Swedish defense major SAAB announced plans to manufacture its Carl-Gustaf M4 weapon system in India.
What is the Carl-Gustaf M4?
The Carl-Gustaf recoilless rifle is a man-portable, multi-role weapon system that allows dismounted soldiers to effectively deal with multiple challenges on the modern battlefield.
A proven performer in battle, the Carl-Gustaf M4 is said to be adaptable and flexible.
The Indian Army has been using the iconic Carl-Gustaf since 1976 and currently operates the Mk2 and Mk3 versions.
Key features of Carl-Gustaf M4
Lightweight, robust, reliable, effective and easy to use
Tactical flexibility through a wide range of ammunition
Combat proven system
Ammunition: Anti-armour, anti-structure, anti-personnel, support
Why in news?
In recent years, the Indian government has taken several steps to boost the defense manufacturing sector under the ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has launched a massive nationwide search operation in connection with anti-terror activities linked to the Popular Front of India-PFI for alleged terror links.
The PFI has been alleged with a possible connection to terror activities in the country and organized crimes such as money laundering, terror funding, etc.
In this context, in this edition of the burning issue, we will discuss the connection between terror and organized crimes, its consequences, and the way forward.
What are organized crimes?
Organized crime is a continuing criminal enterprise that rationally works to profit from illicit activities that are often in great public demand.
While organized crime is generally thought of as a form of illegal business, some criminal organizations, such as terrorist groups, rebel forces, and separatists, are politically motivated.
Organized crime is considered to be a changing and flexible phenomenon. Many of the benefits of globalization such as easier and faster communication, movement of finances and international travel, have also created opportunities for transnational organized criminal groups to flourish, diversify and expand their activities.
Types of Organized Crime
Types of organized crime can exist in a wide range of types. Among the most popular types of organized crime are:
Money laundering– It is a way by which illegal money earned from sources such as drug trafficking, human trafficking, etc. are diverted to create an impression that such money comes from a legitimate source. Many criminals are engaged in this profession where they help people with an illegal income to convert it into a legitimate income.
Smuggling– Naturally, the goods which are illegal in the territory of India or heavily taxed are smuggled to continue their trade or maintain profits. With a change in fiscal policy, the definition of smuggled goods varies but it is mostly items such as contraband substances, valuable jewels, electronics, certain fabrics, etc. which are smuggled in India.
Drug trafficking– Drug trafficking is another major crime that poses a threat to the younger population of India, considering its drastic effects on physical and mental health. It is usually considered that the most important reason for the high rate of drug trafficking is the geographical condition of India. It is located between the Golden Triangle (Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos) in the northeast and Golden Crescent (Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran) in the northwest- both of which are the two largest sources of illicit drugs in Asia. Resultantly, this form of organized crime has become more prevalent and significant in the country.
Human trafficking– Human trafficking is one of the most significant and heinous organized crimes. This involves women trafficking, child trafficking, trading in sex workers, etc. A book titled “Indian Mafia” by S.K. Ghosh has revealed that there are more than twenty-five lakh prostitutes in the country.
Contract killings and kidnapping– Contract killings mean murdering someone for money on a contractual basis. This is usually prevalent among the highly influential and public personalities who are being murdered by their enemies/competitors through some other criminal for ransom. Similarly, kidnapping incidents are also prevalent wherein people pay a certain sum of money to get someone kidnapped or these criminals ask someone for a ransom. The recent murder of a Punjabi singer is a case of contract killing.
Weapons Trafficking- Criminal networks and illicit arms dealers also play important roles in the black markets from which terrorists and drug traffickers procure some of their weapons. According to the head of UNODC, these “illicit arms fuel the violence that undermines security, development and justice” worldwide.
Cybercrime. Organized crime networks are increasingly involved in cybercrime, which costs consumers billions of dollars annually, threatens sensitive corporate and government computer networks, and undermines worldwide confidence in the international financial systems such as banking, stock markets, e-currency, and value and credit card services
Links with terrorism
Terrorists can benefit from organized crime as a source of financing or logistical support through the illicit trafficking of arms, persons, drugs, artifacts and cultural property.
Conceptually, terrorism does not fall in the category of organized crime, as the dominant motive behind terrorism is political and/or ideological and not the acquisition of money-power.
Terrorist groups, whether indigenous or sponsored by outside states, need arms and money for their fight against the security forces. Organized crime conglomerates need clientele and couriers who can smuggle drugs, arms and human beings across the countries and regions.
If we look at some of the regions in the country affected by terrorism, this linkage becomes apparent. In the Northeast, extortion is the fundamental basis for funding all forms of terrorism. In addition to this, kidnapping has been used extensively for spreading terror and raising funds. Human trafficking, drug trafficking and gun running are some of the other criminal activities that have been common in these areas.
In J&K, the counterfeit currency has been a major source of funding for terrorism. Money laundering plays a significant role. Hawala (money laundering) transactions take place swiftly and effectively in Kashmir. Besides, it is also believed that the ISI uses drug money to fund militant activities in Kashmir.
In the Maoist terror movements, extortion is yet again a common phenomenon. They have also indulged in robberies of banks to fund their movement. There have also been reports of cuts being enforced on drug-yielding crops in the region.
The Indian Mujahideen have also resorted to crime to raise funds. This includes robberies, kidnappings, etc.
There are also several insurgent groups that over a period of time have morphed into crime syndicates.
What began as an ideological movement is now merely a means of generating profit. This is especially the case with insurgent groups in Northeast India.
Implications
Promote Violence- as evident from recent violence in Kerala by PFI activists after the NIA crackdown and also the Red Fort violence in Delhi by the ‘Sikh for Justice’ organization.
Weakening of governments– as these organization tries to undermine the government by creating hatred towards national governments, and other communities and thus weakening the democratic institutions.
Damages economy– Organized crimes cause significant damage to the world financial system through its subversion, exploitation, and distortion of legitimate markets and economic activity. These activities can lead to disruption of the global supply chain and impacts the ability of industry and transportation sectors to be resilient in the face of such disruption.
Supporting terrorists– Terrorists and insurgents increasingly are turning to organized crimes to generate funding and acquire logistical support to carry out their violent acts.
Increase in local crimes and create an atmosphere of fear– The expansion of organized crimes has a spillover effect and increases the number of local crimes in the area, political corruption formation of unholy nexuses, etc. which ultimately leads to poor social security and law and order situation.
Social challenges– organized crimes are also used to fund organizations that promote radicalization of youth, and anger against government thus creating social tensions and rupturing the social fabric of the nation.
Why is PFI under crackdown?
(1) Links to terror outfits
Many volunteers of PFI are allegedly involved in terror funding, organizing training camps, and radicalizing people to join proscribed organizations.
It has been involved in carrying out social and Islamic religious work among Muslims on the lines of the work done by right-wing groups.
The PFI does not maintain records of its members, and it has been difficult for law enforcement agencies to pin crimes on the organization after making arrests.
(2) Promoting Radicalization
The outfit is hostile to the consolidation across the country and the rise of a single non-secular party as the nation’s pre-eminent political and ideological force.
The post-2014 political landscape and the self-alienation of minorities have further pushed sections of the community towards groups like the PFI.
The outfit is also said to have a large number of supporters in Gulf countries who contribute handsomely to its kitty, something which is under the scanner of investigating agencies for hawala and money laundering.
(3) Hostility against state mechanism
Starting as an organization primarily rooted in Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, the PFI has spread its wings far and wide, with a presence in at least 18 states.
It has found particularly fertile ground in parts of Uttar Pradesh and Assam.
Authorities have accused the outfit of instigating and funding protests against the CAA and the National Register of Citizens.
(4) Barbarism in the name of religion
The PFI has had the most visible presence in Kerala, where it has been repeatedly accused of murder, rioting, intimidation, and having links with terrorist organizations.
The Kerala government affidavit said PFI activists were involved in 27 cases of MURDER, mostly of CPM and RSS cadres, and that the motives were highly communal.
Laws to counter organized crimes in India
FEMA (Foreign Exchange Management Act) 2000- aims to consolidate and amend the law relating to foreign exchange to facilitate external trade and payments and for promoting the orderly development and maintenance of the foreign exchange market in India. It also helps in keeping an eye on the flow of foreign contributions to domestic organizations and keeping a check on its illicit use.
PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) 2002- The PMLA seeks to combat money laundering in India and has objectives such as preventing and controlling money laundering, Confiscating and seizing the property obtained from the laundered money and dealing with any other issue connected with money laundering in India.
UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act) 1967- The act is an Indian law aimed at the prevention of unlawful activities of associations and individuals in India. Its main objective was to make powers available for dealing with activities directed against the integrity and sovereignty of India.
National Security Act, 1980- There are various preventive laws existent in India which apply to organized crimes, explicitly and implicitly.
Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1988- It is another preventive law enacted to control the actions of people engaged in the illicit trafficking of drugs and other narcotic substances.
International efforts to curb organized terrorism
UNSC resolution 2482- In 2019, the Security Council adopted resolution 2482, which urged Member States to address the links between terrorism and organized crime, by adopting policy measures. Great strides have been made to better understand the linkages between terrorists and organized criminal groups owing to the adoption of Resolution 2482
United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime– (UNTOC, often known as the Palermo Convention) is a multinational treaty against transnational organized crime that was established by the United Nations in 2000. The convention recognizes the threat that organized crime poses to security, sovereignty, human rights, and development.
Challenges in tackling organized crimes
Law-making and enforcement- There is no central legislation specifically governing organized crime in India. Different organized crimes are dealt with under different laws and with weak enforcement.
Slow trials– Though these organized criminals are tried under different laws, the whole process of trials is very slow and there is a very low conviction rate because in most of the cases, for such a long period, the witnesses deny to come out of fear and in some cases, the pieces of evidence are lost. For example, the conviction rate under UAPA law is just 1%.
Obtaining proof- As mentioned earlier, most of the witnesses deny coming out of fear, so even if they are arrested, they are later acquitted because of insufficient evidence and longevity of time.
Lack of resources- A major part of the country is still unorganized and the lack of proper resources and technology become an obstacle in way of curbing organized crime. The lower-ranked police officers are not given sufficient powers and a statement before them is not admissible evidence. Further, these officers do not have sufficient equipment to tap these criminals.
Lack of federal agency- Since there is no central or federal agency controlling these activities, every state has its way of functioning. These criminals do not stay for long in one place and keep migrating now and then. In such cases, due to lack of coordination, it becomes difficult and sometimes, impossible to catch them.
Use of new technologies- organized crime criminals have started using the latest technologies such as darknet, blockchain and cryptocurrencies to operate their networks which have further reduced several state police’s abilities to tackle such crimes as they are already having a state crunch.
Way forward
Strengthening global response- all the countries must come together and globally respond to organized crimes. INTERPOL could play an important role in it by playing the role of a global coordinating organization.
Inter-state coordination- should be promoted among state police as the nature of these crimes is transboundary. It would help in taking faster and more effective actions against criminals.
Introduce hi-tech software to track organized crime- since criminals are using the latest technologies to carry out their work, police also need hi-tech software to counter them. E.g CCTNS and Kerala police’s Cyberdome.
Having a dedicated law- Specific laws are required and the executive needs to be empowered to take steps accordingly. Moreover, the enforcement should also be stringent failing which, the whole object of enacting such a law would defeat.
Conclusion
From the above, it is clear that organized crimes have a multitude of effects and if not contained well might threaten the security and integrity of India.
Thus, it is imperative to deal with all organized crimes holistically by promoting coordination among states and nations and capacity building of state law enforcement institutions, finally leading to the achievement of national security in its largest sense.
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“To other Country, I may go as a tourist. But to India I come as a pilgrim”, the words of Martin Luther King says a lot about India’s wisdom and tourism potential.
Context
The three-day National Conference of State Tourism Minister was held at Dharamshala , a first of its kind meeting aimed to discuss, debate and deliberate on modes and mechanisms to develop tourism in India .
The three-day National Conference concluded with the adoption of “Dharamshala Declaration” which affirms commitment toward developing “sustainable and responsible tourism” and positions India as a “global leader in the tourism sector by 2047”.
What is tourism?
Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours.
Types of tourism
Domestic tourism: Refers to activities of a visitor within their country of residence and outside of their home (e.g. a Indian visiting other parts of India)
Inbound tourism: Refers to the activities of a visitor from outside of country of residence (e.g. a Spaniard visiting Britain).
Outbound tourism: Refers to the activities of a resident visitor outside of their country of residence (e.g. an Indian visiting an overseas country).
What does sustainable tourism mean?
Sustainable tourism is defined by the UN Environment Program and UN World Tourism Organization as “tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities.”
What is the main importance of tourism?
Tourism boosts the revenue of the economy, creates thousands of jobs, develops the infrastructures of a country, and plants a sense of cultural exchange between foreigners and citizens.
Why tourism is needed?
Tourism is not a fad. It is a compulsion driven by the urge to discover new places. Because we have this compulsion to venture into the unknown, we need each other. When humans travel, meet and exchange ideas, civilization flourishes.
What is “The Dharamshala Declaration” is all about?
Aim of the declaration: The Dharamshala Declaration aims to recognise India’s role in contributing towards global tourism as well as focusing on recovery by also promoting domestic tourism.
Action plan: In the declaration, the Tourism Ministry has come up with a with a action plan to encourage more Indians to travel domestically and explore India’s natural, cultural, and spiritual beauty while simultaneously reaching the goal of an ‘Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat’ (interaction and mutual understanding).
Strategy: The Tourism Ministry has also been working with the Ministry of External Affairs to identify 20 Indian missions abroad with the highest tourist footfalls to India and build country-specific strategies to attract foreign tourists.
Plan according to G-20: The Dharamshala Declaration affirms the plan to position India as a major tourism destination during its presidency of G-20 next year. India’s age-old dictum of ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ will come to the fore as it welcomes delegates from the 20 countries/European Union.
Necessary steps: The Ministry of Tourism also plans to work with other Ministries to bring in necessary interventions such as visa reforms, ease of travel, travel-friendly and improved immigration facilities at airports.
National Tourism policy: Drafted with a holistic vision and strategy to revive India’s tourism and targets to contribute USD 1 trillion to the GDP by 2047.
Draft on National Tourism Policy 2022 aims at improving the framework conditions for tourism development in the country.
Supporting tourism industries, strengthening tourism support functions and developing tourism sub-sectors.
Impetus to digitalisation, innovation and technology through the National Digital Tourism Mission and skilling through the Tourism and Hospitality Sector Skill Mission.
The policy also gives a special impetus to private sector participation through public-private-partnerships (PPP)
Guiding Principles :
Promoting sustainable, responsible and inclusive tourism in line with our civilisational ethos From Gautama to Gandhi, India has always spoken about the inherent need to live harmoniously with nature and within our means.
The National Green Tourism Mission aims at institutionalising green approach.
Employement generation: India has huge tourism potential. If capitalised properly it can emerge as one of the leading sectors to contribute to GDP and also has the potential to augment employment.
The Pandemic cost and recovery: The pandemic has caused conspicuous losses for this sector but over the past few months, all the major tourism indices such as domestic air passenger traffic, hotel occupancy and tourist footfalls have shown signs of recovery and are going back to pre-pandemic levels.
Short term estimate: By 2024, in short term the country is estimated to contribute USD 150 billion to the GDP from tourism, USD 30 billion in Foreign Exchange earnings and can get 15 million foreign tourist arrivals..
Medium term by 2030: It is estimated to grow at seven to nine per cent Compound Annual Growth Rate in the coming decade. In the medium term, that is 2030, the tourism-related goals are USD 250 billion GDP contribution; 137 million jobs, 56 million foreign tourist arrivals and USD 56 billion in foreign exchange earnings.
Visionary schemes: The visionary schemes like Swadesh Darshan or Dekho Apna Desh have the potential to increase tourism value while maintaining cultural integrity and ecological sustainability of the places.
Dekho Apna Desh: Dekho apna desh rolled out in 2020 envisages encouraging domestic tourism, urging people to visit places in India. India is a land of rich cultural heritage.
Conclusion
If the goal of positioning of India as one of the world’s best tourism destinations by 2047, there is need to integrate various schemes of different ministries. Need to involve various stakeholders, and local communities; necessary interventions at urban and rural level should be a priority.
Mains Question
Q.Since the positive and negative outcomes of tourism depend on human factors, including the attitude and behavior of both tourists and hosts, in this context discuss India’s potential to become a global leader in tourism sector.
India and Bangladesh should resolve all bilateral issues, including the differences over the waters of the Teesta, at an early date, said Bangladesh PM on her visit to India.
What is the news?
Bangladeshi PM is on a visit to India.
Both ministers discussed the long-standing disputes over Teesta river water sharing.
The two sides shared 54 rivers that required both nations to work together and share “environmental responsibility” in areas such as the Sundarbans.
About Teesta River
Teesta River is a 315 km long river that rises in the eastern Himalayas, flows through the Indian states of Sikkim and West Bengal through Bangladesh and enters the Bay of Bengal.
It is a tributary of the Brahmaputra (known as Jamuna in Bangladesh), flowing through India and Bangladesh.
It originates in the Himalayas near Chunthang, Sikkim and flows to the south through West Bengal before entering Bangladesh.
Originally, it continued southward to empty directly into the Padma River but around 1787 the river changed its course to flow eastward to join the Jamuna river.
The Teesta Barrage dam helps to provide irrigation for the plains between the upper Padma and the Jamuna.
What is the dispute about?
The point of contention between India and Bangladesh is mainly the lean season flow in the Teesta draining into Bangladesh.
The river covers nearly the entire floodplains of Sikkim while draining 2,800 sq km of Bangladesh, governing the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.
For West Bengal, Teesta is equally important, considered the lifeline of half-a-dozen districts in North Bengal.
Bangladesh has sought an “equitable” distribution of Teesta waters from India, on the lines of the Ganga Water Treaty of 1996, but to no avail.
The failure to ink a deal had its fallout on the country’s politics, putting the ruling party of PM Sheikh Hasina in a spot.
Q.The hydrological linkages between India and Bangladesh are a product of geography and a matter of shared history. Discuss this statement in line with the Teesta water sharing dispute.
The deal
Following a half-hearted deal in 1983, when a nearly equal division of water was proposed, the countries hit a roadblock. The transient agreement could not be implemented.
Talks resumed after the Awami League returned to power in 2008 and the former Indian PM Manmohan Singh visited Dhaka in 2011.
In 2015, PM Modi’s visit to Dhaka generated more ebullient lines: deliberations were underway involving all the stakeholders to conclude the agreement as soon as possible.
Issues from the Indian side
It remains an unfinished project and one of the key stakeholders — West Bengal CM is yet to endorse the deal.
Her objection is connected to “global warming. Many of the glaciers on the Teesta basin have retreated.
The importance of the flow and the seasonal variation of this river is felt during the lean season (from October to April/May) as the average flow is about 500 million cubic metres (MCM) per month.
The CM opposed an arrangement in 2011, by which India would get 42.5% and Bangladesh 37.5% of the water during the lean season, and the plan was shelved.
The Supreme Court has set the ball rolling on a series of petitions challenging the validity of the Places of Worship Act of 1991, a parliamentary law that protects the identity and character of religious places as on August 15, 1947.
What are the petitions about?
A slew of petitions has been filed against the Act.
The Act has fixed a retrospective cut-off date illegally barring Hindus, Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs from approaching courts to re-claim their places of worship which were invaded and encroached.
The main objective of these petitions is to set right a historical wrong committed by barbaric invaders.
Places of Worship Act, 1991
It was passed in 1991 by the P V Narasimha Rao-led government.
The law seeks to maintain the “religious character” of places of worship as it was in 1947 — except in the case of the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute, which was already in court.
The law was brought in at the peak of the Ram Mandir movement, exactly a year before the demolition of the Babri Masjid.
Introducing the law, then Home Minister S B Chavan said in Parliament that it was adopted to curb communal tension.
What are its provisions?
What are its provisions?
Anti-conversion: Section 3 of the Act bars the conversion, in full or part, of a place of worship of any religious denomination into a place of worship of a different religious denomination — or even a different segment of the same religious denomination.
Holiness of a place: Section 4(1) declares that the religious character of a place of worship “shall continue to be the same as it existed” on August 15, 1947.
Litigation: Section 4(2) says any suit or legal proceeding with respect to the conversion of the religious character of any place existing on August 15, 1947, pending before any court, shall abate — and no fresh suit or legal proceedings shall be instituted.
Exception for Ayodhya: Section 5 stipulates that the Act shall not apply to the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case, and to any suit, appeal or proceeding relating to it.
Why is the law under challenge?
The cut-off date of August 15, 1947, is “arbitrary, irrational and retrospective” and prohibits Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, and Sikhs from approaching courts to “reclaim” their places of worship.
Such places, he argued, were “invaded” and “encroached” upon by “fundamentalist barbaric invaders”.
The right-wing politicians have opposed the law even when it was introduced, arguing that the Centre has no power to legislate on “pilgrimages” or “burial grounds” which is under the state list.
Another criticism against the law is that the cut-off is the date of Independence, which means that the status quo determined by a colonial power is considered final.
The Karnataka government recently tabled The Kannada Language Comprehensive Development Bill which gives preference to Kannadigas in government jobs and also provides for a reservation to locals in private jobs generated in the state.
What does the Karnataka legislation envisage?
Apart from ensuring job guarantee to Kannada speakers, the Bill pushes for the use of Kannada in institutes of higher learning and for sops to industries that employ locals.
Features highlighted in the Bill include reservation in higher, technical and professional education to those who studied in Kannada medium schools.
It seeks introduction of Kannada as essential language for seeking employment in the state government.
Also, industries will be entitled to concessions, tax rebates and deferment of taxes if they provide reservation for Kannadigas, as per the state’s industrial policy.
What is Quota for Locals?
Ans. Constitutional provision for Equal Treatment
Article 16 of the Constitution guarantees equal treatment under the law in matters of public employment. It prohibits the state from discriminating on grounds of place of birth or residence.
Article 16(2) states that “no citizen shall, on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, descent, place of birth, residence or any of them, be ineligible for, or discriminated against in respect of, any employment or office under the State”.
The provision is supplemented by the other clauses in the Constitution that guarantee equality.
However, Article 16(3) of the Constitution provides an exception by saying that Parliament may make a law “prescribing” a requirement of residence for jobs in a particular state.
This power vests solely in the Parliament, not state legislatures.
Why does the Constitution prohibit reservation based on domicile?
When the Constitution came into force, India turned itself into one nation from a geographical unit of individual principalities and the idea of the universality of Indian citizenship took root.
India has single citizenship, and it gives citizens the liberty to move around freely in any part of the country.
Hence the requirement of a place of birth or residence cannot be qualification for granting public employment in any state.
But are reservations not granted on other grounds such as caste?
Equality enshrined in the Constitution is not mathematical equality and does not mean all citizens will be treated alike without any distinction.
To this effect, the Constitution underlines two distinct aspects which together form the essence of equality law:
Non-discrimination among equals, and
Affirmative action to equalize the unequal
Supreme Court rulings on quota for locals
The Supreme Court has ruled against reservation based on place of birth or residence.
In 1984, ruling in Dr Pradeep Jain v Union of India, the issue of legislation for “sons of the soil” was discussed.
The court expressed an opinion that such policies would be unconstitutional but did not expressly rule on it as the case was on different aspects of the right to equality.
In a subsequent ruling in Sunanda Reddy v State of Andhra Pradesh (1995), the Supreme Court affirmed the observation in 1984 ruling to strike down a state government policy that gave 5% extra weightage to candidates.
In 2002, the Supreme Court invalidated appointment of government teachers in Rajasthan in which the state selection board gave preference to “applicants belonging to the district or the rural areas of the district concerned”.
In 2019, the Allahabad HC struck down a recruitment notification by the UP PSC which prescribed preference for women who are “original residents” of the UP alone.
Why it is a bad idea?
Against Equality as well as meritocracy: It goes against the Constitution of India. In fact, it violates several fundamental rights, such as freedom to move anywhere, the right not to be discriminated on the basis of place of birth, the right to be treated equally before laws and the right to pursue one’s livelihood.
Migration criteria not justified: The actual data on inter-State migration shows that inter-State migration is relatively low in India. Migration often bring skills, motivation, energy which may be in short supply or lacking locally.
Free movement of labour: A more analytical aspect to highlight is that free movement of labour partly compensates for the uneven economic progress of different States. The idea also goes against the established fact that migration of labour is good for the economy.
Un-ease of doing business: Local reservation in the private sector may not be the ideal solution to tackle the unemployment crisis. In fact, it can deter the corporate sector from investing in states that come up with such a rule.
Scapegoating the private sector: What distinguishes the private sector from the public sector is the inherent competition and a hunger for improvement. In such a scenario, chief ministers should do well to engage with the private sector in a much more holistic manner, and not burden it with unfeasible rules.
MSMEs to be hit harder: MSMEs could be the hardest hit. They do not have the necessary capital to relocate and many studies have shown that more than 50 per cent of employees are not residents of the state.
Arguments in favour of quota in private
Avoiding encroachments: Often the privileged castes (or groups) use nefarious arguments to protect their interests.
Foul argument of merit: Reservations once accepted in the constitutional framework are not a charity that is to be kept away from the ‘meritocracy’ of ‘private’ operations.
Ensuring equal opportunity: Like all other constitutional guarantees, one may feel the necessity to get ensured of equal opportunity in all spaces.
Preventing exclusion: Giving preference and quotas for socially and educationally deprived sections in the private space is, therefore, in keeping with this fundamental tenet.
Conclusion
The politics of identity and polarization on region/religious lines seems inadequate for the elections.
The philosophy and pragmatism of universal excellence through equality of opportunity for education and advancement across the nation is part of our founding faith and constitutional creed.
Clearly, this is not the appropriate domain of being “vocal for local”.
Although some reservations may still be necessary for the socio-political condition in India, reservation on the basis of domicile or residence within a State would be highly discriminatory.
It is more likely that such politically motivated steps would be overturned by the judiciary as has been done several times in the past.
Indian urban centres need to plan for migration, climate change. Healthcare, affordable housing, sustainability and inclusion hold the key reimagining them.
What does urban planning mean?
Urban planning encompasses the preparation of plans for and the regulation and management of towns, cities, and metropolitan regions. It attempts to organize socio-spatial relations across different scales of government and governance.
What are ‘Happy Cities’?
A term that follows the Green City, Sustainable City, Liveable City, in the lingo of urban planning
A smart city is one that uses information and communication technologies to enhance citizen engagement. It is a neo-vision which seeks to improve the delivery of services in urban areas. The following story maps out the steps being taken by India to explore this concept in practice.
Fast Facts -Urbanization in India
Most Urbanized States: Tamil Nadu 43.9%; Maharashtra 4%; Gujarat 37.4%.
3 out of world’s 21 mega cities: Mumbai (19 mill); Delhi (15 mill); Kolkata (14 mill)
Global best practices in urban planning
The Garden City movement:In the West, the Garden City movement (initiated by Ebenezer Howard in 1898) sought to decentralise the working environment in the city centre with a push for providing healthier living spaces for factory workers. The ideal garden city was planned on a concentric pattern with open spaces, public parks and boulevards, housing 32,000 people on 6,000 acres, linked to a central city with over 50,000 people. Once a garden city reached maximum capacity, another city would be developed nearby.
Neighbourhood concept: In the US, the garden city movement evolved into the neighbourhood concept, where residential houses and streets were organised around a local school or community centre, with a push for lowering traffic and providing safe roads. London has a metropolitan green belt around the city, covering 5,13,860 hectares of land, to offset pollution and congestion and maintain biodiversity. Why can’t Indian cities have something similar, instead of ring roads and urban sprawls?
La ville du quart d’heure: Paris has taken this forward with the “15-minute city” (‘la ville du quart d’heure’). The idea is rather simple, every Parisian should be able to do their shopping, work, and recreational activities and fulfil their cultural needs within a 15-minute walk or bike ride this means that the number of vehicular trips gets reduced significantly.
Investment in pedestrian infrastructure and non-motorised transport zones: A city would then be planned for pedestrians, instead of cars and motors. This requires an extensive usage of mixed-use developments, along with investment in pedestrian infrastructure and non-motorised transport zones. Instead of widening highways, this approach would push for widening pedestrian walkways.
What should be adopted for India?
Every Indian city should ideally have a Master Plan: A strategic urban planning document which would be updated every decade or two. The document would entail how a city is supposed to grow, vertically and horizontally, across zones, while offering a high quality of life in a sustainable manner. Such plans would also consider poverty mitigation, affordable housing and liveability for urban migrants.
Urban land use needs to be better: One look at satellite map imagery will show that India’s urban growth is increasingly haphazard, with informal, unplanned and sprawling neighbourhoods developing in paddy fields and along linear infrastructure (arterial roads, open spaces). India’s hidden urbanisation, driven partly by our stringent definition of the word, along with weak enforcement of building codes, has meant that the local government is often playing catch-up, unable to provide urban services and infrastructure to keep up with growth.
Public land availability: Meanwhile, in places where there are formally recognised towns and urban neighbourhoods, outdated planning practices have meant that land utilisation is poor. Consider the case of Mumbai, where almost 1/4th of the land is open public space while over half of it is the underutilised space around buildings, which is enclosed by walls and hived off from public access. Such open spaces, if available, would help cities like Mumbai achieve similar ratios as globally benchmarked cities (Amsterdam, Barcelona) in public land availability (typically above 40 per cent).
India’s urban density will also need to be thought through: Dense construction on the peripheries of our major cities (for instance, dense construction in Delhi’s suburbs, like Noida and Gurugram) will inevitably mean that public services are stretched and emissions (due to transportation to the main city) remain high. Such urbanisation will unavoidably lock India into a high emissions future while making our cities prone to extreme heat and flooding.
Then there is climate change: According to the World Bank, climate change may reduce India’s GDP by 3 per cent, while depressing the living standards of its citizens by 2050. Many urban experts cite technological solutions that may save our cities a chain of sea walls, river embankments and reclamations, for instance from such potential calamities. However, structural engineering simply may not be an economically and environmentally feasible option everywhere instead, our focus must be on conservation.
Climate resilience perspective Bengaluru, with its network of interconnected lakes, could have considered Bangkok-style ferries instead of draining out its lakes. All ongoing and upcoming urban infrastructure projects must be reconsidered from a future climate resilience perspective does the ongoing sea reclamation for the upcoming coastal road in Mumbai make sense if sea levels are rising?
Establishing a sense of cityhood: By making a push for a city as a co-created space will also require building up institutional capacity.
Addressing lack of town planning education: India would ideally require 3,00,000 town and country planners by 2031 (there are just 5,000 town planners currently). Much of this problem is fundamentally due to a lack of town planning education in the country there are just 26 institutes that provide this course, producing 700 town planners each year. We already have a shortage of 1.1 million planners. More schools are needed, with a push for local IITs and NITs to have a standalone planning department. With over 8,000 towns and cities, there is a clear unmet need.
Conclusion
Our policymakers also need to be cognisant of the historical context of our urban development a push for glass buildings or utilising granite may not always be suitable for our cities. Why can’t our cities look distinctly Indian, inspired by our historical architecture? Renewing our cities will require us to rethink various urban topics, including urban design, urban healthcare, affordable housing, sustainability and inclusion among others. Our urban future depends on getting this right.
Mains question
Q. Renewing our cities will require us to rethink various urban topics, including urban design, urban healthcare, affordable housing, sustainability and inclusion among others. Elaborate.
What does sustainable tourism mean?
Why tourism is needed?
A draft on National 
Tourism Potential in India
Context 
Conclusion 