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  • Species in news: Sela Macaque

    A new species of old world monkey recorded from Arunachal Pradesh has been named after a strategic Sela pass at 13,700 ft above sea level.

    Sela macaque (Macaca selai).

    • This new primate was identified and analysed by a team of experts from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) and the University of Calcutta.
    • Earlier it was called as White- Cheeked Macaque displaying white cheeks, long and thick hairs on the neck area, and a longer tail.
    • Their study has been published in the latest edition of Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution.
    • Phylogenetics relate to the evolutionary development and diversification of a species or group of organisms.
    • The phylogenetic analysis revealed that the Sela macaque was geographically separated from the Arunachal macaque (Macaca munzala) of Tawang district by Sela.
    • This mountain pass acted as a barrier by restricting the migration of individuals of these two species for approximately two million years.

    Protection status

    • It has NOT been yet included in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 of India.
    • The potential threat to all species of macaques in the landscape is due to hunting by locals for consumption and habitat degradation due to urbanization and infrastructure development.

     About Sela Pass

    • The Sela Pass is a high-altitude mountain pass located on the border between the Tawang and West Kameng districts in Arunachal Pradesh.
    • It has an elevation of 4170 m and connects the Indian Buddhist town of Tawang to Dirang and Guwahati.
    • The pass supports scarce amounts of vegetation and is usually snow-covered to some extent throughout the year.
    • While Sela Pass does get heavy snowfall in winters, it is usually open throughout the year unless landslides or snow require the pass to be shut down temporarily.
    • The strategically-significant Sela Tunnel project is now nearing completion well before the deadline.

     

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  • AKRUTI Program to start in Kudankulam

    The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited is all set to launch AKRUTI programme in the villages surrounding Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP).

    AKRUTI Program

    • The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited is assisting unemployed youth living near the Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS) through AKRUTI.
    • AKRUTI stands for Advanced Knowledge and Rural Technology Implementation (AKRUTI) program.
    • Areas of water, food processing, agriculture and waste management in rural areas are covered under the AKRUTI program.
    • The scheme aims at empowering villages through implementing different technologies for usage.
    • This scheme will lead to sustainable growth of the rural sector across the country.

    What is the objective?

    • To provide information and mechanism for implementation of BARC technologies in rural areas thereby aiming at overall rural development.

     

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  • [Burning Issue] Power Crisis in India

    https://img.etimg.com/thumb/width-1200,height-900,imgsize-178130,resizemode-1,msid-87097716/industry/energy/power/how-rains-and-lack-of-foresight-of-power-producers-and-states-caused-a-power-crisis-in-india.jpg

    Context

    • India is facing one of the worst power crises in its History and the scariest point is that this power crisis is not something that rarely has been haunting almost every year for 10 years now!!
    • As a result, businesses all across the country are facing lakhs and even crores of losses due to power shortage!! and at the macro level, the economy of India itself is taking a hit!!

    A layman’s analysis

    • When we say power crisis you might think maybe India does not have enough energy source!!
    • But the fun fact is that India has the 5th largest coal reserve globally with 9.5% of the entire world’s coal reserve right here in our country itself!!
    • We have so much coal that with the existing energy demands, these reserves can power India for 111 years!!
    • Also the completion of universal household electrification has been a huge achievement.

    So the question is:

    1. Inspite being one of the largest coal reserve why is India facing a power crisis?
    2. What are the factors that cause this to happen every single year?

    Power value chain in India

    • The first thing we need to understand is the power value chain in India and how energy actually comes from the coal mines to your laptop.
    • This value chain includes four major steps:
    • Producers who mine and refine fuels
    • Power generation
    • Electricity transmission
    • Electricity distribution (Discoms)
    • The value chain starts with the energy producers who mine and refine fuels that are used in electricity production this includes all types of energy sources like coal gas oil or even nuclear based fuels.
    • The fuels are then delivered to the generation facilities where the electricity generator uses the fuel to drive a generator to produce electricity and then to dispatch it to a transmission and distribution system or Discoms.
    • This system distributes the electricity to consumer locations through a transmission and distribution grid.

    India’s dependency on Coal

    • As of September 2021, thermal power comprised 60% of India’s installed capacity in power generation.
    • Coal-based power generation, with a capacity of around 210 gigawatts (GW) of the total 396 GW, accounts for about 53% of India’s total power capacity as on March 2022.
    • India imports about 20% of its thermal coal requirements.

    Why is there a Power Shortage?

    • India was recently hit by a power crisis when the daily peak power shortage rose to 10,778 MW and the energy deficit reached 5% at the national level.
    • Some states experienced steep deficits of up to 15%.
    • Consequently, discoms resorted to load-shedding, resulting in long hours of outage for many households and rationed supply for economic activities.
    • Depleting coal supplies at thermal power plants has resulted in this crisis.

    (1) Largest share in energy basket

    • Coal is the most important and abundant fossil fuel in India. It accounts for 55% of the country’s energy needs.
    • Coal demand is driven by the rising population, expanding economy and a quest for improved quality of life.
    • Currently, India doesn’t have a feasible replacement of Coal Based Thermal Energy in near future.

    (2) Demand for power has soared

    • For instance, New Delhi’s peak power demand touched 5,460 megawatts (MW) recently, the highest ever in April’s first fortnight.
    • This was due to severe heatwaves all across the nation.
    • Several states, including Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Telangana, and Maharashtra, are facing power outages.

    (3) Lack of coal availability in stock

    • The coal stock with power generation companies (gencos) is not adequate to meet the rising demand.
    • Normally, a power plant must maintain 26 days of coal stock.
    • However, at present, several power plants are reporting critical levels of coal stock.
    • Data from the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) shows that 97 power plants out of the 173 have critical levels of coal inventory.
    • These have an average of 28% of the stock compared to the normal scenario.

    Stress on Power plants

    • There has been a moderation in coal supply towards certain gencos because of the overdues or delays in the payments.
    • As a result, discoms/state governments will either have to absorb the cost burden with increased imported coal-based generation.
    • This however has to be passed on the same through tariff hikes which never happened in India.
    • Inspite, DISCOMS constrained to offtake power, resulting in load shedding, which has been visible in a few states recently.

    Major reason: Underperformance of Coal Sector

    • The state power distribution companies (discoms) have also not been able to clear their dues to power generation companies.
    • According to the government’s PRAAPTI portal, distribution companies faced financial liability of nearly Rs 1 lakh crore.
    • The challenges facing the finances of the distribution companies have only been exacerbated by the COVID-19 crises.
    • The impact of the nation-wide lockdown in 2020, which shuttered commercial and industrial enterprises was severe for their finances.
    • Revenues from historically subsidizing consumers decreased, even as supply to subsided consumers, agricultural and residential consumers, either increased or remained the same.
    • Indian railways owing to no reception of payment from DISCOMS stopped or reduced coal supplies.

    Factors attributing to the deteriorating finances

    [1] Lack of Cost-reflective Tariffs

    • The costs of supplying high-voltage consumers is significantly less than that of supplying to lower voltage consumers
    • The complexity of tariff determination is accentuated by the existence of multiplicity of categories in the tariff structures, with numerous subcategories and slabs.
    • There is significant variation in this between states.

    [2] Distorted Cross-subsidies

    • Households and agricultural consumers paying less than the average cost of supply and to make up for this, tariffs for commercial and industrial consumers are higher.
    • In developed countries, high voltage industrial consumers have the lowest tariff reflecting lower costs.
    • This increases industrial competitiveness by lowering energy costs.
    • DISCOMs in states with poor industrialization tend to correspondingly have larger losses.
    • Increased domestic consumption due to expanded electrification and rise in per capita incomes and increased agricultural consumption due to increased demand for irrigation have not been matched by a similar growth in subsidizing consumers.
    • Consistent losses have meant that distribution companies do not have the financial capacity to invest in necessary capital expenditure, resulting in paying consumers needing to invest on their own in independent sources of power.

    [3] Misaligned Political Incentives and Mismanagement

    • The govt could have declared the extent to which tariffs would become lower as AT&C losses were brought down.
    • Consumers would pay more than necessary to the extent AT&C (Aggregate Technical & Commercial) losses were higher.
    • De-metering of agricultural consumption has been another example.
    • It is considered to have encouraged ‘a culture of unaccountability in the sector, leading to theft and line losses being hidden within the agricultural category’.
    • There are also electricity bills waivers as populist election freebies.

    [4] Lack of Regular Tariff Increase

    • Another major cause of the high financial losses has been that tariffs do not increase commensurate to increase in costs in many states.
    • Since the 1990s, revenue recovered by DISCOMs had been, on average, 30% lower than the cost incurred.
    • This resulted in approximately Rs 1.15 lakh crores of costs, which were not recovered through tariffs.
    • Due to a variety of reasons, including state government interventions or a lack of preparedness, DISCOMs do not file petitions in a timely manner.

    [5] Delays/non-payment of Subsidy Amounts and Dues by States

    • The rapid rise in subsidized consumers and increased populist announcements of greater subsidies have meant an increase in the requirement of subsidies from the state governments.
    • Delays in release of subsidies, as well as underpayment of committed subsidies impact the ability of DISCOMs in managing operating costs.
    • Moreover, since the fraction of the cost structure meant to be covered by subsidy payments has risen.
    • Also, government departments often also do not release payments for outstanding dues in a timely manner.

    Various policy measures

    [1] 2001 Scheme for Repayment of SEB Due

    • The first bailout package was intended as a one-time settlement of outstanding dues till September 2001.
    • Based on the recommendations of the Committee constituted under Montek Singh Ahluwalia, in May 2002, the government circulated a tripartite agreement between the RBI, Central and State Governments.
    • States were to implement reforms such as setting up SERC, metering distribution feeders, and improving revenue realization, in exchange for which 60% of interest/surcharge on delayed payments was waived for participating states

    [2] 2012 Financial Restructuring Plan (FRP)

    • The states were unable to turn around the fortunes of their electricity boards as required by the financial restructuring plan (FRP) finalized in September 2012.
    • This was because of reasons such as low tariff increases, slow progress in reducing losses, higher electricity purchase costs and crippling debt.
    • The scheme has been availed by Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Jharkhand, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
    • This is the second such bailout for the Indian distribution sector.
    • Some states including Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan have also not converted outstanding state government loans into equity—another requisite.

    [3] 2015 Ujwal DISCOMs Assurance Yojana (UDAY)

    • The UDAY scheme was introduced with the objective to improve the operational and financial efficiency of state DISCOMs.
    • The scheme allowed state governments to take over 75% of outstanding DISCOM debt over two years.
    • Incentives offered to participating states included access to additional/priority funding through Central Government schemes such as DDUGJY, IPDS, Power Sector Development Fund (PSDF).
    • This however could not alter the situation on the ground.

    [4] Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan Package

    • This was a part of the package announced to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy.
    • It infused liquidity support of Rs 90,000 crore in the form of concessional loans from Power Finance Corporation and Rural Electrification Corporation.
    • It provided for rebates by Central Public Sector Gencos to DISCOMs; and relaxation of conditions of existing loans and relief from certain late payments and surcharges were announced.
    • The borrowing limits for states were also relaxed, with part of the increased borrowing linked to reforms on power distribution.

    [5] Reforms-based Result-Linked Power Distribution Sector

    • Launched in July 2021, the RDSS is the latest of many central government grant-based programmes towards electricity distribution network investments.
    • It has an outlay of Rs 3 lakh crore for five years.
    • Half of the outlay is for better feeder and transformer metering and pre-paid smart consumer metering.
    • The remaining half, 60 percent of which will be funded by central government grants, will be spent on power loss reduction and strengthening networks.
    • RDSS stipulates universal pre-paid metering but post-paid options may be suitable in many contexts.

      What are the recent reforms in Coal Sector?

    • Commercial mining of coal is allowed, with 50 blocks to be offered to the private sector.
    • Entry norms will be liberalized as it has done away with the regulation requiring power plants to use “washed” coal.
    • Coal blocks to be offered to private companies on revenue sharing basis in place of fixed cost.
    • Coal gasification/liquefaction to be incentivized through rebate in revenue share.
    • Coal bed methane (CBM) extraction rights to be auctioned from Coal India’s coal mines.

    Averting the power crisis: A way forward

    (1) Ramp-up domestic coal production

    • The efforts are being taken to fill the shortage of coal from domestic mines and to do so the government is working closely with coal producing companies to ramp up domestic production of coal.

    (2) Reduce demand-supply mismatches

    • Load shading is not new to India. Rationing of power supply in rural and semi-urban areas will be the immediate solution for the power distress in industrial areas.

    (3) Rationalize the coal imports

    • India will need to amplify its imports despite the financial cost. The gap in the coal demand after domestic production has to be filled by the imports from Indonesia and Australia.

    (4) Focus on Hydro-power generation and natural gal

    • India has the immense potential in the Hydro-power generation and is among the most important sector for generating electricity after thermal power plants. There could be a larger role for natural gas to play, even with global prices currently surging.

    (5) Increasing the share of Renewable energy

    • Experts advocate a mix of coal and clean sources of energy as a possible long-term solution. It’s not completely possible to transition and it’s never a good strategy to transition 100% to renewables without a backup.
    • Long term investment in multiple power sources aside a crisis like the current one can be averted with better planning.

    (6) Increased coordination

    • There is need for closer coordination between Coal India Limited – the largest supplier of coal in the country and other stakeholders.
    • For now, the government is working with state-run enterprises to ramp up production and mining to reduce the gap between supply and demand.

    (7) Decentralized power generation

    • The main issue is that we are dependent on large, centralized power generation.
    • The only way our power sector can absorb shocks better is if large power plants are augmented by decentralized generation sources at village level.
    • This can be a template for better resilience to future power crises.

    (8) Coal stocking norms

    • To avoid such a crisis situation in future, the Ministry of Power has worked out a strategy which includes tweaking the coal stocking norms. If the power plants do not follow them, then there will be a penal provision.
    • To overcome the storage issue in the generation of electricity from renewable sources, the government is working on a provision for creating more storage facilities in the grid.

    Conclusion

    • India can learn a lesson from Europe’s power crisis. While Europe has gas power plants to stand in, India doesn’t have similar options.
    • As we move more towards greening our power sources, we need to provision for paying for standby thermal generation to avoid a mega-crisis.
    • Adequate liquidity for backup reserve capacity needs to be planned and provisioned for.
    • Probably, the present situation is a good opportunity to rethink and fine-tune the energy policy without further delay.
    • Bits and pieces reforms will not work anymore, as the chain has to been broken and a complete overhaul is required.

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  • GST collections touched a record high of Rs 1.67 lakh crore in April.

    Context

    There has been a remarkable upswing in GST collections in recent months. Collections touched a record high of Rs 1.67 lakh crore in April.

    GST

    GST Interstate Model Example

    What are the reasons for increased collection?

    • 1] Inflation: First, the sharp rise in inflation has played a significant role.
    • Notwithstanding concerns over the unevenness of the economic recovery, in nominal terms, the economy grew by 19.4 per cent in 2021-22 as per the second advance estimates.
    • Deflating GST collection suggests that a large part of the recent increase in collections is driven by rising prices.
    • 2] Higher imports: Part of the overall increase in collections can be traced to higher imports.
    • Higher buoyancy: Even if one is to exclude the revenue accruing from imports, the rise in GST collections has outstripped GDP growth, indicating higher buoyancy.
    • 3] Tightening of the rules: In order to improve compliance levels, the GST Council has been tweaking the rules to tighten the system.
    • Returns filed have gone up, while the number of non-filers and those who delay filing have fallen.
    • Alongside, the administration has also taken steps to tackle the menace of fake invoices by placing restrictions on the quantum of input tax credit that can be used to pay of tax obligations.
    • The introduction of e-invoicing has also played a role.
    • Until recently, this was being implemented for firms with a turnover of more than Rs 50 crore.
    • From April, this process has been extended to firms above Rs 20 crore.
    • The incremental gains from bringing smaller firms into its ambit, while consequential, are unlikely to be of the same order.
    • 4] Industrial activity:  The higher collections in April 2022 seem to be led by increase in industrial activity. This is borne by strong growth in collections in states such as Maharashtra, Karnataka and Odisha which house lot of industries. Relatively tepid growth in more populous states such as Bihar (-2.47 per cent), West Bengal (7.80 per cent) and Jharkhand (4.86 per cent) shows that the GST collections was not propelled by revival in private consumption.
    •  The real challenge lies in improving compliance levels across the entire spectrum of industries where inputs/raw materials are sourced largely from the informal sector.
    • 5] Changing the structure of the economy: The formalisation of firms, the growing concentration of economic power in the hands of a few, imply that for the same level of output, the tax paid will be higher.

    Suggestion

    • Increase tax rate: Around two-fifths of the taxable value (or turnover) falls under the 18 per cent slab as per research by some analysts.
    • This implies that simply merging the 12 per cent and the 18 per cent slab as some have been suggesting would lead to a revenue loss.
    • Before opting for such adjustments, the GST Council must first ascertain the potential revenue (net of cess and refunds) at varying levels of compliance, tax rates and exemptions afforded.
    • Now, as per some estimates presented to the 15th Finance Commission, with existing exemptions in place, the current tax regime should ideally yield revenues equivalent to 8.23 per cent of GDP.
    •  In another scenario, even if existing exemptions are kept in place, and if a single rate of 14 per cent is levied, then collections should rise to 8.93 per cent.

    Conclusion

    Considering the current economic situation, now may not be an opportune moment to raise taxes. But there is no getting around it. Both the Centre and the states need to work towards this.

     

  • Supreme Court recognizes Sex Work as a ‘Profession’

    In a significant order recognising sex work as a “profession”, the Supreme Court has directed that police should neither interfere nor take criminal action against adult and consenting sex workers.

    What did the Supreme Court say?

    • Sex Work is a profession whose practitioners are entitled to dignity and equal protection under law.
    • Criminal law must apply equally in all cases, on the basis of ‘age’ and ‘consent’.
    • It need not be gainsaid that notwithstanding the profession, every individual in this country has a right to a dignified life under Article 21 of the Constitution, the court observed.
    • The order was passed after invoking special powers under Article 142 of Constitution.

    A caution to the police

    • It is clear that the sex worker is an adult and is participating with consent, the police must refrain from interfering or taking any criminal action.
    • The Bench ordered that sex workers should not be “arrested or penalised or harassed or victimised” whenever there is a raid on any brothel.
    • Since voluntary sex work is not illegal and only running the brothel is unlawful.
    • Basic protection of human decency and dignity extends to sex workers and their children, the court noted.
    • A child of a sex worker should not be separated from the mother merely on the ground that she is in the sex trade, the court held.
    • Further, if a minor is found living in a brothel or with sex workers, it should not be presumed that the child was trafficked.

    Sexual crimes against sex workers

    • The court ordered the police to not discriminate against sex workers who lodge a criminal complaint of offence committed against them is of a sexual nature.
    • Sex workers can also be victims of sexual assault should be provided every facility including immediate medico-legal care.
    • The court said media should take “utmost care not to reveal the identities of sex workers, during arrest, raid and rescue operations.

    Sex work in India

    • According to the Indian Penal Code (IPC), prostitution in its broader sense is not really illegal per se.
    • But there are certain activities which constitute a major part of prostitution that are punishable under certain provisions of the act, which are:
    1. Soliciting prostitution services in public places
    2. Carrying out prostitution activities in hotels
    3. Indulging in prostitution by arranging for a sex worker
    4. Arrangement of a sexual act with a customer

    Various issues faced by Sex Workers

    • Stigma and Marginalization: This is experienced as the major factor that prevents women in sex work from accessing their rights.
    • Denial of basic amenities: Due to this discrimination, women in sex work have been denied safety, proper healthcare, education and, most importantly, the right to practice the business of making money from sex.
    • Risks of violence: People in sex work are not only at a higher risk for violence, but they are also less likely to get protection from the police—often the very perpetrators of this violence.
    • Backwardness: Illiteracy, ignorance and fear of the medical establishment make it difficult for women to access healthcare.
    • Health hazards: Current discourse on HIV/AIDS has served to further stigmatize sex workers by labeling them as “vectors” and “carriers” of the disease.

    Protection against forceful sex work

    • The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1986 is an amendment of the original act.
    • As per this act, prostitutes are to be arrested if they are found soliciting their services or seducing others.
    • Furthermore, call girls are prohibited from making their phone numbers public.
    • They can be punished for up to 6 months along with penalties if found doing so.

    Constitutional protection

    Article 23 of the Indian Constitution, amended in 2014, includes the following provisions:

    1. Prohibition of human trafficking and forced labour.
    2. Traffic in human beings and bears and other similar forms of forced labour are prohibited and any contravention of this provision shall be an offence punishable in accordance with the law.
    3. Nothing in this article precludes the State from imposing compulsory service for public purposes, and the State shall not discriminate solely on the basis of religion, race, caste, or class, or any combination thereof, in imposing such service.

    So, where does India stand?

    • Prostitution is not illegal in our country, but soliciting and public prostitution are.
    • Owning a brothel is also illegal, but because places like GB Road are already in place, these laws are rarely enforced.

    What will change in India if the Centre accepts the court’s direction?

    • Sex workers will be accorded equal legal protection.
    • If a sex worker reports a criminal/sexual or other type of offence, the police will take it seriously and act in accordance with the law.
    • If a brothel is raided, the sex workers involved will not be arrested, penalised, harassed, or victimised.
    • Any sex worker who is a victim of sexual assault will be given all of the same services as a survivor of sexual assault, including immediate medical attention.
    • Police will be required to treat all sex workers with dignity and not verbally or physically abuse them, subject them to violence, or coerce them into any sexual activity.

    Where do other countries stand?

    Some countries choose to outright ban the practice, while others have attempted to regulate prostitution and provide health and social benefits to sex workers.

    Here are a few examples of countries where prostitution is legal:

    • New Zealand: Prostitution has been legal since 2003. There are even licenced brothels operating under public health and employment laws, and they get all the social benefits.
    • France: Prostitution is legal in France, though soliciting in public is still not allowed.
    • Germany: Prostitution is legalised and there are proper state-run brothels. The workers are provided with health insurance, have to pay taxes, and they even receive social benefits like pensions.
    • Greece: The sex workers get equal rights and have to go for health checkups as well.
    • Canada: Prostitution in Canada is legal with strict regulations.

    Conclusion

    • While sex worker collectives have shown tremendous progress in asserting the rights of sex workers across India, they face an uphill battle as the country continues to foster a globalized economy.
    • In the globalized world, sex work will become more institutionalized, functioning through escort services, and will no longer need traditional street brothels.
    • Legislators needs to ensure all rights to the sex workers at par with citizens.

     

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  • Green Hydrogen: Fuel of the Future

    India aspires to emerge as the leader of green hydrogen by taking advantage of the current energy crisis across the globe.

    Why in news?

    • Oil India Limited (OIL) has commissioned India’s first 99.99% pure green hydrogen plant in eastern Assam’s Jorhat.
    • Powered by a 500 KW solar plant, the green hydrogen unit has an installed capacity to produce 10 kg of hydrogen per day and scale it up to 30 kg per day.

    What is Hydrogen?

    • Hydrogen is the lightest, simplest and most abundant member of the family of chemical elements in the universe.
    • It is colourless, odourless, tasteless, non-toxic and highly combustible gaseous substance.

    What is Green hydrogen?

    • Green hydrogen is the one produced with no harmful greenhouse gas emissions.
    • It is made by using clean electricity from surplus renewable energy sources, such as solar or wind power, to electrolyse water.
    • Electrolysers use an electrochemical reaction to split water into its components of hydrogen and oxygen, emitting zero-carbon dioxide in the process.
    • Green hydrogen currently makes up a small percentage of the overall hydrogen, because production is expensive.

    Why is India pursuing green hydrogen?

    • Under the Paris Agreement of 2015, India is committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 33-35% from the 2005 levels.
    • It is a legally binding international treaty on climate change with the goal of limiting global warming to below 2°C compared to pre-industrial levels.
    • At the 2021 CoP in Glasgow, India reiterated its commitment to move from a fossil and import-dependent economy to a net-zero economy by 2070.
    • India’s average annual energy import bill is more than $100 billion .
    • The increased consumption of fossil fuel has made the country a high CO2 emitter which accounts for nearly 7% of the global CO2 burden.

    Various policy moves

    • In order to become energy independent by 2047, the government stressed the need to introduce green hydrogen as an alternative fuel that can make India the global hub and a major exporter of hydrogen.
    • The National Hydrogen Mission was launched on August 15, 2021, with a view to cutting down carbon emissions and increasing the use of renewable sources of energy.

    How much green hydrogen is India producing?

    • India has just begun to generate green hydrogen with the objective of raising non-fossil energy capacity to 500 gigawatts by 2030.
    • It was on April 20, 2022 that the public sector OIL, which is headquartered in eastern Assam’s Duliajan, set up India’s first 99.99% pure green hydrogen pilot plant.
    • Research and development efforts are ongoing for a reduction in the cost of production, storage and the transportation of hydrogen.

    What are the advantages of hydrogen as a fuel?

    • Hydrogen can be used to produce electricity using fuel cells.
    • Hydrogen, thus, can act as an energy storage device and contribute to grid stability.
    • The oxygen, produced as a by-product (8 kg of oxygen is produced per 1 kg of hydrogen), can also be monetised by using it for industrial and medical applications or for enriching the environment.

    Limitations to Hydrogen

    • Despite being the most abundant element in the Universe, hydrogen does not exist on its own so needs to be extracted from water via electrolysis or separated from carbon fossil fuels.
    • Hydrogen fuel cells need huge investment to be developed to the point where they become a genuinely viable energy source.
    • This will also require the political will to invest the time and money into development in order to improve and mature the technology.
    • Precious metals such as platinum and iridium are typically required as catalysts in fuel cells meaning unfeasibly high cost.
    • There are also barriers around regulatory issues concerning the framework that defines commercial deployment models.
    • Storage and transportation of hydrogen is more complex than that required for fossil fuels due to its high inflammability.

    Back2Basics:  Colours spectrum of Hydrogen

    (1) Green hydrogen

    (2) Blue hydrogen

    • It is produced mainly from natural gas, using a process called steam reforming, which brings together natural gas and heated water in the form of steam.
    • The output is hydrogen – but also carbon dioxide as a by-product.
    • That means carbon capture and storage (CCS) is essential to trap and store this carbon.
    • Blue hydrogen is sometimes described as ‘low-carbon hydrogen’ as the steam reforming process doesn’t actually avoid the creation of greenhouse gases.

    (3) Grey hydrogen

    • Currently, this is the most common form of hydrogen production.
    • Grey hydrogen is created from natural gas, or methane, using steam methane reformation but without capturing the greenhouse gases made in the process.

    (4) Black and brown hydrogen

    • Any hydrogen made from fossil fuels through the process of ‘gasification’ is sometimes called black or brown hydrogen interchangeably.
    • They are the most environmentally damaging.

    (5) Pink hydrogen

    • Pink hydrogen is generated through electrolysis powered by nuclear energy.
    • Nuclear-produced hydrogen can also be referred to as purple hydrogen or red hydrogen.
    • In addition, the very high temperatures from nuclear reactors could be used in other hydrogen productions by producing steam for more efficient electrolysis or fossil gas-based steam methane reforming.

     

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  • QUAD: its origins, goals and future plans

    Why was it formed?

    • While not stated explicitly by the leaders, a major basis for the grouping is to check China’s growing influence in the region.
    • After the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 wreaked havoc in the region now called the Indo-Pacific, India stepped up its rescue efforts.
    • India provided assistance to its maritime neighbours: Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Indonesia.
    • Soon, the disaster relief effort was joined by three other naval powers — the U.S., Australia and Japan.
    • Then US President George W. Bush announced that the four countries would set up an international coalition to coordinate the massive effort.
    • While the charge of the rescue operations was handed over to the United Nations shortly after, it led to the birth of a new framework: the Quadrilateral or Quad.

    Development of present day QUAD

    • Then Japanese PM Shinzo Abe had been promoting the idea of an “arc of prosperity and freedom”.
    • This brought the Quad countries closer together, further developed the concept and discussed it with then PM Manmohan Singh during a summit in December 2006.
    • The 2007 Indo-U.S. Malabar naval exercises also saw the partial involvement of Japan, Australia and Singapore.
    • The exercises and coordination were seen by China as an attempt to encircle it, which termed the grouping as trying to build “an Asian NATO”.

    Descent and revival in its formation

    • The Quad lost momentum post the 2007 meeting as the effort “dissipated amidst member leadership transitions.
    • The grouping was only revived an entire decade later in 2017, at a time when all four countries had revised their assessment of the China challenge; and India had witnessed the Doklam standoff.
    • Leaders of all four countries met in the Philippines for the ‘India-Australia-Japan-U.S.’ dialogue, not referred to as a Quad dialogue to avoid the notion of a “gang-up”.

    Basis: Indo-Pacific

    • Even at this point, a set of objectives, areas of cooperation, and even the definition of Indo-Pacific were not fixed among Quad members.
    • It was in March 2021 that Mr. Biden, Mr. Modi, Australia’s outgoing PM Scott Morrison, and then Japanese PM Yoshihide Suga met virtually, for the first time as an official Quad summit.
    • It released a set of objectives for the grouping in a joint statement called the ‘The Spirit of the Quad’.

    What were the objectives of the grouping?

    • Coming together to foster a free and open Indo-Pacific formed the bedrock of cooperation.
    • Now it commits to promoting the free, open, rules-based order, rooted in international law and undaunted by coercion, to bolster security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.
    • Emphasis was laid on “rule of law, territorial integrity, freedom of navigation and overflight, peaceful resolution of disputes, and democratic values” in the region.

    Various initiatives of QUAD

    • Quad leaders launched the Quad Vaccine Initiative (QVI) with the aim of manufacturing and distributing at least a billion COVID-19 vaccines for the Asia region by the end of 2022.
    • As for emerging technologies, the four countries aimed to work on the development and diversification of 5G telecommunications.
    • They aim for creation of supply chains for critical minerals and technologies for making semiconductors used in smartphones, another area where China is a leader.
    • Quad nations had also agreed to build joint connectivity projects and transparent infrastructure funding for countries in the region.
    • The Quad also created a working group for combating climate change which would oversee efforts to foster green shipping by decarbonising maritime supply chains and promoting the use of clean hydrogen.

    What are the future plans of the Quad?

    • The Leaders will review the progress of Quad initiatives and Working Groups, identify new areas of cooperation and provide strategic guidance and vision for future collaboration.
    • The Quad summit is expected to discuss the Russian war in Ukraine, and the impact of three months of Western sanctions.
    • US also unveiled the ‘Indo-Pacific Economic Framework’ (IPEF) which is a programme to bind countries in the region more closely through common standards.
    • Quad members also launched a maritime monitoring plan to curb illegal fishing in the Indo-Pacific.

    Various challenges

    • How to deal with China thus remains the central question for Quad. Each Quad member views the Chinese threat differently.
    • For Australia too, trade was the biggest issue until the recent establishment of a Chinese military base in the Solomon Islands brought a new dimension.
    • Japan and India are closest to China, and both face belligerent Chinese claims to territory.
    • The security build-up of QUAD is also yet to materialize.

     

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  • Qutub Minar not a Place of Worship: ASI

    The Qutub Minar complex is not a place of worship and its character cannot be changed now, the Archaeological Survey of India submitted in a Delhi Court while opposing a plea challenging the dismissal of a civil suit seeking “restoration” of temples on the premises.

    What is the case?

    • The original suit claimed that 27 temples were demolished to build the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque at the Qutub Minar complex.
    • This pleas was dismissed last year under the provisions of Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991.
    • The Additional District Judge (ADJ) has now reserved the order.
    • The petitioner said that the dismissal of the original suit based on the 1991 Act was wrong.
    • The Qutub Minar complex comes under the purview of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act of 1958.

    Why in news now?

    • The ASI now submitted that the Qutub Minar complex was not a place of worship when it was first notified as a protected monument in 1914.
    • The ASI, explained that the character of a monument is decided on the date when it comes under protection.

    About Qutub Minar

    • The Qutub Minar is a minaret and “victory tower” that forms part of the Qutb complex, which lies at the site of Delhi’s oldest fortified city, Lal Kot, founded by the Tomar Rajputs.
    • It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Mehrauli area of South Delhi.
    • It can be compared to the 62-metre all-brick Minaret of Jam in Afghanistan, of c. 1190, which was constructed a decade or so before the probable start of the Delhi tower.
    • The surfaces of both are elaborately decorated with inscriptions and geometric patterns.
    • The Qutb Minar has a shaft that is fluted with “superb stalactite bracketing under the balconies” at the top of each stage.

    Its construction

    • The Qutb Minar was built over the ruins of the Lal Kot, the citadel of Dhillika.
    • Qutub Minar was begun after the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, which was started around 1192 by Qutb-ud-din Aibak, first ruler of the Delhi Sultanate.
    • It is usually thought that the tower is named for Qutb-ud-din Aibak, who began it.
    • It is also possible that it is named after Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki a 13th-century sufi saint, because Shamsuddin Iltutmish was a devotee of his.
    • Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, to the north-east of the Minar was built by Qutub-ud-Din Aibak in A.D. 1198.
    • It consists of a rectangular courtyard enclosed by cloisters, erected with the carved columns and architectural members of 27 Jain and Hindu temples, which were demolished by Qutub-ud-Din.
    • This is recorded in his inscription on the main eastern entrance.

    Back2Basics:

    What is the Places of Worship Act?

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  • Who was Prithviraj Chauhan?

    There is controversy around a new film where some communities of Rajasthan are laying claim over the 12th century emperor Prithviraj Chauhan.

    Prithviraj Chauhan

    • Prithviraj Chauhan (1177–1192 CE) popularly known as a king from the Chauhan (Chahamana) dynasty who ruled the territory of Sapadalaksha, with his capital at Ajmer in present-day Rajasthan.
    • Ascending the throne as a minor in 1177 CE, Prithviraj inherited a kingdom which stretched from Thanesar in the north to Jahazpur (Mewar) in the south.

    His legend

    • He aimed to expand by military actions against neighbouring kingdoms, most notably defeating the Chandela’s.
    • Prithviraj unified several Rajput clans and defeated the Ghurid army led by Muhammad Ghori near Taraori in 1191 AD.
    • However, in 1192 CE, Ghori returned with an army of Turkish mounted archers and defeated the Rajput army on the same battlefield.
    • Prithviraj fled the battlefield, but was captured near Sirsa and executed.
    • His defeat at Tarain is seen as a landmark event in the Islamic conquest of India, and has been described in several semi-legendary accounts, most notably the Prithviraj Raso.

    Prithviraj in literary works

    • The image of Prithviraj as a fearless and skilled warrior that is now etched in the folk imagination can be traced back to his depiction in ‘Prithviraj Raso’.
    • This was a poem in Brajbhasha attributed to Chand Bardai, which is thought to have been composed in the 16th century.
    • James Mill’s ‘The History of British India’ (1817) categorized Indian history into the Hindu, Muhammadan and British periods.
    • In this formulation, Prithviraj Chauhan would be the last ruler of ‘Hindu’ India.

    Why is he being revived?

    • To a vocal section of the Hindu right, Prithviraj Chauhan appears as “the last Hindu emperor” of India who made a valiant attempt to stop the radical invaders.
    • In the popular imagination, he is the heroic figure who symbolises the exalted ideals of patriotism and national pride.
    • However the historical evidence demonstrates rather different ways in which Prithviraj has been seen over the ages.

     

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  • FDI inflow ‘highest ever’ at $83.57 bn

    The foreign direct investment (FDI) in the financial year 2021-22 has touched a “highest-ever” figure of $83.57 billion.

    Get aware with the recently updated FDI norms. Key facts mentioned in this newscard can make a direct statement based MCQ in the prelims.

    Ex. FDI source in decreasing order: Singapore – Mauritius – Netherland – Ceyman Islands – Japan – France

    What is Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)?

    • An FDI is an investment in the form of a controlling ownership in a business in one country by an entity based in another country.
    • It is thus distinguished from a foreign portfolio investment by a notion of direct control.
    • FDI may be made either “inorganically” by buying a company in the target country or “organically” by expanding the operations of an existing business in that country.
    • Broadly, FDI includes “mergers and acquisitions, building new facilities, reinvesting profits earned from overseas operations, and intra company loans”.
    • In a narrow sense, it refers just to building a new facility, and lasting management interest.

    FDI in India

    • Foreign investment was introduced in 1991 under Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), driven by then FM Manmohan Singh.
    • There are two routes by which India gets FDI.

    1) Automatic route: By this route, FDI is allowed without prior approval by Government or RBI.

    2) Government route: Prior approval by the government is needed via this route. The application needs to be made through Foreign Investment Facilitation Portal, which will facilitate the single-window clearance of FDI application under Approval Route.

    • India imposes a cap on equity holding by foreign investors in various sectors, current FDI in aviation and insurance sectors is limited to a maximum of 49%.
    • In 2015 India overtook China and the US as the top destination for the Foreign Direct Investment.

    Features of FDI

    • Any investment from an individual or firm that is located in a foreign country into a country is FDI.
    • Generally, FDI is when a foreign entity acquires ownership or controlling stake in the shares of a company in one country, or establishes businesses there.
    • It is different from foreign portfolio investment where the foreign entity merely buys equity shares of a company.
    • In FDI, the foreign entity has a say in the day-to-day operations of the company.
    • FDI is not just the inflow of money, but also the inflow of technology, knowledge, skills and expertise.
    • It is a major source of non-debt financial resources for the economic development of a country.

    Significance of rising FDI

    • This is a testament of India’s status among global investors.

    Recent amendments in 2020

    • The govt. has amended para 3.1.1 of extant FDI policy as contained in Consolidated FDI Policy, 2017.
    • In the event of the transfer of ownership of any existing or future FDI in an entity in India, directly or indirectly, resulting in the beneficial ownership, such subsequent change in beneficial ownership will also require Government approval.

    The present position and revised position in the matters will be as under:

    Present Position

    • A non-resident entity can invest in India, subject to the FDI Policy except in those sectors/activities which are prohibited.
    • However, a citizen of Bangladesh or an entity incorporated in Bangladesh can invest only under the Government route.
    • Further, a citizen of Pakistan or an entity incorporated in Pakistan can invest, only under the Government route, in sectors/activities other than defence, space, atomic energy and sectors/activities prohibited for foreign investment.

    Revised Position

    • A non-resident entity can invest in India, subject to the FDI Policy except in those sectors/activities which are prohibited.

    [spot the difference]

    • However, an entity of a country, which shares a land border with India or where the beneficial owner of investment into India is situated in or is a citizen of any such country, can invest only under the Government route.
    • Further, a citizen of Pakistan or an entity incorporated in Pakistan can invest, only under the Government route, in sectors/activities other than defence, space, atomic energy and sectors/activities prohibited for foreign investment.

    In response to China

    • China accused that India’s recently adopted policy goes against the principles of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
    • It tends to violate WTO’s principle of non-discrimination, and go against the general trend of liberalisation and facilitation of trade and investment.

     

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