| Governance | Mains Paper 2: Government Scheme/Policies

Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: CARA

Mains level: Child Adoption

A report recently tabled on “Review of Guardianship and Adoption Laws” in Parliament has stated that- India despite a country with millions of orphans, there are only 2,430 children available for adoption.

What is the news?

There are many enthusiastic parents who are ready to adopt children.
To address this paradox, a Parliamentary panel has recommended district-level surveys to proactively identify orphaned and abandoned children.
According to the report, there were 27,939 prospective parents registered with the Child Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) as on December 2021, up from nearly 18,000 in 2017.

What is CARA?

Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) is an autonomous and statutory body of the Ministry of Women and Child Development. It was set up in 1990.
It functions as the nodal body for the adoption of Indian children and is mandated to monitor and regulate in-country and inter-country adoptions.
CARA is designated as the Central Authority to deal with inter-country adoptions in accordance with the provisions of the 1993 Hague Convention on Inter-country Adoption, ratified India in 2003.
It primarily deals with the adoption of orphaned, abandoned and surrendered children through its associated and recognized adoption agencies.

Adoption Process

The eligibility of prospective adoptive parents living in India, duly registered on the Child Adoption Resource Information and Guidance System (CARINGS), irrespective of marital status and religion, is Procedure for adoption adjudged by specialised adoption agencies preparing home study reports.

The specialized adoption agency then secures court orders approving the adoption.
All non-resident persons approach authorized adoption agencies in their foreign country of residence for registration under CARINGS.
Their eligibility is adjudged by authorised foreign adoption agencies through home study reports.
CARA then issues a pre-adoption ‘no objection’ certificate for foster care, followed by a court adoption order.
A final ‘no objection’ certificate from CARA or a conformity certificate under the adoption convention is mandatory for a passport and visa to leave India.

What else regulates child adoption?

The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 permits the adoption of same-sex children, allowing biological or adopted parents to adopt a child of the same gender.
A single or divorced person can adopt under the JJ Act, but a single male cannot adopt a girl child.
According the Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act, 1956 (HAMA), a Hindu parent or guardian can place a child for adoption with another Hindu parent under the Act.
A prospective parent can also adopt a male child if he has no other male children or grandchildren, or a female child if he has no other female children or grandchildren.

Issues with child adoption in India

Parent-centrism: The current adoption approach is very parent-centred, but parents must make it child-centred.
Age of child: Most Indian parents also want a child between the ages of zero and two, believing that this is when the parent-child bond is formed.
Institutional issues: Because the ratio of abandoned children to children in institutionalised care is lopsided, there are not enough children available for adoption.
Lineage discrimination: Most Indians have a distorted view of adoption because they want their genes, blood, and lineage to be passed down to their children.
Red-tapism: Child adoption is also not so easy task after the Juvenile Justice Rules of 2016 and the Adoption Regulations of 2017 were launched.

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Modern Indian History-Events and Personalities

Who was Kakasaheb Gadgil?

Prelims Only | | Mains Paper 1: Modern Indian History

Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: Kakasaheb Gadgil

Mains level: Not Much

The Gadgil Wada of Pune was recently lighted into tricolour for the 75th anniversary of Independence.

Gadgil Wada was where plans for the reconstitution of the socialist Rashtra Seva Dal took place in early 1940s, with socialists like S.M. Joshi, N.G. Gore, Shirubhau Limaye and Kakasaheb in the lead.

Kakasaheb Gadgil

Gadgil was an Indian freedom fighter and politician from Maharashtra, India.
He was also a writer. He wrote in both Marathi and English.
Gadgil graduated from Fergusson College in Pune in 1918, and obtained a degree in Law in 1920.
In India’s pre-independence days, freedom fighters Lokmanya Tilak, Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Vallabhbhai Patel influenced Gadgil.
He joined the Indian National Congress in 1920, immediately after obtaining his law degree and started his active participation in the national freedom movement.
He suffered imprisonment from the ruling British government eight times for the participation.

Notable work during freedom struggle

In India’s pre-independence days, Gadgil served as the secretary of Poona District Congress Committee (1921–25), the president of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (1937–45).
He was elected to the central Legislative Assembly in 1934.
Gadgil was a pioneer in social reform movements in Maharashtra in the 1930s.
During the Civil Disobedience Movement, which began in 1930, Gadgil was listed as a leader for the Maharashtra Civil Disobedience Committee and the Pune War Council.
He was associated with several public associations and institutions, including Sarvajanik Sabha, Pune; Young Men’s Association, Pune; Maharashtra Youth League, Bombay; Pune Central Cooperative Bank; and Pune Municipality.

Service after India’s independence

Between 1947 and 1952 Gadgil served as a minister in the first central cabinet of independent India.
He held the portfolios of Public Works, and Mines and Power.
In his first year in the central Cabinet, he initiated the project of building a military-caliber road from Pathankot to Srinagar via Jammu in Kashmir as a part of India’s activities in the 1947 Indo-Pakistan War.
As a cabinet minister, he also initiated the important development projects pertaining to Bhakra, Koyna, and Hirakund dams.
He was a member of the Congress Working Committee from 1952 to 1955.
His son Vitthalrao Gadgil was a veteran congressman and MP from Pune Lok Sabha constituency, and his grandson Anant Gadgil is currently spokesman for Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee.

Authorship

Gadgil wrote several books and articles on politics, economics, law, and history.
The following are some of Gadgil’s books:

Pathik (autobiography)
Rajya Shastra Wichar
Shubha Shastra
Waktrutwa Shastra
Gyanbache Arthashastra
Government from Inside
Shikhancha Itihaas (history of Sikhs)

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

Punjab bans use of 10 insecticides

Prelims Only | Science Tech | Mains Paper 3: Awareness in various sc and tech fields

Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: Maximum Residue Limit (MRL)

Mains level: Not Much

Amid reports that several samples of basmati rice contained the residue of certain pesticides above the maximum residue level (MRL), the Punjab government has decided to ban the use of 10 formulations.

Which are the chemicals banned?

The State government believed that the sale, stock distribution, and use of Acephate, Buprofezin, Chloropyriphos, Methamidophos, Propiconazole, Thiamethoxam, Profenofos, Isoprothiolane, Carbendazim, and Tricyclazole was not in the interest of basmati rice growers.
It is said that there is a risk of breaching the MRL fixed by the competent authority for basmati rice.

What is the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL)?

MRL is the highest level of pesticide residue that is legally tolerated in or on food or feed when pesticides are applied correctly in accordance with Good Agricultural Practice promulgated by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The MRL is usually determined by repeated (on the order of 10) field trials at an appropriate pre-harvest interval or withholding period has elapsed.
For many pesticides, this is set at the Limit of determination (LOD) – since only major pesticides have been evaluated and understanding of acceptable daily intake (ADI) is incomplete.

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Modern Indian History-Events and Personalities

Women heroes of India’s freedom struggle, mentioned by PM in his I-Day speech

Prelims Only | | Mains Paper 1: Modern Indian History

Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: Freedom fighters in news

Mains level: Not Much

In his Independence Day address to the nation the Prime Minister paid tributes to women freedom fighters for showing the world the true meaning of India’s “nari shakti”. A look at the women he named in his speech:

Rani Laxmibai

The queen of the princely state of Jhansi, Rani Laxmibai is known for her role in the First War of India’s Independence in 1857.
Born Manikarnika Tambe in 1835, she married the king of Jhansi.
The couple adopted a son before the king’s death, which the British East India Company refused to accept as the legal heir and decided to annex Jhansi.
Refusing to cede her territory, the queen decided to rule on behalf of the heir, and later joined the uprising against the British in 1857.
Cornered by the British, she escaped from Jhansi fort. She was wounded in combat near Gwalior’s Phool Bagh, where she later died.
Sir Hugh Rose, who was commanding the British army, is known to have described her as “personable, clever…and one of the most dangerous Indian leaders”.

Jhalkari Bai

A soldier in Rani Laxmibai’s women’s army, Durga Dal, she rose to become one of the queen’s most trusted advisers.
She is known for putting her own life at risk to keep the queen out of harm’s way.
Till date, the story of her valour is recalled by the people of Bundelkhand, and she is often presented as a representative of Bundeli identity.
According to Ministry of Culture’s Amrit Mahotsav website, “Many Dalit communities of the region look up to her as an incarnation of God and also celebrate Jhalkaribai Jayanti every year in her honour.”

Durga Bhabhi

Durgawati Devi, who was popularly known as Durga Bhabhi, was a revolutionary who joined the armed struggle against colonial rule.
A member of the Naujawan Bharat Sabha, she helped Bhagat Singh escape in disguise from Lahore after the 1928 killing of British police officer John P Saunders.
During the train journey that followed, Durgawati and Bhagat Singh posed as a couple, and Rajguru as their servant.
Later, as revenge for the hanging of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev, she made an unsuccessful attempt to kill the former Punjab Governor, Lord Hailey.
Born in Allahabad in 1907 and married to Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA) member Bhagwati Charan Vohra, Durgawati, along with other revolutionaries, also ran a bomb factory in Delhi.

Rani Gaidinliu

Born in 1915 in present-day Manipur, Rani Gaidinliu was a Naga spiritual and political leader who fought the British.
She joined the Heraka religious movement which later became a movement to drive out the British. She rebelled against the Empire, and refused to pay taxes, asking people to do the same.
The British launched a manhunt, but she evaded arrest, moving from village to village.
Gaidinliu was finally arrested in 1932 when she was just 16, and later sentenced for life. She was released in 1947.
Then PM Nehru described Gaidinliu as the “daughter of the hills”, and gave her the title of ‘Rani’ for her courage.

Rani Chennamma

The queen of Kittur, Rani Chennamma, was among the first rulers to lead an armed rebellion against British rule.
Kittur was a princely state in present-day Karnataka.
She fought back against the attempt to control her dominion in 1824 after the death of her young son. She had lost her husband, Raja Mallasarja, in 1816.
She is seen among the few rulers of the time who understood the colonial designs of the British.
Rani Chennamma defeated the British in her first revolt, but was captured and imprisoned during the second assault by the East India Company.

Begum Hazrat Mahal

After her husband, Nawab of Awadh Wajid Ali Shah, was exiled after the 1857 revolt, Begum Hazrat Mahal, along with her supporters, took on the British and wrested control of Lucknow.
She was forced into a retreat after the colonial rulers recaptured the area.

Velu Nachiyar

Many years before the revolt of 1857, Velu Nachiyar waged a war against the British and emerged victorious. Born in Ramanathapuram in 1780, she was married to the king of Sivagangai.
After her husband was killed in battle with the East India Company, she entered the conflict, and won with support of neighbouring kings.
She went on to produce the first human bomb as well as establish the first army of trained women soldiers in the late 1700s.
Her army commander Kuyili is believed to have set herself ablaze and walked into a British ammunition dump.
She was succeeded by her daughter in 1790, and died a few years later in 1796.

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

History of the PIN code, which turns 50 this I-Day

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

Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: PIN code

Mains level: Not Much

The 75th Independence Day coincides with another milestone in the country’s history — it was on August 15, 1972, that the Postal Index Number (PIN) was introduced in India.

As the PIN code turns 50 on Monday, we look at its history and evolution.

Why was the PIN code introduced?

According to the Department of Posts, there were 23,344 post offices, primarily in urban areas, in India at the time of Independence.
But, the country was growing rapidly and the postal network had to keep pace.
The PIN code was meant to ease the process of mail sorting and delivery in a country where different places, often, have the same or similar names, and letters are written in a wide variety of languages.

How does the PIN code work?

The PIN is made up of six digits.
The first number indicates the postal region — Northern, Eastern, Western, Southern; and number 9, which signifies the Army Postal Service.
The second number denotes a sub-region, and the third represents the sorting district.
The remaining numbers narrow the geography further to the specific post office making the delivery.

Who was the person behind the initiative?

The person behind the initiative was Shriram Bhikaji Velankar, additional secretary in the Union Ministry of Communications and a senior member of the Posts and Telegraphs Board.
Velankar was also a Sanskrit poet of eminence who had been conferred the President’s Award for Sanskrit in 1996, three years before he died in Mumbai.
He had set up a cultural group in Mumbai, called the Dev Vani Mandiram, which worked to create awareness about Sanskrit in India and foreign countries.
Velankar was also the chairman of the World Philatelic Exhibition, called Indipex, which was held in New Delhi in 1973 and featured 120 countries.
He retired from his government service on December 31, 1973.

What are some parallel systems followed world over?

Globally, in the US, the Zone Improvement Plan (ZIP) code was introduced July 1, 1963, under the aegis of the Postal Service Nationwide Improved Mail Service plan to improve the speed of mail delivery.
Under the old system letters went through about 17 sorting stops – the new system was going to be considerably less time-consuming utilizing newer, more mechanical systems.

Is the PIN code still relevant?

With the spread of the Internet, when people are sending fewer letters, it is easy to question the relevance of the PIN code.
But try to order food delivery or a parcel over online shopping and the importance of Velankar’s work in India will become evident.

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Freedom of Speech – Defamation, Sedition, etc.

India @75 –Relooking our democracy

| Polity | Mains Paper 2: Indian Constitution - historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure

Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: NA

Mains level: Read the attached story

Context

As we celebrate the nation @75 , we must also reflect on the mixed nature of our democracy

Definition of democracy

“Government of the people, by the people and for the people” were the words used by Abraham Lincoln in the year 1863 while talking about democracy.

Purpose of democracy

Cornerstones of democracy include freedom of assembly, association, property rights, freedom of religion and speech, inclusiveness and equality, citizenship, consent of the governed, voting rights, freedom from unwarranted governmental deprivation of the right to life and liberty, and minority rights.

Background

India is a parliamentary democratic secular republic in which the president of India is the head of state & first citizen of India and the prime minister of India is the head of government.
It is based on the federal structure of government, although the word is not used in the Constitution itself.

How it has performed

(1) Political front

India is the world’s the largest democracy proved success in accommodation of group and regional demands in a complex, quasi-federal, polity.
During the first general election in the 1951 India had 54 political parties and now it has grown up to 464 in the 2014 general election as an evident of deepening of the democratic process.
In the first General election 1951, 173 million citizens were given right to vote.
In the 16^th general election in 2014, the size of the electorate had increased to 814 million.

(2) Social front

The democratic process has brought about a shift of political power from the middle and higher castes and classes of urban society to backward classes who are now the politically most influential ones in the country.
They have won reservations for themselves in legislatures and government services as were accorded to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes after independence through Constitutional provisions.

(3) Economic Front

These include strategic affairs and security, politico-legal democratic governance as well as society and economy.
India has been able to emerge as a regional power in Asia and super power in south Asia backed by its economic, military and nuclear capabilities.

Contradictions in democracy

Performance of Bureaucracy: Dishonest officials to protect themselves from the consequences of their wrong-doings have largely exploited constitutional protection for the Services under Article 311.
Administration of Justice: Judicial system has not been able to meet even the modest expectations of the society. Its delays and costs are frustrating, its processes slow and uncertain. People are pushed to seek recourse to Extra-legal methods for relief. Trial system both on the civil and criminal side has utterly broken down.
Areas of Concern: There is a fundamental breach of the constitutional faith on the part of the Governments and their method of governance lies in the neglect of the people who are the ultimate source of all political authority.
Regionalism: Issues of national integrity and security have not received adequate and thoughtful attention. Mechanisms for the assessment of early warning symptoms of social unrest are absent.
Corruption: The increasing instability of elected governments is attributable to opportunistic politics and unprincipled defections.

Some positive suggestions to government

Feedback: The Government should hear criticism rather than rejecting it outrightly. Suggestions on eroding democratic values need a thoughtful, and respectful response.
Freedom of press: The press and the judiciary which are considered the pillars of India’s Democracy, require to be independent of any executive interference.
Opposition: strong democracy requires strong opposition. Without an alternative choice, the very objective of election to provide a check on arbitrary power gets defeated.

Way forward

The institutionalization of constitutional democracy has helped the people of India realize the importance of democracy and inculcate democratic sensibilities among them.
At the same time, it is important that all the government organs work in harmony to uphold the trust people of the country have held in them and ensure the objectives of true democracy.

Mains question

Q.We are celebrating Azadi ka amrit mahotsav India @75, trace the journey of democracy critically by providing some suggestions for robust democracy.

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Economic Indicators and Various Reports On It- GDP, FD, EODB, WIR etc

Reaping our demographic dividend

op-ed snap | Indian Society | Mains Paper 1: Population & Associated Issues

Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: NA

Mains level: India's demographic dividend

Context

India’s biggest strength is its ‘demographic dividend’ and people need to fully leverage it to fast-track the country’s progress in various sectors

Why in news

The 2022 edition of the World Population Prospects (WPP) of the United Nations has projected that India may surpass China as the world’s most populous country next year.
The report estimates that India will have a population of 1.66 billion in 2050, ahead of China’s 1.317 billion around that time.

What is demographic dividend?

Demographic dividend, as defined by the United Nations Population Fund, is “the economic growth potential that can result from shifts in a population’s age structure, mainly when the share of the working-age population is larger than the non-working-age share of the population”.

Current status for India

India entered the demographic dividend opportunity window in 2005-06 and will remain there till 2055-56.
This is the period when the working age ratio is equal to or more than 150% and the dependency ratio is equal to or lower than 66.7%, generally taken as the cut-off for the demographic dividend window.

How India can leverage this dividend

(1) Investment in right direction

Investments in human and physical infrastructure will need to be scaled up dramatically to promote entrepreneurship and create jobs.
Investment in education is crucial for ensuring that working-age people are prepared for the demands of the economy.
Increase spending on health
Increase investments in Research and Development

(2) Absorption of labour into productive employment

Promote entrepreneurship and job creation
Service sector like tourism, logistics should be promoted
Skill development of the working-age population so that they can turn out to be productive for the country’s economy

Challenges in reaping this

Drastic quality improvement: India’s challenge is to create conditions for faster growth of productive jobs outside of agriculture, especially in the organized manufacturing and in services.
Severe shortages: India currently faces a severe shortage of well trained, skilled workers. Large sections of the educated workforce have little or no job skills, making them largely Unemployable.

Dismal health sector: A closer look implies various factors such as poor health which although obvious, play a major role in the poor performance of working population.
Socio economic dimensions: The status of institutions in India regarding caste discrimination, gender inequalities, widening income gap between the rich and the poor, religious differences, inefficient and slow legal system- all contribute to the poor standard of living of the masses.

Government steps

National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC): incorporated on 31st July, 2008, is a first-of-its-kind Public Private Partnership (PPP) in India set up to facilitate the development and upgrading of the skills of the growing Indian workforce through skill training programs.
National Skill Development Agency: Currently, skill development efforts are spread across approximately20 separate ministries, 35 State Governments and Union Territories and the private sector.
National Skill Certification and Money Reward Scheme: encouragement is given for skill development for youth by providing monetary rewards for successful completion of approved training programs.

Way forward

Strategies exist to exploit the demographic window of opportunity that India has today, but they need to be adopted and implemented.
The dreams of huge income flow and resultant economic growth due to demographic dividend could be realized only when we inculcate the required skills in the work force to make it as competent as its counterparts in the developed world.

Important data for mains

India’s working-age population has numerically outstripped its non-working age population.
India’s total fertility rate (TFR) has declined from 2.2 in 2015-16 to 2.0 in 2019-21, indicating the significant progress of population control measures, revealed the report of the fifth round of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5).
The TFR is the average number of children born to a woman in her lifetime.

Mains question

Q. Do you think the right has come that India should adopt moving away policy from population control towards reaping its demographic dividends? Critically examine.

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

Govt. to enumerate Sanitation Workers

| Governance | Mains Paper 2: Laws, Institutions & Bodies Constituted For The Vulnerable Sections

Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: Rashtriya Garima Abhiyan

Mains level: Plight of sanitation workers in India

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJ&E) is now preparing to undertake a nationwide survey to enumerate all people engaged in the hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks.

Why such move?

Cleaning of sewers and septic tanks has led to at least 351 deaths since 2017.

Various initiatives for sanitation workers

The ministry now has proper distinction between sanitation work and manual scavenging.
The practice of manual scavenging no longer takes place in the country as all manual scavengers had been accounted for and enrolled into the rehabilitation scheme, said the ministry.
The enumeration of sanitization workers is soon to be conducted across 500 AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) cities, as a part of National Action Plan for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE).
The NAMASTE scheme aims to eradicate unsafe sewer and septic tank cleaning practices.

Manual Scavenging in India

Manual scavenging is the practice of removing human excreta by hand from sewers or septic tanks.
India banned the practice under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 (PEMSR).
The Act bans the use of any individual for manually cleaning, carrying, disposing of or otherwise handling in any manner, human excreta till its disposal.
In 2013, the definition of manual scavengers was also broadened to include people employed to clean septic tanks, ditches, or railway tracks.
The Act recognizes manual scavenging as a “dehumanizing practice,” and cites a need to “correct the historical injustice and indignity suffered by the manual scavengers.”

Why is it still prevalent in India?

Low awareness: Manual scavenging is mostly done by the marginalized section of the society and they are generally not aware about their rights.
Enforcement issues: The lack of enforcement of the Act and exploitation of unskilled labourers are the reasons why the practice is still prevalent in India.
High cost of automated: The Mumbai civic body charges anywhere between Rs 20,000 and Rs 30,000 to clean septic tanks.
Cheaper availability: The unskilled labourers, meanwhile, are much cheaper to hire and contractors illegally employ them at a daily wage of Rs 300-500.
Caste dynamics: Caste hierarchy still exists and it reinforces the caste’s relation with occupation. Almost all the manual scavengers belong to lower castes.

Various policy initiatives

Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation (Amendment) Bill, 2020: It proposes to completely mechanise sewer cleaning, introduce ways for ‘on-site’ protection and provide compensation to manual scavengers in case of sewer deaths.
Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013: Superseding the 1993 Act, the 2013 Act goes beyond prohibitions on dry latrines, and outlaws all manual excrement cleaning of insanitary latrines, open drains, or pits.
Rashtriya Garima Abhiyan: It started national wide march “Maila Mukti Yatra” for total eradication of manual scavenging from 30th November 2012 from Bhopal.
Prevention of Atrocities Act: In 1989, the Prevention of Atrocities Act became an integrated guard for sanitation workers since majority of the manual scavengers belonged to the Scheduled Caste.
Compensation: As per the Prohibition of Employment of Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation (PEMSR) Act, 2013 and the Supreme Court’s decision in the Safai Karamchari Andolan vs Union of India case, a compensation of Rs 10 lakh is awarded to the victims family.
National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK): It is currently a temporary non-statutory body that investigates the conditions of Safai Karamcharis (waste collectors) in India and makes recommendations to the Government.

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Foreign Policy Watch: India-Pakistan

Explained: Baloch Freedom Movement

| International Relations | Mains Paper 2: India & Its Neighborhood - Relations

Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: Balochistan, BLA, Khan of Kelat

Mains level: Baloch Freedom Movement

Baloch separatism under the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has been an ongoing issue in Pakistan since the birth of the nation in 1947.

Who are the BLA fighters?

The BLA announced itself in 2005 with a rocket attack on a paramilitary camp in Balochistan Kohlu during a visit by then President Pervez Musharraf.
It is a nationalist militant group that has been waging an insurgency for Baloch self-determination and a separate homeland for the Baloch people.

Rise of Baloch nationalism

While the BLA’s armed insurgency is about two decades old, demands of Baloch nationalists for political autonomy and threats of secession date back to 1947.
The Khan of Kalat (who claimed sovereignty over the four princely states of Kalat, Lasbela, Kharan and Makran) held out for independence, and the Pakistan Army forced his accession in March 1948.
Between 1973 and 1977, the Zulfikar Ali Bhutto-led government sent in the Pakistan Army to crush a leftist guerilla war inspired by the liberation of Bangladesh.
The tribal sardars of Balochistan, who had been at the forefront of Baloch nationalism, and were co-opted by the state in the late 1970s, grew rebellious again.
The insurgency gathered momentum from 2006, after the Pakistan Army killed the Bugti sardar, Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, who had been also been a chief minister and governor of the province.

Why it is gaining momentum now?

The Pakistan Army’s operations against Baloch nationalists over the last two decades have seen hundreds of disappearances, and other alleged human rights violations.
Baloch nationalists also see the sudden influx of jihadist groups in the province as a move by the Pakistan security establishment to counter their nationalist demands.
In 2012, the US Congress convened a hearing on Balochistan and supported the demand for a free Baloch land.
In a significant shift in policy, back then in 2016, PM Modi had made a reference to the Baloch freedom struggle in his Independence Day speech.

Why does Balochistan matters?

Balochistan borders Afghanistan and Iran.
The people are mostly tribal with secular principles and are admirers of ties with India.
With gas, oil, copper and gold deposits, it is the most resource-rich of Pakistan’s four provinces.
It makes up half of Pakistan’s area, but has only 3.6% of its population.
Pakistan alleges that the insurgency is backed by India.
This is the region where a former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav was abducted from Iran and charged for espionage supporting Baloch activism in Pakistan.
Many Baloch activists had been seeking asylum and has applied for Indian citizenship. New Delhi neither confirmed nor deny the reports.

Why did BLA target the Chinese now?

The BLA claimed it attacks Chinese nationals because Beijing ignored warnings not to enter deals and agreements regarding Balochistan before the province had been “liberated”.
Baloch people see China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as a neo-colonist move against their sovereignty.
Among China’s major projects in Balochistan is the port of Gwadar, strategically located near the Strait of Hormuz – a crucial oil shipping route in the Arabian Sea.
The security of its nationals in Pakistan has become a major issue for Beijing, especially since it launched the CPEC.
Such attacks has literally stalled the work in progress of CPEC projects making it a sheer failure.

Significance of recent events

It is rare that the BLA deployed female suicide bombers. Recent attack was done by a highly educated lady and mother of two.
This is also the first time that a non-jihadist ethno-nationalist group has deployed a woman suicide bomber in the manner of Sri Lanka’s LTTE.
According to security experts familiar with the Baloch insurgency, it marks a worsening security situation in Pakistan.
As the training camps are alleged by Pakistan to be in Afghanistan, the incident may also be a pointer to Pakistan’s loss of control over the Talibans.

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Food Procurement and Distribution – PDS & NFSA, Shanta Kumar Committee, FCI restructuring, Buffer stock, etc.

What is Essential Commodities Act?

Prelims Only | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Agriculture and related issues

Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: Essential Commodities Act

Mains level: Not Much

The Centre has invoked the Essential Commodities Act of 1955 to ask States to monitor and verify the stocks of Arhar/Tur Dal available with traders.

Essential Commodities Act

The ECA, 1955 was established to ensure the delivery of certain commodities or products, the supply of which, if obstructed due to hoarding or black marketing, would affect the normal life of the people.
The list of items under the Act includes drugs, fertilizers, pulses, and edible oils, as well as petroleum and petroleum products.
The Centre can include new commodities as and when the need arises, and takes them off the list once the situation improves.
Additionally, the government can also fix the maximum retail price (MRP) of any packaged product that it declares an “essential commodity”.

How ECA works?

(1) Centre notifying stock limit holding

If the Centre finds that a certain commodity is in short supply and its price is spiking, it can notify stock-holding limits on it for a specified period.
The States act on this notification to specify limits and take steps to ensure that these are adhered to.
Anybody trading or dealing in the commodity, be it wholesalers, retailers or even importers are prevented from stockpiling it beyond a certain quantity.

(2) States can opt-out

A State can, however, choose not to impose any restrictions.
But once it does, traders have to immediately sell into the market any stocks held beyond the mandated quantity.

What happens for non-compliance?

As not all shopkeepers and traders comply, State agencies conduct raids to get everyone to toe the line and the errant are punished.
The excess stocks are auctioned or sold through fair price shops.
This improves supplies and brings down prices.

Ex: The Union Government has brought masks and hand-sanitizers under the ECA to make sure that these products, key for preventing the spread of Covid-19 infection, are available to people at the right price and in the right quality. Later this move was reverted.

What about Food Items?

(1) Items covered:

Rice, wheat, atta, gram dal, arhar dal, moong dal, urad dal, masoor, dal, tea, sugar, salt, Vanaspati, groundnut oil, mustard oil, milk, soya oil, palm oil, sunflower oil, gur, potato, onion and tomato.

(2) Price Stabilization Fund (PSF):

The government utilizes the buffer of agri-horticultural commodities like pulses, onion, etc. built under Price Stabilization Fund (PSF) to help moderate the volatility in prices.

Recent amendments to the ECA

In 2020, the EC Act was amended for the stock limit to be imposed only under exceptional circumstances such as famine or other calamities.

Exceptional circumstances: It allowed the centre to delist certain commodities as essential, allowing the government to regulate their supply and prices only in cases of war, famine, extraordinary price rises, or natural calamities.
Commodities de-regulated: The commodities that have been deregulated are food items, including cereals, pulses, potatoes, onion, edible oilseeds, and oils.

Exceptions provided

The government regulation of stocks will be based on rising prices, and can only be imposed if there is

A 100% increase in retail price in the case of horticultural produce and
A 50% increase in retail price in the case of non-perishable agricultural food items

These restrictions will not apply to stocks of food held for public distribution in India.

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Poverty Eradication – Definition, Debates, etc.

SMILE-75 scheme to rehabilitate Beggars

Prelims Only | Governance | Mains Paper 2: Government Scheme/Policies

Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: SMILE Scheme

Mains level: Read the attached story

The Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry has launched the ‘SMILE-75’ initiative for comprehensive rehabilitation of persons engaged in begging in 75 identified municipalities as a part of the celebrations of 75 years of Independence.

SMILE Scheme

SMILE is an acronym for Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise.
This scheme is a sub-scheme under the ‘Central Sector Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation of persons engaged in the act of Begging’.
It also focuses on rehabilitation, provision of medical facilities and intervention, counselling, education, skill development, economic linkages to transgender persons.
It covers several comprehensive measures including welfare measures for persons who are engaged in the act of begging.
The focus of the scheme is extensively on rehabilitation, provision of medical facilities, counselling, basic documentation, education, skill development, economic linkages and so on.

Its implementation

The scheme would be implemented with the support of State/UT Governments/Local Urban Bodies, Voluntary Organizations, Community Based Organizations (CBOs), institutions and others.
The scheme provides for the use of the existing shelter homes available with the State/UT Governments and Urban local bodies for rehabilitation of the persons engaged in the act of Begging.
In case of the non-availability of existing shelter homes, new dedicated shelter homes are to be set up by the implementing agencies.

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Animal Husbandry, Dairy & Fisheries Sector – Pashudhan Sanjivani, E- Pashudhan Haat, etc

In news: Ongole Cattle Breed

Prelims Only | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Economics Of Animal-Rearing

Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: Ongole Cattle

Mains level: Indigenous cattle breedss

Ongole breed of cattle had remained indispensable for all farm operations for centuries in Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh in view of their draught power.

Ongole Cattle

Ongole cattle are an indigenous cattle breed that originates from Prakasam District in the state of Andhra Pradesh.
The breed derives its name from the place the breed originates from, Ongole.
The Ongole breed of cattle Bos Indicus, has a great demand as it is said to possess resistance to both foot and mouth disease and mad cow disease.

What’s so special about this breed?

Cattle breeders use the fighting ability of the bulls to choose the right stock for breeding in terms of purity and strength.
Ongole cattle are known for their toughness, rapid growth rate, and natural tolerance to tropical heat and disease resistance.
It was perhaps the first Indian breed of cattle to gain worldwide recognition.

Ongole milk is rich in A2 (allele of Beta Casein).
They fetches a premium price of over ₹150 per litre as it enables consumers build immunity against viral and other diseases.

Global Prominence

Ongole bulls have gone as far as America, the Netherlands, Malaysia, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Paraguay, Indonesia, West Indies, Australia, Fiji, Mauritius, Indo-China and Philippines.
The Brahmana bull in America is an off-breed of the Ongole.
The population of Ongole off-breed in Brazil is said to number several million.
The famous Santa Gertrudis breed developed in Texas, USA have Ongole blood.
It has gained global prominence, particularly in Brazil which imported barely hundred animals and produced multiple superior breeds like the world famous Zebu.

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Uniform Civil Code: Triple Talaq debate, Polygamy issue, etc.

Need of uniform civil code

| Indian Society | Mains Paper 1: Salient features of Indian Society

Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: UCC

Mains level: Read the attached story

Context

The Portuguese Civil Code of 1867, the so-called “common civil code” of Goa, is in the news again. A 28-member parliamentary standing committee headed by senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha member, Sushil Kumar Modi, recently visited the state to study it in the context of the demand for a uniform civil code.
India Needs Uniform Civil Code; One Nation, One Law Will Restore Equality and Gender Parity

Definition

The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) calls for the formulation of one law for India, which would be applicable to all religious communities in matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption. The code comes under Article 44 of the Constitution, which lays down that the state shall endeavour to secure a Uniform Civil Code for the citizens throughout the territory of India.

Importance of article 44

The objective of Article 44 of the Directive Principles in the Indian Constitution was to address the discrimination against vulnerable groups and harmonise diverse cultural groups across the country.

Brief history of UCC

The origin of the UCC dates back to colonial India when the British government submitted its report in 1835 stressing the need for uniformity in the codification of Indian law relating to crimes, evidence, and contracts, specifically recommending that personal laws of Hindus and Muslims be kept outside such codification.

Objectives of UCC:

Bringing simplicity in personal laws: When enacted the code will work to simplify laws that are segregated at present on the basis of religious beliefs like the Hindu code bill, Shariat law, and others.
Uniformity across country: The code will simplify the complex laws around marriage ceremonies, inheritance, succession, adoptions making them one for all. The same civil law will then be applicable to all citizens irrespective of their faith.
National integration: The UCC aims to provide protection to vulnerable sections as envisaged by Babasaheb Ambedkar including women and religious minorities, while also promoting nationalistic fervour through unity.

Why it is needed now

To counter the gender disparity produced by specific personal laws: India has a history of severely patriarchal and misogynistic traditions perpetuated by society and ancient religious norms that continue to dominate family life.
Plugging the loopholes in legal system: By legalising personal laws, we’ve established a parallel court system based on thousands of ancient values. By eliminating all loopholes, the universal civil code would tip the balance in favour of society.
Reaffirming equality to everyone: While Muslims are permitted to marry many times in India, a Hindu or a Christian will face prosecution for doing the same. Similarly, there are significant disparities between many religious-related regulations.
Addressing problem of vote bank politics: If all religions are subject to the same laws, there will be no room for politicising issues of discrimination, concessions, or special privileges enjoyed by a particular community on the basis of their religious personal laws.
Infusing secularism: At the moment, we practise selective secularism, which means that we are secular in some areas but not in others. A Uniform Civil Code requires all citizens of India to adhere to the same set of laws, regardless of whether they follow Hinduism, Islam, Christianity or Sikhism.

SC verdict on UCC: Daniel Latifi Case

This case demonstrates how universally applicable law should prevail over unjust religious laws. In this case, Muslim Women’s Act (MWA) was challenged for violation of Articles 14, 15 & 21 of the Constitution. The primary point of contention was the amount paid throughout the iddat period. The Supreme Court upheld the act’s constitutionality but interpreted it in accordance with Section 125 of the CrPC, holding that the amount received by a wife during the iddat period should be sufficient to support her during the iddat period as well as for the remainder of her life or until she remarries.

Challenges ahead in its application

Less education to understand this: India is a country of a diverse culture where the beliefs of the people are too vehement but with the right communication and education to all the religious groups, the implementation can take place efficiently and effectively.
Apprehension of some people: Fear of the certain section of society who are subjected to the special rights, shall be addressed since such rights will have no impact or interference by enactment of the Uniform Civil Code, which shall be ensured to the society as this is one of their Fundamental Rights as under Article 15 of the Indian Constitution.

Case study of Goa:

It is pertinent to note that the State of Goa is the first State to implement a uniform civil code since its liberation from the Portuguese in 1961. The Supreme Court has even hailed Goa as a shining example where the uniform civil code is applicable to all, regardless of religion except while protecting certain limited rights.

Conclusion

With so much diversity, India needs something like a UCC which can work as an agent to promote uniformity and to some extent mute the sound pollution created by the religious radical forces.
On individual level, it is important to understand UCC is with the objective of One Nation, One Lawsided by oneness among the people rather than a mere tool to overcome oppression and discrimination against women or a target on a particular religion.

Try this question:

What is uniform civil code? Do you think that right time has arrived to implement it? Discuss challenges in its implementation with your suggestions to overcome the same.

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Police Reforms – SC directives, NPC, other committees reports

Police reforms in India

op-ed snap | Polity | Mains Paper 2: Civil Service

Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: Malimath Committee

Mains level: Police reforms due in India

Context

There is a widely shared view that the All India Services, which provided the ‘steel frame’ of governance in a democratic India, particularly on the police front, are failing to deliver.
This is because of the declining decision-making ability of its officers, their smugness arising from notions of total employment security, and the inadequacy of parameters used for evaluating their performance.
Anti-corruption bureau Was Constituted To Shield Corrupt Politicians, Officers From Lokayukta: Karnataka High Court

Role of Police

Law enforcement: The basic role of the police is to function as a law enforcement agency and render impartial service to law, without any heed to wishes, indications or desires expressed by the government which either come in conflict with or do not conform to the provisions contained in the constitution or laws.
Service delivery: The police should have duly recognised service-oriented role in providing relief to people in distress situations. They should be trained and equipped to perform the service oriented functions.

Issues with police institution

Public relationship: The police-public relations relationship, which is crucial to effective policing, is troubled by a severe lack of confidence.
Public perception towards police: Most people believe police to be abusive and also believe that police personnel misuse their power in order to bring order to society.
Police Accountability: Police priorities are constantly changed at the request of political leaders. This obstructs police officers’ ability to make professional decisions
Overburdened force and vacancies: A high percentage of vacancies in police departments exacerbates an already-existing problem of overworked officers. Given India’s low police strength per lakh population in comparison to international standards, each police officer is also responsible for a huge group of people.
Infrastructure: The weapons used by lower police forces are obsolete and cannot match modern weaponry used by anti-social elements.
Custodial Death: There are many cases on custodial death means Death by torture/pressure in police/judicial custody.
The dilemmas and challenges:

(1) The Ubiquitous infrastructure (2) Explosion of police tasks (3) Dis-functionalism of rural police (4) Anomalous personnel system (5) The colossal ignorance of either side (6) The fragility of the equipment (7) The paradox of para militarism (8) Non-development to policing

Steps taken till now

Establishment of a Central Police Committee:

A Central Police Committee to look after the functions of consultancy and monitoring be

Created because an expert agency is required by the Central Government and the State

Security Commissions to advise them on matters relating to:

(i) Police Organisation and police reforms of a general nature;

(ii) Central grants and loans to the State Police Forces for their modernisation and Development; and

(iii) Budgetary allotments to State Police Forces.

Enactment of a Model Police Act:

The Police Act of 1861 replaced by a new Police Act, which not only changes the

System of superintendence and control over the police but also enlarges the role of the

Police to make it function as an agency which promotes the rule of law in the country and

Renders impartial service to the community.

The Prime Minister’s call for making the police a SMART force: standing for a force which is:

Strict and Sensitive,
Modern and Mobile,
Alert and Accountable,
Reliable and Responsive,
Tech-savvy and trained.

Malimath committee:

Government had set up (November, 2000) a Committee under the Chairmanship
of Justice V.S. Malimath , a former Chief Justice of the Karnataka and Kerala High
Courts to consider and recommend measures for revamping the Criminal Justice System.

Key recommendations :

Strengthening of training infrastructure, forensic
Science laboratory and Finger Print Bureau,
Enactment of the new Police Act,
Setting up of Central Law Enforcement agency to take care of federal crimes
Separation of the investigation wing from the law and order wing in the police stations,
Improvement in the investigation by creating more posts.

Some suggestions for better policing:

Screen for Implicit Bias and Aggression: State legislatures should pass legislation that requires current and prospective police officers to undergo mandatory implicit bias testing
Focus on Collaborative Approaches to Policing: Police departments should rely upon collaborative approaches that respect the dignity of individuals within the community; focus on problem-solving; and are generally more community centered and build community trust.
Encourage Consistent Monitoring and Screening: Police departments should create early warning systems for detecting patterns of behaviour, such as complaints filed against officers or personal hardships like divorce, which indicate potential vulnerabilities for the officer and the department.
Use Video Recording to Promote Accountability: Legislatures should require that police interrogations be electronically recorded “during the time in which a reasonable person in the subject’s position would consider themselves to be in custody and a law enforcement officer’s questioning is likely to elicit incriminating responses.
Increase the use of special prosecutors in police misconduct investigations
Enhancing the collection of data on fatalities involving police

Conclusion

India is the target of an ever-growing list of terrorist groups, insurgent forces and criminal networks.
Even petty criminals are now in possession of hi-tech gadgets that allow them better access and reduce their chances of being caught.
In such an environment, the need for skill and competency up-gradation of the police force is a sine qua non.

Q. What is smart policing? Considering the rise in custodial deaths give some suggestions to improve criminal justice delivery system in India.

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Police Reforms – SC directives, NPC, other committees reports

What is the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act, 2022?

Bills/Act/Laws | Governance | Mains Paper 2: Governance, Transparency & Accountability, Citizens Charters

Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act, 2022

Mains level: Read the attached story

While the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act, 2022 was enacted earlier this year, the Ministry of Home Affairs notified it to come into effect from August 4, 2022. It also repeals the existing Identification of Prisoners Act, 1920.

What is the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act, 2022?

This act provides legal sanction to law enforcement agencies for “taking measurements of convicts and other persons for the purposes of identification and investigation of criminal matters”.
The Minister of Home Affairs has observed that with advancements in forensics, there was a need to recognise more kinds of “measurements” that can be used by law enforcement agencies for investigation.

What is the use of identification details in criminal trials?

Measurements and photographs for identification have three main purposes:

To establish the identity of the culprit against the person being arrested
To identify suspected repetition of similar offences by the same person and third
To establish a previous conviction

What was the previous Identification of Prisoners Act, 1920?

Even though the police has powers of arrest, mere arrest does not give Police the right to search a person.
The police requires legal sanction to search the person and collect evidence.
These legal sanctions are designed so as to maintain a balance between the rights of an individual and the interests of society in prosecution and prevention of offences.
The Identification of Prisoners Act, 1920 became a necessity when the recording of newer forms of evidence such as fingerprints, footprints and measurements started becoming more accurate and reliable.

What was the need to replace this Act?

Over the years, the need to amend/update the Identification of Prisoners Act, 1920 has been voiced several times.
In 1980, the 87th Report of the Law Commission of India undertook a review of this legislation and recommended several amendments.
This was done in the backdrop of the State of UP vs Ram Babu Misra case, where the Supreme Court had highlighted the need for amending this law.
The first set of recommendations laid out the need to amend the Act to expand the scope of measurements to include “palm impressions”, “specimen of signature or writing” and “specimen of voice”.
The second set of recommendations raised the need of allowing measurements to be taken for proceedings other than those under the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

What are the main highlights and differences in both the legislations?

Like the Identification of Prisoners Act, 1920, the new Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act, 2022 provides for legal sanction to law enforcement agencies for the collection of measurements.
The purpose is to create a useable database of these measurements.
At the State level, each State is required to notify an appropriate agency to collect and preserve this database of measurements.
At the national level, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) is the designated agency to manage, process, share and disseminate the records collected at the State level.

What are some of the concerns with the present legislation?

The new legislation has raised some concerns related to the protection of fundamental rights.
The legislation comes in the backdrop of the right to privacy being recognised as a fundamental right.
A fundamental facet of the right to privacy is protection from the invasion of one’s physical privacy.
As per the Puttaswamy judgment, there is a need for the measure to be taken in pursuance of a legitimate aim of the state, be backed by the law and be “necessary and proportionate” to the aim being sought to be achieved.

(1) Various tests behind

In this case, while the first two tests are satisfied, as:

“prevention and investigation of crime” is a legitimate aim of the state
“measurements” are being taken under a valid legislation,

Satisfaction of the third test of “necessity and proportionality” has been challenged on multiple counts.

(2) A probable police state in making

Analysis and measurement of behavioural attributes have raised concerns that data processing may go beyond recording of core “measurements”.
That is some of these measurements could be processed for predictive policing.

(3) Includes petty offences

The current law allows for “measurements” to be taken if a person has been convicted/arrested for any offence, including petty offences.
The necessity of taking measurements of such persons for investigation of offences is unclear, and such discretion is likely to result in abuse of the law at lower levels.
This would definitely overburden the systems used for collection and storage of these measurements.

(4) Period of storage of data

Given that these records will be stored for 75 years from the time of collection, the law has been criticised as being disproportionate.

(5) Surveillance state

Such collection can also result in mass surveillance, with the database under this law being combined with other databases such as those of the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS).

(6) Promotes self-incrimination

Concerns are being raised that the present law violates the right against self-incrimination enshrined in Article 20(3) of the Constitution of India.
However, this argument is nebulous since the Supreme Court has already settled this point.
In the State of Bombay vs Kathi Kalu Oghad, the Supreme Court had conclusively held that “non-communicative” evidence i.e. evidence which does not convey information within the personal knowledge of the accused cannot be understood to be leading to self-incrimination.
Therefore, no challenge lies to the law on this ground.

Way forward

Extensive pre-legislative consultation is must for any sensitive law as such.
Privacy and data protection-related concerns must be addressed in the Rules formulated under the legislation and through model Prison Manuals that States can refer to.

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J&K – The issues around the state

UN appoints new leader of UNMOGIP

| International Relations | Mains Paper 2: India & Its Neighborhood - Relations

Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: UNMOGIP

Mains level: Internationalization of Kashmir Issue

The United Nations (UN) has appointed Rear Admiral Guillermo Pablo Rios of Argentina as the Head of Mission and Chief Military Observer for the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP).

What is UNMOGIP?

The first group of UN military observers arrived in the mission area on 24 January of 1949 to supervise the ceasefire between India and Pakistan in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.
These observers, under the command of the Military Adviser appointed by the UN Secretary-General, formed the nucleus of the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP).

Functions of UNMOGIP

Following renewed hostilities of 1971, UNMOGIP has remained in the area to observe developments pertaining to the strict observance of the ceasefire of 17 December 1971 and report thereon to the UN Secretary-General.
The Karachi Agreement of July 1949 firmed up the role of UN-level military observers and permitted supervision of the Ceasefire Line established in Jammu and Kashmir.

Indian contentions with UNMOGIP

India has not officially gone to the UNMOGIP since 1972 with complaints against Pakistan.
India officially maintains that the UNMOGIP’s role was “overtaken” by the Simla Agreement of 1972 that established the Line of Control or the LoC.
This with minor deviations followed the earlier Ceasefire Line.
Pakistan, however, did not accept the Indian argument and continued to seek cooperation from the UNMOGIP.
As a result of these divergent policies, Pakistan continues to lodge complaints with the UNMOGIP against alleged Indian ceasefire violations.

Substantiation of India’s stance

Since the Simla Agreement of 1972, India has adopted a non-recognition policy towards third parties in their bilateral exchanges with Pakistan over the question regarding the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Kashmir and the Pakistan-sponsored terrorism within now is largely an internal matter of India.

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Banking Sector Reforms

What happens after a Cooperative Bank to shuts down?

Prelims Only | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Indian Economy

Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: Deposit Insurance Programme, Banking License

Mains level: Not Much

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced it had cancelled the banking licence of a Pune-based Rupee Cooperative Bank, and directed the Registrar of Cooperative Societies to liquidate the bank.

What is a Banking Licence?

Financial institutions wishing to carry out banking operations such as accepting deposits or lending have to obtain a licence from India’s central bank.
The RBI issues the licence under the Banking Regulation Act of 1949 after carrying out a series of checks about the financial suitability of the applicant institution.
Parameters like capital adequacy ratio (CAR) — the ratio of a bank’s available capital to its risk weighted credit exposure — and loan to deposit ratio (LDR) — the ratio of a bank’s total loans to total deposits in the same period — are checked before the licence is granted.
The 1949 Act in particular stresses on adequate capital and protection of the public interest before the licence is granted.
No company other than one that has been issued a banking licence is allowed to use the word bank in its name while doing business.

Cancelling the licence of a Bank

RBI, which issues the licence, has the power to cancel it as well, in case the bank fails to satisfy laid-down conditions.
This could mean an increase in bad debts — and if the RBI feels a bank does not have enough capital to cover its exposure and pay its depositors, its licence can be suspended or cancelled.

Why did RBI cancel the licence of Rupee Cooperative Bank?

The RBI audits banks every year, and can take action if it notes an increase in bad debts or other suspicious activities in their books.
In its press release, the RBI gave the reasons for the cancellation of the bank’s licence:

The bank does not have adequate capital and earning prospects.
The bank has failed to comply with the requirements of certain sections of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949;
The continuance of the bank is prejudicial to the interests of its positions;
The bank with its present financial position would be unable to pay its present depositors in full; and
Public interest would be adversely affected if the bank is allowed to carry on its banking business any further.

Section 22 of the Act deals with “licensing of banking companies”, section 11 is about “requirement as to minimum paid-up capital and reserves”, and section 56 is about the applicability of the Act to cooperative societies, subject to modifications.

Was cancellation of the licence the only option left for RBI?

RBI had issued notice to that Cooperative Bank in 2013, and issued directions under the Banking Regulation Act before cancelling its licence.
All banking activities like withdrawal were suspended, the then board of directors was superseded.
The banker took a number of steps to revive the bank, including filing of criminal cases against defaulting directors, employees, and seizing of their properties.
The RBI extended the licence of the bank every three months as these steps were being taken.
The administrator also tried to merge the bank with a financially stable bank. But the bad debts scared away most suitors.

What will happen to the depositors’ money in Rupee Cooperative Bank?

The limiting of withdrawals by RBI had made things difficult for depositors, especially because cooperative banks are preferred by those from the lower income group.
The big question before the over 5.5 lakh depositors now is about the fate of their money.
The RBI has said that depositors with Rs 5 lakh or less in the bank, would get back all of their money through the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC).
Those who have larger deposits in the bank will not get back their money beyond Rs 5 lakh.
In this group are about 4,600 depositors with a total Rs 340 crore in deposits in the bank.
These people stand to suffer major losses.

Back2Basics: Deposit Insurance Programme

The bank savings are insured under the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC) Act providing full coverage to around 98 per cent of bank accounts.
Earlier, account holders had to wait for years till the liquidation or restructuring of a distressed lender to get their deposits that are insured against default.
Last year, the government raised the insurance amount to Rs 5 lakh from Rs 1 lakh.
Prior to that, the DICGC had revised the deposit insurance cover to Rs 1 lakh on May 1, 1993 — raising it from Rs 30,000, which had been the cover from 1980 onward.

What are new changes?

Earlier, out of the amount deposited in the bank, only Rs 50,000 was guaranteed, which was then raised to Rs 1 lakh.
Understanding the concern of the poor, understanding the concern of the middle class, we increased this amount to Rs 5 lakh.
If a bank is weak or is even about to go bankrupt, depositors will get their money of up to Rs five lakhs within 90 days.

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Zoonotic Diseases: Medical Sciences Involved & Preventive Measures

What is Langya Virus?

Prelims Only | Science Tech | Mains Paper 3: Awareness in various sc and tech fields

Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: Langya virus

Mains level: Zoonotic Diseases

A new virus, Langya henipavirus, is suspected to have caused infections in 35 people in China’s Shandong and Henan provinces over roughly a two-year period to 2021.

Langya Virus

It’s related to Hendra and Nipah viruses, which cause disease in humans.
However, there’s much we don’t know about the new virus – known as LayV for short – including whether it spreads from human to human.

How sick are people getting?

Symptoms reported appeared to be mostly mild – fever, fatigue, cough, loss of appetite, muscle aches, nausea and headache – although we don’t know how long the patients were unwell.
A smaller proportion had potentially more serious complications, including pneumonia, and abnormalities in liver and kidney function.
However, the severity of these abnormalities, the need for hospitalization, and whether any cases were fatal were not reported.

Where did this virus come from?

The authors also investigated whether domestic or wild animals may have been the source of the virus.
Although they found a small number of goats and dogs that may have been infected with the virus in the past, there was more direct evidence a significant proportion of wild shrews were harbouring the virus.
This suggests humans may have caught the virus from wild shrews.

Does this virus actually cause this disease?

The researchers used a modern technique known as metagenomic analysis to find this new virus.
Researchers sequence all genetic material then discard the “known” sequences (for example, human DNA) to look for “unknown” sequences that might represent a new virus.
This raises the question about how scientists can tell whether a particular virus causes the disease.
Researchers used “Koch’s Postulates” to determine whether a particular micro-organism causes disease:

it must be found in people with the disease and not in well people
it must be able to be isolated from people with the disease
the isolate from people with the disease must cause the disease if given to a healthy person (or animal)
it must be able to be re-isolated from the healthy person after they become ill.

What can we learn from related viruses?

This new virus appears to be a close cousin of two other viruses that are significant in humans: Nipah virus and Hendra virus.
This family of viruses was the inspiration for the fictional MEV-1 virus in the film Contagion.
Hendra virus was first reported in Queensland in 1994, when it caused the deaths of 14 horses and the trainer Vic Rail.
Nipah virus is more significant globally, with outbreaks frequently reported in Bangladesh.

What lies ahead?

Little is known about this new virus, and the currently reported cases are likely to be the tip of the iceberg.
At this stage, there is no indication the virus can spread from human to human.
Further work is required to determine how severe the infection can be, how it spreads, and how widespread it might be in China and the region.

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

Drugs shortage haunts HIV-positive community

Prelims Only | Governance | Mains Paper 2: Health & Education

Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: ART therapy

Mains level: Not Much

People living with HIV are facing an acute shortage of life-saving drugs, say protesters who have been camping outside the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) office.

What is NACO?

The NACO established in 1992 is a division of India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
It provides leadership to HIV/AIDS control programme in India through 35 HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Societies.
It is the nodal organisation for formulation of policy and implementation of programs for prevention and control of HIV/AIDS in India.

Functions of NACO

Along with drug control authorities and NACO provides joint surveillance of Blood Bank licensing, Blood Donation activities and Transfusion Transmitted infection testing and reporting.
NACO also undertakes HIV estimations biennially (every 2 years) in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) – National Institute of Medical Statistics (NIMS).
The first round of HIV estimation in India was done in 1998, while the last round was done in 2017.

Why in news?

Activists allege rationing of medicines, arbitrary change in the drug regimen and even complete deprivation of life-saving paediatric drugs.
They fear that treatment will be interrupted, leading to drug resistance and deaths from AIDS.

NACO stand

The protesters noted that the NACO, in its public communication, had claimed that 95% of the recipients had not faced any shortage.
Going by the figure, 5% of 14.5 lakh, or 72,500 people, are being affected by the current shortage and stock-out.
The impact is severe and far-reaching.

What drugs are protestors talking about?

Protestors are for a stock-out of ART (antiretroviral) drugs such as Dolutegravir 50 mg, Lopinavir/Ritonavir (adult and child doses), and Abacavir in several states.

What is ART?

The medicines that treat HIV are called antiretroviral drugs.
There are more than two dozen of them, and they fall into seven main types.
Each drug fights the virus in your body in a slightly different way.
Research shows that a combination, or “cocktail,” of drugs is the best way to control HIV and lower the chances that the virus will become resistant to treatment.

Back2Basics: HIV/AIDS

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that attacks cells that help the body fight infection, making a person more vulnerable to other infections and diseases.
First identified in 1981, HIV is the cause of one of humanity’s deadliest and most persistent epidemics.
It is spread by contact with certain bodily fluids of a person with HIV, most commonly during unprotected sex, or through sharing injection drug equipment.
If left untreated, HIV can lead to the disease AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).
The human body can’t get rid of HIV and no effective HIV cure exists.

Treating HIV

However, by taking HIV medicine (called antiretroviral therapy or ART), people with HIV can live long and healthy lives and prevent transmitting HIV to their sexual partners.
In addition, there are effective methods to prevent getting HIV through sex or drug use, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).

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Electoral Reforms In India

SC to take up plea to ban convicts from polls for life

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

Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: NA

Mains level: Decriminalization of Politics

The Supreme Court has said that it would consider a plea seeking a lifetime ban on people convicted of offenses from contesting elections and becoming MPs and MLAs.

Why such petition?

The petition has made a very logical argument that even a constable can lose his job after conviction for corruption.
The Centre maintained affirmation on the existing (namesake) bar of disqualification was enough for legislators.
The disqualification under the Representation of the People Act of 1951 is the period of prison sentence and six years thereafter.

What did the Centre argue against lifetime ban?

In 2017, the ECI endorsed the call for a life ban in the top court. This was a boost for the cause of decriminalisation of politics.
In Dec 2020, the Centre rejected the idea of a lifetime ban on convicted persons contesting elections or forming or becoming an office-bearer of a political party.
It had reasoned that MPs and MLAs were not bound by specific “service conditions”.
They are bound by their oath to serve citizens and country along with propriety, good conscience and interest of the nation.

Criminalization of politics: Indian Case

The criminalization of politics has become a headache for the Indian democracy and it is a harsh reality now.
Criminalization of politics in India includes political control of the police, state money, corruption, weak laws, lack of ethics, values, vote bank politics and loopholes in the function of the election commission.
Deep down, it’s a large nexus of police, money, corrupt bureaucracy, casteism, religion and the drawbacks of functioning in the election commission.

Why are tainted candidates inducted by political parties?

Innocent until proven guilty maxim: The other reason offered by political parties is summarised by the maxim of Indian law, which is that any accused is innocent until proven guilty.
Popularity: Such candidates with serious records seem to do well despite their public image, largely due to their ability to finance their own elections and bring substantive resources to their respective parties.
Prospected victory: The logic of a candidate with criminal charges doing better for the cause of people of is another flawed argument.
Destabilizing other electors: Others do not seek to punish these candidates in instances where they are in contest with other candidates with similar records.
Vested interests: Some voters tend to view such candidates through a narrow prism: of being able to represent their interests by hook or by crook.

A harsh reality of Political Asylum

The NN Vohra committee’s report on the criminalization of politics discussed how criminal gangs flourish under the care and protection of politicians.
Many times the candidates themselves are the gang leaders.
This protection is paid back to them during elections through capital investment in election spending and voter support.

Issues with Criminals in Politics

Morality of the process: It is extremely important that the people who enter the field of politics have a clear image and high moral character.
No rule of law: A leader with criminal character undoubtedly tends to undermine the rule of law.
Violation of right to equality: There were 4.78 lakh prisoners (as of December 2019) of whom 3.30 lakh were under trial, i.e. not yet proven guilty.
Problem of undertrial: An “innocent” undertrial cannot vote, but a man chargesheeted for murder can even contest election from jail.

Supreme Courts guidelines in this regard

The Supreme Court earlier in Feb 2020 had ordered political parties to publish the entire criminal history of their candidates for Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.

Reasons for nomination: It has also asked for the reasons that goaded them to field suspected criminals over decent people.
Publication of records: The information should be published in a local as well as a national newspaper as well as the parties’ social media handles.
48hr time frame: It should mandatorily be published either within 48 hours of the selection of candidates or less than two weeks before the first date for filing of nominations, whichever is earlier.
Contempt for non-compliance: It also ordered political parties to submit compliance reports with the Election Commission of India within 72 hours or risk contempt of court action.
No escape: The judgment is applicable to parties both at Central and State levels.

Immediate Reason for Judicial Action

The immediate provocation is the finding that 46% of MPs have criminal records.
The number might be inflated as many politicians tend to be charged with relatively minor offences —“unlawful assembly” and “defamation”.
The real worry is that the current cohort of Lok Sabha MPs has the highest (29%) proportion of those with serious declared criminal cases compared to its recent predecessors.

Way forward

(1) ECI suggestion on vendetta politics

The ECI has suggested some safeguards against vendetta politics.

First, only offences that carry an imprisonment of at least 5 years are to be considered.
The case against the candidate should have been filed at least six months before the scheduled elections for it to be considered.
And finally, a competent court must have framed the charges.

(2) Speedy trials

An alternative solution would be to try cases against political candidates in fast-track courts.
The SC had sent a directive in 2014, directing that cases against political candidates must be completed within a year, failing which the matter should be reported to the CJs.

(3) Legislative reforms

We must have a law which debars persons with serious criminal cases from entering the assemblies and the Parliament.
There must be stringent criteria in Representation of Peoples Act as well.

(4) Revamping Criminal Justice System

The criminal justice system must be revamped as recommended by the Malimath Committee.
An institution comprising representatives of the police/CBI/NIA, IB, IT department, Revenue Intelligence and Enforcement Directorate should be set up to monitor the activities of the mafia and criminal syndicates in the country.

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