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  • As GST compensation ends, state governments need to be provided certainty of revenues

    Context

    The five-year transition period after the adoption of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on July 1, 2017, came to an end on June 30, 2022. With this, the era of GST compensation that the state governments were entitled to has ended.

    High estimated loan issuance

    • Many state governments have asked for the compensation period to be extended by a few years.
    • To tangibly assess the near-term outlook for state finances, we have to rely on the states’ own estimates for their market borrowing requirements for the second quarter of 2022-23.
    • The indicative calendar of market borrowings by 23 state governments and two Union territories for the second quarter has pegged their total state development loan issuance — the primary source of financing state government deficits — at Rs 2.1 trillion.
    •  This projected issuance is 29 per cent higher than the same period last year, and at an eight-quarter high.
    • This high level of issuance projected by states reflects concerns that some of them might rightfully have regarding the uncertainty of their cash flows in the post-GST compensation era.
    • High dependence on GST compensation: Of these 23 states, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and Gujarat have indicated large increases in borrowings.
    • Most of these states have an above-average dependence on GST compensation.

    Implications of discontinuation of GST compensation

    • Alter the revenue compensation: The discontinuation of the GST compensation flows would alter the revenue composition of some states adversely, particularly those with a relatively larger share of such receipts in their overall revenue streams.
    • Increase in debt level: To offset a portion of the associated revenue loss, such states are likely to enhance their borrowings and/or to undertake some expenditure adjustments in the quarters ahead.

    Adjustment of borrowing limit of the States by the Centre

    • At the time of communicating to states their annual borrowing limits for the ongoing year, we understand that the Centre had informed state governments that their off-budget borrowings for the past two years (2020-21 and 2021-22) would be adjusted from their borrowing ceiling this year.
    • Data on off-budget borrowing: It appears that the calculation of the adjusted borrowing limit required the submission of detailed data by the state governments related to their off-budget borrowings for the last two fiscal years, followed by a thorough assessment of the same by the Centre.

    Need for early step up in tax-devolution

    • On the whole, though, states appear to have entered the year with a comfortable cash flow position.
    • This follows from the back-ended release of the tax devolution to states for 2021-22 — nearly half of the full-year amount was released in the fourth quarter.
    • Additionally, the total amount was also well above the revised estimate, providing an unexpected gain to states.
    • This may have allowed them to temporarily withstand the changes related to their borrowing permission.
    • Subsequently, the release of the GST compensation grant of Rs 869 billion for several months in May is likely to have further eased their cash flows.
    • If the government does decide to step-up tax devolution to the states in the near term, instead of back-ending it as was done in the last year, it may reduce the size of state borrowings in the second quarter.
    • But more significantly, such revenue certainty, despite the end of the GST compensation era, may embolden states to ringfence their capital spending, providing a positive impulse to the economy.

    Conclusion

    The discontinuation of the GST compensation flows would alter the revenue composition of some states adversely, tax devolution to the states in the near term could cushion the blow of the discontinuation.

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    Back2Basics: Compensation under GST regime

    • The adoption of the GST was made possible by the States ceding almost all their powers to impose local-level indirect taxes and agreeing to let the prevailing multiplicity of imposts be subsumed under the GST.
    • While the States would receive the SGST (State GST) component of the GST, and a share of the IGST (Integrated GST), it was agreed that revenue shortfalls arising from the transition to the new indirect taxes regime would be made good from a pooled GST Compensation Fund for a period of five years that is set to end in 2022.
    • This corpus in turn is funded through a compensation cess that is levied on so-called ‘demerit’ goods.
    • This GST Compensation Cess or GST Cess is levied on five products considered to be ‘sin’ or luxury as mentioned in the GST (Compensation to States) Act, 2017 and includes items such as- Pan Masala, Tobacco, and Automobiles etc.
  • 12th July 2022 | Prelims Daily with Previous Year Questions

    12th July 2022 | Prelims Daily with Previous Year Questions

    [WpProQuiz 1058]

    [WpProQuiz_toplist 1058]

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  • 11th July 2022 | Prelims Daily with Previous Year Questions

    11th July 2022 | Prelims Daily with Previous Year Questions

    [WpProQuiz 1057]

    [WpProQuiz_toplist 1057]

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  • (Live Now) Imp Webinar #UPSCskill: LIVE Answer Writing for UPSC Mains PYQs | Tackling GS Paper 4 – Ethics Case studies and Theories | Register-Get Free Resources

    (Live Now) Imp Webinar #UPSCskill: LIVE Answer Writing for UPSC Mains PYQs | Tackling GS Paper 4 – Ethics Case studies and Theories | Register-Get Free Resources

    Join Zoom Meeting

    https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87196341775?pwd=Qlh1WC9BMk9iMkxydmZJbWwyaGZJdz09
    Meeting ID: 871 9634 1775 Passcode: 924329

    Register and submit your query and get Telegram group + access to FREE resources. Dinesh sir will also share a special compilation of PDF with you post-webinar.

    click and book your slot (free) | live webinar with dinesh sir, senior ias mentor

    Ethics paper in UPSC mains is designed to evaluate the ‘Ethical Competence’ and not the bookish knowledge about ‘Ethics’. There are certain skills you need to master Answer Writing for Paper-4.

    • How to Complete the paper on time even if all questions are not known? Completion of the entire question paper is needful. UPSC doesn’t look for the best answers. It wants the appropriate usage. So, how to illustrate values in the simplest and in the least possible words in time is going to be elaborated in this live session.
    • How to write ethics-oriented answers even though questions could have been asked in other GS papers. Ethics norms instruct about right or wrong. So, how to charge your answers with ‘Transparency’, ‘Accountability’, and ‘Right Attitude’ is surely focused in the webinar
    • Writing course of action of case studies in most ethical ways along with practical approach. Even an ideal solution wouldn’t fetch marks, if it seems unworkable. Focusing this, How to frame your answers based on peripheral problems in a case study will be discussed.
    • How to use examples and can make our own examples. The best possible ways of creating the most relevant experiences/examples from current, social issues, professional life, your area of interest, etc. will surely be talked over here.
    • How to have a grip on recent trends in Ethics paper!
    • Do and don’t of ethics paper. The most common mistakes will also be discussed. Mistake-prone: If there are no real-life cases, never let it go without them. Be prepared to make your point from the lives of social reformers, leaders, civil servants, etc., and other respected people.

    It is easier said than done. It takes a certain level of knowledge, experience, and practice. But, like any other skill, it could be learned and mastered under a teacher/mentor. 

    Webinar on 11th July, 7 pm – Sunday

    Dinesh Sharma sir will be taking a LIVE webinar on coming Monday. This is a must for those who want to learn and master Answer Writing skill to score 110+. We will be taking up and solving LIVE previous year’s UPSC Mains question and case studies for Ethics questions.

    Register for the webinar. Submit your query and get Telegram group + access to FREE resources. Dinesh sir will also share a special compilation of PDFs with you post-webinar.

    click and book your slot (free) | live webinar with dinesh sir, senior ias mentor

    About Dinesh Sharma sir

    Dinesh sir is a senior IAS mentor at CivilsDaily and he has been mentoring UPSC aspirants and rankers for more than 4 years now. Dinesh sir has an experience of 2 UPSC interviews and 3 UPSC Mains. He is a passionate mentor and has students’ interests in mind always. He is a public policy enthusiast and is always ready to counsel or mentor UPSC aspirants.

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  • The road to productivity

    Context

    The commute time for the labour force to the workplace plays a very important role in determining their productivity in cities.

    Issue of long travel time to work

    • Labour market: Cities are labour markets where the labour force exchanges their labour and creates knowledge spillovers.
    • Relation between commute time and productivity: The commute time for the labour force to the workplace plays a very important role in determining their productivity in cities.
    •  The longer the commute time in a city, the smaller is its effective labour market and vice-versa.
    • Difference between nominal and effective labour market: While the nominal labour market of the city refers to all jobs created in the metropolitan area, the effective labour market refers to the jobs accessible within a certain commute.
    • Importance of effective labour market: The larger a city’s effective labour market, the greater its agglomeration economies and knowledge spillovers will be.
    • From the viewpoint of enlarging a city’s effective labour market and economic output, it is therefore very important to keep the commute time short and commuting cost cheap within a city as it keeps growing in population.

    Way forward

    • One way in which urban local bodies (ULBs) directly impact the city’s economic output is through their infrastructure.
    • Increase in tax base: Road length has a positive effect on the city’s tax base.
    • Motivation to pay texes: This is because roads lead to easy access to jobs and increased economic activity; that also gives the public more confidence and motivation to pay taxes.
    • Cities should not view investment in road networks as expenditure; rather, roads add to the city’s revenue base which the city can use to improve infrastructure and public services.

    Conclusion

    Investing in roads not only reduces travel time and enlarges effective labour markets of cities and their economic output, but also improves access to schooling for children as well as healthcare, thereby upgrading human development. This is indeed the road to the $5 trillion economy along with improvement in human well-being.

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  • 11th July 2022| Daily Answer Writing Enhancement(AWE)

    Topics for Today’s questions:

    GS-1         Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present – significant events, personalities, issues.

    GS-2         Parliament and State Legislatures

    GS-3        Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

    GS-4        Ethics & Human Interface

    Question 1)

     

    Q.1 Among the major legacies of the Indian freedom movement, civil liberties formed an important one. Analyze. (10 Marks)

     

    Question 2)

    Q. 2 Examine the significance of political parties in India. What are the legal provisions to deal with a split in political parties. (10 Marks)

    Question 3)

    Q.3 What is forest landscape restoration? How it is different from traditional approach to afforestation? (10 Marks)

    Question 4)  

    Q.4 Family values influence the decisions individuals make both within the family structure and outside of it. Do you agree with the statement? Justify with relevant examples. (10 Marks)

     

    HOW TO ATTEMPT ANSWERS IN DAILY ANSWER WRITING ENHANCEMENT(AWE)?

    1. Daily 4 questions from General studies 1, 2, 3, and 4 will be provided to you.

    2. A Mentor’s Comment will be available for all answers. This can be used as a guidance tool but we encourage you to write original answers.

    3. You can write your answer on an A4 sheet and scan/click pictures of the same.

    4.  Upload the scanned answer in the comment section of the same question.

    5. Along with the scanned answer, please share your Razor payment ID, so that paid members are given priority.

    6. If you upload the answer on the same day like the answer of 11th  February is uploaded on 11th February then your answer will be checked within 72 hours. Also, reviews will be in the order of submission- First come first serve basis

    7. If you are writing answers late, for example, 11th February is uploaded on 13th February , then these answers will be evaluated as per the mentor’s schedule.

    8. We encourage you to write answers on the same day. However, if you are uploading an answer late then tag the mentor like @Staff so that the mentor is notified about your answer.

    *In case your answer is not reviewed, reply to your answer saying *NOT CHECKED*. 

    1. For the philosophy of AWE and payment: 
    CLICK HERE To join Daily AWE

  • Proposed Amendments to the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986

    The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), put out a note, proposing amendments in the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

    Environment Protection Act (EPA), 1986

    • EP Act was passed under Article 253 of the Constitution, which empowers the Centre to enact laws to give effect to international agreements signed by the country.
    • The purpose of the Act is to implement the decisions of the UN Conference on the Human Environment.
    • They relate to the protection and improvement of the human environment and the prevention of hazards to human beings, other living creatures, plants and property.
    • It was enacted in 1986 on the backdrop of Bhopal Gas Tragedy.
    • The Act was last amended in 1991.

    Why this Act?

    • The Act is an “umbrella” legislation that has provided a framework for the environmental regulation regime in India.
    • It covers all major industrial and infrastructure activities and prohibits and regulates specific activities in coastal areas and eco-sensitive areas.
    • The Act also provides for coordination of the activities of various central and state authorities established under other environment-related laws, such as the Water Act and the Air Act.

    What are the proposed amendments?

    • The Environment Ministry has proposed amendments in four key legislations:
    1. Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
    2. Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974
    3. Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and
    4. Public Liability Insurance (PLI) Act, 1991
    • These are the cornerstone environmental laws that led to the setting up of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
    • These laws empowered the CPCB to take criminal action against individuals and corporate bodies who pollute air, water and land.

    Powers given to CPCB by these Laws

    • The clutch of laws currently empowers the CPCB to either:
    1. Shut down a polluting industrial body or
    2. Imprison executives of an organization found to be environmental violators
    • The EPA currently says that violators face imprisonment up to five years or a fine up to ₹1 lakh or both.
    • There’s also a provision for the jail term to extend to seven years.

    Purpose of the Amendments

    • The Environment Ministry had received suggestions to decriminalise existing provisions of the EPA to weed out “fear of imprisonment for simple violations.”
    • These, however, don’t apply to violations that cause grave injury or loss of life.

    How will violators be punished?

    • The changes proposed include the appointment of an ‘adjudication officer’.
    • He/She will decide on the penalty in cases of environmental violations such as reports not being submitted or information not provided when demanded.
    • Funds collected as penalties would be accrued in an “Environmental Protection Fund.”
    • In case of contraventions of the Act, the penalties could extend to anywhere from 5 lakh to 5 crore, the proposal notes.

    Need for such amendments

    • Limited success of existing laws: The history of environmental action and its success in India shows that the current laws have had limited effectiveness.
    • Backlog of cases: An analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment found that Indian courts took between 9-33 years to clear a backlog of cases for environmental violations.
    • Capitalist power: Myriad challenges dogged the process of bringing violators to book.
    • Red tapism: Flag pollution from an industrial unit would mean filing a complaint with the court of the concerned DM, or furnishing evidence to the CPCB which would again have to approach the same institution.
    • Burden of proof: In most cases, it was practically impossible to hold a specific individual in an organization responsible for a specific crime given the burden of proof required.

     

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  • Centre releases guidelines for Mission Vatsalya

    In order to access Central funds and benefits under Mission Vatsalya (an umbrella scheme for child protection services in the country), the centre has issued certain guidelines.

    What is Mission Vatsalya?

    • Mission Vatsalya promotes family-based non-institutional care of children in difficult circumstances based on the principle of institutionalization of children as a measure of last resort.
    • It is one of the new triad of schemes along with Mission Shakti, and Poshan 2.0, that aims at securing a healthy and happy childhood for every child.

    Components under the mission include:

    1. Improve the functioning of statutory bodies;
    2. Strengthen service delivery structures;
    3. Upscale institutional care/services;
    4. Encourage non-institutional community-based care;
    5. Emergency outreach services;
    6. Training and capacity building.

    Implementation

    • It will be implemented as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme in partnership with state governments and UT administrations, with a fund-sharing pattern in a 60:40 ratio.
    • However, for the eight states in the Northeast — as well as Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and the UT of J&K — the Centre and state/UT’s share will be 90:10.
    • The Centre will cover the whole cost in UTs without a legislature.

    What are the new guidelines?

    (1) Official changes

    • States will have to retain the official name, as given by the Centre. Only a correct translation to local language is permissible.
    • The centre detailed the process by which funds will be disbursed to states under various heads by defining institutionalised arrangements.
    • Funds to states will be approved through the Mission Vatsalya Project Approval Board (PAB), which will be chaired by the Secretary of the Ministry of WCD.
    • The Secretary will scrutinise and approve annual plans and financial proposals received from states and UTs for release of grants.

    (2) Special arrangements

    • States/UTs have also been directed to focus on special needs children with physical or mental disabilities.
    • Institutions now have to provide special educators, therapists and nurses to impart occupational therapy, speech therapy, verbal therapy and other remedial classes.
    • The staff in these special units will have to know sign language, Braille, etc, according to the new guidelines.

    (3) Newly shouldered tasks

    • The guidelines state that Mission Vatsalya will support State Adoption Resource Agencies (SARA), which will support the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA).
    • This move aims at promoting in-country adoption and regulating inter-country adoption.
    • Mission Vatsalya, in partnership with states and districts, will execute a 24×7 helpline service for children, as defined under JJ Act, 2015.

    Name change saga: Child Protection Services Scheme

    • Before 2009, three schemes were being implemented under the WCD Ministry for children in need of protection:
    1. Programme for juvenile justice for children in need of care and protection, and children in conflict with law;
    2. Integrated programme for street children and
    3. Scheme for assistance to homes for children
    • These were clubbed in 2010 into a single scheme called the Integrated Child Protection Scheme.
    • It was then renamed “Child Protection Services” Scheme in 2017, and again as Mission Vatsalya in 2021-22.

  • Sannati and Kanaganahalli Buddhist Sites

    Left almost unattended to for 20 years after excavation, the ancient Buddhist site on the bank of Bhima river near Kanaganahalli (forming part of Sannati site) in Kalaburagi district, has finally got some attention.

    About Sannati

    • Sannati is a small village on the banks of the River Bhima in Chittapur Taluka of Kalaburagi (Gulbarga).
    • It came into prominence after the collapse of the roof of the Kali temple in Chandralamba temple complex in 1986.
    • The collapse revealed the historically valuable Ashokan edicts written in Prakrit language and Brahmi script at the foundations of the temple, attracting historians from across India.
    • While the Stupa is believed to be one of the largest of its time.
    • The stone-portrait is considered to be the only surviving image of the Mauryan Emperor which had the inscription ‘Raya Asoko’ in Brahmi on it.

    Significance of Sannati

    • Further revelations led to the discovery of the magnificent Maha Stupa, which had been referred to as Adholoka Maha-Chaitya (The Great Stupa of the Netherworlds) in the inscriptions.
    • More importantly, a sculpture-portrait of Ashoka seated on his throne with his queens was also discovered.
    • Historians believe that the Sannati Ranamandal (war zone) was a fortified area spread over 210 acres, of which only a couple of acres have been excavated so far.

    Try this PYQ:

    In which of the following relief sculpture inscriptions is ‘Ranyo Ashokan’ (King Ashoka) mentioned along with the stone portrait of Ashoka?

    (a) Kanganahalli

    (b) Sanchi

    (c) Shahbazgarhi

    (d) Sohgaura

     

    Post your answers here.

     

     

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  • [pib] National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI)

    Two new Internet Exchange points (IXP) of NIXI were inaugurated at Durgapur and Bardhman.

    What is NIXI?

    • NIXI is a not for profit Organization under section 8 of the Companies Act 2013 and was registered on 19th June 2003.
    • It’s an initiative under Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) vision 1000 days.
    • It aims for spreading the internet infrastructure to the citizens of India through the following activities:
    1. Internet Exchanges through which the internet data is exchanged amongst Internet Service Protocols (ISPs), Data Centers and CDNs.
    2. .IN Registry, managing and operation of .IN country-code domain and .भारत IDN domain for India.
    3. Indian Registry for Internet Names and Numbers (IRINN), managing and operating Internet protocol (IPv4/IPv6).

    Why NIXI?

    • NIXI was set up for peering of Internet Service Protocols (ISPs) among themselves for the purpose of routing the domestic traffic within the country, instead of taking it all the way to US/Abroad.
    • It is thereby resulting in better quality of service (reduced latency) and reduced bandwidth charges for ISPs by saving on International Bandwidth.
    • NIXI is managed and operated on a Neutral basis, in line with the best practices for such initiatives globally.

    Utility of NIXI

    • The launch of these new NIXI internet exchanges will contribute to the enhancement and improvement of Internet and Broadband services at local level and in neighbouring regions.
    • The internet service providers connecting at these points will benefit as their broadband services to their end users will improve, bringing about a change in the lives of the people of the region.
    • It will benefit every sector of the state ranging from health, education, agriculture, startup, and ecosystem to MSMEs & other business verticals.
    • Accessibility and convenience will increase for citizens in terms of availing government benefits and improving quality of life.

     

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