Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Gift Tax
Mains level: NA
The Supreme Court recently ruled that shares within the lock-in period are not âquoted sharesâ, and thus they need to be valued as âunquoted sharesâ to determine the gift tax liability.
What are quoted and unquoted shares?
- According to the Wealth Tax Act, âquoted shareâ in relation to an equity share or a preference share means a share quoted on any recognised stock exchange with regularity from time to time.
- The quotations of such shares are based on current transactions made in the ordinary course of business.
- An âunquoted shareâ is simply a share that is not a quoted share.
- So according to the SC order, if the locked-in shares of the promoter falls in the âunquoted shareâ category, their price treatment canât be that of the âquoted sharesâ, and so gift tax will not be applicable.
What are Gift Taxes?
- Gift tax is a provision introduced by the Parliament of India in 1958.
- It was introduced to impose tax on giving and receiving gifts under certain circumstances which is specified under the act.
- These gifts can be in any form including cash, jewellery, property, shares, vehicle, etc.
Gift Tax on Transfers
- The gift tax is also applicable on certain transfers that is not considered as a gift.
- The transfer of existing movable or immovable property in money or money’s worth qualifies for gift tax.
Certain exemptions
- Though gift tax is applicable on gifts whose value exceeds Rs.50,000, the gift is exempted from tax if it was given by a relative.
- The income tax rule specifies who can be considered as a relative and the list is mentioned below.
- Parent
- Spouse
- Siblings
- Spouse’s siblings
- Lineal descendants
- Lineal descendants of the spouse
Listed below are other situations in which the gift will be exempted from tax.
- Gifts received during weddings are usually exempted from tax.
- Gifts received as part of inheritance is exempted from tax.
- Cash or rewards received by local authorities or educational institutions on the basis of merit is exempted from tax.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Web 3.0
Mains level: Not Much
India has a rapidly-growing Web3 ecosystem with more than 450 active start-ups in the space that raised $1.3 billion in funding till April 2022.
What is Web 3.0?
- Web3 help users interact with decentralized applications built on blockchain technology.
- Web3 technologies like distributed ledgers, artificial intelligence, Metaverse and others aim to create the next-generation internet, which is accessible to everyone and offers benefits.
- Web2 is what we know and use today.
Why need Web 3?
- Centralization has helped onboard billions of people to the World Wide Web (www) and created the stable, robust internet infrastructure.
- At the same time, a handful of centralized entities have a stronghold on large swathes of the World Wide Web.
- They unilaterally decide what should and should not be allowed over Internet.
Key features of a Web3
- Immutable ecosystem, i.e., trust that people will download the digital product just as the original creator intended.
- Enhanced transparency and security,
- Quicker browsing performance,
- Complete user anonymity and confidentiality,
- Integrating cryptocurrency wallets with multiple blockchains,
- Complete control over the content due to decentralization.
Evolution of (world-wide) web
- The Web most of us know today is quite different from originally imagined.
- To understand this better, it’s helpful to break the Web’s short history into loose periodsâWeb 1.0 and Web 2.0.
(1) Web 1.0: Read-Only (1990-2004)
- The first inception of ‘Web 1.0’, occurred roughly between 1990 to 2004.
- It was mainly static websites owned by companies, and there was close to zero interaction between users – individuals seldom produced content – leading to it being known as the read-only web.
(2) Web 2.0: Read-Write (2004-now)
- The Web 2.0 period began in 2004 with the emergence of social media platforms.
- Instead of a read-only, the web evolved to be read-write.
- Instead of companies providing content to users, they also began to provide platforms to share user-generated content and engage in user-to-user interactions.
- As more people came online, a handful of top companies began to control a disproportionate amount of the traffic and value generated on the web.
- Web 2.0 also birthed the advertising-driven revenue model.
- While users could create content, they didn’t own it or benefit from its monetization.
How is Web3 prospected to be?
- The premise of ‘Web 3.0’ was coined by Ethereum co-founder Gavin Wood shortly after Ethereum launched in 2014.
- Gavin put into words a solution for a problem that many early crypto adopters felt: the Web required too much trust.
- That is, most of the Web that people know and use today relies on trusting a handful of private companies to act in the public’s best interests.
Core ideas of Web3
Although it’s challenging to provide a rigid definition of what Web3 is, a few core principles guide its creation.
- Web3 is decentralized: instead of large swathes of the internet controlled and owned by centralized entities, ownership gets distributed amongst its builders and users.
- Web3 is permission-less: everyone has equal access to participate in Web3, and no one gets excluded.
- Web3 has native payments: it uses cryptocurrency for spending and sending money online instead of relying on the outdated infrastructure of banks and payment processors.
- Web3 is secure: It operates using incentives and economic mechanisms instead of relying on trusted third-parties.
Why is Web3 important?
- Ownership: Web3 gives you ownership of your digital assets in an unprecedented way. Web3 allows for direct ownership through non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
- Censorship resistance: The power dynamic between platforms and content creators is massively imbalanced.
- Decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs): As well as owning your data in Web3, you can own the platform as a collective, using tokens that act like shares in a company.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: CCI
Mains level: Not Much
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has imposed a âš1,337.76-crore penalty on Google for abusing its dominant position in multiple markets in the Android mobile device ecosystem.
What did Google do?
- Google had abused its dominance in the licensing of its operating system for smart mobile devices, app store market for Android smart mobiles among others.
- The CCI examined various practices of Google with respect to its licensing and various proprietary mobile applications, including Play Store, Google Search, Google Chrome, YouTube, etc.
About Competition Commission of India
- CCI is the competition regulator in India.
- It is a statutory body responsible for enforcing The Competition Act, 2002 and promoting competition throughout India and preventing activities that have an appreciable adverse effect on competition in India.
- It was established on 14 October 2003. It became fully functional in May 2009.
Its establishment
- A need was felt to promote competition and private enterprise especially in the light of 1991 Indian economic liberalization.
- The idea of CCI was conceived and introduced in the form of The Competition Act, 2002 by the Vajpayee government.
- The Competition Act, 2002, as amended by the Competition (Amendment) Act, 2007, follows the philosophy of modern competition laws.
- The Act prohibits anti-competitive agreements, abuse of dominant position by enterprises, and regulates combinations (acquisition, acquiring of control, and Merger and acquisition), which causes or likely to cause an appreciable adverse effect on competition within India.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: ECI
Mains level: Election Commission , Electoral reforms and related issues
Context
- Preparations are going on in full swing for the upcoming Assembly elections in Gujarat. Election Commission had signed MoUs with over 1,000 corporate houses undertaking to monitor electoral participation of their workforce and publish on their websites and notice boards those who do not vote.
Background
- In June, the EC had asked central and state government departments, public sector units and corporate entities with over 500 employees to appoint nodal officers to identify employees who take leave on polling day but do not vote, The Indian Express reported.
- The Chief Electoral Officer of Gujarat has said that the employees of state public sector units and government departments who donât vote will also be tracked.
- The report also mentioned that on a recent visit to Gujarat, the CEC himself had said that though the commission cannot enforce compulsory voting, it âwanted to identify workers in big industries who donât vote despite availing the holidayâ.
All you need to know about Election Commission of India
- The ECI is a constitutional authority whose responsibilities and powers are prescribed in the Constitution of India under Article 324.
- In the performance of its functions, the Election Commission is insulated from executive interference.
- It is the Commission that decides the election schedules for the conduct of elections, whether general elections or by-elections.
- ECI decides on the location of polling stations, assignment of voters to the polling stations, location of counting centers, arrangements to be made in and around polling stations and counting centers and all allied matters.
Importance of Election Commission of India
- Conduction of Election:Â The ECI has been successfully conducting national as well as state elections since 1952.
- Electoral participation:Â In recent years, however, the Commission has started to play a more active role to ensure greater participation of people.
- Discipline of political parties:Â It had gone to the extent of disciplining the political parties with a threat of derecognizing if the parties failed in maintaining inner-party democracy.
- Upholds federalism:Â It upholds the values enshrined in the Constitution viz, equality,
equity, impartiality, independence; and rule of law in superintendence, direction, and control over electoral governance.
- Free and fair elections:Â It conducts elections with the highest standard of credibility, freeness, fairness, transparency, integrity, accountability, autonomy and professionalism.
What is the criticism over the ECâs move to track who do not vote?
- Unethical and against the democracy: Any coercion particularly coercion of the kind being proposed by the EC in this case betrays an authoritarian approach that is not only antithetical to democracy but is directly violative of the Constitution and the laws of the land.
- Against the freedom of Expression: Constitution provides a fundamental right of freedom of expression. (Article 19). It is individualâs choice to cast their Right to vote or not to vote.
- Revealing Identity would be violative of Article 14: Protection of electorâs identity and affording secrecy is therefore integral to free and fair elections and an arbitrary distinction between a voter who casts and a voter who does not cast his vote is violative of Article 14. Thus, secrecy is to be maintained for both categories of persons.â the list of non-voters be put up on a companyâs notice board or website? It will clearly be contempt of court.
- Supreme Courtâs judgement on NOTA and mandatory voting: The Supreme Court, in PUCL vs Union of India, 2013, (popularly known as the NOTA judgment) has held that abstention from voting and negative voting are protected as freedom of expression a fundamental right. Earlier, in April 2009, the Court had taken the same view while dismissing a plea that sought to make voting mandatory on grounds of governments not representing the majority because of low turnouts.
- No of circumstances that one canât vote on the day: In every election, there will be those who do not vote out of conviction or for ideological reasons. More importantly, there are millions of daily wage workers, and many homeless and ill.
What are the legal and constitutional provisions for a citizen?
- Section 79 D of RPA Act: Section 79 of the Representation of People Act, 1951 defines âelectoral rightâ to mean the right of a person to vote or refrain from vote at an electionâ. The law completely enables, but does not force, citizens to vote. The same provision exists in the Indian Penal Code, vide Section 171A (b).
- Section135B of the RPA Act: Section135B of the Representation of People Act, 1951, grants a paid holiday to every person employed in any business, trade, industrial undertaking or any other establishment.
- A compulsory paid Holiday: Even a daily wage worker shall be paid for the day.The only exception is essential services Contravention of the law carries a fine for the employer which may extend to Rs 500, which was fixed over 25 years ago.
Rulings of the supreme court on the matter of voting rights
- Free and fair election is a basic structure: In PUCL vs Union of India, the Court said: âfree and fair election is a basic structure of the Constitution and necessarily includes within its ambit the right of an elector to cast his vote without fear of reprisal, duress or coercion.
What does the Election Commission say over this new development?
- Clarification by Chief Electoral Officer of Gujarat: MoUâs are signed in the form of appeal for increasing registration and voter turnout, establish voter awareness forum in their organizations.
- To track electoral participation: Election Commission said that it will help to track electoral participation of their workforce.
- Less voting percentage: Out of seven least voting percentage districts during 2019 general elections, four were metropolitan cities. Voting percentage in urban areas is generally less, pulling down the overall voting percentage.
- Purpose is to educate voters: CEC clarified MoU’s are only for voter education and facilitation and not for compelling them to vote.
How to address the issue of less participation of voters?
- Systematic voter education programme: The noble objective of enhanced voter participation can be best achieved through systematic voter education, amply demonstrated by the ECI in elections in all the states and Union territories since 2010 when a voter education division was set up. This soon evolved into its SVEEP programme. This has led to all elections ever since seeing the highest-ever turnouts.
- Through Motivation and facilitation: The ECâs consistent efforts should be towards motivation and facilitation, rather than compulsion, are the best ways to address the issue.
- The voter education programme: The voter education programme has sought to motivate the youth to participate in democracy by registering as voters, voting in every election and voting ethically that is, without inducement. It has involved schools and colleges to take the registration facility to the doorstep by introducing voter clubs, and youth icons and placing drop boxes in the public locations and online drop boxes.
- Awareness in the corporate setup: Employers have been encouraged to create similar facilities in their offices. They are legally obliged to close their establishments on poll day, but this is seldom enforced.
Conclusion
- The noble objective of enhanced voter participation can be best achieved through systematic voter education, and awareness programs and not the cost of fundamental rights of the citizen which is enshrined the fundamental law of the land. Motivation and awareness could be the way for enhancing voter participation.
Mains Question
Q. What is the role of Election Commission of India? How do you see the compulsory voting in the light of the Constitution of India under the ECâs mandate of free and fair election? Discuss
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: ORT Everyday application
Mains level: ORT, Diseases treated by ORT, Cholera outbreak
Context
- In the demise of Dilip Mahalabnis on October 16 we lost a pioneering public health physician the ORS pioneer who helped save millions of lives. In 1978, a Lancet editorial termed ORS the most important medical advance in this century.
Background
- ORT was first introduced worldwide in the 1970s to treat millions of children suffering from severe dehydration in crisis-stricken and impoverished areas. At the time, the world’s leading general medical journal The Lancet called ORT âpotentially the most important medical advance since penicillin.â
- A Lancet editorial in 1978 termed it âpotentially the most important medical advance this centuryâ.
- Mahalanabis was trained as a paediatrician and joined the Cholera Research Programme of the Johns Hopkins University Center for Medical Research and Training (JHCMRT) in Calcutta in 1966.
- His team was treating cases of the cholera epidemic in a camp in Bangaon, West Bengal that housed 3,50,000 refugees but ran out of intravenous fluids. He thought that it would be opportune to use ORS. As no ORS packets were available, they mixed salt and sugar solution (ORS) in drums and administered it to the cholera patients in the camps.
- The library of the JHCMRT was converted into a factory. This was not a mandated mode of treatment and at great personal risk, Mahalanabis chose to respond to the humanitarian crisis in this manner.
- It was evident in two to three weeksâ time that not only was the therapy working but that it was possible to administer ORT through volunteers (in the absence of a sufficient number of trained workers).
- It was subsequently analyzed that ORS reduced mortality due to cholera or acute diarrhoeal diseases in these camps from 40 per cent to 5 per cent. They coined the term âoral salineâ and rest is the story.
What is Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT)?
- A fluid to correct dehydration: Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT) entails drinking water with modest amounts of sugar and salts, specifically sodium and potassium to correct dehydration due to fluid losses from diarrhoea.
- ORT ingredients: ORT combines three ingredients such as salts, sugars and water to quickly reverse the signs of dehydration. Through the process of osmosis, the salts and sugars pull water into your bloodstream and speed up rehydration.
- Essential electrolytes which replenish Blood: ORT also replenishes your blood with essential electrolytes (minerals) that are lost due to intense exercise, exposure to extreme weather conditions, or diarrhea and other illnesses. Water doesnât contain electrolytes and so, ironically, water alone cannot cure dehydration like ORT.
- An effective electrolyte: Administration of fluids through the intravenous route used to be the mainstay of management of cholera till the results of a study demonstrated that an oral solution of glucose and electrolytes was effective for replacing water and electrolyte losses.
- Quick and efficient: The translation of the basic science concept to quick and efficient practice was, however, not easy. And that is the fascinating story and sterling contribution of Mahalanabis and his co-workers on ORT.
What is Dehydration?
- Dehydration occurs when you use or lose more fluid than you take in, and your body doesn’t have enough water and other fluids to carry out its normal functions. If you don’t replace lost fluids, you will get dehydrated.
What is Disease Cholera?
- Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae that can kill within hours if left untreated.
- Most of those infected will have no or mild symptoms and can be successfully treated with oral rehydration solution. Cholera affects both children and adults.
- Provision of safe water and sanitation is critical to prevent and control the transmission of cholera and other waterborne diseases.
- Cholera remains a global threat to public health and an indicator of inequity and lack of social development.
Recent outbreak of cholera In India
- Cholera is said to be endemic in India. However, the reported cases in India tend to be much lesser than the actual numbers, say doctors and experts.
- The number of cases is rising in India because we still lack the basic sanitation, hygiene and access to clean water in many communities,
- The country reports nearly 20,000 to 30,000 cases of cholera every year, usually during the monsoon season of July to September.
- Climate change adds up another layer to the cholera outbreak.
Contribution of ORT to the world.
- As a perfect alternative over the prevailing doctrine: ORT was in marked contrast to the then prevailing doctrine of patients being given only sips of water without food, euphemistically called âresting the stomachâ, often worsening the underlying malnutrition.
- For Diarrhoea: An estimated 54 million diarrhoeal deaths were averted by ORT alone between 1978 and 2008, such was the magnitude of its beneficial impacts. ORT for the management of severe diarrhea was developed in the latter half 1960s. WHO launched a worldwide campaign in 1978 to reduce mortality related to diarrhea, with ORT as one of the key elements.
- For cholera: Administration of fluids through the intravenous route used to be the mainstay of management of cholera till the results of a study demonstrated that an oral solution of glucose and electrolytes was effective for replacing water and electrolyte losses
- Cholera pandemic: This period coincided with the seventh cholera pandemic (El Tor biotype) that started in Indonesia in 1961 and spread to East Pakistan (Bangladesh) by 1963 and to India in 1964. Though experiments with ORS were underway, the WHO responded in 1970 by distributing large amounts of intravenous fluids â a move marked by high transportation costs and limited utilization on account of a shortage of a trained health workforce. The focus of the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO), through the Cholera Research Laboratory in Dhaka, was to find a vaccine to protect the US troops from cholera attacks in Southeast Asia.
- One solution for everyone: Athletes; people with illnesses, especially babies and toddlers; seniors; military personnel stationed in extreme climates; air travelers who lose electrolytes every time they fly: They all stand to dramatically improve their health and well-being with ORT.
Conclusion
- Dilip Mahalanabis pioneered a simple and effective solution for diarrhoea that saves millions of lives which can be considered as one of the greatest contributions of Indian in medical sciences. To carry the carry legacy forward young scientists should step in.
Mains Question
Q. What do you Understand by Oral Rehydration Therapy? How it could be effective in tackling the yearly outbreaks of Cholera in India and the world. Discuss.
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Context
- Our world today is in turmoil, facing multiple, mutually reinforcing crises. for the first time since it began over 30 years ago, the United Nations Development Programmeâs Human Development Report has warned that global human development measures have declined across most countries in the past two years.
Background
- Ever increasing Existential threat: The greatest existential threat of all, the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss.
- Climate change and extreme forms of weather events associated with it: Nine of the warmest years on record have come in the past decade alone. This yearâs record-breaking heat waves, floods, droughts, and other extreme forms of weather have forced us to face these increasingly devastating impacts.
- Window for action is closing fast: Climate change is a disruption multiplier in a disrupted world, rolling back progress across the global Sustainable Development Goals. Commitments we have now will not keep warming below the 1.5°C target that gives us the best chance of averting catastrophe.
- LIFE, a fresh perspective: LIFE, or Lifestyle for Environment, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at COP26 in November 2021, brings a fresh and much-needed perspective.
What is âLIFEâ called by PM Narendra Modi?
- LIFE: “LIFE – Lifestyle for the Environment”, PM Modi had proposed the one-word mass movement “LIFE” at the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change at Glasgow last November.
- A theme for COP27: âLIFEâ, a global initiative launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will be the theme of the India pavilion at the upcoming COP27 at Sharm-El-Sheikh in Egypt.
- LIFE Movement: Subsequently, PM Modi launched ‘Lifestyle for the Environment – LIFE Movement’ on 5 June on the occasion of world environment day.
- What is the vision of LIFE: The vision of ‘LIFE’ is to live a lifestyle that is in tune with our planet and does not harm it The people who live such a lifestyle can be called “Pro-Planet people.â
What is LiFE-Movement?
- Objective of LiFE: The idea promotes an environmentally conscious lifestyle that focuses on âmindful and deliberate utilisationâ instead of âmindless and wasteful consumptionâ.
- Aim of LiFE: The LiFE Movement aims to utilise the power of collective action and nudge individuals across the world to undertake simple climate-friendly actions in their daily lives. The LiFE movement, additionally, also seeks to leverage the strength of social networks to influence social norms surrounding climate.
- Creating Pro-planet people: The Mission plans to create and nurture a global network of individuals, namely âPro-Planet Peopleâ (P3), who will have a shared commitment to adopt and promote environmentally friendly lifestyles.
- Seeks to behavioural change and individual actions: Through the P3 community, the Mission seeks to create an ecosystem that will reinforce and enable environmentally friendly behaviours to be self-sustainable. LIFE recognizes that small individual actions can tip the balance in the planetâs favour.
- Mission liFE for India: Mission LiFE borrows from the past, operates in the present and focuses on the future. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle are the concepts woven into our life. The Circular Economy has been an integral part of our culture and lifestyle.
What can be done to fulfil the vision of LiFE?
- Cultivating the attitude of individual responsibility starting from the home: Mindful choices cultivated by LIFE animate this spirit actions such as saving energy at home; cycling and using public transport instead of driving; eating more plant-based foods and wasting less; and leveraging our position as customers and employees to demand climate-friendly choices.
- Applying the nudging techniques to encourage positive behaviour: Many of the goals of LIFE can be achieved by deploying ânudgesâ, gentle persuasion techniques to encourage positive behaviour. The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) employs proven nudging techniques such as discouraging food waste by offering smaller plates in cafeterias; encouraging recycling by making bin lids eye-catching; and encouraging cycling by creating cycle paths.
- Adopting greener consumption habits: According to the UNEP, more than two-thirds of greenhouse gas emissions can be attributed to household consumption and lifestyles the urgent cuts to global emissions we need can only be achieved through widespread adoption of greener consumption habits.
- Historical wisdom: âVasudhaiv kutumbakamâ which means the world is one family, India insists on this philosophy. In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, âthe world has enough for everyoneâs need, but not enough for everyoneâs greed.â Even The Prime Minister recalled that Mahatma Gandhi talked about a zero-carbon lifestyle.
- Indiaâs proven track record of mass movements: India has a proven track record translating the aspirations of national missions into whole-of-society efforts. The success of the Swachh Bharat Mission, which mobilised individuals and communities across socio-economic strata to become drivers of collective good health and sanitation is an example.
- India is strong to uphold Climate Justice: LIFE resonates with the global climate justice India has rightfully called for highlighting enhanced obligations those in developed countries bear, to support climate adaptation and mitigation for those most affected, yet least responsible. The average carbon footprint of a person in high income country is more than 80 times higher than that of a person in a least developed country. It is common sense and only fair to call on the developed world to shoulder a proportionate share of this transition.
- Indiâs leadership on climate action at the international stage: From the Panchamrit targets announced by Mr. Modi at COP26, to support for the International Solar Alliance, the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure and South-South cooperation platforms, from the worldâs fifth largest economy with vibrant businesses making enormous investments in renewables and electric mobility, to a world class public digital tech stack, India brings scale, expertise and legitimacy; a well-positioned founding UN Member State bridging the G20 and G77.
- Indiaâs COP pavilions setting up an example: India has been setting up its pavilions at COPs since 2015 to showcase its achievements in climate actions. Several think tanks, civil society organizations, industry bodies and private sector organise side events at the India pavilion.
Conclusion
- While governments and industry carry the lionâs share of responsibility for responding to the crisis of climate change, we as consumers play a large role in driving unsustainable production methods. With COP27 next month, we should commit to be an active partner of a global network of âPro-Planet Peopleâ (P3), to adopt and promote environmentally friendly lifestyles.
Mains Question
Q. In the time of the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss, India shows a path for mitigating the climate crisis through LiFE movement. Discuss.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: NA
Mains level: India-China trade imbalance
The favourable trade balance that China has enjoyed with India, since bilateral trade began to boom in the early 2000s, has now exceeded $1 trillion.
India-China bilateral trade
- In 2021, annual two-way trade crossed $100 billion for the first time, reaching $125.6 billion, with Indiaâs imports accounting for $97.5 billion, pegging the imbalance at close to $70 billion.
- This is certainly a healthy deficit compared to the industrial development in both nations.
A quick backgrounder
- Trade ties began to boom since the early 2000s.
- This was driven largely by Indiaâs imports of Chinese machinery and other equipment.
- It rose up from $3 billion in the year 2000 to $42 billion in 2008, the year China became Indiaâs largest trading partner.
The Hindi-Chini buy buy
- A third of machinery and almost two-fifths of organic chemicals that India purchases from the world come from China.
- Automotive parts and fertilizers are other items where Chinaâs share in Indiaâs import is more than 25 per cent.
- Several of these products are used by Indian manufacturers in the production of finished goods, thus thoroughly integrating China in Indiaâs manufacturing supply chain.
- For instance India sources close to 90 per cent of certain mobile phone parts from China.
Indiaâs export to China
- Even as an export market, China is a major partner for India.
- China is the third-largest destination for Indian shipments.
- At the same time, India only accounts for a little over two percent of Chinaâs total exports, according to the Federation of Indian Export Organisation (FIEO).
Should we worry about this?
- Trade deficits/surpluses are just accounting exercises and having a trade deficit against a country doesnât make the domestic economy weaker or worse off.
- In this light, Indiaâs trade imbalance with China should not be viewed in isolation.
- For instance, pharmaceuticals that India exports to the world require ingredients that are imported from China.
- Chinese imports of Indian seafood are one area that has recently shown robust growth and carries scope to grow in future.
So, having a trade deficit is good?
- Of course NOT. Running persistent trade deficits across all countries raises two main issues.
- Availability of foreign exchange reserves to âbuyâ the imports.
- Lack of domestic capacity to produce most efficiently.
Can we ban trade with China?
Ans. Certainly NOT!
- It will hurt the Indian poor the most: This is because the poor are more price-sensitive. For instance, if Chinese TVs were replaced by either costlier Indian TVs or less efficient ones, unlike poor, richer Indians may buy the costlier option.
- It will punish Indian producers and exporters: Several businesses in India import intermediate goods and raw materials, which, in turn, are used to create final goods â both for the domestic Indian market as well as the global market (as Indian exports).
- Pharma sector could be worst hit: For instance, of the nearly $3.6 billion worth of ingredients that Indian drug-makers import to manufacture several essential medicines, China catered to around 68 per cent.
- Ban will barely hurt China: According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) data for 2018, 15.3% of Indiaâs imports are from China, and 5.1% of Indiaâs exports go to China.
- Chinese money funds Indian unicorns: India and China have also become increasingly integrated in recent years. Chinese money, for instance, has penetrated Indiaâs technology sector, with companies like Alibaba and Tencent strategically pumping in billions of dollars into Indian startups such as Zomato, Paytm, Big Basket and Ola.
- India will lose policy credibility: It has also been suggested that India should renege on existing contracts with China. This can be detrimental to Indiaâs effort to attract foreign investment.
China is our Frenemy. Here is why.
- The first thing to understand is that turning a border dispute into a trade war is unlikely to solve the border dispute.
- Worse, given India and Chinaâs position in both global trades as well as relative to each other, this trade war will hurt India far more than China.
- Again, these measures will be most poorly timed since the Indian economy is already at its weakest point ever â facing a sharp GDP contraction.
Way forward
- In the long term, under the banner of self-reliance, India must develop its domestic capabilities and acquire a higher share of global trade by raising its competitiveness.
- But no country is completely self-sufficient and that is why trade is such a fantastic idea.
- For the long run, a more effective strategy needs to be built to provide an ecosystem that addresses the cost disability of Indian manufacturing leading to such imports.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Game of chance
Mains level: Online gaming and related issues
Online gambling and online games of chance have been banned in Tamil Nadu. At the same time, the other online games will be regulated.
What is Online Gaming?
- Online games refer to games that are played over some form of computer network, most often the Internet.
Types of gaming
- The types of online gaming include:
- E-sports (well-organized electronic sports which include professional players) ex. Chess
- Fantasy sports (choosing real-life sports players and winning points based on playersâ performance) ex. MPL cricket
- Skill-based (mental skill) ex. Archery
- Gamble (based on random activity) ex. Playing Cards, Rummy
Online gaming sector in India
- In the past few years, Indiaâs nascent online gaming industry witnessed an unprecedented rise, catapulting it to the top five mobile gaming markets in the world.
- Registering a growth rate of 38%, online gaming is the next sunrise industry.
- Currently, there are more than 400 gaming companies in India, and it is home to 420 million online gamers, second only to China, according to an analysis by KPMG.
Why is the gaming industry booming in India?
- Digital India boom in the gaming industry
- Narrowing of the digital divide
- IT boom
Other factors promoting the boom
- Growing younger population
- Higher disposable income
- Inexpensive internet data
- Introduction of new gaming genres, and
- Increasing number of smartphone and tablet users
Prospects of online gaming
- State List Subject: Â The state legislators are, vide Entry No. 34 of List II (State List) of the Seventh Schedule, given exclusive power to make laws relating to betting and gambling.
- Distinction in laws: Most Indian states regulate gaming on the basis of a distinction in law between âgames of skillâ and âgames of chanceâ.
- Classification on dominant element: As such, a âdominant elementâ test is utilized to determine whether chance or skill is the dominating element in determining the result of the game.
- Linked economic activity: Staking money or property on the outcome of a âgame of chanceâ is prohibited and subjects the guilty parties to criminal sanctions.
- âGame of Skillâ debate: Placing any stakes on the outcome of a âgame of skillâ is not illegal per se and may be permissible. It is important to note that the Supreme Court recognized that no game is purely a âgame of skillâ and almost all games have an element of chance.
Need for regulation
- No comprehensive regulation: Â India currently has no comprehensive legislation with regards to the legality of online gaming or boundaries that specify applicable tax rates within the betting and gambling industry.
- Ambiguity of the sector: The gaming sector is nascent and is still evolving, and many states are bringing about legislation seeking to bring about some order in the online gaming sector.
- State list subject: Online gaming in India is allowed in most parts of the country. However, different states have their own legislation with regards to whether online gaming is permitted.
- Economic advantage: Well-regulated online gaming has its own advantages, such as economic growth and employment benefits.
Issues with online gaming
- Gaming addiction: Numerous people are developing an addiction to online gaming. This is destroying lives and devastating families.
- Compulsive gaming: Gaming by children is affecting their performance in schools and impacting their social lives & relationships with family members. Ex. PUBG
- Impact on psychological health: Online games like PUBG and the Blue Whale Challenge were banned after incidents of violence and suicide.
- Threat to Data privacy: Inadvertent sharing of personal information can lead to cases of cheating, privacy violations, abuse, and bullying.
- Betting and gambling: Online games based on the traditional ludo, arguably the most popular online game in India, have run into controversy, and allegations of betting and gambling.
Why hasnât a comprehensive law yet materialized?
- Earlier, states like Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka also passed laws banning online games.
- However, they were quashed by state High Courts on grounds that an outright ban was unfair to games of skill:
- Violation of fundamental rights of trade and commerce, liberty and privacy, speech and expression;
- Law being manifestly arbitrary and irrational insofar as it did not distinguish between two different categories of games, i.e. games of skill and chance;
- Lack of legislative Competence of State legislatures to enact laws on online skill-based games.
Way forward
- Censoring: Minors should be allowed to proceed only with the consent of their parents â OTP verification on Aadhaar could resolve this.
- Awareness: Gaming companies should proactively educate users about potential risks and how to identify likely situations of cheating and abuse.
- Regulating mechanism: A Gaming Authority in the central government should be created.
- Accountability of the gaming company: It could be made responsible for the online gaming industry, monitoring its operations, preventing societal issues, suitably classifying games of skill or chance, overseeing consumer protection, and combatting illegality and crime.
- All-encompassing legislation: the Centre should formulate an overarching regulatory framework for online games of skill. India must move beyond skill-versus-chance debates to keep up with the global gaming industry.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Lothal, Indus Valley Civilization
Mains level: Heritage tourism
Prime Minister has reviewed the construction of the National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) site at Gujaratâs Lothal via video conferencing.
Where is Lothal?
- Lothal was one of the southernmost sites of the Indus Valley civilization, located in the Bhal region of what is now the state of Gujarat.
- The port city is believed to have been built in 2,200 BC. Lothal was a thriving trade centre in ancient times, with its trade of beads, gems and ornaments reaching West Asia and Africa.
- The meaning of Lothal (a combination of Loth and (s) thal) in Gujarati is âthe mound of the deadâ.
- Incidentally, the name of the city of Mohenjo-daro (also part of the Indus Valley Civilisation, now in Pakistan) means the same in Sindhi.
- In the region, it can be compared with other Indus port towns of Balakot (Pakistan), Khirasa (in Gujaratâs Kutch) and Kuntasi (in Rajkot).
When was it discovered?
- Indian archaeologists started the search for cities of the Harappan Civilisation post-1947 in Gujaratâs Saurashtra.
- Archaeologist SR Rao led the team which discovered a number of Harappan sites at the time, including the port city of Lothal.
- Excavation work was carried out in Lothal between February 1955 and May 1960.
- Adjacent to the excavated areas stands the archaeological site museum, where some of the most prominent collections of Indus-era antiquities in India are displayed.
How was it identified as port city?
- The National Institute of Oceanography in Goa discovered marine microfossils and salt, gypsum crystals at the site, indicating that sea water once filled the structure and it was definitely a dockyard.
- It had the worldâs earliest known dock, connecting the city to an ancient course of the Sabarmati river.
- A metropolis with an upper and a lower town had in on its northern side a basin with vertical wall, inlet and outlet channels which has been identified as a tidal dockyard.
- Satellite images show that the river channel, now dried, would have brought in considerable volume of water during high tide, which would have filled the basin and facilitated sailing of boats upstream.
What heritage value does it hold?
- Lothal was nominated in April 2014 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its application is pending on the tentative list of UNESCO.
- It is the only port-town of the Indus Valley Civilisation.
- Its heritage value is comparable to following ancient port-towns around the world-
- Xel Ha (Peru)
- Ostia (Port of Rome)
- Carthage (Port of Tunis) in Italy
- Hepu in China,
- Canopus in Egypt
- Gabel (Byblos of the Phoenicians),
- Jaffa in Israel,
- Ur in Mesopotamia
- Hoi An in Vietnam
Building up of Heritage Complex
- The project began in March 2022, and is being developed at a cost of Rs 3,500 crore.
- It will have several innovative features such as Lothal mini-recreation, which will recreate Harappan architecture and lifestyle through immersive technology.
- It has four theme parks â Memorial theme park, Maritime and Navy theme park, Climate theme park, and Adventure and Amusement theme park.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: RNA Origami
Mains level: Not Much
This newscard is an excerpt of the original article published in The Hindu.
Note: It appears to be too much biological. And suddenly out of our ease of understanding.
What is Ribo Nucleic Acid (RNA)?
- RNA is an important biological macromolecule that is present in all biological cells.
- It is principally involved in the synthesis of proteins, carrying the messenger instructions from DNA, which itself contains the genetic instructions required for the development and maintenance of life.
- In some viruses, RNA, rather than DNA, carries genetic information.
- The type of RNA dictates the function that this molecule will have within the cell.
- Aside from the coding region of messenger RNA (mRNA) molecules that will be translated into proteins, other cellular RNA elements are involved in different processes.
What are RNA Origami?
- RNA origami is the nanoscale folding of RNA, enabling the RNA to create particular shapes to organize these molecules.
- It is an attempt to generate complex human-made RNA-based devices.
- They are stable in cells, interact with other biomolecules, including other RNA and proteins, and enable unique applications, particularly in the context of gene regulation.
Why are they used?
So far there have been two approaches in RNA origami and both attempt to regulate the production of protein.
(1) To achieve precise control of protein production
- Self-inhibiting protein expression cassettes were made by installing a strong binding site for the expressed protein in its own gene.
- Afterwards, RNA origami decorated with the same protein-binding sites was expressed in large excess.
- In this way, the RNA origami serves as a protein-sponge that sequesters proteins in the cell and allows expression of the self-inhibited protein.
- This approach helped to regulate several proteins simultaneously and turn on enzymatic pathways for improved product yields.
(2) Using for gene editing
- The RNA origamis were integrated in the small RNAs that guide CRISPR-Cas9 enzyme to target specific sequences in the DNA genome.
- Its scaffolds were decorated with protein-binding sites capable of recruiting transcription factors.
- By targeting the RNA scaffolds to promoter regions, the transcription factors activated gene expression.
- Researchers have shown that the expression strength can be tuned by the orienting the scaffold and level of transcription factors recruited.
- These multi-enzyme pathways could be controlled for high-yield production of the anti-cancer drug violacein.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Graded Response Action Plan- GRAP
Mains level: Delhi Air Pollution issue
The Commission for Air Quality Management directed New Delhi authorities to enforce stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) with immediate effect.
Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)
- In 2014, when a study by the WHO found that Delhi was the most polluted city in the world, panic spread in the Centre and the state government.
- Approved by the Supreme Court in 2016, the plan was formulated after several meetings that the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) held with state government and experts.
- The result was a plan that institutionalized measures to be taken when air quality deteriorates.
- GRAP also works as an emergency measure.
- It includes strict measures such as a ban on the entry of heavy vehicles, the odd-even road rationing restrictions, and a halt of construction work â each of which is likely to be impractical at a time when the pandemic has exacted heavy economic costs and public transport has been seen as an infection risk.
How does it work?
- As such, the plan does not include action by various state governments to be taken throughout the year to tackle industrial, vehicular and combustion emissions.
- When the air quality shifts from poor to very poor, the measures listed under both sections have to be followed since the plan is incremental in nature.
- If air quality reaches the severe+ stage, GRAP talks about shutting down schools and implementing the odd-even road-space rationing scheme.
Measures taken under GRAP
1) Severe+ or Emergency
(PM 2.5 over 300 Âľg/cubic metre or PM10 over 500 Âľg/cu. m. for 48+ hours)
- Stop entry of trucks into Delhi (except essential commodities)
- Stop construction work
- Introduce odd/even scheme for private vehicles and minimise exemptions
- Task Force to decide any additional steps including shutting of schools
2) Severe
(PM 2.5 over 250 Âľg/cu. m. or PM10 over 430 Âľg/cu. m.)
- Close brick kilns, hot mix plants, stone crushers
- Maximise power generation from natural gas to reduce generation from coal
- Encourage public transport, with differential rates
- More frequent mechanized cleaning of road and sprinkling of water
3) Very Poor
(PM2.5 over 121-250 Âľg/cu. m. or PM10 over 351-430 Âľg/cu. m.)
- Stop use of diesel generator sets
- Enhance parking fee by 3-4 times
- Increase bus and Metro services
- Apartment owners to discourage burning fires in winter by providing electric heaters during winter
- Advisories to people with respiratory and cardiac conditions to restrict outdoor movement
4) Moderate to poor
(PM2.5 over 61-120 Âľg/cu. m. or PM10 over 101-350 Âľg/cu. m.)
- Heavy fines for garbage burning
- Close/enforce pollution control regulations in brick kilns and industries
- Mechanized sweeping on roads with heavy traffic and water sprinkling
- Strictly enforce a ban on firecrackers
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: space developments
Mains level: space developments,black hole, merging of Stars, Energy, Gravitation
Context
- For the very first time, scientists noted that this observation of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave (LIGO) observatories coincided with the measurements made by other telescopes that measured visual and electromagnetic signals.
What is Black hole?
- A black hole is a place in space where gravity pulls so much that even light can not get out. The gravity is so strong because matter has been squeezed into a tiny space. This can happen when a star is dying.
- Because no light can get out, people can’t see black holes. They are invisible. Space telescopes with special tools can help find black holes. The special tools can see how stars that are very close to black holes act differently than other stars.
What is the background?
- LIGO Observations: In 2017, astrophysicists observed an unusual feat among the stars. The Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave(LIGO)observatories recorded a signal which indicated that two massive and dense stellar bodies had merged to form a third body, likely a black hole.
- Generation gravitational waves: In the process they gave off vibrations that quite literally shook the universe and its very fabric of space time.
- Neutron stars: Scientists, piecing together evidence from complementary measurements, surmised that the event they had observed was of two neutron stars merging and forming a black hole and, in the process, giving off light.
What are the observations through telescopes?
- The matter moving faster than light: An unusual jet of matter was observed that gave an illusion of travelling faster than light. These were all exciting phenomena observed for the very first time by telescopes and observatories.
- Confirmation by Hubble Space Telescope: Now, using data that had been recorded by the Global astro metric Interferometer for Astrophysics (GAIA) spacecraft and Hubble Space Telescope instruments, scientists have confirmed that the above picture is correct. They have made it more precise and descriptive.
- Seven times the speed of light: In a paper published in Nature, they describe measuring the âapparent speedâ of the jet to be about seven times the speed of light.
- Lorenz factor: They have also measured more accurately a factor called the Lorenz factor which scales with the actual speed of the particles in the jet. Unlike earlier estimates which placed this factor at about 4, the present paper estimates this factor to be over 40. This is because they measure the speed of the relativistic jet to be close to 0.9997c, where âcâ is the speed of light.
- Clarity about the source as neutron star in block hole generation: This resolves the earlier fuzziness about what the source was and puts the source clearly as massive neutron stars merging to give a black hole and throwing off relativistic jets of particles in the process.
- Born out of Supernova explosion: Neutron stars are stellar corpses, left behind after a star has undergone a supernova explosion and reached the end of its lifetime. They are extremely dense, containing more mass than the sun in a sphere that is a few tens of kilometre wide.
- Produces fast moving material: This has been seen in many active galactic nuclei galaxy centres that harbour black holes and binary star systems within our galaxy, where one of the stars is a black hole. âMostly, black holes are responsible for producing such fast moving material
Why present observations about black Hole are significant?
- Estimating changing position of sky: The present measurements and observations made with GAIA data are extremely challenging. They amount to measuring the position of an object in sky coordinates. These authors measured a change in sky position one millionth the span of the full moon. Normally, if one were making these measurements from earth-based telescopes, it would require data from radio telescopes spaced apart by intercontinental distances.
- VLBI technique: This technique is called Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) and was used in the earlier papers. âHere, the authors could beat VLBI in precision because they calibrated Hubble Space Telescope data with GAIA, which is a precision astrometry mission.
- Itâs an estimate not a measurement: the researchers used both their Hubble Space Telescope and GAIA optical position measurement along with the earlier VLBI position measurement to get a better estimate of the speed of the source and angle (viewing angle) with which it is travelling with respect to us on earth. This estimate requires plugging in equations of the special theory of relativity. âSo, it is an estimate as opposed to a measurement.
- Improvement in estimation: we have learnt that neutron star mergers can result in material moving with speeds as high as 0.9997c.Earlier results using Very Long Baseline Interferometry had pegged this value at about 0.938c. with the new results this lower limit has been improved. Even earlier, with VLBI, it was understood that it was a neutron star merger that produced such ultra-relativistic material. Before the VLBI results, there were several models that could replicate the observations.
- Explanation using ultra realistic material: The observations could be explained both by ultra-relativistic material and non relativistic material, with some differences in assumptions. That study indicated that the observed gamma ray bursts were produced along with the ultra-relativistic material.
Conclusion
- Current discovery strengthens the hypothesis that such neutron star mergers are responsible for a class of gamma ray bursts. Gamma ray bursts are flashes of extreme gamma ray photons that release a huge amount of energy nearly 1047 They come from different galaxies in the universe and are observed here quite frequently.
Mains Question
Q. What is the neutron star and how the merger of two stars produces a black hole? How LIGO and Hubble space telescope are useful in demystifying the black Hole phenomenon?
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: NA
Mains level: International relations.India-china, India-USA
Context
- Americaâs national security strategy issued by the Joe Biden Administration last week and the Chinese Communist Partyâs 20th Congress this week promise to reshape the geopolitics of Asia and the Indo-Pacific.
Historical background of USA-CHINA
- Context of World War II: Asia has seen multiple phases in the US-China relationship. In the second half of the 19th century, American missionaries began to arrive in China and began to generate empathy for the nation. During World War II, Washington backed Chinese nationalists in their fight against Japanese occupation.
- US efforts to isolation China: The US tried to isolate China from 1949 when the communists prevailed over the nationalists.
- Cooperation to counter Soviet: The 1970âs saw the US and communist China come together to counter the Soviet Union.
- Multiple Economic engagement: The 1980s saw the beginning of an economic engagement that turned into a huge commercial and technological partnership from the 1990s.
What is the USAâs assumption and Chinaâs ambition?
- China as responsible stakeholder: The US establishment dismissed the idea of China as potential threat and bet that Beijing could become a âresponsible stakeholderâ in the world order.
- Democratization of Chinese society is inevitable: America also believed that Chinaâs growing economic prosperity would inevitably lead to greater democratisation of its society.
- Visible decline of west: China, however, has steadily moved in the other direction, especially under Xi, who has convinced himself that the West is in terminal decline.
- Chinaâs ambition to change the world order: Xi is determined to seize this moment to reshape the Asian as well as the global order to suit Chinese interests. At the same time, China has become increasingly repressive at home.
- Explicit expression of ambition: Xi made no effort to hide Chinaâs new geopolitical ambition nor has he been defensive about his authoritarian rule. This, in turn, bestirred the US into rethinking its China policy in the second decade of the 21st century.
- Asserting own version of Global order: Beijing, argues that recent history points to the superiority of the Chinese system over the Western one. And it offers its own versions of a global order â economic, political and social. Since the end of the Cold War, ideological arguments had receded into the background but are now back in significant play.
- China offering model Economic Globalization: China continues to sing praises of the model of economic globalisation that has facilitated Beijingâs rise over the last four decades. But under Xi, China has emphasised the importance of self-reliance in the name of a âdual circulation strategyâ.
- Leveraging worldâs dependence for strategic gain: At the same time, Beijing has sought to enhance the worldâs dependence on its economy and leverage it for strategic benefit. The profound political backlash against trade and economic cooperation with China in the US led to the questioning of economic globalisation in the Trump years.
- China building the powerful military: As China became a richer country, it also focused on building a powerful army. Using both the instruments of hard power, China under Xi has actively sought to undermine US alliances in Asia and mount pressure on American forward military presence in Asia.
How USAâs policy is changing towards China?
- Structured policy of rivalry: The traditional soft attitude to China yielded to a more confrontational approach during the Donald Trump presidency. Joe Biden has developed that into a more structured policy of competing with China.
- Combine challenge of China and Russia: The National Security Strategy of the Trump administration postulated the return of great power rivalry and the need to respond to the challenges presented by Russia and China. Bidenâs NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY builds on that proposition and identifies China as the more demanding challenge than Russia, despite Moscowâs aggression against Ukraine.
- China is more capable than Russia: In his foreword to the National security strategy, Biden says âRussia poses an immediate threat to the free and open international system, recklessly flouting the basic laws of the international order today, as its brutal war of aggression against Ukraine has shown.â He names China, on the other hand, as âthe only country with both the intent to reshape the international order and, increasingly, the economic, diplomatic, military and technological power to advance that objectiveâ. While the European challenge is real, the Biden Administration now sees the Indo-Pacific as the principal strategic theatre.
- Projecting China as autocracy against the democracy: The US has sought to locate the conflict with China (and Russia) as a fundamental struggle between âdemocracies and autocraciesâ. Recognising the limited enthusiasm for the framing in Asia, the National security strategy now talks of broadening the coalition to include countries that may not be democratic. Beijing, on the other hand, argues that recent history points to the superiority of the Chinese system over the Western one.
- Building the bilateral alliances: The US is now pushing back. The principal instrument in the US response has been rebuilding the traditional bilateral alliances with Japan and Australia as well as constructing new partnerships with countries like India and developing new regional coalitions.
Indiaâs role in shaping the world order
- Convergence of National interest wit USA: Today, Indian and American policies are converging. For both Delhi and Washington, Beijing presents the main national challenges.
- Reducing economic dependence on China: On the economic and technological front, both India and the US are trying to reduce their exposure to China.
- Keeping independent foreign policy: On the geopolitical front, a US plan to look beyond formal alliances suits Delhi, which is wedded to an independent foreign policy.
- Opportunity for cooperation: It is never easy to translate abstract convergence into concrete policies. The current churn in Asia provides Delhi and Washington with a historic opportunity to build on the new convergences in the areas of trade, technology, and geopolitics.
 Conclusion
- changing world order will have short term repercussion on economic front for developing country like India. India has a great opportunity to be the rule maker of new global order rather than just a rule follower. World order of 21st century will revolve around the fateful triangle of India, China and USA.
Mains Question
Q.Why the present world order is challenged by China? What role India can play as rule maker of new World order?
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: E-waste applications and impacts
Mains level: E-waste problems, and scientific recycling,advantages and disadvantages
Context
- International E-Waste Day is held on October 14 every year as an opportunity to reflect on the impacts of e-waste. This yearâs slogan is âRecycle it all, no matter how small!
- Hoarding of small, unused, dead or broken plug-in and battery-operated products is the focus of this yearâs 5th annual International E-Waste Day.
What is mean by E-Waste?
- E-waste is a popular, informal name for electronic products nearing the end of their âuseful life.âComputers, televisions, VCRs, stereos, copiers, and fax machines are common electronic products. Many of these products can be reused, refurbished, or recycled.
Why E-waste is important?
- Highly valuable metals: E-waste is a rich source of metals such as gold, silver, and copper, which can be recovered and brought back into the production cycle. There is significant economic potential in the efficient recovery of valuable materials in e-waste and can provide income-generating opportunities for both individuals and enterprises.
- No harm if stored safely: It is said that the electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) after their useful life does not cause any harm to health and the environment if it is stored safely in households/stores. If the end of life EEE (e-waste) is opened-up and unscientific methods are used for extraction of precious and semi-precious material from it, then it causes health risks and damage to the environment.
Why E-waste is hazardous to environment and health?
- Highly toxic in nature: E-waste can be toxic, is not biodegradable and accumulates in the environment, in the soil, air, water and living things.
- Adverse effects on health: High levels of contaminants such as lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic, which can lead to irreversible health effects, including cancers, miscarriages, neurological damage and diminished IQs.etc.
- Adverse effects on environment: There are problems with toxic materials leaching into the environment. For example, open-air burning and acid baths being used to recover valuable materials from electronic components release toxic materials leaching into the environment.
- Plastic used in electronics highly Hazardous: Hazardous chemicals such as bromine, antimony and lead are applied to electronics like laptops and music systems as flame retardants. They find their way into food-contact items and other everyday products as the demand for black plastics in consumer products is met partly by sourcing from e-waste.
According to the study conducted by Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Forum
- Non-profit Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Forum is an international association of 46 e-waste producer responsibility organizations which started the day in 2018.
- According WEEE studies: Roughly 5.3 billion mobile/smartphones will drop out of use this year.The electronics would reach a height of around 50,000 km if stacked flat and on top of each other. Thatâs an eighth of the distance to the moon.
- WEEE Survey:The forum surveys conducted to reveal why so many households and businesses fail to bring in for repair or recycling. The results were consolidated by the United Nationsâ Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) Sustainable Cycles Programme.
- Results of WEEE surveys: Of 8,775 European households in six countries, the average household contains 74 e-products. Of 74 average total e-products, 13 are being hoarded. This is the story almost everywhere.The top five hoarded small electronic products were (in order): small electronics and accessories (eg, headphones, remotes), small equipment, small IT equipment (eg, hard drives, routers, keyboards, mice), mobile and smartphones, small food preparation appliances .LED lamps ranked the top of the list of products most likely to be trashed.
- Statistics: Approximately 8 lakh tonnes per annum of plastic waste is recycled and 1.67 lakh tonnes per annum is co-processed in Cement Kilns, said the government. There are 468 authorised dismantlers/recyclers in 22 states having a processing capacity of 13.85 lakh tonnes of e-waste in the country.
- The e-waste management rules: The e-Waste (Management) Rules were notified in 2016 which got amended from time to time. So far, the Environment Ministry has notified 21 types of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) as e-waste
- No recent studies on the pollution caused by e-waste: In the recent Parliament session, Minister of State for Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Ashwini Kumar Choubey in his reply to Kerala Rajya Sabha member V Sivadasan (CPM) said no study has been carried out by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to assess the damage caused to the environment by e-waste.
Current scenario and issues in E-waste recycling
- Crude and Scrappage: As of today, some 95% of e-waste is managed by the informal sector which operates under inferior working conditions and relies on crude techniques for dismantling and recycling.
- Infrastructure lacunae:Â Another important issue is the lack of sufficient metal processing infrastructure which is why recyclers have to export materials to global smelters.
- Price competencies:Â As aggregators are mostly informal, they demand up-front cash payments.
- Bloomed informal network:Â The informal network is well-established and rests on social capital ties that PROs have yet to establish and are hence insulated from reaching the viable number of aggregators.
- Policy failure:Â Policy changes have tried repeatedly to formalize the sector, but issues of implementation persist on the ground.
Way forward
- Effective design:Â Since India is highly deficient in precious mineral resources, there is a need for a well-designed, robust and regulated e-waste recovery regime that would generate jobs and wealth.
- Consumer responsibility:Â The consumers must responsibly consume the product for its useful life and then weigh between the chances of repair or disposal with utmost consciousness towards the environment.
- Recyclable products:Â On the supply side, e-waste can be reduced when producers design electronic products that are safer, and more durable, repairable and recyclable.
- Reuse:Â Manufacturers must reuse the recyclable materials and not mine rare elements unnecessarily to meet new production.
- Commercial recycling:Â Rather than hoping that informal recyclers become formal it would be more feasible for companies and the state to design programs ensure e-waste easily makes its way to proper recyclers.
Conclusion
- Concerted efforts are important to generate a momentum of sustained efforts towards increasing disposal through formal and scientific channels and catalyzing sustainable consumption patterns is the need of the hour.
Mains Question
Q.The size and complexity of the e-waste problem are growing at a much quicker rate than the efficacy of strategies to contain it. Discuss the impact of unscientific recycling of E-waste on Environment and human health.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: JAM trinity
Mains level: JAM trinity, financial inclusion and Direct Benefit Transfer
Context
- Last week, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) lauded Indiaâs Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Scheme as a âlogistical marvelâ that has reached hundreds of millions of people and specifically benefitted women, the elderly and farmers. Paolo Mauro, Deputy Director in the IMFâs Fiscal Affairs Department, praised the role of technological innovation in achieving this feat.
What is Direct Benefit Transfer(DBT)?
- With the aim of reforming Government delivery system by re-engineering the existing process in welfare schemes for simpler and faster flow of information/funds and to ensure accurate targeting of the beneficiaries, de-duplication and reduction of fraud Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) was started on 1st January, 2013.
- DBT Mission was created in the Planning Commission to act as the nodal point for the implementation of the DBT programmes. The Mission was transferred to the Department of Expenditure in July, 2013 and continued to function till 14.9.2015. To give more impetus, DBT Mission and matters related thereto has been placed in Cabinet Secretariat under Secretary (Co-ordination & PG).
Efforts behind the efficient DBT
- Mission-mode approach for financial inclusion: Government endeavoured to open bank accounts for all households, expanded Aadhaar to all, and scaled up the coverage of banking and telecom services.
- Public Finance Management System through Aadhar: It evolved the Public Finance Management System and created the Aadhaar Payment Bridge to enable instant money transfers from the government to peopleâs bank accounts.
- Participation of various stakeholders for extensive UPI: The Aadhaar-enabled Payment System and Unified Payment Interface further expanded interoperability and private-sector participation.
- Directly receiving of subsidies: This approach not only allowed all rural and urban households to be uniquely linked under varied government schemes for receiving subsidies directly into their bank accounts but also transferred money with ease.
What is the Present status of DBT?
- The status of JAM trinity (Jan Dhan Aadhar Mobile)
- By 2022, more than 135 crore Aadhaarâs have been generated,
- There are 47 crore beneficiaries under Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana,
- Mobile subscribers number more than 120 crores.
- Riding on this network, the DBT programme has reached commanding heights towards achieving the governmentâs vision of âsabka vikasâ.
- Last mile banking through Bank Mitras: 5 lakh Bank Mitras delivering branchless banking services.
- DBT applicable to government schemes: Becoming the major plank of the governmentâs agenda of inclusive growth, it has 318 schemes of 53 central ministries spanning across sectors, welfare goals and the vast geography of the country.
How benefits are delivered through DBT?
- DBT in rural areas: In rural Bharat, DBT has allowed the government to provide financial assistance effectively and transparently to farmers with lower transaction costs be it for fertilisers or any of the other schemes including the PM Kisan Samman  Nidhi, PM Fasal Bima Yojana, and PM Krishi Sinchayi Yojana  thus becoming the backbone for supporting the growth of the agricultural economy.
- DBT in urban area: In urban India, the PM Awas Yojana and LPG Pahal scheme successfully use DBT to transfer funds to eligible beneficiaries.
- Benefits under MGNAREGA: The benefits received under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and Public Distribution System drive the rural demand-supply chain.
- Various assistance programmes: Various scholarship schemes and the National Social Assistance Programme use the DBT architecture to provide social security.
- Scheme for rehabilitation: DBT under rehabilitation programmes such as the Self Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers opens new frontiers that enable social mobility of all sections of society.
- DBT as last mile support in Pandemic: The efficacy and robustness of the DBT network were witnessed during the pandemic. It aided the government to reach the last mile and support the most deprived in bearing the brunt of the lockdown. From free rations to nearly 80 crore people under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana, fund transfers to all women Jan Dhan account holders and support to small vendors under PM-SVANidhi, DBT helped the vulnerable to withstand the shock of the pandemic.
- An enabling policy regime: Proactive government initiatives and supportive regulatory administration allowed the private and public sector entities in the financial sector to overcome longstanding challenges of exclusion of a large part of the population.
- Creation of a dedicated ecosystem: These are essential elements of the pioneering ecosystem created by the government for the aggressive rollout of the ambitious DBT programme, achieving impressive scale in a short span of six years.
Conclusion
- Direct Benefit Transfer has transformed the welfare aspect of the governance. Going forward digital and financial literacy, robust grievance redressal, enhancing awareness and an empowering innovation system are some of the aspects that would require continued focus. This would play a vital role for India in meeting the diverse needs of its population and ensuring balanced, equitable and inclusive growth.
Mains Question
Q.Enlist the schemes that comes under DBT. How DBT has changed the lives of needy people in urban and rural India?
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Office of the Governor
Mains level: Issues with role of Governor
Kerala Governor has opened the next battlefront against the State government by threatening to remove Ministers from their posts if they continued to lower the dignity of his office.
Why in news?
- This is for the very first time that any Governor has expressed his displeasure.
- There has been no occasion so far of a Governor unilaterally removing a minister from the government.
Governor in the parliamentary system
- The position, role, powers, and conditions of office of the Governor are described in Articles 153-161 of the Constitution.
- The position of Governor is similar to that of the President at the Union.
- He is at the head of the stateâs executive power, and barring some matters, acts on the advice of the council of ministers, which is responsible, in accordance with the parliamentary system, to the state legislature.
Apolitical nature of his appointment
- The Governor is appointed by the President (on the advice of the central government) and, therefore, acts as the vital link between the Union and the state governments.
- The post was envisaged as being apolitical; however, the role of Governors has been a contentious issue in Centre-state relations for decades.
- The Governor enjoys certain powers such as giving or withholding assent to a Bill passed by the state legislature or determining the time needed for a party to prove its majority.
- The party must be called first to do so, generally after in a hung Assembly â which have been weaponized by successive central governments against the political opposition.
Is the Governor capable to remove a Minister?
- Article 164(1) says state âMinisters shall hold office during the pleasure of the Governorâ.
- This is the provision that the Kerala Governor was seemingly alluding to.
- Article 164(1) deals with the appointment of the Chief Minister and other ministers.
- While the Governor does not have to seek anyoneâs advice while appointing the Chief Minister, he can appoint a minister only on the recommendation of the Chief Minister.
- The Governor has no power to pick anyone he chooses to make a minister. He can appoint a minister only on the advice of the CM.
Major judicial observation in this regard
Ans. Shamsher Singh & Anr vs State Of Punjab (1974)
- The Supreme Court ruled that- the President and Governor exercise their formal constitutional powers only upon and in accordance with the advice of their Ministers save in a few well known exceptional situations.
What were the exception situations referred to?
- These situations could arise if:
- The PM or CM cease to command majority in the House
- The government loses majority but refuses to quit office
- For the dissolution of the House where an appeal to the country is necessitous.
- But even in the third scenario, the President or Governor should avoid getting involved in politics and must be advised by his PM/CM who will eventually take the responsibility for the step the court ruled.
What did the founding fathers of the constitution believe?
- B R Ambedkar said- The Governor under the Constitution has no function which he can discharge by himself; no functions at all.
So what does the âpleasureâ of the Governor mean?
- The Governor can have his pleasure as long as the government enjoys majority in the House.
- The Governor can withdraw his pleasure only when the government loses majority but refuses to quit.
- Then he withdraws the pleasure and dismisses it.
- Without the advice of the Chief Minister, a Governor can neither appoint nor dismiss a minister.
- Thatâs the constitutional position.
What maximum can a Governor do?
- If a minister lowers the dignity of the Governor or his office, as Kerala Governor has alleged, Raj Bhavan can ask the Chief Minister to inquire.
- If it is found that the minister has defamed or disrespected the Governor, he/ she can ask the Chief Minister to drop the minister.
- This does not mean the Governor has the right to dismiss the Chief Minister or ministers at will.
Attempts to moralize such situations
(1) National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution
- The NCRWC appointed by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in 2000 recommended significant changes in the selection of Governors.
- The Commission suggested that the Governor should be appointed after consultation with the CM of that State.
- Normally the five year term should be adhered to and removal or transfer of the Governor should be by following a similar procedure as for appointment.
(2) Sarkaria Commission
- The Sarkaria Commission was set up in 1983 to look into Centre-state relations.
- It proposed that the Vice President of India and the Speaker of Lok Sabha should be consulted by the Prime Minister in the selection of Governors. (without any logic behind explaining!)
(3) Punchhi Committee
- The Justice Madan Mohan Punchhi Committee was constituted in 2007 on Centre-state relations.
- It proposed in its report submitted in March 2010 that a committee comprising the PM, Home Minister, Vice President, Speaker, and the concerned Chief Minister should choose the Governor.
- The Punchhi Committee recommended deleting the âDoctrine of Pleasureâ from the Constitution.
- However, it backed the right of the Governor to sanction the prosecution of ministers against the advice of the state government.
- It also argued for a provision for the impeachment of the Governor by the state legislature.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: ISA
Mains level: Solar energy
To bolster investments in solar power projects, the International Solar Alliance (ISA), in its General Assembly approved the âSolar Facilityâ, a payment guarantee mechanism.
What is Solar Facility?
- It is expected to stimulate investments into solar projects through two financial components:
- Solar Payment Guarantee Fund and
- Solar Insurance Fund
- The thrust of the facility is to attract private capital to flow into âunderserved marketsâ in Africa.
- The ISA would aim to crowdsource investments from various donors across the globe and proposed projects in Africa would be able to purchase payment guarantees or partial insurance premium from these funds.
Why such move?
- ISAâs mission is to unlock US $1 trillion (âš80 lakh crore) of investments in solar power by 2030 while reducing cost of the technology and its financing.
What is International Solar Alliance (ISA)?
- The ISA is an alliance of more than 121 countries, most of them being sunshine countries, which lie either completely or partly between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.
- It is headquartered in Gurugram, India.
- The primary objective of the alliance is to work for efficient exploitation of solar energy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
- The alliance is a treaty-based inter-governmental organization.
- The initiative was launched by PM Modi at the India Africa Summit and a meeting of member countries ahead of the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris in November 2015.
Objectives of the ISA
- To mobilize investments of more than USD 1000 billion by 2030
- To take coordinated action for better harmonization, aggregation of demand, risk and resources, for promoting solar finance, solar technologies, innovation, R&D, capacity building etc.
- Reduce the cost of finance to increase investments in solar energy in member countries
- Scale up applications of solar technologies in member countries
- Facilitate collaborative research and development (R&D) activities in solar energy technologies among member countries
- Promote a common cyber platform for networking, cooperation and exchange of ideas among member countries
What does ISA formation signify?
- Climate action commitment: It symbolizes about the sincerity of the developing nations towards their concern about climate change and to switch to a low-carbon growth path.
- Clean energy: Indiaâs pledge to the Paris summit offered to bring 40% of its electricity generation capacity from non-fossil sources (renewable, large hydro, and nuclear) by 2030.
- Global electrification: India has pledged to let solar energy reach to the most unconnected villages and communities and also towards creating a clean planet.
- Global cooperation: It is based on world cooperation irrespective of global boundaries.
- Indiaâs Soft power: For India, possible additional benefits from the alliance can be a strengthening of ties with the major African countries and increasing goodwill for India among them.
Key initiatives
[A] Global Solar Atlas
- ISA alliance has partnered with World Bank to launch Global Solar Atlas at an ISA event at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi.
- Global Solar Atlas is a free online tool that displays annual average solar power potential at any location in the world and thus identify potential sites for solar power generation.
[B] OSOWOG Initiative
- Under the ISA project, India envisaged having an interconnected power transmission grid across nations for the supply of clean energy.
- The vision behind the OSOWOG mantra is âThe Sun Never Setsâ and is a constant at some geographical location, globally, at any given point of time.
- With India at the fulcrum, the solar spectrum can easily be divided into two broad zones viz. far East which would include countries like Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand, Lao, Cambodia etc. and far West which would cover the Middle East and the Africa Region.
Implementation
- The OSOWOG would have three phases.
- Phase I: Middle East, South Asia and South-East Asia would be interconnected
- Phase II: Solar and other renewable energy resources rich regions would be interconnected
- Phase III: Global interconnection of the power transmission grid to achieve the One Sun One World One Grid vision
Benefits of the project
- Attracting investment: An interconnected grid would help all the participating entities in attracting investments in renewable energy sources as well as utilizing skills, technology and finances.
- Poverty alleviation: Resulting economic benefits would positively impact poverty alleviation and support in mitigating water, sanitation, food and other socio-economic challenges.
- Reduced project cost: The proposed integration would lead to reduced project costs, higher efficiencies and increased asset utilization for all the participating entities.
Various challenges
- Lack of Funding: Providing the money for promoting solar electricity among the members is a challenge. The Alliance has very little money of its own.
- Expensive implementation: The cost of power has two components. The variable cost is the payment made for the numbers of units of electricity purchased. In addition, the buyer is required to pay a certain amount towards the fixed cost of solar supply.
- Battery-based Storage: Solar electricity is available only during the day when the sun shines. Thus, the storage of electricity is a difficult task.
- Cross-border transmission: Solar electricity has to overcome the roadblocks of transmission. Cross-border transmission of electricity requires the establishment of transmission lines from the producer to the consumer country.
- Peak hour load: Â The demand for electricity, however, is more during the morning and evening which are called âpeak hoursâ. But it can be produced when the sun is shining.
- Climate change: Sudden overcast and rainfall in many parts of the tropics has been a major issues these days. Such weather hampers solar energy production
- Desired global consensus: It is hindered with the issues of intricate geopolitics, unfavourable economics, unwarranted globalisation and undue centralization that act against the concept.
- Highly ambitious: In a nation like India, it took us this long to connect all the regions of the country through a national grid and we are talking about âone world, one gridâ.
Way forward
- ISA should focus on its core goals such as- aggregating demand, tariff, technical collaborations, and financial assistance for achieving its target.
- It further needs to ensure that solar benefits are clear and tangible to users beyond its cost ambitions.
- ISA should demonstrate business models that are viable for users, suppliers and financiers.
- Further, the alliance should support member countries in implementing policies to expedite these business models.
- Geo-politically, this is being touted as a clever strategy however financially and technology-wise, this has to make sense.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: FCNR Deposits
Mains level: India's forex reserves and its implications
The RBIâs 2013 FCNR scheme to buffer the rupee against steep declines and rebuild foreign exchange reserves is unlikely to prove fruitful in the current crisis as economic fundamentals are different.
What are FCNR deposits?
- Back in 2013, the RBI had offered to swap the U.S. dollars banks had raised via foreign currency non-resident (FCNR) deposits or foreign currency funding for rupees at concessional rates.
- A FCNR is a bank account for NRIs to maintain a Fixed Deposit account in India.
- This account allows one as an NRI to save money earned in the currency form of the country youâve originally earned the money from.
- FCNR deposits can hold currencies like US Dollars, Pounds Sterling, Euro, Japanese Yen, Australian Dollars and Canadian Dollars.
- Interest on such deposits is exempt for income tax.
How do they operate?
- These deposit accounts are a term deposit account, not savings.
- Once can withdraw your money before the date of maturity, and there will be no charges, but the interest will not be paid until after a year is complete.
Benefits offered
- FCNRs are just like what FDs are for resident Indians, except in foreign currency.
- They work as great investment options for NRIs to invest in the country for a start, before looking for other avenues in investments on the stock market.
- Because the money is being held in those currencies, the risk of exchange rate fluctuations is eliminated.
Why in news?
- Forex reserves have tumbled about $110 billion from a peak of $642 billion in September last year.
- A significant reason behind this is RBIâs currency market intervention.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Speed of light, Neutron stars, various terms mentioned
Mains level: Not Much
Scientists have spotted something that appeared to be moving 7 times faster than the Speed of Light in a supernova like event.
What is the news?
- In 2017, astrophysicists observed an unusual feat among the stars.
- The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave (LIGO) observatories recorded a signal which indicated that two massive and dense stellar bodies had merged to form a third body, likely a black hole.
- An unusual jet of matter was observed that gave an illusion of travelling faster than light.
Can matter move faster than Light?
- From the data, it appeared the jets of matter were moving seven times faster than light.
- The researchers explain the reason behind the discrepancy is due to something called superluminal motion.
- Since the jet of matter reaches Earth at the speed of light, the light it emits at later points has a relatively shorter distance, making it appear faster than it actually is.
- After more calculations, astronomers found the real speed to be at least 99.7 percent of the speed of light (3 Ă 10^8 m / s).
Crossing the speed of light: An illusion
- The data of same incident has been recorded by the Global Astrometric Interferometer for Astrophysics (GAIA) spacecraft and Hubble (James Web) Space Telescope
- Using it, scientists confirmed that the above picture is correct.
How to assess it?
- Scientists have also measured more accurately a factor called the Lorenz factor which scales with the actual speed of the particles in the jet.
- Unlike earlier estimates which placed this factor at about 4, the present paper estimates this factor to be over 40.
- This is because they measure the speed of the relativistic jet to be close to 9997c, where âcâ is the speed of light.
How are they observed?
- Source is clearly as massive neutron stars merging to give a black hole and throwing off relativistic jets of particles in the process.
Merging neutron stars: Faking to cross speed of light
- Neutron stars are stellar corpses, left behind after a star has undergone a supernova explosion and reached the end of its lifetime.
- They are extremely dense, containing more mass than the sun in a sphere that is a few tens of kilometre wide.
- The observation of particles moving at seven times the speed of light is an illusion.
- This happens in cases where a source moves (towards us) with a velocity that is very close to light’s velocity.
- This has been seen in many active galactic nuclei â galaxy centres that harbour black holes â and binary star systems within our galaxy, where one of the stars is a black hole.
- Mostly, black holes are responsible for producing such fast-moving material.
How is this illusion created?
- Normally, if one were making these measurements from earth-based telescopes, it would require data from radio telescopes spaced apart by intercontinental distances.
- This technique is called Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) and was used in the earlier papers.
Significance of this study
- The significance of the paper is that now, we have learnt that neutron star mergers can result in material moving with speeds as high as 0.9997c.
- Earlier results using Very Long Baseline Interferometry had pegged this value at about 0.938c.
- And with the new results this lower limit has been improved.
- Even earlier, with VLBI, it was understood that it was a neutron-star merger that produced such ultra-relativistic material.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: GI Tags in news
Mains level: Not Much
The Embassy of Japan, New Delhi, has filed an application seeking Geographical Indication (GI) tag for nihonshu/Japanese sake, an alcoholic beverage.
Why in news?
- It is learnt that this is the first time a product from Japan has filed for a tag at the Geographical Indication Registry in Chennai.
What is Nihonshu?
- Nihonshu is regarded as a special and valuable beverage made from fermenting rice.
- People traditionally drink nihonshu on special occasions, such as festivals, weddings or funerals, but it is also consumed on a daily basis.
- Thus, it is an integral part of the lifestyle and culture in Japan.
- The sake market (almost all are nihonshu) is the second largest brewed liquor (such as beer) market in Japan.
How is it made?
- For making nihonshu three main raw materials â rice, koji-kin (a type of fungal spore) and water â are required.
- Its production follows an alcoholic fermentation method called parallel multiple fermentation and involves raw material treatment, koji making, starter culture making, mash making, pressing, heat sterilisation and bottling.
- The rice and koji used should originate in Japan.
Try this PYQ:
Q.Which of the following has/have been accorded âGeographical Indicationâ status?
- Banaras Brocades and Sarees
- Rajasthani Daal-Bati-Churma
- Tirupathi Laddu
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Post your answers here.
Back2Basics: Â Geographical Indication
- A GI is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.
- Nodal Agency: Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry
- India, as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), enacted the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 w.e.f. September 2003.
- GIs have been defined under Article 22 (1) of the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement.
- GI is granted for a term of 10 years in India. As of today, more than 300 GI tags has been allocated so far in India (*Wikipedia).
- The tag stands valid for 10 years.
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What is the present status of 