Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Governorâs Discretionary Powers
Mains level: Issues with the office of Governor in recent times
In yet another tug-of-war between Kerala Governor and CM, the Governor has turned down a request to summon a special sitting of the Assembly to debate the new three central farm laws.
Q.The political nature of the office of the Governor, especially in Opposition-ruled states, has been underlined in several instances by courts. Discuss.
Governor and Assembly Session
- The Governor shall from time to time summon the House or each House of the Legislature of the State to meet at such time and place as he thinks fitâŚâ says Article 174 of the Constitution.
- The provision also puts on the Governor the responsibility of ensuring that the House is summoned at least once every six months.
- Although it is the Governorâs prerogative to summon the House, according to Article 163, the Governor is required to act on the âaid and adviceâ of the Cabinet.
- So when the Governor summons the House under Article 174, this is not of his or her own will but on the aid and advice of the Cabinet.
Can the Governor refuse the aid and advice of the Cabinet?
- There are a few instances where the Governor can summon the House despite the refusal of the Chief Minister who heads the Cabinet.
- When the CM appears to have lost the majority and the legislative members of the House propose a no-confidence motion against the CM, then the Governor can decide on his or her own on summoning the House.
- But the actions of the Governor, when using his discretionary powers can be challenged in court.
Precursors set by the Supreme Court
- A number of rulings by the Supreme Court have settled the position that the Governor cannot refuse the request of a Cabinet that enjoys the majority in the House unless it is patently unconstitutional.
- The latest in the line of rulings is the landmark 2016 Constitution Bench ruling in which the Supreme Court looked into the constitutional crisis in Arunachal Pradesh.
- The Governor had imposed Presidentâs Rule in the state of Arunachal.
- In ordinary circumstances during the period when the CM enjoy the confidence of the majority, the power vested under Article 174 must be exercised with the aid and advice of the CM and his CoM.
- In the above situation, he/she has precluded [from taking] an individual call on the issue at his own will, or in his own discretion, the verdict said.
- The court read: the power to summon the House as a âfunctionâ of the Governor and not a âpowerâ he enjoys.
What Sarkaria Commission had said?
- The Sarkaria Commission of 1983, reviewed the arrangements between the Centre and the states, had said that so long as the CoM enjoys the confidence of the Assembly, its advice in these matters, unless patently unconstitutional must be deemed as binding on the Governor.
- It is only where such advice if acted upon, would lead to an infringement of a constitutional provision if the CoM has ceased to enjoy the confidence of the Assembly.
What happens if the Kerala government insists on holding the special session?
- Since the Governorâs powers are limited with regard to summoning the House, there can be no legal ground to deny a request for summoning the session.
- In such a political row, the Governorâs refusal can also be challenged in court.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Inner Line Permit
Mains level: Special schemes for NE states
Union Home Minister has said that Inner-Line Permit (ILP) had been the Centreâs biggest gift to Manipur since its statehood.
Note the states where ILP is required.
The Inner Line
- A concept drawn by colonial rulers, the Inner Line separated the tribal-populated hill areas in the Northeast from the plains.
- To enter and stay for any period in these areas, Indian citizens from other areas need an Inner Line Permit (ILP).
- Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram are protected by the Inner Line, and lately, Manipur was added (in December last year).
- The concept originates from the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act (BEFR), 1873.
Itsâ Inception
- The policy of exclusion first came about as a response to the reckless expansion of British entrepreneurs into new lands which threatened British political relations with the hill tribes.
- The BEFR prohibits an outsiderâs â âBritish subject or foreign citizenâ â entry into the are beyond the Inner Line without a pass and his purchase of land there.
- On the other hand, the Inner Line also protects the commercial interests of the British from the tribal communities.
- After Independence, the Indian government replaced âBritish subjectsâ with âCitizen of Indiaâ.
- Today, the main aim of the ILP system is to prevent settlement of other Indian nationals in the States where the ILP regime is prevalent, in order to protect the indigenous/tribal population.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Udham Singh
Mains level: Jallianwala Bagh massacre and its aftermath
December 26 was the birth anniversary of freedom fighter Udham Singh, who is known for avenging the Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 1919.
Try this PYQ:
Q.The Ghadr (Ghadar) was a –
(a) Revolutionary association of Indians with headquarters at San Francisco.
(b) Nationalist organization operating from Singapore
(c) Militant organization with headquarters at Berlin
(d) Communist movement for Indiaâs freedom with head-quarters at Tashkent
Who was Udham Singh?
- Singh, born in Sunam in Punjabâs Sangrur district in 1899, was a political activist who got associated with the Ghadar Party while in the US.
- The multi-ethnic party was believed to have communist tendencies and was founded by Sohan Singh Bhakna in 1913.
- Headquartered in California, the party was committed to the ouster of the British from India.
- In 1934, Singh made his way to London with the purpose of assassinating OâDwyer, who in 1919 had been the Lieutenant Governor of Punjab.
Why did he consider OâDwyer responsible for the massacre?
- OâDwyer ordered Brigadier Reginald Dyer to Amritsar before the massacre; he was worried that there might be a second Indian mutiny, given the Hindu-Muslim unity and the demonstrations and strikes.
- Instead of Dyer, OâDwyer is considered to be the actual perpetrator, since Dyer could not have executed it without his permission.
- On March 13, 1940, Udham Singh shot OâDwyer at a meeting of the East India Association and the Royal Central Asian Society at Caxton Hill.
- He was immediately arrested and held in Brixton prison and was sentenced to death and was hanged on July 31, 1940, at Pentonville Prison.
A legend in India
- For avenging the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, Singh is seen by many as a hero. Gandhi, though, had famously called Singhâs revenge as an âact of insanityâ.
- While being on trial, he referred to himself as Mohamed Singh Azad, to symbolize Hindu-Sikh-Muslim unity in the fight for Indiaâs freedom.
- In 1974, his remains were sent back to India and he was cremated in his village in Sunam.
- There have been several demands in the past few years for Udham Singhâs statue to be installed in Jallianwala Bagh and the Parliament complex.
- In 2018, his statue was installed at Jallianwala Bagh during Baisakhi.
- Udham Singh Nagar district in Uttarakhand is named after the freedom fighter.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Portulaca Laljii
Mains level: NA
Botanists have discovered a new species of wild Sun Rose from the Eastern Ghats in India.
Try this PYQ from CSP 2018:
Q.Why is a plant called Prosopis juliflora often mentioned in the news?
(a) Its extract is widely used in cosmetics.
(b) It tends to reduce the biodiversity in the area in which it grows
(c) Its extract is used in the pesticides.
(d) None of the above
Portulaca Laljii
- The new species named Portulaca laljii was discovered from the Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh.
- It has unique features such as a tuberous root, no hair in its leaf axils, a reddish-pink flower, prolate-shaped fruits, and copper brown seeds without luster.
- Portulaca Laljii has been named to honor the contribution of Lal Ji Singh, an eminent botanist of the Botanical Survey of India.
- The species has been placed under the âData Deficientâ category of the IUCN List of Threatened Species because very little information is available about the population of the species.
Morphological features
- These morphological features distinguish the species from other species of the genus Portulaca.
- The flowers, which are reddish-pink in color, are very minute, at about 0.5mm.
- The plant was found growing in rocky crevices at an altitude of about 1,800 meters above mean sea level, very close to the ground, at about less than 10 cm.
- The plants belonging genus Portulaca are classified in the category Sun Rose because they flower in bright sunshine.
- The genus was described by Linnaeus in 1753 as a type genus of the flowering plant family Portulacaceae.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Ayushman Bharat, PM-JAY SEHAT
Mains level: Not Much
The Prime Minister has launched Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY SEHAT to extend coverage to all residents of Jammu & Kashmir.
Q.Discuss various challenges in ensuring Universal Healthcare in India. (150W)
PM-JAY SEHAT
- The full form of SEHAT is social, endeavor for health, and telemedicine. Under this scheme, the SEHAT card will be distributed to all the eligible beneficiaries.
- All the eligible beneficiaries of Jammu and Kashmir can apply for the Scheme through common service center operators
- Around 1 crore beneficiaries will cover under this scheme. All the eligible citizens of Jammu and Kashmir will get cashless treatment up to Rs 5 lakh under the Scheme.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Article 15 and 16
Mains level: Paper 2- Reservation and issues related to it
The Supreme Court in recent judgement in Saurav Yadav Vs. State of Uttar Pradesh made it clear that reservation and merit are not mutually exclusive. The article deals with this issue.
Vertical Vs. Horizontal reservation
- Articles 15(4) and 16(4) enable vertical reservation based on slotting the population in terms of SC, ST, OBC, and General Category.
- But there is also a class of reservations that cuts across all these categories and are referred to as horizontal reservation.
- Horizontal reservation includes a reservation for women differently-abled persons, freedom fighters, army veterans, etc.
Specifying the relationship between horizontal and vertical reservation
- In cases like Anil Kumar Gupta v/s State of Uttar Pradesh, the Court had made it clear that horizontal reservation ought to be generally understood in compartmentalized terms:Â recognition of inequalities within each vertical category.
- Â In a particular case, candidates were excluded from competing from the General Category positions even though they have scored more, simply because they were OBC.
- However, some state governments are trying to use the open category seats as a quota for general category candidates.
- The High Courts had been giving contrary directions: Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh excluded reserved category women for consideration in the general category.
- Rajasthan and Gujarat, amongst others, included them.
- The Supreme Court, in a three-judge bench, ruled against the UP government and clarified the relationship between horizontal and vertical reservations.
Analyzing the judgment
- The judgments reiterate the principle that groups eligible for horizontal reservation cannot be excluded from the open category seats because they are from other vertically reserved category communities, like SC or OBC.
- Women from all categories are eligible to be considered for the open category.
- It also made it clear that the open category seats are not meant to be a quota for the non-reserved categories.
Merit Vs. Reservation
- The Court has often contrasted merit with reservation.
- But this has always been a mistaken view of the relationship between merit and reservation.
- In principle, reservation is an instrument for identifying merit in individuals from historically marginalized communities.
- The Court is saying that by excluding the adjustment of OBC women who had scored higher against general category seats, the UP government was ironically using the General Category to exclude meritorious candidates.
- When the Court is using the term merit, it is simply pointing out that certain selection criteria are being used.
- Such selection criteria are also within particular reserved categories: which is also a function of selection criteria, in this case, marks.
- From this point of view, even those who advocate reservation do not fully give up on the meritocratic criteria of selection â they just apply it differentially.
- What the Court was concerned with is fairness in the application of the selection criteria within the overall framework of reservation.
Conclusion
What the court is trying to say something more interesting: Members of the reserved category must be fully considered as falling under the rubric of being potentially meritorious.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Article 356
Mains level: Paper 2- Misuse of article 356
Article 356 and the word ‘otherwise’ in it has led to the recent Andhra Pradesh High Court order. The order raises several questions. The article deal with this issue.
Controversial High Court order
- Recently the Andhra Pradesh High Court directed the Andhra Pradesh government to come prepared to argue on the âbreakdown of constitutional machinery in the stateâ.
- The order opens up the possibility of use or even misuse of Article 356 by the judiciary.
- The Supreme Court of India has stayed the order.
- However, we need to go deeper into this observation and look at the controversial provision of Article 356 due to which the High Court could make such an observation.
Historical background of the article
- Both India and Pakistan borrowed this provision from the Government of India Act, 1935.
- Interestingly, the leaders of our freedom struggle were so very opposed to this provision that they forced the British government to suspend it.
- The provision which we had opposed during our freedom struggle was incorporated in the Constitution strangely in the name of democracy, federalism and stability.
- It was agreed in the Constituent Assembly that the Governor could use this emergency power.
- By this time the Governor was supposed to be elected by the people of the State rather than nominated by the Centre.
- After several revisions, provision became Article 278 (now Article 356).
The issue with the word ‘otherwise’
- H.V. Kamath criticised the word âotherwiseâ and said only god knows what âotherwiseâ means.
- As the Governor had been made a nominee of the Centre by this time, he asked why the President could not have confidence in his own nominees.
- âOtherwiseâ can include anything including a presidential dream of breakdown of constitutional machinery in a state.
- The Andhra Pradesh High Court could pass such an order due to this very term âotherwiseâ.
- This word negates the ideals of constitutionalism by giving unlimited powers to the Centre, also allowed the High Court to overstepped the line.
- But this is not the first instance of judicial overreach on this issue.
- On August 13, 1997, a Patna High Court had observed that the High Court could also report to the President about the breakdown of constitutional machinery in the State.
Repeated misuse of Article 356
- In the very first invocation of Article 356 in 1951, central government removed the Gopi Chand Bhargava ministry in Punjab though he enjoyed the majority.
- In 1959, it was used against the majority opposition government of the E.M.S. Namboodripad government in Kerala.
- Indira Gandhi used Article 356 as many as 27 times.
- The most notable case of non-use of Article 356 was the refusal of the P.V. Narasimha Rao government prior to the demolition of the Babri Masjid.
Consider the question “Examine the contest in which the word ‘otherwise’ in Article 356 leads to judiciary exercising its powers. What are the concerns in such case?”
Conclusion
Ideally, the word âotherwiseâ should be deleted from Article 356 and the provision be used only sparingly and to never remove a majority government.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Not Much
Mains level: TIbetan issue and its political recognition
The Tibet Policy and Support Act (TPSA) passed by the US Senate earlier this week, bookends a turbulent year in US-China relations.
Must read:
Tibetan Policy and Support Act (TPSA)
Do you think that Indiaâs support for the Tibetan cause is the root cause of all irritants in India-China relations?
TPSA: A backgrounder
- The TPSA is an amended version of the Tibet Policy Act of 2002, which came into existence during the Bush Administration.
- The act once signed into law would make it the official policy of the US Government to oppose any effort by the govt. of the Peopleâs Republic of China to select, educate, and venerate Tibetan Buddhist religious leaders in a manner inconsistent with Tibetan Buddhism.
- The proposed legislation will empower the US Government to impose sanctions on China who might try to interfere in the process of selecting the next incarnation of the Dalai Lama.
US and China, today
- US-China relations have become much more difficult over the last two decades, particularly worsening in the Trump Administration.
- The matters range from the pandemic to trade tariffs and its cross-world coalition-building against Chinese superpower ambitions.
- Earlier in the year, President Donald Trump signed into law the Hong Kong Autonomy Act.
Fuelled by TPSA
- Adding much fuel to the issue, the TPSA introduces stronger provisions on Tibet, plus teeth in the form of a threat of sanctions, including travel bans on Chinese officials.
The Dalai Lama
- Among the most significant amendments is that the TSPA makes it US policy to oppose attempts by Beijing to install its own Dalai Lama in a manner inconsistent with Tibetan Buddhism.
- The legislation makes reference to the Chinese governmentâs âMeasures on the Management of the Reincarnation of Living Buddhasâ in 2007.
- China had earlier insisted that the reincarnation of living Buddhas including the Dalai Lama must comply with Chinese laws and regulations.
Other provisions of TPSA
- The TPSA has introduced provisions aimed at protecting the environment of the Tibetan plateau, calling for greater international cooperation and greater involvement by Tibetans.
- Alleging that China is diverting water resources from Tibet, the TPSA also calls for a regional framework on water security, or use existing frameworks⌠to facilitate cooperative agreements among all riparian nations.
- While the 2002 Act said the US should establish a âbranch officeâ in Lhasa, the TSPA ups the ante by changing that to a âconsulateâ.
- It recognizes the Central Tibetan Administration, whose Prime Minister Lobsang Sangay takes credit for ensuring that the Senate took up the legislation for a vote.
Chinese response to TPSA
- China had earlier said the TPSA severely breached international law and basic norms governing international relations, interfered in Chinaâs internal affairs, and sent a wrong message to âTibet independenceâ forcesâ.
- After the passage of the Bill through the Senate, China said it âresolutely opposesâ the âadoption of Bills containing such ill contents on China.
Indiaâs present stance on Tibet
- If India is pleased with this latest US barb to China, it has not said so openly.
- India has mostly refrained from playing the Tibet card against China, and like the US, has a one-China policy.
- It was only this year, in the ongoing Ladakh standoff, that it used Special Forces made up almost entirely of Tibetan exiles to occupy strategic heights in Pangong Tsoâs south bank.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: BBX11 gene
Mains level: Genetics and its applications
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) have identified a gene that facilitates in the greening of plants.
It would be no surprise to expect a core Biology question in the coming years, if we look at this PYQ:
Q. Which of the following statements are correct regarding the general difference between plant cells and animal cells? (CSP 2020)
- Plant cells have cellulose cell walls whilst animal cells do not.
- Plant cells do not have plasma membrane unlike animals cells which do
- Mature plant cell has one large vacuole whilst animal cell has many small vacuoles
Select the correct answer using the given code below-
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
BBX11
- The synthesis of chlorophyll in plants is a lengthy, multi-step process.
- When a seedling emerges from under the soil it must quickly synthesize chlorophyll to start supporting its own growth.
- In order to facilitate the quick synthesis of chlorophyll, plants make a precursor of chlorophyll called âprotochlorophyllideâ in the dark, which glows red when blue light is shone on the plant.
- As soon as the plant comes out into the light from under the soil, light-dependent enzymes convert protochlorophyllide to chlorophyll.
- The two proteins oppositely regulate the âBBX11â gene to maintain optimum levels of âBBX11â.
How does it work?
- It plays a crucial role in regulating the levels of protochlorophyllide â an intermediate in the biosynthesis of the green pigment chlorophyll.
- The amount of protochlorophyllide synthesized needed to be proportional to the number of enzymes available to convert them to chlorophyll.
- If there is an excess of free protochlorophyllide, then exposure to light converts it into molecules that cause âphotobleachingâ.
- Thus, it is very important to regulate the amount of protochlorophyllide synthesized by the plant and here comes the vital plant played by the âBBX11â gene.
- If it is less, plants are unable to efficiently âgreenâ in order to harvest sunlight.
Benefits of the research
- The study could have tremendous implications in the agriculture sector in tropical countries like India and can help provide leads to optimize plant growth under stressful and rapidly changing climatic conditions.
- Due to the rapidly changing climatic conditions, farmers in several states in India, especially in Maharashtra, are suffering huge losses in crop yields.
- This often leads to severe distress among the farming community as indicated by the high number of farmer suicides in Maharashtra for the past several years.
- Severe drought, high temperature and high light are some of the major reasons for crop failure. Young seedlings emerging out of the soil are extremely sensitive to high irradiance of light.
- This study can provide leads to optimize plant growth under these stressful conditions.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Ammoni compounds and its uses
Mains level: Not Much
Two persons died and several took ill in a major ammonia gas leakage at a fertilizers unit at Prayagraj.
Try this PYQ:
Q. With reference to chemical fertilizers in India, consider the following statements:
- At present, the retail price of chemical fertilizers is market-driven and not administered by the Government.
- Ammonia, which is an input of urea, is produced from natural gas.
- Sulphur, which is a raw material for phosphoric acid fertilizer, is a by-product of all oil refineries.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 2 only
(d) 1,2 and 3
Ammonia
- Ammonia is critical in the manufacturing of fertilizers and is one of the largest-volume synthetic chemicals produced in the world.
- More than 80 per cent of ammonia made is consumed in the manufacturing of fertilizer, and most of the remainder goes into the production of formaldehyde.
- A tri-hydroid of nitrogen (NH3), ammonia is a building block for ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) that is used in agriculture as a high-nitrogen fertilizer.
Why is it harmful?
- According to experts in Chemistry, ammonia is stored for industrial use in liquid form under high pressure or in gaseous form at low temperature.
- In such cases, the cause of death is always suffocation as in the case of Prayagraj incident, the victims must have been very close to the point of a gas leak.
Effects on the human body
- Ammonia, even in moderate concentration, can cause irritation to eyes, skin, nose and throat.
- It interacts immediately upon contact with moisture present in the skin, eyes, oral cavity, and respiratory tract to form ammonium hydroxide.
- It is very caustic and disrupts the cell membrane lipids, ultimately leading to cellular destruction.
- As cell proteins break down, water is extracted, resulting in an inflammatory response that causes further damage.
Secretion in humans
- Ammonia, which is highly soluble in water, is found in soil, air, and water; it is naturally present in the body.
- It is secreted by the kidneys to neutralize excess acid.
- However, it is highly diluted when in the environment and does not affect the human body to a noticeable level.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Navratnas of Akbar
Mains level: Medieval arts and culture
This newscard is an excerpt from the original article published in The Hindu.
Try this PYQ:
Q.With reference to Mian Tansen, which one of the following statements is not correct?
(a) Tansen was the title given to him by Emperor Akbar.
(b) Tansen composed Dhrupads on Hindu gods and goddesses.
(c) Tansen composed songs on his patrons.
(d) Tansen invented many Ragas.
Who was Rahim?
- Dating back to 1598, during the rule of Akbar, Abdur Rahim Khan I Khanan was one of the Navratna in the court.
- Winning wars with his military training and hearts with his dohas and translated texts â he was a man who survived despite his father Bairam Khanâs assassination when he was just four.
- Meant to be a dedication of a husband to his wife, the tomb ended up housing his own remains too when he died in 1627.
His works
- Apart from writing various dohas, Rahim translated Babar’s memoirs, Baburnama from Chagatai language to the Persian language, which was completed in 998 (1589â90) AD.
- He had an excellent command over the Sanskrit language.
- In Sanskrit, he wrote two books on astrology, Khetakautukam and Dwatrimshadyogavali.
Why in news?
- The tomb is in a run-down situation but undergoing renovation.
- The historical and cultural significance is more than the archaeological and architectural significance, so restoring the dignity of the burial place has been very important.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Article 243X
Mains level: Paper 2- Making urban local bodies financially strong
The inability of ULBs’ to raise revenue
- Although it is envisaged that municipal revenue should be 1% of GDP, between 2010 and 2018 revenues declined from 0.48% to 0.43%.
- As against the municipal revenue of Rs 4,624 per capita, own-source revenue was only Rs 1,975 in 2018 (ICRIER, 2019).
- This affects the low-levels of municipal services and translates into salary delays for employees.
8-way strategy to increase the revenue of ULBs
1) Increasing the property tax base
- In India, property taxes only account for 0.15% of GDP, whereas in developing economies they account for 0.6% and the global average is 1.04%.
- To double the property tax collection the property tax base needs to be expanded using GIS mapping, cross-checking with building licenses, ration cards, mutations, electricity/gas accounts, and review of exemptions.
- This also needs to cover government properties as per GoI circular 2009 and the SC judgment in Rajkot Corporation vs Railways.
- Similarly, rates need revision in the guiding value for rent or unit area; for instance, in Delhi, rates are fairly low.
- The collection process needs to be automated too.
- ABC (Always best Control) analysis should be done to target the top 10-20% properties, and measures such as attaching bank accounts must be implemented.
2) Upward revision of various fees
- The value capture taxes need to include upward revision of building license fee and new sources like impact fee, as imposed in Telangana, exactions, and betterment levy like the one imposed in Gujarat.
3) Levy advertisement fee
- An advertisement fee needs to be levied.
- Thiruvananthapuram listed the sites and plugged leakages for 33,170 unauthorized boards to double its income from 2018 to 2019.
- South Delhi MC has achieved a three-time increase with revision of rates in a ratio of 1:8 as per location and by dividing the city into clusters.
4) Local fee
- Local fee/charges also have immense potential such as (i) recovery on user charges (water, etc) which is only 20% (ii) right of way from gas/electricity and fiber optic lines, (ii) cell tower, (iii) leasing electricity poles, etc.
5) Participatory funding
- The potential of participatory funding (private sector, CSR, and local community) needs to be tapped.
- This has been done by Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Mathura (Hybrid Annuity project), Indore, and Pune.
6) Special attention for assigning and activating the fiscal instrument
- Sixth, small and medium-sized municipal bodies need special attention for assigning and activating fiscal instruments.
- Better mobilization of own sources may also lead to revenue account surplus.
- This has been achieved in Ahmedabad, Pune, etc and it also enables access to the capital market.
7) Revision of Article 243X
- Article 243X needs suitable revision to allow larger inclusion of fiscal instruments above within the scope of a municipalityâs own sources.
8) Creating ULBs as per MoHUA’s advisory
- Over 3,000 census towns not having city government need special attention to create ULBs in line with MoHUAâs advisory in 2016.
- It will create an innovative and effective financing framework for sustainable urban development.
Conclusion
Financially strong local bodies hold the key to the development of the country. The steps mentioned here needs to be implemented effectively to make the ULBs financially strong.
Source:-
https://www.financialexpress.com/opinion/bolster-ulbs-capacity-to-raise-revenue/2157171/
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Mains level: Paper 2- Reforms in the Governing Council of the Central Universities
Central Universities need reforms in their Governing Councils to make them realise their potential.
Central Universities in the need of reforms
- There are 55 central universities.
- These are endowed with prime land, extensive funding from the central government and there is a long line of students waiting to get in.
- However, they are in turmoil. In recent years, six vice-chancellors (VCs) of central universities have been sacked.
- Some of these institutions have seen their glory days, yet increasingly, the energy is going out of the system.
- However, not a single new private university has so far been able to create a true broad-based Vishwa Vidyalaya with the full range of humanities, social and natural sciences, and professional disciplines.
- Therefore, to save academia in India, central universities must be saved.
Organizational structure
- Each of the 55 central universities is governed by a separate Act. but the broad structure is as follows.
- The Visitor of the university is the President of India.
- On his behalf, the Ministry of Education recommends an eminent citizen as the chancellor, whose role is mostly ceremonial.
- The Ministry also constitutes a search committee for the post of VC, which comes up with a list of 3 candidates.
- From this list, the government picks a VC.
- Separately, and through a different process, the governing council (GC) is chosen.
- The governing council (GC) of the university usually have nominees from various stakeholders, including the government, faculty, students, and citizens.
- The universityâs work is carried out by the executive council chaired by the VC, who also appoints the registrar.
- A separate finance committee is constituted, headed by a chief finance officer, who is often a civil servant on secondment to the university.
- This arrangement is designed to maintain financial checks and balances.
Issues with the governance
- The GC has no say in the selection of the VC.
- The GC typically meets only once a year and its size is usually very large.[Delhi University has 475 members]
- In theory, the VC presents and gets approval for the annual plan of the university from the GC.
- In practice, after much grandstanding on both sides, the plan is rubberstamped.
- After that, throughout the year, there is the minimal direction or monitoring from the GC, which may or may not meet again.
- There are typically no quarterly updates, and there is little oversight.
- Under the circumstances, the high number of failures should not come as a surprise, since effectively, there is minimal governance.
Comparing with provisions in IIM Bill
- The new IIM Bill very sensibly limits the GC to at most 19 members.
- They are expected to be eminent citizens, with broad social representation and an emphasis on alumni.
- This GC chooses the director, provides overall strategic direction, raises resources, and continuously monitors his or her performance.
- Within the guidelines provided by the GC, the director has full autonomy but also full accountability.
Way forward
- The governing councils of all central universities, IITs, and all other central institutions, need to be restructured by an Act of Parliament.
- The most eminent alumni of these institutions must be brought on their boards.
- The dynamism and exposure that these alumni bring to the table will promptly lead to world-class innovations.
Conclusion
To allow central universities, the IITs and other public institutions to truly blossom, we need to reform their Governance. There is no time to waste.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Provisions related to sessions of legislatures
Mains level: Paper 2- Declining number of sittings of state legislature
Recently, Governor turned down the recommendation of the Kerala government to convene the session of the state legislature. It also points to the trend of declining seating of the state legislature and issues with it.
Governor-Government conflict
- The Kerala government made a recommendation to the governor for summoning the stateâs legislature for a one-day session.
- The government wanted to discuss the situation arising out of the farmersâ protest in the legislative assembly.
- Media reports suggest that the governor turned down the government on the grounds that there is no emergent situation for which the state assembly should be called to meet at short notice.
- Earlier this year, the Rajasthan governor had rejected the recommendation of the government to call a session.
- The chief minister wanted a session of the legislature called so that he could prove his majority on the floor of the house.
Constitutional provisions
- The Constitution is clear: The government has the power to convene a session of the legislature.
- The council of ministers decides the dates and the duration of the session.
- Their decision is communicated to the governor, who is constitutionally bound to act on most matters on the aid and advice of the government.
- The governor then summons the state legislature to meet for a session.
- The refusal of a governor to do so is a matter of concern.
Declining sittings of the state legislature
- In the last 20 years, state assemblies across the country, on average, met for less than 30 days in a year.
- But states like Kerala, Odisha, Karnataka are an exception.
- The Kerala Vidhan Sabha, for example, has on average met for 50 days every year for the last 10 years.
- The trend across the country is that legislatures meet for longer budget sessions at the beginning of the year.
- Then for the rest of the year, they meet to fulfill the constitutional requirement that there should not be a gap of six months between two sessions.
Why is it a matter of concern
- Close scrutiny: Continuous and close scrutiny by legislatures is central to improving governance in the country.
- Voice to public opinion: Legislatures are arenas for debate and giving voice to public opinion.
- Accountability institutions: As accountability institutions, they are responsible for asking tough questions of the government and highlighting uncomfortable truths. So, it is in the interest of a state government to convene lesser sittings of the legislature and bypass their scrutiny.
- Prevent ordinance: Lesser number of sitting days also means that state governments are free to make laws through ordinances. And when they convene legislatures, there is little time for MLAs to scrutinize laws brought before them.
Way forward
- Convening legislatures to meet all around the year.
- In many mature democracies, a fixed calendar of sittings of legislatures, with breaks in between, is announced at the beginning of the year.
- It allows the government to plan its calendar for bringing in new laws.
- It also has the advantage of increasing the time for debate and discussion in the legislative assembly.
- And with the legislature sitting throughout the year, it gets rid of the politics surrounding the convening of sessions of a legislature.
Conclusion
Continuous and close scrutiny by legislatures is central to improving governance in the country. Increasing the number of working days for state legislatures is a first step in increasing their effectiveness.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Positive Pay System
Mains level: Positive Pay System
With the New Year, a new concept of Positive Pay System for Cheque Truncation System (CTS) will be introduced by the Banking regulator Reserve Bank of India (RBI) seeking to further augment customer safety in cheque payments.
Try this PYQ:
Q.Which of the following is the most likely consequence of implementing the âUnified Payments Interface (UPI)â?
(a) Mobile wallets will not be necessary for online payments.
(b) Digital currency will totally replace the physical currency in about two decades.
(c) FDI inflows will drastically increase.
(d) Direct transfer of subsidies to poor people will become very effective.
Positive Pay System
- The concept of Positive Pay involves a process of reconfirming key details of large-value cheques.
- Put simply, cheques will be processed for payment by the drawee bank based on information passed on by its customer at the time of issuance of the cheque.
- When the beneficiary submits the cheque for encashment, the cheque details are compared with the details provided to the drawee bank through Positive Pay.
- If the details match, the cheque is honoured. In case of mismatch in cheque details, the discrepancy is flagged by CTS to the drawee bank and the presenting bank, which would take redress measures.
For cheques above 50k
- The banks are advised to enable it for all account-holders issuing cheques for amounts of âš50,000 and above.
- While availing of this facility is at the discretion of the account-holder, banks may consider making it mandatory in case of cheques for amounts of âš5 lakh and above, the RBI had said.
Benefits of the system
- Under the Positive Pay system, the drawee bank is already aware of the issuer the details of the high-value cheque (above âš50,000) he has issued.
- Without this intimation, if a cheque gets presented, then the drawee bank can reject payment and examine the case. Positive Pay is going to benefit both the issuer and the beneficiary.
- For the issuer, the benefit from this concept is that there cannot be fraudulent cheques encashed out of issuerâs account.
- For the beneficiary, the benefit is that the cheques handed out to him will mostly get honoured.
Is Positive Pay the same as âcertified chequeâ?
- The concept of âcertified chequeâ was there long back â about 30 years back, long before technology swept across the Indian banking landscape.
- Whenever anybody issued a cheque, banks used to certify that money is there in their customerâs bank account and, therefore, the cheque will get honoured.
- This provided comfort to a beneficiary that cheque payment will get honoured and therefore did not insist on a pay order or demand draft.
- Drawee banks used to earmark the amount in the account of the issuer and then certify the cheque.
- This was adopted in an era when the cheque instrument used to travel physically for clearing.
Why need such a system?
- The RBI says the Positive Pay system is to augment customer safety in cheque payments and reduce instances of fraud occurring on account of tampering of cheque leaves.
- Banks had recently witnessed a rise in frauds involving high-value cheques.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Visva-Bharati University
Mains level: Nationalist education during freedom struggle
The Visva-Bharati University established by Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore has completed its centenary.
Do you remember the scheme of education by Gandhi Ji, called Nai Talim?
Visva-Bharati University
- The university was set up by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore in 1921 at Santiniketan, Bolpur in West Bengalâs Birbhum district.
- It was founded by Rabindranath Tagore who called it Visva-Bharati, which means the communion of the world with India.
- Until independence, it was a college. Soon after independence, the institution was given the status of a central university in 1951 by an act of the Parliament.
Its establishment
- The origins of the institution date back to 1863 when Debendranath Tagore was given a tract of land by the zamindar of Raipur, the zamindar of Kirnahar.
- He set up an ashram at the spot that has now come to be called chatim tala at the heart of the town.
- The ashram was initially called Brahmacharya Ashram, which was later renamed Brahmacharya Vidyalaya.
- It was established with a view to encouraging people from all walks of life to come to the spot and meditate.
- In 1901 his youngest son Rabindranath Tagore established a co-educational school inside the premises of the ashram.
What makes it special?
- Rabindranath Tagore believed in open-air education and had reservations about any teaching done within four walls.
- This was due to his belief that walls represent the conditioning of the mind.
- Tagore did not have a good opinion about the Western method of education introduced by the British in India; on this subject, Tagore and Gandhiji’s opinion matched.
- So he devised a new system of learning in Visva-Bharati. He allowed students to continue their course till the student and his teacher both are satisfied.
- At Visva-Bharati, if a course demanded by a student is not available, then the university will design a course and bring teachers for that course.
- The university would not be bothered by the consideration of whether there is a demand for the course.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Fastag
Mains level: RFID technology
From January 1, all lanes of National Highways will accept only electronic payments through FASTag.
Fastags work on a unique technology called RFID (Radio Frequency Identification). This has gone unnoticed in several competitive exams. Hence it is still relevant for the aspirants.
Also read
Fastags
- As per Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, since 1st December 2017, the FASTag had been made mandatory for all registered new four-wheelers and is being supplied by the Vehicle Manufacturer or their dealers.
- It has been mandated that the renewal of fitness certificate will be done only after the fitment of FASTag.
- For National Permit Vehicles, the fitment of FASTag was mandated since 1st October 2019.
What is âFASTagâ?
- FASTags are stickers that are affixed to the windscreen of vehicles and use Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to enable digital, contactless payment of tolls without having to stop at toll gates.
- The tags are linked to bank accounts and other payment methods.
- As a car crosses a toll plaza, the amount is automatically deducted, and a notification is sent to the registered mobile phone number.
How does it work?
- The device employs Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for payments directly from the prepaid or savings account linked to it.
- It is affixed on the windscreen, so the vehicle can drive through plazas without stopping.
- RFID technology is similar to that used in transport access-control systems, like Metro smart card.
- If the tag is linked to a prepaid account like a wallet or a debit/credit card, then owners need to recharge/top up the tag.
- If it is linked to a savings account, then money will get deducted automatically after the balance goes below a pre-defined threshold.
- Once a vehicle crosses the toll, the owner will get an SMS alert on the deduction. In that, it is like a prepaid e-wallet.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Tso Kar Wetland Complex
Mains level: Ramsar wetlands in India
India has added Tso Kar Wetland Complex in Ladakh as its 42nd Ramsar site, which is a second one in the Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh. With this, India now has forty-two Ramsar sites.
Try this PYQ:
In which one among the following categories of protected areas in India are local people not allowed to collect and use the biomass?
(a) Biosphere reserves
(b) National parks
(c) Wetlands declared under Ramsar convention
(d) Wildlife sanctuaries
Tso Kar Wetland Complex
- It is a high-altitude wetland complex, consisting of two principal waterbodies, Startsapuk Tso, a freshwater lake of about 438 hectares to the south, and Tso Kar itself, a hypersaline lake of 1800 hectares to the north.
- It is situated in the Changthang region of Ladakh.
- It is called Tso Kar, meaning white lake, because of the white salt efflorescence found on the margins due to the evaporation of highly saline water.
Ecological significance
- Wetlands provide a wide range of important resources and ecosystem services such as food, water, fibre, groundwater recharge, water purification, flood moderation, erosion control and climate regulation.
- They are, in fact, a major source of water and our main supply of freshwater comes from an array of wetlands which help soak rainfall and recharge groundwater.
- The Tso Kar Basin is an A1 Category Important Bird Area (IBA) as per BirdLife International and a key staging site in the Central Asian Flyway.
- The site is also one of the most important breeding areas of the Black-necked Crane (Grus nigricollis) in India.
Back2Basics: Wetlands
- A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded by water, either permanently or seasonally, where oxygen-free processes prevail.
- The primary factor that distinguishes wetlands from other landforms or water bodies is the characteristic vegetation of aquatic plants, adapted to the unique hydric soil.
- Wetlands provide a wide range of important resources and ecosystem services such as food, water, fibre, groundwater recharge, water purification, flood moderation, erosion control and climate regulation.
What is the Ramsar Convention?
- The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat is a treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of such sites.
- The convention, signed in 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar, is one of the oldest inter-governmental accords for preserving the ecological character of wetlands.
- Also known as the Convention on Wetlands, it aims to develop a global network of wetlands for the conservation of biological diversity and for sustaining human life.
- Over 170 countries are party to the Ramsar Convention and over 2,000 designated sites covering over 20 crore hectares have been recognised under it.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Caspian Sea
Mains level: Ecocides and their impact
The Caspian is actually a lake, the largest in the world and it is experiencing a devastating decline in its water level that is about to accelerate.
Note the countries bordering the Caspian Sea: Kazakhstan, Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran and Turkmenistan. Or else remember the acronym âTARIK(h)â (Hindi word for date).
You can frame a mnemonic statement of your choice. Do similarly for major lakes and inland seas. But dont let it move over TARIK pe TARIK!
Caspian Sea
- The Caspian Sea is the world’s largest inland body of water, variously classed as the world’s largest lake or a full-fledged sea.
- As an endorheic basin, it lies between Europe and Asia.
- An endorheic basin is a drainage basin that normally retains water and allows no outflow to other external bodies of water, such as rivers or oceans, but converges instead into lakes or swamps, permanent or seasonal that equilibrates through evaporation
- Its level is the product of how much water is flowing in from rivers, mostly the mighty Volga to the north, how much it rains and how much evaporates away.
- At the end of the century, the Volga and other northern rivers will still be there.
- However, a projected temperature rise of about 3â to 4â in the region will drive evaporation through the roof.
Now try this PYQ:
Q.Which of the following has/have shrunk immensely/ dried up in the recent past due to human activities?
- Aral Sea
- Black Sea
- Lake Baikal
Select the correct option using the code given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 2 only
(d) 1 and 3 only
Why in news?
- By the end of the century, the Caspian Sea will be nine metres to 18 metres lower. Thatâs a depth considerably taller than most houses.
- The Caspianâs surface is already dropping by 7 cm every year, a trend likely to increase.
- It means the lake will lose at least 25 per cent of its former size, uncovering 93,000 sq km of dry land.
- If that new land were a country, it would be the size of Portugal.
Past strides in its level
- The Caspian Sea has a history of violent rises and falls.
- In Derbent, on the Caucasus coast of Russia, submerged ancient city walls testify to how low the sea was in medieval times.
- Around 10,000 years ago, the Caspian was about 100 metres lower.
- A few thousand years before that it was about 50 metres higher than today and even over spilt into the Black Sea.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Essential Commodities Act
Mains level: Paper 2- Importance of parliamentary procedure in the passage of laws
A key lesson from the farmers’ opposition to the farm laws is that following the parliamentary procedure in the passage of legislation always pays dividend more so if the changes introduced by the legislation bring substantial changes.Â
Vested interests resulting in opposition to legislation
- There are strong indications that the new legislation is desirable and will bring in much-needed market reforms in the overregulated farm sector.
- There is no contrary evidence that the new proposals will adversely affect farmers in the long run.
- There is no justification for a minimum support price regardless of demand and supply.
- Legislation that benefits the nation but hurts vested interests will always meet with vehement opposition.
How liberalisation helps: Lessons from non-agricultural sector
- The benefits of liberalising the non-agricultural sector of the economy in 1991 established that market forces cannot be ignored.
- For the first 30 years, under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, several control orders were passed.
- Orders under ECA were passed on products such as cement and steel, and these were intended to ensure their availability at fair prices.
- The result was just the opposite: Severe shortages, a huge black market and massive corruption.
- Equally disastrous were laws relating to monopolies and industrial development.
Importance of parliamentary procedures
- At the heart of a constitutional democracy based on the Westminster model is the importance of Parliament, which is the fountainhead of all laws.
- But, Parliament includes the Opposition as well and even though a bill may be certain to become the law, it is necessary that the established procedure is followed.
- In the face of opposition to the farm laws, it is necessary that the benefits of a new law are demonstrated through debate and discussion.
- There must be empirical or other evidence that shows the deleterious economic consequences of continuing with the status quo.
- As the farm bills marked a radical departure from the existing system of selling agricultural produce, the least that could have been done was to refer them to a Select Committee.
- It is a matter of concern that fewer and fewer bills are being referred to Select Committees or even deliberated upon.
- While 71 per cent of the bills were referred to a Select Committee in the 15th Lok Sabha (2009-14), only 25 per cent were so referred in the 16th Lok Sabha (2014-19).
Way forward
- A new law can always come into force at a later date and can even be made applicable piecemeal.
- It is also possible to notify it to apply to select states or districts.
- If laws are likely to meet with opposition by vested interests, the best way to demonstrate their beneficial effects is to implement the laws in select states or districts for a year.Â
- It is worthwhile considering the implementation of a controversial law on a trial basis.
Consider the question “Describe the important role played by the Select Committee in the passage of the bill. Why the decline in the number of bills referred to the Select Committees is the matter of concern?”Â
Conclusion
The biggest lesson for the goverment is that following constitutional conventions always pays dividends â it benefits the nation and preserves the dignity of Parliament.
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