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Version 1.4 | Revised Edition | JUNE 2022

EDITORIALE-BOOK
JUNE 2022
TABLE OF CONTENTS
S.No Heading Page No :
Social Issue 11
SI.1: Treading on Fire 12

SI.2: Just the Beginning 13
SI.3 Firefight: Editorial on Modi’s Big Statement to Douse Agnipath Fire 14
SI.4 : International Day of Yoga: Healing the Mind and Body, and Building Communities 15
SI.5 : The Story of the Origins of King Tut’s Curse Resonates in the Age of Fake News 17
SI.6 : Murmu’s March 18
SI.7 : Learning Languages on the Border 19
SI.8 : Co-working Manifesto Places the Interest of Workers at the Heart of the Enterprise 20
SI.9: News from Nowhere: Editorial on Fake News Being Turned into a Political Weapon 21
SI.10 : Drum roll: Editorial on the Future of Agniveers 22
SI.11 : Emerging Patterns 23
SI.12 : ADog Library in the US is Well-intentioned. It’s also Superfluous 25
SI.13 : On Reproductive Rights, India’s MTP and Surrogacy Acts don’t go far Enough 26
SI.14 : Safety Net: Editorial on Child Artists, the Unacknowledged Victims of Child Labour 28
SI.15 : The State of the Nation 29
SI.16: Odisha must have Anti-ragging Law 30
SI.17: Delhi Police’s Outreach to Youngsters via Fashion Accessories is a Step Forward. Now for
some Reform…. 31
SI.18: Celeb Drive for Mission Dakshin 32
SI.19: Ensure Flight Safety 33
SI.20: Receding Goals: Editorial on the Eerie Convergence of Covid-19, Global Conflict and Climate Change 34
SI.21: City Lights: Editorial on Unprecedented Urbanisation 36
SI.22: Don’t Crowd the Hills 37
SI.23: UN Projections on Population Underline Opportunities and Challenges, Addressing which will
require Long-term Vision and Imagination 38
SI.24: People & Policies 40
SI.25: Population Milestone 41
SI.26: Learning to Forget 42
EDITORIALE-BOOK
JUNE 2022
SI.27: A New God 44

SI.28: The Uber Files Expose Gaps in Regulatory Structures, Underline Need for Govts to be more
Nimble as they Regulate Big Tech 46
SI.29: Not a Country for Women: India Improves 5 Ranks on Gender Gap Index, but Lies 135th
among 146 Countries 47
SI.30: Fair Share: Editorial on Plight of Working Mothers 48
SI.31: Book of India 49
SI.32: Take Wings, Safely 51
SI.33: Kallakurichi Issue Prods Police Reforms 52
SI.34: Angel in the House: Editorial on Marriage Market's Indifference towards Working Women 53
SI.35: Young Blood: Editorial on Impact of Violence on Kids in Conflict Zones 54
SI.36: Look within: Editorial on India's Strength being its Value and not its Assets 55
SI.37: Not He, not She 56
Political Issue 57
PI.1: The Next President? 58

PI.2: Father, Son, Sena 59
PI.3: New Race: Editorial on the Constitution Envisioning a Neutral Figure as the President 60
PI.4: Droupadi Murmu: Why her Candidature Goes Beyond Politics of Representation and Tokenism 61
PI.5: Glimpses of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s Wedding were Reassuring and Heartwarming 62
PI.6: The Next Jaya? 63
PI.7: Naveen Plays Smart Politics over Murmu 64
PI.8: Bigger Leaf: Editorial on AIADMK's Dual Leadership 65
PI.9: EPS has many Bridges to Cross as New Leader 66
PI.10: In the Lotus Fold 67
PI.11: Oppn Failed to Put up a Symbolic Fight against BJP in Battle for President for which it has Itself to Blame 68
PI.12: New deal: Editorial on Modi’s Glorification of Democracy in India 69
PI.13: It’s What MPs Do 70
PI.14: War over Words: Editorial on 'Unparliamentary' Language Row in Lok Sabha 71
PI.15: President Murmu 72
PI.16: Point Made: Editorial on Droupadi Murmu Becoming the New President of India 73
PI.17: RS Ticket Racket 74
PI.18: Congress Leader’s Use of ‘Rashtrapatni’ is an Opportunity to Talk about the Inequalities
Language Mirrors and Creates 75
PI.19: Unsavoury Logjam 76
EDITORIALE-BOOK
JUNE 2022
Economic Issue 77
EI.1: Clearer Label: Editorial on Centre’s Strict Norms for Celebrity Endorsements 78
EI.2: On the Move: Editorial on Changing Dynamics of Migration in India 80
EI.3: India Buys more Coal from Russia, and Urea from the US — Diversifying Supply Sources is Good Policy 81
EI.4: Mixed Bag: Editorial on what WTO Summit in Geneva Yielded for India 82
EI.5: States must Bring on their Books all Off-budget Borrowings, take Measures to Reduce Debt to more
Manageable Levels 83
EI.6: Indian Infrastructure: The Road Sector Shows the Path 84
EI.7: Fisc can Fix it 86
EI.8: India at WTO Ministerial Meet: From Locking Horns to Joining Hands 87
EI.9: Fighting Inflation: International Trade vs Resilience 89
EI.10: RBI Draws the Line: Fintechs must Innovate Without Resorting to Regulatory Arbitrage 90
EI.11: India Shining at Cannes 91
EI.12: Fine Print: Editorial on the Reduction in Unemployment Rate 92
EI.13: GST Council Meet 93
EI.14: Price Caps Don’t Fit 94
EI.15: Growing Reliance on MGNREGA in Rural Areas, Elevated Youth Unemployment in Urban areas,
are Worrying Signals 95
EI.16: Services Sector Needs PLI-like Support 96
EI.17: Zero Tolerance on Safety: Take Action Against Truant EV-makers & Overhaul the Entire Vehicle Testing System 98
EI.18: New RBI Report Says Asset Quality; Capital Position of Banking System Continues to Improve.
That’s Something to Build On. 99
EI.19: An Inevitable Decision: Duty Hikes on Oil are a Practical Move in the Face of a Tough External
Environment 100
EI.20: Fuel Levies to Bridle Windfall Profits. 101
EI.21: GST’s Future 102
EI.22: Ban on Wheat Shipments, 15 per cent Duty on Gold Imports, Cesses on Fuel Exports —
Decisions Show Short-termism 103
EI.23: Securing Fuel 104
EI.24: Unfair Service Charge Levy by Restaurants must End. Vigilant Administration and Customers
can Ensure Deterrence 105
EI.25: Lingering Notes 106
EI.26: Shoring up Early 107
EI.27: Delayed Payments for Small Firms Stifle Economic Growth 108
EDITORIALE-BOOK
JUNE 2022
EI.28: Unease over Ease of Doing Business: Countries can Build their Own Matrices for Reform and their
Impact Assessment 109
EI.29: Walking a Fine Line 110
EI.30: Inflation is Likely to Remain Elevated, even as Commodity Prices Soften. RBI must Continue to
Prioritise Inflation Management 112
EI.31: An Expedient Move 113
EI.32: Global Rupee 114
EI.33: Need to Rethink MSP: Time has Come to Look at Alternatives like Deficiency Payments & Direct
Income Support 115
EI.34: Uncertainties of Inflow: Bank on NRI Deposits 117
EI.35: Windfall Taxes Must Go: Govt Should Make Fuel Business Attractive Instead of Unnecessarily
Interfering in it 119
EI.36: Nothing much Should be Expected from Panel Constituted by Government. But the Farm Problem
Remains, Needs Addressingc 121
EI.37: Privatising India’s Banks 122
EI.38: Price Pinch: Editorial on the Impact of Inflation 124
EI.39: Surge in ED Raids 125
EI.40: GIFT City: India’s Upcoming Economic and Financial Hub 126
EI.41: Banking on Bancassurance 127
Indian Foreign Policies 129
IFP.1: Brics Summit 130

IFP.2: G7 Meet Framed a West Preparing for a Prolonged Conflict. Global Community Must Find Ways
to Mitigate its Fallout 131
IFP.3: In Shinzo Abe’s Passing, India Has Lost One of its Closest International Allies 132
IFP.4: Just Do it, Joe 133
IFP.5: Costly Silence: Editorial on New Delhi not Rebuking Myanmar's Junta Regime 134
IFP.6: CPEC and 'Third Parties' 135
Science and Technological Advancements 136
STA.1: Dig More, ASI 137

STA.2: Vicious Purity 138
STA.3: Bot’s the Problem 140
STA.4: Webb Telescope’s Images Show Us a Vision of What Once Existed and the Potential of Worlds
that Could Come to be 141
STA.5: A Celestial Peep Back in Time 142
STA.6: Rules With Rights 143
EDITORIALE-BOOK
JUNE 2022
Security Issues of India 144
SEI.1: Flaming Question 145

SEI.2: Fix Drug Approval System: Bribery Charges Need to be Proved, but An Overhaul of Mechanism is Required
Urgently 146
SEI.3: Passenger Safety Paramount on Planes 147
SEI.4: Murder of a DSP 148
SEI.5: Theatre of Reform 149
Sports Issue 150
S.1: Introduction of ‘Open’ Category for Transgender Athletes in Swimming is a Step Forward —
and Backward 151
S.2: Allowing coaches to Give Instructions from Sidelines will Reduce the Charm of Tennis 152
S.3: Splitting Lanes: Editorial on Trans Athletes' Inclusion 153
S.4: Top Shot: Matt Fitzpatrick’s Gutsy Shot at the US Open’s 72nd Hole Made History 154
S.5: Wimbledon will Sorely Miss Star Players – Including and Especially Federer 155
S.6: Rishabhian Rhapsody: Cerebral Cricketer and a Proven Match-winner 156
S.7: Elena Rybakina Chooses How her Identity is Described and Defined. Tennis Tradition Allows Her
the Space to Do That 157
S.8: On a Slippery Slope: Manchester United’s Quandary and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Failed Transfer Overtures 158
S.9: Ben Stokes’s Message: Cricket Calendar Needs a Breather or Brace for the Demise of the All-format
Cricketer 159
S.10: India’s Athletics is Almost on the Right Track; Be Wary of the Doping Issue 160
S.11: The Silver Lining 161
S.12: India at Commonwealth Games: Sports Governance Needs to Change 162
Educational Issue 164
EDI.1: Cut off: Editorial on NCERT’s Smart Snipping in Textbooks 165

EDI.2: Telangana Students Show How a Protest is Done 166
EDI.3: Delhi Idea for Eyes in Classes Busts Privacy 167
EDI.4: IITs, IIMs Must Take Measures to Expand Pool of SC, ST and OBC Candidates for PhD Programmes 168
EDI.5: Solution to the Engineering Sector: Infrastructure, Not Buzzwords 169
EDI.6: Young and Waiting: India’s Public Examination and Recruitment System is Failing its Youth 171
EDI.7: Foreign Medical Graduates 173
Environmental Issue 174
ENV.1: Follow the Clouds 175

EDITORIALE-BOOK
JUNE 2022
ENV.2: Monsoon’s Increasing Unpredictability is Cause for Concern, Poses a Challenge that Policymakers
Must Step Up to 176
ENV.3: Jumbo Problem in Land of Gajapatis 177
ENV.4: Crawling City: Editorial on the Increasing Density of Traffic 178
ENV.5: The Productivity Killer 179
ENV.6: Plastic Surgery 181
ENV.7: Tragic Season: Editorial on Repeated Occurence of Floods in Assam 182
ENV.8: India’s Net Zero strategy: India can be a role model for developing countries 183
ENV.9: Plastic Challenge 185
ENV.10: The Need of the Hour: A Renewables Revolution 186
ENV.11: Difficult Path: Editorial on Recent Ban on Plastic 187
ENV.12: Monsoon has Come in Time. A Wet July and August is What Both Producers and Consumers
of Food in India Need 188
ENV.13: How about Rs 1 trillion for Green Energy? 189
ENV.14: Green Harvest: Towards Climate-smart Farming 191
ENV.15: The Tragic Tree Crash 193
ENV.16: Hammer Blow: Editorial on Environment Protection Laws 194
ENV.17: The Track to Transport Decarbonisation: Imperative to Boost Efficiency of Terminal Operations Through
Innovation 195
ENV.18: Electric Vehicles 197
ENV.19: Why a Ban on Single-use Plastics Won’t Help 198
ENV.20: An Indian Summer: Editorial on Heat Wave in Europe 200
ENV.21: How We can Have Disaster-free Floods 201
ENV.22: Falling Rice Acreage in Eastern India is Symptom of a Larger Problem with Environmental, Equity, Fiscal
Dimensions 203
ENV.23: Southwest Monsoon 205
ENV.24: India New Home for the Cheetah 206
ENV.25: Patchy, Not Scary 207
ENV.26: Centre’s Lion Plan Continues to Ignore Urgent Imperative of Relocating the Animal Out of Gir 208
World Affairs 209
WA.1: Designation failure: On China’s Decision to Block Terror Tag for Lashkar Leader 210
WA.2: Amit Bhandari Writes: China’s Role in Pakistan’s Economic Crisis 211
WA.3: In Sri Lanka, on 21st Amendment, Political Consensus may be Elusive Amid Economic Turmoil 213
WA.4: American Tragedy 214
WA.5: Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy 215
EDITORIALE-BOOK
JUNE 2022
WA.6: Bipartisan Support for Gun Control Legislation is a Historic Moment in US Politics 216
WA.7: Overturning of Roe vs Wade: America Has Taken Another Step Towards Democratic Backsliding 217
WA.8 : BRICS’ Latest Outing Navigated Tightrope on Ukraine. It is Yet to Live Up to its Promise of an
Alternative Economic or Trading Bloc 219
WA.9: Bridge on the Padma 220
WA.10: Upending of Roe v Wade Reverses Progress Made on Women’s Rights in America, and Possibly
Elsewhere 221
WA.11: Roiling Waters 222
WA.12: Defence of Sovereignty Can Never Be Outsourced 223
WA.13: Out of Place: Editorial on United Kingdom’s Political Situation 224
WA.14: War Over Soup: Editorial on UNESCO According The Borscht soup to Ukraine 225
WA.15: New Era: Editorial on Legacy of Japan’s Former PM Shinzo Abe 226
WA.16: Colombo Chaos 227
WA.17: People Power: Editorial on Sri Lanka's Worst Crisis 228
WA.18: British Leader of Opposition had a Great Quip about the Fall of Boris Johnson. But a Lot was
Left Unsaid 229
WA.19: Will Rishi Sunak Break the Glass Ceiling? 230
WA.20: President Wickremesinghe 231
WA.21: Red flag: Editorial on IMF Caution about Sri Lanka-like Crisis for Some Other Countries 232
WA.22: Photoshoot of Ukraine’s President and First Lady Makes ‘Content’ Out of War 233
Indian Judicial Issue 234
IJI.1: Something Rotten in Our Prison System 235

IJI.2: Had it Not Been for Court, Justice Would be Elusive for Gujarat 2002. That’s why its Latest Order,
its Use by Police, is Disturbing 236
IJI.3 Shooting Messengers 238
IJI.4 India Needs a Hate Crime Law 239
IJI.5: Tough for States to Ban Online Games 240
IJI.6: Defects, Defection 241
IJI.7: Rules & Reality 242
IJI.8: Why Supreme Court’s Observations on Nupur Sharma, Delhi Police, Promise a New and Brighter Dawn 243
IJI.9: Time limits: Editorial on Supreme Court's Recent Comments on Bail 245
IJI.10: Bail Legislation 246
IJI.11: Property Disputes 247
IJI.12: Court Appointments 248
EDITORIALE-BOOK
JUNE 2022
Health Care 249
HC.1: No Cause for Alarm: On the Fresh Surge in COVID-19 Cases 250
HC.2: Hooked on De-addiction Pill 251
HC.3: Hunger Pangs: Editorial on the Demon Called Malnutrition 252
HC.4: Quick Vax Calls 253
HC.5: Cancer Has Been a Scourge for Centuries, Advances in Science have Made the Disease Far 254
Less Intractable
HC.6: Approval for Home-grown Cervical Cancer Vaccine Could be a Game-changer 255
HC.7: Covid & Gender 256
HC.8: A Learning Dose 257
HC.9: Tackling Monkeypox 258
HC.10: Expired Pill: Editorial on New Drugs and Cosmetics Bill 259
HC.11: Not enough: Editorial on India's Maternal Mortality Rate 260
POLITICAL
ISSUE
SI.1: Treading on Fire
Editorial Category: SI
Newspaper Source: The Financial Express
Date of Publication: 20-06-22
ABOUT: Agnipath protests show unless good- quality job creation in the private sector is encouraged, reforms
in public-sector recruitment practices won’t find support.
SYNOPSIS: Consider the following job advertisement. ‘A four-year job contract with an opportunity to serve
the country in one of the most honourable occupations. A 1 in 4 chance of getting permanent employment, more
than twice the monthly in-hand starting salary compared to the average wages of workers of similar age, is
guaranteed increment over the next three years. For those who do not receive a permanent contract, a -tax free
lump sum, a preference given for joining similar jobs, near-guaranteed access to bank loans to start a business,
and a high-school qualification certificate without having to pass the examination.’ At first glance, it would seem
too good to be true. This is the Indian armed forces’ Agnipath scheme under which 46,000 youth aged between
17.5 and 23 years are to be inducted into the defense services. Its unveiling, however, has led to protests in many
states. This is a classic example of what economists call ‘initial conditions matter’. Until now, everyone recruited
into the armed forces had a job guarantee to serve in a high -status job until the retirement age if they wished to do
so and were fit to serve along with a lifetime pension and a gratuity after 15 yrs of service. Second, this is a classic
example of another fundamental economic concept—’decision making is more often about relative choices and
not absolute’. What are the likely job alternatives for Indian youth between the ages of 18-23 years if they do not
opt for an army job, or alternatively, what kind of jobs would they get around 22-27 years when they leave the
armed forces after four years of service?
KEY POINTS:
• First, the unemployment rates for young adults have seen a marked jump during the last decade, with more
than doubling of the unemployment rates up until the ages of around27- 28 years (see graphic), the age by
which three-quarters of the army recruits under the Agnipath scheme would see their job contract end.
• Second, the unemployment rate peaks around the age of 23 - 24 years, after which it steadily declines with
less than 5% unemployment around the age of 30 years with virtually no unemployment post 35 years of age
among Indian men.
• Data reveals that by the age of 30, more than four out of five Indian men are married. However, male
employment in the formal sector, characteri sed by a written job contract and social security benefits, saturates
around the ages of 27-28 years.
• A vast majority of army candidates would be aware that their chances of getting a formal sector job when
their four-year army contract expires are very low. Even for those who were in regular-wage employment,
the average salary was around Rs 11,000 per month at age 27 -28 years in 2019-20, compared to the monthly
take-home starting salary of Rs 21,000 under the Agnipath scheme at a much younger age. The loss of
employment after four years would take these men back to a much lower level of monthly income.
SI.2: Just the Beginning
ABOUT: India has done well on infant mortality rate, but there is a long road ahead.
SYNOPSIS: India’s life expectancy at birth (LEB) has doubled since Independence, largely due to efforts on
ensuring access to nutrition, healthcare, and pharmaceutical innovation. But there is no room for complacency as
this is just the beginning of a long road ahead. India’s LEB at 69.7 years as per data from the Sample Registration
Survey for 2015-2019 is still below the global average of 72.6 years. It took a decade to raise it by just two years
at the latest instance. While the gap with developed nations is quite large—LEB in Organisation for Economic
Cooperation and Development (OECD) nations in 2019 stood at 81 years—India is doing poorly against even
Bangladesh (72.59 years). Rema Nagarajan’s analysis in the Times of India shows India must tackle early- years
mortality to push up LEB; states with a high infant mortality rate (IMR) showed the biggest gains in terms of
change in life expectancy at years zero, one, and five.
While India has done admirably on beating down IMR, defined as the number of deaths of children under one
year of age per 1,000 live births, from 47 in 2010 to 28 in 2020 as per National Family Health Survey (NFHS)
data, it still compares unfavourably with not just OECD (4.1) but also Bangladesh (25.6). At the country-level,
India seems to be on track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of 25 or below, but it needs to be seen if
the pandemic and the resultant worsening of vulnerabilities has dented the record, more so as the progress in
lowering IMR slowed in the five years before the pandemic hit.
KEY POINTS:
• India’s IMR showing has benefited a raft of government programmes aimed at strengthening health and
nutrition support for pregnant and lactating women, as well as more effective implementation of programmes
to bolster women and child health outcomes.
• There remain critical barriers in terms of availability of affordable healthcare infrastructure, logistics, and
adequate insurance coverage; these would explain most of the urban-rural and inter-state variations in IMR
performance.
• A 2020 study, published in BMJ, showed using NFHS Round IV data that life expectancy of vulnerable
groups such as SCs and STs tended to be relatively lower.
• Against a requirement of 202 community health centres in tribal areas in Madhya Pradesh, there were less
than half, and just five ob-gyns against the required 96.
• Anaemia among Indian women continues to be an outsized factor too. Per NFHS data, more than half the
women in the 15-49 age group suffer from this and thus their pregnancies carry serious complications for
their children, at birth and later.
SI.3 Firefight: Editorial on Modi’s Big Statement to Douse Agnipath Fire
ditorial Category: SI
Newspaper Source: The Telegraph Online
ABOUT: The absence of planning and cohesion are integral to PM's policy regime.
SYNOPSIS: The unprecedented public protests against the Centre’s Agnipath scheme — a Bharat bandh was
observed — have forced the Narendra Modi government to blow hot and cold on the matter. The oracle — Prime
Minister Narendra Modi — has, characteristically, spoken euphemistically, remarking that some measures that
would eventually help in nation - building may appear unpalatable initially. His government and the military
establishment have, meanwhile, talked tough, ruling out a roll-back of the scheme and warning that protesters —
the nation’s youth — may be barred from recruitment. There have been insensitive remarks: a Union minister
apparently said that Agniveers would be trained for such menial roles as washerman and drivers. Earlier, unnerved
by the backlash, the government had announced a number of concessions. The regime has since stoutly denied
that the relief was an afterthought: they, apparently, were pre-planned.
Over the years, India’s international reputation has rested on its claim of being a stable, peaceful democracy. That
legacy now lies in tatters: India, under Mr Modi, burns quite often. These fires do not augur well for the nation’s
social or economic well-being.
KEY POINTS:
• If the protest against military reforms coalesces into a larger mobilization that threatens the Bharatiya Janata
Party in political terms, Agnipath may well go the farm-laws’ way.
• Joining hands with constituencies ignored by the reach of welfare — farmers, labour and so on — could
prove to be a watershed moment. After all, economic distress and unemployment— Mr Modi’s Achilles’
heel — are unlikely to disappear. Such civic rumblings cannot be ruled out in the future.
• This is because of this government’s propensity for unilateralism in policy-making. It does not believe in
wider consultations with stakeholders, including the people and the Opposition. This may be a pitfall of its
brutal electoral mandate: but the BJP should be careful of taking the goodwill for granted.
SI.4 : International Day of Yoga: Healing the Mind and Body, and Building
Communities
Newspaper Source: The Indian Express
ABOUT: Sarbananda Sonowal writes: Yoga can turn us into karma yogis, and help create harmonious
communities where every member performs their duty.
SYNOPSIS: The post-Covid world faces several dilemmas. The rising tide of parochialism threatens to engulf
humanity while depression, anxiety and innumerable physical and mental diseases have affected the well-being
of people around the world. The World Health Organisation estimates that nearly 280 million people are suffering
from depression. In such a restive milieu, yoga can bring us together, help us to learn from each other’s
experiences and address our shortcomings. Researchers around the world agree that yoga therapies play a key role
in improving the quality of life by significantly reducing symptoms linked to depression, boostin g immunity,
improving cardiovascular functioning, and enhancing sleep patterns. Today, a peaceful self and a harmonious
world appear to be difficult goals. However, by making conscious efforts toward self -improvement, we can
contribute towards the collective good. Using yoga as a tool for self-improvement would be a step towards a
calmer, more compassionate world.
KEY POINTS:
• In 2020, when the world was in the grip of the pandemic, researchers from the Harvard Medical School published an
article, “Coping with coronavirus anxiety”. It highlighted how yoga and meditation can help one stay calm in an
increasingly tense environment. Yoga helps in elevating the levels of a chemical called gamma -aminobutyric acid
(GABA) which is associated with better mood and decreased anxiety.
• Ancient texts also elucidate the importance of yoga. In the second chapter of the Bhagwat Gita, Lord Krishna asks
Arjuna to perform his duties without flinching as if he was in a state of yoga. Krishna seems to see yoga as a state of
mindfulness under all circumstances. Yoga fundamentally means letting the virtues of godliness and spirituality
permeate one’s mind — it’s about self-realisation and the ability to merge one’s mind with the soul.
• Buddhist Dhamma also talks about qualities such as patience, self -control, tolerance, and understanding— these,
according to Dhamma, are qualities that make virtuous rulers. Yoga can help people constantly improve themselves.
• India has already taken the first step in sowing the seeds for a peaceful community. The recently inaugurated Global
Centre for Traditional Medicine (GCTM) in Jamnagar, Gujarat, is a collaboration between the World Health
Organisation (WHO) and the Government of India. It seeks to deepen research in the field of traditional medicin es and
practices, including yoga.
• A Yoga Certification Board (YCB) has been established with the objectives of bringing synergy, quality, and uniformity
in the knowledge and skills of yoga professionals across the world. This dovetails with the vision andmission of the
Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, under the Ministry of Ayush: ”Health, harmony and happiness for all through
yoga”.
• Through the celebration of the International Day of Yoga 2022, the Ministry of Ayush aims to make the traditional
practice of yoga go global. Such initiatives promote the sacredness of yoga cutting across the barriers of race, caste,
religion, gender, and class. The promotion of yoga is also aligned with Sustainable Development Goal number 3 of
ensuring healthy lives.
SI.5 : The Story of the Origins of King Tut’s Curse R esonates in the Age of Fake
News
ABOUT: This development is a fitting twist to a tale that has engaged the attention of cranks for a century,
showing, once again, the human propensity for seeing a pattern in random events.
SYNOPSIS: It turns out that one of the world’s most infamous curses grew from a case of professional rivalry.
Pharaoh Tutankhamun’s curse, which was believed to have killed some of those involved in the archaeological
dig that unearthed his tomb in 1922, emerged from the petulance of Egyptologist-turned-reporter at the Daily
Mail, Arthur Weigall who, a recent documentary reveals, was upset about the scoop on the expedition going to
The Times and so created the myth that launched an entire genre of pulp fiction.
This development is a fitting twist to a tale that has engaged the attention of cranks for a century, showing, once
again, the human propensity for seeing a pattern in random events. Having been denied access to direct
information, Weigall is believed to have made up his own story, inspired by the writings that were usually found
on the walls of Egyptian tombs and were meant to warn grave robbers of fatal consequences should they trespass.
This was just the fuel that the engine of public imagination needed for the construction of a fearsome legend that
linked together a handful of deaths, including that of the canary belonging to lead archaeologist Howard Carter.
KEY POINTS:
• Fake news, of course, existed long before it became weaponised politically in modern democracies, to be
lobbed across the vast space of the world wide web at one’s ideological opponent, from 1835 news reports
about the discovery of life on the moon to the “greatly exaggerated” report about Mark Twain dying of
poverty in London.
• The story of Weigall and The Curse That Never Was is simply the latest revelation about one of the oldest,
and least edifying, tricks of the trade: Do a journalist out of a story, and they might just make up a spicier
version.
SI.6 : Murmu’s March
Newspaper Source: The Tribune
ABOUT: Nomination of tribal leader as prez candidate a watershed
SYNOPSIS: The nomination of Droupadi Murmu as the ruling NDA’s presidential candidate is a path breaking
-
moment in the history of post-Independence India. That this decision comes amid the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav
celebrations to mark 75 years of the nation’s independence makes it all the more special. If she wins the July 18
poll, Murmu will become the first person from the tribal (Adivasi) community, the first native of Odisha and the
second woman ever (after Pratibha Patil) to occupy the top post. The confidence reposed in her by th e BJP-led
NDA was summed up by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tweet: ‘Millions of people, especially those who have
experienced poverty and faced hardships, derive great strength from the life of Droupadi Murmu.’ She is set to
follow in the footsteps of KR Narayanan and Ram Nath Kovind, who both rose from the poor, marginalised and
downtrodden stratum of society to become the President.
KEY POINTS:
• Though India has more than 700 Scheduled Tribes that account for over 8 per cent of the total population,
the tribal people have remained hardly a footnote in the country’s growth story. The implementation of laws
such as the SC & ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest
Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act has left a lot to be desired.
• Murmu has donned several hats over the decades — government employee, schoolteacher, councillor, MLA,
minister, Governor. One tragedy after another —the loss of her husband and two sons —has failed to impede
her gritty journey.
• Murmu has donned several hats over the decades — government employee, schoolteacher, councillor, MLA,
minister, Governor. One tragedy after another —the loss of her husband and two sons —has failed to impede
her gritty journey.
SI.7 : Learning Languages on the Border
ABOUT: Himveers are not merely border patrollers up in the Himalayas. They are India’s soldier-
communicators.
SYNOPSIS: Himveers are not merely border patrollers up in the Himalayas. They are India’s soldier-
communicators. Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel, called Himveers, patrol the Line of Actual Control
between India and China. They are now being trained in Mandarin to communicate better with the People’s
Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers during patrols. Six thousand Himveers have completed the training to date.
Eventually, the entire force, nearly 90,000 strong, will understand basic Mandarin. The government approved the
plan to avoid tensions arising from a lack of proper communication between the border patrols. The border is
anyway not fully demarcated, and trespassing is routine. If not handled sensitively, it can lead to
misunderstandings. Hundreds of transgressions take place every year. Border stand-offs, first in Doklam and now
in Ladakh, exacerbate the situation.
Patrolling parties do have formal communication fora, like flag meetings, but unexpected events can test the
maturity of the soldiers in the field. Miscommunication can spoil the atmosphere. Today, modern communication
technologies are transforming the character of military activities, from war to border patrol. The transformation
is impacting the shape of formal and non - formal violence even as it makes the job of tactical assessments in
inaccessible border areas easier. However, it all sometimes boils down to what one soldier says to the other as
both face each other, intent on defending their border at all costs. The entire system, technology, tactics, or the
fate of countries can depend on how soldiers conduct themselves when they stand barely yards apart at an
unmarked border.
KEY POINTS:
• A soldier cannot always expect to take an interpreter along. The soldier should know the ‘enemy’ language
for elementary conversations. The India-Pakistan border is easier to negotiate because of a commonly
understood language, but it is not so in the east.
• The personnel deployed there must not only know Chinese, but also be trained in soft skills like on-the-spot
negotiation and contact procedures, and be aware of the culture of the other side.
• The concept should be taken to the Northeastern states bordering other countries where the soldiers and
paramilitary forces benefit from knowing a smattering of the local language. Language humanises.
SI.8 : Co-working Manifesto Places the Interest of Workers at the Heart of the
Enterprise
ABOUT: In unshackling workers fromtheir many roles — primary caregiver, family breadwinner or young
entrepreneur-in-need-of-a-breakthrough — it provides them with a space they are in control of.
SYNOPSIS: The West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO) has introduced
Happy Works, a co-working space in Kolkata’s growing commercial hub, New Town. The co -working manifesto
is built on the premise of sustainability. It places the interest of the worker at the heart of the enterprise —an idea
increasingly lost on corporations chasing profits. In unshackling workers from their many roles — primary
caregiver, family breadwinner or young entrepreneur-in-need-of-a-breakthrough — it provides them with a space
they are in control of. In much the same way as a city allows people a chance to reimagine their identities without
the cloying intimacy of familiar spaces, these co-working spaces let users choose their degrees of interaction with
other occupants while working at their own pace. The result can be greater productivity, unlikely collaborations
and a spontaneous sense of community. Democratising these spaces through affordable pricing is, therefore, a
pragmatic step towards a happy, healthy and more inclusive workforce.
KEY POINTS:
• At affordable rates of Rs 30 for 90 minutes and Rs 20 for each additional hour thereafter, these seven-days-
a-week 9am-to-8pm work-pod clusters are witnessing a surge in the number of working mothers, young
entrepreneurs and freelance workers looking to nurture a professional space distinct from the blurriness of
working from home, steep - on-the-pocket office rentals or the HR-controlled regimes of traditional
workspaces.
• While co-working spaces in urban metropolises are no novelty, these are mostly private sector initiatives
looking to break the ennui of standard office experiences. They often come at a restrictive cost, limiting the
experience to those who can afford it rather than those who may be in need of it.
• HIDCO’s venture indicates both a welcome change in the state government’s attitude to commerce and an
acknowledgement that, in the post-Covid era, the future of work includes flexibility, especially when the
workers are juggling many roles.
SI.9: News from Nowhere: Editorial on Fake News Being Turned into a Political
Weapon
ABOUT: False news mobilises more people at one go than, say, the Nazis could
SYNOPSIS: With a dash of exoticism and the thrill of the unknown, as in the case of curses articulated in
hieroglyphics on the walls of pharaohs’ tombs, the possibilities of fake news — and fantasy — are mind-boggling.
The popular tendency to seize upon coincidences as revealing a hidden design is useful to the maker of fake news,
who can nudge people into seeing unthought-of connections. Equally powerful is the desire to find echoes of
fantasies, fears and superstitions; it is what the media have always pounced on to increase their sales and beat
their rivals. One newspaper established itself in 1835 by describing an alien civilization on the moon. While the
media have aided fake news through ‘yellow journalism’ and propaganda, the rationale of all propaganda based
on fake news could not, and cannot, be located in the media. Fake stories against specific population groups,
whether in Civil Wartorn America or Nazi Germany, originated in political intent, turning on ideology and hatred
— of creed or colour, for instance.
The curse of Tutankhamun has now taken on truly sinister lineaments. Fak e news tells no tale, it targets the future.
The world wide web can not only spread fake news at lightning speed but technology also allows distortions of
visual and auditory material on video clips that can inflame cities and regions by provoking prejudice and violence.
It mobilises more people at one go than, say, the Nazis could. Weigall may now look like a babe in the wood.
KEY POINTS:
• According to a recently released documentary, this possibility was seized upon by an Egyptologist who
became a journalist, Arthur Weigall, when he and the paper he worked for were shut out of the developments
during the opening of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1923.
• The moral is not flattering to mediapersons, suggesting that depriving a journalist of a story may result in a
tricked-out version, but the still unforgotten story of the curse of Tutankhamun is much smarter and far more
appealing to be dismissed as just a moral lesson.
• Weigall, if responsible even partially for linking together the deaths of Lord Carnarvon, the financier of the
project, the archaeologist, Howard Carter, his pet canary, and a few others directly or indirectly associated
with the event by an undying curse, must have been quite the storyteller, because the deaths occurred months
and years apart.
SI.10 : Drum roll: Editorial on the Future of Agniveers
ABOUT: Leading lights of Indian industry are of the opinion that the Agniveers who fail to make the final cut
after a stipulated service period would be absorbed by companies.
SYNOPSIS: Cheerleaders may croon even when there is not much to cheer about. Consider the case of the
trumpeting of the controversial Agnipath scheme by several leading lights of Indian industry. They are of the
opinion that the Agniveers who fail to make the final cut after a stipulated service period — one of the bones of
contention with the ‘reform’ programme — would be absorbed by companies. Tellingly, this orchestrated chorus
has fallen on deaf ears. Since the unveiling of the initiative, several decorated former servicemen have repeatedly
expressed apprehension regarding such pledges. The statistics are far from inspiring: perhaps that necessitated the
pat from industry captains. The critics of Agnipath are evidently aware of the real, worrying picture.
The endorsement from the industrialists may have come as music to the government’s ears. But the tutored melody
is the hallmark of a deeper malaise: the unwillingness of stakeholders of the nation’s progress — be they the
media, businesses or others— to retain a degree of autonomy in thought and voice. In spite of several policy
blunders by the Narendra Modi government — Agnipath, it is feared, would be another in that sorry bouquet —
it has not been taken to task adequately. On the contrary, there has been a discernible attempt to demonise political
opponents, critics and dissenters. This has had a fatal consequence: it has weakened the checks and balances on
the regime, trapping it in its own echo chamber of praise. Staying on the right side of a government, as opposed
to the nation, could beget worrying consequences for public welfare.
KEY POINTS:
• According to the Directorate General Resettlement, even though 10 per cent of Group C posts and 20 per
cent of Group D posts are reserved for former servicemen in Central government departments, they
constituted just 1.29 per cent of the total staff in Group C and a minuscule 2.66 per cent in Group D.
• Representation in the Central paramilitary forces — a 10 per cent reservation notwithstanding — is equally
scarce. As of June 30, 2019, among the Central armed police forces, ex- servicemen accounted for 0.47 per
cent in Group C, 0.87 per cent in Group B, and 2.20 per cent in Group A..
SI.11 : Emerging Patterns
ABOUT: The changing media landscape across the world.
SYNOPSIS: Working in the media has not been easy for many journalists around the world in recent years.
There are many reasons for this — from political polarisation to online trolling, from some media outlets
normalising hate speech to authoritarian leaders expecting complete pliancy. The media landscape has, thus,
changed globally. Journalists who try to do their jobs — reporting facts and analysing issues critically — face the
brunt for doing their work in an ethical manner. The recent arrest of the -co founder of Alt News, Mohammed
Zubair, in India for a tweet from 2018, critics of the Narendra Modi government allege, is yet another instance of
authoritarianism and of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s policy of silencing those who stand up to power.
There is no doubt that the global pandemic has also changed the trends of news consumption. Most of us remember
that even though we had to consume news related to Covid all the time, a lot of us realised that the stories that
people were reading the most at that time were related to entertainment or other ‘lighter’ topics.Digital media has
also made it easy for audiences to consume news, especially for the younger audience that wants more visual
content than just text-heavy stuff. It is important for the media to understand what the audience is saying so as to
package the news in ways that will be more appealing to the audience. We also have to navigate how to cover
news credibly and ethically. That said, the challenges for journalists —whether print, TV or digital — remain the
same in a world increasingly shifting to regressive politics.
KEY POINTS:
• The recent arrest of the co-founder of Alt News, Mohammed Zubair, in India for a tweet from 2018, critics of the
Narendra Modi government allege, is yet another instance of authoritarianism and of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s policy
of silencing those who stand up to power.
• In India, Twitter has withheld several handles of journalists, including that of Rana Ayyub, due to objections raised by
the Indian government and local laws.
• Digital News Report 2022 by Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism ha s some very interesting insights when it
comes to new media: trust in news has fallen in almost half the countries in the 46 markets it surveyed and risen in just
seven. It says that interest in news has fallen sharply across markets, from 63 per cent in 2017 to 51 per cent in 2022.
• Trends have changed across all markets, with less than a quarter (23 per cent) of respondents preferring to start their
news journeys with a website or app, down nine points since 2018. Reuters Institute says that “those aged 18 -24 have
an even weaker connection with websites and apps, preferring to access news via side -door routes such as social media,
search, and mobile aggregators”.
• While Facebook remains the most-used social media platform, “the youngest generation has switched much of its
attention to more visual networks over the last three years”, which seems to be why TikTok has become the fastest
growing network in this year’s survey, reaching 40 per cent of 18 -24 year-olds, with 15 per cent using the platform for
news.
• On the question of why younger audiences avoid news, the report says that younger audiences (under 35) say news has
a negative effect on their mood.
SI.12 : A Dog Library in the US is Well -intentioned. It’s also Superfluous
ABOUT: The “library” does not, of course, feature books: Puppy pals, while amazing at reading moods and
expressions, have not yet graduated to the written word.
SYNOPSIS: The global pet care and pampering industry is valued at about $220 billion. Much of that money is
spent on dogs and cats who, to put it bluntly, couldn’t care less. Unlike their human counterparts, dog and cat
babies (as their keepers are fond of calling them), are untainted by the desire for either brands or possessions –
their love, easily available as it is, cannot be bought. So, the viral video of a “dog library” from Tennessee in the
US, while well-meaning, useful and fodder for amazingly addictive feel-good content featuring puppies, is more
for the owners and viewers than the dogs themselves.
How many times has an owner bought her pooch a fancy sweater only to have him tear it off and keep warm via
a smelly blanket? How many expensive “chewy toys” have been discarded in favour of your favourite pair of
shoes? The one thing puppies need is affection, which cannot be bought or borrowed.
KEY POINTS:
• The “library” does not, of course, feature books: Puppy pals, while amazing at reading moods and
expressions, have not yet graduated to the written word. Instead, it contains balls, sticks and assorted toys
that visitors are free to use, and even take home, as long as they replace the item — “take one, leave one”.
• The initiative may nevertheless be welcomed in its neighbourhood. After all, both people and their canines
are social animals and this library will not demand silence and quiet contemplation over intimidating tomes.
But the toys themselves are pointless — a bit of a marketing gimmick by the creative minds employed by a
$220-billion industry.
SI.13 : On Reproductive Rights, India’s MTP and Surrogacy Acts don’t go far
Enough
ABOUT: Angellica Aribam writes: A person’s right to choose to end the pregnancy in the first few weeks is still
not recognised in India. After overturning of Roe v Wade, measuring ourselves on a yardstick of regression
shouldn’t become our way of governance.
SYNOPSIS: According to the Act, a pregnancy can be terminated on the following conditions: Grave danger to the
physical/mental health of the pregnant woman; foetal abnormalities; rape/coercion; and contraceptive failure. A
woman’s right to choose to end the pregnancy even in the first few weeks is still not recognised in India. In fact, the
final decision falls not on the pregnant person, but on registered medical practitioners (RMP). Depending on the
gestational period, one/two RMPs or a medical board decide “in good faith” that the pregnancy can be terminated. The
constitution of a medical board, a requirement by the Act, is considered a barrier by the World Health Organisation. It
stands no reason that a medical board, insulated from any impact of pregnancy, should be able to veto a person’s right
to access abortion. Other significant issues are the lack of access to RMPs, affordability, and social stigma leading to
unsafe abortions. Herein, it is important to look through an intersectional lens, and factor in class and caste privilege.
Abortion facilities in private medical centres are expensive, available only for those who have the resources. Not all
public health centres, especially in rural India, provide abortion facilities. Most unmarried women end up resorting to
unsafe abortions in illegal clinics or at home.
Abortions in India are a complex topic. The skewed sex ratio is proof that unsafe abortions and female foeticide are
rampant. There are still gaps that need fixing in both the MTP Act 2021 and the Surrogacy Act. The situation in India
is far from perfect and we should take this moment to reflect and learn from progressive practices around the world.
We should strive for inclusivity, complete bodily autonomy, and reproductive equity. Measuring ourselves on a
yardstick of regression shouldn’t become our way of governance. The West is not just one country, after all.
KEY POINTS:
• First, the legal standpoint: The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Act 2021 is far from ideal and has
been criticised for not taking a rights-based approach. It doesn’t give the pregnant person complete autonomy in ending
the pregnancy, instead making them go through various systemic barriers. Additionally, it uses the word “woman”,
thereby leaving out pregnant transgender and non- binary persons who are biologically capable of bearing children. It
forces them to identify themselves in the gender-binary ignoring their gender identity.
• According to the latest National Family Health Survey 2019-2021, 27 percent of the abortions were carr ied out by the
woman herself at home. According to United Nations’ Population Fund’s (UNFPA) State of the World Population
Report 2022, around 8 women die each day in India due to unsafe abortions. It also found that between 2007 -2011, 67
percent of the abortions were classified as unsafe.
• The Surrogacy (Regulation) Act 2021, while well-intentioned, leaves much to be desired. The plethora of regulations
one must undergo is antithetical to a dignified standard of living. Experts have pointed out that the Act is exclusionary
in nature, disregards privacy, and also exploits women’s reproductive labour.
• Only a heterosexual married couple (with certain preconditions) can be the intending parents. It strips the reproductive
autonomy of LGBTQ+ persons and single, divorced, and widowed intending parents. It can be seen as a violation to
the fundamental right to equality.
SI.14 : Safety Net: Editorial on Child Artists, the Unacknowledged Victims of
Child Labour
ABOUT: Children working in the entertainment industry were kept out of the purview of Child and Adolescent
Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act.
SYNOPSIS: Child artists, it can be argued, are often the unacknowledged victims of child labour. India may
have been proactive in its efforts to curtail the exploitation of children but these attempts have been marked by
inconsistencies. The draft guidelines published recently by the National Commission for Protection of Child
Rights, which aims to regulate the rights of children in tinsel town, therefore come as a necessary intervention.
India’s child labour burden is formidable. Poverty and hunger are the principal causes of Child employment;
parents, too, are culpable of monetising young ‘talent’. The consequences are an infringement of child rights and
consent: most children have little or no say over their labour. Even though the law mandates that a child in the
entertainment industry shall not work for more than five hours a day, this is rarely the case. Sexual exploitation,
trafficking, and bonded labour are the other risks that the children face quite often. The regulatory draft aims at
addressing several of these concerns. Adherence to specified working hours, mandatory registration of child artists
with a district magistrate, provision of private tutors to compensate for hours lost at school, and penal provisions
for violators are some of its salutary features.
All in all, the legal protection seems watertight. What would now be required is for the relevant stakeholders—
regulators, recruiters, parents— to do their bit to ensure strict enforcement of the stipulated rules. The real
challenge, though, would be the alleviation of poverty. Only an equitable polity is adequate insurance against the
exploitation of children, their entitlements and their labour.
KEY POINTS:
• The Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act that debars those under theage of 14
from all occupations. Yet, children working in the entertainment industry were kept out of its purview.
• The 2011 census put the figure of Child labour at 10 million, of which around 12,000 were estimated to be
working in the entertainment industry where, according to some calculations, 25 per cent are child actors.
• Around 20 per cent of the child’s income would be deposited in a nationalised bank and the corpus credited
to the child upon attaining maturity. Importantly, the scope of the latest draft has been expanded to include
social media and OTT platforms for the first time.
SI.15 : The State of the Nation
ABOUT: Poisoning of political discourse has brought us here.
SYNOPSIS: India’s political discourse has been sinking imaginably low over the last few years, moving away
from the unifying narrative of the founding fathers of the country to abject levels of distrust, hatred and bigotry.
Religious leaders have been fanning hatred by espousing separatist ideologies. The country has witnessed
lynching of people by cow vigilantes, and innocent teachers, bankers or labourers have been killed by Islamist
separatists in Kashmir. Suppressed classes have been victims of atrocities and violence. Political leaders, including
ministers in the government, have made comments targeting individuals on the basis of their religion, caste or
ethnicity. All this has caused friction and distrust among various social and religious groups. In this charg ed
climate, it’s curious that the Supreme Court should pin the blame for ‘what is happening in the country’ on one
individual, former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma.
Our religious and political leaders have sown the seeds of hatred, and the country is reaping the crop of enmity.
Mixing religion and politics is dangerous but sadly, it’s politically useful as well. Though she has since apologised,
Nupur Sharma cannot escape censure for speaking about a religious figure in a derogatory manner during a heated
political debate. Blaming one individual for religious tensions across the country, however, is to ignore the role
of politicians and religious leaders in adding fuel to separatist fires over the years. Finally, words cannot and must
not be met with violence or threats — this is the first principle of harmonious coexistence.
KEY POINTS:
• Hearing a petition filed by Nupur Sharma to club multiple FIRs registered against her across the country, a
Supreme Court Bench observed: ‘The way she has ignited emotions across the country... This lady is
singlehandedly responsible for what is happening in the country.’
• Referring to the remarks she had made regarding Prophet Muhammad during a TV debate, the court noted:
‘What is her business to make these remarks?’ The court also observed that she should have apologised to
the nation on TV, adding: ‘She was too late to withdraw.’
• More relevantly, the court pulled up the TV channel for organising a debate on a contentious ‘sub judice
topic’ for the possible motive of ‘fanning an agenda’.
SI.16: Odisha must have Anti-ragging Law
Newspaper Source: The New Indian Express
ABOUT: Last week, a 19-year-old bachelor’s degree student in Bhubaneswar died by suicide, leaving behind
a purported note pointing to harassment at the hands of seniors.
SYNOPSIS: Last week, a 19-year-old bachelor’s degree student in Bhubaneswar died by suicide, leaving behind
a purported note pointing to harassment at the hands of seniors. It hassince snowballed into a controversy that
has now found its echo in the ongoing Assembly session, where the Opposition has sought a CBI inquiry. In April,
a medical student in Balangir district of the State had allegedly jumped to his death, days after informing his
parents about ragging. Three months hence, not much headway has been made in the case. The state accounts for
approximately 2.7% of the country’s higher educational institutions. Its share in the ragging case pool is about
7.5%. Ragging, like a tendency to aimless violence spread through our youth demographic, seems to be keeping
pace with other social pathologies in India.
Ragging has prevailed like a ghost with none able to exorcise it, despite the arrival of online complaint, monitoring
and compliance systems. From the All India Technical Education Council to the UGC, over nine regulatory bodies
are supposed to keep an overall watch on the phenomenon. Let alone prevention, the numbers have not abated --
that’s not counting the unreported incidents. And now, the problem of online ragging adds to the challenge.
KEY POINTS:
• Between 2009 and 2022, the country reported over 7,840 cases across its anti-ragging call centres. According
to data presented in the Lok Sabha late last year, the 2018–2021 years alone recorded 2,970 cases.
• Odisha, unfortunately, ranks after UP, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh in terms of incidence of ragging.
Dedicated committees and squads at the institutional level have brought no relief. About a dozen Indian
states have specific laws to curb ragging while Odisha pins all the onus on UGC regulations.
SI.17: Delhi Police’s Outreach to Youngsters via Fashion Accessories is a Step
Forward. Now for some Reform….
ABOUT: Whether cops have matched or missed the pulse of today’s youth, will be revealed by the sales
figures, but the attempt to reach out is laudable.
SYNOPSIS: The long arm of the law will now come accessorised with a designer tote. Delhi Police has launched
a line of apparel, handbags, backpacks, duffel bags, purses, wallets, belts, caps, cufflinks,key chains and other
accessories that it hopes will appeal to the aam janta. Drawing on the police uniform for its khaki-with-red-and-
blue-accents colour palette, the line has been created “after deep research, keeping in mind the global trends,
duties and responsibilities of police, and public expectations,” says designer Ritu Beri who has collaborated on
the project. The purpose of the project, according to a police spokesperson: “A branded range of merchandise
forms a strong connection with its consumers, evoking admiration and aspiration amongst youngsters.” Whethe r
cops have matched or missed the pulse of today’s youth will be revealed by the sales figures, but the attempt to
reach out is laudable.
Yet, even as it woos the young people of Delhi, the Capital’s cops would do well to remember, as would police
forces everywhere, that such moves are no replacement for reform. Compassion, accessibility, fairness and
empathy would be far more effective for forming a connection with the public than the trendiest tote bag.
KEY POINTS:
• For far too long, the khaki uniform has formed a seemingly impassable barrier between the one who wears
it and the rest. It has survived as an instrument of state, run in the name of the British crown earlier, and the
Indian people now — inspiring, many would argue, the same fear.
• Police departments elsewhere in India too have identified this persisting fear and distance as a gulf that needs
to be bridged. They have sought to do so in different ways —from Mumbai Police’s witty tweets on matters
of public interest to Kerala Police’s dance videos that tried to spread awareness about hand washing and
social distancing during the public health emergency.
SI.18: Celeb Drive for Mission Dakshin
ABOUT: In South India, we like our celebrities. They are revered, worshipped in temples, and made chief
ministers too.
SYNOPSIS: In South India, we like our celebrities. They are revered, worshipped in temples, and made chief
ministers too. And the BJP perhaps underlined this characteristic while choosing the celebrities for nomination as
members of Rajya Sabha. Each of the four nominees is a living legend. In any case, BJP is seriously engaged in
expanding its presence in South India. It is at present largely confined to Karnataka and Puducherry where it is
part of a coalition government. It is a coincidence that the recent national executive of the BJP held in Hyderabad
discussed this issue as part of its ‘Mission Dakshin’ (Mission South). The party’s pan-India presence is just short
of a foothold in the South. The nominations may be the ideal launch pad for the BJP’s multi-fold outreach,
especially in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka which face assembly elections before 2024.
KEY POINTS:
• Ilaiyaraaja from Tamil Nadu is a virtuoso music composer.

• Kerala’s Payyoli Express, PT Usha, is the queen of the Indian track.
• Karnataka’s Veerendra Heggade is a renowned philanthropist and Dharmasthala administrator.
• Telangana’s KV Vijayendra Prasad is a leading story writer. He gained iconic status for Bahubali and the
historical blockbuster, RRR, both directed by his son, Rajamouli. Born in Andhra Pradesh and living in
Hyderabad, Prasad belongs to both states.
• The nominations send two messages to the South. First, genuine legends will represent their respective states
in the upper house of Parliament.
• Two, the stature of the nominees tends to dismiss any notion that the choices were merely political. Three,
any credit for the nominations goes to the BJP.
• Lastly, that the BJP neglects no social class anywhere in the country. If that serves the party’s political
purpose, so be it
SI.19: Ensure Flight Safety
ABOUT: Aviation regulator should keep airlines on their toes.
SYNOPSIS: The show-cause notice issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to SpiceJet
after its planes were involved in eight incidents of technical malfunction in 18 days is a stern wa rning not only to
the erring airline but also to the country’s entire aviation industry to get its act together. The regulator has made
it clear that any compromise on the safety of the crew and passengers will not be tolerated, while Civil Aviation
Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has stated that ‘even the smallest error hindering safety will be thoroughly
investigated and course-corrected. India’s aviation sector is desperate to recover from the upheaval caused by the
Covid-19 pandemic.
KEY POINTS:
• SpiceJet’s case is not an isolated one. Both IndiGo and Vistara reported instances of technical malfunction
earlier this week. An engine of a Vistara aircraft on its way from Bangkok failed after it landed at the Delhi
airport, while the cabin crew of an IndiGo Raipur-Indore flight spotted smoke in the plane when it arrived at
its destination.
• The airline operators had suffered an estimated loss of Rs 19,564 crore in 2020 -21 due to major disruptions,
particularly the two-month-long nationwide lockdown. After the end of the second Covid wave, domestic
air traffic reached 86 per cent of the pre-pandemic level in December 2021.
• However, the third wave and the high prices of aviation turbine fuel — which accounts for one-third of the
operating cost — have impeded recovery. Amid such headwinds, safety concerns have worsened the
situation.
SI.20: Receding Goals: Editorial on the Eerie Convergence of Covid-19, Global
Conflict and Climate Change
ABOUT: The three Cs together have jeopardised as many as 17 sustainable development goals that are essential
for a resilient and equal society
SYNOPSIS: The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2022 released this week revealed that the eerie convergence
of Covid-19, global conflict and climate change could push an additional 75 to 95 million people — compared to pre-
pandemic projections — into extreme poverty this year. The three Cs together have jeopardised as many as 17 SDGs
that are essential for a resilient and equal society. The disproportionate focus on the pandemic disrupted essential health
services, resulting in a drop in immunisation coverage for the first time in a decade and a rise in deaths from tuberculosis
and malaria. Prolonged school closures put 24 million learners, from pre-primary to university levels, at risk of dropping
out. But the most potent of the crises is, undoubtedly, climate change. Increased heatwaves, droughts, wildfires and
floods are already affecting billions around the globe and causing potentially irreversible damage to the planet’s
ecosystems.
The severity and the magnitude of the challenges require sweeping changes. The crises are interlinked; so, hearteningly,
are the resolutions. For instance, strengthening social protection systems, improving public services, and investing in
clean energy can address the root causes of increasing inequality and environmental degradation. The first order of
business would be to end armed conflicts and embark on a path of diplomacy — a precondition for sustainable
development. More important, a comprehensive transformation of the international financial and debt architecture could
accomplish these aims and avoid a two-track recovery, with developing countries getting left behind. Interestingly, the
SDG report highlights the importance of data when it comes to policymaking. The burden of the three Cs is greatest on
least developed countries and vulnerable population groups. They need to be made stakeholders in decision -making
about their future.
KEY POINTS:
• To avoid the worst effects of climate change, as set out in the Paris Agreement, global greenhouse gas emissions will
need to peak before 2025 and then decline by 43 per cent by 2030, falling to net-zero by 2050. However, under current
voluntary commitments to climate action, greenhouse gas emissions will rise by nearly 14 per cent by 2030.
• Concurrently, the world is witnessing the largest number of conflicts since 1946, with one -quarter of the global
population now living in violence-torn countries. As of May 2022, a record 100 million people have been forcibly
displaced from their homes.
• The outbreak of war in Ukraine has caused food, fuel and fertiliser prices to skyrocket, disrupted supply chains and
global trade, and roiled financial markets. As always, women and children are bearing the brunt— child labour and
child marriages are on the rise; anxiety and depression among adolescents and younghave people
increased
significantly; women are struggling with the constraints of lost jobs, rising domestic abuse, derailed schooling and
increased burdens of unpaid care work at home.
SI.21: City Lights: Editorial on Unprecedented U rbanisation
ABOUT: A serious rethink on urban planning is the need of the hour
SYNOPSIS: Cities function as magnets. Employment prospects, education opportunities, a better standard of
living and other such factors draw people to them. So much so that more than half of the global population already
lives in urban areas. The number is projected to rise exponentially and India is not an exception to the trend.
Unprecedented urbanisation comes at a price. The environment is one casualty on account of encroachments on
green stretches aggravating public health risks. Urbanisation also complements poverty: one of the principal
challenges confronting cities is the staggering number of ‘urban poor’. A burgeoning population puts
unsustainable pressure on urban amenities. Significantly, the poor come up second best in the resultant
competition on thinning urban services, further deepening social inequalities. In fact, the pandemic has illustrated
how overpopulated cities strain their resources and make it difficult to fight an emergency. A serious rethink on
urban planning is, thus, the need of the hour. India claims to have taken significant steps in this regard. There
must also be a parallel socio-economic push to improve facilities in rural areas to decongest cities. Urban renewal
efforts, such as greenfield projects, must be made more inclusive and involve the local stakeholders. But policy
interventions can be effective if only there is collective awareness about the need for holistic transformation.
KEY POINTS:
• According to the recent United Nations - Habitat’s World Cities Report 2022, India’s urban population is
estimated to stand at 675 million by 2035, second only to that of China. Currently, more than 35 per cent of
Indians reside in cities.
• Interestingly, the renewed urbanisation is suggestive of a turnaround from the figures of the previous two
years when India witnessed a large scale reverse migration from cities to their hinterland owing to the
pandemic. Neither can the trend be attributed to higher urban birth rates.
• The fifth National Family Health Survey has indicated that India might be able to achieve ‘zero population
growth as a result of a historic decline in the total fertility rate. Therefore, the causal factors of urbanisation
must be the result of the uneven patterns of development and amenities between cities and the rural
landscape.
• The Smart Cities Mission was launched in 2015 and aims to build 100 environmentally - sustainable urban
hubs across the country. The ambition is welcome; the quality of delivery needs to be examined.
SI.22: Don’t Crowd the Hills
Newspaper Source: The Times of India
ABOUT: Ever-increasing pilgrim numbers make Amarnath yatra unsafe, as ecology responds to footfalls.
SYNOPSIS: Ahead of this year’s Amarnath yatra, officials said they were preparing to host the highest ever
pilgrim footfall and compared the arrangements they were making to those at the Kumbh Mela. Except, such an
ambition in a glacier-dotted region 3,888 metres above sea level is not as clear-cut as at Prayagraj, which is at 90
metres. Friday’s deadly cloudburst was a tragic reminder of nature’s dangers in the mountains, particularly with
IMD’s automatic weather stations unable to catch the highly intense and highly localised rainfall in this remote
area. Through our current approaches we can end up destroying the ecology, depositing garbage mountains on
top of pristine ones. We will then deprive the next generation of the sublime experiences that have been ours. No t
only is a well-researched regulation of visitor inflows into India’s ecologically- fragile tourist centres therefore
imperative, it should be understood as preservation not prohibition. Amarnath yatra need not cost lives.
KEY POINTS:
• Reports say that the tents that were washed away after the cloudburst had been set up in a dry riverbed that
was actually prone to flooding, to try to maximise the number of people who could be accommodated. The
obsession with setting footfall records is costing lives.
• The Nitish Sengupta committee set up after snowstorms and bad weather killed 243 Amarnath pilgrims in
1996 had suggested a ceiling of 3,000 travellers in any of the sectors in a single day.
• But if the 8 lakh pilgrims that officials had planned for actually turne d up this pilgrimage season, it would
mean 18,605 a day.
• Collapsing hill stations also repeat this story every summer, with tourism far exceeding the carrying capacity
and causing irreparable environmental degradation.
SI.23: UN Projections onPopulation Underline O pportunities and Challenges,
Addressing which will require Long-term Vision and Imagination
ABOUT: A population of more than 1.4 billion will require the unflinching focus of policymakers on areas
fundamental to human well-being — education, nutrition, healthcare, housing, and employment.
SYNOPSIS: The UN Population Division’s (UNPD) projection that India will replace China as the world’s most populous
nation in 2023, four years earlier than expected, can be sobering. But an alarmist view would be outdated. A variety of metri cs
— fertility and replacement rates, sex ratio, proportion of the young and old in the country, intra-regional disparities,
migration trends — enable a far more nuanced understanding of demographic dynamics today compared to the 1950s when
India embarked on its “population control” programme. The use of such analytical tools has led to significant shifts in
demographic studies — the discipline has outgrown its Malthusian moorings and population growth is regarded as a
challenge, not an emergency. At the same time, however, terms such as “population explosion” remain in popular parlance
and are often invoked — largely, and often selectively, by the political class — to convey the sense of impending crisis. Such
pronouncements, then, pave the way for coercive measures to limit families. In coming days, policymakers would do well to
avoid knee-jerk reactions to the UN agency’s statistics. An informed debate is needed. India is on course to achieving
population stability if it maintains this rate in the next few years — a significant achievement for a country with a TFR of 6
when it commenced its population control programme. Comparisons with China would be misplaced because force was the
leitmotif of Beijing’s three-and-a-half-decade-long one-child policy. Governments in India — except for a brief lapse into
forced sterilisation during the Emergency — have, in contrast, deployed persuasion and education as tools.
A population of more than 1.4 billion will require the unflinching focus of policymakers on areas fundamental to human
well-being — education, nutrition, healthcare, housing, and employment. The youth will have to be equipped with skills that
are indispensable to the knowledge economy. The climate crisis and other ecological imperatives will mean that the footprints
of many activities are kept light. Most importantly, the challenges will spur debate, discussion, even dissension, and requir e
that diverse voices are heard.
KEY POINTS:
• According to the UNPD, a sustained total fertility rate — the average number of children born to a woman
— of 2.1 is necessary for a country to achieve population stability. The latest National Family Health Survey
puts this figure at 2.
• Policymakers have acknowledged the need to give women a greater say in fertility- related decisions. Much
more needs to be done on this, of course, in large parts of the country, including in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and
Madhya Pradesh, whose TFR is higher than the national average and where gender discrimination has deep
social roots.
• If India’s estimated 700 million women are forced to remain on the sidelines, the country loses out on ideas
and perspectives that are critical for addressing its several social and economic challenges — including those
related to population — as well as harnessing new opportunities. This should be amongst the first concerns
in the wake of the UN report.
SI.24: People & Policies
ABOUT: The bad news is we educate our young poorly, not that India will soon be the most populous nation.
SYNOPSIS: The latest UN projection that India will surpass China to become the world’s most populous nation
by next year – four years earlier than previously predicted– has provoked the usual fulminations from some
political leaders. It’s important – again – to state the facts. India will overtake China not because it has failed to
control its population. It is China’s population growth that has rapidly slowed down over the last decade. In fact,
this is a consequence of China’s decades -long one-child policy. Chinese authorities are scrambling to reverse this
demographic slump – couples were allowed to have three children in 2021. Therefore, China should serve as a
lesson to our political leaders on downsides of heavy-handed population control measures. India has seen its
population growth decline more steadily.
It’s only when the young are taught reasonably well, acquire useful skills, and find regular industrial/services
employment that a large population becomes a huge dividend. India is failing at all three levels. We need sustained
GDP growth of around 7- 8% for a decade and education/vocational education policies that work on the basis of
empowering local authorities and users of education services.
KEY POINTS:
• As per the latest NFHS-5 data, the country’s total fertility rate (TFR) has actually fallen below replacement
level to 2. Studies indicate that India’s population will peak at 1.5
- 1.6 billion in the decade between 2040
and 2050. Following that the population will contract and is expected to fall below the billion mark by 2100.
• India’s problem is not population, it’s policy. Five states have TFR significantly more than replacement level
– Bihar (2.98), Meghalaya (2.98), UP (2.35), Jharkhand (2.26) and Manipur (2.17). Of these, Bihar and UP
are populous states with particularly low levels of education and non-farm employment.
SI.25: Population Milestone
ABOUT: India needs to be well prepared for challenges
SYNOPSIS: INDIA is on course to become the world’s most populous country. The ‘World Population
Prospects 2022’ report says that India’s population is projected to be 1.429 billion next year, when China would
have 1.426 billion people. By 2050, it is estimated that India will have 1.668 billion people, far ahead of China’s
population, which will drop to 1.317 billion. The UN has credited India with bringing down the fertility rate
slowly and smoothly, in stark contrast to China’s strict policies that have produced rapid results. Overtaking China
as the most populous nation will pose a new set of challenges for policy-makers. The government’s welfare
schemes will have to factor in the rising numbers and the availability of resources to ensure that all eligible
beneficiaries are covered. Healthcare, housing and education sectors, in particular, will come under greater strain.
India might have made significant strides in population control in recent years, but there is no room for
complacency. Once population growth reaches an unmanageable level, socio-economic development will be
derailed. India can’t afford to let that happen.
KEY POINTS:
• The report of the fifth round of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), released in May this year,
stated that India’s total fertility rate — the average number of children per woman— had ‘further declined
from 2.2 to 2 at the national level’.
• One of the survey’s key findings was that there were only five states whose fertil ity rate was above the
replacement level of 2.1 (the rate at which a population exactly replaces itself from one generation to the
next) — Bihar, Meghalaya, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Manipur
• Notably, these states are among the laggards in terms of per capita income. This makes it obvious that
population growth adversely impacts economic prosperity. The fact that Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists have
fertility rates well below the national average can be largely attributed to economic security among members
of these communities.
• The overall contraceptive prevalence rate has risen from 54 per cent to 67 per cent; the aim should be to
improve it substantially through an intensive and extensive awareness programme about the use of modern
methods of contraception.
SI.26: Learning to Forget
ABOUT: Dipankar Gupta's book leads us to differentiate between ‘learnings from history’ and ‘remembering
the past’.
SYNOPSIS: History is increasingly being used to settle scores between different faiths. However, history without
caveats derived from present sensibilities can be misleading. History tells us that no empire was perfect: betrayal,
treachery, fratricide characterised most dynasties. The rulers were expected to fight, kill, and enlarge their territories,
just as capitalists today are expected to compete. Any king who was satisfied with what he had didn’t deserve his place
at the top and his rule would soon end. Once these terms of engagement were accepted, there was peace. But this kind
of peace is anathema to modern standards. The standards of the past are essentially irreconcilable with the modern
framework, which is about the extension of citizenship rights and not denying these on the basis of such ascriptive
statuses as caste, religion or gender. So if a community reminds us of the unequal power equations of the past, the
lesson surely is to not repeat it. But it is human nature to aggrandise one’s own culture by recalling the past selectively.
Worse, in attempting such an exercise, past virtues get trampled as well. There are, therefore, merits in learning to
forget. It is easy to instigate memories of historic atrocities and bitterness in order to mobilise sectarian hostilities
because the past is full of plunder, killings and injustices. What then can be achieved by arousing memories of past
prejudices and hostilities? Nothing, other than intolerance towards cultural differences. Playing the narrative of
victimhood does not take us anywhere other than leading us closer to secular slippages. The hardest thing is to be
consistently secular which, unfortunately, most political formations have failed to be. Violence in the name of religion
does not fit into the inclusive mandate of modernity. Communal majoritarianism has put a question mark on our
modernity quotient. With the annihilation of hard - earned secular values, there is a question mark on our secular
credentials. Secularism is the new cuss word in New India.
KEY POINTS:
• We must turn to a fascinating text, Learning to Forget, by Dipankar Gupta. One of its most significant sections claims
that a modern society is forward-looking and if it is committed to looking ahead to meet newer targets, it cannot cling
to the past. In order to progress, one cannot look backwards.
• Over-emphasising or glorifying or even deriding the past is not only regressive but it is also detrimental to modernity’s
mandate. An obsession with a golden past, or with a barbaric past, pits citizens against citizens of the present because
of what had happened in another epoch. It shifts the focus away from modern objectives such asealth, h education,
employment and infrastructure.
• An example from Learning to Forget, if Europe were to remember its medieval rivalries — the St. Bartholomew’s Day
massacre, the Hundred Years War and so on — it could not have realised a modern collaboration such as the European
Union.
• Learning to Forget leads us to differentiate between ‘learnings from history’ and ‘remembering the past’. The latter is
an emotive engagement while the former implies intellectual sifting of historical facts to problematise a judgment
relevant to democratic standards of today.
SI.27: A New God
ABOUT: The virtual now reigns over the divine.
SYNOPSIS: Over the last few centuries, the advancement of thought, often propelled by the contradiction
between the clergy and the ideation of the ‘omniscient’ principle, has brought humans close to proposing and
generating a third kind of reality. At this juncture, we call it the virtual reality. In the domain of the virtual, space
and time do not hinder movements of its inhabitant. The laws of motion and matter applicable in the phenomenal
world pose no constraints to possibilities unfolded by the virtual world. Just as in the past eras the
conceptualisation of the transcendental attracted societies to attempt entering the transcendental through intuition,
imagination, aspiration or, at worst, through blind ritualistic imitation, in the present era, humans are attracted to
the idea of entering the virtual. No individual, no field of knowledge, no society, no area of action and no State
has remained untouched by the mesmerising attraction for the virtual. In the past, any degree of closeness to the
transcendental was interpreted as ethically desirable. In our century, any degree of inwardness to the virtual is
seen as a new mix of knowledge and power. If the invention of language and its advancement to a new order of
complexity were the foundations of the transcendental, in the future the invention of a new and a complex order
of silence — call it aphasia — is expected to provide the foundation for the virtual. Memory chips and digits are
its building blocks and cyborgs its inhabitants. It shall not occupy any space of the phenomenal world. It shall not
work within the laws of temporality surrounding human life, thought and action. Yet, it is not just another version
of the transcendental. The transcendental was believed to know ‘all’, including its beginning and its end, although
humans were not privy to that knowledge. The memory chips by themselves shall not know how or from where
they came.
KEY POINTS:
• Acquisition of language some 70 million years ago helped humans articulate the imagination of a larger energy or
being. This initial form of realisation of a larger power acquired the rudimentary form of collective offerings or prayers
only when humans started forming society, each such social formation differing distinctly from other social formations.
• Since none had known in immediate experience what the unnamed agency was, it was imagined to be beyond birth and,
possibly, beyond death. It got described as being created by itself— ‘omnipotent’ and ‘omnipresent’. Additionally,
since it was not bound by material laws, it was also seen as entirely transcendental.
• All earliest descriptions of god or gods invariably invoked the non- material aspects of their being. The transcendental
was free of the constraints of the real or what Immanuel Kant termed the ‘phenomenal’. Huma n societies have moved
ahead in history over the last few millennia trying to accommodate in their mental transactions the phenomenal as well
as the transcendental as two aspects of their being and becoming.
• The sects that emerged over time, the godheads t hat came to be worshipped, the prophets claiming to represent divinity
who founded various religions, have attempted to build bridges between the two world -views despite their differences .
SI.28: The Uber Files Expose Gaps in Regulatory Structures, Underline Need for G ovts to be
more Nimble as they Regulate Big Tech
ABOUT: The Uber Files are a classic example of how Big Tech manages to get ahead of the curve, and how
policy often has to play catch-up..
SYNOPSIS: Over the past few days, an investigation carried out in collaboration with the International
Consortium of Investigative Journalists, has painted a less than flattering image of the manner in which the ride-
sharing platform has conducted itself over the years. The investigation details how the company tried to bypass
regulators and cut corners as it navigated the loopholes in law in its drive to expand at breathtaking pace. The
Uber Files are a classic example of how Big Tech manages to get ahead of the curve, and how policy often has to
play catch-up. Consider, for instance, the revelation that the company has employed technology to stay ahead of
law enforcement — the investigation has revealed how tools like “greyball” and “geofencing” were deployed “to
keep Uber rides away from prying policemen and government officials”. Or how despite riders and drivers lying
at the heart of the platform, it rode roughshod over the concerns of both. As the investigation has revealed, “critical
elements of the new safety features” that were meant to be put in place after the rape incident in Delhi in December
2014 have still not been implemented.
However, such concerns are not India-specific. For instance, the classification of drivers, and as a consequence
their treatment, is globally a contentious issue. Treating them as workers rather than self-employed, as the UK
Supreme Court has ruled, would entitle them to minimum wages and other benefits. Or take the concerns over
data privacy— the ride-sharing platform holds a treasure trove of information on the ride-hailers. While
governments may be tempted to respond to such disclosures by imposing draconian rules, regulation should be
framed with a light touch so as not to throttle innovation. At the same time, the sheer pace of innovation and the
manner in which tech firms have exposed gaps in the regulatory structures underlines the need for governments
to be more nimble in their approach as they attempt to regulate the new age behemoths.
KEY POINTS:
• On July 5, 2010, the first request for a ride was placed on the cab hailing platform, Uber. Less than two years
later, Uber had expanded globally, with the app going live in Paris. The company now operates in more than
70 countries and 10,000 cities.
• Along the way, it also became the world’s most valued start-up. The platform’s global appeal and success
can be traced to the sheer ease with which it allows for cabs to be hailed, often at odd hours. Coupled with a
competitive pricing model, this makes for an attractive proposition for consumers across the world.
• And then, there is employment generation, with the company “employing” millions of drivers across the
world. In India alone it has served around 9.5 crore riders, and has nearly six lakh driver partners.
• Yet, even as the company has reshaped public transport, it has been embroiled in controversy. By operating
in the regulatory grey zones and blindspots, by taking on entrenched taxi services and unions, and by doing
little to assuage consumer concerns, Uber has managed to get caught in the crosshairs of governments, drivers
and riders.
SI.29: Not a Country for Women: India Improves 5 Ranks on Gender Gap Index, but Lies 135th
among 146 Countries
ABOUT: As per the India Skills Report 2021, women (51.44%) are more employable than men in India, yet
their participation rate in the workforce is a paltry 33% this year.
SYNOPSIS: The World Economic Forum’s Gender Gap Index (GGI) report for 2022 does not inspire a lot of
hope for India’s 662 million female population. While the country has improved five ranks compared to last year,
it is soured by the fact that India still ranks 135th in a list of 146 countries and lags those with historically huge
gender gaps such as Saudi Arabia and quite a few African nations such as Egypt and Nigeria. While India’s level
of attainment of a rank also depends on regional rankings, the fact that there has only been marginal improvement
signals that policymakers must step up their efforts on female-centric incentives. The index takes into account
four sub-indices—economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, poli tical empowerment, and
health and survival. There are several other factors that must be taken into account, but overall, India is far from
being a country for women.
KEY POINTS:
• The first takes into account the participation of women in the workforce as well as the pay and advantage
gap. Globally, this sub-index has the second-widest dispersion, and India ranks 143rd. However, as per the
India Skills Report 2021, women (51.44%) are more employable than men in India, yet their participation
rate in the workforce is a paltry 33% this year.
• Political empowerment is the sub-index where India is ranked the highest at 48. Globally, there has been no
significant progress on this, and this domain has the largest gender disparity. However, according to the WEF
report, India ranks quite low when the percentage of women in Parliament and ministerial positions is
considered.
• The educational attainment sub-index considers enrolment in primary, secondary, and tertiary education.
While India is above average on this, it lags behind in literacy rate, at rank 121, calling for more efforts by
the Indian government.
• Data collated by Open Budgets India show that regarding the Centre’s flagship scheme to address this issue—
Beti Bachao Beti Padhao—for the states with available data, only Sikkim, Nagaland, and Mizoram utilised
more than 88% of the funds allotted to them in 2020-21.
• According to the National Family Health Survey 5 (NFHS), as compared to 25.7% of men, 57% of women
had anaemia, which means that nutrition is a huge concern.
SI.30: Fair Share: Editorial on Plight of Working Mothers
ABOUT: The Bombay High Court ruled recently that a mother cannot be asked to choose between her child
and her career.
SYNOPSIS: Aworking mother is often caught in a tussle of priorities. Family arrangements in India, gendered
expectations and inadequate facilities for mothers in the workplace— how many have crèches?— create this
tension, which is unbefitting an equal-opportunities society. The Bombay High Court ruled recently that a mother
cannot be asked to choose between her child and her career, a principle which is humane and fair. Like every
domestic dispute, the specific circumstances of the case cannot be ignored, even though the principles that emerge
from it may help in cutting through layers of gender inequality. The high court noted that the woman had left her
marital home with her daughter in 2016, and had brought her up as a single mother — the father had visitation
rights — while managing work and home. While a nine-year-old child’s natural place is with her mother, this was
added reason for the high court’s order: the girl had always lived with her mother. The Bombay High Court also
said that it was not uncommon for a working woman to leave her child in -day care. That answers a repeated
complaint by families unwilling to let women work. Society would benefit greatly from the high court’s
pronouncements about working women with children. It is unfortunate that inherited attitudes are so difficult to
change.
KEY POINTS:
• A family court had barred the woman from taking her nine-year-old daughter to Poland, where the mother’s
company was executing a two-year-long project. The girl’s father had complained against this relocation.
• The family court’s order was reportedly set aside by the Bombay High Court, which, besides pointing out
the unfairness of the choice being implied, also stated that no one could be prevented from pursuing
development, as the woman was doing by accepting a senior position in Poland.
• To balance the rights of the mother with those of the father, the high court ordered that the father should have
virtual and holiday visitation rights. The high court emphasised the importance of the strong bonds that a
child has with both parents.
• This would suggest that the approach of both parents to work and home should be the same: the woman
should balance her career and childcare as should the man. Ways should be evolved for a child’s healthy and
happy upbringing within a given situation.
SI.31: Book of India
ABOUT: The Constitution’s critics must not be demonised.
SYNOPSIS: “ All of us say we have a beautiful Constitution. I would say that we have a Constitution that enables the plunder of
commoners. Indians wrote down the Constitution as told by the British.”The Kerala culture minister, Saji Cheriyan, resigned f rom office
after his remarks on the Constitution caused widespread furore. It is a testament to the pr ickly times that we live in that a discordant view
about the Constitution led to a hullabaloo, ultimately resulting in a resignation. At a different time, perhaps this would ha ve sparked a
genuine debate on the merits of having a long and detailed Constitu tion and introspection on the provisions that have worked for the
common Indian and those that have not. When Cheriyan says that the Constitution enables the plunder of commoners, he presumably
implies the failure of the Constitution to prevent the creation of a capitalistic society where wealth is concentrated in the hands of the few.
“Enables” is a strong word —it is a tall claim to allege that the Constitution actively makes plunder possible. But the history of independent
India has demonstrated that the Constitution has been a silent spectator to shocking disparities of wealth. Cheriyan’s second statement that
Indians “wrote down the Constitution as told by the British” is, of course, factually incorrect. But the Constitution does bodily replicate
several chapters of the Government of India Act, 1935 passed by the colonial British government. In fact, with the exception of fu ndamental
rights, Directive Principles and some aspects of federal division of powers, large portions of the Constitution have Brit ish roots. More than
the provenance of particular provisions, the Constitution is premised, much like its colonial predecessor, on the need for astrong, central
State. The essence of Cheriyan’s arguments appears to be a rebuttal of the view that the Constitution is beautiful. The beauty of the
Constitution, like other forms of the beauty, lies in the eyes of the beholder. The Constitution is certainly not an elegantl y drafted document,
given its length and complexity. In that sense, it is perhaps not beaut iful. But it is beautiful in a more profound sense. The reason why
Cheriyan can trenchantly criticise it and others can disagree with him is because the Constitution itself guarantees every citizen the right
to free speech. His own party, earlier avowed sceptics of the Constitution and its chief draftsman, B.R. Ambedkar, today embraces the
Constitution and accepts Cheriyan’s resignation because the constitutional vision of a more egalitarian society that is commi tted to
removing caste-based discrimination is a mantra shared by all political parties. That is the real beauty of the Constitution — that for seven
decades, it has provided a value system of what it means to be Indian. It is with Cheriyan’s resignation, rather than his sta tement, that the
real beauty of the Constitution is under threat. If it is to be restored, then let his statement serve as a prologue to a new chapter in the
constitutional history of India where the document is debated, discussed and critiqued, rather than ritualistically venerated with no room
for alternative views. After all, the Constitution is not a holy book frozen in time; it is the Book of India that Indians must continue to shape
for themselves over time.
KEY POINTS:
• Others before Cheriyan have made pejorative comments on the Constitution without any such repercussion
— E.M.S.
Namboodiripad famously said that the fact that he had taken oath as chief minister of Kerala to “bear true faith and allegiance to the
Constitution” did not mean that he considered “every word and every clause in the Constitution is sacred”. For him, occupying
elected office was a way of “wrecking the Constitution from within.”
• According to the World Inequality Report 2022, particularly in the last three decades, India has become one of the most unequal
countries of the world with the top 10% cornering over 57% of the nation’s wealth and the bottom 50% only making do with 13%.
• One might say that it is not the job of a Constitution to actively correct economic inequalities. While this may be theoretically sound,
the Indian Constitution consciously departed from this proposition to establish a socialist republic.
• The chapter on Directive Principles exhorts the State to minimise inequalities in income (Article 38), eliminate inequalities in status
(Article 38), distribute ownership of material resources to subserve the common good (Article 39), and ensure that the operat ion of
the economic system does not result in the concentration of economic wealth (Article 39).
• There were two clear alternatives before the Constituent Assembly— the Gandhian Constitution drafted by Shriman Narayan
Agarwal was bottom-up with self-contained village communities serving as the lynchpin of the governance mechanism. Likewise,
M.N. Roy’s Constitution of Free India vested power in People’s Committees that would be constituted to ensure, amongst other
things, that land and underground riches would vest collectively in the people.
• But the Constituent Assembly ignored these radical departures, choosing ins tead to largely stick to the Westminster model tried and
tested in Great Britain. It wouldn’t be incorrect to finesse Cheriyan’s statement to say that the Indian Constitution is heav ily British-
inspired.
SI.32: Take Wings, Safely
ABOUT: DGCA’s order on aircraft maintenance raises many safety questions. Airlines have absolutely no
excuses.
SYNOPSIS: India’s aviation regulator DGCA on Monday issued a brief order. Addressed to airlines, it said
increased instances of engineering-related occurrences had triggered spot checks by the regulator. The findings
pointed to maintenance issues. DGCA said identification of causes of reported defects has been improper and
there’s a shortage of trained staff. Airlines have been asked to comply with safety protocols and report back to the
regulator by July 28. A day after the order was issued, two more instances of s nags were reported. The situation
is worrisome. Airlines aren’t being asked to do anything new as India since 2010 has had a state safety programme,
an integrated set of regulations and activities for air safety. The latest iteration of the programme red flags deficient
maintenance and concludes that a large number of incidents occur as a result of component failure. Consequently,
there are standards and protocols in place to avoid it. Given both the policy support for aviation and troubling
reports on safety, there are bound to be questions on the performance of both the regulator and GoI. Safety issues
are not confined to a single airline but instead appear to be broad - based. DGCA needs to strictly implement its
wide-ranging safety protocol. That’s a prerequisite for Indian aviation’s safe growth.
KEY POINTS:
• DGCA’s order raises questions on compliance. It’s hard to understand the rise in reported incidents. DGCA
safety audits are an ongoing feature and are spelt out in an annual surveillance plan. Therefore, there’s a
constant stream of communication between airlines and the regulator on the subject.
• Airports Authority of India projected a passenger flow of 542 million by 2027- 28, that is over 200 million
from the pre-pandemic level. Aviation policy was tweaked greatly to help airlines overcome the Covid shock
and prepare for the future.
• For example, even as seating restrictions have been removed, a price band with floor and ceiling prices
continues. GST rate on domestic maintenance, repair and overhaul has been lowered from 18% to 5%. As
for fuel prices, no segment of the economy is immune.
SI.33: Kallakurichi Issue Prods Police Reforms
ABOUT: On July 13, a 17-year-old girl died at a private residential school. The child’s family alleged foul play
and refused to accept the body without a proper investigation.
SYNOPSIS: Tamil Nadu witnessed a shocking spurt of violence in the Kallakurichi district on July 17. The
police was caught unprepared for the enormity of the protest and the district administration was unable to resolve
an emotive issue that had been simmering for days. On July 13, a 17 - year-old girl died at a private residential
school. The child’s family alleged foul play and refused to accept the body without a proper investigation. The
local police, by all accounts, seemed ready to deem the death a suicide. On July 16, when the autopsy report came
out, the protest grew larger, with calls for agitation the following day flying around on social media.
Unauthenticated wild rumours had been circulating on social media, along with an emotional video of the child’s
mother demanding justice for the girl’s death. The question arises if the situation would have deteriorated had the
police accepted the family’s request for a detailed investigation immediately after the death. Similarly, police
failed to thwart people’s mass mobilisation before July 17. The state government must assess the functioning of
the police department and enact much-needed reforms.
KEY POINTS:
• On July 17, police personnel were deployed near the school, but within hours of the protest, they found
themselves vastly outnumbered. A section of protesters turned violent, entering the school, setting tens of
vehicles on fire, ransacking the school buildings, and resorting to arson.
• Police vehicles were also torched, and senior cops were among those who sustained injuries.
• The violence dissipated only after reinforcements reached the police from other districts. The state
government has since transferred the collector, superintendent of police and inspector general (intelligence)
and put a CB-CID team on probing the death.
• An SIT is also investigating the violence. Police eventually ended the violence without any loss of life;
memories of the Thoothukudi police firing that killed 13 in 2018 are fresh in people’s minds.
SI.34: Angel in theH ouse: Editorial onM arriage M arket's Indifference towards Working
Women
ABOUT: A study of matrimonial websites shows that India loves the wife who does not work
SYNOPSIS: Inherited attitudes may sometimes fall flat, especially when circumstances have changed with time.
But India’s attitude towards its women remains rigidly upright, because it springs from pure dislike. Indians do
not like women: they refuse to allow them the space of fully functioning human beings who are free to develop
their abilities at work and at home with the support of changes in the law, values and available facilities. That
India’s development would leap forward if women worked and earned on the same principles as their male
colleagues becomes immaterial in the face of this obduracy. This is not merely a denial of equal opportunities,
but a desire to keep women under control, subjugated to social structures and expectations emerging from a system
that makes men its crown. These are most obvious in marriage. The compliant wife, the dutiful daughter-in-law,
the goddess of the hearth — so to speak — is India’s ideal woman. She does not aspire to an independent existence
or expect equal duties and equal treatment in her marital home; she does not earn, hence poses no threat to the
fantasies of ownership and control. Education will remain toothless as long as women pay this price. Only women
with a high income attract suitors; love of the good life seems to overcome the annoyance and insecurity of having
a working wife. While the marriage market in India is busy penalising women who dare to work and want to
continue working after marriage, countries which support them have a better chance of prosperity. Economic
stability would overcome the need for a demure wife if safety nets are in place. But matrimonial websites are
naturally not interested in safety nets or workplace facilities for a working mother. They offer the greatest safety
net of all — marriage. Happiness is meant to follow. Ever after.
KEY POINTS:
• A recent study has shown that women who work make fewer matches through matrimonial websites than
women who do not. Would- be brides are alluring without jobs, so they win in the marriage race, while
working women who are willing to become homebodies afterthey meet the in -laws of their dreams rank
second.
• Generally, the Indian home is inhospitable to the working wife and mother, one reason why women’s
participation in the labour force in India is a miserable 20 per cent. Much of women’s labour is invisible too,
since most women work in the unorganised sector. Invisibility makes women more vulnerable to exploitation
and deprivation — they may not even be counted in the labour force.
• Flexibility and targeted facilities in the workplace could bring more women into the labour force even in
India, but defeating the resistance to working wives is a different challenge. Or a set of challenges.
• For matrimonial websites have a class- specific relevance; there are numerous couples beyond their reach.
Women who could be employed in the unorganised sector need support too, from security in the workplace
to medical insurance.
SI.35: Young Blood: Editorial on I mpact of Violence on Kids in Conflict Zones
ABOUT: According to a Unicef report between 2005 and 2020 more than 104,100 children have been killed or
maimed
SYNOPSIS: The effects of acute and chronic armed conflict are disproportionate on different constituencies.
While the immediate and cumulative loss of lives and property is easier to map, the long - term effects of armed
conflict on women and children continue to be shoved to the sidelines. Some of the transgressions can even be
‘invisible’. Children living in conflict zones are not only exposed to physical threats but are also vulnerable to
developmental delay, disability, and mental and behavioural impairments. Additionally, armed conflict inevitably
leads to the destruction of infrastructure required by children for their optimal survival and development—
schools and hospitals are destroyed — resulting in the curtailment of children’s basic right to safety, health and
education.
The UN may have welcomed the legal and administrative framework for the protection of children in several
regions, including Assam and Jammu and Kashmir, but it also raised concerns about “other situations” that pose
risk to the safety of children. Unsurprisingly, India has objected to the categorisation, arguing that a selective
expansion of the mandate could politicise the agenda. But there is a case for deeper scrutiny. For instance, Maoist
outfits have been known to recruit young people to their ranks. Therefore, it is imperative to identify areas of
overlapping concern for effective policy formulations. Close cooperation between the UN and the security
agencies of the member states would be critical in ensuring the safety and reintegration of children affected by
armed conflict.
KEY POINTS:
• The latest report of the secretary-general of the United Nations on children and armed conflict — it charts
the trends regarding the impact of such violence on children — along with a Unicef report on the same issue
have found that between 2005 and 2020 more than 104,100 children have been killed or maimed.
• More than 93,000 children have been recruited and used by parties to conflict while at least 14,200 children
faced sexual violence and, in the case of girls, forcible marriage. These are alarming numbers, laying bare
the collective failure to protect children from grave violations.
• Several countries have featured on the list of vulnerable zones for children — Afghanistan, Iraq, Myanmar,
Pakistan, among others. A prolonged civil crisis in sub Saharan
- Africa led many children to turn to the militia
for livelihood, protection or revenge; in 2018, a local militia fighting the Boko Haram in northeast Nigeria
rescued at least 833 child soldiers. India, too, has merited attention.
SI.36: Look within: Editorial on India's Strength being its Value and not its Assets
ABOUT: Samantha Power's speech was a nudge to New Delhi to clear the shadow hovering over its commitment
to its historical values.
SYNOPSIS: Every nation has its own sense of identity. Yet it must stay aware of how it is viewed by the outside
world. India’s biggest strength globally has not been its assets, but its values, Samantha Power, the administrator
of the United States Agency for International Development, said in New Delhi on Wednesday. In a speech that
was diplomatically worded yet brimming with subtle messages, Ms Power referred to India’s multi- ethnic and
multi-party democracy, its traditional support for free speech, and tolerance for dissent and diversity as the pillars
that have made the country a resilient force. At a time when New Delhi’s global ambitions often result in bold
promises it cannot keep— such as on the export of food and vaccines— Ms Power’s comments serve as an
important reminder of what the world most respects about India. Indeed, India is today among the world’s big
economies and is using its resources to increase its aid to other countries in need. But there too, as Ms Power
pointed out, what makes India’s assistance special is that it comes with fewer strings attached than is often the
case with foreign aid. She contrasted India’s soft loans worth $3.5 billion to Sri Lanka amid the island nation’s
economic crisis with China’s high-interest, debt-creating lending patterns.
KEY POINTS:
• The former ambassador to the United Nations wove into her speech concerns over India’s direction. While
the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi likes to insist that India’s achievements are largely a
product of the past eight years, Ms Power described Jawaharlal Nehru, the country’s first prime minister, as
the architect of its globalist mindset.
• She cited fellowships offered to students from developing countries under Nehru as examples of a much
poorer India’s developmental assistance programme. Ms Power warned of forces that seek to divide people
on the lines of ethnicity and religion both in India and in the United States of America.
• She identified the defence of pluralism, democracy and individual rights as central to the future of the world’s
two largest democracies. While referencing Nehru and M.K. Gandhi, she did not mention Mr Modi even
once. This was no oversight. Instead, it was a nudge to India to clear the shadow hovering over its
commitment to its historical values. But a friend can only hold up a mirror. It is New Delhi that needs to look
within.
SI.37: Not He, not She
ABOUT: Gender bias in language is a mirror to social power.
SYNOPSIS: The parliamentary kerfuffle over Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s reference to
President Droupadi Murmu as ‘rashtrapatni’ – a very poor choice of a word – is an opportunity to understand how
problematic the intersection of gender, language and social power can be. We should ask why is pati widely
considered a respectable word that conveys authority, and why patni conveys subjugation? And, more broadly,
how does one remove gendered associations from titles? Until recently, this wouldn’t have been a question,
because power was wielded mainly by men of rank and authority. It felt natural to say ‘founding fathers’ or
chairman. But because language shapes thought, there’s been a conscious effort to un-gender language.
KEY POINTS:
• English has tried hard to shed ingrained biases with unisex words like flightattendant, actor, police officer
and so on – many are now in common usage.
• ICC replaced batsmen with batter. Other languages have their own challenges. While Hindi already has
gender-neutral personal pronoun in ‘woh’ rather than he or she, every noun has its own gender, and it is
nearly impossible to root out this pattern.
• As is the practice now with German, Romance and Slavic languages, one option is to create words that
challenge the generic masculine, especially for titles.
• Therefore, while Rashtrapati is the right word to address a woman president in Hindi, there’s no reason we
shouldn’t think about and find a gender-neutral word to describe the country’s highest constitutional post.
POLITICAL
ISSUE
PI.1: The Next President?
Editorial Category: PI
ABOUT: In picking Draupadi Murmu BJP does smart signalling to women & Adivasis, two key voting blocs.
SYNOPSIS: In choosing former Jharkhand governor Draupadi Murmu as its presidential candidate, BJP has
sent a strong political signal that opposition parties failed at, while nominating veteran politician Yashwant Sinha.
If elected – there’s little doubt given NDA’s edge over the opposition in the electoral college – Murmu will be
only the second woman to grace the post and the first Adivasi.
Women continue to be poorly represented in Parliament and legislatures despite being nearly half the population.
So the choice of a woman for India’s top constitutional post does have great salience. While Adivasis get
reservation in Parliament and assemblies according to their proportion in the population, measures to address their
social and economic marginalisation remain a work in slow progress. Murmu could become a president who
inspires many women and people from weaker sections, but for that she will also have to shed the characteristic
reticence that recent presidents have been known for.
KEY POINTS:
• She is also qualified for the post, having served as an MLA and minister in Odisha before gaining a measure
of national attention as Jharkhand governor. Her Odisha roots should also help bag the BJD vote, which
should be enough to seal her win.
• In the forthcoming assembly elections in Gujarat, Murmu’s candidature may woo Adivasis to the BJP fold.
• In Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, the Adivasi vote had deserted BJP in assembly elections. Women are now a
key voting bloc in Indian elections and BJP has, through welfare schemes, political appointments to key
government posts and legislative enactments, reinforced its outreach.
PI.2: Father, Son, Sena
ABOUT: However the Maharashtra drama plays out, Uddhav’s version of Balasaheb’s party will take a big hit.
SYNOPSIS: While political drama still unfolds in Maharashtra, two things did become clear after CM Uddhav
Thackeray’s address yesterday evening. First, that the Maha Vikas Aghadi government is most likely headed
towards a fall and, second, that Shiv Sena is experiencing a savage split. On the first count, not only did Uddhav
say in so many words that he was ready to resign, for the most part Shiv Sena’s alliance partners have made it
clear that they think of the current crisis as solely of its own making. Neither NCP nor Congress has been seen
losing breath trying to save the MVA government.
As for Sena’s future, Eknath Shinde and his rebel band are closing in on the mark where they will be able to dodge
the anti-defection bullet, leaving Uddhav with the rump of the party. Sena’s internal structure will be further
weakened by a prolonged fight over who is truly carrying on Balasaheb’s legacy, a fight that started because of
politics but has substantive ideological dimensions.
If Bal Thackeray’s strong bond with Sainiks has been left behind along with -his “tod fod” politics, this
gentrification may end up costing Uddhav’s Sena very dear. The very alliance that got him the coveted CMship
may be his undoing, with accommodations made for NCP-Congress alienating many Sainiks. At least this is the
narrative Shinde has galvanised, by claiming that his band would never betray Balasaheb’s Hindutva for the sake
of power. However the Maharashtra drama plays out, Uddhav’s version of Sena is in deep trouble.
KEY POINTS:
• BJP had Sena on the backfoot even before all this. When the two struck an assembly pre-poll alliance for the
first time in 1990, BJP won 42 seats with 10.7% vote share while Sena won 52 seats with 15.9% vote share.
• By 2019 while Sena was still in the same zone –56 seats and 16.4% vote share (behind NCP’s 16.7%) – BJP
had 105 seats with 25.7% vote share. The “Hindu Hriday Samrat” title had also left the Sena leader.
PI.3: New Race: Editorial on the Constitution Envisioning a Neutral Figure as the
President
ABOUT: However, the choice of presidential candidates by any political party or alliance is coloured by its
political or electoral goals
SYNOPSIS: As the head of state, the president of India upholds the Constitution. At a time when there are fears
that the Constitution is being undermined by the ruling regime, the role of the president acquires a definition that
may not be entirely desirable. The Constitution envisions a neutral figure above political preferences and
intentions. The journey of Indian politics, however, has been towards increasing politicisation. Even the choice
of presidential candidates by any political party or alliance is coloured by its political or electoral goals; the
symbolic import of the choice, if any, becomes subservient to political expediencies. This unfortunately reflects
back on the candidates, who should be nominated on their own merit. The National Democratic Alliance has
named as presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu, a former governor of Jharkhand coming from a tribal family
in Odisha, an organisational and administrative leader in the Bharatiya Janata Party, a former councillor and a
former Odisha minister. If elected, she would be India’s first tribal and the second woman president. She would
then also be taking over from the present president, Ram Nath Kovind, who is a Dalit.
KEY POINTS:
• The BJP is quite frank about the politics behind the NDA’s nomination: Constitutional proprieties are never
its headache. From a Dalit to a tribal member — its choices indicate the groups it would like to please when
election results suggest that these are yet to be won over.
• Not only do the prime minister’s remarks suggest that Ms Murmu’s nomination shows the BJP’s choice of
someone who works for the disenfranchised — the BJP is all for the poor — but the Union home minister
has also held out the nomination as proof of Narendra Modi’s commitment to women’s empowerment and
tribal development.
• A group of Opposition parties including the Congress and the Trinamul Congress has nominated a candidate
with a different kind of symbolism. Their choice, Yashwant Sinha, once a bureaucrat and later a minister in
the earlier BJP government, had left the party in 2018 and was vocal in criticism.
• Mr Sinha is not a representative of identity politics, but a figure of resistance to unfair political practices who
can be cast as an upholder of the Constitution. The unlikeness of the competing symbolisms is perhaps the
most striking feature of the forthcoming presidential election.
PI.4: Droupadi Murmu: Why her Candidature Goes Beyond Politics of
Representation and Tokenism
ABOUT: Aditi Narayani Paswan writes: Droupadi Murmu's nomination for the post of President of India points
to a deepening of democracy in the country.
SYNOPSIS: Droupadi Murmu is not just a source of inspiration for women; her life and struggle, determination
and success in the face of great odds represent the hope and promise of New India. Under the leadership of Prime
Minister Narendra Modi, Indian democracy has become more representative and inclusive. The BJP represents
the New India of prosperity, equality and socio- economic mobility, reflecting the true embodiment of samajik
samarasta (social harmony). A tribal woman succeeding a Dalit to the highest constitutional post of the nation is
a remarkable testimony to the deepening roots of Indian democracy. Her nomination is transformational in its true
sense. She is a fighter and has become a source of inspiration for many.Due to the lack of women in positions of
power at the local, state and national levels, girls and women don’t have many role models. Should Murmu become
the First Citizen, it would not only give hope to the marginalised, but also to the many women who are considered
second-class citizens.
KEY POINTS:
• Born in 1958, Murmu is from the Santhal tribal community in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district. The Santhals
are known for their courage. In 1855, they revolted against the PermanentSettlement of Bengal introduced
by Lord Cornwallis in 1793.
• She was a teacher and joined the BJP in 1997. She was a minister in Odisha and the governor of Jharkhand
between 2015 and 2021. Her political efficacy and electoral acumen have helped push the politics of the
marginalised from the edges of tokenism to the mainstream.
• PM Modi’s personal signature on the decision is unmistakable and is in line with his relentless efforts to
expand the BJP’s social base and achieve the ideals of social cohesion and justice. The party has expanded
its electoral base among all social groups and communities, with marginalised groups being accommodated
with dignity and pride and not just for the sake of social engineering and tokenism.
• At an early age, she lost her husband, brother and mother, and in 2009 and 2013 she lost her two sons, leaving
her devastated and depressed. At that juncture, she held onto the spiritual path with the Brahma Kumaris,
practising yoga and meditation.
PI.5: Glimpses of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s Wedding were Reassuring and
Heartwarming
ABOUT: In the visuals of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s wedding to Gurpreet Kaur on Thursday,
there was a sense of heavily-painted curtains parting to offer a heartening glimpse of normal life backstage.
SYNOPSIS: Amid apocalyptic headlines, it is reassuring to catch sight of a member of the ruling political class
doing something so ordinary as getting married. In the visuals of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s
wedding to Gurpreet Kaur on Thursday, there was a sense of heavily-painted curtains parting to offer a heartening
glimpse of normal life backstage. The nature of politics, with its brutal cut -and-thrust and high-stakes power play
can make its practitioners seem remote to the aam aurat and aadmi. Politicians may be representatives of the
people but only rarely, despite the facade of intimacy created by social media, do they seem of the people. To
watch one such representative — a chief minister, to boot — get married felt like a humanising revelation.
Ever since he took oath of office on March 16, Mann has had much on his plate. His government has inherited a
deepening agrarian crisis, a drug problem that can’t simply be wished away, a resurrected spectre of separatist
politics and a broken economy that finds it hard to keep pace with the aspirations of Punjab’s young. But even a
chief minister must have a life away from the daunting challenges of his job. Lakh lakh vadhaiyan to the newly-
weds!
KEY POINTS:
• It was a small and intimate ceremony, the happy couple posing with the mother of the groom, a menu that
offered regular wedding fare, like vegetable jalfrezi, dal makhani and gulab jamun.
• There were only a few lal batti guests, including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Rajya Sabha
member Raghav Chadha.
• This is in sharp contrast to the big, fat Punjabi wedding, with large numbers, lavish multi c- uisine buffets and
luxurious venues. Or the showy political wedding where the guest list is as much a demonstration of power
and clout as a floor test.
PI.6: The Next Jaya?
ABOUT: EPS outwits OPS. But what AIADMK really wants is a cult leader who will win the next poll.
SYNOPSIS: A rare experiment in Indian politics – a party jointly run by two leaders – ended with Edappadi K
Palaniswami seizing control of AIADMK and expelling O Panneerselvam. The duo, EPS and OPS, respectively,
had commenced the arrangement in 2017. EPS as Tamil Nadu chief minister and party co-convener and OPS as
deputy CM-cum-AIADMK convener had joined hands to oust an imprisoned VK Sasikala. She had taken over
the party leadership following Jayalalithaa’s death in 2016 but a four-year jail term commencing in February 2017
led to the reins slipping away from her hands.
New caste or regional divides could emerge in this situation. OPS joining hands with Sasikala, both being Thevars,
may dent AIADMK’s social base. AIADMK’s weakening would suit DMK in the short term. But DMK will
equally worry about what political forces will occupy opposition spaces vacated by AIADMK. Palaniswami’s
reputation as an effective administrator may have helped AIADMK perform credibly in its 2021 defeat. But
Jayalalithaa could storm back to office every time she was in the opposition: AIADMK will expect the same from
its new supremo.
KEY POINTS:
• Both OPS and EPS were one-time favourites of Sasikala. Now down-and-out OPS was the first choice for
the CM’s post when Jayalalithaa was on her deathbed as he was her handpicked successor on two occasions
when she stepped down.
• But it is dark horse EPS who has shown better realpolitik sense in the three -cornered struggle. After ousting
Sasikala, EPS strengthened his control over the government and then clinically marginalised OPS by wooing
his loyalists.
• The executive committee and 2,000- odd-strong general council comprising leaders and office bearers may
have spoken but OPS can still test his strength among the cadre.
• In 1989, this was how Jayalalithaa clawed back after the post-MGR AIADMK split, with most of the then
seniors siding with MGR’s widow, Janaki. But then again neither EPS nor OPS has Jayalalithaa’s charisma
and the cadre could still be restive that the party lacks a leader with a cult following for the first time in
decades.
PI.7: Naveen Plays Smart Politics over Murmu
ABOUT: Naveen Patnaik’s masterstroke has not only cemented Droupadi Murmu’s election as the next
President of India but also left many in the Opposition with little choice.
SYNOPSIS: Naveen Patnaik’s masterstroke has not only cemented Droupadi Murmu’s election as the next
President of India but also left many in the Opposition with little choice. Even Mamata Banerjee— a vociferous
critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi—is forced to walk a tightrope. It is not lost on her that tribal votes will
be decisive in the ensuing elections. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackery, fresh from the party’s vertical split, faces
a similar dilemma with many of his MPs rooting for the former Jharkhand Governor. Down south, YSR Congress
and TDP too have pledged support. But the Biju Janata Dal supremo completely owned Murmu’s nomination,
right from the word go to back his former cabinet colleague. Though on an overseas tour, he was the first to tweet
about her nomination, extending BJD’s support. He called her Odisha’s daughter and assured to garner support
from all political parties in the State. He has since engaged his colleagues to reach out to Congress and even
Independents. When Murmu arrived in Odisha last week, the ‘brother-sister’ camaraderie was quite evident.
For someone who won almost every election in the last 22 years, Naveen combines political acuity and
statesmanship like no other. The 76- year-old previously backed NDA on critical national issues, be it CAA,
Article 370 or even incumbent President Ramnath Kovind’s election. This time too, he is aware that BJD’s support
is crucial for Murmu to get the desired numbers but did not lose sight of his party’s political interests. Without
compromising on his stated principles of women empowerment, Naveen is taking smart politics to a new level.
KEY POINTS:
• Women have always been a large, loyal constituent of BJD and by his unflinching support for Murmu who
belongs to the Santhal tribe, the BJD boss certainly collected political capital that BJP—the principal
Opposition in Odisha—wanted to corner through her Presidential nomination.
• The saffron party’s electoral prospects were on a slide since it suffered massive losses in successive by-
elections and even panchayat and urban polls. It was looking to regain ground through its Look East and
Mission South policies but that looks unlikely now, thanks to BJD’s unrivalled strategy.
PI.8: Bigger Leaf: Editorial on AIADMK's Dual Leadership
ABOUT: Perhaps the best way forward is for political dynasties to usher in the democratisation of their parties
SYNOPSIS: One leaf of the two— the emblem of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam— has
fallen off with the experiment of a party run by two leaders getting derailed. Of the two leaders, it appears that
E.K.Palaniswami has wrested the initiative, getting the party general council, whose session received a sanction
from the Madras High Court, to expel O. Panneerselvam and establishing himself as the interim general-secretary.
A faction-riddenAIADMK would perfectly suit its principal rival, the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.In a
state where political fortunes have, in most parts, oscillated between the two Dravidian parties, a weakened
AIADMK would strengthen the DMK’s grip on the turf. The Bharatiya Janata Party may have to return to the
drawing board. A twin power-sharing arrangement within the AIADMK had made it easier for the BJP to pull
strings. Now with Mr Palaniswami seemingly in control and, reportedly, eager to plug the breach within his party,
the BJP’s mischievous agenda of weakening its allies may run into opposition.
The real question, however, pertains to the future of political parties that bank on charismatic families for their
political survival. The ShivSena’s humiliating splinter in Maharashtra has led to excited speculation that the hour
to be held accountable for dynasts — the prime minister’s favourite opprobrium for his adversaries— is nigh.
But that need not be the case always. The AIADMK has effectively been neutered of dynasty: both Mr
Palaniswami and Mr Panneerselvam rose from the rank and file of the AIADMK and, yet, have failed to keep the
party together in the absence of the glue that is provided by a cementing figure from the First Family, as it were.
Perhaps the best way forward is for political dynasties to usher in the democratisation of their parties. But that
need not be a smooth transition.
KEY POINTS:
• The numbers seem to be stacked in Mr Palaniswami’’s favour: it has been reported that Mr Panneerselvam
commands the support of around three of the AIADMK’s 66legislators.
• Mr Panneerselvam’s hopes of a resurrection would lie on his ability to exploit schisms and the caste card.
He is a representative of the influentialThevar community: V.K. Sasikala, who was ousted from the reins of
power after the death of J. Jayalalithaa, too, hails from this community.
• Mr Panneerselvam’s hopes of a resurrection would lie on his ability to exploit schisms and the caste card.
He is a representative of the influentialThevar community: V.K. Sasikala, who was ousted from the reins of
power after the death of J. Jayalalithaa, too, hails from this community. The two disgruntled leaders joining
hands cannot be ruled out in the game of snakes and ladders thatis politics. Mr Palaniswami, therefore, has
to keep an eye out for the churning within.
PI.9: EPS has many Bridges to Cross as New Leader
ABOUT: On Monday, Edappadi K Palaniswami successfully sealed his dominance over the AIADMK, the
principal Opposition party in Tamil Nadu, booting out three-time Chief Minister O Panneerselvam.
SYNOPSIS: On Monday, Edappadi K Palaniswami successfully sealed his dominance over the AIADMK, the
principal Opposition party in Tamil Nadu, booting out three-time Chief Minister O Panneerselvam. Palaniswami
stage-managed a general council meeting that crowned him interim general secretary, the most powerful post in
the party, and expelled Panneerselvam and his supporters. Palaniswami will face an election to confirm his
position in a few months. He is expected to sail through.
It is no surprise that Palaniswami has come out on top. Both were known to be close to the late party supremo, J
Jayalalithaa. But Panneerselvam’s many flip-flops since her demise against her aide VK Sasikala and then in
favour of Sasikala – as well as close ties with the BJP have hurt his credibility. Colleagues accused him of doing
little for his supporters. Palaniswami, on the other hand, used his four years as CM to build his base in the party
by doling out favours and honing his image on the lines of AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran. Watching from
the sidelines are the DMK and the BJP.
KEY POINTS:
• For his part, Panneerselvam has again turned to the courts and the Election Commission for succour. Of
biggest concern to both factions will be to wrest the ‘Two Leaves’ symbol, the party’s lifeline. Palaniswami
will also have to get the party office unsealed. It was sealed after a clash between both factions ahead of the
GC meeting following the entry of Team OPS into the building.
• BJP has wet its feet in Tamil Nadu on the back of an alliance with AIADMK and will look to supplant it in
the coming years. Meanwhile, in the short-run, any disarray will favour the ruling DMK, which is also
pursuing graft cases against Palaniswami’s key aides.
• Further, despite his best efforts, Palaniswami is not a mass leader commanding undying loyalty like Jaya and
MGR.
• Although he leveraged cunning, ruthlessness and strategic generosity to take the party’s reins, the true test
of his leadership will be to keep his flock together amidst the present turmoil and to seal his position as the
party’s new supremo with a respectable performance in the 2024 parliamentary elections.
PI.10: In the Lotus Fold
ABOUT: BJP’s dominance has confused other parties between deciding whether to ally or oppose.
SYNOPSIS: Draupadi Murmu’s candidature for the presidential polls has created a deep fissure in the opposition
camp like no other BJP strategy in recent times. Soon after accusing BJP of betrayal, Uddhav Thackeray found
himself backing the overwhelming sentiment for Murmu among his MPs. Trapped between more Sainik exits and
further antagonising his MVA allies, Uddhav’s support for Murmu signifies his weakening authority and inability
to be a steadfast partner in the opposition camp. Uddhav’s “neutral” stances will particularly suit BJP in
Maharashtra. Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren is similarly stuck. Opposing Murmu could rile JMM’s Adivasi base.
But supporting her strains its Congress alliance. A truck with BJP won’t take JMM too far despite present
compulsions. Soren’s CM post is shakyover clinging to a mining lease after taking office. There’s also the
attraction of developmental largesse accruing from a friendly central government. But like Sena’s Hindutva, BJP
wants to subsume JMM’s Adivasi identity politics into its Hindu ‘unity’ project. BJP has hugely grown its Adivasi
vote and JMM allying with BJP may accelerate this process and marginalise the former like Sena in Maharashtra.
BJP has landed several other parties like JD(U), AIADMK and JD(S) in the same confusion: To ally, opposeor
stay neutral?
KEY POINTS:
• The 2014 Maharashtra assembly elections when BJP stopped playing second fiddle belatedly awakened Shiv
Sena to BJP’s game plan of being the state’s sole Hindutva flagbearer, like the rest of India. Eknath Shinde’s
revolt signalled that most Sainiks accept BJP’s dominance.
• Uddhav succumbing to pressure is another reality check for NCP and Congress; any hopes of splitting the
Hindutva plank through Uddhav are remote. Even if MVA survives and undertakes seat-sharing negotiations
for upcoming civic polls, NCP-Congress may no longer be generous to Uddhav’s Sena.
PI.11: Oppn Failed to Put up a Symbolic Fight against BJP in Battle for President
for which it has Itself to Blame
ABOUT: With less than two years left for the next parliamentary election, the Opposition would do well not to
pass over this moment lightly.
SYNOPSIS: Several parties of the Opposition have expressed outrage over what they see as BJP-wrought
distortions in the national emblem, the Ashokan lions, installed atop the new Parliament building. The Shiv Sena,
erstwhile BJP ally and most recently victim of a toppling game seen to be choreographed by the BJP that felled
the Uddhav Thackeray-led government in Maharashtra, has announced it will support the BJP’s candidate in the
upcoming presidential contest. Seen together, these two separate developments illustrate this: The country’s
Opposition is quick to react, but it is only reactive to the agenda set by the BJP. For the rest, it never misses an
opportunity to miss an opportunity. All the non -BJP parties’ loud indignation over the allegedly snarling Ashokan
lions cannot paper over the inert silence deepening around the candidature of Yashwant Sinha for president, to
which the Sena decision has now landed a fell blow. The Opposition, short of numbers to begin with, had a chance
to put up a symbolic fight against the BJP in the battle for president. It failed to, and for that it has only its own
lack of imagination, apart from a missing political strategy, to blame.
In the Opposition’s own words, the presidential contest was going to be a fight between two ideologies. Having
framed the face-off in grand ways, it must now also take responsibility for the ignominious cave-in. Candidate
Sinha’s failure to launch, and the non-BJP parties’ standstill, even in a symbolic fight, is a metaphor for the state
of the Opposition in times of BJP dominance. With less than two years left for the next parliamentary election,
the Opposition would do well not to pass over this moment lightly.
KEY POINTS:
• It is revealing that the Shiv Sena is rising above its all too recent hostilities with the BJP to support Droupadi
Murmu. It may well be that its compulsion to hold an imploding party together is the explanation.
• But the reason is also that in putting forward a woman belonging to a Scheduled Tribe, a self-made politician
with an arduous journey, the BJP has crafted a powerful candidature for presidential office that, even in these
polarised times, its political opponents find difficult to oppose. It’s not just the Sena.
• Murmu’s candidature has split the ranks of the Opposition, with the BSP, JD(S) and SAD announcing their
support to her, and even Sinha’s original backer, TMC, sending ambivalent signals. By all accounts, the
Opposition failed twice — first in not finding, with all respect to Sinha, a candidature anywhere near as
irrefutable, and then, in not having a plan to make the most of a losing candidate either.
PI.12: New deal: Editorial on Modi’s Glorification of Democracy in India
ABOUT: The indigenisation of democracy is consistent with the Bharatiya Janata Party’s ideological ambitions
of conjuring a historically-spurious entity.
SYNOPSIS: Rhetorical sweeps are a favourite with politicians. The prime minister is not an exception. Speaking
at a function on the occasion of the centenary celebrations of the Bihar assembly, Narendra Modi remarked that
India is not only the world’s largest democracy but it also is the ‘mother of democracies’, adding that those who
believe that the democracy project in India came to fruition as a result of Western influence sully the indigenous
legacy. The indigenisation of democracy is consistent with the Bharatiya Janata Party’s ideological ambitions of
conjuring a historically-spurious entity. The question to ask, however, is whether Mr Modi’s remark can be
interpreted as a signal of India’s retreat from the liberal democratic project synonymous with the West. After all,
the signs of stress on the nation’s democratic edifice are undeniable. Mr Modi lords over the Mother of all
Democracies without having to face the scrutiny of an objective media— an institution that recently rid Britain
of a wayward prime minister. Under Mr Modi’s watch, the vanguard of democracy— institutions that are
democracy’s protectors — stand markedly weakened. Mr Modi’s regime also has the dubious distinction of
trampling on the liberties of opponents and critics. These and other assaults go to show that democracy may not
have been devoured entirely in India but it is certainly being redesigned.
KEY POINTS:
• The ancient republic of Vaishali —Mr Modi was speaking in Bihar —the prime minister said, bore evidence
of the originality of India’s claim on democracy. It cannot be denied that the roots of democracy —
philosophical and political— run deep in India. Many of its kingdoms espoused rudimentary forms of
freedom. But the historical time line reveals a fundamental flaw in Mr Modi’s argument.
• The evolution of modern democracy has had important sign - posts in the West. Emancipatory treatise —
England’s Magna Carta — people’s uprisings against repressive regimes — France and Russia — strife —
the American War of Independence — contributed to postcolonial nation states’ embracing of democracy.
• India’s Constitution accommodates some of the salient features of Western Constitutions, including those of
Britain and the United States of America. This fusion is a perfect example of the inception of democracy
being a truly global, collaborative enterprise.
PI.13: It’s What MPs Do
ABOUT: List of unparliamentary words is not such a big deal. Quality of law-making is the real House test.
SYNOPSIS: A list of ‘unparliamentary’ words and phrases, published by the Lok Sabha secretariat, saw
opposition leaders accusing the government of trying to gag them. This was a bit odd – to use a Parliament-
appropriate expression – as publishing such words has been happening since 1950s. The list is not a diktat, it’s
based on rulings by presiding officers in parliamentary and assembly proceedings in India and Commonwealth
countries. And none of the words is banned, clarified LS speaker Om Birla. Presiding officers will expunge
remarks they deem unacceptable. Therefore, it’s not really a gag order. Also, there are easy workarounds for many
words listed as unparliamentary. Some critics are exercised that words like “incompetent” have been deemed
inappropriate. Why not say “competence is in question” instead – it makes the same point but doesn’t sound like
a sweeping judgment. That said, while suggesting expunging of words and phrases, parliamentary secretariats
should not entirely take a mechanical approach. House discussions must also reflect the liveliness that animates
politics in a voluble and sometimes volatile democracy. MPs can also help by reminding themselves that the five
minutes of news television coverage they get for using unparliamentary words do nothing for their legislative
career.
KEY POINTS:
• Some of the recent sessions of Parliament have witnessed record “productivity”, even exceeding 100%. That
disruptions have been few is good.
• And when debates do happen, some MPs, on both sides, have made quality interventions. What’s needed in
greater measure is extensive deliberations in smaller parliamentary committees and deeper House debates on
complex issues.
• Only this week the Supreme Court flagged a hole in the Juvenile Justice Act amended in 2015. This allowed
trial of a minor as an adult for heinous offences.
• The law hadn’t mandated preliminary assessment by a child psychologist, making SC wonder how judges or
social workers can competently assess a minor’s mental capacity and ability to understand consequences.
Ensuring such legislative slips don’t happen should be a first priority for MPs.
PI.14: War over Words: Editorial on U
' nparliamentary' Language Row in Lok
Sabha
ABOUT: The British Parliament, too, has a list of words deemed ‘unparliamentary’— but these are limited to
abuses like ‘guttersnipe’, ‘rat’ and ‘hooligan’.
SYNOPSIS: Every institution works according to a set of rules. But when those rules undermine the very
purpose of an institution, it is time to revisit them. The latest list of ‘unparliamentary’ words published by the Lok
Sabha secretariat has sparked sharp criticism from Opposition parties because it steps beyond the usual range of
phrases that are frowned upon in Parliament and also penalises the use of language that is often used to target the
government. While members of Parliament are not banned from using these words, as the Lok Sabha Speaker,
Om Birla, has confirmed, the language will be redacted from official transcripts. The list includes terms like
jumlajeevi (someone who repeatedly makes false promises) and Snoopgate (a reference to allegations of
wiretapping), as well as everyday words and phrases such as ‘ashamed’, ‘corrupt’, ‘bloody’, ‘dictatorial’ and
‘sexual harassment’. Expunging ‘unparliamentary’ words is a tradition that India has borrowed from the British
Parliament. Yet the debate over the addition of fresh words underscores the need to reflect on the compatibility
of the practice with modern democratic ideals. It is important for legislators to observe an acceptable level of
conduct. But how relevant is that observance within Parliament if some elected representatives indulge in
provocative acts — including hate speech — outside the walls of the legislature? The proceedings of Parliament
are also broadcast live on television, so ‘unparliamentary’ language is beamed to millions across India in real time
before the Speaker can decide whether it is to be expunged from written records. There is a lesson in these
instances — for legislators to hold governments accountable on behalf of the people, they must expose
wrongdoing. Punishing language needed for such accountability sits naturally only in a dystopian world like the
one conjured by George Orwell in 1984, where the mode of communication, Newspeak, is deliberately ambiguous
and has limited vocabulary. Thought control — the aim of limiting language in Orwell’s novel — is not what any
contemporary legislature in a genuine democracy practises. Challenging false promises and alleging corruption
are not unparliamentary. Eliminating records of democratic debates is.
KEY POINTS:
• First, the list of ‘unparliamentary’ words does not significantly reduce the incentive for MPs to use those
terms if their audience comprises fellow legislators or ordinary Indians.
• Second, the purpose of the list is not to keep proceedings from turning rumbunctious but to eliminate records
of contentious debates from being referenced publicly in the months and years ahead. That is where the
problem lies.
• The British Parliament, too, has a list of words deemed ‘unparliamentary’ — but these are limited to abuses
like ‘guttersnipe’, ‘rat’ and ‘hooligan’. In April, the Speaker of the House of Commons allowed MPs to call
the then prime minister, Boris Johnson, a “liar”.
• In the United States of America, a witness before the ongoing Congressional hearings into the January 6,
2021 riot at Capitol Hill accused the former president, Donald Trump, of using “lies, deceit and snake oil”.
PI.15: President Murmu
ABOUT: Her win gives hope to marginalised tribal community
SYNOPSIS: Droupadi Murmu has become the first tribal leader and the second woman (after Pratibha Patil) to
be elected President of India. The NDA nominee’s thumping victory had an air of inevitability about it as the
ruling alliance had the numbers firmly on its side. It was no surprise that the disjointed Opposition finished a
distant second, having settled for former BJP veteran Yashwant Sinha as its candidate after one stalwart followed
another in opting out of the fray. Cross-voting in some states made the going easier for the NDA, which did an
encore five years after Ram Nath Kovind outclassed Meira Kumar in the presidential battle.
With Murmu’s nomination, the BJP-led NDA signalled its intent to reach out to these long - neglected citizens.
The next step should be to uplift their lot and make them partners in the nation’s progress. Murmu’s experience
of having served as the Governor of Jharkhand, at least one-fourth of whose residents belong to the Scheduled
Tribes, can come in handy to resolve deep -rooted tribal problems. As the nation’s President, however, she will be
expected to engage with all communities and speak up for their rights and aspirations, while giving precedence to
democratic and constitutional values. As the supreme commander of the defence forces, it will r be he
responsibility to astutely deal with challenges concerning national security. It is hoped that her presidential tenure
will be no less remarkable than her success story.
KEY POINTS:
• Murmu’s elevation to the top constitutional post is a landmark in the co untry’s post -Independence history.
As India celebrates Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to mark 75 years of freedom, the tribal people have a special
reason to rejoice.
• Marginalised and victimised over the decades, more than 700 Scheduled Tribes with a total population of
around 10 crore can now hope that their pressing issues will be highlighted and addressed at the highest level.
• The tribal community has been grappling with poverty, denial of rights, loss of agricultural land and
traditional livelihoods, displacement triggered by industrialisation, deforestation and mining operations, and
lack of access to the government’s welfare schemes.
PI.16: Point Made: Editorial on Droupadi Murmu Becoming the New President of
India
ABOUT: In her speech, she presented her rise from a poor family to the position of First Citizen as proof of the
strength of India’s democracy
SYNOPSIS: A change of guard in Rashtrapati Bhavan is a solemn moment. The departing president, Ram Nath
Kovind, spoke with becoming solemnity in his farewell address about the founders of this modern nation that
exemplified liberty, equal ity and fraternity. Without this ‘trinity’, the purpose of democracy would be defeated.
The address, however, with the recitation of great names from Rabindranath Tagore to Subhas Chandra Bose and
allusion to Jawaharlal Nehru as well as Shyama Prasad Mookerjee, could seem more of an enactment of solemnity
than meaningful inspiration. Mr Kovind’s identity as Dalit had been flaunted by the Narendra Modi government
to prove its egalitarian credentials and draw the scheduled castes close. Yet under Mr Kovind’s watch, crimes
against Dalits and indigenous peoples grew instead of dropping as other crimes did, especially in the pandemic
years. The new president, Droupadi Murmu, is from an indigenous community. In her speech, Ms Murmu
presented her rise from a poor family to the position of First Citizen as proof of the strength of India’s democracy.
Liberty did not mean anything for Stan Swami, and means little for protesters against citizenship laws, critics and
dissenters, who are in prison. Fraternity is hardly the experience of those facing the unchecked bullying and
violence of majoritarian vigilantes. The cultivation of hate, the distortion of education and of independent
institutions, or the destruction of social harmony may be achievements, but not those envisioned by the leaders
whom the former and present presidents mentioned. Rather, this may be the watershed Mr Modi dreams of.
Unless, of course, the people think differently.
KEY POINTS:
• In 2020, a scheduled caste person was subject to a crime every 10 minutes. Since 2018, 1.3 lakh cases of
crimes against Dalits were registered. Even that was not easy. Upper castes and the administration make it
difficult for Dalits to complain, and cases may take years to reach the courts. Meanwhile, in 2019, crimes
against scheduled tribes rose by 26.5 per cent. Equality seems elusive.
• The solemnity of these moments was undermined not just by the triumphal commentary of BJP leaders
celebrating the Modi government’s egalitarian credentials in having brought a Dalit and then, in the 75th
year of Independence, the member of an indigenous group, to the presidential chair, but also by the
oppression and cruelty that afflict the country.
PI.17: RS Ticket Racket
ABOUT: Audacity reflects the social sanction to corruption
SYNOPSIS: HOW else to describe it but as the audacity of the corrupt when a racket promising a Rajya Sabha
seat or a governorship for up to Rs 100 crore is busted by the Central Bureau of Investigation? The four accused
were arrested over phone intercepts offering a ppointments as chairpersons of government organisations, ministries
and departments. One of the accused posed as a CBI officer and flaunted his connections with senior officials.
While it is for the investigative agencies to unravel the intricacies of the scam and prove whether any one did end
up falling for the con job, the worrying part of the episode is what it says about the political culture, and the social
sanction to corruption. Moneybags who really do believe that positions of high office are available for a price,
find nothing unusual about it and are willing to fork out any amount. Corruption has deep roots, but the undeniable
takeaway over the past four months in Punjab has been the rise in the risk involved and the chances of being
caught. Time will tell whether it is a temporary lull before new facets of cheating emerge, or, at last, corruption is
being denied the social acceptability that allows its sustenance.
KEY POINTS:
• The revelation about the racket came just two days after West Bengal’s Industry Minister was taken into
custody following the recovery of over Rs 21 crore in cash from his aide’s house.
• The Enforcement Directorate has not exactly covered itself with glory in the recent past, but the allegations
of targeting the Opposition fly in the face of a seizure of such magnitude.
• In Punjab, the anti-graft helpline has logged nearly three lakh complaints since its launch by the AAP
government in March-end. As many as 3,750 of them are buttressed with video or audio recordings.
• A minister was sacked and he figured among the over 50 persons, including government and police officials,
arrested on charges of corruption.
PI.18: Congress Leader’s Use of ‘Rashtrapatni’ is an Opportunity to Talk about
the Inequalities Language Mirrors and Creates
ABOUT: The question isn’t what word can be used to describe a woman president or a male caregiver. It should
be: How can we re-imagine our common usages, words and meanings so that they may contain all the diversity
that exists?
SYNOPSIS: When men are viewed as the human default and the human ideal, even compliments are not gender-
neutral. Thus it was that the former prime minister, Indira Gandhi, was described by admirers as the “only man”
among her cabinet colleagues. Several decades later, the failure of language to keep up with changes in society
and politics is still evident. On Thursday, with Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s reference to President
Droupadi Murmu as “rashtrapatni” —he later blamed it on his unfamiliarity with Hindi and has apologised to the
President – it is welcome that the spotlight has been trained on how gendered language and linguistic imagination
remain. That Chowdhury’s comment didn’t go unremarked upon —indeed, it’s led to much uproar in Parliament
– presents an opportunity that must not be lost. A door has been prised open to a long overdue conversation, direly
needed in India’s highly masculinised public-political space.
KEY POINTS:
• The language a society uses matters because it both reflects and creates inequalities. Only an overhauling of
the imagination,which has been schooled by centuries of gender inequality, can help create new, more
inclusive defaults and ideal types.
• Language is not a static entity: It can and should evolve in step with the times, and the use of words that
draw attention to gender where it has no role to play must be questioned.
• The question isn’t what word can be used to describe a woman president or a male caregiver. It should be:
How can we re-imagine our common usages, words and meanings so that they may contain all the diversity
that exists?
• Progress is not only about enabling women and men to assume responsibilities and seize opportunities that
have historically been denied to them. It also consists of creating conditions
– and language — that make
gender irrelevant to access and opportunity.
PI.19: Unsavoury Logjam
ABOUT: Govt should be accommodating of Oppn.
SYNOPSIS: The Monsoon Session of Parliament is hitting the headlines for the wrong reasons: the suspension
of 27 Opposition MPs for ‘unruly behaviour’, the heckling of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi by the treasury benches
and the furore over Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s derogatory remark against the new President.
The session, which began on July 18 and is scheduled to conclude on August 13, might turn out to be another
washout if the disruptions continue and no significant business is transacted over the n ext two weeks. The
government is justified in insisting on discipline and decorum in the House, but drastic action aimed at stifling
protests by the Opposition is uncalled for. Price rise, GST on essentials, inflation, Agnipath scheme – these are
burning issues which merit a constructive debate in both Houses of Parliament. The government needs to climb
down from its extreme position in order to facilitate a meaningful dialogue. There is nothing new about the
suspension of MPs, but it has become a regular feature in recent years. At times, the punishment has been
disproportionate to the members’ misconduct. An accommodating approach towards the Opposition will enable
the government to ensure that the business of the House is not impacted. The Opposition, in turn, should desist
from going the provocative way. Elected representatives owe it to the electorate to highlight matters of public
interest rather than indulging in a prolonged slanging match. The nasty discord, which is threatening to sour the
Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations, must not be allowed to drag on.
KEY POINTS:
• Chowdhury owes an apology to the nation for his ‘Rashtrapatni’ jibe. It’s not good enough that he has
expressed regret in a letter to the President. However, it is unreasonable of the BJP to demand an apology
from Sonia for what her party colleague blurted out.
• Members of the ruling party didn’t exactly cover themselves in glory when they ‘encircled and heckled
Sonia pack-wolf style’, as described by TMC leader Mahua Moitra. The derisive sloganeering against the
six-time MP, who heads a national party, was a new low in India’s parliamentary annals.
ECONOMIC
ISSUE
EI.1: Clearer Label: Editorial on Centre’s Strict Norms for Celebrity Endorsements
Editorial Category: EI
ABOUT: Failure to adhere to these guidelines will attract a penalty under the CPA— Rs 10 lakh for the first
offence and Rs 50 lakh for a subsequent offence
SYNOPSIS: Accountability and advertisement rarely go hand in hand. In order to remedy this malpractice, the
Centre has tightened the norms for product endorsers, including celebrities and sportspersons, under the Consumer
Protection Act. The new guidelines on the Prevention of Misleading Advertisements and Endorsements for
Misleading Advertisements, 2022 have made it mandatory for endorsers to disclose material connection and
exercise due diligence for the products they are promoting, prohibit surrogate advertisements, and has laid down
specific rules for advertisements involving children or child products. Failure to adhere to these guidelines will
attract a penalty under the CPA — Rs 10 lakh for the first offence and Rs 50 lakh for a subsequent offence. This
is a welcome step. It should introduce an element of accountability among promoters— no matter how famous
— of products.
Public awareness and the ability to discern the credibility of a product are uneven across socio-economic strata.
The responsibility of raising this awareness ought to be collaborative. While the government must tighten the
regulations, celebrities too must do their bit to help sell products in a responsible manner.
KEY POINTS:
• Advertisements and celebrity endorsements have accommodated chicanery and, as a result, have often
courted controversy: in 2015, responding to a petition, the Tamil Nadu consumer forum had slapped notices
on several actors for endorsing Maggi, which was then facing charges of adulteration.
• This is not the first time that the government has contemplated intervention. In 2016, a panel of a group of
ministers headed by the then finance minister had suggested strict fines and bans on those promoting
misleading products.
• Research shows that consumers tend to find celebrity endorsements more attractive and influential, even
though a later study has found that 50.5 per cent of respondents are skeptical about endorsements by either
social media influencers or traditional celebrities.
EI.2: On the Move: Editorial on Changing Dynamics of Migration in India
ABOUT: It is logical to surmise that these movements will continue as long as there are disparities in economic
growth among states
SYNOPSIS: One of the most common and enduring ideas concerning migration is that migrants move from one
state to another to avail better employment opportunities. However, data from the latest Periodic Labour Force
Survey have challenged this fundamental assumption. Research has attributed the fall in inter-state migration to a
number of factors — difficulty in accessing entitlements like the public distribution system and preferential norms
as well as domicile requirements in some states for government jobs. The PLS data can be used to draw some
other references. Migration is linked to the uneven economic opportunities offered by states: Maharashtra, Kerala
and Tamil Nadu, therefore, remain the destination of workers from poorer states. It is logical to surmise that these
movements will continue as long as there are disparities in economic growth among states.
The poorly-planned and executed lockdown in March 2020, which brought unimaginable sufferings to India’s
labourers, especially those in the informal economy, also brought about a shift: people remain sceptical about
outstation employment. Further transitions within India’s migration patterns cannot be ruled out. This is because
the deepening impacts of climate change are expected to cause severe displacement in t he years to come. Policy
must be ready to accommodate and secure the lives of climate migrants in a country whose laws are yet to accord
legal protection to climate refugees.
KEY POINTS:
• Almost 88 per cent of migrants, the PLF says, moved within the same s tate, while only about 11.8 per cent
moved to another state in 2020-21. Migration to India from another country was reported to be less than one
per cent.
• In 2011, there were around 39.6 crore intra-state migrants; the correspondent figure for inter-state migrants
was about 5.4 crore.
• Policy loopholes must be addressed accordingly. For instance, the Code on Occupational Safety, Health and
Working Conditions, 2020 does not address the needs of intra-state migrants, thereby leaving them out of
the scope of their protection. This should be rectified.
• As suggested by the PLF data, some aspects of migration are changing. Take, for instance, the rise in
migration within states, which exposes uneven development among metropolises and their hinterlands within
a state. The imperative for state governments would be to even out the template of development and generate
greater local employment.
EI.3: India Buys more Coal from Russia, and Urea from the US — Diversifying Supply Sources
is Good Policy
ABOUT: The growing trade with Russia may not be to the West's liking. While the invasion of Ukraine deserves
the widest condemnation, financial sanctions and not buying from Russia don't really help.
SYNOPSIS: India’s imports of Russian coal in June are reportedly expected to be the highest in at least seven
and a half years. This comes alongside Russia displacing Saudi Arabia to become India’s second - largest oil
supplier after Iraq in May. Neither of these are unwelcome developments, nor the fact that India has, for the first
time, bought a large urea consignment from the US. With Russian traders offering discounts of 25 -30 per cent for
thermal coal and accepting payment in rupees, it isn’t surprising that bulk purchases by Indian cement and steel
companies have spiked in recent weeks.
Diversifying supply sources and buying at the lowest price for equivalent quality is also in national interest.
The growing trade with Russia may not be to the West’s liking. While the invasion of Ukraine deserves the widest
condemnation, financial sanctions and not buying from Russia don’t really help. India and China purchasing more
from Russia, if anything, reduces the pressure on the international oil market. n fact, China and India are today
the world’s top two net crude oil importers, with Russia emerging as the former’s No 1 and the latter’s No 2
supplier. The economic and national interests of others overriding its geopolitical priorities is a reality that the
West has to acknowledge and accept, sooner than later.
KEY POINTS:
• The share of Russian crude processed in Reliance Industries’ Jamnagar refinery has, similarly, risen to 27 per
cent in May, from less than 5 per cent before April.
• It has become economical now to import urea from the US, which is quoting $55-75 per tonne cheaper than that
from the Middle East, notwithstanding higher freight costs and longer voyage time.
• India’s imports of crude petroleum, coal and finished fertilisers were valued at $122.45 billion, $31.72 billion
and $12.72 billion, respectively, in 2021-22, as against the previous fiscal’s corresponding levels of $59.48
billion, $16.27 billion and $6.83 billion. The country’s merchandise trade deficit hit a record $190.71 billion in
2021-22.
• A further widening of its deficits, whether external or fiscal, and uncontrolled weakening of the rupee, both
external and internal purchasing value, is something it cannot afford. If importing more coal and oil from Russia
or urea from the US forces existing suppliers — the likes of Australia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and United Arab
Emirates — to lower prices, it would aid in macroeconomic stability necessary for long-term growth.
EI.4: Mixed Bag: Editorial on what WTO Summit in Geneva Yielded for India
ABOUT: Unsurprisingly, Union minister for commerce and industry, Piyush Goyal, credited PM Modi for the
country’s approach at the ministerial meet.
SYNOPSIS: Even by the standards of complex international negotiations, talks at the World Trade Organization
are notoriously knotty. Agreements rarely materialise. Last week, the 164 members of the WTO broke with that
pattern to arrive at an outcome statem ent that touched upon key challenges like food security and access to Covid -
19 vaccines as well as on other areas of bitter dispute, such as duties on e commerce.
- WTO rules give every nation
a veto power to stall negotiations at the organisation’s ministerial summit, its highest decision-making body.
Instead, they all agreed, despite their reservations, on a cautious path forward that could set positive precedents
for the way such talks are held in the future. Unsurprisingly, the Union minister for commerce and industry, Piyush
Goyal, credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for India’s approach at the ministerial meet, which he said
delivered success for New Delhi and sent out a global message of “optimism” instead of “doom and gloom”. In
reality, the summit in Geneva yielded a mixed bag of results for India.
KEY POINTS:
• India had sought a waiver on a rule that bars the export of crops stored for the public distribution system.
New Delhi has argued that lifting this restriction would help meet food security concerns amid the war in
Ukraine. The WTO did not accept this request — the ban is meant to ensure that subsidised food does not
compete in the free market.
• The WFP can buy any amount of food from countries but producing nations can occasionally cite domestic
needs to limit those purchases.
• The WTO has agreed on a demand from India and South Africa for a temporary waiver on Covid 1- 9 vaccine
patents — although it might be too late for poor countries. In exchange, India has agreed to an extension of
a moratorium on customs duties levied on e-commerce, sought by China and the United States of America.
EI.5: States must Bring on their Books all Off-budget Borrowings, take Measures to Reduce Debt
to more Manageable Levels
ABOUT: Over the past few years, some states have also been pushing part of their borrowings off budget,
circumventing their ceilings. While there is little clarity on the extent of these obligations, the central government
has now taken cognisance of this.
SYNOPSIS: Over the past few years, much of the discussion on public finances in India has revolved around
the fiscal stress at the level of the central government. However, state government finances have also been under
pressure. Their space to manoeuvre has been restricted by slowing revenues, a rising share of committed
expenditure and higher outgoes on subsidies. Unless the GST Council decides otherwise, they will witness a
further fall in revenues once the compensation period draws to a close.
A high debt level translates to higher interest payments. States have also ramped up spending on subsidies. While
a distinction needs to be made between merit and non-merit subsidies, politically motivated decisions such as
providing free electricity or waiving of outstanding utility bills, profligate from a fiscal view, will aggravate the
stress, and distort the functioning of the market. The failure to turn around the financial position of power
distribution companies and opting out of the new pension scheme— Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh have recently
done so — will only exacerbate the situation.
The Central Government has recently asked states to bring on its books all off-budget borrowing undertaken over
the past two years. This will bring about much needed transparency in state finances, revealing their true level of
indebtedness. Alongside, states also need to take measures to shore up their revenues, reduce non-merit subsidies,
and bring down their debt to more manageable levels.
KEY POINTS:
• A recent study by economists at the Reserve Bank of India notes that 10 states — namely, Punjab, Rajasthan,
Kerala, West Bengal, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana —
have the highest debt burden. Of these, the five most fiscally stressed are Bihar, Kerala, Punjab, Rajasthan
and West Bengal. All these states have a debt to GSDP ratio in excess of 30 per cent.
• According to the report, the share of interest payments in revenue receipts exceeds 20 per cent for most of
these states. Coupled with allocations for pension and administrative payments, the share of committed
expenditure for these states is at least 30 per cent of revenue expenditure.
EI.6: Indian Infrastructure: The Road Sector Shows the Path
ABOUT: The absence of an independent regulator in the road sector, and the prevalence of ‘regulation by
contract’, shows an independent regulator is neither necessary nor sufficient for private participation to thrive.
SYNOPSIS: The Indian road sector has been experiencing unrelenting exuberance for quite some time. Why has this
happened? A clear policy, institutional and regulatory framework has been developed in the road sector. The absence of an
independent regulator in the road sector (unlike power, airport, telecom, etc), and the prevalence of ‘regulation by contract ’,
underlines the fact that the presence of an independent sectoral regulator is ne ither necessary nor sufficient for proliferation
of private participation in any sector. The procurement process has been simplified and standardised. The Cabinet -approved
Model Concession Agreement (MCA) in the road sector has standardised provisions on c onditions precedent to be met by
both the public and the private sectors, user fees and their escalation, dispute resolution, termination and force majeure,
providing balanced risk-return framework for the private sector to invest and thrive. A well -written and enforceable contract
is necessary for long-term infrastructure investments as most such investments are sunk costs and require the comfort of CAs
to mitigate risk. Then there is viability gap funding (VGF) for economically viable projects that do not reach the threshold of
financial viability. In fact, the highest VGF among all infrastructure sectors has gone to the road sector, both in absolute
amount and by the number of projects. The road sector has important lessons for other infrastructure sector s and for Indian
infrastructure in general to scale up financing so that lack of infrastructure does not become the binding constraint to the
growth of the Indian economy.
KEY POINTS:
• As per the Private Participation in Infrastructure database of the World Bank, India has the highest number of PPP road
projects in the developing world, at 501 (valued at $92.5 billion) in 1990- 2021. This is about 44% of the total number
of PPP projects in the country and more than 32% of the total investment in such projects.
• IRB Infrastructure achieved financial closure of Mumbai-Pune Expressway in a major brownfield asset monetisation
initiative at the state level for a total consideration of Rs 8,262 crore (June 2020).
• Adani Group bagged the contract to build India’s longest expressway project—the Rs 17,000-crore Meerut-Prayagraj
e-way—in Uttar Pradesh (December 2021).
• CDPQ (Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, a Canadian Pension Fund) has bought 40% stake in Odisha toll road
(67 km long Shree Jagannath Expressway) for `2,100 crore (December 2021).
• KKR, a leading global investment firm, and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board (OTPPB) signed an agreement under
which Ontario Teachers’ will invest up to $175 million in KKR’s road platform in India, which includes Highway
Concessions One (April 2022). And many more.
• The transactions have taken place in the Covid- 19 period, and the value is above Rs 44,000 crore. The investment is
largely from foreign institutional investors, orFIIs (CDPQ, CPPIB, OTPPB) —a sought after source of infrastructure
financing as there is no asset-liability mismatch.
• There are both greenfield and brownfield investments, but the obvious preference of FIIs are brownfield ones as such
projects are past the construction stage and the risks of land acquisition and environment and forest clearances. These
augur well for financing of infrastructure.
EI.7: Fisc can Fix it
Newspaper Source: The Times Of India
ABOUT: Fiscal policy can limit the fallout on growth that comes with rising interest rates.
SYNOPSIS: The surge in inflation is not because of excess demand. If anything, demand is tepid. For example,
the per capita private consumption in 2021- 22 was Rs 61,215, a level below the pre-pandemic year. The source
of inflation is the supply side. RBI is forced to tighten policy to head off second- round effects. If the supply side
is the source of the problem, the remedy lies in fiscal policy. To give an example, extra cereals issued free to
counter the pandemic fallout are likely holding down the pressure for higher wages. Similarly, the two cuts in fuel
taxes since November quickly influenced survey results of household inflation expectations.
The current surge in inflation is fundamentally different from the last one during the UPA era, which was triggered
by loose fiscal policy after five years of high economic growth. This round of infla tion calls for readjusting fiscal
policy to counter a growth slowdown. It can be done without threatening debt sustainability as inflation will push
up nominal GDP growth and help GoI and states overshoot budgetary tax estimates.
KEY POINTS:
• Minutes of the June meeting of RBI’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) provide an inkling of the probable
impact on GDP following the 0.90 percentage points increase in repo rate since May. Currently, RBI
estimates GDP in 2022-23 will grow 7.2%.
• There are likely to be more repo rate hikes in future MPC meetings. Given this scenario, one estimate in the
MPC minutes points to the possibility of an average GDP growth rate of 6 7% - till end March 2024. Monetary
tightening is inevitable but smart fiscal policy can ensure the average growth is higher.
• Governments need to carefully time the removal of post-pandemic welfare and also fulfil capital expenditure
commitments. The latter will offset uncertainties faced by private firms and, thereby, crowd in new
investment. This effect is important to limit the negative impact of rising interest rates on economic growth.
Disinflation can be brought about without burying growth impulses. Average growth rates can be above 7%,
the minimum India needs in the medium term.
EI.8: India at WTO Ministerial Meet: From Locking Horns to Joining Hands
ABOUT: The ‘new’ India has taken many, particularly those familiar with a stubborn andobstructive India at
the WTO, by surprise. What explains the change?
SYNOPSIS: The MC12 hardly produced anything substantial, except the fisheries deal, which again, for India,
is not as big an issue as agriculture subsidy, public food stocks, and food exports. There is nothing that India has
lost by agreeing to the fisheries deal. But it could have lost a lot, especially its newly acquired proactive interest
in engaging in global trade, had it blocked the deal. Advance purchase agreements between vaccine p roducers and
various country agencies have already pushed the world to a high vaccination coverage. Easy production of more
Covid-19 vaccines and their exports are not as powerful a global goal anymore, as they were even a year earlier.
History would always credit India for having been among the first to suggest IP waivers for Covid- 19 vaccines.
Beyond this, there was not much to be gained by India for sticking to the demand for therapeutics and drugs.
Continuing non-commercial food exports for the World Food Programme does not affect India much. The MC12
decision maintains that such exports are conditional to domestic food security concerns. And on the customs duty
moratorium on electronic transmissions, a pragmatic India would have realised that it is hardly an issue over which
a ‘Geneva Package’—the lifeline a moribund WTO was seeking—should be held up.
With FTA negotiations with the EU about to commence, those with the UK ongoing, and the - Indo Pacific
Economic Framework (IPEF) to roll out, it was important for India to stay committed to the cause of global trade
and ensuring that the WTO continues to remain relevant. It has done so at a negligible cost.
KEY POINTS:
• The fisheries agreement for checking subsidies encouraging deep - sea fishing was the only deal considered
achievable in the run-up to MC12. On this, too, the specter of eluding a consensus was high with India among
those WTO members likely to differ. India, while remaining opposed to financial incentivisation of unregulated
illegal fishing, was concerned over withdrawing subsidies supporting livelihoods of poor fishermen.
• Such subsidies, it argued, required liberal phase-outs—a condition to be absorbed within the ‘special and
differential’ caveat of the WTO. The eventual decision remains silent on phase - outs. But India did not object.
The fisheries agreement was the only long-term decision that MC12 was able to deliver.
• The remaining issues on which decisions were arrived at were either responses to recent developments (e.g., IP
waiver on COVID19 vaccines, exports for the World Food Programme) or continuing old arrangements (e.g.,
moratorium on e-commerce). On all these subjects, India’s perspectives were specific and at variance with
several other members, colouring it as a potential deal-breaker in the run-up.
• The MC12 has granted a temporary IP waiver on Covid- 19 vaccines. While large parts of the world still lack
enough vaccines and would benefit from the decision, the end of the road in the world’s battle against Covid -19
is in sight.
• India supported the MC12 decision denying member’s rights to block exports to non - commercial pick-ups by
the World Food Programme. And despite having raised the red flag on the moratorium for customs duties on
electronic transmissions for several years, it consented to the freeze till MC13.
EI.9: Fighting Inflation: International Trade vs Resilience
ABOUT: Will international trade help rein in inflation and boost resilience?
SYNOPSIS: Leading economies have been afflicted with new problems over the past year. The United States is
struggling with both supply-chain blockages and a critical shortage of baby formula. The European Union faces
the threat of scarce energy supplies, owing to sanctions on Russian fossil-fuel exports. And almost all countries
are experiencing high inflation.Some have blamed these problems o n excessive dependence on international
trade, that is, globalisation. Deglobalisation, fragmentation, reshoring, friend-shoring, decoupling, and resilience
have become now-familiar buzzwords. There is a widespread sentiment that individual countries would have been
less exposed to recent shocks had they been more self-sufficient. To be sure, trade liberalisation will not be nearly
enough to eliminate inflation. But the broader lesson is the same as for baby formula, transport bottlenecks, and
energy security: Openness to trade can be a source of resilience.
KEY POINTS:
• Start with the bottlenecks in US shipping. The remedy here is to repeal the Jones Act, which requires that all
shipping between US ports use American carriers and employ crews that are at lea st 75% American.
• The US baby formula shortage calls for a similar approach. Abbott Nutrition, one of only four major US
producers of baby formula, recalled some of its products in February following the discovery of traces of
bacteria in one factory. Recalls are common. But the resulting acute shortage illustrates how international
trade could have made up most of the shortfall.
• The EU and the US want to substitute renewable energy sources for fossil fuels, especially those purchased
from Russia. One policy that could help further reduce the cost of solar and wind power is to lift the barriers
in place to restrict imports of solar panels and wind turbines.
• On June 6, US President Joe Biden’s administration announced a two-year pause on pending new tariffs on
imports of solar panels. That is good for both the environment and America’s ability to cope with higher
global energy prices. But the US has the old tariffs to this day.
• Finally, one remedy for the current inflation problem is to lower import barriers g enerally. ariffs on US
imports of softwood lumber from Canada have exacerbated the rising cost of housing construction. Trump’s
tariffs on steel and aluminum have increased the prices paid by US firms, which in turn have contributed to
higher prices paid by consumers for nails, automobiles, and many other products containing the two metals.
• In a recent study, the Peterson Institute for International Economics estimated that a feasible package of trade
liberalisation could deliver a one-time reduction in US consumer price index inflation of around 1.3
percentage points, amounting to $797 per US household.
• The Biden administration is reportedly now considering rolling back some of Trump’s tariffs on imports
from China in particular, as one of the few concrete steps it can take that would immediately help alleviate
inflation. The effect on inflation will be less than 1.3 percentage points, because the full “feasible package”
will not be adopted. But it would be an encouraging step.
EI.10: RBI Draws the Line: Fintechs must Innovate Without Resorting to Regulatory Arbitrage
ABOUT: Experts have pointed out that there is a thin line between an underlying credit line available on a credit
card and a running credit line from a lender. That may be so, but RBI is making a distinction between the two,
possibly because it believes there is little or no due diligence being done in the latter case.
SYNOPSIS: The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI’s) concerns that fintechs are ‘borrowing balance sheets” when
they load pre-paid instruments (PPIs) with lines of credit are well-founded. Early last week, the central bank
reiterated that non-bank PPIs should be loaded only via cash, debiting a bank account, debit and credit cards.
Essentially, RBI was reminding new-age financial players that offering a line of credit requires a licence. Experts
have pointed out that there is a thin line between an underlying credit line available on a credit card and a running
credit line from a lender. That may be so, but RBI is making a distinction between the two, possibly because it
believes there is little or no due diligence being done in the latter case. The regulator seems to prefer a construct
where the underlying lender issues a credit card by tying up with a credit card network. Else, products are being
created with some confusion on which party owns the customer and who is responsible for ensuring data security
and privacy. It is true that fintechs, with their state-of-the-art technology and analytical prowess, are reaching out
to sections of borrowers that do not have access to formal credit. But they need to innovate without resorting to
regulatory arbitrage. Building in credit elements into products, by sourcing the funds from banks and non banking
financial companies (NBFCs) and delivering these through PPIs, can put the financial system at risk. That’s
because of the absence, or near absence, of due diligence by the ultimate lenders or the banks and NBFCs. To be
sure, Governor Das said recently that while it is the regulator’s responsibility to keep track of the leverage building
up in the system and to assess if it could pose a challenge, it does not wish to kill some of the new business and
models. While that sounds encouraging, RBI can be expected to be very conservative in its approach to new-age
financial players.
KEY POINTS:
• The amounts that have been disbursed in this manner may be small but by one estimate, some new generation
players have been adding 200,000- 300,000 cards using PPI licences and loading the wallets of consumers.
Given the popularity of these products, it won’t take long for the numbers to grow.
• Also, the banks that some fintechs have been piggybacking on are relatively small. It wouldn’t come as a
surprise if the regulator puts in place some prudential lending limits for PPI-based lending or even bars them
altogether.
• To be sure, fintechs will be miffed as some products would need to taken off the shelves; one casualty could
be the popular BNPL (buy-now-pay-later), if these have been structured as a line of credit and the funds
sourced from banks or NBFCs. At best, they could be given time to unwind the credit lines.
• The fact is that banks today are keen to partner with fintechs, as it gives them access to a larger customer
base. To that extent, they should be able design products that benefit both categories of lenders. The reminder
on PPIs, together with the RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das’ comments on digital licences, have created an
impression that the regulator isn’t too keen on fintechs.
EI.11: India Shining at Cannes
ABOUT: Ad agencies here have finally mastered the art of marrying tech with creativity.
SYNOPSIS: Indian ad agencies have finally mastered the art of marrying technology and creativity. This is
particularly encouraging in the context of their indifferent showing in the digital category in previous years, which
had led to an impression that India is many years behind even some of its emerging market competitors in terms
of cracking ideas that are digitally savvy. Many also said that Indian agencies still seemed to be caught in the trap
of equating “likes” or shares on social media as the ultimate recognition of the quality of their digital campaigns.
The writing on the wall was thus clear: Join the revolution or fade into obscurity. The results of the 2022 edition
of Cannes will put such doubts to rest.
The unmistakable trend is that the huge disruption caused by the pandemic has opened up new challenges of
engagement. As a result, influencer marketi ng, mobile communication and social media marketing are flourishing.
The way forward was summed up well by a Cannes Lions report. Based on a global survey, the report recommends
that the ad industry takes the following steps: one, get comfortable in a state of flux, since change is now constant;
two, double down on strategy and impact; three, seek a greater understanding of creative effectiveness to
businesses, and the need to explore and experiment with the metaverse, and bridge it to the physical world. Amidst
the much-deserved celebration of their success at Cannes, Indian ad agencies would do well to take note of the
roadmap.
KEY POINTS:
• Some of the campaigns that stole the limelight this year includes Dentsu’s `The Unfiltered History Tour’
remained India’s leading star this year, having bagged 12 awards. The campaign is an interactive Instagram
filter that tells the story of some of the most disputed artefacts in the British Museum through the perspective
of communities that they have been stolen from.
• Ogilvy’s artificial intelligence -driven campaign for Cadbury Celebrations’ ‘Shah Rukh Khan My Ad’, which
was created last Diwali to support local businesses and small shop owners to deal with the slowdown. The
campaign allowed small businesses to create customised video ads for themselves with the Bollywood star.
• One of the other celebrated campaigns was FCB’s “Chatpat” that focused on a 10-year-old social media
influencer whose street-smart videos on life were aimed at building awareness and raising funds for
vulnerable children and families.
• Apart from technological excellence, these superlative creative works have made one thing very clear: A
brand’s equity is now directly proportionate to its values and emotional quotient. It’s good that the creatives
are taking note of this change.
EI.12: Fine Print: Editorial on the Reduction in Unemployment Rate
ABOUT: A little probing, however, reveals that the formal sector jobs are shrinking
SYNOPSIS: Formal sector jobs are shrinking; even much of the casual work where an income accrues
periodically is disappearing fast. The self-employed are the ones who are being forced to join the growing army
of farm-workers, street vendors, and household helps with daily work available only for a few days, combined
with either no income or a pitifully low income per day. Such workers are lucky if they find work for one or two
days in a week. In developing countries, economic growth expands employment in the formal sector. India is
witnessing a reverse trend. This, according to some labour economists, is a sign of ‘distressed employment’. On
top of poor-quality employment, incomes are hugely skewed. India’s per capita income in 2021 prices, according
to the International Monetary Fund, was $2,191. If the income of the top - 2 3% of the Indian population was
excluded, the per capita income would plummet to about half. India is ranked 144 in terms of per capita GDP out
of 194 nations. These figures are not really indicative of an economic powerhouse.
KEY POINTS:
• The Government of India’s Periodic Labour Force Survey for 2020-21 shows that the unemployment rate in
the country has fallen from 5.8% in 2018 - 19 to 4.2% in 2020 - 21. The workers’ participation rate has
increased during the same period from 35.3% to 39.8%, implying a rise in the number of people in the
working-age population actively looking for work.
• During the period between 2018-19 and 2020-21, the proportion of workers in the salaried class with regular
wages and benefits fell from 23.8% to 21.1%. The proportion of casual workers with regular pay but no
benefits also fell from 24.1% to 23.3%.
• The proportion of the self-employed, which includes small vendors and people working without any income
for a family enterprise, increased from 52.1% to 55.6%. Within the self-employed category, there has been
a sharp rise in the proportion of household helpers and unpaid women workers — from 13.3% to 17.3%.
• The definition of being employed is set at 30 days of work in the past 365 days, or in an alternative measure,
as having more than one hour’s work in the preceding week. These measures hardly conform to perceptions
of having a steady job with a regular income.
EI.13: GST Council Meet
ABOUT: Hits and misses.
SYNOPSIS: The first GST Council meeting in 2022 couldn’t reach a conclusion on two critical issues, extending
the period of compensating states for a shortfall in GST collections beyond the five-year duration agreed upon at
the start and rationalising GST rates. The meeting, however, did take an important decision which will have a
bearing on the price of some items.A Group of Ministers (GoM) interim report made suggestions to correct
inversion of duty and rework tax exemption for some items. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said these
suggestions were approved by the Council and will take effect on July 18. In the context of the elevated inflation
India is currently experiencing, the decision to rationalise rates may not be taken soon.
KEY POINTS:
• Sixteen states expressed their views on the issue of extension of compensation period. According to the
finance minister, a few states wanted it to end while others asked for extension. A quick consensus on this
issue was unlikely but if it drags on it can vitiate the environment in future Council meetings.
• Another tricky decision will be revision of the rate structure. The GoM studying it has been given an
extension. The indications given so far by different finance ministers is that most governments want an
upward revision in rates as they feel the decision to lower them in the early days of GST went too far.
EI.14: Price Caps Don’t Fit
ABOUT: G7’s idea of limiting price of Russian oil is bad. Much better is French idea to increase oil supplies.
SYNOPSIS: In a radical move to choke off energy revenues for Russia, G7 nations will now try to manipulate
and limit the price of Russian oil. Behind the risky proposition is the acknowledgement that sanctions and
embargoes already imposed by EU, US and their allies have had little impact on Russia’s war-making ability
against Ukraine. On the contrary, the squeeze on Russian oil has actually elevated global crude prices – which
continue to be well above the $100 per barrel mark – helping Moscow earn more for its war chest. True, EU has
already pledged to block 90% of its Russian oil imports by the end of the year. But with exemptions for countries
like Hungary and pipeline supplies, Russian oil continues to flow at elevated prices, aiding inflation and pushing
up cost of living.
A much better idea is the French one of getting Iran and Venezuela back to the oil suppliers’ fold. But talks on
reviving the Iran nuclear deal are caught in the brinkmanship between Tehran and Washington, something that
suits Russian and Gulf Arab interests. Venezuela presents its own political challenges for the Biden
administration. So this will need work. The West wants to weaken Russia, even if it damages the global economy,
including Western ones. Level-headed approaches will consider facilitating Moscow-Kyiv negotiations. Every
new plan to punish Russia hurts the global economy.29
KEY POINTS:
• The G7 plan, though a long shot, seeks to undermine the so-called Russian ‘oilogopoly’ through price caps.
Initial reports indicate that it will work by lifting sanctions on insurance for cargo ships transporting Russian
oil in return for a price deal. Theoretically, this should incentivise countries to accept the price cap. Also,
London-based International Group of Protection & Indemnity Clubs insures nearly 95% of the world’s cargo
shipment. The group itself would face sanctions if it insures any Russian oil cargo above the yet-to-be-
determined price.
• This Plan fails to consider strategic calculations some countries are making in buying Russian oil. China, for
example, is unlikely to go along with the G7 on this since Beijing and Moscow today have formed a strong
strategic compact.
EI.15: Growing Reliance on MGNREGA inR ural Areas, Elevated Youth Unemployment in
Urban areas, are Worrying Signals
ABOUT: In 2018-19, 5.27 crore households had availed of work under MGNREGA. In 2019-20, a year before
the pandemic, this had risen to 5.48 crore.
SYNOPSIS: Going by the data on work demanded and availed by households under the Mahatma Gandhi
National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), the employment scenario in the country continues
to be dismal, even as the economy has recovered, though barely, to its pre-pandemic level. The growing numbers
point to a few posiibilities. First, that not enough productive jobs are being created in rural areas — 21 states and
Union territories observed an increase in households availing work under the scheme. That the jobs that are being
created aren’t remunerative enough, requiring households to supplement their incomes by working under the
scheme. After all, inflation pinches the poor more. Or, that, post the pandemic, households are trying to rebuild
their emergency buffers.
Protests against the Indian railways recruitment process, against the government’s Agnipath scheme for
recruitment for the armed forces, pressures from various castes to expand the scope of reservation, attempts by
state governments to reserve jobs for locals – all are symptomatic of growing concerns over inadequate
employment generation in the country. These have only deepened since thepandemic. They reflect the failure,
under the watch of successive governments, to absorb the millions of low and semi-skilled workers, who are
entering the labour force each year, and those who are stuck in the low productivity agricultural sector
KEY POINTS:
• 2.61 crore households availed work under the scheme in May 2022. This is not only higher than the number
of households who worked under the scheme over the same period last year (2.22 crore in May 2021), but is
also significantly higher than the pre-pandemic level (2.1 crore households had availed work under the
scheme in May 2019). This is a worrying sign.
• In 2018-19, 5.27 crore households had availed of work under MGNREGA. In 2019 - 20, a year before the
pandemic, this had risen to 5.48 crore. During the pandemic year of 2020, it rose further to a staggering 7.55
crore. While in the following year (2021 -22), the number of households came down to 7.26 crore, it was still
significantly higher than even the pre-pandemic trend.
• In urban areas, the latest periodic labour force survey shows that even as the unemployment rate among the
youth (those aged 15- 29) has dipped in recent quarters, it remained uncomfortably high at 20.2 per cent
during January-March 2022.
EI.16: Services Sector Needs PLI-like Support
ABOUT: Quadrupling services exports over the next 7- 8 years to reach a $5-trillion economy is a herculean
task and is certainly not achievable unless there is a strategic road map with the right government intervention.
SYNOPSIS: India’s ambition to reach a $5-trillion economy is predicated on the growth of its international trade to
$2 trillion by 2030, equally contributed by merchandise and services. This translates into a three-fold growth, or almost
20% CAGR, over this period. The commerce ministry expects services exports to overtake merchandise and
manufacturing, or at least be on par. This is possible only if services are viewed the same as manufacturing in terms of
fiscal encouragement and incentives. Around 50% of services exports are accounted for by IT -ITeS, which continues
to innovate and grow. The rest is the input from management, legal, accounting, logistics, travel and tourism, education,
health care, and other sectors. Services sectors beyond IT require careful nurturing, especially capex-intensive sectors
like hospitality, healthcare, and education.
Policymakers have incentivised manufacturing by introducing the Productivity Linked Incentives (PLI) scheme with a
well laid out process that ensures investment in capex, resulting in increased productivity and avenues for employment.
A similar scheme for services can be introduced with substantial scope in areas like hospitality, education, and
healthcare. In these adverse times, if economic momentum has to be sustained and every effort has to be made to yield
the desired result, then the perception of services, especially its exports, has to radically transform. This is also to ensure
that, as a major economy, India’s reliance should be on multiple horses in the race.
KEY POINTS:
• Last year, the government claimed that manufacturing and merchandise exports had crossed the $400 -billion Rubicon,
an extremely creditable performance considering the ravages of Covid. However, services exports had exceeded $254
billion, an increase of over 20% year-on-year, despite the contribution being from just three sectors— education,
healthcare, and travel and tourism.
• The chairman of Service Export Promotion Council (SEPC) predicted, after the first quarter of 2021, that services
exports would surpass $250 billion, hoping tourism would revive by the third quarter, but consecutive Covid waves
erased that possibility.
• Further, merchandise and manufacturing exports are $200 billion negative-we imported $600 billion against exports of
over $400 billion. Meanwhile, services exports were over $100 billion, underlining the importance of ensuring that the
growth trajectory in services exports is maintained.
• During the reign of the Merchandise Exports Incentive Scheme (MEIS), merchandise exporters benefited to the extent
of over Rs 40,000 crore in 2018 - 19, whereas under the corresponding Services Exports Incentive Scheme (SEIS),
exporters could avail of only a tenth of that amount.
• Even though SEIS is under the Foreign Trade Policy, it was only through intense advocacy that a sum of Rs 2,000 crore
was earmarked for services exports for 2019-20, largely on compassionate ground as sectors like travel and tourism had
suffered immensely due to Covid restrictions.
• Consider international tourism. We attract 10 million tourists every year. This is underwhelming, considering the
diversity we offer. Prime minister Modi has exhorted the diasp ora to insist that at least five of their acquaintances visit
India. The goal should be to triple arrivals.
• The government provides attractive incentives, including direct taxation for green field projects in the manufacturing
sector. The same blueprint requires to be initiated for the services sectors, especially in the building of hotels, hospitals,
and universities, especially those attracting forex.
EI.17: Zero Tolerance on Safety: Take Action Against Truant EV-makers & Overhaul the Entire
Vehicle Testing System
ABOUT: Many experts have also blamed poor testing protocols and the use of cheap and questionable quality
batteries (especially those imported from China), etc.
SYNOPSIS: Just about a fortnight after industrialist Rajiv Bajaj blamed the policy environment for encouraging
“upstart” electric vehicle (EV) players who failed to ensure necessary quality checks leading to multiple instances
of two-wheelers catching fire, a probe panel set up by the government seems to have validated his observations.
The expert committee has reportedly found that even “basic safety systems” were lacking in the EVs involved in
the recent incidents. They include missing “venting mechanisms” to deal with battery overheating and deficient
battery management systems which failed to recognise cells getting overheated. The panel has also raised serious
concerns as several of these manufacturers took shortcuts rather than prioritising safety. Though the panel’s report
is yet to be made public, the findings, if backed by enough evidence, are a damning indictment of scores of EV
players.
The shift from lead-acid batteries to lithium ion ones has shrunk the battery size, and has pushed up the energy
density. This would call for superlative battery management systems, designed to effectively control energy flows.
But if the desire to push products into the market fast and cut costs for greater uptake is what has been practised,
the companies must be made answerable. Following a few incidents of EV two - wheelers catching fire, the
government has gone on an overdrive against all the players, forgetting that it is unfair to paint everyone with the
same brush. This sledgehammer approach does not solve the problem. Besides, there is need for introspection.
Media reports have pointed out that while some of the companies were submitting top q- uality cells for testing and
certification by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), tasked with prescribing and testing
standards, they could be using poorer cells in the vehicles sold, thanks to ARAI and other regulators lacking a
mandate for surprise checks. While new standards—framed by the Bureau of Indian Standards—being proposed
are good news, effective on-ground implementation is needed.
KEY POINTS:
• Many experts believe that the R&D gestation period in the space is typically longer than that taken by some
of the EV players between project announcements and launches.
• Many experts have also blamed poor testing protocols and the use of cheap and questionable quality batteries
(especially those imported from China), etc. This could create a crisis of confidence among buyers leading
to poor response to EVs, undermining efforts to make personal and mass transport less GHG-heavy.
• Batteries, and EVs themselve s, will need to be designed with Indian conditions in mind. It will be hard going
forward as Li-ion battery supply, controlled to a great degree by China, falls short of rising demand.
• Even established players venturing into the EV space have had to deal with thermal runaway in batteries.
However, watertight manufacturing and testing protocols make any allegations of malfeasance less sticky.
That said, the government and the regulators will need to drastically step up their act.
EI.18: New RBI R eport Says Asset Quality; Capital Position of Banking S ystem Continues to
Improve. That’s Something to Build On.
ABOUT: Data presented in the report shows that banks have seen an improvement in their asset quality across
all major sectors.
SYNOPSIS: Data presented in the report shows that banks have seen an improvement in their asset quality
across all major sectors. Bad loans have declined even in sectors such as engineering goods, gems and jewellery,
and construction — sectors where they have been significantly elevated in the past. And even as fresh slippages
into the bad loan category have declined, banks have been increasing their provisioning for bad loans. It is also
comforting that the central bank’s stress tests indicate that banks are well capitalised and are “capable of absorbing
macroeconomic shocks even in the absence of any further capital infusion by stakeholders.”
The central bank has also conducted stress tests to gauge the strength of banks’ balance sheets against
macroeconomic shocks. Under a baseline scenario, it estimates that banks’ bad loans may fall further to 5.3 per
cent by March 2023. If the macroeconomic environment worsens, bad loans may rise to 6.2 per cent in a medium
stress scenario, deteriorating to 8.3 per cent in a severe stress scenario. However, even under the severely stressed
macroeconomic environment, the RBI doesn’t expect the capital position of any of the banks to fall below the
minimum regulatory requirements.
KEY POINTS:
• According to the Reserve Bank of India’s latest financial stability report, gross- non performing loans
(GNPAs) of the banking system have declined from 7.4 per cent in March 2021 to a six-year low of 5.9 pe r
cent in March 2022. While public sector banks continue to be more stressed than private banks — for the
former, bad loans stood at 7.6 per cent of advances, while for the latter, the figure is lower at 3.7 per cent —
the improvement is broadbased.
• Alongside, banks have also witnessed an improvement in their capital position, with the capital to risk
weighted assets ratio rising to 16.7 per cent at the end of March 2022.
• The restructuring of loans under the resolution framework was at only 1.6 per cent of total advances in
December 2021. The RBI report also shows that the share of large borrowers in the banks’ loan portfolio has
been declining, falling to less than 48 per cent of banks total advances, indicating a “reduction in
concentration and diversification of borrowers”.
• Bad loans of these large borrowers have also declined to 7.7 per cent of advances at the end of March 2022.
As a consequence, their share in bad loans of all banks stood at 62.3 per cent in the second half of 2021-22,
much lower than the levels witnessed in September 2020. However, the continuous rise in the SMA-0 and
SMA-1 categories (loans where the principal or interest payment is overdue for upto 30 days are
characterised as SMA-0, while where they are due between 31 to 60 daysSMA are -1) requires close
monitoring.
EI.19: An Inevitable Decision: Duty H ikes on O il are a P ractical Move in the F ace of a Tough
External Environment
ABOUT: One could also argue such out-of-turn revisions in duties are generally undesirable in the interest of
tax structure stability.
SYNOPSIS: With the rupee drifting to newer lows every other day on fears of a widening current account deficit
(CAD) and no sign of a softening of crude oil prices, the government has chosen to restrict exports of auto and
aviation fuels and imports of gold by imposing stiff levies. The objective is to arrest imported inflation, contain
the CAD and stem the depreciation of the rupee, which has given up more than 2% against the dollar over the past
week. A cess of $40 per barrel on crude oil production, aimed at cashing in on windfall profits, as also the export
levies of Rs 6 each per litre of petrol and diesel and Rs 13 per litre on ATF will certainly hurt the businesses of
oil producers and exporters. One could also argue such out-of-turn revisions in duties are generally undesirable in
the interest of tax structure stability. While it might seem unfair to tax the windfall gains made by oil producers
who sell crude oil to domestic refineries at international parity prices, the government’s need to mop up resources
to take care of both planned and additional expenses is understandable. Government spending is necessary to keep
the growth momentum going. In any case, the government has already indicated that the additional levy will be a
short-term measure and will be reviewed every 15 days for recalibration.
Reining in of imports by deterring exports of petroleum fuels could help contain both imported inflation and the
trade deficit. To be sure, the rupee has performed better than several other currencies. But some of this
outperformance has been the result of interventions by the Reserve Bank of India. As experts have pointed out,
while RBI’s forex kitty is reasonably large at $590 billion, it cannot continue to supply dollars in these uncertain
times. Foreign portfolio investors have pulled out some $29 billion since the start of the year. To be sure, the
central bank isn’t required to support the currency each time it goes down, but a runaway depreciation will only
exacerbate inflationary pressures, which in turn, would necessitate higher interest rates.
KEY POINTS:
• The government has mandated that exporters must supply 50% of the exported quantity in the home market
in the current fiscal. India exported 42% of its diesel and 44% of its gasoline production in FY22 and similar
amounts in 2022 so far. These are not insignificant amounts. The government thus cannot be faulted for
wanting to retain some of this for local use.
• The strategy of preparing for what could be a prolonged period of unfavourable conditions in the global
markets can’t be faulted. With no end in sight to the geopolitical tensions, crude oil prices continue to rule
at above $110 per barrel.
• From India’s perspective, elevated crude oil prices will push up the import bill, the trade gap and,
consequently, the current account deficit. India’s CAD is now expected to hit -3 3.5% in FY23. Moreover,
the knowledge that the dollar will not just remain strong but could even get stronger has sent the rupee to
new lows.
EI.20: Fuel Levies to Bridle Windfall Profits.
ABOUT: Fuel taxes will come to the government’s rescue yet again. If last year saw consumers bearing the
burden of excise duty hikes, the tax axe fell on producers this time.
SYNOPSIS: Fuel taxes will come to the government’s rescue yet again. If last year saw consumers bearing the
burden of excise duty hikes, the tax axe fell on producers this time. The refiners reportedly processed Russian
crude oil available at a discount and exported it to Europe and the US. As if this was not enough, some were even
emptying domestic pumps to enable the exports, leading to fuel shortages in several states. An understandably
browned-off government thus responded with a round of levies.
The decision follows similar moves by countries like the UK that are taxing the extraordinarily ‘war-fueled profits’
of energy firms. A windfall tax goes after excessive profits earned purely on account of external factors. They are
despised by the industry and are seen as arbitrary, selective and unfair. For instance, the big tech got away with
their pandemic riches even as companies like Apple and Amazon were awash with cash as lockdown -induced
consumption shot up. The other argument is that if crude prices collapse, oil companies could as well queue up
for a one-off subsidy. Also, to incentivise production, no c ess is imposed on crude produced more than last year,
but with earnings squeezed, producers’ ability to raise production gets affected.
KEY POINTS:
• On Friday, the Centre imposed new levies of Rs 6 per litre on petrol and Air Turbine Fuel and Rs 13 per litr e
on diesel exports by firms like Reliance Industries Ltd. Besides, it also introduced a windfall tax of Rs 23,230
per tonne on crude oil produced locally by companies like ONGC and Vedanta, taking away a slice of their
supernormal profits on account of high crude prices.
• The windfall tax alone will fetch the government Rs 67,425 crore, offsetting fuel, food and fertiliser
subsidies. The good news is, unlike the UK’s one-year levy, ours is not time-bound, which means it could
be rolled back when crude prices calm down.
• Nearly 90% of the total crude oil processed is imported and despite efforts, domestic production has not kept
up.
EI.21: GST’s Future
ABOUT: Electricity and petroleum need to be subsumed in it. GoI could help by avoiding cess, surcharge.
SYNOPSIS: Last week, the GST Council had a two- day meeting where steps to reform the structure of the
indirect tax by closing some exemptions and correcting inverted duties were approved. It’s a welcome move. GST
has withstood stress tests in 2020-21 when the economy contracted. It withstood the challenge and its resilience
is now beyond question. However, GST remains a work in progress. For example, the Council needs to extend
GST to important economic inputs currently outside its purview. Notably, petroleum products and electricity. One
of the aims of GST is to improve India’s economic competitiveness by removing the cascading impact of taxes.
Keeping petroleum and electricity outside GST will not help us realise this goal as input tax credit is unavailable
when they are used in economic activity.
Both levels of government face fiscal pressure. But if India’s most important indirect tax reform, GST, has to live
up to its potential all stakeholders have to take the long view. GST was the outcome of a grand bargain when
states ceded unilateral tax powers over the major part of their base in return for a temporary guaranteed
compensation to smoothen the transition. That phase is over but much needs to be done. The way forward is for
GoI, the entity with superior taxation powers, to avoid frequent recourse to cess. It vitiates the atmosphere and
limits GST’s potential. Avoiding cess to persuade states to bring petrol, electricity and all of real estate into GST
should be the next big target. Its direct impact will be on India’s competitiveness.
KEY POINTS:
• Oil producers and refineries exporting downstream products have had a good run this year. Consequently,
on June 30, GoI levied an indirect tax on them to capture a part of the windfall gains.
• The levy of indirect taxes in the form of cess on domestic crude production sold at import parity prices, and
on export of petrol, diesel and aviation turbine fuel will accrue entirely to GoI. This is because a cess isn’t
part of the divisible pool of taxes that has to be shared with states.
• States are reluctant to subsume these products into GST as they feel GoI has eaten into the divisible pool of
taxes by resorting to cess and surcharge. They have a point– the share of cess and surcharge in gross tax
revenue increased from 10.4% in 2011-12 to 15.3% in 2018-19.
EI.22: Ban on Wheat Shipments, 15 per cent Duty on Gold Imports, Cesses on Fuel Exports —
Decisions Show Short-termism
ABOUT: By importing Russian crude shunned by western buyers at below international prices and re-exporting
refined products to those very countries, private oil companies have been earning “phenomenal profits” even
while reducing domestic sales, according to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
SYNOPSIS: Not being allowed to raise prices has made oil companies hesitant to sell fuel at a loss in the
domestic market, causing shortages in some states. On the other hand, elevated global prices have led private
refiners in particular to boost exports of diesel, petrol, naphtha, aviation turbine fuel (ATF) and other products.
These have become further viable with deeply discounted crude imports from sanctions-hit Russia, which has
emerged as India’s top supplier. By importing Russian crude shunned by western buyers at below international
prices and re-exporting refined products to those very countries, private oil companies have been earning
“phenomenal profits” even while reducing domestic sales, according to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. No
less backward-looking is the cess on domestic crude. Producers, it is alleged, are making “windfall gains” from
selling crude at international parity prices. Thus, both exports of refined products (valued at $67.5 billion in 2021-
22) and realisation of international prices for crude produced from India are to be regarded as profiteering. This,
when the country is projected as a global refinery hub and huge investments are being sought in domestic
exploration and production of oil and gas. Whether it is the ban on wheat shipments, the cesses on fuel exports or
levying a 15 per cent duty on gold imports, the Modi government’s recent actions — ostensibly to curb inflation
and a widening external current account deficit — betray short-termism. True, these are extraordinary times. But
it is in such times that policy credibility gets tested.
KEY POINTS:
• Since April 6, retail prices of petrol and diesel haven’t gone up. Rather, they have been slashed once, on May
22, following excise duty cuts by the Centre. During these nearly three months, Brent crude prices have risen
by about $15 per barrel and the rupee weakened from 75.9 to 78.9 to the dollar.
• The arbitrage opportunity has now been blocked with the Narendra Modi governmentslapping a Rs 6 -per-
litre special additional excise duty on the export of petrol and ATF, and Rs 13/litre on diesel. In addition, for
every tonne of petrol and diesel shipped out, exporters will have to undertake to supply half-a-tonne in the
domestic market.
• These measures — along with the imposition of a Rs 23,250 per tonne cess on domestically-produced crude
— are populist and retrograde. Populist, because they are a result of the government capping domestic retail
fuel prices. State-owned oil companies may have no option but to sell at these prices and incur losses.
EI.23: Securing Fuel
ABOUT: Taxes on windfall gains from exports on expected lines.
SYNOPSIS: The Centre’s decision to slap new taxes on fuel exports had a measure of inevitability about it. The
move serves the dual purpose of fetching more revenue by tapping the phenomenal gains made as a result of the
surging global prices amid the Ukraine war, and to discourage the export of petrol and diesel in order to ease the
fuel situation in the domestic market. Processing Russian crude oil available at a discount after it was shunned by
the West and exporting the fuel produced to deficient regions have delivered huge profits for refiners. Windfall
tax, as the name suggests, is imposed on companies showing massive gains because of favourable market
conditions and not owing to any efficiency or innovation or clever investment.
The restrictions on fuel exports and import of gold also seek to address concerns of the rupee drifting to new lows,
and to contain the widening current account deficit (CAD). The hike in import duty on gold follows a surge in
influx of the precious metal putting pressure on the CAD. While the market sentiment may be subdued as a result
of the taxes, the need to mop up resources for the plethora of government schemes is understandable. The
fortnightly review of the additional levy should also allay fears of any permanency.
KEY POINTS:
• The sudden shortage of fuel at retail outlets across the country last month was attributed to a boost in exports
for higher overseas margins, and the reluctance to sell fuel at a loss in the domestic market since retail prices
had not increased despite international crude getting costlier and a depreciating rupee.
• Hence, the Finance Minister's assertion that the stiff tax measures should be seen in the context of the
extraordinary times and not merely as disapproval of or any grudge over profit-making by exporting fuel.
The message makes it clear that the national interest of securing fuel supplies and avoiding artificial scarcity
in the domestic market overrides any other consideration.
EI.24: Unfair Service Charge Levy by R estaurants must E nd. Vigilant A dministration and
Customers can Ensure Deterrence
ABOUT: The Central Consumer Protection Authority has righted a wrong by directing that service charges
levied by hotels and restaurants cannot be automatic or by default and will henceforth have to be voluntary.
SYNOPSIS: The Central Consumer Protection Authority has righted a wrong by directing that service charges
levied by hotels and restaurants cannot be automatic or by default and will henceforth have to be voluntary. In
other words, consumers have to be informed of the levy and it is optional for them to pay. They cannot be barred
from the eatery either. The authority has also warned against levying the service charge by collecting it under a
new name. Consumers who have grievances have been placed at liberty to complain to consumer forums, district
magistrates or to consumer helplines. Nothing stops restaurants from adding the service charge bill to the tariff on
the menu that they offer. Here again, it is the customer’s discretion whether to gauge if he or she is being
overpriced. It remains to be seen how the CCPA’s order will be enforced. Consumer complaints are often treated
as low priority by India’s overworked, inefficient governance pyramid. Consumer courts are horribly backlogged.
The best hope is that executive action by the district magistrate’s off ice will prove to be adequate deterrence. Here
again, there mustn’t be overreach, and eateries must be given a chance to reform.
KEY POINTS:
• The authority has clearly got the signal from the Union consumer affairs ministry frowning upon service
charges. Service charges are usually termed as a component of the bill that goes to pay staff emoluments.
• It is unfair to the consumer because it is the employer’s responsibility, not the customer’s duty to recompense
employees. Of course, it is good form to tip workers in the contact industry but different consumers have
different paying ability and opinions on this.
EI.25: Lingering Notes
ABOUT: Cash seems to have a logic-defying appeal. Digitisation may eventually lessen that.
SYNOPSIS: India’s digital payments landscape, led by the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), is the cynosure
of many regulators. In the last two years, the volume of UPI transactions rose over threefold to 46 billion in 2021 -
22. But concurrently, there’s an anomalous trend. Indians still hold a relatively large share of cash, now one of
the highest in the world in relation to GDP. India is not exactly an outlier. Cash has proved surprisingly resilient.
A paper by ADB on the trend over 2000 1- 8 in 11 advanced economies showed that Japan, Singapore, South Korea
and the US showed a rising trend in CiC to GDP ratio. However, Denmark, Norway and Sweden bucked this
trend. One finding that seems to have universal validity is that big shocks such as Covid or the 2008 financial
crisis trigger risk aversion among individuals. A consequence is an increase in cash holding.
Even as economists try to decipher the puzzling allure of currency, RBI shouldn’t lose its focus on the digital
payments landscape. Its policy choices have been transformative at the grassroots. Progress here will eventually
loosen the grip of physical currency in payments.
KEY POINTS:
• Currency in Circulation (CiC) as a proportion of GDP has grown from 8.7% in 2016- 17 to 13.7% in 2021-
22.
• RBI estimates the annual currency requirement based on the forecast economic growth rate, inflation rate
and disposal of soiled notes, among other things. Since 2019, India’s inflation trajectory has trended upwards,
which may partly explain why CiC to GDP ratio quickly overshot the pre-demonetisation level.
• In addition, Covid may have triggered precautionary holding of cash. But none of these factors explains the
long-term trend in India’s CiC to private consumption ratio. It was 25.6% in 2011 - 20 decade, higher than
the 19.1% recorded for the 1971-2020 phase.
• Cash has a psychological hold that seems to defy financial logic. For example, India’s currency per capita of
Rs 22,752 is about 13% of per capita GDP. This, at a time when high inflation is fast eroding the value of
cash.
EI.26: Shoring up Early
ABOUT: RBI’s measures to attract dollars are a prudent call. Good news is that commodity prices are falling
SYNOPSIS: RBI on Wednesday introduced a set of measures to encourage foreign exchange inflows. They aim
to ensure macroeconomic stability and, therefore, are temporary in nature. They will work mainly through three
channels. Incremental deposits raised till November through FCNR and NRE don’t have to meet regulatory
requirements such as cash reserve ratio which makes it a relatively more attractive option for banks. There’s
another set of measures to attract foreign portfolio investment (FPI) into debt. Plus, conditions that need to be met
by Indian firms planning to raise debt abroad have been eased.
The external shock that drove commodity prices higher seems to have played out for the moment. It makes RBI’s
task a little less challenging as food and fuel prices constitute 55% of the consumer price index. While they are
not under RBI’s control, a surge in these prices leads to second- round effects and subsequent increase in interest
rates. However, global financial conditions are yet to stabilise. Therefore, it’s prudent on RBI’s part to encourage
capital inflows when India’s macroeconomic indicators are not flashing red. Prudence enables economic g rowth.
KEY POINTS:
• India’s foreign exchange reserve position is comfortable at $593 billion. However, as we run a current
account deficit for the most part, accumulated reserves are relatively less stable.
• Uncertain global economic and financial conditions can lead to sudden outflows, a sharp currency
depreciation and an adverse impact on inflation as we are a net commodity importer. Adequate foreign
exchange reserves act as a shock absorber and allow RBI to smoothen currency depreciation.
• This has a positive spin-off on the domestic economic environment, including for farmers who depend on
fertiliser imports. Consequent to this approach, the rupee has depreciated by only about 4% against the US
dollar since April despite global volatility.
• The Indian crude basket was $104/barrel on Wednesday, more than 10% lower than the price level which
prevailed a few weeks ago.
• In the case of other commodities such as urea, copper aluminium and sunflower oil, prices declined. There
was a surge in March and April, but its adverse impact on demand led to easing of 10 3- 0% in prices of some
key commodities in June.
EI.27: Delayed Payments for Small Firms Stifle Economic Growth
ABOUT: Kinjal Sampat and Arun Singh write: For every day that a payment is delayed for credit-starved
MSMEs, there is an erosion of value. If this issue is not addressed now, it will only add to the burden on these
firms.
SYNOPSIS: For every day that a payment is delayed, there is an erosion of value. It locks in capital that could
have been deployed gainfully. The fact that this is a problem largely faced by cash - strapped and credit-starved
MSMEs, makes the erosion of value even more acute. M icro and small enterprises borrow at comparatively higher
costs and often operate in very competitive environments, surviving on razor-thin margins. In our interviews with
entrepreneurs, the direct impact observed was that of foregoing business opportunities due to lack of liquidity.
This is not just detrimental to the specific firm or enterprise but is a deterrent to the overall growth of MSMEs.
The other types of costs incurred by such supplier firms include the time spent and the personnel costs employed
to recover payments as well as the business forgone due to disrupted cash flows. The issue needs to be addressed
at multiple levels. First, a call from the highest levels of government is needed, that such delays are not in the
nation’s interest. For the country to achieve economic progress, the MSME sector must grow. This kind of
intervention should aim at changing the business culture and thereby strengthening all enterprises across the
supply chain.
Second, in addition to TReDS, there is supply chain financing and in-time credit. Market-based solutions lead to
efficiency gains and maintain amicable supplier-buyer relations while easing cash flows for MSMEs. But the
biggest impediment here is that they rest on two preconditions— heightened formality of practices and buyers’
intent. We still think it’s worthwhile to have a rich stack of these solutions while the business culture gears up for
their adoption. And third, strengthening associations and credit practices of MSMEs. Individual entrepreneurs
learn to develop a unique value proposition for their services over time. To quicken this, micro and small
businesses need to coalesce and work towards gaining sustainable credit terms.
KEY POINTS:
• Anecdotal evidence overwhelmingly suggests that delayed payments to suppliers who are often MSMEs is
a norm set by buyers who are often big companies and public sector units. Our estimates based on Dun &
Bradstreet’s proprietary data and Prowess IQ suggest that payments worth Rs -6.3 10.7 lakh crore were
delayed to MSMEs during 2020- 21 with the average days for the delays for micro, small and medium
enterprises estimated to be 194, 68 and 46 days respectively.
• The MSME 2006 Act and the SAMADHAN platform are both steps in the right direction, but there are gaps.
There are close to one lakh complaints at present on the portal, amounting to Rs 25,000 crore. But the disposal
rate is low, suggesting that the mechanism is not backed by the necessary wherewithal to address the issues.
• Secondly, regulatory interventions are needed to shift the onus of timely payments onto the buyer firms.
EI.28: Unease over Ease of Doing Business: Countries can Build their Own
Matrices for Reform and their Impact Assessment
ABOUT: An independent law firm investigated the circumstances and motivations that led to the data
irregularities in EODB 2018 and EODB 2020. The preliminary findings of the EODB 2018 had revealed that
China had dropped seven places from the prior year’s report to the rank of 85.
SYNOPSIS: An independent law firm investigated the circumstances and motivations that led to the data
irregularities in (Ease of Doing Business report). EODB 2018 and EODB 2020. The preliminary findings of the
EODB 2018 had revealed that China had dropped seven places from the prior year’s report to the rank of 85.
Various methodologies to boost China’s ranking were discussed. One method discussed was to include data from
Taiwan, China and Hong Kong SAR, China into China’s data. By incorporating Hong Kong SAR, China’s ranking
in EODB 2018 would rise to 70, eight spots higher than the previous year. However, this idea was shot down for
“political reasons”. Another method discussed was to use the higher scoring of the two cities included in China’s
data (Beijing and Shanghai) rather than a weighted average as was typically used for countries with data collected
from two cities. However, this would increase the ranking for China, and other peer countries. It was finally
decided to unlock the report’s underlying data tables and give higher scores to China for the three indicators of
starting a business, legal rights—getting credit, and paying taxes. These changes boosted China’s scores and
ranking by seven places to 78, the same ranking that the country had in EODB 2017. The pressure from China
worked because at this time the Bank was consumed with a capital increase campaign. The Bank would be in
“very deep trouble” if the campaign had missed its goals.
KEY POINTS:
• Reimbursable Advisory Services (RAS) contracts played the focal role in the irregularities of the EODB
2020. The RAS projects are paid advisory and analytic services provided by the Bank to middle- and high-
income countries upon request from the member countries.
• Saudi Arabia had executed a series of significant RAS contracts with the Bank, some of which were focused
on issues germane to the EODB report. By elevating Saudi Arabia to first place in the Top Improvers list,
the Bank would demonstrate the effectiveness of its efforts and validate the amount of money that Saudi
Arabia had spent on RAS projects.
• In August 2019, the Doing Business team generated a draft of its Top Improvers list for EODB 2020 that
had Jordan as the top reformer with Saudi Arabia placed second.
• On September 30, the Doing Business team altered Saudi Arabia’s data to boost the country’s ranking past
Jordan. The score of Legal Rights index was increased to 4 from 3, by adding a point regarding the treatment
of debts. The team also reduced the compliance time for the newly enacted Value Added Tax.
EI.29: Walking a Fine Line
ABOUT: An FTA with the EU will only work for India if it includes tariff concessions for India-made apparel
and footwear; the EU has conceded this in its recent FTAs with other countries.
SYNOPSIS: The India-EU FTA negotiations have been languishing since 2013 after 16 rounds of talks, with the EU
stressing upon India reducing high import duties and India wanting greater access to the EU market for Indian professionals.
Now, after nine years, India and the EU have resumed FTA talks from June 27. In 2021, India’s trade with the EU crossed
the $100-billion mark, with the country recording a trade surplus of $13.1 billion. Given the positive trade balance in favour
of India and the untapped bilateral trade potential on both sides, tariff liberalisation under the proposed FTA with the EU
would lead to greater gains for both parties. India faces strong competition from its Asian peers like Vietnam and Bangladesh
as they have much more favourable terms of trade with the EU. The EU is the largest apparel importer globally and imported
both knitted and non- knitted articles worth $178.8 billion in 2021. India ranks among the top 10 exporters of the product
globally. Currently, the EU’s knitted and non -knitted apparel imports from India amount to $5.5 billion and face a 9.4% and
9% tariff respectively, while competitors like Bangladesh and V ietnam avail a much lower rate of tariff.Additionally, the
EU’s services sector is restricts India majorly through restrictions on foreign entry and movement of people, which is of
specific interest to Indian professionals whose entry is limited by the imposition of the Economic Needs Test (ENT) and the
Labour Market Test (LMT) requirement.Except France, Portugal, Slovenia, and Spain, EU economies have imposed
ENT/LMT requirement across sectors, varying in degree. Thus, India needs to work towards mutual recognition agreement
with the EU in education, experience, licensing , and procedures in professional services. Now is the time for Indian
diplomacy to stay sangfroid and bring the EU to the negotiating table. It should strive to get tariff concession in ap parels and
footwear, which the EU has already conceded in its recent FTAs, while also protecting the interest of the local economy and
millions of livelihoods.
KEY POINTS:
• India is the 12th largest exporter of footwear globally, exporting goods worth $2.3 billion. The EU imported footwear
worth $59.6 billion in 2021. While India exported $1.4 billion worth of footwear to the EU under a tariff of 6.6%,
Vietnam exported $7.5 billion worth of products under a preferential tariff of 2.1%. This has placed Indian goods at a
disadvantage.
• The EU demands greater market access in sectors such as alcoholic beverages, automobile, and dairy. India imposes
the highest tariff of 111% for beverages, spirits, and vinegar, which accounted for total imports of $134.8 milli on from
the EU in 2021.
• Around 50% of India’s imports from the EU under the category are whisky and vodka, which attract a tariff of 150%,
as alcoholic beverages are not covered under the GST framework. Their inclusion would directly impact revenues of
the states while the revenue would be lower than anticipated due to the limitation of four -tier slabs in GST regime.
• India’s imports of transport vehicles amounted to $1.4 billion while the EU’s global exports amounted to $686 billion
in 2021. India imposes an average tariff of 24.5% at two-digit HS level on the EU, while cars imported have a tariff of
125%.
• In the dairy sector, India requires certification from exporters that products are from animals that have never consumed
food containing internal organs and blood meal. This requirement, along with a high tariff ranging between 30% to
60%, continues to restrict the EU’s milk and dairy exports to India. Opening up the dairy sector for the EU can distort
the domestic market as the farmers may not be able to withstand the cheap dairy imports from the EU.
EI.30: Inflation is L ikely to R emain Elevated, even asCommodity P rices Soften. RBI must
Continue to Prioritise Inflation Management
ABOUT: MPC members are yet to elaborate on what their expectations of the terminal rate is, considering the
long lags, the committee must front-load the rate hikes.
SYNOPSIS: In line with expectations, retail inflation, as measured by the consumer price index, dipped
marginally to 7.01 per cent in June, down from 7.04 per cent the month before, as per data from the National
Statistical Office released on Tuesday. This latest data implies that inflation has averaged 7.3 per cent in the first
quarter (April-June) of the ongoing financial year, marginally lower than the Reserve Bank of India’s June
forecast of 7.5 per cent. However, this is the sixth straight month in which inflation has come in above the upper
threshold of the central bank’s inflation targeting framework.
A few days ago, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das, speaking at an economic conclave, said that price pressures
will gradually ease in the second half of the current financial year. Prior to that, RBI Deputy Governor Michael
Patra noted that there are signs of inflation peaking, and harsh policy may not be needed to contain price
pressures. While global commodity prices (fuel and base metals) have eased considerably due to fears of a
recession, inflation is likely to continue to remain higher than the central bank’s target in the near term. To
tackle price pressures in the economy, the Monetary Policy Committee has over the course of the last two
meetings raised the policy repo rate by 90 basis points to 4.9 per cent. Considering that the pre-pandemic rate
stood at 5.15 per cent, this implies another hike of 25 basis points to simply revert to the pre-pandemic level.
While the MPC members are yet to elaborate on what their expectations of the terminal rate is, considering the
long lags, the committee must front-load the rate hikes. The central bank must continue to prioritise inflation
management as price stability is central to macroeconomic stability.
KEY POINTS:
• The disaggregated data shows that the consumer food price index fell to 7.75 per cent, down from 7.97 per
cent in the previous month. This decline in food inflation was driven by eggs, pulses, and moderation in
prices of other items.
• While in the weeks thereafter, the fall in edible oil prices will impart amoderating influence, a lot depends
on how the monsoon plays out. The kharif sowing has been slow. However, since June 30, there has been a
pick-up in the monsoon which should spur sowing — till the first week of July, the area sown under kharif
was around 9 per cent lower than last year.
• Equally worrying, core inflation, which strips away the volatile food and energy components, continues to
remain elevated. Almost all components, from clothing and footwear to household goods and services,
recreation and amusement and personal care, witnessed price pressures, suggesting that the firming up of
demand for services will continue to exert pressure on prices.
EI.31: An Expedient Move
ABOUT: Internationalisation of rupee is a long way off, but RBI has made a good beginning.
SYNOPSIS: The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) move to permit the invoicing, payments and settlement of
exports and imports in rupees is aimed at preventing dollar outflows and addressing the immediate liquidity
mismatch in the local dollar market. That, in turn, is expected to slow the depreciation of the rupee. To be sure,
the arrangement is expected to play out largely in the India-Russia trade corridor. At this juncture it seems highly
unlikely New Delhi’s trading partners in the developed world would be comfortable accepting rupee receipts in
lieu of hard currencies. To that extent, it’s not as though the rupee is going to become internationalised or a widely
used currency anytime in the near future. However, by not specifying any countries with which payments and
settlements in the rupee would be permitted, India is being politically correct. At the same time, the policy leaves
the door open for a rupee-based payments mechanism with other countries— Sri Lanka, for instance. RBI’s
immediate objective is, of course, to enable importers to pay for expensive oil and coal in rupees, thereby
preserving dollar assets.
While the RBI is supporting the market, much of the dollar sales seem to be in the forward market rather than in
the spot market. The trade facilitation measures follow the central bank’s moves last week to ease the rules to
attract dollar deposits and foreign portfolio flows (FPI). While there could be some inflow of dollar deposits, it
might not meaningfully help stem the depreciation of the rupee. Right now the rupee’s trajectory is being
determined more by the strength of the dollar index, which on Tuesday hit a new high of 108. Nonetheless, it’s
worth exploring ways to bring in the dollars.
KEY POINTS:
• As is known, India has been importing more crude oil from Russia post the sanctions imposed on it in the
wake of hostilities with Ukraine. If these can be paid for in rupees, it would help narrow the trade deficit,
which, in May, bloated to $25.6 billion. From Russia’s point of view, the export proceeds, earned in rupees,
would not be big enough to impact its reserves.
• Bankers have also highlighted a potential problem in that the importing country’s banks may need to buy
rupees from the market in the event their special Vostro accounts don’t already have a rupee balance. This,
should, however, not be an issue in the case of Russia.
• Moreover, it’s a good move on the part of the central bank to allow the rupee balances in the special Vostro
accounts to be used for various purposes; the funds can be used to pay for projects and investments, to
manage the advance flows for exports and imports. The balances can also be invested in government
securities and treasury bills, which would earn relatively high interest rates.
• Should the arrangement work, it would help prevent dollar outflows and help the central bank address the
mismatch in the market where demand for dollars from importers is outstripping the supply from exporters
and where the situation is being exacerbated by portfolio outflows.
EI.32: Global Rupee
ABOUT: Allowing rupees to settle foreign trades is a good move. It can have long-term benefits.
SYNOPSIS: RBI this week initiated measures to allow rupee settlement of cross-border trade deals. It’s still
work-in-progress but the essence is that Indian banks can act as custodians of funds in international transactions
settled in rupees. These measures need to be located in the context of the immediate need to cope with
developments in the foreign currency market and the long- term opportunities present in the gradual shift in the
currency composition of global foreign exchange reserves. Rupee settlement allows Indian firms to circumvent
Western sanctions that bite because of their dominance over the global financial system. Long - term, there are
likely to be more opportunities to internationalise the rupee on account of a shift in the composition of global
foreign exchange reserves. This trend will continue as countries de-risk holdings. To illustrate, the Bank of Israel
plans to reallocate a part of its US dollar holdings to currencies of Australia, Canada, China and Japan. India needs
to seize the opportunity ahead. GoI now needs to complement the effort initiated by RBI through relevant policy
tweaks.
KEY POINTS:
• Global commodity prices have dipped since the level witnessed in May. For India, this augurs well. The
average price of an Indian basket of crude in July was $106, about 9% below June. However, it has been
partially offset by the weakening of the rupee against the dollar on account of global reallocation of capital
after prominent central banks started increasing interest rates.
• Since January, foreign portfolio outflows have crossed $30 billion. In addition to market intervention, RBI
adopted other measures to cope with the rupee depreciation. Last week, it liberalised forex inflows. Now,
it’s provided a window to settle trades in rupees.
• This window serves two purposes. Right now, it helps India grab opportunities such as discounts on Russian
oil. For example, India imported $1.3 billion of Russian crude in April, making it the fourth largest source.
A year ago, there were no crude imports from Russia. The US dollar’s hold is slowly receding –
it’s about 59% now from a level of 70% two decades ago.
EI.33: Need to Rethink MSP: Time has C ome to Look at Alternatives like Deficiency Payments
& Direct Income Support
ABOUT: While DPPs definitely can be considered as an alternative to MSPs, there is a warrant to consider
other options that are non-distortionary like direct income support, for instance.
SYNOPSIS: NITI AAyog Member Ramesh Chand has proposed a deficiency price payments (DPP) system as an
alternative to the existing practice of procuring food grain at minimum support prices (MSP) for the public distribution
system. The proposal has merit and deserves serious consideration. The problems with MSP, a legacy of the green
revolution since the late 1960s, are several. They mainly benefit large surplus-producing farmers in the vanguard
agrarian regions of Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh. They introduce a cost-plus determination to prices that
is inflationary over the short-term. Such a regime also encourages cultivation of water-intensive crops like paddy in
these regions that are facing groundwater-stress, and the need is for crop diversification. Extending them to more crops,
besides wheat and rice, also has serious implications for the exchequer if it is backed by open-ended procurement.
While DPPs definitely can be considered as an alternative to MSPs, there is a warrant to consider other options that are
non-distortionary like direct income support, for instance. At a time of agrarian distress, income support schemes—like
the transfer of Rs 6,000 into the bank accounts of farmers by the PM-Kisan Samman Yojana—benefit farmers without
distorting markets through DPP or MSPs. They have been found to be more inclusive and promote more equity across
farm sizes, according to research. There is also a critical mass of quasi-rural basic income schemes like Telengana’s
Rythu Bandhu scheme or Odisha’s Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation, among others, that
can serve as a basis or scaling up direct income support for farmers.
KEY POINTS:
• The government spends Rs 35 for ensuring Rs 100 worth of MSP payments to farmers as physical procurement is
expensive. More importantly, they don’t insulate farmers from continuing market failures, volatility of prices and
sudden supply gluts, especially when bumper harvests are increasingly becoming the new normal unlike the era of food
scarcity in the 1960s.
• For such reasons, there is a need to rethink MSPs and consider DPPs. The latter compensates farmers for the difference
between the MSPs for select crops and their mandi price if it rules at lower levels, and does not entail physical
procurement.
• This is inspired by Madhya Pradesh’s Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana, introduced in October 2017 following violent
agrarian protests in the state against falling crop prices. Subsequently, a price deficiency scheme (largely for oil seeds)
formed part of the Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sankrakshan Abhiyan (PM -AASHA).
• Haryana is currently in the process of rolling it out for a few commodities. Scaling up a DPP to the national level clearly
calls for a closer examination how it worked in MP and on a limited scale for oilseeds.
• In MP, BBY was given up the very next season as traders had gamed the system, widening the gap between mandi price
and MSPs, causing an enormous amount of expenditure by the state government.
• The method of calculation of compensation and paperwork involved also needs to be simplified to enable more small
farmers to register for the scheme.
EI.34: Uncertainties of Inflow: Bank on NRI Deposits
ABOUT: RBI needs to make NRI deposits more attractive if required
SYNOPSIS: After a hiatus of nearly a decade, concerns around India’s balance of payments (BOP) have returned
to the fore. The current account deficit (CAD) had remained quite comfortable at sub -2% of GDP, in all but one
year between FY14 and FY22. However, it is expected to test the threshold of 3% of GDP in the current fiscal,
primarily driven by elevated crude oil prices. This has raised financing concerns and weighed on the rupee, which
has fallen to record lows repeatedly in the recent sessions. India’s BOP position is set to worsen in FY23 although
the extent of deterioration remains uncertain. Financing a large current account deficit will remain a significant
challenge through FY23 amidst the expectations of continued FPI equity outflows and moderation of debt-related
inflows such as ECBs, following the increase in borrowing costs across the globe. All these concerns have
expectedly put pressure on the INR, which has crossed the 79 mark against the US dollar amidst a secular dollar
strength, expectations of sharp policy tightening by the US Fed, and risk aversion seen across giinder of H1 FY23.
In such turbulent times, forex reserves have been historically buffered by mobilising deposits from non- resident
Indians (NRIs). During the last taper tantrum in September 2013, the Reserve Bank of India allowed banks to
raise three-year foreign currency non-resident (FCNR) deposits with an assurance of exchange rate at maturity to
banks. Within a span of three months, the FCNR deposits increased from $15 billion (August 2013) to $40 billion
(November 2013) and buffered India’s forex reserves. Since then, the FCNR deposits have declined to $16 billion
(end of April 2022). Overall, NRE and FCNR deposits declined by $5.3 billion during FY22. With the weak
outlook for the rupee and rising interest rates in overseas markets, the outflows in FCNR and NRE accounts could
have gathered pace in Q1 FY23, thereby prompting RBI’s recent measures to allow banks to raise these deposits
by freeing up the cap on the same. Accordingly, till the time the domestic deposit rates rise, the banks are unlikely
to chase NRI deposits, and there could be a possibility that the outflow of NRI deposits may continue in the near
term. These relaxations made by RBI will hence address the dual purpose of keeping a lid on the sharp rise in
domestic deposit rates and buffering up the forex reserves in the coming months.The other measures related to
relaxations for external commercial borrowings and FPI limits for debt instruments may also aid in some inflows.
KEY POINTS:
• Within the NRI deposits of $139 billion (April 2022), the non- resident external (NRE) deposits have a sizeable share
of $101 billion, while the rest is non-resident ordinary (NRO) and FCNR deposits.
• Unlike NRO deposits, which are maintained by NRIs from their rupee earnings and cannot be repatriated freely, the
NRE deposits are made by NRIs in rupees through their overseas earnings and are freely repatriable.
• With the bleak outlook for the rupee, the pace of accretion in NRE deposits has been weak, with a decline of $1.8 billion
during FY22 as compared to the accretion of $12.2 billion during FY21.
• The surplus rupee liquidity in the domestic market rose significantly post-Covid, and the cost of rupee deposits has
been much more competitive for banks vis a vis hedged FCNR deposits. Hence, the latter declined by $3.8 billion and
$3.6 billion, respectively, during FY21 and FY22, as compared to positive flows in FY 19.
EI.35: Windfall Taxes Must Go: GovtS hould Make Fuel Business Attractive Instead of
Unnecessarily Interfering in it
ABOUT: Persistently high inflation is what the government is most worried about, as it threatens to impair
macroeconomic fundamentals and stifle a recovery.
SYNOPSIS: By imposing windfall taxes on domestic oil companies—upstream producers and refiners focused on
export markets—on July 1, the government had sought to lay its hands on a chunk of the “windfall profits” made by
them in these “extraordinary times.” It had apparently identified a threshold of global crude price where pursuit of
“super-normal profits” by these firms could stoke fuel inflation and lead to higher inflationary expectations. It felt that
aggressive export sales by private refiners had created supply constraints in the domestic auto fuel markets. The
government has, however, cut the taxes by almost half at the first instance of the fortnightly review, as crude and
product spreads of the companies concerned have considerably narrowed in the last two weeks. With the Brent crude
price cooling off by nearly a fifth in the two weeks to mid-July, spreads on petrol by Reliance Industries have, for
instance, shrunk by 60% and that on diesel by nearly half. It doesn’t require even a fortnight for the dynamics of
globalised market to change and fly in the face of artificial market intervention.
By imposing windfall taxes on domestic oil companies—upstream producers and refiners focused on export markets—
on July 1, the government had sought to lay its hands on a chunk of the “windfall profits” made by them in these
“extraordinary times.” It had apparently identified a threshold of global crude price where pursuit of “super-normal
profits” by these firms could stoke fuel inflation and lead to higher inflationary expectations. It felt that aggressive
export sales by private refiners had created supply constraints in the domestic auto fuel markets. The government has,
however, cut the taxes by almost half at the first instance of the fortnightly review, as crude and product spreads of the
companies concerned have considerably narrowed in the last twoweeks. With the Brent crude price cooling off by
nearly a fifth in the two weeks to mid-July, spreads on petrol by Reliance Industries have, for instance, shrunk by 60%
and that on diesel by nearly half. It doesn’t require even a fortnight for the dynamics of globalised market to change
and fly in the face of artificial market intervention.
KEY POINTS:
• Though the country has managed to do away with formal price controls on auto fuels and the Union budget
is largely relieved of the onus of explicit fuel subsidies, the markets are hardly free.
• Therein lies the reason for the current imbroglio, where a government, which vows to encourage domestic
manufacturing, is drawn to keep a close eye on export business of private companies and worry about
domestic availability of fuels despite the country’s robust refining capacity.
• These taxes don’t even boost the government’s revenue much to allow wholesome redeployment of public
resources, as any rise in tax receipts will be largely offset by reduced dividend receipts and PSU capex
constraints the taxes themselves could cause.
• The prolonged stagnation in production of oil and natural gas has a lot to do with the absence of a regime
conducive for risk-taking and investments. After the latest cut, the taxes on crude production are down by a
fourth from the July 1 level, but the tax content in crude price is still as high as 50%.
EI.36: Nothing much Should be Expected from Panel Constituted by Government. But the Farm
Problem Remains, Needs Addressing
ABOUT: The reason is not just that it has too many members, but also the diffused terms of reference — from
MSP to promotion of natural farming, crop diversification and micro irrigation.
SYNOPSIS: Barely eight months after repealing its three agricultural reform laws, the Narendra Modi
government has constituted a committee to examine how to make the minimum support prices (MSP) for crops
more “effective”, “transparent” and “available” to farmers. The panel should ideally have been headed by a senior
politician or agricultural economist, instead of a bureaucrat who was in charge both when the legislation was
brought in and during negotiations with the farm unions deman ding the rollback of the laws. The committee could
also have had representation from the governments of Punjab and Haryana. That would have inspired trust,
especially among farmers at the forefront of the agitation. The government has, as a concessions of sorts, invited
the farm unions under the Samyukt Kisan Morcha to name three persons to be part of what is to be a 28-member
committee. They have, predictably, rejected the offer. That’s unfortunate. The unions basically want the MSP to
be made a legal entitlement. Any law mandating the enforcement of MSP would require the private trade to pay
this price irrespective of the market supply-and-demand dynamics. Alternatively, the government would have to
physically procure the necessary quantities of the crops at their MSPs or simply pay farmers the difference over
the prevailing market prices. The net result would be to either destroy the market (which is what forcing private
players to buy at a state-dictated price will do) or government finances.
KEY POINTS:
• The unions ought to be reasonable.The Modi government acceded to their primary demand of repealing the
farm laws. By agreeing for a committee to look at ways to make the MSP “available” to farmers, it has also
walked the extra mile.
• As for the committee, nothing much should be expected. The reason is not just that it has too many members,
but also the diffused terms of reference — from MSP to promotion of natural farming, crop diversification
and micro irrigation. A more useful purpose would have been served by the committee undertaking a review
of the farm laws themselves.
• While one can question the manner in which they were rammed through the Parliament, the laws weren’t
flawed in intent or design. India’s agriculture can do with greater market orientation, value chain
development and organised private player participation, along with a redirection of government spending
from subsidies to investment.
• The laws, broadly, sought to bring about this much- needed transformation. Their tweaking, in the light of
new developments and feedback gained from stakeholders, is well worth an exercise today.
EI.37: Privatising India’s Banks
ABOUT: The case for privatising the public sector banks is ultimately a case for economic development.
SYNOPSIS: In an analysis that has already received considerable attention, prominent economists Poonam
Gupta and Arvind Panagariya (GP) make a careful and convincing case for a big push to privatize India’s public
sector banks. Currently, there are 12 of these, but the State Bank of India (SBI) stands out in terms of its size,
importance and operational quality. So, GP suggest that SBI remain in the public sector, but argue forcefully that
the remaining 11 banks be privatised completely. The case for privatisation is based on the relative record of
public sector and private sector banks over recent decades. While there has been considerable variation in the
quality of performance within each category, on average, private sector banks perform much better than their
public sector counterparts. Greater efficiency through privatisation can improve the allocation of financial
resources within the economy, promote growth in the financial sector, and support higher overall growth of the
economy. Bank privatisation will not be easy, but the timing seems to be right. India’s economy definitely needs
a more efficient financial sector if it is to grow at rates that will generate enough good jobs for its population.
There are strong political obstacles, because of the large number of people employed in public sector banks. Bank
unions have already expressed their opposition, and the government has already postponed parliamentary
consideration of the legislative changes that would be needed to allow privatisation to begin. It may seem easier
to expand the banking sector by issuing new licences for private sector banks. But this would prolong the pain
and increase the costs of having an inefficient banking sector. The case for privatising India’s public sector banks
is ultimately a case for economic development. When the government sets goals of expanding the country’s
manufacturing sector, these objectives will never be met without a better functioning banking sector. Indeed,
privatising public sector banks can only be one component of a strategy of financial sector reform and growth, if
manufacturing—along with the rest of the economy—is going to be able to thrive. Articulating that connection
will be part of the political challenge of this reform.
KEY POINTS:
• GP outline a course of action that involves starting with two strong public sector banks (already something suggested
by NITI Aayog) as a model, with the rest to follow. Privatisation would involve complete government divestment, to
avoid any shadow of discretionary interference after privatisation.
• GP are relatively agnostic on the exact process, including the possibility of dispersed ownership as well as large strategic
buyers. In particular, they argue that non
- financial corporates should be allowed to buy banks, with the iss ue of
controlling crony lending being dealt with through appropriate regulation and enforcement.
• India needs a much better-quality financial sector. Tech innovation opens up new possibilities for efficiency and
inclusion. But finance involves a unique set of risks and challenges. Financial sector problems can spread like wildfire
within the sector and bring down the entire economy.
• There is a clear technical case for pursuing privatisation, but the public sector has to step up in managing the political
economy of the change, as well as in its post-restructuring regulatory responsibilities.
EI.38: Price Pinch: Editorial on the Impact of Inflation
ABOUT: The Reserve Bank of India’s usual strategy of raising interest rates to hold inflation at bay kicked in
a bit late and has not been working well so far
SYNOPSIS: The Centre knows that a small rate revision for a widely used commodity raises indirect tax revenue
more than a similar change in direct taxes. Successive governments have failed to raise the direct tax base in the
fear of losing out on electoral support. The frequently-used tool of indirect taxes is, however, regressive. Mid-
year changes in tax rates are an example of poor fiscal discipline. Traders and consumers would try to avoid
paying taxes as was the case prior to the advent of economic reforms. Infla tion is unlikely to abate. Tax revenues
may not rise to the extent of the government’s estimates. Overall demand would be reduced further as higher taxes
and rising inflation take their toll. All this reflects a curious lack of coordination in economic str ategy between
the RBI and the finance ministry. The tourism and business travel industries had been languishing during the
pandemic. Making hotel rooms more expensive is not good news for this sector. Traders across the board are
unhappy with these revisions and the complications arising from frequent changes in rates.
KEY POINTS:
• In India, price inflation has been creeping up in the recent past. The latest data for June 2022 show consumer
price index inflation to be 7.01% and wholesale price index inflation to be 15.18%.
• Food prices, which are an important component of retail prices faced by consumers, grew by 7.75% in June
2022 on a year-on-year basis. The WPI figure is an indication of rising costs faced by businesses in wholesale
trade.
• The data indicate that not only retail prices are squeezing the ordinary consumer but the immediate future
also looks gloomy because of rising business costs. The Reserve Bank of India’s usual strategy of raising
interest rates to hold inflation at bay kicked in a bit lat e and has not been working well so far.
• The impact on consumers is that their loan repayment instalments are higher with higher interest rates and
fresh loans are more expensive. On top of all these woes, the Government of India has decided to revise and
raise the goods and services tax on a number of goods and services affecting the ordinary consumer.
• This set of revisions includes a number of food items, hospital rooms, hotel rooms, bank cheques, LED lamps
and solar heaters. These are not only essentials but also items that need to be made attractive to consumers,
such as alternative and energy-efficient equipment.
EI.39: Surge in ED Raids
ABOUT: Financial probe agency’s credibility is at stake.
SYNOPSIS: AMID the Opposition’s allegation that government agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate
(ED) are being misused, the Centre has told the Rajya Sabha that raids carried out by the ED during 2014 -2022
saw a nearly 27-fold increase as compared to the searches conducted between 2004 and 2014, when the Congress-
led UPA was in power. The ruling NDA has attributed the surge to its ‘commitment to prevent money laundering’
and ‘improved systems for gathering financial intelligence as well as better inter-agency cooperation.’ It is
commendable that the Centre’s twin purposes — disposing of pending investigation in old cases and completing
the probe in new cases in a time -bound manner under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) — have
led to 3,010 searches in the past eight years, resulting in the attachment of proceeds of crime to the tune of about
Rs 99,356 crore and the filing of prosecution complaints in 888 cases. With the apex court backing the ED’s
powers under the PMLA and upholding the constitutional validity of provisions dealing with the arrest and
attachment of property of persons involved in money laundering, it has become even more important for the
premier financial probe agency to ensure that its credibility is not undermined. The directorate’s functioning must
be above board and the notion that it adopts a pick- and-choose approach should be firmly dispelled by letting it
act freely and fairly.
KEY POINTS:
• Only 23 accused persons/entities have been convicted during this period, clearly pointing to investigative
lapses and legal loopholes. The ED’s failure to build airtight cases in most instances gives room to allegations
of ulterior motive and settling of spolitical scores.
• It can’t be mere coincidence that these searches are largely confined to non-BJP-ruled states. The ED also
owes an explanation for going slow in the Kerala gold smuggling case, which came to light in July 2020.
• It’s only now that the agency has approached the Supreme Court to seek transfer of the case to Karnataka;
the long delay gave rise to speculation that political convenience prompted the Centre to spare the Congress’
arch-rival in Kerala.
EI.40: GIFT City: India’s Upcoming Economic and Financial Hub
ABOUT: Sudhir Mankad writes: In the years to come, GIFT City in Gandhinagar will be a force to reckon
with in the field of financial technol ogy, data security and finance, which will make the entire country proud.
SYNOPSIS: The country needs to expand its economic and strategic activities globally and GIFT City, an
emerging global financial hub and India’s first operational smart city, has a pivotal role to play in achieving this
vision. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, back in 2007 as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, conceptualised the idea of
GIFT City. His vision was to create a globally-benchmarked financial centre that can compete with the renowned
financial centres in London, Tokyo, Shanghai, Paris, Singapore and Dubai. Since its conceptualisation, GIFT City
has made rapid progress.The support that GIFT City has received from the central and Gujarat governments has
acted as a catalyst in accelerating its growth. An IFSC enables bringing back the financial services and transactions
that are currently carried out in offshore financial centres by Indian corporate entities and overseas
branches/subsidiaries of financial institutions (FIs) to India by offering a business and regulatory environment
that is comparable to other leading international financial centres like London and Singapore. It would provide
Indian corporations with easier access to global financial markets. IFSC would also complement and promote
further development of financial markets in India. As the dynamic nature of business in the IFSCs requires a high
degree of inter-regulatory coordination within the financial sector, the IFSCA has been established as a unified
regulator with a holistic vision in order to promote ease of doing business in IFSCs and provide a world-class
regulatory environment. The main objective of the IFSCA is to develop a strong global connection and focus on
the needs of the Indian economy as well as to serve as an international financial platform.
KEY POINTS:
• Spread over 886 acres in Gandhinagar, GIFT City consists of a multi-service Special Economic Zone (SEZ), which
houses India’s first International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) and an exclusive Domestic Tariff Area (DTA).
• About 261 acres have been demarcated as SEZ area whereas 625 acres have been marked as DTA. The plan is to
develop 62 million sq ft of built-up area, consisting of commercial space (67 per cent), residential space (22 per cent)
and social space of 11 per cent.
• The social infrastructure in the city includes a school, medical facilities, a proposed hospital, GIFT City business club
with indoor and outdoor sports facilities. It also includes integrated well-planned residential housing projects making
GIFT City a truly “Walk to Work” City. GIFT is a smart city in every sense with various first-in-the-country initiatives
in the field of urban infrastructure.
• India’s first International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) has been operationalised in GIFT City.
• GIFT IFSC provides services related to capital markets, offshore insurance, offshore banking and asset management,
aircraft and ship leasing, and ancillary services. It houses two international stock exchanges with a combined average
daily trading volume of over $11 billion. Soon, an international bullion exchange is also going to be launched.
• The pro-business regulatory regime and a conducive ecosystem have made GIFT City an ideal place for investments
and over 300 units are already operational in GIFT SEZ and DTA.
EI.41: Banking on Bancassurance
ABOUT: Bancassurance can be a vehicle to drive insurance penetration in the country. But, for this, we need
to relook the Corporate Agency Regulations and address the problems this is creating.
SYNOPSIS: Despite the unprecedented thrust on promoting insurance after the launch of JAM policies, India
has not performed well in the insurance sector. The number of schemes has increased with policies such as Pradhan
Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, Atal Pension Scheme, and Ayushman
Bharat Health Insurance Scheme, among many others, but the penetration remains very poor. India has an
insurance penetration of only 4.2% of its GDP as opposed to the global average of 7.5%. This bleak situation can
be improved by capitalising on the enormous potential offered by “bancassurance”. Bancassurance refers to the
simple practice of selling insurance using bank infrastructure and clientele. So far, bancassurance’s journey has
been quite beneficial for both banks and insurance companies. The insurance business adds to the income of the
bank, and using the bank’s infrastructure and consumer base cuts a large chunk of the cost for insurance
companies. It also goes a long way towards achieving greater insurance penetration as people are less reluctant to
buy insurance from banks because they have established trust through their operations over a long period of time.
KEY POINTS:
• The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) notified new Corporate Agency Regulations in August
2015, which enabled a corporate agent to tie up with a maximum of nine insurance companies. Banks (just like any
other corporate agent) were allowed up to three life insurers, th ree general insurers and three standalone health insurers.
• By increasing the number of insurers, the regulations enabled the banks to add greater non c- apital consuming revenues,
a lifeline for their stressed loan books, thereby ameliorating the overall health of the financial sector.
• Contrary to its purpose, the regulations are causing serious damage, though unintended, to the prospects of
bancassurance by prohibiting its growth. They fail to recognise the similarities between insurance and bankbusiness
and treat bancassurance just like a collaboration between insurers and any other corporate entity.
• The compulsory mandate on Specified Person (SP) certification and Insurance Self Network Platform (INSP) led to
further inconvenience for banks. Individual bank employees require SP certification from IRDA and training to offer
insurance.
• First, the Corporate Agency Guidelines should not apply to banks. Instead, specific bancassurance guidelines with
simple regulatory and reporting requirements for banks and NBFCs should be notified.
• Second, the requirement of SP certification should be waived off for bankers who are graduates and have over five
years of banking experience in selling insurance products.
• Third, liberalising product filing and expense ratios will also help. If the motive of regulations is to safeguard customers’
interests, then they should focus only on the terms of the expense ratio of banks and NBFCs, and fix a ceiling for charges
levied on customers
• Lastly, banks should report their annual insurance business numbers including premiums and policies sold for various
insurers.
INDIAN FOREIGN
POLICIES
IFP.1: Brics Summit
Editorial Category: IFP
ABOUT: India should work with the platform wherever possible but its interests today lie with the West
SYNOPSIS: There is no escaping the fact that Russia and China have formed a special compact between them
to rewrite the rules of the global order. And for the foreseeable future the two countries will use their combined
resources to achieve their mutual strategic goals. But these goals are likely to be against Indian interests. Already
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has put a huge strain on India’s defence sector which is significantly dependent on
Russian weapons platforms. Similarly, the rise of an assertive China under Xi means that Beijing will not
compromise on the border issue and keep pushing New Delhi on this as and when it politically suits it. In fact,
these developments have already shrunk the scope of cooperation between India and China, and India and Russia.
Nonetheless, nothing is permanent in international politics. The course of the Ukraine war remains unpredictable
whereas China’s political trajectory has hardly been linear. Thus, it makes sense for Brics countries to maintain
contact and cooperate wherever possible. But as things stand, India’s interests lie in aligning more with the West
to counter Chinese aggression and diversify away from Russian military equipment.
KEY POINTS:
• The latest virtual Brics summit hosted by China sought to exhibit cohesion between the group members but
the cracks were all too visible.
• While Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke about win - win cooperation and the need to reject Cold War
mentality, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the need for cooperation for post-pandemic recovery
and emphasised the various areas – from vaccine R&D to the establishment of a shared satellite constellation
– where the platform is delivering for the people.
IFP.2: G7 Meet Framed a West P reparing for a Prolonged C onflict. Global C ommunity Must
Find Ways to Mitigate its Fallout
ABOUT: Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated New Delhi's position in unequivocal terms — there must be
an immediate cessation of hostilities in Ukraine, and dialogue and diplomacy are the way forward.
SYNOPSIS: In Germany, as in much of the world in recent months, Ukraine cast a long shadow. At the summit
of the G7, which was also attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the leaders of South Africa and
Indonesia, among others, the message was clear: The US and its allies foresee a prolonged conflict in Ukraine and
they will continue to support Volodymyr Zelenskyy (who made an in-camera appeal to the leaders at the summit
via video) and the people of Ukraine in their fight against a militarily superior neighbour. For now, the differences
within the G7 with regard to their reliance on Russian commodity exports, especially the dependence on Russian
natural gas, have been put aside, and the grouping has vowed to “align and expand targeted sanctions to further
restrict Russia’s access to key industrial inputs, services and technologies”. With the NATO summit following
the G7 meet, the contours of the strategic conversation around Ukraine were laid out.
As the conflict has progressed, its effects have been felt far beyond Europe. Food and fuel inflation continue to
be on the rise and have hit the poorest people and nations the hardest. If — as Zelenskyy reportedly said in his
address to the leaders gathered in Bavaria — the conflict gains new momentum in the winter, the global
community must find ways to offset the economic and humanitarian crisis that will likely ensue, in Europe and
beyond.
KEY POINTS:
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated New Delhi’s position in unequivocal terms — there must be an
immediate cessation of hostilities in Ukraine, and dialogue and diplomacy are the way forward.
• While the resolve to sideline Russia and support Ukraine “for as long as it takes” appears to hold firm at the
moment, popular support to act against Moscow may wane as the war drags on and economies continue to
suffer the pain.
• On the economic front, the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII) announced by US
President Joe Biden holds promise. Under it, the G7 has committed to invest $600 billion by 2027 in a host
of countries, including India, “in critical infrastructure that improves lives and delivers real gains for all of
our people”.
• The PGII aims to act as both an alternative and foil to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which has lately been
seen as imposing an untenable debt burden on developing economies such as Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
IFP.3: In Shinzo Abe’s Passing, India Has Lost One of its Closest International Allies
ABOUT: Though out of office, Japan continues to follow the policy frameworks he put in place, a testimony of
Abe’s lasting impact on his country.
SYNOPSIS: Long infamous for its chronic political instability, Japan found in Shinzo Abe an able leader who
ended the charade of frequently changing governments, put the country back on the world stage, reset its strategic
calculus in tune with the 21st century, and attempted to offer stopgap ideas for two decades of economic
stagnation. Voters rewarded him with successive mandates and it took the resurgence of a troublesome ailment
that had put him out of action during his first stint as Japan premier between 2006 and 2007 to force him out of
office in 2020. By then he had become Japan’s longest serving prime minister.
He was also a respected international figure for his forceful positions against China. He maintained a close
relationship with India, evident in how Japanese investments in India grew during his tenure and Japan viewed
India as a key partner in the Indo- Pacific region. His friendship with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was
already a huge talking point in 2014 when Modi was preparing to assume prime ministership. At that point, Abe
followed just three Twitter accounts and Modi was one of them. Japan is one of the unlikeliest places on Earth for
an incident of political violence. So the assassination has come as a shock to Japan and the rest of the world.
Though out of office, Japan continues to follow the policy frameworks he put in place, a testimony of Abe’s
lasting impact on his country.
KEY POINTS:
• Abe’s political comeback in 2012 coincided with a period when Japan was reeling from the effects of the
2009 global economic slowdown after being laid low for over a decade by the 1997 East Asian financial
crisis.
• He skillfully claimed leadership of the Liberal Democratic Party and wooed the electorate with his “Take
Back Japan” campaign that promised monetary easing, fiscal stimulus and structural reforms, which came to
be known as Abenomics later, though Japan’s peculiar societal and demographic characters prevented many
of those reforms from achieving their goals.
• He also ended the country’s pacifist outlook by ensuring a reinterpretation of the Constitution that allowed
Japanese forces to take on a more offensive character.
IFP.4: Just Do it, Joe
ABOUT: Biden should offer India CAATSA waiver for the S-400
SYNOPSIS: The US House of Representatives on Thursday drew on bipartisan support to pass an amendment
that urged the Joe Biden administration to extend India a waiver from sanctions that could be triggered by its
purchase of Russia-made S-400 air defence system. The S-400 transaction was concluded in 2018. It can therefore
fall afoul of CAATSA, a 2017 US law that imposes sanctions on buyers of Russian arms. Biden should offer India
a waiver as the amendment makes a compelling case to take a far-sighted view of bilateral ties. For India, a
transition away from Russian platforms is in its strategic interests. Russia’s dependence on China has increased
significantly following its invasion of Ukraine, a situation that’s unlikely to change in future. Already, China is
next only to India as the second largest recipient of Russia’s arms exports. Given the unravelling of India’s long-
standing border management protocols with China, dependence on Russian arms platforms is unwise. Given this
backdrop, the Biden administration should respond positively to a rare bipartisan approach in the House of
Representatives.
KEY POINTS:
• The amendment, authored by Representative Ro Khanna, pointed out that S-400 is needed to deter China.
India is the only Quad member to share a land border with China.
• The amendment also urged the US to take more steps to assist India’s pivot away from its reliance on Russia-
made arms. The amendment is in sync with the tenor of the recent bilateral strategic relations.
• The watershed year was 2008 and since then cumulative US defence contracts with India add up to at least
$20 billion. It was just $500 million in the period prior to 2008.
• Furthermore, in 2016, the US recognised India as a major defence partner. Strategic ties have also been
strengthened through groupings such as Quad and now I2U2.
IFP.5: Costly Silence: Editorial on New Delhi not Rebuking Myanmar's Junta Regime
ABOUT: India's silence is a mistake — not just from a moral perspective but also from a strategic standpoint
SYNOPSIS: The Myanmar military regime’s execution of four pro -democracy leaders has sparked outrage from
the United Nations, multiple countries, as well as regional blocs like the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
India has stayed silent. That is a mistake — not just from a moral perspective but also from a strategic standpoint.
The four activists, including a former lawmaker and hip-hop star, were accused by Myanmar’s junta of ‘terrorism’,
but all the evidence suggests that their only crime was to fight for democracy. They were among the leaders of
the mass protests that broke out across Myanmar after the military coup last year. Their trials were conducted
behind closed doors by military courts. U Phyo Zeya Thaw, the former lawmaker who has been killed, was a
member of Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy. Ms Suu Kyi, who effectively led the country
between 2016 and 2021 after her party won Myanmar’s first democratic elections in decades, is being held in
solitary confinement. For the military, the executions serve as a message to all opponents that the junta is not
bound by either law or precedent.
KEY POINTS:
• The death penalty for the pro- democracy activists is also a stinging reminder to nations like India of the
limitations of a strategy of accommodation towards the Myanmar military. New Delhi has tried to engage
with the country’s uniformed rulers, even sending its foreign secretary for a visit to Myanmar last December.
• India’s security concerns in the Northeast require some cooperation with Myanmar. New Delhi is also
understandably worried about Beijing using the West’s treatment of Myanmar as a pariah to strengthen its
footprint there. But the absence of even a gentle rebuke from India is hard to justify when the world’s largest
democracy has a next -door neighbour that considers democratic opposition to the government an act of
terrorism.
• Morally, it makes New Delhi appear unprincipled at a time when even Cambodia’s authoritarian prime
minister, Hun Sen, has spoken against the executions. Strategically, it conveys the idea that India is so weak-
kneed about defending its interests in the region that it is willing to mimic China’s response to events in
Myanmar.
• But New Delhi can never out-manoeuvre Beijing by copying it. To challenge China in their shared
neighbourhood, India must stand up for what makes it different; for what makes it India.
IFP.6: CPEC and 'Third Parties'
ABOUT: India must make efforts to apprise world of its concerns.
SYNOPSIS: INDIA has strongly criticised attempts by China and Pakistan to woo other countries to join the
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), terming it ‘inherently illegal’. Ministry of External Affairs
spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that ‘any such actions by any party directly infringe on India’s sovereignty
and territorial integrity’. He added, ‘India firmly and consistently opposes projects in the so-called CPEC, which
are in Indian territory that has been illegally occupied by Pakistan.’ India’s response came four days after Pakistan
and China invited ‘interested’ third countries to join CPEC, saying that it was ‘an open and inclusive platform...
for mutually beneficial cooperation’. Friday’s invitation to ‘third parties’ to participate in CPEC can be explained
by huge financial liabilities that endanger the $60 -billion project, which connects China’s Xinjiang province with
Gwadar port in Pakistan’s Balochistan. The project has faced roadblocks and delays due to financial constraints,
political instability, unrest and resistance in parts of Pakistan, especially Balochistan. With Pakistan’s economy
in deep trouble, the country has been struggling to repay loans and there are fears that it could fall into a d ebt trap
and go the Sri Lanka way.
KEY POINTS:
• India’s objection to CPEC — right since the project was launched in 2015 — is that it is routed through
illegally-held Indian territory in Pakistan- occupied Kashmir (PoK). Earlier efforts to invite third-country
investments — including from Saudi Arabia and the UAE — proved fruitless.
• India’s options are limited because it is no longer just a China-Pakistan project in Pakistan — with China
refashioning its One-Belt One-Road plans to suit Pakistan’s interests, CPEC is a part of a project that is
expected to link 64 countries.
• CPEC has strengthened the ties between China and Pakistan, and the agreement terms the illegally-occupied
Kashmir region as Azad Jammu and Kashmir.’
• Recently, reports emerged that China is building infrastructure for Pakistan along the Line of Control in
Kashmir. China’s deep engagement with Pakistan imperils India’s interests in the region, and New Delhi
must make vigorous efforts to apprise the world of its concerns and strengthen ties with democratic-spirited
countries.
ADVANCEMENTS
SCIENCE &
TECHNOLOGICAL
STA.1: Dig More, ASI
Editorial Category: STA
ABOUT: India’s rich past demands more excavations
SYNOPSIS: A recent find of copper weapons in rural UP experts trace back to an age contemporaneous with
the Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC) has sent ripples of excitement among those who follow the material evidence
of India’s rich past. IVC, a bronze age marvel, is perhaps still the acme of the 162 year-old
- Archaeological Survey
of India’s work. And its lessons remain relevant to ASI today.
Two changes will help the cause of excavations. GoI has tried different schemes to draw in more private funding
into preserving monuments, without loosening ASI’s control over the core areas. It’s an approach that can free
ASI resources. Advent of technology such as light detection and ranging change the economics of excavations. If
deployed well, newer technology may well lead to another IVC-like moment
KEY POINTS:
• ASI describes the maintenance of ancient monuments as its prime concern. There are 3,693 monuments
under its ambit. Important as this task is, it’s worth asking if the current prioritisation has an adverse impact
on its excavation activity. This is where the IVC chapter gains salience.
• Historian Nayanjot Lahiri observed that when ASI connected the dots and publicised the antiquity of IVC in
1924, it had a positive spin-off on funding.
• For 2022-23, ASI’s budgetary allocation is an underwhelming Rs 1,080 crore. Given the richness of many
cultures that lie buried, a couple of exciting excavations could nudge GoI to set aside more.
STA.2: Vicious Purity
ABOUT: Eugenics and New India.
SYNOPSIS: The ugly term, ‘racial purity’, has found its resurrection in India in 2022. The Union ministry of culture has
put out funds for DNA profiling kits and instruments for “establishing the genetic history and trace the purity of races in
India”. The scientist at whose behest the project is being launched stated, “We want to see how mutation and mixing of genes
in the Indian population has happened in the last 10,000 years” and went on to add, “We will then have a clear -cut idea of
the genetic history. You may even say that this will be an effort to trace the purity of races in India.”The culture ministry
quickly declared that the news was fake. The scientist in question distanced himself from the report by claiming that his
words were wrongly reported. Following the claim and the counterclaim, a group of eminent scientists in India issued a
statement, warning how dated and how dangerous the notion of ‘race’ is, and how genetics no longer looks at it as ‘scientific ’.
The group that issued the statement included some of the most illustrious Indian scientists and historians. The list of
‘communities’ that have been subjected to gene-testing include, the ‘language isolates’— such as the Nehalis in the Buldhana
district of Maharashtra — or the adivasis, such as the Jarwas and the Nicobarese of Andaman islands or the Malpaharias and
Kondhs of Odisha. These precisely were the communities targeted when two decades ago the pharmaceutical multinationals
were in search of ‘unadulterated cells’. That search proved to be a mere chimera.It is already well-established that the different
populations in India have claim to a shared mitochondrial DNA, the one inherited from the mother’s side. Using this already -
known scientific fact, the culture ministry’s project can easily move to ruling out the adivasis as the sole first inhabitants of
the subcontinent. That will clear the path for propagating the unscientific claim that the imagined pre - Harappan, Sanskrit-
speaking people migrated from India westward to the rest of Asia and towards the north into the steppes. The Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh’s view of history is obsessively interested in proving that Sanskrit was in use during the Indus Valley
civilisation times. This view, entirely unsupported by scientific evidence, claims it was first developed in India and then it
spread out in the rest of the world as the ancestor of many languages outside India. The present regime requires no genetic
tests for creating second-class citizens; it has already invented many methods to divide society.
KEY POINTS:
• In September 2019, a research article crucially important for South Asia was published in Science under the title, “The
formation of human populations in South and Central Asia” (Science, Vol. 365, No. 6457). Concerning the genetic
study of several hundred ‘ancient humans’, the article was jointly authored by 108 collaborating scientists working in
some of the best science institutions in more than twenty countries.
• It stated, “The primary ancestral population of modern South Asians is a mixture of people related to early Holocene
populations of Iran and South Asia that we detect in outlier individuals from two sites in cultural contact with the Indus
Valley Civilization (IVC)... After the IVC’s decline, this population mixed with northwestern groups with Steppe
ancestry to form the ‘Ancestral North Indians’ (ANI) and also mixed with southeastern groups to form the ‘Ancestral
South Indians’...” The report generated further research by other scholars in archaeology and genetics over the last few
years.
• A report with such technical complexity and scientific depth normally tends to remain outside the horizon of the interests
of citizens. Yet, it acquires significance today since some deeply-disturbing terms, which the civilised world discarded
long ago, are being resurrected in India.
STA.3: Bot’s the Problem
ABOUT: Twitter and social media in general simply don’t do enough to clean up their platforms.
SYNOPSIS: Around two months ago, Elon Musk said he was being told that the number of bots on the social
media platform he had taken it into his head to buy was “as unknowable as the human soul”. He is now citing the
persistence of this unknowing to retreat from the Twitter takeover. A messy courtroom battle is on the horizon.
Wherever this dispute travels from here, it has highlighted how secretive social media companies are about the
penetration of inauthentic, fake and malicious accounts. Algorithms are designed to dial up the more infectious
and corrosive conversations. Human monitors are pitifully scarce. At Facebook, this job is mostly outsourced and
at best pays ten times less than the company’s median salary. Twitter doesn’t insist on real names despite the clear
science on anonymity creating disassociation and disinhibition. In short, social media companies should be
checking falsehoods by civilising algorithms, hiring more human monitors and curbing, perhaps banning,
anonymity. Musk may or may not have other reasons to not buy Twitter. But Twitter and all of social media have
a definite problem.
KEY POINTS:
• Twitter’s claim that its spam accounts have stayed the same, “well under 5%”, since 2013, defies belief. In
fact, research firm BotSentinel has found that Twitter is not even classifying these accounts “realistically”.
• The way in which Russian misinformation was weaponised through Facebook, as well as YouTube and
Twitter, in the 2016 US presidential election is perhaps the starkest example of the turmoil such accounts
can unleash. But like a pandemic, the disease is really everywhere, inciting not just hate but also violent acts
in the physical world.
• India has seen ghastly “WhatsApp lynchings”. A Microsoft survey of 22 countries found Indians (64%) the
most likely to encounter fake news online.
STA.4: Webb Telescope’s Images Show Us a Vision of What Once Existed and the P otential of
Worlds that Could Come to be
ABOUT: Fittingly, it is a humbling affirmation of our own puniness set against the vast, ever evolving cosmos,
and an enduring testament to the human capacity for curiosity and knowledge.
SYNOPSIS: Swathes of blue and orange swirling mysteriously in an ocean of interstellar dust; stars, like
glittering jewels, on a bed of velveteen cosmic darkness; a landscape of peaks and troughs, secrets and auguries.
A hint of water, perhaps, on a distant exoplanet, throwing open tantalising prospects of the possibility of life in
faraway galaxies. The new pictures, the deepest and sharpest infrared images of the universe possible yet, were
revealed in the US in an event at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Centre in Greenbelt, Maryland, heralding a “giant
leap forward” in astronomy and the birth of a star here in our own galaxy. The gift of astronomy is its potential to
act both as an oracle and a soothsayer. At all times, a vision of space involves decoding clues to make
comprehensible the remoteness of the past while taking a headlong tumble into a future radiant with possibilities.
Fittingly, it is a humbling affirmation of our own puniness set against the vast, ever evolving cosmos, and an
enduring testament to the human capacity for curiosity and knowledge.
KEY POINTS:
• On Tuesday, the James Webb Space telescope, the state-of- the art infrared successor of the Hubble Space
Telescope, and a product of nearly $10 billion and three decades of collaborative research between NASA,
the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency, rendered visible all the light that we previously
could not see.
• For, in its success, the James Webb Space telescope has upended the limitation s of access, offering us the
first concrete impressions of the cosmic evolution since the Big Bang 13.8 billion years ago and the genesis
of the earliest galaxies a few hundred million years afterwards.
• The gift of astronomy is its potential to act both as an oracle and a soothsayer. At all times, a vision of space
involves decoding clues to make comprehensible the remoteness of the past while taking a headlong tumble
into a future radiant with possibilities.
• Light travels at a speed of 1,86,000 miles per second through space. Stretched by time and distance, what
these newest images show us is a vision of the universe as it once existed and the potential of worlds that
could come to be.
STA.5: A Celestial Peep Back in Time
ABOUT: The world gasped when NASA released the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) images of celestial
systems millions of light-years away.
SYNOPSIS: The world gasped when NASA released the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) images of
celestial systems millions of light -years away. Such high -quality images of distant galactic clusters open our minds
to an unimaginably humongous and infinite expanse of the universe. Besides, unlike JWST, Hubble’s closer-to-
Earth orbit restricts it from peeping as far back in space and time. Its largest image is also the most striking, with
a resolution of 150 million pixels, constructed from about 1,000 image files. The JWST images we are seeing now
are what these galaxies looked like 40 million and 290 million years ago, respectively. The JWST can see back in
time to just after the Big Bang. Yet, we are still far from understanding the universe. Maybe mankind never fully
will. We don’t even know how many galaxies exist in the Local Group—those closest to the Milky Way in which
our Solar System resides. The present count is 110, up from 50 two decades ago. We are ignorant about the number
of stellar systems in the Milky Way. The JWST images are trailers for a thriller on the unravelling mysteries of
the universe.
KEY POINTS:
• The NASA-led collaboration with the European Space Agency and Canadian Space Agency launched the
$10-billion JWST, the largest-ever space-based optical telescope, in December 2021.
• It is orbiting at Lagrange Point 2, about 1.5 million km behind the Earth as viewed from the Sun. Its distance
from us is four times the distance to the Moon. That is a fantastic depth of field of the universe to observe.
Its mirror is three times larger than the Hubble Telescope’s.
• The photograph shows Stephan’s Quintet, a grouping of five galaxies in the Pegasus constellation called
Hickson Compact Group 92. French astronomer Édouard Stephan discovered it in 1877.
• One of the five galaxies, NGC 7320, is 40 million light-years away. The rest (NGC 7317, NGC 7318A, NGC
7318B, and NGC 7319) are a bit farther—just about 290 million light-years away.
STA.6: Rules With Rights
ABOUT: GoI’s right that social media must be accountable. But what’s objectionable must be defined very
narrowly.
SYNOPSIS: Amendments to rules governing digital intermediaries, first notified in February 2021, are likely to
be formalised soon. These come in the backdrop of an ongoing case in the Supreme Court. GoI has challenged
the interim orders passed by different high courts on specific provisions of the 2021 rules. Current amendments,
however, are focussed on disciplining social media. India’s not an outlier in this. Protection from third party
liability on account of content it hosts has fuelled social media’s growth. But appalling content that finds an outlet
because of safe harbour status enjoyed by social media is now under global scrutiny. However, any change to the
rules should sharply and permanently distinguish social media platforms from news media content hosted online.
News media is already regulated, and it has its own gatekeeping.
KEY POINTS:
• On social media posts, while tech majors running these platforms must be held accountable, what is deemed
as objectionable content must be defined in the narrowest possible sense. Which is to say that removal of
safe harbour provisions, which is a good thing, shouldn’t mean taking a hammer to anything governments of
the day, whether in the Centre or states, don’t like, which would be a very bad thing.
• There’s a perfectly workable common sense approach to figuring out what content is truly objectionable.
• It bears pointing out that draft amendments, which were placed in the public domain in June, describe GoI
as the guarantor of citizens’ constitutional rights. Surely, it’s SC that assumes that role under Article 32,
which was described as the Constitution’s soul during constituent assembly debates.
SECURITY ISSUES
OF INDIA
SEI.1: Flaming Question
Editorial Category: SEI
ABOUT: Why is it so easy to burn trains? Because effective RPF, local police coordination is missing.
SYNOPSIS: IR is the lightning rod of protests primarily because of its importance. Disrupting railway service
attracts wide attention. While IR is unconnected to the cause of violence, can it do better in protecting its assets?
IR’s security is overseen by its own force, Railway Protection Force (RPF), and backed by central legislation. As
trains crisscross states, state governments also come into the picture. Government Railway Police (GRP), funded
equally by IR and states but under the administrative control of the local government, and local police assist in
safeguarding railway assets and passengers.
RPF doesn’t lack attention. It’s not only empowered to arrest without a magistrate’s order, in 2019 handpicked
personnel were given commando training. If IR’s security performance is still unsatisfactory, it’s because of gaps
in coordination with the state police. This was examined in detail in a 2011 CAG performance audit of IR’s
security. GRP and state police forces handle security of trains, tracks and railway premises, while RPF protects
properties and consignments. The performance of local policing is influenced by a state government’s political
signalling. Consequently, the leeway agitations get has a direct impact on IR’s assets.
KEY POINTS:
• Over 500 trains were cancelled yesterday following protests against Agnipath. The cancellation follows
instances of arson and wilful destruction of railway property last week.
• In this unfavourable environment, CAG’s report observed that a unified overseeing arrangement between
RPF and state police is missing. In short, there are coordination problems that IR has not addressed.
• Between FY-2016 and FY-2020, losses on passenger service rose from Rs 36,286 crore to Rs 63,364 crore.
Given GoI’s fiscal challenges and limited rail budgets, willy-nilly people dependent on train travel will
suffer.
• RPF, headed by a police officer on deputation, needs to strengthen its coordination protocols with local
police. Trains can’t be such easy targets for arsonists.
SEI.2: Fix Drug Approval System: Bribery Charges Need to be Proved, but An
Overhaul of Mechanism is Required Urgently
ABOUT: The truth must be found, and the CBI must provide enough evidence for the charges leveled against
all the accused, as there are much bigger stakes here.
SYNOPSIS: The Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) decision to arrest the Joint Drugs Controller on
charges of receiving a bribe to waive the phase three clinical trial of an insulin injection again brings into focus
the poor state of the Indian drug approval mechanism. Though they are just charges at this point, they are serious
enough to merit attention. Strong accusations have been made against a high - ranking regulatory official and a
reputed company like Biocon Biologics, a subsidiary of Biocon. CBI claims it has got enough evidence for the
arrests under IPC sections of criminal conspiracy and corruption for bypassing regulatory processes and
manipulating the minutes of the Subject Expert Committee of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation
(CDSCO), which actually considered the case. On its part, Biocon has denied the allegations of bribery and said
it adopts global best practices in corporate governance and business responsibility. The entire application process,
Biocon said, is online, and all meeting minutes can be found on the website of the CDSCO.
The truth must be found, and the CBI must provide enough evidence for the charges leveled against all the accused,
as there are much bigger stakes here. The Indian pharmaceutical industry is the world’s third-largest by volume
and 14th largest by value. Its image is linked with that of Brand India. It would be unfair to blame the entire
industry, which has generally been carrying out globally benchmarked practices, but the misdemeanours of a few
can have a damaging impact. Though the impression that India is overrun with counterfeits is totally unjustified,
the fact is that the approval mechanism for new drugs in India has in recent years been a subject of scrutiny and
controversy.
KEY POINTS:
• One of India’s biggest drug manufacturers at the time, Ranbaxy pleaded guilty to felony charges and paid a
$500 million fine, the largest ever levied against a generic company. It led to the exit of the promoters and
the company’s sale. A while back, a group of health activists, including Ranbaxy whistleblower Dinesh
Thakur, petitioned the ministry of health to ensure greater transparency in regulation.
• Citing a Parliamentary committee report on the functioning of the CDSCO, which highlighted serious lapses
in India’s d rug approval standards, the petition highlighted how approvals had reached a slippery slope. India
has also been coming under increased scrutiny by the US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) for safety
lapses, falsified drug test results, and selling fake medicines. The World Health Organization had estimated
that one in five drugs made in India was fake.
• A study found that the Indian regulation - making process relies heavily on regulatory knowledge built up
elsewhere, potentially limiting the scope of generating its own, context-specific knowledge.
• The fact also is that India’s drug regulatory bodies, both at the central and state level, are grossly understaffed
and underfunded, and have faced charges of either corruption or lacking the expertise to oversee a
sophisticated industry.
SEI.3: Passenger Safety Paramount on Planes
ABOUT: A recent Parliamentary Standing Committee report flagged several issues of aviation safety and gave
multiple recommendations, chief among them being stepping up spot checks.
SYNOPSIS: It’s a one-two punch on Indian airlines as safety concerns mount, even as service and manpower
issues including pilots and crew shortage, flight delays and cancellations seem to acquire permanent status. On
Wednesday, aviation regulator DGCA slapped a show-cause notice on SpiceJet following eight technical
malfunctions in just 18 days. It pulled up the airline for failing to establish ‘safe, efficie nt and reliable air services,’
besides ‘poor internal safety oversight’ and ‘inadequate maintenance actions’. IndiGo and Vistara too reported
similar technical glitches such as engine failure, or smoke in the aircraft taking the count of mid-air safety incidents
to 21 in a few months. Such recurring snags raise concerns about the airworthiness of the plane, denting passenger
confidence.
A recent Parliamentary Standing Committee report flagged several issues of aviation safety and gave multiple
recommendations, chief among them being stepping up spot checks, inspections, and audits to prevent the
recurrence of avoidable technical glitches. Ironically, DGCA itself is short-staffed and needs qualified officials.
It also requires urgent reforms including streamlining DGCA into a purely regulatory authority and hiving off its
additional function as an investigator of accidents/incidents into a separate entity. This will align with
international norms and be timely
KEY POINTS:
• The Aircraft (Investigation of Accide nts and Incidents) Rules, 2017 classify such occurrences as accidents,
serious incidents and incidents. Usually, incidents don’t cause casualties, but passenger safety is paramount
and as Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia tweeted, “even the smallest error hindering safety” cannot
be ignored and thoroughly investigated and course-corrected.
• This is essential to prevent safety concerns from impeding the aviation sector’s recovery following the
pandemic-induced loss of business. As it is, rising AT F prices and staff shortages are affecting its growth.
• The Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020 gave DGCA legal status to investigate aviation accidents and incidents
and keep track of all aviation regulations besides enforcement of civil air regulations, afety
air and
s
airworthiness standards.
SEI.4: Murder of a DSP
ABOUT: The government must crush the mining mafia.
SYNOPSIS: The daylight murder of Deputy Superintendent of Police Surender Singh at Tauru in Nuh district
of Haryana exposes the shocking impunity with which petty criminals commit horrible crimes in the absence of
credible deterrents even at the gates of the nation’s capital. Nothing exemplifies the free run of criminals more
than the mowing down of an experienced police officer who had just three months left to retire. A greenhorn
getting crushed under the wheels of a dumper with missing licence plates is one thing, but it is beyond
comprehension that a uniformed veteran with nearly 30 years of service could get outnumbered by hardened
criminals, blatantly flouting the Supreme Court’s comprehensive ban on mining in the Aravallis.
The Khattar government should exhibit exemplary political will to crush the sand-mining and stone-crushing
mafia across the state. Not just the Aravallis, the Shivaliks too are not safe from these rapacious miners, who make
whole hillocks disappear as the mountains get gradually shaved. Hone st officers and even journalists look askance
lest they should end up under the wheels of a dumper like Surender Singh did. While stopping illegal mining, the
government should ensure transparency in all aspects of mining and the open - market sale of sand, gravel and
other construction material. There should be no extralegal role for local politicians in mining operations.
KEY POINTS:
• The sad incident leaves many questions unanswered. The honorific of a martyr, compensation of Rs 1 crore
and a government job to a family member are all welcome decisions by CM Manohar Lal Khattar; so is the
arrest of dumper cleaner Ikkar and the search for driver Mittar.
• But the real search ought to be for their political patrons. Such open violation of the law could not have
happened without a criminal-politician nexus. The murderers could well be mere henchmen of some local
politician who had hired them to carry out illegal mining.
• No illicit activity can be done anywhere in India without politicians offering protection or, worse, actually
running the criminal enterprise. And cops often fall prey to this nexus as victims or collaborators.
SEI.5: Theatre of Reform
ABOUT: India needs joint commands & it needs a CDS. The two are linked, & both are much-delayed.
SYNOPSIS: Speaking in Jammu on Sunday, Rajnath Singh re-emphasised that joint theatre commands are a
defence reform priority. But while GoI’s intent seems to be on track, little headway has been made so far.
Arguments for theatre commands are known. Warfare is chang ing, and one modern response is joint commands
that amalgamate manpower and resources of the three services. Arguments against are known, too. Currently,
India has 17 single-service commands spread across a wide geography. Converting them into joint theatre
commands would require a radical change in the culture of armed forces. India’s security challenges have become
increasingly complex with the rise of the China-Pakistan axis. Add to this the strategic complications wrought by
the Ukraine war. China in the last decade radically transformed its military by successfully implementing both
rationalisation of manpower – PLA retrenched 3 lakh troops – and establishing five theatre commands. GoI has
moved on the first step through Agnipath. It must now quickly appoint the next CDS and move full steam on
theatrisation.
KEY POINTS:
• One of the theatrisation models under consideration involves the establishment of four new integrated
commands – two land-centric commands, one air defence command and one maritime command – to
optimise the military’s resources.
• But the air force had previously expressed reservations about splitting assets, arguing that of the 42
sanctioned combat squadrons, IAF operates with just about 30. And since air force assets have dual offensive
and defensive roles, distribution among the prospective joint commands has to be done judiciously.
• It is to iron out these issues that the Centre had formed an eight-member panel under then Chief of Defence
Staff General Bipin Rawat in June 2021. And the deadline for submitting reports on finalising the new joint
structures was April this year.
• But Gen Rawat’s death last December set back the entire process. And matters haven’t been helped by the
CDS post lying vacant since then. Meanwhile, GoI’s other defence reform – the Agnipath scheme to recruit
future soldiers, change the manpower profile of the armed forces, and cut down on the ballooning defence
salary and pension bill – met with furious protests.
• The scheme is on, but its critics are still sceptical. GoI held its nerve as Agnipath protests roiled various
cities. Hopefully, facing down young military aspirants hasn’t affected GoI’s determination to force through
the theatre of command reform.
SPORTS
ISSUE
S.1: Introduction of ‘Open’ Category for Transgender Athletes in Swimming is a
Step Forward — and Backward
Editorial Category: S
ABOUT: A gold is a gold, and though the numbers of trans-women in elite sports are far too low at the moment,
it can serve as a platform to fast-track trans visibility.
SYNOPSIS: The introduction of an “open” category by swimming’s governing body, FINA, for trans-women
in the competition, must first and foremost be seen as their effective exclusion from the established women’s
category. In a sense, this move can be said to accommodate science which says that the advantages that those born
male acquire at puberty are structural — larger lungs and hearts, longer bones and bigger feet and hands— and
cannot entirely be suppressed by hormone suppression during transitioning. However, it is a blow to those trans-
women who would want to seamlessly integrate into their new, identity-affirming life after transitioning, and view
competing in the women’s category in sport as a natural progression. The idea of an “open” category, though
discriminatory in not allowing trans-women to be part of their preferred category, can be viewed as a step forward.
FINA’s move to hold the competition and celebrate champions in yet another category could be seen as
mainstreaming trans-women in society.
KEY POINTS:
• Swimming was headed for this confrontation since March when freestyler Lia Thomas, a transgender athlete
at Penn State University, edged out Olympic medley silver medallist Emma Weyant to win the prestigious
US Collegiate title.
• Thomas had competed on Penn’s men’s team from 2017 1- 9 prior to transitioning and was a few months short
of the mandated three-year hormonal replacement requirement regulations.
S.2: Allowing coaches to Give Instructions from Sidelines will Reduce the Charm
of Tennis
ABOUT: Spoon feeding from the sidelines might also come in the way of players conjuring those moments of
inspired magic.
SYNOPSIS: In the sporting ecosystem, tennis was an outlier. It left the player to find a way out of the mess on
their own. That was one of its charms. A coach shouting out ideas and instructions comes with the risk of reducing
a tennis game into a battle of automated machines reeling out the shots. That would be a pity. While the move can
see coaches hand-hold their players in times of crisis or change strategy during the game, it threatens sports’
egalitarian charm. History shows that it is only when a player is trapped in a cul-de-sac of sapping spirit, and the
match seems lost, that something stirs inside, ingenuity kicks in and they come up with a new way to get out of
jail. Such riveting episodes enrich the narrative of sports, enhance the drama and increase itsappeal to fans. In
some cases, it also gives an idea of the limitless nature of human potential.
KEY POINTS:
• The fear is that players with bigger budgets can have better brain banks and wiser counsel during a game.
Spoon feeding from the sidelines might also come in the way of players conjuring those moments of inspired
magic.
• In a six-month experimental move, including at the US Open, tennis has permitted “off-court coaching”,
something that many believe has been happening surreptitiously anyway. “The trial aims to create additional
points of intrigue and insight to enhance the fan experience,” the ATP wrote of the change.
S.3: Splitting Lanes: Editorial on Trans Athletes' Inclusion
ABOUT: A separate category for trans women swimmers is not exactly inclusion.
SYNOPSIS: Swimming’s world governing body, Fina, has voted to bar transgender women from elite female
competitions if they have experienced any part of male puberty beyond Tanner Stage 2 — this marks the start of
physical development — or before age 12, whichever is later. This essentially means that Fina wants trans athletes
to have gender-affirming hormone treatment before the age of 12 years —an expectation, which apart from being
intrusive, refuses to acknowledge that people with alternative sexual preferences may take far longer to come to
terms with their sexuality, much less have the money to afford GAHT.
Fina has also proposed the creation of an ‘open’ category for trans athletes to compete in. It seems to have drawn
comfort from the fact that the step is backed by science and ethics: those born male acquire structural advantages
at puberty — larger lungs and hearts, longer bones and bigger feet and hands — that cannot entirely be suppressed
by hormone suppression during transitioning. The open category would also allow more trans athletes to
participate, thereby serving as a platform for greater visibility. Fina’s accommodation theory seems to be
contagious. There are whispers that some other sports— rugby and cycling — may try and level the field in a
similar way. Yet, Fina’s move may cement an effective exclusion of trans women through its creation of separate
categories that would deal a body blow to integration for athletes post-transitioning. Such a move also opens the
door for gender policing that could subject women to invasive tests or unsubstantiated accusations of being ‘too
masculine’ — Ms Chand is a victim of this prejudice
KEY POINTS:
• The American trans woman, Renée Richards, was barred by the Women’s Tennis Association in 1976 for
refusing to take the unjust Barr Body test to participate in the US Open.
• Dutee Chand, the first openly homosexual Indian athlete, was banned from competing by the Athletics
Federation of India after failing a hormone test, which found she had unusually high testosterone levels, a
condition known as hyperandrogenism.
• The South African middle-distance runner, Caster Semenya, had to face bans for similar reasons. In each of
these cases, the women were given a reprieve by courts of law, but after they had lost prime years of their
careers.
• A study in 2021 found that trans women, under certain parameters, may be weaker than both cis men and
women athletes. The science — the bedrocks of Fina’s ethics that seem to have endorsed this segregation in
the name of fairness — itself is evolving.
S.4: Top Shot: Matt Fitzpatrick’s Gutsy Shot at the US Open’s 72nd Hole Made
History
ABOUT: Fitzpatrick took no longer than any other shot he’d hit all week, a few seconds and hit a gutsy cut that
landed just over ten feet from the pin and settled quickly, leaving him two shots to win.
SYNOPSIS: You can’t dream this stuff up. On the final hole of the 2022 US Open, leading by a solitary stroke,
Matt Fitzpatrick faced the most important shot of his young career. After hitting his drive into a fairway bunker
the young Englishman was left with 161 yards to the green, with a grass mound smack dab on his tiger
line.Fitzpatrick took no longer than any other shot he’d hit all week, a few seconds and hit a gutsy cut that landed
just over ten feet from the pin and settled quickly, leaving him two shots to win. He didn’t need any more. Not
only was Fitzpatrick’s effort the shot of the day, or the tournament, a better and more outrageous shot has rarely
been hit to close out a championship, let alone a Major.
On Sunday, Zalatoris played first in spun his wedge back to pin high, while Fitzpatrick followed with a lower -
flighted shot that finished inside his playing partner’s ball. The tables turned when Zalatoris holed his putt while
Fitzpatrick missed.
On these two days, it will be recorded, a pipsqueak of a hole, befuddled some of the world’s best golfers. To be
fair though, with a drive-able par-4 and plenty of risk- reward built in on multiple holes, the Country Club was
definitely more interesting a layout than most other venues that have hosted the US Open in recent years. Yes, it
was long, longer than most, but unlike other venues, it was possible for players who don’t hit it long to score well.
Made for much more interesting viewing.
KEY POINTS:
• The US Open is considered the ‘toughest test in golf,’ an epithet that the USGA takes great pride in
reaffirming by setting up the event’s venues with hard greens, tight fairways, unplayable rough, and
unreasonable length at the venues. And that’s why it was such a surprise to see a counterpoint to that strategy
making news this year.
• On the first two days of the US Open, the 11th hole conceded 57 birdies even as it recorded 56 bogeys-not
particularly challenging, most would argue. That changed with the pin position on the weekend that gave no
quarter for error, six feet from the lip of the bunker on it’s left and equally distant from the back of the green.
Redesigned to be worthy of the US Open, the hole was protected by bunkers, the rough, the penalty area on
all sides of the green.
• The undulating green was particularly harsh to off-centre shots, funnelling them outward rather than toward
the pin. For the few golfers who were unable to execute a simple shot perfectly, and missed the green, the
punishment was extreme.
S.5: Wimbledon will Sorely Miss Star Players – Including and Especially Federer
ABOUT: The regular feature missing at Wimbledon this year will be Federer. It’s too much of a change for this
ancient venue steeped in customs to take.
SYNOPSIS: Wimbledon 2022 isn’t like its previous editions. As the most eagerly awaited tennis major opened
to a diluted draw and several low-key first-round matches, the impact of its vulnerability to geopolitics hit home.
In April, in what was seen as an over-reaction in many quarters, the most celebrated tennis tournament banned
Russian and Belarusian players because of the war in Ukraine. The move did not go down well with the tennis
fraternity, creating further divisions in an already fractured sport. The All England Club’s decision —
not followed
by any other event around the globe— has kept out men’s No 1 Daniil Medvedev, No 8 Andrey Rublev, and
three of the women’s top 20 — Aryna Sabalenka, Daria Kasatkina and Victoria Azarenka from the well-manicured
grass courts. Global tennis bodies — ATP and WTA — haven’t remained silent. They have stripped Wimbledon
of ranking points in the strongest rebuke of an event in recent history.
The other regular feature missing at Wimbledon this year will be Federer, whose blend of elegant and powerful
tennis came to define the tournament for the better part of two decades. The junior singles champion in 1998,
Federer has played in every main draw event in the 22 years since. He misses out due to an injury. It’s too much
of a change for this ancient venue steeped in customs to take.
KEY POINTS:
• The biggest victim of these unfortunate circumstances is one of the game’s superstars, Serbian Novak
Djokovic, in line to become only the fourth men’s player (after Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras and Roger Federer)
to win a fourth consecutive Wimbledon title.
• Because of the complex ranking calculations, and the ATP decision, Djokovic is sure to lose his place in the
Top 5 even if he wins here. Joining Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in the GOAT race, Djokovic wouldn’t
mind exchanging points for the trophy but not everyone is on the same page as him.
S.6: Rishabhian Rhapsody: Cerebral Cricketer and a Proven Match-winner
ABOUT: Pant is already India’s best batsman-wicketkeeper in red ball cricket over the past 40 years.
SYNOPSIS: Pant is a generational talent, but he owes a lot to the former India coach Ravi Shastri who mother-
henned him and helped him grow as a player. It was easy to get frustrated with Pant’s inconsistency during the
early part of his Test career, the nature of his dismissals to be precise that irked fans and pundits alike. Even some
of his team-mates were not very convinced and privately, within the confines of the dressing room, they made
their displeasure felt. But the youngster was protected by the team management, with Shastri at the helm. The ex -
coach, whose contribution was immense in India’s rise as a Test superpower, was spot on with his judgment. Pant
was never copybook, but he always carried a certain x f-actor. His heavy metal cricket will always have its fallouts.
But as regards to his batting, the southpaw lives by the sword and dies by the sword. This makes him a top
entertainer, someone who carries a breath of fresh air every time he walks out to bat. The likes of him encourages
budding cricketers to fall in love with the game’s purest format. He is a cerebral cricketer and will go on to captain
India in the future
Only a few days ago, the 24- year-old was copping flak after a few low scores in an inconsequential white-ball
home series. He has conquered Test cricket and shouldn’t be too bothered about the shorter formats. Given his
talent and the ability to innovate, Pant would be a match - winner in white-ball cricket also, with a fixed batting
position and the licence to play high-risk cricket. Like Adam Gilchrist, he should open in the ODIs and T20Is.
KEY POINTS:
• Every time, when Pant plays a swashbuckling innings, there’s a tendency to draw an MS Dhoni analogy.
This is probably a tad off the mark. Pant is a better Test batsman than his idol, whose real mastery was in
limited-overs cricket, from captaincy to finishing.
• Just the hard numbers would back Pant’s superiority as a Test batsman. In 31 Tests so far, he has scored four
centuries in the SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia) countries, plus his match -
winning 89 not out at the Gabba. Dhoni had none. The latter is a legend in his own right and by no way this
column intends to run him down. But Pant is already India’s best batsman- wicketkeeper in red-ball cricket
over the last 40 years.
S.7: Elena Rybakina Chooses How her Identity is Described and Defined. Tennis Tradition Allows
Her the Space to Do That
ABOUT: Russia's attempts to appropriate Elena Rybakina's Wimbledon victory as “Russian” need to be viewed.
They are ignorant of tennis' grand tradition of hailing gladiators who fight and win alone on hallowed courts.
SYNOPSIS: Tennis has seldom had time for cloying nationalism. It has led the way in celebrating the
individuality of its champions. Bjorn Borg didn’t need to don the yoke of Sweden, and Roger Federer didn’t play
up his Swiss identity, just as Steffi Graf and the Williams sisters barely leant on a German or American crutch. It
is against this background that Wimbledon’s decision to bar Russians and Belarusians, and subsequently Russia’s
attempts to appropriate Elena Rybakina’s Wimbledon victory as “Russian”, need to be viewed. They are ignorant
of tennis’ grand tradition of hailing gladiators who fight and win alone on hallowed courts.
Contemporary women’s tennis is blessed with inspiring athletes, from Serena Williams to Ash Barty and Naomi
Osaka. The Wimbledon final added two more names — Ons Jabeur, Muslim Arab Tunisian, a pathbreaker in her
own right. And Elena Rybakina, the 2022 women’s singles champion. Besides thwacking forehands, these women
choose how their identity will be defined. Tennis will remain inspirational as long as it allows them the space to
do that.
KEY POINTS:
• Wimbledon doubled down — in the face of opposition from ATP & WTA, tennis’s governing bodies —
when its members decided that Russian players will not be welcomed to the Championships, after Russia
invaded Ukraine.
• Punishing individuals by viewing them as representatives of a disliked regime wasn’t particularly wise,
especially since the likes of Rublev and Medvedev had spoken out against war. Russian media and the tennis
federation suddenly staking claim over Rybakina is equally laughable.
• The 23-year-old, when asked about her dual origins, flashed tennis’s blazing individualistic pride: “I didn’t
choose where I was born.” Playing for Kazakhstan for a very long time, she acknowledged the support the
country had offered her, and politely turned down Russia’s attempts to score bragging points.
S.8: On aS lippery Slope: Manchester United’sQ uandary and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Failed
Transfer Overtures
ABOUT: “As much as I appreciate Cristiano Ronaldo as one of the greatest, a transfer would not fit into our
philosophy,” Bayern chief executive Oliver Kahn told Kicker..
SYNOPSIS: Ronaldo is contracted to United for one more season and all along, the 20- time English top-flight
league champions have maintained that the player is not for sale. But Ronaldo hasn’t joined team training yet,
citing personal and family reasons, and skipped the club’s pre-season tour to Thailand and Australia. He has
revealed his hand and it hasn’t worked. If eventually, Ronaldo returns to United, he will come back as a loser. In
fact, his failed transfer overtures (so far) have emboldened United’s new manager Erik ten Hag. The latter has
maintained a dignified silence on the Ronaldo issue, but he holds all the aces. He is now in a position to drop
Ronaldo and make him a squad player, should the veteran, on the wrong side of 30, fail to live up to his relentless
high-pressing style. United board has given ten Hag the power to wield the axe irrespective of a player’s stature.
It’s a new beginning with an eye to a proper rebuild, and the new manager has some advantages which his
immediate predecessors didn’t have. The majority of modern-day players are softies, mollycoddled in academies.
Strong characters are at a premium, while Ronaldo, mother-henned by Sir Alex Ferguson, has the mentality of a
street footballer. Little wonder then that Ronaldo’s relentlessness wasn’t liked by many in the dressing room. But
the player himself is not in a position of strength at the moment. He will have to win ten Hag over. To be fair, no
official comment has been made by Ronaldo or anyone from his team as regards to his transfer. Rather, United
have been praised for their non-reaction to the rumours. It feels like PR-spin has begun in earnest.
KEY POINTS:
• He has won 30 trophies in his very illustrious club career. He is a five-time Ballon d’Or winner. He is No. 3
among the world’s highest-paid athletes as per the Forbes list. The Europa League, where United have been
relegated to, on the heels of a dreadful season, is beneath him. Ronaldo is ‘Mr Champions League’. Playing
a rung below can affect his brand.
• Going by the goals-count, Ronaldo was United’s only shining light last season, netting 24 times. Even at 37
years of age, he didn’t show any signs of slowing down. Obviously, he and his team thought that potential
suitors would jump at the opportunity to sign him, if Ronaldo leaves United. So far, there have been rejections
galore.
• Only a handful of clubs can afford his £500,000 -a-week salary and Bayern Munich were reportedly Mendes’s
first port of call.
• Mendes reportedly sounded out Paris Saint-Germain and was royally snubbed. Grapevine has it that Lionel
Messi told the club hierarchy that he would walk if there’s an approach to bring in Ronaldo.
• Ronaldo reportedly wasn’t a popular figure in the dressing room last term. Captain Harry Maguire, some
senior players and also some youngsters didn’t seem to get along well with him. Upon his return to United
after a gap of 12 years, the great Portuguese found that culture has changed drastically.
S.9: Ben Stokes’s Message: Cricket Calendar Needs a Breather or Brace for the
Demise of the All-format Cricketer
ABOUT: The cricket calendar is packed airtight. So congested that two teams of the same country are playing
in two different parts of the world against two different teams at the same time.
SYNOPSIS: Ben Stokes bade farewell to 50-over cricket with a stern message. That cricketers are not cars that
“you can fill up with petrol and let us go”. Neither the warning nor the imagery was new, and it’s unlikely that
cricket boards would, in a fit of sympathy, decide to de -fatten the calendar. Quite the opposite though, the boards
are likely to with “the player is not bigger than the game” truism, while the players would end up picking games,
tournaments and even formats. So much so that the all-format cricketers’ tribe could fade away in a not-so-distant
future. Not because they cannot master the three formats, but because they are exhausted, emotionally, physically
and psychologically, to play all three formats at the highest level with the same intensity. The cricket calendar is
packed airtight. So congested that two teams of the same country are playing in two different parts of the world
against two different teams at the same time. But a future wherein they forsake one format for preserving
themselves in the other two is not too far. Once the body wears more and the calendar gives you no breathing
space, they would pause and then choose. Someone had to set a precedent; Stokes has set one.
KEY POINTS:
• One India team was locked in a Test match against England; another was preparing for T20s against England.
The busy calendar will only get busier, until it cannot get busier.
• Inevitably, even the strongest of cross-format virtuosos could be forced to prioritise and channel all their
energies onto a couple of formats, lest they burn out.
• Batsmen and spinners, to an extent, would look to cling on. But bowlers and especially fast-bowling all-
rounders like Ben Stokes, feel the rigours. There are still plenty of fast-bowlers and all-rounders who ply all
three formats with proficiency.
S.10: India’s Athletics is Almost on the Right Track; Be Wary of the Doping Issue
ABOUT: Neeraj Chopra’s silver medal at the World Athletics Championship was an ideal end to India’s best
showing in the premier stand-alone global event for athletics, the oldest form of organised sport.
SYNOPSIS: Chopra’s success and the better showing at the Championship should not obscure a troubling
development. This is one of the worst years in Indian athletics in terms of doping scandals. Two national record
holders, among others, have tested positive for banned substances. Most Indian athletes come from impoverished
backgrounds. Athletics is the pathway to a better future. It’s unlikely that they used banned substances without a
nudge from powerful people in the system. It’s important to curb this trend early and simultaneously treat the
athletes in trouble with more understanding.
KEY POINTS:
• Chopra’s silver in the javelin event makes him only the second Indian to have won a medal at the
Championship. The last time an Indian stood on the podium was Anju Bobby George who got a long jump
bronze in 2003.
• The other highlight of the latest edition of the Championship was that a record six Indian athletes reached
the final of their respective events- Chopra, Rohit Yadav, Annu Rani, M. Sreeshankar, Paul Eldhose and
Avinash Sable.
• The combination of both state funding and private sponsorship has helped more Indian athletes make the
final cut on account of better inputs. Some of the elite athletes now train abroad for a considerable period of
time.
S.11: The Silver Lining
ABOUT: Celebrate Neeraj Chopra. Ask where the next world-class medal winners are coming from
SYNOPSIS: India’s wait for its second World Athletics Championship medal turned out to be even longer than
for its second Olympic individual gold, and it’s the same sportsperson who has broken both the 19 - year and the
13-year droughts. Neeraj Chopra’s Tokyo gold had spread joy across the country last year and made him a
household name. This has ensured a mass cheering for the silver he scored in Oregon on Sunday. Just as earlier
medallists sparked interest in wrestling and boxing in India’s hinterlands, today dusty g rassroots javelin academies
are rising – for young girls as well. In his endless public interactions too, Neeraj has been a stellar role model.
There was Mary Kom, then Lovlina Borgohain and Nikhat Zareen. Role models really matter. A country of a
billion-plus people is too short of them. So we worry where the next Neeraj Chopra is when this one is still honing
his game – still training to make a 90m throw.
KEY POINTS:
• General public interest in athletics remains otherwise poor. Yet, while the five other Indian athletes who
made it to the javelin, long jump, triple jump and 3,000m steeplechase finals in Oregon will not be feted
even a fraction as much, the fact is that India’s 2024 or even 2028 Olympic story will be disappointing if it
is not broader than today’s.
• It is all these finalists taken together that make this India’s best-ever showing in a more meaningful way.
Because it suggests a future of more numerous and diverse podium finishes.
• It should be absolutely clear that this will be a massively resource-intensive endeavour. If it takes a village
to raise a child, it takes public funds, private funds, corporate sponsors, coaches, physios, regular
participation in international competitions, not to mention extraordinary personal tenacity to join the Worlds
club.
S.12: India at Commonwealth Games: Sports Governance Needs to Change
ABOUT: Whatever glory has been acquired by Indian sportspersons has not been due to the federations but
despite them.
SYNOPSIS: As the strong Indian contingent for the Commonwealth Games (CWG) serially lands, sport by sport,
player by player, in the UK, they carry the immense expectations of a medal-starved nation. The expectations are not
misplaced because Indian sport is beginning to come of age. Competition in the CWG is limited and that augments
hope. However, we still have a long way to go to becoming an Olympic powerhouse that China has turned out to be.
Even in the Commonwealth (CW), while India is good, its performance is a pale shadow of China’s in the Olympics.
What is unmistakable, though, is that economic growth in the case of China was strongly correlated with their sports
performance. If we were to draw a parallel between India’s economic growth and performance, as one of the fastest
growing economies in the CW, if not the world, one could expect that we might crown ourselves in glory soon enough.
Sports have become commercial and that has enabled us to reap rewards. One could safely argue that our sporting
accomplishments have grown quicker and medals have come at a faster clip than the rate at which the institutional setup
for sport has evolved. Institutions evolve glacially, so the above statement does not pass the Samuelson ian test of being
true and non-obvious. The government routinely spends a lot of money on training people abroad and hiring foreign
coaches. Thus, teams and individuals spend time training and acclimatising in Europe, Japan, Korea, and the United
States to name a few destinations for extended stints. While the exposure of players to tournaments abroad is a very
good idea, India could also weigh the benefits of becoming a training hub for sportspersons from different parts of the
world. Commercialisation has certainly been a success factor, but a change in the culture of institutions that support
sport is critical to move to the next level. The metamorphosis of cricket and of the institution governing cricket
demonstrates the possibilities. Former sportspersons can take charge of guiding, mentoring and even running
federations if not completely, then at least on an equal footing with the bureaucrats.
KEY POINTS:
• Courts have appointed a Committee of Administrators (CoA) to run several federations temporarily including football,
hockey, badminton, table tennis to name a few. A CoA ran the cricket body for six years before handing it over to an
elected board.
• Cricket was the first target because the sport had become profoundly commercial and its gove rnance is dismal. The
name of the institution — Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) – betrayed how it “controlled” the sport.
• While the BCCI came under scrutiny, it was not an exception. Other sports federations oversaw intrigue and dished out
patronage.
• There are several sports in India that are subject to the same monopolistic attitude and conduct of federations that tend
to be run by bureaucrats rather than by people who know the game. The modus operandi is straightforward.
• Federations offer the lure of selection for coaches, managers and players, sometimes deservedly and often undeservedly
to keep resistance at bay, while keeping others guessing in whose direction the next crumb will fall. This patronage
system has worked well for the federations but not for players.
EDUCATIONAL
ISSUE
EDI.1: Cut off: Editorial on NCERT’s Smart Snipping in T extbooks
Editorial Category: EDI
ABOUT: Through the deletions, schools will ensure that students do not learn about the making of the democracy
or about people’s movements such as Chipko.
SYNOPSIS: The introduction of an “open” category by swimming’s governing body, FINA, for trans-women
in the competition, must first and foremost be seen as their effective exclusion from the established women’s
category. In a sense, this move can be said to accommodate science which says that the advantages that those born
male acquire at puberty are structural — larger lungs and hearts, longer bones and bigger feet and hands— and
cannot entirely be suppressed by hormone suppression during transitioning. However, it is a blow to those trans-
women who would want to seamlessly integrate into their new, identity-affirming life after transitioning, and view
competing in the women’s category in sport as a natural progression. The idea of an “open” category, though
discriminatory in not allowing trans-women to be part of their preferred category, can be viewed as a step forward.
FINA’s move to hold the competition and celebrate champions in yet another category could be seen as
mainstreaming trans-women in society.
Apparently the Bharatiya Janata Party alone is truly patriotic, willing to change the ineradicable past of a country
in order to glorify Hindu rulers and prove that India is a ‘Hindu’ country. These students will grow up with that
inimitable blend of ignorance, prejudice, credulity and myopia that suits the BJP best.
KEY POINTS:
• Through the deletions, schools will ensure that students do not learn about the making of the democracy or
about people’s movements such as Chipko. People’s leadership, their protests and discontent, farmers and
workers, should all become invisible.
• Inequalities caused by caste and faith would vanish too, as though there is no discrimination, so that the new
generation can help perpetuate exploitation while internalising an upper-caste, majoritarian point of view.
• Dropping the Gujarat riots of 2002, with the balanced and necessary glimpse into sectarian violence under
every political party, is not difficult to understand, but the Emergency, too, has suffered a similar fate.
• There has been diminution of everything relating to Islamic rulers, particularly the Mughals.
EDI.2: Telangana Students Show How a Protest is Done
ABOUT: However, there is no Chancellor or full-time V-C at present. Rahul Bojja, who is a secretary in the
Chief Minister’s Office, is holding additional charge as V-C for the last two years.
SYNOPSIS: Students of the Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies (RGUKT), known as IIIT-
Basara, in Telangana’s Nirmal district, have proved that there is no need to resort to violence to make the
government fall in line. After a week of sustained agitation despite torrential rain one day and scorching sun on
the other, the government blinked, conceding all their 12 demands.They included the most basic, like a full-time
Vice-Chancellor, better living conditions on the campus and decent infrastructure for studies. The government
was initially adamant. Education Minister P Sabitha Indra Reddy even termed the demands “silly”. The
administration used all the tricks in the book to suppress the agitation, like evicting the students from the campus,
not allowing their parents inside, and cutting off power and water supply.
The proposal to make the chief minister the Chancellor for all universities by stripping the Governor of the
responsibility, a la West Bengal, would not have come in the way of the appointments. Whatever the reason,
students should not suffer. The students deserve praise for their victory.
KEY POINTS:
• After the state’s bifurcation in 2014, IIIT-Basara remained no one’s baby. As a result, its National
Assessment and Accreditation Council ranking went down to a ‘C’, the lowest among all th e 15 universities
in the state. Hardly any campus placement takes there anymore.
• It was conceived in 2008 with the intention of taking engineering education closer to students from rural
areas. Prof D Raj Reddy of Carnegie Mellon University was appointed as its first Chancellor and Prof V R
Rajkumar was its first Vice-Chancellor. However, there is no Chancellor or full-time V-C at present.
• There is no justification for the inordinate delay in the appointment of a full
- time VC and director for the
university. Even before the NAAC lowered the ranking, it reportedly advised the appointment of a full-time
V-C but the counsel fell on deaf ears.
EDI.3: Delhi Idea for Eyes in Classes Busts Privacy
ABOUT: CCTV cameras in classrooms. However noble the aim is, it is nothing but surveillance. It is an
authoritarian term that preaches control and regulates human behaviour.
SYNOPSIS: CCTV cameras in classrooms. However noble the aim is, it is nothing but surveillance. It is an
authoritarian term that preaches control and regulates human behaviour. Classroom surveillance not only robs
students of privacy but also mentally unsettles them and teachers both as they feel so many eyes watching them
intently and constantly. What if parents, best intentions in mind, want to suggest improvements? A school is a
school because teachers run it, not parents. Parent - teacher meetings are the only occasions when mothers and
fathers can discuss what wards are up to. If parents can see all that happens in class, schools can turn into arenas
for parental litigation. Factors that divide society can find their way into classrooms if, say, a parent wonders wh y
students of different castes or communities share a bench. We already live in times when young students get cruel
ideas like refusing meals prepared by the cook on the grounds of caste. Imagine the mayhem when cameras go
live: What if students and teachers ‘act’ out their roles for the cameras and be on their ‘best behaviour’? The feed
is live, but reel and not necessarily real. Will the cameras encourage a teacher-student nexus to fool the watching
parent? There is always the danger of the data —live feed as in the case of the Delhi government proposal—being
manipulated, misused or misinterpreted. By the way, does the Delhi government know how many parents are tech
savvy to watch the expensive life feed?
KEY POINTS:
• The Delhi government proposes to introd uce live cameras in the classrooms in government schools.
Consenting parents can get a live relay to see how their wards ‘behave’ in class and how teachers teach. It
seems so cosy and innocent, but it is not.
• This may be new to India but common in both the democratic West and authoritarian China. In the latter,
cameras have even entered people’s homes. In the US and the UK, the cameras came in to monitor mask
compliance during the Covid lockdown. The masks are gone, but the cameras remain. Now it is about
students’ security.
• But their cameras which use face- recognition technology can do more than detect guns. They can collect
personal data. That is a breach of privacy.
EDI.4: IITs, IIMs Must Take Measures to Expand Pool of SC, ST and OBC Candidates for PhD
Programmes
ABOUT: The number of PhD applications to IIMs from students of SC, ST and OBC communities increased
only marginally in the past four years. In case of the IITs, this increase was more appreciable. But the pool of
applicants continues to be shallow.
SYNOPSIS: Data shared last week in Parliament by the Ministry of Education shows that India’s elite business
schools and technology institutions are way short of fulfilling their social justice-related commitments in doctoral
programmes. The number of students from Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes and OBC communities accepted
for the PhD programme in the IITs and IIMs in the past four years were below the constitutionally mandated
norms. The Central Educational Institutions (Reservations in admission) Act, 2006 mandates 15 per cent, 7.5 per
cent and 27 per cent quotas for SC, ST and OBC students. But many IITs maintain that since there is no fixed
sanctioned annual intake for PhD programmes, they cannot follow the reservation policy. IIMs have a somewhat
different explanation: Reserved category vacancies are not filled because of the dearth of suitable candidates. In
both cases, the troubling spinoff of the deficits is that the faculties of these institutions do not reflect the country’s
social diversity. A job, not research, is usually the top priority for a large section of students from marginalised
sections. But research, whether in technology, economics, or any other field, is unlikely to make meaningful
difference to the lives of India’s weaker sections if students from these communities are not adequately
represented in laboratories and classrooms. The government has been aware of this imperative. A large body of
scholarly literature points out the need for providing special assistance — in classrooms and outside them — to
students from communities that have a long history of being discriminated against. But the introduction of such
measures in India’s elite academies remains patchy, at best. It’s a neglect that a country aspiring to be a knowledge
economy leader can ill-afford.
KEY POINTS:
• The number of PhD applications to IIMs from students of SC, ST and OBC communities increased only
marginally in the past four years. In case of the IITs, this increase was more appreciable. But the pool of
applicants continues to be shallow. This means that even though the percentage of accepted applications is
roughly the same across the reserved and general categories, the intake of students from disadvantaged
sections is way below the mandated norms.
• In 2017, in a letter to IIM Ahmedabad, it asked the institute to “focus on having more fellows from SC, ST
and OBC communities so that they can become prospective faculty members”. However, instead of
instituting enabling measures, the IIMs, in 2019, requested the government to exempt them from reserving
faculty posts for socially and economically weaker sections.
• The government’s 2019 data shows that 48 per cent of IIT dropouts were from reserved categories. In the
case of IIMs, this was much higher — 62 per cent.
EDI.5: Solution to the Engineering Sector: Infrastructure, Not Buzzwords

ABOUT: If core engineering is to become “great again” we need more jobs – well paying, competitive and creative ones – in the
relevant sectors. Merely “motivating” students to take up core engineering disciplines as if this is a national duty is naïve .
SYNOPSIS: In a recent interview, the AICTE Chairman Anil Sahasrabudhe said, “the economy can’t run only on computer science or
electronics, it requires civil and mechanical engineering, too” . But there are so many civil and mechanical engineers graduating every
year. So what is the issue? Either there are not enough jobs to absorb them, or, these jobs are so low paying that these engine ers prefer to
become coders and analysts. If the core industry is struggling to recruit, all they would need to do would be to pay more to attract students
away from coding and analyst jobs. However, AICTE thought leaders seem to have a very different perception of the problem— and the
solution. The Chairman’s lament relates to institutions shutting down these disciplines due to a lack of demand by students. In their minds,
the cause of this “problem” is that the curricula of such conventional disciplines are “outdated”, the graduating students are not “industry -
ready” and institutions do not impart the spirit of entrepreneurship. All that needs to be done is to simply add some “exciting” AI and ML
(artificial intelligence and machine learning) and VR (virtual reality), along with a dash of startup spirit, to solve the “p roblem”.
The dead horse of “outdated” syllabus has been flogged too often. There is very little that gets outdated in the core concepts of any
conventional engineering branch. Some new examples get added, some new software tools become available, and most of the new or
advanced material is added through elective courses. Even in top-tier institutions, where curricula tend to be the “latest” and include doses
of AI/ML, there is reasonable student disinterest in these disciplines. In fact, students take up these new electives and minors to transcend
the branding of their profiles beyond their native branch so that they can appear more employable to recruiters from the
software/finance/analytics sectors. AI/ML/VR, as topics of study, may be important in some contexts of some conventional engi neering
disciplines but they are not a cure-all for the declining student interest in core engineering. It is one thing to encourage start -ups and
entrepreneurship but quite another to promote the wholesale hype that surrounds this. Start-ups are not — and never will be — a solution
to the unemployment crisis. Merely establishing innovation councils or organising hackathons does not do anything to unleash anyreal
innovation — a word used so widely so as to make it devoid of any original meaning. There is a pretence of being great disrupt ors, but the
“dream” is mostly to make “millions of dollars”’ by being bought out quickly. Unsurprisingly, in almost all cases the great “ innovative
idea” of the start-up has nothing to do with the engineering discipline the student comes from. This hype, when pursued in the middle of a
degree, distracts students from academic commitments (and related learning), and embellishes the “the dropout is a great innovator” myth.
KEY POINTS:
• A much-touted bogey is the lack of industry-readiness in graduating students. This is only partially true and is mostly because student
disinterest in core engineering courses builds up quite early in college, based on their perceptions about the “job mark et”.
• On the other hand, the ironic fact is that most conventional engineering industries in India are quite backward (with some ho nourable
exceptions). Such companies thrive on licenced or purchased technology and have little interest in anything advanced or cutting
edge.
• They do little or no research and development (R&D) themselves, and often the implementation of routine processes, lab testing and
quality control checks are presented as “R&D”. Indian companies that delve into research that may result in technology creation are
minuscule. These enterprises misconstrue any kind of advanced material as “theoretical”.
• Routine skills — making lesson plans, using audio - visual devices, dealing with basic software— associated more with short
orientations are presented as path-breaking “training”. There is also mention of things like “how to incorporate AI/ML/VR in
classrooms”.
• First, the biggest problem that hinders any meaningful innovation is the nature of school education, which hobbles incoming s tudents
into the college system. Students undergo a rote, mechanical education in schools, spend time studying for “irrelevant” board exams,
and mostly suffer through a debilitating coaching experience.
• Second, why are there large faculty shortages across our institutes and universities? Most public institutions also face severe shortfalls
in infrastructure and funding needed for their development. Budget cuts have adversely affected even operational funding.
• Third, there is no escape from the fact that if core engineering is to become “great again” we need more—jobs well paying,
competitive and creative ones— in the relevant sectors. This requires a large expansion of the manufacturing and infrastructure
sectors and not just clever-sounding slogans.
EDI.6: Young and W aiting: India’s P ublic Examination and R ecruitment System is F ailing its
Youth

ABOUT: The recruitment process for some government posts never ends. It's diminishing the demographic dividend.
SYNOPSIS: The 4,500 candidates in Andhra Pradesh, who cleared a district selection committee exam in 1998, have now finally been
offered regular jobs as teaching staff in government schools. For many, it is a bittersweet victory — with 24 job-seeking years washed
away as most of them reach close to retirement. The recruitment process for some government posts simply never ends. At Jai Prakash
University in Patna, students have had a painful wait to graduate, with some taking over six years, exams and results being delayed for
various reasons (shortage of teaching staff, salary delays, protests, Covid
- 19, etc.). The consequence
— a derailment of ambitions.
Hundreds of thousands of Indian students languish in such universities, living on in rented accommodation, with dwindling savings,
awaiting a chance for their programme to wrap up. Of Bihar’s 17 public universities, 16 saw academic sessions delayed in the last few
years. Consequently, such students miss out on applications for government jobs — some have even seen their younger siblings graduate
earlier than them. About 2-3 years of career loss has become routine. Clearly, such universities profit from continuing unemployment.
Getting assistance to help prepare for recruitment exams can be an expensive affair. Costs for such tuitions can vary— from Rs 1,000 to
Rs 4,000 for minor posts, to Rs 1.5 -2.5 lakh for UPSC coaching (excluding living costs). Even registering for exams has a cost — the J&K
State Services Board (SSB) collected Rs 77 crore from March 2016 till September 2020 from unemployed youth, while still makin g them
wait for examinations and consequent jobs. Of India’s billion people (above the age of 15), only 430 -450 million are available in the labour
force, with 30-40 million of these unable to find jobs. Only 390 million actually had jobs in June 2022, as per CMIE data, with 8 million
jobs cut in rural India given a sluggish monsoon, on top of a further 2.5 million reduction in salaried jobs. All this means that India’s
employment rate was 35.8 per cent in June 2022. India needs to create 20 million jobs annually — a far cry from the status quo. We need
a national conversation on urban unemployment. We need to face the challenge of job creation and upskilling of youth for the labour market
to ensure that India’s demographic dividend does not become a demographic disaster. Mere rhetoric will no longer be enough.
KEY POINTS:
• The JEE Mains 2022 exam has already seen a few months’ delay over this year. Magadh University’s students protested in May
2022 after repeated delays in conducting exams. For some, delays in graduation may mean the cancellation of placement offers.
• The Indian Railways collected Rs 864 crore for RRB -NTPC and Group-D examinations (2019) from approximately 2.41 lakh
applications. By the time a candidate turns up at an exam, they are typically out of pocket.
• In Thiruvananthapuram, in June, about 700 army aspirants protested outside the Raj Bhavan against delays in conducting the army
recruitment exams (postponed six times already since Apr 2021). For 2,000 citizens who had passed physical and medical
examinations, it has been a long wait. Some of them are now over 23, making it their first and last attempt (unless age -related
recruitment policy changes are made).
• With the recruitment cycle for the Staff Selection Commission delayed due to Covid, many aspirants have also gone over the age
limit and been denied a relaxation (in age cap) or an extra attempt.
• Some Structural Reforms are required to overcome such problems. First, we need to reform the examination process— this should
include a waiver of examination fees, removing a barrier for candidates from economically challenging backgrounds. We cannot run
a profit-generation scheme at the expense of our youth.
• Additionally, policies need to be enacted to ensure that an examination centre is within a specified distance (say 50 km) from a
candidate’s base location, failing which thecandidate shall be eligible for pre -defined compensation to meet travel and lodging
expenses.
• Online-based examinations should be conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) — all examination centres must have basic
infrastructure (biometric attendance, cloakroom, basic fans & lighting) and adequate security (guards, invigilators, CCTV cameras)
to ensure a fair process.
• An integrated examination calendar for all major educational institutions and recruitment to PSUs should be published while e nsuring
minimal overlap.
• To support government recruitment, each ministry, under the central or state government, should request various departments to
prepare and submit the list of existing vacancies within three days from a defined zero date.
• Each department should prepare this list within 10 days. The departments should ideally advertise the approved list of existing
vacancies within seven days of the approval of such a list (or 25 days from zero date). For each week of delay beyond 30 days from
the zero date, the defaulting department could be liable for a small reduction in their administrative expenses.
EDI.7: Foreign Medical Graduates
ABOUT: Relief for final-year students, not the res
SYNOPSIS: The one-time offer drafted by the National Medical Commission (NMC) ends the uncertainty being
faced by final-year Indian students of the undergraduate medicine course who left their institutes abroad due to
Covid-19 or the Russia -Ukraine war. Those with a certificate of completion of the course can now take the Foreign
Medical Graduation Examination, but upon qualifying will have to undergo a two - year instead of the existing
one-year Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) to make up for the clinical training which they could
not physically attend. They will be eligible for registration only after completing the CRMI. The relaxation has
got the approval of the Supreme Court, which on April 29 had directed the regulatory body to find a way out after
ruling against provisional registration for foreign MBBS degree holders to finish their internship in India without
completing the clinical training in the physical form.
KEY POINTS:
• For the medical students of other batches who were evacuated from Ukraine, though, the NMC’s decision
not to permit their transfer to any Indian institution comes as a setback. Scores of parents and students have
vowed to intensify protests and move court, but many are already exploring options in countries such as
Poland, Hungary and Georgia, that could entail additional expenses since the cost of education there is much
higher than in Ukraine.
• The NMC affidavit lists the options available: Russia and Kazakhstan have offered the students evacuated
from Ukraine a chance to continue their studies, while the Kyrgyz National University has also
communicated its willingness to offer help. The high course fee, however, is a dampener.
• The careers of nearly 40,000 Indian MBBS students from Ukraine and China have taken a hit because of the
war and the pandemic. While China has begun the process to facilitate the return of students studying in its
universities, for the students from Ukraine, their nightmarish experience that began in February - end is
showing no signs of ending.
ENVIRONMENTAL
ISSUE
ENV.1: Follow the Clouds
Editorial Category: ENV
ABOUT: Slow progress of monsoon shouldn’t cause alarm. But it’s a reminder of bad cropping patterns.
SYNOPSIS: The southwest monsoon in the first half of June was deficient by 32%. The shortfall was acute in
the agriculturally criticalnorthwest India where rainfall deficiency was 77%. The monsoon’s slow progress,
however, shouldn’t be cause for alarm. We are still at an early stage and July, which accounts for almost one-third
of the southwest monsoon, is the crucial month. IMD makes two forecasts on southwest monsoon. The first take
is in April and the next one on the eve of monsoon. The update for the 2022 monsoon indicated that the current
year is expected to be a normal one. From the standpoint of agriculture, the monsoon core zone which covers a
large swathe of rainfed agricultural regions in central India is expected to receive above normal rainfall. This is
reassuring as the wheat harvest was adversely affected by a heat wave. However, the recurring anxiety over the
progress of the monsoon is pointer to the structural problems in Indian agriculture that need to be addressed at all
levels of policy.
KEY POINTS:
• India’s a water-stressed country. It supports about 17% of the world’s population with 4% of freshwater.
About half of India’s gross cropped area is irrigated.
• Access to irrigation is uneven. Two crops, paddy and sugarcane, receive almost 60% of irrigation water. Add
wheat, it covers about 80% of the irrigation. Of these crops, a sizeable proportion of output of paddy and
sugarcane comes from regions that are unsuitable for their cultivation.
• A study carried out jointly by Nabard and ICRIER on the water productivity mapping of major crops
concluded that there is a significant misalignment between cropping patterns and available water resources.
This is intertwined with fiscally unsustainable electricity subsidies.
• Haryana has a scheme to provide a grant on a per -acre basis to nudge farmers away from the water-intensive
paddy. Sensible policies like this need governments to constantly adjust incentives to dynamics of relative
prices and attendant crop risks.
• Agriculture, which consumes 78% of our freshwater, can be aligned with rational resource use through smart
policies tied to prices.
ENV.2: Monsoon’s Increasing Unpredictability is Cause for Concern, Poses a
Challenge that Policymakers Must Step Up to
ABOUT: Excess rainfall after a long dry spell last year along with the hit to wheat yields from the sudden rise
in temperatures after mid-March, was the clearest evidence of the challenges posed by climate change: To
policymakers, breeders and, of course, farmers.
SYNOPSIS: The monsoon’s increasing unpredictability — not just delays and breaks, but also fewer rainy days
and more extreme precipitation — is cause for concern. Floods and landslides at one end, and largely localised
rains due to weak monsoon winds at the other, has meant that sowing of kharif crops (excluding sugarcane) is
down 16 per cent over last year’s acreage at this time. That could make policymakers a tadnervous, especially
given elevated food prices. Most projections of inflation and real GDP growth, including by the Reserve Bank of
India, have been predicated on the assumption of a normal monsoon.
The monsoon season extends from June to September, with nearly 62 per cent of the rainfall received during the
two middle months. It gives additional time for the government and farm input companies to plan movement and
placement of seeds, fertilisers and crop protection chemicals. This may matter more in today’s situation, where
the Russia-Ukraine war and China’s Covid lockdowns have caused supply disruptions and delays in imports,
including of fertilisers and agro -chemical intermediates. For now, all indicators —from La Niña to sustained high
summer temperatures conducive for formation of a low-pressure system — point to a normal monsoon. Better
late than never, as the saying goes.
KEY POINTS:
• All-India rainfall during June 1-19 has been 8 per cent below the normal average for this period.
• Rainfall has been 22 per cent deficient in South Peninsular India, while it is -50 134 per cent in excess in
Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Sikkim and north Bengal. Floods and landslides at one end, and
largely localised rains due to weak monsoon winds at the other, has meant that sowing of kharif crops
(excluding sugarcane) is down 16 per cent over last year’s acreage at this time.
• Rainfall deficiency has already reduced from 32 per cent till June 15. Kharif plantings usually pick up only
after mid-June and peak in July. Also, current water levels in major reservoirs are 4.9 per cent higher than a
year ago and 32.9 per cent above the last 10 years’ average for this time.
ENV.3: Jumbo Problem in Land of Gajapatis
ABOUT: The complicity of the forest staff is apparent in the manner in which the news of the deaths was
suppressed. Obviously, nobody has a clue about the disappearing tusks.
SYNOPSIS: The elephant may be India’s national heritage animal but it faces an unprecedented existential crisis
in Odisha. Poaching, an indifferent administration and a compromised forest bureaucracy are driving the
pachyderm population to an untimely death. Their tusks cause their doom. Ivory is precious, and its trade, though
illegal, is rampant and carried on with impunity. The complicity of the forest staff is apparent in the manner in
which the news of the deaths was suppressed. Obviously, nobody has a clue about the disappearing tusks. A
poachers’ network is flourishing in Odisha’s forests, thanks to the collusion of forest officials.
The BJD government’s apathetic attitude towards the alarming situation is perplexing. It took action and ordered
a probe by a Special Investigation Team only after Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan took to social media last
week to flag his concern about the plight of the jumbos. His Cabinet colleague and Minister of Forests,
Environment and Climate Change Bhupendra Yadav also took up the cause and urged the state government to
initiate stringent action against the poachers.
KEY POINTS:
• Four carcasses, including three this month alone, were exhumed from the Athagarh Forest Division of
Cuttack district in 2022.
• In nearby Boudh district, the cannabis mafia brought in hired guns to poach two elephants and decamped
with the ivory tusks last m onth.
• The strong and viable elephant population in Odisha has always been under tremendous stress from mindless
mining, linear infrastructure and ever-expanding urbanisation, leading to serious conflict situations.
• In the last 12 years, over 970 elephants have succumbed to poaching, poisoning, electrocution and accidents.
ENV.4: Crawling City: Editorial on the Increasing Density of Traffic
ABOUT: Calcutta witnessed an exponential rise in the sale of cars and two-wheelers, especially during the
pandemic, owing to concerns raised over sharing modes of transportation
SYNOPSIS: Metropolitan spaces are synonymous with monstrous traffic. The all -too-common causes of the
horror are decreasing road space — the result of encroachment — as well as the prioritisation of private vehicles
over mass transit systems. The jump in the number of private vehicles, unfortunately, has not been in tandem with
a cumulative increase in road space — the principal cause of traffic snarls. Half -hearted attempts to tackle
encroachment and elevated corridors dedicated principally for smaller vehicles have made the crisis worse.
Interventions need to be planned along multiple fronts. Old, polluting vehicles should make way for a newer,
environment-friendly fleet. Measures must be also taken to reduce encroachment as well as parking spaces on
roads. Commuters should also be encouraged to avail of public transportation to reduce the number of cars on a
given day. Several cities have been experimenting with ways to reduce the burden of vehicular traffic. The city
fathers must be aware of the breakthroughs — national and otherwise — in urban planning in this context.
KEY POINTS:
• A recent news report has brought to light the city’s ascendant car density — a nightmare for commuters.
Data suggest that there are a staggering number of 432 cars plying on each kilometre of the city’s roads.
• While Calcutta has fared better than Mumbai — the most car-congested city in the country — which has a
vehicular density of around 600, its situation is worse compared to other metropolises.
• Calcutta has just about 1,850 kilometres of roads, which is much lower than those in Delhi, Mumbai and
Bangalore. Making matters worse is the rise in private transport.
• Calcutta witnessed an exponential rise in the sale of cars and two-wheelers, especially during the pandemic,
owing to concerns raised over sharing modes of transportation. More than 78,000 cars were added to the
city’s current fleet of 8 lakh vehicles in the past two years.
• The consequences of the resultant vehicular congestion are two -fold. First, there is considerable loss of man-
hours that results in low economic productivity. A 2016 study conducted by Calcutta University found that
the cumulative cost of traffic jams was nearly Rs 3 crore. The environment and public health are other victims
of this spectre.
ENV.5: The Productivity Killer
ABOUT: Apart from its deadly effects on human health, pollution should have employers concerned given it
affects cognitive skills of employees in an insidious manner.
SYNOPSIS: Every business thrives on employee productivity, which is directly dependent on the good health
of workers. A considerable amount of money is spent on employee well-being through various programmes, but
what often goes unnoticed is that employees also need to be provided a healthy workspace and that includes the
air they breathe. It is not just the farm and factory workers in highly polluted areas who are affected. It is interesting
to note here that air pollution, low physical activity and high stress levels are the most prevalent factors leading
to NCDs while alcohol consumption, smoking, and the intake of sugary drinks are the comparatively least
prevalent factors. India is a country with a very high percentage of a young population. However, multiple health
and life risks posed by pollution can not only reduce the life span of this population but can also prevent it from
making valuable contributions towards the country. Hence, the onus is on people to support the government in the
battle against pollution. Even people who are healthy can develop problems when exposed to toxic air. These
problems can include respiratory irritation or difficulty in breathing during outdoor activities. Those with lung
diseases or chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases must exercise greater caution when going outdoors on a bad
AQI day. Some of the other sections that are at a higher risk include children below 14 years of age, pregnant
women, the elderly, and outdoor workers. The private sector, government, and citizens need to work together. We
are all stakeholders because air is a shared resource, and the onus of maintaining the quality does not lie only with
the government. Individual and organisational action will help us mitigate air pollution. Organisations can add air
quality measures into their corporate social responsibility plans and adopt measures that can reduce pollution in
the services they provide.
KEY POINTS:
• The prime minister’s flagship Ujjwala Yojana has greatly helped in reducing diseases and deaths caused by pollution.
The five targets that he announced during COP26 are, in fact, directly associated with air pollution.
• These include increasing non- fossil capacity to 500 GW by 2030, meeting 50% of our energy needs from renewable
sources, reducing at least one billion tonnes of total projected emissions by 2030, reducing carbon intensity to less than
45%, and achieving a net-zero emissions target by 2070.
• In India, bad air quality is often cited as one of the reasons for reverse migration. According to a report on pollution
and health published in The Lancet Planetary Health, 16.7 lakh deaths were caused in India due to air pollution in 2019.
The figure represents 17.8% of all deaths in the country that year.
• A health report reveals that 76% of the Indian population with NCDs is in some way exposed to high air pollution. It
shows that nearly 29% of population is exposed to high levels of household pollution and 20% of people are exposed
to air pollution at their workplace.
• Office workers sitting in air-conditioned cubicles have diminishing cognitive functions due to the poor air they breathe.
Another recent health report by ASSOCHAM cites air pollution as the topmost cause for the rising burden of non -
communicable diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension, diabetes, strokes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in
India.
ENV.6: Plastic Surgery
ABOUT: Phased ban on plastics is welcome. Challenge will lie in enforcement, bringing in viable substitutes.
SYNOPSIS: From Friday, several common use-and-throw plastic products will cease to be in circulation with
the government’s rules to prohibit their manufacture and use, issued in August last year, coming into effect. Plastic
cutlery items, ice cream and balloon sticks, sweet boxes, invitation cards, cigarette packs, PVC banners measuring
under 100 microns and earbuds are some of the items that will no longer be available. The government has also
done the right thing in enforcing the ban in phases. The current strictures apply to relatively low utility items. The
real challenge will come when the prohibition is extended to polythene bags under 120 microns in December.
The poorly-staffed and feebly- empowered state pollution control boards or cash- strapped municipalities tasked
with enforcing the bans have generally not been up to the task. Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav has said
that his ministry will set up control rooms to monitor the ban. A better way would be to raise awareness amongst
people and take all stakeholders into confidence — the success of Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh, to an extent,
testifies to this. It will be some time before enough numbers are brought under the alternative segment to make a
tangible difference to the packaging sector’s environmental footprint. Industry experts say that the prices of a lot
of the current plastic substitutes burden the retailer and the consumer — a kg of fabric bags, for example, cost Rs
80 more compared to plastic bags. The government would, therefore, do well to hand-hold businesses, especially
small outfits already strained by the economic fallout of the pandemic, during the transition period. In the long
run, it must join hands with industry bodies to facilitate R&D in viable plastic substitutes.
KEY POINTS:
• The country generates more than 25,000 tonnes of plastic waste every day— more than 40 per cent of it
stays uncollected, often choking sewage networks.
• In the past five years, more than 20 states have put in place some form of regulation on plastic use. But by
all accounts, their implementation has been patchy at best.
• Some food vendors, takeaway restaurants and grocery outfits have begun using biodegradable cutlery and
cloth or paper bags. The government claims that a large number of plastic units are making the switch to
using packaging alternatives such as cotton, jute, paper and crop stubble waste.
• The alternatives sector does not produce at a scale that will enable businesses all over the country to make
the environment-friendly transition. There are more than 22,000 plastic manufacturing units in the country.
ENV.7: Tragic Season: Editorial on Repeated Occurence of Floods in Assam
ABOUT: While regular monsoon rains are decreasing, extreme rainfall events have increased.
SYNOPSIS: Human tragedy occurs in its own time, untouched by gyrations on the political trapeze. The deaths
caused by this year’s floods in Assam are tragic enough; added to the loss of homes, crops, livestock and farmland,
the tragedy takes on agonising proportions. Although this year’s floods are particularly severe, it is also true that
floods occur annually in the state. Assam’s main rivers, the Brahmaputra and Barak, with their many tributaries,
come speeding down the mountains heavy with rainwater and sediment which they deposit on the state’s flood
plains. Topography cannot be changed, and Assam’s people are used to floods, welcoming once upon a time the
enriched waters that fertilised the soil. That situation changed, even before the symptoms of climate change
became obvious. Deposition on river beds continue to raise their levels, while the abrasion of eroded matter on
the banks keep widening the channels, swallowing up agricultural land and living areas. Repairs to embankments,
made since the 1960s, cannot prevent their breaching. Assam keeps losing huge areas of arable land, human lives,
domestic animals and even protected ones in the Kaziranga National Park.
KEY POINTS:
• While regular monsoon rains are decreasing, extreme rainfall events have increased. Instead of the steady
monsoon rainfall — heavy in the Northeast even in decline — there are sudden inundating events, with
landslides exacerbating the crises.
• While melting glaciers add to the flow, construction, wetland encroachment and human migration increase
the dangers of instability in this earthquake-prone region.
• Floods cannot be prevented, but its effects can be mitigated. Maintaining embankments may help, but more
important is reviving the wetlands to help drainage.
• Long-term measures would require flood-zoning, with bars on farming and construction in places. Advanced
early-warning systems and shelters built on high land could help, as well as other means to protect the people
and the economy.
ENV.8: India’s Net Zero strategy: India can be a role model for developing
countries
ABOUT: While a target of Net Zero by 2070 is well within India’s capability, accelerating that goal by a decade
or two, or flattening the emissions curve without changing the Net Zero target date, may be more challenging.
SYNOPSIS: ‘Net Zero’ refers to offsetting new greenhouse gas emissions with other actions, to (supposedly) make net
emissions zero. This concept has become the focal point for action to deal with global warming and climate change induced
by human activities. At the 2021 COP26 —the 26th Conference of Parties that signed the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change in 1994—many countries agreed to goals of achieving Net Zero by 2050. While these goals
may still be too timid to completely remove the risk of catastrophe, they do represent major progress over previous
agreements. However, countries like India, which are still relatively poor (China is four times as rich as India, for example),
have been reluctant to commit to goals that could keep large segments of their populations from improving their material
well-being to the point that they can enjoy decent lives. The case here is that advanc ed countries, which created the current
situation with their past emissions, should rightfully do more to fix the problem. At COP26, India did agree to a goal of Net
Zero by 2070.Dealing with the dominance of coal in electric power generation and industrial processes may require special
attention to carbon capture at the project and plant level. Clear estimates of the resource costs and degree of technological
innovation needed for improvement over a baseline strategy of emission reduction can help clarify the connection between
national strategy and international resource commitments and financial flows. In this respect, India can serve as a role mode l
and leader for all developing countries in achieving global coordination of the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
KEY POINTS:
• India has a little over one sixth of the world’s population, but contributes just over 7% of global CO2 emissions. Its
cumulative emissions are proportionately even lower compared to its population. Which means it is still in the e arly
stages of its development trajectory and India’s adoption of a Net Zero target of 2070 is quite reasonable.
• Solutions include rapid adoption of renewable energy, especially solar power. India needs rapid electrification for
development, and focusing on green electrification can make it possible to achieve Net Zero goals without sacrificing
economic growth. In particular, India’s strategy will require large new investment in solar power.
• Currently, electricity accounts for just over a quarter of total final consumption of energy, and solar and wind power
capacity is about 20% of that. To achieve Net Zero by 2070, electricity generation capacity will have to increase by
about 6% a year.
• Solar power capacity will have to grow faster, at about 10% a year. Transmission, distribution and storage will all have
to be improved commensurately with a strategy of green electrification.
• Some estimates suggest that India will need additional annual investment in the energy sector of 2.7% to 4.5% of its
current GDP. C
• hallenges which needs to be overcome include managing adjustment costs associated with structural change,
overcoming vested interests, catalyzing innovation, and coordinating different aspects of change across sectors.
Incorporating green objectives into development adds one more constraint to policymaking, but arguably also changes
the objective function in a direction that better measures welfare.
ENV.9: Plastic Challenge
ABOUT: Ban on single-use items will be difficult to enforce, GoI should work with industry on alternatives.
SYNOPSIS: There’s no denying that plastics are a menace. But whether the nationwide single-use plastic ban
beginning from today will be an effective counteraction is in doubt. Tonnes of plastic waste are dumped at landfills
or out into the open oceans where they disintegrate into tiny microplastics that find their way into marine life or
terrestrial animals. From there they eventually enter the human food chain.
The problem is that alternatives to everyday plastic items are far more expensive. For example, paper straws cost
five times as much as plastic straws. With such economics, the single use
- plastic ban is likely to hurt small vendors
and manufacturers disproportionately. And given current inflation levels, there are far greater incentives to breach
the ban. Remote possibilities of paying steep fines and jail time won’t blunt that incentive. A better approach
would be to work with the plastic industry to foster innovation and boost production of compostable plastics. In
fact, GoI should support the creation of an entire waste management system around compostable plastics from
labelling to setting up industrial composting units. These are tougher jobs than issuing ban orders. But they have
a much better shot at reducing the damage plastics do.
KEY POINTS:
• The Central Pollution Control Board had estimated that India generates around 9,200 metric tonnes of plastic
waste daily. This is most likely a gross underestimation.
• GoI notified the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2021 in August last year, prohibiting 20
single-use plastic items by 2022. Nineteen of those will be banned from today, including ubiquitous plastic
cutleries.
• Plastic carry bags with a thickness le ss than 120 microns will be banned from end of December. True, experts
have pointed out that the scope of the ban is too small. But even the current effort is unlikely to succeed in a
meaningful way.
ENV.10: The Need of the Hour: A Renewables Revolution
ABOUT: It is the only way to limit climate disruption and boost energy security.
SYNOPSIS: As the fallout of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine ripples across the globe, the response of some nations
to the growing energy crisis has been to double down on fossil fuels, pouring billions more dollars into the coal,
oil and gas that are deepening the climate emergency. Meanwhile, all climate indicators continue to break records,
forecasting a future of ferocious storms, floods, droughts, wildfires and unlivable temperatures in vast swathes of
the planet. Fossil fuels are not the answer, nor will they ever be. We can see the damage we are doing to the planet
and our societies. The answer lies in renewables— for climate action, energy security, and providing clean
electricity to the hundreds of millions of people who currently lack it. Of course, renewables are not the only
answer to the climate crisis. Nature- based solutions, such as reversing deforestation and land degradation, are
essential. So too are efforts to promote energy efficiency. But a rapid renewable energy transition must be our
ambition.
As we wean ourselves off fossil fuels, the benefits will be vast, and not just to the climate. Energy prices will be
lower and more predictable, with positive knock- on effects for food and economic security. When energy prices
rise, so do the costs of food and all the goods we rely on.
KEY POINTS:
• First, we must make renewable energy technology a global public good, including removing intellectual
property barriers to technology transfer. Second, we must improve global access to supply chains for
renewable energy technologies, components and raw materials.
• In 2020, the world installed five gigawatts of battery storage. We need 600 gigawatts of storage capacity by
2030. Clearly, we need a global coalition to get there. Shipping bottlenecks and supply -chain constraints, as
well as higher costs for lithium and other battery metals, are hurting the deployment of such technologies
and materials.
• Third, we must cut the red tape that holds up solar and wind projects. We need fast-track approvals and more
effort to modernise electricity grids. Fourth, the world must shift energy subsidies from fossil fuels to protect
vulnerable people from energy shocks and invest in a just transition to a sustainable future.
• And fifth, we need to triple investments in renewables. This includes multilateral development banks and
development finance institutions, as well as commercial banks.
• We are already perilously close to hitting the 1.5°C limit that science tells us is the maximum level of
warming to avoid the worst climate impacts. We must reduce emissions by 45 per cent by 2030 and reach
net-zero emissions by mid-century. But current national commitments will lead to an increase of almost 14
per cent this decade. That spells catastrophe.
• The cost of solar energy and batteries has plummeted 85 per cent over the past decade. The cost of wind
power fell by 55 per cent. And investment in renewables creates three times more jobs than fossil fuels.
ENV.11: Difficult Path: Editorial on Recent Ban on Plastic
ABOUT: The ban must be accompanied by sensitisation and awareness measures directed both at law
enforcement agencies and citizens.
SYNOPSIS: The Centre does not seem to be in a rush: the ban will be implemented in phases. But this could be
a sensible approach. That is because rushed legislations, however well-intentioned, has a history of failure in the
country. Bihar’s experiment with prohibition is a case in point. As such, the ban will not be enough: it must be
accompanied by sensitisation and awareness measures directed both at law enforcement agencies and citizens.
Officials may have claimed that a large number of plastic units are switching to packaging alternatives material
such as cotton, jute, paper and crop stubble waste. However, the alternatives sector does not produce at a scale
that will enable businesses all over India to make the transition to environment-friendly products. The go vernment
will need to be mindful of the cost imperatives of businesses, especially those of small establishments already
strained by the economic fallout of the pandemic, during this transition period. In the long run, it must facilitate
research and development in viable plastic substitutes and their possible repercussions — for instance,
biodegradable plastic, one of the much-publicised alternatives, can be as dangerous because it generates methane
while decomposing in landfills. The challenges pertaining to the ban on plastic, therefore, reveal an old fault line
— the enduring contradictions between the ties that bind development to ecology.
KEY POINTS:
• The ban on single-use plastic, which was notified in August 2021 by the Union ministry of environment,
forests and climate change, has now come into force. Plastic cutlery items, sweet boxes, invitation cards,
cigarette packets, PVC banners measuring under 100 microns and earbuds are some of the items that will no
longer be available.
• The need for measures to restrict the use of this non-degradable synthetic material cannot be overstated —
India generates more than 25,000 tonnes of plastic waste every day, more than 40 per cent of which stays
uncollected, often choking drainage networks and even posing a risk to livestock.
• There are other challenges. Rehabilitating 4.5 lakh people who are expected to lose their jobs as a result of
the ban is a cause for concern. The economic imperatives may lead to a subterranean culture of plastic-use.
• The current prices of plastic substitutes have the potential of burdening the retailer and the consumer — a
kilogramme of fabric bags cost Rs 80 more than plastic ones.
ENV.12: Monsoon has Come in Time. A Wet July and August is What Both
Producers and Consumers of Food in India Need
ABOUT: The absence of easterly winds resulted in much of the South Peninsula, Central and Northwest India
getting localised rain at best.
SYNOPSIS: After an indifferent June that saw the country receive 7.9 per cent below-average rainfall, the
southwest monsoon has entered an “active” phase. The timing couldn’t be better, when it’s peak season for sowing
kharif crops. The monsoon had set in over Kerala on May 29, three days before its normal onset date. But the
rains were irregular. Twenty-four out of the country’s 36 meteorological subdivisions recorded 90 per cent or less
of their normal precipitation for June. The absence of easterly winds resulted in much of the South Peninsula,
Central and Northwest India getting localised rain at best. On the other hand, winds blowing from the southwest
took the monsoon clouds to the Northeast, causing floods and landslides in Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal
Pradesh, Sikkim and north Bengal. Not surprisingly, the total kharif planted area till June 24 was almost 24 per
cent lower compared to that during the corresponding period of last year. IOD’s effects should, hopefully, be
offset by the prevalence of La Niña conditions (an abnormal cooling of the eastern Pacific waters, generally
favourable for the Indian monsoon). Wet July and August is what both producers and consumers of food in India
need.
KEY POINTS:
• June 2019 and June 2016 registered 32 per cent and 9.8 per cent rainfall deficiency, respectively — worse
than this time’s. Yet, both turned out to be good monsoon and bumper crop years.
• Rainfall in the current month has been 27.9 per cent surplus so far, reducing the all-India cumulative deficit
since June 1 to just 3.4 per cent. The late pick- up has also brought down the progressive kharif acreage gap
over last year to 5.3 per cent.
• The formation of a low pressure area over north Odisha and strong westerly winds from the Arabian Sea
should help sustain the current “active” monsoon conditions. Water levels in major reservoirs being 18.2 per
cent higher than their last 10 years’ average for this time is an added source of comfort.
• A cause for concern is the so-called Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD). Many global weather mod els suggest a
“strong negative” IOD —wherein the eastern Indian Ocean waters off Indonesia and Australia turn unusually
warm relative to the western part, increasing rainfall activity there at the expense of the subcontinent—
developing by August. That can impact the monsoon’s performance in the second half (August-September)
of the season.
ENV.13: How about Rs 1 trillion for Green Energy?
ABOUT: Such a large sum—reported to be added to the budgeted fertiliser subsidy for this fiscal year—would
go a long way towards advancing India’s renewable energy goals.
SYNOPSIS: Investing in an ‘ecosystem’ to support renewable energy —consisting of battery storage, green hydrogen, and
domestic manufacturing of solar modules, among other things—can reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels and protect
the country from future shocks. Indeed, Rs 1 trillion ($12.85 billion)—the sum that reports suggest will have to be added to
the budgeted fertiliser subsidy for this fiscal year —would go a long way towards advancing India’s renewable energy
objectives. The key reason behind rising fertiliser subsidies was the global demand- supply imbalances caused by Covid- 19
and exacerbated by the Russia- Ukraine war. India depends on imports for its fertiliser needs, both for the end
- product and
the raw material for domestic production. Promoting bio - manure use can be a part of a broader effort to encourage more
sustainable agriculture practices. India should promote organic farming to provide more sustainable solutions. In addition, it
needs to develop cold-storage systems that increase agricultural produce’s shelf life and strengthen distribution chains to
reduce leakages. Investing in emerging technologies such as green hydrogen and battery storage would help India enhance
its green credentials. The initial push by the government to increase supply would lead to market balance and bring down
prices, making these sectors lucrative to a higher number of private players.
KEY POINTS:
• India imports about 90% of its phosphatic & potash (P&K) fertiliser needs and 25% of its urea requirement. Further,
nearly 50% of the natural gas required for domestic fertiliser production comes from imported LNG. This has exposed
India to global price volatility in the critical fertiliser sector.
• A way forward to insulate India’s domestic fertiliser industry against adverse global events lies in green hydrogen.
Green hydrogen currently costs about US$5.5/kg. The industry expects it to fall steeply by the end of this decade. With
Rs 1 trillion (~$12.85billion), India could potentially produce 2.3 million tonnes (MT) of hydrogen, becoming a leading
producer.
• Notably, India’s estimated hydrogen demand for fertilisers is about 3 MT annually. A potential of 2.3MT hydrogen
production meets about 80% of this demand. Further, Rs 1 trillion can fund 2,500 compressed biogas (CBG) plants
producing 25 MT of bio-manure as a by-product.
• Freeing up the money spent on these subsidies can also advance India’s renewable energy goals, were it not for the
current situation of such high import dependence.
• The approximate cost of building a 1GW solar module production line is Rs 6 billion (US$77million). This means India
can set up a solar module production capacity of 167GW with Rs 1 trillion. The cost of 1GW of solar module capacity
addition with complete backward integration to the wafer and polysilicon level is about Rs 25 billion ($322million).
With `1 trillion, India can increase its integrated solar module manufacturing capacity by 37GW.
• Rs 1 trillion could help the country get back on track to meet the installed solar capacity target of 100GW by the end of
2022. IEEFA and JMK Research project that India will miss the mark by 27GW, largely due to slow uptake of rooftop
solar.
• With Rs 1 trillion, India could set up 22GW of solar capacity, which would propel the country towards its renewable
energy target.
ENV.14: Green Harvest: Towards Climate-smart Farming
ABOUT: ITC, Mahindra and a clutch of other companies show how the private sector can push this.
SYNOPSIS: Climate change has a bifold relationship with agriculture–it is a result of farm emissions and, of course, affects farming.
Consumerism, population growth, and rising buying power of certain sections globally are beginning to threaten the food secur ity of many
nations at an accelerated pace. Over the past couple of years, we have witnessed the severe damage caused by climate change to agriculture;
the hit to farms has been to such an extent that global prices of many crops have shot up, putting them out of range for many. For a planet
bedevilled by uncertainties like droughts, floods, and erratic weather conditions –thanks to ever-rising temperatures–and facing challenges
when it comes to energy demand, a transformation from the conventional, industrial food system to sustainable agriculture can be quite
promising, especially in the long run. We can no more ignore the fact that groundwater depletion and worsening of soil health have been
significantly accelerated by industrial agriculture. The top 6-8 inches of soil decide the survival of humanity, and it is time to take a serious
view on saving the soil. Various green initiatives by these companies have proven that it is possible to work in harmony with nature and
achieve significant and encouraging results of sustainable agriculture. After all, the benefits are immeasurable, ranging from better soil-
nourishment to significant energy and water saving, in addition to a better structured food -supply. The results yielded by ITC and Mahindra
are not just a step towards greater penetration of sustainable-agriculture activities at the pan -India level, but also a motivation to other
corporates to consider agriculture as part of their corporate-social-responsibility initiatives.
KEY POINTS:
• According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the premier international agency for climate change
assessment, agricultural activities account for around a fifth of the greenhouse gases emitted because of human action.
• Today, the amount of CO2 in the Earth’s atmosphere is almost 412 parts per million (ppm), and it is constantly rising. This i s a 47%
increase since the dawn of the industrial period when the concentration was around 280 ppm, and an 11% increase since 2000, when
it was 370 ppm.
• Agricultural activities like rice farming, cattle rearing and biomass burning account for 22-46% of worldwide methane emissions.
Paddy fields are the most significant source of methane emissions, accounting for 15 -20% of global emissions generated as a direct
result of human activity.
• With this very intent, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations created the concept of Climate Smart Agric ulture
(CSA) 12 years ago, to manage farming, livestock, forests, and fisherie s holistically. CSA is now being increasingly accepted
globally, in countries rich and poor.
• Since 2014-15, India has had a National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) to promote climate -friendly agriculture. On
the private sector front, companies like ITC, Mahindra and a few others have spearheaded the CSA approach in rural India and this
has been largely successful.
• Mahindra has also been working with farmers and helping them transition from chemical-intensive farming to chemical-free
biodynamic farming that helps nurture the soil and also reduces the financial burden on farmers.
• In 600 villages in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra, the CSV(Climate Smart Villages) programme has covered seven
key crops–soybean, paddy, wheat, sugarcane, onion, mango, and gram.
• Assessing climate risks and identifying climate-smart, no-regrets technologies are among the key interventions, as are adopting
practices and services to improve production and reduce climatic risks, and prioritising technological options based on stakeholder
preferences. Yield-improving and climate-risk-reduction technology are among the approaches that have been marketed to farmers.
• The outcomes have been notable and encouraging, and this intervention in MP increased soybean and wheat yields by 38% and 15%
above the baseline, respectively.
• In addition to lower farming costs, this has led to an average increase of 93% in net income for soyabean and 46% for wheat o ver
the baseline. Also, average GHG emissions have fallen by 66% for soybean and 13% for wheat crops as compared to the baseline.
ENV.15: The Tragic Tree Crash
ABOUT: Regular inspection, audit of UT trees must.
SYNOPSIS: The heart-breaking death of a teenager as the grand old peepal tree in Carmel Convent School,
Chandigarh, came crashing down on a group of girls enjoying recess under its shady canopy on Friday should
serve as a wake- up call for the authorities responsible for the upkeep of trees. The hazard posed by old and
decaying/decayed trees has been flagged earlier too following a couple of similar tragedies in the past few years
and one that even reached the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The UT is armed with a battery of experts and
their subordinates in three departments to stay updated about and take care of the trees. Such fatal mishaps would
not have occurred had these wings— the horticulture section, forest division and the municipal corporation—
performed their duty of regular inspection and audit of the trees and taken timely action wherever required. The
experience of residents warning the authorities about perilous trees and seeking remedial action betrays callous
delays in reaction. The policy must be tweaked to expedite preventive and conservative measures for the trees.
Heerakshi’s tragic death must not go in vain.
KEY POINTS:
• The accident, in which 18 other girls and an attendant were injured, is a shameful blot on the functioning of
the administrators of the City Beautiful. More so, since they have been caught on the wrong foot over what
the city prides itself on: its rich heritage of verdant flora, well-planned green belts and tree-lined avenues.
• The UT has a policy to conserve heritage trees such as the 250-year-old peepal around which thousands of
schoolgirls played over the decades since Carmel Convent School came up in 1959.
• People are daily exposed to such trees, including the ancient peepal at Sukhna Lake and some in a couple of
government schools. Because of their special status, decisions concerning them, including pruning, require
ratification at the top administrative level.
ENV.16: Hammer Blow: Editorial on Environment Protection Laws
ABOUT: In this age of flagrant ecological mauling, institutional protection for the environment and communities
dependent on threatened ecosystems must be strengthened, not weakened.
SYNOPSIS: Environment protection laws have recently received setbacks at the hands of institutions that are
supposed to be their protectors in a number of countries. In a massive blow to President Joe Biden’s environmental
agenda, theSupreme Court of the United States of America restricted the power of the Environmental Protection
Agency to regulate carbon emissions. Soon after, news emerged that the Union environment ministry in India
intends to dilute certain provisions of the Environment Protection Act by replacing a clause that provides for the
imprisonment of violators with one that simply requires a fine, except in cases of grave injury or loss of life.
Furthermore, the proposal seeks to appoint an ‘adjudication officer’ to decide on the penalty in cases of violations.
The provision of prison term would be removed from the Air Act as well as the Water Act.
The alleged weakening of preventive clauses of environmental laws is consistent with the blind eye that elected
regimes cast on India’s fragile ecology. There have been several attempts to reduce public participation, exempt
some projects from rigorous appraisal, and legalise others that are operating without environmental approval by
the Narendra Modi government. The global push towards the restriction of the p owers of environmental protection
laws threatens to do away with the hard - earned triumphs of indigenous groups and grassroots, vulnerable
communities. In this age of flagrant ecological mauling, institutional protection for the environment and
communities dependent on threatened ecosystems must be strengthened, not weakened.
KEY POINTS:
• Currently, the EPA allows for the imprisonment of violators to up to five years or a fine of up to one lakh
rupees, or both — the revised fines would be five to 500 times gr eater.
• In 2021, the Centre suggested amendments to the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 to allow for the use of
certain categories of forest land for non-forestry purposes without its permission.
• Now the Centre, it is alleged, is weakening the Forest Rights Act as well. Repeated and incremental
amendments to forest laws have watered down the requirement of consent from gram sabhas for the diversion
of land. India has a rich history of environmental justice movements, especially by forest-dwelling
communities, which are the first to bear the brunt of the crisis.
ENV.17: The Track to Transport Decarbonisation: Imperative to Boost Efficiency
of Terminal Operations Through Innovation
ABOUT: This needs increasing the Railways’ share in freight transport to reach 45% by 2030. While route-
capacity adequacy will be critical, it is also imperative to boost efficiency of terminal operations through
innovation.
SYNOPSIS: From the perspective of decarbonising India’s transport sector, focussed initiatives to energise the rail freight
business and achieving greater modal share in freight movement is necessary. The government has committed huge
investments to augment the line capacity of the railway network, including the construction of Dedicated Freight Corridors.
Additionally, the Railways has launched massive electrification of almost the entire network, enabling the movement of
citizens and goods involving near-zero carbon emissions. Augmentation of route capacity and new lines have definitely
reduced the transit time, thereby assuring timely delivery of goods. Loading and unloading operations at almost all goods
sheds are done manually, and deficient facilities, scarce mechanisation, and labour shortage often make detention of wagons
and goods a common feature. Comprehensive assessment of issues related to terminal operations and remedial measures are
far from satisfactory except at a few places. The Railways may consider taking the initiative to introduce mechanised
loading/unloading operations at railway goods sheds and start a pilot project in perpetually heavy demand areas by appointing
a mechanised handling agency that could undertake loading/ unloading operations at a pre-determined rate, the cost of which
can be borne by the user. The Railways can expand its collaboration with Central Warehousing Corporation to develop a
larger number of warehouses with mechanised loading/unloading system on railway owned goods sheds. Based on such pilot
projects, IR needs to develop its own set of commodity s-pecific guidelines for mechanical operations. While the development
of private freight terminals is taking place, the Railways should also focus on improving the existing terminal infrastructur e,
including access roads, to maximise efficiency. The integrated development approach, where key industrial units and logistics
parks, national and state highways and rail freight terminals are incorporated, will not only improve the operational feasibi lity,
but will also capture new traffic. It is high time for IR to bring in infrastructural and institutional changes focused on freight
terminal infrastructure and management in order to meet the envisioned freight demand of 3,000 MT per annum by 2027.
KEY POINTS:
• During 2019- 20, around 500 terminals were under restriction for varying periods across the IR network.
About 20 terminals were under restrictions for about three months in a year.
• Poor release of wagons and heavy pipeline are the most common reasons (91.5%) behind imposing
restrictions on further loading by the Railways.
• Along with mechanised loading/unloading systems, availability of warehouses will facilitate a faster and
round-the- clock clearance of goods, and wharf will be available for placing new rake.
• Infrastructure upgradation and mechanisation will enable the faster evacuation of goods within the free time.
It will result in lesser incidences of heavy demurrage and wharfage penalties, removing the unnecessary
burden on private players.
• Realising the potential of privatisation in increasing the efficiency of terminal operations, IR continues to
promote the development of private sidings and private freight terminals under ‘Gati-Shakti Multimodal
Cargo Terminal (GCT) Policy, 2021’.
ENV.18: Electric Vehicles
ABOUT: Safety & pricing issues should be addressed on priority.
SYNOPSIS: The Union Government told the Lok Sabha on Tuesday that three manufacturers ofelectric two -
wheelers recalled over 6,600 vehicles in April following fire incidents. Though the Centre claims that these cases
— reported from Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh — have not impacted the nationwide sales of electric vehicles
(EVs), safety concerns threaten to impede India’s green push. Last month, the National Highways for Electric
Vehicles (NHEV), which facilitates Ease of Doing Business in the electric mobility sector, had made
recommendations to the NITI Aayog on the maintenance of EVs and their batteries after an electric SUV caught
fire in Maharashtra. The NHEV made it clear that users deserved to know ‘what they are buying, driving and the
risks associated’. Regular monitoring and strict action by the authorities are needed to ensure that the EV industry
sticks to the guidelines and makes no compromise on safety. The forbidding prices of EVs are another constraint,
especially for residents of non-metro cities where the commuting distances are short. The government has taken
initiatives to address this issue, such as bringing EVs under the production - linked incentive scheme for the
automobile and auto component industry, reducing GST on electric vehicles and chargers, and waiving road tax.
Bigger steps are required to spur motorists to shun vehicles running on eco-unfriendly fossil fuels and do their bit
to reduce the carbon footprint.
KEY POINTS:
• The number of registered EVs in India has crossed 13 lakh, which is just a drop in the ocean compared to
the nearly 28 crore non-electric vehicles on the roads.
• Improving the coverage and efficiency of the charging stations is another challenge. Under the FAME-I
(faster adoption and manufacturing of hybrid and electric vehicles) scheme, the Centre sanctioned 520 EV
charging stations, of which 479 were installed till July 1.
• Under FAME-II, 2,877 EV stations were earmarked for 68 cities in 25 states/UTs, but only 50 of them were
set up till the same date. Faster charging at these stations is a must to reduce the drivers’ waiting time, which
at present stretches into hours, especially in UP and Delhi, the states with the highest density of EVs.
ENV.19: Why a Ban on Single-use Plastics Won’t Help
ABOUT: Ashi Datta and Swathi Seshadri write: The limited ban will not impact the big players. The focus
should be on moving away from the use-and-throw economy to one which is designed for reusable and sustainable
packaging
SYNOPSIS: Effective July 1, 2022, the Union government has banned identified single -use plastics (SUPs) as mandated
by the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2021. The stated aim of this ban is to arrest plastic pollution by targeting low -utility
high-littering SUPs. Going by industry estimates, this ban would target only two-three per cent of the total plastic produced.
In fact, the bulk of the problem can be traced to the plastic packaging of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs), which
include sachets and packaging of products like chips, biscuits, and soap which the ban conspicuously excludes. Plastic is a
petrochemical. In India, it is produced from crude oil that is imported and then refined domestically. Therefore, the human,
environment and climate costs are not limited to the disposal of plastics but extend to their life cycle. The FICCI report
describes the backward linkage in plastic production which includes petroleum intermediate producers, resin and naphtha
producers (both raw materials to plastic polymer), pre-packaging manufacturers, plant and machinery, mould and additive
producers. A ban on FMCG packaging would have a significant impact on this entire chain. Perhaps this is where the untold
story lies. Many of the identified SUPs which are banned are used by small eateries, other small enterprises and street vendors.
This ban will, therefore, largely impact the MSME and informal sector, both on the production and use side, leading business
to be taken away from the informal to the formal sector— a trend that was set in motion by demonetisation and the GST
regime and got intensified as a result of the lockdowns during the pandemic. If the government indeed wants to put its money
where its mouth is, it should start by re-envisioning the retail system. The focus should be on moving away from the use-
and-throw economy to one which is designed for reusable and sustainable packaging. Such a system should be geared towards
the smaller players, the end user and, fundamentally, the environment and climate.
KEY POINTS:
• The global movement, Break Free From Plastic, in its brand audit in India in 2021, found that 70 per cent of the 1,49,985
pieces of plastic audited were marked with a clear consumer brand. The audit found that much of the plastic pollution
was caused by products from the top brands.
• Analysts at Kotak Institutional Equities, which has released a report on the ban, claim that the current ban will not affect
the FMCGs, but the restrictions on sachets/pouches/wrappers/laminated tubes could impact their profita bility.
• In 2015, a report by FICCI and strategy consultants Strategy&, ‘Plastic Packaging –the sustainable and smarter choice:
Why banning plastic packaging in Indian FMCG is not a viable option’, argued that banning FMCG packaging would
affect the processed food industry to the tune of approximately Rs 90,000 crore per annum, amounting to 72 per cent
of the industry.
• The 2021 Rules treat SUPs generated by FMCG and non F- MCGs differently (except for the straws attached to packaged
branded beverages). While there is a ban on non -FMCG SUPs, companies in the FMCG category have been allowed to
go scot-free, since accountability measures like extended producer responsibility (EPR) are only introduced in a diluted
form.
• The limited ban on some SUPs will not impact the big players who will continue to produce for the non FMCG
- category.
Those significantly impacted would be some of the 30,000 MSME units that manufactured the plastic products on the
banned list.
ENV.20: An Indian Summer: Editorial on Heat Wave in Europe
ABOUT: It is possible that the continent's battle against climate change would get harder.
SYNOPSIS: Picnics at Primrose Hill, umpteen glasses of lemonade, trips to Brighton beach, cycling at Hyde
Park and going for walks by the Thames— these activities are elemental to the idyllic image of the English
summer that generations of artists and authors have romanticised in their works. But the canvas has changed.
Melting traffic lights, school closures and hospitals burdened with patients suffering from heat -related ailments
are the new realities of England’s Indian summer. A singed United Kingdom is not alone. France experienced its
hottest May on record. Poland and other parts of eastern Europe suffered from a spell of extreme heat. Elsewhere,
wildfires roasted parts of the Continent, even as some parts of Europe are battling a lengthy drought. And there
are still two months of summer left. European governments, faced with reduced Russian gas supplies, are trying
to bolster energy stockpiles by burning coal and planning new liquefied natural gas terminals — effectively
backpedalling on decarbonisation. It is possible that Europe’s battle against climate change would get harder:
more stringent restrictions on emissions are necessary to honour the targets committed as per the Paris Agreement.
The one positive consequence of the cruel summer could be the dawn of realisation among people that climate
change is not imminent; it is here to stay. The existent infrastructure would make adaptation a serious challenge.
The pressure from young voters could make governments across European nations take necessary steps. There is
something else that Europe should ponder: study traditions in Asia and Africa to keep themselves cool. Ironically,
it has taken the Occident an existential crisis to usher in a new, humbler attitude towards the Orient and its
wisdoms. At times, the periphery has strange ways of triumphing against the Centre.
KEY POINTS:
• The unusually high temperatures are the result of a combination of the global — climate c hange — and the
local — a low-pressure system over the European region is attracting hot air from northern Africa and a
warming Arctic Ocean is making matters worse. Things are likely to get hotter.
• Around 90 per cent of houses in London are made to with stand cold and lack facilities — fans or air-
conditioning — to drive away heat. A massive urban redesigning seems imminent. This would be a poetic
rap across the knuckles of governments that have refused to pay heed to the need for adaptive infrastructure
even though research estimates that it is up to 10 times more cost-effective to adapt to climate change than
not doing so.
• Rome waged a battle against extreme weather patterns 2,000 years ago by building fountains and public
gardens. Creating more green spaces in cities would not only help lower air temperatures but also reduce
pollution and flood risk. Another collateral blessing seems to be the relative awareness among the young
about the imperative to fight climate change as a political battle.
ENV.21: How We can Have Disaster-free Floods
ABOUT: Nirmalya Choudhury writes: Holistic flood management strategies can help vulnerable communities
thrive, not just survive
SYNOPSIS: Hazards like floods — fluvial or pluvial — are often triggered by extreme weather events, but they
translate into disaster risk due to anthropogenic factors. The latter share a complex relationship with biophysical
and social vulnerability. A logical corollary of this is to move away from the sole focus on structural interventions
and river engineering to prevent floods and instead, address the underlying factors that drive the multiple
dimensions of vulnerability. It is only by reducing the causes of vulnerability that one can contribute to building
people’s resilience. The riparian population and their lives and livelihoods should be at the centre of the planning
process of flood management. Climate scientists predict an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme
weather events, and hence the importance of warning systems will continue to increase. But from a risk
management perspective, warning technologies are only as good as their reach in remote villages. It is here that
the convergence with the tiered community institutions promoted under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission
becomes important. With proper training, these institutions could act as a response force of the community to
calamities in disaster-prone areas. Dealing with flood risk is essentially a management problem. It requires
dedicated and trained professionals who understand the interdisciplinarity required to manage flood risk and build
resilience. This set of professional cadres could be located at the district level, working closely with District
Disaster Management Agency and district administration and coordinating with the various line departments. The
Aspirational District Programme has assigned a key role to its fellows in catalysing development action. Along
similar lines, there could be District Disaster Management fellows — a dedicated group of trained young
professionals with a time-bound and goal-driven assignment.
KEY POINTS:
• Assam has been ravaged by two bouts of floods in quick succession. At the peak of floods in May, some 31 districts,
more than 2,000 villages, 7 lakh people and 95,000 hectares of land got affected.
• As the flood adversity increased, so did river bank eros ion — at the peak, some 19 districts reported multiple instances
of river bank erosion. The holy grail of flood protection —the embankments — got breached once again. The situation
deteriorated drastically in June.
• Flood risk management strategies would need to expand their scope from river engineering and embankment
construction and address the diverse root causes through a set of interventions targeted to address the drivers of
vulnerability.
• Risk management cannot be done just by the water resources department. It needs convergence across multiple
departments. In the overall flood risk management strategy, the role of agriculture, animal husbandry, education, PHED
and health departments are as important – if not more.
• Strategies should include round- the-year developmental activities. A national programme like Swachh Bharat has
demonstrated the efficacy of working on a mission mode. In this case, the mission has to ensure that communities not
just live with floods but thrive despite floods.
• This would require a range of development interventions — including new models of embankment management — to
improve the overall livelihood of rural people.
ENV.22: Falling Rice Acreage in Eastern India is Symptom of a Larger Problem
with Environmental, Equity, Fiscal Dimensions
ABOUT: Less area getting planted under paddy in UP, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal is, nevertheless,
disturbing from a different standpoint. This whole belt, together with Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Assam, has
sufficient groundwater resources for sustainable ric e cultivation.
SYNOPSIS: The monsoon’s revival in much of the South Peninsula, Central, West and Northwest India has
helped boost sowings of most kharif oilseeds, pulses, coarse cereals and cotton. However, poor rains in the
Gangetic plains have led to delayed transplanting of paddy by farmers, many of whom had even raised nurseries
during the first half of June. The seedlings from those have aged or gone dry and are not suitable for transplanting.
Farmers will, then, have to undertake fresh nursery sowing of shorter duration varieties, which would yield less
grain per acre. All this will translate into lower rice production, although it is possible that the losses in eastern
India may be significantly offset by output from other regions. Rice, unlike wheat, is not only grown over a wider
geography both south and north of the Vindhyas, but also in the kharif as well as rabi season. Given that, the
wheat story — of an unexpected decline due to a sudden surge in temperatures from mid- March — is less likely
to be repeated in rice. Also, with current stocks in government godowns being three-and-a-half times the required
minimum buffer, the supply situation in rice should be quite manageable. If at all restrictions on exports are
necessary down the line, these should be in the form of tariff or minimum sale price, as opposed to outright ban
on shipments.
KEY POINTS:
• Farmers have planted about 16.4 per cent less area so far under rice compared to last year at this time, despite
overall kharif crop acreage going up.
• The reason is rainfall deficiency of 44 -59 per cent across Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Gangetic West
Bengal, even as the country as a whole has recorded 11 per cent surplus precipitation from June 1 to July 24.
• Less area getting planted under paddy in UP, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal is, nevertheless, disturbing
from a different standpoint. This whole belt, together with Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Assam, has sufficient
groundwater resources for sustainable rice cultivation.
• But the absence of irrigation facilities, whether canals or three- phase electricity supply at consistent 440
volts, means that farmers there are mostly at the mercy of the monsoon rains. This is in contrast to Punjab,
Haryana or Telangana farmers, who are able to grow paddy on the back of free power and assured
government procurement, even while sucking their water tables dry.
• The water footprint of rice production is lower in the eastern states, whose farmers, unfortunately, receive
little by way of irrigation or minimum price support. That many of them may end up not planting paddy this
time is a symptom of a larger problem with environmental, equity and fiscal dimensions.
ENV.23: Southwest Monsoon
ABOUT: Scanty rainfall and food security.
SYNOPSIS: A contiguous stretch of land in eastern India, spanning U.P, Bihar, Jharkhand and southern portion
of West Bengal, is reeling under a severe rainfall deficiency. At the national level, however, the rainfall def iciency
in these states may not have a meaningful impact on food security. India’s food security is supported by the PDS
network which covers a population of about 800 million. The supply of rice and wheat in the PDS is secured by
crop procurement operations carried out by Food Corporation of India and multiple state government agencies.
Given the scanty rainfall in crucial paddy growing regions, the acreage under the crop this year is most likely to
be lower. That, however, may not translate into a new challenge for the Reserve Bank of India, which is trying to
control retail inflation that has breached its statutory level of tolerance.
KEY POINTS:
• The deficiency ranges from 48% to 59% in west U.P, Bihar, Jharkhand and south Bengal. In east U.P, the
deficiency is 72%, according to IMD’s data on the southwest monsoon covering the period June 1 to July
20.
• This is bound to have a negative effect on the paddy output this year as West Bengal and U.P are the states
with the largest paddy output in India.
• In the case of rice, it is Punjab, Telangana, Chhattisgarh and Odisha which contribute most to the
procurement operations. Between these states, about 55% of paddy procurement is covered and they have
recorded adequate rainfall so far.
ENV.24: India New Home for the Cheetah
ABOUT: For India, it is the culmination of decades-long planning reaching a point of impact in 2020 when the
Supreme Court permitted the project on an experimental basis..
SYNOPSIS: Come August, India’s wildlife conservation effort will have its tryst with histo ry. By mid-next
month, four pairs of African cheetah will have landed in the country as part of an agreement the Government of
India entered into with the Republic of Namibia last week. A unique inter-continental translocation of the large
cats will pave the way for the reintroduction of cheetahs under an ambitious project to mark India’s 75th year of
Independence. Its population is dwindling in Africa, and the world’s fastest land animal will test a new home in
Asia. The cheetah reintroduction project has its fair share of critics and challenges. First, it’s not reintroduction
because India is bringing in the African Cheetah, not the Asiatic subspecies, found only in Iran. Cheetahs need
extensive grasslands free of humans and with ample prey population, which the chosen site does not exactly offer.
Besides, there are valid arguments over spending crores of rupees on an exotic species while conservation of
flagship native species faces an extreme resource crunch. The project promises to be audacious but willtest the
country’s wildlife conservation might technically and scientifically for sure.
KEY POINTS:
• For India, it is the culmination of decades- long planning reaching a point of impact in 2020 when the
Supreme Court permitted the project on an experimental basis. After assessing ten sites, the Centre zeroed
in on Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh to ground the project.
• Bringing the charismatic species back to India has multiple connotations, one of which, as described by the
Ministry of Environment and Forests, is the restoration of evolutionary balance since the large cat is an apex
predator that roamed the country’s forests before its extinction in 1952.
• Cultural symbolism apart, the successful reintroduction of the cheetah would also boost grassland ecosystems
and give India a special place in global wildlife conservation and management.
• Spread over 750 sq km, Kuno, earlier selected for the reintroduction of Asiatic Lions of Gir forests in Gujarat,
is home to leopards and tigers, which means the cheetahs will have more than one competitor cat in an alien
habitat where it would have to adapt.
ENV.25: Patchy, Not Scary
ABOUT: Uneven rainfall will affect paddy output. But there are enough stocks to prevent a price jump.
SYNOPSIS: July is when the southwest monsoon peaks. So far, it’s been a bountiful year. After a slow start,
the intensity of the monsoon picked up around July 5. By July 24, the cumulative rainfall was 42.2 cm, higher
than the normal by 11%. The national average, however, cloaks sharp inter -regional differences. Data according
to meteorological subdivisions show that in a large contiguous swathe stretching from western UP to the southern
part of West Bengal, rainfall has been deficient by anything between 45 -72% till July 26. This will have a bearing
on paddy production, the most important crop of the kharif agricultural season. Another positive sign is that India’s
existing stock of rice is comfortable. GoI data show that on July 1, FCI held 31.7 million tonnes of rice, a level
higher than that recorded in the preceding three years. This is in contrast to wheat where the stocks are much
lower. Consequently, there’s unlikely to be significant inflationary pressure from rice. However, if the paddy
output is poor in parts of eastern India, deprivation may worsen in pockets and GoI will have a tricky call to make
on the free cereal scheme.
KEY POINTS:
• A distinctive feature of kharif is that there isn’t a neat overlap between distribution of rainfall and food
security. To illustrate, Bengal and UP are India’s largest producers of paddy. Therefore, the distribution of
rainfall had an adverse impact on paddy acreage.
• Nationally, it was 12.8 million hectares on July 15, lower by 27% year-on-year. However, food security as
represented by adequate rice stocks in the PDS system depends mainly on procurement in Punjab, Telangana,
Chhattisgarh and Odisha.
• These states together account for about 55% of total paddy procurement and rainfall there has been either
normal or in excess.
ENV.26: Centre’s Lion Plan Continues to Ignore Urgent Imperative of Relocating
the Animal Out of Gir
ABOUT: Experts believe the Gir lions would have been far more effective in the role assigned to the cheetahs.
Conservation authorities need to do some rethinking on big cats.
SYNOPSIS: In August 2020, the Centre launched a lion conservation programme along the lines of Project
Tiger. Two months into its operation, the project identified six sites — two in Madhya Pradesh, three in Rajasthan
and one in Gujarat — to relocate substantial numbers of Asiatic Lions from their current habitat in Gujarat’s Gir
National Park. These protected areas were in addition to Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary in MP which was earmarked
as an alternative home for the animals in 1995. But the government’s 25 -year roadmap for Project Lion makes no
mention of relocation. As reported by this paper, the plan to be launched on August 10 only focuses on “assisted
natural dispersal” of the animal across Saurashtra and “potentially” to Rajasthan by 2047. The conservation story
has acquired another unscientific twist in the last two weeks. Kuno is making plans to welcome cheetahs from
Namibia. The argument of the MP conservation authorities that the introduction of the top predator will improve
the park’s health is well taken. But as an analysis by this paper showed, Kuno’s cheetah population will not be
viable even in 40 years. Experts believe the Gir lions would have been far more effective in the role assigned to
the cheetahs. Conservation authorities need to do some rethinking on big cats.
KEY POINTS:
• The Asiatic Lion once roamed the forests of north, central and eastern India. But since the early 20th century,
its range has shrunk to the Gir forest. Protected area status for the forest since the 1960s resulted in reviving
the species from the brink of extinction.
• But for nearly 30 years now, conservation experts have been arguing that lion numbers have exceeded Gir’s
carrying capacity — the animal is often spotted in villages and farms. They also argue that concentration of
the species in one park makes it vulnerable to infectious diseases, such as the canine distemper outbreak that
killed 1,000 African lions in Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park in the early 1990s.
• But the Gujarat government has stubbornly resisted the move to relocate a pride of the animal to Kuno, often
on grounds completely unrelated to conservation — in 2013, for instance, it described the animals “as family
members who cannot be parted with”.
• That year, the Supreme Court minced no words in rejecting the state’s appeal. “The cardinal issue is not
whether the Asian lion is a family member, but the preservation of an endangered species,” it said and
directed Gujarat to relocate the lions in six months.
• But Gujarat continued to drag its feet over the matter, even as canine distemper outbreaks have taken a
regular toll of Gir’s lion population since 2018.
WORLD
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WA.1: Designation failure: On China’s Decision to Block Terror Tag for Lashkar
Leader
Editorial Category: WA
Newspaper Source: The Hindu
ABOUT: India must continue to gather evidence and build its case on cross-border terrorism in international
fora.
SYNOPSIS: There is a sense of déjà vu about China’s decision on June 16 to block the UN Security Council
designation of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) deputy chief Abdul Rahman Makki as a terrorist, given that Beijing had
repeatedly blocked the designation of the Jaish-e- Mohammad chief Masood Azhar until 2019, and other terror
designations prior to that. Here too, the pile of evidence against Abdul Makki is considerable: that he is part of
the command and control of the UNSC-designated terror group LeT, later renamed the Jamaat ud Dawa (JuD),
which is also a UN-designated terror group, is in no doubt. He was not just a member of the governing body or
“Shura”; he served as the head of its “foreign relations” department, and raised funding. He is also a member of
LeT chief Hafiz Saeed’s family (brother in law). The LeT/JuD has been prosecuted in India, the United States and
even Pakistan for the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, and Makki was himself tried and sentenced by a Pakistani special
court to nine years imprisonment on terror financing charges — a ruling overturned a year later. India wants him
for his involvement in attacks over the past two decades, including the Red Fort attack in Delhi in 2000, and, more
recently, in attacks on security forces in Jammu and Kashmir. He is on India’s UAPA list of designated terrorists
and also the U.S.’s Specially Designated Global Terrorists with a $2 million reward for information that would
convict him. Given what India and the U.S., which forwarded the proposal to put him on the UNSC’s 1267 list of
terrorists linked to the al Qaeda and ISIL, have called “overwhelming” evidence, New Delhi has termed China’s
move to place a hold on the process (this could delay it for as much as six months) as “regrettable” and “extremely
unfortunate”.
KEY POINTS:
• That Beijing’s last- minute hold on Makki’s listing came even as the Financial Action Task Force was
meeting in Berlin to credit Pakistan’s actions on terror financing, and begin the process to relieve it from the
grey list, pending an on-site visit in the next few months, may not be a coincidence.
• While China defends its actions on Makki and previous designations that it blocked as “technical objections”
based on “procedural” loopholes, it is clearly part of a pattern of protecting Pakistan internationally.
• As a result of China’s objections or otherwise, none of the terror designations under UNSC 1267 thus far
against LeT commander Zaki ur Rahman Lakhvi in 2008, Hafiz Saeed in 2009 and Masood Azhar in 2019
actually contains charges against them for any attacks carried out in India.
WA.2: Amit Bhandari Writes: China’s Role in Pakistan’s Economic Crisis
ABOUT: Amit Bhandari writes: If China does not help solve a problem it has a role in creating, other lenders
may also refuse to contribute.
SYNOPSIS: Pakistan’s latest Economic Survey (2021-22) gives a glimpse of just how deeply it is indebted to
China. It has a current debt of $87.7 billion. Its ongoing economic crisis can be traced to reckless borrowing,
enabled by China. Meanwhile, even as the country risks a financial crisis, the military has awarded itself an 11
per cent increase in budgetary allocation, while other heads such as education, housing and health have seen their
budgets slashed. This has created an unprecedented backlash against the military.Given the role Chinese lending
has played in the crisis in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, other lenders are coming around to the view that China must
also take some of the haircuts and burden of debt relief to these countries directly. Funds from the IMF– which
Pakistan is in negotiations with for its 22nd loan— and other aid providers, shouldn’t be used to repay opaque
financing made on unfair terms.
Any lasting solution to the problems of these countries will have to involve China. It will have to chip in, in the
form of lower interest rates, extended repayment periods and some debt forgiveness, if Pakistan and others like
Sri Lanka, Maldives and Myanmar are to climb out of the financial hole they are in. If China refuses to help solve
a problem it has helped create, other lenders may also refuse to contribute: Why write off money that will then be
used to pay off a single lender at everyone else’s expense? However, if China does write off some of its loans, it
will face similar demands from other borrowers that signed up for the BRI. From an Indian perspective, the
Chinese debt trap will limit Pakistan’s economic growth, in turn reducing its ability to cause mischief for India.
KEY POINTS:
• China is Pakistan’s largest bilateral creditor, with outstanding loans of $14.5 billion – only the Asian
Development Bank (ADB) at $14 billion and the World Bank (WB) at $18.1 billion have comparable
amounts owed to them. However, this number undercounts the true extent of Chinese lending to Pakistan
under other categories.
• Pakistan also owes $8.77 billion to “commercial banks”, which includes banks from West Asia and three
Chinese lenders — the Bank of China, ICBC and China Development Bank, all state-owned banks. Between
2016-17 to 2020-21, the three Chinese lenders extended short-term loans worth $11.48 billion.
• The higher interest rates become evident when viewed along with Pakistan’s interest payments to its
creditors. During 2019- 20, the total lending to Pakistan by Paris Club countries and China was about the
same – but the interest outflow on Chinese loans was four times higher. In the past two years, Pakistan has
paid out just $7.6 million in interest to the Paris club – likely relief on account of Covid — while it has paid
over $400 million to China.
• According to Pakistani media reports, the IMF wants Pakistan to renegotiate the CPEC energy deals before
it agrees to assist Pakistan. Earlier research by Gateway House has shown that some of the loans made for
CPEC Power projects were at Libor + 4- 4.5 per cent, and the cost of projects was significantly higher than
similar projects elsewhere.
WA.3: In Sri Lanka, on 21st Amendment, Political Consensus may be Elusive
Amid Economic Turmoil
ABOUT: The objective of the 21st Amendment, the draft bill for which was cleared by Prime Minister Ranil
Wickremesinghe’s cabinet earlier this week for tabling in Parliament, is to shear the presidency of much of its
executive powers.
SYNOPSIS: A project for structural political reform may seem like the least urgent matter on the “to do” list of
the Sri Lankan leadership at a time of food and fuel shortages and economic chaos which is fast turning into a
humanitarian crisis. Yet there may be no better time for such a project, especially if it addresses the demand on
the street that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa must go, and promises to clean up governance. The objective of the
21st Amendment, the draft bill for which was cleared by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s cabinet earlier
this week for tabling in Parliament, is to shear the presidency of much of its executive powers. It would place
more powers with the prime minister and make the government responsible to Parliament. With all power no
longer concentrated in the hands of one individual in the system, it could make for more responsible decision -
making on the economy. But it is far from clear if the bill, which has to be passed in Parliament by two-thirds of
the members, enjoys that kind of support.
KEY POINTS:
• The 21st Amendment is said to hew closely to the provisions of the 19th Amendment, passed in 2015 in the
months after Mahinda Rajapaksa’s bid for a third term as president ended in defeat. After a decade of
authoritarian Rajapaksa rule, the 19th Amendment held out the promise of good and responsible governance
by the team of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe.
• One of their first acts was to rush in the 20th amendment, which reversed almost entirely the
provisions of the 19th amendment, including those that ensured independent appointments to
commissions for elections, public service, police, finance, human rights, procurement.
• While the new Ranil Wickremesinghe government has called for political consensus on the 21st amendment,
it is not only President Rajapaksa who is loath to give up the Executive Presidency. The Sri Lanka Podujana
Party, which cushions Wickremesinghe in Parliament, may not back the amendment.
• The youngest of the senior Rajapaksas, former finance minister Basil Rajapaksa, nurses presidential
ambition, but the 21st Amendment would eliminate him on grounds of his dual citizenship. Even the
opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya, whose leader Sajith Premadasa wants the presidency abolished, may
not back the amendment as he believes it does not go far enough. If the bill fails to go through, it can only
create more political acrimony and distract from the task of economic repair.
WA.4: American Tragedy
ABOUT: Scary lesson: Women’s rights can disappear suddenly.
SYNOPSIS: Women’s rights that are decades in the making can disappear overnight, was the sinking feeling
across the world yesterday when the US Supreme Court overruled the 1973 Roe vs Wade decision and eliminated
the constitutional right to abortion. At the level of US healthcare it will have a swift impact on the ground, with
around half the states in the country expected to now ban all or most abortions. In political terms, it means a great
setback for Biden’s presidency and a proportionate affirmation of Trump’s. The conservative movement will be
very grateful for his judicial appointments that have enabled their wish-fulfilment. But above all what this is is a
serious setback for the movement for women’s bodily autonomy, and for the larger idea that she gets to make
decisions about herself.
In the US itself the months to come will see legislative fightback against yesterday’s decision. But however
dreadful the world feels about the US situation right now, the overall trend of liberalising abortion laws from
developed to developing countries will not be impacted. In India neither is this a political issue nor is any
conservative judicial revisiting of abortion rights on the table. It is nonetheless a cautionary tale on not taking any
assaults on women’s rights lightly, for they can really snowball into society -wide tragedies.
KEY POINTS:
• Half a century ago when American women won the right to abortion, only 20% of those aged between 25 -
34 were without a child as compared to 52% today, only 11% of those between 25- 44 had a college degree
as compared to 41% today, and only 17% of jobs in management for people aged 16 44 - were held by women
as compared to 45% today. Reproductive freedoms are deeply linked to economic freedoms.
• In political terms, it means a great setback for Biden’s presidency and a proportionate affirmation of Trump’s.
The conservative movement will be very grateful for his judicial appointments that have enabled their wish-
fulfilment. But above all what this is is a serious setback for the movement for women’s bodily autonomy,
and for the larger idea that she gets to make decisions about herself
WA.5: Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy
ABOUT: EYE ON ENGLAND | Duchess of Cornwall's favourite author
SYNOPSIS: Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, has just revealed that Vikram Seth is her favourite author.
Camilla, who will become Queen when her husband, Prince Charles, succeeds his- 96 year-old mother to the
throne, is known to be a bookworm. Her literary taste came out when she was recording a podcast looking at the
poetry from all 54 Commonwealth countries with Gyles Brandreth, a well-known British broadcaster and witty
after-dinner speaker. Camilla spoke of her travels across the Commonwealth and meeting book lovers in Lagos
in Nigeria, before remarking being “in places like India, Pakistan, they are very special, so full of culture.
Everywhere you go, there’s something new and exciting to see”. Brandreth enthused: “Well, in India, they’re
incredible book readers...” Camilla recalled her trips to India: “I’ve been lucky enough to see a lot of these
wonderful old manuscripts and these illustrated books, you know, these ancient illustrated books, which are
completely fascinating and, of course you’ve got so many good authors there. My favourite is Vikram Seth…”
She appeared to be referring to Vikram Seth, the author, rather than the poet, although he is, of course, both. Apart
from his novels, The Golden Gate (written in verse), A Suitable Boy (which has rhyming couplets) and An Equal
Music, he has published eight collections of poetry. Camilla has probably seen Mira Nair’s BBC TV adaptation
of A Suitable Boy.
KEY POINTS:
• This year’s Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy, which has been going for 254 focused on “climate”.
Of the 15,000 submissions, 1,400 artworks were selected by nine Royal Academicians, including the
Bangladeshi-origin artist, Rana Begum. She invited the Bangladeshi artist, Marina Tabassum, to build Khudi
Bari, a mobile modular house made from bamboo, metal joints, corrugated steel sheets and film.
• Also invited was the New York artist, Kathleen Ryan, to submit Bad Lemon, which is foam decorated on the
surface with “aventurine, serpentine, agate, quartz, Ching Hai jade, red malachite, hematite, jasper, rose
quartz, carnelian, onyx, mother of pearl, freshwater pearl, bone, acrylic, glass, and steel pins on coated
polystyrene”.
• Ten Indian vineyards, a record number, took part in the prestigious London Wine Fair earlier this month.
They are hopeful of marketing their wines through the 8,000-10,000 Indian restaurants in the UK.
WA.6: Bipartisan Support for Gun Control Legislation is a Historic Moment in US
Politics
ABOUT: Yet, the debate around the unqualified right to bear arms has once again underlined the divides in the
US political system, including in the judiciary. Over three-fourths of all homicides in the US are a result of gun
violence.
SYNOPSIS: The bipartisan support in the US Senate for the passage of the most significant gun control
legislation in three decades is historic by any measure. As many as 15 Republican senators voted to override the
filibuster and pass the law in the 100-member Senate. The bill is likely to sail through Congress, where the
Democrats currently have a majority. Just a month after 19 students and two teachers were killed in a shooting in
Uvalde, Texas, the law provides for stricter background and mental health checks and encourages states to prevent
people considered as threats from possessing firearms. Given how polarising an issue the right to bear arms is in
the US, the law represents a win for the Biden Administration. Yet, on the same day as the deadlock was overcome
in the Senate, a verdict by the US Supreme Court and political responses to the law show that the issue is far from
being laid to rest.
Versions of “proper cause”, in fact, are part of gun laws in many countries, including India. The court’s decision
was split along political lines, with liberal judges forming the minority, dissenting opinion and conservatives
upholding the absolute right to bear arms. On the other hand, the bill passed by the Senate is being called out as
weak by many Democrats for failing to ban assault rifles and other military-grade weapons. That many on the
right are still wary of being seen as “anti-Second Amendment” is illustrated by the fact that of the 15 Republicans
that voted for the law, only three are up for re-election in November.
KEY POINTS:
• By a majority of 6-3, the Supreme Court struck down New York’s “proper cause” requirement. Proper cause
rules limit who can carry a gun in public spaces — in essence, to obtain a licence, one must demonstrate an
actual need of a gun for self-defence.
• One of Joe Biden’s assets, when he was a presidential candidate, was his record of having built bipartisan
consensus in his long years as a senior legislator. The passage of the gun control law will certainly strengthen
that reputation.
• Over three-fourths of all homicides in the US are a result of gun violence. The public outcry after Uvalde
may have forced some concessions and compromise from the Republicans.
WA.7: Overturning of Roe vs Wade: America Has Taken Another Step Towards
Democratic Backsliding
ABOUT: Ashutosh Varshney writes: Now, democratic renewal not only means fighting for more easily
accessible voting procedures but also a push for a legislative codification of the right to abortion.
SYNOPSIS: With the US Supreme Court’s decision on June 24 to overturn a half -century-old right to abortion, granted by a 1973
Supreme Court decision in the Roe vs Wade case, the debate has now become wider, as it moves from how to engineer voter suppression
to the larger realm of rights. With a 5-4 majority, the court has said that American women have no nationwide right to abortion. Rather,
state legislatures should decide whether women can have that right in their respective states. In several states, within hours of the court’s
decision, abortion was banned, for prior legislation existed. Though Democratic states would steadfastly protect the right to abortion, nearly
half of the 50 states are likely to go the other way. In the new field of democratic backsliding, comprising the retraction of rights, the
floodgates have opened up. In poll after poll, a majority of Americans, bordering sometimes on three - fourths of the population, support
women’s right to abortion. So, what the court has done is against popular will. But that cannot be the principal criticism ag ainst the decision.
The key question is whether the right to abortion was constitutionally justified.
The 1973 court decision allowing the right to abortion was based on the 14th Constitutional Amendment (1868). This Amendment, the
court said, allowed protection of liberty and privacy, something the state could not impinge upon. Thus, even though abortion was not
mentioned in the 1787 US Constitution, abortion’s defence was derived from the 1868 Amendment — via its protection of citizens’ liberty
about matters as intimate as a decision to have a child. The 1973 court also argued that this right was not absolute, limited as it would be
by considerations of “protecting potential life”. This line of reasoning led to a trimester-based court ruling, which more or less forbade the
government from interfering in the first trimester of pregnancy but the state couldban abortions in the third trimester, when “the viability
of the fetus” was beyond doubt.
This whole structure of judicial reasoning has now collapsed. In the court’s opinion, the right to privacy stemming from the 14th
Amendment is not relevant, for abortion concerns not only the pregnant woman but also the life of the unborn. Moreover, the court said,
abortion is neither “enumerated” as a right in the original 1787 constitution nor is it consistent with American history and tradition. In
short, it is a political and legislative, not a constitutional, matter. State legislatures should decide what is permissible.
KEY POINTS:
• Firstly, no constitution can fully anticipate how the arc of rights would bend in the future. Abortion was not mentioned in the 1787
constitution, nor explicitly in the 1868 amendment. That is because women were not autonomous political agents at that time. Women
are autonomous agents today. Norms change; rights evolve.
• Second, as the court’s dissent note puts it, how can this majority decision ignore rape and incest? If abortion as a right is dissolved,
women can be forced to give such unwanted births. The majority decision of the court is silent on this important matter.
• Third, having a child is not simply a deeply moral oblig ation to the unborn. It is also a decision that affects “the ability of women to
participate equally in (the nation’s) economic and social life”. These words are from a later decision, known as Casey (1992), when
the US Supreme Court added the concept of “undue burdens” to support the idea of abortion. As more and more women are becoming
a part of the workforce, so if a woman chooses to terminate a pregnancy now but has a child later, that may be more consistent with
her dreams and desires, to which she has a rightful claim.
• Finally, men don’t have to deal physically with pregnancy, whereas the foetus grows inside a woman’s body for nine months. If men
have the right over their bodies, which can’t be taken away by the government, why can’t women have autonomy over their bodies
as well? That men are free, but women must forcibly be chained to maternity, is an idea whose time surely has gone. There is no
going back to the notion of rights as they were viewed in the 18th century — unequal, unneutral, unbalanced.
WA.8 : BRICS’ Latest Outing Navigated Tightrope on Ukraine. It is Yet to L ive
Up to its Promise of an Alternative Economic or Trading Bloc
ABOUT: The New Development Bank, or the BRICS bank, is yet to catch speed as a multilateral lender of
standing.
SYNOPSIS: The most remarkable thing about the BRICS summit last week was that its five members managed
to negotiate their way through the meeting in a way that sent no ripples of surprise through the post-February 24
world. This was the 14th summit of the Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa grouping set up in 2009. It was
hosted by China this year and was its opportunity to showcase multi-lateralism, Beijing’s big foreign policy
slogan, and to hit out once again at US “hegemony”. Aside from the members, China had invited 13 nations from
across continents, signalling its desire to expand the group. Getting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend
despite the tensions owing to China’s military incursions in Ladakh was a bonus.
BRICS has yet to live up to its promise of an economic or trading bloc that can offer alternatives to developing
countries. The New Development Bank, or the BRICS bank, is yet to catch speed as a multilateral lender of
standing. China’s push to dominate BRICS, and Russia’s being in economic limbo, have set limits on what the
grouping can hope to achieve.
KEY POINTS:
• For India, BRICS was always about its commitment to building non- western alliances, but this time it was,
more, an international balancing act. Ditto for Brazil. It voted for the UN Security Council resolution
“deploring” the invasion of Ukraine and the General Assembly resolution condemning Russia, but President
Jair Bolsonaro went to Moscow on a “solidarity trip” a week before the invasion and has insisted his country
stands for “peace”.
• South Africa too has been walking the neutrality tightrope on Ukraine. As for Russia, the summit gave
President Vladimir Putin his first multilateral outing since February 24. President Putin’s proposal for an
alternative reserve currency was received with caution. The Western sanctions on Russia have had a fall -out
on economies around the world, but a post-dollar world is an idea whose time has not yet arrived. Barring
Russia now, the other BRICS members are well-integrated members of the US currency -led, digitised global
financial market.
• But in a nod to the concept, a BRICS Think Tank Network for Finance is to be set up, to “work independently
and provide intellectual support, as and when tasked, for knowledge sharing, exchange of experiences and
practices and cooperation on finance issues amongst BRICS countries, aiming at addressing global
challenges and serving the interests of the EMDCs (Emerging Markets and Developing Countries)”.
WA.9: Bridge on the Padma
ABOUT: Superstructure symbolises Bangladesh’s economic progress.
SYNOPSIS: The bridge on the Padma river, inaugurated by Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on
Saturday, is a magnificent superstructure that symbolises the coming of age of the country, half -a-century after
its blood-soaked birth. Built at a cost of $3.6 billion, the 6.15 km rail-road bridge is seen as the embodiment of all
that’s good about modern Bangladesh — large-scale industrialisation and reduction in poverty, significant
improvements in human development indices, important steps towards gender equality and an increasing share of
women in the workforce. The bridge — lovingly called ‘Aamader swapner Padda setu’ (‘our dream bridge across
the Padma’) — is among the five ‘national prestige projects’ undertaken by the government under Sheikh Hasina.
The success of Bangladesh shows that epochal progress can be made by focusing on infrastructure, education,
gender equality, manufacturing and exports. Through the new bridge on the Padma —which is projected to boost
the GDP by over 1% — Bangladesh hopes to make the lives of travellers and business people easier, and share
the fruits of progress with a large number of citizens in the country’s hinterland. It’s a hope full of inspiration.
KEY POINTS:
• Agriculture used to contribute roughly a third of the country’s GDP, but between 2010 and 2018, its share
fell to below 15%; concurrently, the industry’s contribution to the GDP rose from below 20% to over 33%.
• Manufacturing’s contribution to the GDP has risen sharply, and exports have grown 20 -fold since the 1990s.
The focus on education has led to women’s empowerment — according to the World Bank, Bangladesh’s
female work participation rate was 35% in 2020, much better than 19% for India.
• In 2007, the per capita income of the country was half that of India, but last year Bangladesh’s per capita
income surged past India’s. The previous year, Bangladesh’s per capita GDP had overtaken India’s. Even as
South Asia’s collective GDP contracted by 6.58% in 2020, that of Bangladesh grew by 3.5%.
WA.10: Upending of Roe v Wade Reverses Progress Made on Women’s Rights in
America, and Possibly Elsewhere
ABOUT: Around the world, the US has been seen to lead the march towards greater individual rights. The
struggle to keep the individual at the heart of an expansive rights-based framework could now get tougher.
SYNOPSIS: Popular majorities may sometimes prove transient, but Dobbs has irreversibly damaged the edifice
of individual rights built, piece by piece, over two centuries, dealing a body blow to the evolving 21st century
American understanding of what liberty and self-determination is, the freedoms it entails. The court’s argument
that the right to abortion was neither upheld by the constitution nor “deeply rooted in this nation’s history and
tradition” fails to take into account how much the American rights landscape has changed since 1789, when the
constitution took effect. Where the American woman was once invisible to those who drafted the document, she
is now an equal citizen. The denial of bodily autonomy can take an incalculable toll on women’s ability to fully
participate in the nation’s social and economic life — not to mention the risk to their own health and lives, as
many will be forced to seek illegal, unsafe abortions. Even as the Biden administration moves to ensure that
abortion pills are accessible in states that ban the medical procedure, the future of other rights also seems to be in
question. Alarm bells are ringing over Justice Clarence Thomas’s concurring note urging the “reconsideration” of
all cases which guaranteed rights to contraception and same -sex relationships and marriage.
By taking away a right, the court has set a dangerous precedent and the ripples will be felt beyond US borders.
Around the world, the US has been seen to lead the march towards greater individual rights. The struggle to keep
the individual at the heart of an expansive rights-based framework could now get tougher.
KEY POINTS:
• On June 24, the US Supreme Court (SCOTUS) struck a blow against American women’s rights over their
bodies by overturning the 1973 Roe v Wade judgment, which ensured the nationwide right to abortion. The
judgment in the case of Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organisation upheld the controversial Mississippi
Gestational Age Act which bans abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, while overruling Roe, as well as the
1992 Planned Parenthood v Casey judgment, both of which had given American women the right to safe and
legal abortions.
• The court held Roe as “egregiously wrong” and said it will “return the issue of abortion to the people’s
elected representatives”, clearing the path for bans in 26 states. In doing so, however, it may have gone
against what a majority of the American people want.
• A recent Gallup poll found that 55 per cent of Americans identified as “pro choice”, with 52 per cent saying
they found abortion “morally acceptable” — the highest ever number to say so.
WA.11: Roiling Waters
ABOUT: The battle lines in the Indo-Pacific are getting sharply defined
SYNOPSIS: Even as the world continues to be focused on the challenges being posed by the Russian aggression
in Ukraine, the battle lines in the Indo -Pacific are getting sharply defined. Addressing the Shangri -La Dialogue in
Singapore earlier this month, the US secretary of defence, Lloyd Austin, made it clear that the United States of
America would continue to stand by its allies, including TaiwanEven as the world continues to be focused on the
challenges being posed by the Russian aggression in Ukraine, the battle lines in the Indo Pacific
- are getting sharply
defined. Addressing the Shangri -La Dialogue in Singapore earlier this month, the US secretary of defence, Lloyd
Austin, made it clear that the United States of America would continue to stand by its allies, including Taiwan.
Austin met with his Chinese counterpart, Wei Fenghe, on the sidelines of the Dialogue where the two reiterated
that they want to better manage their relationship, but there was no visible movement of any breakthrough in
resolving differences. When it was Fenghe’s turn to take the podium, he thundered that the “pursuit of Taiwan
independence is a dead end” and warned that “if anyone dares to secede Taiwan from China, we [China] will not
hesitate to fight.” Fifty years after the former US president, Richard Nixon, flew to China and reset the terms of
engagement between the two countries, a new phase has begun in this bilateral partnership. The issue of Taiwan
is now at the centre of their engagement.The Ukraine crisis is creating new learnings on both sides of the equation.
The waters of the Indo-Pacific are roiling. For all regional nations, including India, this is a moment to carefully
reflect on their own policy choices and prepare accordingly for a confrontation that is beginning to shape the
contours of geopolitics.
KEY POINTS:
• Taiwan is now the most important flashpoint in the IndoPacific as relations between the world’s pre -eminent
power and its ostensible challenger are worsening. China has been repeatedly intruding into the Taiwanese
air space in recent months as a show of force.
• In May, Taiwan had to deploy 22 fighter jets, as well as electronic warfare, early warning and anti -submarine
aircraft to warn off 30 warplanes sent by China into its air defence zone. During his visit to Japan, the US
president, Joe Biden, had warned China is “flirting with danger” over Taiwan, underlining the American
intent to intervene militarily to protect the island if it is attacked.
• Biden has linked the China-Taiwan issue to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Bidensaid, “[I]f there is no
rapprochement between Ukraine and Russia… then what signal does it send to China about attempting to
take Taiwan by force?” Beijing was quick to rebut this parallel by arguing that “the Taiwan question and the
Ukraine issue are fundamentally different”. But in his response to a question whether, contrary to his
approach in Ukraine, he would use military force to defend Taiwan, Biden was clear: “Yes … that’s the
commitment we made…”
• The debate on Taiwan is now reshaping the contoursf oUS -China engagement like never before. After
dozens of Chinese warplanes entered Taiwan’s self-declared air defence identification zone, a US Navy P-
8A Poseidon reconnaissance plane flew over the Taiwan Strait in a demonstration of the US’s “commitment
to a free and open Indo - Pacific”. This led to the People’s Liberation Army Eastern Theater Command
mobilising air and ground forces.
A.12: Defence of Sovereignty Can Never Be Outsourced
ABOUT: Ukraine continues to receive strong support, including weapons, from other powers such as the U.S.
SYNOPSIS: Ukraine continues to receive strong support, including weapons, from other powers such as the
U.S.Into the fifth month of this conflict, if there’s a lesson that will resonate across the world, it’s that defending
sovereignty cannot be outsourced. There will always be strategic alliances and armament support nations can
count on, but the human cost will rarely be borne by any other country. As the Russia- Ukraine conflict showed,
most countries are unlikely to bear the economic fallout of a conflict even if they clearly sympathise with one of
the parties to it. For India, which has an ongoing standoff with China on eastern border, the takeaway is that no
alliance can substitute the national will to defend sovereignty.
KEY POINTS:
• A recent poll carried out in Ukraine by Wall Street Journal-NORC found that 89% of Ukrainians feel that it
will be unacceptable to reach a peace deal with Russia by ceding territory occupied by Russian troops since
the conflict between the two countries began this year. More than four months of war and its human cost
have not weakened Ukraine’s resolve to keep fighting.
• This poll, which used a sample picked from mobile phone users, has a bearing on the duration of the conflict.
Given the collateral economic consequences of the conflict, there have been suggestions from parts of Europe
about the need for a negotiated settlement. Particularly from EU’s economic heavyweights France and
Germany.
WA.13: Out of Place: Editorial on United Kingdom’s Political Situation
ABOUT: Within Britain, it is not Brexit but the soaring cost of living that has robbed Boris Johnson of public
support.
SYNOPSIS: Months of cascading political chaos in the United Kingdom culminated on Thursday in the
resignation of the country’s prime minister, Boris Johnson. A stream of resignations from his ministerial
colleagues over the preceding 48 hours precipitated matters for Mr Johnson. The immediate trigger for the crisis
was the revelation that the government defended the former deputy chief whip, Chris Pincher, after he admitted
to groping two men, despite Mr Johnson being aware of serious prior allegations of sexual misconduct against Mr
Pincher. But in truth, Mr Johnson has been skating on thin ice for months, even as Britain has appeared to be in
almost terminal decline since its divorce from Europe. He won a historic election in 2019— the biggest victory
for the Conservative Party since Margaret Thatcher — promising to execute Brexit. After multiple stumbles,
Britain and the European Union finally agreed on a separation deal just in time. But by then, the damage from the
move was becoming apparent, with the gross domestic product and per capita incomes suffering. The result ?
Polls suggest that significantly more British citizens today believe that Brexit was a mistake than those who
believe it was right to leave the EU.
KEY POINTS:
• Within Britain, it is not Brexit but the soaring cost of living that has robbed Mr Johnson of public support.
Making things worse, he has been at the centre of a series of embarrassing controversies —from allegations
of overspending on his living room to suggestions that he participated in drinking parties during the pandemic
while advising ordinary citizens to observe lockdowns.
• Brexit as its biggest achievement at the same time as claiming that it believes in a ‘Global Britain’. It seeks
megadeals with economies like India when it cannot iron out differences with the EU over sausage exports
from Northern Ireland and with France over fishing rights.
• The former colonies want to get rid of the Queen as their head of state and Scotland’sleaders are pushing for
independence through a fresh referendum. With his unkempt hair and ill-fitting clothes, Mr Johnson’s rise
was an appropriate metaphor for the casual manner in which Britain’spolitical class has fuelled its fall.
WA.14: War Over Soup: Editorial on UNESCO According The Borscht soup to
Ukraine
ABOUT: While Kyiv celebrated the move, Russia’s foreign ministry spokeswoman described it as ‘xenophobia’
SYNOPSIS: History and territory are not the only things Russia and Ukraine are fighting over. Last week,
Unesco added the Ukrainian preparation of the beetroot-based borscht soup —whose variations are popular across
eastern Europe — to its list of endangered cultural heritage. Moscow promptly saw red. The UN agency said it
had expedited the decision process because of Russia’s war against its smaller neighbour and the threat that it
posed to the tradition of making borscht in Ukraine. But while Kyiv celebrated the move, Russia’s foreign ministry
spokeswoman described it as “xenophobia”. Battles over food, drinks and culture — from claims on their origins
to assertions over who is best at them —between nations are hardly new. Yet it is rare for the UN and its agencies
to openly take sides in such a manner. The list that Ukraine’s preparation of borscht was added to is meant to
highlight threatened cultural traditions in the hope of channelling support for their preservation.
To be sure, it is important to guard against cultural appropriation. It is also critical to ensure that traditions and
heritage are not stolen from where they originated for profiteering elsewhere. Shared culture should instead be
highlighted as a reminder of common roots, acting as a balm in a world that — between wars, a food crisis and a
floundering economy — is already in a soup.
KEY POINTS:
• At a time when Ukraine is under attack, its heritage —from its museums to historic architecture —is indeed
under direct threat. Many churches have been bombed. It is vital that Unesco works with local groups and
the governments in Kyiv and Moscow to preserve and rebuild this damaged legacy. But the agency’s
emphasis on promoting a national identity for a soup that, in some ways, unifies a region is more
questionable.
• Most neighbouring nations — and indeed regions within a country — share overlapping cultural identities
of food, clothing and language that simultaneously serve as sources of gentle rivalry and fuzzy familiarity
with each other.
• It was correct of India to fight a legal case — which New Delhi won — to overturn a patent issued in the
United States of America in the 1990s for the use of turmeric for medicinal purposes. But protecting the free
use of traditional knowledge is not the same as insisting that it belongs to any one country
— a farce that
played out before Unesco in 2018 when Singapore and Indonesia bickered over whose street-food hawkers
deserved recognition.
WA.15: New Era: Editorial on Legacy of Japan’s Former PM Shinzo Abe
ABOUT: Ex-Premier is no more, but in Japan and region, his era lives on.
SYNOPSIS: Officially, Japan divides its calendar into eras that mostly coincide with the reigns of different
emperors. Yet, to the rest of the world, Japan has for many years now been in a unique era defined not by an
emperor but by Shinzo Abe, the country’s former prime minister who was assassinated on Friday. He was shot
dead while campaigning for a candidate from his party ahead of elections to Japan’s upper House of Parliament
on Sunday. Mr Abe brought rare stability to the leadership of his nation, allowing Japan to attempt bold breaks
with the past. The world’s third-largest economy has long struggled with negligible economic growth, even as its
population has aged. With what came to be known as ‘Abenomics’, Japan increased spending on infrastructure
and cash benefits to citizens, while keeping interest rates close to zero, to shake the economy back into motion.
He also introduced tax reforms and made a conservative nation open upto greater employment opportunities for
women.
Remarkably, Mr Abe married that domestic agenda with a reimagining of Japan’s place in the world. He sought
to rewrite his country’s pacifist,post- World War II Constitution to allow Japan to sell modern weapons and
platforms and adopt a more assertive military policy. To be sure, he was controversial: he paid obeisance to
Japanese wartime generals and was viewed in China and South Korea as an apologist for the crimes committed
by Japan against those nations. But while he failed to change Japan’s Constitution and transform the economy, he
laid the foundations that his successors, for the most part, have tried to build upon. The leaders of the US, India
and Australia, in a joint tribute to Mr Abe, have also committed to continuing his legacy in the Indo- Pacific. Mr
Abe is no more. But in Japan and the region, the Abe era lives on.
KEY POINTS:
• Mr Abe was Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, who held office between 2006 and 2007, and then from
2012until his resignation in 2020 because of declining health.
• Prior to Mr Abe’s eight -year continuous stint, the East Asian nation had become synonymous with a
revolving door at the top: Japan had seven prime ministers in the 1990s, and five more between2007 and
2012.
• He was the brain behind a grouping of India, Japan, Australia and the United States of America to ensure
peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. Today known as the Quad, it was a concept Mr Abe spelt out during
an address to the Indian Parliament in 2007.
WA.16: Colombo Chaos
ABOUT: IMF and countries like India cannot help Sri Lanka unless there’s a credible regime in place.
SYNOPSIS: Anger and frustration may have prompted Sri Lankan protesters to storm Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s
official residence. But the bottom line and the lesson from recent history like the Arab Spring countries where
civil strife hasn’t abated is that Sri Lanka needs a functional government to get its act together, conduct
negotiations with IMF and major nations, and restructure the economy to make it viable again. Continuing anarchy
could lead to agencies and friendly countries interested in Sri Lanka’s revival developing cold feet. Abhorrent
actions like setting PM Ranil Wickremesinghe’s private home on fire don’t help the Lankan cause.
Wickremesinghe had accepted an unenviable job, betting that his credentials could help smoothen negotiations
and expedite lines of credit. Obviously, Lankan people have lost patience and want results immediately. Not too
long back Sri Lanka was South Asia’s brightest spot with high human development indices. But economic
mismanagement threatens a regression, with schools shutting last week, and hospitals running out of medicines
and supplies. Already, a chunk of shipping business is shifting to Indian ports as containers are wary of st opping
in Sri Lanka. Austerity measures accompanying an IMF bailout will not be popular in a country spoon- fed on a
steady diet of populism. However, there’s no other course left but belt-tightening and a peaceful transfer of power
to a credible government that is allowed to work without being subjected to populist pressures. Otherwise, the
pain can only deepen and Sri Lanka will struggle to attract tourism, trade and foreign investment as it once did.
KEY POINTS:
• The July 9 protests, coming exactly two months after the May 9 violence that unseated Mahinda Rajapaksa,
are a warning to political parties to stop bickering and brainstorm the next course of action, including a unity
government and fresh elections.
• Negotiations with IMF must cross the hurdle of a ll creditors including China, which accounts for 15% of Sri
Lanka’s external debt, agreeing to debt restructuring.
• As its nearest neighbour, India must keep generously helping in cash and kind. With inflation topping 50%
and the Sri Lankan rupee crashing to 350 for a dollar, food and fuel shortages will worsen without a
government in place.
• Sri Lanka’s strategic location in the Indian Ocean, through which a busy international shipping route also
passes, must stir other nations also to offer more aid to the embattled country.
WA.17: People Power: Editorial on Sri Lanka's Worst Crisis
ABOUT: If democracy is about people’s power, the island nation is today not just a cautionary tale: it is also a
beacon of hope.
SYNOPSIS: The dam has broken. After months of largely peaceful agitation, thousands of Sri Lankan protesters
demanding the resignation of the president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and his government broke through barricades
and braved tear gas shells to enter the presidential mansion over the weekend.. The interim prime minister, Ranil
Wickremesinghe, has also announced that he will resign— angry protesters burnt down his private residence.
The stunning scenes emerging from Colombo have gripped the world, with protesters swimming in Mr
Rajapaksa’s pool, lying on his beds, jogging on treadmills in his gym and playing carrom in Mr Wickremesinghe’s
official residence, which too they broke into. But while the chaos in Sri Lanka reflects a breakdown of governance
in the island nation, it holds lessons for countries around the world— especially in South Asia. In most of the
developing world, the power gap between those who rule nations and the rest of the population is so vast that
large protest movements of the kind seen in Sri Lanka are hard to build and tougher to sustain. But by turning a
proud nation into one struggling for fuel and food, they ended up uniting the country against them. Such is the
anger in Sri Lanka against the country’s political elite that Opposition leaders are squeamish about forming an
all-party government — aware that they too will be held responsible if they fail to bring relief to the people. Even
a State machinery that crushed one of the world’s most dangerous separatist movements, often relying on brute
force and — according to critics — terror tactics against Tamils has been unable to contain the fury of ordinary
citizens. If democracy is about people’s power, Sri Lanka is today not just a cautionary tale: it is also a beacon of
hope.
KEY POINTS:
• Law enforcement agencies are feared and are seen as defenders of the elite rather than upholders of justice.
Meanwhile, governments rely on divisive politics to keep voters tied to their interests. This template —
familiar to Indians — is what the Rajapaksas of Sri Lanka followed too, using Sinhala majoritarianism to
dominate the country’s politics for most of the last17 years.
• Mr Rajapaksa had fled and is now reported to be —literally — at sea, on a naval ship. He has finally promised
to resign tomorrow, after previously defying calls to step down over economic mismanagement that has
driven Sri Lanka to its worst crisis since its independence in 1948.
WA.18: British Leader of Opposition had a Great Quip about the Fall of Boris
Johnson. But a Lot was Left Unsaid
ABOUT: In a world of diminishing attention spans and polarised politics, a smart one-liner, it seems, is the best
that the politician can summon, on either side of the aisle.
SYNOPSIS: In history, fiction and historical fiction, great leaders have risen to the pulpit and the occasion.
Mark Antony, in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, asks “friends, Romans and countrymen”, “What cause withholds
you then, to mourn for him? after Caesar’s assassination. Then there’s Winston Churchill, promising Britain and
the world — after the Allied evacuation at Dunkirk in 1940 — that “we shall fight in the fields and in the streets,
we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender”. Closer home, in the h allowed halls of India’s Parliament,
Jawaharlal Nehru made a newborn country proud of its tryst with destiny, poverty and Partition notwithstanding.
In 2022, though, the era of the inspiring speech seems long over.
The perfect punchline pointed to the missing story. Perhaps, in an earlier time, before everyone had a voice and
each one had a lot more to say, Britain’s Leader of Opposition might have made a speech that befits the crisis —
an erosion of political trust in an economy still reeling from a once-in-a-century pandemic — one that inspired
even as it derided. But in a world of diminishing attention spans and polarised politics, a smart one-liner, it seems,
is the best that the politician can summon, on either side of the aisle.
KEY POINTS:
• As minister after minister deserted the embattled prime minister of Britain last week, Labour leader and
Leader of Opposition Keir Starmer quipped in the House of Commons that this is “the first case of sinking
ships fleeing the rat”.
• With a single turn of phrase, he managed to call Boris Johnson a pest, while implying that the top leadership
of the Conservative Party, including those who are now frontrunners as Johnson’s successors are disloyal
and themselves in decline.
• In an age of oneupmanship and cutting remark s in 240 characters, Starmer’s statement stands out for its
brevity and wit. But that’s all.
WA.19: Will Rishi Sunak Break the Glass Ceiling?
ABOUT: The rising star of British politics, Rishi Sunak, has won the first two rounds of voting in the race for
the country’s prime ministership.
SYNOPSIS: The rising star of British politics, Rishi Sunak, has won the first two rounds of voting in the race
for the country’s prime ministership. The contest is narrowing down to him and Trade Minister Penny Mordaunt.
Foreign secretary Liz Truss is still hot on their heels. This initial vote reflects the preference of Members of
Parliament belonging to the Conservative Party. His real test, however, would be the final face -off with Mordaunt
in the party vote. Once the list of prime ministerial hopefuls comes down to two, the fee-paying grassroots
members of the Tory party will cast the final vote to select one of the two short-listed candidates as Prime Minister.
The rising star of British politics, Rishi Sunak, has won the first two rounds of voting in the race for the country’s
prime ministership. The contest is narrowing down to him and Trade Minister Penny Mordaunt. Foreign secretary
Liz Truss is still hot on their heels. This initial vote reflects the preference of Members of Parliament belonging
to the Conservative Party. His real test, however, would be the final face - off with Mordaunt in the party vote.
Once the list of prime ministerial hopefuls comes down to two, the fee-paying grassroots members of the Tory
party will cast the final vote to select one of the two short listed
- candidates as Prime Minister. It is here that Sunak
would face the burden of history. The overwhelmingly white United Kingdom voters have never chosen a non-
white as their Prime Minister. Most of the nearly two lakh Tory grassroots members are conservative and white
men and over sixty years of age. Opinion polls among them have placed Mordaunt ahead of Sunak though the
latter enjoys the support of numerous party MPs.
Sunak’s bold gambit of quitting the post of Chancellor of the Exchequer by taking the high ground of integrity
and transparency won him huge support among his party MPs. But will the tactic equally impress the grassroots
party members is the question.
KEY POINTS:
• The bulk of the Tory members belong to the right. Boris Johnson stormed into office in 2019 on the wave of
English nationalism with the slogan ‘Get Brexit Done’.
• In the last vote, he secured 66% support of the grassroots members and his rival Jeremy Hunt, a little over
33%.
• Hunt has now thrown in his lot behind Rishi. But Johnson still enjoys considerable support among party
members.
• Sunak played it smart by refusing to criticise Johnson at his first campaign event, even describing him as the
“most remarkable person” he has met.
• The gesture was aimed at mollifying Johnson supporters among party members who blame him for triggering
the Prime Minister’s resignation.
WA .20: President Wickremesinghe
ABOUT: Sri Lanka’s political and economic woes are far from over, the new chief executive will have his
hands full
SYNOPSIS: With Ranil Wickremesinghe being elected by Sri Lanka’s parliamentarians as the next president
of that country, the island nation can begin the process of restoring political stability. After all, the country is beset
by a deep economic crisis transformed into a political crisis. Thus, Wickremesinghe has a real tough job on his
hands rescuing Sri Lanka from the current mess. But the protests weren’t just against the economic woes that had
gripped Sri Lanka. There was a growing realisation that the country’s problems were deep-rooted in its political
system that sustained corruption, cronyism and clannism. Which is precisely why the protesters are demanding a
complete overhaul. Thus, it remains to be seen if Wickremesinghe can deliver the desired change. One cannot be
done while ignoring the other. Plus, there are apprehensions that Wickremesinghe is a place-holder for the
Rajapaksas whose return in future can’t be completely ruled out. Thus, Wickremesinghe has to play his cards
right. The protesters will not accept more of the old political system.
KEY POINTS:
• After previous president Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled in the face of huge protests against his government, Sri
Lanka has been teetering on the brink of total collapse.
• Wickremesinghe is, no doubt, one of Sri Lanka’s most experienced politicians having been PM six times.
But this is an unprecedented moment for Sri Lanka where he has to rescue the country from its economic
woes and simultaneously satisfy the protesters.
WA.21: Red flag: Editorial on IMF Caution about Sri Lanka-like Crisis for Some
Other Countries
ABOUT: Many more — from Argentina to Pakistan to a growing list of African nations, including Ghana,
Kenya, Tunisia and Egypt — are on the verge of a crisis
SYNOPSIS: A country’s debt balloons. Its foreign exchange reserves dwindle.

An economic crisis ensues,
quickly spiraling into political and social tensions. This is the story of Sri Lanka. But the International Monetary
Fund is warning that multiple other nations could be close to the precipice too. Addressing finance ministers of
G20 nations earlier this week, the IMF’s managing director, Kristalina Georgieva, cautioned countries with high
debt to look at “Sri Lanka as a warning sign”, adding that the global economic outlook “has darkened
significantly”. Sri Lanka is not the only canary in the debt mine: Lebanon, Russia, Suriname and Zambia are
others that have also defaulted on payments. Many more —from Argentina to Pakistan to a growing list of African
nations, including Ghana, Kenya, Tunisia and Egypt — are on the verge of a crisis. In the immediate, they need
relief, which will come at a cost. Lenders who agree to renegotiate terms of payments and international bodies
like the IMF will demand that these countries tighten their fiscal belts and introduce austerity measures. With the
world already reeling from the economic impacts of the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, which itself has a large
debt burden, this will mean added pain for vulnerable communities. Whether or not those efforts are successful,
it is vital for all countries to hold their governments accountable and for Opposition parties and economists to
raise red flags in time. As Sri Lanka has shown, ordinary citizens — just like lenders — know how to make failed
leaders pay.
KEY POINTS:
• In Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Zambia, China is a major lender. Beijing’s loans have helped support massive
infrastructure projects that are often not capable of recouping the investment into them.
• In the Pacific Islands, Samoa owes China debt equivalent to 30% of its GDP. But the current crisis is not the
outcome of China’s policies only.
• Lebanon owes the bulk of its debt — 170% of its GDP — to domestic banks. Restructuring those loans could
bring the country’s financial institutions to their knees. Serial defaulter Argentina was on the road to recovery
in 2020 when the pandemic pushed it back into recession.
• Suriname owes much of its debt to the Paris Club, a group of big lending nations. Both the Paris Club (with
Suriname) and China (with Pakistan and Zambia) have agreed to restructuring loans.
WA.22: Photoshoot of Ukraine’s President and First Lady Makes ‘Content’ Out
of War
ABOUT: War is tragic, its human cost high. Zelenska and Zelenskyy may need to pose to grab the West's
attention and assistance.
SYNOPSIS: Imagine, for a moment, that you’re a journalist in a war zone. You manage, after pulling every
string in sight, to get an interview with the president, and the president’s wife, at the head of the relatively small
country that has been invaded by a larger, more powerful neighbour. There’s a reporter and a photographer.
There’s also a stylist, a style assistant, hair and make-up artist in the team. Even war must be glamourised, it
seems, to be sold as a Reel or Tik Tok. In the information age, everything is “content”. Yet, even by the relaxed
standards of the social media era, the glitz with which Ukraine’s first lady Olena Zelenska — along with her
husband, Volodymyr Zelenskyy — has been portrayed by Vogue magazine, is drawing comment.
KEY POINTS:
• In the tastefully decorated presidential office, the couple faces the camera in one picture. And in anothe r,
Zelenska is surrounded by rubble and heavily- armed women soldiers. She stares stoically into the distance,
hair blowing in the wind, in a designer gown and jacket.
• Why does the high- street look, amid the rubble, bother so many people? After all,it’s hardly surprising for
Vogue, arguably the world’s leading fashion magazine to focus on, well, fashion. The problem, if there is
one, is from a bygone time when there was a notion that not everything needs to be made pretty, not all of it
is fashioned for the consumer.
• War is tragic, its human cost high. Zelenska and Zelenskyy may need to pose to grab the West’s attention
and assistance. But the episode seems suspiciously like a five- course charity dinner to raise money for a
famine.
INDIAN JUDICIAL
ISSUE
IJI.1: Something Rotten in Our Prison System
Editorial Category: IJI
ABOUT: The goings-on in our prisons suggest criminals having a greater influence over the officials.
SYNOPSIS: Money talks loud and clear, and prison officials are particularly susceptible. It is also a pointer to
something rotten in our prison system where politicians have contacts and control, and the line between police
officials and criminals can easily blur.
The prison department declares that its main objective is “to deter those who would otherwise commit crimes”
and lays emphasis on “correcting, reforming and rehabilitating prisoners and making them socially responsible
citizens in society after their release”. The goings -on in our prisons suggest it is vice-versa, with criminals having
a greater influence over the officials. Besides, the lenient ‘punishment’ meted out to officers who play fast and
loose with prison rules will not help deter similar activities. The transferred officials, in all probability, will
continue their activities in their new work arena. Reforms are necessary to improve vigilance andmake the system
fool-proof and transparent. Policing the police has also become necessary.
KEY POINTS:
• In a punishment transfer of sorts, seven prison officials of Central Jail, Parappana Agrahara, in Bengaluru,
were recently shunted out to district prisons. They were charged with presiding over irregularities.
• Drugs, alcohol and other ‘luxuries’ were in free supply, as evidenced in a video that made it to social media
a few months ago. A quid pro quo arrangement, no doubt.
• The lid was blown off this mutually beneficial situation by a mystery videographer and also a letter by an
inmate detailing the illegal activities. An investigation led to a 500 -page report by a senior police official and
finally, some action.
• VVIP prisoners like Sasikala and Ilavarasi managed to procure luxuries like a five -cell ‘suite’, cot, mattress,
television, round-the- clock security, a private kitchen and cook, and even went shopping in the heart of
Bengaluru. The then DIG Prisons, IGP D Roopa, exposed this.
• Her report suggested that the prisoner paid Rs 2 crore for the facilities. It led to a furore.
IJI.2: Had it Not Been for Court, Justice Would be Elusive for Gujarat 2002.
That’s why its Latest Order, its Use by Police, is Disturbing
ABOUT: The cases stemming from Gujarat 2002 raise serious questions about a range of abdications by
institutions and actors.
SYNOPSIS: In the long, tortuous and still unfolding process of justice after the communal violence in Gujarat
2002, the Supreme Court of India has played a commendable role. Its several interventions have ensured that the
process stays on course, that it was insulated from pressure by the powerful, and that victims and survivors could
hope for a fair and just closure. This is why the two arrests on Saturday, of activist Teesta Setalvad and former
Gujarat DGP RB Sreekumar, are disquieting — the FIR is based on extensive quotes from the SC verdict and its
annexures the day before. Its verdict said, and the FIR lodged the next day faithfully quoted: “At the end of the
day, it appears to us that a coalesced effort of disgruntled officials of the state of Gujarat along with others was to
create sensation …to keep the pot boiling, obviously for ulterior design… all those involved in such abuse of
process, need to be in the dock and proceeded with in accordance with law”. The day after, the question is: Surely
the court would not countenance a witch- hunt that borrows its lines from the court?. The collapse of one case
should not become the pretext for a sweeping indictment of the whole struggle for justice and accountability. The
SC must also reflect on whether it behoves its status and role as the wise custodian of constitutional processes and
values to be seen to be turning on those who were stricken by the violence and knocked on its doors, even if, as it
turns out in this particular case, their plea failed to hold.
KEY POINTS:
• On Friday, the SC upheld the SIT’s clean chit in the 2002 riots to the then Gujarat government led by Chief
Minister Narendra Modi, discarding allegations of a larger conspiracy by high state functionaries.
• The collapse of that particular case was, arguably, foretold — connecting the dots right up to the chief
minister’s office was a tall order to begin with, and the case may have been propelled more by the anguish
of those devastated by the violence, less by evidence that could hold up in a court of law.
• The law must take its course on Sreekumar and Setalvad. But there is a problem with an FIR that draws so
heavily upon what the court says, and a court verdict that lends itself to such immediate police action against
those standing with the petitioners in cases of 2002.
• Supreme Court, down the years, took a number of unprecedented steps to ensure justice for 2002. The SC
stayed the trials in certain cases in response to allegations that there had been serious lapses in investigation.
• It set up an SIT and supervised designated fast track courts for hearing sensitive cases. It ensured that cases
were shifted outside Gujarat so that justice could be done.
• Its interventions resulted in the reopening of nearly 2,000 post-Godhra riots cases. The SC, in fact, became
the centrepiece of a larger effort in which individual activists, NGOs and the NHRC, among others,
contributed towards bringing justice closer to victims and survivors of the communal violence that took place
in Gujarat a little over two decades ago.
IJI.3 Shooting Messengers
ABOUT: Criminal defamation must go from IPC. Effective civil libel law is enough for protecting reputations.
SYNOPSIS: Bombay high court’s Nagpur bench has struck a powerful blow against misuse of IPC’s criminal
defamation provision. It ruled that a newspaper fairly reporting information in the public domain without
insinuation or innuendo cannot attract defamation charges. The case involved a Marathi daily that had reported
on a police FIR in 2016. The person booked in the FIR subsequently lodged a criminal defamation complaint. He
claimed the newspaper hadn’t done due diligence, citing as defence the chargesheet in the case not naming him
an accused.
The Nagpur bench rightly concluded that registration of crimes, filing of cases in courts, progress of
investigations, and arrest of persons constitute “news events which public has the right to know”. An FIR may
predate a chargesheet by several weeks, months or years. No reporter can know a case’s trajectory at its inception.
Moreover, FIRs are public documents, uploaded on police websites. The bench noted that a newspaper isn’t
expected to investigate an FIR’s contents and verify its truthfulness but to report facts correctly. Of course,
journalists should follow best practices, and seek the other side’s version. But sometimes this isn’t possible when
reporting on breaking news like registration of cases or arrest of persons.
KEY POINTS:
• Tamil Nadu’s AIADMK governments were infamous for lodging criminal defamation cases indiscriminately
against journalists. With public prosecutors appearing, magistrates often take cognisance of even frivolous
matters, prompting a dash to HCs for relief.
• The UK’s history of murderous duels to settle slander and insults is said to have precipitated criminal
defamation’s entry as a modern penal offence. But the British decriminalised defamation in 2009. India must
shed this colonial baggage, too, and get an effective civil libel law.
• Criminal defamation is particularly problematic, allowing complainants to claim the accused had intention
to harm reputation. Claiming defamation on intent to harm reputation sets a very low and subjective bar for
prosecution.
IJI.4 India Needs a Hate Crime Law
ABOUT: India does not have a standalone hate crime legislation. A few sections of the Indian Penal Code
(153A, 295, 298 etc.) are used to deal with what would be widely considered as hate crimes. It’s inadequate.
SYNOPSIS: The gruesome murder of tailor Kanhaiya Lal in Udaipur and subsequent threats to PM Narendra
Modi, all of which were captured on video and posted online, should catalyse a move towards designing a
legislation to cover hate crimes. The two accused in this crime, Mohammad Riyaz Akhtari and Gaus Mohammad,
may have been apprehended but the entire state has borne the fallout in the form of restrictions and an internet
shutdown. India does not have a stand - alone hate crime legislation. A few sections of the Indian Penal Code
(153A, 295, 298 etc.) are used to deal with what would be widely considered as hate crimes. It’s inadequate.
Political parties have been reluctant to take a meaningful step forward in debating hate crime legislation. It’s not
an easy law to design because there is no universally accepted definition of hate crime. However, given the far -
reaching fallout of this kind of crime, there’s a case to consider a- stand alone legislation covering all its
dimensions.
KEY POINTS:
• Hate crimes are distinguished by the underlying motive behind the crime and not the crime itself. The victim
is typically seen as a representative of a community.
• This is in stark contrast to crimes triggered by personal motives. The victims of hate crimes can often be
people far removed from the initial crime itself. This is because the crime draws in communities and disrupts
social equilibrium.
IJI.5: Tough for States to Ban Online Games
ABOUT: A spate of suicides by youngsters addicted to online gaming has brought the focus back on the
difference between skill-based and chance-based games.
SYNOPSIS: A spate of suicides by youngsters addicted to online gaming has brought the focus back on the
difference between skill-based and chance-based games. While the latter are mostly banned, skill-based online
games have continued to thrive in India, driving gamers into a web of debt and subsequently, suicide. Efforts by
state governments to outlaw online gaming with stakes have not found success so far.
Recently, the TN government has made one more effort to end the menace of online gaming with stakes, by setting
up a panel headed by Justice K Chandru. It has recommended promulgating an ordinance to ban certain online
games and regulate some others. The committee has also recommended that the government must insist on New
Delhi enacting a national-level law under Article 252 of the Constitution. A ban may be the only way forward
since it is impossible to regulate online companies, but this will surely lead to a barrage of legal challenges.
KEY POINTS:
• Early this year, a move by the Karnataka government was blocked by the High Court by striking down certain
provisions of the Karnataka Police (Amendment) Act 2021. Karnataka’s argument that games of skill having
a risk of players losing money should also be banned did not pass judicial muster.
• A similar move by the Tamil Nadu government was rejected by the Madras High Court, in August 2021.
Though the government filed an appeal in the apex court within months, it is yet to come up for hearing.
• In 2020, the Rajasthan High Court held that an online game that banks on the skill and knowledge of the
participant cannot be banned. It was subsequently upheld by the Supreme Court. In their separate verdicts,
High Courts of Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, and Bombay have recognised fantasy sports as games of skill
and a legitimate business activity protected under the Constitution of India.
IJI.6: Defects, Defection
ABOUT: Keep the Tenth Schedule but clear the muddle.
SYNOPSIS: The Shiv Sena rebellion has put the anti-defection law back in focus. The Constitution’s Tenth
Schedule, inserted in 1985 and amended in 2003, hasn’t really killed the market for legislature members. It’s just
made the reserve price higher. Some argue the law must be made even tougher. Others say the law kills intra -
party debate. Some MPs, in fact, bemoan the inability to have principled dissent from the party line because of
the disqualification threat. They cite problematic disqualification criteria like voting against a party whip. What
should be done? Keep the law but clear the muddle.
Then there are confusions created by the likes of the 2016 SC judgment that restored a Congress government in
Arunachal Pradesh, though rebels who had crossed over to People’s Party of Arunachal under Kalikho Pul met
the two-third threshold. Sometimes verdicts are delayed, defanging the law. Tenth Schedule raised the bar on
defections. But Parliament, presiding officers and courts must create a more elegant version of it.
KEY POINTS:
• First, the law’s provisions give no time frame for taking decisions and are generally badly drafted. Second,
speakers and governors aren’t neutral umpires. Third, courts have also muddied waters with differing
interpretations.
• In Maharashtra, 16 random Sena rebel MLAs received disqualification notices though the Shinde faction had
crossed the two-third threshold to evade disqualification. This reveals weaknesses in the anti-defection law.
It was a clear attempt to break a “legitimate” rebellion by reducing the rebel contingent’s numbers.
• Sometimes punishment is quick, as in 2019, when the Karnataka speaker disqualified 17 Congress-JD(S)
MLAs despite their resigning house membership. He also overreached by barring them for the assembly’s
tenure, which the Constitution doesn’t prescribe.
• At other times, proceedings have been inexplicably slow, for example, against AIADMK rebels in Tamil
Nadu and Congress defectors in Manipur and Madhya Pradesh.
IJI.7: Rules & Reality
ABOUT: Why good laws aren’t enough by themselves
SYNOPSIS: As reproductive rights were set back by half a century in the US, there have been understandable
references to India’s liberal abortion laws. The Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act in the 1970s passed without
politics and was amended for the better in 2021. But it’s the practice and add -ons to the law that are the problem.
This medical board is infeasible in rural areas, given the lack of gynaecologists or radiologists and indeed, most
healthcare professionals. All of this becomes more of a systemic hurdle given the still-present stigma around
reproductive issues, deterring women from seeking safe abortions. India’s good law needs to lose some
paraphernalia and needs to be backed up by health infrastructure and commitment.
KEY POINTS:
• A UN Population Fund report estimates that around eight women in India die every day because of unsafe
abortions, and between 2007-11, 67% of abortions were classified as unsafe. It is among the top three causes
of maternal death. Unsafe abortions are far higher among poor and marginalised populations.
• As for the law, the original MTP Act did not require a board of medical practitioners. They evolvedout of
judicial interventions – even though the Supreme Court has noted that it deprives women of reproductive
freedom, which is a dimension of the right to personal liberty.
• A recent study found an 84.2% shortfall of OB-gyns in rural north India, and a 57.2% shortfall in south India.
IJI.8: Why Supreme Court’s Observations on Nupur Sharma, Delhi Police,
Promise a New and Brighter Dawn
ABOUT: Rekha Sharma writes: The Supreme Court sought to highlight the grave consequences when communal
passions are given a free run, or are seen to enjoy state patronage.
SYNOPSIS: On July 1, the Supreme Court broke the nation’s silence. That day it dismissed a petition filed by Nupur Sharma, praying
for clubbing all the FIRs registered against her over her controversial remarks on the Prophet in a TV debate, and transferri ng the same to
the jurisdiction of Delhi Police. Not only did the Supreme Court decline to grant her any relief, it also made some critical observations.
Although the media has extensively reported the observations of the Supreme Court, in order to get a sense of how incensed an d concerned
the Supreme Court felt over the situation, particularly the communal violence which took place in parts of the country in the aftermath of
her comments, the court’s observations must be read in the context in which they were made. The Supreme Court is reported to have said
that Nupur Sharma is single-handedly responsible for what is happening in the country even as her counsel submitted that she faces a
security threat. When her counsel stated that she had withdrawn her comments, and tendered an apology, the Bench observed tha t she
should have apologised to the whole country and further observed that the apology was conditional and came too late. the Supreme Court
sought to highlight the grave consequences when communal passions are given a free run, or are seen to enjoy state patronage. The apparent
intent of the Court was to put brakes on the motor mouths who frequently make inflammatory statements which give rise to hate, build up
communal tension, cause social unrest. Unfortunately, soon after the Supreme Court’s observations, the troll army supporting Sharma
started trolling the judges, particularly Justice Surya Kant, who reportedly did most of the talking. The words spoken by the judge were
twisted to build a false narrative against him, as if he was justifying the killing in Udaipur. The Supreme Court also turned the heat on
Delhi Police. It reportedly said that Delhi Police must have laid a “red carpet” for her (Nupur Sharma), and that when she makes a complaint
the person is arrested, but even when there is an FIR against her, she is not touched which speaks of the clout that she enjoys. The Supreme
Court was fully justified in making this observation against Delhi Police. The manner in which it is conducting its investiga tion in Sharma’s
case bears testimony to this.
Given the selectivity with which Delhi Police has been arresting or not arresting the accused, especially in cases with political or ideological
overtones, it is no longer enough to merely castigate the police. The role of the judiciary is not only to inte rpret, but also to apply the law,
and to prevent its mutilation. Hence, the Supreme Court needs to be more proactive in ensuring even - handed application of law by the
police. The Supreme Court also needs to rein in TV channels that in the name of prime - time news, spew venom against a particular
community or a religious group. For now, the observations made by the Supreme Court promise a new and brighter dawn.
KEY POINTS:
• The troll army has no problem with the order of another bench of the Supreme Court, whi ch while accepting the SIT report relating
to the 2002 Gujarat riots, has made observations to the effect that some people “keep the pot boiling, obviously, for ulterio r design”,
and “all those involved in such abuse of process need to be in the dock, and proceeded with in accordance with law.”
• While the Court was well within its rights to accept or reject the SIT report, it exceeded its remit when it made observations which
amount to shooting the messenger. The troll army rejoiced when pursuant to the aforesaid directions, Teesta Setalvad was arrested
the very next day of the order. When Nupur Sharma is indicted by the same Supreme Court, however, it has problems.
• The FIR against Nupur Sharma was registered in Delhi on June 8. Since then, except for recording her statement on June 18, the case
has not proceeded any further. It appears to have been put on the back burner. Contrast this with the latest case of Mohammed Zubair,
co-founder of Alt News, who was arrested for a tweet by him which pertained to the year 2018 apparently showing an image of a
hotel signboard repainted from “Honeymoon Hotel” to “Hanuman Hotel”.
• It was not without reason that Sharma had asked for the transfer of FIRs against her to Delhi— it is believed to be a safe haven for
persons like her who, regardless of the gravity of the offence alleged to have been committed, have nothing to fear while those who
are ideologically opposed to the present dispensation are arrested at the drop of a hat.
IJI.9: Time limits: Editorial on Supreme Court's Recent Comments on Bail
ABOUT: The implicit admonition underlined a positive approach to bail and the suggestion that the right to
liberty was not always fully understood
SYNOPSIS: The power to restrain is addictive. Against a culture in which bail is rare, the Supreme Court stated,
as many times earlier, the priority that bail should be given and its connection to the constitutional right to life
and liberty. The Supreme Court reportedly said that lower or trial courts were liberty’s guardian angels: any
conscious failure on their part in their task was an affront to liberty. The implicit admonition underlined a positive
approach to bail and the suggestion that the right to liberty was not always fully understood. Some of the highest
court’s directions on bail referred to existent provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code. Compliance would
reduce the number of undertrial prisoners, apart from serving justice. Courts would have to ensure that the police
followed CrPC provisions that disallowed unnecessary arrests — with the conditions attached — and made
mandatory prior notice to enable the person under investigation to cooperate. Non- compliance would entitle the
accused to bail. High courts must identify undertrial prisoners who failed to meet bail conditions. If they had been
incarcerated for half the period of the sentence they would have faced upon conviction, arrangements should be
made for their release. This, too, referred to an existent provision of the CrPC. Simply following these provisions
may have made strictures unnecessary.
KEY POINTS:
• The strongest instruction of the Supreme Court was that all bail applications should be decided within two
weeks. That would be an enormous relief for people. But, as the highest court pointed out, a colonial attitude
underlay the desire to arrest unnecessarily and to restrain indefinitely.
• In a resonant comment, the court reportedly also mentioned that a democracy and a police state were
conceptually different. Yet reports show that arrests under the law against sedition rose by 160 per cent
between 2016 and 2019. The Supreme Court noted that- two thirds of those detained were undertrial
prisoners, most of whom were underprivileged.
• This suggested that their socio -economic capacities were limited. This could have formed part of the context
for its suggestion for a separate legislation on bail. The British law on bail, for example, aims at reducing the
number of prison inmates and offers legal aid for the accused. Taken together, just these steps to bail reform
could begin to clear up the burdens of the courts.
IJI.10: Bail Legislation
ABOUT: SC’s call for framing new law merits serious consideration.
SYNOPSIS: The Supreme Court’s suggestion to enact legislation specifically meant for grant of bail, as in the
UK, needs serious consideration and a wide debate. The key features of UK’s Bail Act are aimed at reducing the
size of the inmate population and provisions for ensuring legal aid for defendants. The reiteration that bail is the
rule and jail an exception came with a rap for lower courts for letting the abysmally low rate of conviction in
criminal cases weigh on the mind while dealing with bail applications — inother words, deciding on pleas strictly
in a negative sense and contrary to legal principles, because of the strongly-held belief that conviction is a rarity.
Eventually, acquittal after years of continued custody can become a case of grave injustice. Anot her reason cited
for a Bail Act is to ensure that magistrates exercise their discretionary powers uniformly. The significant
guidelines include disposal of bail applications within two weeks, except if the provisions mandate otherwise, and
pleas for anticipatory bail within six weeks, with the exception of any intervening application. The stress on the
mandatory recording of the reasons for arrest in writing, to enable the magistrate to examine the necessity of arrest
and continued custody, assumes significance in the wake of the pendency of bail pleas, including those of activists
and journalists.
KEY POINTS:
• For the apex court, the pressing need for a law that restrains the arrest of the accused unnecessarily,
‘indicative of a colonial mindset and creating an impression of a police state’, is primarily based on statistics
that are startling.
• More than two -thirds of prison inmates are undertrials, and the majority may not even be required to be jailed
despite being charged with cognisable offences punishable for seven years or less.
• Most are not only poor and illiterate but include women, allowing, as the Bench reminded, a culture of
offence to be inherited.
IJI.11: Property Disputes
ABOUT: HC ruling puts spotlight on simplifying procedures
SYNOPSIS: The Punjab and Haryana High Court judgment that there is no requirement for a sale deed to be
attested by two ‘attesting witnesses’ throws light on bringing clarity and simplifying aspects of adjudication of
property ownership disputes, reducing unnecessary litigation delays in the process. The Bench’s direction, while
ruling on an appeal, that placing on record the original sale deed in the court file is not required came as another
instruction for the lower courts not to prolong cases, and work towards mitigating the inconvenience the parties
involved have to endure. Transparent land administration can result in fundamental transformation, with a focus
on using new technology for land surveys and updating records. It is also imperative to sort out the low judge-to-
people ratio and enhance the capacity to gauge the enforcement, along with relooking at laws that are in conflict
with administrative decisions. As undeclared cash forms a large chunk fo real estate dealings, a liberal dose of
corruption is entrenched in them. A majority of buyers and sellers have little choice but to toe the line dictated by
the property dealer, who relies on the officials, for a hassle-free ride which if one were to insist on a completely
clean transaction, at the market value, could involve stumbling blocks at various levels. The encouragement to
evasion of stamp duty is a reflection of the patronage it enjoys, when a step like reducing it significantly could
pave the way for cent per cent legal transactions.
KEY POINTS:
• According to estimates, 66 per cent of all civil cases in India are related to land or property disputes, while
25 per cent of all cases decided by the Supreme Court involve land disputes. The average pendency of a land
acquisition dispute is 20 years.
• Looking at the numbers, working on solutions — administrative, legislative and judicial — to deal with both
the incidence of land conflict and pendency of cases is central to any change in a scenario where, for instance,
competing policies provide for eviction and regularisation of unauthorised occupants at the same time.
IJI.12: Court Appointments
ABOUT: Vacancies must be filled to clear backlog of cases.
SYNOPSIS: THE Supreme Court Collegium has approved the names of 13 advocates to be appointed as judges
in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. It is unusual for such a high number of advocates to be approved for posts
of judge in a single instance. But such a measure was desperately needed as of the sanctioned strength of 85, the
high court is currently operating with only 46 judges, and 18 of them are going to retire by December 2023. The
court is facing a huge backlog of cases and the situation has become critical over the last couple of years due to
the vacancies and the Covid- 19 pandemic. Around 4.5 lakh cases are piled up before it. The story is similar in
other courts across India.
Chief Justice of India NV Ramana has been highlighting the issues of judicial vacancies and lack of infrastructure
in seminars and lectures for some time. Earlier this month, at a seminar in Jaipur, he said: ‘In our criminal justice
system, the process is the punishment. From hasty indiscriminate arrests to difficulty in obtaining bail, the process
leading to prolonged incarceration of undertrials needs urgent Justice Ramana has, time and again, blamed the
executive and bureaucracy for deliberate inaction in making appointments in courts and tribunals. Also speaking
in Jaipur, Union Minister for Law and Justice Kiren Rijiju vowed to bring down the total pendency from five
crore cases to two crore in two years. For that to happen, the executive and judiciary must work in unison to
address the pressing matters of vacancies and infrastructure. attention.’
KEY POINTS:
• In two sittings in a week, the SC Collegium cleared a total of 56 names for the posts of judge in nine high
courts. In September 2021, the Collegium had recommended 65 names for the posts of judge in 12 high
courts.
• Across India, as on July 1, as many as 381 posts of judge were vacant in 25 high courts, with 727 judges in
position against the sanctioned strength of 1,108. The vacancy rate, which was edging close to 50 per cent
in April 2021, has now been brought down to around 34 per cent.
HEALTH
CARE
HC.1: No Cause for Alarm: On the Fresh Surge in COVID-19 Cases
Editorial Category: HC
Newspaper Source: The Hindu
ABOUT: India must return to COVID-appropriate behaviour
SYNOPSIS: After the third wave driven by the Omicron sub -lineage BA.2 peaked in end -January this year with
over 0.33 million cases a day, there has been a small bump in the number of daily cases reported in the first
fortnight of June and a slightly bigger increase in the last one week to touch over 13,200 cases on June 17. But
the rate of increase has been small and restricted to a few States and some major cities. The rate of growth of
active cases has also been low. While the sub-lineage BA.2 is still the dominant strain in India, BA.4 and BA.5
seem to be causing the new cases. The small increase in testing in the past week could be a reason for the more
cases reported. The seven-day average test positivity rate doubled from less than 1% in early June to over 2% by
mid-June and has been increasing incrementally since then to 2.7% on June 20. Increasing the number of daily
tests will result in more cases being detected. But with a large percentage of the adult population fully vaccinated
and a sizable percentage also infected, the focus should be more on hospitalisations and deaths and not daily
infections. There has been a slight increase in hospitalisation in a few States, but there is no cause for alarm.
However, there has not been any increase in daily deaths. The small bump in daily cases seen in a few States for
the last three weeks therefore does not appear to mark the beginning of a new wave.
KEY POINTS:
• The BA.4 and BA.5 sub-lineages are fast spreading to more countries in Europe with a concomitant increase
in cases. The BA.5 sub-lineage has become dominant in Portugal leading to a surge in daily infections,
hospitalisations and even deaths despite very high primary and booster dose vaccination coverage; the
reasons for increased deaths are not known.
• On June 13, the ECDC cautioned that these sub- lineages will become dominant throughout Europe leading
to increased daily cases. However, it notes that based on limited data, the two sub-lineages do not appear to
be associated with increased disease severity compared with the BA.1 and BA.2 Omicron sub-variants.
• Given the greater transmissibility of BA.4 and BA.5 and immune escape, the -sub lineages may become
dominant in India too, especially as COVID-appropriate behaviour is now poor. While the two sub-lineages
may not lead to increased deaths, the risk of long- term complications even among the young and healthy
when infected cannot be overlooked. Masks must be made mandatory, especially in public and closed spaces
with poor ventilation.
HC.2: Hooked on De-addiction Pill
Newspaper Source: TheTribune
ABOUT: Haryana youth, too, falling in buprenorphine trap.
SYNOPSIS: Much to the chagrin of the agencies working to crack down on the illegal drug trade in Punjab, the
unauthorised sale of a de - addiction pill is undermining their efforts. In fact, the menace is only growing as
youngsters of Haryana, too, seem to be getting hooked on buprenorphine, a drug that is cheap and easily available
on the black market. Especially trapped are the party- going crowds of the IT hub of Gurugram, according to a
recent The Tribune report. This is not only a cause of worry for the victims and an increasing headache for the
authorities concerned, including the cops, but it also belies the claims of successive governments of being on the
path of tackling the problem that has destroyed countless youngsters and their families over the past few decades.
Buprenorphine has long been prescribed and provided in Punjab for the treatment of drug addicts in private and
government de-addiction centres. At the same time, its misuse and abuse, too, has been rampant. Many patients,
during their journey of ridding themselves of habit-forming substances, often find themselves sinking deeper into
the morass as they become addicted to the very medicine that was meant to cure them. An opioid derivative,
buprenorphine is far more potent than morphine. That the authorities have failed to regulate its sale and
consumption points to a nexus of pharma companies and de-addiction centres.
KEY POINTS:
• Despite efforts of the Punjab Government to cap the medicine’s cost at Rs 7 per tablet (its cost price being
around Rs 3.80), influential private players have managed to circumvent the rules and it remains a profit -
making drug priced at Rs 40-60.
• By the time it crosses the border to Haryana, its value shoots up to Rs 100- 200. Tighter control by Punjab
and Haryana is needed over the dispensation of buprenorphine, the pill that has a good safety profile for de-
addiction purposes, but also the potential for being addictive if abused.
HC.3: Hunger Pangs: Editorial on the Demon Called Malnutrition
ABOUT: According to Unicef, almost eight million children under the age of five are at risk of dying from
severe malnutrition
SYNOPSIS: India must pay attention to the Unicef’s findings even though the country does not feature in its
latest list of high-risk zones. This is because of India’s dubious distinction of having the most number of children
below five years affected by severe wasti ng. The National Family Health Survey -5 revealed that one out of every
three children below the age of five continues to suffer from stunting. If implemented well, programmes such as
Integrated Child Development Services and Poshan Abhiyaan could be crucial in addressing the challenge and
achieving food security and improved nutrition. Experts have also prioritised the need to strengthen Nutrition
Rehabilitation Centres but studies indicate that their performance has been less than satisfactory becauseof the
lack of resources. The continued prevalence of malnutrition, in large part, can be attributed to inadequate political
focus on budgetary allocation. In spite of the rise in the number of children suffering from malnutrition, the Union
government continues to relegate this crisis to the sidelines. There is an urgent need for a complete overhaul of
India’s policy attitude to malnutrition. Piecemeal approach with respect to welfare policies would be crucial in
tackling regional and constituency-wise variation.
KEY POINTS:
• The UNICEF has estimated that almost eight million children under the age of five are at risk of dying from
severe malnutrition on account of the disruption in supply chains because of the -Covid 19 pandemic,
persistent drought due to climate change, and the sharp rise in food prices as a result of the ongoing war in
Ukraine.
• According to the United Nations humanitarian agency, most of these children are in 15 countries that are
suffering from an acute shortage of food and medical aid. The Unicef has urged world leaders to wake up to
the crisis and put together an aid package of $1.2 billion.
• Worryingly, a recent uptick in the cost of raw material, leading to an increase in the price of therapeutic food
by 16 per cent, has left up to 600,000 additional children without access to life- saving treatment and at risk
of death. The uneven distribution of the food security apparatus — countries in sub- Saharan Africa like
Yemen, Sudan and Ethiopia are among the most affected — has also led to the aggravation of the crisis.
HC.4: Quick Vax Calls
ABOUT: Clear heterologous boosters, discuss possible 4th shot.
SYNOPSIS: GoI could have made a six-month interval between second and third vaccine shots the norm from
the booster programme’s inception. Official positions have changed multiple times over the last year. Top
government experts had first termed boosters unnecessary, though other countries started boosting around mid-
2021. From then to a nine-month wait for third dose to a three-month gap for international travellers to now a six -
month gap – the opportunity to offer citizens extra protection faster is probably lost. That most infections seem
mild doesn’t mean the virus can’t mutate into something worse. Plus, those with comorbidities need shielding.
Several lakh doses are reportedly on the verge of expiry. Slow decision
- making isn’t helping. CMC-Vellore’s
trials showed heterologous boosting with Covishield as more efficacious for Covaxin recipients. Similarly,
DCGI’s early-June clearance of Corbevax as a heterologous booster awaits further nods. There’s another question:
Would senior citizens and healthcare workers boosted six months ago need a second booster? GoI must take these
decisions fast.
KEY POINTS:
• Newer BA.5 and BA.4 Omicron subvariants are more contagious and prone to attacking lungs; India is
closely monitoring BA.2.75.
• A South African study indicates neutralising antibodies from previous Omicron infection fell eightfold
against BA.4/BA.5, but saw only a threefold decrease among those vaccinated.
• Against 4.9 crore booster doses administered, 58 crore people are now eligible. In the US and UK, 37 and
59 out of every 100 people have received boosters respectively against 3.32 per 100 in India.
HC.5: Cancer Has Been a Scourge for Centuries, Advances in Science have Made
the Disease Far Less Intractable
ABOUT: Cancer accounted for nearly 10 million deaths in 2020 —before the world was overtaken by the Covid
pandemic, nearly one in six deaths was cancer-related.
SYNOPSIS: Last week, the University of Houston announced that its researchers have made significant
improvements to a next-generation cancer therapy that kills tumour cells while leaving healthy tissues intact. The
treatment uses genetically engineered or naturally occurring microbes— oncolytic viruses — that replicate in
cancer cells and overwhelm them. The therapy also strengthens the cancer patient’s immune system against the
tumour. However, this also means that, at times, the oncolytic viruses come up against the body’s natural defence
system. At the University of Houston’s Centre for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling, researchers used gene
editing to cancel out such an immune response, enabling the anti-cancer microbes to work with all their might.
Along with the breakthrough, last month, in anti-rectal cancer treatment, advances in the use of oncolytic viruses
offer hope that cancerous tumours can be eliminated without the use of surgery or debilitating chemotherapy.
For a large section of those who can access treatment, the high costs of modern-day healthcare often mean a
devastating financial burden. Even in the US, a report of a Kaiser Family Foundation- NPR survey released last
week has revealed that “two-thirds of adults with health care debt who have had cancer themselves or in their
family have cut spending on food, clothing, or other household basics”. The Covid pandemic has re-ignited
debates on making healthcare equitable and reforming practices — including patent systems — that lock out a
large number of people from accessing healthcare. Cancer treatment should be an essential part of such
conversations. It’s time the groundbreaking work in research labs reaches people who suffer from the disease.
KEY POINTS:
• Cancer has been a scourge of humankind for centuries. Advances in molecular cell biology and genetics
since the second half of the 20th century have made the disease far less intractable. Early tumour detection
with non-invasive imaging such as CT, MRI and PET scans has helped in discriminating between aggressive
and non-malignant tumours.
• There is a vaccine for cervical cancer. Scientists have taken important steps to unravel the complex linkages
between individual immune systems and cancerous cells.
• Research has also underlined connections between the disease, local environments, cultural practices, and
individual habits. Such facets of the disease could have been difficult to model or quantify about two decades
ago. But advances in computational methods and the ability to generate and share big data have made it
easier to arrive at a more granular understanding of the disease.
• Cancer accounted for nearly 10 million deaths in 2020 — before the world was overtaken by the Covid
pandemic, nearly one in six deaths was cancer-related. That two-thirds of all cancer deaths occur in low-and
middle-income countries indicates the limited reach of this state-of-the-art research.
HC.6: Approval for Home-grown Cervical Cancer Vaccine Could be a Game-
changer
ABOUT: If things go according to schedule, Cervavac should be ready for mass manufacturing by the end of
the year. The government shouldn't lose time in including the vaccine in the country's Universal Immunisation
Programme.
SYNOPSIS: On Tuesday, India took a significant step forward in checking cervical cancer which kills more
than 60,000 women in the country every year. The Drugs Controller General of India granted market authorisation
to the Pune-based Serum Institute to manufacture the country’s first indigenously developed vaccine, Cervavac,
against the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is responsible for more than 95 per cent of cervical cancer cases.
The vaccine, which has been almost four years in the making, reported encouraging results in the clinical trials —
an antibody response that’s 1,000 times more than the baseline required against all HPV types. If things go
according to SII’s schedule, Cervavac should be ready for mass manufacturing by the end of the year. The
government shouldn’t lose time in including the vaccine in the country’s Universal Immunisation Programme.
HPV is a common pathogen. But only a small proportion of its strains cause cancer. The disease is largely
preventable and a combination of early screening techniques and vaccination has reduced its virulence
considerably in most developed countries in the past 15 years. India has remained an outlier to these developments.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s data show that there are more than 4 lakh cervic al cancer patients
in the country at any given time — it’s the second-most common cancer amongst Indian women. The health
ministry’s guidelines recommend cervical cancer screening every five years for women above 30 at primary health
centres and sub-health centres. But several studies have shown that the public health system in large parts of the
country is ill-equipped to perform such gynaecological procedures, despite their relatively low cost.
KEY POINTS:
• In 2018, the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation recommended the inclusion of cervical
cancer vaccines in the country’s Universal Immunisation Programme. But the high costs of vaccines, then
manufactured by the pharma multinationals Merck and Glaxo Smithkline, proved to be a deterrent— the
regimen costs upwards of Rs 4,000.
• The drug regulator’s approval of the homegrown vaccine could prove to be a game-changer in the battle
against cervical cancer.
• According to the WHO, a vast majority of cervical cancer deaths happen in middle - and low-income
countries. The global health agency’s plans to vaccinate 90 per cent of women below the age of 15 by 2030
hasn’t made much headway largely because of global big pharma’s monopoly on the vaccines.
• The SII’s website notes that Cervavac will be available to developing countries “in the near future”.
Developments in the Pune-based manufacturer’s laboratory will be keenly watched.
HC.7: Covid & Gender
ABOUT: Pandemic’s hit on equality needs serious response
SYNOPSIS: The World Economic Forum’s Gender Gap Report 2022 confirms what we know from experience.
Covid may have put gender parity back by a generation, and South Asia is the worst - off. At current rates of
progress, it will take nearly 200 years to achieve any meaningful equality between women and men. This gap
exists because of centuries of bone-deep social and material bias against women, so it will not narrow by itself. It
takes systematic effort to address these inequalities, and the gender perspective has to be actively incorporated
into policy. Families have to be transformed, and states, employers and other institutions must identify and fix
patterns that hold back women from participating and flourishing.
KEY POINTS:
• India ranks 135th out of 146 countries in terms of gender parity.

• It has moved up five places from last year, improved on the economic opportunity and participation front as
the share of women legislators, senior officials and managers increased from 14.6% to 17.6%, and the share
of women as professional and technical workers has grown.
• While India’s education enrolment has been impressive, its health and survival record are at rock-bottom.
• With a female population of 662 million, India’s situation has overwhelming impact on the global picture.
India has had a gender budget for years, to goad fiscal policy towards equality –but genuine parity is a distant
horizon.
HC.8: A Learning Dose
ABOUT: That free boosters immediately raised third shot numbers has a wider public health lesson
SYNOPSIS: India’s cumulative vaccination coverage crossed the 2 billion doses mark yesterday morning.
There’s a surge in daily uptake now on account of an increase in booster shots after GoI announced free jabs
beginning July 15. There were many missteps in the booster policy. Local trials on the booster were belated and
when the rollout did start, India avoided heterologous boosting. Results of the trials conducted by CMC Vellore
show that heterologous boosting provides enhanced immunity. Governments must understand that collective
benefits of public health interventions far exceed any cost. The economic output in 2020 - 21 shrunk by Rs 9.57
lakh crore as lockdowns were used in the absence of vaccines. Juxtaposed against this loss, the free vaccination
programme cost a tiny fraction. In a country with low per capita income, public health must be treated as a crucial
public good.
KEY POINTS:
• India’s vaccination coverage, which has crossed 66% of the population for the full protocol of two doses, is
the most important public health intervention in the fight against Covid. The lessons from its rollout will
help combat future health emergencies.
• The overall cost of vaccination has been modest. By February 7, the vaccination coverage hit 1.7 billion for
a total cost of Rs 27,945 crore, less than 1% of the overall Union budget expenditure for 2021-22.
• A key reason for the rapid ramp - up of vaccination in the second half of 2021 was that it was free in
government centres. There are two reasons why this helped.
• Out of pocket expenditure on overall health spending in India is 65%, a relatively high level. In addition,
Covid extracted an economic cost in terms of job losses. Given these factors, free vaccination was critical in
expanding coverage fast.
• India’s booster programme didn ’t capitalise on these lessons. Boosters were initially not free for adults. Some
states showed what was missing. Bihar, for example, in the last week of April made boosters free for
everyone over 18 years and uptake increased consistently after that.
• From the last week of April to the July 9 -15 week, there was almost an eight-fold increase in uptake, to 8.37
lakh. Even GoI’s free booster announcement resulted in an immediate uptick and it contributed to around
80% of the total jabs yesterday.
HC.9: Tackling Monkeypox
ABOUT: Sharpen disease surveillance, give health workers smallpox vax, manufacture FDA-cleared shots
locally.
SYNOPSIS: The World Health Organisation declaring monkeypox a global health emergency is a signal to
India to really scale up its response. Nearly 18,000 cases have been detected worldwide, alongside four cases in
India. But having surmounted the worst of the Covid pandemic and learned valuable and occasionally painful and
tragic lessons, India is in a better position to implement prevention and treatment strategies for monkeypox. It is
this advantage that mustn’t be squandered as monkeypox is less transmissible, and the infectious stage starts only
after symptoms appear. We know from Covid what works and doesn’t. Prevention is really the key, not draconian
lockdowns, movement curbs or alarmism. Community disease surveillance must be increased. Healthcare
workers must be in a position to get reports of patients manifesting chickenpox - like symptoms, a commonly
prevalent disease witnessing fever and rashes – the possibility of monkeypox being overlooked as chickenpox is
therefore high. Such heightened surveillance coupled with prompt quarantining, contact tracing, testing, and ring
vaccination for at-risk individuals will help prevent major outbreaks. A vaccine production scale-up by India will
help the world too. The Centre and states must also get communication strategies right. Like masking for Covid,
citizens require advice on how to best protect themselves. Otherwise, misinformation will dominate. The stigma
attached to contracting Covid was also a deterrent for symptomatic persons to approach health workers. Patients
must be assured their dignity. Monkeypox may have to be monitored for months, given the global surge. But this
is a battle India can win.
KEY POINTS:
• From readying contact tracing teams to ordering RT-PCR test kits and vaccines and finalising treatment
protocols, there’s much work to be done. Assiduously following the test-trace-isolate-treat-vaccinate strategy
can ensure mass vaccination isn’t needed.
• Administering all medical workers the smallpox vaccine, which reportedly gives broad -spectrum protection
against monkeypox too, should start early. India must get a headstart on utilising its massive vaccine
manufacturing infrastructure.
• A cardinal mistake until the Covid Delta wave was that GoI failed to place bulk orders and make advance
payments to incentivise vaccine companies to scale up production.
• The US has ordered nearly 7 million doses of the Jynneos vaccine for delivery in 2022 and 2023. But many
US states are already reporting Jynneos shortages, a warning for India, which must start negotiations for
getting a manufacturing licence.
HC.10: Expired Pill: Editorial on New Drugs and Cosmetics Bill
ABOUT: There is no mention of compliance with ‘good manufacturing practices’ or the need to make inspection
reports public, leaving the process of regulation vague and dependent on whims of drug inspectors.
SYNOPSIS: This month, the Union ministry of health published the draft new drugs, medical devices and
cosmetics bill to replace the antiquated Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. Yet, most of the draft bill appears to be
a copy of the old law. Perhaps the gravest oversight in both the Act and the draft bill is a lax regulatory process.
There is no mention of compliance with ‘good manufacturing practices’— a global standard when it comes to
testing drugs — or the need to make inspection reports public, leaving the process of regulation vague and
dependent on the whims of drug inspectors. Lack of transparency on decisions such as approving a new drug or a
manufacturing facility— both of which can have huge implications for public health and profits of the
pharmaceutical industry — leaves the door open for irregularities like the falsification of data and test results.
That is not all. The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted several infirmities in the pharmaceutical sector. The draft bill
could have been a perfect opportunity to address these. The new bill has brought Ayush under its purview without
elaborating on the penalties for spurious ayurvedic products. The definition of and punishment for manufacturing
‘spurious’ allopathic drugs are, on the other hand, quite clear. Modern regulatory systems typically guarantee
citizens the right to participate in decision-making. The draft bill — a sign of the times? — has no such provision.
KEY POINTS:
• ‘Open source vaccines’ — generic versions of the vaccines already being used successfully — could have
ensured that more people got access to the life - saving drugs. This would require waivers on intellectual
property rights by pharmaceutical companies. Since the earliest stages of research and development often
rely on substantial public sector investment, the government might have reserved the right to waive off IPR
in an emergency.
• This lapse is even more surprising as India had recently proposed to the World Trade Organization to waive
off IPR obligations to address shortages of products required for the prevention, control and treatment of
Covid-19.
• Another issue that has come up in every review of the drug regulatory system since 1947 has been the uneven
enforcement of the DCA, since state drug controllers are expected to license drug manufacturing, conduct
sampling and testing, and to prosecute for substandard drugs.
• Disparities in laws, as well as checks and balances across states, create challenges when its to come
maintaining a uniform standard for drugs.
HC.11: Not enough: Editorial on India's Maternal Mortality Rate
ABOUT: The findings published in PLOS Global Public Health journal suggest that about 70 per cent of the
country’s districts had failed to meet the global target between 2017 and 2020.
SYNOPSIS: Over the past few years, India has been making efforts to improve maternal health. A decline in
maternal mortality has also been documented. But is this decline uniform? A recent study by the International
Institute for Population Sciences, which analysed maternal deaths at the district level, has found serious
imbalances. Maternal Mortality Rate — deaths on account of childbirth per one lakh live births — is a measure
of women’s reproductive health. Northeastern, northern, eastern and central Indian states have consistently
reported a high MMR, but even southern and western states — they are better off economically — have medium
to high MMR districts. Significantly, districts with high populations of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes have
shown peak MMR levels. These data sets point to uneven growth and embedded inequalities.
The absence of reliable ground data has proved to be a major hurdle in attaining the UN target. But some inferences
can be drawn. One of the key findings has been the negative relationship between MMR and institutional care.
This indicates that even though the rate of institutional deliveries has gone up, the majority of women remain
deprived of sufficient antenatal care. Unsafe abortion is one of the leading causes of MMR; Punjab b eing a case
in point. The latest information reiterates the need to implement micro-level healthcare policies. The Centre must
raise the incentives under the Janani Suraksha Yojana, a national health scheme aimed at promoting institutional
delivery, to ensure quality and equitable access. A bottoms -up approach and integrated policy action can be pivotal
to reducing preventable maternal morbidities. However, building a comprehensive data collection mechanism
must be one of the first steps.
KEY POINTS:
• Under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, all countries are expected to lower their MMR
to below 70 by 2030.
• At present, India’s MMR is 103. Dishearteningly, this figure is not representative of ground realities. The
findings published in PLOS Global Public Health journal suggest that about 70 per cent of India’s 640
districts had failed to meet the global target between 2017 and 2020.
• There are other inconsistencies. Arunachal Pradesh, and not Assam as per periodical government surveys,
has the highest MMR among the states. Alarmingly, around 128 districts across six states and two Union
territories have an MMR count of above 200. There are regional anomalies too.
EDITORIAL
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Version 1.4 | Revised Edition | JUNE 2022

SI.1: Treading on Fire 12

SI.27: A New God 44

PI.1: The Next President? 58

Indian Foreign Policies 129

IFP.1: Brics Summit 130

Science and Technological Advancements 136

STA.1: Dig More, ASI 137

Security Issues of India 144

SEI.1: Flaming Question 145

Sports Issue 150

Educational Issue 164

EDI.1: Cut oﬀ: Editorial on NCERT’s Smart Snipping in Textbooks 165

Environmental Issue 174

ENV.1: Follow the Clouds 175

World Aﬀairs 209

Indian Judicial Issue 234

IJI.1: Something Rotten in Our Prison System 235

Health Care 249

Newspaper Source: The Financial Express

Date of Publication: 20-06-22

Newspaper Source: The Financial Express

Date of Publication: 20-06-22

Newspaper Source: The Telegraph Online

Date of Publication: 21-06-22

Newspaper Source: The Indian Express

Date of Publication: 21-06-22

Newspaper Source: The Indian Express

Date of Publication: 23-06-22

Newspaper Source: The Tribune

Date of Publication: 23-06-22

ABOUT: Nomination of tribal leader as prez candidate a watershed

Newspaper Source: The Financial Express

Date of Publication: 24-06-22

Newspaper Source: The Indian Express

Date of Publication: 25-06-22

Newspaper Source: The Telegraph Online

Date of Publication: 26-06-22

Newspaper Source: The Telegraph Online

Date of Publication: 28-06-22

Newspaper Source: The Telegraph Online

Date of Publication: 30-06-22

ABOUT: The changing media landscape across the world.

Newspaper Source: The Indian Express

Date of Publication: 01-07-22

Newspaper Source: The Indian Express

Date of Publication: 01-07-22

Newspaper Source: The Telegraph Online

Date of Publication: 04-07-22

Newspaper Source: The Tribune

Date of Publication: 04-07-22

ABOUT: Poisoning of political discourse has brought us here.

Newspaper Source: The New Indian Express

Date of Publication: 05-07-22

Newspaper Source: The Indian Express

Date of Publication: 08-07-22

Newspaper Source: The New Indian Express

Date of Publication: 08-07-22

• Ilaiyaraaja from Tamil Nadu is a virtuoso music composer.

Newspaper Source: The Tribune

Date of Publication: 08-07-22