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Distribution: weekly

  • [pib] Transport Initiative for Asia (TIA) Project

    NITI Aayog and World Resources Institute (WRI), India, jointly launched the ‘Forum for Decarbonizing Transport’ in India as part of the NDC-Transport Initiative for Asia (NDC-TIA).

    Transport Initiative for Asia

    • The NDC Transport Initiative for Asia (TIA 2020-2023) is a joint programme that will engage China, India, and Vietnam in promoting a comprehensive approach to decarbonizing transport in their respective countries.
    • The project is part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI).
    • NITI Aayog is the implementing partner for the India component of the project.
    • The project aims at bringing down the peak level of GHG emissions (transport sector) in Asia (in line with a well below 2-degree pathway), resulting in problems like congestion and air pollution.

    Why need such initiative?

    • India has a massive and diverse transport sector, which is also the third most CO2 emitting sector.
    • Data suggests that within the transport sector, road transport contributes to more than 90% of the total CO2 emissions.
    • The NDC-TIA India component focuses on developing a coherent strategy of effective policies and the formation of a multi-stakeholder platform for decarbonizing transport in the country.

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  • [pib] E-Shram Portal:  National Database on Unorganized Workers (NDUW)

    The Union Ministry of Labour & Employment will launch the e-Shram portal – National Database on Unorganized Workers (NDUW).

    What is the E-Shram Portal?

    • The government aims to register 38 crore unorganized workers, such as construction labourers, migrant workforce, street vendors and domestic workers, among others.
    • The workers will be issued an e-Shram card containing a 12-digit unique number, which, going ahead, will help in including them in social security schemes.
    • The government had earlier missed deadlines for creating the database, inviting criticism from the Supreme Court.

    How will the registration for workers happen on the portal?

    • The registration of workers on the portal will be coordinated by the Labour Ministry, state governments, trade unions and CSCs.
    • Awareness campaigns would be planned across the country to enable nationwide registration of workers.
    • Following the launch of the portal, workers from the unorganized sector can begin their registration from the same day.
    • A national toll free number — 14434 — will also be launched to assist and address the queries of workers seeking registration on the portal.
    • A worker can register on the portal using his/her Aadhaar card number and bank account details, apart from filling other necessary details like date of birth, home town, mobile number and social category.

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  • Places in news: Corbett Tiger Reserve

    The Delhi High Court has asked the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) to consider as a representation a petition to stop the alleged illegal construction of bridges and walls within the tiger breeding habitat of the Corbett Tiger Reserve.

    Jim Corbett National Park

    • Jim Corbett NP is the oldest national park in India and was established in 1936 as Hailey National Park to protect the endangered Bengal tiger.
    • It is located in Nainital district and Pauri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand and was named after hunter and naturalist Jim Corbett.
    • The park was the first to come under the Project Tiger initiative.
    • It has sub-Himalayan belt geographical and ecological characteristics.
    • Dense moist deciduous forest mainly consists of sal, haldu, peepal, rohini and mango trees.
    • Forest covers almost 73% of the park, while 10% of the area consists of grasslands.

    Try answering this PYQ:

    Among the following Tiger Reserves, which one has the largest area under “Critical Tiger Habitat” ? (CSP 2020)

    (a) Corbett

    (b) Ranthambore

    (c) Nagarjunasagar- Srisailam

    (d) Sunderbans

     

    [wpdiscuz-feedback id=”j0d533r4jj” question=”Please leave a feedback on this” opened=”1″]Post your answers here:[/wpdiscuz-feedback]

    Back2Basics: National Tiger Conservation Authority

    • The NTCA was established in December 2005, following a recommendation of the Tiger Task Force, constituted by the Prime Minister of India.
    • The Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 was amended in 2006 to provide for constituting NTCA responsible for the implementation of the Project Tiger plan to protect endangered tigers.
    • It works for the reorganized management of Project Tiger and the many Tiger Reserves in India.
    • A program for protection called, ‘Tiger Protection Program’ (popularly known as Project Tiger) was started in 1973, by the GOI in co-operation with WWF.

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  • Why India needs an NHS-like healthcare model

    Context

    Even after the pandemic, the Indian government continues to budget less than 1 per cent of GDP for healthcare, one of the lowest in the world.

    About NHS

    • Every year, Britain’s legendary health network National Health Service (NHS) cures 15 million patients with chronic ailments, at a fraction of the cost spent by the US.
    • The NHS funded by direct taxes is also the fifth largest employer in the world, after McDonalds and Walmart.
    • One of every 20 British workers is employed as a doctor, nurse, catering and technical personnel.

    Public healthcare in India

    • Even after the pandemic, the Indian government continues to budget less than 1 per cent of GDP for healthcare, one of the lowest in the world.
    • In contrast, China invests around 3 per cent, Britain 7 per cent and the United States 17 per cent of GDP.
    • So, 62 per cent of health expenses in India are paid for by patients themselves
    • This is one of the main reasons for families falling into poverty especially during the pandemic.
    • In India, hospitals are beleaguered with absentee staff.
    • As per a Niti Aayog database, in the worst state of Bihar in 2017-18, positions for 60 per cent of midwives, 50 per cent of staff nurses, 34 per cent of medical officers and 60 per cent of specialist doctors were vacant.
    • Those on the job, despite being handsomely paid, are chronically overworked.

    Conclusion

    In the 21st century, not much has improved in India’s public hospitals. Still, in India doctors are often equated with gods. What India needs in NHS like healthcare model.

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  • Protest should not hinder traffic: SC

    The Supreme Court took a nuanced stand saying farmers have the right to protest but the agitation should not hinder traffic or public movement.

    Right to Protest

    • When a group, community, or even a person goes up to protest, it is usually to showcase their disapproval or demur against any action, policy, statement, etc of state or government or any organization.
    • Mostly the flow of protest is driven through political waves that also demonstrate the collective organization of people to make the government or state address their issues and take steps to overcome them.
    • In India, the right to protest is the manifestation of the right to freedom of assembly, the right to freedom of association, and the right to freedom of speech.

    Constitutional Backing

    • Article 19(1) states that All citizens shall have the right:

    (a) to freedom of speech and expression;

    (b) to assemble peaceably and without arms;

    (c) to form associations or unions;

    (d) to move freely throughout the territory of India;

    (e) to reside and settle in any part of the territory of India; and

    (f) omitted

    (g) to practice any profession, or to carry on any occupation, trade or business

    Reasonable restrictions on Protest

    • Article 51A makes it a fundamental duty for every person to safeguard public property and to avoid violence during the protests and resorting to violence during public protests results in infringement of key fundamental duty of citizens.
    • Article 19(1)(b) states about the right to assemble peaceably and without arms. Thereby, the right to peaceful protest is bestowed to Indian citizens by our Constitution.
    • Article 19(2) imposes a restriction on a person to prevent him from making a defamatory statement which defames the reputation of another person.
    • Article 19(3): The reasonable restrictions are imposed in the interests of the sovereignty & integrity of India, the security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States, public order, decency or morality or in relation to contempt of court, defamation, or incitement to an offense.

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  • Delhi’s new Smog Tower

    Ahead of its infamous smog season, Delhi has got a ‘smog tower’, a technological aid to help combat air pollution.

    What are Smog Towers?

    • Smog towers are structures designed to work as large-scale air purifiers. They are fitted with multiple layers of air filters and fans at the base to suck the air.
    • After the polluted air enters the smog tower, it is purified by the multiple layers before being re-circulated into the atmosphere.

    Structure of the Delhi smog tower

    • The structure is 24 m high, about as much as an 8-storey building — an 18-metre concrete tower, topped by a 6-metre-high canopy. At its base are 40 fans, 10 on each side.
    • Each fan can discharge 25 cubic metres per second of air, adding up to 1,000 cubic metres per second for the tower as a whole. Inside the tower in two layers are 5,000 filters.
    • The filters and fans have been imported from the United States.

    How does it work?

    • The tower uses a ‘downdraft air cleaning system’ developed by the University of Minnesota.
    • Polluted air is sucked in at a height of 24 m, and filtered air is released at the bottom of the tower, at a height of about 10 m from the ground.
    • When the fans at the bottom of the tower operate, the negative pressure created sucks in air from the top.
    • The ‘macro’ layer in the filter traps particles of 10 microns and larger, while the ‘micro’ layer filters smaller particles of around 0.3 microns.
    • The downdraft method is different from the system used in China, where a tower uses an ‘updraft’ system — air is sucked in from near the ground, and is propelled upwards by heating and convection.
    • Filtered air is released at the top of the tower.

    Likely impact

    • Computational fluid dynamics modelling suggests the tower could have an impact on the air quality up to 1 km from the tower.
    • The actual impact will also determine how the tower functions under different weather conditions, and how levels of PM2.5 vary with the flow of air.

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  • National Monetization Pipeline

    The Union Finance Minister has launched the National Monetization Pipeline for the brownfield infrastructure assets.

    What is Asset Monetization?

    • Asset Monetization involves the creation of new sources of revenue by unlocking of the value of hitherto unutilized or underutilized public assets.
    • Internationally, it is recognized that public assets are a significant resource for all economies.
    • Many public sector assets are sub-optimally utilized and could be appropriately monetized to create greater financial leverage and value for the companies and of the equity that the government has invested in them.
    • This helps in the accurate estimation of public assets which would help in the better financial management of government/public resources over time.

    National Monetization Pipeline (NMP)

    • The NMP comprises a four-year pipeline of the Central Government’s brownfield infrastructure assets.
    • It will serve as a medium-term roadmap for the Asset Monetization initiative of the government, apart from providing visibility for the investors.
    • Incidentally, the 2021-22 Union Budget, laid a lot of emphasis on Asset Monetization as a means to raise innovative and alternative financing for infrastructure.
    • It has to be noted that the government views asset monetization as a strategy for the augmentation and maintenance of infrastructure, and not just a funding mechanism.

    What is the plan?

    • NMP is envisaged to serve as a medium-term roadmap for identifying potential monetization-ready projects, across various infrastructure sectors.
    • It estimates aggregate monetization potential of Rs 6.0 lakh crores through core assets of the Central Government, over a four-year period, from FY 2022 to FY 2025.

    Objectives of the program

    • NMP aims for universal access to high-quality and affordable infrastructure to the common citizen of India.
    • Asset monetization, based on the philosophy of Creation through Monetization, is aimed at tapping private sector investment for new infrastructure creation.
    • This is necessary for creating employment opportunities, thereby enabling high economic growth and seamlessly integrating the rural and semi-urban areas for overall public welfare.
    • The strategic objective of the programme is to unlock the value of investments in brownfield public sector assets by tapping institutional and long-term patient capital.

    Framework

    The framework for core asset monetization has three key imperatives:

    • The pipeline has been prepared based on inputs and consultations from respective line ministries and departments, along with the assessment of total asset base available therein.
    • Monetization through disinvestment and monetization of non-core assets have not been included in the NMP.
    • Further, currently, only assets of central government line ministries and CPSEs in infrastructure sectors have been included.
    • Process of coordination and collation of asset pipeline from states is currently ongoing and the same is envisaged to be included in due course.

    Estimated Potential

    • The aggregate asset pipeline under NMP over the four-year period, FY 2022-2025, is indicatively valued at Rs 6.0 lakh crore.
    • The estimated value corresponds to ~14% of the proposed outlay for Centre under NIP (Rs 43 lakh crore). This includes more than 12-line ministries and more than 20 asset classes.
    • The sectors included are roads, ports, airports, railways, warehousing, gas & product pipeline, power generation and transmission, mining, telecom, stadium, hospitality and housing.
    • The top 5 sectors (by estimated value) capture ~83% of the aggregate pipeline value. These top 5 sectors include: Roads (27%) followed by Railways (25%), Power (15%), oil & gas pipelines (8%) and Telecom (6%).

    Implementation & Monitoring Mechanism

    • As an overall strategy, significant share of the asset base will remain with the government.
    • The programme is envisaged to be supported through necessary policy and regulatory interventions by the Government in order to ensure an efficient and effective process of asset monetisation.
    • These will include streamlining operational modalities, encouraging investor participation and facilitating commercial efficiency, among others.
    • Real time monitoring will be undertaken through the a separate dashboard.

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  • It is time to end judicial feudalism in India

    Context

    The August 11 order of the Himachal Pradesh High Court directed that “hereinafter, all the courts in the state other than the high court shall be referred to as district judiciary”. Furthermore, “these courts shall not be referred to as subordinate court” but as trial courts.

    Issues with the judicial hierarchy Vs. hierarchy of judges

    • The expression “subordinate courts” used by Part VI, Chapter 6, of the Constitution of India cannot signify that judges are subordinate.
    • The term subordinate has implications for the independence of the judiciary, entrenched with and since Kesavananda Bharati (1973) as the essential feature of the basic structure of the Indian Constitution.
    • No judge is “subordinate” to any other, constitutionally judges are limited in the jurisdiction but also supreme within their own jurisdiction.
    • However, Article 235 speaks of “control over subordinate courts”.
    • This Article created the notion of subordination by describing these entities and agents as persons “holding a post inferior to the post of a district judge”.

    Constitutional provision

    • The Constitution no doubt contemplates a hierarchy of jurisdictions, but no judge, acting within her jurisdiction, is “inferior” or “subordinate”.
    • On appeal, or review, a court with ample jurisdiction may overturn and even pass judicial strictures but this does not make the concerned courts “lower” or “inferior” courts.
    • Supervisory powers: High courts always have considerable powers of superintendence on the administrative side but this “supervisory“ power has been recognised by the apex court as a “constitutional power” and subject to the right of appeal as granted by Article 235.
    • While the Constitution allows “supervision”, it does not sanction judicial despotism.
    • Despite this, arbitrary practices in writing confidential reports of district justices seem to continue.

    Way forward

    • Constitutional amendment: A complete recasting of Article 235 is needed, which does away with the omnibus expression of “control” powers in the high courts.
    • The amendment should specifically require the high courts to satisfy the criteria flowing from the principles of natural and constitutional justice and all judicial officers who fulfil due qualification thresholds should be treated with constitutional dignity and respect.
    • Collegiate system at high court’s level: For most matters (save elevation), senior-most district judges and judges of the high courts should constitute a collegiate system to facilitate judicial administration, infrastructure, access, monitoring of disposal rates, minimisation of undue delays in administration of justice, alongside matters concerning transfers, and leave.
    •  If an ACR is to be adversely changed in the face of a consistent award for a decade or more, it should be a collegiate act of the five senior-most justices, including the Chief Justice of the High Court.
    • CJI Ramana has recently agreed in principle, following the request of the Supreme Court Bar Association, that chief justices of the high courts should consider lawyers practising in the Supreme Court for elevation to the high courts.

    Consider the question “Do you agree with the view that the Constitution contemplates a hierarchy of jurisdictions, but no judge, acting within her jurisdiction, is “inferior” or “subordinate”. Give reason in support of your argument.”

    Conclusion

    The changes suggested here needs to be implemented to ensure the independence of the judiciary at all levels.

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  • Gujarat Anti-Conversion Law

    The Gujarat High Court this week stayed key provisions of The Gujarat Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Act, 2021 pertaining to marriages involving religious conversion of either of the two parties.

    What is the Anti-Conversion Law?

    • The legislation has amended the 2003 Gujarat Freedom of Religion Act.
    • The amendment was brought in line with several similar laws enacted last year by right-wing-ruled states, starting with Uttar Pradesh.
    • The laws seek to end conversion through unlawful means, specifically prohibit any conversion for marriage, even if it is with the consent of the individual except when a prior sanction is obtained from the state.
    • Apart from UP and Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh too, have also enacted similar laws.

    Controversial provisions

    • Vagueness: It gives powers to the state to conduct a police inquiry to verify the intentions of the parties to convert for the purposes of marriage.
    • Burden of proof: Section 6A reverses the burden of proof on the partner of the converted spouse to prove that he/she did not coerce the other spouse.
    • Intent of marriage: Section 4 allows the aggrieved person, their parents, brother, sister, or any other person related by blood or marriage or adoption to file an FIR challenging the conversion and subsequent marriage.
    • Conversion as Allurement: The law considers lawful conversions as “allurement” in vague.
    • Discrimination: It defines over-broad terms; prescribes different jail terms based on gender; and legitimizes the intrusion of family and the society at large to oppose inter-faith marriages.

    Issues with such laws

    • Stereotyping of lawful conversion: The new anti-conversion laws shift the burden of proof of a lawful religious conversion from the converted to his/her partner.
    • Curb on individual freedom: Legal experts have pointed out that the laws interfere in an individual’s agency to marry a partner from different faith and to choose to convert from one’s religion for that purpose.
    • Interference of state: Apart from being vague and sweeping, the laws also test the limits to which the state can interfere in the personal affairs of individuals.
    • Violative of FRs: The freedom to propagate one’s religion (A25) and the right to choose a partner are fundamental rights (A21) that the new anti-conversion laws impinge upon.

    What has the Gujarat High Court held?

    • A Division Bench of the Gujarat High Court has granted an interim stay on certain provisions of the amendment that interfere with inter-faith marriages.
    • It has held that the bill interferes with the intricacies of marriage including the right to the choice of an individual, thereby infringing Article 21.
    • The interim stay on certain provisions will have to be confirmed when the larger challenge is decided.

    What was the government’s defence?

    • The state government had argued that the law did not prohibit all inter-faith marriages, but only the ones based on fraud and coercion.
    • To buttress its submission, Advocate General had argued that the Act must be read as a whole to interpret the provision, and the provision alone could not be read by itself.
    • However, the court said that the wider interpretation would happen at a later stage, and stayed the provisions for the time being. A larger challenge would determine the fate of the law eventually.

    Significance of the ruling

    • The HC ruling, although preliminary, comes as a relief to interfaith couples from being harassed.
    • The reading could have a bearing on challenges pending in other HCs (namely in MP, UP, Himachal etc).
    • However, its real impact on the ground could be limited, as larger constitutional nuances are often difficult to permeate, especially when it is not a final and binding verdict.

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  • [pib] Simhadri PV Project: Largest floating Solar Project in the country

    The National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) has commissioned the largest floating solar PV project of 25MW on the reservoir of its Simhadri thermal station in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

    Simhadri PV Project

    • The 2000MW coal-based Simhadri Station is the first power project to implement an open sea intake from the Bay of Bengal which has been functional for more than 20 years.
    • This is the first solar project to be set up under the flexibilization scheme of coal-powered plant, notified in 2018.
    • The floating solar installation which has a unique anchoring design is spread over 75 acres in an RW reservoir.
    • This floating solar project has the potential to generate electricity from more than 1 lakh solar PV modules.
    • This would not only help to light around 7,000 households but also ensure at least 46,000 tons of CO2e are kept at arm’s length every year during the lifespan of this project.
    • The project is also expected to save 1,364 million litres of water per annum. This would be adequate to meet the yearly water requirements of 6,700 households.

    Other important facts you must know

    • As of May 2021, India has 95.7 GW of renewable energy capacity, and represents ~ 25% of the overall installed power capacity.
    • The government plans to establish renewable energy capacity of 523 GW (including 73 GW from Hydro) by 2030.
    • India was the world’s 3rd largest renewable energy producer with 38% (136 GW out of 373 GW) of total installed energy capacity in 2020 from renewable sources.
    • Tamil Nadu has the highest installed solar power capacity in India. Kamuthi Solar Power Project near Madurai is the world’s second-largest solar park.

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    Back2Basics: NTPC

    • NTPC is an Indian statutory corporation engaged in the generation of electricity and allied activities.
    • It is incorporated under the Companies Act 1956 and is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Power.
    • NTPC’s core function is the generation and distribution of electricity to State Electricity Boards in India.
    • It is the largest power company in India with an electric power generating capacity of 62,086 MW.
    • It has also ventured into oil and gas exploration and coal mining activities.
    • In May 2010, NTPC was conferred Maharatna status by GoI, one of the only four companies to be awarded this status.