Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Gross tax revenue
Mains level: Paper 3- Challenges in achieving 9.5 growth rate
Context
The National Statistical Office (NSO) released the second quarter gross value added (GVA) and gross domestic product (GDP) numbers on November 30, 2021, indicating the pace of economic recovery in India after the two COVID-19 waves.
Strong growth momentum required to exceed pre-COVID-19 levels
- The real GVA for the first half of 2021-22 at ₹63.4 lakh crore has remained below the level in the first half of 2019-20 at ₹65.8 lakh crore by (-)3.7%.
- This difference is even larger for GDP which at the end of first half of 2021-22 stood at ₹68.1 lakh crore, which is (-) 4.4% below the corresponding level of GDP at ₹71.3 lakh crore in 2019-20.
- As the base effect weakens in the third and fourth quarters of 2021-22, a strong growth momentum would be needed to ensure that at the end of this fiscal year, in terms of magnitude, GVA and GDP in real terms exceed their corresponding pre-COVID-19 levels of 2019-20.
- Domestic demand including private final consumption expenditure (PFCE) in the first half of 2021-22 remains below its corresponding level in 2019-20 by nearly ₹5.5 lakh crore.
- This indicates that investment as well as consumption demand have to pick up strongly in the remaining two quarters to ensure that the economy emerges on the positive side at the end of 2021-22 as compared to its pre-COVID-19 level.
Annual growth prospects
- Required rate in second half of 2021-22: To realise the projected annual growth at 9.5% for 2021-22 given both by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), we require a growth of 6.2% in the second half of 2021-22.
- This will have to be achieved even as the base effect weakens in the third and fourth quarters since GDP growth rate in these quarters of 2020-21 was at 0.5% and 1.6%, respectively.
- Thus, achieving the projected growth rate of 9.5% is going to be a big challenge.
What should be the policy to achieve higher growth rate
- Fiscal support: The policy instrument for achieving a higher growth may have to be a strong fiscal support in the form of government capital expenditure.
- The Centre’s gross tax revenues have shown an unprecedented growth rate of 64.2% and a buoyancy of 2.7 in the first half of 2021-22.
- The Centre’s incentivisation of state capital expenditure through additional borrowing limits would also help in this regard. According to available information, 11 States in the first quarter and seven States in the second quarter qualified for the release of the additional tranche under this window.
- Even as Central and State capital expenditures gather momentum, high frequency indicators reflect an ongoing pick-up in private sector economic activities.
Robust growth in Centre’s gross tax revenue
- The growth in the Centre’s GTR in the first half of 2019-20 was at 1.5% and there was a contraction of (-)3.4% for the year as a whole.
- In the face of such weak revenues, the Central government could not mount a meaningful fiscal stimulus in 2019-20 even as real GDP growth fell to 4.0%.
- In contrast, the government is in a significantly stronger position in 2021-22 since the growth in GTR in the first half is 64.2% and the full-year growth is expected to be quite robust.
Conclusion
Thus, the key to attaining a 9.5% real GDP annual growth in 2021-22 lies in the government’s ongoing emphasis on infrastructure spending as reflected in the government’s capital expenditure.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Not much
Mains level: Paper 3- Need for reforms in agriculture
Context
In the run-up to the repeal of the three farm laws, the potential cost of MSP to the taxpayers became a matter of debate.
Issue of MSP
- Large variation: Experts and agricultural economists quoted numbers about the cost of MPS.
- There is a large variation in the quoted numbers.
- The enormity of the variance in estimates is astounding.
- No consensus on the number of beneficiaries of MSP: There is also a dissonance between the NSSO data and the administrative data on the number of farmers who enjoy MSP.
- No consensus on a formula to calculate MSP: Further, there is no consensus on the formulae for the calculation of MSP.
Suggestions on land reforms
[1] Reduce high domestic prices
- That India is an agri-surplus country.
- That domestic prices of agri-commodities are often higher than in the international market and therefore, there is a need to bring them down.
- How to achieve cost reduction: Cost reduction can happen either by creating efficiencies by plugging leakages or, by cost-cutting — including reducing farmers’ margins.
- In the recently-reached understanding with the farmers, the government has agreed to constitute a committee on MSP.
- Hopefully, a formula can be arrived at by which costs of domestic agricultural produce can be reduced while ensuring a “remunerative price” for the farmers.
[2] Protecting landholdings
- There is also a need to protect landholdings.
- Farmers’ fears in this regard are not exaggerated.
- Under the erstwhile laws, orders of payment made by an SDM/Collector could be recovered as “arrears of land revenue”.
- While agricultural lands were protected from such recovery, non-agricultural (immovable and movable) assets appeared to be fair game.
- Further, circumstances such as sustenance and payment of debts could force a farmer to sell their agricultural landholdings.
- Large-scale loss of landholdings could lead to their consolidation in the hands of a few.
- This could have the impact of turning the clock back, reminiscent of the Zamindari system.
[3] Need to reconsider the dispute resolution mechanism
- The government should also reconsider the dispute resolution mechanism provided in the erstwhile laws.
- In an MSP driven regime, the government is likely to be a party in any potential dispute.
- Conflict of interest: There will be a direct conflict of interest since the SDM/Collector is an arm of the government.
- Land records are within the jurisdiction of the patwari and tehsildar, who report to the SDM/Collector.
- Fast track courts: It would be advisable to think in terms of fast-track courts, and remove the provision of recovery through arrears of land revenue.
- It would also be advisable to have only one dispute resolution mechanism for all farm laws.
[4] Avoid over-corporatisation without the creation of the requisite efficiencies
- We should not ask our farmers to brave corporatisation without levelling the playing field and enough jobs in the non-agricultural sector.
- Over-corporatisation without the creation of the requisite efficiencies could lead us to become heavily import-dependent, killing the benefits of the Green Revolution.
Conclusion
Perfunctory reforms and those that don’t work for all constituents — corporates as well as farmers — could have long-term deleterious effects for not only the agricultural sector, but the economy as a whole.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Not much
Mains level: Paper 2- Independence of Election Commission
Context
The Chief Election Commissioner and two Election Commissioners were summoned by the PMO to attend a meeting with the Principal Secretary to the PM.
Why the meeting raises questions?
- The PMO summoning or “inviting” not just the CEC but the full bench is in violation of the Constitution, irrespective of how important or urgent the issue.
- Violation of the principle of distancing from executive: When a person is appointed as CEC or EC, that person has to resign from his executive post in order to adhere to important constitutional principle of distancing from the executive/government.
- The executive could appoint a person to these posts but could not order them, or remove me because of the constitutional scheme of things.
- Violation of independence: An independent ECI is a gift of the Constitution to the nation. Free and fair and credible elections are sine qua non of the EC.
- The Supreme Court has repeatedly stressed this point, calling it part of the basic structure of the Constitution.
- Violation of warrant of precedence: The CEC is very high in the warrant of precedence — ninth, while the PS to PM is 23rd.
- How can such a high constitutional functionary be summoned to attend a meeting with an officer, howsoever high and mighty?
- It raises suspicions: A meeting of the PS to the PM, formal or informal, online or in the PMO or ECI, just before elections raises unnecessary suspicions.
Conclusion
This incident is a transgression that should not happen again. The distance of an arm’s length in interactions between institutions envisaged in the Constitution is sacrosanct. It should not only be maintained but also “seen” to be maintained.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: NA
Mains level: Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
The Supreme Court has allowed Maharashtra to hold bullock cart races in the state till the pendency of the matter before the Constitutional Bench of the apex court.
Allowing bullock-cart races
- The SC observed that the validity of the amended provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 and the rules framed by Maharashtra provided for bullock cart race in the State.
- Such races would operate during the pendency of the petitions as the entire matter has been referred to a constitution Bench.
- The state govt has cited examples as the same is being conducted in the states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
Why was there a ban on the bullock cart races?
Ans. Ban on Jallikattu, then
- Bullock cart races were banned in Maharashtra after the Supreme Court declared that the race as violative of the provisions of the central act in 2014.
- It then had observed that bulls were not anatomically designed to participate in races/taming and would be subjected to cruelty if used as a performing animal.
How did Maharashtra respond?
Ans. Bringing in a law to prevent pain or sufferings to the animals
- In April 2017, the Maharashtra assembly had passed legislation for resumption of bullock cart races across the state.
- The Bill titled ‘The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Maharashtra Amendment) Bill’ was passed unanimously with the support of all parties.
- As per the amendment, bullock cart races could be held with the prior permission of the district collector concerned by ensuring that no pain or suffering would be caused to the animal.
Why did the Maharashtra government go to SC?
Ans. Blanket ban by Bombay HC
- Even after this law, the Bombay High Court refused to vacate stay on the bullock cart races.
- Hence it got to approach the SC.
Proving the running ability of a bull
- In November 2017, the Maharashtra government set up a committee to study the running capacity of various breeds of bulls and bullocks in comparison to horses.
- The committee was asked to study physiological and biochemical changes during the running of the bulls, bullocks and horses.
- A report titled ‘Running ability of bull’ was prepared in two months by the government to justify allowing the bullock cart races.
- Subsequently, the Maharashtra government challenged the Bombay HC’s order.
Back2Basics: Jallikattu Debate
- It is a bull-taming sport and a disputed traditional event in which a bull such is released into a crowd of people.
- Multiple human participants attempt to grab the large hump on the bull’s back with both arms and hang on to it while the bull attempts to escape.
- Participants hold the hump for as long as possible, attempting to bring the bull to a stop. In some cases, participants must ride long enough to remove flags on the bull’s horns.
- It is typically practised in the state of Tamil Nadu as a part of Pongal (harvest) celebrations in January.
Issue with the sport
An investigation by the Animal Welfare Board of India concluded that “Jallikattu is inherently cruel to animals”.
- Human deaths: The event has caused several human deaths and injuries and there are several instances of fatalities to the bulls.
- Manhandling of animals: Animal welfare concerns are related to the handling of the bulls before they are released and also during the competitor’s attempts to subdue the bull.
- Cruelty to animal: Practices, before the bull is released, include prodding the bull with sharp sticks or scythes, extreme bending of the tail which can fracture the vertebrae, and biting of the bull’s tail.
- Animal intoxication: There are also reports of the bulls being forced to drink alcohol to disorient them, or chilli peppers being rubbed in their eyes to aggravate the bull.
Arguments in favour
- Native breed conservation: According to its protagonists, it is not a leisure sport available but a way to promote and preserve the native livestock.
- Cultural significance: Jallikattu has been known to be practiced during the Tamil classical period (400-100 BCE) and finds mention in Sangam texts.
- Man-animal relationship: Some believe that the sport also symbolizes a cordial man-animal relationship.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Nagoya Protocol, BDA, 2002
Mains level: Read the attached story
The government has introduced the Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill, 2021 which seeks to facilitate access to biological resources and traditional knowledge by the Indian traditional medicine sector.
Biological Diversity Act, 2002: A quick recap
- The BDA, 2002 was enacted for the conservation of biological diversity and fair, equitable sharing of the monetary benefits from the commercial use of biological resources and traditional knowledge.
- The main intent of this legislation is to protect India’s rich biodiversity and associated knowledge against their use by foreign individuals.
- It seeks to check biopiracy, protect biological diversity and local growers through a three-tier structure of central and state boards and local committees.
- The Act provides for setting up of a National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs) and Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) in local bodies.
- The NBA will enjoy the power of a civil court.
What are the proposed Amendments?
The bill seeks to reduce the pressure on wild medicinal plants by encouraging the cultivation of medicinal plants. The bill:
- Biological resources sharing: Exempts Ayush practitioners from intimating biodiversity boards for accessing biological resources or knowledge (Vaids and Hakims)
- Research promotion: Facilitates fast-tracking of research, simplify the patent application process
- Decriminalization: Decriminalises certain offences
- Bring in foreign investment: Seeks to bring more foreign investments in biological resources, research, patent and commercial utilisation, without compromising the national interest
Need for the Amendment
- Simplifying process: Concerns were raised by Ayush medicine, seed, industry and research sectors urging the government to simplify, streamline the profession.
- Easing compliance: They urged govt to reduce the compliance burden to provide for a conducive environment for collaborative research and investments.
- Access and Benefit-sharing: It also sought to simplify the patent application process, widen the scope of access and benefit-sharing with local communities.
- Exemptions: Ayush practitioners have been exempted from the ambit of the Act, a huge move because the Ayush industry benefits greatly from biological resources in India.
- Certain offences: Violations of the law related to benefit-sharing with communities, which are currently treated as criminal offences and are non-bailable, have been proposed to be made civil offences.
- Imbibing Nagoya Protocol: This bill provides to reconcile the domestic law with free prior informed consent requirements of the 2010 Nayogya Protocol on ABS.
Criticisms of the bill
- No consultation: The bill has been introduced without seeking public comments as required under the pre-legislative consultative policy.
- No profit-sharing: There are ambiguous provisions in the proposed amendment to protect, conserve or increase the stake of local communities in the sustainable use and conservation of biodiversity.
- Commercialization: Activists say that the amendments were done to “solely benefit” the AYUSH Ministry.
- Loopholes to Biopiracy: The Bill would mean AYUSH manufacturing companies would no longer need to take approvals.
- Ignoring Bio-utilization: The bill has excluded the term Bio-utilization which is an important element in the Act. Leaving out bio utilization would leave out an array of activities like characterization, incentivisation and bioassay which are undertaken with commercial motive.
- Exotic plants cultivation: The bill also exempts cultivated medicinal plants from the purview of the Act but it is practically impossible to detect which plants are cultivated and which are from the wild.
- De-licensing: This provision could allow large companies to evade the requirement for prior approval or share the benefit with local communities.
Back2Basics: Access and Benefit-Sharing
- India is a party to the Convention of Biological Diversity, and the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing.
- It is mandated that benefits derived from the use of biological resources are shared in a fair and equitable manner among the indigenous and local communities.
- When an Indian or foreign company or individual accesses biological resources such as medicinal plants and associated knowledge, it has to take prior consent from the national biodiversity board.
- The board can impose a benefit-sharing fee or royalty or impose conditions so that the company shares the monetary benefit from commercial utilisation of these resources with local people who are conserving biodiversity in the region.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: WPA
Mains level: Wildlife Protection Amendment Bill
Forests Minister has introduced in Lok Sabha the Wildlife Protection (Amendment) Bill to ensure that the original 1972 Act complies with the requirements of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
What the Amendment brings in?
[1] Standing Committee of State Board for Wildlife
- The Bill proposes reducing the number of schedules and establishing a Standing Committee of State Board for Wildlife.
- These committees will function like the National Board for Wildlife which is responsible for monitoring protected areas in the country and awarding or denying permission to projects in light of its threat to wildlife.
- Officials say that in most states, State Wildlife Boards fall under the responsibility of Chief Ministers, and are therefore neglected due to the paucity of time.
- The state Standing Committees will be able to take decisions on wildlife management and permissions granted for projects, without having to refer most projects to the NBWL.
[2] Seized Species
- There is also the insertion of a new section 42A about surrender of wild animals and products.
- Any article or animal surrendered under this Section shall become property of the State Government and the provisions of Section 39 shall be applicable to it.
[3] Reducing number of Schedules
- The Ministry has also rationalized Schedules for Wildlife under the Act, bringing it down from 6 to 4 major schedules.
- A schedule is a categorization of wildlife depending on how critically endangered they are.
- A schedule I category of wildlife (such as Tigers) are the highest protected under the Act.
[4] Wildlife Management Plans
- The Ministry has mandated that Wildlife Management Plans which are developed for sanctuaries and national parks across the country, will now become a part of the WPA.
- They will have to be approved by the Chief Wildlife Warden of the state.
- This will ensure far stricter protection to these protected areas. Earlier they would be protected through executive orders which did not have as much teeth.
Need for the Amendment
Ans. Blacklisting by CITES would affect trade in important plant species
- CITES aims to regulate the international trade of animals and plants so that it does not threaten their survival.
- This has been a long-standing demand from CITES for the past 25 years.
- India has been blacklisted by CITES once before, and if a second blacklisting were to happen — then India will no longer be able to trade in important plant specimens.
- This would affect the livelihood of a large section of Indian society that relies heavily on this trade.
About CITES
- CITES stands for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
- It is as an international agreement aimed at ensuring “that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival”.
- It was drafted after a resolution was adopted at a meeting of the members of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 1963.
- It entered into force on July 1, 1975, and now has 183 parties.
- The Convention is legally binding on the Parties in the sense that they are committed to implementing it; however, it does not take the place of national laws.
- India is a signatory to and has also ratified CITES convention in 1976.
CITES Appendices
- CITES works by subjecting international trade in specimens of selected species to certain controls.
- All import, export, re-exports and introduction from the sea of species covered by the convention has to be authorized through a licensing system.
It has three appendices:
- Appendix I includes species threatened with extinction. Trade-in specimens of these species are permitted only in exceptional circumstances.
- Appendix II provides a lower level of protection.
- Appendix III contains species that are protected in at least one country, which has asked other CITES Parties for assistance in controlling trade.
Back2Basics: Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
- WPA provides for the protection of the country’s wild animals, birds and plant species, in order to ensure environmental and ecological security.
- It provides for the protection of a listed species of animals, birds and plants, and also for the establishment of a network of ecologically-important protected areas in the country.
- It provides for various types of protected areas such as Wildlife Sanctuaries, National Parks etc.
There are six schedules provided in the WPA for protection of wildlife species which can be concisely summarized as under:
| Schedule I: |
These species need rigorous protection and therefore, the harshest penalties for violation of the law are for species under this Schedule. |
| Schedule II: |
Animals under this list are accorded high protection. They cannot be hunted except under threat to human life. |
| Schedule III & IV: |
This list is for species that are not endangered. This includes protected species but the penalty for any violation is less compared to the first two schedules. |
| Schedule V: |
This schedule contains animals which can be hunted. |
| Schedule VI: |
This list contains plants that are forbidden from cultivation. |
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Tamil Thai Vaazhthu
Mains level: Read the attached story
The Tamil Nadu Government has declared the Tamil Thai Vaazhthu as State Song.
The decision came after the Madras High Court ruling that there is no statutory or executive order requiring the attendees to stand up when Tamil Thai Vaazhthu is sung.
Tamil Thai Vaazhthu
- A part of the verses under the title ‘Tamil Dheiva Vanakkam’ from Manonmaniam, penned by Manonmaniam Sundaranar and published in 1891, eventually came to be known as the Tamil Thai Vaazhthu.
- In 1913, the annual report of the Karanthai Tamil Sangam made the demand for singing the song at all functions.
- The Tamil Thai Vaazhthu is being sung at Karanthai Tamil Sangam since 1914.
- It is also being sung at all Tamil Sangams associated with the Karanthai Tamil Sangam.
- The Karanthai Tamil Sangam had appealed to the then Chief Minister, C.N. Annadurai, to declare Tamil Thai Vaazhthu the State song.
What was the Madras HC observation?
- There is no statutory or executive order requiring attendees to stand up when it was being sung.
- The court, however, ruled that Tamil Thai Vaazhthu “is a prayer song and not an Anthem”.
- While the “highest reverence and respect ought to be shown”, it was not necessary to stand for it.
- The song is sung at the commencement (and not at the end) of all functions organized by government departments, local bodies and educational institutions.
What about National Anthem?
- In the Bijoe Emmanuel vs. State of Kerala (1986) Case, the Supreme Court ordered the readmission to school of three children who had been expelled for refusing to sing the national anthem.
- It was then noted by the SC that there is no provision of law which obliges anyone to sing the National Anthem.
- Again, the Supreme Court had, in Shyam Narayan Chouksey v. Union of India (2017), directed that all cinema halls shall play the national anthem before the film and all present are obliged to stand.
What is the state directive?
- TN CM has issued a directive that everyone who is present during the rendition of the song, barring differently-abled persons, should remain standing.
- The song should compulsorily be sung at the beginning of events organized by all educational institutions, government offices and public sector undertakings, among other public organizations.
- The song should be sung in 55 seconds in Mullaipaani Ragam (Mohana Raagam) in the thisra thaalaa.
- At public functions, the playing of the song with musical instruments/recordings is to be avoided, and trained singers should sing it.
Point of discussion: Is it a case of Sub-nationalism?
- There has been an intensification of sub-nationalism in India by highlighting the greatness of their state, language or historical state icons.
- This pride has, at times, led to unimaginable actions. The latest issue of contention was regarding a separate State flag for Karnataka.
- India also witnesses shocking developments showing the ugly face of provincialism in the North-East.
Issues with such tendencies
- Overambitious aspirations: As much as it is a matter of pride it remains a matter of concern when regional aspirations become too strong.
- Secessionist tendencies: India has already faced partition due to rising religious motives and has been plagued by secessionism in J&K and Nagaland based on regional identities.
- National Unity: It can be argued that subnationalism emphasizes aggressively on its regional identities then it can break the sensitive thread through which India remains a nation.
- Communalism: It should be critically studied that whether the state’s assertions are to freely exercise their own culture and language or to belittle and suppress others.
Affirmations to offer
- Pluralism: An optimistic view emerges which characterizes subnationalism as the strength of a multi-cultural nation such as India.
- Socio-economic solidarity: Subnationalism encourages social development as the level of solidarity is high in a state under such motives of state song, flag etc.
- Unification: State symbols means that a region becomes more and more homogenous and dedicated for welfare under cultural and linguistic symbolization.
Conclusion
- As long as subnationalism is not secessionist in nature or is aimed towards other communities, it might become a positive force in India.
- It will help in re-establishing the nature of the pluralistic society of India amidst the growing manufactured rhetoric of nationalism being falsely related exclusively with religious nationality.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Key terms in PDP Bill
Mains level: Personal Data Protection Bill
The Personal Data Protection Bill is in some aspects very similar with some differences to global standards such as European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation. Here is how:
Must read:
Draft Personal Data Protection Bill, 2021
Major similarities
[1] Consent
- EU: Users must have informed consent about the way their data is processed so that they can opt in or out.
- India: Processing of data should be done in a fair and transparent manner, while also ensuring privacy
[2] Breach
- EU: Supervisory authority must be notified of a breach within 72 hours of the leak so that users can take steps to protect information
- India: Data Protection Authority must be informed within 72 hours; DPA will decide whether users need to be informed and steps to be taken
[3] Transition period
- EU: Two-year transition period for provisions of GDPR to be put in place
- India: 24 months overall; 9 months for registration of data fiduciaries, 6 months for DPA to start
[4] Data fiduciary
- EU: Data fiduciary is any natural or legal person, public authority, agency or body that determines purpose and means of data processing
- India: Similar suggestions; additionally, NGOs which also process data to be included as fiduciaries
Differences:
[1] Anonymous information
- EU: Principles of data protection do not apply to anonymous information since it is impossible to tell one from another
- India: Non-personal data must come under the ambit of data protection law such as non-personal data
[2] Punishment
- EU: No jail terms. Fines up to 20 million euros, or in the case of an undertaking, up to 4 % of their total global turnover of the preceding fiscal year
- India: Jail term of up to 3 years, fine of Rs 2 lakh or both if de-identified data is re-identified by any person.
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