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  • Issues related to Economic growth

    Thin line between freebies and public welfare

    op-ed snap | Governance | Mains Paper 2: Government Scheme/Policies

    Context

    • ‘Revdi Culture’ (sweet) or Govt’s Basic Responsibility? What Prioritising Welfare Is Really About
    • While hearing a petition demanding the de-recognition of political parties that promise “irrational freebies” to voters, the Supreme Court recently drew attention to the substantial fiscal cost of freebies.

    What are freebies?

    • A freebie is any public policy intervention that will have a long-term impact on production as well as productivity.
    • Any public policy intervention that doesn’t support medium-term to long-term production and productivity may be termed as a freebie.
    • The term Freebies is not new; rather it is a prevalent culture in Indian politics (in the name of socialism).
    • The political parties are always trying to outdo each other in luring the Indian voters with

    Examples of freebies

    • Promise of Rs 15 lakh in our bank accounts
    • Free TV, Laptops
    • Free electricity
    • Loan waivers
    • Offering free public transport ride to all women in Delhi

    Why are such policies popular among the public?

    • Failure of economic policies: The answer lies in the utter failure of our economic policies to create decent livelihood for a vast majority of Indians.
    • Quest for decent livelihood: The already low income had to be reoriented towards spending a disproportionately higher amount on education and health, from which, the state increasingly withdrew.
    • Prevailing unemployment:  Employment surveys have shown that employment growth initially slowed down from the 1990s, and then has turned negative over the past few years.
    • Increased cost of living: Real income growth of the marginal sections has actually slowed down since 1991 reforms.
    • Increased consumerism: The poor today also spend on things which appear to be luxuries; cellphones and data-packs are two such examples which are shown as signs of India’s increased affluence.

    Thin line between freebie and public welfare

    • Using freebies to lure voters is not good.
    • Voter’s greediness may lead to a problem in choosing a good leader.
    • When we don’t have a good leader then democracy will be a mockery.

    Negative implications

    • Never ending trail: The continuity of freebies is another major disadvantage as parties keep on coming up with lucrative offers to lure more number of votes to minimize the risk of losing in the elections.
    • Burden on exchequer: People forget that such benefits are been given at the cost of exchequer and from the tax paid.
    • Ultimate loss of poors: The politicians and middlemen wipe away the benefits and the poor have to suffer as they are deprived from their share of benefits which was to be achieved out of the money.
    • Inflationary practice: Such distribution freebie commodity largely disrupts demand-supply dynamics.
    • Lethargy in population: Freebies actually have the tendency to turn the nation’s population into: Lethargy and devoid of entrepreneurship.

    Rational elements in freebies

    • Social investment: Aid to the poor is seen as a wasteful expenditure. But low interest rates for corporates to get cheap loans or the ‘sop’ of cutting corporate taxes are never criticized.
    • Socialistic policy: This attitude comes from decades of operating within the dominant discourse of market capitalism.
    • Election manifesto: Proponents of such policies would argue that poll promises are essential for voters to know what the party would do if it comes to power and have the chance to weigh options.

    Why they need to stop?

    • Winning election and good governance are two different things. The role of freebies to avail good governance is definitely questionable.
    • The social, political and economic consequences of freebies are very short-lived in nature.
    • There are many freebies and subsidies schemes available in many States but we still find starvation deaths, lack of electricity, poor education and health service.
    • Hence the sorrow of the masses of India cannot be solved by freebies or by incentives.

    Conclusion

    • There is nothing wrong in having a policy-led elaborate social security programme that seeks to help the poor get out of poverty.
    • But such a programme needs well thought out preparation and cannot be conjured up just before an election.

    Mains question

    Q. Do you think freebies are justified under the name of social security? Critically evaluate the rising freebie culture in India with its negative implications.

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  • Solar Energy – JNNSM, Solar Cities, Solar Pumps, etc.

    Solar energy & India

    op-ed snap | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Achievements Of Indians In S&T,Awareness in various sc and tech fields

     

    Context

    • Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has said that civilisation will be mostly solar-powered in the future, a world without Sun will turn into a dark ice ball as the Earth gets all of its energy from it.

    Definition of solar energy

    • Solar energy is radiant light and heat from the Sun that is harnessed using a range of technologies such as solar power to generate electricity, solar thermal energy, and solar architecture.

    India’s solar target.

    • Target: India is targeting about 500 GW by 2030, of renewable energy deployment, out of which ~280 GW is expected from solar PV. This necessitates the deployment of nearly 30 GW of solar capacity every year until 2030.
    • Commitment: Solar power is a major prong of India’s commitment to address global warming according to the terms of the Paris Agreement, as well as achieving net zero, or no net carbon emissions, by 2070.

    International solar alliance and India’s pledge

    • 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: India’s 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.
    • India’s 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.

    Some Interesting facts

    Solar power is the most abundant energy source on earth.

    Solar is the cheapest source of energy in the world.

    Solar electricity has been around since 1839.

    Solar panels can produce power without direct sunlight.

    Challenges before solar future

    • High Imports: Indian solar deployment or installation companies depend heavily on imports. It currently imports 100% of silicon wafers and around 80% of cells even at the current deployment levels.
    • Field deployment: Also, out of the 15 GW of module manufacturing capacity, only 3-4 GW of modules are technologically competitive and worthy of deployment in grid-based projects.
    • Land issue: Land, the most expensive part of solar projects, is scarce in India — and Indian industry has no choice but to move towards newer and superior technologies as part of expansion plans.
    • Lack of investment: India has hardly invested in this sector which can help the industry to try and test the technologies in a cost-effective manner.

    Way forward

    • Supportive policies and innovative technological approaches are needed for the sector to achieve its potential.
    • Indian policymakers need to plan for rooftop solar plus storage, rather than rooftop solar alone with the grid as storage (net / gross metering).
    • The declining cost of storage solutions, along with that of rooftop solar solutions, is likely to change the future of the Indian power sector.

    Conclusion

    • In the foreseeable future, one can witness a just and equitable energy order if solar energy, along with other forms of renewable energy, can be harnessed more positively.

    Mains question

    Q. Fossil fuels have a 60% share in India’s total energy mix in this context discuss solar future for India with challenges for the same.

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  • Finance Commission – Issues related to devolution of resources

    Skewed divisible pool

    op-ed snap | Polity | Mains Paper 2: Federalism

    divisible pool Context

    • The centralisation of fiscal powers in India has been blamed for the poor fiscal health of the states.

    Why in news?

    • Chief Ministers expressed their concern about dwindling State revenues in a NITI Aayog meeting chaired by the Prime Minister.
    • They sought a higher share in the divisible pool of taxes and an extension of GST compensation, both of which have long remained a bone of contention between the Union government and the States.

    Need for financial devolution

    • To strengthen democracy at grass root level with more revenue resources for better service delivery.
    • To increase accountability to people so performance can be realized as direct contact with people.

    What is divisible pool of taxes?

    • The divisible pool is that portion of gross tax revenue which is distributed between the Centre and the States. The divisible pool consists of all taxes, except surcharges and cess levied for specific purpose, net of collection charges.

    What is fiscal federalism?

    • Fiscal federalism refers to how federal, state, and local governments share funding and administrative responsibilities within our federal system. The funding for these programs comes from taxes and fees.

    Poor state of state finances

    • Stagnant revenue: Since States cannot raise tax revenue because of curtailed indirect tax rights — subsumed in GST, except for petroleum products, electricity and alcohol — the revenue has been stagnant at 6% of GDP in the past decade.
    • Distorted expenditure: While States lost their capacity to generate revenue by surrendering their rights in the wake of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, their expenditure pattern too was distorted by the Union’s intrusion, particularly through its centrally sponsored schemes.
    • Decline in share: The ability of States to finance current expenditures from their own revenues has declined from 69% in 1955-56 to less than 38% in 2019-20.
    • Stress on finance: States’ financial health had taken a turn for the worse with the implementation of the Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana, farm loan waivers, as also the slowdown in growth in 2019- 20.

    Key fact to remember

    Finance Commission keeps tax devolution for states at 41% in FY22

     

    How fiscal centralisation impacts on states?

    • Cut in the corporate tax: The recent drastic cut in corporate tax, with its adverse impact on the divisible pool, and ending GST compensation to States have had huge consequences.
    • States paying high interest rates: States are forced to pay differential interest — about 10% against 7% — by the Union for market borrowings.
    • Centrally sponsored schemes curbing autonomy: There are 131 centrally sponsored schemes, with a few dozen of them accounting for 90% of the allocation, and States required to share a part of the cost.

     

     Suggestions for strong fiscal federalism

    • Creation of federal institution: We need to create another institution in the form of a GST state secretariat that can bring together senior officers from the Centre and states in an institutional forum registered under the Society Act.
    • State Finance Commissions: should be accorded the same status as the Union Finance Commission and the 3Fs of democratic decentralization (funds, functions, and functionaries) should be implemented properly.
    • Robust GST regime: Transparency, simplification and rationalisation of GST will help states to recover soon.

    Way Forward

    • Relook on various exemptions to rationalise the taxes/levies
    • Augmentation of Tax Administration Structure
    • Technology-based Tax Administration may also be further expanded to cover even utility charges like water, street lights, sanitation charges, etc.

    Conclusion

    • It is important now to rethink the design and structure of a genuine fiscal partnership, which should not merely be a race to garner more resources, but a creative attempt to move towards a vibrant Indian value chain that can catapult India’s growth rate closer to the quest for double-digit growth.

    Mains question

    Q. Why it is important now to rethink the design and structure of a genuine fiscal partnership? Discuss this in context of Skewed divisible pool and state of fiscal federalism in India.

     

     

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  • Services Sector

    Consumerism should be replaced by minimalism

    op-ed snap | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 3: Effects Of Globalization On Indian Society,Effects Of Liberalization On The Economy, Changes In Industrial Policy and their effects on Industrial Growth

    Consumerism Context

    • The COVID-19 pandemic brought shifts in consumer behaviour. The world witnessed a shrinkage of demand. But post-pandemic recovery and suppressed consumerism is now leading to ‘revenge shopping’.

    What is consumerism?

    • Consumerism is a social and economic order that encourages the acquisition of goods and services in ever-increasing amounts.

    What is minimalism?

    • Minimalism is owning fewer possessions. It is intentionally living with only the things we really need those items that support our purpose. Removing the distraction of excess possessions to focus more on those things that matter most.

    ConsumerismWhat Is Revenge Shopping?

    • Revenge shopping occurs when a customer who previously could not get access to certain goods or services for a period of time suddenly has access. It can also occur when customers have been deprived of other events or happenings.

    ConsumerismThe symptoms of excessive consumerism

    • You buy more than you planned: if you set out with a plan of what you need to purchase but consistently come back with more than you anticipated, then you’re falling in the consumerist trap.
    • You run out of storage space for your stuff: sometimes it can’t be helped if you live in a tight area or you’re disorganised. But suppose you’re in a reasonable situation and things you bring in don’t have an allocated home. In that case, you’re likely living excessively.
    • You rely too much on return policies: returning an item is useful. Particularly if you need to test a product for the intended purpose, be it sizing for clothes or a tool for a building project. However, suppose you’re depending on returns for purchases. In that instance, you’re not sure you need it, or if you can’t afford it, then you’re probably suffering from too much consumerism.
    • You routinely seek approval for your purchases: getting feedback on purchases can be reassuring, especially if you’re indecisive. Yet, there’s a difference between picking someone’s brain before buying and looking to justify your purchase after the fact. If you’re seeking post-acquisition approval, you probably don’t need the item.
    • You mistakenly buy things you already have: not much to say here. If you’re getting things only to realise you already have it, then you’re probably deep in a consumerist cycle.
    • You buy things on credit: if you’re strategic and disciplined, you can buy things on credit cards to acquire points and benefits. However, if you’re like the majority of us, then you’re vulnerable to buying things you can’t afford.
    • You constantly go over your budget: sometimes, you miss-forecast how much you need to spend each month. But if you set a realistic budget and find that you’re still going over, then you’re probably consuming excessively.
    • You regret your purchases: the most obvious sign that you have a shopping habit is you regret things you bought. Buyer’s remorse is an overwhelming feeling and one we want to avoid.

    ConsumerismNegatives of consumerism

    • Causes more pollution: Consumerism as a system can have devastating effects on the environment.
    • A major contributor to resource depletion: The second main negative of consumerism is resource depletion.  Simply put, resource depletion refers to the idea that human beings are using up the resources on the earth as an ever increasing rate such that we will ‘deplete’ or completely use up some resources.
    • Leads companies to develop low quality products: Modern companies practice a technique called ‘planned obsolescence’. In general, planned obsolescence is best understood as products that are designed to fail. Modern companies do this to encourage consumers to repurchase a product over and over again.
    • Does not necessarily lead to increased happiness beyond a certain point: The main negative aspect of consumerism is that it does not necessarily lead to higher levels of happiness for people.
    • Global inequality: The huge rise in resource consumption in wealthier countries has led to an ever widening gap between the rich and the poor. As the age old saying goes, “the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.”

    What can we do?

    • Extend the lifespan of your things: Repairing your things is not only an effective way to reduce your consumption, but it’s also beneficial to the environment.
    • Reframe shopping as a skill: When you focus on the role the thing you’re buying will play in the overall experience instead of the experience of shopping itself, you’ll be able to shift away from a consumerist mind-set.
    • Do the deathbed test: Not to get too dark, but if you were hypothetically on your deathbed today, and you were reflecting on your life, what would be your fondest memories? The quality of our lives is generally measured by moments of “that was a good time”, not “that thing I had was awesome”.
    • Borrow or rent instead of buy: A simple method for getting your consumerism under control is to rent or borrow items instead of buying them.
    • Practice minimalism: What’s the ultimate alternative to consumerism? Minimalism. A minimalist is someone who naturally rejects consumerism and sees value in having fewer things over more things. Minimalism is a powerful philosophy that impacts how you view material things, your relationships, commitments, and digital inventory.

    Conclusion:

    • The M.K. Gandhi once said: “The Earth provides-enough to satisfy everyone’s needs but not any one’s greed.” We shall find that Gandhian call to curtailment of wants is relevant in the rapidly depleting natural resources, bio-diversity and eco-system and its contemporary relevance

    Mains question

    Q. What do you understand by the term consumerism? Discuss importance of minimalism as there is rise in revenge shopping in post covid19 era.

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  • Wildlife Conservation Efforts

    Species in news: Peninsular Rock Agama (Psammophilus dorsalis)

    Prelims Only | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Eia

    A study carried out by researchers from Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, undertook to characterise urbanisation in the region and also to understand where the rock agama reside in and around Bengaluru specifically.

    Why in news?

    • The study examined several environmental factors that could affect the presence of the lizard and revealed that they are found mainly in rocky places and warm spots.
    • Thus, the inference is that conservation efforts must point towards retaining rocky patches even while reviving landscapes by planting trees.

    Peninsular Rock Agama

    • The Peninsular Rock Agama (Psammophilus dorsalis) is a type of garden lizard has a strong presence in southern India.
    • This lizard is a large animal, strikingly coloured in orange and black.
    • They do not generate their own body heat, so they need to seek warmth from external sources like a warm rock or a sunny spot on the wall.
    • They are important in ecology from different aspects — they can indicate which parts of the city are warming, and their numbers show how the food web is changing.
    • Habitat loss and other such features of urbanisation have affected the presence of the animal in urban centres.

    Why study them?

    • Insects are critical components of a healthy ecosystem as they provide so many services, including pollination.
    • So, while rock agamas are interesting in themselves, they are also a good model system to understand other aspects of the ecosystem.
    • In cities such as Bengaluru, there is a lot of flora and fauna that is rapidly disappearing.
    • The rock agama is one such species which is dependent on rocky scrub habitats which are being converted into buildings and plantations.

     

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  • Foreign Policy Watch: India-Pakistan

    Pakistan’s Flip-Flop on Trade with India

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

    Pakistan’s Finance Minister has stated that the government may consider importing vegetables and other edible items from India following the destruction of standing crops due to the massive floods in the region.

    Why in news?

    • This statement comes after three years when Islamabad downgraded trade ties with New Delhi over the abrogation of Article 370 in Kashmir in 2019.
    • The fundamentalist country sees ties with India as against the spirit of religion and betrayal to the so-called Kashmir cause.

    A U-turn by Pakistan

    • Pakistan’s double U-turn on resuming trade with India highlights the internal differences within the country.
    • There are huge differences between business and political communities, and the emphasis on politics over economy and trade.
    • It also signifies Pakistan cabinet’s grandstanding, linking normalisation of ties with India to Jammu and Kashmir.

    What is the news?

    • Pakistan has sought to import only three items from India, namely cotton, yarn and sugar.
    • It has no consensus on resuming bilateral trade completely.
    • This is based on Pakistan’s immediate economic needs and not designed as a political confidence-building measure to normalise relations with India.

    What changed Pakistan’s mind?

    (1) Decline of Textile sector

    • For the textile and sugar industries in Pakistan, importing from India is imperative, practical and is the most economic.
    • Yarn, cotton cloth, knitwear, bedwear and readymade garments form the core of Pakistan’s textile basket in the export sector.
    • By February 2020, there was a steep decline in the textile sector due to disruptions in supply and domestic production.
    • This is definitely due to dumping of cheap Chinese goods.
    • When compared to the last fiscal year (2019-20), there has been a 30% decline (2020-21) in cotton production.

    Do you know?

    Pakistan is the fifth-largest exporter of cotton globally, and the cotton-related products (raw and value-added) earn close to half of the country’s foreign exchange.

    (2) Crisis in the sugar industry

    • When compared to cotton, the sugar industry’s problem stem from different issues — the availability for local consumption and the steep price increase.
    • The sugar industry has prioritised exports over local distribution.
    • Increased government subsidy and a few related administrative decisions resulted in the sugar industry attempting to make a considerable profit by exporting it.
    • As a result, importing sugar from India would be cheaper for the consumer market in Pakistan.

    In a nutshell

    • Clearly, the crises in cotton and sugar industries played a role in the ECC’s decision to import cotton, yarn and sugar from India.
    • It would not only be cheaper but also help Pakistan’s exports.
    • This is also imperative for Pakistan to earn foreign exchange.

    Why all these have made headlines these days?

    • Pakistan is closer to bankruptcy like any other Chinese vassal state.
    • The second takeaway from the two U-turns — is the supremacy of politics over trade and economy, even if the latter is beneficial to the importing country.
    • For the cabinet, the interests of its own business community and its export potential have become secondary.
    • However, Pakistan need not be singled out; this is a curse in South Asia, where politics play supreme over trade and economy.
    • The meagre percentage of intra-South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) trade and the success (or the failure) of SAARC engaging in bilateral or regional trade would underline the above.
    • Trade is unlikely to triumph over politics in South Asia; especially in India-Pakistan relations.

    The Kashmir link

    • The third takeaway is the emphasis on Jammu and Kashmir by Pakistan to make any meaningful start in bilateral relations.
    • This goes against what it has been telling the rest of the world that India should begin dialogue with Pakistan.
    • Recently, both Pakistan’s PM and the Chief of Army Staff, Qamar Javed Bajwa, were on record stating the need to build peace in the region.
    • Bajwa even talked about “burying the past” and moving forward.
    • There were also reports that Pakistan agreeing to re-establish the ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) was a part of this new strategy.

    Conclusion

    • The latest statement by Pakistan’s cabinet that unless India revokes the 2019 decision in Jammu and Kashmir, there would be no forward movement.
    • This position also hints at Pakistan’s precondition to engage with India.
    • Pakistan has been saying that the onus is on India to normalise the process.
    • Perhaps, it is New Delhi’s turn to tell Islamabad that it is willing, but without any preconditions, and start with trade.
    • It may even allow New Delhi to inform Pakistan’s stakeholders about who is willing to trade and who is reluctant.

     

     

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  • International Space Agencies – Missions and Discoveries

    What is Artemis 1 Mission?

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

    NASA’s Artemis 1 mission has sought unexpected delay due to fuel leakages issue.

    What is the Artemis I Mission?

    • NASA’s Artemis mission is touted as the next generation of lunar exploration, and is named after the twin sister of Apollo from Greek mythology.
    • Artemis is also the goddess of the moon.
    • Artemis I is the first of NASA’s deep space exploration systems.
    • It is an uncrewed space mission where the spacecraft will launch on SLS — the most powerful rocket in the world — and travel 2,80,000 miles from the earth for over four to six weeks during the course of the mission.
    • The Orion spacecraft is going to remain in space without docking to a space station, longer than any ship for astronauts has ever done before.
    • The SLS rocket has been designed for space missions beyond the low-earth orbit and can carry crew or cargo to the moon and beyond.

    Key objectives of the mission

    • With the Artemis Mission, NASA aims to land humans on the moon by 2024, and it also plans to land the first woman and first person of colour on the moon.
    • With this mission, NASA aims to contribute to scientific discovery and economic benefits and inspire a new generation of explorers.
    • NASA will establish an Artemis Base Camp on the surface and a gateway in the lunar orbit to aid exploration by robots and astronauts.
    • The gateway is a critical component of NASA’s sustainable lunar operations and will serve as a multi-purpose outpost orbiting the moon.

    Other agencies involved

    • Other space agencies are also involved in the Artemis programme.
    • The Canadian Space Agency has committed to providing advanced robotics for the gateway.
    • The European Space Agency will provide the International Habitat and the ESPRIT module, which will deliver additional communications capabilities among other things.
    • The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency plans to contribute habitation components and logistics resupply.

     

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  • Judicial Reforms

    Jurisprudence of Bail in India

    Explained | Polity | Mains Paper 2: Executive & Judiciary

    What is Bail?

    • Bail is the conditional release of a defendant with the promise to appear in court when required.
    • The term also means the security that is deposited in order to secure the release of the accused.

    Types of Bail in India

    • Depending upon the sage of the criminal matter, there are commonly three types of bail in India:
    1. Regular bail: A regular bail is generally granted to a person who has been arrested or is in police custody. A bail application can be filed for the regular bail under section 437 and 439 of CrPC.
    2. Interim bail: This type of bail is granted for a short period of time and it is granted before the hearing for the grant of regular bail or anticipatory bail.
    3. Anticipatory bail: Anticipatory bail is granted under section 438 of CrPC either by session court or High Court. An application for the grant of anticipatory bail can be filed by the person who discerns that he may be arrested by the police for a non-bailable offense.

    Conditions for Grant of Bail in Bailable Offences

    • Section 436 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, lays down that a person accused of a bailable offense under IPC can be granted bail if:
    1. There are sufficient reasons to believe that the accused has not committed the offence.
    2. There is sufficient reason to conduct a further inquiry in the matter.
    3. The person is not accused of any offence punishable with death, life imprisonment or imprisonment up to 10 years.

    Conditions for Grant of Bail in Non-Bailable Offences

    • Section 437 of Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 lays down that the accused does not have the right to apply for bail in non-bailable offences.
    • It is discretion of the court to grant bail in case of non-bailable offences if:
    1. The accused is a woman or a child, bail can be granted in a non-bailable offence.
    2. There is a lack of evidence then bail in non-Bailable offenses can be granted.
    3. There is a delay in lodging FIR by the complainant, bail may be granted.
    4. The accused is gravely sick.

    What is the recent ruling about?

    • The Supreme Court underlined that arrest is a draconian measure that needs to be used sparingly.
    • The ruling is essentially a reiteration of several crucial principles of criminal procedure.

    Why bail needs reform?

    • Huge pendency of undertrials: Referring to the state of jails in the country, where over two-thirds lodged are undertrials,
    • Indiscriminate arrests: Of this category of prisoners, majority may not even be required to be arrested despite registration of a cognizable offense, being charged with offenses punishable for seven years or less.
    • Disadvantageous for some sections: They are not only poor and illiterate but also would include women. Thus, there is a culture of offense being inherited by many of them.
    • Colonial legacy: Theoretically, the court also linked the idea of indiscriminate arrests to magistrates ignoring the rule of “bail, not jail” to a colonial mindset.

    What is the law on bail?

    • The CrPC does not define the word bail but only categories offences under the Indian Penal Code as ‘bailable’ and ‘non-bailable’.
    • The CrPC empowers magistrates to grant bail for bailable offences as a matter of right.
    • This would involve release on furnishing a bail bond, without or without security.

    And what is the UK law?

    • The Bail Act of the United Kingdom, 1976, prescribes the procedure for granting bail.
    • A key feature is that one of the aims of the legislation is “reducing the size of the inmate population”.
    • The law also has provisions for ensuring legal aid for defendants.
    • The Act recognises a “general right” to be granted bail.

    What has the Supreme Court held on reforms?

    The court’s ruling is in the form of guidelines, and it also draws the line on certain procedural issues for the police and judiciary:

    • Separate law on Bail: The court underlined that the CrPC, despite amendments since Independence, largely retains its original structure as drafted by a colonial power over its subjects.
    • Uniform exercise of discretionary powers: It also highlighted that magistrates do not necessarily
    • Avoid indiscriminate arrests: The SC also directed all state governments and Union Territories to facilitate standing orders to comply with the orders and avoid indiscriminate arrests.

     

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

    Fiscal prudence

    op-ed snap | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Indian Economy

    Fiscal prudenceContext

    • The Central government’s alarm has been on the mounting debt burden and the deteriorating fiscal situation in some States due to diversion in fiscal prudence.
    • As both the Union government and States are expected to work closely in a co-operative federal structure, frictions arising out of these exchanges might have repercussions on both resource sharing and expenditure prioritisation.

    What is India’s fiscal federalism?

    • Fiscal federalism refers to the financial relations between the country’s federal government system and other units of government.
    • It refers to how federal, state, and local governments share funding and administrative responsibilities within our federal system.

    Three issues in India’s fiscal federalism                   

    • First: are a set of issues related to Goods and Services Tax (GST) such as the rate structure, inclusion and exclusion of commodities, revenue sharing from GST and associated compensation.
    • Second: State-level expenditure patterns especially related to the welfare schemes of States.
    • Third: the conception and the implementation of central schemes.

    Fiscal prudenceMeaning of fiscal prudence

    • Fiscal prudence is defined as the ability of a government to sustain smooth monetary operation and long-standing fiscal condition.

    Where should state government spend the borrowed money?

    • Fundamental infrastructure: Ideally, governments should use borrowed money to invest in physical and social infrastructure that will generate higher growth, and thereby higher revenues in the future so that the debt pays for itself.
    • Targeted expenditure only: On the other hand, if governments spend the loan money on populist giveaways that generate no additional revenue, the growing debt burden will eventually implode.

    Fiscal prudenceWhy there is a need for Fiscal Council?

    • Institutionalizing fiscal practices: With a complex polity and manifold development challenges, India need institutional mechanisms for fiscal prudence.
    • Transparency: An independent fiscal council can bring about much needed transparency and accountability in fiscal processes across the federal polity.
    • Fiscal prudence: International experience suggests that a fiscal council improves the quality of debate on public finance, and that, in turn, helps build public opinion favourable to fiscal discipline.

    What does fiscal consolidation mean?

    • Fiscal consolidation is defined as concrete policies aimed at reducing government deficits and debt accumulation.

    Why fiscal consolidation is needed?

    • Fiscal expansion financed through debt and the resultant debt accumulation have important impacts on the economy both in the short run as well as in the long run.

    How to achieve fiscal consolidation?

    • Better targeting of government subsidies and extending Direct Benefit Transfer scheme for more subsidies
    • Improved tax revenue realization For this, increasing efficiency of tax administration by reducing tax avoidance, eliminating tax evasion, enhancing tax compliance etc. are to be made.
    • Enhancing tax GDP ratio by widening the tax base and minimizing tax concessions and exemptions also improves tax revenues.

    Suggestions

    • Amend FRBM Act for complete disclosure: First, the FRBM Acts of the Centre as well as States need to be amended to enforce a more complete disclosure of the liabilities on their exchequers.
    • Centre should impose conditionalities: Under the Constitution, States are required to take the Centre’s permission when they borrow. The Centre should not hesitate to impose conditionalities on wayward States when it accords such permission.
    • Use of financial emergency provision: There is a provision in the Constitution of India which allows the President to declare a financial emergency in any State if s/he is satisfied that financial stability is threatened.
    • Course correction by the Centre: The Centre itself has not been a beacon of virtue when it comes to fiscal responsibility and transparency. It should complete that task in order to command the moral authority to enforce good fiscal behaviour on the part of States.

    Conclusion

    • Fiscal correction at the State level is important. While there exists a need for raising additional resources at the sub-national levels, expenditure prioritisation has to be carried out diligently. The Centre, too, on its part needs to demonstrate commitment to fiscal discipline by sticking to announced fiscal glide path to ensure the sustainability of a frictionless cooperative federal structure.

    Mains question

    Q. Why Fiscal correction at the State level is important? Why fiscal consolidation is needed? Write in context frictionless cooperative fiscal federal structure.

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  • Innovation Ecosystem in India

    Scientific temper

    op-ed snap | Science Tech | Mains Paper 3: Achievements Of Indians In S&T

    Context

    • India has not produced any Nobel Prize winner in science in the last 85 years — largely because of the lack of a scientific environment in the country.

    What is scientific temper?

    • Jawaharlal Nehru coined the term ‘scientific temper’; he defines it as an attitude of logical and rational thinking. An individual is considered to have scientific temper if she employs the scientific method when making decisions.

    Why it is important?

    • Scientific temper is very important for bringing forth a progressive society. It is free from superstitions. Irrational practices in developing the nation are in all aspects like political, economic and social.

    Its components

    • The vital parts of scientific temper are discussion, argument, and analysis. Various elements like fairness, equality, and democracy. The most important characteristic of a scientific temper is: – untiring search for truth with an open mind and spirit of inquiry.

    Constitutional mandate of scientific temper

    • In 1976, the Government of India reemphasised its commitment to cultivate scientific temper through a constitutional amendment (Article 51A).
    • Article 51A in the 42nd Amendment of the Constitution in 1976 says “It shall be the duty of every citizen of Indian to develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of enquiry and reform.”

    Importance of scientific temper in nation building

    • Formation of public policy: Scientific temperament can become a part of the policy formation and plan through analyzing the performance of our nations, especially all the hardships and shortfalls that occurred in the past years.
    • Self -Reliance: There is a relationship between scientific temperament and becoming self-reliant. Our country is becoming self-reliant with the available technology and industrial infrastructure.
    • Quality education: It will help the children to assimilate the knowledge acquired through the practical observations in a scientific framework; thus, laying down a basis for the growth of a scientific perspective in the children.

    scientific temperChallenges before scientific temper

    • Political unwillingness: Most of the policymakers and the politicians to increase their vote banks include the stagnant ideologies and beliefs of the people in their public policies, and the government tends to give away in the popular public opinion rather than try to improve their thinking by including a more scientific approach to the various societal problems.
    • Prevalent orthodoxy: In India, people still have an orthodox ideology and will not adhere to the scientifically obtained solutions.
    • Low budget: Even after seventy years of independence, Indian Scientists are working on tight budgets, and they don’t have resources like other nations for conducting scientific research.
    • Pseudoscience: Pseudoscience is everywhere, whether in denying the science of climate change or the evolution theory that explains the secret of diversity that we see around us.

    Value addition / case study / Innovation

    An IIT Kanpur alumni Mr.Arvind Gupta tries to inculcate a spirit of inquiry among children through toys made from inexpensive everyday items.


    What can be done?

    • Directional efforts: Activities focused on school children can be undertaken like nature walks, visit to museums etc. ‘Science Express’, a collaborative effort of Ministry of railways and Ministry of Environment & Forests & Climate Change, is a progressive step because it provides a platform that can expose children and common people in far-flung areas of the country to scientific aspects of our everday life.
    • Policy initiatives: Children’s Science Congress organized by National Council for Science & Technology Communication (NCSTC) is a good way to encourage scientific temper in children.
    • Public initiative: Civil Society organizations like, Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad (KSSP) and Delhi Science Forum, which are People’s Science Movement, can also go a long way in boosting scientific temper amongst the community.
    • From Sensationalism to Sensible Science Journalism:The media must monitor the content to discourage and limit superstition and blind belief.
    • Scientific journalism: Science communicators do the critical job of bridging the gap between science, society, and policymakers. Science journalism should be promoted at the university level. Science agencies should fund science communication activities in their domains.
    • From Exclusive to Inclusive Science: Inequitable participation concerning gender and social diversity must be eliminated. The ‘open source science’ or ‘open science’ movement includes, at the core, open access, open data, open-source, and available standards that offer unfettered dissemination of scientific discourse.
    • Open science: Government has a significant role in facilitating open science and promoting and preserving a free-thinking, open-minded society.

    Conclusion

    • Let’s hope that someday all cultures free themselves from the shackles of blind faith  with science likely to play a major hand in this endeavour. Unto a similar goal, we should celebrate India’s constitutional provision for the scientific temper and vigorously safeguard it.

    Mains question

    Q. The shrinking space for scientific temper in India today is worrisome for some reasons. Do you think so? Identify these reasons and suggest way forward for scientific future of India.

    Discuss the importance of scientific temper, what kind of public culture is needed to advance it? 10 Marks

    Q.4 Explain why superstitious beliefs and practices abound in India. In this context, discuss the importance of inculcating scientific temper to remove superstitions. (10 Marks)

     

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