Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Economic survey and Budget, Various Schemes
Mains level: Union Budget 2023, Read the attached article
Central Idea
- The Union Budget 2023 has made nominal increases in the allocation for education, which will not suffice to improve the education sector’s current situation.
Government Expenditure on Education
- As per the Economic Survey 2023, the combined expenditure on education by the Centre and States (as a percentage of GDP), has remained stagnant at 2.9% during 2019-20 to 2022-23 (BE).
- As a percentage of total government expenditure, it slid from 10.7% in 2019-20 to 9.5% in 2022-23 (BE), while the share of education in social services nosedived from 42.5% to 35.5% during the same period.
Budgetary allocation for School sector
- Allocation for School Education increases due to new scheme: The school sector has been allocated ₹68,804.85 crores, as against ₹63,449.37 crore last year, largely due to a fresh allocation of ₹4,000 crore for the PM ScHools for Rising India), or PM-SHRI alone.
- Existing schools suffer due to allocation for new initiatives: This combined with the newly announced Eklavya model residential schools to be opened in every district of India actually brings down the provisions for already existing schools and their activities, leaving them high and dry to deal with rising prices and the pressure of increasing enrolment in government schools.
- Majority of Indian students attend government schools: Government and government-aided schools are still where the deprived and have-nots go to. Out of about 15 lakh schools, 10 lakh schools are owned and managed by the government, employing about 97 lakh teachers and catering to over 26 crore students.
- Allocation for higher education has increased: The allocation for higher education has increased from ₹40,828 crore to ₹44,094 crore, with autonomous bodies receiving an average increase of 13.60%. The central universities have benefitted the most with a 22.39% increase.
- Reduction in Budgetary Support to Indian Institutes of Management: The budgetary support for Indian Institutes of Management has been drastically reduced with most of the allocation meant for loan repayment. The reduction in funding for IIM was expected due to their increased fees. The impact of this on equity in these institutions is uncertain.
- No provision for HEFA and reduced allocations: There is no provision for Higher Education Funding Agency (HEFA) in this year’s Budget, which means no new loans for infrastructure development in centrally funded institutions. The allocation for world class universities has also been reduced. The allocation for Prime Minister’s Girls’ hostels has been reduced by half.
Allocation for Research and Innovation Initiatives
- Reduction in Startup India and Design Innovation Initiatives: The Startup India initiative for higher educational institutions has been reduced and also provisions for the national initiative for design innovation have been reduced.
- Drastic Reduction in IMPRINT and SPARC Allocations: The allocations for IMPacting Research, INnovation and Technology (IMPRINT) and the Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration (SPARC) have also been drastically reduced.
- No Allocation for IMPRESS: The Budget does not provide any allocation for Impactful Policy Research in Social Sciences (IMPRESS).
- National Research Foundation awaits Cabinet Approval: The proposed National Research Foundation has been allotted ₹2,000 crore through the Department of Science and Technology, but this awaits approval from the Union cabinet.
Conclusion
- In today’s time, everyone wants to benefit and improve their lives. However, not investing enough in education could harm the growth and improvement of education. Unfortunately, the 2023 budget doesn’t offer anything new to make the sector ultimately effective. The education sector needs more investment to improve the quality of education and provide equal opportunities for all students.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Vibrant Villages Programme
Mains level: Border Areas tourism
Central Idea
- India has tremendous tourism potential in its border states, which remains largely untapped due to the remoteness of locations and difficulty of access. The government has made unprecedented efforts to build border infrastructure and announced plans to open villages along the northern border for tourists under the Vibrant Villages Programme. However, encouraging tourism in these areas requires promoting hubs of civilian presence, building necessary infrastructure, and conducting feasibility studies to ensure sustainable development.
- Improve infrastructure in villages along India’s border with China: The Vibrant Villages program is a government initiative aimed at improving infrastructure and creating job opportunities in villages situated along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.
- Overview: The program involves a significant allocation of funds, i.e., Rs 4,800 crore, to upgrade 633 villages situated in five states, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and the Union Territory of Ladakh. Under the programme, residential and tourist centres will be constructed.
- Objectives of the program: The program aims to enhance the living conditions of the people residing in the border areas and improve the security situation along the LAC with China.
- Expected Benefits: The Vibrant Villages program aims to provide better facilities like schools, 24×7 electricity, and more 4G telecommunication towers in the border areas to match what is available in settlements across the LAC.
- Strategy to enhance security: The Vibrant Villages program is part of the broader Indian government strategy to enhance security along the border with China. The investment in developing infrastructure and creating job opportunities is a crucial step towards improving the living conditions of the people in the border areas and enhancing the security situation along the LAC with China.
- Program is modelled after Chinese actions on LAC: The program is modelled after the Chinese military and civilian authorities’ actions on their side of the LAC to build permanent population settlements along the border.
Tourism potential in Border areas
- Karakoram:
- Regular motorcycle expeditions should be organised for civilians in cooperation with India’s major motorcycle manufacturers. Areas such as the Saser Kangri massif could be explored for mountaineering expeditions by small experienced teams in tandem with the armed forces and the Indian Mountaineering Federation.
- Areas around Pangong Lake:
- The area around Pangong Lake and Chushul is a delight for photographers and birdwatchers. In the Changthang wildlife sanctuary, there are wetlands and a thriving population of the Kiang, a wild ass.
- Lhari Peak is sacred to both Hindus and Buddhists.
- The Demchok area is home to several hot springs that are popular for naturopathy cures.
- The nearby villages of Tsaga, Koyul and Hanle can also be further developed.
- Tourism can be promoted in the Tso Moriri lake area, with a particular focus on home stays.
- Mana Pass and Niti Valley in Uttarakhand:
- It is one of the world’s highest vehicle-accessible passes.
- The village of Mana is rich in mythology, believed to be the gateway to heaven, and is situated near popular destinations like Hemkund and the Valley of Flowers and the revered Badrinath shrine is located nearby.
- Tourists can enjoy sailing on the Deo Tal Lake near Mana, while skiing enthusiasts can make use of the nearby slopes. Mount Kamet and other peaks in the Nilang-Jadang valley are also ideal for mountaineering expeditions.
- Tourism Potential in Sikkim:
- In Sikkim, the region around Doka La is ripe for tourism.
- Pedong, Nathang Valley, Zuluk, Kupup, Baba Harbhajan Mandir and the Yak Gold Course, the highest golf course in the world, are nearby.
- Conducted tours, including trekking expeditions up to Batang La, could be a start.
- Bum La Pass in Arunachal Pradesh
- In the eastern sector, the Bum La Pass in Arunachal Pradesh is already a well-established tourism hub.
- There is scope to bring in more tourists all the way up to Zero Point, the site of border personnel meetings with China.
- Publicity should be given to the memorial built there in honour of Subedar (Baba) Joginder Singh, who was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra for outstanding bravery in the battle near Tongpen La during the India-China war in 1962.
- Nearby, the Pangateng and Sangetsar lakes are picturesque.
- Expeditions on the lines of NIMAS’s Winter Bailey Trekking Expedition could attract international tourists to Tawang and the interiors of the State
What measures should be taken to promote commercial activity in India’s remote border areas?
- Transition from Military to Tourism in Remote Areas:
- Encourage Commercial Activity:
- Prioritize Tourism
- Build Infrastructure for Tourism
- Developing Border Areas for Sustainable Growth:
- Establish Civilian Hubs and Home Stays
- Allocate Border Area Development Programme Funds
- Install Vital Infrastructure and Sustainable Energy Sources
Conclusion
- While developing border areas for security is crucial, conducting feasibility studies before implementing tourism projects is equally important to ensure sustainability. Unplanned construction violates norms and harms the Himalayan belt, so promoting sustainable infrastructure that benefits the local economy is necessary.
Mains Question
Q. India’s Border Areas have Tremendous Tourism Potential, but it remains largely untapped due to remoteness and accessibility. What measures should be taken to promote commercial activity in India’s remote border areas?
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Carbon capture and storage techniques
Mains level: Read the attached story
Central idea: India’s commitment to reduce its carbon emissions and increase its carbon sink as part of the Paris Climate Agreement. The Agreement is a legally binding international treaty signed by 196 parties, including India, to limit global warming to well below 2°C.
What is a carbon sink?
- A carbon sink is a natural or artificial reservoir that absorbs and stores carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere.
- It can be a natural ecosystem such as forests, oceans, or soil, or it can be an artificial system like carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology.
- Carbon sinks help to reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere and mitigate the negative effects of climate change.
Methods of Carbon Sinks
There are two types of carbon sinks:
(A) Natural Carbon Sinks: These are ecosystems that naturally absorb and store carbon from the atmosphere. The most common natural carbon sinks are:
- Forests: Trees absorb CO2 through photosynthesis and store it in their trunks, branches, and roots.
- Oceans: The Ocean absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere, where it dissolves and forms carbonic acid.
- Soil: Carbon can be stored in soil in the form of organic matter, such as dead plant and animal material, which is broken down by microorganisms.
(B) Artificial Carbon Sinks: These are human-made technologies that capture and store carbon from the atmosphere. The most common artificial carbon sinks are:
- Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS): CCS technology captures CO2 emissions from industrial processes, such as power plants, and stores it underground.
- Direct Air Capture (DAC): DAC technology captures CO2 directly from the air and stores it underground or repurposes it for other uses.
India’s carbon sink target
- India has pledged to create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent by 2030.
- This will be achieved through afforestation, reforestation, and other land-use changes.
India’s progress towards its carbon sink target
- India has already achieved 24.6% of its carbon sink target as of 2017.
- This was primarily due to afforestation and tree plantation programs, such as the Green India Mission and the National Afforestation Programme.
Challenges in meeting India’s carbon sink target
- Unavailability of accurate data: There is a lack of accurate data on the extent and health of India’s forests, which makes it difficult to measure the effectiveness of afforestation and reforestation programs.
- Conversion of natural forests: The conversion of natural forests to monoculture plantations that have lower carbon sequestration potential can reduce the effectiveness of carbon sinks.
- Pressure on land: The pressure on land for agriculture and other forms of development can lead to deforestation and the loss of carbon sinks.
- Lack of funding: Afforestation and reforestation programs require significant funding, which can be a challenge for India.
- Lack of awareness: Lack of awareness among the public and policymakers about the importance of carbon sinks and the need for their conservation and restoration can hinder efforts to meet India’s carbon sink targets.
Conclusion
- India’s commitment to increasing its carbon sink is crucial in mitigating the impacts of climate change.
- More efforts are needed to ensure the success of afforestation and reforestation programs and to address the challenges facing India’s forests.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: PMLA , Cryptocurrencies
Mains level: Regulation of illicit crypto trade
The government has imposed the Prevention of Money-laundering Act, 2002 on cryptocurrencies or virtual assets as it looks to tighten oversight of digital assets.
Central idea: The Prevention of Money-laundering Act, 2002, now covers various financial activities related to virtual digital assets, including exchanges between fiat currencies and digital assets, transfer and storage of digital assets, and provision of financial services related to the sale of digital assets by an issuer.
What are Cryptocurrencies?
- Cryptocurrencies are digital or virtual currencies that use encryption techniques to secure and verify transactions and control the creation of new units.
- They operate independently of central banks and financial institutions and use a decentralized ledger technology called blockchain to record transactions.
- They can be used to make purchases, transfer funds, or as a store of value, and some are designed to facilitate specific use cases, such as smart contracts.
- Bitcoin is the first and most well-known cryptocurrency, but there are thousands of others, including Ethereum, Ripple, and Litecoin.
- Cryptocurrencies can be purchased on cryptocurrency exchanges or obtained through mining, a process in which computers solve complex mathematical problems to validate transactions and earn new cryptocurrency units as a reward.
Why regulate cryptocurrencies?
- Consumer protection: Cryptocurrencies are highly volatile and can be subject to fraud, scams, and other forms of financial crime.
- Preventing money laundering and terrorist financing: Cryptocurrencies can be used to anonymously transfer funds, making them potentially attractive to criminals and terrorists.
- Systemic risk: Cryptocurrencies are not currently part of the traditional financial system, but they could potentially have an impact on it if they were to become more widely adopted.
- Taxation: Cryptocurrencies can be used to evade taxes or hide assets. Regulation can help ensure that cryptocurrency transactions are properly taxed and that tax evasion is prevented.
- Market stability: being highly volatile, regulation can help promote market stability and prevent excessive speculation or manipulation of cryptocurrency markets.
What is the recent move?
- Indian crypto exchanges will have to report suspicious activity to the Financial Intelligence Unit India (FIU-IND).
- The move is in line with the global trend of requiring digital-asset platforms to follow anti-money laundering standards similar to those followed by other regulated entities like banks or stock brokers.
Recent regulatory moves
- In the Budget for 2022-23, finance ministry had brought a 30% tax on income from transactions in such assets.
- Also, to bring such assets under the tax net, it introduced a 1% TDS (tax deducted at source) on transactions in such asset classes above a certain threshold.
- Gifts in crypto and digital assets were also taxed.
Back2Basics: Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA)
- PMLA, 2002 is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted by the NDA government to prevent money laundering and to provide for confiscation of property derived from money laundering.
- It was enacted in response to India’s global commitment (including the Vienna Convention) to combat the menace of money laundering.
- PMLA and the Rules notified there under came into force with effect from July 1, 2005.
- The act was amended in the year 2005, 2009 and 2012.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: NISAR
Mains level: NA
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has received the NASA-ISRO SAR (NISAR) satellite.
What is NISAR?
- NISAR has been built by space agencies of the US and India under a partnership agreement signed in 2014.
- The 2,800 kilograms satellite consists of both L-band and S-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) instruments, which makes it a dual-frequency imaging radar satellite.
- While NASA has provided the L-band radar, GPS, a high-capacity solid-state recorder to store data, and a payload data subsystem, ISRO has provided the S-band radar, the GSLV launch system and spacecraft.
- Another important component of the satellite is its large 39-foot stationary antenna reflector.
- Made of a gold-plated wire mesh, the reflector will be used to focus the radar signals emitted and received by the upward-facing feed on the instrument structure.
Objectives of NISAR
- Once launched into space, NISAR will observe subtle changes in Earth’s surfaces, helping researchers better understand the causes and consequences of such phenomena.
- It will spot warning signs of natural disasters, such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and landslides.
- The satellite will also measure groundwater levels, track flow rates of glaciers and ice sheets, and monitor the planet’s forest and agricultural regions, which can improve our understanding of carbon exchange.
- By using synthetic aperture radar (SAR), NISAR will produce high-resolution images.
- SAR is capable of penetrating clouds and can collect data day and night regardless of the weather conditions.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Lunar Time Zone
Mains level: NA
The European Space Agency is planning a universal timekeeping system for the moon.
Timekeeping on the Moon
- The Moon has its own day and night cycle, which lasts about 29.5 Earth days.
- This means that if humans were to live on the Moon, they would need to develop their own timekeeping system.
- Currently, the time on the Moon is measured using Universal Time Coordinated (UTC), which is the same timekeeping system used on the Earth.
- However, because the Moon’s day is much longer than Earth’s day, it would be difficult to use UTC for day-to-day activities on the Moon.
Universal Time Coordinated (UTC)
- Universal Time Coordinated (UTC) is a time standard used to keep time consistent around the world.
- UTC is based on International Atomic Time (TAI), which is maintained by atomic clocks around the world.
- It is the primary time standard used by many countries, international organizations, and scientific research institutions.
- UTC is expressed as a 24-hour clock and is used to indicate the time offset from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC+0).
- Time zones are defined as an offset from UTC, with some time zones being ahead of UTC (UTC+1, UTC+2, etc.) and others being behind UTC (UTC-1, UTC-2, etc.).
- UTC is adjusted periodically to account for changes in the Earth’s rotation, which can cause variations in the length of a day.
- These adjustments are made through the addition of leap seconds to UTC, which help to keep the time standard synchronized with the Earth’s rotation.
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Why need lunar time zone?
- The Moon is the Earth’s only natural satellite, and humans have been interested in exploring and colonizing it for many years.
- With recent advancements in space technology, there is renewed interest in lunar exploration and settlement.
Proposed Lunar Time Zone
- To address this issue, scientists and researchers have proposed creating a lunar time zone that would be based on the Moon’s day and night cycle.
- This would make it easier for lunar settlers to keep track of time and coordinate activities.
Benefits offered
- Having a lunar time zone would also make it easier for scientists and researchers to conduct experiments and collect data on the Moon.
- It would also help to prevent confusion and errors that could arise from using different timekeeping systems on Earth and the Moon.
Various challenges
- Time on Earth is precisely tracked by atomic clocks, but synchronizing time on the moon is tricky because clocks run faster there, gaining around 56 microseconds, or millionths of a second, per day.
- It would also be difficult to establish a consistent time zone for the entire Moon, given that the terrain and lighting conditions vary widely across its surface.
- Additionally, any timekeeping system on the Moon would need to be able to account for the Moon’s irregular rotation and movement.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Green Hydrogen
Mains level: Green Hydrogen and Mission
Central Idea
- The 2023 Union Budget has allocated ₹19,700 crore for the National Green Hydrogen Mission. This will set in motion a programme that can position India as a green hydrogen (super)power.
- Clean and no harmful gas emission: The Green hydrogen is the one produced with no harmful greenhouse gas emissions.
- Produced by electrolysis of water: It is made by using clean electricity from surplus renewable energy sources, such as solar or wind power, to electrolyse water. Electrolysers use an electrochemical reaction to split water into its components of hydrogen and oxygen, emitting zero-carbon dioxide in the process.
- Clean energy source: It can serve as an energy source (heavy industry, long-distance mobility, aviation, and power storage) and an energy carrier (as green ammonia or blended with natural gas).
- Energy intensive process: It is an energy-intensive process for splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using renewable power to achieve this.
All you need to know about National Green Hydrogen Mission
- The National Green Hydrogen Mission is a program launched by the government of India to promote the production and use of green hydrogen in the country.
- It aims to establish India as a leading producer and consumer of green hydrogen. The mission is expected to create demand for 100-125 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy, 60-100 GW of electrolysers, and an investment opportunity of ₹8 lakh crore, while cutting 50 MMT of annual emissions.
Why is this important and what will it take?
- India’s ambitious renewable energy goal for 2030: By 2030, India aims to generate 50% of its electricity from non-fossil fuel sources, while also requiring an industrial energy transition.
- Industrial sectors contributing to India’s greenhouse gas emissions: Steel, cement, fertilizers, and petrochemicals contribute significantly to India’s industrial greenhouse gas emissions.
- Green hydrogen’s potential for fuelling industrial growth and reducing emissions: Green hydrogen has the potential to fuel industrial growth and reduce industrial emissions simultaneously.
- India’s production target for green hydrogen and its requirements: India has set a production target of five million tonnes of green hydrogen by 2030, surpassing that of any other single economy. This target would create a demand for 100-125 GW of renewable energy, 60-100 GW of electrolysers, and an investment opportunity of ₹8 lakh crore, while reducing annual emissions by 50 MMT.
- India’s advantage as a cost-effective green hydrogen producer: India’s abundance of sunshine and wind energy resources position it well to become one of the world’s most cost-effective green hydrogen producers.
Five Priorities(5Ps): For the vision to convert into reality
- Domestic demand is critical: If we are not a big player domestically, we cannot be a major player in the international market. The mission introduces a Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition (SIGHT) fund for five years, with ₹13,000 crore as direct support to consume green hydrogen. This will encourage heavy industries to increase demand, offering economies of scale by which suppliers can reduce prices.
- India can be an attractive destination for domestic and foreign investment: Green hydrogen production projects announced/underway in India are far fewer compared to others. Green hydrogen is difficult and expensive to transport. The mission envisions green hydrogen hubs to consolidate production, end use and exports. A mission secretariat can ensure project clearance is streamlined and reduce financial risks.
- Support and targeted funding: Currently, manufacturers are importing stacks and assembling them. We must become more competitive with targeted public funding in manufacturing the most critical and high-value components of electrolysers in India.
- Establish bilateral partnerships to develop resilient supply chains: Globally, about 63 bilateral partnerships have emerged; Germany, South Korea and Japan have the most. Using yen- or euro-denominated loans for sales to Japan or to the EU, respectively, could reduce the cost of capital and help us become export competitive. India must cooperate with like-minded countries on trade, value chains, research and development, and standards
- Coordinate with major economies to develop rules for a global green hydrogen economy: In the absence of common global frameworks, attempts for rules and standards are being driven by collectives of private corporations rather than through structured intergovernmental processes. There are already signs of conflicting regulations and protectionist measures in major markets. These put India’s ambitions at risk.
What is Green Steel?
- Green steel refers to steel that is produced using sustainable and environmentally friendly methods.
- Green steel, is produced using renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power, and by utilizing low-emission technologies that reduce carbon emissions.
- One of the main ways to produce green steel is through the use of hydrogen instead of coal or natural gas as the reducing agent in the steel-making process.
- Green steel is seen as a way to reduce the environmental impact of the steel industry, which is responsible for a significant portion of global carbon emissions.
- Costs of green steel, made from green hydrogen, are currently much higher, but could be reduced with economies of scale and changes in production technologies
Conclusion
- India’s G20 presidency is an opportunity to craft rules for a global green hydrogen economy. These rules must address operational threats, industrial competitiveness and strategic threats. India should promote a global network on green hydrogen via which companies could collaborate. Green hydrogen will be a critical industrial fuel of the 21st century. India is well-positioned to show leadership in our collective interest and that of the planet.
Mains Question
Q. What is National Green Hydrogen Mission launched by the government of India? Discuss the key priorities of the mission that will they help India achieve its ambitious production target.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: NA
Mains level: India-Germany Relations Green Hydrogen Mission
Central Idea
- India and Germany are enhancing their relationship through bilateral talks and collaboration, with Germany showing interest in being a key partner in India’s defence, trade, and clean energy. The recent visit of German Chancellor Scholz to India highlights the importance of India-German cooperation in shaping a new global order.
- Freedom struggle: Subhas Chandra Bose, a prominent freedom fighter for Indian independence, made a determined effort to obtain India’s independence from Britain by seeking military assistance from the Axis powers. The Indische Legion was formed to serve as a liberation force for British-ruled India principally made up of Indian prisoners of war.
- Diplomacy: India maintained diplomatic relations with both West Germany and East Germany and supported their reunification in 1990. Contrary to France and the UK, Germany has no strategic footprint in Asia.
- Past contentions: Germany condemned India for liberating Goa from Portuguese rule in 1961 and supported Portugal’s dictatorial regime under Salazar against India. It was critical of India for intervening in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. It rejected India’s 1998 nuclear tests.
- Quest for UNSC: India and Germany both seek to become permanent members of the UNSC and have joined with Japan and Brazil to coordinate their efforts via the G4 collective.
- Cultural ties: Germany has supported education and cultural programs in India. Germany helped establish the IIT Madras after both governments signed an agreement in 1956 and increased its cooperation and supply of technology and resources over the decades to help expand the institution
- Trade and investment: Germany is India’s largest trading partner in Europe. Germany is the 8th largest foreign direct investor (FDI) in India.
What is the significance of Chancellor Scholz’s visit to India?
- Chancellor Scholz’s visit to India is significant as it builds on Germany’s growing political outreach to Asia and highlights India’s importance as a key partner in Germany’s overall strategy for the Indo-Pacific region.
- The visit aimed to expand cooperation between India and Germany in areas such as defence, trade, clean energy, migration, digital transformation, and the Indo-Pacific.
- It also assumes greater importance as India holds the G-20 presidency this year and seeks to avoid geopolitics hampering cooperation in the forum.
India-Germany Cooperation: Opportunities
- Defence collaboration: Germany could become an important defence partner for India as the country attempts to diversify from its military dependence on Russia. The two countries have discussed co-development of military hardware and tech transfers, and a deal worth $5.2 billion where Germany would jointly build six conventional submarines in India could be underway.
- Economic ties: India and Germany share strong economic ties, with Germany being India’s largest trading partner in the European Union. Germany is also interested in stability of supply chains and trade routes linking Asia to Europe, given its status as Europe’s economic powerhouse and its reliance on exports.
- Indo-Pacific region: Germany’s overall strategy for the Indo-Pacific region mentions India as a key partner. Germany has enhanced its political outreach to Asia, including India, as part of this strategy.
- Multilateral cooperation: Both cooperate in multilateral forums, including as part of the G-4 grouping pushing for United Nations Security Council reform, and as evident in Germany’s invitation to Mr. Modi to attend last year’s G-7 summit.
- Development projects: A recent agreement on India-Germany triangular cooperation involving development projects in third countries is an important step in enhancing strategic involvement in the region.
- Security collaboration: The first ever France-India-Germany military exercise drill is slated to take place in 2024 towards enhanced security and defence collaboration.
India-Germany Cooperation: Challenges
- Different geopolitical priorities: Germany is focused on ensuring stability in the Indo-Pacific region for the sake of trade and economic growth, while India is more concerned with territorial conflicts with neighbouring China.
- Germany’s economic dependence on China: Germany has strong economic ties with China, making it difficult to completely decouple from the country. This creates a challenge for Germany in trying to balance its economic interests with its security interests.
- Differences in defence capabilities: India and Germany have different defence capabilities and priorities, which can make it challenging to collaborate effectively on defence projects.
- Historical baggage: Germany’s colonial past and role in World War II can create challenges in developing closer relations with India, particularly in the context of Germany’s efforts to deepen its involvement in the Indo-Pacific region.
Conclusion
- Amidst geopolitical shifts and multipolarity, New Delhi’s ties with Berlin could be vital in shaping a new global order. There are high expectations on both sides regarding the potential for deeper collaboration, particularly in the defence sector. However, it will take time and effort to develop the necessary trust and alignment of interests.
Mains Question
Q. In recent times, India and Germany have been enhancing their relationship through bilateral talks and collaboration. In light of this, discuss challenges and opportunities that lie ahead?
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: 5G
Mains level: 5G, Security and challenges
Central Idea
- With the arrival of 5G technology, all electronic devices will potentially be connected to the internet. Cyber damage scenarios, imagined only in dystopian fiction, could become a reality. A collaborative approach between the government, academia, and businesses is necessary to address these cyber security concerns and ensure that 5G technology is safe and secure for consumers.
- Latest advancement: 5G, or fifth-generation wireless technology, is the latest advancement in mobile communication and internet technology.
- Higher frequency spectrum: 5G operates on a higher frequency spectrum than 4G, typically between 24 GHz to 90 GHz. This higher frequency range allows for faster data transfer rates and lower latency.
- MIMO technology: 5G uses a technology called MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) to transmit and receive multiple data streams simultaneously. This allows for greater capacity and faster speeds.
- Network slicing: It also utilizes network slicing, which enables the creation of multiple virtual networks on a single physical network. This allows for more efficient use of network resources and can improve overall network performance.
- Applications: 5G technology is expected to enable the development and implementation of emerging technologies such as self-driving cars, virtual and augmented reality, and smart cities.
Security Features of 5G Technology
- Security-by-Design Approach: 5G technology is designed with a security-by-design approach that embeds security features from the beginning. This approach ensures that security is an integral part of the technology, rather than an afterthought.
- Strong Encryption Standards: 5G technology incorporates strong encryption standards that make it extremely difficult for attackers to access and use any information they might obtain. Even if an attacker manages to obtain some information, it will be in an unusable format.
- Interconnected Device Protection: 5G technology also includes protocols that protect the confidentiality of interconnected devices. These protocols prevent unauthorized access and ensure that data transmitted between devices remains secure and private.
What are the Concerns?
- Inheriting past vulnerabilities: The initial wave of 5G will be built on existing 4G infrastructure, therefore, it will inherit vulnerabilities of the past.
- Multiplying privacy concerns: More devices connected to the internet increase the scope of cyber-attacks. In a connected network, such attacks can spread like wildfire if not contained in time. Privacy concerns are bound to multiply as the number of devices increases.
- Concerns about pre-ban imported equipment: A bulk of 5G network components have been imported and manufactured in factories based in China. Imports of such equipment have been banned. However, concern remains about the use of the equipment that was imported before the ban came into effect.
- For instance, concerns over user privacy: Many countries including the USA and Canada have expressed concerns over protocols used by Huawei and ZTE that compromise the privacy of users.
What can be done to Ensure 5G Security
- Collaborative efforts between government, academia, and businesses: Governments should work with industry experts and academia to develop comprehensive security measures and policies that align with the rapidly evolving technological landscape.
- Ongoing security testing: Telecom companies should perform regular security testing of their 5G infrastructure to identify vulnerabilities and address them before they can be exploited by attackers. Telecom companies and ethical hackers can be invited to test infrastructure.
- For instance: C-DOT’s 5G alliance focuses on security aspects, it needs to be scaled up as a Center of Excellence involving IITs and CERT-In.
- Reward mechanisms: Offering incentives to 5G service providers who adhere to high security standards can promote better security practices across the industry.
- Consumer education: Government agencies like CERT-In can publish easy-to-understand advisories to educate end-users on best practices to protect themselves and their devices from potential security breaches.
- Greater responsibility: All stakeholders must assume greater responsibility to protect the 5G ecosystem from cyber threats.
- International cooperation: International cooperation between governments and organizations can help establish global standards and guidelines for 5G security, promoting greater consistency and transparency in security practices.
Conclusion
- Consumers are at the heart of the 5G ecosystem and need to be aware of the security challenges. Exciting times await us in 2023. All stakeholders need to prepare for the security challenges of the 5G package.
Mains Question
Q. Technology upgrade comes with advantages and challenges. In this light discuss security features concerns related to the implementation of 5G technology?
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Aadhaar
Mains level: Aadhaar-Voter ID linkage
Central idea: The article discusses the potential issues and concerns related to the Indian government’s proposal to link Aadhaar with Voter IDs.
Total Aadhaar-Voter ID linkages
- Around 60% of India’s electors now have their Aadhaar number linked to their name on the voter rolls.
- It has achieved saturation of over 90% in States like Tripura, which went to the polls recently.
- States like Gujarat and Delhi are lagging where only around 30% of the electorate has provided an Aadhaar number to election officials.
What is the move about?
- The linking is being carried out by filling Form 6B, which is provided by election officials going door-to-door to collect Aadhaar or alternate ID from registered voters.
- The form was the result of the Election Laws (Amendment) Act passed in 2021 to allow the linking of Voter IDs and Aadhaar.
- While the Election Commission (EC) maintains that providing an Aadhaar is optional, Form 6B requires voters to declare that they do not have an Aadhaar to avoid providing the number.
Aadhaar-Voter ID linkage: Why does the government want this?
- Accurate voter’s record: The EC conducts regular exercises to maintain an updated and accurate recordof the voter base.
- Avoid duplicate voters: A part of this exercise is to weed out duplication of voters.
- Identify unique voters: As per the government, linkage of Aadhaar with voter IDs will assist in ensuring that only one Voter ID is issued per citizen of India.
Is the linking of Aadhaar with one’s Voter ID mandatory?
- In December 2021, Parliament passed the Election Laws (Amendment) Act, 2021.
- This was to amend the Representation of the People Act, 1950and Section 23(4) was inserted in the RP Act.
- It states that the electoral registration officerMAY require voters to furnish their Aadhaar numbers to verify Authencity of voters list.
Why there is such proposal for linking?
The preference to use Aadhaar for verification and authentication, both by the state and private sector, stems from few reasons:
- Increase in UID-holders:First, at the end of 2021, 99.7% of the adult Indian population had an Aadhaar card.
- Most versatile document:This coverage exceeds that of any other officially valid document such as driver’s licence, ration cards, PAN cards etc. that are mostly applied for specific purposes.
- Reliable source of authentication:Since Aadhaar allows for biometric authentication, Aadhaar based authentication and verification is considered more reliable, quicker and cost efficient when compared to other IDs.
Issues with mandatory linking: Puttaswamy judgment highlights
- Puttaswamy judgment:The above reasons do not suffice the mandating of Aadhaar except in limited circumstances as per the Puttaswamy judgment.
- Indispensability of the purpose:It needs to be considered whether such mandatory linkage of Aadhaar with Voter ID would pass the test of being “necessary and proportionate” to the purpose of de-duplication which is sought to be achieved.
- Constitutional ambiguity:In Puttaswamy, one of the questions that the Supreme Court explored was whether the mandatory linking of Aadhaar with bank accounts was constitutional or not.
- Against informational autonomy: It is the right to privacy which would allow a person to decide which official document they want to use for verification and authentication.
- Disenfranchisement: Some fear that linking Aadhaar with Voter IDs may exclude certain groups of people, such as those who do not have an Aadhaar card.
Other judicial observations: Lal Babu Hussein (1995) Case
- The Supreme Court had held that the Right to vote cannot be disallowed by insisting only on four proofs of identity.
- The voters are entitled to rely on any other proof of identity and obtain the right to vote.
What are the operational difficulties?
- Aadhaar is not a citizenship proof:The preference to Aadhaar for the purposes of determining voters is puzzling as Aadhaar is only a proof of residence and not a proof of citizenship.
- Excluding non-citizens is not easy:Verifying voter identity against this will only help in tackling duplication but will not remove voters who are not citizens of India from the electoral rolls.
- Estimate of error rates in biometric based authentication:This certainly differs. As per the UIDAI in 2018, Aadhaar based biometric authentication had a 12% error rate.
- Disenfranchisement of existing voters:Errors have led to the disenfranchisement of around 30 lakh voters in AP and Telangana before the Supreme Court stalled the process of linkage.
Key concern: Right to Privacy
- Some civil societies has highlighted that linking of the two databases of electoral rolls and Aadhaar could lead to the linkage of Aadhaar’s “demographic” information with voter ID information.
- This could lead to violation of the right to privacy and surveillance measures by the state.
- This would leave the EC with the option of verifying its information only through door-to-door checks.
- There is a lack of enforceable data protection principlesthat regulate how authentication data will be used.
Way forward
- The govt should expedite the enactment of a data protection legislation that allays concerns of unauthorized processing of personal data held by the government.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: ONDC
Mains level: E-Commerce facilitation by GOI
Central idea: The article discusses the Indian government’s plan to launch the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) to support small retailers and businesses against large tech-based e-commerce firms.
About ONDC
- The ONDC is a private non-profit Section 8 company established by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) of the Government of India.
- It aims to develop open e-commerce by creating a set of specifications designed to foster open interchange and connections between shoppers, technology platforms, and retailers.
- It was incorporated on December 31, 2021, with an initial investment from Quality Council of India and Protean eGov Technologies Limited (formerly NSDL e-Governance Infrastructure Limited).
What exactly is ONDC?
- The ONDC is not an application, an intermediary, or software but a set of specifications.
- The ONDC seeks to provide an open-source platform for digital commerce that will enable small retailers and businesses to compete with large e-commerce firms by providing them with access to a wider customer base and reducing the costs of doing business.
What does one mean by ‘Open-sourcing’?
- Free for all: An open-source project means that anybody is free to use, study, modify and distribute the project for any purpose.
- Open licensing: These permissions are enforced through an open-source licence easing adoption and facilitating collaboration.
What processes are expecting to be open-sourced with this project?
- Several operational aspects including onboarding of sellers, vendor discovery, price discovery and product cataloguing could be made open source on the lines of Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
- If mandated, this could be problematic for larger e-commerce companies, which have proprietary processes and technology deployed for these segments of operations.
What does the DPIIT intend from the project?
- Digitize the entire value chain,
- Standardize operations,
- Promote inclusion of suppliers,
- Derive efficiencies in logistics and
- Enhance value for stakeholders and consumers
Countering ‘Digital Monopoly’
- Digital monopolies refer to a scenario wherein e-commerce giants or Big Tech companies tend to dominate and flout competition law pertaining to monopoly.
- The Giants have built their own proprietary platforms for operations.
- In March, India moved to shake up digital monopolies in the country’s $ 1+ trillion retail market by making public a draft of a code of conduct — Draft Ecommerce Policy, reported Bloomberg.
- The government sought to help local start-ups and reduce the dominance of giants such as Amazon and Walmart-Flipkart.
- The rules sought to define the cross-border flow of user data after taking into account complaints by small retailers.
Processes in the ONDC
- Sellers will be onboarded through open networks. Other open-source processes will include those such as vendor and price discovery; and product cataloging.
- The format will be similar to the one which is used in the Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
- Mega e-commerce companies have proprietary processes and technology for these operations.
- Marketplaces such as Amazon, Flipkart, Zomato, BigBasket and Grofers will need to register on the ONDC platform to be created by DPIIT and QCI.
- The task of implementing DPIIT’s ONDC project has been assigned to the Quality Council of India (QCI).
Why such a move by the govt?
- This COVID pandemic has made every business to go digital.
- India is a country with 700 million internet users of whom large crunch of population are active buyers on e-coms.
- There are 9 platforms in the world which are billion user platform and all are private. This is the monopoly which the govt aims to hit.
- No country would ever want a few (foreign) companies to control their domestic e-commerce ecosystem.
- Countries like US are struggling to control their monopoly over the e-commerce giants leaving no space for Indian legislations to control these overseas companies.
- In India Amazon, Walmart, Uber are controlling larger crunch of share in the market leaving very less scope for domestic companies to cope up with.
Scope for ONDCs success
- Over last 50 years India is dealing with Big Tech companies with responsibility and pragmatic manner. Now it is also coming with new policies to control them.
- The drafting panel has extraordinary persons like Mr. Nandan Nilekani and others who were in Aadhar, NPCI, MyGov, Retail industry and these make it inclusive and innovative.
- India has successfully executed various public digital platforms like JAM Trinity, Aadhar linked projects. India for sure can handle its digital ecosystem better in e-coms too.
- Open-sourcing will benefit society at large as did the UPI.
Issues that can be raised
- Monopolies: Draft E-Commerce policy can raise resistance from companies like Amazon, Flipkart, and Walmart etc.
- EODB concerns: They may raise hues over operability and ease of doing business.
- Compliance burden: MSMEs have already raised the growing compliance burden for e-commerce.
Other challenges
- Every platform has its own challenges so would the ONDC may have.
- While UPI was ruled out (BHIM being the first) people were reluctant in using it due to transaction failures.
- With subsequent improvements and openness people and businesses are using it in every walks of life. So it would work with ONDC.
Conclusion
- Once adopted, ONDC will make sure consumer and seller interest will be protected as the UPI did.
- Best is yet to come and we are in 4th industrial revolution where the Govt should strengthen itself accordingly and make businesses inclusive and restrict monopolies.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Chabahar Port
Mains level: India's central Asia connectivity push
Central idea: The article discusses India’s plan to send 20,000 metric tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan through the Chabahar port in Iran.
Why in new?
- Last year, the Indian side announced its partnership with UNWFP (UN World Food Programme) for the delivery of 20,000 MTs of wheat for Afghan people through the Chabahar Port.
UN World Food Programme
- The WFP is a leading humanitarian organization that provides food assistance in emergencies and works to improve nutrition and food security in poor and conflict-affected areas.
- It was established in 1961 and is a part of the United Nations system.
- The WFP is funded entirely by voluntary contributions from governments, non-governmental organizations, and private donors.
- The organization provides assistance to over 80 million people in around 80 countries every year.
- The WFP delivers food and other essential supplies in times of crisis and supports communities to build resilience and achieve long-term food security.
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India’s Assistance to Afghanistan
- India has been providing humanitarian aid and support to Afghanistan for several years, including food and medical supplies.
- The latest shipment of wheat is a part of India’s continued efforts to assist Afghanistan during its humanitarian crisis.
About Chabahar Port
- In 2016, India signed a deal with Iran entailing $8 billion investment in Chabahar port and industries in Chabahar Special Economic Zone.
- The port is being developed as a transit route to Afghanistan and Central Asia.
- India has already built a 240-km road connecting Afghanistan with Iran.
- All this were expected to bring cargo to Bandar Abbas port and Chabahar port, and free Kabul from its dependence on Pakistan to reach the outer world.
- Completion of this project would give India access to Afghanistan and beyond to Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Russia and Europe via the 7,200-km-long multi-modal North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).
India’s strategic vision for Chabahar
When the first agreement for Chabahar was signed by then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2003, the plan had a three-fold objective:
- To build India’s first offshore port and to project Indian infrastructure prowess in the Gulf
- To circumvent trade through Pakistan, given the tense ties with India’s neighbour and build a long term, sustainable sea trade route and
- To find an alternative land route to Afghanistan, which India had rebuilt ties with after the defeat of the Taliban in 2001
- Subsequently, PM Manmohan Singh’s government constructed the Zaranj -Delaram Highway in Afghanistan’s South.
- It would help connect the trade route from the border of Iran to the main trade routes to Herat and Kabul, handing it over to the Karzai government in 2009.
- In 2016, PM Modi travelled to Tehran and signed the agreement to develop Chabahar port, as well as the trilateral agreement for trade through Chabahar with Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani.
Commencement of operations
- Since the India Ports Global Chabahar Free Zone (IPGCFZ) authority took over the operations of the port in 2018, it has handled 215 vessels, 16,000 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units) and four million tons of bulk and general cargo.
Why is it gaining importance?
- In the last few years, a fourth strategic objective for the Chabahar route has appeared, with China’s Belt and Road Initiative making inroadsin the region.
- The government hopes to provide Central Asia with an alternate route to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)through Iran for future trade.
Why is the Chabahar dream taking so long to realise?
- India’s quest for Chabahar has hit geopolitical road-blockafter road-block; the biggest issue has been over Iran’s relationship with western countries, especially the United States.
- In years when western sanctionsagainst Iran increased, the Chabahar project has been put on the back-burner.
- However, the nuclear talks resulted in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)in 2015 came into being, the Chabahar port has been easier to work on.
- In 2018, the Trump administration put paid to India’s plans by walking out of the JCPOA and slapping new sanctions on dealing with Iran.
- India also snapped ties with Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover in August 2021, which put an end to the humanitarian aid of wheat and pulses that was being sent to Kabul via Chabahar.
- When India restarted wheat aid this year, it negotiated with Pakistan to use the land route to Afghanistan instead.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Global Greenhouse Gas Monitoring Infrastructure
Mains level: NA
Central idea: The article discusses the United Nations’ development of a new system for tracking greenhouse gas emissions.
Greenhouse Gases
- Greenhouse gases are gases that trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere and contribute to the greenhouse effect.
- Examples of greenhouse gases include-
- Water vapor (H2O)
- Carbon dioxide (CO2)
- Methane (CH4)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O)
- Fluorinated gases, including hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6)
- Ozone (O3)
- The greenhouse effect is a natural process that occurs when certain gases in the atmosphere absorb and re-emit infrared radiation from the sun, trapping heat and keeping the planet warm enough to sustain life.
- Human activities such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial processes have significantly increased the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, leading to an enhanced greenhouse effect and causing global warming and climate change.
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Global Greenhouse Gas Monitoring Infrastructure
- The new system, also known as the Common Global Standard for Sustainability, is being developed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
- It will provide a standardized framework for measuring and reporting greenhouse gas emissions across various sectors, including agriculture, transport, and energy.
Need for the new system
- The current system for tracking greenhouse gas emissions is fragmented and lacks standardization, making it difficult to compare emissions across different sectors and countries.
- The new system aims to address this issue by providing a standardized framework for measuring and reporting emissions.
Benefits offered
- The new system will provide a more accurate and comprehensive picture of greenhouse gas emissions across different sectors and countries.
- It will enable policymakers and businesses to develop more effective strategies for reducing emissions and mitigating the impacts of climate change.
Challenges
- The success of the new system will depend on the willingness of countries and businesses to adopt and implement it.
- There may be resistance from some countries and businesses that are reluctant to disclose their emissions data or make changes to their current reporting practices.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: RTIS
Mains level: Not Much
The article discusses the partnership between Indian Railways and ISRO for real-time train tracking.
Real Time Train Information System (RTIS) Project
- Indian Railways has signed a MoU with the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) to use satellite-based technology for real-time train tracking.
- The technology will be used to provide real-time information on the exact location and movement of trains across the country.
How does it work?
- The system will use ISRO’s satellite-based GPS technology, called the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), to track the location of trains.
- The system will also use other advanced technologies, such as satellite imagery and geo-fencing, to provide real-time information on train movements.
Applications of RTIS
- RTIS gives mid-section updates with a periodicity of 30 seconds.
- The Train Control can now track the location and speed of RTIS-enabled locomotives/train more closely, without any manual intervention.
- It allows passengers to get the real-time location or train running status of a train on their smartphone.
Benefits offered
- The system will help to improve the efficiency and safety of train operations in India.
- It will provide accurate and real-time information on train movements, which will help to reduce delays and improve scheduling.
- The system will also help to enhance the overall passenger experience by providing real-time information on train status and location.
Future plans
- Indian Railways plans to use the technology for other applications, such as monitoring the health of trains and their components.
- The partnership with ISRO is part of Indian Railways’ larger digital transformation initiative, which aims to leverage technology to improve the efficiency and safety of train operations.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA)
Mains level: NA
India has proposed to launch International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) to protect big cats and assured support over five years with guaranteed funding of $100 million.
International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA)
- It is a proposed mega-global alliance that will work toward the protection and conservation of the seven major big cats — tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, puma, jaguar, and cheetah.
- Membership to the alliance will be open to 97 ‘range’ countries, which contain the natural habitat of these big cats, as well as other interested nations, international organizations, etc.
Proposed objectives
- The alliance’s purpose is to provide a platform for the dissemination of information on benchmarked practices, capacity building, resources repository, research and development, awareness creation, etc. on the protection and conservation of big cats.
- Its major activities will include advocacy, partnership, knowledge e-portal, capacity building, eco-tourism, partnerships between expert groups and finance tapping.
Financial outlay
- After the first five years, IBCA will be supported by India’s ‘total grant assistance’ of $100 million.
- It is expected to sustain itself through membership fees, and contributions from bilateral and multilateral institutions and the private sector
Governance Structure
- A General Assembly consisting of all member countries.
- A Council of at least seven but not more than 15 member countries elected by the General Assembly for a term of 5 years, and a Secretariat.
- Upon the recommendation of the Council, the General Assembly will appoint the IBCA Secretary General for a specific term.
India’s success in tiger conservation
- India has been successful in tiger conservation, with its tiger population increasing from 1,411 in 2006 to 2,967 in 2019.
- India’s success in tiger conservation has been attributed to measures such as habitat restoration, anti-poaching efforts, and community participation.
What lies ahead?
- India plans to expand its conservation efforts to other big cat species, such as lions and leopards.
- India also plans to work with other countries to promote conservation efforts for big cats on a global scale.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Adopt a Heritage project, Monument Mitras
Mains level: Adopt a Heritage project and concerns
Central Idea
- Businesses that enter agreements with ASI to adopt sites are going to be known as Monument Mitras. The tenfold increase in the number of sites being brought under the ambit of the controversial ‘Adopt a Heritage’ scheme of 2017 raises concerns. Unless the ‘revamped’ scheme is suspended, the nation’s precious pluralistic heritage stands at the threshold of obliteration.
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All you need to know about Adopt a Heritage project
- Initiative of Ministry of Tourism: The ‘Adopt a Heritage’ scheme was launched by the Indian government in September 2017 under the aegis of the Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Culture, and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
- Objective: The main objective of the scheme is to provide world class tourist facilities at the various natural/cultural heritage sites, monuments and other tourist sites to make them tourist friendly, enhance their tourist potential and cultural importance in a planned and phased manner across the country.
- Primary focus: The project primarily focuses on providing basic amenities that include cleanliness, public convenience, drinking water, ease of access for tourists, signage etc. and advanced amenities like TFC, Souvenir shop, Cafeteria etc.
- Monument Mitra: The public, private sector companies and individuals will develop tourist amenities at heritage sites. They would become ‘Monument Mitra’ and adopt the sites essentially under their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activity.
- Current plan side-lines the ASI mandate: The current plan also side-lines the mandate of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and abandons The Sarnath Initiative, guidelines devised by the ASI, the Getty Trust, U.S., the British Museum, and National Culture Fund to safe keep excavated objects and present them to visitors in an engaging manner.
- Undermine local communities and their relationships with historical sites: Guided tours led by employees of large businesses who have received permission to adopt a monument may endanger livelihoods of those who have lived near the site and made a living by regaling visitors with stories of its colourful past.
- Excessive wear and tear: The potential of big businesses to underwrite a monument’s illumination is also troubling. Night tourism will also pull electricity away from rural homesteads and hospitals.
- It may alter historical character of monuments which are not under ASI: There are some monuments selected for the scheme that are not protected by the ASI and are in States without Archaeology Directorates. One fears that businesses that sign agreements with the Union Ministry of Culture to adopt these monuments will be able to alter their historical character without much opposition.
What might Corporate India instead do to look after the nation’s-built heritage?
- Businesses can help citizens understand why monuments matter: This can be done by earmarking CSR funds for grants for researching, writing, and publishing high quality textbooks, and developing imaginative and effective ways of teaching history.
- For instance: Corporates might also follow the lead taken by Sudha Murthy and N.R. Narayana Murthy in giving gifts to organizations such as the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute in Pune to continue their missions of writing history by rationally coordinating the textual record and the archaeological evidence.
- Skillful conservation: Industrial houses can support the meaningful conservation of heritage buildings by looking within. Their CSR funds can be used to purchase new equipment that release fewer noxious gases that darken and corrode marble buildings and discharge fewer effluents into rivers, thus making these water bodies less likely to serve as breeding grounds of microbes that gather on the walls of ancient buildings erected on riverbanks and cause their decay.
- For instance: In the past, Tata Sons, ONGC, and other companies have regularly contributed funds to organisations training individuals in much needed restoration skills and creating jobs for them.
- Collaborative efforts: The private sector’s resources and expertise may also help the ASI and State Archaeology Directorates to secure monuments from dams, mining projects, defacement, and looting.
Climate change: Significant threat to India’s historical monuments
- Sanchi Stupa: The 3rd-century BC Buddhist monument in Madhya Pradesh is facing a threat from increasing rainfall and humidity. The stone is deteriorating due to the changes in weather patterns, leading to the loss of carvings and sculptures.
- Mahabalipuram Monuments: The 7th-century rock-cut monuments in Tamil Nadu are facing a threat from sea-level rise and erosion. The monuments, which are located close to the shore, are being battered by the waves, leading to the loss of sculptures and carvings.
- Sun Temple, Konark: The 13th-century temple, made of Khondalite stone, is facing a threat from rising temperatures and humidity. The stone is expanding and contracting due to the changes in temperature, leading to cracks and erosion.
- Hampi Monuments: The 14th-century monuments in Karnataka are facing a threat from heavy rainfall and flooding. The monuments, which are made of granite, are being eroded by the rainwater, leading to the loss of carvings and sculptures.
- Rajasthan’s Shekhawati’s murals: Shekhawati is known for its beautifully painted havelis with intricate frescoes and murals. Greater fluctuations in temperature are peeling away Shekhawati’s murals.
- Ladakh’s stucco houses: Higher rainfall is leading Ladakh’s stucco houses to crumble. The traditional way of building houses in Ladakh is under threat due to climate change, which is affecting the durability of the structures.
- Taj Mahal: The monument built in the 17th century, is facing a threat from rising pollution and changing weather patterns. The white marble is turning yellow due to air pollution.
- Sea forts in Maharashtra: Rising sea levels are leading to water percolation into forts along Maharashtra’s coast. Salination is eating into their foundations.
Conclusion
- Currently, India’s progress in diverse fields is being projected at G-20 events across the nation. By embracing forward-thinking principles of historical preservation, businesses, government agencies, and civil society groups can showcase India’s genuine progress in this arena. Maybe their efforts will inspire more citizens to participate in the pressing task of safeguarding India’s pluralistic heritage.
Mains Question
Q. What is Adopt a Heritage project? Why there needs a scrutiny of such project, highlight the concerns and suggest what else can be done?
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: ICJ, COP-27, Loss and damage fund
Mains level: Role of ICJ in Climate change negotiations, Small Island Nations
Central Idea
- A group of 16 countries has launched a gallant effort to fight the problem of climate change an existential threat to human civilization at the United Nations (UN). Led by Vanuatu an island country in the South Pacific Ocean, the group seeks an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the issue of climate change.
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What is International Court of Justice (ICJ)?
- The ICJ is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations (UN). It was established in 1945 and is located in The Hague, Netherlands.
- It has the authority to settle legal disputes between states and to provide advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by the UN General Assembly, the Security Council, and other authorized UN bodies.
- The ICJ is composed of 15 judges elected for nine-year terms by the UN General Assembly and the Security Council.
- Its decisions are binding and final, and the court’s role is to settle legal disputes in accordance with international law.
ICJ has two types of jurisdictions: Contentious and Advisory
- Contentious: Contentious jurisdiction refers to the ICJ’s authority to resolve legal disputes between consenting states. Decisions made under contentious jurisdiction are binding
- Advisory:
- Advisory jurisdiction allows the UN General Assembly (UNGA), the Security Council (SC), and other specialized bodies of the organization to request the ICJ’s opinion on a legal question.
- The ICJ’s advisory opinions are non-binding. However, they hold significant normative weight and serve to clarify international law on relevant issues.
- The ICJ’s advisory opinion on climate change can be useful in climate-related litigation at the national level.
- Failure to deliver concrete solutions to Climate Change: Notwithstanding the presence of several international legal instruments on climate change such as the UNFCC, the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement, the international community has fallen short of delivering concrete solutions to the problem of climate change.
- COP-27 Fails to Resolve Differences: The recently concluded 27th UN Climate Change Conference (COP-27) where countries failed to narrow their differences on critical issues such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Countries were unable to reach a consensus on meaningful action.
- Vulnerability of Small Island Developing (SID) states:
- SID states such as Vanuatu are most vulnerable to rising temperatures and sea levels.
- Accordingly, in September 2021, Vanuatu launched an initiative, through the UNGA, to seek an advisory opinion from the ICJ to clarify the legal obligations of all countries to prevent and redress the adverse effects of climate change.
- Since then, the initiative has gathered momentum with more than 100 countries backing the idea. Specifically, the draft resolution piloted by Vanuatu seeks answers to the following questions from the ICJ.
The Legal questions
- What are the international law obligations of countries toward the protection of the climate system from anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases for the present and future generations?
- Answer: The ICJ will interpret existing climate change law and use customary international law to fill gaps, including the ‘no-harm’ (states are under an obligation that activities within their jurisdiction do not damage other countries) principle, to clarify the Paris Agreement.
- What are the legal consequences for states that have caused significant harm to the climate system, the SID states and other people of the present and future generations?
- Answer: Demands for climate reparations are made as part of climate justice, where historically high-emitting rich countries compensate developing countries affected by climate change. The ICJ can provide legal principles for the ‘loss and damage’ fund.
Confusion over loss and damage fund
- Little clarity on funding: At COP-27, it was agreed to establish a loss and damage fund to financially assist vulnerable developing countries. However, there is little clarity on which countries will provide the funding.
- Historical responsibility yet to be determined: Moreover, the connection between funding and the historical responsibility of developed countries in emissions is yet to be determined.
Role of International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS)
- It is not just the ICJ whose advisory opinion is being sought: The Commission of Small Island States on Climate Change and International Law, comprising countries like Antigua and Barbuda and Tuvalu, has sought the advisory opinion of the Hamburg-based ITLOS.
- To determine obligations under UNCLOS: ITLOS has been asked to determine countries’ obligations under United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea regarding marine pollution, which is linked to ocean warming, sea level rise, and acidification.
Conclusion
- As part of a multi-pronged approach to saving our planet, one should welcome the role of international courts. Developed countries and groupings like the G-20 should support these laudable initiatives of the SID states. Environment and climate sustainability are important themes of G-20. India, as the president of the G-20, should take a lead given its relentless emphasis on LiFE (developing environment-friendly lifestyle) campaign.
Mains Question
Q. What is Loss and damage fund? Discuss the legal questions that Vanuatu seeks to clarify through the ICJ.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Hindu Rate of Growh
Mains level: Read the attached story
Central idea: Former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan has warned that India is “dangerously close to the Hindu rate of growth”.
What is Hindu Rate of Growth?
- The “Hindu Rate of Growth” is a term used to describe the slow growth rate of the Indian economy between the 1950s and the 1980s.
- It was coined by the Indian economist Raj Krishna in the 1970s.
- During this period, the Indian economy grew at an average rate of around 3.5% per year, which was much lower than other developing countries like South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.
- The term is considered controversial as it suggests that the slow growth rate was a result of cultural or religious factors rather than economic policies and structural issues.
- However, the term is still used in academic and policy discussions to refer to the slow growth of the Indian economy during this period.
Features of Hindu Rate of Growth
The then features which led to the coining of this term were-
- Low GDP growth rate: The term refers to the period from the 1950s to the 1980s when India’s economy grew at an average rate of around 3.5% per year, which was much lower than other developing countries.
- Slow Industrialization: The industrial sector was dominated by a few public sector companies, and the private sector was heavily regulated.
- Stagnant Agriculture: There was little investment in agriculture, and the sector was not given much priority in government policies.
- License Raj: India had a socialist economic model with heavy government regulation. The License Raj system required permits and licenses for businesses, creating a bureaucratic and corrupt system that hindered innovation and entrepreneurship.
- Import Substitution: India followed a policy of import substitution, where the government tried to develop domestic industries by protecting them from foreign competition. This led to a lack of competition, low quality of products, and high prices.
- Inefficient Public Sector: The public sector dominated the economy, but it was inefficient, unproductive, and plagued by corruption. Public sector companies were often overstaffed and poorly managed, resulting in low productivity.
- Lack of Foreign Investment: India was not attractive to foreign investors during this period, and there was little foreign investment in the economy. The government imposed strict controls on foreign investment, and the regulatory environment was not conducive to foreign investment.
Concerns flagged by Rajan
Rajan noted that India’s economic growth rate had been declining even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the country.
(a) Decline in GDP growth rate
- India’s economic growth rate had fallen to 4.5% in the September quarter of 2019, before the pandemic hit in early 2020.
- During the pandemic, the Indian economy contracted sharply, with GDP falling by 7.7% in the 2020-21 fiscal year.
- The economy has rebounded somewhat, with the IMF forecasting GDP growth of 9.5% for the current fiscal year.
(b) Lower growth potential than hyped
- However, Rajan noted that India’s potential growth rate is likely to be lower than in the past, due to factors such as an aging population, a decline in the working-age population, and sluggish investment.
- He also cited the country’s poor performance on human development indicators, such as education and health, as a constraint on growth.
Key suggestions
- Rajan called for measures to address the structural factors that are holding back growth, such as investment in infrastructure and education, and improving the ease of doing business in India.
- He also emphasized the importance of macroeconomic stability and maintaining fiscal discipline, to avoid inflation and currency depreciation.
- He also called for measures to address inequality, such as better targeting of subsidies to those who need them most.
Conclusion
- Overall, Rajan’s remarks suggest that India faces significant challenges in maintaining high levels of economic growth, and that structural reforms will be needed to address these challenges.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: AYUSH mission
Mains level: AYUSH mission, Promotion and Challenges in Ayurvedic practice
Central Idea
- Ayurveda graduates face significant challenges in pursuing a career in Ayurvedic practice due to widespread scepticism about the efficacy of Ayurvedic theories and practices. Despite the publicity campaigns to promote Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH), the fact is that there is a trust-deficit in these systems.
What is National AYUSH Mission?
- Department of AYUSH, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India has launched National AYUSH Mission (NAM) during 12th Plan for implementing through States/UTs.
- The basic objective of NAM is to promote AYUSH medical systems through cost effective AYUSH services, strengthening of educational systems, facilitate the enforcement of quality control of ASU &H drugs and sustainable availability of ASU & H raw-materials.
- It envisages flexibility of implementation of the programmes which will lead to substantial participation of the State Governments/UT.
- The NAM contemplates establishment of a National Mission as well as corresponding Missions in the State level.
What is Ayurveda?
- Sanskrit word: Ayu means life, and Veda means knowledge or science Hence it is “The Science of Life.”
- Ayurveda is a traditional system of medicine that originated in India more than 5,000 years ago.
- It was taught orally from one generation to another by accomplished masters.
- Some of this knowledge was later put into writing, but much of it remains inaccessible.
- The principles of many natural healing systems, including Homeopathy and Polarity Therapy, have their roots in Ayurveda.
What are the reasons for the public’s skepticism towards Ayurveda?
- Failed to keep the pace: The Ayurveda establishment has failed to keep pace with the intellectual and scientific advances of the times.
- Archaic theories and lack of evidence-based quality: Archaic theories that are apt to arouse suspicion in the minds of educated patients are peddled as sophisticated dogmas. Treatments are not subjected to straightforward testing as they are claimed to be based on these theories
- Perception that Ayurvedic treatments are slow to heal: Ayurveda treatments are slow to heal is another common view that characterises the public image of Ayurveda.
What are the challenges faced by Ayurveda graduates in pursuing a career in practice?
- Practical usability is limited: Limited practical usability of ancient medical wisdom taught in college training
- Lack of vibrant ecosystem of Research: Dependence on personal experimentation due to a lack of a vibrant ecosystem of science and research. The Research process involves a lot of trial and error with patients and predictably leads to an erosion of the practitioner’s reputation.
- Necessity of complementing Ayurveda with modern medicine: Inability to treat all primary-care illnesses, necessitating complementing with modern medicine, which is prohibited in most states.
- Unhealthy competition and advertisements: Competition from gimmickry and publicity-based practitioners.
- Proper training: Rejuvenating primary care by training Ayurveda graduates to become good primary-care doctors.
- Evidence-based appraisal of Ayurveda: Conducting a vigorous evidence-based appraisal of Ayurvedic theories and practices to sift the usable from the obsolete
- Practice modern medicines: Statutory decision to allow Ayurveda graduates to practice modern medicine in stipulated primary care areas
Conclusion
- Ayurveda prioritizes patient benefit over gratification and emphasizes prevention through balance, diet, lifestyle, and herbs. Sustainable treatment requires a gradual transition to wellness. Ayurveda, science, and public welfare all stand to gain. What is needed is sincerity, straight-thinking, and some adventurism on the part of stakeholders.
Mains Question
Q. What is Ayurveda? Despite of the efforts to promote Ayurveda, the graduates face significant challenges in pursuing a career in Ayurvedic practice. Discuss.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: NA
Mains level: India-Bangladesh Relations, Significance for India and New avenues of cooperation.
Central Idea
- In recent years, Bangladesh-India relations have entered the Golden Chapter in their relations. Setting the seal on this bilateral bonhomie, The Prime Minister of Bangladesh has been invited by the Indian Prime Minister to attend the G20 Summit as a special guest. Bangladesh is the only South Asian country to be on India’s guest list. India’s invitation to Bangladesh as its guest speaks volumes of the high priority the country accords its immediate eastern neighbor and ‘best friend’ in the neighborhood’.
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- India’s links with Bangladesh are civilization, cultural, social and economic.
- There is much that unites the two countries – a shared history and common heritage, linguistic and cultural ties, and passion for music, literature and the arts.
- It is also worth recalling that India shares its longest border of 4,096.7 kilometres with Bangladesh, which is also the fifth-longest border in the contemporary world.
- With the onset of economic liberalization in South Asia, they forged greater bilateral engagement and trade.
In Depth: Why Bangladesh is cardinally important to India?
- India’s largest trading partner in South Asia
- Bangladesh emerged as India’s largest trading partner: In 2021-22, Bangladesh emerged as India’s largest trading partner in South Asia and India is Bangladesh’s second-largest trading partner and its largest export market in Asia. Despite the pandemic, bilateral trade has grown at an unprecedented rate of 14 per cent
- Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement: The two countries are also preparing to sign the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, for substantial enhancement of trade and commercial partnerships between the two countries.
- Gateway for India’s Northeast
- Strategic location: Efforts have been made in recent years by both Bangladesh and India to improve connectivity between Bangladesh and India’s Northeast, which is geographically located between West Bengal and landlocked Northeastern states.
- Initiatives to Improve Connectivity: Initiatives such as inviting India to use Chattogram and Mongla ports, adding new ports and protocol routes to the shared inland waterway network, constructing the Maitri and Padma Setu bridges, and the upcoming Akhaura-Agartala rail line, aim to provide better trade and transport connectivity. The Mitali Express has also been operationalized for bi-weekly journeys between New Jalpaiguri and Dhaka.
- Important for stability and security issues: Bangladesh has been an outstanding partner of India on security issues, especially with its zero-tolerance attitude towards terrorism. On several occasions, Bangladesh has arrested and handed over insurgents from the separatist militant groups in the Northeast (United Liberation Front of Asom) to India.
- A central pillar in India’s Neighbourhood First and Act East Policies
- Bay of Bengal’s Increasing Strategic Significance: The increasing strategic significance of the Bay of Bengal, heightened by China’s rising and assertive presence in this maritime space has led India to bolster relations with the Bay littorals to ensure its pre-eminence in the Bay, which it considers to be a primary area of interest.
- Important for India’s Eastern Neighborhood Policy: Furthermore, as its western front remains troubled, India is increasingly trying to build stronger relations with its eastern neighbourhood to realise its Indo-Pacific aspirations.
- As china trying to make inroads, India Reviving and Cultivating Cooperation: As China also tries to make inroads into Bangladesh to gain a stronger foothold in the Bay region, India has felt an added impetus to nurture its relationship with the country, reviving age-old bonds and cultivating new avenues for cooperation.
- India’s Vaccine Maitri Initiative For example: In the pandemic, India prioritised Bangladesh and supplied 10.3 crore vaccine doses to the country, making it the largest recipient of its Vaccine Maitri initiative. The gesture was generously reciprocated, by providing of
Key Areas of Cooperation on India’s G20 Agenda
- Climate change and disaster management
- Green Development, Climate Finance and LiFE’: As the name suggests, the segment is devoted to developing environmental consciousness and understanding the impact of climate change with a particular focus towards not only climate finance and technology, but also ensuring just energy transitions for developing nations across the world.
- For instance: Both countries agreed to cooperate on climate change with particular attention to the Sundarban area which is facing challenges due to climate-induced sea level rise.
- Disaster risk reduction: Both India and Bangladesh experience frequent disasters such as cyclones originating from the turbulent Bay of Bengal. Consequently, the two countries signed an MoU on Disaster Management in 2021, to mitigate this transnational threat.
- Transition to renewable energy
- Energy transition and cooperation: As energy transitions are an important issue in India’s G20 mandate, recently, Bangladesh announced its target of generating 40 percent of power from clean energy by 2041. India-Bangladesh have increased cooperation in the energy sector.
- Projects for instance: With projects such as the Friendship Pipeline and Maitree Super Thermal Power Project, and agreed to enhance cooperation in energy efficiency and clean energy, including biofuels.
- Cyber security
- Cyber security cooperation: Cyber security is an intrinsic aspect of Digital Public Infrastructures (DPI’s) and also happens to be one of the areas in which India-Bangladesh have agreed to cooperate.
- Joining hands to enhance AI and cyber security: In June 2022, both countries decided to expand their strategic partnership to enhance Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cyber security.
Way ahead: Forging better multilateralism
- Within G20, a priority for India is to promote reformed multilateralism which cultivates accountable, inclusive, just, equitable and representative multipolar international systems, fit for addressing contemporary challenges.
- As one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, Bangladesh will become even more important for India in future.
- In many of the multilateral platforms in India’s neighbourhood (an area India seeks to influence), Bangladesh is also a member, for e.g., SAARC, BIMSTEC, and IORA.
- The country’s support is, therefore, necessary, if India’s G20 aspiration is to find a reflection in regional multilateral platforms.
Conclusion
- As India tries to shape the global agenda through G20 it needs Bangladesh’s support to translate many of these ideas into action in its neighbourhood. This will lend further credibility to its presidency and in the long run, some of these nascent areas of cooperation may add pages to the “Golden Chapter” in India-Bangladesh relations.
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