Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: GST
Mains level: Need for rationalization of GST slabs
The long-awaited rationalization of the multiple rate structure of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime is off the table for now and unlikely to materialize in the near future.
What is GST?
- GST launched in India on 1 July 2017 is a comprehensive indirect tax for the entire country.
- It is charged at the time of supply and depends on the destination of consumption.
- For instance, if a good is manufactured in state A but consumed in state B, then the revenue generated through GST collection is credited to the state of consumption (state B) and not to the state of production (state A).
- GST, being a consumption-based tax, resulted in loss of revenue for manufacturing-heavy states.
What are GST Slabs?
- In India, almost 500+ services and over 1300 products fall under the 4 major GST slabs.
- There are five broad tax rates of zero, 5%, 12%, 18% and 28%, plus a cess levied over and above the 28% on some ‘sin’ goods.
- The GST Council periodically revises the items under each slab rate to adjust them according to industry demands and market trends.
- The updated structure ensures that the essential items fall under lower tax brackets, while luxury products and services entail higher GST rates.
- The 28% rate is levied on demerit goods such as tobacco products, automobiles, and aerated drinks, along with an additional GST compensation cess.
Issues with GST structure
- Complexity of the GST Structure: The GST structure is quite complex and difficult to understand, which has led to confusion among businesses and consumers alike. This has also led to an increase in the cost of compliance and administration for businesses.
- Heterogeneity of Rates: One of the main issues with the GST structure is the heterogeneity of rates across different goods and services. This has led to an increase in the cost of compliance for businesses as they need to be aware of the applicable GST rate for each product and service.
- Dual GST System: India has a dual GST system, which has led to confusion and complexity for businesses that have to deal with both the central GST (CGST) and the state GST (SGST). This has also led to an increased cost of compliance for businesses.
- Cascading Taxation: The GST structure has led to the problem of cascading taxation, wherein taxes are levied at every stage of the supply chain, leading to an increase in the cost of goods and services.
- Lack of Transparency: The GST structure has led to a lack of transparency in the pricing of goods and services, as the applicable taxes are not clearly indicated in the invoice.
- Poor collection infrastructure: The GST system requires a strong infrastructure in order to function properly, which is not always present in India. This can lead to delays in filing and other issues.
Why rationalize GST slabs?
- Complex duty structure: From businesses’ viewpoint, there are just too many tax rate slabs, compounded by aberrations in the duty structure through their supply chains with some inputs taxed more than the final product.
- Multiple rate changes: This has been since the introduction of the GST regime in July 2017 have brought the effective GST rate to 11.6% from the original revenue-neutral rate of 15.5%.
- Stipulated revenue losses: Merging the 12% and 18% GST rates into any tax rate lower than 18% may result in revenue loss.
Benefits of GST rationalization
- Easier compliance: Rationalizing GST slabs helps simplify the tax structure and make it easier for businesses to comply with the law.
- Fairness of taxation: It also helps to ensure that the tax burden is shared fairly and that the revenue generated is used efficiently.
- Efficiency in tax collection: Finally, rationalizing GST slabs leads to more efficient collection of taxes, which helps to reduce the cost of compliance for businesses.
Conclusion
- Rate rationalization is probably the biggest ‘reform’ that is required to make the GST regime more efficient.
- As and when the exercise is complete, it is expected that the GST would be a less complex system that not only would make compliances easier but also boost revenue collection.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Presidents Rule
Mains level: Read the attached story
Sitting PM recalled that governments at the Centre had dismissed 90 elected state governments by “misusing” Article 356 of the Constitution.
What is Article 356?
- Article 356 of the Indian Constitution contains provisions for the imposition of “President’s Rule” in a state, removing an elected government.
- While the Constitution intended Article 356 to be used only under extraordinary circumstances, central governments repeatedly used the provision to settle political scores.
What does it say?
- Article 356 empowers the President to withdraw to the Union the executive and legislative powers of any state.
- She/he has to be satisfied that a situation has arisen in which the government of the state cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.
- Whether the constitutional machinery has broken down may be determined by the President at any time, either upon receipt of a report from the Governor, or suo motu.
Duration of Presidents Rule
- According to the provisions of Article 356, President’s Rule in a state can be imposed for six months at a time for a maximum duration of three years.
- Every six months, Parliamentary approval to impose President’s Rule will be required again.
- However, in the past, President’s Rule has been extended for significantly longer periods under specific circumstances.
- For instance, Punjab was under President’s Rule from 1987-1992 due to the growing militancy.
What are the origins of Article 356?
- Article 356 was inspired by Section 93 of the Government of India Act, 1935.
- This provided that if a Governor of a province was satisfied that a situation had arisen in which the government of the province cannot be carried on in accordance GOI Act, he could assume to himself all or any of the powers of the government and discharge those functions in his discretion.
- The Governor, however, could not encroach upon the powers of the high court.
- For the British, this provision allowed for a ‘controlled democracy’ – while providing some autonomy to provincial governments, Section 93 allowed the British authorities to exercise ultimate power when they deemed necessary.
How was the provision used as a political weapon in independent India?
- During the decades of Congress’s dominance at the Centre, Article 356 was used against governments of the Left and regional parties in the states.
- Until 1959, Jawaharlal Nehru’s government had used the article six times, including to dislodge the first-ever elected communist government in the world, in Kerala in 1959.
- In the 1960s, it was used 11 times. After Indira came to power in 1966, Article 356 was used seven times between 1967 and 1969 alone.
- The 1970s were more politically turbulent. Between 1970 and 1974, President’s Rule was imposed 19 times.
- Post-emergency, the Janata Party government used it in 1977 to summarily dismiss nine Congress state governments.
- When Indira returned to power in 1980, her government too imposed President’s Rule in nine states.
- In 1992-93, PM Narasimha Rao dismissed three governments in the wake of the demolition of Babri Masjid, besides Kalyan Singh’s government in UP.
How was this political misuse of Article 356 curbed?
Ans. S R Bommai Judgment, 1989
- In its judgment in the landmark R. Bommai v. Union of India case, the Supreme Court discussed the provisions of Article 356 at length.
- A nine-judge Bench in its decision in 1994 noted the specific instances when President’s Rule can be imposed and when it cannot.
- The court held that Article 356 can be invoked in situations of the physical breakdown of the government or when there is a ‘hung assembly’.
- But that it cannot be used without giving the state government a chance to either prove its majority in the House or without instances of a violent breakdown of the constitutional machinery.
- Since the judgment, the arbitrary use of Article 356 has been largely controlled.
Try this PYQ:
Which of the following are not necessarily the consequences of the proclamation of the President’s rule in a State?
- Dissolution of the State Legislative Assembly
- Removal of the Council of Ministers in the State
- Dissolution of the local bodies
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 1 and 3
(c) 2 and 3
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Post your answers here.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Nord Stream Pipelines
Mains level: Not Much
An American investigative journalist has claimed that the September 2022 bombing of the undersea Nord Stream gas pipelines was carried out by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
What is Nord Stream Pipeline?
(1) Nord Stream 1:
- Nord Stream 1 is the biggest pipeline transporting natural gas between Russia and Europe via Germany.
- It is a system of offshore natural gas pipelines running under the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany.
- Nord Stream 1 is a 1,224 km underwater gas pipeline that runs from Vyborg in northwest Russia to Lubmin in northeastern Germany via the Baltic Sea.
(2) Nord Stream 2:
- Russian threats to choke this gas supply to Europe present an economic threat to Germany.
- To expand options and double the supply from Russia, Germany decided to build Nord Stream 2.
- The construction of the $11 billion-worth Nord Stream 2 was completed in 2021 but never began commercial operations.
Why the Nord Stream pipeline is so much in news?
- For Germany: Energy prices in Germany, Europe’s largest economy, are among the lowest in the continent because of the cheap gas supplies via Nord Stream 1. This also makes German manufactured goods more competitive in the international market.
- For European Union: In 2021, Russia supplied nearly 40 per cent of the EU’s natural gas needs through this pipeline. The flows through Nord Stream play a vital role in filling up the national storage tanks of EU. It is crucial to provide the required heating in the upcoming winter.
- For Russia: Russia is using the supplies via the crucial pipeline as a bargain to navigate its economy through sanctions from the western countries.
- Nord stream pipeline is the largest single supply route for Russian gas to Europe. The Russian state owned gas company Gazprom has a majority ownership in the pipeline.
- While it was running at just 20% of its capacity since the Russia-Ukraine conflict began, the company, in early September fully cut gas flows from the pipeline on the pretext of maintenance.
- According to Bloomberg, while 40% of Europe’s pipeline gas came from Russia before Russia Ukraine the war, the number now stands at just 9%.
- Even though both pipelines were not running commercially, they had millions of cubic metres of gas stored in them.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: PSLV, SSLV, GSLV
Mains level: Not Much
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will undertake the second development flight of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV –D2).
Payload details
The SSLV-D2 is intended to inject ISRO’s EOS-07, U.S.-based firm Antaris’ Janus-1 and Chennai-based space start-up Space Kidz’s AzaadiSAT-2 satellites into a 450-km circular orbit in its 15 minutes flight.
- EOS-07: is a 156.3 kg satellite designed, developed and realized by the ISRO. Its mission objective is to design and develop payload instruments compatible with microsatellite buses and new technologies that are required for future operational satellites.
- Janus-1: Weighing around 10.2 kg, Janus-1 is a technology demonstrator, smart satellite mission based on Antaris software platform.
- AzaadiSAT-2: A 8.7-kg satellite, AzaadiSAT-2 is a combined effort of about 750 girl students across India guided by Space Kidz India, Chennai.
What is SSLV?
- The SSLV is a small-lift launch vehicle being developed by the ISRO with payload capacity to deliver:
- 600 kg to Low Earth Orbit (500 km) or
- 300 kg to Sun-synchronous Orbit (500 km)
- It would help launching small satellites, with the capability to support multiple orbital drop-offs.
- In future a dedicated launch pad in Sriharikota called Small Satellite Launch Complex (SSLC) will be set up.
- A new spaceport, under development, near Kulasekharapatnam in Tamil Nadu will handle SSLV launches when complete.
- After entering the operational phase, the vehicle’s production and launch operations will be done by a consortium of Indian firms along with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL).
Vehicle details
(A) Dimensions
- Height: 34 meters
- Diameter: 2 meters
- Mass: 120 tonnes
(B) Propulsion
- It will be a four stage launching vehicle.
- The first three stages will use Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) based solid propellant, with a fourth terminal stage being a Velocity-Trimming Module (VTM).
SSLV vs. PSLV: A comparison
- The SSLV was developed with the aim of launching small satellites commercially at drastically reduced price and higher launch rate as compared to Polar SLV (PSLV).
- The projected high launch rate relies on largely autonomous launch operation and on overall simple logistics.
- To compare, a PSLV launch involves 600 officials while SSLV launch operations would be managed by a small team of about six people.
- The launch readiness period of the SSLV is expected to be less than a week instead of months.
- The SSLV can carry satellites weighing up to 500 kg to a low earth orbit while the tried and tested PSLV can launch satellites weighing in the range of 1000 kg.
- The entire job will be done in a very short time and the cost will be only around Rs 30 crore for SSLV.
Significance of SSLV
- SSLV is perfectly suited for launching multiple microsatellites at a time and supports multiple orbital drop-offs.
- The development and manufacture of the SSLV are expected to create greater synergy between the space sector and private Indian industries – a key aim of the space ministry.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: NA
Mains level: India- Nordic cooperation for Green transition
Context
- Over the last decades, Nordic countries have been pioneering in green technologies. Over the last decades, Nordic have also been at the forefront of developing new green technologies and solutions such as hydrogen, offshore wind, batteries and carbon capture and storage solutions that are essential for the world to succeed in the green transition it desperately needs. Together, the Nordics and India can deliver key technologies and solutions to stop climate change and boost green growth.
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India- Nordic connect
- Nordic-India Summit: At the Nordic-India Summit held in Copenhagen in May 2022, the five Nordic Prime Ministers and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to intensify cooperation on digitalisation, renewable energy, maritime industries, and the circular economy.
- Joint Nordic solutions for green transition: Modi expressed an interest in joint Nordic solutions that can support India’s green transition.
- Knowledge exchange and cooperation: It is very much with this in mind that, the Trade Ministers of Norway and Finland, are currently visiting India together During their visit, they aim to showcase the added value to the partnership can bring to India and learn from the impressive innovations and digital solutions being developed in India.
- Ambition to increase collaboration: They have business delegations and companies that are leaders within sectors such as clean energy, circular economy, digitalisation, tourism, and the maritime sector. They have great ambitions for increased collaboration with India.
- Nordic business community in India is also growing: The most valued and renowned Nordic businesses are already operating in India and have made substantial investments. There are now 240 Norwegian and Finnish companies in India.
Trade links that can grow
- India a priority country for Finland: The past year has seen a significant rise in trade and investments between Finland and India, and India has grown to become a priority country for Finland.
- For instance: Finland opened a new consulate General in Mumbai. This further increases the number of Nordic representations in India’s commercial capital and will contribute to strengthening India-Finnish ties.
- Trade between Norway and India has doubled in the last three years: Finnish companies such as Nokia and Fortum see India as their largest growth market now and have some of their most significant investments in India. The Norwegian Sovereign Wealth Fund is likely to become one of India’s largest single foreign investors (around $17.6 billion).
- Number of investments is increasing rapidly: The Norwegian government has also recently established a new Climate Investment Fund for investments in renewables abroad, and India has been declined as a focus country. Almost ₹1,500 crore have been invested so far in India through the climate investment fund, and the number of investments is increasing rapidly.
- Finland, as a member of the European Union (EU), is a part of the EU-India FTA negotiations, and Norway is negotiating through the European Free Trade Association.
- Trade in services is an area of significant potential, especially with tourism, education, IT, energy, maritime and financial services.
- As India takes rapid strides into a green, digital, and innovative future, Nordic countries such as Finland and Norway stand ready to share experiences and be a part of India’s transition.
Conclusion
- Although Nordic countries are significantly smaller than India population-wise and a located on the other side of the globe, they have world-leading technologies and expertise to other. Technologies and innovations that are successful and are scaled-up in India can easily be transferred to other parts of the world. Together, the Nordics and India can be the powerhouse of the green transition globally.
Mains question
Q. Over the last decades, Nordic countries have been pioneering in green technologies. Together, the Nordics and India can power the green transition the world needs. Discuss.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Indus river system
Mains level: Indus Water Treaty
Context
- Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) made it the headlines recently. As India issued a notification to Pakistan for modification to the treaty, speculations are rife that the treaty is showing signs of inefficacy and that cracks are visible on the sole bridge between the two nuclear neighbours. On the other hand, for many in the hydro-diplomacy community, the IWT remain a stellar example for asserting that nations can cooperate for managing their shared rivers even with mutual mistrust and hostile political relations.
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What is Indus Water Treaty (IWT)?
- The Indus Waters Treaty is a water-distribution treaty between India and Pakistan, brokered by the World Bank signed in Karachi in 1960.
- According to this agreement, control over the water flowing in three eastern rivers of India the Beas, the Ravi and the Sutlej was given to India.
- The control over the water flowing in three western rivers of India the Indus, the Chenab and the Jhelum was given to Pakistan
- Intergovernmental negotiations to rectify material breach of the treaty: India issued a notice to Pakistan on 25th January 2023 through its commissioner to the bilateral Permanent Indus Commission suggesting that Pakistan should enter intergovernmental negotiations within 90 days to rectify the material breach of the treaty under Article 12(3) of IWT.
- Government-to-government negotiation before accepting the involvement of a neutral expert: India defended its move by stating that it was adhering to the provision under the treaty for a graded mechanism for handling an issue of concern as it interpreted it. Therefore, it asked for a government-to-government negotiation before accepting the involvement of a neutral expert and finally taking it to a court of arbitration.
Why such move?
- Pakistan initially sought a neutral expert and then backtracked: In India, the perceived root cause for this present move is that Pakistan initially sought a neutral expert to examine the technical objections that it had raised on India’s Kishanganga and Ratle Hydropower projects but then backtracked and asked for adjudication through a court of arbitration.
- Despite India’s efforts Pakistan refused to negotiate: Despite repeated efforts by India to negotiate at consecutive meetings of the Permanent Indus Commission, Pakistan refused to budge.
- Pakistan has always preferred the route of arbitration: This is of consequence since Pakistan has always preferred the route of arbitration rather than a graded approach in the past with the involvement of a neutral expert before submitting to arbitration.
- Pakistan’s repeated stance of seeking arbitration is prejudicial and pernicious: Indian strategic experts have called Pakistan’s repeated stance of seeking arbitration as prejudicial and pernicious while accusing the World Bank that it has allowed Pakistan to run riot in the last few years.
The role of World Bank?
- Brokered by WB: The long-standing Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), a first-of-its-kind arrangement that was brokered by the World Bank between India and Pakistan for sharing the waters of the Indus system,
- Signatory to the treaty to maintain ambivalence: The World Bank, as a signatory to the treaty, has maintained ambivalence and has yielded to both demands by appointing a neutral expert and a chairman for the court of arbitration.
- Legal risk in duality of discussing and resolving: This has created a particularly confounding situation due to the initiation of two mutually-exclusive tracks for discussing and resolving the thorny issues. The Bank also recognised the practical and legal risks that this duality poses.
Mistrust and mismanagement
- IWT concerns linked with National security and sovereignty: In the last two decades, both governments have raked up their concerns with the IWT, often coupling the Indus waters with national security and sovereignty with concerns emerging from the highest levels of governments at times.
- Pakistan’s accusation: Pakistani officials and ministers on their part have issued statements accusing India of creating water woes in Pakistan by allowing sudden releases of water without prior notification as was the case in 2019.
- Pakistan has also been apprehensive about two projects by India: The Baglihar and Kishanganga Hydroelectric Project (HEP), accusing India of acquiring the power to affect the timing and flow of water into Pakistan on rivers that belong to it under the provisions of IWT.
- Misplaced developmental priorities of Pakistan: The politicisation of the IWT is systematic and has been occurring in a synchronised way, especially in Pakistan due to their misplaced developmental priorities.
- Lack of ecosystems approach
Conditions that underlie any successful transboundary water negotiation process
- Parties actively recognise their interdependencies;
- Parties agree to explore competing and often conflicting values and interests and invent creative options for mutual gains; and
- Parties agree to create mechanisms to monitor the implementation of the agreement and adapt the agreement to address new issues as they emerge.
Climate change is often neglected in politicization of the water issues
- The newer challenges of water governance are emerging. Water cannot be looked at as a stock of resource to be stored for human convenience, and released as per human will.
- Today, whether it is in the Ganges or in the Indus delta regions, there is hardly any acknowledgement that upstream constructions and climate change are wreaking havoc on delta livelihoods.
- Pakistan is so embroiled in the politics of water that they have become oblivious that they are losing a living heritage, the Palla fish The decline in catch is affecting the livelihoods of the fishing community.
- Moreover, higher glacial melt due to global warming around the headwaters in the Himalayas is slated to increase flow in the short run but will be a threat to water security in the long run due to scarcities.
- Therefore, all these bigger climatic threats and the threats created by the dam structures that can arrest the sediments and can cause upstream floods should be of bigger concern than mere politicisation of the water issues.
Conclusion
- On the whole, the lack of trust between nations has marred the hydropolitics of the Indus. The priority should have been settling disputes amicably by drawing strength and confidence from the past and preparing for an uncertain precipitation regime of the future due to climate change. The concerns of a much-needed integrated basin governance approach for the Indus must not be overshadowed by politics of mistrust and hatred.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Disinvestment
Mains level: Deficit financing through disinvestment
In the Union Budget for 2023-24, the government has set a disinvestment target of ₹51,000 crore, down nearly 21% from the budget estimate for the current year and just ₹1,000 crore more than the revised estimate.
Lowest Disinvestment target in years
- It is also the lowest target in seven years.
- The Centre has not met the disinvestment target for 2022-23 so far.
- It has realised ₹31,106 crore to date, of which, ₹20,516 crore or close to a third of the budgeted estimate came from the IPO of 3.5% of its shares in the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC).
What is Disinvestment?
- Disinvestment or divestment, in this context, is when the government sells its assets or a subsidiary, such as a Central or State public sector enterprise.
- There are the three main approaches to disinvestment
- Minority disinvestment: The government retains a majority in the company, typically greater than 51%, thus ensuring management control.
- Majority disinvestment: The government hands over control to the acquiring entity but retains some stake.
- Complete privatisation: 100% control of the company is passed on to the buyer.
Objectives of disinvestment
The following main objectives of disinvestment were outlined:
- To reduce the financial burden on the Government.
- To improve public finances.
- To introduce, competition and market discipline.
- To fund growth.
- To encourage wider share of ownership.
- To depoliticize non-essential services.
Institutional mechanism
Ans. DIPAM
- The Union Finance Ministry has a separate department for undertaking disinvestment-related procedures called the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM).
Why need disinvestment?
- Reduce money crunch: The government may disinvest in order to reduce the fiscal burden or bridge the revenue shortfall for that year.
- Deficit financing: It also uses disinvestment proceeds to finance the fiscal deficit, to invest in the economy and development or social sector programmes, and to retire government debt.
- Promote private ownership facilitation: Disinvestment also encourages private ownership of assets and trading in the open market.
- Do away with loss-making: If successful, it also means that the government does not have to fund the losses of a loss-making unit anymore.
Other importance of disinvestment lies in the utilization of funds for:
- Financing large-scale infrastructure development
- Investing in the economy to encourage spending
- For social programs like health and education
How has disinvestment fared in India?
Ans. Disinvestment in India has had mixed results.
- Since the current government came to power in 2014, it has made significant progress in disinvestment, having raised a record ₹1.05 trillion (US$14.6 billion) for the fiscal year of 2017–18.
- However, the government has also failed to reach its disinvestment targets in other years, due to various reasons such as market conditions, investor sentiment, and political opposition.
- The government has also been criticized for not doing enough to find potential buyers for state-owned companies.
- Despite this, recent years have seen several successful disinvestment deals, such as the strategic sale of Air India and the privatization of BPCL.
Issues with CPSEs through years
- Inherent flaws in PSU’s: The entire PSU’s mechanism did not turn out as efficient as it ought to be, all thanks to the prevailing hierarchy and bureaucracy.
- Lack of autonomy: Lack of autonomy, political interference, nepotism & corruption has further deteriorated the situation.
- Revenue losses: Due to the expenditure on items such as interest payments, wages and salaries of PSU employees and subsidies, the Government is left with hardly any surplus for capital expenditure on social and physical infrastructure.
- Lack of Competitiveness: In an era of LPG industrial competitiveness has especially assumed an important role, necessitating privatization or disinvestment of PSUs.
- Poor performance: Despite the huge injection of funds in the past decades, the functioning of many public sector units (PSUs) has traditionally been characterized by poor management, slow decision-making procedures, lack of accountability, low productivity, unsatisfactory quality of goods, excessive manpower utilization etc.
Conclusion
- Confronted with an unprecedented fiscal deficit and worried by an economy in crisis, the government has to find resources.
- Disinvestment is a preferred option for ideological and practical reasons.
- Short-term financial exigencies should not be the Centre’s sole reason for disinvestment in core sectors like petroleum.
- The government could utilize the money gained by selling off PSUs to improve services in public goods like infrastructure, health and education.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Article 105(2) of the Constitution
Mains level: Parilamentary Conduct
Portions of a politicians’ speech delivered in Lok Sabha have been expunged — or removed — from the records of Parliament by the orders of the Speaker.
Constitutional immunity for parliamentary speeches
- Under Article 105(2) of the Constitution, “no Member of Parliament shall be liable to any proceedings in any court in respect of anything said…in Parliament or any committee thereof”.
- However, MPs don’t enjoy the freedom to say whatever they want inside the House.
- The speech of MPs is subject to the discipline of the Rules of Parliament, “good sense” of its Members, and the control of proceedings by the Speaker.
- These checks ensure that MPs cannot use “defamatory or indecent or undignified or unparliamentary words” inside the House.
How should Parliamentary Speeches be?
- The Indian Parliament has a code of conduct which requires all members to speak in a civil and courteous manner.
- Un-parliamentary speeches are not tolerated and offenders can be suspended or even expelled from the house.
- The Speaker has the power to expunge any un-parliamentary speech from the record of the House and from the transcripts of the proceedings.
Disciplinary action against unruly speeches
- The Lok Sabha Speaker has the power to expunge any un-parliamentary speech made in the House.
- The Speaker can also refer the matter to the Ethics Committee for further action.
- The Speaker can also refer the matter to the Ethics Committee for further action which may include imposing fines and imprisonment for a period of up to six months.
- The Speaker may also order the offender to apologize to the House.
- Similar is the procedure with the Rajya Sabha Chairman.
What is the expunging of speeches?
- The expunging of certain words, sentences, or portions of a speech from the records is fairly routine procedure, and is carried out in accordance with laid down rules.
- The decision on which parts of the proceedings are to be expunged lies with the Presiding Officer of the House.
What are the rules on expunging from the record?
- Rule 380 (“Expunction”) of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha states the procedure for removal of a speech from the records.
- Rule 381 says: The portion of the proceedings of the House so expunged shall be marked by asterisks and an explanatory footnote shall be inserted in the proceedings as follows: ‘Expunged as ordered by the Chair’.”
What happens after a word has been expunged?
- Expunged portions of the proceedings cease to exist in the records of Parliament, and they can no longer be reported by media houses, even though they may have been heard during the live telecast of the proceedings.
- However, the proliferation of social media has introduced challenges in the watertight implementation of expunction orders.
Way forward
- Parliamentary speeches should be polite, respectful and dignified, avoiding any kind of personal attacks or slurs.
- They should focus on the issue at hand, avoiding any kind of partisan rhetoric.
- No offensive language should be used and all debates should be conducted in an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding.
- As a rule, all speakers should show due consideration for their colleagues and refrain from any kind of personal criticism.
- They should stick to the facts and avoid unsubstantiated claims. Parliamentary speeches should be concise, clear and fact-based.
- Finally, all speakers should remain mindful of their role as representatives of the people and should strive to maintain the highest standards of public discourse.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Vijayanagar Empire, Krishna Deva Raya I
Mains level: Read the attached story
A British author has published a book telling of the fictionalised story of the Vijayanagara Kingdom. He took accounts of the poet named Pampa Kampana, who witnessed Vijayanagara’s many victories and defeats.
Who was Pampa Kampana?
- Pampa Kampana was a 15th-century ruler of the Vijayanagara Empire, who reigned from 1484 to 1490.
- He is known for his military campaigns against the Bahmani Sultanate and the Gajapati kingdom of Orissa.
- He was a great patron of the arts and literature, and his court was home to illustrious poets and scholars such as Vyasatirtha.
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About Vijayanagara Kingdom
- The Vijayanagara kingdom has long been a subject of historical and political interest.
- From their capital, now known as Hampi, on the banks of the Tungabhadra River, the kings of Vijayanagara at the peak of their power ruled over a territory of more than 360,000 sq. km.
- Founded in 1336, the kingdom of Vijayanagara lasted for more than three centuries, a period in which it withstood multiple political stresses, and saw significant advances in art and economy.
- It was one of the most powerful kingdoms in the sub-continent.
Its foundation
- Over the course of its existence from 1336 to 1646, the kingdom saw various ups and downs.
- Founded by Harihara I of the Sangama dynasty, Vijayanagara expanded from a strategic position on the banks of the Tungabhadra River.
- By the 15th century, it had become a force to reckon with.
Rise under Krishna Deva Raya I
- The kingdom reached its peak under Krishna Deva Raya (reign 1509-1529).
- It is a period in which Vijayanagara enjoyed military superiority to its rival kingdoms such as the Bahmani Sultanate, the Golconda Sultanate and the Gajapatis of Odisha.
- At its peak, the kingdom stretched from Goa in the Konkan coast to parts of southern Odisha in the east and all the way to the very tip of the subcontinent in the south.
Why the Vijayanagara history is so much celebrated?
Ans. Economic Prosperity
- Monetized economy: Coins were minted by the state as well as by merchant guilds using gold, silver, copper and brass, and their value depended on material weight.
- Control over key commodities: The Empire’s principal exports were pepper, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, myrobalan, tamarind timber, anafistula, precious and semi-precious stones, pearls, musk, ambergris, rhubarb, aloe, cotton cloth and porcelain.
- Maritime trade: While the economy of the kingdom was largely dependent on agriculture, trade thrived in its many ports on either coast. Traveller Abd al-Razzaq Samarqandi chronicled how the ports of Mangalore, Honavar, Bhatkal, Barkur, Cochin, Cannanore, Machilipatnam, and Dharmadam saw traders from Africa, Arabia, Aden, the Red sea, China and Bengal and also served as ship building centres.
Vijayanagara’s contributions to culture and architecture
(1) Literary development
- The Vijayanagar Empire was also known for its flourishing culture and literature.
- The court was home to many poets and scholars, who wrote in both Sanskrit and Kannada.
- The emperor Krishnadevaraya was himself a noted poet, authoring works such as the Amuktamalyada and the Jambavati Kalyanam.
- The Vijayanagar Empire also patronized the arts, which led to a flourishing of music, dance, and painting.
(2) Architectural development
- Vijayanagara’s capital Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site today, known for its sophisticated fortifications as well as innumerable temples and other architectural marvels.
- From accounts of foreign travellers, by the beginning of the 16th century, Hampi-Vijayanagara was probably the second largest urban settlement on the planet (after Beijing) and among the most prosperous.
- The most impressive architectural feat of the Vijayanagar Empire was the iconic Vitthala temple complex in Hampi.
- This complex consists of a temple dedicated to the god Vitthala, a large audience hall, and a stone chariot shrine.
- The Prasanna Virupaksha temple of Bukka I and the Hazara Rama temple of Krishna Deva Raya are striking examples of Vijayanagara’s characteristic style and intricate artistry.
Causes of its decline
- Military defeats: The first major defeat for the empire was the Battle of Talikota in 1565, in which the Vijayanagara Empire was defeated by a coalition of Muslim sultanates. This major defeat drastically weakened the Vijayanagara Empire and led to a period of political instability and civil war.
- Economic disruption: This was further worsened by the Deccan Sultanates’ policy of destroying Vijayanagara’s economy and trade networks. This ultimately resulted in the loss of the empire’s political power and reduced its ability to defend itself from further attacks.
- Internal conflict: Other contributing factors included internal divisions between the ruling families and the rise of local governors who declared their independence.
Various travellers details of Vijayanagara kingdom
- Vasco da Gama: The first encounter with the Vijayanagara Empire by a European traveller was by the Portuguese explorer, Vasco da Gama, who visited the kingdom in 1498, and was the first to recognize its wealth and power. After this, Krishnadevaraya in 1510 signed a treaty with the Portuguese to permit Albuquerque to construct forts in Bhatkal.
- Nicolo Conti: The Italian traveller Nicolo Conti visited the kingdom in 1420 and documented his journey in a book titled “Viaggio in India”. He wrote about the grandeur of the cities and the wealth of the kingdom.
- Jan Huyghen van Linschoten: The Dutch traveller Jan Huyghen van Linschoten visited the kingdom in 1583 and wrote a book describing his journey titled “Itinerario”. He wrote about the impressive forts, the magnificent temples, the thriving markets and the grand palaces.
- Jean-Baptiste Tavernier: The French traveller Jean-Baptiste Tavernier visited the kingdom in 1665 and wrote a book about his journey titled “Les Six Voyages de Jean-Baptiste Tavernier”. He wrote about the fine architecture, the grandeur of the palaces, and the wealth and prosperity of the kingdom.
- Robert Orme: The English traveller Robert Orme visited the kingdom in 1770 and wrote a book about his journey titled “Military Transactions in India”. He wrote about the size and scope of the empire, the grandeur of its cities and the advanced military technology used by the kingdom.
Try this PYQ:
Building ‘Kalyaana Mandapas’ was a notable feature in the temple construction in the kingdom of
(a) Chalukya
(b) Chandela
(c) Rashtrakuta
(d) Vijayanagara
Post your answers here.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Quorum
Mains level: Features of parliamentary democracy
The Lok Sabha began a discussion on the general Budget but the House had to be adjourned before the scheduled time due to lack of quorum.
What is Quorum?
- Quorum is the minimum number of members of a deliberative assembly necessary to conduct the business of that assembly.
- Article 100 of the Indian Constitution states that the quorum to constitute a meeting of either House of Parliament shall be one-tenth of the total number of members of that House.
- This means that the quorum of Lok Sabha (Lower House) is 55 and that of Rajya Sabha (Upper House) is 25.
Who decides the Quorum?
- The quorum is usually decided at the beginning of the session and if it is not present when a vote is taken, the vote is invalid.
- In the event of inadequate quorum, the Speaker or the Chairman can adjourn the House or suspend the sitting till the quorum is present.
Challenging a Quorum
- Furthermore, the quorum can be challenged by any member of the House.
- In the event that the quorum is challenged, the Speaker or the Chairman can direct that a count of the members present be taken.
- If the quorum is not present, the House is adjourned. However, if the quorum is present, the business of the House is resumed.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: QR coin vending
Mains level: Not Much
To improve the distribution of coins among members of the public, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is preparing a pilot project on QR code-based Coin Vending Machine (QCVM) in collaboration with a few leading banks.
QR code-based Coin Vending Machine (QCVM)
- The QCVM is a cashless coin dispensation machine which would dispense coins against a debit to the customer’s bank account using Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
- Unlike cash-based traditional Coin Vending Machine, the QCVM would eliminate the need for physical tendering of banknotes and their authentication.
- Customers will also have the option to withdraw coins in the required quantity and denominations in QCVMs.
When will it be launched?
- The pilot project is planned to be initially rolled out at 19 locations in 12 cities across the country.
- Machines will be installed at public places such as railway stations, shopping malls, marketplaces to enhance ease and accessibility.
- Based on the learnings from the pilot tests, guidelines would be issued to banks to promote better distribution of coins using QCVMs.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Sarna Religion
Mains level: Tribal assertiveness
West Bengal Assembly has tabled a motion to recognize Sarna Religion of the tribals and have a Sarna Code.
Sarna Religion
- The followers of Sarna faith believe pray to nature.
- The holy grail of the faith is “Jal (water), Jungle (forest), Zameen (land)” and its followers pray to the trees and hills while believing in protecting the forest areas.
- Jharkhand has 32 tribal groups of which eight are from Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups.
- While many follow Hindu religion, some have converted to Christianity — this has become one of the planks of demanding a separate code “to save religious identity”— as various tribal organisations put it.
Demand for Sarna Code
- Tribal groups in the region have long demanded the Sarna code, a separate religious classification in the census, recognising their status as independent religious communities.
- It is believed that 50 lakhs tribal in the entire country put their religion as ‘Sarna’ in the 2011 census, although it was not a code.
- The resolution will seek a special column for followers of the Sarna religion in the Census, 2021.
- At present, they are not classified as a separate entity.
Politics around the tribe
- Many of the tribals who follow this faith have later converted to Christianity—the state has more than 4% Christians most of whom are tribals.
- Some who still follow the Sarna faith believe the converted tribals are taking the benefits of reservation as a minority, as well as the benefits, are given to Schedule Tribes.
- They also believe that benefits should be given specifically to them and not to those who have converted.
What sense does a separate code make?
- The protection of their language and history is an important aspect of tribals.
- Between 1871 and 1951, the tribals had a different code. However, it was changed around 1961-62.
- Experts argue that when today the entire world is focusing on reducing pollution and protecting the environment, it is prudent that Sarna becomes a religious code as the soul of this religion is to protect nature and the environment.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Read the attached story
Mains level: Creamy Layer clause in OBCs reservation
The existing income limit for determining the non-creamy layer (NCL) among Other Backward Classes (OBC) is considered sufficient and hence there is no proposal currently to revise the said income limit, informed the Centre.
What is Non-Creamy Layer in OBCs?
- Creamy Layer is a concept that sets a threshold within which OBC reservation benefits are applicable.
- While there is a 27% quota for OBCs in government jobs and higher educational institutions, those falling within the “creamy layer” cannot get the benefits of this quota.
Basis of Creamy Layer
- It is based on the recommendation of the Second Backward Classes Commission (Mandal Commission).
- The government in 1990 had notified 27% reservation for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBCs) in vacancies in civil posts and services that are to be filled on direct recruitment.
- After this was challenged, the Supreme Court in the Indira Sawhney case (1992) upheld 27% reservation for OBCs, subject to exclusion of the creamy layer.
How is it determined?
- Following the order in Indra Sawhney, an expert committee headed by Justice (retired) R N Prasad was constituted for fixing the criteria for determining the creamy layer.
- In 1993, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) listed out various categories of people of certain rank/status/income whose children cannot avail the benefit of OBC reservation.
- For those not in government, the current threshold is an income of Rs 8 lakh per year.
- For children of government employees, the threshold is based on their parents’ rank and not income.
- For instance, an individual is considered to fall within the creamy layer if either of his or her parents is in a constitutional post; if either parent has been directly recruited in Group-A; or if both parents are in Group-B services.
- If the parents enter Group-A through promotion before the age of 40, their children will be in the creamy layer.
- Children of a Colonel or higher-ranked officer in the Army, and children of officers of similar ranks in the Navy and Air Force, too, come under the creamy layer.
- Income from salaries or agricultural land is not clubbed while determining the creamy layer (2004).
What is happening now?
- Many communities have raised questions about the pending proposal for revising the criteria.
- They have asked whether the provision of a creamy layer for government services only for OBC candidates is rational and justified.
- The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) has consistently maintained from as early as 2011 that the income limit should be raised to at least ₹10 lakh.
Has it ever been revised?
- Other than the income limit, the current definition of the creamy layer remains the same as the DoPT had spelled out in 1993 and 2004.
- The income limit has been revised over the years.
- No other orders for the definition of the creamy layer have been issued.
- While the DoPT had stipulated that it would be revised every three years, the first revision since 1993 (Rs 1 lakh per year) happened only in 2004 (Rs 2.50 lakh), 2008 (Rs 4.50 lakh), 2013 (Rs 6 lakh), and 2017 (Rs 8 lakh).
- It is now more than five years since the last revision.
What is the current NCL limit?
- Currently, an annual income of both parents of ₹8 lakh or more excludes OBCs from availing reservation.
- It puts them in the creamy layer category, leaving benefits only for those earning less than that.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: CAR T-Cell Cancer Therapy
Mains level: Not Much
The new CAR T-Cell Immunotherapy holds promise for Ovarian Cancer patients over other forms of treatment.
What are CAR T-cells?
- Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies represent a quantum leap in the sophistication of cancer treatment.
- Unlike chemotherapy or immunotherapy, which require mass-produced injectable or oral medication, CAR T-cell therapies use a patient’s own cells.
- They are modified in the laboratory to activate T-cells, a component of immune cells, to attack tumours.
- These modified cells are then infused back into the patient’s bloodstream after conditioning them to multiply more effectively.
- The cells are even more specific than targeted agents and directly activate the patient’s immune system against cancer, making the treatment more clinically effective.
- This is why they’re called ‘living drugs’.
How does the therapy work?
- In CAR T-cell therapy, the patient’s blood is drawn to harvest T-cells which are immune cells that play a major role in destroying tumour cells.
- Researchers modify these cells in the laboratory so that they express specific proteins on their surface, known as chimeric antigen receptors (CAR).
- They have an affinity for proteins on the surface of tumour cells.
- This modification in the cellular structure allows CAR T-cells to effectively bind to the tumour and destroy it.
- The final step in the tumour’s destruction involves its clearance by the patient’s immune system.
Where is it used?
- As of today, CAR T-cell therapy has been approved for leukaemias (cancers arising from the cells that produce white blood cells) and lymphomas (arising from the lymphatic system).
- These cancers occur through the unregulated reproduction of a single clone of cells, that is, following the cancerous transformation of a single type of cell, it produces millions of identical copies.
- As a result, the target for CAR T-cells is consistent and reliable.
- CAR T-cell therapy is also used among patients with cancers that have returned after an initial successful treatment or which haven’t responded to previous combinations of chemotherapy or immunotherapy.
- Its response rate is variable. In certain kinds of leukaemias and lymphomas, the efficacy is as high as 90%, whereas in other types of cancers it is significantly lower.
How widespread is its use?
- The complexity of preparing CAR T-cells has been a major barrier to their use.
- The first clinical trial showing they were effective was published almost a decade ago; the first indigenously developed therapy in India was successfully performed only in 2022.
- The technical and human resources required to administer this therapy are also considerable.
- Treatments in the US cost more than a million dollars.
- Trials are underway in India, with companies looking to indigenously manufacture CAR T-cells at a fraction of the cost.
- The preliminary results have been encouraging.
What are conventional cancer therapies?
- The three major forms of treatment for any cancer are surgery (removing the cancer), radiotherapy (delivering ionising radiation to the tumour), and systemic therapy (chemotherapy- administering medicines that act on the tumour only).
- Surgery and radiotherapy have been refined significantly over time whereas advances in systemic therapy have been unparalleled.
- A new development on this front, currently holding the attention of many researchers worldwide, is the CAR T-cell therapy.
Will this therapy be expensive in India as well?
- In India, introducing any new therapy faces the twin challenges of cost and value.
- Critics argue that developing facilities in India may be redundant and/or inappropriate as even when it becomes cheaper, CAR T-cell therapy will be unaffordable to most Indians.
- Those who are affluent and require the therapy currently receive it abroad anyway.
- While this is true, it may be the right answer to the wrong question.
- Having access to a global standard of care is every patient’s right; how it can be made more affordable can be the next step.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: PACS
Mains level: Rural banking mechanisms
The Union Budget has announced Rs 2,516 crore for computerization of 63,000 Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) over the next five years.
Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS)
- PACS are village level cooperative credit societies that serve as the last link in a three-tier cooperative credit structure headed by the State Cooperative Banks (SCB) at the state level.
- Credit from the SCBs is transferred to the district central cooperative banks, or DCCBs, that operate at the district level.
- The DCCBs work with PACS, which deal directly with farmers.
- Since these are cooperative bodies, individual farmers are members of the PACS, and office-bearers are elected from within them.
- A village can have multiple PACS.
What is its lending mechanism?
- PACS are involved in short term lending — or what is known as crop loan.
- At the start of the cropping cycle, farmers avail credit to finance their requirement of seeds, fertilisers etc.
- Banks extend this credit at 7 per cent interest, of which 3 per cent is subsidised by the Centre, and 2 per cent by the state government.
- Effectively, farmers avail the crop loans at 2 per cent interest only.
NPAs with PACS
- NABARD’s annual report of 2021-22 shows that 59.6 per cent of the loans were extended to the small and marginal farmers.
- A report published by the Reserve Bank of India on December 27, 2022 put the number of PACS at 1.02 lakh.
- At the end of March 2021, only 47,297 of them were in profit.
- The same report said PACS had reported lending worth Rs 1,43,044 crore and NPAs of Rs 72,550 crore. Maharashtra has 20,897 PACS of which 11,326 are in losses.
Why are PACS attractive?
- The attraction of the PACS lies in the last mile connectivity they offer.
- For farmers, timely access to capital is necessary at the start of their agricultural activities.
- PACS have the capacity to extend credit with minimal paperwork within a short time.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: White Label ATM
Mains level: Financial inclusion
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has extended the validity of authorization issued to Vakrangee to setup, own and operate White Label ATMs in India.
What is White Label ATM?
- Usually ATMs are managed by banks. But White Label ATMs are owned and operated by non-banking entities.
- ATMs operated under this business model allow customers to use them for banking transactions regardless of the bank they have an account with.
- RBI approved the operation and inclusion of WLA ATM by non-banking organisations under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act of 2007.
- It was introduced to expand India’s ATM network, especially in semi-urban and rural areas.
How does it work?
- White Label ATM companies work with banking networks to enable bank customers to use banking services like withdrawing funds, paying bills and depositing cash.
- White Label ATM (WLA) operators’ charge card-issuing bank fees to provide this facility to the bank’s clients.
- The transaction process in White Label ATM operators consists of a lending bank, a sponsor bank that handles settlements and an ATM network provider.
- The Sponsor bank provides the cash facility for the White ATM.
Significance of WLA: Financial Inclusion
- Financial inclusion is concerned with the availability of financial services and adequate financing to low-income individuals and other vulnerable segments of society.
- ATMs promote financial inclusion and provide customers with various banking services at any location and time.
White Label ATM Operators in India
- Non-banks set up and operate White ATMs as per the rules laid down by RBI for using ‘other bank’ ATMs.
- These ATMs accept all domestic debit cards and offer the first five or three transactions per month free of cost, depending on the location.
- Below mentioned are some examples of companies that operate white label ATMs:
- Indicash – India’s largest White Label ATM network responsible for ‘uberisation of ATMs.’
- India1 Payments (BTI Payments Pvt. Ltd.)
- Hitachi Payment Services Pvt. Ltd.
- Tata Communications Payment Solutions Ltd.
- Vakrangee Limited
Benefits of White Label ATMs
There are many benefits of White Label ATMs:
- Customers benefit from White Label ATMs since they eliminate the need to visit a bank branch on a regular basis
- ATMs are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays
- Banks benefit from this because they do not have to maintain a huge staff/office (compared to a system without ATMs). It lowers their branch-operational costs
- Financial inclusion of rural, semi-urban, and low-income people
- It allowed ATM cards to be issued by any bank that can be used at White Label ATMs
- WLA atm also provides mobile recharge, energy bill payments, and other value-added services
Limitations of White Label ATMs
There are also a few limitations of White Label ATMs:
- The issue of unsuccessful transactions is a key source of concern. In the event of a dispute, the dispute resolution method will include three entities, namely the WLA operator, the WLA operator’s sponsor bank, and the customer’s bank.
- Customers will be discouraged by the cost issue, as they will be obliged to pay a price to use the White Label ATMs, as only a limited number of free transactions are permitted on the WLAs
- White label ATMs’ financial viability is questioned because of their low interchange charge and hefty operational expenses
- If there is a bank-managed ATM in the same area as a WLA ATM, the White Label ATMs may not be able to generate a profit
Differences Between Brown Label and White Label ATMs
The differences between Brown Label ATM and White Label ATMs are:
| Brown Label ATM |
White Label ATM |
| Brown Label ATMs have their hardware and ATM machine leased by a service provider |
Non-banking entities own and operate ATMs |
| The sponsor bank’s brand name appears on the Brown label ATM |
There is no bank logo on a white label ATM machine |
| The RBI is not directly involved. These outsourcing firms are bound by contracts with their respective banks |
The RBI is directly involved as white label companies must obtain a license or permission from the RBI in order to conduct business |
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Bard, ChatGPT, AI
Mains level: AI, Machine Learning
Google has finally decided to answer the challenge and threat posed by Microsoft-backed OpenAI and its AI chatbot- ChatGPT.
What is Bard, when can I access it?
- Google’s Bard is functioned on LaMDA, the firm’s Language Model for Dialogue Applications system, and has been in development for several years.
- It is what Sunder Pichai termed an “experimental conversational AI service”.
- Google will be opening it up to trusted testers ahead of making it more widely available to the public in the coming weeks.
- It is not yet publicly available.
What is Bard based on?
- Bard is built on Transformer technology—which is also the backbone of ChatGPT and other AI bots.
- Transformer technology was pioneered by Google and made open-source in 2017.
- Transformer technology is a neural network architecture, which is capable of making predictions based on inputs and is primarily used in natural language processing and computer vision technology.
- Previously, a Google engineer claimed LaMDA was a ‘sentient’ being with consciousness.
How does it work?
- Bard draws on information from the web to provide fresh, high-quality responses.
- In short, it will give in-depth, conversational and essay-style answers just like ChatGPT does right now.
- It requires significantly less computing power, enabling us to scale to more users, allowing for more feedback.
A user will be able to ask Bard to explain new discoveries from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope to a 9-year-old, or learn more about the best strikers in football right now, and then get drills to build your skills.
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What about its computing power?
- Remember running these models also requires significant computing power.
- For instance, ChatGPT is powered by Microsoft’s Azure Cloud services.
- This also explains why the service often runs into errors at times, because too many people are accessing it.
Key difference between ChatGPT and Google’s Bard
- It appears that to take on ChatGPT, Google has an ace up its sleeve: the ability to draw information from the Internet.
- Bard draws on information from the web to provide fresh, high-quality responses.
- ChatGPT has impressed with its ability to respond to complex queries — though with varying degrees of accuracy — but its biggest shortcoming perhaps is that it cannot access real-time information from the Internet.
- ChatGPT’s language model was trained on a vast dataset to generate text based on the input, and the dataset, at the moment, only includes information until 2021.
Is Bard better than ChatGPT?
- Bard looks like a limited rollout right now.
- Google is looking for a lot of feedback at the moment around Bard, so it is hard to say whether it can answer more questions than ChatGPT.
- Google has also not made clear the amount of knowledge that Bard possesses.
- For instance, with ChatGPT, we know its knowledge is limited to events till 2021.
- Of course, it is based on LaMDA, which has been in the news for a while now.
Why has Google announced Bard right now?
- Bard comes as Microsoft is preparing to announce an integration of ChatGPT into its Bing Search engine.
- Google might have invented the ‘Transformer’ technology, but it is now being seen as a latecomer to the AI revolution.
- ChatGPT in many ways is being called the end of Google Search, given that conversational AI can give long, essay style and sometimes elegant answers to a user’s queries.
- Of course, not all of these are correct, but then AI is capable of correcting itself as well and learning from mistakes.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: NA
Mains level: Global geopolitical struggle and India's foreign policy
Context
- On 1 February, a high-altitude balloon of Chinese origin was spotted over the US state of Montana, which also houses one of the country’s three active nuclear missile silos. on 4 February, US forces shot down the balloon over the country’s South Carolina coast and are now proceeding to collect some of the debris.
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Balloons for surveillance
- Balloons could prove much cheaper and loiter for extended periods, providing continuous surveillance over targets, unlike satellites based on orbital motion.
How The US responded?
- Initial assessment: The US government officially described it as a surveillance balloon with no immediate military or physical threat but was quick to go back on its initial assessment.
- Incident as a part of Chinese larger troubling pattern: An American view describes the Chinese balloon incident as part of a larger, more troubling pattern.
- China claims as it was civilian airship and unintentionally flown: Despite Chinese claims that the balloon was a harmless civilian airship that had unintentionally flown into US airspace, Secretary of State Antony Blinken cancelled his much-anticipated diplomatic visit to Beijing.
- Issue is a matter of violation of sovereignty: The US has said that the balloon issue is a matter of violation of sovereignty, and, as of 4 February, there are reports of another balloon being spotted over South America that China has admitted is also theirs.
Similar experiments
- US utilising high-altitude balloons: Not just China, the US has also experimented with utilising high-altitude balloons in space for a long time. In July 2022, NASA tested an aerial robotic balloon that would work in tandem with an orbiter to carry out scientific measurements of Venus.
- UK demonstrated in 2022: In August 2022, the UK selected an American company to demonstrate an uncrewed platform for stratospheric communications, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR). The need was for manoeuvrable, long-duration missions capable of locating targets anywhere on earth.
Global geopolitical struggle
- Default mode but with different players: The event if viewed from a historical perspective, the world is back to its default mode, only this time, it has a different set of actors.
- It involves various forms of power, primarily shaped by technology: Notably, there exist also nuclear weapons in the hands of nine powers, unlike during the Cold War era, when the number was confined to five.
- Economic and technological integration is much greater than ever before: Ever since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, attempts at desegregating economic and technological fields have not just continued but also gained momentum.
- Camps led by the US and China: Global cooperation is in short supply and is being morphed into a coalition-building exercise ensconced in primarily two camps led by the US and China.
- Benefited from lower cost supplies from China and Russia: Economically, it has maintained trade with China and benefited from lower-cost energy supplies from Russia.
- India’s tilt towards west: After China’s aggression on the northern borders, India has tilted to the West, especially in the maritime and technological arenas.
- Increasingly polarised world challenging India’s foreign policy: But as global tensions grow and confrontations increase, India could find itself under pressure to take sides even when its interests are not under contention. Therefore, there is a need to articulate a foreign policy paper on India’s alignment posture in a world that is becoming increasingly polarised.
- This policy must foster partnerships based on context and not on blocs: India could join hands with the US and its allies in seeking an open and rules-based Indo-Pacific order. It could even partner with China on climate change if there is a congruence of interests.
- Challenge is to avoid being dragged in war: In grand strategic terms, India’s challenge is to avoid being dragged into a World War that must be considered a growing possibility.
India as peacemaker
- Exploring the role of a peace broker
- What could be at the back of the Indian strategic mind is to play the role of a peace broker and explore every possibility to make it count.
- This is important because the state of relations between the US and China does not seem to have many prospects for a return to dialogue that can facilitate consensus on bilateral, multilateral and global issues.
- It is a possibility reflected in the inability of the United Nations to intervene, as the major parties involved are themselves in contention for the position of the stronger superpower.
- India may be getting into a position to make a peacebuilding attempt:
- A report by a US-based business intelligence consulting firm corroborates this asserts that India may be getting into a position to make a peacebuilding attempt
- According to this survey, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is among the world’s most popular global leaders. With a 78 per cent approval rating, Modi is far ahead of other contenders.
Conclusion
- It is high time that Indian strategists explore the feasibility of making India a peacemaker. It is a difficult and challenging task that may seem impossible. But there is no reason not to try, as the Prime Minister and the posture of the nation has both internal and external popularity on its side.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: NA
Mains level: Read the attached article
Context
- More than half of the population worldwide lives in cities, making urban centres critical to socioeconomic growth and development. However, rampant urbanisation has led to unequal distribution of resources and a lopsided development approach that ignores the specific needs of women. Despite projections of two-thirds of the population living in cities by 2050, urban development remains exclusive of women’s perspectives and needs.
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Gender inequality in cities
- Primary reason: One of the primary reasons behind gender inequality in cities is that modern cities are planned mainly by men and for men, thus sidelining the needs of women.
- Designed assuming that the role of women is confined to household: The cities have been traditionally designed on the premise that a woman’s role is primarily confined to the household, barring their need to access the immediate neighbourhood.
- Patriarchal approach has taken away the Fundamental rights: This patriarchal approach, while shaping the power dynamics between men and women, has also taken away the fundamental right of women to live and thrive in a safe and inclusive outdoor environment.
- Women one of the most vulnerable groups in society: Women, one of the most vulnerable groups in society, face violence in physical and cyber mode, making it difficult for them to access opportunities that come with urbanisation.
- For instance: Due to poorly lit streets and a lack of women-friendly mobility systems, women cannot actively participate in the workforce. Only 27 percent of women participate in the workforce in India as compared to 79 percent of men.
- Male dominated nature of job opportunities available in the cities: Most of them are male-dominated, such as the platform economy jobs of delivery agents and those at vast construction sites, leaving less space for women to intervene.
- Women professionals are burdened with dual work responsibilities: Moreover, with an increase in the number of households in cities, women are devoting most of their time to home and caring work, thus, leaving less time for them to do a job. In this scenario, women professionals are burdened with dual work roles, impacting their physical and mental well-being.
- Discouraged drop outs: Furthermore, the social tendency to discourage urban women from working after marriage has generated a trend of ‘discouraged drop-outs’, leaving them out of the workforce.
- Role in urban planning and governance is abysmally low: Women’s participation in urban planning and governance has been abysmally low. Women hold only 10 percent of the highest ranks globally in architecture and urban planning offices. With women left out of city planning institutions, city planners ignore the needs of women and the challenges they face.
Do you know: The concept of a 15-minute city?
- The concept of a 15-minute city, i.e., where everything needed will be available within a walkable distance of 15 minutes, is attracting the interest of planners even in India.
- However, for stray examples such as Magarpatta, a city in Pune, the concept has failed to move beyond rhetoric.
Focus areas of development
- City society intervention is a prerequisite: The intervention of civil society and policymakers on specific parameters can help build gender-responsive cities that accommodate the concerns of all citizens.
- Building safer cities: Better street lighting, women-friendly transport systems, and behavioural change programmes that help people understand that the onus of safety is not on women but on society as a whole will surely improve women’s access to safer cities.
- For instance: Building technology systems such as the Safetipin app helps women map safe areas and take necessary actions in emergencies by collating a list of important contacts, GPS tracking and so on, thus, trying to make streets safer.
- Changing the attitude and mindset of society at large: Counselling sessions for men, sensitising them about how women feel if a certain social behaviour is practised, can trigger an eventual change in their mindset towards women’s needs.
- Building gender-inclusive jobs: Data suggests that 10 percent increase in women’s workforce participation rate can add US$ 770 million, approximately 18 percent, to India’s GDP. Teaching men to shoulder family responsibilities, making workspaces women-friendly, promoting women to leadership positions, and diversifying the availability of jobs can go a long way in improving the situation.
- Role of women in urban governance: Having women at the top can have a domino effect in society, making other women aspirational of the positions they can reach and the impact they can create.
- For example: Cities like Athena, Bogota, Nairobi, Dakar, and San Francisco that have had female leadership have witnessed greater socio-economic and sustainable development.
- Developing gender-sensitive infrastructure: Globally, one in three women do not have access to safe toilets. Building toilets for women and places to breastfeed and baby changing stations improves the turnout of women on the streets. Improving access to clean water will also improve overall health for women as globally.
Way ahead
- Need a paradigm shift in approaches to policymaking: Including more women in decision-making roles to identify shared concerns and build integrated solutions will need a paradigm shift in approaches to policymaking. This calls for a policy focus on optimum resource allocation and equitable distribution, ensuring easy, safe, and affordable access to all.
- Feminist approach in policymaking: Policymakers need to adopt a feminist approach to urban development.
- Feminist urbanism: Feminist urbanism seeks to understand and integrate the concerns of women and other gender and sexual minorities across caste, class, age differences, disabilities, etc.
- Developing cities on the lines of feminist urbanism: Creating a city on the lines of feminist urbanism refers to constructing compact and mixed-use neighbourhoods, inclusive streets focusing on pedestrian needs and building other critical urban infrastructure.
Conclusion
- Building global partnerships to aid gender mainstreaming in urban spaces can prove fruitful. India has a chance to further this cause as it assumes the G20 presidency. The Urban 20 grouping can bring urban policymakers from the -20 nations to deliberate on women’s rights and evolve gender-inclusive development processes to help cities attain the 2030 agenda for sustainable development holistically.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Budget highlights
Mains level: Budget and the rural economy
Context
- Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2023-24. Union budgets can be understood in two ways. The first is as a standard accounting exercise of the government’s revenues and expenditures. It is this second aspect that provides insight into the government’s assessment of the challenges facing the economy and ways to overcome them.
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First aspect: standard accounting exercise of the government’s revenues and expenditures
- Projections are less reliable: Over the years, this has ceased to be a good metric with governments failing to spend what is announced in the budget. While the practice of off-budget entries is now no longer relevant, even revenue projections are much less reliable.
- Budget a comprehensive document: However, the budget continues to remain relevant as the most important and perhaps the only comprehensive economic document of the government.
Second aspect: Government’s assessment of the economic challenges and ways to overcome
- Premature to conclude: While the fog of the pandemic has disappeared and the associated supply bottlenecks have eased, it is premature to conclude that the economy has fully recovered.
- Per capita income is low: Per capita incomes in real terms in 2021-22 are still below the 2018-19 levels and the overall growth between 2016-17 and 2021-22 is at its lowest level of 3.7 per cent for any five-year period in the last four decades.
The pandemic effect:
- Economic slowdown: The fact that the economy was slowing down before the pandemic makes it clear that Covid only exacerbated the already fragile economic situation.
- Energy towards managing the pandemic: The structural factors that led to the slowdown remain, as in the last three years the government’s efforts were directed towards managing the pandemic.
- Decline in demand: The most important of these is the decline in demand, both for consumption and investment. Private consumption accounts for almost 60 per cent of the economy and this engine of growth has failed to fire.
- The distress is far more serious in rural areas: Rural wages have stagnated for almost a decade now. Farmers’ incomes have either declined or, at best, stagnated in the last five years.
- Withdrawal of expenditure: What has been done is the withdrawal of expenditure on almost every head that mattered for rural economic recovery. With spiraling inflation and even the cushion of free foodgrains having been withdrawn, rural areas are likely to face an uncertain situation.
- The budget for the agricultural sector is lower than the allocation last year: In real terms, the budget has declined by 10 per cent at a time when the agricultural sector is going through its worst crisis. The rise in input costs for both energy and fertilisers is likely to get worse with the withdrawal of the fertiliser subsidy.
- Declined allocation of cash transfer: Even the nominal cash transfer that was provided as part of the PM-Kisan has seen a decline in allocation. But then, this budget is no different from others in the last five years.
- Actual investment in agriculture is declined: Public investment in agriculture declined by 0.6 per cent per annum between 2016-17 and 2020-21, the last year for which data is available. This is a period when the agrarian economy has suffered its worst crisis of profitability.
- Declined budget for non-farm sector: The non-farm sector is now greater in terms of its contribution to the rural economy but has seen a decline in budget allocations.
- For instance: The budget for the Ministry of Rural Development is 13 per cent lower than the revised expenditure last year. The National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA) has seen its budget decline in the revised estimates for 2022-23. This is the lowest amount allocated in the last five years compared to actual expenditure on the scheme.
- Only Hosing scheme has seen an increase: The only scheme that has seen an increase in allocation is the rural housing scheme, from an actual spending of Rs 48,422 crore in 2022-23 to Rs 54,487 crore.
Supply-side interventions in demand constrained economy
- Preference for supply-side interventions: The government’s preference for supply-side interventions even when there is excess capacity in a demand-constrained economy. It is this understanding that is reflected in an almost one-third increase in allocation for investment. A bulk of this is in railways and roads a much-needed boost to the infrastructure sector.
- Private sector needs to accompany: But given the small share of public investment, it is unlikely to be sufficient unless it is accompanied by the private sector increasing its investment. Unfortunately, the private sector neither responding to rising public investment nor tax subsidies, as were given in 2019.
- Overall impact: This will have a negligible impact on employment and domestic demand given the low employment elasticity of these investments. Regardless, the increase in investments is welcome.
Conclusion
- The problem with this budget is not accounting but economic policy. This was the last full budget in which government could undertake serious steps to revive the economy. That required prioritising allocations towards reviving consumption demand, spurring private investment and protecting people from the vulnerabilities of high inflation and a slowing economy.
Mains Question
Q. Discuss the impact of pandemic on Indian economy. Highlight governments supply side interventions in demand constrained economy.
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