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Indian Polity, Governance ,

and Internal Security
1. The Delhi dual governance of Ministers, or he must carry out the
conundrum. President’s decision on a reference
Context: Due to the lack of statehood made by him.
for Delhi, there has been a long-  Article 239AA also allows the L-G to
running conflict over the relative report a disagreement with the Council
powers of the elected government of of Ministers to the President on “any
New Delhi and the Lieutenant matter.”
Governor (L-G) for the territorial
 As a result, there is a power struggle
administration of New Delhi (chosen
between L-G and the elected
by the Union Government).
government.
 The two have had numerous
disagreements, involving control of
agencies such as the Anti-Corruption The judiciary Response:
Bureau, the Civil Services, and the  On the basis of Delhi’s position as a
Electricity Board, among others. Union Territory, the Delhi High Court
 Furthermore, the Government of ruled in favour of the Central
National Capital Territory of Delhi Government.
Act,1991, was amended in 2021,  The Supreme Court, on the other hand,
indicating that conflict is still a referred the case to a Constitution
possibility. Bench to adjudicate on the substantive
The New Delhi’s Governance Model: legal issues surrounding the powers of
the elected government of Delhi in
 Delhi’s status as a Union Territory
relation to the Lieutenant Governor (L-
under Schedule 1 of the Constitution,
G).
but as the ‘National Capital Territory’
under Article 239AA of the  The NCT versus UOI case was referred
Constitution (69th Amendment) Act. to the Constitutional bench in 2018. In
the Administration of NCT, the five-
 Article 239AA of the 69th amendment
judge Bench launched a new
to the Indian Constitution designated
jurisprudential chapter.
the Union Territory of Delhi to be
ruled by a Lieutenant Governor who Purposive Construction: The court
works with the help and advice of the used the rule of purposive construction
elected legislative assembly. to say that the goals of the Constitution
(69th Amendment) Act should
 The ‘Aid and advice’ clause, on the influence how Article 239AA is
other hand, only applies to topics over interpreted.
which the elected Assembly has
jurisdiction under the State and  This incorporates federalism and
Concurrent Lists. Except for public democracy concepts into Article
order, law enforcement, and land. 239AA, indicating a parliamentary
desire to grant a sui generis (one-of-a-
 Furthermore, Article 239AA states that kind) status unique from other Union
the L-G must either act with the Territories.
assistance and advice of the Council
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com 1 www.csbias.com

 The Court stated that the L-G is bound ranging from Jakarta and Seoul to
by the Council of Ministers’ “aid and London and Paris, all of which have
advice,” noting that the Delhi powerful sub-national governments.
Assembly also has the competence to Mains point:New Delhi Government
pass laws regarding all subjects in the vs Union Government, Government of
Concurrent List and all subjects in the NCT of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2021,
State List, with the exception of three Co-operative Federalism,
excluded subjects. Constitutional Amendments
 Except when he refers a topic to the
President for a final decision, the L-G 2. Revisit the Seventh Schedule to
should act on the Council of Ministers’ improve Centre-State relations.
“aid and advice.”
Context:Recently, the Union
 The Supreme Court determined that government revoked the orders and
the L-power G’s to refer to the guidelines issued under the Disaster
President any topic on which there is a Management Act (DMA), 2005 after
difference of opinion between the L-G covid knocked on India’s doors. The
and the Council of Ministers cannot be DMA has been the backbone of policy
understood to mean “every matter,” interventions to fight covid.
and that such a referral should only be The constitutional provisions:
made in extraordinary situations.
 Article 246 talks about the Union, state
L-G as facilitator: Rather than
and concurrent lists which are
positioning himself as an adversary to
mentioned in the Seventh Schedule of
the elected Council of Ministers, L-G
the Constitution.
will work as a facilitator.
 Health is a state subject mentioned in
New Delhi Cannot Become a State: At
the state list and disasters do not find
the same time, the Court declared that
mention in any lists in the Schedule VII.
under the constitutional structure, the
Therefore, the union government
National Capital Territory of Delhi
invoked the Disaster management Act
cannot become a state.
(DMA) 2005 by relating to Entry 23
Forward: (Social Security and Social Insurance)
 Working Through Constitutional in the Concurrent List of the
Trust: The Supreme Court correctly Constitution. It was invoked to deal
decided that the Constitution’s plan with covid-19.
and the Government of the National The DMA 2005 and States:
Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991
 Some states like West Bengal,
envision a collaborative structure that
Maharashtra, Odisha, Jharkhand and
can only be implemented through
Chhattisgarh legalized the home
constitutional trust.
delivery of alcohol under the ambit of
 Subsidiarity, the core premise of fiscal the DMA. Ironically, it was invoked for
federalism, requires empowered sub- liquor delivery to promote social
national governments. security and social insurance. It was
 As a result, the federal government also aimed to address a shortfall in tax
should begin to delegate more revenues (Taxes on alcohol account for
authority to local governments. a significant share of the total revenue
 In this regard, India should take in many states)
inspiration from a number of great  At present the DMA has been revoked.
metropolises around the world, Therefore, in the absence of enabling

legislation (due to revocation of the the light of rapid urbanization across

DMA), the states will have to curtail the countries.
home delivery of alcohol.  There has to be periodic reviews of
The Seventh Schedule: these lists—say, after every 20 years.
 The Seventh Schedule was inherited Mains point:Issues related to the
from the Government of India Act, Seventh Schedule of the constitution of
1935. Therefore, it is a relic of the India
colonial past. The lists do not reflect
the complex realities of India in its 75th
3. A New CDS Is Urgently Needed.
year of independence. For example,
despite having health as the state Context: General Bipin Rawat, the first
subject, the Union government was in chief of the defence staff, died in a
a better position to legislate on some helicopter crash over five months ago.
issues related to health (vaccination, After the Kargil conflict in 1999, the
for instance) post was placed in cold storage. In 2019,
the first-ever CDS was appointed. The
 The states often shift their
position of Chief of Defence Staff is
responsibilities upon centre. For
crucial for Indian Armed Forces
example:
restructuring.
(1) state highways are often classified
as national highways, and
(2) the states ask for the help of
paramilitary forces in times of
crisis despite having law and
order as the state subjects.
 States have also advocated the transfer
of some subjects from the Union and
concurrent lists to the state list. For
instance, entry No. 58 of the Union list Reforms in the Armed Forces Around
is on the manufacturing, supply and the World:
distribution of salt.  Around 70 countries, including the
 States have also criticized the transfer United States, the United Kingdom,
of some subjects from the state list to France, and Germany, have a CDS-
the concurrent list. ‘ style role for military planning and
Look Forward: operations.
 The Sarkaria Commission and the  The United States maintains 11 unified
Punchi Commission. Both advised combatant commands, including six
comprehensive consultation between “geographical” theatre commands for
the Union and state governments distinct parts of the world and five
before moving anything from the state “functional” commands for nuclear
list to the concurrent list. weapons, special operations, space,
cyberspace, and transportation.
 N.K. Singh, chairman of the 15th
Finance Commission, has time and  China’s People’s Liberation Army was
again argued for reforms in the reorganised into five theatre
Seventh Schedule. commands in 2016. It strengthens the
PLA’s command and control structures
 Some have even advocated further
while also enhancing offensive
decentralization of that Schedule by capabilities against the enemy. China’s
introducing a local government list in

Western Theatre Command, for ensure that people, infrastructure, and

example, is in charge of the whole Line resources were not wasted. The forces
of Actual Control (LAC). will be prepared for combined land-
Issues confronting the Indian Armed air-sea operations by the commands.
Forces: The newly constituted position of
 India spends the third most on defence Chief of Defence Staff:
in the world. It is, however, beset by Functions and Importance (CDS):
haphazard planning, ineffective  The CDS is critical for achieving the
policies, patchwork reforms, and a
goal of creating a lean, mean,
weak domestic defense-industrial
integrated warfighting machine while
basis. As a result, India is the world’s
staying within budget restrictions.
largest importer of weaponry,
Due to competing demands from other
accounting for 11% of worldwide
sectors in a developing country like
imports.
India, the annual defence budget is
 Fighter jets, submarines, helicopters, unlikely to see a significant increase.
and other types of ammunition are all  The position is the driving force behind
in short supply in the Indian armed
the Indian armed services’ extensive
forces.
reform.
 India is experiencing border conflicts.
 He can strengthen India’s military
In eastern Ladakh, for example, there
capability through effective inter-
is a continuous boundary dispute with
service prioritisation in line with the
China.
country’s geopolitical goals. As a
 Military modernisation faces result, India’s first CDS advocated the
difficulties as a result of mounting formation of four integrated
salary and pension costs. commands. In each theatre, these
 There are also clandestine operations commands would combine the assets
and new warfare arenas like as space and men of the army, navy, and IAF
and cyberspace. China, for example, under a single operational
has developed cyberweapons that may commander.
damage an opponent’s military assets,  In planning, procurements, logistics,
strategic networks, energy, banking, doctrines, and operations, he can foster
transportation, and communication synergy between the army, navy, and
systems even before a kinetic battle IAF.
begins.  The CDS was recently tasked with
The current state of India’s services/ establishing the modest tri-service
theatre commands: Defence Space Agency, Defence Cyber
 There are now 17 single-service Agency, and Armed Forces Special
commands available (army 7, IAF 7 and Operations Division.
navy 3). In addition, India’s nuclear Next Steps:
arsenal is now managed by only two  There is also a pressing need to right-
unified commands: the ‘geographical’
size the military by removing non-
Andaman and Nicobar Command
operational waste and injecting
(ANC) and the ‘functional’ Strategic
cutting-edge military technology.
Forces Command (SFC).
 Several government measures have
 It is proposed that 17 single-service
been criticised. The ‘Tour of Duty’
commands be combined into four
plan, for example, and proposals to
integrated commands. This would
make the Short Service Commission

(SSC) more appealing, such as the  Despite the expiration of the 15-year
grant of paid study leave and a golden timeframe, the Act allowed for the use
handshake at the end of their 10- to 14- of English to continue.
year tenures, are examples. The Eighth schedule:
Mains point:Indian Armed Forces  The country’s languages are listed in
Reforms the Eighth Schedule. There were 14
languages on the schedule at first, but
4. The debate on the national language. there are now 22. The kind of languages
Context:A recent statement by a Hindi that are included or will be included
actor that Hindi is India’s national in the Eighth Schedule are not
language prompted a debate about the described.
language’s constitutional position.  In the text of the Constitution, however,
The Hindi’s status in India: these languages are only mentioned
twice.
 Article 344(1) outlines the President’s
authority to appoint a Commission
with a Chairman and members
representing the scheduled languages.
The Commission’s mandate is to
propose recommendations for the
progressive use of Hindi for Union
official functions while limiting the
 The official language of the Union, use of English.
according to Article 343 of the  Article 351 states that it is the
Constitution, is Hindi in Devanagari responsibility of the Union
script. For formal purposes, Indian government to encourage the
numerals will be written in their development of Hindi so that it
international form. becomes “a medium of expression for
 The Constituent Assembly, on the other all elements of India’s composite
hand, was deeply divided on the issue, culture,” as well as to incorporate
with members from states where Hindi elements of Hindustani and languages
was not spoken rejecting the mentioned in the Eighth Schedule.
designation of Hindi as a national The formula for three languages:
language.  In Hindi-speaking States, Hindi,
 In the end, it was determined that the English, and one regional language are
Constitution would simply refer to an taught, while in other States, Hindi,
“official language.” And that English English, and the official regional
would be used for at least another 15 language are taught.
years. After 15 years, Parliament may  In actuality, however, only a few states,
opt to employ English and the in addition to English, teach both their
Devanagari version of numerals for primary language and Hindi. A third
specific reasons by passing legislation. language is rarely taught as a required
 The Official Languages Act of 1963 subject in states where Hindi is the
was enacted in anticipation of the 15- official language.
year period in which the Constitution  Tamil Nadu has been a staunch
allowed the use of English for official opponent of the three-language model,
purposes to expire. preferring to teach Tamil and English

only. It claims that those who need to Mizoram:

study Hindi can do it independently.
 The Sino-Tibetan language family
Mains point:’National language issue. includes Mizo. It is based on the
Roman script, which was first
5. Distortion, imposition: Why North- introduced by the British in 1894.
East groups are against Centre’s Hindi  The Mizo people have spoken out
push. against the imposition of the Hindi
Context:The Union Home Minister script.
recently stated at the 37th sitting of the Manipur:
Parliamentary Official Language
 Manipuri is one of the 22 languages
Committee that nine tribal
designated in the Constitution’s eighth
communities in the Northeast have
schedule. As a result, both Hindi and
changed their dialect scripts to
Manipuri have the same legal standing.
Devanagari. In addition, all eight
The Government of Manipur also
Northeastern states have decided to
recognises Manipur’s Meitei Mayek or
make Hindi mandatory in schools up
Manipuri script. It is, in reality, a 2,000-
to Class 10.
year-old writing.
 The remarks have sparked
 The Manipur student organisation
demonstrations in the Northeast,
challenged the proposal to make Hindi
where people speak a variety of
a compulsory subject in Manipur up
languages ranging from Indo-Aryan to
to Class X, as well as the Hindi script.
Tibeto-Burman to Austro-Asiatic
In fact, it would increase student
families.
pressure and impede the development
The reactions from the North-East: of the local language. As a result, they
denounced Hindi’s imposition as a
Tripura: majoritarian policy.
 Since 1979, Kokborok has been the Arunachal Pradesh:
official language of Tripura. Most  Arunachal Pradesh is a state with a
tribes in the state speak it as their diverse ethnic and linguistic
primary language. The Bengali and population. According to a UNESCO
Roman scripts are used in the report, 33 languages are endangered
language, which were chosen after and four are highly endangered.
studies by the Shyama Charan  In Arunachal Pradesh, it is suggested
Tripura Commission and the Pabitra that Hindi might serve as a bridging
Sarkar Commission. language. However, imposing Hindi
 The Roman Script for Kokborok will further destabilise the language
Choba (RSKC), a conglomerate of 56 dynamics.
tribal organisations in Tripura, has Assam:
spoken out against the coercive
imposition of Hindi or Devanagari as
 To begin, Assamese and Bodo are the
official languages of Assam. The 8th
the Kokborok script.
Schedule lists both of them. Second,
 It was believed that imposing the whereas Assamese has its own ancient
Hindi script would disrupt Tripura’s script, Bodo employs the Devanagari
linguistic equilibrium. The states’ script. Third, Assam is home to dozens
fraternity and balance of Bengali and of other indigenous languages with
Kokborok speakers could be thrown various scripts or no alphabet at all.
off.

 The All Assam Students’ Union Positive arguments

(AASU) opposes the idea to make  In India, there are numerous flaws in
Hindi obligatory until 10th grade
the justice systems. The infrastructure
because students already study Hindi
available and the people’s needs for
until Class 8.
justice in India are vastly different. The
 Furthermore, the Assamese language proposed NJIC would significantly
is unaffected by the Devanagari script improve the judiciary’s facilities.
controversy. Apart from the Hindi  There have already been some
language and script, Assam should
agreements on the concept of state-
also nurture all other tribal and ethnic
level organisations serving the same
languages.
role.
Arguments in opposition
Students’ Union of Nebraska:
 Many governments have reported that
 The North East Students’ funds earmarked for court
Organisation (NESO) was against infrastructure have gone unused.
making Hindi a mandatory subject. It Many Chief Ministers were not
would have a negative impact on the enthusiastic about the concept.
spread of indigenous languages.
 There are concerns that a national body
Another subject would be added to the
may usurp the executive’s powers. As
curriculum.
a result, several Chief Ministers were
 Indeed, the National Education Policy opposed to the concept.
mandates that education be delivered
in the native tongue. The people of the
North-East region do not speak Hindi Future measures that could be taken
as their first language.  The Chief Justice of India advocated
Mains point:Development of the that the Union/States be adequately
Hindi Language and The Official represented in the NJIC.
Language  The proposal from state level entities
will be implemented as a centrally
sponsored scheme (CSS), with the
6. The National Judicial Infrastructure
Centre and states splitting the cost
Corporation (NJIC).
60:40. The monies set aside for the
Context:At a recent joint conference of planned State-level bodies should be
Chief Justices and Chief Ministers, the used to expedite the scheme’s
Chief Justice of India (CJI) implementation.
recommended a National Judicial
Infrastructure Corporation (NJIC)  It will, of course, necessitate more
with similar organisations at the state collaboration between states and their
level. different High Courts in order to build
the necessary infrastructure,
particularly for the lower judiciary.
 To relieve the burden on the judiciary,
the government must make significant
contributions. Other issues that the
government should address include
pending cases, a chronic scarcity of
judges, and so on.

 The administration should carry out indirect discourse to provoke his

judicial orders, leaving important audience into violence.
decisions to the courts.
 Before passing law, the government The exceptions to free speech:
should ensure broad consultation.
 The first is hate speech, which is
This would relieve the courts of their
linked to discrimination and violence
litigation burden.
against marginalised and vulnerable
 At the level of Chief Justices and Chief people. Antisemitic discourse, for
Ministers, the judiciary and the example, has a long history of being
administration should have a linked to Jewish economic and social
discussion. It will foster a cooperative boycotts, which eventually led to the
environment for judicial Holocaust.
appointments, infrastructural
 The second is violence incitement.
upgrades, and case downsizing in
Because there is no time or scope for
Indian courts.
rebuttal or reason, this does not fit
Mains point:The National Judicial under the protection of free speech. An
Infrastructure Corporation (NJIC) and outraged mob burns down a
Judicial Reforms neighbourhood after being incited to
violence.
7. Obnoxious speech does not call for  In addition to the aforementioned,
heavy hand of the law. certain types of religious offences are
Context: Umar Khalid, an accused in also criminalised in India.
the case relating to the protests against The current case’s issues:
the Citizenship Amendment Act, had
. The accused’s speech in this case falls
his bail hearing recently at the Delhi
outside the scope of the
High Court. He was charged under the
aforementioned narrow exceptions.
Unlawful Activities Prevention Act
The court’s views are well within the
(UAPA) for his Amaravati speech,
mainstream of Indian political
which was considered as part of a
discourse. In Parliament, for example,
“larger conspiracy” to destabilise the
there is a “Revolutionary Socialist
government.
Party.”
The court observation:
 Furthermore, no one deserves to be
 Several elements of the speech were imprisoned for years without being
deemed “obnoxious” or tried. The defendant in this case has
“inappropriate” by the Delhi High already served over 500 days in prison
Court. without being tried. People cannot be
 First, it was claimed that a “jumla” imprisoned on a regular basis in a
charge levelled against the prime civilised society for their speech.
minister had crossed the “Lakshman  In a civilised society, such speech
Rekha” of free speech. should elicit counter-speech rather
 Second, the court deemed the than the state’s strong hand and legal
accused’s use of the phrases machinery being used to silence
“krantikari” and “inquilab” to be someone.
offensive.  The public criticism of the Prime
 Finally, the Court stated that Khalid is Minister does not violate the
a “educated man” who utilised fundamental right to freedom of
expression. The words in question
should be viewed as an example of a  The Nagas did not consider
passionate political speech that themselves a part of British India
includes satire, parody, and other when they lived in the Naga highlands
elements. of Assam during the British invasion
 The case should be heard based on the and annexation of Assam in 1820.
actual record of events, such as things  The British administered the Nagas in
done and said, rather than intangibles a way that preserved their traditional
like “clever man” and the use of ways of life, customs, and laws while
indirect words to provoke violence. placing British bureaucrats at the top.
Mains point: Freedom of Speech and  Insecurity over the future of their
Expression and reasonable restrictions cultural autonomy following India’s
independence arose among the Naga
8. The status of the Naga peace talks. tribes at the time of the British
Context: According to the Ministry of withdrawal, which was accompanied
Home Affairs’ (MHA) annual report, by fear of the entry of “plains people”
the National Socialist Council of or “outsiders” into their area.
Nagaland’s (NSCN-IM) Isak-Muivah  In 1945, the Naga Hills District Tribal
faction was involved in 44 percent of Council was formed, which was later
insurgency-related occurrences in renamed the Naga National Council
Nagaland in 2020. (NNC) in 1946.
 A portion of the NNC, led by Naga
leader A.Z. Phizo, announced the
Nagas’ independence on August 14,
1947, one day before India declared
independence.
 Mr. Phizo created the Naga Federal
Government (NFG) and its armed
wing, the Naga Federal Army, in the
early 1950s, launching an
underground conflict (NFA).
 The insurgency was sent by the central
government, which also enacted the
disputed Armed Forces Special
Powers Act (AFSPA), which is still in
 In 2015, the Union government and the effect in portions of Nagaland.
NSCN-IM reached a framework  Unlike other northeastern groups who
agreement to find a solution to the accepted some type of autonomy under
Naga political crisis.The negotiations the Constitution, the Nagas rejected it
are still ongoing. in favour of sovereignty.
The Naga insurgency:  Some NNC leaders created their own
 The British coined the name ‘Naga’ to organisation to hold talks with the
refer to a group of tribes with similar government, which resulted in the
origins but separate cultures, dialects, founding of Nagaland in 1963. This
and customs for administrative did not satisfy many in the NNC and
purposes. NFG, who eventually signed the
 Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Shillong Accord of 1975, pledging to
Manipur, and Myanmar are home to surrender arms and accept the
Naga tribes.
Constitution, after years of negotiations  It signed a Framework Agreement with

with the government.
the NSCN (IM) in 2015, which was the
The NSCN: first step toward a Peace Accord.
 Many top NNC leaders and those  In 2020, the NSCN-IM accused Mr Ravi,
operating from Myanmar were the Centre’s negotiator, of tinkering
unhappy with the signing of the with the accord in order to deceive
Shillong Accord since it did not other Naga parties. The NSCN-IM has
address the question of Naga maintained its demand for a separate
sovereignty and forced them to accept Naga flag and constitution, as well as
the Constitution. the establishment of Nagalim, which
 The National Socialist Council Of it claims was agreed upon in the
Nagaland (NSCN) was founded by Agreement.
three NNC leaders: Thuingaleng  The newly appointed intermediary, AK
Muivah of the Tangkhul Naga tribe Mishra, visited the NSCN-camp IM’s in
of Manipur’s Ukhrul district, Isak Dimapur on April 19, 2022, for closed-
Chishi Swu of the Sema tribe, and S. door discussions, although disputes
S. Khaplang of Myanmar’s Hemis over the Naga flag and constitution
tribe. have yet to be resolved.
 The NSCN’s mission was to establish Mains point:Naga insurgency issue
a People’s Republic of Nagaland
independent of Indian control.
9. Delimitation panel notifies new J&K
 After years of infighting and violent Assembly constituencies.
clashes, the NSC divided into two
Context:The Jammu and Kashmir
groups in 1988: a) one led by Mr.
Delimitation Commission has
Muiwah and Swu, known as the
announced the new borders, names,
NSCN-IM, and b) another led by Mr.
and numbers of Assembly
Khaplang, known as the NSCN-K.
constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir,
 The NSCN-IM has requested and clearing the way for the Union
continues to demand ‘Greater Territory’s first-ever Assembly
Nagaland,’ also known as Nagalim, election.
which would extend Nagaland’s Delimitation in the State of J&K:
borders to include Naga-dominated
districts in Assam, Manipur, and  The Constitution of India ruled the
Arunachal Pradesh. delimitation of parliamentary
constituencies in the former J&K state,
 The NSCN-IM has evolved into the while the Jammu and Kashmir
most powerful insurgent group in the Representation of the People Act, 1957
country, as well as a catalyst for the governed the delimitation of Assembly
formation of lesser factions in other seats.
states.
 Following the abolition of J&K’s special
The peace talks:
status in 2019, the Constitution governs
 In 1997, the Indian government the delimitation of both Assembly and
persuaded the NSCN-IM to sign a parliamentary seats.
ceasefire agreement so that talks on a
 In J&K, the last delimitation exercise
Naga Peace Accord could begin. There
took place in 1995.
have been nearly a hundred rounds of
discussions since the ceasefire.

The J&K Delimitation Commission:  Seats for POK migrants: It has also
 After the Jammu and Kashmir advised that the Centre consider
Reorganization Act of 2019 raised the awarding displaced persons from
number of seats in the Assembly, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir who
delimitation became essential. relocated to Jammu after Partition
representation in the J&K Legislative
 Aside from the 24 seats reserved for
Assembly.
Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, the
Reorganization Act increased the Delimitation:
number of seats from 107 to 114. (PoK).  Delimitation is the act of redrawing
The Delimitation Commission’s chairman: boundaries of Lok Sabha and state
Assembly seats to represent changes in
 The Delimitation Commission, headed
population.
by retired Supreme Court judge
Ranjana Prakash Desai, was  The main objective of delimitation is
established by the Indian government to provide equal representation to
in 2020. equal segments of a population.
 Delimitation is usually done using the Process of Delimitation:
Census population. However, this  Under Article 82, the Parliament enacts
Commission stated that it will evaluate a Delimitation Act after every Census.
additional issues concerning J&K, such  Once the Act is in force,the Union
as its size, remoteness, and proximity government sets up a Delimitation
to the border. Commission.
Delimitation commission made changes:  The Delimitation commission was
constituted in 1952, 1963, 1973 under
their respective acts.
 In 1976, the 42nd Constitutional
Amendment was used to stop the
delimitation process until 2001.
 In 2002, based on the 2001 Census
delimitation commission was setup to
readjust the boundaries of existing Lok
Sabha and Assembly seats and
reworking the number of reserved
 ASSEMBLY: The Commission has seats.
enhanced the number of Assembly
seats in Jammu (to 43) and Kashmir (to
 Further,In 2002,the 84th Constitutional
one) (now 47). It has also changed the Amendment was used to freeze the
organisation of the existing Assembly delimitation process till at least 2026.
seats dramatically. About Delimitation commission:
 The borders of the Anantnag and  The Delimitation Commission is
Jammu seats have been changed by the appointed by the President of India
Commission. and works in collaboration with the
Election Commission of India.
 KASHMIRI PANDITS: The
Commission has suggested that at least  The commission is made up of a retired
two members of the Kashmiri Migrants Supreme Court judge, the Chief
(Kashmiri Hindus) group be elected to Election Commissioner and the
the Legislative Assembly. respective State Election
Commissioners.

 The commission is mandated to a) Maharashtra (2018) to “examine the

determine the number and boundaries convict’s conduct in jail, outside jail if
of constituencies to make the on bail for a period of time, medical
population of all constituencies nearly evidence about his mental make-up,
equal and b) identify seats reserved for interaction with his family, and other
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled factors.” The court ordered that reports
Tribes, wherever their population is on these topics be submitted. These
relatively large. documents are critical to the mitigation
 The constitution mandates that the study.
orders of commission are final and  The court stated in Mofil Khan vs State
cannot be questioned before any court of Jharkhand (2021) that “the State
as it would hold up an election must prove that the accused’s
indefinitely. reformation and rehabilitation is
impossible” and that “the Court will
10. A new track for capital punishment have to highlight clear evidence as to
jurisprudence. why the convict is unfit for any kind of
Context:The Supreme Court of India reformatory and rehabilitation
recently filed a criminal suo motu writ scheme.”
suit to establish standards for  The Court ordered that the “report(s)
mitigation analysis in situations of all the probation officer(s)” relating
involving the death sentence or capital to the accused, as well as reports
punishment. “regarding their behaviour and nature
Capital punishment procedure: of the work done by them” while in jail,
be filed with the court in Manoj & Ors
 If a sessions court (sentencing court)
vs State of Madhya Pradesh (2022). In
sentences someone to death, the
addition, the convict’s psychiatric and
jurisdictional High Court (confirming
psychological evaluation should be
court) must confirm the sentence
conducted by a professional
under Chapter 28 of the Code of
psychiatrist and a local professor of
Criminal Procedure.
psychology.
The concerns about capital punishment:
India’s death penalty jurisprudence
has evolved throughout time:
 The supreme court in Bachan Singh
vs State of Punjab (1980) advocated for
weighing the mitigating and
aggravating circumstances against each
other. The court established the notion
that the death penalty should not be
imposed until life imprisonment is
“unquestionably excluded.” It should
only be given in the most exceptional
of circumstances.  According to a research titled ‘Matters
 However, the Supreme Court has of Judgment’ by the National Law
begun to look into sentencing methods University Delhi’s Project 39A, there is
in more recent decisions. no judicial uniformity or consistency
in the use of the death penalty.
 The Court directed in Rajendra
Pralhadrao Wasnik vs The State of
 According to the Project 39A report  The Ministry of Finance has attempted
‘Death Penalty Sentence in Trial to prohibit new teaching positions
Courts,’ courts have been lax in from being created.
examining the aspect of reformation  Student financial aid was reduced by
when carrying out the sentencing 8% to 2,078 crore in FY 2022-23 from
process. 2,482 crore in FY 2021-22, and research
Next Steps: and innovation funds were reduced by
 In the area of capital punishment, there 8% to 218 crore.
is a new wave of thought. The Supreme The issues that universities are facing:
Court’s decision to issue guidelines on  Due to the financial crisis, university
mitigation analysis was both timely infrastructure investments have
and important. decreased. The majority of Indian
 The court should clarify what universities and colleges have
constitutes mitigating circumstances, overcrowded classrooms, insufficient
the function of a probation officer in air and cleanliness, and inadequate
aiding the court, and the significance housing facilities.
of a mitigation investigator in the  The Higher Education Financing
sentencing process. Agency (HEFA), which funds all
 Professionals trained in psychology, infrastructure loans to colleges and
sociology, and criminology are universities, saw its budget cut from
required for a full mitigation inquiry, 2,000 crore in FY 20-21 to 1 crore in FY
in addition to legal professionals. 21-22.
 The Supreme Court’s mitigation  Delay in wage payments for deemed/
investigation rules will enhance the central universities due to cash flow
idea of the rarest of rare. This will constraints. As a result, most
ensure that the sentencing and universities are in debt - Madras
confirmation courts use their power to University, for example, has an
sentence people to death more fairly. accumulated deficit of over 100 crore,
Mains point:The right to life and leading it to request an 88 crore
capital punishment handout from the state government
(Raman A. Ragu, March 2022)
11. The multiple crises in Indian  Faculty members have been waiting
universities. months for their salaries, which arrive
weeks later.
Context:Universities in India are facing
challenges.  This has resulted in a reduction in
discretionary spending, with many
The India’s universities are deteriorating:
Delhi colleges unable to afford basic
 Higher education spending has database and journal subscriptions.
remained stable at 1.3-1.5 percent of
 Minor and major research project
total government spending since 2012.
grants from the UGC have decreased
 In the meantime, the Ministry of from 42.7 crore in FY 2016-17 to 38 lakh
Education is pressuring higher in FY 2020-21. Given the lack of finance
education institutions to boost their and infrastructure, only 2.7 percent of
intake capacity by 25%. (in a push to India’s universities provide PhD
implement the 10 percent quota for programmes. The National Research
economically weaker sections), Foundation (NRF), which aims to
develop university research

infrastructure, has yet to be established make decisions about academic

and may have a small budget ($5-6 programmes, promotions, cohort size,
billion over five years). and other matters.
 Academic standards and processes are  Our campuses must promote tolerance
not being upheld. for a variety of viewpoints because our
 Test paper leaks are becoming more students have formative experiences
common; in June 2021, the Hindi exam there and require the freedom to
of the UGC’s National Eligibility Test, establish themselves as people.
which allows post-graduate students Mains point:Higher education and
who pass to teach in State and Central related issues.
colleges, was released.
 Universities have played an important 12. India’s judiciary and the slackening
role in the strengthening of democracy cog of trust.
and civic society. For example: Context:The lower judiciary, which
 Madan Mohan Malaviya’s Central includes high courts, district and
Hindu College in Delhi was a hotbed sessions courts, has lost credibility.
of political debate during the This necessitates an investigation into
independence war, with students and the functioning of India’s subordinate
faculty joining the Quit India judiciary.
campaign and defending Rash Behari
Bose and Lala Har Dayal in 1915.
Concerning Justice:
 Institutional apathy has recently given
 Substantive justice is concerned with
way to repression. Police actions
the moral justification of statutes, case
against students at a few colleges (for
law, and unwritten legal principles
example, JNU and Jamia Millia) for
(e.g., freedom to pursue any religion).
campus protests, as well as arrests and
The Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019
detention, have placed a pall over free
is alleged to be a violation of
expression on campuses.
substantive justice since it violates the
The precautions should be taken: constitution.
 Increased funding is urgently needed,  Procedural justice is concerned with
as is the establishment of specialised fair and unbiased decision-making.
funding streams for infrastructure The case of Lal Bihari, who was
grants/loans and financial help. proclaimed dead but fought for 9 years
Universities can also use the money to show he was alive, contained both
saved to pursue new revenue streams substantive and procedural justice
like start-up royalties and advertising. violations.
 The National Research Foundation The problems with the Indian judiciary at
(NRF) should augment (rather than the lower levels:
replace) existing research funding Judicial corruption:
schemes (including those from the
Ministry of Science). Undergraduates
should be able to participate in course-
based research experiences.
 Improving the integrity of the
examination process will necessitate a
decentralised approach, with
universities having the authority to

 legislative or executive branch favourable court rulings.” For

political influence in the judicial example, a senior civil judge from the
process, as failure to comply can result Tis Hazari District Court was detained
in political retaliation, and for allegedly receiving a bribe to rule
 Bribery can occur at any point in the in favour of a plaintiff in a case.
court process, including delaying or
hastening rulings, accepting or The effect of judicial corruption :
rejecting appeals, or just deciding a  Corruption-related incidents at the
matter in a particular way. Lawyers, lower levels of the justice system erode
for example, might collect extra “fees” public confidence. The loss of faith in
to expedite or postpone proceedings. the courts could jeopardise
 Severe backlog: India’s district courts governance.
have 2.4 million pending cases,  The absence of justice is sure to
according to the National Judicial Data encourage extrajudicial killings, the
Grid. 23 lakh cases have been exercise of extraconstitutional
outstanding for more than ten years, authority, pervasive corruption, and
while 39 lakh cases have been pending unprovoked and savage violence
for five to ten years. against some segments of society (e.g.,
 Understaffing: In the subordinate lynching of innocent cattle traders).
courts, 4,432 judicial officer positions  Judicial corruption results in
were vacant (representing 22 percent procedural and, to some extent,
of the sanctioned strength) (as of substantive justice failures.
December 31, 2015). As of June 2016,
458 seats (or 42 percent of the
sanctioned strength) on the High Next Steps:
Courts were empty.  “The organisation of society is centred
Some allegations of judicial in justice,” remarked Aristotle, a Greek
corruption:According to Transparency philosopher.
International (TI 2011), over 45 percent  The fraction of undertrials for three to
of persons paid a bribe to the judiciary five years under total inmates is
in 2009-2010 in exchange for a speedy positively and strongly connected to
resolution of cases involving divorce, trust in the judiciary. As a result, India’s
bail, and other procedures. undertrial population must grow.
Mains point:Judicial Transparency and
 According to the Asian Human Rights Accountability; and Judicial reforms
Commission (AHRC), taking a petition
to court costs at least $1,000 in bribes. 13. Centre’s plan to relook at sedition law
 “India’s lower judiciary has been is welcome but Supreme Court must
riddled with corruption,” according to take the review process to its logical
the “Freedom in the World 2016” conclusion.
study. Context:After 75 years of
“There is a substantial risk of independence, the administration has
corruption at the lowest judicial stated its desire to eliminate colonial
levels,” according to the GAN baggage, telling the Supreme Court that
Business Anti-Corruption Portal it would re-examine the provision.
report 2017. Bribes and irregular
payments are frequently exchanged for

Concerning the Sedition Act: constituted seditious. Speech that has

the potential to cause “public unrest”
would be considered sedition.
Against argument:
 In the 1960s, the UK’s sedition statute
became obsolete, and it was ultimately
repealed in 2009. Singapore, like India,
inherited colonial English law and has
repealed the sedition legislation.
 Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code  In reality, the Law Commission and
was included into the penal code (IPC) the Supreme Court have both reported
in its current form in 1898, over four on widespread legal abuse in their
decades after the IPC was first findings. The provision has been used
introduced. against comedians, journalists, and
 It defines “sedition” as inciting regular residents who have expressed
“disaffection” against the lawful their displeasure with the
government or bringing it into “hatred administration, for example.
or contempt,” and it punishes such Next Steps:
behaviour.  The Supreme Court has agreed to
 The penalty imposed ranges from life reconsider the constitutionality of the
in prison plus a fine to an additional colonial sedition law.
three-year prison sentence.  The Home Ministry has asked the
Supreme Court to postpone the case
until a “competent forum,” most likely
Parliament, considers the matter of
sedition law.
 The police should not have the
authority to discern and distinguish
genuine expression of speech from
seditious speech.
Mains point:Freedom of Speech and
Express; Sedition Law.
14. This food regulator needs to step up

to the plate.
The constitutionality of IPC Section 124A: Context:The Food Safety and
 In the 1950s, the Punjab High Court Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
and the Allahabad High Court is anticipated to release a draught
knocked down the sedition legislation regulation for front-of-package
as a restriction on free speech. labelling informing customers if a
product has too much salt, sugar, or
 Second, in Kedar Nath Singh vs State
fat. It is expected to present a system
of Bihar (1962), the Supreme Court
in which products are assigned stars.
upheld its validity. The Supreme
Court ruled that not all speech . The proposed regulation is based on a
expressing “disaffection,” “hatred,” or study undertaken by IIM-Ahmedabad
“contempt” for the government for the FSSAI.

 The study contains numerous  Nobody can deny that the Indian
methodological flaws. As a result, the Institute of Management Ahmedabad
FSSAI is unable to proceed with a is a reputable institution, but so are
proposed regulation based on a highly many others that were not invited or
contentious study design with given the opportunity to bid on such a
unreviewed conclusions. vast and expensive study.
 Its decision to use a Health Star Rating  On the Front of the Package Labeling:
as a front-of-pack labelling based on an Study participants must be able to
algorithm only known to the food objectively assess the various formats
industry is based on no reasonable of FOPL based on the information
rationale or proof. content. They must be able to compare
The potential issues: and find the least damaging content, as
well as more content than is advised.
The consumer’s opinion is
meaningless if he or she is uneducated
or illiterate.
 According to the authors, 13.8 percent
of respondents have never had any
formal education or are illiterate, and
28 percent to 35 percent of respondents
never read food labels. As a result, they
should not have been included in this
study’s relative label comparison.
 We need to limit the amount of
 Data is missing: The study’s failure to
unhealthy foods produced, marketed,
include young teenage children aged
and available.
10 to 18 years, who are heavy users of
 Even if they are available, we must packaged cookies, chips, and bottled
influence customer behaviour in soft beverages, is a major
purchasing such processed foods by methodological flaw. There are
clearly labelling their contents on the considerable gaps in the data.
packaging. Mains point:Draft regulation for labels
 The World Health Organization on front of food packets
(WHO) has established a sugar, salt,
fat, and calorie limit per 100 grammes
15. Still a long way for termination as an
of packaged processed food or 100 ml
unconditional right.
of bottled liquid beverages. We must
follow WHO guidelines unless we can Context:The question of abortion has
offer competing technical data for the recently made international headlines.
Indian population. This brings up the question of whether
abortions are legal in India.
 We can’t lower thresholds to suit the
industry; instead, the industry must The legal position of abortion in India:
change its makeup to maintain healthy
levels. That is something the FSSAI
must assure.
 Any public-interest rule or guideline
must be mandatory from the start. The
flexibility of optional acceptance and
staggered deployment is not possible.

 Under the Indian Penal Code (IPC),  A single certified medical

causing a woman to miscarry practitioner’s opinion up to 20 weeks
voluntarily (if not in good faith) is a of pregnancy.
crime punishable by up to three years  From 20 to 24 weeks, two licensed
in prison, a fine, or both. medical practitioners’ opinions are
 The Medical Termination of required. This includes women who
Pregnancy (MTP) Act of 1971 was have experienced sexual assault/rape
passed to make abortion lawful in or incest, minors, women with
certain situations. It included substantial physical disabilities,
exceptions to the IPC’s rules. mentally ill women, foetal
malformations that are life-threatening,
 The judiciary was asked for
and changes in marital status during a
authorization to terminate the
pregnancy, such as widowhood or
pregnancy under specific situations. In
divorce.
several cases, courts have held that a
pregnant woman’s ability to choose  After 24 weeks, the opinion of a
whether or not to continue her Medical Board established by law in
pregnancy is a part of her right to each state is required. Only in the case
health and life. As a result, right is of foetal abnormalities can abortion be
unavoidable. approved.
 In addition, in 2021, the Medical  Notwithstanding the foregoing, a
Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act single certified medical practitioner
1971 was revised. It extended the reach can terminate a pregnancy at any time
of the law. if it is required to save the pregnant
woman’s life.
The related concerns:
The grounds for medical abortion:
 The law does not recognise a pregnant
 If the continuance of the pregnancy
woman’s right to choose whether or
puts the pregnant woman’s physical,
not to terminate her pregnancy.
mental, or life in danger.
 Following the right to privacy ruling,
 If the pregnancy was caused by rape
it has been claimed that a pregnant
or the failure of a contraceptive device
woman’s freedom to choose whether or
intended to reduce the number of
not to continue her pregnancy should
children. The continuation of such a
be included in the right to privacy and
pregnancy can be harmful to the
the right to life. This ruling is not
pregnant woman’s mental health.
reflected in the modified law.
 Continuing the pregnancy poses a
 Other central legislation, such as those
significant risk to the infant child, such
on persons with disabilities, mental
as serious physical or mental
health, and transgender people, are
abnormalities.
similarly out of sync with the modified
Various Situations:The pregnancy can law.
be terminated for any of the reasons
listed above, taking into account the
 The modifications did not eliminate
gestational age of the baby. A medical ambiguity between the MTP Act and
opinion from a registered medical other statutes such as the Protection of
practitioner under the MTP Act is also Children from Sexual Offenses
required. (POCSO) Act and the Drugs and
Cosmetics Act, to name a few.

Mains point:Medical Termination The major personal laws’ issues:

Law, Right to Abortion, Right to life  In certain ways, the Special Marriage
etc. Act is clearly discriminatory. It
mentions the degree of marriage
16. How to make a uniform civil code. between close relatives that is
Context:A number of state prohibited (like the Hindu Marriage
governments have recently advocated Act). Marriages between distant
drafting a Uniform Civil Code for their cousins are also not prohibited by the
respective jurisdictions. Act (i.e., sapinda relationship). Thus,
despite religious ban, a Hindu can
marry a second cousin, whereas a
Muslim cannot marry a first cousin
despite religious authorization.
 In fact, the Hindu Marriage Act lifts the
prohibition on banned degrees based
on custom, while the Special Marriage
Act does not.
 During the Emergency, the Special
Marriage (Amendment) Act permitted
the Hindu Succession Act to govern
both parties’ (if Hindu) properties
instead of the Indian Succession Act.
India has taken a step toward UCC: This was a step backwards.
 In 1954, Parliament passed the Special The concerns with the proposed uniform
Marriage Act and the Indian civil code laws at the state level:
Succession Act, which established civil  A state-level UCC appears to be
marriage. As a secular alternative, these
irreconcilable with Article 44 of the
enactments were made available to all
Constitution on the surface. The article
Indian people. As a result, these acts
calls for a single civil code for citizens
collectively constitute an optional UCC
across India’s entire territory. The
for all Indians.
proposal is not limited to characters
 In addition, in 1955, Parliament passed from India.
the Hindu Marriage Act, which  Family and succession laws are jointly
regulated religious weddings between
governed by the Centre and the states
Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and Sikhs.
under the Constitution. As a result,
In addition, for the possessions of
Parliament can pass laws that apply to
people protected by the Hindu
the entire country.
Marriage Act 1955, a Hindu Succession
Act went into effect next year. Arguments in support of the
government’s plans:
 An antiquated Portuguese Civil Code
from 1867 governs the people of Goa,  In several places of the country, archaic
Daman, and Diu. The 218-year-old foreign laws nevertheless apply to
French Civil Code of 1804 governs a Indian citizens. As a result, such a code
large section of Puducherry’s might be implemented at the state
population known as Renoncants level.
(Indians whose ancestors had The Road Ahead:
abandoned personal law during the  For the entire country, there should be
French reign). a single legislation governing family

rights and succession. The law should The differences between modern state
adhere to the constitutional provisions formation values:
of equal protection under the law and
In the past, monarchs gained
equality before the law.
legitimacy in one of two ways:
 The discriminatory clauses of the
 The legitimacy for the king to govern
Special Marriage Act relating to
derived from God in the Abrahamic
restricted degrees in marriage should
world and mythology in the Pagan
be amended by parliament. In
world in the event of intra-state
addition, the 1976 amendment
concerns.
limiting the Indian Succession Act’s
applicability must be repealed.  When it came to inter-state disputes,
rulers used brute force and brutality to
 To begin, the parliament can abolish
assert themselves. Pre-modern state
and replace Goa’s, Daman Diu’s, and
formation values were divine/
Puducherry’s old foreign civil code
mythological, as well as violent/
with the central marriage and
expansionist.
succession rules. In the beginning, this
will be a logical choice.  Those rulers appraised the usefulness
of architectural places based on these
Mains point:Uniform civil code and its
values. A monarch who conquered the
concerns
city or gained religious authority to
become the king chose what a mosque,
17. On Gyanvapi Mosque, we are temple, or palace would be
debating the wrong question appropriated for, or whether it would
Context:A video assessment of the be allowed to exist at all.
Gyanvapi Mosque was recently  Since the French Revolution, legitimacy
ordered by a Varanasi court. The is no longer based on divinity or
apparent goal was to determine if the historical practise, and violence is no
petitioners’ central contention that the longer tolerated. This has resulted in a
mosque was created by destroying or long history of political philosophy,
seizing a temple was correct or not. and modern states were founded on
modern morality’s values.
The legal status of a place of worship

conversion:
 The change of any place of worship
from its religious nature as it stood on
August 15, 1947 is forbidden by the
Places of Worship (Special Provisions)
Act, 1991.
 This is not a debate about secularism  The Act basically says that if a location
or minority rights. The dilemma is who was a temple on August 15, 1947, it
has the capacity to identify the “true must remain a temple, and so on for
nature” of our disputed architectural all religious sites.
sites and how they will be defined.  The following are the reasons why the
 Reading architecture through the lens 15th of August 1947 was chosen as the
of political philosophy reveals that this cut-off date: In the spirit of a modern
is dependent on the ideals we acquire nation-state, the Act does so. It means
during state formation. that, since August 15, 1947, when we
decided to become a modern nation Mains point:Gyanvapi Mosque dispute

and realised it on January 26, 1950, we
would cut links with the political 18.Increasing the pace of India’s
structures that defined our past. urbanisation.
 On August 15, 1947, India decided to Context:In recent years, the
make a break with the past and government has started to realise that
redefine its political legitimacy the cities are the drivers of economic
standards. From that day forward, growth.
India was to be characterised by the
Trends of Urbanization:
ideals of a modern state embodied in
the constitution, and courts were to  In 1960, the global rate of urbanisation
judge conflicts based on those values. was at 33.61%. In 2003, more people
Not in opposition to the values of were living in cities than in villages. In
previous political systems or 2020, the global urbanisation rate was
mythologies. at 56.15% in 2020.
 In fact, globally, the late 20th century
saw rapid urbanisation, especially
The problems with this case’s court-
among the newly decolonised
ordered investigation:
countries from Africa, Latin America
 According to the Places of Worship Act and Asia.
of 1991, the “real nature” of our
architectural sites is determined by
 According to the World Urbanisation
modern ideals rather than mythology Prospects report, the rate of
or mediaeval battles. urbanisation in Asia was close to 50%
by 2018. Further, it is projected to be
 As defined by the Act, the 52.3% for Asia and around 37.6% for
philosophical and practical approach South Asian (sub-region) by the year
is to ignore mythical claims to 2022.
historical locations and not study its
India’s trends :
archaeology for claims of possession.
The courts have done the exact  The 20th and 21st centuries witnessed
opposite by ordering a survey of the India’s rapid and sustained urban
Gyanvapi Mosque. growth.
 By conducting similar examinations  In 1960, India’s rate of urbanisation was
into holy monuments, the courts have 17.94%. In 2020, India’s urbanisation
legitimised the values of an anti- rate was 34.92%. Further, India is
modern polity, as they did in the projected to have about 35%
instance of the Babri Masjid. urbanisation by the end of 2022.
 They have transgressed against the
ideals that they claim to promote. State-wise trends in India:
Courts are unable to act on allegations  According to the Ministry of Health
based on mythology or mediaeval and Family Welfare, the UTs having
capture. the highest percentage of urban
A path forward: population are Chandigarh (99.63% in
 Despite precedents to the contrary, 2020) and Delhi (99.23% in 2020). The
higher courts must uphold the status states having large area and population
quo. The architecture of today should like Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh)
not be defined by a single period in its have the least percentage of projected
past. Such applications must be population living in cities.
dismissed.
Merits of urbanisation:  Smaller cities lying on the periphery

 A city is a breathing entity which is of the major industrial cities should be
ever-growing and evolving. The cities primarily focussed from the point of
shape culture and give impetus to the growth and investment potential.
realisation of dreams and ambitions of  In addition, all the backward cities and
people who come from the
towns should be given attention for
countryside.
investment and development.
 There is a positive correlation between Mains point:Trends of Urbanisation
urbanisation and economic growth.
The cities and the process of
urbanisation offer a lot of 19. Law and public opinion: On
developmental advantages. Perarivalan release
 Urbanisation leads to rise of Context:The Supreme Court recently
agglomeration economies, the has invoked its extraordinary power to
formation of industrial clusters, and order the release of A.G. Perarivalan,
the increase in competitiveness among one of the seven convicts in the Rajiv
and within each state Gandhi assassination case.
 Urbanisation also offers solutions to
reduce income inequality and
poverty. It enhances jobs and incomes
as more talent is attracted to urban
conglomerates.
The issues:
 Looking at India’s urbanisation rate, it
seems India has a sluggish rate of
urbanisation.
 Perarivalan has drawn public
 India’s Urbanisation is below the sympathy, largely because he was only
global rate of/ urbanisation as well as 19 when he got embroiled in the
the Asian average of urbanisation rate. assassination plot and later revelations
 In India, “Cities” as a scope of study is in his confessional statement for his
a relatively new field. India has link in the purchase of a battery used
primarily been seen as a village-based in the belt bomb in the suicide
country during colonisation and a few bombing.
years right after independence.  The Court held that the Governor is
 In the post-independence years, bound by the State Cabinet’s advice
industrial development, regional when acting under Article 161 of the
integration, and economic growth Constitution, that his reference to the
became priorities, and the “urban President was “inimical to the scheme
question” remained missing from the of the Constitution” and that remission
discourse of development. remains Scope of the Pardoning Power:
Way Forward :  Both the President and the Governor
 There is a need to increase the pace of have been vested with the sovereign
urbanisation in the country. At the power of pardon by the Constitution,
same time, the influx of population commonly referred to as mercy or
should not be concentrated in bigger clemency power.
cities only.  Under Article 72, the President can
grant pardons, reprieves, respites, or
remissions of punishment or suspend,  The President can grant pardon in all

remit or commute the sentence of any cases where the sentence given is the
person convicted of any offence sentence of death but the pardoning
 in all cases where the punishment or power of the Governor does not extend
sentence is by a court-martial, to death sentence cases.
 in all cases where the punishment or  firmly under the State’s jurisdiction in
sentence is for an offence under any law this case.
relating to the Union government’s Past Judicial Pronouncements:
executive power, and in all cases of The advice of the appropriate
death sentences. Government binds the Head of the
 The President cannot exercise his state.
power of pardon independent of the  Maru Ram v Union of India case (1980)
government. This principle was –Even though the President and
reiterated by the SC in Kehar Singh Governor are the executive heads, they
Case (1988). cannot exercise their discretion with
 Although the President is bound by the regard to their powers under Articles
Cabinet’s advice, Article74 (1) 72 and 161. Both the executive heads
empowers him to return it for are required to act on the advice of the
reconsideration once. If the Council of appropriate government–Central and
Ministers decides against any change, State governments.
the President has no option but to  The court followed Maru Ram’s case
accept it. wherein it was held that the state
 It is also made clear that the President’s government can advise the governor
power will not in any way affect a who is bound to take it.
Governor’s power to commute (not . Undue delay in execution of mercy
pardon) a death sentence. petition-
 Under Article 161, a Governor can grant  Shatrugan Chouhan v. Union of India–
pardons, reprieves, respites, or Undue delay would entitle the death
remissions of punishment, or suspend, convict to seek relief under Article 32
remit, or commute the sentence of r/w Article 21 to get his death sentence
anyone convicted under any law on a commuted.
matter which comes under the State’s  Inordinate delay caused due to
executive power.
circumstances beyond the control of the
Difference Between Pardoning death convict and which is caused by
Powers of President and Governor: the authorities for no “reasonable
 The scope of the pardoning power of ground”, the court should itself
the President under Article 72 is wider commute the sentence rather than
than the pardoning power of the “remanding the matter for
Governor under Article 161 which reconsideration of mercy petition”.
differs in the following two ways: . Under exceptional circumstances
 The power of the President to grant power of the court under Article 142:
pardon extends in cases where the Manohar Lal Sharma v. Principal
punishment or sentence is by a Court Secretary:
Martial but Article 161 does not  The Supreme Court can deal with
provide any such power to the exceptional circumstances interfering
Governor. with the larger interest of the public in

order to fabricate trust in the rule of Respite: It denotes awarding a lesser

law. sentence in place of one originally
. Union Carbide Corporation v. Union awarded due to some special fact, such
of India: as the physical disability of a convict
 In Bhopal Gas Tragedy Case, the court or the pregnancy of a woman offender.
ordered to award compensation to the Reprieve: It implies a stay of the
victims and placed itself in a position execution of a sentence (especially that
above the Parliamentary laws. of death) for a temporary period. Its
AG Perarivalan Case: purpose is to enable the convict to have
time to seek pardon or commutation
The Supreme Court invoked its
from the President.
extraordinary powers under Article 142
and ordered the release of Perarivalan. Constitutional Provisions:
 SC has also put an end to all doubts by . Article 142:
holding that the  Article 142 provides a unique power
 Governor is bound by the State to the Supreme Court, to do “complete
Cabinet’s advice when acting under justice” between the parties, where at
Article 161 of the Constitution times law or statute may not provide a
remedy.
 Governor’s reference to the President
is without any constitutional backing  The framers of the Constitution felt that
and is inimical to the scheme of our this provision is of utmost significance
Constitution. to those people who have to suffer due
to the delay in getting their necessary
 In this case, remission remains firmly reliefs due to the disadvantaged
under the State’s jurisdiction position of the judicial system.
 However, nothing has been said on . Article 161:
what should be done when the absence
 Under Article 161, the Governor of a
of any time frame for the President or
state possesses the pardoning power.
the Governor is exploited ardoning
power of President:  A Governor can grant pardons,
The pardoning power of the President reprieves, respites and remissions of
includes the following: punishment or suspend, remit and
commute the sentence of any person
Pardon: It removes both the sentence
convicted of any offence against a state
and the conviction and completely
law.
absolves the convict from all sentences,
punishments, and disqualifications.  The advice of the state cabinet is
binding on the Governor in matters
Commutation: It denotes the
relating to commutation /remission of
substitution of one form of
sentences under Article 161.
punishment for a lighter form. For
example, a death sentence may be  Also, the orders passed by the
commuted to rigorous imprisonment, Governor, under Article 161, can be
which in turn may be commuted to subjected to judicial review.
simple imprisonment.  to indefinitely delay executive
Remission: It implies reducing the decisions.
period of a sentence without changing Way forward:
its character. For example, a sentence  Undue, inordinate and unreasonable
of rigorous imprisonment for two delay in execution of death sentence
years may be remitted to rigorous has dehumanising effects.
imprisonment for one year.
 The mercy petitions under Article 72/ simultaneously, i.e., mutual ceasefire
161 should be disposed of at a much and not unilateral ceasefire by the
faster pace than what is adopted now. Maoists.
Mains point:Governor’s Power  lifting of the ban on the party was
necessary for peaceful legal work by
20. Talking peace, negotiating with the the Maoists,
Maoists.  The government should adhere to the
Context:Recently, the Chief Minister of Constitution and end the illegal
Chhattisgarh announced that the State arrests, tortures and murders in the
government was ready for peace talks name of encounters. The government
with the Maoists provided they laid was also required to release some
down arms and expressed their faith leaders
in the Constitution of India. The Govt withdraw security forces
from Maoist areas:
 The government should go ahead with
the Maoist’s demand of withdrawal of
armed police forces with a mutually
agreed ‘ceasefire’. For example,
Maoists must abjure violence and the
Security force’s Anti-Maoist operations
must be halted for some period.
 The State government cannot afford the
risk of moving out security forces as a
Earlier attempts: pre-condition for initiating peace talks.
 In 2010, the then Home Minister tried The Maoists misused the ceasefire
to bring the Maoists to the negotiating during the 2004 peace talks in Andhra
table. He asked them to halt violence Pradesh.
and come to talk. In response, the Way Forward:
Maoists placed three pre-conditions to
a dialogue.
 The State governments should
implement the Provisions of
 In 2014, the Andhra Pradesh State Panchayats (Extension to the
government lifted the ban on the party. Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act, 1996.
Consequently, there was a four-day
peace dialogue between the
 The release of jailed Maoist leaders
representatives of the People’s War should not be made a pre-condition by
(PW) party and government. the Maoists. In fact, the Chhattisgarh
government has withdrawn criminal
 Maoists proposed a 11-point charter of cases against many tribals and has also
demands such as legislation on land ensured expeditious triasl of Naxal
ceiling; creation of a separate state of cases.
Telangana; and questions associated
with armed action by either side.
 The government may give some
However, the peace process collapsed concessions with regard to lifting a ban
mid-way and the ban was re-imposed on the CPI(Maoist), the PLGA and its
on the CPI(Maoist) and its sister front organisations.
organisations.
The major conditions of the Maoists: Mains point:Extremism in India
 The ‘withdrawal of all-out war’, i.e., a
cessation of hostilities by both sides
21. Look Out Circular: Understanding the such as First Information Report (FIR)
process of issuing LOCs. number, court case number are to be
Context:Earlier, the Punjab and mandatorily provided with name,
Haryana High Court while quashing a passport number and other details.
Look Out Circular (LOC) against the  Modification of LOCs: The LOCs can
petitioner and passed omnibus be modified; deleted or withdrawn
instructions to the respondents only at the request of the originator.
including the Ministry of Home Affairs The legal liability of the action taken
(MHA) and the Bureau of Immigration by immigration authorities in
(BOI). pursuance of LOC rests with the
 The court asked to serve a copy of the originating agency.
LOC to the affected person, state the  Remedial measures for individuals
reasons for issuing the LOC “as soon against LOCs: The MHA has asserted
as possible” and provide a “post- that “LOCs cannot be shown to the
decisional opportunity”. The court subject” at the time of detention nor can
also asked the MHA to include these any prior intimation be provided.
directions in the “Official Further, no accused or subject of LOC
Memorandum” or the guidelines that can be provided with any opportunity
govern the opening of LOCs. of hearing before the issuance of the
 The Government of India moved LOC since it defeats the purpose of
Supreme Court and the apex court LOC.
stayed the particular paragraph of the Note:Look Out Circular(LOC).
High Court order recently.
 An LOC is issued to make sure that an
The look out circular(LOC): individual who is absconding or
 Generated by: Bureau of Immigration wanted by law enforcement agencies
(BOI) under the MHA is only the is not able to leave the country.
executing agency. They generate LOCs  It is mostly used at immigration
based on requests by different checkpoints at international airports
agencies. and seaports by the immigration
 Exceptional cases to issue LOCs: The branch.
2010 Ministry guidelines give  In certain cases, the police can
sweeping powers to police and approach a court asking for restriction
intelligence agencies to generate LOCs of a person’s movement outside the
in “exceptional cases”. They can country when that person is a suspect
generate LOCs without complete and there is an apprehension that they
parameters or case details against may not join the investigation at a later
“suspects, terrorists, anti-national stage.
elements, etc, in larger national
interest.”
 The person against whom the LOC is
issued can challenge the circular and
 Validity of LOCs: As per norms, an get relief from a court.
LOC will stay valid for a maximum
Mains point:Understanding the
period of 12 months and if there is no
process of issuing LOCs
fresh request from the agency then it
will not be automatically revived.
 Details required to generate LOC: 22. India needs parliamentary
According to a 2010 official supervision of trade pacts.
memorandum of the Ministry, details Context: India is negotiating and
signing several free trade agreements
(FTAs) with countries like Australia, the stage of transforming a treaty into
the UK, Israel, and the EU. While the the domestic legal regime. However,
economic benefits of these FTAs have this is a scenario of ex-post
been studied, there is very little parliamentary control over the
discussion on the lack of parliamentary executive.
scrutiny of these treaties.  Parliament only deliberates how the
 This gives rise to arguments of international law obligations, already
democratic deficit in India’s treaty- accepted by the executive, should be
making process. implemented domestically. Even if
 Concerns over the lack of Parliament does not amend or make
parliamentary oversight were also domestic laws to transform the treaty,
flagged by the National Commission the treaty will continue to be binding
to Review the Working of the on India.
Constitution, set up by the Vajpayee  No specific law laying down the
government more than two decades processes: Parliament is yet to enact a
ago. law laying down the processes that
 So, should Parliament exercise some India needs to follow before assuming
control over the executive’s power to international treaty obligations.
sign international treaties?  Given this legislative void, and under
Parliament legislate on international Article 73 (the powers of the Union
treaties: executive are co-terminus with
Parliament), the Centre has been
 In the Constitution, entry 14 of the
negotiating, signing & also ratifying
Union list contains the following item
international treaties and assuming
— “entering into treaties and
international law obligations without
agreements with foreign countries and
much parliamentary oversight.
implementing of treaties, agreements
and conventions with foreign The global practice:
countries”.  In the US, important treaties signed by
 According to Article 246, Parliament the President have to be approved by
has the legislative competence on all the Senate.
matters given in the Union list.  In Australia, the executive is required
 Thus, Parliament has the power to to table a “national interest analysis”
legislate on treaties. of the treaty it wishes to sign in
parliament, and then this is examined
The power includes:
by a joint standing committee on
 Deciding how India will ratify treaties treaties – a body composed of
and thus assume international law Australian parliamentarians. In this
obligations. way, the Australian parliament
 Parliament’s competence to give effect supervises the treaty-making process
to treaties within the domestic legal and acts as a check on the executive’s
regime by enacting laws. power.
 Article 253 elucidates that the power  In Canada, too, the executive tables the
of Parliament to implement treaties by treaties in parliament.
enacting domestic laws also extends to Way forward
topics that are part of the state list.
 Effective parliamentary supervision
The present situation: will increase the domestic acceptance
. The Parliament exercises control over and legitimacy of international treaties,
the executive’s treaty-making power at
especially economic agreements, privacy of an individual by the state.

which are often critiqued for imposing The test requires satisfaction of the
undue restraints on India’s economic following conditions:
sovereignty.
 the state action should be sanctioned
Mains point:Parliamentary by law;
supervision of international treaties.
 the proposed action should have a
legitimate state aim; and
23. Why vaccine mandates are essential.
 the extent of interference by the
Context:Recently, the Supreme Court proposed state action should be
has given its verdict on the proportionate to the need for such
government’s ongoing vaccination interference. It means less restrictive
policy. The court held that restrictions measures are absent.
imposed by States and Union
In particularly this case
Territories on unvaccinated
individuals cannot be said to be  The State is empowered under Entry 6
proportionate. of the State List of Schedule VII of the
Constitution, the Disaster
Background:
Management Act of 2005 and the
 The governments have imposed partial Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897 to take
or full vaccination of individuals as a effective measures (including legislate)
precondition for accessing public on issues concerning ‘public health’.
spaces, services, or using public
transportation, among others.
 The state’s aim is legitimate. For
example, the Indian Council of Medical
Past trends of safeguard community Research said that 92% of COVID-19
interest: deaths in India in 2021 occurred in
 In 1905, the U.S. Supreme Court in unvaccinated individuals.
Jacobson v. Massachusetts, upheld the  The extent of the state’s interference
punishment of citizens who rejected with the privacy and bodily autonomy
smallpox vaccinations. Such a stand of an individual, like the vaccination
was taken in various judgments in the is the essential precondition for
western world. availing certain services, is not
 In India, the Supreme Court in Asha disproportionate when the state faces
Ranjan v. State of Bihar (2017), echoed the challenge of preventing the
the prioritisation of community transmission of COVID-19 and the
interest over individual interests. The number of deaths. However, such a
court had observed that the community state’s interference is disproportionate
interest cannot be sacrificed at the altar until the time infection rates remain
of individual interests especially in a low.
situation where a fear of psychosis is  At present, the infection rates are low.
running through the community. Therefore, the court held that the state’s
The Supreme Court’s observations: interference are violative of an
 The government’s policy seeks to individual’s bodily integrity and
invade an individual’s bodily integrity personal autonomy under Article 21 of
and personal autonomy under Article the Constitution.
21 of the Constitution. Argument against the Supreme
 The proportionality test was used to Court’s decision:
check on the infringement of bodily  The decision will impact India’s ability
integrity, personal autonomy, and to equip itself and its citizens for
further mutations of the virus, if any,

in the times to come.
 The vaccines have proved to be
medically essential to prevent severe
illness and reduce deaths among
infected persons. Should the virus
mutate further, the presence of a class
of unvaccinated persons would have
wide-ranging ramifications for an
already overburdened healthcare Nature of Indian Polity:
system.  India’s Constitution guarantees the
 India is a signatory to the International principle of religious equality and
Covenant on Economic, Social and protection of minority rights. As per
Cultural Rights. Thus, India is bound B.R. Ambedkar, these principles will
to take all possible measures to come to safeguard the interests of
progressively realise the enjoyment of minorities in case India becomes a
“highest attainable standard of Hindu-majority independent India.
physical and mental health” of its  In India, the parliamentary system has
citizens under Article 12. Therefore, the been adopted. The popular will is
state should expedite inoculations at represented by the legislature.
a time when infection rates are However, the Constitution also
relatively low. provides some checks on the power of
 The vaccination will alleviate the legislatures and the executives.
burden on the healthcare system  The Judiciary has an important role for
during more difficult times. It will also safeguarding the Constitution. If
ensure that the state’s healthcare elections give way to majoritarian
policies are proactive and not merely passions, and can’t protect the
reactionary. minorities, the courts, following the
 The state should first safeguard the life Constitution, will.
and health of its citizens before Argument Against ongoing
individuals’ decisional autonomies. developments in the Gyanvapi
Mains point: Fundamental Rights – Mosque Case:
individual’s bodily integrity and  The atrocities of Aurangzeb were not
personal autonomy under Article 21 of limited to destruction of the Hindu
the Constitution temples. He also targeted Sikh gurus,
destroyed mosques built by
24. Gyanvapi: Court must follow the law, adversaries, killed his own brother
not faith. Dara Shikoh and incarcerated his father
Shahjehan.
Context: The Supreme Court has
admitted petitions on the Gyanvapi  Should Aurangzeb’s 17th century
mosque. misdeeds be avenged by inflicting
harm on India’s Muslims today.
 At present, a controversy is raging over
the Gyanvapi Mosque, which is a  At present, the attempts to reclaim the
legacy of the Mughal emperor mosque for Hindu religious purposes
Aurangzeb (1618-1707). contradicts the Constitution.

The challenges at present: The government’s response against

 At present, we live in a modern WHO estimates:
democracy that is based on the key  Various State Health Ministers
foundations of popular will and slammed the WHO estimates. They
constitutional settlement. asserted that India has a “robust, legal
 At present, India’s elections or popular and transparent system for data
will has been increasingly legitimating collection and COVID mortality
Hindu nationalism. For example, surveillance”, referred to as the Civil
India’s parliament has enacted Registration System (CRS).
majoritarian laws such as the System for registration in India:
abrogation of Article 370 and the
Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA);
 The Registration of Births and Deaths
multiple state-level laws and/or (RBD) Act, 1969 mandates the
executive decrees are banning beef- registration of births and deaths.
eating and inter-faith marriage, among  The State governments are responsible
various other measures. for the establishment and management
 The Indian Judiciary has also not been of the registration system.
successful in implementing its  The Registrar General of India (RGI)
constitution-protecting role. coordinates and unifies the activities of
 For example, it has not scheduled registration.
hearings of Hindu nationalist policies  The Sample Registration System
or legislation like Article 370 and the (SRS) is used for further analysis of the
CAA; and It has even approved birth and death registration in India.
conversion of a contested site in  A birth/death should be registered
Ayodhya into a Hindu temple. within 21 days. After 21 days, birth/
Way Forward: death can be registered under the RBD
 The Places of Worship Act, 1991, made Act with an order of a First-Class
in accordance with the Constitution, Magistrate issued after verifying the
clearly says that the status of a facts about the birth or death.
religious place cannot be altered The issues with India’s registration system:
beyond what it was at Independence.  The SRS figures are not available for
 The religious equality and minority the year 2020 in which Covid-19 hit
protections, two of the fundamental India.
principles of the Indian Constitution  Further, Past studies on the SRS
should be safeguarded. Therefore, indicate that the vital rates are
Judicial interpretation must follow the underestimated by 2-3%.
law, not faith.  Further, 2020 annual reports have
Mains point: Fundamental Rights:- shown that the number of births and
Right to religious equality and deaths registered one year after
minority rights. occurrence is quite high. For example,
more than 15% of the births registered
25. Inadequacies of the Civil Registration had occurred in earlier years in
System. Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Rajasthan and
Context:The World Health Assam. However, such a proportion of
Organization (WHO)’s estimated delayed registration was lower in case
excess deaths due to COVID-19 in of deaths.
India which has triggered several
responses.
 Many deaths like female deaths and  While the law and a registration system
child deaths have low level of are in place. The State governments
registration because the family may should put in more effort to ensure that
not require the death certificates for all births and deaths are registered and
settling inheritance, insurance claims, more deaths have medically certified
etc. For example, Female deaths causes. This would require
formed only 39.8% of the total coordinated action by several state
registered deaths in 2020. departments.
 Only about 20% of the deaths have a  The data should be published in a
Medically Certified Cause of Death timely manner so that it can aid in the
(MCCD) that conforms to the WHO formulation of evidence-based policies
standard. The State governments have and programs.
not issued statutory notifications to
Mains point:Public data, Civil
increase the coverage of MCCD.
Registration System (CRS), Sample
Impact of COVID-19 on registration: Registration System (SRS).
 The Covid-19 lockdowns significantly
affected the efficiency of the CRS in the 26. A new road for India’s fiscal
following manner. federalism.
 One, the registrars could not work Context:The Supreme Court of India
during lockdowns in many areas. delivered its verdict in the Union of
 Two, people could not travel to the India vs Mohit Minerals case, where it
registrar’s office to report the births/ also made several observations on the
deaths that had occurred at home GST Council recommendations
within the prescribed time. About GST Regime
 Three, in case of a delay in reporting,  The GST regime was introduced
the procedure of getting an affidavit or through the 101st constitutional
a Magistrate’s order as required under Amendment in July 2017 which aimed
Section 13 of the RBD Act is a very for unification of tax administration in
cumbersome process. India – ‘One Nation, One Tax’.
 Four, the functionaries handling  GST Council: The Amendment Act
registration were deployed on introduced Article 279A which
COVID-19-related duties and could mandated creation of a GST Council.
not register the events.
 GST Council Composition: This body
 It means a large number of births and comprises the Union Finance Minister,
deaths that had occurred in 2020 the Union Minister of State for Finance,
would have been reported for and Ministers of Finance from every
registration in 2021 or even later. State government.
Way Forward:  Functions: The act led to deletion and
 A robust system should be instituted amendment of many entries in the State
to ensure the registration of almost list of Schedule VII of the Constitution.
every birth and death within a short It enabled the state government to
time after its occurrence. legislate on GST through a newly
 COVID-19 may act as an eye-opener on introduced Article 246A. The State
the importance of the CRS. The CRS has governments could not legislate on
several shortcomings. India does not sale or purchase of goods (barring a
have a robust system of registering few exceptions, such as petroleum and
births and deaths. liquor).

 The Council was empowered to make  Both Parliament and the State
recommendations to the Union and legislatures enjoy equal power to
States on various matters. The matters legislate on Goods and Services Tax
included goods and services that may (GST). The Goods and Services Tax
be subjected to or exempted from GST Council’s recommendations are just
and the rates at which tax is to be advisory that could never be binding
levied. on a legislative body.
 Voting share: The Union government  According to the Court, the State
was granted a virtual veto in the GST legislatures can deviate from any
Council’s voting structure and system advice rendered by the GST Council
Confusions between advisory and and to make their own laws by
binding nature of GST Council’s asserting, in the process, their role as
recommendations: equal partners in India’s federal
 The use of the word architecture.
“recommendations” suggested that  If the GST Council was intended to be
the GST decisions would be advisory, a decision-making authority having
at best. binding recommendations. Such a
 The mandate of establishment of a qualification would have been
mechanism under Article 279A to included in Articles 246A or 279A.
adjudicate disputes between Way Forward:
governments on decisions taken by the  The legislatures can give binding effect
Council suggested that advice to the Council’s recommendation
rendered were binding in nature. through statutory law. But, according
Impact of making recommendations to the SC, a constitutional power can
binding in nature: never be limited through statute.
 It could lead to dissolution and  Indian federalism is a dialogue
destruction of the well-laid plans of the between cooperative and
Constituent Assembly, which carefully uncooperative federalism. The federal
divided Fiscal responsibilities units are at liberty to use different
between the Union and the States. means of persuasion ranging from
The Supreme Court’s observations in collaboration to contestation.
the Union of India vs Mohit Minerals:  GST was conceived as a product of
 The Court proceeded on a technical what some described as “pooled
reading of the provisions of the Central sovereignty” where our nation can take
Goods and Services Tax Act. a genuine turn towards a more
“cooperative federalism”.
 The Article 246A provides
concomitant power both to the Union Mains point:Fiscal Federalism, GST
and to the State governments to Council.
legislate on GST. It does not
discriminate between the two in terms 27. MoHUA launches Swachh
of its allocation of authority. Survekshan 2023 under Swachh
 The concomitant powers allocated in Bharat Mission Urban 2.0, with the
Article 246A cannot be limited by theme of ‘Waste to Wealth’ for Garbage
Article 279A, which establishes a GST Free Cities.
Council, and which treats the Council’s Context:The government has launched
decisions as “recommendations”. the eighth edition of Swachh

Survekshan -2023 (SS 2023) under  To align with the theme of SS2023,
Swachh Bharat Mission Urban 2.0. additional weightage has been given
The Swachh Survekshan 2023: to source segregation of waste,
enhancement of waste processing
capacity of cities to match the waste
generation and reduction of waste
going to the dumpsites.
 Indicators have been introduced
emphasising the need for a phased
reduction of plastic, plastic waste
processing, encouraging waste to
wonderful parks and zero waste
 Theme: The survey is designed with events.
the theme of ‘Waste to Wealth’ as its
 Ranking of Wards within the cities is
driving philosophy.
also being promoted through Swachh
 SS 2023 is curated towards achieving Survekshan 2023.
circularity in waste management. The
 The cities would also be assessed on
survey would give priority to the
dedicated indicators on the issues of
principle of 3Rs – Reduce, Recycle and
‘open urination’ (Yellow Spots) and
Reuse.
‘open spitting’ (Red Spots).
The Swachh Survekshan: Swachh
The significance of Swachh Survekshan:
Survekshan was introduced in 2016 as
a competitive framework to encourage  Swachh Survekshan has emerged as
cities to improve the status of urban the largest Urban sanitation survey in
sanitation while encouraging large the world.
scale citizen participation.  The survey which started with only 73
 It was launched as part of the Swachh cities in 2016 has now grown to 4355
Bharat Abhiyan, which aimed to make cities in SS 2022, including 62
India clean and free of open defecation Cantonment Boards. It has led to
by 2nd October 2019. The first survey healthy competition among cities to
was undertaken in 2016. improve their performance on
sanitation parameters thereby
 Conducted by: Ministry of Housing
improving sanitation services delivery
and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) with
to the citizens.
Quality Council of India (QCI) as its
implementation partner. Mains point:Swachh Survekshan 2023
 Parameters: The cities have been
ranked based on three broad 28. Supreme Court recognises sex work as
parameters — service level progress, a ‘profession.
citizen’s voice and certification. Context:After invoking special powers
The new additions to SS2023: under Article 142 of the Constitution,
 There is an enhanced level of the Supreme Court has recognised sex
work as a “profession”. Thus, the
cleanliness activities undertaken by
practitioners are entitled to dignity and
the cities during the months the survey
equal protection under the law.
is conducted. Therefore, in SS 2023, the
evaluation will be conducted in 4 The key highlights of the Supreme Court’s
phases, instead of 3 phases in earlier direction:
editions.

especially if the offence committed

against them is of a sexual nature.
 The court held that the Sex workers
who are victims of sexual assault
should be provided with every facility
including immediate medico-legal
care.
Directions to media: The media should
 Every individual in this country has a not to reveal the identities of sex
right to a dignified life under Article workers, during arrest, raid and rescue
21 of the Constitution. This also operations, whether as victims or
includes sex workers. accused. Similarly, they should not
 Directions to Police: “Sex workers are publish or telecast any photos that
entitled to equal protection of the law. would result in disclosure of such
Criminal law must apply equally in all identities.
cases, on the basis of ‘age’ and The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act
‘consent’.” needs to be reformed:
 If the sex worker is an adult and is  One, the Act represents the archaic and
participating with consent, the police regressive view that sex work is
must refrain from interfering or taking morally wrong and that the people
any criminal action. involved in it, especially women, never
consent to it voluntarily. However, it
 Held brotherly unlawful: But the court
fails to take account of the rights of
also observed that “voluntary sex work
‘consenting adult sex workers.
is not illegal and only running the
brothel is unlawful.  Two, it has led to the stigmatization of
Protection for sex worker’s child: sex workers making them more prone
to violence, discrimination and
A child of a sex worker should not be
harassment.
separated from the mother merely on
the ground that she is in the sex trade.  Third, The Act denies an individual
their right over their bodies. Further,
 The court also observed, “Basic
it imposes the will of the state over
protection of human decency and
adults in making their life choices.
dignity extends to sex workers and
their children.”  Fourth, the act has subjected the sex
workers to harassment by the state
 Further, if a minor is found living in a
officials due to a lack of independent
brothel or with sex workers, it should
agencies.
not be presumed that the child was
trafficked. In such cases, if the sex
worker claims that he/she is her son/ 29. India slides 8 places to 150 in 2022
daughter, tests can be done to Press Freedom Index
determine if the claim is correct and if Context:The World Press Freedom
so, the minor should not be forcibly Index 2022 has been released. This
separated. report is released by Reporters Without
Legal protection to sex workers against Borders(RSF).
abuse: The court ordered the police to  The aim of this report is to assess the
not discriminate against sex workers state of journalism in 180 countries and
who lodge a criminal complaint, territories.

 The index ranks countries based on five showed a significant drop in student
indicators: the political context, legal performance in practically all courses
framework, economic context, during the epidemic years.
sociocultural context and security.  The statistics from the National
Press Freedom Index:Press freedom is Assessment of Educational Progress
defined by the index as the ability of (NAS) will aid states in conducting
journalists, both individually and short- and long-term corrective actions,
collectively, to select, produce, and according to the Union education
transmit news and information. ministry.
Especially in the public interest,
without political, economic, legal, or
The nature of the learning problem
social intervention, and without
during pandemic:
jeopardising their bodily or mental
well-being.  One of the world’s longest school
closures occurred in India.
key findings of the index
 Norway (1st), Denmark (2nd), Sweden
 Teachers have laboured for the better
part of two years to cope with the
(3rd), Estonia (4th), and Finland (5th)
pedagogical problems brought by the
ranked first, second, and third,
shift to online education.
respectively, in the index, while North
Korea ranked worst.  For a vast number of impoverished
students, the country’s digital gap
 The index discovered a two-fold
proved to be a barrier.
increase in “polarisation” fueled by
information chaos, that is, media  According to field reports from private
polarisation fueling domestic organisations and state government
differences as well as foreign entities, the interruption resulted in an
polarisation. alarming regression in children’s core
skills, such as reading, writing, and
 India’s ranking in the Index has
simple math.
dropped to 150th place in 2022, down
from 142nd place in 2021. India’s score  According to the NAS 2021 report, even
has dropped as a result of growing states that have historically performed
violence against journalists and well on educational measures were
politically politicised media, resulting harmed by the breakdown. The average
in a “crisis” in India’s press freedom. math results of Delhi’s Class V
Prelims Point : Press Freedom Index children, for example, were
significantly lower than the national
average.
30. National Assessment Survey lays out
Some of the obstacles that must be
post-Covid challenges. Teacher- and
overcome:
student-centred approaches are
needed.  The pandemic appears to have pushed
the execution of the NEP’s school
Context:The National Assessment
education reforms to the back burner.
Survey (NAS), a study commissioned
by the Centre, exposes the scope of the  In the current budget, funds for teacher
learning crisis across the country training have been cut by nearly half.
during the epidemic.  The budget for the Mid-Day Meal
 The NAS, which was conducted in Scheme, which has been shown to have
November 2021 among students from a good influence on school enrolment,
over one lakh schools in 720 districts, student retention, and child nutrition,
has been cut by over 10%.
 Instead, it appears that e-learning is livestream its proceedings. Its example

being overused. However, as the NAS was followed by other HCs like
demonstrates, these technologies Karnataka, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh
cannot replace classroom interactions. and Patna.
Steps to be taken:
 The first step should be to realise that
children are returning to school with
weakened skills, as well as the fact that
certain students may have had more
setbacks than others.
 Planners and school administrators
should provide instructors the
opportunity to use innovative methods Use of technology in the India’s
to transform classrooms into safe Judicial System:
spaces where kids can let go of their
 In India, e-governance in the field of
fears from the previous two years and
administration of justice began in the
reclaim their skills at their own speed.
late 1990s. However, the e-governance
 This would necessitate a rethinking accelerated after the enactment of the
of instructional practises and a shift Information and Technology Act, 2000.
away from syllabus-centric
 Since then, the focus has been on
approaches in favour of learner-centric
digitising the court’s records and
approaches. This requirement is
establishing e- courts across the
recognised in the New Education
country. For example, e-courts were
Policy 2020, which was announced in
launched as a part of the National e-
the first year of the pandemic.
Governance Plan (NEGP) in the year of
2006.
A path forward:
 The e-Committee of the Supreme
 Several studies, including the annual Court has issued directions to ensure
ASER reports, have found that the that e-filing of cases/petitions by state
majority of the country’s educational governments in all matters be made
system’s flaws stem from a disconnect mandatory from January 1, 2022.
between most students’ lived
 The Supreme Court has approved the
experiences and what they are taught
hearing of a number of matrimonial
in classrooms.
cases through video-conferencing in a
 The pandemic-caused crisis provides number of cases. For example, in
a chance for corrective action. Failure Krishna Veni Nagam v Harish Nagam
to do so will jeopardise an entire Case (2017), and in Anjali Brahmawar
generation’s academic destiny. Chauhan vs Navin Chauhan Case.
Mains point:Issues related to  In 2018, the Supreme Court allowed the
development of education. live-streaming of cases of
constitutional and national importance
31. Digitisation will ensure speedy, on the basis of the judgment in
efficient delivery of justice. Swapnil Tripathi.
Context: In 2021, the Gujarat HC
became the first court in the country to

The benefits of digitisation:

The issues:
 Digitisation prevents the requirement
 There are Internet connectivity issues.
of a large space needed to store so
In addition, it requires a well-
many files and the decades-old
equipped space where lawyers can
documents.
conduct their cases.
 Ensures that these files are traceable
 Judges, court staff and lawyers are not
electronically as and when required.
well-versed with digital technology
This prevents the consequences of
and its benefits.
missing court records.
Way Forward
 For example, the SC in State of Uttar
Pradesh v. Abhay Raj Singh Case  Political will and the support of judges
held that the courts are bound to set and lawyers are necessary. They
aside the conviction, if court records should be made aware of the technical
go missing and re-construction is not know-how and its advantages. They
possible. Thus, convicts can go free for should also be given adequate training
want of court records. in the technologies.
 The time consumed in summoning  The digital technology can be used in
records from the lower courts to the terms of digitisation of court records,
appellate courts cause a lot of delay e-filing of cases and their virtual
in cases. It will take much less time to hearing, live streaming of court
transmit the records as and when proceedings.
called for after digitisation.  Virtual hearings cannot be a substitute
 The cases are adjourned simply for physical court hearings in all cases.
because affidavits filed several years Cases related to matrimonial issues and
ago were not restored with the record domestic violence, bounced cheques,
or were not traceable. The digitisation motor accident compensation referred
will not let the cases adjourned by the to mediation centres and lok adalats
courts on this account. could be included in the list of cases
fit for disposal through the virtual
 The lawyer or a litigant can check the hearing.
status of the filing, the status of
Mains point: Digitisation in Indian
applications and affidavits, date of the
Judiciary.
next hearing, orders passed by the
courts etc. Thus, the lawyers or their
staff are not required to visit the 32. Reservation in public employment.
reporting sections or other sections of Context:The jurisprudence of
the court to know about the status of reservation relies on the symbiotic
their cases. coexistence of constitutionally
 Before the pandemic, virtual hearings guaranteed equality of opportunity in
were used only in a limited manner; public employment under Article 16 (1)
for example, in criminal cases where it and classifications thereunder various
was not possible to produce the clauses of the same article, especially
accused physically before the court. Article 16(4) and Article 16 (4 A).
 The live-streaming of cases of national
importance would lead to ensuring
transparency and openness.

 These are facilitating provisions, vest  Indira Sawhney judgement (1992): In

a discretion on the government to the judgment, a nine-judge bench
consider providing reservations for the upheld the constitutionality of the 27%
socially and educationally backward reservation but put a ceiling of 50%
sections of the society and to provide unless exceptional circumstances
reservation in promotion to SCs and warranting the breach, so that the
STs, respectively. constitutionally guaranteed right to
Reservation is not a fundamental right: equality under Article 14 would
 Mukesh Kumar and Another vs State remain secured.
of Uttarakhand & Ors. 2020: It is a  The Court declared that Article 16(4) is
settled law, time and again reiterated not an exception to article 16(1), rather
by the Supreme Court, that there is no an illustration of classification implicit
fundamental right to reservation or in article 16(1). While Article 16(1) is a
promotion under Article 16(4) or fundamental right, Article 16(4) is an
Article 16(4 A) of the Constitution, enabling provision.
rather they are enabling provisions for . Further, the Court directed the
providing reservation, if the exclusion of creamy layer by way of
circumstances so warrant. horizontal division of every other
 However, these pronouncements in no backward class into creamy layer and
way understate the constitutional non-creamy layer.
directive under Article 46. The Constitution (Seventy-seventh
 Article 46 mandates that the state shall Amendment) Act, 1995:
promote with special care the . In Indra Sawhney Case, the Supreme
educational and economic interests of Court had held that Article 16(4) of the
the weaker sections of the people, and Constitution of India does not
in particular Scheduled Castes and authorize reservation in the matter of
Scheduled Tribes. promotions. However, the judgment
Reservation in employment: was not to affect the promotions
already made.
 Reservation in employment which was
otherwise confined to Scheduled  By the Constitution (Seventy-seventh
Castes and Scheduled Tribes got Amendment) Act, 1995, Article 16(4-A),
extended to OBCs as well on the basis was inserted to provide that “nothing
of the recommendations of the 2nd in this article shall prevent the State
Backward Class Commission as from making any provision for
constituted, headed by B.P. Mandal. reservation in matters of promotion to
any class or classes of posts in the
 The recommendation of Mandal
services under the State in favour of the
Commission (1980) to provide 27%
Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled
reservation to OBCs in central services
Tribes which, in the opinion of the State,
and PSUs, over and above the existing
are not adequately represented in the
22.5% reservation for Scheduled Castes
services under the State”.
and Scheduled Tribes, was sought to
be implemented by the V.P. Singh  Later, two more amendments were
Government in 1990. brought, one to ensure consequential
seniority [Article 16(4 A)] and another
Some important judgements and
to secure carry forward of unfilled
statutes regarding the issue of
vacancies of a year [Article 16(4 B)]
reservation:
The Constitution Bench Judgment in M.
Nagaraj (2006):

 A five-judge bench of Supreme Court institutions is currently under

declared the 1995 amendment as not challenge before the Supreme Court
vocative of basic structure of the which has referred the same to a
Constitution. constitution bench.
 The Court in M Nagaraj versus Union  The verdict in this regard can turn out
of India upheld the constitutionality of to be a critical milestone in the
the provision concerning promotions jurisprudence of reservation as
subject to the qualification of the state traditional understanding of
feeling the need to provide the quota. backwardness is broadened to
 This stands in addition to the court’s specifically include economic
decision that Article 16(4) has to be backwardness without social
read along with Article 335 of the backwardness as is traditionally seen.
Constitution, the effect of which is that Dr. Jaishri Laxmanrao Patil vs Chief
the state should provide reservations Minister (2021):
on grounds of inadequate  Despite the Indra Sawhney ruling,
representation if such reservations do there have been attempts on the part
not adversely affect the maintenance of of many States to breach the rule by
efficiency of administration. way of expanding the reservation
Arnail Singh & Ors vs. Lacchmi coverage.
Narain Gupta & Ors:  The Maharashtra Socially and
 In 2018, the Supreme Court delivered Educationally Backward Classes Act
its verdict in the Reservation in 2018, (Maratha reservation law) came
Promotion case. A five-judge Bench of under challenge before the Supreme
the Supreme Court unanimously held Court which referred the same to a
that the judgment delivered in Nagaraj bench of five judges and one question
in 2006, relating to reservations in was whether the 1992 judgment needs
promotions for SC/ST persons, does a relook.
not need reconsideration by a larger  Interestingly, the Supreme Court not
seven-judge Bench. The Bench also only affirmed the Indra Sawhney
struck the demonstration of further decision, but also struck down Section
backwardness criterion from Nagaraj. 4(1)(a) and Section 4(1)(b) of the Act
 On one hand the Court struck down the which provided 12% reservation for
further backwardness criterion, while Marathas in educational institutions
on the other hand introduced the and 13% reservation in public
principle of creamy layer exclusion. It employment respectively, citing the
held that creamy layer exclusion breach of ceiling.
extends to SC/STs and, hence the State
cannot grant reservations in promotion Mains point:Reservation and related issues
to SC/ST individuals who belong to
the creamy layer of their community.
The Constitution (103rd Amendment) 33. Doses of statecraft to meet India’s
Act, 2019: Internal security challenges.
Context: Recently, the Russia-Ukraine
 The 10% reservation for Economically
War and the political turmoil in South
Weaker Sections (EWS), other
Asia dominated the newspaper
Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes
headlines. These developments have
and backward classes for government
pushed the debate on India’s many
jobs and admission in educational

internal security problems on the discovered in Punjab, the recent attack

backburner. on the HQ of Punjab Police Intelligence
Internal Security problems in India: wing in Mohali.
Case Studies of limitations of security  The movement has the backing of
solution Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence.
 Upheaval in Kashmir: The J&K has It indicates that Punjab militancy has
continued to see extreme violence not been permanently extinguished.
followed by spells of near normalcy  Insurgency in North-East: In Assam,
since 1947. The situation has become the United Liberation Front of Asom–
more volatile since the revocation of Independent (ULFA-I), which
Article 370 of the Constitution. operates from Myanmar is trying to
 Now, terrorists have started targeted revive its activities after a long spell of
killings of police officers, outsiders, hibernation. In Nagaland, the National
mainly Kashmiri Pandits. There were Socialist Council of Nagalim (I-M) has
warnings that this year’s Amarnath initiated a fresh push for a solution of
Yatra could be one of the targets of the the ‘Naga political issue’
militants. A threat in the South: There are signs
 No proper solution has emerged to a of a possible revival of LTTE-
long-standing problem. The doctrine of sponsored militancy in Sri Lanka due
containment is not having the desired to recent economic crises and
effect. There is an absence of an all-in- uncertainty there. This Is likely to
one grand strategy to deal with the revive LTTE-sponsored activities in
situation. Tamil Nadu
The continuing problem involving The limitations of a security vigil:
Maoists.:  The security agencies, which do a
 Maoists or Naxalites having strong security vigil, can only deal with the
ideological underpinnings have immediate threat. They are a
continued to exist since the late 1960s temporary solution and will not
when Charu Mazumdar talked of a amount to problem-solving.
‘Spring Thunder over India’ and  The forces threatening the state have
created inspiration. adopted new technologies and modes
 The Maoists have combined of warfare.
ideological ideation and brutal killings Statecraft involve:
to pose challenges to the police,  It involves fine-grained
intelligence and security comprehension of inherent problems
establishments of the States and the
 an ability to quickly respond to
Centre.
political challenges.
 It represents the biggest challenge to
 strengthening the ability to exploit
the idea of India. Despite negotiations,
opportunities as they arise. It involves
Maoists have seldom displayed a
a degree of political nimbleness rather
commitment to peaceful ways.
than leaving everything to the security
 Maoists find an echo among agencies.
intellectuals in the cities and the
 In addition to faith in the security
‘poorest of the poor’ in the rural areas
establishment, it requires putting
Pro-Khalistan movement: there is a equal emphasis on implementation of
resurgence of militancy in the Punjab. policies and programmes, formulating
For example, ‘sleeper cells’ have been

strategies that favour political

deftness, strength and agility.
Way Forward
 Long-term solutions require the use of
statecraft. In many countries, both the
authorities and security agencies are
beginning to acknowledge the
importance of resorting to statecraft.
 A deft statecraft is needed to prevent a
resurgence of the past. It is critical in
finding lasting solutions to a host of
problems that continue to afflict India.
 The grand strategy, grand
simplifications or resort to higher doses
of security cannot solve the security
problems.
 A properly structured set of policies,
having liberal doses of statecraft in
addition to a proper set of security
measures, is the best answer to India’s
needs, now and in the future.
Mains point:Security-based interventions
and Statecraft

International Issues
1. Why Berlin Is A Key Partner For New maintaining a discussion, which might
Delhi. serve as the foundation for a feasible
Context:The Indian Prime Minister is political agreement.
attending the yearly Intergov-  On China: With Russia’s strategy in
ernmental Consultations in Berlin. shambles, Germany’s China-wary
During the Ukraine crisis, Germany coalition partners seek to deal with
initiated the IGC invitation, Beijing as a systemic opponent. India
emphasising India’s importance as a does not want Russia’s actions in
global partner. This comes after the Ukraine to draw attention away from
Prime Minister of the United Chinese violations. Another facet of the
Kingdom and the President of the Indo-German strategic understanding
European Commission paid separate is a shared view on China’s danger to
visits to India. Following that will be the international order.
the Nordic Summit.  On green financing, the Indo-German
Indo-German partnership collaboration has stepped up its
climate-friendly initiatives. Germany
commits more than €1 billion each year
to numerous green initiatives,
including solar electricity, electric
transportation, smart cities, and
Namami Gange. The Indo-German
strategic alliance will be built on a
stronger partnership on climate, green
infrastructure, sustainability, and
 The cooperation focuses on climate
development over the next decade.
change and sustainability. Traditional
Steps ahead
strategic aspects such as space,
nuclear, and defence cooperation are  Given the success of the Indo-German
absent. Nonetheless, there is a environmental and energy
strategic aspect to the partnership’s relationship, India and Germany
resurrection during the Ukraine crisis should replicate this model in other
and the reorganisation it entails. developing countries. Germany and
 Globalisation is supported by India both have devoted African
policy as well as an interest in Latin
Germany and India. Germany is the
America, as seen by the Compact for
European country most hesitant to
Africa and the India-Africa Forum
impose unilateral restrictions on
Summit.
Russia or limit engagement. The
decline in Russian energy sources will  Replicating Indian development
cause great anguish. projects in Africa and Latin America –
 With respect to Russia, Germany and perhaps with German assistance –
might be a major goal. Green energy,
India believe that Russia cannot be
training, women’s empowerment, and
isolated and that it must remain active
the attainment of SDGs might all
while adhering to the rules. Berlin and
benefit from this.
New Delhi share the goal of

 There is potential for collaborative part of a larger strategy to improve

vaccine production, for which India’s long-term prospects.
Germany has pledged funds for Africa, The current state of India-Russia relations:
India’s primary market for  As numerous European countries have
pharmaceuticals and vaccines. had to do, there are valid historical
 India and Germany may adopt the reasons for keeping friendly relations
approach of “Achieving SDGs with Russia.
Together” in the future. Germany must  The current relationship between India
improve its trade and business and Russia is not a continuation of the
relations with India. The recent visit of old Indo-Soviet relationship. With the
Germany’s state secretary for economic end of the Cold War and the collapse
cooperation, as well as the improved of the Soviet Union, that strategic
chances for the India-EUFTA and relationship that enabled India deal
investment agreements, are positive with the Chinese and Pakistani
signs. challenges came to an end.
 German businesses are shifting from  Moscow no longer sees Beijing as its
individualised production to supply primary security threat, but China has
chain production lines. They can take become a greater threat to India.
advantage of India’s FTA with ASEAN
 The economic and trade relationship
and access to Africa by creating
between India and Russia has
regional or global manufacturing hubs
deteriorated.
in the country.
 Prospects for a new energy relationship
This could be a version of the China
fizzled out, as China emerged as a
+1 strategy. It will be a strategic boost
more accessible and appealing power
to the Indo-German cooperation if this
for Russia.
can be ingrained in German thinking
and used to gradually wean Germany  Even the defence hardware connection
away from China. has deteriorated as India has attempted
to diversify its supply sources.
2. India must make the most of the India’s Russia policy has to be
diplomatic attention it’s receiving. reconsidered:
Context:In wake of the Raisina  One of India’s fundamental
Dialogue, where representatives from assumptions in its Russia policy has
Europe and the West spoke with their been that as a great state, Russia will
Indian counterparts, India has seen a help India.
flurry of diplomatic activity in recent  A junior collaboration with China is
days. unlikely to be accepted by Moscow;
India’s Quad partners, the United  And that China is expanding its
States, Japan, and Australia, as well as presence and influence in Central Asia
its European partners and several and Eastern Europe, which Russia
ASEAN countries, consider India as a regards as its “near neighbourhood”
stabilising force. and security perimeter.
 They are invested in India’s rise to  Russian and Chinese interests are
prominence as a global player and are unlikely to match in the long run, thus
eager to help. This is an opportunity India should maintain a tight
that should be taken advantage of as connection with Moscow.

 This was also why India advocated Mains point:India’s foreign policy
with the United States and other
western allies that they needed to be
more accommodating of Russian 3. Europe is looming larger than ever in
interests in order to separate India’s strategic calculus.
themselves from Beijing. Context:The head of the European
 Even if the Ukraine conflict had not Commission recently paid a visit to
India. In addition, India’s Prime
arisen, the Sino-Russian Joint
Minister will travel to Berlin,
Declaration of February 4 should have
Copenhagen, and Paris in Europe. He
caused India to doubt the veracity of
will attend the India-Nordic Summit for
these assumptions.
the second time. These trips hint at
India’s foreign policy engagement be India’s post-Russian strategic potential
shaped: in Europe.
 In a changing geopolitical landscape, The motivating factors:
it is in India’s best interests to maintain
 Russia has been subjected to Western
relations with Russia and China as
sanctions. As a result, Russia is
world powers. Such interaction is
strengthening its ties with China.
necessary to determine how major
powers are adapting to changing  India is also working to strengthen
geopolitical equations around the bilateral ties with Germany and
world. France, two significant European
 In a European order, Russia is already countries.
a severely weakened state, and it will Germany-India Relations:
be unable to prevent Finland and  Both countries have been confronted
Sweden from joining NATO. with a variety of issues as a result of
 The United States’ political politics are China’s assertive foreign policy.
unpredictable, which necessitates Ï Germany is attempting to limit its
prudence. market exposure to Russia and China.
 Europe will most certainly emerge as As a result, India is an appealing new
a more united and cohesive body, investment location for German capital.
based in German dominance and The commercial relationship’s full
playing a role that has previously been potential has yet to be realised.
more independent of the US. All the  In reality, Germany has a stronger
more reason for India to strengthen its relationship with Russia than India.
overall relationship with Europe, Germany’s annual commerce with
create a shared vision of a changing Russia is around $60 billion,
geopolitical landscape, and encourage compared to $10 billion for India. In
Europe to play a bigger role in the addition, Germany is largely reliant on
Indo-Pacific. Russian natural gas. As a result, both
Next steps: India and Germany have been under
 The attention devoted to India does not pressure to break their ties with Russia.
Indeed, both are unhappy with
represent who India is. instead of what
Western pressures to cut ties with
India may become as a fundamental
Russia.
architect of a new international order.
Relations between India and the
 It is past time to consider India’s
Nordic countries:
strategic role in a globe undergoing a
historic shift.  Delhi has learned in recent years that
the Nordic Five — Denmark, Finland,
Iceland, Norway, and Sweden — can India with a better understanding of the
make important contributions to changing atmosphere in Europe as a
India’s development. They have a total result of Russian aggressiveness.
GDP that is higher than Russia’s.  The European Union established the
 The First India-Nordic Summit of 2017 India-Europe Trade and Technology
established a foundation for a bold Council. After the United States, the EU
bilateral agenda focused on technical now has its own council. It defines the
innovation and long-term EU’s strategic cooperation with India
development. It suggests that India has in new ways.
recognised the Nordic region as one of  The Prime Minister might investigate
the significant sub-regions of Europe new opportunities for stronger
for Indians. cooperation with key European
The India-France Partnership: countries.
 In 2018, both countries set the  In India’s diplomatic and security
groundwork for a robust strategic policies, Western Europe has become
alliance. Both are concerned about the increasingly prominent. The Ukraine
Indo-Pacific repercussions of the war. crisis has heightened the need for India
The strategic alliance between the two and its European partners to work
countries is about to enter the next together more strategically. This is due
level. to the fact that the crisis has disrupted
 France is widely seen as India’s “new Europe’s 1991 regional order.
Russia,” or its most crucial strategic India-France:
partner in the future years. For  France has created a political
example, foundation for Russia’s peaceful
 France protected India’s interests in assimilation into the European order.
the United Nations Security Council, Both India and France have the
 the two countries are partners in the potential to increase their defence
Indo-Pacific theatre, and cooperation. France is crucial in
developing India’s domestic weapon
 France is a significant supplier of
production. It has the potential to
advanced weapons to India.
increase private and international
The challenges for India: capital engagement.
 India’s stance on the Ukraine conflict India-Nordic:
and its strategic links to Moscow may  Interactions between Indian Prime
cast a pall over India’s relations with
Minister Narendra Modi and Nordic
the rest of Europe.
leaders may help Delhi understand the
 Both on land and in the Arctic oceans, deep-seated anxieties of Russia among
the Nordic world shares borders with Moscow’s smaller neighbours. India
Russia. As a result, aside from the aims to build on the two countries’
original members of NATO, Denmark, unique green strategic alliance.
Iceland, and Norway, the other two Mains point:India-Europe Relations.
Nordic five members, Sweden and
Finland, are hurrying to change their
long-standing neutral status and join 4. A defining moment for Indo-German
NATO. ties.
Next Steps: Context:In Berlin, India’s Prime
Minister will attend the sixth Indo-
 India-Europe:The Indian Prime
German Inter-Governmental
Minister’s visit to Europe may provide
Consultations (IGC). The IGC is are hints that it is leaving China. This
India’s sole such format with any other has the potential to increase corporate
country. participation in India.
At the IGC, significant initiatives were  The epidemic and Russian sanctions
taken: are wreaking havoc on Germany’s
 Both have signed a Joint Declaration economy. As a result, new trade and
of Intent to form the Green and investment markets are required. Due
Sustainable Development Partnership to its ongoing economic growth and
(JDI). It would fund green projects in market size, India is an essential
India through public, private, and partner in this respect.
public-private partnerships.  Trade, investment, technology,
 Both have signed the Joint Declaration functional collaboration, talent
of Intent (JDI) on Triangular development, and sustainability are
Development Cooperation for third- all elements of India and Germany’s
country initiatives. This will open up green alliance. For example, the Indo-
opportunities for collaboration in the German energy forum, the Indo-
Indo-Pacific, Africa, and beyond. German environmental forum, and
 During this IGC, the JDI on migration the Indo-German partnership on
and mobility was a significant stride urban transportation.
forward. This will make it easier for a Interests coming together:
bigger number of Indian students and  In 2016, Germany launched the Indo-
professionals to travel to Germany. German Education Partnership. This
This will result in increased service opened up a new route to India. It has
trade and support efforts for digital given Indian students in Germany
collaborations. chances. New IITs, such as IIT-Indore,
 On the UN, Afghanistan, and terrorism, have partnered with numerous
the joint statement demonstrates a German technical universities to
great deal of agreement. provide collaborative programmes.
The two countries share common interests: The Indo-German Science and
Technology Centre has contributed
significantly.
The difficulties in bilateral relations:
 Germany and India do not have
historic strategic partnership relations.
So far, nothing has been established.
Next Steps:
 India and Germany are both hesitant  The Indo-German Inter-Governmental
participants in the anti-Russian Consultations are introducing a
movement. Both are looking for biennial ministerial forum (IGC). It
strategic independence. will offer the Partnership with “high-
 Both India and Germany value the level coordination and political
Indo-Pacific region strategically and direction.” It will serve as a cohesive
economically. As a result, as part of its institutional system.
embryonic Indo-Pacific policy,  The EU and India have agreed to
Germany wishes to engage with India. resume talks on a free trade agreement
 Germans are cautious about China’s (FTA) and an investment deal.
influence in international issues. There

 At the IGC, India should focus on  In 2018, the two countries signed a Joint
leveraging both countries’ Strategic Vision for collaboration in the
entrepreneurship and private sector to Indian Ocean Region.
advance climate-friendly SDG
 In the IOR, both are concerned about
accomplishment.
maritime security, ensuring that all
 The Green Hydrogen Task Force was states observe international law,
formed as part of the energy freedom of navigation and overflight,
collaboration. A Green Hydrogen combating organised crime, and
Roadmap will be created. This will mitigating climate change.
aim to commercialise research and
 In the Indian Ocean, both have
development.
performed “joint patrols” and Varuna
 In light of crises such as the pandemic, (joint naval exercises). In the Indian
the economic downturn, and now Ocean region, both are working to raise
Ukraine, a new period is reflecting new marine domain awareness.
objectives.
 In the field of space, India and France
Mains point: Indo-Germany Relations have a strategic collaboration. In 2018,
they signed a Joint Vision for Space
5. India and France: A deepening Cooperation. Situational awareness in
friendship. space, for example, and collaboration
Context: India’s Prime Minister will in satellite navigation and associated
travel to France to congratulate Macron technologies are examples.
on his re-election victory. The visit is  In Jaitapur, Maharashtra, India and
essential for India because it allows it France are working together to build
to examine the international strategic the world’s largest nuclear power
landscape and assess bilateral ties. plant.
The India-France relationship:  Connectivity, climate change, cyber-
security, and research and technology
are some of the newest areas of
cooperation (S&T).
The difficulties in bilateral relations:
 Bilateral defence ties: France has
mainly followed through on its
promise to deliver Rafale fighter jets
to India. The problem of transitioning
 On key dimensions of international from a buyer-seller relationship to an
relations, India and France have investor-investee relationship entails
strategic alignment. Both believe in a manufacturing defence equipment in
multipolar world and the concept of India and technology transfer.
strategic autonomy.
 The nuclear power plant in Jaitapur has
 Both countries have developed their been put on hold. It is confronted with
strategic alliance since 1998. France, for numerous domestic roadblocks.
example, backed India’s nuclear test in
The Indian government measurements:
1998.
 In the Indo-Pacific, India sees France
 India’s Prime Minister has elevated the
country’s diplomacy to the level of
as a favoured partner.
“personalised diplomacy.” He has
made a difference in inter-state

relations by investing in human

relationships. Since 2017, the PM has
had a tight relationship with French
President Emmanuel Macron.
 Both the Indian Prime Minister and the
French President have good relations
with Russian President Vladimir
Putin. As a result, they may work
together to put a stop to Europe’s
awful war.
Next Steps:
 With the EU, India is negotiating a Free
Trade Agreement (FTA) and an
Investment Agreement. As a result, PM
Modi can persuade French President
Emmanuel Macron to back India at the
bargaining table.
 India should be aware of France’s view
on the Sino-Russian axis as well as the
EU’s own relations with China. India  It is an unrecognised breakaway state
should also inform the counterpart that broke away from Moldova after the
about its appraisal of the situation in Soviet Union collapsed in 1990.
Ladakh and the nature of Sino-Indian  Although the Transnistrian
relations. government has de facto
Mains point: Indo-France Relationship independence, it is recognised as part
of Moldova by other countries and the
United Nations.
 Transnistria is not recognised by
6. Embroiling Transnistria in the Russia-
Russia as an independent country.
Ukraine War.
However, Transnistria’s independence
Context: Transnistria is becoming is largely due to military assistance
increasingly concerned about being from the Russian army stationed in
drawn into Russia’s war against Transnistrian territory.
Ukraine.
 Russia has strong links with
 Transnistria, also known as the Transnistria. The majority of the
Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, population speaks Russian, and the
is a sliver of land that lies between government is ruled by pro-Russian
Moldova and western Ukraine. separatists.
 Russia also gives free natural gas to
Transnistria and pays pension
enhancements to the region’s elderly.
The significance of Transnistria for Russia:

 Russia has long wanted to keep
Moldova, which was once part of the
Soviet Union, under its political control.
 Moldova is situated between Romania  It strives to increase protective

and southwestern Ukraine, bordering measures by registering all emigrants,
the European Union. Russian troops in upgrading and training skills, and
Transnistria provide Russia with a providing pre-departure orientation.
means of intimidating Moldova and Skills training for migrant workers, for
limiting its Western ambitions. example, or foreign language training,
 Moldova applied to join the European can be extremely beneficial to workers.
Union in March 2022. However,  In addition to workers, the Bill will
Moldova is unable to fully manage its protect students (about 0.5 million)
own borders due to the presence of who relocate for education.
Russian forces in Transnistria.
Moldova cannot join the EU without Indian Emigrants’ Situation:
border and territorial control. This is  Every year, around 2.5 million Indian
one of the requirements for joining the labourers go to different areas of the
EU. world on work visas.
 NRIs number around 13.4 million
7. The importance of emigrants and the worldwide, according to the Ministry
new Indian Emigration Bill in 2021. of External Affairs. Around 64 percent
of NRIs live in GCC countries, with the
Context:The Indian government just
UAE having the greatest percentage,
introduced a new Emigration Bill for
followed by Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
2021. The bill will give a complete data
Nearly 90% of Indian migrants in the
set for managing Indian immigration
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are
effectively. It attempts to streamline
low- and semi-skilled workers.
the welfare of Indian emigrant
employees by integrating emigration  The United States, the United
management. Kingdom, Australia, and Canada are
The Emigration Bill’s provisions: among popular destinations for
Indians living abroad.
The Indian Diaspora’s Importance for
the Host Countries:
 Indian migrants, both skilled and semi-
skilled, contribute to the nation-
building of their destination nations.
Several Indian-origin executives, for
 The bill proposes to change the example, have become CEOs of major
Emigration Check Required (ECR) American corporations. This
system for workers applying to emphasises the importance of Indian
migrate to one of the 18 notified intellect to the American economy.
countries.
 Furthermore, Indian semi-skilled
 The bill requires all types of workers migrant workers have made significant
to register before travelling to any contributions to the world economy.
place in the world in order to ensure The Indian Diaspora’s Importance for
better protection, support, and safety India:
in the event of a vulnerability.
 High remittances: According to a
 The law proposes to create the World Bank Group research from 2021,
Emigration Management Authority, India receives the world’s greatest
which would serve as a policy-making annual remittances ($87 billion),
body.
followed by China ($53 billion), and Mains point: Indian diaspora

others. In India, remittances have been
significantly higher than even foreign
direct investment (FDI).
8. A war that is shrinking India’s
geopolitical options.
Context:The conflict between Russia
and Ukraine is still raging, with no end
in sight and unknown long-term
consequences.
The implications for India:
 The early diplomatic frenzy in India
has come to an end. As the fight
continues on, its geopolitical options
are dwindling.
 Socioeconomic development:
According to a National Statistical Options are dwindling:
Office research, remittance-receiving  Previously, India’s balancing act
urban and rural households have a 23 catapulted it to the forefront of
percent higher financial capability than international attention. As a result,
non-remittance-receiving households. India has witnessed a number of high-
 NRIs might act as a hedge against profile visitors. India had a variety of
unpredictable hazards. Following the geopolitical alternatives available to it.
2015 earthquake in Nepal, for example, However, for at least three reasons, the
Nepalese living abroad raised their number of alternatives appears to be
remittances. After a shock, this offered limited:
critical assistance to the domestic  Russia, which is India’s most important
economy. strategic partner, is no longer available
Next Steps: for balancing purposes. Moscow is now
more reliant on India than the other
 The government could consider
way around.
expanding remittances to 10% of GDP
and emulating the Philippines’ labour  At the end of the war, Asia’s regional
mobility model. power balance will have altered in
Beijing’s favour. As a result, India’s
 The cost of hiring such individuals and
management of China will become
sending remittances back to India
more difficult. The conflict in Ukraine
should both decrease.
has exacerbated India’s China dilemma.
 The Indian government should
 The United States and its western
prioritise reducing informal/
allies have switched their attention
undocumented migration, formalising
from China and the Indo-Pacific to the
all remittances, and ensuring the safety
Ukraine theatre. Furthermore, due to
and well-being of migrant workers. It
preoccupations with the European
can be accomplished by using
theatre, the war will further erode
information technology to regulate
American influence in the Southern
recruitment agencies.
Asian region.
 The Union government created
‘Madad,’ an integrated grievance
redressal portal, in 2015.

 Longer term, a war-weary and from the West and the United States,
weakened Russia will become China’s which is not in Russia’s best interests.
subordinate partner.  It is critical that two of China’s Asian
 Instead of figuring out how to appease allies, India and China, do not conflict,
both sides in this fight, the main at least while the war continues.
question for New Delhi now is how to India’s Challenges:
control China, which is quickly
 If China stabilises the LAC at Russia’s
cementing its power in the region.
urging, it can expect India to take its
 In the medium to long term, India’s time in the Indo-Pacific.
immediate to medium-term
 Due to the Ukraine conflict, India is
involvement with Russia may have
currently unable to take advantage of
unintended consequences.
the many underlying difficulties
 India’s northwestern continental between Moscow and Beijing.
strategy toward Afghanistan and
 Moscow should recognise that the
Central Asia is being influenced by
Ukraine conflict will bolster Beijing’s
the war. Due to the Taliban’s return,
efforts to gain control of its backyard
India had previously departed from
through economic means, much like
Afghanistan. As a result, India’s
NATO has done to Russia through
strategic interests in Afghanistan have
military ones.
dwindled. As a result of the war,
China’s position in the region will Mains point: Global and Asian Geopolitics,
grow, and India’s footprint in Central India-China Relations, India-Russia
Asia will shrink. relations.
India’s countermeasures:
 The visit of China’s Foreign Minister 9. Modi in Lumbini: Buddhism
to India indicates that Beijing is provides India a cultural inroad in
likewise attempting to soothe tensions Nepal – it may not be enough to
along the LAC. counter China.
Context:PM Modi visited Lumbini in
 During the visit of the Chinese Foreign
Nepal on Buddha Poornima, making
Minister, Indian leaders made it plain
him the first Indian Prime Minister to
that normalisation of diplomatic and
do so. He prayed at the Mayadevi
political ties between India and China
temple, which is thought to be the
can only occur once soldiers from the
birthplace of the Buddha, before laying
Indian side of the Line of Actual
the groundwork for the International
Control have been disengaged (LAC).
Buddhist Conference and Meditation
 The Indian Prime Minister will travel Centre. The trip comes one month after
to China for the BRICS Summit. It Nepal’s Prime Minister visited India.
should take advantage of the top.
The Prime Minister’s visit to Nepal so
 India can benefit from the significant:
relationship between China and
Russia. At the moment, Moscow has
the ability to persuade Beijing to halt
its actions along the LAC. If China
continues to heat up the LAC, India
will be forced to seek political,
diplomatic, and intelligence assistance

 The trip is being billed as a “cultural  China has also constructed a monastery
tour,” but many observers see it as in the Lumbini Development Project’s
India’s long-awaited diplomatic core area. China’s offer to develop it as
awakening. a World Peace Centre and build a
 A late awakening, because Delhi has railway connection connecting Tibet
been unconcerned about China’s and Kathmandu is now on hold, but
substantial inroads into Nepal. not entirely abandoned.
 Furthermore, little has been done to The Lumbini become the focal point
improve Indo-Nepal bilateral in Nepal:
relations, which have deteriorated  The United States and the European
significantly between 2016 and 2021. Union, as well as India, have
India not only refused to recognise strengthened their involvement and
Nepal’s new constitution, which was influence in Nepal’s domestic affairs,
adopted in September 2015, but also particularly since the 2005-06 political
imposed a 134-day economic embargo changes.
on the country.
 China replied by increasing its
 As a result, Prime Minister Modi has military presence and making
made an effective endeavour to economic investments. This has
rebuild bilateral ties by befriending influenced Nepal’s internal politics
Deuba. and policymaking. But, unlike its
 Deuba, who is also the chairman of competitors, China’s vision was
the Nepali Congress, recently comprehensive and considered
welcomed Modi’s request to create various factors.
fraternal connections between his party  Lumbini has become a microcosm of
and the BJP, a move that the Chinese the contending international powers
Communist Party attempted with the in the country, thanks largely to China.
unified Communist Party of Nepal.
 On November 8, 2011, India reacted to
China’s presence in Lumbini for the
India and Nepal agreed: first time, following the Chinese’s
 India and Nepal agreed to create a passionate promotion of the World
Buddhist circuit that would connect City programme.
sites in both countries, with Lumbini A path forward:
at the centre.  India may gain a foothold and cultural
 India also agreed to establish the Dr. space as a result of Modi’s visit to
B R Ambedkar Chair at Lumbini Lumbini and the laying of the
University, which will have roughly monastery’s foundation.
1,000 students enrolled, including  However, there is no assurance that it
some from China. will be able to outperform its
China’s efforts in Nepal to create a foothold: opponents, which include the West and
 Under the auspices of its non- China, both of whom are already well-
governmental organisation, Asia established in Nepal.
Pacific Exchange and Foundation, Mains point: Indo-Nepal bilateral relations
China first offered to spend $3 billion
to develop Lumbini as the world
peace city, with Maoist leader
Prachanda as its vice chairman.

10. The neighbourhood in turmoil,  India is more concerned with the

lessons for India. people in its immediate vicinity than
Context:From 2016 to the present, with those in positions of authority. In
India’s foreign policy toward Afghanistan, for example, India
neighbouring countries in the South engaged with Pakistani officials to
Asia region has shifted. ensure that it could provide food
 Rather than utilising every means grains to Afghans.
necessary to defeat a difficult  On domestic concerns in the
neighbour, India has turned its focus neighbourhood, India has toned down
to soft power diplomacy, ultimately its rhetoric. For example, in 2021, the
improving relations with each of the Indian government’s public response
South Asian countries. to violence against Bangladesh’s
 It has, on the other hand, mostly Hindu minority during Durga Pooja.
overlooked the political developments Next Steps:
in Pakistan.  In its relations with South Asian
The recent changes in India’s foreign countries, India cannot remain mute or
policy: “neutral.” This is not in India’s best
Pre-2016 foreign policy: interests.
 With its uncooperative South Asian  For example, India is directly affected
neighbour, India’s government by practically every issue in South
pursued a “muscular foreign policy.” Asia, such as refugee influxes and
In the case of terror strikes, India has economic crises. As a result, they must
issued a warning to Pakistan. It also be closely monitored.
cancelled negotiations with Pakistan at  India should learn that populism,
the level of the Foreign Secretary. hyper-nationalism, religious
Furthermore, India is accused of majoritarianism, and a militant anti-
interfering in domestic politics in Sri elitism do not pay off in the long run.
Lanka and Nepal.
 For example, a popular leader may
Post-2016 Foreign Policy: gain power, but his or her popularity
 India’s uniformly muscular “one size may drop suddenly and unexpectedly.
fits all” approach to the region has been In Sri Lanka, for example, the collapse
abandoned. The government has of K.P. Oli, Imran Khan, and Mahindra
settled on a much more cooperative Rajapaksa. This implies that nothing
and conciliatory stance in the lasts forever, particularly in a
neighbourhood at the moment. democracy. Above all, the economy is
 For example, India has not been held important.
accountable in any of its neighbouring  For example, in Pakistan, Nepal, and
nations that have experienced electoral Sri Lanka, populists were defeated by
changes, including Myanmar, Nepal, slowing growth, job losses, and rising
Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. inflation, rather than by opposition
 High-level visits, development aid parties. Changes in the neighbourhood
and lines of credit, and a flurry of soft have resulted from economic
power diplomacy have all helped mismanagement.
India improve its ties with every  India must assess the impact of
country in South Asia (except emerging vulnerabilities on smaller
Pakistan). neighbours, as these vulnerabilities

could be exploited by global powers complicated weapons and systems will

such as China. be harmed as a result of this.
 Innovative Delhi needs to come up  Because Europe is unwilling to pay for
with new ways to invigorate regional Russia’s mistakes, the war has forced
groups like the Bay of Bengal Initiative Western countries to seize Russian
for Multi-Sectoral Technical and government and oligarch assets abroad
Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) and use them to rebuild Ukraine.
and the Bangladesh, Bhutan, India,
Concerns in Europe:The United States
Nepal (BBIN) Initiative.
has been accused of shifting its war
 Finally, the Indian government must objectives from Ukraine to Russia. It
recognise that a lack of political places Europe at the centre of it all.
agreement has let down popular
 The conflict has reached a point that
leaders in neighbouring countries.
neither Russia nor Europe anticipated.
 For instance, Rajapaksa, Oli, and Khan
branded their opponents as “enemies”
and shut down the media and non- The challenges does India face:
governmental organisations.  Due to India’s longstanding reliance on
Mains point: India’s Foreign policy to Russia, the Indian leadership faced the
deal with countries in our immediate difficult problem of justifying India’s
neighbourhood. Russia policy while also focusing on
cooperating with Europe in clean,
green, tech-powered development.
11. Putin’s Made India The Swing State
 Energy expenses, fertiliser costs, and
In Geopolitics.
general inflation have all risen as a
Context:The war between Russia and result of the war, posing a problem for
Ukraine is still going on. And India’s India’s post-pandemic recovery.
Prime Minister will attend the Quad
Summit in Tokyo next week.  India’s aim to transition to a lower-
carbon future has been hampered by
 The status of the Russia-Ukraine war: the war. As a result, the conflict is
Despite the fact that Ukraine may never increasingly becoming India’s conflict.
join NATO, the Western countries Next Steps:
ardently support it.
 India’s leadership has informed his
 Sweden and Finland have submitted European colleagues that the country
formal applications to join NATO. is rapidly diversifying away from
Russia will be enraged by this. The Russian military hardware.
nature of European security will be
forever altered.  The Indian government must
communicate with its international
The consequences of recent events:
partners about India’s interests and
Russian Concerns:In terms of global strategies to address the current crisis.
political and economic isolation,
 India must confront the threat posed by
Russia may end up at the bottom of the
a rising and assertive China. India
heap.
should form a clean, green, digital, and
 Russia’s imports from technologically non-China cooperation with Europe.
sophisticated countries, according to
 In many ways, India is operating as a
reports, are declining at an exponential
swing state in the new strategic setting.
rate. Russia’s ability to manufacture
It is, however, in its best interests for it
to shift its course to the west. There is
room for India to expand. The United neutralize Ukrainian air defenses,
States and Europe want to engage leading to Russia’s revision of its plan
India on a more fundamental level. As by confining its military operations to
a result, India should collaborate with Donbas and the Black Sea coast.
the United States on Indo-Pacific and
 Russia stretched its military lines thin.
global security issues.
It resulted in long lines of
communications and military columns
Mains point: India as a Swing State; that could not be supplied and
India’s position in the global and reinforced.
regional geopolitics. All these strategic failures led to low
morale among Russian forces:
12. Lessons from Russia for India.  Thus, India should start investing more
Context:Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in sensors, electronic warfare, greater
is ongoing. Strategic failures and digitization, satellite communications,
success of Russia is providing lessons and unmanned systems. It should be
for the Indian military as well. not just for reconnaissance and
The key lessons from Russian surveillance, but also for attack
invasion for Indian miliary: missions.
 It has revealed the level of  India should also develop greater
effectiveness of Russian tanks. missile forces to enhance its offensive
American-built Javelin or Advanced capabilities.
Anti-Tank Weapon System have
resulted into destruction of several of 13. The new Indo-Pacific bloc.
Russian T-90 tanks. Context:Recently, the Indo-Pacific
 However, Germans used these tanks Economic Framework was launched by
effectively during ring World War 2, United States President with 12 other
but they were used along with the countries, including India, as a
infantry. Russia has not used its tanks member. The aim was to reclaim US’s
along with infantry, which is the main economic leadership in East Asia and
reason behind heavy destruction of its the ASEAN region without losing them
tanks. to China.
 Drones and anti-tank missiles have Indo-Pacific Economic Framework:
caused a great devastation among
Russian forces.
 Emerging technologies like cyber and
digital technology, Artificial
Intelligence, and UAVs should be
used along with the legacy platforms
such as fighter planes, warships, and
artillery weapons. It will provide the
best performance. Emerging tech can
provide precision, whereas legacy
platforms can launch firepower.
 It is well known that Suppression of  Set the rules of the road for the digital
Enemy Air Defenses should be the economy,
foremost requirement for any invading
force. However, Russia failed to
 Ensure secure and resilient supply infrastructural needs. Hence, the IPEF
chains, also faces a credibility challenge.
 Make major investments necessary in Mains point:To understand the
clean energy infrastructure and the challenges surrounding Indo-Pacific
clean energy transition, Economic Framework.
 Raise standards for transparency, fair
taxation, and anti-corruption, etc. 14. Quad pledges $50 billion package
The Issue of data localisation between with ‘tangible benefits’ to check
India and the US: China.
 India has fought with the US over the Context:The second in-person and
last two or three years regarding data fourth meeting of Quad have
localisation. In 2019, the government happened recently. The leaders
has introduced a Bill in Lok Sabha that committed $50 billion for sustainable
envisages a framework for localising and demand-driven infrastructure in
Indian data and the establishment of a the Indo-Pacific and announced a
Data Protection Authority. Maritime Domain Awareness
surveillance initiative to combat illegal
 But the US, in its National Trade
fishing by the Chinese.
Estimate Report, said that the data
localisation “will serve as significant The key outcomes of Quad Summit:
barriers to digital trade” between the  Regarding terrorism: Quad leaders
two countries, and will act as “market denounced the use of terrorist proxies
access barriers, especially for smaller and emphasised the importance of
firms”. denying any logistical, financial or
The issues surrounding IPEF: military support to terrorist groups
which could be used to launch or plan
 Lack of clarity: The U.S. said that it is
terror attacks, including “cross-border
not a free trade agreement; nor will it
attacks.
discuss tariff reductions or increasing
market access, raising questions about  Infrastructure funding: The Quad will
its utility. But the US did not explain seek to extend more than $50 billion of
what is the focus area of IPEF. infrastructure assistance and
investment in the Indo-Pacific, over the
 Question on common ground: The 13
next five years.
countries are part of very different
economic arrangements. This raises the
question of whether there is enough
common ground among the members
or not.
 Trade relations with members of IPEF
and China: Each of the IPEF countries
has considerable trade interests in
China, with most having large trade
deficits.
 Credibility of US initiative: The U.S.’s
previous initiatives (the Blue Dot
Network and the Build Back Better
Initiative) have made little
improvements in changing the region’s

 This fund will be used for demand- issues under the G20 Common
driven infrastructure and not lead to Framework and by promoting debt
any “unsustainable bouquet of sustainability and transparency.
projects”.  This is achieved through the ‘Quad
 Launched Quad Climate Change Debt Management Resource Portal’.
Adaptation and Mitigation Package The portal consists of multiple bilateral
(Q-CHAMP): Q-CHAMP includes : and multilateral capacity-building
a) ongoing activities under the Quad assistance.
Climate Working Group such as, green  On cyber security: The Quad partners
shipping and ports, clean energy will initiate the first-ever Quad
cooperation in clean hydrogen and Cybersecurity Day to help individual
methane emissions, etc internet users across our nations, the
b) New cooperation in clean fuel ammonia, Indo-Pacific region, and beyond to
CCUS/Carbon Recycling, cooperation better protect themselves from cyber
and capacity-building support to threats.
advance high integrity carbon markets
under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, 15. China’s ‘inevitable’ global dominance.
etc. Context:A recent book titled “How
 To make Q-CHAMP tangible, Quad China Sees India and the World.”
leaders committed to expanding explained how China is moving
programs, in support of climate actions towards their global dominance.
between four countries as well as in the The development of India-China relations:
Indo-Pacific region.
 Deng Xiaoping declared that there
 Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime could not be an Asian Century without
Domain Awareness (IPMDA) India and China growing together and
initiative: This initiative is designed to playing a resurgent role.
work with regional partners to respond
 During the visit of the Indian Prime
to humanitarian and natural disasters,
Minister in 2003, a few important
and combat illegal fishing.
decisions were taken.
 IMPDA will support and work in
a) The two countries agreed to seek
consultation with Indo-Pacific nations
an early political solution to the
and regional information fusion
India–China border dispute,
centers in the Indian Ocean, Southeast
Asia, and the Pacific Islands. b) Regular negotiations at the level of
Special Representatives of their
 Established Quad Partnership on respective leaders, and
Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster
c) China recognized Sikkim as the
Relief (HADR) in the Indo-Pacific:
State of India. (Earlier China
This Partnership will further
continued to depict it [Sikkim] as
strengthen the collaboration to
an independent country).
effectively respond to disasters in the
region.  In 2005, Chinese Premier’s visit to
India, China arrived at a consensus on
 Promote debt sustainability: China’s
the following issues to balance India’s
Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) faces
civil nuclear cooperation agreement
international scrutiny for irresponsible
with the U.S. These include,
lending. Hence, the Quad will
strengthen the capacities of the a) Accepted China was not a threat to
countries in need to cope with debt India and India was not a threat to
China,
b) There is enough space for  lower threshold of tolerance to closer

simultaneous growth of both relations between India and the U.S.,
India and China in Asia, and c) For instance, China mentions the Quad
Agreed India was an economic as a constraining factor of China in the
opportunity for China and vice Indo-Pacific,
versa. Thus, India-China relations
have acquired a global and
 Indirectly pointing India should accept
strategic dimension. a diminished ranking compare to
China. For instance, Chinese scholars
The growth trajectory of China and India: often mentioning China’s economy
 Till 2000s: India and China were was five times the size of India.
roughly at the same economic level in  Overall, China at present considers that
1978, with similar GDP and per capita the U.S. is a declining power with its
income. Though China began to grow credibility being eroded. More
much faster thereafter, the gap between importantly, the U.S.’s power to
the two countries was not very implement decisions has also
significant even a decade later. diminished. Therefore, asserts the
 The 1991 Economic reforms and allies and partners of the U.S. cannot
liberalisation policies in India count on U.S. power to deter China.
expanded India’s political and Mains point:To understand China’s
economic profile. standpoint on India.
 After the 2000s: In the period 2003–
2007, India’s growth rate accelerated
16. Building peace and prosperity with
while China’s began to slow down.
strong BRICS.
This was the brief period when India’s
diplomatic options multiplied. Context:Recently, the BRICS Foreign
Ministers issued a joint statement at a
 In this period, India was able to virtual meeting. And the first dialogue
leverage the advance of its relations of Foreign Ministers between BRICS
with one major power to promote its and emerging markets and developing
relations with other major powers, countries was held.
thereby expanding its strategic space.
 After the 2008 financial crisis: The
asymmetry between the U.S. and China
began to shrink but the asymmetry
between India and China began to
expand.
 China has maintained the same rate of
growth as India, but on a much larger
base than India. This created an
asymmetry of power between India  The BRICS Foreign Ministers’ meeting
and China. indicated that BRICS countries will
The potential impacts of growth strengthen solidarity and cooperation
asymmetry between India and China: in the face of challenges with firm
conviction, and take real actions to
 China showing less sensitivity to
promote peace and development, and
India’s interests,
uphold fairness and justice.
 Increased economic and political
The BRICS countries should aim for
penetration of the Chinese economy in
in the future:
India’s peripheral countries,
 Universal security: BRICS countries direction in favour of developing

should be builders of universal countries.
security. Cold-war mentality and bloc  Following measures need to be taken:
confrontation pose grave threats to
a) BRICS Vaccine Research and
world peace and security. Seeking
Development Center should be
one’s own security at the expense of
put to good use,
others’ will only create new tensions
and risks. b) establish a BRICS early warning
mechanism for preventing large-
 It is important
scale infectious diseases, and
a) to respect and guarantee the
c) provide high-quality public goods
security of every country,
for global health governance
b) replace confrontation and alliance cooperation.
with dialogue and partnership,
 Leadership in global governance:
and
BRICS countries should be leaders of
c) promote the building of a global governance. Global challenges
balanced, effective and sustainable can be resolved by coordinating global
regional security architecture. actions.
 Strengthen mutual trust: BRICS BRICS countries should firmly
countries need to strengthen political embrace a global governance
mutual trust and security cooperation, philosophy centered around extensive
maintain communication and consultation, joint contribution and
coordination on major international shared benefits, enhanced unity and
and regional issues, respect each cooperation with emerging markets
other’s sovereignty, security and and developing countries.
development interests, oppose
 BRICS plus cooperation model: All
hegemonism and power politics, and
parties to the Foreign Ministers
work together to build a global
dialogue support and advocate the
community of security for all.
‘BRICS plus’ cooperation model,
 BRICS countries should enhance which is a platform born for
mutually-beneficial cooperation in cooperation and thrives on
supply chains, energy, food and development. ‘BRICS plus’
financial resilience, foster an open cooperation need to be explored at
world economy and create a more levels, in more areas and in a
favourable environment for common wider scope
development.
Mains point:BRICS and related issues.
 Cooperation in health: BRICS
countries should be pioneers of
cooperation in COVID-19 pandemic
management. India’s vision of ‘One 17. Deepening strategic commitment:The
Earth, One Health’ also contributes to Quad
multilateral cooperation on public Context:The Quad (the U.S., India,
health. Japan and Australia) held its second in-
BRICS countries should fully person leaders’ summit in Tokyo on
leverage their respective strengths, May 24.
and jointly promote the development  It has emerged stronger and clearer in
of global health governance in a its strategy and goals for the security
and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific.

 The efforts by the Quad countries  Thus, China is not only the glue that
should be viewed not only from the holds the Quad together; it is also the
prism of the summits, but also from the fuel that may, through Beijing’s bad
wider context of international behaviour in the future, drive the
developments and the continuing grouping’s inner consolidation, as
process of consolidation of the shown by an expanding agenda.
bilateral relations within, especially Major points of QUAD agenda:
U.S.-India ties.
 The Quad agenda now covers nine
Russia-Ukraine war impaction on the Indo- sectors:
Pacific region:
1) vaccine partnership and health
 Some experts feared that India’s stance security,
on Russia might impact the Indo-
2) climate action,
Pacific regional dynamics, particularly
Indo-US ties, but it hasn’t. It seems that 3) critical and emerging technologies
U.S. has understood India’s nuanced 4) cooperation on infrastructure,
position on Ukraine and has chosen to 5) cybersecurity,
refocus on China’s strategic game in the 6) space cooperation,
region.
7) education and people-to-people
 India and the U.S. agreed to disagree ties,
on Ukraine, but showed full readiness 8) maritime domain awareness, and
to further strengthen the Quad and
9) humanitarian assistance and
their bilateral cooperation, which, U.S.
disaster relief.
President Joe Biden said, he was
“committed to making…among the  The Quad claims to have established
closest we have on Earth.” “a positive and practical agenda” in
year one; in year two, it will focus on
 With China, the US President has
“delivery.”
moved beyond the traditional U.S.
stance of ‘strategic ambiguity’ and The commitments made at the QUAD’s
referred to Ukraine to stress that Tokyo summit:
China’s armed action against Taiwan  The promise of making available at
would be unacceptable and attract a least one billion COVID-19 vaccine
military response. doses to Indo-Pacific countries has
China critical to QUAD: fallen short.
 The central driving force of the Quad  Excluding what the Quad countries
is to counter China’s growing contributed to COVAX, just 25% have
expansionism and belligerence. been delivered to the region so far. This
needs to be expanded rapidly.
 The grouping has defined the most
important reason for its existence  On infrastructure – A new
without ever using the word ‘China’. commitment was made at Tokyo for
the Quad to extend over $50 billion in
 This was best reflected in the ‘Quad
investment and assistance to the Indo-
Joint Leaders’ Statement’ which reads,
Pacific countries over the next five
“We reaffirm our resolve to uphold the
years. While the focus is on the ASEAN
international rules-based order where
countries and the Pacific Island States,
countries are free from all forms of
a part of this funding should perhaps
military, economic and political
reach the Indian Ocean region too, with
coercion.”
its touch points in Africa.

 The Common Statement of Principles

The changes in India’s foreign policy
on Critical Technology Supply with respect to Pakistan:
Chains is significant, as it concerns
cooperation on semiconductors.  For nearly three decades, it was
Pakistan that had the political initiative.
 Ambitious IPEF: Indo-Pacific
However, in the last eight years, under
Economic Framework for Prosperity the leadership of PM Modi, India has
(IPEF) was launched a day earlier. The begun to reset the terms of the
plan is to prepare their economies for engagement agenda.
the future by conducting negotiations
on the pillars of trade; supply chains;  Early Period: After the Cold War, India
tax and anti-corruption and clean was under pressure and a difficult
energy; decarbonisation and situation. There was turmoil in
infrastructure. Kashmir, the international focus on
nuclear proliferation, and the
India is asserting its strategic autonomy:
relentless external pressure for a
 India’s constructive participation in sustained dialogue with Pakistan.
the Tokyo summit and agreement to
 Pakistan used a three-pronged
join IPEF demonstrated commitment
strategy:
to strengthening its strategic
partnerships in order to push back (1) violent destabilisation of Kashmir
China’s dominance. while raising human rights
concerns in global forums,
 At the same time, New Delhi has
agreed to the expansion of BRICS (2) reopen the Kashmir question that
membership. This simultaneous India believed was settled after the
engagement with the Quad and BRICS 1971 war, and (3) leverage global
reflects New Delhi’s strategic nuclear concerns to force Indian
autonomy. concessions on Kashmir.
Way forward  Therefore, Islamabad often sets
preconditions for talks with India, like
 India’s presidency of the G20 in 2023
India should improve its human rights
and the likelihood of India hosting the record in Kashmir, bring militant
Quad summit in 2024 will ensure that groups on the negotiating table, insist
it follows a calibrated policy and stays on Pakistan’s leadership or officers’
on track, as every major step will meetings with the Hurriyat leaders etc.
attract international attention.
 India’s military response against
Mains point:QUAD and related issues,
Pakistan’s provocative terror attacks
Indo-Pacific security and prosperity.
could invite the fear of nuclear
escalation and the great powers
18. India needs a forward-looking intervention.
strategy on Pakistan. At Present:
Context: India’s approach is very different  The US-India relations have
from the framework that emerged at the transformed, the resolution of Delhi’s
dawn of the 1990s. Since the early dispute with the global nuclear order,
1990s, the regional and international etc. have improved India’s diplomatic
context has also altered in many ways. position.
The balance of power between India
and Pakistan has been changing. Now,  The Indian governments had laid the
it is essentially in India’s favour. foundations for robust economic
growth. Instead Pakistan has

persistently neglected its economic looking strategy. India can afford to

challenges in context of its obsession make a move.
to expand its strategic depth into
 Pakistan’s army and its political class
Afghanistan and redefine the nature of
should be more practical in engaging
its relations with India. This has
India. India can take bold steps like
weakened its position in relation to
Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif was invited
India.
to attend his inauguration in 2014.
India Three-Pronged Strategy At present
 India’s new initiatives can reinforce the
 First, the present regime will not be positive evolution of Indian foreign
compelled by difficult conditions and policy. It can also expand the space for
pressure. It will talk on his own terms. Indian diplomacy in the region and
 Second, Delhi has been unafraid of beyond.
Pakistan’s threat of nuclear escalation Mains point:India-Pakistan Bilateral
while responding to Pakistan’s cross- Relations
border terrorism. India’s cross-border
raids on the sources of terror have
enhanced India’s deterrence. India’s
campaign has also resulted in greater
international scrutiny of Pakistan’s
support for terrorism.
 Third, the present regime has reduced
the scope of India’s future negotiations
with Pakistan on Kashmir by changing
the constitutional status of Kashmir in
2019.
Ongoing developments:
 In 2021, India has negotiated a ceasefire
agreement with Pakistan. It agreed to
reopen talks on Kashmir.
However, Pakistan is divided on its
negotiating strategy. It is insisting on
India to reverse all the 2019
constitutional changes in Kashmir.
There will be no engagement with
India if India does not “reverse” the
2019 constitutional changes in
Kashmir.
Way Forward:
 Pakistan’s economy is in a poor state.
Its diplomatic position has weakened.
This might encourage Pakistan to
rethink its India policies.
 India should take a fresh look at its
Pakistan strategy. There are issues in
the effectiveness of the three-pronged
policy. India should take a forward-

Culture and History

to discuss spiritual and mundane
1. Union Home Minister paid homage questions of life, in the open.
to Shri Basavanna on the occasion of
Basava Jayanti. . Used poetry, known as Vachanaas, to
spread social awareness and bring
Context: The Union Minister for Home and equality to 12th-century society.
Cooperation paid homage to Shri
Basavanna on the occasion of Basava
Jayanti. 2. India embarks on the World’s largest
Basava Jayanti: film restoration project under National
Film Heritage Mission: I&B Minister.
. Basava Jayanti is a Hindu festival
celebrated by Lingayats in Karnataka. Context:The Union Minister of
The day marks the birth anniversary Information & Broadcasting has
of Lord Basavanna. announced the World’s largest film
restoration project under National Film
Heritage Mission(NFHM).
The National Film Heritage
Mission(NFHM):
Shri Basavanna:
. He was a 12th-century poet and
philosopher and was the founder of . Launched in: 2016 by the Ministry of
Lingayatism. He was a Hindu Shaivite Information & Broadcasting
social reformer. . Aim: To preserve, restore and digitize
. Not only that, but he served as a chief India’s cinematic heritage.
minister during the reign of the . Objectives of the mission:
Kalachuri-dynasty king Bijjala I. 1) Condition assessment of film reels
. The Lingayats (Followers of to ascertain the remaining life of
Lingayatism) are a Hindu sect with a the film,
wide following in southern India that 2) 2K/4K picture and sound
worships Shiva as the only deity. restoration of landmark films of
Contributions of Basavanna: Indian and recording of new
. Believed in a society free of the caste picture and sound inter-negatives
system, with equal opportunity for all. of each film,
. Preached about manual hard work. 3) Digitization of films,
. Introduced new public institutions 4) Construction of archival and
such as the Anubhava Mantapa (or, preservation facilities called
the “hall of spiritual experience”), vaults,
which welcomed men and women 5) Training and workshops for in-
from all socio-economic backgrounds house capacity building and 6)
Web-based end to end IT solution.
. Implementing Agency: National Film Rakhigarhi:

Archives of India (NFAI). . Rakhigarhi is a village and an
. Significance: It is one of the world’s archaeological site belonging to the
largest film preservation missions. Indus Valley Civilisation in the Hisar
The National Film Archive of India(NFAI): District of Haryana.
. Setup in: 1964 as a media unit of the . It was part of the mature phase of the
Ministry of Information & Indus Valley Civilisation, dating to
Broadcasting. 2600-1900 BCE. The site is located in
. Aim: To acquire and preserve Indian the Ghaggar-Hakra River plain.
cinematic heritage. This includes the The significant discoveries made at
preservation of film and non-film Rakhigarhi:
material including but not limited to
celluloid, stills, glass slides, posters,
lobby cards, scripts and song booklets.
. Headquarters: Pune, Maharashtra.
3. What new finds at Harappan site

could mean,,
Context:The Archaeological Survey of
India(ASI) has made significant
discoveries at the Rakhigarhi site. . Skeletal Remains: The skeletons of
two women were found at Mound No.
7 believed to be nearly 5,000 years old.
Pots and other artefacts were found
buried next to the remains, part of
funerary rituals back. DNA samples
might provide clues about the ancestry
and food habits of people who lived
in the region thousands of years ago.
. Signs of Settlement: This is the first
time excavations have been done on
Harappan Civilization:
Mound No. 3 which has revealed what
. Archaeologically, the span of the appears to be “an aristocratic
Harappan Civilisation is subdivided settlement”;
into three periods — early (3300 BC to
. Note: In all Harappan sites excavated
2600 BC), mature (2600 BC to 1900 BC),
so far, there have been similar signs of
and late (1900 BC to 1700 BC).
three tiers of habitation — ‘common
. Five urban sites — Mohenjo-Daro, settlements’ with mud-brick walls,
Harappa, Ganweriwala (now in ‘elite settlement’ with burnt brick walls
Pakistan) and Rakhigarhi and alongside mud-brick walls, and
Dholavira (India) — have been possible ‘middle-rung settlements’.
identified as centres of the Civilisation.
. Jewellery Unit: A large number of
steatite beads, beads of semi-precious
stones, shells, and objects made of
agate and carnelian have been
recovered. This discovery signifies that
trading was also done from the city.

. Other noteworthy finds include it was an excellent specimen of

steatite seals, terracotta bangles, Kashmiri architecture, which had
terracotta unbaked sealing with relief blended the Gandharan, Gupta and
of elephants and the Harappan script. Chinese forms of architecture.
The team also recovered some
. The temple also appears in the list of
Harappan sealings (impression of a
centrally protected monuments as
seal on a surface) indicating that seals
Kartanda (Sun Temple).
were used to mark objects belonging
to a set of people or community as they Lalitaditya:
are today.
4. Puja event at ASI-protected Martand

Temple in Kashmir stokes
controversy.
Context:The Jammu and Kashmir
Lieutenant Governor participated in a
religious ceremony held in the ruins
of the 8th century Martand Sun
. Lalitaditya alias Muktapida(724 CE–
temple, a protected monument under
760 CE) was a powerful ruler of the
the Archaeological Survey of India.
Karkota dynasty of the Kashmir
This temple has been recognised as a
region in the Indian subcontinent.
“Site of national importance”.
. He commissioned a number of shrines
The Martand Sun Temple:
in Kashmir, including the now-ruined
Martand Sun Temple.
. He also established several towns,
including a new capital at Parihasapura
although he
. also maintained the dynasty’s
traditional capital at Srinagara.
. The main source of information about
. The Martand Sun Temple also known Lalitaditya is Rajatarangini, a
as Pandou Laidan is located five miles chronicle of the rulers of Kashmir, by
from Anantnag in the Union Territory the 12th century Kashmiri writer
of Jammu and Kashmir. Kalhana.
. It is a Hindu temple dedicated to . Lalitaditya also finds a brief mention
Surya (the chief solar deity in in the New Book of Tang (Xin Tang
Hinduism) and built during the 8th shu), a record of the Tang dynasty of
century CE. Martand is another China.
Sanskrit synonym for Surya. . The 11th-century Persian chronicler Al-
. It was built during the 8th century CE Biruni mentions a Kashmiri king
by the third ruler of the Karkota called Muttai who was most probably
Dynasty, Lalitaditya Muktapida. Lalitaditya.
. It is now in ruins, as it was destroyed
by the orders of Muslim ruler Sikandar 5. Iron in Tamil Nadu 4,200 years ago: a
Shah Miri. new dating and its significance.
. From the ruins and related Context:Carbon dating of excavated
archaeological findings, it can be said finds in Tamil Nadu pushes evidence
of iron being used in India back to 4,200 The use of Iron started:
years ago.
. In 1979, the use of iron was traced to
The researchers conduct excavations: 1300 BCE at Ahar in Rajasthan.
. Later, samples at Bukkasagara in
Karnataka indicated iron production
dated back to 1530 BCE.
. The date was subsequently pushed
back to 1700-1800 BCE with
excavations finding evidence of iron
smelting at Raipura in the Mid-Ganga
valley and then to 1900-2000 BCE based
on investigations in sites at Malhar
near Varanasi and Brahmagiri in North
Karnataka.
. A series of dating results on finds from
various parts of India have shown
evidence of iron-ore technology before
1800 BCE.
The significance of these findings:
. With the latest evidence tracing India’s
. Researchers conducted excavations at Iron Age to 2000 BCE from 1500 BC,
the Mayiladumparai site near one can assume that Tamil’s cultural
Krishnagiri in Tamil Nadu. seeds were laid in 2000 BCE.
. Mayiladumparai is an important site . And the benefit of these socio-economic
with cultural material dating back changes and massive production
between the Microlithic (30,000 BCE) triggered by the iron technology gave
and Early Historic (600 BCE) ages. This its first fruit around 600 BCE — the
site was discovered by Prof Rajan in Tamil Brahmi scripts.
the 1990s.
The researchers find at this site: 6. The importance of Lumbini.
. Researchers recovered Iron Items from
this site. The carbon dating of these
iron items pushes evidence of iron
being used in India back to 4,200 years
ago.
. Before this, the earliest evidence of
iron use was from 1900-2000 BCE for
the country and from 1500 BCE for
Tamil Nadu. The latest evidence dates
the findings from Tamil Nadu to 2172 Context: For the first time in decades,
BCE. the Prime Minister of India paid a visit
. Iron is not known to have been used to Lumbini, Nepal.
in the Indus Valley, from where the
use of copper in India is said to have
originated (1500 BCE). The significance of Indian Prime Minister’s
visit to Lumbini.

. The visit reaffirmed the Buddha’s

. Beautiful monasteries from several
message of peace, compassion,
countries can be found in Lumbini.
nonviolence, tolerance, dialogue and
However, there is no monastery at
debate, reconciliation, consensus, and
Lumbini, India.
the middle path formed (preached) in
Indian society, which is beset by strife, . There have been discussions about
upheaval, rage, and hatred. creating a Buddhist circuit connecting
Nepal’s and India’s key pilgrimage
. In terms of politics, the Indian Prime
sites. However, words have not yet
Minister’s visit has put an end to the
converted into action.
pointless dispute over whether the
Buddha was born in Lumbini, Nepal, . The border infrastructure, as well as
which is a sensitive topic in Nepal. immigration and other institutions in
the area, are in terrible condition. The
. The visit was strategically timed to
road system is inadequate. For
counter China’s expanding presence
example, crossing the Sunauli-
in Lumbini, which is near to the Indian
Bhairahawa India-Nepal checkpoint,
border. It has, for example, constructed
which is meant for tourists, is a
Lumbini’s largest monastery,
nightmare.
sponsored international Buddhist
conferences, organised enormous . The connection between foreign
Buddhist festival celebrations, country monasteries and the local
promoted Chinese tourism to communities in Bodh Gaya is tense.
Lumbini, and encouraged Chinese The way forward:
investment in the region. It suggests . India can support the worldwide
China is utilising Buddhism’s soft Lumbini Development Committee
power potential in Nepal. and Nepal in implementing the master
plan for Lumbini development, which
India’s soft potential: has been in the works for decades.
. Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar, . The basic infrastructure between India
Shravasti, Nalanda, and Rajgir, to and Nepal, such as the road network,
name a few, are among the most should be updated. Kushinagar
revered Buddhist places in India. Airport in India and Bhairahawa
Airport in Nepal, for example, should
. Lumbini and Bodh Gaya’s
be built as soon as possible.
Mahabodhi Temple are both
Furthermore, the integrated check post
UNESCO World Heritage Sites. They
may be constructed quickly. Tourism
are to Buddhists what Mecca or Kashi
and the local economy would benefit
are to Muslims and Hindus,
from the initiative.
respectively.
. India should create a master plan for
The difficulties of Indian side:
Bodh Gaya, similar to the one for
. In Lumbini, India has not fully used Lumbini, in order to develop it as a
its soft power potential. However, in sacred pilgrimage site for both Hindus
the late 1990s, India aided in the and Buddhists.
construction of a tiny museum in
. To encourage coordination amongst
Lumbini. In addition, in the gardens
international monasteries, India might
of the Maya Devi temple, where
establish a high-level coordination
Gautama Buddha was born in 2014,
council comprised of officials from
an India Ambassador planted a sample
state governments, central
of the sacred Bodhi tree.

governments, and overseas . Style: Kanheri consists of excavations

monasteries. primarily undertaken during the
. Lumbini-BodhGaya-Sarnath- Hinayana phase but also has several
Kushinagar, the Buddhist circuit, examples of the Mahayana stylistic
should be recognised a UNESCO architecture as well as a few printings
World Heritage Site, including master of the Vajrayana order.
plans for each part of the circuit. . Patronaged by: Kanheri flourished
. As a collaborative initiative, India and under the patronage of Satavahana,
Nepal might host an international Traikutakas, Vakatakas and Silaharas
conference on the growth of the and through donations made by the
Buddhist circuit. wealthy merchants of the region.
. In Bodh Gaya, India might also . Excavations: The Kanheri caves
establish an international museum of comprise more than 110 different rock-
Buddhist traditions, with all Buddhist cut monolithic excavations and are one
countries invited to contribute. of the largest single excavations in the
Mains point: India and Nepal Cultural country. Moreover, the scale and extent
relations. of excavations with its numerous water
cisterns, epigraphs, one of the oldest
dams, a stupa burial gallery and
7. Inauguration of amenities at Kanheri excellent rainwater harvesting system
Caves. indicate its popularity as a monastic
Context:The Union Minister for and pilgrim centre.
Tourism, Culture and Development of . Foreign Travellers: Kanheri was
the North Eastern Region (DoNER) has mentioned in the travelogues of foreign
inaugurated the Kanheri Caves on the travellers. The earliest reference of
occasion of Buddha Purnima. Kanheri is ascribed to Fa-Hein who
Kanheri Caves: visited India during 399-411 CE and
later by several other travellers.
. Significance: Kanheri caves
importance is heightened by the fact
that it is the only centre where a
continuous progression of Buddhist
faith and architecture is observed as
an unbroken legacy right from 2nd
century CE (cave no. 2 stupa) to 9th
century CE are observed here.
. The Kanheri Caves are a group of caves

and rock-cut monuments located on 8. Remembering Raja Ram Mohan
the western outskirts of Mumbai. The Roy’s legacy on his 250th birthday.
caves are located within the forests of Context:Ram Mohan Roy, one of the
the Sanjay Gandhi National Park. most significant social and religious
. Origin of the word: The name Kanheri reformers of the 19th century, was
is derived from ‘Kanhagiri’ in Prakrit born on May 22, 1772 in Radhanagar,
and occurs in the Nasik inscription of Hooghly district, in what was then the
the Satavahana ruler Vasisthiputra Bengal Presidency.
Pulumavi. . Roy’s work in the areas of women’s
emancipation, modernising
education, and advocating
modifications to religious orthodoxy its attitude of plurality, tolerance, and

finds additional relevance in this time a cosmic regard for all forms of life.”
as India grapples with changing social Roy was the pioneer among liberals:
and religious situations. . Roy was one of India’s early liberals,
confident in his heritage and open to
absorbing what he saw as beneficial
practises from other civilizations.
. Mughal emperor Akbar II bestowed
the title of Raja upon him.
. He didn’t study things in the abstract
or in isolation in academia, but with the
practical goal of ensuring human
happiness and freedom. As a result, he
became a modern man.
. He founded the Atmiya Sabha
Early years: (Society of Friends) in 1814 to foster
. Roy was born into an affluent upper- philosophical debates on Vedanta’s
caste Brahmin family and grew up in concept of monotheism and to fight
the typical caste norms of the time: idolatry, casteism, child marriage, and
child marriage, polygamy, and dowry other social problems.
were common among the higher castes, . In 1828, the Atmiya Sabha gave way
and he himself had been married to the Brahmo Sabha, which was
multiple times during his childhood. founded by Debendranath Tagore,
. Because of his family’s wealth, he had Rabindranath Tagore’s father.
access to the greatest education . Brahmo Sabha ushered in enormous
available. social reforms and gave birth to the
. Roy was a polyglot who spoke Bengali, Brahmo religion, a reformed spiritual
Persian, Arabic, Sanskrit, and, Hinduism that believes in monotheism
eventually, English. His exposure to and the uniformity of all men,
each of these languages’ literature and regardless of caste, class, or faith,
culture instilled in him a scepticism of during the Bengal Renaissance.
religious dogmas and social Education:Roy rose to prominence as a
restrictions. Practices such as Sati, for public intellectual in Kolkata (formerly
example. Calcutta) over the course of a 15-year
. He spent a lot of time studying the span. He advocated for educational
Vedas and Upanishads, as well as reform, particularly the introduction of
Islamic and Christian religious books. a Western curriculum, and established
He was particularly drawn to the a number of educational institutions in
Unitarian branch of Christianity, and to the city.
the monotheistic doctrines that he . In 1817, he co-founded the Hindu
believed were at the heart of all College with Scottish donor David
religious teachings. Hare (now, Presidency University).
. According to historian Amiya P Sen, . In 1822, he founded the Anglo-Hindu
Rabindranath Tagore dubbed him a School, and in 1830, he helped
‘Bharatpathik,’ which meant that Alexander Duff build the General
Rammohun “embodied the Assembly’s Institution, which
underlying ethos of Indic civilization, ultimately became Scottish Church
College.
. Sati was abolished in 1829 under the Archaeological Sites and Remains
governor generalship of William (AMASR) Act of 1958. The ASI,
Bentinck, thanks to his tireless submitted that the Qutub Minar
lobbying with contemporaries like complex was not a place of worship
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. Roy when it was first notified as a protected
fought for women’s property rights monument in 1914.
and petitioned the British for press . Further, the ASI said remains of 27
freedom (in 1829 and 1830). temples were procured for the mosque
He was criticised for his views: by spending 2,00,000 Deliwals (coins)
. For his radical ideas, he was one of the on each. The ASI added that nowhere
first Indians to acquire attention in the in the records does it mention that
United Kingdom and America. these remains were retrieved by
However, he was frequently criticised demolishing temples.
by both his own countrymen who felt The character of a monument get decided:
intimidated by his reforming agenda . The character of a monument is decided
and British reformers and functionaries on the date when it comes under
who held opposing viewpoints. protection. Following this, objections
from the public are invited for two
9. Qutub Minar not a place of worship: months. This is how several places
ASI where religious practices were being
Context:Archaeological Survey of conducted came to be protected under
India has submitted a report in a Delhi the AMASR Act.
court stating the Qutub Minar complex The Qutub Minar complex:
is not a place of worship and its . Belong to: These are monuments and
character cannot be changed now. buildings from the Delhi Sultanate
The case: . Located in: Mehrauli in Delhi.
. Phases of construction: The
Construction of the Qutub Minar
“victory tower” in the complex was
begun by Qutb-ud-din Aibak. He later
became the first Sultan of Delhi of the
Mamluk dynasty.
. It was continued by his successor
Iltutmish, and finally completed much
later by Firoz Shah Tughlaq, a Sultan
of Delhi from the Tughlaq dynasty
. A plea has been filed in court claiming (1320-1412) in 1368 AD.
that 27 temples were demolished to
. Named after: Religious figure Sufi
build the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque at
Saint Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiar
the Qutub Minar complex. The plea
Kaki
seeks “restoration” of Hindu and Jain
temples on the Qutub premises. But Famous structures within Qutub Minar
the plea has been dismissed under the complex: Qutb Minar, the Quwwat ul-
provisions of the Places of Worship Islam Mosque, Alai Darwaza gate, the
(Special Provisions) Act, 1991. Alai Minar and the Iron pillar.
. This is because the Qutub Minar . Note: The iron pillar of Delhi was
complex comes under the purview of constructed by Chandragupta II. It is
the Ancient Monuments and famous for the rust-resistant

composition of the metals used in its Prithviraj Chauhan and the Battle of Tarain:
construction. . First Battle of Tarain (1191AD):
. Tombs present in the complex: Prithviraj’s army was able to decisively
Iltutmish, Alauddin Khalji and Imam defeat the invading Ghurids in the First
Zamin. Battle.
. Second Battle of Tarain (1192AD): He
10. Who was Prithviraj Chauhan, the was defeated in the Second Battle.
fearless hero of folk legend? . Significance: The battle marked a
Context:There is controversy around a watershed moment in the history of
new film called ‘Prithviraj’. As both the medieval India, paving the way for the
Gujjar and Rajput communities of establishment of the Delhi Sultanate
Rajasthan laying claim over the 12th- and the beginning of Muslim rule.
century king.
The Prithviraj Chauhan: 11. The cultural roots and significance of
PM Modi’s gifts for his Quad
colleagues.
Context:The India Prime Minister
travelled to Tokyo to attend the Quad
Summit, he carried with him gifts for
leaders of the US, Australia and Japan
showcasing India’s rich cultural
heritage and art forms.
The gifts and their cultural roots:
. Sanjhi art panel for US President Joe
. He belonged to the Chauhan or Biden
Chahamana dynasty of Ajmer which
. The intricate sanjhi panel that the PM
emerged after the decline of the
gave to US President Joe Biden is based
Pratihara empire in the 11th century
on the theme of Thakurani Ghat,
AD.
which is one of the most famous ghats
. He ascended the throne in 1177 or 1178, on the banks of the holy river of
and very quickly expanded his Yamuna in Gokul.
kingdom, defeating many of the
smaller Rajput states.
. He struggled against the Chalukyas of
Gujarat and was forced to look
towards the Ganga valley instead.
. Literary works about Prithviraj:
Prithviraj was depicted in ‘Prithviraj
Raso’, a poem in Brajbhasha attributed
to Chand Bardai, which is thought to
have been composed in the 16th
. The traditional art form, that originated
century.
out of the cult of Krishna, involves
. Note: The description of Prithviraj as creating stencils based on incidents
“the last Hindu emperor” can be traced from the life of the deity and then hand-
to the British colonial official James cutting these on thin sheets of paper
Tod’s ‘Annals and Antiquities of using scissors.
Rajasthan’ (1829).

. Radha, according to Hindu Shyam, Venkat Shyam, Durgabai

mythology, used to paint sanjhi Vyam, Ram Singh Urveti and
patterns on the walls for her beloved Subhash Vyam, among others.
Krishna and later the gopis of Wooden hand-carved box with a
Vrindavan followed suit. Rogan painting for Japanese PM
. Later, the form was used to make Fumio Kishida:
ceremonial rangolis in temples . PM Modi gifted PM Kishida a hand-
dedicated to Lord Krishna. In fact, the carved deep brown wooden box with
term ‘sanjhi’ is derived from ‘sanjh’ or a gold and white Rogan painting on a
dusk and is related to the practice of green cloth as its central motif.
making rangolis in temples at dusk.
. In the form of painting, sanjhi was
popularised in the 15th and 16th
centuries by the Vaishnava temples
and was practiced by Brahmin priests.
. During the Mughal period,
contemporary themes were added and
several families have continued to
practice the form to this day. During
the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the . Rogan is a form of cloth painting that
pictograms were inspired by is considered to be more than four
traditional Sanjhi art. centuries old and is primarily practised
Gond art painting for Australian PM in Kutch district of Gujarat.
Anthony Albanese: . The word ‘rogan’ comes from Persian,
. The art in its visual form is often traced meaning varnish or oil.
to Jangarh Shyam, who in the 1970s . The craft uses paint made from boiled
and ’80s began drawing the largely oral oil and vegetable dyes, where castor
myths and legends of the tribe onto the seeds are hand-pounded to extract the
walls of homes in the village of oil and turned into a paste by boiling.
Patangarh.
. Usually, only half the fabric is painted,
and it is folded to create a mirror image.
While originally only men used to
practice the art form, now several
women in Gujarat also pursue it.
. PM Modi had also gifted a Rogan
painting to the Queen of Denmark,
Margrethe II, during his three-day
visit to Europe earlier this month.
Mains point:Significance of the gifts
given to QUAD members by the Indian
. The art form told the tale of their gods
PM.
and goddesses and as well as the flora
and fauna of the deep forests in
Madhya Pradesh. 12. PM to launch Buddhist Centre work
. As the form received global Context.The Prime Minister travelled
recognition, several Gond artists have to Lumbini in Nepal to participate in a
gained prominence and recognition. ceremony to lay the foundation stone
The prominent names include Bhajju
for an “India International Center for

Buddhist Culture & Heritage”.
India International Center for

Buddhist Culture & Heritage”.
. India International Center for Buddhist
Culture & Heritage was located in
Lumbini, Nepal.This heritage centre is
Constructed by International Buddhist
Confederation (IBC) with the financial
support of the Ministry of Culture,
Government of India
. This Buddhist Centre will be the first

‘Net Zero Emission’ building in Nepal.
Importance of Lumbini
. Lumbini, in Nepal, is a Buddhist
pilgrimage place. According to
Buddhist legend, it was here that
Queen Mahamaya Devi gave birth to
Siddhartha Gautama in the year 563
BCE.
. In 1997, UNESCO designated Lumbini
as a World Heritage Site. Siddhartha
attained enlightenment in Bodhgaya in
Bihar and came to be known as
Buddha, preached his first sermon at
Sarnath and attained Nirvana in
Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh.
The International Buddhist

Confederation (IBC)
. It was formed in 2013 as an
international Buddhist umbrella body
to serve as a common platform for
Buddhists worldwide. It is
headquartered in New Delhi

Social Issues
1. The school dress is in the cross hairs. . The mandatory school uniform could
Context:The Karnataka government limit principals’ and teachers’ already
recently issued an order requiring limited authority.
students to wear school uniforms in . Other education reforms should have
both the classroom and the been prioritised by the Karnataka
examination hall. government. Since the 1960s, policy
. In fact, the Karnataka order has been improvements have been in the works.
implemented in Kendriya Vidyalayas In Karnataka, pre-university or junior
(central schools) that are not governed colleges are the norm. Other states, on
by the provincial government. the other hand, have followed the
A history of the school uniform: Kothari Commission’s 10+2 model,
which was proposed nearly 60 years
. The stringent regulation of the school
ago.
uniform was common in colonial
educational systems. The key difference between a uniform
and a dress code is that
. With urbanisation, prosperity, and
privatisation, the idea of a school 1) a uniform is not the same as a dress
uniform has spread. Throughout code. A uniform has stricter
reality, in the early years of the guidelines than a dress code.
American Revolution, rural and small- 2) On the other hand, a uniform may
town schools rarely required students go as far as prescribing not only the
to wear a daily uniform. colour but also the material and
. Uniforms provided chances for the design or cut.
schools, local fabric merchants, tailors, Next Steps:
and shoe stores to do business. As a . A considerable reorganisation of the
result, the uniform industry educational administrative structure is
flourished, and private schools began required. In defining the rules that
to insist on wearing the required govern institutional life, school
uniform every day. Local monopolies principals and teachers should be
were also created. allowed more influence and
The significance of school uniforms: independence.
. A school uniform ensures that students . The Kothari report proposed that the
are clothed consistently. It aids in the community have a more active role in
discipline of children. school life and that bureaucratic
Objections to Karnataka’s decision: authority be reduced, allowing for
more school autonomy.
. There is no evidence that wearing a
school uniform affects learning in the . Instead of proposing a specific
long history of education. uniform, the government should have
advised a dress code. The uniforms, if
. In his book “The Ideal of Human
elaborated, should be employed in
Unity,” Sri Aurobindo emphasised
societies where inequality is
how variation tempts homogeneity.
widespread.
Uniformity, on the other hand, does not
add to a sense of belonging or unity. . Government debates should be made
public. All stakeholders, particularly
teachers, should be given the
opportunity to participate. They are majoritarian tendencies in order to gain

more accessible to pupils. They are political support rather than to protect
more aware of what makes classroom animals.
life more pleasant for everyone. A judicial decision on anti-cattle
. The Kothari Commission’s slaughter legislation:
recommendation should be followed. . The Supreme Court upheld the
The goal of the suggestion was to make absolute ban on cattle slaughter in
classroom instruction less 2005. The court interpreted Articles 48,
stereotypical, more vibrant, and child- 48A, and 51(A) of the Constitution’s
centred. directive principles of state policy,
which aim to conserve agricultural and
2. Cowed down: On the need for strict animal husbandry breeds while also
anti-lynching law encouraging compassion for animals.
Context:Two tribal males were . The 1958 ruling only applied to
recently beaten to death in Seoni, “useful” animals that were still used
Madhya Pradesh, on suspicion of in agriculture and husbandry. As a
slaughtering cows. result, strict rules against cow
The mob lynchings: slaughter were implemented.
. Communities like Dalits, Muslims, Next Steps:
and tribals have been stigmatised as . The police should take measures
a result of these regulations because of against those who are suspected of
their eating patterns and dependence being involved.
on cow products for a living. As a . Rajasthan, Jharkhand, West Bengal,
result, Muslims, Dalits, and Tribals and Manipur have all approved anti-
have borne the brunt of the mob lynching legislation. Because lynching
violence. For example, the murder of is not a crime under the Indian Penal
Pehlu Khan in Rajasthan in April 2017. Code, these laws are in varying stages
of adoption with the Union
government (IPC).
. Such violent deeds should not go
unpunished, and society should return
to the rule of law.
. It’s time for the law on cattle slaughter
to be re-examined by the courts.
Mains point:The mob lynchings
. The law enforcement authorities’
priorities are ludicrous. One of the 3. Fertility falls, obesity goes up in India
slain guys, for example, was allegedly , says National Family Health Survey
involved in a “cow slaughter” in this Context:The National Family Health
case, according to the police Survey(NFHS-5) Report has
department. highlighted the recent trends in
. The police fail to try to bring people Fertility and Obesity
implicated in lynch mobs to justice
while enforcing the livestock
slaughter regulations.
. The cattle slaughter restrictions appear
to have been introduced to please

The key findings of NFHS-5:
. Total Fertility Rate(TFR): The Total

Fertility Rate(TFR), the average
number of children per woman, has . The percentage of obese population is
declined from 2.2 to 2.0 at the national more in urban (33%) than in rural areas
level between NFHS 4 and 5. (20%).
. There is also a steady increase in the
. There are only five states in India proportion of overweight or obese men
which are above the replacement level and women as household wealth
of fertility of 2.1 — Bihar (2.98), increases.
Meghalaya (2.91), Uttar Pradesh (2.35), . Puducherry (46%), Chandigarh (44%),
Jharkhand (2.26) and Manipur (2.17). Delhi, Tamil Nadu, and Punjab (41%
each) have the highest proportion of
. Median Age at First Birth: There is a obese women. In comparison,
1% decline in women aged 15-19 who Jharkhand and Bihar followed by
have begun childbearing from the Gujarat have the highest proportion of
previous NFHS. Now the median age thin women.
at first birth among women is 25-49 . On the other hand, Andaman and
years. Nicobar Islands have the highest
proportion of overweight men (45%),
. Obesity: India is rapidly becoming the followed by Puducherry (43%) and
land of the obese. Compared with Lakshadweep (41%). Bihar, Madhya
NFHS-4, the prevalence of overweight Pradesh and Gujarat have the highest
or obesity has increased in most share of thin men.
States/UTs in NFHS-5. At the national . Note: Obesity is the leading cause of
level, it increased from 21% to 24% several non-communicable and
among women and 19% to 23% among progressive diseases such as
men. Further, one in every four Indians hypertension, diabetes and those
is now obese. related to liver and increased risks of
stroke.
. The National Family Health Survey
(NFHS) is a large-scale, multi-round
survey conducted based on the
representative samples collected from
households throughout India.

. The NFHS survey provides state and 1. to provide essential data needed
national information for India on by the Ministry of Health and
various health parameters such as Family Welfare and other agencies
fertility, infant and child mortality, the for informed decision making and
practice of family planning, maternal policy and programme
and child health, reproductive health, intervention purposes.
nutrition, anaemia, utilisation and
2. to provide insight regarding
quality of health and family planning
important emerging health and
services.
family welfare issues
The National Family Health Survey:
Apart from these two specific
. NFHS is released by the Ministry of objectives, NFHS also helps to monitor
Health and Family Welfare the progress of various Sustainable
(MOHFW). Development Goals (SDGs) especially
. But the MOHFW designated the SDG-3 (Good Health and Well-Being).
International Institute for Population There are 5 rounds of National Family
Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai, as the nodal Health Surveys (NFHS) conducted so
agency. The IIPS is responsible for far in India. They are,
providing coordination and technical
1. First Round of NFHS conducted in
guidance for the survey.
1992-93 (NFHS-1)
. Technical assistance for the NFHS was
2. Second Round of NFHS conducted
provided mainly by ORC Macro
in 1998-99 (NFHS-2)
(USA) but various other organisations
assist with specific issues. 3. Third Round of NFHS conducted
in 2005-06 (NFHS-3)
The fund for National Family Health
Survey (NFHS): 4. Fourth Round of NFHS conducted
in 2015-16 (NFHS-4)
The Survey of this size cannot be
carried out with government funds 5. Fifth Round of NFHS conducted in
alone. Many international agencies 2019-20 (NFHS-5)
provide funds to carry out the NFHS. . The NFHS-1, NFHS-2, NFHS-3 didn’t
They are, cover UTs except for Delhi because the
. United States Agency for International objective of the survey then was to
Development (USAID) provide State-level estimates.
. The Bill and Melinda Gates Since NFHS-4, the survey introduced
Foundation district-level estimates for many
important indicators and also included
. Department for International
other UTs to provide holistic
Development (DFID)
information.
. United Nations Children’s Fund
5th round of National Family Health
(UNICEF)
Survey (NFHS-5):
. United Nations Population Fund
. The MOHFW recently released Phase
(UNFPA)
– I of NFHS-5 comprising data for 22
. MOHFW, Government of India states/UTs. The Survey was earlier
The Goal of National Family Health expected to release in July but due to
Survey (NFHS): the Covid-19 pandemic the release of
Every National Family Health Survey the survey got delayed and it was
(NFHS) has two specific goals to fulfil. finally released on 12th December
They are 2020.

. The fieldwork in the remaining 14 for the happiness of all) a reality,

(Phase-II) States/UTs is currently in particularly in the context of women.
progress and expected to be available The government’s actions:
in May 2021.
. The national-level indicators including
most of the SDG health indicators are
expected to be available by June/July
2021.
Important points regarding NFHS-5:
. The state fact sheet released includes
information on 131 key indicators.
. The district-level fact sheet includes
information on 104 key indicators.
. NFHS-5 uses the majority of NFHS-4
key indicators so that it would be
comparable with NFHS-4 without any
loss of information.
The new things in the 5th round of
NFHS (NFHS-5):
. The NFHS-5 also included district- . To inform policy practice, the present
level estimates which were introduced government has embraced a system-
during the NFHS-4. Apart from that wide gendered perspective.
NFHS-5 also included some new topics . The administration has sought to
such as improve women’s social status. Under
. Preschool education, the NFSA 2013, women are recognised
. Disability, as the head of the family on ration
cards and are eligible for benefits
. Access to a toilet facility,
under the Pradhan Mantri Awas
. Death registration, Yojana (PMAY) and Pradhan Mantri
. Bathing practices during menstruation Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY).
(menstrual hygiene), . The Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya
. Methods and reasons for abortion. Yojana (PM-JAY) makes a household
. components of micro-nutrients to without any adult male members
children, eligible for the scheme, eliminates the
. frequency of alcohol and tobacco use, five-beneficiary limit that previously
penalised women in larger families,
. additional components of non-
and expands a significant number of
communicable diseases (NCDs),
women-centric health benefit packages.
. expanded age ranges for measuring
. By putting assets like houses and LPGs
hypertension and diabetes among all
in the hands of women, the
aged 15 years and above etc.
government is challenging the unjust
4. India is empowering women through status quo and cultivating nari shakti.
policy.
The government steps:
Context:The union administration has
. The government has been working to
made the principle of sarvajana hitaya,
close gender data gaps. The nation’s
sarvajana sukhaya (for the good of all,
statistics infrastructure has been rebuilt
to count women. In India, new gender

sensitive statistics gave gender 5. 89% children between 6-23 months

sensitive contributions to the policy don’t get adequate diet: NFHS
debate. This gives a framework for Context:The National Family Health
policymakers to allocate resources. Survey(NFHS-5) has released data on
. According to the first nationwide the gap in Child Nutrition.
Time Use Survey (TUS) 2019, women The NFHS say about Child Nutrition:
commit 7.2 hours each day to
caregiving and domestic services,
compared to 2.8 hours for the average
Indian guy.
. The National Family Health Survey
(NFHS) has been completely
redesigned from the ground up. In
addition, the NFHS-4 and 5 supplied . Minimum Acceptable Diet: Around
critical data on nutrition, fertility, 89% of children between the formative
family planning, reproductive, ages of 6-23 months do not receive a
maternal, and child health, as well as “minimum acceptable diet’’. This is
mortality indicators. only marginally better than the 90.4%
. The government has begun conducting recorded in NFHS-4.
the yearly Periodic Labour Force . The minimum acceptable diet is a
Survey (PLFS). This includes gender- composite of two main things:
disaggregated labour force statistics
1) breastfeeding and its frequency up
such as the Female Worker Population
to two years and
Ratio, Female Labor Force
Participation Rate, and Female 2) dietary diversity.
Unemployment Rate, among other . In dietary diversity, WHO has defined
things. ten essential food groups — cereals and
. In 2014, the National Crime Records millets, pulses, milk and milk
Bureau (NCRB) gathered information products, roots and tubers, green leafy
on female foeticide. Following that, the vegetables, other vegetables, fruits, fat
government started the campaign Beti or oil, fish, egg and other meats and
Bachao, Beti Padhao. sugar — out of which 4-5 every day are
required for a child to prevent
Next Steps:
malnutrition.
. A step toward resolution and
. States where Children received an
rectification is quantification. The
adequate diet: The proportion of
government should continue to collect
children who received a minimum
gender-disaggregated information.
acceptable diet was highest in
This information can be obtained
Meghalaya (28.5%) and the lowest in
through implementation-related data
UP and Gujarat (5.9% each).
or surveys. They’d be utilised to
educate or modify policies. . Access to the minimum acceptable diet
in children was higher in urban areas
. Audits and third-party analyses of
(12.1%) than in rural areas (10.7%).
such data should be conducted by
persons and groups in academia, . Reasons for Deficient Diet: There are
research, and evaluation consultancies. a number of reasons for a deficient diet
— poverty, lack of access to nutrition
Mains point:Gender justice and
(cereals, fruits, vegetables, eggs, etc),
gender egalitarianism

lack of awareness and low education involved may have to be ultimately

among others. adjudicated with the help of a third
. Impact of Deficient Diet: Deficiency in judge or a larger Bench of the High
the diet in a child’s formative years has Court or the Supreme Court.
a direct bearing on malnutrition, with The stance of the Central Govt on the issue:
India having one of the highest . The Union government has been
malnutrition burdens in the world. opposing the removal of the marital
rape exception.
6. On marital rape: The importance of . In 2016, it had rejected the concept of
consent. marital rape, saying it “cannot be
applied to the Indian context” due to
various reasons, not least because of
the “mindset of society to treat
marriage as a sacrament”.
. However, in the final hearing, the
Union government did not take a stand
on the issue.
The opinions of the Delhi HC Bench:
Context: A split verdict in the Delhi Justice Shakdher’s opinion
High Court on the question of
. He says what is defined as rape in law
criminalising marital rape has
should be labelled as such, irrespective
reignited the controversy over legal
of whether it occurs within or outside
protection for disregard of consent for
marriage.
sex within marriage.
. He finds that the marital exception
. Justice Rajiv Shakdher, who headed the
violates equality before law, as well as
Delhi HC Bench, struck down as
deprives women of the right to trigger
unconstitutional the exception to
a prosecution for non-consensual sex.
Section 375 of the IPC, which says that
Besides, it also discriminates among
intercourse by a man with his wife
women based on their marital status
aged 18 or above is not rape even if it
and robs them of sexual agency and
is without her consent
autonomy.
. But, Justice C. Hari Shankar rejected
Justice Hari Shankar’s opinion
the plea to criminalise marital rape
pointing out that any change in the law . In contrast, Justice Hari Shankar’s
has to be carried out by the legislature opinion, somewhat disconcertingly,
since it requires consideration of de-emphasises the element of consent
social, cultural and legal aspects. and highlights the importance of
preserving the institution of marriage
The judges differ points:
to such an extent that he holds that any
Difference of opinion of the judges legislation that keeps rape out of a
was on key points such as marital relationship “is immune to
. Difficulty in getting evidence interference”.
. The importance of consent Way forward
. Whether the state’s concerns about . If marriage is regarded as a partnership
safeguarding the institution of between equals, an exception in a 162-
marriage were valid, and year-old law should have had no place.
. if other laws against sexual violence . While there are other laws governing
protected married women, the issues civil relationships that legitimise
conjugal expectations, these cannot be health problems. And public health

seen as giving a free pass for violence professionals do not have adequate
within marriage, which is essentially engineering skills. Both fail to
what sex without consent is. understand the nexus between
. Whether the legislative route is more wastewater and solid waste
appropriate in making marital rape a management and public health issues
criminal offence is a matter of detail. clearly.
. What is important is that sexual . Majority of diseases are water-related
violence has no place in society, and like transmitted through consumption
the institution of marriage is no of contaminated water, vectors
exception. breeding in stagnated water, etc.
Mains point:Regarding marital rape The forward steps:
. It is essential to find and implement
7. Focusing on public health innovative ways of treating
engineering. wastewater to achieve sustainable
Context: According to Startup India, development goals of clean water and
one in five children die before their fifth sanitation.
birthday because of poor sanitation . Innovative solutions are also needed
and hygiene conditions. to address the growing demands for
The environmental degradation problems: water consumption and preservation
of both surface water bodies and
. Global :According to the United groundwater resources.
Nations, Globally, around 80% of
wastewater flows back into the . There is a need to expand the scope of
ecosystem without being treated or public health/environmental
reused which pose a significant engineering science.
environmental and health threat. . Both engineering and public health
. India:According to the World Bank, field, together can work in different
about 70% of sewage is discharged fields like wastewater treatment
untreated into India’s water bodies. systems, for understanding complex
This contaminated water led to a quality and monitoring processes,
staggering 21% of diseases in India, designing and managing septic tank
systems, supplying good quality water
The issues: in adequate quantities, etc.
. Both as professions and as practice, . The Government should launch public
engineering and public health have health engineering as a two-year
been traditionally understood as structured master’s degree programme
different fields in India. or through diploma. It should be
. In India, public health engineering is developed as an interdisciplinary field.
executed by the PWD or by health Public health professionals can be
officials. This differs from international groomed through in-service training.
trends. For example, Europe has . The health and engineering institutes
specialized candidates in wastewater should provide knowledge in areas of
engineering. environment science in the refresher
. There is the issue of population course.
growth, diminishing resources and . On one side, public health
risky exploitation of natural resources. professionals can contribute to
. Currently, the civil engineers don’t engineering through well-researched
have adequate skills to address public
understanding of health issues, etc. significant increase in technical higher

Similarly, engineers can contribute to education.
public health through their problem- . The number of technical higher
solving approach. Thus, combination education institutes expanded fivefold
of engineering and public health skills (from 53 to 277) and enrollment
can lead to development of public climbed sixfold between 1961 and 1991.
health engineering. The government has accounted for the
. The decentralised and onsite majority of this expansion.
wastewater management systems . Between 1991 and 2020, the number of
should be designed based on hydro- institutions increased by 40 times,
geological data and observations of while the intake capacity increased by
climate patterns. 15 times to 32.85 lakh. The private
. Public health engineering can help sector has accounted for the majority
policymakers to understand of this expansion.
processes, trends, and the latest The problems:
technology in water and wastewater
. The total demand for technical higher
quality monitoring, treatment, and
education looks to be greater than the
management.
overall available seats (based on the
. There is a need to hire environmental number of students appearing in
engineers to address public health NEET, JEE, and other entrance exams).
problems. As a result, several technical institutes
. Institutions like the Indian Institute of are unable to fill their approved seats.
Technology, Madras (IIT-M) are Their capacity utilisation is decreasing,
considering initiating public health and in 2020-21, it will be 53.53 percent.
engineering as a separate discipline. . The AICTE recommends a certain
. In wake of India’s Jal Jeevan Mission, student-teacher ratio (STR) of 7.5 to 20
India needs a cadre of public health students per teacher. The majority of
engineers, who can help in institutions, however, are unable to
identification of sustainable sources of accept pupils. As a result of insufficient
water, monitoring the quantity and admissions, their STR has dropped
quality of supply, among other things. from 5.5 in 2012-13 to 3.0 in 2020-21.
Mains point:Public health . These institutions are endangered by
engineering. a lack of economic viability as a result
of decreased STR. This impedes the
8. The technical higher education market development of high-quality
dissected. infrastructure and human resources.
Context:The number of higher . Institutions demand that the qualifying
education technical institutions and standards for admissions be relaxed in
their intake capacity have decreased order to increase admissions. For
by 18.3 percent and 6.01 percent, example, a reduction in the minimum
respectively, over the last two years. percentage of marks required by the
school board, the requirement that
Background:Technical higher
science and mathematics be studied at
education
the intermediate level in schools, and
. After 1991, when the All-India Council so on.
for Technical Education (AICTE)
. Technical higher education
became operational, there was a
institutions are very hierarchical and

differentiated. The IIT, NIT, IIIT, and

other prestigious institutes are among
the most sought after.
. Private institutions of high quality use

an exploitative pricing policy. They
charge a lot of money. After all, the
Veblen Effect (what is expensive is
viewed as outstanding) also exists in
higher education.
Next Steps:
. The AICTE should establish a wide
framework and rules for calculating
the maximum amount of fees that can
be charged. Then the fee fixation
committees at the state level should get
to work. This would be in keeping with
the spirit of federalism, which calls for
states to be active participants in the
process.
. The AICTE Act directs it to “take all
necessary actions to avoid the
commercialization of technical
education.”
. The AICTE shall take all necessary
steps to ensure that standards are . One kilogram each of iron powder,
developed and maintained in a vitamin B12 and folic acid are added
coordinated and integrated manner. to a quintal of powdered rice,
Mains point:Higher Technical reconstituted into small rice-grain
Education Reforms. shaped pellets and distributed through
different food schemes. This is what
constitutes fortified rice.
9. Report flags risk of fortified rice for
some. The Fortification of Rice Programme:
Context: activists have said that the . A Pilot Project on Fortification of Rice
distribution of iron-fortified rice and its Distribution under the Public
through government schemes to curb Distribution System was implemented
anaemia must be stopped in States like for a period of 3 years beginning from
Jharkhand. 2019-20 in fifteen states.
. A team of the Right to Food Campaign
visited some of the targeted districts in
The fortified rice:
Jharkhand.
. After finding several issues with the
programme, it has asked the Jharkhand
government to halt the distribution of
fortified rice immediately.

The distribution of fortified rice

. Released by: Economic Advisory
stopped in Jharkhand:
Council to the Prime Minister(EAC-
. The team discovered that among the PM) and written by the Institute for
beneficiaries who received fortified Competitiveness.
rice in the State were also patients
. Purpose: The report presents a holistic
diagnosed with thalassemia, sickle cell
analysis of the depth and nature of
disease, and tuberculosis.
inequality in India. It compiles
. Thalassemia, sickle cell anaemia and information on inequities across
malaria are conditions where there is sectors of health, education, household
already excess iron in the body characteristics and the labour market.
whereas TB patients are unable to
. Focus Areas: The report looks at five
absorb iron.
key areas that influence the nature and
. Hence, consumption of iron-fortified experience of inequality. These are
foods among patients with these
1) income distribution
diseases can reduce immunity and
reduce the functionality of organs. 2) labour market dynamics,
. Jharkhand is an endemic zone of 3) health,
sickle cell disorder and thalassemia 4) education and
with a prevalence of 8%-10%, which is 5) household characteristics.
twice the national average. Jharkhand . Source of Data: The report is based on
is also an endemic zone for malaria — the data derived from various rounds
in 2020, the State ranked third in the of the Periodic Labour Force Survey
country in malaria deaths. (PLFS), National Family and Health
The recommendations: Survey (NFHS) and UDISE+.
. Firstly, it suggested that the The key findings of the report:
government promote diet diversity by . Income Inequality: The share of the top
expanding its food security basket by 1% accounts for 6-7% of the total
including millets, pulses, eggs, incomes earned while the top 10%
cooking oil and milk in the food accounts for one-third of all incomes
schemes. earned. For instance, the salary of Rs
. Secondly, nutrition gardens should be 25,000 is already amongst the top 10%
scaled up along with support to of total incomes earned.
extensive livestock systems that . Employment Categories: In 2019-20,
provide nutrition as well as support among different employment
livelihoods categories, the highest percentage was
Mains pont:The Fortification of Rice self-employed workers followed by
Programme. regular salaried workers and casual
10. The State of Inequality in India workers. The share of self-employed
Report released. workers also happens to be the highest
Context:The State of Inequality in India in the lowest income categories.
Report has been released. . Unemployment Rate: The country’s
The State of Inequality in India Report: unemployment rate is 4.8% (2019-20),
and the worker population ratio is
46.8%.
. Education Infrastructure: Till 2019-20,
95% of schools have functional toilet
facilities on the school premises and

80.16% of schools have functional Context: UNICEF has released a report titled
electricity connections. “Severe wasting: An overlooked child
. Health Infrastructure: There has been survival emergency”.
a considerable improvement in The Severe Wasting:
increasing the health Infrastructural
capacity with a targeted focus on rural
areas.
. Wasting is defined as low weight-for-

height. It is the most visible and lethal
type of malnutrition. It affects over 45
million children under age 5.
. Severe wasting is also known as severe
acute malnutrition is its most deadly
form. It is caused by a lack of nutritious
food and repeated bouts of diseases
. For instance, the results of NFHS-4
such as diarrhoea, measles and
(2015-16) and NFHS-5 (2019-21) have
malaria, which compromise a child’s
shown that 58.6% of women received
immunity.
antenatal check-ups in the first
trimester in 2015-16, which increased . Severe wasting in a child can increase
to 70% by 2019-21. the risk of dying by pneumonia by 11
times and essentially makes otherwise
. The Gross Enrolment Ratio has
common diseases fatal.
increased between 2018-19 and 2019-
20 at the primary, upper primary, The key findings of the report:
secondary and higher secondary. . Severe Wasting: Globally, 1 in 5 deaths
Household Conditions: According to among children under age 5 is
NFHS-5 (2019-21), 97% of households attributed to severe wasting making it
have electricity access, 70% have one of the top threats to child survival.
improved access to sanitation, and 96% . Region-wise: South Asia remains the
have access to safe drinking water. hub of severe wasting with figures
The recommendations given by the report: worse than sub-Saharan Africa. At least
7.7 million children in the region are
. Government should come out with a
affected.
guaranteed employment scheme to
create jobs for the urban unemployed. . Country-wise: India has 5,772,472
children below five years affected by
. A universal basic income should be
severe wasting — the most in the
introduced.
world. Indonesia ranked second with
. Higher funds should be allocated 812,564 children suffering from severe
towards the social sector to reduce wasting.
inequality in India.
. Ready-to-use therapeutic food(RUTF)
saved some five million children’s lives
11. India has the world’s highest number in 2020, but 10 million severely wasted
of children with severe acute children went without it.
malnutrition: UNICEF.
Note: RUTF is considered the ‘gold standard . India’s public health workforce and
for wasting treatment. It consists of a infrastructure are always in short
paste of peanuts, sugar, oil and milk supply. Due to the lack, India is
powder. It can be consumed directly expected to move toward a
from the sachets it is packed in with or medicalized health-care system.
without mixing with milk to lower the
. Despite the fact that the IPHS was
chances of contamination
initially published 15 years ago, only
about 15% to 20% of government
12. Bridging the health policy to health-care facilities meet the Indian
execution chasm. Public Health requirements (IPHS).
Context:For assuring excellent health . In India, public health services and
care in government facilities, the Union workforce have received little
government has produced a guidance attention. In India, policymakers have
document on the establishment of a paid little attention to the need for a
‘public health and management cadre’ public health cadre and services.
(PHMC) as well as new editions of the The new guideline document importance:
Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS). . The updated IPHS, as well as public
Background: health and management cadres, can
. In recent decades, the health sector has assist India in achieving the NHP goal.
faced numerous obstacles in dealing . The suggested public health and health
with epidemics and pandemics, such management cadres have the ability to
as avian flu in 2005-06, the Swine flu remedy our health-care system’s flaws.
pandemic in 2009-10, and so on. There
. India’s pandemic response was
have been new virus and disease
hampered by a scarcity of skilled
outbreaks and re-emergences (Zika,
public health experts at policy and
Ebola, Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic
decision-making levels. The function of
fever, Nipah viruses, etc.)
epidemiologists and public health
. In India, the ‘public health and specialists, who are better equipped to
management cadre’ was advocated in deal with a pathogen and its behaviour,
the National Health Policy of 2017. cannot be filled by doctors/clinicians
The problems ofIndia’s health-care system: or bureaucrats.
. Medical care or attention to the sick . The updated version emphasises
has traditionally been the emphasis of expanding access and subsequently
public health services. assuring high-quality health care
. Most Indian states now have a teaching through public health facilities.
cadre working as faculty at medical The upcoming challenges:
institutions, as well as a specialty . The earlier versions of the guideline
cadre of doctors working in clinics and materials had not been implemented
hospitals. properly. In the previous 15 years, for
. Similar career growth prospects are example, the IPHS has not been fully
limited to two teaching cadres and a implemented. As a result, predicting
specialist’s cadre under the aforesaid the outcome of the PHMC guidance
arrangement. document is challenging.
. As a result, health-care professionals . This has been prevented due to
are hesitant to pursue public health as inadequacy in the two most important
a career option. aspects in successful implementation:

(1) insufficient cash allocations and (2) contraception availability. According

insufficiently skilled staff. to the National Family Health Survey,
Next Steps: the Total Fertility Rate has decreased
from 3.4 in 1990-92 to 2.0 in 2019-21.
. The redesigned IPHS is a significant (NFHS).
step forward, but it is not a goal in and
of itself. An independent evaluation of . However, India now needs to
how the IPHS has enhanced the quality concentrate on expanding access to
of health services should be conducted. family planning services for both adults
and the younger population.
. The new assured sources of funding for
public health services include the India now need to focus on increasing
Fifteenth Finance Commission grant youth access to family planning
for the five-year period 2021-2026 and services:
the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat . First, according to NFHS-5 and the UN
Health Infrastructure Mission (PM- Population Fund’s 2022 study,
ABHIM) allocations. They have the adolescent pregnancy is on the rise in
potential to improve public health some states, such as Tripura and
care. Meghalaya.
. Every state should select a centre of . Second, COVID-19 has had a
excellence to oversee the execution of significant impact on economic
public health and management cadres. resources and educational access,
Appropriate incentives should be influencing women’s and youth’s
used to persuade reluctant states. sexual and reproductive health
. The government can map and analyse decisions.
the human resources available for . As a result, in order to reach the SDG
public health recruitment. They need of Family Planning by 2030, India
to be well-educated. The establishment must now focus on increasing access
of these two new cadres should be to family planning services for both
viewed as a chance to strengthen and adults and youth.
standardise training in public health India’s Parivar vikas Mission:
facilities.
. To avoid it becoming a low priority,
PHMC implementation should begin
within the next few months.
. At government health facilities, the
available health staff should be
dispersed evenly among all other
groups. Furthermore, vacant positions
in the health care field should be
replaced quickly.
Mains point:Public Health
Professionals or Public Health
Management Cadre, Indian Public . Frontline health workers in India have
Health Standards made a substantial contribution to the
implementation of Mission Parivar
Vikas.
13. Meeting family planning goals.
. It aims to raise the contemporary
Context:India’s family planning
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate
programme has enhanced

(mCPR), particularly among female transformational techniques have

non-users from vulnerable yielded encouraging results.
populations, by accelerating access to
. The PRACHAR project in Bihar, the
high-quality family planning options.
Yaari Dosti programme in Mumbai,
. They’ve done so by bringing and the GEMS initiative in Goa are all
contraceptives to people’s homes and examples of incorporating males in the
providing a greater range of options, family planning conversation.
such as injectable contraceptives.
. Using the private sector: Many public
Measurements to be taken: health programmes have begun to
. Strengthen health workers’ ability to make use of the private sector’s skills
use the Family Planning Logistics to improve service delivery. The
Management Information System to private sector can provide new family
guarantee that contraceptives are planning solutions, hence increasing
available and accessible to community access to services.
marginalised communities. A path forward
. Family Planning Logistics . More than one-fifth of the population
Management Information System: in the adolescent age group is
This software is dedicated to ensuring currently entering the reproductive age
the smooth forecasting, procurement, group in numerous districts. In
and distribution of family planning addition, several districts in India still
commodities at all levels of health have low mCPR, with a major part of
facilities. the population being young.
. Family planning programmes must be . As a result, we can only assure
tailored to the health needs and equitable family planning services for
demographics of the people who both adults and young people by
would benefit from them. The youth working holistically on overall health
do not constitute a homogeneous goals and tackling social factors.
group.
Mains point: Improving family
. The sexual reproductive health needs planning access to younger population
of adolescents with various profiles,
such as males and females in school,
out of school, married, unmarried, and 14. ASHA: A successful public health
so on, must be addressed. To have the experiment rooted in the village
best impact, the data must be broken community.
down by essential criteria in order to Context: The World Health
reach certain groups of people. Organisation (WHO) has recognized
. Furthermore, when working with the contribution of India’s 1 million
younger people, comprehensive Accredited Social Health Activists
health awareness programmes on the (ASHAs) during the Covid-19
appropriate age for marriage, safe pandemic
sexual behaviour, contraception, . ASHA workers have received the
reproductive health, and nutrition Global Health Leaders Award-2022 in
diversity are essential. the backdrop of the on-going 75th
. Men’s participation in family World Health Assembly.
planning: Men’s participation in Genesis of the ASHA worker programme:
family planning must be given equal . The ASHA programme was based on
weight. In a variety of settings, gender Chhattisgarh’s successful Mitanin

programme, in which a Community facilities, providing health services

Worker looks after 50 households. The nearer home.
ASHA was to be a local resident, . In a way, it became a programme that
looking after 200 households. allowed a local woman to develop into
a skilled health worker.
. The ASHAs brought basic health
services to the doorstep of households.
The challenges faced by ASHA workers:
. The ASHAs faced a range of
challenges: Where to stay in a hospital?
How to manage mobility? How to
tackle safety issues?
. The programme had a very robust
. The solutions were found in a
thrust on the stage-wise development
partnership among frontline workers,
of capacity in selected areas of public
panchayat functionaries, and
health.
community workers.
. Many states tried to incrementally
. The Community Worker added value
develop the ASHA from a
to this process. Incentives for
Community Worker to a Community
institutional deliveries and the setting
Health Worker, and even to an
up of emergency ambulance services
Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM)/
like 108, 102, etc. across most states
General Nurse and Midwife (GNM),
built pressure on public institutions
or a Public Health Nurse.
and improved the mobility of ASHAs.
. In many states, ASHAs are involved in
. There have been challenges with
national health programmes, and in the
regard to performance-based
response to a range of communicable
compensation. In many states, the
and non-communicable diseases. They
payout is low, and often delayed.
get performance-based payments, not
a fixed salary like government ASHA worker programme impact on
servants. public policy:
. The idea behind this was to make her . The need to incrementally develop a
a part of the village community rather local worker keeping accountability
than a government employee, i.e. to with the community,
prevent governmentalisation and . Make performance-based payments,
promote communitisation. and
. Over 98% ASHAs belong to the village . Provide a demand-side push with
where they reside, and know every simultaneous augmentation of services
household. Their selection involved in public systems. The system can
the community and key resource sustain and grow only if the
persons. Educational qualification was compensation is adequate, and the
a consideration. ASHA continues to enjoy the
. With newly acquired skills in health confidence of the community.
care and the ability to connect The way forward:
households to health facilities, she was . There is a strong argument to grant
able to secure benefits for households. permanence to some of these positions
She was like a demand-side with a reasonable compensation as
functionary, reaching patients to sustaining motivation.\

. The incremental development of a Background:

local resident woman is an important
factor in human resource engagement . The National Education Policy (NEP)
in community-linked sectors. This 2020 promises higher education
should apply to other field reforms in a variety of sectors,
functionaries such as ANMs, GNMs, including internationalisation.
Public Health Nurses as well. . Foreign universities listed in the “top
. It is equally important to ensure that 100” category should be allowed to
compensation for performance is operate in India, according to the NEP
timely and adequate. 2020.
. Ideally, an ASHA should be able to Arguments in favour of foreign
make more than the salary of a branch creation in India:
government employee, with . India is becoming a major player in
opportunities for moving up the skill higher education. It has the world’s
ladder in the formal primary health second largest higher education system
care system as an ANM/ GNM or a and is the world’s second largest
Public Health Nurse. “exporter” of students. Countries and
. Upgrading skill sets and providing colleges from around the world will be
easy access to credit and finance will eager to build a “beachhead” in India.
ensure a sustainable opportunity to . India’s partnership with other
earn a respectable living while serving countries in higher education will
the community. bolster India’s soft power by bringing
. Strengthening access to health fresh ideas and institutions from
insurance, credit for consumption and abroad and demonstrating “best
livelihood needs at reasonable rates, practice” in India.
and coverage under pro-poor public . International branch campuses could
welfare programmes will contribute to be a structurally distinct version of
ASHAs emerging as even stronger India’s private university sector. They
agents of change. would primarily promote competition
Mains point:ASHA worker among existing private universities
programme. and foreign branch colleges.
. The branches have the potential to
introduce new ideas to Indian higher
15. A Harvard branch in India, prospects education in terms of curriculum,
and challenges. pedagogy, and governance.
Context:”World-class foreign The problems with India’s
universities and institutes would be international collaborations in higher
allowed in the planned business zone education:
in Gujarat’s GIFT City,” the Finance
Minister declared in Budget 2022. On the Indian side:International
These institutions would be exempt academic alliances, which include the
from domestic regulations, making development of international branch
high-end human resources more campuses, face numerous regulatory
accessible. difficulties. Prior to NEP 2020, India
did not allow foreign university branch
. During his visit to India, the British campuses to enter or operate.
Prime Minister expressed his desire to
strengthen academic cooperation . The FM’s budget address deviated
between the UK and India. from the NEP 2020 recommendations,
which stipulated that only the “top

100” categories be allowed to operate ideas and a long-term commitment, on

in India. the other hand, should be welcomed.
. In March, the Minister of State for . To achieve success in luring branch
Education gave a Lok Sabha reply that campuses, bureaucratic barriers
deviated from the NEP 2020 should be considerably reduced.
recommendations. Two non- . Prioritise a new accrediting structure,
university institutions from France flexible visa rules for international
and Italy, for example, have expressed students and professors, and financial
interest in establishing campuses in incentives to offer programmes.
India.
Mains point:Higher Education
. The University Grants Commission Reforms, Internationalisation of India’s
(UGC) has established a committee to Higher Education Sector.
write regulations allowing
international universities in the “top
500” category to open campuses in 16. India must shift the discourse on
India. abortion rights.
The Foreigner’s Perspective:There are Context:Recently, two women public
concerns about the feasibility of the health practitioners who have studied
situation. Overseas universities are and worked in India and the United
unlikely to make big upfront States have voiced their solidarity with
investments. women in both countries for their
abortion rights.
. The global branches would be geared
at generating revenue for the
sponsoring university, which would
be detrimental to India.
. Collaborations on a global scale have
failed. For example, the Yale-NUS
College relationship between Yale
University and the National University
of Singapore recently ended.
Next Steps: Global:According to the WHO, 6 out
. Top universities that are already active of 10 of all unintended pregnancies
in other countries would require end in an induced abortion. Around
incentives to establish themselves in 45% of all abortions are unsafe, and
India. Building facilities and around 97% take place in developing
supplying necessary infrastructure, for countries.
example. India:According to the National
. Outside of the ‘top 500,’ there are Family Health Survey 2019-2021, 3%
smaller but well-regarded universities of all pregnancies in India result in
that might be more interested. abortion.
. Universities around the world that . More than half of abortions in India are
specialise in India or have NRIs in high performed in the private sector,
management positions, for example, whereas only 20% are performed in the
may be easier to recruit for India. public sector because public facilities
. Profit-seekers should not be allowed often lack abortion services.
to enter the Indian market. Foreign . Around 27% of abortions are
institutions with unique educational performed by the woman herself at

home. Around 73% of these were . Third, The Act mentions only
medication abortions. Another 5% of ‘pregnant woman’. It fails to recognise
all abortions done outside of health that transgender persons and others can
facilities were done with methods other also become pregnant.
than medication abortion. Most of . Fourth, unmarried and transgender
these abortions were illegal as per the people continue to face stigma and can
MTP Act. be turned away from health facilities,
. A recent study found that sex-selective forcing them to resort to unsafe care;
abortions in India could lead to 6.8 . Fifth, mandatory reporting
million fewer girls being born between requirements under the Protection of
2017 to 2030. Children from Sexual Offences Bill
Obstacles: (POCSO), 2011 against child sexual
. The MTP Act 1971 and then amended offences, impact privacy and hinder
in 2021 makes ‘medical termination of access of adolescents to safe abortion
pregnancy’ legal in India under services;
specific conditions. The Act primarily . Sixth, many are still coerced into
protects medical practitioners as agreeing to a permanent or long-term
“induced miscarriage” is a criminal contraceptive method as a prerequisite
offence under the Indian Penal Code for getting abortion services;
(IPC). . Seventh, health-care providers may
The issues:The acceptance of abortion in impose their own morality. They may
Indian society is situated in the context insist on ‘husbands’ or ‘parental’
of population control and family consent for abortion.
planning. . Eighth, despite laws prohibiting sex
. Many women face a lack of access, determination, the illegal practice
systemic barriers, social norms and persists. The unregulated ultrasound
cultural preferences, and even criminal clinics have mushroomed in India.
liability. Therefore, many women They continues to facilitate the illegal
continue to die due to unsafe practice of sex determination, resulting
abortions. As per a 2014 study, in unsafe abortions and female
abortions account for 10% of maternal foeticide.
deaths in India. Way Forward:
. After more than 50 years of the MTP . There is an urgent need for a
Act, women and transgender persons perspective from an abortion for the
face major obstacles in accessing safe purpose of a family planning and
abortion care because maternal health to an abortion which
. First, most of them are not even aware is done on the basis of a sexual health
that abortion is legal or know where and reproductive rights.
to obtain one safely; . India must amend the law and raise
. Second, the MTP Act does not the bar on reproductive justice. In
recognise abortion as a choice. There addition, the health systems should be
is a lack of choice and bodily improved to provide good quality and
autonomy of women. The decision of respectful abortion care.
abortion is solely decided by the . Reproductive injustice anywhere is a
approval of medical professionals even threat to the lives of people
in the first few weeks of the pregnancy; everywhere.

Mains point:Medical Termination of MSMEs have not recovered to Pre-

Pregnancy Act 2021 and Reproductive Covid Levels
Rights in India . It is being said that GDP in FY22 could
not have returned to the pre-COVID
17. Joblessness on the rise in India FY20 level without workers returning
Context:There has been a massive to work and MSMEs recovering.
increase in joblessness of at least 10 However, this is not true.
million due to COVID-19 on top of the . This is because the Consortium of
30 million already unemployed in Indian Association(CIA) conducted a
2019. After many years of refusing to survey of over 81,000 micro-businesses
recognise there is a jobs crisis in India, across India in June 2021 two months
the government of India, faced with after the second wave was over.
relentless data to the contrary, has now . According to the survey, 59% of these
resorted to misinformation. MSMEs reduced their staff compared
The highlights to pre-COVID levels; 88% of
. Less number of Non-Farm Jobs respondents had not availed of any
Generated.According to the Periodic government stimulus packages; 28%
Labor Force Survey(PLFS), the number reported they were unable to get
of new non-farm jobs generated payment dues from their customers
between 2013-2019 was only 2.9 from private or government; 64%
million, when at least 5 million were reported banks were not giving loans.
joining the labour force annually. Mains Point: Joblessness is a serious
. The agricultural output may have social problem, critically examined.
performed well during COVID and
free rations may have alleviated acute 18. This is what keeps educated women
distress. out of the workforce
. But this completely ignores that Context: Deloitte produced a study on
between 2019 and 2020, the absolute an international survey. According to
number of workers in agriculture the findings of the poll, women’s
increased from 200 million to 232 workforce engagement in economic
million, depressing rural wages — (a activities is on the decline.
reversal of the absolute fall in farm Furthermore, throughout the epidemic
employment of 37 million between years, the trend has accelerated.
2005-2012, when non-farm jobs were
growing 7.5 million annually).
The obstacles that women face in
. According to PLFS, manufacturing participating in economic activities
employment increased between 2017-
18 and 2019-20 by 1.8 million. But what . To begin with, non working women’s
this ignores is that between 2011-12 and choices are influenced by a range of
2017-18, manufacturing employment factors. Second, they have the ability to
fell in absolute terms by 3 million, so influence both supply and demand.
recovery is hardly any consolation. Listed below are a handful of them:
. Further, manufacturing as a share of . There is a societal setting in which boys
GDP also fell from 17% in 2016 to 15%, are supposed to be breadwinners and
then 13% in 2020, despite ‘Make in girls are expected to fulfil care and
India’. reproductive tasks. There are strict
employment obligations, a lack of
consistent family/social support, and

personal responsibility to guide and . Before the pandemic, employment was

protect children. This is due to a lack dropping at a pace of around 0.31
of high-quality daycare, counselling, percent each year. In the pre-pandemic
and mentoring services. year of 2019-20, this resulted in a loss
of 7 million (1.7 percent) jobs.
What impact do these elements have . Second, during the pandemic, the
on women’s lives? downward trend continued. Many jobs
. The circumstances foster a social were lost. When the limits on mobility
setting for girls, who attend school and were eased, however, the majority of
college while waiting to marry. the employment lost during the
Working women have to deal with lockdowns returned. Despite the
periods of intense work interspersed recovery, 4.5 million jobs were lost in
with intervals of inactivity. the long run as a result of the
. Working women are forced to leave pandemic’s shock.
their jobs due to domestic . As a result, in 2021-22, the number of
circumstances such as concerns about unemployed people actively looking
the safety of their school-aged children for work but unable to find any was
and important occasions such as “kids expected to be 33 million. This was
being at the end of school and college higher than before the pandemic.
entry.” Category-wise employment trends in
. Women’s choices are influenced by India since the pandemic
their circumstances. Women are being Women
pushed out of full-time positions in the . During economic downturns and
workplace. They change to volunteer pandemics, women were
or paid (often sporadic) activities such disproportionately affected by job
as teaching, home-based marketing, losses. Women, for example,
consulting, tutoring, and so on. accounted for less than 1% of all
Steps ahead occupations in 2019-20, but they made
. It is necessary to provide greater up roughly half of the 7 million jobless.
supportive infrastructures to women in It was more common in India’s cities.
order for them to work continuously The daily wage employees and small
during pandemics and other traders/vendors
emergencies. . During a crisis, they might easily enter
. Enough recognition of women labour and depart the labour market. During
in domestic space. the first shutdown, for example, 79
million small traders and daily wage
19. The workers hit the hardest workers lost their jobs. However, after
the first lockdown ended, the majority
Context:The Consumer Pyramids
of them returned to work.
Household Survey was just issued by
the Centre for Monitoring Indian Entrepreneurs
Economy (CMIE). According to the . The epidemic has halted an upward
survey, India’s workforce shrank from trend in entrepreneurship. In
408.9 million in 2019-20 to 387.2 million comparison to the 13 percent annual
in 2020-21, before rebounding to 401.8 growth in entrepreneurs prior to the
million in 2021-22. pandemic, there was a drop of around
Trends of employment in India 1%.
Employees that are paid a salary

. They saw the greatest drop in

employment relative to the rest of the
20. Sighting the finishing line in measles-
country (6.8 percent ). Unlike daily
rubella elimination.
wage workers, small traders, and
entrepreneurs, they are unable to Context:The COVID-19 pandemic stole
return to employment. Finding a new two years from the MR Elimination
paying job is challenging, with the programme. The MR elimination
exception of a few high-skill jobs. target has been reset to 2023.
The hurdles for women in terms of Measles-rubella (MR) Program:
working from home (WFH) . It is a program for providing
. It was difficult for women to work from immunisation to children from 5 to 15
home while the rest of their family years. It is being implemented as a
remained at home. It made their school-based vaccination programme
situation much more difficult. and is being conducted in all States.
. Small traders/vendors and daily wage . Furthermore, it will lead to
labourers who must go out to work for vaccination-induced immunity
a living are not helped by the WFH. against both Measles and Rubella
Their capacity to reach markets and diseases.
trade their goods or services for daily . To cover immunity gaps after one dose
profits determines their earnings. In of measles vaccine, a second dose was
fact, they employ the greatest number necessary.
of people in India. MR Elimination important:
The challenges . MR elimination is defined as zero
. The 7 million jobs lost over the two transmission of measles and rubella
years since the COVID-19 outbreak is viruses. It should have evidence of zero
unevenly distributed. It would be clinical disease, sustained over three
difficult to recover all of them anytime years.
soon. . It can be achieved through two
. Employing women and providing methods:
salaried jobs are the two big challenges (a) surveillance: identify places where
that will be difficult to tackle soon. either virus is still in transmission,
. In addition to generating jobs for those and
who have lost jobs during the (b) vaccination: two doses of the MR
pandemic, more job creations will be vaccine — the first dose between
needed to employ those people who nine and 11 months and second
will enter the labour force in the dose ideally in the second year of
coming year. life
Way ahead . The MR vaccine is a combined product
. It is expected that entrepreneurship which targets two diseases in one shot.
can rise again principally because of a This is because fever and rash
lack of salaried jobs. If the Indian surveillance cover both diseases
economy expands by about 7.5% in The program implementation:
2022-23, 6 million jobs can come back. . The district was chosen as the ideal
. However, despite this, more jobs need population-cum-administrative unit
to be created to employ new entrants for efficiently implementing all
in the working age population and the activities.
labour force.

. For epidemiological reasons, rubella in the minds of parents and school

vaccination had to cover children up authorities.
to 15 years. School registration and
. Lack of information has led to shifting
attendance are high in all States and as
of goal posts. For example, the
a programme, therefore children were
Government first missed target of 2015,
to be vaccinated in schools.
and second missed target of 2020
Measles should be eliminated:
Way Forward:
. In the pre-vaccination era, while polio
. In order to achieve the MR
paralysed about 1% of all children
Elimination in all 773 districts, the
before the age of five, measles actually
Immunisation Division of the Union
killed 1% of all under-five children.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
During measles outbreaks, the case-
should support the state governments,
fatality rate may range from 10%- to
and all the states should galvanise the
15%.
district administration to carry out
. It leads to loss of weight as well as activities.
cognitive development and scholastic
. The District Magistrate should activate
performance.
the Task Force mechanism overseeing
. Measles affects the immune system the Universal Immunisation Program
rendering the child vulnerable to other (UIP) that is managed by the District
infectious diseases. Immunisation Officer.
Rubella should be eliminated: . Clinical and laboratory surveillance
. The rubella virus is a slower and vaccination have to be sustained.
transmitter. The risk of rubella extends Measles virus, could be imported from
from childhood through adolescence outside.
into the reproductive age range. . There are 19 months available to
. It can show no symptoms, or with a achieve the target before the finishing
short fever and a skin rash that is less line by July-August 2023.
pronounced than that of measles. . The cooperation of parents, health-care
. In case of an infected pregnant personnel at all levels, opinion leaders,
woman, the virus has a tendency to influencers, the media, non-
cross the placenta. Affected babies are governmental organisations such as
born with severe birth defects such as the Rotary and Lions, can play a role
cataracts, deafness, heart defects and in making this district-by-district
developmental delay which is called programme a story of success.
‘congenital rubella syndrome’ (CRS). Mains point:Universal Immunisation
This is preventable with vaccination if Program, Measles-Rubella (MR)
given prior to pregnancy. Vaccination Program.
The issues in the implementation of
the MR Elimination program:
21. Supreme Court directions on sex
. The stakeholders such as school workers: history of the case, and where
managements, teachers, children it stands now.
themselves and parents were not
Context:Sex workers’ long-standing
properly informed about the basis and
desire for decriminalisation has been
features of the new programme.
partially met, with the Supreme Court
. Due to a lack of information, there ruling that adult sex workers are
was antipathy towards the programme, entitled to dignity and equal protection
under the law.

children, and sex workers were denied

access to rehabilitation programmes.
. They were also unable to take
advantage of state-sponsored financing
since they lacked the necessary
documentation to open bank accounts.
The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act,
1956, should be amended, according
to the committee:
. Because the Trafficking of Persons . On May 19, a Bench led by Justice L
(Prevention, Protection, and Nageswara Rao highlighted that the
Rehabilitation) Bill has yet to be Centre had yet to bring a law on the
passed, the Court has used its Article matter, despite its commitments. As a
142 powers to issue guidance until the result, the court invoked Article 142’s
legislation is passed. exceptional powers (which allow it to
The conclusions has the court reached: issue orders necessary to “complete
. The court ordered the police to respect justice” in a pending case) and ordered
the rights of consenting sex workers, that some of the suggestions be
noting that Article 21 of the adopted by states and UTs.
Constitution guarantees everyone the . The panel’s ten recommendations were
right to a dignified existence, mentioned in the May 19 order, and six
regardless of their vocation. of them were to be executed.
. It reaffirmed the Court’s ruling in These are some of them:
Budhadev Karmaskar (2011) that sex a) Any sex worker who is sexually
workers have a right to a “life of assaulted is entitled to emergency
dignity.” medical attention;
. Police should treat all sex workers with b) a directive to states to conduct a
respect and not verbally or physically survey of all Immoral Trafficking
abuse them, subject them to violence, (Prevention) Act Protective Homes
or force them to engage in any sexual in order to assess and process
activity. cases of adult women imprisoned
The Budhadev Karmaskar decision: against their will in a timely
. In 2011, the Supreme Court convened manner;
a commission to investigate and offer c) raising awareness of the rights of
“appropriate recommendations” on sex workers among police and
“prevention of human trafficking and other law enforcement
rehabilitation of sex workers who seek organisations, and ensuring that
to leave the industry.” officers treat them with dignity and
. Findings of the panel: According to the do not abuse them verbally or
panel’s final report, which was physically, or pressure them into
submitted on September 14, 2016, sexual activity;
. Because they lacked proof of domicile, d) request that the Press Council of
sex workers found it difficult to get India establish suitable rules to the
forms of identity such as ration cards media to ensure that the identity
or voter cards. of sex workers are not revealed;
. District officials were unaware of the and
identities of sex workers and their

g) instruction that health and safety Context: Data on the Child Nutrition Gap
precautions used by sex workers has been issued by the National Family
(condoms, etc.) must not be Health Survey (NFHS-5).
construed as crimes or used as
NFHS say about Child Nutrition:
evidence of criminal activity.
The Centre’s response:
. The Centre expressed “some
misgivings” about four of the panel’s
recommendations.
These are the following:
a) There will be no criminal action
taken against an adult sex worker
who is participating with their
consent; . Minimum Acceptable Diet:
b) During raids on brothels, only the Approximately 89 percent of children
brothel owner was arrested, not aged 6 to 23 months do not obtain a
the sex workers; “minimum acceptable diet.” This is
c) the role of sex workers in decision- only a smidgeon better than the NFHS-
making processes, such as policy 4 figure of 90.4 percent.
formulation, design, and . In terms of dietary diversity, the World
implementation; Health Organization has identified ten
d) a suggestion about the children of essential food groups: cereals and
sex workers. millets, pulses, milk and milk
products, roots and tubers, green leafy
The Supreme Court has given the
vegetables, other vegetables, fruits, fat
Centre six weeks to respond to the
or oil, fish, egg and other meats, and
panel’s suggestions.
sugar, of which a child needs 4-5 per
A path forward: day to avoid malnutrition.
. The Court’s overall observations . States where Children Received an
should help police, the media, and Adequate Diet: Meghalaya had the
society become more aware of sex greatest proportion of children
workers, who have previously been receiving a minimum acceptable diet
marginalised and silent. (28.5%), while Uttar Pradesh and
. The onus is on the government to Gujarat had the lowest (5.9 percent
draught proper legislation to remove each).
stigma from consenting sex workers . Children in urban regions (12.1
and offer them worker’s rights. The percent) had more access to the
Court also recommended that the minimum tolerable diet than those in
Centre and States collaborate with sex rural areas (10.7 percent ).
workers or their representatives to
. Dietary deficiencies can be caused by
amend regulations.
a variety of factors. Poverty, lack of
Mains point:Sex workers in India and access to nutrients (cereals, fruits,
related issues. vegetables, eggs, etc. ), lack of
awareness, and low education are all
22. 89% of children between 6-23 months factors that contribute to a poor diet.
don’t get an adequate diet: NFHS . Impact of a Poor Food: A child’s diet
throughout his or her formative years

has a direct impact on malnutrition, measures, Muslims are the most

with India having one of the world’s disadvantaged.
highest malnutrition rates. . Education’s Importance in TFR: The
number of children per woman
23. NFHS-5 data shows literacy and decreased as women’s education
delivery of services, not religion, levels increased. Women without a
influences fertility high school diploma have 2.8 children
Context: The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) on average, compared to 1.8 for women
in India has been published by the with a high school diploma.
National Family Health Survey (NFHS- . Family Planning: The male attitude
5) in India. TFR (Total Fertility Rate): toward family planning was addressed
The total fertility rate (TFR) in India has in the poll. They frequently place the
fallen from 2.2 in 2015-16 to 2.0 in 2019- burden of birth control on women. For
21. example, up to 35% of males feel that
. The TFR is a figure that represents the contraception is solely the duty of
average number of children a woman women. They overlook the fact that a
will have over her lifetime. The male vasectomy is far less invasive
replacement level fertility rate (TFR) of than a female tubectomy.
2.1 is thought to be the threshold at Prelims point:The total fertility rate (TFR)
which population stability is reached. in India has fallen from 2.2 in 2015-16
. TFR Variations by Area: TFR varies to 2.0 in 2019-21.
widely by region, with five states
(Bihar (2.98), Meghalaya (2.91), Uttar 24. Still a long way for termination as an
Pradesh (2.35), Jharkhand (2.26), and unconditional right
Manipur (2.17) still falling short of the Context: The Medical Termination of
2.1 replacement threshold. Pregnancy Act, notwithstanding
. TFR in terms of religion: Fertility has modifications, does not prioritise the
declined in all religious groupings. woman’s freedom to choose.Recently,
However, the drop in the Muslim the issue of abortion was in the news
community has been the most internationally. This brings into picture
dramatic, from 4.4 in NFHS 1 (1992-93) the legal status of abortions in India.
to 2.3 in NFHS 5. (2019-2021).
. The Muslim community’s TFR, Abortion in India -legal View point
however, remains the highest among
. Voluntarily causing a woman to
all religious communities, with the
miscarry (if not done in good faith) is a
Hindu community’s TFR of 1.94, the
crime punishable by up to three years
Christian community’s TFR of 1.88, the
in prison, a fine, or both under the
Sikh community’s TFR of 1.61, the Jain
Indian Penal Code (IPC).
community’s TFR of 1.6, and the
Buddhist and neo-Buddhist . The Medical Termination of Pregnancy
community’s TFR of 1.39. (MTP) Act of 1971 was passed to make
abortion lawful in certain situations. It
. The Fertility Difference Between
included exceptions to the IPC’s rules.
Groups is Shrinking for a Reason: The
fertility gap between communities is . In other cases, the judiciary was asked
narrowing. However, non-religious to provide authorization to terminate
factors such as literacy, work, income, the pregnancy. In a number of cases,
and access to health services are the courts have held that a pregnant
main causes of high fertility. On these woman’s ability to choose whether or

not to continue her pregnancy is a part pregnancy, such as widowhood or

of her right to health and life. As a divorce.
result, doing what is right is
. (c) After 24 weeks, the opinion of a
unavoidable.
Medical Board, as established by law
. In addition, in 2021, the Medical in each state, is required. Abortion can
Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act only be done if there are problems in
1971 was revised. It broadened the the foetus.
law’s scope. Circumstances under
. (d) With the exception of what is
which a medical abortion will be
indicated above, a single certified
permitted after the 2021 amendment
medical practitioner can terminate a
Grounds of termination of Pregnancy pregnancy at any moment if it is
a) If the continuance of the pregnancy required to save the pregnant woman’s
puts the pregnant woman’s life.
physical, mental, or life in Related issues
jeopardy.
. The law does not recognise a pregnant
b) If the pregnancy was caused by woman’s right to choose whether or not
rape or the failure of a to terminate her pregnancy.
contraceptive device intended to
. Following the right to privacy ruling,
limit the number of children. The
it has been claimed that a pregnant
continuance of such a pregnancy
woman’s freedom to choose whether or
can be extremely harmful to the
not to continue her pregnancy should
pregnant woman’s mental health.
be included in the right to privacy and
c) If continuing the pregnancy poses the right to life. This ruling is not
a significant risk to the infant child, reflected in the modified law.
such as major physical or mental
. Other central legislation, such as those
abnormalities.
on persons with disabilities, mental
health, and transgender people, are
Various Situations similarly out of sync with the modified
. The pregnancy can be terminated for law.
any of the reasons listed above, taking . The modifications did not eliminate
into account the gestational age of the ambiguity between the MTP Act and
baby. In addition, the medical opinion other statutes such as the Protection of
of a registered medical practitioner Children from Sexual Offenses
under the MTP Act is required. (POCSO) Act and the Drugs and
. (a) Opinion of a single certified medical Cosmetics Act, to name a few.
practitioner up to 20 weeks of Main point: Discuss the legal rights of
pregnancy. women involved in abortion
. (b) From 20 to 24 weeks, two licensed
medical practitioners’ opinions are
required. This includes women who
have experienced sexual assault/rape
or incest, minors, women with
substantial physical disabilities,
mentally ill women, foetal
malformations that are life-threatening,
and changes in marital status during a

Economy
1. Reforming fuel taxes. also allow India to make a better
international case for meeting its
Context: Prime Minister Narendra climate change commitments.
Modi recently told state chief ministers
that the Union government had . This isn’t the ideal solution, but it’s
decreased petrol excise duty last surely preferable to the current
November, but that certain states had scenario. Carbon tax money should
not followed suit. ideally be put toward decarbonization
or sustainability programmes, and
. States objected to his speech in a shared with the states for this purpose.
number of ways. They pointed out that As a result, a significant issue of
in recent years, the Union government conflict between the federal
had reaped windfall profits from fuel government and the states would be
production and taxation. Furthermore, resolved.
fuel taxes were lower in several of the
states cited by the PM even without a
VAT drop. 2. Inflation control needs another model
The issues associated with the Context: The Monetary Policy
taxation of fuel Committee has declared that inflation,
. Fuel was not included in the goods and or “inflation targeting,” will be its
services tax (GST) regime. Because major focus. The Reserve Bank of India
gasoline and diesel aren’t covered by (RBI) has increased the policy repo rate
the GST, consumers don’t have the to guarantee price stability, taking into
benefit of being able to deduct their account the significant inflationary
costs as input credits. pressure.
. Furthermore, the tax system is not
uniform. Because the GST has a Inflation in India
predetermined sharing formula built . For almost a year, wholesale price
in, there will be no more inflation has been in the double digits.
disagreements regarding relative tax The consumer price index (CPI) has
rates. surpassed the Reserve Bank of India’s
Best way ahead (RBI) 6-percentage-point upper target.
. Bringing fuel under the GST will need . Inflation targeting is predicated on the
a reduction in overall taxes on gasoline premise that inflation is caused by the
and diesel to correspond to the GST economy “overheating.” It denotes an
slabs. However, if current receipts are overabundance of output compared to
larger than they would be under the its ‘normal’ level.As a result, the central
lower GST rates, an additional fee can bank boosted the interest rate, often
be applied to ensure revenue known as the “repo rate,” in order to
neutrality. keep inflation under control.
. This extra charge could be a particular . The rate at which the central bank lends
excise duty. In accordance with to commercial banks is known as the
international standards, it can also be repo rate. It encourages businesses to
referred to as a carbon tax. This will postpone their investment plans in

order to focus on inventory reduction demand for agricultural goods

and production reduction. declines.
. This assures that the output . The provision of foods other than rice
contraction returns to its natural level and wheat, such as fruits, vegetables,
(i.e., optimal level). Inflation may fall milk, and meat, should be prioritised.
as a result of this. It guarantees full The government should make a
employment and a free-flowing labour concerted effort to boost agricultural
market. productivity, which will increase
Issues associated with inflation agricultural production and supply.
targeting in India
. The official inflation control model in 3. India must seize the trade opportunity
India is built on a nonscientific opening now
foundation. The Indian model is built Context:Despite the pandemic, trade in
on the concept of achieving “natural 2021 was at an all-time high. In the two
output levels.” It is, nevertheless, a decades leading up to the global
theoretical and inexplicable financial crisis, worldwide
phenomenon. This model’s empirical merchandise trade volume increased
validity was not included in the RBI at twice the rate of global GDP at
report from 2014. market exchange rates.
. India’s approach is founded on the
According to the World Trade
notion that agricultural commodity
Organization, global merchandise
prices cause inflation. As a result,
trade volume is predicted to increase
agricultural items output and supply
by 3% in 2022 and 3.4 percent in 2023.
should be boosted. The Indian
economy would expand without
inflation as a result of this. When there India’s exports
is an excess of agricultural production, . In accordance with global trends, India
however, the government buys food has had a successful export run. India’s
grains at the highest possible price. commodities exports hit a new high of
Inflation is the result of this. $419 billion, while services exports hit
. With rising per capita wealth, India’s $250 billion.
typical consumption basket has . Exporters (including Indians) are
changed toward foods high in looking for innovative ways to export
minerals, such as fruits and vegetables, agricultural commodities. Ukraine and
and protein, such as milk and meat. Sri Lanka, both important agricultural
. However, the increase in supply of exporters, have a limited presence in
these items has lagged behind the international trade.
increase in demand. As a result, the . The additional opportunities will boost
RBI’s current policy of raising the repo overall exports while also aiding the
rate is ineffective in combating rural economy’s recovery by increasing
agricultural price-driven inflation. realisations.
. Wheat shipments from Russia and
Steps ahead Ukraine are critical to Europe and
. Inflation can be controlled by limiting Africa’s food security. As a result, India
the expansion of non-agricultural now has fresh wheat export potential
output. As a result, the growth of in these new markets, and supply has
demand for agricultural goods would been disrupted.
be slowed. Inflation will slow as
. Sri Lanka, the world’s largest tea . Four, India’s tariff rates on intermediate
producer, is a prominent player in the inputs should be decreased to either
global market. Exports account for nil or negligible. It will make India a
over 98 percent of the company’s desirable destination for gatherings.
annual output. Sri Lanka is a major . Five, India should establish an enabling
exporter of textiles. However, the environment that realigns its
island nation’s production and export specialisation patterns toward labour-
capabilities will be harmed by intensive processes and product lines.
protracted power outages. Reforms to the labour market must be
. Tea and textile exports are two implemented.
potential export opportunities for . Sixth, an ongoing and proactive FDI
India. In addition, large global clothing policy is essential. Local enterprises
labels such as Zara and H&M are said can join global manufacturing networks
to be eyeing India. Due to a Covid thanks to foreign financing and
spike, Chinese manufacturers are technology transfer. Local businesses
closed, and Asian exporters such as serve as subcontractors and suppliers
Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Cambodia of intermediate inputs to multinational
lack the capacity to fill the hole. As a corporations.
result, India can take advantage of this
. Seventh, the government should
chance.
address the issue of logistical
The challenges for India impediments. Low levels of service
. Due to weaker global growth, an connection costs (costs related to
unstable geopolitical environment, the transportation, communication, and so
shadow of repeated pandemic waves, on) are required to strengthen their
and prolonged supply chain participation in GVCs, according to the
challenges, the ratio between trade and Economic Survey 2019.
GDP growth could decrease to 1.1:1 in Mains point: Comment critically on
2022 and 2023. India export potential.
. One, the government should
endeavour to eliminate non-tariff
4. Let’s make GST a good and simple
barriers to agricultural trade, with a
tax.
particular emphasis on harmonising
sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) rules. Context: Existing GST rate structure
The government should take sector- needs to be rationalised.
specific steps and improve the supply . The introduction of GST might be the
chain traceability mechanism. most important tax reform. It was a
. Two, in order to boost tea exports, unique experiment in cooperative
traditional tea boards should be federalism, where both the Union and
granted more power and autonomy in the state governments gave up their tax
the sector’s growth, promotion, and autonomy in favour of harmonising
research. The Tea Promotion and domestic trade taxes. However, some
Development Act, as drafted, should negative features have been inserted
be enacted. into the tax to make it acceptable.
. Three, India has to become more The single rate structure of GST :
integrated into global supply chains. . The single rate structure has been more
A plethora of trade agreements, as well acceptable and beneficial globally,
as a new pro-trade strategy, should because,
help in this regard. . It simplifies the tax structure.

. It prevents misclassifications and slab. the 28 percent category should be

litigations due to multiple rates. removed altogether.
. It avoids an inverted duty structure of Mains point: Gst and tax collection.
taxes on inputs. India has this structure
on items like electrical transformers, 5. Taxing digital companies: UN tax
railway wagons, some textile products, panel working on new set of rules
plastic bags, and solar modules.(An
inverted duty structure comes up in a Context: The UN’s tax committee is
situation where import duties on input working on a set of regulations for
goods are higher than on finished taxing digital services that are distinct
goods). from global tax agreements for huge
corporations like Google, Facebook,
. The main argument in favor of rate Netflix, and Microsoft. India is also a
differentiation is equity. However, it is part of this UN Tax committee.
an inefficient way of targeting benefits
for the poor. Poor consume more
exempted and low-rated items. UN working on tax digital services.
Furthermore, the ideal way of . The UN Tax Committee has accepted
targeting the benefits to the poor is on a final draft to amend the UN Model
the expenditure side, through targeted Tax Convention’s Article 12B to include
cash transfers. the taxation of “automated digital
. It will end the lobbying by services (ADS).”
manufacturers for placing their . Article 12B does not impose any
products in the low tax rate category. specific threshold for taxation income
The present tax collections: from automated digital services, such
. GST revenues have increased as a permanent establishment, a fixed
significantly, with collections of over base, or a minimum time of presence
Rs 1 lakh crore in the last 10 months in a contracting state.
and touching a record of Rs 1.68 lakh . It enables market jurisdictions to
crore in April 2022. impose a withholding tax on the gross
. However, economic recovery or tax amount of digital services revenue.
structure is not the reason. The GSTN This means that countries where an
has been able to stabilise the automated digital service provider’s
technology platform. Making e- consumers are located get additional
invoicing mandatory for all businesses taxing rights.
above Rs 100 crore has made the . It contains articles that 1) prohibit
detection of fake invoices easy that certain forms of tax discrimination, 2)
were used to claim the input tax credit. provide for the exchange of tax
. This has helped to improve tax information and assistance in tax
compliance and has also enabled better collection between treaty partners, 3)
enforcement. allow treaty partners to consult
together through the Mutual
Steps to be taken: Agreement Procedure, 4) resolve
. It would be desirable to have a single disputes or clarify doubts about the
rate of tax, besides exemptions on treaty, and 5) prohibit certain types of
unprocessed food items, in the long treaty abuse.
run. However, in the short run, 12
percent and 18 percent categories
should be merged into a 15-16 percent

6. Equating states’ off-budget shrouded in secrecy, it will bring much-

borrowings with their debt will clarify needed budgetary openness. States
extent of indebtedness will have a difficult time paying for
Context:The Union government their expenditures.
communicates to state governments Mains Point: Comment on the new
how much they are allowed to borrow proposals by the centre and its impact
(their net borrowing ceiling). on state borrowing.
Normally, this is a routine affair. But
hereafter from this year This year, off-
budget borrowings by the states will 7. Explained: Making sense of exchange
be equated with the states’ own debt. rate
Off-budget borrowings Context:Indian rupee hit an all-time
low exchange rate of 77.6 against the
. Loans taken by state government
US dollar.The previous lowest was
agencies, special purpose vehicles,
76.9. There has been a sharp fall in a
and other off-budget borrowings are
matter of days: The rupee was at 76 to
referred to as off-budget borrowings.
a dollar on May 5, when the US Federal
Instead of the borrowing entity’s
Reserve raised interest rates.
revenues, these loans are serviced
through the state government’s own Exchange rate
budget. . The exchange rate indicates how much
. States are essentially violating the of one currency (for example, the
ceiling imposed by the Centre by using rupee) is needed to buy one unit of
off-budget borrowings, according to another currency (e.g. Dollar). If the
the Department of Expenditure. As a rupee’s currency rate “declines,” for
result, states are exceeding the fiscal example, purchasing American goods
deficit ceilings established by state will become more expensive.
Fiscal Responsibility and Budget . The supply and demand for currencies,
Management Acts. such as rupees and dollars, determine
The changes planned the exchange rate in a free market. For
example, if Indians demand more
. Loans taken by state government
dollars than Americans demand
agencies, special purpose vehicles,
rupees, the value of the rupee will fall.
and other off-budget borrowings are
referred to as off-budget borrowings. . Apart from market forces, central banks
Instead of the borrowing entity’s (in the case of India, the Reserve Bank
revenues, these loans are serviced of India) play a role in deciding the
through the state government’s own exchange rate.
budget. The factors that influence currency
. States are essentially violating the supply and demand
ceiling imposed by the Centre by using . The Balance of Payments decides how
off-budget borrowings, according to much rupees the rest of the world
the Department of Expenditure. As a wants and how much foreign currency
result, states are exceeding the fiscal Indians want. Current, capital, and
deficit ceilings established by state financial accounts make up the BoP.
Fiscal Responsibility and Budget . The current account is used to track the
Management Acts. flow of commodities and services into
. It will result in significant reductions and out of a country.All overseas
in the effective borrowing room of capital transfers in assets are noted in
several states.In a sector that has been the capital account.

. International monetary flows

recently released bringing various
connected to business, real estate,
policy paralysis challenges.
bonds, and equities are tracked in the
financial account. Key findings of PLFS
. The following two circumstances will . In metropolitan areas, the
explain the changes in the Rupee’s unemployment rate for workers aged
exchange rate.To begin with, India 15 and up fell from 10.3 percent in
imports 80% of its oil. In the event that October-December 2020 to 8.7 percent
oil demand or price rises, India will in October-December 2021.
require more money to purchase crude . In addition, the labour force
oil on the international market. participation rate (LFPR) climbed
. The demand for Indian rupees, on the slightly from 46.9% in July–September
other hand, has remained unchanged. 2020 to 47.3 percent in July–September
As a result of the growing trade deficit, 2021.Despite the fact that the
the Indian Rupee will depreciate. unemployment rate fell during the
quarter under review, it remains high.
. Second, if the Federal Reserve of the
United States raises interest rates, Causes
global investors will begin to invest in . During the aforementioned period, the
the United States rather than India. The second wave of Covid-19 faded, the
rupee would depreciate once more. third wave’s impact was modest, and
The Capital Account would be used to economic activity rebounded
document such a transaction. significantly. This aided in the creation
Role of RBI in determining exchange rate. of jobs in the fourth quarter of 2021.
. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is a . The majority of prohibitions, including
key player in determining exchange those in contact-intensive industries,
rates. It is in charge of regulating the have now been eliminated.
sharp variations in the Rupee’s
exchange rate. RBI can take a variety Pressing policy challenges in front of
of steps to achieve this: the Indian policymakers
. In the event of a sharp depreciation of . The global economic picture has
the rupee, the RBI sells dollars from its deteriorated as well. Because of rising
foreign exchange reserves. This is why inflation, central banks are raising
the RBI’s foreign reserves have interest rates. As a result, the Indian
plummeted since the conflict in economy will be impacted by the
Ukraine began in February. tightening of global financial
. In the event of a sharp increase in the conditions and slower growth.
value of the rupee, the RBI purchases . India has been experiencing
extra dollars (by paying rupees in the substantial inflationary pressure in the
market) and adds them to its foreign first half of the current fiscal year,
reserves. according to the Reserve Bank of India
Mains: Critically engage in understanding (RBI).
the exchange rate of rupee with respect . Furthermore, India’s economic growth
to Dollar. will drop to roughly 4% in the second
half of Fiscal Year 2021-22. Due to
8. India’s biggest policy challenge present prospects of high inflation and
sluggish economic development, the
Context:The Periodic Labour Force
general employment situation is
Survey’s (PLFS)latest quarterly bulletin

anticipated to remain problematic in policy repo rate by 40 basis points to

the foreseeable future. 4.40% with immediate effect.
. In 2021, India’s labour force Repo Rate:
participation rate (approximately 47.3 . The Repo Rate is one of several direct
percent) is lower than that of other and indirect instruments that are used
countries such as the United States (61 by the RBI for implementing monetary
percent) and China (68 percent). policy.
Furthermore, the female LFPR is
. RBI defines the repo rate as the fixed
around 20%, which is even more
interest rate at which it provides
concerning.
overnight liquidity to banks against the
. This means that a large number of collateral of government and other
people in India are unable to enter the approved securities under the liquidity
labour market due to a lack of adjustment facility(LAF).
opportunities. The lack of a large
. In other words, when banks have short-
manufacturing base in India is one of
term requirements for funds, they can
the causes for decreased labour
place government securities that they
participation. Currently, the policies
hold with the central bank and borrow
favour a small number of large
money against these securities at the
corporations. These major corporations
repo rate.
are unlikely to provide the necessary
number of jobs on a significant scale. The importance of Repo Rate:
. It serves as a key benchmark for the
lenders to in turn price the loans they
Steps ahead
offer to their borrowers.
. To combat inflationary pressures, the
. It allows central banks to control the
RBI has begun raising the policy rate.
money supply within economies by
This could have an impact on economic
increasing or decreasing the
activity. India also has a structural
availability of funds.
issue to address, which could
exacerbate with slower growth. Repo Rate function as a monetary tool:
. The amount of growth and expansion . Repo Rate functions as a monetary tool
in economic activity has a considerable by helping to regulate the availability
impact on the creation of jobs. To deal of liquidity or funds in the banking
with concerns ranging from labour laws system.
to tariffs, India requires a more . For instance, when the repo rate is
comprehensive policy strategy. decreased, banks may find an incentive
. To overcome the job problem, India to sell securities back to the
has to build a big manufacturing base. government in return for cash.This
increases the money supply available
Mains Point: Policy challenges and
to the general economy.
reformation
. Conversely, when the repo rate is
increased, lenders would end up
9. The repo rate in India. thinking twice before borrowing from
Context:Reserve Bank of India has the central bank at the repo window
announced that the RBI’s Monetary thus, reducing the availability of
Policy Committee(MPC) had held an money supply in the economy.
‘off-cycle’ meeting at which it had Repo Rate impact on inflation:
decided unanimously to raise the
. Inflation can broadly be demand-
driven price gains or a result of supply-
side factors that in turn push up the challenges for the low-income
costs of inputs used by producers of developing countries.
goods and providers of services, thus . Globally, the total support comprising
spurring inflation. revenue foregone, expenditure
. Changes to the repo rate to influence stimulus and liquidity support was
interest rates and the availability of estimated to be $17,000 billion. Out of
money supply. It primarily works only this, the government guarantees were
on the demand side by making credit one-fourth of the total. In case of
more expensive and savings more default, it can weaken the fiscal balance
attractive and therefore dissuading sheet in the medium term for items that
consumption. are below the line at the moment.
. However, they do little to address the . There has been an increase in money
supply side factors, be it the high price supply during the last two years to
of commodities such as crude oil or support governments to deal with
metals or imported food items such as Covid..
edible oils. . There has been an increase in money
Prelims point: Repo rate. supply due to the government
operation and the central bank’s
10. How to tackle the inflation spiral. support to the government during
Covid. In the year 2020, this support
Context: The World Economic
increased to 9%. In addition, the growth
Outlook, published by the IMF in
of the US central bank’s support to the
April, expects global growth to be
government had increased
slower than the forecast made in
immediately after the global financial
January, with inflation on the rise.
crisis in 2010.
. The global macroeconomic situation
. According to the IMF international
is showing signs of macro instability.
debt statistics for 2022, both domestic
The global debt has increased sharply
and external debt stock increased
during the pandemic, inflation is on
sharply during the pandemic. The
the rise, and macroeconomic
external debt stock to the export ratio,
uncertainties have increased due to the
export to debt service ratio and the
ongoing war between Russia and/
share of public sector external debt in
Ukraine.
total external debt has shown increase
The causes: for low-and middle-income countries
. Inflation has been caused due to war; during this period.
and fiscal and monetary expansion that Way Forward
happened during the pandemic. This
. The central banks in many countries
was witnessed in both the G20
including India have raised interest
emerging markets and developing
rates for inflation management.
countries like Brazil, Turkey, India and
Indonesia. . Reduction of debt takes time, but
management of inflation can’t wait.
. As per the IMF’s Fiscal Affairs
Department, there has been revenue . The global economy needs coordinated
foregone and additional expenditure policy for monetary tightening and
during Covid. fiscal sustainability.
. The problem of rising debt and . There is a need to start fiscal
inflation is going to compound macro normalisation without creating adverse
distributional consequences. For this,

every country needs to chart out a . The debate on how the costs (based on
fiscal normalisation plan which are discount rate) should be borne to tackle
sequenced in a proper manner to bring climate change should be spread over
back global economy on track, time
. There is a need to enhances fiscal . If a lower discount rate is imposed. It
resources for the government for means today’s generation bears a
public investment in the social and bigger burden of the costs.
economic sector
. If a higher discount rate is imposed, It
. The government should also create a means that the costs of mitigation can
framework for sector-specific be pushed further into the future for
differentiated responses for a full coming generations to pay.
recovery. . The ‘green interest rate’ refers to how
. There is a need for a quick and the welfare of future generations is to
efficient resolution of the challenges be treated while decisions are made
arising due to the elevated debt levels today.
of low-income countries. . Frank Ramsey developed a
. There should be greater international mathematical framework for a
cooperation to ensure more resource proportion a nation should optimally
flow to the poorer regions of the World. save from its income. His insights have
This will lead to an equitable, fair and been used for a range of other
sustained recovery during post-Covid. applications, including climate change
Mains point:Macroeconomic Situation. computations. He insisted that the
well-being of future people should be
11. An economic response plan for a given the same weight as that of
green transition shock. present people.
Context:India is facing severe heat The challenges:
waves in many parts of the country. . The climate scientists have shown that
This is a reminder that the risks from the window available for serious action
climate change are rising. is closing by the year.
The issues involved in transition . A green transition can only be
towards a green economy: achieved over time. Any sudden action
. Around a fifth of Indian households will almost certainly lead to economic
have access to either air-conditioners collapse.
or coolers in their home. Nearly half . The costs of the transition will be
of the Indian labour force works spread over multiple generations, as
outdoors in the sun during heat waves most commitments to reach carbon
month. neutrality are between 2050 and 2070.
. This excess heat will have an impact The challenges are how to distribute
on India’s wheat crop. This can lead to the costs (discount rate) over time, or
other supply shocks in the coming who will bear than burden, i.e., present
years or future generation?
. The existing capital stock in several . There is a different viewpoint on
sectors such as energy or mobility will discount rates. For example, Nicholas
become prematurely obsolete because Stern argued for a discount rate of
of the government’s tax policy or 1.4%. William Nordhaus (the Nobel
regulations that seek to reduce carbon Prize Winner for economics in 2018),
emissions to mitigate climate events. has argued for 4.3% in his model. He
argued that the discount rate should be
based on actual observed behaviour,

Mains point:Green Transition .
and especially real interest rates in
financial markets. On the contrary,
Stern used a discount rate which was 12. Lessons for today from India’s 2006
derived broadly on ethical wheat crisis.
considerations. Context:India faced a wheat crisis in
. The green transition will involve a 2006. The present article lists out the
supply shock that will reduce reasons that caused it and lessons that
potential growth. can be learnt.
. Over the next decade, the fiscal policy The situation in 2006 and the reasons
will be constrained because the public behind it:
debt across the world had bloated . Centre decides to liquidate its excess
because of government spending stock: The central pool had been
during the pandemic. Therefore, the carrying large stocks and there was
green investments will be a political wide criticism that these were being
and economic challenge. held for no good reason and costing the
Way Forward taxpayer huge sums of money. The
. The green transition will open up government had, after due
opportunities in new technologies, consideration, decided to liquidate
better infrastructure and the redesign some stocks with the FCI for export.
of cities. . Procurement begins to go down:
. In the coming future, there should be Coincidentally, procurement had
significant reallocation of both capital started going down from a high of 20.6
as well as labour, assuming factor MMT to 15.8 MMT in 2003-04, to 14.8
markets are flexible. MMT in 2005-06. This trend and the
resultant depletion of stocks went
. In addition to fiscal policy, the central
“unnoticed”.
banks will have a dilemma about
whether they should add climate . Procurement in 2006-07 (April-March)
change mitigation to the policy targets at 9.23 MMT was far below the
to address inflation, growth and requirement.
financial stability. . The buffer stocks were drawn down
. The fiscal authorities as well as central by 2 MMT.
banks should maintain low interest . Hence, the stock position at the end of
rates to help new investments in a a poor procurement season had put the
green economy. It will effectively make government in a tight spot.
it easier for enterprises with older The reasons behind the 2006 food crisis:
technologies to survive. The higher . The thought that India has a food
interest rates will kill polluting surplus and can feed its people and
enterprises and make investments in “the world” resulted in the
new technologies more expensive. unintended depletion of public
. The central banks can also choose one stocks.
interest rate for green activities and . The reduction in public stocks without
another one for brown activities. This reviewing the production and stock
will lead to credit planning. position every quarter was ill-
. Much depends on how a society either planned.
values or should value benefits that . Overlooking the drop in production
will be available only many years almost every alternate year,
down the line.
particularly in 2000-01, 02-03, and 04- . The government should be aware of

05 followed by 05-06 proved costly. the quantum of private stocks,
. Not estimating the impact of climate preferably in anonymised, aggregated
change (high temperatures) on formats. This needs legal backing. A
production — grain formation and provision to mandate the submission
grain size/weight — turned out to be of anonymised stock data from all
critical. warehouses should be put in place.
. The Department of Food, . The futures market remains grossly
overconfident about procuring large under-utilised. A vibrant futures
quantities, believing that the crop size market can help plan better. A futures
estimated by the Ministry of market should be allowed to function
Agriculture is above 75 MMT, went without knee-jerk interventions from
about disposing of old stocks. By the the government.
time the third advance estimates came . A robust system (drones, satellites,
by end of May (there were no drones ground data) to monitor weather
or satellite imagery in those days), the conditions like temperature, moisture
damage was done. stress, etc needs to be put in place
. No data about private stocks: The immediately with a focus on key crops
government depended on only and major growing regions.
production and public stock data to . With the expertise available in the
take policy decisions, ignoring the country today, algorithms can be built
importance of private stocks in the to assess the impact of weather and pest
market. events on crop size and quality. The
India to avoid such errors: government needs this information
. Set up systems to get reliable and more than anyone else.
timely estimates of crops. The second Mains point:Wheat shortage in India.
advance estimates come in mid-
February and the third in mid/ late
13. Central banks and the rule of law.
May. Food management requires a
better picture by early March (same for Context: Two recent developments in India
kharif). underline the need to inspire the rule
of law in the functioning of central
. The National Crop Forecasting system
banks (CBs).
including “FASAL soft” will have to
be reset. The recent developments :
. The much-hyped Drone-Artificial . The Monetary Policy Committee
Intelligence- Blockchain technologies (MPC) normally makes policy
should be deployed to do a simple announcements in line with a
thing: Prepare a correct estimate of the predictable schedule. But on May 4, it
crop well in time, for the government went off the schedule and increased the
to plan and act ahead of any crisis. policy rate by 40 basis points. Markets
were surprised by this and the 10-year
. Reliable price data has always been a
government bond yield jumped. The
missing link in policy planning.
inflationary outlook had not changed
Mandatory reporting of price (not just
between the last MPC meeting of April
the APMC price data) of all large (limits
8 and the off-schedule announcement
can be defined) transactions are a must.
of May 4. So, why the RBI did this?
Price movement is an important
indicator of the supply-demand . One possibility relates to the exchange
mismatch. rate. Over the last year, the US dollar

has appreciated by 8%. Holding other

these elements address the problem of
things constant, this means the normal
“the administrative state”, the rule of
rupee depreciation should be about
officials, and generate legitimacy in the
8%.
writing of law by the agency.
. The RBI seems to be countering this by
Pillar two – Executive functions of
selling reserves, and by responding to
investigations, prosecutions and
the large hike by the US Fed that was
punishments. There is a case for
coming a few hours after the RBI’s
political independence here. It should
surprise announcement.
not be possible for the political masters
to trigger punishments for their
The public statement of the co- enemies.
founder and chief executive officer of . This requires processes, encoded in
a NASDAQ-listed crypto exchange parliamentary law, which enshrine
that his company disabled the Unified separation of powers, define and limit
Payments Interface (UPI) system from the powers of investigation, require
its platform due to informal pressure due process in prosecutorial decisions,
from the RBI. The company had earlier hygiene in how hearings take place, etc.
announced that they would build
Pillar three: Monetary Policy is defined
systems in India whereby investors
as the control of the short interest rate
could receive/send money using UPI.
of the economy. There is a role for
. The National Payments Corporation of political independence here.
India (NPCI) came out with a negative
. It should not be possible for the
press release, and all Indian banks
political masters to trigger a rate cut
refused to do business with the
prior to a tough election. Most of the
exchange. Such ostracisation by banks,
developed world has gravitated
with or without the involvement of the
towards an independent expert MPC
RBI, is tantamount to violating the
structure for the discharge of this
Supreme Court order striking down the
function.
RBI ban on cryptocurrency.
Some other issues with the
The recommendations of FSLRC wrt
functioning of RBI:
integrating rule of law in and
independence of financial agencies: . The mandate of RBI at present has an
improbable combination of functions,
Financial Sector Legislative Reforms
ranging from running an exchange to
Commission (FSLRC) recommended
investment banking for the Union
three pillars:
government and state governments.
Pillar one- Regulation-making
. The sheer scope of this mandate
function of all SRAs, which is relevant
induces innumerable conflicts and rule
in India as the RBI has been given the
of law concerns.
role of financial regulation for the
payments and banking industries (and Mains point: Functioning of RBI.
some other components). There is a
problem of democratic legitimacy 14. Objection milords: SC’s GST Council
when unelected officials write law. ruling is an overreach and can be
. The solution lies in technical expertise hugely disruptive. GoI should file
that is displayed, in consultation and review petition.
control of all regulation-making Context: A Supreme Court Bench in a
process by an expert board where judgment has said that the
private persons have a majority. All recommendations of the Goods and

Services Tax (GST) Council were not . If the GST Council’s decisions are not
binding on the Central and state binding it opens the door to states
governments. cherry picking. That will defeat the
. In the five years since GST has been whole purpose of transitioning to GST
rolled out, the GST Council has been that aimed to create a common market
the decision-making body on all key in India by dismantling fiscal barriers
matters such as tax rates. Decisions of between states.
the Council are put to vote and seen to . States voluntarily subsumed their
be binding on both GoI and states. unilateral powers over indirect
The case: taxation to usher in GST. For sure, there
. The origin of this verdict goes back to have been disagreements within the
a decision handed by a division bench GST Council but the binding nature of
of the Gujarat high court in January its decisions have never been in
2020. question.
. Companies that import coal for The constitutional position:
domestic industries challenged a tax . It is worth noting here that what the
levied by GoI under two statutory laws court has done is to reiterate the
that are a part of the GST architecture. constitutional position.
. Gujarat HC ruled against GoI, which . Article 279A says the GST Council
subsequently brought the matter to the “shall make recommendations to the
apex court. Union and the States …” regarding
various aspects of the tax. But it also
. In the apex court, GoI did categorically
says that the Council will be “guided
state that GST Council’s decisions are
by the need for a harmonised structure
binding on both legislature and the
of goods and services tax and for the
executive. This argument was rejected
development of a harmonised national
by the apex court, thereby overturning
market for goods and services”.
the well-established hierarchy of
decision-making in GST. . Moreover, Article 246A empowers the
legislature of every state to make laws
The Supreme Court judgement:
in the context of goods and services.
. Apart from stating that the Council’s
decision is merely recommendatory, . Notably, the Constitution also gives
the court further noted Parliament and powers to the Council to determine the
the state legislatures had the powers procedure in the performance of its
to legislate on issues related to GST. functions. If gaps emerge in the
functioning of GST, the Council is in a
The significance of SC’s judgement: position to plug them.
. It marks a tectonic shift, unsettling . Therefore, the judgment per se has not
India’s indirect tax architecture. increased uncertainty in the GST
. To now regard the GST Council’s system
decisions as just recommendatory in Way forward:
nature will undermine the current
fiscal order which was painstakingly
created across governments.
. For economic agents, including firms
and individuals, it introduces a level
of uncertainty which is bound to
undermine confidence. This, in turn,
will act as a drag on economic activity.

. This verdict is clearly one of judicial . Further, there is a lack of modern

overreach and intrudes into the industrial hubs, few existing large
domain of the legislature. GoI should industrial units are often state-owned,
file a review petition right away. there is a weak backward or forward
. Perhaps the biggest challenge the linkage with the local economy.
Council needs to address now is the . These states have low levels of human
augmentation of revenue. With the or social development and
completion of five years of infrastructure development.
implementation, the states from July 1 . The workforce depends upon
will not be eligible for compensation agriculture, the non-agricultural
against revenue shortfall. workforce is mainly engaged in low-
. The judgment nonetheless underlines productivity, and low-wage jobs in
the need for increased cooperation. thousands of micro, small and medium
The Centre must make sure that the enterprises (MSMEs).
concerns of all states are addressed. Problems :
. It also shows that levies and provisions . These states have a large size of
can be successfully challenged. The government relative to GSDP: 26%
Union government and the Council compared to the 17% national average.
must make sure that taxes are imposed . Government expenditure is heavily
strictly in accordance with the law. dependent on central transfers rather
Mains point:Goods and Services Tax than the state’s own resources: over
(GST) related issues. 59% as compared to the national
average of just over 36%.
15. Three development models that can Solution:
guide Indian state economies. . Cooperative federalism is important in
Context:: At present, India’s economic accelerating inclusive development in
policymakers are trying to look after these states.
potential stagflation. . If the government expenditure is
Possible long-term strategies for high, strategically deployed, then it can
employment-intensive growth significantly impact the development
. Three broad groups of states are trajectory of the state.
identifiable, each with a distinct Gujarat model:
development model. . Coverage: It includes a group of fast-
Bihar model: growing state like Gujarat, Haryana
. Coverage: The model is generally and Telangana.
found in a group of the least developed . Features: They have a high per capita
states which includes Uttar Pradesh, income, nearly 6 times that of Bihar. A
Jharkhand, Odisha, Assam and all the large share of its workforce is still
north-eastern states, among others. dependent on agriculture. The share of
. Features: In this model, the states are industry in GSDP is at 44% (way above
growing at rates comparable to the the national average).
national average. They have very low . The state’s growth is driven by
per capita incomes, the share of traditional industries like agro-
industry in the state’s gross domestic processing, modern industries like
product (GSDP) is below the national pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals, IT
average. services and modern financial services.

. In fact, infrastructure is highly . The three development models

developed. described above spell out a roadmap
Problems: for long-term development in different
. These state’s lag behind the country’s states.
leading states in social development, . States following the Tamil Nadu model
such as education and health should stay the course and do more of
outcomes. This challenges the quality the same.
of human resources which determines . States that follow the Gujarat model
competitiveness. should course correct, prioritizing
Causes of problem: education and health services
. The deficit in education and health . States that have followed the Bihar
outcomes is due to the relatively small model should switch to the Tamil
size of government expenditure (only Nadu model. They need strong central
11% of GSDP). Further, much of the government support to do so.
spending goes to physical . Further, the labour migration from
infrastructure. Bihar model states to Gujarat model
Tamil Nadu Model states and especially Tamil Nadu
. Coverage: This includes industrialized model states will serve as the market-
states/UTs like Tamil Nadu, Delhi, based adjustment within the country.
and Maharashtra. Kerala too Mains point:Issues and challenges in
. Features: These are prosperous states the growth and development of India.
with high per capita income. These are
India’s most industrialized states. In 16. Jobs scheme will not offer a long-term
addition, the Industrials sector solution to urban unemployment.
accounts for over 34% share in GSDP. Safety nets need to better conceived.
. Unlike Gujarat, the share of its Context: A few days ago, the Economic
workforce in agriculture is not above Advisory Council to the Prime Minister
30%. There is high social development released a report on the state of
indicated by high life expectancy. inequality in India. The report,
. The state’s dependence on central prepared by the Institute of
transfers is also quite low, in fact lower Competitiveness, provides a detailed
than Gujarat’s. examination of the existing disparities
. Much of the achievements have been in society.
despite Tamil Nadu government’s . Some of the suggestions to tackle rising
expenditure well below the national inequality in India included putting in
average. place an urban equivalent of
Solutions : MGNREGA and introducing a
universal basic income.
. The Tamil Nadu model of
development is thus the most The key findings of the report:
successful model under Indian
conditions.
. The states should improve their power
situation and leverages on science and
technology research institutions to
emerge as a knowledge economy hub.
Way Forward :

. Such a scheme may simply encourage

migration, which without the creation
of the attending infrastructure, will
only exert further pressure on the
crumbling facilities of these cities.
. Demand for work under MGNREGA
tends to move in line with the
agricultural cycle. As such, it is
seasonal in nature. However, in urban
areas, there is no such seasonality in
either work demanded or
unemployment, complicating the
design of such a scheme. And
moreover, many of the migrant
workers are unlikely to have the
requisite skills needed for regular jobs
in cities.
. It is also debatable whether the
educated but unemployed workers
will take up these jobs.
. There are capacity constraints with the
urban local bodies, which are likely to
be the implementing agencies.
. There is also the question of financing
such a scheme at the national level.
An urban employment guarantee scheme:
Way forward:
. The proposal to introduce an urban
. The proposal seeks to address the
employment guarantee scheme comes
continuing employment and
in the backdrop of the pandemic,
inequality crisis that plagues India.
exposing the critical position of
However, India’s job challenge is
workers, especially those employed in
structural in nature, owing in part to
the informal sector in urban areas.
the absence of a labour-intensive
. It’s also argued that not only would manufacturing sector.
this provide employment during times
. A more prudent approach would be for
of distress, but this would also serve
economic policy to focus on boosting
as a channel to push funds through
growth, lowering inequalities in
quickly in periods of stress.
opportunities, improving access to
. Several states have in fact been education and health, and providing
experimenting with this concept. pathways for upward mobility.
Recently, the Rajasthan government
announced a scheme for urban areas
— the Indira Gandhi Shahri Rozgar Mains point:Tackling the rising
Guarantee Yojana — on the lines of inequality in India.
MGNREGA.
The problems associated with the idea 17. Governments must understand that
of an urban employment guarantee resources are held in trust. They’re not
scheme: to be frittered away.

Context: Recently, the Rajasthan redistributive state to fulfilling their

government has announced that it will other two roles of protective and
restart the old civil servant pension productive state.
scheme. The state government should work
. Further, the Punjab government has upon five structural interventions in
announced its measures on providing order to create higher-wage jobs:
electricity in Punjab. These decisions . Reduce regulatory cholesterol:
are based on the foundation of a Around 80% of India’s employers’
welfare state to make a more egalitarian compliance comes under the state
society. government. Therefore, the state
Types of State as per Nobel Laureate governments should rationalise,
James Buchanan: decriminalise, and digitise their
There are three versions of a state: compliance ecosystem. This will help
. The protective state (police, rule of law, in the achievement of lower corruption
defence, courts), and higher formality.
. The productive state (common goods . Fix government schools: The most
like roads, power, health, education, powerful tool for social mobility and
etc.), and employability is free and quality
school education. The government
. The redistributive state.
works towards ensuring fulfilment of
The problems in India in terms of state: smaller class sizes, teacher salaries,
. Most of the state governments accept teacher qualifications, and toilets. The
the status quo in the first two types of governments must overhaul school
state. But they always “innovate” to performance management and
fulfill their redistributive role. governance. This will help in the
. The populist decisions lead to creations of human capital.
unsustainable borrowing burden in the . Converge education and
future. For example, Europe is facing employability: The partition between
an unsustainable situation. It has 8% degrees and skills is meaningless for
of the world’s population,25% of its the new world of work, organisations,
GDP, and 50% of its social spending. and education. States should set up
. If Indian state governments could skill universities. The government can
limitlessly print or borrow money. It promote degree apprentices which
would lead India to reach an economic innovate at the intersection of
crisis that Sri Lanka is going through. employment, employability and
. The populist schemes confiscate future education.
spending on interest payments, it . Devolve money and power: Cities are
crowds out other expenditure, and the engine of growth, job creation and
crowds out capex. social justice. For example, New York
The government’s attention: City’s GDP is higher than Russia’s.
Therefore, the state governments
. India has the problem of
should devolve money and power to
unemployment. This is found in
the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) to
farming, informal wage employment,
avoid the curse of megacities.
and self-employment.
. Civil services reform: The state’s
Way Forward:
people need better government
. It’s high time that all the state schools, primary healthcare, policing,
governments shift the usage of their infrastructure, selling off of loss-
resources from fulfilling their role of
making public sector units, and greater increased their exports in the current
Capital Expenditure (CAPEX). The context.
state government needs a new human
. The stock of wheat in the central pool
capital regime for civil servants via
has been much lower than last year.
seven interventions; structure, staffing,
Although, it is comfortably higher than
training, performance management,
buffer stock norms. But lower
compensation, culture, and HR
procurement in year can lead to food
capabilities.
security in problems.
Mains point:Issues and Challenges in
Other challenges:
planning, mobilization of resources,
growth and development. . Over the last two years, costs of
production have risen sharply. The
important causes are the spiralling
18. Food security does not need this price of fuel, higher input costs and
‘surgical strike” yield losses.
Context: Recently, the Government of . The flip-flop on export of wheat is one
India announced a sudden ban on example that this government lacks a
export of wheat when the government coherent policy of food security.
was looking out for ways for
The Way Forward:
augmenting India’ wheat exports.
. During the two COVID-19 years, the
Two schools of thought for ensuring
Public Distribution System (PDS)
food security in India:
played a stellar role. It kept people out
. One school of thought argues that food of starvation during the COVID-19
security has to be ensured through pandemic. Therefore, it should not be
domestic production. dismantled.
. Other school of thought suggested that . The PDS and open market operations
food stocks be run down in India and can be used to cool down food price
that needs of food security be met inflation. At present, most States have
through world trade and the Chicago high inflation rates and States with
futures market as part of the better PDS, such as Kerala and Tamil
liberalisation policy. Nadu, have low inflation rates.
Indian Public Procurement System: . The government ensures adequate
. Since the mid-1960s, India’s public distribution through the food
procurement system has been the rationing network. Further, the open
backbone of food policy in India to market operations should be
ensure food security undertaken to ensure stable prices. If
. In summer 2022, procurement of wheat needed, rice can be distributed in lieu
by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) of wheat.
has been very low. . Food security is both an immediate
The low wheat procurement in India: and long-term concern. A well-
. The wheat production this year has functioning PDS can control prices and
been lower than estimated on account offer relief to consumers.
of high heat and other factors. . The government should overcome the
The issues with increasing India’s export: shortfall in public procurement by
increasing the procurement price and
. Those western countries which have
buying more. The government should
asked India to meet the shortfall, are
provide remunerative prices to
already much larger exporters of
farmers to promote production. The
wheat. They have themselves not

National Commission on Farmers has

export a greater quantity of rice to get
highlighted the issues of inadequately
the same amount of dollars. This is not
announced minimum support price
in India’s economic interest.
(MSP) for wheat.
. Another concern is that a substantial
Mains point:Wheat Export, Food
part of its global competitiveness
Security, and Public Distribution
comes from highly subsidised water,
System (PDS)
power and fertilisers that go into its
production.
19. Can Agri-exports be made more . The rice export led to a virtual export
sustainable. of India’s water because rice crop is
Context:: In the fiscal year 2021-22 another water guzzler crop.
(FY22), agri-exports scaled an all-time The Case of Sugar:
high of $50.3 billion with registering a
. The sugar export led to a virtual export
growth of 20% over the preceding year.
of India’s water because Sugar crop is
For example, India’s exports
another water guzzler crop.
constituted 41% of a global rice market
of 51.3 MMT. . The sugar industry receives a number
of subsidies (including export
The driving forces:
subsidy). These subsidies have crossed
. This was made possible largely by the 10% limit mandated by the WTO.
rising global commodity prices. In Therefore, India lost the sugar case in
addition, there were other driving the WTO.
forces like favourable and aggressive
Others:
export policy of the Ministry of
Commerce and its various export . The non-basmati rice was exported at
promotion agencies like APEDA, a price which was lower than the MSP
MPEDA, and commodity boards. of rice. This might have been the result
of leakages and divergence in the PDS
The composition of India’s Agri-exports:
and PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana
. Among the several agri-commodities (PMGKAY).
exported in FY22, rice ranks first,
. India exported at least 62 billion cubic
followed by marine products, sugar,
meters of virtual water. Much of this
spices and bovine (buffalo) meat.
water is extracted from groundwater in
Sustainable growth in agri-exports: Punjab and Haryana belt (for rice), and
. Given India’s resource endowments in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh for
and the country’s domestic needs, the sugar. This can lead to a water disaster.
government has already banned . The rice production systems contribute
wheat exports. to 17.5% of GHG emissions generated
. Of the Agri-export commodities, two from agriculture (2021). This is among
commodities, rice and sugar, are water the most important sources of
guzzlers. This issue poses a challenge anthropogenic methane emissions,
to their global competitiveness as well Way Forward:
as their environmental sustainability.
. In accordance with trade theory, the
The case of rice: optimal export tax of 5 to 1% must be
. When most of the other commodity levied. Further, India should optimally
prices were surging in global markets, not go beyond 12 to 15 MMT of rice
the price of rice collapsed by about exports, else the marginal revenue from
13%, largely due to India’s massive exports will keep falling.
exports. This means that India had to

. The upcoming environmental disaster . India’s macroeconomic outlook

can be tackled if farmers are supported improves when oil prices are low and
smartly. They should be given stable.
aggregate input subsidy support on a
per hectare basis and the input prices . Whereas, a rise in oil prices means a
of fertilisers and power should be higher Current Account Deficit and
allowed to be determined by market pressure on the currency. It also results
forces and their costs of production. in inflation and pressure on
government finances.
. Innovative farming practices such as
alternate wetting drying (AWD), . High oil prices also lead to the reversal
direct seeded rice (DSR), and micro- of the price decontrol reforms. For
irrigation should be promoted. They example, Oil Marketing Companies
can save up water and reduce the have stopped changing retail oil prices
crop’s carbon footprint. lately.
. The farmers should be incentivised to . As a result, the system of under-
switch some of the area under rice and recovery for OMCs is back. Under-
sugar cultivation to other less water- recovery for petrol is over Rs. 13 per
guzzling crops. For example, Haryana liter and Rs 24 for diesel.
has launched Mera Pani, Meri Virasat . It is putting private retailers in a weak
for incentive farmers to switch from and harmful position. They don’t have
paddy to alternate crops and Kheti any pricing power, thus their business
Khaali, Fir Bhi Khushali Scheme to is becoming unsustainable. At present,
give money to farmers if they do not they are looking to scale down their
grow any crop during the kharif season. operations to cut losses. However, if
the situation prevails, they may have
. It is high time that the government can
introduce the option of direct cash to shut down their business.
transfers in lieu of almost free grains . It will discourage any private
under the PDS and PMGKAY. This investment in this sector in the future.
will help plug leakages as well as save It will also become more difficult for
costs. The savings can be used for the government to find investors for
better diversification of our food Bharat Petroleum Corporation.
systems, better use of scarce water and Steps to be taken:
other practices that lower GHG . Government must reduce its
emissions, and saving on burgeoning dependency on tax revenue from the
food and fertiliser subsidies. petroleum sector. For instance, the
Mains point: External Sector, India’s contribution of the sector to the central
Agri-Export in wake of present crisis, exchequer was over Rs 4.55 trillion in
Subsidies etc. 2020-21, which was 2.6 times more than
in 2014-15.
20. Crude Economics – Macro-Economic . Rationalization of taxes will make it
impacts of oil price rise. easy to put them under the GST system.
Context: The level of crude oil prices It will enable taxpayers to claim input
often changes the macroeconomic credit and the government to impose a
outlook in India. separate carbon tax.
The oil prices impact India’s economic . A review of both direct and indirect tax
outlook: systems is required, which could push
up the tax-to-GDP ratio.

. Government should avoid interfering economy, and disruptive

in pricing and implement price disintermediation.
decontrol effectively. . The forced entry into the rich countries
Main s point:Macro-Economic impacts (with under a sixth of the world’s
of oil price rise. population) of large numbers of
immigrants from poorer ones.
21. For India, economic entropy presents . There is the power shift caused by the
both an opportunity and big rise of China (and some smaller
challenge. economies, like India’s), shaking up
Context: Entropy, or the disorder in a old power balances but the churn not
system, is a concept not usually used settling into new ones.
to understand economic trends, but it . Biology-driven havoc of a succession
best describes the disorder and of epidemics/pandemics — the mad
randomness at work today. cow disease, SARS, bird flu, Covid-19,
Some negative economic trends since and for all one knows monkeypox —
the start of 2022: caused by, among others, dangerous
research work in secret labs and the
. Energy costs rising, the trade balance industrial farming of animals and birds.
turns more negative, the fiscal balance
deteriorating, portfolio capital flowing . The technological changes being
out, the rupee drops, companies force-fed by global warming, making
getting more cautious, markets not just specific industries but entire
turning nervous, and consumers sectors (energy, transportation,
feeling the inflation pinch. manufacturing) confront sudden
discontinuity.
The elements of the increased
economic entropy today: . The economic consequences of these
multiple, random elements of disorder
. Several elements go into the complex have been disorienting, like the
molecules of increased economic financial crisis of 2008.
entropy.
. Political-economy responses mirror
. The disproportionate weight of the disorientation, from the rise of
globalisation on weak shoulders, in political nativism and economic
both rich and poor countries, nationalism to the spread of alternative
simultaneously with the rise of national truths, pace Brexit and Donald Trump.
and global elites commanding
previously unimaginable wealth. Way forward:
. The more dramatic manifestations of . The cycle of events could even end the
sudden wealth have grown out of the Chinese super-growth story. While
ideological triumph of financial India could benefit from that, it must
capitalism (one of the causes of the recognise that entropy is the larger
2008 financial crisis), followed now by reality to be reckoned with.
the rise to prominence of venture Mains point:Economic events
capitalism, and in a third but parallel signalling disorder and randomness
development the rise to power and
influence of Big Tech. 22. Power for growth: Coal Shortage.
. The rise of winner-take-all (or platform) Context: The coal shortage could
businesses and their start-up worsen the power crisis in the coming
wannabes, the replacement of secure months in India. According to news
jobs with the uncertainties of the gig reports, an internal assessment of the

power ministry shows the shortage The relief package for discoms might fail:
could increase in the September
. The government hopes that deferring
quarter, which can lead to widespread
payment without imposing an
outages.
additional late payment penalty would
. The domestic production of coal is help the discoms bring their finances
unable to keep pace with rising power in order. However, given the track
demand. record of the discoms, it is safe to argue
The negative impacts of coal shortage: that the scheme will not change much.
. Small businesses are suffering because . It’s worth recalling the government had
of the non-availability of reliable announced a special liquidity scheme
power. Power shortage is the last thing worth Rs 90,000 crore for discoms to
Indian businesses, recovering from the help clear dues in 2020. But the dues
pandemic-induced disruption, need. A started rising again in a few months.
continued shortage will delay the Even in the latest scheme, it is not clear
recovery and may push smaller units how deferring payments will help.
out of business. . If discoms are not able to clear their
The major issues faced by the power sector: current payment, how will they pay
. The trouble in the power sector is not past dues in addition?
limited to the production of power. Main issue with the discoms:
. Poor state of the distribution . The basic problem is that state-run
companies (discoms): The state of state discoms are unable to cover costs,
distribution companies, or discoms, is which makes the business unviable.
perhaps a bigger worry for the . No liquidity support or deferment of
sustainability of the sector. payment will help if discoms are
. The inability of discoms to clear their unable to recover costs year after year.
dues compels the Union government . This happens largely because state
to announce one package after another governments do not allow discoms to
to bail out the sector, but nothing regularly increase power tariffs for
changes on the ground. political reasons.
The government initiatives: . Inefficiency in discoms adds to the
. On the coal crisis:After pushing problem.
producers to import coal, the Way forward
government has now reportedly
. Higher coal prices would push up
decided that Coal India will buy from
generation cost and if it is not passed
overseas and distribute it to power
on to the end consumers, it will
producers.
increase risks for the entire value chain.
. On poor state of discoms:The
. Therefore, in the absence of urgent
government has, once again, come out
systemic reforms, the power sector
with another relief package. The latest
could become a drag on economic
scheme, notified recently, will allow
growth.
discoms to pay their dues in 48
installments. Further, the late payment Mains point:Coal shortage in India and
surcharge will not be imposed. related issues.
. Distribution companies owe about Rs
1 trillion to generation companies. The
cumulative late payment surcharge is 23.India’s aversion to Chinese investments
in excess of Rs 6,800 crore. and how geopolitics impacts

PLI(Production Linked Incentive they prepare to expand their capacity.

Scheme) This case doesn’t look possible as
Context: Many countries are competing Chinese suppliers dominate the
for the share in investments coming out mobile device supply chain globally
of China. India is facing heavy for both mobile devices, laptops and
challenges from other countries. tablets.
Countries have been trying to attract . It is only possible if Chinese supplies
companies leaving China for various setup their shops in India, bringing
reasons: along their technology. However, due
. Apple has started leaving China and to changes in India’s Foreign Direct
other companies may follow. Many Investment policy after the India-China
South-East countries such as Vietnam, border clashes in 2020, Chinese
Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand are companies have been excluded from
in the race of attracting companies such automatic clearance route.
as Apple, moving out of China. . China based suppliers are also
. Vietnam has successfully attracted looking for diversification due to
Samsung to shift its mobile business increasing labor cost in China and
from China. It now accounts for half of lockdown based restrictions. A large
the smart phone outputs of Samsung. number of Chinese companies have
setup their base in Vietnam, due to
. Similarly, it has urged Apple CEO Tim
lesser restrictions, similar culture and
Cook to step up business in their
low cost.
country.
. Second, Taiwan can be an alternative
. Apple produced around $1.67 billion
of China for technology and suppliers.
worth of phones in 2021 in India. India
However they are conservative, take
accounted for 3.1 per cent of Apple’s
time in technology-sharing or transfer
global manufacturing base in 2021, up
and are more expensive.
from 1.3 per cent in 2020.
. Third, “Atmanirbhar” drive is also not
. However, issues like Covid-19-related
successful in challenging dominance of
lockdowns are prompting Apple to
Chinese players in all critical supply
push its suppliers to look elsewhere
chain.
to expand production.
. Fourth, Building a domestic supply
The challenges India is facing in attracting
base is the long-term solution, but it
investments:
will take time.
. Unlike other countries India has an
Mains point: FDI and Investments.
advantage, as factories of big
Taiwanese vendors of Apple Inc —
Foxconn, Wistron and now Pegatron 24. How the Northeast has been
— are already running in India. transformed in the last eight years
. Now, to take advantage of the PLI Context: There is an upcoming
scheme, these factories are looking at workshop of chief ministers and chief
threefold increase over the previous secretaries of Northeastern states along
year. However they are facing with Union ministers and secretaries on
challenges in expanding their capacity developmental issues of the Northeast.
in India. . Since the last eight years, there has
. First, Companies require a substantial been a magical transformation of the
ecosystem of suppliers within the eight Northeastern states, shooting N-
country to reduce the cost, then only E to prominence as the Ashtalakshmi
of the nation.
North-East states Development So Far: roads have been completed since

. The eight states of the Northeast have 2014
not been given the attention they (d) The number of airports has
deserved. increased from just six in 2014 to
. The states have been facing the 15. The N-E region have been given
problems of insurgency, difficult priority under the UDAN scheme.
terrain, cultural distinctiveness and There are 46 operational routes in
political apathy. the region.
Potential of N-E: . The tele-density (number of phones
. Prime Minister Modi has called the per 100 people), especially rural tele-
Northeast region as “India’s natural density has significantly improved in
economic zone”. The region has been the Northeast states.
given a priority. Now, the region is . BSNL has recently commissioned 20
called as “new growth engine of Gbps international bandwidth for the
India”. Northeast through Cox’s Bazar in
. It is endowed with extraordinary Bangladesh. This will address the
natural wealth, a strategic advantage issues of latency and network
as the gateway to Southeast Asia and congestion in the N-E. The
unrivalled economic potential improvement in internet connectivity
will open for the establishment of
The developments in the N-E Region
software parks and high-speed data
in the last eight years:
centres in the BPO and IT industry, in
. Militancy incidents have reduced by N-E Region.
74 per cent, civilian deaths have come
. The inherent strengths of the region
down by 84 per cent, more than an 800
are being leveraged in sectors like
per cent increase in surrenders by
agriculture, tourism, textiles,
extremists, and AFSPA has been lifted
handicrafts. For example, the North
from some districts for the first time in
Eastern Regional Agricultural
decades.
Marketing Corporation has been
. The budgetary support to the revived; and the National Mission for
Northeast has risen from Rs 36,108 Edible Oil (for palm oil) aims to
crore in 2014 to Rs 76,040 crore in 2022 leverage the region’s potential.
(110 per cent).
. The welfare schemes viz. Pradhan
. The government has launched Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana
programmes to increase mobility and (PM-GKAY) and the National Food
connectivity in the North—Eastern Security Act (NFSA) are being
region(N-E). implemented.
(a) In 2014, Arunachal Pradesh and Way Forward:
Meghalaya were put up on the
. Prime Minister Modi has articulated
railway map for the first time;
solutions ingrained in the governance
(b) Arunachal’s Itanagar, Tripura’s philosophy of sewa, sushasan and
Agartala and Manipur have been gareeb kalyaan.
connected and in the remaining
. A joint agri task force should be formed
five capitals connectivity projects
which would provide strategic
are nearing completion.
direction to the initiatives. It will also
(c) The Government of India has been ensure speedy resolution and
focusing on road connectivity. For implementation of various agri and
example, over 38,000 kms of rural allied sector schemes.

. The union and state government

should work with the spirit of
cooperative federalism. There should
be collective responsibility for the
development of the region.
. There is an ambition of making the
Northeast the hub of sports in the
world, a leading exporter of exotic
horticultural products, a hotbed of
startups and the most attractive tourist
destination in India.
Mains point:North-Eastern Region,
Balanced Regional Growth and
Development

Environmental Issues
1.India must use markets to decarbonise emission limits. However, it would
Context: Conference of Parties (CoP- only be useful in the early stages of a
26) of the UNFCCC held at Glasgow mitigation approach.
in November 2021 several partner . Furthermore, the country’s Nationally
countries were committed to concrete Determined Contribution objectives or
action plans to contain global warming emission levels should not be
under the threshold of 1.5 degrees established incorrectly under the Paris
Celsius./ Agreement. It may result in inefficient
. Climate change will undoubtedly outcomes.
have an influence on people’s lives . (B) The carbon tax is a superior
and the global economy. In the near alternative. I’d be ideal for regulating
future, this will be done on an pre-determined emission levels. This
extremely large scale. choice will produce results that are
. India is the third-largest carbon close to being efficient. When a
dioxide emitter after China and the company cuts its emissions, the
United States. As a result, it is an marginal cost of abatement increases.
important actor in the reduction of . However, when the cost of abatement
emissions. exceeds the rate of tax, the company
. India’s energy system is heavily will stop lowering emissions and opt
reliant on fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, to pay the tax. The government may
and bioenergy, according to the IEA’s implement a carbon trading scheme
India Energy Outlook 2021 Report. As based on auctions. It will encourage
a result, India’s energy ecosystem is greater efficiency.
carbon-intensive. . The price of certificates will be
. India is a developing economy, which determined by a free market
would necessitate increased energy competition between companies with
use over time. According to the low and high abatement costs. It will
International Energy Agency’s 2017 determine the most effective and cost-
World Energy Outlook Report, India effective ways to reduce emissions.
will account for approximately a . Firms will be able to choose between
quarter of global energy demand by mitigating and trading. Companies
2040. As a result, India’s economic with minimal abatement costs will
growth should be long-term. It continue to reduce emissions since they
necessitates carbon dioxide emissions. will earn from trading certificates.
Further Steps Required Green technology, renewable energy,
. Market failure is a problem that must electrification, and energy efficiency
be addressed. In a variety of ways, will all be implemented.
government involvement is essential. . India has to develop an effective policy
. (A) The government could use a framework for reducing emissions.It
command-and-control approach. This needs to consider the factors behind
includes laws for decreasing market failure.
emissions, such as establishing . The most efficient tools for the
emission levels and establishing transition to a green energy economy
are market-based mechanisms.

. The government should ensure that factors for the dropping of

everyone has equal access to electricity. temperatures over India starting next
It should direct the proceeds from year.
carbon pricing to families and
businesses affected by carbon trading
3. Corals and sea anemones turn
and taxation.
sunscreen into toxins – understanding
2. Global Annual to Decadal Climate how could help save coral reefs
Update Report – WMO report: Below
Context: Researchers have discovered
normal mercury in India from 2022 to
a mechanism by which oxybenzone, a
2026
ubiquitous sunscreen ingredient, may
Context: The Global Annual to Decadal expedite the extinction of coral reefs.
Climate Update Report has been
Oxybenzone:
produced by the World Meteorological
Organization (WMO). . Many sun creams contain the UV-
blocking ingredient oxybenzone.
Because of its chemical makeup, it
Findings of the Globally absorbs UV radiation, reducing skin
. Temperature exceeding 1.5°C: For at cell damage.
least one of the next five years, there is . However, it has sparked debate in
a 50:50 possibility that the annual recent years after research revealed that
average global temperature will it can harm coral reefs. As a result of
exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial these concerns, some beaches in
levels. When the Paris Agreement was Hawaii, Palau, and the US Virgin
signed in 2015, the likelihood of Islands have banned the use of
exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius was near oxybenzone-containing sunscreens.
to zero, but it has progressively
. However, the mechanisms by which
increased since then, reaching 50%
oxybenzone harms corals are largely
currently.
unknown, making it difficult to know
. Year with the highest average whether sunscreen components
temperature: Between 2022 and 2026, recommended as substitutes are
there’s a 93 percent chance that at least genuinely safer.
one year will be the warmest on record,
Findings of researchers:
displacing 2016 from the top spot.
. Sea anemones and mushroom corals
. Back-to-back La Ninas Global
were utilised as models, and they were
temperatures were cooled by La Nia
treated to oxybenzone in a tank filled
episodes at the beginning and end of
with simulated saltwater.
2021, although this was only brief and
did not alter the long-term warming . This therapy was paired with
trend. Furthermore, any formation of simulated sunlight in one experiment,
an El Nio event will instantly fuel resulting in the death of all anemones
temperatures, as it did in 2016, the in just 17 days. The organisms
warmest year on record up to this remained viable in a second
point. experiment that did not include
sunlight.
Findings Related to India
. This is the exact opposite of what
. In India, Alaska, and Canada, the year
scientists predicted from oxybenzone,
2022 will be cooler (relative to the
which is designed to absorb light
average from 1991 to 2020)
energy and dissipate it as heat in order
. The possibility of increased rainfall to avoid sunburn.
activity in this decade is one of the key
. As a result of these findings, it appears The $8.5 billion commitment made by

that sunscreen pollution and climate France, Germany, the United
change may pose a bigger harm to Kingdom, the United States, and the
coral reefs and other marine European Union for a “Just Energy
environments when combined. Transition Partnership” in South
Africa, aimed at speeding up the
4. Faster, cheaper and cleaner power transition away from coal, could serve
as an example for other countries.
Context: Despite the fact that solar and
wind power plants are faster, cheaper, If companies can reduce costs, Direct
and cleaner, the state-owned NTPC Air Capture (DAC) might account for a
plans to start building a new coal significant portion of investment in the
power station. broader carbon capture and storage
sector.
Why should India make the switch to
solar and wind energy
. India has set a new low for renewable 6. Paradise polluted: Can we save
energy pricing, with solar electricity Kashmir’s lakes
costing Rs 1.99 (2.6 US cents) per Context: After the turbulence
kilowatt-hour and wind power costing generated by the repeal of Article 370
Rs 2.43 per kilowatt-hour. When of the Constitution, normalcy is slowly
compared to the tariffs for electricity returning to Jammu and Kashmir.
generated from non-renewable sources Tourism is rapidly expanding.
or new hydropower projects, these are Issues that the locals are dealing:
relatively favourable. Almost every Kashmir lake, including
. Solar generation is at its peak during Dal Lake, Nigeen, Khushal Sar, Gilsar,
the summer months when India’s and Anchar, has been degraded.
power demand is at its maximum. The locals rely on these waters for their
. The sun’s energy could also assist fulfil livelihood. Tourism employs 500,000
India’s growing noon demand as the people in Kashmir, both directly and
country’s use of air conditioning grows. indirectly. However, these lakes have
. Solar facilities, unlike coal-fired power been contaminated (For example, Dal
plants, also provide a long-term Lake). They’re covered with weeds,
solution for bridging the gap between plastic bags, and empty bottles. The
demand and supply. ecology of the lake has been damaged.
. India’s power supply is dominated by The sight of dead birds floating in the
coal, with hydropower coming in water has become commonplace.
second. Last year, solar electricity What elements contribute to
overtook wind power as the third- environmental degradation
largest source. . Water quality has been degraded by
What is the reason behind the rise in human actions, notably
coal consumption encroachments. Lakes are dwindling.
The globe is currently using a lot more . Weeds and ferns such as Azolla pollute
coal for the following reasons: the lakes, resulting in increased silt and
. A supply shock as a result of the encroachments of various kinds.
Ukraine conflict, and . According to UT’s pollution control
. The world is reacting more quickly to board, Srinagar generates roughly 201
the energy crisis. million litres of sewage daily, but its
sewage treatment plants can only

manage 53.8 million litres. The . Following a public interest lawsuit

remainder is discharged into Dal Lake alleging apparent violations of the
and adjacent lakes, as well as the Srinagar Master Plan, the court took
Jhelum River. over monitoring of the Dal Lake’s water
. The discharge of effluents from quality and ordered its rapid cleanup
houseboats also contributes to in 2002. Following subsequent
pollution. In 1982, new houseboat decisions, all encroachments within 200
registration was outlawed. The Jammu metres of the lake were ordered to be
and Kashmir High Court also removed.
prohibited the repair and (3) Citizens’ Initiative
refurbishment of registered
. Following the repeal of Article 370 and
houseboats in 2009.
the dissolution of the assembly and
So Far, Rehabilitation Efforts civil society in the spring of 2021, a
(1) The efforts of the government social activist named Manzoor
. The 1971 Srinagar Master Plan has Wangnoo announced a plan to clean
never been taken seriously. The ‘Save up Khushal Sar (one of the smaller
Dal’ project was initiated by the lakes).
Ministry of Environment and Forests . A door-to-door campaign in the
in 1997. catchment area was initiated to
. The Indian Army launched a 21-day promote awareness of the lake’s socio-
‘clean Dal’ effort in 2018, which economic value as an income
involved uprooting weeds and clearing generator.
plastic and other debris. . The situation necessitates a
. The Union Home Minister unveiled a collaborative approach to the lakes’
programme for the protection of Dal restoration.
Lake in 2019. As part of the Swachh . The houseboats are a popular tourist
Bharat Abhiyan, a ‘Swachha attraction, and their disappearance
Pakhwada’ initiative for the lake was would have an impact on tourism
initiated in 2002. Even today, though, revenue. As a result, starting in 2021,
there is little sign of all of this work. the government will promote
. The Lake Conservation and sustainable houseboats through a
Management Authority (LCMA) of houseboat strategy.
J&K initiated a project in 2007 to . On the lakes, a new houseboat could
relocate residents living near Dal Lake be erected if it is equipped with a bio-
to Bemina, 12 kilometres away. digester–a mechanised toilet system.
However, the endeavour was a failure. . Repairs to damaged houseboats would
The land acquisition process is still also be permitted on a case-by-case
ongoing, and many who have been basis.
relocated have complained about
. Aside from sustainable houseboats, the
joblessness and a lack of basic
government should look on Kashmir’s
amenities.
unsustainable urbanisation, rapid
(2) The Judiciary’s Efforts increase in visitor inflow during the
. Despite public money being pushed in 1960s and 1970s, clogged canals, and
by the government, the authorities deforestation along streams, which has
have proven useless and unable to resulted in more silt entering the lake.
effectively secure some meaningful
outcome,” the Jammu & Kashmir High
Court observed.
7. In rising heat, the cry of the wilting

Mortalities: According to one study,
outdoor worker
severe weather claimed the lives of
Context: Heatwave intensity and 1,41,308 people in India between 1971
frequency have increased across South and 2019, with persistent heat
Asia, and they are expected to worsen accounting for 17,362 (12%).
in the next few years. Because a third
Economic loss: According to one
of South Asia’s population relies on
estimate, global economic losses could
outdoor work, the ramifications for
reach US$1.6 trillion (1.6 lakh crore) per
health and livelihoods are dire.
year if global warming hits 2°C. India,
. To strengthen the resilience of outdoor China, Pakistan, and Indonesia are
workers in India, safety nets — a among the most susceptible countries,
combination of targeted transfers and with big numbers of citizens working
insurance programmes — must be outside. India’s outdoor workers are on
implemented. the frontlines of climate disaster,
suffering from everyday temperatures
What is the current state of affairs in of more than 40°C.
India and around the world when it
comes to excessive heat The most effective strategy to overcome
India’s situation Adaptation is necessary: Climate
Extreme heat has affected large swaths mitigation or decarbonization of
of India, not just in the northern states economies, particularly those of large
of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, polluters such as the United States, the
and New Delhi, but also in the south. European Union, China, and India,
Delhi had its second warmest April in remains critical. However, based on
72 years this month, with temperatures the damage already done by emissions,
averaging 40.2°C, and Gurgaon in temperatures are set to rise regardless
Haryana broke the 45°C barrier for the of mitigation. As a result, climate
first time. adaptation is just as important as
The situation on the planet mitigation.
Global temperatures have risen by
1.5°C in the last century, and might Improved environmental protection:
reach 4°C by 2100 if current trends Better environmental care, which can
continue. contribute to cooling, is an important
So far this year, 2022 has ranked fifth part of adaptation. Agriculture, for
among the warmest years on record. example, is water-intensive and does
What are the causes of India’s severe heat? not thrive in locations prone to
heatwaves. One option is to encourage
The warming of India is due to a
more water-efficient farming
combination of local and global
techniques and to encourage
influences.
afforestation, which has a cooling
Anthropogenic GHG emissions are to impact.
blame for the current extreme weather
Keeping outdoor workers safe
situation.
. Climate adaptation can be connected
What are the different effects of heatwaves
to the contemporary suffering of
Europe’s deadliest climate calamity is outdoor labourers.
proving to be heatwaves. In South Asia,
. Financial transfers might be targeted to
India is the country with the most
assist farmers in planting trees and
severe heat-related effects.

purchasing equipment that is more develop subsidies and insurance

resistant to extreme weather. Support schemes related to state and district-
for drip irrigation, for example, can level initiatives for climate change
help to reduce water consumption. resilience.
. Keeping slash and burn at bay
Agriculture and stubble burning are
8. Union Minister releases Breed-Wise
important not only for reducing
Report of Livestock and Poultry Based
pollutants but also for lowering
on 20th Livestock Census
temperatures.
Context:The Union Minister of Fisheries,
. Street trees, urban forests, and green
Animal Husbandry and Dairying have
roofs can all contribute to keep cities
released the Breed-Wise Report Of
cool.
Livestock And Poultry based on the
. During an episode, workers in cities 20th Livestock Census.
and villages can benefit from early
Breed-Wise Report
warning systems, better preparedness,
and community outreach programmes. . During the year 2019, the Breed-Wise
Report Of Livestock And Poultry was
. Workers’ insurance: Natural disaster
completed in conjunction with the 20th
insurance is scarce, not only in India
Livestock Census.
but generally in Asia, with less than
10% of losses typically covered. . For the first time in the country, breed-
Governments and insurers must work specific data was collected utilising
together to provide more coverage for tablet computers rather than paper,
losses caused by extreme weather which is a truly unique effort.
events, especially heat-related . Exotic and crossbred cattle account for
disasters. about 26.5 percent of the overall cow
. For improved efficiency, transfers and population, while Indigenous and
insurance payments can be linked to non-descript cattle account for 73.5
local investments in resilience, such as percent.
restoring the cooling impact of the . Indigenous Cattle: Since 2012, the total
urban environment. number of indigenous cattle has
. The Aravali Wildlife Park in Delhi is a decreased by 6%. During this time,
shining example of how a barren area their share of the entire cattle
may be turned into forest communities population declined from 79 percent to
that safeguard greenery and 73 percent.
biodiversity. . – The Gir, Lakhimi, and Sahiwal breeds
. Transfers could potentially be related provide significant contributions to the
to heatwave mapping across different total Indigenous Cattle population.
areas. The most seriously damaged . Exotic/Crossbred cattle: Exotic/
communities are also likely to be the Crossbred cattle increased in number
poorest, necessitating stronger from 3.9 crores in 2012 to 5 crores in
insurance packages that include crop 2019. “Exotic” cattle, according to the
loss guarantees. Census, are “animals with origins in
. Annual fluctuations in the severity of other nations.”
the hazard could likewise be factored . – Crossbred Jersey cattle account for
into incentive programmes. 49.3 percent of all Exotic/Crossbred
. The IMD’s estimates can be used to cattle.
generate future scenarios that the . Buffalo: The Murrah breed, which is
federal government can utilise to common in Uttar Pradesh and

Rajasthan, contributes 42.8 percent of transitioning infrastructure systems

the total. more resilient, with a focus on human-
. Goats: The country is home to 28 centred approaches.
indigenous goat breeds. . CDRI is a worldwide multi-
. With 18.6 percent, the Black Bengal stakeholder cooperation involving
breed provides the most. national governments, UN agencies
. Horses and ponies: The Marwari breed and programmes, multilateral
contributes the most, accounting for development banks, the commercial
9.8% of the total. sector, and academic and research
. Donkeys: The Spiti breed contributes organisations. In September 2019, the
the most, accounting for 8.3 percent of Indian Prime Minister addressed the
the total. 2019 United Nations Climate Action
Summit.
. Camel: The Bikaneri breed supplied
the most, accounting for 29.6% of the . National governments lead and
total. oversee the CDRI, which generates and
exchanges knowledge on various areas
. The NBAGR has recorded 184
of infrastructure catastrophe resilience.
recognised indigenous/exotic &
New Delhi, India, is where the CDRI’s
crossbred breeds of 19 different
secretariat is located. CDRI now has 29
species in this report (National Bureau
members, including 22 national
of Animal Genetic Resources).
governments and 7 organisations, as of
March 2021.
9. PM addresses inaugural session of . The CDRI is India’s second significant
fourth edition of the International coalition outside of the United Nations,
Conference on Disaster Resilient following the International Solar
Infrastructure Alliance. Both are considered as
Context:The Prime Minister, Shri attempts by India to gain a global
Narendra Modi addressed the leadership role in climate change
inaugural session of the fourth edition issues.
of the International Conference on Prelims point: International
Disaster Resilient Conference on Disaster Resilient
Infrastructure(ICDRI). via video Infrastructure
message today. The session was also
addressed by the Hon. Scott Morrison
MP, Prime Minister of Australia, H.E. 10. Global Report on Food Crises 2022: 40
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, million more pushed into acute
President of Ghana, Hon. Fumio hunger last year: United Nations
Kishida, Prime Minister of Japan and Context:The number of people facing
H..E. Andry Nirina Rajoelina, acute food insecurity and requiring
President of Madagascar. urgent life-saving food assistance and
livelihood support continues to grow
at an alarming rate. This makes it more
ICDRI,International Conference on
urgent than ever to tackle the root
Disaster Resilient Infrastructure
causes of food crises rather than just
. In collaboration with the US Agency for responding after they occur. The
International Development, the Global Report on Food Crises 2022 has
Coalition for Disaster Resilient been released.
Infrastructure (CDRI) hosted the event
(USAID). To look into ways to make

The Global Report on Food Crises. deforestation. Although the rate of

. The number of people experiencing deforestation is decreasing, it was still
acute food insecurity and in need of 10 million hectares per year from 2015
life-saving food and livelihood help to 2020.
continues to rise at an alarming rate. . Infectious diseases connected to
As a result, it is more important than forests: Forests have been linked to
ever to address the core causes of food 15% of 250 new infectious diseases.
crises rather than simply reacting when Furthermore, deforestation and land-
they occur. use change are responsible for 30% of
. In 2021, an estimated 193 million new diseases documented since 1960.
people in 53 countries and territories . Increased Poverty: Following Covid-
had extreme food insecurity that was 19, approximately 124 million more
either in crisis or worse. In comparison people fell into extreme poverty, which
to the already record numbers of 2020, could have long-term implications for
this is an almost 40 million increase. wood-based fuel (such as firewood and
. The Democratic Republic of Congo, charcoal) due to increased wood-based
Ethiopia, Yemen, and Afghanistan are fuel use in various countries
among the 53 countries afflicted by the throughout the pandemic.
problem. Conflict, climatic extremes, . Forests are essential for climate change
and economic shocks were the main mitigation: Trees and forests are
factors of increased acute food important tools for preventing climate
insecurity in 2021. change. Forests have 662 billion tonnes
. Acute food insecurity,” according to of carbon, accounting for more than
the United Nations, occurs when a half of the global carbon storage in soils
person’s failure to consume enough and vegetation. Due to replanting,
food puts their life or livelihood in improved forest management, and
jeopardy. The war in Ukraine is not other factors, forests absorbed more
addressed in the study. Experts have carbon than they emitted in 2011–2020,
warned, however, that Russia’s war in despite a continuous loss in area.
Ukraine could result in hunger. . Natural Resource Consumption: By
Mains Point:.Global Report on Food Crises 2050, the world’s population is
2022: 40 million more pushed into acute expected to reach 9.7 billion people.
hunger last year: United Nations Due to population growth and
prosperity, annual worldwide
consumption of all natural resources
11. State of the World’s Forests 2022: 10%
combined is anticipated to more than
of total forest area on Earth lost in 30
double from 92 billion tonnes in 2017
years
to 190 billion tonnes in 2060.
Context:The United Nations Food and
. Forest Dependence: More than half of
Agriculture Organization (FAO) has
the world’s gross domestic product
released the State of the World’s Forests
(USD 84.4 trillion in 2020) is predicted
2022 (SOFO 2022).
to be moderately (USD 31 trillion per
Important point os the report year) or heavily (USD 13 trillion per
. Forest Deforestation: Forests represent year) dependent on ecosystem services,
31% of the Earth’s land surface (4.06 including those provided by forests.
billion ha), however the area is
declining, with 420 million ha of forest
Recommendations of the report
lost between 1990 and 2020 due to

. Forests and trees can help assist . 1,481 species, or 13.5 percent, are
economic and environmental recovery currently threatened with extinction on
through three interconnected a global scale. There are 798 vulnerable
approaches. These include (1) species, 460 endangered species, 223
preventing deforestation and highly endangered species, and 52
preserving forests; (2) recovering species for which there is insufficient
degraded areas and extending data.
agroforestry; and (3) exploiting forests
The importance of birds to ecosystems
sustainably and developing green
and culture
value chains.
. Birds contribute to a variety of
. Amount of money raised: A large
environmental services that help
increase in funding will be required by
mankind directly or indirectly.
2030, specifically a three-fold increase.
Provisioning, regulating, cultural, and
By 2050, it is estimated that
supporting services are among them.
establishing and preserving forests
will cost USD 203 billion per year. . Pollinators, seed-dispersers,
ecosystem engineers, scavengers, and
. Small communities and Indigenous
carnivores all play important roles in
groups will be able to continue
ecosystems, facilitating the
managing their woods sustainably if
accumulation and maintenance of
local producer organisations are
biodiversity.
supported and land tenure rights are
protected. . It also aids in the reproduction of other
animals and promotes human
Mains point: Importance of world
endeavours like as sustainable
forest cover in environmental
agriculture through insect
conservation.
management. In the Chagos
archipelago, for example, coral reef fish
12. The grim forewarnings of a global output has been found to rise as
study on birds seabird populations rebound
Context: The annual study of natural following rat removal.
resources, The State of the World’s . Food from wild birds and items
Birds, has indicated that the generated from them is also important
population of 48 percent of the 10,994 economically (meat, eggs). People
remaining bird species is dropping. employ about 45 percent of all existing
. The Manchester Metropolitan bird species in some capacity, largely
University-led report provides an as pets (37 percent) and food (14
overview of changes in our percent ).
understanding of bird biodiversity and . According to the study, birds’ cultural
the extent to which it is threatened. contribution is perhaps more essential
Key findings of the The Manchester than that of any other taxonomic
Metropolitan University study report group. Birdwatching is a global
. Population decreases are known or pastime practised by millions of
suspected in 5,245 bird species around people, in addition to its symbolic and
the world, or nearly 48% of all bird artistic significance.
species. While 4,295 species (or 39%)
have steady population patterns, Indian Scenario
roughly 7% (or 778 species) have . In India, where current annual trends
growing population trends. The 37 for 146 species have been assessed, the
species’ trend was unclear.
trend toward decreased bird diversity beyond his milieu’s popular pollution
is almost as worrying. Nearly 80% of and conservation movements.
them are in decline, with nearly half of . He constructed a master-slave
them dropping precipitously. dynamic in his study by viewing
. Only about 6% of the species nature and themselves as two
investigated had stable populations, contending entities. There are two
while 14% have growing population schools of environmental philosophy
patterns. Endangered species included that reimagine human-nature
endemic species, birds of prey, and interaction.
species that live in forests and
grasslands.
Two styles of ecologism
Reasons for Bird Species Decline
Shallow ecologism: Weak ecologism, also
. Human-induced factors such as habitat known as weak ecologism, is an
loss or degradation, changes in land ideology that maintains current
use, overexploitation, and climate lifestyles while making specific
change are causing population changes to reduce environmental
declines in about half of all bird damage. He used the phrase “shallow
species worldwide. ecologism” or “environalism” to
The report’s recommendations are as describe the forceful and trendy
follows: campaign against pollution and
. Obtaining accurate population resource depletion. For example
abundance and change estimations. (CFCs),Using less polluting vehicles or
Demand reduction for over harvested air conditioners that do not emit
wild birds requires novel and more chlorofluorocarbons
effective solutions that can be Deep ecologism: It is a philosophy in which
implemented at scale. proponents believe that humans
. Monitoring green energy transitions should have a fundamentally different
that may have an impact on birds if connection with nature. It rejects
performed incorrectly. eradication of shallow ecologism because it puts
invading alien species populations. people before nature. Its goal is to
Changing human societies’ growth protect the environment once it has
paths to be more economically viable. been destroyed.
The wealthier countries, for example,
13. Shallow and deep ecologism are responsible for the majority of
carbon emissions. For example, the
Context:India is still suffering from an
United States has a population of only
intense heat wave. Heat waves, on the
5% of the world’s population but
other hand, have been known to occur
consumes 17% of the world’s energy.
for hundreds of years. However, in
Furthermore,
recent years, more extreme, frequent,
and long-lasting heat waves have
exposed the long-term effects of Main Objectives of deep ecologism
climate change, which have intensified . It strives to preserve nature by enacting
them. large-scale lifestyle changes. Limiting
Ecologism commercial farming, minimising
. In the 1970s, Norwegian philosopher animal artificial fattening, and
Arne Naess sought to solve changing transportation infrastructure
environmental degradation by looking are just a few examples.

. Furthermore, it turns the focus away . Policymakers, as well as scientists and

from pollution and conservation ecologists, share responsibility for
narratives and onto effective policy resolving the climate catastrophe. As a
creation and execution. result, individuals in positions of
Environmentally responsible technical power, including the political elite,
skills and inventions must be included should be held accountable.
in the policies. Mains Point : Ecological conservatism and
. Deep ecologism also pushes for a new strategies.
rethinking of the survival of the ‘fittest’
idea. It argues that doctrine should be
viewed from the standpoint of 14. Drought In Numbers, 2022:
collaboration and coexistence with Desertification: ‘Droughts reduced
nature, rather than rivalry, India’s GDP by up to 5% in 20 years’
exploitation, or dominance. Context: To commemorate World
Drought Day, the United Nations
. Deep ecologists prefer a notion known
Convention to Combat Desertification
as the “live and let live” mentality to a
(UNCCD) has produced the Drought In
“either you or me” approach.
Numbers, 2022 Report.
Shallow ecologism and issues associated.
The key findings of the report
. It is futile to focus just on pollution and
conservation movements. For Global findings
example, programmes done solely to . Droughts account for 15% of natural
address pollution may result in the disasters, but they killed the most
creation of new ills, such as the people, with about 650,000 deaths
installation of pollution control between 1970 and 2019. Droughts have
equipment, which may raise the cost increased by 29% in number and length
of living and hence exacerbate class since 2000.
disparity. . Weather, climate, and water hazards
. When choices are heavily affected by accounted for 50% of disasters and 45
majority rule without taking local percent of disaster-related deaths
interests into account, the environment between 1970 and 2019, largely in
becomes more vulnerable. developing nations.
Steps ahead . Droughts cost the world economy
. We should practise ethically around USD 124 billion from 1998 to
responsible ecology that benefits 2017. Drought might force 700 million
people of all economic classes. people to flee their homes by 2030, or
Decentralisation of decision-making within the next eight years.
should be implemented. This can be Report on India
accomplished through enhancing local . India was identified as one of the
autonomy. countries most severely affected by the
. To overcome the environmental crisis, drought in the report. During the years
a holistic strategy is required. It 2020-2022, about two-thirds of the
necessitates avoiding a “broad, global” country experienced drought.
attitude. It should take into account . Over the 20 years from 1998 to 2017,
geographical variances as well as the severe droughts were expected to have
discrepancies between lowered India’s gross domestic output
underdeveloped and developed by 2-5 percent.
countries. The recommendations given by the report

. Techniques for growing more food on soil fertility and structure. They are
less area and with less water that are usually returned to the soil, either
both sustainable and efficient. immediately or after being removed
. Changes in interactions with food, and composted.
fodder, and fibre, as well as a shift . Dhaincha, Cowpea, and Sunhemp are
toward plant-based diets and the the three most common types of green
reduction or elimination of animal manure. Green manure is also
intake. produced by several crops, such as
. Integrated drought action plans are summer moong, mash pulses, and
being developed and implemented. guar. Green manure varieties are
Set up cross-border early-warning incorporated into the soil when the
systems that are effective. crop is 42-56 days old..
. New technologies, such as satellite
surveillance and artificial intelligence, The benefits of Green Manure
are being deployed to help guide
a) It aids in the increase of organic
decisions more precisely. Improve
matter in the soil.
drought resilience at the local level
through mobilising long-term b) It addresses micronutrient
financing. deficiencies.
Other reports say about India’s c) Consumption of inorganic
drought situation fertilisers is reduced.
. According to a study by Down To d) It is a viable substitute for organic
Earth, India’s drought-prone territory manure.
has grown by 57% since 1997. Over the e) It conserves nutrients, provides
last decade, one-third of India’s nitrogen, and improves soil
districts have experienced more than structure stability.
four droughts, affecting 50 million f) It decomposes quickly, releasing
people per year. huge amounts of carbon dioxide
. According to India’s Desertification and weak acids that act on
and Land Degradation Atlas, territory insoluble soil minerals, releasing
degradation occurred on 97.85 million nutrients for plant growth.
hectares, or roughly 30% of the
country’s land, in 2018-19. Importance of Green Manure in Punjab
Mains Point : India’s Drought and its . Punjab has one of the highest fertiliser
solution. usage rates in the country, at roughly
244 kg per hectare, and is also higher
15. Punjab promoting green manure big than the national average.
time: what are the benefits, . Green manure can reduce this usage by
productivity as much as 25% to 30%, saving farmers
Context:Green manure cultivation is a lot of money in the process.
currently being promoted by the . Furthermore, in certain sections of
Punjab government. It is subsidising Punjab, the PH level of the soil varies
the seed at the rate of Rs 2,000 per between 8.5 and 9%. Green manure
quintal. aids in its upkeep.
Green Manure
. Green manure crops are crops that are
grown for the purpose of maintaining

16. Most pollution-related workplace Significance of the report

deaths in countries with highest GDP: . The difference in pollution-related
Lancet report workplace deaths compared to the
Context:The majority of pollution- entire population indicates that
related occupational deaths, according workers in these so-called developed
to a Lancet analysis, occur in countries countries are just as vulnerable as
with the highest GDP. workers in developing countries such
Relation between Workplace and as India and Bangladesh.
pollution related deaths . This also implies that, in order to
. The majority of the ten countries with maximise profit, industry owners often
the highest gross domestic product make compromises on environmental
(GDP) have the largest number of issues.
fatalities caused by pollution at work. Mains point: Pollution-related workplace
. In contrast, most of these countries deaths
have a low proportion of pollution-
related mortality in their overall 17. Of lungs, trees and sin stocks
population: low- and middle-income
Context:The World Health Organization
countries account for 90% of pollution-
(WHO) established ‘World No
related deaths.This emphasises the
Tobacco Day’ in 1987 to raise
contrast in how these places deal with
awareness of tobacco’s harmful effects.
pollution both within and beyond the
four walls of their offices. . This year’s theme is ‘Poisoning our
Planet,’ in an effort to raise awareness
Countries with Highest Pollution
about the negative impacts of tobacco
Related Workplaces Deaths
on the environment. Meanwhile, huge
. Among the top-10 GDP countries, the corporations are attempting to lessen
United Kingdom (UK) has the highest the harm caused by cigarette smoking.
rate of work-related premature
fatalities attributable to pollution
(Though overall the UK occupied the Prevalence of tobacco consumption in India
fourth-worst position among nearly . In 2016-2017, the second Global Adult
200 countries). Tobacco Survey found that 28.6% of all
. The United States, the world’s largest adults in India used tobacco, second
economy, came in 18th overall and 12th only to China.
among countries with populations . According to the survey, 42.4 percent
more than 10 million. of males and 14.2 percent of women
used tobacco in some form, including
chewing tobacco and cigarettes and
Findings related to India by lancet
‘bidis.’
. With 12.15 pollution-related
The ill-effects of tobacco
occupational deaths per 100,000
workers, India, the world’s sixth largest On health
economy, ranked 21st on the list. . In 2021, approximately 8 million
Overall, India was ranked 40th in the individuals will have died as a result
world. of smoking. Tobacco, however, is more
. India placed 13th in the world in terms than just a health hazard. According to
of pollution-related deaths per 100,000 one estimate, tobacco production
people, with 169.5 deaths per 100,000 accounts for barely 1% of GDP, but
people. direct health spending on tobacco-

related disorders amounts for 5.3

their supply chains to switch to
percent of total health spending in
sustainable practices and minimise
India each year (WHO).
deforestation as the worldwide
On environment commodity sector makes new zero-
. The WHO claims that- To create carbon pledges.
cigarettes, 600 million trees are cut . Carbon sinks are places where carbon
down each year; 84 million tonnes of is absorbed. Unilever, Amazon, Nestlé,
CO2 are discharged into the Alibaba, and Mahindra Group have all
atmosphere; and 22 billion litres of pledged to reduce emissions and are
water are utilised. planning to invest $50 billion in nature-
. Cigarette butts, packaging, plastic based solutions like carbon sinks.
pouches of smokeless tobacco, and . This has sparked renewed interest in
electronics and batteries involved with sourcing from environmentally
e-cigarettes all contaminate our friendly landscapes and purchasing
environment, in addition to the high-quality forest carbon credits. The
environmental costs of manufacture. profits from this are many times
India produces over 800 million kg of greater than those from selling tobacco
tobacco per year, making it the leaves.
world’s second-largest producer.
. The cigarette industry appears to be
evolving. One of the world’s leading
Obstacles to combating the tobacco cigarette businesses said in 2016 that it
epidemic will begin moving its clients away from
. Need to do more: Most efforts to tobacco and toward smoke-free
counter the tobacco epidemic have products.
been directed at creating awareness . Cigarette businesses are potentially
about the ill-effects of tobacco. These lowering the chance of their customers
have borne fruit. Over 90% of adults dying from cancer by shifting to safer
in India, across strata, identify tobacco nicotine delivery technologies and
as being harmful. Additional gains in moving away from tobacco.
overcoming the ill-effects of tobacco Environmental, social, and governance
are therefore unlikely to come from (ESG) managers are on the rise.
more awareness campaigns alone. Steps ahead
. Source of livelihood: About 6 million . While there are issues in the tobacco
farmers and 20 million farm labourers and cigarette industries, there are also
work in tobacco farming across 15 options, answers, and global
States (Central Tobacco Research movements being pursued by the
Institute). Farming of tobacco cannot world’s top corporations.
be stopped without serious economic
. Educating potential tobacco users,
consequences and/or social
assisting smokers in quitting, and
disruption.
incentivizing the tobacco industry to
aid consumers and the environment
Efforts made by companies will safeguard not only our lungs, but
. Carbon credits: The forestry also the air we breathe.
community has proposed ideas and
instruments to incentivize the use of 18. Explained: What are community forest
carbon credits to reduce deforestation. rights, why do they matter?
Companies are placing pressure on

Context:The tribals of Gudiyapadar, a conservation and management

hamlet inside the Kanger Ghati methods.
National Park in Bastar, have had their
. These rights also highlight the critical
Community Forest Resource (CFR)
role that forest inhabitants play in
rights recognised by the Chhattisgarh
ensuring the long-term viability of
government.
forests and biodiversity protection.
. Chhattisgarh is now only the second
Mains Point: Community forest
state in the country to recognise a
Resource and associated rights of the
village’s CFR rights within a national
people
park.
19. Sela macaque: New Arunachal

Community Forest Resource(CFR)
monkey named after mountain pass
. The Community Forest Resource Area
Context:A new species of old world
is common forest land that has
monkey (Sela macaque) recorded from
traditionally been safeguarded and
Arunachal Pradesh has been named
managed for the long-term benefit of a
after a strategic Sela mountain pass.
specific community.
. It is used by the community to access
resources inside the village’s
traditional and customary boundaries,
as well as for seasonal landscape use
in pastoralist groups.
Rights of Community Forest

Resources (CFR)
. Section 3(1)(i) of the Scheduled Tribes
and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers
(Recognition of Forest Rights) Act
recognises certain rights (commonly
referred to as the Forest Rights Act or
the FRA).
. They acknowledge the right to “guard,
regenerate, conserve, and manage” the
community forest resource. These
rights enable the community to About Sela macaque
establish rules for its own and others’ Sela macaque belongs to the sinica
forest use, allowing it to fulfil its species group of Macaca. But it differs
obligations under Section 5 of the FRA. from all other members of this group
. CFR rights, in combination with through attributes such as brown collar
Community Rights (CRs), such as nistar hair and muzzle, and the absence of
rights and rights over non-timber forest chin whiskers.
products, assure the community’s Habitat: The Phylogenetic analysis revealed
long-term viability. that the Sela macaque was
. Within the community forest resource geographically separated from the
boundaries, these rights allow the Arunachal macaque (Macaca munzala)
Gram Sabha the authority to by Sela mountain pass.
implement local customary forest

This mountain pass acted as a barrier

by restricting the migration of
individuals of these two species for
approximately two million years.
Note: Phylogenetics relates to the
evolutionary development and
diversification of a species or group of
organisms.
. Genetically, the Sela macaque is more
closely related to the Arunachal
macaque. Physically, the two have a lot
in common, such as a comparable
build and long dorsal body hair.
. The Sela macaque, on the other hand,
has some distinguishing physical
characteristics. The Sela macaque, for
example, has a light brown coat and a
pale face, but the Arunachal macaque
has a dark brown coat and a dark
brown face. Money spiders
. The Tibetan macaque, Assamese Money Spider belongs to the family of
macaque, Arunachal macaque, and dwarf spiders ( Linyphiidae) under the
white-cheeked macaque all have genus Prosoponoides. It has been
longer tails than the Sela macaque, given the name Prosoponoides
however the bonnet macaque and biflectogynus.
toque macaque have shorter tails. Features: Money spiders are approximately
. Threats: Sela macaques are a major 3 mm and 4 mm long in males and
cause of agricultural damage in females, respectively.Males prefer to
Arunachal Pradesh’s West Kameng hide beneath dry leaves, while females
area. As a result, it is threatened by create triangular webs in between dry
man-wildlife conflict. tree twigs and feed on small insects. A
Prelims Point:Sela macaque-man- single female spider’s web may contain
wildlife conflict. two or more male spiders.
The elliptical abdomen of both sexes
20. Money spider, ant-mimicking spider is dark brown with irregular silver
discovered at Wayanad Wildlife patches and black dots.
Sanctuary. On their olive green legs, there are
Context:Money spiders, which are several fine black spines. In two rows,
prevalent in European meadows, have there are eight dark eyes.
been discovered in the Muthanga Significance of the discovery: The
range of the Wayanad Wildlife discovery is significant because just six
Sanctuary for the first time in India. species of spiders belonging to this
Researchers have also identified genus have been identified so far from
spiders that look like ants. throughout the world.
It’s the first time this genus has been
discovered in India. As a result, similar
discoveries may be made in the future.

global leader in green hydrogen by

What are Ant-mimicking Spiders? capitalising on the current global
energy crisis.
Oil India Limited (OIL) has
inaugurated India’s first 99.99 percent
pure green hydrogen factory in Jorhat,
Assam.
Green Hydrogen is the clean hydrogen
generated by using renewable energy
such as solar and wind energy instead
of fossil fuels. The electricity produced
through solar/wind energy is used to
undertake electrolysis of water (in
electrolysers) to produce hydrogen.
The carbon footprint of green hydrogen
is negligible compared to other
methods of production.een Hydrogen
Rationale of India pursuing green
hydrogen
These spiders are from the
. India has promised to lower its
Mananthavady area and belong to the
greenhouse gas emissions by 33-35
jumping spider family. They are
percent from 2005 levels under the
members of the Salticidae family. Only
Paris Agreement. India reaffirmed its
three species of this genus have been
commitment to transitioning from a
found in India, with this being the first
fossil-fuel and import-dependent
from the Western Ghats.
economy to a net-zero economy by
Feature:They completely imitate ants 2070 at the 2021 Conference of Parties
by elevating their front pair of legs in Glasgow.
while walking as a defence measure
. In 2021, India established the National
against prospective predators. The
Hydrogen Mission to fulfil their
antler-like forward-projecting fangs
pledges. The mission’s goal is to
have a distinct form.
reduce carbon emissions while
This species’ male and female spiders increasing the usage of renewable
grow to be 4 mm and 6 mm long, energy sources.
respectively.
. India has only recently started
Females are distinguished from other producing green hydrogen, with the
spiders in this group by a pair of white goal of reaching 500 gigawatts of non-
stripes on their dark brown abdomen. fossil energy capacity by 2030. In
A brown cephalic region and a black eastern Assam’s Jorhat unit, India’s first
thorax with white hairs distinguish the 99.99 percent pure green hydrogen
male of the species. On the bottom of plant has an installed capacity of 10
each leg, there are long spines. kilogramme of hydrogen per day and
can scale up to 30 kg per day.
21. Green hydrogen: Fuel of the future? Advantages of hydrogen as a fuel
Context: India announced at the World . Green hydrogen can be stored for long
Economic Forum in Davos, periods of time, and it can also be
Switzerland, that it will become the utilised to generate power using fuel

cells. Hydrogen gas combines with equivalents are well-known. The

oxygen in a fuel cell to produce energy government’s climate mitigation
and water vapour. initiatives, on the other hand, are
. As a result, hydrogen can serve as an limited to CO2 emissions.
energy storage device while also . International Agencies’ Ignorance: The
contributing to grid stability. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
. The oxygen produced as a by-product Change (IPCC) Working Group III
(8 kg of oxygen per 1 kilogramme of report on climate change mitigation
hydrogen) can be monetised by using concentrates on CO2 and a few other
it in industrial and medical greenhouse gases, but excludes other
applications, as well as for non-CO2 pollutants.
environmental enrichment. . As a result, urgent action is required
Prelims and Mains point: Green to bend the emission curves of
Hydrogen its benefits methane, HFCs, black carbon, and a few
other precursor gases that contribute to
ozone depletion in the lower
22. Share of non-CO2 pollutants
atmosphere.
contributing to global warming
almost as much as carbon dioxide: Non-CO2 pollutants Countering strategy
Study . Governments must develop plans to
Context:According to a study published in combat CO2 and non-CO2 pollutants
the journal, non-CO2 pollutants such as methane, black carbon,
contribute nearly as much to global hydrofluorocarbons (HFC),
warming as carbon dioxide. tropospheric ozone, and nitrous oxide
at the same time.
. According to IPCC Working Group
reports, CO2 and non-CO2 greenhouse . By combining decarbonisation
gases contributed 52-57 percent and 43- measures with targets, we can achieve
48 percent, respectively, to global net cooling by 2030, reduce the rate of
warming. warming by nearly half from 2030 to
2050, and stay below 2 degrees Celsius.
. Some aerosols released by fossil fuel
sources are known to warm the . Methane levels should be reduced in
planets, while others are known to cool oil and gas-consuming countries, coal-
them. Sulphates, nitrates, and organic consuming countries, and rice-
carbon are the most common cooling producing countries.
aerosols. Prelims point: Non Co2 pollutants.
. Despite the fact that decarbonisation
initiatives will reduce CO2 levels, the 23. Explained: Discovery of a primitive
warming produced will not be forest at the bottom of a giant sinkhole
reduced in the next 25 years. As a in China
result, if only decarbonisation efforts Context: A cave exploration team has
are focused on, global temperatures discovered an ancient forest at the
would likely exceed 1.5 degrees bottom of a giant karst sinkhole in Leye
Celsius over pre-industrial levels by County in Guangxi Zhuang
2035 and 2 degrees Celsius by 2050. Autonomous Region, China.
Global policy decisions on non-CO2 . The sinkhole’s volume is estimated to
pollutants be in excess of 5 million cubic metres.
. The government’s only focus on CO2: The sinkhole might be classified as a
The negative consequences of non-CO2 huge sinkhole based on its dimensions.

. Giant sinkholes are known in prone areas around the world include
Mandarin as Tiankeng, which means Mexico, parts of Italy and Russia.
“heavenly pit.” Three large caves can
Prelims point: Sinkholes,Tiankeng
be seen in the sinkhole’s walls, and at
its bottom is a well-preserved primitive
forest with trees reaching about 40 24. Nature has the answers
metres in height. Context:On May 22, 2022, the
Sinkholes International Day of Biodiversity was
. Sinkholes arise when layers of the observed. It was carried out in the
Earth’s surface collapse into caverns, midst of the pandemic, as well as recent
forming depressions in the earth. heat storms in northern India and
floods in Meghalaya. The ongoing
. They can happen quickly and without
deterioration of lands and biodiversity,
notice since the land beneath the
rising malnutrition and hunger, and
Earth’s surface can remain intact for a
disparities and environmental injustice
long time until the voids become too
are all adding to the uncertainties.
large.
. The day provided us an opportunity
Sinkholes can arise as a result of
to appreciate the wonder of
natural processes or human activities.
biodiversity, renew our commitment to
. Natural process: Sinkholes typically nurture and protect all the many forms
arise in “karst” terrains, where the rock of life with which we share our planet.
beneath the Earth’s surface is easily
Man-Environment Relationship
dissolved by groundwater. This is a
slow and progressive process that can . Humans, as a species, are an important
take hundreds or thousands of years and crucial part of biodiversity. Our
to complete. bodies contain living microbiomes of
microscopic creatures without which
. Human activities: This can occur as a
we would perish.
result of faulty land drains, water
mains and sewerage pipes, and surface . Our cultures influence the biodiversity
water diversion, among other things. that surrounds us, and biodiversity
influences our cultures and future on
. Karst terrain is formed by the
our planet.
breakdown of soluble rocks, primarily
limestone and dolomite, according to . The ethnic, cultural, and linguistic
the United States Geological Survey variety of India has been shaped by the
(USGS). They are also distinguished by distinctive characteristics of our
unique landforms such as caves, country, climate, and geography, as
sinkholes, and springs. well as migratory and evolution
factors. These pressures have resulted
Few prominent sinkholes around the world:
in a plethora of plant, animal, and other
. About 20 percent of the US is made up biological species thriving on our
of karst landscapes. The largest continent.
sinkhole in the US is called the “Golly
India’s biodiversity is under assault.
Hole”, which collapsed suddenly in
For example, our natural landscapes
1972 and is over 325 ft long, 300 ft wide
and waterscapes have seen decline and
and 120 ft deep.
degradation.
. As per NASA, karst geology covers
Next constructive steps ahead required
about 13 percent of eastern and
southeastern Asia. Other sinkhole- . Solutions based on nature:
Biodiversity can help us find solutions
to some of our most serious

sustainability issues. The best road to and nutrition security, rural

sustainability is to use biodiversity unemployment, and climate change.
and natural world processes. These can
be carried out as follows: 25. Explained: What are urban heat
. Climate change can be mitigated by islands, and why are they worsening
restoring biodiversity across broad during summers?
swaths of deforested and other Context: Several sections of India are
degraded lands. The United Nations experiencing extreme heat. Cities, in
Framework Convention on Climate particular, are significantly hotter than
Change (UNFCCC) Glasgow Summit rural places. The reason for this is a
recognised the direct link between phenomenon known as an “urban heat
biodiversity and climate change. island.”
Restoration also has the ability to
Urban Heat Islands
provide millions of employment by
diversifying farming systems and . An urban heat island is a local and
livelihoods centred on agriculture. It temporary phenomenon experienced
could also assist India in meeting its when certain pockets within a city
stated goal to combat climate change. experience a higher heat load than
surrounding or neighbouring areas on
. Biotechnology and healthcare
the same day.
companies can tap into the untapped
potential of our vast medical history, . For example, a greener locality like
which includes thousands of Pashan in Pune often records cooler
therapeutic plant species. temperatures than urban areas like
Shivajinagar, Chinchwad or
. Nature can contribute to our financial
Magarpatta.
and physical well-being, as well as our
mental and spiritual well-being. It will . The variations are mainly due to heat
assist India in achieving the United remaining trapped within locations
Nations’ Sustainable Development that often resemble concrete jungles
Goals. Cities hotter than rural areas- Reasons
. A National Mission on Biodiversity
and Human Well-Being has been
established by the government. The
missions’ main characteristics are:
Agriculture, health, bioeconomy,
ecosystem services, and climate change
mitigation will all benefit from the
mission’s efforts to promote
biodiversity in development
programmes.
. The mission is to increase public
participation, which is critical for
biodiversity protection. The mission’s
goal is to create a system for assessing
and monitoring biodiversity, as well as
restoring and strengthening it. . Plants, grass, trees, and crops are
. The Mission can assist with a number common in rural settings. Plants
of concerns, including the spread of absorb water from the ground and
infectious diseases, insufficient food release it as vapour into the air in a

process known as transpiration, which . Air pollution was responsible for over
works as nature’s air conditioner. 75% of all deaths, with China having
Evaporation from bodies of water also the largest number of fatalities at 1.8
aids in the cooling of these locations. million.
. Urban areas, on the other hand, lack . The number of deaths attributed to the
sufficient green cover or gardens and types of pollution linked with extreme
are frequently developed with highrise poverty has decreased.
structures, highways, parking places, . However, the decreases in deaths due
pavements, and public transportation to household air and water pollution
routes. As a result, heat regulation is are counterbalanced by an increase in
either non-existent or artificial. deaths due to ambient air pollution and
Cities absorb more heat hazardous chemical pollution.
. Black or any dark-colored object . Pollution-related mortality accounts
absorbs all wavelengths of light and for more than 90% of deaths in low- and
turns them to heat, whereas white middle-income nations.
reflects them. Findings of the Indian report
. Buildings in cities are typically made . In 2019, pollution caused
of dark-colored materials such as glass, approximately 2.3 million (23 lakh)
bricks, cement, and concrete, all of premature deaths in India, accounting
which attract and absorb more heat. for nearly a quarter of the nine million
This creates temporary islands within such deaths globally.
cities, trapping the heat.
. Modern forms of pollution, such as
Urban heat islands - Solutions to reduce ambient air pollution and harmful
heat chemicals, currently account for at least
. The most effective technique to reduce 1% of the country’s GDP.
heat load in cities is to increase green . In 2019, India surpassed China as the
cover, which is achieved by planting country with the most estimated
trees and plants in open places. pollution-related deaths.
. Other measures to reduce heat are to . In India alone, ambient air pollution
use appropriate construction materials, may have resulted in roughly 1.7
promote terrace and kitchen gardens, million fatalities in 2019. However,
and paint terraces white or light colours compared to 2000, the number of
to reflect heat where possible. deaths related to traditional sources of
Prelims point: urban heat islands pollution – indoor air and water — has
decreased by more than half.
26. Lancet Planetary Health Report: ‘At 2.4 Prelims Point :2.4 million in 2019, India led
million in 2019, India led world in world in pollution deaths’
pollution deaths’
Context:The Lancet Commission on 27. Global Food Policy Report 2022: 9
Pollution and Health has published Crore Indians At Risk Of Hunger By
“The Lancet Planetary Health Report”. 2030 Due To Climate Change: Report
The key highlights from the report Context:International Food Policy
Global findings Research Institute’s(IFPRI) has released
. In 2015, pollution was responsible for the Global Food Policy Report 2022
9 million premature deaths, making it titled ‘Climate change and food
the world’s leading environmental systems’.
cause of disease and death.
key findings of the Global Food Policy

Report 2022
. By 2050, global food production will
have increased by around 60% from
2010 levels. However, due to
geographical disparities in food
access, approximately 50 crore people
would still be at risk of going hungry.
. If it hadn’t been for climate change,
seven crores of this 50 crores would not
have been at risk.
Findings related to India
. Starvation: Due to climate change,
India’s food production could drop by
16 percent, while the number of people
at danger of hunger could rise by 23
percent by 2030.
. By 2030, 7.39 crore Indians would have
gone hungry owing to climate change.
However, researchers discovered that
if climate change is taken into account,
9.06 crore persons (22.69 percent more)
will face starvation.
. Temperature: By 2100, the average
temperature in India would climb
between 2.4 and 4.4 degrees Celsius,
with summer heat waves expected to
quadruple.
The recommendations given by the report
1) R&D for climate-resilient,
resource-efficient, and sustainable
innovations in food systems,
2) Holistic, inclusive governance and
management of water, land,
forests, and energy resources,
3) Promoting healthy diets and
increased sustainability of food
production,
4) Improving value chain efficiency,
facilitating trade, and reducing
food loss,
5) Inclusion and social protection and
6) Reorienting financial flows and
attracting new finance.
Prelims point:Global Food Policy Report
2022

Miscellaneous
1. Sir David Attenborough earns 96 years old, he has kept up an

prestigious UN ‘Champion of the astonishing pace of work.
Earth’ award . Attenborough is considered to be a
Context:United Nations Environment major influence for many scientists and
Programme (UNEP) has named Sir conservationists, and in 2016 the British
David Attenborough, English natural Antarctic Survey named its new state-
history broadcaster and naturalist, as of-the-art research vessel in his honour
the recipient of the Champions of the
Earth Award 2021.
2. India’s First “Amrit Sarovar”:Patwai
. The 95-year-old broadcaster is just the (UP)
fifth person to receive the honour.
Context:Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Union
. The much-loved British broadcaster Sir Minister for Minority Affairs, and
David Attenborough has been Swatantra Dev Singh, Uttar Pradesh Jal
officially recognized as a “Champion Shakti Minister, launched India’s first
of the Earth” by the United Nations “Amrit Sarovar” on May 13, 2022 in
Environment Programme (UNEP). Patwai, Rampur, Uttar Pradesh.
. The natural history icon is just the fifth The significance of the Patwai Amrit
person to receive the award for Sarovar:
lifetime achievement.
. Patwai’s freshly opened “Amrit Sarovar
. For decades, Attenborough has ‘’ will aid in water conservation and
narrated jaw-dropping, inspiring and environmental protection. It will also
eye-opening nature documentaries serve as a tourist attraction for those
using his signature soothing tones. who live in the surrounding districts.
Some of his most famous Boating and other forms of recreation
documentaries include Planet Earth, are also accessible in this “Amrit
Blue Planet, Life on Earth and Our Sarovar.”
Planet. He has also become a leading
The Amrit Sarovar mission:
advocate for protecting the natural
world and has strongly condemned . PM Modi inaugurated Mission Amrit
world leaders for their inaction on Sarovar on April 24, 2022, with the
climate change. broad goal of long-term water
conservation. The Mission will be
. “Sir David Attenborough has devoted
completed on August 15, 2023.
his life to documenting the love story
between humans and nature, and The goal of Amrit Sarovar Mission:
broadcasting it to the world,” . As part of the Azadi ka Amrit
. Attenborough’s career in TV spans Mahotsav celebration, the mission’s
almost 70 years and myriad goal is to create and restore 75 water
technological and societal changes. He sources in each district of India. This
is the only person to receive British project will result in the creation of
Academy of Film and Television Arts 50,000 water bodies, each of which will
(BAFTA) awards in the TV categories be an acre or larger in size. Each Amrit
black and white, color, high-definition, Sarovar will have a water storage
3D and 4K. And despite being nearly capacity of 10,000 cubic metres.

The ministries and departments are . In 1642, Sikkim came under the rule
involved in Mission Amrit Sarovar: of the Chogyal (or kings) of the
. Land Resources Department Namgyal dynasty of Tibetan descent
. Rural Development Department who ruled the kingdom for close to 333
years.
. Water Resources Department
. Back then, the kingdom of Sikkim
. Drinking Water and Sanitation spread from Chumbi Valley, now in
Department China, to Darjeeling, now in West
. The Ministry of Forests, Environment, Bengal, and beyond.
and Climate Changes is in charge of . After 1706, there were a series of
forest management, environmental conflicts between the powers of the
protection, and region, which included Sikkim, Nepal,
. Panchayati Raj Ministry Bhutan, and Tibet, resulting in a
The mission’s technical partner: shrinking of Sikkim’s territorial
. The technical partner for Mission Amrit boundaries,
Sarovar is the Bhaskaracharya The arrival of the East India Company:
National Institute for Space . When the British arrived, their
Application and Geo-informatics expansion plans in the Indian
(BISAG-N). subcontinent included controlling the
The procedure for carrying out mission: Himalayan states.
. This mission will work via a number . Meanwhile, the kingdom of Nepal
of Districts and States, refocusing continued with its attempts to expand
numerous other schemes such as its territory. This resulted in the Anglo-
. Grants from the XV Finance Nepalese war (1814 to 1816) also
Commission known as the Gorkha war which was
. NREGA Mahatma Gandhi fought between the Gorkhali army and
the East India Company.
Other PMKSY sub-schemes, such as the
Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana . In 1814, Sikkim allied with the East
(PMKSY), will be refocused as well. India Company in the latter’s campaign
against Nepal. The Company won and
. Har Khet Ko Pani
restored to Sikkim some of the
. Component of Watershed territories that Nepal had wrested from
Development, it in 1780.
. State-sponsored schemes Administrative Control of British:
This mission also supports the . A turning point in the history of
mobilisation of a variety of non- Sikkim involves the appointment of
government and citizen resources to John Claude White as Political Officer
supplement the mission’s activities. of Sikkim.
. Sikkim by then was a British
3. How Sikkim became a part of India Protectorate under the Treaty of
Context:It was on May 16, 1975 that Tumlong signed in March 1861.
Sikkim became the 22nd State of the The scenario of Sikkim after 1947:
Union of India. Let’s understand how . In 1950, Sikkim became a protectorate
Sikkim became a part of India. of India through a treaty. A clause in
The Sikkim Rulers before the advent the treaty read: “Sikkim shall continue
of Europeans: to be a Protectorate of India and,
subject to the provisions of this Treaty,

shall enjoy autonomy in regard to its like Elon Musk, can make or break the
internal affairs.” markets. For example, the recent case
Public discontent against monarchy: The of cryptocurrencies.
period between the 1950s and the 1970s . Decline of Transatlantic economies:
marked growing discontent in Sikkim. G7 accounts for 31% of global GDP in
. Anti-monarchy protests grew in 1973. 2022, compared to 44% in 2000.
Indian troops arrived after the monarch Whereas, non-G7 members of G20
was left with no choice but to ask New accounted for 42. 2% of global output.
Delhi to send assistance. The share of G7 countries will further
. Finally, a tripartite agreement was reduce to less than 29% by 2026 as per
signed between the chogyal, the forecasts.
Indian government and three major . Furthermore, China is closing the gap
political parties, so that major political with the US in terms of no. of Unicorns
reforms could be introduced. in the world out of a total of 900
Attempts for constitutional development: In Unicorns. India has 100 unicorns.
1974, elections were held, where the . Failure of global capitalism: global
Sikkim State Congress won defeating capitalism has failed to avert major
pro-independence parties. That year, crises in the past like the global
a new constitution was adopted, which financial crisis of 2007-09 or the euro
restricted the role of the monarch. crisis thereafter, Brexit, or Climate
. In the same year, India upgraded Change.
Sikkim’s status from protectorate to . WEF has failed to instil the
“associated state”, allotting it one seat responsibility for global warming
each in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. among industrialized nations, instead,
Accession into India; the platform has been used for
preaching lower emissions to countries
. A referendum was held in 1975 where
like India and Africa.
an overwhelming majority voted in
favor of abolishing the monarchy and Mains point:Important International
joining India. Institutions
. Sikkim’s new parliament proposed a
bill for Sikkim to become an Indian 5. Road accidents in India — 2020: Road
state which was accepted by the Indian accidents parameters register a
government. significant decline in 2020 , Total
accidents decrease on an average by
18.46 per cent, number of persons
4. Davos is so 1990s: The jamboree has
killed decrease by 12.84 per cent.
lost shine, thanks to social media.
Context:The World Economic Forum
has lost its relevance. Context:As per the Road accidents in
India — 2020 report, the number of
The decline of the World Economic Forum:
road accidents has been on a decline
. Communications revolution: WEF since 2016 except for a marginal
used to be a special place and a special increase of 0.46 per cent in 2018.
gathering of global influencers and
The Road accidents in India — 2020 report:
policymakers to catalyze dialogue and
disagreement. However, the rise of . The 2020 edition of the report provides
social media has changed that now one information on various facets of road
tweet, from an influential personality accidents in the country during the
calendar year 2020. It has ten sections
and covers information relating to road were enacted to prevent residents from
accidents in the context of road length becoming “forced audiences” for noise.
and vehicular population.
. Prepared by: Transport Research Supreme Court’s judgments – key
Wing (TRW) of the Ministry of Road observations
Transport and Highways (MoRTH).
. Article 21 guarantees freedom from
. Data sourced from Police departments noise pollution. The legal notion that
of States/Union Territories was freedom from noise pollution is a part
collected on a calendar year basis. The of the Right to Life under Article 21 of
data were used in standardised the Constitution was used to regulate
formats as provided by the United the use of loudspeakers and schedules.
Nations Economic and Social
. Nobody from any religion can claim a
Commission for Asia and the Pacific
right to create noise even on his own
(UNESCAP) under the Asia Pacific
premises which would travel beyond
Road Accident Data (APRAD) base
his boundaries and cause a nuisance
project.
to neighbours or others.
The findings of the Road accidents in
. In its ruling on the use of loudspeakers
India — 2020 report:
in religious ceremonies, the Supreme
. Road accident parameters registered a Court quoted a newspaper column that
significant decline in 2020 compared to stated that the goal of any religion is
2019. not to force anyone to listen to its
. Total accidents decreased on an manifestations of faith. As a result, it
average by 18.46%, the number of was persuaded by the rationale that
persons killed decreased by 12.84% loudspeakers are not required to
and the number of injuries decreased spread religious devotion.
by 22.84% over the previous year’s
average.
7. Puja event at ASI-protected Martand
. Fatalities and Injuries: About 3.6 lakh Temple in Kashmir stokes
road accidents have been reported by controversy
States and Union Territories (UTs)
Context :The Lieutenant Governor of
during the calendar year 2020, which
Jammu and Kashmir took part in a
claimed more than 1.31 lakh lives and
religious ceremony held at the ruins of
caused 3.48 lakh injuries.
the 8th century Martand Sun temple,
. Young people faced more accidents: which is safeguarded by the
For the third consecutive year in 2020, Archaeological Survey of India. This
the fatal road accident victims largely temple has been designated as a
constitute young people in the “National Historic Site.”
productive age groups.
. Young adults in the age group of 18 –
Martand Sun Temple
45 years accounted for 69% of victims
in 2020. People in the working-age . The Martand Sun Temple, also known
group of 18 – 60 years share 87.4% of as Pandou Laidan, is five miles from
total road accident fatalities. Anantnag in Jammu and Kashmir’s
Union Territory.
6. SC is loud and clear on noise
pollution . It is a Hindu temple devoted to Surya
(Hinduism’s principal solar deity) that
Context: The Supreme Court decisions
was constructed in the eighth century
governing the use of loudspeakers

CE. Surya is also known as Martand in

Sanskrit.
. Lalitaditya Muktapida, the third
emperor of the Karkota Dynasty,
erected it in the eighth century CE.It
was demolished on the instructions of
Muslim monarch Sikandar Shah Miri,
and is now in ruins.
. It was an excellent instance of Kashmiri
architecture, which had integrated the
Gandharan, Gupta, and Chinese forms
of building, according to the ruins and
related archaeological findings. The
temple is also known as Kartanda on
the list of centrally protected
monuments (Sun Temple).
Lalitaditya
. Lalitaditya alias Muktapida(724 CE–
760 CE) was a powerful ruler of the
Karkota dynasty of the Kashmir region
in the Indian subcontinent. He
commissioned a number of shrines in
Kashmir, including the now-ruined
Martand Sun Temple.
. He also established several towns,
including a new capital at
Parihasapura although he also
maintained the dynasty’s traditional
capital at Srinagara.
. The main source of information about
Lalitaditya is Rajatarangini, a chronicle
of the rulers of Kashmir, by the 12th
century Kashmiri writer Kalhana.
. Lalitaditya also finds a brief mention
in the New Book of Tang (Xin Tang
shu), a record of the Tang dynasty of
China.The 11th-century Persian
chronicler Al-Biruni mentions a
Kashmiri king called Muttai who was
most probably Lalitaditya.

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CSB IAS ACADEMY CURRENT AFFAIRS (MAY 1st to 31st, 2022) Contact us: 9966436875

Indian Polity, Governance ,

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legislation (due to revocation of the the light of rapid urbanization across

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Western Theatre Command, for ensure that people, infrastructure, and

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only. It claims that those who need to Mizoram:

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 The All Assam Students’ Union Positive arguments

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 The administration should carry out indirect discourse to provoke his

Constitution, after years of negotiations  It signed a Framework Agreement with

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 The commission is mandated to a) Maharashtra (2018) to “examine the

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infrastructure, has yet to be established make decisions about academic

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 legislative or executive branch favourable court rulings.” For

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Concerning the Sedition Act: constituted seditious. Speech that has

14. This food regulator needs to step up

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 Under the Indian Penal Code (IPC),  A single certified medical

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Mains point:Medical Termination The major personal laws’ issues:

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The legal status of a place of worship

decided to become a modern nation Mains point:Gyanvapi Mosque dispute

Merits of urbanisation:  Smaller cities lying on the periphery

remissions of punishment or suspend,  The President can grant pardon in all

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order to fabricate trust in the rule of Respite: It denotes awarding a lesser

especially economic agreements, privacy of an individual by the state.

further mutations of the virus, if any,

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especially if the offence committed

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 Instead, it appears that e-learning is livestream its proceedings. Its example

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The benefits of digitisation:

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 These are facilitating provisions, vest  Indira Sawhney judgement (1992): In

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internal security problems on the discovered in Punjab, the recent attack

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strategies that favour political