04/09/2022

1. Will soon form Finance Commission, State tells HC

Context:
The State government informed the High Court that it would soon reconstitute the State
Finance Commission.
The term of the 4th State Finance Commission came to an end in 2020, but the 5th SFC has
not yet been constituted in the state.
Background:
State Finance commission:

 Every five years, the governor of a state is mandated by Article 243-I of the Indian
Constitution to form a Finance Commission. Are you curious as to why? This is so
that the state government and the Panchayati Raj Institutions may decide on resource
allocation.
 The State Finance Commission was also given jurisdiction over city councils or
municipalities under Article 243-Y.

role of the State Finance Commission

 The functions of a State Finance Commission are identical to those of the Central
Finance Commission. It distributes state resources to Panchayati Raj institutions at all
three levels in the form of taxes, duties, and levies to be collected by the state and
local governments.
 Its role is comparable to that of the Central Finance Commission, which is appointed
by the President of India under Article 280 of the Constitution and is responsible for
dividing central revenues between the Union and state governments.

Recommendations of a State Finance Commission

A State Finance Commission examines a state's Panchayati Raj institutions' financial
situation and makes recommendations to the Governor on the principles that should govern
the distribution of tax revenues – taxes, duties, levies, and toll fees – collected by the state
between the state and its Panchayati Raj Institutions at all three levels – village, block, and
district.

It also recommends the following:

 Panchayats themselves levy or appropriate taxes, levies, and fees.

 Grants-in-aid from a state's consolidated fund to Panchayati Raj Institutions.
 Ways to strengthen the Panchayati Raj Institutions' financial condition.
 Measures to enhance the finances of the Panchayat as a whole.

2. Provide tax incentives to A.P. on the lines of special category States: Finance minister
in South zonal council
Context:
While asserting that the Andhra Pradesh’s development prospects have diminished due to the
“loss of Hyderabad” and the industrially developed areas to Telangana, Finance Minister
Buggana Rajendranath Reddy has requested the Central government to extend tax incentives
to Andhra Pradesh on the lines of that being given to the special category and northeastern
States to help it achieve an accelerated growth trajectory.
Background:
Issues mentioned by Finance minister during South Zonal council meeting:
 State had suffered enormously for almost a decade due to bifurcation and non-
fulfilment of the assurances given on the floor of the Parliament and any further delay
in resolution of the issues would severely impede its journey on the path of
development.
 steps for promoting industrialisation were imperative for the development of the
successor State of A.P. and the Section 94 of the Reorganisation Act provided for tax
incentives. But no incentives had been provided under Section 94(1) and meagre
incentives were given for five years under Section 94(2).
 non-completion of the division of properties and institutions was causing
administrative difficulties and also affecting the delivery of citizen services.
 the special development package of Rs.25,000 crore for seven backward districts was
pending with the NITI Aayog.
 intervention is needed in regards to extending the promised support for the
Rayalaseema Drought Mitigation and Uttarandhra Sujala Sravanthi projects as per the
revised guidelines of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana.
 Also, the establishment of the South Coastal Railway Zone with Visakhapatnam as
the headquarters as it had been envisaged under Sec. 93 read with Schedule XIII of
the APRA, and sanction of a Central Agricultural University are essential to help the
State overcome agrarian distress.
 support of the Centre for an early completion of the Polavaram project.
3. Marine life facing threat due to plastic pollution
Context:
Two senior professors of National Institute of Technology of Warangal K. Laxma Reddy and
A.Ramachandraiah expressed concern over the threat to marine life with the growing plastic
pollution in the country.
NIT and Dr.B.R. Ambedkar University jointly organised a workshop titled ‘Clean Coast-Safe
Sea’ on the campus at Etcherla of Srikakulam district.

Background:
Marine Plastic:
  The main sources of marine plastic are land-based, from urban and storm runoff,
sewer overflows, beach visitors, inadequate waste disposal and management,
industrial activities, construction and illegal dumping.
 Ocean-based plastic originates mainly from the fishing industry, nautical activities
and aquaculture.
 Under the influence of solar UV radiation, wind, currents and other natural factors,
plastic fragments into small particles, termed microplastics (particles smaller than 5
mm) or nanoplastics (particles smaller than 100 nm).

 In addition, microbeads, a type of microplastic, are very tiny pieces of manufactured

polyethylene plastic that are added as exfoliants in health and beauty products, such as
cleansers and toothpastes. These tiny particles easily pass through water filtration
systems and end up in the ocean and lakes.
Concerns:
 Plastic waste blocks our sewers, threatening marine life and generating health risks
for residents in landfills or the natural environment.
 The financial costs of marine plastic pollution are significant as well.

 According to a forecast made in March 2020, the direct harm to the blue economy of
the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will be USD 2.1 billion per year.
 Enormous social costs accompany these economic costs. Residents of coastal regions
suffer from the harmful health impacts of plastic pollution and waste brought in by the
tides.
 Boats may become entangled in abandoned or discarded fishing nets or their engines
may become blocked with plastic debris.

 It can create problems for industries such as Shipping, fisheries and aquaculture and
maritime tourism which affect livelihood of the coastal community.
Steps taken:

 Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 state that every local body has to be
responsible for setting up infrastructure for segregation, collection, processing, and
disposal of plastic waste.
 Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules 2018 introduced the concept of
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).
 Ban on Single-Use Plastics in a bid to free India of single-use plastics by 2022.

4. Schools violating RTE Act face action: child rights panel chief
Context:
The Andhra Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (APSCPCR) will take
measures for implementation of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education
Act, also known as Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009
“Though the Act has come into force several years ago, it is not being implemented properly
in the State. The commission will visit private schools, enquire about the implementation of
the Act, and take suo motu action against the institutions that have failed to adhere to the
norms,” commission Chairman K. Appa Rao has said.
Background:
Features of RTE act, 2009:
 The RTE Act aims to provide primary education to all children aged 6 to 14 years.
 It enforces Education as a Fundamental Right (Article 21).
 The act mandates 25% reservation for disadvantaged sections of the society where
disadvantaged groups include:

 SCs and STs

 Socially Backward Class
 Differently abled
 It also makes provisions for a non-admitted child to be admitted to an age appropriate
class.
 It also states that sharing of financial and other responsibilities between the Central and
State Governments.
 It lays down the norms and standards related to:

 Pupil Teacher Ratios (PTRs)

 Buildings and infrastructure
 School-working days
 Teacher-working hours.
 It had a clause for “No Detention Policy” which has been removed under The Right
of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Act, 2019.
 It also provides for prohibition of deployment of teachers for non-educational work, other
than decennial census, elections to local authority, state legislatures and parliament, and
disaster relief.
 It provides for the appointment of teachers with the requisite entry and academic
qualifications.
 It prohibits

 Physical punishment and mental harassment

 Screening procedures for admission of children
 Capitation fee
 Private tuition by teachers
 Running of schools without recognition
 It focuses on making the child free of fear, trauma and anxiety through a system of child
friendly and child centred learning.
5. Rare Ganesh sculpture found in Macharla
Context:
A rare sculpture of Lord Vinayaka in a fighting posture has been found at the Chennakesava
Swamy temple at Macharla town in Palnadu district.
Background:
E. Siva Nagireddy, archaeologist and CEO, Pleach India Foundation, who unearthed it during
a survey around Macherla town, says that it bears a significant archaeological
significance. He said that two more similar and contemporary sculptures of Ganesh engaged
in killing Durasada are found at the 12th century Pachchala Someswara temple, Pangal in
Nalgonda district, and the Rama temple, Sattenapalli, in Palnadu district.