If interest rates in the USA or European Union were policies for environmentally fragile pilgrimage.
to fall, that is likely to induce RBI to buy dollars. ◦ This should include consultation with religious
Which of the statements given below is/are correct? actors who actively participate in the promotion
A. 1 and 2 only and management of the religious tourism econ-
B. 2 and 3 only omy at local levels.
C. 1 and 3 only • National Strategy for Sustainable tourism: Minis-
D. 1, 2 and 3 try of tourism launched this for the development of
Answer: (b) sustainable tourism like promoting environmental
sustainability, protecting biodiversity, promoting
BALANCING DEVELOPMENT AND economic sustainability, etc.
• Development to cater to local needs: Current in-
DEVOTION frastructure development doesn’t cater as much to
locals as they do to people from other states.
Context: ◦ Community-based tourism will enable conser-
The Himalayan region has witnessed several natural di- vation along with the development
sasters over the years, killing thousands. The article is in • Planned management of religious gatherings: In-
continuation of the previous article Amendment of EIA dia has successfully shown that during the Kumbh
rule and should be read solely from the perspective of Mela, which is held across four states.
the main. • Sustainable development demands an approach
that is both geologically and ecologically sound.
The religious value of the Himalayas: • Efficient and wider data collection: The flash flood
It is home to temple towns of Kedarnath, Badrinath, Ya- ( July 2022) at the Amarnath shrine was triggered
munotri and Gangotri which are part of the Himalayan by a cloudburst, which led to “highly intense and
Char Dham Yatra (Four Pilgrimages), the Amarnath cave highly localised rainfall that our automatic weather
shrine and Vaishno Devi temple. station could not catch”.
• Regulation of numbers: Most experts agree that
As per the report “Environmental Assessment of Tour- regulating pilgrim numbers according to the ter-
ism in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR)’” by GB Pant rain’s capacity is essential.
National Institute of Himalayan Environment, demand ◦ E.g. Bhutan charges a tourism tax and only al-
for tourism has increased pressure on Indian Hima- lows a certain number of tourists a year, so as
layan Region (IHR). not to harm the fragile environment.
◦ Levying a green tax on tourist vehicles can be
Dangers: another measure.
Surge in the number of worshippers over the past cou- • Awareness programmes: Authorities need to pro-
ple of decades - partly due to greater mobility and vide regular, updated information through adver-
connectivity - and the infrastructural development to tisements and public service broadcasters that also
accommodate them are damaging the fragile ecologi- highlight the risks and dangers involved in the jour-
cal balance of the region, which is vulnerable to earth- ney.
quakes and landslides.
Climate change: Rising temperatures were increas- Related News:
ing the frequency of rock falls in the Himalayas, which Rajasthan govt has accorded industry status to tour-
could increase the danger to people. ism & hospitality sector
Revenue dependence: Tourism brings much-needed New Tourism Policy: The government is coming out with

www.insightsonindia.com 79
a new policy aimed at making India a sustainable, tour-
ist-friendly destination through various green initiatives,
skill development, and engaging with the private sector.

Insta Links
Road ahead for tourism

Practice Questions
Q. Evaluate the policies and schemes that are being
used to promote eco-tourism in India. (15M)

Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.

WORLD BANK RELEASES GLOBAL

FINDEX DATABASE 2021
Context: Financial Inclusion
World Bank’s Global Findex database surveyed how Financial inclusion means that individuals and busi-
people in 123 economies use formal and informal fi- nesses have access to useful and affordable financial
nancial services e.g., cards, ATMs, mobile phones, and products and services that meet their needs – transac-
the internet. tions, payments, savings, credit and insurance – deliv-
ered in a responsible and sustainable way.
Global specific findings: • Financial inclusion has been identified as an enabler
• Account ownership: Globally, in 2021, 76 per for 7 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
cent of adults had an account at a bank or regulat- • The World Bank Group considers financial inclusion
ed institution such as a credit union, microfinance a key enabler to reduce extreme poverty and boost
institution, or a mobile money service provider shared prosperity.
• Women empowerment: Mobile money has be-
come an important enabler of financial inclusion— Insta Links
especially for women e.g., in Sub-Saharan Africa How to boost financial inclusion
• High financial stress: Despite promising growth in
account ownership and use, about half of adults in Practice Questions
developing economies are worried about at least Q. Financial inclusion is increasingly being recognized
one area of financial stress e.g., an emergency fund as a key driver of economic growth and poverty alle-
for health. viation the world over. Discuss the efforts being made
• Low financial literacy: About two-thirds of un- by India in this direction. (250 Words)
banked adults said that if they opened an account
Q. Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2017)
(excluding mobile money) at a financial institution,
they could not use it without help. 1. National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)
helps in promoting financial inclusion in the country
India-specific findings: 2. NPCI has launched RuPay, a card payment scheme.
• Low access to formal banking in India and there is
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a lack of trust.
(a) 1 only
• Aadhar contributed to account ownership in
(b) 2 only
about 80% of adults (from 35% in 2011)
(c) Both 1 and 2
• Drop-in fraud and leakage: Transitioning from
(d) Neither1 nor 2
cash to biometric smart cards has reduced leakage
Answer: C
by 47% in pension payments.

80 www.insightsonindia.com
Q. ‘The establishment of ‘Payment Banks’ is being al- Benefits of the financial inclusion revolution:
lowed in India to promote financial inclusion. Which • Easier, cheaper and safer for people to receive wag-
of the following statements is/are correct in this con- es from employers, and send remittances to family
text? (UPSC CSE 2016) members.
• Mobile money accounts can better handle high-vol-
Q. Mobile telephone companies and supermarket ume, small-denomination transactions
chains that are owned and controlled by residents are
eligible to be promoters of Payment Banks. Case studies
1. Payment Banks can issue both credit cards and deb- Successful example - Kenya’s M-Pesa, allows users with
it cards. or without bank accounts to transfer and make pay-
2. Payment Banks cannot undertake lending activities. ments through a basic mobile phone is an example of
Select the correct answer using the code given below a digital financial inclusion success story which now ac-
(a) 1 and 2 only counted for 20% of GDP and improved per capita con-
(b) 1 and 3 only sumption and lifted 2% of Kenyan households—out of
(c) 2 only poverty
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: B • Women empowerment: Individual accounts also
give women more privacy, security and control over
Q. Which one of the following statements appropri- their money.
ately describes the “fiscal stimulus”? (UPSC CSE 2011) • Reduce leakage and delay in government transfers
(a) It is a massive investment by the Government in the –It benefits directly the people through their Aad-
manufacturing sector to ensure the supply of goods haar seeded bank accounts.
to meet the demand surge caused by rapid economic • For example - MGNREGA has been attached to the
growth Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile (JAM) platform, which
(b) It is an intense affirmative action of the Government aims to prevent leakages and delays and is a right
to boost economic activity in the country step in this direction.
(c) It is the Government’s intensive action on financial ◦ Government of Andhra Pradesh launched a
institutions to ensure the disbursement of loans to agri- smart-card program for MGNREGS and social
culture and allied sectors to promote greater food pro- security pensions where payments were de-
duction and contain food inflation livered to bank accounts linked with biometric
(d) It is an extreme affirmative action by the Govern- smart cards has resulted in a faster, less corrupt
ment to pursue its policy of financial, inclusion payment process.
Answer: B • It enhances financial resilience (the ability to deal
with an unexpected financial event)- Financial ac-
FINANCIAL INCLUSION cess facilitates day-to-day living and helps families
and businesses plan for everything from long-term
Context: goals to unexpected emergencies.
An article by David Malpass (president of the World • Against corruption: It helps to increase transparen-
Bank Group) on financial inclusion. cy as money flows from a government’s budget to
*The article can be read along with one on 7th July 2022 public agencies to citizens.
(World Bank releases Global Findex database 2021)
Data: Global Findex found that 71% of adults in devel- Suggestions given by the world bank chief:
oping economies now have a formal financial account.
• Create a favourable operating and policy environ-
Financial inclusion means that individuals and busi- ment: E.g. enable the interoperability of systems
nesses have access to useful and affordable financial (e.g. UPI), access to the mobile-phone system for
products and services that meet their needs – transac- banking, Consumer protections and stable regula-
tions, payments, savings, credit and insurance – deliv- tions.
ered in a responsible and sustainable way. • Establishing digital-identification systems: E.g.
Aadhar in India
• Promote the digitalization of payments: This will

www.insightsonindia.com 81
 also promote formal-sector employment without product (GDP), or about Rs 7.9 lakh crore, in 2021-
making compliance excessively burdensome. 22.
• Inclusion: The gender gap in financial access has
narrowed, but it still exists. Women, along with the Off-budget borrowings:
poor, are more likely to lack a form of personal iden- It refers to loans taken by state government entities,
tification or a mobile phone, to live far from a bank special purpose vehicles, etc, where principal and in-
branch, and to need support to open and use a fi- terest would be repaid from the state government’s
nancial account. own budget, instead of the cash flows or revenues
generated by the borrowing entity.
Expanding people’s access to finance, reducing the cost Such borrowings bypass the net borrowing ceiling
of digital transactions, and channelling wage payments fixed for states in a fiscal year by routing loans outside
and social transfers through financial accounts will be the state budget through government-owned compa-
vital to mitigating development setbacks resulting from nies or statutory bodies.
the ongoing turbulence. Since the responsibility for repayment lies with states, it
adversely impacts their revenue and fiscal deficit.
Insta Links
Boost Financial inclusion Key Highlights:
• States restored off-budget borrowing to fund capi-
Practice Questions: tal expenditure: Over the last two years, many states
Q. India still has a long way to go to bridge the gender have resorted to off-budget borrowing to fund their
gap in access and use of financial services. Comment capital expenditures and minimize the impact of the
(250 Words) economic downturn induced by COVID-19.
◦ As per norms, state governments are required
Q. Consider the following statements: to take the Centre’s approval for fresh borrow-
1. National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) ing over the limit set for a particular financial
helps in promoting financial inclusion in the country year.
2. NPCI has launched RuPay, a card payment scheme. • Relief to states: ICRA Chief Economist said the mod-
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? ification regarding off-budget borrowings is likely to
(a) 1 only provide substantial relief to some states and allow
(b) 2 only them additional borrowing space in the current fis-
(c) Both 1 and 2 cal year.
(d) Neither1 nor 2 • Off-budget borrowings are to be equated with the
Answer: C states’ own debt: To bring transparency to state fi-
nances, the Centre informed states that off-budget
Government Budgeting. borrowings are to be equated with the states’ own
debt and any such fund raised by the governments
CENTRE RELAXES NORMS FOR in 2020-21 and 2021-22 would need to be adjusted
out of the borrowing ceiling this year.
ADJUSTING STATES’ OFF-BUDGET • Ceiling on borrowing: The Centre has fixed the net
BORROWINGS borrowing ceiling of states at Rs 8,57,849 crore or
3.5 per cent of GSDP. States are also eligible for ad-
Context:
ditional borrowing of 0.50 per cent of GSDP linked
• The Centre has relaxed norms for adjusting states’
to reforms in the power sector.
off-budget loans and said such liabilities of the last
fiscal year can be adjusted against their borrowing
ceilings for the next four years till March 2026. Reasons for rising in off-budget borrowings:
◦ The move will free up resources for states to • Constrained revenue growth: Due to the pandem-
fund their capital expenditures in the current ic-induced slowdown and increasing revenue ex-
fiscal year. penditure have led to states’ fiscal deficits rising to
• As per a study by Crisil Ratings, off-balance sheet 4 per cent of GSDP, well above the historical level of
borrowings by states are estimated to have reached 2-3 per cent has been seen for the most part of the
a decadal high of 4.5 per cent of gross domestic last decade.

82 www.insightsonindia.com
 ◦ This has reduced the wherewithal of states to highs to 14-year lows within the space of a year.
directly fund the entities they own.
• No prior approval of central government: Even if Data about Rice:
states wanted to do so by borrowing more, they • It is India’s largest agricultural crop (accounting for
can’t without the explicit approval of, and beyond over 40% of the total foodgrain output)
the limits set by, the central government. • India is the world’s biggest exporter (around 40% of
◦ But states don’t need prior central consent to the world’s export)
guarantee the loans and advances, and bonds • India is 2nd largest rice producer in the world after
issued by their entities. China.
◦ Also, the ceiling on guarantees is self-deter-
mined and varies from state to state Process of planting rice:
Farmers first sow paddy seeds in nurseries. These seed-
Insta Links: lings are then uprooted and replanted 25-35 days lat-
Government Budgeting er in the main field. Nursery sowing generally happens
before the monsoon rains. For the first three weeks or
Practice Questions: so after transplanting, the water depth has to be main-
Q. Distinguish between Capital Budget and Revenue tained at 4-5 cm, in order to control weed growth in
Budget. Explain the components of both these Bud- the early stage of the crop.
gets. (UPSC 2021)
Why is the acreage less?
Q. With reference to Off-budget borrowings, consider
• Low rainfall in paddy areas: Areas such as Uttar
the following statements:
Pradesh to West Bengal have had very little rain.
1. The principal for such borrowings is paid by the state
• Drying up of nurseries: Most farmers with limited
and interest is paid by the central government.
irrigation facilities have seen even their nurseries
2. It can not bypass the net borrowing ceiling fixed for
drying up”
states.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Paddy cultivation takes place across a wider geography,
A. 1 only
unlike wheat which is grown only in a few states north
B. 2 only
of the Vindhyas. Also, rice is both a Kharif (monsoon)
C. Both 1 and 2
and rabi (winter-spring) season crop. So, the losses in
D. Neither 1 nor 2
one area or season can potentially be recouped from
Ans: (d)
the other.
Major crops cropping patterns; e-technology in the aid
of farmers

EXPLAINED: IS THERE A CRISIS IN

RICE?
Context:
India has witnessed a shortfall in rice acreage while the
overall crop coverage has risen.

Status:
• Storage: Government godowns had over 47.2 mil-
lion tonnes (mt) of rice ( nearly three-and-a-half
times the minimum level of stocks, to meet both
“operational” (public distribution system) and
“strategic reserve” (exigency) requirements for the
quarter.
• Wheat: Public stocks have plunged from all-time

www.insightsonindia.com 83
Insta Links: 20% of groundwater can be saved by adopting DSR.
Direct seeding of Rice
Reasons for the decline in DSR:
Practice Questions: • Lack of power and adequate water: Officials said
that this year there were erratic power cuts. Also,
Q. What is/are the advantage/advantages of zero till- canal water was not available in an adequate
age in agriculture? (UPSC 2020) amount during the sowing time of DSR.
1. Sowing of wheat is possible without burning the • Varied results: Both experts and farmers said that
residue of the previous crops. the results of the DSR depend on the farmer to
2. Without the need for a nursery of rice saplings, di- farmer and soil types. Some farmers are getting
rect planting of paddy seeds in the wet soil is pos- more yield from this method, while some are get-
sible. ting less.
3. Carbon sequestration in the soil is possible. • Light soils are bad and heavy soils are good for DSR.
Select the correct answer using the code given below: • Lack of technical know-how: The majority of the
(a) 1 and 2 only farmers in the state are still not much well-versed in
(b) 2 and 3 only the technique and after facing huge losses in wheat
(c) 3 only yield this year, they prefer the assured traditional
(d) 1, 2 and 3 method, instead of the experimental DSR.
Answer: D • Need for weedicide: Though DSR does not need la-
bour, it needs several sprays of weedicides to con-
Q. The lower Gangetic plain is characterised by humid trol weeds. In traditional agriculture, flood irriga-
climate with high temperature throughout the year. tion acts as a weedicide.
Which one among the following pairs of crops is most • Low incentive: Many farmers complain that the
suitable for this region? losses due to the adoption of DSR are over 6000 per
(a) Paddy and Cotton acre, but the incentive with DSR sowing is just Rs
(b) Wheat and Jute 1,500 per acre.
(c) Paddy and Jute
(d) Wheat and cotton
What should be done:
Answer: C
Experts say DSR won’t help much in saving Punjab’s
water: While traditional methods take around 5,000 li-
DSR TECHNIQUE NOT GAINING tres to grow 1 kg of rice, with 15% to 20% water saving
DSR will take around 4,000 to 4,200 litres which is also
GROUND IN PUNJAB huge.

Context:
Haryana Model to save water:
Despite the Punjab government’s Rs 1,500 per acre in-
Government should adopt the Haryana government
centive to farmers for adopting the DSR method, farm-
model to save groundwater wherein the Haryana gov-
ers are returning to the traditional method of puddled
ernment under its scheme “Mera Pani Meri Virasat” is
transplanting of rice in the majority of the paddy area
offering Rs 7,000 per acre (along with insurance cover)
(87% decline in DSR over last year)
to the farmers who will shun paddy crop and adopt oth-
er alternative crops like fruit and vegetables.
What is DSR?
DSR is the direct seeding of rice in which seeds are
sown in the field rather than by transplanting seed-
lings from the nursery. It aims to sow short-duration
and high-yield varieties. It is done through DSR ma-
chines which are used for planting seeds of rice directly
into the fields.

Why does Punjab incentivise DSR?

To save groundwater: Experts say that around 15% to

84 www.insightsonindia.com
Benefits of DSR Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and
minimum support prices

PANEL ON MSP, NATURAL FARM-

ING SETUP
Context:
The government constituted a committee headed by
former Union Agriculture Secretary Sanjay Agrawal to
look into the issues of minimum support price (MSP)
• Background: The government had announced the
decision to repeal the three farm laws and said it
will constitute a committee to promote zero bud-
get-based farming, change crop patterns keeping in
mind the changing needs of the country and make
MSP more effective and transparent.
• Members: Committee will consist of representa-
tives of the Central and State governments, farmers,
Other methods of Rice cultivation: agricultural scientists and agricultural economists.
• Transplantation: Seeds are first shown in the nurs-
ery and seedlings are transplanted to the main field.
Objectives of the committee:
• Drilling Method: Seeds are put in the soil which has
• On agricultural marketing system: It will work for
been drilled.
Agri marketing as per the changing requirements of
• System of Rice intensification: It is a farming meth-
the country to ensure higher value to the farmers
odology aimed at increasing the yield of rice pro-
through remunerative prices of their produce by
duced in farming. It is a low-water, labour-intensive
taking advantage of the domestic output and ex-
method that uses younger seedlings singly spaced
port.
and typically hand weeded with special tools.
• On natural farming: It will suggest programmes and
schemes for value chain development, protocol val-
Q. With reference to the cultivation of Kharif crops
idation and research for future needs and support
in India in the last five years, consider the following
for area expansion under the Indian Natural Farm-
statements: (UPSC 2019)
ing System.
1. Area under rice cultivation is the highest.
• On crop diversification: It will look into the map-
2. Area under the cultivation of jowar is more than that
ping of existing cropping patterns of agro-ecological
of oilseeds.
zones of producer and consumer States.
3. Area of cotton cultivation is more than that of sugar-
• Review and suggestion on micro irrigation scheme
cane.
4. Area under sugarcane cultivation has steadily de-
creased. Evolution of MSP regime in India:
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 2, 3 and 4 only
(c) 2 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: A

Need for MSP:

• Support farmers from distress sales.
• To procure food grains for public distribution
• To safeguard farmers from market price fluctua-

www.insightsonindia.com 85
 tions. supply chain management.
• Maintain a healthy supply of food grains in the
market thereby helping in the fight against hunger.
• The guaranteed price for the crops and assured
CENTRE TO AMEND WAREHOUS-
markets encourage higher investment and adop- ING ACT
tion of modern farming practices. Context:
Union Food and Public Distribution Ministry have sug-
Related News gested major amendments to the Warehousing (Devel-
As per a study by the State Bank of India, only 50% of opment and Regulation) Act of 2007.
the intended beneficiaries of the farm loan waivers an-
nounced in 2014 have received actual debt write-off Direction:
benefits. Not a very important article from the perspective of
• Reasons for low reach: Rejection of claims by the the main but do remember 2-3 points. Moreover, more
state government, change in policies and govern- changes are likely in the future.
ment
• The average income of farmers grew only by 1.3-1.7 Aim of the amendment:
times during 2017-18 and 2021-22. Changes are aimed to help farmers get access to the
• Kisan Credit card and MSP have been instrumental service of quality warehouses
in benefiting farmers. Definition: Warehouses are scientific storage structures
• SHG have around 10% NPA across India. especially constructed for the protection of the quanti-
ty and quality of stored products.
Insta Links
On-farm laws repeal
Provisions:
• Make registration of godowns compulsory (At
Practice Questions
present, the registration with the Warehousing De-
Q. Tracing the evolution of the Minimum Support
velopment and Regulation Authority (WDRA) is op-
Price regime in India, discuss how MSP has caused -
tional)
Concentration of markets, Negative externalities, and
◦ Only the Central government will have powers
High transaction costs. What steps can be taken to ad-
to exempt any class of warehouses from reg-
dress these to ensure better remuneration to farmers
istration with the Authority. This will ensure a
and stimulate the rural economy? (15M)
gradual and non-disruptive change to a regulat-
ed warehousing system
Q .Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2020)
◦ Status: At present, there are about 60,000
1. In the case of all cereals, pulses and oil seeds, the
warehouses in the country. Out of which, 4,700
procurement at a Minimum Support Price (MSP) is
warehouses have registered with the regulator
unlimited in any State/UT of India.
but only 2,910 warehouses are active.
2. In the case of cereals and pulses, the MSP is fixed
• Raise the penalty for various offences: increase the
in any State/UT at a level to which the market price
penalty from the current ₹1 lakh for various offenc-
will never rise.
es
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
• Will do away with the jail term as a punishment for
(a) 1 only
the offences: The amendment will do away with up
(b) 2 only
to three years imprisonment for various offences.
(c) Both 1 and 2
• Exception for a captive warehouse: Captive ware-
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
houses such as those of the Food Corporation of In-
Answer: D
dia are excluded from the ambit of the Act.
• Establish a system of negotiable and non-nego-
tiable warehouse receipts (NWR) which is now in
electronic form. It will enable NWR as a tool of the
trade to improve the fiduciary trust of depositors
and banks in the Negotiable Warehouse Receipt
System.

86 www.insightsonindia.com
• Changes in WDRA: At present, the Authority is com- 2. Warehouse Receipts issued by registered warehous-
prised of a chairperson and two full-time members. es would help farmers to seek loans from banks
After the amendment, three ex-officio part-time against the receipts.
members will be added to the Authority including Which of the above statements is/are correct?
joint secretaries in the Food and Economic Affairs a) 1 only
departments and the Executive Director of the SEBI. b) 2 only
◦ Enhanced power of WDRA: The powers to in- c) Both 1 and 2
vestigate, take enforcement action, impose a d) None
monetary penalty, recover monetary penal- Answer: C
ty and adjudication had been provided in the
amendment.
• Do away with the accreditation agencies: As the Effects of liberaliz ation on the economy
accreditation process was time-consuming, prone
to malpractices and led to complaints.
◦ The application for registration of warehouses
DEVELOPMENT OF ENTERPRISE
will be submitted directly to the WDRA and a AND SERVICE HUBS (DESH)
new system of online applications, which will
be contactless and faceless will be implement- Context:
ed and the average registration time will be re- The government plans to table the Development of
duced. Enterprise and Service Hubs (DESH) Bill to overhaul
the special economic zones (SEZ) legislation. DESHs as
Issues: the DESH Act will replace the current SEZ Act of 2005.
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) (a farmer’s orga-
nization) fears that the amendments are for bringing Why replace the existing SEZ Act?
back certain provisions of the repealed Farmers’ Pro- WTO’s dispute settlement panel has ruled that India’s
duce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) export-related schemes, including the SEZ Scheme,
Act through the backdoor. were inconsistent with WTO rules since they directly
linked tax benefits to exports.
Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority • Countries aren’t allowed to directly subsidize ex-
(WDRA) ports as it can distort market prices.
It was constituted in 2010 under the Warehousing
(Development and Regulation) Act, 2007, under the Why SEZ is not so popular now?
Department of Food and Public Distribution to ensure • MAT and Sunset clause: SEZ started losing its allure
scientific storage by prescribing infrastructural and after the introduction of minimum alternate tax
procedural standards. and a sunset clause to remove tax sops.
◦ SEZ units used to enjoy 100% income tax ex-
Negotiable Warehouse Receipt System emption on export income for the first five
Launched in 2011, through it farmers can seek loans years, 50% for the next five years, and 50% of
from banks against the warehouse receipts issued to the ploughed back export profit for another five
them against their storage. The Electronic Negotiable years.
Warehouse Receipt (e-NWR) System was launched in
2017.
How is the DESH legislation different?
• Boost domestic manufacturing: The DESH legis-
Insta Links
lation goes beyond promoting exports and has a
Agriculture marketing and warehousing
much wider objective of boosting domestic manu-
facturing and job creation through ‘development
Practice Questions
hubs’.
Consider the following statements regarding Ware-
◦ These hubs will no longer be required to be net
house Receipts.
foreign exchange positive cumulatively in five
1. Warehouse Receipts are documents issued by
years (i.e, export more than they import) as
warehouses to depositors against the commodities
mandated in the SEZ regime, and will be allowed
deposited in the warehouses.

www.insightsonindia.com 87
 to sell in the domestic area more easily. Practice Questions
◦ The hubs will, therefore, be WTO-compliant. Q. Critically analyse the social and economic costs of
• Single window portal: DESH legislation also pro- India’s SEZ policy. (250 words)
vides for an online single-window portal for the
grant of time-bound approvals for establishing and
operating the hubs.
THE MARKETS IN CRYPTO-ASSETS
Will it be easier to sell in the domestic market? (MICA)
Yes. Companies can sell in the domestic market with
duties only to be paid on the imported inputs and raw Context:
materials instead of the final product. Recently, EU Parliament agreed upon a new law Mar-
• In the current SEZ regime, duty is paid on the fi- kets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) to regulate cryptocurren-
nal product when a product is sold in the domestic cies.
market. Besides, there is no mandatory payment re-
quirement in forex, unlike in the case of SEZs. Recent issues:
• Equalization Levy: As per the bill, the government Stablecoins came in question after the crash of Terra-
may impose an equalization levy on goods or ser- form Labs’ Luna token.
vices supplied to the domestic market to bring taxes
at par with those provided by units outside.
About MiCA:
• It seeks to address concerns like money-laundering,
What role will states play in DESH? protection of consumers and investors, accountabil-
Larger role for states: In the SEZ regime, most decisions ity of crypto firms, stablecoins and the environmen-
were made by the commerce department at the Cen- tal footprint of crypto mining.
tre. Now, states will be able to participate and even di- • It excludes NFT (non-fungible tokens)
rectly send recommendations for development hubs to
a central board for approval.
Provisions:
• State boards would be set up to oversee the func-
• Minimum Liquidity: MiCA would mandate curren-
tioning of the hubs. They would have the powers
cies like stablecoin issuers to maintain minimum
to approve imports or procurement of goods and
liquidity to provide for sudden large withdrawals
monitor the utilization of goods or services, ware-
by users, and the reserves must also be protected
housing, and trading in the development hub.
from insolvency.
• Supervision: The European Banking Authority (EBA)
has been brought in to supervise stablecoins, and
the law asks stablecoin issuers to provide claims
to investors free of charge. In addition,
• Capping: Large coins which are used as a means of
payment will be capped at €200 million worth of
transactions per day.
• Public register: MiCA requires the EBA to maintain
a public register of non-compliant crypto asset ser-
vice providers (CASPs).
• Mandatory to declare Environmental footprint: Un-
der MiCA, crypto companies will be required to de-
clare their environmental and climate footprint.

Indian regulation:
• Through Tax: India levied a 30% tax on income from
Insta Links
the transfer of cryptos from April and added a 1%
Revamping SEZ
tax deduction at source from 1 July.
• Wait and watch: Indian regulators are also expect-
ed to consider rules being developed in the US be-

88 www.insightsonindia.com
 fore taking concrete decisions. be in the Indian rupee.
• Save foreign currency and reduce trade deficit:
Insta Links Since India imports more than it exports. It will en-
Basics: Cryptocurrency hance forex inflows and as a step to stabilize the ru-
pee.
Practice Questions: • Will help build better ties with Russia: The open-
Q. What is a cryptocurrency? Discuss the need for ing of the trade settlement route shows Russia’s
the formulation of a clear, constructive, and adaptive importance as India’s trading partner in the face of
regulatory environment for cryptocurrencies in India. increasing pressure from Western countries to cut
(15M) links.
• Can be used for other neighbouring countries as
Q. With reference to “Blockchain Technology”, consid- well: Several countries including Iran, Sri Lanka
er the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2020) and some in Africa and Latin America are facing
1. It is a public ledger that everyone can inspect, but forex shortages. As such, the new mechanism will
which no single user controls. help India promote its exports in these countries.
2. The structure and design of blockchain is such that
all the data in it are about cryptocurrency only. How the system will work:
3. Applications that depend on basic features of block- • Russian banks will have to open Vostro accounts in
chain can be developed without anybody’s permis- India, and whenever exports or imports take place,
sion. that account will be debited or credited.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? • Indian importers will make payments in rupees, to
(a) 1 only be credited to the Vostro account of the correspon-
(b) 1 and 2 only dent bank of the partner country.
(c) 2 only • Indian exporters will be paid the export proceeds in
(d) 1 and 3 only rupees from the balances in
Answer: d

RBI ALLOWS GLOBAL TRADE SET-

TLEMENTS IN RUPEES
Context:
In order to facilitate trade with sanctions-hit Russia, RBI
has allowed global trade settlements in Indian rupees
for domestic traders. Banks will need RBI approval to
use the new system.

Benefits:
• Will boost Indian export and currency:
• The move would promote global trade growth with
an emphasis on exports from India (e.g. Tea export)
and will support the increasing interest of the global
trading community in the domestic currency.
• Expedite transactions with sanctions-hit Russia:
India’s trade with Russia stood at $13.1 billion in
2021-22.
• Final settlement in Indian Rupee: Under the exist-
ing provisions of the Foreign Exchange Manage-
ment Act, final settlements must be in free foreign
exchange except for Nepal and Bhutan. Now, if RBI
approves, the final settlement to all countries can

www.insightsonindia.com 89
 BANK NATIONALISATION: BLUN-
DER OR MASTERSTROKE?
Context:
53rd anniversary of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi na-
tionalising 14 banks. The government will bring legis-
lative changes in the current session of Parliament to
enable it to privatise PSBs (denationalization of Banks).
• This article should be ready solely from Mains Per-
spective.

Nationalization is the process in which the government

of a country or a state takes control of a specific com-
pany or industry. The post-1967 period saw a series of
radical economic policies such as the nationalization
Issues: of the 14 biggest commercial banks (1969), insurance
• A similar Vostro account set up for the purpose of
(1972), coal industry (1973), an effort to nationalize
trade with Iran had run dry as India was stopped
wholesale wheat trade (1973), the takeover of ‘sick’
from sourcing oil from Iran amid US sanctions.
companies, etc.
◦ Exporters had said the payment problem in
◦ According to many economists, the long-term
the Iran market restricted them from filling the
impact of these decisions is being felt now, in
space left vacant by Sri Lanka, which is in the
terms of a looming banking crisis, inefficient
middle of a severe financial crisis.
coal sector, and poor insurance penetration
• Western countries might put pressure on India to
(3.76% in 2019; one of the lowest in the world).
not allow any such mechanism.

Insta Links
Lessons from Russia for India

Practice Questions
Q. Even as India and Russia explore new relationships,
they continue to remain each other’s, all-weather
friends. Comment. (10M)

Q. The problem of international liquidity is related to

the non-availability of (UPSC 2015)
(a) goods and services
(b) gold and silver
(c) dollars and other hard currencies
(d) exportable surplus Aim of bank nationalization of 1969: Government
Answer: C aimed to take away the control from a few private
players and expand the banking coverage to rural India
Q. The balance of payments of a country is a systemat- so that sectors such as agriculture and small industries
ic record of (UPSC 2013) could get better credit facilities, thus creating a new
(a) All import and export transactions of a country class of entrepreneurs.
during a given period of time, normally a year
(b) Goods exported from a country during a year Nationalization of the 1970s was a bad move
(c) Economic transaction between the government of as it led to:
one country to another • The emergence of structural features that bred in-
(d) Capital movements from one country to another efficiency: The strategy of nationalization together
Answer: A with import-substitution-industrialization (ISI) and

90 www.insightsonindia.com
 ‘Licence Quota Raj’ stifled entrepreneurship and • Issue of “phone banking”: Public sector bank offi-
innovation. cials can be forced to extend loans when such loans
◦ Nationalization led to lesser competition be- don’t make economic sense.
tween the public sector and private sectors, this • Economic survey 2020 pointed out that PSBs enjoy
has again led to the bureaucratic attitude in less strategic and operating freedom because of
the functioning of PSUs, Lack of initiatives and majority government ownership.
responsibility, populist pressures, irresponsible
trade unionism, red-tapism, etc. However, nationalization did help the Indian
• India lost out on ‘internationalization of produc- economy as it led to:
tion’: • Higher penetration of banking in rural areas and
◦ India’s policy of nationalization and ‘protec- underdeveloped sectors: from just 8,262 bank
tionist’ inward-looking economy’ failed to take branches (1969) the number rose to 30,303 in 1979.
advantage of globalization that created East ◦ Liberal credit availability by banks led to India’s
Asian miracle economies. growth process, particularly during the Green
◦ The implication of it was that India’s export revolution.
shrank from 2.4% (1948) to 0.42 in 1980. ◦ Credit to rural areas increased from Rs 115
• Erosion of fiscal prudence: Government expendi- crore to Rs 3,000 crore, a twenty-fold increase.
ture kept rising due to the proliferation of subsidies ◦ Both rural bank deposit mobilization and rural
and grants, salary increases with no relationship to credit increased significantly after the 1969 na-
efficiency or output, overstaffing, and other ‘popu- tionalization
list measures. • Priority-sector lending: i.e. setting aside 40% of
◦ Because of the lack of performance audit, fi- banks’ net bank credit for agriculture, micro and
nance from the public banks and PSUs failed to small enterprises, education, housing, and “weak-
accomplish large public interest er” sections.
• Present Impact: • Domestic saving: The rates of domestic savings and
◦ NPA crisis is considered the legacy of nation- investment increased rapidly from 10% in the 1950s
alization of banks of the 1970s and 80s: Gov- to 20% by the 1980s.
ernment ownership and political interference • Removed monopoly of the private sector in some
reduced the accountability of banks and the sectors such as coal: After the nationalization of the
twelve public-sector banks (PSBs) recorded coal industry in India, India never witnessed a de-
gross NPAs worth Rs 5.47 lakh crore, more than mand-supply gap until 1991
twice the NPA of 19 private banks in 2020. • Investment in Government Securities: There has
▪ Also, nationalized banks are either operat- been a significant increase in the investment of the
ing under losses or experiencing falling div- banks in government and other approved securities
idends in recent years.
◦ The insurance sector is facing issues of low pen- • The Balance of payment situation improved con-
etration (only 3.76% of overall insurance pen- siderably after nationalization as the green revolu-
etration in India), public sector monopoly, low tion led to a reduction in food and other imports.
non-life insurance (less than 1%), and poor fi- By 1978-79, foreign exchange reserve had risen to
nancial health of public sector insurers. about a peak of $7.3bn.
◦ The government has still not been able to close • Soared employment opportunities: The huge ex-
down all the nationalized ‘sick’ PSUs, thus pansion of PSUs created job opportunities, giving
draining taxpayer’s money. employment to a vast number of educated youths
• Nayak Committee report (2014): Public sector in the country.
banks have the poor financial position, selection • Success of “JAM Trinity”: JAM stands for Jan-
process compromised and non-transparent, high Dhan, Aadhaar and Mobile number.
NPAs, board governance weak. ◦ The initiative would have been a non-starter
• Economic Survey review of bank nationalization had there been only private banks and no PSBs
(2020): Every rupee of taxpayer money invested in in the country.
PSBs fetches a market value of just 71 paise ( in con- ◦ Of the total 46 crore beneficiaries, only 1.3
trast private sector banks fetches a market value of crores have accounts in private sector banks —
Rs 3.70)

www.insightsonindia.com 91
 that is just 2.82%. merce)
Issues highlighted by the report:
Thus, conceptually nationalization was a good idea as • Few platforms control a large part of the e-com-
it pushed for redistribution of wealth, job creation, and merce market (which may lead to monopoly)
financial inclusion. However, efforts should have been • Lack of platform neutrality, i.e., providing preferen-
taken to improve efficiency and make PSUs competitive tial treatment to selected sellers
as was done by China. • Deep discounting, i.e., discounts of preferred sell-
ers are selectively funded by the platform
Insta Links • Non-transparent search rankings
Nationalization of Banks • Misuse of data

Practice Questions
Recommendations:
Q. What were the factors that led to the nationalisa-
• Formulate a policy which clearly defines market-
tion of banks? Examine its impact on economic devel-
place and inventory-based models of e-commerce.
opment and job creation. (15M)
• It recommended that marketplace-commerce en-
tities should:
Q. Consider the following statements: (UPSC 2019)
◦ not sell goods that it owns or controls
1.Coal sector was nationalized by the Government of
◦ not have any direct or indirect relationship with
India under Indira Gandhi.
sellers who sell on the platform
2.Now, coal blocks are allocated on lottery basis
◦ be prohibited from licensing their brand to
3.Till recently, India imported coal to meet the shortag-
third-party sellers on the platform
es of domestic supply, but now India is self-sufficient in
• Gatekeeper entities: Certain e-commerce plat-
coal production.
forms need greater scrutiny (as is applicable in oth-
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
er countries): It recommends India should select
(a) 1 only
“gatekeeper” platforms of a specific scale that re-
(b) 2 and 3 only
quire more stringent supervision.
(c) 3 only
• Mandatory registration of e-commerce companies
(d) 1, 2 and 3
with DPIIT
Answer:A
• Create Digital Market Division to overcome regula-
tory gaps
Q. The basic aim of Lead Bank Scheme is that ( UPSC
• Implement the Personal Data protection bill (2019)
2012)
• DPIIT should address issues such as maintaining a
(a) big banks should try to open offices in each district
level playing field between small businesses and
(b) there should be stiff competition among the various
e-commerce giants and provide technical support
nationalized banks
to small and local businesses.
(c) individual banks should adopt particular districts for
• Obligations put on e-commerce entities through
intensive development
Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020
(d) all the banks should make intensive efforts to mobi-
(such as the appointment of the chief compliance
lize deposits
officer, and setting up a grievance redressal mecha-
Answer: C
nism) should be applicable to those entities above a
certain threshold.
PARLIAMENTARY STANDING ◦ It puts a compliance burden on new e-com-
merce entities.
COMMITTEE REPORT ON E-COM-
MERCE
Context:
Recent report of the committee “Promotion and Regu-
lation of E-commerce in India”
(Note down 2-3 suggestions from the report and under-
stand the difference between various models of e-com-

92 www.insightsonindia.com
 ance, is activated by the micro-RNA, miR444, therefore
offering a new way to control these properties of the
plant.
This ‘miR444’ can be used to increase nitrate absorp-
tion, enhance root development and help the plant to
tolerate more stress.
Transcription factors are proteins involved in the pro-
cess of converting, or transcribing, DNA into RNA.
Transcription factors include a wide number of pro-
teins, excluding RNA polymerase, that initiate and regu-
late the transcription of genes.

Importance of regulating Nitrogen:

• Development of plant: Nitrogen is one of the most
important macronutrients needed for the develop-
ment of a plant. It is a part of chlorophyll, amino
acids and nucleic acids, among others.
• Gene expression: Nitrates also play a role in con-
trolling genome-wide gene expression that in turn
Insta Links regulates root system architecture, flowering time,
Sansad TV: Parliamentary report on E-commerce leaf development, etc.
• Control pollution: The overuse of nitrates in fertil-
Practice Questions izers leads to the accumulation of nitrates in water
and soil. This accumulation adds to soil and water
Q.With reference to foreign-owned e-commerce firms, pollution and increased the contribution of green-
operating in India, which of the following statements house gases.
is/are correct? (UPSC 2022)
1. They can sell their own goods in addition to offering
their platforms as market-places.
2. The degree to which they can own big sellers on their
platforms is limited.
Which of the above statements are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: B

Science and Technology

NEW PATHWAY TO REGULATE NI-

TRATE ABSORPTION IN PLANTS
Context:
Researchers led by those from the National Centre
of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental
Research, Bengaluru (NCBS-TIFR), have found a new Practice Questions:
pathway that regulates nitrate absorption in plants. Q. Discuss the significance of sustainable nitrogen
The new method: management for agriculture and the economy in In-
The gene transcription factor MADS27, which regulates dia. (250 words)
nitrate absorption, root development and stress toler-

www.insightsonindia.com 93
Q. Consider the following statements: (UPSC 2019)
1.Agricultural soils release nitrogen oxides into envi-
ronment.
2.Cattle release ammonia into environment.
3.Poultry industry releases reactive nitrogen com-
pounds environment.
Which of the statements given above is/arc correct?
(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 2 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: D

Q. Which of the following adds/add nitrogen to the

soil? (UPSC 2013)
1. Excretion of urea by animals
2. Burning of coal by man Fig: Composition of Universe
3. Death of vegetation
Select the correct answer using the codes given below: Evidence for Dark Matter:
(a) 1 only • By observing the rotation of galaxies: there are dis-
(b) 2 and 3 only crepancy changes in how stars revolve around the
(c) 1 and 3 only galaxy centre than what should be the ideal path.
(d) 1, 2 and 3 This has been contributed to the presence of dark
Answer: C matter along the path.
• By the observations of the Bullet Cluster of galax-
ies: The Bullet cluster is formed through the merg-
DARK MATTER ing of two galaxy clusters. The merger didn’t take
place as per the observable calculations, signifying
Context: the presence of another massive matter particle,
One of the most sensitive dark matter detector exper- ‘the dark matter’.
iments named LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) in the U.S.A, has been
used for finding evidence of dark matter in the universe. Dark matter particles are made up of: No defi-
nite answer is known, but scientists say:
What is dark matter and why is it so elusive? • ‘neutrino’ would have been an excellent candidate
All interactions in the universe are a result of four fun- if it had been more massive, but being too light, it
damental forces acting on particles — strong nuclear doesn’t fit the bill.
force, weak nuclear force, electromagnetic force and • Other postulated entities include the supersymmet-
gravitation. ric partner of the Z boson, a particle that mediates
Dark matter is particles that do not have a charge the electro-weak interaction.
— which means they do not interact through
electromagnetic interactions. Dark energy: It is a hypothetical form of energy that
• “dark”: because they do not emit light. exerts a negative, repulsive pressure, behaving like the
• “matter”: because they possess mass like normal opposite of gravity.
matter and hence interact through gravity. It is causing the rate of expansion of our universe to
accelerate over time, rather than to slow down. That’s
Dark matter is elusive because: contrary to what one might expect from a universe that
Gravitational force is extremely weak. A particle that began in the Big Bang.
interacts so weakly becomes rather elusive to detect.

94 www.insightsonindia.com
 10 YEARS OF CRISPR GENE EDIT-
ING
Context:
10 years back in 2012, Jennifer Doudna and Emmanu-
elle Charpentier published their finding that CRISPR-
Cas9 could be programmed with RNA to edit genomic
DNA, now considered one of the most significant dis-
coveries in the history of biology.
• CRISPR-Cas9: Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short
Palindromic Repeats Associated protein 9
• CRISPR gene editing is a genetic
engineering technique by which the genomes of
living organisms may be modified.
◦ It is based on a simplified version of the bacteri-
al CRISPR-Cas9 antiviral defence system. By de-
livering the Cas9 enzyme with a synthetic guide
RNA (gRNA) into a cell, the cell’s genome can be
cut at the desired location. (see diagram)
A genome is the complete set of genetic information in
Did you know about the XENON1T experi- an organism. The genome is stored in long molecules of
ment? DNA called chromosomes.
• It is the world’s most sensitive dark matter exper-
iment and was operated deep underground at the
INFN Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso in Italy.
• It uses the dual-phase (liquid/gas) xenon technique
and is located underground at the Laboratory Nazi-
onali del Gran Sasso of INFN, Italy.

Insta Links
What are dark energy and dark matter?

Practice Questions
Q. In the context of modern scientific research, consid-
er the following statements about ‘IceCube’, a particle
detector located at the South Pole, which was recently
in the news:
1. It is the world’s largest neutrino detector, encom-
passing a cubic kilometre of ice.
2. It is a powerful telescope to search for dark matter.
3. It is buried deep in the ice.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: D

www.insightsonindia.com 95
 gens in patients
(c) A gene that makes plants pest-resistant
(d) A herbicidal substance synthesized in genetically
modified crops
Answer: A

Q. With reference to agriculture in India, how can the

technique of ‘genome sequencing’, often seen in the
news, be used in the immediate future? (UPSC 2017)
1. Genome sequencing can be used to identify genetic
markers for disease resistance and drought toler-
ance in various crop plants.
2. This technique helps in reducing the time required
to develop new varieties of crop plants.
3. It can be used to decipher the host-pathogen rela-
tionships in crops
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
Answer: D

GENOMICS
Context:
WHO’s Science Council launches report calling for an
equitable expansion of genomics. (This article is in con-
tinuation of the previous one on CRISPR Gene editing)

Genomics is the study of the complete set of DNA (in-

cluding all of its genes) in a person or other organism. A
genome is an organism’s complete set of DNA.

Report says:
• Expand access: The report calls for expanding access
to genomic technologies, particularly in low- and
Other Genome editing systems include TALENs, middle-income countries (LMICs), by addressing
Zinc-Finger Nucleases etc. shortfalls in the financing, laboratory infrastructure,
materials, and highly trained personnel.
Insta Links • Tools used for equitable access: E.g. tiered pricing;
What is CRISPR-Cas9? sharing of intellectual property rights for low-cost
versions; and cross-subsidization, whereby profits
Practice Questions: in one area are used to fund another.
Q. Discuss the CRISPR gene-editing technology and • Ethics: It argues that it is not justifiable ethically or
the concerns raised by it. (250 words) scientifically for less-resourced countries to gain ac-
cess to such technologies long after rich countries
Q. What is the Cas9 protein that is often mentioned in do.
news? (UPSC 2019) • Recommends WHO create a Genomics Committee
(a) A molecular scissors used in targeted gene editing for implementation of its recommendations
(b) A biosensor used in the accurate detection of patho-

96 www.insightsonindia.com
Recommendations: (Salmonella Typhi).
• Advocacy for genomics: It is needed to persuade • Nee for more effective vaccine: Current Bacillus
governments and other actors about the benefits of Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccines against tuberculo-
genomic technologies. sis (TB) do not adequately protect against TB, there-
• Implementation: Local planning, financing, expand- fore the development of more effective vaccines
ed training of essential personnel against TB should be accelerated
• Collaborations: Between Government ministries,
funding agencies, and scientific organizations in ac- Recommendation by WHO:
ademia and industry. • Equitable and global access to the vaccines that al-
• Effective oversight and standards: It is key to pro- ready exist
moting ethical, legal, equitable use and responsi- • Disruptive approaches are needed: The lessons
ble sharing of information obtained with genomic from Covid 19 vaccine development and mRNA vac-
methods. cines offer unique opportunities to explore for de-
velopment of vaccines against bacteria
WHO’s steps: • Need to overcome challenges: Such as pathogens
WHO’s a 10-year strategy for genomic surveillance of associated with hospital-acquired infections (HAI),
pathogens. difficulty in defining target population(s) among all
admitted hospital patients; the cost and complexity
India’s Steps of vaccine efficacy trials; and the lack of regulatory
• GenomeIndia (Department of Biotechnology): cat- and/or policy precedent for vaccines against HAIs.
aloguing the Genetic variation in Indian • Easier regulatory requirement: Vaccine develop-
• IndiGen Program (CSIR): Collect whole genome se- ment is expensive, and scientifically challenging,
quences from different populations in India and is associated with high failure rates, and there-
• INSACOG: Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium fore, the need for support from the government and
private sector.

ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE
VACCINES
Context:
WHO has released its 1st report on vaccines being de-
veloped to prevent infections caused by AMR bacteria.
• The report aims to guide investments and research
into feasible vaccines to mitigate AMR.

AMR:
Antimicrobial resistance occurs when microbes evolve
mechanisms that protect them from the effects of anti-
microbials drugs. This makes infections harder to treat.
• All classes of microbes can evolve resistance. Fungi
evolve antifungal resistance. Viruses evolve antivi-
ral resistance.

What does the report say?

• The silent pandemic of antimicrobial resistance is
of major growing public health concern (resulting in Insta Links
the death of nearly 5mn people yearly) The global toll of bacterial resistance to drugs
• Vaccines are still effective against Pneumococ-
cal disease (Streptococcus pneumonia), Hib (Hae- Practice Questions
mophilus influenzae type b) Tuberculosis (My- Q. What is the importance of using \ Pneumococcal
cobacterium tuberculosis) and Typhoid fever Conjugate Vaccines in India? (UPSC 2020)

www.insightsonindia.com 97
1. These vaccines are effective against pneumonia as • Higher cost: Diesel engines entailed higher upfront
well as meningitis and sepsis. costs, and their servicing and maintenance costs
2. Dependence on antibiotics that are not effective tended to be more.
against drug-resistant bacteria can be reduced. • It produces much more toxic gases and so shifts to-
3. These vaccines have no side effects and cause no wards petrol variants.
allergic reactions.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: b

Q. Which of the following are the reasons for the oc-

currence of multi-drug resistance in microbial patho- Fig: working of Petrol Engine (Left) and Diesel Engine
gens in India? (UPSC 2019) (right)
1. Genetic predisposition of some people
2. Taking incorrect doses of antibiotics to cure diseases Petrol tech innovations
3. Using antibiotics in livestock farming • TWO FUEL INJECTORS PER CYLINDER: In Maruti
4. Multiple chronic diseases in some people Suzuki’s new DualJet technology, two injectors are
Select the correct answer using the code given below. placed close to the engine inlet valves, which en-
(a) 1 and 2 ables finer atomisation of fuel, resulting in more
(b) 2 and 3 only complete combustion and higher efficiency.
(c) 1, 3 and 4 ◦ GASOLINE DIRECT INJECTION: GDI is a sophis-
(d) 2, 3 and 4 ticated engine that injects fuel precisely and at
Answer: D very high pressure directly into the combustion
chamber of the engine. This leads to higher fuel
efficiency, higher power output, and significant-
USE OF TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE ly lower emissions.
EFFICIENT AUTO VEHICLES ◦ TURBOCHARGED PETROL ENGINES: Turbo-
charger — a turbine that is powered by the
Context: engine’s exhaust fuel to subsequently power
Nudged by tough BS6 emission norms, automakers are that additional compressed air into the com-
offering mild and strong hybrid options in their vehicles bustion chamber, resulting in extra combustion
and using technology to make vehicles efficient of the air-fuel mix. The result: these smaller tur-
bocharged engines produce more energy than a
(Just remember a few names to be written in the mains bigger engine while guzzling less petrol.
answer and some basic terminology of engine for pre- ◦ STRONG HYBRID TECH: A hybrid system some-
lims, no need to get into details unless you are an au- times includes a petrol engine that’s paired with
to-enthusiast) an electric motor and a Lithium-ion or Nick-
el-metal Hydride (NiMH) battery pack that al-
lows the automobile to be pushed in a purely
Diesel’s Engine electrical mode for short distances. The battery
• Working: In a compression-ignited system, the die-
pack is recharged by the engine, or by way of
sel fuel is injected into the combustion chamber of
regenerative braking.
the engine and ignited by the high temperatures
achieved when the gas is compressed by the engine
Insta Links
piston.
Fuel in 6th Gear
◦ Because they use compressed air with no spark
plug for the ignition process, diesel engines use
15%-20% per cent less fuel compared to a pet-
rol engine vehicle.

98 www.insightsonindia.com
Practice Questions Benefits of Supercomputers:
Q.Consider the following statements: High-speed computation: E.g., in May 2020, IBM’s
1. Maize can be used for the production of starch. Summit supercomputer, helped researchers find drug
2. Oil extracted from maize can be a feedstock for bio- compounds that could stop the covid-19 virus from in-
diesel. fecting host cells in just 2-3 days.
3. Alcoholic beverages can be produced by using
maize. Other areas: chemistry formulations, protein folding,
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? biomedicine, space (for satellite placements) and cli-
(a) 1 only. mate research.
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only India’s steps:
(d) 1, 2 and 3 National Supercomputing Mission (NSM): Fifteen su-
Answer: D percomputers, with an aggregate, compute capaci-
ty of 24 petaflops, have been installed in the country
Q. Lead, ingested or inhaled, is a health hazard. After since 2015 under the National Supercomputing Mission
the addition of lead to petrol has been banned, what (NSM).
still are the sources of lead poisoning? • The National Supercomputing Mission (started
1. Smelting units in 2015) is intended to indigenise the develop-
2. Pens pencils ment and manufacturing of powerful computers.,
3. Paints with the National Knowledge Network (NKN)as the
4. Hair oils and cosmetics backbone
Select the correct answer using the codes given below: • The mission is planned in three phases:
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only ◦ Phase I looks at assembling supercomputers
(b) 1 and 3 only ◦ Phase II looks at manufacturing certain compo-
(c) 2 and 4 only nents within the country
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4 ◦ Phase III where a supercomputer is designed by
Answer: B India
• A department of MeitY, C-DAC is responsible for de-
signing, developing, and commissioning supercom-
Achievements of Indians in science & technology puters under NSM.

INDIA’S SUPERCOMPUTING CA- Super computer

PABILITIES What is a Supercomputer?
A supercomputer is a computer that performs at or near
the currently highest operational rate for computers.
Context: • India’s first supercomputer was PARAM 8000.
As per the global ranking service of super-comput- • PARAM Shivay, the first supercomputer assembled
ers (Top 500), India has only 3 top-ranked supercom- indigenously
puters among 500 and none in the top 100. PetaFlops: The computing power of a supercomputer
• (Param Siddhi (5.27 PFlops), Param Ganga (1.66 is measured in floating-point operations per second, or
PFlops) and Pratyush supercomputer (Indian Insti- FLOPS. One PetaFlops is equal to 1,000,000,000,000,000
tute of Tropical Meteorology’s)) (one quadrillion) FLOPS, or one thousand TeraFlops.

Status: Insta Links

• India had 2 in the top 100 in 2020 National Supercomputing Mission (NSM)
• World: China and the US account for nearly two-
thirds of the top 500 supercomputers in the world. Practice Questions
• Frontier Supercomputer: The world’s fastest super- Q. Though India is a major player in Information Tech-
computer, Frontier, located at the Oak Ridge Nation- nology, it lacks self-dependence in the manufacture
al Laboratory, offers a peak performance of 1,685 of critical computing technology. Enumerate the steps
PFlops. the government is taking to fill this gap. (10M)

www.insightsonindia.com 99
 Q. In the context of digital technologies for entertain- matics to biology, unlike Charles Darwin, who was
ment, consider the following statements: judged by observation rather than by calculation.
1. In Augmented Reality (AR), a simulated environ- • He was the one who coined the terms dominant
ment is created and the physical world is complete- and recessive to describe these traits, which are
ly shut out. used even today.
2. In Virtual Reality (VR), images generated from a
computer are projected onto real-life objects or
surroundings.
3. AR allows individuals to be present in the world
and improves the experience using the camera of a
smartphone or PC.
4. VR closes the world, and transposes an individual,
providing a complete immersion experience.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3 and 4
(c) 1, 2 and 3
(d) 4 only
Answer: B

SCIENCE OF GENETICS
Context:
200 years of the father of genetics, Gregor Mendel.

Genetics: Insta Links

Genetics is the study of genes, genetic variation, and Towards Genomics Revolution
heredity in organisms.
It was first experimentally established by Gregor Men- Practice Questions
del (a monk) (1822 to 1884) Q. In the context of hereditary diseases, consider the
following statements: (UPSC 2021)
His contributions to Science: 1. Passing on mitochondrial diseases from parent to
• Principles of Inheritance: By experimenting with child can be prevented by mitochondrial replace-
pea plant breeding, Mendel developed three princi- ment therapy either before or after in vitro fertiliza-
ples of inheritance that described the transmission tion of egg.
of genetic traits, before anyone knew genes existed. 2. A child inherits mitochondrial diseases entirely from
• To this day, scientists use Mendel’s principles to ex- the mother and not from the father.
plain the most basic phenomena of inheritance. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
• Foundation of biology: Mendel’s theory, togeth- (a) 1 only
er with the evolutionary theory propounded by (b) 2 only
Charles Darwin, laid the foundations of biology. (c) Both 1 and 2
• Cure for many human diseases: Assisted clinicians (d) Neither 1 nor 2
in human disease research Answer: C
• For example, within just a couple of years of the re-
discovery of Mendel’s work, Archibald Garrod ap- Q. Bollgard I and Bollgard II technologies are men-
plied Mendel’s principles to his study of alkapton- tioned in the context of (UPSC 2021)
uria (discolouration of the skin) (a) clonal propagation of crop plants.
• Science of genomics and gene editing has its root in (b) developing genetically modified crop plants.
the work of Mendel. (c) production of plant growth substances.
• First to apply maths to biology: He may have been (d) production of biofertilizers.
the first botanist who seriously applied mathe- Answer: B

100 www.insightsonindia.com
Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers. Achievements:
• ‘God Particle’ discovery: In scientists at CERN had
LARGE HADRON COLLIDER announced the discovery of the Higgs boson or the
‘God Particle’ during the LHC’s first run.
◦ This led to Peter Higgs and his collaborator
Context: François Englert being awarded the Nobel Prize
The world’s most powerful particle collider, the Large
for physics in 2013.
Hadron Collider (LHC), will begin smashing protons into
• The Higgs boson is the fundamental particle asso-
each other at unprecedented levels of energy begin-
ciated with the Higgs field, a field that gives mass
ning July 5.
to other fundamental particles such as electrons
• It is expected to throw up evidence of “new phys-
and quarks.
ics” — or physics beyond the Standard Model of
• ‘New Physics’ beyond Standard Model: After the
Particle Physics, which explains how the basic build-
discovery of the Higgs boson, scientists have start-
ing blocks of matter interact, governed by four fun-
ed using the data collected as a tool to look beyond
damental forces.
the Standard Model, which is currently the best
theory of the most elementary building blocks of
What is LHC? the universe and their interactions.
The Large Hadron Collider is a giant, complex machine
built to study particles that are the smallest known New quest: To further the understanding of so-called
building blocks of all things. “dark matter”: Dar matter is a hard-to-detect, the
• Structure: LHC is a 27-km-long track-loop buried hoped-for particle is believed to make up most of the
100m underground on the Swiss-French border. universe, but is completely invisible as it does not ab-
• Operation: In its operational state, it fires two sorb, reflect, or emit light.
beams of protons almost at the speed of light in
opposite directions inside a ring of superconducting Insta Links
electromagnets. Matter-Antimatter
◦ Guided by magnetic field: The magnetic field
created by the superconducting electromagnets Practice Questions
keeps the protons in a tight beam and guides Q. Enumerate the main goals of the Large Hadron Col-
them along the way as they travel through beam lider (LHC). How will it help us to understand the evo-
pipes and finally collide. lution of the universe? (250 words)
◦ High precision: The particles are so tiny that the
task of making them collide is akin to firing two Q. Recently, Scientists observed the merger of giant
needles 10 km apart with such precision that blackholes’ billions of light-years away from the Earth.
they meet halfway. What is the significance of this observation? (UPSC
◦ Supercooled: Since the LHC’s powerful elec- CSE 2019)
tromagnets carry almost as much current as a (a) ‘Higgs boson particles’ were detected.
bolt of lightning, they must be kept chilled. It (b) ‘Gravitational waves’ were detected.
uses liquid helium to keep its critical compo- (c) Possibility of intergalactic space travel through
nents ultracold at minus  271.3 degrees Celsius, ‘wormhole’ was confirmed.
which is colder than interstellar space. (d) It enabled the scientists to understand ‘singularity’.
• Experiments: Answer: B
◦ ATLAS is the largest general-purpose particle
detector experiment at the LHC Q. Consider the following pairs: (UPSC CSE 2018)
◦ Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment is Terms sometimes Context/Topic
one of the largest international scientific collab- seen in news
orations in history, with the same goals as AT- 1. Belle II experiment — Artificial Intelligence
LAS, but which uses a different magnet-system 2. Blockchain technology — Digital/Cryptocurrency
design.) 3. CRISPR – Cas9 — Particle Physics
Latest upgrade: After its maintenance and upgrades, Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly
the collider was switched back on this April. This is the matched?
LHC’s third run. (a) 1 and 3 only

www.insightsonindia.com 101
(b) 2 only teractions of other sub-atomic particles that make
(c) 2 and 3 only the universe tick.
(d) 1, 2 and 3 • Hadrons: any of the subatomic particles (such as
Answer: B protons and neutrons) that are made up of quarks
and are subject to strong force.
Q. The efforts to detect the existence of Higgs boson
particle have become frequent news in the recent
past. What is/are the importance (s) of discovering
this particle? (UPSC CSE 2013)
1. It will enable us to understand as to why elementa-
ry particles have mass.
2. It will enable us in the near future to develop the
technology of tranferring matter from one point to
another without traversing the physical space be-
tween them.
3. It will enable us to create better fuels for nuclear
fission.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
(a) 1 only Recent findings:
(b) 2 and 3 only • Scientists have found new ways in which quarks,
(c) 1 and 3 only the tiniest particles known to humankind, group
(d) 1, 2 and 3 together
Answer: A • “Exotic” matter: Quarks can also combine into
four-quark and five-quark particles, called tetra-
quarks and pentaquarks.
PENTAQUARKS • Towards Period table of exotic mass: This takes the
total number discovered there to 21. the latest finds
Context: mean that there are now enough of these particles
A new kind of “pentaquark” and the first-ever pair of to begin grouping them together, like the chemical
“tetraquarks” have been found by LHC. This article is in elements in the periodic table. That is an essential
continuation of yesterday’s article on the Large Hadron first step towards creating a theory and set of rules
Collider (LHC) governing exotic mass.

Background:
CERN is the original name of the European Organ-
isation for Nuclear Research, which runs the particle
accelerator complex that houses the LHC, the world’s
largest and most complex collider. The LHC, re-ignited
after three years in April, has begun smashing together
protons at almost the speed of light, which could throw
up “new” physics beyond the Standard Model.

What are quarks?

Quarks are elementary particles that come in six “fla-
vours”: up, down, charm, strange, top, and bottom.
They usually combine together in groups of twos and Insta Links
threes to form hadrons such as protons and neutrons W Bosons
that make up atomic nuclei.
• Strong force: The interaction of quarks was tied Practice Questions
to one of the fundamental forces of nature called Q. Discuss the significance of the Standard Model of
the strong force. The force not only holds the in- particle physics in understanding the sub-atomic par-
sides of atoms together but is important in the in- ticle and the origin of the universe. How is it different

102 www.insightsonindia.com
from Einstein’s theory of relativity? (15M) Significance of new Astronomical discoveries:
Provides a look into the past: Part of the image is light
Q. In the context of modern scientific research, consid- from not too long after the Big Bang, which was 13.8
er the following statements about ‘IceCube’, a particle billion years ago.
detector located at the South Pole, which was recently James Webb can see backwards in time to just after the
in the news: Big Bang by looking for galaxies that are so far away that
1. It is the world’s largest neutrino detector, encom- the light has taken many billions of years to get from
passing a cubic kilometre of ice. those galaxies to our telescopes
2. It is a powerful telescope to search for dark matter. JSWT has the largest mirror in space and it will look
3. It is buried deep in the ice. deeper into the universe – and thus further back in
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? time – than is possible with a presently deployed tele-
(a) 1 only scope such as Hubble
(b) 2 and 3 only Decipher mysteries of the Universe: Mysteries such as
(c) 1 and 3 only what made the universe expand so quickly less than a
(d) 1, 2 and 3 nanosecond after the Big Bang
Answer: D Explore the Dark Age of the Universe: The Dark Ages
is the period before gravity formed the first stars and
galaxies that eventually began to emit the first light.
THE 1ST IMAGE FROM NASA’S Understand the formation of the planetary system and
JAMES WEBB look for signs of life on exoplanets: JSWT can achieve
Context: it with much greater accuracy owing to its large mirror
The first image from NASA’s new space telescope offers and superior Infrared Spectrograph instrument
the deepest look of the cosmos ever captured.
About James Webb: Difference between JWST and Hubble Tele-
Infrared observatory that will be much more powerful scope
than the presently deployed Hubble space telescope. Features:
JSWT will observe in near-infrared light rather than 1. Orbit
light in the visible part of the spectrum (unlike Hubble) • JSWT: It will not orbit the earth but will sit at
and thus it will have a much greater capacity to see ob- Lagrange Point 2 (over millions of KMs away):
scure stars and galaxies » This will allow it to shield from the light of
Collaboration: It is a joint venture of NASA (US), ESA the Sun, Moon, and Earth and thus avoid
(Europe), and CSA (Canada) light interference
Webb was formerly known as the “Next Generation • Hubble: Orbits Low Earth Orbit (597Km)
Space Telescope” (NGST) and it was renamed in 2002
after a former NASA administrator, James Webb. 2. Light Mirror
• JSWT: Much bigger at 6.5m diameter: This al-
lows it to capture light 6 times greater than
Hubble can.
» It will be able to study Old and distant gal-
axies, which is not currently possible with
Hubble
• Hubble: At 2.4m diameter

3. Strength
• JSWT: It is 100 times more powerful than Hub-
ble is.
» It will show images from 250 million years
after Big Bang- taking us closer to the start-
ing point of the Universe
• Hubble: Shows images formed 400 million years
after the Big Bang

www.insightsonindia.com 103
4. Spectrum Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
• JSWT: Infrared- It will reveal clearer details (a) 1 and 2 only
about objects in distant places (b) 2 only
» Analogically, Hubble can see the equivalent (c) 1, 3 and 4
of “toddler galaxies” and the James Webb (d) None of the above
Telescope will be able to see “baby galax- Answer: A
ies”.
• Hubble: Mostly ultraviolet (visible) light
CENTRAL BANK DIGITAL CURREN-
Other missions to explore the universe: CY
• Hubble Space Telescope (1990): Observation in Context:
Visible and Ultra-violet RBI is in the process of implementing the CBDC in a
• Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory (CGRO): Ob- phased manner for wholesale and retail segments.
servation in Gamma Ray
• Chandra X-Ray Observatory (CXO) Benefits:
• SPHEREx’s (to be launched in 2023): It aims to • For social benefits and other targeted payments in
search for the fundamentals of life — such as wa- a country
ter and organic matter within the Milky Way • CBDCs could be used for faster cross-border remit-
• Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST, to tance payments.
be launched in 2027): It aims to study dark ener- • Inclusive development: universal access attributes
gy, explore exoplanets, and perform galactic and ex- of a CBDC could also include an offline payment
tragalactic surveys functionality, thus helping bridge the digital divide.
• Instant lending to micro, small, and medium en-
Insta Links terprises (MSMEs) in India can be possible with the
Space Technology help of CBDC.

Practice Questions:
Need for CBDC:
Q. The James Webb telescope is an exemplar of collab-
• An official digital currency would reduce the cost
orative science and human ingenuity. Discuss its signif-
of currency management while enabling real-time
icance to the scientific community. (10M)
payments without any inter-bank settlement.
• Need to reduce cost: India has a high curren-
Q. Consider the following statements: (UPSC 2018)
cy-to-GDP ratio. It adds to the cost of printing,
1. Light is affected by gravity.
transporting and storing paper currency.
2. The Universe is constantly expanding.
3. Matter warps its surrounding space-time.
Which of the above is/are the prediction/predictions About CBDC:
of Albert Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity, often A Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), or national
discussed in media? digital currency, is simply the digital form of a country’s
(a) 1 and 2 only fiat currency.
(b) 3 only • Instead of printing paper currency or minting coins,
(c) 1 and 3 only the central bank issues electronic tokens. This token
(d) 1, 2 and 3 value is backed by the full faith and credit of the
Answer: D government.
• CBDC is not comparable with private virtual cur-
Q. Which of the following is/are cited by the scientists rencies or cryptocurrencies. It will be a sover-
as evidence/evidences for the continued expansion of eign-backed digital currency.
the universe? (UPSC 2012)
1. Detection of microwaves in space Recent steps towards CBDC:
2. Observation of redshift phenomenon in space • The introduction of CBDC was announced in the
3. Movement of asteroids in space Union Budget 2022-23.
4. Occurrence of supernova explosions in space • Government amended section of the RBI Act, 1934
through the Finance Bill 2022.

104 www.insightsonindia.com
• India’s official digital currency is likely to debut by the Proposal for a Regulation on Markets in
early 2023 Crypto-assets (“MiCA”).
◦ Banning cryptocurrencies might drive crypto
Challenges in rolling out National Digital Cur- transactions underground
• Awareness: Government should make the public
rency:
aware of cryptocurrency and its threat
1. Potential cybersecurity threat.
• Allow framework for taxing the digital currency
2. Lack of digital literacy of the population.
transaction to avoid tax evasion
3. Issue with regulation, tracking investment and pur-
• Transactions: For now countries should ban retail
chase, taxing individuals, etc.
cryptocurrency transactions or be used as financial
4. Threat to Privacy: The digital currency must collect
instruments (e.g. China, Belgium) or cryptocurrency
certain basic information about an individual so
transactions between banks
that the person can prove that he’s the holder of
• NASSCOM: It says that government should work to-
that digital currency.
wards developing a risk-based framework to regu-
late and monitor cryptocurrencies and tokens.
On Cryptocurrency: • The creation of Central Bank Digital Currency
(CBDC) will be a positive step: can better control
the money supply (and volatility) and also help in
quick financial disbursal of budgeted sums based on
smart contract
• Creating a cryptocurrency ecosystem by improving
financial literacy, improving cybersecurity, and digi-
tal penetration
• Global governance through UN or Financial Stabil-
ity Boards to allow cross-border regulation and a
transparent system of digital currency

Practice Question
Q. Critically Examine the need for central bank digital
currency (CBDC) in India’s economy.
SC Garg Committee recommendations (2019):
1. Ban anybody who mines, holds, transacts or deals Q. With reference to digital payments, consider the
with cryptocurrencies in any form. following statements: (UPSC 2018)
2. It recommends a jail term of one to 10 years for 1. BHIM app allows the user to transfer money to any-
exchange or trading in digital currency. one with a UPI-enabled bank account.
3. It proposed a monetary penalty of up to three times 2. While a chip-pin debit card has four factors of au-
the loss caused to the exchequer or gains made by thentication, the BHIM app has only two factors of
the cryptocurrency user whichever is higher. authentication.
4. However, the panel said that the government Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
should keep an open mind on the potential issuance (a) 1 only
of cryptocurrencies by the Reserve Bank of India. (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
What Government should do to regulate Cryp- (d) Neither 1 nor 2
tocurrency: Answer: A
• Enact consumer protection measures like payment
guarantee, and dispute resolution. For this, Crypto- Q. A digital signature is
currency based businesses can be tested in the reg- 1. an electronic record that identifies the certifying
ulatory sandboxes e.g. RBI’s regulatory sandbox for authority issuing it
Banks 2. used to serve as a proof of identity of an individual
• Regulation of digital currency exchanges and ad- to access information or server on the Internet.
ministrators. 3. an electronic method of signing an electronic doc-
◦ 2020: the EU Commission has officially released ument and ensuring that the original content is un-

www.insightsonindia.com 105
 changed Other Such Initiatives on Ocean
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? Clean Sea Campaign
(a) 1 only • UN Environment (UNEP) launched Clean Seas
(b) 2 and 3 only (#CleanSeas) in February 2017, with the aim of
(c) 3 only engaging governments, the general public and the
(d) 1, 2 and 3 private sector in the fight against marine plastic pol-
Answer: B lution.
• It aims to ban Single-use plastics and microbeads
within Five years.
Environmental Conservation One Ocean Summit:
• The goal of the One Ocean Summit is to raise the
UN OCEAN CONFERENCE (UNOC): collective level of ambition of the international
community on marine issues.
LISBON DECLARATION • India supports the French initiative of a ”High Am-
bition Coalition on Biodiversity Beyond National
Context: Jurisdiction”.
2nd UNOC ended with Lisbon Declaration titled ‘Our ◦ The “BBNJ Treaty”, (“Treaty of the High Seas”)
Ocean, Our Future: call for action’. It was co-hosted by is an international agreement on the conserva-
Kenya and Portugal in Lisbon tion and sustainable use of marine biological
• 1st UNOC was in UN HQ (New York) in 2017 diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction,
currently under negotiation at the United Na-
Lisbon Declaration tions.
• Protecting at least 30% of national maritime zones GloLitter Partnerships Project:
by 2030 • It is launched by theInternational Maritime Orga-
• Achieving carbon neutrality by 2040 nization (IMO) and the FAO and initial funding from
• Allocating funds to research on ocean acidification, the Government of Norway. It is aimed to prevent
climate resilience and surveillance and reduce marine plastic litter from shipping and
• Scale-up Science-based and innovative actions to fisheries.
address ocean emergency Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable De-
• Support implementation of SDG14 (life below wa- velopment
ter) by empowering women and girls- recognising • The UN has proclaimed a Decade of Ocean Science
their participation is crucial to building a sustain- for Sustainable Development (2021-2030)to sup-
able ocean-based economy port efforts to reverse the cycle of decline in ocean
• Protect biodiversity in Areas Beyond National Ju- health.
risdiction, which lie outside the 200-mile (322-kilo-
metre) exclusive economic zones of countries.
• India:
◦ Will take up the Coastal clean sea cam-
paign (‘Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar’.)
◦ Ban on single-use plastics
• Controlling Marine Pollution:
• Nutrient pollution
• Untreated wastewater
• Solid waste discharges
• Hazardous substance
• Emissions from the maritime sector, including ship-
ping, shipwrecks
• Anthropogenic underwater noise Insta Links
UNESCO launched: the State of the Ocean Report TACKLING OCEAN POLLUTION
during the event.
Practice Questions:

106 www.insightsonindia.com
Q. Examine the impact of marine pollution on coasts capita plastic waste generation, while Nagaland,
and coastal ecology. Also, discuss conservation meth- Sikkim and Tripura have reported the lowest per
ods to clean coasts. (15M) capita plastic waste generation.
• Globally, 97-99% of these plastics are derived from
Q. Which one of the following statements best de- fossil fuel feedstock while the remaining 1-3% come
scribes the ‘Polar Code’? (UPSC CSE 2022) from bio (plant) based plastics
(a) It is the international code of safety for ships operat-
ing in polar waters. Recommendations:
(b) It is the agreement of the countries around the • Develop emerging technologies:g., additives can
North Pole regarding the demarcation of their territo- make plastics biodegradable polyolefins, such as
ries in the polar region. polypropylene and polyethylene
(c) It is a set of norms to be followed by the countries • Use of Bio-plastics: as a cost-effective alternative to
whose scientists undertake research studies on the plastics
North Pole and the South Pole. • Appreciate the contribution of the Informal sector
(d) It is a trade and security agreement of the member and vulnerable groups in recycling waste
countries of the Arctic Council • Use Extended Producer responsibility to minimize
Answer: A waste
• Levelling and collection of compostable and biode-
Q. With reference to the United National Convention gradable plastics
on the Law of Sea, consider the following statements: • Transparency: Disclose data on waste generation,
(UPSC CSE 2022) collection and disposal
1. A coastal state has the right to establish the breadth • Avoid greenwashing: Greenwashing is the process
of its territorial sea up to a limit not exceeding 12 of conveying misleading information about how
nautical miles, measured from a baseline deter- a company’s products are more environmentally
mined in accordance with the convention. sound
2. Ships of all states, whether coastal or land-locked,
enjoy the right of innocent passage through the ter- Best Practices:
ritorial sea. India:
3. The Exclusive Economic Zone shall not extend be- • Arunachal Pradesh: Plastic banks were established
yond 200 nautical miles from the baseline from in one district; Plastic was used in Road Construc-
which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured. tion in variable districts
Which of the statements given above are correct? • Delhi: Environmental compensation of INR
(a) 1 and 2 only 88,00,000/- levied for violation of PWM Rules
(b) 2 and 3 only • Tamil Nadu Collection efficiency of plastic waste is
(c) 1 and 3 only 92%
(d) 1, 2 and 3 • Sikkim: Usage of plastic waste in road construction
Answer: D initiated
• Uttarakhand: The use of plastic waste as fuel, RDF
NITI AAYOG REPORT ON ALTER- and waste in energy plants is proposed
• Biodegradable cutlery: Defence Research and De-
NATIVES TO PLASTICS velopment Organisation (DRDO) Lab DFRL has de-
veloped technology for biodegradable cutlery
Context: World:
A Niti Ayog report has suggested on plastic alternatives • Edible Seaweed Cups (Indonesia): Seaweed can
or technologies making plastic degradable grow up to 60 times faster than land-based plants,
making it an important carbon sink
What does the report say? • Algae-blended ethylene-vinyl acetate: A US-based
Status: firm has created algae-blended ethylene-vinyl ace-
• India produces 3.47 mn tn of plastic waste/year, tate transforming air and water pollution (ammo-
out of which 60% is collected for recycling. nia, phosphates, and carbon dioxide) into plant bio-
• Goa, Delhi & Kerala have reported the highest per mass rich in proteins

www.insightsonindia.com 107
• Zero plastic recycled paper bottle: A UK firm has in-
vented the only commercially available zero plastic
recycled paper bottle in the world
• Wood-based paper packaging: In 2020, a Scot-
land-based paper manufacturing company devel-
oped a sustainable wood-based alternative to plas-
tic packaging
• Biotransformation process: A UK-based company
has developed an additive which, when added to
the masterbatch of polyolefins, i.e., PE and PP, on-
sets the degradation

Types of Environmentally friendly plastics

• Bio-plastics encompass many materials that are ei-
ther bio-sourced or biodegradable or both and are
made from renewable biomass resources, most of-
ten corn starch/ sugarcane/ cassava – which might
be either biodegradable or not.
• Biodegradable plastic means that plastics, other
than compostable plastics, which undergo com-
plete degradation by biological processes under Single-Use Plastic
ambient environmental (terrestrial or in water) con- Single-use plastic banned from July 1:
ditions, in specified time periods, without leaving • The Centre defines it as an object made of plastic
any microplastics, or visible, distinguishable or toxic that is intended to be used “only once” before be-
residue, which has adverse environmental impacts, ing disposed off or recycled.
adhering to laid down standards of BIS and certified • A list of 21 items that come under the definition
by CPCB. of single use plastic including earbuds with plas-
• Compostable plastics: Plastics that undergo deg- tic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags,
radation by biological processes during compost- candy sticks, icecream sticks, thermocol for deco-
ing to yield CO2, water, inorganic compounds and ration, plates, cups, glasses, cutlery such as forks,
biomass, and do not leave toxic residue. These can spoons,knives, straw, trays, wrapping or packaging
be plant-based, but can also be petroleum-based as films around sweet boxes, invitation cards and cig-
well. arette packets, plastic or PVC banners less than 100
◦ BASF’s Ecoflex is an excellent example of a microns, stirrers.
compostable polymer, which is partly petro- • These objects were listed by the Environment Min-
leum-based but is compostable at industrial istry under the Plastic Waste Management Amend-
compost facilities. ment Rules, 2021.
• Oxo-degradable: Plastics are conventional plastics • Single use plastic items such as these had “low util-
such as PE, which include an additive to help them ity and high littering potential.
break down into smaller fragments, which could • Plastic Packaging waste, a major contributor to the
lead to microplastic leakage in the environment. much larger problem of plastic waste pollution, isn’t
yet covered under the phaseout of single use plas-
tic items.
• Mineral water bottles or plastic bottles of aerated
drinks are unaffected by the ban, though, in popu-
lar imagination, they are representative of ‘plastic
pollution.’

Insta Links
For more on SUP: Single-Use Plastics
PLASTIC IN BLOOD

108 www.insightsonindia.com
Practice Question Status of forest restoration:
Q. Enumerate the steps taken by India to tackle plastic • According to the International Union for Conser-
pollution in the country. Do you think a legally bind- vation of Nature (IUCN), deforestation and for-
ing global treaty on plastics and plastic pollution is the est degradation contribute around 12% of global
way forward? Critically examine. (250 words) greenhouse gas emissions.
• 30% of forestland is degraded in India. The total
Q. Critically analyze Plastic Waste Management area occupied by primary forests in India has de-
Amendment Rules. 2021. Discuss how the Plastic creased by 3.6%.
Waste Management Amendment Rules will be imple- • Nearly two billion hectares of degraded land in the
mented? world (and 140 million hectares in India) have scope
for potential restoration as forest land.
Q. Which one of the following has been constituted
under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986? (UPSC What should be done:
CSE 2022) • ‘Forest landscape restoration’: Forest landscape
(a) Central Water Commission restoration is the process of regaining ecological
(b) Central Ground Water Board functionality and improving human welfare across
(c) Central Ground Water Authority deforested or degraded forest landscapes.
(d) National Water Development Agency ◦ It seeks to involve- communities, champions,
Ans: (c) government, vulnerable forest-dependent peo-
ple and landowners in the process of designing
Q. In India, ‘extended producer responsibility’ was in- and executing mutually advantageous interven-
troduced as an important feature in which of the fol- tions for the up-gradation of landscapes.
lowing? (UPSC CSE 2019) ◦ According to academics from the World Re-
sources Institute, forest ecosystems enrich soil
(a) The Bio-medical Waste (Management and Handling) fertility and water availability, enhancing agri-
Rules, 1998 cultural productivity, and in turn the rural econ-
(b) The Recycled Plastic (Manufacturing and Usage) omy.
Rules, 1999 • Ensure the diversity of the species while planting
(c) The E-Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, trees: Natural forests with diverse native tree spe-
2011 cies are more efficient in sequestering carbon than
(d) The Food Safety and Standard Regulations, 2011 monoculture tree plantations.
Answer: C ◦ Case study: In Punjab, the community is proac-
tively planting native species such as Jhand, Desi
FOREST LANDSCAPE RESTO- Kikar and Pharwan, which are resilient and ac-
climatised. And most of these saplings have a
RATION high survival rate of 90%, a vital requirement
for sustainable reforestation activities.
Context: • Promote Sustainable forest crops (agroforestry): It
Ministry Of Environment, Forest And Climate Change reduces food insecurity and empowers women, al-
To Organize Hariyali Mahotsav. The article is important lowing them to gain access to more nutritional diets
from Mains perspective. and new income streams.
• Hariyali Mahotsav: The Mahotsav is being orga- ◦ Agroforestry lessens rural-to-urban migration
nized to create awareness about the importance of and contributes to an increase in resources and
trees and green cover to protect our environment household income.
against air pollution and global warming. ◦ Planting trees is deeply linked to the ‘wholistic’
• Van Mahotsav: (“celebrate the forest”):. The his- well-being of all individuals, the community,
tory of Van Mahotsav Day goes back to July 1947, and the planet.
when it was first organised by the Punjabi botanist,
M.S. Randhawa. It is a pan-India tree planting festi-
val celebrated in July every year.

www.insightsonindia.com 109
Programmes ests.
3. It is a legally binding international declaration.
4. It is endorsed by governments, big companies and
International:
indigenous communities.
• The span 2021-2030 is the UN Decade on Ecosys-
5. India was one of the signatories at its inception.
tem Restoration, emphasising efforts to restore de-
Select the Correct answer using the code given below.
graded terrestrial ecosystems including forests.
(a) 1,2 and 4
• Bonn Challenge (2011): It was launched with a glob-
(b) 1,3 and 5
al goal to restore 150 million hectares of degraded
(c) 3 and 4
and deforested landscapes by 2020 and 350 million
(d) 2 and 5
hectares by 2030.
Answer: A
◦ India joined the Bonn Challenge in 2015, pledg-
ing to restore 26 million hectares of degraded
Q. Which of the following best describes/describe the
and deforested land by 2030. An additional car-
aim of ‘Green India Mission’ of the Government of In-
bon sink of 2.5 billion-3 billion tonnes of carbon
dia?
dioxide equivalent through forest and tree cov-
1. Incorporating environmental benefits and costs into
er is to be created by 2030.
the Union and State Budgets thereby implementing
the ‘green accounting’
India: 2. Launching the second green revolution to enhance
• Programmes include: Compensatory Afforestation, agricultural output so as to ensure food security for
the National Afforestation Programme, the National one and all in the future
Mission for a Green India (Green India Mission), the 3. Restoring and enhancing forest cover and respond-
Nagar Van scheme and the Forest Fire Prevention ing to climate change by a combination of adapta-
and Management Scheme, etc. tion and mitigation measures
• Green Skill Development Programme for youth Select the correct answer using the code given below.
who aspire to attain employment in the environ- (a) 1 only
ment and forest sectors. (b) 2 and 3 only
• State governments: Telangana has initiated a large- (c) 3 only
scale tree planting programme called ‘Telanganaku (d) 1, 2 and 3
Haritha Haram’ using drones. Answer: C

Issues: Forest restoration in India faces hurdles in terms

of the identification of areas for restoration, a lack of IPBES ASSESSMENT REPORT ON
importance accorded to research and scientific strate- WILD SPECIES
gies in tree planting, stakeholders’ conflicts of interest,
and financing.
Context:
Intergovernmental Science-policy platform on Biodiver-
Insta Links
sity and Ecosystem Service (IPBES) released its report
The baton of forest restoration in the net-zero race
on the sustainable use of wild species of plants, ani-
mals, fungi and algae around the world.
Practice Questions:
Q. Forest restoration is one of the key elements of cli-
mate mitigation strategies. In this context, examine Findings of the Report:
the measures taken in restoring the degraded forest
landscape in India. (250 words) Global:
• Impact on the biodiversity and wild species eco-
Q. With reference to the ‘New York Declaration on For- system: Major impact is through Climate change,
ests’. Which of the following statements are correct? landscape and seascape changes, pollution and in-
(UPSC 2021) vasive alien species impact
1. It was first endorsed at the United Nations Climate • Unsustainable exploitation:
Summit in 2014. ◦ It is the main threat to wild species in marine
2. It endorses a global timeline to end the loss of for- ecosystems and the second greatest threat to

110 www.insightsonindia.com
 those in terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems.
◦ Unsustainable hunting is the main threat to
wild mammal species.
◦ Unsustainable logging and gathering are one
of the main threats for several plant groups, no-
tably cacti, cycads, and orchids as well as other
plants and fungi harvested for medicinal pur-
poses.
• On livelihood: Small-scale fisheries support
over 90% of the 120 million people and about half
of the people involved in small-scale fisheries are
women.
◦ The report finds that 34% of marine wildlife is
overfished.
◦ 50,000 wild species globally can meet the needs
of billions of people.
◦ 70 per cent of the world’s poor population was
directly dependent on wild species.
• On indigenous people: Sustainable use of wild spe-
cies is central to its identity, existence and livelihood
Insta Links
Recommendations: ‘United for Biodiversity’
• Empower indigenous communities: The report not-
ed that indigenous people and local communities Practice Questions
used local knowledge, practices and spirituality for Q. How does biodiversity vary in India? How is the Bi-
the sustainable use of wild species. They respected ological Diversity Act, 2002 helpful in the conservation
nature and only took what they needed. of flora and fauna? (10M) (UPSC 2018)
• Robust fisheries management:g. The Atlantic blue-
fin tuna population has been rebuilt and is now Q. Do you agree that the benefits of biodiversity far
fished within sustainable levels exceed the costs of current levels of biodiversity pro-
• Effective regulations: Without them, unsustainable tection? Explain the impacts of biodiversity on the
use and trade would increase, leading to population economic activities of a country. (250 words)
collapse.
• Sustainable use of wild species can meet the needs Q. With reference to India’s biodiversity, Ceylon frog-
of billions mouth, Coppersmith Barbet, Gray-chinned minivet
• Other measures needed to save wild species: inte- and White-throated redstart are (UPSC 2020)
gration of diverse value systems, equitable distribu- (a) Birds
tion of costs and benefits, changes in cultural norms (b) Primates
and social values and effective institutions and gov- (c) Reptiles
ernance systems would facilitate the sustainable (d) Amphibians
use of wild species in future. Answer: A

What is IPBES? Q. With reference to an initiative called “The Econom-

It is an independent intergovernmental ics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB)” which of
body, established by member States in 2012, with the the following statements is/are correct? (UPSC 2016)
objective to strengthen the research, evidence-based 1. It is an initiative hosted by UNEP, IMF and World
policy making for the conservation and sustainable use Economic Forum.
of biodiversity. 2. It is a global initiative that focuses on drawing atten-
The work of IPBES works include: – Assessments, Poli- tion to the economic benefits of biodiversity.
cy Support, Building Capacity & Knowledge 3. It presents an approach that can help decision-mak-
Secretariat: Bonn, Germany. ers recognize, demonstrate and capture the value
of ecosystems and biodiversity.

www.insightsonindia.com 111
Select the correct answer using the code given below. Changes made:
(a) 1 and 2 only The latest version of the rules, which consolidates
(b) 3 only changes to the Act over the years from various amend-
(c) 2 and 3 only ments and court rulings, was made public in June 2022.
(d) 1, 2 and 3 • Allows Private plantations: The rules make a provi-
Answer: C sion for private parties to cultivate plantations and
sell them as land to companies who need to meet
FOREST CONSERVATION RULES compensatory forestation targets.
• No mention of tribals and forest-dwelling commu-
nities whose land would be hived off for develop-
Context: mental work.
Recent changes in Forest Conservation Rules (FCA) 1980
◦ Prior to the updated rules, state bodies would
forward documents to the FAC that would also
What are the Forest Conservation Rules? include information on the status of whether
The Forest Conservation Rules deal with the imple- the forest rights of locals in the area were set-
mentation of the Forest Conservation Act (FCA), 1980. tled.
They prescribe the procedure to be followed for forest • No consent of Gram Sabha needed: The new rules
land to be diverted for non-forestry uses such as road that a project, once approved by the FAC, will then
construction, highway development, railway lines, and be passed on to the State authorities who will col-
mining. lect the compensatory fund and land, and process it
for final approval.
Aim of FCA: ◦ Previously consent of gram sabha, or the gov-
The broad aims of the Forest Conservation Act are erning body in villages in the area, was required
• To protect forests and wildlife to give written consent to the diversion of the
• Dissuade State governments’ attempts to divert for- forest.
est land for commercial projects • Defined forest land: Those deemed forests listed
• Increase the area under forests. by state governments up to 1996. Land which be-
longed to Railways or other ministries and on which
Rules : forest has come up will no longer be considered for-
• States to ask central government permission: For ests.
forest land beyond five hectares, approval for di- • No approval is needed for Strategic Projects: e.g.
verting land must be given by the Central govern- strategic and security projects of national impor-
ment. This is via a specially constituted committee, tance
called the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC). • Allows building in Forests: Right to construct struc-
• It scrutinises the project and ensures that- the fell- tures for bonafide purposes including forest protec-
ing of trees and denuding of the local landscape — tion measures and residential units (up to an area of
will be minimal and the said piece of land doesn’t 250 sq meters as one-time relaxation).
cause damage to wildlife habitat.
• States to ensure rights under FRA 2006: Once the What is the government’s position?
FAC is convinced and approves (or rejects a pro- • Streamline the approval process: The new rule will
posal), it is forwarded to the concerned State gov- streamline the process and allow forestation in oth-
ernment where the land is located, which then has er forest deficient states.
to ensure that provisions of the Forest Right Act, • Complying with FRA can be taken by states: Fulfill-
2006, a separate Act that protects the rights of for- ing and complying with the FRA, 2006 was an inde-
est dwellers and tribals over their land, are com- pendent process and could be undertaken by States
plied with. “at any stage” of the forest clearance process.
• Compensation: The FAC approval also means that
the future users of the land must provide compen- How well has the Forest Conservation Act
satory land for afforestation as well as pay the net
(FCA) been implemented so far?
present value (ranging between ₹10-15 lakh per
• Poor implementation: A 2019 analysis by the Legal
hectare.)
Initiative for Forests and Environment has found

112 www.insightsonindia.com
 that the FAC generally approves land for diversion AMENDMENT OF EIA RULES
without examining questions around consent as it
relies on the State government to ensure that this
Context:
is done.
The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate
Concern: The rules allowed forest land to be diverted to
Change has notified amendment to the Environment
industry without settling questions about the rights of
Impact Assessment (EIA) Rules
forest dwellers and tribals who resided on those lands.

Insta Links Changes notified:

Draft amendment to Forest Conservation Act: • Exempted highway projects of strategic and de-
fence importance: Any project which is 100 km
Practice Questions: from the Line of Control, among other locations,
Q. Any amendment to the Forest Conservation Act, will be exempted from an environmental clearance
1980, must be guided by proper and intensive con- before construction.
sultation with stakeholders, with constitutionally and ◦ Impact: It will do away with the need for green
legally bound procedures and limitations. Discuss. clearance for the construction of the contro-
(250M) versial Char Dham project, ( connectivity to
Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri, and Gangotri
Q. Consider the following statements: (UPSC 2011) shrines)
1. 36% of India’s districts are classified as “overex- • Exemption to the thermal power plant: Thermal
ploited” or critical” by the Central Ground Water power plants up to 15 MW based on biomass or
Authority (CGWA). non-hazardous municipal solid waste using auxiliary
2. CGWAwas formed under the Environment (Protec- fuel such as coal, lignite or petroleum products up
tion) Act. to 15 per cent have also been exempted.
3. India has the largest area under groundwater irriga- • Ports which exclusively deal in fish handling, and
tion in the world. cater to small fishermen, will be exempted from en-
vironmental clearance.
• Other projects exempted are Toll plazas that need
Which of the statements given above is/are more width for the installation of toll collection
correct? booths, and expansion activities in existing airports
(a) 1 only without an increase in the airport’s existing area.
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 2 only
(d) 1 and 3 only
Answer: B

Q. With reference to India, consider the following Cen-

tral Acts (UPSC 2011)
1. Import and Export (Control) Act, 1947
2. Mining and Mineral Development (Regulation) Act,
1957
3. Customs Act, 1962
4. Indian Forest Act, 1927
Which of the above Acts have relevance to/bearing on
the biodiversity conservation in the country?
(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 2, 3 and 4 only
(c) 1, 2, 3 and 4
(d) None of the above Acts
Answer: C

www.insightsonindia.com 113
Significance of EIA for Developmental Projects duce bureaucratic delays. But it is a violation
in India: of the fundamental principles of environmental
• Make all the stakeholders aware of the environ- jurisprudence and is contrary to both the pre-
mental and socio-economic impact of the project cautionary principle as well as the need for sus-
• Facilitates a basis for policy decisions: EIA provides tainable development.
the impact assessment well before the project is im- • An extended period of Environmental clearance:
plemented. From 30years to 50 years
• Helps to eliminate or minimize the adverse impact ◦ However, it raises the risk of irreversible envi-
of developmental projects ronmental, health, and social consequence.
• EIA encourages the adaptation of mitigation strat- • Baseline data: No need to cover all the seasons in
egies in the developmental plan a year.
• Protects the biodiversity of the environment by sug- ◦ This may make EIA less reliable and not reveal
gesting alternative safe project designs and meth- the full impact of EIA
ods. • Compliance Report Issues: reduced from once ev-
• Simplifies the technical issues: EIA produces an en- ery six months to once every year.
vironmental management plan and summary for ◦ This will dilute the scrutiny and it may be late
the non-tech general public. before any mitigation measures could be taken
• To record and rate the impact levels on the envi- for highlighted project impact.
ronment by proposed projects.
Related News:
EIA notification 2020 and its impact: Karnataka government has opposed the draft notifi-
cation of Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) in western
EIA needs to provide the balance between ‘ease of Ghats.
doing businesses and maintaining environmental sus- • ESA in the Western Ghats was proposed by Madhav
tainability. In this context, an Independent EIA Author- Gadgil and Kasturirangan Report.
ity can be set up for fair and objective decisions. Also, • Karnataka has only 20% forest cover (against a na-
a centralized data bank for storing information and tional target of 33%)
providing access to local communities and the general
public to all the aspects of projects. Insta Links
EIA
Environment Impact Assement
• Public Consultation: Reduced to max 40 days and Practice Questions
only 20 days (from 30days) for submitting a re- Q. Environmental Impact Assessment studies are in-
sponse creasingly undertaken before a project is cleared by
◦ This will help speed up the process of EIA. How- the Government. Discuss the environmental impacts
ever, it may give very little time for Tribal and of coal-fired thermal plants located at coal pitheads.
forest dwellers who are not aware of technical ( UPSC 2014)
details or have means to access it.
• More Discretionary power for Government: Power HUMAN-ANIMAL CONFLICT
to declare ‘economically sensitive areas’ without a
public hearing as well as give any project ‘strategic
tag’ (so no EIA obligation)
Context:
The article gives a few data points on Human-Animal
◦ This is important for the clearance of strategic
Conflict. No need to remember, just notice the trend,
projects related to defence and national securi-
and reasons for such conflicts and note down unique
ty as well as projects deemed too important for
solutions and case studies in your notes.
the nation.
◦ However, there is fear of misuse of this clause
Status:
for political or economic reasons to circumvent
• Elephant: Between 2018-19 and 2020-21, 222 el-
EIA
ephants were killed by electrocution across the
• Post-Facto-project clearance:
country, 45 by trains, 29 by poachers and 11 by poi-
• This will enable ease of doing business and re-
soning.

114 www.insightsonindia.com
• Tigers: Among tigers, too, 29 were killed by poach- imal conflict, including dissemination of infor-
ing between 2019 and 2021, while 197 tiger deaths mation through various forms of media.
are under scrutiny. ◦ It is necessary to include positive interactions,
• Human casualties: Elephants killed 1,579 humans coexistence, and attitudes of tolerance toward
in three years — 585 in 2019-20 (most in Odisha) wildlife.
and Tigers killed 125 humans (2019- 2021)- most in • Skill-development programs for people living in
Maharastra. and around the forest would offer them better op-
portunities for self-employment and consequently
reduce the combined pressures on agricultural land
Definition: as well as forest land.
Human-wildlife conflict refers to the interaction be- • Specific targets for coexistence must be key ele-
tween wild animals and people and the resultant neg- ments within the Global Biodiversity Framework of
ative impact on people or their resources or wild ani- the CBD.
mals or their habitat. It occurs when growing human/ ◦ Global leaders such as those at the CoP work
animal populations overlap with established wildlife/ hand-in-hand with local communities and oth-
human territory, creating a reduction of resources or er stakeholders across Asia and the world to se-
life for some people and/or wild animals. cure a future in which Wildlife and people live
in harmony.
Reasons for the conflict: • Implementing Wildlife Institute of India Guidelines
Main causes of human-wildlife conflict include habitat “Eco-Friendly Measures to Mitigate Impacts of lin-
loss, growth of the population of wild animals, chang- ear infrastructure on Wildlife”
ing cropping patterns that attract wild animals to farm- ◦ These guidelines suggest modification in the
lands, movement of wild animals from forests area to designs of the linear infrastructures by way of
human-dominated landscapes for food and fodder, providing an eco-friendly structure that will en-
movement of human beings to forests for illegal collec- sure the safe movement of wildlife across these
tion of forest produce, habitat degradation due to the linear infrastructures.
growth of invasive alien species, etc.
Insta Links
Human-Animal Conflict
Suggestions and Way forward
• A Future For All Report 2021 report jointly published
Practice Questions
by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and United
Q. Conflict between people and animals is one of the
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) was ti-
main threats to the continued survival of many spe-
tled: A future for all - the need for human-wildlife
cies. Analyse the causes behind rising cases of man-an-
co-existence.
imal conflict. (15M)
◦ The report suggests an approach of coexistence
between humans and wildlife, and involvement
of local communities, as it is not possible to TERI ROADMAP FOR ACHIEVING
wholly suppress human-wildlife conflict.
Case study: – Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conser-
INDIA’S DECARBONIZATION TAR-
vation Area in Southern Africa; the local communities GETS
installed fixed and mobile lion-proof corrals for night- Context:
time protection in risk-prone areas, which led to a 95% TERI has released a roadmap for feasible pathways to
reduction in livestock killings in 2016, and there were achieve India’s decarbonization targets.
zero retaliatory killings of lions in 2016 (compared to 17
killed in 2012 and 2013). Direction:
Go through the points. Note down 1-2 unique points.
• Community Participation: The full participation of No need to go into details or overthink such reports.
local communities can help reduce HWC and lead to India’s COP commitments (Fig.)
coexistence between humans and wildlife.
◦ Periodic awareness campaigns to sensitize
guide and advise the general public on man-an-

www.insightsonindia.com 115
 on a real-time basis with separate tariffs.

About TERI
• The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) is an in-
dependent, multi-dimensional research organiza-
tion with capabilities in policy research, technology
development, and implementation.

Insta Links
Energy Transition and Challenges
Status of Renewables in India
Mains Link
Q. Examine the constraints for India in its transition to-
wards a clean energy system. Also, suggest measures
to overcome them. (15M)

WHAT NUMBERS DO NOT REVEAL

ABOUT TIGER CONSERVATION
Context:
Today is International Tiger Day. A recent IUCN assess-
ment suggests that tiger numbers have increased by
Key recommendations: 40% since 2005 at the global level.
• Increase in Share of decentralized solar power by
introducing feed-in-tariff attractive enough for pri- Direction:
vate investment and approved by the State Electric- Tiger conservation is important for both prelims and
ity Regulatory Commission Mains. Do keep certain data, and some measures handy.
• State leadership in the development of pumped The fourth cycle of the All India Tiger Estimation 2018
storage plants, and feed-in-tariff for solar genera- estimated 2,967 tigers or 75 per cent of the global ti-
tion. ger population in the nation (the biggest increase since
◦ The implementation of feed-in-tariff in the kilo 2006)
Watt range would increase farmer incomes, cre-
ate jobs and improve the quality of power sup-
ply in rural areas.
• New Energy storage solutions: While India has the
right policy regime in place, we need to adopt new
energy storage solutions and technologies which
bring stability and flexibility to the grid.
• Introducing requisite flexibility into the power sys-
tem to integrate wind and solar power generation.
• Emphasis on India growing into a cost-effective and
competitive manufacturing hub for renewable en-
ergy.
• Extension of PLI (Production Linked Incentive
scheme) to cover the full spectrum of renewable
energy equipment production, solar panels, mirrors
and sensors for solar thermal, batteries for grid use,
and hydrogen.
• DISCOMs need to give Commercial and Industrial
consumers the choice to buy carbon-free electricity

116 www.insightsonindia.com
Recent Measures taken by India for conserva- • Online database of tiger crime
tion of Tigers:- • Modern protocol for field monitoring:
• Increased Monetary Allocation: In 2019, India in- ◦ M-STrIPES (Monitoring system for tigers - inten-
vested US$49.4 million in tiger conservation, includ- sive protection and ecological status) using GPS
ing relocating villages outside protected areas. to geotag photo-evidences and survey informa-
• Water and fodder scheme: within the reserve so tion, made this exercise more accurate.
that fewer animals stray out of these reserves and ◦ CaTRAT (Camera Trap data Repository and Anal-
minimize animal-human conflict ysis Tool) for automated segregation of camera
• Increased Conservation efforts: From 28 in 2006, trap photographs to species.
the number of tiger reserves went up to 50 in 2018,
spread across 18 states. International:-
◦ Recognition of tiger landscapes and the impor- • India has decided to extend CA|TS across all its ti-
tance of the corridors and their physical delin- ger reserves: as nearly 30 per cent of India’s tigers
eation at the highest levels of governance are outside tiger reserves
◦ Integrating tiger conservation with develop- ◦ This brings India’s total number of registered
mental activities using the power of reliable in- sites to 94 (including sites outside the Tiger Re-
formation in a Geographic Information System serves).
database. • Global Tiger Initiative (GTI) program of the World
• Smart patrolling and increased vigilance: Orga- Bank
nized poaching rackets have been all but crushed. • Global Tiger Forum engagement along with part-
As per Tiger estimation reports, there has been no ners in areas of Conservation Assured Tiger Stan-
organized poaching by traditional gangs in Central dards (CA|TS), Security Audit of Tiger Reserves,
Indian landscapes since 2013. Management Planning etc.
• Improved Conditions for breeding: Tigers are fast
breeders when conditions are conducive and in- Conservation efforts have yielded positive re-
creased protection has encouraged the tiger to sults:
breed. Fourth tiger census report, Status of Tigers, Co-preda-
• Rehabilitation of villages: Villages were shifted out- tors, Prey and their Habitat, 2018 shows:
side core areas in many parts of the country which • The number of wild tigers in the country had dou-
led to the availability of more inviolate space for ti- bled from 1,411 in 2006 to 2,967 today — meaning
gers. that India has already met the St Petersburg target
• Accurate estimation exercise: Better estimation of doubling the tiger number by 2022.
over the years made it possible that many tigers • Madhya Pradesh (526) has the maximum number
that eluded enumerators in earlier exercises were of tigers followed by Karnataka (524) and Uttara-
counted this time. khand (442).
• India has built the world’s largest animal underpass • Largest contiguous tiger population in the world of
to funnel tigers safely beneath a highway. about 724 tigers was found in the Western Ghats
◦ Finished in 2018, the NH44 has 9 specially built (Nagarhole-Bandipur Wayanad -Mudumalai- Sa-
underpasses, ranging in length from 50 to 750 tyamangalamBRT block)- This is due to the highest
meters, designed to allow animals to pass be- prey densities of predators like the striped hyena,
neath the roads. the Indian wild dog, jackals and wolves in the area.
• Guinness World Records recognized the country’s
Technological Measures:- efforts as the world’s largest camera trap survey of
• Lidar-based survey technology is being used to deal wildlife.
with the challenge of human-animal conflict that
was causing the death of animals. Issues with the Indian approach:-
◦ Lidar is a method of measuring distance by illu- • Large-scale habitat destruction and decimation of
minating the target with laser light and measur- prey populations are the major long-term threats to
ing the reflection with a sensor. the existence of the dwindling tiger population in
• Aerial surveillance, Economic Valuation of Tiger the country.
Reserves. • Man-animal conflict: As per government data, in

www.insightsonindia.com 117
 2019, 58 people lost their lives to human-wildlife Insta links
conflict and 181 were injured Tiger density in India
• Three tiger reserves in India: Mizoram’s Dampa re-
serve, West Bengal’s Buxa reserve and Jharkhand’s Mains Link
Palamau reserve have no tigers left. Q. Evaluate the various measures initiated towards ti-
• Increasing fragmentation: The tiger reserves are ger conservation and protection in India which have
having poor interconnectivity with each other due resulted in a steady increase in the population of ti-
to which the gene exchange among the tiger pop- gers. What are the key learnings from these measures
ulation can barely take place, increasing the risk of toward conservation efforts of other species? (15M)
disease susceptibility.
• Smaller population leads to higher chances of Prelims Link
extinction: Populations that are smaller than 100
breeding individuals have a high probability of ex- Q. Among the following Tiger Reserves, which one has
tinction. the largest area under “Critical Tiger Habitat”?
◦ Small and isolated populations face a high prob- (a) Corbett
ability of extinction. This is because there is a (b) Ranthambore
high chance of inbreeding that will expose dis- (c) Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam
advantageous genetic variants that are present (d) Sunderbans
in all genomes. ( as happened in Thailand a few Answer: C
years back)
Q.Which of the following Protected Areas are located
Way forward:- in the Cauvery basin?
• Tiger must be secured at three basic levels: field Nagarhole National Park
formation, national and international. Though a Papikonda National Part
sovereign issue, international engagements be- Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve
tween border countries are important for evolving Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary
a common portfolio to address the threat of traf- Select the correct answer using the code given below:
ficking. (a) 1 and 2 only
• The Key Performance Indicators of the ongoing (b) 3 and 4 only
Global Tiger Recovery Program need adequate (c) 1, 3 and 4 only
resources and more commitment. Donors with a (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
green mission need to support regional projects for Answer: C
reducing the threat of trafficking and addressing the
resource dependency of locals through gainful port- Q. Which of the following are in Agasthyamala Bio-
folios. sphere Reserve?
• A citizen’s charter is needed for green development (a) Neyyar, ldl Peppara and Shendurney Wildlife Sanctu-
within sustainable tiger landscapes. aries; and Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve
• Increase Connectivity using tiger corridors: Tiger (b) Mudumalai, Sathyamangalam and Wayanad Wildlife
extinction could be avoided if tiger corridors were Sanctuaries; and Silent Valley National Park
safeguarded. For instance, having an underpass will (c) Kaundinya, Gundla Brahmeswaram and Papikonda
allow wildlife movement and connectivity. Wildlife Sanctuaries; and Mukurthi National Park
(d) Kawal and Sri Venkateswara Wildlife Sanctuaries;
Conclusion and Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve
The tiger is a unique animal which plays a pivotal role Answer: A
in the health and diversity of an ecosystem. Howev-
er, there is a need for further community involvement
through tiger reserve that is not built with fences and
armed patrol guards, but around a cultural model of
conservation i.e. including local tribes like Idu Mishmi
in Arunachal Pradesh, who consider Tigers as their el-
der brother and sacred.

118 www.insightsonindia.com
Disaster and disaster management. Key outcomes of Bali Agenda for Resilience are:
Human rights-based approach and holistic
whole-of-society approach to diaster risk reduction
RISK-REDUCTION STRATEGIES US- (DRR)
ING TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE DRR at centre of policies and finance for government
GP2022: It is a platform to assess the implementation
Context: of Sendai Framework on DRR (2015-2030)
Indigenous peoples’ understanding of disaster risk uses
an enormous dataset – traditional knowledge and folk- Sasakawa Award for Disaster Risk Reduction: It hon-
lore reaching back many generations. It was highlighted ours practices and efforts made by institutions, individ-
in the recently concluded Global Platform For Disaster uals and groups that have best contributed to building
Risk Reduction 2022 (GP2022) in Bali. resilience through a multi-hazard approach.
• It focuses on the promotion of inclusive and resil-
These indigenous practices have used traditional ient approaches in disaster risk reduction.
knowledge, alongside modern techniques, to help One of the three awardee this year is Rajib Shaw (Pro-
manage disaster risk: fessor at a university in Japan): He has championed
• Cultural burning (Ancient Australian technique to multi-hazard community-based disaster risk reduction
reduce bushfire): Controlled fires in small areas in six Asian countries, and his work has led to the es-
burn, reducing undergrowth and dead wood while tablishment of village-level community-based working
preserving larger trees and allowing wildlife to es- groups.
cape
• Natural flood management (age-old traditional
forecasting and flood-prevention methods to limit
the risks of seasonal flooding in Nepal and the Ti-
betan Plateau):
◦ These include planting flood-resistant crops
and digging drainage ditches and moats.  
◦ Community-based early warning systems us-
ing environmental indicators: Observations
of changes in cloud shapes, rainfall patterns,
fauna activity, wind velocity, star positions and
temperatures help anticipate floods and trigger
preparations to minimize their impacts.   Insta Links
◦ Traditional remedies after flooding – like using United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction
green coconut milk to treat diarrhoea, cholera (UNISDR)
and dysentery – help with recovery, alongside
any modern medical treatments that might be Practice Question:
available. Q. Discuss the need for Disaster risk reduction in India.
• Safe areas (In Sulawesi, Indonesia, the Kailli com- What are the challenges involved and explain the global
munities have passed on historical knowledge of efforts in this direction? (250 words)
natural hazards): Folksongs recount past experi-
ences of disasters and pass on lessons learnt from
predecessors about a range of hazards and their Challenges to internal security.
causes: tsunamis, earthquakes, and ground lique-
faction resulting from earthquakes. LEFT-WING EXTREMISM (LWE)
◦ The villages include safe areas, known as ‘Kinta’,
which have always been used as refuges during VIOLENCE CAME DOWN
seismic events.
Context:
Global Platform For Disaster Risk Reduction 2022 Government informed that steadfast implementation of
(GP2022) the national policy and action plan to address left-wing
7 session recently concluded in Bali, Indonesia.
th
extremism has led to a 77% fall in the LWE violence from

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2258 incidents in 2009 to 509 incidents in 2021. government from short-term policy to long-term
policy formulated at different levels.
Other data given by the government: • Aspirational District: Collaborative, bottom-up
• Fatalities among civilians and security forces de- convergence-based developmental approach in 35
clined by 85% (between 2010 to 2021) LWE-affected districts.
• Geographical spread of Maoists’ influence was • Special Infrastructure Scheme (SIS) to construct
shrinking- the district most affected by LWE came fortified police stations.
down to 25 (2021) from 30 (2018) • Road Connectivity Project- for the construction of
• Number of districts covered under the se- 5,412 km of roads.
curity reimbursement expenditure scheme • Installation of Mobile Towers- for endless telecom
came down to 70 (2021) from 90 (2018) connectivity.
• Financial inclusion- for ensuring the presence of
Left-wing extremism (LWE) is a form of armed insur- banking facilities within 5 km to all citizens residing
gency against the State motivated by leftist ideologies. in LWE-affected areas.
• Chhattisgarh proposed an action plan to make the
Causes of Naxalism in India Baster region free of Maoism/Naxalism by giving
grants to make cold storage chains for arranging
Governance deficit
the processing and sale of minor forest produce,
• Incompetent, ill-trained and poorly motivated pub-
forest medicines and several types of horticultural
lic personnel
crops in the forest areas, building a steel plant in
• Mismanagement and corruption
the area etc.
• Poor implementation of laws and schemes
Development deficit
• Unemployment Government approach to commerce, educa-
• Poverty tion, health and environment
• Infrastructure deficit • Van Bandhu Kalyan Yojana for holistic development
• Lack of education of the tribal people by targeting their education,
• Poor Health facilities employment, trade of minor forest produce,
• Low trade/marketing healthcare, infrastructure and connectivity.
Social exclusion • Civic Action Plan: Each CRPF company is given Rs.3
• Violation of human rights lakh for holding medical camps, sanitation drives,
• Abuse of dignity of life Disconnect with mainstream sports meets, distribution of study material to
society children, minor repairs of school buildings, roads,
• Discontent against government and bridges to build confidence among the locals.
• Union Government is organizing extensive training
Jal-Jangal-Jameen/Exploitative Deficit (Envi-
and capacity-building programs for the state ser-
ronmental) vice officials for the implementation of the Forest
• Evasion of land ceiling laws Rights Act and PESA Act.
• Encroachment and occupation of Government and • Skill Development- for construction of 47 ITIs (01
Community Lands ITI per district) and 68 Skill Development Centers
• Disruption of the age-old tribal-forest relationship (02 SDCs per district) by 2018-19.  
◦ Roshani Scheme– Skill development program
The D Bandopadhyay Committee had in 2006 identi- for the Tribal population by the Rural Develop-
fied the socio-political, economic and cultural discrimi- ment ministry.
nation against the Scheduled castes and tribes and the • Education Initiatives- for building new Kendriya
lack of their empowerment as the reason for the spread Vidyalayas (KVs) & Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas
of Naxalism. (JNVs) where they are not present. It is also planned
to open more schools under the Eklavya model.
Government approach to Infrastructure and • Facilities of residential schools for children – (e.g.
Good Governance: Pota Cabins, Choolo Aasman, Nanhe Parinde, Ta-
• SAMADHAN doctrine: It is a one-stop solution to mannah) as well as focus on sports infrastructure.
fight LWE, encompassing the entire strategy of

120 www.insightsonindia.com
Insta Links vate vessel or private aircraft on high seas, directed
LWE in India against another vessel or aircraft and/or people or
property on board.
Practice Questions • Extra-territorial Jurisdictions: The Bill will apply to
Q. The menace of Left-wing extremism which is the the sea beyond the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ),
single largest internal security threat in India is on a that is, beyond 200 nautical miles from India’s
decline. It is indeed welcome news but the Maoist coastline.
threat remains a potent challenge to be overcome. • However, it is unclear if it will apply to the EEZ that
Discuss. (250 words) extends between 12 and 200 nautical miles from
the coast of India.
ANTI-MARITIME PIRACY BILL
Context:
Government has come up with Anti-Maritime Piracy
Bill 2019 will bring the UN Convention on the Law of
the Sea into domestic law and enable Indian authorities
to take action against piracy on the high seas.
• A pirate is a seaman, or robber who attacks, seiz-
es or destroys any ship on the high seas and some-
times even harbours at the shore.

Status:
• India currently does not have legislation on matters
of piracy on the high seas.
• India ratified the UN Convention on the Law of the • Punishment: For committing acts of piracy, the con-
Sea in 1995 but was yet to enact it through the bill. victs shall be punished with imprisonment for life
or death in case the act of piracy itself causes the
Need for the bill: death or attempts to cause the death of another
• IPC is not valid for foreigners in international wa- person.
ters: Previously, pirates were prosecuted under the ◦ Participating in or assisting acts of piracy will
Indian Penal Code, 1860 (IPC). However, India’s be punishable with up to 14 years of imprison-
sovereignty is delimited by the outer boundary of ment and a fine.
its territorial waters— 12 nautical miles from the • Extraditable offences: This means that the ac-
coast. Acts of piracy committed by a foreigner out- cused can be transferred to any country for
side India’s territorial waters cannot be an offence prosecution with which India has signed an ex-
under the IPC, and those accused in piracy cases tradition treaty.
have been acquitted due to the lack of jurisdiction. • Designated Court: The central government, in con-
• Incidence of Piracy: the Gulf of Aden has been one sultation with the Chief Justice of the concerned
of the deadliest areas in the oceans due to a large High Court, may notify the Sessions Courts to be the
number of piracy incidents. Due to an increased na- Designated Courts under this Bill.
val presence in the Gulf of Aden, it has been ob- • Presumption of guilt: The presumption of guilt will
served that piracy operations are shifting towards be on the accused if: (i) the accused is in possession
the east and south, which increases their proximi- of arms, explosives and other equipment which
ty to India’s west coast. were used or intended for use in committing the
• E.g. 18 Indians aboard a crude oil carrier were kid- offence, (ii) there is evidence of use of force against
napped off the coast of Nigeria last year. the ship’s crew or passengers, and (iii) there is
evidence of the intended use of bombs and arms
Provisions in the Bill: against the crew, passengers or cargo of a ship.
• Definition: Piracy is defined as an act of violence
or detention by the crew or passengers of a pri-

www.insightsonindia.com 121
Issues with the Bill: TAM (Television Audience Measurement) Media Re-
• It is unclear how the overlap of the 14-year term search, celebrity endorsements saw a 44% rise in 2021
and the life term will be determined since commit- over 2020.
ting an act of piracy will necessarily include partici-Celebrity endorsement: The use of celebrities in order
pation as well. to increase the sales and/ or the recall value of a brand
• Issue with the death penalty: Supreme Court of In- is called celebrity endorsement
dia has advocated for the use of extreme punish-
ment in the “rarest of rare” cases. According to the Why are celebrities hired?
top court, the death penalty violates Articles 14 and • Brand endorsers impact the buyers’ purchasing de-
21 of the Constitution. cisions because of the celebrity’s authority and/or
relationship with the audience.
UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UN- • Lazy marketing: When brand endorsers don’t have
CLOS, 1982): an idea, so they just hire celebrities as buyers get
• It is an international agreement that establishes the influenced easily.
legal framework for marine and maritime activities. • To increase the sales.
• It divides marine areas into five main zones name-
ly- Internal Waters, Territorial Sea, Contiguous Unethical Aspects of Celebrity Endorsement –
Zone, Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the High • Authenticity: Usage of by famous Celebrities may
Seas. look unethical when he is a non-user of the product.
• It is a set of rules to govern the oceans and the use Moreover, it is quite complex to find out whether a
of their resources. It is based on the idea that all celebrity is a common user of the product.
problems related to oceans are interrelated and ◦ g: Sunny Deol endorsing Lux Cozi undergarments
need to be addressed by the global community as or Salman Khan endorsing Lakhani chappals.
a whole. • Tarnished image: Celebrity endorsements are un-
• UNCLOS governs all aspects of ocean space, in- ethical when the people involved in any controver-
cluding delimitation, environmental control, marine sies in their life endorse the product reflecting their
scientific research, economic and commercial activ- negative image poorly on the brand so endorsed.
ities, transfer of technology and the settlement of ◦ g Malayalam Actor Dileep who is involved in
ocean-related disputes. sexual abuse case endorses many products
• Unsafe or ineffective product endorsement: Un-
Insta Links ethical aspects pave the way again when celebri-
Anti-maritime Piracy Bill ties endorse some products which are hazardous
to society.
◦ g. Ajay Devgn endorsing tobacco products (Vi-
GS PAPER - 4 mal)
• Compel to buy unwanted products: There are
chances wherein celebrities indirectly drive con-
Ethics and Human Interface. Human Values
sumers’ impulsive buying behaviour resulting in
the purchase of unnecessary/harmful products.
RESPONSIBILITY OF CELEBRITY ◦ g Shah Rukh Khan endorsed Pepsi ( tagline as ye
ENDORSERS Dil mange more)
• Misleading information: when celebrities say some-
thing deceptive / make false claims then the en-
Context: dorsement is lacking in ethics.
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) no- ◦ g Fair and Lovely are endorsed by many
tified guidelines for ‘Prevention of Misleading Adver- celebrities as skin whitening creams.
tisements and Endorsements for Misleading Adver- • Conflict of interest: when a particular ad conflicts
tisements, 2022’. with the celebrity’s image, principles, interests
• The guidelines, brought in with immediate effect, etc., the Celebrity is totally money-minded, hence
are applicable to all forms of advertisements. the ethical implications can be very serious.
According to data released by AdEx India, a division of ◦ g. Akshay Kumar endorsed tobacco products

122 www.insightsonindia.com
 and got backlashed for it later as he was against ganwadi centre and delivered eggs and rations to
them. their families. She was awarded the ‘Covid Women
• Override expert opinion: It is especially unethical Warriors, The Real Heroes’ award by the National
when a celebrity endorsement overtakes the ex- Commission for Women.
pert judgment. i.e. when he interjects his non-ex- Positive motivation for people to perform
pert opinion he undermines the opinion of more these acts at some cost to themselves?
qualified individuals. • Religion provides one motivation. It provides a
◦ g Bollywood celebrities criticising recent judge’s robust framework for ethical behaviour when it
remark on Nuppur Sharma case comes to fellow humans and in some cases, to all
living beings.
• Upbringing – wherein family members inculcate
the teaching of doing small acts of kindness.
• Any experience which changes one’s view of the
outer world.

Negative motivation:
• To gain fame- as these acts would be posted in so-
cial media and can increase their followers.

Insta Links
Human Values

Practice Questions
Q. “Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness
in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving
creates love”. Explain the significance of kindness as a
Small And Random Act Of Kindness Do Have virtue in one’s life. (250 words)
Value
“Do things for people, not because of who they are or
what they do in return, but because of who you are.” CIVIL SERVICE VALUES - PRANAB
— Harold S. Kushner MUKHERJEE
Kautilya in the ancient treatise “Arthashastra” writes:
A Random Act of Kindness is giving your best self to
others without requests or promise of return on in- “The happiness of the people is the happiness of the
vestment. It’s simply doing something nice for some- king; Their good alone is his, his personal good is not his
one else, without them asking and without you doing it true good; the only true good being that of his people:
for anything in return. Therefore let the King be active in working for the pros-
perity and welfare of his people”
When you engage in an act of kindness, endorphins (a
natural painkiller) are produced in your brain. In ad- Pranab Mukherjee’s speeches on the occasion of the
dition, it has been found people who are kind have 23 fourth UPSC foundation day lecture on “Governance
per cent less of the stress hormone cortisol than the and Public Service” and as a guest faculty for the “Pub-
average population. lic Policy for Inclusive Development of India” course
at IIM-Ahmedabad in 2018 are value-loaded urges for
Examples: good governance and spoke of the hurdles in bureau-
• Many videos of people giving away money or mak- cracy that need to be rectified.
ing someone happy comes up on social media.
• During the COVID pandemic, Anganwadi work- Importance of civil services in India’s develop-
er, Vennila travelled through dense forests and ment:
scary wildlife of Nilgiris to deliver food and ration • Reinforcing our democratic values.
to migrant workers. She also visited kids at the An- • Instrument of economic growth and social change.

www.insightsonindia.com 123
• Assists the government in formulating and imple-
menting policies for national development.
• Nation-building require close interaction and coop-
eration between the civil servants and the people
What are some best examples, which display
the efficiency in governance?
• The Right to Information Act
• The Direct Benefits Transfer Scheme
• The Right of Citizens for Time Bound Delivery of
Goods and Services and Redressal of their Grievanc-
es Bill, 2011 envisages the citizens to receive time-
bound services

What has been the biggest challenge in gover-

nances and bureaucracy despite success?
• Corruption
• “Isolationism” –inculcated the habit of thinking in
silos.

Application of Ethics
Foundational values for Civil Service

INDIAN POLICE AND ETHICS

ANONYMITY OR FAME
Policing is essential for maintaining law and order and
Civil Services: the smooth functioning of society. The absence of a
The post is paramount, not the person; work prevailed professional code of ethics creates a scenario where
over publicity; they are supposed to remain faceless. it is easy to be a moral opportunist and use unethical
conduct as a means of career advancement.
Recently civil servants have been in the news for all
sorts of reasons not related to their work.
Why Police Ethics are different?
Life and liberty are fundamental moral values. While
E. g 1) One couple, was caught walking their dog in a
making any moral decisions, the police have to consid-
stadium that was cleared of athletes so that they could
er a complex array of conditions. For any action taken
do so. Their consequent transfers also became a sub-
by a person, they have to see the motivation and in-
ject of public debate.
tentions of the action and its consequences. They have
E. g 2) IAS couple toppers, who got married and di-
to do their jobs in accordance with the laws that are in
vorced – were continuously in the news and on social
place at that time,
media.
Police may be required to face danger or hostility in
order to do their duty; police officers are likely to ex-
This is creating a breed of social media bureaucrats.
perience a range of emotions including fear, anger, sus-
picion, excitement, and boredom largely than people
Practice Questions
in other occupations. To act effectively as police, they
Q. State the three basic values, universal in nature, in
must be able to respond to these emotions in the right
the context of civil services and bring out their impor-
way, which requires them to be emotionally intelligent.
tance. (UPSC CSE 2018)
Issues with Ethical Policing in India:
• Corruption
• Politicization of the police
• Custodial death

124 www.insightsonindia.com
• Using harmful methods like coercion and decep- Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from
tion. India and world.
• Lack of a proper tenure policy for the posting of
officers at different levels and arbitrary transfers.
SARDAR PATEL’S VISION FOR CIV-
Various suggestions given for Ethical Policing IL SERVICES
The National Human Rights Commission (1998)
• The police must be “low in authority and high in Context:
accountability.” the protection of human rights is a Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, address at Delhi’s Metcalf
core police function. House gave a very important message to the civil ser-
• Police practice must comply with carefully worked vants, the “steel frame of India”.
out ethical principles that appropriately balance the
moral rights of victims with those of suspects con- Values that Civil Servants must have:
strained by the ethical principles of necessity and • A civil servant must cultivate an esprit de corps.
proportionality. It means to have a shared feeling of pride among
team or group members.
Community Policing: ◦ A civil servant should regard it as a proud priv-
It helps in reducing the trust deficit between police and ilege to belong to the Service, covenants of
the public as it requires the police to work with the which you will sign, and to uphold throughout
community your service its dignity, integrity and incorrupt-
• Community Policing Programme ‘Ummeed’ (Delhi) ibility.
• Friends of Police (Tamil Nadu) • In whatever position of responsibility, he or she may
• Janamaithri Suraksha Project (Kerala) be a civil servant should always try how best to con-
• Joint Patrolling Committees (Rajasthan) tribute to the well-being of India as a whole.
• Meira Paibi (Manipur)
• Community Policing Project (West Bengal) • According to Patel, a civil servant can trust the gov-
• Maithri (Andhra Pradesh) ernment to keep her or him contented and happy
• Mohalla Committees ( Maharashtra) so that she or he may give her or his best, “but it
would be unworthy of you if you make that a con-
dition of service”.
◦ Patel advised civil servants to maintain to the
utmost the impartiality and incorruptibilityof
administration.
◦ “A civil servant cannot afford to, and must not,
take part in politics. Nor must he involve him-
self in communal wrangles.

• The larger message Patel was regarding the code of

conductof a civil servant.

• The future of the civil service will depend much

upon the foundation and traditions laid down by
civil servants, their character and abilities, and
their spirit of service.
Practice Questions • They should look forward to their future with trust
Q. Discuss some of the ethical issues surrounding a and confidence. If they serve in the true spirit of
modern police job. (250 words) service, they will have the best reward.

www.insightsonindia.com 125
 ETHICAL VALUES TO BE TAKEN
FROM MADAM PRESIDENT
Droupadi Murmu is elected as the first Tribal president
and second women President of India.
Hailing from Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district and
coming from a tribal community, Murmu start-
ed out as a teacher and then entered into Odis-
ha politics. In 2015, Murmu was sworn in as the
first woman Governor of Jharkhand. She lost her
husband and two sons within a span of five years.

Values:
• Simplicity: She belonged to a humble background
and despite having risen in her political and social
status, she has maintained her humbleness and
simplicity of lifestyle.
• Dedication – Towards her political career and social
causes
• Courage – even after losing her husband and two
GREGOR MENDEL: VALUES FROM sons she was courageous enough to carry on with
HIS LIFE her life and social work.
• Empowerment and emancipation: Being a woman
Context: from a tribal family she fought all odds to get an
200 years of the father of genetics, Gregor Mendel. education and enter into politics. She is now an in-
sipiration for millions of tribal girls.
Values we can learn from Gregor Mendel:
• Dedication: He was an extremely keen student, in- About Santhals:
terested in science and pursued his studies despite Santhal is the third largest scheduled tribe commu-
the fact that his family was impoverished. In order nity in the country after Gond and Bhil spread across
to fund his studies, Mendel became a monk. Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal.
• Defeating failures: Even though he failed to pass Language:
the exam of ‘natural history’ during his college Santhals speak Santhali which has its own script
years, later his contribution revolutionized the field. called ‘OL chiki’which has been included in the Eighth
• Courage and Persistence: He worked with ‘Pea’ for Schedule to the Constitution.
eight years and—by his own admission— he needed
“some courage” to persist with them. Ultimately, it
led to three foundational principles of inheritance.
• Struggle: Mendel’s findings were not accepted and
his records were burnt down when he died. It was
only after 35 years of his death that his ideas were
rediscovered.
His present relevance: The historic neglect of Mendel’s
scientific contribution has many lessons for us: Our
mind should be open to absorbing new ideas, even if
radical.

126 www.insightsonindia.com
 an action his or her organization is taking is harmful—
that it interferes with people’s rights or is unfair or de-
tracts from the common good.
Ethical issues with Whistleblowing:
Being disloyal towards organization v/s sharing knowl-
edge of wrongdoing for the benefit of others and moral
commitment towards society. He may also gain mistrust
of his fellow workers.

The values that are shown by whistleblowers:

• Courage – It takes moral courage to stand against
your organization and be ready to lose out on sta-
bility in one’s life.
• Self-sacrifice – They work for the public interest at
Dilemmas in government and private institutions; the cost of themselves.
• Duty bound and respecting the law – However,
there is a dilemma of breaching the ethics by breach-
WHISTLEBLOWING ing the contract with the organization as well.

Context
After it came to light that the source of the Uber Files
How can government encourage whistle-blow-
investigation was Mark McGann a senior lobbyist who ing:
worked for Uber, the whistleblower of the 2016 Pana- • Create a policy about reporting illegal or unethical
ma Papers has given his first interview. practices
The Panama Papers, exposed how the rich and power- ◦ Formal mechanisms for reporting violations,
ful parked and moved their money in and out of global such as hotlines and mailboxes.
tax havens. ◦ Clear communications about the process of
voicing concerns, such as a specific chain of
command, or the identification of a specific
About Whistleblowers: person to handle complaints.
Whistleblowing refers to calling attention to wrongdo- • Get endorsement of the policy from top officials
ing happening in an organization. and publicize the organization’s commitment to
Whistleblowing has to do with ethics because it rep- the process. Elected and administrative leader-
resents a person’s understanding, at a deep level, that

www.insightsonindia.com 127
 ship must encourage ethical behaviour and hold
everyone within the organization to the highest
standards, including the disclosure of activities that
would have a negative impact on the public’s busi-
ness.
• Investigate and follow up promptly on all allega-
tions of misconduct. Report on these investigations
to the council or board.

Indian Examples:
One well-known Indian whistleblower was Satyendra
Dubey, an IIT graduate working on a segment of the
National Highways Authority of India’s (NHAI) Golden
Quadrilateral in Bihar, who wrote directly to the Prime
Minister’s Office exposing corruption in the project. He
paid with his life for doing so.
Legislations in India regarding Whistleblowing:
The government introduced the Public Interest Disclo-
sure and Protection Of Informers (PIDPI) Resolution
for the logging of complaints against alleged corruption
or misuse of office by a government officer or depart-
ment. The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) was
designated as the agency to administer complaints,
which it continues to routinely route to its relevant sec-
tion after masking the name of the whistleblower.
Whistleblowers Protection Act is aimed at providing a
legislative route for people to file complaints on alleged
corruption and misuse of office by public servants.
The act has not come into force, and the Rules for it
have not been finalised.

Practice Questions:
Q. Whistleblowing is one of the most effective ways to
detect and prevent corruption and malpractices. Elab-
orate.

128 www.insightsonindia.com
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at the Felicitation Ceremony conducted at Bengaluru.

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