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  • East India will require heavy investment to tide over the post-Covid loss of livelihood

    The article discusses the issue of migrant labourers and the problems eastern states could face due to the return of labourers and the lack of employment opportunities in these states. The return of migrant labourers may lead to the mechanisation in the states where they worked. A relief-cum-stimulus package at least 5% of the GDP is suggested by the author.

    IMF’s projections for the economy

    • The IMF’s projections for GDP growth for this year seem to be either in the negative or below 2 per cent for almost all major countries of the G-20 group.
    • India could do a little better compared to the other BRICS nations, but its growth will most likely be below 2 per cent.
    • This, of course, is under an optimistic scenario.
    • Many experts reckon that India could also go into negative GDP growth this year if it does not reboot the economy properly and in time.

    The problem of collapse in demand

    • The Centre and the Reserve Bank of India are trying to remove all roadblocks so that factories and farms can resume operations.
    • The focus is largely on the supply side — how to ease restrictions and how to increase liquidity in the system for resuming production.
    • It may not take too long as the real problem is the collapse in demand.
    • And that demand may not pick up easily as the virus is likely to stay with us for quite some time.
    • We could have lockdowns again if there is a surge in infection.
    • This will surely limit our travel and restrict our shopping for non-essentials.
    • However, there is one demand that can easily revive — that of food.

    Why food demand matters?

    • The NSSO survey of consumption expenditures for 2011-12 revealed that about 45 per cent of the total expenditure of an Indian household is on food.
    • For the poor, the NSSO reckoned, this figure was about 60 per cent.
    • We do not have information about the consumption patterns in 2020, guess is that about 35-40 per cent of the expenditure of an Indian household is on food and for a poor household, this figure is around 50 per cent.
    • Herein, lies the scope to reboot the economy.

    Labour shortage and mechanisation

    • The sudden announcement of the nationwide lockdown gave labours no time to go back to their families.
    • They lost their jobs and incomes and having spent whatever little savings they had, these workers have been reduced to penury.
    • The Centre and states, despite their best efforts, have not managed to address the problem of hunger of these workers.
    • Even civil society has not managed to bridge the gap.
    • The migrant labourers may well have lost their trust in the state, and once the lockdown is lifted, most of them are likely to rush back to their families in villages.
    • And, it could be some time before they are back in the cities — that is, if they return at all.
    • So, farms and factories, especially the MSMEs in the relatively developed states of western, southern and north-western India are likely to face labour shortages for many months, perhaps years.
    • This could lead to more mechanisation of farms and factories in these states.
    • In Punjab, for example, most of the wheat harvesting is already done by combined harvesters.
    • Now even paddy harvesting could be done by mechanised harvesters.

    The double challenge for states which are home to migrants

    • However, eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Odisha, from where much of the migrant labour comes, will face a double challenge.
    • Their agriculture, with tiny farm holdings, is already saddled with a large labour force — this comprises 45 to 55 per cent of the total labour force of these states.
    • Non-farm income from wages and salaries, through migrant labour, was an important source of income for households in these states.
    • This is now severely hit. In all probability, the per capita rural incomes of these states could shrink, at least in the short run.
    • This could lead to poverty and increase hunger and malnutrition.
    • How does one then reboot the economy and also address hunger and malnutrition?

    The lockdown and the subsequent plight of the migrant labourers brought to the fore uneven development in the country. The points mentioned below suggest the ways to address this problem. A question based on this issue could be asked by the UPSC, for ex- “The issue of migrant labourers amid Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the uneven development in the country. In this context, state the reasons which led to the uneven development of various regions of the country. Suggest ways to address the problem”.

    The requirement of a special investment package for eastern states

    • A special investment package — like the Marshall Plan of USA in 1948 — for the eastern belt of India is required.
    • Investment should be used to build better infrastructure, agri-markets and godowns, rural housing, primary health centres, schools and enhances people’s skills.
    • The package will go a long way to revive the economy and augment the incomes of the migrant workers.
    • Rising incomes will generate more demand for food as well as manufactured products, giving a fillip to the growth engines of agriculture as well as the MSME sector.
    • Building better supply chains for food directly from farm-to-fork, led by the private sector, will enhance the export competitiveness of agriculture.
    • It will also ensure a higher share of farmers in the consumers’ rupee.
    • Long-term demand-driven growth: Such broad-based development in a relatively underdeveloped region of the country will lay the foundations of a long-term, demand-driven, growth of the industry in India.
    • The all India relief package of Rs 1.7 lakh crore announced by the central government earlier, which is about 0.8 per cent of the country’s GDP, is too small to reboot the economy.

    Conclusion

    If India has to bounce back quickly, it needs a much bigger relief cum stimulus package — certainly not below 5 per cent of GDP. And, it should focus more on the eastern belt, where the issue is that of survival.

    Back2Basics: Marshall Plan, 1948

    • The Marshall Plan, also known as the European Recovery Program, was a U.S. program providing aid to Western Europe following the devastation of World War II.
    • It was enacted in 1948 and provided more than $15 billion to help finance rebuilding efforts on the continent.
    • The brainchild of U.S. Secretary of State George C. Marshall, for whom it was named, it was crafted as a four-year plan to reconstruct cities, industries and infrastructure heavily damaged during the war and to remove trade barriers between European neighbours – as well as foster commerce between those countries and the United States.

  • What’s behind diplomatic tensions in the South China Sea?

    In the middle of the global coronavirus pandemic, China has been busy increasing its presence in the South China Sea.

    The dispute

    • In the past few years, China has stepped up military aggression and has created artificial islands for military and economic purposes in the South China Sea.
    • This has drawn criticism from neighbouring countries and other western powers.
    • Soon after, Chinese and Australian warships also entered the fray.
    • Following the arrival of American warships, regional observers expressed concern that the US’s presence may only serve to heighten tensions.
    • The US has no territorial claims in the South China Sea but is known to send its naval force into the waters each time there are provocative developments in the waters, particularly angering China.

    Map observations in the South China Sea are must-dos for the CSE aspirants. UPSC often toggles in the Middle East,  West and Central Asian region. This year we can expect a different region for a  map-based question.

    Why in news now?

    China’s advent for islands

    • This past week, Beijing unilaterally renamed 80 islands and other geographical features in the area, drawing criticism from neighbouring countries who have also laid claim to the same territory.
    • The focus of Chinese acquisitory attention is the two disputed archipelagos of the Spratly Islands and the Paracel Islands in the middle of the South China Sea waters.
    • They lie between the territory of Vietnam and the Philippines.
    • If the dispute were to aggravate, Asia-Pacific researchers believe it could have serious consequences for diplomatic relations and stability in the region.

    What is the Spratly Islands dispute about?

    • There has been an ongoing territorial dispute between China, Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Malaysia concerning the ownership of the Spratly Islands archipelago and nearby geographical features like corals reefs, cays etc.
    • Since 1968, these nations have engaged in varying kinds of military occupation of the islands and the surrounding waters, with the exception of Brunei, that has contained its objections to the use of its maritime waters for commercial fishing.
    • Although the Spratly Islands are largely uninhabited, there is a possibility that they may have large reserves of untapped natural resources.
    • However, due to the ongoing dispute, there have been few initiatives to explore the scale of these reserves.

    Quest for Oil

    • Over the years, US government agencies have claimed that there is little to no oil and natural gas in these islands, but these reports have done little to reduce the territorial dispute.
    • In the 1970s, oil was discovered in neighbouring islands, specifically off the coast of Palawan. This discovery ramped up territorial claims by these countries.

    What is the Paracel Islands dispute about?

    • The Paracel Islands dispute is slightly more complex. This archipelago is a collection of 130 islands and coral reefs and is located in the South China Sea, almost equidistant from China and Vietnam.
    • Beijing says that references to the Paracel Islands as a part of China sovereign territory can be found in 14th century writings from the Song Dynasty.
    • Vietnam on the other hand, says that historical texts from at least the 15th century show that the islands were a part of its territory.
    • These islands also find mention in records starting from the 16th century by explorers who led expeditions to the East.
    • Colonial powers of the French-Indochina further accelerated the tensions with regard to the Paracel Islands due to their colonial policies in the 20th century.
    • By 1954, tensions had dramatically increased between China and Vietnam over the archipelago.

    What is the most recent dispute about?

    • Recent China established new administrative districts on both Spratly and Paracel Islands.
    • It also renamed those 80 islands, reefs and other geographical features around the two archipelagos with Chinese names.
    • The last time China had unilaterally engaged in a similar initiative was in 1983 where 287 geographical features had been renamed in the disputed chain of islands.

  • What are the concerns around the AarogyaSetu app?

    • Recently the AarogyaSetu app — for pan-India use was launched as the main contact tracing technology endorsed by the Central government.
    • Soon it became one of the most downloaded apps globally and has crossed the 75 million mark.
    • However, there are concerns for more transparency on the inner workings of an app that seeks the personal details of millions.

    RIght to Privacy is a very much contested topic for GS. The Aarogya Setu app which has a lot more to offer, is under the radar due to underlying vacuum of Privacy Law in India.

    AarogyaSetu App

    • The App enables people to assess themselves the risk of their catching the Corona Virus infection.
    • It is designed to keep track of other AarogyaSetu users that a person came in contact with and alert him or her if any of the contacts tests positive for COVID-19.
    • It achieves this using the phone’s Bluetooth and GPS capabilities.
    • Once installed in a smartphone through an easy and user-friendly process, the app detects other devices with AarogyaSetu installed that come in the proximity of that phone.
    • The app can then calculate the risk of infection based on sophisticated parameters if any of these contacts has tested positive.
    • The personal data collected by the App is encrypted using state-of-the-art technology and stays secure on the phone till it is needed for facilitating medical intervention.

    Issues with the app

    • The AarogyaSetu app faces the same issue as every other contact tracing technology that has come up during the pandemic period — it is people dependent.
    • It needs widespread usage and self-reporting to be effective.
    • Given that any number of total users will be a subset of smartphone owners in India, and there are bound to be variations in the levels of self-reporting, the efficacy is not bulletproof.
    • The terms of use of the app also say as much, distancing the government from any failure on the part of the app in correctly identifying COVID-19 patients.

    Are there privacy concerns?

    • First of all, the app exists in the privacy law vacuum that is India.
    • With no legislation that spells out in detail how the online privacy of Indians is to be protected, AarogyaSetu users have little choice but to accept the privacy policy provided by the government.
    • The policy goes into some detail on where and how long the data will be retained, but it leaves the language around who will have access to it vague.
    • As per the policy persons carrying out medical and administrative interventions necessary in relation to COVID-19” will have access to the data.
    • This suggests interdepartmental exchanges of people’s personal information and is more excessive than countries like Singapore and even Israel.

    Technical issue

    • Beyond the legal loopholes, there are technical loopholes as well.
    • The unique digital identity in AarogyaSetu is a static number, which increases the probability of identity breaches.
    • The abundance of data collected is also potentially problematic.
    • AarogyaSetu uses both Bluetooth as well as GPS reference points, which could be seen as overkill whereas other apps such as TraceTogether make do with Bluetooth.

    Other issues

    • Experts emphasise that automated contact tracing is not a panacea.
    • They caution against an over-reliance on technology where a competent human-in-the-loop system with sufficient capacity exists.

  • GW190412: The first merger of two black holes with unequal masses

    For the first time since it started functioning, the gravitational wave observatories at LIGO scientific collaboration have detected a merger of two unequal-mass black holes.

    This newscard contains few basic terms that one must know-

    Gravitational waves

    General Relativity

    Black Holes

    GW190412

    • The event, dubbed GW190412, was detected nearly a year ago, and this is almost five years after the first-ever detection of gravitational-wave signals by these powerful detectors.
    • Subsequent analysis of the signal coming from the violent merger showed that it involved two black holes of unequal masses coalescing.
    • One of them was some 30 times the mass of the Sun and the other which had a mass nearly 8 times the solar mass.
    • The actual merger took place at a distance of 2.5 billion light-years away.

    Significant feature observed

    • The detected signal’s waveform has special extra features in it when it corresponds to the merger of two unequal-sized black holes as compared with a merger of equal-sized black holes.
    • These features make it possible to infer many more things about the characters such as- a more accurate determination of the distance from the event, the spin or angular momentum of the more massive black hole and the orientation of the whole event with respect to viewers on Earth.
    • While the mass of the black hole bends the space-time close to it, the spin or angular momentum of this inscrutable object drags the nearby space-time, causing it to swirl around, along with it.
    • Hence both these properties are important to estimate.

    Confirmed General Relativity

    • An Indian team consisting of researchers verified the consistency of the signal with the prediction of General Relativity.
    • The existence of higher harmonics was itself a prediction of General Relativity.

    Must refer for an easy and illustrated understanding of General Relativity-

     

  • The Curie Family and its Nobel legacy

    This newscard is inspired by an article published in the DTE which talks about a family which has received a total of four Nobel prizes, the highest won by a single-family.

    Last year in 2019 CSP, there was a question on pure Biology about Hepatitis and its variants. With such news trending, we can expect a core chemistry or physics based question coupled with a slight Current Affairs blend.

    The ‘Nobel’ family

    • On April 20, 1902, Marie and Pierre Curie successfully isolated radioactive radium salts from pitchblende, a mineral, in a laboratory in Paris, France.
    • They were inspired by French physicist Henri Becquerel’s 1896 experiment on phosphorescence or the phenomenon that allows certain objects to glow in the dark.
    • They were able to find traces of two radioactive elements—polonium (Element 84) and radium (Element 88).
    • Curie shared the 1903 Nobel with her fellow researcher Pierre Currie and Becquerel for their combined work on radioactivity.

    Important facts

    • In 1903, Marie Curie received the Nobel Prize in Physics making her the world’s first woman to win the prize.
    • In 1911, she created history again by becoming the first woman to have won two Nobel awards.
    • The 1911 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Marie after she managed to produce radium as a pure metal. This proved the new element’s existence beyond doubt.
    • However, this was not the last Nobel for the Curie family.
    • The 1935 Nobel in Chemistry went to Irène Curie and her husband and co-researcher Frédéric Joliot for their joint work on the artificial creation of new radioactive elements.
    • The Curies have received a total of four of Nobel prizes, the highest won by a single-family. They also have the unique distinction of having three Nobel-prize winning members in the family.

    Birth of Radioactivity

    • While delivering a lecture at the Royal Academy of Sciences in Stockholm, Sweden in 1911, Curie shared some critical details about “radioactive elements” and the phenomenon called “radioactivity”.
    • She also spoke about the chemical properties of radium, the new element that was about a million times more radioactive than uranium.
    • Radium in solid salts was about 5 million times more radioactive than an equal weight of uranium.

    Back2Basics: Radioactivity

    • Radioactivity refers to the particles which are emitted from nuclei as a result of nuclear instability.
    • It is the process by which an unstable atomic nucleus loses energy by radiation.
    • The most common types of radiation are called alpha, beta, and gamma radiation, but there are several other varieties of radioactive decay.
    • Radioactive decay rates are normally stated in terms of their half-lives, and the half-life of a given nuclear species is related to its radiation risk.
    • Examining the amounts of decay products makes possible radioactive dating.

    Its applications

    • Medical use: Many diseases such as cancer are cured by radiotherapy. Sterilization of medical instruments and food is another common application of radiation.
    • Scientific use: Alpha particles emitted from the radioisotopes are used for nuclear reactions.
    • Industrial use: Radioisotopes are used as fuel for atomic energy reactors. Also used in Carbon dating.

  • Rohtang Pass and its location

    The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has opened the Rohtang Pass, three weeks in advance, for transporting essential supplies and relief materials to Lahaul and Spiti districts of Himachal Pradesh.

     Rohtang Pass

    • It is a high mountain pass (elevation 3,980 m) on the eastern Pir Panjal Range of the Himalayas around 51 km from Manali.
    • It connects the Kullu Valley with the Lahaul and Spiti Valleys of Himachal Pradesh, India.
    • The pass lies on the watershed between the Chenab and Beas basins.
    • On the southern side of this pass, the Beas River emerges from underground and flows southward and on its northern side, the Chandra River, a source stream of the river Chenab, flows westward.

    Another pass in new:

    https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/sela-pass-tunnel-project/

  • Exercise Pitch Black 2020

    Australia has informed India that their premier multilateral air combat training exercise Pitch Black 2020 scheduled in July has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 situation.

    All-time generic question seeking ‘match the pairs’ can be asked from the news as such.  Click here for more exercises.

     Ex Pitch Black 2020

    • Exercise Pitch Black is a biennial warfare exercise hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).
    • The aim of the exercise is to practice Offensive Counter Air (OCA) and Defensive Counter Air (DCA) combat, in a simulated war environment.
    • In the last edition of Pitch Black in 2018, the IAF for the first time participated with its Su-30MKI fighters, one C-130 and one C-17 transport aircraft.
    • It provided a unique opportunity for an exchange of knowledge and experience with these nations in a dynamic warfare environment.
    • The next edition of Pitch Black is scheduled in 2022.

    India’s defence relation with Australia

    • The defence and strategic engagement with Australia have steadily gone up in recent years especially on the bilateral front with naval cooperation at the forefront.
    • The bilateral naval exercise AUSINDEX early last year saw the participation of the largest Australian contingent ever to India with over 1,000 personnel.
    • The Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA) has been long pending and is expected to be concluded soon as well as a broader maritime cooperation agreement including the Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) to elevate the existing strategic partnership.
    • Australia recently made a pitch for trilateral cooperation among India, Australia and Indonesia to identify new ways that our three countries can collaborate to be the best possible custodians of the Indian Ocean.

  • [Prelims Spotlight] Important British Commissions and Committees

    Prelims Spotlight is a part of “Nikaalo Prelims 2020” module. This open crash course for Prelims 2020 has a private telegram group where PDFs and DDS (Daily Doubt Sessions) are being held. Please click here to register.

    Important British Commissions and Committees

    27 April 2020 

    Educational Commissions

    Charles Wood Despatch – 1854

    • Wood’s despatch proposed several recommendations in order to improve the system of education.
    • According to the recommendations, it was declared that the aim of the Government’s policy was the promotion of western education. In his despatch, he emphasised on the education of art, science, philosophy and literature of Europe.
    • In short, the propagation of European knowledge was the motto of the Wood’s Despatch.
    • According to the despatch, for higher education, the chief medium of instruction would be English.
    • However, the significance of the vernacular language was no less emphasised as Wood believed that through the mediums of vernacular language, European knowledge could reach to the masses.
    • Wood’s Despatch also proposed the setting up of several vernacular primary schools in the villages at the lowest stage.
    • Moreover, there should be Anglo-Vernacular high schools and an affiliated college in the district level.
    • Wood’s Despatch recommended a system of grants-in-aid to encourage and foster the private enterprise in the field of education. The grants-in-aid were conditional on the institution employing qualified teachers and maintaining proper standards of teaching.

    Hunter Commission – 1882

    • Hunter Education Commission was a landmark commission appointed by Viceroy Lord Ripon with objectives to look into the complaints of the non-implementation of the Wood’s Despatch of 1854; the contemporary status of elementary education in the British territories; and suggest means by which this can be extended and improved.
    • This commission, headed by Sir William Wilson Hunter, had submitted its report in 1882.

    Commission suggestions:

    • There should be two types of education arrangements at the high school level, in which emphasis should be given on giving a vocational and business education and other such literary education should be given, which will help in admission to the university.
    • Arrangement for emphasis on the importance of education at the primary level and education in local language and useful subjects.
    • Private efforts should be welcomed in the field of education, but primary education should be given without him.
    • Control of education at the primary level should be handed over to the district and city boards.

    Hunter Commission of 1882 on Primary Education :

    • Primary education should be regarded as the education of the masses.
      Education should be able to train the people for self-dependence.
    • The medium of instruction in primary education should e the mother tongue.
      Normal Schools should be established for the training of teachers.
    • The curriculum should include useful subjects like agriculture, elements of natural and physical science and the native method of arithmetic and measurement, etc.
    • The spread of primary education for the tribal and backward people should be the responsibility of the Government.
    • Fees should be an example to students on the basis of their financial difficulties.

    Raleigh Commission – 1902

    • Raleigh Commission was appointed under the presidency of Sir Thomas Raleigh on 27 January 1902 to inquire into the condition and prospects of universities in India and to recommend proposals for improving their constitution and working.
    • Evidently, the Commission was precluded from reporting on primary or secondary education.
    • As a result of the report of the recommendations of the Commission the Indian Universities Act was passed in 1904.
    • The main objective of the Act was to improve the condition of education in India and upgrade the system to a better level.
    • The following important changes were introduced for the upliftment of University Education.
    • Universities were empowered to appoint their own staff including the teaching staff.
    • The number of Fellows of a University was limited within 50 to 100.
    • The number of elected Fellows was fixed at 20 for the Bombay, Madras and Calcutta Universities and 15 for others.
    • The Governor-General was now empowered to decide a University’s territorial limits and also affiliation between the universities and colleges.
    • After the implementation of the provisions of the University Act, though the number of colleges declined, yet the number of students increased considerably.

    Sadler Commission – 1917

    • In 1917, the Calcutta University Commission (Sadler Commission) was appointed by the Government of India under the Chairmanship of Mr. Michel Sadler, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leeds.
    • All the teaching resources in the city of Calcutta should be organized so that the Calcutta University may become entirely a teaching university.
    • A separate teaching and residential university should be established at Dacca.
    • There was a need for a coordinating agency. Hence an inter-University Board should be set up.
    • Honours courses should be instituted and they should be distinctly different from the Pass courses.
    • Full time and salaried Vice-Chancellor should be appointed to be the administrative head of the university.
    • The Senate and the syndicate should be replaced by the Court and the Executive Council respectively.
    • Universities should be freed from excessive official control.
    • Government interference in the academic matters of universities should stop.

    Hartog Commission – 1929

    • Sir Philip Joseph Hartog committee was appointed by the British Indian government to survey on the growth of education in India.
    • The Hartog committee 1929, had devoted more attention to mass education than the secondary and University education.
    • The Hartog committee highlighted the problem of wastage and stagnation in education at the primary level.
    • It recommended the policy of consolidation instead of multiplication of schools. The duration of the primary course was to be fixed to four years.
    • It recommended for the improvements in quality, pay, and service conditions of teachers and relating the syllabus and teaching methods to the local environment of villages and locality
    • The Hartog committee on education recommended for the promotion of technical and commercial education by universities to control the problem of unemployment.
    • The recommendation of the Hartog committee of 1929 was an attempt for consolidation and stabilization of education. The Hartog committee of 1929 was seen as a torchbearer of the government’s effort to improve the quality of education.
    • However, these recommendations of Hartog committee of 1929 remained only on paper and could not be implemented due to the great economic depression of 1930-31.

    Sargent Plan – 1944

    • The Sargent plan of education came after Sir John Sargent was given the task to prepare a comprehensive scheme of education for India in 1944 and he made the following recommendations:
    • Pre-primary education for children between 3 to 6 years of age.
      Universal, compulsory and free primary or basic education for all children between the ages 6—11 (junior basic) and 11—14 (senior basic).
    • High school education for six years for selected children between the years 11—17.
    • Degree course for three years beginning after the higher secondary examination for selected students
    • Technical, commercial, agricultural and art education for full time and part-time students, girls schools are to teach domestic science.
    • The liquidation of adult illiteracy and the development of a public library system in about 20 years.
    • Full provision for the proper training of teachers.
    • Educational provision is made for the physically and mentally handicapped children.
    • The organisation of compulsory physical education.
    • Provision be made for social and recreational activities.
    • The creation of employment bureaus.
    • The creation of the Department of Education in the centre and in the states.
    • The use of mother tongue is to be used as the medium of instruction in all high schools.

    Famine Commissions during British Rule in India

    Campbell Commission

    • In 1865-66, a famine engulfed Orissa, Bengal, Bihar, and Madras and took a toll of nearly 20 lakhs of lives with Orissa alone loosing 10 lakh lives, since the famine was most severe in Orissa; it is called the Orissa famine.
    • The Government officers though forewarned took no steps to meet the calamity.
    • The Government adhered to the principles of free trade and the law of demand and supply, the Government did provide employment to the table booked men leaving the work of charitable relief to the voluntary agency.
    • But the famine proved a turning point in the history of Indian famines for it was followed by the appointment of a committee under the chairmanship of Sir
      George Campbell.

    Stratchy Commission

    • It was set up in 1878 under the Chairmanship of Sir Richard Strachey.
    • The commission recommended state interference in food trade in the event of famine. India witnessed another major famine in 1896-97.

    Lyall Commission

    • It was constituted in 1897 under the Chairmanship of Sir James Lyall. This commission recommended the development of irrigation facilities.

    MacDonnell Commission

    • It was set up in 1900 under the Chairmanship of Sir Anthony (Later Lord) McDonnel to re-evaluate and recommend changes in report of the previous commission, based on the findings of the recent famine.
    • This Commission recommended that the official machinery dealing with a famine must work around the year so that the scarcity of food grains could be controlled well in time.

    Law Commission

    • Law Commissions in India have a pre-independence origin. The first Law Commission was formed in 1834 as a result of the Charter Act, 1833 under the chairmanship of TB Macaulay.
    • The first commission’s recommendations resulted in the codification of the penal code and the Criminal Procedure Code.
    • Three other law commissions were constituted before independence by the British government.
    • All four pre-independent law commissions have contributed to the statute books immensely.
    • After independence, the first Law Commission was constituted in 1955 in a continuance of the tradition of bringing law reforms in the country through the medium of law commissions.
    • Second Pre-Independence Law Commission,1853 – Sir John Romilly.
    • Third Pre-Independence Law Commission, 1862- Sir John Romilly.
    • Fourth Pre-Independence Law Commission, 1879 – Dr Whitley Stokes.

    Currency Commission

    Mansfield Commission by Dufferin in 1886

    • The Indian Currency Committee or Fowler Committee was a government committee appointed by the British-run Government of India on 29 April 1898 to examine the current situation in India.
    • Until 1892, silver was the metal on which Indian currency and coinage had largely been based. In 1892, the Government of India announced its intent to “close Indian mints to silver” and, in 1893, it brought this policy into force.

    Other Commissions on Currency:

    • Fowler Commission by Elgin II in 1898
    • Babington Smith Commission by Chelmsford in 1919
    • Hilton Young Commission by Linlithgow in 1926

    Other Important Commissions

    • Scott-Moncrieff Commission (Irrigation) by Curzon in 1901
    • Fraser Commission (Police Reforms) by Curzon in 1902
    • Hunter Commission (Punjab Disturbances) by Chelmsford 1919
    • Butler Commission (Indian States relation with British Crown) by Irwin in 1927
    • Whiteley Commission (Labour) by Irwin in 1929
    • Sapru Commission (Unemployment) by Linlithgow in 1935
    • Chalfield Commission (Army) by Linlighgow 1939
    • Floud Commission (Tenancy in Bengal) by Linlighgow in 1940

  • 26 April 2020 | Nikaalo Prelims Quiz -Current Affairs Test 8: January 2020

    [WpProQuiz 425]

  • Lockdown with a human face: Immediate focus should be on alleviating hardships of poor, vulnerable groups

    The article deals with the policy response to the crisis. Reducing the pain inflicted on the poor and vulnerable section should be the priority. The size and nature of the stimulus package is also discussed in the article.

    The dilemma of lives Vs. livelihood

    • As the coronavirus spreads, severe dilemmas haunt policymakers.
    • Testing of lockdown? Even the scientific community is confused and does not seem to know whether the South Korean model of more intensive testing is preferable to the European model of a complete lockdown.
    • The economic crisis that we are facing today is very different from any crisis that we have encountered recently.
    • This is the first economic crisis in recent memory to have been triggered by a non-economic factor — a pandemic.
    • A lockdown essentially amounts to limited economic activity and this results in throwing temporary workers and daily wage earners out of employment.
    • Migrant labour falls in this category.
    • According to the 2011 census, the number of migrant workers under the category, “migrants for work/employment” was 41.42 million.
    • This number must have grown substantially by now.
    • The impact of the lockdown has fallen very heavily on the poor and vulnerable groups.
    • We need to bear this in mind while evolving the strategy to combat the virus.

    Expenditure during the pandemic

    • First, medical and healthcare expenditure, which includes the money spent on extension of hospital facilities, employment of additional medical and healthcare workers, costs of testing on a much wider scale and the purchase of accessories like personal protection equipment, ventilators and testing kits.
    • The expenditure under this category is a “must” and there can be no compromise on it.
    • The length of the battle will decide the cost.
    • Second, the expenditure involved in taking care of the people thrown out of employment, and other vulnerable sections of the population.
    • Third, stimulation expenditure aimed at restarting the economy. Here, the financial system presided over by the RBI will play an important role. But the government also has a role.

    Two issues to consider while deciding on the lockdown

    • The “life” versus “livelihood” dilemma pertains to the lockdown policy.
    • A tight lockdown over an extended period may save lives by curtailing the progress of the virus.
    • But at the same time, it places several segments of society under severe hardship.
    • With the lack of economic activity, many will go hungry.
    • In this context, the government must look at two issues.
    • First, it must consider to the extent to which the lockdown can be relaxed while keeping in mind the priority of restricting the spread of the virus.
    • The government has recently announced some relaxations.
    • This is a welcome step. However, it must keep this concern under continuous consideration. It must explore other options on the medical front as well.
    • For example, will more testing make it possible to reduce restrictions?
    • Second, if the lockdown is a “compulsion”, we need to pay adequate attention to the plight of people who have been affected adversely.
    • The government had earlier announced certain measures to help some segments of society.
    • With the lockdown being extended, it is necessary to raise the levels of relief, and also cover segments of society not covered earlier — migrant labour, for example.

    The following points about the stimulus package are appearing repeatedly in most of the article on economic damage to the economy. They are also relevant from the UPSC perspective. A question based on it,  like “What steps were taken by the government to revive the Indian economy in the aftermath of the corona crisis?” can be asked.

    What should be the nature of the stimulus package?

    • There is much talk about a “stimulation package” to revive the economy.
    • The financial system will have to lead the charge.
    • Additional expenditure: Expectations regarding additional expenditures by the government vary from 2 per cent of the GDP to 5 per cent of the GDP.
    • Normal sources of financing will not be adequate to meet this order of expenditure.
    • Many analysts felt that the figure of 3.5 per cent of the GDP as the fiscal deficit, indicated in the budget for 2020-21, would be exceeded.
    • The pandemic will necessitate an increase in expenditure.
    • Moreover, with the decline in economic activity, revenues will also go down.
    • The revenue projections were made on the assumption that the nominal income growth would be 10 per cent.
    • But this is unlikely to be achieved. The nominal income growth is likely to be 7 per cent, at best.
    • Given the increase in expenditures and the slowdown in revenue collection, the borrowing programme will exceed significantly over what was indicated in the budget.
    • The monetisation of debt is inevitable and it will have its own consequences.
    • Provisions for states: The brunt of the expenditures will be borne by the state governments and therefore, the Centre must allocate additional resources to them.
    • They may also be allowed additional borrowing above 3 per cent of the state domestic product.

    What will be the overall growth rate for India?

    • In the first quarter of 2020-21, the GDP growth rate will be negative.
    • Agricultural performance during the year could be the same as in 2019-20 as the rainfall is expected to be normal.
    • The developed world may go through a recession over the year.
    • Thus the external sector may not be of much help.
    • It is quite possible for the economy to have a V-type recovery from the second quarter of 2020-21.
    • On that assumption, the overall growth rate for the year can be 3 per cent. This is an optimistic estimate.

    Conclusion

    To return to the present, the focus of the government has to be two-fold. It must act vigorously to contain the virus, explore the possible alternatives to complete lockdown. Second, it must take all actions to provide adequate help to the poor and the needy including the migrant workers. Lockdown, as necessary, must be with a human face.

     

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