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Nikaalo Prelims Spotlight || State and Local Government
Dear Aspirants,
This Spotlight is a part of our Mission Nikaalo Prelims-2023.
You can check the broad timetable of Nikaalo Prelims here
Session Details
YouTube LIVE with Parth sir – 1 PM – Prelims Spotlight Session
Evening 04 PM – Daily Mini Tests
Telegram LIVE with Sukanya ma’am – 06 PM – Current Affairs Session
Join our Official telegram channel for Study material and Daily Sessions Here
3rd Mar 2023
State government
PART VI of the Constitution deals with the other half of Indian federalism, ie the States. Article from 152-237 deals with various provisions related to States. It covers the executive, legislature and judiciary wings of the states.CHAPTER I.—GENERAL
Article 152 : Definition
CHAPTER II.—THE EXECUTIVE
ARTICLE 153: GOVERNORS OF STATES
ARTICLE 154: EXECUTIVE POWER OF STATE
ARTICLE 155: APPOINTMENT OF GOVERNOR
ARTICLE 156: TERM OF OFFICE OF GOVERNOR
ARTICLE 157: QUALIFICATIONS FOR APPOINTMENT AS GOVERNOR
ARTICLE 158: CONDITIONS OF GOVERNOR’S OFFICE
ARTICLE 159: OATH OR AFFIRMATION BY THE GOVERNOR
ARTICLE 160: DISCHARGE OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE GOVERNOR IN CERTAIN CONTINGENCIES
ARTICLE 161: POWER OF GOVERNOR TO GRANT PARDONS, ETC., AND TO SUSPEND, REMIT OR COMMUTE SENTENCES IN CERTAIN CASES
ARTICLE 162: EXTENT OF EXECUTIVE POWER OF STATE
Info-bits related to Governor of States
- Powers of the Governor can be broadly classified into executive, legislative (including financial powers) and judicial powers.
- Though the Governor has the power to pardon, he cannot pardon a death sentence.
- There are also related articles like 163 -167, 174-176, 200-201, 213, 217, 233-234 which touch the sphere of influence of the Governor of a state.
- When the governor reserves a bill for the consideration of the President, the assent of the Governor is no longer required (only President’s assent would be needed then).
- The president is not bound to give his assent to a state bill reserved by the governor for the Consideration of the President and he can return the bill to the houses for reconsideration ‘n’ times.
- Removal of Governors by Center.
Article 163: Council of Ministers to aid and advise Governor
(1) There shall be a Council of Ministers with the Chief Minister at the head to aid and advise the Governor in the exercise of his functions, except in so far as he is by or under this Constitution required to exercise his functions or any of them in his discretion.
(2) If any question arises whether any matter is or is not a matter as respects which the Governor is by or under this Constitution required to act in his discretion, the decision of the Governor in his discretion shall be final, and the validity of anything done by the Governor shall not be called in question on the ground that he ought or ought not to have acted in his discretion.
(3) The question whether any, and if so what, advice was tendered by Ministers to the Governor shall not be inquired into in any court.164: Other provisions as to Ministers
(1) The Chief Minister shall be appointed by the Governor and the other Ministers shall be appointed by the Governor on the advice of the Chief Minister, and the Ministers shall hold office during the pleasure of the Governor:
(2) The Council of Ministers shall be collectively responsible to the Legislative Assembly of the State.
(3) Before a Minister enters upon his office, the Governor shall administer to him the oaths of office and of secrecy according to the forms set out for the purpose in the Third Schedule.
(4) A Minister who for any period of six consecutive months is not a member of the Legislature of the State shall at the expiration of that period cease to be a Minister.
(5) The salaries and allowances of Ministers shall be such as the Legislature of the State may from time to time by law determine and, until the Legislature of the State so determines, shall be as specified in the Second Schedule.Info-bits related to Council of Ministers in States
- President of India does not have existence without council of ministers, but Governor has (at the time of President’s rule).
- The minimum strength of council of ministers in a state as per Constitution is 12 and maximum is 15 percent of Legislative Assembly.
- Oaths for ministers : oaths of office and of secrecy.
- The Governor has discretionary powers and the validity of acts done using the discretionary powers cannot be questioned.
State Legislature
Article 168: Constitution of Legislatures in States.
(1) For every State there shall be a Legislature which shall consist of the Governor, and—
(a) in the States of Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Jammu and Kashmir, two Houses;
(b) in other States, one House.
(2) Where there are two Houses of the Legislature of a State, one shall be known as the Legislative Council and the other as the Legislative Assembly, and where there is only one House, it shall be known as the Legislative Assembly.Article 169: Abolition or creation of Legislative Councils in States.
(1) Notwithstanding anything in article 168, Parliament may by law provide for the abolition of the Legislative Council of a State having such a Council or for the creation of such a Council in a State having no such Council, if the Legislative Assembly of the State passes a resolution to that effect by a majority of the total membership of the Assembly and by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members of the Assembly present and voting.
(2) No such law as aforesaid shall be deemed to be an amendment of this Constitution for the purposes of article 368.Article 170: Composition of the Legislative Assemblies.
Article 171: Composition of the Legislative Councils.
Article 172: Duration of State Legislatures.
Article 173: Qualification for membership of the State Legislature.
Article 174: Sessions of the State Legislature, prorogation and dissolution.
Article 175: Right of Governor to address and send messages to the House or Houses.
Article 176: Special address by the Governor.
Article 177: Rights of Ministers and Advocate-General as respects the Houses.
Info- Bits related with State Legislature
- At present there are seven states which have bicameral legislature – Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Jammu and Kashmir.
- The permissible strength of a Legislative Assembly (LA) is between 60 and 500.
- Total number of Members in the Legislative Council (LC) of a State shall not exceed one third of the total number of Members in the Legislative Assembly.
- Of the total number of Members of the Legislative Council, 1/3 of Members are elected by electorates consisting of the Members of Local Authorities, 1/12 are elected by electorates consisting of graduates residing in the State, 1/12 are elected by electorates consisting of persons engaged in teaching, 1/3 are elected by the Members of Legislative Assembly and the remaining are nominated by the Governor.
Local self-government
Local self-government is a form of democratic decentralization where the participation of even the grass root level of the society is ensured in the process of administration.History of local administration
Even though such minor forms of local governance were evident in India from British times, the framers of the constitutions, unsatisfied with the existing provisions, included Article 40 among the Directive Principles, whereby:
Later, the conceptualisation of the system of local self-government in India took place through the formation and effort of four important committees from the year 1957 to 1986 which are:
1. Balwant Rai Mehta Committee (1957)
2. Ashok Mehta Committee (1977-1978)
3. G V K Rao Commitee (1985)
4. L M Singhvi Committee (1986)
Panchayati Raj System under 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment acts, 1992
The acts of 1992 added two new parts IX and IX-A to the constitution. It also added two new schedules – 11 and 12 which contains the lists of functional items of Panchayats and Municipalities. It provides for a three-tier system of Panchayati Raj in every state – at the village, intermediate and district levels.
- The 73rd Constitutional Amendment act provides for a Gram Sabha as the foundation of the Panchayati Raj system. It is essentially a village assembly consisting of all the registered voters in the area of the panchayat. The state has the power to determine what kind of powers it can exercise, and what functions it has to perform at the village level.
- The 74th Constitutional Amendment act provides for three types of Municipalities:
- Nagar Panchayat for a transitional area between a rural and urban area.
- Municipal Council for a small urban area.
- Municipal Corporation for a large urban area.
Types of Urban Local Government
There are eight types of urban local governments currently existing in India:
- Municipal Corporations.
- Municipality.
- Notified area committee.
- Town area committee.
- Cantonment board.
- Township.
- Port trust.
- Special purpose agency.
Elections in the local government bodies
- All seats of representatives of local bodies are filled by people chosen through direct elections.
- The conduct of elections is vested in the hands of the State election commission.
- The chairpersons at the intermediate and district levels shall be elected indirectly from among the elected representatives at the immediately lower level.
- At the lowest level, the chairperson shall be elected in a mode defined by the state legislature.
- Seats are reserved for SC and ST proportional to their population.
- Out of these reserved seats, not less than one-third shall be further reserved for women.
- There should be a blanket reservation of one-third seats for women in all the constituencies taken together too (which can include the already reserved seats for SC and ST).
- The acts bar the interference of courts in any issue relating to the election to local bodies.
Qualifications needed to be a member of the Panchayat or Municipality
Any person who is qualified to be a member of the state legislature is eligible to be a member of the Panchayat or Municipality.
“But he shall not be disqualified on the ground that he is less than 25 years of age if he has attained the age of 21 years”
This means that unlike the state legislature, a person needs to attain only 21 years of age to be a member of panchayat/municipality.
Duration of the Local Government bodies
- The local governing bodies are elected for a term of five years.
- Fresh elections should be conducted before the expiry of the five-year term.
- If the panchayat/municipality is dissolved before the expiry of its term, elections shall be conducted within six months and the new panchayat/municipality will hold office for the remainder of the term if the term has more than six months duration.
- And for another five years if the remaining term is less than six months.
Powers invested with Local Government bodies
The powers of local bodies are not exclusively defined. In general, the State governments can assign powers to Panchayats and Municipalities that may enable them to prepare plans for economic development and social justice. They may also be authorized to levy, collect, or appropriate taxes.
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Supreme Court verdict on ECI appointments
Central idea: The Supreme Court has directed the central government to form a permanent selection committee consisting of consist of the Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition, and the Chief Justice of India or his nominee to recommend the appointment of Election Commissioners.
Supreme Court Ruling
- The Supreme Court ruled that the appointment of the CEC should be made through a transparent and participatory process.
- It directed the government to set up a permanent selection committee to recommend names for the appointment of the CEC.
- The committee will consist of the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition, and Chief Justice of India or his nominee.
- The court emphasized that the appointment process should ensure the independence of the Election Commission and be free from executive interference.
Why such move?
- The ruling will bring more transparency and accountability to the appointment process of the CEC.
- It will prevent any undue influence by the ruling government in the appointment of the CEC.
- The ruling also reinforces the importance of an independent Election Commission in ensuring the fairness of the democratic process in India.
Why did the SC debate the issue?
- In 2015, a PIL was filed challenging the constitutional validity of the practice of the Centre appointing members of the Election Commission.
- In October 2018, a two-judge bench of the SC referred the case to a larger bench since it would require a close examination of Article 324 of the Constitution.
What is the challenge?
Article 324(2) states that the President appoints the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners, subject to any law made by Parliament.
- Absence of law: The crux of the challenge is that since there is no law made by Parliament on this issue.
- Urge for judicial intervention: The Court must step in to fill the constitutional vacuum, urges the PIL.
- Question of executive non-interference: This examination also leads to the larger question of separation of powers and if the judiciary is overstepping its role in filling this gap in the law.
About Election Commission of India
- The ECI is a constitutional authority whose responsibilities and powers are prescribed in the Constitution of India under Article 324.
- In the performance of its functions, the Election Commission is insulated from executive interference.
- It is the Commission that decides the election schedules for the conduct of elections, whether general elections or by-elections.
- ECI decides on the location of polling stations, assignment of voters to the polling stations, location of counting centres, arrangements to be made in and around polling stations and counting centres and all allied matters.
Litigations against EC
- The decisions of the Commission can be challenged in the High Court and the Supreme Court of India by appropriate petitions.
- By long-standing convention and several judicial pronouncements, once the actual process of elections has started, the judiciary does not intervene in the actual conduct of the polls.
Why is EC under lens these days?
- Executive interference: ECs are expected to maintain distance from the executive — a constitutional safeguard to insulate the commission from external pressure and allow it to continue as an independent authority.
- Violating official channels: The EC’s communication with the Government on election matters is through the bureaucracy — either with its administrative ministry — the Law Ministry or the Home Ministry.
- Breach of protocol: The Law Ministry spells the fine print on law for the country and is expected not to breach the constitutional safeguard provided to the commission to ensure its autonomy.
Recent incidence of criticisms
Ans. Partiality in Elections
- Over the last couple of years, several actions and omissions of the commission have come in for criticism.
- Nearly 66 former bureaucrats in a letter addressed to the President, expressed their concern over the working of the Election Commission.
- They felt was suffering from a credibility crisis, citing various violations of the model code of conduct during the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections.
Importance of ECI for India
- Conduction of Election: The ECI has been successfully conducting national as well as state elections since 1952.
- Electoral participation: In recent years, however, the Commission has started to play a more active role to ensure greater participation of people.
- Discipline of political parties: It had gone to the extent of disciplining the political parties with a threat of derecognizing if the parties failed in maintaining inner-party democracy.
- Upholds federalism: It upholds the values enshrined in the Constitution viz, equality,
equity, impartiality, independence; and rule of law in superintendence, direction, and control over electoral governance. - Free and fair elections: It conducts elections with the highest standard of credibility, freeness, fairness, transparency, integrity, accountability, autonomy and professionalism.
Issues with ECI
- Flaws in the composition: The Constitution doesn’t prescribe qualifications for members of the EC. They are not debarred from future appointments after retiring or resigning.
- No security of tenure: Election commissioners aren’t constitutionally protected with the security of tenure.
- Partisan role: The EC has come under the scanner like never before, with increasing incidents of breach of the Model Code of Conduct in the 2019 general elections.
- Political favor: The opposition alleged that the ECI was favoring the ruling party by giving a clean chit to the model code of conduct violations made by the PM.
- Non-competence: Increased violence and electoral malpractices under influence of money have resulted in political criminalization, which ECI is unable to arrest.
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FCRA licence of Centre for Policy Research suspended
Union Home Ministry suspended the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) licence of the Centre for Policy Research (CPR).
About CPR
- The CPR was established in 1973 as a think tank with the mission to contribute to a more robust public discourse about the issues that impact life in India.
- Its headquarters is located in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi.
- It is a non-profit, non-partisan, independent institution dedicated to conducting research that contributes to high quality scholarship, better policies.
- Over the years it has cultivated a reputation as one of the country’s premier public policy think tanks.
Why was its licence suspended?
- The CPR allegedly received foreign funds in violation of the FCRA.
What is FCRA?
- The FCRA regulates foreign donations and ensures that such contributions do not adversely affect internal security.
- First enacted in 1976, it was amended in 2010 when a slew of new measures was adopted to regulate foreign donations.
- The FCRA is applicable to all associations, groups and NGOs which intend to receive foreign donations.
- It is mandatory for all such NGOs to register themselves under the FCRA.
- The registration is initially valid for five years and it can be renewed subsequently if they comply with all norms.
Why was FCRA enacted?
- The FCRA sought to consolidate the acceptance and utilisation of foreign contribution or foreign hospitality by individuals, associations or companies.
- It sought to prohibit such contributions from being used for activities detrimental to national interest.
What was the recent Amendment?
- The FCRA was amended in September 2020 to introduce some new restrictions.
- The Government says it did so because it found that many recipients were wanting in compliance with provisions relating to filing of annual returns and maintenance of accounts.
- Many did not utilise the funds received for the intended objectives.
- It claimed that the annual inflow as foreign contributions almost doubled between 2010 and 2019.
- The FCRA registration of 19,000 organisations was cancelled and, in some cases, prosecution was also initiated.
How has the law changed?
There are at least three major changes that NGOs find too restrictive.
- Prohibition of fund transfer: An amendment to Section 7 of the Act completely prohibits the transfer of foreign funds received by an organisation to any other individual or association.
- Directed and single bank account: Another amendment mandates that every person (or association) granted a certificate or prior permission to receive overseas funds must open an FCRA bank account in a designated branch of the SBI in New Delhi.
- Utilization of funds: All foreign funds should be received only in this account and none other. However, the recipients are allowed to open another FCRA bank account in any scheduled bank for utilisation.
- Shared information: The designated bank will inform authorities about any foreign remittance with details about its source and the manner in which it was received.
- Aadhaar mandate: In addition, the Government is also authorised to take the Aadhaar numbers of all the key functionaries of any organisation that applies for FCRA registration or for prior approval for receiving foreign funds.
- Cap on administrative expenditure: Another change is that the portion of the receipts allowed as administrative expenditure has been reduced from 50% to 20%.
What is the criticism against these changes?
- Arbitrary restrictions: NGOs questioning the law consider the prohibition on transfer arbitrary and too heavy a restriction.
- Non-sharing of funds: One of its consequences is that recipients cannot fund other organisations. When foreign help is received as material, it becomes impossible to share the aid.
- Irrationality of designated bank accounts: There is no rational link between designating a particular branch of a bank with the objective of preserving national interest.
- Un-ease of operation: Due to Delhi based bank account, it is also inconvenient as the NGOS might be operating elsewhere.
- Illogical narrative: ‘National security’ cannot be cited as a reason without adequate justification as observed by the Supreme Court in Pegasus Case.
What does the Government say?
- Zero tolerance against intervention: The amendments were necessary to prevent foreign state and non-state actors from interfering with the country’s polity and internal matters.
- Diversion of foreign funds: The changes are also needed to prevent malpractices by NGOs and diversion of foreign funds.
- Fund flow monitoring: The provision of having one designated bank for receiving foreign funds is aimed at making it easier to monitor the flow of funds.
- Ease of operation: The Government clarified that there was no need for anyone to come to Delhi to open the account as it can be done remotely.
Supreme Court’s observation
- The apex court reasoned that an unbridled inflow of foreign funds may destabilise the sovereignty of the nation.
- The petitioners have argued that the amendments suffered from the “vice of ambiguity, over-breadth or over-governance” and violated their fundamental rights.
- But the court countered that the amendments only provide a strict regulatory framework to moderate the inflow of foreign funds into the country.
- The free and uncontrolled inflow of foreign funds has the potential to impact the socio-economic structure and polity of the country.
- No one can be heard to claim a vested right to accept foreign donations, much less an absolute right, said the verdict.
Supreme Court’s assessment of Foreign Funds
- Philosophically, foreign contribution (donation) is akin to gratifying intoxicant replete with medicinal properties and may work like nectar.
- However, it serves as medicine so long as it is consumed (utilised) moderately and discreetly, for serving the larger cause of humanity.
- Otherwise, this artifice has the capability of inflicting pain, suffering and turmoil as being caused by the toxic substance (potent tool) — across the nation.
Way forward
- The court said charity could be found at home. NGOs could look within the country for donors.
- Fundamental rights have to give way in the larger public interest to the need to insulate the democratic polity from the “adverse influence of foreign contributions”.
- The third-world countries may welcome foreign donations, but it is open to a nation, which is committed and enduring to be self-reliant.
- An unregulated inflow of foreign donations would only indicate that the government was incapable of looking after its own affairs and needs of its citizens.
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Academic Freedom in India declined strongly since 2013: Report
India’s academic freedom index is in the bottom 30 percent among 179 countries, according to a new report.
Academic Freedom Index Update, 2023
- The report was a collaborative effort of 2,917 country experts worldwide.
- It was co-ordinated by Swedish think tank V-Dem Institute and the Institute of Political Science at the Friedrich Alexander University in Germany.
- It identified 22 countries – including India, China, the United States and Mexico – where it said universities and scholars experience significantly less academic freedom today than they did ten years ago.
- The index score measures five indicators-
- Freedom to research and teach
- Freedom of academic exchange and dissemination,
- Institutional autonomy of universities
- Freedom of academic and cultural expression and campus integrity
- Absence of security infringements and surveillance on campus.
What one means by academic freedom?
- Academic freedom refers to the independence and autonomy that scholars and researchers have in pursuing their academic work, without fear of censorship, retaliation, or repression from the government or other entities.
- It includes the freedom to conduct research, publish findings, and express opinions and ideas, without interference or pressure from external forces.
- It is considered a cornerstone of higher education and is essential for the advancement of knowledge and the free exchange of ideas.
India’s performance
- India is ranked among the bottom 30% with an index score of less than 0.4 among the 179 countries assessed by the researchers.
- On a scale of 0 (low) to 1 (high), India scored 0.38, lower than Pakistan’s 0.43 and the United States’ 0.79, says the report. LOL!
- The report has ranked the United States among the top 50% of countries with an index score just below 0.8. China has been ranked among the bottom 10% with a score of less than 0.1.
- The report said that academic freedom in India began to decline in 2009 with a drop in university autonomy, followed by “a sharp downturn in all indicators” from 2013.
Reasons for such poor ratings
- A lack of a legal framework to protect academic freedom has enabled attacks on academic freedom.
- The report sees there is notable pressure on the institutional dimensions of academic freedom — institutional autonomy and campus integrity.
Again anti-India narrative
- The report sees regime change in India since as a declining trend in the country’s academic freedom.
- All such reports are being increasingly publicized ahead of India’s general elections in 2024.
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World Wildlife Day- 2023: 50 years of the CITES
March 3 marks the 50th anniversary of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1973.
Why is World Wildlife Day marked?
- March 3 marks the anniversary of CITES’ establishment.
- CITES is considered a landmark agreement on conservation that focuses on ensuring the sustainability of endangered species.
- In 2013, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) proclaimed March 3 as the UN World Wildlife Day to celebrate and raise awareness of protecting the world’s wild animals and plants.
- This was as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was signed in 1973 on this day.
What is the CITES?
- CITES stands for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
- It is as an international agreement aimed at ensuring “that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival”.
- It was drafted after a resolution was adopted at a meeting of the members of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 1963.
- It entered into force on July 1, 1975, and now has 183 parties.
- The Convention is legally binding on the Parties in the sense that they are committed to implementing it; however, it does not take the place of national laws.
- India is a signatory to and has also ratified CITES convention in 1976.
CITES Appendices
- CITES works by subjecting international trade in specimens of selected species to certain controls.
- All import, export, re-exports and introduction from the sea of species covered by the convention has to be authorized through a licensing system.
- It has three appendices:
- Appendix I includes species threatened with extinction. Trade-in specimens of these species are permitted only in exceptional circumstances.
- Appendix II provides a lower level of protection.
- Appendix III contains species that are protected in at least one country, which has asked other CITES Parties for assistance in controlling trade.
A critical assessment
- Having wildlife allowed to be traded further legitimises their movement and increases the possibility of their illegal trade.
- Nearly two-thirds of cases, CITES protections lag after a species is determined to be threatened by international trade a/c to NatGeo.
- For example, while pangolins were finally added to Appendix I in 2017, an estimated million were trafficked between 2000 and 2013.
- Its laxity has been questioned, on matters such as the ivory trade being allowed at times despite the convention banning it in 1989.
Conclusion
- CITES needs to evolve to address new challenges and work more closely with other international agreements and initiatives.
- There is a need of continued efforts to protect wildlife and biodiversity and the need for international cooperation and collaboration to achieve this goal.
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What is the Expected Credit Loss (ECL) regime?
The Reserve Bank of India is moving closer towards ring-fencing the banking system from credit losses as it proposes to move to provision on the principles of ‘expected losses’ from ‘incurred losses. ‘
What is a Loan-Loss Provision?
- The RBI defines a loan loss provision as an expense that banks set aside for defaulted loans.
- Banks set aside a portion of the expected loan repayments from all loans in their portfolio to cover the losses either completely or partially.
- In the event of a loss, instead of taking a loss in its cash flows, the bank can use its loan loss reserves to cover the loss.
- The level of loan loss provision is determined based on the level expected to protect the safety and soundness of the bank.
What is Expected Credit Loss (ECL) regime?
- The Expected Credit Loss (ECL) regime is a new accounting standard that was introduced by the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in response to the global financial crisis of 2008.
- The ECL regime requires banks and other financial institutions to estimate and report the expected losses from their loan portfolios over the lifetime of the loans.
- Under the ECL regime, financial institutions must assess the credit risk associated with each loan and estimate the expected losses that will result from default or other credit events.
- These expected losses must be recognized in the financial institution’s accounts and reported to investors and other stakeholders.
- Under this practice, a bank is required to estimate expected credit losses based on forward-looking estimations rather than wait for credit losses to be actually incurred before making corresponding loss provisions.
Benefits of the ECL regime
- ECL will result in excess provisions as compared to a shortfall in provisions, as seen in the incurred loss approach.
- It will further enhance the resilience of the banking system in line with globally accepted norms.
Issues with this regime
- It requires banks to provide for losses that have already occurred or been incurred.
- The delay in recognizing loan losses resulted in banks having to make higher levels of provisions which affected the bank’s capital.
- This affected banks’ resilience and posed systemic risks.
- The delays in recognizing loan losses overstated the income generated by the banks, which, coupled with dividend payouts, impacted their capital base.
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VAIBHAV fellowship for Indian Diaspora
The centre has launched VAIBHAV Fellowship scheme for the Indian Diaspora abroad on National Science Day.
VAIBHAV fellowship
- The Vaibhav Fellowship is a program that invites overseas Indian scientists and researchers to work with Indian institutions and universities for a period of 2-3 weeks.
- The program is open to individuals of Indian origin who are working in fields such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
- The fellowship will provide opportunities for the diaspora to collaborate with Indian scientists and researchers, participate in conferences, and contribute to the development of the country’s science and technology sector.
Objectives of the Fellowship
- To create a platform for Indian diaspora scientists and researchers to connect with their counterparts in India and contribute to the country’s growth in the field of science and technology.
- To foster collaboration between Indian and overseas scientists and researchers, promote knowledge exchange, and build a network of professionals who can contribute to the development of the country.
Key facts
- Duration: The fellowship offers researchers an opportunity to work for a minimum of one month to a maximum of two months a year with a research institution or an academic institution in India.
- Corpus: Three years with the government offering the researchers an amount of up to Rs 37 lakh for the entire period.
- Eligibility: Researchers from institutions featuring in the top 500 QS World University Rankings will be eligible for the fellowship.
- Who can apply: The applicant should be a Non-Resident Indian (NRI), Person of Indian Origin (PIO) or Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) and she or he must have obtained Ph.D/M.D/M.S degree from a recognized University.
Significance of the fellowship
- The fellowship provides a platform for Indian scientists and researchers to collaborate with their counterparts abroad, which can help in the exchange of ideas and knowledge.
- It also provides an opportunity for the Indian diaspora to contribute to the development of their home country.
- By engaging with the Indian institutions and universities, the diaspora can bring in new ideas, technologies, and expertise that can help in the country’s development.
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Heatwaves in India: A Serious Concern
Central Idea
- Heat waves have become a major concern for India this year. The scorching summer heat has started prematurely, as per the recent IMD reports. If the record temperatures of the recent past are any indication, the heat wave is likely to become more intense. Rising temperatures lead to several health problems, from dehydration and heat exhaustion to more severe conditions like heatstroke. They also affect the economy and the environment.
What is Heat wave?
- A heatwave is a prolonged period of abnormally hot weather.
- Heatwaves usually last for several days or weeks and can occur in both dry and humid climates. They are characterized by temperatures that are significantly higher than the average for a particular region during that time of year.
- This is because climate change is causing a rise in global temperatures. As the planet heats up, it leads to more extreme weather events, such as heat waves. Its geography makes India particularly vulnerable to these events.
Heatwaves in India
- In India Heat waves typically occur from March to June, and in some rare cases, even extend till July.
- On an average, five-six heat wave events occur every year over the northern parts of the country.
- Single events can last weeks, occur consecutively, and can impact large population.
- Its geography makes India particularly vulnerable to these events.
Some of the hottest summers on record in recent years that India has experienced
- In May 2016, Phalodi in Rajasthan registered 51 degrees Celsius, the highest temperature ever recorded in the country.
- In 2021, India saw its hottest day on May 22, with the temperature touching 48 degrees Celsius in Barmer, also in Rajasthan.
- In 2022, Jaipur experienced a severe heatwave. Rajasthan’s capital recorded 45 degrees Celsius in April a record for the city for the month.
- Delhi, Agra, Pilani and Rohtak are among the well-known hot cities in India, where temperatures, of late, have gone up to 43 degrees Celsius in early summer
Link: Climate change and Heat waves
- Rising heat waves: Climate change is directly linked to the increase in the frequency, intensity, and duration of heatwaves around the world.
- More severe and more frequent: As the Earth’s climate continues to warm, heatwaves are becoming more severe and occurring more frequently.
- Global warming: This is because global warming is causing changes in the atmosphere, such as increased greenhouse gas concentrations, which trap heat and cause temperatures to rise.
- For instance: Climate change is also causing heatwaves to last longer. A study published in the journal Environmental Research Letters found that heatwaves are lasting an average of 2.5 days longer than they did in the middle of the 20th century.
The Socio-economic impact of heat waves
- Impact on Health: Heat-related illnesses, such as heat exhaustion and heatstroke, are becoming more common, particularly among vulnerable groups such as the elderly, children, and outdoor workers.
- In addition, heat waves can exacerbate existing health problems, such as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
- Impact on the environment
- One of the biggest problems is the depletion of water resources:
- Water sources are drying up as temperatures rise, leading to crises in many parts of the country.
- As people try to keep cool, they use more air conditioning, increasing electricity use. This leads to an increase in the use of fossil fuels, which significantly contributes to air pollution.
- Impact on agriculture:
- Impact on environment in turn, leads to agricultural problems, with crops failing and farmers struggling to make a living.
- Given that around 40 per cent of India’s population is engaged in agriculture, this is a significant concern.
- Reports are already coming from Punjab and Western Uttar Pradesh that the early heatwave has affected the growth of wheat crops and is expected to negatively affect the crop to the tune of 20 per cent.
- Impact on growth:
- The healthcare costs associated with heat-related illnesses can be significant, particularly for vulnerable groups who may not have access to affordable healthcare.
- In addition, heat waves can lead to a decrease in worker productivity, which can impact economic growth.
What can be done to deal with such problems?
- Increase public awareness: People need to be educated about the impact of rising temperatures on their health, the environment, and the economy. This can be done through public campaigns, schools, and the media.
- Increase the use of renewable energy: India has already made significant progress in this area. However, much remains to be done. The government could incentivise individuals and businesses to invest in renewable energy, such as solar panels. This would help reduce the impact of rising temperatures, create new jobs, and stimulate economic growth.
- Improving water management: This could include introducing more efficient irrigation systems, better rainwater harvesting, and using recycled water for non-potable purposes. This would help to conserve water resources and reduce the impact of rising temperatures on agriculture.
- Investing in infrastructure that can cope with extreme temperatures: This could include the construction of roads and buildings that are designed to withstand high temperatures, as well as the development of more efficient cooling systems that use less energy.
Conclusion
- The rising heat wave in India is a serious concern that needs to be addressed urgently. The impacts of rising temperatures on human health, the environment, and the economy are significant. However, with the right strategies in place, it is possible to mitigate the impact of rising temperatures and ensure a sustainable future for the country.
Mains Question
Q. Climate change is exacerbating the problem of heat waves. In this backdrop discuss its socioeconomic impact and what measures can be done to tackle this problem?
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