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  • North-East India – Security and Developmental Issues

    Assam-Meghalaya Border Dispute

    | Polity | Mains Paper 2: Federalism

    Union Home Minister is expected to seal the final agreement to end the dispute in six areas of the Assam-Meghalaya boundary ahead of Meghalaya’s 50th Statehood Day celebration on January 21.

    Can you recall the chronology of reorganization of the entire North-East region?

    Assam- Meghalaya Boundary Dispute

    • Assam has had a boundary dispute with Mizoram for decades and several rounds of talks have been held since 1994-95 to solve the issue.
    • Till 1972, Mizoram was a part of Assam and acquired full statehood in 1987.
    • The 164.6 km-long border between the States runs along with Cachar, Hailakandi and Karimganj districts in Assam and Kolasib, Mamit and Aizawl districts in Mizoram.
    • There are several border areas where violence have been reported.

    Roots of the dispute

    • In the Northeast’s complex boundary equations, showdowns between Assam and Mizoram residents are less frequent than they are.
    • The boundary between present-day Assam and Mizoram, 165 km long today, dates back to the colonial era when Mizoram was known as Lushai Hills, a district of Assam.
    • The dispute stems from a notification of 1875 that differentiated Lushai Hills from the plains of Cachar, and another of 1933 that demarcates a boundary between Lushai Hills and Manipur.
    • Mizoram believes the boundary should be demarcated on the basis of the 1875 notification, which is derived from the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR) Act, 1873.
    • Mizo leaders have argued in the past argued against the demarcation notified in 1933 because Mizo society was not consulted.

    Other boundary disputes in North-East

    The states of the Northeast were largely carved out of Assam, which has border disputes with several states.

    During British rule, Assam included present-day Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya besides Mizoram, which became separate state one by one. Today, Assam has boundary problems with each of them.

    • Nagaland shares a 500-km boundary with Assam.
    • In two major incidents of violence in 1979 and 1985, at least 100 persons were killed. The boundary dispute is now in the Supreme Court
    • On the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh boundary (over 800 km), clashes were first reported in 1992, according to the same research paper.
    • Since then, there have been several accusations of illegal encroachment from both sides, and intermittent clashes. This boundary issue is being heard by the Supreme Court.
    • The 884-km Assam-Meghalaya boundary, too, witnesses flare-ups frequently. As per Meghalaya government statements, today there are 12 areas of dispute between the two states.

     

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  • Telecom and Postal Sector – Spectrum Allocation, Call Drops, Predatory Pricing, etc

    BARC ratings for news channels to resume soon

    Prelims Only | Governance | Mains Paper 2: Governance, Transparency & Accountability, Citizens Charters

    Ratings by Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) for the news channels will resume, after the organisation revised its procedures and protocols.

    The ratings were suspended after the Mumbai police busted a racket involving a private channel’s efforts to tamper the TRPs.

    Try this question:

    Q.What do you mean by “TRP Journalism”? Discuss the loopholes in the present system of self-regulation in Indian media.

    What is TRP?

    • In simple terms, anyone who watches television for more than a minute is considered a viewer.
    • The TRP or Target Rating Point is the metric used by the marketing and advertising agencies to evaluate this viewership.
    • In India, the TRP is recorded by the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) using Bar-O-Meters that are installed in televisions in selected households.
    • As on date, the BARC has installed these meters in 44,000 households across the country. Audio watermarks are embedded in video content prior to broadcast.
    • These watermarks are not audible to the human ear, but can easily be detected and decoded using dedicated hardware and software.
    • As viewing details are recorded by the Bar-O-Meters, so are the watermarks.

    What is BARC?

    • It is an industry body jointly owned by advertisers, ad agencies, and broadcasting companies, represented by The Indian Society of Advertisers, the Indian Broadcasting Foundation and the Advertising Agencies Association of India.
    • Though it was created in 2010, the I&B Ministry notified the Policy Guidelines for Television Rating Agencies in India on January 10, 2014, and registered BARC in July 2015 under these guidelines, to carry out television ratings in India.

    How are the households selected?

    • Selection of households where Bar-O-Meters are installed is a two-stage process.
    • The first step is the Establishment Survey, a large-scale face-to-face survey of a sample of approximately 3 lakh households from the target population. This is done annually.
    • Out of these, the households which will have Bar-O-Meters or what the BARC calls the Recruitment Sample are randomly selected. The fieldwork to recruit households is not done directly by BARC.
    • The BARC on its website has said that the viewing behaviour of panel homes is reported to BARC India daily. Coincidental checks either physically or telephonically are done regularly.

    Vigilance activities by BARC

    • Certain suspicious outliers are also checked directly by BARC India.
    • BARC India also involves a separate vigilance agency to check on outliers that it considers highly suspicious.
    • And as per the guidelines of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, these households rotate every year.
    • This rotation is in such a manner that older panel homes are removed first while maintaining the representativeness of the panel.
    • The Ministry guidelines further say that the secrecy and privacy of the panel homes must be maintained, and asked the BARC to follow a voluntary code of conduct.

    What are the loopholes in the process?

    • Several doubts have been raised on many previous occasions about the working of the TRP.
    • As per several reports, about 70% of the revenue for television channels comes from advertising and only 30% from subscriptions.
    • It is claimed that households were being paid to manipulate the TRP.

     

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  • Festivals, Dances, Theatre, Literature, Art in News

    [pib] Harvest Festivals in India

    | History | Mains Paper 1: Arts & Culture

    The President has greeted the people of India on the occasion of Makar Sankranti and Pongal festivals.

    Makar Sankranti

    • Makar Sankranti or Uttarayan or Maghi or simply Sankranti is considered as the transition day of Sun into the Capricorn.
    • Now the sun moves northwards in the Hindu calendar.
    • Dedicated to the deity Surya, many native festivals are organized all over India.
    • It mostly falls at the end of Kharif harvests.

    Statewise festivals celebration

    • Pongal: In South India and particularly in Tamil Nadu, it’s the festival of Pongal which is being celebrated over 4 days at harvest time.
    • Lohri: It is celebrated in North India particularly in Punjab as a traditional winter folk festival or as a popular harvest festival of farmers.
    • Bhogi: In Andhra Pradesh, it is celebrated as a four day festival with a bonfire with logs of wood, other solid-fuels, and wooden furniture at home that are no longer useful.
    • Magha Bihu: In Assam and many parts of the North East, the festival of Magha Bihu is celebrated. It sees the first harvest of the season being offered to the gods along with prayers for peace and prosperity.
    • Uttarayan: Gujarat celebrates it in the form of the convivial kite festival of Uttarayan.
    • Saaji: In Shimla District of Himachal Pradesh, Makara Sankranti is known as Magha Saaji. Saaji is the Pahari word for Sankranti, start of the new month. Hence this day marks the start of the month of Magha.

    Try this question from our AWE initiative:

    Do we have cultural pockets of small India all over the nation? Elaborate with examples. (15 Marks)

     

     

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  • Electoral Reforms In India

    Need to recast the selection process of the ECs

    op-ed snap | Polity | Mains Paper 2: Statutory, Regulatory & Various Quasi-Judicial Bodies

    Context

    The attendance of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and his Election Commissioner (EC) colleagues at an “informal” meeting with the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister has brought renewed focus on the independence and impartiality of the Election Commission of India (ECI).

    Need for changes in the appointment process

    • The changes in the appointment process for ECs can strengthen ECI’s independence, neutrality and transparency. 
    • The appointment of ECs falls within the purview of Article 324(2) of the Constitution, which establishes the institution.
    • Article 324(2) contains a ‘subject to’ clause which provides that both the number and tenure of the ECs shall be “subject to provisions of any law made in that behalf by Parliament, be made by the President.”
    • Apart from enacting a law in 1989 enlarging the number of ECs from one to three, Parliament has so far not enacted any changes to the appointment process.
    • In 1975 itself, the Justice Tarkunde Committee recommended that ECs be appointed on the advice of a Committee comprising the Prime Minister, Lok Sabha Opposition Leader and the Chief Justice.
    • This was reiterated by the Dinesh Goswami Committee in 1990 and the Law Commission in 2015.
    • The 4th Report (2007) of the Second Administrative Reforms Commission additionally recommended that the Law Minister and the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha be included in such a Collegium.
    • Violation of Article 14 and 324: Three Writ Petitions, with one pending since 2015, are urging the Supreme Court to declare that the current practice of appointment of ECs by the Centre violates Article 14, Article 324(2), and Democracy as a basic feature of the Constitution.
    • Precedent does exist in the case of Rojer Mathew v South Indian Bank Ltd, to argue against the Executive being the sole appointer for a quasi-judicial body.
    • The Supreme Court had recognised that “Election Commission is not only responsible for conducting free and fair elections but it also renders a quasi-judicial function between the various political parties including the ruling government and other parties.”
    • In such circumstances, the executive cannot be a sole participant in the appointment of members of Election Commission as it gives unfettered discretion to the ruling party.

    Way forward

    • Establishing a multi-institutional, bipartisan committee for fair and transparent selection of ECs can enhance the perceived and actual independence of ECI.
    • Such a procedure is already followed with regard to other Constitutional and Statutory Authorities such as the Chief Information Commissioner, Lokpal, Vigilance Commissioner, and the Director of the Central Bureau of Intelligence.

    Consider the question “What is the procedure for the appointment of Election Commissioners? What are the issues with this procedure? Suggest the way forward.”

    Conclusion

    ECI’s constitutional responsibilities require a fair and transparent appointment process that is beyond reproach, which will reaffirm our faith in this vital pillar of our polity.

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  • Reaping India’s demographic dividend

    op-ed snap | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Effects Of Liberalization On The Economy, Changes In Industrial Policy and their effects on Industrial Growth

    Context

    Countries like Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea have already shown us how demographic dividend can be reaped to achieve incredible economic growth by adopting forward-looking policies and programmes.

    The window of demographic opportunity

    • With falling fertility (currently 2.0), rising median age (from 24 years in 2011, 29 years now and expected to be 36 years by 2036), a falling dependency ratio (expected to decrease from 65% to 54% in the coming decade taking 15-59 years as the working age population), India is in the middle of a demographic transition.
    • This provides a window of opportunity towards faster economic growth. India has already begun to get the dividend.
    • As fertility declines, the share of the young population falls and that of the older, dependent population rises.
    • If the fertility decline is rapid, the increase in the population of working ages is substantial yielding the ‘demographic dividend’.
    • The smaller share of children in the population enables higher investment per child.
    • Therefore, the future entrants in the labour force can have better productivity and thus boost income.
    • With the passage of time, the share of the older population rises and that of the working age population begins to fall and hence the dividend is available for a period of time, ‘the window of demographic opportunity’.

    Need for forward-looking policies

    • Without proper policies, the increase in the working-age population may lead to rising unemployment, fueling economic and social risks.
    • This calls for forward-looking policies incorporating population dynamics, education and skills, healthcare, gender sensitivity, and providing rights and choices to the younger generation.

    Lessons for India

    • Countries like Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea have already shown us how demographic dividend can be reaped.
    •  There are important lessons from these countries for India.
    • 1) NTA data: The first is to undertake an updated National Transfer Accounts (NTA) assessment.
    • Using NTA methodologies, we find that India’s per capita consumption pattern is way lower than that of other Asian countries.
    • A child in India consumes around 60% of the consumption by an adult aged between 20 and 64, while a child in China consumes about 85% of a prime-age adult’s consumption.
    • The NTA data for India needs to be updated to capture the progress made on such investments since 2011-12.
    • 2) Invest more in children and adolescents: India ranks poorly in Asia in terms of private and public human capital spending.
    • It needs to invest more in children and adolescents, particularly in nutrition and learning during early childhood.
    • 3) Make health investments: Health spending has not kept pace with India’s economic growth.
    • The public spending on health has remained flat at around 1% of GDP.
    • Evidence suggests that better health facilitates improved economic production.
    • Hence, it is important to draft policies to promote health during the demographic dividend.
    • 4) Make reproductive healthcare services accessible on a rights-based approach: We need to provide universal access to high-quality primary education and basic healthcare.
    • The unmet need for family planning in India at 9.4% as per the latest National Family Health Survey-5 (2019-21) is high as compared to 3.3% in China and 6.6% in South Korea, which needs to be bridged.
    •  5) Bridge gender differentials in education: The gender inequality of education is a concern.
    • In India, boys are more likely to be enrolled in secondary and tertiary school than girls. This needs to be reversed.
    • 6) Increase female workforce participation: As of 2019, 20.3% of women were working or looking for work, down from 34.1% in 2003-04.
    • New skills and opportunities for women and girls befitting their participation in a $3 trillion economy is urgently needed.
    • It is predicted that if all women engaged in domestic duties in India who are willing to work had a job, female labour force participation would increase by about 20%.
    • 7) Address the diversity between StatesWhile India is a young country, the status and pace of population ageing vary among States.
    • Southern States, which are advanced in demographic transition, already have a higher percentage of older people.
    • These differences in age structure reflect differences in economic development and health – and remind us of States’ very different starting points at the outset of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals Agenda.
    • But this also offers boundless opportunities for States to work together, especially on demographic transition, with the north-central region as the reservoir of India’s workforce.
    • 8) Governance reform: A new federal approach to governance reforms for demographic dividend will need to be put in place for policy coordination between States on various emerging population issues such as migration, ageing, skiling, female workforce participation and urbanisation.

    Conclusion

    In India, the benefit to the GDP from demographic transition has been lower than its peers in Asia and is already tapering. Hence, there is an urgency to take appropriate policy measures.

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  • Govt releases revised guidelines for Universal Accessibility

    | Governance | Mains Paper 2: Governance, Transparency & Accountability, Citizens Charters

    From the design plan to the implementation, various aspects of the built environment have been covered under the new guidelines for universal accessibility recently drafted by the Centre.

    What is Universal Accessibility?

    • Universal Accessibility can be defined as the conditions for easy access.
    • It would allow any individual (even those whose mobility, communicative ability, or understanding is reduced) to access and enjoy a place, product, or service, and to do so freely and independently.

    Why is universal accessibility important?

    • Universal design is so important because if a space is accessible, usable, and convenient for everyone regardless of age or ability, it’s inclusive for all.
    • An accessible school, library, community centre, govt office or park means everyone can participate fully in their community.

    What are the new guidelines?

    • The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) released the Harmonised Guidelines and Standards for Universal Accessibility in India 2021.
    • Drafted by a team of the IIT-Roorkee and the National Institute of Urban Affairs of the MoHUA, the revised guidelines aim to give a holistic approach.
    • Earlier, the guidelines were for creating a barrier-free environment, but now they are focusing on universal accessibility.

    Key highlights

    • Ramps: The guidelines provide the gradient and length of ramps — for example, for a length of six metres, the gradient should be 1:12. The minimum clear width of a ramp should be 1,200 mm.
    • Beyond PwDs: While making public buildings and transport fully accessible for wheelchair users is covered in the guidelines, other users who may experience temporary problems have also been considered. For instance, a parent pushing a child’s pram while carrying groceries or other bags, and women wearing saris.
    • Women friendly: Built environment needs for accessibility for women should consider diverse age groups, diverse cultural contexts and diverse life situations in which women operate. Diverse forms of clothing (saris, salwar-kameez, etc.) and footwear (heels, kolhapuri chappals, etc.) require a certain orientations.
    • Accessibility symbols: The guidelines call for accessibility symbols for PwD, family-friendly facilities and transgender to be inclusively incorporated among the symbols for other user groups.
    • Targeted authorities: The guidelines are meant for State governments, government departments and the private sector, as well as for reference by architecture and planning institutes.

    Policy measures for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs)

    • India is a signatory to the UN Convention the Right of Persons with Disabilities, which came into force in 2007.
    • The ‘Accessible India Campaign’ (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan) was launched in 2015 to enable Persons with disabilities to gain universal access, equal opportunity for development.
    • The Union Minister for Social justice and Empowerment has also launched the “Sugamya Bharat App” to complain for ease accessibility for PwDs.
    • India has its dedicated the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, which is the principal and comprehensive legislation concerning persons with disabilities.

    Back2Basics: Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan

    • Accessible India Campaign or Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan is a program that is set to be launched to serve the differently-able community of the country.
    • The flagship program has been launched on 3 December 2015, the International Day of People with Disabilities.
    • The program comes with an index to measure the design of disabled-friendly buildings and human resource policies.
    • The initiative also in line with Article 9 of the (UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities) which India is a signatory since 2007.
    • The scheme also comes under the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995 for equal Opportunities and protection of rights which provides non-discrimination in Transport to Persons with Disabilities.

     

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  • Parliament – Sessions, Procedures, Motions, Committees etc

    Suspension of MLA is worse than expulsion: SC

    | Polity | Mains Paper 2: Parliament & State Legislatures

    The Supreme Court has said that suspension from the Legislative Assembly for a year is “worse” than expulsion, as it affects the Right of a constituency to remain represented in the House.

    What is the case?

    • Few MLAs from Maharashtra have challenged their one-year suspension from the Legislative Assembly for allegedly misbehaving with the presiding officer.

    Suspending MLAs: A fact check

    • Each state has their individual rules for the conduct of assembly. These rules provides for the suspension of MLAs.
    • Under Rule 53 of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Rules, 1960, only the Speaker has the power to suspend MLAs indulging in unruly behavior.
    • Therefore, the motion to suspend cannot be put to vote as this would allow the Government to suspend as many Members of Opposition as it sees fit.

    Constitutional ground behind this suspension

    • The Court referred to Article 190 (4) of the Constitution which says that if for a period of 60 days, a member of a House, without its permission, is absent; the House may declare his or her seat vacant.
    • Suspension of MLAs beyond this period would lead to their disqualification.

    What did the Supreme Court observe?

    • Suspension of the MLAs would amount to punishing the constituencies as a whole.
    • Each constituency has equal amount of right to be represented in the House, observed the court.
    • The apex court observed that any state cannot create a constitutional void, a hiatus situation for any constituency.
    • It said the House cannot suspend a member beyond 59 days.

     

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  • WTO and India

    India appeals against WTO order on Sugar

    IOCR | International Relations | Mains Paper 2: Important International Institutions

    India has appealed against a ruling of the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) trade dispute settlement panel on domestic sugar subsidies, stating that the panel had committed “certain errors of law” in its report.

    What is the case?

    • India’s Minimum Selling Price system for Sugarcane was brought to notice to the WTO by Brazil, Australia and Guatemala.

    What was the complaint against India?

    Australia, Brazil, and Guatemala said India’s domestic support and export subsidy measures appeared to be inconsistent with various articles against WTO’s:

    1. Agreement on Agriculture
    2. Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (SCM)
    3. Article XVI (which concerns subsidies) of the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT)
    • Domestic Support: All three countries complained that India provides domestic support to sugarcane producers that exceed the de minimis level of 10% of the total value of sugarcane production.
    • Various subsidies: They also raised the issue of India’s alleged export subsidies, subsidies under the production assistance and buffer stock schemes, and the marketing and transportation scheme.
    • Notifying support: Australia accused India of “failing” to notify its annual domestic support for sugarcane and sugar subsequent to 1995-96, and its export subsidies since 2009-10.

    India’s reply to WTO panel

    • India rejected the panel’s findings as “erroneous”, “unreasoned”, and “not supported by the WTO rules”.
    • It argued that the requirements of Article 3 of the SCM Agreement are not yet applicable to India.
    • It has a phase-out period of 8 years to eliminate export subsidies under the agreement.
    • India also argued that its mandatory minimum prices are not paid by the governments but by sugar mills, and hence do not constitute market price support.

    Backgrounder: Sugarcane Pricing in India

    Who determines Sugarcane prices?

    Sugarcane prices are determined by the Centre as well as States.

    1. The Centre announces Fair and Remunerative Prices which are determined on the recommendation of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) and are announced by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, which is chaired by Prime Minister.
    2. The State Advised Prices (SAP) are announced by key sugarcane producing states which are generally higher than FRP.

    Minimum Selling Price (MSP) for Sugar

    • The price of sugar is market-driven & depends on the demand & supply of sugar.
    • However, with a view to protecting the interests of farmers, the concept of MSP of sugar has been introduced since 2018.
    • MSP of sugar has been fixed taking into account the components of Fair & Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane and minimum conversion cost of the most efficient mills.

    Basis of price determination

    • With the amendment of the Sugarcane (Control) Order, 1966, the concept of Statutory Minimum Price (SMP) of sugarcane was replaced with the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP)’ of sugarcane in 2009-10.
    • The cane price announced by the Central Government is decided on the basis of the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).
    • This is done in consultation with the State Governments and after taking feedback from associations of the sugar industry.

    What is FRP?

    • FRP is fixed under a sugarcane control order, 1966.
    • It is the minimum price that sugar mills are supposed to pay to the farmers.
    • However, states determine their own State Agreed Price (SAP) which is generally higher than the FRP.

    Factors considered for FRP:

    • The amended provisions of the Sugarcane (Control) Order, 1966 provides for fixation of FRP of sugarcane having regard to the following factors:

    a) cost of production of sugarcane;

    b) return to the growers from alternative crops and the general trend of prices of agricultural commodities;

    c) availability of sugar to consumers at a fair price;

    d) price at which sugar produced from sugarcane is sold by sugar producers;

    e) recovery of sugar from sugarcane;

    f) the realization made from the sale of by-products viz. molasses, bagasse, and press mud or their imputed value;

    g) reasonable margins for the growers of sugarcane on account of risk and profits.

     

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  • Electoral Reforms In India

    Election Campaign Funding by Political Parties

    | Polity | Mains Paper 2: Representation Of People’s Act

    With several Assembly elections coming up, the issue of campaigning is back on the track. Campaign funding reforms are one of the biggest issues in electoral reforms worldwide.

    Why in news?

    • Elections are fought with huge funds nowadays.
    • Estimates vary, but a candidate may spend in crores in just one constituency.
    • This vital issue is neglected by voters in the noise of campaigns, leaders, celebrities, and media coverage.

    Caps on Election Expenditure

    The Election Commission of India (ECI) imposes limits on campaign expenditure incurred by a candidate and not political parties.

    The ceiling on poll expenditure varies across States:

    (a) Bigger states

    • With candidates in Assembly Elections in bigger states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu now allowed to spend up to 40L (from ₹30.8 lakhs as against ₹28 lakhs earlier.)
    • For a candidate contesting a Lok Sabha Poll in these States, the revised ceiling on poll expenditure is now 90lakh (₹77 lakhs earlier).

    (b) Smaller states

    • While the enhanced ceiling for a Lok Sabha candidate is now 75Lakh (Earlier ₹59.4 lakhs) those contesting an Assembly can spend up to 28 Lakh( earlier ₹22 lakhs.)
    • Goa, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and a few Union Territories (AGMUT states) based on the size of their constituencies and population, have a lower ceiling on poll expenditure.

    How are such ceilings made?

    • Such changes are made by amending the Conduct of Elections Rules.
    • The last time the expenditure ceiling was enhanced was in 2014 just ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

    What happens when expenditure exceeds the limit?

    • Contesting candidates are required to file a mandatory true account of election expenses with the EC.
    • An incorrect account or expenditure beyond the ceiling can attract disqualification for up to three years as per Section 10A of The Representation of the People Act, 1951.

    What doesn’t account to Election expenditure?

    • The expenditure incurred by leaders of a political party on account of travel by air or by any other means of transport for propagating programme of the political party is not considered to be the election expenditure.
    • Any expenditure which is done for service of the Government and discharge of official duty is also not considered to be election expenditure.

    Why is this issue important for the voter?

    • Voters vote for candidates, political parties and leaders so that they deliver benefits to the citizens.
    • If election funds are obtained from other sources, the Governments in power are obliged to the funders more than the voters.
    • The government may take decisions that benefit the donors rather than the voters.
    • Even if a rich candidate funds his own election, the focus is on recovering the investment made rather on public service.

    Situation in India on Election Funding

    • Transparency in funding is absent after the introduction of Electoral Bonds.
    • Now citizens cannot know who is funding the political parties.

    Way forward

    There is also much to learn from international experience. Broadly there are three classes of remedies.

    • First is to make all election funding completely transparent so that voters know who is funding whom.
    • Second is to prevent private interests from unduly influencing elections or Governments. This is done by a set of rules on limiting funding.
    • Third is to try and have a more level playing field so that good politicians, candidates and parties with less funds also stand a chance of competing in elections.

     

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  • Parliament – Sessions, Procedures, Motions, Committees etc

    Back in news: Central Vista Project

    | Polity | Mains Paper 2: Parliament & State Legislatures

    The redevelopment of central vista avenue in New Delhi, where the Republic Day parade is scheduled to be held, has been delayed by a couple of days due to heavy rainfall.

    Central Vista Project

    • The project aims to renovate and redevelop 86 acres of land in Lutyens’s Delhi.
    • In this, the landmark structures of the government, including Parliament House, Rashtrapati Bhavan, India Gate, North Block and South Block, etc. stand.
    • This dream project of redeveloping the nation’s administrative heart was announced by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs back in September 13, 2019.

    This project has three main parts:

    1. New parliament building
    2. New secretariat complex to bring all the central govt ministries in one place
    3. Development of the Rajghat and the area around it
    • This project will involve demolition of some non-heritage buildings in the area, and construction of new buildings in place of them.

    Why need this Project?

    The most significant aspect of the project is the construction of a new parliament building.  There are several reasons for needing a new building.

    • Due to increased population, which has almost quadrupled since independence, there is a need to increase the number of Lok Sabha constituencies through delimitation.
    • Similarly, the central hall of the parliament, used to hold joint sessions, actually does not have enough seats for the MPs of both houses.
    • During joint sessions, temporary chairs are placed on the aisles so that all the members can sit.
    • This is certainly not a dignified scene for the parliament of the largest democracy in the world.
    • The infrastructure of the parliament was also antiqued, as they were added at various times as and when required.

    Due to these reasons, a pressing need was felt to construct a new parliament building.

    Significance of the project

    • Modernising parliament’s facilities: The new Parliament building will be India’s first purpose-designed parliament, equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure to meet all needs of an expanded parliament.
    • Improving productivity and efficiency: All ministries of the government will be consolidated in one place and will be served by highly energy-efficient and sustainable infrastructure.
    • Strengthening cultural and recreational facilities: The National Museum will be relocated and conceptualized to present the rich heritage and achievements of the nation.
    • Providing modern and secure infrastructure: A modern, secure, and appropriately equipped executive enclave is proposed to house executive offices and facilities.
    • Providing residential facilities for the PM: Modern and secure residential facilities for the vice president and the PM are proposed to the north of North Block and south of South Block respectively.
    • Cultural significance: The overall objective of works planned on the Central Vista is to ensure environmental sustainability, restore the vista’s architectural character, protect its heritage buildings, expand and improve public space, and to extend its axis.

     

    Also read about the

    New Parliament Building

    Back2Basics: Making of New Delhi

    • The Central Vista was designed by Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker, to house the capital of British India.
    • The top of the Raisina Hill and adjacent hills in the area was flattened to create space for the buildings.
    • At his coronation as Emperor of India on December 12, 1911, Britain’s King George V had announced the transfer of the seat of the Government from Calcutta to the ancient Capital of Delhi.
    • Thereafter, a 20-year-long project to build modern New Delhi was spearheaded by architects Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker.
    • They built Parliament House, Rashtrapati Bhavan, North and South Blocks, Rajpath, India Gate, National Archives and the princes’ houses around India Gate.
    • Thus, New Delhi was unveiled in 1931.

     

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