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  • Foreign Policy Watch: India-Pakistan

    [op-ed snap] Seize the summit

    18 January 2020 | op-ed snap | International Relations
    Mains Paper 2: India & Its Neighborhood – Relations

    Context

    India announced that it will invite all heads of government of Shanghai Co-operation Organisation member countries, including Pakistan.

    Significance of the invitation

    • First since 2014: The summit will assume significance should Pakistan Prime Minister accept the invitation.
      • As it will be the first by a head of government or state of that country to India since former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif attended the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister in 2014.
    • Hopes belied: Nothing came from that meeting and hopes created by the invitation were belied.
    • Failed attempts to engage: Attempts to engage after that failed, including at a previous SCO summit at Ufa in 2015.

    Latest events that further reduced the engagement

    • Pulwama attack: First, there was the February 2019 Pulwama attack, India’s Balakot response, and Pakistan’s counter-response.
    • Article 370: After India did away with Jammu & Kashmir’s special status, India and Pakistan have downgraded even their diplomatic presence in each other’s countries.
    • Both the countries withdrew their high commissioners after the Article 370 issue.
    • Trade stopped completely: Bilateral trade, which had managed to survive earlier shocks to relations, has stopped completely.

    Opportunities presented by SCO summit

    • “Inputs of all stakeholders”: In deciding whether to accept the invitation, the Pakistan PM will have to take into consideration “inputs of all stakeholders”.
    • A polite way of saying that the final yes or no will rest with the Pakistan Army.
    • A chance for a high-level meeting: Even if Imran Khan stays away and sends a minister instead, it would still be a chance for a high-level bilateral meeting.
    • The world wants India and Pakistan to engage: The world wants India and Pakistan to engage, and this was evident in the way the UNSC refused to take up the Kashmir issue, saying it was not the forum for it.
    • Opportunity for India to make a start: India has declared several times recently that it wants to peel away from historical foreign policy baggage.
      • India should make a start with Pakistan by making it possible for such a meeting to take place.
    • Making acceptance of invitation easier: India can make it easier for the Pakistan Prime Minister to accept the invitation.
    • Resuming trade: A start could be made by resuming trade, which has ground to a dead halt
    • Sending High Commissioner back: India can start by sending India’s High Commissioner back to his office in Islamabad.

     Conclusion

    The SCO summit presents an opportunity for both the countries to end the long hiatus in the relations which is essential for both the countries to resolve the long-standing issues and progress of both the countries.

     

     

     

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  • Monsoon Updates

    Explained: What new monsoon dates mean

    18 January 2020 | Explained | Environment
    Mains Paper 1: Geographical Features & Their Location

     

    The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had decided to revise the normal onset and withdrawal dates for the monsoon in some parts of the country from this year.

    Onset of Monsoon

    • The four-month southwest monsoon season, which brings as much as 70 per cent of the country’s annual rainfall, officially begins on June 1, with the onset over Kerala, and ends on September 30.
    • It takes about a month and half after onset on the Kerala coast to cover the entire country; and about a month, beginning from the northwestern parts of the country on Sept. 1 to withdraw completely.
    • Although the June 1 date for the onset of the monsoon on the Kerala coast is unlikely to be changed, the dates for onset in many other parts of the country are expected to be revised.
    • Mumbai, for example, expects to start getting rain from June 10 the revision is likely to push this date back by a few days.
    • Effectively, the monsoon is now expected to have later arrival and withdrawal dates in most parts of the country.

    Why was this revision needed?

    • The main reason for the revision in the normal dates is the changes in precipitation patterns that have been taking place over the last many years.
    • In the last 13 years, for example, only once has the onset over the Kerala coast happened on June 1.
    • While two or three days of earlier or later onset falls within the yearly variability in several years the onset happened five to seven days late.
    • Similarly, the commencement of withdrawal has happened in the first week of September only twice during this period, and last year, the withdrawal started as late as October 9 — and was completed in around just a week.

    Recent peculiarity with the exam

    • One of the significant changes being noticed is that rainfall is getting increasingly concentrated within a narrow band of days within the monsoon season.
    • So, there are extremely wet days followed by prolonged periods of dry days.
    • IMD data show that over several previous years, nearly 95 per cent of monsoon precipitation in 22 major cities of the country had happened over a period of just three to 27 days.
    • Delhi, for example, had received almost 95 per cent of its monsoon rainfall over just 99 hours. And half of Mumbai’s monsoon rain had fallen over just 134 hours, or five and a half days, on average.

    Regional variations

    • Patterns of regional variations in rainfall are also changing
    • Areas that have traditionally received plenty of rainfall are often remaining dry, while places that are not expected to get a lot of monsoon rain have sometimes been getting flooded.
    • Climate change could be one of the factors driving these changes, but there could be other reasons as well.

    What will be the impact of IMD’s move?

    For Farmers

    • The revisions are meant to reflect the changes in precipitation patterns in recent years.
    • New dates will likely nudge farmers in some parts of the country to make slight adjustments in the time of sowing their crops.
    • It would definitely have an impact on our agriculture practices — when to start sowing, when to harvest.
    • So, even if there is a delay in the arrival of monsoon by three to four days over a region, it would not matter much if there is a fairly good rainfall distribution thereafter.
    • The change in dates would affect water management practices as well.

    For Industries

    • The planning that goes to beat the heat — several cities execute heat action plans — just ahead of the monsoon would have to factor in the need to be prepared for longer periods of heat.
    • Rajeevan said many other activities including industrial operations, the power sector, or those using cooling systems, would also need to change their behaviour.
    • The power grid can, for example, have more realistic planning for peak periods of electricity consumption in certain months.

    Way Forward

    • The changed dates are expected to be announced in April, when the IMD makes its first forecast for the monsoon.
    • Agro-meteorologists, however, agree that more than the onset, it is the information about the spatio-temporal distribution of rainfall that will be more helpful for farmers.
    • Ultimately, the change in normal dates of the onset and withdrawal of the monsoon would help people understand when to expect rains, and to plan their activities accordingly.

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  • Death Penalty Abolition Debate

    Death Penalty in India (Annual Statistics Report 2019)

    18 January 2020 | DOMR | Polity
    Mains Paper 2: Executive & Judiciary

    Trial courts in India delivered 102 death sentences in 2019, over 60% fewer than the 162 death sentences passed in 2018.

    Highlights of the Report

    • In 2019, fewer death sentences overall were delivered.
    • 1 out of 2 sentences for sexual violence-murder; in 3 out of 4 sexual violence-murder death sentences, children were the killer’s victims.
    • The courts were, however, especially unforgiving of murders that involved sexual violence — the proportion of death sentences imposed for murders involving sexual offences was at a four-year high in 2019 at 52.94%.
    • 2019 also saw the highest number of confirmations by High Courts in four years; 17 out of the 26 confirmations (65.38%) were in offences of murder involving sexual violence.
    • The Supreme Court, primarily during the tenure of the previous CJI Gogoi, listed and heard 27 capital cases, the most in a year since 2001.

    Project 39A

    • These are the headline findings in the fourth edition of The Death Penalty in India: Annual Statistics, published by Project 39A at the National Law University (NLU), Delhi.
    • Project 39A is a research and litigation initiative focussed on the criminal justice system, and especially issues of legal aid, torture, death penalty, and mental health in prisons.
    • The report tracked news of death sentences awarded by trial courts published online by news organisations in English and Hindi.
    • It checked these numbers against judgments uploaded to websites of High Court and district courts.

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  • Electric and Hybrid Cars – FAME, National Electric Mobility Mission, etc.

    National E-Mobility Mission Plan 2020

    18 January 2020 | Schemes | Economics
    Mains Paper 3: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways Etc.

     

    The Supreme Court has sought the response of the government on a petition that alleges the non-implementation of the National E-Mobility Mission Plan, 2020 (NEMMP), which came out in 2012.

    National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP) 2020

    • The plan was launched by the Government of India in 2013 with the objective of achieving national fuel security by promoting electric and hybrid vehicles.
    • It had set a target of achieving a sale of seven million EVs by 2020 and thereby aimed to cut total carbon dioxide emissions by three per cent from the ‘do nothing’ scenario.
    • The government would provide fiscal and monetary incentives for this industry.
    • The plan had made several recommendations for the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), including electric-powered government fleets and public transportation and subsidies for those who opt for EVs.

    What was the petition about?

    • The petition contended that the governmental apathy has violated the fundamental rights of citizens to health and clean environment guaranteed under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution.
    • The government had failed in its obligation to mitigate the impact of climate change and air pollution partly attributable to emissions from vehicles that burn fossil fuels.
    • Government’s failure to suitably implement these recommendations is the direct cause of air pollution levels that have turned our cities into virtual ‘gas chambers’.

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  • Zoonotic Diseases: Medical Sciences Involved & Preventive Measures

    [pib] Novel Corona Virus (nCoV)

    18 January 2020 | PIB | Science and Technology
    Mains Paper 3: Awareness in various sc and tech fields

    The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has been closely monitoring the situation after the reports of 41 confirmed cases of novel Corona virus (nCoV) including one death from Wuhan, China, 2020.

    About Novel Corona Virus

    • Corona viruses are large family of viruses, which cause illnesses to people and also circulate in animals including camels, cats and bats.
    • They cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome.
    • 2019-nCoV is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans.
    • Much remains to be understood about the new coronavirus, which was first identified in China earlier this month.
    • Not enough is known about 2019-nCoV to draw definitive conclusions about how it is transmitted, clinical features of disease, or the extent to which it has spread. The source also remains unknown.

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  • Fertilizer Sector reforms – NBS, bio-fertilizers, Neem coating, etc.

    [pib] APNA UREA – SonaUgle

    18 January 2020 | PIB | Economics
    Mains Paper 3: Effects Of Liberalization On The Economy, Changes In Industrial Policy and their effects on Industrial Growth

     

    APNA UREA – SonaUgle

    • The Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers launched the “APNA UREA – SonaUgle” brand of Hindustan Urvarak & Rasayan Limited (HURL).
    • HURL is Joint Venture Company promoted by the three Maharatna Companies i.e. Coal India Limited (CIL), NTPC Limited (NTPC) and Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) as the lead promoters with FCIL and HFCL as other two partners.
    • The commissioning of the HURL’s three Units in the states of UP, Bihar and Jharkhand will open forward and backward linkages for business activity in the Eastern part of India.
    • It will be instrumental in opening new avenues for the generation of income and employment in the Eastern part of our country.

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  • Tuberculosis Elimination Strategy

    TrueNat

    18 January 2020 | | Science and Technology
    Mains Paper 3: Achievements Of Indians In S&T

    The WHO has endorsed TrueNat, an Indian indigenous molecular diagnostic tool for tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis.

    TrueNat

    • The TrueNat TB test is a new molecular test that can diagnosis TB in one hour as well as testing for resistance to the drug rifampicin.
    • The TrueNat MTB and MTB Plus assays also show comparable accuracy to the TB-LAMP assay as replacement tests for sputum smear microscopy.
    • The data for TrueNat MTB-Rif shows similar accuracy to WHO-approved commercial line probe assays.
    • It is developed by the Goa-based Molbio Diagnostics.
    • The company was provided with technical assistance and resources by the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND) to help commercialise Truenat.
    • ICMR had assessed and validated the diagnostic tool. It has high diagnostic accuracy as initial test to diagnose TB.
    • It will be used as an initial test thus replacing sputum smear microscopy.

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

    Telecommunication Consumers Education and Protection Fund (TCEPF)

    18 January 2020 | Prelims Only | Economics
    Mains Paper 3: Effects Of Liberalization On The Economy, Changes In Industrial Policy and their effects on Industrial Growth

    The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has informed that telecom service providers will need to deposit all unclaimed money of consumers, including excess charges and security deposit, in the Telecommunication Consumers Education and Protection Fund (TCEPF).

    Telecommunication Consumers Education and Protection Fund (TCEPF)

    • The TCEPF Regulations, 2007 have been amended to provide the basic framework for depositing unclaimed money of consumers by service providers, maintenance of the TCEPF and other related aspects.
    • Any unclaimed / unrefundable amount belonging to consumers in the TCEP fund will be utilized for the welfare measures of the consumers.
    • With this amendment, service providers will deposit any unclaimed consumer money of any form such as excess charges, security deposit, plan charges of failed activations, or any amount belonging to a consumer, which service providers are unable to refund to consumers.

    Why such move?

    • The TRAI observed that there is a need to bring clarity among service providers in depositing money which they are unable to refund to the consumers.
    • While some service providers were depositing money only on account of excess billing revealed in the audit, others were depositing unclaimed money such as security deposits and plan charges of failed activations.

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  • Health Sector – UHC, National Health Policy, Family Planning, Health Insurance, etc.

    Yada Yada Virus

    18 January 2020 | Prelims Only | Trivia
    Mains Paper 2: Health & Education

    A new virus detected in Australian mosquitoes has been provisionally named the Yada Yada virus (YYV).

    Yada Yada

    • It is an alphavirus, a group of viruses that the researchers described as small, single-stranded positive-sense RNA viruses.
    • It includes species important to human and animal health, such as Chikungunya virus and Eastern equine encephalitis virus.
    • They are transmitted primarily by mosquitoes and (are) pathogenic in their vertebrate hosts.
    • Unlike some other alphaviruses, Yada Yada does not pose a threat to human beings.

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  • Human Rights Issues

    [op-ed of the day] Preventing mob lynching

    17 January 2020 | op-ed snap | Governance
    Mains Paper 2: Laws, Institutions & Bodies Constituted For The Vulnerable Sections

    Context

    The spate of incidents of lynching over the past few years has led to a heightened sense of insecurity among the marginalised communities. The Centre should specify penal action against officials and doctors accused of dereliction of duty.

    2018 Supreme Court Judgement

    • In 2018, the Supreme Court described lynching as a “horrendous act of mobocracy”.
    • The Court exhorted the Centre and State governments to frame laws specifically to deal with the crime of lynching.
    • The SC laid down certain guidelines to be incorporated in these laws including
      • Fast-track trials.
      • Compensation to victims, and
      • Disciplinary action against lax law-enforcers.

    The State laws

    • Manipur bill for the law against lynching:  The Manipur government came up first with its Bill against lynching in 2018, incorporating some logical and relevant clauses.
      • Provision of nodal officer: The Bill specified that there would be nodal officers in each district to control such crimes.
      • Compensation to the victim: The law provides for adequate monetary compensation to the victims or their immediate kin.
      • Punishment for failure to enforce the law: Police officers who fail to prevent the crime of lynching in their jurisdiction are liable to be imprisoned for a term that may extend from one to three years with a fine limit of ₹50,000.
      • No concurrence of state for the prosecution of the police: No concurrence of the State government is required to prosecute them for dereliction of duty.
    • Rajasthan bill: The government has accepted only a few guidelines issued by the apex court.
      • No action against police officers: The bill is also silent on any action to be initiated against police officers who may be accused of dereliction of duty.
    • West Bengal bill: Most other guidelines of the Supreme Court have been adopted by the State.
      • Stringent punishment: Punishment for lynching to death is punishable with the death penalty or life imprisonment and a fine of up to ₹5 lakh.

    What the Centre can do

    • Adoption of the SC guidelines: The Centre should adopt the guidelines provided by the SC to deal with the crime.
    • Action against doctors: Centre would do well to incorporate sections in the law for penal action against doctors who stand accused of-
      • Dereliction of duty.
      • For delay in attending to victims of lynching.
      • For submitting false reports without carrying out a proper and thorough medical examination of the victims.
    • The compensation scheme for victims: Under the compensation scheme for the victims, the amount to be paid to the victims should be recovered from the perpetrators of the crime.
      • Collective fines: Collective fines should be imposed on the villagers where the lynching takes place.
    • Punishment for a political leader for inciting the mob: Centre could even provide for punitive action against political leaders found guilty of inciting mobs.
    • Punitive action against police: Punitive action to be taken against police officers accused of dereliction of duty, as incorporated in the law enacted by Manipur government, could be replicated in the Central law too.
      • Punitive action as a deterrent: It would deter police officials acting in a partisan manner in favour of the lynch mob.

    Conclusion

    Until a zero-tolerance attitude is adopted in dealing with mob lynching, this crime will continue to show a rising trend.

     

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