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  • In news: Sittanavasal Rock Cave Temple

    Sittanavasal

    The Sittanavasal Rock Cave Temple, a major centre of Jain influence for 1,000 years just before the Christian era, is in need of better upkeep.

    Sittanavasal

    • Sittanavasal is a small hamlet in Pudukkottai district of Tamil Nadu, India.
    • It is known for the Sittanavasal Cave, a 2nd-century Jain cave complex. From the 7th to the 9th century A.D., the village flourished as a Jain centre.
    • Sittanavasal is the name used synonymously for the hamlet and the hillock that houses the:
    1. Arivar Kovil (temple of Arihants — Jains who conquered their senses)
    2. Ezhadipattam (a cavern with 17 polished rock beds), megalithic burial sites and the
    3. Navachunai tarn (small mountain lake) with a submerged shrine

    What makes it special?

    • The artwork on the ceiling of the sanctum and the ardha mandapam of Arivar Kovil is an early example of post-Ajanta cave paintings of the fourth to sixth centuries.
    • It was also done using the fresco-secco technique (a process that dispenses with preparation of the wall with wet plaster).

    Features of the cave paintings

    • The ceiling paintings show ‘bhavyas’ (exalted souls who work to achieve moksha or spiritual liberation) enjoying themselves in a pool, full of lotuses; today much of it is obscured by patchy plastering.
    • Faint outlines linger of dancing girls on the ‘ardha mandapam’ pillars.
    • The colours are a mixture of plant dyes and mineral elements such as lime, lamp black, and clay pigments such as ochre for yellow and terre verte for the greyish-green tints.

    Why in news now?

    • Unrestricted public access and general exposure to the elements have led to a gradual fading away of these paintings.
    • At the Ezhadipattam, inscriptions have been vandalised beyond recognition.

    Also try this PYQ:

    Q.There are only two known examples of cave paintings of the Gupta period in ancient India. One of these is paintings of Ajanta caves. Where is the other surviving example of Gupta paintings?

    (a) Bagh caves

    (b) Ellora caves

    (c) Lomas Rishi cave

    (d) Nasik caves

     

    [wpdiscuz-feedback id=”qd62vk8saj” question=”Please leave a feedback on this” opened=”1″]Post your answers here.[/wpdiscuz-feedback]

     

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  • Here is how HDI has performed in last 3 decades

    HDIContext

    • India, belonging to the medium HDI category, shows dimensional inequalities similar to or slightly below the average figures in the category, except in the case of education where it is high and closer to the low HDI countries. The inequalities in health and education are more than twice that of the very high and high HDI categories.

    Why in news?

    What is the meaning of human development?

    • Human development is defined as the process of enlarging people’s freedoms and opportunities and improving their well-being. Human development is about the real freedom ordinary people have to decide who to be, what to do, and how to live.

    What is meant by Human Development Index?

    • The HDI is a summary measure of human development. The HDI is a summary composite measure of a country’s average achievements in three basic aspects of human development: health, knowledge and standard of living.

    Who publishes HDI?

    • The Human Development Report (HDR) is an annual Human Development Index report published by the Human Development Report Office of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

    HDIDimensions of the Human Development Index

    • Long and healthy life: The long and healthy life dimension is measured by life expectancy at birth. The life expectancy at birth is a statistical measure that an average individual is expected to live based on certain demographic factors such as the year of birth and current age.
    • Education: This is a second dimension in the HDI. The indicators of education are the expected years of schooling and the mean years of schooling. According to the UN, the average maximum years of schooling is 18 years, while the mean maximum years of schooling is 15 years.
    • Standard of living: The standard of living is usually measured by the gross national income (GNI) per capita. The GNI indicates the total domestic and foreign output created by the residents of a certain country.

    What are the 4 indicators of HDI?

    • Mean years of schooling
    • Expected years of schooling
    • Life expectancy at birth
    • Gross national income (GNI) per capita

    Which Countries Have the Highest HDI?

    In the latest HDI ranking, from 2022, Switzerland finished first with an HDI value of 0.962.

    HDI

    Issues in HDI

    (1) An incomplete indicator

    • Human development is incomplete without human freedom and that while the need for qualities judgement is clear; there is no simple quantitative measure available yet to capture the many aspects of human freedom.
    • HDI also does not specifically reflect quality of life factors, such as empowerment movements or overall feelings of security or happiness.

    (2) Limited idea of development

    • The HDI is not reflecting the human development idea accurately.
    • It is an index restricted to the socio-economic sphere of life; the political and civil spheres are in the most part kept separate.
    • Hence there is a sub-estimation of inequality among countries, which means that this dimension is not being taken into consideration appropriately.

    (3) A vague concept

    • Concerning data quality and the exact construction of the index HDI is conceptually weak and empirically unsound.
    • This strong critic comes from the idea that both components of HDI are problematic. The GNP in developing countries suffers from incomplete coverage, measurement errors and biases.
    • The definition and measurement of literacy are different among countries and also, this data has not been available since 1970 in a significant number of countries.

    (4) Data quality issues

    • The HDI, as a combination of only four relatively simple indicators, doesn’t only raise a questions what other indicators should be included, but also how to ensure quality and comparable input data.
    • It is logical that the UNDP try to collect their data from international organizations concentrating in collecting data in specific fields.
    • Quality and trustworthiness of those data is disputable, especially when we get the information from UN non-democratic members, as for example Cuba or China.

    (5) A tool for mere comparison

    • The concept of HDI was set up mainly for relative comparison of countries in one particular time.
    • HDI is much better when distinguishing between countries with low and middle human development, instead of countries at the top of the ranking.
    • Therefore, the original notion was not to set up an absolute ranking, but let’s quite free hands in comparison of the results.

    (6) Development has to be greener

    • The human development approach has not adequately incorporated environmental conditions which may threaten long-term achievements on human development. The most pervasive failure was on environmental sustainability.
    • However, for the first time in 2020, the UNDP introduced a new metric to reflect the impact caused by each country’s per-capita carbon emissions and its material footprint.
    • This is Planetary Pressures-adjusted HDI or PHDI. It measured the amount of fossil fuels, metals and other resources used to make the goods and services it consumes.

    (7) Wealth can never equate welfare

    • Higher national wealth does not indicate welfare. GNI may not necessarily increase economic welfare; it depends on how it is spent.
    • For example, if a country spends more on military spending – this is reflected in higher GNI, but welfare could actually be lower.

    Importance of HDI

    • Multidimensionality: It is one of the few multidimensional indices as it includes indicators such as literacy rate, enrolment ratio, life expectancy rate, infant mortality rate, etc.
    • True yardstick: It acts as a true yardstick to measure development in real sense.
    • Helps in measuring a nation’s well-being: Unlike per capital income, which only indicates that a rise in per capital income implies economic development; HDI considers many other vital social indicators and helps in measuring a nation’s well-being.

    Value addition line

    People are the real wealth of a nation. The basic objective of development should be to create an enabling environment for people to live long, healthy and creative lives. This may appear to be a simple truth.

    Conclusion

    • To sum up, the introduction of the HDI three decades ago was an early attempt to address the shortcomings in conventional measures of wellbeing.
    • The HDI has continued to attract widespread attention and motivates the work of activists, scholars and political leaders around the world.
    • The HDI compels us to ask what matters more, the quantitative expansion of an economy, or the qualitative improvement in the capabilities of society.
    • Indeed the revival of interest in this subject at the highest levels of government is the need of the hour.

    Mains question

    Q. What do you understand by human development? Critically analyse the human development index given by UNDP.

     

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  • Teachers with a passion for the profession are foundational to the positive educational change

    teacherContext

    • Success of new education policy depends on how we recruit and assesss teachers.

    What is the issue?

    • Recruitment of well-qualified teachers into the schooling system is the first prerequisite to ensure that students receive quality education.
    • However, teacher recruitment processes in the country are not adequately streamlined. There are diverse recruitment processes across regions, school stages, and school types central, state, and private schools.
    • This, in turn, leads to multiple criteria and processes for hiring teachers, thereby bringing a wide disparity in teacher quality across institutions and regions.
    • Many of the processes are also sub-optimal in measuring the competency of a candidate.

    Teacher hiring mechanism in place

    • One of the most common and widely-taken tests to ensure eligibility for recruitment is the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET), conducted at both the state (STET) and central levels (CTET).
    • TET is the equivalent of the licensure tests that are undertaken by teacher candidates in various countries.
    • However, in India, the test is required only for government school teacher recruitment at the elementary stage (Class 1-8).

    teacherIssues in hiring mechanism

    • TET has been critiqued time and again for various reasons. These include low pass percentages, poor test quality, lengthy test papers and a serious lack of alignment with teacher preparation programmes.
    • The test was in the news recently because of the teachers’ recruitment scam in West Bengal.

    teacherWhat we need?

    • A coherent strategy: to tie together the various tests and processes such as TET, teacher recruitment tests, classroom demonstrations and teacher interviews. This will enable a holistic assessment of teacher competence.
    • Understanding what is competence: Framing a common understanding of what qualifies as teacher competence. Simply speaking, teacher competence can be understood as the core knowledge, skills, and dispositions expected of a teacher to effectively contribute to the teaching-learning process.
    • Multiple methods of assessment: To evaluate several other skills and dispositions, one requires multiple methods of assessment including classroom demonstrations and teacher interviews. These assessments could help gauge skills like effective dissemination of a concept and selection of appropriate resources and learning materials.
    • Teacher’s aptitude: Most importantly, such processes should help evaluate a teacher’s empathy towards students. Respecting learner diversity and skills in building a participative/democratic classroom culture are crucial requisites of a teacher. The recruitment process should assess the teacher’s aptitude in this respect.
    • A comprehensive competency framework: That details the skills a teacher should have. This could be derived from a teacher education curriculum rooted in policy perspectives of the day. For instance, in the case of the NEP, the curriculum could be geared towards imparting training in classroom practices that make learning joyful.

    Long-term benefits to adopting such a holistic model of teacher recruitment

    • Better parity: It will ensure better parity in the quality of teachers recruited across the country.
    • Equitable education: Will contribute to equitable education for students from diverse sections of society.
    • Credibility is ensured: The recruitment process will also become credible if it is rooted in a framework that outlines the core competencies of becoming a teacher.
    • Reduction in coaching centres: At the systemic level, this may also lead to a reduction in coaching centres as the assessment processes will be non-standardised and cannot be easily gleaned from coaching materials and guidebooks.

    Conclusion

    • Teachers with a passion for the profession are foundational to the positive educational change envisaged by the NEP. Setting up clear benchmarks of quality and well-designed recruitment processes hold the key to ensuring better teaching-learning outcomes.

    Mains question

    Q. What do you think on teacher’s quality today? Explain how dynamic teacher recruitment process will enhance teacher’s quality.

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  • Centre’s push for NavIC System  

    navic

    The Union government is pushing tech giants to make smartphones compatible with its home-grown navigation system ‘NavIC’.

    What is NavIC?

    • NavIC, or Navigation with Indian Constellation, is an independent stand-alone navigation satellite system developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
    • NavIC was originally approved in 2006 at a cost of $174 million.
    • It was expected to be completed by late 2011, but only became operational in 2018.
    • NavIC consists of eight satellites and covers the whole of India’s landmass and up to 1,500 km (930 miles) from its boundaries.

    Note: The numbers of satellites in this constellation is disputed. It is given as 7 and 8 on different sources. Total Nine satellites were launched out of which the very first (IRNSS-1A) is partially failed because of some issue in its Atomic Clock. Another and the last satellite had a launch failure. Hence the number 7/8.

    Why is the Centre pushing for NavIC?

    • Currently, NavIC’s use is limited.
    • It is being used in public vehicle tracking in India.
    • It helps providing emergency warning alerts to fishermen venturing into the deep sea where there is no terrestrial network connectivity, and for tracking and providing information related to natural disasters.
    • Enabling it in smartphones is the next step India is pushing for.
    • India’s 2021 satellite navigation draft policy stated the government will work towards expanding the coverage from regional to global to ensure availability of NavIC signal in any part of the world.

    How does NavIC compare?

    • The main difference is the serviceable area covered by these systems.
    • GPS caters to users across the globe and its satellites circle the earth twice a day, while NavIC is currently for use in India and adjacent areas.
    • Like GPS, there are three more navigation systems that have global coverage – Galileo from the European Union, Russia-owned GLONASS and China’s Beidou.
    • QZSS, operated by Japan, is another regional navigation system covering Asia-Oceania region, with a focus on Japan.

    Strategic significance of NavIC

    • India says NavIC is conceived with the aim of removing dependence on foreign satellite systems for navigation service requirements, particularly for “strategic sectors.”
    • Relying on systems like GPS and GLONASS may not always be reliable, India says, as those are operated by the defence agencies of respective nations.
    • It is possible that civilian services can be degraded or denied.
    • NavIC is an indigenous positioning system that is under Indian control.
    • There is no risk of the service being withdrawn or denied in a given situation.

     

    Try this PYQ:

    Q. With reference to the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), consider the following statements:

    1. IRNSS has three Satellites in geostationary and four satellites the geosynchronous orbits.
    2. IRNSS covers entire India and about 5500 sq. km beyond its borders.
    3. India will have its own satellite navigation system with full global coverage by the middle of 2019.

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    (a) 1 only

    (b) 1 and 2 only

    (c) 2 and 3 only

    (d) None

     

    Answer: [wpdiscuz-feedback id=”20zudmif0g” question=”Please leave a feedback on this” opened=”1″](Post it here.)[/wpdiscuz-feedback]

     

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  • What is National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS)?

    The Union Home Minister has inaugurated the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS).

    What is NAFIS?

    • NAFIS is developed by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) at the Central Fingerprint Bureau (CFPB) in New Delhi.
    • The project is a country-wide searchable database of crime- and criminal-related fingerprints.
    • The web-based application functions as a central information repository by consolidating fingerprint data from all states and Union Territories.
    • In April this year, Madhya Pradesh became the first state in the country to identify a deceased person through NAFIS.

    Utility of NAFIS

    • It enables law enforcement agencies to upload, trace, and retrieve data from the database in real time on a 24×7 basis.
    • It would help in the quick and easy disposal of cases with the help of a centralised fingerprint database.

    How does it work?

    • NAFIS assigns a unique 10-digit National Fingerprint Number (NFN) to each person arrested for a crime.
    • This unique ID will be used for the person’s lifetime, and different crimes registered under different FIRs will be linked to the same NFN.
    • The 2020 report states that the ID’s first two digits will be that of the state code in which the person arrested for a crime is registered, followed by a sequence number.
    • By automating the collection, storage, and matching of fingerprints, along with digitizing the records of fingerprint data, NAFIS will provide the much-needed unique identifier for every arrested person.
    • It will be included in the CCTNS (Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems) database as both are connected at the backend.

    Is this the first time that such an automation project is being attempted?

    • Upon the recommendations of the National Police Commission in 1986, the Central Fingerprint Bureau first began to automate the fingerprint database.
    • It began with digitizing the existing manual records through India’s first Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFI) in 1992, called Fingerprint Analysis & Criminal Tracing System (FACTS 1.0).
    • The latest iteration, FACTS 5.0, which was upgraded in 2007, was considered to have “outlived its shelf life”, according to a 2018 report by the NCRB and thus needed to be replaced by NAFIS.

    Since when has India relied on fingerprinting as a crime-fighting tool?

    • A system of fingerprinting identification first emerged in colonial India, where it was tested before it spread to Europe and beyond.
    • At first, it was used by British colonial officials for administrative rather than criminal purposes.
    • William Herschel, the chief administrator of the Hooghly district of Bengal, from the late-middle 1800s onwards, used fingerprinting to reduce fraud and forgeries.
    • It then aimed to ensure that the correct person was receiving government pensions, signing land transfer deeds, and mortgage bonds.
    • Anthropometry, the measurement of physical features of the body, was used by officials in India but was soon replaced with a system of fingerprints.

     

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  • Nationwide Crackdown on PFI

    pfi

    The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has launched a massive nationwide search operation in connection with anti-terror activities linked to the Popular Front of India-PFI.

    What is the Popular Front of India (PFI)?

    • The PFI was created in 2007 through the merger of three radicalists organisations in southern India, the National Democratic Front in Kerala, the Karnataka Forum for Dignity, and the Manitha Neethi Pasarai in Tamil Nadu.
    • A decision to bring the three outfits together was taken in November 2006 at a meeting in Kozhikode in Kerala.
    • The formation of the PFI was formally announced at a rally in Bengaluru during what was called the “Empower India Conference” on February 16, 2007.

    Agenda of the PFI

    • The PFI has projected itself as an organisation that fights for the rights of minorities, Dalits, and marginalised communities.
    • It has frequently targeted the alleged anti-people policies of the State even as these mainstream parties have accused one another of being in cahoots with the PFI to gather the support of Muslims at the time of elections.
    • The PFI has itself never contested elections.

    Parallel organizations to PFI

    • In 2009, a political outfit named Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) evolved out of the PFI, with the aim of taking up the political issues of Muslims, Dalits, and other marginalised communities.
    • The SDPI’s stated goal is advancement and uniform development of all the citizenry including Muslims, Dalits, Backward Classes and Adivasis and to share power fairly among all the citizens.
    • The PFI is a key provider of ground workers for the SDPI’s political activities.

    Why is PFI under crackdown?

    (1) Links to terror outfits

    • Many volunteers of PFI are allegedly involved in terror funding, organising training camps, and radicalising people to join proscribed organisations.
    • It has been involved in carrying out social and Islamic religious work among Muslims on the lines of the work done by right-wing groups.
    • The PFI does not maintain records of its members, and it has been difficult for law enforcement agencies to pin crimes on the organisation after making arrests.

    (2) Promoting Radicalization

    • The outfit is hostile to the consolidation across the country and the rise of a single non-secular party as the nation’s pre-eminent political and ideological force.
    • The post-2014 political landscape and the self-alienation of minorities has further pushed sections of the community towards groups like the PFI.
    • The outfit is also said to have a large number of supporters in Gulf countries who contribute handsomely to its kitty, something which is under the scanner of investigating agencies.

    (3) Hostility against state mechanism

    • Starting out as an organisation primarily rooted in Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, the PFI has spread its wings far and wide, with a presence in at least 18 states.
    • It has found particularly fertile ground in parts of Uttar Pradesh and Assam.
    • Authorities have accused the outfit of instigating and funding protests against the CAA and the National Register of Citizens.

    (4) Barbarism in the name of religion

    • The PFI has had the most visible presence in Kerala, where it has been repeatedly accused of murder, rioting, intimidation, and having links with terrorist organisations.
    • The Kerala government affidavit said PFI activists were involved in 27 cases of MURDER, mostly of CPM and RSS cadres, and that the motives were highly communal.

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  • Rising number of Rabies case

    rabiesContext

    • The death of a 12-year-old girl in Pathanamthitta has sharpened the focus on the rising number of rabies cases and the growing population of stray dogs in Kerala

    What is rabies?

    • The rabies virus attacks the central nervous system of the host, and in humans, it can cause a range of debilitating symptoms including states of anxiety and confusion, partial paralysis, agitation, hallucinations, and, in its final phases, a symptom called “hydrophobia,” or a fear of water.

    What are rabies caused by?

    • Rabies is a preventable viral disease most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal. The rabies virus infects the central nervous system of mammals, ultimately causing disease in the brain and death.

    Can rabies person survive?

    • Once clinical signs of rabies appear, the disease is nearly always fatal, and treatment is typically supportive. Less than 20 cases of human survival from clinical rabies have been documented.

    How long can a human live with rabies?

    • Death usually occurs 2 to 10 days after first symptoms. Survival is almost unknown once symptoms have presented, even with intensive care.

    rabiesFacts on rabies

    • What animal has the most rabies?
    • Bats
    • Wild animals accounted for 92.7% of reported cases of rabies in 2018. Bats were the most frequently reported rabid wildlife species (33% of all animal cases during 2018), followed by raccoons (30.3%), skunks (20.3%), and foxes (7.2%).

    rabiesWhat is the issue?                                  

    • There is a blame game over the rising rabies cases: With the rabies deaths causing panic and reports of residents killing stray dogs through poisoning and strangulation, there is a blame game over the rising canine population and rabies cases. Some legal experts blame it on conflicts in the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 and the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2001; others point to the flawed implementation of birth control measures.
    • Legal battle over the issue in the Supreme Court: Canine culling campaigners and advocates of animal rights are also engaged in a protracted legal battle over the issue in the Supreme Court. V.K. Biju, a lawyer of the Supreme Court, who brought the issue of the “stray dog menace” before the apex court, contends that the root cause is the enactment of the Rules, which according to him, were passed in contravention of the parent Act, the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
    • Existence of stray dogs has adversely affected the fundamental rights of citizens: Biju says that while the Act stands for the “destruction” of stray dogs, the rules are against the “destruction” of stray dogs, including the rabies affected ones, besides providing specific protection of stray dogs. In his submission before the Supreme Court, he argues that the existence of stray dogs has adversely affected the fundamental rights of citizens, i.e. the right to life and free movement.
    • The quashing of the Rules to make India free of stray dogs: In his writ petition filed before the apex court, Biju has sought orders for the strict implementation of the Act and the quashing of the Rules to make India free of stray dogs.
    • Animal rights campaigners are apprehensive: In the light of this, animal rights campaigners are apprehensive over the campaign to cull dogs to check rabies.

    rabiesHow can we prevent rabies in animals?

    1. First, visit your veterinarian with your pet on a regular basis and keep rabies vaccinations up-to-date for all cats, ferrets, and dogs.
    2. Second, maintain control of your pets by keeping cats and ferrets indoors and keeping dogs under direct supervision.
    3. Third, spay or neuter your pets to help reduce the number of unwanted pets that may not be properly cared for or vaccinated regularly.
    4. Finally, call animal control to remove all stray animals from your neighbourhood since these animals may be unvaccinated or ill.

    How can we prevent rabies in humans?

    • Leave all wildlife alone.
    • Know the risk: contact with infected bats is the leading cause of rabies deaths in people followed by exposure to rabid dogs while traveling internationally.
    • Wash animal bites or scratches immediately with soap and water.
    • If you are bitten, scratched, or unsure, talk to a healthcare provider about whether you need postexposure prophylaxis. Rabies in people is 100% preventable through prompt appropriate medical care.
    • Vaccinate your pets to protect them and your family.

    Initiatives by Government to curb Neglected Tropical Diseases

    National Rabies Control Programme: This programme is being restructured as Integrated National Rabies Control Programme under ‘One Health Approach’, with a aim to provide vaccination to stray dogs and free vaccines through Government hospitals.

    Way forward

    • Think globally, act locally. Study and adopt global ‘best-practices’ after customising them to local needs.
    • Apply integrated approach. Follow a holistic strategy.
    • Ensure efficient and effective collaboration across various government departments.
    • Partner with Civil Society Organisations (especially with WASH – Water, Sanitation and Hygiene – sector) for ground-level implementation and monitoring.

    Mains question

    Q. What is rabies? What ethical challenges are involved in culling of stray dogs? Explain the control measures for the same.

     

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  • G4 countries call for UNSC reforms

    g4

    The G4 nations have said that the Intergovernmental Negotiations on UN Security Council reform are constrained by a lack of openness and transparency.

    Who are the G4 Countries?

    • The G4 nations, comprising Brazil, Germany, India, and Japan are four countries which support each other’s bids for permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council.
    • Their primary aim is the permanent member seats on the Security Council.
    • Each of these four countries have figured among the elected non-permanent members of the council since the UN’s establishment.
    • Their economic and political influence has grown significantly in the last decades, reaching a scope comparable to the permanent members (P5).

    Deterrent in their cause

    • The UK and France have backed the G4’s bid for permanent seats.
    • All the permanent members of P5 have supported India’s bids for permanent seat.
    • However, China has previously implied that it is only ready to support India if it does not associate its bid with Japan.
    • The US has sent strong indications to Brazil that it is willing to support its membership; albeit, without a veto.

    What holds them back?

    • There has been discontent among the present permanent members regarding the inclusion of controversial nations or countries not supported by them.
    • For instance, Japan’s bid is heavily opposed by China, North Korea, Russia and South Korea who think that Japan needs to make sincere reparations for war crimes committed during World War II.
    • Under the leadership of Italy, countries that strongly oppose the G4 countries’ bids have formed the Uniting for Consensus movement, also called as Coffee Club.
    • In Asia, Pakistan opposes India’s bid.

    Why India deserves a permanent seat?

    • India has been part of UN since inception.
    • It has the world’s second-largest population and is the world’s largest democracy suited to represent South Asia.
    • It has contributed maximum peacekeepers to UN so far.

    Why reform UNSC?

    • Non-representative nature: UNSC in current form is not representative of developing world and global needs, with primacy of policy being political tool in hands of P5, is well recognised globally.
    • Contention over Veto and Technical Holds: Veto power with P5 enables any one of them to prevent the adoption of any “substantive” draft Council resolution, regardless of its level of international support.
    • Divided institution: UNSC has become an organisation, which can pass strong resolutions against weak countries, weak resolutions against strong countries and no resolution against P5 countries.

    Conclusion

    • There is a possibility that if UN doesn’t reform itself, it may lose relevance and alternate global and regional groupings may assume greater importance.
    • More global pressure from middle powers like G4 may force an expansion of UNSC as a possibility, but abolition of veto power in current set up is unlikely

    Back2Basics: United Nations Security Council (UNSC)

    • The UNSC is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security.
    • Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of international sanctions, and the authorization of military action through Security Council resolutions.
    • It is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states.
    • The Security Council consists of fifteen members. Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, and the United States—serve as the body’s five permanent members.
    • These permanent members can veto any substantive Security Council resolution, including those on the admission of new member states or candidates for Secretary-General.
    • The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members, elected on a regional basis to serve two-year terms. The body’s presidency rotates monthly among its members.

     

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  • What is Ambedkar Tourist Circuit?

    The Central government has announced a special tourist circuit encompassing five key sites associated with Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.

    Why in news?

    • Activists have urged that Mahad, located in Raigad District of Maharashtra, famous for Mahad Lake Satyagraha should also be included in the proposed circuit.

    Ambedkar Circuit

    • The five cities in the tourist circuit as announced are Mhow (his birthplace), London (where he resided and studied), Nagpur (also studied here), Delhi (where he passed away) and finally Mumbai (where he was cremated).
    • With a special AC train, the government is looking to trace the footsteps of Ambedkar in India by giving better connectivity to four of these spots.
    • The idea is to attract tourists beyond the Dalit community, who mostly visit these places as a pilgrimage.
    • The journey will include meals, ground transportation, and entry to the sites.

    About the sites

    1. Janma Bhoomi– Ambedkar’s birthplace in Madhya Pradesh’s Mhow
    2. Shiksha Bhoomi– the place in London where he stayed while studying in the UK
    3. Deeksha Bhoomi– the place in Nagpur where he embraced Buddhism
    4. Mahaparinirvan Bhoomi- the place of his demise in Delhi and
    5. Chaitya Bhoomi- the place of his cremation in Mumbai

    Back2Basics: Tourism Circuits

    • The government had identified 15 tourist circuits under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme in 2014-15.
    • Besides the Ramayana and Buddhist Circuits, others include Coastal Circuit, Desert Circuit, Eco Circuit, Heritage, North East, Himalayan, Sufi, Krishna, Rural, Tribal, and Tirthankar Circuits.
    • In terms of train collaboration, the Ramayana, Buddhist, and North East Circuits are already active, while Ambedkar will be fourth.

     

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  • Issues related to CBI

    CBIContext  

    • Despite several observations made by the Supreme Court of India (SC) against the inefficient functioning of the CBI nothing has happened to improve the situation.
    • The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is in the news now and often.

    Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)

    • The Bureau of Investigation traces its origins to the Delhi Special Police Establishment, a Central Government Police force, which was set up in 1941 by the Government of India.
    • It then aimed to investigate bribery and corruption in transactions with the War and Supply Department of India.
    • It then had its headquarters in Lahore.
    • After the end of the war, there was a continued need for a central governmental agency to investigate bribery and corruption by central-government employees.
    • The DSPE acquired its popular current name, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), through a Home Ministry resolution dated in 1963.

    Mandate of the CBI

    • The CBI is the main investigating agency of the GoI.
    • It is not a statutory body; it derives its powers from the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946.
    • Its important role is to prevent corruption and maintain integrity in administration.
    • It works under the supervision of the CVC (Central Vigilance Commission) in matters pertaining to the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
    • The CBI is also India’s official representative with the INTERPOL.

    CBICases to investigate

    • Cases connected to infringement of economic and fiscal laws
    • Crimes of a serious nature that have national and international ramifications
    • Coordination with the activities of the various state police forces and anti-corruption agencies.
    • It can also take up any case of public importance and investigate it
    • Maintaining crime statistics and disseminating criminal information.

    Notable cases cracked by CBI

    • Bhanwri Devi missing case: Jat leader and former Rajasthan minister Mahipal Maderna, Congress MLA Malkhan Singh and Bhanwari’s husband Amarchand were all part of the conspiracy to abduct and eliminate Bhanwari. Bhanwari had threatened to expose Malkhan’s relationship with her at the Bishnoi mahapanchayat.  Maderna, Malkhan, the three kidnappers and Sahiram along with Amarchand were arrested by the CBI.
    • Noida double murder case: In May 2008, the nation was shocked with the sensational double murders in Noida. The victims were Arushi Talwar and Hemraj Banjade. Initially, there was no clarity about the motive or the perpetrator of this ghastly crime. After a lengthy investigation which spanned close to 6 years, the CBI based on circumstantial evidence established that the parents of Aarushi Talwar, Rajesh Talwar and Nupur Talwar were the perpetrators of this crime.
    • The Satyam Case:  B Ramalinga Raju, the disgraced chairman of Satyam Computers Services Ltd, along with 13 individuals and entities including Chintalapati Srinivasa Raju of iLabs, made Rs 2,000 crore in illegal wealth in the Satyam scam. The CBI constituted a Multi-Disciplinary Investigation Team (MDIT) to investigate the case. The team worked hard, burnt midnight oil and achieved success in a record time of 45 days when it filed its first chargesheet against the accused for offences of criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery and falsification of accounts.

    Issues with CBI

    • Caged parrot: The Supreme Court has criticized the CBI by calling it a “caged parrot speaking in its master’s voice”.
    • Political interference: It has often been used by the government of the day to cover up wrongdoing, keep coalition allies in line and political opponents at bay.
    • Investigation delay: It has been accused of enormous delays in concluding investigations due to political inertia.
    • Loss of Credibility: CBI has been criticised for its mismanagement of several cases involving prominent politicians and mishandling of several sensitive cases like Bofors scandal, Bhopal gas tragedy.
    • Lack of Accountability: CBI is exempted from the provisions of the Right to Information Act, thus, lacking public accountability.
    • Acute shortage of personnel: A major cause of the shortfall is the government’s sheer mismanagement of CBI’s workforce.
    • Limited Powers: The powers and jurisdiction of members of the CBI for investigation are subject to the consent of the State Govt., thus limiting the extent of investigation by CBI.
    • Restricted Access: Prior approval of Central Government to conduct inquiry or investigation on the employees of the Central Government is a big obstacle in combating corruption at higher levels of bureaucracy.

    Why was it called caged carrot by the Supreme Court?

    • Politicisation of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has been a work in progress for years.
    • Corruption and Politically biased nature, This was highlighted in Supreme Court criticism for being a caged parrot speaking in its master’s voice.
    • CBI has been accused of becoming ‘handmaiden’ to the party in power; as a result high profile cases are not treated seriously.
    • Since CBI is run by central police officials on deputation hence chances of getting influenced by government was visible in the hope of better future postings.

    Suggestions for the improvement of the functioning of the CBI under the supervision of the CVC

    1. One, the CVC Act should be amended, providing for a five/seven member Central Vigilance Commission, which could broadly assume the role visualised for the Lokpal. The selection process of the CVC members should be more broad based to prevent favouritism or from controversial persons being appointed.
    2. Two, the CVC should constitute an advisory committee of at least 11 members drawn from criminologists and forensic science experts. This will augment the professional input in its functioning. Further, to reduce the burden on the CVC, it should be given the power to go to any expert or professional to assist it in screening complaints.
    3. Three, the jurisdiction of CVC, which presently covers all employees of the central government and the CPSUs, should remain unchanged. There is already an administrative arrangement to delegate the vigilance administration over class II and lower formations to the ministries/departments concerned. However, if the lower formations are involved with the class I officers in a composite case, the CVC exercises a natural jurisdiction over all of them. To make this arrangement more effective, it would be important that the CVC exercises complete control over the selection, appointment and functioning of the CVOs.
    4. Four, the CVC should have an adequately experienced team to technically examine and assess the gravity of a complaint, which can then be assigned to the CBI for investigation or can be investigated by this team. After assessing a complaint by this broad-based CVC, there should be no need to seek prior permission from the government.
    5. Five, in the cases assigned to it by the CVC, the CBI should be made functionally and financially independent of the controls of any government ministry/department. The professional supervision over the investigations of the CBI should rest only with the CVC.
    6. Six, the manner of the appointment of the CBI Director should be broad based as in the case of the CVC members, whereas the other inductions/appointments in the CBI should be brought under the overarching supervision of the CVC.
    7. Seven, to achieve better synergy between anti-corruption laws and grievance handling, the laws relating to the whistle blowers and grievance redressal should be placed within the jurisdiction of the CVC.
    8. Eight, effective administration of anti-corruption laws at the grass roots is the key to responsible governance. The state and their anti-corruption agencies would, therefore, need to be equally insulated from the state government’s interference on similar lines.

    Reforming CBI

    • Need for autonomy:   As long as the government of the day has the power to transfer and post officials of its choice in the CBI, the investigating agency will not enjoy autonomy and will be unable to investigate cases freely.
    • Selection of director/ Officers: To ensure that the CBI is a robust, independent and credible investigation agency, there is an urgent need to work out a much more transparent mechanism for selection and induction of officers on deputation.
    • Lokpal scrutiny: The Lokpal Act already calls for a three-member committee made up of the PM, the leader of the opposition and the CJI to select the director.
    • Bifurcation of Cadre: CBI should be bifurcated into an Anti-Corruption Body and a National Crime Bureau.
    • Develop own cadre: One of the demands that have been before Supreme Court, and in line with international best practices, is for the CBI to develop its own dedicated cadre of officers.
    • Annual social audit should be carried out by ten reputed, knowledgeable persons with background of law, justice, public affairs and administration and the audit report should be placed before the parliament.

    About Enforcement Directorate (ED)

    • It goes back to May 1, 1956, when an ‘Enforcement Unit’ was formed in the Department of Economic Affairs.
    • It then aimed for handling Exchange Control Laws violations under the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA).
    • The ED today is a multi-dimensional organisation investigating economic offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, Foreign Exchange Management Act and FERA.

    CBIFrom where does the ED get its powers?

    • When proceeds of crime (property/money) are generated, the best way to save that money is by parking it somewhere, so one is not answerable to anyone in the country.
    • Therefore, there was a need to control and prevent the laundering of money.
    • The PMLA was brought in for this exact reason in 2002, but was enacted only in 2005.
    • The objective was to prevent parking of the money outside India and to trace out the layering and the trail of money.
    • So as per the Act, the ED got its power to investigate under Sections 48 (authorities under act) and 49 (appointment and powers of authorities and other officers).

    At what stage does the ED step in when a crime is committed?

    • Whenever any offence is registered by a local police station, which has generated proceeds of crime over and above ₹1 crore, the investigating police officer forwards the details to the ED.
    • Alternately, if the offence comes under the knowledge of the Central agency, they can then call for the First Information Report (FIR) or the chargesheet if it has been filed directly by police officials.
    • This will be done to find out if any laundering has taken place.

    CBIWhat differentiates the probe between the local police and officers of the ED?

    Case study:

    • If a theft has been committed in a nationalised bank, the local police station will first investigate the crime.
    • If it is learnt that the founder of the bank took all the money and kept it in his house, without being spent or used, then the crime is only theft and the ED won’t interfere because the amount has already been seized.
    • But if the amount which has been stolen is used after four years to purchase some properties, then the ill-gotten money is brought back in the market.
    • Or if the money is given to someone else to buy properties in different parts of the country, then there is ‘laundering’ of money.
    • Hence the ED will need to step in and look into the layering and attachment of properties to recover the money.
    • If jewellery costing ₹1 crore is stolen, police officers will investigate the theft. The ED, however, will attach assets of the accused to recover the amount of ₹1 crore.

    CBIWhat are the other roles and functions of the ED?

    • The ED carries out search (property) and seizure (money/documents) after it has decided that the money has been laundered, under Section 16 (power of survey) and Section 17 (search and seizure) of the PMLA.
    • On the basis of that, the authorities will decide if arrest is needed as per Section 19 (power of arrest).
    • Under Section 50, the ED can also directly carry out search and seizure without calling the person for questioning.
    • It is not necessary to summon the person first and then start with the search and seizure.
    • If the person is arrested, the ED gets 60 days to file the prosecution complaint (chargesheet) as the punishment under PMLA doesn’t go beyond seven years.
    • If no one is arrested and only the property is attached, then the prosecution complaint along with attachment order is to be submitted before the adjudicating authority within 60 days.

    Can the ED investigate cases of money laundering retrospectively?

    • If an ill-gotten property is acquired before the year 2005 (when the law was brought in) and disposed off, then there is no case under PMLA.
    • But if proceeds of the crime were possessed before 2005, kept in storage, and used after 2005 by buying properties, the colour of the money is still black and the person is liable to be prosecuted under PMLA.
    • Under Section 3 of PMLA, a person shall be guilty of money-laundering, if such person is found to have directly or indirectly attempted to indulge or knowingly assist a party involved in one or more of the following activities:
    • Concealment; possession; acquisition; use; or projecting as untainted property; or claiming as untainted property in any manner etc.

    Allegations against ED

    • Huge discretions: The ED is the only Central agency in the country that does not require permission from the government to summon or prosecute politicians or government functionaries for committing economic offences like money laundering.
    • Used for petty crimes: PMLA is pulled into the investigation of even “ordinary” crimes and assets of genuine victims have been attached.
    • Actual purpose denigrated: PMLA was a comprehensive penal statute to counter the threat of money laundering, specifically stemming from the trade in narcotics.
    • Violations of Rights: PMLA was enacted in response to India’s global commitment to combat the menace of money laundering. Instead, rights have been “cribbed, cabined and confined”.
    • Functional opacity: There is also a lack of clarity about ED’s selection of cases to investigate. We often see ED raiding houses of opposition parties suddenly.
    • Poor rate of conviction: We have hardly read the conclusion of cases by ED. Meantime media-trial tears off the accused person’s credibility which is the most desired intent.
    • Under-trials and slower prosecution: ED has been focusing on keeping the accused in custody rather than actually proving the charges against them.

    Challenges to ED

    • ED being dragged to court: The petitions against the ED had the effect of slowing down the investigations, as officers have to defend themselves in court.
    • Foul crying politicians: There are attempts to cover up unexplained, high-value transactions that fall within the PMLA’s ambit
    • Investigation of foreign transactions: Getting information on accounts and money stashed abroad to establish a trail is the biggest challenge they face.

    Way forward

    • The fight against corruption is intimately linked with the reform of the investigations.
    • Therefore the adjudicating authorities must work in cooperation and ensure the highest standards of transparency and fairness.
    • ED has been walking a tightrope to safeguard its integrity by speeding up investigations and court procedures.
    • The need of the hour could be systemic fixes—and not shrill calls to throw the baby out with the bathwater.
    • It is unlikely that corruption can be substantially reduced without modifying the way government agencies operate.

    Conclusion

    • It is for the nation to demand that the country’s premier investigating agencies like the CBI, income tax authorities and the ED are not used as instruments of blackmail and intimidation by the government of the day. Rather they should work with complete objectivity and in the interest of the nation.

    Mains question

    Q. CBI and ED was called caged carrot by the Supreme Court. Do you agree with this? What issues are being faced by these premier agencies? Suggest some dynamic solutions to overcome these issues.

    Do follow

    [Burning Issue] Enforcement Directorate (ED): Dreaded nightmare of Indian Politicians & Businessmen

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