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Daily News Analysis

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12 December 2022
Topics To be Covered:
✓ The Multi-State Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2022
✓ India Internet Governance Forum
✓ New Songbird
✓ End-to-end Encryption
✓ Clean Ganga Mission
✓ Artemis- 1
✓ Crypto Regulation on Agenda of G-20 Finance Talks
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Topics
The Multi-State Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2022
Context:
Recently, the Bill to amend the Multi--State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act, 2002, was introduced in the Lok
Sabha.
Probable Question:
The cooperative sector in India has failed to realize its potential. Examine in light of the recently brought Multi-
State Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2022.
About Multi--state Cooperatives:
❖ According to the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), cooperatives are people centered enterprises
jointly owned and democratically controlled by and for their members to realize common economic, social
and cultural needs and aspirations.
❖ Multi--state cooperatives are societies that have operations in more than one State — for instance, a farmer
producers organization which procures grains from farmers from multiple States.
❖ The board of directors are from all the States these collectives operate in and control all the finances and
administration. There are close to 1,500 MSCSs registered in India with the highest number being in
Maharashtra.
About 97th Amendment Act:
❖ It added “cooperative societies” under Article 19(1)(c), elevating it to a fundamental right to form
associations or unions or cooperative societies.
❖ The amendment introduced Article 43B (in Directive Principles of State Policy) which says that states shall
endeavor to promote voluntary formation, autonomous functioning, democratic control and professional
management of cooperative societies.
❖ It empowered Parliament to frame laws for cooperative societies that function across States (multi-State
cooperative societies) and State legislatures to make laws for all other cooperative societies falling under their
jurisdiction.
Judicial Views:
❖ The Gujarat High Court struck down the amendment in 2013 because it had failed to comply with the
requirements under Article 368(2) by not having been ratified by the States and had also given an additional
finding that the 97th Amendment violated the basic structure of the Constitution.
❖ Supreme Court judges on the Bench that heard the Union government’s appeals agreed with the Gujarat High
Court that the ratification by the State legislatures was required for Part IXB, and in the absence of such
ratification, the Part had to be struck down.
❖ Since the states had not ratified the amendment, the Supreme Court struck down the provisions under Articles
243ZJ-243ZS, which prescribed the rules under which the state governments could regulate societies.
❖ The court thus held that cooperatives working within a State are the exclusive domain of the state
governments.
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Key Provisions of the Amendment Bill 2022:

❖ The central government will establish the Co-operative Election Authority to:
(i) conduct elections of the multi state cooperatives
(ii) supervise, direct and control the preparation of electoral rolls.
❖ It will establish a Cooperative Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Development Fund for the revival of
sick multi--State co-operative societies. This fund shall be financed by existing profitable multi--State co-
operative societies which will have to deposit either ₹1 crore or 1% of the net profit into the Fund.
❖ The central government will appoint one or more Co-operative Ombudsman with territorial jurisdiction.
The Ombudsman shall inquire into complaints made by members of co-operative societies.
❖ The Bill amends the composition of the board of directors to mandate the inclusion of: (i) one Scheduled
Caste or Scheduled Tribe member, and (ii) two women members.
Issues With Cooperative Sector:
❖ The cooperative sector has become an avenue for dispensing patronage to the supporters of ruling political
parties.
❖ The policy of State governments to contribute to the share capital of the cooperatives enabled governments,
“in the name of public interest” to directly intervene in the working of cooperatives which are legally
autonomous.
❖ Cooperatives have also become avenues for regulatory arbitrage, circumventing lending and anti-money
laundering regulations.
❖ Cooperatives in India function in different sectors. Cooperatives is a State subject under the Constitution of
India and State cooperative laws and their implementation vastly differ.
❖ Cooperative societies have shown weaknesses in safeguarding the interests of the members and fulfillment
of objectives for which these institutions were organized.
Way Forward:
❖ Need to bring provisions in the law quantifying the minimum level of participation required by a member
of a cooperative annually.
❖ Encouraging democratic participation by members, developing effective leadership who can even
influence policy formulation by the government favorable to cooperatives.
❖ Infusing professionalism as it is a key requirement for conversion of ideas/policies into tangible outcomes.
❖ Ensuring effective human resources management practices in cooperatives such as recruitment, training,
social security etc.
News Source: The Hindu
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India Internet Governance Forum

Context:
Recently, the Minister of State for Electronics & Information Technology and Skill Development &
Entrepreneurship has said that India is the largest ‘connected’ nation in the world today with more than 800 million
broadband users while addressing the India Internet Governance Forum.
About India Internet Governance Forum:
❖ The India Internet Government Forum is an initiative associated with the UN Internet Governance Forum
(UN-IGF).
❖ The theme of IIGF 2022 “Leveraging Techade for Empowering Bharat” is aligned with India's efforts of
connecting the unconnected regions with best internet connectivity.
❖ India IGF (IIGF) will provide the ability to facilitate discussions between intergovernmental organizations,
private companies, technical community, academic community and civil society organizations who are
involved in Internet governance-related public policy issues.
❖ The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) is a multi-stakeholder platform bringing representatives together
from various groups, all at par to discuss public policy issues related to the Internet.
News Source: indiaigf.in, pib.gov.in
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New Songbird
Context:
Recently, 6 birdwatchers found a rare and elusive species of gray bellied wren babbler in Arunachal Pradesh’s
Changlang district which they named after the Lisu, the local community.
About Grey-bellied Wren-babbler (Spelaeornis reptatus):
❖ The grey-bellied wren-babbler is a bird species in the family
Timaliidae.
❖ It was until recently considered a subspecies of the long-tailed wren-
babbler; the IUCN started recognizing it as a distinct species in 2008.
❖ Mostly found in Myanmar with some birds occurring in adjoining
China and Thailand.
❖ Reported only once in India in 1988.
❖ IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern.

About Songbirds:
These are the birds having precise control of a highly specialized vocal organ called a syrinx. Almost all birds
use a syrinx to produce sound.

News Source: The Hindu

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End-to-end Encryption
Context:
Recently, Apple announced it will be increasing the number of data points protected by end to end encryption on
iCloud from 14 to 23 categories.
About End-to-end Encryption:
❖ It is a communication process that encrypts data being shared between two devices.
❖ It prevents third parties like cloud service providers, internet service providers (ISPs) and cybercriminals
from accessing data while it is being transferred.
❖ The process of end to end encryption uses an algorithm that transforms standard text into an unreadable
format. This format can only be read by those with the decryption keys, which are only stored on endpoints
and not with any third parties including companies providing the service.
❖ End to end encryption does not protect metadata, which includes information like when a file was created,
the date when a message is sent and the endpoints between which data was shared.
❖ Law enforcement agencies across the globe are deeply concerned with the threat that end to end and user only
access encryption pose as terrorists and other serious criminals can use it for from hiding from the law.
Use of this Technology:
❖ It has long been used when transferring business documents, financial details, legal proceedings, and personal
conversations.
❖ It can also be used to control users’ authorisation when accessing stored data.
❖ Popular instant messaging apps that use it are Signal, WhatsApp, iMessage, and Google messages.
❖ Used to secure passwords, protect stored data and safeguard data on cloud storage.
News Source: The Hindu
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Clean Ganga Mission

Context:
The Union government’s flagship Namami Gange programme, which was conceived to improve the sanitation
levels in the Ganga, is now geared towards conservation, tourism and providing livelihoods.
About Namami Gange Programme:
❖ It is an Integrated Conservation Mission, approved as ‘Flagship Programme’ by the Union Government
in June 2014 with budget outlay of Rs.20,000 Crore to accomplish the twin objectives of effective abatement
of pollution, conservation and rejuvenation of National River Ganga.
❖ Its implementation has been divided into Entry-Level Activities (for immediate visible impact), Medium-
Term Activities (to be implemented within 5 years of time frame) and Long-Term Activities (to be
implemented within 10 years).
About the News:
❖ In a recent meeting chaired by Union Jal Shakti Minister, the thrust of decisions focused on having the Tourism
Ministry develop a “comprehensive plan” for developing tourism circuits along the Ganga in line with Arth
Ganga ( harnessing economic potential from the Ganga), organic farming and cultural activities.
❖ The Agriculture Ministry was asked to take steps to build organic farming and natural farming corridors.
❖ The Urban Affairs Ministry was asked to focus on mapping drains and solid waste management
❖ The Environment Ministry was asked to upscale afforestation and conservation efforts to protect the
Gangetic river dolphin.

About NMCG:
❖ National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) was registered as a society on 12th August 2011 under the
Societies Registration Act 1860.
❖ It acted as the implementation arm of National Ganga River Basin Authority(NGRBA) which was
constituted under the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act (EPA),1986.
❖ The operational area of this project comprises the Ganges Basin and all states through which the river flows,
including Delhi.
❖ The objective of the National Mission for Clean Ganga is to reduce pollution and ensure rejuvenation of
the Ganga river.

News Source: The Hindu

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Artemis- 1
Context:
Recently, NASA’s Orion space capsule splashed down safely in the Pacific, completing the Artemis-1 mission.
About Artemis I:
❖ It will be the first in a series of increasingly complex missions to build a long-term human presence at the
Moon for decades to come.
❖ The primary goals for Artemis I are to demonstrate Orion spacecraft’s systems in a spaceflight environment
and ensure a safe re-entry, descent, splashdown, and recovery prior to the first flight with crew on Artemis II.
Mission Facts:
❖ Launch Date: Nov. 16, 2022
❖ Mission Duration: 25 days, 10 hours, 53 minutes
❖ Total Distance Traveled: 1.3 miIlion miles
❖ Re-entry Speed: 24,500 mph (Mach 32)
❖ Splashdown: Dec. 11, 2022
News Source: The Hindu, nasa.gov.in
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Crypto Regulation on Agenda of G-20 Finance Talks

Context:
A coordinated approach to regulating crypto assets, managing debt vulnerabilities and reorienting global financial
institutions have been identified as critical focus areas of the Finance Track agenda for India’s G­20 Presidency,
which will kick off with the first meeting of G-20 finance and central bank deputies in Bengaluru.
About G20 Finance Track:
❖ The Finance Track gathers G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors to discuss global
economic, fiscal and monetary issues.
❖ Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das will steer
the overall Finance Track during India’s G­20 Presidency.
❖ 40 meetings have been planned under the Finance Track all over the country, with various working groups and
four Ministers Level meetings.
❖ Issues identified for discussions:
➢ globally coordinated approach to unbacked crypto assets
➢ advancing the international taxation agenda
➢ managing global debt vul-nerabilities
➢ advancing financial inclusion and productivity gains
➢ financing for climate action and sustainable development goals
➢ financing “cities of tomorrow"
News Source: The Hindu
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