INSTA CURRENT AFFAIRS

JANUARY 2022

WWW.INSIGHTSONINDIA.COM INSIGHTSIAS
 Table of Contents
GENERAL STUDIES – 1 ..................................... 4 6. Disruptions in Parliament: ................................30

Topics: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Topics: Parliament and State Legislatures – structure,
Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to functioning, conduct of business, powers &
modern times. .............................................................. 4 privileges and issues arising out of these. ................... 31
1. Veer Baal Diwas: .................................................4 1. Citizenship (Amendment) Act Rules: ................31
2. Jallikattu: .............................................................5 2. Budget Session of Parliament: ..........................32
3. National Youth Day: ............................................7
4. Guru Ravidas .......................................................7 Topics: Salient features of the Representation of
5. Sri Ramanujacharya: ...........................................8 People’s Act. ............................................................... 33
1. Election Expenditure Limit: ...............................33
Topics: Modern Indian history from about the middle of 2. Vote through postal ballot: ...............................34
the eighteenth century until the present- significant 3. Recognition/derecognition of political parties: 35
events, personalities, issues. ........................................ 9
1. Subhash Chandra Bose: ......................................9 Topics: Appointment to various Constitutional posts,
2. Tipu Sultan: .......................................................10 powers, functions and responsibilities of various
3. Comic book ‘India’s Women Unsung Heroes’ Constitutional Bodies. ................................................ 36
released: ....................................................................11 1. For how long can an MLA be suspended? ........36
2. SC quashes indefinite suspension of 12 BJP
Topics: Women and women related issues. ................ 12 MLAs: .........................................................................37
1. What is GitHub, at the centre of online sexual
harassment probe? ....................................................12 Topics: Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial
bodies......................................................................... 38
Topics: Population and associated issues, poverty and 1. National Commission for Protection of Child
developmental issues. ................................................ 14 Rights (NCPCR): ..........................................................38
1. Census and NPR: ...............................................14
Topics: Government policies and interventions for
Topics: Important Geophysical phenomena such as development in various sectors and issues arising out
earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc., of their design and implementation. .......................... 39
geographical features and their location- changes in 1. Draft national air sports policy:.........................39
critical geographical features (including water-bodies 2. GST compensation: ...........................................40
and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of 3. Constitutional Validity of Dam Safety Act
such changes. ............................................................. 15 challenged: ................................................................41
1. Tonga Volcanic Eruption: ..................................15 4. Consumer Protection Rules, 2021: ...................42
2. La Niña effect on Indian subcontinent: .............17 5. Mekedatu issue: ................................................43
3. What is a Bomb Cyclone? .................................18 6. Krishna River water dispute: .............................45
7. Government response awaited on law on inter-
faith marriages:..........................................................46
GENERAL STUDIES – 2 ................................... 20 8. Plea for marital rape to be criminalised:...........47
9. Sedition law: .....................................................49
Topics: Indian Constitution- historical underpinnings, 10. Padma award and the recipient’s consent: ..50
evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions 11. Kerala’s SilverLine Project: ...........................51
and basic structure; Comparison of the Indian
constitutional scheme with that of other countries. ... 20 Topics: Development processes and the development
1. Anti-defection law:............................................20 industry- the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups
2. 50% Reservation Limit: .....................................21 and associations, donors, charities, institutional and
3. Consent of AG to initiate contempt other stakeholders. .................................................... 52
proceedings:. .............................................................22 1. Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010
4. Quota in promotions:........................................23 Registation for NGOs: ................................................52
2. Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises:.............54
Topics: Separation of powers between various organs
dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions. ......... 25 Topics: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the
1. Mullaperiyar dam issue:....................................25 population by the Centre and States and the
2. How Election Commission decides on party performance of these schemes. .................................. 55
symbols? ....................................................................26 1. Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme
3. Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956: .....27 (ECLGS): .....................................................................55
4. Gujarat HC’s digital initiatives: ..........................28 2. ‘One District One Product’ scheme: ..................56
5. Criminal justice reforms: ...................................28
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Topics: Issues relating to development and 9. International Energy Agency (IEA) and Electricity
management of Social Sector/Services relating to Market Report: ..........................................................86
Health, Education, Human Resources. ........................ 57 10. United Nations Security Council: ..................87
1. Academic Bank of Credit: ..................................57 11. Amid Ukraine crisis, NATO sends planes, ships
2. What is Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure to eastern Europe: .....................................................88
Mission? .....................................................................58 12. WTO’s dispute settlement mechanism: .......90
3. Delhi govt’s Desh ke Mentor programme: ........59

Topics: Important aspects of governance, transparency GENERAL STUDIES – 3.................................... 92

and accountability, e-governance applications, models,
successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, Topics: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning,
transparency & accountability and institutional and mobilization of resources, growth, development and
other measures........................................................... 60 employment. .............................................................. 92
1. District Good Governance Index (DGGI): ..........60 1. Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-
SIBs):. .........................................................................92
Topics: Role of civil services in a democracy. .............. 60
1. What is current rule on deputation? ................60 Topics: Inclusive growth and issues arising from it. .... 92
1. Airtel payments bank is now a scheduled
Topics: India and its neighbourhood- relations. .......... 62 bank:…. ......................................................................92
1. China’s border law and India: ...........................62 2. Jan Dhan Yojana: ...............................................93
2. Trincomalee oil tank farm: What the deal means 3. Bad bank: ..........................................................94
for India, Lanka: .........................................................63
3. Sir Creek pact ....................................................63 Topics: Major crops cropping patterns in various parts
4. Strategic significance of bridge China is building of the country, different types of irrigation
on Pangong lake: .......................................................64 and irrigation systems storage, transport and
5. China-Taiwan relations: ....................................65 marketing of agricultural produce and issues and
6. Central Asia Meet: ............................................67 related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers.
................................................................................... 95
Topics: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and 1. Rythu Bandhu: ..................................................95
agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s
interests. .................................................................... 68 Topics: Issues related to direct and indirect farm
1. Collective Security Treaty Organisation: ...........68 subsidies and minimum support prices; Public
2. U.K. launches FTA negotiations with India:.......69 Distribution System- objectives, functioning,
limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food
Topics: Effect of policies and politics of developed and security; Technology missions; economics of animal-
developing countries on India’s interests, Indian rearing. ....................................................................... 96
diaspora...................................................................... 69 1. Food fortification: .............................................96
1. Hamas and Gaza Strip: ......................................69
2. South China Sea Dispute: ..................................71 Topics: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports,
3. Houthis and the war in Yemen:.........................72 Railways etc................................................................ 98
4. Why Nusantara has been selected as the new 1. PM GatiShakti — National Master Plan: ...........98
capital of Indonesia? ..................................................73 2. India's Self Reliance for Renewable Energy
5. Israel- Palestine issue: .......................................74 Manufacturing: ..........................................................99
6. ‘Gehri dosti’ says Israel PM about ties with
India:. .........................................................................76 Topics: Science and Technology- developments and
7. The America COMPETS Act and its relevance for their applications and effects in everyday life
India: ..........................................................................76 Achievements of Indians in science & technology;
indigenization of technology and developing new
Topics: Important International institutions, agencies technology................................................................ 100
and fora, their structure, mandate. ............................ 78 1. Why is the world short of computer chips, and
1. The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear why does it matters? ...............................................100
Weapons (NPT): .........................................................78 2. Where does the 5G rollout stand? ..................101
2. Russia vs NATO in Ukraine: ...............................79 3. Use of drones: .................................................102
3. Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB): ...80 4. Semiconductor Chip shortage: ........................103
4. China’s status as a ‘developing country’ at the 5. Pig heart transplant: .......................................104
World Trade Organization (WTO): .............................81 6. China's artificial moon: ...................................105
5. Quad- related issues: ........................................82 7. Lithium mining: ...............................................106
6. Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership
(RCEP) and India: .......................................................83 Topics: Awareness in space. ..................................... 107
7. World Economic Forum’s Davos Agenda '22: ...84 1. NASA-ISRO NISAR Mission: .............................107
8. Organization of Islamic Cooperation: ...............85 2. OSIRIS-REx and asteroid Bennu: .....................108
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 3. Gaganyaan Mission: ........................................109 5. Reovirus: .........................................................137
4. Space station: ..................................................110 6. NEAT 3.0:.........................................................137
5. ISRO test fires high-thrust Vikas engine: .........111 7. Horn of Africa: .................................................137
6. Space debris: ...................................................112 8. Sea Dragon Exercise: .......................................137
7. Artemis Program .............................................113 9. India's first open rock museum: ......................137
8. What is dark energy? ......................................114 10. Article 348 (1): ............................................137
9. Chandrayaan-3: ...............................................115 11. IAC Vikrant: .................................................138
10. ISRO’s new SSLV programme:.....................116 12. SKOCH Award: ............................................138
13. Reciprocal Access Agreement: ...................138
Topics: Awareness in the fields of IT, Computers, 14. SAAR Program:............................................138
robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues 15. Universal Accessibility in India:...................139
relating to intellectual property rights. ..................... 117 16. Bhungloti: ...................................................139
1. National Supercomputing Mission (NSM):......117 17. Extended Producer Responsibility: .............139
2. Bacterial resistance to drugs: ..........................118 18. Jagannath temple: ......................................139
3. What is gain of function? ................................119 19. Gateway to Hell: .........................................140
20. What is a Sikh Takht?..................................140
Topics: Conservation related issues, environmental 21. Indu Malhotra Panel: ..................................140
pollution and degradation, environmental impact 22. BARC: ..........................................................141
assessment. .............................................................. 120 23. Henley Passport Index: ...............................141
1. Green energy corridor: ...................................120 24. Siachen Glacier: ..........................................141
2. Cheetah reintroduction project: .....................121 25. New ISRO Chief: ..........................................141
3. Stockholm Convention on POPs:.....................122 26. What are net zero buildings? .....................142
4. State of Forest Report 2021: ...........................123 27. Commonwealth War Graves Commission
5. How the Quad can help climate action? .........124 (CWGC): ...................................................................142
6. Rooftop solar scheme: ....................................126 28. Har Gobind Khorana: ..................................142
7. Environment Ministry’s Proposed Changes to 29. Pandit Birju Maharaj and Kathak: ...............143
Wildlife Act: .............................................................127 30. Eastern swamp deer: ..................................143
8. 4th Asia Ministerial Conference on tiger 31. About swamp deer: ....................................143
conservation: ...........................................................128 32. Indian Renewable Energy Development
9. Rivival of Saraswati river: ................................129 Agency Limited (IREDA): ..........................................143
33. Gherkins:.....................................................144
Topics: Disaster and management. ........................... 130 34. Abide With Me: ..........................................144
1. Sixth mass extinction ......................................130 35. Living root bridges: .....................................144
36. Two species of fungi associated with basal
Topics: Role of external state and non-state actors in stem rot found: ........................................................145
creating challenges to internal security. ................... 132 37. Kerala gets its first ever scientific bird
1. Assam-Meghalaya border dispute: .................132 atlas:…......................................................................145
38. What is G23? ..............................................145
Topics: Challenges to internal security through 39. Pakistan's first female Supreme Court judge
communication networks, role of media and social sworn in: ..................................................................145
networking sites in internal security challenges, basics 40. Smriti Mandhana wins ICC women’s Cricketer
of cyber security; money-laundering and its prevention of the Year: ..............................................................145
................................................................................. 132 41. Why Republic Day is celebrated on January
1. Plea on Hate Speech in Supreme Court: .........132 26th?.... ....................................................................146
42. National Voters’ Day: ..................................146
Topics: Various Security forces and agencies and their 43. Air India now formally handed over to Tata
mandate. .................................................................. 134 Group:.. ....................................................................146
1. Multi Agency Centre (MAC): ...........................134 44. Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines
2. Special Protection Group (SPG) Act: ...............134 1974:….. ...................................................................147
45. What is National Cadet Corps? ...................147
46. India, Philippines ink deal for BrahMos
FACTS FOR PRELIMS .................................... 136 missiles: ...................................................................147
1. Malabar Naval Exercise: ..................................136
47. What is NeoCoV? ........................................147
2. Two plant species discovered in Kerala: .........136
48. Honduras gets its first woman President: ..147
3. Institute of Mathematical Sciences is 60: .......136
49. Centre appoints Anantha Nageswaran as
4. RBI approves small, offline e-payments:.........136
CEA:……. ...................................................................148

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GENERAL STUDIES – 1
Topics: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and
Architecture from ancient to modern times.
1. Veer Baal Diwas:
Context:
PM Modi has announced the government decision to mark December 26 as Veer Bal Diwas in the memory of
Guru Gobind Singh’s sons.
● This is a fitting tribute to the courage of the Sahibzades and their quest for justice.

Who were the Sahibzades?

Guru Gobind Singh ji had four sons – Sahibzada Ajit Singh, Sahibzada Jujhar Singh,
Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Sahibzada Fateh Singh.
● All four of his sons were initiated into the Khalsa and all were executed by Mughal
forces before the age of 19.
● Sikhism honors the illustrious martyred sons of Guru Gobind Singh ji in the
prayer of ardas for their valor and sacrifice as ‘Char Sahibzade’, that is the
four princes of the Khalsa warrior order.

Significance of the day:

The day marks when Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Sahibzada Fateh Singh attained martyrdom when they
were executed by the Mughals (1705).
● The brothers were captured with their grandmother Mata Gujari, the mother of Guru Gobind Singh.
● They were imprisoned with their grandmother and put to death by cruel Mughals on
the orders of Aurangzeb, who attempted to suffocate them inside a brick enclosure.
● At the time of martyrdom, the ages of Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh were 9 years and
6 years respectively. This sacrifice is seen as the bravest sacrifice for Dharma by any
young boys in Indian history.

About Guru Gobind Singh:

● He was the 10th Sikh guru.
● He was born at Patna, Bihar, India, on December 22, 1666. His birthday sometimes falls either in December
or January or even both months in the Gregorian calendar. The annual celebration of the Guru’s birthday is
based on the Nanakshahi calendar.
● He became the Sikh guru at the age of nine, following the demise of father, Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth
Sikh Guru.
● He is known for his significant contributions to the Sikh religion, including the introduction of the turban to
cover hair.
● He also founded the principles of Khalsa or the Five ‘K’s.
● He is also responsible for establishing the highest order in the Sikh community.
● He fought against the Mughals later in the battle of Muktsar in 1705.
● Guru Gobind Singh was killed by a Mughal assassin in 1708, a year after the death of Aurangzeb.
● He named Guru Granth Sahib, the religious text of the Khalsas and the Sikhs, as the next Guru of the two
communities.

Insta Curious: Know about Guru Nanak Dev and his key contributions. Reference: read this.

InstaLinks: 5. Guru Nanak

Prelims Link: 6. Guru Nanak Jayanti.
1. Guru Gobind Singh. 7. Veer Baal Diwas.
2. Guru Gobind Singh- key contributions. 8. Char Sahibzade.
3. Adi Granth. 9. The battle of Muktsar in 1705.
4. Guru Granth Sahib.

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Mains Link: Discuss the significance of Veer Baal Diwas.

2. Jallikattu:
Context:
With a steep rise in the daily cases of COVID-19, the district administration
in Vellore, Tiruvannamalai, Ranipet and Tirupattur, have banned the
conduct of Jallikattu events, ahead of Pongal festival, as part of safety
measures.

What is Jallikattu?
● The bull-taming sport is popular in Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, Theni, Pudukkottai and Dindigul districts
known as the Jallikattu belt.
● Jallikattu is celebrated in the second week of January, during the Tamil
harvest festival, Pongal.
● A tradition over 2,000 years old, Jallikattu is a competitive sport as well as an
event to honour bull owners who rear them for mating.
● It is a violent sport in which contestants try to tame a bull for a prize; if they
fail, the bull owner wins the prize.

Why is Jallikattu important in Tamil culture?

Jallikattu is considered a traditional way for the
peasant community to preserve their pure-breed
native bulls.
● At a time when cattle breeding is often an artificial
process, conservationists and peasants argue that
Jallikattu is a way to protect these male animals
which are otherwise used only for meat if not for
ploughing.

Why has Jallikattu been the subject of legal battles?

1. Jallikattu first came under legal scrutiny in 2007
when the Animal Welfare Board of India and the
animal rights group PETA moved petitions in the Supreme Court against Jallikattu as well as bullock cart
races.
2. The Tamil Nadu government, however, worked its way out of the ban by passing a law in 2009, which was
signed by the Governor.
3. In 2011, the UPA regime at the Centre added bulls to the list of animals whose training and exhibition is
prohibited.
4. In May 2014, days before the BJP was elected to power, the Supreme Court banned the bull-taming sport,
ruling on a petition that cited the 2011 notification.

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So, is it legal or banned now?
● In January 2017, massive protests erupted across Tamil Nadu against the ban, with Chennai city
witnessing a 15-day-long Jallikattu uprising.
● The same year, the Tamil Nadu government released an ordinance amending the central Act and
allowing Jallikattu in the state; this was later ratified by the President.
● The amendment was subsequently approved by the President of India, effectively overturning the
Supreme Court ban and allowing the sport to be played without any legal hurdle.
● PETA challenged the state move, arguing it was unconstitutional (Article 29(1)).
● In 2018, the Supreme Court referred the Jallikattu case to a Constitution Bench, where it is pending
now.

InstaLinks: 2. Article 29 of the Constitution.

Prelims Link: 3. Article 142 is related to?
1. About Jallikattu.

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 4. Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act-
Overview.

Link: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/jallikattu-banned-in-vellore-nearby-districts-
ahead-of-pongal-as-covid-19-cases-see-spike/article38209894.ece/amp/.

3. National Youth Day:

Context:
January 12 marks the birthday of Swami Vivekananda.
National Youth Day is celebrated on this day. Celebrated since
1984.
● The main objective is to promote rational thinking among
the youth, believed to be the future of the country.

About Swami Vivekananda:

He was a true luminary, credited with enlightening the western world about Hinduism.
He was an ardent disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa and a major force in the revival of Hinduism in
India.
He pushed for national integration in colonial India, and his famous speech remains as the one that he gave
in Chicago in 1893.

Early life- contributions:

• Born in Kolkata on January 12, 1863 in Kolkata, Swami Vivekananda was known as Narendra Nath
Datta in his pre-monastic life.
• He is known to have introduced the Hindu philosophies of Yoga and Vedanta to the West.
• Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose had called Vivekananda the “maker of modern India.”
• In 1893, he took the name ‘Vivekananda’ after Maharaja Ajit Singh of the Khetri State requested him
to do so, changing from ‘Sachidananda’ that he used before.
• He formed the Ramakrishna Mission in 1897 “to set in motion a machinery which will bring noblest
ideas to the doorstep of even the poorest and the meanest.”
• In 1899, he established the Belur Math, which became his permanent abode.
• He preached ‘neo-Vedanta’, an interpretation of Hinduism through a Western lens, and believed in
combining spirituality with material progress.

Books written by him:

‘Raja Yoga’, ‘Jnana Yoga’, ‘Karma Yoga’ are some of the books he wrote.

Insta Curious:
What do you know about the Parliament of World Religions? Reference: read this.

InstaLinks: 4. Headquarters of the Council for a

Prelims Link: Parliament of the World’s Religions.
1. About 1893 Parliament of World’s 5. International modern Parliaments held so
Religions. far.
2. Main participants. 6. Contributions of Swami Vivekananda to
3. Who represented Hinduism? Hinduism.
7. About Ramakrishna Mission.

Mains Link: How Swami Vivekananda became the ‘messenger of Indian wisdom’ to West. Discuss.

4. Guru Ravidas
Context:

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The postponement of the Assembly elections in Punjab to February 20 underlines the importance of the
Ravidassia community in the state.

What's the issue?

Several political parties had urged the Election Commission for a postponement as
the earlier date of February 14 would have clashed with Guru Ravidas Jayanti, an
annual occasion during which Ravidassias travel to Varanasi in large numbers.
Many of them take a special train organised by the Dera Sachkhand Ballan in
Jalandhar, the largest dera of the Ravidassias.

Who are the Ravidassias?

The Ravidassias are a Dalit community of whom the bulk — nearly 12 lakh — live
in the Doaba region. The Dera Sachkhand Ballan, their largest dera with 20 lakh
followers worldwide, was founded in the early 20th century by Baba Sant Pipal
Das.
● Once closely connected with Sikhism, the dera severed these decades-old
ties in 2010, and announced they would follow the Ravidassia religion. The dera made the
announcement on Guru Ravidas Jayanti in Varanasi.
● From 2010, the Dera Sachkhand Ballan started replacing the Guru Granth Sahib with its own Granth,
Amritbani, carrying 200 hymns of Guru Ravidas, in Ravidassia temples and gurdwaras.

About Guru Ravidas:

● Guru Ravidas was a North Indian mystic poet of the bhakti movement.
● While the exact year of his birth is not known, it is believed that the saint was born in 1377 C.E.
● Guru Ravidas Jayanti is celebrated on Magh Purnima, which is the full moon day in the Hindu calendar
month of Magha.
● The Adi Granth of Sikhs, in addition to the Panchvani are the two of the oldest documented sources
of the literary works of Guru Ravidas.
● Notably, he belonged to an untouchable caste and suffered a lot of atrocities as a result. However,
the saint chose to focus on spiritual pursuits and also penned several devotional songs which made a
huge impact in the Bhakti movement during the 14th to 16th century CE.
● He is believed to be a disciple of the bhakti saint-poet Ramanandaand a contemporary of the bhakti
saint-poet Kabir.
● One of his famous disciples was the saint, Mirabai.
● Among Ravidas’s moral and intellectual achievements were the conception of “Begampura”, a city that
knows no sorrow; and a society where caste and class have ceased to matter.

Guru Ravidas Teachings:

Guru Ravidas spoke against the caste divisions and spoke of removing them to
promote unity. His teachings resonated with the people, leading to a religion
being born called the Ravidassia religion, or Ravidassia Dharam based on his
teachings.
He taught about the omnipresence of God and said that a human soul is a
particle of God and hence Ravidas rejected the idea that people considered
lower caste cannot meet God. He said in his teachings that the only way to meet God was to free the mind
from the duality.

5. Sri Ramanujacharya:
Context:
PM Narendra Nodi is all set to unveil the world’s second-largest statue (Statue of Equality) in Hyderabad on
February 5.
● The 216-foot-tall statue of 11nth-century social reformer and saint, Ramanujacharya will be in a sitting
position.

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What is the Statue of Equality?
The world’s second tallest statue in a sitting position is made up of
‘panchaloha’, meaning a combination of five metals i.e. gold,
copper, silver, brass and zinc.
● The inner sanctorum deity of Sri Ramanujacharya is built of
120 kilos of gold. This commemorates the 120 years the
saint spent on earth.

About Sri Ramanujacharya:

● Born in 1017 CE in Tamil Nadu.
● He is the most respected Acharya in the philosophy of Sri Vaishnavism.
● He was also referred to as Ilaya Perumal which means the radiant one.
● His philosophical foundations for devotionalism were influential to the
Bhakti movement.
● He is famous as the chief proponent of Vishishtadvaita subschool of
Vedānta.
● He wrote influential texts, such as bhāsya on the Brahma Sutras and the
Bhagavad Gita, all in Sanskrit.

What is Vishishtadvaita?
● It is a non-dualistic school of Vedanta philosophy. It is non-dualism of the
qualified whole, in which Brahman alone exists, but is characterized by
multiplicity.
● It can be described as qualified monism or qualified non-dualism or
attributive monism.
● It is a school of Vedanta philosophy which believes in all diversity subsuming to an underlying unity.

InstaLinks: 3. About Bhakti movement.

Prelims Link:
1. About Sri Ramanujacharya. Mains Link: Differentiate between Dvaita and
2. About Advaita Philosophy. Advaita schools of philosophy.

Topics: Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the
present- significant events, personalities, issues.
1. Subhash Chandra Bose:
Context:
Recently, the government has decided to install a grand statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at India Gate to
commemorate his 125th birth anniversary and as part of the yearlong celebrations.

About Subhash Chandra Bose:

Subhas Chandra Bose was born on 23rd January 1897, in Cuttack, Orissa Division, Bengal Province.
His Jayanti is celebrated as 'Parakram Diwas' on 23rd January.
● Subhash Chandra Bose was twice elected President of the Indian National Congress, (1938-Haripur
and 1939-Tripuri).
● He resigned from the Congress Presidentship in 1939 and organised the All India Forward Bloc a
faction within the Congress in Bengal.
● In 1919, he had cleared the Indian Civil Services (ICS) examination. Bose, however, resigned later.
● He was highly influenced by Vivekananda's teachings and considered him as his spiritual Guru.
● His political mentor was Chittaranjan Das.

Azad Hind government:

Bose had arrived in Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands in 1943 after Japan handed them over to his Azad
Hind government. Japan had captured the islands during the second world war.

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 ● He had announced the establishment of the provisional government of Azad Hind in occupied
Singapore in 1943.
● Known as Arzi Hukumat-e-Azad Hind, it was supported by the Axis powers of Imperial Japan, Nazi
Germany, the Italian Social Republic, and their allies.
● He had launched a struggle to free India from British rule under the banner of the provisional
government-in exile during the latter part of the Second World War.

Who were part of this?

Under his provisional government, the Indians living abroad had been united. The Indian National Army drew
ex- prisoners and thousands of civilian volunteers from the Indian expatriate population in Malaya (present-day
Malaysia) and Burma (now Myanmar).
● Under the provisional government, Bose was the head of the state, the prime minister and the minister
for war and foreign affairs.
● Captain Lakshmi headed the women’s organisation while S A Ayer headed the publicity and
propaganda wing.
● Revolutionary leader Rash Behari Bose was designated as the supreme advisor.

Subhas Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar:

The annual Subhas Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar has been instituted to recognize and honour the
invaluable contribution and selfless service rendered by individuals and organisations in India in the field of
disaster management.
● The award is announced every year on 23rd January.
● It carries a cash prize of Rs. 51 lakh and a certificate in case of an institution and Rs. 5 lakh and a
certificate in case of an individual.

InstaLinks: 4. Distribution of various portfolios.

Prelims Link:
1. Bose and INA. Mains Link: Write a note on Azad Hind
2. Bose and the Indian National Congress. Government.
3. Formation of Azad Hind Government.

2. Tipu Sultan:
Context:
Tipu Sultan is at the centre of controversy in Mumbai with the BJP claiming a Congress leader is planning to
rename a playground in a Muslim dominated locality after the Mysore king.

Who was Tipu Sultan?

● He was a ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore and the eldest son of Sultan Hyder Ali of Mysore.
● In the wider national narrative, Tipu has so far been seen as a man of imagination and courage, a
brilliant military strategist who, in a short reign of 17 years, mounted the most serious challenge the
Company faced in India.

Contributions of Tipu Sultan:

1. Fought the first Anglo-Mysore War (1767-69) at the age of 17 and subsequently, against the Marathas
and in the Second Anglo-Mysore War (1780-84).
2. He fought Company forces four times during 1767-99 and was killed defending his capital
Srirangapatnam in the Fourth Anglo Mysore War.
3. Tipu reorganised his army along European lines, using new technology, including what is considered
the first war rocket.
4. Devised a land revenue system based on detailed surveys and classification, in which the tax was
imposed directly on the peasant, and collected through salaried agents in cash, widening the state’s
resource base.

www.insightsonindia.com 10 InsightsIAS
 5. Modernised agriculture, gave tax breaks for developing wasteland, built irrigation infrastructure and
repaired old dams, and promoted agricultural manufacturing and sericulture. Built a navy to support
trade.
6. Commissioned a “state commercial corporation” to set up factories.

Why are there so many controversies surrounding him?

There are concerns raised against Tipu Sultan on nearly every historical figure, perspectives differ.
1. Haider and Tipu had strong territorial ambitions, and invaded and annexed territories outside Mysore.
In doing so, they burnt down entire towns and villages, razed hundreds of temples and churches, and
forcibly converted Hindus.
2. The historical record has Tipu boasting about having forced “infidels” to convert to Islam, and of having
destroyed their places of worship.
3. The disagreement then, is between those who see the “Tiger of Mysore” as a bulwark against
colonialism and a great son of Karnataka, and those who point to his destruction of temples and forced
conversions of Hindus and Christians to accuse him of tyranny and fanaticism.

Insta Curious: Did you know that the earliest mention of Mysore or Mahishur historically refers to the time of
King Ashoka in 245 B.C? Know about the Kingdoms who have ruled Mysore state:

InstaLinks: 3. Outcomes of those wars.

Prelims Link:
1. About Tipu Sultan. Mains Link: Why is Tipu's name marred with
2. Wars he fought. controversies? Discuss.

3. Comic book ‘India’s Women Unsung Heroes’

released:
A pictorial book telling the stories of 20 unsung women freedom fighters was
released by the Culture Ministry recently.
The book was brought out in partnership with Amar Chitra Katha.

Key leaders covered include:

● Rani Abbakka who thwarted Portuguese attacks for several decades.
Rani Abbakka Chowta was the first Tuluva Queen of Ullal who fought the
Portuguese in the latter half of the 16th century.
➢ She belonged to the Chowta dynasty who ruled over parts of coastal
Karnataka (Tulu Nadu), India. Their capital was Puttige.

● Matangiri Hazra, a freedom fighter from Bengal who laid down her life
in the struggle.
She participated in the Indian independence movement until she was shot dead
by the British Indian police in front of the Tamluk Police Station (of erstwhile
Midnapore District) on 29 September 1942.
She was affectionately known as Gandhi buri, Bengali for old lady Gandhi.
➢ In 1930, she took part in the Civil Disobedience movement and was
arrested for breaking the Salt Act.

● Gulab Kaur, who fought against the British rule after

abandoning her own dreams of a life abroad.
In Manila, Gulab Kaur joined Ghadar Party, an organization founded
by Indian immigrants with the aim to liberate the Indian Subcontinent
from British Rule.

www.insightsonindia.com 11 InsightsIAS
 ● Padmaja Naidu, Sarojini Naidu's daughter and a freedom fighter in her
own right.
She was also a politician who was the 5th Governor of West Bengal from 3
November 1956 to 1 June 1967.
➢ At the age of 21, she co-founded the Indian National Congress in the Nizam
ruled princely state of Hyderabad.
➢ She was jailed for taking part in the "Quit India" movement in 1942. After Independence, she was
elected to the Indian Parliament in 1950.

● Velu Nachiyar, the first Indian queen to wage war against the East India
Company.
She was a queen of Sivaganga estate from 1780–1790.
She is known by Tamils as Veeramangai ("brave woman").
➢ With the support of Haider Alis Army, feudal lords, marudhu brothers,
Dalit commanders and thandavarayan pillai she fought the East India
company.

● Jhalkari Bai, a solider and adviser to the Rani of Jhansi.

She was a woman soldier who played an important role in the Indian Rebellion of
1857.
➢ At the height of the Siege of Jhansi, she disguised herself as the queen and
fought on her behalf, on the front, allowing the queen to escape safely out of
the fort.

Topics: Women and women related issues.

1. What is GitHub, at the centre of online sexual harassment probe?
Context:
GitHub is the world’s largest open-source developer community platform where users upload their projects
and code for others to view, edit, and tweak.
● It is in the news after it was used to create and share an offensively named app (Bulli Bai) that
sexually harassed Muslim women in India.
● The app used pictures of the women stolen from their social media handles and invited “users” to bid
for them.

How is the case being investigated?

GitHub has blocked the user, and the Indian Computer Emergency Response System (Cert-In), the nodal
agency for monitoring cyber security incidents, has been asked to form “a high-level committee” to investigate.
● Delhi and Mumbai Police have registered FIRs on complaints by some of the women who were
targeted.

Is this the first time such an incident has happened?

No. In June 2021, another app with a similar-sounding name, which too was hosted on GitHub, had been used
to harass Muslim women in the same way.
Police in Delhi and Noida had registered FIRs, but the probe has not progressed. Delhi Police have said GitHub
is not cooperating.

What's the issue/concern?

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Recently, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has informed that there was a rise of 46% in complaints
of crimes against women in the first eight months of 2021 over the corresponding period of last year.

Constitutional Safeguards:
Fundamental Rights:
● It guarantees all Indians the right to equality (Article 14), no discrimination by the State on the basis of
gender (Article 15(1)) and special provisions to be made by the State in favour of women (Article 15(3)).
Fundamental Duties:
● It ensures that practices derogatory to the dignity of women are prohibited under Article 51 (A).

Legislative Framework:
1. Indian Penal Code (IPC) criminalises speech that is obscene, defamatory, that insults the modesty of
women and intrudes upon her privacy.
2. Information Technology Act of 2000 punishes speech that is obscene.
3. The Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act prohibits the publication of any printed
material containing indecent representation of women.
4. Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act prevent sexual harassment of a child as well as the
use of children for pornographic purposes.

SHe-Box:
The Ministry of Women & Child Development has launched Sexual Harassment electronic Box (SHe-Box) as
an effort to provide a single window access to every woman, irrespective of her work status, whether working
in organised or unorganised, private or public sector, to facilitate the registration of complaint related to sexual
harassment.
● Any woman facing sexual harassment at the workplace can register their complaint through this portal.
Once a complaint is submitted to the ‘SHe-Box’, it will be directly sent to the concerned authority
having jurisdiction to take action into the matter.

Measures needed:
National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal should be designated as the national portal under-reporting
requirements in the POCSO Act in case of electronic material.
Union Government should be empowered through its designated authority to block and/or prohibit all
websites/intermediaries that carry child sexual abuse material.
Tools can be developed which can analyse the behaviour of every internet user. So it can help prevent the user
from falling into cyber bullying.
Law enforcement agencies should be permitted to brake end to end encryption to trace distributors of child
pornography.
A cyber crime portal was launched in 2018 to enable citizens to report obscene contents. Cyber police stations
and cyber crime cells were also set up in each state for reporting and investigating cybercrime cases.

Insta Curious:
Do you know about the Spotlight Initiative? The European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN) have
embarked on this new, global, multi-year initiative focused on eliminating all forms of Violence Against Women
and Girls (VAWG).

InstaLinks: 5. Information Technology Act of 2000.

Prelims Link: 6. Vishakha Guidelines.
1. Spotlight Initiative.
2. Cyber crime portal. Mains Link: Discuss ways to prevent online
3. National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. harassment of women.
4. SHe-Box.

Link: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/github-india-controversy-7703980/lite/.

www.insightsonindia.com 13 InsightsIAS
Topics: Population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues.
1. Census and NPR:
Context:
The first phase of the census and collection of details to update the National Population Register (NPR) have
been postponed at least till September.

Mandatory requirements for Census:

Freezing of boundary limits of administrative units: Freezing of boundary limits of administrative units
(boundaries of districts, sub-districts, tehsils, talukas, police stations etc.), at least three months prior, is a pre-
requisite for conducting the census.
● For Census 2021, all the changes between January 1, 2010 i.e. after the date of freezing of boundaries
for Census 2011 up to the date of freezing of boundaries for forthcoming exercise (presently up to June
30, 2022) are to be considered for finalising the administrative units.

Census:
The census provides information on size, distribution and socio-economic, demographic and other
characteristics of the country's population.
● The Census was first started under British Viceroy Lord Mayo in 1872. It helped in framing new
policies, government programs to uplift areas of improvement in the community.
● The first synchronous census in India was held in 1881. Since then, censuses have been undertaken
uninterruptedly once every ten years.

Who conducts census?

The responsibility of conducting the decennial Census rests with the Office of the Registrar General and
Census Commissioner, India under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.

The Census is one of the most credible sources of information on the following:
1. Demography.
2. Economic Activity.
3. Literacy and Education.
4. Housing & Household Amenities.
5. Urbanization, Fertility, and Mortality.
6. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
7. Language.

Historical Significance:
1. 'Rig-Veda' reveals that some kind of population count was maintained during 800-600 BC in India.
2. Arthashastra by 'Kautilya' written in the 3rd Century BC prescribed the collection of population
statistics as a measure of state policy for taxation.
3. During the regime of the Mughal king Akbar, the administrative report 'Ain-e-Akbari' included
comprehensive data pertaining to population, industry, wealth and many other characteristics.

How is NPR different from Census?

The objective of the NPR is to create a
comprehensive identity database of every usual
resident in the country and it is “mandatory for
every usual resident of India to register in the
NPR.”
While similar data is collected through Census,
according to Section 15 of the Census Act, 1948, all
individual level information collected in Census is
confidential and “only aggregated data are
released at various administrative levels.”

www.insightsonindia.com 14 InsightsIAS
 ● The NPR was first compiled in 2010 and updated in 2015 and it already has a database of 119 crore
residents.

Who is a usual resident?

A usual resident is defined for the purposes of NPR as a person who has resided in a local area for the past 6
months or more or a person who intends to reside in that area for the next 6 months or more.

Criticisms surrounding NPR:

Many Opposition-ruled States have opposed the updation of the NPR due to its link with the proposed
National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
● According to Citizenship Rules framed in the year 2003, NPR is the first step towards compilation of
National Register of Indian Citizens (NRIC) or NRC.

Insta Curious:
According to provisional data compiled by the RGI till June 2021:
1. The number of districts has gone up from 640 in 2011 to 736.
2. The sub-districts are up from 5,925 to 6,754, statutory towns from 4,041 to 4,657, census towns from
3,892 to 5,050.
3. But villages have decreased from 6,40,934 in 2011 to 6,39,083 in 2021.

InstaLinks: 5. How can a person acquire Indian

Prelims Link: citizenship?
1. Constitutional provisions related to 6. Can an Indian citizen hold dual citizenship?
Citizenship. 7. What are long term visas?
2. Components of NPR data. 8. Latest amendments to the Citizenship Act.
3. Who is an usual resident?
4. Who prepares NPR? Mains Link: Discuss the need for and significance of
caste-based census.

Link: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thehindu.com/news/national/census-first-phase-npr-data-
collection-put-off-till-september/article38091880.ece/amp/.

Topics: Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity,

cyclone etc., geographical features and their location- changes in critical geographical
features (including water-bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such
changes.
1. Tonga Volcanic Eruption:
Context:
Recently, a volcano erupted in the southern Pacific Island of Tonga, which triggered Tsunami waves around
the Pacific.
● It is an Undersea Volcanic Eruption consisting of two small uninhabited islands, Hunga-Ha’apai and
Hunga-Tonga.
The Tonga Islands occur along the Ring of Fire—a perimeter of heightened volcanic and seismic activity that
encircles the Pacific Ocean basin.

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What is the Ring of Fire?
The Ring of Fire is a Pacific region home to over 450 volcanoes, including three of the world’s four most active
volcanoes – Mount St. Helens in the USA, Mount Fuji in Japan and Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines. It is also
sometimes called the circum-Pacific belt.
● Around 90% of the world’s earthquakes occur in the Ring of Fire, and 80% of the world’s largest
earthquakes.

Location:
● It stretches along the Pacific Ocean
coastlines, where the Pacific Plate
grinds against other, smaller
tectonic plates that form the Earth’s
crust – such as the Philippine Sea
plate and the Cocos and Nazca
Plates that line the edge of the
Pacific Ocean.
● The 40,000 kilometre horse-shoe-
shaped ring loops from New
Zealand to Chile, passing through
the coasts of Asia and the Americas
on the way.

Risk:
The people most at risk from activity in the Ring of Fire are in the US west coast, Chile, Japan and island nations
including the Solomon Islands. These areas are most at risk because they lie on so-called subduction zones –
which are boundaries that mark the collision between two of the planet’s tectonic plates.

How was the Ring of Fire formed?

The Ring of Fire is the result from subduction of oceanic tectonic plates beneath lighter continental plates.
The area where these tectonic plates meet is called a subduction zone.

Why does the Ring of Fire trigger earthquakes?

● The world’s deepest earthquakes happen in subduction zone areas as tectonic plates scrape against
each other – and the Ring of Fire has the world’s biggest concentration of subduction zones.
● As energy is released from the earth’s molten core, it forces tectonic plates to move and they crash up
against each other, causing friction. The friction causes a build-up of energy and when this energy is
finally released it causes an earthquake. If this happens at sea it can cause devastating tsunamis.
● Tectonic plates usually only move on average a few centimetres each year, but when an earthquake
strikes, they speed up massively and can move at several metres per second.

www.insightsonindia.com 16 InsightsIAS
InstaLinks: 4. Earthquake waves.
Prelims Link:
1. Pacific Ring of Fire. Mains Link: What is Pacific Ring of Fire? Explain its
2. Active Volcanoes in the world. relevance in the case of recent volcanic eruption in
3. Barren Island. Indonesia?

2. La Niña effect on Indian subcontinent:

Context:
Various parts of India, especially North India, have been experiencing a severe cold wave. Warnings for the
severe cold waves have been issued in several northern states.

What is a Cold Wave?

A cold wave is different for the plains and the mountains.
● According to the Indian Meterological Department (IMD) if the temperature goes below 10 degree
and minimum temperature is at 4.5 degree, it is a cold wave for the plains. The criteria for hills is 0
degree.
● If the temperature is 6.4 degree below normal or down to 2 degree, it is a severe called wave in the
plains.
The IMD calls it “a condition of air temperature which becomes fatal to the human body when exposed.”

But Why is it So Cold?

Short Answer: Strong streams of western disturbances running through the northern belt are causing this.
Complex Answer: La Nina.
● What brings cold to the region, is the unabated north-westerly winds which bring chilly winds from higher
latitude to Indo-Gangetic plains. However, passage of back-to-back western disturbances tend to change
the wind direction from cold north-westerlies to warm and humid easterlies. However, with La Niña in
place, what is expected is less amount of winter rains and thus, icy cold winds would continue to blow over
Northwest India uninterruptedly, bringing down the temperatures.”

Background:
El Nino and La Nina are part of the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle.
● In 2020, La Nina developed during the month of August and then dissipated in April 2021 as ENSO-neutral
conditions returned.
● For the upcoming winter season, which extends from December 2021 through February 2022, there is an
87% chance of La Nina.

What are the Niño and La Niña?

They are two natural climate phenomena occurring across the tropical Pacific Ocean and influence the weather
conditions all over the world.
● While the El Niño period is characterised by warming or increased sea surface temperatures in the central
and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, a La Niña event causes the water in the eastern Pacific Ocean to be
colder than usual.
● Together, they are called ENSO or El Niño-Southern Oscillation.

What causes El Nino?

1. El Nino sets in when there is an anomaly in the
pattern.
2. The westward-blowing trade winds weaken
along the Equator and due to changes in air
pressure, the surface water moves eastwards to
the coast of northern South America.
3. The central and eastern Pacific regions warm up
for over six months and result in an El Nino
condition.

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Weather changes because of La Nina:
1. The Horn of Africa and central Asia will see below
average rainfall due to La Niña.
2. East Africa is forecast to see drier-than-usual
conditions, which together with the existing
impacts of the desert locust invasion, may add to
regional food insecurity.
3. It could also lead to increased rainfall in southern
Africa.
4. It could also affect the South West Indian Ocean
Tropical Cyclone season, reducing the intensity.
5. Southeast Asia, some Pacific Islands and the northern region of South America are expected to receive
above-average rainfall.
6. In India, La Niña means the country will receive more rainfall than normal, leading to floods.

Insta Curious: Do you know about Param Shivay, a Supercomputer built under the National Super Computing
Mission? Reference:

InstaLinks: 5. Impact of ENSO on Asia, Africa and

Prelims Link: Australia.
1. What is El Nino?
2. What is La Nina? Mains Link: Discuss the impact of La Nina weather
3. What is ENSO? phenomenon on India.
4. When do these events occur?

3. What is a Bomb Cyclone?

Context:
The US East Coast is bracing itself for a “bomb
cyclone” (Nor'easter) that is on course to to
barrel in from the mid-Atlantic.

What is a Bomb Cyclone?

“Bombogenesis is the technical term. ‘Bomb
cyclone’ is a shortened version of it, better for
social media.”
● It is a mid-latitude cyclone that
intensifies rapidly.
● It has low pressure at its center,
weather fronts and an array of associated weather,
from blizzards to severe thunderstorms to heavy
precipitation.
When is it formed? Generally, a bomb cyclone happens when
atmospheric pressure in the middle of the storm drops at least
24 millibars over 24 hours, quickly increasing in intensity. The
lower the pressure, the stronger the storm.

How is it different from hurricanes?

● It essentially amounts to a rapidly developing storm system,
distinct from a tropical hurricane because it occurs over midlatitudes where fronts of warm and cold air
meet and collide, rather than relying on the balmy ocean waters of late summer as a catalyst.
● Bomb cyclones have cold air and fronts: Cold air rapidly weakens hurricanes, while it is an essential
ingredient for bomb cyclones.

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● Bomb cyclones form during winter: Hurricanes form
from late spring to early fall, while bomb cyclones form
from late fall to early spring.
● Bomb cyclones form at higher latitudes: Hurricanes
form in tropical waters, while bomb cyclones form over
the northwestern Atlantic, northwestern Pacific and
sometimes the Mediterranean Sea.

Insta Curious:
Did you know that two famed meteorologists, Fred Sanders
and John Gyakum, gave bomb Cyclone pattern its name in a
1980 study?

Did you know that all bomb cyclones are not hurricanes? But sometimes, they can take on characteristics that
make them look an awful lot like hurricanes, with very strong winds, heavy precipitation and well-defined eye-
like features in the middle.

InstaLinks: 3. What is a Bomb Cyclone?

Prelims Link:
1. What is a cyclone? Mains Link: What is a Bomb Cyclone? How is it
2. Differences between cyclones, hurricanes formed?
and typhoons.

www.insightsonindia.com 19 InsightsIAS
GENERAL STUDIES – 2
Topics: Indian Constitution- historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments,
significant provisions and basic structure; Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme
with that of other countries.
1. Anti-defection law:
Context:
Last week, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati called for a more stringent anti-defection law amid a
string of politicians switching parties ahead of the Uttar Pradesh assembly election beginning next month.

What's the issue?

The practice of politicians deserting parties just ahead of elections is not unusual. And every time there are
defections, the anti-defection law, which penalises individual lawmakers for switching parties, comes into the
picture.

Relevance: the Tenth Schedule of the Indian Constitution:

Popularly known as the anti-defection law.
● It specifies the circumstances under which changing of political parties by legislators invites action
under the law.
● It was added to the Constitution by the 52nd Amendment Act.
● It includes situations in which an independent MLA, too, joins a party after the election.

The law covers three scenarios with respect to shifting of political parties by an MP or an MLA. These include:
1. When a member elected on the ticket of a political party “voluntarily gives up” membership of such a
party or votes in the House against the wishes of the party.
2. When a legislator who has won his or her seat as an independent candidate joins a political party after
the election.
In the above two cases, the legislator loses the seat in the legislature on changing (or joining) a party.
3. Relates to nominated MPs. In their case, the law gives them six months to join a political party, after
being nominated. If they join a party after such time, they stand to lose their seat in the House.

Matters related to disqualification:

● Under the anti-defection law, the power to decide the disqualification of an MP or MLA rests with the
presiding officer of the legislature.
● The law does not specify a time frame in which such a decision has to be made.
● Last year, the Supreme Court observed that anti-defection cases should be decided by Speakers in
three months’ time.

However, Legislators may change their party without the risk of disqualification in certain circumstances.
Exceptions:
1. The law allows a party to merge with or into another party provided that at least two-thirds of its
legislators are in favour of the merger.
2. On being elected as the presiding officer of the House, if a member, voluntarily gives up the
membership of his party or rejoins it after he ceases to hold that office, he won’t be disqualified.

Loopholes in the law:

Those against say that voters elect individuals in the election and not parties and hence the Anti-Defection law
is infructuous.

Can the courts intervene?

Courts have, in certain cases, intervened in the workings of a legislature.
1. In 1992, a five-judge constitutional bench of the Supreme Court held that the anti-defection law
proceedings before the Speaker are akin to a tribunal and, thus, can be placed under judicial review.

www.insightsonindia.com 20 InsightsIAS
 2. In January 2020, the Supreme Court asked Parliament to amend the Constitution to strip legislative
assembly speakers of their exclusive power to decide whether legislators should be disqualified or not
under the anti-defection law.
3. In March 2020, the Supreme Court removed Manipur minister Thounaojam Shyamkumar Singh, against
whom disqualification petitions were pending before the speaker since 2017, from the state cabinet
and restrained him “from entering the legislative assembly till further orders”.

Insta Curious: Did you know that the initial attempts at creating the anti-defection law (1969, 1973) did not
cover independent legislators joining political parties? Then, when were they included under the law? Have a
brief overview about it here.

InstaLinks: 4. Merger vs Split of political parties.

Prelims Link: 5. Is anti- defection law applicable to the
1. Names of various committees and presiding officer?
commissions with regard to Anti Defection 6. Relevant Supreme Court cases and verdicts.
law.
2. Committees vs Commissions. Mains Link: Examine the provisions of Anti-
3. Decision of presiding officer vs Judicial defection law. Has this law largely failed to meet its
review. objective? Discuss.

2. 50% Reservation Limit:

Context:
A UPSC aspirant has approached the Supreme Court seeking to quash the final result dated September 24,
2021 declared by UPSC for Civil Services Examination 2020 to the extent it violates the 50% reservation ceiling.

What's the issue?

It has been argued in the petition that UPSC has recommended 34.55% candidates for appointment against the
general category and 65.44% against the reserved category, completely sabotaging the merit of the general
category candidates.
● In this regard it has further been contended that only 40% of seats have been marked for
appointment against the general unreserved quota, which is in violation of the 50% ceiling of
reservation (as held by in Indra Sawhney vs UOI reported in (1992) Supp. (3) SCC 217).

Indra Sawhney & Others vs Union of India, 1992:

A nine-judge bench in the Indra Sawhney case (famously
known as the Mandal Commission case) imposed the ceiling
of 50% on total reservation.
● The Supreme Court while upholding the 27% quota
for backward classes, struck down the government
notification reserving 10% government jobs for
economically backward classes among the higher
castes.
● SC in the same case also upheld the principle that the
combined reservation beneficiaries should not
exceed 50% of India’s population.
● The concept of ‘creamy layer’ also gained currency
through this judgment and provision that reservation
for backward classes should be confined to initial
appointments only and not extend to promotions.

Why 50%?
The Other Backward Classes, as identified by the Mandal Commission, make up about 52% of India’s
population according to the 1931 Census. The court, however, did not deal with the question of population
while ruling that although reservation was fine, it must be capped.

www.insightsonindia.com 21 InsightsIAS
Tamilnadu's case:
The state’s Assembly passed the Tamil Nadu Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes
(Reservation of Seats in Educational Institutions and Appointments or Posts in the Services under the State)
Act, 1993 to keep its reservation limit intact at 69%.
● The law was subsequently included into the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution through the 76th
Constitution Amendment passed by Parliament in 1994.

Insta Curious:
Constitution and Reservation:
77th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1995: The Indra Sawhney verdict had held there would be reservation
only in initial appointments and not promotions.
● However, addition of the article 16(4A) to the Constitution, empowered the state to make provisions
for reservation in matters of promotion to SC/ST employees, if the state feels they are not adequately
represented.
81st Constitutional Amendment Act, 2000: It introduced Article 16(4B), which says unfilled SC/ST quota of a
particular year, when carried forward to the next year, will be treated separately and not clubbed with the
regular vacancies of that year.
85th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2001: It provided for the reservation in promotion can be applied with
‘consequential seniority’ for the government servants belonging to the SCs and STs with retrospective effect
from June 1995.
103rd amendment to the Constitution (2019): 10% reservation for EWS (Economically Weaker Section).
Article 335: It says that the claims of SCs and STs shall be taken into consideration constituently with the
maintenance of efficiency of administration, in the making of appointments to services and posts in connection
with the affairs of the Union or of a State.

InstaLinks: 3. About Maratha Quota law.

Prelims Link: 4. What is 9th schedule of the Indian
1. About the 103rd Constitutional Constitution.
Amendment Act. 5. Indira Sawhney Judgment.
2. 102 CAA- overview.

Mains Link: Recently, a five-judge Bench set up to hear the challenge to the Maratha quota law, decided not to
confine the question of reservation spilling over the 50% limit to just Maharashtra. Discuss the implications of
this move.

3. Consent of AG to initiate contempt proceedings:

Context:
Attorney General K K Venugopal has granted consent to initiate contempt proceedings against 'Dharam
Sansad' leader Yati Narsinghanand over his alleged remarks against the Constitution and the Supreme Court.

Need for consent:

As per Section 15 of the Contempt of Courts Act, the nod of the Attorney General or the Solicitor General is a
condition precedent to set the criminal contempt proceedings in motion before the apex court.

What is the law on contempt of courts?

The Contempt of Courts Act 1971 defines civil and criminal contempt, and lays down the powers and
procedures by which courts can penalise contempt, as well as the penalties that can be given for the offence of
contempt.
● Contempt of court is the offense of being disobedient to or disrespectful toward a court of law and
its officers in the form of behavior that opposes or defies the authority, justice and dignity of the court.

Why is the consent of the Attorney General required to initiate contempt proceedings?

www.insightsonindia.com 22 InsightsIAS
The objective behind requiring the consent of the Attorney General before taking cognizance of a complaint is
to save the time of the court.
● This is necessary because judicial time is squandered if frivolous petitions are made and the court is
the first forum for bringing them in.
● The AG’s consent is meant to be a safeguard against frivolous petitions, as it is deemed that the AG, as
an officer of the court, will independently ascertain whether the complaint is indeed valid.

Under what circumstances is the AG’s consent not needed?

The AG’s consent is mandatory when a private citizen wants to initiate a case of contempt of court against a
person.
However, when the court itself initiates a contempt of court case the AG’s consent is not required.
● This is because the court is exercising its inherent powers under the Constitution to punish for
contempt and such Constitutional powers cannot be restricted because the AG declined to grant
consent.

What happens if the AG denies consent?

If the AG denies consent, the matter all but ends.
The complainant can, however, separately bring the issue to the notice of the court and urge the court to
take suo motu cognizance.
● Article 129 of the Constitution gives the Supreme Court the power to initiate contempt cases on its
own, independent of the motion brought before it by the AG or with the consent of the AG.

Insta Curious: Civil contempt refers to the wilful disobedience of an order of any court. How is it different from
Criminal Contempt? Reference: read this.

Insta Link: 5. Rights under Article 19.

Prelims Link: 6. Section 10 of The Contempt of Courts Act
1. Powers of SC vs HCs wrt Contempt cases. of 1971 is related to?
2. Constitutional provisions in this regard.
3. Changes brought about by Contempt of Mains Link: Discuss how contempt cases are
Courts (Amendment) Act, 2006. handled by the Supreme Court in India.
4. Civil vs Criminal contempt.

4. Quota in promotions:
Context:
The Supreme Court has turned down the Union government’s plea to do away with the requirement of
collecting quantifiable data by the Centre and states to determine the representation of people belonging to
Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) while implementing reservation in promotion.

What's the case?

The court was hearing a batch of petitions arising out of judgments from 11 high courts, which delivered rulings
on various pertinent reservation policies in the last 10 years.
● Some of the states from where these judgments arose included Maharashtra, Bihar, Delhi, Uttar
Pradesh, Tripura, Madhya Pradesh, and Punjab.

Observations made by the supreme court:

● State is obligated to collect quantifiable data as per the court’s judgment in M Nagaraj (2006) and
Jarnail Singh (2018).
● Collection of data has to be for each category of posts for the entire service.
● The Central government must determine a time period to revisit the reservation policy after
ascertaining the percentage of posts occupied by SCs/STs.
● Assessment on the inadequacy of representation of the reserved categories in promotional posts
should be left to the states.

www.insightsonindia.com 23 InsightsIAS
Pavitra case:
With the recognition of ‘cadre’ as the unit for collection of quantifiable data, the court has also set aside its
earlier judgment in the B.K. Pavithra case.
● The 2019 judgment by the Supreme Court in BK Pavitra–II upheld the validity of the 2018 Reservation
Act that introduced consequential seniority for SC/STs in Karnataka public employment.
● The top court held that Pavitra-II was decided in breach of the constitution bench judgment in
Nagaraj’s case in affirming the state’s policy on consequential seniority on the basis of cadre strength.

What constitutes a cadre?

Explaining why ‘cadre’ should be the unit for the purpose of collection of quantifiable data in relation to
promotional posts, the court said otherwise the entire exercise of reservation in promotions would be
rendered meaningless if data pertaining to the representation of SCs and STs is done with reference to the
entire service.
● The term ‘cadre’ means the strength of a service or part of a service sanctioned as a separate unit. It is
the choice of a State to constitute cadres.
● The entire service cannot be considered to be a cadre for the purpose of promotion from one post to a
higher post in a different grade.
● Promotion is made from one grade to the next higher grade, in relation to which cadres are
constituted.

M Nagaraj case:
In 2006, a Constitution bench’s ruling in the M Nagaraj case made it incumbent upon the state to collect
quantifiable data showing inadequacy of representation of a section of people in public employment in
addition to maintaining overall administrative efficiency.
● The aspect of quantifiable data was endorsed by another Constitution bench by its 2018 ruling in the
Jarnail Singh case which also mandated the exclusion of the “creamy layer” before providing for
reservation in promotions.

What are the arguments by the union Government?

The Union government pressed for reservation in promotion proportionate to the population of SCs and STs as
per a 1995 judgment by the top court in the RK Sabharwal case. It should be left to the Centre and states to
decide on promotional avenues for SCs and STs.

Present scenario:
At present, there is a roster system in place in every cadre of the government departments to ascertain the
posts required to be filled up by SCs/STs.
● The roster system was based on the proportionate population of SCs/STs.
● A position in the roster for any reserved group is reached by dividing 100 by the percentage of the
quota that the group is entitled to.

Constitutional basis for reservation- Article 335:

Article 335 recognises that special measures need to be adopted for considering the claims of SCs and STs in
order to bring them to a level-playing field.

Insta Curious:
Articles 16 (4) and 16 (4-A) of the Constitution does not confer individuals with a fundamental right to claim
reservation in promotion.
● It only empowers the State to make a reservation in matters of appointment and promotion in favour
of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, only if in the opinion of the State they are not
adequately represented in the services of the State.

InstaLinks: 3. Right to equality.

Prelims Link: 4. M. Nagaraj case.
1. Article 335.
2. Article 16(4).
www.insightsonindia.com 24 InsightsIAS
Mains Link: Discuss the need for reservation in promotions.

Topics: Separation of powers between various organs dispute redressal mechanisms and
institutions.
1. Mullaperiyar dam issue:
Context:
An application has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking appropriate direction to Government of Tamil Nadu
to construct a new dam as also augment the storage capacity of the Vaigai dam downstream or to take such
steps to strengthen the Mullaperiyar dam till an alternative dam is constructed.

Need for:
The petitioners said this is necessary to allay the fear of the millions whose lives are at risk in the event of the
unthinkable, namely the collapse of the Mullaperiar dam and as a fallout the giving away of the Idukki dam
which is certain to cause the loss of 35-40 lakhs of citizens in the five districts of Idukki, Thrissur, Ernakulam,
Kottayam and Alappuzha, may wiping out of the city of Cochin.

The present issue:

Please note that both the states are at loggerheads over the stability of
the structure, with Kerala demanding that a new dam must be
constructed and Tamil Nadu saying that a new structure is not needed.
Also, Kerala has been against increasing water levels at the dam, citing
structural stability.

What has the Supreme Court Said?

Recently, the Supreme Court directed the Supervisory
Committee to take an immediate and firm decision on the
maximum water level that can be maintained at
Mullaperiyar dam, amid torrential rain in Kerala.
● The SC constituted a permanent Supervisory
Committee in 2014 to oversee all the issues
concerning Mullaperiyar dam. The dam is a source of
friction between Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Issue surrounding water level at the reservoir?

● Kerala said the water level should not go above 139
feet, the same as what the court had ordered on
August 24, 2018, when the State was hit by floods. It is because the lives of 50 lakh people would be in
danger if the water level in the dam is raised.
● However, Tamil Nadu objected to this decision citing the Supreme Court judgments of 2006 and 2014,
which fixed the maximum water level at 142 feet.

Mullaperiyar Dam- what you need to know?

Although the dam is located in Kerala, it is operated by Tamil Nadu following an 1886 lease indenture for 999
years (the Periyar Lake Lease Agreement) that was signed between the Maharaja of Travancore and the
Secretary of State for India for the Periyar Irrigation works.
● Constructed between 1887 and 1895, the dam redirected the river to flow towards the Bay of Bengal,
instead of the Arabian Sea and provide water to the arid rain region of Madurai in Madras Presidency.
● The dam is located on the confluence of the Mullayar and Periyar rivers inKerala’s Idukki district.

What does Tamil Nadu say?

Tamil Nadu claims that although it has undertaken measures to strengthen the dam, the Kerala government
has blocked any attempt to raise the reservoir water level – resulting in losses for Madurai farmers.

www.insightsonindia.com 25 InsightsIAS
Kerala’s arguments:
Kerala, however, highlights fears of devastation by
residents living downstream in the earthquake-prone
district of Idukki.
Scientists have argued that if there is an earthquake in the
region measuring above six on the Richter scale, the lives
of over three million people will come under grave danger.

Insta Curious:
What is the rule curve?
The ‘rule curve’ in a dam decides the fluctuating storage levels in a reservoir. The gate opening schedule of a
dam is based on the ‘rule curve’. It is part of the “core safety” mechanism in a dam.

InstaLinks: 4. About the 1886 Periyar Lake Lease

Prelims Link: Agreement.
1. Locations of Mullayar and Periyar rivers. 5. About the Interstate River Water Disputes
2. Location of Mullaperiyar dam? Act, 1956 (IRWD Act).
3. Who manages the dam?

Mains Link: Examine why the Mullaperiyar dam issue has become bone of contention between Tamil Nadu and
Kerala. Examine if the union government can help resolve this issue.

2. How Election Commission decides on party symbols?

Context:
Former Punjab CM Amarinder Singh's newly formed party Punjab Lok Congress has
received its party symbol - Hockey stick and ball.

Firstly, how are symbols allotted to political parties?

As per the guidelines, to get a symbol allotted:
1. A party/candidate has to provide a list of three symbols from the EC’s free symbols list at the time of
filing nomination papers.
2. Among them, one symbol is allotted to the party/candidate on a first-come-first-serve basis.
3. When a recognised political party splits, the Election Commission takes the decision on assigning the
symbol.

Powers of Election Commission:

The Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968 empowers the EC to recognise political parties
and allot symbols.
● Under Paragraph 15 of the Order, it can decide disputes among rival groups or sections of a recognised
political party staking claim to its name and symbol.
● The EC is also the only authority to decide issues on a dispute or a merger. The Supreme Court upheld
its validity in Sadiq Ali and another vs. ECI in 1971.

How many types of symbols are there?

As per the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) (Amendment) Order, 2017, party symbols are either:
1. Reserved: Eight national parties and 64 state parties across the country have “reserved” symbols.
2. Free: The Election Commission also has a pool of nearly 200 “free” symbols that are allotted to the
thousands of unrecognised regional parties that pop up before elections.

What are the Election Commission’s powers in a dispute over the election symbol when a party splits?
On the question of a split in a political party outside the legislature, Para 15 of the Symbols Order, 1968,
states: “When the Commission is satisfied that there are rival sections or groups of a recognised political party
each of whom claims to be that party the Commission may decide that one such rival section or group or none

www.insightsonindia.com 26 InsightsIAS
of such rival sections or groups is that recognised political party and the decision of the Commission shall be
binding on all such rival sections or groups.”
● This applies to disputes in recognised national and state parties (like the LJP, in this case). For splits in
registered but unrecognised parties, the EC usually advises the warring factions to resolve their
differences internally or to approach the court.
Please note that before 1968, the EC issued notifications and executive orders under the Conduct of Election
Rules, 1961.

Insta Curious: Do you know the differences between a recognised National Political Party and a State Political
Party? Reference: read this.

InstaLinks: 5. Who decides on issues related to merger of

Prelims Link: political parties?
1. Recognition of political parties. 6. Article 226 is related to?
2. What are state parties and national
parties? Mains Link: Discuss how are symbols allotted to
3. Benefits for recognized parties. political parties?
4. Who assigns party symbols? What are the
types?

3. Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956:

Context:
Karnataka CM Recently observed that the time has come to revisit the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act as
it creates more disputes than resolving them.
● The chief minister's statement comes at a time when Karnataka has been involved in inconstant fight
with neighbouring Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Goa and Andhra Pradesh regarding inter-state water
disputes concerning Cauvery, Mahadayi and Krishna rivers.

Need of the hour:

● The multifold levels of addressing the inter-state water disputes are removed at one single stage.
● The solution should be on the basis of maximum utility of a river basin capacity and using technology,
and giving away all political considerations.

Inter-state water dispute:

Art 262 provides for the adjudication of inter-state water disputes. It has two following provisions:
1. Parliament may by law provide for the adjudication of any dispute or complaint with respect to the
use, distribution and control of waters of any inter-state river and river valley.
2. Parliament may also provide that neither the Supreme Court nor any other court is to exercise
jurisdiction in respect of any such dispute or complaint.
Under the provisions of the act, the central government has enacted, River boards act (1956) and Inter-state
water disputes act (1956).
1. The river board act provides for the establishment of river boards for the regulation and development
of the Inter-state River and river valleys. Such a river board is established on the request of the state
governments concerned.
2. The inter-state water dispute act empowers the central government to set up an ad hoc tribunal for
the adjudication of a dispute between the two or more states in relation to the water of an inter-state
river. The decision of the tribunal would be final and binding. Furthermore, the act bars the SC and any
other court to have jurisdiction in this matter.

Issues surrounding the interstate Water Dispute Act, 1956:

The Inter State Water Dispute Act, 1956 which provides the legal framework to address such disputes suffers
from many drawbacks as it does not fix any time limit for resolving river water disputes.

www.insightsonindia.com 27 InsightsIAS
Delays are on account of no time limit for adjudication by a Tribunal, no upper age limit for the Chairman or
the Members, work getting stalled due to occurrence of any vacancy and no time limit for publishing the report
of the Tribunal.
The River Boards Act 1956, which is supposed to facilitate inter-state collaboration over water resource
development, remained a ‘dead letter’ since its enactment.
Surface water is controlled by Central Water Commission (CWC) and ground water by Central Ground Water
Board of India (CGWB). Both bodies work independently and there is no common forum for common
discussion with state governments on water management.

Insta Curious:
Do you know about the Provisions related to interstate river water disputes?
● Entry 17 of State List deals with water i.e. water supply, irrigation, canal, drainage, embankments,
water storage and water power.
● Entry 56 of Union List empowers the Union Government for the regulation and development of inter-
state rivers and river valleys to the extent declared by Parliament to be expedient in the public interest.

Link: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/inter-state-water-disputes-act-creating-more-
disputes-than-resolving-them-karnataka-cm/article38281912.ece.

4. Gujarat HC’s digital initiatives:

Context:
Two digital services for Gujarat High court — a ‘Justice Clock’, and electronic payment of court fee, were
recently inaugurated.

What is the ‘Justice Clock’?

● It is an LED display of 7 feet by 10 feet, placed at a height of 17 feet from the ground.
● Placed in high court premises.
● This ‘Justice Clock’ will exhibit vital statistics of the justice delivery system in Gujarat, to “maximise
outreach and visibility” of the work done by the state judiciary.

What is e-court fee and how will it help?

The online e-Courts fee system allows advocate and parties to procure judicial stamps online through
electronic payment and upon submission of a PDF receipt.

Significance of these initiatives:

● The two digital initiatives add to a slew of other digital measures the Gujarat HC has undertaken to
cope with Covid-19.
● Digital transformation brings in transparency and openness in court proceedings and also provides a
glimpse to the public at large of how judges function.

Need for Digitization?

Perception about Indian courts is that courts justice delivery is with long delays and difficult for ordinary
litigants. It is expected that technology will revolutionaries the justice delivery.

Judiciary’s Efforts During Pandemic:

1. In the wake of the pandemic, courts began using facilities like e-filing in true earnest.
2. In May 2020, the Supreme Court also introduced another innovation: a new system of e-filing and
artificial intelligence-enabled referencing.
3. The latest Vision Document for Phase III of the e-Courts Project seeks to address the judiciary’s digital
deprivation. It envisages an infrastructure for the judicial system that is ‘natively digital’ and reflects
the effect that the pandemic has had on India’s judicial timeline and thinking.

5. Criminal justice reforms:

Context:
www.insightsonindia.com 28 InsightsIAS
Experts have expressed “serious concerns over the slow pace of reforms in the criminal justice system to
ensure speedy justice”.

Current concerns/challenges:
1. The delay in disposal of cases was leading to human rights violations of the under-trials and convicts.
2. Despite the Supreme Court’s directions on police reforms, there had been hardly any changes on the
ground.
3. Court orders convicting a person are also taking years to implement.

Suggested Reforms:
● Special laws and fast-track courts could replace certain offences under the Indian Penal Code in order
to reduce the piling up of cases at every police station.
● Digitisation of documents would help in speeding up investigations and trials.
● The construction of new offences and reworking of the existing classification of offences must be
guided by the principles of criminal jurisprudence which have substantially altered in the past four
decades.
● The classification of offences must be done in a manner conducive to management of crimes in the
future.
● The discretion of judges in deciding the quantum and nature of sentence differently for crimes of the
same nature should be based on principles of judicial precedent.

Criminal law in India:

The Criminal law in India is contained in a number of sources – The Indian Penal Code of 1860, the Protection
of Civil Rights Act, 1955, Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes
(Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
● Criminal Justice System can impose penalties on those who violate the established laws.
● The criminal law and criminal procedure are in the concurrent list of the seventh schedule of the
constitution.
● Lord Thomas Babington Macaulay is said to be the chief architect of codifications of criminal laws in
India.

Need for reforms:

1. Colonial era laws.
2. ineffectiveness.
3. Pendency of cases.
4. Huge undertrials.

Committee For Reform In Criminal Law:

● The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has
constituted a national level committee for reform
in criminal law.
● The committee has been constituted under Ranbir Singh and several other members.
● The committee would be gathering opinions online by consulting with experts and collating material
for their report to the government.

Previous committees:
Madhav Menon Committee: It submitted its report in 2007, suggesting various recommendations on reforms
in the Criminal Justice System of India (CJSI).
Malimath Committee Report: It submitted its report in 2003 on the Criminal Justice System of India (CJSI).

Insta Curious: Read about the 2006 Supreme Court ruling on police reforms here.
2. Criminal law under 7th schedule of the
InstaLinks: constitution.
Prelims Link: 3. Who codified criminal laws in India?
1. Malimath Committee is associated with? 4. Controversial IPC laws.
www.insightsonindia.com 29 InsightsIAS
 5. Ranbir Singh Committee was recently Mains Link: Write a note on criminal justice
constituted for? reforms in India.

6. Disruptions in Parliament:
Context:
The Supreme Court in its recent judgment has observed that:
● A nation aspiring to be a "world leader" should debate on the welfare of its citizens rather than make
Parliament a stage to exchange jeers and launch personal attacks on one another.
● With the completion of 75 years of Independence and ambitions of becoming a world leader, elected
members should at least know that they are expected to show statesmanship and not brinkmanship in
the House.
● Legislature is the first place where justice is dispensed to the common man through a democratic
process.

Background:
The order dealt with the year-long suspension of 12 BJP MLAs from the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly for
disorderly conduct.

How often are Disruptions in Parliament?

Disruption is replacing discussion as the foundation of our legislative functioning.
● A PRS (PRS Legislative Research) report says during the 15th Lok Sabha (2009-14), frequent disruptions
of Parliamentary proceedings have resulted in the Lok Sabha working for 61% and Rajya Sabha for 66%
of its scheduled time.
● Another PRS report said, the 16th Lok Sabha (2014-19) lost 16% of its scheduled time to disruptions,
better than the 15th Lok Sabha (37%), but worse than the 14th Lok Sabha (13%).
● The Rajya Sabha lost 36% of its scheduled time. In the 15th and 14th Lok Sabhas, it had lost 32% and
14% of its scheduled time respectively.

Reasons for Disruption:

1. Discussion on Matters of Controversy and Public Importance.
2. Disruptions May Help Ruling Party Evade Responsibility.
3. Lack of Dedicated Time for Unlisted Discussion.
4. Scarce Resort to Disciplinary Powers.
5. Party Politics.

What needs to be done?

● To curb disorder in Parliament there is a need for strict enforcement of code of conduct for MPs and
MLAs.
● The Chairperson should suspend MPs not following such codes and obstructing the Houses’ business.
● The government of the day needs to be more democratic and allow the opposition to put their ideas in
free manner.
● A “Productivity Meter” could be created which would take into consideration the number of hours that
were wasted on disruptions and adjournments and monitor the productivity of the day-to-day working
of both Houses of Parliament.

InstaLinks: 3. Roles and powers of Speaker of Lok Sabha

Prelims Link: during a session.
1. Sessions of Parliament. 4. Joint Sitting.
2. Who summons the sessions? 5. Articles 74 and 75 of the Constitution.

Mains Link: Highlight the issues associated with frequent disruptions of Parliament. Suggest measures to
ensure smooth functioning of the Parliament.

www.insightsonindia.com 30 InsightsIAS
Topics: Parliament and State Legislatures – structure, functioning, conduct of business,
powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.
1. Citizenship (Amendment) Act Rules:
Context:
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has once again missed the deadline to notify the Citizenship (Amendment)
Act, 2019 rules, the third extended deadline after the Act was passed.
● January 9 was the last day of an extension it sought from the two parliamentary committees in the Lok
Sabha and the Rajya Sabha to frame the rules.

What's the issue now?

Without rules, the Act cannot be implemented.

Background:
The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) was passed by Parliament on December 11, 2019 and the Act
was notified within 24 hours on December 12. In January 2020, the Ministry notified that the Act will come into
force from January 10, 2020.
It seeks to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955.
● The Citizenship Act,1955 provides various ways in which citizenship may be acquired.
● It provides for citizenship by birth, descent, registration, naturalisation and by incorporation of the
territory into India.

About CAA:
● The objective of the CAA is to grant Indian citizenship to persecuted minorities -- Hindu, Sikh, Jain,
Buddhist, Parsi and Christian -- from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
● Those from these communities who had come to India till December 31, 2014, facing religious
persecution in their respective countries, will not be treated as illegal immigrants but given Indian
citizenship.
● The Act provides that the central government may cancel the registration of OCIs on certain grounds.

Exceptions:
● The Act does not apply to tribal areas of Tripura, Mizoram, Assam and Meghalaya because of being
included in the 6th Schedule of the Constitution.
● Also areas that fall under the Inner Limit notified under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873,
will also be outside the Act's purview.

Issues surrounding the law:

● It violates the basic tenets of the Constitution. Illegal immigrants are distinguished on the basis of
religion.
● It is perceived to be a demographic threat to indigenous communities.
● It makes illegal migrants eligible for citizenship on the basis of religion. This may violate Article 14 of
the Constitution which guarantees the right to equality.
● It attempts to naturalise the citizenship of illegal immigrants in the region.
● It allows cancellation of OCI registration for violation of any law. This is a wide ground that may cover a
range of violations, including minor offences.

Insta Curious: How NRC is different from CAA? Are there any similarities between the two? Reference:

Did you know that as per the Manual on Parliamentary Work, in case the ministries/departments are not able
to frame the rules within the prescribed period of six months after legislation is passed, “they should seek
extension of time from the Committee on Subordinate Legislation stating reasons for such extension” which
cannot be more than for a period of three months at a time?

InstaLinks: 1. About CAA.

Prelims Link: 2. Features.

www.insightsonindia.com 31 InsightsIAS
 3. Religions covered.
4. Countries Covered. Mains Link: Discuss the issues surrounding the
5. Exceptions. implementation of CAA.

Link: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thehindu.com/news/national/caa-rules-not-notified-till-last-date-
of-third-extended-deadline/article38207649.ece/amp/.

2. Budget Session of Parliament:

Context:
The Budget Session of Parliament has begun and is scheduled to conclude on April 8.
● First, President Ram Nath Kovind will address both Houses in the Central Hall.

What next?
● The Economic Survey 2021-22 will be laid by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman in Lok Sabha on
January 31.
● The Budget will be presented by her on February 1 at 11 am.
● There will be no Zero Hour and Question Hour in both Houses of Parliament during the first two days
of the Budget Session.
● During the First Part of the Session after the presentation of the Budget (February 2-11), 40 hours of
normal time will be available for various Businesses such as Question, Private Members' Business,
Discussion on Motion of Thanks, General Discussion on Union Budget, etc.

Sessions of parliament- Constitutional Provisions:

● Article 85 requires that there should not be a gap of more than six months between two sessions of
Parliament.
● The Constitution does not specify when or for how many days Parliament should meet.

Budgeting process in India:

The procedure for presentation of the Budget in and its passing by Lok Sabha is as laid down in articles 112—
117 of the Constitution of India, Rules 204—221 and 331-E of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business
in Lok Sabha and Direction 19-B of Directions by the Speaker.

The Budget goes through six stages:

1. Presentation of Budget.
2. General discussion.
3. Scrutiny by Departmental Committees.
4. Voting on Demands for Grants.
5. Passing of Appropriation Bill.
6. Passing of Finance Bill.

Presentation:
The Budget is presented to Lok Sabha on such day as the President may direct.
Immediately after the presentation of the Budget, the following three statements under the Fiscal
Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2003 are also laid on the Table of Lok Sabha:
(i) The Medium-Term Fiscal Policy Statement;
(ii) The Fiscal Policy Strategy Statement; and
(iii) The Macro Economic Framework Statement.

For further details on budget and related terms, read this article.

InstaLinks: 2. Powers of President vs Powers of

Prelims Link: Chairperson.
1. Who summons the Houses of Parliament? 3. What is adjournment sine die?
4. What is dissolution of the house?

www.insightsonindia.com 32 InsightsIAS
 5. Why Rajya Sabha cannot be dissolved? 6. What is budget?

Mains Link: What needs to be done to increase the productivity of both the houses of Parliament? Discuss.

Topics: Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act.

1. Election Expenditure Limit:
Context:
The Election Commission of India has raised the expenditure limit for candidates contesting elections.
The following changes have been made:
● The expenditure limit for candidates for Lok Sabha constituencies was increased from Rs 54 lakh-Rs 70
lakh (depending on states) to Rs 70 lakh-Rs 95 lakh.
● The spending limit for Assembly constituencies was hiked from Rs 20 lakh-Rs 28 lakh to Rs 28 lakh- Rs
40 lakh (depending on states).
● The enhanced amount of Rs 40 lakh would apply in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab and ₹28
lakh in Goa and Manipur.

Election Expenditure Limit:

Under Section 77 of the Representation of the People Act (RPA), 1951, every candidate shall keep a separate
and correct account of all expenditure incurred between the date on which they have been nominated and the
date of declaration of the result.
● All candidates are required to submit their expenditure statement to the ECI within 30 days of the
completion of the elections.
● An incorrect account or expenditure beyond the cap can lead to disqualification of the candidate by the
ECI for up to three years, under Section 10A of RPA, 1951.

Background:
The last major revision in the election expenditure limit for candidates was carried out in 2014, which was
further increased by 10 per cent in 2020.
● The same year, ECI also formed to study the cost factors and other related issues, and make suitable
recommendations.

Why is there a need for a ceiling on expenditures?

● Limits on campaign expenditure are meant to provide a level-playing field for everyone contesting
elections. It ensures that a candidate can’t win only because she is rich.
● The 255th Report of the Law Commission on electoral reforms argued that unregulated or under-
regulated election financing could lead to “lobbying and capture, where a sort of quid pro quo
transpires between big donors and political parties/candidates”.

Further reforms:
Cap on party spends:
The EC has asked the government to amend the R P Act and Rule 90 of The Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961,
to introduce a ceiling on campaign expenditure by political parties in the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls.
● It should be either 50% of or not more than the expenditure ceiling limit provided for the candidate
multiplied by the number of candidates of the party contesting the election.
● The limit will ensure level playing field for all political parties and curb the menace of unaccounted
money in elections.
● It will also control the money power used by political parties and their allies.

Supreme Court observations:

Supreme Court of India has said that money is bound to play an important part in the successful pursuit of an
election campaign in Kanwar Lal Gupta Vs Amarnath Chawla case.
● Voters get influenced by the visibility of a candidate and party and huge election spending thus impacts
voter’s choice.

www.insightsonindia.com 33 InsightsIAS
Various Committees and Commissions in this regard:
1. Law Commission of India- 170th Report on "Reform of the Electoral Laws" in 1999.
2. Election Commission of India- Report in 2004 on "Proposed Electoral Reforms".
3. Goswami Committee on Electoral Reforms in 1990.
4. Vohra Committee Report in 1993.
5. Indrajeet Gupta Committee on State Funding of Elections in 1998.
6. National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution in 2001.
7. Second Administrative Reforms Commission in 2008.

Recently, the Law Commission in its 255th Report has also made several recommendations on electoral
reforms under 3 categories namely viz:
1. Limits on political contribution and party candidate expenditure.
2. Disclosure norms and requirements.
3. State funding of elections.
These recommendations of the Law Commission are under consideration of the government.

Insta Curious: Did you know that there is no cap on a political party’s expenditure? However, all registered
political parties have to submit a statement of their election expenditure to the ECI within 90 days of the
completion of the elections.

InstaLinks: 5. Is there any limit on party spending?

Prelims Link: 6. Various committees and Commissions in
1. Overview of the Conduct of Elections Rules, this regard.
1961.
2. Revised poll spending limits. Mains Link: Money is bound to play an important
3. About election commission. part in the successful pursuit of an election
4. Who decides on issues related to poll campaign. Discuss.
spending?

2. Vote through postal ballot:

Context:
The Election Commission of India has allowed journalists to cast their votes through postal ballot facility.

Procedure to be followed:
Any absentee voter wishing to vote by postal ballot has to make an application to the returning officer in Form-
12D, giving all requisite particulars and get the application verified by the nodal officer appointed by the
organisation concerned.
● Any voter opting for postal ballot facility would not be able to cast a vote at the polling station.

Currently, the following voters are also allowed to cast their votes through postal ballot:
1. Service voters (armed forces, the armed police force of a state and government servants posted
abroad),
2. Voters on election duty,
3. Voters above 80 years of age or Persons with Disabilities (PwD),
4. Voters under preventive detention.

What is postal voting?

A restricted set of voters can exercise postal voting. Through this facility, a voter can cast her vote remotely by
recording her preference on the ballot paper and sending it back to the election officer before counting.

Representation of the People Act, 1951:

This act provides for the actual conduct of elections in India. It deals with the following matters:
1. Details like Qualification and Disqualification of members of both the Houses of Parliament and the
State Legislatures.

www.insightsonindia.com 34 InsightsIAS
 2. Administrative machinery for conducting elections.
3. Registration of Political parties.
4. Conduct of Elections.
5. Election Disputes.
6. Corrupt practices & Electoral offences.
7. By-elections.

InstaLinks:
Prelims Link:
1. What is Postal Voting?
2. Who is eligible?
3. Who can decide matters related to postal voting?
4. Role of Election Commission of India.
5. Is Right to vote a constitutional right?

Mains Link: Discuss the features and benefits of postal voting.

3. Recognition/derecognition of political parties:

Context:
A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to
seize the election symbol or de-register a political party that promises or distributes “irrational freebies” from
public funds before elections.
● It said there should be a total ban on such populist measures to gain undue political favours from the
voters as they violate the Constitution and the ECI should take suitable deterrent measures.

Need for:
● The plea urged the court to declare that the promise of irrational freebies from public funds before
elections unduly influences the voters, disturbs the level playing field and vitiates the purity of the poll
process.
● This unethical practice is just like giving bribes to the electorate at the cost of the exchequer to stay in
power and must be avoided to preserve democratic principles and practices.

Registration of political parties:

Registration of Political parties is governed by the provisions of Section 29A of the Representation of the
People Act, 1951.
● A party seeking registration under the said Section with the Election Commission has to submit an
application to the Commission within a period of 30 days following the date of its formation as per
guidelines prescribed by the Election Commission of India in exercise of the powers conferred by
Article 324 of the Commission of India and Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act,
1951.

To be eligible for a ‘National Political Party of India:

1. It secures at least six percent of the valid votes polled in any four or more states, at a general election
to the House of the People or, to the State Legislative Assembly.
2. In addition, it wins at least four seats in the House of the People from any State or States.
3. It wins at least two percent seats in the House of the People (i.e., 11 seats in the existing House having
543 members), and these members are elected from at least three different States.

To be eligible for a ‘State Political Party:

1. It secures at least six percent of the valid votes polled in the State at a general election, either to the
House of the People or to the Legislative Assembly of the State concerned.
2. In addition, it wins at least two seats in the Legislative Assembly of the State concerned.
3. It wins at least three percent (3%) of the total number of seats in the Legislative Assembly of the State,
or at least three seats in the Assembly, whichever is more.

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Benefits:
1. If a party is recognised as a State Party’, it is entitled for exclusive allotment of its reserved symbol to
the candidates set up by it in the State in which it is so recognised, and if a party is recognised as a
`National Party’ it is entitled for exclusive allotment of its reserved symbol to the candidates set up by
it throughout India.
2. Recognised `State’ and `National’ parties need only one proposer for filing the nomination and are
also entitled for two sets of electoral rolls free of cost at the time of revision of rolls and their
candidates get one copy of electoral roll free of cost during General Elections.
3. They also get broadcast/telecast facilities over Akashvani/Doordarshan during general elections.
4. The travel expenses of star campaigners are not to be accounted for in the election expense accounts
of candidates of their party.

Insta Curious: How Election Commission decides on party symbols? Read this to understand.

InstaLinks: 3. State vs National parties.

Prelims Link: 4. Benefits for recognised political parties.
1. Registration of Political Parties. 5. Who is a star campaigner?
2. Recognised vs Unrecognised political 6. Article 324 of the Indian Constitution.
parties. 7. Section 29A of RPA 1951.

Topics: Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities

of various Constitutional Bodies.
1. For how long can an MLA be suspended?
Context:
12 Maharashtra BJP MLAs have gone to the Supreme Court against their year-long suspension from the
Assembly.
● During the recent hearing, the Supreme Court observed that the suspension of MLAs for a full year is
prima facie unconstitutional, and “worse than expulsion”.
The MLAs were suspended for misbehaviour in the Assembly pertaining to disclosure of data regarding OBCs.

What have the suspended MLAs argued?

In July 2021, Maharashtra Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anil Parab moved a resolution to suspend 12 BJP
MLAs. The suspended MLAs argue that the suspension can only be made by the presiding officer under the
rules of the house.
The petition has submitted that their suspension is “grossly arbitrary and disproportionate”.
The challenge relies mainly on grounds of denial of the principles of natural justice, and of violation of laid-
down procedure.
● The 12 MLAs have said they were not given an opportunity to present their case, and that the
suspension violated their fundamental right to equality before law under Article 14 of the
Constitution.

Procedure to be followed for suspension of MLAs:

Under Rule 53 of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Rules, the power to suspend can only be exercised by
the Speaker, and it cannot be put to vote in a resolution.
● Rule 53 states that the “Speaker may direct any member who refuses to obey his decision, or whose
conduct is, in his opinion, grossly disorderly, to withdraw immediately from the Assembly”.
● The member must “absent himself during the remainder of the day’s meeting”.
● Should any member be ordered to withdraw for a second time in the same session, the Speaker may
direct the member to absent himself “for any period not longer than the remainder of the Session”.

How does the state government defend its move?

Under Article 212, courts do not have jurisdiction to inquire into the proceedings of the legislature.

www.insightsonindia.com 36 InsightsIAS
 ● Article 212 (1) states that “The validity of any proceedings in the Legislature of a State shall not be
called in question on the ground of any alleged irregularity of procedure”.
Under Article 194, any member who transgresses the privileges can be suspended through the inherent
powers of the House.
Thus, the state government has denied that the power to suspend a member can be exercised only through
Rule 53 of the Assembly.

Concern expressed by the Supreme Court over the length of the suspension:
The basic structure of the Constitution would be hit if the constituencies of the suspended MLAs remained
unrepresented in the Assembly for a full year.
● Article 190 (4) of the Constitution says, “If for a period of sixty days a member of a House of the
Legislature of a State is without permission of the House absent from all meetings thereof, the House
may declare his seat vacant.”
● Under Section 151 (A) of The Representation of the People Act, 1951, “a bye-election for filling any
vacancy shall be held within a period of six months from the date of the occurrence of the vacancy”.
This means that barring exceptions specified under this section, no constituency can remain without a
representative for more than six months.
Therefore, the one-year suspension was prima facie unconstitutional as it went beyond the six-month limit,
and amounted to “not punishing the member but punishing the constituency as a whole”.

What are the rules on the length of suspension of a Member of Parliament?

Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha provide for the withdrawal of a member whose
conduct is “grossly disorderly”, and suspension of one who abuses the rules of the House or willfully obstructs
its business.
● The maximum suspension as per these Rules is “for five consecutive sittings or the remainder of the
session, whichever is less”.
● The maximum suspension for Rajya Sabha under Rules 255 and 256 also does not exceed the
remainder of the session. Several recent suspensions of members have not continued beyond the
session.
Similar Rules also are in place for state legislative assemblies and councils which prescribe a maximum
suspension not exceeding the remainder of the session.

InstaLinks:
Prelims Link: Mains Link: The solution to unruly behaviour of
1. Power to suspend MPs vs powers to revoke MPs in Parliament has to be long-term and
suspension. consistent with democratic values. Comment.
2. Difference in procedures followed by Lok
Sabha and Rajya Sabha in this regard. Link:https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/h
3. Appeals with regard to election of MPs. ow-long-can-mla-be-suspended-sc-law-
4. Rules in this regard. constitution-7723792/lite/.

2. SC quashes indefinite suspension of 12 BJP MLAs:

Context:
The Supreme Court has set aside the Maharashtra Assembly's decision to suspend 12 legislators of the
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for a one-year period beginning July 5, 2021.

Observations made by the Supreme Court:

● Suspension beyond the remainder period of the session of the Assembly was ‘non-est’ in law,
substantially unconstitutional and irrational.
● The resolution, therefore, is illegal and was "beyond the powers of the assembly".

Concerns expressed by the court:

● Suspension beyond the remainder of that session “would not only be a grossly irrational measure”,
but also lead to these leaders’ constituencies remaining unrepresented in the assembly.

www.insightsonindia.com 37 InsightsIAS
 ● It would also impact the democratic setup as a whole by permitting the thin majority government
(coalition government) of the day to manipulate the numbers of the opposition party in the house in an
undemocratic manner.
● Such a move would “not be healthy for democracy as a whole” as “the opposition will not be able to
effectively participate in the discussion/debate in the house owing to the constant fear of its members
being suspended for a longer period”.

What next?
The MLAs will now be entitled to all consequential benefits after the conclusion of the session in July, last year.

What's the issue?

The legislators were suspended for a year for allegedly misbehaving with the presiding officer in the Assembly.

Topics: Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies.

1. National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR):
Context:
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has asked the West Bengal chief secretary to
get all children care institutions (CCIs) registered under the Juvenile Justice Act 2015.
● Citing that it was mandatory for all CCIs to comply with the JJ Act, the NCPCR has sought an action
taken report from the state within 10 days.

About NCPCR:
Set up in March 2007 under the Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005.
It works under the administrative control of the Ministry of Women & Child Development.
Definition: The Child is defined as a person in the 0 to 18 years age group.
● The Commission’s Mandate is to ensure that all Laws, Policies, Programmes, and Administrative
Mechanisms are in consonance with the Child Rights perspective as enshrined in the Constitution of
India and also the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Under the RTE Act, 2009, the NCPCR can:

● inquire into complaints about violation of the law.
● summon an individual and demand evidence.
● seek a magisterial enquiry.
● file a writ petition in the High Court or Supreme Court.
● approach the government concerned for prosecution of the offender.
● recommend interim relief to those affected.

Composition:
This commission has a chairperson and six members of which at least two should be women.
● All of them are appointed by Central Government for three years.
● The maximum age to serve in commission is 65 years for Chairman and 60 years for members.

About Child Welfare Committees:

As per the Section 27(1) of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (JJ Act), Child Welfare
Committees (CWCs) are to be constituted by State Government for every district, for exercising the powers
and to discharge the duties conferred on such Committees in relation to children in need of care and protection
under JJ Act, 2015.

Composition of the committees:

The Committee shall consist of a Chairperson, and four other members as the State Government may think fit
to appoint, of whom atleast one shall be a woman and another, an expert on the matters concerning children.

www.insightsonindia.com 38 InsightsIAS
Eligibility conditions:
Chairperson and the members shall be above the age of thirty-five
years and shall have a minimum of seven years of experience of
working with children in the field of education, health, or welfare
activities, or should be a practicing professional with a degree in
child psychology or psychiatry or social work or sociology or
human development or in the field of law or a retired judicial
officer.

Insta Curious: Did you know that a Child Care institution is defined under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015?
Reference: read this.

InstaLinks: 3. Highlights of RTE Act.

Prelims Link: 4. Children covered under RTE.
1. NCPCR- composition and functions. 5. CWC- formation and composition.
2. Powers of NCPCR under RTE Act.

Topics: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues
arising out of their design and implementation.
1. Draft national air sports policy:
Context:
The government has released a draft national policy for air sports.

Highlights of the Policy:

Two-tier governance structure: The policy proposes a two-tier governance structure for air sports in the
country, which will include an apex governing body called the Air Sports Federation of India (ASFI) and
associations for each air sport.
About ASFI: The ASFI will be an autonomous body under the Ministry of Civil Aviation and will represent India
at the Lausanne-headquartered Fédération Aéronaautique Internationale (FAI) and other global platforms
related to air sports.
Functions: It will provide governance over various aspects of air sports, including regulation, certification,
competitions, awards and penalties, etc.
Rules and Functions of Each air sports association: Lay down its safety standards for equipment,
infrastructure, personnel and training, and specify the disciplinary actions to be taken in case of non-
compliance. Inability to do so may lead to penal action by the ASFI.
Coverage: It will cover activities like aerobatics, aeromodelling, amateur-built and experimental aircraft,
ballooning, drones, gliding, hang gliding, paragliding, microlighting, paramotoring, skydiving, and vintage
aircraft.
Registration: It requires entities providing these services and their equipment to be registered, as well as be
liable for penalties.
Indian airspace is divided into red, yellow and green zones, according to the DigitalSky platform of the
Directorate General of Civil Aviation, which allows air sports enthusiasts to rely on the easily accessible map for
guidance. Operations in red zones require a permission from the central government.
Control zone: Popular air sports attractions in the country such as Bir Billing in Himachal Pradesh, Gangtok in
Sikkim, Hadapsar in Maharashtra and Vagamon in Kerala can be declared as a “control zone” for air sports in
order to ensure the safety of other manned aircraft.

Significance of the Policy:

● Besides the revenue from air sports activities, multiplier benefits in terms of growth in travel, tourism,
infrastructure and local employment, especially in hilly areas of the country, are much greater.
● Creating air sports hubs across the country will bring in air sports professionals and tourists from across
the world.

Need for:

www.insightsonindia.com 39 InsightsIAS
The aerosports industry has expressed its displeasure that the government was not doing enough to encourage
aero sports in the country despite the fact that there is a tremendous potential in the country keeping in view
the diverse scenic locales.
● Aerosports create significant opportunities for growth of tourism, employment generation and interest
in aviation activities.
● A growth-oriented NASP may help attract investments in latest aerosports technology, infrastructure
and best practices.

Insta Curious:
Did you know that the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland is
the world governing body for air sports?

InstaLinks: 3. About FAI.

Prelims Link:
1. Highlights of the Policy. Mains Link: Discuss the need for and significance of
2. About ASFI and its roles and functions. an Aerosports policy.

Link: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thehindu.com/news/national/government-releases-draft-national-
air-sports-policy/article38093910.ece/amp/.

2. GST compensation:
Context:
Finance Ministers of several States have demanded that the GST compensation scheme be extended beyond
June 2022.

What's the issue?

The adoption of GST was made possible by States ceding almost all their powers to impose local-level indirect
taxes and agreeing to let the prevailing multiplicity of imposts be subsumed into the GST.
● This was agreed on the condition that revenue shortfalls arising from the transition to the new
indirect taxes regime would be made good from a pooled GST Compensation Fund for a period of five
years that is set to end in June 2022.

Need for extension:

Citing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the overall economy and more specifically States’ revenues,
the States including Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh stressed that while their
revenues had been adversely impacted by the introduction of GST, the hit from the pandemic had pushed back
any possible rebound in revenue especially at a time when they had been forced to spend substantially more to
address the public health emergency and its socio-economic fallout on their residents.

What is the GST compensation?

The Constitution (One Hundred and First Amendment) Act, 2016, was the law which created the mechanism
for levying a common nationwide Goods and Services Tax (GST).
While States would receive the SGST (State GST) component of the GST, and a share of the IGST (integrated
GST), it was agreed that revenue shortfalls arising from the transition to the new indirect taxes regime would
be made good from a pooled GST Compensation Fund for a period of five years that is currently set to end in
June 2022.

How is the GST Compensation Fund funded?

This corpus is funded through a compensation cess that is levied on so-called ‘demerit’ goods.
● The items are pan masala, cigarettes and tobacco products, aerated water, caffeinated beverages, coal
and certain passenger motor vehicles.

Computation of the shortfall:

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The computation of the shortfall is done annually by projecting a revenue assumption based on 14%
compounded growth from the base year’s (2015-2016) revenue and calculating the difference between that
figure and the actual GST collections in that year.

Can the deadline be extended? If so, how?

The deadline for GST compensation was set in the original legislation and so in order to extend it, the GST
Council must first recommend it and the Union government must then move an amendment to the GST law
allowing for a new date beyond the June 2022 deadline at which the GST compensation scheme will come to a
close.

Insta Curious: Did you know that even now the compensation cess will continue to be levied well beyond the
current fiscal year since the borrowings made in lieu of the shortfalls in the compensation fund would need to
be met?

InstaLinks: 5. What is a Cess?

Prelims Link: 6. What is a surcharge?
1. What is GST? 7. What is the compensation cess fund?
2. What are SGST and IGST?
3. Related Constitutional provisions. Mains Link: Discuss the need for GST
4. Goods outside the purview of GST. Compensation Cess.

Link: https://epaper.thehindu.com/Home/MShareArticle?OrgId=GL09C0OR3.1&imageview=0.

3. Constitutional Validity of Dam Safety Act challenged:

Context:
A DMK MO from Lok Sabha has moved the Madras High Court challenging the constitutional validity of Dam
Safety Act, 2021 on the grounds that it goes against federalism and is beyond the legislative competence of the
Centre.
● The Dam Safety Bill was passed recently in Rajya sabha.

Concerns raised:
● The bill is too focused on structural safety and not on operational safety.
● There is inadequate compensation to the people affected by dams.
● There is need for an independent regulator as well as for a precise definition of stakeholders.

How the law goes against the spirit of federalism?

● Many states say it encroaches upon the sovereignty of States to manage their dams, and violates the
principles of federalism enshrined in the Constitution. They see it as an attempt by the Centre to
consolidate power in the guise of safety concerns.
● Under the constitution, dams would squarely fall within the legislative domain of State governments.
The power of the Centre under Entry 56 of List I (Union list) was only with respect to inter-State rivers
or river valleys and nothing more, he asserted.

Why Centre is in favour of this Bill?

Though the subject does not fall under the purview of Parliament, the Centre has decided to introduce this bill
mainly because dam safety is an issue of concern in the country. And there are no legal and institutional
safeguards in this regard.

Highlights of Dam Safety Bill, 2019:

● The Bill provides for proper surveillance, inspection, operation and maintenance of all specified dams in
the country to ensure their safe functioning.
● The Bill provides for constitution of a National Committee on Dam Safety which shall evolve dam
safety policies and recommend necessary regulations as may be required for the purpose.

www.insightsonindia.com 41 InsightsIAS
 ● The Bill provides for establishment of National Dam Safety Authority as a regulatory body which shall
discharge functions to implement the policy, guidelines and standards for dam safety in the country.
● The Bill provides for constitution of a State Committee on Dam Safety by State Government.

Significance:
● The Bill will help all the States and Union Territories of India to adopt uniform dam safety procedures
which shall ensure safety of dams and safeguard benefits from such dams. This shall also help in
safeguarding human life, livestock and property.
● It addresses all issues concerning dam safety including regular inspection of dams, Emergency Action
Plan, comprehensive dam safety review, adequate repair and maintenance funds for dam safety,
Instrumentation and Safety Manuals.
● It lays onus of dam safety on the dam owner and provides for penal provisions for commission and
omission of certain acts.

Need for:
● Over the last fifty years, India has invested substantially in dams and related infrastructures, and ranks
third after USA and China in the number of large dams. 5254 large dams are in operation in the country
currently and another 447 are under construction.
● In addition to this, there are thousands of medium and small dams.
● While dams have played a key role in fostering rapid and sustained agricultural growth and
development in India, there has been a long felt need for a uniform law and administrative structure
for ensuring dam safety.
● The Central Water Commission, through the National Committee on Dam Safety (NCDS), Central Dam
Safety Organization (CDSO) and State Dam Safety Organizations (SDSO) has been making constant
endeavours in this direction, but these organizations do not have any statutory powers and are only
advisory in nature.
● This can be a matter of concern, especially since about 75 percent of the large dams in India are more
than 25 years old and about 164 dams are more than 100 years old.
● A badly maintained, unsafe dam can be a hazard to human life, flora and fauna, public and private
assets and the environment.
● India has had 42 dam failures in the past.

Link: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/constitutional-validity-
of-dam-safety-act-challenged-by-dmk-in-madras-high-court/article38121523.ece/amp/.

4. Consumer Protection Rules, 2021:

Context:
In exercise of its powers under provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, the Central Government has
notified the Consumer Protection (Jurisdiction of the District Commission, the State Commission and the
National Commission) Rules, 2021.
● The new rules revised pecuniary jurisdiction for entertaining consumer complaints.

Overview of the new rules:

● Food and Public Distribution, district commissions will have jurisdiction to entertain complaints where
the value of the goods or services paid does not exceed ₹50 lakh.
● The State commissions can look onto complaints in the range of ₹50 lakh- ₹two crores.
● The District Commissions will have jurisdiction to entertain complaints where value of the goods or
services paid as consideration does not exceed 50 lakh rupees.
● State Commissions shall have jurisdiction to entertain complaints where value of the goods or services
paid as consideration exceeds 50 lakh rupees but does not exceed two crore rupees, it notified.
● National Commission will have jurisdiction to entertain complaints where value of the goods or
services paid as consideration exceeds two crore rupees.

Mechanism for the protection of consumer rights:

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Currently, the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 promulgates a three-tier quasi-judicial mechanism for redressal
of consumer disputes namely district commissions, state commissions and national commission.
● The Act also stipulates the pecuniary jurisdiction of each tier of consumer commission.
● The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 provides consumers the option of filing complaint electronically.
To facilitate consumers in filing their complaint online, the Central Government has set up the E-
Daakhil Portal.
● To provide a faster and amicable mode of settling consumer disputes, the Act also includes reference
of consumer disputes to Mediation, with the consent of both parties.

Time period for disposal of complaints:

● The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 stipulates that “every complaint shall be disposed of as
expeditiously as possible and endeavour shall be made to decide the complaint within a period of three
months from the date of receipt of notice by opposite party where the complaint does not require
analysis or testing of commodities and within 5 months if it requires analysis or testing of
commodities."

InstaLinks: Mains Link: The new Consumer Protection Act

Prelims Link: (CPA) has come into operation replacing the earlier
1. About the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. law, which was over three decades old. What are
2. Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, the fundamental differences between the two Acts
2020’- Rules. and will the new law serve the expectations of the
3. What is predatory pricing? consumer better than its predecessor? Explain.

5. Mekedatu issue:
Context:
Tamil Nadu grabs every opportunity to make its position clear on the Mekedatu dam issue. The state
government has been opposing the project to be constructed near its border with neighbouring Karnataka and
has even knocked on the doors of the Supreme Court to guard their rights over the Cauvery waters.
● Karnataka, however, continues to dig in its heels claiming that the project will help them to solve
Bengaluru’s water woes.
● The Opposition Congress party in Karnataka too is building up momentum to drum up support for the
construction of the reservoir Mekedatu in Ramanagara district by embarking on a 90-km-long
padayatra.

What's the issue? Why the project is being delayed?

Tamil Nadu has protested against Karnataka's move to build a reservoir on river Cauvery at Mekedatu. It is “not
acceptable” to the state that Karnataka wants to utilise 4.75 tmc as drinking water from a reservoir with a
storage capacity of 67tmc ft.
● However, the Karnataka Government has asserted that there is no
"compromise" on the Mekedatu project and the state wants to
undertake the project.

Water sharing between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu:

Karnataka is supposed to release Cauvery water from three sources:
1. One being the water flowing in the areas downstream River Kabini,
catchment areas of Krishnarajasagar reservoir, the sub-basins of
Shimsha, Arkavathi, and Suvarnavathi rivers, and the water from
minor rivers.
2. Secondly, water is released from Kabini dam.
3. The third source is water that is released from Krishnarajasagar dam.
In the case of the second and third sources, which are under the control of Karnataka, water is released to TN
only after storing sufficient water for their use.
● Since there is no dam in the first source, water from these areas have been freely flowing into TN
without a hitch.

www.insightsonindia.com 43 InsightsIAS
 ● But now, TN state government felt that Karnataka was “conspiring” to block this source as well through
the Mekedatu dam.
● Mekedatu zone represented the last free point from where Cauvery water flowed unrestricted into
the downstream state of TN from the upstream Karnataka.

What's the way out then?

The Centre has said the project required the approval of the Cauvery
Water Management Authority's (CWMA).
● The Detail Project Report (DPR) sent by Karnataka was tabled
in the CWMA several times for approval, but the discussion on
this issue could not take place due to a lack of consensus
among party states Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Also, as per the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal's final award, which
was modified by the Supreme Court, acceptance of CWMA would be a
prerequisite for consideration of the DPR by the Jal Shakti Ministry.
Since the project was proposed across an inter-state river, it required
approval of lower riparian state(s) as per the interstate water dispute act.

About the Project:

● Mekedatu is a
multipurpose (drinking
and power) project.
● It involves building a
balancing reservoir, near
Kanakapura in
Ramanagara district in
Karnataka.
● The project once
completed is aimed at
ensuring drinking water
to Bengaluru and
neighboring areas (4.75
TMC) and also can
generate 400 MW power.
● The estimated cost of the project is Rs 9,000 crore.

Why Tamil Nadu is against this project?

1. It says, the CWDT and the SC have found that the existing storage facilities available in the Cauvery basin
were adequate for storing and distributing water so Karnataka’s proposal is ex-facie (on the face of it)
untenable and should be rejected
outright.
2. It has also held that the reservoir is
not just for drinking water alone,
but to increase the extent of
irrigation, which is in clear violation
of the Cauvery Water Disputes
Award.

Award by the tribunal and the

Supreme Court:
The tribunal was set up in 1990 and
made its final award in 2007, granting
419 tmcft of water to Tamil Nadu, 270
tmcft to Karnataka, 30 tmcft to Kerala

www.insightsonindia.com 44 InsightsIAS
and 7 tmcft to Puducherry. The tribunal ordered that in rain-scarcity years, the allocation for all would stand
reduced.
However, both Tamil Nadu and Karnataka expressed unhappiness over the allocation and there were protests
and violence in both states over water-sharing. That saw the Supreme Court take up the matter and, in a 2018
judgment, it apportioned 14.75 tmcft from Tamil Nadu’s earlier share to Karnataka.
● The new allocation thus stood at 404.25 tmcft for Tamil Nadu while Karnataka’s share went up to
284.75 tmcft. The share for Kerala and Puducherry remained unchanged.

Insta Curious: Do you know about the Cauvery Management Scheme? What are the components of the
scheme? Reference:

InstaLinks: 4. Where is Mekedatu?

Prelims Link: 5. What is the project related to?
1. Tributaries of Cauvery. 6. Beneficiaries of the project.
2. Basin states.
3. Important falls and dams across the river. Mains Link: Write a note on the Mekedatu project.

Link:https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ka
rnataka/congress-launches-padayatra-seeking-early-implementation-of-mekedatu-
project/article38200753.ece/amp/&ved=2ahUKEwjZ2onjvab1AhVXwTgGHbxbCUwQvOMEKAB6BAgDEAE&usg=
AOvVaw0inFi09-Q7wgAaFAjsd6RV.

6. Krishna River water dispute:

Context:
Fearing invectives, both judges on a Supreme Court bench—Justices D Y Chandrachud and A S Bopanna—
created a record of sort by recusing from hearing the Krishna river water dispute case just because they hailed
from Maharashtra and Karnataka, two litigants in the case apart from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

Need for:
Though the judges take oath to render justice without “fear or favour”, apprehensions over insulting or
abusive criticism forced their recusal from the Krishna water dispute case.

Dispute in the court:

● Karnataka had sought the vacation of a November 16, 2011, order of the Supreme Court that stopped
the Centre from publishing in the Official Gazette (under Section 6(1) of the Inter-State Water
Disputes Act of 1956) the final order of the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal II (KWDT) pronounced in
December 2010, allocating the river water to Karnataka, erstwhile Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.
● The publication of the tribunal order is a necessary pre-condition for its implementation.

Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (KWDT) award:

The dispute began with the erstwhile Hyderabad and Mysore states, and later continuing between successors
Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
In 1969, the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (KWDT) was set up under the Inter-State River Water Dispute
Act, 1956, and presented its report in 1973.
The report, which was published in 1976, divided the 2060 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) of Krishna water
at 75 per cent dependability into three parts:
1. 560 TMC for Maharashtra.
2. 700 TMC for Karnataka.
3. 800 TMC for Andhra Pradesh.

Revised order:
As new grievances arose between the states, the second KWDT was instituted in 2004.
It delivered its report in 2010, which made allocations of the Krishna water at 65 per cent dependability and for
surplus flows as follows:

www.insightsonindia.com 45 InsightsIAS
 ● 81 TMC for Maharashtra, 177 TMC for Karnataka, and 190 TMC for Andhra Pradesh.

Why the order hasn't been published yet?

After the creation of Telangana as a separate state in 2014, Andhra Pradesh is asking to include Telangana as a
separate party at the KWDT and that the allocation of Krishna waters be reworked among four states, instead
of three.

What is Judicial Disqualification or Recusal?

Judicial disqualification, referred to as recusal, is the act of abstaining from participation in an official action
such as a legal proceeding due to a conflict of interest of the presiding court official or administrative officer.

Grounds for Recusal:

● The judge is biased in favour of one party, or against another, or that a reasonable objective observer
would think he might be.
● Interest in the subject matter, or relationship with someone who is interested in it.
● Background or experience, such as the judge’s prior work as a lawyer.
● Personal knowledge about the parties or the facts of the case.
● Ex parte communications with lawyers or non-lawyers.
● Rulings, comments or conduct.

Insta Curious: Do you know about the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses
and International Lakes? Click here.

InstaLinks: 4. Interstate river water disputes- key

Prelims Link: provisions.
1. Tributaries of Krishna. 5. Krishna and Godavari River Management
2. Tributaries of Godavari. Boards- formation, functions and orders.
3. East vs West flowing rivers of India.

Link: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/krishna-water-dispute-justices-chandrachud-bopanna-recuse-
from-case/article38213656.ece.

7. Government response awaited on law on inter-faith marriages:

Context:
The law that governs inter-faith marriages in the country, the Special Marriage Act (SMA), 1954, is being
challenged for endangering the lives of young couples who seek refuge under it.
● More than a year after a writ petition was moved before the Supreme Court, seeking striking down of
several of its provisions, the government is yet to submit its response.

What's the issue?

The petition has sought to quash section 6 and 7 of SMA, which mandates publication of the public notice, on
the ground that it is unreasonable and arbitrary.
● The petitioner argues that the 30-day period offers an opportunity to kin of the couple to discourage
an inter-caste or inter-religion marriage.

What is Special Marriage Act of 1954?

The SMA is a law which allows solemnization of marriages without going through any religious customs or
rituals.
● People from different castes or religions or states get married under SMA in which marriage is
solemnized by way of registration.
● The prime purpose of the Act was to address Inter-religious marriages and to establish marriage as a
secular institution bereft of all religious formalities, which required registration alone.

The SMA prescribes an elaborate procedure to get the marriage registered. It includes:

www.insightsonindia.com 46 InsightsIAS
 1. One of the parties to the marriage has to give a notice of the intended marriage to the marriage officer
of the district where at least one of the parties to the marriage has resided for at least 30 days
immediately prior to the date on which such notice is given.
2. Such notice is then entered in the marriage notice book and the marriage officer publishes a notice of
marriage at some conspicuous place in his office.
3. The notice of marriage published by the marriage officer includes details of the parties like names, date
of birth, age, occupation, parents’ names and details, address, pin code, identity information, phone
number etc.
4. Anybody can then raise objections to the marriage on various grounds provided under the Act. If no
objection is raised within the 30 day period, then marriage can be solemnized. If objections are raised,
then the marriage officer has to inquire into the objections after which he will decide whether or not to
solemnize the marriage.

What are the Criticisms?

1. Vulnerable to coercive tactics by family.
2. Intrusion of privacy.
3. Pushes for religious conversion.

InstaLinks:
Prelims Link: Mains Link: What are the controversial provisions
1. Objectives of the Special Marriage Act. in the Special Marriage Act of 1954? Why the law
2. Key provisions- Sections 5 and 6. needs a review? Discuss.
3. Key requirements under the Act for the
registration of marriage. Link:https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thehin
4. Details published by the marriage officer. du.com/news/national/government-response-
5. Overview of Articles 14 and 21 of the awaited-on-law-on-inter-faith-
constitution. marriages/article38278975.ece/amp/.

8. Plea for marital rape to be criminalised:

Context:
The Delhi High Court is hearing a clutch of petitions challenging the exception to Section 375 of the Indian
Penal Code, which exempts forceful sexual intercourse by a man with his own wife from the offence of rape,
provided the wife is above 15 years of age, also known as the “marital rape exception”.

What's the issue?

The petitions before the Delhi High Court asking for marital rape to be criminalised are an outcome of the
government’s refusal to pay heed to the landmark report by the Justice J. S. Verma Committee, constituted in
the aftermath of the horrific Nirbhaya gang rape in 2012.
● Though the government has said on multiple occasions that such a move will threaten the institution of
marriage, experts say recent judgments, including on the right to privacy, have rendered this
argument untenable.

Key recommendations made by the Verma Committee:

The Verma panel proposed that “the exception for marital rape be removed" and the law must “specify that a
marital or other relationship between the perpetrator or victim is not a valid defence against the crimes of rape
or sexual violation”.

What are the arguments by the government against criminalising marital rape?
The government in its affidavit submitted that it had to be ensured marital rape did not become a
phenomenon that destabilises the institution of marriage and “an easy tool for harassing the husbands”.
● It added, "What may appear to be marital rape to an individual wife, it may not appear so to others.”

Recent judgments that question the government's stand on this:

www.insightsonindia.com 47 InsightsIAS
 ● Independent Thought vs. Union of India verdict of October 2017, in which the Supreme Court
criminalised rape with a minor wife.
● The Justice K.S. Puttaswamy vs. Union of India (September 2018) case, where the apex court
unanimously recognised the fundamental right to privacy of every individual guaranteed by the
Constitution.
● The Joseph Shine vs. Union of India case of October 2018, where a five-judge Bench of the SC struck
down adultery as a crime.

Need for an overhaul:

The origin of the marital rape exception lies in the influential treatise on criminal law of England called the
‘History of the Pleas of the Crown’ in which the then British Chief Justice, Matthew Hale, pronounced in 1736,
“The husband cannot be guilty of rape committed by himself upon his lawful wife, for by their mutual
matrimonial consent and contract the wife hath given herself up in this kind unto her husband which she
cannot retract.”
● This immunity has since been withdrawn in several jurisdictions, including in England, where the House
of Lords in 1991 held marriage to be a partnership of equals, and no longer one in which the wife must
be a “subservient chattel of the husband”.
Also, according to the World Bank, there are at least 78 countries, including Nepal, that have legislation
specifically criminalising marital rape.

Legal provisions in this regard:

● Currently marital rape is not a ground for a divorce in Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, Muslim Personal Law
[Shariat] Application Act, 1937 and Special Marriage Act, 1954, it cannot be used as a ground for
divorce and cruelty against husband.
● Section 375 of the IPC holds that “sexual intercourse by a man with his own wife, the wife not being
under 15 years of age, is not rape”.
● No other statute or law recognises marital rape.
● Victims only have recourse to civil remedies provided under the Protection of Women from Domestic
Violence Act, 2005.

Criminalisation of Marital Rape is necessary because:

1. There are several studies to show the prevalence of non-consensual sex with their wives, and physically
forcing their wives to have sex.
2. Marriage is an equal-relationship contract and not a one-time consent to everything.
3. The legal exception to the rape laws gives men unequal privilege.
4. Marital rape victims suffer from long-lasting psychological scars.
5. Exception under Section 375, violates Articles 14, 15, 19 and 21 of a woman.
6. The patriarchal nature of Indian society, ingrains it in the minds of men that women are expected to
comply when their husbands demand sex.
7. The victim suffers physical abuse, and she also has to undergo mental trauma of her dignity being
violated.
8. In the last 70 years, the exemption in Section 375 has remained untouched.
9. The prevalence of Child marriages and in many cases women are forcefully married off.

However, there are cons of criminalizing marital rape:

● It “may destabilise the institution of marriage apart from being an easy tool for harassing the
husbands”.
● “Rising misuse of Section 498A of IPC”, known as the dowry law, “for harassing the husbands”.
● Other countries, mostly western, have criminalised marital rape does not necessarily mean India
should also follow them blindly.
● Law Commission on Review of Rape Laws has examined the issue but not recommended the
criminalisation of marital rape.
● What may appear to be marital rape to an individual wife, it may not appear so to others.
● There can be no lasting evidence in case of sexual acts between a man and his own wife.

www.insightsonindia.com 48 InsightsIAS
Link: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thehindu.com/news/national/key-judgments-puncture-
governments-defense-on-marital-rape/article38267927.ece/amp/.

9. Sedition law:
Context:
Calling for abolishing the law on sedition,
former Supreme Court judge Rohinton
Nariman has expressed concern on booking
critics of the government for sedition.
● He said, it is time to completely do away
with sedition laws and allow free speech so
long as it does not exhort somebody to
violence.

Concern expressed by the former justice over

its misuse:
While those exercising free speech were being booked under the stringent sedition law, those giving hate
speech are not being dealt with by authorities.

What is sedition law?

The sedition law has been indiscriminately used against critics,
journalists, social media users, activists and citizens for airing
their grievances about the governments COVID-19 management,
or even for seeking help to gain medical access, equipment, drugs
and oxygen cylinders, especially during the second wave of the
pandemic.
● Section 124A of the IPC states, "Whoever, by words, either
spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or
otherwise, brings or attempts to bring into hatred or
contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection
towards, the government established by law in shall be
punished with imprisonment for life, to which fine may be
added, or with imprisonment which may extend to three
years, to which fine may be added, or with fine."

Issues surrounding its misuse:

The sedition law has been in controversy for far too long. Often
the governments are criticized for using the law — Section 124-A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) — against
vocal critics of their policies.
● Therefore, this Section is seen as a restriction of individuals' freedom of expression and falls short of
the provisions of reasonable restrictions on freedom of speech under Article 19 of the Constitution.
The law has been in debate ever since it was brought into force by the colonial British rulers in 1860s. Several
top freedom movement leaders including Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru were booked under the
sedition law.

Relevant Supreme Court judgements:

1. The Kedar Nath Singh vs State of Bihar case (1962):
While dealing with offences under Section 124A of the IPC, a five-judge Supreme Court constitutional bench
had, in the Kedar Nath Singh vs State of Bihar case (1962), laid down some guiding principles.
● The court ruled that comments-however strongly worded-expressing disapprobation of the actions of
the government without causing public disorder by acts of violence would not be penal.

2. The Balwant Singh vs State of Punjab (1995) case:

www.insightsonindia.com 49 InsightsIAS
In this case, the Supreme Court had clarified that merely shouting slogans, in this case Khalistan Zindabad, does
not amount to sedition. Evidently, the sedition law is being both misunderstood and misused to muzzle dissent.

Need of the hour:

The top court has observed that the “ambit and parameters of the provisions of Sections 124A, 153A and 505
of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 would require interpretation, particularly in the context of the right of the
electronic and print media to communicate news, information and the rights, even those that may be critical of
the prevailing regime in any part of the nation”.

Insta Curious:
Do you know about the Important verdicts delivered by Justice Nariman?
● Among his key verdicts is the 2015 landmark decision Shreya Singhal versus Union of India, in which the
court struck down Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, holding that the provision was arbitrary
and unconstitutional. The provision was routinely used to book individuals for comments made on social
media.

InstaLinks: 4. Relevant Supreme Court judgments.

Prelims Link: 5. Article 19 of the Indian Constitution.
1. Where is sedition defined?
2. Section 124A of the IPC is related to? Mains Link: Discuss the issues associated with the
3. Section 153 of the IPC is related to? imposition of Sedition law in India.

10. Padma award and the recipient’s consent:

Context:
The Padma awards are announced every year on the eve of Republic Day.
● As many as 128 people ranging from veteran politicians, businessmen, scientists and doctors to artists
and ordinary people engaged in public service were announced to have been selected for conferment
of Padma awards this year.
● While most accepted the awards gracefully, former West Bengal CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee
refused to accept it.

What are Padma awards?

They are the highest civilian honour of India after the Bharat Ratna.
Instituted in 1954 along with Bharat Ratna.
● The awards are given in three categories: Padma Vibhushan (for exceptional and distinguished
service), Padma Bhushan (distinguished service of higher order) and Padma Shri (distinguished service).
● The award seeks to recognise achievements in all fields of activities or disciplines where an element
of public service is involved.

Limitations and exceptions:

● The awardees do not get any cash reward but a certificate signed by the President apart from a
medallion which they can wear at public and government functions.
● The awards are, however, not a conferment of title and the awardees are expected to not use them as
prefix or suffix to their names.
● A Padma awardee can be given a higher award only after five years of the conferment of the earlier
award.
● Not more than 120 awards can be given in a year but this does not include posthumous awards or
awards given to NRIs and foreigners.

Eligibility:
All persons without distinction of race, occupation, position or sex are eligible for these awards. However,
government servants including those working with PSUs, except doctors and scientists, are not eligible for
these awards.

www.insightsonindia.com 50 InsightsIAS
 ● The award is given for “special services” and not just for “long service”. “It should not be merely
excellence in a particular field, but the criteria has to be ‘excellence plus’.

Who nominates the awardees?

● Any citizen of India can nominate a potential recipient.
● One can even nominate one’s own self.
● All nominations are to be done online where a form is to be filled along with details of the person or
the organisation being nominated.
● An 800-word essay detailing the work done by the potential awardee is also to be submitted for the
nomination to be considered.

Who selects the awardees?

All nominations received for Padma awards are placed before the Padma Awards Committee, which is
constituted by the Prime Minister every year.
● The Padma Awards Committee is headed by the Cabinet Secretary and includes Home Secretary,
Secretary to the President and four to six eminent persons as members.
● The recommendations of the committee are submitted to the Prime Minister and the President of India
for approval.

Is the recipient’s consent sought?

There is no provision for seeking a written or formal consent of the recipient before announcement of the
award. However, before the announcement, every recipient receives a call from the Ministry of Home Affairs
informing him or her about the selection. In case the recipient expresses a desire to be excluded from the
award list, the name is removed.

Insta Curious: Did you know that in 1954 only Padma Vibhushan existed with three sub-categories – Pahela
Varg, Dusra Varg and Tisra Varg? These were subsequently renamed as Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and
Padma Shri in 1955.

Link: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/padma-awards-2022-winners-eligibility-nomination-
selection-process-controversy-7742502/lite/.

11. Kerala’s SilverLine Project:

Context:
Despite the protests taking place across Kerala against SilverLine, the CPI(M)-led government remains firm on
implementing the project.

What's the issue now?

Large sections of the people have been protesting against SilverLine over its
“lack” of financial viability as well as environmental and social impact.
Among the questions being asked are:
● how a debt-ridden state can afford the project;
● what the ecological cost would be on a state tackling climate change;
● would the train service be affordable given the cost of building it;
● and what the plans are to rehabilitate those displaced.
The loudest concern though is the lack of consultation.

What is the SilverLine project?

● The proposed 529.45-km line will link Thiruvananthapuram in the south to Kasaragod in the north,
covering 11 districts through 11 stations.
● Being executed by the Kerala Rail Development Corporation Limited (KRDCL), or K-Rail, is a joint
venture between the Kerala government and the Union Ministry of Railways created to execute this
project.

www.insightsonindia.com 51 InsightsIAS
Features of the Project:
● The project will have trains of electric multiple unit (EMU) type, each with preferably nine cars
extendable to 12.
● A nine-car rake can seat a maximum of 675 passengers in business and standard class settings.
● The trains can run at a maximum speed of 220 km/hr on a standard gauge track, completing journeys in
either direction in fewer than four hours.
● At every 500 metres, there will be under-passages with service roads.

Need for the SilverLine project:

Time saving: On the existing network, it now takes 12 hours. Once the project is completed, one can travel
from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram in less than four hours at 200 km/hr.
Terrain limitations: Most trains run at an average speed of 45 km/hr due to a lot of curves and bends on the
existing stretch.
De-trafficking: The project can take a significant load of traffic off the existing stretch and make travel faster
for commuters, which in turn will reduce congestion on roads and help reduce accidents.
The project would reduce greenhouse gas emissions, help in expansion of Ro-Ro services, produce
employment opportunities, integrate airports and IT corridors, and enable faster development of cities it
passes through.

Issues with the Project:

Political rhetoric: All political parties have been spearheading separate protests.
Huge capital requirement: They argue that the project was an “astronomical scam in the making” and would
sink the state further into debt.
Displacement of families: The project was financially unviable and would lead to the displacement of over
30,000 families.
Ecological damage: It would cause great environmental harm as its route cuts through precious wetlands,
paddy fields and hills.
Flood hazard: The building of embankments on either side of the major portion of the line will block natural
drainage and cause floods during heavy rains.

InstaLinks: 3. Districts covered.

Prelims Link: 4. Implementing agency.
1. About K- Silver Line project.
2. Features. Mains Link: Discuss the significance of the project.

Topics: Development processes and the development industry- the role of NGOs, SHGs,
various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders.
1. Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 Registation for NGOs:
Context:
The Supreme Court has asked 6,000-odd NGOs to go back to the government for redressal of their grievances
on non-renewal of their Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) registration.
● A petition was filed in the court asking the NGOs to be allowed to continue receiving and utilising
foreign funds until the pandemic is over.

Please note:
● The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act registration is mandatory for any NGO or association to
receive foreign funds or donations.

Background:
● The registration of thousands of NGOs was up for renewal in 2020-21. The Ministry had declined to
renew the FCRA registration of 179 NGOs, while 5,789 associations did not apply for a renewal before
the December 31 deadline.
● After the exercise, the number of active FCRA-registered NGOs is down from 22,762 to 16,907.

www.insightsonindia.com 52 InsightsIAS
On what basis is approval cancelled?
The government reserves the right to cancel the FCRA registration of any NGO if it finds it to be in violation of
the Act.
● Registration can be cancelled if an inquiry finds a false statement in the application; if the NGO is found
to have violated any of the terms and conditions of the certificate or renewal; if it has not been
engaged in any reasonable activity in its chosen field for the benefit of society for two consecutive
years; or if it has become defunct.
● It can also be cancelled if “in the opinion of the Central Government, it is necessary in the public
interest to cancel the certificate”, the FCRA says.
● Registrations are also cancelled when an audit finds irregularities in the finances of an NGO in terms of
misutilisation of foreign funds.

How FCRA regulates NGO funding?

FCRA regulates foreign donations and ensures that such contributions do not adversely affect the internal
security of the country.
The Act, first enacted in 1976 was amended in the year 2010 and then 2020.
Section 5 of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 gives the Union government “unchecked and
unbridled powers” to declare an organisation as being one of political nature and deny it access to funds from
sources abroad.
● FCRA is implemented by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Applicability:
● The provisions of the Act apply to the territory of India, to citizens of India who may be outside India
and to companies or their branches outside India that are registered or incorporated in India.
● The entities covered by the Act include an individual, a Hindu undivided family, an association, or a
registered company.

For how long is approval granted?v

Once granted, FCRA registration is valid for five years. NGOs are expected to apply for renewal within six
months of the date of expiry of registration. In case of failure to apply for renewal, the registration is deemed
to have expired, and the NGO is no longer entitled to receive foreign funds or utilise its existing funds without
permission from the ministry.

Prior Reference Category under the Act:

It implies that to donate to such an NGO, a foreign donor has to take prior clearance from the Ministry of Home
Affairs.

Latest 2020 amendments and criticisms associated:

● The amendments mandated that registered NGOs open a designated account in the main branch of the
State Bank of India in the Capital in which the foreign contributions to their various causes would
exclusively land.
● The petitioners have argued that this measure would be cumbersome for NGOs operating in rural India
and far away from the Capital.

What Is A Foreign Contribution Under FCRA?

● “Foreign contribution" under FCRA covers any “donation, delivery or transfer made by any foreign
source of any article" as long as it is not given as a gift for personal use, or if its market value in India at
the time it was made is “not more than such sum as may be specified from time to time by the Central
government".
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".

www.insightsonindia.com 53 InsightsIAS
 ● Neither are donations made by Non-Resident Indians (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 servants or employees of any entity controlled or owned by the
government and members of any legislature. Political parties and their office bearers, too, are prohibited from
receiving foreign funds.

InstaLinks: 4. Who Cannot Receive Foreign Contribution?

Prelims Link: 5. FCRA Amendments.
1. About FCRA. 6. What Is A Foreign Contribution Under
2. About Foreign Funding of NGOs. FCRA?
3. Applicability of FCRA. 7. Prior Reference Category.

Mains Link: Discuss the major provisions of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) and the need for
such legislation.

Link: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/fcra-registration-mha-ngos-explained-7740988/lite/.

2. Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises:

Context:
According to the data furnished by the Office of the Development Commissioner in the Union Ministry of
MSME:
● Maharashtra tops India’s list in the number of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) owned by
entrepreneurs from the Scheduled Castes with as many as 96,805 enterprises.
● Tamil Nadu with 42,997 enterprises and Rajasthan with 38,517 units occupy the second and third slots.
● The fourth, fifth and sixth slots belong to Uttar Pradesh (36,913 units), Karnataka (28,803 enterprises)
and Punjab (24,503 units) respectively.
● Total: As on January 23, 2022, the number of SC-owned enterprises at the all-India level was 4,53,972,
of which micro enterprises accounted for 4,50,835, small – 3,004 and medium - 133.
● At National level: Generally, the proportion of enterprises owned by Scheduled Caste entrepreneurs in
the overall national tally of MSMEs is 6%.

Registration of MSMEs in India:

The Udyam system of registration, which came into force on July 1, 2020, is a pre-requisite for any MSME
(regardless of the social category of ownership) to avail itself of concessions or benefits from the Central and
State governments.
1. The Registration can be filed online based on self-declaration. Uploading of documents, papers or
certificate as proof would not be necessary henceforth.
2. The basic criteria for MSME classification would be on investment in plant, machinery and equipment
and turnover.
3. Export of goods or services or both would be excluded while calculating the turnover of any
enterprise and investment calculation linked to the IT return of the previous year.
4. Champions Control Room across the country have been made legally responsible for facilitating
entrepreneurs in registration and thereafter.

Significance and implications of these measures:

The measures would completely change the way MSMEs work, ensure they compete globally besides resulting
in newer enterprises entering the fray.
With the stimulus, these enterprises will be in a position to lead to a fast V-shaped recovery the moment the
pandemic is brought under control.

www.insightsonindia.com 54 InsightsIAS
Significance of MSMEs:
With around 63.4 million units throughout the geographical expanse of the country, MSMEs contribute around
6.11% of the manufacturing GDP and 24.63% of the GDP from service activities as well as 33.4% of India's
manufacturing output.
● They have been able to provide employment to around 120 million persons and contribute around
45% of the overall exports from India.
● About 20% of the MSMEs are based out of rural areas, which indicates the deployment of significant
rural workforce in the MSME sector.

Topics: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States
and the performance of these schemes.
1. Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS):
Context:
According to the SBI Research report on ECLGS:
● The scheme has saved 13.5 lakh firms from going bankrupt and consequently 1.5 crore jobs.
● In absolute terms, MSME loan accounts worth Rs 1.8 lakh crore were saved.
● Almost 93.7 per cent of such accounts are in the micro and small category.
● Amongst the states, Gujarat has been the biggest beneficiary, followed by Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu
and Uttar Pradesh.

About the scheme:

The scheme was launched as part of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan package announced in May 2020 to
mitigate the distress caused by coronavirus-induced lockdown, by providing credit to different sectors,
especially Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
● 100% guarantee coverage is being provided by the National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company,
whereas Banks and Non Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) provide loans.
● The credit will be provided in the form of a Guaranteed Emergency Credit Line (GECL) facility.
● No Guarantee Fee shall be charged by NCGTC from the Member Lending Institutions (MLIs) under the
Scheme.
● Interest rates under the Scheme shall be capped at 9.25% for banks and FIs, and at 14% for NBFCs.

Eligibility:
● In August 2020, the scheme was extended to Mudra borrowers and Individual loans for business
purposes.
● On Nov 20, the scheme was extended through ECLGS 2.0 for 26 sectors identified by the Kamath
Committee and for the Health Care sector up to Mar 21, for entities with outstanding credit of above
Rs.50 crore and not exceeding Rs.500 crore.

Benefits of the scheme:

● The scheme is expected to provide credit to the sector at a low cost, thereby enabling MSMEs to meet
their operational liabilities and restart their businesses.
● By supporting MSMEs to continue functioning during the current unprecedented situation, the Scheme
is also expected to have a positive impact on the economy and support its revival.

Insta Curious: First Ever International SME Convention was held in 2018 in New Delhi. What were its
objectives? Reference:

InstaLinks: 4. What is GECL facility?

Prelims Link: 5. What is NCGTC?
1. Classification of MSMEs- old vs new.
2. Contributions of MSMEs to GDP. Mains Link: Discuss the significance of the scheme.
3. What are NBFCs?

www.insightsonindia.com 55 InsightsIAS
2. ‘One District One Product’ scheme:
Context:
The Food Processing Ministry had inked an agreement with NAFED for developing 10 brands as the One
District One Product brands under the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises
(PMFME) Scheme.
● Of this, six brands have been launched recently.
● The six brands include Amrit Phal (developed under the ODOP concept for Gurugram, Haryana), Cori
Gold (developed for coriander powder which is the identified ODOP for Kota, Rajasthan), Kashmiri
Mantra, Madhu Mantra (developed under the ODOP concept for honey from Saharanpur, Uttar
Pradesh), Somdana (developed under the ODOP concept of millets from Thane, Maharashtra), and
Whole Wheat Cookies of Dilli Bakes (developed under the bakery ODOP concept for Delhi).
All the products will be available at NAFED Bazaars, E-commerce platforms, and prominent retail stores across
India.

About the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme:
Launched in 2020, the scheme will be implemented for five years until 2024-25.
It is for the Unorganized Sector on All India basis.

Objectives:
1. Increase in access to finance by micro food processing units.
2. Increase in revenues of target enterprises.
3. Enhanced compliance with food quality and safety standards.
4. Strengthening capacities of support systems.
5. Transition from the unorganized sector to the formal sector.
6. Special focus on women entrepreneurs and Aspirational districts.
7. Encourage Waste to Wealth activities.
8. Focus on minor forest produce in Tribal Districts.

Salient features:
1. Centrally Sponsored Expenditure to be shared by Government of India and States at 60:40.
2. 2,00,000 micro-enterprises are to be assisted with credit linked subsidy. Micro enterprises will get
credit linked subsidy at 35 per cent of the eligible project cost with ceiling of Rs. 10 lakh.
3. Beneficiary contribution will be minimum 10 per cent and balance from loan. Seed capital will be given
to SHGs (Rs. four lakh per SHG) for loan to members for working capital and small tools.
4. Cluster approach.
5. Focus on perishables.

Administrative and Implementation Mechanisms:

● The Scheme would be monitored at Centre by an Inter-Ministerial Empowered Committee (IMEC)
under the Chairmanship of Minister, FPI.
● A State/ UT Level Committee (SLC) chaired by the Chief Secretary will monitor and sanction/
recommend proposals for expansion of micro units and setting up of new units by the SHGs/ FPOs/
Cooperatives.
● The States/ UTs will prepare Annual Action Plans covering various activities for implementation of the
scheme, which will be approved by Government of India.
● A third party evaluation and mid-term review mechanism would be built in the programme.
● National level portal would be set-up wherein the applicants/ individual enterprise could apply to
participate in the Scheme. All the scheme activities would be undertaken on the National portal.

Benefits of the scheme:

● Nearly eight lakh micro- enterprises will benefit through access to information, better exposure and
formalization.
● It will enable them to formalize, grow and become competitive.
● The project is likely to generate nine lakh skilled and semi-skilled jobs.

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 ● Scheme envisages increased access to credit by existing micro food processing entrepreneurs, women
entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs in the Aspirational Districts.
● Better integration with organized markets.
● Increased access to common services like sorting, grading, processing, packaging, storage etc.

Why do we need this scheme?

● There are about 25 lakh unregistered food processing enterprises which constitute 98% of the sector
and are unorganized and informal. Nearly 66 % of these units are located in rural areas and about 80%
of them are family-based enterprises.
● This sector faces a number of challenges including the inability to access credit, high cost of
institutional credit, lack of access to modern technology, inability to integrate with the food supply
chain and compliance with the health &safety standards.
Strengthening this segment will lead to reduction in wastage, creation of off-farm job opportunities and aid in
achieving the overarching Government objective of doubling farmers’ income.

InstaLinks: 2. Core vs core of core schemes.

Prelims Link: 3. Role of states in this scheme.
1. Difference between centrally sponsored 4. Who monitors this scheme at state levels?
and central sector scheme. 5. Focus of the scheme.

Mains Link: Discuss the significance of the Scheme for formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises
(FME).

Topics: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating

to Health, Education, Human Resources.
1. Academic Bank of Credit:
Context:
The government has brought the IITs, IIMs and other Institutions of National Importance (INIs) under the
Academic Bank of Credit (ABC) framework, which allows students to pursue up to 50 per cent of a course from
institutions other than the one with which they are enrolled.
● Academic Bank of Credit (ABC) is proposed under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

What is the Academic Bank of Credit (ABC)?

Set-up by the University Grants Commission
(UGC).
● Under the ABC, students will be given
multiple entry and exit options.
● This enables students to leave a degree
or course and get a corresponding
certification and rejoin studies after a
certain time and be able to start from
where they had left.
● It will also provide students with the
flexibility to move between institutes while pursuing one degree or leave a course.

How does it work?

ABC will keep records of the academic credits of a student. It will not accept any credit course document
directly from the students for any course they might be pursuing, but only from higher education institutes,
who will have to make deposits in students’ accounts.

Benefits:
ABC will help in credit verification, credit accumulation, credit transfer and redemption of students, and
promotion of the students.
Know more about the National Education Policy here:

www.insightsonindia.com 57 InsightsIAS
Insta Curious: ABC has been drafted on the lines of the National
Academic Depository. What is the National Academic Depository?
Reference: https://www.nad.gov.in/.

InstaLinks:
Prelims Link: Mains Link:
1. About NEP. Discuss the
2. What is ABC? significance
3. Features. of ABC.

2. What is Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission?

Context:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the Union government would provide Rs 3,000 crore to Tamil Nadu in
the next five years under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission to address
critical gaps in health infrastructure and health research, especially at the district level.

About the scheme:

● The scheme aims at strengthening healthcare infrastructure across the country.
● Its objective is to fill gaps in public health infrastructure, especially in critical care facilities and primary
care in both urban and rural areas.
● Through this, critical care services will be available in all the districts of the country with more than
five lakh population through exclusive critical care hospital blocks, while the remaining districts will
be covered through referral services.
● People will have access to a full range of diagnostic services in the public healthcare system through a
network of laboratories across the country, and integrated public health labs will be set up in all the
districts.
● Integrated public health labs will also be set up in all districts, giving people access to “a full range of
diagnostic services” through a network of laboratories across the country.
● An IT-enabled disease surveillance system will be established through a network of surveillance
laboratories at block, district, regional and national levels.
● All the public health labs will be connected through the Integrated Health Information Portal, which
will be expanded to all states and UTs.

Institutions to be set-up under the scheme:

Under the scheme, a national institution for one health, four new national institutes for virology, a regional
research platform for WHO South East Asia Region, nine biosafety level-III laboratories, and five new regional
national centres for disease control will be set up.
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Benefits and significance of the scheme:
It will provide support for 17,788 rural health and wellness centres in 10 high-focus states. Further, 11,024
urban health and wellness centres will be established in all the States.

A brief overview of healthcare Infrastructure in India:

India has long been in need of a ubiquitous healthcare system. Here are the findings of a latest survey:
● 70 percent of the locations have public healthcare services. However, availability was less in rural areas
(65 per cent) compared to urban areas (87 per cent).
● In 45 per cent of the surveyed locations, people could access healthcare services by walking, whereas
in 43 per cent of the locations they needed to use transport.
● The survey also found that proximity to healthcare services is higher in urban localities: 64 percent of
the enumerators in urban areas observed that people can access healthcare services by walking, while
only 37 per cent in rural areas can do so.

Insta Curious: The Prime Minister had recently launched another scheme, the Ayushman Bharat Digital
Mission (ABDM), a flagship digital initiative involving the creation of not just a unique health ID for every
citizen, but also a digital healthcare professionals and facilities registry. Reference: read this.

3. Delhi govt’s Desh ke Mentor programme:

Context:
A controversy has broken out over the Delhi government's flagship 'Desh ke Mentor' programme.

What's the issue?

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has recommended that the Delhi government
suspend its flagship programme till “the time when all the loopholes pertaining to the safety of the children
are overhauled”.

What is the Desh ke Mentor programme?

Launched in October 2021 and is aimed at connecting students in classes IX to XII with voluntary mentors.
People between the ages of 18 and 35 can sign up to be mentors through an app created by a team at the
Delhi Technological University and will be connected with students based on mutual interests.
The mentorship entails regular phone calls for a minimum of two months, which can optionally be carried on
for another four months.

Significance:
The idea is for the young mentors to guide students through higher education and career options, preparation
for higher education entrance exams, and dealing with the pressure of it all.
● 44,000 people have signed up as mentors so far and have been working with 1.76 lakh children.

What are the concerns raised by the NCPCR regarding this process?
There are five primary points on which the NCPCR has raised concerns with regard to the programme:
1. Safety from abuse: It has stated that assigning children to a mentor of the same gender as them does
not necessarily assure their safety from abuse.
2. Lack of police verification: It has also expressed concern over the lack of police verification of the
mentors.
3. Various concerns over the psychometric test.
4. It has also stated that limiting interactions to phone calls also does not ensure the safety of children
since “child related crime can be initiated through phone calls as well.”
5. It has stated that while taking the consent of parents is an essential pre-requisite, the “responsibility
and accountability of preventing children from such situation lies with the Department. The consent
of parents cannot be used as a cushion in case of any untoward incident.”

Link: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/delhi-desh-ke-mentor-controversy-explained-7724352/lite/.

www.insightsonindia.com 59 InsightsIAS
Topics: Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance
applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency &
accountability and institutional and other measures.
1. District Good Governance Index (DGGI):
Context:
Union home minister Amit Shah recently launched the District Good Governance Index (DGGI) in Jammu and
Kashmir, which is the first Union Territory to have such an index.

About the index:

Launched for 20 districts of Jammu and Kashmir.
It has been prepared by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) in
partnership with the Union Territory's administration.
Under the index, the policies, schemes and programs of the central as well as the state governments have been
monitored at the district level.

Significance of the index:

● The beginning of this index in Jammu and Kashmir will slowly expand to all other states and a good
governance competition will start in every district of the country.
● The index covered 10 sectors and 58 indicators.
● The index will benefit residents of Jammu and Kashmir in a big way as it will work towards improving
the district machinery, make districts result-oriented and also improve their delivery mechanism.

Highlights of the index:

● Jammu district topped the composite ranking, followed by Doda and Samba districts of the Jammu
Division.
● This was followed by Pulwama district of the Srinagar Division at fourth spot and Srinagar district at the
fifth.
● The district of Rajouri finished at the last spot, while Poonch and Shopian districts also featured
towards the end of the rankings.
● Srinagar district bagged the first rank in Public Infrastructure and Utilities sector.
● Srinagar also ranked in the top 5 districts in Composite GGI in Kashmir Division with a score of 5.313
points.
● Kishtwar topped in ‘Agriculture and Allied Sector’, Pulwama topped in ‘Human Resource Development’,
Reasi topped in ‘Public Health’, Ramban topped in ‘Social Welfare and Development’, and Ganderbal
topped in the ‘Financial Inclusion’ sector.

Performance of J&K in the National Good Governance Index:

Previously, the Centre had released the National Good Governance Index on December 25 last year that
indicated Jammu and Kashmir saw an increase of 3.7% in Good Governance Indicators from 2019 to 2021.
● The strong performance of J-K was also noted in the fields of commerce and industry, agriculture,
judiciary and public infrastructure among others.

To know more about the National Good Governance Index, read this.

InstaLinks: 2. Key features.

Prelims Link: 3. Performance of various states in latest
1. About GGI. edition of the index.

Topics: Role of civil services in a democracy.

1. What is current rule on deputation?
Context:
The Centre has proposed amendments to the IAS (Cadre) Rules in order to exercise greater control in central
deputation of IAS officials.
www.insightsonindia.com 60 InsightsIAS
 ● Central deputation has often been at the centre of tussles between the Centre and the states.

What is the current rule on deputation?

Central deputation in the Indian Administrative Service is covered under Rule-6 (1) of the IAS (Cadre) Rules-
1954, inserted in May 1969.
As per the rule:
A cadre officer may, with the concurrence of the State Governments concerned and the Central Government,
be deputed for service under the Central Government or another State Government or under a company,
association or body of individuals, whether incorporated or not, which is wholly or substantially owned or
controlled by the Central Government or by another State Government.

What happens in case of disagreement?

In case of any disagreement, the matter shall be decided by the Central Government and the State Government
or State Governments concerned shall give effect to the decision of the Central Government.
○ However, existing rules did not mention any time limit for deciding on such disagreement.

What are the proposed amendments?

The proposal will give greater say to the Centre.
● The amendments enable the Union government to seek the services of an Indian Administrative
Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Forest Service (IFoS) officer posted in a State even
without the State government’s consent.
● The Centre will be able to relieve an officer from their cadre if the State government does not give
effect to the Central government’s decision within the specified time.
● In case of any disagreement, the matter shall be decided by the central government and the state
government or state governments concerned shall give effect to the decision of the central
government "within a specified time".
● Services of an AIS officer with a specific domain expertise may be required for any important time-
bound flagship programme or project.

What necessitated these amendments?

Various state/joint cadres are not sponsoring adequate numbers of officers for central deputation, as part of
the Central Deputation Reserve. As a result of this, the number of officers available for central deputation is
not sufficient to meet the requirement at Centre.

How many officers are working under deputation?

Only 10% mid-level IAS officers were posted with the Union government in 2021, a sharp fall from 19% in 2014.
● The decrease in central deputation of IAS officers becomes even more stark as the total pool of such
officers at this level expanded from 621 in 2014 to 1130 in 2021, an increase of around 80%.
● According to data available with the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), the number of
central deputation reserve of IAS officers has gone down from 309 in 2011 to 223.

Insta Curious: Did you know that the total strength of any cadre is calculated by including central deputation
reserve (CDR), which is around 40% of the sanctioned posts?

InstaLinks: 4. Who has powers to take action against civil

Prelims Link: service officials who are posted under the
1. Rules related to All India Services. state government?
2. Responsibility to manage cadres of IAS, IPS 5. What is Home Ministry’s deputation policy
and IFS. for IPS officers?
3. Civil services board.

Mains Link: Discuss what are emergency provisions under the IPS Cadre Rule, 1954.

www.insightsonindia.com 61 InsightsIAS
Topics: India and its neighbourhood- relations.
1. China’s border law and India:
Context:
China’s new law on land borders has come into effect from the new year. While some feel India should worry
about its border areas, others note that China’s actions have been aggressive even without it.

About the law:

It is called the law for the “protection and exploitation of the country’s land border areas”.
1. Under the law, “the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China are sacred and inviolable”.
2. The state needs to “take measures to safeguard territorial integrity and land boundaries and guard
against and combat any act that undermines these”.
3. The law encourages the development of villages for civilians in the border areas.
4. The law also asks the state to follow the principles of “equality, mutual trust, and friendly consultation,
handle land border related-affairs with neighbouring countries through negotiations to properly
resolve disputes and longstanding border issues.
5. The law lays down four conditions under which the state can impose emergency measures, including
border shutdown.

Rationale behind the law:

● This law reflects Beijing’s renewed concerns over the security of its land border. It also underscores
the imperative for Beijing to exert greater control over its somewhat porous land border.
● The law “reflects Beijing’s thinly-veiled worries about the stability of its hinterland bordering Central
Asia” as the withdrawal of the US forces and Taliban takeover “aggravated Beijing’s concerns that
Afghanistan may become a hotbed for terrorism and extremism that could spread to Xinjiang”.
● Domestic politics too may have been a contributing factor, bolstering President Xi Jinping’s standing in
the lead-up to the 20th Party Congress later this year when he would secure a third term.

Does it concern India?

Although the law is not meant specifically for India, it is bound to have some impact.
1. China and India share a disputed 3,488-km boundary, the third longest among China’s 22,457-km land
boundaries with 14 countries, after the borders with Mongolia and Russia.
2. There is a growing suspicion that China may have been stalling further negotiations on the standoff in
eastern Ladakh for this new law to come into force. The Corps Commanders last met in October.
3. The new law also prohibits construction of permanent infrastructure close to the border without
China’s permission. Both, India and China have been building new roads, bridges and other facilities
faster since the standoff began; in fact, China had objected to India’s workers even before.

What impact can it have on India-China relations?

Much depends on China’s actions, regardless of the new law.
● Some experts feel the new law will make China dig its heels in, on the ongoing standoff as well as for
resolution of the larger boundary issue.
● Others feel the new law is only a tool China government will use if it wants, as its actions have been
aggressive even before this law.
Overall, the new law is the “latest attempt by China to unilaterally delineate and demarcate territorial
boundaries with India and Bhutan”.

Concerns and challenges ahead:

● The border standoff in eastern Ladakh remains unresolved.
● China has renamed several places in Arunachal Pradesh as part of its claim on the Indian state.
● The Chinese Embassy in Delhi has written to Indian MPs, including a minister, who had attended a
dinner reception hosted by the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile.

Link: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-chinas-border-law-india-7702803/lite/.

www.insightsonindia.com 62 InsightsIAS
2. Trincomalee oil tank farm: What the deal means for India, Lanka:
Context:
Recently, Sri Lanka announced that the Indian Oil Subsidiary Lanka IOC would be given 49% stake in the joint
development of the Trincomalee Oil Tank farm, with Ceylon Petroleum Corporation keeping 51%.

Why has this become a historical deal?

35-year-old agreement: If it goes according to plan, India and Sri Lanka would have finally achieved the
implementation of an agreement — contained in an exchange of letters between then Prime Minister Rajiv
Gandhi and Sri Lankan President J R Jayewarndene as part of the annexure to the India-Sri Lanka Accord of July
29, 1987 — that the tank farm would be developed jointly.

Why does Trincomalee matter?

The pre-WWII era oil storage facility has a capacity of nearly 1 million
tonnes, which far outstrips the demand in Sri Lanka.
● Strategic Location in the Indian Ocean: Located inland from
China Bay, the facility was meant to be serviced by the natural
harbour at Trincomalee.
● Easily Accessible: In 2010-2011, officials had pitched for
refurbishing the tank farm as an extension of Indian Oil storage
on the Indian east coast, or for developing it as a refuelling
facility to small ships. Trincomalee is the nearest port to
Chennai.
● Balancing China: From India’s geostrategic viewpoint,
Trincomalee is an important counterbalance to the southern
Hambantota Port backed substantially by China.
Therefore, India’s interest is to prevent a third country from entering
the 850-acre facility.

About the Indo-Lanka Accord:

● It is popularly referred to as the Rajiv-Jayewardene Accord.
● It was signed in 1987 on the pretext of the Civil War in Sri Lanka (between Tamils and Sinhala
community).
● The accord sought to balance India’s strategic interests, interest of people of Indian origin in Sri Lanka
and Tamil minority rights in Sri Lanka.
● The accord saw the placement of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in Sri Lanka to resolve the Sri
Lankan Civil War.
● The accord also resulted in enactment of the thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka
and the Provincial Councils Act of 1987.

Insta Curious: What is Sri Lanka's 19th amendment to the constitution? Reference: read this.

Link: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/trincomalee-oil-tank-what-deal-means-india-lanka-
7702794/lite/.

3. Sir Creek pact

Context:
Siachen and Sir Creek have long been termed “low hanging fruits” in the past for resolution between India and
Pakistan and the two countries have held 13 rounds of Defence Secretary-level talks on Siachen, the last one in
June 2012.
● However, there has been no resolution yet on the issue.

What is Sir Creek?

Sir Creek is a 96-km strip of water disputed between India and Pakistan in the Rann of Kutch marshlands.
● Originally named Ban Ganga, Sir Creek is named after a British representative.
www.insightsonindia.com 63 InsightsIAS
 ● The Creek opens up in the Arabian Sea and roughly divides the Kutch region of Gujarat from the Sindh
Province of Pakistan.

What’s the dispute?

The dispute lies in the interpretation of the maritime boundary line between Kutch and Sindh.
Before India’s independence, the provincial region was a part of the Bombay Presidency of British India. But
after India’s independence in 1947, Sindh became a part of Pakistan while Kutch remained a part of India.
1. Pakistan claims the entire creek as per paragraphs 9 and 10 of the Bombay Government Resolution of
1914 signed between then the Government of Sindh and Rao Maharaj of Kutch.
2. The resolution, which demarcated the boundaries between the two territories, included the creek as
part of Sindh, thus setting the boundary as the eastern flank of the creek popularly known as Green
Line.
3. But India claims that the boundary lies mid-channel as depicted in another map drawn in 1925, and
implemented by the installation of mid-channel pillars back in 1924.
4. In its support, it cites the Thalweg Doctrine in International Maritime Law, which states that river
boundaries between two states may be divided by the mid-channel if the water-body is navigable.

What’s the importance of Sir Creek?

Apart from strategic location, Sir Creek’s core importance is fishing resources. Sir Creek is considered to be
among the largest fishing grounds in Asia.
Another vital reason is the possible presence of great oil and gas concentration under the sea, which are
currently unexploited thanks to the impending deadlock on the issue.

Insta Link: 3. India’s land and maritime boundary.

Prelims Link: 4. Boundary pacts in this regard.
1. Disputed places between India and its 5. Facts related Rann of Kutch.
neighbours. 6. What is Bombay Government resolution of
2. Locations of these places and surrounding 1914?
important places.

Mains Link: Where is Sir Creek located? What is the dispute surrounding it? Discuss.

4. Strategic significance of bridge China is building on Pangong lake:

Context:
Construction of a bridge by China on the Pangong Tso in eastern Ladakh is a latest addition to the ongoing
standoff between India and China.

About the Bridge:

On the north bank, there is a PLA garrison at Kurnak fort and on the
south bank at Moldo, and the distance between the two is around 200
km.
● The new bridge between the closest points on two banks,
which is around 500 m, will bring down the movement time
between the two sectors from around 12 hours to three or four
hours.
● This will significantly bring down the time for the People’s
Liberation Army (PLA) to move troops and equipment between
the two sectors.
● The bridge is located around 25 km ahead of the Line of Actual
Control (LAC).

Significance of the bridge for India:

● It will help in quick mobilization of PLA troops between the two
banks at one of the lake’s narrowest points.

www.insightsonindia.com 64 InsightsIAS
 ● The Kailash range is around 35 km west of the bridge site. Once this bridge gets completed, it will
enable Chinese troops to simply cross over, slashing travel time to Kailash range from about 12 hours
to about four hours.
● It will strengthen the idea of permanency being established by Beijing in the region.

About Pangong Tso:

● Pangong Tso literally translates into a “conclave lake”. Pangong means conclave in Ladakhi and Tso
means lake in Tibetan language.
● Situated at over 14,000 feet, the Lake is about 135 km long.
● It is formed from Tethys geosyncline.
● The Karakoram Mountain range, which crosses Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and India, with
heights of over 6,000 meters including K2, the world’s second highest peak, ends at the north bank of
Pangong Tso.
● Its southern bank too has high broken mountains sloping towards Spangur Lake in the south.
● The lake’s water, while crystal clear, is brackish, making it undrinkable.

Why there is a dispute here?

The Line of Actual Control (LAC) – the line that separates Indian and Chinese troops since 1962 – generally runs
along the land except for the width of Pangong Tso. Here, it runs through water.
Both sides have marked their areas announcing which side belongs to which country.
India controls about 45 km stretch of the Pangong Tso and China the rest.

What are fingers?

The lake has mountain spurs of the Chang Chenmo range jutting down, referred to as fingers.
There are eight of them in contention here. India and China have different understanding of where the LAC
passes through.
● India has maintained that the LAC passes through Finger 8, which has been the site of the final military
post of China.
● India has been patrolling the area – mostly on foot because of the nature of the terrain – up to Finger
8. But Indian forces have not had active control beyond Finger 4.
● China, on the other hand, says the LAC passes through Finger 2. It has been patrolling up to Finger 4-
mostly in light vehicles, and at times up to Finger 2.

Why does China want to encroach areas alongside Pangong Tso?

Pangong Tso is strategically crucial as it is very close to Chusul Valley, which was one of the battlefronts
between India and China during the 1962 war.
● China appears to keep India constricted in the region by taking strategic advantage of looking over the
Chusul Valley, which it can do if it advances along Pangong Tso.
● China also does not want India to boost its infrastructure anywhere near the LAC. China fears it
threatens its occupation of Aksai Chin and Lhasa-Kashgar highway.
● Any threat to this highway also puts Chinese rather imperialist plans in Pakistan-occupied territories in
Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir, and beyond in Pakistan.

Insta Curious: Have you heard of the Ice Stupas of Ladhak? Read Here.

InstaLinks: 2. Important geographical features in these

Prelims links: areas. Ex: Rivers, mountain valleys etc.
1. Geographical position of all areas which
were point of contention between the two Mains links: Discuss the steps taken by China and
armies. India to de-escalate the border tension which
occurred in 2020.

5. China-Taiwan relations:
Context:

www.insightsonindia.com 65 InsightsIAS
China recently flew 39 warplanes toward Taiwan in its largest such sortie of the new year, continuing a pattern
that the island has answered by scrambling its own jets in response.

Rationale behind such acts:

● China often mounts such missions to express displeasure at something Taiwan has done or at shows of
international support for the democratically ruled island, especially by the United States, Taiwan’s main
arms provider.
● China has described its activities as necessary to protect the country’s sovereignty and deal with
“collusion” between Taipei and Washington.
Chinese pilots have been flying towards Taiwan on a near-daily basis in the past year and a half, since Taiwan's
government started publishing the data regularly. The largest sortie was 56 warplanes on a single day last
October.

What's the issue?

China has ramped up military pressure, including repeated missions by Chinese warplanes near democratic
Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own and has not ruled out taking by force.

Latest developments:
The European Parliament's first official delegation to Taiwan recently come in support of Taiwan and said that
the diplomatically isolated island is not alone. It called for bolder actions to strengthen EU-Taiwan ties as Taipei
faces rising pressure from Beijing.
● Taiwan, which does not have formal diplomatic ties with any European nations except tiny Vatican
City, is keen to deepen relations with members of the European Union.

China- Taiwan relations- Background:

China has claimed Taiwan through its “one China” policy since the Chinese civil war forced the defeated
Kuomintang, or Nationalist, to flee to the island in 1949 and has vowed to bring it under Beijing’s rule, by force
if necessary.
● While Taiwan is self-governed and de facto independent, it has never formally declared independence
from the mainland.
● Under the “one country, two systems” formula, Taiwan would have the right to run its own affairs; a
similar arrangement is used in Hong Kong.
Presently, Taiwan is claimed by China, which refuses diplomatic relations with countries that recognise the
region.

Indo- Taiwan relations:

● Although they do not have formal diplomatic ties, Taiwan and
India have been cooperating in various fields.
● India has refused to endorse the “one-China” policy since 2010.

Insta Curious: Did you know that to this date, Taiwan is not a part of the
WHO owing to objections from China? Read this to know more about the issue.

InstaLinks: 3. Is Taiwan represented at WHO and the

Prelims Link: United Nations?
1. Location of Taiwan and its historical 4. Countries in the South China Sea.
background. 5. Qing dynasty.
2. Regions being administered by China under
One China policy. Mains Link: Write a note on India- Taiwan bilateral
relations.

www.insightsonindia.com 66 InsightsIAS
6. Central Asia Meet:
Context:
First India-Central Asia Summit was recently hosted by
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and attended by the
Presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan,
Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
● The India-Central Asia summit marked 30 years
of diplomatic relations.

Outcomes of the meet - the “Delhi Declaration”:

● India expressed concerns over the lack of land
connectivity between India and Central Asia’s
land–locked countries.
● The leaders announced plan to build a “Central Asia Centre” in New Delhi.
● They also announced two “Joint Working Groups” (JWGs) on Afghanistan and the Chabahar port
project.
● The leaders highlighted the importance of TAPI gas pipeline project that runs from Turkmenistan’s
Galknyshk oil fields near Mary (Marv) through Afghanistan and Pakistan to India.

Alternative routes available:

India can reach these land locked countries over sea provided by Iranian ports including the Chabahar port
terminal managed by Indian and the International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC) through Bandar
Abbas that is promoted by Russia and Iran.

Geo Strategic importance of Central Asia:

● Central Asia is strategically positioned as an access point between Europe and Asia and offers extensive
potential for trade, investment, and growth.
● Central Asia is not a part of India’s immediate neighborhood and therefore it doesn’t share borders
with India, the issue of connectivity between the two regions becomes of paramount importance.

Geo economic Importance of Central Asia:

The region is richly endowed with natural resources like crude oil, natural gas, gold, copper, aluminum, and
iron.

International North – South Transport Corridor:

● India, Iran and Russia had in September
2000 signed the INSTC agreement to
build a corridor to provide the shortest
multi-model transportation route linking
the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf to
the Caspian Sea via Iran and St
Petersburg. ‘
● It is a 7,200-km-long multi-mode
network of ship, rail, and road route for
moving freight.
● Regions involved: India, Iran,
Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central
Asia and Europe.

About TAPI Project:

● Inaugurated in 2015.
● It is a natural gas pipeline being developed by the Asian Development Bank.
● The project has run into issues over India-Pakistan tensions and the situation in Afghanistan.

www.insightsonindia.com 67 InsightsIAS
Benefits of this project for India:
● Energy is a growing need, and even if India is able to source energy from other countries like Iran and
further afield, both the proximity and abundance of Turkmenistan’s reserves, that rank fourth in the
world, will make it an attractive proposition.
● It will bring India much needed energy at competitive pricing, and could easily supply about 15% of
India’s projected needs by the time it is completed in the 2020s.
● This project also gives India an opportunity to secure its interest in Central Asia. TAPI’s success will also
ensure that India, Pakistan and Afghanistan find ways of cooperating on other issues as well.

Link: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thehindu.com/news/national/prime-minister-narendra-modi-
addresses-india-central-asia-summit-through-video-conference-on-january-27-
2022/article38334622.ece/amp/.

Topics: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or
affecting India’s interests.
1. Collective Security Treaty Organisation:
Context:
The Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) has dispatched troops to help quell mounting unrest in
Kazakhstan as the police said dozens were killed trying to storm government buildings.

What's happening in Kazakhstan?

Long seen as one the most stable of the ex-Soviet republics of Central Asia, energy-rich Kazakhstan is facing its
biggest crisis in decades after days of protests over rising fuel prices escalated into widespread unrest.

About Collective Security Treaty Organization:

● It is an intergovernmental military alliance (six countries) that came into effect in 2002.
● Its’ origin can be traced to the Collective Security Treaty, 1992 (Tashkent Treaty).
● The headquarter is located in the Russian capital of Moscow.
● The objectives of the CSTO is to strengthen peace, international and regional security including
cybersecurity and stability, the protection on a collective basis of the independence, territorial integrity
and sovereignty of the member states.

Composition:
Current CSTO members are Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Russian Federation and Tajikistan.

What the membership entails?

1. CSTO membership means that member states are barred from joining other military alliances, limiting,
for example, their relationship with NATO.
2. Most importantly, membership presumes certain key security assurances – the most significant of
which is deterring military aggression by third countries.
3. In the CSTO, aggression against one signatory is perceived as aggression against all.
4. It however remains unclear whether this feature works in practice.

Insta Curious: India joined the UK in drive known as ‘Five Eyes’ group of nations, as a seventh member in 2020.
What is this group about? Reference: read this.

InstaLinks: 2. Composition.
Prelims Link: 3. Objectives.
1. About CSTO.

Mains Link: Discuss about the significance of CSTO.

Link: https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/russia-led-troops-sent-to-kazakhstan-as-dozens-killed-in-
unrest/article38154895.ece/amp/.

www.insightsonindia.com 68 InsightsIAS
2. U.K. launches FTA negotiations with India:
Context:
The UK government on January 13, 2022, announced the launch of free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations
with India.
● This is being described as a "golden opportunity" to put British businesses at the "front of the queue"
of the Indian economy.

Significance:
● It offers huge benefits for British businesses, workers and consumers.
● Scotch whisky, financial services and cutting-edge renewable technology are among some of the key
sectors set to benefit.

What is a FTA?
It is a pact between two or more nations to reduce barriers to imports and exports among them. Under a free
trade policy, goods and services can be bought and sold across international borders with little or no
government tariffs, quotas, subsidies, or prohibitions to inhibit their exchange.
● The concept of free trade is the opposite of trade protectionism or economic isolationism.

Coverage:
The agreement may cover, among others, services, investment, and economic
cooperation.
● FTA normally covers trade in goods (such as agricultural or industrial
products) or trade in services (such as banking, construction, trading
etc.).
● FTA can also cover other areas such as intellectual property rights (IPRs),
investment, government procurement and competition policy, etc.

Why does a trade deal with India matter for the UK?
By 2050, India will be the world's third-largest economy with a middle class of almost 250 million shoppers.
● The UK wants to unlock this huge new market for the great British producers and manufacturers across
numerous industries from food and drinks to services and
automotive.
● It has the potential to boost bilateral trade by up to GBP 28
billion a year by 2035 and increase wages by up to GBP 3
billion across the UK.
● A deal with India is also pegged as a "big step forward" in
the UK's post-Brexit strategy to refocus trade on the Indo-
Pacific, home to half of the world's population and 50 per
cent of global economic growth.

Significance for India:

Removing duties alone would increase UK exports to India by up to GBP 6.8 billion, with Scotch whisky and cars
currently facing enormous duties of 150 per cent and 125 percent respectively.

Insta Curious: Have you heard about Early harvest agreements? What are the benefits of such agreements?
Reference: read this.

Topics: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s
interests, Indian diaspora.
1. Hamas and Gaza Strip:
Context:
Israel’s military has launched strikes against militant targets in the Gaza Strip, a day after rockets were fired
from the Hamas-ruled territory.
www.insightsonindia.com 69 InsightsIAS
What's the issue?
The cease-fire, brokered by Egypt and other mediators, has been fragile. The militant Hamas group says Israel
did not take serious steps to ease the blockade it imposed on Gaza with Egypt’s help when the Islamic
movement seized control of the coastal enclave in 2007.

Who are Hamas?

● Hamas is a Palestinian Islamist political organization
and militant group that has waged war on Israel since
the group’s 1987 founding, most notably through
suicide bombings and rocket attacks.
● It seeks to replace Israel with a Palestinian state. It also
governs Gaza independently of the Palestinian
Authority.

Need for an agreement:

Gaza has been under a tightened Israeli blockade since 2007 in
which most basic goods still enter the region under highly
restricted measures.
● In May, an Israeli offensive left nearly 260 Palestinians
dead and thousands wounded as well as a vast trail of
destruction in Gaza. Palestinian resistance groups responded with rocket barrages into Israeli areas,
killing at least 13 Israelis.

Where is the Gaza Strip?

The Gaza Strip is an entirely artificial creation that emerged in 1948 when roughly three-fourths of Palestine's
Arab population was displaced, in some cases expelled, during the course of Israel's creation. And most of the
refugees, they were sort of scattered across the region in neighboring countries like Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.
● Some went to the West Bank, which came under Jordanian rule after 1948. And a very large number
went to the Gaza Strip, which is this tiny little coastal strip between Egypt and what is now Israel.
Today, the population of Gaza, about 70% of Gaza's population are refugees.

Who controls it?

Hamas forcibly took control over the Gaza Strip in 2007. Shortly thereafter, the Israelis imposed a complete
closure on Gaza's borders. They declared Gaza to be an enemy entity. Of course, Gaza is not a state.
● Hamas, of course, is viewed by Israel and by much of the international community as a terrorist
organization, including the United States, for their history of attacks on civilians and so forth.

Present scenario:
● Israel still occupies the West Bank, and although it pulled out of Gaza the UN still regards that piece of
land as part of occupied territory.
● Israel claims the whole of Jerusalem as its capital, while the Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the
capital of a future Palestinian state.
● The US is one of only a handful of countries to recognise Israel's claim to the whole of the city.

What's happening now?

● Tensions are often high between Israel and Palestinians living in East Jerusalem, Gaza and the West
Bank.
● Gaza is ruled by a Palestinian militant group called Hamas, which has fought Israel many times. Israel
and Egypt tightly control Gaza's borders to stop weapons getting to Hamas.
● Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank say they're suffering because of Israeli actions and restrictions.
Israel say it is only acting to protect itself from Palestinian violence.
● Things have escalated since the start of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan in mid-April 2021, with
nightly clashes between police and Palestinians.
● The threatened eviction of some Palestinian families in East Jerusalem has also caused rising anger.
www.insightsonindia.com 70 InsightsIAS
InstaLinks: 5. What is Al-Nakba?
Prelims Link: 6. About the conflict.
1. Where is the west bank?
2. Gaza strip. Mains Link:
3. Golan heights. Suggest solutions to end the long standing Israel-
4. Who are Hamas? Palestine conflict.

2. South China Sea Dispute:

Context:
A new report of the US State Department on the Beijing’s extensive territorial claims of “historic rights” in the
South China Sea (SCS) has rejected them as being “plainly inconsistent with international law”.
● Crucially. the report concludes that these claims gravely undermine the rule of law in the oceans and
numerous universally recognised provisions of international law reflected in the convention.

UNCLOS Ruling of 2016:

The Ruling of 2016 was a serious blow to the Chinese claims. It was based on the UNCLOS which China had
ratified.
What did it say?
● The Ruling dismissed Beijing’s claims on the entire area in the nine-dashed-line in the SCS.
● It clarified the definition of the “islands”. It found that none of the Spratlys- including Itu Aba, Thitu,
Spratly Islands, Northeast Cay, and Southwest Cay- are legally islands because they cannot sustain a
stable community or independent economic life.
● The Court also agreed with the Philippines that Johnson Reef, Cuarteron Reef, and Fiery Cross Reef are
rocks. Hughes Reef and Mischief Reef were found to be below water at high-tide, generating no
maritime entitlements.
● The Court also ruled that Second Thomas Shoal and Reed Bank are submerged and belong to the
Philippines’ continental shelf thereby denying any right to China there.
● Significantly the Court also ruled against the Chinese ‘land-reclamation activity’ stating that this had
caused ‘severe harm to the coral reef environment’. This imposed a stricture on China over its land
reclamation activity.
● The Tribunal confirmed that China violated Philippines’ rights in seizing Scarborough Shoal, the 2012
incident that drove Manila to file a suit.
● It pointed out that China had breached the Philippines’ sovereign rights by exploring for oil and gas
near the Reed Bank.

Overall issue:
Beijing has overlapping territorial claims with several Southeast Asian
states in the South China Sea.
● China claims almost all of the resource-rich sea, through which
trillions of dollars in shipping trade passes annually, with
competing claims from Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines,
Taiwan and Vietnam.
● Beijing has also been accused of deploying a range of military
hardware, including anti-ship missiles and surface-to-air missiles
there, and ignored a 2016 international tribunal decision that
declared its historical claim over most of the waters to be
without basis.

Where is the South China Sea?

● The South China Sea is an arm of western Pacific Ocean in
Southeast Asia.
● It is south of China, east & south of Vietnam, west of the Philippines and north of the island of Borneo.
● It is connected by Taiwan Strait with the East China Sea and by Luzon Strait with the Philippine Sea.

www.insightsonindia.com 71 InsightsIAS
 ● Bordering states & territories: the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of China (Taiwan), the
Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore and Vietnam.

Strategic Importance:
● This sea holds tremendous strategic importance for its location as it is the connecting link between the
Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean (Strait of Malacca).
● According to the United Nations Conference on Trade And Development (UNCTAD) one-third of the
global shipping passes through it, carrying trillions of trade which makes it a significant geopolitical
water body.

Contesting Claims Over Islands:

● The Paracel Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan and Vietnam.
● The Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Brunei and Philippines.
● The Scarborough Shoal is claimed by the Philippines, China and Taiwan.
Since 2010, China has been converting uninhabited islets into artificial islets to bring it under UNCLOS (For
example, Haven Reef, Johnson South Reef and Fiery Cross Reef).

Insta Curious: Do you know the meaning of the phrase ‘The Seven Seas’? Read Here

Have you given a thought about how seas are names and their associated problems? Read Briefly

InstaLinks: 5. Important straits, passes and seas in the

Prelims Link: region.
1. About the Declaration on the Conduct of 6. What is UNCLOS?
Parties in the South China Sea. 7. Locate Taiwan strait and Luzon Strait.
2. Countries involved in the dispute.
3. What is the nine dash line? Mains Link: Write a note on the South China Sea
4. Disputed islands and their locations? dispute.

3. Houthis and the war in Yemen:

Context:
The Houthi rebels of Yemen have claimed responsibility for the suspected drone attack in Abu Dhabi recently,
which killed three people, including two Indians.

What's the issue?

One of the Arab world’s poorest countries, Yemen has been devastated by a near seven-year civil war, which
started after Houthis captured the capital Sana’a, following which Saudi-led forces intervened and fought the
rebels with the aim of ending Iranian influence in the region and restoring the former government.
● The UAE joined the Saudi campaign in 2015 and has been deeply involved in the conflict ever since,
despite announcing the formal withdrawal of its forces in 2019 and 2020.

Who are the Houthis?

● Founded in the 1990s by Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi, a member of Yemen’s Shia majority.
● It is a group of Zaidi Shia Muslims who ruled a kingdom in the province for nearly 1,000 years.

www.insightsonindia.com 72 InsightsIAS
The war in Yemen: Background:
● The conflict has its roots in the Arab Spring of 2011, when an uprising forced the country’s long-time
authoritarian president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, to hand over power to his deputy, Abdrabbuh Mansour
Hadi.
● The political transition was supposed to bring stability to Yemen, one of the Middle East’s poorest
nations, but President Hadi struggled to deal with various problems including militant attacks,
corruption, food insecurity, and continuing loyalty of many military officers to Saleh.
● Fighting began in 2014 when the Houthi Shia Muslim rebel movement took advantage of the new
president’s weakness and seized control of northern Saada province and neighbouring areas.

Why is Saudi Arabia in Yemen?

Saudi Arabia interfered in Yemen after the Shia Houthi rebels captured Sana’a, the capital city, and the
internationally recognised government of President Hadi moved to the country’s south.
● The rapid rise of the Houthis in Yemen set off alarm bells in Saudi Arabia which saw them as Iranian
proxies.
● Saudi Arabia started a military campaign in March 2015, hoping for a quick victory against the
Houthis. But the Houthis had dug in, refusing to leave despite Saudi Arabia’s aerial blitzkrieg.
● With no effective allies on the ground and no way-out plan, the Saudi-led campaign went on with no
tangible result. In the past six years, the Houthis have launched multiple attacks on Saudi cities from
northern Yemen in retaliation for Saudi air strikes.

How bad is Yemen’s humanitarian situation?

Since the Saudi intervention in 2015, at least 10,000 people have been killed in Yemen, according to the WHO.
The widespread damage caused to infrastructure by the coalition airstrikes and lack of supplies of food and
medicines due to the blockade have pushed Yemen into a humanitarian catastrophe. About 12 million people
are at the risk of starvation if aid doesn’t reach them fast. The country has also seen a massive cholera
outbreak. A child dies every 10 minutes in Yemen from preventable causes, says UNICEF.

InstaLinks: 2. What is the crisis all about?

Prelims Link: 3. Location of Yemen.
1. Who are Houthis?

4. Why Nusantara has been selected as the new capital of Indonesia?

Context:

www.insightsonindia.com 73 InsightsIAS
The capital of Indonesia is being shifted
from Jakarta to East Kalimantan, and will
be called Nusantara (situated to the east
of Borneo island).

What is the reason for this?

1. Increasing environmental issues that
Jakarta has been facing.
2. Financial inequality.
3. Increasing population in Jakarta.
4. Jakarta has also been sinking and it
has been said that if nothing was
done, many parts of the city would
submerge underwater by 2050.
Indonesia is prone to floods, and
Jakarta is surrounded by multiple rivers.

Where is East Kalimantan?

East Kalimantan is 2,300 kilometres from Jakarta on the eastern side of Borneo island, shared by Indonesia,
Malaysia and Brunei.
The new capital will be located in the North Penajam Paser and Kutai Kartanegara regions. East Kalimantan is
an area with immense water resources and habitable terrain.

Concerns:
East Kalimantan is rich in flora and fauna. Therefore, many environmentalists and activists have warned that
moving the capital to East Kalimantan would lead to massive deforestation and put the habitat of these animals
and trees in danger and damage the ecosystem.

What are the other countries that have changed capitals?

Indonesia is not the first country to change its capital city. There has been a long list of countries that have
changed their capitals for various reasons.
● Brazil changed its capital city from Rio De Janerio to Brasilia, a more centrally-located city, in 1960.
● In 1991, Nigeria hanged the country’s capital from Lagos to Abuja.
● Kazakhstan moved its capital city from Almaty, which is still its commercial centre, to Nur-Sultan in
1997.
● Myanmar changed its capital from Rangoon to Naypyidaw in 2005.

(Note: Remember the names mentioned above and try to locate them on world map. This would help you
solve map related questions in Prelims).

Link: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/indonesia-capital-east-kalimantan-nusantara-explained-
7731059/lite/.

5. Israel- Palestine issue:

Context:
India, at the UN Security Council open debate on the Middle East, has reiterated its firm and unwavering
commitment to the peaceful resolution of the Palestine issue and supported a negotiated two-state solution.
● Resolution 2334 was adopted by this Council to reaffirm the international community's firm
commitment to preventing the erosion of the two-state solution.

www.insightsonindia.com 74 InsightsIAS
Israel- Palestine conflict- Historical Background:
● The conflict has been ongoing for more than 100 years between
Jews and Arabs over a piece of land between Jordan River and the
Mediterranean Sea.
● It was between 1882 to 1948, when the Jews from around the
world gathered in Palestine. This movement came to be known
as Aliyahs.
● Then in 1917, Ottoman Empire fell after World War 1 and the UK
got control over Palestine.
● The land was inhabited by a Jewish minority and Arab majority.
● The Balfour Declaration was issued after Britain gained control with
the aim of establishing a home for the Jews in Palestine. However during that period the Arabs were in
majority in Palestine.
● Jews favored the idea while the Palestinians rejected it. Almost 6 million Jews lost their lives in the
Holocaust which also ignited further demand of a separate Jewish state.
● Jews claimed Palestine to be their natural home while the Arabs too did not leave the land and claimed it.
● The international community supported the Jews.
● In 1947, the UN voted for Palestine to be split into separate Jewish and Arab states, with Jerusalem
becoming an international city.
● That plan was accepted by Jewish leaders but rejected by the Arab side and never implemented.

The creation of Israel and the ‘Catastrophe’:

● It was in the year 1948 that Britain lifted its control over the area and Jews declared the creation of
Israel. Although Palestinians objected, Jews did not back out which led to an armed conflict.
● The neighboring Arabs also invaded and were thrashed by the Israeli troops. This made thousands of
Palestinians flee their homes. This was called Al-Nakba, or the “Catastrophe”.
● Israel had gained maximum control over the territory after this came to an end.
● Jordan then went on a war with Israel and seized control over a part of the land which was called the West
Bank, and Egypt occupied Gaza.
● Jerusalem was divided between Israel in the West and Jordan in the East. However, no formal peace
agreement was signed, each side continued to blame each other for the tension and the region saw more
wars.
● Israeli forces captured East Jerusalem and the West Bank, various areas of Syrian Golan Heights, Gaza and
the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula in the year 1967.

Present scenario:
● Israel still occupies the West Bank, and although it pulled out of Gaza the UN still regards that piece of land
as part of occupied territory.
● Israel claims the whole of Jerusalem as its capital, while the Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital
of a future Palestinian state.
● Tensions escalated in recent month over Israel’s actions concerning Al-Asqa mosque in East Jerusalem.

Where is the West Bank?

It is a landlocked territory near the Mediterranean coast of Western Asia, bordered by Jordan to the east and
by the Green Line separating it and Israel on the south, west and north. The West Bank also contains a
significant section of the western Dead Sea shore.

What are the disputed settlements here? Who lives there?

● The West Bank was captured by Jordan after the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.
● Israel snatched it back during the Six Day War of 1967, and has occupied it ever since. During this war, the
country defeated the combined forces of Egypt, Syria, and Jordan.
● It has built some 130 formal settlements in the West Bank, and a similar number of smaller, informal
settlements have mushroomed over the last 20-25 years.
● Over 4 lakh Israeli settlers — many of them religious Zionists who claim a Biblical birthright over this land
— now live here, along with some 26 lakh Palestinians.
www.insightsonindia.com 75 InsightsIAS
● The territory is still a point of contention due to a large number of Palestinians who live there and hope to
see the land become a part of their future state.
● When Israel took control of the land in 1967 it allowed Jewish people to move in, but Palestinians consider
the West Bank illegally occupied Palestinian land.

Are these settlements illegal?

The United Nations General Assembly, the UN Security Council, and the International Court of Justice have
said that the West Bank settlements are violative of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
● Under the Fourth Geneva Convention (1949), an occupying power “shall not deport or transfer parts
of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies”.
Under the Rome Statute that set up the International Criminal Court in 1998, such transfers constitute war
crimes, as does the “extensive destruction and appropriation of property, not justified by military necessity and
carried out unlawfully and wantonly”.

InstaLinks: 6. India’s stand.

Prelims link:
1. What is Israel-Palestine issue? Mains link: Discuss about the impact of Israel-
2. Contested boundaries between the two Palestine issue on the region and its impact on
3. West bank settlement issue India’s interests.
4. Stand taken by UN, Israel, Palestine on this
issue Link:https://epaper.thehindu.com/Home/MShareA
5. Challenges posed by this issue rticle?OrgId=G4H94ARCV.1&imageview=0.

6. ‘Gehri dosti’ says Israel PM about ties with India:

Context:
Israel and India are celebrating 30 years of establishment of diplomatic relations.
● Though India had recognised Israel on September 17, 1950, full-fledged diplomatic relations between
the countries were established on January 29, 1992.

Observations made by Israeli PM on India Israel relations:

● Both countries have a “gehri dosti” (deep friendship).
● The opportunities of collaboration between the two countries are “endless”.

India's stand Israel- Palestine conflict:

India, at the UN Security Council open debate on the Middle East, has reiterated its firm and unwavering
commitment to the peaceful resolution of the Palestine issue and supported a negotiated two-state solution.
● Resolution 2334 was adopted by this Council to reaffirm the international community's firm
commitment to preventing the erosion of the two-state solution.

7. The America COMPETS Act and its relevance for India:

Context:
The U.S. House of Representatives has introduced the ambitious 2022 Act to create opportunities for
America’s manufacturing, preeminence in technology, and economic strength, or America COMPETES Act of
2022.
● It proposes to open new perspectives for talented people from around the world with a new home
visa.

Rationale behind this legislation:

To strengthen supply chains and revitalize the engine of innovation in the country’s economy to surpass China
and the rest of the world for decades to come.

Key Provisions:
1. $ 52 billion to further encourage semiconductor production in the U.S.

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 2. $ 45 billion for grants and loans to improve supply chain resilience and manufacturing, among other
programs.
3. Funding to address social and economic inequality, climate change and immigration. For example, it
offers an exemption for STEM PhDs from the green card limit and creates a new green card for
entrepreneurs.
4. The bill authorizes $ 600 million a year to build manufacturing facilities to make the United States less
dependent on solar components manufactured in Xinjiang, China.
5. It creates a new “W” classification of nonimmigrants for employers with a stake in a newly created
entity, essential employees of a newly created entity, and their spouses and children.

Significance for India and the Indians:

It would mean more opportunities in the US for Indian talent and skilled workers.
● Every year, Indians and Indian companies corner the lion’s share of H-1B work permits issued that year.
With this new category, Indian professionals will probably have a better chance of opportunities than
the law is likely to offer.

Work visas for India:

There are 2.7 million Indian
immigrants residing in the United
States as of 2019, and the country is
the second most popular destination
for Indians living abroad, after the
United Arab Emirates (3.4 million).
The IT revolution, arrival of internet
and low-cost computers in developing
nations like India has given rise to the
number of people who are willing to
work at relatively low costs in the USA
which is a win-win situation for both
the employer and the employee.
● The USA administration issues a
certain number of visas each
year to fill a vacuum of highly-
skilled low-cost employees in IT
and other related domains.
● These visas allow companies
from outside the USA to send
employees to work on client
sites.

What are H-1B, H-2B, L and other work visas?

In order to fill a vacuum of highly-skilled low-cost employees in IT and other related domains, the US
administration issues a certain number of visas each year which allows companies from outside the US to send
employees to work on client sites.
H-1B: Person is Specialty Occupation: To work in a specialty occupation. Requires a higher education degree of
its equivalent.
L1 visas allows companies to transfer highly skilled workers to US for a period of up to seven years.
H-2B visas allow food and agricultural workers to seek employment in the US.
J-1 Visas: It is for students on work-study summer programmes.

InstaLinks: 3. When OCI and PIO were merged?

Prelims Link: 4. The Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019
1. Differences between H1B, F1 and M1 Visas. grants citizenship to?
2. Difference between an NRI and an OCI 5. Constitutional provisions related to
cardholder. citizenship in India.
www.insightsonindia.com 77 InsightsIAS
Mains Link: Discuss the impact of recent changes in US visa rules on Indian students in the US.

Link: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/america-competes-act-how-it-could-increase-opportunities-
for-indians-us-7743133/lite/.

Topics: Important International institutions, agencies and fora, their structure, mandate.
1. The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT):
Context:
Permanent UN Security Council members China, France, Russia, the U.K. and U.S. have pledged to prevent
atomic weapons spreading and to avoid nuclear conflict.
● The statement was issued after the latest review of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear
Weapons (NPT) was postponed from its scheduled date of January 4
to later in the year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Latest issues:
● Tensions between Russia and the United States have reached heights
rarely seen since the Cold War over a troop build-up by Moscow close
to the Ukrainian border.
● That has raised fears that the Kremlin is planning a new attack on its
pro-Western neighbour.
● The rise of China meanwhile has also raised concerns that tensions with Washington could lead to
conflict, notably over the island of Taiwan.
● Beijing considers Taiwan part of its territory and has vowed to one day seize it, by force if necessary.

What is NPT?
The NPT is a multilateral treaty aimed at limiting the spread of nuclear weapons including three elements: (1)
non-proliferation, (2) disarmament, and (3) peaceful use of nuclear energy. These elements constitute a “grand
bargain” between the five nuclear weapon states and the non-nuclear weapon states.
● The treaty was signed in 1968 and entered into force in 1970.

Implications:
● States without nuclear weapons will not acquire them.
● States with nuclear weapons will pursue disarmament.
● All states can access nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, under safeguards.

Key provisions:
● The Treaty defines nuclear weapon states (NWS) as those that had manufactured and detonated a
nuclear explosive device prior to 1 January 1967. All the other states are therefore considered non-
nuclear weapon states (NNWS).
● The five nuclear weapon states are China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
● The Treaty does not affect the right of state parties to develop, produce, and use nuclear energy for
peaceful purposes.

Role of states:
● Nuclear weapon states are not to transfer to any
recipient whatsoever nuclear weapons and not to
assist, encourage, or induce any NNWS to
manufacture or otherwise acquire them.
● Non-nuclear weapons states are not to receive
nuclear weapons from any transferor, and are not to
manufacture or acquire them.

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 ● NNWS must accept the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards on all nuclear materials
on their territories or under their control.

Issues Pertaining to NPT:

Failure of Disarmament Process: The NPT is largely seen as a Cold War era instrument that has failed to fulfil
the objective of creating a pathway towards a credible disarmament process.
System of Nuclear ‘Haves’ and ‘Have-Nots’: NNWS criticizes the treaty to be discriminatory as it focuses on
preventing only horizontal proliferation while there is no limit for vertical proliferation.
NWWS also feels that the restrictions on Peaceful Nuclear Explosion (PNE) technology are one-sided.

India’s Stand on NPT:

● India is one of the only five countries that either did not sign the NPT or signed but withdrew, thus
becoming part of a list that includes Pakistan, Israel, North Korea, and South Sudan.
● India always considered the NPT as discriminatory and had refused to sign it.
● India has opposed the international treaties aimed at non-proliferation since they were selectively
applicable to the non-nuclear powers and legitimised the monopoly of the five nuclear weapons
powers.

Insta Curious: The establishment of Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones (NWFZ) is a regional approach to strengthen
global nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament norms and consolidate international efforts towards peace
and security. Do you know about the Nuclear-weapon-free zone (NWFZ)? Reference: read this.

InstaLinks: 4. NWFZ.
Prelims Link: 5. IAEA.
1. About NPT.
2. Nuclear Weapons States. Mains Link: Discuss the significance of NPT.
3. Non- Nuclear weapons states.

Link: https://epaper.thehindu.com/Home/MShareArticle?OrgId=GB69C11MT.1&imageview=0.

2. Russia vs NATO in Ukraine:

Context:
Russia has stationed more than 1,00,000 troops at its border with aspiring NATO member Ukraine.

What's the issue? What are the demands by Russia?

● Russia stated that only if NATO withdraws their forces from all countries in Europe that joined the
alliance after May 1997, would they de-escalate the military build-up.
● This would effectively mean that NATO cannot operate in any of the Baltic nations that border Russia
(Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania), central European states such as Poland, Hungary, and the Czech republic,
and Balkan states such as Croatia and Slovenia.
● Russia also wants NATO to drop plans of any further ‘enlargement’, which means committing to not
accepting Ukraine and Georgia as members. Another demand is that NATO must not hold drills in
eastern Europe, Ukraine and Georgia without prior approval from Russia.

Response from the west:

1. The U.S and NATO officials have bluntly stated that Russia’s proposals are unrealistic. They insist that
Ukraine and every other country has the right to determine its own foreign policy.
2. Citing the principle of sovereignty, they insist that Ukraine, and every other country in eastern Europe,
has the right to determine its foreign policy without outside interference and join whichever alliance it
wants.
3. They have also dismissed the idea of Russia wielding veto power over who gets to become a member
of NATO, and pointed out that NATO would not take decisions affecting eastern Europe without
involving the countries concerned.

www.insightsonindia.com 79 InsightsIAS
To know more about the Ukraine Issue, read this.

About North Atlantic Treaty Organization:

● It is an intergovernmental military alliance.
● Established by Washington treaty.
● Treaty that was signed on 4 April 1949.
● Headquarters — Brussels, Belgium.
● Headquarters of Allied Command Operations — Mons, Belgium.

Composition:
● Since its founding, the admission of new member states has increased the alliance from the original 12
countries to 30. The most recent member state to be added to NATO was North Macedonia on 27
March 2020.
● NATO membership is open to “any other European state in a position to further the principles of this
Treaty and to contribute to the security of the North Atlantic area.”

Insta Curious:
Germany has warned Russia that the Nord Stream pipeline would be stopped if they were to invade Ukraine.
Where is the Nord Stream pipeline? Reference: read this.

InstaLinks: 5. Countries surrounding the North Atlantic

Prelims Link: Ocean.
1. NATO- genesis and headquarters. 6. Latest NATO member.
2. What is NATO Allied Command
Operations? Mains Link: Discuss the objectives and significance
3. Who can become members of NATO? of NATO.
4. Overview of the Washington Treaty.

Link: https://epaper.thehindu.com/Home/MShareArticle?OrgId=GL09C0OR1.1&imageview=0.

3. Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB):

Context:
Former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Urjit Patel has been appointed vice-president of the Beijing-based
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
● Mr. Patel will serve a three-year term as one of the multilateral development bank’s five vice-
presidents.

What is AIIB?
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is a multilateral development bank with a mission to improve social
and economic outcomes in Asia and beyond.
The Parties (57 founding members) to agreement comprise the Membership of the Bank.
● It is headquartered in Beijing.
● The bank started operation after the agreement entered into force on 25 December 2015, after
ratifications were received from 10 member states holding a total number of 50% of the initial
subscriptions of the Authorized Capital Stock.

Aim:
By investing in sustainable infrastructure and other productive sectors today, it aims to connect people,
services and markets that over time will impact the lives of billions and build a better future.

Membership:
● There are more than 100 members now.

Voting Rights:

www.insightsonindia.com 80 InsightsIAS
 ● China is the largest shareholder with 26.61 % voting shares in the bank followed by India (7.6%), Russia
(6.01%) and Germany (4.2 %).
● The regional members hold 75% of the total voting power in the Bank.

Various organs of AIIB:

Board of Governors: The Board of Governors consists of one Governor and one Alternate Governor appointed
by each member country. Governors and Alternate Governors serve at the pleasure of the appointing member.
Board of Directors: Non-resident Board of Directors is responsible for the direction of the Bank’s general
operations, exercising all powers delegated to it by the Board of Governors.
International Advisory Panel: The Bank has established an International Advisory Panel (IAP) to support the
President and Senior Management on the Bank’s strategies and policies as well as on general operational
issues.

Insta Curious: Did you know that the U.S. and Japan are not among 104 members of AIIB?

InstaLinks: 4. Voting powers.

Prelims Link: 5. AIIB supported projects in India.
1. AIIB vs ADB vs WB.
2. Members of AIIB. Mains Link: Write a note on the Asian
3. Top shareholders. Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).

Link: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/ex-rbi-governor-urjit-patel-
appointed-vice-president-of-aiib/article38201191.ece/amp/.

4. China’s status as a ‘developing country’ at the World Trade Organization

(WTO):
Context:
China’s status as a ‘developing country’ at the World Trade Organization (WTO) has become a contentious
issue with a number of countries raising concerns over the upper middle-income nation deriving benefits
reserved for developing countries under WTO norms.
● Moreover, concerns have been raised over the ‘least developed country’ (LDC) status, with
Bangladesh potentially losing this tag after surpassing India in terms of GDP per capita.

Developing Country Status in WTO:

There are no WTO definitions of “developed” and “developing” countries.
Members announce for themselves whether they are “developed” or “developing” countries.
● However, other members can challenge the decision of a member to make use of provisions available
to developing countries.

What are the advantages of “developing country” status?

● Developing country status in the WTO brings certain rights. Developing country status ensures special
and differential treatment (S&DT) or provisions which allow them more time to implement agreements
and commitments, include measures to increase trading opportunities, safeguard their trade interests,
and support to build capacity to handle disputes and implement technical standards.

WTO norms for recognition of Developed, Developing and LDCs:

● Under the WTO system, generally, countries are designated as developed, developing, and least
developed countries (LDCs).
● The uneven level of development between developed and developing countries in the WTO is a well-
recognised fact.
● Article XVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)recognises that attaining the
objectives of this agreement would require facilitating the progressive development of those countries
that can only support low levels of development and are at the early stages of development.

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 ● Accordingly, countries self-designate themselves as ‘developing country’ to take advantage of
provisions like Article XVIII of GATT and other special and differential treatment (S&DT) provisions in
the WTO agreements.
● These provisions are aimed at increasing trade opportunities for developing countries, ensuring longer
transitional periods to comply with WTO obligations, and affording technical assistance to countries,
among other things.

What are “special and differential treatment” provisions?

● Longer time periods for implementing Agreements and
commitments.
● Measures to increase trading opportunities for developing
countries.
● Provisions requiring all WTO members to safeguard the
trade interests of developing countries.
● Support to help developing countries build the capacity to
carry out WTO work, handle disputes, and implement
technical standards.
● Provisions related to least-developed country (LDC)
Members.
● The concept of non-reciprocal preferential treatment for
developing countries that when developed countries grant trade concessions to developing countries,
they should not expect the developing countries to make matching offers in return.

Demands by developed countries:

● For sometime now, developed countries, mainly the US, have been asking the WTO to end the benefits
being given to developing countries.
● Nearly two-thirds of the members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) have been able to avail
themselves of special treatment and to take on weaker commitments under the WTO framework by
designating themselves as developing countries.

Link: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/at-wto-china-a-developing-country-why-many-nations-are-
raising-concerns-7716778/lite/.

5. Quad- related issues:

Context:
The newly signed Japan-Australia defence agreement should be welcome to New Delhi, but there also ought to
be some concerns.

Concerns for India:

● There could be a warning for New Delhi in these efforts, that others are stitching up formal,
institutionalized security cooperation that leave India out.
● With two new security treaties now in the region in the space of just a few months—AUKUS being the
other—and more potentially on their way, New Delhi needs to consider seriously whether its
continuing scepticism of closer security cooperation with others best serves India’s interest.
● More problematically, it is another indicator that India has not entirely escaped its traditional aversion
to external security partnerships even when the limitations of its domestic capacities are self-evident.

India's changing attitude towards China:

The coalescing of the region around shared concerns about China should be satisfying to India.
● Like many in the region, India has in the past waffled about China, but its position has shifted
considerably over the last several years, as China’s general hostility and aggressiveness at the border
has become clearer.
● Nevertheless, New Delhi is still reactive and playing catch-up, essentially responding to China’s moves
rather than taking the initiative.

www.insightsonindia.com 82 InsightsIAS
What needs to be done?
One way to compensate for this all-but-certain future is to strengthen efforts to build international
counterweights to China’s power.
While India might not need direct help from partners in the Himalayas, it does need such help on the maritime
front.
But that help would be possible only when India overcomes its ambivalence to stronger and deeper security
cooperation with its partners in the region that goes beyond simply holding military exercises.

What is Quad grouping?

The quadrilateral security dialogue includes Japan, India, United States and Australia.
● All four nations find a common ground of being the democratic nations and common interests of
unhindered maritime trade and security.
● The idea was first mooted by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2007. However, the idea couldn’t
move ahead with Australia pulling out of it.

Significance of the grouping:

● Quad is an opportunity for like-minded countries to share notes and collaborate on projects of mutual
interest.
● Members share a vision of an open and free Indo-Pacific. Each is involved in development and
economic projects as well as in promoting maritime domain awareness and maritime security.

InstaLinks: 3. Countries and important islands in the

Prelims Link: Indian Ocean region.
1. Quad- composition. 4. Geographical overview of Indo-Pacific
2. When was it first proposed? region.
5. Important seas and straits in the region.

Mains Link: A formal revival and re-invigoration of the Quad is called for to maintain peace and tranquillity and
to ensure observance of the UN Law of the Seas. Examine.

6. Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and India:

Context:
South Korea has said that it regrets India’s absence from the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership
(RCEP) and hopes to see New Delhi rejoin the agreement.

When did it come into force?

The RCEP came into effect on January 1, 2022, marking the formation of the world's largest free trade zone in
terms of trade volume.

Why did India not join?

India withdrew from the RCEP in 2019 largely because of concerns it would open it up to Chinese goods amid
an already wide trade imbalance with China, and the failure of the agreement to adequately open up to
services.

Need for India's presence in RCEP:

● India had “a crucial role” to play in helping the region build an inclusive architecture at a time of
increasing global instability.
● Such trade pacts will also give Indian companies a platform to showcase their strengths across even
larger markets.
● Besides, Rising U.S.-China tensions were “deeply worrying” for the region with the pandemic resulting
in “heightened tension”.

What is RCEP?

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It is a trade deal between the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China, Japan,
South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

Aims and Objectives of RCEP:

1. To lower tariffs, open up trade in services and promote investment to help emerging economies catch
up with the rest of the world.
2. To help reduce costs and time for companies by allowing them to export a product anywhere within
the bloc without meeting separate requirements for each country.
3. It also touches on intellectual property, but will not cover environmental protections and labour rights.

Significance:
● RCEP will cover about 30% of global gross domestic product (GDP), worth $26.2 trillion (€23.17 trillion),
and nearly a third of the world's population, some 2.2 billion people.
● Under RCEP, around 90% of trade tariffs within the bloc will eventually be eliminated.
● RCEP will also set common rules around trade, intellectual property, e-commerce and competition.

Challenges ahead:
● The lack of participation by the United States "allows
Beijing to solidify its role as driver of economic growth in
the region."
● Economic gains will take a long time to materialize.
● While the big Asian economies will enjoy most of the
spoils, RCEP may leave smaller countries within ASEAN
at a disadvantage, as the trade deal doesn't cover their
major industries.
● The least developed countries in Asia ― Cambodia, Laos,
Myanmar ― currently benefit from inter-ASEAN trade,
which could be "eroded" by RCEP trade.
● The smaller ASEAN countries may also lose some of their
benefits from trade preference programs that allow
them to export tariff-free products outside of ASEAN, including South Korea and Japan.

Insta Curious: Did you know that China currently has no bilateral agreement with Japan and only a limited deal
with South Korea ― its third and fifth largest trading partners?

InstaLinks: 2. India’s free trader agreements with ASEAN

Prelims Link: countries.
1. RCEP- composition and objectives. 3. Geographical location of asean countries.
Aims and objectives of RCEP.

7. World Economic Forum’s Davos Agenda '22:

Context:
The World Economic Forum is holding its annual meeting in Davos.

Why is WEF important?

The WEF summit is attended by people from across the political and corporate world, including heads of state,
policy makers, top executives, industrialists, media personalities and technocrats.
● Deliberations at the WEF influence public sector and corporate decision-making, particularly on issues
of global importance such as poverty, social challenges, climate change and global economic recovery.
● The key mix of economic, corporate and political leadership at Swiss ski resorts provides the perfect
opportunity to find solutions to the global challenges that emerge from time to time.

What are the main initiatives?

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 ● The Agenda 2022 will see the launch of other WEF initiatives on the economic opportunity of nature-
positive solutions, and the Mission on Cyber Resilience to accelerate net-zero emissions.
● Bridging the vaccine gap, strengthening the resilience of global value chains, besides building
economies in fragile markets through human investment will also be among the topics of discussion
over the next few days.
● How to use data solutions to prepare for the next pandemic will also be included in the discussion.

How is WEF received outside?

While the WEF sees large-scale participation from top industry, business leaders, civil society and international
organizations each year, it has been criticized for being more of a networking hub than a nebula of wisdom or
a platform to find effective solutions to global issues.
The forum, which provides opportunities for collaboration through dialogue, has also been criticized for lack of
representation from various sections of civil society and for lack of effective solutions.

About the World Economic Forum:

It is a Swiss nonprofit foundation established in 1971, based in Geneva, Switzerland.
Founder and Executive Chairman: Klaus Schwab.
Some major reports published by WEF are:
1. Energy Transition Index.
2. Global Competitiveness Report.
3. Global IT Report.
4. Global Gender Gap Report.
5. Global Risk Report.
6. Global Travel and Tourism Report.

Insta Curious: Have you heard about the great reset? Reference: read this.

InstaLinks:
Prelims Link:
1. WEF- structure, objectives and reports.
2. ETI- top performers and worst performers.
3. India’s per capita energy consumption.
4. Energy production in India- sources.
5. Renewable vs nor renewable energy sources in India.

8. Organization of Islamic Cooperation:

Context:
After years, Iran diplomats return to Saudi Arabia to take up posts in Islamic forum.
● Arrival of Iranian delegation to Organization of Islamic Cooperation marks first such diplomatic move
between Tehran, Riyadh since ties cut in 2016.

Background:
● In 2016, protesters attacked Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran after the kingdom executed revered
Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr.
● Riyadh responded at the time by cutting ties with Tehran, while OIC foreign ministers condemned the
violence.

About OIC:
● It is an international organization founded in 1969, consisting of 57 member states.
● It is the second largest inter-governmental organization after the United Nations.
● The organisation states that it is “the collective voice of the Muslim world” and works to “safeguard
and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and
harmony “.
● The OIC has permanent delegations to the United Nations and the European Union.

www.insightsonindia.com 85 InsightsIAS
 ● Permanent Secretariat is in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Significance of OIC for India:

OIC’s growing economic and energy interdependence with India has become important in recent times.

InstaLinks: 3. Members.
Prelims Link: 4. Subsidiary organisations.
1. OIC- objectives.
2. Functions. Mains Link: Write a note on OIC.

9. International Energy Agency (IEA) and Electricity Market Report:

Context:
The early 2022 edition of the Agency’s bi-annual Electricity Market Report has been published.

Highlights of the report:

● Nations are largely turning to fossil fuels to meet the increase in electricity demand as Covid-19 lockdown
restrictions are lifting.
● The global electricity demand rose 6% year-on-year in 2021 – the steepest year-on-year increase recorded
by the IEA since the financial crash of 2008 onwards.
● Global energy intensity fell 1.9% year-on-year – a drop only half as steep as the level needed to lay the
foundation for net-zero by 2050.
● While electricity generation from renewables was up 6% year-on-year in 2021, generation from coal was up
by 9%, led by markets including China and India, with coal serving more than half of the increase in
demand.
● This, coupled with a 2% increase in gas-fired generation, caused a 7% year-on-year increase in emissions
from the power sector.
● After two years of decline, this means that emissions from the power sector are now at a record high.

Concerns:
1. The IEA is voicing concerns that, despite the growing net-zero movement, nations are still failing to
decouple increased electricity demands from increased emissions.
2. It is forecasting that power sector emissions will likely remain “around the same level” for the next
three years.
3. In contrast, the IEA’s net-zero by 2050 scenario entails a 55% decrease in sectoral emissions by 2030,
against a 2019 baseline.
4. The report also charts increases in wholesale gas and electricity prices, globally, to “unprecedented”
levels, as well as “volatile” coal prices.

Background:
In March 2017, India became an associate member of IEA.

About IEA:
● Established in 1974 as per the framework of the OECD, IEA is an autonomous intergovernmental
organisation.
● Its mission is guided by four main areas of focus: energy security, economic development, environmental
awareness and engagement worldwide.
● Headquarters (Secretariat): Paris, France.

Roles and functions:

● Established in the wake of the 1973-1974 oil crisis, to help its members respond to major oil supply
disruptions, a role it continues to fulfil today.
● IEA’s mandate has expanded over time to include tracking and analyzing global key energy trends,
promoting sound energy policy, and fostering multinational energy technology cooperation.

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Composition and eligibility:
It has 30 members at present. IEA family also includes eight association countries. A candidate country must be
a member country of the OECD. But all OECD members are not IEA members.
To become member a candidate country must demonstrate that it has:
1. Crude oil and/or product reserves equivalent to 90 days of the previous year’s net imports, to which
the government has immediate access (even if it does not own them directly) and could be used to
address disruptions to global oil supply.
2. A demand restraint programme to reduce national oil consumption by up to 10%.
3. Legislation and organisation to operate the Co-ordinated Emergency Response Measures (CERM) on a
national basis.
4. Legislation and measures to ensure that all oil companies under its jurisdiction report information upon
request.
5. Measures in place to ensure the capability of contributing its share of an IEA collective action.

Reports:
1. Global Energy & CO2 Status Report.
2. World Energy Outlook.
3. World Energy Statistics.
4. World Energy Balances.
5. Energy Technology Perspectives.

Insta Curious:
Did you know that the International Energy Agency (IEA) has invited India, the world’s third-largest energy
consumer, to become its full-time member?
● The proposal if accepted will require New Delhi to raise strategic oil reserves to 90 days requirement.
India’s current strategic oil reserves equal 9.5 days of its requirement.

InstaLinks: 4. Who are associate members of IEA?

Prelims Link: 5. What kind of IEA member is India?
1. Various reports released by IEA.
2. Composition of OECD and OPEC? Who can Mains Link: Write a note on objectives and
become members? functions of the International Energy Agency.
3. Top crude oil producers and importers
globally?

10. United Nations Security Council:

Context:
The United States is pushing the United Nations Security Council to impose more sanctions on North Korea
following a series of North Korean missile launches.
● The United States has already imposed unilateral sanctions over the missile launches. It blacklisted six
North Koreans, one Russian and a Russian firm, accusing them of procuring goods for the programs from
Russia and China.

Recent incidents:
After a six-month hiatus, North Korea resumed missile tests in September, launching newly developed missiles,
including nuclear-capable weapons that place South Korea and Japan within their striking distances.
● North Korea also warned the UNSC about the consequences it will bring in the future in case it tries to
encroach upon the sovereignty of North Korea.
● It has accused the UN body of a “double-dealing standard” because it doesn’t equally take issue with
similar weapons tests by the U.S. and its allies.

Present scenario:
Under multiple UN Security Council resolutions, North Korea is banned from engaging in any ballistic missile
activities as the country aims to mount nuclear weapons on its ballistic missiles.

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About UNSC:
● The United Nations Charter established six main organs of the United Nations, including the United
Nations Security Council (UNSC).
● The Security Council has the power to make decisions that member states are then obligated to
implement under the Charter.
● Permanent and Non-Permanent Members: The UNSC is composed of 15 members, 5 permanent and 10
non-permanent.
● Each year, the General Assembly elects five non-permanent members for a two-year term.

About Security Council Presidency:

1. The presidency of the Council is held by each of the members in turn for one month, following the English
alphabetical order of the Member States names.
2. It rotates among the 15 member-states of the council monthly.
3. The head of the country's delegation is known as the President of the United Nations Security Council.
4. The president serves to coordinate actions of the council, decide policy disputes, and sometimes functions
as a diplomat or intermediary between conflicting groups.

Proposed UNSC reforms:

Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues: categories of membership,
the question of the veto held by the five permanent members, regional representation, the size of an enlarged
Council and its working methods, and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship.

Case for Permanent Membership of India in UNSC:

1. India is the founding member of the UN.
2. Most significantly, India has almost twice the number of peacekeepers deployed on the ground than by P5
countries.
3. India is also the largest democracy and second-most populous country.
4. India's acquired status of a Nuclear Weapons State (NWS) in May 1998 also makes India a natural claimant
as a permanent member similar to the existing permanent members who are all Nuclear Weapon States.
5. India is the undisputed leader of the Third world countries, as reflected by its leadership role in Non-
Aligned Movement and G-77 grouping.

Insta Curious: Have you heard about the "coffee club", which is an informal grouping comprising 40-odd
members? What are its objectives? Reference:

Did you know that India had assumed the rotating Presidency of the United Nations Security Council for the
month of August?
● This is India's tenth tenure.
● This is also India's first presidency in the UNSC during its 2021-22 tenure as a non-permanent
member of the UNSC.

InstaLinks: 4. Functions.
Prelims Link: 5. About the UNSC Presidency.
1. About UNSC. 6. About the UN Charter.
2. Members.
3. Election. Mains Link: Discuss the need for reforms in UNSC.

11. Amid Ukraine crisis, NATO sends planes, ships to eastern Europe:
Context:
Amid the rising tensions over Russia’s military buildup around Ukraine, NATO allies have put forces on standby
and sent ships and fighter jets to bolster Europe’s eastern defences.

What is the conflict all about?

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Tensions between Ukraine and Russia, both former Soviet states, escalated in late 2013 over a landmark
political and trade deal with the European Union. After the pro-Russian then-President, Viktor Yanukovych,
suspended the talks, weeks of protests in Kiev erupted into violence.
● Then, in March 2014, Russia annexed Crimea, an autonomous peninsula in southern Ukraine with
strong Russian loyalties, on the pretext that it was defending its interests and those of Russian-
speaking citizens.
● Shortly afterwards, pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk regions declared their
independence from Kiev, prompting months of heavy fighting. Despite Kiev and Moscow signing a
peace deal in Minsk in 2015, brokered by France and Germany, there have been repeated ceasefire
violations.

Latest developments:
The United States, NATO and Ukrainian officials have been making statements for nearly two weeks, referring
to what they say are unusual Russian troop movements in the proximity of Ukraine.
● Russia has stationed more than 1,00,000 troops at its border with aspiring NATO member Ukraine.

What’s the issue? What are the demands by Russia?

● Russia stated that only if NATO withdraws their forces from all countries in Europe that joined the
alliance after May 1997, would they de-escalate the military build-up.
● This would effectively mean that NATO cannot operate in any of the Baltic nations that border Russia
(Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania), central European states such as Poland, Hungary, and the Czech republic,
and Balkan states such as Croatia and Slovenia.
● Russia also wants NATO to drop plans of any further ‘enlargement’, which means committing to not
accepting Ukraine and Georgia as members. Another demand is that NATO must not hold drills in
eastern Europe, Ukraine and Georgia without prior approval from Russia.

Need for international attention:

Fourteen thousand people have died in the battle between Kiev and pro-Russia rebels in the east of the
country. Out of these, 3,393 deaths were of civilians, according to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for
Human Rights’s October 2021 report.

About North Atlantic Treaty Organization:

● It is an intergovernmental military alliance.
● Established by Washington treaty.
● Treaty that was signed on 4 April 1949.
● Headquarters — Brussels, Belgium.
● Headquarters of Allied Command Operations — Mons, Belgium.

Composition:
● Since its founding, the admission of new member states has increased the alliance from the original 12
countries to 30. The most recent member state to be added to NATO was North Macedonia on 27
March 2020.
● NATO membership is open to “any other European state in a position to further the principles of this
Treaty and to contribute to the security of the North Atlantic area.”

Minsk Agreements:
Minsk I: Ukraine and the Russian-backed separatists agreed a 12-point ceasefire deal in the capital of Belarus in
September 2014.
● Its provisions included prisoner exchanges, deliveries of humanitarian aid and the withdrawal of heavy
weapons.
● The agreement quickly broke down, with violations by both sides.
Minsk II: In 2015, an open conflict was averted after the ‘Minsk II’ peace agreement was signed, under the
mediation of France and Germany.
● It was designed to end the fighting in the rebel regions and hand over the border to Ukraine’s national
troops.
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Insta Curious: Germany has warned Russia that the Nord Stream pipeline would be stopped if they were to
invade Ukraine. Where is the Nord Stream pipeline? Reference: read this.

InstaLinks: 5. Countries surrounding the North Atlantic

Prelims Link: Ocean.
1. NATO- genesis and headquarters. 6. Latest NATO member.
2. What is NATO Allied Command
Operations? Mains Link: Discuss the objectives and significance
3. Who can become members of NATO? of NATO.
4. Overview of the Washington Treaty.

12. WTO’s dispute settlement mechanism:

Context:
The European Union has launched a case against Beijing at the
World Trade Organization (WTO) for targeting Lithuania over
its stance on Taiwan.
● Lithuania made waves in July when it allowed Taiwan
to open a diplomatic outpost in Vilnius.
● The move outraged Beijing, which does not recognise
Taiwan as a state and considers the self-ruled
democratic island a rebellious territory of the
mainland.

Lithuania:
● It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern
shore of the Baltic Sea.
● Lithuania shares land borders with Latvia to the north,
Belarus to the east and south, Poland to the south, and
Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia to the southwest.

Dispute settlement:
Resolving trade disputes is one of the core activities of the WTO.
● A dispute arises when a member government believes another member government is violating an
agreement or a commitment that it has made in the WTO.
● The WTO has one of the most active international dispute settlement mechanisms in the world. Since
1995, 609 disputes have been brought to the WTO and over 350 rulings have been issued.

There are two main ways to settle a dispute once a complaint has been filed in the WTO:
(i) the parties find a mutually agreed solution, particularly during the phase of bilateral consultations.
(ii) through adjudication, including the subsequent implementation of the panel and Appellate Body reports,
which are binding upon the parties once adopted by the Dispute Settlement Body.

There are three main stages to the WTO dispute settlement process:
(i) consultations between the parties.
(ii) adjudication by panels and, if applicable, by the Appellate Body.
(iii) the implementation of the ruling, which includes the possibility of countermeasures in the event of failure
by the losing party to implement the ruling.

WTO’s Appellate Body:

● The Appellate Body, set up in 1995, is a standing committee of seven members that presides over
appeals against judgments passed in trade-related disputes brought by WTO members.

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● Countries involved in a dispute over measures purported to break a WTO agreement or obligation can
approach the Appellate Body if they feel the report of the panel set up to examine the issue needs to
be reviewed on points of law.
● However, existing evidence is not re-examined but legal interpretations are reviewed.
● The Appellate Body can uphold, modify, or reverse the legal findings of the panel that heard the
dispute. Countries on either or both sides of the dispute can appeal.

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GENERAL STUDIES – 3
Topics: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth,
development and employment.
1. Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs):
Context:
Reserve Bank of India has released its list of Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs) in 2021.
● It has identified the state-owned lender State Bank Of India and the private lenders ICICI Bank and
HDFC Bank as systemically important banks, which are perceived as banks, ‘too big to fail’.

What are D-SIBs?

The system of D-SIBs was adopted in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis where the collapse of many
systematically important banks across various regions further fueled the financial downturn.
● D-SIBs are important for the country’s economy. In events of distress, the government supports such
banks and if such a bank fails, it would lead to disruption of the country’s overall economy.
● RBI finalizes such banks after considering factors like size, complexity, lack of substitutability and
interconnectedness of the banks, state reports.

How are D-SIBs determined?

Since 2015, the RBI has been releasing the list of all D-SIBs. They are classified into five buckets, according to
their importance to the national economy.
● In order to be listed as a D-SIB, a bank needs to have assets that exceed 2 percent of the national GDP.
The banks are then further classified on the level of their importance across the five buckets.

What regulations do these banks need to follow?

Due to their economic and national importance, the banks need to maintain a higher share of risk-weighted
assets as tier-I equity. SBI, since it is placed in bucket three of D-SIBs, has to maintain Additional Common
Equity Tier 1 (CET1) at 0.60 percent of its Risk-Weighted Assets (RWAs).

Need for:
● Should such a bank fail, there would be significant disruption to the essential services they provide to
the banking system and the overall economy.
● The too-big-to-fail tag also indicates that in case of distress, the government is expected to support
these banks.
● Due to this perception, these banks enjoy certain advantages in funding. It also means that these banks
have a different set of policy measures regarding systemic risks and moral hazard issues.

Insta Curious: Did you know that the Financial Stability Board (FSB), in consultation with the Basel Committee
on Banking Supervision (BCBS) and national authorities, has identified Global Systemically Important Banks (G-
SIBs) since 2011?

Mains Link: What prompted RBI to classify some banks in India such as SBI and ICICI as systemically important?
Also examine implications of this move.

Topics: Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.

1. Airtel payments bank is now a scheduled bank:
Context:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced the inclusion of Airtel Payments Bank Ltd. in the Second
Schedule to the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.

Implications:
● With this, the bank can now pitch for government-issued Requests for Proposals (RFP) and primary
auctions and undertake both Central and State Government business.
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What is a Schedule Bank?
Scheduled Banks in India refer to those banks which have been included in the Second Schedule of Reserve
Bank of India Act, 1934.
Every Scheduled bank enjoys two types of principal facilities: It becomes eligible for debts/loans at the bank
rate from the RBI; and, it automatically acquires the membership of clearing house.

About Airtel Payments Bank:

● It is among the fastest-growing digital banks in the country, with a base of 115 million users.
● It offers a suite of digital solutions through the Airtel Thanks app and a retail network of over 500,000
neighbourhood banking points.
● The bank turned profitable in the quarter ended September 2021.

What are Payments bank?

Payment banks were established to promote financial inclusion by offering; ‘modest savings accounts and
payments/remittance services to migratory labour workforce, low-income households, small enterprises, other
unorganised sector entities, and other users.’
● These banks can accept a restricted deposit, which is now capped at Rs 200,000 per person but could
be raised in the future.
● These banks are unable to provide loans or credit cards. Banks of this type can handle both current and
savings accounts.
● Payments banks can provide ATM and debit cards, as well as online and mobile banking.

InstaLinks: 3. SFBs vs PBs.

Prelims Link: 4. On-tap licensing.
1. About Payment Banks. 5. Scheduled Commercial banks.
2. About SFBs.

2. Jan Dhan Yojana:

Context:
The finance ministry data has revealed that deposits in bank accounts opened under the Pradhan Mantri Jan-
Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) have crossed the Rs 1.5 lakh crore mark.

Performance of the scheme (as of 2021):

● The number of total PMJDY accounts stand at more than 44 crore.
● 29.54 crore Jan Dhan accounts were held in rural and semi-urban bank branches.
● Nearly 24.61 crore account holders were women as of December 29, 2021.
Benefits like scholarships, subsidies, pensions, and COVID relief funds are credited to the bank accounts,
including Jan Dhan Accounts, through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).

About PMJDY:
Announced on 15th August 2014, PMJDY is National Mission for Financial Inclusion to ensure access to
financial services, namely, Banking/ Savings & Deposit Accounts, Remittance, Credit, Insurance, Pension in an
affordable manner.

Objectives:
● To ensure access of financial products & services at an affordable cost.
● Use of technology to lower cost & widen reach.

Basic tenets of the scheme:

1. Banking the unbanked – Opening of basic savings bank deposit (BSBD) account with minimal
paperwork, relaxed KYC, e-KYC, account opening in camp mode, zero balance & zero charges.
2. Securing the unsecured – Issuance of Indigenous Debit cards for cash withdrawals & payments at
merchant locations, with free accident insurance coverage of Rs. 2 lakhs.

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 3. Funding the unfunded – Other financial products like micro-insurance, overdraft for consumption,
micro-pension & micro-credit.

The scheme is Based upon the following 6 pillars:

1. Universal access to banking services – Branch and
Banking Correspondents.
2. Basic savings bank accounts with overdraft facility
(OD) of Rs. 10,000/- to every household.
3. Financial Literacy Program– Promoting savings, use of
ATMs, getting ready for credit, availing insurance and
pensions, using basic mobile phones for banking.
4. Creation of Credit Guarantee Fund – To provide banks
some guarantee against defaults.
5. Insurance – Accident cover up to Rs. 1,00,000 and life
cover of Rs. 30,000 on account opened between 15
Aug 2014 to 31 January 2015.
6. Pension scheme for Unorganized sector.

Extension of PMJDY with New features:

1. Focus shift from Every Household to Every Unbanked
Adult.
2. RuPay Card Insurance – Free accidental insurance
cover on RuPay cards increased from Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 2
lakhs for PMJDY accounts opened after 28.8.2018.
3. Enhancement in overdraft facilities – OD limit
doubled from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000; OD upto Rs 2,000
(without conditions). Increase in upper age limit for
OD from 60 to 65 years.

InstaLinks:v 4. Accidental insurance cover under the scheme

Prelims Link:c 5. Various components of the scheme.
1. When was Jan Dhan Scheme launched?
2. Eligibility Mains Link: Discuss the significance of Pradhan
3. Overdraft facility under the scheme Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana.

3. Bad bank:
Context:
A key proposal announced in this year’s (2021) Budget, a bad bank to deal with stressed assets in the loss-
laden banking system, has received all regulatory approvals.

What is NARCL?
● Setting up of NARCL, the proposed bad bank for taking over stressed assets of lenders, was
announced in the Budget for 2021-22.
● The plan is to create a bad bank to house bad loans of ₹500 crore and above, in a structure that will
contain an asset reconstruction company (ARC) and an asset management company (AMC) to
manage and recover dud assets.
● The new entity is being created in collaboration with both public and private sector banks.
○ Majority-owned by state-owned banks, the NARCL will be assisted by the India Debt
Resolution Company Ltd (IDRCL), in turn majority-owned by private banks, in resolution
process in the form of a Principal-Agent basis.

How is NARCL different from existing ARCs? How can it operate differently?
1. The proposed bad bank will have a public sector character since the idea is mooted by the
government and majority ownership is likely to rest with state-owned banks.

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 2. At present, ARCs typically seek a steep discount on loans. With the proposed bad bank being set up,
the valuation issue is unlikely to come up since this is a government initiative.
3. The government-backed ARC will have deep pockets to buy out big accounts and thus free up banks
from carrying these accounts on their books.

What is an Asset Reconstruction Company (ARC)?

It is a specialized financial institution that buys the Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) from banks and financial
institutions so that they can clean up their balance sheets. This helps banks to concentrate on normal banking
activities.
● The asset reconstruction companies or ARCs are registered under the RBI.

Legal Basis:
The Securitization and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest (SARFAESI)
Act, 2002 provides the legal basis for the setting up of ARCs in India.

Capital Needs for ARCs:

● As per amendment made in the SARFAESI Act in 2016, an ARC should have a minimum net owned
fund of Rs. 2 crores. The RBI raised this amount to Rs. 100 crores in 2017.
● The ARCs also have to maintain a capital adequacy ratio of 15% of its risk weighted assets.

Need for:
The total stress in the banking system would be in excess of Rs 15 lakh crore. The banks burdened with stressed
assets and limited capital will find it difficult to manage the NPAs. There is also limited capital that the
government can provide. This is where the bad bank model would step in and help both the government and
banks.

Insta Curious: The Supreme Court, in 2020, held that the cooperative banks involved in the activities related to
banking are covered within the meaning of ‘banking company’ and Parliament has legislative competence to
provide for procedure for recovery of loan under the Sarfaesi Act. Read here.

InstaLinks: 4. About NARCL.

Prelims Link:
1. What are ARCs? Mains Link: Discuss the roles and functions of
2. What is SARFAESI Act? ARCs.
3. Sudarshan Sen committee is related to?

Topics: Major crops cropping patterns in various parts of the country, different types of
irrigation and irrigation systems storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce
and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers.
1. Rythu Bandhu:
Context:
The total funds disbursed under Rythu Bandhu, Telangana government’s direct benefit transfer scheme for
farmers, will soon touch Rs 50,000 crore in the coming days.
● The scheme was launched in 2018.

What is the Rythu Bandhu?

Rythu Bandhu scheme or Farmer’s Investment Support Scheme (FISS) is a welfare program to support
farmer’s investment for two crops a year by the Government of Telangana.
The scheme is meant to incentivise the state’s farmers for their day to day work.
● Under the scheme, almost 58.33 lakh farmers of Telangana state are provided Rs 5000 per acre, per
season (crop-sowing) – to support the farm investment twice a year, for both – the Rabi and the Kharif
seasons.

Objective:

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The purpose behind the scheme was to break the vicious cycle of rural indebtedness.

Who qualifies under the Rythu Bandhu scheme?

To apply under the scheme and to make the cut, the farmer should have been a resident of Telangana state
and must own farming land.
● The scheme is applicable for small and marginal farmers; however, commercial farmers are excluded
from the scheme.
● Also, farmers who till rented land are excluded from under this scheme.
Currently, more than 8 lakh farmers in Telangana enjoy the benefits of the Rythu Bandhu scheme."

Significance of the scheme:

The state government extends financial support to land-owning farmers at the beginning of the crop season
through direct benefit transfer so that they can take care of the initial investment needs and do not fall into a
debt trap.
● This in turn instills confidence in farmers, enhances productivity and income, and breaks the cycle of
rural indebtedness.

How does it compare with the PM-KISAN scheme?

The state government has often said that the Centre’s PM-KISAN (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi)
scheme is a “copy” of Rythu Bandhu. The Telangana government further claims that its own scheme is much
better than PM-KISAN.
Key differences:
● Rythu Bandhu is based on anticipated input expenditure for each acre of land and there is no
restriction on the number of acres owned by a farmer. PM-KISAN only provides support to the family
and not to the farm units.

Criticisms:
The Rythu Bandhu scheme has also come in from criticism from several quarters, with one of the major ones
being that it ignores the plight of landless or tenant farmers.

InstaLinks: 2. About Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana.

Prelims Link: 3. About Rythu Bandhu scheme.
1. PM KISAN- eligibility. 4. About KALIA scheme.

Link: https://www.google.com/amp/s/indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-rythu-bandhu-
telangana-govt-dbt-scheme-farmers-7696651/lite/.

Topics: Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices;
Public Distribution System- objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of buffer
stocks and food security; Technology missions; economics of animal-rearing.
1. Food fortification:
Context:
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s (FSSAI’s) Food Fortification Resource Centre (FFRC) has
reported that over 70% of India’s population consumes less than half the daily recommended dietary
allowance of micronutrients.
● These deficiencies are prevalent not only in women and children from rural areas but also affect
population groups in urban India.

Key to Addressing Nutrition Gap:

With a section of the populace having limited access to nutritious food, fortification is key in addressing the
nutrition gap.
● In a bid to directly address anaemia and micronutrient deficiency in the country, the Centre recently
approved a pilot scheme on “Fortification of Rice & its Distribution under Public Distribution System".

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 ● The government’s food fortification initiative is already taking shape with several states, including
Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana,
Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh, starting the distribution of fortified rice under the pilot programme.
● Fortifying staple foods and condiments with key micronutrients is an effective way of addressing
deficiencies.
● Timely adoption of food fortification in social and nutrition security programmes as a part of the
fortification initiative will play a crucial role in addressing undernutrition in India.

Need for Rice fortification:

● The country has high levels of malnutrition among women and children.
● According to the Food Ministry, every second woman in the country is anaemic and every third child is
stunted.
● India ranks 94 out of 107 countries and is in the ‘serious hunger’ category on the Global Hunger Index
(GHI).
● Malnutrition and lack of essential nutrients in poor women and poor children poses major obstacles in
their development.

What is food fortification?

Food fortification is defined as the practice of adding vitamins and minerals to commonly consumed foods
during processing to increase their nutritional value.
● It is a proven, safe and cost-effective strategy for improving diets and for the prevention and control of
micronutrient deficiencies.
● The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), defines fortification as “deliberately
increasing the content of essential micronutrients in a food so as to improve the nutritional quality of
food and to provide public health benefit with minimal risk to health”.
Fortified rice:
According to the Food Ministry, fortification of rice is a cost-effective and complementary strategy to increase
vitamin and mineral content in diets.
● According to FSSAI norms, 1 kg fortified rice will contain iron (28 mg-42.5 mg), folic acid (75-125
microgram) and Vitamin B-12 (0.75-1.25 microgram).
● In addition, rice may also be fortified with micronutrients, singly or in combination, with zinc (10 mg-15
mg), Vitamin A (500-750 microgram RE), Vitamin B1 (1 mg-1.5 mg), Vitamin B2 (1.25 mg-1.75 mg),
Vitamin B3 (12.5 mg-20 mg) and Vitamin B6 (1.5 mg-2.5 mg) per kg.

What are the benefits of Fortification?

Since the nutrients are added to staple foods that are widely consumed, this is an excellent method to improve
the health of a large section of the population, all at once.
● Fortification is a safe method of improving nutrition among people. The addition of micronutrients to
food does not pose a health risk to people.
● It does not require any changes in food habits and patterns of people. It is a socio-culturally
acceptable way to deliver nutrients to people.
● It does not alter the characteristics of the food—the taste, the feel, the look.
● It can be implemented quickly as well as show results in improvement of health in a relatively short
period of time.
● This method is cost-effective especially if advantage is taken of the existing technology and delivery
platforms.

Insta Curious: What is Biofortification? How is it different from fortification? Reference: read this.

InstaLinks: 3. Approval for Biofortified and GM crops in

Prelims Link: India.
1. Bio fortification vs Genetic modifications. 4. GM crops allowed in India.
2. Micro vs Macronutrients.

Mains Link: What do you understand by fortification of foods? Discuss its advantages.
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Topics: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.
1. PM GatiShakti — National Master Plan:
Context:
Large-scale absence of coordination and collaboration among agencies has been a major challenge to time
bound infrastructure project implementation in India.
Very often these projects have faced time overruns, leading to significant cost escalations.

An overview of pending projects in the country:

As per the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), Government of India, in the
beginning of 2021, 1,687 Union Government projects under implementation, valued more than Rs 21.45 lakh
crore, had run into cost overrun of nearly 20 percent, largely because of their delays.
The reason for delays include underestimation of original project cost, spiralling land acquisition cost, delays in
environment, forest and wildlife clearances and industrial licensing permission, road crossing of
pipelines/transmission lines, shifting of utilities, delays in the tie-up of project financing, delays in finalisation of
detailed engineering, etc.
In addition, there are bottlenecks at the State Government level such as issues in land acquisition and removal
of encroachments, relief and rehabilitation planning and implementation, timely issuance of no objection
certificate, necessary power and water supply, and work order related issues.

What is the solution then?

The recently announced Prime Minister of India’s Gati Shakti National Master Plan for Multi-Modal
Connectivity is all set to revolutionise the way infrastructure and logistic development projects are planned
and implemented in India. It will bridge huge differences between macro planning and micro implementation.

About PM GatiShakti:
Launched in 2020, it is a digital platform that connects 16 ministries —
including Roads and Highways, Railways, Shipping, Petroleum and Gas,
Power, Telecom, Shipping, and Aviation.
It aims to ensure holistic planning and execution of infrastructure
projects.
● It aims to boost multimodal connectivity and drive down logistics
costs.
● PM Gati Shakti will cover the infrastructure projects worth over Rs
500 crore of various Ministries of the Union and State Governments
like Bharatmala, Sagarmala, inland waterways, dry/land ports, UDAN
(Ude Desh ka Aam Nagarik – subsidies for facilitating air travel), etc.

Services provided:
● The portal will offer 200 layers of geospatial data, including on
existing infrastructure such as roads, highways, railways, and toll plazas, as well as geographic information
about forests, rivers and district boundaries to aid in planning and obtaining clearances.
● The portal will also allow various government departments to track, in real time and at one centralised
place, the progress of various projects, especially those with multi-sectoral and multi-regional impact.

Significance:
The objective is to ensure that “each and every department now have visibility of each other’s activities
providing critical data while planning and execution of projects in a comprehensive manner.
● Through this, different departments will be able to prioritise their projects through cross–sectoral
interactions”.
● It will also boost last-mile connectivity and bringing down logistics costs with integrated planning and
reducing implementation overlaps.

Need for:

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● Poor infrastructure planning included newly-built roads being dug up by the water department to lay
pipes. This has badly affected the road Infrastructure and movement of the country.
● Also, logistics costs in India are about 13-14% of GDP as against about 7-8% of GDP in developed
economies. High logistics costs impact cost structures within the economy, and also make it more
expensive for exporters to ship merchandise to buyers.

InstaLinks: 3. Components.
Prelims Link:
1. About the Project. Mains Link: Discuss about the significance of the
2. Key features. project.

2. India's Self Reliance for Renewable Energy Manufacturing:

Context:
India is looking at some large capacity additions in the years ahead to reach the target of 300 GW of solar by
2030.
● The country’s cumulative installed solar capacity at the end of Q3 2021 stood at approximately 47 GW.
With the Union Budget to be tabled on February 1, 2022, the solar sector has pinned high hopes on the Union
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to deliver the goods for the Indian solar industry.

How India emerged as a world leader in the Energy Transition?

1. India had one of the fastest rates of growth of Renewable Energy capacity in the world.
2. It had pledged in COP-21 in Paris that by 2030; 40% of its power generation capacity will be from non-
fossil fuel sources.
3. It has set a target of 450 GW of Renewable Energy capacity by 2030.
4. It had achieved universal access by connecting every village and every hamlet under Deen Dayal
Upadhyay Gram Jyoti Yojana Scheme and connecting every household under Saubhagya Scheme. It
was the fastest and the largest expansion of access in the world.
5. India has already touched 200 GW of demand even when the effects of COVID-19 were still there.
6. India will also emerge as a leader in Green Hydrogen and Green Ammonia.

Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gram Jyoti Yojana Scheme:

The erstwhile Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) scheme for village electrification and
providing electricity distribution infrastructure in the rural areas has been subsumed in the DDUGJY scheme.

Objectives:
1. To provide electrification to all villages.
2. Feeder separation to ensure sufficient power to farmers and regular supply to other consumers.
3. Improvement of Sub-transmission and distribution network to improve the quality and reliability of the
supply.
4. Metering to reduce the losses.

Nodal agency for implementation: Rural Electrification Corporation Limited (REC).

Saubhagya scheme:
● Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana (PM Saubhagya) was launched in September 2017 with a
target to electrify all households by December 2018.
● This target was moved forward to March 31, 2019, and eventually the Centre declared that all ‘willing’
homes have been provided with electricity connections.

Insta Curious: Do you know what Green Ammonia is? Read Here

InstaLinks: 2. About REC.

Prelims Link: 3. About DDUGY.
1. About the Saubhagya Scheme. 4. About Green Hydrogen.

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 Mains Link: Discuss India's achievements in
Renewable Energy Sector.

Topics: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in
everyday life Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology
and developing new technology.
1. Why is the world short of computer chips, and why does it matters?
Context:
There are no signs of the global chip shortage easing any time soon, and one of the reasons behind it appears
to be getting worse, not better.
● Industry experts say that a shortage of qualified staff is a growing problem, especially the highly
qualified engineers needed to design new chips and solve manufacturing problems for ever more
complex ones.

Why are there shortages?

The stay-at-home shift: This pushed chip demand beyond levels projected before the pandemic. Lockdowns
spurred growth in sales of laptops to the highest in a decade.
Fluctuating forecasts: Automakers that cut back drastically early in the pandemic underestimated how quickly
car sales would rebound. They rushed to re-up orders late in 2020, only to get turned away because
chipmakers were stretched supplying computing and smartphone giants like Apple Inc.
Stockpiling: PC makers began warning about tight supplies early in 2020. Then around the middle of that year,
Huawei Technologies Co. began building up inventory to ensure it could survive U.S. sanctions that were set to
cut it off from its primary suppliers. Other companies followed suit, hoping to grab share from Huawei.
Disasters: A bitter cold snap in Texas in February led to power outages that shut semiconductor plants
clustered around Austin. A plant in Japan was damaged by fire in March, disrupting production for months.

Impact and concerns posed by the shortage:

1. Countless industries have been affected as global demand for semiconductor chips continues to
outstrip supply.
2. Chip shortages are expected to wipe out USD 210 billion of sales for carmakers this year, with
production of 7.7 million vehicles lost.
3. The semiconductor shortage will severely disrupt the supply chain and will constrain the production of
many electronic equipment types.
4. The chip shortage directly impacts consumers as prices of everyday appliances and electronic goods —
from TV to smartphones — have increased due to the global supply chain disruption.

Efforts by India to achieve self-sufficiency in the manufacturing of semiconductors:

● India is finalising plans to manufacture semiconductor chips in a big way, as a part of its ‘Make in India’
initiative.
● The nation is offering more than USD 1 billion in cash to each semiconductor company that sets up
manufacturing units in the country.
● Chips made locally will be designated as “trusted sources” and can be used in products ranging from
CCTV cameras to 5G equipment.
● In December 2021, India invited an “expression of interest” from chipmakers for setting up fabrication
units in the country or for the acquisition of such manufacturing units.

What are Semiconductor Chips?

Semiconductors — also known as integrated circuits (ICs), or microchips — are most often made of silicon or
germanium, or a compound like gallium arsenide.
● It’s the thing that makes electronic items smart and faster.
● Made from a material, usually silicon, that “semi-conducts” electricity, the chip performs a variety of
functions.
● Memory chips, which store data, are relatively simple and are traded like commodities.
● Logic chips, which run programs and act as the brains of a device, are more complex and expensive.

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InstaLinks: 3. Key proposals under the National Policy on
Prelims Link: Electronics.
1. What is India Semiconductor Mission? 4. Production linked incentive scheme- when
2. India’s Status in Semiconductor Design and was it announced?
manufacturing? 5. Who will implement it?

Mains Link: Growing importance of Semiconductors or chips/integrated circuits (ICs) and China’s experience
with the manufacturing and design of the same provides a strong case for focusing on chip designs in India.
Comment.

2. Where does the 5G rollout stand?

Context:
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has said that Gurugram, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Mumbai,
Chandigarh, Delhi, Jamnagar, Ahmadabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Pune, and Gandhi Nagar would be
among the first cities to get 5G services in 2022.

Where does India stand in terms of trials and launch?

● The government has said the auction of 5G spectrum would take place in March or April 2022. Some
experts say it could be delayed by at least one quarter as telecom service providers are yet to complete
their trials and test various aspects.
● Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is in the final stages of stakeholder consultations, and is
likely to submit its recommendations to the DoT early 2022.
● Meanwhile, Private Telecom companies have progressed at various levels regarding the rollout of 5G –
like conducting trials, testing speeds and building indigenous 5G networks.

What is 5G?
● 5G is the next generation of
mobile broadband that will
eventually replace, or at least
augment 4G LTE connection.

Features and benefits of the 5G

technology:
1. Operate in the millimeter wave
spectrum (30-300 GHz) which
have the advantage of sending
large amounts of data at very high
speeds.
2. Operate in 3 bands, namely low, mid and high frequency spectrum.
3. Reduced latency will support new applications that leverage the power of 5G, the Internet of Things
(IoT), and artificial intelligence.
4. Increased capacity on 5G networks can minimize the impact of load spikes, like those that take place
during sporting events and news events.

Significance of the technology:

India’s National Digital Communications Policy 2018 highlights the importance of 5G when it states that the
convergence of a cluster of revolutionary technologies including 5G, the cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and data
analytics, along with a growing start-up community, promise to accelerate and deepen its digital engagement,
opening up a new horizon of opportunities.

What are the potential health risks from 5G?

To date, and after much research performed, no adverse health effect has been causally linked with exposure
to wireless technologies.

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 ● Tissue heating is the main mechanism of interaction between radiofrequency fields and the human
body. Radiofrequency exposure levels from current technologies result in negligible temperature rise
in the human body.
● As the frequency increases, there is less penetration into the body tissues and absorption of the
energy becomes more confined to the surface of the body (skin and eye).
Provided that the overall exposure remains below international guidelines, no consequences for public health
are anticipated.

What are the international exposure guidelines?

Two international bodies produce exposure guidelines on electromagnetic fields. Many countries currently
adhere to the guidelines recommended by:
1. The International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection.
2. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, through the International Committee on
Electromagnetic Safety.
These guidelines are not technology-specific. They cover radiofrequencies up to 300 GHz, including the
frequencies under discussion for 5G.

International efforts- International Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) Project:

WHO established the International Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) Project in 1996. The project investigates the
health impact of exposure to electric and magnetic fields in the frequency range 0-300 GHz and advises
national authorities on EMF radiation protection.

Insta Curious: Is India prepared for roll-out of 5G? Read here, https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-
news/india-unprepared-for-roll-out-of-5g-house-panel-on-it-101612724515911.html.

InstaLinks: 4. What is a spectrum?

Prelims Link: 5. About EMF Project.
1. What is 5G?
2. Differences between 3G, 4G and 5G. Mains Link: Discuss the significance of 5G
3. Applications. technology.

3. Use of drones:
Context:
The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has sent a note on use of drones across various sectors to different
ministries at the centre.

Where all can drones be effectively utilised?

Ministry of Home Affairs: For surveillance, situational analysis, crime control, VVIP security, disaster
management, etc.
Ministry of Defence: Drones for combat, communication in remote areas, counter-drone solutions, etc.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: Delivery of medicines, collection of samples from remote or
epidemic/pandemic-affected areas.
The Petroleum and Natural Gas, and Power Ministries: For real-time surveillance of assets and transmission
lines, theft prevention, visual inspection/maintenance, construction planning and management, etc.
Environment, Forests and Climate Change Ministry: Anti-poaching actions, monitoring of forests and wildlife,
pollution assessment, and evidence gathering.
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting: For high-quality videography of events and difficult-to-reach-places
at a fraction of the cost and approvals required. This move would also facilitate low altitude shooting without
noise, and prevent dust pollution and risk of accidents.
Other areas: To undertake disaster management, incidence response, inspection/maintenance works and
project monitoring.

Significance:

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Drones offered tremendous benefits to almost every sector of the economy, including but not limited to,
national defence, agriculture, law enforcement, and mapping, among others.

Drone management in India:

● The Union government had on September 15 approved a production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for
drones and drone components with an allocation of Rs 120 crore spread over three financial years.
● The ministry had on August 25 notified the Drone Rules, 2021 that eased the regulation of drone
operations in India by reducing the number of forms that need to be filled to operate them from 25 to
five and decreasing the types of fees charged from the operator from 72 to four.

Need for stricter rules and regulations:

● Recently, Drones were used for the first time to drop explosive devices, triggering blasts inside the Air
Force Station’s technical area in Jammu.
● Over the past two years, drones have been deployed regularly by Pakistan-based outfits to smuggle
arms, ammunition and drugs into Indian territory.
● According to government figures, 167 drone sightings were recorded along the border with Pakistan in
2019, and in 2020, there were 77 such sightings.
● With the rapid proliferation of drone technology and exponential growth of its global market in recent
years, the possibility of a drone attack cannot be ruled out even in the safest cities in the world.
● Drones are becoming security threats particularly in conflict zones where non-state actors are active
and have easy access to the technology.

Insta Curious: Did you know that there are a few countries in the world which do not have armed forces of
their own? Which are those countries? Reference:

InstaLinks: 4. Licenses required.

Prelims Link:
1. Overview of new rules. Mains Link: Discuss the significance of the new
2. New rules vs old rules. rules.
3. Exemptions.

Link: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/use-drones-more-effectively-civil-aviation-
ministry/article38157077.ece/amp/.

4. Semiconductor Chip shortage:

Context:
Experts have warned that Shortage of semiconductor chips would continue following the rapid spread of
Omicron variant of COVID-19 across the world but the supply disruptions would not worsen in 2022 as the
Omicron surge should have a milder impact on chip supply chain.

What next?
The good news is that the companies have started learning how to deal with increasingly common shortages by
building buffer inventory and exploring alternative sourcing to deal with the situation.

Semiconductor Chips:
Semiconductors are materials which have a conductivity between conductors and insulators. They can be pure
elements, silicon or germanium or compounds; gallium, arsenide or cadmium selenide.

Significance of Semiconductor Chips:

They are the basic building blocks that serve as the heart and brain of all modern electronics and information
and communications technology products.
● These chips are now an integral part of contemporary automobiles, household gadgets and essential
medical devices such as ECG machines.

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Recent Increase in Demand:
The Covid-19 pandemic-driven push to take sizable parts of daily economic and essential activity online, or at
least digitally enable them, has highlighted the centrality of the chip-powered computers and smartphones in
people’s lives.
● The pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns across the world also forced shut crucial chip-making
facilities in countries including Japan, South Korea, China and the US.
● Its shortage causes cascading effects, given that the first one creates pent-up demand that becomes
the cause for the follow-up famine.

India’s Semiconductor Demand and Related Initiatives:

India currently imports all chips and the market is estimated to touch $100 billion by 2025 from $24 billion
now.
● The Union Cabinet has recently allocated an amount of ₹76,000 crore for supporting the development
of a ‘semiconductors and display manufacturing ecosystem’.
● India has also launched the Scheme for Promotion of Manufacturing of Electronic Components and
Semiconductors (SPECS) under which a budget outlay of Rs 3,285 crore is spread over a period of eight
years for manufacturing of electronics components and semiconductors.

Challenges ahead:
1. High Investments Required.
2. Minimal Fiscal Support from Government.
3. Lack of Fab Capacities.
4. Insufficient Grants under PLI Scheme.
5. Resource Inefficient Sector.

InstaLinks: 3. Key proposals under the National Policy on

Prelims Link: Electronics.
1. What is India Semiconductor Mission? 4. Production linked incentive scheme- when
2. India’s Status in Semiconductor Design and was it announced?
manufacturing? 5. Who will implement it?

Mains Link: Growing importance of Semiconductors or chips/integrated circuits (ICs) and China’s experience
with the manufacturing and design of the same provides a strong case for focusing on chip designs in India.
Comment.

5. Pig heart transplant:

Context:
Surgeons in the US have transplanted a pig’s heart inside a human patient in a bold endeavour that
represents a remarkable first in the world of medical science.
● This success could potentially end the years-long backlog of people waiting to receive a healthy organ
and open up a brave new world of possibilities.

Xenotransplantation:
Xenotransplantation is the process of grafting or transplanting organs or tissues between members of different
species.
● It has been pursued by modern medical science for decades, but experts have found it difficult to
surmount the challenge presented by the immune system’s rejection of an alien organ, ending in
deadly outcomes for patients.

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How was the transplantation carried out?
● The transplanted heart was harvested from a pig that had
undergone genetic editing that saw scientists remove three
genes “that would have led to rejection of pig organs by
humans" along with one that would have led to excessive
growth of pig heart tissue.
● Further, six human genes that would have facilitated the organ’s
acceptance by the human body were inserted into the pig genome, meaning that a total of 10 unique
gene edits were carried out in the pig by the US biotech firm Revivicor.

Why pigs?
Pigs are increasingly becoming popular candidates for organ transplantation. This is because their organs are
anatomically similar to those of humans. What’s more, porcine components are more tuned for genetic
engineering.

The organ shortage problem:

● In India, patients need 25,000-30,000 liver transplants annually. But only about 1,500 end up receiving
them.
● Similarly, nearly 50,000 persons suffer from heart failures annually. Still, only about 10-15 heart
transplants are performed every year.
● One of the biggest obstacles to transplantation is organ rejection. Scientists have addressed the
problem by genetically altering pigs’ organs.

Early xenotransplantation attempts:

● A spate of kidney, liver and heart transplants from non-human primates to humans happened in the
1970s. A majority of them failed.
● This is attributed to organ rejection — our immune system rejects agents that are foreign to the body.
Surgical complications were also behind the failure.
● In 1984, a human infant received a heart from a baboon. She died 21 days after the transplant.
Primates fell out of favour in the 1990s because they were susceptible to virus spread. This brought pigs into
the spotlight.

Breakthroughs so far:
● In 2017, Chinese surgeons reportedly transplanted pig cornea to restore sight in a human.
● In 2020, US experts attached a genetically-altered kidney to a brain-dead person.

Insta Curious: Do you know about Heparin? It is an anticoagulant that keeps blood clots from forming during
surgery. It also finds use in certain medical conditions. This compound is sourced from pigs. Scientists found
them to be cleaner than those derived from cows or dogs.

InstaLinks: 3. Xenotransplantation.
Prelims Link:
1. About Gene Editing. Mains Link: Write a note on Xenotransplantation.
2. Gene editing technology.

6. China's artificial moon:

Context:
China has built an artificial moon research facility that is capable of lowering the gravity level using
magnetism.
● The research facility is scheduled to officially launch later this year.

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● This research facility is also said to be the first of its kind in the
world.

Objective of the project:

The idea is to make gravity “disappear” by using powerful magnetic
fields inside a 60cm vacuum chamber.

About the mini moon:

● The mini-moon is about two feet in diameter and the artificial surface has been made with rocks and dust.
● The facility is located in the eastern city of Xuzhou, in Jiangsu province.

Uses, applications and benefits of this facility:

● China plans to use this research facility to test out instruments and technology in a low-gravity
environment similar to that of the moon, and see whether its experiments can be successful on the lunar
surface.
● The research facility is also expected to help in determining the possibility of human settlement on the
moon.

Magnetic levitation:
The idea to develop artificial moon facility has its roots in the Russian-born physicist Andre Geim’s experiments
to levitate a frog with a magnet. The physicists later won a Nobel for this groundbreaking experiment.
Magnetic levitation is certainly not the same as antigravity, but there is a variety of situations where mimicking
microgravity by magnetic fields could be invaluable to expect the unexpected in space research.

The principle behind this:

Atoms are made up of atomic nuclei and tiny electrons that orbit them in little loops of current; these moving
currents, in turn, induce tiny magnetic fields.
● Usually, the randomly oriented magnetic fields of all the atoms in an object, whether they belong to a drop
of water or a frog, cancel out, and no material-wide magnetism manifests.
● Apply an external magnetic field to those atoms, however, and everything changes: The electrons will
modify their motion, producing their own magnetic field to oppose the applied field.
● If the external magnet is strong enough, the magnetic force of repulsion between it and the field of the
atoms will grow powerful enough to overcome gravity and levitate the object — whether it's an advanced
piece of lunar tech or a confused amphibian — into the air.

Insta Curious: Not just an artificial moon but China has successfully created an “artificial sun” which is a nuclear
fusion reactor that superheated to a temperature five times hotter than the sun and for over 17 minutes. This
artificial sun will eventually help create the source of near-unlimited clean energy to power cities.

7. Lithium mining:
Context:
Serbians have been taking to the streets, blocking main roads and bridges and halting traffic, to protest against
Rio Tinto’s plans to mine lithium in the Jadar valley near Lozinca town in the country.

Potential:
● As reported by Reuters, the mine would have produced enough lithium to operate one million
electric vehicles along with boric acid and sodium sulphate.
● When fully functional, the mine would have created “58,000 tonnes of refined battery-grade lithium
carbonate” every year, which would have made it Europe’s most lithium-producing mine.

What's the concern?

While the country has already been ridden with industrial pollution, a new mine would only make it worse,
polluting the land and water in the area.

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 ● Serbia has ranked as Europe’s fifth and the world’s 32nd most polluted country in a list of 98
countries.
● According to a 2019 report by Global Alliance on Health and Pollution, Serbia is one of the top ten
countries with the most deaths due to pollution — 175 deaths per 100,000.

About Lithium:
It is a soft, silvery-white metal. Under standard conditions, it is the lightest metal and the lightest solid
element.
It is highly reactive and flammable, and must be stored in mineral oil. It is an alkali metal and a rare metal.

Key Characteristics and Properties:

● It has the highest specific heat capacity of any solid element.
● Lithium's single balance electron allows it to be a good conductor of electricity.
● It is flammable and can even explode when exposed to air and water.

Uses:
1. Lithium is a key element for new technologies and finds its use in ceramics, glass, telecommunication
and aerospace industries.
2. The well-known uses of Lithium are in Lithium ion batteries, lubricating grease, high energy additive to
rocket propellants, optical modulators for mobile phones and as convertor to tritium used as a raw
material for thermonuclear reactions i.e. fusion.

Prescribed substance:
The thermonuclear application makes Lithium as “Prescribed substance” under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962
which permits AMD for exploration of Lithium in various geological domains of the country.
● Under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, “Prescribed Substance” means any substance including any
mineral which the Central Government may, by notification, prescribe, being a substance which in its
opinion is or may be used for the production or use of atomic energy or research into matters
connected therewith and includes uranium, plutonium, thorium, beryllium, deuterium or any of their
respective derivatives or compounds or any other materials containing any of the aforesaid
substances.

InstaLinks: 4. Lithium reserves in India.

Prelims Link: 5. Lithium reserves across the world.
1. About Lithium.
2. Properties. Mains Link: Discuss the advantages of lithium ion
3. Uses. batteries.

Topics: Awareness in space.

1. NASA-ISRO NISAR Mission:
Context:
The NISAR mission is scheduled for launch in 2023.
● ISRO has already delivered the S-band SAR payload to NASA for NISAR [NASA-ISRO SAR] mission.

About NISAR:
● It is optimised for studying hazards and global environmental change and can help manage natural
resources better and provide information to scientists to better understand the effects and pace of climate
change.
● It will scan the globe every 12 days over the course of its three-year mission of imaging the Earth’s land, ice
sheets and sea ice to give an “unprecedented” view of the planet.
● It will detect movements of the planet’s surface as small as 0.4 inches over areas about half the size of a
tennis court.
● NASA will provide one of the radars for the satellite, a high-rate communication subsystem for science
data, GPS receivers and a payload data subsystem.

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● ISRO will provide the spacecraft bus, the second type of radar (called the S-band radar), the launch vehicle
and associated launch services.
● NISAR will be equipped with the largest reflector antenna ever launched by NASA and its primary goals
include tracking subtle changes in the Earth’s surface, spotting warning signs of imminent volcanic
eruptions, helping to monitor groundwater supplies and tracking the rate at which ice sheets are melting.

Synthetic aperture radar:

The name NISAR is short for NASA-ISRO-SAR. SAR here refers to the synthetic aperture radar that NASA will
use to measure changes in the surface of the Earth.
● Essentially, SAR refers to a technique for producing high-resolution images. Because of the precision, the
radar can penetrate clouds and darkness, which means that it can collect data day and night in any
weather.

InstaLinks: 3. Objectives.
Prelims Link:
1. About SAR. Mains Link: Write a note on NISAR.
2. About NISAR.

2. OSIRIS-REx and asteroid Bennu:

Context:
OSIRIS-REx is bringing back an asteroid sample. It will arrive home in 2023, ejecting a capsule full of samples
that may help eager scientists decipher the origin of Earth’s water and life.
● The debris NASA’s asteroid-touching spacecraft collected could help us learn about the origins of our
solar system.

Background:
On October 20th, 2021, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft briefly touched asteroid
Bennu, from where it is meant to collect samples of dust and pebbles and
deliver them back to Earth in 2023.

What is the OSIRIS-REx mission?

OSIRIS-Rex stands for Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer.
● This is NASA’s first mission meant to return a sample from the ancient asteroid.
● Launched in 2016, it reached its target in 2018.
● The departure window for the mission will open up in 2021, after which it will take over two years to
reach back to Earth.

Asteroid Bennu:
The asteroid was discovered by a team from the NASA-funded Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research team in
1999.
Scientists believe that it was formed in the first 10 million years of the solar system’s formation, implying that
it is roughly 4.5 billion years old.
● Because of Bennu’s age, it is likely to contain material that contains molecules that were present
when life first formed on Earth, where life forms are based on carbon atom chains.
● Because of its high carbon content, the asteroid reflects about four per cent of the light that hits it,
which is very low when compared with a planet like Venus, which reflects about 65 per cent of the light
that hits it. Earth reflects about 30 per cent.
● It classified as a Near Earth Object (NEO), might strike the Earth in the next century, between the years
2175 and 2199.

Site for sample collection:

NASA has selected a site located in a crater high in Bennu’s northern hemisphere
designated “Nightingale”.

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Why are scientists studying asteroids?
● To look for information about the formation and history of planets and the sun since asteroids were
formed at the same time as other objects in the solar system.
● To look for asteroids that might be potentially hazardous.

InstaLinks: 3. About Bennu.

Prelims Link:
1. Objectives of OSIRIS- REx. Mains Link: Discuss the objectives of OSIRIS- REx.
2. What are near earth asteroids?

3. Gaganyaan Mission:
Context:
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) recently successfully conducted the qualification test of
Cryogenic Engine for Gaganyaan programme for a duration of 720 seconds at ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC)
in Tamil Nadu's Mahendragiri.
● The performance of the engine met the test objectives and the engine parameters were closely
matching with the predictions during the entire duration of the test.

Significance:
This successful long-duration test is a major milestone for the Human Space Programme – Gaganyaan. It
ensures the reliability and robustness of the cryogenic engine for induction into the human-rated launch
vehicle for Gaganyaan.

When was it announced?

● Formal announcement of the Gaganyaan programme was made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi
during his Independence Day address on August 15, 2018.
● The initial target was to launch the human spaceflight before the 75th anniversary of India’s
independence on August 15, 2022.
With this launch, India will become the fourth nation in the world to launch a Human Spaceflight Mission
after the USA, Russia and China.

Objectives:
The objective of the Gaganyaan programme is to demonstrate the capability to send humans to low earth orbit
on board an Indian launch vehicle and bring them back to earth safely.

Preparation and launch:

1. Four Indian astronaut-candidates have already undergone generic space flight training in Russia as part
of the Gaganyaan programme.
2. ISRO’s heavy-lift launcher GSLV Mk III has been identified for the mission.

Relevance of a Manned Space Mission for India:

• Boost to industries: The Indian industry will find large opportunities through participation in the highly
demanding Space missions. Gaganyaan Mission is expected to source nearly 60% of its equipment from
the Indian private sector.
• Employment: According to the ISRO chief, the Gaganyaan mission would create 15,000 new
employment opportunities, 13,000 of them in private industry and the space organisation would need
an additional manpower of 900.
• Spurs research and development: It will thrust significant research in areas such as materials
processing, astro-biology, resources mining, planetary chemistry, planetary orbital calculus and many
other areas.
• Motivation: Human space flight will provide that inspiration to the youth and also the national public
mainstream. It would inspire the young generation into notable achievements and enable them to play
their legitimate role in challenging future activities.

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 • Prestige: India could potentially become the fourth country to launch a human space mission. The
Gaganyaan will not only bring about prestige to the nation but also establish India’s role as a key player
in the space industry.

Insta Curious: Do you know about the Mir Space Station? Read Here (Read Briefly)

Did you know that Australia will support India's ‘Gaganyaan’ mission by tracking it through Cocos Keeling
island? This is significant because there are blind spots due to which there is a possibility of not receiving
signals. The data relay satellite tracking from Cocos Keeling island is expected to help address the issue.

InstaLinks: 3. About GSLV.

Prelims Link:
1. About Gaganyaan. Mains Link: Why is Gaganyaan mission significant
2. Objectives. for India? Discuss.

4. Space station:
Context:
As China gears up to become the only country to have an exclusive and probably the only space station by
2024 or latest by 2030, its neighbor, India too has plans to follow suit in a few years.
● Recently, the Union Minister for Space Jitendra Singh announced in Parliament that India’s first space
station would be set up by 2030.

Background:
Even though the retirement of the ISS is currently scheduled for 2024, NASA and the international partners
have indicated that the ISS's operational life could be extended to 2030.

About China's Space Station:

● The new multi-module Tiangong station is set to be operational for at least 10 years.
● The space station will operate in low-Earth orbit at an altitude of 340-450 km above Earth's surface.

Significance of the space station:

1. The low orbit space station would be the country's eye from the sky, providing round the clock bird's-
eye view for its astronauts on the rest of the world.
2. It shall aid China's aim to become a major space power by 2030.

Concerns:
China's space station will be equipped with a robotic-arm over which the US has raised concerns for its possible
military applications.
● The Concern is that this technology "could be used in a future system for grappling other satellites".

Indian Space Station:

● The Indian space station will be much smaller (mass of 20 tonnes) than the International Space Station
and will be used for carrying out microgravity experiments (not for space tourism).
● Preliminary plan for the space station is to accommodate astronauts for up to 20 days in space, and the
project will be an extension of the Gaganyaan mission.
● It will orbit Earth at an altitude of around 400km.
● ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) is working on a space docking experiment (Spadex), a
technology that is crucial for making the space station functional.

Other space stations:

● The only space station currently in orbit is the International Space Station (ISS). The ISS is backed by
the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan and Canada.

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 ● So far, China has sent two previous space
stations into orbit- the Tiangong-1 and
Tiangong-2 were trial stations.

Significance:
● Space stations are essential for collecting
meaningful scientific data, especially for
biological experiments.
● Provide platforms for greater number and
length of scientific studies than available
on other space vehicles.
● Each crew member stays aboard the
station for weeks or months, but rarely
more than a year.
● Space stations are used to study the effects of long-term space flight on the human body.

Insta Curious: What is Molniya orbit? Read Here (Briefly).

InstaLinks: 4. Previous space stations.

Prelims Link:
1. About ISS. Mains Link: Write a note on the International Space
2. Countries involved. Station.
3. Objectives.

5. ISRO test fires high-thrust Vikas engine:

Context:
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) recently conducted a successful qualification test of its High
Thrust VIKAS Engine at the ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC) in Tamil Nadu's Mahendragiri.
● The Vikas engine will power the ambitious Gaganyaan mission into space.

About the Vikas engine:

● It is a family of liquid fuelled rocket engines.
● It is used in the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch
Vehicle (GSLV) series of expendable launch vehicles for space launch use.

About Gaganyaan:
● Formal announcement of the Gaganyaan programme was made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi
during his Independence Day address on August 15, 2018.
● The initial target was to launch the human spaceflight before the 75th anniversary of India’s
independence on August 15, 2022.
With this launch, India will become the fourth nation in the world to launch a Human Spaceflight Mission
after the USA, Russia and China.

Objectives:
The objective of the Gaganyaan programme is to demonstrate the capability to send humans to low earth orbit
on board an Indian launch vehicle and bring them back to earth safely.

Preparation and launch:

1. Four Indian astronaut-candidates have already undergone generic space flight training in Russia as part
of the Gaganyaan programme.
2. ISRO’s heavy-lift launcher GSLV Mk III has been identified for the mission.

InstaLinks: 1. About Gaganyaan.

Prelims Link: 2. Objectives.

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 3. About GSLV.

Mains Link: Why is Gaganyaan mission significant for India? Discuss.

6. Space debris:
Context:
Russia blew up one of its old satellites in November in a missile test that sparked international anger because
of the space debris it scattered around the Earth's orbit.
● Recently, a Chinese satellite (Tsinghua Science Satellite) had a near collision with one of the many
chunks of debris left by the fallout of this Russian anti-satellite missile test.

What's the issue?

With more countries venturing into space with every passing decade, the problem is simply ballooning out of
control and recent events, like the anti-satellite weapons test by Russia, are only exacerbating the problem.
● The debris is now adding to the space junk problem and posing a major risk to the International Space
Station (ISS) and the satellites in geostationary orbit.
● The debris also poses a potential threat to the lives of the US, Russian, and Chinese astronauts and
cosmonauts currently in space.

What is Space Debris?

Space debris poses a global threat to the continued use of space-based technologies that support critical
functions like communication, transport, weather and climate monitoring, remote sensing.
● Predicting collision probability from these space objects is crucial from the national security
perspective as well as for the protection of public and private space assets of Indian origin.

Amount of space debris in space:

The real amount of space debris is said to be between 500,000 and one million pieces as current sensor
technology cannot detect smaller objects. They all travel at speeds of up to 17,500 mph (28,162 kmph) fast
enough for a relatively small piece of orbital debris to damage a satellite or a spacecraft.

Significance of the Project:

Outcome of this project will directly support the Indian space sector, valued at $7 billion (Rs 51,334 crore) by
providing an operationally flexible, scalable, transparent and indigenous collision probability solution.

Technologies that can tackle the problem in future are:

Moving an object out of the way by altering its orbit is one method of diverting a potential crash, but the sheer
amount of debris requires constant observation and prediction – by any means necessary.
Nasa’s Space Debris Sensor orbits the Earth on the International Space Station. The sensor was attached to
the outside of the space station’s European Columbus module in December 2017. It will detect millimetre-sized
pieces of debris for at least two years, providing information on whatever hits it such as size, density, velocity,
orbit and will determine whether the impacting object is from space or a man-made piece of space debris.
REMOVEdebris, satellite contain two cubesats that will release simulated space debris so that it can then
demonstrate several ways of retrieving them.
Deorbit mission: There are two emerging technologies being developed under what’s known as the e.Deorbit
mission to grasp the wayward space junk, or to catch it.
Other technologies include moving objects with a powerful laser beam. It is important to start doing that soon,
current scientific estimates predict that without active debris removal, certain orbits will become unusable
over the coming decades.

Netra:
To safeguard its space assets from space debris, Isro had set up a dedicated Space Situational Awareness
(SSA) Control Centre named “Netra” in Bengaluru last December.
● Netra’s key objective is to monitor, track and protect the national space assets and function as a hub of
all SSA activities.

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 ● Only the US, Russia and Europe have similar facilities in place to track space objects and share collision
warnings.

India’s Anti-Satellite (ASAT) missile:

Mission Shakti is a joint programme of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
● As part of the mission, an anti-satellite (A-SAT) weapon was launched and targeted an Indian satellite
which had been decommissioned. Mission Shakti was carried out from DRDO’s testing range in
Odisha’s Balasore.

Significance:
India is only the 4th country to acquire such a specialised and modern capability, and Entire effort is
indigenous. Till now, only the US, Russia and China had the capability to hit a live target in space.

Insta Curious: Did you know that anti-satellite weapons are high-tech missiles possessed by few nations?
Which countries have these weapons?

7. Artemis Program
Context:
The first moonbound rocket and spacecraft of NASA's Artemis program are expected to do a "wet dress
rehearsal" on the launch pad in February.

What is Artemis?
Artemis– Acceleration, Reconnection, Turbulence and Electrodynamics of Moon’s Interaction with the Sun.
It is NASA’s next mission to the Moon.
Objective: To measure what happens when the Sun’s radiation hits our rocky moon, where there is no
magnetic field to protect it.
Artemis was the twin sister of Apollo and goddess of the Moon in Greek mythology.

Significance of the mission:

With the Artemis program, NASA will land the first woman and next man on the Moon by 2024.

Mission details:
1. NASA’s powerful new rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS), will send astronauts aboard the Orion
spacecraft nearly a quarter million miles from Earth to lunar orbit.
2. Astronauts will dock Orion at the Gateway and transfer to a human landing system for expeditions to
the surface of the Moon.
3. They will return to the orbital outpost to board Orion again before returning safely to Earth.

Background- Artemis 1, 2:
The agency will fly two missions around the Moon to test its deep space exploration systems.
Artemis 1 is aiming to send an uncrewed spacecraft around the moon using a combination of the never-flown
Space Launch System rocket, along with the once-flown Orion spacecraft.
NASA hopes to extend the program with the moon-orbiting crewed Artemis 2 mission in 2024, then a landing
on Artemis 3 in 2025, ahead of other crewed missions later in the 2020s.

Scientific objectives:
1. Find and use water and other critical resources needed for long-term exploration.
2. Investigate the Moon’s mysteries and learn more about our home planet and the universe.
3. Learn how to live and operate on the surface of another celestial body where astronauts are just three
days from home.
4. Prove the technologies we need before sending astronauts on missions to Mars, which can take up to
three years roundtrip.

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Insta Links: 3. India’s missions to moon.
Prelims Link:
1. Names of various craters and their Mains Link: Write a note on NASA’s Artemis
locations on moon. program.
2. Manned missions to Moon so far.

8. What is dark energy?

Context:
Among a list of high-priority targets for the recently
launched James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), it will
interrogate two of the most enigmatic puzzles facing
astronomy and cosmology today- to better characterize
the nature of dark matter and dark energy.

What is Dark Energy?

More is unknown than is known. We know how much dark
energy there is because we know how it affects the
universe's expansion. Other than that, it is a complete
mystery. But it is an important mystery. It makes up about
68% of the universe.
Dark Energy is a hypothetical form of energy that exerts a
negative, repulsive pressure, behaving like the opposite of gravity.
● It is causing the rate of expansion of our universe to accelerate over time, rather than to slow down.
That’s contrary to what one might expect from a universe that began in a Big Bang.

How is dark energy different from dark matter?

Everything we see – the planets, moons, massive galaxies – makes up less than 5% of the universe. About 27%
is dark matter and 68% is dark energy.
While dark matter attracts and holds galaxies together, dark energy repels and causes the expansion of our
universe.
● The existence of dark matter was suggested as early as the 1920s, while dark energy wasn’t discovered
until 1998.

About the XENON1T experiment:

In 2021, an international team of researchers made the first direct
detection of dark energy.
● They noticed certain unexpected results in the XENON1T
experiment and write that dark energy may be responsible for
it.
● XENON1T experiment is the world’s most sensitive dark
matter experiment 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
Nazionali del Gran Sasso of INFN, Italy.

The theory of general relativity:

The leading theory, however, considers dark energy a property of space. Albert Einstein was the first to
understand that space was not simply empty. He also understood that more space could continue to come into
existence. In his theory of general relativity, Einstein included a cosmological constant to account for the
stationary universe scientists thought existed.
● After Hubble announced the expanding universe, Einstein called his constant his "biggest blunder."
● But Einstein's blunder may be the best fit for dark energy. Predicting that empty space can have its own
energy, the constant indicates that as more space emerges, more energy would be added to the
universe, increasing its expansion.

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Insta Curious: Do you know about LUX-Zeplin and PandaX-xT experiments? Reference: read this.

Link: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/what-is-dark-energy-have-scientists-detected-it-finally-
7534930/lite/.

9. Chandrayaan-3:
Context:
New ISRO Chief had said that design changes
on Chandrayaan-3 have been incorporated
and testing has seen huge progress. The
mission could be launched by the middle of
next year.

About Chandrayaan 3:
Chandrayaan-3 will be a mission repeat of
Chandrayaan-2 but will only include a lander
and rover similar to that of Chandrayaan-2. It
will not have an orbiter.

Findings of Chandrayaan-2:
The Orbiter and other instruments of
Chandrayaan-2 mission have, in two years,
gathered a wealth of new information that has
added to our knowledge about the Moon and its environment.
The Chandrayaan-2 mission, which was lost after it hard landed on the dark side of the Moon in 2019, remains
active in the form of its orbiter hovering over the Moon.
Scientists used the Solar X-ray Monitor (XSM) onboard Chandrayaan-2 in September 2019 to study the Sun.
● The primary objective of Chandrayaan 2 was to demonstrate the ability to soft-land on the lunar
surface and operate a robotic rover on the surface.
● The mission consisted of an Orbiter of the Moon, Vikram (after Vikram Sarabhai) - the lander and
Pragyan (wisdom) - the rover, all equipped with scientific instruments to study the moon.

What happened to Chandrayaan-2?

● Chandrayaan-2, India’s second mission to
the Moon, had failed to make a soft-
landing on the lunar surface.
● The lander and rover malfunctioned in the
final moments and crash-landed, getting
destroyed in the process.

But, why is this mission still relevant?

Despite the failure, the mission's orbiter and other
parts have been functioning normally, gathering
information. Recently, the Indian Space Research
Organisation (ISRO) released the information
gathered by the scientific payloads till now, some
of which were still to be analysed and assessed.

What is the information gathered?

Presence of water molecules on moon: The
mission has given the most precise information
about the presence of H2O molecules on the Moon
till date.

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Presence of Minor elements: Chromium, manganese and Sodium have been detected for the first time
through remote sensing. The finding can lay the path for understanding magmatic evolution on the Moon and
deeper insights into the nebular conditions as well as planetary differentiation.
Information about solar flares: A large number of microflares outside the active region have been observed for
the first time, and according to ISRO, this “has great implications on the understanding of the mechanism
behind heating of the solar corona”, which has been an open problem for many decades.
Exploration of the permanently shadowed regions as well as craters and boulders underneath the regolith,
the loose deposit comprising the top surface extending up to 3-4m in depth. This is expected to help scientists
to zero in on future landing and drilling sites, including for human missions.

Insta Curious: Did you know that even before Chandrayaan-2, many missions have revealed information
regarding the presence of water on the moon? These include: Chandrayaan-1, NASA missions Clementine and
Lunar Prospector. Know more about them.

InstaLinks: 4. Chandrayaan-1.
Prelims Link:
1. About Chandrayaan-2. Mains Link: Discuss the significance of
2. Objectives. Chandrayaan-2 mission.
3. Instruments onboard.

10. ISRO’s new SSLV programme:

Context:
ISRO's indigenous new launch rockets, called the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV), is likely to have its
much-delayed, maiden development flight this April.
● New ISRO Chairman Somanath himself is credited with the design and development of the SSLV during
his time as director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thiruvananthapuram since 2018.

What is SSLV?
The SSLV is intended to cater to a market for the launch of small satellites into low earth orbits.
● It can carry satellites weighing up to 500 kg to a low earth orbit.
● The SSLV is the smallest vehicle at 110-ton mass at ISRO.
● It will take only 72 hours to integrate. Only six people will be required to do the job.
● The cost will be only around Rs 30 crore.
● It is best suited for launching multiple microsatellites at a time and supports multiple orbital drop-offs.

Need for?
Launch of small satellites into low earth orbits has become significant in recent years on account of the need
for developing countries, private corporations, and universities for small satellites.
● About 15 to 20 SSLVs would be required every year to meet the national demand alone.

What is PSLV?
The launch of small satellites has until now been dependent on ‘piggy-back’ rides with big satellite launches on
ISRO’s work-horse – the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle which has had over 50 successful launches so far.
● PSLV can launch satellites weighing in the range of 1000 kg. But, it takes 70 days to integrate this
launch vehicle.
● It is the third generation launch vehicle of India. It is the first Indian launch vehicle to be equipped
with liquid stages.

Read More about PSLV here.

Difference between PSLV and GSLV:

● India has two operational launchers- Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and Geosynchronous
Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV).

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 ● PSLV was developed to launch low-Earth Orbit satellites into polar and sun synchronous orbits. It has
since proved its versatility by launching geosynchronous, lunar and interplanetary spacecraft
successfully.
● On the other hand, GSLV was developed to launch the heavier INSAT class of geosynchronous satellites
into orbit. In its third and final stage, GSLV uses the indigenously developed cryogenic upper stage.

Different orbits:
1. Geostationary orbit (GEO)
2. Low Earth orbit (LEO)
3. Medium Earth orbit (MEO)
4. Polar orbit and Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO)
5. Transfer orbits and geostationary transfer orbit (GTO)
6. Lagrange points (L-points)

For details, refer this.

Insta Curious: What do you know about the New Space India Limited (NSIL), the newly-created ISRO
commercial arm?

InstaLinks: 3. What is a polar orbit?

Prelims Link: 4. What is a transfer orbit?
1. What is a geostationary orbit? 5. About PSLV.
2. What is a geosynchronous orbit?

Mains Link: What are communication satellites? Discuss their significance for India.

Link: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-everything-we-know-about-isros-new-sslv-
programme-7742846/lite/.

Topics: Awareness in the fields of IT, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology

and issues relating to intellectual property rights.
1. National Supercomputing Mission (NSM):
Context:
As per the ministry of science and technology's annual year-end review:
Under the National Super-Computer Mission (NSM), four new Supercomputers have been installed since July
2021 at IIT-Hyderabad, NABI- Mohali, CDAC-Bengaluru and IIT Kanpur.
● NSM provides access to High-Performance Computing (HPC) facilities to around 75 institutions and
more than thousands of active researchers, academicians working through Nation Knowledge Network
(NKN).

What is National Supercomputing Mission (NSM)?

It is being implemented and steered jointly by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and
Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY).
● Implemented by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Pune and the Indian
Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru.

Focus of the mission:

● The Mission envisages empowering national academic and R&D institutions spread over the country by
installing a vast supercomputing grid comprising of more than 70 high-performance computing
facilities.
● These supercomputers will also be networked on the National Supercomputing grid over the National
Knowledge Network (NKN). The NKN is another programme of the government which connects
academic institutions and R&D labs over a high speed network.

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 ● The Mission includes development of highly professional High Performance Computing (HPC) aware
human resource for meeting challenges of development of these applications.

Achievements:
● The first supercomputer assembled indigenously, called Param Shivay, was installed in IIT (BHU).
● Similar systems Param Shakti and Param Brahma were installed at IIT-Kharagpur and IISER, Pune. They
are equipped with applications from domains like Weather and Climate, Computational Fluid
Dynamics, Bioinformatics, and Material science.

Fact for Prelims:

India has developed an indigenous server (Rudra), which can meet the High-Performance Computing (HPC)
requirements of all governments and PSUs. This is the first time that a server system was made in India, along
with the full software stack developed by C-DAC.
3. About NKM.
InstaLinks: 4. Targets under NSM.
Prelims Link:
1. Super computers in India and the world. Mains Link: Write a note on the National
2. How do they perform faster? Supercomputing Mission (NSM).

2. Bacterial resistance to drugs:

Context:
A comprehensive estimate of the global impact of antimicrobial resistance
(AMR), covering 204 countries and territories, was published recently in The
Lancet.
● The report is titled- Global Research on Antimicrobial Resistance (GRAM)
report.

Highlights:
● 1.27 million people died in 2019 as a direct result of AMR.
● AMR is now a leading cause of death worldwide, higher than HIV/AIDS or
malaria.
● Besides, another 49.5 lakh deaths were indirectly caused by AMR (a drug-
resistant infection was implicated, but resistance itself may or may not have been the direct cause of
death).

Pathogens analyzed:
● Of the 23 pathogens studied, drug resistance in
six (E coli, S aureus, K pneumoniae, S
pneumoniae, A baumannii, and P aeruginosa)
led directly to 9.29 lakh deaths and was
associated with 3.57 million.
● One pathogen-drug combination – methicillin-
resistant S aureus, or MRSA – directly caused
more than 1 lakh deaths.
● Resistance to two classes of antibiotics often
considered the first line of defence against
severe infections – fluoroquinolones and beta-
lactam antibiotics – accounted for more than
70% of deaths caused by AMR.

What is Antibiotic resistance?

It is the ability of a microorganism (like bacteria,
viruses, and some parasites) to stop an antimicrobial (such as antibiotics, antivirals and antimalarials) from

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working against it. As a result, standard treatments become ineffective, infections persist and may spread to
others.

Why is Antimicrobial resistance a silent threat of the future?

● Antibiotics have saved millions of lives till date. Unfortunately, they are now becoming ineffective as many
infectious diseases have ceased to respond to antibiotics.
● Even though antimicrobial resistance is a natural process, the misuse of antibiotics in humans and animals
is accelerating the process.
● A large number of infections such as tuberculosis, pneumonia and gonorrhea are becoming very difficult to
treat since the antibiotics used for their treatment are becoming less effective.
● Globally, use of antibiotics in animals is expected to increase by 67% by 2030 from 2010 levels. The
resistance to antibiotics in germs is a man-made disaster.
● Irresponsible use of antibiotics is rampant in human health, animal health, fisheries, and agriculture.
● Complex surgeries such as organ transplantation and cardiac bypass might become difficult to undertake
because of untreatable infectious complications that may result post-surgery.

InstaLinks: 3. Milk production and consumption in India.

Prelims Link: 4. What are critically important antibiotics
1. What is Antibiotic resistance? (CIAs)?
2. What are antibodies?

Mains link: Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest health challenges of 21st century. Examine why.

Link: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-global-toll-bacterial-resistance-to-drugs-
7732479/lite/.

3. What is gain of function?

Context:
The term ‘gain of function research’ has recently cropped up in the debate about the origins of the Covid-19
pandemic.

What is Gain-of-function Research?

● ‘Gain of function’ is a field of research focused on growing generations of microorganisms, under
conditions that cause mutations in a virus.
● These experiments are termed ‘gain of function’ because they involve manipulating pathogens in a way
that they gain an advantage in or through a function, such as increased transmissibility.
● Such experiments allow scientists to better predict emerging infectious diseases, and to develop
vaccines and therapeutics.

How is it carried out?

Gain of function research may use genetic engineering or serial passaging.
1. Genetic engineering involves ‘editing’ the genetic code to modify the virus in a way predetermined by
the scientists.
2. Serial passaging involves allowing the pathogen to grow under different circumstances and then
observing the changes.

Issues related to the research:

1. Gain-of-function research involves manipulations that make certain pathogenic microbes more
deadly or more transmissible.
2. There is also ‘loss-of-function’ research, which involves inactivating mutations, resulting in a significant
loss of original function, or no function to the pathogen.
3. Gain-of-function research reportedly carries inherent biosafety and biosecurity risks and is thus
referred to as ‘dual-use research of concern’ (DURC).

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Serial passaging involves allowing the pathogen to grow under different circumstances and then observing the
changes.

Relevance to Covid-19 pandemic:

● The discussion around gain of function research came back to focus recently, after a report argued that
the possibility of the virus accidentally leaking out of the Wuhan Institute of Virology could not be
entirely dismissed.
● While scientists had earlier ruled out the possibility of the virus being ‘genetically engineered’, a recent
report said serial passaging may have led to the evolution of the virus during an ongoing gain of
function research project in the Chinese city.

How is it regulated in India?

All activities related to genetically engineered organisms or cells and hazardous microorganisms and products
are regulated as per the “Manufacture, Use, Import, Export and Storage of Hazardous
Microorganisms/Genetically Engineered Organisms or Cells Rules, 1989”.
● In 2020, the Department of Biotechnology issued guidelines for the establishment of containment
facilities, called ‘Biosafety labs’.
● The notification provides operational guidance on the containment of biohazards and levels of
biosafety that all institutions involved in research, development and handling of these microorganisms
must comply with.

Insta Curious: Do you know the difference between forward genetics and reverse genetics? Read Briefly
Do you know what Gene Knockout is? Read Here (Briefly)

Topics: Conservation related issues, environmental pollution and degradation,

environmental impact assessment.
1. Green energy corridor:
Context:
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the scheme on Green Energy Corridor (GEC) Phase-
II for Intra-State Transmission System (InSTS).

What is the Green Energy Corridor Project for Intra-State Transmission System (InSTS)?
The Green Energy Corridor(GEC) Project aims at synchronizing electricity produced from renewable sources
such as solar and wind with conventional power stations in the grid.
The GEC-Intra State Transmission System(InSTS) project was sanctioned in 2015-16, for evacuation and
integration of the renewable energy capacity through setting up of transmission lines and increasing
transformation capacity of substations.

Phase I of the Project:

● It is being implemented by eight renewable-rich states of Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Andhra
Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh.
● Under this phase, the target is to install 9700 circuit km of transmission lines and 22,600 MegaVolt-
Amperes(MVA) transformation capacity of substations by 2022.
● The funding mechanism consists of a 40% Government of India Grant, 20% state equity and a 40% loan
from KfW Bank, Germany.

Phase II of the Project:

● It is being implemented in seven States namely, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala,
Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.
● Under this phase, the target is to install 10,750 circuit km of transmission lines and 27,500 MegaVolt-
Amperes(MVA) transformation capacity of substations by 2025-26.
● The Centre will provide assistance at 33% of the cost of the project.

Need for a Green Energy Corridor in India:

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 ● Prime Minister has pledged to increase the country’s non-fossil fuel power generation capacity to
500GW and meet 50% of its energy requirements from renewable sources by the end of this decade.
So there is a need for integration.
● The scheme will help in achieving the target of 450 GW installed RE capacity by 2030.
● It will also contribute to long-term energy security of the country and promote ecologically sustainable
growth by reducing the carbon footprint.
● It will generate large direct and indirect employment opportunities for both skilled and unskilled
personnel in power and other related sectors.
● The GEC will help in offsetting the intra-state transmission charges and keep the power costs down.
Thus, the government support will ultimately benefit the end users.
● It helps India to increase the share of non-fossil fuels-based electricity to 40% by 2030.
● The project is expected to help India meet the climate commitments it made at the COP-26 summit in
Glasgow.

2. Cheetah reintroduction project:

Context:
The Government is preparing to translocate the first batch
of eight from South Africa and Namibia to Kuno National
Park in Madhya Pradesh soon after the situation linked to
the current third wave of Covid-19 becomes normal, and
total 50 in various parks over a period of five years.

What next?
In this regard, the Union Minister for Environment, Forests
and Climate Change has launched the ‘Action Plan for
Introduction of Cheetah in India’ under which 50 of these
big cats will be introduced in the next five years.
● The action plan was launched at the 19th meeting
of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).

What is reintroduction and why reintroduce Cheetah now?

● ‘Reintroduction’ of a species means releasing it in an area where it is capable of surviving.
● Reintroductions of large carnivores have increasingly been recognised as a strategy to conserve
threatened species and restore ecosystem functions.
● The cheetah is the only large carnivore that has been extirpated, mainly by over-hunting in India in
historical times.
● India now has the economic ability to consider restoring its lost natural heritage for ethical as well as
ecological reasons.

Facts:
● The cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus, is one of the oldest of the big cat species, with ancestors that can be
traced back more than five million years to the Miocene era.
● The cheetah is also the world’s fastest land mammal.
● It is listed as vulnerable in IUCN red listed species.
● The country’s last spotted feline died in Chhattisgarh in 1947. Later, the cheetah — which is the fastest
land animal — was declared extinct in India in 1952.
● The Asiatic cheetah is classified as a “critically endangered” species by the IUCN Red List, and is
believed to survive only in Iran.

Cheetah reintroduction programme in India:

The Wildlife Institute of India at Dehradun had prepared a ₹260-crore cheetah re-introduction project seven
years ago.
● India has plans to reintroduce cheetahs at the Kuno National Park in Sheopur and Morena districts of
Madhya Pradesh’s Gwalior-Chambal region.

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 ● This could be the world’s first inter-continental cheetah translocation project.

Reasons for extinction:

● The reasons for extinction can all be traced to man’s interference. Problems like human-wildlife
conflict, loss of habitat and loss of prey, and illegal trafficking, have decimated their numbers.
● The advent of climate change and growing human populations have only made these problems worse.
● With less available land for wildlife, species that require vast home range like the cheetah are placed in
competition with other animals and humans, all fighting over less space.

Insta Curious: Do you know about the NTCA?

● The National Tiger Conservation Authority is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment,
Forests and Climate Change. It was constituted under enabling provisions of the Wildlife (Protection)
Act, 1972, as amended in 2006, for strengthening tiger conservation.

3. Stockholm Convention on POPs:

Context:
European Commission has proposed to tighten limits for a range of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) to
tackle contamination in recycled products, health and environment.

What are POPs?

In 1995, the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) called for global action
to be taken on POPs, which it defined as “chemical substances that persist in the environment, bio-
accumulate through the food web, and pose a risk of causing adverse effects to human health and the
environment”.

Uniqueness of POPs:
● POPs are lipophilic, which means that they accumulate in the fatty tissue of living animals and human
beings.
● In fatty tissue, the concentrations can become magnified by up to 70 000 times higher than the
background levels.
● As you move up the food chain, concentrations of POPs tend to increase so that animals at the top of
the food chain such as fish, predatory birds, mammals, and humans tend to have the greatest
concentrations of these chemicals.

About Stockholm Convention on POPs:

Signed in 2001 and effective from May 2004 (Ninety days after the ratification by at least 50 signatory states).
Aims to eliminate or restrict the production and use of persistent organic pollutants (POPs).

The 12 initial POPs under the Stockholm Convention:

Initially, twelve POPs have been recognized as causing adverse effects on humans and the ecosystem and these
can be placed in 3 categories:
1. Pesticides: aldrin, chlordane, DDT, dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor, hexachlorobenzene, mirex, toxaphene;
2. Industrial chemicals: hexachlorobenzene, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs); and
3. By-products: hexachlorobenzene; polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated
dibenzofurans (PCDD/PCDF), and PCBs.
Since then, additional substances such as carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and certain
brominated flame-retardents, as well as organometallic compounds such as tributyltin (TBT) have been added
to the list of Persistent Organic Pollutants.

Sources of POPs:
● Improper use and/or disposal of agrochemicals and industrial chemicals.
● Elevated temperatures and combustion processes.
● Unwanted by-products of industrial processes or combustion.

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Is it legally binding?
Yes. Article 16 of the Convention requires that effectiveness of the measures adopted by the Convention is
evaluated in regular intervals.

Other Conventions dealing with POPs:

Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollutants (LRTAP), Protocol on Persistent Organic Pollutants
(POPs).

Recent developments:
The Union Cabinet, in 2021, approved the Ratification of seven chemicals listed under the Stockholm
Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).
● The Cabinet has also delegated its powers to ratify chemicals under the Stockholm Convention to the
Union Ministers of External Affairs (MEA) and Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in
respect of POPs already regulated under the domestic regulations.

These are:
1. Chlordecone. 4. Tetrabromodiphenyl ether and
2. Hexabromobiphenyl. Pentabromodiphenyl ether.
3. Hexabromodiphenyl ether and 5. Pentachlorobenzene.
Heptabromodiphenylether. 6. Hexabromocyclododecane.
7. Hexachlorobutadiene.

Benefits for India:

The ratification process would enable India to access Global Environment Facility (GEF) financial resources in
updating the National Implementation Plan (NIP).

InstaLinks: 5. Is it legally binding?

Prelims Link: 6. POPs covered.
1. What are POPs? 7. What is the Global Environmental Facility?
2. Stockholm Convention is related to?
3. Objectives of the Convention? Does it seek Mains Link: Discuss the significance of the
to eliminate or restrict POPs? Stockholm Convention on POPs.
4. What are dirty dozens?

4. State of Forest Report 2021:

Context:
The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has released the India State of Forest
Report (ISFR) 2021.
● The biennial report by the Forest Survey of India (FSI) is an assessment of the country's forest
resources.

Highlights of the Report:

● India's forest and tree cover has risen by 2,261 square kilometers in the last two years with Andhra
Pradesh growing the maximum forest cover of 647 square kilometers.
● The total tree-and-forest cover in the country includes an increase of 1,540 square kilometres of forest
cover and 721 sq km of tree cover compared to the 2019 report.
● India's total forest and tree cover is now spread across 80.9 million hectares, which is 24.62 per cent of
the geographical area of the country.
● The top five states in terms of increase in forest cover are Andhra Pradesh (647 sq km), Telangana
(632 sq km), Odisha (537 sq km), Karnataka (155 sq km) and Jharkhand (110 sq km).
● The gain in forest cover or improvement in forest canopy density may be attributed to better
conservation measures, protection, afforestation activities, tree plantation drives and agroforestry.
● Among the mega cities in the country, Ahmedabad has been the biggest loser when it comes to forest
cover.

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States with maximum forest cover:
● Area-wise, Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover in the country followed by Arunachal Pradesh,
Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Maharashtra.
● 17 states/UTs have above 33 per cent of the geographical area under forest cover.
● Out of these states and UTs, Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh
and Meghalaya have more than 75 per cent forest cover.

Mangrove cover in the country:

● There is an increase of 17 sq km in mangrove cover in the country as compared to the previous
assessment of 2019.
● Total mangrove cover in the country is 4,992 sq km.
● Top three states showing mangrove cover increase are Odisha (8 sq km) followed by Maharashtra (4
sq km) and Karnataka (3 sq km).

Carbon stock:
● The total carbon stock in the country's forest is estimated to be 7,204 million tonnes and there is an
increase of 79.4 million tonnes in the carbon stock of the country as compared to the last assessment
of 2019.
● The annual increase in the carbon stock is 39.7 million tonnes.

Concerns:
The north-east did not show positive results as the current assessment showed a decrease of forest cover to
the extent of 1,020 sq km in the region.
Arunachal Pradesh lost the maximum forest cover of 257 sq km, followed by Manipur which lost 249 sq km,
Nagaland 235 sq km, Mizoram 186 sq km and Meghalaya 73 sq km.
In total 140 hill districts of the country, the forest cover reduced by 902 sq km in the last two years. In the
2019 report, the forest cover in the hill regions had increased by 544 sq km.

Efforts by Government to increase forest cover in the country:

To achieve India's aim of increasing additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes CO2 equivalent by 2030,
Nagar Van Yojna has been introduced to increase the tree cover and joined with the second phase of Green
Mission in the next five years.

Significant features of ISFR 2021:

1. In the present ISFR 2021, FSI has included a new chapter related to the assessment of forest cover in
the Tiger Reserves, Corridors and Lion conservation area of India.
2. A new initiative of FSI has also been documented in the form of a chapter, where the ‘Above Ground
Biomass’ has been estimated. FSI, in collaboration with Space Application Centre (SAC), ISRO,
Ahmedabad, initiated a special study for estimation of Above Ground Biomass (AGB) at pan-India level,
using L- band of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data.
3. FSI in collaboration of with Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS) Pilani, Goa Campus has
performed a study based on ‘Mapping of Climate Change Hotspots in Indian Forests’. The
collaborative study was carried out with the objective to map the climatic hotspots over the forest
cover in India, using computer model-based projection of temperature and rainfall data, for the three
future time periods i.e. year 2030, 2050 and 2085.
4. The report also contains information on various parameters State/UT wise. Special thematic
information on forest cover such as hill, tribal districts, and north eastern region has also been given
separately in the report.

5. How the Quad can help climate action?

Context:
The Quad, which was born in response to a natural calamity, the tsunami of 2004, are unified in saving the
planet from environmental degradation.

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Efforts by Quad in this regard:
● In the first-ever in-person leaders’ summit of the Quad (held in the US in 2021), the nations pledged to
fight the climate crisis and partner on emerging technologies.
● Focus on increasing the Indo-Pacific region’s resilience to climate change by improving critical climate
information-sharing and disaster-resilient infrastructure.
● Building a new technical facility through the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure to provide
technical assistance in small island developing states and setting up a Climate and Information Services
Task Force.

What needs to be done?

● The Quad can drive inclusive energy transition in technology, manufacturing, and finance.
● They can provide much-needed technology expertise required to achieve the energy transition goals
set under frameworks such as the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and OSOWOG (One Sun One
World One Grid).
● India is well-placed to provide manufacturing infrastructure to build these technologies. To take over
from China as the “world’s factory”, it will have to mirror its advantages of large-scale production at
low costs.
● Funding: Quad has a role and an opportunity to drive capital investments towards helping developing
nations to move towards sustainable forms of energy.

Significance and the need for Quad's presence and involvement:

Through concerted efforts and tangible strategies, the Quad nations are strategically placed to make an impact
not only on their own problems, but also those of the entire planet. The time has come for them to lead the
path to a truly sustainable future.

What is Quad grouping?

The quadrilateral security dialogue includes Japan, India, United States and Australia.
● All four nations find a common ground of being the democratic nations and common interests of
unhindered maritime trade and security.

Genesis:
The grouping traces its genesis to 2004 when the four countries came together to coordinate relief operations
in the aftermath of the tsunami.
● It then met for the first time in 2007 on the sidelines of the Association of SouthEast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) summit.
● The intention was to enhance maritime cooperation between the four nations.

Significance of the grouping:

● Quad is an opportunity for like-minded countries to share notes and collaborate on projects of mutual
interest.
● Members share a vision of an open and free Indo-Pacific. Each is involved in development and
economic projects as well as in promoting maritime domain awareness and maritime security.
● It is one of the many avenues for interaction among India, Australia, Japan and the US and should not
be seen in an exclusive context.

What are China’s views on the Quad?

There is a general understanding that the Quad would not take on a military dimension against any country.
The strategic community in China, nevertheless, had branded it an emerging “Asian NATO”.
Notably, Japanese PM Shinzo Abe’s “Confluence of Two Seas” address to the Indian Parliament gave a fresh
impetus to the Quad concept. This recognised the economic rise of India.

Insta Curious: Did you know that the US recently became the 101st member of ISA, a re-emphasis of its
commitment to lead broadly in the global fight against climate change?

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Did you know that Japan is slated to host the second in-person meeting of the Quad group next year?

InstaLinks: 3. Countries and important islands in the

Prelims Link: Indian Ocean region.
1. Quad- composition. 4. Geographical overview of Indo-Pacific
2. When was it first proposed? region.
5. Important seas and straits in the region.

Mains Link: A formal revival and re-invigoration of the Quad is called for to maintain peace and tranquillity and
to ensure observance of the UN Law of the Seas. Examine.

Link: https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/how-the-quad-can-help-climate-action-
7736009/lite/.

6. Rooftop solar scheme:

Context:
The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy has allowed households to get rooftop solar panels installed by
themselves or by any vendor of their choice and a photograph of the installed system for distribution utility is
sufficient to avail benefits or subsidy under the Rooftop solar scheme.
● Earlier under the rooftop solar scheme, the households were required to get that from the listed
vendors only to avail the benefits and subsidy under the scheme.

About the scheme:

Implemented by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
Presently under implementation is the Grid-Connected Rooftop Solar Scheme (Phase II): It aims to achieve a
cumulative capacity of 40,000 MW from Rooftop Solar Projects by the year 2022.
This scheme is being implemented in the state by distribution companies (DISCOMs).
● Under this scheme the Ministry is providing a 40% subsidy for the first 3 kW and 20% subsidy beyond 3
kW and upto 10 kW of solar panel capacity.
● The residential consumer has to pay the cost of rooftop solar plant by reducing the subsidy amount
given by the Ministry as per the prescribed rate to the vendor.

The major objective of the programme includes:

● To promote the grid-connected SPV rooftop and small SPV power generating plants among the
residential, community, institutional, industrial and commercial establishments.
● To mitigate the dependence on fossil fuel based electricity generation and encourage environment-
friendly Solar electricity generation.
● To create an enabling environment for investment in the solar energy sector by the private sector,
state government and the individuals.
● To create an enabling environment for the supply of solar power from rooftop and small plants to the
grid.

Benefits of rooftop solar:

● An alternative source of electricity to that provided by the grid.
● Environmental benefits: It reduces the dependence on fossil-fuel generated electricity.
● Ability to provide electricity to those areas that are not yet connected to the grid — remote locations
and areas where the terrain makes it difficult to set up power stations and lay power lines.

What is the potential for rooftop solar in India?

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has pegged the market potential for rooftop solar at 124 GW.

Challenges associated:
• Variability in supply because of variations in efficiency of the solar panels and sunlight.
• Additional cost for storage facilities.

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• Residential areas also come with the associated issues of use restrictions of the roof — if the roof is being
used for solar generation, then it cannot be used for anything else.
• The subsidised tariffs charged to residential customers undermine the economic viability of installing
rooftop solar panels.

Insta Curious:
Have you heard about Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM)?
● The scheme covers grid-connected Renewable Energy power plants (0.5 – 2 MW)/Solar water
pumps/grid connected agriculture pumps.

7. Environment Ministry’s Proposed Changes to Wildlife Act:

Context:
In December 2021, the Union environment ministry announced a plan to amend the Wildlife Act.
● The Act has been amended several times, in 1982, 1986, 1991, 1993, 2002, 2006 and 2013.

Changes proposed:
The proposed amendment is likely the most expansive so far in scope: it covers more areas of legislation, from
trade in wild species to permitting filmmaking in protected areas and controlling the spread of invasive
species.
Positives:
● The Bill increases penalties for wildlife crimes. For example, offences that attracted a fine of Rs 25,000
now attract Rs 1 lakh.
● There’s a new and separate chapter on regulating species involved in international trade according to
the CITES treaty.
● The Bill prohibits possessing, trading and breeding species without prior permissions from CITES
authorities.
● The Bill also recognises threats that invasive alien species pose.

What's missing in the bill? What are the concerns?

The Bill doesn’t include regional invasive species – some of which may be native to the country but invasive in
some parts.
The amendment Bill has no separate Schedule for species the Act classifies as ‘vermin’, so the Centre can
directly notify such species and open them up to be hunted – including some of the species currently in
Schedule II.
The Bill also proposes changes to the Schedules. Foremost, it reduces the number of Schedules from six to
four, to “rationalise” the lists. But the two main substitute Schedules that will specify the protected species are
incomplete.
The Bill will render the existing ‘State Boards for Wildlife’ defunct by replacing it them with set up a ‘Standing
Committee’ of the State Board of Wildlife – headed by the respective state forest minister and 10 members
nominated by the minister.
● The State Boards of Wildlife currently manage the conservation and protection of wildlife at the state
level. The state chief minister sits atop the board and is supported by 20+ members, including of the
state legislature, NGOs, conservationists and representatives of the state forest departments and tribal
welfare.
Under the proposed amendments, the commercial sale and purchase of elephants will no longer be
prohibited under the Act. This clause is prone to abuse and can severely impact elephant populations by
legitimising live trade of elephants.

In 1972, Parliament enacted the Wild Life Act (Protection) Act:

The Wild Life Act provides for:
● state wildlife advisory boards,
● regulations for hunting wild animals and birds
● establishment of sanctuaries and national parks
● regulations for trade in wild animals, animal products and trophies

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 ● judicially imposed penalties for violating the Act
● Harming endangered species listed in Schedule I of the Act is prohibited throughout India.
● Hunting species, like those requiring special protection (Schedule II), big game (Schedule III), and small
game (Schedule IV), is regulated through licensing.
● A few species classified as vermin (Schedule V), may be hunted without restrictions.
● Wildlife wardens and their staff administer the act.
● An amendment to the Act in 1982, introduced a provision permitting the capture and transportation of
wild animals for the scientific management of the animal population.

Constitution of Various Bodies:

The WPA act provides for the constitution of bodies to be established under this act such as the National and
State Board for Wildlife, Central Zoo Authority and National Tiger Conservation Authority.

Constitutional Provisions for Wildlife:

● The 42nd Amendment Act, 1976, Forests and Protection of Wild Animals and Birds was transferred
from State to Concurrent List.
● Article 51 A (g) of the Constitution states that it shall be the fundamental duty of every citizen to
protect and improve the natural environment including forests and Wildlife.
● Article 48 A in the Directive Principles of State policy, mandates that the State shall endeavor to
protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country.

Insta Curious: Did you know that the WLPA contains six Schedules, or lists, at the end of the Act? These
schedules describe the protections or management actions applicable to different species (the basis for
classification isn’t included).

8. 4th Asia Ministerial Conference on tiger conservation:

Context:
4th Asia Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation was recently organised by the Government of Malaysia
and Global Tiger Forum (GTF).
● The conference is an important event for reviewing progress towards the Global Tiger Recovery
Programme and commitments to tiger conservation.

Outcome: The Kuala Lumpur Joint Statement was adopted.

India's statement at the summit:

India will facilitate Tiger Range Countries towards finalisation of New Delhi declaration for the Global Tiger
Summit to be held at Vladivostok, Russia later this year.
A “Pre-Tiger Summit” meeting was held at New Delhi in 2010, wherein the draft declaration on tiger
conservation for Global Tiger Summit was finalised.

India's efforts in tiger conservation:

● India has achieved the remarkable feat of doubling the tiger population in 2018 itself, 4 years ahead of
the targeted year 2022.
● The model of success of India’s tiger governance is now being replicated for other wildlife like the Lion,
Dolphin, Leopard, Snow Leopard and other small wild cats.
● The budgetary allocation for tiger conservation has increased from Rs 185 crore in 2014 to Rs 300 crore
in 2022.
● 14 Tiger Reserves in India have already been awarded with international CA|TS accreditation and
efforts are on to bring in more Tiger Reserves under CA|TS accreditation.
● Approximately 4.3 million man-days of employment are being generated by 51 Tiger Reserves in India
and funds from Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) are
being utilized for promoting voluntary village resettlement from core areas of the Tiger Reserves.

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 ● India is one of the Founding members of the intergovernmental platform of Tiger Range Countries –
Global Tiger Forum, and over the years, GTF has expanded its programme on multiple thematic areas,
while working closely with the Government of India, tiger states in India and tiger range countries.
○ Global Tiger forum is the only intergovernmental international body established with members
from willing countries to embark on a global campaign to protect the tiger.

Two legal instruments that have enabled tiger recoveries in India are:
1. The Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.
2. The Forest (Conservation) Act of 1980, which reinforced Project Tiger.

Conservation Status of Tiger:

1. Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I.
2. International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List: Endangered.
3. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES): Appendix I.

What is Conservation Assured | Tiger Standards (CA|TS)?

CA|TS has been agreed upon as an accreditation tool by the global coalition of Tiger Range Countries (TRCs)
and has been developed by tiger and protected area experts.
● CA|TS is a set of criteria which allows tiger sites to check if their management will lead to successful
tiger conservation.
● It was officially launched in 2013.
● The Global Tiger Forum (GTF) and World Wildlife Fund India are the two implementing partners of the
National Tiger Conservation Authority for CATS assessment in India.

Insta Curious: Did you know that the Global Tiger Day is observed on 29 July? It was created in 2010 at the
Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit.

InstaLinks: 5. NTCA- composition and functions.

Prelims Link: 6. Why the fourth cycle of the All India Tiger
1. Differences between National Parks, Estimation 2018 entered Guinness Record
wildlife sanctuaries and biosphere reserves. book recently?
2. M-STrIPES is related to? 7. State with highest number of tigers.
3. What is GTIC? 8. State with highest tiger density.
4. When was project tiger launched?

Mains Link: The centrality of tiger agenda is an ecological necessity for the sustainability of our environment. In
this context, examine the steps taken by India to conserve tigers?

9. Rivival of Saraswati river:

Context:
The governments of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh
have entered into an agreement to build a dam at Adi
Badri in Yamunanagar district, which, among others, will
rejuvenate the mythical Saraswati river.
● Adi Badri, situated in Haryana near the
Himachal Pradesh border, is believed to be the
river’s origin point.

Committee to study the river:

The Centre, in 2021, reconstituted an advisory
committee to chalk out a plan for studying the mythical
Sarasvati river for the next two years, after the earlier
panel’s term ended in 2019.

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 ● The ASI had first set up the committee on
December 28, 2017 for a period of two years.

About Saraswati:
The river, which had originated from Kapal tirith in the
Himalayas in the west of Kailash, was flowing southward
to Mansarovar and then taking a turn towards west.
The river flowed through Haryana, Rajasthan and North
Gujarat. It also flowed through Pakistan before meeting
Western Sea through Rann of Kutch and was
approximately 4,000 km in length.
● The river had two branches: western and
eastern. The Himalayan-born Satluj “of the
PAST”, which flowed through the channels of
present-day Ghaggar-Patialiwali rivulets,
represents the western branch of the ancient river.
● On the other hand, Markanda and Sarsuti represented the western branch of Saraswati, known as
Tons-Yamuna.
● The confluence of the branches was near Shatrana, 25 km south of Patiala. And suddenly, it flows
crossing the dessert (Rann of Kutch) and meet gulf of western sea.

Historical evidence:
● The Sarasvati River is one of the main
Rigvedic rivers mentioned in the scripture
Rig Veda and later Vedic and post-Vedic
texts.
● Book 6 of the Rig Veda includes a hymn
called the ‘Nadistuti Sukta’, which sings
praises of the Saraswati as being “perfect
mother, unsurpassed river, supreme
goddess”.
● For 2000 years, between 6000 and 4000
B.C., the Saraswati flowed as a great
river.

InstaLinks:
Prelims Link:
1. About the river. 3. Other Himalayan rivers.
2. Its origin, basin states and tributaries.

Topics: Disaster and management.

1. Sixth mass extinction
Context:
The ongoing sixth mass extinction may be one of the most serious environmental threats to the persistence of
civilisation, according to new research.
● Earth was once home to two million known species. According to the study, however, since 1500, as
many as 7.5%-13% of these species may have been lost. That numbers anywhere from 150,000 to
260,000 different species.

What is the mass extinction of species?

Mass extinction refers to a substantial increase in the degree of extinction or when the Earth loses more than
three-quarters of its species in a geologically short period of time.
So far, during the entire history of the Earth, there have been five mass extinctions.

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Reasons and impacts:
● The five mass extinctions that took place in the
last 450 million years have led to the
destruction of 70-95 per cent of the species of
plants, animals and microorganisms that
existed earlier.
● These extinctions were caused by
“catastrophic alterations” to the
environment, such as massive volcanic
eruptions, depletion of oceanic oxygen or
collision with an asteroid.
● After each of these extinctions, it took millions
of years to regain species comparable to those
that existed before the event.

What is the sixth mass extinction?

The sixth, which is ongoing, is referred to as the
Anthropocene extinction.
Researchers have described it as the “most serious
environmental problem” since the loss of species will
be permanent.

Why it is attributable to humans?

One of the reasons that humanity is an
“unprecedented threat” to many living organisms is
because of their growing numbers.
The loss of species has been occurring since human ancestors developed agriculture over 11,000 years ago.
Since then, the human population has increased from about 1 million to 7.7 billion.

Changes occurred and occurring:

● More than 400 vertebrate species went extinct in the last century, extinctions that would have taken
over 10,000 years in the normal course of evolution.
● In a sample of 177 species of large mammals, most lost more than 80 per cent of their geographic
range in the last 100 years, and 32 per cent of over 27,000 vertebrate species have declining
populations.
● Many of the species currently endangered or on the brink of extinction are being decimated by legal
and illegal wildlife trade.
● Several species of mammals that were relatively safe one or two decades ago are now endangered,
including cheetahs, lions and giraffes. There are as few as 20,000 lions left in the wild, less than 7,000
cheetahs, 500 to 1,000 giant pandas, and about 250 Sumatran rhinoceros.

Vulnerable regions:
● Tropical regions have seen the highest number of declining species. In South and Southeast Asia,
large-bodied species of mammals have lost more than four-fifths of their historical ranges.
● While fewer species are disappearing in temperate zones, the percentage is just as high or higher. As
many as half of the number of animals that once shared our planet are no longer here, a loss
described as “a massive erosion of the greatest biological diversity in the history of Earth”.

What happens when species go extinct?

Impact can be tangible such as in the form of a loss in crop pollination and water purification.
If a species has a specific function in an ecosystem, the loss can lead to consequences for other species by
impacting the food chain.
Effects of extinction will worsen in the coming decades as the resulting genetic and cultural variability will
change entire ecosystems.

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 ● When the number of individuals in a population or species drops too low, its contributions to
ecosystem functions and services become unimportant, its genetic variability and resilience is reduced,
and its contribution to human welfare may be lost.

InstaLinks: 2. Previous extinctions and the factors

Prelims Link: responsible.
1. What is mass extinction? 3. The sixth mass extinction and factors
responsible.

Topics: Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal
security.
1. Assam-Meghalaya border dispute:
Context:
Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to seal the final agreement to end the dispute in six areas of the Assam-
Meghalaya boundary ahead of Meghalaya’s 50th Statehood Day celebration on January 21.

What's the dispute?

Assam and Meghalaya share an 885-km-long border. Meghalaya was carved out of Assam under the Assam
Reorganisation Act, 1971, a law that it challenged, leading to disputes.
● As of now, there are 12 points of dispute along their borders. These include the areas of Upper
Tarabari, Gazang reserve forest, Hahim, Langpih, Borduar, Boklapara, Nongwah, Matamur, Khanapara-
Pilangkata, Deshdemoreah Block I and Block II, Khanduli and Retacherra.

Langpih:
A major point of contention between Assam and Meghalaya is the district of Langpih in West Garo Hills
bordering the Kamrup district of Assam.
● Langpih was part of the Kamrup district during the British colonial period but post-Independence, it
became part of the Garo Hills and Meghalaya.
● Assam considers it to be part of the Mikir Hills in Assam. Meghalaya has questioned Blocks I and II of
the Mikir Hills -now Karbi Anglong region - being part of Assam. Meghalaya says these were parts of
erstwhile United Khasi and Jaintia Hills districts.

Efforts to solve the dispute:

● Both Assam and Meghalaya have constituted border dispute settlement committees.
● Recently, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Meghalaya counterpart Conrad Sangma
decided to set up two regional committees to resolve the border disputes in a phased manner.
● Sarma recently said five aspects were to be considered in resolving the border dispute. They are
historical facts, ethnicity, administrative convenience, mood and sentiments of the people concerned
and the contiguity of the land.

Assam and border issues:

● The states of the Northeast were largely carved out of Assam, which has border disputes with several
states. Assam's border disputes with Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland are pending in the Supreme
Court.
● Assam's border disputes with Meghalaya and Mizoram are currently in the phase of resolution through
negotiations. The border dispute with Mizoram recently turned violent, leading to intervention from
the Centre.

Topics: Challenges to internal security through communication networks, role of media and
social networking sites in internal security challenges, basics of cyber security; money-
laundering and its prevention
1. Plea on Hate Speech in Supreme Court:
Context:

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On January 12, 2022 , the Supreme Court of India agreed to hear petitions asking for legal action to be taken
against the organisers of, and speakers at, the “Hardwar Dharma Sansad”.

What's the issue?

During this Dharma Sansad, that had taken place between December 19 and 21, numerous speeches had been
made.
● These speeches ranged from open calls to violence (“… waging a war that would be more gruesome
than 1857” or “if you want to eliminate their [i.e., Muslim] population, then kill them”), to the
economic and social boycott of Muslims (“… there is no Muslim buyer here, so throw that [Muslim]
vendor out”), and to dog-whistles, (such as drawing comparisons to the ethnic cleansing of Rohingya
Muslims in Myanmar).

Similar petitions in the Court:

Two petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court on hate speeches in the recent past.
1. One petition asked the court to issue directions for action in such cases.
2. The second plea sought special provisions, insisting that the IPC wasn’t enough to deal with hate
speech and rumour mongering.
Both petitions relied on a 2020 Supreme Court decision in Amish Devgun case where hate speech was linked
to the violation of unity and fraternity and breach of human dignity, which constitutes an essential facet of the
right to life and liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution.

What's the issue?

The petitioners were concerned over concerted events in the recent past that targeted political, social and
economic exclusion of Muslims through a series of rallies and hate speeches.
● The petitioners sought implementation of guidelines on hate speech passed by Supreme Court in 2014
and on mob violence and lynching events in a subsequent decision in 2018.

What is Hate Speech?

Hate speech is an incitement to hatred against a particular group of persons marginalized by their religious
belief, sexual orientation, gender, and so on.
● The Law Commission, in its 267th report on hate speech, said such utterances have the potential to
provoke individuals and society to commit acts of terrorism, genocide, and ethnic cleansing.

How is it treated in Indian law?

Sections 153A and 505 of the Indian Penal Code are generally taken to be the main penal provisions that deal
with inflammatory speeches and expressions that seek to punish ‘hate speech’.

Why Hate Speech Must be curbed?

1. Internal Security: The Muzaffarnagar riots of 2013 was triggered by a fake video that incited communal
passions.
2. Igniting extremist sentiments.
3. Mob lynching.
4. Misinformation and disinformation: Delhi Riots.

Measures:
1. The world’s biggest social media companies, including Facebook, Google, Twitter and ByteDance, are
exploring an industry-wide alliance to curb fake news on their platforms in India.
2. The Election Commission of India must tie up with tech companies to identify the creator of such news.
3. Educating the end-users.
4. The government should bring out a policy framework on the possible harm due to the internet
messaging platforms to engage at a deeper level.
5. Imposing hefty fines, like in Germany the Social media companies face fines of up to €50m if they
persistently fail to remove illegal content from their sites.

Need of the hour:

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 ● Hate speech is a discursive process of pushing marginalised groups outside of social, economic and
political spheres of society by disseminating hate propaganda and encouraging discrimination. At its
most harmful, it is widely recognized as a precursor to ethnic cleansing.
● Public authorities must be held accountable for dereliction of the duty of care and also for non-
compliance with this court’s orders by not taking action to prevent vigilante groups from inciting
communal disharmony and spreading hate against citizens of the country and taking the laws into their
own hands.

InstaLinks: 4. Regulation of Hate speech under IT Act.

Prelims Link:
1. About Information Technology Act. Mains Link: What is Hate speech? How it should be
2. Section 66A of the Act. curbed? Discuss.
3. About the Law Commission of India.

Topics: Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate.

1. Multi Agency Centre (MAC):
Context:
The Union government has asked the States to share more intelligence inputs through the Multi Agency Centre
(MAC).

Need for:
● States are often reluctant to share information on the platform.
● There are several gaps in sharing critical information at the right time.
● Plans are afoot for more than a decade to link the system up to the district level.

About MAC:
● It is a common counter-terrorism grid under the Intelligence Bureau that was made operational in
2001 following the Kargil War.
● As many as 28 organisations, including the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), armed forces and
State police, are part of the platform.
● Various security agencies share real-time intelligence inputs on the MAC.
● Now functioning 24/7 as the nodal body for sharing intelligence inputs, MAC coordinates with
representatives from numerous agencies, different ministries, both central and state.

Do you know about the NATGRID?

First conceptualised in 2009, NATGRID seeks to become the one-stop destination for security and intelligence
agencies to access database related to immigration entry and exit, banking and telephone details of a suspect
on a “secured platform”.

2. Special Protection Group (SPG) Act:

Context:
The Centre is considering action under the Special Protection Group (SPG) Act against Punjab Police officers
following the alleged breach in security of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Punjab recently.

What next?
The Centre is preparing to take action against erring officials under provisions of the SPG Act. This could entail
summoning the officers responsible to Delhi or instituting a central-level inquiry against them.

What does the SPG Act say on PM's security?

Protocols are set by the SPG for the PM’s movement.
● Section 14 of the SPG Act makes the state government responsible for providing all assistance to the
SPG during the PM’s movement.

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Genesis of SPG:
● In March 1985, following the recommendations of a committee set up by the Home Ministry, a special
unit was created for this purpose under the Cabinet Secretariat. This unit, initially called the Special
Protection Unit, was renamed as Special Protection Group in April 1985.
● Subsequently, the Parliament passed The Special Protection Group (SPG) Act, which was notified in
June 1988 “to provide for the constitution and regulation of an armed force of the Union for providing
proximate security to the Prime Minister of India and for matters connected therewith”.

Insta Curious: India has several Special Forces (SF) units working under the commands of the Indian Armed
Forces, Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force. Do you know which are those? Reference: read this.

InstaLinks: 2. SPG.
Prelims Link: 3. NSG.
Overview of: 4. COBRA.
1. Marcos. 5. Ghatak force.

Mains Link: What are Indian Special Forces (SF)? Discuss their significance.

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FACTS FOR PRELIMS
1. Malabar Naval Exercise:
● Malabar is the most complex naval exercise India does with any other country.
● Malabar, which began as a bilateral exercise between India and the U.S. in 1992 and became multilateral
with the addition of Australia and Japan, has also significantly grown in scope and complexity.
● Twenty-five editions of the exercise have been conducted till date with the last edition conducted in two
phases in August and October 2021.

2. Two plant species discovered in Kerala:

Researchers have reported two new plant species from the biodiversity-rich Western Ghats regions in
Thiruvananthapuram and Wayanad districts.
They have been christened Fimbristylis sunilii and Neanotis prabhuii.
● Collected from the grasslands of Ponmudi hills, Thiruvananthapuram, Fimbristylis sunilii has
been named after plant taxonomist C.N. Sunil. It has been provisionally assessed as data
deficient (DD) under the IUCN Red List categories.
● Neanotis prabhuii has been discovered in the Chembra Peak grasslands of
Wayanad. It hails from the family Rubiaceae and grows on high-altitude
grasslands. It has been categorised data deficient (DD).

3. Institute of Mathematical Sciences is 60:

● The Institute of Mathematical
Sciences (Matscience), Chennai came
into the 60th year of its existence on
January 3 this year.
● On January 3, 1962, Matscience was
founded in Chennai by Alladi
Ramakrishnan.
● Nobel Laureate Subrahmanyam
Chandrasekhar gave the inaugural
lecture that sparked off its journey.
● In 1984, the Department of Atomic
Energy (DAE) took charge of the
institute.

4. RBI approves small, offline e-payments:

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has come out with the framework for facilitating small-value digital payments
in offline mode, a move that would promote digital payments in semi-urban and rural areas.

What are Offline E-payments?

● Offline digital payment does not require Internet or telecom connectivity.
● Such payments can be carried out face-to-face (proximity mode) using any channel or instrument like
cards, wallets and mobile devices.
● Such transactions would not require an Additional Factor of Authentication.
● Since the transactions are offline, alerts (by way of SMS and/or e-mail) will be received by the customer
after a time lag.
● There is a limit of ₹200 per transaction and an overall limit of ₹2,000 until the balance in the account is
replenished.

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5. Reovirus:
Andhra Pradesh recently found that ‘Mud Crab Reovirus (MCRV)’ has been the reason for mass mortality of
wild crab (Scylla serrata).
● Mud Crab Reovirus belongs the “Reoviridae” family. It is responsible for the mass mortality of wild crabs.
The virus mainly affects the connective tissue of hepatopancreas, intestine and gills.
● It is also known as Sleeping Disease.
● It mainly affects the connective tissue of hepatopancreas, gills, and intestine.

6. NEAT 3.0:
Recently, the Union Education Minister launched National Educational Alliance for Technology (NEAT) 3.0.
● The Ministry of Education had announced NEAT as a Public-Private partnership model between the
Government (through its implementing agency AICTE) and the Education Technology companies across
India.
● It is an initiative to provide the use of best-developed technological solutions in the education sector to
enhance the employability of the youth on a single platform for learners' convenience.
● These solutions use artificial intelligence for a personalised and customised learning experience for better
learning outcomes and skill development in niche areas.

7. Horn of Africa:
● Horn of Africa is the easternmost extension of African land and
includes the region that is home to the countries of Djibouti,
Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia, whose cultures have been linked
throughout their long history.
● It juts hundreds of kilometres into the Arabian Sea and Indian
Ocean, lying along the southern side of the Gulf of Aden.
Why in News?
China set to name envoy to Horn of Africa.

8. Sea Dragon Exercise:

India is among the six Indo-Pacific nations participating in Sea Dragon Exercise- a multi-lateral anti-submarine
warfare exercise in the Pacific Ocean.
● Participants: Navies of the US, India, Australia, Canada, Japan and South Korea.
● Sea Dragon is a US-led multi-national exercise designed to practice and discuss Anti-submarine warfare
tactics to operate together in response to traditional and non-traditional maritime security challenges in
the Indo-Pacific region.

9. India's first open rock museum:

The Ministry of Science & Technology has inaugurated India’s
first open rock museum displaying different types of rocks
gathered from different States of ages ranging from 3.3 billion
years to around 55 million years.
● These rocks also represent the deepest part of the earth up
to 175 kms of distance from the surface of the earth.

10. Article 348 (1):

Article 348 (1) of the Constitution of India provides that all proceedings in the Supreme Court and in every
High court shall be in English Language until Parliament by law otherwise provides.
● Under Article 348 (2), the Governor of the State may, with the previous consent of the President, authorize
the use of the Hindi language or any other language used for any official purpose of the State, in the
proceedings of the High Court having its principal seat in that State provided that decrees, judgments or
orders passed by such High Courts shall be in English.

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Why in News?
A Division Bench of the Gujarat High Court recently asked a journalist facing contempt of court proceedings to
speak only in English as that was the language in the higher judiciary.

11. IAC Vikrant:

INS Vikrant (IAC-I) is the first aircraft carrier built in India and the first Vikrant-class aircraft carrier built by
Cochin Shipyard (CSL) in Kochi, Kerala for the Indian Navy.
● It has been designed by the Indian Navy’s Directorate of
Naval Design (DND), and is being built at Cochin Shipyard
Limited (CSL), a public sector shipyard under the Ministry of
Shipping.
● The IAC-1, the biggest warship made indigenously, has an
overall length of 263 m and a breadth of 63 m.
● It is capable of carrying 30 assorted aircraft including
combat jets and helicopters.

12. SKOCH Award:

The project named Mission Parvarish to combat malnourishment among children aged six months to five
years has earned the SKOCH Award for southern Assam’s Cachar district.
● The programme was launched during the “nutrition month” in 2020.
● The programme entailed a coordinated socio-economic approach for malnourished children of families
below the poverty line.
● Government agencies, local civic bodies, NGOs and businessmen had come together to provide nutritional
support to such children.
About the Award:
● Instituted in 2003, SKOCH Award recognises people, projects and institutions that go the extra mile to
make India a better nation.
● The Award is presented by the 'Skoch Group' for best efforts in digital, financial and social inclusion.
It is given in the areas of digital, financial and social inclusion; governance; inclusive growth; excellence in
technology and applications; change management; corporate leadership; corporate governance; citizen service
delivery; capacity building; empowerment and other such softer issues.

13. Reciprocal Access Agreement:

Recently, Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) was signed between Australia and Japan to bolster security ties
against the backdrop of rising Chinese military and economic might.
● The Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA), Japan’s first with any country, will allow the Australian and
Japanese militaries to work seamlessly with each other on defence and humanitarian operations.

14. SAAR Program:

Recently, Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has launched Smart cities and Academia Towards
Action & Research (SAAR), which is a joint initiative of MoHUA, National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) and
leading Indian academic institutions of the country.
● The initiative has been launched as a part of the Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav (AKAM) celebrations across the
country.
● Under the program, 15 premier architecture & planning institutes of the country will be working with
Smart Cities to document landmark projects undertaken by the Smart Cities Mission.
● The documents will capture the learnings from best practices, provide opportunities for engagement on
urban development projects to students, and enable real-time information flow between urban
practitioners and academia.

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15. Universal Accessibility in India:
The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) has released the “Harmonised Guidelines and Standards for
Universal Accessibility in India”.
Highlights:
● The new guidelines have covered several aspects of built environment, ranging from design plan to the
implementation.
● As per new guidelines, ramps are significant for providing an accessible mobility option. But ramps should
adhere to given guidelines.
● Guidelines have been provided for persons with disabilities (PwD) as well as for those involved in planning
projects, starting from construction of government buildings to master-planning cities.
● It calls to incorporate accessibility symbols for PwD, family-friendly facilities and transgender, among the
symbols for other user groups.

16. Bhungloti:
● Bhungloti is a creeper that in combination with the pith of the roots of a jackfruit tree yielded a saffron dye.
● This was mainly used by Buddhist Bhikkus in Assam.
● A Buddhist village in eastern Assam’s Charaideo district has also adopted a forest to preserve this- Chala
Reserve Forest.

17. Extended Producer Responsibility:

The environment ministry has released a draft notification to implement extended producer responsibility
(EPR) for waste tyre management.
● This extension of EPR requires the manufacturers and importers of tyres to also handle their disposal
after consumers have used them.
Need for:
India is the world’s third largest producer and fourth largest consumer of natural rubber. Within the country,
the automobile industry is the largest consumer.
● With the rate of growth of the automobile industry, this number is only set to increase. An “environmental
research and action group” called Chintan reported in 2017 that by 2035, there will be around 80.1 million
passenger vehicles (cars and utility vehicles) and 236.4 million two wheelers on the roads.
● Pollution from these sources is a big concern.
What is EPR?
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a policy approach under which producers are given a significant
responsibility – financial/ physical for the treatment or disposal of post-consumer products.
● It helps advance the circular economy, decreases the environmental impact from a product and its
packaging, and promotes the principle of “polluter pays” by holding the producer accountable for the
entire lifecycle of the product.
● India first introduced EPR in 2011 under the Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011 and E-
Waste Management and Handling Rules, 2011.

18. Jagannath temple:

The Odisha state cabinet has approved amendments to the Sri Jagannath Temple Act of 1954.
● Odisha Govt. has taken this historic step in order to simplify issues pertaining to land owned by the
Jagannath Temple.
● With this amendment, the temple administration and concerned officials now have the power to sell or
lease out temple land, without any approval from the state government.

About Jagannath Temple:

Construction:
● It is believed to be constructed in the 12th century by King Anatavarman Chodaganga Deva of the Eastern
Ganga Dynasty.
● The temple is a part of Char Dham (Badrinath, Dwaraka, Puri, Rameswaram) pilgrimages that a Hindu is
expected to make in one’s lifetime.
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Architecture:
● This temple was called the “White Pagoda” and is a part of Char Dham pilgrimages (Badrinath, Dwaraka,
Puri, Rameswaram).
● There are four gates to the temple- Eastern ‘Singhdwara’ which is the main gate with two crouching lions,
Southern ‘Ashwadwara’, Western ‘Vyaghra Dwara and Northern ‘Hastidwara’. There is a carving of each
form at each gate.
● The Nilachakra – Or the Blue wheel perched on top of the temple is made of eight metals or asta dhatu.
● In front of the entrance stands the Aruna stambha or sun pillar, which was originally at the Sun Temple in
Konark.

19. Gateway to Hell:

Turkmenistan’s President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov recently ordered officials to find a method of finally
extinguishing the ‘Gateway to Hell’ in the country.
● Turkmenistan’s Gateway to hell, also known as The Darvaza Crater, is 225 feet wide and 99 feet deep. It has
a diameter of 70 metres, across an area of 5.5 square metres.
● It is a natural gas field collapsed into a cavern near Darvaza in Turkmenistan.
● It is the raging flames, burning for five decades in a large natural gas crater.

How was the Door to Hell created?

● It is believed that, in 1971, a simple miscalculation by Soviet scientists led to the creation of this crater.
● The Soviet scientists had underestimated the amount of fuel laying below. Their boring equipment drilled
through an underground cavern. Because of this, a deep sinkhole was created.
● After the gas driller fell into the pit, scientists were concerned that the crater
would release noxious gases. Toxic methane gas had already started leaking
into the atmosphere.
● Thus, in order to stop the methane from reaching neighbouring areas and
causing damage to the environment & living organisms, scientists decided to
set the crater ablaze.

20. What is a Sikh Takht?

Delhi Assembly has passed an amendment bill to “Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Act, 1971” which recognises the “Takht
Damdama Sahib” as fifth Takht of Sikhs.
● Takht (Throne) is a seat of temporal authority for Sikhs. Presently, there are five Sikh Takhts. Out of them,
three are in Punjab, one in Maharashtra and one in Bihar.
● The Sikh Takhts issue hukumnamas from time to time on issues related with Sikh community. Since, Akal
Takht is supreme among them, any order concerning the entire community is issued from Akal Takht.

21. Indu Malhotra Panel:

The Supreme Court has appointed an inquiry committee under its former judge Justice Indu Malhotra to
probe the security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Punjab on January 5.
● The committee will look into who is responsible for the security breach and suggest what safeguards
are necessary for the security of the PM and Constitutional functionaries.

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22. BARC:
● It is an industry body jointly owned by advertisers, ad agencies, and broadcasting companies,
represented by The Indian Society of Advertisers, the Indian Broadcasting Foundation and the Advertising
Agencies Association of India.
● Created in 2010.
● I&B Ministry notified the Policy Guidelines for Television Rating Agencies in India on January 10, 2014 and
registered BARC in July 2015 under these guidelines, to carry out television ratings in India.
Context:
Ratings by Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) for the news channels will resume, after the
organisation revised its procedures and protocols. The ratings were suspended after the Mumbai police busted
a racket involving a private channel’s efforts to tamper the ratings.

23. Henley Passport Index:

● India now ranks at 83rd position in the Henley Passport Index, climbing seven places from 90th rank last
year.
● India shares the rank with Sao Tome and Principe in Central Africa, behind Rwanda and Uganda.
● It now has visa-free access to 60 destinations worldwide with Oman and Armenia being the latest
additions. It has added 35 more destinations since 2006.
● Japan and Singapore has topped the list.
● The passport of the Maldives is the most powerful in South Asia (58th) enabling visa-free entry to 88
countries.
● In South Asia, Bangladesh (103rd) is ahead of Pakistan (108th) and Nepal (105th).

About the Henley Passport Index:

● The Henley & Partners publishes the ranking and the Index of the world’s passports according to the
number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa.
● It was launched in 2005.
● The ranking is based on data from the IATA (International Air Transport Association), a trade association of
some 290 airlines, including all major carriers.
● The index includes 199 different passports and 227 different travel destinations.
● The data are updated in real time as and when visa policy changes come into effect.

24. Siachen Glacier:

● It is located in the Eastern Karakoram range in the Himalayas.
● It is the Second-Longest glacier in the World's Non-Polar
areas.
● The Siachen Glacier lies immediately south of the great
drainage divide that separates the Eurasian Plate from the
Indian subcontinent.
Context:
In a significant statement, Army chief General M.M. Naravane
recently said India “is not averse” to the demilitarisation of the
Siachen Glacier, on the condition that Pakistan accepts the Actual
Ground Position Line (AGPL) dividing the two countries’ positions.
● The Army chief said the militarisation of Siachen was a result of an attempt by Pakistan to unilaterally
change the status quo in late 1984, forcing India to take countermeasures.

25. New ISRO Chief:

S Somanath was recently appointed the tenth chairman of the Indian Space Research
Organisation (ISRO). He will assume the charge as the Secretary of the Department of
Space and the Chairman, Space Commission, upon the superannuation of K Sivan later
this week.

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26. What are net zero buildings?
A net-zero energy building is one that relies on renewable sources to produce as much energy as it uses,
usually as measured over the course of a year.
● Homes and other structures that
create almost as much energy as
they use are sometimes called
near-zero energy buildings.
● It is also possible for a building to
produce an energy surplus,
sending excess back to the
electrical grid.
Net-zero energy buildings start with
energy-conscious design. Many
features work without an energy
source. For example:
1. In cold climates, south-facing
buildings with large expanses of windows on that side can produce heat through passive solar gain.
2. On the cold north side of the building, smaller windows can angle to wider openings, permitting more light
while limiting heat loss.
3. In warmer seasons, passive ventilation systems can pull cool air up from the lower levels and vent it
through the building's highest point.
4. Rooftop systems can collect rainwater to reduce usage of treated water.

27. Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC):

The United Kingdom-based Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) has listed five sites with unusual
features. These sites are associated with World War I and World War II.
● Among them is Nagaland's Kohima War Cemetery.
○ The Kohima War Cemetery is a memorial dedicated to the soldiers of the 2nd British Division of the
Allied Forces who died in World War II at Kohima in April 1944. The soldiers died on the
battleground of Garrison Hill in the tennis court area of the Deputy Commissioner’s residence.
● Among the other unusual sites listed by CWGC are the World War I “crater cemeteries” – Zivy Crater and
Litchfield Crater – in the Pas de Calais region in France. The craters were caused by mine explosions.
● Another site listed is the Nicosia (Waynes Keep) Cemetery or the “cemetery in no man’s land” in Cyprus,
requiring the presence of armed guards. This is because the cemetery is on the border of a patch of land
disputed between the southern and northern parts of the island since the 1970s.
CWGC is an intergovernmental organisation of six member-states who ensure the men and women who died in
the wars will never be forgotten.
● The commission was founded by Sir Fabian Ware and constituted through Royal Charter in 1917 as
the Imperial War Graves Commission.
● Membership: Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Kingdom.

28. Har Gobind Khorana:

Recently, the 100th birth anniversary of the biochemist and chemical biologist Har Gobind Khorana was
observed.
About Har Gobind Khorana:
Born: January 9, 1922, Raipur, India [now Raipur, Pakistan].
Research and Contribution: He began research on nucleic acids during a fellowship
at the University of Cambridge (1951) under Sir Alexander Todd.
● He made another contribution to genetics in 1970 when he and his research
team were able to synthesize the first artificial copy of a yeast gene.
● His later research explored the molecular mechanisms underlying the cell signalling pathways of vision in
vertebrates.

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● His studies were concerned primarily with the structure and function of rhodopsin, a light-sensitive protein
found in the retina of the vertebrate eye.
● He also investigated mutations in rhodopsin that are associated with retinitis pigmentosa, which causes
night blindness.
Awards: He shared the 1968 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine with Marshall W. Nirenberg and Robert
W. Holley for research that helped to show how the nucleotides in nucleic acids, which carry the genetic code
of the cell, control the cell’s synthesis of proteins.
● In addition to the Nobel Prize, Khorana received the Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award (1968)
and the National Medal of Science (1987).
● The Indian government awarded Khorana the Padma Vibhushan in 1969.

29. Pandit Birju Maharaj and Kathak:

Recently, the famous Kathak dancer Birju Maharaj, who took the traditional
Indian dance form 'Kathak' to the world stage passed away.
He was one of India's most famous and favorite artists, belonged to the Kalka-
Bindadin gharana of Lucknow, a classical Kathak dance form. He was born on
February 4, 1938 in Lucknow.
Awards: Padma Vibhushan in 1983, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and Kalidas
Samman.
About Kathak:
● Kathak is the only form of classical dance wedded to Hindustani or the North Indian music. Both of them
have had a parallel growth, each feeding and sustaining the other. (Odissi dance uses Odissi music which is
blend of Hindustani and Carnatic).
● Kathak is one of the main genres of ancient Indian classical dance and is traditionally regarded to have
originated from the travelling bards of North India referred as Kathakars or storytellers.

30. Eastern swamp deer:

● The population of the vulnerable eastern swamp deer, extinct elsewhere in South Asia, has dipped in the
Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve.
● Officials attributed the decrease from 907 individuals in 2018 to 868 during the Eastern Swamp Deer
Estimation on January 10 and 11 to two high floods in 2019 and 2020.

31. About swamp deer:

● The barasingha, also called swamp deer, deer is endemic to Kaziranga.
● The eastern swamp deer was once concentrated in the central Kohora and
Bagori ranges of Kaziranga.
● IUCN status: Vulnerable.
● State animal of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
● Range: central and northern India and southern Nepal.
● India: Assam, Jumna River, Ganges River, Brahmaputra River, Madhya Pradesh, Utter Pradesh, and
Arunachal Pradesh.

32. Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited (IREDA):

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the equity infusion of Rs.1500 crore in Indian
Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited (IREDA).
About IREDA:
● Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited (IREDA) is a Mini Ratna (Category – I) Government
of India Enterprise under the administrative control of Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
● IREDA is a Public Limited Government Company established as a Non-Banking Financial Institution in 1987
engaged in promoting, developing and extending financial assistance for setting up projects relating to new
and renewable sources of energy and energy efficiency/conservation with the motto: “ENERGY FOR EVER”.

The main objectives of IREDA are:

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● To give financial support to specific projects and schemes for generating electricity and / or energy through
new and renewable sources and conserving energy through energy efficiency.
● To maintain its position as a leading organization to provide efficient and effective financing in renewable
energy and energy efficiency / conservation projects.
● To increase IREDA`s share in the renewable energy sector by way of innovative financing.
● Improvement in the efficiency of services provided to customers through continual improvement of
systems, processes and resources.
● To strive to be competitive institution through customer satisfaction.

33. Gherkins:
India has emerged as the largest exporter of gherkins
in the world.
● Also known as pickling cucumber.
● Gherkin cultivation, processing and exports started
in India during the early 1990s with a modest
beginning in Karnataka and later extended to the
neighbouring states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh
and Telangana.
● Nearly 15% production of the world’s gherkin
requirement is grown in India.

34. Abide With Me:

Abide With Me is the Christian hymn.
● Penned in the pre-modern world by Henry Francis Lyte, a Scottish Anglican minister and son of a naval
captain, the hymn, which is known for its simplicity and sombre theme, is often sung to English composer
William Henry Monk’s evocative tune Eventide, and has been a fixture in the Indian Beating Retreat
ceremony since 1950.
● It is always the last piece to be played by the brass bands before the troops recede up Raisina Hill to the
tune of poet Allama Iqbal’s Saarejahan se achha.
● It was recently dropped from Beating Retreat ceremony by the government.
○ Abide With Me has been replaced by Kavi Pradeep’s seminal piece Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon,
which was written in the wake of the Sino-Indian War, and went on to become a tableau of Indian
nationalism.
○ The song was first sung on January 27, 1963. Composed by C Ramachandra and sung by Lata
Mangeshkar.

About Beating Retreat Ceremony:

● It officially denotes the end of Republic Day festivities.
● It is conducted on the evening of 29 January, the third day after the Republic Day.
● It is organized by Section D of the Ministry of Defence.

35. Living root bridges:

● Also known as Jing Kieng Jri, these are aerial bridges built by
weaving and manipulating the roots of the Indian rubber tree-
(Ficus elastica).
● They have been serving as connectors for generations in
Meghalaya.
● Built over centuries, the bridges, primarily a means to cross
streams and rivers, have also become world-famous tourist
attractions.
Context:
The Zoological Survey of India has underlined some green rules for the living root bridges of Meghalaya to get
the UNESCO World Heritage Site tag.
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36. Two species of fungi associated with basal stem rot found:
Researchers from Kerala have identified two new species of fungi
from the genus Ganoderma that are associated with coconut
stem rot disease.
● The two Fungi species have been named Ganoderma
Keralense and Ganoderma Pseudoapplanatum.
The basal stem rot of coconut is known by several names in
different parts of India:
1. Ganoderma wilt in Andhra Pradesh.
2. Anaberoga in Karnataka.
3. Thanjavur wilt in Tamil Nadu.

37. Kerala gets its first ever scientific bird atlas:

The first-of-its-kind State-level bird atlas in India, has been created with The Kerala Bird Atlas (KBA).
● KBA is said to be Asia’s largest bird atlas in terms of geographical extent.
● KBA has been conducted as a citizen science-driven exercise with the participation of over 1,000
volunteers of the birdwatching community.

38. What is G23?

It is a group of 23 senior Congress leaders seeking an organizational overhaul in the
Congress party in view of frequent failures at the elections.
● It includes important leaders like Ghulam Nabi Azad, Kapil Sibal, Shashi
Tharoor, Manish Tiwari etc. Many of them have been union ministers,
chief ministers or the party's state unit chiefs.
Why are they demanding reforms?
The Congress party’s electoral downfall started with its rout in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The Grand Old
Party’s mass-base started thinning across the nation, barring a few states, triggering whispers of a need for
reforming Congress from within.

39. Pakistan's first female Supreme Court judge sworn in:

● Pakistan's first female Supreme Court judge has been sworn in in the capital
Islamabad.
● Ayesha Malik, 55, now sits on a bench with 16 other male colleagues in the
Muslim-majority country's top court.
● Lawyers and activists said it was a rare victory after decades of struggle to
get representation for women in Pakistan's male-dominated society.
So far, It was the only South Asian country to have never had a female Supreme Court judge, according to
Human Rights Watch. In addition, only 4% of Pakistan's high court judges are women.

40. Smriti Mandhana wins ICC women’s Cricketer of the Year:

● India’s swashbuckling opener Smriti Mandhana has been named the ICC
Women’s Cricketer of the Year for her incredible run of form across all
formats in 2021.
● Mandhana was short-listed for the top award — the Rachael Heyhoe Flint
Trophy — along with Tammy Beaumont of England, Lizelle Lee of South
Africa and Gaby Lewis of Ireland.

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41. Why Republic Day is celebrated on January 26th?
The Constitution came into effect on January 26, 1950, a date specially chosen to coincide with the
anniversary of ‘Purna Swaraj Diwas’.
January 26, 1930 was marked as ‘Purna Swaraj Diwas’, or the day the nation would attain complete freedom
from its colonisers by the Congress.
● The members of the drafting committee felt that the birth of the constitution should be observed on a day
that held some significance in their fight for independence.
● When India was ultimately granted freedom by the British in 1947, but on August 15 and not January 26,
the date was instead assigned to celebrating India’s Republic Day.
● This was the day the Indian Independence Act was consequently repealed and India was established as a
democratic republic, no longer a dominion of the British Crown.

42. National Voters’ Day:

The 12th National Voters’ Day was celebrated across the country today on January 25, 2021.
● January 25 (to mark the Foundation day of Election Commission of India, which was established on
25th January 1950).

43. Air India now formally handed over to Tata Group:

The Union government has transferred its shares in Air India, along with control and management, to Tata Sons
subsidiary, Talace, ending a disinvestment process that started five years ago.
● Tatas will get Air India’s fleet of 141 planes, along with ownership of iconic Brands like Air India, Indian
Airlines & the Maharajah.
● As many as 13,500 permanent and contractual employees will also move to the Tata fold and have to
be retained at least for one year.
The Tata Group now owns three airlines along with Vistara in which it has a 51% stake and AirAsia India where
it owns 84% stake. The three airlines together account for 24% of the market share in the aviation sector.

A brief history of the airline:

● The airline was founded in 1932,
when JRD Tata piloted the
inaugural flight between Karachi
and Bombay.
● It was then known as Tata
Airlines. The government
acquired a 49% stake in the
carrier in 1948, followed by its
nationalisation in 1953.
● The airline was renamed as Air
India International, and
domestic flights were
transferred to Indian Airlines.
● In 2007, the two airlines were
merged. This along with a
massive aircraft order a few
years earlier plunged the new
entity into debt as it failed to
earn profit ever since.

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44. Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines 1974:
The Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines 1974 is a bilateral agreement between India and Pakistan
facilitating Indian and Pakistani nationals to visit certain religious shrines in both countries.
As of November 2018, fifteen locations in Pakistan and five in India are covered under this protocol.
Locations covered in India:
1. Ajmer Sharif Dargah, dedicated to sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer, Rajasthan
2. Nizamuddin Dargah, dedicated to sufi saint Nizamuddin Auliya, in Delhi
3. Amir Khusro, dedicated to Sufi musician Amir Khusro in Delhi
4. Sirhind Sharif, Mujaddid Alf Sani in Sirhind, Punjab, India
5. Kalyar Sharif, dedicated to sufi saint Alauddin Ali Ahmed Sabir, near Haridwar
Why in the News?
India has said that it is willing to engage in talks with Pakistan on upgrading the 1974 protocol to allow air travel
as well as increase the number of shrines pilgrims from both countries could visit.

45. What is National Cadet Corps?

It is a youth development movement. It came into existence under the National Cadet Corps Act XXXI of 1948.
● It is a Tri-Services Organization, comprising the Army, Navy and Air Force, engaged in grooming the
youth of the country into disciplined and patriotic citizens.
● The NCC provides exposure to the cadets in a wide range of activities., with a distinct emphasis on
Social Services, Discipline and Adventure Training. The NCC is open to all regular students of schools
and colleges on a voluntary basis. The students have no liability for active military service.

46. India, Philippines ink deal for BrahMos missiles:

Philippines has signed a $374.96-million deal with BrahMos Aerospace Private Ltd. for the supply of shore-
based anti-ship variant of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile.
This is the first export order for the missile, a joint product of India and Russia.
BrahMos is a joint venture between DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) and Russia’s
NPO Mashinostroyeniya.
● The missile derives its name from the Brahmaputra and Moskva rivers.
● It is capable of being launched from land, sea, sub-sea and air against surface and sea-based targets and
has for long been inducted by the Indian armed forces.
● The range of the missile was originally capped at 290 km as per obligations of the Missile Technology
Control Regime. Following India’s entry into the club in June 2016, officials said the range would be
extended to 450 km and 600 km at a later stage.

47. What is NeoCoV?

Context:
Scientists in China have warned about a new strain of coronavirus, NeoCov, related to the Middle East
respiratory syndrome MERS-coronavirus.
● NeoCoV carries with it the potentially combined high mortality rate of MERS-CoV (where one in three
infected people die on average) and the high transmission rate of the current SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.
What is it?
NeoCoV is a bat coronavirus that was first identified in 2011.
● It was identified in a species of bats known as Neoromicia, which is where the name NeoCoV was derived
from.
● Commonly known as aloe bats, this species is distributed in the Afro-Malagasy region. NeoCoV shares an
85% similarity to MERS-CoV in the genome sequence, making it the closest known relative of MERS-CoV.

48. Honduras gets its first woman President:

Leftist Xiomara Castro was sworn in recently as the first woman President of Honduras.
● Honduras is a Central American country.

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 ● Borders: It is bordered to the west by Guatemala,
to the southwest by El Salvador, to the southeast
by Nicaragua, to the south by the Pacific Ocean at
the Gulf of Fonseca, and to the north by the Gulf
of Honduras, a large inlet of the Caribbean Sea.

49. Centre appoints Anantha

Nageswaran as CEA:
The Government of India has appointed Anantha Nageswaran as the new
Chief Economic Advisor.
He is a former member of Prime Minister Economic Advisory Council.
● The CEA reports to the Finance Minister of India.
● The post is equivalent to Secretary in India.
● The CEA is the head of the Department of Economic Affairs that
operates under Ministry of Finance.

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